Title: Once and Never Again

Author: twitchylittleferret
Summary: Emma Nelson has the best luck until she forgets the essentials.
Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi in any way, shape or form. No money is being made off this. It is also not intended for copyright infringement.

Rating: M; rated for later chapters
Warning: Excess cursing in later chapters, alcohol references, and maybe some smut that I will have to tone down for this stupid fucking site. Also fluff and humor galore. I think Jay's quite a bit out of character but six years of maturing and some new redemption can mellow a person out so let's pretend Jay redeemed himself and mellowed out.
Author's Note/ Beta Credit: Takes place six years after season six. Emma's twenty-four and Jay is twenty-six. There shall now be three to six chapters of this fic. The reasoning behind this is that I personally don't feel two chapters are enough for Jay and Emma's relationship to mature the way I want it to. Beta credit to the lovely Tammywammy. Oh and before I forget, the title is borrowed from a song by a British glam punk band The Long Blondes. I don't own it so don't sue me or be a prick about it. By the way, I don't own Starbucks.

Chapter Two- Anger

They arrived promptly in front of her modest flat after a ride mainly silent due to their equally giddy nerves. Although she felt happy and attracted to Jay, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that things may just all go to shit. Maybe it the fact that every time she felt content or comfortable in her life, some event knocked her out of the familiarity she had just gotten used to. But she was going to risk it with Jay. Who knows? It may turn out to be fun or even life-changing. Either way, she was going to take advantage of this situation fate handed her and throw all caution the wind. Well, some caution.

After validating their plans one last time, Emma bid Jay adieu and kissed him chastely on his slightly scruffy cheek before making her way up the stairs of her flat. Upon closing her front door, she fell to the floor in a fit giggles and highly obvious euphoria that seemed to ooze off her in waves. Sure, it was immature but she couldn't help thinking of the saying that her mother had announced to her during her stressful college application hysteria about which university to choose. "Carpe diem" or "seize the day" seemed like the perfect phrase to describe her interaction with Jay.

Yawning heavily, Emma peeled off her plain sneakers and padded across the hallway to her bathroom in her socks. She removed her make-up carefully, brushed her teeth with enthusiasm and pulled her blonde tresses into a ponytail. After partaking in grooming for the night, she shimmied out of her black capris and pulled the plain grey t-shirt over her head.

Getting under her flannel sheets and comforter, she snuggled into bed, relishing the warmth of her bed and the comfort that only seemed to occur before sleep.

Sun streamed in through the lone window in her room and bounced onto her face as she slowly dragged herself out of the dreamless slumber she was just enjoying. Opening her eyes slowly and yawning dramatically, she stretched her arms out into the air to try and awake some tried muscles. Glancing at the digital that laid on top of the nightstand by her bed, she saw the time was eight forty-five in the morning. She still had an hour to get ready and make her way to Johnson Ave to meet Jay for coffee.

Trudging to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth vigorously as dental hygiene was incredibly important to her before turning on the shower and submerging herself under the steamy water. Wrapping a white towel around her slender form, she walked from her bathroom to her bedroom to check how much time she had left to get ready. The digital clock strewn on top of her nightstand carelessly now read nine o'clock. She sighed huffily; annoyed at the lack of time she had to get ready. Quickly, she estimated in her head that she could take twenty precious minutes to get dressed, grab her bag and make sure her hair and person looked decent. Good enough, she thought, whipping the towel off her body and tossing it carelessly to the side.

Going to her dresser, she pulled out underwear and pulled them on with incredible speed. But she did take the time to locate a bra that matched just in case, her clothes ended strewn around wherever Jay was staying for the time he was in Canada. After dressing in her underwear, she threw open the door to her closet and yanked out a plain cotton black shirt and a pair of comfy jeans that hung loosely around her hips to complete the look. Pulling black flats onto her feet, she hopped over to where her bag was located on her bed and tossed it into the hallway.

Rushing to her small bathroom, she scooped up her blonde hair into a ponytail, smeared eyeliner onto her eyes and swiped a tube of lip gloss across her naturally pouty lips. Deeming herself decent, she ran into the hallway, snatched up her purse and bolted out the front door all while remembering to lock her front door.

Once she was downstairs, she glanced at the clock that resided in the lobby to find the time was now nine-twenty. Beaming at her good luck, she set out to make it to the Starbucks on Johnson Ave before nine forty-five.

After walking a good five blocks, in which she thanked the holy heavens she wore flats, she finally arrived at the Starbucks. Pushing the heavy door open with all the weight in her tiny frame, she looked around in the semi-crowded coffee shop for an inkling of Jay. After scanning the crowd, she finally recognized Jay's messy hair that rivaled the shaggy hair of a Toronto skateboarder. And he looked beautiful.

