Thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 4, especially the readers who spent the time to tell me what lines, moments and characters they like (you know who you are!). Overall, I was a bit disappointed that there weren't a few more reviewers. That is a hint for anyone reading…

A few notes about chapter 5 –

My inspiration for using the Evanescence song came from Booncy's video "Bring Marco to life" which can be found in the media section of Psyche's Marco and Dylan fansite. It is incredibly well done and I had to give credit where credit is due.

The 519 is a lesbian and gay community centre in Toronto that holds a weekly youth group (just like they said in the show). I am from Toronto so I know things like this, like the fact that Degrassi is a street in Toronto and not a little town outside of Toronto. It is actually right in the East side of the downtown of our fabulous city.

As you'll soon see, a few of the chapters in this story will be devoted to filling in the spaces of earlier times in Marco's and Dylan's relationship. This is one of them.

I won't be writing again until Sunday, so expect an update sometime early next week. Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Make Me Real

Later that night, Dylan drove Steve and Marco home, dropping Steve off first, even though it was out of the way. "Subtle." Marco laughed, as Dylan made up an excuse about wanting to show Marco where Steve lived.

"Good night, cuties. If I didn't know better I'd think you were teenagers anxious to be alone for the first time. Don't do anything I wouldn't do…" Steve sang as he kissed both Dylan and Marco on the cheek and jumped out of the car.

"He's a cutie, Dylan."

"Yeah, I know. He's a great guy… He's the person I confided in about how I was feeling about you. Or more specifically, how I had never stopped feeling about you,…despite my escapades, as you put it. There I was, a McGill hockey star, new school, new life, stuck on his first love…" Dylan paused and looked at Marco, "but he never judged me. Just listened, and well, encouraged me to do something about it."

Marco sat quietly for a moment, "Well,…I'm glad he did" Marco paused for a moment, "Somehow Dylan, I feel like this whole thing is my first time falling all over again…" Dylan's heart raced. He knew that he was the one who had to prove himself to Marco, and he hung on to any indication Marco gave that he might be feeling the same way. He covered the blush by keeping his eyes on the road.

"Only, now I have my eyes wide open." Marco leaned in as Dylan parked the car in Marco's driveway, "oh yeah, and this time, I know exactly how to turn you on…"

Marco playfully climbed on top of Dylan, biting his lips, as he slid one hand underneath Dylan's shirt to feel his broad chest which had once again become so familiar. Dylan pushed Marco back down on his seat, as he attacked his mouth with deep kisses. After what felt like hours of breathless kissing, Dylan finally rose from on top of Marco, "I know you have to go in, and we have to stop, and we're in a cramped car," Dylan sighed, "but Marco, just one thing…"

"Yeah," Marco looked up.

"You always knew exactly how to turn me on."

Marco lay in his bed, Evanescence was playing on his CD player, soaking up the electric feeling in his body. The night's conversations had him thinking about the first time he had experienced the intensity of the chemistry between him and Dylan. He closed his eyes….

Despite their disastrous first date, Dylan was willing to risk Marco not being ready, Marco freaking out, when he kissed Marco behind the fence of the school. Marco remembered the sensation on his mouth, the amazing twinkle in Dylan's eyes, at the first cautious baby step of his experience of what it really meant to be gay.

Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me….

They had a second date for Friday night that Marco both couldn't wait for and thought was approaching much too quickly. "So tonight's the night?" Ellie smiled excitedly, leaning against Marco's locker.

"Yeah," Marco blushed and breathed deeply. "Woh! Ellie, I think I see Dylan down the hall, he's coming this way, quick turnaround!"

"It's okay, Marco. He does go to Degrassi, you know. He is allowed to walk through the grade 10 lockers without giving you notice." Ellie laughed at Marco's nervousness.

"Hey Marco," Dylan smiled widely stopping in front of Marco's locker.

"Hey," Marco smiled back.

"So I was wondering if before we go out tonight…I've got a late afternoon game and I um,…wanted to know if you want to come watch me play. If hockey's not your thing, that's cool-"

"No, no. That'd be great. I'd, um…I want to," Marco looked up at Dylan.

"Great! Paige will sit with you so you don't have to be alone. And then we can head out from there…after I shower of course. Later Marco." Dylan gently touched Marco's shoulder before walking away.

"Later…oh um, Dylan…where are we going?"

Dylan turned around and smiled sheepishly, "it's a surprise."

As Dylan turned the corner, Marco leaned back against his locker and sighed, "Ahh Ellie… I am so falling…"

"That's how it's supposed to feel, Marco," Ellie thought about how she had felt when Sean gently entwined his fingers in hers during Saturday detention, "totally right and totally terrifying at the same time."

