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Teardrop In The Fire	By : MysticNight Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Incubus Views: 3776 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Incubus. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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*

The moment Laura left, Claire immediately turned to Brandon slapping him on the arm.

“You Idiot!”

“What? And I think you’re forgetting that I was almost shot in this arm, it still hurts…”

“Oh Boo Hoo! We have bigger things to worry about right now Brandon! What were you thinking?"

“Me?! You're always blaming me for things. How is this all my fault? I wasn’t fucking myself you know…”

“I know that…and is that what took it for? Just a fuck? Oh my god, Our child’s going to be a bastard!”

“We’re not even sure if there is a child in there” he pointed to her stomach “Let’s just wait until we get home, we’ll take a test and we’ll figure things out from there…”

“You’re right.” she relaxed. “Besides, the idea of you being a father is a joke in itself.”

“Meaning?"

“Brandon…Come on.” she stared at him plainly.

“How is the idea of me being a father a joke? I’d make a wonderful father.” He proclaimed.

“Do you remember what you did to Mike’s niece?”

“That was a perfectly innocent mistake.”

“You almost drowned her.”

“Again, very innocent mistake-it could happen to anyone, Besides, she’s still alive isn’t she? And why are we dwelling on the past, let’s move foreword shall we?”

“Brandon I’m not ready to be somebody‘s mother. Not yet.” she looked down forlornly.

He tilted her chin in his direction “We are not even certain.” he reasoned “You've probably just caught a bug. Remember you were sick with a cold the evening of the accident?”

She nodded.

“And besides,” he continued “If her theory happens to be true, I’m sure you will make the best damn mother out there.”

He placed a reassuring hand atop of her own.

She smirked “I don’t know, I just didn’t see myself becoming pregnant until-”

“Pregnant? Claire why did you just use that word in past tense?”

“Chris!” she looked up surprised.

“What’s going on?”

“Here we go…” Brandon muttered.

“Nothing.” she shrugged.

“Okay. Let’s try this again, Claire, what is going on.”

She looked up at him knowing full well she could not lie to him even if she tried, and Brandon shook his head knowing this as well.

“Just tell him. He’ll eventually find out anyway.. that is, if it turns out to be true .” Brandon advised plainly watching each cloud pass him by through the window.

She grew frustrated at feeling forced, and it became evident when she snapped hastily at her brother:

“Sit down Christopher, you’re causing a scene.”

He looked behind his shoulder at not more than 2 people glancing in their direction, uncertain if they were even looking at him to begin with.

Rolling his eyes briefly, he sat in a vacant seat across from them

“See? Sitting. Now tell me.”

“Well…”

Chris’ eyes remained fixed at hers, Brandon still gazing out the window either unconcerned, or absorbed in his own thoughts.

She cut herself off promptly, asking “Promise me you wont get mad?”.

She could almost hear Brandon smirk, with softly mimicking

“Yeah, don’t get mad Chris but I think I’m having Brandon‘s baby.”

Quickly, Claire jabbed him with her elbow halting him from going any further.

Chris merely glanced in Brandon's direction, unable to put together what he had muttered.

“Anyway…Do you promise?”

“In the 20 something years I’ve known you, you’ve only asked me that question if the situation was pretty intense…your making me nervous”

“Promise me Chris”

“I can’t do that. But I can make a deal and promise that I wont throw you off this plane when you do tell me”

“Good enough” she shrugged.

“So…”

She fiddled with her fingers, and from the corner of her eye could see Mike now staring over in wonderment of what was about to uncoil.

“Damnit Claire, just tell him.” Brandon urged, tired of her dodging the question.

“Why don’t you tell him!” she fired back, “You're acting like I might have done this to myself!”

“Why don’t one of you just fucking tell me before I have an aneurysm!”

“Ew” she glanced at him. “Fine, I might be pregnant.” she plainly expressed then realizing how indifferently she let it slip.

Even Brandon had to glance at the way she threw it out there, leaving Chris to do what he wanted with it.

Looking over at Chris, he was already met by his eyes.

“Look” Brandon opted to explain himself

“When I encouraged you two getting together I didn’t mean for you two to actually ‘get together’ Jesus Christ Brandon, you took the one thing from her she can never get back…”

Claire jerked her head back in confusion and slowly turned to Brandon.

“Took what?” Brandon asked to clarify while Claire flushed red.

“Now is not the time to play a smartass Boyd, you know damn well what I’m talking about.”

