FicWad

Gwen awoke in the darkness, but she wasn't afraid because Pete was sleeping peacefully beneath her. She didn't want to leave his side, but her stomach was growling something fierce.

"Patrick?" she whispered, not sure what sound levels would wake up Pete.
Usually Pete was the heaviest sleeper (she experimented once, and even playing his screamo music almost at full blast did nothing to wake him up), but she wasn’t too sure about anything anymore.

Something big thumped to the floor, and she heard Patrick jump to his feet. Gwen rolled her eyes--clearly Patrick still thought she was in danger while she was so close to Pete.

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"Don't pee yourself, junior. I'm just hungry, but I need your help to get out of here."

She wanted to kiss Pete, touch him somehow, but she held back. Immediately, the doors ripped open, and she saw Patrick's relieved face. Gwen shook her head as she climbed out.

"I'm just worried about you, is all," he answered, adjusting his hat.

"Where's the take out?" she asked, ignoring his last comment.

Patrick nodded to the huge table. The daffodil yellow Thai take out boxes seemed out of place among the dusty books, journals, papers, vials, and guns.

"Listen, what makes you so sure you shouldn't be scared, Patrick?"

He shifted uncomfortably. Good question...why?
"Because he's known me for a long time, and he would never do that to me," he answered lamely.

Gwen threw down the chopsticks and the carton she was holding.
"Patrick, for the last time, Pete isn't a monster. He loves us, that's why we shouldn't be afraid."

Before Patrick could show his shock, another voice cut in. "Will you two please be quiet? I'm trying to sleep over here."

"Well, it's past sundown, so you don't need to be sleeping right now," Gwen said playfully.

Pete moaned tiredly in response.

Patrick rolled his eyes, but opened Pete's coffin all the same. Pete sat up. The lights blinded him for a moment, so he sat with his hands on his head. Patrick helped him out as he smiled at Gwen.

"I can't believe you came back," he said, taking her and spinning her around.

"You have Patrick to thank for that, not me."

Pete turned to see Patrick rubbing the back of his neck.

"P.M.S., the little engine that couldn't?" he asked.

"Ha ha," Patrick muttered, rolling his eyes again. "Why is Gwen wearing that dress?" he asked, trying to avoid the awkwardness of small talk.

Gwen raised an eyebrow before glancing down at the dark blue dress. "I'd like to know why that's the only question you have."

"Patrick, you dumbass, that's the dress she wore the night we met."

He looked completely bewildered by Pete's words.

"That night I was at a Halloween party with some friends," Gwen added.

Patrick gave them another odd look as he left the main lab. He had no desire to see any PDA at the moment, another reason to realize just how clueless he was when things concerned love, least of all women. But he also realized that something else was bothering him, but he didn't know exactly what.

Gwen laughed, covering up her own nervousness and uncertainty. Yes, she decided to come back, but at what price? She knew she shouldn’t be around him. But she also knew that she missed him so much--how could she ever think of letting him go? She noticed he completely avoided her neck, an area he usually love to nibble. Maybe she should be thankful for that now...

"Ahem."

Both of their heads snapped up to see Joe standing in the doorway. Gwen wouldn't have minded so much if the man in black behind him wasn't present. As it was, she reluctantly tore herself from Pete.

"I'm sorry, Father," she said, bowing her head and leaving with Joe.

"He couldn't have come at a better time, could he?' Joe said with a grin as they walked down the hallways.

"Oh, shut up. I'd like to see where your girlfriend is--oh, wait, you don't have one."

"Jeez, you can be a little bit nicer, you know," he said, pretending to be hurt.

Gwen almost gave a biting comment, but Joe came up and tackled her from behind.

"What the hell?!" she yelled, rolling a disgruntled Joe off of her.

"Andy, you need to work on throwing that thing," Joe said, pissed off.

Andy helped Gwen up quickly, an apologetic frown on his face. "If people didn't walk in front of the targets, people wouldn't get stabbed by one of the stakes," he said, gesturing to the brick wall covered in bull's-eyes.

"You guys are nuts!" Gwen said, rubbing her arms in annoyance. "A girl almost gets killed by flying stakes and she gets a lecture."

"And with that, let me warn you all."
They turned to see the Priest step out from the shadows. Anxiety washed over Gwen--what if Pete happened to be in a much worse state than she imagined?

"Please, tell us the truth," she asked.

"Your friend hasn't completely turned--not as long as he abstains from feeding. But it will be hard, on all of you, not just him. Treat him with care, but always be on guard."
He looked over at Gwen meaningfully and left without another word.

They all heard something fall to the floor with a crash and Gwen immediately rushed down the hallway. Once she reached the main lab, Pete was curled up on the couch, staring into the darkness.

"Peter Rabbit? What did he tell you?"

He looked at her with a grimace. "Get out," he said roughly.

She reached out for his hand. "Pete, I'm not leaving you."

"I said get out!" he screamed.

"I don't give a flying fuck what you said. There is no way I'm leaving you like this-"

"Gwen, you are leaving whether you like it or not. I never want to see you again," he replied coldly.

Her Peter Rabbit glared at her, his beautiful hazel eyes tearing her to pieces. Gwen did the only thing she could do--she grabbed his face and kissed him sweetly.

He pushed her away, and grabbed her wrists as he got up.

"Pete, let go of me! You're hurting me!" she shrieked.

Without so much as a goodbye, he pushed her outside and slammed the door.

"Pete!" she cried out, sliding down to her knees, her fists on the door.