I know so many of you love this but I really don't know how many more chapters it has in it. The plot bunnies have stopped hopping and I expected it to end after Clare's birthday. It's not over yet I'd say there's a good 4 chapters left at least.

Ch. 26 A Shadow Past

(CLARE)

I wake up in Owen's arms; I love the feel of his arms, so safe, so strong, like a warm loving shield. My head is resting on his chest and I crane my neck up to kiss him. He wakes up when my lips are on his, he smiles into the kiss, grips me a little tighter and then flips us so he's on top of me. His hands begin to rove my body, his tongue slipping between my lips. I reach down and caress his hardening cock; we fell asleep without clothes so our naked bodies are pressed together. Owen wriggles his fingers between my legs and into my pussy, I moan into the kiss feeling myself getting hot and wet, my hips start bucking and I pull out of the kiss to moan. Owen withdraws his fingers from my core and licks them clean, his hand goes back between my legs but not inside me again, this time he directs his cock inside me. As soon as I feel the head my back arches and I moan wanting more. Owen's family is home so we have to be quiet but I want to cry out with pleasure feeling him enter me.

Owen props himself on one arm and uses the other hand to cup my breast and massage gently. I bite my lip, my head going back into the pillow; I grip his shoulders and gyrate my hips and waist against his movements so that he touches every possible place within me. He moves slow so that we don't make too much noise but it soon becomes too much to bear and Owen picks up his pace, thrusting in and out faster and faster. Just when I feel a rapturous scream about to erupt from my lips Owen crashes his lips to mine and I scream into his mouth instead. He makes a gutturally primal grunt, our bodies trembling and oscillating together in one orgasmic lump of flesh. Our lips part, his body rolling off mine and he holds me in his arms, it's many minutes before I can breathe again but I don't mind lying in Owen's arms.

"I guess we should get up and eat," Owen remarks after a while.

"Yes we probably should," I smile.

I get out of his arms and we get some clothes on before going out to the living room. It's late morning and Owen's parents are gone but Tris is watching TV on the sofa and when he looks at us Owen sees the bruise that Tris has thanks to Eli.

"I'm going to kill Eli when I see him, he's a dead man, more than a dead man, I'm going to skin him alive, rip out his eyes, kill him and bring him back to life so I can kill him again for everything he's done," Owen snarls looking at Tristan's bruise.

"You really make the most graphic threats," I respond popping a bagel in the toaster.

"It's one of his gifts," Tris says sardonically and I laugh.

We make ourselves breakfast and we're still eating when Owen's parents arrive home. After breakfast we go with Owen's parents, Drew, Adam and Omar to get some of my things from my house or I guess my old house. Mom, Glen and Jake are out thankfully and with all of us we get the stuff packed up pretty quickly. I leave most of it behind, only taking a few meaningful trinkets, my clothes and my laptop. We return to my new house and help Owen clear a little space in his room for my things and we all have lunch together, along with Audra, Bianca and Tris who join us.

"We should hit Above the Dot tonight," Bianca comments when we're done with lunch.

"Sounds good to me I could use some fun," I reply.

"We'll meet there at eight," Drew says.

The Torres family hangs out for a short while longer and then they leave. Owen and I spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out with his room, have dinner with his family and after dinner I shower before we head to Above the Dot. We pull up just as the Torres brothers and Bianca pull up.

"Hey you should know Dallas and Luke are coming tonight," Adam warns us as we go up the stairs.

"Thanks it looks pretty busy I think I'll be okay, we might have to keep Owen from killing them though," I reply and Adam snickers.

We pay and go in, the club is pretty crowded but we get dessert and drinks then sit at a table near the bar area. We talk for a bit, I make Owen dance, I dance with Adam and Bianca, we talk some more and when there's a free pool table Owen and Drew grab it while Bianca, Adam and I watch. I lean against the wall and watch them play when Mike walks up; Owen watches him closely but then goes back to his game with Drew. This tenuous treaty they have is so far working out.

"You know you two will never last, he doesn't know you like I do. He doesn't know how to get you so hot you can't sit still," Mike says in a voice that's low enough that Owen and Drew don't hear it.

"Yes he does," I respond biting my lip at Mike's proximity.

"And yet your body still wills itself to me, your mind used to do the same," Mike reminds me brushing a curl behind my ear and his lips very nearly touch down on my neck but Owen shoots and purposely hits Mike with a pool ball. "Ow fuck twenty-two," Mike growls at him rubbing his arm where he was hit.

"Stop touching her," Owen says.

