Possible spoiler alert….the plot for this story is based on pure speculation. This storyline, in no way has been confirmed by any Degrassi executives. The title, however, IS a season seven episode title.
My note….yes I know, I'm crazy. This storyline has been floating around in my head for some time now. I don't know what's true and what isn't, but this possible storyline really interested me and so I thought I'd combine a few speculation/rumors and run with it. This will most likely be a angsty friendship fic, and feature heavily on Jimmy and Ashley's awesome relationship.
DEATH OR GLORY
CHAPTER 1: JACKASS
Danny Van Zant quietly laughed from his seat in Mr. Simpson's second period Media Immersion class. "Dude, check this out", he whispered, elbowing his best friend in the ribs.
"Man, that's wicked", Derek chuckled in reply.
"Mr. Haig, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?", Mr. Simpson inquired, peering up from the stack of exams he was grading.
"Um no...no Sir, nothing", Derek stammered as Danny looked on, amused.
"An you Mr. Van Zandt?", Simpson quickly acknowledged Derek's partner in crime. Danny shook his head innocently and went back to studying his computer screen.
Danny nudged Derek again, he raised his brow in challenge and Derek nodded affirmitively. Mr. Simpson started to walk toward the boys, interested in what part of their assignment had gotten them so facinated...when the bell rang.
Danny quickly backed out of the screen he was in and logged off his computer. "I take it you two have completed the assignment and will be prepared to present it to the class, first thing tomorrow", Simpson stated intimidatingly as he pressed his hands on the desk and leaned forward, looming over the two slackers.
"Ah...yessir Mr. Simpson...all done", Derek looked up and stuttered in reply. Danny slid from his seat and offered the teacher a wide grin and a studious nod. Derek quickly did the same and the two ran for the door.
"This sucks", Derek grumbled to Danny as they leisurely walked down the hall. "Not only do we have to finish an assignment that we never even started...but it has to be done and presented by tomorrow".
"Dude, relax it's only 9:56...we have the rest of the day to do that", Danny replied nonchalantly, his mind clearly on other things.
"But Dan, I don't even remember what the assignment was supposed to be about", Derek groaned.
"Neither do I man", Danny chuckled. "I'm still tryin' to figure out how they did that", he added, referring to the video they were watching in class, while they should have been listening to Mr. Simpson.
"Yeah man...that was awesome", Derek agreed. "Hey Mia", he called down the hall. She stopped and turned to face him. "That assignment...in Mr. S's class...".
"The pros and cons of media blogs?", she answered questionably.
"Yeah, thanks", he sputtered quickly and rounded the corner, leaving Mia standing there confused.
Danny suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and smacked Derek hard on the stomach, causing him to double over. "Dude...I've got it", he proclaimed excitedly.
"Got what?", Derek grumbled painfully.
Danny chuckled and pulled Derek up by the collar. "Our blog...we can show that in class", he offered. "We won't even have to write a single word...it all there on You Star".
Derek looked at Danny like he'd grown another nose. "Yeah, like 'Dating for Dudes' has really made that big of an impact on our lives", Derek replied sarcastically. "Man, I haven't had one date since we started that thing".
"Then we change it...a complete overhaul", Danny grinned wickedly and guided Derek toward the library.
"The library? To study? Dude, I'd rather go to calculus", Derek stated incredulously.
Danny frowned and pulled his friend over to the computer area in the back. "Now this is what were gonna study", he insisted, logging onto the internet in search of the video from the site they were surfing in Mr. Simpson's room.
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"Guys...isn't this just a little dangerous?", Toby asked cautiously as Danny and Derek moved two wooden picnic tables end to end.
"No man it's totally safe", Danny insisted.
"Yeah, we saw this guy do it on YouStar", Derek added. "It was totally awesome".
Toby was still not convinced. "Are you sure it's...".
Danny let out a frustrated sigh, "Dude...it's part of an assignment".
"Copying some stupid stunt you saw on the internet?", Toby asked incredulously.
"The assignment was the pros and cons of media blogs...", Derek explained as he strapped on his elbow and knee pads. "...we want to see what happens when blogs switch content".
"Yeah, we're changing from 'Dating for Dudes', to 'Double D...Daredeviling Dudes", Danny stated, proudly waving his hands over the imaginary marquee sign.
"More like Daredeviling Disasters", a slightly amused Toby mumbled.
