Hey guys. im trying to make up for all those days without updates sooo yah. Heres my goal Im going to try to update by Thursday everyweeek. Maybe earlier if I can

I do not own Degrassi or any of its characters, nor the transcript.

(Ellie is not with Jesse)

"You miss me? Hey." Craig said behind Manny

"You know it. I can't believe you came!" Manny cheered and grasped Craig close.

Craig drew back. "Like I'd miss this for the world."

Ashley gave her best friend a hug and glance over to Craig and Manny, looking past them to Jay.

"I'll be right back." Ashley said and Ellie nodded, looking away from Craig

Ashley walked past Craig and Manny directly to Jay. "Jay."

He crossed his arms. "Yeah that's me. What do you want Kerwin."

"Look, about what you said before. I was caught off guard. And too wrapped up in my own world to realize...." Ashley admitted

"Realize what." Jay said

"That I felt the same way" Ashley said

Jays eyes widened. "Really?"

Ashley smiled and nodded. "Yeah really. I like you a lot actually. So if you still do then-"

Jay leaned down and kissed Ashley. "I've missed this." Jay said

Jay stroked through Ashley's long hair. Ashley smiled and placed her hands on Jays cheek. "Me too."

Manny flopped down on the couch and pushed end on the phone. It was three months since she last saw Craig. That was when he came back for graduation and her production.

"He hasn't answered yet? Emma said, sitting down in the chair next to Manny.

Manny shook her head. "Nope."

Emma through a popcorn kernel in her mouth. "Oh well I'm sure he'll call you back. Besides isn't he coming back to visit this week anyway?"

"Yeah but, he's been really distant lately."

"Oh please Manny, once he's back you too will be in love all over again."

Manny nodded. "I hope your right."

"Waiting for someone?" Craig asked, walking up to Manny at the airport

"Nobody in particular." Manny smiled

"Oh."

"Just this guy. Tall, curly hair, pretty cute."

"Mm hmm. Yeah. He's like your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Manny asked "I don't know. I haven't seen him for months and he hardly ever calls."

"Wow. Guy sounds like a real jackass. Sure you want to keep seeing him?" Craig raised his sunglass to his forehead

Manny smiled "Like I said, he's pretty cute."

Craig smirked and leaned down and kissed Manny

Manny playfully punched Craig "I missed you, you jerk."

"I know. I missed you too. It's so good to see you again. I just wish I could stay longer"

"Well I'm sure we can pack a lot into the next few days together."

"Sure. Totally. Let's go by uh Marco and Ellie's. They've got this welcome home party or something."

Marco clapped his hands together after Craig finished his song. "That was awesome."

"Did you write that?" Spinner asked

"That one I wrote on a ferry to Vancouver Island. It's a long story." Craig remembered

Ellie smiled "I love the illusions to Melville."

Manny leaned back in her chair, glaring at Ellie.

Craig looked shocked "Wow you picked up on that?"

"The night's young. Let's hear another." Ellie said

"Yeah man for sure." Marco said

Manny pointed to her watch while Craig starts singing.
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Manny sighed and read through her lines, her chin on her fist.

"We were supposed to run lines last night. I forgot. "Craig said, coming up behind her a picnic table outside of Degrassi

"Well you were pretty busy. Everyone needs some Craig." Manny gave a weak laugh

Craig snorted. "Well I don't care about everybody. I care about you. So can I help?"

Manny hesitated "I don't know."

Craig laughed and grabbed the script from Manny."Too late."

Craig started reading the page "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Manny started out slowly. "I already got hurt, remember? He left and he hasn't come back."

Craig rubbed his chin. "Okay what if you tried angrier?"

Manny pursed her lips. "Well that was my instinct, but I thought I couldn't pull it off. "

"Of course you can. Just try it."

Manny smiled. "He left and he hasn't come back!"

Craig lifted up his eyes and smiled. "Don't ever doubt your instincts Manny. You're good."

Manny smiled. "I got to go."

"I'll come with you."

"I'm sure you have more important music stuff you need to do."

Craig rubbed his chin again."Well I got a sound check for a show tonight, but this is more important. Come on let's grab a cab."

"Across town? It'll cost a fortune." Manny slung her bag over her shoulder

"It's on me. Don't worry about it." Craig wrapped his arm around Manny's shoulder and led her off.

Craig walked into the dining room. "Guys you are looking at a future acting legend. Manny just nailed her audition."

Manny smiled "Thanks to my acting guru Craig."

Craig opened the fridge and handed Manny a water. "Hey if you land that part, that's a big deal. West Drive is huge."

