Author's Note: I don't own Degrassi nor any other literary or pop culture references.

This is the long awaited (mostly by literarylolita and musiksnob) third part following literarylolita's "Kiss Me Like You Never Did" and Musiksnob's "Hold Me Like You'll Never Leave". Please, please, please go read them as they are absolutely fantastic. Also... this might be my first time writing a "first time". Bear with me.

Make Sure It'll Never End

The spring air swirled around Clare as she stood on the front step waving goodbye to her mother and Glen. After what had seemed like an endless string of hints, they had finally agreed that a long weekend at the cabin during Spring Break was not such a bad idea. Helen had been cautious to leave Clare alone, fearing she would take advantage of the empty house with Jake gone on what was initially a trip to Mexico that had morphed into a trip to Las Vegas.

"I was not born yesterday, Clare," she had said.

"Mom, I am not planning some sort of extravagant party while you're away!" Clare had sworn truthfully. "Alli and Jenna are gone with the Bhandari's on vacation, and Eli will be working on his scholarship essays. I promise you have nothing to worry about."

Helen seemed sated, but as they drove away, her steely glare shot back at Clare through the passenger window. Once they were finally out of sight, Clare headed back inside, closing the door behind her. She leaned back against the frame, letting out a deep breath. So far her Spring Break had been largely uneventful, but that was all about to change in just a few hours. She hadn't lied when she'd said that she wasn't planning an extravagant party. In fact, she only had plans for a party of two, but obviously her mother didn't need to know that. Eli actually was working on scholarship essays, and he was bringing a couple over that night for Clare to proofread. He still had not heard from NYU about his acceptance, and although he was applying to other schools, the stress of their lack of response was beginning to show in the creases of his brow and the slight downturn of his usual smile.

Clare worried what might happen to him if he didn't get in, how he would handle the rejection. The thought had kept her up every now and again over the last few weeks as Eli's anticipation grew. She worried that the setback educationally would cause setbacks in other ways, but she kept those fears to herself, locking them away behind reassuring smiles and tender touches of encouragement.

Eli had been staring at the same spot on the kitchen table for thirty minutes. On the well worn wood lay a white envelope with a specific purple return address. Without his parents home to pressure him, he hadn't been able to work up the courage to actually break the seal. He was due at Clare's house in little more than thirty minutes, and with shaky arms he pushed himself up and out of his chair to go back upstairs and pack his overnight bag. As he rounded the corner to head up the stairs, his eyes fell back on the lone envelope, and a bead of sweat weaved a winding path down his right temple.

His hands trembled as he put a change of clothes into his backpack, and Eli stretched his fingers to try to make them stop. The anticipation had been killing him for weeks, giving him a slight hint of insomnia as each day without word came to pass. He knew his future at NYU had always been up in the air, and he had never dared to let his mind think of it as definite, but the possibility of not getting in mildly terrified him. As much of a pipe dream as he knew it was, he hadn't really spent much time working on a backup plan, being so engrossed in padding his portfolio specifically for NYU. Sure, he had put in the offhand application at UTSC, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even begin to picture himself there.

Once his clothes and necessary toiletries were packed, Eli paused over the small box of condoms he had retrieved from his desk drawer. Clare hadn't been entirely specific on her intentions for the evening, but given their past discussions of their physical relationship, Eli had purchased them a few days after the Jay-Z concert just to be safe. If Clare was ready to have sex with him, a lack of protection would not be the only thing standing between him and finally being with the girl he loved in every way possible. Eli stowed them in the front zipper pocket of his bag, threw it over his shoulder, and headed back downstairs. He snatched the envelope containing his future off the table before heading out the door.

Clare fiddled with her loose fitting sweater, second guessing her choice of attire. The weather in Toronto during Spring Break was always unpredictable, but even so, it was cooler than usual, forcing her to dress in more layers than she would have liked considering what she wanted to do. Still, the light blue color made her eyes look extra bright, and the scooped neckline did at least allow her to show a little skin without losing any appendages from lack of warmth. Clare fluffed her hair one last time before the doorbell promptly rang from downstairs signaling Eli's arrival.

Here we go.

His face shook her confidence as he looked up to greet her. Clare wondered what could have happened in the few hours since they had spoken on the phone. Before she could ask, Eli hugged himself tightly to her, breathing in her scent, his face burying in her curls. She could feel the tremble in his body, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him, trying to steady him.

"I got the letter, Clare," he breathed into her shoulder. "But I can't open it."

"The letter?" she asked, pulling away from him to see his eyes. "You mean the letter?"

"Purple letterhead and all," he replied, pulling the envelope from his back pocket and presenting it to her.

"Wow… so this is it," she hesitated, taking it in her small hands. It felt heavier than a normal letter, but it still came in the small envelope, so the stereotypical phrases about acceptances didn't seem to apply. Clearly this was more than one piece of paper, but it certainly wasn't a welcome packet. Eli walked past her, putting his bag on the couch before sitting down, his hands wringing.

