Disclaimer: I’ve decided I don’t want to own Degrassi anyway. So there!

Author’s Note: The end? Or do you guys want a sequel? It will have the same Semma pairing, but it’ll probably have Manny, Ashley, Craig and Ellie as the focus of the story. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out - I’ve been having major relationship problems that have included two break ups, two reconciliations… But we’re still having problems. So please, try to forgive the lack up update. I’m having a rough time.

The old apartment was gone now, and Ellie felt settled in her father’s house. It had been a month since she had moved out, and about two days since the talk with Sean in what was dubbed “neutral ground”, which had been the apartment. And now she was faced with an even bigger problem - the facing of fears. It wasn’t that Ellie didn’t care about Craig, or that she didn’t care enough to make a commitment. Ellie was…well, there was only one way to say it, so she might as well admit it. I, Ellie Nash, am afraid of a boy. There. Well, didn’t she feel pathetic? She hadn’t even felt this hesitant and at a loss around Marco, and that was when she had pulled the pitiful “secret admirer” notes to lure him away from Hazel. That had worked very well, hadn’t it? Only for months later to usher him into the arms of one Dylan Michalchuk. Bravo, Nash.

Why was she thinking about Marco now? Any more-than-friendly feelings she had ever harbored for him disappeared a long time ago. Oh, right, it was avoidance tactics. She was good at those. Instead of thinking about how to tell Craig what her decision was, she was dwelling on the past which in reality, didn’t really bother her again. Okay, focus. Deep breath in, deep breath out. One, two, three, four, five, hold, release. Slowly, slowly, good girl. There, heart rate normal, let’s keep the panic attacks off. Time to get it over with, Eleanor.

She reached for the phone, hesitated again, then picked it up. She dialed Craig’s number from memory. A ring, two rings, then a pick up. “Hello?” Oh God, I can’t do this!

Slam.

Way to go. Once again, Nash, brav-o.

--Scene Change--

Craig Manning was a very confused little guitarist. He stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, then shook his head and replaced the receiver. Well, that was interesting. Third hang up in an hour. Either Spinner was really bored and had decided that prank phone calls were the way to go, or… well, he didn’t really have an or.

He lay back on the couch in the garage, staring at the ceiling. There were too many memories in this place, he thought a bit unhappily. Manny memories, Ashley memories, even Downtown Sasquatch memories that were once considered happy. Craig wouldn’t admit it, but he missed Jimmy and Spinner being friends. He missed being close with Marco. The band was a group that was always there for each other, even though they all pretty much sucked. And he sure could use some advice right now.

Craig reached for the phone before it could ring again with no one on the other side, and dialed a number.

“Hello?”

“Hey Marco.”

--Scene Change--

Twenty minutes later, Marco met Craig at the park underneath one of the big trees. It had been awhile since the two boys had spoken, and both of them were feeling a bit awkward as they settled down. Suddenly, Craig felt that he was making a big deal out of nothing; past friendships were not supposed to be rekindled unless one or the other was diseased, dying, or dead. What was he supposed to say now?

“Ellie issues, huh?” Marco’s voice cut through the stillness, a knowing smile upon his face. Craig always thought he was subtle, but he had never really learned to mask his emotions. Whether that was because he was too honest for his own good, or just a really crappy actor, he didn’t know - after all, he still thought he was so smooth.

“Yeah, dude. I just don’t know what to do. I mean, I want to ask her to be my girlfriend, but I don’t want to push her into a decision. And I mean, what if I’m not ready for a girlfriend? I think I love her man, but anytime I think I love someone, I end up hurting someone else!” Craig’s words were rushed as all the conflicting emotions he had been feeling rushed out of him so fast, Marco would have had a hard time understanding it should he not have been so used to the boy’s ranting and fears from many talks before. Still, to see Craig Manning, usually so suave and confident, feeling insecure like this made it hard for him to choke back laughter.

“Dude, are you sure you haven’t gone off your meds?” Marco was teasing of course, but the glare he received for his efforts made him put his hands up in a reconciliatory gesture. “I’m just kidding man. I don’t know, if you love her, go for it. The worst she can say is no, right?”

“What if she says no, then laughs at me? Or just stares at me in shock? What if the thought has never crossed her mind? Or Marco, what if -”

“What if she suddenly decides she likes girls and wants to date Angie?” Marco smirked.

