Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters used in this story, including Zoey Brooks from Zoey 101, or the many from Victorious. All use of characters is meant to be an homage, so no money is made.
Warning, not really that Christmasy. The title is ironic.
:}
Jade took a deep breath, thinking about what she was about to do. 'It's been four months since I dragged his ass back here. It's high time he rejoined the family.' Jade thought, even as her mind drifted back to what had brought the last lost lamb back into this makeshift family.
Just over four months ago, Robbie Shapiro had run into Tori Vega in a small bar in one of the southern state, Jade never cared which one, outside a major city where he'd been staying while trying to decide on what he wanted to do with his life. Robbie was, at the time, a bit drunk, not totally aware of who the pop princess was, so he'd attempted to hit upon her, only to be harshly rebuked, so much so that he broke down in tears. That was all before he realized who the girl he'd made the pass at was. Of course, Jade had found out, mostly because during the four years Robbie had been out finding himself, looking for whatever edge he needed to be a decent comedian, she and Tori had hooked up. Being out on walkabout, Rob hadn't been checking in on his one time friends, so had no idea of that development.
The Robbie Tori had reported to Jade wasn't the boy they'd known. Jade heard the description, how unfeeling the boy had become, and she realized he'd been damaged far beyond what he'd been suffering from when he'd lived around here. Something in her stirred, driving her to an action she normally wouldn't consider, and so Jade took a couple of days, flew out and found him. 'He'd just finished a semester of school, and a summer semester, and was confused cause he really didn't like what he was studying. He just needed some kind of direction. I offered to bring him back, and guess what, turns out he wasn't welcome at home any more. Turns out his parents had disowned him. Course, they hadn't all abandoned him. His grandfather had given him a small trust fund, enough to live on, go to school, whatever he wanted to do. He'd have enough, just, to live the rest of his life, as long as he didn't live extravagantly. Then the rest of his family, by way of celebration, told him to just go away. The real reason for his walk about. Only, boy managed to find a whole lot of wrong out there. Won't talk about it. Hell, Rex, when he came back, wasn't talking for the first three months. But I found him, asked him to come back, offered to rent him a room, cause why not, we were picking up strays as is. And back he'd came.' She smirked, thinking of how she may have intimidated him into agreeing.
Jade stepped a touch closer to the door to Robbie's room. The hallway she was in, in the too big Hollywood Mansion she and Tori had picked up for a song, comparably, but needed extra income to maintain, thus renting to Trina, then Andre, then Zoey, one of Tori's few friends from Sherwood, and now Robbie, was wider then it needed to be, being on the hill side o the house, thus no windows. But the hallway had a couch, a couple of chairs, making it a functional living room, even though the two bedrooms here were rented to people who had full access to the so called family area's of the house. 'Of course, Tori didn't want this Rob back, wasn't to thrilled about having him living here. Said he was my projects, and refused to spend time with him.'
"You gonna knock, or just stand there?" Rob's voice came through the door.
"There's a Christmas party upstairs, thought you'd like to join." Jade said.
"No thanks, Jewish." He said.
"Okay, you know me, right?" Jade asked, shifting in a dangerous way. "Do you really think I'm gonna take no for an answer?"
"I don't know you." He replied. "The Jade I knew wouldn't have dragged me back, given me a place to live, made sure I was enrolled in collage, walked me through the choices for study, helping me choose my major. She wouldn't have held my hand when the world was too much, or told me that people liked me, and this darker, hurt Robbie was just shock. No, that Jade I have only known for four months, and yea, she looks like the old Jade, but I have no idea who she is, what she wants, or what she'll do when I say no thanks, I don't need their pity."
"She's gonna react kinda like the old Jade." The pale girl said. "Kick the door in, and drag your ass up to the living room where Trina has set up a tree the size of Texas, and there are enough Christmas decorations to cover an acre."
