Hey guys! I love that you guys love the story! Now I have a little proposition for you:
I'll promise to write a SEQUEL! But only IF I get a total of 100 reviews by the tenth chapter!
Also, ARIANA-FREAKING-GRANDE just sent ME a signed photo of her-personalized with my name on it...it's the best gift I've ever gotten!
Anyways, on with the show!
Dinner that night was decidedly awkward.
Andre had finally showed up, stumbling and muttering curse words under his breath. Not suprisingly, Jade could smell the alocohol on his breath as soon as he entered the room. Following shortly after came Tori, who looked like she was entering a morgue. She pointedly ignored Andre and sat by Trina at the other end of the table.
Sinjin came in, holding hands with Rex-which was weird because he was Robbie's little brother. "Shouldn't Robbie have him?" Jade asked. Sinjin shrugged. "He should, but he's all preoccupied with some girl," he replied, sitting down.
Odd, Jade thought to herself. "Did he go to see her today?" she asked, trying to be casual. "No, just to Cat and Beck's hotel room," Sinjin said noncalantly. Oh, God, more drama? Can't everyone just love who they're with? Jade thought in exasperation.
Cat, Beck, Nerina and Cadie came in a few moments later. Cat sashayed over to Jade and pecked her on the cheek. "Hey, Jadey," she said with a bright smile. Jade stared at her, a ghost of a grin on her face. "No one's called me that since high school," she said.
"Well, someone should!" Cat chirped. Jade laughed, then remembered what she had heard. She leaned forward in her chair. "Listen, Cat-"
Nerina twisted in her arms. "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, put me doooooowwwwwnnnnn!"
Cat winced as Nerina's little voice escalated into a screech. "One minute, baby, okay?"
"NOW! NOW! NOW!" Cat sighed and put Nerina down, watching her run around and try to bang on the pots and pans. "It's going to be a noisy night," Cat said dejectedly as she sat next to Jade. "So, what was that you wanted to talk to me about?" Jade leaned forward again. "Ok, so about you and Robbie-"
Beck meandered over towards them. "Hey, did you guys know that Andre's drunk?" he asked with a finger point in his direction. Cat looked and gasped. "Oh my God, how awful!"
"I know," Beck said, shaking his hand. Jade growled. "Beck, you're interrupting our conversation," she said. "Say the magic words and I'll leave you alone," he said with a smirk. Jade's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Leave now or I'll kick you in your pretty boy face," she spat. Beck laughed. "There's the Jade we know and love...hate...something like that," he said as he walked away. Cat giggled. "He's so funny-that's part of why I married him," she said happily.
"Yeah, yeah, great. So Cat, when Robbie came to your hotel room today..."
The color drained from Cat's face. She looked around nervously. "How did you find out?" she asked urgently. "Sinjin told me," Jade said. She put a hand on Cat's shaking one. "Cat, what did he...I mean, are you...is everything okay?"
Cat smiled gently. "Relatively," she said. "Tell me everything," Jade said. Cat launched into the story again. Jade listened attentively throughout the whole thing. Once Cat had finished, Jade hugged her tightly.
"Oh, Cat, I'm so sorry," she mumbled into Cat's magenta hair. "It's alright," Cat said. She turned her head towards Nerina and Cadie, who were playing innocently with Rex. "I''m just scared for the girls, mostly. They're so young, and Jade, if anything were to-to happen to them-if Robbie were to hurt them-"
Cat's eyes filled with tears, and she looked away. Jade put her hand on Cat's. Cat looked back to Jade. "How could I live with myself, Jade?" she whispered. Jade hugged Cat. "I'm not a mother-I can't begin to know what you're going through," she said. "But if you ever need help with anything, anything at all..."
"Thank you, Jade, but I think I'll make it through this," Cat said with a little smile. "After all...I have Beck." Beck looked up from the plant (where Andre was currently vomiting) at the sound of his name. "You call me, babe?" he asked. Cat shook her head, putting on a bright smile. "No, sweetie, we we were just talking about...the...baby!"
Beck raised an eyebrow. "Again?" Jade scowled at him. "We can always talk about how you are in bed...and boy, do I have some stories..."
"Baby talk is great!" Beck said over-enthusiastically, taking a gulp of Heineken. Jade smiled and Cat looked confused. "What?" she asked. "I'll tell you later," Jade said wth a grin.
BATBATBAT
Once everyone was seated, Sikowitz and Lane began to serve plated dinners. Everyone oohed and aahed over the gorgeous presentation and commented on the rich tastes, trying to ignore the fact that Robbie wasn't there and that Andre was still drunk.
"B-b-b-b-Beck, man, you got to, I need to, to say somethin' to your wife over there, man, man," Andre slurred, teetering in his chair. Beck looked at him oddly. "Sure, go ahead," he said. Andre turned towards Cat.
"I-I always thought that your boobs looked great, but-but now...wow! And I thought that your husband would be someone like...someone like..." he trailed off and looked around confusedly. "Wait,what?"
Cat looked genuinely confused. "Um...thank you?" she said. Jade rolled her eyes. "Ignore him, Cat, he's drunk," she said dismissively. "On another note, this tart is divine," Trina said. Beck nodded, his mind not on food at all.
