Legal: I own nothing but the idea.
This story is an A/U fluff shot.
Takes place after Ray of Light but before Zombie.
That's pretty much all you need to know enjoy the fluff shot!
Under the Streetlights
It was after dark and I knew Adam was going to start to worry when I wasn't back at his house soon. Of course there was always the chance that he was too busy playing video games to notice but that didn't seem likely. I was temporarily residing at the Torres house while Glen took Jake to an orientation at Simon Fraser University in B.C. and Mom was visiting her parents. They were all gone for five days and despite the fact that I was seventeen Mom felt it necessary to have me stay with someone. I would stay with Alli and Jenna but Mr. Bhandari's parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece were visiting from India so their house was full. It took some convincing but Mom finally agreed to let me stay at Adam's, I'm not sure if she was worried about Adam or Drew and Dallas or just me being in a house full of boys. Audra said Drew could sleep on the sofa in the basement and I could sleep in Drew's room, Drew was okay with this plan and Mom new Audra wouldn't let anything go on in her house. Also Adam is not only my best friend but he has a girlfriend, Drew is engaged to Bianca and I've never had any interest in Drew at all. Dallas was dating Alli and I had no interest in him either, I still thought he was a tremendous jerk but we were sort of getting along now.
I had come downtown for clothes, I hated clothes shopping and usually went with Alli and Jenna but Alli had family stuff and Jenna had a date with Connor. I was just walking back to the bus stop to catch it to Adam's but that meant walking past some office buildings. I could have just caught a bus downtown but it would not have taken me directly back to Riverdale I would have had to transfer. Anyway I found the few blocks walking in the dusk to dark to be peaceful, I wasn't at all worried about being mugged or anything. As I'm enjoying my peaceful walk I hear yelling somewhere behind me.
"STOP!" Someone yells really loudly.
I turn around to see what the commotion is and get blindsided by someone running into me at full speed! I don't even see the guy as he takes a flying leap over me while I fall, he was a pretty big guy though and I feel like I've been tackled on the football field by Owen. The wind gets knocked out of me and I'm felled to the ground, I can feel my ankle twist and the skin being scraped off my leg. While I'm still dazed and trying to recover someone is suddenly kneeling next to me.
"You okay?" He asks in a voice that seems somewhat familiar.
"I think so just got the wind knocked out of me, maybe a little scraped up," I reply slowly trying to stand with the security guard's help. I try to put weight on my right leg and immediately shriek in pain.
"No you're not, your leg is all scraped up and I think you twisted your ankle," the guard says picking me up.
Now that I'm in the man's arms I really look at him and I realize I know him. It's Lucas Valieri, he doesn't recognize me, of course he last saw me when I was fourteen and I looked a lot different back then.
"Thanks Lucas," I smile putting my arms around his neck as he starts to carry me.
"Yeah no pr…do I know you?" He asks cutting himself off as it occurs to him I used his first name.
We enter a building, it must be where he works, it looks like a medical research facility. He sets me down on the security desk in front of a few monitors and sits in a chair, he looks at my face and pinches his eyebrows together trying to place me.
"Clare Edwards, Darcy's little sister, Spinner used to look out for me kind of and I babysat for Izzy a couple of times," I explain.
"Oh sure Baby Edwards, I remember you now. You look a lot different," he comments grabbing a first aid kit from under the desk and putting my right foot on his knee.
"Yeah well you last saw me when I was fourteen it's been three years and I've changed," I comment.
"Yeah you have, I remember a skinny little geek with long hair and glasses," he remarks as he cleans the scrapes on my leg and bandages a couple of the worst ones.
I'm about to say something when his partner comes in holding the guy that knocked me down. The guy is wearing flex cuffs and it looks like they were fighting.
"She okay?" Lucas' partner asks.
"Yeah I think so, a few scrapes and maybe a twisted ankle. Can you handle him? I'm going to take her home," Lucas remarks.
"Yeah I got him, I'll lock him in the iso room and call the police," his partner nods.
"You're ankles pretty swollen but it's not discolored, maybe I should take you to the ER," Lucas comments looking at my ankle closely but carefully.
"No I need to get home, or at least to my friend's house where I'm staying," I tell him.