Beautiful is a strong and uncommon word used to describe men but it was the only word that college educated, Emma Nelson could come up with at the moment. Ducking behind a fake plant, she used her hiding place to soak in his ravishing beauty. He was already sipping at a latte, getting foam on his upper lip, creating a milk mustache that made her giggle like a little schoolgirl. Dirty thoughts flew in and out of her head about what she could do to get that foam off his body and she tensed as she felt a tension settle in her groin. She cursed herself colorfully. All the guy was doing was innocently sipping a foam latte and here she was thinking perverted thoughts about him. What would her mother say? But then again, if her memory serves, he was rather big.

Shaking those distracting, yet entertaining, thoughts from her head, she settled back into the task at hand. Watching Jay. She took in his outfit happily, noting that his black sweater with the sleeves rolled up and dusky jeans that almost hid his tattered converses from view were of a sleeker style than his old "gangsta" clothes. After all, she had a secret preference for polished looking guys. The stubble residing on his cheek was an amazing contrast to his pale skin and she couldn't help but marvel at how soft his skin was. Would it feel as good as it looked? She shuddered involuntarily at the mere thought of it and turned her attention to his eyes. The usual cloudy blue was replaced by a rather bright light blue that practically shone with excitement, like a young child in a candy store. The excitement in his eyes melted the anxiety within her and with a new air of confidence; she decided to make an entrance.

Marching towards him with her chin held high, she plopped down into the chair in one solid motion and gazed into his face. She should have known that tactic wasn't going to work because the second she sat down, he locked eyes with her, the excitement in his eyes positively glowing.

"Nice to see you, Emma." Jay taunted, smirking while sipping his latte confidently.

Her jaw went slack as she realized he saw her acting like she was a fifteen teenybopper. Just when she thought she was already embarrassed out of her mind, she felt his eyes boring into her, as if he was expecting an answer. Oh damn, she thought. He was expecting an answer. Ignoring the blood that pooled into her cheeks, she opened her mouth to quickly retort.

"I-," Emma began before being cut off.

"It's cool, Em. God knows, I'm perfect. Hell, I'm a bloody Mecca." He teased, smirking at her obvious displeasure.

Her stomach started churning violently as he leered at her like a wolf might leer at an injured bunny hopping along naively. Regaining her ability to speak in what she hoped was eloquent terms; she decided to snap at him.

"Shut up! For Christ's sake, you already know I was spying on you like a lovesick teenager, why do you have to rub it in my fucking face? And what's with the slang from England? You were a little insecure wigga from Toronto and all of a sudden, you are a refined English man?! You can't change so fucking much! I mean, you're Jay. You aren't supposed to complex and deep. You are supposed to be denser than a SPONGE!" she screamed, attracting unwanted attention in the process.

She caught her breath slowly, while watching his face carefully for any sign of well deserved rage with her face flushed and looking as though she was badly sun burnt. He stayed silent the whole time with a ghost of a smirk playing upon his lips. She silently fumed and wanted to see if he would push back if pushed properly. He didn't. He was the essence of a mature, sophisticated man. And she fucking hated it.

In her fury, Emma didn't notice her shirt had rose up, displaying six inches of tanned stomach that Jay's eyes had suddenly drifted to. She found her cool as she yanked down her t-shirt, both startling and embarrassing Jay at the same time as a red flush spread on his scruffy cheeks.

"Well?", she said tossing her pale ponytail. "Are you going to say something or ogle at my stomach like a horny teenager?"

And to her great surprise, his pouty lips descended on hers in a light, soft kiss that left her wanting more and ignited a fire in her belly that begged for contact, any contact with those lips again.

"You're beautiful when you are mad." he said, leaving her lips slowly and pressing his forehead to hers lightly.

Anger drifted away from her as she felt her body ache for him and her heart beat furiously against her chest. As if he weren't looking and acting perfect already, he gazed into her eyes lovingly before speaking words she only dreamed a man would speak to her.

"Your eyes turn some kind of amber color and your face flushes deliciously. Your lips get pouty and tempt every person around you to silence you by kissing you. I love it when you're angry. You're fucking gorgeous." He said, leaning his chair on all fours while gazing at her still flushed face as if she was the best thing alive.

A smile graced her lips and she ran her fingers through her ponytail, trying to think of a sassy comeback only to find herself unable to.

"Do you really feel that way?" she questioned timidly while gazing at him through her bangs that fell into her eyes.

He smiled.

"Yeah."

Authors Note: So yup, this is the chapter I took so long to write. Sorry everyone for taking too much time to sit on my ass and do nothing. I am working on a new Degrassi story if that makes anyone happy.