Cheater (a Scandy fanfic)

So Take Your Hand In Mine, It's Ours Tonight

Fast-forwarding about a year, tour was over. Scout had tagged along with him as much as possible, unless she had some filming to do or a movie to work on.

Andy moved in with Scout back down in Cincinatti, and they lived at Andy's parents' house until they could find a house of their own nearby. Chris and Amy had always loved Scout and were very welcoming to her. They enjoyed her company there at their home in Ohio very much so.

Andy was writing a lot lately, but aside from that all his time was devoted to Scout. He couldn't waste any time without her.

That morning, they were in the living room around the Christmas tree, waiting for Chris to come back downstairs with his camera to open presents. It was none other than Christmas morning.

Scout had woken Andy up at around eight that morning, yelling, "It's Christmas, Andy, it's Christmas! WAKE UUUUUP!" and climbing all over him until he would get up. He had gotten up about fifteen minutes later and come downstairs wrapped up in his Batman blanket, Scout sitting beside him.

Scout had high energy this morning. Then again, she was always hyper on Christmas.

When Chris came down with the camera, they finally started opening presents. It came to the last few, Scout still having one to give to Andy and Andy still having two to give to Scout.

"I'll give you mine first," Scout insisted. She couldn't keep the smile off her face. "I'll be right back," she said, running into the other room.

Andy looked at his parents, who were grinning as well. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused, but expected the best.

When she came back, she was holding a wrapped box, and she set it front of Andy. "Open it."

And Andy did. He looked in the box, then back up at Scout. "I don't see anything."

"Look," she said, pointing to the box again.

He looked inside, leaning over farther, and he saw something moving, something black and white.

It was a kitten.

As soon as Andy saw it, he gaped, smiling as he picked it up gently out of the box, setting it on the floor in front of him and petting him. He looked up at Scout, smiling wide. "Thank you."

"He's a boy. You can name him whatever you want."

Andy picked the kitten up, lifting in front of him to face him, and he looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm going to name him Crow.

Okay. Time for me to give you your presents," Andy said, looking at Scout. He set the kitten in his lap and pulled the two last boxes he had for her towards him, one big and one small. "Alright. Open the big one first."

When Scout opened the big one, there was a small bark, coming from the box. She pulled a small puppy out, a fuzzy white. She squealed with excitement, and Andy let out a breath of relief, smiling as well. He was so afraid she wouldn't like that dog; he thought she had said something before about not favoring that type of dog.

"I rescued it," he said, "do you like it?"

Scout met eyes with Andy and laughed. "Of course I love it, Andy! Thank you so much!" She leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, breathing into his neck, "He's perfect. Thank you."

He kissed the side of her head and let her go, holding her hands. "Okay. Sit across from me. You're gonna love this, Scout. I had this idea months ago and found the perfect one, and I almost couldn't wait to give it to you. Or offer it to you? One of the two."

While Scout situated herself across from Andy, Andy retrieved the small box and Chris started the video camera.

"What is this? Why are you taking a video?" Scout asked Chris, grinning but confused. He didn't answer.

Andy had his back turned to them, the box in front of him where Scout couldn't see what he was doing. She saw the small section of wrapping that was around the box fall on the floor. "You better close you eyes, dear, or it won't be a surprise," Andy stated, his back still turned to them.

"Okay," she replied, grinning.

"Are you closing your eyes?"

"Yes, darling."

"Okay. You ready, Scout?"

"Yes!" Scout bursted, laughing. "Just do it already, you're making me scared!"

"You don't have to be scared. Okay, Scouty, open your eyes."

When Scout opened her eyes, she couldn't believe it. Andy was kneeling in front of her, the little black box open in front of her, with a diamond ring tucked in the silk in the center.

"Are you --"

"Scout -- Desiree -- Starr Compton. I love you so much. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you, and I hope you think the same. I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and I just worked up enough courage to say: will you marry me?"

Before he was even finished, Scout was crying. They were tears of joy.

And all Andy needed to her was her say 'yes.' And that's what she said, a thousand times over.

They then knew they would spend the rest of their lives together, happy, and no matter what would happen, their trust would never fail. Neither of them would ever be a cheater again.