The Problem with Patrick || Fall Out Boy

im coming apart at the seams

The next day off was the first one that the band spent together since the tour started. They left early in the morning, before Brendon had gotten out of his bunk, and went for breakfast.

They hadn't really had a very personal relationship with Brendon since the bear incident. He was contractually needed to finish the tour off, but that didn't mean they had to be friends. It was clear from their interactions now that something was different. Brendon avoided Patrick like the plague, and the only reason he ever talked to the others was about something like if the shower was free, or what city they were playing next. He'd relinquished his rights to the playstation at the back of the bus, and mostly kept to himself.

Pete liked to think he knew that he fucked up real bad, but he also knew that he was just scared of Pete going ape-shit on him like he had last time. Nobody had questioned Brendon's black eye, just acknowledged that nobody messed with Patrick as long as his band was around to protect him.

That was once again being shown at breakfast as they headed out to a small café on the outskirts of town. It was just the four of them again, laughing and generally having a good time together. It had been far too long since this happened. Probably not since before Patrick started passing out at shows.

Doing it again just made them realise how much they'd missed it.

They had a full three days in LA, which was exciting, and it meant that they were able to make a couple of plans and do a bit of sightseeing. It was especially exciting for Pete, who actually was starting to make plans to move out here. They were constantly being flown out here by the label for contract stuff and so forth, and it just made more sense if they lived out here. He just hadn't told Patrick that.

"Can we get pancakes?" Patrick asked as he sat down at their table, drumming his fingers on the edge.

"Sure can." Pete assured with a smile, grabbing a menu and opening it up. "So, three whole days off. That's pretty cool."

"And the hotel room is pretty epic too." Joe added with a grin. "City views, all of us."

"Nice!" Andy high-fived him.

"Are we gonna make any plans over the next few days?" Joe asked.

"Patrick's got a doctor's appointment and an x-ray booked for Friday, but we're free today and Thursday." Pete smiled. "So, LA, what do you wanna do?"

"Walk of fame, the obvious touristy stuff." Andy told them. "The boulevard, etcetera."

"Sounds good for today." Pete agreed. "Do a little bit of shopping as well. I didn't bring enough clothes and I'm not exactly up for paying for the laundry service just yet."

"You do realise that you could just do the laundry yourself?" Joe asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, but I'm lazy." Pete laughed.

That just made the whole band start laughing in agreement. "True that!"

"I-I'm just gonna go to the bathroom." Patrick murmured, quickly getting up from his seat.

"Okay, cool." Pete smiled, glancing up at him. "Everything okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I think I ate something bad..." He quickly gathered his crutches. "I'll be back."

"Okay, feel better."

Patrick was quick to leave the restaurant, and Joe sighed. "Well, I think it's time we discussed the Brendon situation now that Patrick's not here."

"True..." Pete murmured.

"No more punches. We're not here to be violent, Pete." Andy told him firmly. "I get that he did the wrong thing, but no more of that."

"Fine...."

"He had it coming though..." Joe murmured. "I mean, I don't condone the violence, but it did teach him a lesson."

"And we're not teaching it again." Andy reiterated.

"Fine, fine." Pete muttered. "I won't punch him again."

"Good." Andy smiled. "Now, look, he has to hang around with us for the rest of the tour, so what's the plan?"

"Just leave it as it is now? We just don't talk?" Joe offered with a smile.

Andy was about come in with some profoundness about giving people a second chance, when he heard a scream, and the waitress of this little café ran out. "Who's with the guy on the crutches?!"

Pete immediately bolted out of his chair. "I am. What's going on?!"

"J-Just, this way!"

When they got to Patrick, they found him convulsing on the floor of the men's room. Pete immediately lifted his head off the floor, his own breathing getting faster as he tried to rack his brain for what to do in this situation. He had no idea. None of the guys had any idea. Patrick had never had a seizure before.

"C-Call an ambulance!" Pete yelled in alarm as some blood oozed out of Patrick's mouth onto the tiles.

There is no doubt that watching someone have a seizure is absolutely terrifying. When that person is your best friend, and when this was meant to a nice breakfast, that just makes it 10 times worse. Pete just tried to hold Patrick's head still while his body convulsed, and waited for the ambulance that Andy dialled to arrive.

He was there on the floor shaking for a good 8 minutes before it stopped for a little bit. Pete was relieved, but it was short-lived when the convulsing returned. This time, worse, and this time, Patrick started going blue.

Pete was still trying to hold his mouth open when the ambulance team arrived and Joe pulled him away. All Pete was getting from this was terrible flashbacks. Being pushed away when Patrick fell off the stage, and sitting in the front of the ambulance on the way to the hospital while listening to his best friend struggling to breathe.

It was always one step forward, two steps back with Patrick. When they got the hospital and Pete was shoved to the waiting room, he just cried. He didn't understand anything. All he wanted was for Patrick to be happy and healthy again, but he couldn't. He'd never be the same again. And it could all be traced back to the moment that Pete took Patrick's glasses from him on the 6th of May before their Riveria show.

Everybody has ghosts. This one was coming back to haunt Pete big-time.