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Funkita - Well my friend, it takes a bit of a darker turn here but only briefly. I believe you'll enjoy this! It's one of my favorite chapters.

We're back!


"You mean she miscarried?" The gorgon questioned, now wondering what the teacher was talking about.

Mr. Where shook his head. "Well, she did that too. Let me go back. Way back. See, Scarlet and I are the same age, we were both freshmen while Barkley and your father, Sawyer, were sophomores. She came to Monster High just after the Howliday break. Barkley noticed her right away but Scarlet didn't see anyone aside from her own pain."

Was it obvious that he enjoyed story-telling? Perhaps he should tone it down a bit... but Barkley and Scarlet were his favorite couple after all. His favorite tale of the small light in the bewildered darkness.

"You're familiar with Barkley's legacy here. Such a kind, gentle, soul who found it in his heart to like everyone. But Scarlet... she was sad, angry and bitter with the world."

"Because of the car crash?" Deuce couldn't picture his mama wolf bitter, he was to used to her being loving and caring. Hell she gave the best snuggles when you weren't feeling well.

Elliot sighed. "So you're aware of that then? Such a tragic event, her brother was barely Clawd's age. Her parents were young, forbidden lovers themselves. She had living grandparents on both sides but neither would take her on because they didn't approve of their children's relationship, so that left her with no legal guardian and so she had to be sorted into an all-ghoul's foster home type of deal, if you will." He shifted in his seat, this was where the story took a dark turn. "We had every class together. The amount of students who attended Monster High were rather small at that time. I could tell that when she sat down in class, she was numb. Absolutely void of feeling anything. I didn't know if she," he stopped for a breather. "self-harmed or what, but I do know that between classes she cried her heart out. Before, during, in-between classes, after school... probably on the way home and I'd bet she cried herself to sleep most nights too."

"We kinda touched on the subject, didn't really go into too much detail. At the time Pops was telling Clawd and I about my dad, Sawyer." Deuce shifted in his seat, trying to get a better angle. He honestly couldn't imagine what it would have been like for her. At least when his mom didn't want him he had his aunts and the wolf family.

To have no one? The young gorgon shivered at the thought.

Elliot nodded, he was thankful that Barkley took the hardest bullet, having to re-hash all of those feelings just to tell Deuce rightfully about his father. Medusa pretty much erased Sawyer from their lives and Deuce's mind. "I'm sure that was very hard to hear." He was glad Barkley could bring him back for Deuce, after all Sawyer Gorgon was on the mantle in the Wolf's living room – rightfully so. "One day, I was walking down the hall, I can't remember why I wasn't in class..." he paused for a moment. "regardless, I see a ghoul come running out of the bathroom, screaming. Startled, I ran into the bathroom and I... I saw some blood under the far right stall. So I kicked it open."

Deuce noticed how stoic Mr. Where looked, as if he were in deep thought. Probably doing his best to remember it.

"Deuce, Scarlet cut from the crease of her elbow, straight down to her wrists... on both arms. Not hugely deep but... I think her plan was to bleed to death. Slow and painful." He shuddered. "I unwrapped some of my own bandages to apply pressure and wrap her wounds up. She was fading quickly but I told her that she was not dying today... I told Scarlet she was destined for great things... that dying on the floor of the bathroom in Monster High, wasn't it."

If Deuce had anything in his hands, he sure would have dropped it. Deuce glanced down at his own arms, he honestly thought about it but he could never bring himself to do it. Meanwhile his mama wolf was in so much pain that she almost took her own life, just to escape.

Elliot didn't realize he began to distract himself by doodling on a spare piece of paper, a dagger. "She hated me for saving her, Deuce. She absolutely loathed me. She couldn't understand why I would bother 'playing hero'. She was hospitalized for 2 weeks, I should hope you'd never be in the situation but when you're admitted for being deemed suicidal... they more or less take everything away from you that you could possibly use to harm yourself with. When she came back to school she wouldn't even look at me."

The gorgon peeked over to see how the doodle became more of a sketch as his teacher continued.

