Authors Note: This chapter is named after the song Finally Here by Far As Hell. This chapter takes place in the episodes Bark at the Moon (Season 4 Episode 13) and Secret parts 1&2 (Season 4 Episodes 14& 15).

"Okay class, we have to go to an important assembly, so everybody go to the auditorium," announced Mr. Simpson.

"I wonder what this is about," JT whispered to Liberty.

"No idea," said Toby, who was walking right beside them.

When they got to the auditorium, Mr. Raditch was standing at the podium. Mr. Raditch waited a few minutes for the rest of the students to get there before he started talking.

"Due to the recent events, I have been transferred to a different school. You new principal will be Ms. Hatzilakos," explained Mr. Raditch. Ms. Hatzilakos traded places with Mr. Raditch at the podium to give a speech.

"Do you think part of this is because of our Radish song?" Liberty asked JT.

"I doubt it. He got transferred. He's not choosing to leave," JT reassured her.

"Marco will now present Mr. Raditch with his gift. Marco?" said Ms. Hatzilakos. "Marco?" Ms. Hatzilakos asked again when Marco didn't come up. "Marco, the gift?" She finally caught Marco's attention and he came up to the podium to give Mr. Raditch his gift.

"This is on behalf of everyone here at Degrassi. We'll miss you Mr. Raditch," said Marco. Mr. Raditch took his gift and everyone clapped. After that the assembly was over.

Everyone was headed back to class. "JT? Liberty? Can I talk to you two for a second?" asked Ms. Hatzilakos.

"I'll see you guys in class," said Toby.

"I wanted to talk to you about Dracula. I'm giving you guys permission to put on the play," Ms. Hatzilakos smiled.

"Really?" asked JT, excited. Ms. Hatzilakos had always been one of his favorite teachers.

"Thank you, Ms. Hatzilakos!" Liberty said, also excited.

.

"How is this?" Liberty asked. She was writing an email to send to the drama club to tell them Dracula was back on. It read,

Dear cast of Dracula,

Ms. Hatzilakos told us we could do the play. Everyone meet in the auditorium after school tomorrow.

JT and Liberty

"Perfect," said JT.

The next day on the morning announcements, Manny announced that there would be a dance on Friday. JT turned around to look at Liberty, but her eyes were fixed on the video announcements. Right after the announcements were finished the bell rang. As they were walking out of class, JT put his arm around Liberty's shoulders and asked, "Will you go to the dance with me?"

"You know the answer is 'yes'," Liberty answered.

.

The meeting with the drama club went okay. They rehearsed a little bit, but some people had forgotten some of their lines. Darcy, who was playing Mina, had forgotten most of her lines.

"Alright everyone, don't forget, we're meeting everyday after school every day this week except Friday. Don't forget to work on your lines," said JT, looking at Darcy when he said 'work on your lines'. Darcy rolled her eyes.

"Liberty, I'll walk you home," said JT.

"We only have a little more than two weeks to rehearse, and most of the actors don't even know their lines," muttered Liberty as they walked.

"Liberty, relax," said JT putting his arm around her, "A lot can get done in two weeks."

"Are you two like, together now?" asked Danny, who was walking behind them.

"Yes," answered JT, "problem?"

"Dad's gonna freak when he finds out," said Danny.

"No he's not, because you're not going to tell him," said Liberty.

"And what if I do tell him?" Danny asked.

"Then I'll tell him about about how you're failing math," Liberty retorted. Danny didn't say another word.

"See you at school tomorrow. And don't stress yourself out about that play. It'll all be okay," JT tried to reassure Liberty when they reached her house. He embraced her in a hug.

"Ew. Stop with the PDA," sneered Danny.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Liberty said to JT, then glared at Danny.

.

.

It was three days before the opening night of the play. Their rehearsal wasn't going well. Emma missed her cue. Darcy still didn't know all of her lines.

