The Prince's Bodyguard

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Same case as last chapter, I can't help myself. I do need to work on the other stories and get those finished, so I am going to be doing that. Meanwhile, you have this.

Chapter 4 (Tension)

No one said anything about the night prior, but Jason gave his thoughts away each time he looked at her. As she drove down to her father's home, she focused on the road and ignored his wayward glances the best she could. The question was on his mind as far as she knew, but she wasn't willing or ready to divulge.

"You want to know about the scarring on my back?" She parked alongside the curb of her father's home and unfastened her seatbelt. Jason raised his eyes slowly, looking at her with a furrowed brow. She released her belt with a sigh, listening as it zipped back into place. "Something happened a very long time ago."

"You don't want to talk about it, I would understand that."

"I'd rather not. Not now." She curled her fingers around the steering wheel and narrowed her eyes at the dark car in front of her. "I was protecting somebody. I had to save someone." It was a lot more than that, and it was the very reason her father was so protective. "I've been through a lot. There's a side of me I don't like to show people, a side of me I don't want anyone to know about…"

Jason nodded gently. "I won't press for details." She looked at him graciously and slid her hair over her ear. He was respectful, so she couldn't be upset at all that he'd learned something so deep about her. "I want you to know, I see you as a friend, and if you ever need to talk to someone…"

"I appreciate that." The nightmare was never ending in her mind, and because of it, she had to be strong. She protected so much more than her sister, she felt like she needed to protect everyone close to her. "I've always been a little bit a loner, it's just who I am."

"You don't have to be."

"It's something I'm used to." She brushed her bangs back and closed her eyes. The bullet scars on her back and on her chest weren't the only scars she had of course, and neither were the burns on her feet and legs. There was another scar on her back from where someone slashed her with a knife. "I will tell you about a time, though…but this stays between us."

Jason's eyes opened a bit and he nodded swiftly. "Of course." Trina moved her hands to her lap and took a deep breath.

"I used to have a best friend, Lindsay, back when I was eleven. That was the last time I saw her." She narrowed her eyes and started to feel a sting on her back. "We were at her place one night, and her father came home drunk." A wrinkle popped between Jason's eyebrows and his hands started to tense around his knees.

Trina exhaled and turned her head, gazing down and to the left. "He went after Lindsay's mom, stabbing her in the stomach, then went after Lindsay. I threw myself between them, holding my best friend and taking the knife…that gash is from that moment."

"My god."

"So if you're wondering who I am, what I've done or what I've been through…there's a glimpse."

"It's not something I would worry about." He shrugged and she raised her head, smiling gently. Her eyebrows closed together and curled up in the center while her fingers locked around each other in her lap. "You seem very strong, very brave. I have a lot of respect for you. You are…a very beautiful person. I don't know if you know that, but you impress me."

"Thank you." Trina looked out her window and held her breath for a moment. She could feel her heart beating swifter now. Warm blood rushed to her cheeks and her eyelids closed over. "I need to go inside. I need to keep watch on you, but I'm not sure I want you to go in there with me."

"How come?"

"No one knows who I'm watching over. It needs to stay that way for both of our protection, as well as my family's protection." It wouldn't be an easy task, but she could sneak him inside and have him wait somewhere she knew he'd be safe. "It's possible I can hide you in my old room, but I need to keep you hidden."

"If it's just your sister and your father, they've seen me before."

"Right…but if Tori's friends are there, they won't know what's going on. I can't take that chance. I can't involve them in what's going on, it's too much of a risk."

She exited the vehicle and signaled Jason to follow her. The idea was that she would get in and find a way to get Jason in without anyone else seeing him.

They made their way to the front door and she opened it partially to glimpse inside. Much to her dismay, Tori was there with her friends, playing a game of poker. "Shit, they're all in there."

"I can wait out here."

"No. Out of the question." She turned her head and spoke firmly. "If you're out here, I can't be sure you're safe. You might be able to handle yourself, but I can't protect you if I don't have eyes on you."

"You wouldn't have eyes on me if you snuck me into some room and hid me there."

"No, but I'd know you're there and I'd know you're safe."

"I'm sure I will be fine."

"No." It was a little more than her duty to protect him, but she knew Tori's friends as well. They would be all over her ass for not only being with some guy, but for being with Sikowitz's nephew. They'd jump to conclusions and harass her, possibly even attempt to spin all sorts of crazy stories to Jason. "I don't trust these people, Jason."

He flinched and furrowed his brow. "You don't?" She moved her hand to the side. "What? They're not good people or something?"

"I'm not going to say they're bad people. I just simply do not trust them. They're bullies, they tend to think they're above everyone. My sister got mixed up with them when she went to Hollywood Arts…I've been suspicious of them ever since."

"I see."