"It wasn't until I cornered her one day and she nearly clawed my invisible face off. I mean it, she cut through my bandages. She couldn't understand why I cared enough to put her through the torture that was life." He pondered out loud. "I said, 'Even if I'm the only one who gives a fuck about you, isn't that enough?' and she was stunned. She thought that for some sick reason, I only wanted to hurt her. I wanted her to see the worth and the potential she had. Oh we had it out that day," he lightly chuckled. "she told me the world didn't revolve around me and I told her that she needed to get over herself and open up to the opportunities around her... I was talking about the opportunity that was Barkley Wolf."

"You set them up didn't you?" The gorgon asked as he watched invisible draw, Mr. Where was truly talented.

Elliot brushed it off. "To say that I was the one to set them up is so... official sounding." His hand made quick work of the sketch, he was adding the detail of blood on the dagger, dripping from the tip. "I just gave her a push in the right direction and he may or may not have caught her in his arms." He shrugged his shoulders. "Deuce, I wasn't trying to be an asshole." He told the gorgon boy as-a-matter-of-factly. "Sometimes when you're so focused on your own pain, you become blinded and you need someone to kind of, wake you from it. Shake you out of it. I just wanted her to see that she had someone right in front of her that was willing to care for her if she'd only let him."

"Mr. Where, you're a true romantic. Aren't you?" The gorgon inquired.

Elliot heaved a sigh, finishing up the sketch. Adding minor details here and there. "It's a curse and a blessing. I can see it for others but I'm too messed up to see it for myself." He said out loud, registering at that moment it should've been in his head.

"Maybe you just need to meet the right person and a little push? You did that for Ma and Pops, they turned out pretty good." The gorgon pointed out. "So what if you're a little broken? Doesn't mean you're no good. We don't just pack you up and toss you away, if anything you come over to Pop's land of misfits and have a beer."

Elliot chuckled, "Oh Deuce... he does manage to find misfit friends, doesn't he? Myself, the human who wished he were a monster... Barkley knows good people. He's an excellent judge of character so if there's ever anyone Barkley Wolf truly doesn't like, be leery. Besides... I'm more of a bourbon on-the-rocks man, myself."

The theater was silent for a moment until the sound of a fog-horn blared repeatedly.

Mr. Where let out a shriek and grabbed the electronic device on his desk, tossing it quickly into the nearest drawer - as far away from him as possible. "I hate that blasted thing!"

It took Deuce a moment to realize that Mr. Where was talking about his cellular phone.

"I can change the ringer for you." Deuce offered a little stunned at the teacher's reaction to an alarm.

Mr. Where did his best to recollect his composure. "If you change the ringer, how will I recognize it to avoid it?" Everyone had a cell phone to be contacted... not Mr. Where apparently.

"You can set them to what you would prefer. Maybe a special tone for Pops?" The gorgon stated, shocked that in this day and age Mr. Where didn't know this.

Elliot rolled his eyes, he had absolutely no patience for electronics. "I don't even want this... this contraption! Good thing I didn't buy it anyway."

Before Deuce could ask who did, the auditorium doors opened.

"Are we having a bloody party in here gentlemen?" Hackington questioned, he was hoping to ask Where some advice on a rather... personal issue.

"Yup, we ordered the DJ. He should be here in about 10 minutes." The gorgon teased.

Hack grinned. "We're about to have a grand old time in 'ere then."

Mr. Where tucked the sketch under his folder of essays he should've been marking. He found it hard to concentrate with other things running through his mind. Such as his current part-time lover and where they were headed exactly. He heaved an irritated sigh.

"I can come back if you're in the middle of brooding, or a monologue or soliloquy whatever you're doing right now?" Hack offered.

Elliot rolled his eyes, Hack was a typical, rugged-type of man. "I have classes for the rest of the afternoon."

Sadly, the warning bell rang which meant that all of them had to prepare for classes. Mr. Where, Mr. Hackington and Deuce. Oh the joys.

