No One Knew

{No One Knew

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Dawson's Creek…I do not make any money from the writing of this fan-fiction. It's simply for fun.

It was a typical Thursday at Capeside High. Students were in various areas enjoying the lunch period, some outside, some in the library, some actually eating in the cafeteria.

Joey Potter and Pacey Witter were spending their lunch period together in the cafeteria.

Dawson Leery was spending his lunch period in the film lab. Dawson was working on a script for a new movie he was planning to begin shooting in the next few weeks.

Jen Lindley and Jack McPhee were in the computer lab, researching colleges. Jack and Jen were determined to go to college together the next fall and get out of Capeside at the same time.

Andie McPhee was in the library studying, determined to keep her grades perfect, even though she'd already received her acceptance letter to Harvard.

All six friends were spending their day as any other. They didn't know that their whole world was about to get turned upside down. No one knew that on an innocent Thursday afternoon, someone had planned a massacre.

No one knew…until the first shot rang out over the campus.



Chapter 1

He thinks he's so funny! Well… maybe he is. But that's why I love Pacey Witter, my Pacey. He's looking at me with those eyes... the eyes through which I see his soul. He takes my hand, and kisses it.

"You know you love me, Jo, don't try to deny it" he says, flashing a smile.

"You, bug me. Sorry, but you do," I reply, though I know the smile on my face is betraying my words.

"Come on, Jo. What if one of us gets in a freak accident after school? Do you really want the words, 'You bug me', to be the last thing you ever said to me?" he asks with an adorable pouty look. I can't deny him when he looks at me like that.

"I love you, Pace," I whisper as I lean in, and kiss him.

Something stops us suddenly…there's no way that can be what I think it is. I look at Pacey and I know he's thinking the exact same thing I am, he already knows. We can hear screaming from the hallway and more gunfire. The shooters are getting closer. I see some students running toward the back of the cafeteria.

I look at Pacey, and I know I must look terrified because he grabs my hand and pulls me towards the running students.

What the hell is going on? Who would have thought that we'd have a high school shooting, in Capeside?

There are students everywhere; we're all running for our lives. The gunfire is getting louder and the doors suddenly burst open. Pacey throws me behind an upturned table. "We can't stay here, Jo, we gotta move," Pacey tells me. He's leaning around the side of the table checking to see whats going on. "Now, Joey." He grabs my hand and we run into the crowd.

I see a girl fall beside me...she's in my math class...blood is covering her shirt...I think she's dead. Suddenly I don't feel Pacey's hand anymore. I can't see him through the sea of people. I decide to keep running.

"Pacey!" I scream, but I get no reply. There is too much screaming going on, he can't hear me. The bullets are still flying as I make my way through the cafeteria doors. I have no idea what to do, so I do the only thing I can think of. I duck into the janitor's closet on my left. I push everything I can find in front of the door. I collapse onto the floor and start crying. All I can think about are my friends, where's Pacey? Did he make it out? Is he going to find his dad? His dad can bring in the cops. Where is Dawson? Where are Jen and Jack? Where's Andie?

Suddenly I remember my cell phone. Do I still have it with me? Yes, it's in my pocket. I call Bessie, no answer. I call Dawson's house, no answer. Where is everybody? I try Doug, no answer. The restaurant, I'll call Mrs. Leery's restaurant. Mr. Leery is always there.

It's ringing...somebody please answer.

"Hello...Leery's Fresh Fish...this is Gretchen...can I help you?"

"Gretchen...Thank God" I'm yelling at her.

"Joey?"

"Gretchen listen someone came to school with a gun, I can still hear the shooting, call your dad..Please hurry...I don't know where Pacey is" I'm sobbing.

"OK...listen, calm down...you know Pacey I'm sure he's fine...I'll call you right back"

She hangs up. I'm hugging my knees, praying my friends are OK. Should I call Grams? Is Mr. McPhee home? Maybe I should try Bessie again. My mind is cluttered with thoughts.



Chapter 2

Where's Joey? I was just holding her hand as we ran from the cafeteria. She's a smart girl, she'll be fine. She has to be, I can't live without her. I can still hear the guns, but I think they're still shooting up the cafeteria.

I see an open classroom door to the right, I go in. It's empty. I shut the door quickly and lock it as the mob of running students head for the doors. I act quickly. I push all the nearby desks against the door and crouch down behind the teacher's desk.

I can still here gunfire. Who would want to shoot up Capeside High?

Maybe I can get out the window. I crawl over to the window and peek out. There's no one outside. Wait a minute...how can there be no one outside I saw a mob running for the doors. Did they lock us in? I notice a window two classrooms down open, someone's about to climb out. It's Drue Valentine.

