FicWad

Leigh stopped and sat on the bed, thinking. Maybe she had come to the wrong conclusion? Maybe she saw something she that wasn't there? Maybe she really did come in at the wrong moment? All of these things were beating at her mind like a drum, quickening the pace of her heartbeat. She started to feel faint and laid back on the bed. Patrick rushed over to her.

"Leigh," he said urgently. "Leigh are you okay?" she heard him scream and waved his hand infront of her face, but she could barely understand him. He went away. Where did he go? Leigh started to panic.

"Pete," Patrick ran up to him, out of breath. Pete was sitting in the corner of his guest room, where he had just kicked out some people doing...things, ontop of the coats. He had his knees pulled up to his chin and tears streaming down his face. "You need to come into your room. Leigh's like...I dunno. Just come." Pete got up quickly and ran down the hall. When he got into his bedroom he say Leigh laying on the bed, unconsious.

"Leigh," he put his hands on either side of her face. "Leigh wake up. Don't do this." Pete started to cry and pulled Leigh up to his chest, soaking her hair with his tears as he held her. "Wake up...I'm sorry. I didn't..." he felt her stir. He looked down at her looking back up at him.

"Pete?" he nodded, smiling a bit and rubbing the tears out of his eyes. "Pete I'm sorry. I dont know...what happend?"

"You fainted," Patrick said, walking up to the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?" She nodded.

"Sometimes when I get stressed I just...let go for a second. I think its my body's way of telling to me slow down and collect my thoughts." Just then she realized she was still in Pete's arms, and it felt like home. But something inside of her told her to push away. Was she going to be able to do this all the time? Constantly doubting Pete's fidelity? She had always been the jealous type, but she wanted it to work with Pete so badly. She decided to give in and hugged my tightly.

By this time all the guys had filed into the room. They all thought of Leigh as a little sister, and were extremely worried when they heard Patrick scream for Pete.

Pete looked at them with pleading eyes and said soflty, "Can we have a minute alone guys?" They nodded and filed out just as they had entered. "Leigh. We can't be like this."

"I know," she looked down. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up so he could look into her eyes.

"I know it's hard. I know. We both have issues. I'm manic, you're jealous. I'm here, you're there. But I can honestly say that I love you wih all of my heart, both sides of it. And I would never cheat on you. You drive me crazy, you're constantly in my thoughts. You're all I think about. I want you to be the one I marry, the one that..." he started to get choked up, unable to finish his thought.

"I believe you now. I don't know why I didn't. Part of me wants this to end because it hurts so bad to be away from you."

"So move here. Be with me. Marry me."

"You know I can't. I can't just drop everything that's me, my whole life, to be with you and be yours. I can't betray myself like that. I've worked a lot to get to where I am. If I stop now, move here, and become your little housewife, I'll lose a part of me. I have to finish what I started in Maryland."

Pete nodded. He knew how she felt. He would feel the same if the tables were turned. He let his head lean against the headboard and pulled Leigh even closer than she already was.

"Ok," he finally said. "I can wait."

"What?" he said it so faintly that Leigh didn't hear him.

"I can wait for you," he said, kissing her hair. "It will hurt, but whats one more year of being without you versus 50 years of being with you later?" he smiled down at her.

Leigh put her arm around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Their lips barely touched, but it was the best kiss they ever shared. "I tell you what. I know I said I would be here with you in January for the whole month and during the summer. But if you can stand it, I will do the winter semester and the summer semester so I can graduate early. I'll still come for Christmas and for a little bit during the summer. But that way we can be together sooner."

Pete smiled and hugged her tight. "That sounds like a plan. But would you mind if I came to your house for Christmas? I've been craving your mom's bread for a long time." They both giggled.

They talked for a while longer, and before they knew it it was 4 am. Patrick took over the Mr. Host job, and even went as far as telling Lindsay off for what she did. He made sure everyone was out and knocked on the door again.

"Come in," Pete said as Patrick nudged his face through the doorway.

"Everything okay?"

"Yup...we're good. We had a long talk."

"Good," Patrick smiled and left.

Leigh and Pete didn't make love that night. He just held her in his arms as she drifted to sleep, watching her stomach rise and fall and thinking to himself that he was the luckiest man in the world.
_____________________________________________________________________

The next morning Pete had an idea. He woke up Patrick, who and spent the night.

"Wha? What's goin on?" Patrick was half asleep.

"Come with me. I need to go buy something," he slapped Patrick's leg. "Get up!"

"What? Go yourself, ass," he kicked Pete out of the way and pulled the covers up over him.

"I'm going to go get a ring." Patrick popped his head up.

"What? Are you proposing to Leigh?" Patrick said, stunned.

"Kinda...I'm going to get her a promise ring."

"Dude...awesome." Patrick got up and put on his pants. "Let's go."

They got into Pete's car and drove downtown. It was early, but not too early.

Leigh had gotten up shortly after Pete and Patrick left. She went into the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.

"Hey Leigh." Joe came into the kitchen, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. "Know any cures for a hangover? cuz I am sloshed." Leigh laughed.

"Actually," she smirked, "my dad told me once that a beer and a green apple will take away a hangover. I've never tried it, but I've never been hung over soo..."

"Oh that's right, I forgot you don't drink," Joe hit his head with his hand. "Stupid me."

"No, you're not stupid. Just wasted," Leigh giggled, rubbing his back. "Do you know where Pete and Patrick went?" Joe shook his head. "Hmmmm."

Patrick swore they had been all around town. No ring they saw was "worthy of Leigh's finger", at least that was what Pete said. Patrick didn't think this next jewelry store would be any better, but when they got there Pete saw one ring and just stared at it.

