A/N: It's another birthday request from an old friend. It's a little early but I was too excited to sit on it for a couple more weeks.
BTW, don't be shy if you want to request a one shot. I'll do my best ;-)
This is definitely the longest one shot I've ever done; EPIC
Hope you enjoy, Invader Johnny. And love to hear from all of you, too.
The incident took place on May 30th, almost ten years ago, when Tori and Jade were to be married. Barely a year out of high school but they felt so strongly about it, they got the blessing of both their families. And they vowed that this marriage would only support them as they worked on their educational and professional goals.
The only person not happy for them was Trina. She had always envied the attention Tori had gotten. For as long as she could remember, the younger Vega was better-received than she was. But Tori was never self-absorbed or the slightest bit arrogant about it. She was the nicest, sweetest person imaginable. And if Trina was honest with herself, a far better singer and actress. Her getting accepted to Hollywood Arts was the tipping point when it stopped being simple sibling rivalry and morphed into active contempt. And the proposal from Jade was the last straw.
Trina dated loser after loser and even today her love life was lackluster. Tori getting married before her cemented the idea that Trina was going to die alone. She still had her whole life ahead of her but that didn't matter to a bitter girl in her twenties. Especially when her younger counterpart was clearly doing much better.
She wished it all to be not true. If only a monkey wrench could be thrown into the works.
If only...
If only...
On the morning of the wedding, Trina woke up from a particularly bad dream and upon remembering what day it was; hatched a desperate scheme. She was thinking less "I'm going to ruin today" and more "I need to stop this from happening."
It was Trina's job to get Tori dressed and all ready and transport her to the venue. Being the Maid of Honor she had the power to make or break this wedding. Cat was already at the church, helping the other bridesmaids with their dresses. Trina's sole responsibility before the ceremony was to produce Tori. She felt like a bounty hunter hired by a bail bondsman to bring in a delinquent fugitive.
Trina used her distracted sister to her advantage right away. She hid both their phones so neither of them would be charged. Then she decided they were going to take the route by way of Los Feliz. She remembered that there was intense construction going on that would continue into the weekend. That meant they would be tearing up the street and condensing traffic today. She would tell Tori it was a shortcut. Being without her license at this point, Tori wouldn't know one way to get somewhere from another.
Confident in her plan, she started assisting Tori with her hair and dress.
Two hours later, they were on the road. Before Tori knew it, they were hopelessly deadlocked into traffic. It was bumper to bumper; not moving. Could take hours to get out of this jam.
Tori's face fell as she took in the horrible situation. She asked for Trina her phone and the older sister handed it to her. The tan girl then cursed the small cellular when it went black.
"It's dead," Tori cried. "And I'm dead."
Seeing her begin to cry made Trina snap out of her own self loathing and come to grips with the calamity she had caused. Thinking quickly, she hastily threw Tori's phone onto the floor and picked it up.
"Look, here's your phone. You must have...left it...in..."
Tori snatched the phone and was met with equal disappointment. No power. She couldn't reach out to Jade or anybody that they were stuck in traffic.
Trina slammed her hand on the steering wheel, kicking herself for doing something so reckless and stupid.
"What was I thinking?"
"Look Tori, try to keep it together. When we get there, just tell them it was all my fault."
The half-Latina wiped her fresh tears and cleared her throat.
"Traffic's not your fault, Treen."
Silence with something in her eyes made Tori shiver.
"Right?"
"Tori, I'm so sorry" she blurted out. "I fucked up. I fucked up real bad! I knew about the construction but I drove this way anyway. I was trying to make you late. I was so jealous and..."
She didn't let Trina finish as the slammed passenger side door indicated. Next thing she knew, there was Tori running through four lanes of immobile traffic while holding up a flowing white wedding dress.
Fortunately she didn't have to hoof it on foot for long. A cab driver took pity on the frenzied-looking bride and brought her to the church. Upon exiting the first people to rush to her were her parents. Her mother consoled Tori who was shaking while her father handled the cabbie's fare.
"Tori, look at your dress!" Mrs. Vega acknowledging the dirt all over the bottom half of the white gown. "What happened to you?"
"And where's Trina?" asked Mr. Vega.
