Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi or Radiohead. No, I really don't.

A/N: I kinda a scene from the Season 4 finale: "Goin' Down the Road: Pt. 2", and ran with it. I had written this oneshot about seven times, and I think I finally settled on this. Also, this is probably one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It's a stunner. As always, read, review and enjoy. And be sure to stop by my profile for a link to a playlist for this collection.


"Street Spirit"; The Bends

The police sirens echoed off the puddles of water, splashing up against the tires as the cars sped past down the endless road. Shouting from the apartment complex hid, tucked away in the small crevices in the night, making the damp evening more profound. It wasn't just the streetlights that seemed to bare down on his back, but it was the ever-present throb that pulsated on Craig Manning's neck, making him ache for a place to lay his head. He dug in his pockets, finding forty-seven dollars and thirty-three cents. That's all he had in the world, but all he could think about was the fight that Joey and Caitlin had before he left. That's all they ever did anymore was fight and scream and somehow it always came back to Craig's illness. He needed to break free, not for himself, but for the mercy of his family that only seemed to crumble, like everything and everybody he was attached to.

Rows of houses all bearing down on me
I can feel their blue hands touching me

He hitched up his guitar case, blocking the cold winds coming from the north as he stumbled along the side of the road, desperate for shelter and clueless to his own means to find any. He knew he couldn't go back home, the strain he was and the constant reminder of his indiscretions as the "orphan" made each step in the opposite direction more hopeful. He needed to get away, far away from the pressure, the destructive environment he was creating in the once safe haven. How could he let this happen? How could he let the closet thing to family fall apart? He looked down at his hands, feeling contaminated and diseased. He felt like a marked man, destined for failure. It was time for him to realize and accept that now rather than later. He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply at the twilit street, absorbing the freshness of the air and hoping against hope that he was at least worthy of the opportunity he had in front of him, starting over.


Ellie scratched the back of her knee, the hosiery bunching slightly as she maneuvered herself on the lab stool. She could feel Jason Mewes looking her over again. She had to remove his hand from her thigh twice that day, not looking forward to another scene with him. She was relieved that the filming was nearly over, but she felt apprehensive. She wanted to get out of this Elvira getup immediately, but in her black jeans and hoodie, her Chucks and feel normal again, so she had began looking at the clock so frequently it looked like she had a nervous tick. She felt a vibration, rolling her eyes thinking it was another Jason stunt, but when she saw Ashley's name flashing with "911" text, she bolted for the door, not caring if Kevin Smith screamed, "Cut!"

Ellie dialed Ashley's number rapidly, a thousand different scenarios popping into her mind. "Pick up... Hey! What's wrong?"

Ashley sniffled on the other line, her voice shaky. "It's Craig... He's gone missing! I just got a call from Joey saying that he was going to meet me here in London, which is absurd and he was supposed to be her three days ago. Ellie... he could be hurt. I'm so scared."

Ellie watched other people filter out of the chemistry lab, figuring Kevin called it a night seeing as others were grabbing their belongings from other classrooms. She went into an adjacent classroom, grabbing her backpack and jacket. "What do you want me to do?"

"Find him, Ellie! He... he trusts you. He knows you. Maybe you can talk some sense into him, make him come home. He's sick, Ellie. You know that better than anyone. Please... for me." Ashley eventually cried over the phone, creating a buzzing on the other end.

"I'll do the best I can, okay?" What happened next merely occurred to the strength of their friendship. Ellie rushed into the bathroom, changing her clothes in record speed. Without turning around to apologize to Kevin and the crew, she ran down the steps of the school, trying to flag down a cab. She paced slightly in the parking lot, trying to figure out her next move. She paused briefly when she felt someone tap her on her shoulder, causing her to jump several inches clear into the air. Spinning on her heel, she found Jason Mewes. Relief flooded her pale cheeks. "Thank God! I need your help."

