Welcome to my new Drew/Clare fic first note, this is not like my other Drew/Clare fic Friends with Benefits. This is a suspenseful dark and dramatic fic, if you've read my other stories it's like Reese Returns. If you're easily offended, don't like drama or dark fics then don't read this story you have been warned.

Now having said that there will be fluff and smut in this story too, I am a gutter bunny after all. Other important stuff to know:

This starts right after Drop the World, yes I know it's the third one I've started after DTW it just fits better that way.

Drew and Bianca never dated, they did become friends though. After seeing her file and learning what Alli's been up to her parents send her away to boarding school so Alli is not at DeGrassi.

Clare's mother is the one that's been having an affair not Clare's Dad and she moved away to be with the man she cheated with.

A/U story. Clare's a little ooc, her dad very ooc but for a reason and everyone else more or less in character.

Ch.1 What Happened?

(CLARE)

I lean against the side of the Torres house, taking a deep shaky breath and wiping the tears from my face. I knew Adam wasn't home, he'd told me was spending the night at Eli's on his first night home from the hospital but I hadn't ended up here on accident. I knew that the Torres parents were out of town and I knew I'd feel safe here, plus it was kind of the only place I had to go. I could have gone to Alli's, even with her away at boarding school, her parents and Sav would have welcomed me into the house and let me stay the night but they also would have asked too many questions, questions I wasn't ready to answer.

On the other hand I figured Drew wouldn't ask questions at all. To Drew I was Adam's best girl friend but we knew each other a little, we'd spent some time together at this house while I was hanging out with Adam, of course Eli had been there too usually. I watched Drew for a minute as he sat in the darkened basement illuminated only by the glow of the TV as he played video games perched on the edge of the sofa. Finally I knocked softly on the sliding glass door before crossing my arms over my chest and making sure my denim jacket was shut tight; Drew paused the game and got off the sofa flicking on the patio light. The sudden harsh light made me squint my eyes as I heard Drew unlocking and sliding open the door.

"Hey Clare," he greeted slowly as I was able to open my eyes again but kept my head down. "Adam isn't here he's sleeping at Eli's." He tells me.

"I know, he told me he would be but you mind if I hang out for a bit?" I ask.

Drew was silent for a minute looking at me closely. "Yeah sure," he says stepping aside so I can enter. I walk to the sofa sitting in the corner on the chaise part to stretch out a bit and be as far away from Drew as I can. He switches off the patio light, closes and locks the sliding glass door again then sits back on the sofa picking up the controller before looking at me. "I could put on a movie or TV." He offers.

"No that's okay I don't mind watching you play video games, I used to watch Adam and Eli play video games too." I tell him.

He gives me the sympathetic smile; it's the smile that everyone gives me when I talk about Eli. The smile says, "you poor girl your boyfriend went crazy and crashed his car to get you to come see him so of course you broke up with him." It had only been four days since the night of dance when Eli crashed Morty and I must have seen that smile fifty times. Funny thing was Eli crashing his car on purpose and our break up was the least of my worries right now only nobody had any idea. Drew starts playing again and I watch him for a while, sitting with my arms over my chest making sure my jacket is shut tight and my chest is not visible. Then I realize I'm bleeding, kind of a lot, I should probably do something about that.

"Is it okay if I use some bandages?" I ask suddenly my voice is quiet and shaky but Drew hears me.

He looks over at me, his brow furrowed a little. "Are you okay?" He questions.

I force the corners of my mouth to curl into a small smile, to assure him that everything is fine and he doesn't need to worry. "Fine, I just…fell while walking here and I think I scratched my leg. It's bleeding and your mom will kill me if I bleed all over the sofa." I assure him.

"There's bandages in our washroom," Drew says after a few seconds.

"Thanks," I reply standing up, "do you think Adam would mind if I borrowed some clothes?" I query.

"No I'm sure Adam won't mind," Drew responds slowly his eyebrows squeezing together a bit with a curious look on his face.

Either I'm doing a terrible job of covering up or Drew is smarter than I thought so I quickly walk upstairs before Drew decides to ask any questions. Ascending the second set of stairs I go into Adam and Drew's washroom closing and locking the door behind me. Taking off my jacket and hanging it on the towel rack my shirt drops open now that I'm no longer holding it closed as does my bra. I slip off my shirt and bra letting them fall to the floor finally looking at my chest and then sinking to the floor against the door as the saltwater welling in my eyes can longer be held back. I start shaking, grabbing my shirt to hold it to the wound as I cry.

