A/N: Hey, guys! So, this is a Fitz/Clare oneshot... Yeah, trust me, I'm not expecting even one review. Lol They were my crackship for like a day, and then I got over it... Kind of ;) This was just forgottenly floating around in my documents, so I decided to post it. It starts at an odd part of a scene... Basically, all you need to know is that Clare just feels alone in life, and now she basically has no one. But she eventually starts talking to Fitz and he becomes her only friend. PS: This takes place at Clare's house. Read, lovies! It'll make you smarter ;)
"Because..." Fitz hesitated. "Clare, I don't think I ever stopped having feelings for you"
Clare was taken aback. "Wait, w-what?"
Fitz just stayed silent, taking in her reaction; wishing he hadn't told her of his feelings.
"But-... I had no idea. Why didn't you ever say anything?" Clare wanted to know. She and Fitz had been talking for over a month now, and not once had she ever suspected that he still had feelings for her. She was sure they had faded away by now.
His unsure voice broke Clare away from her thoughts. "I don't know... I just- You know how they say if you love something you let it go?... And if it comes back to you, then it's yours?"
Clare just nodded her head, slightly confused.
"Well, I guess you were just never mine to begin with..." Fitz saw the expression on Clare's face and realized his presence was probably no longer wanted here. "I guess I'll just go then..."
And with that, Fitz began to make his way toward the door. But, Clare grabbed him by the arm and tugged him back toward her.
"No" she said in a shaky voice. "Don't go"
Fitz looked into her shining blue eyes, surprised at the words she'd just spoken. Just as he began attempting to form words in his mouth that hopefully would make some kind of sense, Clare continued.
"Anyone I've ever cared about has just gotten up and left through that door" Clare heard her voice break as visible tears welled up in her eyes. "So, Fitz... Please just-..."
The tears invading her eyes and now trickling down her face invaded her thoughts, distracting her from forming complete sentences.
"If you've ever cared about me or if you do now, just please don't go" Clare said hurriedly before crashing her body against Fitz's. The girl buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, leaving Fitz to stand there in shock. His heart broke as he realized she was crying hysterically into his chest. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around the trembling, broken girl as she gripped his shirt, holding onto him for dear life. He was wondering how in the world they went from an awkward moment of him confessing his feelings for her, to her crying hysterically in his arms. Then he remembered her words from just a moment ago: "Anyone I've ever cared about has just gotten up and left"
She had told him about her parents divorce and other family problems. Did it really hurt her this much?
He felt her slowly lift her head from his chest, allowing him to look down into her watery blue eyes. He'd never seen her so broken before.
"You're all I've got, Fitz" she said in a shaky voice. "Eli and Alli both hate me. And everyone else just leaves me! My dad, my sister..." She trailed off as she defeatedly leaned her head back on his chest while gripping his shirt in her small fists; harsh sobs continuing to escape her lips.
"It just hurts so much" he heard her say through a muffled sob.
Those words broke his heart. How could anyone possibly want to hurt this beautifully fragile girl he held in his arms.
"I know" he replied while adjusting his arms to hold her a bit tighter.
And Fitz did know. People close to him had always left him too. His mother died which he considered her "leaving" him because he didn't exactly understand the full concept of death at the age of 5. And then in middle school, when times got tough financially, his father decided to go on a drinking binge and eventually just leave Fitz in the care of his older brother, Steve.
Steve had left him, too, on occasion. He'd just take off for a couple of weeks; probably clubbing it up and finding a different girl every night to call his own. And then when he was actually home, he wouldn't hesitate to beat the crap out of Fitz.
Clare looked up at him once again. "No, you don't know. No one understands!" she argued. Fitz hadn't told her much about his family life. All she knew was that his brother wasn't such a good guy. But Fitz didn't know what it was like to have people leave him...did he?
"Yes I do" he replied firmly. Clare saw the seriousness in his eyes which allowed her to completely believe him. "But, it's going to be okay, Clare"
The small girl's lip began trembling at his words. She wanted to believe that, but she just couldn't. It was like she was experiencing this all, alone.
Fitz continued as he saw the unsureness in her eyes and the violent trembling of her bottom lip. "I'm never leaving you, okay? Plus..., we always have the big guy upstairs"
She smiled knowing he was referring to God. "And Clare, about before and my...feelings. I-"
Clare cut him off. "Fitz, I care about you a lot..."
"But...?" He inquired, figuring that would be the start of her next sentence.
Clare smiled. "No, no 'but's. I just... I'm going through a lot right now and I don't want to throw you onto that rollercoaster. So, do you mind if we just keep things the way they are and let everything fall into place like they should...? No labels"
Fitz smiled, nodding his head. At least this meant he had a chance and that their friendship wouldn't be affected by his confession. "That sounds great"
She smiled sweetly at him and gave him a soft "okay"
Clare wiped her face of any stray tears; blushing with her embarrassment of how she'd acted moments ago. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried like that in front of someone other than her mother. She'd never even cried that way in the arms of Eli or Alli. She knew there was something about Fitz that made her feel very comfortable around him. She could show her true emotions to him without getting judged or laughed at. He just always seemed to understand how she was feeling. And she loved that about him.
"Hey, you know how I said you're all I've got?" She questioned him.
"Yeah" Fitz replied.
"Well, that wasn't supposed to necessarily be a bad thing... I'm glad I have you" she informed him with complete sincerity.
Fitz smiled shyly. "Same to you. You're honestly all I have, too..."
"Aw" Clare giggled, breaking the tension as she pulled him into a loose embrace. "Hey, why don't we go to the Dot" Clare suggested.
"Sure, my treat" Fitz smiled.
"But, I'm the one who suggested it!" Clare chuckled in disbelief.
"And your point is...?" He joked. "C'mon"
And with that, Fitz kept his arm loosely around her as they exited her home.
AN: So, hope you enjoyed this random composition of mine :P Reviews? Yes? No? Maybe so? Probably not. Oh well ;)