Happy Monday readers! I hope everyone had a nice weekend, if not, I hope this chapter helps cheer you up.

Guest: Thank you.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Except for some bruises and soreness, Tori is physically fine. Remember to wear your seatbelt. They don't seem to understand her guilt as it was out of her hands and see it as such. Beck went through the same thing a year ago about the battery dropping on Jade's head.

The separation brought the Vega sisters together, but it's kind of hard to bring them together when the parents clearly don't like one child and Holly near the end of the series waned in her love for Tori.

Beck… he's in a tough spot and though I don't care for the canon character, he actually has my sympathy and may show in the coming chapters.

markman12: So you noticed something from my parallel story from last year which may or may not have had bearing on this story.

Twilight Warrior 627: I actually have some sympathy for Beck and surprisingly someone else unexpected in this chapter will too. You'll get an answer to your second question in this chapter.

Challenge King: Trina doesn't want to call Tori pain, but she doesn't want to lie to her sister either. I wouldn't say Beck is in the wrong in not telling her as he wanted to protect her emotionally until she was physically better. I never really doubted that Trina loved Tori even in the series, they just had their sister rivalry, but in this it gets to show how deep the love goes. One could read into a lot of things why Jon showed up: he's just a decent guy or maybe he's starting to develop feelings for Tori. Freddie had to at some point see a picture of his father to be able to at least get a familiar inkling of Mister Benson's appearance. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

I can't recall if any of my fellow writers have updated recently, but I will plug my own story that I'm updating simultaneously with this one: 'A Daughter's Salvation'.

Rating: T Language


Chapter 11

Sam had dragged Beck nearly around to the other side of the hospital floor before she let him go. Beck pulled away and started pacing in disgust, rubbing up and down his arm where the blonde had gripped his arm while Sam spat out, "Are you looking to have your ass kicked by another Benson?"

He threw his head back and laughed, "Another Benson? Wasn't one enough to put up with?"

Sam pursed her lisp and snorted out, "Tell me about it."

Beck cocked his head to the side and glared at the blonde. "Please Sam, don't pretend to give a damn."

"I don't. You upset Freddie and Jade then you upset Cat and I live with Cat. When she's not happy, no one is happy at home."

Beck rolled his eyes then dismissively remarked, "At least you're being honest that it's only about you."

"Not exactly, Carly would be pretty upset if anything happened to you—and me if I didn't do something about it."

The actor glanced away and slightly shook his head.

"And that could still happen unless you do some groveling quick."

Beck looked back in outrage and shouted, "To who? To Jon? To Freddie?"

"It wouldn't hurt, since you're clearly a lover and not a fighter, but to Heather for one thing."

"Jon just caught me off guard and Freddie… he's just different somehow. I might need a bat for him."

"I took a tennis racket to his head one time and broke it in the process… the best I did was mess up his hair, so good luck and caught you off guard? You're the one that tried to sucker punch him."

Beck waved that point off and countered her earlier one, "Whatever, why the Hell should I grovel to Heather when she won't call up her ex to show up? Tori could use him right now and not just for the girl dying on another floor."

"Because you got in her face and nearly put your hands on her. Do you have any idea what Dusty would do to you if you had? If you haven't figured it out, he's not Freddie; he just might kill you for trying to hurt her."

The tall teenager took a step towards her and stared into the blonde's eyes and dismissively remark, "I wasn't going to touch her… and she hit me first."

"You think that's going to make a real difference with him? He'd just justify anything with you provoking her to do it. Dude, the girl's as sweet as Carly and if she had to swing on someone first…"

Beck turned away and paced for a bit. "What does it matter? He's too busy hopping around the planet killing people to give a damn about her."

"That's my point Fabio: if he's going around the planet offing people for total strangers, what do you think he might do to you for his ex?"

"You assume he gives a damn about her after the—"

Sam grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought his face close to hers. She coldly whispered, "Do not be stupid enough to think he doesn't love her just because they broke up."

He was surprised she'd put her hands on him, but was more surprised with the cold look in her eye. He knotted his brow in mild confusion then it dawned on him. He quietly asked, "You know why they broke up."

Sam gave him a slight shove while letting his collar go. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't, but what matters is you need to get right with Heather real quick as she's the only one that can save your ass."

"I'm not afraid of him."

The blonde cocked her head to the side and dismissively remarked, "I didn't realize that you were just beauty and no brains."

Beck clenched his jaw tight for a second then asked, "You're afraid of him?"

"We're alike… and I just don't mean not being entirely human. We don't pull our punches. You wrong me, I'm going to hurt you; you hurt the ones he cares about, he will hurt you and with you, it might be broken bones."

Beck shook his head and spat, "I don't care. Tori's a mess with guilt and I can't do anything about it. A few broken bones isn't going to make me feel worst."

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. "Love…"


Jon stood in front of a drink machine in the far end of waiting room away from the rest and tapping the button for a Wahoo Punch then glanced over to Freddie lazily walking up to his left.

The younger Benson glanced to Freddie as he dipped down to retrieved his bottle drink. He unscrewed the cap and took a quick swig from the drink before remarking, "If you expect me to apologize, you can forget it."

Freddie smirked and lazily replied, "No, I'm not. I've done worst to him. You didn't leave a mark on him."

Jon somewhat knotted his brow and slowly asked, "You did?"

"I ah…" Freddie bowed his head and let a breath out through his smile. "…I beat the chizz out of him last year when I thought he was emotionally taking advantage of Tori."

