A/N: This was my first attempt at fan fiction. It is one of my favorites. This was originally a songfic, based on She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5. I had to remove the lyrics to comply with 's guidelines and have thus made changes to the story to help the flow without the lyrics.
Disclaimer: Degrassi and its characters belong to Epitome.
He loved her, but he never really wanted her. For more than one reason. Yes, she was young, smart, funny, sweet, and perfect. Yet, she also had her problems. Constantly. There was always a problem. He had stood by her through so many problems already, and he knew he would stand by her for all of time.
He had been with her once. It didn't work out. Too many problems between the two of them to actually have a romantic relationship. They had a relationship, though. He thinks they do, anyway. There is no other way to describe it. Its not a friendship. You wouldn't drive, fly, sail or run anywhere in the world for someone who was just a friend. He had tried to be just her friend. It would never happen. They would always be more. They were soulmates. He hoped she saw that in their relationship. She had so many problems to deal with, and yet, she always kept smiling. She hid her problems so well. Only her closest friends could see how broken her smile really was. She longed for love. Real, indescribable, 'this is all you need' love. He wanted so badly to show her that even without that type of love, she could be happy with her situation, there was always a silver lining under the dark rain clouds. He chose this comparison when he spoke to her because one of her favorite things to do was stand in the rain. She told him once that she felt like it washed all her problems away. Like it took away the guilt, the pain, the sorrow, the loneliness. Made her feel clean, happy...alive. They had stood out in the rain so many times since grade 9, washing away the bad, leaving only the good.
On dark lonely nights, he would wake up to the sounds of her tapping on his window. He knew what she needed. He would listen to her, hug her, let her cry on his shoulder. It was during one of those midnight talks when he first realized he loved her. She always felt better when he talked to her with soft, low words of encouragement and comfort. She would always offer him her own shoulder during those talks. Whenever he was worried about something, stressing over school or his date that weekend, she would be there to listen, to calm him. She was his rock just as much as he was hers. The two of them always ended up laughing by the time dawn appeared outside his window. It was hard to be sad when they were together. He never once regretted spending those nights with her. Those were the hours he got to know her best. That was when he saw her smile unbroken. That was when she was truly happy, and she always let him know it. Those were the times she was herself. Not what someone wanted her to be. Not what someone thought she was. She was herself, and that is who he loved.
He knew her secrets, her fears, her dreams. He knew they were too close. He knew they would never be together. Not like that, anyway. When she had a problem, he expected her to come to him for a midnight chat. If she didn't, he would worry himself to death. They always talked to each other about everything. She was his joy, and he was her laughter. They were soul mates. "That is how soul mates are," they were told. He didn't care what they called it. He loved her. He had stood by her in the past, and he would always stand by her. Forever, she would be loved.