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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
- 22
- 23
**

The entire night Claire sat upright in the middle of the bed watching Brandon sleep.

From the moment he stumbled into the bedroom with his arm draped around Claire's shoulder for support, to when he fell onto the bed leaving her to undress him while he muttered in his drunkend yet weary state, to finally when he actually fell asleep-Claire remained at his side.

Although he drifted into a well needed reverie, something in Claire couldn’t bring herself to do the same.

She worried of the possibility that he could wake up still stricken from the funeral; and she would not be there...waiting to let him know things would be okay.

So there she remained, watching his head strategically stacked on a couple of pillows and his lips that gaped open just enough to allow slips tiny breaths of air to escape every now and then.

Large doe-like eyes watched the digital clock stationed on the nightstand of Brandon’s side, before she finally heard him groan at the sunlight rising in the room.

The memory of what had transpired mere hours earlier washed over Brandon when he turned his head, allowing his eyes to finally meet with hers.

Claire was silent as she stared at him unsure of what to make of the moment.

She could sense his embarrassment as he winced at the hangover sweeping over him. So, instinctively she sat up in the tank top borrowed out of the pile of clothes he had sprawled across the floor, and reached over onto the nightstand grabbing two Advil and a bottle of water handing giving it to him.

Brandon accepted it from her, allowing the smooth liquid to bathe his tongue. He savoured it for a few uneasy moments before swallowing down the water and releasing a deep breath into the air, hoping the drug would take its affect rather sooner than later.

“Are you alright?” Claire shifted so that she could see him properly, carefully directing his face with the palm of her hand to make him look at her as well.

That was a tough one, he thought.

The thought of having to stand, walk, or to actually talk to someone almost drove him back to sleep, but he answered with an honest “I’m better,”

“That’s good." Claire nodded, and encouraged him with saying "Each day things are bound to get better. There's really no way but up from here,” She finished with a small smirk.

“God, I hope so.” He leaned back.

“I know so,” she answered genuinely, falling back against the pillow.

Her honey-brown hair streaked with rays of the sun fell into all directions across the surface of the pillow, framing her face into a silky crown.

There was a small silence that coveted the room before Brandon felt the need to say

“About the things we said before I left…”

“Brandon…” she trailed off, wanting it to be a thing of the past.

“Just Shh, I need to say this.”

She rolled her eyes slightly, “There isn't any need, we both said things we didn’t mean. It’s over and done with.”

“Babe?”

“Oh fuck you, Brandon.” she laughed lightly, realizing that he had caught onto the fact that whenever he called her that, usually left her knees week and stomach in knots.

“Fine, speak on it” She gave up momentarily, turning to her side to face him.

“I shouldn’t have left the way I did before coming here. I should have had more faith in you when it came to protecting this baby; And hanging up on you when you called yesterday...”

Immediately everything Brandon was saying turned into a blur. Claire’s eyes widened, forgetting what she had to tell him.

Blinking slowly, Claire continued to pay no attention to Brandon as red lights went off inside her head.

She figured he must have finished when said her name in hopes of gaining some sort of a response.

Snapping her focus back to him, Claire took a breath to gather her thoughts before calmly saying “Brandon I need to tell you something,”

“Okay, what?”

“It’s about the baby situation,”

“Is everything okay? Did something happen while I was here?”

“No, no… Well yes. Yes, something did happen.”

Brandon watched in confusion as she now began to fiddle with her fingers, something he knew always happened when she grew ill at ease.

“Tell me” he asked, taking one of his hands to cover both of her smaller ones.

“… Brandon, there is no baby. I took a test, and I’m not pregnant.”

Half of her felt as though she had dissapointed him and his growing enthusiasm for fatherhood.

Unable to face his reaction, she got out of the bed and walked out onto the balcony.

Sitting on the side of the bed with his feet touching the carpeted ground. Brandon thought about the news Claire just gave him, and how he should have felt compared to how he actually did feel.

Finally, after a few minutes he decided to join her.

She'd wound her hair up into some sort of knot on top of her head leaving her shoulders bare. It threatened to spill down her back at any second, but that was the least of their cares at the moment.

Claire felt like sobbing as his arms locked around her waist and his lips left a delicate kiss at the side of her face down to her shoulder.

She was glad he didn’t seem upset, but felt compelled to apologize.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed.