The leaner teenager slightly turned and put on a concerned and somewhat angry expression. "What do you mean 'emotionally taking advantage of her'?"

"If I answer that, I don't want to see it on TwitFlash."

Jon nodded and replied, "Okay."

"As a fan of Tori and Jade's, I assume you know the story behind them performing at the PMAs last year?"

"Yeah, it was a publicity stunt about guessing which one was going to perform then surprised everyone when it was both of them."

Freddie shook his head and corrected, "It wasn't. Mason really did replace Tori with Jade and of course she was distraught. I wasn't happy with what he pulled and I was the one that got them on stage to perform together."

The messy haired teenager questioned, clearly confused by the more muscular teenager's reaction. "But Jade is your girlfriend—your future wife. Wouldn't you have been thrilled that she was getting the chance?"

"I was—I still am, but… not at the price of doing Tori wrong and using Jade as a pawn to jank Tori over. He was not going to treat either of them that way if had a say about it—and I certainly did."

"How does this relate to Beck?"

"When I was going to Tori's to tell her my plan on how she could beat Mason at his own game, I caught him trying to make his moves on her and words were exchanged and past problems we had all bubbled to the surge… next thing we swung at each other and he was on the floor and I was pounding his face. Tori's dad had to pull me off of him. He… he wasn't so pretty for a few weeks after that."

"Damn… so that's why you didn't jump in: you don't like him."

Freddie put on a tight smile and answered, "Beck and I have a… turbulent relationship for the most part for a lot of different reasons, but I don't dislike him. I dislike some—a lot of his choices, but I wouldn't let you just hurt him. She is the ex-girlfriend to the guy I consider as a brother and Jade was standing with her, so I would have had to stepped in; you just beat me to it. Whether it would have come to blows… I hoped he would have learned his lesson a long time ago not to go swinging on me."

"But that doesn't bother Tori? She still got with him after what he pulled? Has he ever been that aggressive with Tori?" he asked slightly incredulously.

Freddie shrugged a shoulder, "She likes him… she loves him. She's a forgiving person and… Beck just had bad timing… I had bad timing. It wasn't the ideal time for him to try to move on with her, but no, he's never been that aggressive to her. He wouldn't hurt her or Heather. He's just… he's just stressed like the rest of us. Last time any of us were in the hospital…"

The older Benson glanced away but the younger of the two asked, "Jade?"

Freddie looked up, somewhat surprised by the question.

"It was major news about her injury. They called it a miracle her recovery. I heard the Catholic Church investigated."

"It was and they ruled it as such, but they weren't sure who to give the credit, but before we got it… Beck felt so guilty over what happened he got wasted and now he's just feeling as helpless as the rest of us."

"Sounds like you're giving him a pass."

Freddie sympathetically smiled as he commented, "I just know how he feels. Helplessness is the worst feeling you can ever feel."

"So is that why he's out here? If he was going to be helpless I figure he'd be by her side. It wouldn't be out of line to say that you were by Jade's side when that happened."

"I was, but… if Tori needs to be alone then she needs to be alone. She knows we're here for her and we're not going anywhere, so we're going to respect her wishes."

"Her sister sure isn't listening to her."

Freddie chuckled and raised an arm to rest against the edge of the drink machine. "Trina is Trina."

"That explains her all doesn't it?"

"You have to get to know her."

Jon joked, "She sure wanted to try to get to know me yesterday."

The former Seattleite grinned and glanced away for a second before answering, "I guess she finds you acceptable. She has very high standards."

"So I should be flattered for catching her eye?"

"I don't know what you consider attractive, but if I were in your position, I would be flattered."

"Were you ever in my position?"

Freddie softly chuckled and wore a bright smile. "I was with Jade before Trina really had an opportunity, but in another life…"

Jon returned the smile and took another swig from his drink.

Freddie glanced over to Mister Benson sitting near the front of the waiting room conversing with his daughter and Cat, the man looking uncomfortable in seeing another teenager looking identical to his daughter. He felt mild pity for the man in how unsettling it was to have suddenly deal with a doppelganger.

The computer engineering glanced back to Jon and asked, "I was wondering something, what's your father's first name?"

"Leonard, why?"

Freddie paused as the name wormed itself into his brain like a larva of a Ceti eel. He awkwardly smiled and glanced down then laughed off, "Oh, I'm just a little curious. He looked kind of familiar, maybe from an old photo album back in Seattle. If that's the case, maybe we are related as third cousins twice removed or some such thing. Do you have any family in Seattle?"

Jon took another quick sip from his drink then easily answered, "Actually, my father is from Seattle, but he said he doesn't have any family left there, so… Does the name ring any bells?"

Freddie ignored the latter question and asked, "He is?"

"Yeah, but he left almost twenty years ago."

"Why? If you don't mind me asking."

Jon cocked his head to the side and awkwardly smiled. "His first wife. When we were old enough, our mom explained that dad was married before, but the woman broke his heart by cheating on him. He may have forgiven her for that, but… she was pregnant with the other guy's kid and simply denied she ever cheated on him. He couldn't forgive that and left her and Seattle behind to start over. It hurt him too much to be around her."

"Wow, that must have hurt."

Jon snorted out and shook his head before taking another sip of his drink. He glanced back to Freddie and remarked, "Yeah. The woman tried to claim she carried the kid for eleven months. Can you believe that?"

Freddie just spoke in a slow and deliberate voice, he didn't know why he didn't stop himself, but he just spoke, "Yeah, I do."