Everything I'd been holding in comes out in a flood of tears and emotion. I bring my knees to my chest wrapping my arms around them and letting my forehead fall onto my knees. I don't know how long I sat there on the floor of the washroom crying quietly into my knees as my trembling body rattles the door. Eventually my tears slow, my body stops quaking and I can move again, if only I could keep my mind from going back there, to that spot in the trees near the ravine. I hadn't meant to wander down there it just happened, I just wanted to get away from the house, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I take my shirt from my chest, it's now covered in blood and I drape it over the wastebasket. Crawling to the vanity and opening the cupboard under the sink I find the first aid kit. Getting out the roll of cloth tape I tear off several pieces hanging them on the counter and then get out some large gauze pads.

Deciding I should at least attempt to clean the cut I open an alcohol swab hissing in a breath as the alcohol stings. They're small so it takes seven to clean the whole thing as they get soaked with blood quickly. It takes 3 large gauze pads and ten large pieces of tape to bandage the entire cut. I drop my bra in the wastebasket since it's useless now and then seeing that the wastebasket is full of my bloody clothes and alcohol swabs I shove it all to the bottom and wad up a bunch of tissues to cover my trash. Opening the door slowly to make sure Drew isn't in the hallway seeing as I'm topless and bandaged, I step out into the hall when I'm sure he's still in the basement.

I grab my jacket on the way out of the washroom and walk across the hall to Adam's room. Draping my jacket on his bed and making a mental note to remember to get it before I go home tonight, then go to the closet to get some clothes. I take off my skirt, tossing it on the bed with my jacket and find a pair of black sweat pants that are a little long on me but I can roll up the cuffs. I find a matching pullover sweatshirt and pull it on before going back down to the basement. Drew looks at me as I sit down again and I manage a small smile at him.

"You sure you're okay? You were up there a long time." Drew comments.

"Yeah fine the scratch on my leg is in an awkward place, it just took me some time to bandage it." I reply.

"Are you sure you don't want me to put on a movie or something?" He asks.

I shake my head and he looks back at the TV resuming playing the game. I watch him play taking a deep interest in the story if only to distract me, to keep me from thinking because if I do I'm sure to lose it. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep at all tonight but I find myself getting tired watching Drew play and it isn't long before I succumb to sleep.

(DREW)

After congratulating myself for beating the boss I look over at Clare to find her asleep on the sofa. I'm not about to wake her up and tell her to go home so I turn off the TV and Xbox, pick Clare up and take her upstairs to the guest room behind the kitchen. She must be exhausted because she doesn't wake up at all, not when I put her in bed or tuck her in she just makes little noises and stirs a bit. I close the door when I leave and go upstairs getting ready for bed and going into my own bed but it takes me a long time to fall asleep as I wonder what's wrong with Clare and why she showed up at our house late at night and obviously upset. I wake up just before eleven the next morning and go downstairs to eat. I start making eggs and bacon when the front door opens and Adam comes in.

"How's Eli?" I ask as he closes the front door and comes into the kitchen leaning on the counter.

"Okay I guess, he has crutches to get around but he got his neck brace off. He did spend most of the night talking about Clare though." Adam tells me.

I want to believe that Clare came here so upset last night because of Eli, that she's still reeling from their breakup and knew he was getting out of the hospital last night but I know that's not it that something else is going on. As if she knows I'm thinking about her I hear the guest room door open.

"Who slept in the guest room?" Adam asks squeezing his forehead together. Before I can answer Clare comes around the corner and Adam raises his eyebrows and then shoots me a look. "Clare?" He says surprised.

"Hey Adam, morning Drew," she says quietly her eyes are red making it obvious she was crying.

"What are you doing here are you okay?" Adam questions hugging her tightly and I see her scrunch her face in pain but she smiles again before Adam releases her so he doesn't see.

"I'm fine Adam I just had to get out of my house for a while, I knew you were with Eli but I…didn't really have anywhere else to go. Drew let me hang out and I guess I fell asleep watching him play video games. I borrowed some clothes, I hope that's okay. Do you guys mind if I shower before I go home?" She asks.

