Author: The tangled web we weave

Archive: Sure, just tell me.

Review: Yes!

Disclaimer: Not mine : ( But if I want them enough, I can make them do what I want, which is what happened for this story.

Warnings: Not really. Unless you're squicked by pain, or something. (Sorry, no hospital bed for Bender yet, although it might be coming soon! We'll just have to see…)

Alrighty, this is the fifth chapter! Woohoo! There's a bunch of Bender, and Claire and Andy, and although Bender is still hurting, I tried to put a little more funny stuff in this chapter - tell me if you like it. I think I should have the next chapter by tomorrow, and let me tell you, what I've got planned should be interesting. And btw, sry, this is a little bit of a filler, although there's some definite character development. Alright, sorry for keeping you! Quick, go enjoy!

>>>>>

Chapter Five: More than buddies...

As she bent down to grab his arm, he whispered into her ear: "Thank you."

Claire gently pushed the strands of dark hair that had escaped from behind John's ear out of the way, and responded by leaning forward to place a quick kiss on the soft skin of his neck. He looked at her with a quiet stare, asking her with his eyes: 'Why did you do that?'

Claire took a breath to answer the unasked question, but their moment was interrupted by Andy clearing his throat. John broke away from Claire's eyes to give Andrew a scowl, but Claire found the grass very interesting all of a sudden. What was she doing kissing John Bender in a public park? Sure, he was hurt and all, but she was going to have to explain to all her friends tomorrow if they were seen together… 'What if I don't have the guts to stand up to them? I'll hurt him so much more…' She worried.

However, when she stopped studying the damp grass, she found John's eyes again, and realized the extent of his feelings for her. He looked sad, but hopeful, and his need for someone to love and to reciprocate that love was almost tangible. She pushed all thoughts of school aside, and carefully took hold of his upper arm, giving him a reassuring flash of her smile. Andy was also taking a hold on John's other arm, and both Claire and John noticed his apologetic look.

John turned his gaze to the ground, obviously embarrassed by their help. His old mantra of 'Deal with it. Their pity isn't what you want,' could not help him in this situation. He found that it was actually comforting to have someone worry about you for a change. 'Especially if they kiss you softly, as though they are trying to make everything better,' John said to himself, thinking of the ticklish sensation her lips gave him. John was pulled out of his memories of Claire's kisses though, when a sharp pain lanced through his side. He couldn't quite stifle a groan, and both Andy and Claire suddenly stopped trying to help him to his feet.

"Are you okay? John, what's the matter?" Claire asked frantically, putting a delicate hand on his shoulder as he winced.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked, in a calmer tone of voice. John still had his eyes closed, and was taking shallow breaths. Andy realized that they had to know exactly where John was injured, because he had found out from experience that if you ignored the pain, it would come back to kick you in the ass later on. He spoke up, although he was loathe to interrupt another of Claire and John's 'intimate moments'.

"John, we don't want to make anything worse. Tell us what's wrong so we can help." Bender finally opened his eyes, and Claire was worried to see that he looked ticked off. She knew that he was putting up his defenses again.

"I'm fine." He responded curtly. Andy looked to Claire for help. 'This guy really is a stubborn ass,' he thought to himself. Yet Andy also came to the conclusion that if, like Bender, you were used to people pounding on you at the first sign of vulnerability, you had to shield yourself somehow. 'And that's all Bender's ever done, for his whole life,' he realized. All of a sudden, Bender didn't seem so hard and tough after all. Andy was amazed at what he had learned about John Bender just by getting to know him over two days. He brought himself back to the issue at hand though, and Claire was looking intently at John.

"John, come on. We should get into the car, don't be stubborn. I want to know where it hurts so that I won't make it worse. I'm not going to make fun of you." She added quietly.

'Damn, that woman knows where to hit!' John thought to himself.

Although he was slightly annoyed with her method of prodding, it worked, and he knew it. He gave her a trademark John Bender glare, then reluctantly, he placed his hand over the offending ribs. Andy reached out to lift up both of John's shirts, and John quickly slapped his hand away.

"Now you know where it's screwed. But please, keep your hands to yourself." He said sternly. "There will be no fooling around in front of the lady." John added in a slightly mocking tone, motioning with his thumb at Claire. He really wasn't interested in being examined by Sporto, no matter how well they got to know one another. 'But why not make it fun? Maybe it'll get Claire to smile that cute little smile,' He thought to himself. Andy put his hands into the air.

"Alright, alright. But that's not what you said the other night." He retorted, catching onto John's attempt to lighten the mood a little. Claire snorted, trying to hide her laughter behind a well-manicured hand.

"Okay, enough you boys." Claire looked over at John, noticing that he was shivering slightly, although he was putting up a smirk for her benefit.

