-1Together Forever At Last Chapter 3 Successes

As in the previous two chapters I do not own Degrassi or any of the characters in this story except the ones in my head created especially for the story. Degrassi and all its characters belongs to all its original producers,writers etc…… This is purely a story for other fans of the show.

Tilly was almost three and Christmas was coming. Joey, Caitlin and Angie were all getting excited, it was going to be the first Christmas Tilly was really excited about. Last year she had sort of known what was going on, but this year the little girl was excited about it already and talked of nothing else. Angie had taken her to see Santa at the Eaton Centre the previous Saturday.

The house was all ready stacked with Christmas presents for Tilly. Angie had a part time job working as a waitress on Saturday's and had proudly saved up to buy Tilly the train set for Christmas, that Tilly had loved in the toy store. Caitlin and Joey had bought Tilly a toy car and tricycle . They had bought their presents for each other, it was just the relatives they had left to worry about. So the last Saturday before Christmas the whole family trekked to the Eaton Centre together to get the last bits.

Caitlin's Mum was an easy woman to buy for. She had got over being all travelled out a long time ago and was now planning on one of the famous cross country luxury rail tours, so Caitlin and Joey bought her a new luggage set. Caitlin hadn't bought a present for her Dad in years, not since he had moved to Australia when she was only just out of college. It was Joey's parents that proved slightly more difficult to buy for. So much so , that by six o'clock, they still hadn't found anything for them.

'This is becoming hopeless', Caitlin stopped outside of one of the travel agents.

'Forget it Caitlin, it's a nice idea, but my parents never go away.'

'Maybe that's because they don't ever think about going away. Hey, look at that special offer right there, New Year in Paris and then a few days in London.'

'Well Mum has been to London, but Dad hasn't and I know neither of them have ever been to Paris.'

'Lets face facts Joey, we are not going to find them anything else now.'

'Okay, lets do it, but if they hate it, it was your idea okay.'

Caitlin just grinned as they went in to the travel agents to book the trip for his parents.

Caitlin and Joey hadn't had a big party since their first year anniversary, so they had decided to have a Christmas party for all their family and friends that could make it on Christmas eve. Christmas day they had decided to spend alone as a family this year. And they had decided to splash out this year and hire a chef to cook their Christmas dinner for them.

'I know you like to do the cooking Joey, but this year, lets just make the most of being able to spend time together and with Angie and Tilly and without the worry of preparing the food.'

'Okay, but just for this year okay', Joey had agreed.

This was the first party they were having in the penthouse and had hired outside caterers for the mountains of food. When the food arrived, one of the Chef's asked Caitlin to sign her copy of her book on the effect of HIV/AIDS around the world. When it was first released it had stayed at number one in the non-fiction charts for over a year and even now after all this time, it was never out of the top five. It was Caitlin's bestselling book to date.

Caitlin and Joey had told all their friends and family to arrive whenever they liked from late afternoon, as there would be plenty of food and drink available from then on.

Wheels and his wife Sheree were the first to arrive.

'It's great you are spending the holidays in Toronto this year', Caitlin hugged Wheels. It had been a while since they had seen him.

'Well I don't really mind where we spend the holidays, as long as we are in a hotel miles away from my parents and the bickering relatives', Sheree informed them.

'My parents will be here soon', Joey told Wheels 'They'll be glad to see you, its been a while.'

Even after all these years Wheels was still incredibly grateful to Joey's parents, especially his Mum. Joey's Mum had come to visit him in prison from time to time and she was about the only one who had and after the way he had stolen money from her in high school without giving it a second thought.

It was at this time of year that wherever he was, Wheels always found he needed a few moments alone. He found it peaceful out on the terrace, no one else would go out there on a freezing cold December evening. Except for the few die hard smokers of course and they always went straight inside again as soon as they had had their nicotine fix.

Like himself Sheree wasn't a fan of Christmas, but for different reasons. That was how they had met, in a hotel in Ottawa a few years back, both trying to escape Christmas. They were the only two people sat in the bar having a drink while all the other hotel guests were in the restaurant having Christmas dinner.

'You don't do Christmas dinner either then?', she had sat down next to him with her drink at the bar.

'I don't do Christmas. Christmas is for family. I don't have any.'

'I have lots of relatives. Every Christmas they all descend on my parents house and spend the entire holiday fighting with each other and ruining it for everyone else. That is why I'm here. My parents only live down the road, but I would rather be here alone, not doing Christmas than there with all that lot.'

