Author's Note: Ahhh I have this really good idea for a plot point but it's also kind of dark butttt I think imma do it anyway because they're superheroes and-

well, I don't wanna spoil too much but it should make for an exciting chapter or two :)

On Friday, Kara was headed towards the school newspaper room to talk to Lena when she bumped into someone on the stairs. Her pencil and notebook tumbled out of her hand and she knelt down in the middle of the stairs, frantic to scoop it up.

"Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry," a voice from above said, and Kara glanced up.

"It's alright," she told the unfamiliar boy standing above her in the stairs, straightening up with her objects re-claimed.

"I'm James," James introduced himself, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Hi, I'm Kara," Kara greeted, shaking his hand. "You're new here, right?"

"Yeah," James agreed. "People can spot a new kid a mile away, huh?"

"I know a lot of people at this school," Kara shrugged. "I mean, there aren't many to know. So yeah, new faces kind of stick out." She glanced at her watch. "Look uh... I'm meeting Lena Luthor to talk about an article in like two minutes so I kind of need to get to the newspaper room. Sorry, I don't mean to run off on you."

"Oh, you work for the school newspaper?" James asked casually, moving aside so that Kara could get by him on the stairs. Unsuspecting girl she was, she didn't notice that he had been walking on the wrong side of the stairs (or that it had been purposeful).

"Yeah, I just started," Kara told him. She smiled. "You don't happen to be a photographer, do you?"

James eyebrows went up. "Uh yeah, actually I love photography. Why?"

Kara grinned. "You doing anything important at the moment?"

James shrugged. "Just heading to free period. Again... why?"

"Come on," Kara urged, starting up the stairs. "I have someone you need to meet."

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Like her sister, Alex had just accidentally run into AV High's new female Junior. Sam Arias was barreling down the hallway, her face covered by her schedule paper, when she smacked directly into Alex.

"Oh!" Sam gasped, leaping back to her feet. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry."

Alex, unable to resist laughing, straightened up. "It's fine," she grinned, shaking her head in amusement. "Where're you heading in such a rush?"

"Uh, I just wanted to get to my next class before it starts," Sam said. "Except for the class that Iris showed me to, I've basically been late to all of them since I arrived." She sighed, before putting on a smile and holding out her hand to Alex. "I'm Sam Arias... I'm a new student here."

Alex nodded. "I know," she told Sam with a smile, shaking her hand. "News of new kids gets around fast, especially since you've already met Iris and Thea. Once they know something, everyone knows something."

Sam laughed. "Remind me not to tell them anything I want to be kept a secret," she said.

Laurel and Maggie came around the corner, talking. Laurel nodded over at the two of them. "Hey, Alex! And... Sam, right?"

"Yeah," Sam said, looking self-conscious again. "Gosh it's weird when everyone knows your name yet you know no one."

"Well, I wouldn't say no one," Alex smiled. "You know me. And that's Laurel and Maggie."

Laurel and Maggie waved.

"What's your next class?" Alex asked, peering over Sam's shoulder. "I could walk you there if you want."

Sam looked concerned. "Oh, I don't want you to be late, though," she protested.

Alex grinned. "Trust me," she said, putting a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I have had my fair share of hectic mornings and afternoons running through hallways to get to classes. I've gotten pretty good at it."

Sam laughed, and allowed Alex to lead her to her next class.

Maggie and Laurel, left standing in the hallway, watched them go. Laurel glanced over at her friend. "What's that look?" she asked, squinting curiously.

"What?" Maggie snapped, quickly looking away from Sam and Alex's retreating forms. "What look?"

"The look that basically says that you'd like to be the new girl with Alex's arm around you showing you to your next class," Laurel replied, smirking.

"What?" Maggie repeated, cheeks rapidly darkening. "That's ridiculous, Laurel. One facial expression can not possibly say all that."

Laurel snorted. "I was paraphrasing," she deflected. "Point being, you're jealous. And I really don't see why."

"Exactly, it's stupid," Maggie huffed. "So it's obviously not what I was thinking."

