Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue me for it.
Thanks to everyone that reviewed, so here is chapter 2 for your reading pleasure. The next chapter after this may take a few days, it's not really written yet...
Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think.

CHAPTER 2 - Comfort and warmth.

"Cherry?"

Claire, startled looks up sharply and sees none other than John Bender standing before her. 'What is he doing here? Oh no, I bet he's going to rag on me…'
John stares at Claire for a few moments, taking in her tearstained cheeks and red rimmed eyes. He steps forward and lowers himself to her height, "What's wrong Cherry?"
Claire looks down, but Bender maintains eye contact and she sniffs.
"Nothing…everything? It doesn't matter John." She shakes her head wistfully and wipes her eyes with the sleeve of the wet hoodie.
"Come on Claire, you're crying, tell me what's wrong. Trust me", pleads John.
She looks up, into his eyes. They show caring and understanding, acceptance. With a sob she pushes herself forward and wraps her arms around John, seeking comfort from him. The kind of comfort that can only be provided through touch.
John slowly brings his arms up around her, the shock of her actions wearing off.
"Sshhh, it's okay, you're going to be okay." He whispers nonsensical words in her ear and they seem to soothe her troubled mind. She sobs, her whole body shaking with the outpour of suppressed emotions.

John, still holding her, feels her cries dying down and realises how wet she is. Worried for her, he speaks out.
"Claire, maybe we should go somewhere warmer before you and I get sick…any ideas? I mean, my house isn't the ideal at the moment…"
"Anywhere you are, I don't care where", is the muffled reply.
John tightens his hold on her and slowly brings them both to a standing position. Claire still has her face buried in his coat and her grip on him is as tight as ever.
"Why don't we go back to your house?" He suggests, Claire's head turning to him quickly, showing her reluctance. "I can't think of anywhere else to go, not right now…" She still is not pleased with his suggestion but nods anyway replying in kind with "as long as you don't leave me there."
John thinks to himself, 'I wonder what happened with her parents…' before answering. "I'll stay if you want me to."
She nods almost imperceptibly and loosens her hold on him, moving to his side. They walk out of the park, John with his arm over Claire's shoulders, her arm around his waist.

John leads; he knows where her house is and knows it won't be long 'til they get there. He worries about what he parents will think of Claire bringing him into the house. But he really needn't bother worrying.
When they arrive outside her house Claire leads him up to the front door and pushes it open, inviting him inside. He hesitates for a moment, but looking at Claire is reminded of his reasons for being there. John looks around while Claire closes the door. He notices the smashed picture lying at the end of the hall and the dent in the wall not far from it. 'Obviously there's been a fight or something' he observes.
Claire moves in front of him, grabbing his hand and guiding him upstairs. She opens the door to her room and he follows her in cautiously. 'So this is her room, huh. Different then I thought it would be.' There are few pictures of her friends and instead there are quotes all over the walls.

She waits for his judgement on her room, her home. But it does not come. John looks back at her and steps forward, reaching out to touch her cheek. She closes her eyes at the touch and steps into his embrace. His mere presence is comforting but he pulls away all too soon for her liking.
"You're going to get sick in those clothes, go get changed into something dry." She smiles slightly, who knew John Bender could be such a worrier?
"What about you? You're wet too", she retorts.
John looks down at himself as though only noticing it for the first time.
"Uhmm…well it's only really my coat, and my uh jeans…" He doesn't really know what to say.
She reaches forward and begins unbuttoning his coat. "Take it off then, I'll put it on the heater to dry off." He shrugs off his coat and she takes it from him.
"Wait here a minute, I'll be right back." She goes from the room, grabbing some dry clothes from her chair on the way out.
John removes his shoes, walks over to her bed and sits on it, bouncing slightly.

Claire returns a few minutes later in clean clothes, carrying a fluffy towel and some boys' clothes in her hands. She offers John the clothes, "you can put these on if you want, there my brother's, from before he left. They should fit."
John smiles up at her and accepts the clothes and the towel from her. The atmosphere becomes quite awkward and Claire realises this. "I'll just…wait outside."
He smirks at her shyness and once she has left the room he slips his shirt off and changes into the dry clothes. 'Not a bad fit', he thinks looking down at the white t-shirt and blue sweatpants. He dries off his hair with the towel and calls Claire in. She slowly opens the door and pads in picking up his wet clothes and placing them across her heater.
"They might take a while to dry, they're soaking." She says in a small voice.
He holds his hand out to her and she accepts it, placing her smaller one into his, allowing him to pull her down by his side on the bed.
"You feeling better Claire?", he asks gently.
She nods, resting her head on his shoulder. "I feel safe."
John places a sweet kiss on her forehead, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.
"You're still cold…" he observes.

Claire lifts her head from his warm shoulder and leads him to a standing position. She pulls back the covers on the bed and asks, "lay with me?"
He seems surprised at her actions and answers her question with another question, "are you sure?"
She nods, rambling, "just hold me. It'll be warmer and you can't go 'til your clothes are dry and—"
He interrupts her, smiling softly, "it's okay Cherry, I just wanted to make sure."
"Oh", she answers. Claire climbs into the bed, scooting over to the far side of the double-bed waiting for John to get in. He slides himself into the bed, pulling the covers up around them, before taking her in his arms.
He voices his uncertainty at being in bed with Claire. "I…what if your parents catch us?"
She doesn't answer and a moment later he feels her shoulders shaking against him. Her small voice travels to his ears, "they don't care."
"But I do Claire, I care about you now." He feels her nod against his chest and he holds her more tightly, pressing small kisses to her shoulder. Some time later her breathing evens out and John looks down to see falling asleep. He watches her for a while before drifting off himself.

Well, there you go. I thought it was important to show the caring side of Bender, I'll throw in some angst in the next few chapters and see how they deal.
---Musicalwonder.