"No of course not and I don't mind at all that you borrowed some clothes. You know where the towels are, do you need anything?" Adam questions looking at her closely and she looks away.

"No I don't need anything, I'll be quick." She replies going upstairs.

We're both frozen until the washroom door closes then I go back to making breakfast until Adam punches my arm as hard as he can.

"OW! What was that for?" I question.

"Don't you think you should have told me when my best friend showed up at our house upset?!" Adam exclaims in an irate tone.

"She wasn't exactly upset when she showed up last night, just quiet and sort of sad, looked like she had been crying. She knew you were at Eli's and she still came here, she said she just wanted to hang out for a bit so I let her in. I didn't think calling you at your other best friend's house who happens to be her ex boyfriend on the night he gets out of the hospital because he crashed his car to get her to see him and telling you she was here was a good idea! I took care of her alright? She borrowed some of your clothes, some bandages and fell asleep watching me play video games so I took her up to the guest room and tucked her in." I assure my brother.

"Bandages? Is she hurt?" Adam inquires.

"She said she fell and scratched her leg. Does she really have nowhere else to go? Why didn't she go home?" I ask.

"I don't know, Alli's at boarding school and Jenna lives with K.C. and they have Tyson now. You were there when Jenna went in to labor. She's not close enough to Wes, Connor or Dave to randomly show up at their house at night and Spinner, Peter and them all moved away." Adam tells me.

"What's a Spinner and Peter who?" I question.

"They both worked at the Dot, they both dated her sister. What did she say last night when she came over?" Adam inquires.

"She just asked if she could hang out for a bit, I saw she was sad so I let her in. Then she asked for bandages and to borrow some clothes. That was it; she came back downstairs in your sweats and fell asleep on the sofa." I inform him.

Hearing the washroom door open again we both get quiet. Clare comes down the stairs a couple minutes later as I'm putting my breakfast on a plate. She's wearing her skirt again but still has on Adam's sweatshirt, her hair is brushed but still wet and for the first time ever I realize she has the most crystal blue eyes.

"Is it okay if I bring your sweatshirt back tomorrow Adam? I'll wash it and everything." She says.

"Yeah sure," Adam nods slowly.

"Thanks," she replies smiling softly. "I should get home," she adds and the smile vanishes from her lips, erased at the thought of going home.

"Why don't you have breakfast first, I can make some more and then we'll take you home." I offer.

"Yeah sit and have breakfast, you need to eat." Adam insists.

"Okay I guess I should eat but I'll just have cereal." She replies.

"Are you sure? I don't mind making more." I tell her.

"Yeah cereal is fine; I'm really not that hungry." She affirms.

I sit down at the table, Adam sits across from me while Clare pours herself a bowl of cereal, joining us at the table and sitting between us.

"How's the cut on your leg?" I query as she takes a bite of cereal.

"Fine," she responds.

"What happened last night Clare? Why didn't you call me?" Adam asks her.

"I knew you were with Eli, that he was getting out of the hospital last night I didn't want to bother you." She tells him.

"If something happened you still should have called me," Adam scolds.

"Nothing happened last night Adam I just didn't want to be home and I came here because I feel safe here. I didn't mean to fall asleep, thanks for putting me in the guest room Drew." She says giving me a beautiful smile.

"No problem, the guest rooms a lot more comfortable than the sofa." I reply smiling back at her.

"Clare what happened? Do your parents even know where you are?" Adam inquires.

"My dad's at…I mean my parents are at work they probably didn't even notice I was gone." She says quietly in a sad tone as she drags her spoon through her cereal and I realize she's only eaten a couple of bites.

"Were they fighting again? The divorce is it…" Adam ventures but Clare suddenly breaks into tears.

Adam goes over, kneeling by her on one side and putting his arm around her. I do the same on the other, when she doesn't stop after a minute I pull her up from her chair and we walk her to the sofa setting her between us. She cries into her hands while we hold her for several minutes, when she's calmed down a little she begins to talk.

"They already got divorced, my mom left, she's been having an affair for years. She told my dad she wanted a divorce and walked out on us. We haven't seen or heard from her in weeks." Clare confesses.

