Stand in the Rain

Chapter Six

Clare stood over Fitz's form as he laid on the couch, chewing her bottom lip worriedly. Eli had left about ten minutes ago in a fit of anger, and the whole room had been filled with silence ever since. Neither one was sure of what to say, to tell the truth, Clare was too angry to say anything. She didn't understand why Fitz and Eli couldn't just let their rivalry go. After what happened on Vegas Night, she'd have thought that the two males would've given up on their war. It really showed how much she knew. With a sigh, she took a seat on the arm of the chair and studied Fitz closely. "Why can't you and Eli just let your rivalry go?" She asked in a mere whisper.

Fitz rolled his eyes at her words, wincing as he tried to sit up. "Not everyone can get along, Clare." He told her, tilting his head back so he could meet her eyes.

She looked away, biting gently, nervously at the tips of her fingers. "I told him that if he didn't stop putting himself in danger anymore, then I couldn't be with him." She muttered so softly that he could barely make out her words.

"Isn't the fact that he's a "badass" part of the reason you fell for him?" He asked of her, recalling her words during Vegas Night.

Clare blushed and lowered her head, brushing back her bangs as she shrugged. She didn't reply to his question though. It was true. Eli was both infuriating and sweet. Sarcastic and sincere, and loyal to a fault. He'd been there for her through everything happening with her parents and he'd really been the only one that he could talk to about it. All those were reasons why she'd fallen so hard for him.

Fitz studied her carefully, and smirked, knowing that he was right. "I think you have a thing for guys like him." He commented teasingly, as if he were trying to get her all riled up.

Her blue eyes widened and she whipped around to face him, glaring a little bit. "I do not!" She cried out in outrage, lips forming into a pout as she crossed her arms under her chest, looking all too adorable. "You and Alli are way too alike! Accusing me of things that aren't true." She huffed out, remembering Alli accusing her of having a bit of a saving people complex. So what if she fell for guys with boys who infuriated the hell out of her, were sarcastic, and had bad past? It was purely coincidence. The same with the saving people complex. She just didn't like seeing other people hurt. She couldn't help it.

He just continued to stare at her in amusement.

Clare rolled her eyes. "Okay, can we please stop talking about my nonexistent complex?" She complained, changing the subject abruptly and leaving no room for disagreement. "So, why don't you tell me about your father?"

Fitz's eyes averted away from her and he looked at the clock on the wall. "He was pratically my best friend, growing up. We did everything together. You already know about the basketball games. He and my mom would take me to the museum too and out to dinner or lunch. And he'd make me my favorite breakfast on the morning of my birthday. He was probably the best guy out there. I remember, this one time, he and I made breakfast for my mom on Mother's Day. I made a real mess of everything." He said laughing a little bit at the memory. "I got egg shells in the pancake batter and a dropped a whole glass pitcher of orange juice on the floor, but he didn't get mad at me for it."

She smiled at his words and said, "He sounds like he was a great guy. I can understand why you think so highly of him."

He was about to reply when a knock on the door interrupted them. He watched as Clare's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she tilted her head slightly in curiousity.

"That's really weird. I wasn't exactly expecting any company. Did you invite someone over?" Clare questioned as she looked up at him.

Fitz shook his head, just as confused as she was. He watched Clare stand up and walk torwards the door. Almost on instinct, Fitz stood up to follow her, walking slowly.

Clare looked behind her to make sure that Fitz was alright as she opened the door, only to become confused at the horrified look on Fitz's face as he moved quickly-though she knew that the movement had to be painful, to stand behind her, resting his hands on her slender shoulders.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He hissed out harshly, glaring hard at his stepfather who stood in the doorway, grinning evilly.

The man who had caused so much hell in Fitz's life studied Clare closely, eyes roving over her as he answered, "You don't sound happy to see me." He said in mock sadness.

Fitz just glared, moving to stand infront of Clare as she backed away slightly.

Richard's face turned cold and serious as a smirk of power curved his lips. "I warned you not to tell anyone. It seems to me that you can't really listen."

"What are you saying?" Fitz gritted out in a deadly whisper, clenching his fist at his sides. It killed him to know that there was really nothing he could do to get his stepfather of his back with all the injuries he had from his fight with Eli and the one's he'd sustained earlier this week.

Richard's eyes glinted cold like ice as he said in a singsong, "Whatever happens to that pretty, little girl behind you will be your own fault."

To be continued...