"Yea, you'd do that, wouldn't you?" Robbie asked. "Okay, give me one good reason why I should go and ruin everyone else's Christmas?"
"Thats the thing." Jade said, her voice stronger. "I've grown to know Tori, and I know she hates herself for the way she feels about you. But the Rob she met four months ago just didn't care, and he was a threat to her. She has no idea how hurt can make someone like that, even though she's with me. Naturally, I have a clue, and wanted to give her back a friend. She's up there, hoping you come celebrate with us, with her. Come on, Rob, we were practically family, once upon a time. Tori wants her family back."
The door opened, and Robbie looked out. His face looked the same, only more drawn, haggard from the experiences he'd had over three years of wandering, seeing the underside of the U.S. 'Boy sure got unlucky, choosing the worse places to visit. Not sure what, or how, he got so worn down, but I do know, we need to find a way to bring him back. Won't be the same, but he'll be a hell of a lot happier.' Jade thought. "So, ready?"
"In this appropriate?" He asked, showing the tee shirt and pants he was wearing.
"It's an informal party." The goth assured him. "As long as you're covering your junk, we're all good."
"Cat gonna be there?" The shift of topics showed one of his main concerns. Jade headed out, trailed by the boy, and decided to take the stairs, instead of the elevator, only to slow down when they got to the upper floors, and the party.
"Maybe, but that doesn't mater." Jade said, making sure he could hear her. She knew, like all actors, when speaking, the way your facing can make the world of difference in how easily people hear you. "You need to move on, and I think Tori's bud, Zoey, she's kinda sweet on you."
"Please, she's not interested in me." Rob countered. "She just thinks I'm one of those brooding dolts who's so deep and mysterious. Girls like that. I know, cause I tried playing roll that in school, but it never worked. I'm just not that guy."
"No, but you are damaged, and some girls like that in a guy." Jade said. "Now move it, cause I have a hot, cuddly Latina waiting for me, and I want my snuggled by the tree."
Robbie's laughter almost sounded alien. Jade had only heard it a couple of times since bringing him back, and of the tenants, of the family they were building here, she was the only one to actually hear him laugh.
They'd reached the entry level, where the house topped the hill, and the building extended past the limits of the hill to add extra space. "You know, maybe I should just wait here, or turn around and head back down."
"And they'll never prove it was anything but an accident when you tumble down the stairs." Jade promised. "Now lets get going. You need this, more then I do." She started towards the living room, over the rest of the house.
"Who's in there?" He asked, hesitating before entering the room. Cheery Christmas lights blinked on and off, illuminating the very shot distance between them and the party, even as music, loud enough to be heard but soft enough to be talked over, echoed in the background.
"Not sure." Jade said. "Tori, Zoey, Andre, maybe Trina and her friend. Other then that, us." Her grip was like iron, and the boy had no choice but to enter the living room, and the party.
The living room had a high ceiling, two stories up, embracing all the space up to the roof of the upper story. On two sides there was railing, one of the balcony, the other for the loft. The third side showed the balcony outside, with another walkway inside on the upper floor, acting as a form of mistrals gallery. And into this living room, Rob was dragged, sparing only time enough to see the fifteen foot tall tree Trina had chosen this year, lit, Flocked, and decorated already. Near it, facing the fire place, on the couches and in the various chairs sat Tori, Trina, Trina's friend Tracy, Zoey, Andre, and his grandmother Charlotte.
"Rob, nice of you to join us." Tori said, managing to sound happy to see him. "We have a gift for you under the tree."
"I tried explaining to them that you're Jewish." Zoey said. "We have a Menorah..." She offered, a smile on her face.
Rob smiled at Jade. "Miss Brooks is Jewish." He said, like it wasn't obvious. "And it's okay, I'm not sure anyone here, except maybe the Vega's and the Harris's, think of Christmas as a religious holiday."
"IT'S OKAY, WE CELEBRATE IT BOTH WAYS!" Charlotte screamed.
