Crumbling World

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 10 (Unpack the Baggage)

"Thanks for your help unpacking some things," Trina said while removing a folded set of curtains from a box. Jade flashed a smile from the other end of the room where she was crushing an empty box. "We didn't have much left, but your help is appreciated."

"You're welcome, um-" Jade pursed her lips and tilted her head a bit. Tori watched her eyelids fold over. "Okay, so what is okay to call you?" Trina lowered the curtains a bit, her eyebrows rising. "Is it still okay to say 'Trina', or is it Miss Vega or-"

"You can keep calling me Trina. I'm okay with it." Jade gave a respectful nod and continued what she was doing. Tori went about her business of carrying some items to their proper rooms.

She did not exaggerate to Jade when she said the house was small. It was a two bedroom, but even that was practically a stretch. For her, if she had to describe it, she would describe it to someone as though standing with her back to the front door.

The house was shaped like a box, with the two bedrooms in the far back. The two bedrooms were separated only by a bathroom between them. The bedroom on the left side of the home was slightly larger. A hallway with a couple storage closets would run from left to right outside the two bedrooms. A laundry room was on the opposite side of the hallway where the opening to the bedroom on the right was.

The living room area was a square room where from the front door, one might be able to shoot an arrow straight from the front door to the bathroom. On the left was a wall with a bar window beside a door into the kitchen, and on the right was another door leading into a restroom slightly larger than the other.

"Just think, Jade. Helping the Vega girls unpack their new home." Trina smiled gently. "Can you think of anything else you could be doing today?" Jade's brow wrinkled and she sniffed.

"I can think of…" She hesitated. Long enough for Tori to hold her breath and Trina to raise an eyebrow. A tentative smile formed at her lips and she gently shook her head. "Nothing else I'd rather be doing right now. It's difficult to know what to do with my life now…I used to center it so much around Beck that I-" She lowered her hands to her bent knees and curled her fingers into a ball, crushing her pants material between them.

Trina got up and walked over, placing a tender hand on Jade's shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Jade." Tears were beginning to form and slide down her pale face, giving Tori pause as she contemplated her next move. "Do you want to talk about it? We can take a break."

"Thank you, I-" Jade breathed in deep, her breathing hoarse. Trina walked her over to the small blue couch, one of the furnishings that had already been present with the home. It was a two seater pressed up against the wall adjacent to the kitchen's wall. They were thinking of putting a small television in front of it, and buying two small bar stools for the kitchen window and bar.

There was a small recliner against the same wall, closest to the open hall going towards the back of the house. It was separated by a cheap little end table with a green lamp. Tori sat in the recliner, letting Trina comfort Jade on the couch.

"I want you to know, if it seems like Andre and Robbie are blaming what happened to him on you…" She raised a hand to her chest and shook her head. "I'm not. I understand what he did, what he was trying to do, exposing Mr. Sikowitz. He was irrational and went about it the wrong way, but I understand. I don't blame you two at all; if anything, you're the victim here in my eyes."

Trina closed he eyes and let out a sad chuckle. "Thank you, Jade." Tori smiled gently, wiping away some moisture from her face. "Beck did the right thing; and though I hate how it all came about, I want you to know I'm grateful for him. Mr. Sikowitz cannot hurt anyone else…" Jade furrowed her brow, her eyes drifting to the right.

"Some of it sounds like students were willing participants. Are we not to hold some amount of responsibility on some of the students that were with him just because they're under eighteen? They're old enough to know better. Like Cat."

"Very true. I take full responsibility for my part in the matter." Trina released a shaky breath of air and looked over her shoulder at Tori. "The fault with him, however, lies in his inability to stop. His inability to know better." She looked back to Jade, her lips flattening and her eyes narrowing. "His lack of genuinely caring about anyone but himself."

The bitterness in the back of Trina's throat was loud and clear, and almost startling for Tori's ears. She wondered what more there was, but didn't want to push Trina until she was ready to really talk about it. "I understand," Jade replied, "Beck did right by you, then?"

"I wish he'd gone about it differently, but yes." Trina stood up and dusted off her knees. "There's nothing we can do about that part. He exposed Mr. Sikowitz to the principal. My time is long past, but he can still go away for students he's been messing with today; and some students will be free from his manipulation. Safe. I think it's good you have that to remember Beck by."

