"What the hell are you doing here?" Fitz spat, belching as he chugged a Pepsi.

Ordinarily, Kaylie would have been repulsed by this kind of unsanitary behavior, but the time to argue had long since past her and now all she wanted to do was get this over with.

"I need a favor."

"Sorry, but Fitzy doesn't give out favors on a Friday." He tried to slam the door on her but Kaylie put her hand in the way and with all strength she could muster she managed to prevent him from shutting her out, "Look! I need your help and I'm not leaving until I get it!"

Fitz leaned against the door frame coolly, "I'm listening."

Kaylie's eyes were extremely blood shot. She looked about as tired and weak as a woman of ninety, yet she spoke with more determination and power than she ever had before, "This is how it's going to work. You and I are going to go to Cedar Shade Campground, you're going to help me break in and then you're going to leave."

Fitz leered at her, "Whoa, what makes you think I'm going to do any of this?"

"Because," Kaylie growled, taking a threatening step towards him, "I'm dying and as of our last little meeting I would say that you and I are not on the best of terms, but I'm giving you a chance, just one chance, right here and right now, to redeem yourself Mark. As of this very moment I hate you beyond belief, I think you're the scum of the earth and you deserve to rot in hell for what you did to me and my brother."

Fitz opened his mouth but Kaylie held up a finger, "I'm not done. I'm giving you the opportunity to prove me wrong. If you do this for me than you get to be forgiven. You can start with a clean slate and rest easy at night knowing you did something right for once in your life...besides, you really do owe me."

Fitz crushed the Pepsi can right in front of Kaylie's face but she didn't so much as blink, keeping her cold eyes locked onto Fitz's. He tossed the can over his shoulder, "So where is this Camp ground?"

Kaylie smirked, "I'll tell you on the way. Get your keys, you're driving."

They arrived at the Camp site within an hour, but by that time Kaylie was struggling to breathe and her eyelids kept shutting involuntarily. She was sweating but freezing at the same time, it was like all her senses were flickering on and off like the lights do just before the power goes out...

"You okay?" Fitz asked soundly somewhat sympathetic.

Kaylie nodded and rested her head against the cold window, "It's the third cabin on the left. Just pull over somewhere in the woods where no one will see us."

Fitz parked his car under a tree beside the cabin. Based on the thickness of the underbrush and the missing chunks of the wood, it was clear that the place hadn't been visited in several years.

"You took me all the way out here to break into this dump? You could have just broken own the door with your foot." Fitz pointed out as he got the crowbar out of his trunk.

"Just shut up and open the door," Kaylie hissed, "I don't have a whole lot of time."

Fitz did as he was instructed. The porch floor creaked angrily as he kneeled down and started prying at the door hinges.

Hinge one, pop.

"Hurry..." Kaylie wheezed, "Please."

Hinge two, pop.

The door tipped inward and hit the roach covered floor with a loud bang.

"Well there you go." Fitz said swinging his crowbar over his back.

"Thank you," Kaylie whispered, stepping into the dark room, "You can go now."

Fitz started back to his car, but stopped just before getting in, "Hey," He called, "How are you going to get home?"

Kaylie smiled, "I am home."

XX

"I...I let her go...I had to let her go...I had to..." Mr. Goldsworthy mumbled to himself.

Eli looked at his father in disbelief, "You...you did what?"

Mr. Goldsworthy lifted his head to look at his son. His son. It was the first time in months that he had thought of him that way and he had never felt more grateful for Eli's presence. Just the fact that he was still there, talking, breathing, living, made Mr. Goldsworthy feel blessed. His hands shook as he held out a white envelope.

Eli hesitantly grabbed it. His name was written on it in Kaylie's unmistakable handwriting. He pulled out the letter and read it silently, when he was done he shook the envelope and a silver guitar pick necklace fell into his palm. He clutched it tightly in his fist, "How could you let her leave? She's your daughter! Doesn't she mean anything to you?" Eli yelled.

Mr. Goldsworthy got up, but he wasn't mad anymore. He was done with being angry, he wanted to be better than that...He wanted to be a good father again...

"Of course she did. She meant the world to me Eli, but so do you." He said. His voice was gentle and calm, almost soothing.

"Since when do you give a damn about me? Since when do you let your own daughter run away and die all by herself?" Eli screamed, gripping Kaylie's necklace so tight that he could feel it cut into his hand.

Mr. Goldsworthy shook his head sadly.

Eli threw the letter and the necklace across the room, "I've had enough of this! I'm going after her!"

"You can't." Said his father, grabbing Eli by the wrist.

"Let go of me!" Eli cried, clawing at his father's arm. But it seemed that the more he struggled against him, the tighter his dad held onto him. "I have to go after her!" Eli insisted, "I have too!"

