Thanks for everyone who reviewed Chapter 1, this one is a bit longer!

As always, I don't own Degrassi (I wish). Contains some swearing and references to sex, but nothing you wouldn't hear on TV.

I walked down the street slowly hands deep in my pockets, thinking. Alex invited me over, hinting strongly that her mom was out for the night, but I wasn't feeling it. Banging your girlfriend while thinking of another girl was lower than even I would go.

And try as I might, I could not stop thinking of the prude.

'Damn Cameron,' I thought. It was all his fault. IT had started as a scientific research project, really.

The question: What was it that made his new friend, Sean Cameron, so attracted to Ms. Emma Nelson that they had been on-again/off-again since their first meeting?

Even when they called it quits, Sean was so obsessed with getting back at her he stole from a dying man. That was big.

Research method: Study Emma Nelson closely. Even if I couldn't figure out what it was that attracted Sean, I could do the second best thing and give Sean ammo to fight back.

I began to watch Emma carefully and noticed things about her. How she forgave her best friend when Manny needed her most. How she threw herself fully into everything she did. How she still found time to help others with all the crap she was going through at home. How her eyes still followed Sean even if she was with her new boy toy.

That DJ . . . Now there was a match I just couldn't understand. Him and Emma just didn't fit, had nothing in common, no chemistry and she still had him eating out of her hand. What kind of magic did she have?

It was interesting to watch her goody two shoes image start to crumble before my eyes after Sean left her. That day Alex had come to me after school, bloody nose and black eye from Emma?

Maybe the princess wasn't so perfect. Plus Cameron had moved on to the Vampire chick, so why was I still studying Emma? Why did I still provoke her at every opportunity? Sure, she was cute when she was angry, but still . . . She was a scrawny, flat-chested, ugly little thing. And so I had forgotten all about Emma over the summer, except to curse her for taking so much of Sean's time as he worked on Mr. Simpson's car.

Except "was" was the key word in that statement.

Flashback

"So, Cameron, any exciting plans on this, the last Saturday of summer?" Jay said, joining Sean at this apartment's cramped kitchen counter.

"No, we can not have another party tonight," Sean said, anticipating Jay's next question, as he retrieved cereal and bowls from a cabinet.

Jay swept his hand across the top of the counter, dumping bottles and half empty cups onto the floor. Sean shot him a look.

"What? I'm helping!" Jay smiled the smile that always made Alex melt. It just seemed to just make Sean sullen.

"Listen, we had the end of summer bash last night and it will take me until Monday to clean this place up even if Ellie comes over to help and even if I didn't have to . . ." Sean trailed off, looking worried. "Damn, what time is it?"

"Almost 11. Why?" Jay answered.

"Mr. Simpson's family gets back from their road trip today. I was supposed to return their keys and do a post-trip, final check of the car," Sean explained.

"And just how much longer are you Simpson's lapdog?" Jay muttered.

Sean ignored him. "I wonder if I have time to shower."

"Want to look your best for your flat-chested tree-hugger?" Jay suggested.

That got Sean's attention, all right. "Her name is Emma!" Sean shouted, then collected himself. "And I'm with Ellie now. Emma's not my anything."

'Right,' Jay thought to himself. 'Maybe I ended operation Nature Girl too soon.'

"Look, Cameron, pull yourself together and wash up. I'll give you a ride and you won't be late for your girl – excuse, me, ex-girlfriend," Jay said adding silently 'and I can see what Emma, I mean nature girl, has been up to this summer.'

When Sean was ready, they both got into Jay's car. "Sooo . . ." Jay began.

"Shove it, Jay," Sean interrupted. "Whatever you're going to say, I'm not in the mood to hear."

"Touchy where the little princess is concerned, aren't we?" Jay remarked. "I was just wondering how you put up with the DJ all the time. That punk would get on my nerves. Although Ms. Green Turtle does that just fine on her own and is just as flat as Mr. GSharpe."

Sean shook his head. "You have no idea," he laughed. "As to your question, 'that punk' hasn't been in the picture since July."

