Time of Your Life

By: BohoChick

Author Note: This is my first Degrassi fanfic. I'm rather new to the Degrassi scene so please correct me if I get anything wrong or if the characters seem out of character. This is story that revolves around the current junior class at Degrassi but will involve the seniors. I hope you like. The first chapter starts off with JT and Liberty. They aren't my favorite couple or non-couple now but I thought that it was a good starting point.

Chapter One– Friday Night Special

For the first time in her life she didn't know what to do with the situation at hand. If she wanted to be perfectly honest she didn't know how to tell the situation to a few certain people. This didn't happen to girls like her. This didn't happen to people like her. She was smart. She had a future. She knew what she wanted to do with her life and why. She had a purpose. Yet, one stupid mistake screwed all of it up.

-x-

"Ted, we have to be supportive," Harriet tried to control her husband's anger while trying to keep hers in check as well.

Ted van Zandt paced the length of the living room. He didn't bother to look at his daughter or her boyfriend, strike that, ex-boyfriend. How could they get themselves into this kind of situation? His daughter was smart. She knew the risks. She knew that it was wrong. But she did it anyway.

"Mr. van Zandt, I plan on helping Liberty in anyway that I can. I have a job and I plan on helping out financially. This is my child too and I want to be involved with his or her life," JT spoke up. He was scared for his life but right now he needed to tell Liberty's father what he had told her. "I know that Liberty and I are no longer together but I want to be in the baby's life. I want to be friends with Liberty."

"Dad, JT and I both plan on taking full responsibility. This is our mistake –" Liberty looked at her mom. "But we wanted to tell you together."

"Did you think this through? What about adoption?" Harriet asked.

"I want to keep the baby," Liberty looked at JT.

"So do I," JT took her hand in his.

This would change the course of their lives altogether. This moment would define the rest of their lives. And for the first time, he couldn't be happier. But then he saw the look on her father's face and the happiness was a foreign memory.

"Then you should do the right thing," Mr. van Zandt crossed his arms. JT gulped. "You should marry Liberty and make an honest woman out of her."

"Dad, is that really necessary? I mean JT and I can handle this without marriage," Liberty stood up. "Why do I need to marry JT? The baby will always have both of us-"

"You don't know that! He could leave at anytime without looking back!" Liberty backed away from her father. "Either you marry JT or you have to move out and raise that baby on your own!"

"Ted!"

"Dad!"

JT knew where Mr. van Zandt was coming from. When he had told his parents they had told him the same thing. They didn't stress it but had made sure he knew what the right thing to do was. But while he still loved Liberty, he didn't see himself growing old with her. They both knew she would go off to a fancy college while he would take a year off to decide what he really wanted to do. He didn't have that option anymore.

"Harriet, you know as well as I do that this is what has to happen."

"No, it isn't. How could you tell our daughter that she has to raise the baby on her own when she doesn't have a job or money to support herself?" Harriet pulled her daughter into a half-hug.

"Didn't you hear? JT has a job," Ted motioned to the silent boy.

"He got a job so that he could support the baby, which is the right thing to do. He doesn't need to support our daughter on minimum wage," Anger seeped into her voice. "And if they want to get married, they will. You can't force them to marry when they aren't even together anymore!"

"So you want this baby will be a bastard child!"

"The baby will NOT be a bastard child," JT finally spoke up. "I will always be around. I will always be there for it. Don't even speak about my child like that."

Liberty looked at JT with shock written all over her face. JT had never once dared to speak to her father that way. He always tried to stay on his good side. JT didn't disrespect adult. But here he was, defending their baby against their father.

JT himself couldn't tell whether he had gone mad or if he was trying to get himself killed. He never spoke up against her dad. He would have him kicked out of the house and banned from seeing Liberty. But Mr. van Zandt had crossed a line when it came to his child.

"You are? Are you going to be there on the long nights when the baby is sick or when he or she wants a 2 a.m. feeding?" Ted walked up to JT. "Are you going to be there when the baby takes its first steps or says his or her first words? Are you going to be there –?"

"I will," JT stood up. "I will because I love that baby."

"But you don't love my daughter enough to marry her?"

"I will always love Liberty but it wasn't in the cards to stay together," JT looked at Liberty. "If you want me to marry you I will."

Liberty looked at her mother and then at her father. She knew what her father wanted and she knew what her mother would like. But then she looked at JT and knew what she wanted. She shook her head no and he nodded. They weren't mature enough to get married. They weren't compatible anymore. They were just going to friends and parents.

"Then pack your bags and find a place to stay," Ted walked out of the room and out the front door.

Harriet closed her eyes and Liberty took in a breath. If she knew how this would have turned out, she would have hoped for a miscarriage. JT walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. He didn't know how to help her but he could find her a place to stay.

"Liberty, just give your father some time…" Harriet took her daughter's hand. "He's just angry…"

"We both know that he won't change his mind," Liberty pulled away from JT and hugged her mom. "Maybe I could stay at Emma's for a night or two and then see if Grandma will take me in."

"Or you could stay at my house," JT spoke up.

"I couldn't impose," Liberty rubbed her stomach.

