AUTHORS NOTE: HEY! Sorry I haven't updated for a while – my computer's been down. I don't own Degrassi, Jake, etc. This chapter, entitled "Chain", is my favorite song by Jake's ex-band, Mind The Gap. Enjoy!

"So, what did you do?" Callie asked, whispering quietly into the mouthpiece of the portable phone.

"You have to tell your family," Manny said.

Callie gulped.

"Hello?"

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"You have to talk to your family," Manny repeated calmly.

"I am not talking to my parents. They're hardly what I called parents. They never have to know."

"Never have to know? Callie, this is not like you broke a window with a baseball or lost your ballet shoes. There is a child in your stomach!"

Manny had a point, and Callie really didn't want to agree.

"Its not a child yet. An egg, a little circle, a ball if you will. Children cry. Scream. Poop. None of that is going on. It is not your place Manny to tell me what to do about this, don't even,"

"Don't even? Callie, you have no fucking idea what you're getting yourself into. Don't even talk to me like I don't know what I'm talking about, because you're damn wrong! Don't even talk to me like that, ever, killing that little 'circle' in my stomach was my biggest fucking regret, so don't you 'don't even' me,"

Ouch.

"Manny, I'm so sorry. Please, just help me. Did you tell your mom?"

"Yeah, I had to, you have too. And Craig has to tell Joey. You mine as well tell your little skank friend Evie, because you're not going to fit into those clothes you're always borrowing from her. Look, you need to get some rest, so why don't you call me tomorrow."

Callie hung up the phone.

She walked over to her closet, pulling out her clothes. Her miniskirts, her lace tube tops, her transparent thongs, black stilettos. She crumpled them into a big ball in her arms, kicking her door open with her foot. She walked outside and out the back door, into the backyard. Walking behind a group of trees she dumped the clothes on the ground, sandwiching them into the dirt with her bare foot. She pulled her lighter out of her back pocket, slowly edging the flickering light against the corner of her jean miniskirt. She watched as all the clothes Evie had bought her, and some she had stolen, become engulfed in flames, a fire roaring with the burning smell of leather. She threw another sequined bra in, watching the fire grow taller.

"Little bit of a pyro, are we?" Craig asked, staring at her.

"Geez Craig, you scared the crap out of me. Why do you always have the tendency to just be randomly lurking around?"

"Wish I knew," he said, joining Callie at the fire. "But than again, you are burning something right outside my window."

Callie stared into the fire, the burning aromas piercing her eyes with tears. Craig watched her hopelessly as she looked into the fire, remembering how once, last year, it was the complete opposite.

"Hey," he said, touching and turning her head to kiss her. As her face brushed his, a salty, moist droplet fell between the joining of their lips.

"We talked about this, remember?"

"I know, we did. You're so cool about this,"

"Kathryn. Hunter." Craig said, putting his hand on Callie's stomach.

"Huh?"

"This baby needs a name, you know."

C'mon Callie. Suck it up. You have to tell him eventually. Callie froze nervously, almost feeling the words vibrating against her lips, ready to explode. Craig leaned over and kissed her on the stomach, than wrapped his arms around it again to give it an even bigger kiss. Callie looked down and watched Craig trail kisses on her stomach – it was killing her.

"Please stop," she said, halting him.

"Everything okay?" he asked, while Callie helped raise him up. "Look, I know this is scary."

She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but closed her mouth again.

"Do you have any secrets, Callie?"

She laughed. "This again?" she smiled, feeling slightly relieved.

"Secrets, like things…" he trailed.

"Nobody knows," they finished, together in unison. Craig gave her a gentle hug, kissing her on the head.

"Maybe."

What?

Craig pulled her away, looking at her.

"That's not what you're supposed to say," he said, staring at her with a puzzled expression.

Suck it up.

"Alright, give it to me." Craig was ready for anything. 'I'm a space alien'. 'I drink blood, I'm a vampire.' 'I have X-ray vision.'

"I don't know if it's yours."

"If what's mine?" he said, momentarily, as if ready for her to finish the rest of her sentence.

Oh god. Craig felt his heart pound against his chest, almost like he was about to have a heart attack.

"Who else could it be?"

NO, WHY DID YOU ASK THAT, WHY?

"Shane."

"Shane? Shane who?"

"SHANE MANNING! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to it…"

"Did he rape you?"

"Well, no…."

"Than how could you not have meant too? What did his penis just accidentally get put in your…"

Callie covered her ears. "Just stop!"

"When, when did you have sex with him? While you were still with me?

"I don't even know what we were than, okay?"

"We were still together, weren't we?"

"We weren't anything when I did," she shot back.

"Where? In my house?"

"At Bridget's, in the bathroom…" she mumbled, turning bright red.

Callie could've sworn she heard Craig mumble 'slut', but wasn't too sure.

"What did you just call me? Oh c'mon, like you never did it?"

Chills shook Craig. He had no idea what to do. At least with Manny he knew it was his.

How could this have happened?

Emma studied her reflection in her vanity mirror, playing with her blue dolphin necklace.

