A/N: Holy shit! Has it really been almost 4 years since I've updated this story. I could give you this long, drawn out explanation about how this happened. But I really have no excuse, but I think I'm getting back into the swing of this story and should be able to hopefully see it through to completion. Is anyone still out there lol?

Disclaimer: Is there really any need...


Awake

Andre POV

I wasn't aware of anything else. Tori's awake. She's finally awake!

I was so excited I was ready to literally run the three blocks it would take to get the hospital. But seeing as my body wouldn't take it well, considering I was still recovering, I reluctantly decided against it.

I looked over at Jade. She had her eyes closed, free hand running through her, whispering thank you's to whoever she thought was listening. I decided that whatever I had to say to Jade could wait. Tori's awake, things seem to be moving in positive direction. I can let this go, at least, for tonight. She and I made eye contact when she opened her eyes again. "We've got to get back to the hospital." After a beat, she left the room to go tell the others.

I quickly grab my phone and anything else I feel is important. "Yay! That's such great news!" I lightly chuckled to myself as I hear Cat practically scream from next door.

I walk out of my room letting the door close behind me. I see Jade, Cat, and Robbie gathering their things. Even though we still might not be able to see her we all know it's best if we go back up there. We were going to visit Beck anyway.

Robbie and Cat walk out, I start to walk behind then when I feel Jade grab my arm "hey, what did you want to talk about earlier" she asks.

"It can wait" I say simply as I pull my arm out of her hold. She nods before we walk silently to her car.

"I'm starting to hate this place" I say to no one in particular. I hear agrees from the others.

"As soon as Tori and Beck are released, I don't even want to see another hospital" Robbie mutters as we get on the elevator. Everyone's tired, it's clear we're all running on very little sleep, and we've spent way too many hours in the place these last three days.

My leg shakes with anticipation during the ride up. We arrive on the floor to the ICU and don't see Tori's family in the waiting room.

"Where is everyone?" Cat asked.

"I don't know…" Jade said.

I pulled out my phone to call Trina when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see it was one of the nurses. I recognized her from the day of the accident and last night when Trina was giving me updates on Tori's condition.

"Excuse me, are you looking for your friend?" obviously she recognized me too.

"Yeah, do you know where she is" Jade, Robbie, Cat, and I all listening intently.

"Yeah, her condition had been down-graded from critical to stable so she was able to be moved from ICU to a regular patient room" the nurse said with a smile.

Thank God! "Do you know what floor and room?" I finally get to see her!

"Not off the top of my head, but let me go find out for you. Victoria Vega, right?"

"Right." I confirmed. She walked off quickly. I looked over at Robbie who smiled and held both his thumbs up.

The nurse returned as quickly almost as quickly as she left. "She's on the fourth floor, room 413"

"Thank you so much" we all said to her, walking quickly back to the elevator.

"Does this we'll finally get to see her now?" Cat asked during the ride up.

"Yeah, Cat," a huge smile gracing my face, "It does."

We got off the elevator to see Tori's family sitting in the waiting room. "Hey guys, we weren't expecting to see you until tomorrow sometime, I'm guessing Trina told you all the good news then?" Mr. Vega asked.

"Yeah, she did"

Cat was about to say something when a doctor walked up to us. "Mr. and Mrs. Vega" the British-accented woman had a file in her hand. "We've finished getting Victoria situated in her room. She's doing quite well. The collapsed lung is healing as it should as are her various cuts and bruises. She's still groggy, just coming out it and all" Mrs. Vega and Trina couldn't contain their tears of happiness at the news.

"So she's going to be okay, Dr. Colby?" Mr. Vega asked.

"I like what I'm seeing in her progress. If things keep going the way they are, Victoria is going to be just fine" Dr. Colby said with confidence.

And for the first time in three days, I felt I could finally breathe.

"So when can we see her?" Robbie asked her.

"You can go in and see her now, but just keep the visitors down one at a time, two at the very most. And don't make them too long. She's still liable to fall in and out consciousness. Don't worry this is perfectly normal for the early stages" She explained.

She closed the file and smiled at us. "Thank you much, for everything" Mrs. Vega said to the doctor.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me I'm just glad that Victoria is getting better" Dr. Colby told her modestly. She walked away most likely to tend to her other patients.

"She's going to be okay" I said to myself. "She's going to be okay." I pulled rubbed my hands over my face.

