AN: There wasn't a place to fully explain this in Ever After and it wouldn't have worked in the next story. After trying to figure out what to do, because this story needed to be told, I decided it needed its own story. Trigger Warning! Blood, school shooting, character death. Please! Do not read if any of these things will upset you in any way, PM me and I will give you the short non-trigger version. I would much rather send multiple PMs than upset anyone by this reading.
That said, the characters of Arnold, Rhonda and Helga as well as the universe I'm writing in are owned by Craig Bartlett and Snee-Oosh. Thank you so much for allowing us to use your universe.
"We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it."
-James M. Barrie
"Hello?"
"Don't watch this week's episode."
"Wha-Helga? Honey what's wrong?"
"This week's episode. You don't want to watch it. Please."
One of the big changes for the final season of Ever After at the Shortman household was Rhonda now came over weekly and both adults watched the show with the four girls.
There was a small party when the episode the girls were in came on and Isabelle and Alyssa screamed with excitement when Ronnie and Daphne were on screen. Followed by the outrage that they had kept such an important plot twist like Helen and Arthur's big fight silent all of that time.
After each episode, when everyone had gone home and the house was quiet, Daphne would corner her father and they would discuss the episode in contrast with his real life in high school.
He knew what was coming, but even still, when he got the phone call, his heart dropped.
He heard the front door open followed by the sound of three girls talking between themselves. A moment later, the sound of Daphne running down the stair mixed into the now noisy household.
Rhonda walked back into the kitchen as he was finishing up the dishes.
"Did I miss dinner?" she teased. He chuckled.
"Yep. We had chicken marsala."
"That sounds delicious. Harold created a new rub so we had pulled pork sandwiches that burned my mouth. Ronnie, as usual, loved it. I think he might have a winner with this one, she was still raving about it in the car ride to pick up Lyss."
"Listen, you don't have to stay here for this episode if you don't want to." He wiped his hands off on the dish towel. "Helga called me the other day. This episode is Homecoming."
Rhonda blanched. "Already?" She sat down at one of the kitchen chairs. "But…school just started. It's too soon."
"It's the beginning of October. The girl's Homecoming is a week from now."
She raised a shaking hand to her hair, tucking a piece behind her ear.
"You don't have to watch this episode, Rhonda. I can bring Ronnie home later."
She took a deep breath and stood up. "No. I owe it to her to watch it. I can't even begin to imagine how Helga directed this episode."
"Tad said there were drugs and lots of sleeping afterwards. I'm not sure how well he got through it either."
"My poor little madman." She sighed. "Well, let's get our place on the couch before the girls take it over. Although, if I grab your hand during this episode, don't hold it against me."
He grinned as he grabbed the fresh box of Kleenex off the counter and followed her out of the kitchen. "I even promise to dispel any teenaged rumors that we might be dating."
Rhonda laughed shakily. "Arnold, I love you but there is no way I ever want to face the wrath of Helga G. Pataki."
The first thing he noticed was the silence of the episode. There was no opening theme song, just the title of the show and the episode. The show started immediately.
From the couch he could see the girls looking at each other questioningly, knowing there was something off but not sure what.
He took a deep breath and focused on the episode.
The scene opened in the parking lot of the high school. Marcus was walking off the bus, almost walking into Theo in the process.
Theo: "Not driving today? Let me guess, you ran out of gas."
Marcus: "Grounded for a week from the car. Got home late last night and got busted by my Dad."
Theo gives him a knowing look. "Late as in almost midnight on a school night or late as in just got home three hours ago?"
Marcus: "Not hardly. It's was at least five hours ago."
Theo laughed, clapping Marcus on the back. "I applaud your lack of self-preservation in the name of true love."
Marcus: "It will all be worth it in the end."
Theo: "So why didn't you catch a ride with Arthur?"
Marcus: "Are you allowed to speak his name? I thought it was taboo."
Theo: "Only around Helen. I, being the realist, understand that I cannot finish out the remainder of my Senior year announcing him as 'he who won't be named', or 'him'. Especially since I have Advanced Drawing with the guy."
Marcus: "True point. Where are we meeting the girls?"