"Oh c'mon Emma you don't have to get all down and sucky about Craig, even I could have told you he was a jerk," Paige said, carelessly flipping through her Teen People magazine.

"I loved him so much."

"Emma, I'd highly call what you two had love," Hazel added.

"What?"

"Oh please, even I could of told you Craig was in love with Callie the whole time!" Paige rebutted.

"And why didn't you say something?" Emma winced.

"Duh! Because you're our friend." Hazel replied.

Bitches.

Callie zipped up her suitcase, crying. She messily stuffed her clothing in the other compartments, forcing the zipper to shut. She quickly propped it up on its wheels, rolling it out into the hallway. She speedily popped into Angie's room, giving her a kiss on the head.

"Bye Ang," she said, soothing her hand over her dark curls. Callie continued down the stairs, taking a look around the Manning house for the last time.

"Paige, Craig…"

"Hunn, give it up!"

"Here," Hazel said, opening her purse. " Eases the pain." She threw a cold silver flask over at Emma, and she stared at it nervously.

"Emma, its just liquor."

What the hell. Emma opened it and chugged her first sips.

Callie felt a dark pain subside her as she approached closer to the door of her house. Looking up at her window, her blue curtain was swaying the exact same way it was the day she had left. 11:00, her watch read. She turned the knob, nudging her suitcase over the wooden stoop. Oh my god. Everything smelled the same. Everything looked the same. The white carpeting on the stairs. The smell of Aaron's drugs and Brooke's vodka. A strange aroma that reminded her of home. She started up the stairs, the wood creaking beneath her obnoxiously. She opened the door to her room, crying as her eyes studied the aqua walls. Her pink sheets were still messy on her bed, and a picture of her, Hazel, and Paige dressed up as the Mean Girls for Halloween still sat contently in a frame on her bookcase. She walked up it, holding the Best Friends Forever frame in her hands. She chucked it across the room, smacking it against the wall, the pink glass shattering to the ground in a million pieces. Angrily she watched it, remembering that another piece of glass was there. A piece of glass stained a deep scarlet. She touched the large scar on her arm, piercing with pain as her fingers wove into the scabbed blood. I don't belong here. What am I doing here? Why I am here? Callie felt extremely nauseous. She didn't know why she dragged herself here in the middle of the night. To the place that abused her. To the place that drove her to anorexia. To the place that mentally messed with her head. She grabbed her suitcase instantaneously, planning on running back out. Maybe if I sneak out, no one will notice I was ever here. She started back out into the hallway, trying to be as discrete as possible. This wasn't her family anymore. Just a group of strangers who happened to be in her life.

"Callie?"

She halted. Brooke was calling her name, and she turned around to face her. Brooke flickered the light on, gaping at Callie. She walked towards her, putting her hand over her mouth.

"Baby, baby," she said, pulling Callie into a hug. Callie stood still, awkwardly participating in the embrace. "I knew you'd come home. I knew it sweetheart. Please stay, please baby."

"Brooke," she mumbled. Brooke released her grip on her, holding her still by the arms.

"You look beautiful," she said, crying and caressing her sandy blonde hair.

"I'm not staying," Callie mumbled, looking down at her suitcase.

"Why, why not?"

"I just came home to get something, that's all."

"No, please stay, we've missed you so much, you can't leave me again, I've been a wreck."

"I can't."

"Why not?"
"Because I'm pregnant."

"How long?"

"A month on Friday,"

"Well, is it that Manning boys?"

"I don't know."

"You need to stay here, you have to stay. I don't want you out on the streets somewhere when you're bringing a life into this world, honey," she said, putting a hand on her stomach.

Maybe things could be different.

"Why don't you come lay down, I'll make you some tea," Brooke said, taking Callie's hand. Callie came and sat down in the kitchen, feeling a little queasy.

"Should I get an abortion?" Callie asked, playing with her ballet charm bracelet.

Brooke nearly dropped the tea bag on the ground.

"That's a really big thing, baby," she said, handing Callie the warm cup of tea.

Callie took a sip. Who knew Brooke could actually be a mother for once.

"Where's Aaron?"

"Out for the night with his new girlfriend, Heather."

"I don't want to be here. You just need to know."

"I know. Why don't you go to bed, in your bed. Think about staying, for real this time. That boy's house isn't the best place for you to be right now."

Maybe I should stay.

Craig knocked on Callie's door, trying to be as quiet as possible. That was horrible of me. She's so sensitive right now, I should know better than to bend out of shape like that.

"Callie," he said, slowly turning the doorknob. He opened the door, expecting to see her sitting on the bed or reading on the windowsill. Instead, her suitcase on the ground was gone and her bed looked as if it had been untouched.

"Call," he mumbled, in shock. He ran into the bathroom, bursting open the door.

"SHANE!" he shouted, running into Shane's room as fast as his legs could take him.

"Where the fuck is she?" he said, tearing Shane out of bed by the collar. Clenching his teeth he threw him against the wall, screaming. Evie rose from under the covers, half naked in her bra.

"Where is she Shane? Huh? Where is she? And you! Get out of my house you slut! Don't you dare use the door, go out my window! Move it, c'mon!" he said, throwing her shirt at her with his free hand.

