Authors note: This chapter contains the topic of school shooting.
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Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went. Everyone had a really good time. It had been their first holidays as a family of nine and Christmas morning had been crazy but crazy in a good way.
It was the first day back at school and it was third period. Rosie was going to the bathroom. The bathroom was near the front doors of the school, and she noticed someone she recognized coming into the school. She didn't think he wasn't supposed to be there, but she figured maybe there was something going on she didn't know about. Maybe it was because of her keen sense or because she had seen a bulge in his coat but. Or maybe the look on his face. That he was angry and hurting. But she knew what was in his pocket and she knew what was about to happen.
Matt was done with the way he was feeling. He had been kicked out of school and that was the last straw for him. He was angry and while he would never admit it he was hurting but either way he wanted. No he -needed revenge on the school. On the people who had been his friends. On the girl he had liked for so long and who went out of her way to make him hurt. He wasn't thinking about all the things he had said to her or the way he had tried to break her and her boyfriend up no. He wasn't the one to blame at all in this mess. It was all her fault. And he was going to get her back. Through the people she cared about.
When he came into the school he looked around. He knew everyone was in class, but he also knew where a few classes of his former friends were. He was about to move through the halls when he locked eyes with Rosie who was obviously going to the bathroom.
Rosie locked eyes with him and could see the hurt. She took a breath. She was not going to let her school and her friends be a statistic if she could help it. She moved quickly towards him.
"Matt. What are you doing here?" She asked
"Why do you care?" He asked
"Because I can see you hurting. And I have a heart." She said softly
"I'm not hurting. I'm angry." He said loudly.
"Okay. I get that. You're angry. Do you want to go outside and talk about it? I can listen." She said
"Why do you suddenly want to fucking listen to me?" Matt asked loudly.
Rosie was praying that someone in the front office next to where they were standing would hear the commotion and come out.
"Because. I. I. Don't think you actually want to do what you came here to do." Rosie said "I think you just want someone to see you." Rosie said
"And how the fuck do you know what I am here to do?" Matt asked getting louder.
At that point the principal came out of the office and saw them.
"Mr. Black what are you doing here? And Miss Rossi why aren't you in class?" Mrs. Evans asked
"I was going to the bathroom and saw Matt coming into the school. I could tell he's hurting and that maybe he wasn't thinking things through." Rosie said trying to nod down to the bulge in his coat.
Mrs. Evans tilted her head looking at what Rosie was pointing to but didn't quite get what was going on.
"I think that he is hurting. And wants other to hurt too." Rosie said
Matt wasn't looking at either of them.
Rosie looked at Mrs. Evans and mouthed "He has a gun!"
Mrs. Evans was shook but she stepped into action.
"Matthew. I need you to keep your hands out of you pocket. And come into my office. Without anymore conversation. Can you do that?" Mrs. Evans said
"Why?" Matthew asked, "Do you suddenly act like you give a shit about me."
"Matthew I have always cared about you. I fought for you. To be able to stay in this school. But you kept breaking the rules. At some point it wasn't up to me anymore. The school board did what they had to do." Mrs. Evans said.
"Bullshit." Matthew said taking out the gun and pointing it at Rosie.
Rosie whimpered.
"Matthew. No. Point the gun at me. Its me you're angry at." Mrs. Evans said loudly
"No. This all started when she came to our school." Matthew said "She was just suddenly there. And beautiful always smiling always so 'perfect' and so unattainable for someone as fucked up as me. Than when her story came out I thought maybe she's not as unattainable as I though. But she was already with Nolan. So I thought if I could break them up. She could be mine. But nope. He got to keep her. And than they broke up and finally I though here is my chance. Than she goes away and comes back, and she is back with him?!" He screamed "Than I though okay. I'll have a chance with her sister. She is beautiful too and really nice. Maybe a little easier for me to get. But than she has to go and make that pretty much impossible too!"
Rosie saw his finger going for the trigger as the lockdown alarm started going off and you could hear people in classrooms running. Rosie figured if she was going to go down she would take him down with her and stop anyone else from getting hurt. It wasn't her first time with a gun to her head and in this situation she had full control of her body. She took a breath and quickly reached up grabbed the wrist that was holding the gun and pushed it away from her and the principal and towards the wall. The gun went off the bullet hitting the wall and causing Matt to freak out and drop the gun.
