"He's going to kill you, you know?" Rick jumped when he heard Sean's voice in the guys bathroom. He had come in to wash his hands from the black spray paint. He had painted an X on Jay's car door and Spinners.

"So?" spat Rick, not glancing back. "What's he going to do? Beat me up again?" he turned and madly grabbed some paper towels, "He'll do that anyway. Might as well get my own revenge in."

"All more reason for him to just keep making your life hell." Sean warned, leaning on the wall.

Rick turned and finally looked at Sean, and narrowed his eyes. "Why are you talking to me? Aren't you another thug that is in that little gang of his?"

Sean tried not to snicker. "Thug?" he repeated and shook his head, "I come in peace." He said honestly. He then eyed Rick back strangely, "Emma seems to think you're harmless so...I'm trying to see it too."

Rick paused and looked away for a moment. Why did Sean care about what Emma thought? "Are you two.. close?"

Sean laughed now. Rick had to be the only one in Degrassi to not know about him and Emma.

"She's my girlfriend…" he noticed Ricks reaction, and it wasn't a good one, but Rick tried to hide it.

Rick bit the end of his tongue and just nodded. He then blurted out, "Why?"

"Why is she my girl friend?" Sean had to ask. There was many reasons. She was smart, caring, beautiful, a little stubborn- but nothing Sean couldn't handle. He was stubborn himself. The two could really bump heads when in a fight but it was making up that was the best part of him and Emma. And she was always making him laugh, even when she didn't mean to. Emma Nelson was just a whole lot of woman.

"Why are you her boy friend?" Rick then cringed, "I mean. I-I'm sorry. It's just-"

"What? Because I don't seem like a nice guy?" Sean snickered and looked away from Rick before he muttered, "Don't judge me til you know me."

Rick looked down and had to silently agree to that. He thought Sean was just another punk. But Sean was showing a lot more patience and understanding than Jay or his other friends showed. Maybe he could see what Emma could see in Sean.. but it still didn't make that slight jealousy fade away. Emma should still be with a guy who was on her intelligence level- or at least, that's what Rick thought.

Sean spoke up again, "Rick if you keep trying to make Jay mad, he won't back off. He will go out of his way to make your life even worse. If you're going to stay in Degrassi, fine, but show them you've changed. Don't go around asking for a fight."

Rick looked down but nodded, sniffing a little. Sean uncomfortably shifting, hoping he wasn't crying. Sean didn't do well with people crying.

"Guess sometimes I just can't control my anger.." Rick drifted in a whisper.

Sean raised his eyebrows then furrowed them together. Wow. Something him and Rick maybe had in common. Something didn't sit right with him there. I mean, ya Sean knew he had some anger issues but he'd never hit his own girlfriend like Rick did with Terry. Sean would never do that. Suddenly a scary picture of Emma being the one in a coma flashed in Sean's head and he flinched a bit to snap out of it. He blinked a few times and now felt terrible, looking back up at Rick with questions in his eyes.

He didn't want to be here anymore now, or talk anymore. "I gotta go."

Rick nodded but swallowed hard, "Thanks." he muttered before turning back toward the sink.

Sean nodded and went to turn but sighed as he struggled with his emotions now and shut his eyes. He turned back and clenched his jaw. "Rick." The boy turned back towards him, "I got to say this and I hope you understand, but due to your little past with Terry McGrager, I want you to stay away from Emma."

Rick stared blankly back at Sean for a moment to long that it made Sean feel uncomfortable. "She's my friend." Rick protested.

Sean furrowed his eyebrows and couldn't help but snap back at him, "She pities you."

Rick flinched but anger washed over his face. Sean saw it. He tried to be the 'good guy' and took a deep breath as he tried to explain as politely as he could to the guy telling Emma's own boyfriend that he wouldn't stay away from her..

"Rick, she thinks she can fix everything but she can't. This is serious. what you did needs to be handled by you, not her. And you clearly still have some issues so I don't trust you around my girlfriend."

He couldn't help out but to point out again that Emma washis and he saw that angry look in Rick's eyes get angier. Now Sean felt like he needed to hold back his own anger isssues..on Rick.

Rick replied, "You're saying I can't be near her because I can't control my anger issues. This coming from Sean Cameron? I may of not known you were with Emma, but I know who you are." he said matter of factly.

Sean looked around, noticing the bathroom empty before he took a step closer to Rick. He had really tried to be nice, but if Rick was going to get personal, it'll get ugly.

"You really want another enemy like me, Rick?" Sean challenged.

Ricks eyes widened. There was something about Sean that intimidated him and it wasn't just because he was 'scary' or the schools bad boy but because Emma saw something in him. That was threatening to him for some reason. Sean also had a lot of people who respected him and he hated to admit he even respected him.

"No." he looked down and fixed his glasses, "I'm sorry."

Sean eyed him strangely. Rick had some serious issues. "Just stay away from her." Sean left with that

Rick stood there for a moment, before turning to the garbage next to him and picked it up, throwing it against a stall madly. He leaned on the wall, panting and feeling the blood boiling through his veins.. He turned towards the mirror and wondered why he couldn't be the guy Emma wanted. Why didn't he have the muscles or blue eyes or whatever it was she liked in Sean Cameron?

He felt Emma wasn't shallow to just go for looks, so? What was it? What did Sean have that Emma saw deep down?

(((***)))

"Hey." Sean greeted Emma at the end of the day at her locker.

Emma turned from opening her locker door and beamed at him, "Hi!" she leaned in, kissing him softly.

Sean shut his eyes and sighed happily, kissing her back. He opened his eyes as she pulled away to grab her bag out of her locker. He smirked, watching her closely. "Walk you home?" he asked.

She nodded and closed her locker with that adorable smile back on her lips. "Yea. You can stay a bit? But I'm watching Jack."

Sean grinned and followed her out of Degrassi, opening the door for her as he teased, "Just what a guy wants to do with his girl friend. Baby sit."

Emma glared playfully over her shoulder and they tangled their fingers through the others before they walked home.

Behind them, Rick had followed them out after a moment, squinting his eyes as he watched them go. He hated to admit they looked good together.

He then turned his head when an orange civic parked out front and it was Jay. He fearfully stood still, hoping Jay didn't look up at Degrassi before he drove off, and he didn't. Rick noticed Jay also staring at Emma and Sean walking off in the distance. Rick then jumped when Jay turned his head and caught his eye but both looked frozen for a moment. They had caught another both eying the new couple.

For painting an X on his car, Jay let Rick off the hook for today, as he was embarrassed Rick had maybe seen him staring at Emma and Sean. Rick turned and fled off as Jay sped his car off out of school too.

Author note: Finally! I'm back! With more idea's and finishing all my held up stories! So sorry but sometimes I run out of motivation but I'm trying! I hope you enjoyed. I loved the twist I did with Sean and Rick possibly having something in common- anger issues. Maybe it'd give Sean something to think about. Reviews please guys! Keep me motivated!