“Don‘t be ridiculous. Just look at it as not being the right time.” He reasoned, and she nodded in response. Claire had nothing more to say, and hoped he would fill in the blanks which he soon did.
“It’s funny, because I remember when the idea of me becoming a father transpired, I could have sworn I was going to go into cardiac arrest.” A hint of laughter traced his tone, remembering the aircraft flight. “But when I thought about it, I started to anticipate the future and how it could be, you know?”

“I know, that’s why it broke my heart to tell you.”

He turned her around to face him, suggesting that “Instead of feeling down about it; let’s look at it this way: after the touring and we get back into the groove of things, maybe we’ll be able to sit down and better prepare ourselves for what we want to do, with some actual timing behind it.”

“That sounds great.” she hugged him.

Turning back around, Claire resumed her original position leaning against his chest.

“How bad was I last night.” He was interested and fairly blunt.

“You were about as stable as a three legged chair.” she smirked. “You know, you look thin, but you’re heavy as fuck.”

“I couldn’t have been that bad…”

“You weren’t, you were more emotional than anything- but it was completely warranted in my opinion.”

He groaned unable to recall anything until she began giggling to herself

“You said the cutest thing while I was undressing you last night.”

“That can’t be good. The things that usually seem cute to you are the complete opposite to me”

“Can I tell you?” Brandon could tell she was still smiling although her back was facing him.

“You‘re going to anyway…” He sighed running a hand through his tousled hair uneasily.

"You have a point" She said agreeably “And I quote: 'I know you thought you saw me crying, but you didn’t. Now give me a tissue, and a hug.’” Unable to surpress her laughter any longer, Claire burst into a small fit of giggles.

“Remind me to never take another fucking drink again.” He could feel his cheeks glowing crimson from the embarrassment. “And you really shouldn’t be laughing; As I recall, the one time you tried pot you turned white as a ghost and couldn’t move for two hours.”

“That’s why I don’t smoke the stuff, nor should you.”

“I promised didn’t I?”

“For all that’s worth.”

His arms rested on the rails alongside her own, before he asked “How did it go?”

“He wasn’t there,” Claire didn’t even have to ask.

“Did you get your things?”

“Not all of them, but I left a note telling him I would be back for them and we need to talk.”

“Claire…”

“Brandon I just need to tell him, I need to look him in the eyes and make sure he actually gets that I’m finished with him- that his threat isn’t binding me to him anymore. If I do this face to face, at least I know there won't be any misunderstandings. It will also give me the closure I need.”

“Promise me, you’ll have someone at least drive you there. I’d come myself but I’ll be in London by then and I know you wouldn’t let me anyway.”

“I will, Jake is coming to visit in a couple of weeks”

“Who’s Jake?”

“Remember Nikki?”

Nicole was Claire’s older cousin. The both of them usually referred to one another as sisters from being so close as children. Due to the long needed vacation with her husband Nicole and Claire agreed that her 10 year old son Jake, would spend the entire week with her.

“Oh yeah,” Brandon recollected. “Isn’t he like 9 years old?”

“10 to be exact,”

“So let me get this straight, a 10-year old is going to drive you to your flat and make sure nothing happens? It took me until at least 18 to get my licence…”

“Ha Ha very funny.”

Easily releasing her hair from the bun it was in, Brandon helped her along the way by taking both his hands and dishevelling it a bit more as he evenly told her “It’s okay, you know.”

“Huh?”

"To let someone take the wheel and steer every now and then. It doesn’t make you any less self-sufficient or independent."

All she could do was stare.

Claire could not say a word because she knew he was right. Brandon was saying the truth, like he always did.

Turning her around Brandon kissed her hoping to set her mind at ease. It turned from a peck on the lips to a long, lingering kiss. Tongues meeting, and warmth flooding through him as love made itself beautifully known.

The bedroom was simply too far away. They would never reach it in time. Standing just inside the balcony doorway they barely remembered to close the door as he forced her back against the wall crushing his lips against hers.

Brandon moved his hands from her face to pull her top up and over her head. As soon as Claire’s shirt was off he began devouring her mouth again.

She was coming undone in his hands and she didn’t mind one bit, but had to ask

“What happened to better preparing ourselves with some actual timing?” in between kisses.

