Things Aren't Always What They Seem

*** The Affair***

Charlotte had been dating Patrick for a year and a half. Jon had been dating Rose for roughly six months. Due to Charlotte's prominent insistence, Jon and Patrick reluctantly agreed to a formal double date. Charlotte wanted to do it up right, go to a nice dinner then unwind at the bar so that everyone could talk and laugh-- in her mind she was doing the right thing. She and Jon were both in decently long relationships and she knew in order to stay in each other's lives in the long run that they needed to get to know not only their significant others, but get their significant other's to know each other as well. She envisioned everyone being best friends and eliminating the awkwardness that she felt whenever Rose was around, though she didn't realize the web she'd unintentionally spun.

Charlotte had finished getting ready. They were going to a nice place and she opted for a black dress with a delicate white accent pattern. It was sophisticated, classy and very sexy-- hugging her voluptuous breasts and fitting snugly to her tiny waist. She had curled to perfection her deep blonde-- almost brown-- hair that also had lighter highlights and though he'd seen her look so beautiful so often, when Pat laid his eyes on her for the first time that night his jaw fell and his eyes widened while a smirk spread across his face.

The problem was, so did Jon.

The group had gone to dinner and survived-- though Jon was the most uncomfortable of them all. He didn't want Rose and Charlotte to get to know each other. Selfishly, he was hoping his relationship with Rose would play itself out and he'd get what he really wanted, but the longer it went on he realized he needed a crutch to deal with the fact that Patrick wasn't going anywhere.

When they got to the bar they sat at a four-top and immediately started drinking. The drinks helped settle the nerves and continue conversation and though it took longer than had hoped, everyone really did start having a good time.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back," Charlotte said politely as she stood up and started to make her way to the bathroom.

Pat lightly grabbed her wrist and looked up at her from his seat. "Where are you going?"

"Ladies room. I don't feel very good." She gave him a soft smile and rested her hand on her stomach. She was queasy and had a fever earlier in the day but she wasn't about to tell Patrick or Jon-- she didn't want to cancel their plans. She felt better as the day went on but the alcohol combined with whatever the little bug was that she had was affecting her quicker than usual.

"What's wrong?" Pat quickly asked though it was quite visible to Charlotte that he wasn't sober. His eyes were red and glassy and his cheeks were pink-- that was when she realized they had more to drink than she thought.

"Just had too much I think."

Pat nodded as he let her by and turned his attention back to Jon and Rose.

Charlotte didn't want to admit it but she wasn't in good shape. In fact, she was pretty sick. Being drunk and feeling as she already did wasn't a good combination and she couldn't blame anyone but herself. She was having a perfectly fun evening with everyone and for that she didn't regret it, but she had to suck it up now.

She got back to the table where smiles were running rampant. She had been gone long enough for everyone else to have another drink and she knew they were drunk-- drunk enough to start dancing. "Are you alright?" Jon asked when Charlotte got back to the table-- he knew her well enough not to believe her when she said she was fine.

"Come on," Patrick went to grab Charlotte and pull her onto the dance floor before she could take her seat. He gave her ass a little squeeze and she giggled as she turned to look at him. "Nah," she shook her head and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to sit this one out I think."

Patrick gave her a little pout and she kissed him again. "I'm just not feeling great baby. I'm sorry." She looked at Rose sitting next to Jon then back at Pat. "Why don't you dance with Rose and I'll join you in a bit. I'll sit with the party pooper over here and you can dance with her for this one."

"Are you sure?" he looked at his girlfriend then over to Rose who had the same confused expression on her face. "Yeah," Rose chimed in. "You sure?"

"Yeah!" Charlotte shrugged innocently. "Why not?" She trusted her boyfriend and couldn't imagine him doing anything with her. Rose and Patrick looked at each other and shrugged before Rose got up and followed him on the dance floor.

Charlotte took a seat next to Jon and let out a sigh.

"Just vying for time alone with me, huh?" Jon teased as he looked over at Charlotte and smiled.

"You got me," she shot back playfully as they watched their significant others dancing across the room.

"What's up with you? You're not feeling good?" Jon asked more concerned.

