Hello again! This chapter will be completely in Jade's POV, but I promise Tori's will come back into play during the next one. Thank you all for the really great reviews; they make me feel special. =P I hope this does not disappoint, and that you all enjoy where this story leads.
A word of advice from a survivor of rape: If something like this happens to you, it is never your fault. It is important to tell someone who can rectify the situation, and in many cases, counseling is a great idea. I have gotten a few PM's about this and I am so glad to be able to help any and all of you with any struggles you're facing. Sometimes talking to a stranger is easier than talking to someone who knows you well.
Just know that it is NEVER your fault. Ever.
Onto Chapter Four...
Jade's POV
I couldn't stop myself; I was at my boiling point, throwing punch after punch. I couldn't get enough of the blood pouring from his face; I wanted to kill him. And in that moment, I would have, had I not heard the saddest, most heart-breaking noise of my life.
"...thank you..." I look up, seeing Tori's eyes roll to the back of her head. In an instant, I forgot about the my the burning anger within me, and threw myself towards Tori. I begin untying her wrists from above her, when I hear an ear-piercing scream. I turn to see Cat, Robbie, André and Trina, all undoubtedly coming to see why I was so frantic about finding Tori. Cat has her mouth covered, tears swelling in her eyes, while Robbie stands in shock, unable to move. I notice André going towards Beck, who is looking over the mutilated body I just destroyed. Ryder tries to pull himself up, and as André is about to make a move, Trina comes sprinting by, a fire raging in her eyes.
"You fuck! What the hell did you do to my baby sister?! I'll fucking kill you!" Trina lifts him by his collar with ease, pinning him to the wall with one hand and knocking his teeth in with the other. No one knew Trina had such incredible strength, and it takes both Beck and André to get her to stop. Ryder collapses to the ground, not moving again this time.
Meanwhile, Tori collapses into my arms. I take my jacket off and quickly cover her exposed upper body with it. I cuddle her close to me, holding her as tight as I possibly can without harming her any further. I couldn't believe it; how could this happen? I run my fingers through her hair, gently shaking her, hoping to wake her.
"Come on, Tori. Please...please wake up. I'm going to take care of you...please...just let me know you're okay." I start to feel tears swell in my eyes, and I don't care that they're falling freely down my face. I start rocking her, sobbing over the mangled body in my arms. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Cat, her eyes in disbelief. I know everyone is intoxicated, but this is so unreal and so unexpected that none of us really know what to do with ourselves.
"Jade...is Tori going to be...okay?" Cat's question is full of such sadness and innocence, that I can bring myself to answer her. Beck now has control over Trina, who is shaking in his arms, while André comes over and pulls Cat into his.
"Listen, Cat...physically, Tori is pretty banged up. But she'll be okay. But...emotionally...she might not be..." André explains to Cat, who stands there, unable to muster up a reaction.
"Guys...what do we do?" Robbie finally speaks up, his face pale and his body wavering. I look around, still holding Tori close to me.
"We need to tell the police...and we need to get Tori out of here." Beck says, still comforting a wild Trina.
"If we call the cops...won't we get in trouble for the party?" Robbie speaks almost in whispers now, and I can tell this is way too much for him to handle.
"That doesn't matter, Robbie. Tori matters." André says, taking a deep breath and turning towards me. "Jade, think you can get her out of here? She can talk to the police later. For now, we can stay here and wait for the cops while keeping an eye on Ryder."
"I can't drive...I've drank too much." I admit, feeling worthless. All I want is to protect Tori, and I can't even manage to do that. Trina leaves Beck's arms, coming over towards me and kneeling by my side.
"Jade...come to my house. I can drive; I barely drank. My parents will be asleep, and we can take care of Tori. And later when I have to go to my room so they're not suspicious, you can stay with her. And then in the morning, we'll figure the rest out."