Ellie snorted "If you like earnest teen melodramas filled with woefully bad writing."

Marco laughed "Well hey no Saved By The Bell, huh? And speaking of which El, I think it's time we went to get our Screech on."

Ellie sighed and closed her book. "Yeah."

Craig ignored them. "I wish I could have seen that audition. I bet you killed it."

Manny took a drink of her water "I just wish I could do it again so I can get more of this buzz. "

Craig smiled "Man I live for that buzz. Sometimes when I'm on stage, I think it's my job to make them remember just one chord, one moment. "

Manny intertwined her hands with his. "That's exactly how I feel."

"That's why you're my girl." Craig leaned down and kissed her lips. Manny could feel a bit of distance but quickly shoved it down and ignored it.

Manny opened the door and lead Sean and Emma into the music hall. "He must be so excited. I bet he's going to be so great tonight. "

Emma laughed. "He's music personified, ya di da. I know. "

Manny smiled and clapped her hands "But Em we so completely get each other. It's so good."

"A couple days ago you were pretty down on the guy. What changed?" Sean asked

Manny smiled wider "We just reconnected. I can't explain it Sean. It's magic. "

"See I told you." Emma bumped arms with Manny.

Manny looked around and saw Ellie sitting at the bar next to Marco and Ashley holding hands at a table with Jay.

Manny sighed "Oh great. She's here. Craig's shadow. At least I don't have to worry about Ashley anymore."

"Ellie? You worry too much about her." Emma said

"Well not tonight. Tonight no one can bring me down. Not even smelly mcsnooty pants. "

"Alright then." Emma smiled

"I'll be right back you guys, I'm gonna go see Craig back stage."

Manny walked backstage and knocked on Craig's door. "Special delivery. I have that Manuela Santos for you."

Manny walks into the room and sees Craig hunched over the table snorting little packets of cocaine

Craig looks behind him "Hey! I'm so happy to see you."

Craig's stage manager walks into the room. "Alright man you're up."

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Craig asked

Manny hesitated "Break a leg…I guess. "

Craig smiled and left leaving Manny staring at the drugs on the table.

Craig sat on stage with his guitar in hand "I fly too close to the sun. I chase the whale on the run, but I am…I'm jumping from mountains and I'm jumping from skies. Trying to realize my size. " Craig sang.

Emma put her arm around Manny. "Are you okay? You were a bouncing love bunny ten minutes ago. What's going on?"

Manny shook her head. "I can't see. I'm gonna move up. "

Craig continued to sing. "What you say when we…what you feel when you see. Drowning in the sea. Drowning close to me. "

Craig finished up the song and smiled "Thank you."

Marco patted Craig on the back when he walked off stage. "Hey Craig. Hey! that was awesome man. Congratulations."

Craig smiled "Yeah? Thanks man."

Ellie walked up to Craig. "You're a genius."

Craig laughed "Stop it."

"Is that why you were asking about drowning allegories last month?"

Craig leaned down and hugged Ellie."You caught it! Again. Man I can't get anything past you Ellie. You're so, you're so keyed into what I'm doing."

"Well it was perfect, especially that melancholy key. Listen I'm gonna do a profile on you for the Core." Ellie clapped her hands together.

Manny saw Craig hug Ellie and turned to leave.

Craig saw Manny leaving. "Hang on El. Manny are you okay? We didn't get a chance to talk and it was so great that you came backstage and not for a second did I want you to think that I do that. "

Manny sighed "its fine. I just have spirit squad at the crack of dawn."

"I couldn't stand it if you were upset. I could see your eyes shining the whole time I played. "

Manny smiled "You were incredible. Go get congratulated. "

Craig hesitated "Okay."

Emma and Manny walked through the hall to their lockers. "The pout is officially out of fashion, so speak. What's up?" Emma said

Manny sighed "West Drive went in another direction, which probably means they cast some tall blonde with long legs."

"West Drive, Smest Drive. That show is so issue of the week. "

"I have my own issue of the week. Craig, he's not the same."

Emma frowned. "Seems like the same old rock star to me, just more sure of himself. "

"Yeah that's the problem."

"Ego? Groupies? Is this an Ellie thing?"

Manny shook her head "No it's definitely Craig."

Emma closed her locker. "Well I'll tell you what I've learned. If you want the guy, you take the flaws. See Cameron comma Sean."

"This is a different problem than you had with Sean. Way."

"Well Craig is crazy about you and your shining eyes, remember?"

Manny smiled. "Maybe I need to remind him."

Emma laughed and put her arms around Manny. "True love is worth fighting for."