Mrs. Evans grabbed him at that point and pinned him against the wall. "Rosie. Go into the office. Now." She said.
Rosie did as she was told and ran into the office. And the vice principal came out and picked up the gun with a gloved hand and took into the office and put it into the safe.
At the point the police department had already been notified and were on their way there. As well as a team from the FBI.
Once the police got there it wasn't long before they were in the school and getting the information about what had happened.
Officers went through the school to the classrooms and made sure everyone was okay and letting them out.
It also didn't take long for parents to find out that they were in lockdown and a crowd was already growing. Dave was there as a worried parent. Hunter and his ex-wife as well. School shootings were not something that the BAU was usually part of and since they all were connected to someone at that school it was a definite no to their involvement.
Matt was the first one brought out in cuffs. Dave looked at Hunter in shock.
"No…. If its Matt." Hunter said
Rosie was brought out next with Officer LaMontagne.
Will led her out and pointed to the crowd where her dads were "Go." He said
Rosie ran over and broke down the second she got into her dad's arms. Hunter wrapped her in a hug as well.
"Its okay. You're safe." Dave said.
"He didn't get any further than me. No one was hurt." She said as she calmed down enough to speak.
"Okay." Dave said
"It was all my fault he was there." Rosie said
"No! This was not your fault." Hunter said
"Yes it was. He said it was. He blames me for everything." Rosie said
"He blamed you because he doesn't know how to take responsibilities for his actions." Dave said
Slowly the rest of the school came out and ran to their parents. Hayley ran to her three parents and got hugs from all of them. Rosie hugged her tight as well.
"You're okay?" Hayley asked her
"Yes." Rosie said. "I know he didn't get to you but you're okay too?"
"I'm fine. How do you know the gunman didn't get to my classroom?" Hayley asked
"Um." Rosie said
"We will explain everything later." Hunter said
Slowly all Rosie and Hayley's friends came out the school and went to their parents.
Nolan looked for Rosie after he saw his parents.
His mom pointed out where she was.
Nolan went over and wrapped her in a hug.
Rosie hugged him tight.
"Oh thank God you're okay." Nolan said
"I'm okay. Are you?" Rosie asked him
"Yes." Nolan said "You never came back to class I was terrified you were with whomever it was."
Rosie took a breath. "I was." She said in tears.
"What?" Nolan asked pulling apart to look at her.
"I was going to the bathroom. And I saw him come into the building…" Rosie started
"Okay. Rosie. Stop. You need to talk to the police first." Dave said
"Fuck that." Rosie said. "I had a gun. At my head!" she said breaking down again.
Nolan held her close. "Its okay baby. We can talk later." He said softly
Dave rubbed her back as she sobbed into Nolan.
Will came over to the group. "I know everyone is rattled. But I really need to talk to Rosie."
Rosie calmed down enough for Nolan to release her from his arms.
"Come on." Dave said. "Lets get this done so we can go home."
Rosie nodded. "Okay.
Dave looked at Hunter. "You're staying with Hals right?"
Hunter looked between his two eldest daughters. He didn't know what to do.
Hayley smiled abit at Papa. "Papa go with her. I've got mom. And I don't know what happened. But Rosie needs both of you right now."
"You sure Hals?" Hunter asked
Hayley nodded. "I will see you later at home."
Hunter looked at his ex-wife.
"I've got her. Your other daughter needs you." Helen said
Rosie went with Dave, Hunter, and Will into the school and to the principals office where they all sat. Will's partner was there as well.
Rosie was handed a bottle of water.
"When you're ready just start from the beginning." Will said
Rosie took a sip of the water and took a breath. And explained everything that had happened.
Will took notes.
"How did you know what he was thinking? And that what he had was a gun?" The partner asked
"When everything happened finding out who I was. Had been kidnapped. The whole thing. I was angry. Really angry. And um. I thought for a moment. I understood why people wanted to hurt the people who hurt them." Rosie said looking down. She had never admitted that before. She took a breath before she continued. "I recognized that anger and hurt in his face. And I don't know how I knew the bulge in his coat pocket was a gun. I just knew."
"She has good intuition." Dave said
Will took a breath. "Rosie. Look at me."
