Sorry for the long wait but here's the last chapter finally.

Ch.2 Dark Returning

(OWEN)

"Tell Clare hi," Dallas says as we leave the locker room.

"Yeah I will, I'll call you after I see her," I tell Dallas and get in my car.

I haven't seen Clare since high school really, I've seen her around town a few times in the last few years. Passing each other in the store or on the street, we'd smile and wave, maybe say high but that was about it. Clare was never really into sports and I knew she'd married Eli and they had a kid, second hand info collected from Dallas and Drew but I did see Clare with her daughter once. We'd hardly spoken in high school, didn't have the same friends or travel in the same circles. Our social circles mixed with Adam being her best friend and Drew and Dallas being two of mine but we didn't mix, not in high school. We're not in high school anymore however and while I've hardly thought of Clare over the years when Paige told us Clare was in the hospital because Eli put her there, and he's been abusing her I was angry. More than just angry, outraged really, outraged that he would do that to her, that he could do that to Clare. I'm angry that Eli seems to only have gotten worse since high school and Clare's still with him.

Beyond all the anger I actually care, maybe I've had feelings for Clare for a long time and just never realized it. Maybe I just never let myself feel them after what happened with Fitz and her epic romance with Eli and how cursed her high school relationships seemed to be. Or maybe they are brand new, maybe they occurred at the same time as my anger and outrage, maybe wanting to rip out Eli's heart and save Clare's all happened within me at the same moment. However long I've had these feelings whenever they occurred I have them now and I want to see Clare. I want to talk to her, find out why she's still with Eli, give her the strength to get away. I want to know what happened to that bullheaded girl with the plan from high school.

I park at the hospital and go in, Paige already told me what room Clare is in and how to get there. She also said if anyone gave me trouble for being here to tell them I was her guest. Clare is sitting up in bed, her face is bruised and I can see the swell of her pregnant belly under her robe. She's reading a book but when she notices me in the doorway she looks over.

"Owen what are you doing here?" She questions putting down her book. Her tone sounded only slightly surprised but happy more than anything else, or maybe I just heard it that way because I want to.

"Paige came to the arena to talk to Dylan about you and we overheard," I explain going into the room and sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Who's Dylan? And who overheard what?" Clare questions.

"Paige's older brother and one of my coaches, who is also dating my brother," I enlighten Clare, "and Dallas and I overheard. Now why are you still with Eli if this isn't the first time?"

"I've barely seen you since high school and we weren't even friends then I hardly see how it's any of your business," she snaps at me.

"He's hurting you Clare, you're very pregnant and he's hurting you, it's not the first time and it won't be the last. You shouldn't be with him Clare," I plead with her.

"And I suppose you're going to tell me that I should be with you?!"

"Well now that you've brought it up," I comment scratching the back of my head sheepishly.

"This isn't a romantic comedy Owen, this isn't the movies there are no Hollywood endings. Eli is my husband, father of my children and we're in love," she says the last part with trepidation in her voice, they were in love once but it's faded. "He's been under a lot of stress and he knows it can't happen again," she tells me as he voice goes firm again.

"I'm sure he does but that doesn't mean it won't happen again Clare! You must know that and what about your children? Your daughter must know Eli hurts you she's going to grow up thinking it's okay and this child could die," I assert putting my hand on her belly and she starts to cry.

"I can help you, Paige wants to help and Dallas, I know Adam will, Tris and Dylan too but you have to decide to leave him," I urge her.

All she does is shake her head, she continues crying and I'm not sure what to do for her. Instinct says to hold her but I'm not sure that I can, when a nurse comes in to take her vitals and check her surgical incision I make a quiet exit. Going down to the gift shop I pick out a nice bouquet, on the card I write for her to call me any time and put my number. I also put Dallas, Dylan and Tris just so she can call any of us in an emergency. I have the flowers sent up to her room and then I leave but I don't want to go home to my empty house so I decide I'll go to Tris and Dylan's place. Actually it's Dylan's house but Tris moved in a few months ago. It was pretty weird when my little brother started dating not only someone older than me but also one of my coaches. Tris has never been happier however, Paige told me Dylan's only been this happy when he was with Marco. Tris and Dylan are cute together and if Tris is happy then I'm happy for him. Just as I park I get a call from Dallas so I answer.