Theo: East Wing. Sophie has to pick up an extra credit assignment from Ms. Garth. If that girl isn't our Valedictorian, I'm demanding a recount."
Marcus: "She will be. Nothing's going to stop my baby girl from getting what she wants."
Scene changes to Arthur standing in the hallway of Lisa's house checking the time on his cell phone.
Arthur: "Lisa! We're going to be late for school!"
Lisa walks down the stairs dressed in blue capris and a gold scoop neck shirt.
Lisa: "I wanted to make sure I was wearing school colors. Do I look okay?"
Arthur: "You look amazing, as always Lisa, but we're going to be late for school."
Lisa sashays towards Arthur, one arm reaching out to pull him towards her. He goes willingly.
Lisa: "We could always skip school today."
Arthur's hands land on her waist and he tilts his head at her suggestion.
Arthur: "And do what? Play hooky and go to the beach?"
Lisa lifts her gaze to his and slowly licks her lips. "I was thinking we could stay here. In bed?"
She stands on her tiptoes and kisses him. He returns the kiss but then pulls away enough to talk.
Arthur: "As tempting as that sounds, we have school. I can't skip school if I want to get that scholarship."
Lisa: "You are ceasing to be fun anymore."
Arthur kisses her once more before letting her go and walking towards the door.
Arthur: "I am plenty of fun. I plan on being plenty of fun this weekend after the Homecoming dance, just not now. Come on jellybean."
Still pouting, Lisa grabs her book bag and follows him out the door.
Daphne is sitting on the floor, holding a pillow to her chest as she watches the screen intently. Ronnie sits on the couch next to her mom, holding the bowl of popcorn as she makes faces at the screen. Lyss and Izzy share the overstuffed chair close to the couch, occasionally reaching over and taking popcorn out of the bowl Ronnie is holding. There's a snort of disgust that comes from Izzy at Lisa's failed attempt of seduction with Arthur.
The scene changes back to the high school showing Helen and Sophie walking into the school from the sunny outside.
Helen: "I told Theo to meet us at Ms. Garth's class. But chances are we'll cross paths with them in the East hall before we hit the steps." Helen's grin grows. "So…tell me what happened last night."
Sophie: "What?"
Helen: "You look like you got laid last night. I've seen that look on enough of our classmate's faces to know the look."
Scene changes East Hall where Marcus and Theo are walking into.
Theo: "Is it just me or are the hallways really dead for being so close to first period?"
Marcus shrugs. "Was there a pep rally today?"
Theo mirrors the shrug and then nodded ahead.
Theo: "I see Helen and Soph, told you we'd cross paths around here. Wait…"
Marcus: "Who the hell is that?"
Scene changes back to Helen and Sophie walking down the hall.
Sophie blushed as they begin walked down the hallway.
Sophie: "I didn't! But he did spend the night."
Helen: (fake outrage) "Soph, I'm shocked!
Sophie laughs, catching sight of Marcus and Theo walking towards them and waving.
Sophie: "We talked until late in the night and he just held me. Sometimes I don't know what I did to get so lucky."
Helen laughs lightly. "You deserve it Soph.."
A teen steps out into the hallway from an adjoining hallway and the two girls stops. His expression is blank as he holds up a gun. Helen pushes Sophie behind her, her eyes on the teen.
Teen: "You wanna die today?"
The scene suddenly speeds up; too many things happen at once. Marcus yells from behind the teen and the teen spins. The gun discharges, the shot loud and echoing in the hallway. Part of the wall splinters, concrete debris falling onto the floor.
Sophie screams, ducking her head, her hands clamped over her ears. The door to the classroom to the right of them slams open and the shooter spins again, another shot breaking the glass in the door. Marcus and Theo are running full out down the hallway as Gordon rushes out of the classroom, going low, below the current aim of the shooter.
Another shot goes off as Helen grabs Sophie and spins her around so she's protecting the teen from the shots. One last shot goes off as Gordon, Marcus and Theo reach the shooter. Gordon tackles him around the mid-side as Marcus punches the guy in the right temple.
Helen has Sophie in her arms and both girls drop to the ground, Helen's body over hers.
The shooter falls, the gun falling out of his hand. Theo kicks the gun away from the shooter as Gordon on top of the guy, holding him down. Marcus wrestles with the shooter who is trying to escape.
