Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, trust me I don't, because if I did, there would be sexy scenes between Eli and Clare, his tongue would be all over her ;)

A/N: This is only a one-shot, based solely on the promos. Again, this is merely just a one-shot, a very long one-shot that is surprisingly not smutty. I mean I know I have a few non-smut stories, buuut yeah anyway; I don't want to keep you from reading, so here you are! Enjoy!

Song inspiration: Boats and Birds – Gregory and the Hawk; Chromatic Bird - SayCet

This story was a collaboration between clareandeli4eva and Zephyr Hearts

Chromatic Birds

Summary: Fitz finds Jesus… Eli breaks into vulnerability, and Clare is stuck in between… a girl that's trying to break free from suffocating control…

If you'll be my star, I'll be your sky

You can hide underneath me and come out at night

When I turn jet black and show off your light

I live to let you shine

I live to let you shine…

"Clare! Alli is on the phone for you!"

Clare lifted her head, her curly hair bouncing in doing so. She smiled wide, and quickly hopped off her bed and refrained herself from running down the stairs to get to the phone. Helen smiled at her and handed her the phone. Clare took it and Helen whispered, "I'm going to do some grocery shopping, I should be home in about an hour or so."

Clare nodded, hugged her mother, and waved her off.

"Hello?"

"H-hey Clare." Alli whimpered.

"Alli? What's wrong?" Clare asked, concern filling her voice. She walked to her living room, and sat down on the couch.

"I know we haven't talked in a while, but… I'm just—I need someone to talk to…" Alli burst into uncontrolled sobs, and Clare felt her chest tighten. If it's something she hated, is seeing her distant best friend crying, let alone listening to it.

No matter what, she would always be there for her.

"I'm all ears, Alli. What's wrong?" Clare asked.

"Sav and I got into an argument after I found out that Drew is his drummer and he just—said a lot of mean things to me, and I just I didn't know who else to turn to." Alli cried. Clare frowned and she sighed. She didn't know what to say, all she could do was listen.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this, Alli. I'm sure it'll all blow over, you just have to forget about Drew."

"I know but it's hard! I've tried, but it's just… ugh… guys are just so overrated." Alli said with an exasperated sigh.

Clare smiled and laughed slightly. The two remained silent for a few minutes, and Clare heard Alli sighing shakily. She tucked her curly hair behind her ear, and chewed on her bottom lip. The silence was a little awkward for her, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Alli had already beaten her to it.

"I just don't know what to do anymore, Clare. Sav was all I had left."

Clare sighed, feeling sympathy for her best friend.

Alli sniffled again, "Well, Clare I got to go now..."

"Okay, call me anytime you want to talk about anything and everything. I will always be here for you"

Clare could hear a faint giggle on the other end, making her smile; "I do tend to blab on a lot, don't I?"

Clare giggled, smiling triumphantly. "Yes, only when you want to. I enjoy that about you, though, we always get something to talk about."

They exchanged goodbyes, and Clare couldn't remove the smile that was plastered on her face. She felt proud that she could make her friend laugh, and she knew that they would always depend on each other, and always make each other feel better no matter what the circumstances were.

The door bell rung and Clare quickly got up, and walked to the door, and unlocked the latches, pulling the door open. Her heart instantly stopped and just like the cliché horror movies, it started to rain and a crash of lightning sounded, when she became face to face with her boyfriend's ex-tormentor. Clare opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what exactly to say. He was covered in bruises, his temple was bleeding, and his lip was busted, and not to mention the drenched clothes that clung to his skin, and the hair that framed his face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked while stepping back and covering herself with the thin, long gray cardigan she wore over her loose old yellow t-shirt and sweat pants that were cut off at the knee.

Fitz walked into her house after closing the door, and sighed heavily.

"Clare, you won't talk to me anymore…"

"Yeah, and for good reasons. I don't think you should be here, you should leave." Clare stated, looking away.

"Please, just hear me out," Fitz plead as he stood closer to her; "I can't help but think, me and you… we had a spiritual connection. Clare you can't deny it." Fitz placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and Clare resisted the urge to snort and push him away. Of course, he was confused. Clare forgiven him the other day, nothing more.

"What? How did you get that idea? All I did was forgiven you." Clare deadpanned, eyes widening at the loving look in his eyes and stepping backwards, further away from him.

Fitz sighed, and Clare watched as he backed up the few steps until his heals hit the edge of the couch, and he plopped down, resting his elbows on his knees, staring intently at Clare.

"Clare, you forgave me. I tried to stab your boyfriend, and it didn't take much for you to forgive. I want to change, and with your help, I think that could happen."

Clare folded her arms across her chest, giving him a smoldering look. She wondered how exactly she got herself in this predicament. She knew that Eli would highly disapprove of helping, and she didn't even want to help him, but, if she didn't, what would happen then?

