Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BC character and I make no money off of this fiction.

Sorry it's been so long getting this up. I am working without internet at home for the moment and well this took more time than I anticipated to write. Thank you to everyone who followed me through this long strange journey, I hope you enjoy this last installment.

John and Claire got settled and thoroughly enjoyed their travel in the Ferrari. It was a little later than they were hoping to leave and they got stuck in traffic, but neither of them could really bring themselves to mind. It gave them a chance to just be together and on some level debrief the last 24 hours. John started before they were even on the highway. "Do you realize we were just leaving the pizza shop after school yesterday? It feels like it was a million fucking years ago." Claire laughed, "You're right school seems like it was forever ago. Does it feel like you met gg yesterday?"

John hit palm on the steering wheel, "fuck no. Fuck it doesn't feel like I met Alex, my dad… I have a father who isn't a fucking douche bag. Cherry, I just don't understand, but there is no denying the resemblance, is there?" Claire smirked at him, "Nope, and I am going to enjoy you getting to be that good looking." She snickered a little as he cursed a blue streak. "What the fuck do you mean get to be, you know you think I am fucking hot." She burst out laughing, "you cannot get jealous of your own father John." She stroked his hair, "and you know how gorgeous I think you are. Don't worry no one can steal my affections from you."

He shook his head, "at least we don't have any assholes like gg's husband to deal with. Now don't get me wrong, you being on birth control is like the best fucking gift you could have gotten me, ever. But if something ever did happen, I can't promise I'd be a great father, the idea scares the fuck out of me. Meeting Alex today, knowing that even now, even now he has a thing for my ma. Somehow it makes it like a fucking possibility someday. I don't know."

Claire leaned over and kissed his cheek, they were quiet, or Claire was as John cussed at the traffic. Out of the blue she giggled; he glanced over at her, "what?" She shook her head, "nothing." John slalomed around some traffic and said, "Nah uh, you don't get to nothing me after giggling for no reason." Claire grinned, "what, uh, well what do you think all your stoner friends will say when they realize you come from more money than I do?" She giggled a little more. "I'm pretty sure Alex is rich, and well Gg certainly is… that means you've got like ridiculous money on both sides, and well my mom came from a very middle class background. It's one of the reasons she's been so pissed at my dad, I was eavesdropping on my dad and one of his friends. Seems his parents forced them both to sign a prenuptial agreement so my mom can't take him to the cleaners the way she wants to. Guess she had a meltdown in the lawyer's office; can't see it happening to a nicer person." There was a lot of bitterness in Claire's voice as she commented on her mother; she also rubbed her arm where the scars were. "Look babe, I am the last fucking person to talk about stellar parents and all, but well it's like I didn't know my ma at all. I only knew this stoned bitch that had been beaten down by Joe. He was a rotten fucking human being, and I am not saying you oughta forgive your ma or anything, just well I kinda got a crash course in hey there's shit you don't know kid. Ya know?"

Claire reached over and rubbed his thigh. "None of that sweets, this little lady requires my attention; just like the asshole drivers do… you keep touching me like that and I am gonna have to pull over and do something about that." She jerked her hand back, "I'd be happy to help, but if we don't get home Sarah and my dad or the rest of the breakfast club is going to call out the cavalry on us, besides didn't you get enough of me last night, and uh this morning." By the end of her statement Claire was bright red from blushing. This made John laugh almost joyously. "God damn you are fucking adorable when you blush, but Cherry I don't know if I will ever get enough of you, so you can just forget that."

Claire smirked at him, "Even after I … what is it you said…squeeze out a few puppies and push maximum density." John did a double take then went back to watching the road, "Cherry, why do you remember that shit at the weirdest times? You know I was trying to get a rise out of you, and besides, now that I know you, I can see you getting into aerobics and shit like that, you'd never let your figure get out of hand, cause then your clothes wouldn't fit." He smirked at her. "And gods forbid your clothes don't fit, you have fucking temper tantrums once a month if your jeans don't fit just fucking so." She smacked him, "you love it; you jerk." He gave her a toothy grin, and she playfully smacked him again. "You are such a brat." He replied in a mocking tone, "yeah, and you love it." Claire laid her head back on the headrest and in something of a dreamy voice she said, "Yeah, I do."

