Stand in the Rain

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

A/N2: Itallics mean flashbacks. His mom's name is Susan and His stepdad's name is Richard Abram. Fitz's biological father will be talked about later in the story(specifically, when I reveal what happened to him.)

Chapter One: Behind Those Eyes

Swallowing hard and trying to put on a brave face for him, Clare asked, "Fitz...what happened to you?" She looked him over, noticing more bruises, trailing up and down his torso. She didn't say anything, knowing that she couldn't just push him into telling her, no matter how curious she sat there for a few minutes, not saying a word. She sighed and was about to ask him if he wanted anything to drink or eat when he finally replied to her question.

"I just got out of juvie today." He started. "My mom brought me home, but she had to go to work right after lunch. As soon as the door shut behind her, my stepfather, Richard started screaming at me about what an embarrassement I was and how all the guys at the bar, knew about his, "bastard of a stepson" being in juvie. I guess I got a little bit too sarcastic, because he ended up hitting me in the face, which is how I got this underneath of my eye." He laughed harshly, shaking his head and becoming silent, once more.

Clare's mouth fell open at his words and she just continued to stare at him. "Does...does your mom know that he does this, to you?" She asked of him.

Fitz snorted bitterly and shook his head from side to side, blue eyes hardening as he gritted his teeth. "Of course not. He acts absolutely perfect around her. She doesn't suspect a thing."

She didn't really know what to say to that. It wasn't something she'd dealt with before, or ever really thought about, either. It didn't ever happen to her. Her parents always showed her love and caring. They'd never laid a threating hand on her or Darcy. "How come you've never tried to tell her?" She questioned curiously, needing to know.

He shook his head and just stared at her increducously. "Do you even think that she'd actually believe me? Think about it, who would you believe, the man who's taken care of you for years and treats you like a queen or your criminal, troublemaking son?" He stood up and walked torwards the door to the bathroom. "I've already told you way more than you ever needed to know." With that, he gathered the clothes Clare had given him, walked out of the room and torwards the guest room that Clare had showed him earlier.

Sighing, Clare leaned her head against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut as she ran her hand through his curls. She wanted to help Fitz, desperately but she didn't even know where to begin.

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Fitz groaned as he laid back on the soft comforter, wincing at the pressure it put on his bruises. It was nice of Clare to let him stay here. Most people would've turned him away. Hell, if situations had been reversed he probably would've turned her away. It showed what kind of person Clare was that she was willing to be so kind to him, after everything that he did to her boyfriend and scaring her during Vegas Night. Shutting his eyes, he covered his face with his large hands, remembering what had occured just mere hours ago. He hadn't even waited for his mom to come back. He knew that she was probably worried about him, or was thinking that he was going to go and get himself in trouble, again.

Suddenly, he heard a knock on his door and then Clare came in, dressed in a light spaghetti strap top and a pair of pink and dark pink, striped pajamas pants. She smiled at him softly and then asked in a quiet voice, "Do you want to come downstairs and watch a movie with me? It's still kind of early."

He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head at her, taking her in, carefully.

She shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot under his gaze and bit her lip, averting her blue eyes shyly to the floor. "You don't have to, if you don't want to. I just thought that I would ask, but-"

"What movie would we be watchin'?" He interrupted, locking eyes with her.

Clare smiled brilliantly at him. "Twilight. It's one of my favorite movies."

He snorted and rolled her eyes at her. "There is no way in hell that I'm watching some movie about a sparkly vampire."

She glared at him, playfully, momentarily forgetting why he was here, in the first place. "What's with all you guys making fun of my taste in movies? Eli does the same thing."

"One thing Goth Boy's right about." Fitz said under his breath, smirking at the annoyed look on Clare's face.

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They'd ended up watching The Breakfast Club. Another one of Clare's favorite movies and one that Fitz had never seen before. It had been a good movie, and he'd enjoyed sitting there in Clare Edwards' living room, just relaxing, but now that the movie was over and he was climbing into bed after bidding Clare goodnight, the memories of what his stepfather had done to him came back to haunt him, once more. If you'd asked him four years ago, he'd have never thought that this would be his future.

Flashback. Four years Earlier:

Thirteen year old, Mark Fitzgerald smiled as he threw the basketball up in the air and caught it in his hands. He'd made the basketball team, and he couldn't be happier. He'd worked so hard to get on the team that it was hard to believe that his dream was finally coming true. He couldn't wait to tell his mom the good news. He pushed the door open to his small house excitedly and bounded into the room. "Mom! Mom! Where are you at? I've got good news!" He heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Furrowing his brow, he sat the basketball down in the floor and walked torwards the room, stepping inside.

His mother was sitting at their square dinner table with a slightly older man across from her.

"Mom?" He inquired in confusion.

Susan Fitzgerald lifted her head to look at him, smiling. "Oh, good baby, you're home. This is Richard. Richard Abram."

Mark smiled politely at him, before turning back to his mom. "Mom, I made the basketball team. Me and Devon both did. Devon Smart had been his best friend since they were five years old and they did pratically everything together. Even apparently, play together on the same basketball team.

Susan beamed at him and jumped out of her seat to embrace him tightly. She placed a kiss to the side of his forehead, smearing reddish-pink lipstick there. "I'm so proud of you, Mark! I'll have to take you out for a celebratory dinner!"

Richard smiled at them both. "I've got a better idea, how about I take you both out for some pizza and then some ice cream?"

As Mark nodded enthusiastically in agreement, he had no idea how monsterous Richard's real personality, was.

Next Chapter: Keeping secrets, more bonding, flashbacks, and secrets revealed.