"So what are you really like?"

"Are you actually that clever?"

"Why do you always look so scared?"

"Guys please!" Danny's voice drew Clara back from wherever her head was spinning off to with the chaos of his roommates questioning her. "I told you already not to overwhelm her."

"You make me sound like a cat," she told him, finding her voice and hitting Danny gently before turning back to look at his friends. "Sorry, I know I take a bit of getting used to, I don't mind the questions really just… one at a time maybe. My brain doesn't deal well with a lot of new information at once - that's why I have to leave class sometimes. I don't do it on purpose, it's just how my brain works these days - I don't have much control over it," she shrugged. It was almost at the point where she'd come to terms with it now, it was nice to feel more relaxed about the situation now.

One of the boys - Bobby - spoke up now. "Okay I get that, but why do you have Paula when you're like the cleverest kid in the school?"

Danny went to reply again but Clara stopped him, "it's fine Danny, honestly, I'd rather people ask me questions than make assumptions about me," she explained and then went back to Bobby's question. "Paula's there to control me when I can't control myself. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be in any lessons some days. I'm better than I was, much better, but a lot of that is down to her. I know it doesn't make sense to everyone, apparently most people, but that's just how I work. It's hard to explain…"

"I'm getting that," Bobby replied, "I'm sorry we've messed you about so much, we didn't think."

Clara shrugged, "it's fine, you guys were nowhere near as bad as the girls."

"Still, you went through a lot because of us," one of the other lads popped up. Clara smiled, it was nice to know they realised what they did.

"I've been through alot worse. Thank you though, but we're all on a level field here I think now," she leant back into Danny as they sat on his bed.

"Still can't believe you're the reason Danny started persuading us all to behave," Bobby spoke again and they all laughed.

Clara grinned, "unintentional positives I assure you, but I'm not complaining. Danny's clever and Jackie was holding him back, I suspect the same is true for you guys too."

"We were talking about this earlier, we've all made some bad decisions. Like the fact this project is due in 3 weeks and we've done bugger all," Bobby groaned, pointing to the abandoned folder on the floor.

"Yeah because we don't actually pay attention and learn anything," Paul pointed out. Clara looked up at Danny and raised an eyebrow to which he just nodded. "What?"

"I like a challenge," she announced and jumped off the bed. "Show me what you've got then?" Bobby and Paul were both staring at her. "What? You want help, I'm offering to help. Have you made a start?"

"We had a couple of ideas…" Paul replied, a little dumbfounded.

"Well come on then! Offer isn't valid forever," Clara told them. Eventually they came to realise she was serious and joined her on the floor to look at the work.

About 2 hours later and they were making some real progress. Where possible Clara tried to let them do it themselves - partly because it had to be their work but mostly to prove to them they could do it. "Oh wow this is actually starting to look like something worth handing in."

"Still some work to be done but this is really good stuff guys - looks like my instinct was right," she grinned and stood up. "I have places to be, but let me know if you need anything else. See you later," she smiled. Danny followed her out of the room into the hall.

"Well I didn't expect the afternoon to go like that," Danny grinned.

Clara nodded, "enjoyed it really. They have good ideas, just not been using them." They stood facing each other, holding hands. "I really do need to go, I've got a meeting with Paula."

"I know," he grinned, "see you later?"

"Of course," she smiled and kissed him quickly before running off.

She was only a couple of minutes late but Paula was sat waiting for her looking concerned. "You're late," she commented.

"I know, sorry," Clara replied, catching her breath as she'd run through the school.

"You're never late," Paula added. "Everything okay?"

"Fine, sorry I was helping Paul and Bobby with their maths project and lost track of time," she sat down.

"That… is not the sentence I expected to come from you just then," Paula smiled.

Clara chuckled, "I know. Danny thought I should meet them properly that's all but then I ended up organising a whole project. Some things never change." She sat back on the chair, "so… why am I here?"

"Your Dad-" Paula started.

"Is he okay?!"

