I Do I Did

Twenty Eight

Pete stood in the waiting room of the hospital. He was way too anxious to even think about taking a seat. He was such a fuck up. Why couldn't he stop hurting people?

Meagan told him that she wanted him to wait out here instead of being in the back with her. She said that his anxiety would just rub off on her. And that it wouldn't be good for her or the baby.

But not being with them only made Pete feel worse. What if he'd seriously hurt them? He wouldn't be able to live with himself. Oh god! His little boy.... Or girl.

They didn't know the gender yet. They wanted it to be a surprise. But Meagan wanted a little boy so badly. And Pete wanted Meagan to be happy with the child. So he was hoping for a boy too. They always referred to her bump as he. She wanted it so much that he was afraid she'd resent it if it were a girl.

"Pete?"

He snapped around to see Patrick and Brendon walking into the waiting room. They must have followed them here. Pete rode in the back of the ambulance with Meagan. He knew the guys didn't really like her. So he didn't expect them show up.

But he was happy they did. Just seeing Patrick's face, no matter how impassive, was calming to him. He could feel himself slowly relax. His worry didn't go away at all but the anxiety was lessening.

Patrick walked over without another word. He wrapped an arm around Pete's waist. Pulling him closer. Pete just let him. And then he let him pull him down into the closest seats. His head resting on Patrick's shoulder.

Brendon stayed standing. He watched the two through narrowed eyes. Pete knew he was thinking about what they'd talked about in the office. And he knew Brendon was completely serious and willing to deliver on that promise of pain if he hurt Patrick again.

"I'm going to go see if Ryan found a parking spot yet." He finally said.

He began backing away from them. Throwing Pete a pointed glare before turning and walking back out the entrance.

"Thank you for coming."

Patrick squeezed his hip. "No problem."

"Look, I know you're mad at me-"

"Shh." Patrick shook his head. "This isn't about us right now. It's about the baby."

"But I have something I really want to say."

Patrick slid his arm away from Pete. He turned slightly in his seat to face him. The wariness already set in his gaze.

"What is it?"

"I love you."

He rolled his eyes. "Pete, this can wait until-"

"No it can't."

"I know you love me, Pete." He ran his hands through his already messy hair. "The problem isn't you loving me. It's you loving her."

"But that's just it, Patrick. I think I can stop loving her."

He searched Pete's face for any signs of uncertainty. Any sign that he was bullshitting him. Just telling him what he wanted to hear. But Patrick wasn't really skilled at reading people. So he turned away from him.

"I'm not in the mood for your lip service, Peter."

"I'm divorcing her." The words hurt a bit to say.

Patrick snapped back around to face him. His eyes wide and hopeful.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm divorcing Meagan. The papers are on my desk."

"B-But she's pregnant." Patrick wanted to kick himself for taking her side.

"And I'll be a hell of a good father to my son. At the same time I'm being a hell of a good husband to you."

"I'm so scared to trust you." He whispered honestly.

"I know. I understand." He grabbed both Patrick's hands in his. "I'll be honest with you. I was going to stall the hell out of it. And then when Meagan fell, I forgot about it completely. But something she said smacked me back to reality."

"W-What'd she say?" Patrick didn't want to ask. But he wanted to know the answer.

"She made me swear I wouldn't hurt her again. Hurt the baby again." He squeezed Patrick's hands harder than intended. Patrick didn't complain. He just listened. "And that's when I realized how fucking selfish I was. If I stay married to Meagan, I'm going to keep hurting her. Even when I don't mean to. Because every day I've lived with her was a day I wished I was living with you."

"Pete-"

"I married her because I thought you were dead. I thought I was dead. I was just trying to prove to myself that I could still feel. But she wasn't you, Patrick. She could never be you. No one could ever be you. And it wouldn't be fair for her to live her life in your shadow."

Patrick wanted to say something. He just didn't know what he wanted to say. He didn't know what he wanted to feel. So again, he just listened.

"I'm ready to man up and pick one. I pick you. I just hope Meagan will understand. I hope my son will understand. And You? I just hope you still love me enough to even want to be married to me after all the shit I've done to you."

"Don't hurt me again, Pete." He managed to say through the lump in his throat. "I don't think I could take it."

"I can't promise anything, Pat. I can only try. And trust me, I'll try hard." He chuckled lightly. "I don't want my dick to end up in a box of tampons."

Patrick's brow furrowed before he laughed in understanding.

"Brendon?"

"Brendon." Pete nodded. He leaned forward. Resting his forehead against Patrick's. "I love you, ghost buster.."

Patrick laughed. He couldn't help it. Pete was such a corny guy. He kissed him quickly. Closing his eyes as the happiness he felt bloomed through him.

"I love you right back."

"Mr. Wentz?"

"Yes?" They said in union to the approaching doctor.

He looked between them. Clearly confused. "I-Uh your wife is almost finished up in the back. You can see her now."

"Thank you."

"Room 506". The doctor informed them before walking away.

Pete stood up, pulling Patrick with him. He wrapped his hand around the smaller man's. Patrick felt his heart began to race. How pathetic was that? He still got butterflies from holding hands.

"She's going to be pissed." Patrick told him.

Pete rubbed his thumb against the back of his hand. "I know. But she'll thank me in the long run."