Legal: I own nothing but the idea
So this should have been posted yesterday but there were some technical difficulties. So you get a twofer tonight!
Important things to know before reading:
*This is a quickie drama one shot
*Starts with Ray of Light but Eli does not take MDMA
*Adam and Becky are nothing to each other because I can't stand Becky anymore
*a few intense moments and possible trigger warnings read with caution
Okay that does it please enjoy
Just Tell Me We're Not Through
"CLARE," Jake yells up the stairs. I sigh at my stepbrother's behavior putting down my laptop and homework and going to the top of the stairs. I'm about ready to ask him what he wants when I see Eli in the doorway.
"Can we talk?" Eli asks hopefully.
"I'll tell your mom where you are," Jake says.
I follow Eli out the door and we get in his dad's car. He drives us out to the abandoned church and parks. He gets out of the car so I follow him, he starts walking through the broken building while I linger near the fence.
"Eli this isn't working, things were great for a while but I think we need some space," I speak up when he hasn't said anything after a while.
"You want to break up?" Eli questions without looking at me and the tone in his voice is hard to read.
"Well we have to do something, I try to help and you accuse me of trying to control you. You got really angry when you read my diary and found out I had a fleeting idea of sleeping with Jake. Something I obviously wasn't ready for and something Drew and Owen sort of pressured me into I might add. This isn't working anymore Eli, we need some space maybe getting back together was a bad idea. You can barely seem to look at me without yelling and I honestly don't want to be around you right now. Maybe after a couple weeks of space we'll feel differently," I comment.
"Or maybe you'll find out you never loved me to begin with," Eli growls.
"Eli that's not fair you know I love you but this isn't good for either of us. Have you been taking your meds, talking to your therapist?"
"I'm not crazy," he responds.
"I know but you're obviously down, it's part of bipolar depression and after what happened with Cam I understand th…"
"You don't understand anything, you never have. You want to break up fine then we're done," Eli growls and runs to the car.
"Eli stop."
"No you wanted to be done then we're done," he snarls back jumping in the car. He starts it and I run over to get in but he locks the doors.
"Eli open the doors."
He doesn't respond, doesn't even look at me just throws the car into reverse and speeds down the dirt road backwards. I'm literally left standing in a cloud of dust and alone. I left my house without my phone or purse or anything because I didn't think I'd need them just to talk to Eli. I don't have any choice but to start walking so I do. I'm not actually upset about the breakup itself but the way it happened is upsetting. I make it back to the streets and begin walking toward my house when a loud car horn startles me. I look behind me to see Owen in his SUV with several other Ice Hound members in the SUV. Owen pulls over and Dallas who's in the front passenger seat rolls down the window.
"What are you doing walking way out here?" Owen asks.
"I was…breaking up with Eli," I tell them, it's all I can think to say without explaining the whole fight.
"Can't believe you two broke up, you seemed like destined for each other or whatever," Dallas says.
"I can, what does that make six, seven times?" Owen teases and then looks at Dallas, "Get in back we're taking her home."
"Why do I have to get in back?" Dallas whines.
"Because it's my damn car and ladies ride up front, besides she wouldn't be comfortable sitting back there with Luke and the others," Owen replies. Dallas grumbles a little and gets out; I give him a smile and get in the passenger seat.
"Thanks," I grin at Owen as Dallas climbs into the very back of the SUV where I guess Owen has a rumble seat. "What were you guys doing out here?" I question as Owen begins driving.
"We had our own little memorial for Cam," Owen explains.
"Oh right, sorry about Campbell I didn't know him at all but he seemed nice," I say but feel pretty uncomfortable talking about Cam with his team.
"Yeah apparently we didn't know him that well either," Owen replies and we all go silent for a few minutes. "So how bad was your breakup with Eli? Should we stop for a gallon of ice cream or something?" Owen offers.
"No it needed to happen, we definitely needed to breakup things were not going well with us. It's been really tense I told him we needed space so he drove away without me," I say blurting it out and then realize what I'm doing. "Sorry you didn't need to know all that," I apologize.
"At least he didn't drive into a wall this time," Owen comments and the others laugh a little even though I doubt they know what Owen is referring to.
"Yeah thankfully," I smile although given his behavior this afternoon I have no idea what he'll do," I sigh and we fall silent for several minutes. "My house is just up here," I tell Owen, I point out my house and he pulls over. "Thanks for the ride, see you guys at school tomorrow," I say as I get out of the car.
"How come you left with Eli and half the Ice Hounds brought you home?" Jake questions.
"Because when I told Eli I wanted space he left me at the abandoned church and when I was walking home Owen saw me and offered me a ride."