"Drue!" I whisper-yell at him.

"Witter...are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...you thinking about trying to make a run for it?"

"Well, I don't think we can get out the doors, the front ones are locked I tried those when I heard the first shots. I ducked in here when I saw everyone running from the cafeteria. Thought about jumping out of this window, though. You game, Witter?"

"I am, if you are, Valentine."

"On 3."

I nod. I can still here shots behind me. All I can think about is Joey. She has to be ok. I hear Drue yell 3. We jump. We run as fast as we can. I glance behind me and see the front lawn of the school littered with bodies. This can not be happening.

"Pacey, over here." Drue yells to me. I see his car just to the left in the senior parking lot. We get to the car just as the upstairs window begin to shatter.

"Go!" I yell as soon as we get. "I've got to find my dad."

"Here, put this on the charger and call him."

Drue hands me his cell. I plug it into the charger and fumble to turn it on. The 10 seconds it takes to turn on feel like an eternity as Drue pulls out onto the road. I dial my dad.

"Capeside Sheriff's Dept."

"I need to speak to Sheriff Witter, it's an emergency!"

"Sheriff Witter isn't in right now...who's calling?"

I hang up. "Drue, drive downtown...we'll have to find him ourselves. He's not in his cruiser so having them radio him is pointless."

We drive downtown. I notice my dad and brother's cruisers in front of the Leery's restaurant.

"Stop" I yell. I jump out before he can even put the car in park. I run into the restaurant. I see Doug standing next to the bar talking hurriedly into his phone. My dad is sitting at a nearby table with Mr. and Mrs Leery and Grams.

"Oh, Pacey, thank God," Mrs. Leery runs over and wraps me in a motherly hug. Mr. Leery is next, then Grams.

"Did you see Dawson?" Mr. Leery asks.

"No, sir. It all happened so quickly...wait...how did you know?" I ask.

"Joey called." Gretchen says walking over to us. Drue walks in at the same moment. Before I can ask about Joey my dad interrupts.

"I'm glad you're ok Pace, but we got to figure out how to get the rest of those kids out safely. Can you tell me what happened?"

I replay the whole story to him, then Drue tells them what he saw. The gun men were all in masks, we're not sure who they could be. As soon as I finish talking to my dad I immediately ask Gretchen about Joey.

"I think she's hiding...she called me and told me what happened and told me to call dad and that she didn't know what happened to you. I tried calling her back, but I can't get the call to connect."

All I can think about is my poor Joey, all alone in that war zone. My dad and Doug are working out a plan. They'll save her. They have to.



Chapter 3

I suddenly felt totally and completely inspired to make another movie last night while watching a, you guessed it, a movie. I haven't made a movie or even felt like making one in what feels like forever.

This is how I ended up spending my lunch period in the film lab. I'm just writing out a script, making plans in my head. I'm, of course, torn as to who should be the producer: Jen or Joey? They've both done such great jobs in the past.

Then again, Joey spends every waking moment with Pacey now. And Jen spends every waking moment with Jack. Maybe if I convince Andie it'll look good to Harvard, she'd produce for me. She's fun and she'd probably be really good at it. Maybe Gretchen? It's a good excuse to spend more time with her.

I look up from my computer as I hear what sounds like gunfire coming from the football field, but it can't be, not in Capeside. Then I hear screaming. Someone is shooting up Capeside High.

I instantly duck under the desk of the computer I'm working on. The film lab…due to filming purposes,has no windows. Whoever thought that one up?

All rational thought exits my mind as I hear the door open and shots being fired into the room. There were only, I think, five of us in here… I wonder how many are left. The shooting doesn't stop. I hear computers being shot at, glass shattering all around me. I can honestly say for the first time in my life, that I don't give a rat's ass about my script.

Suddenly, the shooting stops, but I don't move a muscle. I hardly even breathe. I hear footsteps. I'm in the very back corner of the room. I notice my bag on the floor by my legs. I quickly and quietly grab it and tuck it under the desk with me. Maybe they won't see me. I can still hear footsteps. I hold my breath waiting for them to leave. The footsteps seem to be fading. I hear shots again, in the hallway again. They're gone. I glance around my desk, there's glass all over the floor, the computer monitors are smoking. I see a blond girl in the middle of the floor, she's motionless. I slowly stand up.

"Hey, is anyone alive in here?" I call out, hoping to hear a reply.

"I'm over here. Help me please." I see someone huddled behind the cameras. She's stuck. It's a girl from my history class, I don't know her name. I walk over to her trying to avoid the broken glass.