Jay stole a glance at Sean's satisfied smile. No doubt Cameron had something to do with the DJ leaving the picture. Poor little goth girl had no idea that things were going sour. Well, not if Jay could fix it. That stuck-up stick girl was as wrong for Sean as she had been for the DJ and Jay was going to fix it.

He turned onto Degrassi Street and parked.

"Thanks, man," Sean said, grabbing his hood from the back seat.

"What's the rush?" Jay asked, opening his own door. "After all, what kind of a classmate would I be if I didn't volunteer to be on the Emma Nelson Welcome Back Committee?" Jay came around the front of the car and slung his arm over Sean's shoulder.

Sean violently shoved Jay off. "Look, man. This isn't school; it's Emma's home."

"Thanks for the geography lesson, pal," Jay mocked.

"Come if you want, but this is her home. Be nice." Sean stalked away.

"Nice," Jay repeated slowly. "Nice." He raised his voice. "Hey, Sean, that's cruel. I'm always nice!" he shouted approaching the Nelson-Simpson front stoop and pausing mid-step.

Sean hadn't heard him because Sean was talking to someone. Someone whose tiny manicured feet were in impossibly high strappy sandals which led to tan legs that went on and on to the edge of a miniscule skirt. The pink halter top was situated many inches above displaying a wide expanse of flat, tan stomach and showed a surprising amount of cleavage up top. Bangs framed a face that was blocked by long blonde hair till Cameron – who for some unexplainable reason Jay felt like punching at that moment – said something that made that someone smile. Her face looked so different with make-up without braces, that Jay wouldn't have recognized her without that smile. It was the grudging smile that she gave almost unwillingly, only when surprised, he remembered from Operation Spy on Emma. She was, in a word, hot.

Jay did a double, then triple take. It was official. Emma Nelson-Simpson had gotten hot sometime this summer. No wonder it took Sean so long to fix the damn car. And from the looks Emma and Sean were sharing, it was no wonder the DJ was no longer in the picture. And neither would be Ellie if something wasn't done and fast.

'Alex really likes Ellie and can't stand Emma,' Jay rationalized as he thought of a plan. 'The things I do for my girlfriend. I mean, there isn't any other reason to want to keep Emma single, right? Right.'

"Cameron, Cameron, Cameron. Now it all makes sense," Jay said walking up to Sean, once again replacing his arm around Sean's shoulder. Sean gave him a panicked look. Perfect.

Jay looked at Emma and noticed she had retreated into the doorway, clutching the keys Sean had returned to her in one hand and the door in her other, glaring at Jay.

'Even better,' he smirked. 'One more comment should do it.'

"So, Emma, do you open your legs for every bad boy, or is Cameron special?" Jay leered at her. "'Cause Alex doesn't mind sharing."

Sean pushed Jay away roughly as Emma's face made a perfect 'o' of surprise. She darted out of her doorway. "You told him we were having sex!"

Emma made the word sound dirty. It was a good thing her attention was focused on Sean's incoherent protests, because Jay knew if she had seen him doubled over in laughs so hard they were silent, she would have known he was lying.

Emma reached out and slapped Sean, hard. "Truce is over!" she snarled, slamming the door shut.

"Em! Emma! Let me explain!" Sean shouted at the door, but the only response was the sound of the dead bolt locking.

Jay had recovered to the point where he could stand, well, at least stand with the help of the stair rail.

"I hope you're happy," Sean told Jay casting one last furtive glance at the doorway before stalking down the stairs.

"For entertainment value it was only a six. Now, if I could have tempted her to actually accept my proposition . . ." The look in Sean's eyes made Jay stop. He knew when to push Sean and this was definitely not one of those times.

"Listen, dude, you should be thanking me." Jay told Sean.

"THANKING YOU! I worked all summer to get Emma to trust me enough to look at me, let alone talk to me and in the span of about 2 seconds you knocked me right back to last year!" Sean glowered.

"So? You paid off your debt to Simpson, you don't need to see her everyday anymore. You have other friends at school and – what else am I forgetting? Oh, yeah, you HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!" Jay shouted back. "Hello?" He said knocking on Sean's head. "What are you thinking?" 'Other than nature girl has turned into sex on a stick,' he added silently to himself.