Claire then moved her hand over the small patch of hair that led from his navel downwards causing him to suck in his stomach and break the kiss. She laughed at the reaction. Before answering her question he moved over to the nightstand to pull out a condom.

An evil grin spread across his face as he loosened his grip, and the solemn condom in his hand, turned into a chain of what must have been ten more.

"You are something, Brandon Boyd" She laughed.

“So I’ve been told” he whispered against her lips before moving slightly to kiss her jaw line and down to her neck.

“Oh Yeah?-”

Cutting her off, Brandon’s lips crashed unto her own. The kiss was like brushing up against fire. Hot, dangerous and alluring. Instantly she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

His pressed his tongue deeper wanting more contact and she pushed her hips forward also needing more. He wrapped his hands around the thin fabric and literally ripped her panties off of her body. She looked up at him, surprised at his sudden act of aggression.

He brought his mouth to hers again and with one thrust he was deep inside of her. She screamed into his mouth, instantly recollecting his size. It was slow yet forceful as he began moving in and out of her at a steady pace.

Brandon felt a million sensations shoot through him simultaneously. Her full lips held the taste of cocoa butter from the lip balm she always wore, and he couldn’t help but to run the tip of his tongue just inside of them as they kissed.

“I wanna be on top” she pulled away, her breathing shallow.

He remembered exactly how she liked to take him, so Brandon obliged as she pulled away momentarily only to push him on his back instantly retaking her position on top of his member. Her arms circled loosely around his broad shoulders as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth while his left hand secured her side and the right explored the dips and rises of her body.

Claire watched him as he watched himself disappear inside of her and withdraw only to do it all over again. Brandon smiled as she braced her right hand against his chest. He stole the moment to pick up the pace. Quickly he pumped in and out of her and kept hold of her hips so that she could feel every thrust to the maximum. Her loud guttural moans of approval were immediate, and as she used her free hand to grip his forearm he rotated his hips so that every wall felt him pulse within her.

With the feel of her breasts against his chest, the sticky warmth of their most intimate parts connecting and re-connecting, the sound of her breathing in sync with his own, and her heart beating at an elevated level despite the movements of their bodies, Brandon was lost.

*

The hotel suite was alive with the sounds of pleasure emitting from within. The very walls seemed to pant right along with them.

Each of his thrusts was filled with need and passion, as if one could not exist without the other.

Their kisses were sloppy and steamy as they moved together, the movements of her hips with his own.

In one swift movement, Brandon pushed her back to her original position beneath him, as they both felt the end drawing near. He guided her legs around his hips until she secured them there, then he again wrapped her body in his arms; pulling her into him with each sweet thrust. She placed long, passionate kisses up his neck, behind his ear, across his temple, and back down to his lips.

He slid one hand between them and down to where their bodies were connected. She whimpered as she felt him tease the spot she was aching for him to touch. He let his thumb circle around her and finally close in on her button.

“C, you're going to have to tone it down a bit baby, the entire floor will hear us."

"I..I Cant-" His lips again covered her mouth and took in the moan she gave.

"I'm serious. Or I’ll have to shut you up, if you can't do it yourself."

"Then Just fucking do it already, Brandon."

He grinned, and covered her mouth momentarily with his free hand while stepping up his speed and thumb in sync with one another. And as he knew she would, Claire went crazy in moans.

Brandon's pride swelled at the moans of ecstasy that escaped her lips.

The feeling was just too much. It was overwhelming them both to the point of –

“Jesus Christ, Brandon!” Her legs tightened around his body and she shook violently with the satisfaction of her release.

Claire breathed heavily as she returned to reality shivering from the natural high that he had her on.

They laid there for a moment, sweating, and entangled in each other.

Licking at his painfully swollen lips, Brandon tried to ease his erratic breathing while his head rested against her forehead, his eyes shut tightly.

Before anything else could take place, the hotel phone began ringing.

Without a second thought, Brandon reached over picking it up, slamming it back down, then taking it off the hook and went back to nuzzling his face against her neck.

She laughed lightly before telling him “That could have been important.”

“If it’s important they’ll call back.” he joked, but soon there was a knocking at the door. “Fuck” he cursed. “We can never catch a break.”

He would have ignored it, if the knocking wasn’t so incessant.

“Go get it.” Claire smiled at him.