Jon knotted his brow and lifted a corner of his mouth. He laughed out a little and questioned, "How?"

The older Benson calmly answered, "Because my mother carried me for eleven months and my deadbeat father's name is Leonard Benson."

Jon took a step back from the intense look in Freddie's eyes. He quietly remarked, "Freddie, that's not funny."

Freddie gave him a cold stare and whispered, "No it's not."

He turned away from Jon and started towards Mister Benson, still deep in conversation

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He stopped just in front

Cat happily called, "Hey Freddie."

Freddie ignored his redhead friend and raised his phone after pulling up a picture of his mother. He curtly asked, "Do you know this woman?"

Mister Benson stared Freddie straight in the eyes, knowing exactly where this conversation would end. He slowly answered, "Yes… she's my first wife, Marissa Benson."

Amanda knotted her brow and quickly looked back and forth between her father and Freddie. She quietly asked, "Dad?"

Freddie quietly asked, "So you're my father?"

Mister Benson stood up and took a deep breath then answered in a slow, deliberate voice, "Let's get something straight: you are not my son. You are just some bastard child that Marissa tried to play off on me after she cheated on me with another man. I don't know who your father is and nor do I care. If your mother says otherwise, she's lying to you."

He quickly looked to his claimed children, Jon having caught up with Freddie, and not wanting to hear any kind of response spoke to them, "Amanda, Jon, I think it's time for us to go. I'm sure you can see Miss Vega after she's discharged." He walked around Freddie and briskly headed out of the room.

Freddie stood there mildly stunned while Amanda looked lost between snapping her gaze back and forth between her retreating father and Freddie. She quickly turned to catch up with her father and shout, "Dad!"

Jon slowly took a few steps back then turned to follow his family to the elevator.

The others looked on in mild concern, not privy to what just happened except for Cat.

Jade quickly walked up behind her fiancé then rounded in front of him to quickly ask, "What wrong?"

Cat muttered in disbelief, "Mister Benson is Freddie's father."

The pale girl furled her brow, not initially believing her ears, but the redhead looking completely serious helped to sink into Jade's mind what she had just heard. Jade's eyes nearly bugged out and muttered to Freddie, "What?"

André, Robbie and Rex approached just in time to hear what Cat had spoken and looked on just as stunned.

Sam walked back to the group after the elevator closed for the Bensons. She caught the stunned expressions everyone was displaying and the blonde curiously asked, "What did we miss?"

Chapel
Room 2M112A
LAC+USC Medical Center
1983 Marengo Street
Los Angeles, CA

Heather sat in a pew, sitting in quiet contemplation as she had given up kneeling due to her knees hurting. She lazily held her rosary loosely in her right hand, unable to even focus on a prayer as the silence was deafening to her ears, hoping to hear a soft fluttering of wings. She didn't hear that flutter, but the only sound other than the soft prayers of others were the foot steps of someone sliding down the pew to sit next to her. She didn't feel any threat, so she didn't bother acknowledging the person and remained in her private thoughts.

Beck took a seat next to her, but was quite unsure how to proceed. He sat there quiet for a few minutes before he quietly remarked, "I'm sorry for what I said. Dusty and I have our problems, but I shouldn't have thrown that up in your face or… took a step towards you."

The young woman quietly replied while she continued to look forward, "I'm sorry for slapping you."

He snorted out a quiet laugh not to disturb the others, "It's alright. How many Hail Marys is that?"

She turned her head to look at his profile and replied with a frown, "Don't mock my faith."

In the past he had disregarded a lot of what Jade had said, perhaps due to taking for granted her love for him and easily forgiving him or thinking she was just overreacting over every little thing, but that wasn't the case with Heather. They didn't have that kind of history and though she had an identical face as her minus the facial jewelry, she was not Jade. He muttered apologetically, "Sorry."

Heather sarcastically remarked, "I hope you don't do those jokes in front of Tori."

"No, no I don't."

"That's a smart move then because nothing turns off a girl faster than mocking her deeply held religious beliefs. Tori doesn't wear them on her sleeve, but she does have them," she continued, proving that even as a 'sweet girl', she could still have a sharp tongue.

Beck held his tongue as he and Tori hadn't extensively talked about their respective faiths even after being together for more than a year, but he had attended an Easter and Christmas Mass with her and knew she still attended Sunday service on a regular basis.

The pair sat quietly for a few more seconds before Beck turned his attention towards the front of the room and quietly asked, "So he hasn't answered you?"

"No."

"Is he mad at you?"

"I don't know. I…" Heather took a breath and looked down at her lap. "I prayed some pretty harsh things to him after he left. I don't know if he's just ignoring me. I'm just afraid something might have happened to him. I haven't heard any stories about him in the last week,"

Beck forced a smile, suddenly feeling that he needed to comfort the girl. "I'm… I'm sure he's fine."

Heather hoped in her heart that the actor was correct, but there was a sliver of doubt that cracked her heart that she couldn't patch up.

The pair sat quietly waiting for a miracle.

West Residence
Los Angeles, CA

The group waited a few more hours to see Tori before they gave up and decided to head on their separate ways. Jade was not deterred and did eventually slip in with Freddie for a few minutes to see the stubborn brunette. They were not any more successful than the others to reassure her that it wasn't her fault as she ignored them and just rested on her right side to look out of the window to the darkened sky. They decided to leave before she became frustrated with them, but not without a promise of Jade and Freddie returning in the morning with him sealing it with a kiss on her forehead, but Trina felt no obligation to do such a thing in leaving.

