-I don't own the characters, because unfortunately I'm not the writer of an amazing show called "Degrassi" *sigh*

"And why should we help you?" Jake heard Alli say meanly, and he saw Clare's mortified face hearing those words.

He would have never believed that he and Clare could have been friends after their relationship, but now it was like nothing ever happened between them. Sure, he was protective and he loved her, but like an older brother, not like a jealous ex-boyfriend.

Their relationship didn't have any consequences between them, now everything was fine. But he couldn't help feeling guilty.

He felt like the end of Clare and Alli's friendship was mostly his fault. During their relationship she got distant from all her friends and now she spent all her time closed in her room.

And then there was last night, that made him think a lot…

Clare had been in her room for hours when Jake went to knock on her door, just wanting to cheer her up. But when he got no answers he opened the door slowly revealing a sleeping Clare, wrapped in the blanket, with big headphones on the ears and a box he'd never seen before on the bed, next to her.

He approached her cautiously, taking the box and putting in on his lap, to see what was inside it. He was just curious, and had no intention in spying, but a photo, clearly visible above everything else lying there, caught his attention.

It showed Clare sitting on a bench, her hair flipping due to the wind, the blue eyes burning with an energy he never saw in them, pink cheeks and smiley face. Eli, green shining eyes and black hair covered by an oddly familiar pair of headphones, was embracing her from behind, whit his jaw on her shoulder and his mouth on her cheek, while their hands rested intertwined on her lap.

Jake then took another photo from the box, and then another one. The subjects were the same. Eli and Clare, with 2 copies of "fight club" by Chuck Palahniuk in their hands, this object very familiar to Jake too, were smiling at the camera, and in the other one, kissing, embracing each other in a sweet and intimate way that made Jake almost feel a little jealous.

Not because he had feelings for her, this wasn't the reason. But because he realized something watching that picture. He never saw her like this: so radiant, so happy, so …in love. Yes, that was the right term to describe her. In love. Just like in those chick flicks she liked so much, with her eyes burning with an intensity he only saw when she was talking about Eli, and which he wrongly misplaced as rage.

He now realized it was something else…passion…love.

Putting the photos back in the box, he exited the room carefully to avoid waking Clare up.

Standing there, in the Degrassi hallways , and watching Clare being more and more upset about the school paper, Jake understood that all it actually was needed in the current situation was a little help, and everything would go to in the right place. And he was ready to give that help.

The hallways were almost desert, and he found easily the one he was looking for.

Getting closer to her locker he said in a decisive tone: "Alli", and the girl, that was currently reading a chemistry book, looked up.

"Hey, Jake" "Hey" ..she was staring at him confusedly so he began to talk: "Look, I wanted to apologize. This situation between you and Clare is my fault too. And you know, even if she's maybe too proud to tell you, that she misses you a lot."

"Jake, I don't think that…" Alli tried to stop him but he was determined to finish.

"No, listen to me. You know that she isn't just doing it for the school paper, she loves you, and even if she did the wrong thing forgiving me and not you, you did a wrong thing too, and I know you miss her as much as she misses you. She spends all her time locked in her room listening to music with those big black headphones , she never goes out, and the paper is the first thing I see her involved in since our breakup .

Alli was looking closely at him while he was talking and when he described the headphones she just couldn't control the surprise gasp that slipped from her lips. She tried to cover it starting to speak. "I….maybe you're right. Maybe I'm being immature. I should just go there and talk to her. I think I can also find someone to help us with the newspaper. " She was thinking…Jenna would help…maybe Adam…who else…who else… "Wait. You could help us too" .

Jake laughed. "Have you ever read something I wrote? Let's just say I'm not good with words...But I actually have someone perfect for this job."

"Great!" answered Alli, already in "action mode" . "We could surprise Clare entering the paper room when she least expects it. Who's this "perfect man for the job" anyway?"

Jake stared at her for a few seconds before whispering awkwardly : "Eli".