"I have a bug, nothing important. Just didn't want to tell and cancel the plans. It took long enough for us to get together."

Jon looked at her side-eyed. "Are you pregnant?"

"God no!" Charlotte's eyes popped open and her cheeks turned red. "Thanks for thinking that though, geez!"

"I didn't mean to offend," Jon laughed. "Relax woman. If you aren't feeling good you should go home Charlotte. You shouldn't be here for our sake. We've gotten through the night and everyone's had a good time."

"Yeah," she sighed. "But look, they're having so much fun and you're here too. I guess I could make Pat take me home but he's not sober."

"I am," Jon replied catching her gaze.

"So?"

"I'll take you home. You're on the way to my place anyway. They can catch a cab together. Or Rose can come with us. Either way, I really think you should go home," he put his hand to her forehead. "You're burning up."

Charlotte's eyes closed at his touch and she swallowed when he told her what she already knew. "Yeah you're right. I'll see what Pat wants to do when he comes back."

"That won't be for a while," Jon said amused as they watched Pat and Rose go to the bar for another round.

"You're right, I'll go see what he wants to do." Charlotte went to stand but stumbled and almost fell prompting Jon to grab her waist and steady her. He spun her around and looked at her concerned. "You're not okay Cinderella. I'll walk you over there. Hold onto my arm." Charlotte nodded and followed his lead.

"Kane," Jon yelled over the noise as they got to where he and Rose were at the bar. Pat turned when he heard Jon's voice and walked over to meet them. "What's up?" he looked back and forth between Jon and Charlotte.

"Char's not feeling good. She's got a nice fever she's been hiding from us. She really needs to go home and rest. I can take her if you wanna stay since she's on the way and all. Or you can take a cab or whatnot. It's your call."

Pat looked at Charlotte and saw the condition she was in. He took her from Jon and rested his arms around her waist. "If you want me to go I'll go with you," he slurred.

"It's okay," she nodded not wanting to inconvenience him. "You're having fun. Stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah of course. You and Rose stay and have a good time. I don't think you want to sleep next to me with a fever and all. Come over tomorrow. There's no sense making you leave when he lives right over by me."

"You're the best," Pat kissed her on the forehead and gave a big smile. "Feel better baby. I love you."

"Love you too," she shot back.

"You'll take her home? You don't mind? " He directed his question to Jon.

"Yeah, it's on the way and all. It's no trouble."

"I owe you one," Pat nodded his head towards Jon with gratitude.

Rose walked out from behind Pat with a drink in her hand and looked disappointed at the idea of leaving. "You're leaving?" she asked Jon as she took a sip of her drink.

"Yeah, you can come with me and then go back to my place or you can stay and hang with Kane and then come by later. Whatever you want, she just needs to get home."

Rose looked at Pat and shrugged. "We can share a cab," he innocently suggested and Rose shrugged. "Sure, I'll stay. We're having fun anyway."

"Okay call me when you get in," Jon leaned in and kissed her quick before darting his eyes over to Patrick and resting them back on hers. "Be careful. Call me when you get in."

"Okay, night." She gave him a wink and looked over to Charlotte. "Feel better Charlotte. This was fun we should do it again."

"Definitely," Charlotte said as she perked up. "I had so much fun I'm sorry for this. I feel awful."

"Don't even worry about it."

Charlotte nodded and gave Pat one more quick kiss before she felt Jon's arm snake around her waist and help lead her to his car.

"Well don't you like how that worked out," Rose said sarcastically as she and Patrick made their way back to the table the four of them had previously been sitting at.

"What?" Pat asked disengaged from what she was talking about.

"My boyfriend leaves to take your girlfriend home-- and you're okay with that?"

"Why not? What's wrong?" Pat took his seat across from Rose.

"You should have," Rose chimed in. "It's your responsibility. Not Jon's."

"What you're not having fun?" Pat asked as he put his beer bottle to his lips.

"I am. It's just annoying how much more attentive Jon is to her than me sometimes."

"It's Jon," Pat shrugged. "They've been friends for so long."

"I don't know," she sighed. "You don't notice how he looks at her sometimes?"

