Chasing Fire: Chapter One
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Degrassi.
The lightening gleamed in the sky and the thunder roared beyond the horizon, a light drizzle hit the windows of the rickety old house. The sun had set about an hour ago and the moon was high in the sky, shining brightly. The only noises that could be heard was the whistle of the wind and the drips of water on the windows.
Clare Edwards opened the door of the house and shined her flashlight into the burnt house. Memories washed over her like a wave washing over the shore, she was going to miss the abandoned house but she didn't have a choice. Not anymore.
It had been years since she had lived in this house with her family, her mom Helen, dad Randall, and older sister Darcy. Now they were all gone, leaving only Clare and a broken house left. After tomorrow though, Clare wouldn't be here and in two weeks the house would be torn down and rebuilt. Everything that Clare had tried to save was being taken away and it was all because she was finally being adopted.
Clare had spent ten years in the same orphanage with the same foster mom and kids growing up around her and getting adopted, but now it was all changing. And Clare hated change, more then anything in the world.
Walking through the foyer of the old house, Clare made her way to the living room and sat down in the middle of the floor. Then she sat the lantern on the floor and flipped it on, while killing her flashlight. She knew that Mary, her foster mom was probably worried half to death. But she wasn't going to spend the night with her makeshift family, she was going to spend it with her real family.
Sitting on the ground the memories of the Edwards last night together resurfaced and Clare let the memories take over her mind.
Six year old Clare Edwards sat at the dinner table and ate spaghetti with her family. Her mom and dad were smiling as Clare told them about her day at school. How for the first time since she started school no one picked on her and she wasn't last picked when they got into groups. Because Clare had finally made a friend, and all the Edwards were ecstatic for her.
Once dinner was done with the four Edwards walked into the living room and begin a movie, the same thing they did every night. Randall and Helen believed that they needed to spend as much time as a family together. And being strong Christians family and God were the most important things in their lives.
Clare cuddled up with Darcy as the cool December wind blew into the slightly opened windows and in the living room. As the movie progressed, Clare remembered laughing and crying at the movie, but for the life of her she couldn't remember what it was. That made her sad, because it was the missing puzzle piece to her final memory of her family.
As soon as the movie was over, it was far past the girls bed time and Mr. and Mrs. Edwards had sent them up to their rooms and to bed. Clare stood in her door way and watched Darcy walk into her room. They fought a lot, Clare remembered. In the end though, if Clare needed Darcy she would've been their in a heart beat.
"Night Darce," Clare called after her big sister.
Darcy, her long hair falling down her back turned around and smiled. Darcy had always been the pretty and popular sister. With the perfect smile and perfect hair. She was outgoing and lovable, everyone admired her. While Clare was the total opposite. Long curly hair that couldn't be tamed, crooked teeth and pale skin. Darcy was beautiful and Clare, she was the ugly duckling.
"Night Clare-bear, love you." And with that Darcy disappeared into the other end of the house. Disappearing from Clare forever.
Clare walked into her room and changed into her pajamas, ready to get some shut eye. She couldn't wait to see her new friend Marie, and she couldn't wait for once in her life to wake up and go to school. This was new to her and she was starting to like the new changes.
Crawling into bed little Clare pulled the covers over her face and fell straight to sleep with a smile on her face.
Sweat trickled on her forehead in the middle of the night and Clare kicked her covers off of her small body. She was burning up but it didn't make any since, it had been freezing when she went to bed. She rolled on to her side and with her eyes closed she took in a gulp of air and it was immediately filled with smoke and she was coughing.
Jumping up she looked at her door, the light from the flames were engulfing her hallway. She could see it under the door. The fames were going to get her and before she could process, the strong flames broke through the weak door and lit up her room.
Clare scurried into the corner, terrified. She yelled for her mom, her dad, and Darcy but no one answered. For the first time in her live her parents weren't saving her. She scream and cried and the smoke and flames took over her room, and Clare Edwards was alone.
She keep breathing in the smoke, because she didn't know any better and she felt like her lungs were going to burst, like they were on fire. As she cried into her legs, she sat in the corner wishing she could form into the wall. But nothing was happening, she was going to die. She was only six and she was going to burn to death.
She couldn't breath anymore and she was terrified. With one last breath everything in Clare went black and she fell into the flames.
When she woke up the doctors had showed her how burnt she was on her stomach. That was the only place that wouldn't heal. She would always have nibbled skin there and she would always be ugly. After the news of her skin, she received even worse news. Her family was dead. All three of them, burn to death with smoke inflammation.
At that moment Clare knew that nothing would ever be the same again. So she started to push people away, first her only friend and then the foster kids and foster mom, she refused to get close to anyone. She was scared of losing people. She has only gotten close to one person since the death of her family and that ended just like they had. Up in flames.
As the night progressed Clare had fallen asleep on the floor and she forgot about the pick up in the morning. She forgot about the packed suitcase and she forgot about the Moore's, her new family. When the front door was kicked open and a loud voice echoed into the house, she knew it was time to go. Even in her sleep, she knew it.
"Clare, come on. Mary is going crazy looking for you." The male voice ring in her ears and she groaned.
Rubbing her eyes she slowly opening them and looking at Fitz, who had a sad tint in his blue eyes. He didn't want her to go, Clare knew that. Fitz had fallen in love with her, but Clare had refused to let herself fall for Fitz. He was a good friend, that was all. She made sure that he, like everyone else in her life was only close enough that if they walked out, she would be okay. Thats how it was with Fitz, thats how it was with everyone. As long as Clare didn't get hurt, she was fine. Even if that was completely selfish.
