Red Light Duex

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

Chapter 6 (A Little Attention Goes Far)

The next afternoon Sam and Cat were getting ready to head over to the Vega house. Cat didn't want to go, but she decided it was better to at least appear cordial, so there wasn't much need to try and convince Cat to go. Before they left, Sam could hear Cat talking to somebody. She looked around the corner and smiled when she saw Dice in the kitchen.

Something was different about him though, he was speaking in a quiet voice and had his hands in his pocket. His head was bowed and his face held a nervous sweat. "Thanks for the help," Dice looked up to Cat and shrugged. "I didn't want to bother you but I couldn't think of anyone else to ask."

"Well you know you can come over if you need money, just not much." Cat threw an empty can of soup into the trash bin. "I know you don't usually ask for money and it's not much, so I'm happy to help out if you need to."

"Yeah, again thanks. My aunt really needs that cream." Dice scratched the back of his head and looked around nervously. "So uh, you said Sam was taking a nap before you guys left?"

"Yes, but she's probably awake by now. Did you want her for something?"

"No." His answer came out with a rushed tone that startled Sam when she heard him. She scrunched her nose and furrowed her brow as a sharp pain hit her in the chest. Cat's lips formed an oval and Dice removed his hands, waving them in the air. "I really don't want to bother her, that's all. I know you say she's busy and everything."

Sam's eyes slanted and she quickly stepped around the corner, moving casually. "Not too busy for our favorite little munchkin." Dice spun around and his eyes grew large.

"I-I am not a dwarf! I'm an average size for my age."

"Aw isn't that cute?" She pinched his cheek and smirked dangerously as he recoiled. "Shorty's getting offended. Should I be offended that you're avoiding me?"

"What? No! I wouldn't-I'm not avoiding you! You guys are my only friends." He paused and snapped his fingers. "Scratch that-my only friends with a brain, Goomer's been hit in the head too many times." Sam crossed her arms and watched as Dice fidgeted and looked towards the door.

"You are avoiding me, and I want to know why, Dice. The only reason you came over was to ask for money, and you look so pale that you could faint at any minute."

"Pale?" He felt his forehead and cheeks, then groaned. "Well I definitely have been feeling sick lately. I'm coming down with something and I don't want you guys to catch it." He made his way to the door and looked back over his shoulder. "Again, thanks for the help!"

"No problem," Cat chimed. Sam put her elbow on the counter and waved as Dice ran out the door. "What was that about, Sam? I don't think he's avoiding us." She could tell he was gravely upset about something, and while she feared it, she had a bad feeling in her gut that he might have found something that he should never have seen. "He's just sick, that's what he said earlier."

"Yeah well, I'm not sure that sickness is a contagious one…" She shook her head and grabbed her jacket from the couch. "But whatever, let's get to your friend's place."

"Why does Tori want you there?"

"I honestly can't say."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Confidential."

"Yeah." Cat nodded once and tugged her lips back into a line. "That's what I thought. Decided to make clients out of the Vega's after all."

"Tori asked, that much is evident."

"Help one you'll have to help them all." Sam raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Cat walked around the counter and grabbed her purse off the table. "Like I said, that family's got problems up to your chin. You sift through the muck of one Vega, you need to help them all-and I'm not sure they're worth it. If they can even be helped." Sam rolled her head to the right and exhaled as a deep sorrow lifted up.

"Nobody is beyond help, Cat."

"I know, I know, but with them…you probably ought to leave them to a professional."

"I am a professional."

"I mean a seasoned one…"

"I won't give up on them, Cat." Cat smiled sadly and closed her eyes, shrugging gently. It was clear the girl's anger with the Vega clan ran deep, but Sam could not allow the bitterness of one person to stop her. "I'm a counselor, I have to help." She couldn't afford bias. "If I don't try to help where they need me, then what does that say about me as a counselor?"

"You're right, it's just-" Cat took a deep breath and started for the door. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

At the Vega house Trina met them with a smile. Her friends had already arrived, and none looked too pleased to see her there. While Cat moved to the table with the others, Sam sat in the recliner.

She made careful observations of the friends, studying their body language for sake of practice. They had been leaning back in a relaxed state, but now they were hunched forward and tense. Every so often someone would glance at her, and when they saw her staring, they'd look away.

"You can all relax," Sam stated abruptly, "I'm not here to grill you or make you feel uncomfortable. Tori and Cat asked me over."

"So why don't you join the poker game?" Beck asked. Jade shot him a glare and he sank in his seat. "Someone has to offer, Jade."

"It's alright." Sam hung her arm over the armrest and looked towards the stairs. "I'm not a big fan of poker." She could hear voices coming from a room nearby, calling her attention to a door. In the corner of her eyes, Tori let her shoulders fall and exhaled sharply.

The voices belonged clearly to a couple of adults, both were yelling profanities. There were noises that implied items being thrown against the wall. Tori spoke loudly to keep her friends interested, but the way they were sitting-now comfortably-implied they were used to this.

