AN: I do not own any of the Characters from the TV show Victorious. They belong to someone else. I own my ideas and words. I keep the characters alive. I do not own the story Rear Window nor do I own Alfred Hitchcock. That would be weird seen as he is dead.
Chapter 1: Fragile
"Are you okay?" girl asked leaning over Tori.
"I just can't seem to catch my breath! Boy does the ceiling ever need painted." Tori still managed to make a joke in while she lay looking up at the ceiling.
"Just relax. It won't be long now. I am so sorry that this happened." The girl said, hoping that Tori doesn't blame her for her pain.
There was a rush of excitement as the paramedics arrived. They were ushered to where Tori lay on the floor at the front of the stage. It was evident that her right leg was broken, but she complained about the other leg too.
"Did someone call my girlfriend?" Tori called out.
"We are still trying to get a hold of her Tori." Her lead guitar player Eric was using her Pear Phone to try to get a hold of Jade and let her know about Tori's accident.
The medics check Tori over and started to stabilize her legs so that they could put her on a spine board. She was being stubborn as usual, but her tour manager Simone put her in her place. "Tori just let these people do their job. You are not the boss here now. You are the one who is injured."
About the time that Tori was on the spine board and being lifted to the gurney. Eric was able to get Jade on the phone. "Hi Jade? This is Eric from Tori's band. She had a bit of an accident and she is going to be taken to Rampart Emergency. Well she fell off the stage during practice…. I don't know…. We know she has a broken leg… well it is kind of pointing the wrong way. They are leaving now…. Okay I will tell her."
"Tori! Jade says she will come to the hospital." Eric shouted.
Tori was loaded into the ambulance and was soon off to the hospital. Simone told everyone to go home, she was going to meet Jade at the hospital. As Simone fought L.A. traffic all she could think of was about Tori and if Jade was going to kill her for breaking her girlfriend.
"I understand that Tori Vega was brought her by ambulance. Can I see her? I am her girlfriend." Jade was speaking to the nurse at the desk when Simone arrived.
"You will have to wait Miss Vega is being looked at by the doctor now. I can tell you this, she was injured and she will have to go to x-ray and after that we will know more." The nurse was in a hurry and she gave Jade all the time she could.
"Jade! I am so sorry." Simone said hugging Jade.
"What happen Sim?" Jade said pulling back.
"Tori was doing a run through for her show. The crew were setting lights and effects. They must have flashed her eyes with one of the lights, because the next thing I know she danced right off the stage and fell four feet to the cement." Simone explained.
"Eric said she had a bad broken leg. Does she have any other injuries?" Jade was starting to worry.
"She complained that her other leg hurt just above her ankle and her head hurt from hitting the floor." Simone said.
"What does that mean for you?" Jade now turned her concern to Simone.
"We are in a lot of trouble. She won't be able to do the tour. We will have to put it off until she is healed. I have to lay off all the crew and talent, but none of that is important. I am worried about Tori." Simone truly was a good person and was concerned about Tori as a person not as a commodity.
Simone went to get Jade a coffee while Jade called Tori's parents. "Hi, mom it is Jade. Tori had an accident. She fell off the stage at practice and has at least one broken leg. We are waiting to hear. Do you want me to call dad? Ok…. Rampart General. I am okay. I am here with Simone. She feels responsible…. I know I told her it wasn't. I called Trina and she is on her way…. Okay I will see you soon. Bye."
Jade and Simone took a seat in the emergency waiting room. After a couple of minutes Trina came storming in like a tornado. Simone did what she does best. She calmed Trina down and had her take a seat so she could answer her questions. The Vegas arrived shortly after Trina. They hugged Jade she had to go through the story again. Then all they could do was wait.
"What am I going to do with your daughter?" Jade asked Holly Vega.
"What do you mean?" Holly asked.
"We just can't seem to have a regular life."* Jade gave a weak laugh and shook her head.
After a time a doctor came out. "Vega?" he said looking for Tori's family.
David answered him and he came over and introduced himself as Dr. Hudson. Dr. Hudson told them that Tori had two broken legs. Her right leg was broken and was out of alignment that is our greatest concern. The left leg was broken just above the ankle. They were prepping her for surgery to rebuild her leg. He had to get ready to operate and told them he would let them know as soon as she was out."
Word travels fast in L.A. and soon the paparazzi were starting to gather. Tori was starting to be big and this was going to be a good story. David went to the head of security and introduced himself and explained that they were about to have a security issue on their hands. David called the L.A.P.D. and soon two uniformed officers were there and security took them to a separate waiting room and the officers took up positions outside the door.
"I don't know if I will ever get used to the photo leaches and the scribblers following Tori around." Jade shook her head.
"This is not just about Tori, Jade." Holly said.
"What do you mean? She is a star. She gathered up Bieber's fans when he imploded. They are nuts." Jade stated.
"You forget that you are presently directing a film that has big star power in it. Your name will soon be as big as her name." Holly said laughing.