Now the time was approaching ten that night and Jade, Mrs. West and Colonel Shay were sitting around the kitchen island while Freddie was up in his room. The Colonel sat in stunned silence and asked, "Wow, he met his father?"

Jade answered with a tired nod, "That's what he said after Cat said it out loud then he just shutdown about it. He just focused on worrying about Tori."

Shay muttered, "That was a bombshell… Your friend's in the hospital, a little girl is going to be dead probably in the next day and now this? It rains, it pours."

The pale teenager pursed her lips and knotted her brow. She dryly commented, "Gee, thanks Colonel."

The former flyer rested his forearms on the countertop and nearly flippantly replied, "Sweetheart, sticking your head in the sand isn't going to change the situation. You just can't wish bad things away. Take one thing at a time: How is Miss Vega?"

"She's just a little bang up with a few bruises and soreness and she'll be fine, but… she's blaming herself for what happened to the girl.

"Why shouldn't she? She was behind the wheel and she's going to be fine while the child is going to die."

"But it wasn't her fault. It was a traffic light that signaled they both had green. It was a bit of glitch in the wiring after some maintenance."

"It wasn't my fault leading men into battle, taking ever little thing into consideration and coming out fine, but still bringing some of my boys home in body bags." He tapped his right temple with his pointer finger and remarked, "Logic

Jade swallowed and nodded her head.

Ruby quietly watched to gauge her future husband's emotional state in recalling such events. Her father had not talked about his war experiences and just kept them bottled up. She hoped that Shay would be able to talk to her about them one day.

The Colonel continued in a conversational tone, "So she's going to be fine and you're just going to have to be there for her when she needs you. It's on her timetable, so… you have to set that aside for tonight. There's the little girl and unless Mister Hale shows up, there's nothing you can do for her, so you have to set that aside. Now what about Freddie? Where is he?"

Jade nodded past him towards the stairs. "He's up in his room. I don't know what he's doing. He doesn't want to talk,"

"Then don't force him this time to talk or deal with anything."

"This time?"

"Your surprise visit last year to Seattle then surprising him with Carly coming down?"

Jade was quick to defend herself, "That was necessary."

Shay sat up on his stool and quickly pointed out, "I'm not saying I'm not happy that they're good now, but you pushed the issue that could have blown up in your face. Don't tempt Fate—especially since she really had it out for you—and try to force him to talk and share. When he needs to talk, he'll talk to you."

The pale teenager hesitantly answered, "Okay."

After apparently that was settled Shay asked, "Has anyone called Marissa?"

Mother and daughter looked to one another, neither wanting to that burden. Ruby was the first to answer by holding up her hands. "I'm not talking to the woman. Birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas in one year is enough for me. I have no idea how I'm going to deal with her for the wedding."

The handsome former Air Force officer furled his brow and genuinely questioned in confusion, "I didn't realize we had to invite her to our wedding."

Mrs. West blew out a breath and rolled her eyes, "I wasn't talking about ours."

Jade's jaw slacked and lips parted to join the rest of her shocked expression.

Mrs. West took another second to realize what she had spoken while Shay madly grinned and asked, "Does that count as a yes?"

The raven haired beauty replied, "I told you what you needed when you seriously ask me."

Shay playfully smiled and teased, "I wasn't asking. I was asking for clarification."

Ruby cocked her head to the side and just glared at him.

Shay's smile just grew bigger.

Jade cleared her throat in an overdramatic manner to catch their attention.

The older couple turned their attention to the musician, forgetting for a moment that she was even sitting with them. Ruby's pale face flushed at how their conversation had turned in front of her daughter.

Jade motioned over her shoulder and asked, "Do you need me to leave to talk in private?"

Her mother shook her head and answered, "No, we're fine."

"Okay… I just want to make it clear that I don't want to wear a ridiculous dress as one of your bridesmaids,"

Ruby looked quite uncomfortable at this line of conversation, "I'll make sure I get your okay before I purchase any dress."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I guess it would be a little much to ask for something in black or dark blue?"

Shay smirked and lazily commented, "I don't know, Ruby wore a black dress to my wedding."

Jade looked to her mother with a curious and surprised expression.

Mrs. West bashfully glanced to the countertop and mumbled, "That was during my… 'gothic phase' when I was a teenager and I was his 'best man', so black was appropriate."

Shay laughed, "Yeah… like you ever really shook it."

The Lynn women turned to him with mildly incredulously expression.

He innocently asked, "What? I'm aware of your wardrobe. You still like your dark colors. You just lightened up on the shade of blue on your jeans."

Ruby slightly frowned, not much appreciating bringing up her former dressing style and habits.

Jade smugly teased, "So black isn't out of the question for your wedding?"

"No, it's not."

The singer smiled in trumpet.

Shay rolled his eyes and relented, "Well back to the topic at hand, I'll call her. What's her number?"

Jade raised the obvious question to herself, "Should we call her? Shouldn't we give Freddie a chance to deal with this before involving her?"

"Perhaps, but I think she should know that her son just ran into his very estranged father. He may be an adult, but he is still her son and she's made some conscious decisions on how she's handled the 'father issue' with him."

"Then let's give him the day before we bring her involved. Tori's in the hospital in an emotional mess and now this, do we really need to involve her into the mix right now?"

"No, but I don't know how long you can put it off."

"Fine, but give him a day without him having to endure her excessive nagging."