She didn't answer and instead charged up the church steps. Her mother went on after her.
"Tori, dear! Wait!"
"What about your sister?" demanded her father.
His youngest looked back and said something he never expected.
"I. Have. No. Fucking. Sister!"
Tori rushed into the building and found more than two thirds of the people had left. Just very close friends and immediate relatives. They all made a commotion when they saw Tori arrive at long last. She looked around for Jade but saw no sign of her. But she did see her parents.
"Mr. West!"
"Tori!" he exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're alright."
"Where's Jade?" she asked.
He hesitated to answer and looked back at his wife, concerned.
"Tori..." Mr. West began, holding her hands. "When you didn't show, Jade was devastated. I've never seen her so sad."
The thought of her (unwittingly) causing Jade to cry made her stomach churn.
"But you know Jade...sadness doesn't last long. Then she became angry. Real angry."
His wife came up behind him to help inform Tori.
"You see, Tori...Jade thought you weren't coming so she stormed off."
"But where did she go?" Tori asked in tears.
"The airport," Mr. West replied.
"What, why?"
Mrs. West said, "Jade kept muttering to herself in between the screams that she needed to get away. Far away."
"The honeymoon!" Tori thought.
"Cat went along because she didn't want her to be alone."
"Maybe if we could..."
Mr. West cut Tori off. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But the flight just took off before you showed up."
Tori's face was a wet mess with burning, salty tears. She felt like something punched her in the gut and couldn't stand any longer.
"She's gone. And it's my fault."
Brown eyes locked with a familiar pair of brown eyes that came through the door.
Tori gritted her teeth as a fire rose deep inside.
"NO! IT'S YOU! YOU DID THIS!"
She lunged for Trina but several guests held her back. Tori fought her way free but was too weak from walking and too upset to beat her sister senseless so she ran.
At this point, everyone was looking at Trina. Many of them were confused but it didn't take long for them to be educated on what happened.
TEN YEARS LATER...
On the other side of the country, New York City. The city that never sleeps.
And in the heart of the bustling island of Manhattan was the epicenter of a new group of office buildings. The first and tallest was the magnificent One World Trade Center (often dubbed 'Freedom Tower').
On the thirtieth floor resided Armstrong & Armstrong Advertising of America.
Trina Vega was looking over some templates from the art department. This campaign for Dove had to impress the customer; for they could become a permanent client.
People got off the elevator down the hall all day long, so Trina typically paid it no mind. But on this occasion, the ding of the opening doors was immediately followed with a familiar voice. "UGH! Where is it?"
"No, it can't be" Trina thought. "What is SHE doing here?"
As promised, that voice heralded the arrival of Jade West, almost exactly as she looked when she was last near her. A panic overcame Trina and the elder Vega found herself ducking behind her partial wall.
The pale woman entered the office and scanned the room, no doubt looking for Trina. The half-Latina prayed that Jade would do the usual Jade thing: give the place a once over and leave. She was always like that, even at stores. Jade would rather look for things on her own because she felt most people were stupid.
"Please be gone. Please be gone."
Trina peered up and saw Jade talking with Ally Hayden from accounting. She then pointed Jade in the direction of Trina. The woman shuddered how she was so quickly outed. She went back in hiding, thinking what to do next. Trina then moved her chair and got underneath her desk like a soldier in the trench getting shot at.
"Just my luck. When did Jade West ask someone for help?"
"HEY!"
The surprise made Trina hit her head on the desk.
"Damn it all!" she said.
Jade squatted down to see better.
"Were you hiding down there?" she asked with a smirk.
"No," Trina awkwardly chuckled. "I was just..." she quickly noticed her little red space heater. "...just adjusting my personal heater. This thing's a lifesaver."
"A heater? In the middle of July?"
Trina crawled out from under the desk and stood up, straightening her sensible business blouse and skirt.
"Well, you know how it is. They blast the AC in this place; it becomes like an igloo."
Jade nodded, "Right."
"So what brings you to New York?"
"Well, you actually."
Trina swallowed in fear.
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Jade replied as she sat on Trina's desk. "Funny thing trying to track certain people down. I had to drag it out of the only relative who had the goods on you."
