Disclaimer: The show "Victorious" and its characters are the property of Dan Schnieder and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is wanted or expected for this story.

I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting for so long. I'll try to be faster from now on.

Chapter 7 - Every Fairytale Must End


Tori's pov

The day started as usual. I woke up at 6AM after a nice night of sleep, because sleep was what I definitely needed after that strange dream I had when my boring History book caused me to fall asleep. What did I dream? I dreamed my double (or a twin sister with the same name as mine, I don't know) giving oral sex to Jade West. What a nightmare. I mean, which decent, self respecting dominatrix does that? Which member of the Diamond Club would give oral sex to his or her sub? Not a single one. Absolutely none! My mom always says that giving oral sex to a sub is something a dominatrix should never do because A) it is beneath us, it would be humiliating for a dominatrix, and it would diminish our authority, and B) that's the sub's job. They have to please us and we give them pleasure only if we want to. And if we want to, we give it in our way, to avoid the contact with the sub as much as possible. They have to crave for our touch, to belong to us completely. The subs have their place and we have ours, they are the slaves and we are their masters and mistresses. To each its own, and the line should not be crossed. Ever.

Anyway, I went through my normal morning routine. I showered, got dressed, applied my make up, styled my hair, and ate breakfast (chocolate pancakes, yummy), during which Trina asked me if it was true that Beck and Jade had broken up. When I confirmed that, she immediately burst into a rant about her plans how to make Beck fall madly in love with her. Not wanting to listen that on top of her horrible singing attempts, I decided to skip the ride with Trina and then run off to catch the bus.

Even though the bus was full of irritating middle schoolers, they couldn't distract me from thinking about Jade. What should I do? Should I trust her or not? It seems she means well, but who knows what will happen when I tell her that my mom thinks she is my sub. And the revelation of that to Jade is not even negotiable; she needs to learn that from me before she accidentally learns from my mother who would insist on being called mistress, and when Jade doesn't comply, all Hell would break loose. The question is, how will Jade react when she finds out what I told my mom about the outcome of the session? The moment I tell her the truth, any positive feelings she has for me, if she really has any, will be thrown out of the window.

Surrounded with those dark thoughts, I exited the bus and put the earbuds in my ears. Maybe music could cheer me up a little bit. I was just a few minutes from Hollywood Arts and when I was walking across the road, someone pushed me hard and I fell a meter forward. When I looked behind me, I saw Jade lying on the road with a wound on her head. Jade West. The girl who supposedly hated me since I arrived at Hollywood Arts, to whom I accidentally revealed my family's biggest secret when I unsuccessfully attempted to make her my slave, and who then kidnapped me and humiliated me. The girl who later claimed to have feelings for me, the girl who even kissed me, and told me that my secret is safe. And now she's lying there, maybe dead, because she, for who knows what crazy reason, decided to save me, and sacrifice herself in the process.

Seeing her lying on the road with a wounded head, the devil in me said everything would be good if Jade dies, but the angel urged me to immediately call 911. I run toward Jade, kneeled in front of her and pulled out my pearphone. I type the number and press call. I look at Jade. I can't tell if she's breathing or not. Don't panic, Tori. This is definitely no time to panic. After one ring I hear someone answering the call.

"9-1-1, where is your emergency?"

"Ahh, 1580 Wilcox Avenue. On the road. My friend was hit by a car. She needs help immediately."

"We've re sending paramedics right now. How old is she?"

"Eighteen."

"Is she awake?"

"No, she's unconscious."

"OK. Is she on her back?"

"No, she's lying sideways."

"Is she breathing?"

"I'm not sure."

"If you can touch her without moving her body, take her wrist and check her pulse."

I do as I'm told and take Jade's right wrist. Yes, I can feel the pulse.

"Her pulse is steady."

"Do you see any external bleeding?"

"She has a wound on her head."

"Is there any serious bleeding?"

"No. The wound is a small one."

"Ok. That's very good. If the injury looks serious, be careful not to move her head."

