Claire woke the next morning squashed against the wall and a heavy weight across her waist. She turned her head only for Quil to snort and bury his face further into her hair, and the arm he'd flung across her at some point on the night pulled her to him, bridging a non-existent gap between them and smacking his lips.
"Quil?" She whispered, gently nudging his leg with the back of her foot "I need to get out."
Quil frowned, his eyes remaining closed as he mumbled. "Eiffel Tower…got nothing on me…" His legs curled up behind hers, hips pressed against her butt and her eye's widened.
"Quil!" She shouted and pushed backwards making him jump and fall from the bunk with a thud. She slipped out after him, standing over his body as he lay tangled in the bed sheet, groaning.
"What the fuck!" He yelled pushing himself into a sitting position. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"I woke up and you…you had…" She blushed and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes flicking quickly down to the tented sheet in his lap and back up again.
"It's morning, what do you expect?" He groaned rising from the floor holding the sheet at his waist. "I'm sorry I poked you but I can't help what happens to it while I'm sleeping…at least now I know it's still working, no thanks to you!"
"You ran up on me!" Claire stamped her foot and turned back to her own bunk after quickly glancing round the rest of the room and finding it, thankfully, empty.
"What are you doing?" Quil sighed dropping down on his bunk, watching as she dove into her bag and began pulling out fresh clothes and her toiletry bag. "Listen, Claire I really am sorry. I honestly didn't know what was happening and I would never have done something like that on purpose…without asking." He added with a smirk.
She shook her head, barely fighting her own smile. "I'm gonna go in the shower, I'll meet you back here in fifteen okay?" Quil nodded as she left the room before flopping back on the mattress and pulling the pillow back over his head.
He jumped back up when the door to the room flew open. "I didn't go back to sleep!" he exclaimed before he realized it wasn't Claire.
"Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you." The man chuckled with a thick accent. Noticing how Quil had suddenly stiffened he held out his hand. "Allow me to introduce myself? I am Laurent Moreau."
"Quil Ateara." He replied shaking his hand before standing back up and fishing in his bag for clean clothes. He pulled off his shirt and dropped his boxers unashamedly, pulling on a fresh pair and spraying himself with deodorant.
"Where are you from?" Laurent asked perching on the side of the next bunk and smiled. "Obviously you are from America but, where exactly?"
"Uh, La Push." Quil said buttoning his jeans. "Washington State. You?"
"La Rochelle. It is in Western France." He explained. "And your girlfriend? She from Washington State too?"
"Claire? No she isn't…" He shook his head, deciding not to correct him. "We met a college."
"You are a very lucky man. Claire was it?" Laurent queried and Quil nodded. "She is a very beautiful young lady."
"Your friend seemed to think so." Quil scowled throwing his dirty clothes into his bag.
"Ah yes, James. He can be a little too brazen sometimes, especially when it comes to a pretty girl like Claire. I'm afraid that has little respect for boundaries and sometimes it gets him in trouble."
"Well tell him to consider me her boundary okay? I didn't like the way he was looking at her and I'd appreciate it if he didn't do it again." He cocked an eyebrow and Laurent grinned.
"I'll do that!" Laurent nodded. "You know, James isn't all that bad once you get to know him. Maybe once Claire has finished in the bathroom we could all go for some breakfast together?"
Quil frowned. "How do you know where she is?" Laurent's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Quil to notice. "Where's James?"
Claire walked into the small women's bathroom and stood in front of the sink. As she waited for the person already in the shower she pulled off her pajamas and wrapped the towel round her body.
"Buenos días." A tall, dark skinned woman smiled as she emerged from the shower stall and Claire nodded politely as she passed her and left the room. She picked up her small bag and wondered into the stall, hanging her towel on the back of the door and depositing her shampoo and body wash on the small corner shelf.
The water ran warm and she stepped under the stream, pushing the water through her hair. She washed her hair and rinsed her body, running her toes through the bubbles that pooled at her feet, when the door to the bathroom opened.
"If you need the shower, I'll be out in just a minute!" Claire called out, turning the faucet to shut of the water. She grabbed blindly for the towel and wiped her eyes before wrapping it around her body and collecting her things.
She couldn't help the surprised yelp that left her lips when she unlocked the stall door and stepped out to find James firmly planted in front of the main door with his hand on the lock.
"This….This is the girl's bathroom you shouldn't be in here!" She exclaimed gripping the join of the towel at her chest until her knuckles turned white.
"Such a beautiful face." He growled out stalking towards her, a smirk on his lips as his eyes traveled from her feet, lingered on her chest and ended at her wide eyes. "I've been dying to see what the rest of you looks like? Are you as innocent as you seem?"
"Stay away from me!" Claire backed up. "I'll scream."
"Good, it's more fun that way!" He chuckled and made a grab for her arm, missing by millimeters as she darted back into the stall and clicked the lock in place. "You can't hide in there forever, little girl!"