I nod slowly, lifting Tori as I stand up. I always knew Trina didn't really drink at parties, and over exaggerated her actions. But right now, I couldn't be more thankful for that. I look around at everyone and we all silently agree on our plan. Tori matters, and that's all that matters now. Ryder starts stirring again, and it takes all of my strength not to repeat my actions from earlier. As Trina and I head to the stairs, I suddenly hear the reaction that was building in Cat; A loud scream followed by a shatter. We both turn quickly to see a knocked out Ryder covered in broken glass, and Cat being held back by André. She must've grabbed something like a vase in the hall and smashed it over him. She struggles against André until she starts sobbing uncontrollably. I sigh, and look at Trina who read my thoughts perfectly.
"Cat, come with us. You can stay with me tonight, okay?" Trina says softly. Cat nods frantically and runs over to Trina, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Okay, we need to get out of here as unnoticed as possible. Everyone is pretty messed up, so it shouldn't be a problem. Just follow me." I speak with confidence, but every time I look at the limp body in my arms, I feel my heart tear into pieces.
We quickly move down the stairs and immediately towards the door. A couple of kids see me carrying someone, but just assume it's a drunk girl. Luckily, no one realized it was Tori and no one had a clue what she had been through.
We get into Trina's car, Cat taking the passenger seat while I take the back, allowing Tori to spread out comfortably across my lap. The silence in the car is heavy, and each of us are want nothing more than to break down or scream. But for Tori, we stay as strong as we can.
How could this happen? What made Tori think she could trust Ryder? What did he say to her that lead her to follow him? Was it because she was drunk? I mean...she hasn't really been drunk before. It could be that. And if it was because of that...does it mean that this is my fault? I pressured Tori into coming and I gave her the alcohol. If it hadn't been for me, she'd be safe at home, and none of this would've happened. I start to feel sick again, and if it weren't for the sudden stirring beneath me, I think I would've thrown up.
"Tori? Can you hear me?" I look down as she starts groaning and moving a bit. Her eyes are squeezed tightly shut, meaning she's at least regaining consciousness. All of a sudden, her breath hitches and she starts flailing her body, thrashing about.
"No! Let me go! Get your disgusting hands off of me! Help!" she starts screaming, and I work to keep her calm so Trina can concentrate on driving. Cat turns around, unsure of what to do, but I can see the worry in her eyes.
"No, Tori! It's Jade! And I've got you...it's just me, Cat and Trina. And I'm holding you. No one is here that can hurt you...I won't let anybody hurt you. Just breathe, Tori. I'm here." I watch as she starts to calm down, and her eyes open slowly.
"Jade? You...you saved me..." Before I can protest, she sits up on my lap and her arms fly around my neck, hugging me with as much strength as her weakened body can manage. "Thank you, Jade...where are we going? And what happened to...him...?" I hear her starting to cry, and I tentatively wrap my arms around her waist, trying to make her feel as safe as possible.
"We're taking you home. Trina's driving and Cat's up front. Don't worry, we're not waking your parents or anything. He's being taken care of and we'll discuss it tomorrow. Just relax and know you're safe now. I...I'll protect you..." I feel myself grip tighter onto her, unable to still truly believe what I saw was real when I opened that closet door. Tori rests her head on my shoulder, and I look at Cat who reaches out and rubs Tori's back. Trina looks at us in her rear view mirror for a moment, and I can't help but be slightly amazed at her actions tonight. She really cares about Tori.
We pull into their drive way, and though Tori is awake now, I still carry her as I did before. I know I'm being paranoid, but I worry that the moment I let go of her, something bad will happen again. We quietly make our way through the door and up the stairs into Tori's room. Her parents door is shut, and a dull light from what I assume is a TV glows through the cracks. I hear no movement, which settles my nerves a bit. I lay Tori gently on her bed as Trina gets pajamas for her to change into. I send Cat back downstairs to get Tori water, cautioning her to be silent. I head to the bathroom, grabbing a first aid kit and some ibuprofen for any pain she is experiencing.