"Aunt Marge," Trina sighed.
Jade made a finger gun and clicked her tongue.
"Could have just called."
"See no, I couldn't. I went through Tori's phone and you were deleted from her contacts. That sort of thing happens when you do something as shitty as what you pulled."
Trina did a brief look around to make sure no employees were in earshot if she were to whisper-yell.
"Listen, West. I acknowledge the weight of the misery I created. This may surprise you but almost immediately after it went down, I never felt worse in all my life."
Jade leaned in with her hand on her chin.
"Awww, I don't give a fuck."
"What do you want from me?"
The tan woman realized that last statement was much louder than she planned on. The dozens of gazes in her direction made her skin crawl.
"Well, I wanted to talk but this is hardly the place."
"Fine," Trina whispered. She then hastily scribbled on a yellow post-it note and handed it to Jade. "My apartment. Nine o'clock is when I'm usually home."
The woman with porcelain skin grimaced as she hopped off the desk and strutted away, the clickety-clack of her heels echoed through the now silent office.
Six hours later, Trina was able to finally put the workday behind her.
Despite that humiliating episode, she was able to get her project done. Luckily, the higher ups were impressed by the first design draft. They ought to have a final polish that can be camera-ready by the end of the week. Then it would be seen on buses and train stations and even Time Square next month.
This normally was the time Trina would relax and veg out in front of the TV with Hallie curled up next to her.
But tonight was not one of those nights.
There was Jade West, Queen Bitch of Hollywood Arts. No doubt how Wednesday Addams would have turned out years later. She was still dressed in mostly black, accentuating her fair complexion and light eyes. But the makeup was more subdued and she wasn't carrying a pair of scissors in her belt like some demented tailor.
She barely took notice to Trina's presence, as she was more preoccupied with her phone.
"Late!"
"No I'm not!" protested Trina. "Yeah the subway was delayed but I made up for it with..."
Jade rolled her eyes and huffed.
"Not you, dummy!"
Trina walked past Jade to unlock her door when she saw a man wearing a red and white baseball cap ascend the stairs. He was carrying two big brown bags.
"Finally, sheesh!"
Jade stood with her arms folded when the man handed her a buttload of Chinese food.
"Is this a New Yorker thing? Always late?"
Trina leaned in the doorway, keeping it closed so to not let out Hallie.
Jade checked the one bag like she was TSA at the airport. Then she handed it to a relcutant Trina. Jade started rummaging through the second bag.
"Is it here?" she asked.
"Yes," the poor man nodded. "I have the receipt here. Extra, extra duck sauce."
The thespian acknowledged the dozens of shiny orange packets in the bag.
"Very good," Jade said.
She turned with her bag and walked past Trina, entering her apartment.
"Pay the man," she heard before the spring on the wall made the door slam shut by itself.
Trina sighed, shaking her head while she fished out two twenties and asked the delivery guy to keep the change. She went inside and locked up, also remembering the chain.
Jade was already sitting on the couch with her feet up, digging into a carton of pork fried rice.
"I'd say make yourself at home but...nevermind."
Trina didn't ignore the silence that came in response.
"No snappy comeback?" she teased. "Jade West must be starving."
"Damn straight," Jade said with a full mouth. "Haven't eaten all day."
"There is literally a thousand places to eat in this town, not counting the street vendors. Why now?"
Jade swallowed and put down her food so she could make a b line for the kitchen. Trina knew what she was looking for.
"Coffee is the next cabinet to your left."
The actress followed suit and grabbed a pack of French Roast. Jade did a double take on the package.
"What the hell is Dunkin' Donuts?"
"Don't worry about it," Trina replied. "Let me get that for you while you say hi."
"Hi?"
Jade almost tripped over a Maine Coon doing figure eights around her legs. Her mouth dropped and she did that deep voice only when she was excited.
"FLUFFY!"
She picked up the cat and held it close, rubbing her face in its thick and wavy coat. The feline made a sound of annoyance but allowed to be held.
"Now that's an image," giggled Trina while she started the coffee maker. "The great Jade West snuggling with a kitty."
Realizing she was in the presence of the last person she wanted to see her like this, Jade froze.