John dropped Claire off at her house in the early evening; they spent a little time driving and enjoying the car. She walked in to a note from her father stating that he and Sarah were going out for the evening. She walked up to her bedroom and looked over her closet; as much as she liked wearing John's clothes, she wanted to feel a little more girly this evening. She chose a pretty pink blouse, and a short black skirt, pairing them with a black scarf and black knee high boots. She sat down at her vanity to put on some make up when her phone rang. "Hello," she said in a voice as cheerful as her mood. Allison said, "It's about damn time I was beginning to wonder if you'd dropped off the face of the earth." Claire laughed, "So, my dad is out for the evening; do you want to come over here?"

Allison huffed at her, "Are you going to tell me where you've been?"

With a smile Allison could here, "Maybe later, it's not really my story to tell. Just trust me it's been a good day. So are you coming here or what?"

Allison grumbled a little, "Let me call Andy and Brian see if that's cool with them. What time do you want us to come by?"

Claire shrugged, even though no one could see it, "I don't know, um, like an hour or something, if you want?" Allison chuckled, "as decisive as ever I see. Let me call you back."

Allison called Andy and Brian, expecting Claire to reach Bender. The boys were both ok with meeting up at Claire's as well. Claire called John. He answered, "City morgue you stab'em, we slab'em." Claire giggled a little wondering what people who were trying to reach Sarah thought of John's method of answering. "Hi love, want to come here, apparently Dad took off for the evening. He left me a note and everything." Hearing her voice somehow made John's world just a little brighter, "Hey babe, you know I got a very similar note, but I am straight with going there if everyone else has made their decision, besides you have an Atari, cable, and a sound system. Will your old man flip if he catches us burning one?"

Claire thought about it, "Probably, but there is no reason for him to know, I bought some incense." John chuckled, "awe you did that for me?" Claire smirked even though he couldn't see it, "No, I did it for me, I like the smell of incense, and getting you high makes you more susceptible to my womanly wiles." John burst out laughing, "Your what? Never mind, I don't want to know. When should I come over?" Claire twirled the phone cord around her finger, "you could come over now; no one else should be here for like an hour. I was thinking maybe we run to the store to pick up supplies, like munchies and stuff." John chuckled in a very masculine way, "Oh, is that why you want me to come over early?" He could almost hear her blushing, "shut up and get over here." He laughed again, "Let me gather a few things here and I will be over, alright princess?"

John arrived about 20 minutes after getting off the phone with Claire. She opened the door and smiled at John in a way that told him something was not right. "What's wrong Princess? You sounded happy on the phone." She tilted her head a little, "What makes you think I am not happy now?" He shrugged, "a few things, I guess. There is a little tightness around your mouth telling me your smile isn't exactly real, your eyes aren't as bright, and well my own intuition. How's that?" Claire chuckled, "Fine, fine, I just spoke to my mother. Well I guess I listened to her after the first few comments." John pulled her into his arms and they held on for a while. "Wanna talk about it?" Claire shook her head, "I don't want to waste any of our time on her." After that comment Claire kind of blindsided John with a seriously intense kiss that made him push her up against the wall and caress her ass. She lifted her leg wrapping it around him. They pulled out of the kiss a little breathless, "do we have time?" He asked. Claire responded by kissing his neck and muttering she didn't fucking care if there was time, she wanted him. He picked her up so her legs were wrapped around his waist the position made her moan and she rubbed herself against him. He practically ran to her bedroom. John moaned into Claire's neck, kicked the door shut, and dropped her long enough to pull her panties off. He dropped to his knees, putting his head under her skirt, causing her to exclaim, "What the hell are you doing? She felt his tongue and had no further rational thoughts. He stood up undoing his pants; he then picked her back up and pushed her against the wall moving her skirt up around her waist and thrust in. She screamed, reaching the climax she so needed almost as soon as he was fully seated within her, and fifteen minutes later they were working to right their clothes. John's self satisfied smirk was matched by Claire's ravished look.

