FicWad

Patrick awoke at two a.m. to a scream from the living room.
"Patrick!"
He threw back the covers and rushed into the living room. Devin lay on the couch, tangled in her covers, sweating.
"Devin are you OK?" he asked.
"He...he's coming back...Kevon..."
"It's just a nightmare, love." He said soothingly. 'Love' was the most soothing word he could think of, and it reminded him of 'Dance, dance'. He sat down next to her on the couch and took her in his arms, rocking her gently.
"I'm sorry I woke you up." She muttered into his chest.
"S'ok."
They sat there for a very long time.
"Devin, do you want to come stay in my bed with me?" he whispered.
"Yeah. I can't sleep out here alone." She answered.
He scooped her up into his arms like he'd watched Pete do the previous evening. She was surprisingly light. He carried her into his room and lay her on the bed. He crawled under the covers, with Devin snuggled against him. He wanted so badly to kiss her...but she was already asleep with her head resting on his chest and he too went to sleep.

Sun shone through the window. Patrick ran his fingers through his hair and sat up. Devin was gone. He slipped a shirt on and padded into the kitchen, where Devin sat with a mug of coffee in hand. He studied her; she was wearing the same jeans she had been when she showed up the night before last, and his Mariners jersey. She had her hair pulled into a messy ponytail, and her emo bangs fell into her eyes. She looked up and smiled.
"I hope it's ok that I wear this."
"Yeah, no problem."
"I didn't know you like baseball."
"Neither did Pete. He thinks I just like the bright colors." Patrick answered, rolling his eyes. He poured himself a bowl of cheerios and sat down opposite to Devin.
"He's one to talk. Have you seen some of his hoodies?" Devin laughed.
They sat quietly while Patrick flipped through the morning paper.
"As usual, nothing exciting has happened." Patrick announced, throwing the paper into the garbage.
Devin laughed. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, and Patrick noticed a flash of red across her wrist.
"Devin, you didn't..." he trailed off softly, and he took her hand and examined her wrist.
"That was from the day I dumped Kevon," She whispered, "I did that before he came home."
Patrick placed her hand back on the table and sighed.
"Devin-"
"Don't start, Patrick. I'm fine."
She looked deep into his eyes. She couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to kiss him...
Patrick tore his eyes away and stood up. Devin mimicked and they walked into the living room. Patrick sat down on the couch and Devin sat beside him. She buried her face in his chest and he put his arms around her.
"I'm so scared, Patrick." She said, beginning to cry.
"Why?" he asked, stroking her hair.
"Kevon's going to find me."
"You're safe with me here. I promise."
She sobbed into his chest, and Patrick stroked her hair. He felt awkward suddenly; this isn't helping, he thought.
"You know what always makes he happy?" he whispered.
"What?"
"Singing," and he began to sing softly, "Joke me something awful, just like kisses on the necks of 'just friends'..."
He finished and Devin looked up at him.
"Hmm...I wonder what Pete was thinking when he wrote that song?"
"I dunno...but do you know what I think of every time I sing it?" Patrick replied, looking her in the eye. Even though her face was tearstained, Patrick thought she was beautiful. Devin looked deep in his eyes, and that kissing daydream came back to her...
They leaned it and their lips met. Patrick ran his fingers through her hair and she cuddled closer. After what seemed like happiness-filled hours, they pulled away.
"Now I get it... 'Kisses on the necks of 'just friends'..." Devin mumbled.
"I want to be more than just friends, Devin..."
"Me, too."
Patrick smiled and the cuddled.
"You're beautiful, Devin." He whispered.
"No I'm not."
"Then why do I spend every spare minute of every day thinking of you?"
She smiled as tears stung her eyes.
"How long?" she muttered.
"I dunno. Forever, maybe," He answered, stroking her hair, "I just never showed it. I tried to hide it from myself."
Devin smiled and they kissed again.
Patrick broke away from her arms and stood up.
"I'll call the others, they'll come with us and we'll move your stuff out, ok?"
"'K..."
"You still have your key?"
"Yep."
Patrick made the phone calls, and soon they were all squished into Joe's car. Patrick and Devin cuddled in the back seat, but not a friendship cuddle all the guys were used to. Patrick was playing with her hair and Devin was whispering in his ear.
"Are you guys..." Pete's voice trailed off.
Devin and Patrick both nodded and smiled.
Joe laughed.
"I knew it wouldn't be long."
"What?" Devin asked, confused.
"What with Patrick blushing and staring all the time."
"Hey!" Patrick replied indignantly.
"Oh, come on, Patrick, face the truth." Laughed Pete.
Patrick sighed and shrugged. Devin laughed.
"Should you guys really be rushing into anything right now?" asked Andy, "Devin just got out of a relationship..."
"I'll be fine. Patrick knows I don't want to, like, get married or anything." Devin replied firmly.
Patrick laughed.
"Let's not talk about getting married," Pete said, "That sort of mushy thing makes me sick."
Joe parked the car beside Devin's building. They got out and Devin punched in the password for the door. They rode the elevator to the ninth floor and stepped off.
"Guys, if he's home..." Devin said quietly as she turned the key in the lock.
"Then we'll make sure he leaves you the hell alone." Snarled Pete viciously.
Devin opened the door and stepped inside. She peaked around the corner; no one was there.
"S'ok, guys." She said, and they followed her in.
Devin quickly emptied the contents of her drawers into suitcases. She packed up her share of the dishes.
"Andy, can you please get my jewelry out of the bathroom drawer?" she called from the kitchen.
"Sure."
Andy stepped into the bathroom and opened the bathroom drawer. He started putting the contents into a shoebox, but something caught his eye and he nearly dropped the box. He set it on the counter and gingerly picked up the glittering, bloodstained razor blade from the drawer.
"Oh my God..." he whispered, "PETE!"
Pete heard the frantic notes in Andy's voice and rushed into the bathroom. Andy handed him the blade.
"Oh my God."
"We knew...but we didn't have to see the blade..." Andy muttered.
Joe came in.
"What's going on? Oh..." the blade caught his eye and he leaned against the doorway.
"Don't show Patrick," Pete said, "It'll kill him." Pete crossed the small room to the garbage can and threw it inside, "Now hurry up, guys, we don't want Kevin to show up."

The friends returned to Patrick's house and carted Devin's stuff into the house.
"There's a dresser in the spare room, Dev, you can put your stuff in there." Patrick told her.
She arranged the boxes around the dresser and decided to finish later. She stepped out into the living room, where her friends all sat on the couch. She climbed onto Patrick's lap and he put his arms around her.
"It's over now, Dev, you can get on with your life." He whispered into her hair.
She smiled dreamily, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder.