Disclaimer: The Show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.
Reflections of the past.
This is a one off sequel to my story "After the Party". Briefly the set up is, Jade and Tori are happily married and have been for 25 years. Their oldest daughter Tawny 22 is engaged to Alex 22 the son of Beck and his Wife Brittany.
Tori is a successful song writer and still sings occasionally. (Not present in story, only mentioned)
Jade is a very successful Movie Director and screenwriter
Beck is a very successful Actor.
Beck's wife Brittany is a veterinarian (Not present in story, only mentioned)
No One's POV
It was just after 6:30 PM when Beck walked into the diner. It was a typical greasy spoon diner and was full from the dinner rush. He quickly spotted the person he was looking for, the mostly raven haired 46 year old Goth Jade West. Her hair was still raven with a few grays here and there. She was wearing blue jeans and an ancient Black Sabbath T shirt.
God help the person who would point out those few grey hairs she did have. He walked up to the Booth where she was sitting and sat down.
"Hey Babe" he said as he scooted into the booth.
"Hey Beck" said Jade without looking up. She appeared to be writing notes in the margins of a script.
Beck waited patiently for a moment to let her finish what she was doing. After a moment she finished writing and closed the script and looked up.
"Sorry Beck, I had some thoughts for some camera angles for a scene and I needed to write them down before I forgot them"
"I didn't think you had anything scheduled to direct any movies for the rest of the year." He said as he picked up a menu.
"We go into Pre-production in January. But sometimes I get a good thought and unless I get it down right away, I'll forget it."
Beck nodded, "Where's Tori? I thought she was going to be here."
"She couldn't make it. She wrote a few songs for a new artist and he wanted to hear them tonight instead of next week when he was originally going to be in town." Jade said looking slightly annoyed."
"Bummer?"
"I could ask the same question, Where's Brittany?"
Beck ran his hands through his slightly thinning hair. "Another Doc at the Vet clinic where she works was scheduled to do a surgery on a dog but he got sick. She's covering to they won't have to reschedule. Brit said the dog needs this surgery real soon so they can't put it off."
Jade smirked "So I guess it's just us then."
"I guess so, I don't even remember the last time it was just us two hanging out."
The waitress came and took their drink and food orders interrupting them for a moment but they got back to their conversation when
"Why on earth did you pick this Place Jade? We could have met at a nicer restaurant"
"I like the coffee" said Jade without missing a beat.
Getting back to the subject, "Yes it's just us" He said with a shrug.
"That could be very dangerous." Said the Goth with a smirk.
Beck's eyes briefly bugged out, "Uh yeah, considering what our wives would do to us if we even entertained that idea." Jade noticed his voice had a twinge of discomfort and he briefly seemed to shift uneasily in his seat for a moment.
Jade briefly chucked. "Don't worry Beck, I'm just fucking with you. If I really wanted to, you would already be naked. You couldn't resist me if you tried."
"and shatter Tori's heart in the process." Beck said pointedly.
Beck noticed that Jade seemed to briefly tense up and her features seemed to harden for a moment. "You know I would never do that!" she quickly spat out, a good amount of venom in her voice.
Beck's expression remained placid for a moment as he closed his eyes in thought. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say…"
"Forget it" Said Jade cutting him off as she slumped down in her chair. "Sometimes I say shit I simply shouldn't. Even words spoken in Jest can hurt under the right circumstances. I'm sorry."
Beck nodded "It's ok"
"Do you remember when that British Tabloid reporter linked me with that actress about 14 years back. They said I was having a clandestine affair with her."
"Yeah" Beck said taking a sip of his coffee which had just arrived.
"I'll never forget the look of hurt on Tori's face when I saw her before I could explain myself. That photo wasn't even real, he fucking photo shopped it. But just the look on her face, that look of heartbreak and pain. I could never do that to her, ever." Jade said her voice full of anguish.
"You sued him didn't you?"
"I sued him and won. Plus that tabloid eventually fired his lousy ass. Apparently faking nude pictures of British royal princess doesn't fly to well in England."
Beck sighed. "I don't mind talking about the old days, but that's it, they are the old days. Our time came and went. Though it does appear that our kids have picked up where we left off."
"It certainly appears that way. How strange isn't it?" Jade said with a curious smile.
"We get to see what our kids might have looked like" Beck said.
Jade looked down and off to the side briefly as if pondering something. "You're right."
Beck took a bite of his sandwich which had just arrived. "A strange glimpse into a marriage that never took place." He said thoughtfully.
Jade bit her lip and took a bite of salad. "Just as long as unlike us they stay together."
For a short while the two discussed the reason for this meeting. A discussion about some details over their children's upcoming wedding.
"Good, So that covers the catering possibilities "Jade said as the conversation continued.
"So has Tawny have her Bridesmaid's all lined up yet?" Beck asked between bites of his sandwich.
Jade nodded, "Her sister Angela and 2 other friends from med school. Alex has his best man and groomsmen lined up right?"
Beck nodded. "His brother and 2 friends"
"Can I ask you a question, Beck. You don't have to answer it." Jade said pensively.
Beck polished of his sandwich and wiped his face with a napkin. "Go ahead." He said quietly.
"Lets say for example, Tori never came to Hollywood arts and none of us met her. Do you think we would be still together? Don't get me wrong, She's the love of my life, but I can't help but wonder where I'd be if I never met her. I hope you don't think it's an unfair question."