Rosie looked up.
"I don't disagree that you have good intuition. But was there anything else that might have helped you know he had a gun? Did you know he had access to one?" Will asked
Rosie shook her head. "No. I had no idea he had access to a gun."
"Okay. Did he ever make threats to you?" The other detective asked
"Um. No. I don't remember him making any threats to me." Rosie said
"Okay." The detective said
"Anything else we should know?" Will asked
"I don't think so." Rosie said
"Okay. You can go home. But if you think of anything else you know my number." Will said
Rosie nodded. "Okay."
They got up. Rosie took a breath and sat back down.
"Something you remembered?" Will asked raised eyebrow
"I knew he had a gun. Because I saw the look on his face. And I saw the bulge and I remembered how I felt. And I knew that if dad didn't do what he was supposed to and lock away his gun. I would have used it…. on myself." Rosie admitted looking down at her hands.
Will nodded. "Okay. Hey. Look at me."
Rosie looked up.
"Thank you for being honest. And I'm glad that you didn't end up hurting yourself. Because you are an amazing kid, and you have a bright future." Will said
"Thanks." Rosie said
Will looked at Dave. "You okay?"
"Just. Didn't know how much she was hurting." Dave said
"Sorry daddy." Rosie said
"Bambina you don't need to be sorry for how you were feeling." Dave said kissing her head.
Rosie nodded. "We can go home now?"
"Go." Will said.
They all got up and went outside. Everyone had left. Dave took Rosie and went to his car and Hunter went to his and they all headed home.
On the ride home Rosie was quiet.
"Why didn't you tell me how much you were struggling?" Dave asked
"I was scared. It took me awhile to fully trust you. And that I was safe. Um. So for awhile yeah. I was suicidal. And by the time I realized I was happy and safe and that I fully trusted you. I didn't want to hurt your feelings by telling you what I had been feeling before." Rosie said
Dave nodded. "Okay. I get it."
"I don't feel like that anymore. I haven't for along time." Rosie said
"So the eating disorder wasn't you trying to hurt yourself in another way?" Dave asked
"No. That was my head telling me I was fat, and it was a bad thing and I needed to lose weight." Rosie said
Dave nodded
"I mean yes. I realize now I was hurting myself. But that wasn't my intention." Rosie said
Dave nodded "You want to talk anymore about what happened today?"
"I'm going to have to repeat that story a hundred times so not right now." Rosie said
"You don't have to tell anyone you don't want to." Dave said
"Ha. Yeah. Like my friends and Hayley wont ask questions." Rosie said
"I'm sure they will but you can say you don't want to talk about it." Dave said
"Would you accept that as an answer?" Rosie asked
"No. But I'm your dad." Dave said
"And Noel is going to be the person I marry. And Hayley is my sister. And well my friends are very stubborn." Rosie said
"No wonder you fit so well with them." Dave said with a smirk
"Ha. Ha." Rosie said
"I'm going to say something here. And I don't want any arguments. You are agreeing to it. Okay?" Dave asked
"I don't agree to anything without knowing what it is. Would you sign something without reading it over?" Rosie asked
"Oh boy." Dave said shaking his head
Rosie smirked
"You are agreeing to it because I'm your dad and I know this is what is best for you." Dave said
"Doesn't work that way. I promise I will give what you say a fair thought. But if its what I think it is. I'll do it." Rosie said
Dave took a breath. "You had your last session with Orrick last week. And he has given in a list of therapists. I want you to pick one. And I will make the appointment and you will go. What you just went through. If I went through something like that at work I would be forced into therapy before going back to work."
"Its what I though. I'll do it." Rosie said
"Okay. Thank you." Dave said "You sure you don't want to talk about it with me right now?"
"I need time to wrap my head around it all. Maybe later tonight when we do our nightly sit down." Rosie said
Dave nodded "Okay." He pulled in at home.
They went inside and to the kitchen where Hayley was sitting with her mom drinking tea.
"Hope its not a problem she invited me to stay." Helen said
"Of course not." Dave said "You're always welcome. And I don't think any of us would want Hayley alone right now."
Hayley looked at Rosie. "You okay?"
"I'm. Okay." Rosie said
Hayley got up and hugged her.