Forcing himself to pull away from her, Brandon broke the lip-lock they shared, exhaling heavily. He pressed his lips firmly to hers before rolling out of bed and searching for a pair of shorts before tending to the door.

Looking through the peep-hole, Brandon rolled his eyes before swinging the door open.

“Don’t you fucking give me that look, dude. I had to sleep in the lobby last night, only to be waken up by some girl who just ‘LOVES’ the new album, and have her take a million pictures of me with her camera phone. So if anyone should be passing any looks, it should be ME.”

Brandon said nothing, he merely watched as Mike walked passed him and walked into the living area.

Soon enough, Claire emerged wrapped in one of the bed sheet standing by the doorway after Brandon hadn’t returned.

“Hey Cupcake.” Mike noticed her as Brandon closed the door.

“Hey.” She felt somewhat embarrassed, and even more so when he went on to comment “I’m definitely digging the ‘just fucked’ hair-do”

Claire ran her fingers through her hair sheepishly while turning around and walking back into the bedroom and closing the door behind her, attempting to ignore his observation.

“So how's everything been going today?”

“Better. Hey, I really need to thank you for everything you did yesterday, from the funeral to calling Claire down here.”

“No problem.”

“You know I’d do the same for you, right?” Brandon truthfully informed him.

“And which girl would you call?” Mike smiled “Amber? ..Spare me, the sex isn't even that great. And she’s far too noisy with that incessant moaning, and she scratches the shit out of me. Honestly it’s a turn off and annoying as hell. Not to mention that I haven’t even officially asked her out, it‘s still a casual thing.”

Brandon stared at him momentarily, trying to control the eruption of laugher stuck in his throat “And I thought she was a keeper… you whore.”

“You think a lot of things Boyd.” he reasoned.

Brandon shrugged in response.

“Well we’ve got to get moving, our flight leave in 2 hours. So, I’m going to get a shower and you and Cupcake can do…whatever.”

“Mike,” he whinged “What did I say about the whole ‘Cupcake’ thing in situations like these?…fuck.”

“Well I’m not sleeping with her, so it doesn’t apply to me… unless-”

“Don’t push it.” Brandon warned knowingly.

“Fine.” He chuckled “I’m only messing with you, anyway.”

*

Once Claire heard the light click of the doorknob, she knew he was in the room without turning around. Presently she sat on the edge of the bed; the white linens still wrapped securely around her body like a towel, while talking on the phone. After she saw Brandon crawl into the bed, after kicking the door shut, he immediately pulled her close.

‘Who is it?’ He lipped, placing delicate kisses on her shoulder.

“Chris.” She said softly, but when her brother responded with a ‘What’ on the line, she realized how much louder she must have been speaking.

“Brandon says ‘Hey’” She ignored Chris' inquiry, then looked over at Brandon telling him
“Chris says, he came up with something on his turntables for one of the songs.”

“Sounds good.”

“At least one of you has been doing something productive” Claire commented, leading Brandon to comment

“What we were doing not too long ago was very productive if you ask me…”

They could both hear Chris protesting on the line while Claire hissed “You might as well have said it right into to the receiver, ass face!”

“Hatchet face.” he retorted

“Cocksmoker!”

“Firecrotch”

"What?" Claire busted out laughing “How the does that even make sense when i'm almost a brunette!”

Brandon shrugged elusively “I don’t know.”

“I won this round” she beamed.

“I wasn’t even trying” Brandon countered.

‘I’ll see you all later’ Chris interrupted ‘And tell Brandon his mom’s coming over for dinner.”

Claire turned, only to see Brandon nod his head “Got it.”

“K, see you then.” Claire told him with hanging up.

Brandon closed his eyes as he leaned back against the bed and pulled her body close to his.

One arm wrapped securely around her while the other turned her head so that she would face him.

“So what do we do from here?” Claire asked.

“Well…” he drew out a long sigh “We’ll start by taking shower, then after that, we’ll all take the next flight out of here and never look back--unless we have to tour here.”

She smirked, nodding lightly.

Soon though, he lapsed into silence, just watching her.

“What?”

“I know you probably don’t want me to say this, but-”

“You’re going to say it anyway.” she smiled, slightly anxiously.

“I think when we go home you should talk to Chris.”

Immediately, Claire’s stomach plummeted at the thought.