Trina closed the door gently, realizing it was still ajar and no one had noticed her presence. She turned around and took a deep breath. "Case in point, Jade. Ever since Tori started going to school, Jade's been harassing her. Tori's tried everything she could to get the girl's approval, to get the approval of her new friends, but Jade tells her that they are not friends."

Jason crossed his arms and twisted his lips. Trina circled her hand in the air and felt a streak of anger rising in her heart. "I've been watching Jade for a while now. She's dating this guy, been in a sexual relationship with him for a while, but now she's messing with Tori and I don't like it."

"Messing with her how?" His right eyebrow arched and he shifted sideways a bit. Trina glanced at the door and flared her nostrils.

"Tori's fairly innocent, maybe a little naïve. There are some things she's a little confused about. Jade's been taking her out, like dating, making her feel like there's a chance of something more while trying to get her to decide also whether or not she wants to be with guys or girls."

She didn't mind whatever her sister leaned, whether she wanted to date men or women, but she didn't want someone that wasn't even gay trying to screw with Tori's emotions and mentality. "What makes you think something's going on?" Trina narrowed her eyes and growled.

"Because I heard Jade talking about it to someone once. She said she was going out with this chick, my sister, and was thinking of crushing her later on by telling her she was never interested in her…something like that…"

The person Jade had been talking about had asked if she was cheating on Beck. She was, but she didn't see it as cheating because she wasn't really invested in a relationship with a girl that openly flirted with her boyfriend, she just wanted to crush the girl so she would 'think twice' before going after another woman's man.

"It's all a revenge scheme, and it's pissing me off." She knew what she wanted to do, but it wasn't something she ought to do. She wanted to march in, tell Beck what was happening and crush Jade, but that was the wrong way to do it. "I need to protect my little sister, I need to shield her, but I'm not sure how."

"Sounds like you've always been protecting her." Trina placed a hand on the door and slid it down a bit while gazing at the floor. Jason took a step forward, moving up behind her. "How can she grow if she doesn't learn to work through her own issues and not always rely on big sis to solve her problems?"

"She needs me."

"Just don't smother her. Give her some freedom." Jason looked up at the door and shrugged. "I don't like what seems to be going on either, but I think you need to think about how you want to deal with that. You can't be blunt, it might harm her more than help."

"I'm nothing if not direct, but no, you're right." Beck was everything to Jade, and if Beck knew what she was doing, it would cause a hell of a storm. At the same time, no one would believe her if she tried to say something. "There's not a whole lot I can do about it, as much as it pisses me off."

"Your sister needs to grow, Trina. You're not always going to be able to protect her, or put a bandaid on her wounds...far be it from me to give you advice on your personal family matters. I'm just giving my two cents."

"I understand that, and thank you." She would try and exercise patience, but there was no telling how much she could stretch that. Her eyes drifted to her bedroom window and a lightbulb flashed in her mind. "I've got an idea."

"What?"

"Follow my lead." She entered into the garage and grabbed a steel ladder from the side wall. Jason's eyebrow arched as she set the ladder up and extended it to her window. "So you know all those old clichés-"

"You're really having fun with cliché royalty films and the fact that I'm a prince, aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes and sighed. She paused for a moment.

"Yes, but that's beside the point." She raised her hand, pointing to the window. "This is like climbing a castle, oh prince, but your reward isn't some princess…it's a hiding spot." Jason rolled his eyes and gripped the edges of the ladder.

"What? No fair maiden for me?" He smirked playfully and her eyebrows bounced.

"Nope, not up there."

"Maybe she's elsewhere, then. I wonder if I won't have to climb a ladder for her."

"No, but you do have to climb a ladder for your bodyguard." She walked to the door and flashed a toothy grin. "I'll open the window for you."

"Great." He looked up the ladder and squinted. "Sneaking a man into your bedroom. Yeah. Sure. If the assassins don't kill me, Captain Vega will."

"Well it's not like anything's happening. I'm only doing this to ensure your safety."

"Against whom? The assassins or an overly protective father that's suspicious of any man coming near his daughter?" He flashed another smirk, teasing her with his eyes. "Perhaps you're a princess after all?"

"Oh don't even go there." She pushed open the door, listening to Jason chuckle. "Not a royal bone in my body, thank you very much." She stepped inside the house, moving swiftly as though she were still living there. It was done purposely, so as not to arouse curiosity from her sister's friends.

"Trina!" Tori gasped and stood quickly. The group started to groan, throwing down their cards as Tori ran over to greet her sibling. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes what are you doing here?" Andre asked. "Besides interrupting our game." Jade didn't look up from the table, likely still embarrassed by the other day.

Trina hugged Tori and looked into her eyes with a smile. "I just came by to see how you were doing. If you don't mind, I need to run to my old bedroom real quick." Tori stepped back, holding her hands behind her waist and beaming like an angel.