"Will you open it?" he asked. Clare found her own hands trembling.

"Eli, I can't. This is yours. I couldn't possibly," she faltered, sitting down beside him, pushing the envelope back to him. "You've worked so hard for this. You should be the one to open it."

Eli pulled a ragged breath into his chest as he held the envelope in his hands again.

"If I don't get in, will you think less of me?" he asked honestly. Clare put an arm around his back, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Eli, no matter where you go to college, I will be proud of you," she assured him.

Eli felt the truth in her words as he began to open the letter. Once the top seal was open, he took a deep breath, pulling out the papers inside. He felt Clare's arms around him as her head rose from his shoulder, her lips kissing his cheek. He unfolded the papers, the bright purple letterhead blazing from atop the letter.

Dear Mr. Goldsworthy,

Congratulations on your acceptance to NYU…

Eli didn't even read the rest. He threw himself into Clare's arms, squeezing her tightly. He could tell she meant to speak, but he cut off her words as he took her lips with his. He removed his arms from around her, taking her face in his hands, crashing his lips into hers, stifling a quick gasp of surprise. With the anticipation seeping out of his pores little by little, Eli pushed Clare onto her back, his tongue plunging deeply to meet hers as her fingers pulled at his jacket lapels. Eli held himself up above her, rising up a little as she adjusted her lower body and settled himself between her legs. Their hips met immediately, erasing any distance between them as he worshipped her mouth with his.

Clare's hands released his jacket as the space between them diminished, reaching for his hips as they pressed into hers. Eli kissed across her cheek and down her jaw to reach her neck, lightly tasting her sweet skin as he went. Clare felt her cheeks flooding with color as she felt Eli harden against her more quickly than she expected. She had thought they would get to this point later in the evening, once she had cooked dinner and slipped into the closest thing to lingerie she could bring herself to buy, but as he grinded into her, she knew her short satin nightie would remain in the drawer upstairs.

Eli pushed her wide-necked sweater off her shoulder, exposing her light blue bra strap. Clare breathed deeply as Eli kissed down her chest, reaching the top of her breast. He lingered there only for a moment before leaning back up and taking her lips again. This time she broke the kiss.

"Eli…" she breathed. "Let's go upstairs."

Clare expected him to say something, anything, but instead, he pushed up from her and reached down to pull her up from the couch. She stumbled lightly before she wordlessly turned and headed upstairs, Eli right behind her, his bag slung over his shoulder.

As they stepped into her bedroom, Clare had barely turned to face Eli before he had her in his arms again, his lips retaking hers. She heard the thump of his bag hit the floor, and she reached up his chest, pushing his leather jacket off his shoulders as his arms fell to his sides briefly before he took his turn, pulling the hem of her sweater up and over her head. Clare's breath caught briefly as the chill of the air grazed her skin, but before she could care, Eli had pulled his own shirt over his head, and the warm skin of his chest pressed up against hers.

Clare ran her nails lightly down his back as she felt the bed hit the back of her legs, halting their movement. As Eli pushed her hair back, sloppily kissing her neck, Clare reached down and began unbuckling his belt. Eli couldn't even bring himself to ask what he knew he should; he just pulled back, resting his forehead against Clare's. Their eyes met, his searching for her reassurance, hers pleading with him not to stop.

The zipper on his pants had just been let down when Eli stilled her hands, guiding her gently back onto the bed. Eli kissed her lips softly, leaning her down with his own body before kissing down her chest and stomach. Clare felt his slightly trembling hands on the button her jeans, and soon he was pulling them down her legs. Leaning up on her elbows, Clare kicked off her socks as Eli stepped out of his own jeans, leaving them in a pool on the floor. He then crawled back to Clare, settling between her legs as she accommodated him. Clare blushed as she felt him so much more prominently now against the inside of her thigh.

Eli kissed back up her torso, his lips rising to kiss the top of her breasts once more. He reached up to pull the strap off her left shoulder, pulling the cup down, his thumb grazing her nipple as he lowered his lips to take it in his mouth, swirling his tongue over her as she writhed beneath him.

"Oh my God," Clare breathed as his tongue continued to trace over her while he reached around behind her to unclasp her bra. Eli rose up to pull it from her shoulders, tossing it out of sight before moving to take her other nipple in his mouth, his thumb flicking gently over the other, still wet from his kisses.

Eli couldn't stop his hips from beginning to move. He ground lightly into Clare, his body flushing with need. He gasped as Clare reached between them, cupping him in her small hand. He leaned over her, bringing his lips to her ear.

"Let me take care of you first," he breathed, moving her hand gently, not wanting her to feel rejected before he reached between them instead, dipping his hand inside her panties and running two fingers between her already wet folds. "Let me make you come."