"Yes. But his recovery is going to take longer than they originally thought," she explained. "We had already expected it to last over Christmas but last night they discovered another bleed that they hadn't found before which is going to set him back. I spoke to him earlier and he wants you to go tomorrow so he can explain more." Clara looked down at the floor, trying to process this. "He's so proud of how well you're doing, we all are." She nodded but didn't speak. "Come on where's that smile I saw when you came in here?"

"Same place as my Dad's recovery," she stood up. "I need to go." With that she left, ignoring Paula's calls for her from behind.

She ran back to Danny's room and went in, calmly asking if they could go for a walk. Once they were outside though he realised this wasn't just a walk around the field. "Clara what's going on?"

"I need to see Dad but Paula won't take me till tomorrow," she told him honestly.

"Clara you promised her you wouldn't go there alone anymore," Danny replied, stopping her as they reached the edge of the grounds.

Clara shrugged, "I'm not alone though." Danny still didn't look convinced. "Please - they found another bleed last night and it's set him back even more. I need to see him, he needs to see me. This is hard enough on him as it is, they told him how bad it was at the home even though I asked them not to and I know he's panicking. I need you to be there to prove I'm okay."

"You're not though, you're running away from school again," he sighed.

"Because nobody will listen!" she shouted a little louder than intended. "Sorry. You don't have to come, I don't want to get you in trouble. God what am I doing, I'm supposed to be getting you out of trouble not into it."

Clara didn't know what to do with herself, she ran a hand through her hair and turned away from Danny, but he pulled her back and close to him. "I hate seeing you like this," he sighed and rubbed her back gently. "Okay, come on let's go."

"No you can't you'll-"

"I've done worse than this, come on," Danny took her hand and they ran off towards the hospital.

#-#-#-#

Clara opened the door to her Dad's room slowly incase he was asleep, but his head turned towards the door as she walked in. "Clara? What are you doing here? Paula said she was bringing you tomorrow." She shut the door behind her, Danny having waited outside for now.

She ran over and hugged him carefully, "tomorrow was too late. I'm sorry I've not been here."

"Shush you, I'm sorry you've had to go through all this," he took her hand and squeezed it. "They told me what happened."

"I told them not to," she complained, "you've got enough to worry about."

"Clara you're my daughter, you're still young and you should not be dealing with this - any of it," he sighed.

"This is why I didn't want them to tell you. I've learnt to grow up fast, it's fine. School is good, everyone knows about Danny now and it's kind of a relief. Not everyone is reacting favourably but turns out Danny's mates were just as fed up with Jackie as he was so that made life a little easier. We nearly finished our project too, it's really good."

Dave smiled and squeezed her hand again, "I'm so proud of you, you're doing so well, but that doesn't mean you should be dealing with so much on your own."

"I'm not alone Dad," she grabbed her phone and sent the text she had prepared and moments later Danny walked in.

"Everything okay?" Danny asked as he shut the door.

"Fine," Clara smiled and looked back at her Dad, "just trying to convince Dad of that."

"We're taking good care of her," Danny smiled too and put a hand on her shoulder. "How are you doing?" he asked Dave.

"Good as I can be. Obviously the set back isn't ideal but I'm being well looked after. It's reassuring to see that Clara has the support, I just worry about Christmas…" he looked a little solemn.

Clara shook her head, "Dad the home is good, they're lovely. Jackie I.. well, I'll deal with her. And Danny will be there when he can. I'm gonna try and see Gran too, but Phil and Faith are being incredible with her. Hopefully someone will bring me to see you too. It might not be the best Christmas, but at least you'll be well looked after.."

"I know love, I know. What a pair we are eh?" he grinned and Clara chuckled. "Hey love, you couldn't fill up the water jug for me could you?" Dave asked and Clara nodded, grabbing the jug and going out leaving Danny with Dave. "I want to do everything I can from here to give her a good Christmas. She really doesn't want for anything but she deserves it. I was hoping your parents might be able to help sort the presents I wanted to get?"

"Of course! I'll speak to Mum and get her to come see you when she drops Grace off. I actually wanted to ask you something about Christmas…"

#-#-#-#

They stayed for a while but Danny persuaded Clara to leave and get back before it got too late. She hugged her Dad and promised to visit as much as she could. Danny kept a hold on her as they walked back but was glad she felt calmer now. He also couldn't stop thinking about the conversation Dave and he had about Christmas.

