FicWad

Patrick opened one eye as he heard the door creek open slightly, but he didn't see anything. He continued to remain still waiting for what he knew was coming. He could hear the noise of crawling on the carpet get closer and closer to the bed. Suddenly he was bombarded by Jackson and Rooger.

"Wake up, Patrick!" Jackson yelled jumping up and down and landing on his stomach causing him to 'oomph' in pain.

"Jackson, why are you in here so early?" Collette asked as she rolled over onto her side away from Jackson and Patrick.

Patrick had been staying over at Collette's on and off for about a month now and Jackson just had to wake them up every morning. This morning it seemed to be exceptionally early.

"Because it is time to get up!" Jackson said still bouncing on his knees as Patrick tried to get his breathing back to normal.

"Jackson, can't we sleep a little bit longer?" Patrick asked still slightly out of breath.

"But Patrick, you promised," Jackson pouted crossing his arms over his chest.

"I did?" Patrick questioned.

Collette now rolled over to face the two boys.

"You said you two were spending the day together. You are brining him to the studio, remember?" Collette said running her hands through Jackson's blonde locks.

"Of course. How could I forget?" Patrick said grabbing Collette's hand and kissing it gently.

Jackson just stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Alright, Jacks, why don't you let me get ready and we will go, ok?" Patrick asked the boy who continued to sit on his legs.

"Ok," he said happily and jumped off the bed with Rooger following close on his heels.

Patrick took a deep breath and rolled on his side to face Collette.

"Hey," she smiled over at him now putting her hair through his blonde locks.

"Hi," he said back wrapping his arm around her waist in order to pull her closer to him.

"Your hair is getting longer," she said absentmindedly.

"I know. Should I cut it?" he asked putting his head dangerously close to hers.

"No. I like it this way," she whispered and kissed his lips sweetly.

Collette wasn't positive, but she was almost sure that it was a moment like this that made life worth living. She loved waking up and having sweet little nothing conversations with Patrick. It almost made her heart combust.

"Are you up!?" Jackson yelled from the living room.

Both Patrick and Collette just started laughing.

"Yeah, Jacks. We'll be up in a minute," Collette yelled back.

"This is like Christmas for him," Patrick said sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"This is very important to him," Collette said yawning.

Patrick looked down on her and watched as she stretched like a feline. The sheets outlined the smooth curves of her body leaving little to the imagination. It took all his strength not to jump on her at that moment.

"I know. He's been talking about it all week," Patrick smiled and finally got out of bed.

Collette got up as well and went into the kitchen to make Jackson some breakfast before he set out on his busy day.

-----

"So this is your place?" Jackson asked as he and Patrick walked up the steps of the condo.

"Yup," Patrick said unlocking the door.

"Cool!" Jackson said excitedly as he noticed all the video games in the living room. "You guys have so many games!" he looked around in awe.

"Yeah, we like video games," Patrick said placing his keys in his pocket.

"Where is everyone?" Jackson asked noticing it was quiet.

"Sleeping, probably," Patrick said almost jealous.

It really was early to be up.

"Can I go wake up Pete?" Jackson asked hopeful.

"Yeah, knock yourself out," Patrick said showing him Pete's room.

Jackson did the same as he had done to Patrick and Collette earlier that morning. Patrick just laughed to himself when he heard Pete laughing out loudly as Jackson giggled into fits of laughter. Patrick laid back on his bed enjoying the fact that Pete would entertain Jackson long enough for him to get a quick morning nap in.

-----

Patrick woke up an hour later still on top of the covers and in his clothes. He looked around confused and heard voices coming from the living room. He groggily walked into the room to see Joe, Andy, Pete, and Jackson all sitting there eating cereal and watching Sponge Bob Square Pants.

"Hey Patrick. Want some Coco Crispies?" Jackson asked holding his bowl out to him.

"I'm good thanks," Patrick said holding up his hands to protest.

"So what are the plans for today?" Andy asked not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Studio," Pete said with a mouth full of food causing some to spray out.

"Gross, Pete," Patrick said annoyed.