Nervously she pulled her legs up to her chest and did everything within her power not to make eye contact with him.

“You sure know how to ruin the mood, Boyd.”

“Here me out.” He advised “Imagine how betrayed he’s going to feel that the one person he loves the most didn’t tell him something so crucial.”

“Bullshit Brandon, you are just trying to cover your own ass.” She rolled onto her other side facing away from him. “You’re afraid that since you’ve been dragged into this, he’s going to be pissed at you because you knew almost the entire time and he’s probably going to think you were obligated to tell him or something.”

“Well, partially. But-”

“But nothing, Brandon"

In addition to being beautiful and warmhearted, Claire was also quick-tempered. In addition to being strong and brave, Claire was also willful and stubborn. She always had a quick wit and a ready laugh, but could also be a bit of a pain in the ass when she believed in her cause.

In Brandon's view, the positives outweighed the negatives.

Continuing, she told him "You wouldn’t believe the amount of time I’ve spent contemplating how to talk to him about it and how many times I’ve come so close to doing it, but backed out.”

“Why?” He asked sincerely when sliding his arm around to her spoon.

“Because, he’s Chris. It’ll hurt him more than it physically hurt me.” She felt his body tense up at her words, so soothingly Claire took his arm that was already draped over her body and placed a kiss on it, running her own hand over it gently.

“It seems so easy to say ‘just do it’ but thinking about the look on his face, and the way he’ll look at me afterward-I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

“Don’t say that” His deep voice rumbled out of his chest gently shaking against her. “You can always handle it. Always.”

Claire almost forgot how much of a good listener Brandon was. And she had a feeling that them switching roles was good for him. Personally, if she were in his shoes, she would have much rathered to comfort someone, other than having it being showered endlessly on her.

“I wouldn’t know where to begin, you know? He’s always been so honest with me. Even if he wouldn’t want to tell me something I would make him, because he always believed it would be a reciprocal thing. He’s going to think I couldn’t trust him enough when it has nothing to do with that.”

Finally, Brandon commented “It’s not like he’s just a mere friend, Claire. He’s your brother.”

Looking at him as if he had pointed the obvious, Brandon went on to finish “What I’m getting at is…you two are stuck with one another. So even if things don’t turn out well at first, you’ll have enough time to make him understand which I have a feeling he already will on the first try.”

“I guess.” Claire obliged, the fight leaving her with his last statement.

Her head full of golden brown curls rested comfortably over the rising and falling of Brandon’s chest.

Closing her eyes, Claire listened to Brandon’s steady breathing, for some reason it always brought her a sense peace.

But eventually, their peace was broken.

“Are you guys in there fucking again?” Mike abruptly asked through the door. “I don’t hear the shower running..”

Claire flinched at the sound of his voice, and a loud exasperated sigh could be heard on Brandon’s part.

“Shh” She pressed one of her fingers to his lips. “Maybe if we don’t say anything, he’ll go away.”

A small chuckle escaped his lips as her suggestion.

“We have to get going!”

Nothing.

“Hello!”

Nothing.

“If one of you don’t answer me, in the next-oh…5 seconds, I promise you that Mary will know about her daughter’s little pregnancy scare!”

“He wouldn’t…” Claire whispered to Brandon, immediately hearing Mike reply

“Oh, I would.”

“We have to get up anyway,” he exhaled, then told Mike the obvious. “You’re just talking out of your ass Einziger, now get away from our door.”

“I know, but at least I got you to respond. Now hurry up, I fucking hate the lines in there.”

“Go away.”

“I will, but make sure you keep any switchblades you might have picked up, at bay. I’m not about to go through that shit again.”

Claire looked up at Brandon, then burried her face into his chest laughing at the comment.

“I do like a good stabbing every now and then, but I will keep that in mind.”

When Mike’s faint chuckling was heard down the hallway, Brandon got out of bed mumbling “Asshole” under his breath.

“That’s good ol' Mike for ya.”

“Yeah” he muttered.

“Do you want to use the shower first?”

Looking at her as if appalled, Brandon asked “Woman, are you looking at the current state our world is in? David Suzuki would have a crying fit if he knew we weren’t trying to conserve our precious water; and that is why we will shower…together.”

“You conniving bitch.” Claire shook her head. A smile tracing her lips at how he almost had her persuaded with his going-green crusade only to fall right into one of his witty ruse.