"Okay I'll wrap your ankle and take you, make sure you ice it though," he asserts.
"I will," I promise.
"So you're seventeen now?" He asks and I nod. "Grade eleven or twelve?"
"Eleven," I answer and then hiss in pain as he starts wrapping my ankle.
"Cool so what's your boyfriend like?" Lucas inquires trying to wrap my ankle very carefully.
"I don't have one," I respond scrunching my face at the thought of Eli.
"Seriously you don't have a boyfriend?"
"I did but he broke up with me, it's a long story," I respond.
"It usually is, ok so grade eleven without a boyfriend, at least for the moment. Well your ankle's all wrapped so how about this friend you're staying with?" Lucas queries picking me up from the desk.
"Adam's my best friend, my mom is visiting her parents and my stepdad took my stepbrother to a university orientation," I tell him while he carries me through the back of the building to the parking garage.
He gets me to his car and opens the passenger door putting me in, he goes around to the driver's side and starts the car.
"Male best friend huh?"
"Yeah but that's all Adam is, he's practically like my brother," I comment.
"And Darcy? I heard she went to Africa or something," Lucas remarks after asking me how to get to Adam's house.
"She did, she's still there building schools and bettering communities. We get e-mails from her about two or three times a year. Do you hear from Jane much?" I question while we're on the subject of sisters.
"Yeah she calls Mom every week and I get a phone call or an e-mail about once a month. She's doing great at Stanford, she'll be home for a couple of weeks this summer, if you give me your number I can call you when she's here so you can see her," Lucas offers.
"Yeah that'd be great I'd love to see Jane," I smile.
"Here just put it in my phone," he says pulling his phone from his pocket. He tells me the code to unlock it and I enter my number in his phone setting it on the arm rest when I'm done.
"What about Mia and Izzy do you hear from them at all?" I ask cautiously knowing his relationship with Izzy hasn't always been great.
"Yeah I get Izzy for a month during the summer, well she stays with my mom because I have a small apartment but I see her every day while she's here. Then she comes out for Christmas or for Thanksgiving and Spring Break. I don't really talk to Mia except when it's about Izzy but we're on good terms," he says.
"That's good, at least you see Izzy and she lives all the way in Paris, oh turn left here," I say directing him to Adam's. "My dad lives here and I see him for dinner once every six months or so. This is it right here," I tell him and he parks outside of Adam's house and behind Owen's car which means Owen is still here.
"Stay in the car I'll carry you, I don't think you should walk on that ankle," Lucas says.
He gets out and comes around to my side picking me up, I tell him to go around to the basement and he does. I kick the glass door with my good foot and the guys look over at us stopping their video game. Adam, Drew and Dallas have no idea who Lucas is of course but Owen seems to as his face has a much different expression than the other three. Adam jumps up opening the sliding glass door so we can get in, Lucas carries me inside setting me on the chaise part of the sofa.
"Lucas what did you do to Clare," Owen says with an accusing tone.
"He didn't do anything to me Owen, thanks for bringing me Lucas," I grin.
"No problem, make sure she gets ice on that ankle. Owen wrap it after she ices it you played sports you should know how to wrap an ankle," Lucas says as he starts walking toward the door.
"Uh I'm still wondering what happened," Owen comments.
"She can tell you I have to get back to work," Lucas responds reaching the door and then turns back to me, "If that ankle gets any worse let me know. See ya Clare it was nice running into you again."
I smile and Lucas goes through the door, Owen, Drew, Dallas and Adam all look at me with their brows furrowed.
"Who the heck was that?" Adam inquires.
"What in the hell were you doing with Lucas Valieri?" Owen asks.
"Can one of you get me ice? I'll tell you after I get some ice, it actually really hurts," I tell them. When I was talking to Lucas and he was holding me it really didn't hurt that bad but now my ankle throbs and a pain is shooting up my leg.
"Yeah I'll grab you some ice, and some water, Drew get her some Ibuprofen she's allergic to aspirin," Adam orders Drew.
They both hop up and run upstairs, Adam returns first with an ice pack in a towel and a water bottle. Drew returns a moment later giving me the pain reliever while Adam unwraps my ankle and puts the ice on it.
"Okay so what happened?" Owen queries.