"What?" he asked yet again spraying food all over.

"Chew with your mouth closed," Patrick said sounding disgusted.

"Yeah, Pete. That's bad manners," Jackson pointed out.

Pete just looked at Jackson in shock. This kid was older beyond his years. Pete looked back at Patrick who just nodded as to say 'the kid knows what he's talking about.'

-----

"Whoa! This is so cool!" Jackson looked around the studio in awe.

"Come here let me show you some stuff," Pete said going into the recording room where all their instruments were sitting neatly in stands.

Patrick just went into the control room and started to look over some notes he had taken a couple of days earlier. He started to go through some editing while Pete showed Jackson how to play each instrument. Patrick looked out through the window and giggled as Pete had his bass around him and Jackson. Jackson looked as though he had just seen Santa Clause. He was so excited.

"Well that's scary," Andy said as he and Joe trailed in with coffee in their hands.

"Scary?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah. Jr. Wentz in training," he explained.

"Naw, the kid is too smart to be like Pete," Joe said sitting down in a swivel chair and swayed back and forth.

"True," Andy said laughing and grabbing some drum sticks off the table.

He walked into the room that held Pete and Jackson and must have said something along the lines of playing the drums because Jackson ran over to the drum set with a huge smile on his face.

"This oughta be good," Patrick said turning the speaker on so he could hear what was going on in the room.

"Click the sticks together above your head four times then go at it," Andy said.

Jackson looked around mischievously and did as he was told. Soon the room was being filled with crashes and bangs unimaginable to man.

Patrick and Joe just laughed as Patrick turned the speaker off.

"Maybe it's a Jr. Hurley in training," Joe offered.

"He does have some rhythm," Patrick laughed going back to his notes.

-----

"What are you doing here? And without a certain blonde haired boy," Collette said shocked as Patrick was escorted into her office by Wren.

"I wanted to surprise you, and Pete took Jackson out," Patrick said happily.

"Wasn't this supposed to be your bonding time together?" she asked him suspiciously.

"We bonded," Patrick said simply.

"Are you up to something?" Collette asked.

"Jesus, Collette. The boy wants to be with you. Stop asking so many questions," Wren said.

"Thank you," Patrick nodded towards her.

"You're welcome," she said and left the office.

"So, now that you are here, what are you going to do with me?" she asked him.

Patrick just smiled evilly.

-----

"You are the greatest," Collette gushed.

"I know," he smiled over at her.

She took the coffee in her hands and did her signature smell.

"It has been so long since I've had coffee from here," she said sitting in the passenger seat of Patrick's vehicle.

Patrick had brought her coffee to go and they were now driving along the coast enjoying each other's company.

"So, how did your day with Jackson go?" Collette asked curiously.

"It went great. He's a smart kid," Patrick said back.

"I know. It's amazing how smart he is. He's like a small adult," she said smiling down into her coffee.

"The way he gets along with all the guys is great. He had so much fun in the studio, and he caused no trouble at all," Patrick gushed.

"That's great. I'm glad you boys had fun," Collette said not believing that her heart could contain any more adoration for this man.

"When I have kids, I want them all to be just like him," Patrick blurted out.

Collette just looked over at Patrick with shock. They never talked about anything within such a topic range before. They haven't even taken the plunge to say love to one another and now Patrick was talking about kids.

"Really?" Collette said still sounding very shocked.

"Well, I mean, in the way future, of course," Patrick stuttered over his words.

Collette decided to just drop it. She didn't want to make an awkward situation even more so.

Patrick and Collette drove around for a while and decided to go back to her place for a quiet dinner before Pete dropped off Jackson that evening.

Patrick walked into the kitchen to see Collette cutting vegetables and humming to herself. It was at that moment that his heart started to beat faster and he had gotten a rush over his body that was indescribable. What was this feeling that had hit him from head to toe? It couldn't possibly be what he thought it was. Could it?

"Collette," Patrick said from behind her.

"Hmm," she said and turned around to face him.

