(the **** before and after a segment indicates thoughts)

(This takes place after a Smackdown taping, no set time or day...)

****

I've gotta get out of here. Everytime I looked at Pete tonight, I started thinking about everything again. Oddly, he looked like he had a lot on his mind as well. Of course, no one really noticed anything, we were playing our roles the same as always. The show, after all, must go on...but now the show's over, and I've got to get away from this building, from this confusion...

****

Michael stepped out of the arena into the warm air of the night. He felt free from the confusion that had been plaguing him for the first time in a few days. In fact, he was actually feeling...almost happy. He walked to his car in a better mood than he had been in for days, whistling softly to himself. What he didn't know was that there was someone watching everything he did. He never even heard the footsteps coming up behind him. The last thing he remembered seeing was the blacktop rushing up to meet his face. The force of his head hitting knocked him out, and he was unaware as the unmerciless attack continued. The attacker turned him over and began to punch him in the face. After countless punches, he was kicked in the ribs several times. Then the unknown attacker ran off, vanishing into the night.

****

What's going on with Mikey? He left in such a hurry tonight. And he seemed a little bit preoccupied tonight, like he was thinking about a lot. Although I could probably say the same for myself. I know I thought about a lot tonight, as I have been countless nights lately. Either way, I'm worried about Mikey. ****

Pete stepped out into the parking lot, his mind running in all different directions, as it always seemed to do these days. He thought about his feelings for Michael, Michael's feelings for him (or lack thereof), why Michael had left so early and in such a hurry that night...Suddenly, his foot hit something, and he almost tripped. Looking down to see what had nearly caused him to fall, he nearly passed out, and screamed out, "Oh my God!"

It was Michael. His thin body lying seemingly lifeless on the blacktop, blood covering his face and on his clothing and in his hair. Pete didn't want to leave him, but knew he didn't need to touch him at all, so he just ran off to get help. He ran through the arena, just yelling "help, help" for what seemed like an eternity, before someone stopped and took notice.

"Pete, what's going on?" Lilian Garcia asked.

"It's Mikey, Lil! We've gotta get medical people, EMT's, something!"

"Michael? What happened?"

"I don't know what happened, but he's lying in the parking lot with blood all over him, not moving, so we have to MOVE QUICKLY!"

"Oh my God..." Pete and Lilian ran through the arena going in different directions to try and find some medical help for Michael. They found the EMT's and told them the story. They all ran out to the parking lot, Lilian coming very close to fainting or vomiting when she saw Michael's state. As quickly as possible, he was put onto an ambulance, Pete insisting that he go with him. He wanted to be there for him when he woke up. If he woke up...
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Taking A Chance

Pete sat in a hard chair in Michael's hospital room, as close to his bed as he could get. He had been sitting in that spot for basically 48 hours straight. The hospital really wasn't supposed to allow things like this, but no one really wanted to say anything. They knew that there was no telling what Pete would do if they tried. Pete didn't care if when he finally felt free to leave the hospital he didn't have a job anymore. All that he cared about was making sure he would be there, the first thing Michael saw, when his eyes finally opened. If Michael didn't know how much he cared then, he probably never would. Then Pete would know, and he could try his best to move on.

Michael looked so small lying on the hospital bed, smaller than he had ever looked before. It killed Pete to see him like that. He felt lost, more helpless than he had ever been, knowing that there was nothing he could do for the man that he knew he loved more than anything. So he did the only thing he could do, which was wait. And keep hoping that Michael's eyes would open, and Pete could see him smile again. Suddenly, Pete's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Pete...this is Lilian. Where are you?"

"Hey Lil. Where do you think I am?"

"You haven't left the hospital yet?"

"Of course not! Mikey's not awake, I'm not leaving,"

"You really care about him, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"Aww...you're so sweet. So you've just been sitting by his bed this whole time?"

"Might have gotten up once."

"Geez Pete! You haven't eaten?"

"Well...no. What if when I left for a second he woke up and was alone? I couldn't do that to him!"

"Pete..you gotta at least eat something!"

"Okay, I swear. After I get off the phone with you, I'll go get something."

"Good. I'll let you go then."

"Alright, bye."

Pete hung up his phone and sighed. Lilian was right, and now that he actually thought about it, he was a little hungry. Guess it wouldn't hurt to leave for a minute. 'But if he's awake when I get back...' he thought. Sighing once again, Pete got up and walked out of the room.
 
