Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN: Art Gallery of Ontario, Casa Loma, or the Princess of Wales Theatre. And do I look like I have money, or at least a nice paying job, no? no, ok then...

Last Time: And through all of this, I had developed something terrible. Such a horribly betraying and scary feeling and I just couldn't figure out what it was. I had found this out while watching Craig play guitar. How smooth his hands moved across the strings, how he bit his lip slightly while consecrating on the song, how chills overtook my entire body when his eyes closed gently as his vocal chords sang out softly. I had been in a trance, complete awe of how flawless he seemed in these moments. And finally I realized what that feeling was.

It was love.

Craig's Pov:

I slowly blinked my eyes open, confused as to why it was dark outside. For some reason I had felt wide away. Looking at the time, I thought heavily about forcing myself back to sleep. It was 5:00 a.m.! I quickly shut my eyes and bundled up my blanket burying myself in it. After about ten minutes it was no use. I huffed throwing the blanket off. I sat up shaking my head, it's the the last day of summer, I should be asleep dammit! I stood up and walked to the bathroom washing my face with water. I looked at myself in the mirror, what am I gonna do now? Everyone is asleep. Usually my first thought probably would've been to call up Ash and tell her how excited I was to see her, but that wasn't going to happen. We had broken up weeks ago, and although I was hurt, it really wasn't so surprising. We had barely called each other over the summer and when we did it usually ended in fights and I had started feeling like it was a burden to have to call her.

Anyway, my first thought was Ellie, wondering if she was up too. But naw, I know how much she cherishes her sleep. But...it is the last day of summer and we have to make the most of it right? I smirked wickedly walking back to my room and picking up my phone. I pressed number 1 and listened to it ring about five times.

"Craig? Why are you calling?" Her groggily tired voice answered the phone. It was obvious that I had woken her up.

"Well, I woke up and...I'm not tired." Silence was the only thing I received for a few minutes.

"...Ok. I don't see how that has to do with me what-so-ever."

"Come on El, this is our last day of summer. Don't you wanna do something awesome in the wee hours of the morning?"

"Awesome, yeah. Like, seeing the insides of my eyelids. Bye Craig." I couldn't get out another word before she hung up. I was determined now, I was going to get Ellie up and we were going to do something! What that something was, I had no idea. I sat back down and thought for a few minutes. An idea popped into my head, but did I really want to do it? It was something I haven't done in so long. I took a deep breath and stood up I was going to take Ellie and we were going through with my plan. I quietly made my way down stairs, being sure not to wake Joey or Angie. I walked into the kitchen and started gathering things.

Ellie's Pov:

I sighed deeply and shook my head. Craig was totally insane if he thought he'd successfully get me up at 5 in the morning to 'do something awesome in the wee hours of the morning'. That boy was crazy. My breathing slowed again as I felt myself drifting off to sleep.

My eyes shot open as I felt a hand covering my mouth I looked up to see a cheesy grin taking over Craig's face. I sat up quickly as he flicked on the lamp next to my bed.

"Craig? What the hell?! Why are you hear, how'd you even-"

"Back door was unlocked. You guys should really start locking it, you never know what kind of creeper can sneak in and take you away."

"Well creeper, you about gave me a heart attack." I put a hand to my heart, feeling it thump wildly in my chest.

"Sorry?" He shrugged while smirking. I glared at him, I could kill him right about now. And, I hated that damn smirk...but also secretly loved it.

"Why are you hear at 5 in the morning?"

"I told you El, we're going to do something right now. So get up and get dressed." I bit my lip, considering what he was saying.

"Come on Ellie, you know you want to." He taunted.

"No, I know that I want you to leave so I can go back to sleep."

"Please." He pouted blinking rapidly.

"No." I said stubbornly and laid back down.

"Ellie please. There's somewhere I really want to take you." I looked back up at him, he was being unusually pushy. He was serious.

"Fine." I rolled my eyes.

"Good, so get to it Nash, go get ready." I pulled the covers from my body and stood up, stretching. I noticed Craig swallowed hard. What was with him? My eyes widened when I realized I was in a red tank that stopped just above my navel and black lacy panties. I quickly grabbed a bra, shirt, and pants and ran to my bathroom. I came out a moment later.

"Sorry." I said sheepishly.

"It's ok. I...never knew you had a bellybutton piercing."

"Oh, yeah. I guess I just forgot to take it out before I went to bed." A minute of awkwardness passed between us.

