AN- Hey guys what goes on? So, anyway, I saw Victorious for the first time ever this week (it was the episode where Jade faked a black eye to get Tory in trouble.) I thought, hmm, this looks interesting. Then Saturday I watched Iparty With Victorious. All I have to say is, if desired, then one could take all that animosity from Jade towards Tory and translate it into something else entirely. So that's what I did and thus this fic was born. It's my first Victorious fic so please read & review- I want to know if I should continue with it. It's rated M for later chapters but I thought I'd keep the first one relatively Pg. It'll be a short fic so, yeah, definitely appreciate feedback.

PS- It's a Jori fic, meaning Jade and Tori TOGETHER in all sense of the word. If you don't like girly girly loving that's your problem not mine so lets keep it that way.

It was an average, ordinary day at Hollywood Arts High School. The sun was shining, the birds singing, the people smiling- the cafeteria food revolting. The students went about their busy day collecting books and other material for their classes.

Yep, an ordinary day.

Except for Tori Vega.

She sat quietly amongst her friends Andre and Cat fiddling absently with the lettuce on her plate. She wasn't in a talking mood and her appetite had long ago disappeared. Her eyes kept darting across the yard, catching on the brunette a couple of tables down.

Jade seemed as cool and evil as ever and it unnerved her to no ends. A chill ran down her spine and her heart sunk when the lunch bell suddenly blared announcing the end of the period. She watched Jade gracefully lift herself from the bench and throw a sickly sweet smile her way before taking Beck's hand and disappearing around the corner.

A thought crossed her mind- maybe she could skip the next period! She could go to the nurse and pretend to have a stomach ache or the flu or a dizzy spell- anything to get her out of that class.

"Hey, Tori, you coming?"

"…Yeah…"

Tori quickly (and quite dishearteningly) threw the idea aside- with Andre and Cat waiting expectantly for her it would be impossible to skip the class.

Grabbing her purse, she begrudgingly followed behind the two talkative classmates, sending a silent prayer to whoever might be listening.

She watched, amazed and to be quite honest, more terrified than before as Andre and his partner savagely threw themselves around the stage. The acting was quite good. Too good actually. She could never hope to look that good getting beat up.

Unless it was for real. She'd be willing to bet a hundred bucks Jade thought the same thing.

Her dark eyes scanned the small room, taking in faces and expressions until she spotted the one she dreaded most.

Jade sat at the very far end of the classroom, her arms crossed over her chest as she checked her perfect nails with a bored expression.

Tori took a deep breath, feeling her insides tighten merely from looking at her- did she just mouth ,'YOU'RE DEAD VEGA?'

It was common knowledge that Jade had a mean streak in her, and it was almost a given that she absolutely cursed the day Tori came to Hollywood Arts. 90% of the time she was subject to Jade's verbal abuse. But the other 10%… well… let's just say she didn't wish to go there.

"Next up is Tori and Jade." The teacher announced.

Tori closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them she would find this was all just a really, REALLY bad dream. What she saw was a too cheerful Jade wearing leather gloves, a beanie, and soul crushing smile on stage.

As she got up and proceeded to gear up she prayed today was not one of those 10% days.

She felt like an inmate on death row- not even her friends' cheerful faces nor their thumbs up could quell the apprehension she felt. On one note, her fear was completely justified. Jade wasn't exactly her number one fan- the girl made more threats at her than there were stars in the sky. Every chance she got was spent tormenting her with clever, cruel comments or over the top bordering on criminal pranks.

'Just breathe,' Tori told herself as she stepped on stage and proceeded to explain their scene. Jade would never actually hurt her right? Excluding the one time when she kicked her off the chair. Or the time she punched her in the face because of Cat…

'Crap!' She thought, feeling Jade's arms around her. Strangely enough, her skin didn't burn, her clothes didn't catch on fire from the contact. Jade's arms seemed…

"Give me all your money!" Jade barked, thoroughly enjoying the way Tori stiffened at her touch. One little "accidental" shove wouldn't kill her she figured. Her smirk grew as Sinjin threw her a thumbs up from the catwalk. Seconds later, Tori faked a swing at her face with a cane. She fell to the ground, pretending to be hurt and Tori towered over her preparing to strike again.

When Tori took the final step and raised the cane above her head, Jade rolled onto her shoulders then flipped onto her feet catching the confused brunette off guard. She winked, then rushed her making her backpedal. That was her downfall. Jade brought her foot down on the toes of Tori's shoe causing her to pitch backwards, her balance offset.

The second Tori crashed through the table was the moment Jade realized everything was wrong. Tori had come at her from the front when she should have come from the right side. A quick look over her shoulder revealed the pink whoppee cushion she'd persuaded Sinjin to stage beneath the table at her side. The collapsible table Tori should have fallen on.

"Everybody stay put!" The teacher yelled as he and Russ charged through the throng of students to Tori's side.

Tori groaned a hand on her temple while the other rested lightly on her stomach. A throbbing pain slowly but surely made itself known in the right side of her mid back and she was forced to bite her lip to the point of bleeding to keep from crying out.

