Pete's POV

"Where is your boy tonight? I hope he is a gentlemen, maybe he won't find out what I know. You were the last good thing about this part of town."

I applaud everyone as we finish the song. "Great job guys."

"We're glad you remembered it." Andy says. "Ever since he got back he's not touched it. I'm as suprsied as you are." Joe says. "How come Joe's seen you but we haven't?" Andy asks, setting his drumsticks down. "I never left the house and Joe still had his old keys so he just kinda came in." Joe just shrugs. "I had to make sure your plants were still alive." He tries to defend himself. "What plants?" I laugh. "Fine, fine," he holds his hands up in surrender "I came for the free drinks."

I place my bass back in it's case and Patrick throws us all a bottle of water. "Your voice has become a lot more soulful...if that's a thing?" I tell him. He laughs. "I've just been practicing."

"Amen!" Andy and Joe say together. They meet each other's eyes and giggle. "Special." I say in a sing song voice. Joe flips me off and takes a swig from his bottle. "Is anyone else really, really warm?" He asks. Patrick and I raise our hands. "Andy?" He shakes his head. "Nope." We all look at each other in disbelief. "Is that weird?" We all nod. Andy just shrugs. We hear a random buzzing from above us. "What the Hell is that?"

"My dreams man." I say. "How can you say that with a straight face?" Patrick seems shocked. I just wink at him. "Can someone make the buzzing stop? Patrick, it's your house." Joe complains. "I dunno, it just does this sometimes." I jump and hit the ceiling with the palm of my hand. The buzzing ceases. "Thanks Pete." Patrick smiles at me. I smile back, a genuine smile. "Ok I need some fresh air. You all stink." Joe moans. "Smell the pit." I lift my arm and shove it into Joe's face. "Ew Pete, you're actually disgusting." He groans, pushing me away and retching. Patrick and Andy are in tears, watching me chase Joe around the room.

"Meat shield!" Joe declares, hiding behind Patrick. I lower my arm down and stop. "That's not fair!" I pout, "You know I wouldn't do that to Patrick. He's too precious." Patrick beams at me. "I'm an angel." Joe peeks over Patrick's shoulder. "Is it safe to come out now?" He asks. I sigh. "As long as you stop complaining and stop looking like a meerkat."

"I'd rather be a meerkat than a jelly baby." I place my hands on my hips and set my jaw. "Oh Hell no, we are not starting this discussion again."

"What discussion?" Patrick furrows his eyebrows. "Jelly babies or gummy bears?" Both Joe and I turn our attenion on him. "Nope, I'm out." He raises his hands in defeat. "I second that." Says Andy moving to stand beside Patrick. He places his hand on Patrick's shoulder and turns to him. "I'll stand by you." Andy croons. I throw a bottle at him. "Andy this is serious!"

"Who says I wasn't being serious? I'm standing by Patrick. Is that a problem?"

"Pussy." I mutter. "I'm not a pussy, I just don't wanna be in your stupid argument!" He says defensively. "It is pretty dumb." Joe admits. "Hey you were the one who fucking started it!" I point out. "Well now I'm fucking ending it!"

"Yeah just 'cause you're losing. You were the one who just started this again."

"Oh stop complaining."

"I'm complaining? Have you heard yourself? You're like the king of complaining!"

"Well at least I'm not in-"

"That's enough!" Patrick cuts Joe off giving him a warning glare. "No. Let him finish." Patrick looks at me. "I really don't thin-"

"Let him finish!" Joe glares at me and spits it out as if it was poison. "Well at least I'm not insane." Silence. Patrick moves closer to me and Andy doesn't look at him. "Pete a-"

"I'm fine. I'm insane? I'm insane. I can feel it in my bones. Coursing through my veins. I know I am. I spent a whole year being told that. Having that word drilled into me along with ten volts of fucking electricity running through my brain." Joe's eyes fill with regret. He opens his mouth but I wave my hand, cutting him off. "Don't. Just don't."

"Pete," Patrick turns to me. "You lied. You told me they didn't hurt you. Why? Why did you lie?" I ignore his hurt look and sit on an apm. "Every day they would take me out of my 'room' and into another one. This room was a lot bigger than my cell and had a table in the middle surrounded by apparent medical equipment." I exhale before continuing. "They would push me onto the table whether I was willing or not. I normally struggled, I wasn't going down without a fight."

I laugh and Patrick relaxes a little. "Anyway, they would strap me down which is dumb 'cause I was still in a straight jacket. They would place to metal rods on my temples and that would send electricity through it and into my head. It didn't help. It made me worse. I remember everything so clearly now. The sights, the sounds, the smells...everything. They called it Electrotherapy. Therapy for the really crazy ones."

I shake my head and stand up. "Pete?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I'm confused. "Well we went to Taco Bell, you went outside to answer a call and you didn't come back until the next day, covered in blood and whispering how it was all your fault repeatedly." Patrick explains.

Blood splatters.
Swirling crimson patterns.
Wounds.
Guns.

"Nothing." That's obviously a lie and all know it but don't question it. "Ok so are we going out or what?" Joe asks. Andy sticks his hands in his pockets and starts to leave. "I'm off. Got to start my shift soon. See ya!" He leaves then after a while we do too. "So where are we actually going?" Joe asks. "It was your idea. You pick." He thinks about it then his eyes light up like a Christmas tree. "The park!" He gallops off down the street. "Joe! Slow down! Patrick and I only have small legs!" I pant. "Speak for yourself." He huffs, trying to run past me. "Oh you wanna race?" I raise an eyebrow.

"You're on Wentz." He immediately speeds up but I stay at a this pace. Sure enough, after eight minutes, I've run past him and catching up to Joe. "Later Stump!" I call behind me. When Patrick finally joins us, I've just caught my breath. "Race you to the swings." I grin. "Die in a hole." He pants. "Guys! They have a roundabout." Joe has literally turned into a excited puppy.

I start to chase after him but something stops me. More like someone.

"Mikey! Come join us!"

"Coming!"

I recognise that name. I recognise that voice. I turn around. I remember that face.

Blood.
Breathing.
Life.
Death.
Loss.