"Eli just left you? Is he off his meds again?"
"I think so after finding Cam. I asked him but he just got angry. I have homework to finish," I say and go upstairs.
I finish my homework and eat dinner with everyone, Mom says she's sorry that Eli and I broke up; Glen tells me it's probably for the best and that's all that's said about it. I take a long shower after dinner but instead of thinking about Eli in the shower I find myself thinking about Owen. Before today I'm pretty sure I'd never spared a moment's thought for Owen but right now he's al that's on my mind. He was surprisingly sweet this afternoon. I knew he wasn't the terrible bully he seemed to be when I saw him with Tris, watching him around his younger brother who is also gay showed me that there was more than just the jock and bully that we usually saw at school. Today though he didn't have to stop and pick me up he could have let me walk, he was sweet about my breakup with Eli offering to pick up ice cream and didn't mind when I babbled a little.
I actually sleep pretty well considering I just broke up with Eli. Jake drives us to school the next morning and I'm a little worried about seeing Eli after how things ended yesterday. I have no classes with him and we manage to avoid each other in the halls until after school when I find him waiting at my locker.
"I thought we agreed we needed space?" I comment as he moves off my locker so I can open it.
"I was angry yesterday and wasn't thinking straight. You couldn't have been either we just can't be through not after all we've meant to each other," Eli says in a begging tone.
"We need space Eli right now we just seem to be bringing out the worst in each other. I love you Eli b…"
"If you love me then we can work this out we have to work this out don't tell me this is the end Clare. Just talk to me, somewhere private," Eli says noticing that we're being watched now. "Please Clare I'm really sorry about yesterday just talk me this can't be it," Eli pleads.
"Okay," I give in. At least if he drives away and leaves me at school I won't have a long way to walk home. Eli takes my hand and we walk into the storage room, Owen and a few of the Ice Hounds are in the hall and I see Owen watching us as Eli and I go into the storage room.
"I overreacted yesterday and leaving you there in anger was unforgivable. I still love you Clare and I just refuse to let this be the last of us," Eli tells me.
"Maybe it's not the last of us," I say but can't continue as Eli interrupts me.
"Then you agree we shouldn't breakup, we're too good to breakup and just let things end."
"But I still think we need space Eli, neither of us is happy right now. If we stay in the relationship like this we'll both end up hating each other. I think we need a break Eli; we need some breathing room and to not be walking on egg shells around each other. Maybe we need to just realize that the idea of us together is better than the reality."
"I can't believe you want to break up after everything. After all we've been through and you just want to be done?!"
"Eli that's not what I said. I said we n…"
"I will not let that be the last of us. WE ARE NOT THROUGH," Eli becomes suddenly full of rage grabbing my arms and spinning me around before shoving me onto the sofa. He lands on top of me at the same time his lips crush down on mine and I push him away turning my head.
"ELI GET OFF OF ME!" I shriek and push him with all my strength but he won't get off me and he's kissing my neck.
"No, no we're not done yet, we are not through you can't tell me we're through. I won't let you go I…"
"She said to get off of her," Owen growls as he and one of the Swedish twins grabs Eli's arms and tugs him off me. "Dude she broke up with you fucking deal with it," Owen says to Eli.
"No she's my girlfriend, we are not done yet you cannot break up with me Clare," Eli says in a crazed voice staring at me and trying to get out of Owen and Bo or Ingvar's grip. Owen hands Eli's other arm to the other Swedish twin and looks at Luke.
"Get him out of here, take him to Simpson," Owen commands then Luke leads the Swedish twins out who are holding Eli.
"Tha…n...ks," I stutter on a shaky breath as I break into tears and break down. I sort of collapse, curling into the sofa and crying but it's more than just the scare Eli just gave me.
"Are you okay Clare did he hurt you?" Owen asks and I shake my head.
"Did it remind you of Asher?" Dallas questions and I nod crying even harder, sobbing so hard I snort because I can't breathe very well.
"Asher who?" Owen asks as the two of them take a seat on either side of me.
"Shostack her co-op boss," Dallas explains for me since I can barely breathe let alone talk right now.
"Why the hell would what just happened remind her of her co-op boss?" Owen asks.
"Because he kissed her and tried to assault her in his car," Dallas says.
"What a fucking asshole I can't believe he did that and how in the hell did you of all people know that?" Owen questions.
"It's a story he can tell you later I want to go home," I comment able to talk as I sniffle in the rest of my tears.
"I'll take you home," Owen tells me. He stands up and helps me to stand, I wipe my tears away and Owen puts a hand at my back. He and Dallas escort me out to the front of the building, when we get near the front doors Luke comes over.
