Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi. Never have... never will.

A/N: Okay, another chapter. I hope everyone is enjoying this. If you have any ideas or questions, just visit my profile and drop me a line. I'll always respond. Hope to hear from ya, and as always, read, review, and enjoy!

While Craig was in the kitchen, making Ellie coffee, she waited on the couch by the fireplace. She still had her jacket on, feeling slightly warm, but afraid to take it off. Before she knew it, Craig had returned with a cup of steaming coffee. She smirked, knowing he would make it just the way she liked.

Craig stood close by, eventually sitting next to her on the floor, reminding him of hours they would spend in his stepfather's garage, quoting Interpol and Radiohead, jamming along to their own beat, absorbed in their own universe where they ruled. He missed her so much, them being like this, where they could just pretend that the world outside didn't exist, only them. As he heard her softly breathing beside him, all he wanted to do was hold her and take away any pain she had. He was dying to know why she was here, but couldn't care less. She was here, with him, not with her fiancé. He fidgeted a little, trying to see what she was doing when she sighed, "This is really good coffee."

Craig smirked, "Glad you approve."

Ellie nodded, "Oh yeah." She handed Craig the empty mug, laying back on the couch.

Craig stood up, "You want me to take that for you?" He motioned to her jacket.

Ellie looked up from her shoes, nodding and taking it off and handed it to him. As he filled the cup with more coffee, she turned around, watching him in his kitchen. It was oddly arousing, seeing him in the kitchen, watching something so intimate yet so natural. When he came back, he plopped down next to her, "So..."

"So..."

"Are you gonna tell me or -"

"No."

"Ellie -"

"I don't want to talk about it." She folded her arms, taking interest in her shoes for the second time that night. She watched him shrug, sighing, "We had a fight."

"No duh, El." He scoffed, "Did anything happen?" He gave her a look, suggesting something.

Ellie shook her head, "Nothing happened, okay?" She sighed, "I'm fine."

Craig looked at her for the first time since she stepped inside in his apartment, "Than why are you here?"

Ellie looked up at him, a small rim of tears starting to form around her eyes, "I just didn't want to be there." She scooted her legs up to her chest, looking like she did when she didn't want to talk after group.

Craig smirked at her form, remembering a time when being with him was her safe place, thinking she felt the same now. He sat back down, putting his hand on her knee, "Well, Nash. You always got a place here." He chuckled, relieved to hear her chuckling too.

Ellie sighed, "Thanks... for not pushing anything."

Craig turned to her, nudging her playfully, "Hey, what are best friend's for?" He wiggled his eyebrows, looking at her stomach.

Ellie looked nervous, "Don't you dare..."

"What?" He rose his hand higher, smiling deviously.

"Don't...you...dare, Manning?" Ellie started backing up more into the corner of the couch.

"I'm sorry... El. But it has a mind of its own... I can't control the hand!"

Ellie snorted, "That's the worst Vincent Price impression ever!" She laughed out loud as Craig attacked her stomach, tickling her until she shrieked, "Stop it!"

Her laughter caused him to laugh as well. They both ended up on the floor, holding their stomachs. Ellie threw her hair behind her back, "I can't believe you would tickle me."

"It did loosen you up, did it not?"

"I guess." She tucked her hair behind her ear, "I hate you sometimes."

"No, you don't."

Ellie snorted, "No, I don't."

They chuckled some more until Craig stood up abruptly. "I wanna show you something." He ran to another end of his loft, chuckling.

Ellie watched him, getting flashes of moments from their youth, Craig excitingly willing to show Ellie a new song or chord. She chuckled despite herself, feeling the anticipation of his surprise. Without a moment too soon, Craig came back, holding a CD case. Ellie smiled, "What is it?"

Craig stood in front of the couch, grinning, "I have in my hands... three, I repeat three songs that will be on my new album."

Ellie sat up, "Oh my God." She shook her head, "So..."

Craig nodded, taking his seat next to her again, "Yeah, I think it's our best work yet. Plus, these songs are even more great because they're featuring a collaboration of sorts with one of your favorite bands."

Ellie nearly lost her breath, "Who?"

