Some Background Information:

Degrassi is one of my all-time favorite shows. I absolutely adore the drama, romance, comedy… everything! It just really hits home for me, because it is so realistic.

Rock This Town, the episode where JT was killed, which aired in 2007, was actually one of the first episodes I ever saw of Degrassi. (Yes, I was a late starter!) I remember watching it, as the tears rolled down my face, and, as he got stabbed, I thought to myself He won't die! He can't possibly die! Why would they kill off one of the most loved characters? But sure enough, he died. I found myself really upset about it, wondering what would have happened if JT had survived to tell Liberty he loved her. So, basically, this is my interpretation of what could have happened.

Some disclaimers:

If, in any way, shape or form, it appears that I am altering a character's personality, I apologize. I am only human; I do not claim to be one of the writers of Degrassi. Frankly, I have no idea how each individual character would react to each individual scenario. I honestly am just using my own judgment and logic.

A request:

Sometime in the near future, I aspire to publish a novel that will make me famous. I wish to be the one that every other aspiring novelist will look up to. This is why I have written a fanfic. For one, it is really good practice. And two, I really appreciate constructive criticism. Anything you feel I should change let me know! Mind you, I may not always take that criticism to heart, but it is very beneficial for me as a writer to hear your opinion. So please, comment!

Lastly, thanks for reading my fanfic. I truly hope you enjoy.

Every night in my dreams,
I see you,
I feel you
That is how I know you
Go on...
We'll stay
Forever this way,
You are safe in my heart and,
My heart will go on and on...
- Celine Dion, My Heart Will Go On

You are cordially invited

To the marriage of

James Tiberius Yorke

And

Liberty Van Zandt

Saturday, June 21st

Twelve noon promptly

RSVP by June the third

I look at the beautiful invitation, which clearly demonstrates our love for each other. He told me he loves me.

Yes, JT.

Admittedly, when he told me he loved Mia at my birthday party, I was pretty distraught. I truly didn't think I could love anyone ever again. I ran out, crying, thinking this night could not possibly get any worse than it was right then. I sat by a dumpster at the corner of Emma's block, waiting for my mother to pick me up. This night had turned into such a disaster. Then I heard a voice coming from a couple houses down.

"Dude, what the hell did you do?" The voice sounded scared. I recognized that voice… It was the guy who had given JT some trouble last year. Johnny DeMarco. But why did he sound so nervous? I ran to look, only to find him and another Lakehurst boy running past me. I looked at them running for a moment, wondering what they were running from. Then I turned to look at the car from where they had run. Slumped against the car was a figure, struggling to breathe.

I knew that figure.

It was JT.

I immediately dropped my bag and ran to his side, screaming for help. I took him into my arms and looked him over. That's when I saw it. The stab-wound in his back. It was deep. Blood gushed out of it in streams of red liquid. I wrapped my arms around him and rocked him against my body, screaming, "Somebody help! Please! Somebody!" The rest is a blur. The next thing I remember is standing in the Emergency Room, telling a policeman the identities of the two Lakehurst boys I had seen running away from the scene of the crime. I remember the doctor entering the room, asking for a family member, and Toby volunteered as such.

The doctor told us that JT's aorta had been punctured. "It's a main artery..." She had told us, shaking her head sadly. "If he is lucky, he'll survive the night."

My heart raced. I closed my eyes, trying to catch some clarity. Had she just said what I thought she said? JT can't die! I thought angrily, as bitter tears flowed down my face. I collapsed into a waiting-room chair, head in hands, as sobs shook my entire body. He can't die! Not my JT! I sensed my friends gathering around me, them crying as well.

How could I have let this happen? It's all my fault for allowing Manny to talk me into having this stupid birthday party in the first place. I can't believe how idiotic I can be sometimes! I can't let him die…I won't.

I rose from the chair slowly, as if in a trance. I stood in front of the doctor, with my face blotchy and red from crying, my throat raspy. "Please," I whispered, watching her face turn disbelieving as she realized what I was about to say. She began shaking her head slowly as I continued to beg quietly and hopelessly. "Please, please…. Just let me see him for one minute, I swear that's all I need." I swallowed with effort as she looked at my sadly, shaking her head.

"He's in very serious condition… Any disturbance would be hazardous for his health." She told me with a serene face. What?? But you just said he's about to…about to…well, how could anything harm him more if his fate is already sealed?

That's what I thought, but not what I said. I simply stared up at her, my eyes glistening with tears that overflowed and poured down my cheeks, and I whispered simply: "Please."

She bit her lip and closed her eyes, aggravated. Never had I begged this much, wanted something like this. Just to see his face once more, whisper sweet nothings in his ear, fall asleep laying beside him for the last time… It would give me the closure I would need.

Finally she opened her eyes, stared at me stonily for a moment, and nodded slowly. I looked at her gratefully as she told me the room number.

I walked slowly, but my strides were long. My heart was beating so loudly I could feel it pulsing in my ears. I edged toward the stairs slowly. The doctor had told me his room would be on the second floor. I glanced at each door once I'd reached the top of the steps, checking for the number.

Finally, somehow, I arrived. The brass knob felt cold against my skin, its color contrasting so distinctly to the dark brown of my hand. I felt as though my lungs were getting smaller, my chest constricting, not allowing the air I required to enter my body. I turned the door knob, opening the door slowly, my mouth clenching with anticipation.

