Hell Is For Children, a breakfast club fanfic

A/N: This just popped in my head. Why Bender never left sooner. A songfic to 'Hell is for Children' by Pat Benetar.

xxx

"Get away from her you bastard!" John Bender yelled as he pulled his sister away from their father. Quinn was only seven, a full eleven years younger than her older brother. Maybe the surprise had made their father even worse, because after Quinn was born; James Bender had lost it, beating his son daily, and then his daughter when she was old enough to walk.

They cry in the dark, so you can't see their tears
They hide in the light, so you can't see their fears
Forgive and forget, all the while
Love and pain become one and the same
In the eyes of a wounded child

"Shut the fuck up!" James yelled, swinging his fist at his son.

"Leave him alone!" Quinn screamed, grabbing at her father's hand, holding on as tight as she could. James swung his hand again, sending Quinn to the ground.

Because Hell
Hell Is For Children
And you know that their little lives can become such a mess
Hell
Hell Is For Children
And you shouldn't have to pay for your love with your bones and your flesh

"Don't hurt her, you son of a bitch," Bender's voice was cold as he took a knife from the kitchen drawer, and waved it at his father. That statement came a bit too late, since Quinn was already bleeding from a split lip. Not that the details mattered. After all, Bender was thinking in the long term. Quinn could turn out worse than he had. He had seen the girls who were raised the way they were. Hell, they were his wallet girls.

It's all so confusing, this brutal abusing
They blacken your eyes, and then apologize
You're daddy's good girl, and don't tell mommy a thing
Be a good little boy, and you'll get a new toy
Tell grandma you fell off the swing

His baby sister was not going to be some asshole's wallet girl.

Enter Bender the hero, rather than Bender the criminal. There was time, it was never too late.

When his father turned to a cowering Quinn, Bender set the knife down on the counter. Killing James would not solve anything. Instead, he picked up a chair and swung.

James went down, hitting the floor face first. Quinn let out a small whimper, scrambling off the floor, tears finally making their way down her cheeks.

Because Hell
Hell Is For Children
And you know that their little lives can become such a mess
Hell
Hell Is For Children
And you shouldn't have to pay for your love with your bones and your flesh

"Is he dead?" Quinn asked, daring to hope.

"No," Bender whispered. "Just sleeping." He lifted her off the ground, cradling her in his arms. "We're getting out of here." They packed in minutes, only clothes and Quinn's school bag. She was a better student than he was. There was hope for her.

They ran to the car, into the warm summer night. Quinn was now weeping freely, her eyes leaking liquid.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I should have been good."

No, Hell Is For Children

Hell
Hell is for Hell
Hell is for Hell
Hell Is For Children

"It's not your fault," Bender whispered, kissing his sister on the forehead. Maybe Claire would help them. They had been dating for four months, not very long but she was a good person. Maybe she would let them crash at her place for a bit.

But there was no way he could let Quinn go back.

Hell
Hell is for Hell
Hell is for Hell
Hell Is For Children

Hell Is For Children
Hell Is For Children

Xxxx

Just a random thought. Will write a crossover with the Clerks saga universe soon. That will take place in 1995, when, and this is a spoiler, Bender and Claire are married and living in New Jersey.