A Very Crellie Christmas

Author: Teri Ann
Summary: Christmas is the time to be with the ones that you love. Ellie can only think of one person she wants to be with. Craig.
Craig is stuck trying to decide how he really feels about Ellie. What are they supposed to do when they're at a party together?
Pairings: Well…it's obviously Craig and Ellie.
Disclaimer: I don't own a think. I'm just a fan, that's all. Degrassi belongs to someone else.

"I hate Christmas." Ellie said for the fourth time since the party had begun. No one really seemed to hear her. She sighed and got up to get some more hot chocolate. She really didn't want to be here.

"Hey Ellie, how's it going?" Jimmy asked as she approached the drink table. He seemed to have taken up residence there.

"Well…this isn't really somewhere that I want to be right now. But, you know what, I'm here." Ellie said as she looked over to the corner where Craig was talking to Manny. They seemed to be in some deep conversation.

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" Jimmy asked, obviously noticing how she had been looking at Craig.

"Oh, yeah, that's going to work. Just say: 'Hey, Craig I like you.' Yeah, right. He's too busy with Manny, there's no way for me to get in. It's better this way." Ellie said and moved back to her spot alone on the stairs.

"Manny, I'm just saying that we shouldn't rush into things. Just in case one of us might have feelings for someone else." Craig was trying to let Manny down easily, but she just didn't seem to be getting it.

"That's the thing, I don't have feelings for someone else. Do you?" Manny asked, she had been ready for this kind of thing. She just wasn't really ready to accept the fact that even though Craig was with her, his mind, and maybe even his heart, was with someone else.

"I think I do. I'm not really sure, but I have to figure this out. And I really can't do that…while I'm…with you. Manny I'm really sorry." Craig really felt like a complete jerk. But he felt that if he didn't do what his heart was telling him, that he'd miss his chance.

"No, Craig, it's okay. I understand what you mean. I want you do what you feel is right." Manny said, not really believing the words that were coming out of her own mouth. She really wanted Craig to be happy though.

"Umm…I have to go." Craig said and then moved away from the corner where he and Manny had been talking for the past fifteen minutes. He had to find Ellie.

"Hey, Jimmy, have you seen Ellie?" Craig asked as he walked up to Jimmy. He didn't really know why he was in such a hurry, but he really wanted to talk to Ellie. He thought he had seen her talking to Jimmy earlier, but he wasn't sure.

"Yeah, I think she just left. She wasn't really having a good time. Something about not really getting to be with the guy that she wanted to be with. But of course, I never said that. Just trying to help a friend out." Jimmy said with a slight smile. He knew Ellie and Craig would be great together, they just had to figure it out on their own. And by the looks of it, they had.

"Thanks man." Craig said, and in five seconds he was out the door.

Ellie wasn't sure if she was hearing her name or not, but she turned around anyway. And sure enough, there was Craig running down the street towards her. She quickly did a mental check to see if she may had left something at the party, but she hadn't. What could he want?

"Hey. What are you doing out here? It's freezing." Ellie asked as Craig finally reached her. And he obviously was too, since he wasn't wearing a coat, just a sweater.

"I have to talk to you." Craig said as he led her to a bench. "Umm…I don't know how to say this, other than to just say it."

"Craig, what are you talking about?" Ellie asked. There was no way that he was trying to tell her what she had been waiting to hear for a long time now. Was there?

"Ellie, I really like you. You're a great person, and it was stupid of me to pick Manny when I should have just picked you. Not that you're something that can just be picked. I mean, you're a person. Me and Manny broke up." Craig had no idea that it would come out so jumbled together. He just hoped that she got it all.

"Craig…wow. I don't know what to say. I really like you too." Ellie said, and silly as the idea seemed to her, she threw her arms around Craig's neck and hugged him.

"So…does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?" He couldn't believe how corny it sounded, but it was how Craig felt.

"Yes." Ellie said, and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "This is the best Christmas I've had in years!"