Our Time of Need

Chapter 1: 2 AM

Night had set in several hours ago and Clara had settled into sleep so easily it was a strange fortune. The past few days had been so stressful for the young music student that she had spent every night tossing and turning. Mornings would always find her in a mood that while not foul certainly was not her usual cheerfulness. Getting to rock in the lull of dreamland was probably the sweetest sensation the organ player could have felt, but of course such sweet tranquility had to be broken; it was too much goodness for the girl to hold onto for long.

Ring! . . . Ring! . . . Ring!

The cordless phone on the girl's nightstand began to blast its agitating call, a moan eliciting from the stirring form in bed. Half competent grumblings about her dream and being woken up hardly pierced the loud ringing; Clara's dainty hand slipped out from under the covers to reach the aggravating device. She fumbled grabbing hold of it several times before her hand finally connected with the phone, she lifted it and sat up in bed, a long yawn following her putting the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" the rudely awoken student breathed into the phone, her free hand rubbing sleep out of her right eye and then left.

"Clara? It's me Sonia..." the girl on the other end murmured into the phone, her voice was shaky and hesitant. Clara's eyes opened just a bit at hearing it was her friend and the state she was in, but whatever was the matter did not stop the next sentence from crossing her lips.

"Sonia? Why are you calling at... two in the morning?" Agitation was clear in the organist's voice as she resettled herself in a more comfortable seated position.

"I-I'm sorry, I know it's late. I-It's just..." the sound of her crying could be heard on the other end and a pang of guilt hit the music student's stomach. Sure it was late, but she had heard how frazzled her friend was when she first spoke; she should have been a little more easy with her tone. But... then again it was the middle of the night.

"H-Hey. What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Clara's response was immediately softer and more comforting than her tone had been previously. More crying came through the phone, followed by a large sniff and the sound of tissues being pulled from their container. "Sonia?" Now it was Clara's turn to murmur with great hesitance in her voice, worry causing a frown on her forehead; what was wrong with her friend?

"N-No... I'm... Clara... could I possibly come over?" her response was raked with a sob and another round of sniffling. Her breathing was heavy and she sounded like she was on the verge of breaking down entirely.

"Yeah, of course." Clara instantly replied, pulling the covers off her body and turning her body to get out of the bed. "Do you need me to come get you?" she added thoughtfully, knowing that Sonia's apartment was rather far away and that the girl did not have her own means of transportation other than walking.

"N-No. I'm only a couple minutes away." came the sobbing girl's response, the sound of her shuffling around wherever she was following.

"Okay I'll just-"

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Another voice, this one particularly male and angry was also heard over the phone, causing Clara to flinch just a bit. She certainly had not been expecting it.

"Sonia? Who's that?"

"O-O-Out, Chris. I-I-I need some fresh air." Sonia ignored Clara's questioning and the phone line went dead, the dialing tone playing in constant loop. The previous frown on her forehead deepened and she hit the off button on the phone, placing it back in the holder as it had been prior to the call. As soon as it was back in its place, the organist grimaced, not liking the sound of the other person who had been yelling at her crying friend.

Sonia had said his name was Chris? At first thought Clara did not recognize the name and she had no idea who he was, but after quickly looking back over her last conversation with the future social worker, Clara ended up scowling. Sonia had mentioned a Chris, and while it had been many months since she met the man, Clara particularly remembered he had been an inconsiderate jerk. The fact that Sonia and he were dating then registered in her mind and Clara felt blood begin to boil in her core. Why the hell was he talking to his girlfriend like that?

Forcing the anger down as far as she could, Clara's pace quickly picked up. She was not perfectly sure where he lived, but she intended to find out and go get Sonia. Though she had not gotten to hear the man's response, there was little doubt in the music student's mind that he would not be letting her leave by herself. With that in mind, Clara was pulling off her sleepwear and was hastily switching into a comfortable pair of sweats when she heard her cell go off. She dashed over to it and picked it up, not even needing to look at the caller id to know it was Sonia again, the first sound to meet her being a stifled sob.

"Clara? I-I actually do need you to come pick me up." her voice came out in a trembling whisper, dressed with sobs and hitched breaths.

"Already on it, don't worry. Where are you?"

"The apartment complex on the corner of 44th and 8th, room 322; just across campus."

"Got it, on my way." Clara said reassuringly before closing the phone and slipping it into her pocket. Grabbing her keys from her nightstand, Clara dashed out the door and over to her car. It was a very short drive and an even shorter walk up to the correct floor and room. With no Sonia in sight, Clara knocked on the door with a slightly more forceful manner than normal, crossing her hands over her chest as she heard a man groan before getting up and going to answer the door.

It swung open revealing a man in an old t-shirt and pajama bottoms, his black hair was disheveled and the scowl on his face deepened when he saw her. "Who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing her at two fifteen in the morning?"

Clara's lips pursed into a tight line, her posture going rigid as she took the man she assumed to be Chris in. "My name's Clara, and I'm pretty sure you know why I'm here." she clipped out, her own frown settling on her face as she readjusted her stance.

"Oh really?" he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest himself.

"Yes, really." Clara responded rather smoothly, just the slightest hint of malice in her voice. She once more readjusted her stance, only this time it was to get a better look at the inside of the apartment. In the very back she could barely make out the long silvery hair and sobbing form of her friend. "Sonia! I'm here, let's go." she added raising her voice so that the crying girl could hear her.

"Uh, I don't think so." Chris responded as Sonia began to move, his tone threatening and authoritative. Sonia shuddered and halted in place; Clara felt her blood begin to boil again, her hands moving from her chest to her hips.

"You 'don't think so'? Excuse me, but she has the right to leave when she wants. Now I suggest you move and let her out." her voice was now biting, her tone harsher than it had been previously.

"And what if I don't bitch?" he replied instantly, his tone matching hers with special emphasis on the final word of his retort. Clara's eyes widened just a tad, the anger in her veins bursting as she responded with not words but actions. Faster than she had expected of herself, the music student's foot collided with Chris' own only for her to punch him in the exposed gut. She must have held some amount of strength in her form, or possibly it was adrenaline, as the irritating man was knocked back just enough. The few moments he took to reclaim his lost composure gave Sonia just enough time to rush through the doorway and behind her 'savior'.

"Thank you, kindly." Clara bit back quickly before turning on her heels and grabbing Sonia's arm. Her from was strong as she made an average pace away, but after several steps she grew a little... anxious? She did not know if he would come after them and as such it was not long before the organist was dragging the sobbing girl in a semi-run from the building to her car.

Chris did not follow them however, and the two were left to face the half silence of after midnight. Clara had wanted to say something, anything, to calm her friend down in the car but nothing that would help came to mind. Her right hand instead rested on the quivering girl's arm and she let her cry herself out. Explanations could come when they were settled in the organist's apartment, when everything was a little more tranquil.

- - - - - - - - - -

This is a very short, non-canon fic which was inspired by Anna Nalick's song Breathe (2 AM). I believe we're looking at two, maybe three chapters. Who knows though, I might end up getting a couple more ideas and turn it into a full story.