a/n:Sorry it took me so long, but I just took a quick break from fanfiction for a while. But I'm back, and I'm putting all my fresh writing ideas, and new talents I've learned over my break into this story. I missed Carson, Auden, Riley and Jane too much, I just can't wait to get back into the action with them. So enjoy this long overdue update, and don't forget to review on your way out kay? Alrighty!

disclaimer: I own the Oc Carson O'Conor and his family, along with the plot. Everything else belongs to however the hell created Degrassi up in Canada. I love that country, I wanna go there again one day.

Promise

Episode 4.

Between You And Me - And Him

"Holly J, table three is still waiting on those refills!"

Okay, due to my personal feelings and beliefs, Gavin "Spinner" Mason is like the king of stupidity for hiring the mean, nasty, heartless, bitchy, drama-queen of Degrassi High: Holly J Sinclair. But we needed help with Maureen being out on maternity leave, and the Wicked Witch of the North needed some cash according to Spinner, so he hired her. Unfortunately.

"I said I was going, O'Connor." She hissed at me as she walked from the back with a pitcher of iced tea in her right hand.

"Yeah, like ten minutes ago!" I growled.

"You know what, Carson--"

"Enough you two!" Spinner shouted stopping yet another one of our constant arguments. I'm sorry but pure evil, and me can just not work together. "Carson, go take the guy at table five's order. And Holly just, please take those drinks over to table three before they die of thirst, alright?"

"Fine." Holly and I both grumbled simultaneously as we headed towards opposite sides of the The Dot.

Things had just not been going my way all week. I hadn't seen Riley since he came over to my place to study for a Chemistry quiz two days ago. The Shephad been running the football players ragged with after-school practices since the Degrassi Panther's were extremely close to making it into the play-offs if we won our next football game against Eastcreek - which of course with my runnning-back, and Danny being an unstoppable quarterback we totally would. I also hadn't been sleeping very well lately; nightmares about that night just kept coming back more frequently. Maybe I was just under a lot of stress with all my big plans for this years, especially with the running for Student Council President closing in - and now I find out that Mia isn't my only stiff competition, Holly J Sinclair has decided to throw her Prada hat into the competition as well so now I have to work thrice as hard for this.

He grumbled a hello to whoever the guy was that sitting down at the table Spinner had directed me towards as I pulled my pen and pad out from my apron and asked him what he wanted in a less casual-more uninterested way.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to some eye-contact." I heard the familiar voice fill my ears and instantly a smile crept across my face.

"Auden? What are you doing here?" I asked-now casually- as I now met the brown eyes of my gorgeous friend - and sort-of ex-boyfriend; our relationship I just realized was very complicated.

"I decided to come down and throw some business your way- not that you need it from the look of all the people in this place. Is Spinner still hiring?" He joked.

I glanced over in Holly J's direction and scowled. "As soon as, Holly J, has her unfortunate accident he will be."

Auden's laugh just seemed to brighten up my day before he gestured to the seat in front of him for me to sit down.

"Oh, I can't. Spin would kill me if he sees me sitting down on the job." I told him shaking my head.

"What happened to 'the costumer is always right'?"

"The same thing that happened to, boyfriends and best friends are actually suppose to care about me,"

The moment I said that, I wished that I could take it back.

Auden's face instantly hardened and he looked away out the window for a long moment, before he turned to stare down at the wooden table. I sighed, took a quick glance to make sure that Spinner was busy, and sat down in the seat Auden had offered to me earlier. He still didn't look at me.

"Auden, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," I apologized.

"Yes," Auden interjected raising his head to look forward at me. "You did."

He wasn't lying. "Okay I did. I just don't understand why you hate, Riley so much." I told him, my voice desperate for an answer. It was killing me that one of my closes friends, and the man I loved wanted to rip each other's throats out every time they were near each other.

I felt like I was Bella Swan, stuck between her beloved Edward, and her secret love, Jacob- without all the supernatural stuff added onto it. There was now vampires-werewolves here, it was just plain jealously and I was really nothing to be jealous over. Or at least I didn't think so before.

"I don't hate, Stavros," he muttered softly.

Still no eye-contact.

"Then why don't you tell me that to my face, and not the table," I suggested flashing him a genuine smile when he finally looked back up to my face.

"It's just... I still don't think he deserves you, Carson."

Wow.

I think I preferred it when he was giving me short answers, and looking down at the table.

I sighed, and it was my time to look down at the table with nothing to say, but only for a moment before I looked back up into Auden's warm brown eyes and smiled once more. I wanted to shout at him. To defend Riley's honor by saying that he does care for me. But I just couldn't hurt him and tell him that he was wrong; that Riley was better for me.

"Just try, for me, okay?" I pleaded taking Auden's hands in mine.

He smiled and nodded before using his other hand to cover mine. "Alright. I'll try to be nice to, Stavros. For you."

