FicWad

There are times where I wonder if Pete would ever make a recovery. And then there are other times where I'm ready to call up his parents and tell them to pick him up; "He's cured". But with his muteness still hanging in the balance, I could never do that until he spoke.

"Petey," I called, glancing down the aisle to find him missing. A bubble formed in my throat and I felt my heart beat pick up in fear of where he could have gone. "Peter," I called again, placing the book down and whipping down another bookshelf to find him on the ground, leaned up against the fiction section, a book open and his eyes skimming it quickly. I sighed, relived and walked over, sitting down next to him. He looked my way and smiled, placing the book down and picking up his notebook.

I thrive for the visits to the bookstore

I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder.

"What are you reading?" I asked. Pete picked up the book and flashed the cover. "Catcher in the Rye," I whispered. Pete nodded and flipped back to the page he was reading. I laughed nervously. "My mom told me she got my name from this book. Pete glanced down at me and switched out the book for his paper again.

What are you talking about?

"Pete," I paused. "Sally is just my nickname," Pete let a small smile grace his features.

Salamander?

I nodded. "My mom hated me," I joked. Pete wrote more.

It's a pretty name. I love it. It's just for you...

I blushed and nodded before moving to stand up.

"Do you want take out?" I asked, reaching down for his hand.

Pete shrugged and placed the book back where it belonged before gripping my hand and walking with me out the old building and down the snow covered sidewalks.

----------

Pete laughed very faintly as I reached for his box of rice, leaning back to keep it away from me.

"Come on, Pete,"

I giggled, leaning back and pinching the side of his face with my chopsticks. Pete winced before placing down our food and attacking my sides with his hands. I gasped and reached towards the side of his neck where I knew he was the most ticklish. A few moments later and he stopped and sat back down normally to pick up his notebook.

I feel weird about all of this

I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Pete cleared his throat and my heart sped up in anticipation.

I almost feel like I should be talking, but then again

"Then talk," I whispered, combing some his hair out of his face. Pete shook his head.

I'm afraid if I talk, I'll loose what we have

I felt my breath hitch before shaking my head.

"Petey," I frowned. "That wouldn't happen," I tilted my head to one side. "I would very much so want to hear your voice," I whispered. Pete smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He looked away.

Thank you for caring, Sally

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his shoulder, bringing him into a hug as I rested the side of my face on his shoulder. "Your so special, Pete," I mumbled, tightening my arms slightly. Pete pulled away and I saw his lips twitch slightly before he closed his eyes and leaned forward.

The kiss we shared wasn't necessarily /wrong/, nor did it feel that way, but I could sense Pete's uncertainty in it as he parted my lips with his tongue. Not a moment later, he pulled away, hastily, shifting his eyes from me to his hands.

I gulped and attempted to bring him back into a hug to comfort him, but he shook his head and lightly pushed me off before jumping off the couch and running towards the bathroom in the middle of the hall. Right when I heard the door slam and the lock go; I was at the door, pounding on it.

"Peter!" I shouted; my fists already hurting with each knock. "Come on, Petey," I whimpered, eyeing the light that shown out. I heard his mumbles of whimpers and cries. I closed my eyes tight and leaned the side of my body against the wood. "It's ok, Pete...it was just a kiss," I felt my lips with my fingertips. "You don't need to be upset," I whispered. I heard the sink going. "Peter!"

Silence.

My heart raced as I heard something cling against the tile and Pete's grunt as another sound hit the ground of the bathroom. I took a breath and watched as a small note slipped under the crevice of the locked door. I kneeled down to see it lined with a small amount of blood.

I'm sorry

My heartbeat picked up again and I rammed my body against the door.

"Peter!" I shouted, trying the doorknob again to find it locked. "Open the door!" I yelled, tears already slipping past my eyelids.

This was no time for a breakdown.

I ran a hand through my hair and gasped as I felt a bobby pin. I gripped it in my fingers and quickly started to pick-lock the door. Right as the door opened, I felt my body fall and kneel next to Pete's body, his head near the bathtub and his knees curled up. He clamped one arm with one hand, blood staining the white marble tile. I gulped back anymore tears, not wanting to 'disappoint' him any longer.

"Petey," I cried, leaning towards his face and seeing his eyes half open. "Stay with me, ok?" I whispered, kissing his cheek once and picking up on forearm and observing the rather large cut(s) he had left.

I nervously clamped my own hand over it and held it tightly, as I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and dialed quickly. Pete moved his hand to place it over mine and parted his lips slightly. I dropped the phone as soon as I could, knowing an ambulance was on the way. I leaned towards his face again and forced a small smile.

"Petey," I whimpered, kissing his cheek again.

He moved the hand that was holding his cut up arm and laced his hand in mine, a gruesome sight of bloody hands intertwined. He closed his eyes and parted his lips more.

I thought he was going to speak, but he didn't.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed, his body going limp in my arms.

I could still feel his heartbeat and pulse right as the doorbell rang and the long night began.

----------

I listened to the phone ring multiple times before somebody picked up.

"Hello?" they answered. I gulped.

"Dr. Jenn?" I asked.

"This is a wild guess, but Sally?" I sighed and nodded to myself.

"Yeah," I mumbled, glancing down the hall where I saw a doctor exiting Pete's room. "Something has happened," I whispered. Dr. Jenn sighed.

"Is Pete alright?" she asked. I closed my eyes tightly.

"I feel like it's my fault," Dr. Jenn knew that Pete had done something stupid.

"I think this was his meltdown," she paused and I heard some papers rustle. "He just got set off by something," I opened my eyes and sighed softly.

"We kissed," I whispered. Dr. Jenn tisked.

"That could have been it," she paused. "I'm going to see what I can do," she paused again. "I need to check in on my other patients and I'll get back to you," I nodded again.

"I'll take care of him until then," Dr. Jenn spoke again.

"I'm just letting you know, in the worst case scenario, Pete will have to return to his parents," she cleared her throat. "That or a rehab center," I lowered my eyes and sniffed slightly.

"I understand,"

Dr. Jenn said her goodbyes and I slowly retreated back to Pete's dimly lit room, taking a seat next to his sleeping body. I observed his tightly wrapped forearms, the gauze tainted with deep red. 8 hours, 57 stitches and a blood transfusion later, and it leads us here, to a cold and quiet hospital room.

"I still care for you Pete," I whispered, kissing his cheek for the thousandths time. I combed his hair out of his face and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I just wish things weren't so complicated,"