doppelgänger --> there's never just one {sequel}

scout

^cc & tiffany

At around seven o'clock, Scout stepped inside just to oversee CC playing with Oliver on the living room floor, accompanied by Sadie as well.

"Hey, it's Desariee!" CC shouted as a greeting, standing and walking over, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "How's it going, love?"

Scout hugged CC back, smiling. She always loved hanging around the guys of Black Veil Brides. She had known them for so long and was so close to she and Andy that they had always felt like brothers. "I'm doing just fine, Christian," she teased him back with the use of his full first name like he'd just done to her. "How about you?" Scout asked as she hung her jacket up and stepped into the living room, lifting Oliver and greeting him with a kiss.

"Oh, well, I'm doing just fine as well, thank you for asking. I totally didn't just take over for Andy and become a father and a mother to my baby nephew at the same time," CC teased sarcastically.

"Oh, CC, I'm so sorry," Scout apologized sincerely, glancing up the stairs. "Did Andy go upstairs to our room? Is he still here?" she asked, looking back again at CC.

"Yeah, he's still here. Dani brought a boy home without anyone knowing and after the two of them -- Andy and Dani, I mean -- got in an argument, Dani ran upstairs to her room with her guy friend -- boyfriend, enemy, crush, whatever he is to her -- and then Andy ran off as well. Just before that he told me he needed a break." CC sighed. "I mean, I know how Dani is. But Andy's not patient with the poor girl, and then he starts to yell at her, and then she starts to cuss him out.... you know the deal. It's kind of a mess sometimes."

Scout looked down, shaking her head. "I know. It's sad, but we're all struggling in our own ways right now."

CC nodded. "Yeah. I get it."

Scout lifted her chin again, meeting CC's eyes. "Well, you can go home now if you want, CC. You and Tiffany planning to go out at all tonight?" she asked, setting Oliver down and retrieving her purse, raking her hand through the contents.

"Nah," he answered, "She's actually out of town this week, visiting her family and then shooting a video for Skold, you know, the band she plays the keys for."

"Oh, that's nice for her," Scout commented, "So, do you have any other plans while she's gone? If you don't, would you want to stay over one night this week? The kids would like it if you did."

CC hesitated, seemingly trying to think of anything that would interfere with sleeping over. "Well, I guess I could. I play at The Riff on Tuesday, but that's it. Are you sure you want me staying over?"

"Why now?" Scout asked with a small laugh. "Of course, CC, we would all love if you did."

"Cool. What night? Is tonight okay?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied. She pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of her wallet, holding it out to him. "Here. You deserve this for being an unplanned babysitter."

"What? No, no, I couldn't!" he shook his head, refusing.

"Please."

CC paused, standing there for a moment, staring at Scout and her determined expression. "Fine," he said finally, slowly taking the cash from her. "Thank you."

"Thank you." She looked around to the living room behind her, making sure Oliver was still okay, playing with his toys on the floor. "Okay, I'm going to go see what's up with Andy and greet the girls and Dennis. I'll be right back." She made her way toward the stairs, but before she took a step up, she slowly turned back to CC and looked at him with a guilty laugh. "I'm sorry to do this to you again, but could you possibly --"

"Be an unplanned babysitter again for little Ollie? Sure."

Scout smiled, thanking him and jogging up the stairs.

"But you owe me another fifty bucks!" he called after her from the bottom of the stairs, leaving Scout laughing until she quickly realized that her daughter was gone from her room, nowhere to be found in the house, the boy she brought home disappeared from the scene as well....

*

When Andy's deep, loud voice yelling for Dani wouldn't work, Scout grew worried. When almost everyone in the house called her phone from theirs, she became terrified.

Calling her friends and grandparents was not successful either, so they had no other choice but to split up and go look for her.

"Does anyone know Ethan's number?" Andy voiced aloud as soon as the thought crossed his mind to everyone else on their big group-phone conversation.

Nobody really answered but Sadie, who still replied, "No," but offered a smart suggestion," but I have Grayson's, his twin brother. I can call him and get him to either give the number to us or just go ahead and try to reach Ethan himself."

"Yes," Scout pitched in from the passenger's seat beside Andy. "That's perfect."

A minute or so later, Dennis's voice came through, speaking for Sadie, who sat in the back of his own car. "She said Grayson's probably at baseball practice. He's not picking up."

With little energy left, but still somehow so much hope and determination brewing in both Scout and Andy, as well as Dani's siblings and CC, who were all out looking for her, they all drove home for the evening, and Andy picked up the phone, ready to dial 911 -- the only other option at this point for everyone.

Until Andy let go of his phone, dropping it on the hardwood when Scout screamed his name. "What, what?!" he asked, his heart pounding as he rushed over to her where she stood by the front door.

But she was smiling, her eyes bright and glistening with only happy tears. "It's okay. Dani's back, she's okay."

The huge, heavy burden atop his shoulders and inside his chest lifted when he heard those words.

His daughter was back. She was okay, unhurt....

And most important of all, she was safe in their arms again.

There were often times when Andy thought but didn't speak these words, but this evening event definitely called for it --

Oh, what a night.

For sure.