"I'm at you leisure, sweet thing." He moved remarkably closer, outstretching his arm around Ellie's shoulders. "What can I do for you?"

Ellie shrugged off his arm smoothly, pulling him toward his car. "I need a ride. To downtown."

All these things into position
All these things we'll one day swallow whole
And fade out again and fade out

Jason halted. "I knew you were a wild vixen under all those stockings. You hit up clubs and stuff, huh?"

Ellie pursed her lips, considering her options. She needed to find Craig, if not for Ashley, but for her own nerves. She had seen him just yesterday, looking unkempt and slightly unhinged. She was too absorbed in her own melodrama to take notice to his odd behavior, the overwhelming feeling of guilt taking hold of her lungs. "Look, I need to find someone... a friend. I think he might be hanging out downtown at some of the teen clubs. I just need a ride."

Jason nodded, jogging over to the other side of his car. "Well, hop in. I can get you down there in a few minutes. Are we in a hurry, 'cause I can gun it if we have to."

Ellie felt a new round of adoration for the slightly over-sexed costar. "I don't think we need to break the law, just get me down there as fast, and ad legal as possible."

"Your wish is my command, goth goddess." He slammed on the accelerator, speeding off into the night.


Craig felt as if had been walking for days, hunger getting the better of him. He paused briefly, trying to gain his bearings as people from all directions were passing, one in particular in a long trench coat bumped clear into him, knocking him into the brick wall. "Hey, man! Watch where you're going!"

The man turned around, ramming him against the wall harder. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to like that?! Watch where the fuck you're going!" He pushed him again, walking faster down the street.

Craig watched him leave, shaken by the encounter. He instinctively checked his pockets, feeling for the lump that was his wallet. His stomach dropped when the lump was gone. He tried to look down the street again, hoping to catch of glimpse of the thief, but he was long gone. "Fuck!" He punched the wall, grabbing it instantly as a surge of excruciating pain went up his arm, hitting his elbow. He held onto his arm protectively, moving further away from the busy street. He stumbled down a darken alleyway, collapsing near a dumpster. He was so exhausted, not caring that he managed to sit in a puddle of water. He just needed to rest. He shook his head, images of the trench coat flashing past his eyes, the white hot pain that still throbbed in his arm and the tearful expression of pain that crossed Catlin's face. He trembled from head to toe, the cool winds from the North making the hot June evening far more chilling. He wrapped his arms around his chest, rocking on his bottom, trying to calm his shakes. What was he going to do? He couldn't concentrate with his thoughts fogged over with other distractions and interruptions, the longing to be near Ashley and the cold reality that she needed an ocean to separate them. He didn't have any friends, no one that was willing to go out and find him. He couldn't go home, even if he wanted to. He managed to alienate anyone that give a damn about him by simply being himself, regardless if he was on his medication or not.

This machine will not communicate
These thoughts and the strain I am under

Almost like a jolt rushing through him, a lyric popped into his head, causing his hands to drift to his six strings. "Pain crushing you like a freight train... Drifting like a wind, like a slow drain..." He played with the chord for a few minutes, hearing a few wolf whistles from the street, doing his best to ignore them and concentrate. He muttered to himself, hoping to keep the lyric in his head before the round of disruptive images plagued his mind.


Jason pulled onto the side of the main street, looking over at his passenger. "Here we are, milady. You sure you don't need me to accompany you?"

Ellie nodded, feeling grateful. "No, put I might need a ride back. Do you have a cellphone I can reach you?"

Jason smirked. "If this was all a clever way of getting my number..." He moved the divider in the seat, scooting closer to her. "There's far more easier ways than showing your gratitude."

Ellie scoffed. "Do you have to be such a sleaze?" She opened the door, before he halted her. "What?"

"Look, I play around, but it's late, after nine o'clock at night. It's not the safest place in the world for a pretty girl like you walking around unaccompanied. Are you sure you don't want me around?"

