Author note: I've always wondered what made Clayton choose religion in his career as an Anthropologist so as usual I began thinking more into and before I knew it this story popped up in my head and didn't leave me alone until it was on paper. So here is a one-shot on my take on Clayton's early interest in Anthropology.

Disclaimer/Warning: I do not own any of the characters/settings/anything that you recognise. Also any indecent/offensive comments will be removed and reported

Piety and Prejudice

School is nothing but a mad house thinks Clayton Danvers, the hustle and bustle of students; the sheer brutality of the twisted hierarchy of the 'status quo' all proved to be far more trouble than it's worth. Clayton knew from a young age that life could only be learned in the tranquil forest of Stonehaven but there is another part of him that he couldn't ignore no matter how much he wanted to.

That side of him expected him to be educated in the greater aspect of the world which surrounded him, to be in a classroom and to absorb the words from dusty books. Jeremy encouraged that side even though half of the time all he wanted is to learn from various smells which infiltrated his brain, the vividness of images which he processed through the eyes of his other form and that side always fought hard to prove that education is in the forest; after all since the age of six he had survived with just that half but Jeremy insisted that he get a proper schooling so he gave in, but they both quickly realised that it was far too soon and since the incident of the guinea pig it was safely decided by Jeremy that he be home schooled.

Although socialising was still an issue and in desperation Jeremy enrolled his eight year old ward into Syracuse Bear valley afterschool activities on a weekly basis. Initially irritated at the thought yet wanting to make his guardian happy Clayton indulged in weekly classes of Drama and Cooking—although socialising never happened as Jeremy had hoped for at least he had chosen something practical which would help in years to come.

Through those classes Clayton never made a friend and instead discovered that children were clearly creatures of evil, so he focused on the activity and ignored his peers deciding that even attempting to make friends with them would be nothing short of wasting his precious time.

After all he had Nick Sorrentino, his pack brother and best friend who else did he need?

Or so he thought

When Clayton entered his cooking class on a typical Saturday afternoon he expected to spend the next hour cooking his batch of treacle tarts and then go home, however his far too optimistic teacher after noticing the isolation of the only boy in her class decided to change the format of her teaching.

"Class from today onwards you'll all be working in partners, so find someone and pair up!" Her high pitched voice rang through the class while everyone rushed to be with their nearest and dearest. In less than five minutes everyone had a partner apart from two, the only boy in the class and a girl who always covered her hair in a cotton cloth—in short the outcasts of the class.

Clayton would've hardly noticed the girl if it hadn't been for the cloth on her head not that he ever noticed anyone to begin with but the girl was different from the others, for starters she was always scared even of her own shadow and Clayton had never met anyone so unconfident in his life that he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of resentment towards the weak girl.

So as the others rushed to start their recipes the girl stood awkwardly while looking slightly crestfallen at the thought of having to pair up with a boy, Clay on the other hand as soon as the teacher briefed their instructions carried on solo with his treacle tart recipe until the teacher loomed up behind him and asked him to pair up with girl called Durrah.

Visibly annoyed Clay ignored the teacher and carried on until the timid girl moved from her work bench to his, she kept her distance but she could've been at the opposite end of the room and still be far too close to him. There were far too many people in this room and it took great level of patience for him not to leave so instead he focused on making his tarts—trying to forget the girl who was waiting anxiously for him to speak while fidgeting nervously.

Her fear was apparent and it made matters far worse, holding his breath in case he inhaled her scent he slid his recipe towards her hoping that if she got to work and just did her own thing than maybe it would be easier to forget that they were working on the same bench—no his bench!

Clayton liked cooking and at the beginning Jeremy had been doubtful of his choice of activity but soon realised the benefits of Clayton taking the class. On the other hand the fact that he is the only boy didn't make him so popular with the guys but with food playing a crucial role in Clayton's life he never regretted his decision, so as far as he is concerned the girls could giggle as much as they liked he would still stick to Home Economics classes.

A coughing sound came from the Girl's end of the table; he ignored her until she finally spoke up.

"Er excuse me can I borrow your ingredients?" The girl asked while wringing her hands

"No." He simply replied before mixing his batter carefully while the girl started to hop from one foot to another before taking a deep breath and finally speaking again.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to ask but I don't have any ingredients for treacle tarts and if you let me borrow your ingredients I promise to pay you back." Clayton gritted his teeth with frustration and anger.

"How can you forget to bring ingredients?" He asked sharply while the girl turned her gaze to the floor before replying.

"I've ingredients for cupcakes and that was what I was planning on making today."

"Then make that." He replied bluntly, was the girl really that much of an idiot when the logic was as clear as the sun thought Clayton.

