Begging You

*Jon*

“I’m really glad you came to your senses.” Jon told his friend. Despite what obviously must have been a rough day and night, Pat looked better than he had in weeks. Glancing over at him, Jon saw that he kept eyeing the backseat. Where Callie, Scarlet, and the car seat that contained Brennan were.

For weeks, he’d been watching Patrick throw away everything, sulking and hating his life over something that couldn’t be changed. At first, Jon just though he needed a day or two to get it out of his system. But then weeks passed, Ryan had come begging over and over to help with Pat but he had been nervous about getting involved. Then Scar had called, in tears, without a doubt, at wits end. He had decided it was time to step in.

Now, they were on the way to Blackhawks offices to explain what happened. Ryan trailed them in a car. They all wanted to be there to support their friend. Pat’s life wouldn’t be easy from there on out. It was a necessity that they help him and help with Brennan.

“Callie, have you heard from Kennedy?” Pat’s voice was light, as if he was trying to be delicate and not break in a fit of rage, like Jon had, when he found out what had happened.

“No, but trust me. I will find out where she is.” His wife’s voice held an edge of venom, that even he, had seldom heard. She was really pissed.

“Don’t worry, Cal. I just want to find her to get her to sign over rights.” While what he said wouldn’t be surprising when you considered the situation, it shocked Jon. It had only been a day and had Patrick really gone 180 in a day’s time?

The rest of the way was filled with idle chit chat. What he had to ask Patrick would earn him the couch for a week, if Callie heard him. As his wife and Scar were getting Brennan out of the car, Jon raced to Patrick’s side before he could assist.

“You sure about this man?” Jon asked softly, Patrick seemed confused. “I mean, only a day ago, you didn’t want any of this.”

“Jon, I know I fucked up but I don’t know, it’s different. Before, two days ago,” Pat laughed. “I was a complete asshole, too drunk off my ass all the time to realize, to let it soak in.” Suddenly, he got serious, looking intently at Brennan in Scar’s arms. “When I was alone with him, he was so small and so delicate. He looks just like me, Jon. I can’t let him go.”

Jon watched as his friend’s eyes grow glossy. “Having a kid… knowing he’s mine, Jon. There’s no way to describe it. I don’t love anything more. I don’t think I could.” He just nodded.

Thinking about having a kid was something Jon did often. Then he looked at his wife and wondered, was he ready to share her yet? The whole idea was something that scared and excited him. He wanted nothing more than to see her pregnant with his child but was it something she wanted? They’d just gotten married, she had just turned twenty-four, were they ready?

*Patrick*

His palms were sweaty and his pulse was racing. The five of them and Brennan sat before the GM, his coach, head of the Blackhawks PR Division, and the owner. They all were staring holes through him, like they couldn’t believe he screwed up again.

“I didn’t know.” He breathed out. Pat glanced at Scar, Brennan was in her lap, playing with one of her loose curls. She gave him a huge smile and an encouraging nod, it gave him all the confidence he needed. Over the next hour, they all recounted details of the past month, Scar and himself omitted their moment the night before. They all tried give as many details as possible about Kennedy.

“Man, that lady did you dirty, didn’t she?” Coach Q asked. Pat just nodded.

“I just want full parental rights. She left my baby at my door in the middle of the night. She doesn’t deserve him. He’s mine.” He could feel his face turning red. All the men, looked at him shocked.

“Are you sure this is what you want, Pat? Can you handle this?” Rocky, the owner asked. “I mean, just a week ago, you were busting out headlines as Chicago’s party boy again.” Pat flinched. “This isn’t going to look good.”

“I am not going to hide Brennan. I’m not going to keep him shacked up in my high rise, he deserves better than that.” Brennan was reaching an arm out toward him, Scar handed him to Pat. The baby’s face lit up. “He’s my son.”

For a moment, everyone was silent. They were all taking in this new Patrick, he knew. Nothing they said would make him change his mind. His life was devoted to his son now. He’d do anything to keep it that way.

“I guess there’s nothing we can do but hold a press conference. Is there a time you’d prefer Pat?” The head of PR asked him.

“Today.” Pat answered without ceremony. “If I’m going to start my life over, it’s going to start today.”

*Scar*

Scar watched as Patrick faced the cameras. The media was completely confounded at why Patrick Kane would be holding a conference. They had no clue. Some figured that it was to address his behavior, she could hear the whispers. There were also more outrageous ones, like Pat was considering quitting the game. Even she laughed at that.

As he sat down on the table in front of dozens of cameras, she examined his profile. He looked tired, worried, she was worried for him. Nerves ran through her, she’d have to face all these people too. In a few minutes, she would have to walk out in front of the world, holding Patrick Kane’s child. No doubt people, at first, were probably going to assume. Even though Brennan looked nothing like her, until Pat explained that she was just the temporary nanny.

She listened with the rest of the world as Pat started. “I guess you guys are wondering why I called in a conference today.” His face was serious, a deep New York accent had her skin shiver, but that probably had everything to do with the man. “I have very important news and I’ve decided to come out with the truth rather than let rumors come and tarnish a very good thing in my life.” His eyes flew to her.

Holding her breath as she walked out into the view of the cameras, she felt cameras start flashing immediately. Scar could barely hear all the questions being tossed her and Patrick’s way. All eyes were on the little bundle in her arms. Brennan’s face was getting red, like he was about to sob.

Scar shushed him and pulled his close to her chest. His cooed a little bit and just stared up at her, bright eyed. When she made it across the room, Patrick led her to sit in a seat next to him. Jon followed behind her, somewhat of a body guard.

A reporter threw a question at them, her voice was loud and obnoxious, hawk-like eyes could have pierced into Brennan’s clothes. “Is this your bastard child, Patrick?”

Everyone watched as Pat’s face got red and his jaw tightened. Scar was proud of his for holding his calm against the rude woman, slowly, she inched the arm not holding Brennan to pat his knee.

“This is Brennan Patrick Kane, my son. He was born June fifteenth.” Pat left it at that, Scar assumed that he didn’t want to give them any information they weren’t willing to ask. A nagging feeling told her that these reporters were going to ask way more than that.

“Is this your girlfriend? Did she have your child?” A short male report close to the front asked. He didn’t seem to intend any harm in the question, merely doing his job. He had soft eyes whenever he looked at Brennan.

“No, Brennan’s mother is no longer in the picture. Scarlet is my nanny.”

“What happened to his mother?” Another reporter threw out.

“Next question.” Pat dodged the question. Over the next hour, person after person threw question after question at him. He either gave them a diplomatic answer or moved onto the next question.

Whenever they tried to get something out of her, Pat would help her side step it. Some asked him about his recent partying days, how having a kid would affect his play, they even asked Jon a few questions about what he thought about Pat being father. Halfway through, Patrick had taken Brennan from her and seeing them together made the entire room melt.

“One more question.” The man Scar had met earlier but hadn’t been able to remember his name told the reporters. “Then we have to get these guys out of here.”

The lady who had been rude, stepped up, after being quiet the entire time. “Scarlet, how do you feel about being the nanny to Chicago’s most notorious party boy? Do you feel guilty that you sit at home while Patrick goes out to party and not at home with his child?” This woman irked her, and if she were a dumber woman, Scar would have climbed over the table to teach her some manners.

Instead, she chose to take Patrick’s lead and be diplomatic. “You’ve never really seen Patrick with Brennan. He’s a great father.” With that, Jon, Patrick, and herself left the room. She was finally able to breathe.