Discliamer still applies.
Chapter seven: The Fall
John swore as he stopped in front of his apparently empty house. No one was home. Wonderful. Taking the steps two at a time he let himself in and froze. The house was in shambles. Glass shattered across the ground, pictures half hung on nails, pillows and other accessories had been flung around the room and the remote was sticking out of the wall. Huffing John made his way through the mess toward the kitchen, his eyes searching for any substance that might hint at where his parents were. When he reached the kitchen, he sighed in relief. He hadn't spotted any blood this time.
Taking a milk carton out of the fridge, he made his way back toward the front door and swung it open, slamming it closed behind him. Uncerimoniously, he plopped on the concrete steps and took a swig from the carton. Friday's were always the worst for him. Generally, he'd sneak off to Tom's house, hoping his parents wouldn't notice. Nothing like spending two days alone with your psychotic family. Today, John had nowhere to go. He'd have to face the music alone.
As if summoned by his thoughts the gentle thumping of a base system caught his attention and he glanced up in time to see a tan pick up coming down the road toward him. He squinted up at it and frowned when it began to slow. Taking a deep breath John stood up as the vehicle stopped in front of him and the passenger side window rolled down. John swaggered up to it and leaned in to see none other than Andy grinning back at him.
"Long way from Beverly Hills, Sporto. You lost?"
Andy simply shook his head and turned the radio off. "I came to pick you up." He explained. John glanced down at his clothes and pulled at his shirt.
"Well, Gee. Had I known we had a date I might have dressed up."
"Nice, Bender," Andy commented, amused. "Come on, there's a party tonight. Bunch of people, free drinks, tons of girls."
"And here I thought you were no fun."
Andy rolled his eyes. "Coming?" he asked. John huffed.
"What makes you think I want to go to one of those…"
"Claire's going to be there."
That stopped his train of thought. Carefully, to conceal his surprise, he glanced back at his empty house. The curtains looked ripped from the outside. Huffing he swung open the door and slid it. "This doesn't make us buds, alright, Sporto?"
"Wouldn't dream of it." Andy promised and took off down the road, turning his radio back on in the same movement.
"I probably shouldn't be here." Claire stated as she, Jewels, Stacie, Ashley, Holy, Denise, and Sarah all climbed out of Sarah's SUV. "I mean, what if I get sick again."
"You've been sick for a month now. You can't just stay locked up in your room forever you know." Stacie stated, looping her arm with Claire's as they started for the house. Already the sounds of a party in full swing wafted out to them.
"Usually, it's the bathroom," Claire corrected, slightly grumpy. "I just…"
"Stop complaining. It's a party, for Heaven sakes. Drink and be merry!" With that last word, Stacie had flung open the door and yelled at the top of her lungs. Her outburst was greeted back with cheers and whistles and even dog calls from the large group already filling the two story house. Claire shrugged out of Stacie's grasp and moved toward Jewels who was already looking around the living room.
"He's not here," Jewels whispered, glancing at Claire.
Claire glanced around the living room, at the football game that was on, at the boys and girls dancing, at the boys and girls making out, and then up the stairs where a group with boards stood ready to slide down them and out the now open door into the yard, and then beyond toward the other family room where more people were standing around or dancing. No, Brian hadn't arrived yet. Although, Claire wouldn't blame him if he never showed up.
"He'll be here," she promised, even though she knew it was probably a lie. Brian had said he would come, just to meet Jewels, but he could always back out. A loud ruckus started in the kitchen and caught their attention. Both girls turned just in time to watch as George and Joshua staggered out of the kitchen, sloshing the liquid in their plastic cups all over the place. Another song started and they both swayed to it, singing loudly and off key.
Claire shivered and moved away from them, pulling Jewels toward the second lounge area where there was, surprisingly, an empty sofa. Claire quickly found herself being pulled toward the dancing group as Ashley and Stacie caught sight of them and before she knew it she was lost in the music that swirled around them, completely ignoring everyone around her and forgetting everything but this moment.
Forgetting, that is, until the group suddenly quieted, except the thumping of the music. Claire blinked and looked around before following everyone's gaze toward the front door. She gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as her eyes locked onto John Bender, standing in the doorway. He smirked at everyone, cocking his head and then sauntered in, followed quickly by Andy and Allison. Murmured, "What are they doing here?" raced around the room as Andy and his group marched to Fred, the currently trashed party thrower.
Fred surprised everyone by wrapping his arm around Andy and yelling over the music, "Thought you weren't going to make it. What took you so long?"
Andy glanced back at Allison and shrugged, "You know women and their hair" he called back and everyone laughed, some genuine, some drunk, some forced, before, uneasily, returning back to the party. Claire couldn't breath. Her eyes were glued on Bender who seemed very uncomfortable with the entire scene. Andy whispered something in John's ear and John's face lit up before he followed Fred into the kitchen.
Claire was pulled out of her thoughts by the soft gasp of Jewels who was now staring back at the front door. Grinning Claire turned to the door and waved at Brian who had just snuck in. Snatching Jewels by the hand, Claire fought her way through the crowd until she was standing before Brian. "Brian, Jewels, Jewels, Brian."
