** AU where Evan doesn't have anxiety but Zoe does**
When Zoe woke up, she knew something was off. But she got ready for school and didn't think about it. She heard the doorbell ring and she ran to answer it. Evan stood on the other side and she smiled.
"Hey!" She said. She let him in and he kissed her.
"How are you?" Evan asked. Zoe looked at him.
"I'm good. I just have a feeling." She said.
"A feeling?"
"You know like, a feeling that something's going to happen." Zoe explained. Evan nodded and walked into her kitchen.
"Good something or bad something?" Evan asked. Zoe shrugged.
"I don't know yet." She said. She looked at the clock on the wall and grabbed her bag.
"C'mon. We gotta go." She said. She grabbed her keys and Evan's hand.
They walked out the front door and Zoe locked it behind her. They walked to her car and put their stuff in the trunk before getting in. She started the engine and Evan grabbed her free hand.
"Everything's going to be fine Zoe. I promise."
+++
Zoe sat across the aisle from Alana in her advanced Anthropology class. She went to grab her water bottle when the PA went off.
"Attention staff, we are moving into a hold and secure."
Zoe's teacher locked the door and covered the window before continuing to teach. Alana looked at Zoe.
"What's happening?" Zoe asked.
"There's someone on the property." Alana said. Zoe's eyes widened and she reached for her phone to text Evan.
"Where are you?"
She put her phone down and continued to write. Her phone buzzed and she looked at it.
"Sitting in my math class... it's just and hold and secure Zo. Deep breaths."
She took a deep breath and the PA went off again.
"Attention staff, we are moving into a lockdown."
Everyone in Zoe's class stood and walked to the back corner of the room before sitting on the floor. Zoe's teacher took a quick look in the hall before quickly shutting and locking the door. She covered the window and turned off the lights.
"Remember guys, we did the drill a few days ago. You are all silent. If you're on your phone, the brightness is all the way down." Their teacher said. Alana looked at Zoe.
"It'll be okay Zo. Evan's fine." Alana said. Someone rattled the handle of the door and Zoe jumped. Alana grabbed Zoe's hand and looked at her.
"Shh." She whispered. Zoe clutched Alana's hand tightly and held her breath. She heard two men shouting and laughter. The laughter died out and Zoe sighed in relief. She checked her phone and saw a text from Evan.
"Fisher says police are on the way. Alana, you better be keeping her calm."
Zoe closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Her therapist had said that when she was stressed, she should close her eyes and imagine her happy place.
She was lying in the grass. Evan was with her. It was sunny but not hot.
Alana grabbed her hand, pulling her out of her reverie.
"Evan's class just got evacuated. The police are coming up to search this floor." Alana whispered. Zoe looked at her.
"Evan's gone?" She whispered back.
"No no. He's not gone. Zoe he's still here. Just not in the building." Alana explained. Zoe took a deep breath and looked back at Alana.
"How long have we been in lockdown?" Zoe whispered. Alana looked at her watch.
"Over an hour. Deep breaths Zo." Alana soothed. Zoe heard yelling at the end of the hallway and she grabbed Alana's hand.
"Alana, what's happening?" Zoe whispered. Alana was like the older sister Zoe never had.
"The police probably found them. Don't worry Zo, it'll be over soon." Alana whispered. Zoe shut her eyes and a few minutes later the PA went off.
"Attention staff, the lockdown is over, please lead your students outside to be reunited with their classmates."
Zoe stood up and Alana took her hand and the two of them walked out of the building.
+++
"Zoe!" Evan yelled. Zoe ran towards him and jumped into his arms.
"Oh my baby. Oh my god I was so worried." Evan whispered. Zoe felt the sting of tears in her eyes as Evan gently spun her around. He set her on the ground and looked at her.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Evan asked. Alana walked over and smiled.
"Evan she did great. She got a little panicky at times but you should've seen her, she was amazing." Alana said. Evan kissed her.
"I'm proud of you." Evan said. Zoe turned around and saw three police cars lined up with their lights on.
"What happened?" Zoe asked softly. Evan kissed her temple and she rested her head in the crook of his neck.
"Two guys came in the school looking for someone. My guess is that whoever they were looking for had probably bought drugs or a fake ID from them and didn't pay them back. Anyway, they came looking for payment or something but they had weapons and they were ready to kill for it I guess." Alana explained.
Zoe took a deep breath and shuddered. Evan started rubbing gentle circles on her back and he kissed the crown of her head.
"It's awful isn't it?" Zoe asked.
"What's awful baby?" Evan asked her.
"Do you know how many people they could've killed to get their way? They walked into a school full of teenagers with weapons. What do you think they would've done?" Zoe asked as she watched the police put the men in the backseat of one of their cars.
Evan looked down at her and pushed her hair out of her face.
"Don't think about it baby. Go to your happy place." Evan said. Zoe closed her eyes and imagined the grass again. Lying in the sun in the grass. With Evan.
"There we go. Calm down babe, no one will benefit from you getting worked up." Evan said. Zoe looked at him and he kissed her.
"What now?" Zoe asked.
"Teachers are probably gonna send everyone home. No one will be able to focus." Evan said. Zoe nodded and continued to stand quietly in Evan's arms until the PA went off.
"Attention all students, due to the unexpected lockdown, we will be sending all of you home. If you do not drive yourself to and from school, we ask that you wait inside the school for a ride to get here. Thank you."
Evan looked at Zoe who sighed.
"We'll get your stuff and then we can go." Evan said. Zoe smiled and walked into the school.
+++
Zoe and Evan sat in Zoe's car 20 minutes later. The two of them were in the backseat and Zoe was wrapped up in Evan's arms. She was too shaken up to drive and Evan didn't want to be driving if she started to freak out.
"It's okay now baby." Evan soothed.
"That was so scary." Zoe said softly.
"I know. But it's over now." Evan said. Zoe sighed and looked at Evan.
"What if they hadn't caught them? What if they had ended up hurting someone?" Zoe asked.
"They didn't hurt anyone. Which is the important part." Evan said.
"But if they had." Zoe said.
"Don't think about that baby. You're safe with me. No ones going to hurt you." Evan promised. Zoe nodded and looked at Evan.
"Can we go home?" She asked. Evan nodded and the pair climbed into the front seat.
"Let's go home." Evan said.