Notes: The usual disclaimers apply. The story title comes from the old Jackson 5 song, which was written by Clifton Davis. Though I haven't yet seen Ep. 611, it was impossible not to learn the details of that episode even without trying to look for spoilers. For readers of my ongoing JT/Emma story (The Long and Winding Road), don't worry. I'm currently working on the next chapter. The following one-shot is just something that came to mind. I'm not used to writing a story that involves the current continuity, but hopefully this turned out okay.

Never Can Say Goodbye

'One week.'

Liberty was sitting in homeroom. Toby was on the TV stumbling through Degrassi's morning announcements and, as usual, nobody was paying his efforts any attention. And though she was staring at the screen, Liberty was similarly oblivious to her friend's attempts at reading the latest bulletins.

'One week,' she again thought, 'and you'd think nothing had even happened. Students are casually trading the latest bits of inconsequential gossip. Teachers are rambling on and on excitedly about the nearness of graduation. Toby is reading sports scores as though they served any sort of purpose.'

The more she thought about this, the greater her frown.

'How can people act like this is just another day? How can anyone who knew him on even the most basic level go about their normal routine like nothing has changed? Everything has changed. Whether it's been one week, one year or one decade, it's not right that everyone is moving on. Not right? I don't see how it's even possible?

'Okay, I can believe that some might feel that moving forward is the best way to cope. After all, he was so full of life, he'd likely encourage everyone to make the most out of life and not dwell on sadness.

'Wait. Did the words 'he WAS so full of life' just run through my head? This isn't right. Referring to JT Yorke in the past tense will never feel right.'

"Why are you frowning like that, Liberty?"

Jarred from her thoughts, Liberty was even more startled to see who was standing in front of her trying to get her attention.

"JT?" she asked softly, a confused expression overtaking her frown.

"Wait, don't tell me," the young man continued in a joking tone. "You're watching Tobes up there and you're finally starting to admit to yourself that you were wrong and that I would've been great as Announcement Guy if I'd had a real chance at it."

"This can't be real."

"No, you're right," he continued. "That can't be it. The real reason you're looking so unhappy is that it's been one week since your birthday and, because I never mentioned it, you think I forgot all about it."

"This isn't real," she said sharply, "and I don't want to think about my birthday."

"But you see…I wasn't sure if I should do anything for your special occasion. That's the trouble with being exes. Some days we're talking like friends again and other days we're having shouting matches during student council meetings. It's so complicated, and you know I don't do good with complicated stuff."

"Well," she corrected, despite still being in shock.

"Well what?" JT asked.

"The correct way to say that would have been, 'I don't do WELL with complicated stuff.' Although, personally I also would have chosen another word rather than 'stuff.'"

"Now you're starting to sound more like the Liberty I know and…"

He caught himself and stopped short of completing that sentence.

"Anyway," he resumed, "I didn't forget your birthday, I just didn't know if you'd want me to say anything or do anything."

"It…it's okay."

JT studied the confused expression that wouldn't leave her face.

"Something really IS wrong, isn't it," he remarked. "I don't mean the usual 'JT annoys the hell out of me' wrong."

For a change, Liberty was having trouble finding exactly the right words to express herself.

"No," Liberty finally offered. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that… My birthday. The party. It all seemed so real. The blood. You lying there. The doctor telling us… How could that have all been simply a figment of my imagination?"

"I don't understand," JT responded.

"JT, if I ask you something, do you promise not to laugh or turn it into a joke?"

"I swear I won't," he promised, realizing that this had to be something serious.

"Is this real?" she questioned.

"This?" JT repeated, not certain how to respond.

"You. Me. Here. Now. All of this."

"It better be real," he answered, "because I have good news."

"What sort of news?" Liberty then asked.

She was uneasy with the notion that she could have imagined the tragic events she was sure she had been living with for the past week, yet here he was – alive, with what seemed to be major news he was eager to share with her.

"It's the reason I've been kinda scarce around here for the past week," JT explained. "My producers have been really happy with everything I've been doing since I got my hosting job back."

"It stands to reason," she acknowledged. "I've caught the show a few times and, though I'm not the target demographic, I can tell the show is a hit because of you."

"Thanks," JT said, pleased with this feedback.

It had been awhile since he'd received a nice – or even civil – comment from Liberty, and it caught him off guard. Still, this gave him even further incentive to keep going.

"Lately they've been asking for my ideas for more things we can do on the show."

"If I know you, you've already got a million ideas at the ready."

"You know me so well," he agreed. "And you're right. But what's even better is they actually like a lot of the ones I've given them so far."

"That's great JT," she assured.

Even though his "death" had apparently been in all her mind, it had given her a chance to realize just how little encouragement and positive reinforcement she had given him for so long.

"But that's not all," JT continued. "I've been in a lot of meetings with them in the last week. And starting this Fall, they want to expand the show from 30 minutes to an hour. That way, there's more time to fit everything in. And in addition to being the host, they've offered me the chance to be an assistant producer."

"JT, what do you know about being a producer, assistant or otherwise?"

Liberty cringed on the inside as soon as she heard the words coming out of her mouth. She wished she could say things in a way that wasn't so blunt. At least when it came to saying things to him. Though she always saw her comments as honest and reasonable, she could see how her way of saying them was too much. She made a silent promise to herself to work on this. Knowing that JT wasn't gone after all, she was determined to be a better friend.

