Author's Note: It means a lot to me that you guys are liking this. I'm feeling like I don't do the plot justice, so I'm trying a little bit harder. Bare with me :)

By the time I reached my car, the rain was coming down in buckets. Clare couldn't have gotten far in this. Peering through my windshield wipers, I circled the block twice before I drove towards my University. I figured she would be in the same place she was yesterday when I found her, or at least close by.

I spotted her when I drove passed a bus stop. It was a sheltered bus stop and she was sitting on the bench inside, completely soaked. Parked in front of the bus stop and got out, slamming my door and running into the shelter.

"Come on, Clare, let's go!" I yelled over the sound of pouring rain.

"Why should I got with you? I barely know you!"

"Please, Clare, just come back to my house with me!"

"No!" She shouted.

"So you're just gonna sit out here in the rain?"

"It's nothing I haven't done before and I think I'm doing just fine," She motioned the the shelter we were under.

I scoffed. "Yeah, real fine. You're fucking homeless and a prostitute! You're addicted to cocaine and you're starving! But you've got everything under fucking control, right?"

"Oh you're on to talk!" Her words were laced with acid - she was trying to hurt me. "Your fucking Senior year you over dosed and almost killed yourself. You were just as much of whore as I am now. You have no room to say anything. You're a loser,"

Her words shocked me, but they didn't hurt me. I had heard it before from various people. Still, though...it stung coming from her. I shook off the pain. "But I cleaned myself up. I'm getting a degree, I have a house, a job. You have nothing but your drugs. You are a loser, Clare, not me. Now, dammit, let me help you,"

"Why are you even trying, Eli?" She shouted over the loud boom of thunder. "You don't know me, so what's the point? You think if you help me, I'll bang you?"

"This has nothing to do with sex!" I screamed. "See what I mean? You turned into such a whore that you think everyone wants to bang you, Clare? You think I want that?"

"You did two years ago," She pointed out.

"That was when you were good. When you were innocent and shy. Now you're some trashy street whore. I wouldn't fuck you if you paid me. Who knows what you have,"

Her mouth dropped. "You think this is really convincing me to come with you? Screw yourself, Eli," Just as she said that, a horn blared from the street. Clare got up and I turned.

A tall guy stepped out of the car and ran into the shelter. He wrapped he arm around Clare, then glared at me. "This guy giving you problems, baby?" He asked.

"No. Now give me the money you owe me from last time," Clare said, holding her hand out.

"I thought we were gonna have some fun first," His hand dropped down to her ass.

She pushed it away. "Not until you pay me from last time,"

"I told you I would pay you. Now come, let me take you out of this rain," He noticed me looking and scoffed at me. "Problem?"

"Who are you?" I asked.

"A very unsatisfied customer," He muttered towards Clare.

She stepped away from him. "Fitz, give me my goddamn money,"

He reached his hand up to caress her cheek. "I will pay you, baby, but first make it worth my wild,"

"I made it worth it last time! Give me my fucking money!" She screamed.

He pulled his hand away and then quickly slapped her. I was so shocked and it happened to fast, that I couldn't be sure it happened.

"Don't talk to me like that," Fitz growled.

Clare reached up and cupped her cheek, a little bit of blood spilling from her lip.

"What the fuck, man?" I yelled and pushed him.

He lookd at me, shocked, and laughed. "What? Are you her Sugar Daddy?"

"Don't fucking touch her,"

"She's a whore, bro, that's what you do. You touch her and you fucking her and you pay her. It's her job,"

"Don't. Hit. Her." I growled, my glar focused hard on his eyes.

Fitz sighed, frustrated and looked at Clare. "Baby, if I give you ten extra bucks, can I knock you around a little?"

I pushed him again. "No,"

He grabbed the collar of my jacket. "Touch me one more time,"

Before anyone could do anything, the bus beeped. My car was in the way. Fitz looked between me, Clare and the bus, then grabbed her arm. "Come on, baby,"

"I'm not going anywhere till you give me my money!" She screamed.

I wrapped my arm around Clare's shoulder and pulled her out of the shelter and into my car.

"This isn't over, freak!" Fitz yelled and we drove off.

"So who is that guy?"

"What do you think? He's a regular, but he didn't pay me last time. Guess I should start asking for cash up front?"

"How often does he hit you?" I wondered.

"Only when I don't go along with what he says. They all do, actually. You get used to it,"

"That's sick," I muttered.

"I need the money,"

"For what? More cocaine?"

"Judge me all you want, Eli, I don't care,"

"You had a future, you know. You could have gone to college and got a career and became a good mother. You can still do that. I can help you clean yourself up," I said with sympathy in my voice. If I had someone where when I went off the deep end, maybe I would have never crashed Morty.

"I don't know..."

"Why don't you just stay at my place again tonight and then we can talk about it tomorrow?"

She didn't say anything, but she nodded. That was a start.

Author's note: meep.