“You think Claire was still-”

“Oh dear god…” she sighed, covering her face with her hand.

Brandon could no longer surpress his laughter. It began as a chuckle, and resulted into an all out fit of laughter.

“Excuse me, Sorry” He continued to laugh while getting out of his seat. “Claire you need to give Chris here a reality check.” he slapped his band mate's shoulder as he passed the both of them, with sighing “That was a good one…”

“Well at least he’s in better spirits” she sighed.

“Claire what the fuck.” He took Brandon’s seat.

“Chris you can’t possibly think I’m still a virgin. I’m 26 for crying out loud.”

“SO? What’s so wrong about being a 26 year old virgin?”

“What's not?! Are you at 34 year old virgin??”

“That is besides the point. What do you think mom will say when she hears this?”
Before she could answer he presented her with one “ She’ll blame me! She’ll think I’ve been allowing you to sleep around, while under my care-”

“Chris your pushing it…”

“Well because of you letting Brandon ‘push it’ a little too much, look at the situation you’re in”

“This has offcially become awkward.”

“I don’t care right now. You’ve just started your career, to now have to put it on hold for a baby? Claire…”

She listened, feeling incredibly guilty and when she couldn’t bare it anymore she stood up

“This conversation is over. I‘m not a child”

“Claire wait. I’m just disappointed,”

“Well then don’t talk to me since I’m such a fucking disappointed.” She slid past him walking to the washroom.

“Hey” Brandon called to her, but she walked past him as well.

“I take it whatever they were talking about did not go too well.” Mike nodded.

“I’ll be back.”

Standing up Brandon followed in her direction.

Clearly, Brandon read the occupied sign on the stall before knocking on it lightly.

“Are you blind?” She sniffed miserably. “It says ‘Occupied.’

“Claire open up, It’s Brandon.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

He knew by her tone alone she was in tears.

“Please?”

A small sigh was heard on her side, knowing she couldn’t refuse when he asked sweetly.

Moments later a miniature 'click' was heard and the red circle was now replaced by a green one displaying the vacant screen.

She had wiped all the tears from her eyes, making her face appear as though she were merely sneezing from her allergies acting up.

“He can be a real dick sometimes.” she chuckled, checking her face in the mirror.

“I'm sure he didn’t mean whatever it was that he said to get you this upset.”

“And how would you know?” she shook her head, grabbing some more Kleenex.

“Because I know Chris, and I know that you mean everything to him. You are the only sibling he knows and he is probably just worried at the prospect of you becoming a mother when you have so many more things to accomplish before having to settle down.”

“You know,” she turned to him finally “I get I was like the kid sister hanging with the band and what not. And I accepted that, but I’m not a child anymore and when I’m constantly talked down to as if I can’t make, or handle decisions for myself…you don’t understand how much it hurts. I can handle take it from anyone, but when it’s from him...” She covered her face, masking her silent tears. “..It just fucking sucks.”

“Aw C,” he hugged her, and she whispered honestly

“I know I messed up Brandon, but it’s not like I need to hear it, you know?”

“We are not sure about any of this yet, okay? Don’t get stressed out over something that is not 100%.”

“But what if it is?” she pulled back looking at him, “We’re completely screwed! You know what this will do for your career? My career? I havent even really gotten started yet and It will all just, end.”

“I can-”

“I know you can look after me Brandon, but I don’t want you or my brother funding me with money you earned, and you know that." She sternly said, then went on "My god, I’m a walking contradiction.”

“How?”

“I’m soo religious yet I might be a mother before marriage”

“Yeah but if that’s the case, weren’t you suppose to stay abstinent until marriage as well…”

“You are not making this situation any better Brandon…”

He chuckled, then pressed his lips against forehead thumbing away her stray tears.

“We’ll get through this.”

She nodded in agreement.

“K, are my eyes all puffy?” she stared at him. “I don’t want to go out there and have him and the others figure out he made me cry.”

“They are okay, i guess.”

“Not good enough.” she moved back to the sink splashing some more water on her face; then drying with a few paper towels.

“Better?”

“Yes.” Brandon responded, not seeing much of a difference “Ready?”

Stepping out of the bedroom he lead her along behind him by the hand.

It wasn’t as though there were many people in the first class section, but the ones that were, were adults whom looked as though they were headed on business trips and if asked anything about Incubus, would likely take it for it’s literal term.

For that, Claire was thankful.

However she did see the concerned glances from Ben, Jose, and Mike; but Chris refrained from making any eye contact.