Even if what she really wanted was another chance at more than a friendship.

"No worries," JT replied, laughing. "I think it's more of an honorary title. After all, I'm bringing in all these new ideas and I'll be doing more work. Full-time work, as a matter of fact."

"Sounds like you've got your post-Degrassi plans all set," she commented, marveling at how once again he took her harshness in stride and just kept going.

"Mostly," he confirmed. "But now it's my turn. I have a serious question for you."

"Anything," Liberty granted.

"It's really a two-part question. But depending on how you answer the first part, I might not need to ask the second part."

"Okay."

"Do you hate me?" he asked simply but seriously.

"What?"

"Sometimes it's hard to tell anymore. I know you think I screwed up our lives and all, and I guess you're right, but…"

"You didn't," she interrupted.

"But…"

"I know," she continued, not letting him finish what she knew he was going to say. "I've basically accused you of that any number of times, by both my words and actions. It's true that you DID make plenty of mistakes. But so did I. It's just been much easier to put the blame entirely on you. Easier, but wrong. I'm sorry about that. Truly. Oh, and to answer your question… No, I don't hate you. Even when I tried to, my brain refused to allow 'JT Yorke' and 'hate' to coexist within me."

"Thanks for telling me," he said, flashing the smile that could always make her melt if she wasn't careful. "All of it. It means a lot. And it also means I can go ahead and ask you the second part of my question. If you want."

"I'm ready."

"I know I'm pushing my luck, but then again when haven't I? Since you don't hate me… Do you think there'd ever be a time… I'm not saying it has to be now or anything. No pushing. But would you ever want to try…maybe…getting back together?"

Liberty couldn't believe this turn of events. From thinking of the bleak prospect of a life where JT Yorke no longer exists to finding out it was all in her clearly disturbed head, and that he wants the same thing she's been quietly yearning for over the last several months.

"Together?" she questioned. "As in you and me?"

"You really do know the meanings of words," he couldn't help lightly teasing, even in this crucial moment.

"But you're already with…"

"Mia?" he interrupted, anticipating this concern. "She's really great."

"Yeah," Liberty said, actively stopping herself from making a comment about his girlfriend."

"But she's not you," he added.

Liberty was once again taken by surprise. She noted that he always had a way of doing that to her.

"JT, just looking at the two of you from the outside, you're always making her laugh, she gushes over your every word and I don't think she's likely to ever have a harsh thing to say to you."

"And I usually have to work a lot harder to make you laugh," he admitted. "But when you do laugh, it's a real rush. You really know how to drive me crazy sometimes, but you're the one that's always in my head. I've never really been able to fight it, and I don't want to."

"But with her, you also get to be a daddy to her little girl."

"And it's not fair to either of them because I just keep thinking that my family is supposed to be with you."

Liberty looked into JT's eyes, not quite sure of the proper response to that admission.

"Don't worry, though," he quickly continued. "I'm not offering marriage or anything like that. I don't think either of us could see that happening for a long, long, LONG time. But I'd like a second chance. If you think you could do that. Even if it's just a night at the movies. Hey, I'll even let you pour a drink down my pants again if you need the extra incentive."

Liberty laughed. It was the first time she'd laughed in a long time, and it felt good.

"Actually, JT, for the past week I've been thinking about how much I wished I'd had a second chance, too. It was a chance I never thought was going to be possible. I don't know for certain how well we'd do, but I think this time things would go much better."

"So we're really going to try again?" he asked, wanting to make sure that this was indeed something she was in favor of.

"There's no doubt in my mind," she said without a moment of hesitation. "I want this."

She decided that whatever it was that made her concoct this twisted scenario about JT's death, at least it was finally over. And now she was getting a new opportunity with the love of her life. A clean slate. This time, things would all work out.

"As soon as we're out in the hallway, I say we seal this new beginning with a kiss," JT suggested.

"You probably haven't noticed this, JT, but everyone in here is paying about as much attention to us as they are to Announcer Toby. Besides, I once kissed you during detention. I have no problem doing so again in homeroom."

JT smiled as Liberty got out of her seat and, once she stood facing him, leaned in. But as they were about to kiss, she felt a slight tug on her left shoulder. She tried to ignore it, but quickly felt it a second time.

Liberty looked around and found that she was still seated. Only it was the sofa in her livingroom. The person trying to get her attention was her brother.

"What?" she asked, sounding almost in a daze.

"I said it's time to go, sis," Danny explained. "You've been saying you wanted to get to the church early. Before all the others."

"To have some time alone with him," she commented, disappointment and renewed sadness filling her voice. "Yeah, I remember."

"So we'd better get going."

"You're right. Uncharacteristically thoughtful, but right. It's just that…"

"You were daydreaming about him again," Danny said knowingly.

"It felt so real. We were getting our second chance. It was as though everything was going to be all right."

"And it would've happened," he offered. "I bet you anything he knew it too."

Already dressed for the funeral, Liberty stood up and was about to go get her purse when she stopped.

"Danny…a week from now, people aren't going to be acting like nothing happened, are they?"

"Of course not," he answered with certainty.

"That's good to hear. I don't want anyone to forget him. But I'd still give anything if… I just want to hear JT ask me why I'm frowning."