"Are you ok?" I ask her.

"I think so, I'm Kayla, by the way. We have history together." She tells me as I help her up.

"I'm Dawson." I quickly notice that we are lucky, everyone else in the room is dead.

"I know," she says, noticing what I just realized, "what's going on? A school shooting in Capeside?"

"I know what you mean, do you have any idea who the shooters are?" I ask her, as I walk toward the door and lock it, pushing everything I can move in front of it.

"I don't have any idea, I was too scared to look."

"This is one of those times that I really wish I had a cell phone," I chuckle, nervously.

"Here," Kayla hands me her phone. "I'm too shaken up to talk to the police."

I dial the number to the Sheriff's office. I know the number well. The line is busy. People must be finding out whats going on. I decide to call my mom's restaurant.

"Hello...Leery's Fresh Fish." It was Gretchen.

"Gretchen, it's me Dawson...can I talk to my dad? Is he there?"

"Oh my God, Dawson, I'm so glad you're ok." I hear her yell for my dad.

"Dawson, thank God, are you ok?"

"Yes dad, I'm ok. I'm stuck in the film lab. They came in shooting, but I hid and they left. We've locked the door and pushed everything heavy up against it. That should keep the shooters out. Where is Pacey's dad? Is he coming up here?"

"John and Doug are here now. The shooters have the school locked down. Pacey and Drue made it out and Joey called the restaurant, Gretchen talked to her. Gretchen thinks she's hiding out somewhere too. Some other students managed to get away, but most are still inside."

"What about Jen? Jack? Andie? Have you heard from them? Did you call Grams or Mr. McPhee? Bessie?"

"We haven't heard about Jen, Jack or Andie, Dawson. Mrs. Ryan is here and has called Jack and Andie's father, he should be here within the hour and we finally got in touch with Bessie, she and Bodie just walked in. Your mother wants to talk to you. I love you, Dawson."

I can tell my mother's been crying. "Dawson, honey, are you ok?"

"Yes, mom, I'm fine. I stuck in the film lab, but we're safe. I'm worried about Joey and Jen and Jack and Andie. Can I talk to Pacey?"

"Sure, honey, here he is, I love you."

"Dawson?" He's confused, understandable.

"Pacey, I'm so glad you're ok and I'm sorry about everything that's gone down between us the past couple months. Something like this really puts your priorities in order."

"Dawson, I'm so glad to hear you say that. I'm sorry too. Man, I'm glad you're ok. I'm worried about Joey though. You know how she panics."

"Pace, trust me, she's gonna be ok. She's brave. Just tell your dad and Doug to get us out of here."

"I will, man. They're working on it. Stay safe, she still loves you too. You know?"

"I know." I hang up. Kayla is sitting in a chair, hugging her knees, sobbing quietly.

"It's gonna be ok. Sheriff Witter is working on a plan right now to get us out of here." I sit down next to her. I don't know how to comfort her, I'm scared too.



Chapter 4

I am so glad I found such a great friend like Jack. I couldn't ask for a better best friend, which is why I'm spending my lunch period in the computer lab, of all places. Jack insisted we start researching colleges and find one we can both get into, together. The thought of being away from Jack is unthinkable so here I sit.

"C'mon Jen, start looking otherwise we are doomed to walk the streets of Capeside forever," he says, playfully shoving me.

"What about New York?" I ask, giving him a smirk.

"I don't really care as long as we're together."

"Nah, I don't want to go back to New York, Boston maybe?"

"That would be cool." He pulls up a search on colleges in Boston. "Check this one out, Jen."

I lean over and that's when we hear it. "What was that?" It sounds like a gun. That's when I hear the screaming. Jack grabs my hand and pulls me under the table where the computers are sitting. I'm starting to freak. Jack grabs my face.

"Listen to me, Jen. We're fine. We're gonna be fine. Just stay with me, you hear me?"

I nod. Jack is looking around. The other students in the computer lab with us are under their tables too. I can still hear shots being fired in the halls. "Jack, they're getting closer," I whisper.

"I know. I think we should try to make a run for it out that door." He says pointing at the door on the other end of the room. "The shooting is coming from over there." He points at the main door.

I nod again. I'm so scared, but I trust Jack completely. He stands up slowly, then he pulls me up with him. We run to the opposite side of the room. I can't hear any shooting from this door. Maybe they're not over here. Jack opens the door, slowly.

"I think the coast is clear," he says looking right then left down the hall way. We exit slowly. I'm holding onto Jack for dear life. That's when I see the other kids and some teachers running from the cafeteria at the far end of the hallway.

