Disclaimer: I do not own the show Victorious. It is owned by dan Schneider and Nickelodeon.

Author's Note: As stated in the previous chapter, most of the characters will be OOC. However, this will not be major. Just adding more depth to the characters, specifically to Jade. Many fans seem to think that Jade is mean just to be mean. However, there is proof on the show that she has more layers to her character that the show indicates. Also, there will be two obvious pairings in the story. However, I will not have Jade and Beck get back together. It's been indicated that for this story, they just can't work anymore. Just have to see for yourself. Also, I've already identified two major characters, Camael and Sachael, who will play a major role later on. Can you guess what that is? On with the story.

Monday, Feb. 13th

West Residence

Jade's Room

Jade's POV

I'm standing in the same meadow that I drove out to yesterday before this...disaster started. But I'm not alone. All of my friends are here with me. Tori and André are both in the field of flowers chasing each other, laughing to their hearts' content. Robbie and Cat are sitting by the river flowing smoothly over the waterfall and into the lake. And then there's Beck sitting on the cliff's edge by himself, while I'm sitting a distance away from him. Despite what happened on Saturday night, I still care about him. But I wonder if we could ever go back? Or would we just be fighting again like before.

No. It's too soon to start thinking about this now. We just broke up, and I can't go crawling back to him when I don't even know what I want for myself right now. I guess that's why nothing stays the same in high school. Everything is too volatile to keep things stable. Before I think any further, I feel a hand on my left shoulder. I look up to see Tori smiling down at me, with concern and caring in her eyes. The same eyes that she shows to those she cares about. She would never hurt anyone on purpose. I should have realized that ages ago. Yet here she stands by me, no matter what.

"Hey. We're going back home. Are you ready?" she asks sincerely.

"Yeah. Let's go," I reply.

As I stand up, the cliff below me gives way, causing me to lose balance. I'm falling away from them. Falling away from my friends. I can see Tori trying to reach for me, but it's too late. Our fingers barely touch before all she grasps is empty air. The others rush to her but there's nothing they can do for me. I feel the water of the lake forcibly surround me and I fall through. All I can see now is darkness. And I feel my life slipping away.

I wake up with a start from the dream I just had. This one wasn't as bad as last night when I was at the meadow. I still don't understand what happened, let alone how. I just know that since last night, normal has ever felt normal. Only the company of my friends seems to have calmed me down. Speaking of which, Tori and Cat weren't anywhere in sight. They must've woken up and left before I did. I can hear someone speaking from downstairs. I check my clock on my nightstand to see that it's 10:24. Why did I wake up so late? Oh well.

I go to my bathroom to wash up before seeing my mom. I chance a look at myself in the mirror to see how bad I could look today. I thought that I might've looked a mess since coming home yesterday. I remember that I didn't wear my make-up. Another barrier I put up so that I don't have to feel like every other girl. It's not that I don't think I'm attractive. But in a place where everyone judges you on appearance, I preferred to appear tougher to most other girls. Some who know me say it's from 'daddy issues'. They're not entirely wrong though. My dad's always about being boring and predictable. Never about creativity or imagination. Still, I've shown him who I am and what I want out of life. If he doesn't like it, then tough.

Taking another look, I realize that my natural looks aren't half bad. In fact, I kind of like this look. Then again, I haven't looked this way since my parents' divorce. But it doesn't matter. I'll just wear something simple. Not too colorful but something that would relatively normal.

I walk out of my room and down the stairs to the kitchen. I immediately take notice of my mother with a worried expression on her face.

"Good morning Jade," I hear from the living room.

I see Tori and the others sitting on the couches, each of them with the same look on their faces as my mother had, except for Beck. He immediately took notice of my clothing. My outfit consisted of a blue-green penny-tee and a pair of blue jeans. Either something horrible happened or my change of normal attire is wearing on them a bit.

"You look nice," Beck says to me.