Alli widened her eyes. "You're kidding right? He doesn't…I mean, he's not crazy or super weird anymore, and yes, he became more sociable but…bringing him back in Clare's life would be like putting her back on the rollercoaster. You don't know how it is when they're close to each other. They wouldn't be able to work together without…I mean….and Clare wouldn't want it anyway. "

Alli bit her lower lip …she knew what she meant to say : those two have something too deep to be able to stay close without yelling at each other or jumping each other, but she couldn't say that to Jake, he would just answer that he and Clare had been together too and now they were friends.

Then why couldn't Eli be friends with Clare? Alli knew the reason because she knew Clare too well, and even if she totally agreed with Clare's decision to break up with Eli during spring break , she wasn't oblivious to her friend's true feelings.

Her relationship with Jake was different than the one with Eli. It was based on physical attraction and not much else.

A handsome nice easy-going boy that treats you well, without a dark past haunting him and so easy to handle was exactly what Clare needed when she knew Jake. And she eventually grow so fond of him that she was able to hide her feelings for the troubled boy that was always in her mind deeper and deeper, just like Alli knew Clare had done.

Because though Clare was terrified of how Eli had become in that moment , her feelings for him didn't disappear. She hid them so well that she convinced herself of not feeling anything for him anymore.

But Alli knew that seeing his smirk, his green eyes shining with intelligence, wit and love would be enough for Clare's feelings to resurface. Because Clare couldn't control herself like she did in front of everyone, not with Eli.

Alli understood that from their first meeting.

She was there when Eli got over Clare's glasses with his "car", but suddenly it was like she had disappeared.

There were just Clare and Eli. And Clare couldn't speak. Her know-it-all friend never at a loss of words, couldn't speak without stuttering , and simply couldn't take her eyes off the green ones of the boy in front of her.

And let them be close now that Eli had become exactly everything that Clare loved meant leaving Clare at the mercy of her feelings. And if the things ended bad once again, Clare would be left with an heartbreak that she wouldn't get over easily.

Jake grumbled and Alli sighed. What was the right thing to do?

"Alli, Eli's the best writer we know and you know that. He's not obsessed with Clare anymore, but he would do anything to help her, if she asked him."

Alli snorted: "But Clare would never ask him."

Jake just smiled at her comment: "Yeah, and you and I know why", he put his hands in his jeans' pockets and continued : "Look, I'm not stupid, yesterday I got her looking at their old photos, and I saw her flip out when she thought she had lost those black headphones she carries with her everywhere. And don't tell me those headphones have nothing to do with Eli 'cause in a photo he was wearing an identical pair."

Alli grumbled: "Fine! What do you want me to do?"

Jake chuckled. "Don't you know it already?"

LATER…

"Believe me man, it's wicked" Adam was overly excited and Eli rolled his eyes. "You think everything that contains aliens is wicked."

Adam grumbled: "Whatever. You may not believe me right now but you'll see with your own eyes. The special effects, the sounds, brains reduced to a mush. Man, this is the best movie I've ever…" Adam's eyes went on the girl that was approaching them with decisive steps, like she was on a mission, and he opened the mouth, surprised and confused.

Eli looked in the same direction and raised his eyebrows, shocked when the girl stopped right in front of him, staring at his face.

"Eli" Alli said, a little too formal for a girl talking to a boy of her same age.

"Alli" Eli replied in the same tone, sneaking an amused glance to Adam.

"I need to talk to you…could you come with me for a minute?"

Eli just stared at her with a blank face. Why the hell Alli Bandhari wanted to talk to him? And why was she making it seem like the faith of the world depended on that talk?

Before answering Eli shared a confused look with Adam that just shrugged his shoulders.

"All right. I'll come with you" .

Alli found an empty classroom and then closed the door.

Eli just observed her, impatiently waiting for her to talk… "so…"

Alli sighed "It's about Clare" .

