Hey folks (:
Sorry I've been gone for a loooong time ! I've been busy with school and trying to figure out a good story for Eli/Clare shipper! I think I might've found a good story. It only depends on the feedback I get on this prologue/ chapter 1. I hope I'll be able to continue this story cause I had a great time just writing it and seeing what came to mind when I wrote this. If I get really great feedback on this chapter then I'll have to figure out a schedule on when I would usually update (Like what day) Since I'm in school (freshman this year!) Well talk to you guys later! Please comment, I need feedback (:

Passion is Old News

As I drove into the driveway, I saw the house engulfed in flames! I quickly undid my seatbelt and jumped out of the car, not caring about closing the door. I saw that the front door had been knocked open and I ran inside. My eyes began watering when the smoke stung my eyes; I immediately dropped to my knees and started crawling. I crawled around the tiny house, trying to find him.

Where was he? I was groping around trying to find him. My vision was failing and the smoke had found its way to my lungs. I started to cough, yet I kept on calling out his name, "K.C.! Where are you?" Tears swelled in my eyes at the thought about not being able to find him, of being so helpless. I heard sirens, but I didn't care. I would rather die than live without K.C.

I heard some muffled coughs, and then a hoarse voice, calling my name. I quickly made my way closer to where the noise was coming from. Although I had to squint a bit, I saw K.C. on all fours in a corner. I crawled over to him and lifted his face to mine. I felt the tears slide down my face and I whispered, "What happened?" He started crying and then kissed me; it was a kiss out of need and not of passion.

A sad, little smile played upon K.C's lips, and there was a gun shot. I stared into K.C's lifeless eyes, just staring into empty space as I put his head in my lap. There was a warm, dark pool around us, but I was numb, I felt nothing, and if I did, I didn't care. I had just lost the one thing in my life that was perfect. In a split second everything was gone.

Beats of sweat trickled down my forehead and the back of my neck when I woke up in the middle of the night. My chest raised and lowered as my pulse became higher, breathing in and out as fast as I possibly could. It had been 2 years since the "accident". My husband has died, no, murdered, because of me. All I could remember was cradling his head in my lap as his eyes stared at me, his breathing had already ceased. I moved around, accommodating his motionless body. My eyesight was limited, but I remember seeing one green eye and one blue eye glowing in the approaching darkness. I gave in to the darkness around me, and then everything is black.

I awaken in the hospital with an IV attached to me and a pulsing headache. The doctor that had been checking up on me told me that I had suffered from first degree burns, but nothing else serious and with an obviously forced cheerfulness he told me I'd be as good as new in no time. I asked about K.C, all I got was a sad look and repetition of a fact I already knew well. K.C was dead and no one would tell me how or why.

I was released that same day and the next week I was whisked off to a funeral; his funeral to be exact. My parents had never been impressed with K.C, and were horrified when they heard I had married him, and even at the funeral, they refused to talk to me. I didn't even try to talk but they did give their condolences to his sister, Megan. Megan had been 2 years younger than K.C, but had acted like K.C.'s mother. And as hard as she tried to deny it, deep down inside I knew she loved K.C, especially since their parents had died in a plane crash.

I chose to sit in the way back where I could be hidden from condolences and people's pity. Megan was greeting everyone to notice me but K.C.'s dog, a wolf-dog mutt K.C had rescued - noticed me.K.C. and I had rescued him from the dog shelter right after we had gotten engaged because K.C. had said something about us not being safe. We had picked out a light brown and white wolf-dog who we named Keegan. Keegan tried to come to me but I sternly told him not from where I was and he obeyed. Keegan had been a great dog but Megan wanted to keep him and I told her she could. I was only 15 when K.C. and I had started dating and 17 when we had eloped. Then a year later, he died and it was my entire fault. Even two years later, I still have nightmares of his death.

After the funeral, I went back to my job and life. Sure, I had lost everything in that fire but I didn't dwell in the past. I got a new house and went on with life. After a year without K.C. some people had come by the house one Saturday morning; the morning that changed my life. There were three men that day that had entered the house.

They were all dressed in black and had shades on, covering their eyes. I offered them drinks but they declined. The dark skinned one then said, "Clare Edwards you are being recruited to take your husband's place in the Division." He smiled curtly and then introduced himself as Sav Bandhari. I had heard about the Division when K.C. had come home late one night and had been muttering about how stupid the some organization called the Division was.

Sav continued on, "Since you have no training like K.C. did then we will have to train you and see if you are fit for future missions. Please get your personal belongings packed up and then we will be off. Please try and hurry since we are on a very tight schedule." I sat there without moving; not believing what this Sav guy had told me.

I forced my mouth open and words stumbled out, "I want to know more about this Division before I move." I said sternly. Sav chuckled and then replied, "I remember K.C. telling me that his wife was a spitball of fire. I will try to explain the most important things right now but some things you'll just have to discover on your own."

