Hey guys! I know that I am late on updating by two days, but I hope this six-paged chapter will make up for it? This is why it took so long to get out to you guys. I know I promised Sunday and it's Tuesday, but I really wanted all of this together in one chapter so I had to wait until I got it all written out for you. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy! I will be starting my next chapter either tonight or tomorrow.

As always, Read and Review!

Clare's POV

The whole ride to my house, I was on edge. I had a lot of fun with Jake and he helped me take my mind off of things, but I just couldn't keep my mind from wandering once we got into the car. I had my arm propped up against the window, and I was leaning against it. I watched as we passed familiar streets, becoming closer and closer to the house and my mother.

As Jake pulled up to the house, I saw my parents' car parked in the drive way, along with another car that I assumed was Darcy's.

"Ready?" Jake asked, as he pulled up.

"No." I sighed. "But I guess I have no choice."

I wish Eli was here already. He told me he would be here within the hour, because he was finishing up dinner with his parents. I didn't want him to lose anymore time with parents than he already had, so I definitely encouraged him taking his time, now I'm not so sure that was a good idea.

"It won't be that bad. I won't let it get to that point. Worst case, you wait in your room until Eli gets here." He explained.

"Okay. Let's get this over with." I exhaled, trying to get myself prepared for whatever I was going to face in there.

I got out of the truck and followed Jake up the path, letting him enter the house first. I walked into the house to see my parents and Darcy sitting in the living room with two police officers. They all looked over at us while Jake shut the door behind us.

"Clare. I'm glad you're home. Have you thought about what I said?" She asked. The tone sounded just like the many times Jake or Darcy would get when they did something wrong. However, the tone was very rarely directed towards me.

"I have." I replied curtly.

"And?" She prompted.

"And it doesn't change anything. I'm still going through with it." I retorted.

"I see." Her face hardened as she spoke.

"Clare. Why don't you go to your room for awhile. Let me speak with everyone." Jake suggested, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, before turning and leaving the room without looking back.

When I reached my room, I realized I still had Jake's phone from when I talked to Eli. Flipping it open, I saw that Eli sent a text a few minutes ago.

Finishing up dinner. Do you want me to come over now? Or are things going okay?

Deciding it was easier to call him rather than text, I punched in the number I had quickly memorized.

"Hello?" I heard as Eli answered the phone.

"Hey." I mumbled plopping down on my bed.

"I'm guessing by your lack of enthusiasm that things didn't really improve." He stated.

"Sadly, no. They did not." I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "So do you want to come over?"

"I'm already on my way." He said.

"Thanks." I smiled.

"Clare." I heard Darcy call my name from outside the door.

"What?" I called, after removing the phone from my ear.

"Can you open the door?" She asked.

"Why?" I asked. I really wasn't in the mood to be yelled at again.

"The policemen downstairs want to speak with you for a minute. So can you come down?" She asked.

"Fine." I sighed. I put the phone back up to my ear, as I stood up. "Eli. I have to go. I'll see you when you get here. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you soon." He stated.

"Bye." I replied, ending the call. I opened the door, and saw Darcy standing there. "Let's go." I followed Darcy down the stairs, and into the living room where everyone was standing. "Okay. I'm here. Now what?"

"Clare. These officers would like to talk to you." My mother said.

"Yeah. I got that." I snapped at her. I was not in the mood to talk to her.

"Ms. Edwards, we'd like to just ask you that you not go anywhere without one of us present. The people who took you are still out there and they may retaliate because you got away." The taller of the two police officers spoke.

"Okay. Anything else?" I asked, glancing between everyone.

"Clare. This is serious." Darcy stated.

"I know." I snapped again. "I won't leave the house without an officer. Are we done?"

"We were also hoping that you would answer our questions about the time you were taken." The same officer continued.

"No. I'm not getting into that right now." I said.

"Clare. You should talk with them. It would be good to talk about it. Maybe help you rethink things." My mom stated.

"Rethink things?" I scoffed. "You mean the abortion. That's not going to happen. Speaking of which, can I have my prescription?" I asked turning to Jake.

"Yeah. It's in the truck." He stated, giving me the keys.

"Clare you can't go alone." My mom warned.

"Then someone should come with me." I snapped.

"I'll go." The policeman who spoke before stood up.

I turned towards the door, and walked over to it. The policeman opened it for me and I headed to the Jake's truck. I used the keys to unlock the door, and started searching for the prescription.

"So what's your name?" I asked, while looking around in the car.

"Excuse me?" He asked confused.

"Well if you are going to be following me around for the time being, I think I should at the very least learn your name. Otherwise, you are going to be known as 'the cop'." I explained.

"Danny." He nodded. "Danny Van Zandt."

"Nice to meet you, Danny." I smiled looking over at him. He looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties.