"You're very quiet," Clara commented as they got nearer to school.

"Sorry, just thinking about things. I- your phone is ringing," his sentence was interrupted. Clara pulled out her phone and looked at the screen, "Paula. You should answer it."

"I can't," she replied and handed the phone to him. Danny nodded and answered.

"Clara?" Paula's voice came down the phone.

"Danny, but she's with me. We went to the hospital, she needed to see her Dad. I know we shouldn't have but honestly it's what she needed. We're nearly back now."

"You can't just walk out like that! You're meant to be looking after her Danny," Paula told him.

Clara overheard this and grabbed the phone off him. "He is looking after me! If you're going to punish anyone take it out on me, not him."

"Admirable Clara, but you both left school grounds without permission," Paula replied. "I can be lenient with you to an extent, but this is pushing it. My office as soon as you return." She hung up. Clara put the phone away and sighed, leaning back into Danny as they walked in through the gates.

"You okay?" Danny asked. Clara shrugged and he stopped her before they went inside the door. "What's going on in your head? Tell me before we go in."

"I shouldn't have made you go, I knew I'd get in trouble for this and now I've got you in trouble too," she sighed. "I'm so sorry."

"Shut up, don't say anything else. Please don't blame yourself, this is a two way relationship and I know this was exactly what you needed even if Paula doesn't realise it. Come on, let's do this together," he took her hand and squeezed it. "Ready?"

Clara nodded, "let's get through this."

They walked up together, knocking on Paula's door. She opened it and moved to let both kids walk inside her office. Clara sat down in her usual spot and Danny stood behind the chair. Paula sat down in her desk chair and looked at them both. "I work hard with you Clara, you're the best student I've had in years. The progress you've made in such a short period of time is wonderful, but now we're beginning to reach a problem. Obviously everyone knows about you two now, that's fine and actually means I'm not breaking as many rules for you anymore, but it doesn't mean you can go even further. You left the school grounds alone without permission and before you start talking about Danny, he's a pupil too. You're both too young and I can't allow it."

"I just wanted to see Dad, I couldn't wait till tomorrow," Clara spoke fairly quietly.

"Then you should have spoken to me, not just run off! This isn't a joke anymore, and I can't keep using your other problems as an excuse to other members of staff. I worry about you, and I know how difficult your situation is, but you have the same rules to follow as everyone else here. Both of you." Paula kept stern and Clara didn't look up.

"I'm sorry," she replied, "it won't happen again."

"No, it won't. I'll be back with you full time until Christmas, break and lunch included. Outside of lesson times you aren't to leave the building unattended. I will still take you to see your Dad as agreed, but only as agreed unless the situation changes. Understood?" Clara nodded. "Good. Now I need you both to head to your own rooms for the night, Danny I will come and see you later, Clara I'll take you back now."

"I can go back to my-" Clara started to argue but she looked up and saw Paula's stern face. "FIne, sorry."

They all went their separate ways. Clara kept silent until just before they got to the room, "you're going to keep us apart aren't you?"

"Until Christmas, unless you're in my sight, yes. I have to be seen to take this seriously. See you in the morning. Same routine as before." Paula explained as Clara went into the room.

Jess and Faye looked up when she walked in, "wow what a face." Clara didn't respond, just walking over to her bed and lying down. "Uh oh, what happened? Where were you hiding this afternoon?"

"Not now," Clara replied and turned over to face the wall, shutting her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

#-#-#-#

Waking up in the morning was a shock, especially when she realiised she hadn't actually got changed out of her clothes the night before. It was early, Jess and Faye were still asleep. She sat up and found her phone, sticking it on charge and then looking at the messages - except there weren't any. Danny hadn't sent anything. Was he alright? She lay back again and looked at the ceiling, taking deep breaths and trying not to panic. There was a lot going on right now and she needed so hard to keep herself under control, for Danny and for her Dad.