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Just A Dream?
 

Pete walked the halls of the hospital in search of the cafeteria. He figured that however inedible their food might be it would be better than nothing. Finding the place he was looking for, he was relieved to find that they seemed to have things that he would eat even under different circumstances. Picking something out as quickly as he could, he paid for his selection and headed back to Michael's room.

He was already regretting leaving the room. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he wan't there when Michael woke up. Getting back into Michael's room with no problems from any doctors, he resumed his post. He looked at Michael, saw that he was still lying with his eyes closed, and then began to eat. He finished relatively fast. Having nothing more to take up his time, he looked at Michael. The bruises marring the beautiful face that he had seen in his dreams so many times.

He had a sudden flashback to two nights before, looking down to see Michael, his love, broken and bloody on the hard blacktop. Why would anyone hurt him? If Pete ever found out who attacked him...not the kind of thoughts he should be having right now. Instead, he continued to watch Michael, watching his chest rising and falling, the only visual proof that Michael was indeed alive. If only he would open his eyes...

Pete reached over and began to softly caress Michael's bruised face, careful to be as gentle as he could. He then closed both of his hands over one of Michael's smaller ones. He was becoming tired, the stress of being awake for over 2 days finally hitting him. He had been fighting going to sleep, but couldn't stop himself from closing his eyes. He opened his eyes a second later, hearing a voice that he surely thought was a dream...

"Pete?"
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: The First Step...
(Once again, **** before & after a segment indicates that a character is thinking.)

Pete looked over to see Michael, wide awake, looking at him. "Mikey! You're awake..."

"Yeah...Pete, what are you doing here?"

"Well...I was waiting for you to wake up. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"The last thing I remember is walking to my car after Smackdown."

"Well, someone attacked you then. You've been here ever since...and so have I."

"What day is it?"

"Thursday."

"You've been at the hospital with me for 2 days?"

"Yeah...I couldn't leave until I knew you'd be okay."

Michael's eyes went wide with shock. He never knew that Pete cared that much.

****

I can't believe Pete's been here with me the whole time. No one's ever done anything that sweet for me. Maybe Pete does have feelings for me...I'm really starting to be sure that I do have them for him. The fact that he did this only makes it stronger.

****

"Pete...why would you do something like that for me?"

"I...uh...well..."

****

Maybe I shouldn't have even told him that I had been here the whole time. Now what am I supposed to do? Come right out with it? Well, I could...but what would happen? I don't know if I could stand knowing that I didn't have a chance with him...

****

"Well?"

"Well, Mikey...the thing is...I...I think I'm in love with you."
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Admissions and Interruptions

Author: Kimmy*

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue! Distribution: Anyone who asks.

Rating: PG-13

Content: SAPSAPSAP What else??? ^_^ also a little language.

Author's Note: Well, finally, huh? lol I didn't keep ya'll waitin TOO long, did I? :) Enjoy...feedback me! (As always, **** before & after a section indicates a character's thoughts)

Michael sat up in the bed, eyes wide open, unable to speak.

****

Oh my God. He thinks he loves me??? Pete...loves *me*??? OH MY GOD! I've got to say *something*, I know he feels like he's made a mistake by telling me this...I can just see it in his eyes.

****

****

Shit. Why the hell did I do that??? Mikey hasn't even said anything, he's just kind of sitting there with a surprised look on his face. I know this was a mistake...I just hope this doesn't mess our friendship up...

****

Michael finally was able to find his voice.

"Really???"

"Well...yeah. I've felt that way for awhile...this isn't gonna mess up our friendship, is it?"

"Of course not Pete...as a matter of fact...I think I might feel the same way about you."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No...and this hasn't just come up suddenly. I've thought about it for awhile now..."

****

I have to say that out of all the responses I would have expected, that one was not included. Mikey thinks he loves me too? God...that must have been what he looked so deep in thought about that night...

****

Michael continued. "Waking up to see you sitting here with me, knowing that you've been here the whole time...that made me pretty much sure of how I feel. No one's ever done anything like that for me."

"You're the only one I'd have ever done it for...you're the most amazing person I've ever known...no one's ever made me feel the way I do with you. Just being around you, talking the way we do, that's one of the things I like to do the most..."

Michael's eyes were shining with tears that were threatening to fall. "That's...probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. God, Pete...you're so sweet...I love being with you too you know. Although I could never make that sound as good as it sounded when you said it to me."

