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

Chapter 30 - Hell's Reign

            Once Tori had gotten back into the car, Patrick had begun driving again in complete silence. Neither of them had said it, but they both knew what was making Tori sick. The thought only made her twice as sick, but she managed to hold it in as the truck meandered down the abandoned road. Her hands were clasped tightly together on her lap, and if Patrick hadn't known her as well as he did he might have thought it was in silent prayer. His own hand clenched the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Tori turned over every possibility in her head. When had their first time been? Weeks ago? Months ago? Were they even keeping track of time anymore? When had her last cycle begun? Was it before the apocalypse? After she had found the boys? She didn't even know what day it was. And why was Patrick so damn silent? He didn't have a living thing inside him. He didn't have to live with the knowledge that he would soon have to push this thing into the world, this apocalyptic shit hole that had once been Chicago, where there were no stars, but a sun and a moon, and blistering heat, and the threat of death looming over their heads every second of the day. Perhaps he was angry with her. Or with himself. Perhaps he was just as scared as she was, or maybe even ashamed for not being just as scared.

It was the latter. The moment it hit him, he couldn't help the small thrill that it sent through him. Of course this was what he wanted with Victoria; He loved her, and he wanted a future with her. Had things been different, had the world not gone completely to hell, then they could have waited for this moment, but these were the cards they were dealt. It only made sense that their luck would get worse and worse as the apocalypse continued, but this didn't have to be a completely negative thing, did it? After all, they had survived this far. Sure, he'd lost his hand, but it was in an attempt to save her life. And in the end, they had created a brand new life, in this world that seemed to create nothing but death. Truthfully, Patrick was terrified. Yet still, he found himself wondering what kind of father he would be.

It was almost midday before Patrick finally stopped the truck. He pulled over in an abandoned gas station, as close to the door of the building as he could get. Without a word, he glanced at Tori briefly and then climbed out of the vehicle. She didn't look back at him, and she didn't move. She simply sat and stared out the windshield, as she had all morning. Patrick walked inside the station, cringing as a bell sounded over his head as he pushed the door open. He stilled for a moment, his hand on the handle of the gun in his pocket. When nothing in the gas station moved, he cautiously made his way further inside.

The shelves were bare, as if someone else had gotten here first. It unnerved Patrick to know that this was always a possibility, that there were others who had survived the initial outbreak. It reminded him of Glenview, and the men who had taken Tori, and he shuddered at the memory of it. He wandered through the couple of aisles, sifting through the few things that still remained on the shelves. He found a few cheap toys, some expired food in a heated case by the register, and finally, he found exactly what he had been looking for. On a shelf by the back of the store, were a few disregarded pregnancy tests. Of course no one had needed them as much as they needed food. Beside them, Patrick could see that the store's supply of condoms had already been taken, and he cursed himself for not thinking to take any from all of the stores they had raided before.

He took one test, deciding not to be greedy, and then headed for the back of the store. There was an open door behind the counter, and although he knew someone else had probably already broken in and taken the supplies from the back, he couldn't resist the urge to check anyway. He climbed carefully over the counter, wincing as his hook scratched the surface of it, and walked cautiously through the door. He found boxes upon boxes of what used to be inventory, and most of them, as he had suspected were empty. However, he did find a few cans and even a loaf of untouched bread. He didn't bother stopping to see what was in the cans, but gathered them all up in his arms and pockets, then walked back out to the truck.