A/N: Hey all! So, if you've been watching my other Victorious fanfics, you'll know I'm sorely behind. I do apologize, I've been incredibly overwhelmed by school and my sports. I do intend to continue HMI and TJACT, I just need some time. Imagination is endless, but inspiration is not.
This is most likely a one-shot, I may expand, but without further ado, here we go!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.
Jade's POV:
A yawn stopped my furious scribbling, forcing me to admit the simple fact that yes, perhaps it wasn't too smart of me to stay up for a day and a half straight on a mere couple hours sleep. I pinched the bridge of my nose in a quiet sort of frustration, annoyed at myself more than anything else (something that was becoming increasingly more common).
I growled under my breath as a clap of thunder made my ears ring. Don't you dare whimper West, I swear to god, I thought, berating myself. One of the biggest storms California had ever seen was currently raging outside, and had been since this morning, which wasn't helping my sleep problem.
I looked around my room, dimly lit with my lamp. Between the shadowy light cast off by my lamp and the periodic lightning flashing outside, my room had quite a few figures dancing around the walls. The spot on my bed that I'd been on for the past three hours was dented and crumpled, not unlike the failed play ideas that were littered around my trashcan near my door.
I pressed the lock button on my pearphone to see the time. Only seven. My eyes lingered not on the time, but on my screen saver, the picture of Cat and I from this past Christmas. Her hair was the same color of the Santa hat she was wearing, and my eyes were particularly green. I never noticed this, but Cat pointed it out every time she picked up my phone.
Cat. I wondered what she was doing today, or at least what was left of it. It was Friday, and school was cancelled because of the storm. My eyes studied the passcode screen, thinking.
No, I concluded. I was not about to call Cat. It was just a little storm for Christ's sake! I could deal with this, I was fine, really…
CRASH!
More thunder boomed outside, making me, yes me, Jade West, jumped out of my skin and duck beside a pillow. I scooted into the corner of my bed and wall, hunkered down, phone in hand.
I was not about to do this.
I was not about to call her.
I would not unlock the phone.
"Hi Jadey!"
Shit.
"Uh, hey, Cat. What's up?" I choked out. I nearly fainted when I heard how my voice sounded. It was quiet, unsure and above all, sounded down right obviously freaking scared.
"Oh nothing. I just hung around the house all day watching movies. I watched all my favorites Jadey!" Cat squealed, excited over the stupid fact that she basically described everything she always did. But it put a smile on my face nonetheless.
"Yeah Cat?"
"Uh-huh! But then we had to go out because my brother needs this special medicine, or whatever. But I mean, Jadey, this weather is horrible! We're in the car now, and the storm is-" Cat stopped suddenly, realization dawning on her. Cat was much smarted than people give her credit for, let me tell you.
"Oh Jadey!" Cat exclaimed, her voice dropping an octave. "Are you okay? Where are you? Do you want me to come over?"
Cat rattled off all of these questions in a matter of about a second. Before I could even get an answer out I heard her muffle the phone and talk to someone else, coming back to the phone a second later.
"I'll be right there Jadey, we're only about ten minutes away. Are you in your room?"
My voice was soft and quiet, lacking its usual razor sharp edge.
"Yeah," I answered, flinching when the shocking flash of lightning lit up my room yet again, which could only mean-
BOOM!
More freaking thunder.
"I'm going to be there in five minutes tops Jadey, I swear!" Cat promised. If she knew that the thunder was freaking me out, then she must be close. I jammed myself into the corner still, trying desperately to relax. I was so anxious I could feel myself shaking, my teeth chattering.
Cat stayed on the phone with me until I saw the fleeting glimpse of their headlights outside of my window. I'll never admit it, but I almost yelped when I saw it, thinking it was lightning.
"Be up in a sec Jadey," Cat whispered, then hung up. I assume she used the key that was under the stoop, since I never leave the door unlocked. The wind howled loudly downstairs as Cat quickly stepped inside. I heard her struggle to kick her boots off before taking the steps at what sounded like three at a time, huffing and puffing. She stopped in front of my door, hair wet and scarf tangled around her neck. She hadn't even taken off her big winter coat.
