A note to you…I'm writing this chapter because I didn't think season five's 'Redemption Song' explored the magnitude of the anniversary of the shooting very well. Of course, Jimmy's mural was amazingly beautiful, but the writers never showed how everyone, especially Jimmy, was dealing with all of this emotionally…so I will. And now with Ashley and Sean back, along with Spinner in the picture, this should be very interesting.…

GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT

CHAPTER 11: A VIEW TO A KILL

October 5, 2006

Kerwin-Isaacs house 8:09am.

Ashley sighed as she stood in front of the full length mirror hanging on the back of her bedroom door. "Ahh, what am I doing?", she groaned to her self as she changed the shirt she was wearing for the ump-teenth time. "Ash, c'mon already", Toby yelled, banging on the other side of the door.

"Just leave without me then", Ashley yelled back, opening the door quickly, causing Toby to stumble into her room. "What the hell happened in here?", he asked chuckling a bit when he saw clothes strewn all over her room. "I don't know…I cant find the right shirt to wear", she answered snippily, walking back over to her closet. "It's school Ash, not a fashion show", he answered sarcastically.

Ashley flopped down on her bed. "Funny", she quipped, giving him a sour face. "Did you conveniently forget what today is?", she asked seriously. Toby walked over and sat on the bed, next to his sister. "Of course I didn't forget. How could anyone forget what today is?", he asked quietly.

"Two years Toby", she whispered, looking at him, with tears in her eyes. "Sometimes it feels like yesterday", he replied softly. Ashley nodded. "What do I say to Jimmy?", she asked, her voice cracking a bit. "How do I act around him". Toby shrugged. "Like you always do…he's your boyfriend, Ash", he answered.

Toby patted Ashley's shoulder and stood up. "Besides, last year was no big deal, he was fine", he added, walking over to the door. "In fact, nobody really talked about it at all", he said a little bitterly. "It was all about the mural". Ashley could tell by the look on Toby's face, that he still felt bad about Rick's death. "Hey Tob, wait up", she called out, as she grabbed her purse and met him at the stairs.

Degrassi, MI lab 8:29am.

"Ooh, just made it Miss Kerwin", Jimmy playfully scolded as he pointed to the clock and the bell rang. Ashley ran over and took her seat next to him. "I woke up late and…", she started to say. "Yeah, I didn't sleep all that well last night, either", Jimmy stated, logging on to his computer. "I'm sorry Jimmy", she said, apologetically. "For what?", he questioned with a sweet smile. "Um, for not meeting you this morning.…to give you this", she recovered quickly, kissing him on the lips.

"Hey you two. What'd I say about that?", Mr. Simpson laughed slightly. They broke away, equally embarrassed. Snake leaned in between them. "Okay, just one more", he said. They looked up at him in shock, he nodded, and they kissed quickly. "Now, you're done for the rest of the period", he added with a smile. "Right?". Ashley bit her lip and blushed. "Yes Sir", she replied. Jimmy smiled and nodded. "Sure".

Just then, Mrs. Hatzilakos came on with the morning announcements. "Most of you here, know what today is. For those who don't, it is the two-year anniversary of a deadly school shooting brought on by bullying. We are a school of zero-tolerance and it has come to my attention that there have been a few instances of unacceptable behavior this school year. The staff and I decided last week, to have an assembly to promote our anti-bullying policies. So, after second period, we will all gather in the gymnasium to go over these policies…attendance is mandatory and please be prompt. Thank you".

Ashley instinctively grabbed Jimmy's hand and gave it a little squeeze, he squeezed back and smiled then turned his attention back to Mr. Simpson. Jimmy and Ashley started working on their latest project, when Mrs. Hatzilakos knocked on the door, looking for Jimmy.

"Excuse us Ashley", Mrs. H said as she spoke to Jimmy. " There is some major bullying going on between grades seven and eight and I was wondering, if after the assembly, you wouldn't mind sitting in on a discussion I'm having with them. Tell them your story, maybe answer any questions they may have, it might help them better understand the ramifications of bullying, since they weren't here when the shooting occurred", she asked cautiously.

Jimmy thought about it for a few seconds. "Yeah, that sounds fine", he replied. He looked over at Ashley, she smiled uncomfortably. "Great Jimmy, thanks", Mrs. H stated with a smile. "I'll excuse you from your fourth period class…see you in the multipurpose room right after the assembly". Jimmy nodded as she walked away. "Are you sure you want to do this?", Ashley asked him. "Why wouldn't I be?", Jimmy asked back, with a shrug. "Okay, I'll get the notes from Mr. Armstrong's class", she offered, quietly. "Thanks", he replied, starring blankly at his computer screen.

Degrassi, cafeteria 12:48pm.

"Hey Ash, where's Jimmy?", Spinner asked, setting his tray next to her and sitting down. "I haven't seen him since that awful assembly this morning". Ashley looked up from the food she was pushing around her plate. "He had a meeting with Mrs. Hatzilakos and the seventh and eighth graders on the dangers of bullying.", Ashley explained, taking a sip of her pop. Spinner raised his brow in curiosity.

"I went over to the multipurpose room right after trig., but the room was empty.…so I figured he'd already be down here, waiting for us", Ashley continued, looking over at Spinner. "I'm starting to worry, Spin". Spinner nodded. "Me too", he agreed. "Let's go look for him. I'll check the gym and outside, you go upstairs, check the library and the art room". Ashley nodded, throwing out the rest of her lunch and heading for the stairs.