Danny scowled, "Dude just shoot the video and shut up".
Toby shrugged as he brought the camera to eye level and pressed the record button.
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"Jimmy, it's freezing out here", Ashley shuttered as she followed her boyfriend down the back ramp of the school, that lead to the parking lot.
"Are you kidding Ash?", he asked laughingly as he spun around to face her. "It's beautiful out", Jimmy declared over his shoulder. "The deep freeze is finally over...this'll mark the fifth day in a row over freezing".
"Yeah, but it's only the first day of March Jimmy...there's still almost a full month of winter left", Ashley pointed out skeptically.
"No way", Jimmy replied insistantly, taking in a deep breath of the crisp cool air. "You smell that Ash? That's the first sign of spring", he added excitedly, pushing slowly toward the basketball court. "No more hibernating at each others houses because of the weather, no more trudging through the snow and slush...my hands freezing to the rims of my chair, no more tracking wet tire marks through the house...".
Ashley's giggle interrupted Jimmy's wishful elocution. "What?" he asked innocently.
"This is Toronto Jimmy", she paused, placing her hand on his shoulder. Ashley procceded cautiously...Jimmy looked hopeful, she didn't want to ruin that, so she tried to bring him back to reality as easily as possible. "It's just...I-I can remember many springs where it snowed well into April".
"No Ash, not this year...spring's springing early", Jimmy grinned adorably. "The groundhog even said so".
"Oh really?", Ashley laughed and rolled her eyes. "He said so?".
Jimmy nodded, his grin growing wider. He gave Ashley a sideways glance as the slowly strolled across the basketball court. Ashley loved these little happy moments together, she knew how miserable Jimmy was this past winter...not only having to contend with the excessive snowfall and below zero temperatures, he had battle his way through a few seasonal illnesses...strep throat, bronchitis and a now lingering cold.
They both stopped abruptly when they turned the corner to see...and hear, Danny and Derek arguing about something. "What are those two idiots up to now?", Jimmy chuckled, seeing the two standing across the street, Derek covered head to toe in skateboarding gear.
Ashley laughed along. "Hey Tobes", she called out to her step-brother, who was on a grassy section of the courtyard. "What's going on?".
Toby shrugged as he walked over to his sister and her boyfriend. "They're trying to duplicate some stunt they saw on YouStar for their blog", he explained, annoyed.
"How did you get rangled into it?", Jimmy quipped.
"I'm the only sucker with third period study hall who has access to the schools cameras", he groaned in reply. Toby looked over at the pair, then back to Jimmy and Ashley. "I guess Derek was supposed to skate over on one board, hop up onto the bench, where the other board'll be sitting and ride that across the bench", he explained fully. "But Danny wants him to do it across the table".
"Isn't that kinda dangerous?", Ashley asked sarcastically.
"That's what I said...", Toby snipped, throwing his hands up in defeat. "...but nobody ever listens to the director...", he trailed of as he walked away.
"C'mon, let's go back inside", Ashley suggested, tugging on Jimmy's hand, cringing slightly when she touched his icy fingers.
"No wait. I wanna see him try this", Jimmy chuckled, releasing her hand and pushing forward a little.
Ashley shook her head in protest. "It's too cold", she reiterated as she stepped in front of him, hands on hips, eyes unconsciously sweeping over his legs. Ashley knew that if Jimmy's exposed hands felt that cold to her, through her knit gloves...other, more susceptible, parts of his body were probably cold too.
A momentary wave of bitterness swept through Jimmy when he realized what Ashley was implying, but it was quickly replaced with a wicked little grin. "You know...the best way to prevent exposure, is through the use of body heat", he stated suggestively, pulling Ashley onto his lap. "So if you sit here, we won't have to worry about it".
Ashley paused to look at Jimmy, glassy eyes, flushed cheeks and winning smile. How could she say no? "Alright, but were going back in right after Derek does...whatever he's supposed to be doing", she replied, waving her hand over to where all the action was taking place.
Jimmy laughed and pulled Ashley closer to his chest, taking in all the warmth and comfort her body was emitting...not knowing that soon, he was going to need that now, more than ever.
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"Take three", Toby yelled again, as Derek tried to complete the stunt. It was a hard enough trying to jump onto the bench, but trying to get from the ground up onto the table top was near impossible.