They glare at each other another couple of minutes, I'm trying to will my feet to move and go over to Owen but they won't because Mike's fingertips are still gently touching my skin. After a couple minutes of tension Bianca and Adam move inserting themselves between me and Mike and his proximity no longer affects me.

"My mind used to be just as broken as the rest of me, I used to not care what happened to me because I didn't think anyone else did," I respond.

"Hey I cared," Mike says defensively, "I don't get how you can be with him and not me. Owen and I are a lot alike so I don't get why you'd fall for him like you have and not me. You were supposed to break up with Eli and come back to me," Mike says.

"I was never with you Mike. You found me, you found me in Guelph, sad and alone and broken down by everything and you took me. It wasn't all bad there were some good times and you did care about me, at least to a point. I could have fallen for you, might have gone to you when Eli broke up with me. I have gone to you for things but I could never be with you Mike and I could never have fallen for you like I did Owen. You took things too far, a relationship, a real one, is supposed to be about give and take but all you did was take. You built me back up the way you wanted and tore me down again almost worse than I was before. When I left to come home at the end of last summer I didn't even know who I was anymore Mike. I'd been used and exploited and essentially brainwashed into this thing that wasn't even me. I did feel good with you but I could never really be free with you, never be myself and just totally let go. There was always a fear about how far you would go you had no limits and as much as you may have cared for me you never cared what I wanted or what I needed, it was all about you. What's truly sad though is that I do believe you love me, in your own twisted, broken, selfish way I think you really do love me and care about me. After all you don't let just anyone…let's say play, you get mad when people hurt me and in your own way want to keep me safe from people like Eli and Jake. When you touch me, most of the time anyway, I can feel how you care. We could have been great together Mike but you took it too far. You never stopped, never thought how it might affect me all you cared about was what you could get. Knowing I'm terrified and in pain and making better afterward is not the same as stopping yourself because you're putting me first and that's what love is. I honestly don't know if you'll ever find that because I don't know if you have it in you to put someone else first."

Owen and Drew have stopped their game; Owen is beaming with pride and gloating. Drew is smiling but a little shocked, Adam is grinning and almost snickering while Bianca is giving Mike a sort of glaring 'so there' look with her hand on her hip. Mike wears a blank expression but his eyes are filled with emotion, pain, anger, guilt and more. He's trying to make it appear like nothing I said bothered him but if you look in his eyes it looks like I ripped him open and pulled out his soul and conscious to show him and he didn't like what he saw. He doesn't say a word, doesn't make an expression but then turns and bolts for the door, pushing his way through the crowd to get to the door and out of here as fast as he possibly can. Owen, Drew, Bianca and Adam start cheering and Owen comes over to kiss me.

"I'll bet that hurt more than me fighting with him," Owen laughs.

I nod but it doesn't feel much like a victory, still it was a justice in its own way. Owen and Drew go back to their game and I excuse myself to get a bottle of water. I look outside but Mike is gone, not that I was really expecting him to be there or that I would have known what to say if he was but I had to at least try. Someone else is out here though and I almost didn't see him because his dark clothes blended in with the dark night.

"Well look it's Courtesan Clare, DeGrassi's Teen Tramp, my deviant ex the pubescent pinup," Eli snarls. His words sound funny, not quite slurring like he's drunk but slow sort of. He walks up the steps to me and I see his eyes are totally red and blood shot, he must be high.

"Leave me alone Eli you're worse than Mike, worse than Jake even," I spit back at him and turn to go inside but Eli grabs my shirt and turns me back to him. He feels stronger somehow which I'm guessing is the drugs in his system pumping out adrenaline.

"How can I be worse than them?!" Eli seethes with a venomous tone. "I never tied you up and raped you or forced you into perverted deviant and let's not forget illegal things. I am nothing like Dallas or Jake! I didn't go to some pedophile and make a deal for your sexual favors. Favors that everyone but me seems to be getting, have you heard how people talk about you in the halls?"

"Don't believe everything you hear Eli. And no you never tied me up but you kept me as much a prisoner as Mike did just in a different way, a worse way actually. See I might not have liked most of the things Mike had me do, a lot of them made me feel gross and used and a little less than human but so did you Eli and you should have seen how I was feeling, you know me and knew who I was. I convinced myself I wanted to be with you but I didn't. As awful as Mike could be I wanted to be with him, he could have me do some terrible things but he would make me feel better after. Most importantly Eli, the thing you really need to remember about all this is that Mike never lied and said he loved me, he never pretended to be more than the creep that he is. Even with all the horribly debasing things he had me do he never attacked me. If I could say no to him I think he would have stopped, he might never have talked to me again but he would have stopped. You lied and told me you loved me but after you saw that picture at my birthday you didn't even try to understand, you told me you did but it was another lie. I think you were more interested in what I'd done and what I'd do for you. In your mind I'm your possession and when you found out I had been with Mike while we were dating you wanted to rape me! Not just break up with me you wanted to rape me! I cried, I screamed no and you wouldn't stop because you didn't care and I'm not sure you ever did. I don't care what you think of me Eli or what you tell people but you stay the hell away from me. Leave me alone; don't bother me anymore, never come near me again just go away!" I tell him firmly while lacing every word with venom.

