Wow! I am quite embarrassed at the hideously heinous lack of updates on this story! My deep apologies! I did try to add to it a few times, but nothing really flowed right. Anyway, here it is – the final installment. I hope that you guys all like it! And Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all of you who left lovely reviews! I really appreciate it!

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"John?"

"Hey."

Claire squinted her eyes in the darkness looking for the owner of the voice. A sliver of moonlight trickled in through the partially opened blinds, illuminating him. He was standing at the window that was ajar, a cigarette poised at his parted lips. The smoke filtered away into the night air.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head carelessly. "Nah, too much on my mind."

"Me, too."

He sucked in the last drag before discarding the rest of the Marlboro out the window. He exhaled a white cloud before seating himself down on the foot of the bed. John looked at Claire steadily, as if he were trying to read something in her face.

"What?"

"What now?"

She paused a moment, even though she knew perfectly well what he was asking. "About us?"

"No, I was talking about Sonny and Cher," he snapped sarcastically.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she replied meekly.

He furrowed his brows at her. "Do you even want to be with me anymore?"

"I don't want to be without you."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"An honest one."

"It's not that hard, Claire. You either want me or not."

She scoffed. "Well, I don't see you making any grand declarations! I mean, did you even miss me while I was away?"

"Oh yeah – it's hard not to miss your fucking nagging all of the time."

"Oh, that's right, John – that is all that I do, isn't it? Just nag you constantly. That's all I do. I don't care about you, really; you think I'm just with you so that I can be sure to hound you?"

"Well, if the shoe fits, princess..."

Deafening silence filled the room as she clutched the blanket closer to her chest. "Why do we always revert back to this?"

He turned his head to the left, avoiding her gaze. "Cuz that's what we're best at."

"Driving each other crazy?"

He brought his eyes back to her. "Yeah."

"So, what happens now?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

John stood and stepped back over to the lonely window. He stared out glassily. "I should probably leave."

She wanted to tell him, no, don't leave. She wanted to say that she loved him and she wanted him to stay with her, always. She wanted to say a great many things. Instead she merely said, "Fine."

He remained standing with his back to her, not saying a word. The chill night air was wafting into the room and it elicited goosebumps on his bare shoulders. He stayed frozen to the spot another few moments before taking a few steps over and switching on the light. Claire fluttered her eyelids against the sudden onslaught of brightness before she adjusted to it. She watched John as he pulled a white T-shirt over his head and zipped up his slacks.

"You're not going now, are you? It's the middle of the night."

John raised his shoulders briefly. "Best time of day." He sat back down to lace up his boots.

"Are you going to Andy's?"

"Don't know."

"Well, where else would you go?"

John glared at her. "What's it to you?"

"I care about you, John."

He snorted. "Yeah, you really show it."

"I didn't ask you to go! You're the one who just said that you should leave!"

"You didn't seem too opposed to the idea, Cherry."

Claire threw her hands up in frustration. "What do you want me to do? Cry and beg for you to stay?"

He ignored her as he finished tying the last knot in his laces. He walked over to the dresser and stuffed the remaining cigarettes laying there and his match book in his pocket.

"So, this is it?" she spat angrily.

"Oh, what's the matter, queenie – did you want a kiss goodbye?" he mocked.

"I just got back and you yell at me as soon as you walk in; then you sleep with me, and now you're just gonna leave me?" she asked shrilly.

He gave her a hard look and was about to say something when his eyes caught something on her shoulder that made him stop. He took the two steps between them, closing the space so that he was standing directly in front of her.

"When did you get that?" His eyes were glued to the front of her shoulder blade, scrutinizing it closely.

"In Paris – about a week ago. It's a cherry –"

"I can see what the fuck it is – why did you get it tattooed on you?"

She swallowed nervously, the nearness of him making her pulse quicken. "Why do you think?"

His gaze lifted to hers before it settled back down on the red and black ink. "I don't get you."

She laughed a little hollowly. "Oh, I don't think that I'm the confusing one in this relationship."

He looked back at her, his eyes softer. "I thought that you hated tattoos."

"I like this one."

"But why..."

"Come on, John. You know exactly why. Good or bad, I've always been crazy for you. And as far as the tattoo goes, my crazy roommate was getting one and she really wanted me to go with her. So, I did, and I got bored while she was getting hers done so I started flipping through their ink art book. I saw this – one single beautiful little cherry on the page and I just knew – I knew that I should get it. I thought that you might like it..." she finished with a little twinge of embarrassment.

"You did that for me?"

She nodded, offering him a tentative smile.

"It looks sexy on you..." He liked the idea that she now had a permanent reminder of him etched into her skin. Somehow, it made him feel powerful. He bent his head down and placed a light kiss over the cherry, reveling in the little shudder that he felt her succumb to. He pulled away again, straightening up. He was about to step away when her hand reached out, grabbing his forearm.

"Don't go –" she whispered so small.