Time seems to jerk back to normal speed as doors open and teachers start rushing out of classes. Students are screaming and teachers are yelling for the students to go back into their classrooms and lock the doors.
Several students are already on their phones, snapping pictures and texting people. Several others are on the phone with 911 telling dispatchers what is happening.
Two male teachers rush over to help Gordon and Marcus with the shooter while one other stands by the gun to make sure nobody touches it.
Teacher #1: "Is everyone okay?"
Theo: "Marcus, you're bleeding."
Marcus: "It's cool, I'm good. Anyone call the cops?"
Teacher #2: "They're on their way."
Sirens can be heard in the background of the school when suddenly, above the noise, a scream erupts. Everyone tenses, looking around for another shooter.
The scream is ripped out of the person, followed by a loud audible gasp and then words.
Helen: "Sophie! Soph! Talk to me. Sophie! Oh nonononono-"
Marcus blanches, scrambling to his feet.
Marcus: "Sophie!"
Theo pushed him, taking his place holding down the shooter as one of the teacher's hurry to the hysterical blonde holding a bleeding limp girl.
Theo: "Go!"
Marcus half run/ half crawls to the other side of the hallway, his feet skidding out from under him. He falls to his knees beside Helen and Sophie. Helen is clutching at her best friend babbling words faster than they can form in her mouth.
Marcus: "Soph? Baby girl?"
He reaches out to touch her arm. It's cold. He looks at Helen, desperately begging her to explain.
Helen: "No Sophie, it'll be okay, the ambulance is coming we'll get you to the hospital and you'll be fine you have to be fine don't you leave me Sophie I can't live here without you you have to be fine you'll be fine you're safe we'll get you to safety it's over Soph I've got you you're safe they got him the ambulance is coming don't yOU TOUCH HER!"
The teacher reaching to move Sophie's body stopped at the snarling, sobbing girl covered in blood. Marcus is clutching Sophie's hand tightly, staring at her.
Marcus: "Soph. Wake up. Why isn't she waking up?"
The scene slowly pulls back to expand the entire area: Helen, covered in blood holding the bloody body of Sophie, Marcus, bleeding from his leg clutching onto both Sophie and Helen. Gordon and Theo still holding down the no longer struggling shooter, staring in horror at the scene fifty yards away from them. The students still texting and sobbing and finally police and paramedics rushing towards the large group of students before the screen goes back.
The room was silent as a commercial came on the screen advertising a local restaurant chain.
Arnold stared at the screen, too shocked to even move. The entire scene, done without any background music or prompts was heartbreaking. He finally took a deep breath and looked around the room. Rhonda was silent, tears streaming down her face, clutching his hand so tight he was losing feeling in it. In fact, he had been so involved in the show, he wasn't sure when she grabbed his hand in the first place.
"What the hell was that!" Lyss suddenly screamed, startling everyone out of the self-imposed shocked silence. Ronnie started sobbing which pulled Rhonda out of her shocked stupor. She let go of Arnold's hand and grabbed her daughter's hand.
Izzy was blowing her nose and Daphne just sat there silently, not sure what to say.
Lyss jumped up from her part of the chair in outrage. "What the hell was that? A commercial? Now?! The fate of Sophie's life hangs in the balance and they break for falafels?"
Ronnie covered her face in a wad of Kleenexes still crying. Rhonda looked over at Arnold helpless, tears streaking her face. He gave her a wavering smile and patted her arm.
There were only two commercials before the show came back on, the same background silence. Lyss quieted down and squeezed back into her part of the chair. Ronnie sniffled, peeking out from behind the Kleenex.
The scene had changed to another part of the school on lockdown where Morris, Sarah and Stephanie were sitting in a classroom waiting for news regarding the sudden lockdown.
For the first time in four seasons one of the girls spoke during the episode.
"Oh come on," Lyss muttered. "Don't care about them right now, what's going on with the others?"
Izzy shushed her and she fell silent.
The scene changed again to Arthur and Lisa slowing down at the now police barricade that was blocking the high school.
Lisa leaned forward to peer through the windshield at the large number of police cars, police vans, ambulances and news vans now blocking an entire street.
