Winners for last week's poll are up on the DeGrassi Saviors website and new character polls are up. This week it's Bianca, Eli & Fiona. Be sure and get your votes in the poll will stay up for one week. Next week will be the last of the character votes and then we'll move onto couples.

If you're wondering where all the long stories are then you haven't been checking the calendars on the DeGrassi Saviors website. Also the home page on the website has been changed so check that out.

*Spinner & Peter both still work at The Dot, so does Holly J

This whole chapter ended up being in Clare's pov.

Ch. 5 It's Not so Black & White

(CLARE)

"You look a little tired Clare did you not sleep well?" Audra questions when I sit down to breakfast Monday morning.

"No she had a bad dream and went out to the backyard to get some air sometime after midnight," Bianca says.

"I slept fine after that," I tell them which is true but there had been no nightmare. Even though I had come in and slept just fine after that but only because I had been with Fitz.

I start eating and no one says anything else about it, once we're all ready for school Drew drives us. We get out and walk inside, Steve and his buddies that tried to attack me in the storage room, are leering at me. They look downright angry, much like a starving vicious pack of jackals that's seen a wounded baby antelope and are planning an attack. The way they're looking at me has me nervous and I grab Drew's arm instinctually trying to hide. Drew's other arm is around Bianca but when I grab him it jerks him slightly and they both look back at me. This action also causes Adam to look over to me and now everyone is staring at me.

"Errmm sorry I uhh tripped," I say uncomfortably rather than telling them I was trying to hide from a pack of senior boys. Especially since none of them seem to notice the boys staring at us.

My cheeks are flushed red and I look away from everyone, running inside with my head down. Adam follows me of course and Drew and Bianca come into the school but also decide to follow us to our lockers. They aren't asking me any questions, they aren't even looking at me in fact they're making out on the locker next to mine. When I open my locker I see my mother's ring hanging on a chain. I'm elated to see it and I know only Fitz could have put it there. I smile and take it down unclasping the chain to put it on.

"What's that?" Adam inquires closing my locker door a little to look at it.

"My mother's ring," I smile closing the clasp around my neck and turning it so the ring is in front. It's perfect the ring sits just an inch below my clavicle.

"The one that Candy girl had on? How'd it get on a chain in your locker?" Adam questions which breaks Drew and Bianca from their kissing, of course it might have been Owen approaching that did that too.

"It umm…I…uhh…" I stumble over a reason that the ring is magically in my locker without telling them Fitz put it there.

"Must have been her guardian angel," Owen speaks up.

"Yeah my guardian angel," I nod. It was in fact my guardian angel they just don't know that he's not an angel but a boy named Fitz.

"You're guardian angel got your mother's ring back and left it in your locker?" Adam questions pinching his eyebrows together.

"It led me to her in the storage room on Friday when Steve and a few of his cronies had her captive," Owen enlightens them.

"Excuse me!" Adam exclaims.

"Steve who?" Bianca inquires.

"Bowes," Owen says.

"How in the hell did that creep get you captive in the storage room?" Drew asks.

"I wasn't exactly captive," I dispute.

"She hurt Steve on her own but when I got in there Clark and Jarod were holding her by the arms and Kyle was watching. I made them release her and told her we'd be spending our spare together from now on but it's lucky I found her when I did," Owen says.

"Sounds to me like you're her guardian angel," Bianca comments.

"I didn't know she was in trouble until I got there, I heard tapping in the walls it moved farther away and I followed it to the storage room where I heard Clare's panicked voice and the guys laughing," Owen informs them.

"Tapping? In the walls?" Drew asks slowly, "Maybe your guardian angel is a rat."

"Maybe," I reply. It's as good of an explanation as any other I can come up with.

"Well it's a good thing Owen got to you Steve is the lowest of the low life's best to stay away from him," Bianca tells me.

"Hey Edwards," Eli smirks coming up to us and then looks at the ring around my neck. He picks the ring up with two of his fingers and examines it. "You get engaged or something last night?"

"It's my mother's ring I got it back this morning," I clarify and Eli lets go of the ring.

"Well that's good, I had fun yesterday you want to eat lunch with me at The Dot again today?" Eli offers.

