A/N: Hey guys! I hope you like today's short chapter :)

WARNING: any Jake/Clare interaction in this story is STRICTLY STEP-BROTHERLY/SISTERLY. I don't ship them!...

Read:')

Clare's eyes fluttered open slowly, as she was awaken by beams of sun streaming through her window.

She took a look around her and realized she was laying face flat on the floor. Wondering how she'd gotten there, visions of her coming home last night, punching a wall and helpless laying on the floor, crying herself to sleep flooded her mind.

Clare sighed as all the emotional pain from the night before re-entered her body. She tiredly sat up, her body sore from the sleeping arrangement. She swept a hand through her hair as she bacame lost in thought about last night's events.

After a few moments of just sitting there in silence, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Clare, not budging an inch in attempt to answer the visitor, looked at the door dazed as if expecting it to magically open on its own.

Growing impatient, the person knocked once again.

Clare still didn't budge.

The door swung open, revealing her step-brother's figure.

She stared at him blankly.

"Why didn't you answer the d- Woah", he chuckled taking notice of her messy hair, smeared make-up, and the fact that she was seated on the floor. "What happened to you?"

Clare didn't answer. She just looked down at the floor she sat on.

Jake noticed the pained look on her face, and as he took a closer look, he realized the smeared makeup lay on a tear-stained face.

Jake's amused expression transitioned to a more serious one.

"Clare, you okay?", he asked slowly while making his way toward her.

She was silent.

"Clare...?"

She shook her head as she felt fresh tears start to invade her eyes.

Not that you'd care, she thought.

Jake could see that his step-sister was in pain. And he resented that. He hated that someone had hurt his sister.

His step-sister, yes. But a sister, nonetheless.

And he knew quite well that he'd treated Clare like crap at times. And he knew it was wrong, but that's just what brothers do.

Jake took a spot next to her on the floor. Not knowing exactly how to comfort her without causing an awkward atmosphere, he hesitantly put a caring hand on her shoulder.

"Clare, what's wrong?"

She lowered her head, holding it in her hands as she broke into hysterics. She no longer cared that Jake was there and would make fun of her weakness. She just couldn't take the heartbreak.

As Clare held her head in her hands, Jake noticed a few cuts and some major bruising on her left hand.

What was going on with her?

Jake began rubbing her back comfortingly.

Her sobs eventually grew heavier and were pain-stricken. Jake's heart went out to her and decided it would be okay for him to comfort his sister completely.

He wrapped his arms around her small body and she accepted the embrace, burying her head in his shoulder as she cried.

Clare's tears slowed as she took in the moment, realizing Jake was actually being nice to her. She had expected him to come in, see her looking a mess, laugh and mock her, then leave; end of story.

But here he was sitting on the floor next her, holding her in his arms as she wept.

Did mom put something in his food?, She wondered.

Though this was strange behavior for him, she didn't care. She just needed someone to hold onto. And Jake was that someone at the moment.

As his sister wept in his arms, Jake realized even more and more as seconds passed by, just how much pain she was in. He wanted to know what was causing her so much hurt.

He decided she had cried enough. He needed to know what was going on.

Was she in danger? Had someone threatened her?

He looked at her hand again. Had she gotten into a fight?

He loosened their grip on each other so that he was able to look at her.

"Clare what's wrong?", he asked.

As she was about to tell him, she suddenly felt ashamed of how upset she was over a guy. He would definitely look down on her for that...

Not wanting to answer him now, she asked, "Why do you even care, anyways?"

Jake sighed. "Look. I know I put you through a lot of crap every day... But your still my sister"

Clare smiled slightly, nodding her head. She took a deep, shaky breath through her tears before answering his prior question.

"Drew...he um... He still has feelings for Bianca"

Jake frowned. "How'd you find that out? He told you?"

"No...his brother, Adam, and her were getting kind of friendly at the party last night and Drew didn't like that too much"

Jake didn't know how to reply to that so he just frowned looking sorry for her.

Clare continued, "I just feel as if he was lying to me this whole time..."

"Maybe it's not what you think, Clare. I mean did he actually straight up admit he still liked her?"

Clare thought about this for a minute. "No... He just said he didn't like the idea of Bianca and his brother together and..."

Clare's face fell, realizing her mistake of the previous night.
"I just kind of blew up at him and accused him of it"

Jake looked disappointingly at his sister. "Clare..."

"I know", she said in a pained voice. She felt new tears stinging her eyes. "I ruined it, didn't I...?"

She covered her face with her hands as more tears began streaming down.

It pained Jake to see his sister hurting like this. He wrapped his arms around her once again.

He had to fix this.

A/N: Hey guys! Tell me whatcha thought!

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And let me know what you think of Jake's part in this story(if you want him in it very much or not). I promise he won't ever be an interference in Clare and Drew's relationship :)

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