Rivals: The Killjoys vs. The Youngbloods

24. The Explosive Rivals Finale

Patrick stepped in front of Pete in a protective stance. "Don't come any closer, or I'll fight you."

"Oh please Patrick," Courtney scoffed. "You've never hurt a single person in your entire goody two shoes life."

Patrick cracked his knuckles, wincing slightly at the pain. "I don't know Courtney; you've threatened the people I love. That changes a person's composure."

"I may have underestimated you," Courtney grinned. "And I would love to stay and chat, but there's  a big decision you three need to make and I'm afraid we're running out of time."

She gestured to a clock in the middle of the room. 

"What the hell?" Mikey watched the clock begin to count down from five minutes." 

"That, boys, is the amount of time you have to figure out your love triangle." Courtney smirked. "Because only two of you can leave this room." 

"It's a bomb." Pete said. "This whole thing, it was a trap," he said between labored breaths.

"Winner, winner, chicken dinner." Courtney laughed. "And your prize, Mr. Wentz is to select only one of these, fine, handsome men to escape a certain, fiery death with you."

Mikey and Pete made eye contact.

Pete knew exactly what Mikey was going to say. Mikey had that determined, selfless look in his eyes. 

"Mikey-"

"Patrick, take Pete and go," Mikey said. 

"No," Pete and Patrick said together. 

Pete shook his head. "No, I can't leave you."

"Pete, what's the point in all of us dying here for no reason? You need to go with Patrick," Mikey said stubbornly.

"B-But what about you?" Pete stammered, his salty tears stung the open cuts on his face. "What am I gonna do without you?" 

Mikey held Pete's face gently. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You'll make it."

"Not without you." Pete insisted. "I don't want to do it without you." 

The deja vu almost knocked Mikey off of his feet. 

"I believe in you," Mikey repeated the same words his brother told him a month ago. "And I know that you can do it."

Patrick stood quietly, the shock apparent on his face. His brain was prompting him to say something, to try to talk Mikey out of staying; but he knew deep inside that no amount of arguing would change anything. 

Mikey's mind was set. 

"Please don't make me leave you," Pete begged, his voice cracking. 

Mikey glanced back at the clock; just under four minutes left. "Someone once told me that if you love someone, one day you gotta let them go. And right now, I'm letting you go and live your life."

Mikey looked at Patrick, really looked at Patrick. In that moment, the two had a connection. They both wanted Pete's happiness and safety. 

"Pete," Patrick put a hand on Pete's shoulder. "We gotta go; he's not going to change his mind."

Pete mustered the little strength he had left and hugged Mikey to him tightly. "I love you," he whispered. 

The words broke the tough boy facade Mikey was trying so hard to keep up. 

"I love you too." Mikey said, his voice thick with suppressed tears. "Now go," he kissed Pete with bruising force and pushed him away. 

Mikey turned to Patrick. "Get everyone out of here now. You have less than two minutes."

Patrick nodded and grabbed Pete's arm, tugging him away from Mikey. Pete was too numb to notice.

Patrick turned back one last time. "Mikey I-"

"I know," Mikey smiled sadly. "Take care of him for me."

Patrick nodded sullenly and he and Pete disappeared. 

Courtney laughed. "Oh boy, do I love the tragic endings."

"Fuck you," Mikey muttered. "If I'm going to hell, then I'm taking you there with me."

Courtney crossed her arms over her chest. "And I'm okay with that. If I can't have my happy ending, then neither can you."

"You sadistic fuck. I hope you burn!" Mikey hissed.

"I know you will." Courtney chuckled.

>>>>> 

Patrick dragged Pete down the stairs. "Pete, if you don't move faster, we are going to die."

Patrick had already warned everyone else; they were out of harm's way. The only people in this damned house were Patrick, Pete, Mikey and Courtney. 

"We have to save him, we have time, we can try!" Pete insisted. "Please, Patrick, we have to try," he begged.

"No!" Patrick yanked Pete back. "We have to leave now."

Pete shook his head, still struggling. "No, not without him. There's no point without him."

Patrick lugged Pete towards the front door. "The point is that Mikey wants you to live. He sacrificed himself so you could do that. Do you really want to disrespect him like that, by throwing that chance back in his face?"

"I just- I just-"

"I know." Patrick said. "And I understand. But right now we have forty seconds to get far enough away to survive." 

"For Mikey," Pete said, standing a little taller. 

"For Mikey," Patrick repeated. 

The two men rushed for the door with renewed energy. 

Andy and Joe raised their heads as Pete and Patrick burst out of the front door. 

"The bomb!" Andy yelled. "Get down!" 

Pete and Patrick hit the ground, Patrick covered Pete's body with his own. 

There was a second of quiet, like the calm before the storm. For a brief moment the tension lifted and the air was still. For just a second there was hope.

And then the fire rained down. The earth seemed to shake with with the force of the blast. 

Patrick could feel the heat, scorching against his back like lava. He had never felt heat as intense as this before and doubted he ever would again. 

And Pete. Pete felt the entire weight of the world crash down on him. A world black and void of life; a cold numb world full of despair. 

His fingers dug into the dirt, grasping for some kind of tether to hold onto, as he spiraled out of control. His fingernails cracked with the force of his grip. 

But Pete didn't care. He didn't feel a thing.

Andy pulled Pete and Patrick to their feet. He gave Patrick a hard look. "Where's Mikey?"

Patrick shook his head. "He didn't- he didn't make it."

Andy looked towards Pete, who was still on the ground curled up in a ball. "Oh god..."

Pete stared at the smoldering remains of the house.

Mikey was gone.

Mikey.

Was.

Gone.

It didn't seem real. It couldn't be real. 

Could it?

The end.