“Maybe we should just go on Oprah or something…” Jose flatly suggested.

“No, her main purpose is to make you cry, and once you cry on Oprah…it’s a wrap.” Ben chuckled.

Taking her seat, Claire snuggled her head onto Brandon’s chest.

He moved his hand that draped over her shoulder to massage away the headache he was sure that she had, almost believing that he could hear thinking about it all.

“Try and get some rest.” he suggested but she said nothing, now noticing how composed he appeared at the prospect of becoming a father, something he had never really divulged in.

*

“C,” he whispered “C, Babe wake up. We‘re here.”

She groaned in response, taking a hand wiping the side of her mouth.

“Yeah, maybe you want to take that hand and wipe the drool you left on my shirt as well.”

She sat upright, slightly flushed.

“I’m only kidding. If I can take it from Sativa I can handle it from you”

“..And being compared to a canine makes me feel all the more special, Brandon." she said in sarcasm.

“Glad I could be of some assistance, now come on.”

“Jerk” she jokingly retorted

“Penis driver.”

She looked at him with her mouth slightly agape “Now that was uncalled for” she punched him.

“Now you know how I feel.” He hid the small grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

Claire rubbed her eyes ignoring him, then finally unfastened her seatbelt and stood up.

While making their way out of the plane, they both spotted Laura at the exit thanking passengers as they left the aircraft.

“Thank you for fly-”

“Save it lady.” Claire walked pass her, leaving Brandon to give a simple yet courteous smile.

The ride back was fairly silent, no one daring to ask what was going on between the inseparable duo, as Claire remained close to Brandon with Chris on the opposite side.

“Home” she finally sighed, seeing their house.

The driver pulled into the driveway letting Claire and Chris out, helping them with their things to the door.

“I’ll come by a bit later,” Claire kissed Brandon's cheek. “Mike, Ben, Joser…I’ll see you all later."

They all simultaneously bid her a ‘Later’ and watched her stand at the front door soon to be opened by her mother who had a striking resemblance to her, grabbing her into a hug, followed by her father.

It was a pretty poignant scene, when her mother Mary broke into tears.

When Chris tried to put the suitcases inside the house, she stopped him too, pulling him in for a hug and kissing his cheeks lovingly.

That was all everyone in the van could see before the car drove out of sight down the road.

*
Brandon asked the driver to bring everyone else home first even if he had only lived a street away from Claire.

He hoped to prolong the unwanted affections he was bound to receive when his mother who was now probably waiting by the windowsill impatiently, saw his transportation pull up.

In his eyes, he didn’t deserve it.

The inevitable eventually happened when all his band mates disappeared, leaving him to the be sole one left.

He braced himself upon arriving and seeing his mother flock from the house before he could fully get out the vehicle.

She practically hauled him out of the car, thanking the driver for bringing him to her safely and fought back tears staring at him as if he were a dream.

“Mom, please” Tears were now cascading past his her smiling mouth “I’m fine.”

“I was so worried about you,”

“Really, I’m okay,”

He gave her a moment to collect herself, before she looked up at him from her barely touching 5’5 height, and placed both hands on his cheeks with a smile. “I’m so happy you’re safe.”

The bittersweet sadness in her eyes, saddened him. It was insufferable for him to see his mother in tears regardless of the situation.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” she suggested.

They sat in the kitchen over a cup of tea for two hours, catching up on every moment they missed from one another's life while being apart.

After the topic of Marissa arose with his mother agreeing that she had lost her mind, as well as asking how Claire was holding up. Brandon deemed there was no better time than the present to bring up the other situation.

*

“Oh Brandon…” Dolly, looked at her son with a hint of remorse “Did she take a test?”

“Not yet, but she’s been really shaken up, and this hasn’t helped”

“You went and tainted that poor little girl!” she said with a hint of humour in her tone.

“Tainted?” He smirked “Clearly we’re talking about two different Claire’s here. Why isn’t anyone blaming her? Why couldn’t she have tainted me?”

The look he received from his mother, gave him all the responce he needed.

“Even Chris thought she was still a virgin… He’s not even talking to her right now.”

“They’ll figure things out” she reasoned knowingly “They’re fights usually last ten minutes anyway-but Brandon if this is true, do you think you are ready for this?”

“If Claire’s already pregnant, it wont really matter whether I am ready or not. Yes, the timing could have been a bit better, but I cant see someone else that I would rather have my first child with.”

“I know you’ll make a lovely father someday.”

