fic | d:tng | opposites repel | pt 2/? | no pairings | T
Title: Opposites Repel
Author: lamaitresse
Part: 2/? [ Chapter I]
Fandom: Degrassi: The Next Generation
Characters: Alex, Marco, Paige
Pairings: none (references to previous Palex)
Summary: Paige and Marco help Alex start to work through her losses.
Author’s Note: See Chapter I
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with the Degrassi franchise
Rating: T - for coarse language
Opposites Repel
Chapter II
“Come on, hun,” Paige soothed gently, rubbing Alex’s back. “You need to do this.”
Alex clutched her two-year-old son, rocking him back and forth, kissing his forehead, and crying. She couldn’t believe this was happening. How much loss can one woman take before it finally breaks her? Six months ago, the love of her life, Chloe, had been killed in a tragic accident. Now the courts were deeming her unfit to raise their son and had placed him in the custody of Chloe’s mother, Marguerite.
“I love you, Jeremy,” she whispered into his curly brown locks, “Remember I always love you.”
The bailiff took Jeremy from Alex’s arms, causing her to burst into fresh sobs of despair. Marguerite threw her a dirty look and carried him out of the courtroom. Alex watched her son disappear behind the courtroom door and silently vowed to him that this was not over yet. After all, this was Ontario, a province known for making strides in gay rights legislation. It wouldn’t be long before this bullshit ruling was overturned, Alex would see to that.
Paige slipped her hand into Alex’s and gave it a tight squeeze. “Let’s go. Staying here any longer is only going to make you feel worse.”
Alex nodded, grateful for Paige’s support throughout this whole process. It wasn’t the first time Paige had been there for her during a desperate time, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. They walked arm in arm to Paige’s car, reminiscent of a time when they’d once been in love. As much as they’d loved each other back then, their relationship had sizzled and fizzled with Alex’s decision to leave Toronto and head out west to obtain a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary.
Rather than maintain a long distance relationship, the pair had made the mutual decision to end their romance. It hadn’t been an easy choice to make and there were times when they both wished they had stayed together. Alex had never once asked Paige to follow her to Calgary, and Paige had understood why. She had finally realised how selfish it had been for her to ask Alex to leave everything behind and follow her to Kingston, and the fact that Alex would never dream of putting her in the same predicament made Paige love her just that little bit more.
“You still there, hun?” Paige asked, resting her hand lightly on Alex’s arm. Paige had driven them to The Dot for some lunch and they were now parked outside. Alex hadn’t even realised they’d left the courthouse, much less driven anywhere.
“Huh?” she said quickly, brought out of her daze. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I’m just not with it, I guess. Did you say something?”
Paige smiled. “No, hun. Let’s go get something to eat though, yeah?”
Alex pushed most of her lunch around her plate. She really didn’t have much of an appetite. Instead, she spent the time listening to Paige tell her different stories in an attempt to take her mind off the day’s events. She appreciated her friend’s efforts even though they weren’t really helping.
“So what are you doing to take care of yourself?” Paige asked her suddenly.
Alex stared across the table at her for a moment, unsure of how to answer. “Oh you know, working a lot to keep myself busy...”
Paige shook her head, not surprised at all by her friend’s answer. “That’s not what I mean, hun. You need to break away from the norm, surround yourself with other people.”
“I really don’t feel like being around other people, Paige.”
“I know, Alex. But listen,” Paige dug into her briefcase, brought out a file folder and pushed it towards her, “Marco really needs help planning our high school reunion. As his vice, don’t think it’s fitting that you help him out?”
“I don’t know, Paige,” Alex sighed, staring at the folder. Her mouth twitched into a slight smile, remembering another time nearly ten years ago when Paige had pushed a similar folder across a table in this same restaurant. “I’ll think about it.”
The smile was not lost on Paige; she knew Alex had already made up her mind.
* * *
Alex stared at the grad list for Degrassi’s class of 2006. “Dude, I don’t even recognise eighty per cent of these names. Michael Quinn? Tanya Reese? Eleanor Stefanovic? Are you sure you have the right class list?”
“Well, to be fair Alex, you didn’t exactly spend much time at school to get to know everyone in our class,” Marco chuckled, “Plus a lot of people got married and notified the Alumni Association of their name changes.”
“We have an Alumni Association?” Alex joked, the first smile she’d cracked in what felt like weeks. She’d almost forgotten how much she enjoyed winding Marco up.
Marco, on the other hand, hadn’t, but took it all in stride. The two finished stuffing envelopes with information packets about the upcoming reunion and began sticking address labels to them. When they were finally done with the day’s project, they drove to the post office. No one on either side of the counter was impressed with the nearly 600 oversized envelopes that Alex and Marco presented for stamping and delivery.
“Good work today, Alex,” Marco said gratefully as he dropped her off at home. “It was nice to see you again. And I couldn’t do this without you. Kind of reminds me of old times.”
“Don’t go all sentimental on me, Del Rossi,” Alex replied, eyes shining. “I don’t think I can take it.”
