Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi... Sadly :(

A/n This is a story i've been working on for awhile really, I had the idea a little while back and i've been adding to it when i've been bored or when i've had writers block for my other on going story Scars... Its an AU Story and its basically centered around what Ellie and Craig's life could have been like if Ellie's dad had died and Ellie's mom and Craig's dad had gotten married.

Broken Mirrors

Chapter 1: Shopping and Step-brothers

Ellie Nash sighed shifting her weight from foot to foot irritably. Hunting down wedding dresses was not her idea of fun, especially when it was for her mom's wedding. The idea her mom was getting re-married three months after her father's death was pretty awful in Ellie's opinion. She knew she had the right to move on but she just couldn't understand how her mom could get over her dad so quickly and fall in 'love' with another man so soon.

"I am not wearing those." Ellie stated simply as her mother appeared with a pair of gold sandals.

"Come on Eleanor they will match the dress perfectly" Her mom told her

"And I already told you, I'm not wearing that either" Ellie sneered a little pointing at the pale pink dress hanging on the mirror behind her.

"Eleanor I'm your mother and you will wear what I tell you!" Her mom said angrily "I don't see why you like wearing all that black anyway its bad for you…"

Ellie just rolled her eyes leant back against the wall.

"Maybe I could take you shopping and we could get you some real clothes, I'm sure Albert wont mind if I use the spare money from the dresses…" her mother suggested

"Mom, we've been through this a thousand times I will wear what I want, you can't force me to dress up like a Barbie doll." Ellie said irritably

"Well go around looking stupid if you want but you will wear that dress and these for my wedding." she said holding up the pair of gold sandals "I will not have you ruining the day"

"Whatever" Ellie shrugged "Anyway It'll Clash with my hair."

"I don't care. Go and try them on, now." Her mother commanded handing her the dress and shoes.

Ellie rolled her eyes and took off into the changing room. She changed from her black skirt and top into the dress not bothering to remove her arm warmers or fishnet tights making her new outfit look rather bizarre. She stared the dress in the mirror shuddering at the thought of wearing something like that it public. She swapped her combat boots for the sandals before stepping out so her mother could see.

"Couldn't you have taken those off?" her mother sneered looking at the fishnets and arm warmers

"Couldn't you have picked something less pink?" Ellie responded irritably

"I like pink" her mother said simply

"I don't" Ellie muttered under her breath

"Well this is my wedding not yours and I think that dress will be fine, as soon as you get rid of the arm warmers, fishnets, black nail varnish and that awful black eyeliner."

Ellie shook her head and headed back into the changing room and changing back from the hideous pink dress into her black skirt and favourite black top as fast as she could.

"Come along Eleanor we have a busy afternoon ahead!" Ellie's mom said as she picked up the bag containing the revolting pink dress and tacky gold sandals. Ellie followed her out of the door of the shop shaking her head.

---

Ellie skipped through the tracks on her CD player till she reached the one she wanted and continued to ignore the fact her mother was waffling on about something else wedding related. It was getting a little bit boring, wedding this wedding that… After a short drive they pulled up to a rather large expensive looking house.

Reluctantly putting the CD player away Ellie stepped out the car and followed her mom up the house. She had visited where her mom's fiancé lived once before to meet the man in question, this time though she would apparently be meeting her soon to be step-brother. She wasn't looking forward to the idea of having a step-brother or a step-father for that matter, but she had no choice in the matter everything was up to her mother.

"Albert!" Ellie's mom smiled cheerfully greeting the man who answered the door bell, Ellie rolled her eyes as they kissed and then followed the day dreamy couple inside shutting the door behind her.

She had to admit the house was impressive, it was a fairly big size with plenty of rooms and everything was furnished mostly in matching shades of beige and was probably kept clean by some cleaner paid by Albert. Ellie and her mother were supposed to be moving in with Albert and his son after the wedding, though they weren't moving into this particular house instead they were moving to Toronto where there was an equally large and beige house waiting for them as Albert had just gained a new position as a top surgeon at Toronto central hospital. Ellie hadn't visited the house they were moving to after the wedding because of how far away it was, but she had seen the pictures of it. She had to admit that both of the large houses made Ellie's old house with its worn out décor and dated furniture look rather shabby in comparison.

Ellie followed them into the dining area where a boy her age with short dark curly hair was eating at the table; he looked up from his food when they entered his fork halfway between his mouth and the plate. Ellie raised an eyebrow as he put it down and examined her silently; her eyes took in his casual top and messy hair as well as the expensive camera lying on the table next to him.

"Ellie, meet my son Craig, Craig this is Judy's daughter Ellie." Albert said promptly introducing them. Craig offered her a smile which she returned with one of her usual smirk like smiles and a nod.

"Hey" Craig nodded taking in the short red head with her wild hair style and black skirt, boots and top. He though she looked really good in her alternative clothing, the fact she didn't dress like the other girls he knew interested him.

