Clare took a seat in the small chair next to the bed, another had been pushed back to it's place in the corner while Bullfrog was away. She just looked at Eli for a long time, he was pale. Really pale. Because he'd kind of drenched the floors of Degrassi with a large percentage of his blood and all. In fact, there was a clear bag of O negative hanging on a metal pole next to him at that very moment.

Without having noticed them starting, Clare realized she was crying. "I'm Sorry" she whispered. She had always been one to think aloud, and there wasn't anyone conscious to hear it anyways. "It's my fault, Eli. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you. I shouldn't have gone with Fitz. I shouldn't have said what I said. I should have found you myself. I'm so, so sorry. And now I might...lose you, forever. And i mean, I've hardly had time to get to know you at all... and..." she was choking up as she spoke, though she knew Eli couldn't hear her anyways.

Clare jumped, she swore she heard someone laughing, somewhere. What kind of person would laugh at someone breaking down like this.

"Oh my God! That was awesome." laughed Eli, his eyes still closed, pretending to sleep.

"Eli?" Clare whispered, her mouth hanging open.

"The one and only." he opened his green eyes, giving a sly grin. "So, he continued, how long have you been in love with me? 'and now I might lose you, forever.' geez, that was a classic!"

"Jerk!" she slapped him in the face, laughing as she cried.

"Hey, hey, hey. I just woke up after being stabbed 7 times in the chest and you slap me. Ouch, Edwards!" he was grinning grinning.

"Why you let me keep talking like an idiot?"

"Because it's fun to see how awesome I am. You love me!"

'No! I was just, worried. For... you're parents. They've been really worried."

"Not buying that for one second." he couldn't wipe the grin from his face.

"So... he stabbed you seven times?" Clare reverted back to a more pressing issue.

"I think. I wasn't really busy counting while he did it, and there's several layers of gauze on my chest so I haven't really had the chance to check. Just a guess. Also- I'm hungry."

"Oh. Well, yeah. Do you want like, a sandwich or something?"

"My favorite." he didn't seem quite so pale and sick now that he was being sarcastic again.

"So, Eli mused while he ate, did you guys ALL think I was as good as dead?

"Well I'm sorry that you wanted people to take it lightly when you got hunted down and stabbed by psychopath. Maybe you should have left instructions.

"Ha Ha. Very funny. But seriously. I'm okay."

"I know. And you know, I'm glad."

"Oh, I know!" he raised a mocking eyebrow.

"Shut up!" she slapped him again, laughing and crying still.

The End.

(a sequel may or may not come to fruition. Comment your thoughts on that, please.)

THANKS FOR READING!