"Normally she's a lot more quiet." Andre said. "She's just excited."
"And sugared up as hell." Trina added. "Maybe we shouldn't have waited to spring her until after they'd had their holiday baking? I mean, how many pastries did she eat?"
"It's okay." Robbie promised. "It's normal. I like it, cause it's the same as when we were back in High school. I need the sameness."
"I just thanks the gods that Cat's grandmother is in much the same boat." Tori said. "Then maybe she'll consider visiting this party..." She flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Rob, but this time of year, I want all my family here. And with Cat studying all the time, we hardly ever see her."
"She's becoming a Veterinarian." Jade told the one time nerdy boy. "Her two main points of contact are Trina, who works to keep the friendship, and Beck, who's kinda dating her, only you knew that last part."
"Again, it's okay." Robbie said, smiling a more genuine smile. "As a good friend told me, I have to move on. I get it, I was dealing with my own losses, and didn't have time for her. I mean, wow, giving up show business to become an animal doctor, thats huge, and Cat made that choice. I'm..." His face almost flushed. "I'm just happy to be included."
"Of course, you're family." Tori said, standing to offer a hug.
"Thats a big step forward." Rob said. "For the both of us. Sorry, I'll hug you in a second, but I need to point out that the only person I feel really comfortable hugging right now is Jade, cause she's been the one to walk me back this far. Got me in school again, made sure I liked what I was studying, and not doing it for the wrong reasons." He locked his brown eyes on Tori's. "You've been a very good influence on her." He stepped forward, and they embraced.
"Wanna fill us in on what you've been through?" Dre asked, even as the one time nerdy broke the hug and stepped back..
"You don't have too.' Jade pointed out. "Only talk about what you're comfortable talking about."
"It wasn't any one thing, but the thing that got to me the most was how cold people had become." Rob said. "I was staying in these towns sequentially, looking for myself, but in those small towns, and I was always the outsider. Always just some northerner, often just 'The Jew,' and no mater how much I tried to help, they didn't want it. Jade would say I chose the worst places on earth, but I think I just got there when the tensions, the differences, were at their height, and the whites saw me as a northern Jew, and the others saw me as white, or thinking I knew better then they did. I was torn apart watching as communities drown in hate, and I couldn't understand why."
"Times got tough, and leaders offered hatred instead of unity." Charlotte offered. "Not saying there wasn't old hates, cause there always is. Look at Europe, the Slavic countries. Racial hatred that had been buried for generations under oppressive rule burst out again once they had the freedom to hate freely. Says a lot about human nature, but yes, we can overcome, be better. You, you just weren't ready for the people to be that bad. I believe that there are good people out there, but sometimes, the bad just won't be ignored."
Andre stepped up, pulling Robbie into a brotherly hug. "Welcome back, man." He said. "Welcome back to the family. Maybe the family you were born into wasn't ready to have you, and maybe they left you vulnerable, so that you found your way to the worst parts of otherwise great places, but we still accept you, love you."
"Took me some time, but given everything I've learned over the last four months, I just..." Tori gulped. "I just wish I'd known back then..."
"Cause then maybe you'd have tried to reach him, spend time with him, and I'd have had to find and kill him after?" Jade asked. "He wasn't ready. Not then. Tori, babe, he didn't even recognize who you were. He was just reaching out, desperately, colored by the hatred he'd seen and the damage he'd endured, and if you'd have tired to reach back without being aware of what he was, he'd have hurt you." Jade slid in next to Tori, who was once more sitting on the couch. "That Rob you have back, he's not the one you met four months ago. He's had four months of my accepting him for who he was, and we built on that. But remember, he's also a far cry from the guy you knew in school. That creeper is long gone, and once Rob here heals a bit, will be replaced by a guy with a lot more social consciousness. I can see how he's changing. It was just..."
"Time." Rob finished for her. "Yea, thanks for having me, and I'll do my best for this family." He looked over at Zoey. "Are you like me, a stray?"