Author: lamaitresse
Part: 2/? [ Chapter I]
Fandom: Degrassi: The Next Generation
Characters: Alex, Marco, Paige
Pairings: none (references to previous Palex)
Summary: Paige and Marco help Alex start to work through her losses.
Author’s Note: See Chapter I
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with the Degrassi franchise
Rating: T - for coarse language
Opposites Repel
Chapter II
“Come on, hun,” Paige soothed gently, rubbing Alex’s back. “You need to do this.”
Alex clutched her two-year-old son, rocking him back and forth, kissing his forehead, and crying. She couldn’t believe this was happening. How much loss can one woman take before it finally breaks her? Six months ago, the love of her life, Chloe, had been killed in a tragic accident. Now the courts were deeming her unfit to raise their son and had placed him in the custody of Chloe’s mother, Marguerite.
“I love you, Jeremy,” she whispered into his curly brown locks, “Remember I always love you.”
The bailiff took Jeremy from Alex’s arms, causing her to burst into fresh sobs of despair. Marguerite threw her a dirty look and carried him out of the courtroom. Alex watched her son disappear behind the courtroom door and silently vowed to him that this was not over yet. After all, this was Ontario, a province known for making strides in gay rights legislation. It wouldn’t be long before this bullshit ruling was overturned, Alex would see to that.
Paige slipped her hand into Alex’s and gave it a tight squeeze. “Let’s go. Staying here any longer is only going to make you feel worse.”
Alex nodded, grateful for Paige’s support throughout this whole process. It wasn’t the first time Paige had been there for her during a desperate time, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. They walked arm in arm to Paige’s car, reminiscent of a time when they’d once been in love. As much as they’d loved each other back then, their relationship had sizzled and fizzled with Alex’s decision to leave Toronto and head out west to obtain a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary.
Rather than maintain a long distance relationship, the pair had made the mutual decision to end their romance. It hadn’t been an easy choice to make and there were times when they both wished they had stayed together. Alex had never once asked Paige to follow her to Calgary, and Paige had understood why. She had finally realised how selfish it had been for her to ask Alex to leave everything behind and follow her to Kingston, and the fact that Alex would never dream of putting her in the same predicament made Paige love her just that little bit more.
“You still there, hun?” Paige asked, resting her hand lightly on Alex’s arm. Paige had driven them to The Dot for some lunch and they were now parked outside. Alex hadn’t even realised they’d left the courthouse, much less driven anywhere.
“Huh?” she said quickly, brought out of her daze. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I’m just not with it, I guess. Did you say something?”
Paige smiled. “No, hun. Let’s go get something to eat though, yeah?”
Alex pushed most of her lunch around her plate. She really didn’t have much of an appetite. Instead, she spent the time listening to Paige tell her different stories in an attempt to take her mind off the day’s events. She appreciated her friend’s efforts even though they weren’t really helping.
“So what are you doing to take care of yourself?” Paige asked her suddenly.
Alex stared across the table at her for a moment, unsure of how to answer. “Oh you know, working a lot to keep myself busy...”
Paige shook her head, not surprised at all by her friend’s answer. “That’s not what I mean, hun. You need to break away from the norm, surround yourself with other people.”
“I really don’t feel like being around other people, Paige.”
“I know, Alex. But listen,” Paige dug into her briefcase, brought out a file folder and pushed it towards her, “Marco really needs help planning our high school reunion. As his vice, don’t think it’s fitting that you help him out?”
“I don’t know, Paige,” Alex sighed, staring at the folder. Her mouth twitched into a slight smile, remembering another time nearly ten years ago when Paige had pushed a similar folder across a table in this same restaurant. “I’ll think about it.”
The smile was not lost on Paige; she knew Alex had already made up her mind.
* * *
Alex stared at the grad list for Degrassi’s class of 2006. “Dude, I don’t even recognise eighty per cent of these names. Michael Quinn? Tanya Reese? Eleanor Stefanovic? Are you sure you have the right class list?”
“Well, to be fair Alex, you didn’t exactly spend much time at school to get to know everyone in our class,” Marco chuckled, “Plus a lot of people got married and notified the Alumni Association of their name changes.”
“We have an Alumni Association?” Alex joked, the first smile she’d cracked in what felt like weeks. She’d almost forgotten how much she enjoyed winding Marco up.
Marco, on the other hand, hadn’t, but took it all in stride. The two finished stuffing envelopes with information packets about the upcoming reunion and began sticking address labels to them. When they were finally done with the day’s project, they drove to the post office. No one on either side of the counter was impressed with the nearly 600 oversized envelopes that Alex and Marco presented for stamping and delivery.
“Good work today, Alex,” Marco said gratefully as he dropped her off at home. “It was nice to see you again. And I couldn’t do this without you. Kind of reminds me of old times.”
“Don’t go all sentimental on me, Del Rossi,” Alex replied, eyes shining. “I don’t think I can take it.”