(¯`·._(¯`·._(¯`·._( MONSTER HIGH )_.·´¯)_.·´¯)_.·´¯)

Deuce grabbed his re-organized binder, that Jackson was nice enough to help him sort through. He assisted him, giving the gorgon any help he could to pass his courses this semester. The dual-natured teen was positive that Deuce could pass every course he had if only he'd apply himself to his studies.

With the last few minutes lingering about, he decided he'd meet Clawd in time for the end of his Clawclulus class and they'd walk together to their next ones. Perhaps they'd share another kiss? The gorgon knew he'd need some kind of stimulation to keep him awake he was headed to Dead Languages after all... Clawd had Monster Psychology – the classrooms were right down the hall from one another.

"Hey Clawd-" Romulus, one of many other werewolves on campus, turned the corner and walked right into Deuce Gorgon. "what the fuck?" He leaned in close and the shorter froze. He was only familiar with his werewolf... Clawd marked the hell out of him during their pleasurable adventure in his car... he could hardly imagine how any other werewolf might tear him apart out of anger. "he left his scent all over... you?"

"You got a problem with that?" Clawd asked, appearing from around the corner almost instantly. He had his jaw clenched.

Romulus sneered at the shorter werewolf. "I do actually... y'know I'm cool with you being gay and all, but why the fuck can't you stick to your own kind? The gorgon, Clawd... really?"

Clawd let out a dangerously low growl, it wasn't one that the gorgon male was familiar with at all. Uh-oh. "I don't see how it's any of your business to begin with. How about you back the fuck off and mind your own?"

Deuce's eyes widened, he thought these guys were friends? Apparently not!

"How about you come to your senses and stop this bullshit phase. Not man-enough to have your own set of pups? Probably a good thing, they'd only have shit genes like your whole damn family." He laughed as if he knew what he was talking about. "You've always been a disgrace to wolves – the whole lot of you, especially your mother and don't get me started on Clawdeen-"

Clawd stepped closer to Romulus, who instinctively backed up however upon straightening out, he stood slightly taller than Clawd himself. "You're just mad because Clawdeen refuses to suck your dick. She's who you really want, isn't she?"

Romulus growled now, which meant Clawd was absolutely right. "There's another walking disgrace, I thought I saw her hanging out with that fuckin' vampire! Arrgh!" He swung at Clawd and connected - but it was a weaker hit - as if the older's words wanted to fight but he physically didn't.

Clawd could take the abusive words on himself... but the moment Romulus started talking his family and Clawdeen down too – he swung his fist upward and punched the taller straight in the mouth. He then grabbed him by his jacket and slammed him up against the lockers as he continued to punch him.

Within moments Mr. Where and Mr. Hackington flew down the hallway. The Mad Science teacher held down the bigger werewolf – or tried to – with the full moon happening tonight, their strength (and testostorone) were enhanced.

Elliot Where tried to calm the wolf he was familiar with. "Clawd please, listen to me-" He was nearly spun right around by the very werewolf he was trying to calm down. His eyes widened as Clawd grabbed Romulus and held him against the lockers once again, his hand and claws attached to the other's throat.

"Don't you EVER talk me, my family or my sister down again. The next time you do? You'll be talkin' shit from intensive care, do you fuckin' hear me?"

Hackington separated the growling wolves – he was the best suited, seeing as Where nearly collided with Deuce moments ago - Romulus was now nursing a bleeding mouth and nose. "Stop it, the both of ya!" He ordered, Clawd's ears flattened but Romulus tried to charge at him when Hack turned his back. "You better get your shit straight, Romulus." He warned the other werewolf upon turning around.

There was blood trickling down from Clawd's nose where Romulus landed a single hit, but it was safe to say that despite Romulus starting the altercation – Clawd Wolf finished it.

Deuce reached out for Clawd's arm with a shaky hand, he wasn't used to seeing this side of the wolf and was slightly scared his touch might trigger him once more. His eyes shifted over to the dramatic arts teacher, kind of wanting to know if he should comfort the angry werewolf. It was like Mr. Where knew what the gorgon was asking and just nodded his head.