The sound of his laughter was as musical as his singing. Playfully, she shoved her fists against his chest commenting “You’re no better than Mike” as he wrapped his strong arms aroud her.

“Whoa Whoa, that’s a pretty big statement. I am way better than Michael.” he smirked. “That man can be ruthless. I, at least have some compassion.”

“Key word: Some”

“I can prove you wrong…” He revealed between steamy kisses as she pressed into his skin.

“And how would you do that?”

“Follow me and you’ll see.” He whispered into her ear while his fingers gently skimmed her shoulders and sides.

The only response Claire could muster up, was to nod and follow his lead into the shower.

*~*

“I should have expected that.” Mike said, throwing his duffle bag over his shoulder as Brandon walked out of the bedroom entirely dressed with his hair dampened.

“You ready?” He had the nerve to ask.

“I’ve been ready throughout the entire time Cupca-”

Brandon gave him a look and instantly he remembered the agreement

“--Claire, was panting and moaning your name in that fucking shower like an animal in heat.”

Ignoring him, Brandon went back into the room momentarily, returning with his and Claire’s bags.

“While you were in there, the manager called to let us know there are some paparazzi outside the hotel.”

“Fucking great.” Brandon cursed just as Claire walked up to him.

“What?”

“Our friends are out there waiting.” he sighed.

Claire looked over at Mike, who clarified

“Paparazzi”

“Oh,” she nodded “Let me call to see if we can go out the back.”

“Already ahead of you, the taxi’s back there waiting.”

“Then let’s go.” Claire took hold of Brandon’s hand reassuringly.

**

Finally seated on the private jet Steve sent out of them, Claire’s mobile went off.

She pulled it out of her pocket and quickly opened it without giving the display screen a glance.

“Hello?”

“Hi stranger…”

Jolted by the voice, Claire now looked at the name staring back at her from her screen.

Giving Brandon, who was now on Mike’s laptop posting on their message board a reassuring smile, Claire got up from her seat moving to the back of the aircraft.

“Michael?”

He chuckled softly, if only for an instant returning her to the days before his abusive side
emerged.

“So not even a goodbye?” He asked.

Claire couldn’t find the words to respond, and she wondered why he sounded anything but upset.

With a rather defeated sigh, he continued “I guess I should have seen it coming, right?”

Yearning to ask him whether he was sure he dialled the right number, Claire decided to let things play out.

“I was meaning to tell you-I really was.” She truthfully told him.

“It’s okay, I deserve it. Just another classic case of you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”

Claire furrowed her eyebrows at what he was saying to her, she just couldn’t seem to grasp what was going on.

“Look, I heard what happened…and I’m glad Brandon was there for you that night--God only knows what would have went down if it were me in his place.”

Right away, Marissa’s words rang through her ears:

“I promised I’d let Michael handle you, but he’ll just have to understand.”

“Michael” Claire swallowed the lump forming at her throat; her voice coming out no louder than a whisper.

“Yeah?”

“Marissa said something to me that night, and if it’s one thing that you owe me-it’s to tell me the truth.”

“Okay, what is it?”

Claire hesitated before asking him, until he pressed once more.

“Come on C, tell me.”

If only he could have always spoken to her gently and caringly...if only...

Shaking the thought from lingering any longer in her mind, Claire told him.

“Before Marissa did it, she said she promised to let you handle me, but that you would just have to understand." Inhaling deeply, Claire went on to get to the point "When did you two speak- from the time when you met each other to the point where she would have made promises to you?”

Silence hung in the air on both lines as Michael struggled with what to say.

“She called me.” He plainly confessed. “I don’t know how she got my number, but she called one night telling me that you were getting too close to her boyfriend. I told her I‘d take care of it, just so she would lay off and leave you alone.”

Claire tried to figure out whether she believed his answer or not.

She had no reason to, but decided to take it for what it was worth and accept it.

“Listen to me” he changed the subject. “I called because I wanted to get something out”

“I’m listening.”

“I wanted to let you know, that I love you. No matter what happened or what will happen, I want you to remember that.”

“Michael don’t,”

Despite the slight confusion at what he meant by 'Will happen' Claire could feel the tears stinging her eyes at him now proclaiming something she had always wanted to hear from him.

