the_muses_stage prompt set 40.3.e [quote prompt]
e. Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts. -- Arnold Bennett
It was just another one of those times when Claire wished that her mother was in the village. Sandra would freak out but she would understand, in her own way. She would also take the usual position as ‘buffer’, just like she did every time there was an issue between Claire and her father.
But this time there was no Sandra Bennet to step between them if things went south. She wouldn’t be there to calm her daughter down or talk sense into her husband - ex-husband. That was something Claire had trouble remembering because she didn’t want to face the destruction of her family but it was really one of the last things on her mind as she stood outside her dad’s hotel room. She didn’t care how awkward it might have been with her mother there, she just wanted her.
Unfortunately, all the wishing in the world didn’t seem to bring her mother to her side and Claire knew that she had to do this on her own.
Lifting a hand, she tried to ignore the slight tremble that ran up her arm as she knocked loudly. Perhaps a little too loudly but it was probably the nerves behind it all that pushed a little more strength into the announcement that someone was at Noah Bennet’s door.
“Claire?” Noah arched a brow at his blonde daughter as he pulled open the door, looking torn between curiosity and concern. It wasn’t unusual that she was showing up at his door but he knew how to read her, he knew when there was something bothering her and right now it definitely looked like something was bothering her. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to talk.” She pushed the breath out as she slipped past him, not quite meeting his gaze.
The concern he felt only grew as he shut the door behind her, turning to face her as he glanced quickly over his hotel to make sure there wasn’t a mess for her to notice. He wasn’t used to living on his own, at least not when it wasn’t in a hotel room somewhere. When he was satisfied that his home didn’t look like a complete disaster, he focused on her with a sharp gaze once more. There was definitely something wrong, especially in the way she was standing. Claire always had a way of standing with her back straight, like she was trying to appear taller than she was, but now she looked like she was trying to fold in on herself. Her shoulders were slumped just a bit and he noticed that her hair was pulled into a haphazard bun that rested against the nape of her neck. Clearly she had rushed over as soon as she thought he was awake.
“What do you need to talk about?” He asked, trying to act more casual than he felt at the moment. He didn’t know why but now he was tense.
“Just...something.” Claire had no idea how to start the conversation. Or was it a confession now? Wetting her lips, she shifted her weight a little as she turned to face him while watching him nervously.
“Did something happen, Claire?” He took her shoulders into his hands as he got closer, searching her eyes for some kind of answer.
“Well, kind of?” It wasn’t exactly a lie because something had happened and in a few months, even more would. Drawing in a slow breath to steady herself, and to calm her nerves, she looked at his collarbone instead of meeting his gaze directly. “There’s something you need to know. I know you’re going to be disappointed but I was...we didn’t mean for it to happen.”
As she stumbled over her words, Noah felt a slight chill run down his spine. “Claire, are you pregnant?” It wasn’t exactly a question he wanted to ask his daughter but the very real possibility that she could be made it a necessary question. She had a serious boyfriend after one, a man that she lived with, and he wasn’t stupid enough to believe they weren’t intimate with each other. Especially since he knew they were sharing a bed.
Even though she knew her father was a smart man, it was still a surprise when the words flew out of his mouth and so her gaze snapped to his as she sucked in a sharp breath. No words were needed after that because he could see it in her eyes what the answer was. So it was useless for her to finally nod when she did because he knew his daughter was in fact pregnant.
“I see.” He murmured dumbly, still unsure of what to say. His first instinct was to tell her no but he couldn’t really suggest the only other option there was to keeping the baby. His next instinct was to find her boyfriend and to throttle the young man. Or shoot him. But he had a feeling that Claire wouldn’t appreciate the idea and he didn’t really want a fight at the moment. Especially when her eyes were filling with tears and she was pushing herself into his arms.
“I’m sorry.” The words caught on a broken little sob as she buried her face in his chest, clinging to him tightly.
“Well, it’s not like you were planning this.” He hesitated for a moment. “Right?”
“No.” She shook her head strongly, shooting down his fear that she had somehow gotten pregnant on purpose because the idea of having a baby with a loved one was somehow appealing. He knew what young love could be like after all. “No, we weren’t planning on this.”
“Good.” He smoothed a hand over her hair, trying to give her some comfort. “Does Galen know?”
“Yes.” He could tell the news hadn’t gone over very well from the way her gaze darted away from meeting his. Maybe now he would have to beat the young man for upsetting her.
Feeling somewhat unsure of himself, a feeling that he hated, Noah frowned as he continued to hold her close. “It’ll be okay.” He murmured, feeling it was the only true sentiment he could make at the moment. He didn’t know how but he would make it okay.
Claire wanted to believe him but she wasn’t so sure it would be at the moment. She had no idea what was coming next but, at the moment, it didn’t feel there was a lot of promise for a bright future.