One of the other two guys still standing then opened his mouth, "My name is Adam and this is my brother Drew." Adam pointed at the other guy standing next to him. "As Sav was saying, K.C. was a part of our Group 14. To put it really simple, we're spies. We work for the secret organization, the Division, but every spy is put in a group, ours of course is Group 14. You, Clare Edwards, are being recruited to take over K.C.'s place in our group."

I nodded slowly and then a small smile made its way on my lips. I confidently said, "I will do whatever it takes to take K.C's spot. I am ready to leave this part of my life behind and begin a new chapter in my life. I have nothing to take." The three guys smiled at me and then walked out the front door, with me at their heels.

When I was about to walk at the door, my eyes swept over the entire living room, just flickering a second longer on a picture of K.C. and I on our wedding day. A single tear shone on my cheek as I softly shut the door. I turned to see Sav and Drew starting to open a tiny book while Adam looked up at me sympathetically. He gave me a tiny smile and came over to hug me. I happily returned the hug and whispered thank you in his ear. I knew that Adam and I would become good friends.

Apparently, I had closed my eyes while hugging Adam and when I felt a tiny tap on my shoulder, my eyes flickered open and I then noticed I wasn't in front of my house. I saw people just walking around me and entering a room full of computers. People were talking to other people over TVs, like Skype. Others looked like they were speaking through what seemed to be pens.

My confused look must have been very funny because when I looked at Adam, he looked back at me and then bursted out into laughter. His laughter received some stern looks, but when the people realized it was Adam who was laughing, the looks softened. I started to blush when I saw most of the attention in the big room was directed towards us.

Drew and Sav had disappeared and the only person to help me was Adam, but he was having a fit of laughter and was rolling on the floor while I stood there, not really knowing what to do not where to go. Finally, I kneeled down next to where Adam was laying and sternly said, "Adam I do not think it's funny anymore. I really want to know where I am and now!" Adam rolled his eyes good naturedly and got up off the floor.

"You're at the Division headquarters, the main office to be exact. This is where you will report when it's time to go on your first mission. Every group, including ours, has their own training area, sleeping quarters, bathrooms, and game areas. There are around 10 missions and we all share a cafeteria together." I nodded as Adam looked at me. "Any questions grasshopper?"

I smirked at the nickname and nodded. "What is that room with the guy with glasses, that's looking at a couple of pens?" I pointed at the big room with the see-through glass windows all around the room. Adam nodded and replied, "That's the gadget room. The guy looking at the pens is Wesley. He's the inventor of all the gadgets of this place. That guy is an absolute genius!" Adam must admire this Wesley guy, I thought to myself.

"Okay, thanks for answering that question. Now what's the room with all the computers and people talking to each other over computer monitors?" I didn't even need to point to that room. "That is the communications room. When something bad is going on, we like to check on the other spies all around the world working for the Divisions. I think there is about 250,000 of us spie-" Adam stopped midway in his sentence when he saw my eyebrows raised and jaw dropped open.

I gave him an incredulous look and he just started chuckling. "What Clare? Did you actually think there were only spies in Canada?" He looked at me, hoping that I was only joking about the whole spy thing just being in Canada but saw that I wasn't joking. I had no clue that spies weren't just in Canada.

"K.C. didn't ever share with you what actually was his job?" I shook my head no and then looked at my feet. I missed K.C. He had always been there when my parents were fighting and now he was gone; probably because he was a spy. What was I getting myself into? Adam lifted my head with his finger placed under my chin and softly said, "Clare don't worry. Nobody will ever hurt you while you are working with Divisions. The entire group had tried to convince him not to marry but he had had his heart set on marrying you. He would always tell us how wonderful being married life was."

I looked into Adam's hazel eyes and saw that he wasn't lying. He wiped my tears away with his thumbs and kissed my forehead. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and continued to lead me around the headquarters. Adam knew everyone we passed and said hello to them all. I asked him where we were going and he told me we were going to the Group 14 building.

We passed 13 buildings before we came to the door with "Group 14" written in bold letters on it. There was a number pad next to the door and Adam punched in four numbers and then a voice asked for his finger scan. He put his thumb on a finger scanner and then the door opened. Adam pushed the door wider and let Clare duck her head and walk in with Adam following behind her.

Clare stood in amazement when she saw a huge inside pool with a fountain on one side. The pool was a lining of carved rocked with a fountain made up of rock on the side. The fountain's water silently flowed into the pool through 3 different openings. The pool stood directly in front of the door and was a large pool.

Adam smiled when he noticed Clare's reaction to the pool. "We do have other cool things beside the pool." Clare turned to her side and motioned for Adam to show her around the building. One of the doors off the right side of the pool led into a huge gym, complete with weights, balance beams, treadmills, boxing equipment, and bars. The floor was covered in a dark blue floor mat that covered the entire area.

Clare was shown the rooms, the kitchen, and the bathrooms. These spies defiantly didn't have a sad life. "So Adam, when do I get to meet the spies who live in Building 14?" "They're at the big gym with all the other groups training and practicing using new gadgets. Tonight you will get to meet them though. There's a big dinner tonight for all the spies and you will be there."

