Here you go chapter 3! Sorry it took so long!

Chapter 3

Burning to escape

The humility when Claire woke up in the hospital the next day was know where close to the humility she would feel three days later when she went back to school. She had woken up only to watch her friends rush to her side and greet her with worry stricken faces. The fact that she was even in bad enough condition to be in the hospital scared her. She figured she would open her eyes to find her bedroom and her over apologetic parents shoving all kinds of things into her face to make her forget anything bad had ever happened.

Tears came to her eyes and before she could allow herself to say anything else she asked, "Oh God, am I pregnant!" the thought of having been raped and possibly impregnated by that sick fuck made her stomach flip.

Andy was the first to speak, "No thank God, John got that filthy flea bag off of you before he did more then what he was already doing." It was obvious he was trying to avoid saying what had happened.

"J-john?" Claire said suddenly remembering flashes of the school nurse, John and Andy, and the feeling of the cruel boy being yanked away from her own body, his fingers sliding out of her as he was. She shivered and looked at the faces, "Where is John?" Claire asked feeling one of her friends take her hand.

"He has been in and out since you were brought in trying to help the cops find Mitch." Brian said smiling, "That's right, John Bender is working WITH the cops for once." He added with a small laugh.

Claire smiled and laughed slightly at the idea and then turned to Allison who had been quite so far, just staring at her trying to look happy she was awake. Over all she looked tired and worried and more scared for Claire then anything.

"Hey beautiful." Claire said looking at the dark eyed girl, she knew that was slightly out of character for herself but she was just so glad they were all there, she wanted them to know she felt okay and that she was glad to see them.

Allison smiled and leaned in and kissed Claire on her good cheek, "When you get out you should come and stay the night at my house…" Allison said looking at Claire, suddenly her eyes got shifty and then she looked down, "All of you should actually, my folks are out of town for two weeks. It'd be nice to not be…" Allison said meeting Claire's eyes again, "Alone…" Claire finished for her nodding and smiling.

Suddenly the hospital room's door opened and John walked in, he looked tired, almost haggard, like the boy had never slept. And though Claire had always tried to be subtle with how much she cared for him she could not stop herself, she held her arms out to him and cried, "JOHN!" He looked from the group surrounding the bed to Claire and rushed to her, "Nice to see you're awake you lazy Cherry." He said taking her in his arms and holding her. "Nice to see you're not dead." She replied back trying to be a smart ass but failing miserably.

"So John did you find him yet?" Andy asked.

When they had arrived at the hospital with Claire the cops had come to talk to the boys, John had volunteered to go with them and show them the local hot spots for the druggies like Mitch. Andy had jumped into the saddle so ready to go and track him down. John however commanded Andy to stay with Claire incase she woke up, that way she wouldn't be alone, confused, or frightened.

Ever since Andy had been chomping at the bit for John to bring back news saying that Mitch was in custody, John shook his head, "No, he wasn't at any of the usual spots. I am guessing he knows his ass is in the fryer, now he is trying not to get burned. He is avoiding all the places I know he would be." John finished looking down angry with himself.

Claire took his face in her hands and planted a soft, lustful kiss on his lips; John sat there in shock at this sudden public display. As she pulled away she smiled, "That was a thank you for getting that dirt bag off of me." She leaned in again and gave him a much less desire filled kiss, however, it was still just as meaningful, "And that was for not calling my parents." Finally she kissed him one more time, this time with a little bit of tongue, "What was that for?" He asked in a dreamy voice so lost in her affections.

"That was just for you being you." She laid herself back down suddenly very tired, "I think you need to get in bad situations more often if it means more rewards like that." John said looking at her with a very serious face.

"I'll work on it." Claire said, then she looked to Andy, "Thank you too Andy, I know you were there too, I don't want you to think I am ungrateful."

Andy smiled and said, "I'd do it all over for you… but no kisses are required." He added looking at John and Allison who were wondering where that had been going. Everyone seemed relaxed and happy all of the sudden. That is until the doctor came in and ushered all of them but John out.

"Ok Miss. Standish. You will be ok to leave in two or three days… we need to run a few more tests to make sure you didn't receive any…diseases."

"He didn't rape her." John said angrily.

"That may be the case, but he did sexually assault her, and believe me as scary as it seems, diseases do not necessarily need to be transferred through sexual intercourse. Give it two or three days and you will be back at school. Plus the longer you stay here the less your class mates will question you about your bruises." The doctor said moving his finger around his face to indicate where hers were on herself.

Claire felt her eyes grow wide and she stared at him in shock, "What's wrong with my face!"

"Nothing Cherry baby, there is just some small bruises and a scratch…" John said taking her hands and looking at her. "You are still as beautiful as you ever were." Claire looked at him and blinked, "Did you get hit over the head or something… you've been awfully sweet lately." She said completely forgetting about her face do to the very wonderful statement Mr. Always sarcastic and mean had made.

