Can't You Save Me?

•19•

A/N: You're gonna hate me for this
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The sun finally sets and night falls over the city, or town, or wherever the fuck they are. They pack the few things they brought into the motel back into Pete's trunk with everything else. Time to hit the road again, pretty much heading nowhere, but it's better than where they used to be.

Patrick slams the trunk shut as Pete goes back inside to double check and make sure they didn't leave anything behind. Phones, clothes, anything like that, but they've got everything. Pete goes to the office to check out but no one's at the front desk, so he just places the room key on the counter and walks out.

"Ready, 'Trick?" Pete asks once he returns.

Patrick nods. "Yup."

Then they both get into the car, Pete starts it up and they head on their way. There's very little traffic during the night and even less after midnight, so being recognized by anyone isn't of high importance at the moment. The main focus is driving and getting as far away as possible.

After only forty-five minutes on the highway Pete says, "We gotta make a stop."

Patrick looks over at Pete confusedly. "What for?"

"Just because." He says while pulling over on the side of the road at the end of a bridge. It's directly over a river that neither of them have ever heard of, not helping to give them any clues of where they might be.

"You have your phone with you?" Pete asks, clicking off his seatbelt and placing his hand on the door lever.

Patrick nods, pulling it out of his pocket for proof.

"Good." Pete then steps out of the car and walks over to the guardrail separating the road from the edge of the bridge. Pete looks out over the river, not seeing much of anything except for the silhouettes of leaves and tree branches. The sound of the river is calming, tranquil, filling Pete's ears with the white noise of rushing water.

He then take his eyes away from the never ending darkness, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two things: his cell phone and his badge. He looks over and sees that Patrick is standing right beside him, watching him curiously.

"Lesson number one of being a fugitive," Pete says, looking down at his phone then back up to Patrick. "Phones are bad news." Then he turns and chucks his phone into the river, hearing it smack a few branches before there's a distant splash.

He looks over at Patrick expectantly, gesturing to the river before them. Patrick doesn't hesitate to throw his phone, he only ever really used it to tell the time and occasionally text Pete. But Pete was right here and he wasn't going anywhere so he didn't really need it. Another distant splash fills their ears.

"This has to go, too." Pete says, running his thumb across the little metal plate in his palm.

"Your badge? Why? It's not hurting anybody, we can't be tracked through that." Patrick explains briefly.

Pete slowly nods his head. "I know. But the second I broke you out back at the police station, I became a criminal myself. I'm not a cop anymore so, I won't be needing this."

Patrick nods in understanding, "Okay." and allows the former police officer to throw his badge into the river below, causing yet another splash.

Pete stares out over the water again, watching the leaves as they dance in the moonlight. He feels something latch on to his hand and realizes that it's just Patrick, intertwining their fingers and gently pulling Pete away from the guardrail.

"Come on, we should go." Patrick says lightly, leading the way back to the car. They get inside, buckle themselves in, and Pete gets back on the road as they continue their journey.

But, eventually, they're also going to have to ditch the car.

***

It has now been a week since Pete and Patrick went on the run. They're at another motel, this one's a little nicer than the last and has a mini fridge and microwave. The two were asleep and even though there were two separate beds, they decided to share one instead. Patrick feels a little safer when Pete is close to him.

Patrick hasn't seen or heard Vaughn since they left town. His head has been quiet and his heart's a little calmer now. Maybe Pete really is helping him and as long as he's there maybe Vaughn will stay away.

The two are tangled up together, sleeping soundly until...

Bang, bang, bang...

They both are startled out of their sleep, Pete letting out a quiet yet irritated, "What the fuck?" while Patrick scrambles for his glasses and places them on his face. Once he gets them on he sees Pete had pulled on a pair of jeans and is standing in front of the window.

Red and blue lights are flashing outside.

Pete looks back over his shoulder to Patrick, who is motionless with fear, a dreadful expression taking over his features.

Then Pete turns and runs to the bathroom, frantically searching for an escape route. There's a window that leads to the back of the building. Thank fuck they got a room on the ground floor.

"Patrick, get in here." Pete says, trying his best to be calm. He needs to be strong for Patrick, things will worsen if they panic.

Patrick jumps out of bed and runs into the bathroom with Pete. "Pete?"

"You have to get out of here." Pete whispers.

"What?" Patrick's eyes widen as realization hits. Pete is trying to save Patrick by giving himself up. "No, I'm not leaving you."

The man places his hands on Patrick's shoulders. "I'm not letting them take you."

"Pete, I won't survive on my own." Patrick whines. "What am I supposed to do without you? You can't leave me!" Tears threaten to spill from his eyes as well as Pete's.

This is their goodbye, where they split ways. If Patrick is taken in then he'll die in prison, Pete will serve some time but at least he'll be able to see freedom again. He's not going to let Patrick die that way, he's young and deserves to be free and happy. He's doing this for him.

There's another loud banging on the door, "If you don't come out willingly, we will take you by force!"

"Pete, please, don't do this." Patrick sniffs, a few tears escaping.

Pete looks down at the boy sadly, he wished it didn't have to ends like this. He leans down and covers Patrick's mouth with his own. The kiss is meaningful, deep, and passionate, yet it's also full of sadness and fear. Neither know of what may happen to either of them but they don't have a choice. Pete's going down to save Patrick's life.

They break apart, both in tears and holding each other tight. Pete presses his forehead against Patrick's. "I love you." Then he backs away and leaves the bathroom, shutting it behind him and leaving Patrick alone in the small space.

"I love you, too." Patrick whispers, wishing Pete could hear it.

He steps up onto the toilet and slides the window open, hopping up and squeezing himself through until his bare feet crunch down on dry leaves and grass. There's a forest directly ahead of him, this seems like the only way to go since cop cars are all over the motel lot. He goes into the dimly lit forest, alone for the first time in four months.

"I told you he was going to let you down."

Patrick comes to a halt as he realizes what he had just heard, falling to his knees and letting out a choked sob.

He's never needed Pete so badly.