Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, or the show. One can only imagine if I did...

A/N: This is a Cade fanfiction, although it's more Jade-Centric if anything.

The Differences that make us the same

Jade practically radiated hate, it was her forte, everyone knew that. She would treat everyone like shit no matter who they were, from her own boyfriend to just regular friends. She didn't always mean to, it was pretty much second nature. Everyone knew that, so most would try and stay away from her as much as possible. It hurt her, but she continued to ignore that part, locking it away into her subconscious where nobody had the keys to unlock it. She didn't mind as much because she did have friends, she did have a boyfriend, but she just never felt whole, no matter what she tried. It just seemed like something was missing. But, like most feelings, that thought got locked away in the realms of her mind.

Jade's a strong willed, hard headed teenage girl, who took crap from absolutely no one. She let nobody into "her world". She was okay with it, she often told herself, but it killed her deep down to see everyone so happy, so free. She wished she could be that, so long as she didn't have to be too giddy, or too easy, in her eyes. She wanted to let people in, but truly couldn't do it deep down, and sometimes she cursed herself for it, wishing she was stronger than she was. It was then that she realized she was like a rose. No, not in the sense that it was pretty, but in the sense that, like the rose, she has spikes that protected her from the people around her. Those "thorns" made her look stronger than she actually is, because once you get beside the thorns, and to the actual rose, it's then you realize how fragile it is, or how fragile she is. Of course she didn't let others see her rose, but she did let them see her thorns.

It's hard to get past her thorns, or her personality, but if you do, you see how soft she could be. But, she barely let anyone see that part, not Beck, barely even herself. She did make one exception though, Cat. She occasionally let down her walls, "thorns", for her, she didn't know why, and she hated herself for it sometimes. But she still did it, you could have said that she had a soft spot for Cat. A spot that she hardly let anyone see, hardly even herself. It's okay though, because it left more for Cat, but she would never accept that part.

It's not that Jade hated herself, or the way she was, it's just sometimes she wished it came easier for her, like it did with Tori. She didn't really like Tori, how easy it was for her to become popular, be nice to people, and have people love her. She hated all the attention that was given to her, attention from her boyfriend and attention from Cat. She sometimes wished it could be her, she didn't imagine it, she just thought it out, or how it would be like if she was Tori. Until reality sunk in to tell her she's not like that, and she shouldn't be like that. Her walls would be up again when she made those kind of realizations.

Her walls could be broken down, sure, sometimes those walls weren't as strong, like with Cat, but other times seemed to be endless, like times with Beck. She loved Beck, they were just different. He was social, he had girls practically slaving at his feet, whereas Jade didn't really have that, or wasn't that. There were times where they were similar, just not enough to let those walls down, that would finally let him into her world. He didn't mind that part much, or he didn't really want to deal with it, which actually hurt Jade. Wouldn't you want to get into your significant others' world? She thought so.

He had other qualities that made up for it, she often told herself, but still, with those qualities alone didn't really match up completely "knowing each other". Jade knew Beck, what made him tick, who he hated, stuff like that; he let her into his world, or rather, she found her way in. Beck on the other hand, was fumbling, and groggy when it came to this; he never made it into her world. She was okay with it, she often told herself, but deep down she would still be disappointed about it. In truth, she was scared to let people break her walls. People like Cat.

Jade wasn't scared of Cat, she was scared of the fact that Cat can get her to do and say things she would never tell anyone else. Like when she told Cat how Beck was, and how she wished he was like. She never meant for it, and she was scared shitless at the fact that only one person could get her like that. One person could understand her. She was happy for that, but yet again, she never let it show. Cat knew that too, she knew a lot about Jade that she didn't even know herself. She could understand Jade more with the tidbits that would slip out occasionally. Those tidbits are the ones Jade thought that Cat didn't notice, the ones that she believed Cat would just go over, blabbering on about something related to happiness. Instead, Cat just looked and smiled, that toothy smile that made Jade smile herself, inwardly of course.

Cat was more complex than Jade gave her credit for, although one minute she was happy as can be, the next, she seemed like she was at an all time low. Jade thinks that's okay though, it makes Cat, Cat. Just like her personality made herself Jade. So when she was with Cat, it felt like she wasn't herself, she wasn't used to acting like that. It was like a high for her, she didn't understand it, but she liked the feeling nevertheless. She sometimes understood why it's okay to let loose sometimes.

Sometimes soon became often to Jade, because she often found herself hanging out with Cat more than she did with Beck sometimes. He was okay with it, as was she, it allowed her to learn more things about herself, and more things about Cat. Cat was becoming her drug, she craved for more, and always needed some. It allowed an escape from the affairs of the world, and just let her be herself, in her opinion. It's actually why she liked Cat, she didn't exactly have to wear a mask with her, she didn't have to pretend.

Cat felt the same way, she could be herself, and couldn't be judged with Jade. She was, in fact, the only person who thought she was just being herself, not some emotional see-saw. Jade liked the fact that she was spontaneous with her emotions, it made her unique. Sure, sometimes they were over the top, but those times made Jade smirk, sometimes even smile. Jade never let Cat see those smiles but Cat had an idea that they were there. Cat told Jade to smile more when she would see them; she really liked them. Jade would chuckle at that, but shrug it off, giving off the impression as if she didn't care. She actually did though, she loved the complements Cat would give her, even though she never expressed thanks to her.

It's weird, their relationship. It was more about their differences than their similarities. I was much easier that way, and somehow it worked. And more than too often, Jade found her heart skipping a beat, unknowingly following Cat's as well. She didn't want to feel that way, over time it had developed, going unnoticed by Jade.

It wasn't until Jade decided to test her feelings, that she learned how much she actually felt for Cat. She texted Cat, as usual, but instead asked if she wanted hang out at her place. Cat, of course couldn't refuse, and texted her that she would be there a soon as she could. Cat made it to Jade's house in a short time span, along with some movies that she liked, and some that she assumed Jade would like.

The two of them watched movies, hung out, and just talked. Cat fell asleep on the couch with Jade, and Jade decided to test her feelings. She just needed to know if what she's been feeling was real or not. She leaned in, thinking how cliché it felt, and felt her lips moving slowly against Cat's sleepy ones. Cat woke up quickly, Jade's lips matching her own. Only except the fact Cat froze when she realized where her lips were. Confused and apologetic, Cat sprung up and spat out gibberish, most of which consisted of "sorrys". Jade thought at that moment, her heart was right, what she felt was real. She did feel kind of bad though, she was still with Beck, she thought they'd been drifting apart and Beck was still hanging around because he didn't want her to feel bad.

Cat was gathering her things, and by that time Jade grabs her wrists, as a slight gesture to tell Cat to stop what she was doing. She did, thankfully for Jade. And although nothing was said, they knew what that moment meant, something further than words could say. They both knew what it meant, and that time, and Cat tentatively moved her fingers and intertwined them with Jade's; molded ever-so-perfectly together.

It was then that Jade has never felt more sure of herself, or what she's wanted, or ever wanted for that fact. Past the differences that they have, they needed each other, Cat needs Jade's stability, and Jade needs Cat's confidence. Their differences made them something more than a friendship, and have a bond greater than anyone could imagine or understand. Their Differences made them the same.

A/N: So... Let me know what you think. I've been working on his for a long time, touching it up and stuff. Bear with me please. Review, only if you want to... G'night people, or Good morning if that's where you live. :D

Actually, it could sort of be a "Good afternoon" for others but you get the idea.

Thanks for reading.