Chapter 12

Don't do anything stupid...

"Be strong okay?" Drake whispered to Claire on the front porch of her house. "This might be the only chance you get to tell them."

"I'll try Drake, but I don't know if I can. What happens if they don't understand. What if they blame you. Or worse, they make me do something about it..." Claire panicked, she didn't like confrontation much.

"Don't worry about it baby. They can't make you do that kind of stuff. Can they?" He was worried about her. He was worried about the baby too. He couldn't help himself these days, spending hours at the mall looking at the clothes. Little Who tee's and Beatles tee's, even little pink converse. It was all surreal to him. Claire was three months pregnant and she couldn't hide it for much longer. The past 2 weeks were like a haze to him. He hadn't told anyone yet, but tonight they both promised to do it, or at least try. It was better they explain it before questions were asked and their parents jumped to conclusions.

"No I don't think they can. But you have to do it too." She said as she grabbed his hand.

"I will, I swear. I'll talk to you tonight. I love you." He said as he gently kissed her and headed off her porch. He unlocked the camry and drove home.

Drake walked through the front door, he didn't want to make much distraction. Megan was watching tv on the couch. She had mellowed out these days, he pranks were dwindling. Maybe it was because Drake and Josh were spending more time with her, maybe it was because she'd just grown up.

"Hey Megan, Josh upstairs?" Drake asked as he walked past the living room.

"Yeah." She replied.

Drake walked upstairs. Josh was inside doing homework. He'd gotten alot better these days. He was now dating Marissa, a brunette from Vermont. She was pretty, Drake probably would have dated her if he didn't have Claire.

"Hey Josh can I tell you something?" Drake asked as he threw down his bag.

"Sure, Drake you can tell me anything." Josh replied turning around in the computer chair. Drake sat down on the couch. " I can already tell something's wrong. Heck I knew something was up when I found the minature converse under your bed."

"What were you doing under my bed." Drake questioned.

"Nothing, looking for a picture. But tell me what you're goint to tell me."

"It's not easy to say but, Claire's kind of, well, she's...Josh this is really hard for me. I can't imagine what it's like for her." Drake rambled.

"Spit it out already."

"She's kind of well, just a little pregnant." Drake confessed.

"It's not your fault is it?" Josh questioned. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but Drake and Claire had been together for a pretty long time.

"No, and that's the problem. She was kind of raped by her brothers friends."

"You should kind of do something about that. LIke call the cops." Josh stated. He was concerned now. It was that stupid maternal instinct of his. To always be the humanitiarian, always do the right thing.

"We, I mean she can't. It's too complicated." Drake sighed. "I just wish she didn't have to go through this. But I guess if she has to I'll be there holding her hand all the way."

"Do you have any idea how much responsibility a baby is?" Josh asked. Heck Drake couldn't even keep responsibility over himself, let alone a baby.

"Yeah, I do. Josh I've been changing a lot lately. I don't know if you've noticed but I have a C-B average. And if you ask me that's pretty damn impressive." Drake said gloating just a little bit.

"Yeah it is Drake, but a baby is much more work than school. Hell you're raising a person. Their whole life depends on how well you raise them." Josh informed his brother. He didn't mean to sound so harsh.

"Josh I realise that and Claire realises that too. We both know what's in store and we're both willing to do it together. I don't know if you've understood it yet, but, I love her. I love her like I've never loved anything before."

Mrs. Parker stood outside the boys room. She'd heard everything they'd said. She knew Drake would tell her in due time. He always did. He wasn't one to hide his problems from her easily. She always seemed to know. It hurt her to hear that Claire had been raped, it hurt her to hear that she was going to be a mother at 17. She herself knew what it was like. She'd gotten pregnant with Drake at an early age. She was only 19. She had been one of Jared Parkers groupies. She hung out at every concert he ever threw. It was the 80's and who was she kidding, she wanted to be part of the scene. She was glad to have to hottest guy in school. In many respects she and Drake had a bit in common. It was time for an intervention. She knocked on the door. Drake and Josh looked over.

"Hey boys, I just have your laundry. Drake come with me, we're going on an adventure of sorts." She said as she placed Josh's clothes basket down on the floor and pulled a duffel full of Drakes things from behind her. "I've already packed your bags."

Drake looked at Josh who just shrugged. He grabbed his guitar and followed his mom into the car. She got in and started the ignition.

"Aren't you going to ask me what this is all about?" She asked her son.

"I figured you'd tell me soon enough. I don't know if I should push this one or not." He relpied. It was getting dark and he didn't know what the hell they were doing.

"We're going on a trip, up to Napa. Where I grew up. You're going to learn a couple of things, things you think you already know."