"Sometimes? Jon's always looked at her that way. But I guess that happens when you know someone for so long. He cares about her."

"Yeah I guess. I don't know."

"It bothers me sometimes," Pat confessed. "Especially in the beginning. But she'd never do anything."

Rose shrugged again.

"Why?" Pat looked up at her. "You think he'd cheat on you?"

"Nah, I don't know," Rose said unsure. "No. He's not that guy at least I don't think."

"I know Char wouldn't."

"What about you?" Rose looked back at him with a smirk. "Are you that guy?"

"What's that mean?" he shot back with a grin.

"You know. Have you ever cheated on Charlotte? It's just me here, no one else so you can tell me."

"I don't know. That's a slippery slope."

"So, yes."

"Once. We were on a road trip."

"Of course you were," Rose interrupted with a laugh. "I assume Jon doesn't know?"

"Hell no!" Pat quickly shot back. "He'd fucking kill me."

"That's what I assumed. Go on," Rose pushed him.

"Not a word," he said as he looked at her more serious and she nodded her head. "We were in Florida and it kind of just happened. It happened quick too. I didn't even think about it and I felt terrible, really. I thought about telling her. I almost told her but I didn't want to lose her. So, that's about it."

"When did this happen?" Rose asked intrigued.

"Um," Pat looked and thought hard. "I don't know. Maybe three months into our relationship? I think it was during the playoffs. Look it's been over a year since it happened and I don't want her to know so I'm counting on your discretion."

"Of course," she nodded with a smile. "Has Jon cheated on me?"

"I don't think so, not that I know of."

"Hm. I hope not."

"Like you need to worry anyway."

"Why's that?" Rose batted her eyelids and bit her lip.

"Look at you," Pat nodded moved his head up to imply her looks were the reason.

"So, what does that mean? Look at Charlotte," she shot back. "She's gorgeous and you fucked up," Rose quickly shot back before looking down and swallowing. "You know Jon and I have been together six months and he's never told me he loves me."

Pat nodded his head and took a pause. "You look really nice tonight," he added as he noticed her body. Her green eyes were glowing as she looked at him across the table in her red dress.

"Thanks. So do you. If not a little drunk," she teased.

"Yeah," Pat laughed. "You too."

"So," she went on as she sat up straighter in her chair and leaned forward towards Pat. "Would you ever do it again?"

"What?"

"Cheat on Charlotte."

"No," Pat shook his head. "I'd like to think not anyway." He looked up at her and ran his fingers along the neck of his beer bottle. "Why?"

"Just asking," she said as she took a deep breath and leaned back on the chair letting her neck fall and her chest stand out. When she pulled her head back up and looked at him she paused for just a moment. "Do you want to share a cab?"

He slowly nodded his head. "Yeah." He swallowed hard as he followed her to the street and watched her ass as she walked. He got in the cab with her and rested his hand on her thigh in that short dress. She looked down at his hand on her leg and breathed heavy before looking up and meeting his gaze before telling the driver her address. Pat never gave his.

When they walked through her door he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He clunked down her hallway until he found the bedroom and ripped the dress off her. When she was kneeling on her bed in front of him in nothing but her black bra and thong he realized what he was doing but it was too late to go back. She tore his shirt off and quickly pulled his pants off then pressed her lips back to his. She kissed down his neck, chest and stomach before her lips found his erect cock and took all of it in her mouth. He threw his head back and moaned as she sucked him, his lips releasing dirty words under his breath. He stood at the edge of her bed and watched as she rotated her body around so she was laying on her back, her boobs towards the ceiling and made his dick harder as she tormented him with her tongue.

He reached his hands out and grabbed at her breasts, bending forward and running his hands down her stomach and slipping them through her pussy lips. When he felt her moan on his cock he pushed her away and grabbed her, spinning her around so her feet hit the floor in front of him. He bent her over so her ass was to him and her chest was on the bed before shoving his aching cock inside her. He didn't need to pump her long before he felt himself about to go. With his hands securely holding her hips, he felt her tightening around him and her grunts, though they were lost in the bed, get louder. He forced himself to hold back until he felt her come on him then he busted one himself.