Brian grinned sheepishly and said something none of them could hear. Jewels glanced up at the bedrooms and then yelled, "Want to go up? We could actually hear each other up there!"
Brian nodded and followed Jewels up the stairs. Claire couldn't help grinning at the two as they disappeared. She turned and nearly jumped out of her skin. Andy was standing behind her, with Allison right behind him. She was glaring, but Andy had a sort of soft grin on his face. "Hooking them up?" He asked and Claire nodded, caught.
"Here," Andy stated and handed Claire one of the cups in his hand. She smiled, gratefully, and went to sip it when her nose caught the actual scent of the alcohol and she gagged. Without realizing it she dropped the cup, spilling its contents all over them and causing Andy to cry out in surprise, and then she turned and raced up the stairs, not even noticing that Andy was following her until she was puking in the toilet and someone was holding her hair.
She finally quit and leaned back, wiping her mouth and flushing the toilet before glancing up at Andy to thank him. "Too much, already?" He asked, half laughing as she washed out her mouth. She shook her head and rubbed off the water from her chin.
"I haven't had any." She confessed. Allison popped her head in then and glanced at the two of them before stopping her foot. Her protest was cut off by a girlish yelp and then an indignant, "Leave him alone!"
"Jewels!" Claire cried and shoved Allison and Andy out of the way before running toward the Master bedroom. She flung open the door and followed the voices out to the balcony. George and Joshua were dangling what looked like an inhaler over the side of the balcony and Brian was reaching out for it, begging them to stop.
"Hey!" Claire yelled and George, startled, released the inhaler. Brian cried out and tried to snatch it but missed. Huffing Claire marched toward the boys, glancing briefly at Jewels, before thrusting her finger in their faces. "What the heck do you think you're doing?"
Andy had appeared and, glancing at the scene, sighed. "I'll get it." He promised and he and Allison disappeared.
"We were just having some fun, Clairey." George laughed. Claire glared at him.
"By picking on someone? What has Brian ever done to you?" Claire glanced back at Brian who was looking over the edge. He sighed in relief when Andy held up the inhaler and turned to go back in. Claire turned back to the boys.
"What gives you the right to belittle them?" she demanded. To her surprise, they didn't back down.
"You know Claire, I'm getting sick and tired of you ruining our fun." George hissed and Claire took a step back, bumping into the railing. She glanced back to see Andy watching from the ground, concern written across his face.
"I think I agree with you, George," Joshua added. "She's always ordering us around, threatening us, and ratting us out. Maybe we should get rid of her."
Claire's heart stopped. She knew the boys were drunk, but they were only joshing…right? Apparently not. As one the boys grabbed hold of Claire and flung her over the balcony. She barely had time to scream as she fell toward the ground. She felt the impact on her back first as she landed in a large bush, but her weight was too much and she sank through that to slam hard against the ground. Pain shot through her body causing her to cry out and tears to fill her eyes. Vaguely she heard Andy calling to her and the "Oh shit" that echoed from the balcony. But the pain was pulling her in and she closed her eyes, sure that she would never open them again.
John was bored out of his mind. So far that night, he determined that the alcohol was watered, the music sucked, and the people were boring. He'd lost Andy and Allison, hadn't seen Claire, and was contemplating just leaving and walking home. He had just stepped out of the kitchen when he heard the scream. Alarmed he glanced out the window, but didn't see anything. No one else seemed to notice, but out of curiosity John started toward the door. He had fought his way though the crowd and was just reaching the staircase when someone called his name.
Huffing he glanced up to see a very pale Brian stumbling down the steps and shaking. "They…" Brian stuttered, "They…they…" he didn't finish as a girl flew by him and out the door, pausing long enough to hop into…John swore. Andy's truck was flying out of the driveway and speeding off down the road. The bastard had left him here!
"They…killed…"
John glanced back down at Brian and then snatched the back of his shirt, dragging him out the door and closing it behind him so he could hear the dweeb talk. "What are you trying to say?" He asked, frustrated but trying to be nice.
Tears streamed down Brian's cheeks as he looked up at John. "They killed her John, they killed her."
John frowned, curious as to how many beers Brian had had. "Killed who?" He asked, just to humor the poor kid.
"Claire," Brian sobbed. "They threw her over the railing to the balcony. Andy didn't catch her."
John felt all the blood draining from him. "What?" he choked out.
"They killed her John, they killed her."
"Where is she?" he demanded and when Brian didn't answer he grabbed him by the shirt. "Where is she?"
"Andy grabbed her," Brian stuttered. "He's taking her to the hospital." Brian began sobbing again but John's mind was already calculating things. Making sure to grab the sobbing nerd, John surged back into the house and found Fred. Quickly, and trying to control his anger, and fear, he explained the situation and received Fred's car keys. Without thought he tossed Brian into the passenger seat, trying to block out his sobs of, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have come." He started the car, almost as a robot would and sped off down the road, daring a cop to try and stop him.