"Um, I don't think we have time to get to the store" Claire noted as they were walking down the steps to the living room. As soon as she reached the bottom step the doorbell rang. John chuckled, "so not my fault that you attacked me and wasted the time to go to the store." She responded with a mouthed 'shut up!' He laughed and walked over to open the door as she went to the kitchen to see what there was in the way of munchies since she had indeed taken up their time. However, her whole being felt better; talking to her mother put her in a funk, and when John arrived she just had an overwhelming need, she grinned to herself, which he fixed. As it turned out, Scott, the cook they'd kept, had thought ahead for her and she found lots of munchies in the house, as well as soda, and to her surprise beer. Claire knew her Dad didn't really drink beer and she wondered if it really had been left for her. Well, better to ask for forgiveness than permission she supposed. Everyone came into the kitchen after a few minutes. Much to John's surprise she handed him a beer with a wink. The evening was spent joking and having fun. They played some games, and did a lot of talking, and generally had fun, enjoying one anothers company for the last evening as high school students.

Everyone left around midnight, well everyone except John. "There is one thing I really dislike about this house Cherry." She turned around from putting what was left of the food and drinks away, "What's that?"

John chuckled, "No trellis." This made Claire giggle. "You are a brat. And we have to be up and at the convention center by like 9, and you are picking me up in the Ferrari right?" John smiled at the thought of that car. Claire found him staring at nothing, "penny for your thoughts?" He shook himself out of it, "nothing really, and everything I suppose." He kissed her gently and thoroughly, "I'll be here at quarter to nine." She saw him out, wishing he didn't have to leave. She put her head on the door; I'll see you tomorrow." Claire made her way up to bed, not realizing just how tired she was. She set her alarm and passed out.

Morning came with a burst of sunshine in John's eyes, "fuck why didn't I put the god damned blinds down. He rolled over hoping to get a little more sleep, except his alarm clock read 8:00. He had to shower and get Claire in 45 minutes, "fuck." John got into the shower, got dressed, and was ready within about 20 minutes. He walked into the kitchen to find Sarah wearing a beautiful dress, looking more relaxed than John had ever seen her. He walked right up to the coffee pot, poured himself a cup and sat down. "You look fucking great Sarah. You get laid or something?" She chuckled, "thank you John for the complement and none of your damn business." He figured better to let it go than piss her off today. "You clean up pretty good yourself." He looked at his outfit, new black jeans, a red t-shirt over a thin, black, long sleeved t-shirt. "Uh, thanks I guess." Sarah chuckled, she'd long since gotten used to John's inability to take a complement. "So I'd offer to drive, but the Ferrari really doesn't have a back seat, that alright?"

Sarah nodded and took another sip of coffee. "Rob is picking me up anyway. After the ceremony we're all going out to lunch." After taking another drink of coffee he asked, "who is we?" Sarah shrugged, "I guess whoever wants to come along, any of your friends or their parents. Last I checked your grandmother was going to be there. I don't know how many were put down on the reservation but I am sure Rob left room for whoever wanted to come along." He finished his coffee, "It's still fucked up for me to know I have family and shit, I mean family members who aren't total assholes. Christ Sarah, I haven't had the chance to tell you about the trip up to Chicago."

Sarah smiled, "It was good then?" He nodded, "Yeah fucked up, but good. On a less pleasant note, are we going to the arraignment for either of the Stricklers?" She took a deep breath; "I think we're supposed to be there, happily though, removing him from class seems to have normalized some of the other members of his clique."

"all righty then. Is that what you call it when your students begin to pull their heads out of their asses?" John asked as he stood up and began the check for all his things. "So I'll see you at Graduation, and maybe over lunch I can tell you about trip. I, uh, I met my real father." Sarah's eyebrows shot up, "when? How did that happen?"

"I'd give you the update now, but I am pretty sure Claire will bitch for years if I blow off this fucking graduation." John muttered. Sarah smiled at him, "as if I'd let you blow this off, how many people told you that you'd never graduate? And here you are doing so well before you turn 18 even. You keep telling me you like proving that these assholes don't know what they are talking about. I want to cheer as you walk across that stage." She burst out laughing at the look of dismay on John's face. "You better fucking not cheer or some shit like that!"

