A/N: So I just saw the shooting scene from this week's Glee. I thought that part was well done, but I haven't seen the rest of the episode, I hope it is just as well done, I hope they didn't gloss over the shooting, but I am not holding my breath this is Glee. And lets be honest no one could do it as well as One Tree Hill did. Anyway so my mind instantly went to the old New Directions and how they would react to the news. It would be very scary to be so far away and watch such a horrible thing happen to your old school that you just graduated from. To know so many students and teachers, to fear for your friends. So this is what I came up with a one shot with first person point of view from multiple characters. I tried to pull it all together with one character appearing at least in someway in each segment. I hope you agree with me that this would be the character who would reach out to the others in such a time of need. Please let me know what you think. And here is my little PSA: It is time for gun control measures. Background checks, restrictions on automatics are imperative. People who are using guns the right way should have no problem with a background check and there is no reason to have a semiautomatic weapon, a rifle works just as well for hunting. These are of course my own opinions and I know not everyone will agree so I ask that you don't blow up my reviews with rants about disagreeing with me. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. The review box is for writing reviews and critiques on my writing or story not on my personal opinion. Once again and thank you for reading and reviewing. Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.
It's amazing really how fast the news moves, how suddenly you feel safe and the next thing you know your school is shrouded in tension and fear. I remember the first time I heard about Columbine, I was to young to understand what had happened at the time, then there was Virginia Tech, and Newtown. It was so unbelievable, how could something so horrific happen in a school: elementary, middle, high, or even college. I never thought it would happen to my school, to my friends. I was so wrong though.
The ripple of fear spread quickly when the news broke, I felt the panic that I had after the campus got news of Newton, a school only a short drive from us. "It's a school in Ohio, named after a president I think. Two shooters, the Swat is there now." I heard a kid say as I walked out of my English lit class. My stomach dropped. My phone rang, Santana.
"San?"
"God Quinn, did you see the news?" She sounded petrified.
"No, I just got out of class."
"Someone is shooting at McKinley. I can't reach Brit or Sam, no one." She was crying and I felt tears begin to fall from my eyes, my legs gave. No, this couldn't be happening at my school, not to my friends. Their face appeared before me Britt and her huge smile as she talked about Lord Tubbington, Sam's shy smile as he spoke Navi to me the first time, Artie as he encouraged me cheered for me as I tried to conquer the back ramp in my wheelchair, Blaine in his bow tie singing love songs to Kurt, Mr. Shue spinning as he rapped to Vanilla Ice, no this couldn't be happening, not to them.
"Quinn?" Santana's voice called to me.
"They are going to be fine San but stop calling, they probably turned off their phones, to keep quiet." That is what I would have done. That is what the teachers at Newtown had done. No one knew because I didn't talk about it, but I had gone to Newtown after the shootings with a bunch of volunteers. We gave our time to talk and play with the kids, to make them feel normal if just for a moment. I sat and listen to teacher and kids stories. Those stories had scared me then and now I was petrified as I imagined those same horrific stories of loss, pain, fear but courage and bravery happen to my friends to my family.
"How can you know they will be safe there is a fucking shooter!" Santana yelled at me.
"Because Mr. Schue would die before letting anything happen to our friends," I knew it was the truth I just prayed it wouldn't become a reality.
"I'm on my way San, when I get there we'll head home together okay?"
"Yeah, sure, I…I love you Q."
"Love you too San."
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As soon as I saw the breaking news come across the TV I was on my feet. I don't think I have run so fast in my life. I was panting by the time I got to the school. Police and Swat were everywhere. I tried to bust through but they chucked me back, "No one can go in, Son." The black vested Swat man yelled at me.
"I don't fucking care my brother is in there." I yelled at him.
"You can't go in. A lot of kids got out; they are all over in the buses go look for him there."
I didn't hesitate I ran to where the office pointed.
"Puck." I heard my name and turned to see Finn holding a crying Tina.
"Oh my God you're alright." I said as I took her in my arms and held her tight.
"Everyone else is in Glee." She cried.
I bit my lip, my brother the one I was only just getting to know was trapped in school with a shooter on the loose. This wasn't fair. How could this be happening at McKinley? If Jake was telling the truth the bullying had decrease tremendously since last year, if this was going to happen at McKinley shouldn't have been sophomore year, when Karofsky and Rick the Stick and Azimio and regrettably myself were slushing and dumpster diving kids.
I looked over at my best friend, his eyes full of worry. He knew so many kids in there, even more than me. He had been a teacher, he felt so differently for these kids than I did, I hoped he was alright.
His phone rang "Hello…Rachel…calm down Rachel no I'm not in the school…Tina is the only one who made it out…yes I'll call you as soon as I hear anything. I love you too Rachel."
Just as he got off the phone mine began to ring, I quickly answered it. "Quinn?"
"Please tell me you aren't in that school, that you aren't visiting Kitty." She sounded so scared.
"No I was at work."
"Thank god. Everyone else?" Her voice wavered and cracked, I'd only ever heard it sound like this when she was talking about Beth.
"Only Tina has made it out and the SWAT are surrounding the building. Tina says they were all in Glee."
"Oh God." She breathed out.
"They'll be alright Q."
"Yeah. I'm…Santana is flipping out I am on my way to her and Rachel and Kurt right now. Can you…"
I smiled Quinn Fabray would always help a friend in need, "I'll call you as soon as I hear something. I love you Quinn."
"I love you too Noah."
I hung up the phone and stood watching with all the frantic and panicked parents. Please God save my family.
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I was finishing up some tracks when I heard the news. My phone rang during my break and I was surprised to see it was Mike, we talked occasionally but not often.
