Welcome to the last chapter for this story. I hope you enjoy it! As sometimes happens with last chapters this a little shorter than the usual chapter.

Ch. 15 Mercury Rising & Poppies in Bloom

(OWEN)

"Just lock up when you're done," Karin says handing me the keys to the martial arts center.

"Thanks Karin," I grin.

"Okay guys since no one needs to change we'll get right to it," I tell them leading them in. everyone sets down their stuff and we start with a warm up. "Drew and Clare you two can spar in the corner or use the bags while I show the others the basics," I tell them.

"Let's spar," Clare says to Drew pulling him away by the arm.

"Got yourself a forceful one," Drew laughs as he follows Clare.

"We're going to begin with stances, movement and balance," I tell Adam, Bianca and Paige.

For the next couple of hours I take Adam, Paige and Bianca through the very basics. While I do that Clare and Drew spar and practice what they know. Once Adam, Paige and Bianca have the stances, balance and movement down I show them straight punches from fighting stance.

"Alright we're all sweating and tired I think it's time to call it a night," I comment.

"I'm exhausted and I don't think I'll be able to move tomorrow," Bianca complains.

"You can take a hot bath when we get to my house," I tell her.

It's Saturday night, the first Saturday in June actually, and my parents are gone for the weekend celebrating their anniversary. Tris is at Tori's for the weekend so everyone is coming to my house for the night. We lock up, get into our cars and drive to my house, Bianca takes a bath, Clare a shower and Paige showers after her while the rest of us eat. After everyone gets something to eat and we've relaxed watching movies for a bit us guys take turns showering.

"Clare and I will take my room, Drew and Bianca can take my parents room, Adam and Paige can take Tristan's room. There's bunk beds but if you want to I'm sure you could fit into one bed," I smile and Adam's cheeks go red. "Clare and I put clean sheets on the beds this afternoon."

"You'll probably have to change the sheets again in the morning," Drew smiles wiggling his eyebrows at Bianca.

"You can change your own sheets in the morning," I shoot back and Drew laughs.

We turn off the lights and go upstairs, Clare and I get into my bed and I hold her in my arms. She nuzzles into me laying a hand and her head on my chest.

"I want to spend as much time here with you over the summer as possible. I'm sure my mom won't suspect if I tell her I'm at Alli and Jenna's," Clare yawns against my chest.

"I love having you here and you can spend as much time here as you desire," I grin kissing the top of her head.

I sleep soundly and have a wonderful dream about Clare and me on the beach. I hold her in my arms and we're naked, alone on a beach at sunset, I kiss her skin and watch the sunset blissfully happy. I wake up to the sounds of Clare giggling and find my lips kissing the corner of her eye.

"You were kissing me in your sleep," she laughs.

"I can't help it your skin is so kissable," I grin, "and I was having a really wonderful dream about us."

"You were dreaming about us?"

"I dream about us all the time," I tell her kissing her shoulder she smiles and smashes her lips to mine.

"I think we'd better get up, I hear the Torres brothers making breakfast," Clare comments.

"Yeah, guess we'd better get up before Drew and Bianca ruin my kitchen," I remark and she chuckles lightly.

We get up and get some clothes on, Clare goes into the washroom but I go straight downstairs. Drew, Adam and Paige are in the kitchen and appear to be making waffles, Bianca must be in my parent's washroom.

"Hey Owen, we didn't want to wake you guys but we thought we'd start on breakfast," Adam tells me.

"Cool, make lots I'm starved. I think Mom got some bacon," I reply going to the fridge.

I get the bacon out and start cooking it, Paige is cutting and arranging some fruit. Clare and Bianca come downstairs and set the table, they also get out the syrup, butter, whipped cream and everything else to top waffles with. We sit at the table to eat breakfast and then clean up the mess from breakfast.

"You guys ready for another lesson?" I question when we're done with breakfast.

"I'm still sore but yeah we really only have time on the weekends so let's do this," Bianca nods.

