Clare awoke with a solemn state of mind, the nightmares had haunted her since the night of the dance. It was all she could think about, the fact that those short moments were the difference between life and death for Eli. Her Eli, the man she had allowed herself to fall in love with. She felt a twinge of what he had felt the night he lost Juila, Clare was very thankful that she didn't lose him. She hated herself for trying to fix everything with Fitz, she felt as if it were her fault for everything. Clare rolled over and looked at her alarm clock, the neon green numbers seemed to tease her "3:39." It had only been an hour since the last time she had waken up, the periods between sleep and waking seemed to grow shorter and shorter with each time. She grabbed her phone off her night stand and squinted to check it. One new message. Eli, she thought. Clare had texted him the last time she woke up just to check on him, something she had grown accustomed to doing in the weeks passed.

"I'm fine. Promise. You need to sleep."

She wondered if she was getting slightly annoying, she figured she was.

"Do not judge me. What are you still doing awake?"

Clare knew that Eli had probably drifted back off to sleep by now. It had been over an hour since the original text had been sent. She closed her eyes to try to ease her mind and drift back to sleep. Much to her surprise and a little to her dismay a minute later she heard a ding. Clare inhaled deeply before squinting her eyes once again to check the bright light that was her phone.

"Can't sleep. To busy thinking about how long it's been since I've seen you."

Eli had been exceptionally sweet since the whole incident. The fact that he was trying to make up for everything in any way he could made her smile brightly. Clare glanced the tiny devotional calendar beside her bed it had been about a week and a half since she had seen Eli and she missed him, his witty attitude and all.

"Well, I think we should fix that soon."

Fall break and groundation had been standing between them, after Clare's mom had found out about the stink bomb incident, Clare was put on house arrest for a week, but that had been over since Tuesday, it was now early Friday morning.

"Pick the time and place and I'll be there."

She smiled, she wanted to see him now.

"Can you leave your house? If so, I say you should come to my house now."

It didn't even take a minute for the response to come. "On my way, be there in ten."

Clare's face lit up with the brightest smile she had in over a week. She sighed, how was she going to get downstairs and out of the door to see him? She quietly tiptoed out of her room to look down the hall, her moms door was closed, she could easily sneak out the front door so long as she was extremely careful. Lately though, her mother had been a heavy sleeper, Clare assumed it had to do with all the stress she was under. Clare walked back into her room to give herself a once over. Although her hair was a bit of a mess, she didn't care. However, looking at herself she realized that this might be the most skin she had ever shown in front of Eli. Clare had on a cute pair of Pjs that consisted of a tank top and short shorts. Instantly she figured she should cover up. Then after a moment debate with herself she decided to be bold and go out just how she was. She began to walk quietly down the stairs, cringing at ever creek that the wood made. When she finally reached the bottom she placed her hand over her heart, it was beating rapidly. Clare slowly turned the door knob and opened the door. She instantly regretted her decision to keep the minimal amount of clothes on, it was freezing outside. Luckily, Eli had made it in a quicker time than she thoughtt. Clare gathered her strength and began walking over to Morty. She tapped on the window, Eli leaned across the seat and opened the door for her. She slipped inside and while it wasn't a heater it was warmer than the wind outside. She looked at Eli and he was outright smiling at her, not one of his adorable sideways smirks, a true, genuine smile. Her body heated up just from coming in contact with his eyes and the way they were taking every inch of her in.

"What?" She felt the blood rising to her cheeks as she crossed her arms over her chest area.

"Nothing." He just continued to stare at her and smile. She rolled her eyes, her fingers found a piece of hair to twist, a habit she had when she got nervous. "You look stunning, Clare."

Her heart beat got much faster after those words came out of his mouth, she looked at him and smiled. Clare gave him a once over, he didn't bother to change out of his comfy clothes either, a pair of flannel pants and plain white tee shirt, although he had been smart and put on a jacket. She slid across the front seats to be closer to him, "You don't look bad either." She wrapped her arms around his waist and his arms took their place around her.

"Thank you, Blue Eyes."

