The Music Or The Misery (FOB FanFic)

Chapter 21

-Mara's POV-

I pulled the rental car Pete and I had acquired early this morning in front of the address Tyler had sent me via text message. It was an apartment building not too far from The White House. I shut the car off and opened my door when Pete stopped me, grabbing me by the arm.

"What now?" I whined, getting tired of the capriciousness of these guys.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" He inquired, doubt lacing his tone.

"Yes."

"Really?"

I ripped my arm out of his hold and heaved a sigh, "Pete, I don't know. We won't know until we give it a shot, though. And anyways, the worst that can happen is-"

"My two best friends get killed," He cut me off, "Mara, I don't know what happened between you and Patrick or whatever, but how can you be okay knowing that he could be killed for this?"

I stared at him blankly, his words taking their time to sink in for me.

"You do realize that if this goes wrong, you and Patrick are never going to be together again, right?" The bassist tacked on, his eyes locked on mine. Never in the entire time I'd known him had he been so serious, it was frightening. "Right?"

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and turned away from him, "Come on. We're wasting time." I hopped out of the vehicle and slammed the car door behind me, hastily making my way up the steps to the apartment building entrance.

Pete followed shortly after.

I extracted my phone out of my pants pocket and pulled open the text message, checking for which apartment number I needed to buzz. Apartment 27. I looked up and found the designated button on the board, bringing up my hand and pressing it. A faint buzzing sounded in the distance and in a matter of seconds, a louder buzzing was heard and the door before us clicked open. Pete pushed it open and ushered me through.

We walked up a flight of stairs and came across the second floor, where at the end of the hallway was, none other than, Apartment 27. I knocked on the door and stepped back, folding my arms over my front.

"Mara, you never answered my question," Pete muttered while we waited for the door to be answered.

"Yes, I do realize," I muttered, keeping my gaze forward.

"Then how can you be okay with this?"

"Because unlike you, Pete, I need this," I snapped, shooting a glare in his direction, "I don't have other things like you do. All I have is my writing and Patrick, but the fucking ban took those away from me and I want them back. Is that so-" Before I could finish, the apartment door flung open. I turned my head back and saw Tyler standing in the doorway.

"About time you showed up," He greeted coldly, noticing Pete, "So the notorious Mr. Wentz is back. Is he here for good? He's not going to leave?"

"Who knows," I grumbled before pushing past the man I'd been conspiring with for months and into the apartment. Standing in the living room were Joe and Patrick, both dressed in black tuxedos with white undershirts and black ties. Joe was admiring his appearance in the mirror while Patrick was playing with the cuffs of his suit jacket.

Tyler directed Pete to go to the bedroom, informing him that there was a suit in there for him to change into. He nodded his head in understanding and disappeared down the hallway off of the living room.

Patrick looked up and saw me, his eyes doubling in size. Tears immediately began to pour from mine and I rushed forward, wrapping my arms around him and holding him tight. He slowly hugged me back.

"You better make this out alive, Patrick," I mumbled into his shoulder that was starting to become wet.

"Well I didn't plan on not making this out alive," He replied with a slight chuckle.

"No, I'm serious, Patrick," I stepped back and looked up at him, "It's vital for you to do this successfully, or else it'll all be for nothing. And...And I really don't want to lose you. Not again."

He slipped his hand underneath my jawline and swiped his thumb across my sticky cheek, "You're not going to lose me."

"How do you know that, though?" I asked, my voice soft and vulnerable.

"Because I am going to come back, I'm making that a promise."

I sniffled before smiling appreciatively at him. The two of us began to lean in to kiss when we heard, "Okay, enough with the cuteness, you two." It was Joe who had piped in, getting in between Patrick and me before our lips could connect. "We've got a president to kill. You can be cute afterwards."

Just then, Pete emerged from the bedroom hallway, making minor adjustments to his suit. "How do I look?" He asked, turning side to side.

"If you like it, I like it, bro," Joe responded.

"You look good in everything, honey," Patrick added, a smirk on his face.

Pete grinned that famous toothy grin of his before hanging his head in embarrassment.

Tyler rolled his eyes, "Okay, we get it, the three of you are reunited. But Joe's right, enough with the cuteness, we've got a president to kill. You all know what you're doing, correct?" The three of them nodded their heads in unison. "Great, then let's get going. Gabe's outside waiting for you."

"Gabe's back?" Pete asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, he's part of this team whether he likes it or not. Now go! We don't have all day to do this! Go go go!" He shouted, motioning for the three of them to leave. Patrick planted a quick kiss on my cheek before following his two friends out, running.  

I bit my lip and stared at the door, hoping this wasn't going to be the last time I was going to see the three of them.

Tyler closed the door and spun around to face me, slipping his hands into the pockets of his pants, "This better work, Mara. Because if it doesn't, I am going to murder you. And don't think I won't, because I will. Someone's dying today. Let's just hope it's not you."