Craig looked at her bright face, feeling himself urging to tuck her loose strand behind her ear. Stopping the urge, he cleared his throat, "Arcade Fire."

Ellie squealed, "Oh my God!" She snatched the CD from Craig's hands, "You worked with the Win Butler." She shook her head, than nudging Craig hard, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Craig shrugged, "Sorry... it's just this last week..." He left the sentence end with the silence, which was always so comforting.

Ellie cleared her throat, "Well... let's hear." She handed Craig the CD, slightly grazing his fingers.

Craig felt the slight spark of her touch, shallowing, "Okay." He stood up, walking over to his stereo. "Well... there's some explanation. The first song isn't me at all. Arcade Fire did a cover of My Window, which is unreal. The second song is a cover of their song Keep the Car Running from Neon Bible."

"I love that song!"

"I know..." He blushed slightly, "Anyway, the last song is a song me and Win wrote together, which was one of the most amazing moments of my life."

Ellie was shaking, "I swear, if you don't play that thing, I'm gonna scream." She smiled, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Craig chuckled, "Easy there, Nash. Patience is a virtue."

Ellie snorted, "Shut up and play the damn thing."

"Your wish is my command." He pushed play, taking a seat on the floor by the couch, leaning on it. As the first haunting organ echoed through the room, Ellie scooted down, sitting next Craig.

As the final chord faded, Ellie shook her head, "That was amazing."

Craig shrugged, "I try."

Ellie looked up at him, slightly starry-eyed, "You never cease to amaze me, Manning." She chuckled, "When I heard the line in -"

"The Silence Has a Voice?"

Ellie nodded, "Yeah... you know... the one that was like in the second verse, about running over bridges... was that a metaphor of your time -"

"In Australia... yeah." He chuckled, "God... Ellie, you scare me sometimes." He looked up from his glass of wine. "You always get it, don't you?"

Ellie shrugged, "I know you, I guess." She looked across the floor, finding it hard to breathe as Craig looked at her, watching her. She could feel the heat creep up her neck, forcing her to grab a blanket.

"You cold?" Craig crawled over to her, wrapping a blanket over her shoulders. He rubbed her back, his fingers catching strands of his hair, and feeling as if he was in ecstasy. She was here, with him. She was near him, close to him. He took the moment in, glancing and memorizing the small freckles that touched her cheeks, analyzing the golden flecks of her hair, blending into her mane of red. He took her all in, desperately denying the urge to hold her, feel her, take her as his own. He felt Ellie tense slightly, realizing that his hand was still on her back. He took it off swiftly, standing, "You want some more wine."

Ellie cleared her throat, "Yeah, sounds good." She watched as Craig walked away, still feeling the sensation of his touch on her back. She reveled in it, remembering only a week before, they were holding hands, running in a park and close to making out in a bar in the East Village. It seemed so long ago, when Craig didn't know about Brandon and they could pretend that the world didn't exist like always. They were experts at the art of denial, playing their silent games, hushed secrets, and hand signals.

As she watched Craig in the kitchen again, she stood up, skimming the many shelves filled with books. She smirked, looking at the different books he collected over the years, her eyes landing on a book she hadn't seen in years. As Craig came back with her freshened wine in his hand, she pointed to the book, "You still have the Rousseau?" She smiled up at him, taking the glass from his hand.

Craig smirked, "Of course."

"I can't believe you still have it." She shook her head, "I gave it to you after I graduated from Degrassi."

Craig shrugged, "It was a good book." He chuckled, "I read it six times."

Ellie looked over the rim incredulously, "Really?"

"Yeah. It was the best book I ever read."

"Good to know." She mused as she looked over the rest of the shelfs, her eyes landing on a binder with papers sticking out of it. "What's that?"

Craig looked up from the couch, jumping up quickly. He leaned him elbow on the shelf, trying to cover it, "Nothing."

"If it's nothing, than why can't I see it?" She tried to move around him, but he continued to block her view. She turned the other way, when he duck and she went back faster, grabbing the binder from the shelf. "Got it!"

Craig sighed, "Ellie...please don't look in there."