Pete got up and moved closer to Michael, wrapping his arms around him, careful to be gentle and watch the areas where he was hurt the most. He leaned in, preparing to give Michael a kiss that neither of them would ever forget. Suddenly, there was the sound of a door opening. Pete moved away from Michael quickly, sitting back down in his chair as the doctor walked in.

"Well...looks like the patient is awake...am I interrupting something?"

****

(Pete & Michael)

DAMN DOCTOR!

*****

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Finally

Author: Kimmy*

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this. I don't own much at all, actually *sighs pathetically* Point being, don't sue me cuz u ain't gettin nuffin anyways!

Distribution: Anywhere that asks nicely.

Rating: PG-13

Content: wittie m/m stuffs, wittie language, SAPSAPSAPSAPSAP (you were expecting angst?!)

Author's Note: Yanno wut??? I didn't do my usual start straight where the last part left off thing this time. Wutever. :) Hope u like it. Feedback, as always, is very important. SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! ^_^

"Well, Mister Cole, it looks like you're free to go."

"Thank God."

"You just woke up and you're already tired of being here...oh well, I can hardly blame you!" The doctor chuckled.

Michael and Pete just sat there looking at him, wishing that he'd just shut up so they could go.

"Alright, everything's done. You have someone to pick you up?"

"Yeah."

Pete had called Lilian and told her to be there to pick them up from the hospital. She was probably waiting right now.

"Okay, you can go now!"

"Great."

Pete, not wanting to take any chances with Michael, carefully lifted him into his arms.

"Um...would you like a wheelchair or something?"

"No, this is great..." Michael said, smiling and hugging up to Pete. Pete smiled and kissed Michael on his forehead as he walked over to the door.

"Hey, doc, tell ya what ya can do...open the door for me, would ya?"

"Oh, of course." The doctor walked over and opened the door quickly.

"Thanks."

The rest of the trip out of the hospital went without incident save a few strange looks from a few people, and they got out to Lilian's car relatively quickly. She stepped out instantly.

"I've missed you guys," She said as she opened the back door for them.

"Well, we haven't been gone long!" Pete said smiling as he sat Michael carefully in the seat and closed the door.

"So, Pete, what's the deal? Even as close as I knew you two to be before all this I don't think I could have expected you to carry him out!" She smiled, hoping that her suspicions were correct.

"Well, Lil, I told him..."

"You did? Wow...what happened, what did he say?"

"Lemme finish, woman! He said that he thought he felt the same way..."

"Awwww!"

"Would you stop interrupting? Damn woman...anyways, so I guess we're *together* now."

"Finally!"

"You're telling me!"

"Well, we better get going, Michael's probably wondering why the heck we left him in there like that."

"Yeah."

Lilian walked back over to her side of the car and got in the driver's seat, and Pete got into the back with Michael. Michael leaned his head on Pete's shoulder.

"What were you two talking about?"

"Everything...us...there is an *us* to talk about, isn't there, Mikey?"

"Of course there is...as long as it's what you want, because I'm convinced that I want it."

"I've never wanted anything more."

Now free of any interruptions, Pete wrapped his arms around Michael and kissed him. He finally had the only thing he needed.
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Finding Out

Now that he finally had Michael and he was safe, Pete began to think about something that he had
pushed to the back of his mind. Why had someone attacked Michael? The police had found the man
who people had said they had seen in the parking lot that night, and he had confessed to the
attack. But what Pete really wanted to know was why. The only way to find that out would be to
ask the guy himself. So that's what he was going to do.

*later*

"Pete, do you think this is such a good idea?"  Michael looked at Pete, looking more than a little worried.

 "Mikey...I've got to do this. I need to talk to this guy. It'll make me feel better about all this."

 "Well okay, Pete...just don't do anything silly."

 "You'll be right there with me, though, won't you?"

 "Will I?"

"I really do want you to be there when I do this."

 "Okay, sure, Pete, I'll be right beside you."  Michael was worried about this idea, but he wanted to be there for Pete. Plus, this was as much for him as it was for Pete.

 *later, elsewhere*

 "You have some visitors," the guard said to the man in the cell.

 "Who the hell is visiting me?"

"A couple of guys...names are Pete & Michael.  Anyway, they're coming."

Pete and Michael walked into the room and saw the young man sitting on the bed in the cell. Pete's immediate response was wanting to kill the guy, but he managed to calm down a little.

