True Love Doesn't Die (A7X fanfiction)

Hanging out

After the funeral everyone gathered at a dining hall. Willow seen the guys and their girls sitting at one of the tables so she walked up up to them.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Matt stood up and hugged her.

"Better than expected." She said into his chest then broke the hug, "I just came to say goodbye."

"You leaving already?" Val asked as Matt sat back down next to her.

"Yeah, I can't take anymore of people's sorry for your loss crap." She let out a light chuckle as she shook her head, "But uh, I hope you all have a good life. And guys, good luck with the band." She started to walk away but Brian stopped her.

"Hey wait, you make it sound like that's the final goodbye to us. Like you'll never see us again."

She turned back around, "Because it is." She shrugged, "Let's be honest, I was only around because my brother being the drummer. And, and now he'll never get that opportunity anymore. And I'm sure there's no reason for you guys to want me around." She blinked back tears.

"Oh come on, you know that's not true Willow." Zacky spoke up, "You're part of this family just as much as James is." When he said the everyone agreed.

"Was." She mumbled.

"Plus I'm with Johnny and we're best friends." Lacey said, with a hurtful tone as she walked up to her, "Or I thought we were. Hell you're part of the reason we're together. If you and Jimmy hadn't talked me into going to that party I wouldn't have hung out with him that night. Please don't leave for good. I, we can't lose you too."

Willow sighed, "You are my best friend, the only true best friend I have left." She then looked past her at everyone else with a small smile, "No offense."

Everyone didn't take offense to what she said.

"But I still need to get away from here." She stated.

Lacey hugged her then Willow left the banquet hall. At first she didn't know where she would go but ended up back at Jimmy's grave with a bottle of Jack Daniel's.

Luckily they were done filling his grave and had already left.

"I'm sorry James. I'm sorry I didn't go home with you and Leana to spend your last night on this world." She cried as she sat down next to his tombstone. "I know you begged and begged and I should...I should have gave into you, I'm sorry."

~~~~

The next morning Willow woke up in her bed, not sure how she got there because the last thing she remembered was being at her brother's grave. She sat up and noticed a sleeping Lacey next to her.

"Shit." She whispered as she rubbed her face, she then gently shook Lacey, "Lace, Lacey, sweetie wake up."

Lacey stirred and woke up, "Hey, what's wrong?" She sat up.

"How'd I get home?"

"Matt brought you. When your parents got back here I guess they seen you weren't here so they tried calling you. When they couldn't get a hold of you they contacted me. Johnny and me went searching and found you so we called Matt to help us bring you here. As you see I stayed with you."

"I must have been really out of it." She sighed.

"How much did you drink? Because when we found you, you were passed out hardcore. The bottle was damn near empty."

"I don't really recall, truthfully." Willow shrugged.

~~~~

Almost a week later, Willow hadn't done anything. She had barely left her room, barely consuming anything except for alcohol.

Once Lacey found out she told their friends and they decided to have a get together and force her to get out of her room.

At first Willow declined but the girls talked her into going out for lunch but it was a trick. As soon as they got in the car, Val started heading to Brian and Michelle's.

"Wait, I thought we were going out to lunch." Willow looked confused when they pulled into the driveway.

"Nope, we're at Brian and my house for a small barbecue."

"I'm not up to being around a bunch of people."

"Too bad, you need to socialize. And there's not going to be a bunch. Just a handful of close friends, I promise." Val stated.

"But."

"No buts." Lacey, Michelle and Val said at the same time.

"Ugh fine." Willow sighed, "But if I keep hearing the sorry for your loss crap from people I'm leaving. I heard enough of that at Jame's funeral."

"Understandable." Lacey nodded as they got out.

As they walked up, Lacey had put her arm around Willow's shoulders. They walked in and their friends was happy to see her.

"How are you feeling?" Brian asked as he gave Willow a hug.

She wrapped her arms around waist as she rest her head against his chest, "Besides with my fingers, I could be better I guess."

He smirked, "I keep forgetting that, that's your favorite answer." He then broke the hug and made her look at him by placing his hands gently in the crooks of her neck, "Look, it may not seem like it, but everything will get better. We all love him and will always miss him. But he wouldn't want us to mope around here for-rev-er. He'd want us to keep his memory alive and go on living the best life we can."

She couldn't help but smirk with a small smile at how he said forever, "I know he would, but if it wasn't for our family, because you guys are family, I probably would have joined him." When she seen they were looking at her for her words, "But I'm not going to so don't worry. I think if I even did he'd kick my angel ass." She smirked.

"Damn straight he would." Matt said as him and Willow hugged. "We lost our brother and so we don't want to lose our sister too."

"Thanks guys. But, I just thought of something. With Brian saying forever like he did, you guys should put that on this album cover. You guys are still planning on releasing it right? Because you guys worked so hard on it."

"Oh of course we are. That's what Jimmy would have wanted." Johnny nodded, "But that's an amazing idea." The rest of them agreed with him.

"Why don't you design it?" Zacky told her.

"Me?" Willow asked and he nodded, "I don't know about that, James was the creative genius in the family, not me."

"Nah, I bet you could do it. You went to college for fashion design, did you not?" Michelle asked and Willow nodded, "Okay, just use the skills you learned from your courses to help you."

"Yeah, I suppose I could." She shrugged with a small smile.