"Hey Mike how is school?"
"You haven't seen the news?"
He sounded odd to me not like the calm Mike I knew. "No I just finished laying down some backup vocals."
"Mercedes there has been a shooting at McKinley."
My breath caught , what? "No."
"Yes, turn on the news." I ran to the lounge and tore the control from Ashely who was watching a cable show.
"Hey." She yelled I ignored her and flipped to the network news. There is was my old high school the words school shooting in big letters under it.
"Oh my Lord. Is…"
"I only got through to Tina, she got out. The others are still in there."
I instantly thought of Sam. I still loved him even if I wasn't in love with him. Then I thought of my other friends: Blaine, Brittany, Sugar, Unique, Artie, Joe and then the newbies Kitty, Marley, Jake, Ryder. I hoped they were alright that Mr. Schue and Coach Beiste and Coach Sylvester were taking care of them, protecting them.
"Mike I got to go thanks for calling."
"Sure, I'll call you later and Mercedes I am sure they are going to be alright."
"Thanks and please call me later especially if you hear something."
"You too bye Cedes."
Once he hung up I slid onto the couch and began to cry as I watch the footage of my old school turning into a combat zone.
"Cedes you okay?" asked Ashely.
I shook my head, "No that's my high school. My friends are inside."
"Oh Mercedes." She pulled my into a hug and I let her, for the first time I wished I wasn't so far away, that I was home where I belonged. Just then I got at text. It was Quinn 'Head up Sis, they will all make it out of there.' I smiled Quinn was right the New Directions could do anything.
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I sat there on the couch my arms tightly around two sobbing brunettes my eye trained on the television screen as it replayed the same scenes of kids fleeing my alma mater's halls, of parents running to their kids hugging them tightly, of SWAT and Police circling the school. I knew I had to be strong for the two girls burring into my chest but it was so hard. My mind was on Blaine, I love him and now I may never get the chance to tell him. I've wasted so much time being angry and then confused and scared. What am I going to do if I never see him again? No I can't think like that Blaine will be alright he is with Mr. Schue and our friends. Everything will be okay.
"I don't think I can watch this anymore." Rachel muttered.
"We have too, we have to know." Santana replied.
I dropped kisses on the tops of both of their heads. "Our friends are strong if anyone can survive a school shooting it's the glee club." I hope I sounded convincing but I didn't really believe my own words.
"Blaine will be okay." Rachel said looking up at me. Clearly my words hadn't worked and my fears were transparent to my roommates.
Breaking news came on the screen again and a report came on. "We are just getting reports in that the SWAT team has apprehended one of the shooters and killed the other. They have declared the building clear and the remaining student trapped inside will be emerging shortly."
My heart pounded as they moved to live view, nothing was happening and all I wanted to do was see Blaine's face come out of the those red doors.
A knock on the door startled us and Rachel got up to answer. "Quinn." I heard Rachel yell and then I saw the blonde enter with Rachel wrapped around her. Santana was in Quinn's arms in a second as well; I just sat and watched as the tallest woman somehow managed to embrace both her friends in one hug. They seemed so much calmer and reassured in Quinn's arms then mine. I might feel jealous if I wasn't so happy to have her here to help. She untangled herself from the shorter woman and came over to give me a hug. "Blaine's the strongest guy I know in that school, he will be fine." Now I actually believed her words. The four of sat back on the couch as we watched the school began to be evacuated, my eyes darted from face to face seeking out the one I prayed to see. And then there they were led by Coach Beiste in the front and followed by in the back. They all looked to be in shock and scared but they were safe and whole. I felt my chest relax as I counted their faces: 1 Sam, 2 Brittany, 3 Jacob,4 Marley, 5 Artie, 6 Kitty, 7 Ryder, 8 Unique and finally 9 Blaine. There he was the love of my life safe and sound. For once I thanked god for being so good to me.
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It was bitter sweet how we all ended up at home for the first time since Rachel left on the train to New York last year. Sure we'd visited in small groups but never had we all been back together as we were right now. I had offered up my house for the reunion. McKinley was closed, at least for another week or so and the kids still there needed somewhere save to go. It was only logical that we all be together in the same place.
So here we sat all of us the old crew and the new crew. No one said much we just soaked in the reality that somehow all of the New Directions had made it out of the shooting alive. Fourteen students and three teachers had been killed. The shooters, two freshman boy, no one knew the reasons for the shooting spree. I guess I really didn't care, I was just happy that my friends were alive.
"Thanks for letting us stay here, Quinn." Marley said quietly.
"No problem. I just wanted you all to have a safe place to relax together and well with no one being here with my mom away on her cruse it is the perfect place." I shrugged.
The rest of the week was spent together just enjoying each other's company and trying to help Marley, Kitty, Blaine, Brittany, Ryde, Unique, Sugar, Sam, Joe, and Tina through their nightmares and fears. Soon it was time for Mercedes to go back to LA, Mike to Chicago, Rachel, Santana, and Kurt to New York, and myself to New Haven. I left Puck and Finn with a copy of my house key and told them to let anyone in who need a safe haven in. My mom was cool with it, seemed happy to be able to help.
As I passed McKinley my mind went to those few terrifying hours that change my life and lives of all my friends. I never wanted to feel so scared, worried, helpless, and angry again in my life. This needed to stop, the hate the violence it need to end. It was time to step up actually it was way overdue. I knew what I would do when I got back to school, it gun control was going to be taken serious by our government, if real change was going to occur, then it needed to start somewhere and why not with the youth, with my generation. It is our future that is at risk, my friends and me who were being shot down by hate, intolerance, and ignorance. It was time to start a movement. Our country needed to change and I'd start the movement.
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