first fan fic , I dnot own anything.

Just something I wish would of happened. Au, please be kind...

Clay sat between Alex and Zac in the third row of the court house, waiting for another day of dragging the name and reputation of the girl he loved through the dirt.

Today is the last day of the court case, over the few weeks this farce of a court case has been going clay had grown close to Hannah's parents. So much so that when Mrs baker had asked clay what Hannah was to him, he had answered honestly.

"I love her...loved, I loved her"

Now he sat in court, not for the outcome, because honestly Bryce has made sure of that. But for support for the bakers.

"all rise" the clerk called as the door to the judges chambers swung open.

The judge swooped through and took his seat at the head of the court room, he took a moment to look over his glasses at both lawyer's.

"is the defence ready to proceed with your final witness?" he asked in an almost board sigh.

"we are your honour" the defence declared rebuttoning his suit jacket one handed.

The judge waved a hand to signify the last stage of this battle to begin.

"the defence calls..." the lawyer called firmly " hannah baker to the stand"

The court erupted into whispered conversations. Clays mouth dropped open as he turned his head to face Mr and Mrs baker, both were already looking in his direction, soft guilt ridden, apologetic smiles on their faces. Though Mrs bakers eyes held a Lot of concern for the young man whose mouth tried making words but only succeeded in flapping up and down.

Mrs baker turned her head to look towards the corner of the court room where a lone door stood half in shadow. As clay followed her gaze he saw the door open as if in slow motion and out of walked hannah and a tall broad shouldered man in a black suit and tie.

His eyes followed the girl as she moved smoothly towards the stand, her hair was lighter, her make up lighter but it was her. It was hannah baker. His hannah baker. He watched her unable to take his eyes off her in case she vanished in the second that he looked away.

As she sat down she wore a small smile, a moment of pride that she was doing something about what had happened to her, a smile that faulted as her eyes came to meet clays. Her smile falling as she took in the raw emotions in his eyes. Those tired, faded eyes. She saw confession, relief and pain, so much pain. Who had done this to him, who caused this sort of raw pain to him? Was it her, did her "death" do this to him, but he hated her, she knew he hated her for what she did to him, for what others said.

Her heart broke, her chest physically causing her pain as she saw the steady stream of silent tears trickle down his cheeks.

"miss baker?" the voice brought her back to earth.

Clay could see her mouth moving, she answering the questions that were being asked but he heard no words, he didn't feel his eyes burning, he didn't feel the tears falling and he didn't feel Alex and Zac as they placed their hands on his shoulders in comfort and support. He just saw her. His heart hammered in his throat as his stomach fell to his knees. It was her, she was alive, she looked breathtaking, between answers she would look at him, meeting his eyes. He noticed her eyes growing pink as the unused tears she held back built. He grew angry then. Who had made her want to cry? He'd kill them, he'd kill anyone who hurt her.

His mouth started flapping again as she rose from her chair brushing a lose strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes never leaving his until she was escorted back into the room from which she had come.

"Clay?..."

"Clay, hay man come on"

The voice echoed in the silence around him, his eyes were still fixed on the door, begging them to open again, to let her walk from them again. But it remained shut.

He was so numb that he didn't feel Zac lifting him to his feet and then gently guiding him into the hall behind Alex, who was now moving pretty smoothly on his Cain.

As they left the courtroom the sound slowly started to filter back in, voices of people talking, the snaps of heels and shoes on the polished tiled floor. The feel of his burning eyes, he blinked slowly as though he hadn't blinked in a year. He lifted his head and started to take in his surroundings.

A few feet away stood the bakers, their back to him as they hugged and smiled while talking to someone. Mrs baker turned to face the small group of boys, her face holding a genuine smile that was quickly replaced by a very forced one.

"we'll give you some time" she stated as she pulled her husband's arm, pulling him toward Alex and Zac as they approached.

As they moved away clay saw her. There she was. Hannah baker stood with her hands clasped in front of her. He didn't feel his mouth flop open again as she took a step toward him. She paused as she took him in, her eyes tracing every inch of his suit and tie, she smiled seeing his hair. It still hadn't chanced. She took a sharp breath in as her eye was drawn to his cheek by the light reflecting of fresh tears as they fell from his eyes.

" clay" she gasped as she quickly closed the distance and threw her arms around him.

She held him tight, her body shaking as she let her own tears fall, slowly she felt clays arms enfold her, slowly squeezing her tight to him the she felt his body jerk as he truly broke down in her arms. His face pressed deep into the side of her neck.

"h...h...how?" he checked between sobs.

"I'll tell you everything, I promise" hannah sighed as she pulled away slightly, just enough so she could cup his face in her hands and look him in the eyes "let's get out of here" she breathed with a small loving smile.

Clay could do nothing but nodd weakly. He allowed hannah to lead him to her car. A dark blue bug, that sat in the car park.

"mum I'm going to take clay home and talk" she called across the car park to her parents.

Who now stood outside the courthouse explaining to Zac and Alex how hannah was alive.

