I'm Not A Vampire - an Andley fanfiction

The Rest of Our Lives

**ASHLEY'S POV**
        The next week at the house was nothing short of hectic. Sammi and Jinxx brought home their daughter, a little black-haired, blue-eyed girl named Sophie. Blade, as Andy had predicted, did not take the news about not being able to see Drake well. He refused to come downstairs, staying locked up in Ashlyn and his room all day, every day. He wouldn't come down to eat, so Ashlyn took the liberty of bringing him food every day. He was almost always all alone up there, which a week ago would've been unfathomable. Sometimes I worried that he locked himself up in that room alone just to give himself a purposeful panic attack. None of us really knew, because he refused to talk to anyone but Ashlyn. Ronnie and Crissy were constantly in and out of the house, Ronnie having joined a band and Crissy refusing to leave his side for long periods of time. With all this chaos going on, no one in their right mind would even think of trying to propose to their boyfriend, right?
        Guess I'm not in my right mind then.
        I had it all planned out. That night, at sunset, I would take Andy out to this small, secluded lake deep in the heart of the woods that I knew, and I'd finally ask the question. I told no one of my plan, wanting it to be a complete surprise to everybody. Of course, that also meant I was left alone to worry and obsess over it by myself. But hey, all good things come with a price.
        "Andy!" I called as I walked down the stairs and into the living room, where I found my boyfriend playing peekaboo with Sophie, who was giggling and laughing delightedly. "You ready to go?"
        Andy looked up at me, his angel's face lighting up with a smile. "Yeah," he replied, handing Sophie back to Sammi and standing. "Let's go."
        "Great!" I grabbed his hand and practically dragged him out the door in my anticipation.
        "So, where exactly are you taking me?" he asked as we walked down the street, hand-in-hand.
        The box burned in my pocket. "You'll see," I replied with a grin. "I already told you, it's a surprise."
        He frowned. "You could at least give me a hint. Please?"
        I rolled my eyes, but just was not capable of resisting his puppy-dog eyes. "Oh, fine. I'm taking you to see something."
        "That's the shittiest hint I've ever heard in my entire life."
        "Well, that's all you get."
        "But that's not fair!"
        "Life isn't fair, babe," stood on my toes as high as I could go to kiss his cheek, because he was just so god damn tall. "You'll find out soon enough."
        Andy pouted. "But I wanna know now!"
        I chuckled again as I lead him towards the woods. "Just be patient, love. We'll be there soon enough."
        "I'm not patient," he muttered, then inclined his head toward the woods. "We're going in there?"
        "Yes," I nodded as I pulled him into the thicket of trees.
        "B-but," he began to protest. "You said it's not-"
        "Shh," I turned around and kissed him gently, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Relax, Andy. You know I won't let anything hurt you."
        He sighed when I pulled away, eyes full of uncertainty. "I don't know, Ashley. This place is so secluded, and after what happened to us a couple months ago....I just don't know if this is a good idea."
        I stared at him seriously for a few seconds before holding out my hand. "Andy," I said slowly in a soft voice. "Do you trust me?"
        Andy's eyes flickered from my hand, to my face, and back again. Finally, he nodded and placed his hand in mine. "Yes."
        I grinned and pulled him close, giving him another soft, fleeting kiss. "Then there's nothing to be afraid of."

**ANDY'S POV**
        After a few minutes of walking, Ashley stopped me suddenly. "Okay," he said. "Close your eyes."
        I eyed him suspiciously. "Why?" I asked, causing him to laugh.
        "Oh, just do it," he replied with a glowing smile.
        I bit my lip before sighing. "Fine," I closed my eyes as he'd instructed. A few seconds later, I felt him grab my hand and lead my forward. With my eyes closed, my other senses heightened, and soon my ears picked up the gentle sound of water sliding against a shore. Water? "Where are we?"
        "A special place I know," I felt Ashley let go of my hand. "You can open your eyes now, beautiful."
        I did as he told me, and gasped. We were standing in a large clearing, on the shore of a beautiful lake. A few small lily pads floated on the top. The golden light of the sun reflected off the mirror-like surface, and through it I could make out the brief, quick movements of fish beneath it's crystal blue surface. The sunset was perfectly visible, casting beams of warm light down on the world before us; the finishing touch to a perfect scene. "Ash," I breathed after I got over my immediate speechlessness. "It's...beautiful."
        "Andy," Ashley's voice was abruptly soft, yet somehow it demanded my attention just as much as a shout. "There's something I need to ask you."
        I turned my head away from the lake, and saw that he had gotten down on one knee in front of me. In his hand, a small black box rested. All at once, I realized what was happening, and it felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. "A-Ashley...." I managed to choke out.
        "Andy," he said softly, eyes sparkling in the light of the fading sun. "I love you with all my heart. You're my life, my soul, my everything. There is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you, no lengths I wouldn't go to please you. In all the years I've lived, I've never felt anything even close to this for anyone in my entire life. After all we've been through, somehow it seems that every ordeal life throws at us only makes me love you more. You're the most gorgeous, perfect man I've ever met in my entire life. I know nothing if this world will ever suffice as an offering worthy of your perfection, but I'm hoping this is enough," he opened the box slowly, and nestled inside is the most gorgeous ring I'd ever seen in my entire life. "Andrew Dennis Biersack, will you marry me?'
        My jaw dropped to the floor as I gazed at the silver ring, encrusted with diamonds and rubies that caught the sunlight and cast shatters of rainbow-streaked light on the plain black background of the box. I was trying hard not to cry as I stared into those deep, pleading brown eyes, glittering with nerves and love. "Yes," I gasped when I finally found my voice again. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
        Ashley's smile was dazzling. In an instant, he'd swept me up into a tight, inescapable hug, lifting me off the ground and twirling me around in a circle. His lips found mine and he kissed me with enough passion to take my breath away. I kissed him back forcefully, wrapping my arms around his neck and feeling a beautiful, lulling warmth spread through me at his touch. We were still kissing when he set me down and slipped the ring on my hand. "I love you, Andy."
        "I love you, too, Ashley," I broke the kiss, but stayed locked in his arms while I examined my ring. "Are these real?"
        He nodded, still grinning. "Yes, they are."
        "Holy shit, Ash. How much did this cost you?" I asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.
        "It doesn't matter," he laughed, kissing my forehead. "Nothing is too expensive for you."
        I smiled and kissed him again. Right then and there, in that moment, everything was absolutely perfect. As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, and our kiss became more, I couldn't have thought of anything that would make it any better. His hands on me, his soft lips caressing my skin, the sweet, smooth timbre of his soft voice in my ear, whispering over and over again "I love you"; I never wanted it to end. I'd never experienced a moment of more flawless happiness in my entire life. 
        Little either of us knew, though, that this happiness wouldn't last forever. How could we have known, how could we have ever even predicted, that we were only hours away from loosing our son?