Summary: Paige and Spinner decided to stay friends after their break-up, but will Jay be the one who helps Paige when she needs it? Emotions are uncontrollable... compulsive.

Pairings: Paige & Jay... I might add some Spinner/Alex to the mix later on, but I'm not 100.

Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi: The Next Generation or any of it's characters or story-lines (and if I did I would make sure to have kick a story lines and marry Jake Epstein!) All of the chapter titles are various songs which I also do not own.

The rating for this story is T, but later on it might get closer to M... I'll make sure to let everybody know if that happens though (which it most likely will)... Last but not least, I started writing this story a pretty long time ago and so the timeline is sometime mid-season 4. The events of "Secret" already happened, but Alex didn't get sick, and she is still going out with Jay. "Time Stands Still" happened, but Jimmy wasn't paralyzed and Spinner hasn't turned himself or Jay in. "Islands In the Stream" and "Anywhere I Lay My Head" are the same. I have just about 90 of the story done already so i'll be able to update pretty quickly for a while. If there's anything that you would LOVE to see happen, just leave me some feedback and I'll see if I can work it into my story (I know that sometimes even the best stories could use some more episode references or plots, etc.) Well, now that that's all cleared up, I give you 'Compulsive':

Prologue

Spinner: You have to control everything around you!
Paige: That's because every one is out of control!
Spinner: No, they're out of your control, and they're damn lucky!
Paige: What is that supposed to mean?
Spinner: It means that I'm sick of you and your bossy attitude!
Paige: Well if you're so sick of me, then why do you keep coming around? We broke up weeks ago and the only reason why I agreed to be your friend was because I felt sorry for you!

(Paige's POV) Ok, so brutal public scenes are normally the highlights of my day; whenever I'm the one going 20 rounds it can possibly be even better. Under no circumstances however do I enjoy having a lover's spiff in the middle of a now crowding hallway with a guy who can very easily ruin my reputation with numerous secrets that I've shared with him. Hell, he can shout out some heinous lie and people would believe it just because we were together for so long! Note to self: Never let the admiring public know that you've been going out with a guy for longer than 2 months… 3 tops. Any lengthier than that and you're labeled as "the girlfriend". God, I hate being called "the girlfriend", I mean why can't people just mind their own business when it comes to relationships? I'd go into more detail, but I just remembered that I have to take care of my current furby problem before jumping into another "heated discussion".

Spinner: Well?
Paige: Well what?
Spinner: Well why are you still here?
Paige: I'm still here because I was hoping that perhaps you would spontaneously combust from having to think so much. I mean processing such large words has got to be hard for somebody with as limited knowledge as you.
Spinner: Well Princess at least I have enough knowledge to know not to go to a house party hosted by some guy from a rival school.

(Spinner's POV) Whenever I saw that look in her eyes I knew that I had gone too far. Ok, so I knew that it was too far before I even said it, but I couldn't just stand there looking like an idiot. I said that I was sorry immediately, but it was too late… she had already slapped me and stormed off with Hazel and Ashley by her side. The crowd of people broke up instantly, but I could still hear everyone whispering and talking with their friends. Paige broke up with me for being an ass, and now that she's finally talking to me I go and screw it up again. I'm such a jerk.

Hazel: He's such a jerk!
Ashley: I can't believe he said that!
Hazel: Paige, don't even pay attention to him. What Dean did was completely out of your control.
Paige: Yea right. So you're saying that if we never went to that party then Dean would have found me on the street and forced me to have sex with him?
Ashley: Paige, you know that you can't blame yourself. You've done so amazing in counseling; don't let spinner get to you.

(Paige's POV) I wipe a stray tear off of my cheek and nod like I understand. Really though I just want to punch the mirror behind me and shatter it into a million pieces. That way it would be just like my life: Broken but beautiful. Confused? I figured as much. You see growing up, whenever Dylan or my mom or my dad would break a mirror they would scream and spat out their fury and eventually sweep the pieces into the trash. The whole time they were doing that I would sit on the countertop, or the sink, or wherever the mirror was and just look into it as if it were new, and I always found that it looked better with accidental gashes and shards of glass that reflect an item 20 times at once. It's like looking into a kaleidoscope only instead of diamonds and spheres waiting for you, it's your own reflection. So, I let go of Ashley's hand, hop down from the sink, fix my hair & make-up, and tell my two best friends that I just need some time by myself. Normally they wouldn't leave me alone for a second in a situation like this, but Michalchuks can be extremely convincing when they want to be.

