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"Save our planet! Preserve our future! Save our planet! Preserve our future!" Claire gazed up at the building in front of her as her peers marched outside its front doors. They pitched their signs up in the air, holding up the words they were chanting with various drawings of Earth. She had agreed to come along, one in favor of the purpose of their peaceful protest, but she could see that it quickly turned into a small group of her classmates walking circles in an organized fashion. They were saying the right words, but it was as if they were trying to yell underwater.
She leaned back against the car she had arrived in, simply an extra body for the cause, when she heard more car doors close behind her. Soon, a group of guys she had seen hanging around the law department jogged over to join the protest, more poorly painted signs in their hands. "Kind of pointless, isn't it?"
Claire turned to see one of the law boys leaning on the back of the car. He was thin, slightly taller than her, with a good boy haircut and dressed like he was ready for Sunday mass. He smiled at her, but his eyes remained on their classmates. "They mean well." She glanced back, chuckling when an employee walked out from inside the building but turned back around seeing the college students out front. "But, I know what you mean."
"Who dragged you here?" He asked, jutting his chin over to the group.
Claire smirked and pointed towards one of the girls with long brown hair. She was bouncing up and down without a care in the world and without a bra. "My roommate. She thinks I need to get out more." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He was still gazing over the crowd of signs. "What about you?"
He shrugged with a wave of his hand. "The guys needed a ride. Figured I could cash in the favor on something useful later." He sighed though, peering up at the building's windows. "This won't do anything but make him choose to exit through the back door."
"Fear of facing the truth." Claire stated before turning around completely, leaning on her elbows over the trunk of the car. Her hands rested close to where his arm did, and she chose to gaze down at the muscles than at his face since he still hadn't met her eyes. Usually, the men she met would look her up and down before outright flirting with her. He was picking her brain before he even gave her a second glance. "People are ruled by fear. Our friends are here because they fear the world will end in fire. Their message would be more effective if it scared the board members inside."
"Or the CEO." The law student added. "The world ending in fire, the hole in the ozone causing cancer. It's just been discovered, but it's so famous for being at fault for society's problems. Everyone's looking for a scapegoat."
Claire ran a hand through her blonde hair, brushing the long strands behind her ear. "He could change his mind if he believes he's dying because of it." That caught his attention. His eyes immediately swerved to hers, a devious spark ignited in the light brown orbs. "Got any ideas?"
He grinned with a nod. "I might need some help." Standing up from the car, he held out his hand to her, palm facing up. "I'm Francis Underwood. Everyone calls me Frank."
"Frank?" Claire questioned as she rested her hand in his, squeezing it softly. She smiled, shaking her head. "I'm Claire Hale." He raised up her hand, his lips brushing against her knuckles. "Nice to meet you, Francis."
Claire felt her head bob before she jolted awake. With a quick glance around the room, she found that her sleep had been interrupted by the nurse changing the blanket over Francis. "Sorry, ma'am. I just have a warm blanket to put on the bed."
"It's alright." Claire whispered before standing from the chair besides Francis's bed. She reluctantly let go of his hand so the nurse could change the blanket without her in the way. It was nearing four in the afternoon, the TV played the news softly, and James was out cold on the sofa by the window. "Can I borrow the other blanket?" She gestured over to her daughter so the nurse could see what she meant. After receiving a small nod, Claire took the used blanket from the nurse and gently spread it out over James, tucking it in around her legs and over her shoulders.
The nurse left as quietly as she had entered, and Claire was left with the sleeping pair. But, not for long. Kissing James's head, she went over to Francis and caressed his cheek. "Rest up, honey. I'll be back shortly."
Doug stared up at the ceiling, listening to the news anchor talk about the mystery behind what happened in the White House the night before. She mentioned she was standing in front of the hospital where Garrett and Brighton had been taken, explaining that Brighton was dead upon arrival but no word on former President Walker. He wondered what it was like outside that hospital. If there were angry citizens ready to tear out Walker's heart or trying to charge into the building to end the job. His imagination was all he had since he had the nurse covered the tv with a blanket to abide by the doctor's orders.
When he heard the door open, he sat up straighter, figuring a nurse was coming back to check on the bullet hole above his knee. His assumption was proven wrong though when his eyes opened to find someone else a few feet from his bed. "Claire?"
"Hey Doug," Claire greeted, glancing to the covered television. "Concocting a game plan?"
