I know I have a lot of stories going on, but this came to me and I had to write it. I may not continue with this for a little bit. I'm not sure, but I had to get this out.

Elijah Goldsworthy is tired. Ben shrieks… again and Sarah complains about it… again. He sighs and grips the steering wheel tighter.

He loves his kids. Really, he does. He loves them with everything in his being and he would do absolutely anything for them, but since Julia's passing he doesn't know how to any more. It's been three years and he's still clueless on how to handle them. CeCe and Bullfrog help as much as they possibly can, but there's only so much they can do and only so much Eli will allow them.

"Daddy! Make Ben stop hitting me!" Sarah squeals. Eli gnaws the inside of his cheek and rolls to a slow stop in front of the school. The parent in front of him is taking their precious time saying goodbye to their little sweetie, but he waits patiently.

That's all father can do really…wait patiently. Wait patiently for his daughter's class mate to get out of the car. Wait patiently at the doctor's office at least once a month. Wait patiently for his book to be published before the money from the last one runs out. So, wait patiently he does.

"Ben, leave your sister alone." Eli breathes out and is met with a giggle that he can't help but smile at. Sarah was Julia's daughter through and through. Beautiful, dramatic…loud. But Ben… Ben was Eli's. He rolls his eyes playfully at the silly three year old and the sulky little girl in the back seat notices.

"You always take his side!" Sarah whines, causing Eli to close his eyes and resist the urge to cover his ears against her shrill scream. He licks his lips and looks into the rearview mirror at the tiny, dark-haired second-grader that is giving him a go to hell look and has her arms crossed tightly across her chest. That was the same look Julia gave him when she was angry and he can't help but give the girl a small smile.

"No, I don't Myrtle." He promises, using the nickname she earned as a toddler just learning to walk. She hobbled around like a little old lady and Eli immediately started calling her the first old woman name that came to mind.

"Don't call me that." She mutters, but she can see her fighting the smile from forming on her lips.

"Myrtle." He teases.

"Stop it!" She demands, but he ignores her.

"Myrtle, Myrtle, Myrtle."

"Daddy!" She cries, but her voice breaks with a giggle. Eli smirks at her in the mirror and she makes a face between laughs.

"Myrtle." He shoots again as the car in front of him finally gets out of the way. Sarah rolls her dark eyes and grabs her backpack and lunchbag from the seat. She hops up and gives Eli a peck on the cheek before climbing out of the car with a surprising amount of grace for a seven year-old that just hit a growth spurt not even a month ago.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you, Myrtle." Eli smiles and Sarah cracks a final smile before slamming the door shut and waving a goodbye over her shoulder.

Eli pulls away and looks back at Ben.

"Daddy thinks it's time to look into getting a nanny. What do you think, Benjamin?" He asks, putting on a falsely deep voice and a serious face. Ben's eyebrows furrow in determination and his tiny fists clamp around his juice box.

"I think that's an excellent idea, Dad." He says, mocking Eli's deep voice. Eli smiles, but doesn't let Ben see; it's a serious conversation after all.

"I think you're right son."

"Ali." Clare says, shaking her friend who is currently dead to the world. The dark-skinned girl groans and smacks at the air in front of her, but Clare, used to her antics, expects the move and dodges just in time. Ali grunts again when she misses and rolls over, her long, silky, black hair cascades over the pillow behind her and Clare picks up a sizeable chunk, and suddenly the room is filled with the sharp sound of metal on metal.

"Clare…" Ali says, threateningly, her eyes opening slowly. "You better have not done what I think you just did." She sits up and narrows her eyes and her near-life long friend. "Because I love you, but I will kill you."

"Guys like short hair. It looks good on you." Clare shrugs and saunters out of the room, placing the scissors in her hand on the bright pink dresser next to the door. Ali's heart races as she runs her fingers through her hair, checking for missing pieces, when she finds it all to be in place she breathes a sigh of relief and allows her tense shoulders to sag.

"I hate you." Ali says as she walks into the living room and falls down on the couch, pulling the small throw cover from the back of the couch on top of herself and closing her eyes again. Clare chuckles into her bowl of frosted flakes and continues reading the paper, ignoring her friend. She finishes and walks calmly to the sink, running water over her bowl and spoon before placing them gently in the sink.

"It's eight forty five." She says as she slips on her coat and grabs her keys and phone from the counter. She smiles to herself when she hears the chorus that follows the clicking of the door.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." Ali grumbles and Clare can imagine her friend scrambling back and forward as she does every morning. Ali wasn't a morning person to say the least.

The day is nice and Clare works only a few blocks over so she opts to walk to work, enjoying the crisp autumn air and the crunch of leaves beneath her sensible boots. She hums a song to herself that her mother used to sing as she makes her way.

She is surprised when she gets there to find a man already standing outside. He offers her what she can only describe as a smirk and she can feel her heart thrumming inside her chest. He's in his early to mid thirties from what she can tell and handsome in a way she doesn't usually find attractive; his deep green eyes study her so intensely it almost makes her uncomfortable.

"Ca-Can I help you? " She stammers and bites down on her lip absent-mindedly. He smirks again.

"I'm looking for a nanny. I assumed that was the service Nannies Galore offered." He raises his eyebrow at her, issuing a challenge. He's a smartass. She likes that.

"Oh, no, I think you're looking for someone else. We solely offer computer services. Sorry the name threw you off. I'll let the management know." She jokes as she puts the key in the door and ushers him inside.

"According to your name tag, Clare, you are the management." He points out as she shrugs off her jacket. She can feel her cheeks tinge pink and she gives him a small smile.

"Well, consider your complaint noted."

He smirks again and she looks away, flustered though she would never admit it.

"I never said I was complaining." He grins and Clare feels the heat rush to her cheeks again.

"Right. So.." she says, leading him into her tiny closet space that barely passes for an office and motions for him to take a seat as she takes her own. "Tell me a little bit about your situation and we'll find the perfect fit." She promises, focusing on the computer in front of her as it purrs to life so she doesn't have to meet his gaze.

"How about you?" He questions with the same smug smirk on his face as if daring her to say no.

"M-Me?"

What did you think? :D I think I like it. Review? (:

Also, I made a Degrassi Twitter account if you would like to follow me. :)

DegrassiPenguin