A/N: I was watching Sheriff Callie's Wild West yesterday and got in the mood for Callie/Peck feels. But not just any type of Callie/Peck feels. How about some angsty Callie/Peck? My friend Vulaan Kulaas wanted me to write some more angsty stuff (although more for Blazin' Trails than for just anything), so that's what she's getting for her birthday: three fics with angst and fluff. But mostly angst *evilly laughs* XD
Anyway, enjoy, and happy birthday buddy! :D
Title: I Should Be Happy
Series: Sheriff Callie's Wild West
Genre/Tags: Romance/Angst
Summary: He should be happy for her. But he's anything but. Callie/Peck, with a Callie/OC endgame. NOT connected to You've Got My Attention.
Disclaimer: I think fics like this are the reason I don't own shows like Sheriff Callie's Wild West.
I Should Be Happy
"...I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Doc Quackers said, beaming at the couple in front of him.
Peck averted his eyes from the sight of Timothy lifting the bride's veil, disgust rising in him. He managed to sit through Callie exchanging vows with Timothy...but watching her kiss him? Already, he felt his stomach turn.
He folded his arms and remained in his seat, while the rest of the congregation stood up and clapped for the couple. The ringbearer, one of the little gophers he'd seen around town, gave him a small glance as if to say, "Don't be rude", but Peck wasn't in the mood for a lecture. What he was in the mood for, however, was a heap of his special trail mix drowned in frothy vanilla milkshake-a combination that would make him forget today.
Toby, and then Tio, had talked him into going to the wedding since Callie was one of his best friends. But now he wished that he'd put his foot down and told them no.
He should be happy for her, he knew. Despite her tough exterior, Callie was a little romantic at heart, and she did dream of settling with the right man. Now all of her dreams were coming true; she was marrying the guy of her dreams, and looking forward to a great future with him. She couldn't be any happier.
He should be happy for her, he knew. She'd found love with Timothy, a drifter who'd come to town after serving a stint in prison for a heist gone wrong. They'd turned out to be a pretty good match, despite initial objections from Priscilla and Abigail. Their courtship lasted for a little over a year before Timothy popped the question. She'd gone on and on about it for hours, and her excitement was infectious, spreading to the whole town.
Even Peck had gotten it, despite knowing that he wasn't the one marrying her.
He should be happy for her, but he couldn't be happy when he wished that he were in Timothy's place, walking with her arm in arm and beaming at her. He couldn't be happy when he wished that he'd told her how he felt a year before, when he'd actually gathered up the nerve. The whole town had figured out his feelings and had urged him to go for it. Toby had even given him a list of her favorite things and told him to give it to her.
But the day he'd been about to had been when Timothy had come in, and although Callie hadn't vocalized anything, it was obvious he'd caught her eye.
And like the flowers he'd been taking to her that day, his resolve had wilted right then and there.
He waited until Callie and Timothy were walking down the aisle, and then got up and headed for the exit. Toby would probably come after him in a few moments, asking if he was going to stay for the cake. The image of Timothy and Callie cutting into the cake together filled his mind, and once there, it wouldn't leave. It only strengthened his resolve to keep going.
He burst through the side doors, the hot desert air greeting his face as he stepped outside. He took ten steps towards Ella's milkshake saloon, and that was when he heard her voice: "Peck? Where're ya goin'?"
He stopped in the middle of the street, and turned to face her. She was dressed in a beautiful pink and white wedding gown, one she'd been fawning over a few weeks before the wedding. Her cowgirl hat was fitted with a veil that trailed down the back. It suited her perfectly, he noted.
"I have ta go, Sheriff," he said, softly, turning away from her. "I was plannin' on stayin' 'til the reception, anyway." He couldn't stand another minute of this. He couldn't fake being happy when in reality he was stewing in bitter jealousy.
"But Peck, we saved you a spot an' everythin'," she replied.
"No worries, Sheriff. I ain't that hungry," he answered coolly.
There was no reply so he continued with, "I never said it before, but congrats, by the way." The statement was said with no mirth whatsoever. Still, he couldn't help but chuckle dryly. "Toby wouldn't have let me go without sayin' it. Hope you an' Timothy have a great life together, an' all that."
That was all he wanted to say. That was all he needed to say. Seeing her hurt him, made him physically ill. He knew she didn't intentionally hurt him, and part of it was his fault for being such a chicken. But that didn't make him any less bitter. Even now, she didn't know why he'd stormed out of there. He guessed she had a blind spot when it came to his emotions; after all, she'd been blind to his feelings for her since last year. If he told her now, it'd probably come as a shock to her.
He considered telling her right then and there, just to give in to his dark side a little. But that would be too cruel, he figured. So he turned on his heel again, ready to leave.
That was when she said softly, in a hushed voice, "Peck...I heard rumors that you were leavin' as deputy...is that true?"
Consarn it, she was making this harder than it needed to be. "Turned in my badge before I came to the weddin'," he said. "Toby'll make a good deputy. He gets my personal recommendation."
"...Peck, you can't leave. This town needs you!" Disbelief and desperation creeped into her voice, and he thought he picked up the start of a sob.
He started to walk away. He didn't want to hear her cry, and he really didn't want to hear her excuses. If she was going to beg him to stay, she needed a better bargaining chip than that.
"Peck, I need you here," she blurted out.
That stopped him cold.
He briefly turned to face her, and wished that he hadn't. She looked utterly devastated, clutching her bouquet so tightly, the thorns were digging into her fingers. Her jaw trembled and her green eyes filled with tears. He came to a startling realization upon looking into her eyes; he realized he'd been wrong about her not caring about his feelings. She did care. She had cared. And she still cared.
For a moment, he wanted to run over to her and sweep her into his arms, to tell her everything that he'd bottled up for the last year, to kiss her senseless. And for a mad second, he thought about kidnapping her and running off into the sunset.
But he didn't do any of those things. Adjusting his kepi, he replied with, "From what I can see...ya obviously don't, Sheriff Callie."
With that, he turned and left without another word, his stomach churning upon hearing the sob that escaped Callie's throat.
The End
Well...this wasn't supposed to get THAT depressing. But I guess that's what happens when you tap into the Dark Side for a while *looks at Vulaan Kulaas guiltily* XD
This story happens in an alternate universe where Timothy wasn't crazy like he is in YGMA, and here he does sweep Callie off her feet, which leaves Peck squarely in the dreaded friend zone...which, as you can see here, hasn't really done him much good. It was so weird writing a bitter Peck, but at the same time, it was pretty interesting. It was also inspired by a prompt on Tumblr that talked about two friends who liked each other, but neither said anything, and one member of the party's attending the other person's wedding. Callie's blurting out of "I need you" could be taken either platonically or romantically, given her feelings towards him in this story. Sadly, Peck pretty much crushed that. Geez, I'm cruel aren't I?
Anyway, if you want some fluffy Callie/Peck feels, I guess you can go over to You've Got My Attention for it...but don't get too comfortable because it's going to go dark next chapter *evilly laughs*
Reviews are great, but constructive criticism is much appreciated!
God bless, iheartgod175