Patrick stood there like a deer in headlights. Was he going to say the three words to her he had only ever said once before to a girl, but not actually ever mean it, until now?

"Want some help?" he asked.

It wasn't exactly the three words he had been going for, but fear had struck him and he had to swallow the lump that was in his throat.

"No, I've got everything under control. Thanks though," she said and went back to cutting veggies.

"Collette," Patrick said again.

"Yes," she said not turning around this time.

"I..."

He was interrupted by the phone. That gives a new meaning to saved by the bell.

"Hello?" Collette answered the phone.

"Is this Ms. Collette Locke?" the professional voice said over the phone.

"This is," she said confused.

"Are you the guardian of a Jackson Locke?" the person asked.

Collette's face fell as she set the knife down.

"I am," she said in an almost state of panic.

"We have Jackson at the Memorial Hospital."

"Oh my God. What happened?" she asked putting a hand up to her mouth.

Patrick ran up to Collette and grabbed her shoulders to steady her and try to read her eyes.

"There has been an accident. Please come to the Memorial Hospital as soon as you can," the person said calmly.

"Ok, we'll be right there," Collette said putting the phone in it cradle.

"What?" Patrick asked scared.

"There's been an accident," Collette said as tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

-----

"I can't believe Pete let something happen to him, and now he's in the hospital. Shit Patrick," Collette ranted and raved all the way down to Los Angeles.

Patrick drove as fast as he could and tried not to let the words that Collette was saying about his friend bother him too much. She was just worried about Jackson.

"Look, we don't even know what had happened or the extent of his injuries, so could we please keep calm here?" Patrick asked in the most soothing voice possible.

"Calm? Patrick, Jackson is in the hospital right now. Probably scared to death and it's all because Pete was not paying enough attention," Collette said angrily.

Patrick just took a deep breath and kept his eyes on the road. He knew he should have just said nothing at all.

Patrick parked in the Emergency Room parking running after Collette who had jumped out of the vehicle before Patrick had even gotten it into park.

Collette ran up to the counter.

"Jackson Locke. I was told he was here," she said leaning over the counter.

The nurse smiled up at Collette and searched her charts.

"Are you family?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm his mother," she said hurriedly.

Patrick looked over at Collette confused. It was the first time he had ever heard her refer to herself as Jackson's mother.

"Room 143. It's just down this hallway," the nurse pointed.

Collette pushed herself off the counter and briskly walked to his room. She stopped in the doorway and gasped in by the cast that grazed his arm.

Jackson sat on his bed with Joe and Andy already writing and drawing on his cast.

"CoCo!" Jackson said happily when he saw her face.

"Oh my God. Jackson, what happened?" she asked rushing towards him and smothering him in a hug.

Joe and Andy quickly got out of her way.

"We had taken him to the park and he fell off the monkey bars," Andy said quietly.

"Does it hurt?" she asked Jackson holding his arm lightly.

"Naw. Pete said I'm a tough guy," Jackson said smiling at her.

"Where is Pete?" Collette asked not sounding amused.

"He went to get something to eat for Jackson, I think," Joe said.

Collette just nodded and looked over at Patrick who just shrugged down at her. She was irritated. Did he not realize the severity of the situation?

"I'll be right back, kiddo," she said and kissed Jackson on the top of the head.

"Ok, CoCo, but when you get back you have to sign my cast," he said holding his arm up.

"Alright," she said trying to hide her tears.

Her pride and joy had been broken.

Patrick followed Collette out of the room.

"He's fine Collette. There is nothing to be worried about," Patrick said trying to calm her down.

"He is not fine, Patrick. He has a broken arm! That's not fine!" she said angrily.

"Well, it could have been a lot worse. It's not like he is going to need any surgery or anything like that," Patrick said getting angry that she was taking out everything on him.

In his own opinion, he thought that she was overreacting.

Collette's head popped up when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She noticed Pete right away who had a brown paper bag in his hands. He looked sad and almost guilty.

Collette walked right up to him and stared into his eyes for a moment. Pete saw nothing but pure anger in her eyes. He had never seen such anger before. Suddenly his head was being whisked to the side as Collette's hand came in contact with his cheek.

