AN - I always figured that Victorious would reach the level of Boy Meets World where the gang would graduate High School and they'd continue their adventures into college. The United States of Robbie felt complete it was the high school expierence. This is what happens next and eventually the whole gang will be back. Remember I own nothing and please support the official release.
Six months of working on set and all Tori wanted was a full night of sleep, the phone had a different idea as it rang over and over again. Rolling over and finding the spot next to her vacant she had an idea what this was about. Picking it up she sat up, her messy bed hair everywhere.
"Hello?"
"Hey," came the cracked and sad voice that she knew so well.
"Where are you now?" she asked calmly stifling a yawn.
"Outside, I don't have my keys anymore, Reggie might have swallowed them again. My stomach hurts."
"Aww baby, I'm sorry hold on let me get dressed I'll be right down." Hanging up she pulled on her robe and bunny slippers he had gotten her last year for Giftgivingmas. Heading down the townhouse they shared she flipped on the front light and opened the door to reveal Robbie looking worse then ever before. He had obviously been crying, his hands hugging himself to keep warm which was failing because he was still shivering. As he stepped forward she gasped seeing that he had deep cuts on his shoulders since he was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Pulling him close to her she let him cry on her shoulder as she led him into the house.
"I'm so sorry Tori," he whispered, "I'm so weak, you must hate me so much."
"I only hate when you say that Robbie, you know I love you. Come here and tell me what happened, who was it this time?"
"You were sleeping, I woke you." Before he could apologize again she hushed him with a kiss, a sweet simple kiss. She had to force herself to stop at that because she wanted more, throughout all their trials she had fallen hard for him and felt like he was her soul mate. If he needed time to work through this disorder she would give him time.
"Reggie was there I know that, Brandon maybe but definitely Jaxson, he's the one that did this," he pulled back and winced as he poked the dried cuts. Moving to the side of him she picked up his arm and kissed the cuts gently, nuzzling his arms. The last three years were wonderful, after Robbie was 'cured' they had moved into a crappy one bedroom apartment while Tori looked for any part in a movie and Robbie wrote scripts. Eventually he sold one and in a stroke of luck Tori got the lead, success led to a new house and more stress, even after he sold the script under a pseudonym the stress was too much and the new alters surfaced. They were both surprised to learn that none of his old alters resurfaced, not yet at least but instead there were four new ones more destructive then ever.
Pulling Robbie up and leading him up to their bed Tori laid down with him, cuddling him.
"Let's just sleep for now okay babe?"
"I love you Tori"
"I love you too Robbie, all of you"
RoTRoTRoTRoT
The next morning Tori awoke to the wonderful smell of bacon filling the house. Not bothering to get dressed she floated downstairs landing at the table. That was the best part of Robbie working from home, he had a lot of free time and took up cooking. Even though he didn't eat it he knew that Tori loved bacon and gladly made it for her. Watching him as she munched on the bacon that he made she squeaked in joy as he set down a plate of eggs benedict and crepes. Sitting across from her with his own plate he smiled and began to eat, pausing to watch as she shoveled the food down, in the last four years she hadn't changed too much.
"Do you want to tell me what else happened now or later?" she asked him once the dishes were done.
"It's not like before though, not entirely. Out of the three we know I think only one really knows that they're alters and two don't, make matters worse that alter is Reggie and six"
"I've only met Jaxson once and he thought I was just the roommate."
"Yeah and really I haven't seen Brandon since his last stint out so I don't know if he knows. As far as I could piece together Reggie went back to the playground to goof off and that was when Jaxson came and picked him up in a sense. I think they went to some sort of heavy metal concert or something. Some time during that he must have crashed and started cutting himself. How long was I gone for?"
"Three days, I almost turned on the tracking device again," she said with a smile that hinted at seriousness. Because of the incident with Travis and the darkness Robbie had a tracking device placed under his skin, totally his idea. Tori refused to turn it on unless he went missing for a week or more. Smiling and shaking his head he went to the couch and sat down picking up one of the books that he had started reading before his incident.
"I found a pin in my pocket, I think Brandon's back in AA again." Coming to sit next to him she snagged a book of her own and swung her feet onto his lap.
"That's good right, you hate alcohol any ways."
"Yeah but that also means he's drinking again. Tori did you ever think your life would end up like this?" he asked setting the book aside and rubbing her feet in the way she liked.
"That feels nice," she moaned before regaining herself. "Freshman year you tell me that I'd be with Robbie Shapiro, the kid with the puppet and I would have laughed out loud literally. However," she started seeing his reaction to this part, "I got to know the real you and I love you with all my heart and mind. I understood there might be issues and I can handle them. Push comes to shove Cat is a phone call away."
It was true, Cat and Jade's bakery became a huge success however when Jade's movie career took off she gracefully resigned in order to become an actress full time. When she wasn't baking Cat would be over here hanging out with either Tori or Robbie especially since, a year after graduation, she and Beck had broken up. From what Robbie heard it was something about Beck and a sex scene in his own movie, what Tori had heard was the same thing except in an odd moment of un-Beckness he declined telling his costar that he was in a relationship and fell in love with her. He broke up with Cat before anything serious started to happen but it was still a horrible break up. Ironically one of the few things that helped her get through it was when she came over to 'babysit' Reggie, it made her feel like a teenager again.