Ellie shook her head. "I just need a ride. I need to do this on my own, I'm afraid. If you could--"

"I'll be over at the pub down there when you're finished, alright?" He pointed down the street. "It's about five blocks, so if you need me, I'll be over there."

"Thanks... for everything." She pushed open the door, pulling out a picture as she made her way into the first teen club on the corner. She was blocked by a few rather shady characters standing guard at the entrance. "Um, excuse me?"

One prickly haired one looked her up and down quickly, getting closer. "What can I do for you?" He seemed do be digging in his pockets, looking for something.

Ellie tensed up. "I just want to get into the club, thanks." She stepped around him, trying to get to the door when another one blocked the door. "Look, I'm not trying to--"

"Want to help your party experience?" He pulled out a few joints and a small bag of pills. "I can give you a special..." He reached out to touch Ellie's face when Ellie grabbed his hand, twisting it in midair.

"Try to touch me again and I'll do the same thing to your Johnson." She shoved him out of her way, gaining entry into the place. After sweeping the front, seeing teen girls dressed in clothes that barely covered over their private parts, she lifted herself on one of the tables. "Excuse me!" She hollered over the speakers, gaining the attention of a few rude patrons, shouts of protest coming for all directions. "Hey, shut the hell up!" After causing more of a distraction, she cleared her throat. "I'm looking for someone. He's lost and his family is looking for him." She saw a few less than concerned expressions through the crowd, ignoring them as she passed around the picture she had brought with her of her, Craig and Ashley. "His name is Craig Manning and he's seventeen years old. If any of you have seen him tonight, if would be a great help if you could point me in the right direction." She waited until she got the picture, nothing turning up. She rushed out of the place, moving onto the next club a few blocks away.

Be a world child, form a circle
Before we all go under
And fade out again and fade out again


Craig drifted in and out of sleep, not sure how long he had been sitting in the alleyway. He knew it was getting later, the temperature dropping over the time he had been there even more so. He needed shelter and needed it soon. He tried to recover the lyrics he had made out of thin air, frustrated that he lost them in his subconscious. He banged on the dumpster, hearing some rattling from within. Not a moment later, a pair rats scrambled out of it, causing Craig to jump up as they raced down the path.

"I need to get out of here..." He felt a weight of nausea hit him, built-up fatigue as he grabbed his head. He leaned against the wall again, not sure if moving was the best decision. He felt as if he had been bludgeoned at the head, dizzy spells occurring more frequently. He thought briefly that this might be a side affect to the lack of medication, but it only hurt the more he tried to think. He hit himself in the head, not knowing any other way to release his frustration. He needed to fix his head. He needed to remember his song. He needed to not feel sick so he could get help. He needed help. He needed someone. He needed anyone. He needed... Without warning, he began to sob uncontrollably, shakes rolling over like waves.

Cracked eggs, dead birds
Scream as they fight for life
I can feel death, can see it's beady eyes


Ellie rushed into the next club, seeing more of the same, slightly disappointed in the lack of imagination in the district. Standing on the bar, she grabbed a few patrons attention immediately. "Hey! Over here!" She watched others turn, satisfied. "Has anyone seen this guy? I need to find him. He's runaway from home and he needs to be found. If anyone has seen him or know where I can, it would be really great--"

"I just saw this kid." Someone from the back walked toward Ellie, carrying the picture. "Yeah, I saw him a few blocks north of here. I recognized the guitar." He nodded again. "I thought he was homeless the way he looked, but he had that sweet guitar, so I thought he might have just passed out."

Ellie snatched the picture back, shaking the kid's hand. "Thanks a lot." She ran out of the place, picking up speed as she headed in the direction he pointed. Images raced through her mind, the state Craig might be in, the shape he might look. "I thought he was homeless the way he looked..." Her stomach churned with anxious tension as she rounded the next corner, stopping short when she stumbled across a darkened alleyway. She walked slower until she noticed a pair of legs poking out on the other side of a dumpster. "Craig?" She reached him, seeing him slumped over his guitar, looking far worse than she had imagined. She stooped down closer, reaching out to him. "Craig?"