Eli's face drained of all the colors in a second. " Is something happened to her? Is she fine? You wouldn't have told me, of all the people, if this wasn't serious. Is she hurt ? "

Eli began pacing the room frantically and slightly shaking, and Alli was just shocked by his behavior, she had no doubts now about how much he cared about Clare.

She put an hand on his shoulder. "Eli, calm down! Clare is completely fine. Nothing's happened to her. I just wanted to ask you a favor about her "

Eli breathed a sigh of relief while Alli took away her hand from him. "Dammit Alli, you scared me to death! You had such a serious face!" Eli sit down on a desk, his face slowly reacquiring his normal color.

Alli bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry if I made you worry …it's just that…I didn't really know how to talk to you. We had never spoken to each other and I know you don't really like me and I know you know I never was a big fan of you too…and after what happened at Jake's cabin… well…"

Eli laughed " Ahah. You thought I was going to bite your head off? Relax Alli, I'm not going to. And yes, you're not really my favorite person in the world, no offense, but I don't hate you. And about Jake's cabin…you did a bad thing, but I'm in no position to get mad at you for what you did to Clare. With all the times I didn't treat her right…." Eli whispered the last sentence staring at his feet and Alli felt bad for him.

"Ehi…about that favor…Clare is making the holiday edition of the school paper all alone and she's freaking out because she won't probably be able to make it in time. You are a good writer so if you could help her she would be very grateful and-" "no" . Eli didn't even let Alli finish the sentence. "I don't think it's a good idea".

"But, but just a moment ago you were panicking over her well-being. And now that you have a way to help her feel better you refuse without even thinking about it. " Alli would have never understood that boy, she was sure about it.

"It's not like I don't want to help her. But before I thought she was in some kind of danger. Now I know she's fine, and she has you and other people that can easily help her with the paper. We don't even talk, if saying hello doesn't count. If she had needed my help she would have asked me".

"What if she doesn't have the courage to ask you? You know how proud she is" Eli laughed sarcastically. "She had the courage to ask you, instead."

Alli didn't question how Eli knew that piece of information, and she didn't yell at him: Maybe it's because she doesn't have feeling for me like she has for you like she wanted to, but she just gave him a pleading look, hoping he would change his mind.

Eli just groaned. "Clare can do this, even without me. And I really don't think she want me anywhere around her. She made it pretty clear several times. If she asked me I would probably help her but volunteering without her wanting it and making her uncomfortable with my presence…I'm sorry but I won't do that." Alli was defeated while Eli left the classroom….Mission failed.

Jake met Alli during lunch break, to have a report on "Mission Eli".

"So?" asked Jake. "So he would help her if she asked but he would never do it without her asking, because he thinks she can't stand being near him or something along those lines. And of course Clare would never go to him for help " Alli snorted. "How dumb can these two be?"

Jake was thinking hard to what she said when Alli continued: "In my opinion this is a lost cause, so let's not think about it anymore. Hopefully they'll find a way to get close again. This afternoon, when Clare stays for the school paper, we go help her" Jake wasn't really paying attention so Alli just turned to the door "So…I go now…bye"

Jake just wouldn't let go …all these efforts for nothing. He had to find a solution. Eli believed that Clare didn't care about him anymore…how could he change his mind? How…. Suddenly an idea hit him, so he stood up and sprinted to the hallways. He scanned them a little before finding Eli, who was sitting next to Adam in front of his locker, reading comics.

"Adam" Jake exclaimed. Both guys shot their heads up hearing his voice.

"Jake" answered Adam surprised.

"Did you hear that Alli and the other juniors go help Clare after school? You go too?"

Eli turned his head in Adam's direction while he answered. "Sorry Jake, but I have the radio show almost every afternoon, I already told it to Clare when she asked me to help her."

"Oh, too bad man." Jake almost turned around to leave, but then he turned in Adam's direction, a weird look on his face.

"Oh god, I almost forgot. Clare asked me to tell you if she perhaps left her headphones at your house. You know, they're big, black and silver. She's flipping out since she lost them."

"Sorry Jake, but it's a while that Clare doesn't come to my house" answered Adam, looking nervous.

