Hold On

Clary looked at the clock anxiously as she shifted her weight again. 6:05. Valentine would be home in another five minutes or so. She had baked chicken in the oven and green beans on the stove, now if the rice would just set up everything would be done. With a sigh Clary filled another pot with water and put it on the stove.

The sound of the police car came up the drive way and Clary heard the door slam shut. Slightly alarmed Clary lifted up the lid to the rice and stirred it up, relief flooded through her as she saw that all the extra water was gone. Quickly grabbing pot holders, Clary opened the oven and got the chicken out and placed it on the stove just as the front door slammed shut.

The jingle of car keys being placed on their hook by the door was soon followed by her father's footsteps as he made his way to the kitchen. Clary turned to smile at her father as he walked through the door way and was secretly relieved when she saw his eyes weren't as dark as they usually were when he got home.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Valentine sank into his chair at the table.

"Baked chicken, green beans, and rice." Clary responded as she started putting food on her father's plate and brought it to him. It was simple, but it was one of her father's favorites.

"Good girl." Valentine said with a smile as he dug into his dinner. Clary continued to check the water on the stove that had yet to boil.

"Why don't you sit down, whatever is on the stove doesn't need your constant attention."

Turning down the stove she smiled and nodded and went to sit down across from her father. Her stomach growled a little but Clary ignored it, she would eat once her father was in the living room watching the tv.

"Done? Or would you like more?" Clary got up as she noticed her father's plate was empty.

"I'm done." With that her father got up and went to the fridge, grabbed a couple beers, and then made his way to the living room.

Clary could hear the television come on as she placed her father's dishes into the sink. Turning to the stove she cursed under her breath as she saw that the water was about to boil over. She turned the heat down even more and put in the noodles that were to be her father's lunch tomorrow. Looking at the chicken made her stomach growl and Clary put a little rice and green beans on her own plate. Once she was done eating she dished up all of the leftover food and put it into the fridge.

Clary heard her father laugh as she stirred the noodles on the stove and turned the burner back up a little. Turning around, Clary jumped as she saw her father standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a hard look on her face.

"Didn't you hear me calling, you?" Valentine's voice was gruff and just has hard as his eyes, which were on the verge of being a little blood shot.

"I'm sorry, I didn't." Clary gulped.

"Maybe you should clean your ears out that or listen better."

"Yes, sir." Clary said, hoping to appease him a little.

Valentine eyed the dishes and looked at her. "Why haven't you done the dishes yet?"

"I was waiting to get done with you lunch."

Her father's eyes flashed and Clary's heart sank a little. "Don't make excuses, girl." Before Clary knew it he was standing right by her and his hand slapped down across her face, hard. She took a step back but Valentine grabbed a handful of her shirt and pulled her closer to him just for him to shove her to the ground.

Clary took a breath in and look up at her father, forcing herself not to jump up and run to her room. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it when she saw her father's eyes were blazing in rage. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her father pick up the pot from the stove and before she could move she felt the intense heat come down on her legs.

A gasp slipped out of her mouth as her legs felt like they were being cooked. The sound of the pan hitting the floor caused Clary to look up at her father again and saw that the rage in his eyes had been replaced with shock. She saw her father swallow and take a step back as he looked down on her.

"Clary," her father's voice was weak and Clary knew that he was back to himself.

Not knowing what to say Clary just looked on as she saw her father run to put his shoes back on and grab the car keys before coming back to pick her up in his arms and go to his truck.

This is just a little bit to my next story. I'm not going to do much with it until I'm done writing Love Story, but I've had this idea for a while and I couldn't wait any longer to start on it.