Okay, so I know it's been terribly long, and I really do apologize for that. Life gets a little crazy sometimes. But here is chapter two, read, and review, I hope you all enjoy it.
The clock read 12:27 by the time I was trading my scrubs for my tank top and shorts. To say it had been a long day would be an understatement, even though technically I was being sent home early due to a "mysteriously broken second and third metacarpal," not that I would complain this time. Seeing Kane had brought back too many memories, Jaha, Wells, my father…I shook my head, refusing to let myself think about it. They were in my nightmares often enough, I didn't need them when I was conscious too.
Slipping on my boots and tying my hair back, I walked out of the locker room, debating about stopping at the bar on my way home, I could definitely use a drink. Just before I got to the entrance though I heard my name being called down the hall, "Clarke," I knew that voice anywhere, Finn, the resident ER surgeon, or known to most of the nursing staff as "Dr. McDreamy."
Sighing I turned around, forcing out what little of a smile that I could, "Hi Dr. Collins, is everything alright?"
By the time he reached me he was panting, though why he would be running after me I haven't a clue.
"Yeah, yeah," he paused trying to regain composure, "I just wanted to talk to you," he trailed off giving me one of his womanizing smiles.
"Okay," I prompted him to continue, raising a quizzical eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah, well Octavia, said she was renting out that house with you, Jasper, and Monty, and she mentioned that you guys were throwing a party," he paused waiting for my confirmation, giving him a slight nod, he continued, "well she invited me, and well I was wondering if you wanted to go with me, you know as a date?"
My eyes must've widened because he gave me another one of his smiles, "Uhm, you realize I live there, right? Like we wouldn't actually be going any where together," this was just weird, who invites someone to their own house party?
Realizing how it sounded, he seemed almost embarrassed, "Yeah, I know, but, look, would you like to go out with me? I figured the party was a good excuse," he sighed as though he was forfeiting some sort of big secret.
"Look, I'm not really looking for any sort of relationship, now or ever really, but if you want to come to the party and we can just hang out like normal people would, we can do that…" I trailed off not entirely sure how to handle this insanely odd situation.
Looking defeated, he gave a small nod, "No, yeah, I totally understand," he started fidgeting with his hands, running one of them through his lengthy hair, "I guess I'll just see you Saturday then," he gave another nod then turned to go back to his rounds.
Relaxing my shoulders I turned and headed for the door again, renewed in my decision of needing a beer. The bar was only five blocks from the hospital, and the night was a cool spring one, it reminded me of Virginia, and for a second I started to reminisce on my childhood, before shutting those thoughts out again. I promised myself to never go back to those times, they're too painful.
By the time I reached the bar, my watch read 12:52, perfect timing for a few beers before Tom closed the shop for the night. Walking in I was caught by surprise, it was pretty busy for a Thursday night, there were people on the small wood dance floor in front of the old stage, the juke box was playing something that sounded a lot like Luke Bryan, even most the seats at the bar were taken, but thankfully mine was empty.
I'd never been one to establish a solid routine; it had never really been possible for the kind of life I led. But I found that coming to the Camp-yard, was something that I came to rely on to just decompress and have a good time. The owner Tom, or as I call him, Uncle Tom, was one of my dad's old friends from Virginia, though he disappeared when I was fifteen, and my parents never spoke of him again. Admittedly that wasn't uncommon, my dad's line of work tended to be dangerous, lots of his friends died or went M.I.A. but that never seemed to stop him. So when I found Tom here, I couldn't believe it; he couldn't either, said he thought I would've stayed up in Virginia with my mother, if only he knew the whole situation he would understand. But that's what I always liked about Tom, he doesn't push me to talk, he just let's me talk when I'm good and ready.
As I made my way over to my seat at the back of the bar facing the stage, he noticed me he gave me a big grin, "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite Griffin," I chuckled, shaking my head, "Hey, Uncle Tom," I responded, "just a Heineken tonight, please."
It was his turn to shake his head, "I will never get used to you drinking, girly," he sighed, handing me the beer, "you're always going to be that little girl with pig tails jumping on my back in the park."
I pretended to roll my eyes, "Well get used to it," I retorted, causing him to let out one of his big old laughs, "Always a smartass you were," he said grinning, picking up a rag and beginning to wipe down the counter to my right.
"So what brings you in here so late today, hmm," he asked, I knew he would, and for once I was ready to talk about it.
"Marcus Kane," that's all I had to say to get a reaction out of him, as he immediately froze and looked at me with hard eyes.
"You mean," he trailed off, I knew he was hoping I would negate his worst fears, but I couldn't.
"The one and only," I responded cooly, I could see his left hand grip the counter, knuckles white with strain.
"Why is that bastard here," he gritted out between his teeth, which was unusual for Tom; he almost always had a smile on his face.
"Because he-," I was cut off by a man talking over my left shoulder.
"Hey, Tom," the stranger paused, noticing the aggression in Tom's face, "what's wrong," he asked immediately. The man's concern must've gotten through to him, because Tom loosened his grip on the counter and went back to wiping down the counter, "Nothing to worry about, Bellamy," wait, Bellamy, why did that name sound so familiar? Looking slightly to my left I noticed the man now braced on the counter, with unruly black curls, and a questioning look on his face as he studied Tom, I recognized him immediately as the asshole from the gym with Kane.
