Face Down

Summary: Clare and KC broke up and Clare is now dating another guy. What happens when this guy is abusive? Can KC help her?

Disclaimer: If I owned Degrassi, I'd have a mansion by the sea in the Carribean and many, many cabana boys and men with hot accents. I do however own the character of Jared Waterhaven.

Warnings: Physical abuse, language.

KC Guthrie watched through narrowed eyes as his ex-girlfriend, Clare Edwards took a seat next to her new boyfriend Jared Waterhaven. He didn't like the guy. He certainly didn't trust him and he didn't think that Jared was good enough for a girl as beautiful and special as Clare. And yet, it really wasn't his place to say anything. He and Clare weren't together anymore.

Hey girl you know you drive me crazy

One look puts the rhythm in my hand

Still I'll never understand why you hang around

I see what's going down

His heart clenched painfully in her chest when Clare looked up and met his eyes. He was taken aback by how pale she was and the dark circles under her blue, blue eyes. He was sure that he could see a very faint purple mark that appeared to be covered by makeup, going down under her blouse. He suspected it, he suspected that, that little prick abused her and yet he really couldn't prove it. He was sure that she covered up with makeup, anything to hide her dirty little secret because she thought that she deserved it or she didn't want anyone knowing that she was what she considered weak because she couldn't fight him. He could see something pass in her eyes as he stared right at her, something he really couldn't make out. It was like she wanted to flee from where she sat with Jared and rush over to her old table and sit beside KC. He was broken from his thoughts by Alli's voice beside him.

"It's disgusting isn't it?" The dark haired girl asked, flipping back her long mane of hair and wrinkling her nose at Jared and the way he pulled a reluctant Clare closer. The possessive ass.

KC blinked in confusion. "What do you mean."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." She said, dropping her spoon and staring at him pointedly. "You can see how possessive that creep is of her. Not to mention he throws a hissy fit whenever Clare hangs with us."

"You think he's abusing her?" He asked, swallowing hard. Perhaps he wasn't the only one who noticed the change in Clare's demeanor since she had begun dating Jared a few weeks ago.

Alli shrugged and sighed sadly. "I don't really know so I can't say. It's just...something isn't right. I don't trust Jared and I don't think he is healthy for a girl like Clare."

"You noticed too." KC muttered.

"Kinda hard not to when he acts as if he would yell at her for talking to us, it's like he believes he owns her. Plus, remember a few days ago when Connor touched her shoulder in Media Immersion? She jerked away and had tears on her face. That isn't normal. It's as if she thought that she was going to be hit." She stated seriously as she licked her spoon and sat it back on her tray. Her dark eyes held disgust, sadness, and worry. All the emotions that he was sure that his held.

Cover up with make up in the mirror

Tell yourself it's never gonna happen again

You cry alone and then he swears he loves you

Clare felt Jared's arm tighten around her as he caught her and KC staring at one another. His hot breath touched her ear as he whispered. "Quit staring at him Clare. You are my girlfriend. That means I own you. Every part of you. You remember what I did a few days ago when I caught you talking to him, don't you? hmm?"

She took in a heavy breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Of course she remembered. He'd grabbed her by the arm and had twisted it behind her back as he'd whirled her around to face him. When she wouldn't look at him, he'd wrapped one of his hands around her throat, leaving bruises that she'd had to cover with foundation. "I'm sorry." She whimpered, eyes flickering open to glare into his cold concrete-like ones. "I promise not to look at him again." Her voice was shaky and she hated it. She hated what she was becoming, hated sounding weak and pathetic. She couldn't believe that she was letting a guy control her like this. Couldn't believe that she hadn't made a move to tell anyone.

When she got home that evening, she immediatly went to her room and slammed the door shut, falling against it as it closed. She cried, letting her emotions run free. Soon her mother and father would be home and would be calling her for dinner. Jared told her he loved her. He put on the presentation of the perfect guy infront of her parets and she knew that they liked him better than they'd ever liked KC and she resented that. How could they not realise that Jared was putting on a show? How could they not realise how horribly he treated her? How could they be so clueless? If she had someone there for her, she thinks she'd have the strength and courage to dump Jared. And yet she was all alone.

Do you feel like a man

When you push her around

Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground?

Well I'll tell you my friend, one day the world's going to end

As your life crumbles down, a new life she has found

KC didn't know what made him do it. He really didn't. He knew that he wasn't supposed to get in fights or cause trouble or he'd be sent to juvvie but where Clare was concerned rational behavior didn't matter. No girl deserved to live in fear of being beaten by a guy who told them they loved them, especially not Clare Edwards. He saw Jared sitting there on the log in the Ravine and moved with purpose torwards him. Grabbing him by the arm and pulling him up, he got right up in his face. "I know what you do to Clare. I see the way she behaves around you. Do you really think she will stay? One day, she will leave you. She will find someone who deserves her. Someone who isn't you." He pratically snarled, nose to nose with Jared.

The other young man laughed maliciously. "I'm not doing anything wrong. Clare is my property. I am in charge of her. I own her. I can do whatever I want to that little bitch."

KC couldn't take it anymore as he lifted his hand to punch the boy infront of him. How dare he say that about Clare? How dare he hurt her.

Someone grabbed him around the wrist quickly. "No KC. Don't. You'll be sent to Juvie if you do that." The voice said softly.

He whirled around, tears of anger streaking down his cheeks. He was met with the big blue eyes that belonged to one person. Clare. He licked his lips and swallowed hard, opening his mouth to speak once more. "If you wait around Clare. If you don't get help. If you don't tell someone, he could kill you." His voice held an honesty that made her eyes go wide. Good. She needed to get it. She needed to realise that she deserved better. He wasn't going to let what happened to his mother, happen to the girl he was in love with. He wasn't!

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect

Every action in this world will bear a consequence

If you wait around forever you will surely drown

I see what's going down

I see the way you go and say your right again,

Say your right again,

Heed my lecture

A choked sob escaped Clare's lips and KC did the only thing he could do, he wrapped her in a hug. She clung to him desperately as if he were her lifeline in a choppy sea. Her tears soaked his shirt but he barely noticed.

Do you feel like a man

When you push her around?

Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground?

Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end

As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

(Screaming)

One day she'll tell you she has had enough

It's coming around again

Do you feel like a man

When you push her around?

Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground?

Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end

As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

Clare felt someone yank her forcefully by the arm out of KC's embrace. She heard the gasps around her as she was tossed to the ground, her hands getting cuts on them as she held them out so she could protect her face. "This doesn't hurt." She said, repeating those three little words over and over in her soft voice as she stood to her feet, blood dripping from the heels of her hands.

Face down in the dirt!

She said, "This doesn't hurt!"

She said, "I've finally had enough!"

As he made another threatening move torwards her, she jerked away. "You aren't going to hurt me anymore Jared. I've finally had enough. I'm not going to take it anymore." She said in a deadly calm way, eyes completely focused on him. "We are over. Maybe you'll realise your mistakes, maybe not. But I'm not going to be around for you to push me around." And with that she turned and smiled up at KC, taking his hand in her's.

KC smiled back and slid his arm around her waist protectively as they turned away from Jared, walking out of his life, not watching as Reese, Declan, Johnny and the other guys and girls in the Ravine moved torwards him threateningly. He wasn't their problem anymore. Clare was safe. She'd finally had enough.

End