Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious

This story takes place a few days after the stupid "time out" scene and is told from Beck's point of view in bold and Jade's point of view in italics.

Jade was painting her fingernails black when I came up to her. She and I were obviously having problems and I didn't understand why. We needed to talk.

Beck tapped me on the shoulder.

"Do you not see that I'm doing my nails," I said annoyed.

"I see that," he said, "But we need to talk."

"Fine," I said, "What do you need to talk about?"

"I feel like something is wrong with our relationship," Beck said, "and I don't know how to make it right."

Jade always acted like it was my fault so I had to find out what I was doing but what she said next surprised me.

"It's not all you," I told Beck, "It's just as much my fault as it is yours. I'm not able to trust people so easily. I have been hurt by so many people so I don't know how to deal with feelings of anxiety or anger. It's my defense mechanism to be offensive so I don't have to be defensive again. I don't know what else to do."

I knew Jade had been through a lot but I felt that she should just get over it because it had been a long time ago. I was so proud of her for admitting she was partly responsible for our problems. But I knew that I was partly responsible too and I knew she wasn't going to let me off so easily. It wasn't like her.

"It's also you," I added.

Beck looked at me with expectation.

"How? Can you give me an example?"

I nodded. I could give him several.

"I think the best example would be the other day. Beck it was our 2 year anniversary and because some guy... Ryder something or other was taking advantage of Tori you put off our anniversary and instead decided we would go warn Tori."

Yeah I admit that was tactless but Tori was my friend and I didn't want to see her get hurt.

"You also did something earlier that day that you knew would piss me off."

Beck nodded. He couldn't deny that because it was obviously true.

"I didn't think," he said.

"Clearly," I replied, "But that doesn't mean what you did was okay. You know what I went through in the past and you know I'm insecure and certain things scare me so what do you do? You specifically do those things. I don't know why you do it but I don't appreciate it."

"I'm not doing that to hurt you," I said, "I'm trying to get you to get over what you've been through."

"You treat me like I'm a toddler," she added.

"I do not," I defended.

"Really? The 'time out' wasn't treating me like a toddler?"

"You hurt Tori," I pointed out, "I saw the look on her face."

"Okay I'm not even going to speak to the hypocrisy of what you just said," Jade replied, "But that just pissed me off even more!"

"I get it," Beck said, "But I get so frustrated I don't know what else to do. Yes, I know I shouldn't act hurtful. I know that it's wrong but at the time I feel like I see something wrong and I have to fix it."

"Why do you have to fix it," Jade asked, "and how is your behavior fixing it?"

"It's the best thing I can think of at the time," Beck said as if that made it okay.

"Beck," I said, "Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel?"

Normally he would make a joke about that but today he didn't.

"I guess I would feel pretty bad," he admitted, "But am I not supposed to support my friends?"

"Not to the exclusion of me," I said.

"You're so needy," Beck told me, "I sometimes feel like you hold on to me too tightly."

"Because I'm afraid to lose you."

That revolution was a shock. I never knew Jade to be afraid of anything.

"I didn't know that," I said.

"I know you didn't know that. I should have told you. I am just as responsible as you are."

"Yeah but at the same time I should have let you talk. I was too busy trying to be in control. Look I suggest that we start over."

"No," Jade said, "Beck I love you but we are not good together and because we're not good together I think we're better off being friends."

"Is that really what you want," Beck asked.

No. It wasn't what I wanted but it was what I needed.

"At least for now," I said, "How about we take a break. At the end we'll talk about it and decide if we are able to salvage our relationship."

"Okay," Beck said, "How long should the break be?"

"6 months," I said.

"Okay," Beck said, "I promise I won't date again until the end of that time if we decide not to get back together."

"And I promise that too," I said.

I hugged him.

"I love you Beck," I said.

"I love you too Jade," he told me.

Than he walked out. It was over and the funny thing is I felt better then I had in years.

I prayed our love would be strong enough to survive. I had to trust that it would.