You have a choice.
Live or die.
Every breath is a choice.
Every minute is a choice.
To be or not to be.

-Chuck Palahnuik

Black Knight

I was no longer in control of my own body. That much was unmistakeably clear. I tried to speak, cry, scream even but nothing would come out. I tried to move my hand- I wanted to scratch, punch or gauge anything I came in contact with. I couldn't even twitch my pinkie. The fear was paralyzing- I was a literal statue, lying unmoving on the concrete floor. I didn't even dare to open my eyes.

This wasn't how this night was supposed to go- pinned to the ground by the cold and immobilizing terror that coursed through my veins as blood was slowly seeping from somewhere on the back of my head and soaking my hair and bare back. It should have been so different.

A tear tracked down my cheek, but I didn't even bother to try and wipe it away. So much for peacekeeping. The tears kept coming.

"Come on now Clare-Bear," the voice slurred, "now is no time for crying."

My heart constricted as I heard his voice, yet I could not staunch the flow.

"Well maybe this will cheer you up."

The next thing I knew was a pair of wet lips was crushed against mine, his teeth scraping at mine- I could feel the skin break and the flood bubble up. The pain was not nearly the worst part.

His beer infused breath overwhelmed me, and whether from sheer disgust or blood loss I began to get woozy. I opened my eyes a crack- my surroundings were all fuzzy. Everything except his wretched face; I would probably never get that image out of my mind's eye.

The effort to keep my eyes open was too much, so I let them flutter shut. As he continued his assault on my face I could feel his hands moving begin their own. I wanted so desperately to cry out, but all that I could manage was a moan.

He just laughed.

"Oh Clare Bear- we're going to have so much fun."

'What a bloody moron- she's a complete idiot,' Eli thought to himself as he paced through the crowded gym, ignoring the stares of people who didn't look anything like her, who weren't the blue eyes he was searching for.

This had always been his battle. How dare she think that she was the one who had to deal with it- think that she had to protect him? Didn't she know that that was his job?

She was probably just hiding out somewhere from Fitz- bored to tears by his idiocy. They could probably sneak out together- maybe go to the roof for a while before Fitz noticed. He would apologize- he never wanted to put anything like this on her. All would be well.

At least that is what he kept telling himself- only he hadn't seen Clare in half an hour. He wasn't the type to just sit there while his girl was off somewhere with an evil git like Fitz. He had to know that she was safe- he didn't even care if she thought that he was being an over-protective jerk. He just had to know that she was alright.

After doing two laps of the room he made for a door that led off into a hallway. In passing through the door he caught a snippet of a conversation of a couple caught in a small alcove thought to be hidden from the world.

"Cold feet perhaps"

"No- I told you- someone's in there. Actually I don't think it's someone. I can't believe that Clare Edwards is in the boiler room of all places- I swear that emo kid has definitely-"

Eli didn't wait around to hear what he definitely was- he tore off at a run towards the boiler room in the basement. On his way he pulled out his phone and did the only thing he could think of.

Oh yes the cavalry where on their way alright.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed, nor could I accurately remember how I had even got here. All I knew was that there was little hope of getting out. I wanted desperately to black out, for this to all be over, yet the more I desired escape, the further it seemed. Slowly I felt the oppressive blanket that clouded my senses and deadened my muscles lift. After a few minutes I found that I could move my head and use my hand to try and push Fitz's face away from my own.

That probably wasn't the best idea as this seemed only to fuel his rage. I moved again to push him away, but even with my limited strength returning I could not fight off his brute force. But I am not a quitter and just as Fitz moved to rip off my bra, I used a carefully aimed knee to the crotch at the same time as I pushed my fingers up into his eyes- twisting and pulling as much as I could.

I refused to allow the blackness to take me again. I wanted to fight. I chose to fight back.

He screamed in pain and fell back off of me clutching his face in pain. I tried to scramble up and make for the door, but before I could take two steps, the cloud of black took began to take me again and I swayed towards the floor. I was unconscious before I hit the ground. As I fell I thought I saw a flash of light, but soon everything was black.

Please be okay. Please be okay. Please please be okay. Eli chanted to himself as he flew through the halls towards the boiler room. Just keep holding on till I can get there. Don't let him hurt you Clare.

As he reached the door he wrenched it open- the door smashed open, the hinges screaming in protest as it hit the wall.

If it weren't so awful, he would have laughed. It figured that Clare would do a number on Fitz before he could storm in there and really do some damage. That girl really did spoil his fun. But as he took in the sight of Clare, he knew that he was still too late to keep Clare from coming to any harm whatsoever.

He saw her tearstained face, the blood staining her neck and chest; the blouse that hung around her in tatters- the scratches on her face and hands.

He ran forward as she swayed and caught her – lifting her up in his arms and carrying her away from the whimpering Fitz on the floor. Such was his affection for Clare that he didn't even aim a kick in his direction, instead he bolted back the way he had came, where he heard sirens gathering in the darkness outside of the school.

As he jogged through the halls, the music pumping from the speakers where mostly everyone was still unaware, Clare began to wake up.

Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment she thought that she was dreaming, but as all the aches and pains came back to her she realized that she wasn't dreaming; she was safe. Eli had saved her.

"Eli" she struggled to say.

He looked down at me, stopping dead, clearly surprised to see me awake.

"Lemme down" I said, my words slurring as I tried to struggle out of his embrace. As much as I normally wanted his touch, right now I just needed to support myself. I hoped he understood.

He looked sceptical, but he helped me to my feet, leaving just an arm around me to help me walk. We walked down half the hall when he stopped to slip off his jacket and put around my shoulders. It was warm and its weight felt comforting. I could even smell its reassuring aroma float around me as we walked down the main hallway.

I didn't even know where we were going, but I really didn't care anymore. I just need to lie down somewhere and sleep for a thousand years, and then get up and shower; I needed to scrub every inch of my body that Fitz had touched with lye.

As we exited the building I took in the police and ambulance that were surrounding the school. Almost immediately Eli's arms were replaced with those of a woman wearing a paramedic who helped me onto a gurney. They began to load me into the back of an ambulance.

"Eli? Eli where are you?" I mumbled, reaching my hand out to search for him.

I watched as Clare got loaded into the back of the ambulance before I turned to the police officer who had run up to us immediately.

"He's in the boiler room, basement hallway. I came in just after she had fought him off her. He still got to her though. Looks like I wasn't quick enough," Eli shuddered.

"You did just fine son. We'll take it from here- evacuate the school and we'll send in back up to look for the boy-"

"Fitz" Eli supplied.

"Yes, and we'll need you for questioning."

Eli just nodded.

"And-"

He was cut off by the paramedic who came up to them.

"She's asking for you."

"Me?" Eli asked. He didn't think she had been lucid enough to really understand what was going on.

"Yes, so if you'd like to ride with us you'd better come."

Eli looked to the officer for permission.

"You go on- we can get your statement later."

Eli nodded and jogged after the paramedic, climbing inside, and taking Clare's outstretched hand.

"Don't worry Clare, I'm here."

A/N: This was written based on what happened in All Falls Down part 1; my own interpretation of part 2. Please let me know what you think- and please be brutally honest.

Also- if you'd like for me to continue with this story, let me know!

Cheers,

Hannah