"What did Adam say?" I inquire.

"He didn't know Eli was hitting her but said Eli's been fairly erratic lately, he hasn't talked to either in a few weeks though. Last time he talked to Clare she mostly talked about the pregnancy," Dallas tells me.

"We have to get her away from him, she was making excuses but she started sobbing, she knows she needs to leave him but she's afraid. I'm at my brother's place I'm going to hang out here for a while didn't feel like going home," I comment as I walk to the door and knock. Tris opens the door and lets me in.

"Cool maybe I'll come hang too if it's cool with them," Dallas comments.

"You guys cool if Dallas comes to hang out?" I ask Tris and Dylan and they both nod and shrug. "Yeah come on over," I tell Dallas and hang up.

"How's Clare?" Tris asks.

"Not good, she's really banged up and just like Paige said. She won't leave Eli and I think I have feelings for her," I inform them and both their mouths drop open.

"Since when?!" Tris demands.

"I have no idea," I reply.

(CLARE)

"The house is all cleaned up, I found a great coffee table at a yard sale it was cheap and it's sturdy," Eli tells me as we start driving home. He's talking about a new coffee table because when he punched me and I fell and broke the last one in the beating that brought me here. I'm pretty sure falling on the table is what broke my ribs.

I spent four days in the hospital all together but I was just discharged and Eli came to take me home. Paige was there with me every day, coming into my room every chance she could. She kept trying to talk to me about leaving Eli and I always rebuffed her, she'd drop it and then we'd chat or play cards. Owen, Dallas, Tris, Dylan and Paige's husband Jay and their lover Alex all came to see me at the hospital at different times. Owen came the most but he usually wouldn't talk about Eli, he'd mostly just sit and talk with me or read to me. Adam has called every day, the first call was the hardest when he asked if Eli was hitting me and I just couldn't answer. Adam told me he'd fly out as soon as he could and would stay for a few weeks. He also made me swear to call Dallas if I needed.

"Good, how long are your parents keeping Vada?" I question.

"They'll keep her another couple of days but she misses you. I have to go into work but you just rest today, Mom said to call if you need anything and I have the bedroom all set up for you. Mom sent over a bunch of food you just have to heat it up," Eli replies and I nod. When we get home I change into pajamas and Eli helps me into bed. "I'm so sorry Clare, it'll never happen again I swear, I've been taking my meds every day and I promise you it will never happen again. I love you and Vada and Julian more than anything in this life," Eli swears taking my hand kissing it before kissing my lips.

"I know Eli I love you too, you should go to work I'm just going to take a nap," I insist to my husband.

"If anything happens call me, Mom's on speed dial if you need anything," Eli says kissing me again before leaving.

I really am tired and fall asleep shortly after he leaves, I wake up when I'm hungry, getting up slowly and pulling myself out of bed using the headboard. I go to the kitchen and see the many containers of food Cece brought over; I look them over and decide on salad with chicken. I get out a plate and begin to sit down when there's a knock on my door. I push myself up again and call that I'm coming; I waddle slowly to the door and open it thinking it might be Cece but instead I find Owen.

"You have a nasty habit of surprising me lately," I comment opening the door a little wider so he can come in.

"I heard you were let out today I wanted to come see you, see how you were," Owen says coming in and shutting the door.

"I'm healing, the bruises are starting to fade," I respond but don't know what else to say.

"And Eli?" Owen inquires.

"He's working and you really shouldn't be here," I respond.

"I came to check on you and I was in the hospital all the time when Eli wasn't there. Actually I'm pretty sure that I was there more than your husband was," Owen comments.

"You were there a lot but Paige was there more and there were other people in the hospital, nurses and doctors were coming in and out all the time," I argue. I'm pacing the living room because standing still makes my back ache.

"Paige works at the hospital and you make it sound like there was something between us we were trying to hide," Owen shoots back.

"No I'm just saying nothing could have happened between us in the hospital because it wasn't private, but now we're alone while my husbands at work."

"So then there is something between us," Owen says.