When I return to the room, Tori is changed and Trina and her are in a tight embrace. I can see tears streaming down Trina's face as she holds her baby sister. I clear my throat awkwardly as I enter, so they know I've returned, and sit on the end of the bed.
"Tori, is it okay if I clean up the gash on your face? I really don't want you to get an infection." I can't seem to look her in the eye, but from my peripheral, I see her nod. Trina moves from her spot next to Tori, allowing me to take her place.
"I'll grab you something to wear to bed, Jade. I assume my clothes might fit you a bit better than Tori's." This brings a small smile to her lips, and even soothes me a bit.
"Yeah...we're a little too blessed, huh?" I respond dryly. She lets out a very small chuckle, both of us trying in our own unusual way to console the other. She exits and it's just me and Tori. I look down at her, and when her soft brown eyes meet mine, I quickly have to look away. I start taking out the antiseptic and pouring it onto a small cotton cloth. I look at the wound, fuming deep down. How could he hit her? How? I swallow hard as I start gently wiping it, noticing he did break the skin as I do. She flinched, and grabs my free hand. I tense a little, but continue what I'm doing, never speaking a word.
Cat soon returns with the water, and I finish up with Tori. I hand her a couple ibuprofen and the water, which she generously drinks down. I get up, unable to stand the closeness anymore. My guilt is eating away at me, and I start pacing through Tori's room. Cat sits down, holding Tori's hand and smiling softly.
"All of our friends will be here for you, Tori. All of us. I even helped, ya know. Ask Jade!" I look at Cat, rolling my eyes, but keeping my attitude in check. I need to be as sensitive as possible to both girls right now. Tori looks at me with questioning eyes, and I shrug my shoulders.
"Yeah, Kitty Cat here smashed what I think was a vase over what's his faces head. She knocked him out. Tough little cookie right there." Cat smiles wide and Tori manages a small grin so she can show Cat she appreciates her actions.
Trina soon returns with clothes for me, and rummages through some of Tori's stuff to find something for Cat. I exit into the bathroom to change, taking a moment to collect myself and breathe. I realize I'm not completely sober still, but from where I was, I sobered up a lot.
If I didn't find Tori, Ryder...he would've raped her. He would've went all the way and taken Tori Vega's innocence. And it would've been all my fault. I never meant for this to happen; I just wanted to hang out with Tori at a party and see her loosen up. It was selfish of me, but I thought it'd be good for her. I clearly thought wrong.
I take a deep breath, unable to really comprehend the emotions I'm feeling. I try dismissing them, knowing that right now, I have to focus on Tori. I leave the bathroom and go back into Tori's room, where Cat and Trina are both in pajamas now, saying goodnight to Tori. When they leave the room, I stand awkwardly, not sure of what to do.
"Um...can I get you anything, Tori?" I stare at the ground, shifting my weight back and forth.
"No, I'm okay. Thank you, though." She says softly, her voice sounding raspy and weak.
"Okay. Um...do you have extra pillows and blankets around so I can set up a bed on the floor?"
"Yeah...I do. They're in my closet up at the top." I nod and turn towards her closet, grabbing a couple of blankets to throw down and a pillow. I set up my bed next to hers and turn on her desk lamp, while shutting off her main light. I walk over to the end of her bed and sit down, still staring at the ground.
"I'm really sorry about tonight, Tori. I am so sorry...for everything."
"Jade, stop. It's not your fault. You saved me."
"Tori, no! It is my fault. Don't you see? I pushed you to go to that stupid party and to drink. If you didn't go...Tori...you...and...fuck, Tori! I'm so sorry! I fucked up and I'm so sorry!" I don't allow tears to leave my eyes, but I still can't look at her. I hear her sit up, and feel her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it.
"You're wrong, Jade. I wanted to go out; I've wanted to for so long. And I was having an awesome time with you. You made me realize that I try too hard to please everyone else, and I learned a lot about myself. But...I shouldn't have followed Ryder; I should've known better. He told me he wanted to talk in private, to apologize for everything. I should've known he was tricking me, just like he did for the Full Moon Jam. That's not your fault, Jade. Not at all."
