Alone Together

Pete opened his eyes as the first hint of sun flooded in to the window, warming the room with its early breath. He blinked and sat up, at first confused as to where he was. He glanced back down and felt his face split into a grin. Taylor was still slumbering peacefully, her arm beneath her pillow and her lips parted. Pete lay back down and watched her body lift and fall with each small breath. He couldn’t resist reaching out and pushing back her hair so it fell behind her back, and at his touch her eyelids fluttered.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered when her eyes finally focused on him. Her face crinkled in a grin and she reached out for him, settling into his arms with a contented sigh.

“I don’t think this is something I would mind waking up to more often,” she yawned. Pete laughed and pecked her forehead. When his laughter cut short she looked up at him, surprised to see how pale he had gotten. She reached a hand up to stroke his cheek. “Pete? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and stared up at the ceiling. “It’s nothing,” he muttered. Taylor nudged him with her elbow and he sighed. “Okay, it’s just that…I’m scared. I mean, the last time I felt this happy and left, you disappeared for four years. I’m just scared that might happen again if I walk out that door.”

Taylor felt her stomach drop and she leaned up to rest on her forearms. Pete didn’t look at her. “Pete, I’m not going to disappear again. I mean, unless you want me to.” The grip he had on her waist tightened, and he shook his head.

“No, I don’t want that, Tay,” he whispered, tugging her closer and burying his face in her hair. “I want you to stay put.”

Taylor giggled, “I might have to get out of bed eventually, though, Pete.” Pete raised his eyebrows devishly, giving her a smirk, and Taylor slapped his arm playfully. “Okay, I set you up for that. But—“

She cut herself off when she heard the faint ringing of a phone. Pete groaned and slipped out of the bed, padding over to where he had laid his keys and phone the night before. His face darkened when he read the ID and he quickly brought it to his ear, stepping out into the living room.

“H’lo? Yeah, hey, Ash.”

Taylor felt her stomach drop and felt dizzy even though she was laying down. Ashlee? It was like they had been standing out in Patrick’s yard again, so close to having a beautiful moment, and then that damn phone rang. Taylor felt her cheeks flush in anger. What was Ashlee doing calling Pete now?

She slid out of bed and tiptoed to the door, closing it quietly so she could change. She switched her rumpled outfit from the day before for something fresher, moving to open the door again in case Pete decided to come back in. She went in to the bathroom, trying to focus on the sound of the sink as she brushed her teeth instead of the quiet voice coming from her living room.

She couldn’t avoid it any longer and finally walked out into the living room, shooting Pete a quick smile before hurrying in to the kitchen. He waved before she turned away, rubbing his forehead and standing up from the couch. “Sure thing, buddy. Yeah, I love you, too.” Taylor’s chest felt like she was suffocating. “I’ll see you soon. Bye.”

Pete hung up and followed her into the kitchen, putting his phone on the counter and reaching to pull her into his arms. “Bronx wanted to say good morning,” he explained. Taylor felt her stress deflate and smiled, letting him hug her.

“Oh, Bronx.” She sighed and buried her face into his shoulder, feeling him shake with laughter.

“What, did you think it was just Ashlee calling to chat? She and I aren’t exactly on chit-chat terms, ya know.”

She bit her lip and pulled away, busying herself with a box of cereal. “I just forgot how upset I got to hear her calling when I was near you,” she murmured. It felt like she was Pete’s mistress, hiding in the bathroom while Pete spoke to the family he had on the other side of the world, like the revelations the night before hadn’t changed anything. Taylor shook her head, reminding herself that everything was different than it had been four years ago.

Pete frowned and took the box away from her, making her look at him. He lifted her chin up with his forefinger, smiling softly. “I’m sorry, Tay,” he whispered. “I just forgot Bronx likes to call sometimes. He’s a great kid; I haven’t gotten to see him since the tour started.”

Taylor forced a smile. “No, Pete, don’t worry about it. I think it’s great Bronx got to talk to you.”