Ever since Wheels and Sheree had spent every year not doing Christmas together. They went to a different city every year and this year it was Wheels turn to choose. He had picked his home city of Toronto, so he could catch up with some of his oldest friends. It was worth doing Christmas for a few short hours just to see them.

Wheels looked over the balcony at Lake Ontario and gave a thought to his late adoptive parents. He had only been in ninth grade when they had been killed by a drunk driver. Unlike his friends , he had never had the chance to get to know his parents as an adult. He had got on with them most of the time, he was just being a typical teen when they argued. But his grandparents he had never been able to get on with. He often wondered if he wouldn't have gone so far off the rails if things had been different. But now, his thoughts were for his parents. There was so much he had never got the chance to say to them. And so much time had passed now, it had been well over twenty years. He had forgotten what they had been like, how they spoke. He only had photo's to remind him now.

It was times like this Wheels really felt like a cigarette, but he had quit smoking five years ago and he wasn't going to start again now. Besides , Sheree would probably kick him out if he did, she was really anti-smoking.

He spent a few more minutes looking out at the lake, listening to the waves crashing against the shore, then he turned back to go inside and find Sheree. On his way back in, he passed Caitlin and Joey sharing a private moment, making out like a pair of teenagers.

'Hey, you two, can't you save it for the bedroom?', he smiled at them and then went inside and Caitlin and Joey went back to concentrating on each other.

Like the last big party they had had a few years back, it carried on well in to the early hours of the morning. As ever it was their old high school friends that were the last to leave after the reminiscing of their school days had begun.

L.D. and her husband had only made it to the party after finishing their shifts at the hospital just after midnight. Lucy, who was home in Toronto for Christmas could hardly believe she had finally got to see her old friend again after Caitlin had put them back in touch.

Tabby and Steve had made it to the party too. Even after the time that had now passed, Tabby said she still thought about Dwayne a lot. She still kept thanking Caitlin over and over again for bringing the disease her friend had died of to the forefront again. The grown-up Tabby that Catilin knew now was far from the hard nut girl she had known in high school. Caitlin had never been scared of the kids in Dwayne and Tabby's gang, but a lot of the kids had.

The time everyone had finally left , it was six in the morning on Christmas day.

'The chef will be here soon. I am so glad we let Angie stay up and Tilly for as long as she could keep her eyes open. Hopefully we can at least get a couple of hours sleep once we have let the chef in.'

'You go now', Joey kissed his wife 'And I'll let the chef in. Happy Christmas.'

'Happy Christmas.'

Joey tidied up both the lounges while he waited for the chef to arrive and once he had, he collapsed in to bed himself.

A couple of hours later they heard Angie up and about with Tilly.

'Mummy and Daddy need to sleep for a while yet', they heard Angie tell Tilly. 'But look what I got you for Christmas.'

'I am so proud of Angie', Joey smiled.

'Me too and I am so grateful, because I am so tired.'

They went back to sleep while Angie spent the morning playing with Tilly and the new train set she had bought her. At lunchtime she knocked on her parents door and told them their lunch was on the table and the chef was just leaving.

The lunch was delicious and it was three o'clock in the afternoon before they finally got round to opening their presents. Angie was thrilled with the watch and necklace that Caitlin and Joey had spent hours picking out for her. Tilly was so happy with her car and tricycle that Caitlin kept having to help her change from one to the other going round the room. Tilly had gotten the hang of peddling them both straight away. Eventually they managed to tear Tilly away from them to open the rest of their presents.

Angie and Joey were over the moon with the new laptop computers Caitlin had bought them. They were even more thrilled when they saw the way Caitlin had personalised them. She had downloaded photo's on to both of them. Joey's screensaver was their wedding day picture. Angie's screensaver was a picture of that day a long time ago that they had all visited the CN Tower.

'I know both of you needed to get new ones, what with your dissertation this year Joey and your pre-college science project Angie.'

'Umm, Caitlin, we had a real problem finding something for you from all of us. But we wanted to get you something really special and different, so we all made you this.'

Joey handed her a large heavy package.

When she unwrapped it, it was entitled 'Caitlin Jeremiah-Ryan'-We Love You'.

It was a huge scrapbook style album, full of photo's, from the past, all the way back to school, right up to the present. The last section included all the family portrait photo's they had had taken every year since they got married.

'It's fantastic. You guys must have spent hours on this.'

'We did', Angie told her , 'but we really enjoyed making it.'

'Wow, I could look at this all day.'