"be safe Hannah!" her mother called back with a small wave before returning to her conversation with the two young men.

The car ride was silent, hannah felt clays unblinking and watery eyes on her, but it was okay. If she were able to drive without having to look at the road she would happily stare into his eyes.

They pulled into clays drive, hannah shut off the engine, they both left the car and walked through clays house and up to his room, where clay collapsed onto the edge of his bed.

" so..." Hannah breathed softly as she stood before him.

" how?" clay cracked, his throughout was dry from his mouth hanging open.

" I went to the cops, I saw Alex's dad and told him everything, he encouraged me to press charges against bryce" Hannah began as she paced clays room snooping through draws and books as she did. "but the FBI had a case on Bryce too, something about being the biggest drug dealer In the state, along with a long list of sexual assaults, rapes and violent offences." She continued turning to face clay. " they wanted to put me in witness protection until they had everything they needed, but in order to do so, I had to disappear, so they faked my death..."

She paused allowing clay to assimilate the information she had just given him, she watched as his eyes flicked back and forth between his shoes. When he looked up at her she continued.

"they wanted to play a long game, wait for Bryce to truly cock up and then get him, BUT, then they heard of this kid at liberty high trying to get justice for me. Apparently he even took a real beating to record Bryce confessing he raped me" she paused again to look at clay.

He saw the gratitude and what looked like love in her eyes.

" you didn't have to do that you know, not for me, that isn't why I wanted you to listen to the tapes. I wanted you to realise it wasn't your fault" she stated holding his gaze "anyway, you caused them to get their shit together and so they approached my parents, asking them to pursue a case about my death, then once it was done they would swoop in and pick up bryce" she finished as she lifted a text book from clays desk.

A small bundle of papers feel from the back page of the book onto the desk, hannah picked them up and turned them over, her eyes growing wide in horror as she read them.

"what the fuck is this?" she demanded turning sharply to look at clay, holding the papers up for him to see.

"just thoughts and ideas" clay numbly stated, his head still digesting the story he had just heard.

"they read like suicide letters clay" hannah stated her voice cracking as her built up tears broke out.

Clay hung his head, his body starting to shack again as he wept.

"I tried, hannah" he choked out " I...i tried to live, to move on. I tried dating but I couldn't, I couldn't love on past you. My life ended the day I heard you had...had" he couldn't finish it, the tear took over him.

Hannah was between his knees in a flash, dropping the letters and flinging his arms around his shoulders, holding him until the tears subsided and he could talk again.

"No one came close to you. I didn't want to live in a world where your weren't here. I saw ghosts of us everywhere, I'd replay my mistakes I made with you over and over. I'd hear your voice in my head and I couldn't do it anymore" he finished weakly, wipeing his eyes with the sleeve of his suit.

"I love you hannah baker, I always have" he sighed. He had lost her once without saying the things he had wanted to, but not now, not again. "and I always will."

Hannah pulled away to arms length, she cupped his chin with one hand while the other stayed on his shoulder. She lifted he his head so he saw her tears, her smile and her eyes.

"bout time helemet" she sighed and she pulled him into a kiss, a soft lingering kiss, but one filled with all the passion and love they had for one another. " I love you too clay Jenson, and i always will" she gasped as the couple separated, foreheads and tips of their noses touching lightly.

Clay smiled for the first time that day. That month. He gently pressed his lips to hers again as their phones buzzed besides them.

"it's your dad" clay said frowning at his phone.

"my mum" hannah stated as looked at hers and sliding the answer bar. "hey mum, I'm sorta in th..." She paused listening for a moment. " okay hang on" she quickly took the phone from her ear and put it on speaker "okay mum we can both hear you" had semi shouted happily.

"the jury came back" Hannah's mum practicualy shouted happily "we won, we won honey"

Clays face broke into a huge smile as he shared a quick look and soft kiss with hannah.

"that's urgh, that's amazing" he gasped as they broke apart.

"it is, were going for a meal to celebrate, clay your mum and dad are coming, so are Zac, Alex and jessica" Mrs baker went on. "meet us at rose and thorn in fifteen minutes" she stated " we won" she breathed happily before ending the call.

Clay turned to hannah and dropped to one knee, his hands holding hers.

"what are you doing?" hannah snorted with laughter.

"Hannah baker, I promise to love you defend you and support you until my dying breath," clay said looking up at her beautiful eyes " will you be my girlfriend?" he asked softly.

Hannah couldnt help herself but laugh, it was so typical of him, clay, her clay, to ask her out in such a honourable and gentlemanly way that she just couldn't help it.

"Your so cute" she laughed pulling him up and embracing him "Yes clay, I'd love to be your girlfriend" she answered with a pure smile.

The pair kissed again, a deeper more passionate kiss that sent tingles through both their bodies.

" come on, we have a dinner to get to" hannah sighed as she gently lead him to the door.

" our first dinner" clay sighed happily as he followed after her. Their hands inseparable as they descended the stairs and walked out the front door.

End.