Ellie smirked, "Why not? Wait... is this a scrapbook?" She snorted, "Why, I wouldn't have guess that the all mighty and powerful Craig Manning did something so – dare I say it? Girly as scrapbook!"

Craig pleaded, "Don't okay? It's -"

Ellie held it to her chest, "This is so gonna harsh your street cred."

Craig chuckled, "Fine... nothing's gonna stop you anyway." He watched as Ellie sat down on the couch, looking down at the book. His stomach was a basket of knots, twisting and turning, holding his breath as he watched her look at the pages of his soul.

"What is all this?" She turned the pages, turning a deep shade of red, causing Craig to chuckle softly.

"What do you think?" He sat beside her, watching as she took it all in, every article she ever wrote, pasted together with different lyrics from songs in the margins. There were tiny notes in between the different inserts, his personal comments, highlighted passages he liked the most, even some corrections.

She brought her hand to her face, feeling herself shake slightly, "I can't believe you'd do all this... I mean... there's some stuff from the Core in here." She looked up at Craig, feeling dizzy. "I don't know what to say."

Craig shrugged, "You don't have to say anything." He turned the page, pointing to an article, "This one's my favorite." He cleared his throat, " 'And it was not only the onlookers of the street watching him pass that made the difference, it was the hope that could be felt through the air that made his existence closer to God.'" He shook his head, "You make everything so real, so... natural yet so surreal."

Ellie blushed, nodding, "Well... it was the Pope. He is quite mystical."

Craig shook his head, "Yeah, but regardless, you could make a sheep herder sound interesting." He smirked as he heard Ellie chuckling beside him.

"I try."

"Shut up." Craig nudged her, causing her to laugh harder. He beamed, watching as she looked at the pages, immersed in its being.

"How long have you been doing this?"

Craig shrugged, "I don't know... four... five years?" He took a sip of his wine when he felt Ellie stand up, "What's wrong?" He looked up, seeing tears running down her cheeks.

"What are we doing?" She started to pace, shaking her head.

Craig stood up, "What are you talking about?"

Ellie stopped, looking Craig straight in the eyes, "I'm tired playing this cat and mouse... thing with you. I can't -" She froze, hearing her phone buzz in her jacket pocket.

Craig walked over to her jacket, taking out the phone. He saw the small screen, lighting up the name Brandon and scoffed, "You tell me what you're doing?"

Ellie gaped at him, "What I'm doing?"

Craig nodded, "Yeah... I'd like to know why you came to my home at twelve thirty at night, crying and knocking at my door." He chuckled, showing Ellie her phone, "It's because of him, right? He yelled at you and you come running here to me. Good ol' Craig will bail me out! Good ol' Craig will put me back together!"

Ellie stepped closer to him, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Craig shook his head, "Us, El! Us!" He chuckled some more, "You blow hot and cold and I don't know where you're going to go next!" He tossed her phone across the room, it landing somewhere near the couch. "I'm tired of playing these games with you, El!"

Ellie stepped even closer to him, "You're sick of playing games?" She shook his head, "I'm not the one who left town! Left me! I'm the one telling you to run after your dreams and you go running around with some piece of ass so you don't have to have something real! I'm not the one who constantly hurts the people who loved him... who hurt me." Ellie slid down the wall behind her, shaking like a leaf.

Craig watched her crumble, seeing her reach to her wrist when he lunged toward her, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her small frame shake in his arms, sobbing as he soothed her. "I'm here. I'm here."

Ellie pulled away from him, trying to stand up, "How do I know?"

Craig stood up, looking in her eyes pleadingly, "Know what, El?"

"That you're gonna be here. You've said these things, told me things and every time you do, I fall for the bullshit after bullshit, always hoping... praying that this would be the time you'll actually care, that you'll actually mean it. That this will be the time that you'll look around and notice... realize I'm here... hopelessly waiting for you." She walked over to the fireplace, wrapping the blanket around her.

Craig watched her, feeling his heart break as he saw a fresh tear fall on her face. He walked over to her, sitting next to her. "I don't know."