He nodded, letting the word father sink in.

“So when do you have to leave?” She finally felt the need to ask.

“Later on tonight, the service is tomorrow afternoon.”

“Are you sure wouldn’t like me to come and support you?”

“No, I don’t want anyone dragging you into this, especially if the photographers start taking pictures.”

“That is the least of my worries. It’s a risk I’m willing to take, Brandon. You’re my son, and that is ten time more important than a few pictures surfacing in a magazine”

“Just ten?” he tried to lighten her mood, but instead received a plain gaze telling him it did not work this time.

She then looked back into her cup of tea that had cooled down considerably.

“Mom” Brandon extended his hand to meet her own, “I will be fine. If at any point I feel like can't do it; you will be the first person I call to talk me down, does that sound fair?”

He knew he probably would not for the sake of unnecessarily worry her, but said so just to make her feel as though she was still needed in the same way he depended on her as a child.

She nodded, then noticed the gauze bandage peaking from the sleeve of his t-shirt.

“Brandon, what’s that?”

His near-death experience flooded back to him.

Brandon reached up to touch the small but healing scar on his arm, and his mother saw him do it. He stood up quickly to prevent her from asking about it, covering up the movement with motion.

“Nothing a little clumsiness couldn’t cause.”

*

Hours elapsed from the uncomfortable moment his mother noticed his bandage, to presently where he was packing a duffle bag for his stay in NY.

“Brandon, I pressed your suit for you.” His mother appeared at the doorway, “You can borrow your father’s garment bag to carry it.”

“Thanks.”

“Michael just pulled into the driveway; I thought it was Claire you mentioned who was coming over?”

“She said she would. Maybe she’s sorting things out with Chris, and her family.”

“Not quite. Mary called not too long ago asking if you were alright. We chatted for a bit and she mentioned Claire had gone over to her apartment.”

Brandon stopped mid fold, and his attention shifted to his mother.

“She’s where?”

“Her apartment.”

Before he could say anymore Mike stood at his doorway along side his mother, giving her a hug from behind.

“Michael, how are you sweetheart?” she turned to him.

“A lot better than your son, which should count for something.” he shrugged with a quick smile “And yourself? You’re looking marvellous as usual.”

Brandon rolled his eyes mockingly at Mike’s 'charm.'

“Something in your eye, Brandy boy?” An avid smirk, still remained on Mike's face.

“I’ll leave you two alone. Brandon, when you are ready I am driving you to the airport.”

“Mom-”

“No ifs, ands, or buts about it.” She smiled before disappearing down the hallway.

“So what’s up.” Mike asked as Brandon went back to folding then tossing his change of clothes in the bag. “Kind of defeats the purpose of folding them, huh.”

Suddenly, he threw one of his shirt’s across the room. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Do what? The funeral?”

“Not when Claire’s doing that,”

“What? Fuck Brandon, you’re losing me. What’s going on?”

“She’s at his place, can you fucking believe it? She actually took the risk of bringing our baby near that psychopath-”

“Baby? Whoa, whoa, whoa, who the hell is our baby?”

“Shit.” Brandon sighed under his breath “Look we’re not certain; but Claire’s late and that flight attendant brought it to our attention maybe that’s the reason she had been so sick lately.”

Expecting a mordant comment, he was instead faced by Mike’s expression which was mouth hanging agape in an exalting ’O’

“I know.” Brandon commented.

“You might be a dad? Oh my god, I might be a god father.”

“And who the hell said I would deem you that?”

“It’s expected. Do you think you’re ready?”

“Dude, if I’m 31 and I’m still not ready to have children I don’t know when I'll be ‘ready.’ And if anything, you should be asking Claire that, she has the tough part.” He shook his head.

“Can I just say how happy I am to be a member of the opposite sex? And hopefully this teaches you, the next time you slip between her thighs be sure to condomize”

“I’m calling her.” Brandon finally decided, grabbing his phone.

Each time it rung, his heart pounded harder with anticipation.

Brandon could easily say that this had topped all the other times in his 31 years that he had felt nervous when it came to a phone call.

Finally after the 6th ring, she answered.

“Hello?”

Already displeased from knowing that she must have seen the callers display to know it was him calling the entire time, Brandon answered “Hey.”

“Brandon, hey.”

“Where are you?” he got straight to the point.

“I’m just grabbing something from the grocery store.”

“So, what have you been up to up until now?”

“Just relaxed a bit, talked with mum and dad…nothing out of the ordinary. I can come over in a few minutes if you still want me to.” She changed the subject.

