John/Allison. Friendship. One shot. Allison's POV. Enjoy.

There is a book in front of me and I'm looking over the lines but I'm not really reading. I can feel myself fall asleep and I think about reaching over to turn off the lamp on my night stand when I hear a faint knock on my window. I look over at my alarm clock. It's just past midnight. I sigh lightly as I get up to open the window.

"Allison, hey." John Bender says once I pull the window up as high as it can go for him to climb in. The screen is out already and has been for a while, pulling it on and off all the time was too much work since this happens a lot these days. "You about to go to bed?" He asks me once he is inside.
"No." I lie. I headed back over to the bed. I sit back against the headboard, sitting with my legs underneath me. He seems to accept this answer. He stands in my room, taking a long drag from his cigarette as he looks at my drawings that cover the walls.
"Are you going to show me or what?" I ask impatiently. I know why he's here. It's the only reason he comes after 11:30pm. He stares at me for a moment before sighing. He pulls the cigarette out of this mouth, putting it out in the ashtray that I have only for his use seeing as I don't smoke.

He toes off his big boots, kicking them aside. He pulls off the plaid flannel shirt he wears a little too often first. There is no long leather jacket since it's the middle of June and it's too hot to wear. Then he pulls off the white shirt his wearing to leave him shirtless. I'm not looking at him but I can tell he's done.

I look at him now. His ribcage is all sorts of black, purple and blue's and I swear I can see a boot mark or two. I can see old bruises that have faded to a yellowish colour as well. We both know who they are from. John has only really told me the Instinet of how bad his home life is. I'm the one who treats him after the beatings after all. I look at his face, hurt and embarrassed. Nights like these happen a lot but it doesn't get easier for John to do.

"Lay down." I tell him as I get up from the bed. There is no arguing, he just does what I say.
I let him lay down and get comfortable while I leave the room for a few moments. I come back with a warm cloth in hand.
"What happened this time?" I ask him. I usually refrain from asking him questions but sometimes I can't help it so I ask one and that's it.
"I needed some cash and I didn't ask before taking." He replied simply. He looks up at me as I sit on the bed, kneeling next to him carefully.
"I would have given you some.."
"I wouldn't ask."
"Ask next time." I say with a little more snap then I intended. I decide this is the right time to press the cloth to his bruises. His winches and lets out a sort of hissing nose but soon relaxes again. I keep it pressed to his ribcage lightly, carefully not to cause pain although it's not working very well. "You might have a broken rib or two." I tell him, looking to his face for some sort of reaction.
"Great." He replies.
"You should probably go to the hospital."
"No."
"Why not?"
"You don't get it." He says and I leave the conversation at that because he's right, I don't get it and I probably never will.

"Guess you get me as your nurse then." I say before getting up from the bed. I leave the cloths on his bruises. I walk back to the bathroom for the first aid kit and back to the room silently. "I'll wrap your rib cage and you can go." I say when I return to the bed. I open up the kit and look for badges.
"I have nowhere else to go." He tells me.
"Fine. You know the rules. Out by 6:30." I tell him although he of course, already knows. It's rare when he comes to be treated that he leaves right after but I always tell him he can anyway.

As I wrap the bandages around his ribcage, my mind flashes back to the first night this happened.

It started at school, just 2 weeks after that Saturday dentition. The final bell just rang and I was dodging my way through the crowd of students. I had finally made it into an empty hallway but I wasn't looking when I ran into John, my small body hitting his chest. He winced in pain, trying hard to hide it. "Watch it, basket case." He said through gritting teeth.
"Sorry." I managed but noticed the pain in his eyes.
He shrugged with a grunt and began walking away from me, probably to meet Claire. I don't know why I did it but it was like I couldn't help myself. I turned to look at him as he was walking away.
"Hey!" I said, finally managing to find my own voice. That caught his attention since he stopped but kept his back to me. "You should probably have someone take a look at that." And with that I turned around and walked away but I could still feel his eyes on me.

Later that night, I was sitting on my floor with a drawing in hand when I heard the faint knock the window. I looked out to find John standing there. I didn't know how he knew where I lived or what room was mine but I didn't ask. I just opened the window and popped the screen out for him to climb inside.
"You, uh, said something about having someone look at it.." He said at first, trailing off his words. I nodded and he sighed.
From there he removed his shirt to show off his fresh new bruises along his side. He explained the situation and his father's beatings. I listened to him carefully. He let me lie him down and tend to him although there wasn't much to do for the bruises. After a few minutes of silence I was done and let him sit up.
"You can go now." I said, assuming he wanted to go.
"I've got nowhere better to be." He said simply, lighting up a joint. He offered me some and I shook it away. "Don't tell Claire, alright? She doesn't understand it." He said. I wasn't sure if he was referring to the joint or his dad but I nodded, agreeing to both anyway.

John's voice brings me back from the past and to the task at hand again. "You decide what you're gonna do yet?" He asks me. Last time, we talked about what's happening after high school sine it's over for us both in just a few weeks.
"Uh, travel I think. Just get the hell out in general." I say, looking to him for his answer since last time we were both undecided. He's nodded, approving my answer.
"Maybe I'll become a trucker." He says, lighting up a cigarette. "That's like traveling, right?"
I can't help up smile lightly at him. "Of course." I say with a slight chuckle.

"Where am I gonna find another friend like you?" He asks me as I finally stop bandaging him up.
"Tying to find a replacement for me already?" I tease him but when I look at him I can tell he's being serious. I sigh and close up the first aid kit, tossing it to the ground on a pile clothes. I lay down next to him in the bed and shrug my shoulders.

"You'll always have me as a friend." I tell him. "And plus you have Claire who loves you."
"I guess you're right." He says. "And you've got Andy."
"Right but we'll have each other. Two outcasts against the world." I say, looking at him for a smile. He smiles and shakes his head, finishing off the cigarette.
I lean over and turn off the lap before pulling the covers over us. We sleep in the same bed but we're not lovers. Just friends. He doesn't hold me in his sleep and I don't expect him to. I tend to him because he needs someone and he stays the night because he knows I need someone too. I want to be needed and he gives me that. He wants to be loved and needed, Claire gives him the love and I provide the needing part. Thinking about how these nights are going to end soon leaves a hole in my heart because I won't have anyone and it's really fucking scary.

"Goodnight, John." I say before closing my eyes.
"Goodnight, Allison." He replies back and I can fall asleep because I know for at least this night, I do have someone and he is right next to me.