"Right…" Jade rose to her feet and started to hug Trina. Trina hesitated for a split second, then hugged her back. "I want to apologize…" She took a step back and wiped some tears with a shaky forefinger. "For how I've behaved against you in the past. Tori too." Trina folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrows high. "I-I was stupid. There was never an excuse for some of the things I did or the things I said."

"You're right, there wasn't." Trina moved her arms behind her back and curled a smirk. "You're lucky I wasn't in charge when you decided to steal Tori's blood back in the day." Jade froze, her eyes enlarging. Tori's jaw fell open and Jade did a double take.

"Wait, you knew about that?"

"I knew about a lot of things. Just kept my mouth shut." Trina shrugged. "What do you think I was always doing whenever I was always around or forcing my presence on you guys? I was keeping an eye on you all, keeping an eye on Tori. Hell, half the stuff I wanted to get involved in, I wanted to get involved in to spend time with my daughter." Jade smiled and Tori hurried over, throwing her arms around Trina from behind.

"I can respect that." She bowed her head and tapped her fingertips together. "So, am I forgiven?" Trina raised her hand, curling it over Tori's forearm.

"Yeah, so long as you're being friendly with Tori and not treating her badly. If you're good to her, I'll be alright with that. It takes a big person to apologize for their behavior, so thank you. I forgive you." Jade looked ready to cheer, but the doorbell rang before she could say anything.

Trina reclined her head and Tori spun around, studying the door closely. They weren't expecting visitors, nor did they tell anyone where they lived yet. "I'll get that." Tori rushed for the door and opened it up, and was stunned to see a familiar redhead standing before her. "Cat? What on earth are you doing here? How do you even know where we live?"

"I followed you guys here once." Cat swept her hair over her shoulder and walked into the home. Tori tensed up, unsure how to react to the girl's presence. Cat looked around the room, huffing to herself. "Nice place."

Her cheeks were swollen and her eyes puffy, her hair had faded a bit and her clothes were messy. "Thank you. What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to see for myself." Cat paced the floor, her arms crossed tight along her chest. Her eyes travelled to Jade, who slowly sat down in the recliner. "Interesting. Of everyone to stick by Tori's side, I didn't think you would."

"I'm not going to abandon my friends," Jade replied with a curt, judgmental tone. "Unlike some people." Cat jerked her head back and scoffed. "So, you and Mr. Sikowitz, huh?" The redhead looked down, her hands balling up by her sides.

"He was arrested because of Beck. He was good to me, he made me think I mattered, you know? When you would taunt me, people would make fun of me, he made me feel like somebody cared about me."

Tori's heart broke and she opened her lips, but Trina spoke before her. "Don't confuse his actions with kindness. What was there was nothing healthy, believe me." Cat narrowed her eyes and faced Trina. "I know he may not have seemed like a monster to you, but-" Cat extended her arm, pointing an accusative finger at Trina.

"How can you talk? Y-You were with him way back in the day." Trina's eyes slammed shut and she made a disgusted grunt. "Didn't he care about you? Didn't he treat you like you were important."

"No. Someone did, but it wasn't him." Trina chuckled darkly and opened her eyes slightly. "Cat, I know it hurts right now, but it will heal. When you're ready, Tori, Jade and I will be right here."

"Ready for what? For you to crush more of my happiness?"

"Cat, listen to me." Trina reached for Cat's shoulder, but the girl pulled away instantly. Tori held her breath, slowly moving behind Trina and sitting on the couch. Tension was building in the air, so much she could feel it crushing her throat. "Mr. Sikowitz is a liar, you don't see it now and that's understandable. He grooms you, builds you up; but he doesn't care for anybody. He's a monster."

"He is not a monster! If anyone is, it's you for betraying him like that." Trina's head started to turn, her hands trembling violently. "I know it's not your fault that Beck exposed him, that's on Beck; but Beck did it because of you. He was a good person, Trina. He was no monster."

"Okay." Trina exhaled slowly and raised two fingers to her forehead. Her breathing shuttered through clenched teeth and her entire body started to shake.

"He was there for you, wasn't he? When you needed something."

"Listen to me Cat. Your teacher is not a healthy relationship. It can be done in certain situations, but Sikowitz is someone that uses vulnerable little girls and lures them in by lifting them up. He's a rapist, Cat."

Cat gasped and flung a finger at her. "Don't you dare throw that word around!" Trina's eyebrow rose and her hands moved to her waist. "He never forced himself on anyone."