 "I'm not gonna beat around the bush with this, kid. I want answers from you, and I want em right fucking now."

 The police guard was somewhat alarmed, but nothing serious had happened, so he didn't do anything.

 "Um...okay..."

 "Yeah, damn right it's okay. Anyways. Back to why I'm here. You recognize the guy standing next to me?"

 "Yeah...that's the guy I..."

"Yeah, that's right. This is the guy that you senselessly attacked from behind the other night.
I figured you'd remember him," Pete was growing more angry by the moment. "Do you recognize him from anything else?"

 "Nope, not really."

"Well, anyway...that leads me to this question.  Why the fuck did you do it?"

 "No reason. Just wanted to kick somebody's ass."

 "Oh. I see. You just wanted to kick somebody's ass? Well listen here, asshole. Next time you
"just want to kick someone's ass", and you decide that Michael's is the one to kick...you won't be able to make it to him. Because I'm *always* going to be right there with him. I've seen what happens when I leave his side, and it's not something I want to risk happening again. So tell all your fucking little asshole friends that go around 'just kicking' innocent people's asses that they're never getting near Michael without getting their punk asses kicked by me. Same goes for you. I already want to kick your ass, so I better get out of here now."

"Let's get out of here, Mikey." Pete grabbed Michael's hand and squeezed it, then they walked off.

*later elsewhere again, lol*

"Well Pete...now you know."

"I know, but...I just can't believe people. Why someone would do that..."

"I know, Pete...it sucks. But...at least I know that you'll never leave me alone..."

"I would never leave you alone. I care too much about you and I'm way too worried right now about anything else happening to you. But...if I ever get to where I'm suffocating you...you gotta say something. I never want you to feel like you're trapped with me. Okay Mikey?"

"Of course Pete. But I think I love you too much to ever get tired of you always being there."

Michael laid his head on Pete's chest and sighed as Pete kissed his forehead.

"I know I'll never get tired of you, baby."
 

Title: Love Doesn't Wait: Together

Pete and Michael arrived at the arena and parked their rented car.  Pete got out first, grabbed
some things out of the back, then walked over tothe other side of the car, opening Michael's
door.

"Come on, Mikey, we gotta get in there."

Michael was sitting, looking around the arenaparking lot, looking at the building, at every
detail of the area.  When he heard the door open, and then Pete's voice, he turned sharply and
looked into Pete's dark eyes filled with concern.  He remained sitting, silently, as he looked at
Pete, the pleading, desperate look in his eyes saying so much...'Please, I can't do this, take
me away from here'.

"Michael..."  Pete unbuckled the seat belt Michael was still wearing, and reached out for
his hand.  "Just come out.  Talk to me, baby."

Michael reluctantly took the outstretched hand and got out of the car.  He shut the door behind
him, then looked at Pete once again with the same pleading look.  He cleared his throat, sighed,
then spoke.

"Pete...I don't think I can do it.  Just being here, in this parking lot...it's so scary...I
can't stop thinking about it.  I feel like if I ease up at all, let down my guard, someone's
going to be right there waiting on me..."

"Michael...babe,"  Pete said, his heart breaking as he looked into the terrified brown eyes.  "I'm
here for you.  We're going to walk, together, into that arena, and face whatever's ahead of us.
I'm going to be with you the whole way.  I know that it's still scary, but do you think you could
try and trust me, try walking with me?"

Michael sighed as he looked at Pete.  If there was anyone in the world that he could put his
trust in, it was him.  "Okay...let's go then."

Never letting go of one another's hand, Michael and Pete walked into the arena.  When they
entered, they were met with mixed reactions as they walked past people they knew.  Everyone had found out about what happened to Michael, but only Lilian knew about their relationship.
Gradually, they all found out.  In watching, some saw the way they seemed to trust in each other,
love each other so completely.  It was a rare and incredibly beautiful thing to see.  Their smiles
told more than words could have said.  Others saw something that they knew nothing about, and
wanted nothing of.  They looked on with contempt in their eyes.  Thankfully, they too said
nothing...their silence spoke volumes, their ignorance of the beauty in front of them evident.
It hurt deeply, but the two continued on, paying attention to nothing but each other.  They would
make it, together.

Love waits for no one...those who reach out and grab it when the chance comes...they are the
lucky ones.

And on this night, none were luckier than Michael and Pete, seeing each other through everything
with all the love they shared.

THE END!!!