Clean Slate

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious.

A/N:


Chapter 9 (A Sister's Support)

When Trina arrived home, she found Tori talking on the phone. She stopped in the doorway, watching her sister as she stood before the window. "Yes. NYC, close to Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan." Tori stated with a gentle voice. "I'd prefer to come to you." It didn't sound important, or anything Trina needed to concern herself with. Rather, it did sound like she was trying to make a delivery or an appointment. "Really now? West Milford and Pinecliff Lake? That's not far at all. Hold on." Tori pulled the phone from her ear and looked over to Trina with a subtle smile. "Hey sis, I thought you were out with Casey?"

"Yeah but her fiancé wanted her home."

"Ah. Let me finish up this call and we can do something." She nodded and walked off to the kitchen. She thought about the place Trina was talking about, it was only about an hour drive from where they were located. Derek lived somewhere in between the mess. She'd never been out to Pinecliff Lake or West Milford, but she'd love to go since it was such a small town. She always had a fascination for small towns, though West Milford didn't fall onto what she'd consider extremely small. It was just over the New Jersey border.

Maybe Tori had a case there, or else she was being transferred. She wouldn't want that, but FBI agents did have to be moved around every now and then.

Trina grabbed some juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass. Tori came walking into the kitchen shortly after. "So how was time with the friend?"

"We had a good time, I bought Sasha some clothes." She pointed to the bags on the floor and grinned as Tori glanced over. "Bought myself some stuff too. It's been a long time since I really had a good time to shop around like that."

"Well I'm glad you had some fun." Tori sat down at the table and Trina walked over. "Another hour before we need to pick up Sasha from preschool, maybe you want to catch a movie or something?" Trina sipped her drink and shrugged. "What did you and Casey chat about? I'm sad I missed out, but I was a bit busy." Tori was often too busy to spend time with people, though she still tried to make room for both Trina and for Jade.

"Understandable. We just chatted on and off about life. She thinks I should get a job as a legal assistant too." Tori chuckled as Trina set her glass on the table. "It's a thought. I mean, whatever I can bring to the table to give Sasha the life she deserves…I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but-"

"No you're not, you're sounding like a concerned mother that wants the best for her daughter. Nobody can criticize you for that." She smiled warmly. Tori pat her hand on the table and looked off to the nearby window. "So…did you two talk about Jesse?"

"Not really much." She raised an eyebrow as Tori quickly glanced back to her. "When I'm ready to talk about him, Tori-you'll be the first person I do that with. You're the only one that knows my history. Other than Jade, Sam and Cat…" Of course, Sam and Cat were still living in DC. Since that's where Sam's husband, Cat's dbrother was stationed. Cat was in the process of having to be transferred, though, so no one knew just yet where she was going.

Maybe that's who Tori was on the phone with, but she didn't think there was a military base in West Milford. She didn't want to ask Tori because it was probably personal or job related, and there were many things she wasn't allowed to discuss with Trina or anyone else.

"Are you sure you're still not ready to talk about him?" Trina frowned as Tori tucked a strand of hair over her ear. Her sister gave her a subtle frown and let her shoulders fall. "I mean obviously I don't want to push or anything-"

She was tired of being asked by people about Jesse, or how he died, but maybe it was best she talk. Just a little. "Beck shot him, Tori." Tori frowned as Trina's heart started to clench with pain stabbing into her. The vivid memory of Jesse's death burned her brain, and that final bullet sounded off in her head with a thunderous roar. "He drugged us, led us into a trap, aimed his gun at me so Jesse would try and protect me. He did." She began to tremble, her fingers closed into her palm as tears stung her eyes.

"Oh my god…" She felt her sister's hand over hers, squeezing it. A comforting warmth swept over her. Tori bowed her head for a second, then looked up to meet her eyes. "I knew Beck was eventually the leader of that Scrapperz gang, but I didn't think he did all of that. I knew he was responsible, but-"

"He wanted to kill Jesse. That was his primary goal. Jesse was the one all the gangs hated, and then instead of killing me, he left me so all the other gangs could target me. Essentially he placed a hit on me for all the gangs."

"Well you and Sasha are safe now, and that is what matters." Trina smiled at her and took a slow, deep breath. It felt good to get what happened off her chest.

"Jesse was more than just the leader of a gang, Tori. He was the best man I knew. He cared about me, treated me right and respect. He wasn't what you'd expect, not violent or filled with hate, and I think a part of that was his fiancé before me."

"Sasha's namesake. Right, I remember that-General Vance was happy you'd honor his daughter that way. In a way, you're honoring Jesse as well."

"That, and at the same time-much like Jesse's fiancé had done, I think, Sasha pretty much kept me grounded." If not for her daughter, she might have become a much different person, just like had Jesse never met his fiancé, he would probably not have been the same person Trina knew him as. "But yeah, during the pregnancy I did wonder what I'd name my baby if I had a son. Jesse Jr. was all that came to mind." She chuckled softly and Tori's lips curved up into a bright smile.

"You really did love him, I can see that. I'm happy that you had found someone like that after all, even if he led a gang. Like you say, he wasn't your average gang leader…but he made you happy, and for that, I'm glad."