Marco sat beside Paige at the game, the excitement of the upcoming date overtaking any interest Marco had in it, except in one star forward. 'I am going out with him?' Marco thought to himself in amazement. He watched Dylan's powerful, graceful moves on the ice. When Dylan scored, Marco thought he saw him turn to him and Paige with a huge smile. 'Was that for me?' Marco wondered at the time. Of course it was.

Marco felt self conscious waiting for Dylan outside the locker room. 'Should I be waiting here? What if he doesn't want the other players to know he's gay?...What if he doesn't want the other players to know he's going out with me? What if-'

"Hey Marco," Marco's racing thoughts were interrupted by a freshly showered, soap scented Dylan, smiling calmly at him, "Marco, this is John and Dave. John and Dave, this is Marco." Dylan said casually.

"Hey Marco. Nice to meet you. Have fun, dude." John said.

Marco relaxed as he and Dylan walked to the car. 'He really is out,' Marco thought to himself, 'and it is totally okay.'

The car ride was casual and calming, interrupted only by the occasional glance at the other person, and the shy smiles of being caught. At one point, Dylan placed his hand on top of Marco's, leaving it there for a few minutes until he needed it to drive. 'Don't take that away!' Marco laughed at his own silly reaction to such a small touch.

"We're almost there," said Dylan, turning the car into the lot.

"No way! Dylan we're not going to-"

"Yup. The beach…where we first met. Well, I guess technically we first met in my parents' minivan on the way to the beach…but anyway, I thought it might be nice, um…to come here again…I don't know, I thought it could be…um,.. romantic." Dylan hesitated worried it was too much for Marco.

"This is amazing, Dylan. I can't believe you did this…for me," Marco's eyes sparkled. 'Did he just use the word romantic?...referring to me and him…I think he did.' Marco shook his head, smiling in disbelief.

"Oh – and thought there was less of a chance of running into your parents here…" Dylan teased. Marco laughed, definitely agreeing.

Marco and Dylan began walking along the warm sand. "So I noticed you that day at the beach, you know?" Dylan confessed, "I even asked Paige if you were gay."

"You did?...I mean, I, um, I noticed you too, but I knew you were gay. How'd you know that I could be?" Marco felt relaxed enough to ask the questions that had been swimming in his head for months now.

"Come on, Marco," Dylan laughed, "I know your gaydar isn't fully developed yet, but you must have known how you were looking at me...Not that I minded," Dylan quickly added, "I was staring right back at you."

"Oh." Marco said, blushing profusely.

As they approached the rocks by the water, Dylan gently took Marco's hand, climbing with him to the open rock at the edge of the water. When they sat down, Dylan left his fingers entwined with Marco's on his lap. "So you know that I haven't dated a guy before, Dylan…and I know you have. What about your past relationships?"

"Well, I have definitely been on dates, but I don't know…there was this one guy from the youth group at the 519 …let me tell you, when you're the only guy out in highschool, you can be desperate to meet other people who are going through the same thing as you…anyways, his name was Scott. He asked me out, and we went on a few dates…"

"What happened?" asked Marco, both interested and slightly worried about being inadequate.

"He was a nice guy and all…good for first kisses, you know?...It is amazing that feeling of 'holy…I am kissing a guy. I have wanted this for so long and it is happening,'" Dylan mused, "But we weren't friends first and well, it just didn't feel like…"

"Like what?"

"Well,…like this." Dylan looked down, amazed at his own openness with Marco.

Marco's heart began racing, as he let his resistance down, "Um Dylan?"

Dylan looked up into Marco's eyes, "Yeah?"

"Speaking of first kisses…," Marco invited.

Dylan smiled at Marco, filled with desire, before he leaned in and kissed his lips. Dylan let this kiss last longer than the first, slightly opening his mouth before pulling apart.

"How was that?" Dylan asked playfully. He was following Marco's lead and loved watching Marco's reactions to each new touch.

Marco stared right into Dylan's eyes, "Umm.. that was great. But, um…more please," Marco asked shyly.

That was all the invitation Dylan needed. Marco's nervous energy dissipated, as he let himself focus on the moment, and they both leaned in this time, as Dylan deepened the kiss.

Breathe into me and make me real…

Open mouths, tongues touching, softly at first, as Dylan gently pushed Marco onto his back, and lay partially on top of his body. Teeth, tongue on his neck, as Marco's hands explored Dylan's back. Marco moaned, as their mouths met again, swollen lips, soft tongues. Marco's whole body was hot. He had never felt so alive.

Wake me up inside…

"Wow." Marco said half to himself.

Dylan smiled, "you've got the 'I am kissing a guy' look'" he teased.

"No, Dylan. Definitely not…," Marco paused, "I've got the I am kissing Dylan look."

Thinking about that night again two years later, Marco knew he had been right.