Crumbling World

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: So this story, as I promised a pair of my most loyal readers will be a Jade/Tori, though in respect to the long-standing relationship with Beck, clearly the romance between the two girls isn't going to start right away like some Jori people think it should. It will get a proper, believable transition.

With that, the plot is going to be a bit different. I've thought of how to make it work, and I've come up with what I feel does work. I'm 28, and people still think I'm in high school…anyway, enjoy. This is going to be something. For one, Jade is the one person that stands by Tori (And by that regard, Trina as well. You'll see what that means)

Chapter 1 (Tori at the Top)

"I don't think it's going to happen this time," Jade said while stirring her soda with a straw. Tori sat across from her, frowning at her friend. Beck and Jade suffered their latest, excruciating break-up; and this time Beck had all but lost it. "He said I'm just too jealous, too uptight and too…I don't know."

The goth had tears in her eyes and was gripping a used tissue in her left hand. Jade was broken up, as she'd been every time she and Beck broke up; but there was no fixing their relationship this time. "I'm sorry, Jade…" Tori reached over, patting Jade's wrist. "How long were you two together, again?"

"Since we were twelve." They were nearing fifteen now, so the relationship had been going on for quite some time. "He was my first boyfriend, Tori." Jade wiped her nose again, sniffling hard as dark mascara ran down her cheeks. "Can you possibly understand how I feel?"

She couldn't, because she'd never had a relationship as long as Jade. Hell, she hardly ever dated anyone. "I've dated a few guys, but I haven't ever had a relationship like that. I guess I wouldn't know." She would be fifteen in a month, and since the age of twelve, she dated about eight different people. "I don't have a good track record of relationships."

Hell, she was even getting to being sexual; but that part never came out to anyone. She did wonder if it were in her blood, since according to her own sister, Trina had sex as early as twelve. Trina was also deathly overprotective, so Tori dared not tell anybody that she had sex already.

"Have you and Beck, you know, done the ded yet?" Jade raised an eyebrow and Tori slid to the right of her seat. She could sense her friend's discomfort and instantly regretted her question. "That wasn't appropriate, I'm sorry. Trina would scold the hell out of me for asking something so intrusive…"

"Your sister?" Jade shook her head and sipped through her straw for a few seconds before leaning back. "Why is she always up in your business anyway?" Tori hesitated, she had no answer. "I mean you hardly know her, right? Didn't she live with your grandparents for forever?"

"Yeah." Trina had been raised by their grandparents for as long as Tori could remember, and had only moved into the house when Tori was thirteen. "Grandpa passed away, so Trina came back here." Jade clicked her tongue and leaned back in her booth.

"This is why we're always harping on her. She's always up in your bubble and never leaves you alone. She's always around, like she has no outside life." Tori's shoulders fell and she looked off to the side, biting down on her lip.

"I could understand that part if it wasn't for the fact that you guys always treat her like she's some talentless hack." She was aware she did the same thing, but she didn't think she was as bad as her friends in that regard. "But yeah, I'll talk to her about that." She folded her hands together beneath the table and started to sigh as she thought about her family. "To be fair, my family's a bit weird."

"Really? Seems like it's just your sister." Jade picked up a stray French Fry on her plate and popped it into her mouth. Tori was unfazed by the comment, these one-shot statements were something she was growing accustomed to.

"Oh believe me. You've seen how absent Mom and Dad are." Jade cracked a smirk and swallowed the fry.

"Have I? They're gone so often I've never really noticed them to begin with." Her friend cracked a laugh, but the joke fell short of Tori's ears this time around. Seeing her blank stare, Jade lowered her hand and cleared her throat. "I guess you're not in the mood for making fun of the family."

"Not entirely. We've poked enough jabs at them for one day." She was humoring the girl today mostly due to the recent breakup with Beck; but where jabs at her parents and sister were okay, they crossed the line of comfort at this point. "Maybe we should talk about the concert?" Jade looked up with a smile, quickly nodding.

"In front of the whole school; no, the city. How excited are you? You, me, and Cat."

"Don't forget, Andre on the piano." She was starting to bounce as the sense of joy overcame her. The only downside was Beck wouldn't be there. They practiced the performance so many times that it was weird not to have his choreography. "How are you feeling about it, though? I know it's going to be different without-"

"Beck? Yeah, I uh…" Jade looked down momentarily, sticking the second half of her fry into the ketchup. Her fingers slipped away from it, her shoulders fell, and a sigh rolled away from her lips. "I'll be okay."

On the night of the concert, Trina was all over Tori trying to make sure everything was okay. Tori stood with her arms stretched out to the sides, grunting as her sister pinned the corset of her long red dress. "Almost done," Trina said while crouched behind her. Tori felt a sharp prick and let out a grunt. "Just a little more."

"I'm sure it's fine." She grit her teeth and started to lower her arms, but Trina instantly pushed them back into place.

"Not yet, the straps will fall." Trina stood up and cycled around to the front, scratching her chin and furrowing her brow while studying her. "Hold on…" Tori shut her eyes as Trina reached forward, adjusting her dress a bit more.

