What's up, people. I decided to jump right into another Palex chapter, just cuz I really missed them after writing about Jay and Sarah for two chapters. Like always, I hope you like it, let me know if you do or don't. I very muchly (yeah, I know) appreciated the reviews that I got for #5, so keep them coming. So enjoy a Paige and Alex chapter...I tried to cram in as much Alex sarcasm as I could, cuz it's really really fun. Hey, I have a question--for those of you who write Degrassi fanfics, do you type 'Pagie' by accident a lot? Because I do every single time. Who knows, it's probably just me...but if it isn't, please let me know I'm not alone in the world of name-typing disabilities. Enough about me, how about Alex and Paige? Hey, I did it right that time!

There was something on the side my head. I could feel it. It was moving back and forth or up and down or whatever direction floats your boat. It was gentle enough to not freak me out, but I mean, if there was something on my head, I wanted to know what it was.

I slowly opened my eyes, only to close them again when they were greeted with bright sunlight. I waited a few seconds, then tried again. Through a minor haze I could see that I was in a bed in a whitish room, with tons of machinery scattered everywhere. I groaned as I realized what was going on.

I freaking hate hospitals.

I felt something rubbing up against my left side and looked over. Paige was lying on the hospital bed with me and stroking my head, which was what I had been feeling.

"Alex, you're awake!" I could hear the excitement and relief in her voice, although she kept her volume moderately low.

"Yep," I replied, forcing my eyes open when I realized they had closed again. Whatever they had me on was trying to persuade me to go back under--and it was working, might I add. I began to stretch but winced in pain as my right arm punished me for moving. It was surrounded by a bluish-colored cast and hanging in a sling, although it was currently resting at my side.

"Hon, try not to move that. The doctor said it's broken." She paused for a second and began to caress my good arm. "Do you remember what happened?"

"What, you mean Jay using you as bait to get me alone so he could beat me up? Yeah, I guess so."

Paige threw me a look. "You shouldn't joke about this, Alex. Jay broke your arm, and he could have done much worse if he'd had the time."

"Where is he?"

At this her expression changed to one of slight satisfaction. "I sprayed him pretty good back at The Breakroom, so he had to get special treatment for his eyes."

I let out a weak laugh. "I wish I could've seen his face after you hit him with the spray. I can see the commercial now: Thinking your girlfriend is in trouble only to find out that it was a setup: $0. Operation after the person who set you up breaks your arm: A lot of dollars. Getting to see said person post-pepper spray: priceless."

Even Paige laughed at that one. I had a feeling that by this point she knew she couldn't stop me from being my usual sarcastic self.

"How long have I been out?"

"Not that long, actually. It all happened early this morning, and right now it's about two in the afternoon." She snuggled in close to me, clutching my arm like she had done during the movie the other night.

There was a moment of silence before I spoke again. "How long have you been here?"

She kissed my shoulder. "The whole time."

I felt a surge of gratitude and happiness that she cared that much about me. "You didn't have t--"

"Oh, shut up, Alex," she interrupted. Yes, I did have to, because you're my girlfriend and you got hurt and you're in the hospital." She ended her sentence with a small kiss on my cheek, then rested her head on my shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I think these beds are ridiculously comfy."

"I think it all depends on who you're sharing them with." I blushed at my own sappy and pathetically cheesy comment, and Paige laughed again.

"Wow, who knew Alex Nuñez was such a romantic?"

"It'll be our little secret," I replied, letting my eyes close. It didn't take long for me to go under again, between Paige being curled up next to me and whatever the hell they had me on working its magic.

I just wasn't sure which drug was more powerful.

"Excuse me, Miss Nuñez?"

Dr. Marshall, the doctor who had been checking on me periodically throughout the past twenty-four hours, entered the room. Paige and I were watching some soap opera on the TV in the corner of my hospital room, laughing our heads off at the stupidity of the plot and the horrid acting.

"Um, yeah?" I asked, a smile on my face from having just witnessed the annoying main character get bitch-slapped by her best friend's boyfriend (Main Character had been trying to convince Best Friend's Boyfriend to cheat on Best Friend, but he was such a good guy that he refused, so she tried to kiss him).

"I need to speak with you about Mr. Hogart."

This grabbed Paige's attention as well as mine, "What about?" I asked somewhat nervously.

"The local police have arrested him for assault, but his lawyer is having him plead mental incompetance. If the jury agrees at court, he will go to a therapist or institution instead."

I frowned, not understanding. "Wait, what do you mean 'mental incompetance?' I know he's an idiotic psycho, but not that way."

Dr. Marshall glanced at what I assumed were his notes on Jay and the case. "You are friends with Mr. Hogart, correct?"

"Was friends," I immediately corrected.

"What I mean is, you have known him for a while."

"Yeah," I replied regrettingly, wishing I could answer otherwise.

"Did he ever tell you that he has bipolar disorder?"

I didn't know what to say. The whole bipolar thing explained why Jay could be such a jerk at random times…but it was still a shock. Did that mean that he hadn't been in control of himself during the Breakroom fiasco?

"Now you have some options," Dr. Marshall continued after letting me have a few moments to digest the information. "You can either press charges and leave his fate to be decided in court, or you can drop them and he will go directly into therapy and onto medication." He paused again, guessing that I was overwhelmed with the choice. "If you decide to keep the charges and take him to court, there is a fifty-fifty chance that he will still end up going to therapy. The other possibility is him getting sentenced to jail time."

I thought for a moment, feeling Paige's hand gently squeeze mine. "How much jail time, exactly?"

"That would be for the judge to decide."

"How long do I have to decide?"

Dr. Marshall glanced at his notes again. "Two weeks. While you're thinking about it, Mr. Hogart will be staying in the town jail."

I looked up at the ceiling, my mind going haywire over what I had been told. Dr. Marshall gave Paige a small, empathetic smile, then left the room. Yeah, like he knew what I was going through right now.

There was a minute of heavy silence between me and Paige before she spoke. "This is unbelievable," she commented quietly. "I mean, I was surprised when Craig got diagnosed…but Jay?" She intertwined her fingers with mine, her other hand lightly tracing designs on the back of it. "Do you know what you're going to do?"

I let out an empty laugh. "Not remotely," I replied, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat. Way to go, Alex. You found out that the bastard has a mental problem, and now you feel bad for him. I glanced at her with an expressionless face. "He either gets the punishment he deserves or the help he needs." I paused, the lump coming back. "I just wish it wasn't up to me."

I just realized that I don't remember how I spelled Sarah's name in the last chapter, so please ignore it if I switch from 'Sarah' to 'Sara,' however unprofessional that is of me. I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing or favoritized me or my story (my story says 'thank you' too, by the way). I honestly wasn't sure how you guys would react to the last chapter, so I'm glad those who reviewed thought it was good. I don't know how long it's going to take to make chapter 7, so please bear (or is it 'bare?') with me. If you have any suggestions for the storyline, feel free to message me, review, or email me at If you don't want anyone else to see what you have to say, I would suggest the first one or the third one.