"You're technically his next of kin after her, so if he doesn't make the call, it's up to you when it needs to be made,"

"Thanks,"

Jade slipped off her stool and commented, "I think I'll head up and check on Freddie." She leaned over and gave a kiss to her mother's cheek and answered, "Night mom."

She stopped to look at Shay, unsure had to bid him a goodnight. She patted his shoulder and smiled.

He answered, "Have a good night Sweetie."

The dark brunette nodded then headed upstairs while the pair watched her. Once she was out of sight up the stairs, they looked to one another and Shay blew out a disgusted breath, "This sure is a mess."

"Abandoning your child to start a new family then denying your first child certainly is a mess."

Shay cocked an eyebrow and retorted, "If the guy is Freddie's father."

Ruby knotted her brow. "You don't believe Freddie?"

"He may have been Marissa's husband, but that doesn't mean that he's the father."

Ruby laughed in total disbelief that he would even raise the possibility, "You really believe that? She cheated on him?"

"Do you really believe a woman could carry a baby for eleven months?"

"I watched my daughter recover from a head blow that should have killed her. What I 'believe' got redefined after that."

"True and you would think I'm insane with some of the things I've seen if I could legally tell you, but that doesn't seem to count to me as a miracle. Maybe she really did carry him for eleven months and if she did, I'm not going to condemn a guy for counting and the dates not adding up without a little more proof. What guy is going to believe such nonsense? What doctor would not have her induce labor or have a C-section when Freddie was overdue?"

The dark haired woman sat up straight and replied, "I'm just a little sensitive to the behavior, of him doubting his wife's word on the paternity of her child, especially when someone doesn't help the situation."

Shay set her jaw tightly then spoke. "I'm not apologizing for that Ruby. If Jade needs to think I'm her father then let her think that. Roy will never step up and be her father. He wants a child that he can mold into what he wants, not a father and mark my words, if he has his way, he's going to turn that stepchild of his young enough to be his grandson into a perfect little clone of him. You know it's the truth because he wanted full custody and dictate to you when you would have influence on her."

Ruby looked down at the countertop and quietly asked, "Why?"

"Why what?"

She looked up to meet his eyes and asked, "Forget about Roy for a second; why would you want that responsibility? Why risk all the trouble you could get into if it became widespread and people started believing it?"

He chuckled and slightly shook his head which actually caused her to crack a soft smile, "Because… she's your little girl Ruby."

Ruby stared in his blue eyes, seeing the sweet boy she had known since she was seven past the rough exterior that he wore since his mother's death. Other than his eyes, there was so much meaning in his phrase about his love for her and by extension for Jade. She got up from her seat and walked around the island to stand next to him. He turned in his seat and she immediately hugged him. "I love you Steven."

He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "I love you too Ruby."

Fredward "Freddie" Benson's Room
West Residence
Los Angeles, CA

Jade knocked on the door and waited for him to answer, but she was met with only silence. She thought about the Colonel's words about letting him be, but he was her Freddie and just sitting on her hands when he was troubled was not her style. She turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open then hesitantly peaked her head around the edge of the door. She quietly called out, "Hey."

She saw that Freddie was relaxing back in his seat at his desk that ran parallel to nearly the entire right wall. He looked as if he was staring blankly at his computer monitor. At first he didn't acknowledge her as either he couldn't hear her or he was too caught up in his thoughts.

Jade called out again as she quietly slipped inside the room and closed the door behind her, "Freddie?"

The computer engineer student held his stare on the monitor and slowly spoke, "I ah… I looked him up. He's a pretty successful businessman in New York, so I was able to find a picture of him and I talked to my mom to ask if he was my father. She of course hesitated to tell me, which I initially just took as confirmation. She finally had to admit it. She wants me to have nothing to do with him. He made his choice and I should just put him out of my mind… then I told her that he has children—that I have a brother and sister and one of them is going to school with me. She got quiet after that. The conversation kind of ended there. She didn't know what to say and told me it was getting late and I should go to bed. I have class tomorrow."

Jade bowed her head and whispered, "We were debating downstairs whether or not we should call her to let her know."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and finally turned his head to look at his adorably sweet looking fiancée. She was free of makeup and facial jewelry, had her hair free of colorful extensions and tied up in the back of her head, wearing one of his newer Penny-Tees that was baggy on her and reached past her groin and hid most of her sleeping shorts. It was pleasant distraction that brought a small smile to his face.

The pale girl shrugged a shoulder. "The Colonel thinks she has a right to know that you met him. I told him that we should wait and give you the chance to deal with this."

"Well he doesn't have to worry about that now."

He fell silent and looked back to his computer monitor. She wasn't sure how to proceed or whether she should just leave and let him get lost in his thoughts. She chose the former and quietly asked, "Are you okay?"

He looked to her and sighed. "I came to peace a long time ago with not having a father: no relationship, no influence, not anything. I was going to try to be the best man I could without that kind of role model. I owed that to myself, you… our future children, but now… I came face to face with him and now I have a brother and sister. I have no idea how to deal with that. I've dealt with friendship betrayals, psychos, nutty teachers—Hell, even angels and a false god, but this… I don't know where to start."

She walked to the bed and had a seat on the bed which with the seating arrangement meant she was looking at his back. He realized her movement and turned the seat to face her as the last thing he wanted was to be rude to her. They stared at one another for a few seconds until she gave him a pitiful look and slightly shook her head. "I'm sorry Freddie, I don't know what to tell you. I have no advice or anything to say that could help you. We know how much of a mess my relationship is with my father."