Clare's back arched off the bed as his fingers teased her, and Eli smirked as she moaned, moving to pull her underwear down her pale legs. He rose back up above her before settling on his side next to her. He reached over to pull her face to his. She melted into his kiss as he moved his hand over her, tracing down her chest, grazing over her breast, trailing down her stomach before he ran his fingers through her folds once more. His thumb swirled against her swollen clit, and she could barely breathe as he kissed her deeply, plunging his middle and ring finger into her. Clare felt her body reacting wildly, her back arching involuntarily as her body flushed. Eli began pumping his fingers, his thumb still teasing her, and she felt like she was going to explode. Eli released her lips, moving down slightly and taking her nipple in his mouth again, and Clare knew she was going to lose it. Between his tongue and his fingers, she felt like her skin was on fire, and as Eli focused more on her clit, she felt herself coming undone as a cross between a moan and scream fell from her lips before she could stop it.

"Oh my God," she breathed, and she heard Eli let out a small chuckle as he rolled back on top of her, kissing her glistening forehead. His hips rolled against hers, and Clare felt heat begin to pool between her legs once more, even as she tried to catch her breath. She reached up and took Eli's face in her hands, her eyes blazing with a fierceness Eli hadn't often seen. "Eli, please," she begged.

Eli crawled off of Clare, reaching in his bag for a condom. He paused briefly before slipping his boxers down off his hips, rolling it on. He went back to Clare, her body still flushed from her orgasm, and kissed her hard, the weight of his body on his hands being the only thing to keep them from shaking. Clare reached for him, and Eli let out a moan as her hand wrapped around him.

"Are you sure?" he breathed against her ear.

"I love you," she answered, removing her hand and reaching up to cup his face.

"I love you," he told her, guiding himself to her entrance. He paused only for a second, swallowing hard before pushing into her gently, ecstasy washing over him. Eli felt her resistance, and he leaned down to kiss her, hoping not to hurt her as he pushed past it. He felt her squirm, and he stopped. Clare tensed underneath him, but even as he stilled, she didn't feel what she would necessarily call pain. She felt herself stretching to accommodate him certainly, but it was slowly becoming less uncomfortable.

As her body relaxed, Clare felt Eli begin to move again, pushing a little further into her before sliding back, getting into a slow rhythm.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I am," she told him. "Just go slow, okay?"

"No problem," he breathed. "This would be over really quickly if I went much faster anyway," and Clare stifled a giggle as Eli smiled at her.

Their bodies continued to move, and as Clare felt more comfortable, she urged him to move, gripping his hips as he pushed into her. Eli leaned down, kissing her deeply, his tongue dancing with her own, and as he began to move faster, he could feel himself approaching the brink. He reached down between them, his thumb finding Clare's clit again. She tensed slightly, not expecting him to touch her again, but the friction felt amazing, and Clare found herself pushing her hips up to meet Eli's thrusts. She felt herself climbing once more, and she could feel her legs begin to shake as her back arched again.

Their moans melted into a harmony, their breathing falling into the beats of percussion as they melded together. Eli knew he was about to come, and Clare could see the sweat beading on his forehead as he tried to bring her with him. She felt the heat return, and as she clenched around him, she felt him pulse as he released, his upper body sagging on top of hers. Eli gently let his weight fall on Clare as he came down from his high, and she cradled his head to her chest, rising and falling.

"Shit," Eli swore, still inside her.

"Wow," Clare followed, pushing the damp curls from her forehead. She kissed the top of Eli's head, and he rose up, pulling out. Immediately, Clare missed his warmth as the cool air hit her glistening body. While Eli made a quick trip to clean up, she pulled back the covers and slid beneath them. She held them up for Eli to join her, and he slid in beside her. Their hands found one another's under the covers, and Eli breathed deeply. Clare rolled on her side to face him, bringing his hand to her chest.

"I'm not sure I was able to tell you 'Congratulations' before we actually celebrated," she giggled, snuggling up to his side. Eli turned to face her, pulling an arm under her head to rest and the other draping over her side.

"I mean it, Clare. I wouldn't be there without you," he told her. "And I can't wait until you can be there with me."

"All in good time, sir," she teased, leaning over to kiss him lightly. "But you did this. You worked so hard, and I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you," Eli replied. "For saying that, and for this," he continued, hugging her tightly.

"I had it all planned out, you know," Clare laughed. "And none of it went according to plan, but you know what? It was perfect."

"There were plans?" Eli smirked. "Now this is going to require an explanation."

"There might've been a costume change involved," she blushed. "But so much for that."

"Hmm… I guess the good part about taking the pressure off is that now you have all weekend to show me that 'costume change' then," Eli pointed.

"If you're lucky," Clare winked, and as she snuggled into Eli's arms, she knew that they would be okay. She trusted Eli with everything, and he trusted her. One year apart would not tear them apart; it could only make the heart grow fonder. She and Eli were both "all in", and come what may, they were ready for what the future had in store. Together, they would make it through.