"Okay."

Trina ran up the stairs and entered her bedroom, stopping to take a breath of nostalgia. It didn't look much different that she'd left it, with her bed neatly made and everything still untouched.

There was a rapping noise after a few seconds and Trina glanced at the window with a gasp. Jason was outside, tapping on the glass and looking away as if someone were going to call the cops on him. She hurried to open the window and helped him inside.

"Good god." Jason pat down his arms and looked at the window. "How strange do you think I must have looked to any neighbors?"

"I'm sure it wasn't too bad."

"Right." He ran his hand over his neck and sighed. "At least I didn't have to fight any dragons or witches on the way up, right?"

"Right!" She pat his upper arm, gripping it firmly for a moment before pulling away. "So, you don't mind staying here for just a little?"

"I'm guessing I climb back out the window?"

"Probably. Depends on who is still in the living room."

"And should the King of the castle find me?" Trina rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Easy enough. I'll just tell Dad I couldn't think of a better way to keep you hidden and undiscovered."

"Is this before or after he skins the heir to the throne of Vander alive for climbing into his daughter's room?"

"Before." She waved her hand in the air. "It's my job to keep you alive, so I wouldn't let him do that."

"Well, that's a relief. I think." Jason chuckled softly and crossed his arms. "I'm not sure you could stop him though."

"I'm not that precious to the guy, Jason." She walked towards her door and looked back. "Now stay here while I go deal with Tori and her friends, okay?" He nodded and took a seat on the edge of her bed. She was almost certain curiosity would get the better of him, and he'd start looking around the room; but she didn't care. All that mattered right now was seeing her sister.

She made her way downstairs, and once again Tori broke away from the table-to the dismay and annoyance of her friends. "Trina, I didn't get a chance to talk to you." Tori walked up to her and started to smile. "I missed you. I hope everything's going okay with you and that assignment. I just wish it didn't keep you away from home."

"Oh my god," shouted Jade, "What is this?" Tori and Trina glanced over as Jade stood from the table and swung her hands through the air. "One minute you're laughing and telling us you're glad she's not around to bug you, and the next you're telling her you missed her? Come on Tori, what the hell?"

Trina took a step forward and put an arm out in front of her sister while staring down the girl in front of her. "Do not talk to her like that." Jade flinched and Trina took another step. "This is between my sister and myself, stay out of it. This isn't your personal affair to get into, got that? Learn a little respect."

Jade scoffed. "Why don't you, bitch?" She did a double take, stunned by what just came out of Jade's mouth. "I mean, all you ever do is get in the way and annoy everyone. It's like you can't even tell when no one wants you around."

"Excuse me? Excuse fucking me." She started for Jade, tensing her muscles and growling viciously as she approached the girl. Tori cried out and grabbed her arm in an attempt to hold her back. "What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me. You're a nuisance, you do nothing but take up everyone else's air whenever you're in the room." Her heart sank for a moment, but filled with a new sense of rage. She hated to be treated this way, yet it felt better for her to be treated this way than for her sibling or anyone else.

Beck stood up, clearly agitated. "Yeah, what was that all about the other day?" Trina's eyes darted over to him and her nostrils flared as he walked towards her. "Treating my girlfriend like that? What the fuck is wrong with you? You should know better, treat her with more respect. Or have you never been taught how to treat people with respect."

She chuckled softly at this brazen attempt to defend Jade's honor when she knew the girl would never defend him. "Must be lucky to have a man come to defend you like that." Trina took a step towards Jade, her eyes filling with fire. "Say what you want about me, I don't care, but when I'm talking to my sister…you'd better fuck the hell off."

"Fuck you!" Jade pointed to the door, raising her voice. "Why don't you fuck off? You're the one that's not wanted here. Tori was just telling us how much she was glad you weren't here to annoy all of us." Trina closed her eyes and Tori moved her hands over her mouth.

"No I wasn't!" Tori's eyes started to fill with tears and she quickly shook her head. "I was just saying because you guys were talking about it, that maybe it was good for you guys that you didn't have to worry…I don't know! Please just stop fighting."

Trina glanced at the others and noticed Cat looking at the stairs. She followed the girl's gaze and saw Jason's head poking around the corner. She held her breath and glanced back at Jade.

"What is it about you?" Jade crossed her arms and started to chuckle. "I mean god, you run off for whatever reason and you still can't stay away? Isn't it obvious nobody wants you around? Even your little sister doesn't want you around."

"That isn't true," Tori whispered with a trembling voice. "I never said that."

Jade put her hands to her waist and narrowed her eyes at Trina. "You're interrupting our poker game, Trina. So just go away."