Lisa: "What's going on?"
Arthur turns on the radio as the remainder of an announcement from the DJ is finishing.
DJ: "Reminds parents not to come to the school, you will be contacted. If you're just tuning in, there has been a shooting at Holly Hill High School-"
Lisa: "Oh my God!"
DJ: "-The school is on lockdown and there are no reports of injuries or deaths as of this time. Police are reminding parents not to come down to the school. There will be a station set up outside the perimeter where you may go to find out about your child."
Arthur slams of the brakes and puts the car into park in the middle of the street. He pulls out his phone and starts dialing.
Arthur: "Pick up…pick up…. come on Marcus, pick up the damn phone."
Next to him, Lisa has her phone out and is texting anyone she knows.
Lisa: "Arthur it's all over social media."
She shows him her timeline; posts for help, grainy pictures of a large crowd surrounding something, pictures of teachers blocking pathways to something. Videos of police in swat gear running down the corridors with people crying in the background. Arthur and Lisa share a horrified look. Arthur puts his car into reverse and backs up, turning the wheel and pulling to the nearest space he can find to park the car. The two get out and start running towards the school.
A police officer steps out of the crowd and holds out a hand.
Police: "You can't go any farther."
Arthur: "What's going on? My friends are in there!"
Police: "Did you come from the school?"
Arthur: "No, we were running late."
Lisa: "What happened?"
Arthur: "What can we do to help?"
Police: "We don't know yet." He points to a quickly makeshift tent with a folding table in it. "Go to that tent over there and register your names. You can help us identify your fellow students."
Scene change to another classroom on lock-down. Naomi and Brooke are sitting in the back of the room with the rest of their class. The doors are locked and the lights are out. Most of the class are on their phones searching social media for their friends, texting and posting their own stories. Brooke is scanning her feed seeing the same stories of students locked in other classroom, all asking the same thing. A couple of news stations are posting to the student's timelines asking for information. Naomi is leaning against Brooke's shoulder texting frantically. Suddenly she gasps, causing Brook to looked at her sharply.
Wordlessly, she shows her phone to Brooke. On someone's timeline is a grainy picture of a crowd. But where the student is standing is a small gap where the student managed to catch part of something. Brooke's eyes widen as she sees a figure on the ground with a larger guy practically sitting on top of him and a glimpse of another kid, holding the figure from the top. Brooke realizes the other student helping restrain the figure on the ground is Theo.
The episode continued switching between classrooms, to the outside where parents were starting to arrive, to the tent where Arthur and Lisa were stationed desperate to find any information and back.
The six people in the living room sat in tense silence for another thirty minutes and one more commercial break before the last fourth of the show opened with the tent where Arthur and Lisa were. Rhonda still had one arm around Ronnie who was still red-eyes and sniffing. The other hand reached out and caught Arnold's in preparation to what they both knew was about to happen.
Arthur dialed Marcus' number again, foot tapping anxiously. It rang four times before there was a click.
Marcus: "Arthur?"
Arthur brightened, visibly relaxing. "Marcus, man. Are you okay? Where are you? They won't tell us anything. I tried calling and…"
Marcus: "I'm at the hospital. I'm fine, it only grazed my leg."
Arthur's eyes widened. "You got shot? I'm on my way now!"
Arthur grabs Lisa's hand and pulls her out of the tent and back towards his car. She hurries along with him, trying to catch his part of his conversation.
Arthur: "You in the ER? Do your parent's know where you are?"
Marcus: "They're on their way. Arthur, hurry."
Arthur: "Red lights aren't even going to stop me. I'm on my way, man."
He slid into the car and turned on the ignition. Lisa climbed into the passenger seat, looking at him worriedly.
Lisa: "What did he say? Who was shot?"
Arthur: "Marcus is at the hospital. In the ER. But he's okay. I don't know what happened, just that he said he was grazed."
The scene changes to Police opening doors to each classroom and escorting the students and teachers through the hallways to the outside of the school where there is already of crowd of student and facility. Brooke and Naomi find a group of people they know, Naomi splitting from the group to hurry towards Xavier and throw her arms around him. A couple of people in the group are talking. Brooke scans the crowd before pulling out her phone. The view switches to see her texting Theo.