Rosie hugged her sister tight.
"Want to tell me what happened?" Hayley asked
"Sure." Rosie said. "But I don't want to have to tell the story over and over again. So we can have the group over since I think they all deserve to know." Rosie said
"Yeah. Nolan has been texting me every thirty minutes asking if you are home yet." Hayley said
Rosie groaned.
"You don't want to tell him?" Dave asked
"How do you tell someone that about someone you grew up with? If someone told me that about Lexi I would be devastated. No matter what she did." Rosie said
"It was Matt…" Hayley said softly.
Dave put a hand on Hayley's shoulder.
"I feel like I'm going to be sick." Hayley said before running to the bathroom and locking herself in.
They could hear Hayley sobbing in the bathroom. Rosie went and knocked on the door softly
"Come on Hals. Its going to be okay." Rosie said
"How? You hate me now." Hayley said
"When did I say that? And why would I?" Rosie asked
"How can you not. I was dating Matt." Hayley said
"Wait what? I'm confused. And hurt. But I don't hate you." Rosie said
"I'm really sorry Rose." Hayley said
"We will get through this. Hals. Please open up. I know what its like to feel like everything in your life is going wrong. That you will never be able to dig yourself out of the mess you have dug. But with this family nothing is impossible." Rosie said
"How would you know?" Hayley asked
"You know everything about what I have been through. I have told you everything. You think I never felt like life would never be okay again? But it got better. And it will for you too." Rosie asked
"How do you know?" Hayley asked softly
"Because I have lost everything I knew. Everything. Everyone I knew. Everyone I loved. Who I thought loved me. They were all gone. Over night. You have all of us." Rosie said
Hayley let a few tears fall.
"Why don't you tell me what led you to continue dating him?" Rosie asked sitting down outside the bathroom door.
The three parents were standing close by to listen too
"And all three of them are here too." Rosie said
"O-okay." Hayley said
"We are going to find out one way or another." Hunter said
"He kept asking me out. I kept saying no. Then he showed me a picture really quickly. I didn't get a good enough look apparently. It was of that football player. Simon I think is his name." Hayley said
"Oh boy. And someone who looked a little like me?" Rosie asked
"Yeah." Hayley said
"What was this picture?" Dave asked
"Simon and some other girl who from behind if you don't know me or don't get a good look might look like me. Kissing." Rosie said "It obviously wasn't me."
"And Matt said there were some videos. That you and Simon took. Doing more than kissing…" Hayley said
"Excuse me?" Dave said
"Dad. Obviously not true." Rosie said
"Did you see these videos at all?" Hunter asked
"No. He was going to show me, but I stopped him. He said he wouldn't show anyone any of this stuff. If I dated him." Hayley said
"Dad. I'm going to need a good lawyer. Because I am actually going to murder Matt." Rosie said getting up.
"Sit down." Dave said
"No. He is done fucking with me and my family." Rosie said going towards the stairs.
"One more step and I will come pick you up and put you in a corner in your room." Hunter said
Rosie looked back at him eyebrow raised. "Corner. Really?"
"You're acting like a child. You act like a child I will treat you like one." Hunter said
Rosie was debating actually seeing if Hunter was serious but decided not to. She went back over to the bathroom door. "Hals. Why would I hate you for doing that? You were trying to protect me. By the way if I ever did something that stupid and you were blackmailed to keep quiet. -Nothing is worth you having to do something you don't want to. If I do something and I get busted. Let me take the fall for my own choices."
"K." Hayley said
"Please come out peanut." Hunter said
Hayley came out.
She got a group hug from all three parents. Rosie stood up and when she could she hugged Hayley too and whispered. "Don't worry I'll kill him."
"No you will not." Dave and Hunter said at the same time
Hayley chuckled
"Good. Got you to laugh." Rosie said with a smile
"Come sit." Helen told her
The five of them went and sat in the living room.
"We were together till what happened at Nolan's, and I found out the picture wasn't you and assumed any videos he had weren't either." Hayley said
"The only time I spent any time alone with Simon was when I was interviewing him for the paper. And that was in a classroom. With the door opened and people coming by every few minutes." Rosie said "And Matt was one of them."
Hayley nodded
"Why didn't you tell us what was happening?" Hunter said "Let us protect you and Rosie."
