Love Knows No Time

Disclaimer: I don't know Avenged Sevenfold or the DiBenedetto sisters. This story is purely fiction and no money is being made from this story.

Claimer: I do own Aleera, the idea for this story, and the household help

Chapter One

Huntington Beach, CA 2009

6:30 am

The cliff side mansion was silent, dark, the residents and evening staff having retired for the day hours earlier, save for one lone figure sitting alone at the foot of the stairs watching the front door.

Aleera sighed, absently playing with one of her braids, while she waited for her wayward husband to come home.

Ten years earlier Matthew and the guys had formed a band, calling themselves Avenged Sevenfold, and they played local clubs and sometimes went to L.A. to perform, and in no time they'd been picked up by a record label, so she was used to Brian being gone on the road or in the studio Matt had commissioned the architect of the house to include in the design all night long, but as of late the guys hadn't been doing anything musically having decided to take a break to spend time at home.

While Matthew, James, Zachary and Jonathan or as they liked to be referred to now as M. Shadows, The Reverend Tholomew Plague, Zacky Vengeance and Johnny Christ (to sound more in touch with the times and up to date with the kids that worshipped them) stayed at home, Brian, who had decided to call himself Synyster Gates, would sneak out of the house and Aleera was afraid his actions where repeating events from eighty years earlier, an event that had put a strain on their marriage.

Up until the night of December 15th 1929, Brian had been a loving, doting husband, following her around like a love sick puppy and buying her the best things available at the time, then, on that chilly winters night, he'd been acting odd, sneaking away when he thought she wasn't looking and when he hadn't come to bed, she had gone looking for him, and found him in the pantry with two of the kitchen maids.

Brian had tried to sweet talk his way out of the moment, tried blaming the maids, but Aleera had calmly told him she wasn't mad at him, then went to their room and threw all of his clothes out of the window and onto the rain soaked lawn below while a confused James had watched while letting his dog, Buckley, have its final run of the night.

After that night, Brian had moved out of the room he had once shared with his wife and into the room around the corner from hers.

Aleera shook her head, clearing it of the memory she didn't want to repeat, and instead thought about how they where trying to fix the rift between them but when Brian had started leaving the house without explanation again, she decided it was time to confront him about it.

Hearing a car pulling up the drive-way, she stood up and faced the door, waiting for Brian to come in.

She heard the car come to a stop and the engine cut off, followed by the drivers side door opening and slamming shut.

The front doors lock clicked and it swung open, her cat Lazarus trotting into the house as Brian walked in.

He froze in the door way when he saw her standing there.

"Aleera," he said, walking into the house and shutting the door. "What're you doing up?"

"Waiting for you," she replied.

"Why?"

"I was getting worried," she replied. "It's almost sun up and I was afraid something had happened to you."

"Oh, no, I was just at the studio," he replied.

"Why did you go all the way into the city for that?" she asked. "Matt had one built with the house so you wouldn't have to go all that way."

"I know, but I didn't want to wake anyone up," he said, heading for the parlor for a quick before bed drink.

"Who is she, Brian?" Aleera asked, following him.

"What?" he asked, stopping in his tracks and looking back at her in confusion.

"Who's the girl you go out and see every night?"

Brian couldn't help but notice how young and innocent his wife looked standing before him in her white and pink skull print pajamas, her hair in pig tail braids.

"It's no one, Aleera," he said, "I was at the studio all night. You can call them and the night guards will back me up on that."

She gave him a dubious look.

"Are you going to be home tonight?" she asked instead.

"I think so," he replied. "Why?"

"Just wondering. Good night, Brian."

"Good night," he said, watching her turn around and walk away, disappearing up the stairs.

"I love you," he added softly when she was out of sight.

"I love you too!" she yelled back.

"Shut the fuck up!" Jimmy yelled from the second floor.

"Go and suck a donkey's ass, Sullivan!" Brian yelled.

"Brian Elwin Haner, watch your mouth!" Aleera yelled.

"Sorry, dear!"

"Everyone stop yelling and go to bed!" Matt yelled. "Now!!"

After his proclamation, the house was once again silent.

Feeling eyes upon him, Brian looked around, but he didn't see anyone although he knew it was Zacky, watching from the shadows, and he knew that once the sun went down he would be grilled about his ware bouts the night before.