Claire backed into the corner, jumping as James' fist connected with the door, causing it to shudder. "Quil! Help! Somebody?" She screamed.
The small lock buckled under the force of James' shoulder, the door narrowly missing Claire as it swung open. She scratched at his arm as he gripped the towel and pulled it from her body.
"Claire!" Quil's muffled voice called through the door as he banged against it. "Claire? Are you in there? Why's this fucking door locked?"
"Quil! Help me please!" She screeched, as James caught her hair in his fist and yanked her head back.
"I'd better make this quick!" James licked his lips. "Such a shame, I was hoping to take my time with you."
Claire heard Quil shouting for someone to get the key as James pushed her against the cold tile, savagely biting down on the crook of her neck and causing her to yelp in pain.
With an almighty crash the main door flew open to reveal a red face Quil, his eyes wide with rage as they locked on to James. "Get the fuck off her!"
James' eyes widened with fear as Quil grabbed the back of his head and pushed him to the floor, grunting as his booted foot connected with his stomach. "I'm gonna rip your head off!" Quil spat, landing another kick.
"Quil!" A small voice drew his attention and he span towards the shower stall to find Claire, huddled naked in the corner.
"Claire!" He ran towards her and sank to his knees, pulling her against him, the water from the floor soaking into his jeans and her fingers clawing at his shirt as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Are you hurt? What did he do? Talk to me honey, please?" He begged, pulling her head back only for her to shake her head.
"Que diable avez-vous pensé?" Laurent yelled over James' prone body. "Vous m'avez dit que vous voulez lui parler!"
Quil reached for the towel that James had discarded on the floor and wrapped it around Claire's quivering form, gently pulling her to her feet and lifting her into his arms. He walked into the main hall way where a small crowd had gathered.
"I called police." One girl said and Quil recognized her as the girl from the front desk. "I send them to your room."
Quil nodded and carried on down the hallway until he reach the room, softly kicking the door shut behind him before placing Claire in his bunk. He grabbed her bag and pulled out jeans and a tank top.
"Let's get you warm, huh?" He said quietly, pulling the top over her soaking wet hair and helping her thread her arms through. He tugged her hair out of the way, visibly tensing when he saw the angry bite mark on her neck, turning away as she dropped the towel and pulled up her jeans.
Claire hugged herself and shivered. Quil unzipped his sweater and hung it over her shoulders as he sat next to her and she silently climbed into his lap and snuggled into his body.
"Did…Did he…" He stammered, looping his arms around her.
"No." He felt her shake her head against his chest. "You got there in time."
His arms tightened around her and a whoosh of breath escaped him as he squeezed his eyes shut.
"What happened then Mister Ateara?" The officer asked as he wrote down the last piece of Quil's statement.
"I got to the bathroom door and I heard a scream, so I shouted for her and tried the door but it was locked. Laurent was next to me…" The policeman cut him off.
"Laurent is his companion, yes?" He asked and Quil nodded.
"He said to me that James had said he wanted to talk to Claire. They'd seen her go into the bathroom and he told Laurent he was going to wait for her to come out so he could talk to her while she was alone and asked him to keep me out of the way." He explained.
"And you believe this is when Mister Moreau came to the room and started talking to you?" The officer scribbled something else.
"Yeah." Quil sighed.
"Have you ever met these men before?" He questioned and Quil shrugged.
"We met them last night when they came back to the room. I left Claire alone to go and use the bathroom and when I came back they were there, James was talking to her and she seemed relieved that I'd come back." He offered and the pen scratched across the page. "She…Claire, last night she came into my bunk. She said that she could hear them talking about her and that it made her uncomfortable, I didn't hear what they were saying though."
"Okay." The officer glanced up. "Back to the bathroom incident. What happened after you tried the door?"
"She called for me and then I heard her scream again and no one had the key so I ran at the door. He…James, had her cornered in the shower stall; she didn't have any clothes on." He swallowed. "I pulled him from her and pushed him to the floor. And then I kicked him…Twice.
I covered her up and carried her back to the room, that's when I noticed the mark on her neck."
"Are you sure that mark wasn't old?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"It was bleeding." Quil answered stiffly.
"How long have you and Miss Young been together?" The question caught Quil slightly of guard and he frowned as the officer flicked through some papers. "Mister Moreau stated that you claimed she was your girlfriend, is that correct?"
"No," Quil shook his head as he thought back to their conversation in the room. "He asked if my girlfriend was from the same state as me. I didn't correct him because I thought that he would tell James and maybe he would back off Claire. But no, we're not together she's just a friend… Am I going to be charged?"
"For what, Mister Ateara?" The officer cocked an eyebrow.
"I told you," He frowned. "I kicked him twice."
"I don't recall you saying that." The officer smirked. "Non of the witnesses mentioned anything? Now please read over your statement, sign it and you can collect your lady friend and go."
Quil's frown deepened as he read over the statement, noting that any admission that he'd made about assaulting James had been left out. He signed it and pushed it back across the table.