"Is that so? I'm sorry dear, but statutory rape involves sex with a minor as a minor cannot give proper consent. So even if you went to him on your own free will, he is still a rapist through in through, and among the worst kind. He starts out small, and gets bolder as time grows on." Trina threw her hands up. "Thank god for Beck, nobody was safe from him."

Tears streamed down Cat's face and her voice started to rise. "You lie. He never hurt anyone!" Cat kicked over a box and Tori flinched at the sound of something shattering inside. Trina's eyes drifted to the box and her face went long. She knelt down and removed the shattered pieces of an old ceramic vase.

"My boyfriend made this," she said with a whisper quiet voice. The trembling in her body grew worse as her hair fell around her face, concealing the pain etched upon her expression. "You broke it. One of the first things he ever made for me." Tori and Jade exchanged nervous glances, both remained still as an eerie silence fell over the room.

Cat shifted uncomfortably, taking a small step back. "W-What boyfriend? The one you cheated on with Mr. Sikowitz?"

"Oh you know about that part of it? He tell you that?"

"I-I was hiding away at his place that night. He came home, told me everything."

"Right." Trina raised her head, her tone was frighteningly calm. "Let me tell you about Mr. Sikowitz, then." Trina stood carefully, still clinging to the shattered remains of an ancient gift. Tori stood and moved for her, but stopped halfway. "I didn't want to talk about it, not here, not now…but if anybody needs to hear this, it's you."

Cat crossed her arms and looked away, her eyes drifting to the corners to study Trina's firm stance. Tori reached for her shoulder, trying to calm Trina down. "You don't have to talk about it, Trina. If you're not ready…"

"No. I said I'd tell you what happened eventually, Tori. So listen up too." Trina sucked in a heavy breath of air and took a step towards Cat. "I was young, I was impulsive and hotheaded." Her breath was heavy and hot. Tori dropped her hand to the side and felt a lump forming in her throat.

"My boyfriend of several years, he comes to me and tells me how he cheated on me." Trina chuckled sadly and shook away a tear. "With Sasha Rodriguez. Someone that's had it out for me since fucking grade school." Tori crossed her arms and Cat looked past Trina to Tori, saying nothing as Trina's speech quivered.

"I was hurt, and I wanted to hurt him. In that moment, the only way I could think to hurt him was to get him back. Cheat on him; but I didn't want to work for it. I wanted something instant…and Sikowitz was there. There were rumors already in the girls' bathroom, he had a reputation for showering girls in compliments. Dating them. Sometimes even, you know, turning them on."

Trina set the vase down with a chuckle, her tears now soaking her entire face. "I don't know that he ever had sex with any of the girls. No." She seemed to struggle to breathe. Tori grew concerned, wanting to stop her from reliving this moment; but she knew Trina needed to let it out and understood why she was doing it.

"So I went to him in tears. He did shower me in compliments." Her brow crinkled like paper and her eyes shook from side to side. "Told me I 'deserved better'. Caressed my cheek, brushed his hand along my arm." Cat hugged her arms and looked away, growing more uncomfortable by the second.

"He kissed me." Trina's lip twitched and she shut her eyes. Tori grabbed her hand, holding it as the woman took a long pause. "Took off my clothes." Trina leaned her head back and let out a strained and breathy huff. "I'd never been with anyone other than my boyfriend, never dreamed of it. Never wanted to be with anyone else."

Tori whimpered. She thought Trina was being brave, being strong; but that didn't stop the worry. "He locked his door and laid me on his desk. After…" She stuttered, her hand rising to her neck. "I decided I didn't want to go through with it, I didn't want to hurt the man I loved; but he'd already gotten started, he wouldn't stop. I-I asked him to, told him I didn't want to continue; but he didn't care." Trina started to weep, her hands clenching so tight that blood was beginning to seep. "He didn't give a shit about me, Cat. You know what he did when he was done?"

Cat answered weakly, her body trembling. "What?"

"Handed me my clothes and told me to go home." Trina sneered and a flicker of hate flashed in her eyes. "That it was 'nice', and to let him know if I wanted to do it again." Trina coughed once and turned her head. "I've had to live with that, knowing, fearing that there was nothing that I could do. Even at first, I didn't know who was the father of my baby, not until the doctor told me a few months down the line that it was more than likely my boyfriend's."

Trina growled, her shadow causing Cat to appear much smaller than she initially was. "He then proceeded to tell everyone he knew that I was a whore. He practically drove me out of the school because he thought I'd ruin his new habit. My parents disowned me, because now not only had I been having sex with a boy in junior high that 'had no future', I just got pregnant and had sex with a teacher.

