It's super short sorry guys work was ridiculous and I didn't even get to start writing until I got home. Normally when work is so crazy and I don't have any time to write there isn't a chapter that day but I didn't want to do that. So it's quite short but at least it's something.

Ch. 11 Darkness Within & Without

(CLARE)

"I'm going to get ready for bed and then you can have the washroom," Adam says getting off the sofa after turning off the TV.

"Okay," I nod.

Adam goes into the washroom and I almost go into my little room to get my pajamas but I see a shadow move outside. I know it's not Fitz so I run over and turn on the porch light, I pull back the curtain a little to make sure the door is locked. When I pull the curtain back I release a breath when I see that it's Eli, and instead of locking the door I open it a little.

"Eli what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," he replies.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow at school?"

"No please Clare I need to talk to you it's important. Please just for a moment," Eli begs.

"Alright just for a moment," I reply stepping back so he can come inside.

"No outside, it's a private conversation I don't want Adam or especially Drew to hear. It will only take a moment," Eli says with an urgently insistent tone. I step through the sliding glass door and close it behind me, shivering a little I'm out in the crisp night air. "You're cold, we can talk in my car it will be warmer in there," Eli says and I nod. We walk to his car and he opens the car door for me and I get in. Eli goes around to the driver's side turning on the car. "To get the heater running," he tells me and I nod but I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I want to get to back to the house.

"What did you need to talk to me about Eli?" I question.

"I like you Clare," Eli says.

"I like you too Eli," I reply slowly.

"I need you Clare, I love you," Eli tells me.

"Eli I think we need to talk about this tomorrow," I say trying to open the door only to find it locked. As soon as I try to open the door Eli puts the car in drive and starts to drive off. "Eli stop the car and let me out," I assert.

He doesn't say a word just keeps driving, he's going the speed limit and even stops at the stop sign but I still want to get out of the car. I keep begging him to let me out but he doesn't say anything. When he stops at the stoplight at the intersection that leads to DeGrassi I try to open my door again. It still won't open but I hear a sudden crack and crashing sound and look over to see the window on Eli's side has been broken and Eli is fighting with Fitz. Afraid that Eli will step on the gas I shift to what I hope is park and turn off the car. I drop the keys on the seat next to me and when Fitz slams Eli's head into the steering wheel and I scream as Eli goes limp.

"He's just unconscious are you okay?" Fitz asks opening Eli's door. He kind of shoves Eli aside and helps me out of the car.

"I'm okay, are you sure Eli's okay?" I question.

"He might have a headache but he'll be okay I just wanted to get him unconscious so he'd stop fighting back and couldn't hurt you," Fitz says just as a car pulls up and I look behind me to see Drew and Adam hopping out of the car. I expect Fitz to leave but he doesn't, he stays with his arm around me.

"What happened are you alright?" Adam asks.

"You must be Dark Hood?" Drew questions looking at Fitz.

"I'm okay, we need to call Eli's parents or an ambulance," I remark and then Eli groans and begins to regain consciousness.

"What happened? Where did you go?" Adam questions.

"Eli came to the house insistent that he talk to me right away. He wanted to speak in private so I stepped outside but it was cold so we got in his car. He turned on the heater we talked a moment but when I tried to get out of the car I found it locked. Eli began driving and then when he stopped Fitz broke the window. They st…"

"You're Fitz?" Drew exclaims.

"Yeah nice to meet you Drew," Fitz replies holding out his gloved hand out and Drew shakes it.

"You too," Drew replies slowly.

"They started to fight and I…" I'm cut off again but not by Drew by the screeching of Eli's tires as he drives away very fast. We all watch Eli speed off and then we all let out a simultaneous breath.

"I'll call his dad and make sure he makes it home," Adam says.

"We should get home before Mom notices we're gone. You need a lift somewhere Fitz?" Drew offers while Adam steps away and gets out his phone.

"No thanks I can get home," Fitz replies.

"Thanks for coming to the rescue," Drew comments cocking his head a little like he's trying to see through shadow covering Fitz's face.

Fitz just nods and starts walking toward the ravine. Adam seems to still be on the phone, Drew puts his hand at my back and we begin walking to the car when another car pulls up. Owen and Bianca get out of his car and walk over to us.

"I guess you found her," Owen remarks.

"Actually Fitz found her," Drew says.

"Fitz was still with me when they pulled up, I was telling them what happened and said Fitz's name, Drew figured it out," I explain.

"Don't tell anyone about him," Owen instructs Drew.

"Wouldn't know what to say anyway, Clare's secret admirer superhero is a kid that went missing after a fire at his place? Yeah I'm sure people would believe that. I'm just happy he saved Clare, I'm sure he's done it before, he saved Adam too."

"Me too, he's saved all of us at one time or another and Owen and I just found out he was even alive," Bianca remarks as Adam joins us again.

"Eli's dad said he made it home and they'll take him to the hospital," Adam tells us rejoining the group.

"What the hell happened? Fitz takes off saying you're in trouble and when I call Drew he says you're missing," Owen comments. I explain everything from the beginning ending with Fitz knocking Eli out against the steering wheel.

"What did you tell Eli's parents?" Owen asks Adam.

"That he hit his head and needed to go to a doctor. I wasn't sure what else to say other than he insisted on driving home, which he kind of did by driving off," Adam replies.

"We should all get home we'll see you guys tomorrow," Drew says and Owen nods. We say goodnight, Owen and Bianca get back in his car, the three of us get in Drew's car and we drive home. We go into the basement and Drew locks the door. "Eli is dangerous I want you both to stay away from him," Drew informs us when we're both home.

"His behavior is erratic but…" Adam begins when Drew cuts him off.