“How about I meet you at the park in 5, instead?”

Brandon didn’t need to elaborate on which park. It had only been half their childhood that they all hung out at one in particular.

“Alright, see you then..”

Brandon’s voice was neutral, but it’s timbre told Claire that he was both intrigued and angry.

He did not like things he could not understand. And he hated secrets.

“I’ll be back.” Brandon shoved the phone back into his pocket.

“Where are you going? You’re flight’s in 2 hours.”

Brandon didn’t answer. He simply snatched his mother’s keys off the table, threw open the front door, and rushed over to the car.

“Brandon!-” She called from the door.

Winding down the window as he reversed, he quickly told her “I’ll be back soon, Mom. I Love you.”

Shaking her head tiredly, she watched him accelerate quickly down the street.

*

He parked his car next to Claire's, noticing her seated on the top of a slide staring at him patiently as he walked over.

“Hey.” She greeted after sliding down.

“Hey.”

“Why didn’t you want me to meet you at your house? I haven’t gotten the chance see Dolly yet.”

“Because I wanted us to talk, alone.”

“Oh.” she wasn’t she what he meant by that, but would surely soon find out.

“You went to Michael’s today.” he started, instead of waiting for her to tell him.

“Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter. Claire, he hasn’t so much as called to check if you were alright after the accident-”

“..We keep referring to it as an accident, when it wasn’t.”

“Can we stay on topic?”

Claire furrowed her eye brows at detecting the slight attitude tracing his tone, so she folded her arms waiting for him to continue.

“I think that was an irresponsible decision on your part, and that you should have at least given me a heads up about going over there. ”

“You’re joking, right?”

He stared at her saying nothing, using silence to establish his answer.

“If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me the first thing I had to do was break it off with him.”

“That was before the question of you being pregnant occurred.”

“And how do you suppose I break up with him without actually seeing him? If you've forgotten,I still live there..well at least my things do.”

“Your clothes are the least. If we are going to be parents, whether its in the near future or later on in life, we need to make decisions together.”

“Easy for you to say” she mumbled under her breath, exasperated.

“Do you care to elaborate on that?”

“Yes, actually. It’s easy for you to say that because it isn't your body. The idea of being 'daddy' is just peachy for you, because its an easy role in comparison to mine. You could get up and leave at any given time. But what about me? I would be stuck with this kid for the rest of my life.”

The silence afterward was so thick that not even the birds would chirp to bring a sense of reality to the moment.

Immediately, she wanted to take her words back.

At first there was confusion, but the look of confusion was terribly overpowered by the look of hurt that all of his features wore.

“You think I would do that to you?”

“No,”

“Yes you do, or you wouldn’t have just said that!” he shouted.

“You’re taking it the wrong way, Brandon.”

“What way am I suppose to take it?”

She prodded the curly strands of hair threatening to obstruct her vision behind her ears and purse her gloss-covered lips together.

“You know what,” she gave up “Take it as the truth. Because that’s exactly what it is, whether it upsets you or not. Now, I reckon that you have a flight to catch and people to see, so just do yourself that favour, and leave.”

“Don’t you fucking use Marissa as an excuse right now.”

“I’m not doing anything!”

Her hazel eyes narrowed in on his chiselled jaw line as the object of fury rose between the both of them.

“That fucking bitch almost blew my brains out over you,”

Claire’s eyes were still full of fear Marissa had planted there and was even now propagating. “My entire life flashed before my fucking eyes, Brandon. Everything!”

Brandon stood there almost as though he weren’t hearing her. If he could forget; if he could drive the image away, perhaps it would no longer be true he thought.

“Look at you! You're acting like you don’t even give shit! How can we talk about being parents and 'making decisions together' when you cant even face reality, Mr. Oh-so-fucking rationale!? At least with Michael, I knew what the fuck I had coming to me! I could get a good night’s sleep after a nice thrashing, and that would be that! Now?” she chuckled eccentrically “The most I can do is sleep in 10 minute intervals, and if I’m not doing that? I’m pretending to, just so no one worries or feels bad for me! So don’t you tell me about Michael. I can handle Michael! If anything... you should have been warning me about Marissa instead of wasting so much of your engergy on him."

“…You are fucking sick.” Brandon bitterly spat, then turned to walk away.

“See! You’re gone already!” She tried to make a point.

“Oh, Fuck you” He got into the car and drove off.

TBC.
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Teardrop In The Fire