Freddie quickly got up from his seat and took one next to her on his bed. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He whispered, "Jade, this is my burden, not yours. You don't have to 'do' anything. You don't have to say anything."

She turned her head to meet his gaze and retorted, "I'm your wif—fiancée; your burden is my burden and I'm supposed to help you."

He smirked at hearing her catching herself in calling herself his wife. He had said his vows to her nearly a year and a half ago and he meant them. She knew he meant them and that in his mind and heart, he was already her husband and had accepted it. She in turn had accepted his proposal twice and before he could get the first one out, she had accepted she would be his wife and bare their children in the future, but now she was seeing it in the present tense instead of the future tense. It was the first bit of unquestionable good news he had heard all day. Unfortunately, he had to set it aside for the time being and stated, "I guess they are, aren't they? I just don't like dragging you down with me."

She cracked a smile as an old lyric passed through her mind and nudged her left shoulder into his armpit. "There is no upper hand, I'm giving you mine…"

He easily picked up, "…it doesn't have to end up wasting your time. There are things that I could say, but here in my own way, I want to let you know that it's all okay…"

He smiled to her and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll—we'll figure it out won't we?"

"Yeah, we will, but you don't have to figure out anything right now though. He lives in New York; you don't have to deal with him if you don't want to." She paused for a moment then hesitantly asked, thinking she was just double talking with her question after telling him he didn't have to figure anything out, "Do you want to deal with him?"

"That's pretty moot with his reaction."

"How did he react? Really? I only saw him walking off."

"He said I was just my mother's bastard child that she tried to pass off as his and that he wasn't my father and didn't care who the other guy was."

Jade's eyes opened wider and her lips became a thin line. She cautiously asked, "Then are we sure he is your father?"

"My mother said he was my father, so he's my father."

She bit her tongue, preventing from raising the possibility that perhaps Mister Benson was correct that he wasn't her fiancé's father and with it that his mother had an adulterous affair. "Okay, but that still doesn't answer my question though: do you want a relationship with him… with Jon and Amanda?"

"With him, I don't know yet and it's not really pressing with him probably leaving tomorrow, but Jon and Amanda? Amanda may still live in New York, but Jon…"

"Jon goes to school with us and he's making an impression on a few of us which might mean he may start becoming involved in our lives, like Sinjin wormed himself into the edges before Ava."

Freddie cracked another smile and joked, "I knew his good looks and voice really caught your attention or you really have a thing for guys named 'Benson'?"

She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. She softly mocked him then her voice dropped into a worried tone, "I wasn't talking about me, but… Tori."

"You really think something could start between them… while she's with Beck?"

Jade slightly grimaced, not like the turn in the conversation. "I was concerned that she could do something she might regret if Beck really is picking up on his old behavior, but now… things are emotionally charged and that's when people can do some really rash things and seek comfort from unexpected people."

"Like we did when we met?"

"We weren't rash and we were not attached… you tried to shove me out the door back to Beck's arms, remember?"

Freddie grinned. "Vividly."

The couple looked into each others eyes and just let their minds wondered back to when they met the second time and where it eventual led. There was some heartache even before their first night together and a lot afterward, but that night and the morning after was a cherished memory for them.

Jade was to first to break eye contact and cleared her throat. She smirked while looking back to him and randomly remarked, "Are you going to be up much longer?"

"I don't know; why?"

"Tomorrow's Monday and your mother's right: you have classes in the morning,"

He smirked and snuck his left hand over her stomach and gently drummed her fingertips over abdomen. "You have class too."

"Mine's not until after noon, so I can sleep in, but you on the other hand…"

"Is that your way of telling me I need to go to bed?"

Jade grinned and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Yes."

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "I guess so." He turned his gaze back on her and brought his lips just in front of her left ear. "I wouldn't mind a little company before I fell asleep."

The musician grinned and placed her hand on his chest and pushed him down to lie on the bed. She slightly turned to rest on his side/chest and smirked into a stolen kiss, forgetting all about her point on how she should handle Jon when she saw him between classes.

Isolation
Burn Ward
LAC+USC Medical Center
1983 Marengo Street
Los Angeles, CA

In another place in the City of Angels at the same time Jade and Freddie were together, a girl, barely six years old, just around Ian's age was lying on a bed under heavy sedation. Most of her body was bandaged under the light blue hospital gown covering her. Her face and most of her head was bandaged up. Most of her hair was practically burned away.

Her right hand was nothing but a stump, her fingers having been practically burned off. The same was for her feet as she had lost all of her toes. She was burned over fifty percent of her body and due to her age and severity, she had a fifty/fifty chance of survival. If she did survive, she would be scarred and never whole again.

On one side of the room, the girl's mother dressed in antimicrobial scrubs had cried herself to sleep. She was fairly young blonde, barely a few years older than the Hollywood Arts friends, obviously having the child in her middle teenage years. She had prayed that someone would answer her, but so far no one had answered her.

The only noise in the room was the ventilator and the soft beep of a heart monitor until a soft whoosh of air fluttered through the room. Soft foot steps added to the sound until they stopped near the right side of the head of the bed and a gentle hand rested on her bandaged forehead. A soft whining sound permeated the room with an accompanying soft glow of light.

The soft, but high pitch noise startled the mother awake. She blinked several times as she sat up then looked on in utter shock at seeing her daughter sitting up in just her hospital gown while she heard the sweet voice of her child, "Mommy?"

