Title: Reunion
Rating: M
Author: a0r123
Summary: It's the Class of 2013's ten year reunion. With so much celebration, old relationships are brought back. Will Eli and Clare's past love rekindle as well? Future Fic. Oneshot.
Status: Complete
Note: This is my first attempt at a M rated fanfic, hope its not too pathetic :P
The room screamed welcome but the odd feeling inside her heart yelled above the chattering voices to run for the door. Clare had walked inside the crowded country club moments ago. Faces of her high school friends sat at the fancy dining tables decored with white table cloths, familiar smiles and shrilled shouts were heard. Clare turned to see Alli Bhandari sprinting towards her. Her best friend quickly enclosed her into a hug, sqealing and gripping onto Clare's jacket.
"You came!" Alli said excitedly and dove back for another hug. "Ten years Clare, ten fucking years! Where have you been?" She playfully asked.
"The US," Clare replied, smiling. "I'm a journalist for Time Magazine!"
"Seriously? That's amazing!" Alli hugged her again, still grinning from ear to ear then took her friend by the sleeve and dragged her to a table filled with people. "Hey guys! Don't you remember Clare Edwards?" A few nods circled the table.
Clare recognized KC and Jenna siting close, a few girls from the power squad, even a few from the old friendship club. Alli pulled her into a chair and took her spot beside Dave Turner and Sadie Rowland.
"Hey Dave," Clare waved and Dave smiled.
"Nice to see you Clare!" She searched the table for other faces to find Wesley hugging close a very pregnant redhead, who she later remembered as Hannah, and Conner awkwardly sitting beside a intellectual looking brunette with glasses. She glanced at Alli again to notice no one holding her hand or clutching her waist.
"Looking for something?" Alli asked, as if she was reading Clare's mind.
"Where's your date, is the Alli Bhandari still looking for that special man?" Clare joked and reached for her glass of water.
"Actually, I am seeing someone, except he has a business trip this weekend." Alli said a matter of factly. "You can look him up, Daniel Kelly." Clare only laughed and took a sip from her water.
"So... Clarebear, where's your man?" Jenna said from across the table. Even after all these years that disgusting pet name hadn't been forgotten.
"I haven't found him yet." She said back and put down her glass.
"Very amusing Clare, seriously, where is he?" Conner had spoken up and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Guys I'm not kidding, I'm still single." Clare explained.
The next friendly face to appear was Adam, atleast who she thought was Adam. At six feet tall, a lanky looking man stood by the door. From her seat, Clare saw the pair of bright blue eyes. It could be Adam except something seemed different. Deciding to take a risk, Clare got up. "Can you guys excuse me for a moment?" Nods rounded the table.
Clare walked up to the man, "Would you happen to be Mr. Torres?" She asked politely.
The guy stopped and turned to the voice, "Clare?" He asked excitedly, in a deeper more masculine tone.
"Oh my gosh, it is you!" She swiftly reached out and gave him a hug. "When did this happen?"
"Right before college, I took a few years to undergo and get used to the new me. After the surgery I was accepted to and graduated from the university of Toronto."
Clare couldn't help but smile. Adam was one of her best friends in high school and she was so happy he was finally comfortable in his own body. Without even realizing it she reached out and hugged him again.
"Woah, Clare! It's really nice to see you too!" Adam chuckled, sounding suprised.
"I'm just really glad you're happy, that's all." Clare let go of Adam and smiled.
"So, last week I met up someone you may be interested to see. I ran into him at one of Time's public conferences..." Clare stopped him for a moment.
"Wait, you're interested in Time Magazine?"
Adam nodded. "I stay updated, Clare. I'm no hermit. I saw your name on the front page article, did a complete double take and then bought like five copies. Clare you are an amazing writer!"
Clare blushed feverishly. She could never hold back her bashfulness when she was complimented on her work.
"So anyway, let me get him. He said he wanted to wait in the car until I found you."
Adam turned to fetch his friend, but Clare pulled him back. "Let me come?"
Adam nodded, "Sure." . . . . The two left the hall to retrieve the passenger in Adam's car. From a distance, Clare saw a car running. While getting closer, she saw the smoke from a cigarette billow from the passenger side. Adam ran ahead and tapped on the remaining glass on the open window. The extended arm coiled inside the car and engine was shut off. Before her eyes, an adult version of Elijah Goldsworthy stepped out of vehicle, took one last inhale from his cigarette and then dropped it to the ground, deadening the orange glow. His face was hidden beneath the shadows of the dark sky, but his familiar features were still there: long black hair and a crooked grin shone in the moonlight.