"Oh my God, Jack. They're coming." I'm screaming.

"Calm down, Jen. It's going to be ok. I promise."

How can he promise me something like that? How does he know everything will be ok? I feel Jack's hand as he pulls me away from the running students in the direction they're running. We make it to the doors. Shit, they're locked.

"We're trapped," I yell, panicking.

Jack is so calm. I can hear more screaming, I think it's coming from the cafeteria. I see Joey. Where's Pacey? Joey looks terrified, then I lose sight of her through the mob. We're running, down a side hallway, I think. I can feel my Jack's strong hand around mine. He pulls me into a bathroom.

"Listen to me, Jen. I'm gonna try and get outside to my car and go find Sheriff Witter or Doug. As soon as I leave lock the door behind me and get inside a stall and stay there."

"Jack...no...please...don't leave me alone...please Jack." I'm frantic. He hugs me tight, then he looks at me.

"Jen, it's gonna be ok, but someone has got to get help or we're all dead. I don't know how many shooters there are, but it definitely sounded like more than one."

I don't want him to go, but I know he isn't going to listen to me. He's very brave, that best friend of mine. More brave than he'll ever know. He kisses my forehead and slips back out into the hallway. I lock the door as soon as he leaves just like he told me to. The halls are eerily quiet. I go into the farthest stall from the door and sit down on the back of the toilet. I'm shaking. All I keep thinking about are my friends. What happened to Joey? Where was Pacey? Oh my God, where's Andie and Dawson? Grams will be worried when I don't come home. Please, be ok Jack. My mind keeps rolling over the possibilities. It's too much, I'm sobbing now.



Chapter 5

I am so excited about getting accepted to Harvard, but was there ever really any doubt that I would get in. Ok, I admit it maybe just a little. I want to keep my grades in perfect shape so I am spending my lunch hour in the library. Oh, how I love the library. I could spend all day in here. I'm studying for a test on Shakespeare. Where did I put those note cards? Ah, here they are. Now where did I put my highlighter? That's when I hear the first shot. What was that? Then I hear another and the screaming starts. Everyone is ducking under tables.

My first instinct is too get under my table too, but I would still be exposed. What can I do? Suddenly I remember the equipment room near the non-fiction shelves. I run leaving all my things on the table. I duck into the room. No one even saw me. Maybe I should've tried to get the other students to come too. Oh well too late for that now. There's no lock on this door. I shove the nearest TV stand in front of the door. I notice a door in front of me when I turn around. That's the door to the film lab. Didn't Dawson say he was going to work on his script today? I think so, I can't remember. I was only half listening. I hope he's ok.

Then I hear the shooting. I squeeze in between the nearest shelf and the wall. I'm praying they don't find me. The shooting continues in the film lab then suddenly it stops. Are they done? Is everyone in there dead? Then I hear more shooting, this time its in the library. I can't think straight. I'm so scared. I really hope Dawson wasn't in the film lab.

Maybe they won't come in here. I don't want to take any chances. I quickly push another TV cart against the door to the library. I can hear screaming. Are they killing everyone? Suddenly the shooting stops. I can hear footsteps in the library, they're getting closer. I squeeze back between the wall and the shelf and slide down onto the floor.

Why didn't I grab my bag? My cell phone was in there. Where's Jack? Probably with Jen. I hope they're OK. Was Dawson in the film lab? I hope not. Are Joey and Pacey ok? I'm so scared. Why haven't the cops shown up yet? Surely a teacher has called them by now. What's going on? It's awfully quiet out there now. The shooting starts again. This time it sounds further away, uptairs maybe?

That's when I hear talking from the film. Oh my God someone's alive in there? Is that Dawson?



Chapter 6

I hear Jen lock the door behind me as I look up and down the hall. Leaving her in there was so hard, but if I can get to the parking lot and get my car I can find Sheriff Witter or maybe Doug and get this whole situation fixed.

It's eerily quiet in this particular hallway. Maybe Jen will be safe if she just stays put. I can hear shooting, but it sounds like it's coming from upstairs. I keep walking quickly down this hall. There's a classroom ahead of me. It's dark inside. I peek through the narrow window on the door. The desk are all shoved in front of the door, smart teacher. They should be safe. I keep walking I turn down the hall leading to the main entrance to the cafeteria. Are the shooters still in there? Maybe not, I hope not.

The door is wide open. I don't hear anything. I walk in. It's looks like a war zone. Bodies everywhere. Tables and chairs flipped over. I step over the debris making my way to the other door. I get out into the hallway again. I try the exit, it's locked. I hear someone running. I see a janitor's closet to the left. I'll hide in there.