"So, where are you taking me?" Craig jumped up from my bed and grabbed my arm.

"Come on, it's a surprise!" He excitedly said. I rolled my eyes playfully as we stuck out of my room and quietly out of the house.

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"How am I sure you're not secretly a serial killer and about to take me to a secluded area to torture and kill me?" I asked as I watched us get further and further from the city. Rolling hills and big trees replaced skyscrapers and buildings.

"You don't. I might just be." He joked, glancing quickly at me. I chuckled and shook my head.

"You love me too much to kill me."

"Yeah, I guess you're right...but not too much to not torture you" I scoffed, mock offended. I loved how we flirted so much. I guess that was the bad part. I should feel bad for having feelings for my best friend's now ex-boyfriend, but I don't. Honestly, if Craig kissed me right now and said he loved me I would jump at the chance to be in a relationship with him, and that scares me. I've always been apprehensive about dating, but with Craig it just seems like there's nothing I wouldn't do for him.

"So how much longer til we get there?" It was almost 6 and we were still on the road.

"Patience is a virtue El."

"Yeah, so is sleep." He laughed quietly and I couldn't help but laugh back. Craig then turned to the left and parked in the grass.

"Here we are." He announced getting out of the car and grabbing a bag.

"Where is here?" I asked, confused as I got out too. I looked around, seeing nothing. Just more hills and trees.

"Just follow me." I walked beside him as we walked through a small meadow.

"You weren't kidding about torturing me were you?" I asked, looking around. It was completely secluded, there were no houses or people in sight. Craig chuckled shaking his head. A few moments later he stopped and picked a few flowers.

"For you, beautiful." He handed me the flowers and winked. I was grateful that I was no behind him because my entire face and neck burned. We walked a little further until we say a hill.

"We're almost there, it's just up that hill." He assured but I was getting more and more wary about this place. The sky was starting to get less dark and shadows started peaking from every corner. We finally made it up the hill and my breath was taken away. Past the hill was a valley with streams and rolling hills and mountains way off in the distance. Craig sat the bag he had carried down and got a blanket out. He set it on the ground and sat, patting the spot next to him.

"I thought to start off our last day of summer we'd watch the sun rise." I smiled brightly and sat beside him.

"Wow Craig, it's amazing. This place is beautiful. How'd you ever find it?" He looked down for a second and then back out at the valley.

"My mom used to take me here every year for my birthday to watch the sun rise, just me and her. You're the first person I've ever taken here." He murmured. My mouth dropped open slightly. I suddenly felt like I just had a great honor bestowed upon me. My throat constricted with so much pride that it was hard to breath.

"Craig I-I don't know what to say. This is incredibly important." I whispered.

"Yeah well...you're really important to me El. You're my best friend. You know things about me that no one else does, or ever will. You've helped me through some hard times I've had this summer. We know almost everything about each other so I thought I should share this with you too." I felt like I couldn't breath for the longest time. This moment, this place was so sentimental and it meant everything to me that Craig was willing to share it with me.

"Thank you Craig, really. I just...thank you." I couldn't say anything else. For the first time ever, I was speechless. He nodded, seeming to understand.

"And thank you Ellie, for...just being there." I nodded. Craig and I were so alike, it was almost scary. With all the shit we've had to go through, it's hard for either of us to trust people, so knowing that someone with trust issues has complete trust in you, it's overwhelming, in the best way possible.

"Ok so, I also brought a few snacks to hold us over." He reached in the bag and pulled out chips, pop, and a bucket of chicken strips.

"Chicken?"

"It's the only thing we had that you don't have to cook." He defended. I laughed taking a chicken strip anyway. After that we sat comfortably, watching the sun peak over the mountains. The whole time I only had one thought: I'm so glad Craig woke me up to do something awesome in the wee hours of the morning.

Craig's Pov:

I took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of the pine trees that lined the hill. I hadn't been here in six years. My eleventh birthday was the last one I ever spent here. After my mom died I couldn't get here by myself, and once I started driving it just felt wrong to be here without her.

But being here with Ellie was different. Ellie and I knew practically everything about each other. Her not knowing about this place seemed almost like keeping a secret from her, and seeing her made me certain that this was really the best place to take her. I smiled softly as I watched her. She was looking over at the valley below, a small smile on her face while her head tilted slightly. Her red hair glistened in the sun and in all honesty, it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Beautiful in the best friend way, of course. I mean, Ellie was my best friend, nothing more nothing less.

