Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi, or any of the characters. I got this idea while watching the promo for the new episode. Please let me know what you think. I put this in two parts otherwise it would be too long.

ELI POV

I stood by my locker, waiting for Clare. She had sent me a text earlier this morning saying that she had a huge surprise for me. I stood there, listening to my music, wondering what this surprise might be. I jumped a bit in surprise when I felt two hands cover my eyes. I smirked, knowing full well who it was. I turned around, ready to say a witty comment to her, when my words got caught in my throat. She looked hot but not like herself. While my animalistic side was attracted to this side of her, my rational side told me that this was wrong and so not her.

"Who are you?" I asked her. I knew she was Clare but where was the Clare I knew and loved. What happened to her? I liked her. No, I more than liked her. I loved her. What happened to the saint Clare? What was with this new look? My one question held several other questions.

She smirked at me. That's my thing, not hers. "Let's do some dangerous fun, Eli." She commanded in a firm order.

"Clare, what's wrong with you?" I asked her. She gave me a look before shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head to the left.

I gestured at her outfit and straightened hair, while saying "What's with the new look?"

She glanced down for a moment before meeting my eyes again. I heard her release a sigh. Now, I was truly worried.

"Clare?" I whispered, concerned.

She shook her head, mumbling "You'll think I'm silly."

I smirked, "Try me."

She sighed once more before saying anything else. "I guess I was just sick of everyone referring to me as Saint Clare."

I opened my mouth to object, but she held a hand up, silencing me.

"Please let me finish." she pleaded with me.

I just nodded.

"I gave up being Saint Clare long after my sister Darcy left for Kenya, and when I realized that my Christian parents relationship wasn't perfect. How can I believe and promise to a God that allows these things to happen?" She said, questioning what she once believed in. I wanted to urge her not to do this, to forget her religion but who was I to tell her what to believe in?

I didn't say anything. I guess that got to her because she grunted, and said "You can say something, anything!"

"Clare," I whispered, "This isn't you." that was all I could say. All I could think of.

She groaned, pulling at her locks of hair. "I am sick and tired of people telling me who I should be and who I shouldn't!"

I held my hands up in defense, "Clare, I wasn't. I just, don't think you should throw away your beliefs."

She shook her head, clearly disagreeing. "I'm not throwing away my beliefs. They threw me away." She said, "I want to believe that there was a god somewhere, but every time I try and believe, something happens that makes me doubt it even more."

I wanted to throw my hands around her, hug her, and let her cry against my shoulder, but that ridiculous no PDA rule was holding me back.

"I just want to stop hurting, Eli." she whispered, tears falling. "And, if I don't believe in a God then I won't hurt as much. I won't have any expectations that would just be broken. I won't hurt as much anymore." She narrowed her eyes to the floor, and whispered softly "I just want it all to stop."

Forget the rules! I embraced my arms around her, and brought her towards me. I held her tight, as sobs shook her.

I hushed her, "It'd be alright, Clare. I'll take care of you." I felt her nod slightly against my shoulder. She mumbled something. "What was that?"

She lifted her head to look me in the eyes. Her blue orbs were covered in tears, and I hate to admit it but the tears made her eyes glisten and made then even more pretty.

"I said, thank you." she said, repeating what she had mumbled before.

I nodded, and patted her head. "No problem." I kissed her forehead, "Come on, let's get you home."

"No…" she whispered, shaking her head.

"What do you mean no?" I questioned, "You can't go in class like that. You'll get in trouble."

"I don't care anymore." she stated. She couldn't have been anymore straightforward if she wanted to. I scowled, and grabbed her wrist, and dragged her. "What are you doing?"

"If you won't care for yourself, someone has to." I told her, dragging her out of Degrassi.

Author's note:

What do you think? Good? Okay? What? Please review? No flames.