"Sure that would be nice," I smile.

"Good come on we should get to class," Eli says putting his arm around my waist. He puts his other arm around Adam's shoulders and the three of us walk to class.

We're the first ones in class, we sit at our desks and Adam and Eli begin talking about comics. I have no interest in comics but I also can feel Fitz watching, not sure where he is or how he watches me from inside the school without being seen, but I feel him watching. It makes me smile and I start dragging the ring on the chain absentmindedly.

"Our project is due Friday we should film one of these afternoons," Eli remarks breaking me from my thoughts.

"We can use my backyard to film; we can check a camera out some time this week. We should probably get our names on the list there's only so many cameras," Adam remarks.

Miss Dawes must have heard us because she makes an announcement about getting our names on the equipment rental list before we leave class today. Class goes by quickly since we're all writing independently and when the bell rings we leave class together.

"See you at lunch Edwards," Eli says kissing my hand before he goes to auto shop. "See you in third period drama Adam," Eli waves and walks down the hall.

Adam and I walk to chemistry, Alli and Hannah are already in the class and remark about my ring. I tell them it was my mom's but not how I got it. Mr. Bettankamp is a good teacher and his classes always go by pretty fast but I'm still happy when the bell rings for lunch. I walk to my locker to put away my backpack and Eli finds me there. He takes my hand and we walk over to The Dot.

"So are things better with your dad?" Eli questions after we've ordered and sat down.

"I don't know I haven't been home yet, he hasn't called or anything either but I suppose he knows I'm at Adam's," I reply ruefully.

Eli drops the subject and we talk about school, the approaching fall dance and Halloween instead. I have a nice time with Eli, he doesn't scare me once and there is a definite attraction to him both physically and intellectually. We share a love of writing, reading and foreign art movies. None the less I have this connection with Fitz and however much I'm attracted to Eli I can't get Fitz from my mind. Then again despite my connection with Fitz and my fascination with him I don't really know if I'm attracted to him. Wanting to be with him and feeling safe with him is not the same as attraction and given that the first time we met he saved me from rape and more, and he's continued save me this makes sense. I haven't spent much time with him either, not for lack of trying but his world is a secret and he was cast out of mine. So while the small amount of time I have spent with him gave me a desire to know more I can't really say I'm attracted to him, fascinated yes and connected for sure but I'd need to be with him more to determine if there was truly an attraction there. And even if I am the fact that we essentially live in two different worlds presents it's own set of problems.

After lunch Eli and I walk slowly back to school and then sit out on the bench when we get there. We don't say anything just sit there watching people and holding hands. When the bell rings Eli walks me inside to my locker.

"See you next period," Eli says and leans in gently putting his lips on mine; I return the kiss and feel butterflies in my stomach as we kiss.

"Come on you're sticking with me this period," Owen insists coming over just as Eli as leaving.

Eli looks back at me cocking an eyebrow, I suppose wondering why I'm spending my spare with Owen but Eli doesn't say anything. I get my backpack from my locker and we spend our spare in the memorial garden both of us doing homework. When the bell rings we both walk to media studies and sit at our tables.

"Are you sleeping over again?" Adam asks when he and Eli come in.

"No I should probably go home hopefully Dad has gotten it out of his system now," I reply.

"Yeah hopefully," Adam smiles.

"I can drive you home after school," Eli suggests.

"Thanks Eli," I grin and kiss his cheek.

We watch a movie in media studies and then each table is given an assignment to do. When the bell rings and school is out we all walk out together. Eli and I wave to Adam and I go with Eli to his car, still not very fond of this hearse but I appreciate the ride. Eli drops me at home and I give him a quick kiss before getting out of the car. I go in set down my backpack and make sure Eli is gone then I leave again, walking across to the park. Owen isn't here today and I get all the way to the storm drain, but I do make sure no one is watching before I go in.

It's not until I'm inside and walking through the old storm drain I realize I don't know where I'm going and I'm hoping it's just a straight tunnel. I should have been paying more attention when he was leading me out and brought a flashlight since I'm only using my phone for light, although a little light filters in from grates here and there. I'm also hoping that Fitz just knows I'm here as he usually does. I walk until there's a fork in the road and then I stop. I stand there a few moments wondering which way to go, if I go the wrong way I could get horribly lost. I sigh and turn around about to walk back out when I hear footsteps, I see a shadow approaching and I know already it's Fitz. I smile and run to him but he stops before I can embrace him, holding my arms and keeping him from me at arm's length.

