Something Worth Fighting For (Patrick Stump Imagine Story)

You're Only Happy When You're Separated

Rewrite of "I Wanna Get Better" because I didn't like what I wrote...

You stand in the foyer, staring at the door that slammed behind Patrick after he left. You don't know how you feel, your mind is spinning. His words ring in your ears, playing over and over again.

Pete steps out into the hallway and swallows the lump in his throat, "(Y/N)?" You glance back at him, your facial expression indifferent. "Are you okay?" He inquires.

You stare at him for a little before nodding your head yes.

"Really?"

You take in a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning around, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. In fact..." You approach him and snake your arms around his back, pulling the two of you closer and the corner of your lips curling up into a smirk, "...I'm great."

He raises an eyebrow, "You're great?"

You chuckle, "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I be? I've got you." You bring your hands up so that they're sitting on his shoulders, leaning in and connecting your lips with his.

He impulsively kisses back, picking you up and bringing you back into the living room, where the two of you fall down on the couch so that you're sitting on top of him.

Before things can escalate between the two of you, it finally sets in for him. You're his best friend's wife. The mother of his best friend's kids. And there he is, taking you away from the ones who need you, even though this is everything he's ever wanted. Reluctantly, he pulls out of the kiss and looks up at you, "(Y/N), wait."

"What?" You ask exasperatedly, wanting to distract yourself from the thoughts running through your head.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

You groan and rest your forehead against his, "Pete, if I didn't want to do this, I would've gone home by now. I would've chased after Patrick and begged him for one more chance."

"But..."

"Just let me do this!" You snap, sitting back as your cheeks grow red and the tears you've been suppressing surface in your eyes, "Pete, please. I don't want to take my turn. I don't want to play this game anymore. I just wanna...I just wanna do what I want to do for once! Because I always end up doing what everyone else tells me to do. The right thing, the best thing. But I don't want to do what's right or what's best this time. I want to do what's right for me, what's best for me." By the end of your rant, your vision is blurred and your chest burns, finding it hard to bring oxygen into your lungs. You sigh and conclude with, "I just want to be happy for once, truly happy. And right now, I'm truly happy with you."

A blush crawls up into Pete's cheeks.

"Can you just let me be happy? Please?" You ask, running a hand through your hair.

He nods his head and sits up, bringing your lips together once again and pulling you back down with him.

*****

Patrick walks through the front door and closes it behind him. He takes a few steps forward and peers into the living room to find Ethan sitting on the couch with Gabby and Zach. Gabby is beside him, her head resting on his arm, and Zach is in his lap with Ethan's arm wrapped around him, holding him close. The television's on, but the two youngest are fast asleep. As for the oldest? He's fighting to stay awake. He looks back at his dad with tired eyes and asks, "Well?"

Your husband shrugs his shoulders and enters the room, standing behind the couch, "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" His eyebrows furrow together, "Is Mom coming home or not?"

Patrick shoves his hands into his pockets, "Well she didn't come home with me, so..."

"Is she coming home or not? Just tell me."

"I don't know, Ethan!" Patrick exclaims out of frustration, waking Gabby with a start. He walks around the couch and sits down on Ethan's other side, leaning back and heaving a sigh, "I don't know."

Silence falls over the living room.

"I'm sorry, guys," Patrick apologizes, looking over at his three kids.

"For what?" Gabby inquires, bringing her hands to her face and rubbing her eyes, dropping her jaw to let out a yawn.

"For...For whatever's going to happen over these next few days."

"What do you mean?" Ethan questions.

The singer sits forward and rests his elbows on the tops of his thighs, holding his head in his hands, "Look, guys, I don't want to lie to you and say that everything's going to be okay, because I've been saying that for more than twenty years and look where it's gotten me." He closes his eyes and painfully admits, "But it might be just us from here on out. Because I don't know what's going on with your mom, and I don't think she's coming back. If she is, I don't know when and I don't know if it's to stay or if it's just to get her things."

"Wait, does that mean you guys are finally getting a divorce?" The teenager inquires, failing to disguise the hopeful tone in his voice.

Patrick shakes his head, "I don't know, Ethan, I don't know anything anymore."