WOW! it has been awhile, eh? Sorry for disappearing, not my intention. No one will probably read this anyway so who cares. I hope that if anyone does read this that they like and will review it? No? Well, it was worth a try. But please, if you read it and liked it, review. Even review it if you didn't like it! Reaching 50 reviews on a story that I thought would get none would be absolutely amazing and I want all of you guys to know that. Okay, well, enjoy lovelies!

I don't own Degrassi, just a love for chocolate pancakes for breakfast.

Chapter 4- I Love Nature

"Eli! Eli! Eli!" My name echoed throughout the stadium, followed by screams from every person surrounding me. I smiled, retrieving my acoustic guitar from on of the men working on the stage. A wooden stool was place in the center. I took a seat on it as a red spotlight blinded me. I moved the microphone stand so it was in front of me. My mouth started to open and words were making their way out.

"This is for Clare," I said, smiling so hard, I swear my lips could have fallen off.

"That's a new one." My body shot up, shaking. There, standing in my room, was my mom.

Of course, it was just a dream. "Jesus, Mom. It's like, eight in the morning. Why are you in here?" I brushed my fingers through my hair and pulled my covers up, shielding my half-naked body.

She laughed and put her hand on my cheek. "You were screaming so I came in to check on you. The only thing that I understood you saying was 'This is for Clare.' Isn't she the girl you met a couple days ago?"

Well, shit. Clare is in my dreams now? What the hell was happening to me? I shook my head and threw my head back on to my pillow, completely covering my shivering body.

"Okay, Rockstar. Get your beauty sleep. I'm going for a walk," My mom said, starting to walk off.

I rolled over in response. As much as I tried to fall back asleep, my body was already fully awake. I felt around me until my phone was in my hands. The screen was bright on my eyes. I noticed I had a new text message...from Clare. My thumbs quickly typed in my password, unlocking my phone. I clicked on my messages.

Eli, sorry I couldn't talk last night. I'm going to the gym for two hours. Text me or call me when you're up. -Clare.

She sent this to me around 6. My phone told me that it was already 8:30. She should be done by now...

My fingers started to text her back. I didn't know what I was even saying.

Clare, I want to see you as soon as possible. Come over if you can. -Eli.

I mean, was that creepy? I hope not. I jumped a little when my phone vibrated. There was a new text message from Clare. There was no hesitation as I clicked to read it.

I was just about to eat breakfast. -Clare

That's when it hit me.

Come over. I'll make you a delicious breakfast. :) -Eli

After that, Clare responded to me with 'sounds awesome'. I got up as quickly as I could and got dressed. A black v-neck and dark jeans with my usual rings was all I was wearing. It's not like I was trying to impress her, right? Wait, then why was I making her breakfast? I shook myself and got into the elevator, sending me down to my destination on the first level. There, I was greeted by Leo.

"Ah, good morning, Eli! You're up bright and early. What's the special occasion?" Leo walked along with me into the kitchen.

"I have to make Clare a stellar breakfast. The thing is, I can't cook. Help?" I stared into Leo's eyes pleadingly.

"Well, I guess those few cooking lessons I took in college are going to be useful." I smiled when he said it, thanking him to no end.

I turned on the radio as loud as it could go, not caring that it was almost nine in the morning. Our walls were soundproof, so there was no way our neighbours could hear. Leo and I danced around in the kitchen, baking some chocolate chip pancakes, throwing flour at each other, and just having a good time. The pancakes were just about finished when I heard a knock on the front door. I froze and turned swiftly to Leo.

"Would you like me to get it while you wash that flour off of your face?" Leo asked. I smirked and nodded. As he went to answer the door, I ran into the nearest bathroom to clean myself up. When I walked out, my mouth dropped. I expected Clare to be standing in front of me, being her flawless self, but that's not who was there. No, it was-

"Daddy!" The little girl before me ran straight towards me as I brought her into a lifeless hug. I was holding my daughter, Nature.

Leo looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Nature," I said, putting her down, "how did you get here?"

Nature smiled, revealing her missing front teeth. "Mommy."

My eyes widened. "Why would Julia do that?" I said, under my breath so only I could hear. "Nate, go with Leo. He'll take you into our game room. You just sit there until I sort things out, okay?"

Nature jumped up and down with excitement as Leo took her hand. Before leaving the room, he looked back and mouthed to me, 'We need to talk.' I nodded and pulled out my cell phone. My fingers scrolled through my contacts furiously until I reached the bottom of the J's. I clicked on Julia's name and pressed Call.

Three rings later, the voice of a witch answered. "Did you like your little surprise?"

I felt her cold grin sting my heart through the phone. Julia was two and a half years older than I. I was just starting seventh grade when she was starting high school. We met each other at a party in New York where we talked for hours. She had gotten so drunk that night, when no alcohol ever entered my system. She played me like a yo-yo, always making me come back to her. That was when I lost my virginity. Even thought I was 100% sober, I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't realise that a condom would have changed this whole situation. Julia and I never spoke from that night on, of course until about 3 weeks later. She called me, crying. At first, I had no idea who it was and why they were calling me crying. Then, she said, "Eli, it's Julia, from that party. I'm pregnant." I remember those words being spoken to me like it was yesterday rather than four years ago.