All these things into position
All these things we'll one day swallow whole
And fade out again and fade out again

Craig twitched violently, causing Ellie to fall back on the ground. He looked around, finding her on the ground. "Ellie! How did you get down there?"

"You knocked me over." She stood up, wiping off the back of her jeans. She looked down again, watching Craig as he turned around disoriented. A pang in her chest throbbed as she witnessed the sight. "Do you know where you are?"

"I'm with you, silly." He chuckled, rubbing his head. He tensed up, remembering his hand was sour. "Ow."

Ellie reached out, taking his hand. "What happened?"

"Got upset." He shrugged, as he tried to stand. He swayed slightly, grabbing onto Ellie for support. "When did you get here?"

"Just now. I went to come find you." She decided talking in calm tones was the only way getting him out of this alleyway. "Come on, we're gonna get out of here."

Suddenly, Craig wrenched his grip away from Ellie, backing away. "No! You're gonna take me back there... I don't want to go back there!"

Ellie froze, seeing him crumble back into a ball on the ground. "But you like Joey... he's good to you..."

Craig shook his head. "NO! I hit him... like my Dad hit me... I'm not good, Ellie. I'm messed up... I'm no good... I'm a bad boy..."

Ellie never saw him this departed, finding it too much. She tried to comfort him, wrapping an arm around him. "No, you're good, Craig... you're just sick."

Craig pulled away. "What do you know about anything?!You don't know anything about me!" He hitched up his guitar strap, walking further away. "Leave me alone."

Ellie caught up to him, halting him. "No. I can't leave you alone. You need help, Craig." She blocked him from walking around her, grabbing his hand. "I want to help you, but you have to let me, okay?"

"Why do you care? It's not like we're friends." He snatched his hand back, moving around her again.

Ellie stopped him again, pushing him back. "We are friends. And I'm trying to help you here. I know we don't get along well, but I want to help you."

"Why?"

"Because..." She had to admit, she hadn't quite figured out why she wanted to help him as much as she wanted to. She knew she couldn't tell him it was because Ashley had asked her. It was beyond that. Seeing him in the alleyway, looking defenseless and alone, a part of her was awakened and disturbed. She needed to help him, if only to know that she could. "I want to."

Immerse your soul in love.

Craig scoffed. "I'm not an idiot."

"No one said you were." She crossed her arms, wanting to desperately leave this cold place and find Jason to take Craig home. "You have to believe that people want to help you."

"But why you? You have nothing to gain from this... I'm nothing to you." He looked away, the weight of his statement hitting home. Ellie knew for a long time, he felt that way. She had felt the same way in her own home. It was than when he turned to her, as vulnerable as she ever saw him that she saw what she was sure Ashley saw the first time she looked into his eyes. She wanted to extract that sense of abandonment from him, replace it with her own companionship.

"You're not nothing to me. And I can gain a friend... if you want one." She reached out to him, taking his hand. "Ashley's gone. I know it sucks, but that's just it. She left us both. But we have to stick together."

Craig looked up from the joined hands. "You want to be my friend?"

"Yes." She hadn't been surer of anything more in a long time. She pulled him away from the dumpster, away from the lone streetlight and away from the scum that resided there. When they reached the end of the alleyway, on the busy street again, she grabbed a tighter hold onto him. "Come on. We're going home."

Craig looked apprehensive. "Joey hates me. He doesn't want me back."

Ellie shrugged as they crossed the street toward the bar that Jason was at. "You never know until we get there." She pulled him closer, feeling slight butterflies in her stomach when he reciprocated the gesture with his hand holding to her tighter. She knew he needed her in that moment, but she also felt she needed him too.

Immerse your soul in love.


More will be updated much sooner, promise! --- MrsBigTuna