Ellie scoffed, "Of course." She shook her head, "I don't know why I even came here." She stood up again, walking toward her jacket.

Craig felt his anger raise up in his chest, aching to be unleashed. He stormed toward her, spinning her around, "Why did you come here?"

Ellie scoffed, "No clue." She chuckled, "I ask myself the same question almost everyday."

Craig looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

Ellie laughed out loud, "You don't get it, do you?" She shook her head, "You can't be that stupid."

Craig threw his hands in the air, "Well then, Nash. Please... enlighten me!"

Ellie grabbed her jacket, stalking toward the door, "I have to go." She opened the door, not looking back.

"Do you love him?" Craig stood stock-still, watching as Ellie froze by the door. He walked across the place, closing the door.

Ellie turned around, "What are you doing?"

Craig looked at Ellie, seeing her small frame, sighing, "Do. You. Love. Him?"

Ellie folded her arms, breathing out a faint, "Yes."

Craig scoffed, "Really?"

"Yes!" She stood there, glaring up at Craig defiantly. "I love Brandon."

Craig shook his head, crossing his arms as well, "I don't believe you."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Fine, don't believe me." She turned toward the door again, "I really have to go."

Craig ran around the couch, "Tell me you don't love me."

Ellie froze again at the door. She turned slightly toward him, another stray tear forming along her eye. "What?"

Craig smirked, "You heard me, Nash." He walked closer to her, taking his shaking hand to her cheek, brushing away the fallen teardrop. "Say you don't love me."

Ellie trembled at his touch, closing her eyes, "Why?"

Craig chuckled, "Because you can't."

Ellie opened his eyes, "I -"

"I love you." And there it was. The words hung in the air, filling the room with a warmth that hadn't existed until that moment. Ellie had only heard those words from him eons ago, when they were still fresh from high school drama, denying their pleads for help and confused by the world that was real, not their own. She couldn't comprehend the words, not from him. It was as if he was speaking a foreign tongue, and she didn't know how to translate. The only word that seemed to be clear in her head was doubt. "What?"

Craig smirked, "I love you, Ellie Nash." He took a strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear, holding her face in his hands. He smiled down on her, certain he never saw anything more beautiful. He chuckled, "I love you so much." Before he knew what took over him, he found his lips on top of hers.

Ellie felt his soft lips, finding herself lose any thoughts or doubts or consciousness, only knowing that she was where she wanted to be. And as their kiss intensified, she felt Craig lift her in the air, pushing her against the closed door. He removed his lips, leaving a small trail down her collarbone, kissing every place yet undiscovered. She let down her guard, she let him enter her sanctum, and she didn't care.

As he lifted her in the air, all he wanted was her simple presence around him. Her scent, her laugh, her hot breath on his lips, not wanting it to ever end. And as he laid her on his bed, feeling her hands through his hair, he knew that nothing could top this euphoria. Craig smiled over her, "You have no idea how long I wanted to do that."

Ellie chuckled, "Me neither." She closed her eyes as Craig slowly stroked the frame of her face. She giggled.

Craig snorted, "Was that a giggle?"

Ellie blushed, "It's been known to happen from time to time." She chuckled as Craig grazed the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head. She felt herself blush, watching as Craig looked at her hungrily. Before she could say another word, he kissed her gently on her lips, lowering her downward. She giggled again, feeling Craig kiss her collarbone and between her breasts. "So... is this what's it's like to be taken by Craig Manning?"

Craig smirked, sitting up slightly. "You bet it is." He took her hands, kissing them both, before looking at her arms. He felt Ellie tense up slightly, knowing she was aware he was looking at her fading scars. A pang in his chest vibrated, unsure if any were inflicted because of him. As he skimmed the scars with his eyes, he kissed every scar, planting his cure all over them. "I love you." He kissed her again, "I love you." He kissed her again, "I love you."

Ellie smiled wider than she had in a week, "I love you, too." Without another thought, she giggled to her heart's content. "I love you."

Craig nodded, holding her in his arms, "I know."

And that's it for now. And let me assure you... this is hardly the end. Muhahahaha!! So, if you want to see where it goes from here... write a review! - MrsBigTuna