Lost and Found

Matt had called everyone, telling them to ‘get their asses down to his place, pronto.’ I’m sure they’d all be confused, but agreed after being promised beer and food.

“What’re we going to do now?” I asked anyone who’d listen. Matt was driving Marianne, Danny and I over to his place.

“Well, I don’t know about you but I’d like it very much if you stay at least until we start touring again,” Val said from the front seat.

“Why don’t you just stay, period?” Danny asked. “You’re going to UCLA in a couple months. There’s no reason to go back home and then come back here.”

“Where would I stay?” I asked with a light, amused chuckle. “I don’t want to get in Tracy’s way, and what about you two? What about the rest of my stuff?”

“Don’t worry about us,” Marianne said with a smile.

“But…” I whined. “I can’t help but to! You guys are my best friends, in fact my only! I just can’t leave you!”

Matt looked at us through the rear view mirror and smiled. “Why don’t you all just stay at our place?”

“Okay,” Danny said with a large grin, no hesitation required.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“But… but Mommy Lizzie!” Marianne and Danny said at the same time.

Val looked at Matt and held his hand. “I think it’s a great idea. I’m not taking no for an answer either,” she told us… well… me. I was the only one who would object. “And before you say anything, yes, we’re sure, and yes, it’s okay.”

“And when you guys go on tour?” I asked.

“Just live there,” Matt said with a shrug. “I’ll lend you a credit card for anything at all you need.”

“I would feel really bad,” I whined. Val turned around in her seat and playfully glared at me.

“Now you listen here, Elizabeth,” she chuckled. “I love being a mom… but anyway, you have no idea how happy Matt and I are to have you find us. I want to make it all up to you but there is no possible way to. This way I can at least feel a bit better. We would love for you, Danny and Marianne to live in our home for however long. Everything would be yours to use, don’t worry about anything at all. I know how you feel about them; I have friends that I feel the same toward. Just accept this and don’t argue.”

“Yes, mother,” I said with a slight laugh. The two up front beamed and Danny literally pummeled me into a hug.

“I’m moving to HB!” Danny exclaimed. “And living in M. Shadows’ house… and my best friend is his daughter! Proven and everything!” Marianne and I laughed at Danny, as did Val and Matt. Marianne pulled him off me and hugged me herself.

“I love you guys,” I said with a laugh.

“I know. Now how long is it until we’re home?” Marianne asked. “I need a cigarette.”

“Go ahead and smoke in the car,” Matt replied.

“Can’t. Elizabeth has asthma and she’ll have an attack if I smoke this close to her.”

“You do?” Val asked, turning to look at me once more.

“Yeah,” I replied sheepishly. “I have an inhaler and everything.”

“Hm,” she replied, turning around.

“Not long, we’re here now,” Matt replied, turning in a drive that was in front of a huge cream colored house.

My jaw dropped, as did Marianne’s… Danny just smiled… weirdly…

“We’re home!” Val said.

“Yes, yes we are!” Danny said, getting out of the car and running up the house before Matt even parked… or stopped… crazy fan boy.

Matt laughed, sending his shoulders up and down as he zoomed past Danny, leaving him stare at the back of the car. The brakes were slammed on, the car parked, and the doors unlocked.

“I’m using child locks next time,” Matt said.

“I do not blame you,” Marianne said. “So I take it everyone else is here?” she asked.

There were at least ten other cars in the driveway. Who the hell would be there besides the band?

“Who else is here?” Danny asked.

“The guys, their parents, Jason and Matt,” Val answered walking up the steps to the door. We all followed.

“Is it just me or are you really quiet?” Matt asked me, slinging his arm around my shoulder.

I nodded. “I’m just really quiet. More of an observer and a listener.”

“That makes for a really good writer, you know that?”

I smiled and let out a small laugh. “Yeah, but I’m actually thinking about majoring in History, I wanna be a teacher.”

“Oh yeah?” I nodded. “That’s something I haven’t heard of before. Well, good luck.”

“Thank you.”

We continued walking like that, Matt’s arm around my shoulder, as we entered the house.

“Matt?” a voice carried through the house.

“Yeah, Brian, it’s us!” Matt replied. “Don’t freak out again,” Matt whispered to Danny who had now caught up with us as he let out a low chuckle.

“What’d you want us here for?” Brian asked, not yet seeing us walk through.

“Oh my God! It’s the crazy fan!” Jimmy said upon seeing us.

“Oh my God! It’s the crazy drummer!” Marianne replied, pointing.

“Oh my God! It’s Matt and Val's lovechild!” Jimmy said, now seeing me.

“What’s this about?” Leana asked. If I haven’t said it before, here, I’ll say it again. You know Danny, you know everyone of the Avenged Family. Pictures are forced into your face, with his commentary on who they are and how they relate to the band.

There were so many people waiting in that spacious living room, I felt immediately embarrassed. I looked over to Michelle. She had a knowing smirk on her face, but apparently she hadn’t let on to anything.