Once Robbie was done he stretched out on the couch popping his back before reluctantly moving over to his typewriter and sitting down at it. Tori went back to reading her book until she glanced up at the clock.
"Oh boo, I have a meeting with Johnston in an hour about my new single. I still have to shower and get dressed," she said setting the book aside. She smiled seeing that Robbie was trying to write again, laughed after he spoke.
"Want me to join you?"
"No hon, I want to be clean not dirty, will you be okay for a few hours?"
"Yeah I'll just be here writing don't think about me for a few hours, go live your life."
Shaking her head and the back of Robbie's Tori wanted to tell him that he shouldn't think like that and if she thought he could handle it she'd yell at him. God only knew how much she loved him however any time they fought for the most part it either drew out Reggie, who was a child, or Brandon who took to drinking when he was upset. Sure there were times that Robbie would stick around but with the demands of another script from him those times were fewer and fewer. Turning on the water and testing it with her hand Tori thought back to that first movie that he had written. Since the big thing was end of the world stuff his post apocalypse story was picked up quickly and became a huge hit after Roger Royce signed on the play the main character. Now a year later and they were still expecting a second and even a third movie and Roger, who loves Robbie's work, wouldn't wait around forever
Shutting off the shower she stepped outside and quickly dressed, rushing pass Robbie and out the front door with shouts of love and misses. Robbie picked someone up, walked to the door and opened it.
"Keys," he shouted tossing them to Tori who caught it with a laugh.
Jeffery Johnston was Tori's agent and good friend for the past two years, they had met at Andre's industry party and he'd been taking care of her ever since. Jeffery was more like another dad to Tori in a way where he didn't approve of her and Robbie's relationship but only because he thought that the boy was holding Tori back even if he was an amazing writer in his own. Jeff was typing something when his intercom buzzed twice signaling that his appointment was there, smiling once he saw she was ten minutes late. That girl, he could set his watch to her and she'd always be ten minutes later.
Once she was in and settled in her chair Jeff took a water bottle and tossed it to her.
"How's it going today Tori?" he asked with a smile.
"Good, Robbie came home from a little trip to clear his mind so I got to see him again, my vocal exercises are going great and I lost two pounds. That diet you put me on is brutal." Laughing Jeff nodded solemnly.
"That's great about the diet and the exercise but not so good about Robbie, why are you still with that boy. I've told you time and time again you'd be a mega star if it wasn't for him. You'd be out on international, hell even regular tour if you weren't worried about what might happen to Robbie while you're gone. You could have taken that offer that Roger gave you last year but the shooting took place in England. Tori you could have been the newest Bond girl."
"Jeff you know I'd love to do all that but Robbie."
"Robbie would be fine, you both have all those friends of yours right? There's Cat that's around and Andre still lives nearby. I hear he's home now to start a new album, Robbie could hang with them while you go on a mini tour of sorts. I have it all lined up, it's just in California and only a month maybe less since two concerts are here in town."
This made Tori bite her lower lip in concentration because it was tempting however aside from Cat everyone else thought that Robbie was cured and that would mean a few hurt feelings because even though the gang had broken up they all remained relatively close, all except for Beck who hadn't even emailed Robbie.
"I don't know Jeff, I'd have to think about it."
"Take a few days, see me on Monday and give me your final answer. If it's yes it could be the start of something amazing and you'll see that you have nothing to fear when it comes to Robbie."
Smiling thinly Tori rose, gave her old friend a hug then left. As she drove home her thoughts were filled with happiness, excitement and worry. When she got home she was happy to see that Robbie had finished a few chapters of a new story and that it was saved but open for her to read which she loved he did. The one thing that made her frown was that there was a blinking message on her answering machine, it was from Jeff letting her know that he would be gone Monday and for her to come in on Tuesday about maybe doing the concert adding in that Robbie would be fine, she noticed that it she was playing it for the second time. Moving over to the bedroom she peeked inside and was relieved to see Robbie asleep in their bed. Maybe Jeff was right, maybe Robbie would be okay. Sitting down at the computer to read the new story Tori was surprised by the home phone ringing.
"Hello?" she asked bringing up the word document of Robbie's
"Hello Miss Vega," came a familiar southern drawl, "Long time no speak dear."
"Jade?"
"Jade how, when did you get my number?" Tori choked out after getting over the two items that had stunned her. "Is there something wrong with your voice, it sounds deeper."
"Cold season, duh Vega were you always this slow? Oh wait of course you were. News is that you're finally hitting it big time."
"How would you know that Jade?"
"Jeffery of course, he's my agent as well or at least was and we still talk."
That came as a surprise since Jeffery never mentioned that in fact she would have thought it was something he would have brought up. Knowing that this conversation would distract her too much she picked up the phone and went to sit down on the couch.
"What do you want Jade?"
"Just wondering if you were going to accept the offer because I might see you one night. If you've improved since High School I might consider inviting you to open for me. In three months I'll be in France."
"Thanks Jade but I don't think I'd be okay with doing that right now."