"Dude, that's it...my shins can't take any more", Derek complained, rubbing his bruised legs through the pads he was wearing. "There's no way I'm gonna make it up there".
Danny shook his head. "You almost had it that last time...", he pressed on. Time was of the essence now, the bell for the next period would be ringing soon and Danny wanted to get this stunt on tape, more than anything. "If we just had something like a...", he paused when his eyes landed on just the piece of material he was looking for.
Danny ran over to the supply truck in the loading area and swipped the light-weight metal ramp hanging off the rear of the vehicle. "This is perfect", he exclaimed, leaning the apparatus up against the edge of the table.
"That thing's not gonna hold", Jimmy called out. If anyone knew a thing or two about ramps, it was Jimmy.
Danny looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at Jimmy. "What're you, an engineer?", he teased and nodded for Derek to line up.
Jimmy wheeled up next to Danny. "Man, I'm tellin' you that ramp isn't safe. There's...".
"You don't like it, don't watch", he snapped harshly. Jimmy shook his head helplessly and looked back at Ashley. "Let's roll Toby", Danny ordered, side-stepping next to his 'director'. Toby hesitated and looked uneasily over at Jimmy. "I said, let's roll Toby", Danny demanded a second time.
Toby sighed and reluctantly yelled, "Action!".
Ashley stepped behind Jimmy and rested her hands on his shoulders. "He's gonna kill himself", she mumbled nervously.
The first two attempts, Derek barely made it half-way up the ramp. He was just about to make a third attempt when the bell for the next class period, rang. The group that had gathered, dispersed and was headed back to the school when Danny yelled a rushed, "C'mon, C'mon...one more time".
Seconds later, the sound of screaching metal against the pavement caused Jimmy and Ashley to turn around, just in time to see the ramp sliding from the table, the skateboard flying in the opposite direction...and Derek falling backward onto the waiting pavement. He landed flat on his back with a sickening thud and Ashley rushed to his side before anyone else could even think of reacting.
"Derek man", Danny called out frantically. "Help me get him get him up", he ordered, pulling on Toby's arm.
"No, don't move him", Ashley insisted as she crouched down by Derek's head and held it still.
"Ambulance is on the way", Jimmy added, flipping his phone shut and leaning over Derek's still form.
"An ambulance? He probably just needs an ice pack and some aspirin", Danny tried to brush off his concern with a joke. A few of the other students who had witnessed the accident, ran into the school to get Ms. Hatzilakos and the school's nurse.
Everyone was holding their breaths. It felt like hours, but it was only moments until Derek slowly began to regain consciousness. "What 'appened?", he slurred slightly, shooting Ashley a goofy grin. "Did I do it?".
Ashley smiled back, somewhat relieved that he was awake and talking. "Not quite, Evil Kenevil", she joked playfully, but kept her hands steady on his head. Derek began to stir slightly and reached to unfasten his helmet. "Don't move Derek. You hit your head pretty hard.", she advised. "You could be hurt bad".
"Naw, I'm fine", Derek brushed off Ashley's concern, rather groggily. "Just a little tingly", he chuckled lightly as he wiggled his fingers in front of his face. "In fact I don't feel any pain right now, I...", he paused. Jimmy's heart rate immediately quickened as the realization hit him in the same instant it hit Derek. Ashley watched her boyfriend pale considerably as Derek's eyes grazed over Jimmy on their way down to find his legs, laid out at an awkward angle...which should've been very uncomfortable.
Ashley had to look away, from the corner of her eye, she could see Jimmy slump down in his chair and cradle his head in his hands...while directly ahead, she saw Ms. Hatzilakos and the nurse running over. An ambulance siren could be heard in the distance.
It was almost too much to bear, when Derek gaze up at her with pleading, fear-filled eyes and choked out, "I-I can't feel...my legs".
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Please forgive me...I'm not trying to be evil or anything...there is truly a possible speculative story line for season 7 where a stunt that was viewed off of a video website goes terribly wrong...this is my take on that rumor. I know it may seem like a Derek focused, Derek/Danny friendship piece, but it wont be. You'll see what I mean as it continues. So, please drop me a line to let know what you think. Thanks!!
This one's for Kelley...since she was so excited about this one, when we 'talked' yesterday, I decided to type it as quickly as possible and post it today.
Degrassi is not mine...neither is the storyline if this is what the writers have planned.