What I saw there, lying in the bed, made my heart scream with torment. I felt as though my chest were being torn apart in all directions, stretching and ripping to its limit. The pain I felt right then is… Indescribable. The torture, guilt, anguish, sorrows… It was almost too much to bear.

But still, my feet carried me to the foot of the bed, and my eyes forced me to behold the unconscious form before me. The screen beside the bed told me that he was still breathing; his heart was still beating, but still I could not rid myself of the ache in my stomach. This was my JT… the only boy I had ever truly loved. The only one I had ever dated. I had had his baby!

What would have happened, I wondered as I stared down at the lifeless figure. What would have happened if we had kept the baby? Would JT have died? Would we have still broken up, would he have still fallen for Mia? It killed me to think of these what-ifs. I forced myself to stop.

I walked slowly over to where his head lays peacefully on the pillow. I knelt beside him, staring at his thin profile, his cheekbones, his lips. I felt a tear run down my face as I remembered how his lips felt against mine, and it made me wish to touch him, so I gently slid my hand down his cheek. It was cold. Instinctively I checked the TV screen beside the bed. It still told me his heart was beating. He was still alive, but barely.

What must it be like, for him? I wondered. Is it a dark world he now lives in, one that borders between life and death? What is he thinking? Is he wishing he could have made some changes before he dies? Is he thinking of me? Or Mia? I wished I could have read his mind right then. The expression on his face looked serene, but I wanted to know more. I had always wished I could delve into his mind, know the inner workings of it, what really goes on. I had always wished it could have been as easy as simply delving into a novel. But JT wasn't simple. He never had been.

My breath caught as I noticed him flinch slightly in his slumber. Was he having a nightmare about the horrible boys who had stabbed him, robbed him of his life? I felt a sudden rush of anger towards them, but when I took another glance at JT's face, which was once again so empty and pure, my anger disintegrated.

I glanced at the clock. The time was 3:45 AM. I had been there for almost an hour already. The time had flown so quickly, and I realized I was exhausted. I took a deep breath and, after glancing at the door to make sure nobody was watching, I stood, leaning over JT's body. I climbed onto the bed slowly, careful not to disturb his sleep. I sat up on my hands and knees, and leaned down to his lips.

A wave of electricity shot through me, my whole body shaking with nervousness as I placed my lips on his gently. I inhaled deeply as I kissed him, then leaned towards his ear to whisper, "I love you, JT. More than anything in the entire world. No matter what happens, I will always love you." I then scooted further down the bed so that my head was resting in the crook of his armpit, and I curled my legs into a ball. I fell asleep to the beeping of the machines in this small hospital room, on this small hospital bed, with the one person I loved next to me.

When I awoke the next morning, I was still beside him. My heart ached when I realized he was still unconscious. No miracles had occurred. My kiss had not caused him to suddenly awaken, alive and healthy. But he was still on the brink, still holding on. The TV screen showed that his heart was still beating, which was always good. I sighed as I snuggled up against him.

Suddenly the door burst open, and the doctor swooped in, looking furious. "How dare you stay in a patient's room overnight? You know very well it is not permissible unless you are a family member! Now… Get out of this room, young lady! I'll see to it that you are dealt with accordingly." I couldn't speak a word; I simply stared at her as she wrenched me from JT's arms unforgivingly. "I was trying to be kind and allow you to visit him, but I see that you are simply not to be trusted! You could be heavily fined for this, I assure you. But guess what, pretty girl? A man was just run over by a car. It appears that your little boyfriend is going to be…cut off." She stared at me stonily, allowing these words to sink in. My eyes became wide with disbelief.

"You- You wouldn't!" I stammered.

"Oh, but it is necessary. This man has just been run over by a car, he is in dire need of attention, and the rest of the rooms are taken. And seeing as young James here does not appear to be getting better, we must do what we must do. I'm afraid I need to remove him of his IV and oxygen tank." She now looked a little bit more kind and understanding, and her face told me that deep down she was sorry. But this didn't help. I just stared at her in shock.

"Over…my…dead…body!" I head a voice say. I turned around, eyes widening, to see JT emerging from his bed, yanking out the IV tubes one by one. He smiled that adorable smile of his, but I just stared at him, unable to believe that this was really happening. He opened his arms wide, invitingly, and I ran to him, hugging him with all my might, sobbing into his shoulders. The reality of it sank in. He was back. JT was not going to die. He was alive. "I love you," He whispered in my ear. "I always have, Liberty. I'm so sorry for all the pain I caused you. But now I'm back."

I bit my lip, overcome with joy and emotion, and kissed him hard on the lips, allowing it to use some tongue as he ran his hands down my back.

Yet, suddenly, I felt a pair of hands grab me by the waist and pull me backwards. I staggered with them, trying to stay standing, and I saw JT's eyes light up with anger. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

"That is no way to act when you've just been stabbed!" Yelled the doctor furiously. "Now, it's very good that you are alive, but I am going to require you to lay back down in that bed immediately before I call security!" JT raised his hands in surrender and lay back down.

"Happy?" He asked.

The doctor sighed, her face red with frustration. She strode over to him and began hooking up the IV tubes to his arm once more. "You-" She turned to me, pointing her finger at my face. "Get out of here."

And, still in a state of mild shock, I exited the hospital room. My life would never be the same.