"I just said, the wound is a small one."

"Ok, please don't panic. Help is on the way but I'm going to stay on the phone in case you find out anything further, OK?

"OK, OK. Thank you."

With my pearphone still glued to my ear I look at Jade. She can't die. She can't. I need her. The ambulance car appeared quickly, and in less than ten minutes, Jade and I were in the hospital. She was taken to a room while I stayed in the hallway.

I keep standing while I wait. I can't sit. I know I couldn't be still. Please, Jade. Don't die. Don't die.

Approximately 15 minutes later, a tall handsome doctor with dark brown hair comes out of Jade's room. I quickly walk toward him.

"Doctor, how is she?" I ask him nervously.

"It seems she'll be okay. She has a mild concussion and bruises all over her body but she is out of danger. We have bandaged the wound on her head. She doesn't have any others and we haven't found any traces of internal bleeding. Right now we can only wait until she wakes up."

"She's not in a coma?"

"No, she's just sleeping."

"Thank God." I can finally feel some of my internal pressure disappearing.

"Miss, what is her name?"

"Jade West. Jadelyn West. She's a student at Hollywood Arts high school."

"Are you her colleague?"

"Yes, I'm Tori. Tori Vega."

"Tori, I'm Doctor Ward. Herbert Ward. Can you call Jade's parents and tell them what happened?"

Easier said than done. I don't even have Jade's phone number. The phone numbers of her parents are practically unreachable for me. I better call Cat. Maybe she has the numbers. And if she does have them, she better give them to me or else...

"Ok, I'll try to contact them. When can I see her?"

"You can go in right now, but she's asleep."

"Thank you, doctor."

I enter Jade's room and slowly close the door. I don't want to disturb her sleep. Jade is lying in bed, covered with a blanket, with a lot of bandages on her head. A cable leads from the electrode inside of Jade's hospital gown on her chest into the cardiac monitor near the bed. I pull up a chair next to the bed and sit in it.

She looks so relaxed. Every time I see her, her face is always tense, always serious or angry. And the only time I see her laughing is because she's laughing at someone's misfortune. Now for the first time I see her overcome with peace.

As my head is filled with those thoughts, a light bulb suddenly appears above my head. If those humiliating photos of me are on Jade's pearphone, I can delete them. I quickly reach for Jade's backpack.

"Don't you think you're invading her privacy?" The angel Tori in my head suddenly says.

"She invaded your privacy when she read your diary. Find those photos and delete them as quick as you can." The devil Tori replies.

I quickly decide that this time the devil Tori is right. I take's Jade's backpack, open it and skim through it. I hate myself for behaving like some street crook but this is an opportunity too good to pass up. I see a lot of school books and notebooks, and some box wrapped in black paper but I manage to find Jade's pearphone and see it's unlocked. Good. Quickly I access the picture files. I see many photos of natural landscapes, some photos of our school, and a few photos of Jade in Cat's company. I also see some photos of Jade in Beck's company but all of them are at least a month old. Strange. But to my disappointment I don't find any photos of me. Not even the ones she showed me yesterday in the janitor's closet. Shit. She must have moved them to her laptop or some flash drive. Now what?

Then I suddenly have an idea and search through Jade's contacts. Hmm. No Wests. Then I search the D letter but find no dad. Finally I search through letter F and find Father. How formal, but that's what you can expect from Jade. I know she doesn't have the healthiest relationship with her parents. That's also one of the reasons why I though she would need a mistress who would make her happy. A happy sub who would make her mistress happy.

I type Jade's father's phone number in my pearphone and call him. I go outside because I don't want to interrupt Jade's sleep. I stand in the hallway, leaning against the wall as the phone rings five times. Jade's dad is probably not used to answering calls from the unknown numbers. Just as I'm about to end the call, someone answers.

"Hello?"

I recognize the voice, even though I've seen the man only once, and that was a year ago. That's Jade' dad.

"Mr. West?"