"Is this one of those bonding things?" Drake asked disgusted. If it was this was a cheap way of doing it.

"Not exactly. First off were going to tell each other everything. No secrets and we're not going to hold anything against each other until we've heard the full story. I'll go first. Your Father and I never really got married. We eloped and had a marriage at a sort of Bed and Breakfast Wedding Chapel. I regret never getting formally married but I don't regret doing what we did." His mother explaned. He knew they got married young, but he never knew the eloped. "It's your turn now."

Drake gulped he knew what he had to say. He'd known she'd overheard the conversation. He knew she just wanted to hear it from him. That was the funny thing about him and his mother, they never needed to tell the other their secrets, they both just knew.

"I know you already know, that's why you're doing this."

"I got a call from Claire's parents. They weren't happy. They think it's yours."

"I swear it isn't mine. You can do one of those paternaty tests." Drake explained. He didn't want it to come to a game of lets blame the other one.

"I heard you talking to Josh. Drake there are only a few things you will ever be serious about, this is one of them. I know that. So exactly what happened."

"Well...I guess it all started when she was 9. Her brother was like 15 or something and he and his friends were all like smoking pot and whatever. She comes in and the older guy who was like 16 decided to rape her. They always used condoms and stuff, and when she was older like 15 or 16 she went on the pill. She moved her and it all stopped. But I went to a party, yes I know it was bad, that was the night I was late. Well Trevor got drunk and I needed someone to help me and I saw her crying. I knew her from school and she took us to her house to stay. She was so nice and it made me realise what jerk my friends had been to her. Anyway, at that party Charlie's friends came back and raped her again and well, she got pregnant." Drake recounted.

"You went to a party."

"Hey I thought we weren't going to hold things against each other."

"Right, right. But still..." Audrey went on.

"I know, I swear, I only went there to play for them."

"I believe you. You're like your father that way. We met at a party you know. I was a rebellious teenager myself."

"Then you should see where I'm comming from." Drake chimmed.

"I do, I'm just your mother and I care about you." She replied.

The two sat in silence for the next hour or so. Drake watched as the signs passed by. He coulndn't help but close his eyes. The road was mesmorizing like that.

Claire walked into her front door and closed it softly behind her. Her parents were home for a week or so. It was probably the only time she'd have to tell them. Plus Charlie was home. She'd tell him first. After all it was his fault anyway.

She walked down the hallway towards his room. The door was open and the raido was on. Charlies friend Jeff was over. Claire knew that they were more than friends. She'd come home early during Christmas break only to hear and slightly see what she didn't want to. She knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Charlie asked, a slight tone of annoyance in his voice.

"Claire. I need to tell you something." she said softly.

"Fine come in." he grunted as she opened the door and walked in. She sat on the end of his bed.

"Hey Jeff." She stated. "Charlie, this is kind of uh, personal I don't know if Jeff should be here."

"Jeff go to the bathroom or something, I'll tell you when she's gone." Jeff got up and left. "What is it Claire. You hurt or something? By the way I'm sorry about what happened. I tried to stop them."

"Charlie you never tried to stop them. And this is what it's about."

"You're not, are you?" He asked a look of terror on his face.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. Charlie I blame you. And I'm going to tell mom and dad and you're going to have to back me up or else I'll tell them about you and Jeff." Claire stated getting defensive.

"Don't worry, I totally will. Claire, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry. I tried I honestly did. I never wanted them to do it. They just had a mind of their own." Charlie tried to appologize but his words met empty ears.

"You didn't have to be their friend Charlie. You could have stopped it all a long time ago." Claire whispered harsly as she got up and walked out of the room. She paused in the doorway. "5 minutes." She turned and walked out. She knew she had to confront her parents now, she had no other time.

She walked downstairs into their living room. White leather couches, a fireplace, big windows, grand piano, she was rich and she hated every aspect of it. What she would give to be normal. Her father was sitting in a recliner reading the newspaper. He still dressed like he did back in Mass. Work pants, tie, oxford, and his plaid socks. Her mother was reading one of those Nora Roberts books. Ones about wifes who are cheating on their husbands in some sort of twisted love affair. Claire walked in and sat down next to her mom.

"Claire, sweetie, it's so nice to see you." Her mom said kindly. If anyone were to understand it'd be her mother.

"Mom, Dad, I have something I need to tell you. But before I do promise you'll understand." Claire said softly. Her father put down the newspaper.

"Claire darling you can tell us anything. We'll understand." Her father said. Claire inhaled deeply. Here she was about to tell her parents that her life was about to change forever, that their lives were about to change forever.

