We Weren't a Fairytale
Summary: It's when Clare is happily married with a teenage daughter of her own, that she recalls her own teen heart break and shares some words of wisdom.
Pairings: Klare, mentions of an OC/OC relationship and of EClare
Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of the characters. Only the OCs, Emily, Ava, and Matthew and the storyline.
Clare Edwards-Guthrie walked into her living room with a sigh, slipping of her shoes and her coat. She could hear giggling coming from the kitchen and headed down the hall, stepping into the room, smiling as she spotted her husband, KC and her six year old twins, Matthew Adam Guthrie and Ava Elizabeth Guthrie.
"Mommy!" Matthew squealed, hurrying over to his mother, face and hair streaked with flour.
Clare laughed and picked her son up before walking over to KC and Ava who'd both turned to face her. She ruffled her little girl's hair and kissed KC's lips. "So, what are you three doing and where's Emily?"
"She's sad." Ava answered, green eyes wide.
The woman frowned in worry at her daughter's words. "Why is Emily upset?" She asked her husband, looking up at him sharply, forgetting all about the mess that had been made of her children and of the kitchen.
KC sighed. "Well, apparently, her relationship with Henry ended. She's been crying ever since she got home from school. That's why I decided that Ava, Mattie, and I should try and bake her a cake to cheer her up.
Clare shook her head, putting her son back on his face. "Poor girl. She must be absolutely devastated. She and Henry have dated for a year. She really cared about him. Listen, once you finish the cake, how about you make sure the twins take a bath? I'm going to take Emily out for awhile and talk to her. "We'll probably eat while we're out, so get yourself some pizza or Chinese."
-Klare-
"God, would you leave me the hell alone?" a feminine voice yelled angrily. "I don't want to talk right now!"
"Fine, you don't have to talk. But I'm not going to leave you alone. Now get your but out of that bed and grab your purse. You and I are going shopping." With that, Clare stepped back out of the room, shutting the door and ignoring her sixteen year old daughter's disbelieving look.
A half hour later, they were parking in front of the mall and walking inside. Emily's arms crossed under her chest as she grumbled under her breath, even as they stepped into her favorite store. No matter what her mom was planning on, she wasn't going to talk. She deserved to be pissed as hell at Henry.
"You know, when I was your age, I thought I had found the love of my life." Clare stated, thinking of Eli and of her tumultuous relationship with him, years ago. She'd loved him. He'd been her first love. Her first really serious relationship. He also helped her realize what she really needed and wanted in another person. Don't get her wrong, Eli hadn't been a bad guy. However, he had never really learnt from his mistakes. He had just continued to make them. He had sometimes placed the blame at her feet for crap that he did, things that couldn't possibly be her fault. She had done what was best for her when she had ended things. If she hadn't, she would've been stuck in a marriage that made her miserable. She'd have never reconnected with KC or had three absolutely beautiful children with him.
Clare had reconnected with KC during her first year of college. She'd decided to go to University of Toronto and had met up with him there. When they eventually started dating months after they'd run into each other, they'd have double dates with Clare's roommate, Kayla Forester and KC's roommate, Dominic Halloway. KC had proposed during their third year in college and they got married once that school year ended, moving into a small apartment together, next door to Kayla and Dominic. It was after their final year in college and they both had their dream jobs-Clare as a journalist for a big newspaper, and KC as a therapist, working the cases of foster children that they became pregnant with Emily. They'd moved from their small apartment into a little house with a small yard, had gotten a dog from the pound named Elsa, and had prepared for their little girl's birth.
Emily had been born just a few days after KC's birthday and was the apple of his eye. Ten years and six months later, the twins had been born.
Over the years, Clare had heard from Imogen that Eli hadn't married, going through countless relationships, yet never settling down or seeming happy. She felt bad for him, but what could she do? She had moved on long ago and had her own life. Perhaps if everying hadn't coddled Eli, he wouldn't be like he was now.
-Klare-
"Mom?" Emily asked, swallowing as they sat in the restaurant, drinks and meals in front of them. "Do you think it will stop hurting? I mean...I broke up with him because he didn't seem interested anymore and all we were doing was arguing, but I miss him."
Clare smiled, walking around the table to hug her daughter, running her hand through the girls long, light brown curls. "Believe me Emily. One day, you'll move on. You'll find someone who makes you smile and laugh and who loves you like you deserve to be loved, nothing less."
Neither woman knew how right Clare's words were. Not until Emily began to date AJ Torres, Drew's son with his wife, Chelsea Harris.
the end