I get to the door. I try to open it. It's hard to open. There's stuff pushed in front of it. I hear a scream from inside the closet. I get he door open in time to see Joey picking up a broom. I think she's going to hit me. She realizes it's me. The running is getting closer. I shove my way inside the closet and help Joey push things back in front of the door.

"Jack!" Joey says, collapsing into my arms.

"Are you ok?" I ask still holding her.

She nods. "Where's Jen?"

"She's in the bathroom down the hall. I told her to lock the door. I was trying to get to my car, but someone was running down the stairs by the cafeteria and I ducked in here. All the exits are locked, we can't get out of the school." I tell Joey.

"I called Mrs. Leery's restaurant. I talked to Gretchen. She was suppose to call her dad, but they should've been here by now." she tells me.

"Where's Pacey?" I ask.

"We got separated running from the cafeteria," she's starting to cry.

I wrap her in a hug again. "I'm sure he's fine." I tell her.

We sit down on the floor. My mind keeps drifting back to Jen. Then I think of Andie, where is she? Probably in the library. Were they shooting in there? Where's Dawson, I wonder. I wrap my arm around Joey, she's shaking.

"Where's your phone? Maybe we should try calling the restaurant again." I tell her.

"Here," she hands it to me, "I can't get it to connect a call."

I dial the number, call lost flashes across the screen after about 30 seconds. I try again. Same thing. I stand up near the door and try one last time. Oh shit, it's ringing. "Joey, it's ringing!" I yell. She jumps up to stand next to me.

"Hello?" It's Mrs. Leery, she sounds frantic.

"Mrs. Leery..."

"Oh thank heavens, Jack. Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm ok and Joey's right here too. A little shaken up, but we're alright." I hear her tell some one, "It's Jack and Joey's with him."

"Where are you at? What's going on? Hang on honey, Sheriff Witter would like to speak to you."

The sheriff gets on the phone and I tell him everything that I had seen and then he talks to Joey and she recounts her side. She hands the phone back to me, "Grams wanted to talk to you," she tells me.

"Grams?"

"Oh Jack, thank the Lord you're alright, but where's Jennifer?"

"She's locked herself in a bathroom down the hall. I was going to try to get to my car, but I heard running and ducked into the janitor's closet where Joey was hiding. I'm going to go get Jen."

"Oh Jack, please be careful. I've called your father. He should be here any minute."

"I will. Has anyone heard from Andie, Dawson, or Pacey?"

"Pacey is here now. He arrived earlier with Drue Valentine, they made it to Drue's car. Dawson called, he's locked in the film lab. But Jack no one's heard from Andie. I'm so sorry. But the Lord will watch over her. She'll be fine. I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Grams. Joey wants to talk to Pacey now."

I hand Joey the phone. I try not to listen to her conversation with Pacey. She hangs up after a few "I love you"'s and sits back down. I sit next to her.

"Pacey said his dad and Doug are working with the rest of the officers to figure out a plan to get into the school. Apparently the shooters have it locked down and they're staked out around the outside. Drue and Pace were lucky they didn't get shot running to the car. We're just suppose to stay put." she tells me.

"I have to go get Jen. I can't leave her alone in that bathroom. What if they find her?"

Joey looks panicked. "I know, Jack. Go get her, but please be careful, and do it quickly."

I get up again and start moving things from in front of the door. I've got to hurry.



Chapter 7

I'm so glad Jack is with Joey now, at least she's not alone. It was really good to talk to her, but I could hear the fear in her voice. My dad, Dougie and the other Capeside officers are getting ready to head over to the school and try to get the rest of the students out. Jack said that some of the teachers had their classrooms locked down and had gotten as many students to safety as possible from what he could tell when he ws making his way down the halls.

Grams is sitting alone near the windows. Mr. McPhee is sitting at the bar talking to Mitch. Mrs. Leery and Gretchen are sitting at a nearby table. Drue is outside trying to call his mother. My dad and Doug are huddled in a corner with the other officers discussing the situation. I go over to sit with Grams.

"Jack will get back to Jen. They'll be alright," I tell her.

"I know that, dear," she says, smiling and patting my hand, "I am praying for all those children."

I glance out the window then back towards my dad and brother.

"I'm praying for the officers going in, as well." She squeezes my hand and smiles at me.

"Thanks."

I get up and walk towards my dad.

"So whats going on Pops?"

"We're leaving now. We'll be back just as soon as we can Pace."

"Dad, I'm coming with you. Joey's in there, so are Dawson, Jack, Jen and Andie."

"Pacey, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please Pops." I pleading with him.