Spinner: You should have seen the look on her face! Pure genius!
Jay: Wait, so what did you mean when you said it?
Spinner: Oh, um… it was nothing. She just got drunk at some party a couple years back. Figured the queen-bee wouldn't want people to know that she can't handle her liquor.
Jay: Man, that is classic. If Ms. Hot Sauce hadn't have given me detention I would have been front row to see you beat that smug look off of Princess Prissy's face!
Spinner: Yea, well stick close. Paige has a way of running back to me whenever she wants something.
Jay: I bet she does. So tell me buddy, scale of 1 to 10, how is she?
Spinner: What?
Jay: Come on man, throw me a bone here. If she's as good as it seems I got some friends who would owe me big time for getting them hooked up with her. She's gotta be easy to go at it with you right!

(Jay's POV) I patted Spin on the shoulder with a little chuckle and started toward my car. I would have stayed back and waited for his answer, but he had the weirdest look on his face. Figures, the guy is probably still in love with Spirit-chuk. I can see the physical attraction, but personality wise I have no idea why anybody would want to listen to her shrill, nagging, complaining voice. I guess Mason's just got it bad for Malibu Barbie. It's a shame though I could really use one of my friends to pawn Alex off too. Lately she's been as annoying as the Princess herself. And trust me, if I didn't know that Alex would crush my ribs into my lungs, I would dump her the second I see her tonight. Well maybe we'd do it a couple of times first… for memories sake.

Chapter 1 – Here's to the Night

Paige was walking alone in one of the allies nearby her house as the sun was setting in the distance. She had her arms wrapping her thin sweater close and was biting the corner of her bottom lip. That seemed to be her habit these days… not the walking alone part, but biting her lip. It was something that she started to do to look cute and ended up not being able to shake. It didn't matter though because she was determined that nobody would even notice the small little things that she did in awkward or boring moments. After about 10 minutes of walking she turned onto the corner of The Dot. Normally she would have gone in, but after the whole fiasco with Spinner early that day she decided it best to just keep walking. As soon as she stepped off the curb though, a car came right at her, missing her by a foot.

(Paige's POV) The second I stepped off of that curb everything started to go wrong. I was really scared at first when the car was coming at me, but once it stopped and I saw who was driving, I was just plain annoyed. I mean, first the fight with Spinner and now I almost get flattened by Degrassi's wannabe bad ass.

Paige: Nice driving! What are you trying to do land yourself in jail? Trust me; you can get yourself arrested without having to kill an innocent pedestrian!
Jay: Now that's funny! You and innocent in the same sentence.

I was just about fuming when he said that snide little remark. Where does Jay Hogart of all people get off implying something like that to me? Anyways, he opened the door and stood next to his car while I tried to walk away without saying anything back. I failed.

Paige: Ugh, you probably don't even know what the word means! Unless your parole officer gave you a dictionary the last time you two had a visit. Why do I even waist my time talking to an idiot like you?
Jay: I think it's because you want me.

There it was again. That smug look like he thinks that he's god and knows everything about everyone. I rolled my eyes in disgust and started to walk across the street. I got no further than 2 steps before I realized that I must have twisted my ankle trying to avoid Jay's civic. I stumbled a bit and then reached to my ankle. God it hurt. It's just my luck too seeing as I decided to leave my cell phone at home! I was about to make yet another piercing remark to Jay for causing me this pain, but to my complete shock he leapt out from behind his car door to catch me. I starred into his eyes for what seemed like an hour before I decided it was time to break the bonding moment before something even stranger happened. I'm not sure what it was, but there was something in Jay's eyes that hypnotized me.

Paige: Wow, I must be hallucinating! Is the great Jay Hogart actually worried about the girl he almost killed?

Jay started to chuckle to himself as he clicked the alarm button on his car keys and started to walk towards the door to the dot.