"No I haven't been hit over the head you stupid carrot top…. It's just… I've realized a few things…and one of them is… if I lost you… I'd regret every mean thing I ever said to you…I don't want to have to worry about you going and thinking I don't care." He said looking at her hoping to God he had worded that right.

Claire looked down, "Doctor, there was no… long-term damage right?" she asked hoping that wasn't why John was so antsy about making her feel loved.

"None, the blows to your head were not to severe and there was no internal bleeding. Like I said, give us two days three tops and you can walk out of here happy and healthy."

Claire smiled at John and felt she finally let go of that last little bit of concern. "However…" the doctor started, which made Claire's stress spike back into her just as it had gone away, "I do need to talk to you about that scratch on your eye. It was very deep, and our sources say Mitch did not do it… sources said it had something to do with… your parents?" The doctor asked.

Claire felt her heart explode in her chest. The damn school nurse must have said something, she knew John wouldn't; she felt anxiety creeping into her brain, and she had to think fast, because she would NOT be labeled as an abuse case. "Yes… I had a fight with my mother… she caught me trying to climb down the side of my house on the rose vines. I slipped and cut my eye, when I told her I was sneaking off to see John, she got mad so I ran off to the school. It started to rain and I slept under the bleachers until morning, that's when… the boy's…. when Mitch… found me."

The doctor and John both looked at her, Claire could instantly tell John could see through the lie, but the doctor was fooled and that's all Claire cared about. He finished his report and left the room. When the other members of the club didn't come back in John turned to look at her, "Rose vines?"

"I had to tell him something…" she started.

"How about the truth… I am not stupid Claire, I know you don't have rose vines outside your window, they are just regular vines, no thorns, I should know I've climbed them before!"

"I didn't want them to know what really happened!" She said a little snappy then she intended.

"Why not… maybe they could help!" John countered letting his true colors slide through a little.

Claire crossed her arms across her chest,"Yeah right! They'd label me an abuse case and take me away from my parents."

"Isn't that what you want?" John asked standing and walking away.

"No! Why on Earth would I want that!?" Claire asked flabbergasted.

"You said yourself you'd rather live with your brother! This is the opportunity!"

"No John, I don't think like that. It wasn't my parents fault, if I hadn't been so…"

"Don't you ever say that again!" John yelled cutting her off, "IT IS ALWAYS THEIR FAULT! We never do ANYTHING wrong…. In fact all we do is work our fingers to the bone… they are the ones who turn around and flip out over nothing!"

"We?" Claire said allowing the annoyance to come through in her voice. She would NOT be put in the same category as John.

John rushed to her side again and took her hand, he looked deep into her eyes, "How long have they been doing this to you? Is this why you liked me? Because we both have the same problem?"

Claire stared at him in shock, his eyes were burning into her and she didn't like it, did he think she was a victim of parental abuse on the same level as him? She would never be that badly mistreated. Her mother was not very kindly in how she spoke to Claire, but that could hardly be considered abuse.

"John, she hit me on accident… if I hadn't broken her bottle of rum then she wouldn't have done it. It was my fault, she wanted to put a restraining order on you and I wouldn't let her… I went to grab her purse and she dropped her rum and then she flung her hand across my face. Her ring scratched me. That's all… nothing more. They even rushed to my side as soon as it happened to make sure I was okay. I mean my parents may be a little strange but they are not the typical abuse parents. And if my parents hadn't been fighting before hand I am sure my mother wouldn't have been so frazzled when she dealt with me."

John stood up and walked to the window as he gazed out of it Claire saw a look of worry cross his face and then it disappear again; suddenly out of the blue he asked, "Was she drunk?"

Claire looked at him for a moment longer then said, "Yes a little… well… drunk enough to call me a few interesting names. But she has called me worse sober."

"Claire… does your mother often tell you what she thinks of you?"

Claire thought a moment, "Yes… but only when she has been drinking… when she is sober she doesn't talk to me much unless I am in trouble."

"When she says what she thinks of you… is it always bad?" John asked turning to look at her.

Claire thought a moment and then nodded as if it was no big deal, because in all honesty to Claire it wasn't. Her mother had been getting drunk for a long time, even when Claire had been very young. The woman had always seemed to be unhappy no matter how rich they got, or how many friends she made or how high her statues Claire's mother had always been unhappy.

"Claire, whether you realize it or not your mother has been abusing you for years."

Claire gave a smirk and looked at him, "No John, she hasn't."

"Yes she has, when ever she gets drunk she calls you names, bad names, yells at you. Spits on everything you do! And unless they are acceptable to her, she spits on your friends! Claire you may have blinded yourself to it, but you're a victim of abuse just like me… it's called verbal abuse."