"Is it Shapiro?" she asked and it cut through Tori like a knife through butter, without a single thought she knew what was wrong.
"Yeah, things have been happening and."
"Did Matthew come back?"
Two for two, was Jade must have been psychic or something. Frowning she shook her head even though Jade couldn't see her but just in case.
"No, not Matthew or any of the others for that matter, a few new ones though," it felt nice to be able to talk about this with someone, "Yeah there's three new alters and it's a little strange. You know all about his alters and I can handle these but if anymore start showing up then I'll need some help myself."
"You were always so weak Vega, I'll never know why he picked you over me."
"What?" This was weird, after that first summer Jade had cut all ties to Robbie and Tori, needing to take some time away but just last year she started to email Tori again after stating that after much soul surfing she had forgiven her and in turn Robbie.
"He's just holding you back you know, everyone sees it why cant you? If he did pick me I was ready to give it all up for him, stop singing and acting and just be with him. You, you expect him to write, to become famous so you can be famous too. You're so selfish."
Slamming the phone shut Tori forced herself not to scream even though she wanted to, somehow Jade managed to bring all of her doubts to the surface and tear her apart. After a few calming breaths she picked up her phone and hit redial pressing it to her face to listen but as it rang on her side she heard Robbie's cell ring here. Before she could look for it Jade answered.
"What do you want Vega?"
"Where are you?" Tori demanded and she could hear the smile in Jade's mouth.
"Your room, you have a lot of stuff here, it's interesting." With that Tori shot to her feet gripping her phone tightly and rushing into her room. Flinging open the door she gasped, phone clattering to the floor. Her bed was empty but there was a figure sitting on the floor the phone still in his right hand and a pair of scissors in the left cutting up an old shirt of hers.
"Robbie what are you?" she started but Robbie looked back at her and something in her eye, a glint in his eyes and she knew her Robbie was gone. Turning back away from her s/he spoke into the phone even though she wasn't there.
"What's wrong Vega, it's as if you've seen a ghost"
Quickly going around to the front of Robbie Tori fell to her knees and slapped both the phone and the scissors before falling onto him. They fell back onto the floor with Tori hugging her man and Robbie going limp.
"I don't want to leave you Robbie, I wont leave you no matter what"
"You should just go," Jade said through Robbie's voice, "He's just holding you back and you know it dont you just want to be happy? You cannot be happy with him, you cannot be happy with me," Robbie was back and crying now the tears running down his cheeks in streams, "I dont know what happened one moment I was writing and then I was hearing Jeffery's message and then I was gone, but this time was different I could hear everything that was being said and I think that means she meant for that to happen."
Lifting both of them up and guiding them to the bed Tori laid down with him never letting go.
"Are you scared of me leaving you because if that's the case I wont go." she promised.
"It's not that completely she was right I am holding you back, you could have been so much more if I wasn't holding you back." Letting go she sat up and looked him straight in the eyes.
"It's true I have a lot of talent but the end result is the same, whether I'm singing in a club or singing in front of millions at the end of the night my goal would to be happy. I already have that with you I dont need to go to the next level because I'm already happy with you. I love you Robbie Shapiro and that's all that matters. You have to believe me."
Robbie smiled a little.
"I'll try."
"Good because I plan on reminding you every single day. I love you"
"If you want to go on tour I should be fine, if anything Cat's around and I could just call her or you can tell her before you go." Pulling Tori close again Robbie planted a kiss on her lips trying to insure her that it could be done. Relaxing into her boyfriend Tori began to wonder what she should do with her life but then she just emptied her head and closed her eyes a content smile on her lips.
RoTRoTRoTRoTRoTRoTRoTRoT
It was late at night at a convenience store on the edge of down town LA, Jamie Roth was sitting outside waiting for the older guy to come out with her booze. She was over twenty one but had no money so he waited for someone else to come in, flirt with him a little and pow something to drink. Licking her lips she heard the door chime and felt the man step out into the cool night. Tilting her head back she was surprised when a little piece of plastic hit her head and bounced off. Picking it up and examining it she was surprised to see it was an AA chip.
"Off the wagon?" she asked as a bottle of cool beer was handed to her. The man who had helped her didn't seem to hear her as he was already downing a drink that didn't look like beer but hard alcohol. Lowering the bottle already half empty Jamie could see why this man might have needed the program. Looking down at her she could see the sorrow in his eyes that made all negative thoughts gone out of her mind.
"Yeah, off the wagon," he said before stepping out into the night in one hand was the last of the liquor and in the other was a six pack missing a single beer. Jamie didn't have the heart to stop and ask for another as he wandered off. His long and winding trek eventually led to the top of an abandoned apartment building where he stood on the edge dropping one of the empties off the edge and watching it shatter.
"It would be so easy just to let myself fall," Brandon said softly to himself and to the girl standing behind him.
"Yeah then Vega wouldn't have to worry about you. She would mourn him for a bit but then she'd recover and be able to live a normal life." Moving back and sitting down against a short wall Brandon instead gave into his vice and finished off the last of the beer before dropping his head down and falling asleep. Walking over to the edge Jade peered down for a few moments before vanishing.