Later in the evening after they had taken lots of pictures as usual and put Tilly to bed exhausted, they dragged out Monopoly, the original version. Angie got bored and quit after an hour and went to bed to read one of the new books she had gotten for Christmas, leaving Caitlin and Joey to battle it out over Park Lane. Only they soon lost interest in the game too, they decided they were far more interested in each other and ended up making love instead.

'That's the best outcome to a game of Monopoly that I ever had', Caitlin joked afterwards.

The next day Caitlin had a surprise for them, regarding new year celebrations and told Angie and Joey to pack a suitcase and their passports. She had already packed hers and Tilly's.

Caitlin was taking them to London, England for the new year. Caitlin had spent six months there not long after she graduated university and it had been spectacular. Of course she had been to London many times since with her work, but she knew Joey and Angie had never been and that both wanted to go and besides, it was a while now since she had been there herself.

'I think we have all worked hard this year and deserve a break, so I booked us tickets and a hotel to London for the new year. Five days of doing nothing but touristy things, museums, the London Eye, The Tower of London, whatever you want to do. I'm not taking any work with me and I don't think either of you should either. I'm not even starting work on my new book until we get back. I hope you don't mind I didn't tell you, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I know you've always wanted to go.'

'Thank you and I promise not to do any more work on my college dissertation until I get back either.'

Caitlin put Tilly to bed that night, reading her a story about going on an aeroplane for the first time.

Angie hadn't been on many flights in her life and she had never ever flown first class before. It was just a damn shame she was just a few short months off of her eighteenth birthday and still wasn't quite old enough to enjoy the complimentary champagne.

They were on the red eye flight, so they so they all tried to spend as much time sleeping as possible, but Angie was just too excited and started and finished another book that she had been given for Christmas during the flight. The when Tilly woke up she read to her from her book.

Joey and Caitlin woke up themselves just in time for when breakfast was being served. After landing at Heathrow, they took the train to Paddington and then a taxi to one of the newest five star hotels in the west end of London. They had booked an executive suite, so they had two bedrooms and a lounge to relax in.

They were going to have four whole days in London and on the first day they took Tilly to London Zoo, where the little girl completely fell in love with all the gorillas and monkeys. They had trouble tearing her away from them to go and see the rest of the animals in the zoo.

The next day it was Angie who didn't want the day to end as they trawled their way round the Natural History Museum in the morning and the Science museum in the afternoon. Angie had them all stay in the science museum until they were practically kicked out at closing time.

'This is the best holiday ever', she said afterwards, as they headed towards the London Eye for a floodlit night time ride.

'I can't believe I'm actually face to face with Big Ben right now. I can't wait to tell Andrew about this.'

Andrew was Angie's steady boyfriend from school who she knew from the science club and had been going out with the past year.

The following day they took a trip to the Tower Of London, somewhere Caitlin had always wanted to go when she had been in London, but had never got round to going until now.

'That was well worth the wait', she told them all as they were buying their souvenirs in the shop afterwards.

It was new years eve and they spent it watching the traditional celebrations at Trafalgar Square and then watching the fireworks over the river. They saw in the new year walking along the South Bank.

Later back in the hotel after Angie and Tilly had gone to bed, Joey and Caitlin shared a bottle of champagne.

'And too many, many ,more happy new years', they kissed each other.

'So the girls have picked what they want to do, I chose the tower, so what would you like to do tomorrow?'

'Go to all the places in London, I've heard about but have never been. Leicester Square, Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Whitehall, Pall Mall and yes even Oxford and Regent Street, just to see if it is as mad as everyone says it is down there, especially just after Christmas.'

And that was exactly what they did, spent the day walking round all those places , finishing up in the packed stores of Oxford and Regent Street, many that had started their sales already as it was new years day.

'I did warn you about the madness', Caitlin said as they came out of a huge bookshop , all with a bag full of treats for themselves. After that, they moved on to the famous Hamleys in Regent Street, where they came out with yet more full bags of shopping and not all of the stuff they bought in their was for Tilly either. All four of them had a field day in there.

It was their last night in London and Angie had offered to stay in the hotel with Tilly, while Joey and Caitlin went out to dinner on their own. Angie loved to babysit her little sister. Plus she also liked to give her Dad and Caitlin time alone. She didn't want them to ever split up again. She doubted that would happen now anyway, but she liked to help in anyway she could.

While Angie and Tilly watched TV in the hotel, after their dinner, Caitlin and Joey went for a walk along the south bank of the river again.

'I'd forgotten what it actually felt like to be here in London. I spent a lot of time here after graduating Carleton.'

'I never knew that.'