"Never tell a living soul that I said the F-word."
"No problem," Trina said. "That's Hallie by the way."
Jade made her way back to the couch and sat down with the fluffy one still in her arms.
"So why didn't you eat earlier?" Trina asked.
"I couldn't," Jade replied. "I spent all day at this meeting with people from The Walking Dead."
"Holy shit, really?"
Jade nodded. She relished when she could impress people. Especially ones she never liked.
"A script I wrote for an episode I did years ago surfaced on the Internet and some producer saw it and they looked to hire me. But I turned them down when all was said and done."
"But why?"
Jade shrugged.
"Eh, kind of lost interest in the show since they focused less on zombie killing and more on the soap opera shit. Besides, I wasn't planning on saying yes anyway."
"Huh?"
"See, I have no interest of going to Georgia for half a year. Plus, it was only an excuse."
"Excuse for what?" asked Trina.
"An excuse to come here."
Trina's expression was overcome with confusion.
"Tori thinks that was the only reason I came up here," Jade admitted.
The older Vega's eyes widened at the sound of her baby sister's name. She thought about her a lot but rarely heard her spoken out loud. Trina made a conscious choice to abstain from entertainment news to avoid even coming across anything concerning her sister. A feat which is not easy to do, considering her presence on social media.
"Word was on the grapevine that you moved east. Tori would've thought I came to look you up if I didn't have a reason for coming."
"You lied to your girlfriend?"
Jade's face went cold at that word.
"Wife. No thanks to you, Vega!"
Trina rubbed her arms.
"I guess I deserved that."
"Oh, you deserve much more. Do you know that you did more than spoil our special day? We almost broke the fuck up, genius!" Jade grabbed another mouthful of rice before continuing on with her rant. "Let me ask you something; were you ever utterly humiliated? Maybe some douche asked you out only to stand you up?"
"I can actually think of a more recent example," Trina softly replied.
Jade slammed down her food container onto the coffee table.
"Let me tell you...being stood up at the altar is a thousand times worse!"
Blue-green eyes glanced over at the coffee maker; that first pot wasn't coming fast enough.
"Little inside baseball," Jade said. "The night before, Tori and I had a fight. Wasn't a really big one but we disagreed on some of the seating arrangements. Certain relatives didn't want to sit next to certain people. She felt she had to bow to them while I felt it was our goddamn ceremony - what we say goes!"
"What happened?" asked Trina.
Jade sighed, "It never resolved exactly. I was told by my dad to pick up Nan from the airport because he was stuck with a million other things."
While both dads contributed, Mr. West was the true father of the bride.
"I tried calling Tori later on but it was after ten and she was feeling tired, especially given the day ahead. That was the last I heard from her. So imagine how I felt when I was standing there, at the church, and Tori didn't show. Do you have any clue what that was like? I was upset and completely broken apart. And to make matters worse, I have this very vulnerable moment in front of EVERYBODY I know."
Fed up with having to relive that trauma, Jade started pacing around the room hoping that would calm her nerves. She was useless when it came to feelings without her coffee in hand.
"Oh they all tried to call Tori. And you. Some thought you were in an accident but I knew the truth. Tori got cold feet and that argument proved we didn't belong together. And you never liked me anyway, so you secreted her away because she was too gutless to call the whole thing off."
Trina thought that line of reasoning sounded irrational but then again, she wasn't any better that day. Was it a coincidence that evening had a full moon?
"So, after being more embarrassed than I've ever been...I had to escape. Get away from everyone I knew." Jade smiled. "Cat tagged along because she knew better than to have me go to Mexico by myself in the state I was in." She folded her arms at Trina. "You know, a lot of people - including you - make fun of Cat. But at the end of the day, she's loyal and I can trust her. Which is more than I can say for you."
The older Vega lowered her head and stared at her hands.
"I know it means nothing. But I do feel awful about what I did."
"I'm not done," barked Jade.
Trina looked up in silence.