“I accept the decision that you’ve made and whenever you’re ready, you can come by and get your things.”

“Thank you” she mustered out.

“Take care of yourself, C.”

With that he hung up.

Snapping her phone shut as well, Claire wiped her face of any tears that may have spilled and cursed under her breath at what just occured.

How could he do this to her? Just when she let go and put him in the past accepting him for the ungrateful bastard that he was, he just had to get all this out.

Pulling her hooded sweater over her head with half of it shielding her eyes, Claire cleared her throat as she walked out to where Brandon was now logging off the laptop and draped her body into his lap without a word, cuddling up close.

Instinctively his arms circled around her and his cheek rubbed against the top of her head while she formed herself against him.

He could sense something was wrong, and in that perfect moment brought himself to ask “Is everything okay?”

“Peachy.” she answered, leaving it at that.

It was becoming all too familiar for them to get into arguments whenever Michael made his presence known, leaving Claire to come to the conclusion that some things were better left unsaid. And for the entire flight, that was exactly what she did.

Sometimes though, she wondered if it was harder to put up with Michael’s erratic behaviour or Brandon trying to be a super hero and protect her from it?

*

Brandon didn’t need to lift the oversized hood from his girlfriends face to realize she had fallen asleep over an hour ago. But with half an hour of their flight left, he felt he had better ask what was lingering in his mind before they landed.

Long black eye lashes kissed the top of milky caramel cheeks, as Brandon’s heart fluttered at the perfect sight of the woman he never thought he could be able to call his own, after the many obstacles they had to endure.

Claire inhaled gently, feeling the disturbance of her hood being pulled back, but her eyes remained closed in sleep. After a few moments she stirred sheepishly at the feel of the back of Brandon’s fingers smoothing over her exposed cheek.

Though the move was difficult, Claire managed to force her eyelids to submit to her will and flutter open.

“Hey” He greeted softly.

“Hi.” Claire smiled briefly before sitting up and stretching out her arms, only to return to her position of being curled up on his lap.

“We have half an hour left.” Brandon informed her.

“Great, I hate being on these things anyway. So what’s up?” She peered up at him.

“I know the possibility of this sounded strange is quite high, but bear with me.”

She smirked at his plea, answering with a simple “Okay”

“When we get to the airport, would you mind if we took a detour and stayed at a hotel for the night?”

Claire raised her eyebrow slightly as the suggestion, “Sure, but how come?”

“I don’t want to deal with the donations of sympathy or being asked how I’m feeling or anything like that right now. If I go home, I'm more than certain that's exactly what is awaiting me. We’ll check out tomorrow morning, but tonight I just want it to be a peaceful evening with just the two of us.”

“No objections here."

Brandon smiled at her consent, before looking out the window and openly stating “I knew you‘d understand me, you always have.”

Touched by the simple sentence, Claire gently turned his face to face her own and kissed him before he could say a word. The kiss was sweet but powerful, something that they both needed. “I love you.”

“Wow, what did I do?” Brandon asked.

“Nothing” she smiled

“No, seriously. Tell me so I can do it again.” He turned quickly to the window, re-enacting his previous steps. But with no avail she playfully nudged him telling him to “Shut up.”

When the plane touched down and they gathered their belongings, Mike casually asked

“So where to from here?”

“Hilton Garden Inn”

“Why would you stay there?”

“Because I want cool off, just for one night anyway. I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon if anything.”

“Whatever helps, man” Mike nodded understandingly. “I don’t know where you are from this point on, but you know who to call if you need anything. Cupcake, same goes for you”

“Thanks” They embraced each other shortly before walking off the aircraft into two separate cars.

***
*

Hours passed after checking into the hotel, and Brandon finally found himself asleep.
Claire laid next to him, presently with her back facing in a deep slumber as well.

It was then that an agonized scream, cut through the air and sent panic slicing through her.

Almost falling from the bed, Claire glanced at the clock as she fumbled to sit up.

2am, it read.

She turned around to find him panting, his face scrunched with pain, sweat beading up on his brow and pouring down his cheeks.

Damned if she didn’t think he looked beautiful, anyway.

“Brandon? What’s going on?” she quickly jumped out of the bed to grab a clean washcloth from the linen closet as he sat on the edge of the mattress holding his head with one hand while
the other rested on his lap.