We stayed there for about two hours, talking every now in then but mostly enjoying the comfortable silence. It was almost 8:30 when we decided to start packing up. We put the food that we didn't eat and the blanket back in the bag.

"You ready?" I asked Ellie. She took one more lasting glance at the valley and then nodded. Once we got back to the car she spoke up.

"I don't really have any words for that Craig. It was just so special and sentimental to you."

"Exactly. There's no one else I'd rather share it with."

"Not even Ashley?" She questioned. It was true that I had loved Ashley deeply, I asked to marry her after all. But even she hadn't known things about me. I never showed her my demons unless they spilled out, never said whatever I felt unless I had a break down. With Ellie it was different, we got each other.

"Nope, not even Ashley." Ellie bit her lip and looked down for a minute. When she looked back up to me a smile adorned her face.

"Thank you Craig."

"Anytime. And I'm serious. Anytime either of us is having trouble with something just call me and we'll come out here ok?" She nodded, agreeing to my offer. I smiled at started the car.

"You know where my house is right?"

"What? This day's not ever yet Nash, we're gonna spend the whole day together, doing whatever we want."

"Ok." She smiled wide.

Ellie's Pov:

"Not even Ashley?" It was a sore subject but I had to ask. He claimed that we could come to each other about anything, and that we knew each other so well, but I knew Ashley was a major part in his life.

"Not even Ashley." Yeah, the thing about knowing everything about someone is that you can tell when they're lying, and Craig was being completely honest. I bit my lip and looked down. Guilt suddenly took over my mind. Even if Ashley and Craig had broken up I knew she still loved him, she had too. They had been through too much together to just have their feelings for each other completely disappear. But Ashley had hurt Craig more than he let on. I knew how much he wanted to marry her and her just packing up and leaving for London was like a knife in his heart, twisting and turning with every phone call and email reminding him that she couldn't handle him enough to even be in the same country as him, his words not mine. That's the next thing I thought of. She left him. She was the one that couldn't handle him when he went off his meds. She's the one that fled the country, and she's the one that subsequently ended their relationship. She's the one that should feel guilty, not me. The guilt dissipated and I looked back up at Craig, smiling.

"Thank you Craig."

"Anytime. And I'm serious. Anytime either of us is having trouble with something just call me and we'll come out here ok?" I nodded and he started the car.

"You know where my house is right?" I asked, not really wanting to go home. But, I was grateful to at least have the morning with him.

"What? This day's not ever yet Nash, we're gonna spend the whole day together, doing whatever we want."

"Ok." It was like all my wishes were coming true, I couldn't wait to spend the entire day with Craig Manning.

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We had spent the whole day in Toronto, stopping at a café to call our parents so they wouldn't put out search teams. We went to the Art Gallery of Ontario, Casa Loma, the zoo, the Princess of Wales Theatre, and even to go see a movie. It was 12 the next morning before we pulled up in my driveway. It was strange because the car wasn't anywhere. Craig raised an eyebrow and looked over to me.

"Maybe she used the garage for once." I went into my house while Craig checked the garage.

"Mom? Mom, are you home?" No response. Craig walked in the front door.

"There's no cars in the garage El." I swallowed hard as I felt my hard speeding up.

"Ok, ok. Let my plug in my phone and then I'll call her. We went up to my room and I plugged my phone into it's charger, since it was dead. I turned it on and scrolled through my contracts. I put the phone to my ear as it began to ring. With every ring I got more and more worried.

"Hello this is-"

"Mom where"

"-Caroline Nash, sorry I couldn't get to my phone please leave a message."

"Shit."

"What?" Craig asked.

"My mother didn't answer. I don't know what to do Craig, it's 12 in the morning, what is she doing out at 12 in the morning?" I questioned as I began pacing. Craig stood up and took my shoulders in his hands.

"Calm down Ellie. I don't know where your mom could be, but worrying won't fix anything, it'll just stress you out. How about I stay for a few hours and if she's not back by 2 then we'll figure something out ok?"

"But Craig, we have school tomorrow."

"It's fine El, ok. I'll only stay for a few hours." I sighed but nodded.

"Ok."

"So, let's think of something to do to keep our minds busy." I shrugged, there wasn't much you could do this late at night, not a teenager anyway.

"How about we watch a movie."

"Uhm, yeah. Just let me put on some pajamas." I grabbed a pair of black shorts and a dark blue tank top going into my bathroom to put them on. I came out and we agreed on a movie. We sat down on my bed and I leaned my head against Craig's chest, not thinking of anything but how much I loved this moment, even with my mom MIA.