"I was walking to the bus stop and suddenly got knocked down by this big guy running. He was getting chased by Lucas and his partner, I never did find out why. Well Lucas stopped to help me but I didn't realize it was him yet. Not until he picked me up taking me to where he works and he cleaned my scratches and bandaged my ankle. He wanted to take me to the ER but I told him I needed to come here so he brought me here," I explain.
"And who is he exactly?" Adam queries.
"Lucas Valieri, remember how I was an ass last year?" Owen says.
"Yeah very well, there's still a crack in that door," Adam comments with a grimace and now Dallas is confused.
"Hey I apologized for that, anyway Lucas was worse than I was. He got his girlfriend pregnant when she was 13 and ditched them both, he dropped out, he bullied everyone. Picture me at my worst times three," Owen remarks.
"You changed and so has Lucas, he has a steady job now, he sees Izzy every summer. He's grown up, he's not the high school bully anymore," I point out.
"Yeah he's also what 21 or 22 now?" Owen comments.
"He helped me Owen it's not like we're dating, not that you have any say in who I date anyhow," I point out as we hear footsteps on the stairs and look over to see Audra coming down the stairs.
"Clare what happened?" Audra exclaims and Adam tells her a quick version of what I told them. "Oh dear, let's get you to the doctor," she says.
"No I'm okay, I just twisted it a bit," I assert.
"Maybe but I'm responsible for you and I want you to see a doctor, can one of you boys carry her to the van please? I'll have Dad order you some pizza for dinner," Audra says.
"I'm going with you," Adam says.
"I'll carry Clare, I need to get home anyway," Owen says.
I take the ice pack off my ankle and Owen picks me up, Adam follows us out and he opens the minivan. Owen sets me in the back, Adam gets in the passenger seat and Audra comes out of the house. Owen says he'll see us tomorrow and closes the van door. Audra takes me to an emergency clinic and they examine my ankle and take x-rays. It's merely sprained and they tell me to ice it and stay off of it for a couple of days, they give me crutches to use and tell me to come back if it swells up, goes numb or becomes discolored. They wheel me outside and Audra pulls the car around so I can get in. Adam and I eat pizza when we get back to his house, we watch TV for a bit and then I slowly hobble up to Drew's room to sleep.
Trying to stay off my ankle and get ready for school the next morning is a slow and painful process. I manage that and then I have to navigate getting downstairs on crutches which is tedious. When Drew loses patience trying to get to his room to dress he simply sets down my crutches and tosses me over his shoulder to get me down the stairs. He puts me on a stool at the breakfast counter and returns with my crutches. Audra gets me breakfast and when the boys have eaten and gotten ready for school Drew takes the minivan and drives us. Drew stops at the steps to let me out with Adam so I don't have to come all the way from the parking lot.
"Clare what happened? Dallas push you down the steps or something?" Maya asks when she sees me hobbling up the stairs into school.
"No I got knocked down in a chase and it's just twisted," I tell her.
"So how's the ankle?" Owen questions appearing behind me with Tris.
"Twisted and I have to stay off of it," I tell him as he runs ahead opening the door so we can get in.
Of course I have to explain what happened to Alli, Jenna, Connor, Becky and even Luke. I don't tell them about Lucas but really Alli and Connor are the only ones that would know who Lucas is. Other than having some trouble getting around on crutches and having trouble getting in and out of my desks the morning goes by quickly. At lunch I hobble outside to eat with Adam but I see Lucas talking with Adam at Lucas' car. When Lucas sees me coming down the stairs he runs up and takes my crutches, he hands them to Adam who holds them while Lucas carries me to his car.
"I'm taking you to lunch," Lucas informs me putting me in the passenger seat of his car, "an apology for you being a casualty of the chase last night."
"Have a nice lunch," Adam grins as he sets my crutches in the backseat and closes the door. Lucas drives us to Swiss Chalet, I'm able to get in on my crutches and sit down.
"How does your ankle feel?" Lucas asks after we've ordered.
"It's painful but it's just twisted, I think staying off it and having to use the crutches is maybe the worst part. At least I only have to use them for a couple of day though," I respond.
"Yeah crutches suck, broke my leg when I was twelve I hated those things. I'm glad it wasn't worse," he grins.