"But nothing he basically kidnapped Clare tonight something is wrong with him and I don't want either of you being a casualty because he's having an attack of crazy. I mean it stay away from him, especially you Clare you seem to set him off, you're lucky Fitz got there when he did."

"Yes Dad," Adam says in a mocking tone and Drew shoots him a look. "You okay Clare?"

"He didn't hurt me but I'm not tired anymore," I reply.

"Let's watch a movie," Adam suggests and I nod.

Adam puts a movie on and we watch together, I watch the movie but I'm really not paying attention I'm thinking about Eli and Fitz. I'm worried about Eli something is definitely wrong with him. By the end of the movie we're all tired and finally do go to bed but I have trouble getting to sleep. When my alarm goes off I feel like I barely slept but I still get up. I eat a small breakfast and drink some coffee, when we arrive at school the three of us go inside to our lockers. Bianca and Owen arrive a few minutes later; Drew greets Bianca with a kiss. We hang out until the bell, mostly talking about last night. Adam tries to call Eli but he doesn't answer. He's not in first period either so he must be staying home today. I'm still thinking about Eli when the lunch bell rings, Adam and I walk out to the courtyard and sit at the picnic tables. Drew, Owen and Bianca joining us a moment later.

"You okay? You're not eating," Drew says elbowing me lightly. I didn't realize I hadn't been eating I was spacing out and thinking about Eli and Fitz still.

"Sorry just thinking," I reply.

"About Eli or Fitz?" Owen asks.

"Both," I admit.

"But you're not going anywhere near Eli again right?" Drew states more than asks.

"I do have classes with him," I remind him.

"Outside of class," Drew adds and I roll my eyes.

"I'm gonna use the washroom I'll be back," I tell them getting up.

"I'll go with you," Bianca says getting up as well. "I'm guessing it's not just Eli's attempted kidnapping that's on your mind?" Bianca questions as we walk inside.

"His behavior is concerning, he needs help I know that. He's scaring me but I'm still worried about him. I care about him but I don't want to be with him, not the way I want to be with Fitz. Only I can't be with Fitz the way I want to be with Fitz," I sigh.

We stop talking once we're in the washroom because there are other girls in here. When we start walking back to the table I can feel Fitz watching us and I smile knowing that he's close by. We return to the table and I eat a little. After lunch Owen and I have our spare period which we always spend together.

"You still going to save a dance for Eli?" Owen inquires.

"I did promise, he can't do much to me in a dance with the rest of the school."

"Fitz said he'd try to come to the dance," Owen tells me.

"He won't come to the dance not even for me; he won't let anyone see him."

"There's surgeries, have you told him that?"

"Reconstructive surgeries can only do so much and they could make things worse, not to mention they cost a lot of money which Fitz doesn't have."

"Yeah but we could try, if he looked normal he could come back. We'd have our friend back and you could be with him," Owen says.

"It's more than just that Owen I don't think he wants to be part of this world again."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this world betrayed him, he knew almost nothing but pain here from what I know. His mother turned her back on him, let his stepdad and stepbrother treat him like nothing and beat him. His face was cut and then cauterized by them and then the fire was set. He was horribly burned and nearly died. He fled the hospital afraid of his stepfather and found a new family that took him in and took care of him. He doesn't need to come back to our society to have you and Bianca and I because he already does. Not in the way we'd all like I'm sure but you know he's alive, you know he's been watching out for us, he'll talk to you and Bianca. I get an occasional date and some time with him and he is still a part of his society and world where they accept him and he lives without fear."

Owen looks thoughtful for a moment, then sad, then sort of happy and then seems content. He returns to doing his homework and I go back to mine. We spend the rest of the period doing homework and when the bell rings we go inside and meet the others at Media Studies. I feel Fitz watching us in class and I smile again, I always feel better when he's around.

"I'm going to stick around and watch the guys at practice," Bianca comments when the last bell of the day has rung.

"We'll see you at home Drew," Adam says and we wave to the three of them as Adam and I begin walking home. When we're down the street from the school I stop and Adam looks at me.

"You may as well walk home with us, Adam already knows, his parents aren't home and no one will see you under your hood," I call to Fitz knowing he's close by.

"Hey Fitz," Adam grins when Fitz steps out of the shadows.

"Hi Adam, guess I'm walking you guys home," Fitz remarks.

I smile and link my arm with Fitz, he's between us and walks us home but he stops at the door to the basement. Adam opens the sliding glass door and Fitz takes his arm from mine.

"You could come in, Audra has a school board meeting and Omar is never home before six," I tell Fitz.

"No I should go, I'll come back tonight even if Bianca is here," Fitz tells me brushing a curl behind my ear.

Fitz walks to the corner of the yard and disappears into the shadows once more. I stay there a second watching the shadows before going inside.

"You alright?" Adam questions.

"No not really," I sigh slumping onto the sofa. "The boy I want to be with I can't be with and the boy I can be with turns into a monster around me."

"Clare that's not true," Adam says sitting next to me, "Eli's behavior is not caused by anything you do."

"Maybe not but Drew's right I set him off, it's probably better for all of us if I keep my distance. I like Eli in a lot of ways and I could truly be with him but when I'm around him he turns scary. He looks so innocent, so sweet and cute but he has such a blackness inside. Fitz lives in shadow but he has such a light in him and kindness and courage, even after all he's been through but he looks like something from a horror movie. But it's only when I think about his face, I mean really focus on the way he looks that I even remember how he looks. When I think about Fitz I usually picture his face mostly in shadow only seeing his eyes and his smile."

There will be no update in November as it is One Shot Month. However December is Short Story Month and all short stories will get three updates. This will next be updated Wednesday December 9th either starting at school the next day or the dance.