I was so young, hell, we both were. Our one-night-stand turned into a full on relationship from there. The high school she attended and the middle school I was trapped in were only two blocks away from each other. I walked with her to school everyday, holding her hand, singing to her and our almost baby. We both agreed that an abortion would only make our situation worse. When she told her parents about her being pregnant, I defended her through every argument, telling her parents that there was no turning back now so they shouldn't be mad. I had grown really close with her family at that moment. Julia came with me to tell my mom. She couldn't have been more happy or supportive. Julia and I would sit on the phone for hours, discussing names until we came up with the name Nature. The doctors told us it was going to be a girl. I was hoping for a boy, so I wanted a unisex name. We tried Spencer, Riley, even Sidney but none of the names sounded quite right with Goldsworthy. Julia came suggested Nature and both fell in love. Nature Hannah Goldsworthy. The day Nature was born, I sat with Julia in the emergency room for over six hours. She was born at 11:11 PM on September, 1st.

My mom owned our mansion and then there smaller guest houses across the street back in New York. Julia and I got to live in one of them with Nature. When I started high school, Julia was a junior. She brought Nature to school with her everyday, leaving her in the daycare school provided. I thought it would be awesome, finally being in the same school as the love of my life. Hell fucking no. Julia never wanted me around and then cheated on me with a senior. 3 weeks later I got a very familiar call from Julia, telling me she was pregnant again, but I wasn't the father. I couldn't believe her. I kicked her out of our small home and kept Nature with me. The next year was Julia's senior year. We hadn't talked since that phone call. By the time she graduated, my mother told me that we were moving to Canada. I had to make the decision of giving up Nature or taking her with us to Canada to start a new life. She was barely three and life was already so screwed up. I walked to Julia's house in the pouring rain that day, not bothering to bring and umbrella or jacket. She gasped when she noticed me standing before her. I glared at her icily and told her I was moving and that she had to keep Nature. Julia was holding a baby boy in her arms and started to cry. She told me she couldn't take care of two children, not at her age. I didn't give a fuck. I knew Nature would be fine with her so my mom dropped off my daughter and drove me back home.

Now, here I was, thinking I was never going to see my baby again. Oh, and I was talking to the girl I once loved so much.

"Jules, this isn't a joke. What the hell are you doing in Canada?"

"My boyfriend, Ryan, I'm sure you remember him, can't handle Nature in the house anymore. Brock is too much of a hassle. You have to keep her."

Brock? What the hell kind of name is Brock? But then again, what the hell kind of name is Nature?

"I'm still in school, Julia! This isn't fair to me at all." I slammed my free fist onto the counter as I screamed at her through the phone.

"And this is me not caring. Bye!" She hung up the phone. I couldn't believe it.

My body shook and I fell to the floor. Tears erupted like a volcano all over my face. My torso was like an earthquake as I cried harder than I ever had. I, Elijah Goldsworthy, was pathetic. How could I present myself to Clare while looking like this?

Clare. I had totally forgotten about her. I immediately jumped up and, once again, cleaned myself up. I set the pancakes out on our marble counter. There was a knock on the door. I started wondering if this time it would be my dad returning from the dead. Oh, I never mentioned my dad's death, did I? Long story short, he was shot when I was only 3 months old. Anyway, I walked up to the door, smiling like everything was perfectly fine.

"Clare," I said, opening the door even wider so she could get in.

She smiled back at me. "Mmm, it smells amazing in here! What did you cook?"

That made me laugh to myself slightly. "Chocolate chip pan-"

"Daddy, who's that?" Nature was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, Leo running up right behind her.

Leo fixed his non-existent hair. "I tried to catch her, but she's so fast!"

Clare's eyes looked from me to Nature, me to Nature, me to Nature. "Did she call you… Daddy?"

"Clare, why don't we go up to my room and have a talk. Sound good?"

…..

…...

…

"Wow. You mean she drove all the way from New York just so she could drop off your daughter here like it was nothing?" Clare's blue eyes looked at me in disbelief. "Why would someone do that?"

"Julia's a bitch, Clare, and I don't ever call a girl a bitch. I guess she thought it'd be funny to ruin my life. Again." I sighed and looked down, playing with thumbs. Nature was sitting in the corner of my room, throwing all of the toys out of one of her sixteen bags that were dropped off with her.

Clare gazed over to Nature. "So that's really your daughter?"

"Please don't tell anyone at school."

She nodded. "I would never. Where's she going to stay during the day?"

"Do you think I could bring her to school and leave her at the daycare next door without anyone noticing?" I looked up at her, pleading for an honest answer.

"The only people who would notice are the ones who have children themselves, which is only one person: Jenna."

I shrugged. "Then that's where she'll stay."

"Eli this is crazy."

"I messed up, what can I say?" I got up from the bed and walked over the my daughter, picking her up. "But I wouldn't change anything. I love Nature so much."

Nature's big green eyes gazed into mine and she kissed my cheek. I ran my hand through her thick, dark hair being held off of her face by a white headband. Clare walked over to us and smiled at Nature.

"Hi, pretty girl."

Nature looked as if she wanted to spit on Clare. "You not my mommy."

I laughed. "Nate, this is Clare, my girlfriend." I looked up at her for approval when I gave her a title. Clare smiled unsurely. I knew this meant a talk was coming later. I inched my lips closer to Clare's ear and whispered, "It makes things so much simpler for Nature to understand."

Clare put her hands on her hips and grinned, looking into Nature's adorable face. "That's me, Eli's girlfriend."

I smirked. I could get used to that.

o0o00o0o0 didn't see that coming, did you? Haha, neither did I, actually. I came up with the idea for Eli having a daughter a couple of days ago. So, what do you think? Reviews please? :) Love you guys! xxx Janey :)