They stayed wrapped in each others arms just sitting in silence for the longest time. Once Clare began to get used to his body heat, she got freezing cold again and her teeth began to chatter. Eli reached into the back and pulled out a blanket. He is oddly prepared, she thought to herself. He wrapped it around her shoulders, then slid his arms back into their former place around her.

She lifted her chin up toward him, raised her eyebrow and gave him a slight smirk. "Hm, If I didn't know better, I would say you had something planned."

"No, Adam and I went camping last week. I just never took it out."

"Whatever you say." She beamed at him bright then nestled back down onto his chest.

"Clare?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

Clare sat upright, "For what? You have nothing to be sorry for, you were just standing up for me. If anything I should be sor.." But before she could finish that sentence he kissed her, not a short sweet kiss, a hard, long, fiery, passionate one. A kiss that managed to melt her insides. She pressed her hands gently on his chest, his body heat was radiating ridiculously. A few minutes into the kiss, Clare smiled then softly bit his bottom lip. A tiny pleasurable gasp left his lips and she stopped. "Sorry."

"Don't be," the breathing from both of them was heavy and Morty's windows seemed to start to fog over, "Don't ever be sorry for anything." He pressed his forehead against hers, starring deep into her eyes. To Eli her eyes were deep pools of nothing but blue, he could swim in those pools forever and still not have nearly as much of them as he wanted. Clare loved the fact he didn't try to go for another kiss because he knew what was important to Clare.

"Eli, I've missed you." The words escaped her mouth before she had a chance to monitor them.

"I've missed you too, Clare. I really really really have." He moved his hand from her waist to her face, gently using his thumb to stroke her cheek. This really was her idea of perfection. Clare felt closer to Eli than any other person on this planet at that very moment. She continued staring into his eyes, searching for answers to millions of questions forming in her mind. Why her? Why would someone as incredible as Eli, chose someone as ordinary as Clare? She slightly shook her head and smiled, she decided not to question it, just to accept it and be happy.

Her hands went from the outside of his shirt to the inside, giving Eli a slight scare. She noticed his heart beat got considerably faster with the sudden bare contact. "You're hands are freezing." She could only imagine what they felt like to him, the contrast of his hot body heat and her freezing cold hands. She left them there for a moment, memorizing the way his chest felt. When he began to get used to her hand his heartbeat almost matched hers beat for beat.

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm always nervous around you, Clare."

She blushed and leaned forward into him, placing her lips on his. Their lips were just barely touching, she pressed a little harder and he gladly met her effort. Then once again they became entangled in each other. Before she realize it, she was laying backwards on the seat with Eli positioned on top of her, their mouths moving together, almost dancing to a rhythm that came naturally. He pulled away for a moment he starred at her for what seemed like eternity, then proceeded to kiss her cheek, down to her neck, making Clare giggle.

"That tickles."

"Sorry."

"Don't be," she tilted her head to give him a little better access. Clare had no idea what was coming over her, but she didn't mind it. She trusted Eli, with her whole being. There were somethings she didn't think she would ever do before marriage, but here she was in the front seat of a teenage boys car, loving every minute of the way she was feeling.

He softly kissed her neck again, Clare bit her lip. Eli loved what he was able to do to her, he loved knowing that he was the first guy to ever kiss her like this. He nipped gently at her skin, which caused her to let out a gasp. He stopped and looked at her again, "Sorry." She simply shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her, she kissed him with such a passion he thought his heart was going to explode.

"Clare, we have to stop, before we both do something we're going to regret."

He climbed off the top of her and sat in the drivers seat, he couldn't believe that he had just given up sex with an absolutely perfect girl. Clare on the other hand was sad at first, then extremely happy, because she knew that he respected her in every way shape and form of the word. She leaned against his chest, listening to his heart beat.

"Thank you, Eli."

He just responded with a smile and wrapping his arms around her. Clare drifted off to sleep laying wrapped in his arms. Eli softly kissed the top of her head and listened to her sleep soundly. To the rhythmic sound of her breathing, he fell asleep too.