Quinn wandered around in the basement of the school, trying to find the gym office. She knew it was some miniscule door in a corner somewhere, as she had been told by one of the guys from her gym class, but that didn't give her much to go by.

She sighed as she turned yet another corner and slowed as she was met with faint music drifting from one of the classrooms. She hadn't been to the basement before, she had no classes down here, so she wondered what class would have music…

She walked over and stood in front of the door, surprised at the sight before her. Caim danced across the studio decked in his usual black, but this was black work out pants and his ever-present sweater and gloves. The music was some jazz thing Quinn had never heard and he moved with practiced motions to the beat.

Quinn stuck her hands in her back pockets and understood now why he was so graceful when he moved normally.

She stood there and watched him for a bit and the few times he turned her way she ducked out of sight, but she didn't need to him Caim's eyes were always closed. After several minutes the song ended and he stopped at the end of a turn. Taking a deep breath he stretched his arms above his head as he walked out of Quinn's line of sight.

Quinn smiled slightly and stepped back into the hallway before moving to stand in a doorway out of sight of the dance room. A few moments later Caim emerged from the room, back in his jeans with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced around the hallway and if he spotted his friend he didn't do anything to acknowledge her.

Just then a door down the hall opened and a couple members of the football team stepped out. In a flash they had seen Caim and were starting towards him. He didn't move and Quinn made to walk over to him, but he looked over and their gazes locked. She froze and he returned his attention to the approaching jocks.

"How was ballet Clarissa?" Duncan mocked. "They make you wear a tutu?"

They were right in front of Caim now and were slowly starting to create a circle around him. There were four of them and Quinn recognized a few from the confrontation that Caim and Alex had been involved in earlier that month.

"I bet it's pink and frilly," Duncan continued, flashing a teasing smile. "It would suit a girl like you."

"I am as much of a girl for taking dance as I am a car for sitting in my garage," Caim replied simply.

"So you're an emo kid too? How 'bout we check your wrists, make sure you aren't hurting yourself." He went to grab Caim's wrists but Caim stepped back, out of his reach, but right into the arms of another player. The player locked Caim's arms behind his back and tore his backpack off in the process.

The bag crashed to the ground, sending music sheets and sketchbooks and the contents of a pencil case skittering across the floor. A black fine liner rolled to come to rest at Quinn's feet.

"They let you wear gloves in dance?" the player holding Caim asked. Caim didn't reply and Duncan stepped right up to him. "He asked you a question," Duncan snapped. "Answer him!"

Caim sighed and closed his eyes. At that point Quinn snapped. She stormed over and with two quick punches she had two players dropping back. A third punch made the guy release Caim, whose eyes flashed open. Quinn stepped between him and Duncan and she growled as she pushed the football player back. "Back off my friend," she hissed.

Duncan laughed and his cronies joined in. "Why should I? It's not like I'm doing anything. He doesn't care, do you Clarissa?"

Caim, who was slowly gathering his belongings, didn't even look up.

"See?" Duncan sneered.

Quinn kicked him between the legs and as he dropped she punched him in the nose. She heard the crack, saw the blood, and smiled as she turned to face the bully's friends. "I can do much, much worse," she threatened. The players sneered and pushed her and Caim aside as they helped up their cursing, fallen comrade and escorted him down the hall. Quinn watched the leave, her hands still ballet into fists, her teeth bared. Only after their footsteps had faded away did she turn to Caim, finding that he was walking away from her.

She ran after him and caught up to him as he started up the staircase to the main floor.

"Were you just going to let those guys beat you up?" she asked.

Caim shrugged and adjusted his bag on his shoulder.

"Are you a masochist? Or are you just crazy," Quinn asked.

"I just don't care," Caim replied. "What's one or two punches?"

"So you seriously just don't care?"

He shook his head and stepped onto the main floor.

"So you don't care..." Quinn repeated.

Caim sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Drop it please," he said, and Quinn was surprised at the politeness.

"No," Quinn replied firmly. "I don't care about your answer but I just-"

"If you don't care then why are you asking?"

Quinn sighed. "Fine. I'll drop it."

They were both silent as they exited the school.

"I just want to make sure you're ok."

Caim stopped and stared at her for a long time. She wanted to look away but something about the look in his eyes held her. "I can take care of myself," Caim replied, his voice softer than Quinn expected. She broke the eye contact and laughed sarcastically. "Clearly," she replied. When she glanced back she saw that his face was hard, his features cold as though chiseled from the ice that lay beneath their feet. "How long were you on the run for?" he asked.

Quinn blinked, not sure she had heard the question right. "Wh-" She paused. "Why?"

"How long?"

"A little over a year…"

Caim nodded slowly. "Two. Almost three."

Quinn's eyes widened slightly. "Whoa. I didn't know… Holy…" She ran a hand through her hair. "Holy crap. I mean, I've met people who have been longer but… I didn't know that you-" She paused. "I knew that you were a-a…" She tried to figure out the right word. "A runaway, but I didn't know how long." Caim shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, well now you know where I'm coming from when I say I can take care of myself."

AN: Here is an honest-to-God chapter! And part 2 of this chapter will be close behind it :D Chapter 51 and 52 used to be one chapter but it was too long... So it is going to be two chapters! It's also a ploy to keep you all coming back. Well... that's my wishful thinking.

So I hope you enjoy! Love you all