A/N: This story is kind of taking on a life of its own, I'm not sure where it's going to go next. Please review.
When Claire approached the dock she plastered a smile on her face, determined to keep things light. "Fancy meeting you here, Bender!" She called as a greeting. When his response was just a wry smirk and to continue with his unnerving stare, she realized perhaps this was not the time. "What are you doing here, John?" She asked, quietly, seriously.
She knew that the sadness she was feeling was showing in her eyes, that was one thing she could never hide. Her eyes were always so expressive and at this point she cursed them. He looked down at his feet and replied in almost a whisper, "I don't know."
She nodded silently as if letting him off the hook and proceeded to roll up her jeans. She rolled them to her knees before looking up at John who was staring at her in curiosity, if nothing else. She offered up a small smile and walked over to the end of the dock and sat down, letting her feet be immersed in the cool water.
"How's the water?" He asked but she could feel his movement behind her and she knew he was already taking off his boots.
She smiled, this time big and bold into the darkness, before trying to bring it in control. "Cold, but I like to show off." She quipped. John snorted a laugh behind her before joining her and dipping his feet into the water silently.
She wasn't sure how long they had stayed there, physically only inches apart. Every now and then their bare feet would brush each other and a bolt of electricity ran through her. Is this how it always feels? She thought. Maybe, this was how wanting somebody felt. She couldn't remember wanting anybody.
John pushed his hair back with his hand and sighed dramatically looking up at the sky that was beginning to clear. "I can't do this, Claire." He said, rumbling quietly.
"What, sitting here like this?" She asked, know what he meant, but wanting to much for him to stop talking. Just stop talking. Two seconds ago everything was perfect. How long ago has it been since everything was perfect?
John ignored her remark and continued, "I can't give you what you need." He stated seriously.
Claire shot up like a bullet bring half the river up with her, and consequently on John's lap. He said nothing but rose with her, so they were both standing there on the dock, soaked from the waste down with there jeans rolled up to their knees. "You!" She yelled, emphasising it with a finger to his chest, "You might know more about what I need if you stopped being so fucking macho and asked. I don't need you to commit to me! I don't need you to introduce me to your friends! I don't need you to take me home to your Mommy and Daddy!"
John's eyes turned cold, because he knew that they had both thought about what would happen to her in the Bender household. He turned on his heel and walked awy and through back "I don't need this."
"Oh, yeah?" She called after him. He stilled as if to hear her out. "I don't need you either, John. But I sure as hell want you. And at this point, I'll take what I can get." He turned back and walked toward her like a mission. She had tears welled in her eyes when she spat, "And I hate you, for reducing me to this."
When he reached her, he framed her porcelain face in his hands. He stood there for a few moments just touching her face, looking at her as if studying her. Trying to memorize every contour, every crease her face had to offer. She suddenly felt very insecure that she had no makeup on.
"You're so fucking beautiful." He stated quietly, with no flare or gusto, just amazement. One of the tears that were building in Claire's eyes escaped and ran a treacherous route down her cheek. She cursed its existence.
He brushed the tear away with his thumb. When she opened her mouth to say something, he placed his thumb over her lips to silence her. She could taste her tears on it. "I have to go." He said quietly before dropping a kiss on her forehead and turning on his heel.
She couldn't help the bitterness that was building inside her. "I guess you won't be 'considering' me, will you?" She spat out.
He turned to her, almost violently, and put a hand to her face. He looked straight into her watery eyes and said, "Don't compare yourself to them, they're nothing compared to you."
He turned around and quickly walked away, and she thought she heard him say, "But then again, neither am I."