"Good evening, Mrs. Clare Edwards." He said soberly.
Clare awkwardly cleared her throat, "I'll have to correct you there, it's Miss. Clare Edwards."
Suddenly his figure appeared in the reflected light of the moon. "Really? I'm quite surprised." He twiddled his thumbs and stepped closer into the light.
The boy she left behind in high school had changed. Before her stood a man who seemed to know what he was doing. The expression on his face gave her the impression he knew every move that was to come.
"Well how are you than, Miss. Edwards?" She watched a long awaited smirk cross his face and a long forgotten blush found her cheeks. "Ah, yes, I've missed that, you know," Eli stepped a bit closer to her.
Then Adam appeared again. "Do you guys want to go back inside?"
Eli's piercing green eyes never left her face as he replied with a short "In a minute," response.
Adam eyed both of his childhood friends, ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Just like high school," He muttered and Clare heard a faint laugh from his retreating figure.
"So..." Clare said quietly. She looked away from his face for a moment to glance at her shoes. She focused on the pavement beneath her feet, anything to not look him in the eyes. Next thing she knew, Eli had made the space between them smaller.
A spiderlike hand reached out to lace his fingers with her own. "Hey," He whispered sweetly and pulled her into him. She could smell his musky scent.
"I've missed you," She mumbled to the ground.
"Hm?" Eli whispered in reply.
"You never called." She looked up at him. His smirk had turned into a disappointing frown.
"You told me to stop calling, remember?"
She shook her head. "I lied."
She pulled back and began to walk away, but was kept in place by his fingers clutching her hand. He brought her back and slowly ducked down to softly capture the corner of her lips. Clare struggled to keep control but she couldn't. The instant his lips left her skin, she kissed him back. Eli took a hold of her waist and made the space disappear. All she could sense was Eli and that all she cared about. She was shoved against Adam's car and the kiss deepened. A hand climbed up her hip to her waist, crawling up her arm to cup her face. A deep intake of breath could be heard in her ears as she tasted Eli's lower lip with her tongue. She hadn't felt this kind of adrenaline rush since high school.
Through Time, she was sent all over. Some months were even spent in New York City. While she was away Clare didnt sleep around or anything but she met up with an old family friend, Jake Martin. He lived in Ontario. After her travels into the US, she was brought to his hometown. They had a short fling but nothing lasted. Her mind was too focused on her work, or so she had thought. Because there was something clicking differently in her head that told her Jake wasn't the one. It didn't matter how many times he could try and convince her, she wasn't going to be reasoned with. Something didn't feel right, so when her stay in Ontario ended, she said goodbye to Jake as well.
But pushed up against the hard car door by Eli didn't seem wrong at all. Even the most racy images with Eli had no twisted feelings. She honest to god, loved Eli Goldsworthy and she could never stop.
Her breathing continued to pace erratically, every movement sent shivers down her spine. His teeth suddenly grazed her earlobe. She actually jumped against him. A low chuckle came from his throat. "Come on, Edwards. Just a bite." His lips trailed to the base of her neck. "What ever happened to that fetish of yours?"
She gulped. "I'm a journalist, now." She breathed. She tucked away from Eli and softly kissed his lips. "Haven't you heard?" She reached out again and tangled her mouth with his.
"Indeed I have, Edwards." He replied."I always knew you had an eye for detail."
When Clare's actions faltered, he took advantage of the kiss. A hand dragged down her thigh, curling around the back of her leg. Her hips were then flush against his body and she leaned into him. A low groan was caught in the base of his throat. Clare jerked her hips towards his lower half again. The sound left his mouth and she smiled.
"I think I may know where this is going." She tugged on the collar of his leather jacket. "Do you have the keys, ?" Clare asked.
"Someone's missed me." He growled. She dropped a hand to finger the door handle behind her. "Adam will kill me if we do this." He warned, going for her neck once more.
"He set this up, didn't he? He's only looking for the consequences."
Eli stuck a hand in his pocket and drew out a set of keys. "We're in luck."
They maneuvered into the car. The car door shut them inside the back seat. A smoke scent lingered from Eli's once lit cigarette. The smell didn't nauseate Clare whatsoever. She welcomed the ashy taste and watched Eli cautiously approach her. It was very dark. She felt his lips first, then his fingers and hands. They tackled her clothing. Zippers unfurled and fabric was removed at his touch. Clare lay on the uncomfortable cushions practically bare. As she tangled her tongue into his mouth, her shaking fingers took hold of his belt. The leather strap around his hips was untied and the button and zipper was drawn open. Eli shimmied out of his clothing and carefully weighted himself on top of her, fitting himself between her legs.