Ordinarily, I'd take some offense to that statement. In fact, I still do. Though not as much as I normally would. He never really said that I looked nice in the other clothes I normally wore. But he's still trying to be civil, so why can't I, right?

"Thanks," I reply to him.

"Jade, I'm glad you're up. There's something you should here," my mother says to me.

"What? What is it?" I asked afraid of the answer. My mother exhaled deeply then let out her breath.

"Well, for starters, the storm that occurred last night wasn't just in the city. There were storms like that one all around the world," my mother started explaining.

"What! You're kidding. How is that even possible?" I shout, thinking there's no way that could've happened. Storms like last night were practically biblical.

"Well, Jade, no one really knows how. The weather yesterday was predicted to be mostly sunny with no chance of rain whatsoever. And while we were all out...well, you know the rest," Tori answered my question.

I could only guess that my face had a look of shock and fear written across it. It's something that none of them, not even Beck, was used to. Still, with everything I just heard, it's amazing that I haven't freaked out already. But what's really getting to me is that we are all here while there are others who are likely severely injured or worse. Why did I get off so lucky?

"Um...Jade? I know you're not feeling too positive about any other people who were caught in the storm. But I'm sure they're all fine," I lifted my head up hearing Robbie's statement.

I don't know how Robbie knew what I was thinking but his prediction was dead-on about my current thoughts. But how would he know? I never gave any signal to let him know what was on my mind. Still, hearing him say so, actually put me at ease.

"Okay...thanks Robbie," I respond to the Andy Samberg look-alike. He may not like to admit it, but they do look alike. It's actually cool and funny at the same time. Though I doubt I'll ever tell Robbie that.

"Yeah Jade! Robbie's right. I'm sure everything will turn out okay!" Cat responds in her bubbly voice. But something was different about the way she spoke. Normally, she sounds so innocent and slightly irritating. However, her voice was more serious than we all normally hear. And no one else seems put off by this.

"Well, thanks. But in the meantime, what are we going to do? We can't just stay cooped up all day," I say to everyone.

"Actually Jade, the mayor has declared this entire situation as a state of emergency. No one saw this coming. Neither did anyone else in the world. All of the storms just snuck up on us. So, it looks like, until everything and I mean EVERYTHING in the city is repaired, the schools will be shut down. However, most businesses will still be open to accommodate for those who need the food and clothes, which at this point is everyone. So you kids will need to find something to do with all the spare time you now have," my mother finished explaining.

"Wow. Okay. So what are we going to do? Just sit here like a bunch of stumps?" I ask hoping to lighten up the mood. Though it doesn't work too well.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think I'll head on home to my grandma. She's been by herself all night, and at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if half the house was destroyed. I'll catch you guys later," André stated before heading out the front door. But something was strange about his presence. When he left, the temperature of the room dropped some. How on Earth could that happen? I'm doing way too much thinking. Cat and Robbie stood up to leave as well. They waved goodbye before they were out the door. Beck was a bit hesitant with his exit. And as if André wasn't weird enough, when Beck passed, his presence was...colder. What is going on with everyone?

I shook the thought as Beck waved and took his exit from my house. I lifted my hand but it didn't reach past my shoulder and I waved weakly. Even with all of us together like this, being around Beck didn't settle the uneasiness I feel after our breakup. I turn towards the t.v. in the living room when I notice someone is still here. I look to my left to see that Tori is still here. She looked somewhat nervous but still with a concerned, caring, and genuine expression; it was the same way she looked in my dream.

"You okay, Jade?" she asks me, though a bit lamely, as if she thought it was a stupid question.

"Well...everything around us is going to hell. But all-in-all, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I say curious why she was the only one of the gang still left, given our history.

"You see...I thought that...well..." She stammers, apparently trying to find the right words.

"Just say it Tori. I'm not going to bite your head off," I tell her truthfully.

"Okay. I've been worried about you since Saturday night," she said to me.