"Hi" she replied coolly

"We're going to sort though some wedding details, why don't you get to know each other a little or something?" Albert suggested waving a hand casually.

"Sure Dad" Craig agreed quickly. Albert and Ellie's mom headed though to his study and the door clicked shut. Ellie watched them leave then turned back to face the dark haired boy.

"So Ellie…" Craig said nervously before picking his fork back up and popping a forkful of his food into his mouth. "…You can sit down if you want." He commented as he looked up to see her still standing in the doorway.

Ellie reluctantly decided to take the seat opposite Craig and he gave her a small smile which she returned before an awkward silence filled the room again. Ellie glanced over at some of the pictures on the walls and the notice board where there were some drawings obviously done by a young Craig. Craig continued to finish his food while she looked around before putting his fork down on his plate and taking it over to the sink.

"So… looking forward to the wedding?" Craig asked as he sat back down trying to get the conversation started

"Not really" Ellie replied

"Me either" Craig agreed with a small smile "Its all dad's talked about since the day he told me he was engaged."

"Moms the same" Ellie nodded before going back to examining the chipped black nail polish on her fingers.

"Ever been to Toronto before?" Craig asked breaking the silence again as he picked up his camera.

"Nope" she replied looking up "have you?"

"I lived there for awhile with my Mom before she died" Craig told her "It's ok round there."

"Cool" Ellie nodded as her Mom and Albert came back into the room discussing the catering for the wedding.

"Why don't we go out and have dinner out later?" Albert suggested

"Sounds good dad" Craig smiled Ellie got the distinct impression Craig didn't like the idea any more than she did. Ellie nodded politely in agreement not wanting to start any arguments.

"Why don't you show Ellie your darkroom or something Craiger." Craig's dad suggested forcefully. "Go find something to do until I come and get you to go out."

"Sure" Craig agreed quickly "Follow me" he added to Ellie who stood up deciding anything had to be better than listening to more wedding plans.

Craig led Ellie out of the room and towards some steps down into the basement.

"I think they wanted to get rid of us" Craig said with a small smile

"Yeah I guess so" Ellie agreed taking in the very dark darkroom. Craig flipped on a red light and immediately Ellie could see quite a bit more.

"You like taking photo's then I take it" Ellie asked examining the room around her

"Yeah I enjoy it, but I like playing my guitar, base or drums better" Craig told her "Anything musical really, writing songs, I can play piano badly too"

"I can play drums and guitar," Ellie told him as he checked some of the hanging pictures, "I'm not very good though, Dad taught me how to play guitar on one of his breaks…" Ellie said thinking back to the Christmas when she had received her guitar and her dad teaching her to play it.

"Cool" Craig smiled "maybe we should play together sometime"

"Yeah maybe" Ellie agreed "Though as I said I'm not very good"

"I could teach you then" Craig offered puling out a photo album and flipping through it.

"That would be cool" Ellie nodded she was gaining a new found appreciation for the boy he seemed pretty cool "So what do you take pictures of?" she asked joining him at the table.

"Lots of stuff" Craig shrugged as he flipped through the album "I used to take lots of my little sister when I lived in Toronto but now I'm back here I don't take many any more, I usually just carry my camera round and snap anything cool"

"These are good pictures" Ellie said leaning over his shoulder and looking at the pictures of a small baby and a smiling woman, "Who's that?" she asked curiously

"My Mom and my half sister Angie" Craig told her shutting the album quickly blushing a little "anyway it's not very interesting down here, do you want to watch some television or something?"

"Sure" Ellie nodded as he put the photo album back down in its box and led the way out of the dark room.

An hour later Albert stuck his head into the living room where they were watching a cheesy game show.

"Are you two ready to go?" he asked

"I just need to get my shoes" Craig told him turning the television off and leaving the room

"Quickly Craiger" Albert yelled after his son. "Coming Ellie?"

She nodded and followed him out of the living room into the kitchen where Ellie's mom was waiting, Craig joined them seconds later and Albert led the way to his car.

---

The arrived at some posh restaurant in town and they took their seats at the table. Ellie glanced at the menu trying to find something she fancied she eventually settled on a Vegetable stir-fry and rice. A waiter took their orders and Albert and Ellie's Mom started to discuss the venue for the wedding Craig and Ellie shared a glance.

"Are you vegetarian then?" Craig asked breaking the silence between the two of them.

"Yeah" Ellie nodded

"Would you two both be happy staying in the hotel after the wedding in a double room?" Albert asked suddenly interrupting their conversation

"Uh Sure dad" Craig nodded Ellie nodded in agreement to though she knew she would much rather stay at home by herself.

"Good, I'll book that tomorrow then" Albert told them

"Why don't you book the second hall too?" Ellie's mom suggested

Ellie sunk down into her chair and resigned herself to listening to the seemingly endless wedding talk, Noticing Craig looked pretty bored with it all too. At least they had something in common.