[Noah Bennet is im_exhibita, and is obviously used with permission.]
It was just another one of those times when Claire wished that her mother was in the village. Sandra would freak out but she would understand, in her own way. She would also take the usual position as ‘buffer’, just like she did every time there was an issue between Claire and her father.
But this time there was no Sandra Bennet to step between them if things went south. She wouldn’t be there to calm her daughter down or talk sense into her husband - ex-husband. That was something Claire had trouble remembering because she didn’t want to face the destruction of her family but it was really one of the last things on her mind as she stood outside her dad’s hotel room. She didn’t care how awkward it might have been with her mother there, she just wanted her.
Unfortunately, all the wishing in the world didn’t seem to bring her mother to her side and Claire knew that she had to do this on her own.
Lifting a hand, she tried to ignore the slight tremble that ran up her arm as she knocked loudly. Perhaps a little too loudly but it was probably the nerves behind it all that pushed a little more strength into the announcement that someone was at Noah Bennet’s door.
“Claire?” Noah arched a brow at his blonde daughter as he pulled open the door, looking torn between curiosity and concern. It wasn’t unusual that she was showing up at his door but he knew how to read her, he knew when there was something bothering her and right now it definitely looked like something was bothering her. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to talk.” She pushed the breath out as she slipped past him, not quite meeting his gaze.
The concern he felt only grew as he shut the door behind her, turning to face her as he glanced quickly over his hotel to make sure there wasn’t a mess for her to notice. He wasn’t used to living on his own, at least not when it wasn’t in a hotel room somewhere. When he was satisfied that his home didn’t look like a complete disaster, he focused on her with a sharp gaze once more. There was definitely something wrong, especially in the way she was standing. Claire always had a way of standing with her back straight, like she was trying to appear taller than she was, but now she looked like she was trying to fold in on herself. Her shoulders were slumped just a bit and he noticed that her hair was pulled into a haphazard bun that rested against the nape of her neck. Clearly she had rushed over as soon as she thought he was awake.
“What do you need to talk about?” He asked, trying to act more casual than he felt at the moment. He didn’t know why but now he was tense.
“Just...something.” Claire had no idea how to start the conversation. Or was it a confession now? Wetting her lips, she shifted her weight a little as she turned to face him while watching him nervously.
“Did something happen, Claire?” He took her shoulders into his hands as he got closer, searching her eyes for some kind of answer.
“Well, kind of?” It wasn’t exactly a lie because something had happened and in a few months, even more would. Drawing in a slow breath to steady herself, and to calm her nerves, she looked at his collarbone instead of meeting his gaze directly. “There’s something you need to know. I know you’re going to be disappointed but I was...we didn’t mean for it to happen.”
As she stumbled over her words, Noah felt a slight chill run down his spine. “Claire, are you pregnant?” It wasn’t exactly a question he wanted to ask his daughter but the very real possibility that she could be made it a necessary question. She had a serious boyfriend after one, a man that she lived with, and he wasn’t stupid enough to believe they weren’t intimate with each other. Especially since he knew they were sharing a bed.
Even though she knew her father was a smart man, it was still a surprise when the words flew out of his mouth and so her gaze snapped to his as she sucked in a sharp breath. No words were needed after that because he could see it in her eyes what the answer was. So it was useless for her to finally nod when she did because he knew his daughter was in fact pregnant.
“I see.” He murmured dumbly, still unsure of what to say. His first instinct was to tell her no but he couldn’t really suggest the only other option there was to keeping the baby. His next instinct was to find her boyfriend and to throttle the young man. Or shoot him. But he had a feeling that Claire wouldn’t appreciate the idea and he didn’t really want a fight at the moment. Especially when her eyes were filling with tears and she was pushing herself into his arms.
“I’m sorry.” The words caught on a broken little sob as she buried her face in his chest, clinging to him tightly.
“Well, it’s not like you were planning this.” He hesitated for a moment. “Right?”
“No.” She shook her head strongly, shooting down his fear that she had somehow gotten pregnant on purpose because the idea of having a baby with a loved one was somehow appealing. He knew what young love could be like after all. “No, we weren’t planning on this.”
“Good.” He smoothed a hand over her hair, trying to give her some comfort. “Does Galen know?”
“Yes.” He could tell the news hadn’t gone over very well from the way her gaze darted away from meeting his. Maybe now he would have to beat the young man for upsetting her.
Feeling somewhat unsure of himself, a feeling that he hated, Noah frowned as he continued to hold her close. “It’ll be okay.” He murmured, feeling it was the only true sentiment he could make at the moment. He didn’t know how but he would make it okay.
Claire wanted to believe him but she wasn’t so sure it would be at the moment. She had no idea what was coming next but, at the moment, it didn’t feel there was a lot of promise for a bright future.
[Noah Bennet is im_exhibita, and is obviously used with permission.]