Drake looked at her and nodded. He then looked closer at her.

"Bella?"

He smiled softly at her.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

He smiled softly at her.

"I'm Drake. I used to date your sister, Rachel."

Drake smiled at her when she said that.

"So have you. You have grown up."

He smiled happy to see that she was doing well.

"You in college?"

He was happy to see her looking so happy.

"How did you manage to escape your father?"

He smiled at her when she said that.

"Too bad your sister hadn't done that. She still under Daddy's thumb?"

He sighed but shrugged.

"I guess if she's happy."

He got his food and headed home. He grinned when he pulled into his driveway and saw his new neighbor getting out of her car.

"Well isn't this a surprise."

Claire smiled looking at her neighbor.

Claire: Oh hey , Drake. 

She said as she had meant him a few times since she moved in.  She was new to the area but had taken the time to meet and greet a few of the locals.

He smiled seeing Claire.

"Hey Claire. Your roommate move in yet?"

She shook her head as she was thinking about it.

Claire: No, not yet, I'm starting to think that they changed there mind.

She said as she had rented out a room, but the person who answered the add never showed up.

He frowned hearing that.

"Hopefully you  hear from them soon. I don't like the idea of you being in there alone."

She shrugged a bit as she didn't mind being alone.  She wasn't afraid or worried or anything.

Claire:  Oh, it's alright, I don't mind.

She said as she was thinking about it.

He frowned a little.

"I may have a friend who is looking for a place. Let me get ahold of her and I'll let you know."

That was fine with her, but she wasn't bothered either way.

Claire: Alright.

She said getting her things as she went heading inside after a moment, not rushing him or anything as she had a few things she needed to put away.

He called Rachel and got her sister's number then called Bella.

"Hey. It's Drake."

She heard him talking as she told him to come on in when he was done as she had to go do something.  She went into her house as she used the bathroom then washed up some before coming out to get a drink, she saw who she thought at first was Drake standing in her kitchen, but then realized he looked a little different.

Claire: You looking for Drake?  He's out doors.

She said looking at Douglas as she wasn't sure why he was in her place.

She looked at him a bit confused as she was thinking about it.

Claire: Talk about what?  Are you wanting to rent my room?

She nodded as she lead him through the house and upstairs so he could look at the large room.  She opened the door for him letting him walk in and look around.

She didn't care much about that.

Claire: You can have access to pretty much the hole house.  You make a mess you just clean it.

She laughed a bit thinking about it.

She thought about it a bit.

Claire: Does 400 a month sound okay?

She said willing to work it out if it wasn't.

Claire looked at him when he said that.

Claire: What is that suppose to mean?

She said not wanting any trouble or anything.

Claire just shrugged a bit as she nodded.  If he wanted to be anti social that was fine with her, she didn't care.

Claire: Alright then.

She said simply.

She looked at him .

||Claire||- We don't, you just pay your 400 a month and I'll cover everything else.

She said simply as that had been her plan pretty much anyways.

She nodded as she was thinking about it, as it was what she had put out she wasn't going to make him pay more than what he was really getting.  She brought him back out as she had a mini contract done up and handed it to him for him to read.  He then signed it as she gave him an extra copy that she had as it was all set and done.  They talked for a bit more, but she knew he didn't like to be bothered or people so she left him to moving in , as she went doing her own thing.

Later on that night she was just getting cleaned up and ready for bed, knowing she had an early day tomorrow.

She had a thin house coat on as she answered the door.  She saw him looking at her grinning a bit.

Claire: Thanks.

She said taking the money, as she smiled politely then started to go back into her room.

Claire: Have a goodnight.

She said as she cut off his view, leaving him looking at the door.

Claire sat the money down on her dresser as she went back to her bed as she was laying there writing a bit.  She didn't think anything of her new roommate.  Not wanting to pester him seeing as he wasn't a nice guy, so she figured she would just keep things short when they were in the same room and what not.

Claire: Bedtime.

She yawned stretching a bit as she put her book away as she settled in for bed..

Drake questioned his brother about how he was, and he laughed when he heard what his brother had to tell her.

Drake: Well what do you expect you pretty much told her that you don't like to be bothered and you aren't a nice person...I think she is just trying to be nice by leaving you alone.

Drake said laughing knowing that Claire was a nice and sweet person to be around.  After a bit they hung up as Douglas was thinking about what his brother said. 

When morning came Claire was up and cooking in the kitchen, she saw Douglas come in.

Claire: Morning.

She smiled softly.

Claire: I'm making pancakes if you would like some?

She offered not sure what he was wanting, if anything at all as she was trying to be a nice roommate but not be a pest to him either.

Claire smiled and nodded as she didn't mind.  She showed him where everything was as they were cooking and talking a bit.  As she was keeping it light , not really asking him too many questions, not wanting him to thinks he was being nosey or buggy.