The mother looked on in utter shock, unable to move at the sight of her little girl not having a mark on her and had a head full of beautifully straight blonde hair with a beautiful smile on her face.

Tori Vega's Private Room
LAC+USC Medical Center
1983 Marengo Street
Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, October 13, 2013

Tori remained on her side, using her folded left arm as a pillow when she finally found some sleep, more out of sheer exhaustion than wanting to close her eyes.

Trina was sitting in a chair reading some gossip column on her PearPad, not willing to leave her sister's side despite her various protests that she just wanted to be left alone and she was unable to sleep even if it was approaching one in the morning.

The older sister looked up in mild surprise at hearing the door opening and someone walk into the room as it wasn't time for the regular bed-check. The mild surprise quickly turned into utter shock at the individual that walked into the room. She was about to let loose a sharp tongue lashing on him at the mere sight of him, but one glance into his blue eyes that were usually brown told her that she should keep quiet.

The person walked around the foot of the bed and had a seat on the edge of it on the side Tori was facing at about in line with her waist. His pointer and middle finger of his left hand was gently placed on her forehead then the next moment with a gentle vacuuming sound, her scratches and visible bruise was gone. She took a deep breath then settled into an actual peaceful sleep.

He removed his fingers and gently patted her on the shoulder before he looked to the older Vega girl.

LAC+USC Medical Center
1983 Marengo Street
Los Angeles, CA
Monday, October 14, 2013

Tori physically felt fantastic as she walked down the hallway in the hospital gown and robe with Trina by her side. She was free of all the aches and pains along with the bruises and felt like she had woken up from a fantastic night of sleep. She knew there was only one explanation why she felt that way and when she saw him… she would do her best to strangle him.

The musical starlet muttered in annoyance, "Why are we here?"

The older sister patiently answered, "You need to meet someone. It'll make you feel better."

"Who could I possibly see that would make me feel better?"

"You'll see. Don't get your panties in a bunch," Trina softly admonished and led her sister into the private room.

Tori stopped at the doorway at seeing the sight of a blonde playing with a doll while her mother sat at the foot of the bed. The singer questioning looked at her sister, not understanding the significance.

The blonde slipped off the bed and approached the sisters. She wore a slightly hesitant expression then introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Rose."

The brunette looked on mildly embarrassed as it looked like she was expected to know the significance of the name.

The lovely blonde awkwardly laughed that was laced with embarrassment. "I'm the one you hit… or I hit you…" She muttered quietly so the little girl wouldn't hear, "…damn traffic light."

Tori took in a sharp breath then quickly looked back to the girl. The description of what happened to the little girl had been etched into her mind after demanding that they tell her exactly what happened to her, but now she looked at the child that looked perfectly fine and didn't have a care in the world.

Trina whispered to her sister, "We got our miracle."

The younger Vega sister covered her mouth and sniffled. She began as she felt the up swell of emotion she felt yesterday when Trina told her what happened and the tears started to flow, "I'm so sor—"

Tori was cut off when the woman pulled her into a hug. Rose quickly whispered, "No, it's not your fault. It was the traffic lights. It was those damn traffic lights. Someone was just too lazy to double check them."

The singer swallowed down her emotion, trying to relax into the woman's embrace that she thought had ever right to kill her on the spot. Rose pulled back and glanced over the singer before questioning, "You look alright. I was told you were pretty banged up."

The brunette took another breath then cleared her throat. "I… I woke up fine. My bruises and soreness are gone."

"Ah… would you like to meet my daughter?"

Tori looked caught at the suggestion. She looked between Rose and her sister, unsure how to respond. The choice was taken out of her hands when Rose gently took her by the elbow and walked her to the bed. Tori cautiously took a seat on the edge of the bed. She choked back her emotion then a soft breath escaped past her lips. She put on a soft smile and greeted the little girl with a strained voice, "Hello."

The little girl answered in a carefree voice, "Hi."

"I'm Tori. What's your name?"

The blonde beamed a smile and answered, "I'm Grace."

"Grace?" Tori swallowed and turned her head slightly to brush away the feeling of another tear. She looked back and smiled. "That's a very pretty name."

Twisted Set
Studio City, Los Angeles
Monday, October 14, 2013

Beck ran his fingers through is long hair to brush it back and out of his face as he walked on Twisted lot. A number of the crew gave him curious and supportive looks, but none of them were brave enough to approach him. He finally made his way to the set of his character's house. They had beautiful set shots of the outside using a very nice home, but the interior was a set that allowed for the practicalities of filming.

He reached the center and flopped on the couch in the living room, just taking a moment to try to clear his mind and settle himself. He didn't sleep much the previous night and it was shown with slight bags under his eyes. He could shake it off though with enough coffee as he was able to 'function' with very little sleep for several days when a cricket invaded his former trailer just before the Christmas of twenty-eleven.

The heartthrob actor knew he would be fine. Today was only table readings and he would be done in no time and back with Tori where she would be ready to see him then things would be fine and he could get a good night sleep. He would then be fresh on dealing with another Benson clearly trying to move on his girl… the brother of Freddie of all people that has been a thorn in his side for so long.

His solitude was short lived when his costar, Maddie Hasson, cautiously approached him while looking to him sympathetically and in mild shock at his appearance. She took a seat next to him on the couch and rapidly fired off, "What are you doing here?"

Beck shook his head and answered in a tired and hurt voice, "Because this is the only place I would be useful. Tori wants to be alone after finding out what happened… I assume you saw the news about the other driver?"

