The Nightmare Before

"I'll discuss something with you." Was the first thing Patrick mumbled as Beckett stood before the group, he was ready to lunge at William. Joe and Andy were quick to hold him back.

"Who is this guy?" Nia scoffed. William's eyes flickered over to her and he grinned.

"I guess we haven't had the pleasure. I'm William Beckett, and you are?"

Pete stepped protectively in front of Nia, "Leave her out of this. What do you want?"

"Is she a replacement?" Beckett chuckled. A string of profanities from Patrick-who was still being restrained-ensued. Mike laughed, eyeing Nia.

"She's not a bad replacement...at all."

"Get out!" Pete snarled.

Beckett sighed impatiently, "Your temper is something to be admired. Now I've come here to talk to you." Announced William, "We both want to end this ridiculous war."

"So?" Pete spat.

"Two weeks. Your hunters versus us. Fair fight, 1:30. Nothing beforehand."

"Deal."

~|~

"You imagined her?!"

"Patrick, I know you're upset-" Pete began desperately to calm his friend.

"Upset? Oh please! You lied to me! I thought I was going fucking nuts because of you! And you knew she was alive!" Patrick's anger suddenly faded and he crumpled to the couch, "She's alive. She's alive..."

Pete grimaced, "Well, it depends on your definition of 'alive'."

Patrick's heart sunk to his stomach, "What?"

Guilt flooded through Pete, "She's...been turned."

The rage returned, "HE TURNED HER?!" Pete shrunk away from Patrick's deafening screams, "THAT BASTARD TURNED HER?!" And then he sighed, "But she's alive...but she's been with him the WHOLE TIME?!"

"Patrick," Pete attempted, "relax."

"Relax?!" Patrick's eyes were slits, "relax?! I just found out my girlfriend's alive and with the enemy after TWO YEARS and is now a VAMPIRE and you want me to RELAX?! AND on top of that, one of my best friends lied to me about it?!"

Pete cringed, "I'm sorry..."

"You're-s-sorry?!" Abruptly Patrick stopped, stood up and stormed to his room.

Exhausted and guilt ridden, Pete sunk into a chair, running his hands through his hair.

"That was kind of a shitty thing to do." Andy told Pete before leaving the room as well.

"Very un-cool." Joe agreed, trailing after Andy.

"I know..." Pete muttered, "And how about you?" Pete raised an eyebrow at Nia who was the last left in the room.

She shrugged, "I know of a shittier thing to do." She showed her fangs. Pete nodded and they both sulked in silence.

~|~

Pete awoke the next day to shrill screams.

"I swear to God I'm going to kill you!" There was a loud thudding from running feet, before, "I'm going to gouge your eyes out!"

"Pete! Pete! There is a short blond vampire chasing me around your kitchen!"

"Feed you to sharks!"

"She's threatening me!"

"Boil you in lava!"

"She's growling at me!"

"Throw you off the edge of a cliff!"

"She's scaring me!"

More running, a select few curse words, until, "Peeeeteee!"

"Honestly..." Pete rolled his eyes and took his time getting dressed before dragging himself into the kitchen where Gabe was holding a spatula in a desperate and pathetic attempt to fend off Nia.

"Stay away from me you crazy, crazy woman!" Gabe shouted, raising his weapon.

"Or what? You're going to poke me with you deadly cooking utensil?" Nia snapped, "Now it's your turn to be the damsel."

"Pete!" Gabe whined again.

Pete sighed, "Nia leave him alone."

She turned on Pete, "Leave him alone?! He killed me!"

"He only turned you..." Pete argued.

"And how do you feel about the person who turned you?!" She shot.

"Okay, not all your points are bad and I understand that you're upset. I know that Gabe is an idiot and has no excuse for turning you, but he's on our side and we need him alive."

Nia thought for a moment, sighed, until she finally stepped away from Gabe. He dropped his spatula and stepped cautiously around Nia.

"Pete, I've got to talk to you." Gabe put his arms around Pete and led him into the living room, "Bill told us about this fight..."

Pete nodded, "Yeah, two weeks."

"I don't think you wanna do that." Gabe said quietly.

"Why not?" Pete narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Gabe, shrugging out of his hold.

"Because Beckett has got a lot of followers. And...I'm going to have to fight with them."

"So you want us to back out? Run away? Hell no!" Pete lowered his voice, "If Cam is still with Beckett this could be our only chance. I've been a real asshole to Patrick and can you imagine what bringing her back would do? It's lame, but they belong together and I owe it to Patrick to do anything I can to help."

Gabe sighed, "Pete, it's not worth it. You all could die."

"What do you mean 'it's not worth it'?!"

"You shouldn't be risking everyone's lives over nothing!"

"Over nothing?! What do you-"

"She doesn't remember Pete!" Gabe finally blurted. Pete froze.

"What do you mean, 'doesn't remember'?"

Again, they both lowered their voices to a whisper so they were sure they couldn't be overheard.

"I mean," Gabe elaborated, "She doesn't remember anything from her human life. Not you, not Nia, not Joe or Andy, not Caleb and not...Patrick."

"You're lying." Pete accused.

"No, Pete, I'm serious. She doesn't even know you guys exist, other than being William's enemies. And she has no memory. That's why she's all over him. She doesn't know what he did when she was human, at all. It's like her slate was wiped clean...I don't know how the bastard did it but...she lost everything when she was turned."

Pete grimaced and allowed a moment of silence before asking, "...when you say 'all over him'...?"

"Patrick." Gabe said suddenly, forcing a smile as Patrick emerged from his room.

"Gabe." He muttered a good morning.

"Hey Patrick." Pete greeted. Just as he had suspected Patrick ignored him completely.