He's still holding my shirt and won't let go, I'm trying to go inside but can't get away from him and then the door opens and Owen comes out.

(OWEN)

"It's about time she did that," I grin after Clare has walked toward the bar to get a water bottle.

"Dallas needed to hear it, I doubt anything actually got through but he needed to hear it," Adam comments when Clare walks away to get water.

"At least she told him off, she seems to be finally breaking free of his spell," Bianca says.

Drew and I keep playing pool and when we finish our game I realize that Clare hasn't returned yet.

"Adam take my place I'm going to go find Clare, B can you check the girl's washroom?" I request.

"Ya sure," Bianca nods.

Adam takes my pool cue, Bianca walks off toward the washrooms and I walk over toward the bar area. I scan the room thinking that maybe Clare stopped to talk to one of her other friends but I don't see her anywhere. I almost go back to find Bianca but then it occurs to me that she might have gone outside, so I walk to the door and open it. Clare is here on the steps but she's not alone, Eli is with her and holding onto her shirt. My eyes narrow on him and my body tenses, he's attempted to rape her before and it looks like he's trying to take her and try again. I grip the back of her top and the waistband of her skirt I pull her back until I have more leverage then I let go of her with that hand, put my other arm around her waist and lift her to the top step next to me. While doing this I push Eli away with the other hand.

"You stay the hell away from her," I bark at Eli.

"You go to hell," he says in response and I can tell that he's high.

I turn with Clare in my arms to go back inside, from the corner of my eye I see Eli reach for me or maybe Clare. I turn on instinct to push him away, Eli tries to dodge me but he moves to the side and backward and goes over the railing! I reach for him to try and grab him but he's already gone falling through the shallow sky.

"AAAGGGHHHHHHH!" Clare lets out a blood curdling scream as she watches Eli plummet fifteen feet to the pavement below.

Clare turns into me hiding her eyes against my chest and closing her eyes tight like she's trying to erase the image from her mind. I hope she didn't hear the sound of him hitting the ground but it's all I heard. Like a terrible cracking splatting sound his body collides with the asphalt and Eli lies motionless. I let go of Clare setting her on the step as I run down to see if Eli is even still alive. He has blood coming from his mouth and a very obviously broken leg as it's twisted behind him. I put my fingers on his neck and feel a pulse, weak but it's there so I get out my phone to call 911. Looking up to the steps I see Clare sobbing on the top step with her head in her hands as the club door opens and several other people come out of the club including Bianca.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"We need an ambulance outside Above the Dot, a kid fell from the stairs to the pavement," I tell the operator in a frantic voice.

"An ambulance is on the way, does the person have a pulse?"

"Yeah he does, it's weak but it's there," I reply as Drew and Adam run down the steps and kneel by me.

"Do you know the victim's name?"

"Eli Goldsworthy he's eighteen," I tell her and hear the ambulance approaching.

The operator says the ambulance should be there and we hang up. A few seconds later an ambulance pulls up at the end of the alley and three paramedics get out with a gurney. They rush over and move us out of the way, I show them where he fell from and they put brace on Eli's neck get him on the gurney and rush him into the ambulance as a cop car pulls up. Now that Eli's being rushed to the hospital I'm worried about Clare, I push my way through the crowd of people to get to the top step where Clare is crying on Bianca's shoulder. I take her from Bianca and clings to me, bawling into my chest.

"Is he dead?" She asks.

"No he had a pulse and he's being taken to the hospital they'll take care of him," I assure her.

I hold her for a minute more watching Drew and Adam talk to one of the cops and then some kid points up to me and the cop looks up. He nods to the kid and starts walking up the steps so I know he's coming up to talk to me. They probably need to talk to Clare to but too but she's on the edge of hysterical right now and in no shape to talk.

"Owen Milligan?" The Officer asks and I nod, "I understand you were outside when this happened and called 911."

"Yeah I was can you hang on a sec," I say to the officer and then look at Bianca, "can you and the brothers take Clare to their house and I'll meet you there later?"