She smirked at him, "Yeah, yeah tough guy, what are you gonna do to stop me?" He sputtered and finally said, "Fuck it, I gotta jam. I'll see you later, I am sure you or Rob will cook up some plan to meet up with me and Claire at the convention center. I never realized how many people are in our graduating class. I don't even know most of these fuckers." Sarah laughed and shooed him out the door.

John showed up at Claire's in the sleek black Ferrari, honked twice and waited. She came running out the door in a gorgeous little pink dress with Black boots, and black gloves. She slid into the car rubbing her gloved hand on the leather interior, "I do love this car." John chuckled, "I'll bet you say that to all the guys who pick you up in sleek black Ferrari's." Claire leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Only guy's named John Bender." He smirked at her, "What do you stay to blowing this graduation crap and get a room someplace and have sex all afternoon." Claire shook her head, "as handsome as I think you look today, you know we can't just skip out. Everyone will be there." As he started the car he shrugged, "Your loss." Claire reaches over and put her hand on his thigh and rubbed it seductively, "yeah, I know exactly what I am missing out on," she moved her hand, "but we can't blow it off." John exclaimed, "god damn you are such a fucking tease. It's a fucking good thing I love you." His exclamation made Claire throw her head back in a deep throaty laugh, "yeah it is a good thing, isn't it?"

They arrived at the convention center a few minutes after nine in the morning; they were required to be there by 9:15. The parking lot was full of students, as the teacher who was supposed to open the doors hadn't yet arrived. Their arrival made exactly the statement John was looking for, a giant 'fuck you' to pretty much everyone. He and Claire got out and there were immediately whispers and comments ranging from the belief he'd stolen it to it was really Claire's car. The two of them looked at one another and burst out laughing. They headed over to where Andy and Allison were standing; Brian still had one more year of school. As they walked up hand in hand, Andy whistled, "Nice ride man, you told us you'd be arriving in style but, damn I had no idea how much style." John smirked, "I like to keep people on their toes, even people I consider friends." They bantered and joked for a few more minutes when Vernon's Buick pulled into the lot. He rushed up to the doors to unlock them and began ushering students inside. John finished his cigarette, taking his time and enjoying it before he had to go spend half the day learning how to walk down a fucking aisle.

The rehearsal was as long and tedious as everyone expected. Everyone was partnered with someone though John could see no rhyme or reason why they were paired the way they were. He was partnered with a rich chick he'd never spoken to, and had no reason to start now. She however was a chatty little bitch. He tried to ignore her, but in her ramblings he heard her say Claire's name. "What did you just say?" She sighed as though his question irritated her; "I was just talking about all the changes this year; I mean who knew that you and Claire would be Prom royalty, it's like so bizarre, and then well you show up in that car, where did it come from anyway?" John wondered if the chick ever stopped talking. He waited for a pause; none came so he went back to ignoring her. Finally everyone was ready to put on their caps and gowns, and begin the actual ceremony. Claire was so bored she thought she might die especially because she had to walk down the aisle with some jock that did nothing but complain. She wished she could have been paired to John, or really even Andy would have been ok. She kept forgetting the name of the guy she was pair, and the crowd of people was beginning to make her feel anxious. She didn't see any sign of Strickler which made it a little easier to take.

