Hell's Reign (Patrick Stump/Fall Out Boy Fanfiction)

Chapter 7 - Aaron

The next morning, Victoria woke up early enough to start the van before anyone else had even so much as stirred. The revving of the engine woke Pete up, and he jumped with a start from the passenger seat. "Jesus," he breathed, glancing out the window as if he expected to see something after them. "You scared the shit out of me, Tori."

"Sorry, Pete," she breathed, putting the vehicle in drive and turning onto the road. "I want to get home."

"I know," Pete sighed, pulling his blanket tighter around himself. "You'll be there soon, Tori." He leaned back again and closed his eyes, as if to fall back asleep, but Tori stopped him.

"Hey," she said, glancing at him nervously before quickly returning her eyes to the road. "When we get there, if you guys want to, um...you know, if you want a place to stay, instead of a van...." She trailed off, leaving the invitation open, and Pete opened his eyes. He simply stared out the windshield for a moment, then down at his lap.

"That's...a very tempting offer, Tori," he began softly, "But, we need to find our families too, you know?"

"Right," Tori immediately responded, nodding frantically. "No, of course." She kept nodding, as if that would make the feeling of disappointment that was balling itself up in her chest go away. She was silent then, focusing on her driving, and Pete was watching her curiously. After a moment, she could see him glancing behind himself out of the corner of his eye. When he looked back at her again, it was with regret.

"I'm sorry," he stated, shifting uncomfortably beneath his blanket. "It's him, isn't it?"

Tori looked at him with a furrowed brow, unsure of how to answer. "What?" She asked, instead.

"Patrick," Pete said, dropping his voice below a whisper, "You don't want him to leave."

Tori was quiet again for second, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "No," she finally told Pete, "I was just offering to return the favor. You guys let me stay in you van and eat your food and everything...it's the least I can do."

Pete nodded slowly, dropping the conversation and looking out the window again. He didn't speak up again for the rest of the ride, leaving Tori in perfect silence until the moment when she turned into town. She nearly slammed on the brakes when she almost turned right into a zombie that came staggering toward the van, and it jolted the rest of the band awake. They all sat up from their places in the back of the van, looking around in surprise at the fact that the van was moving. Tori carefully turned around the zombie, a shaky sigh escaping her throat. Pete looked up at her in concern, then slipped off his blanket and reached back to the seat behind him, where his shotgun lay. He pulled it into his lap and clicked the safety off.

"What are you doing?" Tori asked him, eyes glued to the road as she swerved back and forth to avoid the walking corpses. As she turned onto her own street, the scene was exactly the same, and a sinking feeling filled her heart.

"I'm going in with you," Pete stated, glancing back at the rest of them as they stirred from their positions. Joe and Andy now held their guns as well, and Patrick was moving towards the front of the van, his pistol still in his pocket. "Just in case."

Tori didn't respond, but she also didn't move to gather any of her weapons. She simply drove until she reached her house, pulled up out in front of it, and cut the engine. She sat there for a long moment, with Pete sitting stock still beside her, and Patrick leaning over the back of her seat. There was suddenly a loud thumping against the back of the van, and then another at the side of it. Joe and Andy got out first, leaving the door open as they jumped out. Patrick and Pete followed after the first gunshot, but Tori stayed in her seat, staring out her window at the silent house. It was a long time before she finally moved, and by then, the gunshots had stopped.