WARNING: happy people, death hugs, time jumping! &&&& surprises!

Chapter Twenty-Four: Home Sweet Home (Eli's POV)

One Year Later:

Home. I haven't used that term in a year. It's been a solid year since the hallway incident that landed me in an insane asylum. A year of back to back episodes that could be easily dealt with or could put in me into a straightjacket in a padded room. I would bang my head against the wall, that was until they were so scared they put me in a helmet. Hilarity ensued for Lizzy as she would poke fun at me, it would piss Mom off, but it actually made me smile. I haven't seen them all in so long. Mom comes by weekly, Lizzy comes by when Dad isn't home and Dad.. I haven't seen him in a year since they dropped me off here. It was his idea. I supposedly needed it all. I sat twirling my thumbs forward and backward, my attempt at staying still. I looked up to see nurses and doctors walking past my room. Some would occasionally check in on me, I'm still the one they feared. The one who bites and claws. I haven't done so in months, but I still could if I let the voices get to me, which can be extremely difficult. "Hey sweetheart." A soft voice soothed. I looked up to see my Mom standing there with a friendly smile on her face. "Are you all packed up?" Mom questioned, looking at my black duffle bag. I nodded. "Yeah." I hopped off the bed and slung the duffle bag over my shoulder and approached Mom. She smiled and pulled me into a bear hug. I could feel her tears hit my cheek. "Mom.. Can't.. Breathe." I gasped. Mom let go and wiped her tears away feverishly. I took a deep breath and looked at Mom's beaming emeralds. "I'm just so happy my baby can come back home. The house is so eerily quiet with only me and your sister there." Mom admitted. I chuckled and followed her out of the room. "What about Dad?" I asked, I didn't care where he could be, but it bothered me to know he wasn't here. Mom seemed to be rigid while walking towards the door of the asylum. "Oh.. Your father is working. He does that a lot." Mom said in a quiet voice. I snickered. "He's always working. Some father there." I added. Mom didn't say a word as we were escorted out by an orderly. I looked back at the seriously guarded asylum. No one could escape. Trust me. I tried and failed as I made it out to the front. I was dragged inside and put in a padded cell as my punishment. "Are you going to miss it here, Eli?" Mom asked as we were in her car. I pulled my seat belt over my body and scoffed. "Mom.. Just take me the hell away from here." Mom cracked a smile and pulled from the parking lot. I stared at the endless green as we were exiting Ajax and on the long road to Toronto. I missed it there. Hell I missed Degrassi and that was saying something. But I was missing Clare more. Adam had told me about her and KC. I couldn't believe it at first and had a tantrum over it. Since then Adam doesn't bring Clare up. "A lot has happened since you've left, Eli. A lot." I knew it all. Jenna lives in Hollywood, her brother Kyle and baby Bethany moved there also. From Adam, it seems like Jenna's been very popular amongst teenagers who listen to her pop love songs about cheating boyfriends or unrealistic ones that Jenna wishes were real. I'm happy for her. She can raise Bethany right and give her a great life filled with what that darling wants and needs. Adam constantly told me how he missed Fiona. Adam and Fiona, the oddest couple to ever walk the muddy ground. Who would've thought those two would've hit it off, Fiona's at Yale, almost at her sophomore year. I haven't seen her since she left at her graduation a year ago, although when the nurses weren't looking Adam would sneak his laptop in and we'd skype her from Yale. They were the relationship people would only wish could happen, the girlfriend who's living in another country and the boyfriend who promises to wait for her. Then there's Fitz. He's been back for a year and has been seen with KC as his new best friend. I was only lucky that he was graduating this year, despite that we're both seniors, I missed the end of Junior year, but had enough credits to enter Senior.. But I don't have enough to graduate. I'll be repeating Senior year and for the remainder of this year I'll be sitting clueless in class. Then there was Clare. Every time I see her face or ever hear the name Clare, I think of her. My damaged heart would ache and be in pain, but it was worth it. She was worth it all. I gagged thinking of her and KC, the ass who had broken her heart before me and managed to capture it after me. Adam had no clue why she would date him again, he hasn't talked to her since she and Jenna engaged in a fight. I had sputtered out laughing when Adam told me, he defended Jenna saying she was in a fragile state, I rolled my eyes. Jenna earned that one for a while. The only good thing of repeating Senior year was being able to go through it with Adam… and possibly Clare. That's if KC is still in the way. I noticed that Mom had pulled into the driveway and I smiled staring at the brick house. Sure it was old, but it was home. Home Sweet Home. Mom told me to relax inside while she had the duffle bag and her purse. I pursed my lips. If there was a surprise party that Adam hosted, I'd kick his ass. I don't care if he's a girl underneath, I'll still do so. I flung the door open to see it was still the same living room. "Guess I was wrong." I mumbled. I plopped on the new leather couch and reached for the remote when I felt someone tackle me. I looked up to see it was Lizzy, she had me on the ground, my arms pinned down. She had a smug smile that was lopsided. "Welcome back Elijah." Lizzy said with a smile. "I'd hug you Lizzy, if you got the hell off of me!" I exclaimed. Lizzy giggled and stood up brushing dust off her white shirt. I stood up and pulled her into a death grip hug. "Eli.. Can't.. breathe.. You're holding.. Too.. Tight." Lizzy gasped. I held her closer and chuckled. "Just missed you Lizzy. Is that such a crime." Lizzy managed to squirm from my grasp and smoothed her blond hair out. "You've changed Lizzy. You got.." I trailed off. I knew what it was. Lizzy was more developed now, her face a bit fuller and she did grow. She was starting to look more like Mom. "Breasts? Yeah that I know Eli." Lizzy said in a teasing tone. I smacked her arm. "Shut it Elizabeth." I mumbled. Not so at ease with her getting older which meant boys. Boys that wouldn't touch her unless I was there supervising. "Race you to the fridge! There's one scoop of cookie dough ice cream and Mom said I can have dibs!" Lizzy shouted. I smirked. "Your on." With that we scrambled into the kitchen pushing and shoving each other on the way. Although I stopped when I saw Adam, Fiona, Jenna with Bethany standing there with grins. "Guess you weren't right, Eli." Adam teased. I groaned with a smile. "Your so getting your ass kicked Torres. But there's a baby here." I said as I eyed a larger Bethany. Her blond hair in pigtails and she was chewing on a teething ring. "Looks like we have something in common." I said with a chuckle. Now I was happy to be home. If only Clare was here.. That would make it more perfect.

ELI'S OUT! Haha I needed him out of that insane asylum! We got to see Caroline and Lizzy! Oh && in case any are wondering the exact ages and grades of them all its…

Eli G: 17 (almost 18) & Senior (being held back for not enough credits)

Clare E: 17 (she just turned in February) & Junior

Adam T: 17 (he just turned in February as well) & Junior

Fiona C: 20 & a freshman in college

Jenna M: 17 & Junior (being home schooled)

KC G: 17 & Junior

Fitz: 19 & Senior

Alli B: 17 & Junior (still in USA)

Bethany M: 1 & she's a baby! No school for her! Possible home schooling when older though

Caroline G: 42

Lizzy G: 12 & seventh grade

Trust me I didn't mean for EVERYONE to be 17, haha they're all born in the same year! (besides Eli & Fitz) && the year is 2012, since Eli spent all of 2011 in the insane asylum, OHHHH and..

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