Where is he, the little rat-bastard? Beck thought as he scanned the room. Cat noticed his intense staring and touched his shoulder lightly. He whipped his head around, expecting a fight, but the sight of Cat's worried face calmed him down a bit.
"Are you okay?" she said softly. Beck shook his head. "Damn it, I keep seeing him everywhere, but he's nowhere," he muttered. Cat rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "What's important is that he's not here now," she said. "Try to enjoy yourself!" He nodded and turned towards Tori.
"So, Tori, what's next for you?" he asked. Tori smiled shyly. "I'm not sure. I thought I'd stay in L.A., do some acting around here," she said. Andre leaned in towards her drunkenly. "That's where I live! Tori, we'll be best friend neighbor buddies..."
Tori laughed. "Yeah, we will," she said with a little smile. Trina took a piece of Tori's tart nonchalantly. "Hey!" Tori yelled. Trina stared at her."What?" she asked. "It's not like you needed to eat any more!" Tori rolled her eyes and Trina kept eating.
"Anyways, where's Robbie?" she asked.
"I'm here," a voice said. Everyone's heads turned to see Robbie standing in the doorway. "Sorry I was late," he said casually. Beck's muscles tensed, and he prepared to get up and beat the crap out of him, but he felt Cat's hand on his arm and stopped.
Next to Cat, Jade was gripping her fork so hard her knuckles turned white. Cat sighed. "Would both of you please calm down?" she hissed. "I'm fine." Robbie walked in, ruffling Rex's hair as he walked past the kids.
"So, Beck, Cat, I was thinking...since the kids are becoming such good friends, maybe we should have a playdate...like in my room or something?' he asked as he sat down. Tori smiled.
"That sounds like a great idea," she said. "Making a new generation of friends." Beck stood with a jolt, and Jade quickly followed. They both looked like they were out for Robbie's blood.
At first he looked shocked, but his eyes narrowed in challange. Cat tried to pull Beck and Jade down, but they were in agreement: Robbie had to die. Tori's eyes darted back and forth between them and Robbie.
"Wow, did something happen?" she asked confusedly. "I don't know what they're doing," Robbie said with a shrug. "The hell you don't," Beck muttured under his breath, his hands balling into fists.
"You bastard-" Cat interrupted Jade smoothly. "I don't know what's wrong with them, either," she said with a strained smile. She turned to Beck. "Sweetie, are you okay?" she asked. Beck sighed. "Fine," he mumbled, sitting down. Jade sat down more slowly. Cat resumed eating.
"Anyways, I'm sorry, Robbie, but the girls are...grounded!" Cat improvised with a little grin. Robbie frowned. "What would make you ground a two and three year old?" he asked suspiciously. Beck and Jade looked at Cat alarmedly, but she just lifted her glass casually.
"They flushed Beck's good cufflinks down the toilet," she said, taking a sip of water. Beck stared at her. "Wait, my good cufflinks?" he said. Cat patted his hand. "We'll talk about it later, sweetie," she said.
Robbie glowered, but recovered quickly. "Well, sometime soon, then," he said smoothly. "Maybe they could be penpals-or we could come visit. Citrus Heights isn't far away...not at all..." he raised his eyebrows and gave Cat a wink.
Cat smiled uncomfortably. "Maybe," she said with a little, fake laugh. Beck glared at his tart. Tori finally dropped her fork angrily. "Ok, what is up? You guys are all acting really weird," she said. "She's right," Trina said with a mouthful of apple. Sinjin looked away from the kids' highchairs. "I agree, something's not right," he added.
Cat smiled. "We're fine! We're just all…very tired," she lied. She looked across the table at the man who was snoring, his face in his plate. "Like Andre."
"Right. Tired," Beck muttered. Tori seemed to accept this answer and smiled back at Cat. Jade simply stuffed a huge bite of dessert into her mouth and said nothing.
As Cat began babbling on, Beck's eyes met Jade's. It had been ten years, but he could still tell exactly what was behind those icy blue eyes. And for once, he agreed completely.
Robbie had to pay.
BATBATBAT
Jade opened the door of her hotel room to let Beck in. "Hi," she said. He nodded curtly as a reply and strode in easily. "So, does Cat know you're gone?"
He sat in a chair and shook his head. "Nah, the baby hormones always knock her out at night. She'll be out like a light." Jade sat across from him. "Good. Now, we both know why we're here."
"Robbie."
"Exactly. Now, you're her husband, I'm her best friend, it's our job to protect her. I vote to beat up that sick bastard until he can't see straight," Jade said. Back shook his head. "No. We can't." Jade glared. "Why the hell not?" she asked.
"Cat doesn't want me to hurt him," Beck explained. Jade raised an eyebrow. "Even though he wants to hurt her?" Beck shrugged. "You know how she is," he said, running a hand through his hair.
Jade sighed. "Well, then, I think I know what you can do." Beck leaned forward. "What?" he asked. Jade's eyes flashed.
"Well, you know the old saying. Keep your friends close…and your enemies closer."
There ya'll go! Aah, this chapter took so long to write (school and all)! Anyways, bye bye and remember the deal: AN AWESOME SEQUEL IF I GET 100 REVIEWS BEFORE CHAPTER TEN!
Bye bye!