"I was too scared. I wanted to protect her." Hayley said
"You are not responsible to protect Rosie from any choice she may or may not have made." Dave said
"You are responsible for you and your choices." Hunter said
Hayley nodded
Helen was quiet.
"You okay?" Hunter asked her
"Just. All this. Ending in someone bringing a gun to her school." Helen said
"And if Rosie hadn't been there and got in the way. Who do you think would have been another one of his targets?" Dave asked
"Oh god. Do not go there." Helen said
"Come on Helen we all though it. When I saw Matt. I was worried about both Rosie and Hayley. And their friends." Hunter said
"You wouldn't know this. But Rosie saw him come into the school and saw the gun in his pocket. She knew what he was doing, and she stopped him, and it was right by the front office, and she spoke loud enough so someone in the office heard, and the principal came out." Dave said to Helen
"Oh my god. So she put herself in the line of fire…" Helen said
"Yup. She said she didn't want her school and her friends to be another statistic." Hunter said
"Honorable…" Helen said
"But stupid." Dave said looking at his daughter
"Agreed. Could have ran to a classroom told the teacher and a lockdown could have been done the same." Hunter said
"Not without to much time passing and giving him a chance to get further in the school…" Rosie said
Dave hugged her. "We are all just glad this ended with no one getting hurt."
Rosie hugged him.
"I heard a gun shot though…" Hayley said
"Yeah. His gun did go off but hit the wall." Rosie said
"What was he aiming at." Hayley asked
"He was aiming at me. But that was after the principal was out." Rosie said "I'll explain everything. Just not right now."
Hayley nodded.
Dave's phone rang. He looked at it and smiled abit and showed Rosie who was calling.
"Yeah. She's been calling me…I haven't answered." Rosie said
"Well uncle Aaron probably told her. She probably just want to hear from you both to hear that you both are okay." Dave told her.
Rosie nodded. "But than I have to explain to her that I intentionally put myself in harms way. And I believe she told me if I ever did that she would come here and kick my ass herself."
Dave held back a chuckle. "I'm sure she just wants to make sure you're both okay."
Dave answered. "Hey Emily. You are on speaker. Rosie and Hayley are here."
"Are you both okay?" Emily asked
"I'm okay." Rosie said
"I'm alright too." Hayley said
"I've gotten mixed information. Rosie were you shot at?" Emily asked
"I was kind of. I wasn't hit with any bullets." Rosie said
"What happened?" Emily asked
"You have to promise you wont come here and kick my butt…" Rosie said
"Why would I do that? A. I'm sure if your butt needs to be kicked your dad can handle it. B. You were shot at why would I want to kick your butt?" Emily asked
"Because I kind of saw what was happening and stepped in so no one else would get hurt…" Rosie said "And in your mind that could mean I put myself in danger… Some what intentionally." Her voice getting smaller
Emily sighed. "What happened exactly?"
Rosie explained.
When she was done Emily took a breath. "Dave is this boy still breathing?"
"I didn't get my hands on him. So yes." Dave said
"Oh you don't even know the whole story." Rosie said "I want to kill him too now."
"Oh?" Emily asked
"Not my story to tell." Rosie said
"You can tell her." Hayley said "Saves me from having to…"
"Ha. Nice try." Rosie said
Hayley sighed and told Emily what had happened with her and Matt.
Emily was pretty speechless.
"You still there Emily?" Dave asked
"I am. I'm just…" Emily said
"Speechless?" Dave asked
"Yeah." Emily said
"Yeah. Hunter, Helen and I. Quite shocked too." Dave said
"I said I would kill him. I was told I'm not allowed." Rosie said
"You let us handle this." Hunter said
"yeah, yeah." Rosie said
"Not. Yeah, yeah. It's a yes sir I will let you handle it situation." Dave said
Rosie let out a breath. "Yes sir." She said
They all talked abit more before hanging up.
"Now. You both must be starving. Come down and eat." Dave said
"Not hungry." Rosie said
"Nope. Not going to accept that. Lets go." Dave said
Rosie sighed.
They all went to the kitchen.
"I'm going to go pick up the other girls at school. Ensure no older siblings of friends tell them anything before we have a chance to." Helen said before leaving.
They all said bye before she left.