Dashing into the bathroom to soak it with cool water, Claire returned seconds later kneeling before him to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

“You’re fine, baby. Whatever it is, it's nothing we can’t handle.”

He stood up, walking past her to the window with some level of normalcy returning to him.

The definition of the toned muscles dipping down his torso was set in the spotlight of the moon with his cotton slacks opened precariously over his thin hips.

Claire decided to give him his space, taking a seat on the edge of the bed waiting until he was ready to say something.

Her gaze traveled over him from head to toe, examining him so intently that he could feel his pulse quickening with a certain panic.

“Stop staring at me.” He ordered, and Claire jerked her head back in surprise at his tone.

Obviously this was some sort of penance for his sins, Brandon thought, recalling the nightmare he had moments ago.

“Why are you pissed at me? I didn’t do anything.” Her gaze honed in on him.

“I don’t fucking know, just don’t.”

“Brandon-what the hell is wrong with you? What did you dream about?”

He ignored her questions, but she went on.

“Was it Marissa?”

He glanced at Claire. The mention of Marissa threw a barrier up between them as thick as a brick wall.

Brandon was tired of hearing about her or even having to rememeber her; that was why dreaming about her made things all the more agonizing for him.

In his dreams he had no control over his thoughts, and ultimately could not escape her.

“We’re back to this again?” There was a plaintive, fearful note in Claire's voice that brought his gaze to meet hers. Guilt cut through Brandon instantly at the way he was treating her.

“No” he promised, “I’m fine, It was just a fucked up dream, but now I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Claire still sounded infinitely patient with him.

His eyes filled with gratitude and warmth as his expression softened at her.

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“So I’m told” she rolled her eyes, knowing how he meant it but trying to lighten the situation.

With worry still evident on her face, Brandon walked over to Claire cupping her cheeks into his large hands and kissed her soothingly.

“I’m okay now. So get some rest, please? We’ve got a lot of things to do tomorrow.”

“Today..” she murmured, followed by a tired yawn.

“Today.” he corrected with a smile kissing her once more.

Although still unsettled, Claire decided to leave things for the morning. Until then, she would resign back to the bed allowing Brandon to run a hand through her hair, and stay with her until she succumbed to the slumber that awaited her.

When Claire's steady breaths could be heard, Brandon kissed her forehead once more before getting out of the bed and walking over to his duffle bag.

Unable to see what he was searching for in the dark corner of the room, he picked it up and placed it on the counter of the bathroom attached to their overnight bedroom.

Remerging from the bathroom, Brandon found himself walking behind the mini bar and retrieving a bottle of Jack Daniels before heading back to the florescent lit bathroom.

He gently placed it on the counter top to avoid waking Claire, and searched through his bag.

The pill’s hard casings clicked against the granite countertop like some sick tap-dance and Brandon cursed at the sound. He glanced out the bathroom door and into the bedroom, sighing in relief at the fact that Claire had not been roused from her sleep.

It was then that he noticed his wallet had fallen out somehow during quick transition.

Just as he stooped down to pick it up, he caught sight of a small edge to a picture sticking out from one of the compartments in his wallet.

Pulling it out unrecognizably, Brandon soon came to realize that he was now holding a picture of Marissa.

It was during the second month they began dating and decided to stop at a photo-booth after a movie.

He had the first two pictures, and she was in possession of the other two.

Eyes crossed, and tongues sticking were the first poses seen, and the second consisted of a simple smile, as his arms lingered securely around her waist while she sat on his lap.

Brandon crumpled it up so that he wouldn’t have to see his smile or the radiance on Marissa’s face.

He had destroyed two lives that night, three if he counted his own worthless existence.

Marissa was dead and buried, but Claire as well as his own life had been devastated having been there throughout the entire ordeal.

A familiar knot formed in Brandon’s stomach, a familiar pain encircled his heart.

Popping the cap off the prescription pills he had been given no prescription for, Brandon scooped up the pink capsules washing them down with a chug straight out of the bottle.

The unaccustomed liquor burned his throat on the way down, but in the space of a heartbeat it sent a warm glow shimmering through him.

If one sip was good, two were better, and whole damned bottle promised oblivion.

He drank greedily waiting to forget,

waiting for relief from the unceasing anguish;

from the unending guilt.

TBC
- 22
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Teardrop In The Fire