"No one remembers the director's name." Jade said with a smirk.
"Ya your right Jade no one remembers that Scorsese guy or Lucas, Spielberg, Hitchcock, Tarantino, Coppola, Kubrick, Eastwood, Cameron. Should I go on or have I made my point?" Holly laughed again. "Jade I know that you are going to be rubbing shoulders with them in the next couple of years. You are both going to be big so you will have to get used to it."
Jade made some calls to let all their friends know so that they didn't have to hear about it on TMZ. Andre was recording music for a video game in Seattle. Beck was doing a play in Toronto. Robbie was doing comedy in some club in the mid-west and Cat was in a touring cast of the musical Rent and was in Houston.
About two hours later Dr. Hudson found them in the private waiting room. He sat down with some x-rays and showed them before and after pictures of Tori's legs. She would have some metal in her leg for a while.
They were told that she was still in recovery and they would not be able to see her until morning. They would keep her medicated for pain and to sleep until them. Even in the morning she would probably be kind of dopey so they should go and get some rest.
"I want to stay. In case she wakes up and …" Jade was starting to show her fatigue.
"The doctor said we should go. She will be fine." David said.
"But dad she will be all alone…" Jade knew that he was right so she finally gave in.
As they family was escorted out of the hospital to their vehicles the photographers snapped pictures and shouted questions about Tori. No one said anything they just kept walking. This was the new reality for them as Tori became more known. This tour she was about to start was going to put her in the American eye. She had several talk show appearances.
Holly asked Jade if she wanted to spend the night at their house, but she said that she would be fine at their apartment. It bothered her that she was not listed as next of kin for Tori, because they were just living together they were not married, therefore if something happened to her Jade had to hear it from David or Holly. It was not that they would not call her, but it still bugged her.
Jade was at the hospital the next day waiting for the doctors to let her in to see her girlfriend. Soon the Vega family arrived. The doctor told them that they could go in and see her for a short time, but she would be very tired still and on a lot of pain medication.
They went into the small private room to see Tori. She looked so small lying on the bed. She still had monitors and oxygen hooked to her and her legs were elevated one was in a framework of hoops with metal rods attached. It looked almost science fiction.
Jade moved to one side of her bed and her parents to the other side. They each took her hands being careful not to interfere with her I.V. or the pulse oximeter that was hooked to her. She looked horrible and although Jade tried to be strong the tears started to roll down her cheeks.
She then leaned forward and moved her hair back out of her face and kissed her on the forehead. She held her the best she could without actually being able to wrap her arms around her.
Tori started to stir and made a small sound. Jade stood up and wiped her tears so Tori wouldn't see her crying. In a small croaky voice Tori managed to say, "Hi. Well I really did it this time didn't I?"
"Ya you did." Jade said.
"Why does stuff like this keep happening to us?" Tori cried.
"What is with the 'us' part? I think it is just you that is cursed." Jade smirked trying to be her old self for Tori.
"Jade!" Tori said trying to be pouty but it took too much energy.
She had her eyes closed most of the time, because it was hard to keep them open. She would drift in and out of sleep sometimes in the middle of a sentence and then come back too and try to finish the sentence without much luck. This would make her visitors smile.
Jade took pictures of her injuries on her phone to show the others who would ask and to show Tori once she was better. She also kind of like pictures of injuries. These pictures will be important later.
The Vega family sat for short time and then the doctor came and checked on Tori one more time and told them that she needed her rest and they couldn't stay long. They kissed Tori on the head and told her they would be back the following day. Tori asked Jade to stay for a minute while the others left the room.
"What is it Babygirl?" Jade asked concerned.
"I have something to talk to you about. You are probably getting tired of me always being …. problem." Tori was drifting in and out.
"Ya you are a royal pain in the ass." Jade said smiling at her girlfriend.
"I am being serious… the doctor says it might be up to a year before I can …" Tori stopped again.
"Before we can finish this conversation?" Once again Jade had to keep things light for her sake.
"… I can walk properly again." Tori started crying. "He said I might have one leg that may never be straight again. I could understand if you didn't want me anymore."
"Well that is it. I am done. I can't be seen with a girl with a crooked leg. Hey I saw a straight legged redheaded nurse down the hall. I have never had a redhead. Have a nice life Vega!" Jade laughed and kissed her girlfriend. "We have been through this so many times. Your promise ring was given to your mother when you get out of the hospital you can put it back on. Go to sleep Babygirl I will see you tomorrow."
As she got up and left she saw Tori had a smile on her face and knew she was loved. Tori drifted off into a medicated fog. It was peaceful and there was no pain. She wanted to stay in this world forever.
AN: I am starting to think that I need to be concerned with my need for Tori to be the victim. hmmm I have decided that I wanted to write this story as an hommage to Alfred Hitchcock. That will become more evident as the story develops. I have a lot of great plans for this story. I hope you stay with me for the ride. Thanks for reading this and please everyone feel free to express your feelings and ideas. SM