Disclaimer: Don't own Degrassi. Or Axe body spray. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: I think the last episode made me just… die. Like… I was so ridiculously happy that "Umbrella" ended on a good note with EClare. Munro and Aislinn have amazing chemistry. I was actually blown away by their performance in the episode. Adam and Fiona were cute too - I love the "Princess Fiona"/"Prince Adam" exchange, not gonna lie. Also, it was sort of a make or break it episode for me with Drew's character. I want to like him, but every time I start to he does something that makes me NOT like him… and I was honestly expecting to hate him after this episode. I really did think he was gonna let Adam's secret slip. But he didn't, and I was surprised, but also relieved, because even though he's a terrible boyfriend and kind of an ass, he's still a good brother.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Onto the next chapter!

X

Broken Glass
Chances

X

"IT'S A GIRL!"

Jenna Middleton's high-pitched squeal quickly shattered Clare's concentration, echoing throughout the room and ringing in her ears. She and Alli glanced up in unison, just as the blonde - hopelessly oblivious to the dirty looks she was receiving from other students trying to study - hobbled over to the duo and promptly threw down a picture of an ultrasound.

Clare arched an eyebrow, taking in the sight of Jenna's flushed cheeks and matted hair, pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. She was panting heavily, like she'd just finished running a marathon, but Clare knew better. It had been a few weeks since news of Jenna's pregnancy came out, and on national television to boot; after that, she simply stopped trying to hide it. Clare's gaze fell on the other girl's protruding belly, and then flickered over to the photo on the table.

Without thinking, she picked it up and examined the image closely, all the while drowning out Alli and Jenna as they began to chat excitedly. Her teeth caught her bottom lip and her brow furrowed. Her mind still hadn't wrapped around the fact that Jenna was going to be a mother. It seemed so surreal, that there was an actual life growing inside of her former friend - a tiny person who was part of Jenna, and part of KC.

"… I mean, I know I said I wanted it to be a surprise - but I figure this way, a baby shower will be easier, you know?"

Unconsciously, Clare touched her own stomach. She wondered, as she sometimes did, what would've happened if she and KC never split up - if Jenna had never come to Degrassi and lured him away. Would they still be together? Would she have eventually succumbed to peer pressure and given herself to KC? Would she have wound up pregnant at fifteen?

She ran her thumb over her purity ring, twisting it around her finger as her thoughts slowly shifted to Eli. Eli, who could set her skin aflame with just a touch - who could get her riled up and make her want to throw caution into the wind just by kissing her. What would happen if she gave herself to him? Would Eli abandon her, like KC did Jenna?

"…lare? Hey, Clare? Earth to Clare. CLARE!"

A sudden jab to the ribs jarred Clare from her stupor. She glared at Alli, who gave her a smug look before launching back into her conversation with Jenna - only this time, she dragged Clare along with her.

"So, have you named her?"

Jenna shook her head. "Not yet. KC gave me a book of all these names and what they mean, but… I haven't found any I like so far." She lowered her gaze momentarily, until she glanced at Clare and smiled wide. "Hey, Clare Bear… if you ever had a daughter, what would you call her?"

Clare narrowed her eyes. Maybe she was being paranoid, or maybe it was because she was still bitter, but Jenna's sugary-sweet tone didn't quite settle with her.

She shrugged.

"I haven't thought about it." She answered evenly.

"Really?" Jenna's smile fell, and she looked noticeably disappointed. "You've never thought about what you'd name your future children?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I get there." Clare replied, and then without much thought, added spitefully, "Why do you want to know, anyway? So you can steal that too?"

The words were out before she could stop them, but unlike her slip-ups with Fitz, this she didn't feel sorry about. Not really, not entirely, not yet. Oh, she'd probably regret it later - in fact, she was sure she would - but at that moment, she couldn't care less. It was nothing short of juvenile, she knew, but as she waited for Jenna to respond, she couldn't help but feel a bit triumphant when the blonde merely gaped at her, having been rendered temporarily speechless.

Growing impatient, Clare stood up and gathered her belongings.

"I'll see you later," she told Alli, before darting out of study hall and leaving her best friend to deal with the aftermath, knowing that Alli could handle it.

She reached her locker just as the lunch bell sounded, and the hallways became flooded with students. Grabbing her bagged lunch, Clare was about to head to the cafeteria when she caught the eye of Holly J Sinclair. She came to an abrupt halt, heart hammering and palms sweating as the redhead walked by with Sav, tossing her a look - one that clearly said, "You owe me."

It seemed as though Holly J had, indeed, kept her promise, and as far as Clare knew, hadn't told a soul about the previous night. She was beyond grateful, but it dawned on her that she was now in debt to Holly J Sinclair. Clare shuddered. She could only imagine what the senior had in store for her.

