Archaic ||Peterick||

40- Pompeii

The hall was almost cleared. All that remained was some students picking up rubble half heartedly. Only seven remained unmoving.

Gabe glanced back and saw that the fire had disappeared. The smoke still hung in the air like a dark rain cloud. The room was coated in a thick layer of black soot.

He slowly got off of Pete, gently bringing William up with him. Pete slowly moved his hands and feet, flexing them to regain feeling in them. His fingers felt like static. He slowly tore his gaze away from the orange flower he'd been so fixated by. It's petals were coated with a thick black substance.

Pete slowly rolled over, onto his hands and knees. He crawled to the ash statue of Patrick, standing proudly in the centre of the hall. Students milled out slowly, off to do whatever was to be done at a time like this. Some students cried over people they cared about, whether it was because they were hurt or just not here, Pete didn't care.

Pete sat in the ruins of the hall, picking flowers off of himself and placing them at Patrick's feet. The hall looked worse for wear to say the least. All of the furniture had burnt to a crisp and beams swung out of the ceiling threateningly. Pete guessed that magic was all that kept the place together at this stage.

The room was mostly silent. It was eerie. A hand gently perched itself on Petes shoulder. "Hey hun.." Alicia spoke softly. Pete glanced at her before looking back at Patrick and staying silent. No movement was made after that but Alicia's hand stayed where it was. It was annoying Pete, like an anger moved from her fingertips through his body.

Lindsey slowly walked over and watched Pete. She sighed and gently took Alicia away which Pete was thankful for. Ray made his way over next. "Hey.." He said softly. Pete ignored him too. He felt a little bad, Ray was a good guy. Ray eventually caught on and walked away without needing to be told, keeping himself as silent as possible.

Gabe strolled over. "Pete-"

"Don't."

Gabe sighed and plonked himself next to the broken-hearted boy. "Pete please-"

"No."

Gabe sighed and got back up. He knew his attempts were futile. He weakly ruffled Petes hair. Pete flinched away and glared at the floor. He slowly moved himself to wrap his arms around Patrick's leg and cling on. Gabe watched him sadly and walked away, tagging William in.

William was next. He sat next to Pete. He didn't say a word. He didn't make any move to touch Pete either.

Pete glanced at him. "I want to be alone.." Petes voice was wrecked from screaming Patrick's name and the cries that had racked his body from all the emotional and physical pain he'd been placed under.

"I know. We'll be alone together." William said softly. He cautiously took Petes hand in his own. Pete watched their hands mould together and was reminded of Patrick instantly.

Pete sniffled and closed his eyes, thinking of everything they'd gone through. How they'd met, the heart Patrick had stabbed into his chest. Pete gently traced the scar it had left. He thought of how they'd went to New Jersey, how Pete decided he could walk to where ever Patrick was going and got himself almost burnt alive, only that time Patrick had saved him.

Pete remembered the first time he'd called Patrick his boyfriend and the little girl Pete had killed in the motel. Pete remembered Noodle, who he'd went away with and severely regretted.

Pete recalled when he first turned into a bat, when he and Patrick had went to the house with the spider boy in it. He thought of the first time he'd thrown up flowers. He remembered watching Patrick and Mikey together. He could still feel what he felt when he found out Patrick would kill him.

Pete remembered it all. He remembered how Patrick had always saved him.

"I saved them. I tried to save you but... I guess love can't save everything." Pete whispered softly and shakily got to his feet. William watched him from the floor, scooting back enough to stand up without alerting Pete. He walked over to his group of friends and they all sadly watched Pete like he was the main character in a dumb romance movie.

Pete wrapped his arms around Patrick's middle and coughed. His tears bubbled over again and spilled down Patrick's statue.

"You know, this is the first time you let me hug you." Pete chuckled sadly. He shut his eyes tightly and just stood there. He never wanted to move.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love you, Patrick." Pete whispered.

A blinding light shone from the statue. William, Gabe, Alicia, Ashlee and Lindsey watched in utter perplex at what was happening before their very eyes. The white light took over the hall. Pete stood with his eyes closed, oblivious. A sudden warmth enveloped Pete, pulling him closer to the statue. Pete made an odd strangled noise and opened his eyes.

His eyes widened at the pure raw beauty standing before him. Pete stared into the glowing white eyes of Patrick. The angelic Saint Patrick.

Pete let out a sob. He grabbed Patrick's face and cried. He looked at William quickly. "This isn't a joke! Tell me it's real!" He screamed.

William nodded with a small smile gracing his features. "It's real."

Pete clung to Patrick and sobbed in pure happiness. "Wh- I don't- Patrick!" Pete stuttered over his words. He decided to stick with what he knew and repeated Patrick's name in a mantra.

"Sacrifice.." Ashlee whispered in wonder.

"Tears of a lover.." Gabe continued.

"And the blood of a lost soul." William finished.

Patrick, cured of his vampirism, stared at his love. He slowly raised his hands to cup Petes cheeks. Pete felt his body begin to repair itself faster than ever.

Patrick looked into the wide eyes browns of his one true love and smiled. He slowly leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you too..."