"Clawd?" The gorgon said, pulling the other to him. "I'm fine. Everyone's good. Everyone is safe." Deuce try to comfort the other, running his hand up and down his arm.

Clawd then backed up against the lockers himself, his breathing began to quicken. What had he done? His eyes scanned Romulus, who had a beaten up, bloodied nose and mouth. His fist hurt, wow did it hurt. It took him a few moments to clue in to the fact that he was the one who hit him.

"Clawd? Clawd," Mr. Where intervened. He could see Clawd beginning to panic. "no, no - stay with me, don't let your mind go there."

Deuce moved in front of Clawd, taking his hand to try and wipe away some of the blood from Clawd's nose. "Clawd. Look at me." The gorgon said taking Clawd's head into his hands. The smaller male placed small kisses upon the wolf's face. "You did nothing wrong Clawd, no one's angry at you. You were just protecting your own." Deuce whispered into Clawd's ear, he really hoped he could bring the wolf out of where ever his mind had taken him.

Even though his gorgon was talking to him, Clawd didn't register what he said. He was thankful for the kisses though. 'Fuck, what have I done? I haven't been in shit with H-H in all my years of high school. Why didn't I just ignore him? He always talks shit, why did I have to react today? At school? In front of Deuce? Oh Deuce! What if he's scared of me?' Clawd swallowed hard and tried to back up again but forgot the lockers were behind him still. "I think I might hurl." He told the Dramatic arts teacher.

Mr. Where frowned, "No, you're worked up, just relax - try to breathe through it, Clawd." He warned the panicking werewolf. "You'll be alright." He gave Clawd's shoulder a pat. "Oh my, you're extremely tense. Deuce, my boy, can you massage this shoulder, if not both?"

Deuce slightly glared at Where's hand. If it were anyone else he would have snapped at them for touching his wolf and telling him how to look after him. The gorgon knew the invisible man was there trying to help them, plus he was family.

The gorgon brought his hands to the wolf's shoulder, man he could feel the tension in them. He applied pressure to the muscle, the gorgon wished he knew if this was helping Clawd. Although he wasn't yelping in pain, so it had to be doing something.

"Clawd, you need to relax babe. If you don't, you'll work yourself into a panic attack." Deuce spoke from experience. The smaller male happened to notice Clawd's knuckles. They were all scraped up. The gorgon figured it was from punching Romulus straight in the mouth. The asshat's teeth must have made contact with Clawd's fist. Deuce secretly hoped his wolf knocked a few teeth out of that cocky mouth.

Clawd melted into Deuce's touch, almost enough so that he would've hit the floor if the gorgon didn't have hold of him. He rested his forehead against Deuce's and nuzzled him slightly.

"You hit me and can't even handle that like a real man, pathetic-" Romulus spat his mixture of saliva and blood in Clawd's direction.

Hack smacked the taller wolf, leading him away from Clawd, "You're just on a roll. Did you wanna be popped in the chops again?" Hackington shook his head. What was with this guy? "That's quite enough outta your mouth today, innit?"

Clawd growled softly but felt way too worn out to continue any further. He tried not to press all of his weight against the smaller but he was feeling real light-headed.

The gorgon continued to rub the wolf's shoulders, he could feel the tension wasn't as strong like when he first started. Deuce placed a small kiss upon Clawd's forehead, he just wished his wolf would relax. Even for moment. "It's alright, babe." That was all he could continue saying to the other, hoping his furball wouldn't continue beating himself up.

Cleo de Nile rounded the corner and froze in place. Deuce was brushing the bangs from Clawd's face and he kissed the other's cheek?

"I love you, Deuce." Clawd told him, nuzzling him again.

She couldn't believe it when the gorgon reciprocated Clawd's apparent love in return. She hid around the corner with her racing thoughts. It wasn't Clawdeen with Deuce this entire time... it was her ex, Clawd Wolf?! Oh she hadn't expected Deuce to play her that dirtily.

The Egyptian princess had no idea what she'd do but she'd do something - that was for sure. Deuce Gorgon wouldn't get the chance to embarrass her like this again!