Claire stared at him dumb founded, "Know wonder you were so conceited… your mother has trained you with her harsh words! If someone isn't good enough she lets you know how she feels about him or her and then she lets you know how she feels about you for hanging out with them! If your clothes don't present you as a pretty, white, rich girl I bet she yells at you to go change so that you don't look like white trash."

"That's not true!" Claire yelled at him, her eyes fuming. Actually John was hitting the nail right on the head but she wouldn't give him an inch, she wasn't an abuse child. She was normal! Her life was normal! And no one, not even John Bender would convince her otherwise.

At that moment the hospital room door burst open and Claire's mother and father had rushed in, "CLAIRE BEAR!" Her father had said all but sprinting to her side. Claire grew confused and allowed the shock to play across her face, who had called them?

John rushed out into the hall to see the club sitting in a small waiting area, they staired at the doorway Claire's parents had just rushed through. John ran over and asked, "Whom the fuck called the parental control!"

"Probably the doctor, when he left the room earlier he went straight to the phone at the front desk." Andy said. He was the only one of the club besides John who had even the slightest clue as to what really might have happened.

"Shit..." John started.

Suddenly a hand was on John's shoulder and he turned around to see Claire's father.

"So young man, you're the boy who has stolen Claire's heart and saved her life… I am glad… it seems she is in fine hands."

John was taken aback. The man was being so nice, but he knew better, he knew how they could really be. Suddenly a very thin red head stood next to him, she didn't look nearly as sincere as Claire's father.

"Oh we are just so LUCKY…" She added giving him a warning glare.

John nodded and spoke, choosing his words more carefully then he had ever done before, "I am just glad Andy and I were around when it happened, if anything had happened to Claire I would have never forgiven myself."

"Well it is nice to know Claire's new boy is going to take good care of her isn't it Helen?"

"Indeed… we owe you much, if anything had happened to our baby I would have never recovered."

"Dad?" came a voice from behind everyone turned to look and see Claire standing there, she had slid on the jeans that had rested beside her bed, however she still looked like a patient with the gown on.

"Claire bear you should be resting." He said rushing to her side. Her mother turned stiffly and sauntered over. "Yes Claire baby, come let's get you back to bed."

John didn't know if any of the other breakfast club members could here it, but he could, Claire's mother was nervous, she wanted to know what Claire had said to the doctor. She wanted to know if she needed to get a lawyer or any other such protection. John knew the tone so well, "Come on baby, we have much to talk about." Claire's mother wrapped her arms around the girls head hugging her to her chest, Claire grew slightly stiff and it was even more obvious she was NOT used to this much affection from her mother. Finally Claire escaped from her mother's grasp and walked over to John, she gave him a kiss and said softly, "As soon as I get out… will you walk with me into school… hold my hand? I don't want to walk in alone…"

"You won't have to go in to school alone, even if I wasn't there, and trust me I will be, the rest of the club would be there. You're not alone anymore." John said giving her the eye, "Remember you not alone anymore." He repeated and then he gave her a kiss then let her go back to her parents. John had to fight every urge to go and slap that woman's hands off of Claire.

As the three disappeared into the hospital room and shut the door John spun around and looked at the club, "Okay guys, we got three days to wait for her to get out of here. We got some talking to do, can you meet me at the dinner in about an hour?"

The rest of the group nodded and stood getting ready to leave, "Andy, do me a favor and see if you can get hold of Claire's homework the next few days. Brian I'll give you a few extra bucks if you get it done for her so she doesn't have much catching up to do."

"I'll do it no charge." Brian said throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"Good man." John said looking from Brian to Allison, "And you girly, do me a favor and track down my switch blade, I never got it back after you lifted it during detention. I'd like to have it on me… especially for what I have in mind next."

"Which is?" Andy asked.

"I'll tell you in an hour." John said grabbing his trench coat from one of the waiting chairs. "Ok."

John turned leaving the three to walk themselves out. John was having a hard time believing it himself, but his little cherry princess was not as different from the others as he had thought. In fact she was more like John then John had ever imagined possible. Sometimes John would wish the abuse he suffered were only verbal, because he got tired of being hit or beat. But seeing how Claire was now it didn't seem much better.

She had shown all the tall tail signs of abuse, the denial, the sudden urge to hide it, the low self-esteem and her backwards ways. Doing the wrong thing even though she clearly knew what was right, and of course the confusion and un-comfy feeling when the abusive parent shows affection. She stiffened considerably when her mother had hugged her. Though Claire had hidden it very well, John figured that had to do with the fact that Claire had not been aware what was considered abuse and what was just considered a basic family fight. Either that or Claire was so determined to be normal she refused to allow the truth to come to her.

So John's first step to free Claire from her parents was to make her realize exactly what was going on. He wouldn't watch her suffer, not after years of being so silent and suffering himself. It was time to end the chain… but first John had to end his own chain…this was going to be interesting.

R&R I actually enjoyed writing this chapter. Another coming soon!