"Me too, my mom's going to freak but at least I'll be off crutches by then," I comment and the waiter brings our drinks.
"What's your family like? I barely remember your sister but as I recall she was kind of a bitch, uh no offense," Lucas says the last part as an afterthought.
"None taken, she was, I think she's better now as she's been humbled by her experiences in Africa but I haven't see her in three years and like I said we don't hear from her much. I still hear from her more than my dad though since the divorce and he moved in with his girlfriend and my mom is, well she can be a bitch and selfish sometimes but she loves me and she's there when I really need her," I tell him.
"What about your stepdad and stepbrother?" Lucas asks as our food is brought out.
"Glen's a good guy, he doesn't pay much attention to what I do, I don't think he's comfortable being my parent yet. Jake and I were actually dating before we became stepsiblings," I inform him.
"Whoa that's awkward," Lucas remarks.
"Yeah it was and we had a really uncomfortable period but it's gotten better. He's not a great brother but he's okay sometimes. We kind of just stay out of each other's way now, it might be better if he didn't smoke pot so much," I tell him.
We talk all through lunch, he talks about his job and I tell him about how Jake and I went from dating to stepsiblings and all about Eli, prom and Adam getting shot. I just finish telling him about running into the woods at the cabin when Bianca and I crashed their summer get away when we're done with lunch. I finish the story as he takes me back to school as I'm telling him about my short second relationship with Jake. I tell Lucas how Jake broke up with me when I was ready to have sex with him just as we pull up to the school again.
"Eli did the same thing but under different circumstances," I'm saying just as Lucas pulls up to DeGrassi.
"I think they just weren't worthy of being given your virginity," Lucas remarks and the way he says it makes me bite my lower lip.
"Thanks for lunch," I grin as I start getting out of the car.
"Oh hang on," he says running around and he picks me up. He carries me to the top of the stairs and sets me on the banister then he runs back and gets my crutches handing them to me.
We say goodbye and I hobble into school; I get to my locker and start to get out my books when I hear my phone ring and have to reach back to grab it from my backpack. I don't recognize the number but it's local and I answer.
"Hello?"
"I'm taking you to dinner," Lucas informs me.
"You don't have to keep apologizing, my ankles not hurt that bad," I tell him holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I try to put books in my locker.
"I was thinking more like a date with my girlfriend," he says and I drop my phone to the floor out of shock that he just called me his girlfriend. "Hello? Hello Clare?" Lucas calls through phone while I try to bend over and pick up my phone with my crutches and not step down on my ankle. Before I can finagle a way to do this my phone is picked up by a familiar hand, black nail polish and a couple of rings, it's Eli.
"Clare can we talk? I miss you," Eli says as he hands me my phone.
"Clare are you there?" Lucas asks through the phone.
"I messed up Clare but I miss you, we were meant for each other," Eli pleads.
"Clare?" Lucas says again.
I'm trapped between my ex and a guy I didn't even know was interested in me but essentially just told me I was his girlfriend. They're both waiting for an answer and I'm not sure what I want so I listen to my heart and put the phone to my lips again.
"I'll see you at dinner boyfriend," I say into the phone.
"Good I was starting to get worried you were going to say no," Lucas says but not through the phone, I hear him coming down the hall and turn to look at him.
"Who the hell are you?" Eli snarls at Lucas.
Lucas comes over putting his arm around my waist, "I'm Clare's boyfriend, let me guess you're Eli. You shouldn't have dumped her, you lost out. I'll get your books and walk you to class Babe." Lucas kisses my cheek, lets go of me and grabs my books walking me to class and we leave Eli in the hall.
"Hey Lucas, you re-enrolling to be near Clare?" Owen teases him when he sees us in the hall.
"Wouldn't be a bad idea but I'm just walking my girlfriend to class," Lucas says as Owen passes us.
"Whoa girlfriend?! When did that happen?" Owen asks stopping in the hall and turning back to us.
"About five minutes ago," I tell him looking back at Owen and Lucas stops with me looking back at Owen too.
Owen looks at us a second and then grins, "Well it's a step up from Eli."
Hope you all enjoyed this fluff shot of Clare and Lucas, new one shot tomorrow night.