A/N: Everything written in italic are thoughts.


Of course it didn't draw to an end. Although it all started so good. The doctor had played along and everything was set. There even was a little bonus for Jade, for Tori had to sacrifice herself to go on a date with that complete and utter loser. And as Robbie finally reached the hospital he could say his good bye to Rex and it was over. Flatline. He was 'clinically' dead. It would have worked, she was sure of it. Robbie would have found back to his old self and could have been happy, but needless to say that Vega-girl screwed it up big time. She just had to start up the equipment again and revive Rex. It all had been in vain, nothing had changed.

Of course it was awful for her to see Robbie suffer like that. When he arrived at the hospital and almost burst out into tears at the sickbed...the urge to help and suport him had never been more overwhelming before. She wanted to ease his pain and put her arm around him, but she just coudn't bring herself to do it. On the one hand she was afraid of revealing her true feelings for him, after all she was the bitch of their gang. She couldn't allow to appear so vulnerable. However, she persuaded herself of the idea that it was mainly the second reason which hold her back, because she knew that it was for his best. He needed to suffer so he could free himself and live on.

The whole night she had been lying awake and was asking herself what she should have done differently. And even today she was unable to get Robbie out of her mind. Even a little stroll couldn't help her. The fact that unconsciously she bend her steps towards the shop where she had seen Rex for the very first time wasn't beneficial as well. It had not changed at all. Everything looked the exact same as back then and as she stood at the shelf with the puppets it was almost as if she could see little Jade and little Robbie standing right in front of her. 'Ding!'

"Hi, Mr. Roberts, I need some help with a repair."

"My god, Robbie, what happend to poor Rex?"

She wasn't alone anymore, but there was no way in freaking hell that she could let him know she was there, therefore she hid behind the shelves and listened.

"He got sucked into a turbine and got ragged almost completely."

"Maybe you should get yourself a new one. That would be by far easier."

"No, that's out of question. I cling to him and I have him for so long."

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes, definitely. He is very important to me. Not only because he is my friend for so long, but also because he is something special. I link many beautiful memories with him."

Jade could not believe her own ears. She really had thought that Rex was damaged beyond repairs, but he was willing to invest everything just so he could keep him in his life. There was no help for it, she just had to rejoice at that and cracked a smile. Rex really was something special. For both of them.

- Flashback -

The field trip was over and it was about time to go back home. In that case it meant for Jade that she could snatch Robbie and slowly jog on with him. It wasn't the first time for them to go home together, on the contrary, since they were living in the same direction it had quickly evolved into a habit to blather on after school. It is crazy what you are willing to do for the sake of not going home. But today was a particular special day.

"Hey Jade, why do you keep smiling like that?"

Crap. She felt caught red-handed.

"No reason, Shapiro. It is great that you finally spoke up what was on your mind."

Simultaneously she was indeed wondering at why she was so happy about that.

"Yeah, but technically that wasn't really me."

"What ever."

But it sufficed to led her to a few doubts and she cocked her eyebrowns, while she slightly turned away from him. It's true enough, he just managed to express his feelings through that puppet, but regardless of how much he tried to duck out of it he was the one who had said these words. What on earth was his problem, why couldn't he let himself go and come out of his shell to lose his weird constraints. There is nothing wrong about thinking of nothing but oneself and getting worked up over others from time to time.

I'm doing it all the time and apparently it doesn't do any harm.

"You must not always put up with everything, Robbie, you simply do not deserve that. You are kind and witty, you are a good person so frigging fight back sometimes."

There it was again. So strange. She had called him Robbie. But it is nothing intimate about using someones first name, right?

Just pull yourself together, West!

To belie her true emotions she boxed him in a friendly, but very hard, way against his arm and walked a bit faster to be ahead of him such that he couldn't see how her face reddened lightly with embarrassment.

"I know, Jade, it is just really difficult for me to do something."

She turned back to him, slightly surprised.

"But I know that you can do it."

Yet again there was that honest, radiant smile on his face. Today had been really a peculiar day, but at least he had opened up to her just a little. He had entrusted himself to her and that should have been a good start.

