Pete arrives several hours later, calling out for Patrick as he shuts and locks the front door.

"Patrick?"

"Kitchen."

Pete enters the kitchen and finds Patrick sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal in front of him. "So, how'd the fire alarm thing go?" He asks, eating a spoonful of Frosted Flakes.

"Well," Pete sits in the chair opposite of Patrick. "it must've went smoothly considering you made it here in one piece."

Patrick nods in agreement. "Why'd you do it? I could've pleaded insanity, you know."

"You could have but that would've been stupid because you're not insane. Maybe Vaughn, but not you."

"We're the same person. If he's insane then I am too." The boy argues.

"Did he tell you that? Because if he did it's bullshit. You guys are two separate people. Don't you know what 'split personality' means?"

"He's a part of me." Patrick says sternly, his voice becoming raised.

"Only because he has to be. He's a parasite!" And Pete is only making it worse by yelling back.

"I fucking know, Pete!" Patrick shouts. "This isn't new to me, he's been locked inside my skull for years. If you want to help me so goddamn bad then tell me something I don't know!"

They fall silent then, glaring at each other for what seems like an eternity until Patrick gets up and drops his dishes in the sink. As he's about to storm out of the kitchen, Pete stands abruptly from the table to block the entrance.
Patrick looks at anything other than Pete's eyes. "Move."

"No." Pete can tell that Patrick is already fuming and looks like he's about to boil over, but Pete needs him to, "Calm down first."

Patrick rolls his eyes. "I'm calm. Can you get out of the way now?"

"You can't just say you're calm and expect me to believe you, I'm not moving."

Patrick tries to push his way past Pete but he keeps blocking every open space, left and right. Patrick grits his teeth. "Pete-" He almost yells again.

"No, I need you to calm down." Pete says seriously. "Please, just chill out."

"Why, does the fate of the world depend on me being mellow?"

Maybe.

Pete sighs. Patrick just isn't getting it. "No Patrick, our lives depend on it." He gestures between the both of them, then continues, "I don't know what triggers Vaughn to come out but I highly suggest that you cool it. If he claws his way out of you right now, my life could be done with. Then where would you be, huh? You'd be stuck with him again, police will be on your ass and would probably gun you down on sight. Or what if Vaughn just swallows your heart whole? What if? So many questions and yet the answer to every single one is that I'd be without you!"

Patrick goes silent, his eyes wide and his anger subsided. His chest tightened and his stomach twisted in knots and Pete looks as though he is on the verge of a break down.

Now Patrick feels like shit. "I-I'm sorry, Pete." He says quietly. "I didn't mean to-" He's cut off by Pete's body smashing into his, embracing him tightly.

Patrick stiffens. Pete's arms are wrapped around his shoulders and his face is pressed into the crook of his neck. He's warm, unbelievably so, and Patrick hasn't hugged anyone in years. It feels so good to have a warm body against his, heating up his insides and it sets a fire in his heart.

"Patrick," He says against Patrick's skin. I need you, I'd lose my mind if you ever left me. "I'm glad you're here with me."

Patrick smiles. "Me too." Maybe this is what it felt like to be wanted.