"Look, Maggie," Laurel sighed, taking the other girls arm and starting to lead her down the hall in the opposite direction as Alex and Sam. "You and Alex have a pretty complicated relationship. You were friends, you led her on without thinking that she would take any of the flirting or teasing seriously, she told you she liked you and you shut up like a clam. It's been months since all that happened, though. You'd think that Alex would have moved on. But she hasn't."

Maggie glanced up sharply. "She hasn't?"

"No, she hasn't," Laurel repeated. "And what's more, you haven't either. Because I think that deep down, you really like her. You do want to be with her. Yeah, you made a pretty rash decision telling her that's not how you felt but how she feels hasn't changed. She's still waiting for you, and honestly? I think there's still a chance that the two of you could work out."

"Come on, Laurel," Maggie groaned. "I told her no. I told her I didn't like her as more then I friend. I was so weird about it for like a month. Now to take that all back and say I do like her... not only is that totally mixed messages but it's just not fair. I shouldn't just be dating Alex when it's convenient for me."

"No," Laurel allowed. "But you should be listening to your heart. You weren't sure how you felt so early on in the year. You guys have spent more time together and gotten to know each other more. It's only fair to assume that feelings can change."

"So, what," Maggie said. "You think I should just... ask her out?"

"I don't know, Maggie," Laurel shrugged. "It's your life; it's your relationship. You should definitely make sure you're ready before you jump in because pulling back after saying that you want to date her would not go over well."

She shrugged again, letting go of Maggie's arm as they stopped out front of her class. "I dunno. Just think about it?"

Maggie sighed and glanced back down the hall where they had last seen Alex. "Yeah," she agreed, starting to open the door to head into the classroom. "I'll think about it."

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"When I said to look out for a photographer I had no idea that you'd get me one so quickly," Lena said, looking James up and down with a wide smile.

Kara had just turned in her very first completed article for the school newspaper (something fairly simple about the robotics team's upcoming competition, a team which both Winn and Cisco happened to be on, giving her the inside scoop). She had asked James to help her out and take some pictures, and he had been more than eager to comply.

Lena was delighted. "If this was a real newspaper I would hire you immediately," she told James. "I can't pay you but I'd love to have you here regardless."

James nodded, grinning. "Thanks," he said. "I appreciate it. I'd love to help Kara put pictures in more of her great articles."

Kara beamed and Lena nodded. "Well, I'm going to need you to get pictures for more than just Kara," she warned James. "You are our only photographer at the moment."

A little more subdued, James nodded. "Yeah, of course," he agreed. "Just... let me know when I'm needed and I'll try to be there."

Lena's chin dipped. "Thank you," she said sedately. "We appreciate you being here."

There was an awkward silence.

"Welllll..." Kara spoke up finally. "I gotta head out and go do some worky stuff. You'll let me know when you need another article, right Lena? I had a lot of fun with this one."

"Of course," Lena nodded. "You as well, James."

They left the room.

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It was midmorning on Tuesday and Kara, Mon-El and Sara were all in Algebra. Mrs. Astra was droning on and on about how to solve systems with three unknowns when the sudden sound of a gunshot rang out.

Everyone went completely silent. Kara's eyes were almost as wide as her glasses as she exchanged terrified expressions with Mon-El. Astra got to work immediately.

"Everyone line up on the wall," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "Now."

Everyone abandoned their text books, pencils, and miscellaneous other school supplies and hurried in perfect silence to the wall farthest away from the door. Kara and Mon-El slid down the wall next to each other and Sara took a spot next to Kara. Her face was white and Kara reached over to squeeze her hand. "Hey, you okay?"

Sara nodded shakily. "I hope Laurel's okay," she whispered.

Kara's chin dipped, her face falling. She couldn't seem to remember what class Alex had today; where in the building she was. She squeezed Sara's hand again. "I'm sure they'll be okay," she whispered. "Everything will be okay."

Mrs. Astra, who was sitting at the end of the line of her students, leaned forward and placed a finger to her lips. Kara leaned against Mon-El, squeezed her eyes shut, and waited.

In a different hallway on a different floor, someone else was worrying about their sister. Laurel was pressed into the corner of the Senior's AP physics room, Maggie on her left and Leonard on her right. John Diggle was a couple people down, arms wrapped around his knees and staring rigidly at the door.

