Dear God (Avenged Sevenfold)

Before long, they waste away

It took almost a month before once again, Natalie was walking out of the hospital with Bryleigh. She was so terrified those first few days that she was going to lose her daughter that she stayed at her bedside night and day, sobbing huge tears of relief when she finally woke up. Natalie smiled at Brian as he walked next to her, holding Bryleigh on his one arm and her hand in his other hand. Brian gave not one, but two different samples of his bone marrow before it finally took and Bryleigh began to bounce back.

They didn't discuss what the doctor had suggested, concentrating on getting Bryleigh through the worst of her relapse but once they were through the door of Natalie's condo, he was on her almost immediately. "Natalie, I've been thinking a lot here lately and I wanna run something by you." Natalie stared silently at Brian, wondering what he was getting at. They had been so focused on their daughter that she hadn't bothered to ask him how he had been doing or how anything with the band was going. "I didn't realize you had something on your mind...I'm sorry" she stated softly, setting Bryleigh down on the couch with her ever present bear and a blanket. Brian gave her a small smile, ruffling his hair into to disarray as he followed behind her to the kitchen.

"Listen Nat, I know we're kinda treading on new territory here between you and I but-" Natalie looked up at him quizzically and leaned back against the counter. "We are?" Brian sighed and looked up at the ceiling for a moment before pulling her into him, being careful to not hold her too close to him in case he was mistaken and he was just creating an uncomfortable scene. "I'd like to think that maybe we could try this relationship thing Nat." He hated feeling and sounding vulnerable but here he was, doing both and it honestly terrified him. Natalie didn't know what to think at first when Brian so willingly opened up to her but the smile she felt forming on her lips must have been a good indication that it was a good feeling. "That's going to be kind of hard living on separate coasts and you being in a band and all" she stated, putting her hand over his mouth when he opened it to object "but I would be willing to try...for Bryleigh's sake."

Brian felt a confliction of happiness and disappointment at her words. Happy that she was willing to try but disappointed that it was only going to be for their daughter's sake. "Nat do you like me in any capacity? I mean, I know we were fuck buddies back then but there had to have been some sort of attraction there at one point wasn't there?" "Of course I like you Brian, you're the father of my daughter...and there was definite attraction when we first started...our fling. But I'm also not going to lie to you...I don't know on a very personal level. I would like to get to know you though and see where maybe this leads us...I'm not sure it will work out but I'll do anything if it will help her." Again, Brian felt conflicted and almost gave up telling her about his idea but he wasn't a quitter and he had determination that this was going to work. "Well how about you and Bryleigh come spend some time with me in Huntington Beach then? We can get to know one another and see where that leads us...please Natalie."

She stared at him for a good minute or two, making self doubt creep up his spine as she sighed softly and pushed away. "In retrospect that sounds like a great idea Brian but I can't just tell my boss that I'm leaving for a months worth of vacation. I need a job...and a place to live when I come back." Brian grinned as he laid the rest of the plan out, telling her that he already had a specialist out in California lined up to talk to them about other alternatives for Bryleigh's condition as well as cord sampling from a newborn sibling. "I'm sure once you tell your place of employment that it's really for her benefit then they'll let you go...and I can always go talk to your boss...or have some of the doctors out there call and talk to them." "You'll really go all out for her won't you?" Natalie asked softly, twisting a strand of long dark hair around her finger, her eyes on their daughter.

Brian dared a bold move and slid his arm around her tiny waist, pulling her into his side as he kissed her head and inhaled the scent that was uniquely Natalie's. "I'll go to the moon and back if that's what it takes. I love that little shit so damn much already...and for what it's worth, I really want to woo her mommy into not thinking I'm the big, bad wolf anymore." Natalie's light laugh did amazing things to his body and he knew he was screwed because of it but he suddenly didn't give a shit...he was ready to commit and if it took him an entire damn year then so be it...Natalie would be his, one way or another.

"So the big, bad wolf wants me to come to his lair huh?" she teased, turning and looking up at him with just a hint of happy mischief in her blue eyes. "I would love it if you did...just think of it as a long vacation to a beach side city with an amazing ocean view." "We have that here in Florida ya know?" she teased back, secretly enjoying the light banter they were starting. "Yea but you can actually breathe in Cali heat...this shit out here is ridiculous!" Brian teased, feeling a stupid grin form on his own face. He watched as Natalie walked over to the couch where Bryleigh was sitting and squatted down in front of her, brushing a strand of dark hair off her forehead.

"What do you think princess? Do you wanna go to daddy's house?" Natalie felt her heart explode as her daughter, still worn out from the double transplants, smiled big and clapped her hands. "DADDY OUSE! DADDY OUSE!" she screeched loudly before grabbing ahold of Natalie's face, patting her cheeks lightly. Brian laughed at his daughter's response as he walked over and kissed her on the head "That's right sweet cheeks...you and mommy and me." Brian shot Natalie a wink and a smile, feeling quite pleased with himself when she blushed a pretty shade of pink.