Thank you so much, those of you who have reviewed – you're wonderful! I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story – I hope you like this next update. There is a bit of setback – but it has its purpose and won't last for long. So, read, enjoy, and review


Chapter 8 – Strong Tomorrow

"So now you're sleeping peaceful / I lie awake and pray / That you'll be strong tomorrow / And will see another day" – from "Hold On" by Sarah McLachlan

They were still in a heated debate two hours later when Clare returned to the tense kitchen. She fished a bottle of water from her bag before taking a swig. Once finished, she sat at the counter and wrote for a few minutes before handing a folder to Jade. The brunette read it over with a furrowed brow before signing off and handing it back to the therapist. "She wanted to get right into bed. But she asked if you could stop in." Jade nodded. "She's exhausted. You need to tell Meg to take it easy tomorrow," she suggested, referring to the physical therapist.

"She doesn't listen to me," Jade said dryly.

"I'll call her," Clare offered. "There is such a thing as pushing too much. And it was clear tonight that she needs a break. Take it slow this week." Jade raised her eyebrows and Clare laughed before amending her order. "Okay, take it slower this week. Call me if you have any problems. Otherwise, I'll come by tomorrow around eight."

"Thank you, Clare," Beck said. Jade was already gone, having grabbed a water bottle and headed up the stairs toward Tori's room. She knocked lightly on the door jamb.

"Come in," Tori called. Usually, if she was in bed that early, she would be reading a book or playing on the PearPad Beck had given her. That night, however, she was already curled under the covers, lights out.

"It's barely ten," Jade said as she entered. She pulled a chair close to the bed and switched on the bedside lamp.

"I'm tired," Tori answered.

"Understandable," Jade replied. "What else is up?"

"Andre wants me to go and live with him," she stammered quietly, the thought taking three times the normal length of time to be interjected into the conversation.

"People want a lot of things," Jade responded. "And one point in life, you wanted to live in some damn sugar castle. Want does not translate to something happening. Unless you want it to. It is completely your decision." Tori was silent and she looked away, suddenly extremely interested in the flowers embroidered into her pillowcase.

"Unless," Jade said slowly. "You don't want it to be your choice. I am fully on board with being the head bitch around here – I will tell him there is no option – if that's what you want."

"I –d-d-don't want-t-t-t to hurt him," she said softly.

"For god's sake, Tori!" Jade cried. "You are allowed to be selfish in this. This is not the time to make everyone else happy. This is the time to do what is right for you. What do you want?"

"I'm so tired," she whispered, "I want to stay here," she added, fighting tears. She buried her face in the pillow and let go, her entire frame overtaken by sobs. Jade sighed and moved to the edge of the bed, rubbing circles against her back in an attempt to comfort.

After a few minutes, when Tori still hadn't stopped, Jade began to speak softly. "Tori, you need to calm down," she pleaded. "Come on, this is not good for you." She continued to rub her back. "Do you want a pill?" Tori shook her head.

"No," she cried.

"Okay," Jade agreed. "Then you need to calm down. No one is going to be upset with you. Andre loves you – he'll understand. It's going to be fine." Tori continued to cry and Jade sighed, moving close to despair herself.

She hummed for a moment and began to sing softly,

"There is no upper hand

I'm giving you mine

It doesn't have to end up wasting your time

There's things that I could say

But here in my way

I wanna let you know

That it's all okay."

By the time she finished the familiar song, Tori had stopped crying and drifted to sleep. In the kitchen, Beck turned off the receiver for the monitor in Tori's room and sat back at the table, eyes on his friend. Andre was shocked speechless.

"I know," Beck said with a slight grin, "it freaks me out too. When we brought Tori home, I figured I'd have to quit my job to keep Jade from killing her. Don't get me wrong – I have always loved Jade just the way she is – but having Tori here – having her truly need help that Jade is able to give – it has brought around a side that I have never seen before."

"Man, I was not expecting Jade to actually care about Tori."

"I'm with you," Beck answered. He grinned again when he heard the sound of boots on the stairs.

"Stop talking about me," Jade spat. "I know you had that monitor turned on," she said, glaring at Beck. "And now I'm going to have to kill you both." She glared hard at Andre before going into the refrigerator to grab her bottle of wine and two bottles of beer. Handing one to each of the guys, she poured herself a second glass of wine.

"I take it that was enough to end this conversation?" She asked, her voice thick and stern.

"I heard enough," he acquiesced. "I get that she needs to stay here." Neither Jade nor Beck answered. "But I'm coming to visit."

"As much as you want," Beck agreed.

"But if you annoy me," Jade said with a sweet smile, "I will kick you out."

By the next week, they had fallen into a pattern of sorts between all of the appointments and travel time. Tori got antsy from being confined in any particular place for too long, so they usually made it outside for a walk each day – once even in a downpour. The golf umbrella had helped, but they'd both still gotten soaked from their feet up to their knees.

On a relatively quiet Tuesday, Jade was making dinner while Tori watched intently. "Tomorrow is your appointment with the new gynecologist. Dr. Greeley gave you a Xanax if you want to take it first – do you want it?"

"Any chance of skipping the whole thing?" Tori asked, playful banter doing a poor job of hiding her terror. The first time she'd had that type of exam, she had been heavily sedated in the emergency room. With all of her other maladies, they'd primarily left that area alone, but her primary doctor has suggested it was something she needed to do considering the abuse she'd received.

"No," Jade said, uncharacteristically softly. "Dr. Greeley said she would meet us there if you think you would be more comfortable. And really, Dr. Brown is very nice. She understands the circumstances."

Tori did take the pill that morning; she couldn't control her fear that kept bubbling to the surface. Despite the medication, she shook almost violently as Jade drove toward the familiar medical building. Pulling in front of the building, Jade exited her own door and circled the car to open Tori's. The brunette sat in the passenger seat, unmoving.

"Tori, come on – it'll be over before you know it."

"I c-c-can't d-d-d-do t-t-t-this," Tori stuttered painfully, tears brimming. Jade reached across to unbuckle her seatbelt and Tori stiffened. Her heart began beating quickly, her ears ringing as Jade attempted to talk her down from the coming panic.

Soon her palms were sweating and she was shaking with chills, trying desperately to catch her breath. Jade spoke slowly and calmly, trying to regain her attention. Within a few minutes, she realized how far gone her friend truly was and called Isabelle Greeley, who was luckily in her office.

Once she reached the parking lot, she crouched next to Tori and tried to get her attention. Nothing worked – words, noises – Tori was not focusing on anything beyond her panic. "Her blood pressure is too high," Dr. Greeley told Jade, after removing the cuff and her stethoscope. "She's in a full panic attack – with these numbers, we should admit her – at least for the night." Jade nodded; she certainly didn't have a better alternative.

"Tori," Dr. Greeley said. "Once last chance. I need you to talk to me. If you can't do that – I need to give you this sedative. Can you look at me? Tori?" After the last failed attempt, the doctor pulled a syringe from her pocket and shot it into Tori, whose eyes closed almost immediately. Jade watched helplessly, her fingers clasped tightly around the car door frame, as they waited for the attendants Dr. Greeley called inside the hospital.

Tori, given the fact that she was unconscious and already under the direct care of an attending physician, was taken immediately to a private room. Jade placed several phone calls and then sat in an uncomfortable – if familiar – chair at the bedside. She was tired of waiting – and tired of sitting by while things spun out of control. But it was her lot in this situation, so she sat back and closed her eyes, waiting for the next downpour.


Thanks again for reading! Also, I am aware of the difference between a Psychologist (mostly therapist) and a Psychiatrist (more medical doctor, can prescribe medicine). However, this story already has too many doctors and therapists, so I'm making Dr. Greeley a terribly intelligent and multi-talented woman who has both degrees and serves both purposes. Hope that's okay! Chapter 9 - More of Andre and Beck, Jade needs a break, and Tori has a breakthrough.