When they were done they went and got cleaned up and put their clothes back on. Pat was too ashamed to look at her. She didn't know what to say.

"We can't...." he started and finally he looked up at her. She just nodded.

"I know."

"This would kill Charlotte. This can't get out. We can't do that again."

"I know," Rose said as she nodded her head again. "Never again."

A week later they were back at her place doing the exact same thing.

***Present Day***

"What the fuck?" Jon yelled again as he stood in the doorway of Rose's bedroom. He was in complete disbelief of what he was seeing. He closed his eyes tightly for a few seconds thinking maybe he was hallucinating-- with everything going on he didn't put it past himself-- but when he opened them he realized this was reality.

"I can explain," Rose stammered out as she covered herself more with the covers.

"Save it," Jon spit out.

He looked at Patrick who was in shock on the bed and tightened his jaw. "You?" Jon looked at him and shook his head. "Don't fucking come back to the hospital."

Jon turned and walked out of the room and as soon as he did both Rose and Pat scampered to put their clothes on and race back into the living room to catch Jon.

"Toews," Pat yelled as he got on leg in his pants and hopped out into the hallway trying to get the other in. "Wait!"

"What?" Jon turned around before he reached the door and screamed at Patrick. "What do you need to say? You disgust me you sick fuck."

When Pat reached him in nothing but his jeans Jon looked at him and felt rage coarse through his veins. He lunged at Pat and knocked him backwards, punching him right in the jaw as he did so.

"Stop!!" Rose yelled as she ran out in her robe. The thought of two men fighting over her secretly made her wet, though she wasn't able to tell them that.

"How could you do that to her?" Jon asked as he continued to fight Pat on the floor. "She's fighting for her life in the hospital and you're fucking my girlfriend?"

"Stop!" Pat tried to push him off of him and finally succeed-- gaining some much needed space between the two of them. They stood apart looking at each other breathing heavily. "I don't know what to say," Pat finally admitted. "You're right, I'm an asshole."

"What can you possibly say about this that will make it alright Kane? Huh!" Jon was livid and about five seconds away from going after Patrick again.

"I- I don't know."

"How long has this been going on?" Jon looked at them and they looked back at each other. "You know what? Forget it. I don't want to know."

"I don't know," Pat said as he hung his head. "Seven, maybe eight months."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jon yelled. "I knew it. I knew you were going to hurt her. I wish she listened to me all those times I told her not to trust you. I mean it. You come to the hospital and I swear you'll be a patient there yourself."

"Look," Pat desperately tried to calm Jon down. "I'm sorry but you gotta calm down too. You're in shock. I realize that walking in on me and Rose--"

"I don't give a shit about Rose!" Jon screamed not thinking about what he was saying. She looked at him and fought back tears and he didn't care. "I don't care who you're fucking Kane! Don't you get it? You're doing this to my best friend, the fact that you'd do that to her, that you'd hurt her...I fucking hate you. And the fact that you're doing it now while she's in the hospital...what kind of sick fuck does that!"

"Calm down!" Pat screamed back, his shirtless chest rising and falling. "I'll tell her-- I'll do whatever I need to do to fix it. I was trying to get out of it. I love her, I know it doesn't look that way but I love Charlotte."

"Don't say that," Jon gritted his teeth and glared back at Pat. "You don't love her."

"I do. I fucked up but I do," Pat insisted. "I'll tell her as soon as she wakes up. I'll come clean."

"No," Jon shook his head. "You won't tell her."

"What?" Pat asked confused. "I will."

"Not yet you won't. What are you going to do, sit next to her bed and wait til she wakes up-- wait and see if she remembers who you are-- and when she's lying there say 'hey baby I've been fucking Rose for eight months but I'm sorry and I love you. Glad to see you're awake'-- fuck that. You'll tell her, but you'll tell her once she can handle it."

Pat looked down at the ground and let out a breath. "You don't care I fucked your girlfriend," he said softly still not looking up at Jon. "You're mad at me but you aren't mad at her?"

Jon shook his head in pure disgust. "Are you seriously going there? You're putting the blame on her not yourself?"