"I spent ten days in Mexico with my phone off the whole time. I asked Cat to do the same. I didn't want to deal with anyone at all. When we returned at LAX, Mr. Vega and my mom were there to see us. I wasn't expecting them but then again, the date on our tickets wasn't a secret. They told me that it wasn't Tori's doing. She was trying her damnedest to get to the church. Mom told me it was you who sabotaged everything. Anyway, I came back to our place. Everything was dark. I was crossing my fingers that Tori wasn't there but she was. On the floor, clutching a pillow and crying."
Jade wandered to the kitchen, checking on the brew. She then noticed the wooden block with all the knives. But Jade took out the matching pair of scissors. She looked over at Trina menacingly and snipped them, mostly for the sound.
"You have no clue how much I wanted to murder you for that. What you did was bad enough but making me so upset I had to leave and make Tori think there was no hope at all...god I hated seeing her like that."
Her face was now filling with sadness and regret.
"I was a big idiot," Jade confessed. "How could I think Tori would do that to me? I should have let her explain."
Trina walked over to Jade and tried to put her arms around her but the shorter one recoiled. The older Vega would not relent. Jade had to let it out. The pale woman found herself succumbing and dropped the scissors on the floor. Trina held her tightly as they both cried, feeling horribly about how much they hurt Tori.
"I wish there was something I can do."
"There might be," Jade sniffed. "But you have to do as I say."
Trina nodded.
"Anything."
Back in Los Angeles, the mood around Studio C was great excitement.
Hollywood darlings, Tori Vega and Jade West were going to renew their wedding vows to ring in their tenth anniversary.
So much has happened to them after a very bumpy beginning.
Tori did a national tour, which was so well-received she squeezed in three shows in Canada. And just last year, she put the cap on her first international tour where Tori surprised everyone. Instead of the usual hotspots like Western Europe, South America or even Australia; she did twelve concerts in twelve cities along the Pacific Rim. Apparently, she had a big following in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan to name a few.
Jade started out acting for the big time with a major role in a Friday the 13th revival. During the troublesome shoot, the original director quit. She then met with the producers and suggested that she takes the reigns. They asked what did she know about filmmaking. So, Jade handed them a DVD of her shorts from school as well as a spec script to serve as a sample that she knew how to write as well. Impressed, they gave her a try and was well-liked by the cast and crew. And the movie became a big hit. Jade would become the first female horror director to also appear on-screen in a significant part. After that she acted less, and wrote and directed more.
Rather than more traditional venues, the ladies decided this ceremony had to be extra special.
Especially given their new addition.
In-between tours, Tori and Jade adopted a boy named Lucas. They were over the moon for this kid right from the start. No matter how they got busy, they would always make time for their little man. And he would be there for them too as the ring bearer.
Tori was coaching the child one more time about when he is supposed to appear. But if he makes a mistake, its okay. He nods, saying that he's got it. Meanwhile, Tori was wondering what was keeping her better half. Jade came up behind her and hugged the singer as tight as you could hug a person.
"God I missed you," Jade sighed.
"JADE!" Tori exclaimed, squeezing back.
While it was traditional for the two parties not to see each other before the wedding, it was silently agreed upon that that particular custom were to be thrown out the window. Both women knew it would help with everyone's anxieties by being more transparent.
Speaking of which, Jade needed to get Tori alone. That was not easy, given the situation. Jade convinced the studio bosses to loan out Studio C so that on this massive soundstage, she could erect the dream wedding for her wife. Tori liked old Hollywood and ran with that idea. The set was built to resemble a shiny white ballroom, complete with a grand staircase. That was going to be where Tori and Jade would meet. They would come out opposite ends at the top and, joining hands, would descend the steps to the smiles and flashbulbs below. Everyone was dressed in fine dresses and tuxedos; it looked like a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical would break out any minute.
"Jade, what are you..."
The director pulled the actress through the swarm of people and through a door behind the "set." Now that she was all alone in partial darkness, Jade pressed Tori against the wall and kissed her with a most persistent tongue.
"Where did that come from?" Tori chuckled.
"Same place tonight is coming from," Jade smirked.
Tori just blushed.
After how long this busy week has been, Jade was looking forward to having Tori for a few days all to herself. Naturally, the two mothers fought over who was going to watch their grandson.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Tori tilted her head.
"What's that, Jade?"