"Garrett's alive." Doug stated quietly. "He's in a coma, signs of significant trauma. But, he's still breathing, and I'm still failing James as long as that son of a bitch has oxygen." He grabbed his water jug from his meal tray, taking a sip before heaving out a breath. "I'm taking care of it."
"You've always taken great care of us. Francis, James, myself." Claire stated before sitting on the bed by Doug's feet, crossing one leg over the other. "You took a bullet for my daughter last night. You've killed for her, and I've never said thank you for that."
Doug swallowed thickly, playing with the handle of his jug. "I've also caused a lot of this. If I hadn't gotten mad at James over Gordon's offer-"
Claire shook her head. "James is a big girl. She made her own decision to go out with Gordon, even if it was to spite you." She looked down with a small chuckle. "Far too much like me for her own good." She paused a moment before looking up towards the window. The shades were down, tinted closed to keep out the sun. "My daughter adores you, almost as much as you seem to adore her. I see how happy she is with you, even with everything that's happened. . .with all the truths that have been revealed." Meeting Doug's gaze, she confessed. "I found the engagement ring in your belongings. The nurses left it in the bathroom. When did you plan on proposing to James?"
"I don't know." Doug admitted. "It's hard to propose when no one can know that we're together. An engagement ring now would raise a lot of questions. It could effect her campaign in the future if someone finds out she's with me now. I'd be labeled as a pedophile because she's still a minor in the eyes of the law. It's too dangerous." He glanced down at his hands with a smile on his lips. "But, I would marry her today if I could."
Claire couldn't stop her own smile from breaking through. "You should propose." His eyes darted back up to hers, obviously curious. "When you believe the time is right, that is. We've never been ones to follow the status quo. I know that I haven't been your biggest cheerleader when it comes to your relationship with James, but I'm protective of her. If you hurt her, I will end you. Don't doubt that. But as far as your indiscretions, I'm wiping the slate clean. So, propose to James. I'm sure you can find a way to keep it hidden, and fuck everyone else. They're only watching for us to trip ourselves."
Doug was still reeling from the unexpected blessing when Claire stood and headed for the door. "Claire," she turned back to him, "thanks. I know that wasn't easy for you. I haven't been completely honest, and James is the most important person in your life. I want you to know she's it for me. Nothing will change that."
With the door slightly ajar with her hand resting on it, Claire looked over her shoulder to him. "I know. It's a beautiful ring by the way. She'll love it."
"Mrs. Underwood?" Claire heard her name called as she went to return to Francis's room. Turning around, she found the nurse who had examined James after she'd been discovered in Gordon's room. "I'm glad I caught you."
"You found me." Claire smiled softly, crossing her arms over her chest as the nurse approached. "How can I help you?"
The nurse sighed. "Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened. I hear good things from the other nurses about how things are going, so I'm pulling for your husband to make a full recovery." Claire nodded, happy to hear that the staff was feeling optimistic about Francis. "I just wanted to talk about James. She's not due back for a follow up appointment for another four months for her final tests, but the detectives told me about the circumstances behind the kidnapping. I'd really like to ease James's mind and rule out the possibility of pregnancy. If she wants, I can have the test done within the hour."
Claire glanced back towards Francis's door before motioning for the nurse to follow her. "Let me see if she's up for it."
She led the nurse down the hallway, nodding to the agents outside that she could enter with her, before pushing inside. Both Francis and James were in the same spots she had left them in. She wasn't sure if the blankets had even moved on James's part. Moving over to her daughter's sleeping form, she crouched down beside her, stroking her hair. "James, sweetheart, can you wake up for me?" She smiled when James frowned in her sleep, her face angling down to try and hide in the blanket. It was something she had done since she was little. "Hey, you, I know you hear me. C'mon, I'm not the only one here."
James's eyes opened, frowning at the sunlight pouring in over her. She quickly discovered who else was in the room though. "What's going on?"
"She wants to do part of your follow up if you're up for it. The detectives told her about Gordon's plan. She wants to eliminate the possibility of pregnancy by running a quick test." Claire explained, continuing to stroke her hair. "Once she gives you the results, she'll bring you right back."
"What if I am?" James asked quietly. Her voice was small, smaller than Claire had heard it in a long time.
Their matching blue eyes met and Claire felt her daughter's fear looming there. "Then, we'll deal with it. We'll make it work."
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