I exchange a look with Adam; I don't know what to say so I just put my arm around her a little tighter.

"Clare why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?" Adam questions.

"I don't know Adam I was embarrassed and in shock! I grew up my whole life thinking my parents were good people that loved each other and then my mom announces it's all been a lie. What was I supposed to say? Eli was dealing with hoarding, you were chasing after Fiona, I just didn't want to burden anyone and my dad didn't want anyone to know. It broke him, my dad, he just…broke and I was left to take care of him!" She bemoans.

She puts her head on Adam's shoulder and starts crying harder again. Adam holds her tightly; I rub her back gently as I look at Adam. He looks just as shocked as I feel; I guess he really didn't know any of that. It's not like I thought Clare led a charmed and perfect life I mean Adam told me most things but I never imagined she was going through anything like that or that she'd try to hide it all, from everyone. I want to make it better for her, to make her happy again, I'm feeling pain because she's in pain and I hate that she's in pain.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you all that. I shouldn't have burdened you guys; it's not your problem. I should get home." She says suddenly trying to stand up.

Adam grabs her arm and I grip the back of Adam's sweatshirt that she's wearing preventing her from standing.

"You're not going anywhere and it's not a burden." I insist to her.

"It's okay Clare," Adam affirms.

"I should go home," she says quietly, wiping the tears from her face.

"Why don't you stay here, our parents won't be home for a few hours. We can hang out and watch movies; you don't need to go home right this second." I offer.

She's quiet for a minute, biting her lip gently between her teeth. I know her well enough to know it's something she does when she's thinking and finally she nods. She goes downstairs with Adam while I clean up the mess from breakfast before I join them. Adam already has a movie on, some annoying musical but I'm guessing he put it on to make Clare happy. After suffering through the musical Adam put on a comedy, from the corner of my eye I see Clare smile a little but she never laughs, not once and most of the time she looks like she's a million miles away.

"I should get home now; my dad'll be home soon." She says when that movies over.

"We'll take you," I tell her as I turn off the TV.

"I can walk it's only a couple of blocks," she insists.

"We're taking you," Adam asserts.

Clare goes upstairs to get her jacket from Adam's room, we get in my car and I drive to Clare's house parking out front.

"Thanks for the ride Drew and letting me stay last night." She says, a tiny grateful smile curling up one corner of her mouth.

"Sure Clare anytime," I reply smiling back at her.

Adam gets out of the backset and opens the passenger side door for her, I watch the best friends embrace and she seems hesitant to let him go, like she's scared to go into her house.

"Thanks for everything Adam," she says when she finally releases him.

"Yeah of course, call me if you need me okay?" Adam requests.

"I will," Clare nods.

She waves at me and we wait until she's inside before I drive home. I have a million questions but I'm pretty sure Adam doesn't have the answers so we drive home in silence.

"You hungry?" I ask my brother as we walk back into our house.

"No," Adam shakes his head.

"Yeah me either," I sigh sitting at the breakfast counter.

Adam sits next to me, folding his arms on the counter and putting his head down. "I didn't know Drew," he laments, "she's my best friend and I had no idea what was going on in her life unless it involved Eli!"

"She didn't want anyone to know Adam, you heard her. You can't blame yourself, we know now and we can be there for her, try to help her." I assure him putting my hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently.

"How?" Adam questions looking up at me.

"I don't know bro but we'll figure it out. She's not alone in this anymore." I assert and then my phone rings, I pull it from my pocket to see that it's Mom calling so I answer. "Hey Mom."

"Hi Drew how are things at home?" Mom asks.

"Fine, things are good here," I reply.

"Good well your father and I will be home in an hour and I expect all your chores to be done." Mom tells me.

"Yeah see you guys soon," I say and hang up the phone. "Mom and Dad are on their way home we need to get our chores done."

"Okay I'll unload the dishwasher and you go empty the trash upstairs." Adam says.

I grab a large trash bag from under the kitchen sink and head upstairs. Emptying the trash in Adam's wastebasket first, then mine and then going into the washroom, I set the bag on the floor and tip the wastebasket in. A bunch of tissues fall in first and then I see Clare's shirt from last night, it's covered in blood, a lot of blood! I put the wastebasket down and pull it out, holding it up to see it's been cut clean through! Her bra's in there too, it also has a lot of blood on it and it's been cut! There's a bunch of gauze pad wrappers and several blood soaked alcohol pads!