Principal Anderson and Vice Principal Vernon were on stage as the ceremony began. Anderson gave a speech, and then it was time to call names and hand out the diplomas. Vernon handed the diploma to Anderson; Vernon shook each student's hand as Anderson was reading their name. Then Anderson handed them the diploma, and they walked off stage and to the left or right to an assigned seat in one of the first 5 rows the students took up. Anderson had asked that all clapping be held till all names were called, but that never seems to work, and it didn't for Shermer's graduating class of 83. John Bender was the first of the breakfast club to be called; he walked across the stage with a smirk on his face to match the shock on Vernon's. Vernon was so stunned looking that he forgot to put his hand out to Bender, causing the principal to clear his throat, but Bender walked by him to Anderson and still managed to surreptitiously give Vernon the finger, if the asshole had the right to look shocked, he had the right to flip him the bird. He shook hands with Anderson and raised his fist as he trotted down the steps. When they called his name a whole group of burnouts, who were friends from the bleachers and had snuck into the graduations started whooping and hollering for him. The cheering had continued and as he got to the bottom step he realized a bunch of people were standing and clapping. He gave them a snarky bow and went to his seat. Nothing Anderson said to quiet the crowd worked till Bender gave his bow. When Andrew Clark's name was called the athlete's whooped and hollered for him till Anderson told them to pipe down. There was no cheering for Allison, though a handful of people stood and clapped, and there was no whooping and hollering for Claire either, just quiet clapping from the crowd but none of the outrageous noise made for the boys. John wondered just how fucked up the world had become when he got more praise than Claire.

After everyone had their diploma Anderson spoke a few more words of complete crap in John's opinion and it was done. Everyone threw their caps in the air, though it was much funnier to watch them try to catch them. John caught his easily, as did Andy, Allison hadn't thrown hers at all and Claire was presently looking for hers; she'd marked it with an X in pink highlighter so she'd know which was hers if it got lost. Andy managed to find it a row behind where Claire was looking. All put together they met up, hugged, and walked outside to meet their parents. Andy was enveloped by his mother almost immediately, and his dad punched his arm and said "good going champ." He pulled away and pulled Allison close to him. Her parents hadn't shown up. John and Claire left the couple and went looking for their own group of people. Bender was stopped by his friends and given lots of pats on the back and a surprise gift of a quarter that everyone had put in for him, telling him he'd be missed beneath the bleachers. He laughed and commented that his contacts would anyway. He managed to extricate himself to see Claire standing back waiting. "You could have foraged on ahead princess." She smiled and shrugged. "I like watching you." He shook his head, "that's fucking creepy ya know?" She punched him lightly in the arm and then linked hers with it. "Ready?" John shook his head, "I don't have much choice now do I?"

When they found Claire's father he was standing with Sarah, Teresa, and Alex. Robert pulled his daughter into a great bear hug and told her how proud he was of her. Sarah walked up to John, "Can I hug you, in public just this once?" He pulled her into a hug and told her to shut the fuck up, of course she fucking could and not to be stupid. He also allowed his Grandmother to hug him, well she was his grandmother and she'd been really cool so far. She quietly commented, "I called the number you gave me, but apparently you'd already left. John asked if he might be allowed to attend and Sarah agreed, is that ok?" John shrugged, "Whatever Gg; besides I figure someone has to drive the car back up to Chi town." Her next remark floored him, "I was wondering if you would accept it as a graduation gift; I don't have any use for it, and you can sell it or use it or use it for parts, but it's yours." He was truly fucking stunned. She just gave him a Ferrari with all the fanfare of a used ford. He returned to the twilight zone. The idea of just how much money this woman must have blew his mind. "uh, Thanks… fuck me…" he hugged her again. "Goddamn that's an amazing fucking gift." Alex walked forward and held out his hand to shake John's. In the other hand he had an envelope. "I don't have a Ferrari to give you, but uh, here and congratulations." John pocketed the envelope to look at later; Robert had finished hugging Claire and was waiting to shake John's hand as well. The two shook hands and Robert said, "Congrats John, I am happy to see you get done with this place. When you first showed up kissing my daughter that Saturday afternoon I didn't give you the credit you deserve." John held up his hand, "so much shit has happened since then Rob, I think we might have been different people than we are now. I was everything you feared that day; let's just say I turned over a new leaf and so did you." Robert handed him an envelope which he pocketed same as with Alex's. "So are we going to eat sometime today and who all is going?" Claire piped up, watching the interactions of Andy's family. "If Andy's family turns out to be giant jerks can we bring Allison along?"

Sarah said, "Of course, anyone is welcome, you left the reservation open right Robert?" He nodded. Claire grabbed John's hand, "let's go say congrats to them one more time?" He dutifully followed her over towards Andy's family. As it turns out the Clark parents were arguing; his old man wanted him to work out and his mother was arguing he should get to enjoy his big day. Claire tugged on Allison, "Hey, wanted to say congrats and stuff. Also, well do you want to come to dinner with us? Or are you hanging with Andy?" Allison shrugged, "depends on who wins the argument, I think."