"No that's not what I meant Owen, you've been really great and in the last few days we've become friends. I appreciate all the time you spent with me in the hospital, you're concern and our friendship but I don't think it's appropriate for you to be alone in my house while my husband is out," I reply.

"I'm here as a concerned friend only, it wouldn't be appropriate if I came here to seduce you but I'm not," Owen says in a firm tone.

"Sorry, I was about to eat are you hungry?"

"No I'm okay but you should eat," Owen responds and I walk back to the kitchen with Owen following me. He helps me into my seat and sits in the other chair where Eli usually sits.

Owen stays while I eat and cleans up when I'm done; he even helps me back to bed. He stays for another hour before leaving for practice but reminds me to call him if I need him. Eli doesn't get home until very late that night and he's gone by the time I wake up the next morning. I take a hot shower, have some breakfast and then Paige comes by, she brought me tea and fruit tart. She stays for a while but when Eli calls she excuses herself and says she'll call me later. I don't stay on the phone with Eli long but then Cece calls and tells me Vada wants to come home. I tell her that's fine and as soon as I hang up I go into the washroom to put makeup over the bruises.

Yeah I know I'm covering up what Eli did, I'm not telling his parents and I'm not getting help. I don't have a good reason or straight forward answer because as much as it seems like it should be it's not a straight forward problem. Eli loves me, he loves Vada and Julian but when he's not on his meds and especially when he's stressed out he's a completely different person. He's hit me before, at first it was just once and he was so sorry afterward and was so good to me after that. For days he did nothing but spoil me and it was months before it happened again. It's not even that he does it when drunk or even every time he's angry, it's like a perfect storm of things but that perfect storm has been happening a lot lately. His new movie is not going the way he wants, he's frustrated and always stressed, he stops taking his meds and his meds, and then the littlest things will set him off. He just explodes and gets out of control becoming violent. I can't just leave him and I can't stay so I'm trapped.

I just finish getting my makeup on when the door opens and I hear Vada calling for me.

"Hi Sweetie did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa?" I ask taking her from Cece.

"Yeah," Vada smiles before kissing me and I try not to wince when she touches the bruise.

"It's just awful, your pregnancy has been so hard and then getting mugged. She wanted her mom but you just call me if you need us to take her again. Do you still have plenty of food?" Cece asks.

Vada goes to play in her room and I talk to Cece for a while, she always has some home remedy or tea or something she wants me to try. Cece finally leaves and I go to lie down in bed, Vada spends the afternoon coming in with toys and books she wants me to play with or read to her. When there's a knock on the door late in the evening I think it's Eli and he forgot his keys, or went off his meds and can't find them. When I open the door however it's Owen.

"It's a little late to be dropping by," I scold him.

"Eli's working late," Owen responds coming in.

"How do you know?" I inquire.

"I have my ways," is his response.

"MOMMY STORY!" Vada screams from my room.

"Sorry that would be Vada would like to meet her?"

"Yeah," he smiles. We walk back to the bedroom and Vada looks up at me and then at Owen.

"Vada this is Mommy's friend Owen," I tell her. She waves shyly and runs over to me hugging me tightly and hiding her head.

"Hi Vada it's nice to meet you, I've seen you before with your Mom. It looks like you tried moving your whole room into Mommy and Daddy's room," Owen comments and I laugh as I sit on the bed.

"I haven't moved off the bed much so she's been bringing everything in here," I tell him.

"Hey Vada what do you say we pick up all your toys and books, and then I'll put you to bed so Mommy can rest," Owen says.

"Mommy put to bed," Vada shakes her head.

"No Mommy needs to rest besides if you let me put you to bed you can fly," Owen tells her and she looks at him now.

"Fwy?"

"Yeah fly I'll show you but first we have to get all your toys and books back in your room," Owen tells her.

Vada lets go of me and picks up a book from the bed. She works her way off my bed to the floor and then runs to her room.

"You're a natural," I smile at Owen.

"You should lay down I'll get her in bed," Owen tells me and starts picking up Vada's toys and books.