"We're all strays, man." Andre said. "My grandmother worked hard for my family, most of her life, and none of them wanted her this year. They haven't wanted her since they moved her out of that house and into Elderly Acres. But this year, there's a place for her, right here. She's as welcome as you are, as a part of the extended family. As for my cousins, if they don't wanna know her, then they can just meet up with me at the family functions, for the time I have to be there, and not anywhere else. I'm with the family that wants me, all of me."
"My family isn't too concerned about me." Zoey said. "I was in collage, and my mother convinced me to get an M.R.S. degree. Only that fell through, and now I'm single, looking, and really don't wanna be anywhere near my family for a while."
Rob sighed. "Go to school to find a good husband to provide for you? Kinda old fashion, don't you think?"
"Something mom regretted not doing." Zoey filled in. "My mom worked her whole life, is still working, and she always felt she'd missed out, because there were sororities that prepared girls to be the kind of trophy wives she wanted me to be, and she's ignored them in favor of getting her degree, working. Only, guess what, she didn't like it. Mom wanted to be one of the daughters of the revolution, or something like that. I realize, now that the odds of mom, from her background, finding someone who could afford to take care of her like that were low. Still, she tried."
"You're dad was pretty well off, wasn't he?" Tori asked.
"He is." Zoey said. "Got himself a good job, works hard, earns his money. He's an executive for an international company, often has to spend months on end in one country or another just to help fix things, or get new projects of the ground. Didn't leave him a lot of time for his family. I guess that's why he was so distant. I mean, he tried, and I did spend that one semester in England, just because he was working there. But while the cash was enough, got us some perks, mom always felt she settled, could have done a whole lot better. Plus, we needed the money mom brought in to help maintain two residences. You know, cause we lived in Los Angeles, and usually had to maintain a home someplace else."
"So what does your mom do?" Andre asked, now interested in what the hot blonds family did.
"Collage degree, and she works as an executive secretary, for the same company that hired my dad." Zoey said. "And what stinks, they hired her as a favor to dad. She worked for one of the other executives, someone outside dad's hierarchy, who stayed here in Los Angeles, and mom hated that she was working for dad's company. Essentially, she felt like she was working for dad. Sad, right?"
"She figured his company would pay him enough to maintain the expensive lifestyle of a world traveling executive, but they didn't. Instead, they hired your mom, to help make up the difference. Yea, I can see why she'd think that marrying for love might be a bad investment." Jade offered.
"No, she wanted Zoey here to find a man with some money, then put in the time and energy to fall in love with him." Rob clarified, seeming to understand. "Catch twenty two. She should marry for love, not money, but she needs to fall for a guy with money. And if she did find a man with money, she'd be thinking, 'was it love, or just trying to make my mother happy, that made me chaise after him'."
"Plus, the guys mom wanted me to date, they had lines of girls looking to be the first misses whatever." Zoey confirmed. "So no, my dad's out of country, and mom is doing who the hell cares what." She blushed. "Mom's spending the season with dad, actually. I was invited, but I really didn't want to be anywhere near that toxic mix."
"Not toxic, just full of unexpressed and thus undelivered promises." Tori said. "Marry for love. It'll make you happier."
"Just, make sure you can live with whatever deal you make." Jade added. "We have money, and we're happy. But I think we'd be happy even if we didn't. Honestly, I was freaking when Tori and I started to make it, cause love is very different when your poor and when your rich."
"How about has enough?" Robbie said. "My trust fund isn't much, but I can live in many parts of this country quite comfortably. Or, around here, with only the most basic job, I could live the middle class life. Not saying I'm just the money. I'm saying, er, I heard, maybe, that you..." His eyes turned to the pale goth in the room, begging her to do or say anything to save him from the embarrassment.