"Oh no. I really hoped you had them. She's desperate to find them. Yesterday, when Helen told her that she would have bought her another pair, she got hysterical, yelling that she didn't know how important they were, what meaning they had to her, and started crying. All this just for a pair of headphones, can you believe it? Women are crazy!"

Jake was laughing a little watching the reaction of the two boys in front of him.

Adam laughed awkwardly for a little but then just quitted, sneaking glances at Eli, that was staring right in front of him, almost trembling.

Jake smiled wider and continued casually: "You know, living with a girl makes you know her more than you think! Since she lost her headphones Clare had become paranoid with her things. She always brings with her her autographed copy of Fight Club and reads it every day. And I mean, a book is always the same. Why reading it so much? She even sleeps with it under the pillow. I tried to see what is so special about it and stole it. When she entered the kitchen and watched me read it she detracted it from my hands and screamed at me that if I touched it again she would kill me."

Eli was still like a statue, not even blinking, and Jake was almost having fun, seeing him so distraught.

Jake laughed "Ehm, well I think I bored you enough talking about Clare's obsession for her things. Sorry if I interrupted you guys…And Adam…if you change your mind about the paper the others are surprising her at 4 ò clock."

For the first time Eli spoke: "How are they surprising her?"

Jake smiled bright: "They're all getting into the paper room together, without saying anything to her."

Eli kept silent again, absorbing the news, while Adam murmured "Sweet.."

Jake then said goodbye and left.

Adam stared at Eli's face. "Soo…what are you gonna do about it?"

Eli just smirked: "I have no idea what you're talking about".

That evening Clare entered her house smiling, went to say hello to everyone, asking how their day was.

At dinner, she just kept smiling and Helen Edwards was curious.

"So, I guess you're feeling better now? No more sad or nervous?"

Clare stared at her for a moment before answering: "Oh yes, I am fine. Alli and I are friends again, and everything is perfect."

Clare smiled to herself while Helen murmured "I never understood why you weren't friends anymore in the first place" and Jake couldn't stop himself. "And how is the school paper going? Have you got enough help?"

Clare suddenly blushed and looked down, and Glen asked: "Clare everything okay? Your face is red."

Clare just kept looking at her feet so Jake answered with a chuckle: "probably she is just excited for the paper."

Clare glared at him, wondering what exactly did he know. And Helen caught on why Jake was laughing and her daughter was blushing.

"Clare, who's helping you exactly?" If possible Clare's face became even redder. "Ehm…you know…just the juniors…Alli, Jenna, and the boys."

Jake made an interested face. "Really…no senior is helping you? That's so weird, cause I heard there was one in the paper room today."

Clare's face had become so red and her heart started beating faster. She got up from her chair and spoke fast :"I need to use the bathroom, excuse me" , she then stormed off the kitchen and Jake began laughing hard.

Glen was just confused: "I lost something? Cause I really don't understand."

Helen just looked at Jake and smiled slightly : "So, Eli is helping, uhm?"

Jake was surprised: "How.." Helen laughed: "She behaves like that only when Eli is the subject. "

Glen coughed. "And who exactly is this Eli?"

Helen sighed. "I have the sensation you'll meet him soon. And if my sensation is right, he'll introduce himself as my daughter's boyfriend".

Jake just started laughing again. What a little help can do!

FIN

-Sooo this is my first story in this site and my first Degrassi/ Eclare story ever! (I love them so much).

I apologize for any possible grammatical mistakes but I'm Italian so sometimes it just happens . (let me know if you find any).

Anyway, I'm a person who thinks too much about everything, so I just kept wondering : "How does Eli know about the school paper? Why would he want to help Clare right now? Why Alli said: "I don't think anyone else is walking through that door Clare" with a disappointed look? Why Jake seemed to know in Come as you are part 1, that the boy the girls were talking about was Eli? And I really needed something sweet eclare-related before this week episode so….this missing moment came in my mind and I had to write it