"Eli's dad is on his way, Simpson was about to come talk to you he was grabbing Miss Sauve," Luke says.
"Tell Simpson I took Clare home," Owen tells him and Luke nods.
"I'll tell Adam what happened," Dallas comments and I nod.
I feel other eyes on me as Owen takes me out to his SUV but I don't care. He unlocks the doors and I get in the passenger seat.
"What about Tristan?" I question.
"Hanging with Tori at her place," Owen says. We ride in silence the short distance to my house. Jake's truck is gone so he must be helping his dad.
"Thanks for bringing me home," I smile.
"No problem you want me to come in and wait with you? Just till someone else gets home so you're not alone I mean," Owen offers.
"If you don't mind then I wouldn't mind the company," I grin.
Owen smiles turning off the car and following me inside. Realizing all my stuff is still at school I text Adam and ask him to get my backpack from my locker. He texts back right away that he'll grab it and be over soon because Dallas filled him in on what Eli did.
"Do you want a snack or something?" I ask Owen after setting down my phone.
"No thanks I'm fine," he replies.
"Adam is on his way with my stuff I left it all in my locker," I tell Owen nervously just to be saying something. Never actually been alone with Owen, I know he won't attack me but I really don't know what to say to him.
"Cool, I hope Eli's not in school tomorrow after what he did," Owen remarks.
"I hope so too. I know finding Cam was hard on him, probably triggered thoughts of Julia but he…" I stop myself before I keep rambling. "Sorry you don't want to hear all that and you just lost Cam, a member of your team and I'm rambling on about a broken relationship that's probably been broken since Asher."
"If you need to talk about it then I'll listen," Owen tells me.
"That's very sweet of you but I don't need to burden you with my problems. Especially having just lost Cam, he was your teammate and your brother's friend."
"Doesn't mean you don't need to talk," Owen says and I smile.
"I really just need someone to tell me it's going to be okay and remind me that Eli's not the only boy out there."
"It is going to be okay and Eli's not the only boy, just what am I?" Owen questions sounding slightly offended and I giggle.
"I didn't think you even knew I was alive."
"Who could possibly ignore Clare Edwards?"
I bite my lip and blush but before I can answer the doorbell rings and I know Adam is here. I answer the door and let Adam in, he walks into the living room setting my backpack on the table and then he notices Owen.
"Hey Owen, Dallas said you brought Clare home but I wasn't really expecting you to still be here," Adam comments.
"Just keeping her company so she's not alone, I think it's best friend time now. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Owen says picking up his backpack.
"Thanks Owen I'll see you tomorrow," I grin and walk him to the door.
"I'll check on you later," he tells me before leaving and I smile.
Adam and I go up to my room and he stays for over two hours as I cry my heart out to him. Adam already knew about Asher, I told him after I pressed charges. Adam even stays for dinner which is good because my mom is freaking out since Simpson told her about Eli's attack in the storage room.
"Eli won't be in school tomorrow but I'm sure he'll want to talk to you again. He might even try something again, just be safe okay and call me if you need me," Adam tells me when I walk him to the door after dinner.
"Thanks Adam," I smile. When Adam leaves I go up to my room. I get out my laptop and do my homework. I don't finish until after eleven and then I start getting ready for bed, I can already hear the rumors that will be circulating school tomorrow. I go into the washroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, when I come back I'm startled by a figure in my room. "Don't do that," I scold Owen putting on some music so no one hears us talking, well Jake might but I doubt he cares it's mostly so Mom doesn't hear us. "How did you even get in here? Never mind knowing you I'll bet you scaled the house and climbed through my window."
"I didn't think your mom would let me in so late," Owen says.
"No she wouldn't, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you."
"I told you I'd come and check on you later," Owen replies.
"I expected a phone call not a midnight visit."
"I didn't have your number," Owen shrugs, "so how are you?"
"Better after talking with Adam although after what Eli did still a little afraid of him. I thought he was going to rape me, I really thought he would go that far. I have been worried about his behavior before b…you know I have this habit of talking too much with you."
"I thought you had that habit anyway and it wasn't just me, but it's okay I like to hear you talk. And I'll protect you from Eli and anyone else that tries to hurt you."
"That sounds like something a boyfriend would say," I comment.
"Yes and I'd like to be, but given the very recent and very awful breakup you had with Eli why don't we start with friends? Some of the team is going to the beach on Friday for a BBQ. Drew and Bianca will be there, pretty sure Adam will too. Would you like to come with me, as friends?"
"Yes, yes I'd like that."