"Fitz, I really don't think that's a good idea..." Clare trailed off. Fitz turned his head to the floor; eyes closed, and pressed his lips into a line. Sighing softly, he looked back at her and she watched as his mouth opened and then closed seconds after.

"Clare, I got a job and I learned my lesson in Juvie. All I was trying to do was scare Eli, not physically hurt him. I know what I did was wrong, and Jesus has forgiven me for it. I'm really trying to turn my life around. All I want is for Eli to forgive me, and I'll leave you two alone for good."

He sounded so sincere, and Clare really wanted to help him. What about Eli? If she didn't help him, then what would Fitz to be forgiven by Eli?

If Eli didn't, then Fitz could keep bugging them both, and Clare knew that was the last thing she and Eli needed.

Eli paced his room for the tenth time. Walking back and forth in his room, clenching his head in his hands; Eli groaned. Since the incident in the car after he picked Clare up, she's been really distant and looks afraid to be around him. Eli swallowed the lump in his throat and sat on his bed. He glanced around his room.

His room had progressed from the mess that Clare had seen a few months ago, the floor was visible, and so was his bed. It wasn't much, but it was still progression coming from Eli. He sighed and bowed his head. Eli chewed on his bottom lip nervously, and he muttered something incoherent under his breath.

"Fuck it." He said.

Eli needed to see Clare, so he quickly changed out of his uniform, into black skinny jeans, his black shirt that buttons down halfway, and his black jacket with white cuffs.

He grabbed his keys and made his way out the front door, climbed into Morty, and quickly turned the ignition on. Eli shifted the gear to drive, and sped off to Clare's house.

It didn't take him long to get there because he was speeding, and running stop signs. Eli parked Morty in front of Clare's house and turned the car off – extracting the keys from the ignition. He walked up the steps and burst through the door. He really needed to talk to Clare, to tell her that he was sorry—

"Clare!"

Eli's face instantly dropped, as he switched glances between the person that he didn't expect to see in Clare's home, and then to his girlfriend.

Fitz stood up and walked back to Clare never taking his eyes off the surprised teen, both him and Clare watching Eli to see his next move. Eli felt his heartbeat start beating franticly, just thinking of the reasons and possibilities that he could be here.

"Eli," Fitz started, taking a step closer to him, all of them noticing Eli staring at Clare, hoping for an explanation. "Can I talk to you?"

Eli continued to watch her, silently begging her to tell him it was all a big misunderstanding of him being here, not even sparing the pleading male a glance. She gave Eli a small nod, hoping he would talk to him. Eli took a small step back, feeling his eyes beginning to water.

She had forgiven him.

He turned his attention to Fitz, "I have nothing to say to you." His breath hitched on the last word, and he knew that he had to leave before he completely broke down.

Sparing Clare one last glance, he turned away from her, and walked unsteadily out the door and into Morty.

Clare looked at the retreating figure in disbelief, not believing what she saw.

"Fitz, you should go, just leave." Clare said.

He didn't need to be told twice. Fitz sighed shakily and muttered something that sounded like he was sorry, but Clare refused to listen. She watched him leave out the front door and let out a shaky breath. Clare had stayed in her house for a few minutes before she walked out, and found Eli sitting in Morty, with his hands folded over the steering wheel and his head buried in them.

She walked slowly up to him her fingers twiddling together. Clare walked around Morty and opened the passenger door, and felt her heart sink the instant she heard Eli whimpering and sobbing softly. She didn't say a word though, just waited for him to say something to her. After a few minutes Eli lifted his head from the steering wheel, and leaned back against the seat.

His cheeks were wet from tears and his eyes were already bloodshot and swollen.

"Eli, what you saw in there—nothing happened." Clare said.

"Fitz was… he was in there with you… you forgave him didn't you?" He whispered.

Clare swallowed nervously and from the corner of his eye, Eli could see her nodding. His chest ached with a dull pain, and he tried to refrain himself from crying again. Eli hadn't cried in such a long time, and he was already getting a small headache from it.

"Nothing happened Eli; you can trust me on that." Clare whispered as she reached down and placed a hand on his thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Eli shook his head and a new collection of tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I just feel like you're slipping away…"

Clare frowned and her gaze softened, she could feel her eyes begin to water, but the tears didn't fall, not one…

"Will you… promise me one thing?" Eli glanced over at her and Clare nodded slowly. She licked her bottom lip and clenched her fist. Eli licked the corner of his bottom lip and tasted his salty tears.

"Don't ever leave me, okay? Please…" He whimpered.

Clare nodded and reached over and pulled Eli to her, his head falling to her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him and her hand caressed the side of his head, her thumb playing with the strands of dark hair.

Eli sighed and closed his eyes, crying silently against her.

"I promise…" She whispered.

So, what do you guys think? Reviews?