"Nice to meet you too, Clare." He smiled back, as I turned to continue looking. I saw him, out of the corner of my eye, scanning the area.

I eventually found the prescription, it had fallen underneath one of the seats, and turned to get out. As I was shutting the door, a car pulled up and parked behind the truck. I followed Danny over to it, and saw Eli and another officer getting out of the car.

"Hey." I smiled again, walking towards him while he did the same.

"Hey." He repeated. "Why are you outside?" He asked, stopping in front of me.

"I was getting my prescription from the truck." I stated. "I don't want to leave it there, and forget about it. Plus, I know my mother. She'll hide it if she finds it." Eli wrapped me in a hug, and I focused on him. His warmth. His smell. It soothed me. "Thanks." I smiled pulling back from him. "I needed that."

"I figured you might, after the day you've had." He smirked at me.

"More like month." I exhaled.

"Come on. Let's go inside." He suggested as the wind started to pick up. It wasn't a strong breeze but it was definitely enough to make me cold.

I lead the way back into the house, and tried to drag Eli up the stairs before my mom could start up again, but unfortunately I'm not that lucky.

"Clare? Where do you think you're going?" She demanded.

"To my room. Where do you think I'm going?" I retorted.

"Boys are not aloud in your room, Clare." She continued.

"Mom. Seriously? After the past few weeks I've had, having a boy in my room does not make the list of sins I've committed." I snapped again. She was really getting on my last nerve. I saw Darcy's jaw drop open as my mom gasped. They were probably going to be sending me to confession soon. I just knew it.

I walked up the stairs, dragging Eli with me quickly, and slammed the door shut behind me. I leaned against it, and closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes, Eli was smirking and leaning against the adjacent wall, with his arms crossed.

"Better now?" He asked.

"Somewhat." I sighed. "I just wish that my mom would stop. I figured that she would be the 'doting mother' when I returned, but apparently she's right back to her old ways." I pushed away from the door, and tossed the prescription bag on my desk. I kicked off my shoes before falling backwards on my bed. "This was definitely something I didn't miss while we were with Asher. With my mom being the way she is right now, I wouldn't mind if I wake up tomorrow and I'm still in that room with everyone." I sighed again, covering my face with my hands.

"Don't talk like that. I'm sure your mom will get over all of this." He cut in, sitting down on the bed next to me.

"Not soon enough. I mean it's tough enough as it is for me, to have to deal with all of this. Then I have to deal with my mother not accepting my choices. And my sister and dad looking at me like I've grown a second head or something." I sighed sitting up, leaning back and propping myself against my hands. "It's just not something I ever thought I would have to deal with when I woke up in the hospital."

"Well, your mom will eventually come around and until that happens, you have other people on your side." He explained.

"Like who?" I asked.

"Well for starters, me." He smirked. "Jake. Adam."

"Adam doesn't even know, does he?" I asked. I knew I never told him, but maybe Eli did. I didn't have anything against telling Adam. It was just a matter of not even having it cross my mind.

"No. But that doesn't mean he won't be supportive. He saw everything that you went through just like I did. He wouldn't want to see you suffer anymore than you already have." He explained.

"I know he wouldn't." I stated. "And I know that you wouldn't either." I added, to make sure he knew.

"I wouldn't." He agreed. "I've told you before, and I'll say it again. I couldn't handle it if anything happened to you." He brushed some hair behind my ear.

"I know." I smiled at him. "I feel the same way about you."

He let his hand slide down to my neck and pulled me forward. He leaned over and our lips met. I used one of my hands to pull at the hair at the back of his neck.

He leaned into me further, making me lean back, which I was perfectly okay with. I lied back on the bed, now being able to wrap both arms around him. I opened my mouth, when he asked for permission, and pulled him closer. He reached down and pulled my leg up on the bed, and started running his hand up and down it.

He began kissing from my lips to my jaw, and ended kissing my neck. I couldn't remember a better moment with anyone that could top the feelings that I was feeling right now. I was willing to go all the way.

However, I knew that Eli wasn't going to let it get to that. So I was willing to let it go as far as he would let it. I wouldn't push him to go any further because I knew that it wasn't the right time. I was dealing with an abortion, and readjusting back to my old life.

He began kissing his way back up to my lips, as he moved his hands up to cup my face. He began to give me a bunch of quick kisses, as he slowly began to pull away from me.

"We shouldn't go any further." He murmured against my lips.

"I know." I breathed.

"But I've been wanting to kiss you like that since you woke up in the hospital." He explained, finally looking up from my lips, and resting his forehead against mine.

"Then why didn't you?" I gave him a smile.

"Cute." He smiled back, kissing me again. He rolled over and laid on his back next to me, and I moved over to lie on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me, kissing my forehead as I snuggled into him.

We spent the next hour talking and lying there undisturbed. Eventually we ended up falling asleep, and I was content to having this be how I went to sleep every night for now on.