"Well, this isn't exaclty easy to tell you but, I'm kind of pregnant. Before you say anything it was Charlies friends. They raped me." She exhausted. She knew her parents wouldn't believe her. She knew it was a long shot.

"Claire, are you lying to us about Charlies friends. Are you sure it wasn't that Drake Parker." Her mother said sternly.

"I'm sure, ask Charlie he saw it all. He watched as they raped me continuously for 8 years. Mom, Dad I wouldn't lie about something like that. Do one of those paternaty tests. You'll see that Drake didn't do it." Claire was crying now. She never ment for Drake to get in trouble.

"I'm calling his parents. They need to know about his." Her mother said to her father.

"I'll come with you Abbie." Her father said as he put down the paper. "Claire you're grounded and I don't want you seeing Drake anymore." Her father added as he walked upstairs.

Abigale and Daniel Johnson walked into their bedroom. Abbie sat down on the bed while her husband called the Parker-Nichols household.

"Hello?" a little girl on the other line answered.

"Hi, Is Audrey Parker there?" Dan asked.

"Hold on." the girl said and the sound of her footsteps could be heard. "Mommy the phone's for you."

"Hello?" Audrey said as she picked up the reciever.

"Hi, this is Daniel Johnson. Claires father. Theres something we need to talk about." He said as he paced around the bedroom. His wife sat there silent. It was apparent that she was shocked.

"And this something is?" Audrey asked. If it involved her son she needed to know.

"Well your son has gotten our daughter pregnant and we want you to pay for the aborton. Considering it was his hormones that drove it all." Dan said blantently.

"Excuse me? If she is pregnant and my son is the father I'm sure it's not just his fault. She must have had some say in it. And I don't think Drake would do something like that." Audrey defended her son.

"Boys are boys and their hormones are always raging. Who's to say he didn't take advantage of her."

"Drake may have been a womanizer but I'm pretty damn sure he wouldn't have sex with a girl against her own will. He wouldn't do that to Claire especially. He loves her. You should see the way he treats her." Audrey retorted. She didn't need anyone pointing the finger at her son.

"Well then we'll have to take this to court." Dan said as he hung up the phone.

"Dan baby what if Drake didn't do it. What if Claire was telling the truth about Charlies friends. We've never been here, we'd have never noticed it anyway." Abbie stated softly. Tears forming in her eyes. "Dan, we can't just make her have an abortion."

"Yes we can. I am not taking care of her child." He stormed out of the door and down the hall in the direction of Claire's room.

"Ass hole." Audrey swore as she threw the phone on the table. "WALTER!" she yelled.

"Yes?" He asked as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Upstairs we need to talk."

"Yes Ma'am."

The two walked upstairs into their bedroom.

"Claire's parents just called." Audrey stated. She was confused and angry. No one threatened her with a lawsuit.

"And..." Walter continued. He could tell his wife was angry.

'And Claire's pregnant and they swear that Drake is the father."

"Drake wouldn't do something like that would he?" Walter questioned. He didn't know Drake that well, but he was pretty sure that he wouldn't do something like that.

"No, he wouldn't. I don't think he did. I have an idea. I'm going to take him up north, up to where I grew up. I'll ask him. Walter you take care of Josh and Megan for a week. I'll be back soon." Audrey said as she haphazardly threw clothes into a duffle bag.

"Good idea." Walter added. "Audrey, just remember that I love you and don't confront Drake, don't blame him."

"I won't."

Claire was sitting on her bed crying when her father stormed into her room.

"Claire, get ready to go. You're getting an abortion tonight. I don't care what you have to say. There's no way in hell you're having this baby." Her father yelled as he threw some clothes into a bag. "We're going to Arizona to get this done. No if's and's or but's." He said as he threw the duffle at her. "And while we're there we're going to spend some quality time together."

"Daddy, I want to have this baby. You can't make me have an abortion." Claire cried harder.

"Yes I can. And you have no say in this. As long as you're a minor I make all your medical decisions." He said as he stomped out of the room.

"He can't just do that." Claire stated softly. "He won't. I'm leaving." She packed the duffle with all the baby thing's she had bought, all her money, and more clothes. She was going to the one place that she knew she'd be safe. Drakes. She snuck down the staircase and made it to the garage. She walked towards the back yard and ran for it. Drake's house was only a few blocks away she could make it there.

And there you have it my first post in about three months. Sorry to keep you all waiting but I've been so gosh darn busy. With drama, school, work and my AP Classes. Well I had a mini vaca this weekend and I don't have much homework...and I'm on a role so I plan on busting out at least two more chapters. This story is almost done I think...I have a few more plot twists up my sleeves and few more story ideas brewing so...this isn't the last you'll hear from me.