She picked up her phone again and made a decision to phone her Dad. "Good morning love, this is a nice surprise."

"I wasn't sure if you'd be allowed to use your phone… or indeed be awake, but I'm glad you are," she spoke quietly so as not to wake her friends.

"What's up then? Because it's a little early for you to be up," Dave replied having looked at the clock.

Clara sighed softly, "I got in a bit of trouble for coming to see you yesterday. I didn't have permission to leave school."

"What?! Clara I assumed you'd been brought down as always?!" he sounded shocked and Clara immediately felt awful for not having told him.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's my fault, but Danny got in trouble too and I don't even know what Paula said to him because she spoke to him after I'd gone. I feel so guilty," she could feel silent tears on her cheeks.

"Oh my love, I'm sure Danny doesn't blame you. I bet he's told you that as well. No you shouldn't have left school and you know that now, I'm sure Paula is doing the right thing with you too. You know I'll never condone misbehaviour and I'm disappointed, but you need to move on now. Focus on the future and your work," he replied.

Clara smiled a little, he was right. "I know, thank you. It's just… they're gonna try and keep us apart for awhile, at least most of the time. I'm just scared - Danny is what has got me to this point."

"I know, well I do now anyway. You're doing so well sweetheart and I'm so proud, I know you can do this," he told her.

"I'll do my best Dad. I'd better go and get up. I'll see you later though - Paula said she'll still bring me down."

"Best news I've had today. I'll see you later sweetheart," he hung up.

She got up, showered and dressed and went back in the room just as Faye and Jess were waking up to their alarm. They looked both looked over as she walked in, "what on earth are you doing up already?"

"Woke up, thought I'd get sorted. You both okay?" Clara asked. She needed to keep going today, it was the only way to get through.

"Tired," Jess groaned as she sat up. "I hate Thursdays."

"What's so bad about Thursdays?" Clara asked, sitting down on her bed and grabbing her books off the side and having a look through them.

"Double maths," Faye joined in the complaint from the other side of the room. Clara looked up and raised her eyebrows, "yeah yeah we know you are a weird maths geek… and everything else geek, but I can't stand it."

"I'm sure you'll live," Clara chuckled. "Come on you need to get up."

"Yes Mum," Jess swung her legs out and got up. "Faye you coming?" The other girl nodded and eventually forced herself out of bed to join her and they headed off to the bathroom. Once they were out of the room Jess addressed the elephant in the room. "Do you think she's gonna tell us what happened yesterday?"

"I don't know, but I'm concerned at how… normal… she's acting this morning," Faye commented. "I think we both know what we need to do."

"Quick trip down the corridor?" They both agreed and diverted off.

Thankfully it was Danny that answered his room's door and he quickly came out in the corridor. "What are you doing here?" he asked, a little shocked, shutting the door behind him.

"Well Clara came back last night and wouldn't speak to us, this morning she's acting like there's nothing wrong so we want answers," Jess was pretty serious in her question. Danny loved seeing how concerned they were, but he was also aware of the fact he'd already seen Paula lurking this morning. "You shouldn't be here."

"What's going on Danny?" Faye asked, neither of them moving.

"We went to see her Dad last night. He's got to stay in hospital longer than they thought, it could be months before he's ready to look after Clara again. She needed to go, but we didn't exactly had permission and we didn't get back before Paula realised. She's really on to us this time, and she has every right to, but it basically means she's going to be with Clara all the time again during official school hours," he sighed.

"You can still see her though right?" Faye asked, concerned.

"Only when Paula's around. The staff are concerned I'm having a bad influence on her, I overheard a conversation this morning. You can understand why too, I've hardly got the best history," he sighed. "We just need to prove ourselves to them I guess."

"Well thank you for filling us in. You'll both get through this, you're strong together, it won't take long for everyone to see that," Jess replied. "We'll still see you at breakfast right?" Danny hesitated, "that wasn't really a question. See you down there."

They rushed their time in the bathroom to avoid any questions from Clara about where they'd been and soon enough they had got down to the canteen. Paula was there and waiting and both Faye and Jess managed to perfect their confused faces given they weren't meant to know. "Why's she watching you?" Faye asked.