"Thanks. And would it kill you to call him Riley?"

We both laughed.

Someone cleared their throat beside us. "Am I interrupting something?"

I swore at myself mentally before slowly glancing up beside me to find a pissed-looking Riley standing there, football in hand dressed in black basketball shorts, sneakers, and a gray sleeveless shirt. He glared directly at the table where Auden hand were holding mine. I quickly pulled mines away placing them on my side of the table.

"Riley!" I chimed. "Hi! What-what are you doing here?" I asked nervously.

"Well," he began in a huff. "Shep left us off a little easier today thanks to a family emergency, so I thought I'd come down and surprise you. Surprise." He spoke the last part flatly.

"Look Stav... I mean, Riley, It's my fault. I was feeling a little down, and with Carson being the amazing friend that he is, he came over to check on me. But, I think you'd better get back to work because Spinner's looking over here, and he doesn't look to happy," Auden warned.

I glanced behind Riley to the counter were Spinner was signaling for me to get back to work with one of his 'evil' glares. I lowered my head and sighed before I scooted out of the booth and returned to my feet. Auden did the same.

"You're leaving?" I asked as I saw him heading towards the door.

"Yeah, I should be getting home before my dad goes all 'sergent' on me. But I'll see you around, promise."

"Okay, bye!" I waved after him as he walked out the door and headed off down the sidewalk towards his house.

I turned back to Riley who still looked upset.

"What?" I asked.

"Look Carson, I'm still not very good with this whole 'express your feelings thing' but, It would really make me happy if you would stop hanging out with that guy."

My jaw dropped. "I'm sorry?"

"I want you to stop hanging out with, Galloway"- what was up with these two using last names- "I've been patient with him, but I've had enough. If you don't stay away from him, you'll end up getting him hurt."

Had I been inhaling to many fumes today, or was Riley really giving me an ultimatum?

"Are you high?!" I shouted folding my arms across the material of my shirt. "Do you really expect me to stop hanging out with him just because you told me to?" I scoffed.

"I'm sorry Carson, but I don't want to keep walking in on that guy trying to scam on you just because you two..." Riley paused as a look of disgust passed his face.

"What?" I demanded. My anger peaking. "Kissed? Dated? ARE TOTALLY JUST FRIENDS NOW!"

"Carson that guys wants more than to just be friends with you." Riley hissed.

"Is this about, Auden, or is it just about your fear that I might leave you to go back to him?"

As soon as those words left my lips, I wished I'd never said them. Riley winced as if the words had just smacked him across the face. His expression hardened, and he glowered at me for a long period of time before he huffed and turned on his heels to storm out of the Dot slamming the door after him. I flinched as I heard the door slam hard, and a few pictures on the wall rattle until everything grew silent once more; too silent.

I looked around to find that Riley and I had caused a bigger scene than I thought. Table I looked over I was making direct eye-contact with the patrons. I sighed before quickly walking through the tables and behind the bar.

"I'm taking my break now." I murmured to Spinner as I passed.

"Damn," I overheard Holly J say. "Even I'm not that cold-hearted. I didn't know O'Connor had a bitchy-bone in him."

"Dammit!" I swore loudly as I tossed my cellphone across my room onto my bed. That was the third time I'd called Riley in the past hour, and still all I got was his voicemail. I guess he was angrier than I'd thought he'd be.

"Ooh, you said a bad word," I smiled as my sun skipped into the room and plopped onto my bed.

"Yes I did. Sorry Katie-cub. Did you brush your teeth?" I checked. She flashed me a bright, clean smile. "Good, and I see you've got your jammies on so we're already for bed right?"

"Uh-huh. C.C. can I ask you a question?" She asked softly as she crawled over into my lap and I ran my fingers through her long blonde hair.

"Anything, sweetie."

"When are you going to be, Lauren again?" She asked.

My heart skipped a beat, and my breaths stopped quick. I sat there motionless for a few moments, trying to find the right words to say to her.

"Um... well--"

"And when am I gonna be able to be, Sammie again?"

Damn. Where were mom and dad when you need them?

"Well, sweetie that part of our lives are over. But don't you like your new life here? With your friends, Britney and Cole? And my happy life with Jane, Mia and... and Riley?" I asked, sighing deeply as I spoke the last name.

"Yeah. But I miss my old friends too, like Amanda and Piney."

"I know, and I'm sure they miss you two but believe me, Katie, it's better for us here than it is there. I promise."

"Okay C.C. Night!"

I kissed her on her forehead and smiled as she quickly scurried off my bed and ran out of my room down the hall to her bedroom.

Once she was gone Riley had completely left my mind and I began thinking of exactly why I left California. My dad's promotion was definitely not the only reason, it just came at a perfect time.

I sighed and lied back so that my head rested on my soft, feather pillow and I closed my eyes. Hopefully, I wouldn't have that continuing nightmare tonight.

Hopefully.