"Fine, you stick with Doug and do exactly as he says. You understand?"

"Yes, sir."

I feel relief and intense fear as I follow Doug to his car parked out front. I'm relieved to not be sitting around worrying about whats going on but I'm scared. This is all way too real. A shooting in Capeside, who would've ever dreamed this would happen.



Chapter 8

I listen intently to the silence around me as I shut the door to the closet. I have to get to Jen as quickly as possible and get her back to Joey. Hopefully Sheriff Witter and the rest of the police force will be here soon. Maybe the best bet would be for us to make a break for it and jump out a window like Pacey and Drue?

I look around as I rush down the hallway. I don't see anybody or hear anything. Its eerily quiet in the halls. I make it to the bathroom I left Jen in. I tap on the door.

"Jen...Jen...it's me...Jack...open the door...please," I say loud enough for her to hear. I can hear her moving something out from the front of the door and hear the lock turn. Just then I hear what sounds like gunfire again and its really close. Jen opens the door, I shove her back and slip inside and lock the door again.

"Jack...oh my God...I was so scared," Jen is sobbing into my chest.

"It's going to be ok, Jen. I found Joey. She down the hall a little ways hiding in the janitors closet by the cafeteria. I ducked in there when I was trying to get outside. All the outer doors are locked. Pacey and Drue made it outside to Drue's car and they're at the Leery's restaurant now with Grams, Mr. and Mrs. Leery, Sheriff Witter and Doug. My dad's on his way to Capeside."

"What about Dawson and Andie?"

"Dawson is in the film lab, but no ones heard from Andie...yet."

"Oh Jack, I'm so sorry, but I'm sure Andie is just fine. I just know she is."

"That's what I keep telling myself." I pull Jen into another hug.

"So what do we do now? Just wait here till the police get here?"

"We're going back to wait with Joey. She's a mess and I didn't want to leave either of you alone."

I lean against the door and listen. It seems all quiet again. I slowly turn the lock and open the door just a crack. The coast seems to be clear. I grab Jen's hand without a second thought and pull her down the hall. Thats when I hear the shots ring out again.



Chapter 9

That voice definately sounded like Dawson. I can't hear shooting in the library anymore, I think it's okay to move now. I move out from my hiding spot and reach for the door to the film lab, but it's locked.

I tap on the door. "Dawson, is that you? It's me, Andie. Please let me in. I don't want to go back in the library."

"Andie, oh thank goodness you're okay. I gotta move some equipment. Hang on."

I breathe a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice. I can hear him moving stuff. As soon as the door is opened I jump into Dawson's arms and begin to sob.

"Oh Dawson, I was so scared."

"It's okay Andie. You're okay now. i've got you and Mr. Witter and Doug are on their way up here now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. I talked to my parents. Mr. Witter and Doug were at the restaurant with the rest of the Capeside police. Pacey and Drue managed to jump out a couple windows and get to Drue's car. Joey is hiding in the janitor's closet near the cafeteria. I need to call back and let them know that you're safe. Your dad was on his way back. Grams called him."

Dawson calls his parent's restaurant. I hear him talking but i'm barely listening. He hands me the phone.

"Andie, your dad wants to talk to you?"

I take the phone.

"Daddy?"

"Andie, sweetheart, are you alright? We were so worried about you."

"Yea, Dad, I'm alright, I guess. A little shaken up, but I'm alright. Have you heard from Jack? Is he ok? What about Jen?"

"They're both fine, Andie. Mrs. Ryan has spoken with Jack and he said he was fine and so was Jen. Mr. Witter will be there soon. I want you to stay with Dawson."

"Alright, I will."

"Andie..."

"Yes, Daddy,".

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"See you soon."

"K."

I hand the phone back to Dawson.

"Thanks, Dawson, for calling. I needed that, to talk to my dad."

"So I guess he told you that they heard from Jack?"

"Yeah, so it seems like everyone is alright?"

"As far as we know, Jack was going to go back to the bathroom where Jen was hiding and take her back to where Joey was. He didn't want to leave either of them alone. And Pacey is coming back here with Doug. He refused to stay at the restaurant and wait."

That's when I hear it again. The gunfire. It's right outside the door. Someones trying to get inside. I barely noticed Kayla before this moment, she's in my Biology class. She takes off toward the library. I feel Dawson's hand grab mine and pull me in the same direction into the equipment room.

Not again...



Chapter 10

Not again. I can hear the gun shots and Kayla is gone before I can react. I shove the cell phone into my pocket and grab Andie's hand. I pull her into the equipment room and shut the door behind us.  The door to the library is ahead of us and slightly ajar.