He sighed and stopped moving, but he just stared at his shoes instead of answering her.

She got out of bed and wrapped herself around him, pressing her chest into his back and wrapping her arms around the front of his waist. The blanket that had been covering her fell unceremoniously to the ground, but she didn't care. All she knew was that she didn't want him to leave.

A breeze floated in and brushed past her exposed skin but she didn't loosen her grip on him. She was afraid if she let her hold on him up even a little he would disappear. She rested her cheek against his back and just waited for him to say something.

"Claire – we keep going through this."

"I know."

"I don't know if it's ever going to change."

"I know."

"We might never stop fighting."

"I know."
"I'll probably always be an asshole." He threw that in, wanting to see if she changed her answer.

"I know."

A smile forced it's way over him, against his protests. "You'll probably always be a spoiled bitchy brat."

"I know."

"I, John Bender, am a sex god."

"I know." She was now trying her hardest not to laugh and to keep an even tone.

"You're lucky to share a bed with John Bender, the sex god."

"I know."

"From now on, you're going to be John Bender's sex slave; and when he wants you to suck–"

"JOHN!" She squeaked in a scandalized tone, slapping him on the back hard.

He turned around in her arms, snickering uncontrollably. "Hey, ya can't blame a guy for trying."

"You're a pig!"

"Oink, oink." He laughed, before suddenly growing serious. "I love you, Cherry."

"I love you, too, John."

"I think we should –" His sentence was interrupted by the phone ringing. "Who the fuck would call this late?" He released her reluctantly and picked up the phone from the bedside table. After speaking into the receiver briefly, he extended his hand that was holding the phone out to her. She was about to take it when he snatched it away again quickly bring it back up to his ear. Claire looked at him annoyed, wondering who was on the line.

"Oh, and Mrs. Standish – for future reference," Claire's eyes widened as she motioned for him to hand her the phone. His face was suddenly alight with that mischievous grin and she knew no good would come from it. "You said that you were knocking on the door earlier tonight and no one answered?" He paused for her response. "Yeah, usually when that happens it means your daughter and I are getting down and dirty and having sexual relations..."

"JOHN! GIVE ME THE PHONE NOW!" Claire screeched, fruitlessly reaching for the phone.

"Yeah, and when we are fornicating it's really not polite to interrupt us, you know? I'm sure that you and Mr. Standish have relations, and you don't like it when people bug you, do you? See, what I'm trying to say is –"

Claire ripped the phone out of his hand furiously. "Mom? Hello! Hello? Hello?" She shot him a death glare. "Yes, mom. I know mom. He was just kidding." Claire ignored his rich guffaws while she spoke into the phone, pausing inbetween to listen to what her mother was apparently saying to her. "I know, mom, it wasn't funny." She stared pointedly at him while she continued to listen. "No, mom, he was just being his stupid self. No, I'm not pregnant. Yes, I know all of that. Yes, mother. No, mother. Ok, mother. Goodnight, mother." She slammed the phone down on the cradle before turning murderous eyes on him.

"Claire, princess. It was just a joke..." John had very rarely seen her look so angry, he had certainly never seen her look so feral. He backed up a pace.

"That was so not funny!"

"Ok, I admit, maybe I shouldn't have done that – but, come on. I couldn't resist."

She glared at him stonily, her eyes no bigger than slits. "That was so shitty."

"It's not my fault if the old bag can't take a joke."

"Oh! That's my mom you're talking about!"

"Yeah, exactly. She..." He wisely clamped his mouth shut when he noticed her stance grow even more fiery. He stood in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close. "Look, I'm sorry." He wasn't used to saying that almighty 'S' word, but he really didn't feel like getting into another ridiculous argument. Besides she was standing there, in all her naked glory and all he wanted to do was hold her again. She seemed to only just notice her lack of clothing as a blush crept across her cheeks.

"Thank you for saying sorry. I know you don't care what my family thinks, but I do." Her tone was sulky as she jutted out her lower lip in a perfected pout.

He was about to crack another joke but was halted by her vulnerable look. Instead, he opted to simply nod his head. He kissed the top of her hair before pulling away slightly so that he could meet her gaze.

"You know that we're always gonna fight like crazy."

"It wouldn't be us if we didn't," she replied wryly.

"You're a pain in the ass, but I need you, Cherry."

"You're one giant walking headache, but I need you, too." She flashed her brilliant smile up at him.

"Hmm, good. Now that we've got all of that settled, there seems to be a little problem here." He smirked down at her cockily.

"Do I even want to ask?"

He stepped back and looked her up and down appraisingly. His head tilted as he let out a wolfish whistle and he grinned broadly. "Well, you look nice with nothing on but it seems I'm overdressed, Princess..."

Claire flushed but a sudden wave of boldness washed over her at his appreciative gaze. "Well, I can help with that, Criminal..."

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Alright, what did you guys think? I really hope that you liked it! It is FINALLY finished! Please review if you have a moment: )