"What's It Feel Like To Be a Ghost? Pt. 2"
Airdate: Friday, January 12th

Ellie is chewing her thumb as Jesse leans over her shoulder. "A day in the life of Craig Manning," he reads aloud. "Ouch. That's your title?" And the award for Most Supportive Boyfriend goes to... Ellie makes a comment somewhat similar to mine, then admits that she found a baggie of coke in Craig's room. Jesse's not surprised and comments that he thought Craig was looped, but Ellie emphatically tells him it's not Craig's, it's Manny's. Jessie continues on his Daddy Knows Best commentary and insists Ellie is too snowed - ha, I made a drug funny! - not to see it. Which, of course, is when Jessie tells Ellie she's interviewing Taking Back Sunday, and that, of course, is when Craig drops by the office. Ellie, of course, jumps at the chance to help Craig clean out Joey's garage, leaving Jessie feeling only slightly put out. Of course.

Ellie tries to interview Craig as he's mucking around the garage, waxing poetic about what he left behind and how he feels like life moved on without him. Ellie's all, "I'm here, and I always will be!" Cue the text from Jessie telling her to get her ass on the move. So what does she do? Drags Craig along. Y'know, for a girl with a hot boyfriend, she's sure acting kinda single...

And on to the second storyline! Toby and the Two Ds run into the kids from Lakehurst, who warn them that they've declared war on Degrassi thanks to JT's fight-starting ways a few episodes back. How West Side Story!

But back to the main storyline. Ellie runs into the club for her interview - and does so late, much to Jessie's chagrin. (The Torontonian in me suspects they're upstairs at the El Mocambo... or no, maybe it was that club on Bathurst that I forget the name of, but it was painted this hideous shade of purple on the outside. But I digress.) Jessie tells Craig to go get a coffee, but naturally Ellie does a big introduction, allowing Craig to yabble about his remake of one of their songs. When the lead singer offers to jam with him, Jessie gets agro, Ellie says they should, and the tension in the room is thick enough to need a chainsaw to cut through it.

The two! JT and Mia are playing tickle fight in the cafeteria until Tobey warns him of Lakehurst's threats. Mia tells JT she thinks it's because her ex, Nick, knows they're dating. Oh, the drama!

Back at the club, Ellie is finishing one of her interviews... until the manager steals her interviewee for station IDs (which, loosely translated, means "The band wants to go hang with groupies before the show.") Jessie protests - after all, Ellie hasn't interviewed the lead singer yet. But the manager says no go, leaving Ellie to wither under Jessie's "Daddy's Disappointed" stare. But Craig is there to comfort her with news that he's been invited to do a song during their set the following night... and blows off their interview to go see Manny. Apparently Ellie is one of those types who needs to put her hand in the fire 800 times before she learns it burns.

Uno, dos! JT goes to Lakehurst to try and talk some sense into those yahoos, and winds up declaring a war of his own. They set up a date for a rumble the following day. And so the vicious cycle begins...

Meanwhile, Jessie is all stompy stompy around the office as Ellie is in mea culpa mode, but Jessie is so not having it. He asks why she's not interviewing him. "He bailed on me - went to party with little miss Manny," she sighs. "Probably jonesing for coke," Jessie spits. This puts Ellie in Emphatic Denial mode as she shouts from the rooftops that Craig isn't that type - oh, and P.S., that he's jealous - causing Jessie to snap at her, "I'm not jealous of some failed singer songwriter loser that you still crush on. He's pathetic." Ellie tells him he's wrong. "No, you know what's wrong? The fact that Craig keeps crapping on you, and you keep going back for more," Jessie says as Ellie runs out the door. Really, though, the guy has a point. I know Ellie has daddy issues with her father in the army... wait, why does Canada have an army again?

So when Craig starts getting too touchy feely with Manny, she suggests they go to a movie...until Craig says he has party favors and breaks out the powder. Manny tells him she's not interested because it made her sick. Craig basically says she's dumb and gets ready to hoover. Manny responds by getting up and saying, "I'm dumping your ass, Craig. Bye."

Altogether now: GOOD FOR HER! Dare I say it - especially considering how she used to grate on my nerves - but Manny has become my favorite character. Just witness when she runs into Ellie on her way out the door and sets her straight on who, exactly, is the powder hound. Ellie marches straight upstairs to confront Craig, who gives her the clich�d lines we talked about last week (which Ellie calls him out on.) She talks him into coming to group therapy. He agrees. There's no point in being a betting man - you and I know he's not going to be there.

Uno, duo! In possibly the most hilarious scene in the show, the Two Ds are handing out flyers inviting people to come to the rumble. JT tells them they're idiots. Spinner and Jimmy tell them violence doesn't solve anything. Quote of the show goes to Danny for this gem: "Whatever, Buddha-licious, go pick a flower. We're going to kick some ass."

Group. Ellie? Check. Craig? Shows up after the door is locked, then bails. Shocker? No.

Les deux! Mia shows up pre-rumble to tell JT he's being retarded. He finally relents and everyone splits. But when the Lakehurst kids go hunting for them, they run into Toby... and give him the beating they'd reserved for JT and his crew.

Taking Back Sunday is doing their thing on stage, while Craig is doing his thing off... which is where Ellie finds him. He mumbles something about not making therapy, so Ellie goes to his jacket and yanks out his stash. She threatens to tell Joey and put an end to his rock n' roll lifestyle, then all but tells him she's still harboring feelings. So Craig kisses her. Passionately. "I love you, Ellie," he says. "I love you too," she says with a little laugh. "So don't make me stop," he begs. Zing!

Ellie asks how he could play with her like that. "You'll say whatever you have to to get your hands on this, won't you?" she asks, then flees the room. Back out at the club, Craig takes the stage and starts playing guitar... until his nose starts bleeding down his face and on to his shirt.

Two! Toby is in a neck brace and his arm is in a sling, but he's flanked by girls. JT vows revenge. Toby gives him the "violence begets violence" speech and makes him promise not to get revenge...which he does. Any bets that this isn't over?

Meanwhile, Ellie is at the airport with Craig, who is flying to Calgary to see Joey as Snake stands ominously in the background to make sure he's going to get on the plane. The plan is for him to go to rehab. Ellie walks away and starts to cry. Craig stops her and tells her he knows he messed up - AS ALWAYS! Oh, sorry... my Tourette's is acting up - and tells her he's glad he was able to be honest about his feelings for her. "Don't. It's beside the point. You need help," she says. He tells her he's going to rehab, but when he gets out...Ellie sniffs. "Goodbye, Craig." Finally, she gets Manny's balls.

Next week: party time! I smell some consequences coming...

Degrassi: The Next Generation - Series
Degrassi: The Next Generation - Season 6
"What's It Feel Like To Be a Ghost? Pt. 2"