After a few more adjustments, her sister let out a triumphant shout and applauded. "Are we done yet?" Tori rolled her head to the side and when her sister shook her head, she felt a jolt of disdain. "What else?"

"Makeup, we have to get your makeup done right." Trina pulled her towards the vanity mirror and sat her on the stool. "Hair, your hair is a bit out of place as well."

"Ugh. Could you be any more annoying?" Trina's mouth twisted a bit, giving her lower lip a slight pout. The girl let out a sigh and began to work on her hair.

"I'm sorry Tori, I thought you wanted to look perfect." Tori rolled her eyes, then smiled. Trina meant well, and the girl was just trying to make her look her best.

"Sorry Trina…I'm just nervous." Truth be told, her stomach was in knots and every muscle in her body was trembling. Part of her wanted to run and hide, the other part was confident and eager. She looked in the mirror, watching her sister brush her hair. "I mean the entire city is going to watch us perform. The school's one thing, but the city? I'm scared."

Trina pulled the brush away and slid her hands to the edges of Tori's shoulders. "You'll do fine." Tori watched a smile appear on Trina's face and smiled back as pride flickered in the elder sibling's gaze. "Look at you Tori, you're beautiful."

She titled her head and puffed her lower lip out. "Really? You haven't even touched up the makeup yet." Trina's smile grew and she shook her head. "I thought I wasn't pretty enough yet."

"No, you're beautiful just as you are." Trina moved her head upright and cleared her throat. "You don't need extra makeup, but I'll give you a touch more so you'll shine even more." Trina pat Tori on the shoulder and reached for her makeup kit.

"You know, maybe you should be a stylist. You seem to like it."

"Maybe. I've definitely thought about it. It's probably time I get a real job anyway, right?" Tori chuckled and tilted back her head. She closed her eyes and smiled at the soft strokes of Trina's makeup brush. "I've had a number of odd jobs. A lot of minimum wage, low paying jobs to boot."

"Seriously?" Her nose crinkled and her right eyebrow arched high. "How many jobs have you had?" She opened one eye and watched her sibling's face fall for a brief moment.

"Don't worry about that. Tonight's your big night, let's focus on that." Tori sat upright and grinned at herself in the mirror. Behind them she saw Mr. Sikowitz poke his head in the door from outside. Trina's face fell instantly and Tori glanced over her shoulder.

"It's almost time to go out on stage, Miss Vega!" Sikowitz gave her a thumbs up and his eyes moved towards Trina. "Once she finishes up your makeup and whatnot. Tell me Katrina, are you finished yet?"

"I'll be done when I'm done," Trina snipped, "Leave us alone." The teacher withdrew and Trina rolled her eyes. "Why he insists on looking like a homeless man, I'll never understand. Makes him look older than he is, you know."

It was an offhand statement, but an odd one. There was also a note of disgust that Tori never noticed; but then, she never heard Trina talking about Sikowitz before. "He's like what, fifty or something?" Trina scoffed, catching her by surprise.

"Nah, more like forty. You'd see that if he shaved off that fucked up beard and cut his hair." Trina shoved the brush back into its container. "Sorry, I know he's your teacher, but I just cannot stand the guy. He's a fucking prick."

"Never noticed." Maybe Trina had him as a teacher before, and perhaps he wasn't that good of a teacher in the past. Then, perhaps he failed Trina during an acting assignment, the possibilities were endless. "Wish me luck!" She hopped off the stage and hugged Trina tight.

"Good luck. Just remember when you get out there, don't think about how many people you're singing to, just go out and have fun." Tori sucked in a deep breath, gazing into her sibling's eyes. Trina ran her fingers through her hair, tucking a strand away from her face. "If it helps to close your eyes, do that. Sing like they're not even there."

Trina kissed the top of her head, leaving a tender and warm spot that traveled through her and left her with a pleasantly strange, fuzzy feeling. With a brighter smile, Tori rushed for the stage where her friends were waiting for her.

She grabbed the microphone stand and gazed out at the audience, gasping as the stage light pierced her eyes and blinded her to them. "Good evening Los Angeles!" Her vision adjusted and she froze upon seeing the sheer number of people erupting in applause. Her chest began to tighten and her heartbeat could be felt in every inch of her body.

Slowly she turned her head towards the area she came from, and her gaze connected to the watchful eyes of her sister. Trina was leaning against a pillar, her arms folded along her stomach and a gleam in her eyes. "You got this," Trina mouthed to her. Her heart started to swell with confidence and she looked back at the audience with a sharp exhale.

"My name's Tori Vega, my friends and I will be performing for you tonight!" Jade moved alongside her, clapping in rhythm with the piano playing behind. Closing her eyes, Tori pictured herself back at school in the auditorium there with nobody else around. She began to sing as she did on that stage, each lyric rehearsed and carefully planned.

Towards the end, she could almost feel the applause as if it were the rumblings of an earthquake growing mightier. She rushed off the stage, screaming loudly as adrenaline coursed through her veins. "Oh my god!" She met Trina off stage, collapsing into her arms. "Oh my god, that was amazing!"