When Holly J disappeared around the corner, Clare finally relaxed and took off in the opposite direction.

The cafeteria was crowded by the time she arrived, but she spotted an empty table by the window and made her way over. Once seated, she poured the contents of her paper bag out and tried to decide where to start.

'Apple… banana… bologna sandwich… or chocolate pudding…'

Just as she was about to reach for the apple, a familiar hand covered her own and the smell of Axe tickled her nose. Clare smiled, tilting her head back to peer up at her boyfriend. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself," he replied, smirking as he slid in next to her. "How was class?"

"Our teacher called in sick and the sub let us do anything as long as it was productive. So Alli and I studied for our quiz next week." She answered.

She decided to leave out the part about Jenna.

Eli rolled his eyes.

"Perfect opportunity to skip and you choose to study? Have I taught you nothing, my little minx?"

"That," Clare said sternly, "was a one-time thing. But… I do have a spare after English."

Eli's lips curled mischievously. "Are you suggesting that I cut class for your benefit?"

Clare met his gaze and smirked.

"It's just a suggestion." She said, licking her lips eagerly.

Eli opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, a booming voice thundered over the intercom.

"Clare Edwards, please report to the principal's office. I repeat: Clare Edwards, report to the principal's office. Thank you."

The cafeteria went silent, and all eyes fell on her. After all, it wasn't every day that "Saint Clare" was called to the office. Clare understood that, but it didn't make her feel any less uncomfortable. She squirmed nervously beside Eli and clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking. Then, swallowing hard, she rose to her feet.

"I, um… I… I should probably…" she trailed off, avoiding Eli's gaze as she hurriedly re-packed her lunch. "I'll… talk to you later?"

She didn't wait for him to answer. She just left, passing a confused Adam and Drew on her way out and not even sparing them a glance.

oOo

As soon as Clare stepped into Mr. Simpson's office, she knew why she'd been called down. Almost immediately, her eyes landed on Mrs. Fitzgerald, but there were a few other faces she recognized as well - Ms. Sauvé, Ms. Dawes, Mr. Perino, Coach Armstrong, Ms. Oh and, last but not least, Audra Torres. Drew and Adam's mom. It was then that Clare remembered that Mrs. Torres was the head of the PTA committee, and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Clare closed the door behind her with a soft click and took a seat next to Mrs. Fitzgerald, who smiled warmly at her.

At last, Mr. Simpson spoke.

"Clare," the sophomore glanced up from her lap, "I assume you already know why you're here?"

She nodded slowly, but didn't say a word, instead waiting for the verdict with bated breath. Her whole body was tense, but when Mrs. Fitzgerald placed a comforting hand on her arm, she relaxed a little.

"As you're well aware, the school board has been on the fence about this case for some time, but now they've finally reached a decision. After careful consideration…" Behind her, Clare heard Mrs. Torres make a sound of disbelief, but Mr. Simpson didn't even bat an eye. "They have decided to allow Mark Fitzgerald to come back to Degrassi."

oOo

He was going back.

Even though it had been a day since he'd found out, the shock still hadn't worn off yet, and as Fitz sat on the edge of his bed, all he could do was stare at the letter in his hands. He must have read it a dozen times, just to make sure it was real and that he wasn't dreaming.

Truth be told, he really hadn't expected the school board to vote in his favour. He was a delinquent with a record - that alone should have kept him out. But no, they had agreed to let him return to Degrassi. His mother had practically burst into tears when she'd told him the news the night before. She had even decided to make a huge dinner for him in celebration - he could smell it wafting through the apartment, leaving his mouth watering.

With a grunt, Fitz folded the letter and placed it on his desk. He stood up and stretched, cracking his knuckles and peering around his messy room, wondering if he should clean it.

'Nah,' he decided, then opened his drawer and pulled out the small stack of paper that Clare had given him at the Steakhouse.

Out of boredom, and maybe a little curiosity - he would never admit the latter, though - he began to skim through them, noticing that as he neared the bottom, his grades improved significantly. So did the comments, for that matter, left behind from both his teachers and Clare - Clare and her ridiculously neat handwriting. She was such a girl. She even dotted her 'i's with hearts. He would've gagged aloud if, on some level, he didn't find it cute.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he still felt oddly… elated (damn it, even her vocabulary was sneaking into his!) as he compared his earlier assignments to his later ones. Proud of himself, even, which was weird because he usually didn't give a rat's ass about school.

So lost in his own head, Fitz could only vaguely hear a knock at the front door, followed by murmuring in the hall. It wasn't until he heard a throat being cleared that he finally glanced up, and was surprised to find Clare leaning against the doorframe. He jumped to his feet, tossing the stack of assignments somewhere behind him and hoping that she hadn't caught him, because really, he didn't want her to think that he actually cared… he had a reputation to protect.