"Tori why would you..." I didn't finish my question since she cut me off.

"Because I know how much Beck meant to you. I may not know how you felt being with him. But I can understand how it feels to lose someone you love, or at least really cared about. You remember that incident with Danny," Tori started saying.

I couldn't believe my ears. The girl that I had been attempting to make miserable was worried about me. Normally, I would think that this was an attempt to take Beck from me. But the feeling in her words tells me otherwise. I was pulled out of my thoughts as she continued talking.

"Jade, when you and Beck broke up on Saturday, and Beck stayed to play poker with the rest of us...and Trina, my heart went out to you. I know you don't consider me your friend, but I still care about you. I wanted more than anything to walk right out my front door and make sure you were okay. I thought that yesterday, you need some space so I just went to André's and I talked to him about it. After we went into the city, he told me that he thought that maybe we could surprise you. I know how much you value him as a friend. But then we got caught in that damn storm! And we were both struck with lightning. When we woke back up and saw the city, the first thing I thought of was checking on you. But Beck thought of it first and called us and Cat and Robbie. So that's how we all got here. And I'm rambling now. Anyway, I'm here for you. And I'm not going to leave you alone to sulk, if you do that," Tori said, wrapping up her explanation. I breathed a gentle sigh before I spoke.

"I never thought I would say this to you. But I'm glad that you are sticking around. I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to be alone after everything that's happened. I know I've given you grief over the last two years. But that doesn't mean I don't care. Ever since day one, I always thought you were talented. But I was also afraid. I was afraid that I would never to able to compete with you. You're talented, pretty, and most of all, you're nice and caring. That's part of why I was so hostile towards you when it came to Beck. He knows I haven't been one to show my feelings. I stopped being that way since my parents broke up. It just seemed like everyone was just destined to let each other down somehow. But then here you are showing that not everyone does. We may not be together anymore but at least he still cares, as well as the rest of you," I explain to Tori.

"Well, Jade, if it helps, I don't have any feelings for Beck at all. He's cool and handsome. But he's just not my guy," Tori replies.

"I know. That's why you're saving that title for André," I retort. Tori shuts her mouth instantly and her cheeks become flushed.

"Come on Tori. It's fairly obvious how feel about him. Especially when he told us he was dating Keeko. I saw the jealous in your eyes. And despite the circumstances, you can still let him know. Just don't let yourselves end up like me and Beck," I finish saying.

"Thanks Jade. If it's cool with you and your mom, can I stay over another night? My mom and dad are still helping victims and Trina is with a friend. I really don't want to be alone right now," she confides in me.

"Sure Tori," I respond sweetly to her, which seems to her scare her since this is genuine and doesn't happen often.

We both speak to my mother and she gives us the okay. We head to my room and watch a few movies on the t.v. on the desk in my room. After watching about four scary movies, I let Tori climb into the bed with me. It's big enough that it can hold two people comfortably. We wind up talking more and it feels nice talking to someone without any apprehension. We even seem to connect like two long-lost sisters. After a while, we both fall asleep, bidding each other good night.

Tuesday, Feb. 14th

Los Angeles

Skyscraper

Camael stood on top of the same building that overlooked the city as he did yesterday. Sachael and another mysterious figure appeared to him.

"Hello Camael. What has this day brought to us?" asked the mysterious figure with a feminine voice.

"Hello Ariel. It seems the girl is starting realize that she, as well as her friends, are changing. It's only a matter of time before they all understand their significance to the world," Camael said to Ariel.

"You do understand that this will take more than sheer understanding. They'll need our help when the time is right," Sachael informed his comrade.

"Yes, you're right. That's why soon, we will give them the push that they all need," Camael said.

The three strangers vanished from the roof of the skyscraper, all three determined to draw out the H.A. gang that had form such a tight-kit group. The first of the young adults they were to find were Robbie Shapiro and Cat Valentine.