Title: And Then There Were Two
Author: TWBasketcase/Kristen
Chapter Summary: Continuation from last chapter in Allison's POV
A/N: Thank you all for all your amazing comments on the last chapter; you guys are great! So thank you to: Two Bit's Twobits, Tracebo, DarkoBender, Lazaefair, Billy Crazy (for all three of them lol), Moonjava, KushelKitten, and Bravewolf. I hope you all enjoy this next one, please leave a comment too:)

Chapter 18 – In It Together

Twitch.

Ow.

Twitch.

Ow.

What the hell is that? I let my eyes flutter open and I was met with large, dark, yet very bloodshot ones. He was staring at the wall behind me and trying desperately to move his leg…that was underneath of me. For some very odd reason I was in a closet and lying on top of John Bender. How kinky. I rolled my eyes; then it dawned on me.

His dad.

His dad had come home and scared the shit out of us, so he grabbed me and we hid in the closet. I must have fallen asleep or something because I don't really remember moving on top of him. The closet door is now also open about six inches and its letting sunlight into our small little room. But for some reason, it doesn't look like he slept much.

Twitch.

"Do you need your leg back that badly that you have to keep twitching?" I asked him. I must have scared him or something because he almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of my voice.

"Holy shit," he said getting over his initial shock. He furrowed his eyebrows, "Actually it's totally asleep and I can't really feel it anymore."

I sat up quickly, suddenly embarrassed, "I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brow again as he sat rubbing his leg and stomping his foot against the floor in an attempt to get the pins and needles feeling away, "Its okay…you don't have to be sorry. I can't move too much cause of my ribs is all."

I yawned and rubbed my eyes, "What happened?"

He shrugged tiredly and looked away from me, "You fell asleep and missed the worst of it," he paused briefly, "Then it stopped about three hours ago."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Then why didn't you wake me up?"

He shrugged, "Didn't feel like it."

I half smiled, "Even though I was lying on top of you?"

He looked down to his lap and shrugged, "You looked like you needed your sleep," he blinked his red eyes, "And besides it's not my fault you crawled on me."

I felt my cheeks heat up, "Sorry."

He shrugged and said nothing.

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

He rolled his eyes, "I'm fine."

I frowned, "I'm not trying to act like a mommy or anything…but jeez you should see yourself, I don't think you are just 'fine'."

His eyes went serious, "I have seen myself…"

I winced, "I didn't mean it that way…I meant you have bags under your eyes and they are totally bloodshot."

"I can't sleep…I'm not allowed to."

I smirked, "You are actually doing what someone asked you to do? That's a first…" I let out a small laugh.

He shrugged, "I don't have much of a choice."

I nodded sadly, "I wish things didn't turn out this way…I kinda feel like I am the cause of all this trouble in a way…"

He looked at me sternly, "You're not…you're making it better."

I tore my eyes from his gaze and nodded. For being hurt and in a world of anguish I sure do find it surprising that he is being so nice to me. I mean, I never thought of John Bender as a 'mean' person per say but I've seen the way he acts towards some people and I've also seen him kick the shit out of someone and to tell you the truth if I didn't know him I would probably be very intimidated by him. But still in the midst of all this I'm the one he is letting in and being nice to; it's pretty surprising.

He sat back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. He has a very visible bruise peeking out of the collar of his shirt. But then again I have to remind myself that bruise is pretty tame compared to some of the other ones. I didn't mean to look at him the way I did when he was examining the damage, but damn! I have never seen something so painful and horrific looking in my life; with the exception of horror movies but those aren't real…John is. It wasn't his body that grossed me out; it was the fact that someone that could hurt him so bad that did.

"Hey, John?" I asked him softly.

"Hmm?"

"About what happened earlier…"

He shook his head and held up a hand, "Don't worry about my parents, it happens all the time. I'm used to it…he is just an asshole…"

I interrupted, "I'm not talking about that."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Well then what are you talking about?"

I folded my hands in my lap, "The laundry room…"

He widened his eyes and opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off, "Why were you so desperate to get away from me? Did I hurt you or make you mad? I mean, I'm sorry I walked in and everything…"

He rubbed a hand over his face briskly and looked back at me with pleading eyes; eyes that told me not to push the topic any further but I ignored them; I needed to know, "Well?"

He blinked a few times and looked at me with a soft and broken expression, "You didn't make me mad…you didn't hurt me either."

I felt tears pricking my eyes for some stupid reason, "Then what was it?"

"Just forget about it."

"You can tell me…"

"Please just drop it."

"But I wanna know."

"PLEASE drop it!"

"No…I wanna know."

His breathing intensified, "WHY? Why do you wanna know, are you nosey or something?"

I scrunched up my face, "No I'm not nosey I just wanna know why you wigged out! Is it that hard to just tell me?"

"Yes it is, you don't wanna know, okay? It was nothing…"

"Oh yeah right! It was something you are just too egotistical to tell me."

"I am NOT egotistical!"

"Yes you are…if you weren't you would tell me."

"I didn't want you to see that okay? I look like a fucking mutant or something I didn't want you to see it!" He let it all out in one breath and he's kinda panting in frustration over it.

I furrowed my brows, "Why?"

He sighed tiredly, "Don't worry about it; you got that much outta me…"

I nodded, "Okay…but I just want you to know that you have nothing to be ashamed of…or embarrassed about."