After several seconds, Holly stormed out of the room. She was wearing a dark purple shirt and jeans, her red purse hung from her left shoulder. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and she had on copious amounts of makeup as though she were going out on a date.

"Hey mom," Tori stated. Holly let out a grunt and raced out the front door. Tori met Sam's eyes and bounced her head to the door. Sam nodded back at her and looked at the room Holly left from.

The inside appeared to be a study of some sort. There was a desk littered with stacks of paper and small laptop. Above this desk was a framed photo of a happy couple and two young children. A painful sensation stabbed at her as she studied the photo. "Such a shame," she whispered.

David stepped in the doorway and scowled at the group for a second before slamming the door shut. Sam shook her head and looked back to the steps, seeing Trina standing at the top step. She had a long ponytail and was wearing a short tank top and a matching skirt. "Well glad that's over with!" Trina exclaimed. The friends groaned at her and Tori twisted to face her.

"You're not going out too are you?"

"In a little bit." Trina started down the steps and shot a glance at Sam, freezing as recognition glimmered in her eyes. "Hey. It's you! What are you doing here?"

"I'm Cat's roommate." Sam crossed her legs and smiled politely at the girl. "She invited me to tag along." Trina made her way over and sat on the side of the couch closest to the recliner.

"Oh. Well regardless, it's…interesting to see you again." Trina flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked towards the door to her father's office. "I know you're a counselor type, but don't try to figure my family out. Mom and Dad have been like that for years now."

"Must be rough."

Trina chuckled sorely and looked back. "You want rough? A couple years ago they sent both me, and Tori, away to separate camps. Tori goes to a bible camp and I was sent to some karate camp. We were annoyed because they were fighting so much, Mom started cheating on Dad and he started focusing on his job so much."

"So they sent you two away because you complained?"

"Yep. How fucked up is that?" Trina leaned back in the couch and shrugged. It was harsh indeed, but surely there could be worse places to be sent to. Although the hard part of it was their own parents sent them away just because they wanted a little more attention. "I probably got more out of my camp than Tori, probably."

This could be a key conversation to start a prospective friendship on, or at least keep Trina from heading out. With that in the back of her mind, Sam decided to push forward. Tori had already let her know she'd try to do something to keep Trina from leaving, but this was a start.

"Tell me more about your experience at camp." Trina raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"You're really interested in that part of my life?"

"Sure, I mean it sounds like you had a good time there if you say you got more out of your experience than Tori did hers." Trina laughed and leaned forward.

"Well okay. I've never had anyone take an interest in that-or me in general." Sam smiled at this and acknowledged with a nod. This was familiar to her since that reasoning was a big reason she'd dealt into the lifestyle that she'd been in. If someone had shown they really gave a damn about her life, if her family had taken an interest in her sooner and stopped focusing on Melanie so much, then maybe she wouldn't have fallen into that life. For Trina it appeared to be the same way, though neither parents took an interest in either girl from what it appeared.

"Well what are you waiting for? I'd like to know how karate camp was. I've always pictured it to be boring?"

"Boring?" Trina scoffed and ripped out a loud laugh, startling the others. A smirk flashed on Trina's face and she lifted her shoulders. "Well I learned a little about martial arts there, I've never had so much fun. Not to mention this cute boy that was there."

"Oh? Do tell."

"There isn't much to tell. I don't imagine he'd want a thing to do with me now, but back then?" Trina leaned to the right and fanned herself with her hand. "Hot as hell. I think I was all he was into at the camp."

"You were into him?"

Trina put her hands to the couch and pushed herself back into the couch. "Was I ever!" The girl took a long pause, her eyebrows curled inwards and her mouth fell along with her shoulders. She bowed her head and sighed before glancing to the clock on the television. "I should probably go, though…it's getting late." Sam's heart stopped and she saw Tori look over with wide eyes.

Thinking fast, Sam reached forward, hovering her hand carefully over Trina's wrist. "No please." Trina looked to her hand, then looked into Sam's eyes with a perplexed look. "You haven't told me much, I'm still very interested in this camp."

"Yeah but, I don't like talking about the guy."

"So don't, just tell me about the camp. Do you really have to go?"

"I…" Trina's brow furrowed and her hands fell beside her legs. "I guess not. I have a little time to talk. I don't have anywhere to be if you're really interested."

"Trina." Sam beamed with pride and curved her lips into a full smile. She could see Tori watching closely from the table, appearing ready to cry out in joy. As long as she kept this girl talking, she would not be leaving this house. Besides, why go and get attention from people prowling the streets for sex when she had attention right here? "You've got my full, undivided attention."

It's definitely a start. Friendship is a good way to get a trust going so they'll be more apt to listen and come in times of difficulty. In this instance, coupled with Sam's own past experience, Trina may eventually come to her for counsel. We'll have to see, but this is a good starting point. Also a good chance to see what the situation is with the Vega clan.