Clare was antsy about tonight and asked Adam, "Adam does this mean I'm spy?" Adam looked her straight in the eyes and said, "You are a spy in training. You will go on missions with the group like K.C." I smiled a bit at the thought of being able to honor K.C. by taking his place. "So tell me the names of the other spies in Group 14." Adam started ranting off the names, "There's Sav Bandhari, you met him; his girlfriend is Holly J. Then Fiona and me." I stopped him before he could go on and asked him, "Are you guys dating?" Adam blushed and looked down at his feet, muttering, "Not yet."

I smiled at him and then he continued. "Eli Goldsworthy, Ali Bandhari, Sav's younger sister, and her boy friend Drew; well you already know, my brother, then Fitz, and his girlfriend Bianca, and finally Zane and Riley." "Does this Eli not have a girlfriend or is she just in another group?" I asked. Adam looked at me solemnly and replied, "He did have a girlfriend and a daughter. Julia, his girlfriend was killed by an ex-spy, and let's just say it wasn't an accident."

I thought about Eli and how we were alike, that the one person that was the only thing perfect in our lives were both torn away from us. "What happened to his daughter?" "His daughter was killed a car accident while Eli was on a mission with all of us." I opened my mouth to ask another question, but Adam just held up his hand and said, "If you want any more details, you're going to have to ask him yourself." Disappointed, I nodded at Adam. "The dinner is at 1800 sharp (the time in this story is recorded in 24-hour time). I, or someone else from this group, will accompany you to the cafeteria. Feel free to go where ever you want. Ali and Fiona will be back from training and will probably be more than glad to let you borrow some clothes for tonight."

"Thanks Adam, I mean it, seriously! Thank you for showing me around. I have a feeling we'll be really good friends." I smiled real big for him and he laughed and then a beeping sound was heard. His watch was beeping and wouldn't stop until Adam brought the watch in front of his face and tapped a smile button on the side. A tiny colorful hologram appeared and Sav's face appeared on the small screen.

"Adam you are to report immediately to the gym in the main building. Make sure Clare is settled before you come. I will send Ali and Fiona back to the building to get ready for tonight." Adam said "yes sir" and then the hologram disappeared. Adam shrugged and sadly said, "Sorry Clare, but duty calls! Please feel free to relax a bit. This is now your home." And as he was walking towards the door, he turned around and yelled, "Ali and Fiona should be here in about five minutes, okay? See you tonight!" Then Adam was off.

As the door closed, I looked around and debated on jumping in the pool or finding a book to read. I walked around the "house" as Adam liked to call it and decided to go to the gym. I opened the door that led to the gym and saw vaults and the balance beam. I had taken gymnastics for 10 years, until I met K.C. I quit since my parents got divorced and there wasn't any money to pay anymore.

I looked at my current attire, some black sweat pants and a turquoise tank top. The three spies hadn't caught me in my best moment or outfit. I hopped up onto the balance beam and began one of my old routines that I memorized. I went into a split with my feet pointed in different directions and my head downward before my memory took over. I lifted my legs up over my upper torso while my hands held most of my weight. My legs came together above me and then they landed in front of me. I gracefully got up and pointed my right foot while my left foot held my weight.

I lifted both my arms and then brought them close to my stomach, just as Coach Dalton had taught me to, then I flipped backwards. I landed straight and immediately brought my arms above my head. Then did another flip and landed again with my arms above my head. I did a switch leap and landed right on the edge of the balance beam. I turned around and did a cartwheel and then a one-hand cart wheel. I had made my way to the other end of the balance beam and then I did what I knew best to end my turn on the balance beam, the back dive with a quarter twists. I ran to the other end and then let my senses take over and closed my eyes. When I felt my feet land on the mat, I lifted my hands high above my head. I could still hear all the praises in the crowds and I felt a smile tug its way onto my face.

I heard some clapping close by and my eyes flashed open. I looked around, but couldn't see the intruder. Then a voice rang out, "Um... I'm over here!" Then a chuckle soon followed as I turned around. I came face to face with a pair of emerald green eyes and a smirk. "Bravo bravo!" The voice said and the person clapped a bit more before stopping. I felt my face turn all shades of red when the guy had said that. I timidly said, "Thanks that was nothing." I tried to brush off the comment he had just given me, but felt like my insides were about to burst open. "You must be Clare Edwards. I'm right aren't I?"

The guy smirked when he saw that I could only nod and sarcastically said, "Aren't you just full of yourself?" He replied, "Absolutely!" and his smirk grew bigger. "Allow me to introduce myself, seeing that you don't recognize a good spy when you see one! My name is..."

Well, you've made it past the prologue/chapter 1! You should be proud of yourself! Hope this first one wasn't so bad (: I left you with a cliffhanger just for the fun of it. Comment, even if it's good or bad! I would love it no matter what! (: