Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious. Dan Schneider does.
Author's Note: Here is the last chapter of The Call. I was going to have it be two chapters and you probably would have been able to tell where I would have split it.
I had a tiny bit of a plot after this but I doubt I'll write beyond this. I feel like I get too repitive.
The One That Got Away
"Maybe there's nothing we can do about this. But at least, for now...cry with me. Like your entire body...is screaming at the sky."
– Natsuki Takaya
Beck lost count of how many police cars were outside the house when he and David arrived on the scene. It had taken them a little less than an hour to get there with David going at least eighty on the highway.
There was a standoff when Beck and David; that much was apparent. Beck wasn't entirely sure what had all happened since the call but he just hoped that Jade was alive. No sign of Jade, which made Beck even more nervous. He wanted to see Jade.
He needed to see Jade.
Where was Jade?
"What are they doing?" Beck asked softly.
"They're getting ready to go in. Stay with me," David ordered. "It shouldn't be more than another minute or two."
Beck could feel his heart racing. It pounded in his ears. Waiting was the worst part. What if whoever had Jade was hurting her right now?
A barrage of officers forced their way inside the house. Beck wanted to go in with them. He needed to see Jade. He needed to know that he hadn't caused her death. He should have done more to get her out. And now her fate was in the hands of people he didn't know.
"We got him!" someone through the walkie. "Coming out now!"
"Any news on the girl?!" David shouted back.
"Nothing yet but we're still looking."
At least Jade wasn't being hurt anymore but that didn't put Beck at ease. What if it was too late?
"Why haven't they found Jade?" Beck asked.
"They're looking. Beck, I'm positive she's here. It just might take a few minutes to find her."
As Beck and David began to head inside, their culprit was being dragged outside. He had a dirty beard and was only wearing a robe with some socks on.
"His name is Douglas Cooper. He's a party entertainer. Goes by Doug the Diaper Guy."
Doug the Diaper Guy…why did Beck recognize that name?
He raked his memory for the why it sounded familiar and then he remembered Jade telling him about how Vega ruined her performance. It was the same guy. That's how he knew Cat.
He remembered Jade spending the night in his RV and softly crying. She never told him exactly what had happened but Beck had been able to string together that Doug had tried to come on to her. Maybe this was revenge now.
"Where is she?" David questioned harshly.
Doug said nothing. He gave David a twisted smile and Beck felt his stomach twist. Did this mean they were too late?
"Get him out of here," David ordered. "Come on."
Beck followed behind David as they made their way inside.
Officers were everywhere, taking pictures of the crime scene. Beck could see piles of lotion on the table and knocked over bottles of baby powder. He even saw some coconuts. This was the guy. He had everything Jade had mentioned in the car.
He stepped into the living room. There was a china cabinet against the back wall but there wasn't china in it. It contained a myriad of things from teenage girls. But one object caught his attention more than the rest.
"David!" Beck called.
Why did Doug have a purple giraffe that looked just like the one Cat had?
"They're trophies," David whispered.
"And that's Jade's necklace. Do you think he…oh god."
"Sir, I found someone. I think it's the girl you're looking for. Who knows her?"
Beck stepped forward. "I was on the phone with her. We went to high school together."
"I need to come with me and identify her."
"Identify?" Beck didn't like how the officer used that word.
"Come with me."
The officer led Beck toward a back room, which contained nothing more than a dirty mattress.
In the back corner, Beck saw Jade.
"Jade," he whispered.
She was nude and there was blood splattered all along the walls.
He was too late.
"I'm sorry," the officer said.
Too late.
He broke his promise.
"I'm sorry. I tried," he softly cried.
He pulled back a few strands of her dark hair, adorned with dark red streaks. It reminded him of Cat's hair, and he couldn't help but wonder if Cat was the reason behind his color. She was probably was though. Cat's death really shook Jade to the core.
"Go get a gurney. We need to get her out of here," David ordered. "Beck, you can't be in here. It's a crime scene. I need you to move."
David was right. Beck turned to leave when he heard a mumble.
"Jade?" he softly questioned.
"Beck?"
Beck knelt back down next to Jade, just in time to see her open her eyes.
"I'm gonna get you out of here, alright?" he said.
Jade nodded her head as Beck draped a thin blanket over her small frame. It was the only thing Beck could find in the shoddy room and he didn't want to take Jade out with something covering her.
"She's alive?" David asked. "I need a paramedic!"
Jade moved closer to Beck and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It all hurts," she whispered.
"I know. And I'm sorry. I wish we could have found you sooner."
"You found me."
"Let's get you out of here."
Beck picked up Jade and cradled her close to his chest. He never wanted to let her go again.
"Beck!" she shouted. Beck could feel Jade shaking against him. He turned just in time to see a paramedic come toward Jade.
"It's okay. It's just a paramedic. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you. It's over."
But instead of agreeing with Beck's statement, Jade burst into tears. What Doug did to her…it wouldn't go away. She remembered how his grimy, grease covered hands felt like. She could distinctly remember what he felt like.
"It's over. You're safe."
"Take me home," she whispered. "You."
"My place?"
Jade nodded her head into his shoulder and held onto him for dear life.
Beck wished he had been able to smile but in reality, he had Jade back and that's all that really mattered.