Eli kicked and punched, flailing about wildly, desperate to break free but his father was just too strong. He wrapped his arms around Eli's torso and pulled him close, refusing to let go, "There's nothing you can do." He whispered... "She's gone."

With that Eli sank to the floor, still in his father grasp and buried his face as he cried...

XX

This place had always been home to Kaylie. It was the last place her family was together and the memories that were bound in the log walls ran deeper than any house could ever hold. She walked down the hall and let her fingers trace the edges of the kitchen table.

Kaylie closed her eyes, She could still smell the smoke from the pancakes that her father had burnt on that very stove. And she felt the warmth of the sun that used to shine in through the crack Eli had made when he threw a rock at the roof, and the laughter of her mother rang in her ears like the sound of sweet music.

She went over to the back door and saw the picnic table on the other side of the glass. It had been concealed underneath a heap of weeds but it was still in tact and just beyond that was the hill where she and Eli used to race.

"Come on Kaylie!" His voice still echoed of when they were young. But that was all behind her, and now she had nowhere to go but forward. She strolled out back to the place where she had set her caterpillar free. A lone dogwood tree was left in the clearing; the rest had been leveled along with the other cabins.

Kaylie caressed the one and only leaf remaining on that poor bare tree. She felt something smooth touch her finger and as she peered underneath the branch she found a small green cocoon clinging to a twig. Proof that life could grow in even the deadest of places. Kaylie smiled, feeling completely at peace and sat against the bark.

The stars were shining brightly again, welcoming her into heaven...

XX

"Is it dead?" The little boy asked his father.

He shook his head and stood over the butterfly that lye motionless on the floor, "I don't think so; it probably just ran into the window and knocked itself out." He replied, scooping the tiny creature onto a piece of paper

"It looks dead to me." Said a small blonde haired girl as she popped up over her brother's shoulder.

"It's not dead! Dad said it wasn't" The boy cried.

"What is all that noise?" Their mother called from down the stairs. Then she appeared in the doorway wiping her hands on her apron. "Eli, what are the kids doing in our bedroom?"

"It's nothing Claire," He assured her, "They were just worried about this little guy." He said showing her the butterfly.

Claire frown, "How on earth did he even get in here?" She clicked her tongue, "Poor thing."

"It's dead isn't it mommy?" The boy asked tugging on her dress.

Claire smiled and patted his head, "I'm sure it's only sleeping. Dinner's on the table so you two better go wash up." Her children, Teddy and Rose both groaned as they marched down the stairs.

Claire looked at her husband with concern, "Are you okay?"

Eli nodded, "Yeah, I'll be down in a minute...there's something I have to do first."

Once Claire had had gone back in the kitchen, Eli went and opened the window. He placed the butterfly on the ledge gently. Its wings twitched and flopped, slowly returning to normal. Eli grinned, "You thought I forgot didn't you?...I knew you'd come back."

The butterfly sprung off the windowsill and into the air, rising up above the trees. Eli shook his head and laughed shutting the window as he brought his head back inside. On his way to the door he passed by a picture of him and Kaylie when they were young. She was smiling and giving him bunny ears. So like her, he thought. There was a necklace draped across the edge of the frame, the one that had been engraved with a 'K' and right beside that was a note, one Eli had kept with him for many, many years...

Dear Eli,

I guess I know you too well don't I? How else could you explain how I knew I'd end up having to say goodbye to you in a letter. I do regret not being able to tell you in person but by opening this letter it confirms that sometime within the last few hours of my life you and I came to a disagreement and I was unable to say my farewells before I left. I really hope you never have to see this letter Eli, but if you must, and perhaps you are reading it now, than I want you to know how truly sorry I am for leaving. What I did, I did not only for you, but for me as well and I hope that you don't find it selfish of me when I say that I wasn't afraid of you dying, I was afraid of you dying because of me. Everyone dies Eli, one day you'll understand that, but until then I'm going to tell you exactly what mom told me, the things we love will always find a way back to us in the end. Keep that in mind every time the breeze blows or a butterfly passes by your window, because I'll never really leave you Eli. I'll just be hidden in the stars.

P.S. I enclosed my necklace in this envelope. I know you'll take good care of it for me.

With love forever and always,

Kaylie

'Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.' -Eskimo Proverb

A/N: wow, it's two in the morning. This chapter took forever! Yet the whole time I was writing I just kept thinking how un-degrassi like this is...somehow I morphed my fanfic into just a plain story...sorry, I really didn't mean to, but i hope you enjoyed it anyway. Anyway, I was in a Harry Potter mood last night, hence the names Rose and Teddy. Haha, i've never been good at naming things. My dogs name was 'dog' for an entire week of her life...

The End

Please review!