“There’s something we need to tell everyone,” Val said.

“Go on,” Zacky said, cuddling with Gena and their dog Ichabod in his lap, sleeping. He wouldn’t be for very long.

Val looked to Matt - who hadn’t yet taken his arm away - and he nodded, telling her to go on. Prepare for it, Lizzie…

“This is Marianne, Danny, and our daughter… Elizabeth.”

“Daughter?” Johnny asked.

“Yes, daughter,” Matt said.

“Whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa… whoa whoa whoa… whoa…” Johnny said. “You have a daughter? When were you pregnant?”

From what I’m guessing with their history, Johnny never knew about Val’s pregnancy with me. I guess they never talked about it.

“This is that girl?” Kim, Matt’s Mom asked.

“Yeah, Mom. This is her,” Matt replied.

“You have a daughter?!” Johnny asked.

“Yes, Johnny, we do,” Val replied with a laugh.

“How do you know if she’s telling the truth?” Brian asked.

“Maternity and paternity tests,” Marianne said. Oh, God, and here it comes. Life story. “Liz’s adoptive mom told her she was adopted, we robbed a hospital for information, went to Tracy, told Michelle, brought over Matt and Val, Val fainted and got tests done. The results just came in today. She is not a gold digger, nor could she possibly ever be. So don’t even think that. This is their lovechild. Accept it. I'm now going out for a cigarette. Please. Talk amongst yourselves.” Marianne nodded, confirming the story.

“Val was pregnant?!” Johnny exclaimed once more.

“Yes. Johnny. I was,” Val said slowly as though he was stupid.

“Dude!” Johnny exclaimed with an excited grin on his face. “No way!”

“Do you see her?” Danny asked, pulling me from Matt and thrusting my small body in front of him. “This is their spawn.” He shook me with each word. “Their spawn, I tell you! She was a product of his sp-”

“Danny,” I stopped him; feeling like my balance was flipped all around.

“Dear God, she speaks!” Leana joked.

“Shut up, she’s just quiet,” Lacey countered with a laugh.

“So… I can’t tell them how you came to be?” Danny asked me with wide eyes. I smiled, holding a laugh back.

“I’m sure they know.”

“Yes, please spare us the details, now, my niece, some sit next to Aunty Michelle and Uncle Brian,” Michelle said, pushing Jason off and onto the floor.

“Hey!” he whined, standing up and sitting back down.

“No!” Michelle said. “Elizabeth is going to sit here.” She waved me over. “C’mon,” I looked to Danny, who had the look on his face that if I didn’t go, he was going to grab the spot. He even had the stance.

“Okay,” I said with a laugh.

“So… I’m an uncle,” Brian said, a smile playing on his lips. “This is different.”

“I know,” I replied, sitting down next to Michelle. “It’s a huge chance.”

“You have that right,” Johnny said. “I thought Val was a virgin.” Everyone cracked up laughing. Being me, I didn’t see what was so funny.

“Is he drunk?” I asked, pointing my thumb to Johnny.

“Nope,” Jimmy replied.

“Dude… I’ll pay you ten bucks to hit me,” Danny said as he stood in front of Zacky and Gena. Poor Ichabod, he was sleeping and well, now he’s not.

“Ten bucks to hit you?” Zacky asked. Danny was such an idiot sometimes, I swear.

I jolted up and nearly ran to the backdoor. I opened it and saw Marianne right there.

“Marianne?”

“Yeah?”

“Danny’s going to do something really stupid.”

Marianne rolled her eyes, stomping her cigarette on the ground. “Okay,”

I walked in, and saw Zacky standing in front of Danny.

“Drop that fist,” Marianne said. “He’s an idiot, please excuse him.”

“But Marianne!” Danny whined. “I was about to get punched in the jaw by Zacky fucking Vengeance!”

“I don’t fucking care!” she said with a laugh. She looked at me and gave me a thumbs up.

“Put that out!” Val yelled. I looked over to her and saw her swiping at the back of Johnny’s head.

“What the hell, woman?” he asked.

“Elizabeth is asthmatic. From now on, there will be no more smoking in the house or around her,” Val told everyone. “Go outside to do that.”

“Why from now on?” Brian asked.

“Because Elizabeth is going to live with us,” Matt said.

"I want to ask you guys some things first."

“Of course, sweetie,” Val said smiling. I smiled back.

“Why don’t you ask them now?” Matt said. “I’m sure everyone could give a little input.”

“We could, you know,” Jimmy said. “We were there when it happened… well, most of us.”

“Ask away,” Gena said next. “I want to know some things too.”

“Get ready for two hundred questions cause I’ve got some,” Danny said, earning a slap on the back of the head by Marianne. “That was really uncalled for, you know.”

“Oh well, it was fun,” she replied.

Notes

Please comment, subscribe and rate! I love seeing numbers change!