"Yes. To whom am I speaking?"

"I'm Tori Vega. The girl who helped your daughter produce her play 'Well Wishes'. We met after the play."

"Yes, I remember you. What do you need, Tori?"

"It's about Jade, Mr. West. She's in a hospital!"

"What? When? What happened to her? Where is she?"

"She was hit by a car, maybe an hour ago. Don't worry, the doctor tells me her injuries are not serious. She's in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center."

"Can I talk to her?"

"No, she's unconscious."

"All, right, Tori. I'm on the vacation with Jade's mother and brother in Miami but we'll try to catch the first plane to LA. Can you stay with her and call us when she wakes up?"

"Yes, of course." I say without even thinking.

"Okay, Tori. Thank you for calling me."

He hangs up. That's one problem to be crossed off the list. Too bad there are many more problems ahead of me. Now I have to call Cat and tell her why I'm not in school. She can also tell our friends and teachers why is Jade not in school. I don't want us to get any detention. As Jade likes to say, I am Miss Perfect, so I'm not supposed to be in detention, and she has too many punishments at school already. Oh how I wanted to be the only one who could punish her, to have her beg me for forgiveness after I make her ass red with my whip. I better forget that. As things stand now, that's never gonna happen.

An hour and a half later, after informing Cat about the situation, and listening her panicking with questions about the possibility of Jade dying from too much sleep in the hospital bed (because that's what apparently happened to one of her brother's acquaintances), I'm still sitting in the hallway. Jade is still asleep. I wish I could go back to school but I have promised Mr. West to stay here and call him when Jade wakes up.

As I wait, I see the same doctor who told me to call Jade's parents. Doctor Ward, if I remember correctly. He's walking toward Jade's room.

"Hey, Tori. I'm just going to check your friend."

And he grabs the door handle and enters Jade's room, leaving me alone. Maybe I should go inside with him, but I don't know how Jade would react to me. But I know I have to talk with her. We have to make this situation clear. We can't remain standing in the middle of nowhere, neither here, nor there.

Less than five minutes later, the doctor is back.

"She's awake, Tori. You can go in now."

She is? Yay! Let's prepare for the lead rain to start pouring over me. Thank God that Jade is obsessed only with scissors and not firearms.

I put on my best confident smile and grab the door handle. I open the door and see Jade lying in the same position as I left her, but she is awake, just as Doctor Ward said. Before she can say anything, I close the door and come close to her bed.

"Hello, Jade. How are you?"

She rolls her eyes.

"I feel like I was hit by a car. Next stupid question."

This must be a record. I lasted the whole five seconds before the first insult.

"May I sit?"

"Can't stop you. And even if I could, I wouldn't want to."

As I sit I look at her, surprised.

"You wouldn't?"

"No, Tori. I wouldn't. We have something to discuss, don't you think?"

"Indeed we have. How long are you staying here?"

"At least two weeks, maybe more. That's what the doctor says. But that's not what I want us to discuss."

I sigh.

"I know."

"Look, Tori, I know this whole thing between us is strange and weird and awkward but it doesn't have to be. What I said is true. I do have feelings for you. I'm mean, but I'm not a monster. I won't show those photos and the video to anyone. I would never allow myself to do that." She raises three fingers. "Scout's honor."

"You are a girl scout?" That sounds like a big fat lie to me.

"I was when I was twelve. Only for six months. I got kicked out when I cut to pieces some other girl's skirt with my scissors. She was stupid and boring. The girl, not the skirt."

Jade West, the tiny terror. Why am I not surprised.

"I need to know something, Tori."

"Shoot."

"This whole domination and submission thing... Are you into that just sexually or as a way of life?"

Now we're getting to the point. She wants to know how "perverted" my family and I are. And I thought we were finally accomplishing something.

"Look, Jade, you can't understand that if you're not into that. And you have shown me very clearly that you are not. And that, despite any feelings that we might have for each other, makes us not compatible. I'm sorry, but I misjudged you. I thought you were something and you were not. Not only that me involving you, only resulted in my utter humiliation, which I'll admit still stings rather badly, and I have also put my family in danger. Now, you say that my family's secret is safe."