"I shouldn't have left you, though. Not even for that short time."
"But I shouldn't need a baby sitter. And Jade...I don't know how or why you knew to look for me, but you did. And you stopped him. As far as I'm concerned...you're my hero..." I finally look up at her when she says this, and I see the pain and hurt in her puppy dog eyes. It kills me, and without warning, I pull her into my arms. She allows me to hold her close, rocking her back and forth. She cries again, and I can't believe she ever had the strength to stop.
"I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Tori. I promise you that."
After what seemed like forever, I realize that Tori has fallen asleep in my arms. I sigh, squeezing her tightly before laying her down and covering her up in her blankets. I turn her desk lamp off and lay on my bed on the floor.
I don't know what our next step is, but I think we have to tell her parents. I know she'll worry about getting in trouble, but they need to know. I mean, her dad is a cop, he can help us out more than anyone else we know with legal action. And then there's the matter of counseling. I mean, I've denied it for years, but after what Tori's gone through...I feel like it'll be necessary.
Fuck that bastard Ryder. I swear, if I ever see him again, I'll fucking destroy him. Tori Vega is the sweetest girl on the planet; She gives me cavities and a stomach ache all at the same time. Yet, despite how I bully and tease, I could never do something so vile or cruel to her. How could anyone? What kind of monster is he?
I hear Tori's breathing start to become more sporadic and shallow. She starts shaking and whimpering, and I realize very quickly that she's having a nightmare. I jump up to the side of her bed, shaking her as gently as possible.
"Tori...hey...wake up! You're having a nightmare, Tori. I'm here...just wake up..." Her eyes dart open, and stare up at me. I see the tears forming in them again, and I pull her back into my arms.
"He's in my dreams, Jade. He's never going to leave me alone."
"Yes he will, Tori. Just...before bed...uh...think of how, ya know, I could kick his ass. In fact, imagine me kicking his ass. We all know I can take pretty much anyone. So when you go into your dreams, if he's there, I'll be there, too. And I'll destroy him. And then you can go back to your pretty pink Tori Vega dreams. Sound good?"
She pulls away from me to look into my eyes, and I'm surprised to see a real smile form on her lips. She giggles a bit, wiping her tears away.
"Okay...sounds good. But, can I ask you a favor? Just for tonight?"
"So needy. Sure, what's up?"
"Can you lay with me tonight? I'm not ready to be alone...not yet. Please?" There is no way that even the most bitter part of my soul could say no to her request. I simply nod, and take the space next to her as she lays down. I lay on my back, completely still and silent. I'm not used to being near someone again; I haven't laid in a bed with another person since I was with Beck. But I know she needs me here, and I know it's my job to protect her, even if the entire situation makes me uncomfortable.
After a few moments, she turns to face me, sliding her body against mine. I don't fight it, though it makes me incredibly nervous. I'm not so good with human contact, so I awkwardly lift my arm around her shoulders. She happily moves closer, and just like that, I'm cuddling Tori Vega. While part of me wants to say a million rude things about it, another part of me feels like I have some sort of bigger purpose, even if it's only for the night. She's soft and fragile, and I can't imagine what she's thinking or feeling. I can't help but think that Tori is much tougher than she realizes, and that she shouldn't be putting herself down so much, especially during this situation.
"Hey Tori..." I whisper, in hopes she's still awake.
"Yeah, Jade?"
"You're a lot stronger than you think. Just...thought you should know."
"Thanks...and Jade?" I look down, only for my gaze to lock with hers again. This time, I don't look away.
"Yes Tori?"
"You've called me Tori all night, and I'm sure it's killing you. I promise calling me Vega won't upset me." She smiles and I'm sure my face is blushing. I thank whoever is up there that we're in the dark right now so she can't see.
"Alright, if you say so. Sweet dreams, Vega."
"Good night, Jade. And thank you."