Jay: Don't flatter yourself Princess. I just didn't want you denting my car by falling on it. Now if you don't mind I'm kinda hungry now.
Paige: What? Jay! Wait, you can't just leave me here!
Jay: Oh, why not? Little miss pom-poms forget her cell at mommy's?

I snarled at the comment, namely due to the fact that Jay was right, and decided that I didn't need his help. Paige Michalchuk can surely walk home with a twisted ankle right?

Paige: Ugh, forget it. Just go join your little boyfriend inside. I'll find my own way home. Besides, there's no way in hell I want you knowing where I live. I happen to like not getting robbed.

I started to amble towards the nearest bench hoping that maybe I'd come up with a brilliant plan for getting home. I was about half-way there when the astonish-fest continued; Jay scooped me up over his shoulder and tossed me gently into the front seat of his death vehicle. Before I had any time to react he had already climbed into the driver's seat next to me and started the car.

Paige: What the hell do you think you are doing! You do not just abduct people! Now stop this car right now!
Jay: I gotta say I love seeing you squirm.
Paige: Oh please! I am not squirming. I do not squirm. Ugh.

Jay continued to laugh to himself as he turned up the volume on the stereo. I let out another sigh just to make sure that he knew I definitely wasn't happy and then I turned to the window as I forcefully sat back in the seat. Jay and I both sat in silence as he casually drove along making all the right turns in getting to my house. Every so often we would each pass glances at each other though I covered my tracks quite nicely by disguising my curiosity with spite. After about 5 minutes of driving Jay's orange civic turned onto the street where my house was, and it was then that I realized I hadn't told him where I lived before. What is he, a mind reader or something? This is what I hate about Rebel-without-a-brain; it's like one minute he's robbing vending machines and the next he does something completely unexpected and pulls it off flawlessly! I mean if somebody had told me that Jay would be giving me a ride home today I would have told them to go shopping for a straight jacket because there would be no way in hell that I would get into a car with him. Now though, it's almost as if I don't want to leave the confines of his orange sports car. Still there's this weird, almost endearing, quality to Jay, and whenever I'm around him I feel different than I ever have before in my life… I'm not sure if that's a bad thing yet. I snapped out of my thoughts in perfect time because Jay was pulling up past my curb and I knew that I had to say something before he did.

Paige: Wow, so I guess you would have robbed me anyways. Shall I say stalker much?
Jay: Don't let it go to your head Queen Bee. I wouldn't waste my time following you around all day.
Paige: Well then Jester of Jackasses how exactly did you know where my house was?
Jay: I don't tag along when you go speeding home after pom-pom club, but your little lap dog Spinney does need a ride every so often.

God, how could I have forgotten about Spinner? I mean I never would have expected him to be getting rides to my house from Jay, but I suppose that after the number I did on his car he needed a lift now and then from somebody… and it's not exactly like Spin has too many friends these days. But still Spinner hasn't been over nearly as much as he used to…

Jay: Hey! Earth to Princess!
Paige: What? Oh… right. Well don't expect me to thank you. I mean you are the reason why I needed a ride in the first place.
Jay: Whatever. Do you need guidance to the door or can you manage to carry the weight of your ego all the way up the drive?
Paige: Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If I'm strong enough to endure working at a movie concession I can most definitely make it to my room. Now if you'll excuse me.

I opened the car door and lightly stepped onto the pavement outside of the car. As soon as I knew I could hold my balance I started up to my door. Jay's car started once I was three-fourths of the way there and I turned slightly to see him giving the vaguest nod and backing down my drive-way. I continued walking and finally reached my door where I was greeted by my mother, upset of course that I had left my cell and was unreachable. Her eyes softened once she saw my injury, and I sat at the foot of the stairs as she went to the kitchen for ice. As I sat there I just starred out the side panels of the front door and thought about what just happened. Could it actually be possible that Jay has a heart? Could it be possible that I even care? Why do I feel like I miss Jay? And more importantly does he feel the same? I have no idea what's going on anymore, the only thing I know is that the pain in my ankle has subsided and somehow I ended up sitting by the window upstairs in my room… thinking about Jay. Here's to the night…