"That's the one. That's the ring," he pointed at the glass. "Excuse me, ma'am. Can I see this?" An old woman who looked like she had been working there since the beginning of World War II slowly made her way over to the cabinet, unlocked it, and handed the ring to Pete.

"Look at it. Isn't it perfect?" He held it up to Patrick. It was not to big, not to small. It was platinum, which was all Leigh wore. The stone was a beautiful, diamond cut topaz, which always reminded Pete of Leigh's eyes. "I'll take it. Wait. Can I have it inscribed?"

The woman nodded. "What do you want it to say, love?" she said sweetly.

Pete looked at Patrick. For once he was at a loss for words.

"How about, 'I promise you'?" Patrick suggested.

"Eh...sounds like a boy band song," Pete giggled. "What about 'Until we say "I do"' or something?"

"It would have to be really small if it was that long. Leigh has tiny fingers," Patrick answered. "What about just the word- Promise?"

"Simple. But just enough," Pete smiled and said it again to the old woman. "Promise." She smiled and nodded. Pete paid for the ring and she said it would be ready later that day.

Pete was so excited to give Leigh the ring that night he could hardly stand it. He wasn't at all jealous because they had already said the words, he just wanted to show her. He had bought her nice things before, a beautiful locket for her birthday, but this was going to be special.

When he came home he found Leigh doing laps in his pool. She didn't notice that he came in and practically jumped out of the water when he jumped in, fully clothed. "Peter!" she gasped.

"God you look cute wet," he said pushing the wet hair out of his eyes.

"Where were you all morning?" she scolded.

"Hmm...Dunno," he giggled.

"Oh, really?" she approached him swiftly and put her arms around his neck. She went in for a kiss, but instead of kissing him she dunked him under the water. "Ha ha ha. Take that, lover boy." He came up and attacked her playfully, pushing her under the water.

"Oh no you didn!" she laughed after she came up for air.

"Mmm hmm. I did," he said like a proud little boy.

Leigh giggled and went for him again; he backed away. "Truce," she said with a pout. "I really want to kiss you this time. I missed you, Wentz." He pulled her up in his arms and kissed her passionately. "We should get you out of those clothes," she smirked.

"Yeah?" Pete cocked his eyebrow.

"Mmm hmm." She made her way to th steps of the pool and got out, swaying from side to side like a model, making sure she got to Pete; she did. He stared at her in her topaz bikini, the color matched the ring he would give her that night perfectly. Her skin was tan and glistening in the sunlight, her hair's natural curls cascading down her back. She looked over her shoulder at Pete and gave him the "come hither" finger. He followed.

They spent the afternoon in Pete's bedroom. Thank goodness the guys had gone over to Patrick's house because Pete had never moaned that loud in his life. They did everything to eachother...well almost everything. Finally at 6 o'clock Leigh mentioned she was starving. Pete said he would go out and get some food, and he did, but he also went to go pick up the ring.

He came back about an hour later.

"Where were you?" Leigh called from the couch when he walked into the living room. She had put on some shorts and and tank top.

"Stupid chinese place took their sweet ass time," he said convincingly.

"Oh," she smiled. "Okie dokie." She got up and made her way to the kitchen and helped Pete dish out the food. "God...sex makes me hungry."

"Yes it most certainly does," he kissed her nose.

After they ate they decided to go out on the porch and watch the sunset. Pete thought it would be a perfect time to give her the ring.

Leigh put her elbows on the railing, sticking her behind out and putting her chin in her hands. "Ahhh L.A. sunsets," she sighed.

Pete couldn't help but giggle."You know, they say the smog is the reason we have such beautiful sunsets." He didn't think Leigh would get the joke.

"Get Shorty!" she stood up and pointed at him. "You just quoted one of my favorite movies."

"God, you're cool. I didn't think you'de get that one," he giggled.

"You are talking to a film major, silly. I know my stuff." She put her hands in his pockets to pull her close to him, but she felt something. "What is that?" she asked.

"That...," he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the little black box. "Is something for you, lovely Leigh. I know we've said the words, but I wanted to give you something to remind you of my love for you when we have to be apart." He openned the box and revealed the ring, which sparkled in the sunset.

"Oh my God. Pete...it's beautiful," she gasped. She almost didn't want to touch it out of fear that it might disappear. It was almost too beautiful to be real.

"It's a promise ring. See inside?" He took the ring out of the box and showed it to Leigh, who read the inscription.

"Promise," Leigh started to cry. "I promise." She held her hand out and Pete slipped the ring on her finger.

"Now nobody will come up to you and try to take you away. You just flash this bad boy and Boo-ya. Pete parking only." Pete smiled, trying to make Leigh giggle. He hated seeing her cry, even if they were happy tears. She giggled and pulled him close.

"Thank you, Pete. I love you."

"I love you, too."

_____________________________________________________________________

The next day, Leigh left to go back home. It was hard to say goodbye, but they knew it wouldn't be forever. They talked on the phone every day, talked online everyday, and saw eachother as much as they could. When they saw eachother at Christmas, Leigh bought Pete a bracelet that said "Promise" on it. She said it was so when girls came up to him he could be all "Boo ya. Leigh parking Only."

Leigh worked her ass off and finished school early, like she said. Pete kept himself busy. His clothing line and his record label were bigger than ever, and the boys were already working on their next album; they were bigger than ever, too.

Pete went to Leigh's graduation, and that night he asked her to come move in with him. They spent six months just living together before Pete finally popped the question.

The wedding was beautiful. It was in Hawaii and Pete flew all of their friends and family out. That night they danced their first dance as husband and wife and Patrick toasted to them and "to the beginning of a beautiful future. And beautiful babies," which got a big laugh. It was, indeed, the beginning of a beautiful future.