"You shouldn't be here Clare," he tells me in a scolding tone.

"I know, I'm sorry but I had to see you, to thank you for retrieving my mother's ring for me. I know it couldn't have been easy and I appreciate it, I thought it was lost to me."

"I knew how much it meant to you," he says releasing my arms.

It's totally dark now since my phone went to sleep and yet somehow I know just where his lips are, I even know that his hood is down. I put my hands on his shoulders, stand on my tiptoes and ensnare his lips with mine. The second my lips are on his I inhale a blissful breath almost as if breathing for the first time. Those butterflies I felt in my stomach when I kissed Eli are ten times stronger when my lips touch to Fitz's. There's a spark between us, one I can't deny, something beyond friendship and fascination.

Fitz responds to the kiss after a few seconds, his lips part just slightly and he begins kissing me back. His hand going to my lower back and he steps closer to me, I break the kiss with a smile on my lips and this time Fitz lets out a breath.

"Thank you for getting my ring back."

"You're welcome but you can't come looking for me like this."

"I know I'm not supposed to come looking for you at all, or see you at all for that matter," I huff taking my hand from his shoulder and stepping back a little.

"You belong with Eli," Fitz tells me.

"What do you mean I belong with Eli? I've been on two dates with the boy and going on a couple of dates has nothing to do with me being able to see you, spend time with you at all," I argue.

"Yes it does Clare you're supposed to forget about me."

"Well I can't do that, I don't want to do that and you can't ask that of me."

"Clare…" Fitz begins but I cut him off.

"No! I won't forget about you, I won't stop trying to look for you. I respect the privacy of your world and the people you live with but you can't tell me you'll be watching me still and expect me to just stop. I can sense you, I know when you're around and you want me to just pretend like you don't exist? Like we never met? Like we don't share this connection? I refuse to do it. I won't ask questions about you, I won't come looking for you and risk exposing your community but then you have to come to me. Please Fitz I don't know what it is we have but I refuse to lose it and not see you."

"At night but I'll find you and only if I can see you without others seeing me. What about you and Eli?"

"There is no me and Eli, not yet anyway and there may never be. I don't know what will happen with me and Eli I just know that I don't want to lose you."

"You won't but you should be with Eli, he likes you and I know you like him and he doesn't have to hide," Fitz asserts. I could argue that Fitz doesn't have to hide either and he could come back to the world but we've already discussed it. "Come I'll walk you out," Fitz says taking my hand and he leads me out before we come to the light at all he puts his hood back up. We don't even get out the light when he stops. "You can make it from here, I'll find you tomorrow night if it's safe."

I smile and he lets go of my hand. I leave him somewhat reluctantly; something deep inside tells me to turn and go back with him and not go home. I ignore it however and walk across the park to my home. I unlock the front door, grab a snack and go up to my room. I did most of my homework at school but I have a little left and I get started on it. After I finish my homework I turn on music and check e-mails and some other stuff on my laptop, until I hear the front door open and I know my dad is home. I go downstairs and see my dad in the kitchen only he's not alone, Candy is with him and I have the sudden sensation of wanting to vomit.

"Clare you're home, good we have something to tell you," Dad says.

"Don't tell me you two are dating."

"No Clarebear not dating we got married yesterday," Candy informs showing me her wedding ring.

"YOU DID WHAT?! Dad have you lost your mind you've known this child for five minutes!"

"Watch how you speak to me, and isn't that mine, how did you get that?" Candy asks reaching for my mother's ring and I grab her wrist.

"It was my mother's ring and don't you ever touch it again you stupid bitch!"

"Randy are you going to let her speak to me that way?"

"Go upstairs will you Babe and give us a minute?" Dad says to her and then they kiss and I nearly vomit. Candy gives me a haughty smirk before going upstairs.

"Tell me she's joking," I demand.