Where are you?!
Are you out of the school?
She looks around the crowds of students, some of them meeting their parents, some on their phones crying to someone on the other end. Her phone dings once and she looks down at the phone.
I'm out of the school.
I'm at the hospital.
Her fingers fly over her phone.
Are you okay? I can come there.
The scene changes from Brooke's phone to Theo's. It shows a darkened room and Theo sitting in a chair typing.
It's crazy here, don't come.
I'm fine.
The screen pulls back to show Theo putting up his phone and looking at Helen who is in the hospital bed next to his chair. She is asleep but it doesn't look as if sleep was voluntary. She is still crying in her sleep and Theo stands up and places a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Scene changes to crowded waiting room of the ER. The doors open and Arthur and Lisa push their way through the crowd. Arthur looks around and spots Marcus' mother who catches his eye at the same time.
Marcus' mom: "Arthur!"
Arthur hurries to her, his hand in Lisa's and pulling her behind him. Marcus' mom takes ahold of his arm and pulls him past the security and nurses dealing with the crowd and into the interior of the emergency room where the noise is slightly less.
Arthur: "How is he? He said he was shot."
Marcus' mom: "He's not hurt, thank God. The bullet grazed him. But," There were tears in her eyes. "You should go to him dear."
She stops at the front of a room and Arthur lets go of Lisa's hand.
Arthur: "Hold on."
He walks into the room where Marcus is sitting on a stretcher. He's wearing shorts and his right leg is wrapped with white bandages. Marcus' father nods as Arthur enters and places a hand on Marcus' shoulder before walking out of the room.
Arthur: "Are you okay? Your mom said you got shot but it was just a graze."
Marcus looks up and his face is streaked with dirt and tears. His shirt and hands are speckled with blood. He opens his mouth to speak when a devastating cry of pain comes from across the Emergency room. Marcus' face crumbles and fresh tears fall down his face. Arthur, alarmed, grabs his shoulders and shakes him slightly, forcing the crying teen to look at him.
Arthur: "Marcus!"
Marcus: "She's gone."
His voice is broken, choking, tear filled.
Marcus: "She was there, and then he was there and then…" He tried to clear his throat. "So-" His voice breaks and be begins to cry in earnest. Arthur wraps his arms around him and hugs him tight. Marcus' hand reaches up and grabs Arthur's sleeve.
Marcus: "She's gone…She's gone…"
The scene pulls wide to show Arthur hugging a sobbing Marcus and then pulls out of the room to show Marcus' parents hugging each other and Lisa looking in shock across the emergency room. The final scene shows Sophie's father crying and holding up her mother who is screaming as nurses rush towards the couple.
The scene goes black and just as silently as the opening, the credits begin to roll.
The only noise in the living room is a room full of sobbing teenagers and two crying adults. The PSA that comes on right after featuring Joan Lee and Darren Walker that talks about school shootings and the Red Cross is missed by the room.
Arnold wiped his face, still shaken. Watching the last five minutes of the episode brought back that day as vivid as if it had been yesterday. The quick conversation between them was different but Phoebe's mother breaking down in the hallway of the ED was a sound he'd never forget. Nor the feeling of sheer helplessness he'd felt as Gerald had sobbed brokenheartedly in that small room.
Daphne climbed to her feet and hugged Ronnie who clutched onto her. Izzy and Lyss left their chair to pile on the couch and hug each other sobbing. Arnold pulled as Rhonda's arm and tilted his head towards the kitchen. She nodded and followed him.
"I didn't know," she said when they reached the kitchen. She gave him a quick hug.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
He opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water.
"You texted Tad?" he asked, handing her one. She took it, nodding.
"We talked a couple of days afterwards and I told him what happened on my end. We didn't have all the social media so that part isn't true but we had texting for the kids who had phones. And really crappy camera phones. And someone had managed to snap a picture of Harold and Tad. I didn't text him but I did call him. At the time he didn't tell me he was with Helga." She shook her head slowly, as if reliving the moment. "When I saw the picture, I was so terrified."
"I didn't know she was there." Arnold admitted. "I was so focused on Gerald and him breaking down and then when I found out about…I didn't even think for one moment that Helga would've been there also."