"You son-of-a-bitch," she whispered loudly.

"Collette," Patrick said shocked.

Pete didn't respond. He just looked at Collette sadly.

"You were supposed to be watching hi; guarding him with you life. Where were you? Why is he in there with a broken arm? Why?" she asked as tears continued to threaten to spill down her cheeks.

Pete didn't quite know how to respond. There was nothing he could have done. It was an accident.

"I'm sorry," Pete said quietly and walked past Collette and Patrick into Jackson's room.

"Ice cream! Thanks Pete!" they heard Jackson say excitedly.

Collette broke down into tears and ran into Patrick's chest for comfort. Patrick uneasily put his arms around her. Why was she acting as though she had just lost Jackson? Why was she reacting in such a manner? Patrick didn't understand where all this anger and fear was coming from.

-----

Collette stood in Jackson's doorway watching him sleep peacefully. His cast was visible with multiple scribbles on it from each of the boys.

They didn't get Jackson home till well after midnight due to paperwork and prescriptions to be taken care of. When they got home, the vegetables that Collette was cooking still sat on the counter untouched. Patrick placed the sleeping boy in his bed and Collette hadn't moved from that spot since.

Her thoughts raced through her head. Fear, anger, and pain surged through her. She already had to make so many sacrifices. Why did she have to make one more?

Collette was interrupted by her thoughts when she felt Patrick's arms go around her. He placed his head on her shoulder and she closed her eyes at the feeling of his breath on her neck.

"We should get some sleep," he whispered. "He's going to be ok, Collette."

Sleep? There was no time for sleep.

"This was a mistake. I knew this was a mistake," she said walking into the hallway shutting Jackson's door behind her.

Patrick looked at her confused.

"What was a mistake?" he asked.

"This. You, me, us. Everything. It was all a mistake," she said sounding exhausted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Patrick tired to keep his voice down, but his emotions had started a tornado in his head.

"Patrick, this is too much. Everything has gotten so messed up. I can't do this," Collette said hating the look on Patrick's face.

"You're breaking up with me over a broken arm? Are you serious?" Patrick asked trying to understand exactly what was going on.

"Please, just leave Patrick," she said and turned to go into her room.

Patrick stood in the hallway with his jaw practically hitting the floor. No way was this happening right now. Just earlier that evening he was trying to say that he loved this girl and now she was breaking up with him.

Patrick got a determined look on his face and stormed into Collette's bedroom. Immediately he noticed that she had her suitcase open and she was frantically throwing clothes into them.

"What are you doing?" he asked in shock.

"We have to go. We can't stay here now. There's not enough time," she started rambling incoherent words.

"Collette, stop!" Patrick yelled and grabbed her by the arms pinning them to her side.

"I can't stop Patrick! If I stop, he will kill me! He will kill me and he will take Jackson! And if you stay here, he will kill you too!" she yelled as tears now spilled down her face.

Patrick's heart fell down into the pit of his stomach. The words she spoke burned his ears and made him go deaf for a split second.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in shock.

"He is going to find us, Patrick. Jackson's records are in that hospital now. He's going to find us," she said still crying but her tone had gotten quieter.

Patrick just put his arms tightly around Collette. He didn't know what he could do to show her that he wasn't planning on leaving her because of a man he didn't know.

"Collette, you are going to be ok. We will work everything out. I won't let him hurt you or Jackson," Patrick said stroking her hair.

"You don't understand," she said breaking their embrace to look him in the face.

"Then tell me, so I can understand," Patrick pleaded.

He wanted to know why she was so scared. Why did she fear this man so much?

"He murdered my sister," she said so quiet that Patrick wanted to have heard her wrong, but the look on her face told him that he heard her loud and clear.

AN: I just want to wish everyone, especially my DoJ girls, a happy holdiays. I'm pretty sure I won't be updating till after Christmas since I don't even have my shopping done yet. Ooops. So sorry to leave you on such a cliffhanger. Hopefully you won't be disappointed in the end.