Stand in the Rain

A/N: So there is like, nothing on television today. I guess because of Thanksgiving. The only thing that seems to be on is shows about women who kill. It's making me go WTF. Why they'd show that on Thanksgiving, I don't know. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Also gotta say, I'm really glad that people are writing fics on what they think happens in the promo with Flare. Not just because I love Flare(I love EClare, too.), but also because the more people who write fics about Fitz/Flare and why they think Fitz is the way that he is, the more I hope that people who hate him, will begin to realise that he isn't a complete monster and that he must have a reason for being a bully, just like Eli had his reason for not letting Fitz push him around.

A/N2: Thanks again for the reviews!

Chapter Three: Secrets Will Come Out

Fitz smirked softly when he heard Eli answer the phone and he couldn't quite stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. Of course, Emo Boy would be the one to answer the phone. It was just his luck. Usually, he wouldn't let the chance escape him to piss the other boy off or to kick his ass but at the moment, he was reluctant to do so. With not having any real place to stay besides here, if he pissed off Eli and started a fight with him again, Clare would probably kick him out and he couldn't have that. Not when he didn't even know where he was going to stay once Clare's parents came back.

Eli furrowed his brow in confusion when he heard the deep chuckle. It sounded familiar. Way too familiar. But it couldn't possibly be who he was thinking, right? Fitz was in juvie. Atleast he had been, last he heard. And why would he be at Clare's house anyways? It didn't make the least bit of sense. But then again, Clare had cancelled their date the night before, via 'd said that she was beyond exhausted and that she was hoping that they could reschedule. Had Fitz forced her to cancel their date the night before? He wouldn't exactly put it past him. Not after Vegas Night. Just then, he heard footsteps behind him and he turned his head.

Clare was standing in the middle of the room,eyes wide and nervous. "Eli." She said his name with dread, swallowing hard as he looked at her. His green eyes stared into her blue one's questioningly. "Eli, what are you doing with my phone?" She hurried forward and tried to grab her cellphone out of his hand.

He held it out of her reach, moving away from her. "Who is this?" He asked in a demanding tone, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Clare.

On the other end of the line, Fitz rolled his eyes. "Who do you think it is, Emo Boy?" He commented sarcastically, before he could stop himself.

"Fitz?" Eli said in disbelief, sounding absolutely outraged. "What the hell are you doing at my girlfriend's house? I swear to God if you touched her I'll..."

The conversation was cut off as Clare grabbed the phone from his hand and pressed end. She threw it on the couch, beside her purse and chewed on her lip as Eli turned fully around to lock eyes on her. "What the fuck is Mark Fitzgerald doing at your house, Clare?" He asked, looking at her angrily. His hand swiped through his thick black hair roughly as his mouth set in a thin line.

She jumped at the harshness that filled her voice and shakily replied. "H-He rang the doorbell last night when we were having that big storm. He was really hurt and I couldn't just leave him there in the cold. He had no place to go."

"Well why the hell not?" Eli yelled, raising his voice. "Why couldn't you just leave him there? He deserves it!"

Clare wrinkled her nose and stared at him, eyes filled with disgust. "So he deserves to be treated like garbage just because you don't like him?" She asked increducously.

"The guy's a menace Clare! He's a loser. How could you fall for his crap." He shook his head and laughed bitterly. "Maybe you're not a smart as thought you were."

She glared at him and brushed past him angrily. She grabbed her phone and her purse before whipping around to face him once more. "Screw you, Eli." She growled in a low, dangerous tone before she hurried out the door, slamming it behind her. She swiped at the tears that began to spill down her cheeks as she gripped the handlebars of her bike roughly before climbing on a speeding away. Why did Eli have to be so difficult? She loved the guy, but this was something that she just didn't get about him. Why couldn't he realise that Fitz had his reasons for being a bully? Why couldn't he let his hatred go?

0000

Fitz was sitting on the couch in the living room after the call had ended. He was glaring at the television, obviously in a bad mood. He had no idea why Clare cared about Emo Boy so much. The little freak wasn't good enough for her, not that he cared one way or the other. It wasn't as if it should matter to him who Clare would date. It wasn't as if they were friends. Sure, she may be letting him stay in her house, but that was because she was St. Clare and didn't have a mean bone in her body. She was pratically perfect. He scoffed at the thought and crossed his arms over his chest. God wasn't he pathetic. He never thought such mushy crap about a girl before. What made Clare so damn different?

Just then, the door opened and then slammed shut, breaking him from his thoughts. He turned his head to look torwards the sound only to see Clare stalking up the stairs, fists clenched and eyes red and swollen. He didn't say anything, though he couldn't help but feel a little angry that Eli, he assumed had made Clare upset.

00000

Clare slammed the door shut to her room and threw herself onto her bed. She buried her head in her pillow and shrieked into it in frustration. Eli had pissed her off royally. She punched the pillow in anger and then threw it at the wall. She turned onto her side to glare angrily at the picture of she, Eli, and Adam that sat on her nightstand. Reaching out a hand, Clare turned it so that it was face down on the wood. She didn't want to think about Eli right now. It upset her way too much and she didn't care to be reminded of what happened. Sighing, she swiped at her eyes and climbed out of bed, walking back downstairs. Maybe some tv would cheer her up.

She stepped into the living room where Fitz still sat. The only difference was he now had a large plastic bowl of popcorn sitting on his lap. Without thinking, she flopped down beside him and dug her hand into the bowl. She shovelled the popcorn into the mouth in annoyance, glaring angrily at the tv. She could feel his eyes on her, watching in amusement.

"So how did Eli take the news?" Fitz asked over the sound of the tv.

Clare turned to give him a look. "How do you think he took it? I mean, the guy who made him think that he was going to stab him, is staying in my house!" She snarled.

He narrowed his eyes at her and raised his voice, "I didn't make you let me stay here!" He stood up and walked out the door of the house, not caring where he was going. He just had to get out of there before Clare really pissed him off and he did something that he'd regret. He rose his hands up to clench at his hair as he squeezed his eyes shut as another flashback took him over.

Flashback. Three Years earlier

It was the first time that he'd ever been hit. His mom and dad had never believed in even spanking Mark as punishment. Instead, they'd take away his toys or video games. Maybe that was why it came as such a shock that Richard hauled back his hand and slapped him hard across the face. But he knew that it was more than that. He knew that it was because it seemed so out of character for his new stepfather. Usually, Richard wasn't like this. Usually he was so loving and caring. Buying gifts for Mark and his mom every chance that he got. What had changed? What had Mark done to make him so angry? He couldn't understand it.

Next Chapter: Fitz goes back to his "home" to confront his stepfather. Clare apologizes.