Craig strummed his guitar and turned and saw Manny walking into the room "Hey."

Manny sat down on the chair. "I need to say some stuff."

Craig sat down his pen "Say away."

"Last night with the-" Manny gestured to her nose

Craig rubbed his chin. "You said it didn't bother you."

"I lied. Craig it does. Why? Why do you do it?"

Craig stood up and set his guitar down. "When I get nervous, it's like my synapses have a party. I need a little confidence boost sometimes."

Manny stood up. "How often is sometimes?"

Craig scrunched his face. "Please I've done it like twice. It's no big deal, believe me. " And leaned down and kissed her. Manny felt that distance again but ignored it once more.

Manny sighed and flopped on the couch. "I didn't get the part on West Drive."

Craig sat next to her and put his arm around her. "Oh man. Their loss. You're a star. Listen uh Ellie's having a dinner party tonight and I want you to come."

Manny made a face. "If Ellie sees me here, she'll probably poison the food."

"Manny you've got to get over her."

"She makes me feel dumb when I speak. I'm not smart like she is."

"Yeah you are. You're just not book smart. Who cares? Seriously you're, you're brilliant in every other way." Craig reassured her.

Manny smiled into Craig's shoulder. "So comforted right now."

"Manny I'm crazy about you. That should be all the comfort you need."

"Well Rousseau did say man's choices are limited. Man is born free, but everywhere he's in chains." Dylan said, taking swig of his wine

"Only true if he's part of society." Ellie noted

Craig took a bite of his pasta. "Yeah well you can't not be though. It's not exactly optional."

Manny rubbed her arm "So true. So true."

Ellie looked over to Manny "Manny you studied Rousseau?"

Manny looked at Ellie. "Um not exactly."

"He was, uh he was a big 18th century thinker. Ellie sent me one of his books when I was on the road." Craig said to Manny

"How nice." Manny said

"Well uh Ellie and I have been taking intro to psych and uh Jung says that we all have like massive complexes." Marco said setting down the salad

"No kidding. Neuroses rule!" Dylan said

Craig laughed "Manny what do you think?"

Manny hesitated. "Um someone told me that Woody Allen was a perfect onscreen neurotic."

Ellie smiled and put her elbows on the table. "Well I don't have any neuroses, of course."

Manny set down her fork and pursed her lips. "Really? Because I thought being constantly rejected by guys would mess you up Ellie."

Ellie glared at Manny. "Yeah. Yeah I feel bad that I take time to meet guys who actually like me."

"Oh dear." Dylan said, taking another drink of his wine

"In fact I don't know how I made it through high school without being kicked out of my parents house and getting pregnant."

Manny stood up and stormed out of the room with Craig trailing after her.

"Where are you going?" Craig asked

Manny dug through Craig's jackets "Did you hear what she said?"

Craig rubbed his chin. "Why can't you just get over her?

"Because, because she's smarter than me. She's funnier than me. She's everything that I'm not." Manny stopped going through the jackets and crossed her arms

"Keep believing it Manny. It's real attractive."

"They won't let me into their little club."

"Manny you're spontaneous, you're bright and you're my girl. Why can't you just be yourself?"

"Maybe I just need a little boost. Where is it?"

"What are you talking about?"

Manny grabbed Craig's jacket and started looking through his pockets

Craig held up his hands."Woah. Manny."

Manny held out a small baggie of coke. "Show me."

Craig took back the bag. "What? No. Why?"

"'Cause then I can talk with all your smart friends. These are people you want to spend time with, right?"

Craig looked around "Come on Manny. No."

Manny pushed farther. "This is your club. I want in."

Craig shook his head. "No."

"Why?"

"Because, because it's addicting."

"Craig. You're doing it, so it can't be that bad." Manny said.

Craig shook his head again. "It is. You're not doing it Manny"

"So why do you do it then Craig? Are you addicted?"

Craig bit his bottom lip. "I don't know how this happened."

Manny covered her mouth. "Oh my god."

"I didn't think it would get bad so fast."

"Craig what were you thinking!"

Craig closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know. Manny. I need help."

Manny felt tears forming in her eyes. "We'll get you some help. I'll help you Craig."

Manny pulled Craig into a hug, she could feel his tears sinking into her shirt. That just made her pull him closer.

Hey guys, whatcha think? I realize that most of this was the transcript. But I had to put that in here for the rest to make sense. And I apoligize for any errors. My 'e' on my keyboard isn't really working. I have to press really hard to get it to work. So excuse any errors please.

RR

Sierratwilight17