I lie down while they pick up and then Vada says good night, Owen picks her up holding her with one hand under her belly and one at her feet. Vada instinctually puts her arms straight out and Owen runs through the house with her. I can hear her giggling and screaming with delight, telling him to do it again every time he stops. It's like a wonderful music and I drift to sleep listening to it.

It's been two weeks since I was released from the hospital, the bruises have faded, and my broken ribs are healing. The stitches will dissolve soon and I have a follow up appointment in a week. Eli has been good but he's also barely home, Cece and Bullfrog help out a lot, taking Vada during the day and doing a lot of cooking and house cleaning. Paige is over a lot; Tris and Dylan have come over a couple of times, Jay and Alex too. Vada and I even went to dinner at Paige and Jay's house a few nights ago. Adam is flying out in a few days, I was excited to see him and then there's Owen. He's been over every single day and only when Eli out, I haven't even told Eli that Owen and I are friends. I haven't because I worry how he'll react. Owen and I haven't done anything, we barely even hug, it's not as though we're having an affair, not a sexual one anyway. There's something there and even though we're not having a sexual affair we're having an emotional one. I'm always happy to see him, I feel open and free with him and most importantly I don't feel afraid.

Tonight Vada is sleeping at Eli's parent's house; he actually came home at a semi-decent hour and made dinner. A rather nice dinner that we were enjoying until Eli got a phone call, he's been arguing with his editor and production team for over an hour. I finished my dinner and his has gotten cold. Now I'm lying on the sofa watching TV and rubbing my belly as Julian is kicking and rolling around without end.

"DAMN IT!" Eli hollers as I hear something hit the wall in the kitchen.

"Eli what was that?" I question trying to get off the sofa.

"We're going over budget again! I have to come up with another five grand, everything on this fucking movie has gone wrong," he growls throwing a dish this time. He keeps yelling about incompetent staff and other things and I start walking to the bedroom. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Eli yells and I stop.

"Eli stop I'm going to bed, I'm tired and I don't want to listen to you yell," I tell him as I keep walking to the bedroom.

"YOU'RE JUST GOING TO WALK AWAY WHEN I NEED YOU?!"

He grabs me pulling me back and then backhanding me so hard I fall back, twisting slightly and hitting the kitchen counter. I cough and gasp, feel a pain shoot through me and Eli is yelling again. Eli is yelling still and he kicks my side so hard I can't breathe. Eli turns around and keeps ranting, it's like he doesn't even see me, I'm not his wife anymore just a punching bag and I need to get out of here. I pull myself up and move as fast as I can to the bedroom, locking the door and getting my cell phone. I can't think well enough to call 911 but I do call Paige.

"Clare are you okay?"

"No he hit me again, I can't be here tonight I'm worried about my son, I'm worried about me," I tell her through my tears and Eli pounding on the door.

"Okay we're coming to get you where's Vada?" Paige questions.

"At her grandparents for the night please hurry."

"We're coming, Alex is calling Dylan he lives closer stay on the phone," Paige says.

After a few minutes Eli stops yelling and I realize someone is pounding on the front door. A moment after that I hear Dylan's angry voice and Tris calling for me, I get up and open the bedroom door, Tris hugs me and looks at my face.

"That bastard," Tris growls as I hear Dylan yelling at Eli.

Tris takes me out to the living room and I see Dylan has Eli in some wrestling hold or something. Eli is yelling for Dylan to let him go and Dylan is telling Eli he's an abusive prick. At the moment I don't completely disagree. Jay, Paige and Alex come in now, they at look at me and then look at Eli.

"Tris go with Paige and Alex, take Clare to our place, Dylan and I will pack her and Vada's things," Jay instructs.

"YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER AWAY FROM ME!" Eli growls.

"They're coming to stay with us because you can't stop hitting her and she deserves better," Paige says taking my arm and pulling me out of the house.

"I can't, I can't do it anymore. I knew he would hit me again, I knew I was putting myself and my children in danger and I stayed and I can't even explain why," I sob as I get in the back of the car with Paige.

"It doesn't matter now you're out and you're never going back," Alex tells me and I nod but I can't stop shaking.

(OWEN)

My phone rings as I'm sitting down to a late dinner, my brother's face flashes on my cell and I hit accept.

