A/N: This is the final chapter for A Fresh Start. I know most of you are disappointed it's ending but I'm running out of ideas for this line. There is a sequel that will be posted very soon…like the next few days, maybe a week. Please forgive me if this seems a little sad but it's an ending, not just for me but for my characters as well. I'm sorry to see it end and yet relieved I've generated so much interest in my twisted little Degrassi world. Thank you to all of you faithful readers. I hope you will continue to read the sequel.

Chapter Twenty

Dylan had spent the three weeks following graduation packing. Not just packing but sorting through eighteen years of memories and junk.

Pictures of things he vaguely recalled:

His first two wheel bike.

His first hockey game.

Paige's first birthday.

His parents' anniversary party when he was 8

His first sleep away camp

Pictures of things he'd never forget without the need for pictures

Holding Paige for the first time

Winning his first real hockey trophy

First prom with Charles

Prom with Marco

Graduation with Marco (very recent he knew but not likely to forget it.)

Soccer photos with Marco

First time he brought Chad home in kindergarten

One particular photo caught Dylan's attention. One Paige had taken when the couple didn't know they were being watched.

A tear started to burn behind Dylan's left eye as he continued to stare down at the photo he clutched so tightly.

It was a picture of himself and Marco on the front porch of his house. They were cuddled up on the swing under a blanket right after the first snowfall of the year. They were so involved with each other that everything else around them seemed to fall away.

They were happy and in love. It showed in the picture clearer than if you watched the scene for yourself.

Dylan felt envious of the couple in the photo, which is ridiculous since he was half of the couple. The couple in that photo no longer existed and that saddened Dylan more than he should admit.

Dylan missed what they had in the picture, the closeness, the love, the tender moments, and most of all, he missed Marco.

Marco had been calling and stopping by but neither lasted very long. The visits got briefer and phone calls shorter. When he did see Dylan, he'd never look at him or touch him. If Dylan tried to make contact, Marco would jump away from him like he was contagious. Dylan was beginning to feel hopeless about saying goodbye.

Dylan's heart shredded every time Marco walked out the door with the sad good bye still hanging in the air. Saying good bye to Marco was going to be hard enough once but to feel like he was losing him every day was killing Dylan. He was almost glad he was leaving in two days.

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Marco knew it was Dylan's last few days in town, hell in the country, and yet he couldn't bring himself to hang out with him. He didn't want to face the fact he was getting ready to lose the love of his life.

The thing that hurt the most was that he'd caused it. He said no. He could've said yes. He could've graduated early. He could've…no he couldn't. It was too early. He is only sixteen. Too young to get married.

Marco had a plan but decided it wasn't time to share his plan with anyone else. It would require some work and a lot of luck but he couldn't take the chance of it getting around. He didn't want anyone to know at all, especially Dylan.

Rosa was in the kitchen when he went downstairs the morning Dylan was to leave. She was flipping through a magazine while sipping some hot tea, she looked up as Marco entered. "What are you doing here? I figured you'd spend your last night with lover boy in bed."

Marco glowered at her, "No thanks. It's hard enough saying goodbye without a fresh physical memory to dissuade me."

Rosa looked at him curiously, "What's your problem? You told him to go, remember?"

Marco shook his head, "Yeah, don't remind me. This is my fault that he's leaving me. I could've gone with him."

Rosa stood up and hugged Marco, "It's okay, Marco. I know that you want to marry him but it's not the right time. Follow your heart on this decision."

Marco shrugged her off, "If I follow my heart, I'd be moving to Boston today. No, this is all common sense. It's too early. I've got to go say good bye now."

His biting tone made Rosa cringe. She knew he was upset and it was understandable but he was taking it out on the wrong person.

After Marco left, Rosa wrote him a note and packed her clothes. He was now emancipated and she was moving back into her own apartment. She couldn't stand the mood swings of a teenage boy who just lost his first love. She would rest easy knowing she was only right around the corner if he needed her.

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Marco got into his car and drove carefully over to Dylan's. Marco was thinking the entire way there.

Dylan, I love you. Don't leave me? No I can't do that. I told him to leave. He needs to go to Boston. He deserves his shot. I can't do a long distance relationship either. He needs to meet people while there.

I need him to know if I'm really the one for him. He must date while he's away. No matter how much it'll kill me.

Oh God, I love him so much. This is killing me already.

Before Marco realized it, he was pulling up in front of the blue Victorian house with gingerbread trim. He recalled walking up to it the first day and thinking it was beautiful. The same day he met Dylan. He smiled half heartedly at the memory as he climbed from behind the wheel of his convertible.

He stood on the front walk, unable to move. Unable to do anything but think. He didn't want to be here, not to say goodbye.

