Is It Enoguh?

Feeling

"Now... I'm not sure"

Pete's words kept echoing in their minds. Pete didn't know what to say and Vegas.... Vegas wanted to jump up and down and laugh in happiness and disbelief. He was about to ask Pete if he meant it, but Pete's phone rang and he answered it with a frown.

"James, I'm busy now, I'll call you back" said Pete. "Pity, they're here" said James, "What?!" said Pete raising his voice, Vegas looked at him worriedly, he heard a man's voice but didn't recognise the name.
"Frank's men." "Fuck, how many?" said Pete rubbing his eyes with his hands, "Only two" said James. Pete sighed, "Ok, I'm on my way, don't do anything stupid James, I don't want to end up with you in hospital."

Pete sighed and looked at Venice and Macau, sighed again and looked at Vegas, who was already looking at him with a worried face.
"I have to go, Vegas. I was hoping to spend more time with Venice but something is going on..." Pete stopped talking, he didn't know how much to tell him, he didn't want to lie to him but didn't fully trust him,  Vegas seemed to understand Pete's inner conflict, he wanted to be angry that he didn't trust him, but they had been just a conversation, just a first step, he would give Pete space but not push him away, "Don't worry Pete, from your voice it sounded important. If you need my help just say so, I'm here for you. I know you don't trust me yet, but I hope you know I'll help you with anything, you're not alone. I won't leave you alone again Pete".

Pete looked at Vegas, after a long silence he said, "I have to go, I'll go and say goodbye to the kids, I'll call you to see them again if that's ok" he got up from the bench. Vegas followed him, he nodded and they both walked to where Venice and Macau were. "Papa", said Venice taking Pete's hand. Pete crouched down to Venice's level and said, "Papa has to go, Venice, a friend needs my help and I can't stay any longer. But I promise I'll see you again soon" "No pa Pete home Ven?" asked the boy starting to pout, his little lip quivering. Pete hugged him and said, "No, papa won't be going home with Venice today, I'm sorry Ven. Don't cry love, we'll see  each other soon". Venice couldn't hold back the tears, he didn't want to be separated from his papa. He hid his head in Pete's neck and said "It's soon, pa Pete stay Ven. No go" Venice's sobs were louder and Pete's heart was breaking at the sight of it. Vegas knelt down in front of the little boy and tried to soothe him "Venice, babe, don't cry. I know you're sad but we'll see papa Pete very soon", Venice hid his face even more in Pete's neck but reached out his little arm to grab Vegas's hand. "When?" he said. Pete thought before answering, "In two days, Venice has to sleep two nights and then papa and Venice will see each other again, ok sweetie?". Pete patted Venice's head and the little boy nodded, "Two," he looked thoughtful and raised his little head, with a frown and a pout he said "Ven don't count, when two...", Vegas and Pete laughed at the same time, "Oh Venice, you're the cutest, don't worry pa Vegas will let you know baby" Vegas said. Pete hugged Venice again and left little kisses all over the boy's face until he let out a giggle. And with Venice's giggle he left his boys there, but before he left he looked at Vegas and said, "I'll call you" Vegas nodded.

Pete was almost to his car when he heard "Pete, wait!" he turned around and it was Vegas, he was running, "What's wrong?"
Vegas was trying to catch his breath, "Were you serious?" Pete couldn't understand him, "What are you talking about Vegas?". Vegas felt unsure, he looked down for a moment and looked back up at Pete, "What you said before, that maybe we could have a future together" he looked down again, he was afraid to see rejection in Pete's eyes.

Pete was looking at a Vegas he had never seen before. He thought of Vegas begging him to stay when he was still a captive, of Vegas when he confessed his love to him in the middle of the family battle, of Vegas in the hospital when he told him they would start a family together, of Vegas when he understood that their relationship was ending. All those Vegas had one thing in common, they were confident that Pete was going to stay, all those Vegas thought that Pete's love for him was so strong that he would give in and stay. But this Vegas was different, somehow this Vegas had discovered something in Pete and the confidence was gone. This Vegas didn't know what to expect from Pete and Pete could see it. Pete sighed, "Vegas, I... I don't know. This isn't easy for me either. You've let me down so many times I don't know what to think or what to do. I felt your honesty, that's why I said that before, but if I think back on our history together, I thought the same thing then.... I believed you then and you failed me not only that, you hurt me" Pete could see tears in Vegas' eyes, "You abandoned me even when we lived in the same house, even when we shared the same room. I don't want to live through that again Vegas."