"Clare we have to go." Fitz extended his hand for her to take.
Hesitantly, she took it and let Fitz pull her body up before they dashed out of the old house. But not before Clare said on last good by with to her family and to her families house. She stopped dead in her tracks looked at the blackened and weathered wood. This was her final goodbye with her family.
Closing her eyes wind wrapped around her body and into her hair. She smiled and then let Fitz drag her away, her family had let her know she was ready for anything.
The Range Rover that was parked in front of the foster house told Clare all she needed to know, the Moore's where there and where ready to take Clare from her home in California all the way to Toronto. They might have been ready to take Clare away from her home and from the people she loves, but Clare was in no way in hell ready to be taken away.
Fitz opened the door to the foster house and Clare walked in. Mary, with her gray frizzy hair and heavy figure sat in the living room with a middle aged, wealthy looking couple. Jon and Anna. Mary had informed her of their names four weeks ago, so Clare would know how to address them from the beginning. Even though she had meet them both three weeks ago. They both shared dark brown hair and dark eyes, they were a good looking couple.
"Clare," The man stood up first a smile spread across his slightly tan face. "It's good to see you again."
Clare fake smiled at him before sticking her hand out for him to shake. "You too, Jon." She said shaking his hand Jon's smile never faltering.
"Clare, I'm so happy to finally see you again!" Anna cheered as she got up to greet Clare. Unlike her husband who just shook her hand in a friendly manner, Anna hugged Clare. As as wrapped her arms around Clare's torso, Clare, out of instinct flinched away at the contact, but Anna didn't notice.
Clare hated unnecessary contact with anyone, she hated people touching her. Unless she was familiar with their touch, Clare would flinch away. But it wasn't because of what happened to her parents, because it had been like this for only a year now. It was the other accident.
"I hate to rush you Clare." Jon started. "But we have to catch our plane."
Clare nodded and then headed up stairs to her room to grab her suitcase. She heard footsteps follow behind her and she knew Fitz was coming. Sighing, she was glad it was so early and that the younger kids weren't up. Because they had looked up to Clare and Fitz, the only teenagers in the home. The only ones who helped them understand what is what like in a foster home. They would be devastated once she was gone, but two goodbyes was enough for her.
As soon as she entered the room, Fitz's lips were on hers kissing her fast and hard. She shocked, she gasped and she pushed him away. Fitz was her best friend but those feelings weren't there, they've never had been.
"Whoa," Clare said putting her hand on his chest. "Fitz-" but she was cut off by him talking.
"I know Clare, you don't feel the same way. I know, but I had to before you leave. I'm going to miss you Edwards." Fitz eyes were filled with sadness and Clare had to hug him. She had to comfort him, because Fitz had been the only constant thing in her life for ten years. Besides Mary, of course.
"I'll miss you too Mark. But we'll see each other again, I promise." And Clare never made promises so he knew it was true.
And before any other thing could be said she kissed the corner of his mouth, grabbed her two bags and headed downstairs and to her new family.
Mary wrapped Clare in her arms and kissed her cheek, "I'll miss you kiddo. You're good, don't forget that."
And Clare knew exactly what she was talking about, she hugged Mary one more time before turning to Jon and Anna, nodding. She was heading to her new life, with new people who wouldn't know absolutely nothing about Clare's past. She had a fresh start and the Moreno's were giving it to her. So she couldn't be completely bitter to them.
After the plane ride she felt completely different, it felt like it was forever and as Jon drove back to his and Anna's house, everything begin to feel real. Realer then it had when she signed the papers, realer then it had when she packed all of her life up into one suitcase, and realer then in had when she boarded the plane to Toronto. There was no turning back now, because as she climbed into the silver Ranger Rover everything was real.
Clare sat silently in the back seat of the car and watched as Jon and Anna talked. It was weird being with a married couple or a couple at all. They showed so much love and affection toward one another and it was weird for Clare. Being around people who truly cared about one another. It made Clare fell awkward.
Anna turned around and smiled at Clare who faked it back. But Anna was to busy talking to notice how Clare keep faking every smile. "You're just going to love are daughter." Anna said turning back around in her seat.
Clare nearly chocked on her spit, a daughter? What? "You have a daughter?" Clare asked, but it came out more of a hiss.
"Yes, Mary didn't tell you?" Anna asked.
Clare shook her head at her new mom and Anna frowned. Clare knew Mary wouldn't just forget this small part of the equation. A daughter? Why did they need another one?
"How old is she?" Clare asked, with gritted teeth.
"Sixteen." Jon was the one who answered.
Clare scoffed, why in the hell would they want two sixteen year old daughters in their house. Where these people completely insane? "Why did you adopt me if you have a daughter? Wouldn't she be, I don't know, mad about it?" Clare arched an eyebrow.
"Oh no, she'll love you. Actually, this was her idea." Anna nodded.
Before Clare could finish their conversation and ask if they were completely nuts, the car had come to a complete stop. Clare hadn't even notice that they had turned into a neighborhood and Clare hadn't notice the huge gate they entered to pull into the driveway. She hadn't notice anything until Jon and Anna were loading out of the car. Jon opened Clare's door and she stepped out.
"Welcome home," Jon said smiling while grabbing Clare's suitcase. "This is casa de la Moreno."
Well, I totally got their last name wrong. Clare thought before following the married couple into the house, into her new life.