We all squeeze into my car and drive to the martial arts center. We only have an hour today between other classes so we get right to it. Today Clare and Drew help me teach the others straight punches and palm-heel strikes. Paige has work tomorrow and is spending the evening with Adam, I'm sure Bianca and Drew are going out tonight. Clare and I have plans with Fitz and Meghan tonight. We get back to my house and wave to the others as they leave, Clare and I go into the house to change before we go the restaurant where we're meeting Fitz and Meghan. They're already here and we greet them as we sit down. The waiter comes over and gets our drink order almost as soon as we're in our seats.

"How'd the Krav Maga lesson go?" Fitz asks when the waiter leaves.

"Went well they all did good for the first lesson, we did some more today. And have standing lessons every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon," I tell them.

"That's Great, any other plans for the summer?" Meghan asks.

"My mom's wedding at the end of August and spending a lot of time with Owen," Clare says and I grin. "What about you two? Any plans besides working this summer?" Clare queries. Before they can answer the waiter comes back and we place our order.

"Actually, next month we're going to Honduras on a missionary trip, we'll be gone a month," Meghan tells us.

"That's awesome, I went with my church to India in the summer between grades nine and ten and it was incredible experience," Clare smiles.

"Yeah, I've done a few but it's Mark's first time and I'm excited for him," Meghan says.

We spend a couple of hours at dinner with Fitz and Meghan before returning to my place. Clare's spending the night again and we have the house to ourselves tonight too. Once we're inside and I have the door locked I put my arms around Clare and pull her to me.

"What would you like to do GF?" I ask her.

"How about this BF," she replies and ensnares my lips luring me into a smoldering kiss.

(CLARE)

"Expecting someone?" Jake asks when the doorbell rings Friday afternoon.

"No," I shake my head and we both get up going to the door. When we see Eli standing on the front stoop Jake looks at me. "It's okay," I tell Jake and he opens the door.

"I'm only letting you in because I know she can kick your ass," Jake says to Eli before looking at me, "I'll be in my room."

Jake goes upstairs and I wave Eli into my living room. It's odd to see him, I haven't seen him in over six weeks, not since he lost it and took me hostage.

"You look better," I comment slowly this feels fairly awkward.

"I'm bipolar," he divulges suddenly and my mouth drops open. "They diagnosed me while I was in the hospital and now I'm on medication for it."

"Your mood swings, extreme behavior?"

"Yeah, they think even my hoarding," he says sitting on the arm of the sofa. He looks down at his hands, ringing them together before looking up at me with his vivid green eyes filled with remorse. "Clare, I can't even begin to apologize for what I did. Tricking you, kidnapping you, putting you in harm's way, if you had been hurt I'd…I don't know what I would have done. I know you're with Owen and you're happy and I'm happy for you, I am. I had to face some harsh realities in the hospital and I know I did some awful things but I hope you can forgive me eventually. I also hope we can someday be friends again."

"I forgive you Eli, and friends would be nice. I'm glad you were correctly diagnosed and you're getting help."

"Thanks Clare. I was worried you wouldn't even let me in. I really am happy that you're happy with Owen but you're still important to me Clare."

"You'll always be important to me too Eli, and you'll always be my first love," I tell him and he grins. "Did you talk to Simpson?"

"Yeah, I'll take my exams in a couple weeks and be welcomed back next year," Eli tells me.

"That's good Eli, you should do your senior year at DeGrassi," I say and he smirks.

"Thanks. I should go I have some other apologizing to do," Eli comments getting up.

I walk him to the door and he leaves. As soon as Jake hears the door close he comes down the stairs. I tell him about Eli's apology and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Jake says he's glad Eli was correctly diagnosed and that he apologized and asks if I'm okay. I say yes and then tell Jake I'm going to Owen's, Jake drives me over in the truck so I don't have to walk in the heat.