"I love her Clare, she makes me happy and I think I deserve to be happy. If you give her a chance I think the two of you could be good friends. I'm happy for the first time in a very long time and you're almost grown you don't need me anymore," Dad argues.

"I'm fifteen Dad it doesn't mean I don't need you anymore and it doesn't give you the right to go off and marry a girl only a few years older than me that you've known five minutes!"

"Clare I'm not going to argue about this, I'm happy and you should be happy for me. Your mother is never coming back and I'm in love wi…" my dad is contending but I've heard enough and I interrupt.

"You can't possibly be in love with Candy you don't even know her! You're going through a midlife crisis a…"

"STOP RIGHT NOW," he yells very loud and he's never yelled at me, not once. It's startling and I step back, my heart pounding. "I'm in love, I'm happy and I want you to be a part of this happy family but maybe the best thing is for you to stay with Adam for a while. I think the best thing is for us to have some time apart and you can come back when you realize that Candy is now a part of this family," Dad tells me and then he walks past me upstairs.

I'm astonished and hurt, I begin to cry hot angry tears and I run upstairs grabbing my homework and backpack, a few pieces of clothing, stuffing them all in. Then I run out of the house and down the street crying so hard I can barely see where I'm going. I know I'm near The Dot because I can see the lights and before I reach it I'm pulled into the alley behind it. Far back into the darkness and into Fitz's arms, my head against his chest I sob against it clinging to his hoodie and he tightens his arms around me. I feel safe now, cared for, like a blanket of serenity and solace has been wrapped around me with his arms.

"What is it? What's happened?" Fitz asks.

"My father married that girl yesterday; he claims to be in love with her. He kicked me out until I could accept it but I never will."

"I'm sorry Clare," Fitz says stroking some hair from my face.

"I lost my father to some slut, he chose her over me, we've never been terribly close but at least I had him."

"You'll always have me and your friends. You should call Adam have them come and get you. Wait in The Dot where it's safe," Fitz tells me.

I take a few deep breaths and stop the stream of tears, Fitz holds me until I'm ready to step away. He watches me from the dark until I go around the corner and into the café. I sit at the table near the window and get out my phone clicking on Adam's name.

"Hey Clare."

"Can Drew or your parents come get me?" I question and now that Fitz is not holding me I'm once again on the brink of tears.

"We'll leave right now where are you?" Adam asks.

"The Dot."

"We'll be there in five," Adam tells me and hangs up.

"Here you look like you need this," Spinner says bringing me over a hot chocolate.

I manage a small thanks and sip at the hot chocolate, when Drew and Adam pull up Spinner puts the hot chocolate into a to-go cup. He hands it to me with a sympathetic look and I go out to Drew's car getting in the backseat.

"I take it Candy was at your house?" Drew inquires as he begins driving again.

"Yes she's my new stepmother," I respond bitterly.

"WHAT?!" Drew and Adam exclaim together and Drew nearly crashes.

"He married her yesterday apparently, never even said anything to me, he wants us to be one big happy family. He doesn't love her he's gone insane. He's kicked me out of the house until I can accept her and be happy for them," I tell them through my bitter and enraged tears.

"He's definitely gone insane but you know you can stay with us," Adam tells me with a smile and I nod. We park at their house and go into the basement; they don't need to tell their mom I'm here because I sleep over all the time. "It's a midlife crisis Clare your dad will realize his mistake eventually," Adam tries to assure me.

"Adam's right this will pass and until then you bunk here," Drew says.

"I know but it still hurts. I'm feeling a little ill and very tired after everything, I think I'll just take a shower and go to bed," I tell them.

"Yeah of course, come get us if you need anything," Adam comments and I smile a little.

"I can ask Bianca to beat Candy up," Drew offers and I laugh a little.

"We'll be right upstairs if you need us," Adam says.

"Thanks Adam, at least I still have you guys."

Adam and Drew hug me and they go upstairs, I take a long shower and then get ready for bed. I feel exhausted and I'm about to fall into bed when I see Fitz in the darkness outside. I run to the sliding glass door and open it; he steps forward a little but stays outside.

"I just came to check on you and make sure you got here."

"Fitz stay here with me tonight please?"

Update on Saturday will pick up from right here in Fitz pov and will also include Fitz confronting Clare's father.