A/N: Sorry for the wait! Life is catching up with me. I'm going to try and finish this story before I start school on Monday, hopefully! Enjoy :)

"No, left! Left!"

"Which way's left?"

"Left! The direction is left!"

"What button is that?!"

"The left arrow!" Eli couldn't help but laugh at his girlfriend, who was intently focused on the screen in front of her. The tip of her tongue poked out of her mouth as she focused on the round of Halo he was attempting to teach her how to play.

"I give. We're done," Clare said, throwing the controller on his bed. "I can't do this."

"Come on, I'm sure if you gave it one more shot?" Eli asked eagerly, holding out the controller.

"Nope, sorry. You'll have to go to Adam for gaming." She flopped back on the bed, as if the activity had physically exhausted her, letting out a loud sigh. Eli looked down at her, mimicking her action, flopping down on the bed next to her and sighing loudly. She looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"What now?" she asked.

"Well…we could…" Eli rolled over and pressed his lips to hers.

"Or, we could do something else on our list," Clare said a moment later, pulling away.

"Fine," Eli huffed, rolling off his bed and getting up. He grabbed the paper that contained their list that was on his desk, looking through the last options. "We could build our fort?"

Clare's face broke into a grin and she hopped up. "Yes!" She ran out of the room to the closet across the hall, returning with an armful of extra pillows and blankets. Eli grinned at her eagerness, going to take them from her.

"Where to start…" The couple spent the next good hour and a half arranging sheets along the walls and draping them over chairs before proceeding to build the inside of their fort. They added a thick layer of duvets and pillows, making it soft. As a final touch, they added a lamp on the floor to illuminate the inside of their fort.

"This is nice," Clare said. They had entered their fort, and were lying on the floor. It gave off the air of being magical, the dark sheets and blankets contrasting with the small stream of light coming from the lamp. Clare had settled herself into Eli's chest, and he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, stroking her curls softly. Looking into her eyes, he took a moment to absorb her beauty.

"I'm in love with you." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. For a dreadful moment, he wished he could turn back time. They had said 'I love you' many times before, but this was different.

But then, she smiled.

"I'm in love with you too, Eli."

When they kissed, it didn't feel like it usually did. It felt better. Behind their kiss, there was more passion, more love, and they felt like they could handle anything.

A few hours later, Cece came in to tell Eli that it was time to take Clare home, but found them both asleep. With a small smile, she crossed the room to turn out the lamp and went downstairs to call Helen.

"I didn't have the heart to wake them."

"Oh, I suppose it's alright if she stays. Just send her home first thing tomorrow."

"Eli loves your daughter," Cece said. "Very much."

"Why else would you think I'd let her stay?" Helen Edwards would normally never let Clare stay the night at a boy's house, especially one she was dating. But there was something in the way Eli looked at her daughter that was different. He looked at her like she was the only person on the entire planet. His whole face lit up, and she could tell that he would do anything for her.

"He's a good man, your son," Helen said to Cece.

"It's Clare that made him that way." And it was true. Everything had changed ever since the day Eli ran over Clare's glasses in the Degrassi parking lot. He came home that day, happier. There had been a light in his eyes that was never there before. And every day since, he had grown a little brighter. His dark world had changed drastically, just because of one person.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

A/N: Reviews would be amazing! I'll try and finish the story tomorrow, as I start school on Monday! D: If I don't, I'll finish as soon as possible.