Bite Me

(Pete’s POV)
“No. This can’t be.” Bev said.
Everyone just stood around me and Brendon holding Amanda. How could I make her not be in pain? I could make her forget but I can’t and I won’t do that to her. She would eventually remember it later anyways.
“I don’t understand. Nick was fighting with us one minute and then the next he wasn’t.” Joe said putting his arm around Bev.
“Will Amanda be alright?” Chrissy asked.
“I don’t know. Nick was her first love. She loves you Pete. I don’t mean it as she is in love with Nick but…” Bev tried to say not hurting my feelings but I knew what she was trying to say.
“Bev, it is alright. I know what you mean.” I said touching her shoulder to let her know I understood.
“Well when she lost Nick the first time it was so devastating to her. She wouldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and basically didn’t want to believe it. She always held out hope until his parents had a memorial service for him. Then she tried to move on with her life. I know that she was looking forward to trying to be friends with Nick and with this she may never be the same. Guys, I don’t know what she will do now. I don’t want to see her go through what she went through in the past. And now with her thinking it’s her fault, Pete I don’t think that we can help her as much as we will try. I think only you can get through to her but it is going to be rough. And she may lash out and say things she doesn’t mean to not only you, Pete, but everyone.” Bev finished saying.
“I think we all will be there for her.” Brendon said.
“I didn’t know Nick that long but I know it is hard to lose your first love. I could see that she wanted to fix things between them and she wanted to be friends with him.” Erelin said.
How was I to help Amanda? I love her more than anything but I can’t fix her pain. I know she loves me with all her heart but with losing her ex will it drive us apart?
“We better take her back to our place.” I said to Patrick. “And I need blood soon or I won’t make it.” I said as Sam was putting a makeshift bandage on my leg to stop the bleeding.
“Are you sure you will be alright?” Sam asked me.
“Yeah. It hurts like no other but if I can get home to drink some blood and rest it, the wound should heal.” I replied.
“I don’t know man.” Andy said. “You sure you won’t need stitches?” He added.
“Look, even if I do, I am not leaving her side. I want to be there when she wakes up. She is probably going to need a punching bag and a good cry and I don’t volunteer any of you for that.” I said grabbing on to Patrick and Joe’s shoulders for support.
I watched Brendon carry Amanda in his arms and place her in the back seat with him and Erelin. I rode with Bev, Joe, Chrissy, and Andy. Sam and Patrick rode with Erelin.
As we drove away I hoped that Amanda knew how much I love her. She did save my life. She did in a way choose me over Nick even though she didn’t realize it at the time. Dracula knew this would happen by sending her those cryptic dreams and Amanda felt this feeling about Nick today. She just didn’t know that he would be killed.
Everyone was silent as we arrived at my place. Brendon carried Amanda inside and laid her down on my bed. He stood there for a second looking at her and then at me. I just sat on the bed and watched her.
“Good luck, Pete.” He said leaving and pulling my door shut.
It was just me and Amanda. She would be waking up any minute to the sound of my voice. She is sleeping peacefully now. I don’t want to wake her but I know that if I don’t, she would wake up on her own having a nightmare about it.
“Amanda, honey, wake up.” I said whispering in her ear and kissing her forehead.
“Nick?” She said stirring awake. It reminded me of when we first met and how she said his name in her sleep back then.
“Nick!” She said sitting up.
“Amanda I don’t want to have to tell you this.” I said calmly waiting for her to react.
“Tell me Pete, I was dreaming. Tell me Nick is still here. He didn’t leave me. He went back to Florida. He is safe, right?” She said really fast.
“Amanda, no, Nick was killed by Beckett.” I said as calmly as I could.
“No! This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to die!” She said screaming at me and hitting my chest with her fists as I figured she would.
“It’s alright.” I said grabbing her wrists.
“It’s my fault. I was careless and reckless. I could have saved him and you. I chose you. Dracula said I could only save one.” She said breaking down.
I held her in my arms and let her cry. I held her tightly. This hurt me to see her in so much pain and grief that my eyes began to water too.
“Amanda, do you regret saving me?” I asked her.
“What? How could you ask me that? Well, I’m sorry, Pete. I didn’t mean it that way.” She said thinking about what she had said. “No. If I lost you then I would have lost the both of you.” She added.
“I love you.” She whispered with tears just streaming.
“How could he be stupid? I told him to stay away from Beckett. Why did he do it? It was suicide.” She said turning towards anger.
“Amanda, he thought he could protect you.” I said.
“I don’t need protecting. I keep telling you this.” She said getting ticked at me.
“Yes, you do. We all don’t want to lose you. We almost did remember. I don’t want to lose you. I know Nick’s death is hurting you and its eating me up inside. You want to know why? I’ll tell you. There is not one thing I can do to make it right. I can’t bring him back and I can’t take away your pain. If I did it would be temporary and I am not doing it. We have been through so much, Amanda. I don’t want to lose you over this.” I said trying to get through to her that she isn’t alone.
“He died in my arms. He turned to dust right there in front of me. He fought death to tell me he loved me.” Amanda said looking away from me.
“Amanda, Nick did love you. He knew you did. You don’t have to beat yourself up over this. It wasn’t your fault. I would die protecting you too and fighting for you so that you can live. He thought that if he killed Beckett it would help you. Don’t you see? Because I do; Nick wanted to make things right from what happened in the past.” I said.
“Now I know why he told me he was going to leave for Florida. He knew something was going to happen. He knew what he was going to do and he didn’t want to hurt me so he lied. Nick knew how much I loved him and that he would always be here.” She said pointing to her heart.
“Pete, I love you. You are my future. I don’t think my heart could stand losing you too.” She added.
“I know your heart belongs to me. I love you with all of mine.” I said kissing her lips.
“I need to call Brian.” She said trying to wipe her tears away and pulling back.
“You want me to leave you so you can call him with privacy?” I asked.
“No. It would be better if you stay.” She said grabbing my hand for support.
I gave her my sidekick out of my back pocket and watched her dial the number. Then I watched her hang up the phone after I heard a hello on the other line. Amanda froze.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I can’t do it. Pete, I can’t tell Brian over the phone that his best friend died.” She said looking at me.
“What do you want to do then?” I asked.
“I need to tell him in person. I need to be there. I want to leave tonight.” She said.
“Are you sure?” I asked. I thought that she should stay here in her fragile state but I wanted her to handle things in her own way if it made her handle things better.
“Yes. Please come with me?” She said.
“Of course.” I said. “We better sneak out the window and head over to your place to get clothes for you. I will quickly get a bag together. If you go downstairs everyone will ask twenty million questions at you.” I said trying to get her laughing.
“I know. They are just worried about me. I have a lot of good friends, don’t I?” Amanda asked.
“You have the best.” I said smiling and getting up to quickly get a bag packed.
“And I have the best boyfriend and lover I could ever ask for.” She said getting up and hugging me.
“Yes you do.” I said holding her tightly.