"This is my leading lady three days till opening?" JT was starting to get stressed, too.

"Patience, my hot-headed paramour," Liberty said, trying to get him to calm down.

"But she's paraphrasing your words, my talented inamorata," he replied. Darcy rolled her eyes.

"I think prompting is Liberty's job," Darcy retorted.

"Listen, I'm directing and playing Van Helsing and I know my lines," said JT.

"How about you stop changing the blocking every five minutes?" Darcy argued.

"I know! How about I change the casting instead?"

"Are you firing me?"

"Can't if you resign first."

"Fine, then I curse you! Macbeth!" Darcy angrily walked off stage.

"Now who are we gonna get to play Mina?" asked Liberty.

"We'll find someone," JT muttered.

.

Manny invited Liberty and Emma over for Mani-Pedis, but Emma hadn't shown up.

"Is Emma coming?" Liberty asked.

"I don't think so. When I asked her she said, 'you'd have more fun without my hands and feet tagging along'," said Manny. "So who's gonna play Mina now?"

"I don't know," said Liberty, still mad at JT for making Darcy quit.

"You know, Emma knows Mina's lines," Manny told Liberty.

"She does?" Liberty was surprised since Emma had bombed her audition.

.

"Forgive me, Libby Tibby, my ickle knobby wobby pumpkin head, pwease!" JT begged the next day in class.

Liberty secretly thought it was funny, but still retorted with, "Do I honestly strike you as a baby talk type of woman? You fired Darcy, and now we have zip, zero, zilch!"

"Let me be as your lighthouse. A canary for your coalmine. Let Dracula come to my breast and I will allow him sustenance," Emma recited one of Mina's lines for JT.

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"I auditioned for Mina, remember?"

"We need reliable, rock solid," said Liberty, unsure if Emma would be a good person to play Mina.

"I can do rock solid," replied Emma.

"Yesterday you missed your cue, and you didn't even show up to Manny's. Everyone knows you're off or whatever," said Liberty.

"I'm not off. I know the blocking. I'm your Mina," said Emma.

"So corsets. Ever worn one?" JT asked Emma.

"So I got the part?"

"We're desperate here," said JT. Liberty reluctantly agreed. JT walked over to Liberty's desk. "Look, I'm sorry for firing Darcy, but she still didn't know her lines," JT tried apologizing again.

"I know. We're both stressed about this," Liberty replied.

"So am I forgiven?" JT asked. Liberty nodded.

"Okay class everyone to your seats," the teacher instructed, and JT went back to his desk.

.

After school at rehearsal, they started off with act 2 scene 7.

"But no, I cannot," Emma said her line.

"Emma. Script says you kiss Dracula. So kiss him!" JT ordered.

"Sorry. It's weird doing this in front of everybody," Emma apologized.

"It's not real. Just do it," He said. "Next play, Liberty, unionized actors," he muttered.

"I'm sorry. I'll have it down by tomorrow," Emma said.

"Fine. Tomorrow. Don't let me down. Set change for scene one!" JT called out.

.

"Are you as nervous as I am about the play tomorrow?" Liberty asked JT. They were sitting on a park bench doing homework.

"Yep," JT responded, "but I guess we're doing our best. And so are the actors. That's the important thing." JT put his arm around Liberty and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I just hope the audience sees it that way," she replied. They sat peacefully in silence, and for a few minutes they ignored all the stress on their minds and just enjoyed each others presence.

.

Finally, it was the night of the play. Everyone was backstage getting ready to go onstage. Liberty was talking to Manny.

"I can't believe I have to play Alex's part. Tell me you're as nervous as I am," Liberty said.

"You'll do great. I have to go talk to Emma," Manny replied.

That night everything went well, and after the play was done, and the whole crew was congratulating one another.

"That was great, everybody!" Liberty said.

"It really was," JT agreed.

"I guess we had nothing to worry about," Liberty muttered to JT.

"Yeah," he said, hugging her.