Evie scurried out, shaking her butt for Shane when Craig wasn't looking.

"Who? What are you talking about?" Shane mumbled, groggily and confused.

"Callie! Where the fuck is she?"

"I don't know! Put me down you psycho! Joey! JOEY!" Shane screamed, trying to awake Joey. But Shane did know. He didn't know it, but he knew. Had he had not been thinking about ripping Callie's clothes off that day at the beach, he would be able to help him. But he couldn't.

Joey approached the doorway of his room, frustrated.

"Craig Manning," he said, seriously. Craig threw him back in his bed, and walked into the hallway.

"What is with you these days?"

"Joey, leave me alone."

"No, you come here and talk to me right now! You're fighting, throwing Callie around, having parties while I'm gone, what is the matter with you?"

Craig rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"Don't you turn away from me I'm your father!"

Craig turned. "You're not my dad."

Brooke pulled the covers over Callie's head, kissing her on the head.

"Goodnight,"

Brooke cares. She actually cares for once.

Craig grabbed the keys to his car, throwing his jacket in the passengers seat.

"Craig! Get back in this house," Joey yelled. Ignoring Joey he started the car, driving down the street with no specific destination. He couldn't figure out why he was freaking out so badly, but than again remembered what happened the last time Callie ran away. She ALWAYS ran from her problems – something that could keep Craig up at night, distracted during school, and uneasy during the day. It just drove him ballistic, and he couldn't explain it. Where could she be?

Callie was sound asleep in her room, her covers pulled past her head. She had another dream about drowning; nearly identical to the one she had had a couple days back. She opened her eyes, shooting open to the blank wall next to her. Loud noises were interfering with each other downstairs, acute and painful to the ear. Banging, swearing and breaking were muffled by crying- Callie jumped out of bed, closing her door as fast as she could. She locked it nervously, propping her stool against the knob. She scurried back over to her bed, holding a teddy bear Craig had gotten for her close to her arms. Stroking the head she smashed her chin against it, shutting her eyes. About every five minutes she heard her name, followed by swearing and screaming. Please stop, please stop, please stop. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry… Every time a piece of glass shattered against the wall she cringed, squeezing the teddy bear in her arms a little harder. After twenty minutes of crying and screaming the argument ended, and she knew it was over. The aromas of Aaron's drugs scented into her room, signaling the end of the argument, the drugs being Aaron's relief. I need some of that.

"No! No!" she shouted, out loud. For once she was going to resist. Trying to distract herself she laid back down on her bed, thinking of names.

Madison. Madison Manning…um, no. Blayne Manning. Charlie Manning. Becca Manning. Brett Manning. The last name will be Manning, right. Oh my god. What if Craig doesn't take care of it? What if it's all mine? Madison Taylor. Blayne Taylor. Becca Taylor. Brett Taylor. Oh my god. Staring at a pair of scissors on her desk she yearned to go and hold them against her wrists, just to feel…Callie jumped off her bed, scurrying down to Aaron's room. She needed something – anything.

"CALLIE! CALLIE!" Craig screamed, driving everywhere he thought she might be. 3:00 a.m. Where is she? Craig lost his mind looking for her. After three hours of cell phone calls, shameless screaming and praying, she was nowhere to be found.

If only Shane could have been with him.

I want some of that, Callie thought, trying to be at ease as she sat in Aaron's horrific smelling room.

"Give me some of that," she said, shifting her feet.

Aaron put his joint down, confused. "Aren't you knocked up?"

She hated that word. "Give me some,"

"God, you're even fatter than before," he said, picking his joint back up. Callie picked a pillow off the ground and chucked at him, making him fumble slightly.

"Bitch!"

Callie walked downstairs, in search of some advil. Feeling queasy she halted at the bottom of the steps, holding onto the rail. As her stomach rumbled she hunched over, letting a splurge of vomit trail out of her mouth. It quickly stained the carpet, and Callie felt shaky once again. Stepping into the living room she dropped into a blue chair, forgetting about the vomit stained carpet. Curling up in a ball she felt as if she would vomit again, but was distracted by her pounding head. Every time her head throbbed her muscles ached as well, shocking her body.

Brooke stumbled into the room, holding a glass of vodka.

"You're in my chair. Yoo-hoo! Hey slut you're in my chair!" she slurred, sipping off the edge of her drink.

Callie shook her head, completely stationary.

"I'm not moving." She mumbled.

"Hey – what's that on your stomach? Huh?" Brooke shouted.

"A belly button ring," Callie mumbled.

"Huh? What? Huh?"
"A belly button ring, god leave me alone,"

"How dare you talk back to me you dirty whore! Paul! She's giving lip again! The whore is giving lip again!"

Callie flinched. Oh my god. She quickly raced out of the chair, reaching for the door. Grabbing for the door knob she tripped over her self, plunging to the ground on her stomach. Screaming in pain she cringed, holding her stomach.

"What did you do now?" Paul screamed. Holding his belt he whipped it at Callie, and the last thing Callie remembered was lying on the ground, sobbing.

This needs to stop.