"Cmon, Andie they'll be in the film lab in seconds."

I peek into the library and see a masked figure walking over bodies weilding a gun. Oh shit. The door is barely cracked so I quietly close it and turn to see the terror in Andie's eyes.

"We're gonna get through this, trust me" I tell her, but I barely believe myself. I move two TV stands in front of the door to the library and shove the bookshelf in front of the film lab door. I pray that they dont bother to look in here.

"Dawson, what do we do now?"

"Just wait, what else can we do?"

Andie collapses onto the floor and I sit down next to her. She's sobbing so hard that she's shaking. I wrap my arm around her, trying to comfort her the only way I know how at this point. I can't hear any shooting anymore. What are they up to now?



Chapter 11

I can feel Jack's strong hand around mine as he's pulling me down the hall and thats when I hear the gunfire again. I can't tell where it's coming from. We're running but my mind is all a blur, all I can feel is Jack's hand. We turn a corner and I can see the closet just ahead. We're almost in the clear. That's when I see the gunmen at the end of the hallway, watching out the door. His back is to us. Jack stops dead in his tracks. The closet is just mere feet away. We quietly inch toward the door slowly. All of a sudden there is gunfire from upstairs and a flood of students fill the stairwell. There's not a second to spare. Jack beats on the door.

"Joey! It's us, let us in, hurry."

He sounds frantic. Just as Joey pulls the door open, I see a look of pure terror on her face as Jack's hand loosens it grip on mine and he collapses. Everything is chaotic again, just like before people running, guns going off. All I care about is my best friend, my Jack. Joey helps me pull him into the closet. We shove everything we can find back against the door. Jack is bleeding from a wound in his side, there's so much blood, so much blood. I'm frozen. Joey  grabs my shoulders.

"Jen, Jen! Snap out of it!! Jack needs you."

I'm staring blankly at her, I'm lost.

Joey pulls her hoodie off and kneels next to Jack. She must be putting pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding.

"Jen, he's going to be fine, Jack is so strong. Trust me"

I collapse onto the floor on the other side of Jack, I cant do anything but cry. I grab his hand I rock back and forth hoping this is all just a nightmare.



chapter 12

I hope I'm doing this right. Your suppose to put pressure on bleeding wounds, right? There's  so much blood. Poor Jen is freaking out. I guess its up to me to help Jack right now. Where are cops? Shouldnt they be here by now? Wait a second, did the shooting stop? I freeze. Jen and I look towards the door at the same time. That's when I hear the familiar voice. Is that...Matt Caulfield?

Jen and I realized it at the same moment. We look at each other then toward the door we're frozen where we sit. He's yelling, almost taunting. I can't make out what he's saying.

"Can you make out what he's saying?" I whisper to Jen.

She shakes her head. I can hear him more clearly now, he's getting closer. He is taunting us.

"Come out, come out whereever you are," he yells.

Then I hear a gun go off. Then he laughs, a cruel load laugh that sends shivers down my spine. I can hear the others laugh with him and I hear the footsteps echoing in the hallway, they begin to fade. They're walking back down the hall away from where we are. I jerk my phone out of my pocket, keeping one hand firmly on my blood covered hoodie still on the gunshot wound in Jack's side. My phone is bloody now and I can barely make out the screen, but I can see it well enough to see "No Signal" flasing on the screen. I need to get closer to the door. I put the phone down. Without another thought I grab Jen's hands and put them where mine were. I grab the phone and quickly move towards the door. I fumble with the phone as I see the battery bar blinking. Low battery. Great, but I have a signal now, so I dial the Leery's restaurant again.

"Hello," a frantic voice answers. It's Mrs. Leery.

"Mrs. Leery? It's me...Joey," I speak quietly into the phone.

"Oh Joey, sweetheart, are you alright? Did Jack and Jen make it back to you?"

"Yes, they're here, Jen and I are fine, shaken up, but physically we're fine. But Jack's been shot, there's alot of blood but he's still breathing, where is Sheriff Witter? Doug? anybody? We've got to get Jack out of here and to the hospital."

"They should be there by now."

"The shooting started again, but I know who's behind all this.Matt Caulfield."

"Are you sure? Matt Caulfield!"

"Yes, I heard him yelling outside the closet door." I can hear her relaying the information to the other people that have congregated at the restaurant waiting for any news."

"Stay where you are,Joey. Do you understand me?" It's Mr. Leery now. "That boy is a loose cannon and there's no telling what has him set off."

"I will. Tell Bessie and Bodie that I love them and Alexander."