"I think I'll spend the night, tell Mom I'm sleeping at Alli's," I tell Jake when I get out of the truck. He says he will and I wave to him, he drives off as I knock on Owen's front door. I know he's home because I see his car out front.

"Hey Clare," Tris smiles at me when he opens the door. "OWEN, CLARE'S HERE," Tris yells up the stairs as he steps aside to let me in.

Owen comes down the stairs and smiles at me, "Hey GF what are you doing here?"

"Eli just came by," I tell him and his face changes.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did you hurt him?" Owen asks. I take his hand and pull him back up to his room before answering.

"Eli apologized, and he found out he's bipolar," I enlighten Owen.

"Whoa, that had to be tough but it does explain a lot."

"Yeah and now that they know he can be treated. He's returning to DeGrassi in the fall and he wants to be friends. I told him that would be nice, now that he knows he's bipolar and he's taking control I think it will be a good year for him and I do want to be friends with him. He said he was happy for us."

Owen takes my hand and pulls me into his lap, "I think it's going to be a good year for all of us."

I grin and smash my lips to his, encircling my arms around his neck.

(OWEN)

"Whoa, you look super-hot," I grin watching Clare come down the stairs. She's wearing a scarlet red dress with thin straps, a black sash is just below the bust and draws your eye there. She has black shoes, Alli and Jenna did her hair and makeup, and Clare looks very stunning.

"Thanks," Clare grins kissing my cheek, "behave yourself this is my mom's wedding."

"Yes, but you're coming to my house after and staying the night," I grin.

"Don't let our parents hear you say that, in fact I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Jake comments and I chuckle.

Clare helps Jake and I set out the chairs and get the flowers and decorations up. Glen was getting ready in Jake's room but he comes downstairs now. He tells the three of us we look great and looks at the set up and decorations. The pastor arrives and then guests start arriving, it's a pretty small guest list, only twenty people including me. When all the guests are here and the pastor is ready Clare takes her bouquet and her mom's going upstairs. As I'm not in the wedding party I take a seat and music starts playing. Clare looks incredible when she comes down the stairs, and Helen makes a beautiful bride. Clare and Helen walk to the pastor, Glen has a huge smile on his face when he sees Helen and it's sweet to see the love in their eyes for one another.

"Glen and Helen wish to welcome all of you who are here to share this joyous occasion. We are here to celebrate Glen and Helen's love and the joining of their two families. This wedding and the love Glen and Helen share is a second chance for both of them. They are blessed to have found love twice and this time may God bless them with true happiness. Though they have known each other for years it is only recently that their love lit and blossomed. Celebrating their love and standing with them are Glen's son Jake and Helen's youngest daughter Clare."

The pastor continues with the vows, Helen and Glen look so happy together. It's cute to watch them say their vows and look so in love. They exchange rings, and say their vows then the pastor pronounces them man and wife and they kiss. Everyone claps and the happy couple breaks from the kiss smiling. While Clare and Jake follow their parents outside for pictures the rest of us move the chairs and the caterers begin setting up. After pictures Glen and Helen take their first dance as husband and wife. People begin mingling, some sit down to eat and Clare comes over to me.

"It was a beautiful ceremony and you looked gorgeous," I grin capturing her lips in a quick soft kiss.

"Thanks, we should get food I'm starving," Clare says.

I put my arm around her and we sit at the table with Jake and Katie. After we eat I take Clare's hand and pull her out to the makeshift dance floor. I put my arms around her waist, she links her arms around my neck and we begin swaying to the slow song.

"Hard to believe the summers almost over," I comment.

"Yeah but it was a good one, especially because I spent it with you," Clare smiles.

"It was a nice summer, and I think this year is going to be a good year," I grin.

"I agree it is going to be a good year," she says standing on her tiptoes to give me a chaste kiss.

That does it for this story I hope you enjoyed it. This won't be replaced with anything so that I have more time for the other stories and other things. Next updated will be Salvaged & Saved.