"Yes, Tori. And it will stay safe."

I look her in the eyes. Her intentions appear to be genuine, but I horribly misread her once and at this point, I simply don't think if I can trust my instincts here. My best guess is that it would never work between us and I need to simply put this behind me and move on.

"I'm sorry Jade, but I think that we should both move on. I was wrong to think we could have anything together and I am sorry for involving you. You have pushed me out of the way of that car but I have called ambulance, so I'd say we're even. You say that my secret is safe, and I thank you for that, but everything between us ends there. Oh, I almost forgot, call your dad."

I stand up, ready to leave the room.

"Tori, if you will let me explain - "

"Please, don't interrupt me. You say you like me, but I'm afraid I just cant trust your words. It may make me a horrible person for saying so, but that's how I feel. As I said, I misjudged you once and at this point, I simply do not trust my instincts in regard to you. So that said, I simply do not believe you and I could have anything together. I am what I am and you were not what I thought you were. Again, I'm sorry, but there is simply too much hurt feelings for any hypothetical relationship to work. We're not kids anymore, and every fairy tale must end, sooner or later. I need what I need and you are not what I need. I have my way and you have your own."

I turn around and go toward the door.

Jade's pov

Tori is leaving the room. She's reaching for the door handle. NO! It can't end like this.

And then I make it. A last second decision.

"Tori, stop."

Tori stops at the door and turns around. She's looking at me with surprise in her eyes.

"I want to give you something. Something to show you that my intentions are honest. Can you give me my backpack?"

Tori comes back, picks up my backpack from the floor and gives it to me. I open it and pull out the box wrapped in black paper.

"I wanted to give you this yesterday but you didn't give me the chance. You run away. I know you are still afraid because I have the video and the photos. I know that because I would be afraid if I were in your place. So I decided to give you this, so you could have 'a hostage' of your own."

I unwrap the box. Through the transparent cover you can see a shiny pair of scissors inside.

"These are the scissors from The Scissoring. Cat bought them for me the last Christmas. I'm sure you remember when she gave them to me. They are my most prized possession. I would go crazy if anything happens to them. I want you to take them. Until we clear everything between us, until you feel you can trust me completely again, until you feel we can 'exchange the hostages' again, I'm leaving them in your care."

Tori takes the box carefully, like I'm giving her a box of poisonous snakes.

"Tori, I understand if you don't want us to be girlfriends. I really, really understand. But could we, maybe, at least try to be friends? I know it will take time, but, can we at least try?"

She's still standing like a statue, looking at the scissors. Then she answers with a trembling voice.

"Maybe... One day."

And then Tori walks away with the scissors, leaving me to lay alone and stunned. Have I accomplished anything with this gesture? Maybe yes, maybe not. Maybe she thinks I didn't give her the real scissors. Who can tell? Tori can tell, but she's not here anymore, and I don't think I'll see her anytime soon.

Ten minutes later, the doctor comes back.

"Hello, Jade. Where is your friend?"

"She left."

He comes close to the bed and sits on the chair.

"Something is bothering you, Jade. And not just the physical wounds. It's about your friend, isn't it?"

"Are you a shrink too?"

"If I have to be." The doctor replies with a smile.

"Ok. Since I can't afford a shrink... Wait. I don't even know your name."

"Doctor Ward. Herbert Ward. Now, what were you saying?"

"She and I... We're not exactly friends, doc."

"A state you hope to change?"

"Yes, I hope. But there is a barrier between us. Two, actually. And both of them are big like an elephant. No, they're even bigger. Big like a Great Wall of China with armed sentries posted every 20 feet."

"Can you tell me what those barriers are?"

"I can. At least one. I have realized, after long time, that I like her. The problem is, until now I have treated her like a piece of garbage because I was afraid to admit my own feelings. I'm a coward."