"It wasn't just that he made me happy, I was safe with him. Secure. With him, the entire world could crash and burn around me, but I could be stable. When he died, I lost it. I brought about the end of the Cravens, the Scrapperz, and even the Barbs gang…"

Tori leaned back, sliding her hands along the surface of the table. "Barbs? I don't remember seeing any file on them."

"They're the ones responsible for the death of Jesse's fiancé, I took them out after discovering I was pregnant. It was the last gang I really put a stop to on a higher scale."

"I see. Can't imagine how traumatic that must have been." Tori clasped her hands together and bowed her head. "I am glad you're out of that life. I never want you to go back into it." Trina laughed at Tori's disapproving stare, she loved how serious her sister could get. There were many things she admired about Tori, such as how strong she'd become over the years, no more the once clingy girl she used to be.

"I don't think I ever will…I learned my lesson the first time. Now if I ever do date again…" A coy smirk crossed her face as Tori cleared her throat and pointed to her.

"No dating gang members. You might not be so lucky to find one that is like Jesse."

"Oh god, tell me about it!" She gave the table a light smack and swayed to the right. "Jesse was rare! Though every guy in his gang treated women with respect-they had to. The only other gang leader that was remotely like him was Carl of El Sangre. Other than those two, there were gang leaders like Wesley Craven or Brandon Dunham."

To be able to finally talk about this was groundbreaking, earthshattering! She felt better than she thought she'd feel in regards to speaking of her former life. Perhaps she would be able to talk more about it, without fear. "Tori, I'm glad that I can talk about all this…"

"We're sisters, of course you can tell me anything." Tori cupped her hands around Trina's and looked her in the eye. "I don't want you to ever think there's something you can't tell me." She could see a genuine concern that lifted her spirit. "You know you can come to me with anything. We talked about Mom, Andre, Robbie…we talked about everything under the sun-if that's not evidence that you can come to me for anything, then I don't know what is."

Tori's words struck a particular sadness, but at the same time, her heart was pounding out the joys of the situation. "I know…" Tears came up to her eyes and she reached over, hugging Tori close. "I love you, sis."

"I love you too." She leaned back, looking at Trina with a subtle smirk. "'Tri-Tri'." Trina laughed at the refreshing nickname, a name Tori had not used since they were young. "Anyway, I do have something to tell you."

"You do?"

"Yes, but first." Tori pulled her hands away and tapped her finger onto her chin. "Dad met Jesse, right? I remember they got along well…Did dad ever find out Jesse was a gang leader?"

"Yes…"

"And what happened?"

"He broke Jesse's arm. Compound fracture, which probably indicates smashing it with one of his steel toe boots…" Tori winced as Trina reminisced. She did do a lot of studying in regards to the human body as well, enough that she could strive to be a radiologist if she wanted. There were just a few classes she'd have to take, then a certification test.

"So Dad was pissed."

"Pretty much, and not happy that his daughter was a part of a gang either, but fortunately the Knights weren't a troublesome gang. He kept a close watch on us, but aside from that, he trusted us." She still, to this day, wished she could have saved her dad from Beck's aunt. With her dad's death was what really opened LA to become the city it was when Tori had to come crashing back in with the FBI and military. "The irony is…no matter how much I wanted to finish his dream and clean that town up, it was you that did it. All you…"

Tori shrugged and moved her hand towards her stomach. "I wanted my sister back and to avenge my dad, and damn anyone that was going to stand in my way." Tori spoke with an air of casualness, and a bit of nonchalance. "I talked Director Lunsford into forming that task force, Sam and her husband contacted General Vance. We got the President to both request and approve, then he sent us in. There was a whole operation involved that no one saw, so the process…the planning…it was a lot more than just the President's orders. Once Jade and I were in the FBI, the second we stepped in, the plan was being thought out…we were going straight for the head."

"Wow…" She couldn't be sure what to think. All of this had been for her? For their dad? Tori's wrath was one she knew never to underestimate, but never did she think Tori could do something so remarkable. "I used to think I was the one that took after dad."

"You are, but we both do in separate ways. You get your athleticism from dad, as well as his intellect and yes-even some masculinity."

"Hey!" Tori laughed.

"I got mom's feminine ways, but also a lot of dad's logic. Not his physical strength. I think we both got his drive…" Tori cleared her throat and pushed herself up. "Now, about that thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" Did it involve the phone call? She hoped it had, but at the same time, she didn't want to compromise Tori's work.

"Well, I just-" Tori hesitated, grunting as her eyes started to widen and a slight whimper fell from her lips. "Oh shit. Not now…"

"Tori?" Trina pushed herself up, panicking as her sister grabbed for her stomach. She recognized the stress forming on Tori's face, followed by the crouching of her sister's knees. "Oh shit, it's happening now?!"

"Call the doctor!" Tori clenched her eyes, grunting painfully. Trina did her best to remain calm as she dialed the doctor's office on her cell and leading her sister out to the car. "Oh this baby is not going to come out easily." Tori screamed out and Trina hastened to start the car.

"Just stay calm and take deep breaths, I'll get you to the emergency room."

"Just hurry it up!"


What are your thoughts? Tori reveals swift determination in having found her sister, it's nice to know the background. I wonder what that phone call was about, probably nothing. But then as my readers, you think I would make it nothing?