Trina circled Cat like a shark, her voice still calm and confident. "Harsh as it may be, that is the kind of person Mr. Sikowitz is. He is a monster that will destroy your life. So thank Beck, who in his final act on this good Earth, has saved your life from a world of pain and misery."

Cat said nothing. She raised her hands to her face and made her way to the front door. Trina breathed heavily, watching the girl depart. After a few seconds, she turned to Tori. Tori gazed back at her in stillness, silent tears rolling down her face.

Her heart broke for her mother, but she was also filled with a new sense of understanding and love for her. On instinct, she walked up to her and carefully slid her arms around Trina's torso. She placed her head on Trina's chest and let her tears drench the woman's tears.

Trina hugged her back. Her heartbeat could be felt like a powerful drum against Tori's head. "I'm sorry you had to hear it like that, Tori. I…Cat had to know what kind of person-"

"I love you, mom." Trina froze up, her breath hitched and a whimper fell from her lips. Tori raised her head up, gazing into Trina's eyes.

"W-What did you just call me?"

"Mom." A grin spread slowly across Trina's face and she squeezed Tori tight. After several seconds, Trina started to laugh, turning her attention to Jade.

"Did you hear it?" Jade chuckled and Tori rolled her eyes, smiling a bit more.

"Okay don't make a big deal out of it."

"Who shouldn't make a deal of it?" Trina hugged her again, practically lifting her off the ground.

"Mom!" She laughed with her and Jade simply shook her head, watching in awe of the situation. Eventually, Trina stopped to breathe, pulling her hair back and looking at the last pile of boxes left on the floor.

It felt strange calling her mom, and such a seemingly short few weeks after discovering; but it felt oddly comforting as well. There was something natural to the feeling, a pleasantness that she delighted in.

"Oh…" Trina swept her hair over her ear and knelt down to one of the boxes. "Something I wanted to show you." Tori watched her reach into the box, shifting through the contents until she pulled out a small Polaroid.

Jade leaned forward and started to crack a joke. "You want to show an old ancient photograph? Is it black and white too?" Trina rolled her eyes and smirked.

"I'm not that old, Jade." Jade hopped off the couch and walked up behind Tori, who studied the picture carefully as Trina approached her. The glossy photograph had a dark background with a young man lying on brown carpet with his torso against a dusty brown couch.

He was shirtless, his skin bare and pale. His face was thin and he had shaggy brown hair with bangs curling in the center of his forehead. His jeans were unbuttoned, and in his hand he held what looked like an NES game controller.

Tori's nose crinkled and she tilted her head, trying to figure out the familiar look to his face. "Who is this?" She gripped the picture with tender fingertips and studied the warm expression on the boy's face. He had a tender smile and an inviting gaze.

Her heart skipped a beat as she watched Trina's face turn a light shade of red. "That is your father." Her eyes began to widen and she raised a trembling hand over her mouth. "His name is Spencer. He's an artist and he lives up in Seattle with his little sister, Carly." It dawned on her, and at first she could hardly believe it.

"Oh my god…" The picture took her breath away, and she had to study every inch of her father to familiarize herself with him. From the curvature of his nose, shape of his eyes and down to the stubble on his chin. "Do you mind if I hold onto this?" Trina smiled back and raised her shoulders.

"It's yours."

"Thank you!" Without thinking about much else, she rushed to her designated bedroom on the right side of the house. It was already set up with the bed, a desk, dresser and small table lamp on the end table beside her bed. The bed itself was nestled next the wall, with the end table between the bed and the window. Carefully she placed Spencer's photograph on the end table, leaning it against the lamp. She was going to keep it there until she found somewhere else she could put it.

She looked to the doorway to see Trina standing there, watching her with a smile as she lay stomach down on her bed admiring the photo. "Not right this second, but one day when we have some real time to sit down and talk…I'll try to answer any questions you have about him."

"Thank you." She paused, glancing down momentarily. "And I'm sorry about Cat." Trina closed her eyes and shook her head as Tori glanced back at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, it'll take more than that to mess me up." Trina inhaled, then released the breath. "I'm going to go make some food." Trina leaned her head against the door frame and played at a smirk while looking to the photograph. "Come on out and help out with the unpacking whenever you're done admiring your dad's photo."

"I will."

Quite a bit went down here, from Jade's apology to Cat's interruption. We see more of what went down fifteen years ago, it is certainly rough to hear. Some other developments as well there in the end, Tori finally knows her father's name.