"It makes sense. Helga and Phoebe were so close." She shook her head. "I can't even imagine a situation like that."
"When we were in LA, Tad told me that he was terrified that Helga would follow after Phoebe. That had she been able to get ahold of the gun, she would have used it. He kept her on suicide watch for almost a week afterwards." Arnold picked at the label of his bottle of water. "Watching this makes me feel absolutely horrible. She was one of my best friends. And granted, we weren't talking at that time, but a death or a tragedy like that usually brings people back together, right? I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't think about her once until the funeral and then I got mad because she wasn't there. I didn't even really catch sight of her again until around the Christmas holiday and by that time I had just assumed she'd moved past that part of her life. I never even once thought about how much Phoebe's death would've affected her."
"Well then, aren't you glad you have this second chance to make it up to her?"
"Mom?" the tear-filled mew caught both adult's attention.
The four teens were walking into the kitchen, somber and red faced from crying.
"Can we go home now?" Ronnie asked, her voice small. "We all want to go home."
Rhonda stood up, brushing a hand across Arnold's shoulder as she passed. "Of course darling. We'll get the girls back to their parents and then go home."
"I'll talk to you later." Arnold said. Rhonda gave a single wave as she led three girls out the door.
The room was silent until the front door closed and then Daphne launched herself at her father. He caught her, still sitting.
"Who was she?" Daphne's voice was still rough with tears. Arnold sighed.
"Her name was Phoebe Heyerdahl. She was Helga's best friend since pre-school. Kind of like me and your Uncle Gerald. In fact, she and Gerald had been dating part of middle school and all of their high school career. I don't know if it was exactly like this because, as you saw, I wasn't there. But there was a school shooting our Senior Year Homecoming week, Phoebe did catch a bullet and she did die. And it devastated Gerald. Even now, we never talk about that day because the wound is still fresh for him."
"How can Hel and Tad write about this?"
"How can they not. How is it fair to write about all the things that happened in high school and not tell the story of the one thing that changed all of our lives. And Phoebe deserved her story to be told. If anything, Helga owed her that."
"It's not fair."
Arnold agreed. It wasn't fair that Phoebe's life had been snuffed out so quickly and meaninglessly; an afterthought of a stray bullet. He remembered Tad's words when he'd realized exactly what Ever After was and had ranted against him; full of what he thought was self-righteous fury.
"How could she?"
"How could she not?"
He understood now why it had to be done. Ever After was a popular show because of the realness; because of the gritty, unapologetic realism. Nobody was above reproach, not even Helen and Theo. In order to maintain the realism that kept the show popular they were not going to be able to shy away from anything. Which meant that later this season the show would also address Sid or rather Stan's fatal overdose. Brainy's/Xavier's breakdown in the middle of College Algebra right before Spring Break. Nadine's/Naomi's eating disorder. Their Senior Year had been memorable, but not for the fond memories, rather of the list of tragedies that followed them that entire year. That last year alone could've been fodder for any teen angst drama.
"I'm going to bed." Daphne said, unaware of her father's racing thoughts. "But one day, can you show me what she looked like?"
He smiled, stroking her hair once as she pulled away from his hug. "Sure Kimba."
She dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Night Dad."
"Night sweetheart."
He sat in the silent kitchen for a while reflecting on the episode and how it coincided with his real life.
Sighing, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. It rang twice before it connected.
"Hello?"
He smiled. "Hey beautiful, how was your day?"
"Frustrating," Helga said on the other end. "My kids are fighting over the Halloween episode. Allen wants to prank everyone and Anderson just wants everyone to get along."
"Helga?"
"Hmmm?"
"I love you."
She was silent for a moment. "I…I love you too Arnold."
"So what is the deal between Anne and Allen? Are they dating in real life or what?"
"Criminy! If that ever happened, I think Tad would just quit the show and take up zoo keeping."
He laughed, leaning back in the chair listening as she talked about her day. There was no reason to bring up today if she didn't remember or chose to pretend she didn't remember, whatever the case was. There had been more than enough undue pain on her end, and he was more than willing to make sure she had nothing but happy endings from now on.