'Really. I was sure I had told you all about the months I spent here. It was good fun, but you can't bum around forever. I had forgotten what this city was like though, its years since I been here. I'm glad I did though and being here with you makes it even more special.'

They stopped to kiss just before reaching Tower Bridge.

'Paris and The Seine never did it for me. I like it better here, but you know what, I like home even better.'

'Me too. It is beautiful here though and so much history, its amazing.'

Then they turned round and started strolling back towards the west end and their hotel.

They all got back to Toronto exhausted and spent the next couple of days relaxing before getting back to work and school. Caitlin was working on her seventh book since her autobiography. Joey was working hard on his dissertation for his child psychology degree and Angie was wrapped up in waiting to hear from universities and the science projects she was currently working on.

Tilly was in pre-school now, so Sue no longer came as Caitlin or Joey took Tilly in the mornings and they would pick her up again in the afternoons. Though Sue was happy to still help out at short notice when she was needed as she was what she called a semi-retired person now.

One thing Caitlin enjoyed most about working the hours she chose was it meant she didn't miss out on things with Tilly and one thing she really enjoyed was taking her to the pre-school in the mornings.

Caitlin had also been hearing through an old colleague recently that after Ellie Nash had graduated she had gotten a job as a junior on a magazine out in Vancouver. Caitlin realised she must have been in the job for a while by now, but as she had only just heard the news herself, Caitlin sent her a congratulations message through Suede Magazines website, but she never got one back from her. Not that she was surprised, Caitlin hadn't heard from Ellie in years, even though she still thought about her a lot.

When the phone rang one evening later that week, she was surprised to hear from her old producer of Ryan's Planet.

'Hi Caitlin. Its Melvin McDonald. We are doing a new environmental series. There has been a void in that department ever since Ryan's Planet finished. Don't worry, we know you don't do the jet setting stuff anymore. We just wondered if you could put us on to any young, talented, journalists that would like the chance. Most of the people we have had apply and have actually interviewed so far have just wanted to be famous, without actually caring about the cause.'

'Melvin, I think I may just know someone who could fill the position for you. Someone I mentored myself when she was in high school. Ellie Nash her name is, she is in her twenties now, a journalism graduate and I know where you can contact her. She is working on Suede magazine at the moment.

Caitlin put the phone down and then went and played with Tilly for an hour before it was time to put her to bed. She had almost got upset on the phone, thinking of how her days away travelling had taken her away from Joey. Though she more than hoped she had made up for it these days. And with any luck, Ellie would finally get back in touch, especially if she was lucky enough to get the job.

'You look miles away', Joey observed.

'I was just thinking about Ellie Nash again. Those producers that called me, I recommended her to them. I just wish she would get in touch with me, its been years. Hey, look, my tower is still taller than yours.' They were both sat on the floor playing with Tilly and her Lego bricks.

Angie didn't get home from school until late as it was science club evening and she and Andrew always went out for a burger afterwards.

'I got good news at school today', she told them after helping herself to a soda from the fridge. 'Cambridge want to interview me for their Biochemistry degree. It means going to England for the interview next month. I have a lot of forms here you have to sign.'

'But you applied to Cambridge months ago.'

'I know, apparently it takes time to process all the applications, especially the international ones. But it's the degree I really wanted to do. You know I want to be a medical research scientist and a degree from Cambridge, there is so much I can do from there. There are even two research centres at the university itself that I would like to work in one day, but I know that is a long way off. And besides I have to get in to the university first.'

'Angie, its quite clear this means a lot to you. Leave us the forms we need to sign and we will arrange the flights and a hotel for you okay.' Joey was still finding it hard to believe his little girl was now all grown up and would be off to university in the fall, possibly across the pond.

The following Saturday morning, Joey took Tilly to the park while Caitlin took Angie shopping for a suit for her Cambridge interview.

'My mum took me shopping to get something to wear for my interview for Carelton. I know I'm not your Mum, but since she can't be here, I guess I will have to do.'

Angie just looked down.

'Angie, what's wrong? I didn't' meant to upset you by talking about your Mum.'

'Caitlin. My Mum died when I was two. I barely remember her, except from old pictures. I kind of think of you as my Mum. I mean not my Mum, obviously, but as good as a Mum to me.'

'Angie, you used to hate me.'

'That was years ago and not for long. I have such a good life with you and my Dad I wouldn't want it to be any other way right now. Anyone can see how happy you and Dad are together, but I'm happy too. I have the best life and the best parents. And I'm not saying that just because you are buying me a suit.'