"I feel like you guys should go see her first" Mr. Vega told Robbie, Cat, Jade, and I. "I know you kids have been really worried about her and haven't been able to be with her for the last 3 days. I know she'd love to see you all, even if it's only for a few minutes"

"No, we can wait, you should…"

"No it's fine. Go ahead. We were luckily in her room when she first woke up, she's already seen us" He said, trying to convince us further.

I looked over to see Jade standing against the wall, a short distance away, clearly deep in thought. We made eye contact for a quick second before Cat touched my arm, taking my attention.

"I think you should go she her first" She said simply. I looked over at Robbie who was nodding in agreement. I wanted to argue that it wasn't particularly necessary but my need to see her wouldn't let me. The need to see for myself that she was awake, that she okay, that everything was going to be okay. I simply just accepted it and walked to her room.

I stood in front of her door, taking a deep breath before walking in.

I stood with my back to the door, taking a good look at her. The steady sound of her heart beat filling my ears. I took in the chest tube in the right side of her chest, the IVs in both of her hand, the multiple bandages still covering her form. I don't know what I was expecting to see honestly. She looks so pale and fragile.

"A-are you just gonna stand over there?" My thoughts were broken by the sound of Tori's voice. The hoarse sound of her voice almost foreign. Her eyes on me, staring.

I put one foot in front of the other until I made 5 foot trek to her bed side. My smile wide as I looked down at her. "Welcome back, gorgeous" Her beautiful brown eyes never leaving mine as touched her cheek, my thumb caressing softly, carefully avoiding her bruises.

"Hey handsome" She said tiredly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, like I was hit by a truck" She groaned out. The turn she tried to make towards me obviously causing her pain.

I pulled the chair behind me as close to the bed as possible to sit. "Not quite what happened, but I can empathize"

"How are you doing?" She reached a shaky hand touch the bandage on the right side of my forehead. "Beck? My parents told me about the accident and two of you getting hurt."

"I'm fine, so is he. He's finally getting out of here tomorrow" She hummed her approval at that.

I grabbed her hand from it place on my head, placing it gently back on the bed, lacing our fingers together. "Really?" She asked

"Really."

We sat there in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence.

Everything is going to be okay.


David and Holly Vega looked on through the window of their daughter's room, observing the interaction between Andre and Tori.

David takes a $50 bill out of his wallet and dejectedly hands it to his wife.

"I told you" Holly said simply. She sauntered away from him, waving the money where he could see, just to rub it in.

Mr. Vega turns back to window to see Andre kiss Tori on her forehead. He decides to walk away, giving the kids back their privacy, thinking long and hard about how he feels about his daughter's obvious new boyfriend.


Tori is awake. Progress is being made. I felt ya'll deserved some extra fluffy fluff.

Hated it? Like it? Are you still interested? Response is always wonderful.

Special Shoutouts:

Annaelle: Thank you for the encouragement. I totally and completely appreciate. I'm always nervous about how I'm doing with conveying emotion. Glad to know I'm doing okay.

Youngjusticefan: Andre and Jade's conversation is coming. The update didn't come as soon as I'd hoped.

PeopleAreSoPettyAndTiny-Thor: Glad you liked it.

SKRowling: Oh don't worry, Andre will definitely tell her how he feels about what he heard.

imawesome519: I hope I didn't kill you with how long I've keep the suspense going.

ABCSoapLover: Thank you so much!

{Guest}: Thanks!

trustme93: I hope you still think it's worth the read.

{Guest}: I didn't kill her. See. Don't kill me.

{Tandre3}: Hope that's a good thing lol.

ScienceisAwesome: I'm trying to slowly but surely make her see the error in her ways. Andre and Jade have a lot of issues to work through right now. Hope the Tandre moment was satisfying.

leaj0rdan: Thank you!

{Guest}: I thought about, really, I was going to do your suggestion, then I said that they'd been through enough. So I'll just have the accident affect them in other ways.

{Guest}: I updated! 4 years later... *runs in corner and hides*

Aiphira: The accident is going to affect her, but I still wanted her to remember everyone. But I still have the drama planned.

ConceitedReality: New chapter!

To the people that have faved, alerted, liked but didn't do either, wanted to kill me for not updating in so long, I thank you for your patience and not showing up with mobs and pitchforks.

~Peace, Tandre, Strawberries~