Scared (Patrick Stump Imagine Short Story)

Part 12 (Alternate Ending)

The surgery Patrick was receiving wasn't supposed to take long, but it was already a couple of hours later and he was still in the operating room. Your nervousness was showing by you tapping your leg incessantly, bouncing your daughter who was sitting in your lap. She thought it was fun, though, and that's why she didn't complain.

"What's taking so long?" You think aloud, but not loud enough for anyone to hear you.

But as if someone did hear you, the doctor you recognize to be Patrick's emerges from the hallway. You immediately stand up, setting your daughter on the ground, and run over to the doctor, almost tripping over some of the toys that were scattered on the ground. "Well?" You ask him, your heart beating a mile a minute. All the adults rise to their feet, anxious as to find out how the surgery went.

"Mrs. Stump, your husband..." His voice fades away and you immediately assume the worse - that he didn't make it.

You clasp your hands over your mouth as tears begin to form in your eyes. Oh my god, no. No no no!

And to your dismay, the doctor informs you sullenly, "...your husband didn't make it. I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Stump. We did everything we could."

Tears flood your eyes and a heavy weight falls upon your chest. At that moment, it feels as if the world is dissolving around you. Everything you'd worked for, all the faith you mustered and kept, it was all for nothing.

Your knees buckle and you fall down, hunching over with your hands over your face as you begin to sob, crying out for the doctor to tell you this was some joke. Some sick joke Patrick is playing that the doctor is in on. But unfortunately, this is no joke.

Everyone's eyes go wide, their jaws drop, and their hearts stop. The children glance up at all the adults, baffled as to what's going on, especially the younger ones.

Pete's the first one to snap out of the awe and rushes over to you, collapsing to his knees as he reaches your side, wrapping his arms tightly around you as he too begins to cry. Soon after, everyone joins in, forming a big, sad, group hug, the children joining in shortly after.

"I'm so sorry, (Y/N)," Meagan tells you softly. You look up at her, your lip quivering and your vision blurred.

Later that night...

Everyone's left except you. Andy had a previous commitment that he couldn't get out of and although you understood, he felt horrible for leaving. As for Pete and Meagan, they had to go home and put the boys to bed. But Pete refused to leave, so Meagan just left, promising to pick him up later. Joe and Marie took Gabby off of your hands for the night for a sleepover with Ruby.

Gabby still doesn't entirely understand what's happened. Joe explained her that her dad just needs to rest a little. She bought it, but not really. As she said before, "I'm four years old. I know Daddy's sick and that he's not getting any better. I'm not stupid." She just went along with Joe's lie because she didn't want to see you cry anymore.

You and Pete are standing outside of the hospital room, looking in at the motionless body underneath the white sheet. Your eyes sting and your cheeks are sticky from crying, but you've calmed down significantly since first hearing the heartbreaking news.

"I just can't believe he's gone," Pete mumbles under his breath, breaking the silence that hung in the air as he fights to keep himself from crying again.

"Me either," You murmur in response, rubbing your hands over your flat stomach that won't be flat for long.

Pete sniffles, "I really thought he was going to make it."

"Me too."

"He was too young. He had a whole life ahead of-"

"I'm pregnant," You blurt out. Pete looks over at you with wide eyes. "I'm pregnant and Patrick never knew. I never told him. I wanted to, I was going to before he went into surgery, but the doctor came in before I could tell him."

"You...You're pregnant?" Pete questions in astonishment. You nod your head before hanging it low, the tears you thought had subsided returning. "Oh my god, (Y/N), what are you-"

"Going to do?" You finish his sentence, walking across the hall and lowering yourself down into one of the chairs, "I don't know, Pete," You shake your head and look down the hallway, a single tear rolling down your cheek, "I don't fucking know."