He suddenly wished he had cleaned up a bit, but before he could dwell on those thoughts, a huge grin stretched across her face.

"You did it!"

Then she threw her arms around him.

.

.

.

He stiffened, his body paralyzed with shock. His mind had gone blank the instant she made contact, leaving Fitz unsure of what to do. He didn't know whether to hug her back or to shove her away, but before he could come to a decision, Clare let out a gasp and leapt out of reach.

"S-Sorry!" She squeaked, flustered. "I don't know why I… I guess I was just so happy for you… I didn't even think about -"

"It's, uh, it's fine." Fitz managed to croak, cutting her off.

Clare stopped rambling and glanced down at her feet. Fitz furrowed his brow, but said nothing of it.

For a few minutes, they stood in silence. Until, that is, his mother poked her head into his room.

"Clare, honey, I was wondering if you'd like to stay for dinner?" She asked.

Fitz's jaw went slack, and he stared at his mother like she'd just grown an extra head. Meanwhile, Clare's eyes kept darting back and forth between the two.

"Oh! Umm… well… I… I guess I could… I mean, if it's not too much trouble…"

Abby beamed. "Great, I'll make an extra plate! I hope you like chicken parmesan!" She was about to head back to the kitchen when she paused, snapping her fingers, and turned back around. "I almost forgot… Mark, we're out of milk. Could you go to the store and get some?"

"Uh… sure." Fitz muttered, knowing it wouldn't be wise to say no. He brushed past Clare on his way out, making sure to avoid eye contact with her. As soon as his mother handed him the money, he was gone.

oOo

Not long after Fitz had left, Clare found herself sitting at the kitchen table, watching his mother labour over the stove. She was humming to herself; a tune that Clare didn't recognize, but it left her feeling at ease with herself. Calm. Happy, even.

"Thanks for letting me stay for dinner, Mrs. Fitzgerald." She said after a while.

The older woman glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

"Oh, Clare, it was the least I could do after everything you've done for my son." She replied. "And please, call me Abby. 'Mrs. Fitzgerald' makes me feel old."

"Sure," said Clare, smiling back. "So, umm… will Mister Fitzgerald be joining us?"

She didn't know why she had asked. Curiosity, perhaps. But when Abby suddenly went very still, Clare instantly regretted it. She was about to apologize when the blonde spoke.

"No," she sighed, raking her fingers through her hair. "No, he probably won't. He's usually at the bar around this time."

Clare swallowed; she could hear the venom laced in Abby's voice.

"Oh," she said softly, looking down at her lap. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked -"

"Don't be. It's fine, really." Abby assured her. She set the timer before padding over to the table and pulling up a seat across from Clare. "You probably have a lot of questions, and I know Mark isn't exactly the most… open person."

Clare pursed her lips together and shook her head. "Not exactly. But, I'm used to being around people like that."

Eli came to mind, and so did KC. Even Adam, although the latter was definitely getting better.

"You know," Abby's voice drew Clare's attention back to her, and she listened attentively. "Mark wasn't always like this… a troublemaker. There was a time when he was a very sweet boy. I don't know when that changed, to be honest. It seems like one day he just… wasn't the little boy that I knew. I thought it was some kind of phase… you know how boys are." She gave Clare a weak smile. "He was just so angry, all the time, and then he closed himself off to me. I didn't know what to do. I still don't."

Clare's throat tightened when she noticed Abby's eyes glisten with unshed tears, but the older woman hurriedly blinked them away.

"As a mother, it's painful to watch your child fall through the cracks and not be able to do anything. I work three jobs, trying to keep a roof over our heads, so I'm hardly ever home. I thought that marrying Phil would make things better, but it hasn't." She stared down at her trembling hands. "The first two years of high school were like hell. It seemed like every other week I was getting a call from the school, or from the police, or something. Then one day… they just stopped."

"He told me he liked someone - a freshman girl, but he didn't know how to approach her, and by the time he worked up the courage she was already taken."

Clare blinked.

What?

No.

There was no way.

It wasn't possible.

"Did… did he tell you who it was?" Clare asked, staring wide-eyed at Abby.

Abby's wistful expression seemed to vanish, replaced with a smirk.

"Of course he didn't." She said, "All I know is that he asked her to the dance the night he got arrested. I knew it had to be the same girl too, because he came home from school grinning like he'd just won the lottery." She let out a laugh. "I even made him bring a corsage!"

It was then that Clare's heart stopped.

X

DUN. DUN. DUN.

So… I think this might be the longest chapter yet.

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A lot happened, and there's even more drama to come after this. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed. Please REVIEW and tell me what you think!