Emma stared at her parents for several moments. She couldn't believe that they were doing this. It was totally absurd. They, well mostly Spike, were the ones who at the end of her pregnancy had encouraged her to keep the baby.

"What?" Emma finally said to them. "How could you ask me this? She is my baby and I want to raise her, not you!"

"Em," Spike said. "We can help you. I mean, you can help us raise her. It just doesn't seem fair for her to grow up without a dad. I mean...we will raise her. And then when she and you are ready, we will tell her the truth."

Emma considered this for a moment. Although she definitely wanted to raise her child, they agreed she could help them. And eventually her child would know the truth.

"Well," Emma sighed. "I guess I can allow it. As long as you promise me that one day when we are both ready, you will tell her the truth I will allow it."

Spike and Snake nodded.

"Honey," Spike said. "We support you one hundred percent. Really, you are making the right choice."

Emma nodded. Frowning, she suddenly remembered Manny's party.

"Mom, dad," she said urgently. "Manny is having the most awesome party tonight. And now that I don't feel guilty watching her, do you think that you could?"

Spike smiled broadly. It just so happened that they had canceled their plans for tonight because they thought that Emma would take a longer time to talk to.

"Of course we can honey! You go and get yourself all pretty for the party."

Emma smiled, truly, for the first time in a long time. She rushed upstairs to get some clothes and make up, and then rushed out the door to Manny's house.

Manny's party was a huge success. She had everyone who was anyone in Degrassi there. Emma was in the middle of the dance floor, having the best time of her life. Now free from being a mother, she felt so free. She wanted to go wild. She and Manny had picked out the most daring outfit Emma had and put on her make up in a very becoming way. Emma danced and moved like she never had before. In the back of her mind she heard a small voice telling her that what she was doing was wrong and not very Emma like, but she ignored it. She wasn't Emma the conservative mommy, she was party girl.

Dancing around, a boy she didn't recognize came up to her.

"Hey," he said.

Emma looked him up and down. She thought he looked kind of wild, but then remembered that she was now wild. She smiled as seductively as she knew how.

"Hey," she said. "Want to dance?"

The boy smiled and nodded.

"By the way," he yelled over the music. "I'm Aaron."

"Good to meet you!" she yelled back.

They danced for a long time. They danced to both slow and fast. Aaron seemed to prefer slow dancing, but as wild as Emma was trying to be, she thought he was being too clingy. So she preferred the faster songs.

After a particularly fast song, Aaron took her hand and led her off the dance floor. Emma fanned herself with her hand.

"Whew," she said, no longer having to yell over the music. "It is way hot over there."

Aaron leaned over too close to her, as though she couldn't hear him from where he was.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "It is really hot. Want a drink?"

Emma smiled, trying to act calm. Once she nodded, Aaron left to get them some beverages. Suddenly Manny spotted her from across the room and walked up to her, Paige trailing after her.

They all said hello to each other.

"So I told you Em. I said that you would have fun. And was I right?" Manny said.

"Yes, you were right," Emma said. "I am having the time of my life! I even met a guy. He's off getting us drinks."

Paige suddenly got a sick look on her face.

"Emma," she said. "Have you ever met this guy before?"

Emma shook her head no, but hastily told them that he was so nice and had already danced with her a lot. Paige's face did not relax.

"Just be careful okay?" she said.

Emma nodded, wondering what Paige meant. From across the room, someone waved at Manny and Paige and told them to get over there. Manny quickly told Emma she would see her later, and then walked off with Paige.

Soon after, Aaron came back with the drinks. Emma tasted the bitter liquid and realized it was beer. She was about to tell him that she didn't drink, and then stopped herself.

"Stop it Em," she told herself silently. "You're fine everything is okay. You're wild, remember? So act it, okay?"

After a while of drinking and talking with Aaron, Emma began to feel sick and tired. Mostly she felt tired and totally out of it. Emma had never been drunk and told herself to loosen up; this is probably what it was like. Looking at Aaron though, she thought he looked fine, and not near as out of it as she was.

"Hey," he said, seeing the condition she was in. "Let's go somewhere quiet, you don't look to good."

Emma nodded, not even realizing what he said. She just wanted to sleep. She was so sick and tired. Aaron took her by the hand and led her upstairs. He brought her into a room, where he shut the door.

"Better, isn't it?" he asked. He then grabbed her to him and kissed her, bruising her lips with fierce intensity. She realized what was going on and tried to pull away, but he was too strong. Finally he let go.

"I need to go home now," she said.

Aaron shook his head no, and grabbed her again, then pushed her on the bed. Then he raped her.