"Let's get going." She said, nodding at Andy. He toned his smile down a little, and he nodded in response.

"Here, I'll take this side," he said, motioning to Bender's left side, the one without the damaged ribs. "I'm gonna put his arm over my shoulder, and you gotta get his other arm, but don't touch his ribs," Andy said, lifting John's left arm up.

"Yes, of course," John said. "But don't worry about talking about him like he's not there…" The corners of Claire's mouth twitched, but she said:

"You're not helping, you know."

John simply flashed a smile.

She looped her arm through Bender's, as Andy's arm snaked around John's back, supporting him with his hand under Bender's right shoulder.

"Okay, We'll lift on three. John, you better be ready to stand up; it's harder to lift you up than it is to knock you down," Andy stated matter-of-factly, as though it was simply an observation. John would have given him a nice scowl if they were facing one another.

"Haha, very funny Sporto. But I think you'd have a hard time anyway," John responded knowledgably. Andy looked at him with a bemused expression. He really wasn't in the mood to have John whip out his switchblade. However, what Bender said next made him laugh. "I mean, you don't have your super tights, right?" Claire started laughing as well.

"Damn! I can't believe I forgot them again!" Andy said jokingly. Their laughter gradually died down however, and they once again focused on the fact that Bender was still on the ground, and they could feel him shivering through his clothing. Not to mention that both Andy and Claire were starting to feel numbness creeping into their hands and feet.

"Okay then, that car is starting to sound real nice man," Bender said. "I can't really feel my feet any more, you?" He queried.

"I dunno. Not really. But okay, here we go." Andy looked at Bender one last time for confirmation, and John took a deep breath and nodded the go-ahead. "1 - 2 - 3 - lift!" Andrew said, and both he and Claire pushed off the ground, trying to keep John level and steady on the way up.

John could feel the skin around his ribs stretching; although Andy had an arm wrapped around his back, his arms were still above his body, pulling his chest upwards. He tried as hard as possible to grit his teeth together, but that only hurt his nose. He couldn't keep it in any longer, and he gasped as both Claire and Andy got to their feet. They both gave him worried glances, and Claire rubbed her thumb back and forth on John's arm, trying to be reassuring. She could see that his eyes were closed tight, and he was breathing very shallowly again. He was swaying a little, and his legs were all pins and needles as circulation began to flow through them.

The world was spinning once more, and John didn't like it. Why couldn't it just stay in place? But he felt something on his arm; Claire's touch was anchoring him, and the world gradually stopped its whirling dervish act. Unfortunately, the spinning was replaced by his ribs protesting at movement.

"Agh! Fuck, that's annoying!" John said in a tight voice. Claire looked past Johnto Andy, not sure whether they should continue to Andy's Bronco, or sit Bender down on the bench. His face was looking pretty pale, and he was definitely shaking. Claire nodded her head towards the bench, but Andy shook his head 'no'.

"The sooner we get to the car, the sooner you can sit down, okay Bender?" He was trying to balance John, which was harder than he thought.

"Yeah. Whatever you're gonna do, ya better do it fast, Sporto, before I drop you two and run to the car." John laughed shakily, trying to ignore his stinging body.

"Come on Claire, we should get him walking." They began to steer Bender toward the car, as he took unsteady steps. He had his head bowed over, and his long, dark, hair had fallen over most of his face, hiding the bruising and the cut on his temple. As Claire looked at him and held his arm, she couldn't believe that yesterday this guy had been taunting her, and trying to get into her skirt from under a table. He seemed like a completely different person, except for his sense of humor and his stubborn ways. Claire also admired how much inner strength he had - if he couldn't pull pranks and make Vernon's life hell, hea had a very tough time getting through the day. And hey, if he hadn't pissed Vernon off, they never would have been in that closet...

In her mind, they were in the closet again; but this time, he looked as he did now, rather bad off, and she was comforting him. 'Would he let me do that?' she asked herself as they were nearing the red and white Bronco. Claire was suddenly determined to find out more about the 'bad-ass, drug-doing, prank-pulling, criminal' who she knew had to have a heart in there somewhere. And she didn't mind who knew about it.

>>>>>>>

So, was that okay? I know that it was kind of a go-between thing, but there's definitely going to be some action in the next chapter, which I hope to have up by tomorrow, which is Thursday. There might even be an appearance by one (possibly both) of the other Breakfast club members, but I still have to work a few things out. I think there's also going to be some more angst in the next chapter, so get ready! And I wanted to say thank you to all of those who reviewed (I might have a more personal thank-you at the top or bottom of the next chapter, k?)! I tried to incorporate some of your suggestions (including the Bronco!). Come back soon!

The tangled web we weave