He nodded his head in uncertainty and sorta narrowed his eyes in disbelief, but looked a little relieved at the same time. A self-conscious John is not a John I am familiar with.

"Why are you…"

"Why are you…" We both looked at each other for a second as we began talking at the same time.

"You go first…" I said.

"Just wanna know why you stuck around." He looked right into my eyes and had a serious expression on his face.

I shrugged, "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged back, "This is a lot of bullshit and stuff you don't need to see. In fact you could get hurt…again…and I wanna know why you are willing to risk that to stick around."

I blew my bangs out of my face and sighed, "Because you are my friend…I thought that is what friends are supposed to do."

He nodded, "It is…but no friend I've ever had has done that…why did you?"

"Because I care."

He nodded and his eyes went very soft; so soft in fact for a second I thought he was going to pounce on me. He let out a shaky sigh, "Why do you care…no one gives a shit about the criminal."

I dropped my hands into my lap and shrugged, "I do…I don't see you as a criminal. I see you as one of the strongest people I have ever met. I care for the same reason you do."

He looked down to his lap and frowned, "No you don't."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Well you went looking for me on Friday night for a reason…you didn't want me to be hurt, just like I don't want you to be hurt."

He nodded his head and for some reason he doesn't seem convinced; either that or he doesn't like my answer. I sighed, "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I care?"

He shrugged and scowled, "Why do you think?"

"I don't know John why don't you inform me?"

He shook his head a little angrily, "NO ONE…ever…has given a shit about me…so why does it start with you? That's what I wanna know."

"Why not? Have you gone through so much shit in your life that you – for one second – can't stop being hostile and bitter and realize that someone truly cares for you…that someone wants to be there and make sure that you are okay? Why are you so withdrawn?"

He smirked, "Oh that's rich, Allison! You know damn well what the answer to that is, you hypocrite because you are the exact same way!"

I clenched my fists, "I am not!"

He shook his head, "You are too you're just not vocal about it!"

"Oh whatever!"

He laughed out loud…and kept laughing until it was too much for his ribs to handle. He grabbed his abdomen and smiled through his coughs; he was coughing and laughing so hard he had tears coming down his face. I just looked at him like he is crazy…I don't know what the hell he is laughing at and frankly to actually hear him laughing is scaring me.

"What is your problem?"

He looked at me through his red eyes and let out an amused sigh as he continued to wipe his face and clutch his ribs, "That hurt like a bitch but it was so worth it."

"What was worth it?"

"Never mind…I don't wanna tell you." He folded his arms and continued grinning like an idiot. I shook my head, "Okay fine you wanna play that way…it's my turn to ask the questions."

He shrugged – trying to make it look nonchalant, but failing miserably, "Go for it."

"I wanna know why you are so ashamed with the way you look around me."

He straightened his body up slowly and looked me in the eyes, "I don't feel comfortable with you seeing my body when it looks like an art canvas."

"Just me or anyone?"

"A little bit of both."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Why?"

He shrugged and raked his hands through his hair, "I just don't want people seeing me while I'm weak."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Okay then…so you are worried about me seeing you weak? That doesn't make any sense…"

He let out an irritated sigh, "Not you…I mean…no, I don't want you to see me weak like that…its embarrassing…but I'm not that worried with you…its just…"

I held up a hand, "Stutter over your words much?" I asked, this time it was my turn to laugh. He scowled at me and I pursed my lips together to stop, "I'm sorry."

He shrugged, "Whatever."

"Okay…I got another question for you."

He tensed up a bit and slowly rolled his shoulders, "Okay shoot."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

He smirked and looked at me like I grew a second head, "What the hell do you mean?"

"You have all these problems here, and at school, you were in the hospital…all this bad shit happens and still through all of it you're so nice to me…why?"

He furrowed his brows and his eyes flew down to his lap, "Why you didn't think I was capable of showing a good emotion or something?"

I cocked an eyebrow, "I didn't say anything about emotions…I was talking about your attitude towards me."

He swallowed and shrugged, "Why not…you didn't do anything bad to me so there is no reason for me to be mean."

"Even when you are going through all this shit you still want me to stick around?" I didn't really believe him; I don't know why he is acting this way but he seems like he is just beating around the bush.

He rolled his eyes, "Sure why not?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Are you sure you don't have anything to add to that?"

He raised his head slowly to meet my gaze, "Why would you think that?"

I smirked, "Because you are a very bad liar."

He widened his eyes. He seems hesitant; biting his lips and shifting his eyes around. He looked down at his lap and opened his mouth, "Look, I…"

"JOHN!" He looked at me with a very relieved smirk that said 'Ha ha!'

He slid open the closet door slightly, "Yeah Ma?"

"I need you to come up and help me for a second!"

He rolled his eyes, "Is Pops home?"

"No!"

I shrugged, "I should probably be getting home now anyways."

He nodded, "Okay." I stood up and held out my hand to him; he took it and I helped him climb to his feet, "Don't think you are getting out of this conversation that easily!"

He smirked, "Whatever."

"When are you coming back to school?"

He shrugged, "Hopefully never."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms as we stepped out of the closet, "You couldn't drop out of school I would miss ya too much," I paused as he raised his eyebrows, "And so would Vernon."

He scowled as he walked slowly up the stairs and opened the door, "I'll see ya later."

"I'll give you a call tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded and shrugged, "Sure whatever."

I stepped out into the cool air and did my sweater up a little tighter. I looked back at the house and shook my head; what is going on with that guy?

TBC