Stand in the Rain

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update and thanks for the reviews.

Chapter Seven

Clare backed away from Richard's prying gaze as she heard his words. She pressed herself against the side of the wall and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She could hear Fitz mutter something to Richard in a hard, rather threatening tone but she couldn't understand what. She heard a harsh laugh as the door slammed shut. A tall shadow loomed over her and her eyes fluttered open to meet Fitz's concerned ones. She swallowed hard and forced herself to voice her question, the one that had been plagueing her since Richard's arrival and his threats. "Is that why you never told anyone?" Her voice was a mere whisper and she forced herself to speak louder when she caught his questioning gaze. "The threats, I mean. Did he threaten to h-hurt you or your mom, if you did?"

Fitz stared with his lips pursed. He shook his head in annoyance at how easily she figured him out. "Didn't I tell you it was because my mom wouldn't believe me?" He denied instead.

She chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head. "Maybe that's part of the reason, but..." She trailed off nervously, fiddling with her hands.

He cocked an eyebrow and let out an annoyed growl without meaning to. "But what?" His dark blue eyes locked on her oceanic ones as he said it, pratically challenging her.

Clare sighed and averted her gaze from his. "But-I think it's more than that. I think you're scared of him. Of what he might do."

Fitz snorted rudely and rolled his eyes. "You know, for being so smart, you sure get alot of things wrong."

She didn't let his words effect her, knowing that it was a defense mechanism and that he really didn't mean it. "Fitz-Mark." She corrected, causing him to look at her once again. "You came here a few days ago, in the pouring rain. You had bruises all over you and you looked so, so-haunted. You can't lie to me and I don't see why you would think that you would have to." She reached out an arm to cover his hand with her significantly smaller one, giving it a comforting squeeze. "You know you can talk to me. I really don't mind, I'd listen." She said, conveying her sincerity with her encouraging gaze.

Fitz bit his lip, hard, the metallic taste of blood filling up his mouth. "Look, I can handle him." He answered her, carefully. "I've gotten used to it. I know how to deal with him."

Clare didn't say anything, though inside, she was shaking with frustration and more than a little bit of anger at his stubborness. Why couldn't he understand that he needed help? Much more help than she could even begin to comprehend or give him, especially if he wasn't willing to accept it.

He walked past her quickly, smoothly without another word. She flinched when the front door slammed shut.

Two hours later, Clare was in her room, lying on her bed against her fluffy pillows. Her slender fingers traced of the paper with the phone number on it. The one that she'd never thrown away, that had buried in the small, pink, white, and light blue box that was under her bed. She hadn't called him in such a long time. Actually, the last time that they had ever really spoken hadn't ended well. She'd been so hurt by what he'd done, that it was a wonder that she didn't destroy all the material memories that he had given her. It wasn't that she hadn't tried-it was just that she couldn't. Although she didn't like him like that anymore and they weren't even friends, the things he'd given to her were still all too important.

She chewed her bottom lip as she debated calling the number. What was she even going to say? She grabbed her cellphone off of the spot on the bed, beside her and began to dial the number, dropping the paper to the bed and pressing the phone to her ear. It rang three times before a young, male voice finally answered.

"Hello?" He said, questioningly.

"KC, hi. It's Clare." Clare said after a few moments of complete silence.

It was silent for a few moments and just as Clare was about to hang up, KC spoke.

"...Clare?" He asked into the phone, sounded shocked to be hearing from her. His mom looked at him curiously when she heard him and he smiled at her reassuringly before walking off into his room for some privacy. "What are you doing calling me?"

"I just needed some advice on something, and I didn't know who else to call." She stated helplessly, shaking her head even though she knew that he could not see it. "Is it possible that you could meet me at The Dot, or something so that we can talk. It's not something that can be discussed over the phone, and I really don't want anyone to overhear it."

"Um...sure. I can be there in like, ten minutes? Would that be okay with you?" He inquired kindly, already going to his closet to grab his coat and to throw on some shoes.

She sighed in relief. "That would be great." She replied, softly. "Thank you, so much."

KC leaned against the outside wall to the entrance of The Dot, awaiting Clare's arrival. The two ex friends and ex significant others, hadn't spoken in almost a year. He was curious as to why now all of a sudden she was calling him. Things had ended on a really bad note the last time that they had spoken before school had let out last summer. He perked up when he caught sight of Clare running torwards him, looking frantic. He supposed the reasons didn't matter at the moment. Only that she needed help and that he could help her.

A/N2: So, I decided to include a bit of a Klare friendship. I really wasn't meaning to. Infact, I was going to have Clare call Eli and have them make up and her tell him what happened. Then, I considered the fact that from the sounds of it, KC's father wasn't too great and his mom didn't make the best decisions while she was high, and thought that maybe he could help Clare with the Fitz dilemma. Not to mention, I just miss the Klare friendship. Not so much the romance, but the friendship. I'll try and have the next chapter out in the next couple of days.

Next Chapter. KC and Clare talk, Fitz goes to the Ravine, Clare and Eli make up.