"C'mon Sara," Laurel muttered, staring with trembling hands at the text she had just sent her sister. "Say you're okay. Say you're okay."

"She might not be allowed to have her phone out," Maggie whispered, barely making a sound in the silent room.

Leonard reached out and awkwardly patted Laurel's knee. "I know," he muttered, stoic. "I'm worried, too."

Maggie curled into a ball and tucked her chin to her knees, realizing the only person on her mind was Alex.

Alex was currently in her English class, with Oliver Queen sitting next to her. "Someone needs to go out," he muttered. "And check the bathrooms."

"Yeah," Alex whispered back, her voice hoarse. "And that person isn't you."

He pulled a face. "Yeah? And what if Kara was out in the hall when the gunshot went off. Wouldn't you go out?"

"Stop it," Alex hissed. "Just- stop."

They were silent for a second before Oliver put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "That was a stupid thing to say. I'm worried about Thea, too."

Alex grit her teeth and nodded, and the two of them stayed silent.

Thea, Iris and Barry were all clumped together on the floor in their history class. "If I had to be stuck in a hostage situation with anybody," Thea whispered theatrically. "I'm glad it's you two."

"Don't be dramatic, Thea," Iris reprimanded, gripping Barry's hand. He had his eyes squeezed shut at his head tilted back against the wall.

"I'm sorry," Thea muttered. "I get theatrical when I'm scared."

Iris didn't reply, just reached out and took her hand, too.

"I swear," Thea continued, ducking her head to her knees. "If Ollie or Roy or Sara or- or anyone get hurt I'm gonna- I'm gonna find this stupid shooter myself and kick his-"

"Shhhh," Vandal Savage, their history teacher, shushed her. "Mrs. Queen, please be silent. This is not a joke."

Thea let out a soft whimper and planted her face on Iris' shoulder. But the reprimand shut her up and she didn't speak again.

In the Chemistry classroom right next door, Caitlin, Cisco and Julian were all clumped together on the floor. It had seemed like the gunshot had come from very close buy, but Julian was mumbling to himself, trying to logic his way out of thinking that.

"It probably echoed," he muttered. "It probably echoed. Maybe it was in- in the staircase. Or right below us. It probably echoed."

Caitlin tucked herself into his side and he hugged her tightly, shaking.

In truth, the bullet had gone off right on top of their heads, a couple lockers down the hall from the biology classroom, where Winn, Roy, Sam and Felicity where all located. Felicity had screamed when the bullet went off her her face was still bright red as she huddled next to Winn and tried to stay quiet.

"I shouldn't have screamed," she babbled under her breath. "Now he knows I'm here. Or she. I mean, he or she probably already know I'm here. Not me specifically but just like me as in because I'm a student and-"

"Hey." Surprisingly, it was Roy that reached over and nudged her shoulder. "I know you're scared but he or she probably knew you were here anyway. I wouldn't worry too much, okay?"

Felicity nodded and suddenly she started crying. Winn put his arm around her. "Shhhh," he murmured, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "You gotta stay quiet."

Roy sat back and leaned his head against the wall, swallowing back his own fear and worry and trying not to think about the what-ifs.

Barry, Iris and Thea, who were on the first floor, had been sitting for at least a half hour in complete silence when there was a knock on the classroom door.

Thea gasped and hid her face. Barry tightened his grip on Iris' shoulders, looking ready to dive in front of a bullet if that was necessary.

Another knock, which seemed oddly light for a gun-carrying-possibly-student-murderer, filled the silence. "Mr. Savage?" came a voice. "It's Principal Berlanti."

Recognizing both the name and the voice of AV High's principal, Vandal Savage slowly stood up and walked toward the door. Thea started to shake all over.

"Calm down," Iris whispered. "It's Principal Berlanti, it'll be okay."

"I can't- I can't stop," Thea whimpered, looking like she was going to cry. Iris tucked her into her other side and both of them held their breath as Mr. Savage slowly opened up the door.

"Hi." Principal Berlanti said, his smile kind as he looked over the terrified students pressed against the wall. "Can I come in?

Author's Note: Sksksksk I thought that plot point would last me wayyyyy longer than it did.

But hey I'll get probably another chapter out of it. It's good. We good XD