'Thanks Angie, that means a lot to me. So what does Andrew think about you going to Cambridge?'

'He says if I get in , he will miss me and I know I'll miss him, but its been my ambition to be a great scientist ever since I was a little girl.'

'Come on then, we had better go find you a suit to knock the Don's for six. Though they would be mad not to take you anyway.'

They found a suit for Angie in the fourth shop they went in. It was a sophisticated silver two-piece that really set off the tone of her hair. Looking at her Caitlin could hardly believe the transformation, in this suit, there was no trace of the little girl that Angie had once been. This was a young woman getting ready to go out in the world all on her own.

'I guess we should get you some new make-up to while we are here.' They then trawled around Angie's favourite cosmetics store. They had their lunch in the Eaton Centre and then headed home with their shopping.

When they got home, Joey asked Angie to take Tilly to her room.

'I just need a few moments with Caitlin okay.'

'Joey, what is it? What's wrong?'

'It's your Father, his girlfriend called from Australia. He has had a severe heart attack. They don't expect him to make it through the night. I'm sorry.'

'Does my Mum know?'

'I just left her a message.'

Caitlin had known this feeling before, from years ago, numbness. Joey gave her a small glass of Brandy.

'We never got on so great after he had an affair. Remember I stayed with my brother for a while when they got back together. After my parents finally divorced and he went to Australia, he was always asking me to go and see him. I never did, always making an excuse about work. And now I'll never see him again.'

'They did say it was probably only a matter of a few hours.'

'And it takes over twenty hours to get there. I'll never see him alive again. He has never even see Tilly. He never even saw us together as adults.'

An hour later Caitlin was still sat on the sofa nursing her brandy when the phone rang again, they both knew what the call would be and she beckoned for Joey to take it. Joey listened and then put the phone down and sat back down on the sofa and put his arm back round Caitlin.

'He's gone Caitlin. He died ten minutes ago. I am so sorry.'

'He never got to meet his grandchildren. He was in too poor health to travel home here anytime. You see he had heart disease for years. It's a shock though, I don't know how or what to feel Joey.'

Joey didn't know what to say either, after all both his parents were both still alive and healthy, the only thing he cold do was hold Caitlin tight and like he always did.

Later on they heard that Caitlin's Dad's funeral was to be in Toronto He had put it in his will , with the arrangements for his body to be flown home.

'I'm relieved about that ',Caitlin admitted 'I don't think I could take a twenty hour flight to Australia right now.'

Caitlin found the funeral really hard. Her Mum didn't go as she was still away. Her Dad's girlfriend from Australia hadn't come over either. Caitlin had always had her suspicions that she was just one of those gold digger types anyway. Not that her Dad had had much cash put away, Caitlin knew that. His move to Australia had wiped out most of his savings he had put by for his retirement from teaching. It was mostly distant relatives, Aunts and Uncles that Caitlin hadn't seen for years and her Dad's old colleagues from his teaching days.

Caitlin was just glad when it was all over.

'Joey, I think I need to go for a walk on my own okay.'

'Okay, I'll pick Tilly up from school and see you at home later okay.'

They kissed each other goodbye and Caitlin headed over to Riverdale Park, it wasn't far from the church.

When she got there she sat down on what she later noticed was someone's memorial bench. She hadn't been close enough to her Dad to do something like that, not since he had ruined everything with his affair when she was a teenager. Her Mum had been distant in the years since the divorce too ,but at least they were reasonably close again now, especially since Tilly had been born.

Caitlin sat there for an hour and then took the long route home to the beach. But what she didn't know was there was pleasant surprise waiting for her back home.

'You Okay?', Joey asked her as she shut the door behind her.

'I think so. I love you', she hugged him.

'I love you and there is a surprise for you in the lounge.'

Caitlin opened the door to the lounge and could hardly believe her eyes.

'Ellie Nash, I don't believe it.'

'I came to say thanks and also sorry for not getting in touch with you for so long.'

'So did you get the job I recommended you for?'

'I start next week, but what a gruelling interview.'

'Congratulations.'

'Thanks and thank you so much, especially after I ignored you for years and years and over something so petty its laughable. I've read all your books though and I always read your column in the Toronto Star. And I often check in at your website. The time I was ready to get in touch, I really didn't know what to say Caitlin. There were so many times I could have done with your advice over the years, I should have just swallowed my pride a long time ago and asked you.'

'You seem to have done okay for yourself. And I kept my tabs on you too you know, what with the Degrassi Alumni website and everything. I know you got a job a month after graduating. Do you know how rare that is in such a competitive field?'