Andy turned towards them; he stuck out his hand to John, "Congrats man." John shook his hand, "same to you Sporto. So, I think the two of you could probably escape without them even being aware at least till you're long gone." Andy gave him a look, and then turned back to his folks. "Hey, if you two want to argue all day Ali and I will just take off. Dad, I am not working out to day. I got the damn scholarship; there is no way to blow my ride so just relax." His father got red faced, "Just because you graduated doesn't mean you get to talk to me anyway you want." His mother put her hand on his old man's arm. She nodded at him, "if you want to go with your friends just go." Andy grabbed Allison's hand and turned towards John and Claire. Allison commented, "Andy's invited too, right?" Claire nodded, "of course, let's go."

The four walked back to the group waiting for them. Claire spoke first, "Dad, it's not a problem for our friends to come is it?" He responded with, "of course not. We were just determining who was driving or chauffeuring really." Andy had his truck so he and Allison would follow John and Claire since they'd driven in together. They went to a very expensive Italian restaurant; Andy started to comment that he'd have to bow out since he couldn't afford it when Teresa spoke up that she would be picking up the tab for the meal so there was no need for a new graduate to worry about, and then she proceeded to introduce herself.

The group was seated at a large table in the back of the restaurant. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. As soon as he finished eating John stood up and walked outside, without commenting to anyone what he was doing or why. Everyone started to ask what the problem was when Claire put her hand up to stop them all. "He probably went outside for a cigarette why don't we just give him some space." Sarah gave her a look of thanks to which Claire nodded in response. After a few minutes, Claire excused herself and followed him outside. She found John pacing and smoking. "Hey hottie got a few minutes for a girl who just graduated?" He stopped and stared at her for a minute, shook his head as though trying to clear it, and said, "Hey princess." Afterwards he sat on the bench which was next to the ashtray. "It was all just too much in there. Alex and Teresa chatting up everybody as though they hadn't just fucking appeared; I mean, I think I am used to your Dad and Sarah, and well Sporto and Allison I don't really mind, but I'm just not used to all this shit." Claire sat down next to him, "Want to take off? I could go in and tell my Dad and I figure he and Sarah could make excuses."

He looked up at her, as though studying her for a minute. "You'd do that? Just take off with me?"

Claire shrugged, "sure, it's supposed to be our day isn't it? The only person I really want to spend it with is you. I'm feeling weird cause my mom's not here, and well it's a little strange that Teresa and Alex are acting like they've always been around, but I didn't think you minded." John stubbed out his cigarette, "I didn't think I minded either, but well I've had this fucked up life for nearly 18 years and then out of nowhere all this money is being thrown around. Where, the fuck, were they when I had to go hungry? Or try to set my own fucking leg? I don't know. I just, fuck, maybe if I smoke a bowl it will be easier, but I just don't want to go back in there." Claire kissed his cheek, "wait here or get the car and pull it up, I'll go let my Dad or Sarah and well Andy and Allison know we're leaving." She started to walk back in and he grabbed her, "You don't have to do this for me, you know." She nodded, "yeah, I know. Is it ok that I want to?" Her question made him chuckle, "do what you want Cherry, and uh, thanks."

Claire walked back in and grabbed Sarah and Allison, the three of them went to the ladies room. "I am letting you know that John and I are taking off. He's apparently had enough of family time and seems to really need to escape. I think he didn't expect Alex to be here, but I wanted to let you know. I'll direct him back to your place eventually. Sorry Al, but well he just…"Allison shook her head, "I have met Bender before and I was surprised by all the family stuff and how he was dealing with it." Claire looked at Sarah, will you…" Sarah nodded, "don't worry; I'll take care of it. The meal is almost over anyway." Claire slipped out the front door while Sarah and Allison came back to the table. Robert noted the lack of Claire, "is everything alright?"