"Yeah of course," she says and whistles so that Drew looks up. She waves for him and he runs up. "Grab Clare will you I'm not sure she's going to walk. We're taking her to your place until Owen is done with the cops," Bianca tells him and Drew nods

"Come on Clare you're coming to our house," Drew says picking her up.

"No I'm okay I can tell them what happened," she blubbers wiping tears from her eyes.

"No you can't, we can barely understand you, go to Adam's place I'll meet you there in a bit I'm sure the cops can get your statement tomorrow," I comment and the cop nods.

Clare nods gives me a teary kiss from Drew's arms and he carries her down the stairs followed by Bianca.

"Why don't we talk down by the patrol car," the cop suggests as we're crowded by kids on the stairs. I nod and follow him downstairs to his patrol car, leaning against it before I start talking.

"I came outside and saw Eli holding my girlfriend Clare by the shirt. Eli is Clare's ex and they're breakup was…volatile. I told him to stay away from her and put my arm around Clare to go back inside, Eli told me to go to hell and reached out like he was going to grab me or Clare maybe. I turned to push him away and he ducked, sort of dodging to the side and then…then he went over the railing. I tried to catch him but…" my words fade out as I think about Eli falling to the ground and the sound he made when he hit.

"That's alright son, why was Clare outside?" The officer asks.

"I don't she probably came out to get some air and I guess found Eli out here. She told me she was getting water but when she didn't come back after a short while I came looking for her and found her outside," I tell him.

"Alright go ahead and be with your girlfriend now but we'll need a number to contact you if we have any other questions. If Clare is feeling up to it have her come into the station tomorrow to give a statement," the cop tells me.

I nod and give him my number then I get in my car and drive to the Torres house. Clare is watching TV with them in the basement but comes to me when I open the door. She isn't crying anymore but her eyes are all red and puffy and you can tell she's been crying a lot. I hold her tight and kiss her gently before we go back to the sofa and I sit with her in my arms.

"What'd the cops say?" Adam questions.

"Not much they just asked me what happened. They want you to come in tomorrow to give a statement," I tell Clare and she nods. We hang out for a while and then I decide I better get Clare home. "Let's get you home," I whisper to Clare and she nods.

"Adam if you hear anything about Eli…" Clare starts but Adam cuts her off.

"I'll let you know right away," he says and she smiles a little.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow," I wave before we go out to my car.

"I didn't mean it," Clare says quietly after I start driving.

"Didn't mean what Clare?" I ask reaching over to take her hand.

"I told Eli to leave me alone and never come near me again but I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted him to stop bothering us I didn't mean for him to…what if he dies Owen it's my fault," she says and starts crying again.

I pull over and stop the car turning to Clare in her seat and tilt her chin so she can see me. "Clare it wasn't your fault, Eli isn't dead and I don't think he will their taking care of him at the hospital, but even if he does it won't be your fault. It was an accident Clare and Eli was high. Let's go home, get ready for bed and I hold you in my arms all night and we can fall asleep watching any movies you want," I tell her and she smiles giving me a tender kiss as she stops crying.

"I love you Owen," she smiles.

"I know," I grin puffing out my chest, "how could you not?" I joke and she laughs a little. "I love you too Clare, so much it's changed my life, you've changed my life, made it better."

Clare smiles taking my hand again and kisses my cheek. We make the rest of the short drive home in silence.

"Audra called are you two okay?" Mom asks when we get in.

"I don't know," Clare replies quietly.

"We're going to watch movies in my room," I tell her.

"Good idea," Mom smiles and kisses Clare's cheek.

We go back to my room and Clare takes one of my shirts to sleep in then goes into the washroom to get ready for bed. I strip down to my boxers and then my cell phone rings, it's Adam and I'm not sure why he's calling my phone and not Clare's but I answer.

"Hey Adam," I say lying on the bed.

"Hey I thought I'd better call you instead of Clare. Eli's going to live," he informs me.

"Well that's good," I reply.

"Yeah he's paralyzed though, from the waist down, he'll never walk again. The way he landed it damaged his spinal cord and…" Adam stops and swallows hard before talking again. "He had some broken bones, his leg, arm collarbone and two ribs and he had internal bleeding because he tore his liver and part of his kidney. They expect him to be in the hospital for a couple of months."

"Fuck," is all I can say. I never liked Eli, never thought he was good for Clare or even a good person really but I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I don't know how I'm going to tell Clare, she hates him now or at least thought she did but he meant something to her once.

"Yeah" Adam sighs hesitating a second and taking a deep breath before continuing, "and there's one more thing, Dallas is missing."

Update next Wednesday from about here, finding out what happened to Dallas and the trouble for our favorite couple continues. Like Clare said last chapter was the calm before the storm.