One month. It had already been one month after the field trip and nothing had changed. One should have guessed that after that beginning at least something should have happened, but nope, nothing of that sort. She was really pissed off. And it was nothing like the usual when someone got on her nerves. She was furious alright, even though she didn't know exactly on who. Or what. Robbie was honest-to-godness the only person on earth who could do that to her.

Right now there was an english test going on. Far to boring and way to easy to be able to completely concentrate on it right now. Sure, it was not her best subject, but even here she didn't needed the whole given time. Everything was written down, the pen was laid aside and she had settled back in her chair. The clock indicated there were still ten minutes left. Maybe she should have reviewed all of her answers again (In retrospective it really would have been better), but she just couldn't. Her eye keep wandering to her left and she noticed that her buddy was attempting frantically to get everything finished. Over and over he erased parts of his answers and tried to start from the top.

What is the matter with you?

As of lately she just couldn't get him out of her mind. She knew that he got riled up again. Not that he would have said anything. No, since the field trip he has gotten back to being as always. Quitly, silent. And it seemed to depress him very much. Obviously, since technically he was better in english than her. On many occasions he had explained something to her and not the other way around, but right now he couldn't concentrate at all. In a matter of seconds her rage got replaced by something else. Of course it was still hard for her to show her feelings, in particular she couldn't show them to him, but she just had to help him anyway.

"Shapiro, the answer to the last question is c)." She had absolutely no clue about how the real help should look like, but probably not like that.

Only two days later Jade was lying on her bed and looked at her test results. It was not a perfect score, she did a few mistakes, but not that many.

At least the last question had been right.

She would have felt really dumb if she had prompt her best pal anything wrong. Oh, Robbie. She only knew him for four month by now, but she was already more friendly with him than with anyone before. Hard to believe that she of all people could like someone anyway. In her family emotions were strange. They all probably have some, but except for her anger and her occasional melancholy she never really felt or picked up on anything. She didn't even ever felt greatly delighted before. Her parents never offered her a good example on that. They were tough, taciturn and they never showed any love. After all she knew it was the exact opposite for him. He had a very loving family, but still he had problems. It appeared to be kind of hard to find the right way to be satisfied with.

She stared at her black wall. Her whole room was darkish furnished. Black walls, furniture and even her clothes were gloomy. Well, that was the way how she felt comfortable. Pleasently cold and soothing with a touch of death. But she was sort of curious about how his home would be looking like.

Maybe he is reconsidering to celebrate his birthday next week, then I could finally see it. It probably looks really nerdy.

His Birthday. She desperately needed a gift for him. Urgh! That was really not normal anymore. It's not her nature at all to make someone a present. Or to even think about doing so, but well, it was Robbie.

I mean Shapiro.

And to her birthday he got her something as well. It was nothing big, just a CD, but she had been somewhat happy about it. And had made fun of it. Just because it had been her birthday didn't mean that she had to stop teasing him. That would have been not like her at all. Yet she was listening to that CD over and over, even now. Astonishingly enough he had met her sense of taste surprisingly well. But what should she give to him? For a moment she thought about giving him a soda, but that didn't really appeared to be appropriate. To little. God, it would have been way easier for her if he would have actually opened up his mouth. But without help that's never going to happen. Wait. That's it! Back then he had let off steam with that dummy and he had had a ball. And he was doing really well, at least it seemed like that to her.

And here we go again. She had set her mind on something and since she had commited herself to this course of action no one and nothing could stop her. She knew that this particular present would be exaggerated and sort of embarrassing, especially for him, but it was certainly worth it. She jumped out of her bed and run downstairs. Like on every other day her parents should be in the living room at this time of day. Her mother would be writing something and her father would read the newspaper. It was always the same, never a variation. She hated it. Abysmally. So it wasn't that wondrous that she was right with her assumption. And that she rolled her eyes on that.

"I need 200 bucks."

It would have been way to polite to ask for the money, thus against her nature, besides now she could be sure of the attention of her rents. They looked at her and remained buisnesslike. At least her father was, since he was the only one speaking.

"For what?"

"I want to buy a birthday gift for a friend of mine."

"Jade, isn't that a bit much?"'