"ADAM!" I holler at the top of my voice.

Adam runs up the stairs, coming into the washroom a second later. "What?" He questions.

"We need to go back to Clare's now!" I inform him.

"Why wha…" Adam stops when I hold up Clare's shirt and his face takes on a sickly green hue.

"Write a note for Mom and Dad," I instruct.

He nods and runs back downstairs while I stuff all the trash in the garbage bag and run it outside so Mom doesn't have a heart attack if she sees it. Adam locks the front door, we get back in my car and I race back to Clare's house. Adam's out of the car before I even turn it off, by the time I'm out the car Adam's ringing the doorbell. I reach Adam just as the door opens and Clare looks at us, she's changed her clothes, she's wearing jeans and a short sleeve blue top now.

"What are you guys doing here?" She questions.

"What happened last night Clare?" Adam inquires.

"I told you Adam nothing happened," she insists in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I found your shirt Clare and your bra, they were cut open and covered in blood! You didn't scratch your leg did you?" I ask.

Clare bites her lip and looks away, I can see her fighting back the tears and I put my hand on her arm. We hear a car pull up and all look over to see her dad pull into the driveway. Clare pulls away from me, taking a deep shaky breath as her dad gets out of the car and walks up to us.

"Hi Sweetheart, nice to see you Adam," her dad says.

"Dad you remember Adam's brother Drew, they just came by to get Adam's sweatshirt. He leant it to me last week at school when I forgot my coat." She lies.

"Alright, is dinner done?" Her father asks her.

"It will be soon, I'm just going to run upstairs and get Adam's sweater." Clare replies. She runs upstairs and we step aside so her father can go into the house, Clare comes back a moment later handing Adam his sweatshirt. "I didn't have a chance to wash it yet sorry." She says starting to close the door but we stop her.

"Clare…" we both say together but she stops us.

"You guys need to go now!" She whispers in a determined and harsh voice.

"All that blood, what happened?" I persist.

"It's fine okay, now please go." She asserts.

"Clare," Adam pleads.

"I'll call you later but you guys have to go now," she insists again, closing the door on us.

I look at Adam and we walk back to the car, driving home. We should finish our chores but we're too worried about Clare. Adam throws away the note he left for our parents and we sit on the living room sofa.

"That was a lot of blood Drew, she's hurt." Adam says.

"I know Adam; we'll get her to tell us what happened." I try to assure him.

We sit on the sofa until Mom and Dad get home, opening the front door and startling us when they come in.

"We're home, how was your night?" Mom asks as they come in.

"Good."

"Fine."

Adam and I say together quickly.

"How's Eli doing?" Mom asks Adam while Dad takes their bags upstairs.

"Huh? Oh uh fine, got his neck brace off and he starts therapy next week." Adam replies.

"You guys okay? Why doesn't it look like the chores got done?" Mom asks.

"We were at Clare's her Mom walked out on them, left them for some guy she's been cheating with and Clare was upset." I tell my Mom and Adam smacks me in the side to tell me I should have kept my mouth shut.

"That's terrible poor Clare; tell her if she needs anything at all we're here. I'm going to unpack why don't you boys order us some dinner." Mom says and we nod.

Mom goes upstairs and Adam opens the drawer of delivery menus pulling them out.

"Why'd you tell Mom?" Adam questions.

"Because if we're going to help Clare and she's going to be here a lot then Mom has to know something." I tell him.

"Yeah okay good point," he agrees.

We start looking through the menus deciding what to eat although neither of us really feels hungry.

(CLARE)

"You shouldn't have boys over to the house when I'm not home Clare. You just broke up with Eli and look how that turned out." Dad says as we sit down at the table to eat.

"Adam's my best friend Dad, I didn't have them over, I told you they came over to get Adam's sweatshirt. They didn't even come in the house." I reply as I take a bite.

"I have questions about this so called friendship of yours Clare. You spent an awful lot of time at his house this last semester and I don't think it's good. I don't like the look of his brother either." Dad tells me, drinking his beer more than he's eating his food like always.

