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Disclaimer: I own everyone except for Matthew.
The weeks, full of sleepless nights coughing up blood, flew by quickly. Christmas was just a week away. Clara had opened up to Specs but still kept her past locked away. He didn't push the subject fearing he would loose their already fragile friendship. Not much had changed in the past few weeks except for the fact that both Eric and Ashley lay cold in the ground.
The more Specs hung around Clara, the more he fell in love with her. He didn't want to admit it yet, but he was head-over-heels in love with Clara. He was afraid if he did admit it that Clara might completely shut him out.
That night, Specs sat in front of the dwindling fire watching his friend write. After a few moments, he decided to speak up.
"Clara?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever think about what you'll do when you go home?"
"What, my home in the dirt?" She said, never looking up from what she was writing.
"No. I mean when you go back to your home in Manhattan?" Specs moved closer to Clara as he spoke.
"I'm not going home. I'll be dead in a few weeks. No one ever survives."
"Well I'll be the first then. I plan on getting better so I can go to my friend's wedding next July."
"You do that then, Matthew."
"Why do you keep calling me Matthew?" It's not the Specs didn't mind her calling him Matthew, he thought it sounded beautiful coming off of her lips.
"Because I think it fits you better than Specs." Clara finally stopped writing and looked up. Her crystal sapphire eyes locked with Specs' soft brown eyes. Slowly, the two began to lean in. When their lips were just inches apart, Specs spoke up.
"Clara?"
"Hmm?" Her eyes fluttered open.
"What happened to your husband?" Specs mentally kicked himself for ruining the moment. Clara stared at him with hurt and anger in her cold blue eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it." Clara said as she stood up and walked over to her bed.
"You can't keep living in the past Clara. You've got to move on." Specs moved to follow Clara hoping to break the wall she had put up.
Clara spun around. Pain now filled her icy stare. "Maybe I prefer to live in the past. It helps keep my mind off of dying. Besides you wouldn't understand."
"Try me Clara. My family died when I was nine. I spent three years living on the streets depending on the kindness of strangers and trying to stay out of the refuge until I became a newsy, so just try me Clara.
Clara couldn't take the pressure. She wasn't ready to reveal her past. She took off out into the cold night. Specs followed her trying not to trip over anything as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Ahead of him Clara stopped to cough. He reached just as she was getting ready to take off again. Specs grabbed her arms and kissed her. He could taste the bittersweet blood on her lips.
Clara stood in shock, but finally responded. She carefully wrapped her arms around his neck. The two stood there kissing oblivious to the falling snow that melted on their heated skin. After a few moments, the two broke away.
"I'm sorry Clara. I didn't mean to push the subject." Specs held her tightly, never wanting to let her go.
"It's ok Matthew. I guess I'm not ready to let go yet." Clara shivered suddenly realizing the cold that surrounded them.
"Let's go back before we freeze to death."
"Yeah." Clara let go of Specs and grabbed his hand. As they walked back, a coughing fit over took Clara. It was the worse she had ever experienced. Pain shot threw her chest with each cough, finally causing her to pass out.
"No Clara. Not now." Specs bent down and picked up Clara' limp body. As quickly as he could, the former newsy carried the body to Mrs. Shepherd's cottage. "Mrs. Shepherd. Mrs. Shepherd. Please open up. Clara's in trouble." The elderly lady opened the door with concern on her face.
"Take her to the bed. Amelia, get my kit." Mrs. Shepherd ordered as she started to work on the unconscious girl blocking Specs view of her. He was terrified of what might happen to his newfound love. She couldn't die now. It was too soon. As he worried, Specs began to cough. Pain ripped threw his lungs and chest to the point that his world was surrounded in complete darkness. He was going to join Clara soon.
Disclaimer: I own everyone except for Matthew.
The weeks, full of sleepless nights coughing up blood, flew by quickly. Christmas was just a week away. Clara had opened up to Specs but still kept her past locked away. He didn't push the subject fearing he would loose their already fragile friendship. Not much had changed in the past few weeks except for the fact that both Eric and Ashley lay cold in the ground.
The more Specs hung around Clara, the more he fell in love with her. He didn't want to admit it yet, but he was head-over-heels in love with Clara. He was afraid if he did admit it that Clara might completely shut him out.
That night, Specs sat in front of the dwindling fire watching his friend write. After a few moments, he decided to speak up.
"Clara?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever think about what you'll do when you go home?"
"What, my home in the dirt?" She said, never looking up from what she was writing.
"No. I mean when you go back to your home in Manhattan?" Specs moved closer to Clara as he spoke.
"I'm not going home. I'll be dead in a few weeks. No one ever survives."
"Well I'll be the first then. I plan on getting better so I can go to my friend's wedding next July."
"You do that then, Matthew."
"Why do you keep calling me Matthew?" It's not the Specs didn't mind her calling him Matthew, he thought it sounded beautiful coming off of her lips.
"Because I think it fits you better than Specs." Clara finally stopped writing and looked up. Her crystal sapphire eyes locked with Specs' soft brown eyes. Slowly, the two began to lean in. When their lips were just inches apart, Specs spoke up.
"Clara?"
"Hmm?" Her eyes fluttered open.
"What happened to your husband?" Specs mentally kicked himself for ruining the moment. Clara stared at him with hurt and anger in her cold blue eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it." Clara said as she stood up and walked over to her bed.
"You can't keep living in the past Clara. You've got to move on." Specs moved to follow Clara hoping to break the wall she had put up.
Clara spun around. Pain now filled her icy stare. "Maybe I prefer to live in the past. It helps keep my mind off of dying. Besides you wouldn't understand."
"Try me Clara. My family died when I was nine. I spent three years living on the streets depending on the kindness of strangers and trying to stay out of the refuge until I became a newsy, so just try me Clara.
Clara couldn't take the pressure. She wasn't ready to reveal her past. She took off out into the cold night. Specs followed her trying not to trip over anything as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Ahead of him Clara stopped to cough. He reached just as she was getting ready to take off again. Specs grabbed her arms and kissed her. He could taste the bittersweet blood on her lips.
Clara stood in shock, but finally responded. She carefully wrapped her arms around his neck. The two stood there kissing oblivious to the falling snow that melted on their heated skin. After a few moments, the two broke away.
"I'm sorry Clara. I didn't mean to push the subject." Specs held her tightly, never wanting to let her go.
"It's ok Matthew. I guess I'm not ready to let go yet." Clara shivered suddenly realizing the cold that surrounded them.
"Let's go back before we freeze to death."
"Yeah." Clara let go of Specs and grabbed his hand. As they walked back, a coughing fit over took Clara. It was the worse she had ever experienced. Pain shot threw her chest with each cough, finally causing her to pass out.
"No Clara. Not now." Specs bent down and picked up Clara' limp body. As quickly as he could, the former newsy carried the body to Mrs. Shepherd's cottage. "Mrs. Shepherd. Mrs. Shepherd. Please open up. Clara's in trouble." The elderly lady opened the door with concern on her face.
"Take her to the bed. Amelia, get my kit." Mrs. Shepherd ordered as she started to work on the unconscious girl blocking Specs view of her. He was terrified of what might happen to his newfound love. She couldn't die now. It was too soon. As he worried, Specs began to cough. Pain ripped threw his lungs and chest to the point that his world was surrounded in complete darkness. He was going to join Clara soon.