Disclaimer: See last 9 chapters. No affiliation with Degrassi. At all.

Sean stared at her, breathing hard, and reached for her again, but she stopped him.

"Sean.. I can't."

He looked at her, a thousand questions in his eyes. "What are you talking about? Why?"

Emma sighed. "Because of all the reasons we talked about at the ravine, Sean. I'm not the same person I used to be."

Sean's felt his stomach clench. "Yes, Emma, and I told you all the reasons why that doesn't matter to me".

Tears began to form in Emma's eyes and she turned away "But Sean, I haven't told you everything. About.. about Jay, and the things that happened between us. I did some unforgivable things. Things you'd never expect."

Sean went to Emma and gently turned her to face him. "Emma, I saw the bracelet. I know what that means. I've done some things in the past I'm not too proud of either. But what matters is that we love each other."

Emma was still crying "Sean you don't understand. I.. I got sick. Jay, he gave me.. he gave me something."

Sean felt like he'd been punched. He took a step back. Reason number 1,982 to kick the living crap out of Jay. "He.. he what? My God, Em! Are you ok!?!?!"

Emma sniffed "Yeah.. yeah luckily it's one of the treatable ones.. but still.. Sean.. why.. why would you want me? I'm damaged goods.".

What was left of Sean's temper snapped. "WHAT?! Emma, what the hell would make you think that!?"

Emma looked up "Well, Jay said.."

"JAY SAID? What exactly did Jay say to you that has you believing crap like that?!"

"He.. he knew how we felt about each other because he saw the way we looked at each other… and he got angry, and told me that you wouldn't want me now that he had had me".

Sean was astonished. Anger coursed through him, throbbing and violent. He closed his eyes and tried to reign in his temper.

"Emma. Please tell me that you don't believe that. Do.. do you really think that little of me?"

"No! Sean, it's not you…" Emma fought to explain what now sounded so ridiculous, even to herself.

"Well, it kinda feels that way. Dammit, I told you that I love you! Doesn't that mean anything? I don't take those words lightly. There are no conditions to that. No fine print. You know what my life has been like; I haven't exactly been surrounded by people who love me. But that helped me realize what love really is. And that I'll fight like hell to keep it. Our past helps make us who we are, Emma, but it doesn't define who we're going to be. I'm not going to let you keep walking away from me." He took a deep breath, and asked the one question that meant everything "Do you love me? I mean really love me?"

Emma's eyes were swimming with tears, as they did so often lately. "With all my heart." She answered simply.

He took her hand and stared into her eyes. "Then, for me, that's enough. It will always be enough."

Emma started to argue "But, I.." Sean cut her off "It's enough."

With a sob, Emma threw herself into Sean's arms.

He sighed a huge sigh of relief, and held onto Emma with everything he had. He stroked her hair absently, while murmuring promises to her.

A minute later, Emma's face was buried in Sean's shoulder as she suddenly started to laugh.

"Something funny?" Sean asked with a smile.

She pulled back and smiled through her tears "I was just thinking that you don't talk very much, but when you do, it's amazing. You always know exactly what to say."

He shrugged "I don't believe in talking much unless what you have to say is important. I seem to have a lot to say to you. Well, that and you are kind of a pushover."

She smacked him lightly on the arm and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're just irresistible!"

Sean gave Emma a cocky half smile "Apparently to you I am!" then spun away as Emma tried unsuccessfully to land another hit.

Instead Sean grabbed her and kissed her again. They sat back down on the couch.

"I've missed you. So much."

"Me too. I didn't even realize exactly how much until now. Thank you Sean."

He raised an eyebrow "For what?"

"For saving me."

He smiled. "Just returning the favor, for all the times you saved me." She returned his smile and hugged him a little tighter.

He was quiet for another moment "Do you know the exact moment I realized I was still in love with you?"

Emma shook her head slightly.

"When we were in Wasaga Beach and I almost drowned. When I came to, the first person I saw was you. And I realized that was the way it was meant to be. That's why when you came over to me later, I apologized to you. Because I'd been thinking about you. The problem was - Ellie.. I care a lot about her. I stayed in Wasaga Beach for those months because I knew I couldn't come back and be with her, but she lived here, and as much as my staying in Wasaga hurt her, it would be worse if I came back and broke up with her to be with you. I just didn't know what to do."

Emma put her hand on his arm "What made you decide?"

Sean looked at her "I didn't really. When I came back, I convinced myself that I wasn't actually in love with you. That I had just suffered two near death experiences with you, and that caused the way I was feeling. But I knew something had pulled me back to Toronto. And when I saw you with Jay and wanted to strangle him, well... I knew it was you. I knew I'd been fooling myself all along. That, and you're pretty damn sexy in the new clothes you've been wearing. Couldn't stay away." His face split into a grin.

Emma laid her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her, and they stayed like that, content in silence for what seemed like hours.

Finally, Emma spoke "Sean, promise me you'll always be honest with me, no matter what."

"I promise." Sean replied. He paused.. "… speaking of honesty… there's something you need to know. About the shooting - and Jay."

A/N: Major fluffiness here, but I couldn't hold out anymore, it was killing me! I gotta have my Emma/Sean!! :)