"She doesn't have to do that." Trina's muscles tensed as Jason's voice filled the air and struck everyone with paralysis. A deafening silence filled the air as Jason walked down a few steps and put his hand on the railing. "This is her family home. You should treat it with respect, treat her with respect. She doesn't have to take that from you because she has more right than any of you to be here."

Trina pinched the bridge of her nose, furious that he was exposing himself. Even if it was for her, it was risky and dangerous. She appreciated his coming to her defense, more than he likely knew, but she would have preferred he not leave the bedroom.

"What the hell?" Andre rose from the table, being the first able to react. "What is Sikowitz's nephew doing here?" Cat turned her head, pointing at Tori.

"You didn't tell us he was here, Tori!" Tori stammered for a few seconds and looked at Trina with an anxious emotion in her eyes. Cat raised her hand in the air, calling out to Jason. "Jason! You never called me back." Jason frowned and moved his hand to his chest.

"I'm sorry, um, Cat…I meant to call, but I haven't been able."

"You didn't like me, did you?"

"No, it's not that. I just…" He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You're nice, but it's not you, it's me." Trina raised an eyebrow and slowly shook her head. "Anyhow. Why in the hell are you people treating the sister of your friend like that?"

"My god," Jade said with a scoff, "Aren't you a regular prince charming?" Trina's stomach jumped and she moved her hand over her eyes.

"God don't call him that," she muttered. Jason flashed a toothy grin for a moment, then cleared his throat.

"Why are you even here?"

Tori, seemingly sensing an issue, ran towards the stairs. "I-I invited him!" She grabbed Jason's wrist and the man blinked several times. "He's just been in the bathroom for a while, right Jason?"

"Sure…"

Trina lowered her hand and moved her arms behind her back. She took a deep breath and stared at Jason with arched eyebrows and flat lips. Jason caught her glare and winced, knowing she wasn't happy with him at the moment.

While she was relieved now that the focus was away from her, she didn't know how to react to what was going on.

Jade put her hands to the back of her waist and she leaned back slowly. "Well, Jason, I'm sorry but I don't see where you have any input in this."

"She's not wrong," Robbie remarked, "If you knew just who you were defending, I think you'd probably agree. I mean come on man, Trina's just plain crazy." Trina gave a sigh of defeat and started for the couch, plopping down and moving her hand towards her temple.

She was just exhausted now, and didn't want to fight anymore. Jason narrowed his eyes and moved down another step. "I don't think so. At least she doesn't seem that way to me." Trina lowered her hand and raised her eyes to the ceiling. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn't notice. The more he came to her defense, the more obvious it would become that there was a potential connection. "I'm friends with her and with Tori, and I don't like hearing people disrespect them. They're nice girls, deserving of respect, not being trashed by people that should be friends."

The group fell silent and started looking amongst each other. Jason spread his hands out and furrowed his brow. "If you're truly friends with Tori, then you should know there's no reason to treat her family so rudely in their own home. This is your friend's house, you should respect that. If you can't, you shouldn't call yourselves a friend, and you should leave."

Jade groaned, her voice laced with disgust. "It isn't my fault my boyfriend couldn't stop fawning over Tori." Tori flinched and Trina bared her teeth as Jade grabbed Beck's shirt and started pulling. "Come on Beck. So long as Trina's here, I don't want to be here." Jade glared at Tori and scoffed. "Congrats, your attention-whore sister's making me want to leave." Trina flexed her fingers and cracked her neck, trying to restrain herself from becoming volatile.

Andre followed the two out with an agitated sigh. "Sorry Tori, I have to make sure they don't start fighting." Robbie and Cat left as well, not wanting to stay with the tension in the air.

Eventually Tori made her way upstairs, crying silent tears as she departed. Trina dropped her hand to her thigh and shook her head as Jason approached the couch. "I'm sorry," Jason said, "I couldn't stand by and let them shout at you like that."

"I can handle it," Trina remarked. She stood slowly and pat down her pants. "I have for a while now. I'm used to them." Jason rubbed the back of his head and bowed it for a moment. Trina started to smile and leaned forward, patting him on the shoulder. "Thank you though for having my back like that…" He raised his head and smiled back at her.

"I'm glad it didn't come to blows."

"Yeah…" She dropped her hand and looked upstairs. "Now, I'm going to go check on Tori. This time, I'm going to need you to stay where you are."

"Got it, I won't move."

"Okay." She motioned to the refrigerator. "There's food in the fridge." Her eyes moved to the television and she started to sigh. "There's the television if you want to watch something." Her eyes moved to his and her racing heart started to beat faster. She cleared her throat and quickly pulled her gaze from his, lest she be pulled in. "Make yourself comfortable while I go and talk to Tori."

"Okay. I'll be here."

Okay, so there's a few things that happened here. What thoughts do you have?