Sarah sort of shook her head from side to side, "Claire and John made their escape for the day. I think they were hoping to spend most of it together and didn't know how to get out of the family party." She gave Robert a look saying she'd explain more later. Teresa looked a little sad, but seemed to take it in stride. Alex on the other hand said, "He couldn't even come in and say goodbye? That's a little rude isn't it?" Sarah gave him a leveled look, "you met John, what, yesterday? You have little idea what his life was like up to this point. This," she pointed to the restaurant and everyone at the table, "has never been a part of his life. He sat here politely for more than two hours, that's actually progress. I can think of a time he wouldn't have been caught dead in a place like this." Andy spoke up, "well maybe to rob it." Allison told him, "Shut it." Teresa sighed, "I thought it was too easy. Do you think he'd be willing to talk to me tomorrow?" Sarah shrugged, "probably, all you can do is try, and please be patient if you want to be a part of his life." Alex started to comment again, and Teresa put up her hand in the same way Claire had earlier. "He's been remarkably patient, and he wasn't expecting you today. Give the boy a break, as far as his world goes he just lost his parents and things have been, as I understand it, quite difficult for him in the past few months." Sarah quietly commented, "This is John being nice. He could have come back in here and been a really rude asshole; instead he removed himself from the situation. Be grateful because he can cut to the quick when he is so inclined."

The party broke up shortly after; Allison and Andy expressed their gratitude and made their exit first. Teresa paid for the meal after arguing briefly with Robert about it. She won the argument by commenting that as she understood it he had a divorce to pay for and a daughter about to go off to college, the very least she could do was pick up the check for a meal. They'd renewed the acquaintance they'd had years before and she knew she could trump him in the checkbook arena. Afterward, Alex and Teresa stood up to leave, she handed Sarah two envelopes for John, one from her and one from Alex. She explained that the cards she'd given John were only part of what they had to give. She handed an additional card to Robert for Claire. After they'd left, Sarah sat back and looked at Robert, "well that actually went better than I'd expected." He arched a brow. "Apparently John had simply had enough; I suspect he didn't know how to make a graceful exit and so Claire came in to let me know that they were leaving, I think he'd have left anyway."

John drove the Ferrari back to Sarah's and the two of them went into his room. He packed and smoked a bowl; Claire shared a few hits, but moved behind him and began giving him a back rub while he talked about all kinds of things. He was angry that Alex had shown up without warning. He had extended the invite to his Grandmother since she seemed like a cool old bird, while she might have been an ass when his mother was his age, but the death of her old man did something to put her head on straight. After Claire massaged his shoulders for a little while he tackled her and the two spent most of the afternoon in bed, having their own kind of celebration.

Robert invited Sarah back to his place for a while. Her duties were done and Monday was going to be a tough day. Monday was finally the arraignment for Tom Strickler who was sticking to his lies that he'd done nothing wrong. Earlier that week, Jason Strickler had plead no contest to the assault charges against him from both John and Claire and pissed the judge off in the process by stating, against his lawyers best advice, that he should have been allowed to finish punishing both little brats. He was sentenced to 3 years of jail time and the judge commented that he was getting off lightly. Robert and Sarah talked a little about how easy the first Strickler court date was, but other than that they ended up spending the rest of the day simply enjoying one another's company.

Tom Strickler's case ended up going to a full scale trial that lasted several weeks. Each member of the breakfast club, Sarah, Kevin Morganstern, Mike Talmand and all of the team members involved were subpoenaed. The trial was unpleasant, though Tommy looked smug for the first few days while the defense presented their case. However, he looked more and more worried as each witness for the prosecution was called. Sarah had a very hard time on the witness stand, but made it through. The Strickler's expected a court appointed attorney to handle Sarah's case since she was on a teacher's salary. They didn't expect a talented, high powered prosecutor from Chicago. Because the assault was premeditated Tom Strickler was charged as an adult and sentenced to 5 years in prison, two of the other team members who'd been primary in the in assault were sentenced to a year each. Tommy sat stunned, he never believed he had a chance of losing, his mother was sobbing have just lost her husband for assault as well.