"But the teacher said we have to work together and make the same thing." The girl said as she looked at the teacher at the front of the class before nervously looking at the tart recipe.

Normally he wouldn't bother with such trivial matters and would have just let the girl sort out her own mess but her fidgety behaviour annoyed him to such length that he hastily shoved the remaining spare ingredients he had left to the girl's side of the bench. Overjoyed the girl thanked him and finally started to make her tarts.

The rest of class flew by in silence until the teacher asked them to place their baked goods on the steel mats to cool off.

As usual Clayton didn't even bother listening as he gulped down nearly three quarters of his tart and stored the rest away in his plastic container for Jeremy. The girl stared at his strange behaviour with amusement before pushing her tart towards him.

"Here you can have mine, I don't know if it is any good but I did use your ingredients so it is only fair." Clayton understood that logic and decided to try hers, surprised at her tart being relatively delicious he decided to take only half—after all he didn't make it but strangely the girl refused and went off quickly to pack her bags.

Clayton also rushed to pack up until he heard the teacher talking to the girl,

"So Durrah what did you make with Clayton today?" She asked with her usual bright smile painted across her face.

"I made some treacle tarts Miss Ashton."

"Oh that is lovely, how come I don't see any in your container." The girl blushed as she replied softly

"I decided to give mine to Clayton Miss Ashton." The teacher beamed at the foreign girl's generosity.

"That is a lovely thing to do Durrah but did you try your tart?" The girl shook her head in embarrassment while the teacher continued to look at her with a puzzled expression.

"I'm fasting today Miss Ashton." The look of puzzlement turned into one of surprise.

"Oh and why is that?"

"Well this is the holy month of Ramadan and we don't eat or drink for thirty days from sunrise to sunset so that we can feel what it is like to be poor," the girl replied with confidence while Clayton absorbed all the information that he was overhearing.

"Well that is certainly interesting you must give a short presentation to the rest of the class next week I just love to learn about various religions and cultures." The girl smiled shyly while the teacher asked her to bring in food from where she was from and Clayton couldn't help but feel confused.

Where she is from? Weren't they all from the same place but then again she was the first girl he had ever seen cover her head but that wasn't what interested him the most.

What really struck his interest was going without food and water, why would someone with enough logic do that? Although she had said to better understand the suffering of the poor it still felt utterly foreign to him. Food and water mean survival so to not eat and drink was suicidal or at least that is what he thought, but this girl is clearly doing just that and he wished to know why.

As he absentmindedly found himself walking towards the car park he didn't even notice Jeremy until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

His guardian looked at him strangely while he tried to process his thoughts.

"Is everything alright Clayton?" Jeremy asked slightly bewildered, this was the first time he had to wait nearly ten minutes for Clayton to come out from his class, normally the boy was already at the car park when he drove in with a container filled with mouth-watering goods but today Clay had that look. The look he knew far too well, it was the same look he had when Miss Fishton told Jeremy about Clay's fascination with the classroom guinea pigs and the familiar feeling of anxiety returned.

"Jeremy?" Clay asked with a slightly dazed expression,

"Yes?" His guardian asked as his brows furrowed even deeper, worry now clearly etched across his features.

"Why do people fast?"

"Pardon?"

A week later Clayton Danvers after ransacking the library with books about fasting had come to a conclusion that he was wrong about the idea—it was completely ingenious. Although he never did understand the whole concept of living like those less fortunate there were numerous books describing the great health benefits that were associated with fasting and not to mention greater survival rate. Clayton was intrigued and for the first time since starting his extracurricular classes he was actually looking forward to his Home Economics class, although he wasn't counting the days till Saturday neither was he dreading it either.

So when Jeremy found his ward dressed and waiting beside the car impatiently he couldn't help but smile. Clayton has been with him long enough for Jeremy to know that the chances of him making a friend in those classes are slim but from what he had heard from Clayton this Muslim girl had fascinated him and that worried Jeremy slightly. Clayton wasn't like other children, the stalking and his thirst for knowledge had led to the guinea pig incident. Although he knows that the chances of a repeat are very unlikely especially now that he is being home schooled Jeremy still couldn't be sure—but then again he was never sure of a lot of things and just drove on initiative hoping that would be enough.

Well he hadn't done anything he regretted so far so when he parked in front of the center as he usually did every Saturday he didn't even have to leave the car like he usually did to walk Clay to his class, instead Clayton calmly walked out as soon as the car was parked and didn't even hear his guardian say "Have a good lesson Clayton."

As the blonde haired boy shut the car door behind him Jeremy gently waved at him while trying not worry.

Surprisingly Clayton was the first one to arrive even though usually he was last, so he sat at his bench and impatiently waited for the girl. Each time the door swung open he expected to see a small face wrapped around a cotton cloth but instead it was girls in frocks.