"You can tell them yourself as soon as you get home. But I'll tell them too. Stay safe sweetheart."

"Ok," I close the phone and go back to place beside Jack on the floor. I place my hands on top of Jen's.

"They're probably already here. Just trying to figure out the best way in." I tell Jen in a quiet voice.

She nods. That's when I hear it. Someone trying to open the closet door. We freeze and stare helplessly at the handle as it begins to turn.



Chapter 13

The ten minutes it takes to get to the street near the school feels like an eternity. All I can think about is Joey, my Joey. I can't live without her I have to get to her, to make sure she's ok. I'm still sitting in Dougie's cruiser. He's on his phone, they're talking stategy. All I care about is getting to Joey and making sure my friends make it out alive.

"Alright Pace, listen carefully to me," Doug says leaning in his open door, "you have to listen to me and do everything I say. This is dangerous."

"I know Dougie."

I slowly get out of the car and we quietly shut the doors. We're entering the school on the backside through the maintenance entrance by the football feild. Doug has his gun at the ready. I'm close behind him. We make it to the door and slip inside without incident. We make our way up a narrow staircase that lead to the gymnasium and locker rooms. Doug slowly opens the door into the hall between the girls' and boys' locker rooms. It seems all quiet. The lights are off in the football coach's office. Doug tries the door it's locked. He knocks sofly on the door.

"This is Deputy Witter, Capeside Sheriff's Department. If anyone is in there open up." he says in low, but commanding voice.

I see the blinds on the door shift slightly. Then it opens. There are about 15 students huddled together behind the coach's desk and both the football coach and the girls' PE coach are with them.

"Coaches, please take these students down the maintenence stairwell and out of the school. There will be officers to meet you at the door to get these students to safety."

"Thank you so much Deputy." They quickly lead the students out.

"C'mon Pace, we have to find your friends."

I nod and follow him out into the main hallway. I can see many dark classrooms with doors shut, some doors open with desks everywhere as we make our way past the computer lab. The school looks like a war zone. There are two officers at the far end of the hallway beckoning us to them. We jog toward them and they meet us in the middle of the hall.

"We've had word that the leader of this group of gunmen is Matt Caulfeild." One of them tells us, "There's at least five of them. They're hold up in a classroom upstairs."

That's when I realize where we're at. The closet that Joey is hiding in is just through the cafeteria.

"Doug, that closet is just through the cafeteria, if the gunmen are upstairs I want to go get Joey, Jack, and Jen."

"Are you sure you know where its at?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Ok, be careful. When you get them take them back out the way we came in and wait for me at the cruiser. I'll go with these officers and try to evacuate the rest of the school. Most are already out."

I hug Dougie and take off through the cafeteria. There are overturned tables and chairs all around. I see mine and Joey's bookbags on the floor near where we were sitting. It's hard to imagine that this was just a typical Thursday a few hours ago. I make it to the door and immediately head for the closet. I reach for the handle and have a hard time pushing the door open.

I get it opened enough to slip inside. Joey jumps into my arms before I can get completely inside. That's when I realize she's covered in blood. Then I see Jack, Jen is frozen next to him with her hands firmly on the bloody mass at his side. Jen seems to be in shock. Joey finally releases her death grip on me. I kiss her forehead.

"What happened to Jack?" I ask kneeling down next Jen and giving her a reassuring half hug.

"He was shot bringing Jen back here to wait."

"We gotta get Jack out of here," Jen almosts screams it at us.

"We know Jen, but we don't wanna take any chances with the shooters still being in the school. Doug told me to take you back the way we came in, through the hallway by the gym to the maintenence stairwell and back to the cruiser."

"How can we get Jack out?" Joey asked, reaching for my hand.

"I'll have to carry him." At that moment Jack groans and opens his eyes.

"Wh-what happened?" He tries to sit up, he groans out in pain again.

"You were shot, stay still, man, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"I was hoping this was all a bad dream. I think I can sit up, help me Pace."

I move into position behind Jack and slowly lift him up. The bleeding has slowed significantly and I think this is a sign it's time to move.

"Jack, do you think you can stand if I help you?"

"I'll try, we gotta get out of here."

"Joey, Jen stand on either side of Jack and help balance him as I lift."

Slowly we get Jack up and I help him over to the door. Joey and Jen work quickly to move stuff out of our path. Joey slowly opens the door, everything seems to be clear.

"OK, listen carefully, go straight through the cafeteria and the down the hall towards the gym. We'll take the stairs down to the maintenence door and out to the street, Doug's cruiser is a couple blocks from there and we'll take Jack straight to the hospital."

Here goes nothing...



***more to come please review***