Claire looked at him when he said that as she was thinking about it.  She smiled warmly as she didn't seem to be upset or bothered by it.

Claire: It's alright, I understand.  I just want to make sure that I respect what you're wanting, I don't want an upset roommate or anything.

She said as she was just trying to honor his wishes.

Claire: So If I start to bother you too much, just let me know.  I'll try to be less annoying.

She teased joking a bit.

She put the pancake she was finishing up on a plate as she heard what he said.  She handed him his plate as they went sitting down.

Claire: You're brother seems cool.

Claire looked at him as she was thinking about it.

Claire: It's nice you can have family like that.

She said as she never had family like that.  She had been disowned when she was younger and had been on her own pretty much since she was a teen.  She never was bitter over it though.

She smiled and nodded as she was listening to him talk about his brother. They chatted a bit more as she then got up cleaning up the dishes as she went looking at him.

Claire: Well you have a good day, I need to get to work.

She said as she made sure he had a key to get in when it was locked before she went taking off heading to work... She stopped chatting with Drake, letting him know that his brother was settled in just fine, and that he was more than welcome to go over and spend time with him, as she didn't mind Douglas having company.

When she was finished with work for the day she had stopped and picked up some pizza and wings.  It was a movie night for her as Halloween was coming on tonight and she enjoyed watching it.  When she walked in she saw him in the kitchen as she smiled warmly.

Claire: Hey, I brought pizza and wings if you're interested.

She said as she took her coat off and smiled looking at him.

Claire: I saw that the original Halloween is on tonight and plan on watching it, if you feel like it.

She offered.

She nodded and smiled as that sounded good to her.

Claire: Sure, thank you.

She said as they got the food and drinks together then headed out into the living room as she turned the T.V. on then sat back as the movie was just starting.

She leaned back on the couch as she was sitting with her legs up, indian style pretty much.

Claire: I do every Halloween, nice to not be alone for once.

She laughed as it was usually just her watching this.

She shook her head as she was thinking about it.

Claire: He hasn't really told me anything about you.  He seems to be a bit distracted by a little blonde that he has been seeing.

She smiled as he looked at her confused.

Claire: He ran into an old friend or something that he seems to be hung up on, her name is Bella or something.

He was actually happy to hear that him and Claire weren't an item or anything.

She looked at him when he said that as she was thinking about it.

Claire: What were you sent away for?

She was a bit shocked when he said that as she was looking at him thinking about it.

Claire: You want to tell me the hole story?

She frowned a bit when he said that as she was thinking about it.

Claire: I'm sorry for what you went thru.

She smiled a bit as she was glad that he had someone and was able to get justice. 

Claire: I'm glad it all worked out.

She said as she was thinking about it

Yeah she could understand where he was coming from as she was nodding thinking about it.

Claire: I understand.

She said as she wasn't pushing him to be friends with her or anything, though she did like him and want to make sure he was happy here.

She looked at him shaking her head as she didn't want him to leave.

||Claire Valentine||- No, I don't want you to move.

She said honestly.

She looked at him when he said that, as she wasn't worried about him hurting her.  She fully trusted him, she felt safe with him here with her.

Claire: I trust you.

She got up as she picked her things up, she walked over kissing his cheek before heading into the kitchen.

Claire: You're fine.  I'm glad you're here.

She said smiling warmly before taking her dirty dishes out into the kitchen where she cleaned up.

She looked at him as all they had was a few dishes from the pizza she had.

Claire: There isn't much to do, you can put the pizza away if you feel like it.

She said as he nodded as they finished up and went back out to the living room for a bit.

Claire smiled warmly when he said that as she was thinking about it.

Claire: Thank you.

She said as she was glad that he did trust her, knowing what that meant for him to trust anyone.

She nodded smiling as they went back into finish watching the movie.  She sat down as she was glad they were having a good time hanging out.

Claire smiled warmly thinking about it.

Claire: Same here, it was really nice..

She nodded as she thought about it.

Claire: I think we will.

Claire shook her head as she didn't mind at all.  She looked at him smiling warmly as she was thinking about it.

Claire: Oh, I don't mind at all.

She said honestly as she was thinking about it.

She smiled when he did that as she was thinking about it.

Claire: I'm not like most people.

She laughed a bit as she knew it was true. 

Claire: I need to get cleaned up and ready for bed, work comes early.  Thank you again for spending the evening with me.

She smiled as she was heading upstairs.

Claire: You too Douglas.

She smiled warmly as she went up and got herself ready for bed.  Taking a shower and then making sure everything was locked up, and then headed to bed.  In the morning she made breakfast left a note for Douglas that it was in the warmer, and left the paper on the table if he wanted to read it... Seeing that there had been another hideout kidnapping, she thought he may want to be updated on what was going on there.  She then headed out and made her way to work.

After work she made her way to the store first , picking up some groceries to make dinner with.  She unlocked the door and went inside, taking her shoes off then walking to the kitchen to put things away.