"Eli hit her again we're taking Clare to Paige and Jay's. Dylan and Jay are still there packing Clare and Vada's things," Tris informs me and I tense up going rigid with anger.

"I'm on my way," I reply.

"To Paige and Jay's or to Clare's to kill Eli?"

"As much as I feel like killing Eli I'm on my way to you to, I want to see Clare," I respond and hang up. Grabbing my wallet and keys I leave and drive straight to Paige and Jay's. I ring the bell and Tris opens the door, he lets me in and takes me back to Clare who is lying in Jay and Paige's bed. "What happened?" I ask sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her, she's holding ice to one side of her face.

"It doesn't matter I'm not going back, I can't. He'll kill me, he doesn't even see me anymore when he's like that, I think he would have killed me if I hadn't gotten away," she says.

"Good, how badly are you hurt and where's Vada?" I inquire.

"She's with his parents, I think it's just the bruise on my face but my ribs hurt where he kicked me," she tells me trying to move and wincing when she does.

"We should take you to the hospital," I insist.

"I just got here, I need to rest," she replies.

"Let us see anywhere else you hurt," Alex says and Clare tries to move again.

She lies down a little more and Paige pulls up her dress. I see developing bruises on both sides of her abdomen. When she sees the looks on all our faces she agrees to the hospital now. I help her up and we all go in my SUV, Paige calls Jay on the way to tell them to meet us at the hospital. I tell Tris to call Adam and let him know what's going on. Paige then calls ahead to the hospital and they have a wheelchair waiting for her when I pull up.

"Owen please go get Vada from Eli's parents, I know she's safe there but I don't want Eli to get her," Clare pleads with me before getting out of the car.

"I'll get her, I promise and I'll be right back with her," I assure Clare.

Paige, Alex and Tris help Clare to the wheelchair, I start driving toward Eli's parent's house. I know where it is because I've picked up Vada a few times from there in the last couple of weeks.

"Hello Owen I didn't know you were picking Vada up no one called," Bullfrog says when he opens the door.

"Yeah well maybe because Clare's in the hospital after Eli beat her again," I tell them not hiding my spite for their son in my tone.

"What?" Bullfrog asks shocked.

"You heard me and I think you knew and didn't want to admit it but your son needs help," I reply and then call for Vada.

The toddler comes running when she hears me call, she's become very fond of me in the last couple of weeks and I have become attached to the girl as if she was my own. She jumps into my arms and I give Eli's parents one more look before taking Vada to my car. It does occur to me that I don't have a child seat in my car so I buckle her up and have her lay down in back driving very slowly to the hospital. I tell her that Mommy's in the hospital again and we're going to see her. When we get up to maternity everyone is in the waiting room, except Dylan and Jay who haven't arrived yet, but Dallas is here. Paige takes Vada and tells me Clare is being examined. Dallas tells me that Adam is flying out tonight; he changed his ticket as doing everything he can to get here.

"We got here as fast as we could, any word?" Jay questions walking in with Dylan.

"She's still being examined," Paige says while Jay sits next to her and kisses his wife's cheek.

"Vada looks tired, maybe someone should take her home for the night," I comment.

"Yeah we'll take her, keep us updated," Dylan says as he takes Vada from Paige.

We say goodbye and Vada waves sleepily; she grips onto Tris and falls asleep on his shoulder before they even finish saying goodbye. Shortly after they leave a doctor comes out and Paige greets him by name.

"Clare is resting; she has no internal bleeding or trauma this time but a lot of bruising and jarring. We'll be keeping her again, we're concerned about her baby, the fetal heart rate is weak and we may have to induce labor," the doctor tells us.

"Can I see her?" I request.

"Yes but she needs to rest," the doctor says.

I go back to Clare's room, it's fairly dark and at first I think she's sleeping but when I enter she turns her head. I sit down and take her hand, she grips me tightly and by the lights of her heart monitor I see tears creeping down her cheeks.

"Vada's safe, she's sleeping at Tristan and Dylan's," I assure Clare.

"Stay with me please," Clare begs.

I brush her hair from her face and kiss her lips tenderly, "I'm not going anywhere."