A/N: Filler chapter alert! I've been without a great internet connection for the past three weeks. I got this chapter written before I caught a terrible case of writer's block. Fear not! I'll be getting back to it soon! Also,I want to thank everyone out there who's favorited/alerted/or reviewed...you guys are the friggin' best! It makes me happy to check emails and find such beautiful words of encouragement! :)

.punk-disasterousperfection

Within a month,the band was finalizing their deal with their new record label. As soon as school finished in the summer,they'd be non-stop recording. Right now,they were enjoying the cooler winter inside Olivia's house,talking about their future.

"When do we start getting acceptance letters?" Stella asked,laying on the floor,head in Charlie's lap.

"I think sometime after the winter break. They have to let us know before spring break so we can get signed up for orientation and stuff." Scott answered,settling under a blanket with Mo.

"I know we all applied to Arizona State. How are we gonna do this if we don't all get accepted to the same school?" Charlie asked,worried about the band and their friendship. Sure,they had other friends,but the six of them would always be closer than close. Thinking about going to an east coast school like his parents wanted him to while the rest of the band;while Stella;was here in Arizona was hard for him.

"We'll make it work. We're important to each other." Olivia said,not wanting to really think about it. Her only thoughts of college were of she and Wen becoming teachers,sharing an apartment,living like adults.

"Livy's right. We decided,band first,right?" Mo responded,remembering their night at the park where they exposed all their fears. All six agreed the band came first;school could be done online or could wait. This was their one shot to do what they loved.

"So,Christmas is right around the corner. I was thinking,me,Stell,and Olivia should go shopping this evening." Mo said,a smile creeping across her lips.

"You girls are dangerous." Wen said,laying in Olivia's lap on the couch. She looked down at him,placing a finger on his lips.

"You guys are no better. Remember this?" She told him,pointing to her ring.

"So you don't like it?" He asked sarcastically. She gave him the look as he laughed.

"Point taken,Liv. I guess you girls can go shopping,I think the guys and I have a new video game that needs beating."


Later that evening,the girls were cruising around the mall. Mo already had a handful of bags,while Stella and Olivia were each holding one or two.

"Olive,have you even thought about what you're getting Wen?" Stella asked,catching Olivia peeking into the video game store.

"Are you kidding me? Of course I have,I just have to decide." She laughed,eyes wide. Wen was hard to shop for,the guy did everything.


Wen,Scott,and Charlie were hanging out at the Delgados playing Xbox when Scott brought it up.

"I'm thinking of proposing to Mo on Christmas." Charlie nearly dropped his controller,as Wen's face went a pasty white.

"What? How are you? Her dad?" The questions started swirling.

"Her dad and I are better now,ever since the whole thing after Madison. I asked him a few nights ago while I was waiting for her to get ready if I could. I promised him we'd stay engaged at least a year before even thinking of getting married. He finally agreed." Scott told them,smiling,his blue eyes filled with excitement.

"Do you have the ring and everything?" Wen asked.

"Yeah,dude. I picked it out last week. I even nabbed one of her rings to make sure it was the right size."

"Speaking of engagements,Wen,are you and Olivia going to elope or what?" Charlie teased.

"Yeah,Giff. I was sure I'd be beaten to the punch by you and Liv,but you're hanging back." Wen put down his controller as the match ended,looking at the two of them.

"I thought about it for Christmas,but I just gave her that promise ring back in October. Plus,with everything that happened since,the fight..."

"The making up..." Scott finished,making Wen smile,

"I want it to feel normal,not rushed. Plus,her dad's going to get out soon."

"Wow. She hasn't told anyone about that in a while."

"What did he do?" Scott asked. He wasn't around when Olivia broke the news to them that afternoon that Nancy died.

"Her mother passed away when she was just six. Olivia's dad went crazy. His life had fallen apart. His wife was gone,he had a little girl,no job to pay for it all. He got into gambling,trying to earn a little extra money. Sometimes,he'd make it big,and everything would be okay. Sometimes he wouldn't,and he turned to burglary to get the money. Olive was nine when he got arrested the last time for breaking into the pharmacy. Apparently someone had promised him big money if he'd get them some pills. He ended up getting charged not only with burglary but with drug possession."

"Wow. It's hard to believe she's so poised with all that in her life." Charlie said,hearing the full story for the first time.

"Thank Gram for that. She was the only one Olivia would let in her life up until we came along." Wen said,a little sadly,remembering the day he'd come to her house,hearing Gram say she'd never met one of her granddaughter's friends.

"Anyways,I wanted to give her time to get used to him being around again,and him get used to me,instead of forcing it because we're engaged."

"Does she ever tell you about him?"

"All the time. He remembers me a little. She sends him pictures of us and stuff. She told me he wants to take us out to dinner when he gets out."

"Do they know when?"

"Around New Years. Maybe before,maybe after. Definitely before her birthday." He said,smiling. He was glad she'd have at least one parent there for her 18th birthday.


The next morning,Wen was over at Olivia's house again,helping her and Gram hang decorations. He loved looking at all the pictures of her when she was little,remembering the Olivia before she secluded away.

"Olivia,there's a letter for you. It's from your father." Gram said,closing the door as the postman left. Olivia let the tinsel she had in her hands fall around her neck like a boa as she took the letter to read it. She sat on the couch,snuggled beside Wen as he read what he could over her shoulder.

"Oh goodness! Gram! Dad's coming home for Christmas!" She shouted,bolting in the kitchen where Gram was making popcorn strings. Olivia's dad was Gram's only son,and this was great news. Olivia spun around,giving Wen a huge hug. He beamed at his girlfriend. She'd never been this happy about family matters.

"I can't wait to tell him about the record deal,and introduce him to you,once and for all." She said,tugging on the ends of his shirt.

"And I can't wait to tell him how much I love his daughter." Wen smiled,whispering in Olivia's ear.

"Olive,I think I'm going to see Mary tonight. Are you going to be alright alone?"

Gram asked. She'd been giving Olivia a lot of space lately,which Olivia felt bittersweet about. She and Gram had been each other's best friend since the blonde was ten. But lately,having the house to herself a lot,mostly when Gram went to visit her friend Mary who lived in the next town over,usually turned into a girls night,or a night for just her and Wen. She felt him smile against her cheek,he was obviously thinking about what her grandmother just said.