John didn't even bother parking. He pulled up to the curb of the hospital and leapt out of the vehicle, barely managing to turn it off in the process. He heard Brian's heavy breathing and footsteps behind him but barely noticed as he rushed into the emergency room. Everything flapped behind him as he ran for the ER and he slid through the doors stopping just in time to miss flipping over a chair. His eyes flew around the room and he noticed Andy and Allison sitting in a corner.
In a flash he was standing beside them. "Where is she?" he demanded and all Andy could do was point toward the large double doors. Without thought he shoved through them, ignoring the nurses that were calling to him to stop. His eyes searched each room as he passed until finally they landed on the very pale red head he was searching for. The moment his eyes landed on her his movements stopped. His heart nearly dropped out of his chest as his eyes scanned over the Doctors and Nurses rushing around her very still body. IV's and other cords ran from her to clear bags and computers. They hadn't even bothered changing her into one of those ugly paper gowns. She was still wearing her jeans and baggy sweatshirt, with blood and dirt smeared on them. He nearly collapsed to the ground at the sight of her.
She was so pale, and as far as he could tell, not breathing. The sound of a steady beeping caught his attention and then the rest of the world slowly seeped back in. He heard the doctors speaking, heard the sound of footsteps, and then heard the questions being asked. He glanced to his left to see a girl sitting with tears in her eyes, answering every question they threw at her.
"Sir, you can't be back here." John finally turned to the nurse who had grabbed hold of his jacket and was attempting to pull him back to the waiting room. He opened his mouth to snap back at her when the friend's tearfilled voice said, "He's her boyfriend. He's the closest thing to real family she has."
With wide eyes he turned to regard the friend and nodded his thanks at her when the nurse released him. He moved toward the friend, who was watching Claire's still body as if it were a train wreck. "They threw her over," she whispered. "They just picked her up, and tossed her over the railing."
"We already have a cop going to arrest the boys." A male nurse promised as he moved over to them. "Don't worry, Miss Hul, they won't be on the streets much longer."
"Jewels," the friend whispered. "My name is Jewels." John was having a hard time paying attention to their conversation. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl lying before him, who had yet to open her own eyes.
"I'm sorry," a nurse stated as she glanced back at them, "But you're going to have to leave the room. We'll keep you posted." And just like that they were dismissed. Jewels grabbed onto John's arm and pulled him with her back down the hall, barely looking anywhere but at the ground. John felt like each step away from Claire he took physically hurt him. But there was nothing they could do. If they stayed, they'd just be in the way.
Silently they both joined the others, John slouching beside Andy, who was holding Allison's hand, and Jewels sitting across from them beside Brian, both of which were crying silently. Two hours passed, and none of them said a word. From time to time one would get up to use the restroom, or get drinks for the group, but none of them seemed to remember how to speak. The crying died off, and eventually Brian and Jewels sat next to each other.
John fidgeted the entire time, glancing at the door and back again every few seconds. Finally, Jewels broke the silence. "She loves you, you know."
John glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.
"Claire. She loves you. She just was too afraid to say it. You were the only guy in her life." John was torn between wanting to ask her more and wanting her to stop talking. It sounded too much like what someone would confess at a funeral. Yet, his heart tightened at the thought. She loves me. Did he love her? He wasn't sure. But right now he could almost say he did.
The double doors swung open and all eyes looked up, waiting to see who the nurse would walk to. When she turned toward the group, John leapt to his feet, meeting her halfway. "Well?" he asked, vaguely aware that the group had risen behind him as well.
"She'll be alright. She suffered from a minor concussion, but nothing too serious. She'll be stiff for a while, and bruised. Nothing some pain killers and a lot of bubble baths won't cure." Audibly, the group sighed in relief. She was alive, and she'd be alright.
The nurse smiled and then addressed John directly. "Are you the boyfriend?"
Was he? "Yea," he answered. Best to keep with the story Jewels had spun. At least it seemed to be getting them answers.
"The baby is doing just fine. It was only jostled by the fall, but no harm done. It should be healthy."
John blinked. "Huh?" he asked and the nurse frowned.
"The baby?" she asked, and then her eyes widened. "You didn't know? But I thought you were her boyfriend. I'm sorry, I must have been mistaken."
"Claire's pregnant?" Andy gasped and the nurse nodded.
"I assumed you were the father," she stated, nodding to John who's mouth was still hanging open.
"He is." All eyes turned to Jewels who was starting to smile. "He's the only one she's ever been with."
"Oh, well in that case, congratulations Mr…"
"Bender," John gasped out and then the words finally sank in. Claire was pregnant...and he was the father. "Shit." He mumbled and then did the only thing a man in his currently predicament could do, at least, that's what he told himself later. John fainted.
I am sooo sorry I haven't written in a long time. Thank you sooo much for all the reviews and for the tips. Anyone that has an idea of where you would like this to go REVIEW and tell me so I can keep it going! KEEP REVIEWING AND I WON'T GIVE UP ON IT EITHER! I PROMISE! SO REVIEW!
