Beyond Degrassi

Summary: After season 5, Alex is still in love with Paige. Jay doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore. They have a plan to change their future for the better. Palex, Jay Emma.

Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my base ideas. Just playing with things that belong to other people, as usual.

A/N: I love Degrassi. I love Palex. All of us Palex fans could use more Palex in our lives. So, here I go... first Degrassi fanfic.

Part 1: Let's have a fresh start, what do ya say?

Jay knocked on the door and waited for one of the Nunez' to answer, or even Chad. He looked no different than he usually did, but he felt like an all new Jay. He had always thought of himself as a smart guy, clever and all. Being clever had only lost him everything he ever cared about. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he had always been too selfish in all of his friendships. He had thought he was helping people, when only he had been destroying them.

The door opened and Alex stared out at him evenly. It was always like this now, Alex had a complete lack of enthusiasm to well, everything. She didn't say anything, she just waited for him to explain his presence.

"Lexi, hey. I've been thinking, a lot." Jay said, and paused for a snide remark that didn't come, "And well I thought, maybe, you would come out with me tonight. Give me a shoulder to cry on, or whatever, you know?" She didn't look like she was interested, and she still didn't say anything. "Just as friends, of course, I know you've gone lezbo and there is no turning you back, and that's okay. I just want my friend Lexi, to come out with me tonight. Please?"

Alex took a deep breath and sighed. "Fine Jay. This better not be one of your stupid scheme's to get me back, we are over, indefinitely."

Jay frowned. He knew they were over, despite that he still loved her. He just wished she would stop throwing it in his face. He nodded at her, showing he understood, then turned and started down the hall. He waited outside, with a light breeze rustling his hair. In all the time he had spent thinking, he had came to the conclusion that even though he wanted to be happy again, more than anything in the world, he wanted Alex to be happy.

Alex stepped outside and crossed her arms. "Where to?"

"Let's just walk, for now." Jay started out beside her, walking down a dark De Grassi St. They walked in silence, as he tried to think of where he wanted to start on all the things he wanted to say.

"Okay Jay, what is this really about?" Alex finally said, mockingly " 'I need a shoulder to cry on' Ha, yeah right. So seriously, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, Lexi, that's all. I have a plan." He said, and as soon as those last words escaped his mouth he knew they were the wrong words to start with.

"Another brilliant plan huh? Like the one that got Jimmy shot? Like the one where I and several other girls came down with an STD!" Alex accused, and not quietly, "Or maybe like that plan that got what's-his-face in the hospital on suicide watch? You're plans can go straight to hell, Jay. And so can you." She turned and started back toward her house.

Jay rushed after her, "No, not like that! That's not what I meant at all." She wasn't slowing so he blurted it out, "I can't stand to see you like this! You were happy with Paige, you really were. Let's get your girl back, Lexi! Come on."

The mention of Paige made her stop. She missed Paige so damned much. Paige was off at Banting, her rich kid University, just like she had always dreamed of. She was never single long, Alex was almost positive her Paige was already someone else's Paige. Jay walked around her, clearly concerned.

"Why?" was all she could manage to say through a faltering voice.

"Why is obvious enough..." Jay sighed, "Look, do you want to hear me out?" She nodded. He put an arm around her shoulder for comfort and started to lead her off into the woods. He liked the woods, despite all the horrible shit that seemed to happen to him while in them. He found a place he liked to sit alone and drink at. He sat on a stump and patted a log for Alex to take a seat on. She did. Her mind was obviously on Paige again, her look was so distant, so sad.

"I'm sick of being Jay, the bad guy. I never wanted that rep, but I went with it. Now I can't seem to clear myself of it." Jay started.

"Oh, poor baby." Alex sneered angrily.

"Hey! You didn't get taken down with Spinner and I, and you should have. YOU actually dumped the paint on the dork." Jay snapped, and again, instantly regretted doing so. Alex had a talent for pushing his buttons. She glowered at him, but didn't seem to have an argument. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I'm glad you didn't get caught, you know I'd never do that to you. How's your art coming along?"

"My art?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you were always doodling in that sketch pad, or whatever. You were pretty good, even if I never said so before. Do you still do it?"

"Yeah. I do." She was still suspicious of his motives. He looked nervous enough, with the way he was fiddling with his hands. "Why?"

"I know this guy, he's got a shop over in Kingston." Jay smiled his clever smile, confidence over playing whatever was making him nervous.

"No." Alex said flatly, "Anyone you know is not worth knowing, I'm sure."

"It's not like that. He's got a legit tattoo parlor. He owes me a favor, from a couple years back. I could get you an apprentice job, Lex. In Kingston. I bet you'd be good at it, and then..."

"I could see her with her new boyfriend? In rich kid central? No Jay." Alex hated people trying to plan her future for her. She was born a gutter rat, and she would die a gutter rat. Why couldn't anyone else see that? It was more than obvious, so they must all just be blind. "It's not going to happen"

"I'll go with you. I could sure as hell use a new start. I can get a legit job too, you won't be alone. And if you hate it, we can always come back." he sighed, "Look, just think about it, okay?"

In Kingston...

Paige Michalchuk flipped the page of the text book she was reading. She was laying on her bed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand as she read the boring book. She had hardly anytime to do anything with all the school work at Banting. It was not like Degrassi, at the Harvard of the North there were no breaks. There was no time for drama. Who would have thought you would miss that kind of thing?

The text message alert beeped on her phone. She sat up and snatched her phone off of the night stand.

:Its Friday night. dinner and a movie: It was Robert, trying to get her out on another date. When she had first met him, with his charming smile and deep azure eyes she couldn't help but flirt. Then the work-load was piled on. She had blown him off for weeks, but he was persistent.

:Too much to do. Brunch, Sunday: She responded, his persistence deserved some pay back at least.

:deal:

She put her phone back on the night stand and looked back to her book. She wished that Matt, or Alex had agreed to move here with her. Starting an all new relationship took time, and effort. Right now, all she had any time for was flings. That's what Robert would be, whether he knew it or not. She smiled at the memory of Spinner's face when he realized she had just used him.

Hours passed, and she finished up the one assignment she had been working on. She walked over to her mirror, there was a very tired Michalchuk staring back at her. There was a time, not even a year back, when she wasn't alone in her reflection. Somewhere in the reflection, Alex would be there. Marco even started referring to them as Palex. She smirked and tried to imagine Alex sitting on the bed behind her, bored out of her mind. A pleading look to just go do something fun, anything fun. Fun. Paige wasn't sure she even knew the meaning of the word fun anymore.

"God, I miss you Alex..." she whispered to the mirror, as the image became blurry from tears welling up in her eyes.