The bell had just rung, signaling the start of sixth period. Ashley felt a strong pull towards the far hallway, upstairs. As soon as she turned the corner, she saw Jimmy sitting by his old locker. "Jimmy", she whispered, her voice echoing in the near empty hallway. She came up from behind him and laid her hands on his shoulders, he instantly relaxed under her touch.

"You can still see it", he said, nodding to the odd shaped, bleached out section on the linoleum floor, where his blood had pooled, two years earlier. Jimmy moved forward and looked to his right, down the other hallway, where there was another bleached section of tile. Ashley followed and stood behind him again.

"Ash, I cant find him", Spinner called, from way down at the other end. Ashley moved aside, and turned, so Spinner could see Jimmy. "Hey man, where were you…we missed you…at lunch", he stuttered, running down the hall. "Wasn't very hungry, Spin", Jimmy answered, looking up to see Sean, Emma and Toby walking toward them.

"That was a pretty intense assembly, eh?", Sean stated, nearing the others. Jimmy nodded. "Not as intense as the questions from the seventh and eighth graders", he sighed. "Are you alright?", Ashley asked quietly. "Yeah", Jimmy answered hastily. "It's been a long time since I've talked about it...I think I need to". They all silently agreed.

Jimmy turned around and backed up near a corner, Ashley sat down next to him, leaning against his chair. Spinner stood against the row of lockers to Jimmy's right. Toby stood across from Spinner and Sean and Emma sat against the row of lockers on Jimmy's left.

"The paint was Jay's idea...the feathers were mine", Spinner admitted, looking down at his shoes. "Alex helped us set it up". He looked over at Jimmy. "I was mad at you for sticking up for Rick...I felt you were betraying Terri by being his friend", Spinner confessed, tears filling his eyes. "So when Jay put the blame on you...I went along with it...".

Sean looked at Spinner in shock, he never knew any of this...not even from Jay, his supposed best friend. Jimmy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed and gave Spinner a forgiving nod.

"I should've known Rick was going to do something", Toby spoke now. "When I saw him outside, at lunch...he said this was the one time he actually wanted to be at school". Toby looked around the group. "He had to go home to get the gun...he didn't bother to shower or change, because he wanted everyone to see what they had done to him", he momentarily glanced at Spinner. "He wanted everyone to know why he was about to do, what he did...".

Jimmy cleared his throat. "I couldn't believe he came back...until I saw the gun. I felt this rush of adrenaline...I figured I could out run it", he bitterly chuckled at the irony. "It only hurt for a second, I remember falling to my knees, but I never felt them hit the ground. I tried to get away, but it was like there was nothing under me, I fell forward and everything went black...".

"Kids were running down the hall, curiosity got the best of us and we headed around the corner", Emma went next. "Rick was right there", she said pointing near to where Jimmy and Ashley were sitting. "We stopped, but he kept walking toward us, mummbling about kissing me...and me flirting with him", she was crying now. "We turned to leave and he pointed the gun at me...".

"I tried to talk him down, but nothing worked", Sean added. He held on to Emma tight. "He told us he'd already shot someone...", Sean looked sympathetically over at Jimmy. "...and I knew he was serious, he was gonna shoot her", he added, referring to a shaking Emma in his arms. "So I wrestled with him, I don't remember whose finger was on the trigger, the gun went off, and we both fell to the ground...I knew he was dead, all that blood...".

"I heard that shot, I didn't seem so close though...nothing did", Jimmy spoke up again. "I remember Craig shaking me, calling my name, it sounded like he was in a tunnel...I was so cold", he continued. Ashley scooted closer, resting her head against his leg, her tears falling onto his jeans. "There was this rush of voices, they rolled me over...I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't. I remember a needle stick in my arm and a mask on my face, then everything went black again...until I woke up in the ICU, three days later...".

"Waiting was the worst", Ashley stated quietly, once she regained her composure. "Especially after we were told it was a shooting...after I knew who was shot...", her words trailed off. Jimmy reached down and gently rubbed her back. He was about to say something, when Mrs. Hatzilakos came down the hall toward them.

"I figured I'd find you guys here", she said with a small smile. "It seemed a little suspicious when your sixth period teachers marked all of you absent". Ashley, Sean and Emma all stood up in attention. "Why don't you finish your discussion outside of school...you're all dismissed early", she added, handing each of them a dismissal slip. "Mrs. H...", Sean protested. "For today, I'll let it slide", she stated, heading down the other end of the hall.

The Dot 5:12pm

"So, that was highly theraputic", Emma stated, streaching her arms. "Yeah, I think it's time to go, we've been here over three hours", Toby added, looking at the clock. "But before we go, a toast...to stopping the cycle of bullying", he said, raising his glass.

"To always remembering how precious life is", Emma stated. "To always being there for your friends", Sean smiled, looking over at Emma. "To remembering that a lie, no matter how small...can affect the ones you care about the most", Spinner added quietly.

Jimmy patted Spinner on the back. "To remebering to live life to the fullest, no matter what's thrown your way", he toasted. Ashley took Jimmy's hand. "And, to never, ever forgetting this day", Ashley concluded as they all raised their glasses together.

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Another note, from me...Hope you guys liked my little tribute to the anniversary of TSS2. I tried to get the characterization right, sorry if it was too far off. Since I wasn't sure of the anniversary date, there's a discrepancy in the air dates (TSS1&2 aired Oct.5&12, 2004 and RS aired Nov.21, 2005)...huh? So because they were at the beach in RS, I stuck with early October.

My wonderful readers and reviewers...Samitiny and Raina-Bess, I look so forward to hearing what you have to say, your reviews mean so much to me...Thank you!

My usual disclaimer...Degrassi is not mine and neither is the song 'A View To A Kill', that belongs to Duran Duran.