"Jade, a coward wouldn't admit his or her mistake. What's the other barrier?"

"She's following a path. The wrong path."

"Is she a member of some street gang? A cult, perhaps?"

"No, not a cult, but not far away."

"And you know this 'cult' is bad because..."

"Because I know a person who had a very bad experience with them. Well, not exactly with them but with a very similar group. And she didn't like that experience at all. Not one bit."

"Is that person still alive?"

"Yes, she is. She was saved from that nightmare and now she's living a happy life with my father's sister."

"Jade, the truth is that nothing worth having is ever easy, and all the best things in life are the result of pain. In the end, that's what makes the good things go very great, and that's what makes it all worth the struggle. If you fail, try again. Is this girl worth fighting?"

"Yes, I think she is."

"Then call this person and ask her for advice. Maybe she can give you some tips how to help you friend."

"It's not that easy, doc. It's very complicated."

"I didn't say it would be easy. But remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. Jade, you say you treated her badly. Some say there's a thin line between love and hate. But, to quote one of my colleagues, Dr. Gregory House, 'Everybody does stupid things, it shouldn't cost them everything they want in life.' Don't you agree?"

"Yeah, you're right."

"Okay. Now excuse me, I have to find that lazy nurse who was supposed to bring you meal."

And then he quickly exits the room, leaving me alone with my dark thoughts.


Tori's pov

I'm at home, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The school was more than exhausting. All of my friends asked me about Jade, and if I had had any wounds. Beck was especially concerned about Jade. It's obvious he still has feelings for her. Maybe it's best if I forget her.

When I came home, I told my mom what happened with Jade and she was more concerned about Jade's inability to perform in the Diamond Club than about Jade's health. I love my mom, I respect her, and she has taught me everything a proper dominatrix needs to know. I know seeing me joining the Diamond Club is very important to her but this is becoming slightly extreme. However, I grabbed the chance and lied to her again. I told her that Jade would need several months of therapy until she fully recovers. She bought that, admitting that even we can't give orders to the nature to speed up Jade's recovery.

Now I'm trying to catch some sleep but I just roll from one side to the other. Why can't I sleep? Because Jade sneaks into my mind like a skilled burglar. I think about what I told her at the hospital. I have my path and she has hers. Those paths are not compatible. And the moment I exited Jade's room, I started crying. I want her, but I can't have her. Why the fate has to be so cruel? I'm not a spoiled child, I've never demanded from my parents to buy me anything, I've always been modest, but I can't have the only thing that I really want. I need to have a sub to be happy. I need to have someone over whom I could have complete control. I didn't have control over Steven and he hurt me. I didn't have control over Ryder and he hurt me.

My mom's words come to my mind. "Once they surrender to you, the subs belong to you. They are your property. You have absolute control over them. You own them. You do with them as you like. That's what they want. If they fail you, you punish them. If you hurt them, you did nothing wrong. The fault is all on them. We can't make a mistake. We are the tops, they are the bottoms. They have their place and we have ours. To each its own, and the line should never be crossed. You must always be in control."

Do I like being a dominatrix? Of course I do. Is being a dominatrix a big part of my life? At the moment, not the biggest part. The school is much more important now. I hoped to change that when Jade surrenders to me but...

I like being good at everything I do. I'm good at singing, acting and dancing. I'm also good at being a dominatrix. The feeling of excitement and goosebumps that rushed through my body every time I take the whip in my hands or when I saw Alyssa Vaughn kneeling naked before me can be compared only to the surge of adrenaline that rushed through me when I performed "Make it Shine" in front of the whole school for the first time. The school I didn't even belong to then. It was a day later that I met Jade, a cold possessive girl who spilled coffee on my head. A few hours after that incident, Trina tried to convince me not to quit Hollywood Arts, for her own reasons, of course. But it was the conversation with my mother that night that convinced me to stay at Hollywood Arts. When I told her that there was a girl at the school that I would like to make my slave, mom told me to stay and do that. She believed my judgement that the Goth is deeply down a submissive lesbian who would fall for me sooner or later. And look how that turned out out to be.

