This May Take Some Time and Effort. [Fall Out Boy/Patrick Stump fanfiction]

Chapter Thirty-Four: Crazy=Genius

I switch the channel on the TV, sighing. Patrick should have been home hours ago, and he's not, so I'm starting to get worried.

Right as I set the remote down on my blanket-covered leg, though, the door swings open. Patrick walks through, letting out a huff and tossing his hat onto the floor.

"Hi," I say, smiling softly at him, but he ignores me, walking into the kitchen. I sigh, getting up and walking in behind him.

"Rough day?" I ask, and he ignores me yet again, swinging the fridge door open and grabbing a bottle of water.

"Baby, talk to me," I say quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder, and he sighs.

"Leave me alone. I don't want to deal with you right now." Ouch.

"No, baby, I want to help you," I say stubbornly, and he turns around, shoving me backwards and shouting "I said leave me the fuck alone!"

I lose my balance and fall to the floor, still in shock, with pain filling my wrist.

"I-I-" he starts, but I don't let him finish. I sprint through the house, grabbing my phone, charger, purse and the car keys.

I've got to get out of here.

He's going to hurt me again.

I can't let this happen again.

"Cor, baby! Wait!" he shouts as I jog out the door, but I don't acknowledge it. I run all the way down the stairs, sprinting into the parking lot before jumping into the car and sobbing into the steering wheel.

I find myself at Andy's a little while later, wiping tears from my eyes. I ring the doorbell, and he answers a minute later, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Cor? What are you doing here?" he asks groggily, leading me inside, and I sigh, setting my things on the dining room table.

"He-he..." I don't get to finish my sentence, because his phone rings. He sees the contact, and sighs.

"Did Patrick do something?" he asks, and I nod. He puts the call on speaker, and Patrick's voice comes through, sounding distressed.

"Andy? Is Coraline with you? She took the car and left," he asks, and Andy looks to me. I nod, and he sighs.

"Yeah, she's here. She showed up crying, what the hell did you do?" Andy asks, and I hear the anger in his voice.

"I-I...I was stressed, and, and mad, and...God, she was just trying to help, and I-I pushed her away, she...she lost her balance and fell. I can't believe I did that, after everything she's been through...God, she looked so scared, Andy. Is she alright?" he explains, and my eyes start to water at the sadness and fear  in his voice.

No, don't cry. He hurt you. He'll do it again.

"Okay, okay, calm down, she's fine," Andy sighs, and I sit down in a dining chair. "She's pretty shook up, but she's okay."

"Do you think she'll let me...do you think she wants to see me?"

Andy looks to me, eyebrows raised, and I quickly shake my head, eyes wide.

"I don't...I don't think that's a good idea. Just wait a few days, okay? Then...then she might change her mind. She loves you, she really does, but...I don't know if she'll ever get over this."

"Oh, fuck, I've really screwed up haven't I?" Patrick sighs, and I hear his voice wavering.

"Yeah man, you did. You really did," Andy nods, and Patrick huffs.

"Okay. Thanks, Andy. I...I'll try to fix this somehow."

"You'd better. Bye, Patrick," he says, and ends the call.

I let a tear slip down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away, dabbing my eyes and biting my lip to hold them in.

"It's okay. You can cry," Andy says, walking over to me with a small smile, "no one's going to hurt you here. I promise."

"That's-that's what P-Patrick said," I mutter, and he sighs, wrapping his arms around me and picking me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, and sob into his shoulder. He carries me to the couch, and sits.

"Cor, he loves you. You know that. And you know he didn't mean it. He's not that type of person," Andy says softly, and I nod, but I can't bring myself to believe it.

He did mean it.

He will do it again.

"He's beating himself up over this. Dad never showed any remorse, did he? Patrick was about to start sobbing when I hung up. That shows that he cares about you."

"I-I know, but..." I choke out, my eyes landing on the diamond on my left hand. "He...he promised me he'd never hurt me. And he broke his promise."

"Coraline, I know this hurts. I know that you're having a rough time right now. I know you feel like he'll do it again. But he needs you. He needs you so badly. When you were in that coma, he...he was a wreck. He wrote day and night. He barely slept, Sis. He needs you just as badly as you need him. And I promise that he will never do this again," Andy explains, and I nod, sighing.

"I know. I know. I'll...I'll go see him tomorrow. I promise," I say, nodding, and he beams.

"Awesome. Now, it's late, and you need sleep. I'll take the couch."

"No, Andy, I can't let you do that. I'll sleep on the couch. I was the one who showed up unannounced," I protest, and he shakes his head.

"You know what? In case you have a nightmare tonight, why don't you just come sleep with me. It'll be easier that way."

"Alright," I nod, smiling slightly, "can I...do you have some clothes for me to change into?"

"Right this way," he smiles, and leads me to his room. He hands me a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, and I run to the bathroom to change.

"You look like a smaller me," he laughs when I walk back into the room, the lamp being the only source of light. "You know, minus the tattoos and arm muscles. You've got the legs, though."

"I'm actually thinking about getting a tattoo," I say, crawling under the covers.

"Ooh, what of?" he asks, and I pull up the design on my phone, which is plugged up on the bedside table. It's two pointe shoes, with a line behind them that signifies the end of a stage. A small crown is "drawn" onto one of the shoes, signifying the tour.

"That's really pretty, Cor. Where're you getting it?"

"I was thinking about...here," I shrug, pointing to the inside of my wrist, where my scar is.

"I see. That shouldn't hurt too badly," he nods, and I sigh.

"I sure hope so."

He turns off the lamp, leaving us in darkness, and I roll over to give Andy his space.

After a while, I hear him snore, and then his arm drapes across my middle, pulling me close to his chest. I chuckle, resting my hand on his arm and drifting off to sleep.