A/N: In this, Jenna was never pregnant, thus, Tyson was never born. She and KC have been separated for a while. Everything with Clare is kept canon on some levels. The rest...use your imagination (;
This is for Tori and her Klare-loving heart. She needs some Klare. I need some Klare. We all need some Klare. Enjoy, if you can.
"We fight because we're afraid if we stop, we'll do this...maybe I got it all wrong."
"No, you got it right."
Season 8, Danger Zone
KC Guthrie was called back into love. And in a single moment, everything changed.
Love was Clare Edwards. Blue eyes. Curly hair. A smile that everyone said was, "One you will only find every once in a while."
He remembered when he first met her. And he also remembered that he never expected to feel the way he does now.
KC had his tray of lunch in his hands when he saw her once again years later, only different. The both of them had matured but in ways that were not visible or nonexistent. And to KC, that was one of scariest things to take notice of happening.
KC spilled his food when he saw her. His hand had limped with something along the lines of fear and hope. He couldn't tell if Clare was smiling at him or past him. Either way, he was relieved by that smile. In spite of everything in the past, he felt like someone brand new. It was feeling a connection between him and Clare that allowed him to live in a moment of pride and obliviousness.
That entire week, he kept encouraging himself to talk to Clare. But the moment never came until two weeks later.
It was in the middle of the hallway and he remembers it clearly enough to realize something beyond his emotions.
"Fuck, fuck." KC sighed, clutching a paper in his hand.
"I can't believe you failed that test, man. Perino's class is a joke."
"You think I don't know that, Drew?" KC groaned, "You're even acing that class."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Just pissed off—"
"Guthrie, watch out!"
His arms collided into the waist of someone smaller than him. And then he saw blue eyes looking up at him.
"Clare," He mumbled.
"KC?"
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you." He sputtered, "I was looking at my paper and I didn't even realize that you were—"
"It's fine." Clare sighed and hurriedly picked up her books on the floor, "I'm late for class already."
She walked away, paralyzed with carelessness. It was an emotion he could only see like no other.
"Someone's having a bad day," Drew clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I guess so," KC sighed before bending down and lifting another book that she left behind.
XxX
The following day, KC found Clare sitting behind a bookcase in the library. He stared at her for a while trying to recall what he came for. At one point, he thought that he was there to just say 'hello' or to ask her a question. But when his palms began to sweat against the cover of the book he was holding, he finally remembered.
"Clare,"
She didn't hear his voice the first time and he repeated himself a bit too loud that he startled her.
"What are you doing here?" She mumbled.
"You dropped this yesterday."
She got up and grabbed the book from his hand; she analyzed it as if she were trying to check if it was truly hers. This signaled a lack of lack of trust that left mere disappointment in KC.
"Thanks." She said and turned around, meaning goodbye.
But, he sat down next to her and asked, "Soo what's the book about?"
"It's in French."
"That doesn't really answer my question." He scoffed.
"It's titled Sauvegardé."
"What does that mean?
She put everything next to her aside and looked at him in the yes with impatience and sadness, "It means protected."
"…that sounds like something I need right now. Well, something everyone needs, right?" He replied.
She finally smiled at him.
XxX
They were sitting near the benches during lunch. KC was munching on a sandwich as Clare was reading yet another book. KC stared at her, and like other times before, it was as if he was being put under a trance. A foggy mind, loss of reason, and a state of tranquility that questioned his intentions. That alone was dangerous territory for KC. He didn't want to feel the way he was beginning to feel for Clare. He didn't want any trouble. Life was okay the way it was. Nothing was serious because everything was reasonable.
"How's your mom?" He tried to make some small talk. It'd been a while since he last saw Mrs. Edwards, or rather, Mrs. Martin.
"She's fine…with her new husband."
A detail he forgot to take into matter when he asked this question. By the tone of her voice, he could understand that she wasn't used to it.
KC fidgeted with his fingers and sighed, "Oh, I remember Drew telling me something about that."
"Who told him?" Clare snapped.
"Um…I don't know…probably Adam or Jake."
"Jake is better off stuffing food inside his mouth, instead of spilling out details about our personal lives."
"Hey, aren't you the one telling this to me right now?"
Clare bit the inside of her cheek and anxiously said, "Sorry. I know. I've just been looking for any excuse to hate on Jake for a while. Even though, it's not his fault. It's all mine."
"That doesn't sound like you."
"Like me? Or the Clare you used to know?"
"Like the Clare I knew would be strong during the good times and the bad times."
"It's different times." She sadly said.
"Hey. You'll get through this. Trust me. There's always a silver lining." KC ran a hand through her curls
"I believe you." She softly replied, "You've been through way more than I have and probably ever will."
"One day, you'll just accept it and overcome it all. But for the meantime, you have me…"
Clare stared at him with a questioning look.
To this KC replied, "As a friend! W-well…you know what I mean, right?"
"I get you." Clare giggled.
"Ha! You're laughing!" KC grinned.
"Yeah, yeah," Clare giggled even more and stole a bite from KC's lunch.
The bell rang shortly after and as they were getting ready to walk to class, KC lastly said something genuine and meaningful from such small words.
"Hey Clare?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm glad we're friends again."
"Me too."
XxX
When they sat in silence, they were still able to identify what was on their minds. But this time, it was a silence that two strangers shared. Displaced and blustered.
The sky deepened into warm clusters of magenta and orange, and KC rested his back against the fence as Clare stood by him, with a book in one hand and the other inside her pocket.
"The sky looks nice." Clare commented.
KC gruffly said, "It's just scenery."
"Nice scenery, though."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, I think it's more whimsical."
"Whimsical?"
"I've been reading too much romance novels." Clare sighed, "I like them. Some are written horribly, but others make sense. They portray the concept of love to be more real."
"It's good to know you're still the same in ways more than one."
"What do you mean?" Clare clasped the book to her side.
"I don't know…just hearing you say stuff like that brings back memories. Remember when I would go to the library with you?"
"Yeah—you would go on the computer to play games, while I actually read books." Clare smiled.
"It's a nice memory isn't it? Times were easier with you."
"Easier…they were, weren't they?"
"We agree on something."
"That makes me really happy for some reason." Clare blurted and shied away after.
KC took a step back away from her and pattered his fingers against the rails of the fence. It was that particular silence that began to wash over once more. Less than a moment later, she saw a collage of and eyelashes and hazel-colored eyes inching closer to her face. The colors and eyelashes softly fluttered towards her gaze. His cheeks wrinkled into a smile. And, his fingers brushed her cheeks.
Then, to her surprise, he kissed her.
It was a little clumsy on Clare's part and unnerving because it was as if KC had fallen into that kiss. It was as if she was waiting for it all to end because that's how she thought things were supposed to be. It was reassuring.
"I'm sorry." KC whispered.
"Don't be."
It wasn't until moments later that KC began to wonder how he ended up holding hands with Clare and walking her home. But it didn't matter anymore once Clare looked up at him and smiled,
"Sauvegardé."