The dark-haired woman looked to her left and Trina emerged from the shadows, holding a folder.
"Hey," the older Vega quietly said.
The younger sister just stood there in shock.
Jade bumped her wife's shoulder.
"Say something, you gorgeous idiot."
"You look good," Tori blurted out.
"Me?" Trina chortled. "You look amazing. Jade's clearly been taking good care of you."
The half-Latina looked back at her lover, her life and smiled.
"She sure has," she nodded.
"Jade informed me that I have a nephew now?"
Tori nodded.
"If you'll forgive me, I didn't tell him about you because then he'd want to..."
Now Tori was fully crying. That made Trina's floodgates open. Jade knowingly jumped out of the way as the two sister closed the gap between them and hugged.
"Forgive you?" Trina sniffed, "How can you forgive me?"
"It hurt. A lot. But I'm tired of being angry. I want my sister back."
Trina's arms went tighter.
"I'm here. I'm here."
Tori looked at Trina. "But what about.."
"I already talked to mom and dad," Trina said. "They know I'm here. But if you didn't want me to stay, I would disappear."
The baby sister had her firm grip on her elder sister's wrists.
"You're not going anywhere."
Jade folded her arms.
"Tori, I know you have said or done things you regret. Me too. What if you could do it all over again?" Jade put her arm around Trina. "Today is your sister's wedding day. Wanna do it right this time?"
"I have to give you this first," Trina said as she opened the folder she was holding and showed it to Tori.
"What's this?"
"A college fund I started for Lucas. He gets it when he turns 18. We can all add to it. I had to work through school and hated it. This way, my nephew can focus on his studies and not worry about books and tuition."
Tori shook her head and hugged her sister once more.
"Thank you, that's really sweet of you."
Trina shrugged, "Just wanted to do something to contribute to your family."
Tori silently cried again as she touched her sister's cheek.
"And what makes you think my family also doesn't include you?"
Trina squeezed her hand.
"Do you want to meet him?" Tori asked.
"Of course!" Trina replied.
"Quick thing, though. Remember when I said I didn't mention you?"
"Uh-huh?"
Upon exiting, they bumped into Lucas, who was wondering where his moms both went.
"There you are!" he exclaimed. Lucas then saw the new woman and said "Hi."
Tori got down to his level.
"Lucas, I want you to meet your Aunt Trina."
"Hey, little guy" Trina smiled, shaking his hand. "Good grip."
The boy looked at the newcomer with confusion.
"Mommy said you were hit by a bus."
Jade snorted in the background.
Tori looked back at her wife disapprovingly while Trina stared at Tori.
"Really?" Trina asked. She then focused her attention on little Lucas. "Well, yes but as you can see I got better."
"Are you gonna be at the wedding?" he asked.
Trina smiled.
"I wouldn't miss it for the whole world."
She looked back at Tori and Jade.
"I think you two need to get ready."
Jade noticed the time on her phone and blurted out "Oh, fu-"
"Fudge!" Tori hastily finished, eyes darting down to their kid.
The goth silently thanked her for the save.
"Okay, we'll get changed" Tori said. "Treen, will you please watch Lucas?"
"I'd love to," Trina nodded.
Forty minutes later, the ceremony began and it was glamorous as designed.
Tori descended the set of stairs on the left while Jade came down the identical stairs from the right. They didn't take their focus off the other the entire time. Only when they met up at the top of the large staircase and joined hands did they turn to their friends and relatives. Everyone clapped, took pictures and threw confetti. Then the happy couple came down to the crowd below, hand in hand.
Once they were at the bottom of the grand staircase; the people parted, forming the two sides of the guests. Tori's side was on the left and Jade's the right. Mutual friends filled out any gaps to make both sides look even. Jade and Tori walked through the corridor their loved ones made with big smiles.
They were then met by the same ordained minister who wed them a decade ago.
"Just when I thought you two couldn't be happier," he nodded. "You two should see yourselves."
Tori made a little laugh while Jade just bit her bottom lip.
"It was almost perfect," Jade said.
Lucas came up with the wedding bands on the little lavender pillow with Trina guiding him.
"But today is definitely the most perfect day ever," Tori smiled.