'Yes, but Suede Magazine?'

'Everyone has to start somewhere. I spent my first four months as a graduate serving tea and coffee in a café in London. But never mind the past, what is your first assignment going to be for the new show?'

'South America, Columbia. This series is about drug trafficking and its effects on the environment and the people that live in it. I am so excited.'

'I bet you are and I know you are going to be great. But Ellie, promise me something.'

'Okay, what?'

'It's hard to believe now, but there will come a time when you get fed up of it all. It may take ten years, maybe more, maybe less, but it will happen. And when it does, promise me you will give it all up and move on to something different. Please, don't carry on doing it when your hearts not in it any more.'

'I promise. But I just can't believe how ecstatic I am right now.'

'So anything else exciting going on in your life?'

'Not really, this opportunity came at a perfect time for me. The lease on my apartment in Vancouver is nearly up, no boyfriend and I don't actually know that many people outside the old magazine. And being a fashion magazine, they aren't really my type of people.'

'Ellie, you have a great time, enjoy your work. Seeing you has really cheered me up.'

'Joey told me about your Dad, I'm sorry.'

'Thanks. We weren't really close after I grew up and left home, but its still hard.'

'So do you still hear from Craig?'

'We do , but not that often, you know, the rock and roll lifestyle and all that. And by the way I hope you have a liking for hotels, and shacks and shanty towns, because you are going to be spending a lot of time in all of them very soon.'

'I'm not so sure about the shanty towns.'

'That's part of the job, part of why your going. Always remember that.'

'Thanks Caitlin. I guess I had better head off now.'

'You just make sure you stay in touch this time.'

'I will, that's a promise.'

After she hugged Ellie goodbye, she went and sat with Joey on the sofa.

'Well , it looks like someone went to a lot of effort to get her here.'

'Guilty as charged and it took me ages to get through to her, talk about a busy woman.'

'Thanks Joey. It was so good to see her again, just what I needed. I'm glad I 'm starting my talks at Degrassi next month. Who knows there may be another potential journalist like Ellie there?'

'And talking of talented, Angie and I had a long chat earlier about her going to Cambridge. She is really nervous about her interview you know.'

'I'll give her a few pointers. Did you get her flight to London sorted?'

'All booked, another red eye to Heathrow, a train to Cambridge, three nights in a hotel and then back home on an early morning flight from Heathrow, so it will be late morning when she lands back here. I did the extra day beforehand to give her time to recover from the travelling.'

Angie was due to fly to London on the flight early Tuesday evening and on the Monday night just as Caitlin and Joey were getting to sleep they heard a knock on their bedroom door and Joey opened it to find Angie in tears.

'Angie, what the hell is wrong? Is it Andrew?'

'I don't know how I'm going to leave him, but I know I have to.'

Caitlin wished there was a way round it for the both of them, but she also knew time apart would do them good.

'I'm scared too , I am so nervous, what if I mess up? What if I don't and get in? Knowing I'll be leaving everything I have ever known and is comfortable is scary. I'm not sure I like this growing up business, everything is going my way and I know what I want to do , but its all happening so fast, too fast.'

She sat down on the bed between Joey and Caitlin, tears still streaming.

'Oh Angie', Joey hugged his daughter.

'Angie, its all going to be fine', Caitlin reassured her. 'Your interview will be fine and a few months in at Cambridge, you will be wondering what you were worrying about. And if you and Andrew are meant to be together, it can wait until after you have both finished university.'

They spent the next few hours reassuring her that once she was settled away from home, she would get to like the lifestyle and being a grown up and how they knew she was going to do great things as a future scientist.

Joey, Caitlin and Tilly all went to the airport with Angie , but now she had left them behind having gone through security.

'My little girl all grown up , jetting off on her own', Joey sipped his coffee. They had decided to sit and have something to eat after waving Angie goodbye at the gate.

'I know and no doubt we will be sat here again at the end of the summer, the real thing. It is going to be hard for you to let go, but you know, we both have to. This is where you have to start differentiating between Angie being your child and Angie actually being a child. And lets face it, Angie hasn't been a child for quite some time now and I'm not just talking about her relationship with Andrew.'

'She really is going to find leaving him hard isn't she?'

'She is. You and I know all about that. But Joey, we both know she has her head screwed on. She is going to be a brilliant scientist.'

'When she was about ten she had this really nasty teacher back in Calgary. She said Angie's obsession with science was unhealthy. I then found out she kept trying to tell the teacher a better way for doing experiments.'