“Uhm… No, totally not what I was going to say…” Craig realized how ridiculous he had sounded though, and sheepishly smiled. “It’s just… I didn’t even feel this way about Her - Ashley. I didn’t feel that way about Ashley. Or anyone. And I want her to be my girlfriend. I do.”

Marco shook his head. He was so glad he didn’t like girls. Though, honestly, guys were just as tough. But really, why was he thinking about this now? “Look, I know Ellie. If she says no, she’ll have a good reason for it. But look who she goes to anytime she needs someone. It sure isn’t me anymore. It’s you. Maybe she’s just wondering why you haven’t asked yet.”

--Scene Change--

Marco left an hour later, and Craig trudged back home, intent on calling Ellie the moment he got into the house, only to discover that Joey was on the phone. Wonderful. He threw himself down on the couch to sulk and wait for the phone to be free, his almost-pathetic pout in place. Fifteen minutes later, he had grabbed the phone from Joey’s hands as soon as he had hung up and ran upstairs. He was feeling confident at the moment - he could do this. He and Ellie could be together! He punched in Ellie’s number, and waited. Silence, then…

“BUSY?”

That was utter bovine manure. Craig threw the phone back on its receiver and bolted down the stairs and through the door. Pausing once to clear his head, he slowed his pace and began the five-minute walk to Christian Nash’s house.

--Scene Change--

“Busy!” Ellie turned off the phone and sat back against her bed, head in hands. “I can’t believe it’s busy! I finally get up the nerve to call him, after trying all day and hanging up!” She heard the door open and close downstairs, but didn’t think anything of it. After all, it was the time her father got home, and in half an hour, she would probably be called down for dinner. That gave her thirty minutes to wallow in self-pity, and she planned to use those thirty minutes to her advantage.

“I mean, really! Who is he talking to at this hour? It’s just not fair! I finally am able to let the call go through without hanging up, and then the line is busy!” The redhead buried her face in her pillow, feeling much like throwing a temper tantrum, even if it was undignified.

“So… Uhm… I guess it wasn’t Spinner prank calling me all day?”

The sudden voice from the doorway of her room startled Ellie so much, she bolted upright and threw the first thing she could lay her hands on - namely, her lamp.

--Two Minutes Later--

“Oh, my God Craig, I’m so sorry!” Ellie had finally managed to wake him up after the lamp grazed his head. Luckily, her aim and never been that good to begin with, and she had missed the ceramic lighting device hitting him full in the face. Still, the minor impact had been enough to render him unconscious for a few minutes, during which Ellie had to keep herself from getting hysterical. After he regained awareness, she took him to bathroom to clean the cut on his forehead, apologizing every two seconds.

“It’s all right Ellie, really. I should have told you I was coming up. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Craig tried to re-assure her, but he was feeling a bit dizzy, and his statement didn’t have much strength behind it. “Listen… I wanted to ask you something.”

“What?” She was still fretting over his wound, barely paying attention as she put Neosporin® on a rather large bandage, before applying it over his cut.

“Ellie! Stop for a moment, would you? This is kinda important.” Craig had regained his firmness of voice, and his tone made the girl stop her nervous chatter and look at him questioningly. “Look… this is hard for me to say. But I really care about you, and, well… I want to give us a try. Would you consider being my girlfriend?”

“No.”

Craig looked taken aback at the swiftness of her answer, and the fact that it was a negative. “Wha - what? No?”

“I don’t have to consider, Craig. I want to be your girlfriend!” Ellie all but squealed as she threw her arms around him, her hand knocking against his head in her excitement.

“Ow!”

“Oh, God! Craig, I’m sorry!” Ellie looked as though she might start crying. Craig, on the other hand, had started laughing, and was doubled over with his mirth, tears running down his cheeks from both the excruciating pain and the absurdity of the situation. Ellie looked confused, but after a moment started laughing too.

“Not five minutes together, and I’m already in an abusive relationship,” Craig joked, sticking his tongue out at Ellie. Ellie chose that exact moment to press her lips to his, which resulted in a rather… deep kiss. When both had regained the ability to speak, Craig looked stunned. “But hey… that kind of abuse I really don’t mind.”

THE END.