WITHOUT

Holy Terror.

Clark stood by the door.   Ethan was to take his place with me. She and Benton were just keepers, care-takers of sorts.    Exie had been taken in by the mansion, Bell was doing an excellent job with her.     Clark stood tall (Small nod to herself) all was heading in it's planned direction.     Clark and Benton had put me through various Q&A sessions.    I had taken the challenge, and passed.

Ethan was standing by the window, he kept tapping the glass...Then, he'd stop.    Clark watched him, then grasped when he made a fist - And smashed it right through the window.     She shot right into the room, grabbed his arm - Was about to shake the living daylights out of him (Such a badly behaved boy. So utterly wicked!)

But, she held his arm tight....Looked right at Ethan, deep within his eyes.    He was a mixture of anger and complete distress.   Neither emotion could take it's place to how he really felt.    He tried to speak, but all that came out was a deeply pained moan.    Clark held his now dripping watery red hand (His blood was instantly going brown and dark on impact to the light)

Ethan hadn't registered the wound to his hand (That was just mere scratch to him)   It was the pain he felt inside his chest, that was hurting him even more.    Clark quickly ripped off her apron, wrapped it tightly around Ethan's hand - Removed him from the window area (Snapped her fingers at servants that just appeared, to clean up immediately)

She slowly took Ethan to a couch, told him..."Your just so wicked.  What am I going to do with you!   Evil boy.."

Ethan looked at her through tear-strained eyes..."Keep.   No hitting.   Sorry..."     He reached his good hand towards her.

"...So, your telling me what to do now!   To not punish you?   To not make you understand, windows are for looking through - Not breaking?   Are you in charge, not me?.."      Clark tried to keep her words formal, stern...And hard sounding.    Servants were watching/listening.   But, the look on his face was melting her, breaking her like ice.

Ethan inched closer, squeezed her fingers.

"Outside.  You.   Leave...Me.   Stop you.."       Ethan kept sniffing, and swallowing.    Clark's cold heart knew exactly what he was trying to say.    As much as he feared her at times....He would always try to please her, sit close.    The smallest of gestures that children use to gain just one thing.    She had done it with her mother.    

# No matter how many times her mother hit her, chased her around their small village home. Her mother never hit hard - She always let her mother catch her.   They would always hugged each other tight. Because one day, they would be ripped apart. #

Ethan wanted love.   He had my heart, but he wanted Clark to make him hers.

Suddenly there were cold arm around him, pulling him into a hug.    Chilled fingers were rubbing his back....A quiet voice was telling him.."You are good hearted. You are strong. You belong to her, but....Your in my heart. Locked tight.."

A hand cupped his head, another stayed at his back.  Ethan put both his hands in his lap. Clark rested Ethan against one of her shoulders.

"I would never leave you. I need to see if your being wicked!.."     Clark made a small tutting sound.    Ethan just grinned to himself.

••~%~%~••

Clark slowly stood, again straighten her clothing...Looked over to a near by window. She was going to have to go outside. Out into the world, a place she had stopped going to....Her and Benton once took late night walks, stalked the local streets. Maybe they would stop at one of those "Cafe" places (The living so loved)