"You were wonderful." Trina's eyes glistened with proud tears, which was strange to see, but in the moment Tori didn't think anything of it. "I'm so proud of you!"

Tori leaned back, gazing into Trina's eyes as her sister's hands hugged her elbows. Everything seemed to quiet down as she studied the girl. The emotion on her face was like that of which she wished their mother would display. The pride, the love; it was never shown on either of their parents' faces.

Hell, even now, neither parent was there. In that moment, she started to regret how much she picked on Trina and how much she allowed her friends to. The guilt was so overwhelming that she almost forgot about the concert. "Trina, I-" With tears in her eyes, she hugged her sister tight, feeling a rush of warmth and love flowing into her.

The moment didn't last long as a sudden force ripped the two of them away. "Okay, our turn!" Andre's voice echoed like an explosion in her ears. Trina took several steps back, clearing her throat loudly as Tori's friends flocked in between them. "Tori, that was amazing! You were fantastic! All three of you were." He looked from her to Jade and Cat, giving them a swift thumbs up.

"Damn right we were." Jade nudged him and raised her hand to Tori for a high five. Tori answered back with a high five of her own and started laughing. In the corner of her eyes she saw Mr. Sikowitz approach. She smiled as her teache r clapped for them.

"I couldn't be prouder of my favorite students!" She tucked the strand of her hair behind her ear and started to giggle. Behind him, Trina's glare was like fire burning a hole into his back. Trina threw up angry hands and started to walk off, a sight that Tori's friends caught.

"Geez, what's eating her?" Robbie remarked. Jade shrugged and Andre brandished his hand nonchalantly.

"Ignore her, she's acting crazy again. Probably upset because she's not the center of attention anymore."

Sikowitz looked in the girl's direction, shrugged and turned back to his students. "Who wants an after-party at my place? Anyone?" Her friends began cheering, but before she could join in, she heard her sister's voice angrily proclaim she was not to go.

"There is no way in hell that's going to happen." Trina returned to the room, her eyes narrow and her hair flying around her shoulders. "Absolutely not. Mom and Dad may have had more sway in allowing it the first time, but Tori's not staying at your place again." Tori frowned, rolling her eyes at her sister as her friends voiced their displeasure at Trina's outburst.

"Come on," Jade said with a groan, "It's not your decision Trina. It's Tori's life, not yours." Trina froze, listening as the others began agreeing with Jade. "You don't control everything about her. You're just her sister, not her mother." Trina leaned back slowly, her hand and index finger raised.

The girl's mouth remained open for several seconds before she regained composure. "Okay," she replied shakily, "I'll let Tori decide if she wants to go to some late-night party at your teacher's home. Other than that, it's already getting close to midnight, so I'd like her home before the sun rises…if at all possible."

"Oh I don't know if she'll be back by then."

"Not asking you." Trina looked at Tori, her eyebrows rising. "Tori?" Tori dropped her hands and let out a long sigh.

"I'll be home when I get home, Trina."

"Before sunrise. Please."

She didn't know what was getting her sister to bug out like this, but rather than start a huge fight over nothing, she figured appeasing Trina for once would be best. "Fine. I'll be back before sunrise." Trina gave her a smile, which faded the minute her eyes flickered towards Sikowitz. "Everything okay, Trina?"

"Everything's fine." Trina glared at Tori's friends and pointed a finger at them. "Don't you dare leave her by herself like you did last time." The group started to chuckle, teasing Trina for her overprotectiveness. Tori's hands moved to her hips and Jade stepped forward, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

"Relax Trina, she wasn't left alone last time. Beck…was still there." Jade swept her hair over her shoulder and shrugged. "Besides, Sikowitz is old, he gets tired easily. I'm sure we'll have Tori back by one."

"Might keep her until sunrise," Andre smirked, "Just to annoy you." Trina made a disgusted grunt and left the room without a further word. Andre crossed his arms and looked back at Tori. "Has she always been this way, Tor?"

"Can't say really, we didn't grow up together. She only moved back in after Grandpa died last year. I don't know much about her."

"Really? Did you never visit your grandpa?"

"Grandparents lived in Washington, so no." Trina grew up in Seattle, and as far as Tori knew, that's where she'd been all her life. "My grandparents didn't really like me either, so they never visited. I'd get cards and gifts all the time from Trina, it was like she was my awesome and cooler big sister that I never knew…"

"Well, she sure as hell is protective of you, kinda bordering on controlling."

"Wouldn't say 'controlling'."

Andre smacked her on the back, causing her to jerk forward. "Come on Tori, she won't let you fly free." Tori chuckled nervously, remembering how much care Trina put into getting her ready for the performance. "She's controlling. Not like our teacher can't be trusted, so why would she flip out if she wasn't being controlling to you?"

"Again…I guess it's just how she's coming across."

If you look really close, you might be able to see what's going on here and how I'm about to make it work. You'll also see an eventual progression of a Jade/Tori relationship, so Scotty and Invader Johnny I hope you're reading this because this fic is for you.