"Drew and I barely talk to each other he just drove Adam over here," I argue starting to get annoyed and the cut down my front is stinging like crazy.

"If you're not careful you're going to turn into a slut just like your mom and Darcy!" Dad barks with a malicious look on his face.

I used to be able to blame his moods on the alcohol, it made it easier but this is his first beer since getting home and I know he doesn't drink at work. In the last month he's had more and more of these moods when he's sober. I don't know if they're really moods but I don't know what else to call them. I know Mom leaving, walking out on us and announcing she's been having an affair with Glen Martin for the last four years broke him. He was devastated, fell into a depression and stayed in his room for days and when he came out he was like this.

"Dad Darcy was not a slut and I've barely kissed a boy. Adam is just a friend that's a…"

I'm cut off by him tossing his plate into the kitchen; it hits the cupboards and shatters.

"Don't talk back to me! You're useless just like your mother now clean that up!" Dad snarls at me.

I catch a breath in my throat and swallow hard to keep the tears back; I know crying will only make it worse. Dad gets up, grabbing a six pack of beer from the fridge, sits on the sofa and puts on a hockey game. I take a deep breath and get up to grab the broom from the pantry. After cleaning up the mess from my dad throwing his half full dinner plate I clean up the table and dinner dishes. Then run to my room, shutting and locking my door I lie on my bed and cry myself to sleep.

I wake up late at night, my chest hurts, actually my whole front hurts. I turn on my lamp and lift up my shirt to see blood starting to soak through it so I get up and go to my door, listening first and then opening it cautiously. The rest of the house is dark and my dad's bedroom door is closed so I know he's asleep. Going into the washroom I put my dirty shirt and bra in the laundry and change my bandages, Dad'll never notice the bloody bandages in the trash. After I brush my teeth and wash my face I go back to my room changing into pajamas. I get in bed but I can't sleep, I lie awake for a while and then get up going downstairs. I fall asleep again on the sofa watching TV sometime before dawn.

Hearing Dad come down the stairs the next morning is what wakes me up; I leap up and go into the kitchen to start some coffee. As soon as Dad gets his breakfast I go back upstairs to my room, I get dressed but don't come out again until I hear Dad leave for work. After brushing my hair and stuff I go downstairs to eat breakfast myself. When I clean up from breakfast I go upstairs to get some cash from the hiding place in my dad's bedroom. We're low on groceries, basics like bread and milk so I'm going to go to the store. There's a market down the street from the Dot, it's the closest one within walking distance.

I'm almost there when I see Fitz across the street, leaning on a fence, smoking a cigarette. I stop, freezing in place as he smiles at me and takes out the switch blade he used the other night. I'm paralyzed by fear, trapped somewhere between that night and this moment but when he starts walking across the street towards me my fight or flight response kicks in and I choose flight! I run past the store, past the Dot, I have no idea where I'm going I just want to get as far away from Fitz as I can. I turn heading toward DeGrassi, most likely out of habit, I'm not really thinking just running. I'm crying and it's getting hard to see and I suddenly bump into someone or they catch me I'm not really sure. All I know is hands are on my arms and I start screaming because my mind tells me it's Fitz, he's caught me again and he has his knife and he's going to cut me again.

"NO LET ME GO!" I scream trying to get out of his hands.

"Clare it's Drew, it's Drew and Owen you're okay." Drew's husky and calming voice registers with me and I stop fighting and look at him.

My eyes are still bleary with tears but I can make out Drew's features. Knowing it's him and not Fitz and fairly confident that if Fitz follows me Drew, and probably Owen too, will make him leave I throw my arms around Drew. He starts rubbing my back, telling me it's okay and I can see Owen standing behind him. After a couple of minutes I calm down, cease crying with a deep breath and pull away a little. Drew looks in my eyes wiping away the rest of my tears.

"Clare what happened? You never called last night; Adam's worried what's going on?" Drew inquires.

I bite my lip, exhaling with a shudder. I don't know what to tell him, I don't want to tell him before I can think of a reply Owen speaks up.

"Dude she's bleeding we need to take her to the hospital!"

Update Soon

Yes Fitz is bad in this one sorry Mansavage777 but you have Knight in Shining Hoodie and Best Served Hot where he's good.