Sean just stared out. Jay sat on the hood of his car. "Look, man, I'll give you that Emma isn't as bad as we all make her out to be. It's just fun to give her a hard time." By this point Sean had joined Jay on the hood. "But Ellie needs you. If it wasn't for you, she'd still be cutting. She may even have slit her wrists by now, you know that. You saved her. I know you care about her and for reasons I can't understand she seems to care about you." Sean playfully punched his arm at this. Jay continued, "If you want to give that up to maybe have a third try with a girl who constantly put you behind the cause of the day and picking up litter, go ahead. I wouldn't. Even considering that she is suddenly a total babe."

Sean gave him another quick warning glance before smiling. "You're right, Dr. Phil. You know, you can be quite a girly-man when you put your mind to it, Jay."

"You think about telling anyone about this and I swear you'll be dead before you have a chance," Jay threatened.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sean waved his hand dismissively. "Take me home."

End Flashback.

And that had been it. Target Sean's "Night in Shining Armor syndrome" and he'd do whatever you wanted him to do. Even stay away from Emma Nelson.

That didn't explain earlier at the Dot. Alex had finally decided to grace him with her presence. She had gotten pissed at him for shouting out during the assembly, saying it may have cost her the election. What the hell did she want to be president for anyway? Vice-president to the pansy boy was even worse. She was constantly hanging out with people she had despised for years: Spinner, Paige, Jimmy, Hazel, Marco, even Emma Nelson herself. Granted the two of them still fought at every opportunity, but it was mind-blowing to consider they shared friends.

So finally they had time to spend together, hang out like, I don't know, they were dating, maybe. And she wanted to go to the Dot. Whatever. And sure enough, there was Ms. Perfect Nelson with her new friends. Alex sat with her back to her because "the sight of her makes me sick." Which left me to stare at her. I tried not to, I really did.

Alex must have noticed because the next thing she's telling me is how Emma was chatting with Rick, some guy everybody's pissed out. I don't really care. I mean, hitting women is just about the worst thing in my book, but the guy got some help you know. I wouldn't want him alone with my girl, but I know Alex can handle herself.

Emma's another story. She's got this air of invulnerability that is a total façade. And as I had ruined her chances as Cameron's number 1 damsel in distress, I had to look out for her. Otherwise anything that happened would be my fault. Not that I cared about her, mind you, but I didn't want to be responsible for anything to do with beating up on girls.

I must not have given Alex the reaction she was expecting, because when Rick walked in she turned around to the popular kids she supposedly hates and told them Emma was his new crush. Not good news. Rick's less of a threat to those he doesn't know. I mean he almost killed his last girlfriend, which started all this. Emma's new 'friends' acted in typical fashion, shying away from her.

I watched the emotions play out on her face. She was having second thoughts about this whole ribbon thing, I could tell. Cameron had told me that he and Ellie had given her crap about it and I know she still thought highly of his opinion, despite evidence to the contrary. She also didn't want to lose her new friends. It was cute how she left everything out there, waiting to be read on her face.

So I saw the regret when she had when she made a choice and tripped Rick. And I also saw the fear as he looked up at her. I paused for a minute, in shock, I think. Despite the fight last year with Alex, I didn't think she had it in her. As soon as I saw the fear in her eyes from Rick's gaze my mind was made up and I was dragging him outside.

And Emma was trying to stop me. Didn't she get that I was doing this for her? I mean, I was trying to make the school safer for everyone, but it was Emma that made it all click into place. Therapy hadn't helped the psycho.

After it was over, and Alex went back inside, I stayed behind just a moment, to let Rick know what the consequences would be if he were to hurt Emma in any way. But she wouldn't leave him. Worse when she looked at me she flinched. Emma Nelson was afraid of me. I was protecting her and she was afraid of me. I moved away, disgusted. Not that I would let her see that.

I don't know. I didn't expect a parade or for her to fall into my arms, "Thank you Jay! You saved me" but some acknowledgement would have been nice. Instead I got fear. The emotion I was trying to protect her from.

Not that I cared. After all, it was only Emma Nelson, the Goody Two Shoes.