"It isn't just him Jon," Rose chimed in. "It was me too."

"Fuck off," he spat at her before turning his attention back to Patrick. "Don't come to the hospital." He went to turn and leave but Pat's voice stopped him.

"You can't ban me from the hospital. You can't. I'm her fiance I have a right to be there. I love her and I have a right to be there," Patrick yelled still not getting it.

"Don't start with that shit again," Jon turned around and Pat cut him off. "You lost that right a long time ago apparently. The worst part is I should have seen it!" Jon was angry with himself that he hadn't figured it out sooner.

"I'll say whatever I want. Look be pissed but she's my fiance. I love her. I made a mistake but I--"

"No you don't!" Jon screamed as he interrupted him. "You don't do this to someone you love! Enjoy each other." He looked back and forth between Pat and Rose and shook his head before walking out of the apartment and slamming the door.

Jon drove around aimlessly for a little while trying to catch his composure. He didn't want to go to the hospital pissed off and riled up but he soon realized it was going to take a lot more than a drive to cool him off. He sucked it up and went to the hospital, walking like a man possessed to Charlotte's room where she still lie unconscious. He grabbed her hand in his and looked adoringly at her face-- to him she was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Jon leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he breathed out not taking his lips off her skin. "I am so in love with you." He put his head down on the bed next to her and gently stroked her hand until he heard the door open from behind him maybe ten minutes later. He thought it was the nurse until he looked up and saw Kane standing awkwardly on the other side of the bed.

"I told you not to come here," Jon growled as he gave Pat a death stare.

"She's my fiance. This is where I should be."

"No. She's not." Jon shook his head and looked away-- he couldn't stand the sight of him. "You should be back at Rose's fucking your slut."

"She is my fiance-- and would you just stop it! I get the real issue here," Pat said as he paced back and forth and finally came to a halt at the foot of her bed.

"And what's that Kane?" Jon asked sarcastically.

"You love Char. You always have," Pat stated quietly. "I knew-- I knew since before I started dating her I just thought after a while it was a little crush. You never made a move but she made you so fucking happy it made me curious. I didn't think it'd get serious between her and I but it did and I fell for her. I just fucked it all up. You though, the problem we've had for the last two years is the fact that you're so in love with her it made you hate me."

Jon swallowed and gave Charlotte's almost lifeless hand a little squeeze. He stood up and walked over to where Pat was standing at the foot of the bed-- a decent space away from Charlotte though it didn't really matter, she couldn't hear them anyway.

"I couldn't hate you more now if I wanted to."

"You didn't need a reason to before," Pat spat back. They both tried to keep their voices low, so their quiet screaming match was kind of comical.

"I had my reasons. Why did you propose to her?"

"It was the right thing to do."

"Why?" Jon asked waiting for his answer. "Why- because you felt guilty?"

"I felt like I wanted to ask her to marry me," Patrick answered very defensively. "It isn't your business why I proposed to her to be honest with you."

"It is when you're fucking my girlfriend behind her back," Jon shot right back.

"Please," Pat snickered. "This isn't about Rose. You don't give two shits about her."

"Not your business then. Works two ways."

"It is." Pat answered quickly. "You couldn't give her what she needed so she turned to me. Just like Charlotte did."

Jon pushed him backwards and when Pat recovered from it he shoved Jon equally as hard, they were just about to get into a huge brawl in the middle of Charlotte's hospital room when they heard a quiet moan.

They stopped dead in their tracks and and looked over at Charlotte. Her eyes were still closed but she was slowly coming to. They each raced to either side of her bed and took a hand of hers to hold. "Charlotte," they both repeated her name softly several times before she finally flickered her eyes open. Jon pressed the button to call for the nurse-- a huge smile spread across his face.

"Charlotte, baby it's me," Pat breathed out, his face wearing a smile as well.

Jon stroked her head and looked at her as her eyes finally opened. "Hey beautiful," he sighed totally relieved to see her blue eyes open-- he feared he'd never see them again. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Charlotte tried to figure out where she was and get her bearings straight. She was still quite out of it as she looked back and forth between the two men vying for her heart. "Who... who are you?"