I wrote this fanfic after they first started showing the previews for "Fight the Power," and the story is loosely based on that episode. Mine is a tad bit more violent, and there's more involvement with more characters...but I'm trying multiple-perspectives for the first time, so let me know what you think of it.

The ball was sailing toward Jane. She ran at full speed down the field, glancing back to make sure she was getting under the ball. It was almost there, slicing through the air in a perfect spiral. She reached out and caught the ball in her cradled arms…

And then she was on the ground, and the ball was bouncing away. She rolled onto her back, then winced in pain.

"Jane, you okay?"

She looked up. Derek Haig was standing over her. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Sorry if I hit you hard," he apologized, offering her a hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up.

She grimaced. Her upper back was killing her. "Dude, I think you killed my back."

He shrugged, and a satisfied smirk slowly formed on his face. "That's football." He jogged off in the direction of the rest of the team and she followed, though she went slower because of the pain.

"Derek, awesome play," the coach was telling him. "The way you lowered your shoulder and got her from behind was perfect. And it was almost painful to watch when you drove her into the ground…"

Coach Sheppard glanced at her. "Uh…good hustle, Jane."

Jane's face burned. It was just like him to act like girls always sucked at sports.

He turned to the rest of the team. "Practice is over for today. Go hit the showers."

Figures that he would end practice without giving me a chance to redeem myself, Jane thought to herself, but followed the other players back into Degrassi.

She jogged until she had caught up with Derek. "So tell me, dude—when did you get so frigging strong?" She playfully squeezed his right biceps.

He grinned. "What are you talking about, I've always been this buff."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Seriously. What's your secret?"

"Well, I do admit that I've been hitting the gym a lot," he said mock casually, flexing his arms.

She arched an eyebrow skeptically. "That's it? Some trips to the gym and you're the Incredible Hulk? I don't think so."

He looked at her for a moment, debating something in his mind, then glanced around them. He grabbed her forearm and pulled her off to the side.

"Okay, I'll let you in on it. See, I know a guy who knows a guy, and he's been able to land me some juice."

She stared at him. "Juice? As in steroids?"

"Jeez, keep it down!" he hissed. "What's wrong with having a little boost?"

"Derek, one of those 'little boosts' could really hurt someone!"

He rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about, that's ridiculous."

"Ridiculous, huh? What about when you drove me into the ground back there?"

"Oh come on, that was nothing. You lived, right?"

Jane clenched her teeth. "That's not the point!" she snapped, then turned away and began heading toward the girls' locker room. There were hurried footsteps behind her. Derek grabbed her shoulder and turned her toward him.

"You're not going to tell anybody, right?"

Jane ignored him and walked away.

"Jane!" She could hear him calling her name, but she didn't look back as she entered the locker room.

She closed the door behind her, and as she twirled her locker combination, she found she was happy to be the only girl on the team. It was quiet except for the racket from the boys' locker room on the other side of the left wall, but she could relax in peace.

She removed her football equipment little by little and put it in a pile next to her locker. By the time she was done, her shorter hair had come out of her ponytail and was now falling around her face. She debated on fixing it for when she met up with Spinner later, but she decided he wouldn't mind.

Jane approached the wall mirror, turned so her back was to it and slowly rolled her Degrassi Panthers shirt up to her shoulder blades. There was a fresh black and blue stain on her skin, courtesy of Derek's shoulder pads. She flexed her shoulders and winced—the bruise was deep.

She carefully pulled her shirt back down. She returned to her locker and slammed it shut, then turned around—and bumped into Derek.

"Whoa, what the hell are you doing in here?" she demanded, taking a step back.

"You never answered my question." He stood up straight, trying to intimidate her.

"I have to go," she muttered. She tried to step around him, but he shoved her backwards, hard. She hit the locker behind her and cried out in pain when the bruise on her back hit the combination dial.

He leaned in close, and she turned her head to the side.

"I won't tell anyone," she insisted through gritted teeth, gasping as he pressed her harder against the locker.

"Yeah? Why don't I believe you?" He ended his question with a savage punch to her stomach.

She doubled over and he let her fall to the ground. She tried to back away from him as she struggled for breath, but he knocked it out of her again with a hard kick in the ribs. Tears escaped her eyes as she felt something crack.

"You're not going to ruin my life." He kicked her at each emphasized word, putting his body weight into it. He paused for a moment, panting a little, then sent one last kick to her face. And then he was gone.

Jane could taste the blood in her mouth, feel it trickling out of her nose. She tried to breathe deeply but she couldn't seem to make her lungs work right. She wanted desperately to get up, to get help, but when she tried to move it made the pain worse.

She had no idea how long she laid there on the floor, blood trickling out of her nose and mouth. She could feel the energy seeping out of her, and soon her eyes drooped closed.

***

Holly J loved being in charge of the Spirit Squad. She could decide which routines they used, who was on the team, and more importantly, schedule practices around her life. Today was an example of that—she had a date tonight, so she made everyone come two hours earlier. Now she would have plenty of time to get ready when she got home.

She reached the gym at the same time as Mia and Anya, who had carpooled. She took satisfaction in the fact that neither looked like they wanted to be there.

Mia saw her first, but waited until the football players, who had just exited the boys' locker room, left the gym. "Holly J, I can't believe you moved practice! My mom had to leave work early so she could watch Isabella."

Holly J rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be on Spirit Squad if it's too inconvenient for you…" she replied, then smirked when Mia glared at her.

"Save it, guys," Anya piped up. "Can we just have practice and get out of here already?"

They exchanged glances and Mia finally shrugged. "Whatever. Let's get changed."

"The freshmen better not be twenty minutes late again," Holly J warned as they entered the locker room. "I'm sick of having to explain things tw—"

She stopped when she bumped into Mia's back. 'What's the holdup, Mama Mia?"

"Call 911." Mia's voice was dead serious.

Holly J walked around her. "What are you talking…"

That was when she saw Jane. "Oh my God." For a split second she could only stare, but she finally found her voice again. "Anya, I need your phone!" She glanced behind her and grabbed it out of Anya's extended hand. Anya's face was pale white, and her eyes were wide.

Mia knelt on the floor next to Jane as Holly J dialed, and only half-listened as she looked at Jane's bruised, bloody face. She put one hand carefully on Jane's shoulder, and her heart skipped a beat when her eyes slowly opened.

"Jane, what happened?" Mia's voice was so quiet, she didn't know if Jane had even heard her. She cleared her throat a little to get rid of the lump that had formed. "Who did this to you?"

Jane shook her head with what little strength she had left. "I—I can't—" She stopped and coughed, then clutched her ribs.

Mia had never seen anyone in so much pain before. She didn't look away from Jane when Holly J joined her.

"There's an ambulance on the way, Jane." This was the first time Holly J had ever shown worry or concern around anyone else, but her reputation was the last thing on her mind right now. And then she realized something.

This was also the first time she'd watched someone suffer and not enjoyed it.

In fact, she hated it.

I beg of you--please, please, please, please review. What did you like, what did you not like, what about the story worked for you and what didn't? Specifics, guys. I would love you forever... ;)