Everything Has Changed

Twenty-Two

Claire drove back to Texas without any sleep. She was both mentally and physically exhausted but she had to get home. She drove through the cities watching the lights and listening to the traffic. She came up on a gas station and decided to stop off there to get some gas. She walked in and up to the clerk. "20 on five." She said handing her a twenty dollar bill. "Of course!" She said cheerfully and Claire walked out. Filling up her bike, she knew she'd have to go get the change but really didn't want to. No one could really blame her though, she just wanted to be home and see Jensen before he left.

She sighed and walked back into the station and back up to the clerk. "Here's $5.60 for ya! Hey, I've seen you from some- Oh my God! You're Claire Snow right?!" She squealed and Claire nodded her head in confusion. "That's me." She said with an awkward smile. "You're Jensen Ackles' fiance right?!" She asked and Claire nodded with a light laugh. "Yeah, yeah I am. Are you a fan of his?" She asked and the clerk nodded her head excitedly. 

Claire pulled out her phone and facetimed Jensen. "Hey baby! Where you at?" He answered and the clerk nearly lost it. "A gas station outside of Austin. There's someone I want you to meet though." She said handing the phone to the young excited clerk. "Oh my God! This is insane!" She shouted and Claire chuckled. "Hey sweetie, what's your name?" He asked kindly and the clerk flushed a shade of crimson. "Abby. I love you so much! I can't believe this is happening right now!" She said and Claire just smiled along with Jensen. "Well Abby, thank you for helping out my lovely Fiance. And I love you too." He said and she smiled even wider than she was before.

"No problem! She's really pretty!" She said and he chuckled. "I know right! She's amazing. But unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time on my hands. I got to catch a flight soon. So I'll see you later okay?" He said and she nodded and handed Claire her phone back. "Thank you Abby. Have a great day." Claire said walking out of the gas station and to her bike. "How much longer?" He asked and she smiled at him. "Only like twenty minutes I think. See you then. Love you." She said and hung up then got onto her bike and rode down the highway.

It did in fact only take Claire twenty minutes to get to Jensen's apartment. She walked up the stairs to his door and knocked. The door swung open and a happy Jensen flew out at her wrapping his arms around her. The moment she couldn't wait for. To be wrapped in his arms and to feel her heart skip beats. "Are you okay? Jesus Claire, what happened to your face? What's on it?" He came out with a whole bunch of questions. "Yes, I got into a small fight, and you don't want to know." She said looking him in the face taking him in. 

But when she closed her eyes, all she could see was Chadwick smiling at her. She stepped back from Jensen hitting the railing. He stepped forward grabbing her shoulders. "No, no! Get off me!" She yelled and punched him in the face. Jensen just wrapped his arms around her body and fell to the ground with her and pulled her into his lap. "Claire, it's me sweetheart. It's me. Calm down." He whispered into her ear as she kicked and wailed. 

But at his words, she soothed. Breathing heavily, she turned around to face Jensen. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She asked putting her hand to the red spot on his jaw that would soon turn to a bruise. "I'll be fine. What happened to you?" He asked. When she had gotten back he noticed it. She looked different in the eyes as if she was disappointed, she even held herself and talked different. "Nothing, just give me time, I'll be back to normal. Let's get inside." She said standing up and holding out her hand for Jensen.

He took it hesitantly and she helped him up. "I have a few hours before I have to go. Let's get you showered up and we can eat something yeah?" He asked and she just nodded. She was broken beyond repair. Her mother had just been murdered by her own methods, she went to jail for 3 1/2 years and she just had to kill someone who was very close to her. She went to a place she swore to herself she would never go again. "Okay, come on. Let's get you cleaned up." Jensen said and guided her through his apartment and into his master bathroom. 

She did in fact need a shower. She was still covered in Chadwick's dried blood. Her muscles ached like she had just run around the world. She was emotionally drained and Jensen saw that. He turned on the warm water then stripped Claire of her clothes. She was completely absent. But, when she was in nothing but her bra and underwear, she collapsed onto Jensen and he caught her, she was trembling and crying. He pulled her onto the toilet in his lap and he held her close. 

"Shh, it's going to be okay. I'm right here for you." He whispered while running his hands through her hair. When she calmed down slightly, he stood her up and took off the rest of her clothes and his then, he put both himself and Claire into the shower. He grabbed a washcloth from the towel rack and wetted it then put some body wash on it. He turned her to face him then he smiled at her. Jensen rubbed the towel gently on her face wiping the unknown substance to him off of her face.

When she was turned around, he looked at her back and saw all of the scars that covered her. From head to toe, she was covered in all kinds of scars and don't forget tattoos. He had never noticed that she had a sleeve of tattoos and had some on her back. Little tics actually, like tally marks. He wondered what those were but he focused on the task at hand. 

When he was done washing her up, he turned off the water and got her out. Wrapping a towel around her and himself, he grabbed her hand and walked them out of the bathroom. "All your stuff is at my house. I have some clothes you can wear if you want." He said carefully. "Uh, yeah. Whatever works." She said quietly. Her phone in her pants started to ring and Jensen grabbed it out. FOUR ran across the screen. He sighed but knew that he was her family. 

He handed her the phone and she answered. "Hey Four." She said timidly. "Hey Claire. How are you doing?" He asked in a kind soft voice. "A lot better thanks to Jensen." She said smiling at him. "Jensen's there? Can I talk to him?" He asked and she thought for a moment before handing Jensen the phone. "Yeah." He answered pulling out some clothes for Claire. "I know that we don't get along but, please take care of her. Right now, she isn't in a good place. Do you have alcohol in your place?" He asked and Jensen furrowed his eyebrows. 

"Yeah, why?" He asked and Four sighed. "No time to really explain. Just get it out of there." He said and Jensen had to take him seriously. "Okay, done. Talk to you later Four. Thanks for checking up on her." Jensen said closing a drawer. "No problem. Thank you for taking care of her. Don't judge her for what she tells you." Four said and hung up.