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The movie ended and it was 2:10. We stood up and stretched from being in the same position for two hours.

"Should we call the police or something?" Craig asked. I sighed, shaking my head.

"No, no, that's too much. When she comes home I'll just ask her where the hell she was all night." I didn't know where my mom had been, but it was a little nervous. My dad still wasn't back, what if she started drinking again? She promised she wouldn't but she's broken promises before. Either way, it wasn't Craig's problem.

"You should go home."

"But Ellie-"

"I'll be fine alone. I've done before I can do it now." I assured. He face suddenly got softer.

"You shouldn't have to though El. You shouldn't have to be alone, afraid." I opened my mouth to protest but he stopped me.

"And don't even try that with me Ellie. I know you're afraid whether you admit it or not. I know you're afraid that your mom's off drinking her life away at some bar." I hated how well he knew me.

"I can take care of myself." I insisted bitterly, growing defensive. He was being weird, so...unlike himself. He was being soft and gentle and...I couldn't handle it. No one was ever gentle with me. I always got the cold hard part of life. The valley was nice today but that was enough of a sentimental and special gift to last weeks.

"Ellie don't." Craig warned.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied, though I doubt he believed me because I had slipped a worried glance.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, and I'm telling you don't. Don't shut me out." He walked closer to me. Suddenly he was right in front of me.

"I-I don't know what to do..."

"Talk to me." He suggested. Feelings began stirring inside of me and I wanted to show them so bad, but that would mean the end of our friendship.

"You should go home Craig." I looked down at the floor.

"Why won't you just talk to me Ellie! We've talked in group, we've talked alone together, just us, so why not now?" He shouted, walking to the other side of the room. Because now I don't feel the same about you! I wanted to shout, though I didn't. Yes, it's true we're best friends, but it's not true that we don't have secrets of our own. He thinks that we tell each other everything but how can I tell him how I feel about him? I can't. I just shook my head, still not looking up.

"Ellie please! I tell you everything! I hide nothing, absolutely nothing from you, why can't you do the same?!"

"Because I just can't, ok! I want...there's just some things that..." I trailed off, trying not to cry. I couldn't tell him. I couldn't take the rejection from him. "I can't...I'm sorry." I finally looked up at him. He sighed deeply. He walked right up to me so close that if he leaned down his nose would be touching mine, his lips would be on mine. Oh how I wanted that so bad.

"Anything you want El, just tell me. I can get it for you." I looked up into his desperate eyes. Why? Why was he willing to get whatever I want for me? He wouldn't be willing if he knew what it was...would he?

"Anything?" I whispered, scared to say anything at all.

"Anything." He guaranteed, nodding his head. I bit my lip as I mustered up as much courage as I could. I put my arms around his neck and stood up on my tip toes, kissing his lips softly and cautiously. My heart sank when he didn't respond. All I could wish for is that we'd still be friends after this. My lips just broke from his when he put his hands on my waist and brought his lips down to mine. I gasped, surprised that he kissed me back. In the moment I gasped he slipped his tongue into my mouth. It's funny how one moment you feel like all hope is lost and the next you're getting exactly what you wanted. I smiled into the kiss while I put my hands on his neck. He began rubbing his hands along my sides, the sensation was overwhelming. I broke away from his lips and moaned out softly. He smirked and began kissing my neck. I shivered when he licked my earlobe. He then moved down to my chest pampering kisses all over.

"Mmm Craig...I want you." I confessed, although I guessed he could have figured that out by now. He stepped back a bit and grabbed at the hem of my tank top and before I could comprehend what was happening, it was on the ground. I bit my lip and avoided his eyes, embarrassed that he was seeing a part of me he'd never seen before. I heard him chuckle and looked up at him.

"You're beautiful Ellie." He murmured in my ear. I couldn't stop the smile from forming on my face. He kissed my lips once more before he took to my bare chest. Burning heat rushed through my whole body. My breath got more shallow and I struggled to breath.

"You ok there?" Craig asked smirking. I smirked back and took his shirt off. I licked my lips at his abbs.

"I am now." He chuckled and grabbed my legs, picking me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck for support as he gently laid me now on my bed. And as he took my shorts off, I decided just for a night, I could let loose. I could be reckless and indulgent and do whatever the hell I wanted and have whatever I pleased without having to be sorry about it. Even if only for tonight...