I always found it a little creepy when people in movies or books watched each other sleep. It had something to do with being so unsuspecting while someone's watching you. But I found myself doing it now. I lay there watching Jay's chest rise and fall with each breath, listening to him snore. He looked so vulnerable, so at peace. It was a side of Jay I imagined very few people had ever seen. It was like being offered a membership to an exclusive club or something.

I held my breath as his breathing changed. He shifted and smiled, keeping his eyes closed as he jokingly muttered, "Contemplating ways to kill me in my sleep, Red?"

"Maybe," I replied, trying my hardest to make it sound more threatening but Jay just chuckled.

He reached out and gently pulled me closer, kissing the curve between my neck and shoulder. I closed my eyes as fire shot through me with the simple gesture. The sound of Manny clearing her throat drew them back open.

"Good morning," I said as she sat down in the chair across from us.

"Looks like it," She replied, causing my cheeks to flush pink.

"I'm going to make some coffee," Jay said as he climbed out of bed.

I watched him across the bar as he started the coffee maker then I turned to Manny and asked, "Craig still asleep?"

"Yeah, he's pretty whipped out from your fight last night." Manny explained. "What happened, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely confused. "You were there. You saw the way he went off on Jay."

Manny laughed a little before saying, "I meant the fight you had later, when he came downstairs for a drink."

I pulled myself up into a sitting position trying to figure out what she was talking about, "Manny, I didn't talk to Craig after you guys went upstairs."

"But he came back upstairs all angry, I just assumed you guys had been fighting." Manny replied.

I heard cups clanging in the kitchen and it hit me, I knew exactly what had made Craig angry. He'd seen way more then was meant to. I felt sick to my stomach as the realization hit me. How could I not have known he'd been standing there? How could I have been so stupid?

"Ellie, are you okay?" Manny asked as she stood up and inched closer to the bed.

I nodded as Jay came back in the living room and handed me a cup of coffee. There was a concerned look on his face that only made me feel sicker, "El?"

"I'm going to go grab a shower." I said, avoiding Jay's eyes as I sat the coffee mug down on the end table and gently placed my feet on the ground. My ankle still hurt slightly but I could still walk on it.

"Why don't you use my bathroom? I'll help you." Jay started reaching out to put his arm around me for support.

I waved his arm away before replying, "It's okay. I can do it."

I hobbled out of the room as Jay asked Manny, "What did you say to her?"

When I hobbled my way out of Jay's bathroom a half an hour later Jay was sitting on the side of his bed. His eyes remained on the floor, his hair shading him from having to look at me. I didn't blame him. I had completely overrreacted. I had let my uncertainty about the whole me and Jay thing take over. The truth was that I didn't care what Craig thought. The only person I cared about couldn't even look at me.

"Jay," I said, my voice slightly shaking.

He paused another second before speaking, "I guess I asked the wrong question last night. I guess I should have asked if you were still in love with Craig instead of Sean."

"Jay," I said trying hard to hold back the tears I desperately wanted to cry but it was too late. He stood up and walked out of the bedroom. He didn't look angry. The normal rage wasn't changing his eyes different shades of blue like usual. He looked disappointed and it hurt.

It started raining and this time I wasn't reveling in it. This time it was cold and hateful. It beat against the house, keeping us all locked inside. You could have cut the tension with a knife, especially once Emma and Craig had found their way downstairs.

"Boy this is fun," Craig muttered as he aimlessly flipped through the television channels.

"No one said you had to stay." Jay retorted as he tossed a blue rubber ball against one of the living room walls.

The room fell silent as those that knew the problem held their breath in hopes that the drama would end and those that didn't sat wondering what was going on but was afraid to ask. Some one sighed but in the deathly quiet, it was hard to know which one of us it was. I found myself wishing that life came with a rewind button so I could undo the mess I'd caused.

Manny took the remote from Craig's hand and turned it to Dr. Phil. Craig groaned and Jay rolled his eyes but still no one spoke. Somewhere in the distance there was a clap of thunder forecasting the storm that was about to hit. I just hoped it stayed outside.

"So, you're mad at me again?" Craig asked, leaning up against the counter as I stirred the soup I was making for lunch.

"No," I replied, keeping my eyes on the liquid for any sign of boiling.

"But you would be if I told you 'I told you so'?" he asked.

"You think you know everything, don't you?" I said annoyed with his high and mighty attitude. "Jay's a good guy, Craig. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"No he just played you out of your pants and now he's treating you like you have the plague." Craig replied defensively.

"Screw you, Craig! The tension between me and Jay has absolutely nothing to do with him. It has to do with the fact that I freaked out. I overreacted. And finding out that you were spying on us didn't help." I threw back as my anger began to boil along with the soup.

Craig looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he stuttered, "Well…maybe…you shouldn't have been getting it on in the middle of the living room."

"And maybe you should have stayed in Vancouver." I yelled, turning off the stove and storming out of the room.

"Craig?" Manny asked, taking my place in the kitchen as I locked myself in my bedroom.

"What?" he snapped, then seeing Manny he softened his voice and added, "Sorry."

"Look, I'm in no way a fan of Jay's but you didn't see them this morning. They were adorable cuddled up on the couch. Maybe we should all give them a chance, at least to find out for themselves whether or not it could work." Manny reasoned. "You know, people didn't think we were going to work, especially with our past and look at us now. We're happy, right?"

Manny wrapped her arms around Craig's waist looking up into his eyes. He smiled down at her, "Right," then kissed her on the nose.

"I think we should go home tomorrow, so they can work this out." Manny added leaning her head against his chest.