It was nearly ten past when the girl came through the door with a large container in her hands, her face looked flushed as she took deep breaths and glanced around the room apologetically while the teacher beamed at her.

"Okay class today we are going to have a special presentation from Durrah about Fasting." The girl trembles slightly while the teacher announces to the rest of the class, slowly she walks to the front with her shoulders slightly hunched due to her shyness

"Good Afternoon everyone" She began, "I'm going to talk to you all about fasting, I'm a Muslim so we have to fast for thirty days during the month of Ramadan which is this month. Before sunrise my family and I get up to eat a meal and then we don't eat until sunset—" A girl in the class raised her hand and Durrah nodded in her direction.

"I just want to know what you eat during this meal and why do you have to do this?" Durrah gave her a shy smile before replying.

"I normally just eat cereal or toast but you can eat anything, my mum says that it is best to eat dates as they give you a lot of energy. As for why we have to do this is because fasting is part of our religion. In Islam there are five pillars which we have to do, like we have to first believe that there is only one God and the prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him is the last and final messenger, then we have to pray five times a day, give charity to the poor, fast and then make pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this is called Hajj." The children looked at Durrah with amazement along with Clay as he listened to her avidly.

"So is wearing that on your head also part of your religion?" Asked another and the girl nodded.

"Yes it is called Hijab and I wear it because I don't want to show my beauty to boys." The girls giggled while looking at Clay—the only boy in the class until another girl spoke up.

"Do boys have to wear it too?"

"Well not a scarf but they have to dress properly too and not look at girls." As a series of bewildered whispers went around the classroom Clay understood the logic, well the 'whole not showing beauty to boys' concept is foreign to him like anyone else but the fact that covering up provided a protection made perfect sense as it blended the individual into the background therefore less likely to be attacked by predators. In the animal kingdom the more an animal stood out they were more likely to be preyed upon by predators and that is why those weakest in the food chain would find themselves in areas they could blend easily and camouflage against their surroundings so that they could live to see another day—he just never knew that humans would understand this concept as well.

So Clayton realises that he is far more than just merely intrigued, the different cultures and mentalities which shaped their livelihood left him curious to the extent that he is desperate to learn more and know more.

"Did you know that fasting had many benefits?" The rest of the class became incredibly cold as Clayton spoke for the first time in his southern drawl. The teacher looked startled while Durrah stood frozen to the spot, Clayton Danvers hardly ever spoke to anyone—he came and went that is way he operated.

Finally Durrah nodded

"Yes"

"What are they?" Clayton asked while Durrah shifted nervously on the spot

"My mum says those who fast are healthier."

"I've read in the library that those who fast have a higher chance of survival, do you know why?" Clayton asked while Durrah looked confused and so did the rest of the class until Miss Ashton spoke up.

"Clayton you've asked a very good question I think w—" Durrah raised her hand and Miss Ashton paused in midsentence "What is it Durrah?"

"I think I can answer Clayton's question Miss Ashton," said Durrah

"Ok go ahead," Said Miss Ashton while she observed the two quietest members of her class finally starting to interact with the others.

"I think that when people fast and don't eat means that when there is little food they can survive better because they've been used to not eating." Durrah said and Clayton nodded satisfied with the answer—only those who were smart would prepare for the worst like Jeremy did when he would limit to essential items on the grocery list because he had to pay the bills and money was short. Although personally he would never forgo food, the thought slightly scared him a little he still understood what the girl tried to explain to him.

It was the same explanation that he received from Jeremy about his hobby of shooting sticks, through patience one would have maximum control and as far as Clayton was concerned a person who could control their hunger could survive through anything.

As Durrah continued to answer questions time slowly ticked away and when she started to help the girls fashion their own headscarves Clayton knew it was time he returned to cooking but Durrah looked happy, once shy she now could hardly stop laughing as she found herself moulding into the group of girls that she was once too nervous to talk to.

And before anyone knew it was time to leave again, as everyone rushed to leave Durrah remembered that she was supposed to give everyone dates but as usual she found herself quickly alone in the classroom.

Sighing she couldn't help but feel upset over the fact that today was her last class as her father had received a job offer overseas, it was ironic that when she woke up in the morning she was glad that she didn't have any friends in the class because it would make leaving far more easier but today was the day she finally spoke to everyone.

Durrah made her way to the car park to wait for her father until she noticed a flash of blonde, it was Clayton the boy who she was partnered with last week and who rarely talked to anyone but today just like her he opened up.

"Clayton" She called after him, he didn't turn around so she called again he finally turned around if only hesitantly and warily until he realised it was her and immediately looked unperturbed yet irritated.