"Thank you Mister Ateara you a free to go." He smiled, pushing the sheet of paper into a thin folder. "Au revior."
Quil mumbled a goodbye and made his way back out to the small waiting room where he found Claire, bouncing anxiously in her chair with both their bags at there feet.
As soon as she saw him she flew at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Quil! I thought they were going to keep you in. I heard James yelling that you assaulted him and that he wanted to press charges."
Quil shook his head and whispered. "According to the officer who took my statement, it never happened. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," She nodded as he brushed her hair from her face. "I've definitely been better. I told them that he didn't…do anything but that checked and took swabs and stuff. I would really like to go and have a bath, could we maybe stay at a real hotel for a few nights?"
"Sure." Quil kept her under his arm as he led her back to the chairs and picked up there things. He guided her outside to hail a taxi and instructed the driver, who thankfully understood enough English, to take them to the nearest hotel and they traveled in peaceful silence.
When they arrived at the hotel, Quil thanked the driver and helped Claire from the car. "I'll try and get us rooms next to each other." He said turning towards the reception but Claire gripped his arm.
"I'll do it, you'll just shout at the poor man!" She chuckled nervously. "Would you mind if we shared a room? I just…I'll think…"
"It's fine," Quil squeezed her arm and she smiled turning to the receptionist.
"Quil, they need to copy your passport." She called a few minutes later and he trotted back to the desk with his passport in hand.
"Why don't you go sit down for a minute, I'll get this." He offered and she nodded and went to sit with their bags.
"Okay," The receptionist returned to his seat with both there passports and two pieces of paper in his hand. "One twin room for two nights. That will be three hundred and four euros, two cents please."
Quil pulled out his money and handed it to the man, taking back the passports in the process. He glanced down at Claire's and frowned.
"Sir?" Quil's head snapped up. "Your change and your room keys, number two oh seven, lifts are on the right. I hope you enjoy your stay."
He thanked the receptionist quietly, Claire's passport still clutched tightly in his hand as he made his way back over to her.
"All set?" She asked, rising from her seat. "What's wrong?"
"Seventeen?" Quil blanched. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me how old you are?"
"Can we please not do this here?" Claire pleaded, glancing around at the people staring at them. "Please?"
He huffed and grabbed the bags, stalking toward the elevator and almost punching the button for the second floor. When they reached the room it took him three tries of the key card to get the door open before barging inside, throwing his key down and dropping into a chair under the window.
"Well?" He pushed as Claire paced in front of him. "I could get in trouble for this Claire, do you understand that? I'm almost twenty three and you're a minor!"
"I'm sorry!" Claire cried sinking to the bed. "I know I should have told you but…"
"Damn right you should have!" Quil stood and pushed his fingers in to his shaggy hair. "I mean what the hell Claire? What were you doing in the campus library that day? Are you even a student?"
"I was waiting for you; I was your study buddy." She replied softly, picking at her cuticles. "When you came in that day I thought you knew, you said you'd checked my driver's license but you didn't say anything...so neither did I. I was so tired of it."
"Tired of what?" He asked, rubbing his face.
"My parents have always pushed me. When I got to eighth grade they enrolled me in summer school for extra credits, I went every summer until I was fifteen. When I was in tenth my point average and credits were high enough to pass out so they put me in evening classes for college level mathematics. I passed the first year and graduated high school when I was sixteen." She explained. "I got accepted at Seattle, this is my first year. I made friends at first but then they found out how old I was and that was it. They didn't want me at there parties and the most my room mate has spoken to me was when you turned up the other day. But you treated me different; you treated me like you would a friend, cursed in front of me made jokes."
"But I wouldn't have if…" He began.
"I know," She said cutting him off, her eye's watering. "You would have left me there in the library, we would have never had lunch and you would never have brought me here. It may be hard to believe, especially after today, but this is the best time I've had…ever! I actually feel free to be myself and not the over achieving little girl that I'm expected to be!"
Quil sighed and tipped his head back. "We can't stay here, come on." He picked up his bag and headed for the door. "Maybe if I beg they'll give me back the money for the second night."
"Quil please?" Claire exclaimed gripping his wrist. "Where are you going?"
"Home." He shrugged. "We're going home, before either of us get into any more trouble."
"But what about the Eiffel Tower?" She asked pathetically.
"You're only seventeen; you'll have plenty of time to see it later on!" He snapped before hanging his head. "Sorry."
Claire pulled her bag up onto the bed and reached into it, pulling out a stuffed sock. She sniffed and wiped her eyes as she flicked through the bills and handed them to Quil. "This should cover the room and your flight home. I'm staying here."
"Claire!" He balked. "You can't stay here on your own, what about…"
"I'm old enough to look after myself thanks." She said stiffly shoving the money at his chest. "Now if you don't mind it's been a long day, I'd like to get some sleep."
Quil stared at her, his mouth open as she turned away and headed for the bathroom and he hear her start a bath. He glanced at the money in his hand and placed it on the bed. "Bye Claire-Bear."