The curly haired blonde sympathetically nodded then he continued, "I didn't see the point of just pacing about in the hallway. Her sister is with her. She couldn't kick Trina out."

The blonde actress gave a half-hearted smile at recalling the older Vega sister after several get togethers after a day of filming in L.A. She could get on one's nerves, but she was a lot better than a lot of people she had met in the entertainment industry.

His other very attractive costar, Kylie quickly approached and asked in a relieved tone when she stopped in front of them, "So the news is right? She's alright? You wouldn't be here if she wasn't alright."

The long haired actor reluctantly nodded his head. "Yeah, she's alright. It's just a few scraps, bruises that will heal and she's a little sore—thank God for seatbelts. It's just… it's touch and go for the little girl. The car burst into flames and she was burned really badly before they could get her out. Tori's blaming herself." He glanced back to Maddie and explained, "I think that's why she kicked me out. She's just ashamed to be seen."

Maddie furled her eyebrows and glanced to Kylie before commenting to Beck, "But it wasn't Tori's fault. The news said it was a traffic light malfunction; they both stayed green at the same time."

"You know that, I know that and she knows that, but… but she was driving and she's never been comfortable with her driving skills—her lack of driving skills—in her mind. It doesn't help that André and I have teased her about it in the past and now a little girl is probably going to die."

He shook his head in mild disgust with himself and glanced down at the floor. "I should have drove her myself or insisted that she have one of company's drivers take her to the airport."

Maddie smirked and poked his shoulder. "So now you're blaming yourself?"

He looked up to his costar and answered with a mild snort, "I'm her boyfriend; I can't help it."

Kylie took a seat on the other side of Beck and asked with a raised eyebrow and mildly disbelieving tone, "Are you really going to attempt rehearsals?"

"We're just going to do some table readings today and hopefully by the time we're done Trina has

Maddie cleared her throat and a tight smile formed on her face. She cautiously remarked, "Beck… from the few times I've met her, she doesn't seem to be your biggest fan."

Beck slightly turned his head and smirked. "No she's not, but she's not going to actively try to sabotage me, actually…" He slowly lost that charming smirk that would tempt many of the ladies as it finally dawned on him the seriousness of what Trina and Jade had attempted to warn him. Trina had actively tried to help him, but he blew her off and now he was the one on set while Tori wanted to be left alone even by him, but didn't push out some random guy she had only met about two weeks ago.

The actor unfortunately didn't have the opportunity at the moment to let the gravity of the situation sink into him as the lights started to dim then return to their normal levels with a soft shorting out sound permeating the set.

Kylie looked up then over her shoulder, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "What's going on with the lights?"

Maddie got up and look in the other direction at a lamp sitting on the neighboring table to see that it was doing the same as the others, but what made the sight truly disturbing was that the lamp wasn't plugged up to an electrical outlet. She took a step back from the lamp just as the light bulb popped then the rest of the lights all across the set popped.

Several people on the set let out sharp yelps in surprise then began to move away and take cover from the overhead lights as they started shooting sparks, electricity clearly still being fed into them.

Beck felt his stomach sink in knowing exactly what was happening. He muttered in disbelief, "No, he wouldn't…"

Everything on set started vibrating along with the floor under their feet.

Someone randomly shouted, "Earthquake!"

Everyone immediately started ducking and trying to seek cover.

Maddie and Kylie ducked under a table as the rumbling became louder and the set shook harder.

Thunder rumbled outside and lightning seemed to flash inside the studio despite the fact that it was a closed set.

The only one that didn't take cover was Beck as he jumped to his feet and desperately started turning in place and looking around for the source as he knew what was happening wasn't natural. He stopped when he found it at the other end of the set that led to the exit.

In the chaos of the quaking and electronics still shorting out and sending sparks, a calm figure started walking with singular purpose, ignoring the falling sparks from shattered lights and whine of dying electrical equipment.

Beck felt the icy grip of fear closing over his heart, but held his gaze steady at the eyes of the approaching figure. He would not visibly be intimidated by the sight no matter how much his soul might fear the oncoming force.

The figure's hair was a little longer and messier than he remembered and little more muscular built. On the right side chest of the figure there was a gash in the leather jacket from the right shoulder and a blood stain running down to mid-abdomen.

The teenager stopped in his tracks before another flash of lightning illuminated the hallway and giving a backdrop for two shadows to take shape behind him for those brave enough to watch to see. Several quick flashes later, the shadows fully unfurled and took on the shape of a pair of wings, that of an eagle or a hawk then the flashes of lightning stopped.

The cast, crew and extras looked on in awe and fear, none willing to say or do anything as they watched the young man take a few more steps until he was less than a foot in front of Beck and staring the actor straight in the eyes.

Dusty 'Soapy' Hale spoke in a cold, low and very soft tone that dripped with barely contained rage, "Hello pretty boy."


Author's Notes: I'd like to thank Fanfic-Reader-88 for putting into words in his last review about what I hadn't really labeled as Tori's feelings on what happened. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and it just has you wanting more. Thanks.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West
Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flannigan as Col. Steven 'Loco' Shay, Ret.
Special Guest Appearance by David Boreanaz
Guest star Maddie Hasson as Herself
Guest star Kylie Bunbury as Herself
Guest star Mia Talerico as Grace
Guest star Bridgit Mendler as Rose
Special Guest Appearance by Cody Christian as Dustin 'Dusty' Hale (so hard to book him when he's playing on Pretty Little Liars :D )