"Yes, you can. Pack your bags and I'll go talk to my parents. It'll all work out," JT kissed her forehead and left to go home.

-x-

JT pulled back into Liberty's driveway to see her waiting outside with her mom and brother. Tears were streaming down Mrs. van Zandt's face. Danny didn't look to happy either. The whole situation was messed up but Liberty and he would get through it. JT got out of the car and walked over to the group.

"I'm guessing your parents said that it was fine for Liberty to stay with you?" Danny asked. Yep, he was up to speed.

"They said that it was perfectly fine," JT grabbed one of Liberty's bags. There were four in all. "You're welcome anytime to visit, all of you."

"We will," Harriet hugged him. "Thank you JT."

"Yeah, no problem," JT pulled away and put the bags in the trunk. Liberty hugged her mom and brother before getting into the car. JT walked back over to Mrs. van Zandt and handed her a piece of paper. "This is my home phone number and my cell phone number if you can't reach Liberty at my house."

Mrs. van Zandt nodded and took the piece of paper. JT walked around and got into the car. He started it up again and pulled out of the driveway. They sat in silence as JT drove back to his house. They passed Emma and Manny on the way there. They didn't stop to say hi and the two girls watched them drive down JT's street.

"We have to tell everyone soon," Liberty looked out the window. "I mean, I'm going to start to show soon. No sense in them finding out through the grapevine."

"We'll have them over tonight if you want, just the five of us," JT pulled into the driveway. "Well here we are…"

"Home sweet home," Liberty got out of the car. "Are you sure your parents are ok with this?"

"Yeah, you'd be surprised how ok they were," JT got out of the car and opened the trunk. He took two of Liberty's bags out and walked to the front door. He knocked on the door and waited. His mom opened it up moments later. "Mom, you remember Liberty?"

"No, JT I'm having a lapse of memory and I can't seem to remember this girl," Sarah Yorke rolled her eyes. "It's nice to have you staying with us Liberty."

"Thank you for letting me," Liberty tried to smile. "I won't be much trouble, I'll help out in any way that I can."

"Oh, it's no trouble and I don't see why you should be helping out. You'll be in no condition in a few months to do anything. Get use to relaxing," Sarah watched JT come back to get the last two bags. "JT, Emma called just a few minutes ago, call her back once you get Liberty settled. I have to go grocery shopping and your dad went to the mechanics to get his oil changed."

"Will do," JT nodded and led Liberty inside.

She was familiar with her surroundings but the fact that she would be living in this house was just a tad bit strange. JT brought the last two bags upstairs and showed her to her room.

"You'll be staying next to the bathroom, mom's decision. My room is next to that and mom and dad's room is downstairs but you know that already…" JT trailed off.

"Thanks JT," Liberty gave him a small hug. She then turned to start unpacking her clothes and other miscellaneous things. JT stood in the door way for a few minutes but left to go call Emma back and to invite her, Manny, and Toby over.

-x-

Emma, Manny, and Toby walked into the Yorke household around 7 o'clock. JT had invited them over and then they had planned to go to the movies for their new Friday night movie.

"Hey," JT let them in and led them to the living room where Liberty was watching TV. She flicked the TV off with the remote and turned to face them.

"Hey guys," Liberty smiled.

"I thought that you guys broke up…" Manny asked confused. "I mean it's great that you guys are still friends but…"

"Why don't you have a seat," JT offered the couch to his three friends. "Liberty and I have some exciting news but at the same time it's also going to change our lives forever."

Liberty looked at Toby who was nodding his head. JT must have told him sooner because she didn't tell him at all. Emma and Manny looked at Liberty and then JT.

"What's going on?" Emma asked.

"Liberty got kicked out of her house this afternoon," JT started.

"Must be the new trend," Manny looked at Liberty who only lowered her head.

"And she'll be living with me but the news that we have to tell you is that she's three months pregnant," JT took Liberty's hand.

Manny didn't say anything and Emma just looked shock. Neither expected Liberty to get pregnant out of marriage. Liberty was the model for safety. She preached safe sex and now she was the one pregnant.

"Wow," Manny finally uttered.

"I knew already," Toby raised his hand.

Emma looked over at Liberty again and saw the down look on her face. She knew how hard it was for Manny to get an abortion but losing your family seemed to be affecting her much harder.

"You know that we'll be here for you," Emma got up to hug her. "Both of you."

"Thanks Emma," JT hugged the blond. "Now, who's ready for dinner?"

-x-

JT walked out of the bathroom later that night. The evening had gone off without a hitch. Liberty laughed like her life was back in order and he had fun for the first time in a few weeks. He walked to Liberty's room and saw her talking on the phone. He knocked on the door and she turned to see what he wanted.

"The bathroom is free if you want to us it,"

"Thanks," Liberty smiled and continued to talk on the phone.

JT patted the door frame before walking to his room. He closed the door behind him and let out a breath. He knew that this would be awkward and that things may be uncomfortable but he knew that there wasn't a better person to experience this with. He walked to the bed and smiled at the picture on his nightstand.

"We'll get through this," JT whispered. "I promise."