Craig's body stiffened, "I…I can't. I can't leave Ellie here alone with him."

"You're not her boyfriend, Craig." Manny said stepping back. Her voice was rising in anger. "Last time I checked you were mine and I want to go home."

I was lying on my bed staring up at the ceiling listening to The Fray when he knocked on the door. It was soft and I almost didn't hear it. I thought it was Craig so I shouted, "Go away."

"El?" Jay's voice asked on the other side of the wooden barrier.

I jumped up, sending a slight flash of pain shooting up my leg from my injured ankle. I took in a deep breath of air fighting off the pain before opening the door. I gently stepped back to let him in and then shut the door behind him.

"Planning on dancing in the rain again?" Jay asked, pacing around the room nervously.

"If it makes you not mad at me." I replied, trying to lighten the mood.

He looked at me seriously and asked again for the second time in less than forty-eight hours, "What do you want from me, Ellie?"

This time I knew the answer, "I want what we had last night, what we had the other night on the beach, what we've been working so hard all summer to pretend isn't happening. I want you."

"Why?" He asked locking his blues on my green ones.

I walked towards him placing my hands on his shoulders, "Because you make me feel like the whole world doesn't suck."

He rolled his eyes and laughed, pulling me on to his lap, "Which Brat Pack movie did you steal that from?"

"It's an Ellie Nash original. You can quote me on it." I teased back.

With the storm dying down outside and inside, Jay and I made our way downstairs. Emma, Manny, and Craig were gathered around the coffee table with Monopoly spread out in front of them.

"We just started," Emma said, rolling the dice. "You guys want to play?"

Jay and I both looked at each other, then shrugging our shoulders scooted in to play too.

"Em and I are going home tomorrow." Manny said, as the game reached its one hour mark and we all decided to throw in the towel. She was sorting the money back into its plastic sorter as we cleaned up the game.

"Why?" I asked, shocking myself a little. I'd been wanting to get rid of Manny for as long as I could remember and now that she was voluntarily leaving I wanted to know why.

"It just feels like it's time, you know?" Emma started.

"And I want to get in some auditions in before school starts." Manny added.

"And I miss my family." Emma replied.

"What about you Craig? Are you headed back to Vancouver?" I asked.

He put on a fake smile, "Nah, actually I thought I'd stick around for a few more days."

I tried to ignore the pointed look he shot at Jay and I hoped Jay would ignore it too. I was surprised and happy when Jay said, "I'll drive you guys to the bus station, if you want."

"Thanks," Emma said, faintly smiling.

"Yeah, thanks." Manny added.

The next morning was a madhouse with Emma and Manny both rushing around the house making sure they had everything packed up. As the day drawled on I was dreading them leaving. I would be left alone with Craig while Jay drove the girls to the bus station. I was still angry at him for spying, for trying to get in the middle of whatever was going on between me and Jay.

"Alright, we'll be back." Jay said as he followed Manny and Emma out of the house lugging their suitcases with him.

I shut the door before turning around and finding Craig standing right behind me. I glared, putting my hands on my hips before asking, "What?"

Meanwhile at the bus station Manny was buying the tickets leaving Emma and Jay waiting near by, alone.

"You don't have to wait around." Emma said.

"I know," Jay replied. "So, you're going home?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah, home sweet home."

"You know Wasaga isn't that far. It's on your way home. You should think about stopping in and seeing Sean." Jay added, meeting Emma's eyes in sincerity.

"I don't think so. He stayed in Wasaga to get away from Toronto, away from Degrassi, away from me." She added, her voice smaller then Jay had ever heard it. He was use to her being overbearing, demanding, forceful. It was scary how much she'd changed.

"You know that's not true." Jay replied. "Maybe he's just waiting for a reason to come back."

Jay walked away, leaving Emma to think over what he'd said. He walked up to where Manny was waiting in line. It had barely moved since they'd gotten there and Manny was beyond frustrated.

"Hey," Jay said sneaking up behind Manny and causing her to jump slightly. He of course started laughing.

Manny smacked him hard on the arm, "You are an ass."

"So I've been told." He replied with a c0cky smile as he rubbed his arm. Then with dropping smile for a more serious look he asked, "Is there a reason you're leaving your boyfriend behind?"

"Because I know it's driving you crazy and that's good enough for me." Manny replied with a little smile.

"Funny, Santos. But are you sure annoying me is worth losing time with the rock star?" Jay continued.

"Lately, yes. He's become a real pain with his sudden need to protect Ellie from you." Manny answered, rolling her eyes and inching forward with the line.

"Tell me about it." Jay muttered. Then after a brief pause he added, "But you care, right? About him? Don't you think leaving now could be a big mistake?"

Manny looked up at Jay shocked that he'd actually said something meaningful. He'd dropped his normal line of bull and actually made sense. Manny was about to open her mouth and say something when Emma appeared.

"I'm not going home," Emma said, stopping whatever train of though Manny was about to unleash. "I'm going to Wasaga. I want to see Sean."

Jay hid his smile as Manny asked, "Are you sure? I don't think your mom's going to like this very much."

"Then don't tell her, go with me." Emma offered.

Manny sighed then looked from Emma to Jay then back again, "I can't. I have to stay here and try to make Craig see what an idiot he's being."

Jay hid his smile as he thought how easy it had been. Maybe Ellie had been right, maybe he was getting good at the whole knight in shining armor thing. He knew Craig and Manny would work things out. They'd been through too much not too and as for Emma and Sean, if destiny really did exist then it was for those two.