'Good old Angie, it must have been quite humiliating for the poor teacher. I wonder what Tilly's ambition will be when she is Angie's age.'

'Hey Tilly, what do you want to be when you grow up?', Joey asked his youngest daughter.

'I don't know yet', Tilly replied and went back to colouring in her picture of an aeroplane.

'Oh well, for now I am putting my money on her being an architect, she definitely has a creative side to her, she must have got that from you.'

Angie returned home from Cambridge excited. Caitlin and Joey and Tilly were all at the airport there waiting to meet her. She ran straight over to them.

'I got in , my place at Cambridge is secure. I already have more than enough credits for entry to the Biochemistry degree. They have even offered me a place on a programme at summer school that runs through August until term starts. I am so happy.'

The rest of the school year seemed to fly by after Angie arrived home from her Cambridge interview. Angie graduated with extra credits in science and was selected to make a speech for her graduating class. Joey finished his dissertation and was going on to do a post graduate specialisation in the fall. Even Tilly won a prize in her pre-school reading competition. She was one of the few advanced kids in the class that could already read alone and was currently working her way through books aimed at five to six year olds. Caitlin's latest book as usual went straight to the top of the charts when it came out and then it was time for Angie's graduation. Caitlin, Joey and Tilly had front row seats in the Degrassi auditorium.

'I can't believe how quick this day has come round. It seems like only yesterday she was a baby'. Joey looked proudly at his daughter as she took her diploma and Mr Simpson announced she would soon be going to Cambridge University to study Biochemistry. And then it was time for her to make her speech.

'I'm lucky. I have the best family and the best friends. Most of you know my obsession with science began at an early age. I have wanted to be a medical research scientist for as long as I can remember. I love science, but I also want to help people. This is the twenty first century and people are still dying of diseases, often ones little is known about, like those my own Mother died of many years ago. But there are common diseases that still need more research, so people don't die of them anymore. When I think of the work my Step Mum Caitlin used to do and the diseases she saw people dying and die of, it breaks my heart. And that's why I want to be a medical research scientist, to help contribute to finding possible cures, so people don't die of diseases anymore.

I've had the best years here at Degrassi. It is going to be hard leaving all my friends behind, that's something I am sure we are all going to find hard. But we must try our best to stay in touch and be there for each other, wherever we are in the world, whatever we are doing.

My teachers here at Degrassi have always supported me and encouraged me, so thank you all, especially Mrs Broadmere my science teacher and mentor whose classroom door I often darkened way after school hours.

But most of all I need to thank my own family, my Dad and my Step Mum Caitlin. You've always stood by me, been there for me, even when I was a complete brat as a younger teenager. It's because of you and your encouragement and love and support that I have been able to become the person I am today. I love you and I am going to miss you.'

After Angie sat down, leaving both Caitlin and Joey with tears in their eyes, Andrew stood up and made a speech about his time at Degrassi as a member of the science club and on the Basketball varsity team. And then a couple of other kids got up and spoke , one Caitlin recognised from her journalism talks and one she had never even seen before.

Afterwards Caitlin and Joey were taking Angie and Andrew out to dinner, before Angie and Andrew went off to celebrate with the rest of their friends. Sue had come to take Tilly home and sit with her until Caitlin and Joey arrived home.

'Congratulations again guys, high school graduates at last hey', Joey raised a toast to them.

'I still can't believe it, no more Degrassi in the fall, but Cambridge for me and Vancouver for Andrew.'

'I remember the excitement so well the summer before starting university and the anxieties. Being out on your own in the world for the first time, its scary, but also exciting', Caitlin was thinking back to the summer she had graduated.

'It's going to happen sooner rather than later for me. I'm leaving for Vancouver next week. I got a summer job out there and since Angie is going to be off to Cambridge in a few weeks anyway, I thought I may as well take it.', Andrew told them.

'I told Andrew there was no point him turning the job down when I'll be leaving in a few weeks anyway. Why prolong the agony?'

After dinner, Joey gave Angie and Andrew some dollars.

'Go and have a good time, just don't drink too much or go and do anything daft okay.'

'Thanks Dad', Angie and Andrew went off in to the distance and Caitlin and Joey headed for home.

'I can't believe Angie has graduated high school. I wonder if our own parents thought like this when we graduated high school.'

'I should imagine so. It does feel really strange and hard to believe though doesn't it. Maybe it won't feel so unreal when Tilly graduates.'

'Well talk about one extreme to the other. At Angie's graduation we were amongst the youngest parents there, at Tilly's we will probably be amongst the oldest.'

