Out Of Control!

[aejdude]

That's better.

[Lilone]

Chapter 14

“Hey, there you are …” Clare came into the house and found Pete just sitting on the sofa staring into space, and Sally watching over him. “I told McGrath I was leaving early.”

“I’ll, uh, leave you guys to it,” Sally said quietly.

“Thanks, Sal,” Clare said appreciatively. Sally nodded and left, shooting a worried glance at Peter before leaving. He hadn’t moved in ages. Clare sat down beside him and sighed heavily, draping her arm around his shoulder.

“It still doesn’t seem real, does it?” she said softly. “One minute he was here, the next …”

“He’s lying in a hospital bed going cold after driving off the road because he wasn’t paying attention,” Peter finished dully. “Yeah, I know. And it’s all my fault.”

“What?!” Clare exclaimed. “Pete, you can’t blame yourself for this! It was an accident.”

“He was speeding on a dangerous corner, Clare!” he exploded. He’d felt it coming since Rachel gave them the news, and Clare was going to get the brunt of it. But she just sat there and took it.

“He would never have sped on that road if we hadn’t had a fight! If I hadn’t come waltzing back in here like everything was rosy – he was suffering over what happened with Amanda as well! And I just came back and threw it in his face with you; no wonder he was so upset! I completely ignored his feelings, and now he’s lost his life for it!”

“Pete, none of this is your fault, okay? You have a right to be happy!”

“Yeah, at what price?!” he shouted. “Do I really look happy right now? My brother’s dead!”

“Nobody could have known that was going to happen,” she insisted. “You can’t blame yourself or it’ll destroy you. And Dan would have hated to see that happen.”

“You don’t know what Dan wanted – he was my brother; I knew him! You didn’t know him; you probably never even liked him! If it weren’t for you I might still have him!”

Clare was stricken by his words. She looked away from him, tears welling up in her eyes, but he didn’t move. He was frozen to the spot, as though he couldn’t believe what he had said. They stood there in silence for a few moments, and the door banged. Drew came into the room, still looking shell-shocked. Peter shot Clare a glance then turned to Drew.

“How are you?” he asked dully, and Drew half-shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he said hoarsely. “Numb, I guess. I can’t believe he’s gone. Just like that. I mean, he took care of me when I thought you were gone. Now he is.”

“Well, I don’t know why he had to go, mate, but we’ll find a way of getting through this. All of us, together – we’re a family, and … I don’t know, we’ll figure it out somehow.”

“It just seems like, everyone has someone to lean on,” Drew said. “I mean, you guys have each other; Leah has all her friends; Ryan and Amanda have one another …”

“You’ve got me, Drew,” Peter said. “And we’ll get there. Don’t think for a moment that just because Clare and I are together that you’re going to be second best.”

“He’s right,” Clare stepped in, surprising Peter. She shot him a look before going on. “I always knew your dad came with responsibilities, to you, and I respect that. I would never try and interfere with that. You’re always going to be the most important thing in his life, and I understand that. I just want to be a part of it, even if it’s a small part.”

“Oh, I reckon you mean more to him than a small part,” said Drew. Peter smiled weakly.

“Yeah, you do,” he said, meeting Clare’s eye. “We’re all in this together now. And that includes you, Clare.”

Drew smiled and excused himself, going to his room. When he left Peter went over to Clare and took her hands in his, looking into her eyes.

“That is, if you still want to hang around,” he said uncertainly, watching her.

“What, you reckon you’d get rid of me that easily?” she answered, smiling. He pulled her close to him and kissed her several times, and then she hugged him.

“I didn’t mean any of what I said,” he whispered, hoping she would forgive him.

“Hey, who can you vent to if not your girlfriend?” she answered softly.

“So I still have a girlfriend after everything I said to you earlier?”

“You definitely still have a girlfriend, as long as you don’t actually blame me for this.”

“No, of course I don’t – I don’t even know why I said that. I think I just wanted somebody to blame; some way of relieving some of my own guilt, I guess. I’m so sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Clare said, and she kissed him again. “I just want you to remember I’m here to help. I mean, if we’re going to be together, surely this is the kind of thing we ought to be working through as a couple? I mean, as a family, with Drew.”

“You’re absolutely right,” agreed Peter. “And I will talk to you from now on, I promise. I just … I can’t believe he’s really gone.”

Clare pulled Peter close to her as he broke down again, crying.

“Let it out,” she said softly, stroking his hair lovingly. “Just let it all out …”

“He was my brother,” he sobbed in her arms. “I loved him so much. I loved him …”

Promo:

How will Amanda feel about seeing Pete and Clare together?

Will Dan’s funeral cause more problems for the Baker family?

[aejdude]

Great chapter.

That was a bit mean of Peter, talking to Clare like that. Glad Clare forgave him.

That's nice Clare wants to help Peter form a stronger bond with Drew, they've come to realise it's not all fun and games knowing each other lol.

Wonder how Amanda will feel, probably angry lol.

Oh i wonder what Dan's funeral will be like?

[swfc]

Awwww, Clete are so cute. I love how they're all going to work to be a family unit. It's so adorable.

“You’ve got me, Drew,” Peter said. “And we’ll get there. Don’t think for a moment that just because Clare and I are together that you’re going to be second best.”

That practically melted my heart. I was just going awwww.... Finally he's taking his responsibilites seriously. It's so sweet.

Peter taking it out on Clare was, granted, harsh but he tends to take things out on all of his girlfriends when things go bad. The guy needs to seriously just take a chill pill and go for that holiday that he wanted to go so badly after Zoe.

Ooo, can't wait for Dan's funeral. I wonder if Kevin and Noelene will turn up and it'll be so awesome because there'll be more dramas.

[Mrs Bishop]

awsome chapter lil wonder if noleen will take it out on peter after all they do,nt get on

[*~Abi~*]

awww soooooooo sad poor pete and drew and leah and ry and vj well everyone really clare will be there to support pete and help him support the rest of his family

fab add hun

[Lilone]

Teaser:

Amanda’s heart began to feel like it was being ripped into pieces, seeing Peter with another woman is just heartbreaking, no matter what happened or what was said she still knew that the love she has for Peter wasn’t going away… anytime soon.

As Amanda and Ryan slowly walked on the beach Peter suddenly stopped further away looking in different directions until he caught sight of Amanda and Ryan, he put his head down and walked over to them. Ryan’s face brightened up as he ran over hugging his uncle, “Hey mate” Peter said hugging him tight.

[*~Abi~*]

aww at the teaser Ryan and Pete are so sweet together love this fic]

btw did u get my PM Lil??

[Mrs Bishop]

not fare with the tease lil

[aejdude]

Great teaser.

Poor Amanda in a way from her point of view it must be quite hard.

Can't wait for full chapter.