Hi there!

This is my first Eclare fic, and I hope I do them justice. For right now, it's just a one-shot. But if you guys kindofsortofmaybe actually like it, I'll consider making it a two-shot. I apologize majorly if these guys are OOC, I'm still getting back into the swing of writing fanfics.

*I don't own Degrassi, Eli, or Clare. They're actors in a TV show, and I'm just one of their fangirls.*

"You know it's like, two thirty in the morning, right?" His voice was low and soft, almost like he was still dreaming. For a second, just a second, I wondered if I could get him to sound like that when he was fully awake. I almost thought about asking him.

"Right...I'm sorry, I should just go. I mean, it is pretty late and we've got school tomorrow, so-" But as usual, everything clever and cool I could've said to him flew out of my head the moment I started talking.

"You can't hang up on me now that you've got me awake." He said in a low whisper that made my stomach drop. "What'd you need, blue eyes?"

"Could you...could you tell me a story?" I blurted out, too loud, too fast. I scrambled to explain, words coming out in a nervous rush. "See, when I was little and had a nightmare, my mom used to make me hot chocolate. And then as I drank it, she'd tell me the longest story she knew so I'd calm down and fall back to sleep."

There was a beat of silence on the other end. Why did I think calling him was a good idea? I always end up looking like an idiot...A lonely, desperate idiot.

"So...let me get this straight, blue eyes. You want me to come over there and tuck you in? Pull the blankets up to your chin, make you some hot chocolate, and tell you a bedtime story?" His voice was low and rough, almost cynical. "You want me to play mommy?"

"No, I just- I just...I'm sorry." Tears welled up in the corner of my eyes and my ceiling became a white, shadowy blur. "I shouldn't have called. It was a stupid idea."

"What'd I tell you about that? You can't hang up on me once you've got me awake. And I'm awake now, so you'll get your story." The cynical edge was gone as quick as it came. What was up with that? "But I can't come over, not tonight. I'd love to play mommy for you and make you that hot chocolate, but Morty doesn't do snow storms."

I could feel my pulse racing beneath my t-shirt and was so, so relieved Eli wasn't here to notice it.

A minute went by. I still hadn't said anything. I'd forgot what words were, I was so damn surprised at what he'd said. Another minute went by, and his voice broke the static.

"Clare? Hey...are you still there? Don't fall asleep on me now. I haven't even told you the beginning, yet."

"Right. Right, I'm still here. Sorry." My heartbeat was threatening to go into overdrive again, but I told it to shut up. It's just a story. Just Eli.

Just Eli...the hottest goth-kid I've ever met...telling me a story.

"Once upon a time, in a far away land that wasn't called Canada, there lived a knight who wasn't named Elijah. It was some other Biblical name that sounded like Elijah, but totally wasn't."

I couldn't help but giggle. "Go on."

"So this guy, this knight. He set out on a quest. It wasn't to find the Holy Grail or anything, that was stupid. He knew it wasn't in Canada, a bunch of peasants had already wasted their whole lives trying to dig it up on the other side of the world. Okay, anyway. Not-Eli set out on a quest, an adventure. He was looking for something way more important than the Holy Grail. But the problem was, it wasn't something you could touch. It was something you could only feel with your heart."

"What was it?" I asked quietly, anticipating a trademark witty response.

"He was looking for the emotion I feel when I'm talking to you, Edwards."

My heartbeat thundered in my ears, past the point of controlling itself now. "And what would that be, Goldsworthy?"

"Shhhhh...just wait and see, blue eyes."

He slipped back into his storytelling voice for me, all deep and dark and dramatic. "So not-Eli traveled all around the land in search of this emotion. He'd been told it was the most powerful thing in the universe. It was stronger than death's icy grip, deeper than the ocean's chasms, and warmer than the sun. So naturally, not-Eli wanted this power for himself. He didn't care what the cost was, he'd find it."

"Eventually, after he'd wandered the world alone and grumpy and unhappy, he met a fellow adventurer. She was the most beautiful person he'd ever come across. Like, ever. Her hair was like honey and chocolate if they'd been mixed together and left out in the sun. And her eyes - dear God, her eyes...they sparkled with laughter even on the darkest nights, and they made him think of the sky and the sea and all the other breath-taking things Mother Nature had made for man to explore." His voice become as deep and dark as the sky outside, and his words were like sparks in my heart, making me shiver all over. "And he realized that he wanted to explore her, get lost in her."

"And did he?" I breathed, voice barely above a whisper. I was afraid if I spoke up any louder, it'd break the spell.

"Of course, of course. It took time, a hell of a lot of time, but not-Eli was a patient person. And this girl, who was named the French version of Clare-"

"Which is still, in fact, Clare-" I said with a smile.

"This girl," Eli continued on, a smile in his voice. "This girl turned his whole life around. So they traveled around the world together, meeting new people, making enemies, and just living it up together. After a while, not-Eli realized that he didn't need to go on some stupid quest for that crazy emotion the freaking peasants told him about."

"And why's that?" I wondered if he could hear my pulse racing on the other end, waiting, waiting for the moment when he said-

"Because he'd had it buried in his heart the moment he met not-Clare. When he saw the spark in her eyes and felt the warmth of her presence, he knew he'd found the thing man had been moving mountains for."

I found myself holding my breath, sitting straight up in bed waiting for his answer.

"But I'll tell you that part of the story tomorrow night."

"What?" I held the phone closer to my ear. "What?"

"You said your mom told you the longest story she knew and you'd always fall asleep before the end. So since you didn't fall asleep, I'm gonna have to draw out my epic tale a little longer."

"...Oh."

I could hear the easy laughter in his voice at my disappointment. "A deal's a deal, y'know."

"I know."

"So, uhm...do you think I could come over for that hot chocolate, now?" His voice had dipped down into dangerous territory - a low, nervous whisper. A whisper I found unbelievably, unexplainably sexy.

"If Morty's in the mood for driving through a snow storm." I said, tone matching his.

"He's not. But I'm in the mood to see you. So I'll make it happen, blue eyes." He laughed a little, but I could tell he was serious. "You'll see."

"Think I'll get a kiss goodnight after that hot chocolate, Goldsworthy?" Eli's story had made me bold, and suddenly, I needed to know.

"That depends if you can stay awake for it, Edwards." The way he whispered it made me shiver under all my blankets, because there was something in his voice that promised I'd get more than what I'd asked for.

Lots, lots more.

*hides in a dark corner of the interwebs where you can't find me*

I regret nothing!