'I wonder how Spike and Snake felt back at Emma's graduation, they must have felt really young and out of place.'

Then the summer really kicked in and with it Angie's last two months at home. She was going to Cambridge at the end of the last week in July. The first week of the holiday's Angie was barely at home, spending all the time she could with Andrew before he left. And when he finally did after a tearful goodbye at the airport, she confided in Caitlin just how heartbroken she was.

'There is a part of me that just wants to follow him straight to Vancouver now. But I know I can't do that. We chose the universities that were best for us. We are going to try and stay together though and give the long distance thing a go.'

'Angie, I know it hurts, but just try and think of all the new and exciting things that are going to happen to you once you get to Cambridge.'

'So you all packed and ready to go?',, four weeks later Angie was ready to go to the airport.

'I can't believe I won't be home again until Christmas', Angie said on the way to the airport.

'Angie , the time Christmas comes, you will be having such a good time you probably won't want to come home and see us and that's fine if you don't. Just make sure you let us know okay.'

'I can't imagine not wanting to come home for Christmas.'

'But today Angie, is the start of the rest of your life', said Joey as they got out of the taxi and went to get a trolley for Angie's luggage.

What Angie didn't know was there was a surprise waiting for her at the airport. Caitlin and Joey had arranged to meet Craig at the coffee shop they always used on the departures concourse.

They checked Angie's luggage in at the first class check-in and then took her off to meet up with her big brother.

Craig was already there and stood up when he saw them.

'I couldn't let my little sister go off to England without coming to see her off.'

It had been a long time since Craig and Angie had seen each other, he could hardly believe his little sister was about to start university.

'I'm often in London you know. You will have to come down and see me one weekend when I'm there. That's if your not too busy with your new geeky science friends of course.'

They took pictures and got one taken of the whole family by one of the waiting staff in the coffee shop and then went to print it straight off at one of the digital photo printing booths, so Angie was able to take a copy with her.

And then the moment they were all dreading came, it was time to say goodbye to Angie as her plane would soon be boarding.

'Thanks for coming to see me Craig', Angie hugged her brother goodbye. That was the easy part, she was used to him not being around much. The she hugged her little sister for a long time.

'I'm going to miss you so much Tilly. I'll be home to see you at Christmas, I promise.'

The tears were already rolling down her face when she then turned to hug Caitlin goodbye and then came the hardest goodbye of all, her Dad. She really hadn't known leaving was going to be this hard.

'I love you Dad. You're the best.'

'And so are you Angie. I love you. Good luck. Now you go and get on you way to becoming a brilliant scientist. Make us even prouder than we already are.'

And then Joey let her go and she went through the security gate towards the airside departures lounge. She only looked back once to give a brief wave and then she was boarding the plane.

Joey and Caitlin said they would wait round at the airport with Craig and catch up as he had a flight to catch in a couple of hours to Halifax, where he had a number of gigs in the next week, all of which were part of his latest sell out tour. Tilly fell asleep in Caitlin's arms in the departures lounge while they were waiting for Craig's flight to finally board as it was delayed by almost two hours.

It was just gone eleven in the evening when they finally did get home from the airport and put Tilly to bed. Then Caitlin and Joey went and sat out on the balcony, it was still a hot summers night.

'It feels so strange, knowing Angie won't be home again now until Christmas. This is going to take some getting used to.'

'I know', Caitlin kissed her husband and then they went inside to watch the latest instalment of the show that Ellie Nash was presenting.

'Wow, she is good, even better than I thought she would be.'

'Well, she did have the best teacher ever.'

'Thanks', Caitlin then kissed Joey hard on the lips and soon they had lost all interest in the show that had come on following Ellie's.

The next morning they were both tired.

'This is your fault Joey Jeremiah, keeping me up all night', she teased him as she got her stuff ready for day teaching at the Degrassi summer school programme.

'Ha, you started it.'

'And you wouldn't let it finish, not that I didn't enjoy every minute of it.'

'And if it weren't for the little fact of work, I would take you back to bed for the rest of the day.'

'Well Joey Jeremiah you had better get those thoughts out of your head and go and get our daughter up. I'll see you both in the park at lunchtime.'

As usual Caitlin walked out the door with a spring in her step, life was still good. On her way to Degrassi she got a text message from Joey missing you already, so she sent one back can't wait to see you at lunchtime and then she entered the halls of Degrassi for another day teaching what could possibly be some of Canada's future journalists.

Chapter four coming soon.