Pete could feel the tension in her jaw beneath his fingertips. He groaned and reached for her shoulders, holding her steady and turning her to face him straight on. “Remember how I told you I love you last night?” he asked.

“Yes?”

“Yeah, well, I meant it. And I meant it when I said I’m not seeing anyone, either. And I mean it right now when I want to know if I can see you, Tay.”

She forced another smile and flicked his nose. “Well, you have eyes, don’t you?”

He pursed his lips and caught her hand in his. “Taylor.” His voice had all the seriousness of a cemetery. “You know what I’m talking about, goofball.”

Taylor opened her mouth, hesitating for a brief moment, when Pete’s phone went off again. Pete glared at where it sat on the counter. Taylor sighed and shrugged out from under Pete’s hands, holding them gently between her palms.

“I’ll go do my make up,” she whispered, brushing past to go back to her bedroom.

Pete watched her go with a frown. Patrick’s ringtone continued to blare from his phone, and with a mumbled curse Pete finally answered. “What?”

A soft chuckle echoed in his ear. “Well, good morning to you, too, sunshine,” Rae said. “Where the fuck are you? Joe keeps making up songs about you and Taylor boning and it’s starting to get catchy and stuck in my head. I told Patrick he should record it for your next album.”

Pete rolled his eyes and plopped down on the couch. “Joe really doesn’t know how to fuck off, does he?”

Rae snickered. “Not so much. But seriously, are you at Taylor’s? Spare me the dirty details, we just want to know what’s on the schedule for today.”

Pete rolled his head back, glancing over towards Taylor’s room. “Uh, I don’t know. I guess I can ask Taylor what she wants—“

“Ah HA! So you are over there, you sly dog. I fucking knew it!” Rae’s evil laughter rattled Pete’s brain, and he had to pull the phone away from his ear to avoid going deaf. “Please tell me something happened. Oh, pretty please, Pete, tell me it did. I’ve been dreaming of this for years now.”

Pete raised an eyebrow. “Rae, that’s kind of creepy. How does Patrick feel about that? I mean, shouldn’t you be dreaming of him instead of me and Tay?”

He could imagine her waving her hand impatiently, brushing off his words. “Like I’m gonna tell you about those dreams, Peter. But fine, don’t spill the deets. I’ll just get them from Taylor later. Will you guys just come back to the hotel so we can form a game plan or something? I swear if you don’t I’m going to make a Vine of the ‘Pete and Taylor are fucking’ song.”

Pete grit his teeth. “Rachel, so help me—“

“We’ll see you two in twenty minutes!” The phone clicked and the line went dead. Pete growled and jumped up from the couch, shoving his phone in his pocket. Leave it to Joe and Rae, he thought.

“Hey, Tay, are you almost ready? I think I have to go kick our friend’s asses.” He knocked gently on her door, lingering in the doorway as she emerged from her bathroom.

“Has someone offended you already today?” Taylor’s smile seemed genuine now as she approached, the tension caused by Ashlee’s call having evaporated.

Pete laughed. “When doesn’t Joe offend me?”

She tweaked his nose as she passed, and her floral perfume flooded his nose. His nostrils flared and he shivered, grabbing her hand as she passed and spinning her around and into his arms. He held her tight to his chest, burying his face into her wavy hair. She gasped and then choked out a laugh, tenderly rubbing circles on his back with her nails.

“Didn’t you want to go?” she asked. Pete nodded, nuzzling his nose behind her ear and inhaling with a shaky breath before dragging himself away.

“We’re gonna talk later though, right?”

Taylor smiled, that soft goddess smile that Pete used to always dream about. “Sure, Pete, we’ll talk later. Can we maybe grab some breakfast first?”

Pete grinned and followed after her when she headed out of the apartment, locking the door behind them. He slid his fingers through hers, and when she didn’t pull away, he felt his cheeks grow sore when his smile widened. It felt just like the old days again when they stepped outside, and even the flash of a random photographer out of the corner of his eye didn’t bother Pete as he helped Taylor into a cab.