As if sensing my eyes on him he turned his head, a look of surprise disrupting his previously quizzical look, "It's you," he muttered, then his eyes took on an accusatory glint, "do you just naturally piss men in this town off, or is it some sort of uncanny skill," he asked, giving me a self-righteous smirk; it was enough to make me want to smack it off his face.
"No," I responded smugly, "I'm not why he is pissed off," I returned his grin, though his had disappeared, only to be replaced by another look of concern.
"Then why does he look so mad, princess? He didn't look this way before you came in and sat down," I bit my tongue at his use of the name princess.
"He's pissed, beca-," only this time I was cut off by Tom.
"First of all, Tom, is right here,' he stated, waving his hand in front of him as to make a point, 'second of all, how in the hell do you two know each other?"
I jumped in before, Bellamy could, "I met him today, at the gym. That he runs with Marcus Kane," I admitted, emphasizing Kane's name. Getting the message he raised his eyebrows, and turned to Bellamy, "You never told me you ran that place with Marcus Kane," he said sternly.
Startled by the turn of conversation, Bellamy gave us both curious looks, "'Cause I didn't think it was important," he answered hesitantly, lost as to the weight of what he was confirming.
"I need to go see that man," Tom declared, seemingly more to himself than either Bellamy or I.
"Wait, hold up, why is Marcus Kane such a big deal," he questioned, clearly hoping for answers of his own. Deciding I didn't want to be the one to provide those answers I turned back to my beer, and took a swig, and Tom went back to wiping.
Unpleased by his lack of a response, he tried again, though this time, his tactics were more devious, "Tom, did the princess tell you about her little argument today with Kane in front of the entire gym? He almost attacked her," Tom's head whipped up, giving me stern but concerned look.
"No, she did not," he replied, looking at me, expecting an explanation.
I gave Bellamy a withering look, of course he would rat me out and completely blow it out of proportion at the same time, "He did not almost attack me," I explained, "We simply exchanged words."
This time Bellamy let out a laugh, "Exchange words? Really," he exclaimed, "Princess, Kane doesn't get that mad for no reason."
His persistence was really starting to get to me, "You know, I fail to see how any of this is relevant to you," I fired back.
"It's relevant to me when it takes place in my gym."
"What is your obsession with the whole my gym thing?"
"Well it's exactly that, my gym."
"Well it must not be fully yours if you run it with Marcus."
"Well I really don't think my business deals are any of your business."
"Oh and my life is any of yours?"
"Yes when it happens in my gym," he said with a shit-eating grin, I threw my hands up.
"What the hell is your problem," I nearly yelled.
"I don't like being lied to," he responded, his voice getting louder than before.
"And how exactly am I lying by refusing to tell you about my shitty life?"
"You're lying by not giving me the truth to a question I asked."
"Well maybe that's because it doesn't pertain to you," I answered as calmly as I could.
"Well it sure as hell does now," he almost growled. I could feel his breath against my face as I realized how close we really were to each other, when did that happen?
"Look kids," Tom interrupted, "as entertaining as this is, y'all are going to have to stop, Bellamy you're supposed to start cleaning, like now, and Clarke, you need to get home, and get some rest."
As grateful as I was for his interruption, I wasn't ready to go home yet, much less go to sleep, "I was actually going to stay for another beer," I countered, downing the rest of my first.
"And I'm not supposed to start cleaning for another half hour," Bellamy put in.
Tom sighed and shook his head, "Fine, you know what, stay, I don't really care what y'all do. And I don't know what your history is, but I swear if you don't keep it down, I'll send you both home," then turning to me, "And you and I will discuss this later," he answered before I could ask.
Sighing, I watched as Tom went to the opposite side of the bar to tend to another customer, why did my life always feel like some sort of cosmic joke? I almost forgot I wasn't alone until Bellamy interjected, "I really just don't understand, first you get upset with seeing Kane, then just at the mention of his name Tom looks ready enough to pull out his AK, and use Kane for target practice."
"Look, I don't know why this interests you so much, bu-," he cut me off.
"I'm interested, because no one has ever talked to Kane the way you did, nor have I ever seen Tom get so mad at just someone's name," he answered softer than before, "Plus I'd be lying if I said you didn't intrigue me."
I gave him another look, was he being serious right now?
"If you must know, Kane isn't a good man, he's done a lot of bad things, to a lot of different people. One of them being me, and Tom, he's just looking out for me, like my dad used to," I snapped my mouth shut, realizing just how much I let slip. Shaking my head I pushed my stool back, tossing the twenty in my back pocket on the counter, but before I could walk away Bellamy was standing in front of me, pushing the twenty back in my hand, "On the house, princess," he explained, giving me a small, for once genuine smile.
Surprising myself, and him apparently, I gave a small smile back, "Thanks," I nodded, unsure of what else to do, and still silently cursing myself for saying so much.
"Get home safe, princess," he called as I was walking away. I turned around, "It's Clarke, not princess," I retorted.
"I know, but I like princess better," he said with another shit-eating grin.
Shaking my head, I turned and walked out of the bar, taking a left and heading for home. It had been one hell of a day; I just hoped I could sleep through the night without any terrors.