"And this is how you know you're among family." Trina said, breaking the tense moment. "Rob, we all know that Jade thinks our miss Brooks has a crush on you. So naturally, that's what she'd have told you. I, for one, think it's true. But, that doesn't mean all but proposing to her. Just ask her if she'd like to spend the rest of the holidays with you. You two are gonna be doing that anyways, right?"
"What if she says no?" Robbie asked.
"I was thinking of saying yes." Zoey offered. "Does that help?"
"Would you like to be my date for the rest of the holidays?" Robbie asked.
"Sure, it's what I want." Zoey replied. "And I have everyone literally staring at me, expecting me to say something witty, and that's just not me. Honesty, I didn't think you were gonna be ready yet. I thought I'd have to be a touch more direct, like..." Her mind raced at how she'd let the boy know she liked him, even as a mild blush colored her tanned skin.
"A blow job?" Charlotte offered. "Why is everyone looking at me like that? Have you got any idea how much head I gave back in my youth? It was like sex, only without giving that much away. Plus, if you and the guy stayed together, it become a special thing you could offer, later on. My dear, departed husband, Ron, he got so good at giving head. Plus, the things we learned together, they've helped me become fairly popular at Elderly Acres."
"Sorry, what now?" Andre asked, looking shocked.
"OH, I'M SORRY, LET ME CLARIFY!" Charlotte Harris screamed at her grandson. "I HAVE A COUPLE OF LOVERS NOW! ONE'S EVEN A CHICK! LIVING MY LIFE NOW, AND NO ONE IS GONNA JUDGE ME FOR LIKING A LITTLE FREAKISHNESS NOW AND AGAIN!" Then her voice returned to it calmer, more normal volume, a sign she was getting better, or at least didn't like to wear out her vocal cords. "But thanks for taking care of me. I do miss my family."
Andre just stared at his grandmother, trying to sort out what he'd just heard. "I could have lived my whole life without knowing any of that." He finally said.
"And yet, somehow, you needed to be told." His grandmother replied. "Look, it's normal. I know a lot of people like to think that, after a certain age, we all just stop having sex. But thats just not true. The desire to be loved, held, that never goes away. I just want some comfort as I grow older. A little loving to help the days go by."
"Well said." Robbie said, clapping to emphasis his point. "And while I totally see where Andre is coming from, I also understand your position. Hell, those days I worked as a male stripper, believe it or not, anyways, you'd have been surprised how many of the parties I was sent to had older woman. I mean, some of them were old. Handsy as hell, and old. But I understand now. I still think they should have respected the boundaries pointed out in the contracts, but at least I understand what they were thinking." An odd, sly smile crossed the one time nerdy boys face. "I guess I did mention something a bit too much, but we'll let that slide, right? I mean, it's Christmas, and we're here to have a moment of family before those of us with places to go head out to spend the actual holiday with people who want them around. Zoey and I, we'll manage here, somehow."
"On that note..." Jade changed the subject. "Rob, I got you a present."
"We got him a present." Tori corrected.
"Yea, but I got him something else." Jade informed her wife.
"And we didn't talk about this why?" The singer wondered aloud.
"Cause it's just a book." Jade said. "Under twenty dollars. I thought you wouldn't mind."
"Oh, I don't mind, except you went and undermined my ability to show I care too." Tori scolded her lover.
"I really don't wanna make any trouble." Rob said.
"No, it's fine." Tori said, holding up her hands. "Actually, I think I know what it is. Jade kept talking about this book she thought would help you." Brown eyes looked to blue. "Is it okay if I tell him, or do we want this to be a surprise?"
"No problem." Jade said. "In fact, let me get it, give it to him." The goth dashed out of the room, leaving everyone waiting with anticipation.
"I wish someone had told me we'd be exchanging gifts." Robbie said nervously.
"We're not." Tori said. "But Jade and I got each of you something, to let our family know how much we care. We even got something for Charlotte, cause we knew she'd be coming, and Tracy, since she's been living with Trina for...How long you bee letting her crash at your place?"
