Sitting by himself at lunch Robbie was writing on his pearpad. Jade and Cat had received an assignment from Sikowitz last period and they were working at it in the Black Box Theater. Andre was still home for his grandmother's funeral and wasn't talking to Robbie anyway at the moment. Beck and Tori weren't in any class today and Jade was freaking out so he didn't think anything about it. Being a watcher his entire existence he enjoyed thinking over and over his plans, writing it done, reading it over, rewriting it, etc. Robbie was almost positive that Rex was gone for good but had no real way of knowing for sure. He may have promised Jade that he wouldn't be getting rid of Matthew but there was no way he was letting him out because he wasn't sure he could wrangle back control from him so he was probably getting rid of Matthew next. Closing his eyes he let his mind drift, reaching out and feeling the cages. He felt Rex's empty cage, Stephanie's and Matthew's cages and finally Clayton's but something was wrong, Clayton was gone. Reaching out some more he started to get more and more upset not being able to find Clayton, R or even Robbie. Opening his eyes he slammed his fists onto the table almost breaking his pearpad. Grabbing it he leapt up, spinning and smashing into Sinjin sending him crashing back, muttering something about being sorry he grabbed his stuff and took off for his car.
Sitting in his car Robbie tried to focus on his thoughts, reaching deep into his mind without slipping too far, he needed to maintain a grasp on the body and sleep was the only way to make sure he wouldn't lose full grasp on the body especially if Clayton was out.
Appearing in the white meeting room Trickster walked over to the long table slowly walking along it, his fingers tracing the cool marble top. At each place there was something scratched in, something that identified each alter. MS plus JW, for Matthew, a smiley and a heart for Stephanie, a math problem for Rex, Latin for Clayton. Smiling tightly to himself when his fingers traced the bite marks in the table from R growling at his foolishness thinking that R wouldn't have the sense to try to help another alter. It was the only thing that made sense. Coming up upon the empty cage Trickster noticed the bent bars at the bottom. Moving swiftly to check on the others he was relieved to see that Matthew and Stephanie were still locked up. Standing between the two cages he placed his hands on the bars of each one. Closing his eyes and forcing his thoughts out and across forcing both alters into a fantasy world. In a way they would be happier, they had become selfish over the years he was surprised if Clayton didn't see this coming either. They along with Rex had become more involved in self then in Robbie. In his own twisted way Trickster loved that boy but he wasn't about to let Matthew and his stupid teenage lust to take over. They had to help Robbie but with those three idiots about to ruin everything he had to take over by force.
Turning from the cages he continued deeper into the broken mind that was Robbie Shapiro. The scenery shifted from Robbie's childhood home, to Hollywood Arts, to the Black Box, to the beach with Beck's RV. At each spot he stopped to check each local carefully including the RV but found nothing. Feeling something tug at him he closed his eyes and felt himself waking up back in Robbie's...his...car. Rolling his head sideways and looking up he saw Cat standing at the window a look of concern on her face. Rolling down his window slowly he looked up at her and saw the genuine emotion on her face, she really cared about Robbie and for all she knew was that Robbie was still there. Maybe getting rid of Rex so soon wasn't the best idea ever.
"Get in," he said to his spunky friend, "I need...I need to be honest with you about some things." Looking over his car across the lot at Jade who was sitting on her car watching them, she and Cat exchanged nods before Cat came around and climbed into Robbie's car. Since it was only lunch time and they weren't really supposed to be out here Robbie pulled out and drove off. Riding in silence he took them across town before pulling into the drive way of an old house that looked like it had been abandoned for years.
"Cat I need someone on the outside that I can trust and I want that person to be you."
"Robbie before you start I need to ask you something, why are you acting so differently lately. Is there a new alter?" Robbie was stunned for a moment, had Cat really seen through his disguise that easily, or had Jade helped her out with that one. Out of the two he was glad Cat was here, he still didn't trust Jade though.
"Yeah there's a new alter, me."
"What?" she looked worried.
"Yeah I'm Trickster, nice to finally meet you Cat. How much do you trust Jade?"
"She's my best friend."
"She was working with Matthew to get rid of Robbie permentally, she loves him and he loves her and if he was his own person I wouldn't care what they do, but they became selfish and wanted to make Matthew the main persona. I had to mess with their plan otherwise Jade and Matthew would've run off together and Robbie, Robbie would be gone forever."
"Just like you did to Rex?" Robbie closed his eyes, that one had hurt.
"I was angry at the others, at Matthew, Jade, Stephanie her connection to Andre even Rex and his connection to you. But now I cant find him, I cant find Robbie within our mind. He and Clayton and R, they're just gone not like Rex though they've gone somewhere that I cant reach them. I cant reach them to apologize for what I've done. So I've come here, with you to try to get them out" It was now that Cat looked closer at the house, there was nothing extraordinary about this place no matter how much she looked. Turning back to him she frowned and opened her mouth to ask but Robbie cut her off.
"This is where...my uncle lived." he said looking her intensely in her eyes, "The reason Robbie needed all of us, the whole thing started here."
"What are you doing here?" asked Tori as she sat down in the chair next to Beck, "Why aren't you in school?" Beck smiled.
"I could ask you the same thing." Smiling and turning a little red at the same time Tori replied.
"I discovered that my dad arrested Robbie a while ago, well not Robbie but one of his alters for fighting remember? Well he told me everything that he learned about Robbie and his disorder and gave me permission to take the day for myself. So I decided to see if I could do some research on DID myself." Beck remained silent for a period of time before smiling and handing her a book which she took from him.
"You have a crush on him don't you?" asked Beck softly causing Tori to blush and Beck's smile to get wider.
"Don't need you to tell me anything else, your cheeks are telling me enough. Has it been just recently or over a long time?"
"Not at first, I actually thought he was goofy and you were handsome," pushing her hair behind her ear and settling down with the book, "But over time we got closer and I started to see him as something special, then things started to get really weird. You and Jade broke up and then she and Robbie got closer. I wont lie in telling you that I was a little jealous. Then there were times that he and Cat seemed really close."
"Robbie thinks of Cat as a sister, nothing more."
"I know that now, but before, you know."
"Sorry that we didn't trust you sooner Tori. Maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand if you just knew."
"Why what's wrong? What happened?" she asked growing concerned.
"Well the real reason I skipped school was to look into DID. I got a text message from one of Robbie's alters last night, warning me that Robbie wasn't who he said he was anymore. That there was a new alter named Trickster who was completely taking over Robbie's personality so that he would no longer be Robbie anymore," he pearphone beeped at him while he was explaining as he checked it his smile vanishing from his lips. "I have been talking to Robbie's parents to get to the bottom of things. All the books I've read state that a traumatic event is what causes the split in personalities and I was trying to figure out what that was. I just got a text from Robbie's dad, there's not much there just an address. Want to get these books and check it out with me."
Nodding Tori rose determined to prove herself to Robbie and everyone else, prove that she was the type of person that could be trusted. Taking all the books and pushing past Beck to pay for everything she slipped the books into her bag and followed Beck out to his car.
"Did they tell you anything else about where we're going?"
"No, it was hard enough getting this much from them but I think it's because I've been trying harder lately to be better friends with Robbie, you know show him how to be cool and work on his car and such, they hoped I could get through to him. They were as surprised about the changes then anyone else."
"Changes?"
"Yeah you probably haven't seen him since the marathon right? He shaved his head, has a buzz cut now, his mom thinks he has a tattoo now but she couldn't confirm it. Once he left for school his dad texted me that he found Rex smashed to pieces in the corner of his room." Turning the corner they came upon the house, which had a familiar car sitting in front of it. Pulling along side the curb Beck quickly got out as Tori pulled herself up, sitting on the open window and looking out across at Robbie's car. As Beck walked up she saw Cat get out and run over to him engulfing him in a hug, he laughed and returned the hug. Smiling at the exchange Tori really knew Cat wasn't someone for her to be jealous of but something in her throat hitched as the driver of Robbie's car stepped out, leaning against his car and watching them arms crossed with an amused smile on his face. He looked different but the same, somehow Tori knew something was off and was upset at herself for not seeing this sooner. Climbing out of the car she went over to join them.
"Are you Robbie or Trickster?" Beck asked coldly wiping the smile from Robbie's face.