"Nice work, Sherlock." I sarcastically tell myself. For a daughter of a police officer, that wasn't just embarrassing, it was super embarrassing. Not only did I reveal my family's biggest secret, I also made a complete fool of myself and let Jade capture me in three seconds. So much about my self defense skills. Why didn't I take a karate class like Trina? If I did, maybe I wouldn't end up tied to her own bed with her own restraints. Dear God, could there be a greater embarrassment for a dominatrix? To let the supposed sub fool me and trap me. So much about Jade being a sub and so much about my detective skills.

"What should I do?" I ask myself. "Jade says she has feelings for me. I want to be with her but she doesn't want to be my sub. Who knows, maybe, over time, I could convince her that being a sub is a good thing. Yeah, right. She clearly showed me what she thought about that. But hope dies last, right? I can't forget what I've been trained to be overnight. And I don't want to. I love the feeling of power. I can't change. Not even for Jade.

Surrounded with those dark thoughts, I hear a song playing from some radio channel on my pearphone. A few lyrics into the song and I realize how fittingly it describes this whole mess up.

Once upon a time, in a land far away
Where the fairytale lied, you would have it your way
I would always have wished, as I stood in the mist
To undo the spell I was under

The fairytale indeed lied. Jade is not a sub. I wanted to have it my way, and I couldn't.

Years went by and the story goes on
I'm here wondering why I did everything wrong
Always hoping that I find the wings and do fly
And be no more the prey but the hunter

I did everything wrong and now Jade is in the position to be the hunter and I the prey. And there are no wings for me to use.

All seems like the perfect ending
Still I'm close to understanding

Can there be a perfect ending in this situation? Can it be?

I still breathe
But you're killing me, I believe
That I need a reason to live
I can no longer hide in my dreams
Gotta still breathe

The singer is right. I can no longer hide in my dreams, because Jade as my sub is just a stupid dream. It's time to wake up and end this fairytale.


No one's pov

What Tori didn't know was that Jade was listening the same song at the same time. Listening and thinking just like Tori.

Tables have turned, as I'm drifting away
Now the lesson is learned I can no longer stay
I am finally freed from your hurting and greed
I see oceans of joy and laughter

The tables have indeed turned, Jade thought, but in a way, the situation has remained the same. We're still just school colleagues who barely tolerate each other. Instead of coming closer to Tori, I'm drifting away. Has she learned anything from my lesson? Have I learned anything?

Turning my head for the very last time
In a distance you stand as I leave you behind
As our fairytale ends, hear my very last words
That I'll happily live ever after

Is this really the end of the fairytale? Are Tori and I just a fairtytale? Can I live happily ever after without Tori? Is it best that we separate? No. What she believes is a fairytale.

All seems like the perfect ending
Still I'm close to understanding

I'm understanding that I'll have to work a lot more on correcting Tori's view on some things.

I still breathe
But you're killing me, I believe
That I need a reason to live
I can no longer hide in my dreams
Gotta still breathe

I have the reason to live. The doctor is right. It may take time, but I can't give up.

No more fairytale, I'm tired of it
I am no longer brave to fight for all this
No more fairytale, I'm tired of it
I am no longer brave to fight for all we've had

Tori is not tired of the fairytale but I have to pull her out of it.

I still breathe
But you're killing me, I believe
That I need a reason to live
I can no longer hide in my dreams
Gotta still breathe

I can't let her hide in her dreams. I have to show her the truth. I can't give up. Her fairytale must end.


Thanks to Quitting Time for helpful suggestions.

Notes:

Google Maps says the address of the real Hollywood Arts school is 1644 Wilcox Ave so I thought an accident should happen somewhere close.

Dr. Gregory House is the main character of the TV series House, M.D

The song is Fairytale by Elysion. The lyrics are used without permission.