"Jadey," Cat whispered sympathetically, shedding the extra clothing as she walked over and sat directly in front of me on the bed. Cat tilted her head, assessing what probably looked like a wild animal cornered.
I tried to focus on Cat, her hair, her eyes, anything. I felt like I was slipping through a veil, sinking deeper and deeper. My shaking increased, but Cat knew better than to push me too far too fast. Stress panic attacks were something that, while not common, were also not new to Cat.
"Hey Jade," Cat cooed, reaching out slowly and touching my wrist. When I didn't object, she gently pulled the appendage away from my body where it had been previously curled, and held my hand. She lightly massaged the pads and my palm, working from each joint to the knuckle and back, before moving to the next finger.
Only Cat would know how to calm me down. Only Cat would get that her touching me gave me something to hold on to mentally, give me a lifeline. Only Cat would understand that.
It hit me then. All of the feelings that I'd been suppressing for God knows how long came flooding to the surface, a tear making its way down my cheek. The overshadowing, heavy loneliness I felt was suddenly unbearable. My breath came in shallow gasps and I threw myself at the only thing I had left. I threw myself at Cat.
I felt Cat's arms crush themselves around me just as hard as I was clinging to her. I hid my face in her shoulder, forcing myself to believe that there was in fact someone here. Beck might have given up on me, and the rest of them may not have ever actually liked me, but I did have Cat. I'd always have Cat.
"Shh, shhh, it's okay Jadey. You're okay, I swear, everything's going to be okay," Cat whispered, running a hand up and down my back.
If I could have talked back, I'd tell her how scared I was. How incredibly frightening the thought of my future was, how it made my stomach do backflips and my mind reel, my heart race. I would tell her how incredibly average I always felt, how I never believed I'd be anything but that. Average.
"I love you Jadey. I always will. I love your eyes and your smile and the way you write what you feel," Cat murmured into my ear, her breath warm and welcoming. "I love you because I've always looked up to you. I love you because you're always protected me from everything, and that's what I'm doing to you now, Jadey. I'm protecting you from you."
It took me a little bit longer to calm down, but Cat didn't mind. She never did. I finally stopped crying, but the shaking still came in short bursts.
"C'mon Jadey, get under the covers," Cat ordered politely, in a way only she could. With her coaxing, I eventually found myself in my pajamas and an overly large college sweatshirt, under my quilt with my arms wrapped around Cat's waist as we watched TV.
"Cat?" I croaked, my voice still thick from crying some time later.
"Hmm?" She answered, muting the TV and looking at me. I struggled for my words, wondering where on earth to start.
"Th-thank you Cat," I whispered, utterly sincere. I couldn't meet her eyes, ashamed of my own cowardice, but I didn't need to.
"Jadey, that's what friends are for!" Cat, giggled, but continued, blatantly honest. "I never mind at all, and I never want you to think I do. I really love you, I do, and Jadey, you try to be so strong all the time, I just have to be ready for when you can't be," Cat explained.
I looked at my best friend as if she'd grown a second head. I never knew that she felt that way. I guess I must have assumed, but I just always thought that maybe Cat would eventually get sick of me and move on. And then I'd be devastated.
"I love you too Kitty," I said softly, sitting up some. It was Cat's turn to cuddle then, and she snuggled into my side, grinning like an adorable idiot.
"Hey Jadey?"
"Yeah Cat?"
"Wanna watch Lady and the Tramp?"
I laughed. I laughed the first real laugh I'd had since last week. My heart swelled, and I learned that all I had to do was remember that this crazy, ditzy, amazing and wonderful redhead had my heart in her hands. And I didn't mind that. Not one bit.
"Only with you Cat."
A/N: Hey! So really fluffy and a little sporadic, and I know that Jade's a tad OOC, but I mean, that's what I came up with in two hours of writing, so yay me. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated and I love hearing from you all! And I swear, I'll get back on updating my other stories!