While standing at a reasonably safe distance Durrah pulled out her container

"I was meant to give one to everyone but then they all left and seeing as you haven't left yet—here." She stretched out her hand to give him the container full of dates.

"What is it?" He asked curiously

"Dates," She simply replied and he took the whole container and made his way to Jeremy sitting in his car while Durrah staring after him although a 'thank you' would've been nice but she hadn't expected it from him, neither did she expect him to take the entire container—oh well she'll just say to her mother that a friend took it.

With a soft sigh she returned to scanning the cars for her father until she noticed a tall figure coming towards her holding her container with Clayton grudgingly at his side.

The man with a gentle looking face and tender smile returned her container to her.

"Thank you for sharing these lovely dates with Clayton but why don't you hold onto the rest of them to give to the others next week." Jeremy said while the girl nodded with a smile.

"Have a lovely weekend." Said Jeremy while the girl folded her arms around the container as the man walked back to the car she found herself blurting out what she tried to resist from saying.

"Are you Clayton's father? You don't look like him." Jeremy turned around while the girl blushed fiercely at her stupidity before saying "I'm sorry I didn't mean to ask that," then to everyone's surprise Jeremy chuckled, a rare show of emotion which Clayton had only heard the time when Antonio had given Jeremy a silver bullet with Malcolm's name written on it.

Jeremy couldn't help but find the innocence of the girl enchanting—she was so unlike Clayton who never really acted like a child, so as he opened his mouth to reply to the girl a car drove into the car park and called out the girl's name, she gave one last embarrassed smile then rushed off to her father's car. As soon as she was seated the silver car slowly turned towards the exit while Jeremy guided Clayton back to their car until a horn was blasted at them.

Frowning in confusion Jeremy turned towards the silver car which now had an open window.

"Jeremy Danvers!" A man shouted out and recognition hit Jeremy, it was his one of his colleagues from the small translating firm that he worked for.

"Ali Farooq, how are you?" Jeremy asked politely,

"All is well and yourself? Are you still with translating?" He asked

"Yes I am. I've heard that you're leaving." Ali nodded with a smile,

"Yes I've received a job offer abroad so I'm leaving tomorrow with the whole family." Jeremy noticed the slightly upset expression on Durrah's face as he said "well I wish you the best of luck."

"And to you too Jeremy I see that you've a little boy with you now." Jeremy smiled tenderly at the mention of Clayton and placed his hand back on his shoulder with affection.

"Yes my nephew Clayton, I've adopted him after he lost his parents."

A soft "Ah" erupted from Durrah as she finally received her answer.

"Poor boy, you're a good man Jeremy, do take good care of him. I lost my parents young too and it wasn't easy." Ali shook his head at the thought before patting his daughter's head, "Anyway I won't keep you any longer but I am glad to have gotten the chance to see you before I left. Take care Jeremy and Clayton." Ali said while Jeremy replied with similar sentiments and as Ali Farooq closed his window Durrah waved at them until she was no longer in sight, leaving the Danvers duo in the car park.

Following suit Jeremy and Clay did the same. When they finally strapped their seatbelts did Jeremy ask how his class was, Clay merely shrugged.

"I'm hungry" he said as soon as Jeremy pulled out of the car park.

"I think you should try fasting." Jeremy said with a chuckle while Clayton grumbled under his breath until Jeremy handed him one of the dates that Durrah had given him.

After chewing on a couple he was amazed to find out that Durrah was right they did sustain his hunger for nearly a whole day.

Another week later Miss Ashton announced the departure of Durrah due to her father taking job abroad in their Home Economic class, the class at first seemed relatively upset especially since a few girls had even brought patterned fabrics for Durrah to help them tie into a headscarf but soon the atmosphere changed and it seemed like a girl named Durrah never even existed. Although the memory of Durrah never registered in Clayton's brain the religion which she shared to him and the rest of the class did.

In fact it stuck with him for life; although human behaviour always fascinated him the concept of religion shaping the lifestyle choices of people intrigued him more.

At the age of sixteen when prospects of college arose Clayton found himself in a dilemma— he wasn't sure which field of Anthropology to branch out into which is a necessity if he wanted to go onto get a PHD, so while looking over a course at the University of Syracuse he found himself in the pantry searching for some food. Absorbed in his thoughts he didn't notice his fingers absentmindedly brushing against a cool glass jar, finally pulling away from the bundle of papers in his hand he noticed that the jar contained a few dates—those very same ones that the girl in his Home Economics class gave him so many years ago, he couldn't believe that Jeremy hadn't thrown them away. As he opened the lid he realised in utter amazement that the dates were still in pristine condition; they still had that sweet smell.

Putting the jar back on the shelf Clayton finally decided that he would take the religion courses and as he made his a sandwich he found himself looking forward to university.