That had to be the most sturdy collapsible table she'd ever fallen on.

"Tory, are you alright? Say something." The teacher demanded, looking absolutely terrified at the thought of one of his students being hurt. He grabbed a splinter and his expression darkened. "I thought I told you to move this table, Russ!" His head snapped to the side where the blonde haired student aid visibly paled.

"I-I thought I did!" He stuttered, eyes wide.

"Someone get the nurse in here." Andre said urgently noticing the way Tori had yet to stand. The pained look on her face sent a cold chill through his heart.

Tori squeezed her eyes shut as Russ and her teacher continued arguing. A headache pounded behind her eyes, only adding to the fire burning her side. The worst possible thoughts crossed her mind- what if one of her organs was punctured? What if she was internally bleeding or worse- one of the splinters pierced her and she was slowly bleeding out on the floor?

'Chill out, Tori.' She told herself. She hadn't fallen that hard, but the angle at which she turned resulted in the bottom of her ribcage smashing into the edge of the table. Taking a deep breath she willed herself to open her eyes.

She didn't notice it at the time, but out of all the people standing around her, fussing over her and asking her if she would be okay; out of all the people looking worried for her, Jade's expression was the most concerned, the most mournful, and the most heartbreaking. She thought she caught the beginnings of tears reddening her emerald eyes, but it could have been a trick of the light.

After all, since when did Jade feel anything other than joy when something bad happened to her?

"We'll see you tomorrow, Tori!" Her friends called, waving and smiling as they filed out of her hospital room. She offered them a weak smile before the door closed and her expression soured.

She was beyond upset, beyond hungry, beyond tired, and doped up to her hairline with morphine. All in all Tori was far from being as chipper as her friends had been spending all day in the emergency room with her.

The wait to see a doctor had been horribly long despite constant complaints to the staff from Cat, Trina, Andre, Robbie, Beck, and even Rex. Forgoing breakfast and lunch left a hole in her stomach, and she was a hundred percent sure she failed stage fighting.

Couldn't they give her points for effort?

Sighing, she was just about to kill the lights and attempt to get some sleep when a soft knock at the door drew her attention. Chocolate eyes quickly scanned the room, figuring Robbie left Rex lurking about somewhere or perhaps Cat was back to tell her some weird, disturbing detail about her family.

"Come in," she said, putting up a cheerful front.

Suffice it to say, she was definitely NOT expecting the person who came through the door with a stuffed white teddy bear in one hand, a single rose in the other.

Tori felt her brow twitch at the same time her jaw dropped.

"Hey," Jade said softly.

For her part, Tori began searching wildly over her shoulders, out the window, around the sides of her bed. Finding no one else in the room, she finally looked up, a confused look on her face. "Are you sure you're in the right room?" she asked, truly curious.

Jade rolled her eyes. Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear she bounced slightly on the balls of her feet. "Get off it, Vega." She mumbled.

Tori watched her intently, undecided if she should cry bloody murder now or actually wait for the brunette with blue streaks to try to smother her with a pillow first.

Several minutes passed in silence, the tension slowly mounting until Tori found herself wringing the IV line sitting in her lap.

She probably shouldn't do that.

Jade fought a battle within herself. Should she sit? Should she leave? Should she say she was sorry? Every one always expected her to be cold, indifferent, mean. Even Tori. Should she give her brunette classmate what she expected? She was torn, and frankly growing very uncomfortable beneath her steady stare.

"What?" She said defensively though decidedly with a little less sting than normal.

Tori pulled a face as she studied Jade- maybe it was the drugs, or did the ice queen actually look… nervous?

"Why don't you sit down?" She asked. The temptation to call her out on such uncharacteristic behavior was beat only by the urge to comfort her. This was one for the books- Jade actually had emotions!

Jade took deliberate slow steps, her eyes never leaving Tori. Finally reaching the bedside, she eyed the uncomfortable looking plastic chair before dropping herself into it. Now that she was this close, she could see just how tired Tori looked, and how, despite an attempt not to show the pain, it was etched into the tight lipped smile she tried to put out.

Her heart clenched a little.

Tori wasn't supposed to be hurt. Sure, humiliated, laughed at- it was what she aimed for. But never hurt. The plan was for her to fall onto the collapsible table and onto the whoppee cushion. Their skit hadn't required for her to go through the table in the first place and so no one bothered checking to see if- but that was the teacher's job damn it! He was supposed to make sure everything was set and ready for them! Why hadn't he checked the table?

Jade shook her head dispelling her thoughts. She could blame the teacher all she wanted but in the end it was she who tripped Tori and got her hurt.

She didn't know if she was amused or highly disturbed, but either way Tori was definitely intrigued by the show of emotions on display. Jade was cold, blasé, indifferent, stoic at best, and occasionally oblivious. Seeing those emotions so openly displayed, well, Tori was seriously starting to consider the fact that she might have pressed the drip a few times more than she intended.