"I know you spoke to Danny," she looked at Faye, "it's fine. I just really don't want to talk about it," she told them. They went up to get food, nothing more said on the matter. Clara just grabbed a banana again and they sat down.

Clara glanced over at where Paula was stood. She wasn't coming over, but she wasn't taking her eyes off Clara either. Her view was interrupted when Danny sat down next to her. "Relax, she's just making sure we don't elope," Danny smiled. Clara blinked so she could focus on him. When it clicked what he'd said she rolled her eyes at him and sat back. "You okay though?"

She nodded, "fine. English this morning, did you finish the reading?"

"Um…" Danny started, he didn't need to finish.

"I knew it! I'll fill you in - this time," she warned him, "probably while we're still out of earshot of any teachers."

"You have such a sickeningly weird relationship," Jess grinned. "Go on, talk reading you strange geeks, I need more juice, Faye?"

Once they'd stood up Clara chuckled, "they're shockingly terrible at that still. But anyway - the book."

#-#-#-#

Paula sat by Clara in the lesson as she always had done before. As angry as she was at the situation, she was actually relieved to have someone stopping Jackie and her crew from going too far. She didn't speak up much despite the lesson being her favourite book. Clara was however quite surprised at how much Danny answered considering she'd only filled him in on the last chapter in 5 minutes at the end of breakfast. He might not have read it fully but he had a good insight and finally he was allowed to show it. Their teacher had noticed that too.

"Clearly your new company is having a good influence on you Mr Pink," Miss Grayling commented as Danny finished answering a question. Clara heard Jackie make a disapproving noise from behind them but she didn't respond and instead kept looking down at the book in front of her.

Paula leant forward and whispered to her, "okay?" She'd obviously heard Jackie too. Clara shrugged. "Sure?"

"Fine, listening," she replied fairly sharply. But she wasn't listening, her head was a little fuzzy and she was just trying to get herself back under control. Danny was onto it, he was watching her closely she'd already spotted that. She could also tell the teacher was still talking so she was safe to just sit as she was for now.

Danny kept one eye on her for the rest of the lesson, he could see something was wrong. She didn't complete the set work and that was very unlike her, but she just shrugged it off when Paula even tried to question anything. She seemed to be assuming Clara was stressed about Jackie, but it seemed like more than that. When the lesson finally ended and Paula went to speak to Miss Grayling he managed to catch 30 seconds with her alone. "What's going on, something's not right?" Clara was still sat down. "Talk to me."

"I don't know, I just feel weird today. My head isn't quite right," she told him.
"I don't know why. I spoke to Dad this morning and he's okay, I'm seeing him later. I'm doing my best to ignore Jackie too, so I don't know."

Danny reached in his bag and grabbed a bottle of water, handing it to her. "Here, sip on that. You should tell Paula."

She opened the bottle and took a sip, "nah, I'm not missing anymore lessons. I'll be fine, honestly. You should go you've got to see Mr Haydock remember?"

"Oh damn yes I forgot, what would I do without you?"

"Good question," Clara smiled a little. "See you later," she told him and finally stood up, grabbing her bag. Paula appeared and followed her as she went out to meet the girls. She found them near the end of the corridor. "You survived maths then?"

"Mmm yes. Just about. How was English?" they asked her.

"Good book, simple interpretation," she shrugged. "We'll get more into it soon I'm sure." She turned round to Paula, "you know Danny is at a meeting all break if you want to get away?"

"I might just, see you at science?" Paula suggested and left.

"Thank god," Clara groaned. "Can we step outside? I need fresh air."

"I thought you weren't supposed to leave the building…" Faye pointed out.

"I'm literally talking about standing on the top step, I just need to get outside," Clara replied, her head currently swimming. She took a step but tripped a little, somehow managing to steady herself.

"Hey what's going on with you?" Jess asked, "you're not yourself and now you're just falling over."

"I'm fine! Honestly why won't anyone listen?!" Clara groaned. "Forget it I'll go on my own," she replied and immediately walked off.