Childlike Eyes ~A Monkees Fanfiction~

Chapter 3

They danced that way for no less than an hour, stopping only to switch records- Frankie Valli to Elvis, Elvis to The Angels, The Angels to The Beatles, the Beatles to Gene Vincent, and everything in between that could be found in Mike's basket of records.

Eventually though, they got tired- not tired of dancing, but too tired to do it. No wonder- the time had flown, and it was now five in the afternoon, not to mention raining heavily once again. Exhausted they sat, watching the downpour out the window rather than the television sitting before them. Mike's arm around Clementine, and her head on his shoulder.

"Dang," Mike chuckled. "That rain's gonna flood us outta California."

"Mhm." Clementine mumbled. "That dancing was tiring- but I enjoyed every minute of it." She commented. Mike smiled, still feeling the lingering motion of spinning to the fast songs and swaying to the slow ones. His eyes drifted from the slightly opened window to the inactive television screen. He reached to get the remote and with a click of a button the screen jumped to life.

"Hey, I forgot this was playin' tonight." Mike shifted so that they were now facing the television, on which the words 'Singing In The Rain'. Clementine's face lit up at the sight of the title.

"Oh, this is my favorite movie!" She exclaimed.

"Oh?" Mike asked, having to crane his neck a little to get a look at her as she was in such a close proximity. "Who's your favorite character?" Clementine's brows furrowed in a way that made Mike smile, it made her forehead crease and her eyes narrow slightly, he found it quite appealing.

"Mike, I couldn't pick one if I tried." She said honestly, laughing.

"Well, it's still raining." Mike said, lifting himself off of the couch reluctantly. "We can do one of two things. One, you can stay and have dinner with me or two, we can make like the movie and go dance and sing in the rain again." Clementine threw her head back slightly and laughed, a real and hearty laugh. It was contagious, and soon Mike was laughing with her until after a while they'd forgotten what they were laughing about.

"Well Mike, it looks like the rain is letting up." Clementine said after about a half an hour of watching Gene Kelly sing and dance with Mike. "I'm afraid I have to go now, I left my purse at Charlie's and I still need to go get some groceries- and I do plan on getting home before midnight." Mike nodded, getting up and opening the door for her. He snuck a quick hug before she thanked him for his hospitality and left, blushing all the while.

Clementine strolled along the dark streets, on the far side of the walk to avoid being splashed by the occasional car as it sped through the puddles on the side of the road. She sighed in relief as Charlie's store came into view, the unnerving feeling emanating from the darkness and silence and causing every noise to make her jump. She pushed her spare key into the lock, only to find the door already open. Not open, so much as smashed.

"What the...?" Clementine quitely pushed open the door. Taking a step, her foot automatically went through some glass and she winced, pulling it out instantly. She flicked on the lights and gasped.

Glass smashed, countertops cracked, stuff littered everywhere. It looked like a tornado had come through- the inside of the Daybird Diner was completely trashed. Clementine stumbled over across the cluttered floor and tripped, grabbing onto the wall phone and slipping a quarter in. She shakily dialed and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Charlie answered, sounding tired.

"Charlie, it's me, I'm at the diner and I- I think...I think it's been robbed, Charlie, you've got to get over here!"

"What?!" Charlie was wide awake now. "Hang in there Clem, I'm calling the police and then the guys and I'll be over!" Clementine gulped and nodded. She regretted hanging up as soon as the phone fell back onto the reciever, instantly feeling alone and scared, so much like a little child alone in the dark that she almost felt silly or ashamed. The doubt in her fear dissipated though when she heard something behind her. She let out a shrill scream.

The robber was still there, and staring right at her.

He took a swing at Clementine, his fist colliding with her lower jaw. In shock, she fell backwards on the ground as glass shards pushed through her skin upon her falling. She was too stunned to anything more than try to back away, but he was stronger and faster. He kicked her all over, kneeing her in the stomach for good measure. Her breath left her body but even then he wrapped his hands around her neck and held them there for good measure. Then Clementine's drooping eyes spotted something else that raised fear in her even as she was about to slip away. He had a gun. But then she saw something else.

Mike.

He entered the diner unnoticed as the robber cocked the gun. She whimpered involuntarily as he snarled at her. Suddenly, Mike pounced. They tumbled to the floor, and Mike took the gun and fired it. The robber was no longer consious- but he wasn't dead. Mike scooped Clementine up in his arms, his face close to hers and his previously calm, beautiful brown eyes now disrupted with panic, and fear.

"Clementine?! Clementine!"