"So… what are you doing?" She suddenly asked, tired of the awkward silence between them. Even Jade's witty, sharp tongued comments were preferred to this heavy, loaded silence.

"What's it look like I'm doing, Vega?" She snapped sounding frustrated. Oddly enough, it wasn't frustration towards her classmate but towards herself.

"Sitting there waiting for mold to grow on your ass?" She ventured.

Despite herself, Jade felt her lips twitch. "You're just jealous cus I'm awesome."

Tori chuckled, then regretted it instantly. Her hand automatically went to her side, her lips pursed and her eyes squeezed tightly. "Ouch.." she whimpered.

Jade tensed, her grip on the bear tightening impossibly. She was surprised the fluff hadn't seeped out of its nose yet. Instantly the guilt she'd felt earlier tripled on site. Another minute passed before Tori finally relaxed. When she opened her eyes Jade felt her breath hitch.

Tori was a lot of things- sweet, smart, infuriatingly nice, pretty (actually very pretty) outgoing, talented. She could admit to her mistakes, she knew when to apologize, and when to pass on the torch. She was far from stubborn, but Jade knew from that look in her eyes that she hated being weak.

And that's what Tori was right now- weak. Because of her…

"So.. What, you know, did the doctor say?" She asked quietly, unable to meet her eyes.

"A cracked rib, a few more bruised. It's nothing life threatening but I'll be sore for a few weeks." Jade scoffed, Tori frowned. "What?" She demanded.

Wavy dark locks rippled with a shake of her head. "Just sore?"

Tori grinned sardonically. "Excruciatingly sore."

"…I'm sorry, you know… I never meant for you to get hurt like this."

Tori closed her eyes, taking a second to collect herself. On one hand she wanted nothing more than to bitch Jade out, tell her she was stupid and conniving and evil for doing this. But the sympathetic side of her couldn't stand seeing her so down trodden, couldn't stand the guilt lacing her every word. Jade was meant to be a lot of things- defeated was not one of them.

Admittedly, she was knowingly granting her yet another victory. But she couldn't hold it against her simply because, well, she was Jade.

"Is that teddy for me?"

Jade brought her eyes up and she realized Tori was stunning. She looked so breathtaking even in a hospital gown with wires sticking out from her arm, tubes winding across her body, her luscious hair tied back in a simple pony tail, eyes red- she looked stunning even then.

And on that thought-

"I don't know," she smirked, feeling a little lighter for the first time in hours, "she might be too cute for you, Vega."

Tori huffed indignantly. "Or just too bitchy."

They shared a smile. A rare occurrence indeed. Tori wondered if maybe, just maybe they could actually become friends.

"Here," Jade handed her the small teddy bear proceeded by the rose. "I know you're sappy and all so I thought, hey what the hell, right?"

Tori hugged the stuffed animal to her chest. It smelled like Jade. Why did that put a smile on her face? "Thank you."

Jade cleared her throat, scratching the back of her neck. A small dash of rosy red tinged her cheeks. "Yeah, whatever."

Tori laughed a little. That must be her way of saying your welcome.

"I'll name her Jade…n," she added upon receiving a look. "Jaden."

An undecipherable look tinged her emerald eyes but as soon as she attempted to read it, it was gone, replaced by that cool oddly comforting demeanor of hers. "Admit it, Vega, you're secretly in love with me and you write Mrs. Jade West all over your notebooks."

Tori snorted, becoming a little flustered. "Yeah right, you wish," she mumbled under her breath. "I'm trying to be nice. I could name her," she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I could name her-"

Jade stood, stretching a little before jamming her hands into her pockets. "I'm headed out. When are you-"

"Tomorrow afternoon." Tori answered.

"Great." A pause. Their eyes locked and unconsciously Jade bit her lip. Tori's gaze was smoldering, intense.

Something overcame her. Something she didn't recognize. Suddenly it was like watching herself through a movie. In four quick strides she crossed the room and placed herself at Tori's bedside. Leaning down, her hand slipped itself behind her neck, her fingertips cradling the soft hair there. Very softly, her lips pressed themselves against hers, the slightest pressure sending her pulse through the roof.

Someday she would look back on this and wonder what in the hell prompted her to kiss Tori Vega. Someday she would realize she'd made a mistake not by kissing her, but because she waited so long to do it. And someday she would wish a thousand times she could go back in time and stop herself from kissing her. She knew without a doubt everything had just been made complicated when before their relationship had been so simple.

But damn it if it wouldn't be worth it! Tori's lips were soft, tasted sweet, reminding her of clouds or cotton candy. It was quick it was simple and the other girl barely had a chance to register what was happening before she found the air in front of her empty once again.

"Later, Vega."

The door swung close, the audible click announcing Jade's departure.

Tori stared ahead long after the brunette left, her eyes unblinking as a thousand thoughts raced through her head at a million miles per hour. Strangely, she paid no attention at all as her fingertips brushed her lips.

What the fuck just happened?….

TBC?