Dylan heard Marco's car pull up. He waited a few minutes and when he didn't hear the doorbell or a knock, he went to investigate. He found Marco standing on his front walk, staring at his house.

"Hey," said Dylan sadly.

Marco looked up and tried to smile, it didn't work. "Hi."

"So, this is it?" questioned Dylan.

Marco dropped his gaze to the sidewalk under his feet.

Dylan jumped down off the porch and came to stand in front of him. "No, you aren't shutting me out today," Dylan said forcefully as he brought Marco's gaze back to his.

Marco pleaded with him, "Dylan, this is hard enough. Please don't make me actually face you."

Dylan saw the desperation in Marco's eyes but he needed this as much, if not more, than the younger boy, "No. You have to look at me. I can't leave knowing our goodbye was…I don't know…not complete."

Marco started crying, "I can't face you. I love you too much to let you go but I also love you so much that I can't let you stay. Do you see what a problem this is causing me?"

"Oh, love. Don't cry, please. I'll always love you. I know we'll end up together." Dylan said trying to reassure Marco.

"Dylan, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do but hear me out before you speak again. I want you to date while you're in Boston. I want you to have a good time. Don't think about me while you're there. I'm the past, so leave me here."

Dylan looked at Marco like he was crazy, "You want me to date other guys and have a good time? You expect me to just leave you here and never think of you again? Are you insane? I love you and I can't change that. You'll cross my mind at the oddest times, I'm sure."

Marco shook his head as tears still streamed down his face, "Try for me then. You need a life while in Boston and I can't be a part of it. Try and move on, please. If you still think you want me after a year, we'll talk. But until then, don't call. Please! If you need to talk to me, email me or send a message through Paige. I can't hear your voice and know I can't see you. I can't hear your voice and know the happy tone isn't because of me."

Dylan was crying now too. "You are a conundrum. You tell me to be happy and have a life but I can't call you because you don't want to hear about it."

Marco nodded, "That's right. Please respect my wishes. Contact me when the year's up and then we'll see if we still feel the same. Who knows a year might be just what we need."

Dylan shook his head in disbelief, "Fine. You have a year. Can I see you over holiday breaks?"

Marco smiled sadly, "If you show up, I won't turn you away. If I see you in town, I won't run. I do love you. Probably more than you could ever imagine but you need this as much as I do."

Dylan half chuckled, "Yeah, who knows what'll happen. I better get on the road. It's a long drive and first practice is in three days."

Marco nodded and started to turn away.

Dylan grabbed him and turned him back around. "If I can't see you or talk to you for a year, you aren't getting away that easy."

Dylan hugged him tightly and then lowered his head for a kiss.

The kiss was sweet, tentative and final. It tasted of the end and yet still held promise.

Marco knew he'd done the right thing as he watched Dylan pull away from the house.

Dylan's parents and Paige had joined him to wave good bye to Dylan as he drove off.

Paige put her arm around Marco, "You know, I would've liked having you for a brother. Too bad you screwed up."

"You know Paige, I made the right choice for me. I can't get married at sixteen. I've got to go." Marco said as he stepped away from the family.

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Marco entered the house and found Rosa's note on table in the kitchen.

Guess everyone's deciding to leave me today. At least I won't have to explain anything to her for the next year. Time to get to work.

Marco walked up to his sitting room and looked around. He started removing mementos of Dylan from his rooms.

A stuffed toy that Dylan won him at the fair.

A foam finger from the Stanley Cup.

A hockey trophy? (when did that get here?)

A picture of the two of them at prom.

A picture of Dylan and Chad wrestling.

Marco entered his bedroom and sighed. Here were even more than in the other room.

A hockey jersey of Dylan's

A picture of a snowball fight

Another trophy

Soccer pictures

A pair of boxers

A few other things that brought back memories

Once everything was away Marco sighed again. Everything was gone…it felt wrong. Marco opened his closet and brought out the snowball fight picture.

It was a good day to remember. He placed the frame back on his desk and turned on his computer.

He started his working out the final details for his plan. It was time to execute it.

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The End!

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Thank you everyone. I'm sorry to leave it like this but it was necessary. I also apologize for the break up. I know all of you wanted Marco to say yes but he couldn't. I hope you take pity on me and read the sequel. I can't promise anything but if any of you know me you know what's going to happen. I'm sure it's some what predictable.

Please review and I'll get the sequel up as soon as possible. I'd tell you the title but I'm not sure what it is yet.

Thank you again. Kate, this is for you. You encouraged me to post this and I'm eternally grateful. Feral...thanks for having my back. And for the encouragement to continue this storyline.