"Five months." Trina replied. "We just, Tracy here wasn't too happy about her living arrangements changing, and she needed a place."
Robbie narrowed his eyes, but forced them back, not wanting to give anything away. He knew damaged people, and suspected that Tracy made him look absolutely normal. 'The way she clings to Trina, like a security blanket… no, like a boyfriend. Tracy's.. I think I've seen girls like her before, who hook up with a guy cause they don't have enough self esteem to ever be on their own. Some, many wind up with users who enjoy their charms until they find something better. Now, I know Trina, or at least the one I knew four years ago, wouldn't do that, so whats their story. Think I'll get it before we're done here tonight. But first...' He glanced over to the staircase where Jade had just appeared, carrying the wrapped package.
"Here..." Jade offered the wrapped book, an odd, nervous, hopeful smile on her face.
"So if I don't like it, you won't be ripping anything off if I return it, right?" Rob said, taking the book.
"No promises." Jade replied. "Um, Tori wants us to give out the gifts, and we will. Just, this one, it needs to be opened as soon as possible."
The store wrapping paper came loose, revealing a book, as promised. "Killings?" He said, smiling an odd smile. 'Yea, this is so Jade...'
"You got him a book about killing things?" Dre said.
"No, I got him a book written by a reporter who took the time to look into the lives of the victims, and their community." Jade explained. "You see, Rob, this guy went to different places to cover stories, about someone being murdered, only he wasn't interested in the Law and Order crib sheet. He wanted to know how the end of someone's life affected everyone around them. What led to it, who was affected, and how the community reacted. Those are the things his stories look at, and that's why I wanted you to read this book. I mean, yea, it's about murder, murderers and victims. But the picture it paints about America is so much deeper. I wanted you to see some of the good in this country."
"In a book about murders?" Zoey repeated.
"No, Jade has it, both the original and the reprint." Tori stepped in. "They added new stories in the reprint, cause Mister Trillin, he still works as a reporter, and so covered a few more stories since the book was first published in 1984. But I think, with Jade, it did help her stop hating everyone."
"So much." Jade added. "I don't hate everyone, just people in general. See, I do kinda hate them, but not as much as I used to. Lots of things helped me, including a hot Latina wife, a family that cares about me, but the book was definitely part of the healing. And now, as we build the extended family that will be there when, and not any time soon, but when Tori breaks me down and we have munchkins, we want all of you around us." Jade smiled a broad smile. "Yes, Charlotte, that includes you, assuming you can hang on that long."
"So, family…?" Rob asked.
"Family." Echoed from several voices.
"Welcome home." Trina added.
Robbie smiled at her, but made his way over to where Andre was sitting. "You really okay with your grandmother having sex, possibly with multiple partners?"
"You know, you don't have to bring that up." Dre said. "I'm here, trying to suppress that memory, pretend she never said any of that, and you're here reminding me. I know you're not the same, but please, have some decently."
"Your grandmother is finding love, how's that bad?" Rob asked. "Just, I know this can be hard, and I'm here for you, buddy."
Jade, from where she was sitting, smiled, catching Rob's eye for just a moment to let him know that this is a safe place, and he was and is welcome here. 'Still a distance to go, but it looks like things are changing for him. And he's noticed Tracy. I wonder, what will he do, as the only other person here damaged enough to realize just whats going on with her?' Blue eyes scanned across, seeing Charlotte Harris glancing at Trina and her friend. 'Scratch that, one of the only two.'
Robbie continued to talk amicably with the musician as the gang worked themselves up for the traditional family activities, songbooks being pulled out while they argued about what, if any, videos would play. The presents Tori had helped pick out for the tenants and extended family, all the strays they'd picked up along the way, were being passed out, and everything felt warm, like home.
:}
THere's a second chapter, and I dealing with Trina's friend, that may be up later. Until, I hope you enjoyed this different look at what makes up a family Christmas.
Review if you wanna. Just needed to publish something.