"He told you somehow, Clayton when he escaped how," he paused, "How wonderful. I'm actually glad Beck because I realized that I was wrong. I wanted to protect Robbie from Matthew and Jade, Stephanie and even Rex but I went about it the wrong way and now I cant get him back. I figured coming here might help somehow, if I can get Robbie to face what's festering inside him that created me, then maybe he can come back and be stronger then ever."
"I guess we have no choice but to trust you," said Beck protectively stepping in between Robbie and the girls, "So where are we?" Nodding Robbie turned to look at the house.
"This is where it happened, over a decade ago. When Robbie's uncle messed him up."
Stepping towards the house he tried the front door, finding it locked. Suddenly he kicked the door open and walked into the house. The dust flew as he walked inside knowing exactly where he was going. The others followed as he led them to a single door, opening the door it revealed a long staircase leading down to a basement. Taking a deep breath Robbie went downstairs entering the dark and dank basement. It looked exactly the same as it did so long ago, moving towards a single chair with bolts on either side of it. Closing his eyes and opening them again he could see himself as a child chained to that chair, crying for parents that wouldn't come, wishing for friends to save him, praying for it to just end. Stumbling forward he felt a pair of petite arms grab him to prevent him from falling before his world went black.
"Help me Beck, I cant hold him up," called Tori as Beck rushed to her side and hoisted Robbie up into his arms.
"Help me get him out of this place," he called to his friends who made way for him. Soon they were up at the cars, Robbie laying in the backseat of his while Beck checked his pulse.
"He's fine just fainted or something. You two wait here in case he wakes up, I'm going back in to search the house for clues," and with that Beck went back inside the house. Kneeling down besides him Tori watched him with worry on her face as Cat watched her suddenly she hugged her friend.
"Tori will you forgive me from keeping this from you?" she asked and Tori smiled returning the hug.
"Of course, you all had your reasons, I understand but from here on out trust me, I will help Robbie no matter what."
"Because you love him?"
"Am I that obvious?" she said blushing yet again.
"Maybe to everyone except Robbie," Cat mused, "Wonder what's going on with him right now"
"I just hope he's safe and he comes back to us."
With that Robbie's eyes fluttered open groaning at the harsh light of the afternoon. Sitting up slowly he turned and looked at the pair of girls. His voice croaked as if it had been in disuse.
"What's going on guys?"
"Robbie is that really you?" asked Tori hopefully, "Not an alter?" With a small smile he laid his head back down, "Yeah Tori it's really me. I'm back, thanks to all your support, but it's not over yet," he looked up, seeing both girls upside down before looking at the house. "Clayton and Trickster were right, the answers must be here somewhere."
"What happened in there?" asked Cat carefully.
Crashing into the table as Robbie fainted Trickster found himself back in Robbie's mind, however this time he wasn't alone. Sitting at the head of the table sat Clayton and directly to his right was R, both looked pretty upset to see him here.
"Look fellow I can explain things, I'm sorry I saw what Matthew and Jade were planning and I acted. In a way I was just as selfish as Rex was, but care about Robbie."
"Prove it, help us help him."
"What about Matthew, Stephanie and Rex?"
"You're right, they were selfish. This is all about Robbie now, and I hate to agree with you but if we want Robbie to get better then we will be better off without them, for now," he said standing up and walking over to Trickster, "Use whatever mind games you can to make them see that this has always been about Robbie, can you do that for me?" Trickster nodded and turned to head back to the cages. Turning to R Clayton nodded and R walked off returning with Robbie.
"Hey buddy, wake up, it's time to go. Your friends are waiting, it's time to get up Robbie, we have work to do."
"It's Clayton, R and even Trickster, they want me to get better. They told me to trust in my friends, and I agree." explained Robbie as he climbed out of the car and stood next to Tori, looking towards Cat for some sort of sign except she just smiled and nodded a little. Taking a deep breath and reaching out Robbie set his arm around Tori, shaking a little as he looked up at the house. "I'm going to need you guys for this one," he said quietly. Tori nodded leaning against him as Cat bounced to his other side.
"Let's go then," she said taking his other hand and leading them towards the house.