It was finally over, Sarah couldn't believe it. She ended up sitting down and crying in relief outside of the courthouse. Robert sat down next to her, wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. John and Claire followed, leaned against a pillar and watched. "So, you think there's something between them?" John asked as he lit a cigarette. His voice was closer to how it used to sound but there was a new gravelly quality the doctors said might always be there. Claire put her head on his shoulder, "I don't know, I think my Dad has a thing for her, but I doubt he'll do anything about it till the divorce is final." John looked at Claire with his head tilted, "your old lady still hasn't signed those papers." She shook her head, but didn't say anything more. Mrs. Strickler walked out of the courtroom and stopped in front of the two of them. "This is all your fault. Why did you have to get involved? Someday when you're not looking, I hope my boys pay you back for it." The hatred in her voice made Claire move closer into John's embrace. He wasn't cowed however, "Look bitch, if either of them come near us they'll either wind up dead or back in prison. I don't care which, but don't ever fucking speak to either of us again or you'll regret it." She put her nose in the air and walked away.

Over the next year John and Claire continued to grow closer. The envelopes from Teresa contained information about his mother's safe deposit boxes and two round trip tickets to Europe for the summer. Alex wrote a long letter to John and gave him a check for ten grand. The amount floored John, and he gave it to Rob to "do whatever magic it is he did with money." Claire and John used the tickets to Europe and had an amazing summer basically bumming around Europe with more money than John had ever had in his life. John's unique, if somewhat filthy, perspective kept Claire laughing and her abilities with etiquette and people got them pretty much anything they wanted. When they returned there was a newly budding relationship between Sarah and Robert. Karen had finally signed the papers after she met a man she moved in with, Claire wanted even less to do with her mother after meeting the guy once.

John turned 18 about a month before Claire did. They got a nice apartment, Claire started college, and John continued working at the auto shop, working his way up to management. They continued to have a passionate relationship though they made an agreement, since neither wanted to end up like their parents; they had to leave the apartment to fight. They lived close to a park, where they sometimes had spectacular screaming matches, but the other rule was they never went to bed mad. It sometimes led to a day or more without sleep, but it also made them really consider how they interacted. Everyone was surprised at how well their relationship worked and when John was ready to give up he was reminded how nice it felt to fuck up other people's expectations. He developed a relatively close relationship with his grandmother, as did Claire. This apparently pissed off his uncle who called him a good for nothing once and was summarily thrown out of Teresa Oliver's house.

On March 24, 1986 John Bender proposed to Claire Standish. The following winter Teresa Oliver passed away in her sleep. While John was sad, he took it in stride like everything else in his life. He'd kept up a decent relationship with Alex Grey, though they were not close. Claire chalked it up to the strange amount of similarity between the two; John said it was because he was really kind of an asshole. Teresa left her son enough so he'd never have to work again, but she left all of her jewelry and clothes to Claire to do with as she saw fit, and the rest to John. Her son and his wife had such temper tantrums that George jr. ended up giving himself a heart attack right there in Grey's office. John thought it was hysterical, but apparently no one else agreed. He privately though his grandmother would have.

A year after he proposed Claire and John were married in an elaborate, if small ceremony. The entirety of the Breakfast Club was in attendance. Andy and Allison's relationship had not lasted his first year of college but she seemed quite happy living as a single artist in New York. Brian was in his last year at MIT, and Claire was almost finished with her degree in clothing design. As it turned out, John ended up richer than he could have ever dreamed possible on the nights he went hungry and beaten while living with his mother and Joe Bender. The investments into various computer enterprises paid out in spades, topped off with all that Teresa had left him the new couple never had to worry about money. Though John taught Claire how to save, and still bitched when she shopped too much.

Shortly after their first anniversary Claire informed him that she was pregnant. They moved into a modest house near where Claire grew up. As the years passed and their family grew they attended Brian's wedding, Andy's wedding, and the wedding of Robert Standish to Sarah Dearing. The last was only strange when Claire ended up with a half brother a year younger than her oldest daughter. The two Strickler men were released from jail, but Tom ended up going back on another aggravated assault and rape charge less than a year after he was released. Claire commented in passing that apparently money didn't buy everything. John agreed with her, he said, "Money provides different avenues than poverty does, but only love offers other options."