You have enough money, that's the very reason why we moved here. I had to abandon my old life so just give me the damn money.

"I mean, is that really necessary? Do we even know him?"

"Are you really interested in that?"

She looked her father straight in the face. And that was about it, she got the money. In that moment the only thought that rushed through her mind was that it would be really great to have some parents who actually show some interest in her life.

Robbie couldn't be persuaded to celebrate a real birthday party, but at least they went to the cinema together to commemorate that he had survived for another year. Unfortunately, it was disappointing and unsurprising that she was the only guest. But at least that way she had him all to herself. Well, it had been quite a fight to find a movie which appealed to both of them, but it had been worth it. The film had been terrific! They both had laughed and enjoyed the time. And everytime she had glimpsed at him she had seen his eyes sparkling. He definitely savored his special day. As did she. She even had to smile everytime she was looking at him. It was great to finally do something together outside of the school.

But even the best movie ever had to end eventually, so they set of to promenade a bit through the mall. In the course of this she was carrying her heavy backpack the whole time. Very uncharacteristic for her, since even for school she only ever had light baggage. Who didn't take part in class didn't need any paper work. But her buddy apparently didn't wanted to touch upon it. Finally they sat down on a bench and she could drop her load.

The heck with it, I could just as well do it here.

"Hey Shapiro, that was a smashing birthday. Sort of."

Ok, ok, she still had some problems to open up and speak, especially when it comes down to something like that.

"Here. Happy Bithday."

She tossed her backpack against his chest, so forcefully that he almost droped his glasses.

"You are giving me your rucksack?"

"No, you loon, just the content."

Since he was still holding it with both of his hands she dicided to open the zipper herself.

"I just didn't felt like wrapping it."

Of course she said it with an irritated look, after all he should have been the person to unpack the gift. She dragged the puppet out and hold it up in front of her such that he could take a good look at it.

"That's for you."

He was open-mouth and his eyes got big. Given this view, Jade had to restrain herself to laugh outride.

"Jade, that..."

But these were the only words he could muster and Jade was becoming slightly impatient, since she had absolutely no idea what was wrong with him.

"Shapiro, will you finally give me back my backpack and grab your present already?"

Eventually he started moving again and reached for the dummy. Almost like in trance.

"Don't you dare to refuse it!"

He really would have striked on the idea of doing exactly that. She knew that it was a big and significant gift. Apart from the fact that it had been expensive it showed him that she really cared for him. That he was her best friend. But she didn't has to say it aloud as well, right?

"Thanks Jade, it is truly a wonderful present. But are you absolutely sure you want to give it to me?"

She knew it. Why couldn't she had erred just once? With a sinister expression she looked him in the eye.

"That's what I said right now."

Did she really had to tell him? Her look softened.

"That's ok. Your my friend, Shapiro, and now I just happen to have a Robbie extra."

Then again, two of this sort...Maybe it was a mistake indeed. His bright face from back then came back and he looked her in the eye starry-eyed.

Nah, it is all right that way.

"That sounds good, Jade."

Her right eyebrow went up. Sometimes he was way to confusing, even for her. And that's what she liked. Not that she would have confessed that.

"A Robbie extra."

According to his smile he had said enough and that it should have given her all the information she needed.

"Feel free to be a little bit more explicite."

Her voice was cold, but she had to smile inside. She couldn't read somebodys mind, you know.

"That is his name."

But he was making her life more interesting.

"..."

"Well Robbie extra, his name is Rex."

At times she wondered at how exactly his brain operated. But then again, maybe she should just indulge in it. Lastly she had turned to the dummy.

"Keep a good eye on Shapiro, understood?"

She couldn't suppress her smile any longer.

"And hi, Rex."

- End Flashback -

Rex really was something special. He linked both of them. Slowly Jade slid down the wall to the floor, hugged her legs tight to her and rested her chin on her knees. A big grin spread on her face. A real smile, not her usual evil grin. Amongs other things he stood for their friendship, which meant that when Robbie cared for Rex and clinged to him that he was thinking of their friendship, too. She still meant something for him. I am important to him. That thought made her happy. It meant a great deal to her, but then her eyes darkened and showed sorrow and regret. I just wish I were worth it.