Happy Endings || Andy Biersack

30. Come Back... Be Here

*3 Years Later*

I heard a slight whining come from the hall and walked out to see Hades sitting by the stairs. His eyes were pleading and sad, the deep brown of them seeming wise and soulful. The greying in his muzzle had spread to his legs and further up his face. 

"Andy," I called, walking towards Hades and running my hands through his soft fur. He leaned his weight against me, a habit he'd had since I'd first adopted him years ago. 

Andy walked in from the kitchen, his eyebrow raised.

"Hades wants to go upstairs with Jax," I explained.

Hades couldn't walk up the stairs anymore due to his hip dysplasia. The joint problem made it painful for him to move and run like he used to. It was common in larger dogs, but it was still sad to see. Since Hades was almost 140 lbs, I couldn't lift him myself. It had become Andy's task and he habitually did it every night, making sure that Jax got to sleep with Hades at the end of his bed. And Hades was determined to get upstairs to his favorite boy, some nights attempting to walk up the stairs slowly himself before Andy intervened. The two were inseparable and it broke my heart knowing that at Hades' age of eight years, old for a Great Dane, he wouldn't be around forever.

Andy lifted Hades' large figure into his arms and carefully carried him up the stairs. I followed behind him. He didn't put Hades down at the top of the stairs, but directly on Jax's bed so Hades wouldn't have to struggle to jump on Jax's mattress. The dog settled at the end of it, stretching himself out and searching for Jaxson in the dark room. Jax rubbed at his ears and Hades gave him an eager kiss.

Jax settled back under his covers as I moved to tuck him. He smiled up at me as I fixed the sheets around him. Kissing him on the cheek, I whispered, "Good night, Jax. Sleep well."

"Night, mommy," he replied.

I gave Hades a kiss on his forehead and petted his long torso.

"Daddy?" Jax asked as Andy was about to wish him a good night.

"Yeah?" Andy answered.

"Mommy was talking to Aunt Sammi about you leaving again. Are you?" the 7 year old asked, watching his dad with innocent blue eyes.

"Well, in a few days, but you know I always come back," Andy explained, having had this conversation with Jax before. 

Jax nodded. "I don't want you to leave again, daddy."

Andy swallowed tightly and I could see the emotion in his light eyes. "I don't want to leave either, but I have to make music."

"You know how you like to hear daddy sing to you when you can't sleep at night or you're sad?" I cut in. The seven year old nodded. "Well, when Daddy leaves, he's going to sing to other people who need his music to help them feel better."

"He makes them happy?" Jax asked.

Andy nodded sadly. "But, whenever I leave, we always talk on the computer and the phone and I always come home. I will never leave you and not come back. I promise, buddy."

"Pinky promise?" Jax held out his tiny pinky.

"Pinky promise," my husband agreed, looping his larger finger with Jax's.

"Now, go to sleep, okay? You have school tomorrow," Andy said.

"Okay. Night, daddy."

"Night, Jax. I love you."

"Love you too."

Andy and I walked out into the hall, flicking Jax's light off, only the glow of his night light in the room, and leaving a crack in the door. Camilla was asleep in the neighboring room, now three years old and the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.