Note: Thanks for those who reviewed the story so far. I enjoy all the reviews. If you have any suggestions or comments please let me know! Sorry that this story is not getting as much of my attention as the other two long fanfics on my page. I will continue to work on it though. This one will probably be updated less frequently than the other two. But I will not forget about it :)
Claire's POV
Needless to say our dinner plans for the evening were ruined. Going to the clinic was not my favorite thing to do. I hated going to see any doctor, but Trent had a way of making me feel pretty comfortable. Perhaps it was because he was dating Mary. Trent was the only person in Mineral Town who knew anything about my past, and that was only because he was privy to my old medical records. Thank goodness he was bound by privacy laws, even here in Mineral Town.
After treating me and putting a few stitches in Gray's cut, he administered to Rick. Harris was outside waiting to take my statement, then took Gray's. Harris had shooed everyone else out of the Clinic.
"How'd you get them to leave?" I asked him with a smirk on my face.
"It's magical, the powers of being a cop," Harris said winking at me. "Well Claire if you want to press any harassment charges against Rick, just let me know."
"I- I don't think I want to do that, I just want him to stay away from me."
"Well he's going to spend a few nights in the Mineral Town Jail anyway, and if you want to, tomorrow afternoon we can get a restraining order against him started."
"I don't think that will be necessary," I said. "But if it ever does become necessary, I will let you know."
"Please do, if he bothers you again don't hesitate to tell me. He's been a trouble maker ever since he was young." Harris turned to Gray. "Try to stay out fights young man." Gray nodded.
"Come on," Gray said taking my arm.
"What the hell?" I asked swatting his hand away from me.
"I'm going to walk you home," Gray said calmly.
"I can handle getting home on my own Gray," I said through gritted teeth. Why was I getting angry with him, he was just trying to help me.
"Seriously? You could barely make it here without almost passing out, I will not have you passing out on the way home and dying on my conscious."
"If I pass out and die Gray, it'll be my own fault," I retorted.
"Damn it woman! Stop being so stubborn!"
"Yeah? That's the pot calling the kettle black." I felt myself feeling dizzy again, and my knees grew weaker, Gray's arms reached out to catch me. In one swift motion he swooped me up in his arms.
"Put me down Gray." He ignored me and started walking out the clinic door. I heard Harris chuckling behind me. My face flushed. "I can walk."
"You nearly passed out in there," he growled.
"I'm fine now, put me down Gray."
"You said that already, clearly It's not going to happen." I sighed. Why was he so frustratingly stubborn? He continued to carry me the rest of the way to my house.
"Do you have ice in the freezer?" Gray asked walking towards my kitchen after he set me down on my couch.
"Gray I'm fine, you don't have to take care of me," I insisted. I stood up too quickly, causing the light-headed feeling to come back, I felt my knees buckle underneath me. Crap, I was going to pass out again. Gray rushed over to catch me, again.
"Stubborn woman," I heard him mutter. I reached up and grabbed for his shoulder to raise myself on my feet.
"I just stood up too quickly," I protested.
"Claire this is the fourth time I've had to catch you tonight. Just let me help you." Gray's voice was firm yet surprisingly tender. Maybe Mary was right, maybe he really was a nice guy. I let go of the fabric in his shirt that was clasped in my hands. Why was he being nice to me? I did not quite understand it. I saw then, the remorse in his blue eyes. Did he feel responsible for what had happened to me? Suddenly I realized that we were still in each others arms, and both of our faces were slowly moving towards the other person. Goddess we were going to kiss each other!
"Uh Gray..." I muttered, looking away. "You can let go of me now."
"Oh sorry," He mumbled. I sat back down on the couch, my face starting to feel warmer. What in Goddess' name just happened there? I placed my head in my hands. Tonight had brought up too many memories of my life before Mineral Town, the life that I was so desperately trying to get away from. I had not thought about Aron since I had left, and now the memories were flooding back.
Gray's POV
Goddess I think I was going insane! I had just had the urge to kiss Claire! Claire of all people. Thank goodness Claire had said something. What in the world was that? I am not even remotely close to being attracted to Claire! It must be all the guilt that I feel for hurting her, on top of her actually looking like a girl tonight. I could still smell the distinctive sweet smell of Pink Cat Flowers. Why did she smell like Pink Cat Flowers?
"There's a washcloth in the bathroom you can use!" Claire called out from the couch. I gathered some ice out of the freezer and placed it in a plastic bag, then walked to the bathroom to get a cloth to wrap around the ice. Claire's bathroom was surprisingly girly as well. She had purple lacy curtains hanging from the small window, and her towels were also a matching light purple hue. This girl was a contradiction.
"Here," I said handing her the ice. "Put this on that bump." I sat down next to her. Now for the hard part. I always hated apologies. Either giving them or receiving them.
"Thanks Gray," she said. It appeared that the fight was completely out of her at the moment. She looked almost helpless. Helpless? Claire? Those words didn't seem to belong together, but there it was in her eyes. There was also something else lurking there; fear. Was she afraid of me?
"Claire," I began. "I'm sorry this happened."
"It's not your fault."
"My fighting with Rick caused this.
"Rick was the one who pushed me," She sighed. She leaned back and closed her eyes. "You were just helping me."
"You should get some sleep," I replied to her.
"Umhmm..." She was half asleep already. I lifted her off her couch, thankful she was really light, after all the times I've had to carry her this evening, and carried her into her room. It felt odd tucking her into bed like a small child. She opened her eyes and looked up at me, making her appear even more innocent. "Thanks Gray." She lifted her head up and kissed my cheek. I nearly jumped back in surprise. I left before things could get any weirder.