A hand was brought to her cheek. Eli brought his mouth to hers and kissed her hard. His other hand held onto her hip. Clare positioned herself close to him; starting to wrap her legs around his waist.
"Wait," He whispered.
Eli's hand left her face and groped the darkness in search of something. He pulled an object out of the black and removed a condom from a leather wallet. The package was ripped open with his teeth. The hand clutching her waist left to roll the condom onto himself. In waiting, Clare removed her lacy lingerie She was now completely naked beneath Eli in Adam's backseat. After a few seconds Eli was back on top of her biting her neck and sucking hard on her skin.
It hurt. She could always remember the pain but was never completely ready for it. He pushed himself inside her. Clare let out a loud moan as he thrusted his hips. He kept her lips caught in his own; almost swallowing her screams as they erupted from her vocal chords. Her hands gripped the seat beneath her in an attempt to avoid bucking her hips, but she did anyways. Her eyes were glued shut; still feeling him inside her. Her hips jerked towards Eli, making a low moan catch in his throat.
They tossed back and forth. Clare knotted her hands in his raven hair. Eli squeezed her hips between his calaced hands. Those hands roamed everywhere: down her spine, across the smooth skin of her stomach, and over her chest while her own dragged their nails down his exposed back. Both peaks were being reached. Clare could feel a heat rise from her abdomen all the way to her ears. She was suffocated in the warmth.
Eli was practically shaking with anticipation of the climax. His body stuttered above her; weighing down on her heavily.
"Almost there." He choked out before taking hold of her mouth again. She kissed him back hard, her own body trembling from the orgasm. Then she felt him leave her.
Eli groaned in frustration as he rolled off the used condom, jamming it back into the opened package and tossing it out the cracked window. The glass was fogged. Clare felt buckets of perspiration codensating on her face and body. The sweat trickled down from her forehead, stinging her eyes with salt. Eli came close and wiped the tear away.
"I've waited eleven years to do that." He whispered. The fingers that collected her tear, cupped her cheek. "To make love to you like that." And with those words, every nerve ending in Clare's tingling body must have exploded.
She reached out and softly kissed his lips. This kiss was different. Different from the ones exchanged in the past hour. It was calm and kind. It was like their first kiss all those long years ago for that dinky school project. Both were hesitant and naive, because they had no idea of what was to come. Barely breathing in the back of Adam's car, during her class reunion, lying next to the man she utterly and completely loved, Clare had no clue of the next scene. Would he smirk at her and leave? Or find some excuse to stay away? Would he even want to remember this night? The night he finally made love to Clare Edwards. Was this a final goal or a new beginning?
Their naked bodies remained entangled. He held her in the dark. In his arms, she felt secure. For months she had felt the pain of a roaming satellite. She was in too many places at once these past few months, but here, in the arms of Elijah Goldsworthy, she felt home; grounded.
Eli reached up and kissed her forehead. He kissed her earlobes. He kissed her nose. He kissed her closed eye lids and chin. Finally he kissed her chapped lips; smiling beneath the touch.
They lay there together. The silence was peaceful. Their breathing hummed along with the sounds of the night, the faint noises coming from the hall.
Out of the quiet, Eli spoke. "We should go inside. Adam will be dying to know what happened." He said into her hair; smelling the sweet scents of it. Clare crawled into his side.
"You can't leave again." She mumbled at his bare chest.
"How could I?" He replied.
"My travels for Time have calmed down. I'm free. Come live with me in Toronto. Come home with me." She pulled away from his body to look him in the eyes. She was looking for trust, understanding, love and hope. And looking back at her was exactly that. In his emerald eyes she saw what she needed to see all those years ago, what she needed to see now.
Eli nodded. "Clare, I want to. I can't lose you, not again, not now." He whispered to her. "You're here. I found you and I'm never letting go." His hand pushed away the damp bangs covering her face. After brushing them back he kissed her hard. "Let's go inside, okay?" Clare smiled back at him, her eyes shinning.
They dressed. Eli helped her lift the blouse back over her head. Clare fumbled with his tie, trying to get the silk fabric to cooperate. The two left the car. Eli picked the keys from his trouser pocket and locked the doors. A hand found hers and enclosed it. The hand was so much bigger than hers, so much stronger. They stumbled across the parking lot. Drunk off of each other in the moonlight. Eli kissed Clare's forehead once more and squeezed her hand tight. "Time to face the music, Plath." He whispered in her ear as they entered the doors of the crowded hall.