Beck thought for a moment then shrugged. "Maybe, it's hard to tell. We were hot and cold. To unpredictable."
"That was half the fun someday's." Jade said with a smirk.
"Tawny and Alex argue sometimes but not nearly as much as we did." Beck added.
"I should have treated you better, I gave you a can of lemonade for your friggin birthday. How shallow is that." Jade said exasperated.
Beck smiled. "I still have it"
Jade looked at Beck with surprise. "What?"
"The Can of lemonade, I still have it." He said quietly.
Jade briefly blushed as a look of astonishment crossed her face.. "You kept that stupid gift I gave you for 30 years. Why?"
"Because it was a gift from you. Just because our relationship is long dead, doesn't mean it still doesn't matter to me or the memories of it. It's a memento."
Jade blushed again, "I still have a pair of your underwear, the pair I took off you when we first slept together."
Beck's Jaw dropped. "I hope you washed it, or that's gonna smell pretty ripe by now. Does Tori Know?"
Jade laughed. "I did wash it some time ago. Tori knows I have memento's of our time together. She knows they are part of my past and it doesn't bother her. I know she has a few mementos of her past relationships. We love each other and that's what's important."
"Good attitude"
Jade raised an eyebrow. "What else do you have?"
Beck smiled again. "Some little things, theatre stubs from a movie we saw, a little love note you gave me, those pictures we took that one Sunday morning."
Jade flushed beet red. "You're telling me those pictures still exist!"
Beck blushed himself. "I had forgotten we had taken those and only found them a few years ago. I have the safely tucked away. We were young and experimenting and had a camera."
Jade put her hand on her head. "I could just imagine explaining those to Tori."
Beck smiled evilly "Or explain how during that party at Tori's house we had sex in her bed. I recall you drunkenly said at the time you wanted to defile Vega's bed and we did. Of Course you waited until I was totally tanked before you asked because you knew I wouldn't have gone for it sober."
Jades eyes opened as wide as saucers. "Oh my god, I totally forgot about that. I really hated her then didn't I?"
Beck smiled. "Actually I think it was the opposite. Considering you're married to her now. I think unconsciously wanted to be close to her"
"Damm, you're right" said Jade with a surprised look.
Jade's eye's darted off to the side then back to Beck. "The night of Tori and mine's 1 week anniversary party, did you and Brittany have sex in my bed? I'm pretty sure somebody had a quickie in it?"
Beck just looked into his coffee without saying anything.
"Dude, How could you." Said Jade with a look of disappointment.
Beck looked at Jade with a straight face. "I was young, I was drunk, I had a slightly drunk girlfriend who really wanted to have sex with me and that was only bed available. You do the math."
Jade huffed. "Considering it took place 28 years ago, I'll let it slide."
"Could you imagine our kid's reaction if they heard even a fraction of this conversation." Beck added.
Jade pulled out her wallet to pay for the check which had just arrived. "Let's just say we discussed our children's wedding plans.
"Agreed" Beck said. "I'm glad we can have a laugh about this stuff now and are still friends."
"Me Too" said Jade.
"Back to you're question, I am just not sure if we would have lasted. We loved each other but I'm not sure if our love was meant to last, because it didn't" Beck said taking a sip of his coffee.
Jade thought for a moment, "Tawny and Alex need to keep their lines of communication open. We didn't and what love we did have, gradually faded away. I've tried hard to keep things open with Tori. It's helped through some rough spots."
Beck nodded. "They seem good together. Like a better version of us. Sure we can talk now but it wasn't so easy back then. Let's hope they succeed where we failed."
Jade smiled and raised her coffee cup into the air.. "I'll drink to that"
Beck raised his cup and the clinked there cups together in a toast to their soon to be married children.
Jade's POV
I paid the check and we walked out of the restaurant.
Beck gave me a big hug. "Maybe its better that we didn't stay together. We might have ended up hating each other. You've turned out to be one of my closest friends. I remember our time together fondly but I cherish our friendship more. "
Jade smiled. "I couldn't have said it better than myself. It does turn out that your wife Brittany, next to Cat is probably my best friend. She's a great gal."
"She is" Beck replied. "You've got yourself a wonderful woman yourself.
I said good bye but as we separated I said to him. "Thanks for being my friend, that means a lot to me."
He smiled "You're welcome and thanks to you." With that he walked away to his car.
Walking back to my car, I was left with my thoughts and memories. Beck was my first love, I can't deny that. Though I no longer feel those feelings for Beck, I remembered what they felt like. I have some very good memories of our time together. I can't deny who I am, and that is part of my past so I acknowledge it. We've been very fortunate to retain and build a very close friendship.
Though Beck was my first love Tori is the love of my life and Brittany is the Love of Beck's life. We're both happy and with wonderful people whom we love dearly. I wouldn't give up Tori for anything and I know Beck feels the same about his wife.
Beck s and my children will get married, have children, and build a life together. I don't think it's wrong to hope that they have what we never could and they succeed where we failed.
It is indeed a strange world, Beck and I weren't meant to be together but our children were.
If on that first day when Tori Vega walked in the school someone told me that she would be my wife and our child would be getting married to Beck's I would have done serious harm to them.
It's a strange, but as it turns out wonderful, world indeed.
I've never written any Bade story but I thought it would be fun to veer a little into Bade Territory. I thought it would be interesting for Beck and Jade to reflect on the fact that their children are together. Hoping that their children will succeed where they failed.