After Appomattox 1/1

 "Damn, not another one," Peter Wentz said to himself, looking up along the winding pathway of Spanish moss trees where another soldier was limping down to the house.
 "We barely have enough food for us, why must they take it!" Peter heard Lissy cry, stomping her foot. Honestly for having two children and a husband she acted like a two year-old.        
 "Calm now, Miss Lissy. We have to be good to the soldiers-" Lissy and Peter's mother started.
 "Oh yes! Yes! We have to be good to these people who are the reason we're impoverished! I swear, you just get done with one and you think you're done, but oh no, here comes another one, limping down the pathway!" 
 "Will you close your mouth for once Lissy?" Peter asked his sister. She rounded on him, about to say something that was not to be said in front of her children.
 "Stop it you two! Lissy, take care of your children and bring 'em into the house, see if you can get them to take a nap. Lord knows I've been trying all day. You want them refreshed for when their Pa comes home, don't you?" Miss Wentz said, using her position as matriarch of the family. Lissy huffed and haughtily walked in the big plantation with young 3 year-old Lily in hand. Her son, five-year old Lewis followed. Peter tried not to think about Lissy's husband. No one expected him to come home. Ever. He hadn't been listed as dead or missing, no his name had not even been printed. Which was incredible considering he was (or had been) a wealthy plantation owner. Lissy  and the children had come to live with them during the war. Peter swallowed hard, thinking of his face..
 
 But he got up and went inside to get his rifle, just like he did every time a soldier came by, in case they decided to be rough.
 "Mister Peter!" Someone called. It was Herman, one of the former slaves, who decided to stay at the plantation. 
 "Yes?" Peter asked, turning around.
 "I thinks you should go have a look outside, at the soldier comin' on down the pathway." Peter stiffened, maybe this would be the first time he would have to use his rifle. But, then he heard his mother scream and it was not a 'maybe' anymore. Peter stormed out of the door, but no soldier was upon the large porch with his mother. 
 "Mama, what is it?" He asked. It seemed as if she couldn't answer, but just pointed to the soldier who was still limping down the alleyway. "What? What is the matter?"
 
 Behind him, Peter heard his sister step out of the door. Her gray eyes followed her mother's finger to the soldier who was still a fair distance away. Peter's eyes were squinted at the blue uniformed soldier. Then he swore, harsh and loud. Peter started laughing, verging on hysteria, as he started bolting down the porch's stairs. Lissy let out a huge shriek and ran right down the stairs, pulling up her hoop skirt, not caring if anyone saw her ankles. She was to the side of Pete as they both ran to the limping soldier. 

 Pete glanced at his sister and realization struck him. He slowed his pace and came to a stop, as Lissy continued speeding towards the soldier whom now had a huge grin on his beautiful face.
 "Patrick!" Lissy cried out in delight and pure happiness as husband and wife came together in a loving embrace. Peter swallowed down a lump in his throat for the second time today, but it was because of love this time. 

 The pair strolled down to where Pete was, after kisses of disbelief and caresses of adoration. 
 "Hello Peter," Patrick said, with the biggest smile on his face. 

 That night when Lissy had put the children to bed and was probably waiting for Patrick, Pete was lying beside him instead. They were sweaty and almost smelled of lust itself. Glowing in the aftermath, Patrick was more beautiful than Pete could ever imagine in his own mind.
 "Patrick, I always thought you were dead. Your name was never on the list-"
 "Well, maybe that's because you picked up the wrong army's list." Patrick told him with a little smirk. Pete's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
 "What do you mean?" Peter asked suspiiciously.
 "Well, Pete. I didn't fight on the side of the Confederacy. That's why I was never on the list, and also why I came home so late."
 "You fought on the Union side? With the North? Oh, ohhhh, Ma and Lissy are not going to like this.."
 "They don't have to find out." Patrick said with a devilish grin. Peter grinned back, and leaned in for a kiss. However he stopped when he was halfway there.
 "But, why?" He asked softly, his breath tickling Patrick's lips. Patrick had to sigh.
 "Peter, I had to."
 "Yes, but why?" Peter stroked Patrick's chin.
 "For our country. This is the United States, and we cannot break apart. We are united, right? I mean, I hadn't even really thought it out. But when I got to base camp up in northern Maryland I just kind of realized why I was there. I mean, everyone to this country was an immigrant if you think about it. And my ma' came here from Ireland. She told em what it was like there. This country was the first time anyone had ever had a democracy of such magnitude. If we break apart, the dream of having rights and responsibilities and government run by the people is over. It's gone and the entire world will never have this, this, well I don't even know how to say it. It's hard to put into words." Patrick ran a hand through his hair.
 "You couldn't have said it any better. That was...it was....beautifully said. I understand." Peter said. Then he finished his orginal purpose for leaning in, he kissed Patrick deeply and it almost made him start to cry again. After a long year and a half Patrick was back into his arms. Even though they could never be together like this in public and would most likely burn in hell for this, Peter was happy as he finally broke the kiss so that he could breathe. 
 "I wish we could be together," Patrick told him, mirroring his thoughts. 
 "I wish that too."
 "Do you ever wonder if there is a place where we could be, I don't really know. But somwhere where we could be together and just perhaps accepted?" Patrick asked in Pete's ear. 
 "I don't think there's such a perfect place in this earthly world. Or that I'm that lucky," Peter said, wrapping one arm around Patrick's neck. 
 "I have to go, Lissy's thinking that we're just playing cards," Patrick laughed. Pete chuckled the slightest bit.
 "Oh, don't go Patty Rick, I love you," his words were almost inaudible and muffled by the pillow, but Patrick heard him. And he smiled his bright, mega-watt smile and Pete smiled back. And they were just two boys, smiling at each other.
 "I'll see you tommorow." 

 Peter did not sleep well that night.

 When he got up the next day, everything was...eerie. The walls were higher than normal and everything seemed warped and distorted. Peter walked down the huge marble stairs down the hall, not even bothering to put a decent amount of clothes on. The stairs were bigger than he remembered. 

 In the main hall were throngs of people. Everyone he had ever met looked like they were there. In their finest clothes too.
 "Mama, what's going on?" he asked thinking he saw his mother in the mass of people. But she didn't answer. Then he felt dizzy and the entire room was spinning and becoming elongated and......

 Then Patrick was there. And they were kissing. And then laughter, so much laughter. And jeers. And insults. What the fuck was going on? Pete fell to the ground, seizing like he was having a seizure. Patrick walked away with a disgusted look on his face and Pete was left on the cold, marble tile.

.................

 Pete Wentz opened his eyes and he was still on the floor. But this floor was different. It was carpeted and softer. 
 "Pete?" It was Patrick. His pretty face, concerned, above Pete's.
 "Man, that is the last time I take whatever Joe offers me."
 "Yeah, that's what you said the last time. But, we have a show in two hours so sober up."
 "Okay, okay." And Patrick walked away with a disgusted look on his face. Pete swallowed hard and tried not to get emotional again.
 

xyes, i am notorious for sad endings and then this one was too crappy for words. sorry, but i wanted to do it.