Disclaimer: Victorious and all of its associated copyrights are not my property and I stake no claim to them.

A/N: What am I doing? Who knows. Things have been really crazy as of late, but they're settling down, so I've had a lot more time and inspiration to write. I do apologize for the enormous gaps in the previous chapters.

This one may get heavy in some places. Be warned.

Tori's POV

As I was lying back on the couch, resting, enjoying a joint and a good book, I heard footsteps outside my apartment in the hallway. Since I lived in a busy building, it wasn't surprising, however when I heard a key in the lock and the door opening, I knew he was back.

Steven walked inside the apartment, dumping his backpack and duffel bag near the end of the couch and taking off his jacket, throwing it over the back of the chair. He walked over and plucked the joint from my hand, taking a hit, kissing me, then handing it back. It was an unusual display of affection from him, but I was glad he was at least being pleasant today. He went back over to his backpack, opening one of the pockets and retrieving something, tossing it over to me, where it ended up landing on my stomach. "Promised I'd bring back something special, so I did."

I set down my book and looked at what he had thrown to me. I immediately recognized the little pink pills and my mouth fell open in shock, "Are you serious?"

Steven grinned and picked up his duffel bag, heading towards the bedroom, "Enjoy."

I quickly finished up the last of my joint and disposed of it in the ashtray. I held up the baggie and counted the pills, seeing 34 in total. Steven was suddenly back in the living room, "Hey, what happened to that gear I had delivered to you?"

"I sold it, just like you told me to," I answered passively.

His mood immediately took a complete 180. "I never fucking told you to sell it! I told you to pick it up, that's it!"

My heart sank, "But…"

He grumbled in frustration, "Who fucking told you to sell it?"

"Taylor did! He told me when I went to go pick it up that you were going to bring back more but wanted me to distribute what I was given."

"That son of a bitch, he's fucking dead!" Steven growled, stomping back into the bedroom and slamming the door.

I was confused, to say the least. I had no idea why Taylor would tell me to sell something that wasn't supposed to be sold. I looked back at the baggie of pills and set it down on the coffee table, hesitantly going to the bedroom, knocking on the door. "What do you want?"

I decided just to go in, remembering that he always told me not to be weak and a pushover. It was strange how much I relied on what this man had taught me, despite how much I hated him. "What's the deal?"

He shook his head as he looked through the contents of his duffel bag, "Got some fucking traitors, that's what." He stood up and looked at me as if he had just thought of something, "Deonte, has he spoken to you?"

"Yeah, he found me at a party and confronted me, saying that he was going to trade info for clients for the gear you'd given me." It was only after I finished speaking that I realized what I had confessed to.

"You went to a party?" Shit. "Goddammit, forget it, doesn't matter. What did he want to know?"

I was beyond confused at that point, and couldn't keep my thoughts straight enough to lie anymore, "He wanted to know what Beck knew, since apparently it's common knowledge that the 50 grand came from him."

Steven shook his head, "Those fucking traitors. I never told them to do this, nobody did!"

"What did you give me that I wasn't supposed to distribute?"

His jaw tightened, "They knew what it was. Taylor knew, and I know he told Deonte. How many people did you give it to?"

"There were 8 at the warehouse when I went. I sold everything you gave me, I thought that's what you wanted! I swear I didn't know you wanted to keep it!"

"Fuck me," he swore under his breath, "I know you had nothing to do with this little scheme of theirs, you're smarter than that. You know better. But to answer your questions, we've got at least 8 deaths on our hands, 'cause you sold them hotshots."

My eyes widened, "What?! No, that shit was grey, it wasn't the same-"

"Shut up," Steven cut me off, "What I gave to Alana was different, and I did it to keep us all safe. This batch was something else. I had a plan for it and those idiots just fucked it all up."

I just ignored the part about Alana, I didn't want to remember anymore. "Why would they do that?"

"Someone bought them off, that's the only way they'd double-cross me like that. Now I've just got to figure out who wanted those guys dead."

"What if they didn't even want them dead?" I proposed.

He looked at me as if I had just said the stupidest thing he'd ever heard, "What else would they gain?"

I shrugged, "You lost money, didn't you? Maybe their deaths were collateral damage, maybe their intent was something else entirely."

"You think someone's trying to take me down?"

I held up my hands, "I don't know. This is your problem to deal with."

"Who's party were you at?" There it is.

"It was Beck's friend. There was a huge party with at least 50 people. No drugs, just alcohol."

"Jade." My blood ran cold. His back was to me, so he didn't see the color drain from my face at the name, though I entirely expected it, it still chilled me. He just continued on, "You can say her name. I know who she is, and I also know you've been over there quite frequently."

I took a silent deep breath to compose myself. "Yeah, I have."

His mind seemed to be running in all directions, "When you saw Deonte, did he talk to anyone else? Anyone you recognized?"

"No, just the guys that were there. I didn't know any of them."

"Beck...You said he was dating your friend, Cat?" I nodded. "What's your relationship with them? Why have you been over there so often?"

"Originally I just wanted something to do. It was only later on I figured out Jade was an old friend of mine. I saw an opportunity and acted on it."

His brows furrowed, "Opportunity?"

I shrugged as if it were no big deal, "I heard that you wanted Beck as a client, so I decided to do you one better and get both Beck and Jade."

"Beck never came to me with a deal," he stated.

"There's a difference between you and me, and the relationships we have with them. See, they trust me. I'm your link to them. Babe, I can get you anything you want."

Steven seemed skeptical, "Why would they go along with that?"

I knew then it was time to pull out all the stops and go for it. I walked closer to him and smiled slyly, "Jade and I used to have a thing. She's got it bad for me, so you can imagine how easy it is to manipulate her. She'll do anything I ask."

"Anything?"

"Anything at all."

"Prove it to me," He said, his guard still up. "Show me what you can do. I want you to visit her tomorrow, and I want you to get me 25k in cash. Tell her whatever you need to, I just want the money."

The corner of my mouth pulled up into a smirk, my eyebrows raising as I spoke, "You got it."

He nodded, "Good. Now, what do you say we test out some of that good stuff I got for you?"

Steven packed up his bag again and set it to the side so the bed was clear, telling me just to lie down and he'd go grab it. I did as he said and he came back with the baggie and some vodka. He shut the door, grabbed the remotes to the TV and Blu-ray, took off his shoes and belt, tossing them aside and lied down next to me, handing me the baggie. He turned on both, switching to the blu-ray. "Since you're pretty tolerant, try 3, if it doesn't hit you like a freight train in a few seconds, we'll try a couple more."

"Sure you're not trying to kill me?" I joked, picking out 3 pills from the bag.

He shrugged, "I definitely could, but," he took the bag, retrieving 3 for himself, "That'd be a waste."

Steven went first, placing the 3 pills on his tongue and washing them back with a swig of vodka. He shook his head and exhaled heavily, handing the bottle to me. I did the same and started to feel the affects only 15 seconds later. "Try to think of something nice, this shit trips you out hard."

I didn't bother speaking, my mind was full of a thick fog and I could feel that same sensation in my body as every other time I'd gotten high. I took his advice, thinking of the one thing that did make me happy. I barely registered Steven turning on some music, a playlist we reserved specifically for getting high. It mostly consisted of instrumentals, as words always seemed to influence the hallucinations.

I blinked once and found myself in a familiar room, one dotted with posters of famous mixed martial artists, a computer desk to the right, a couch to the left, a bathroom just to the right of the TV set up against the stairs leading to the main floor. Next to me Jade was beginning to remove both her clothes and my own. I watched her, my mouth slightly agape as she settled herself on top of me, one hand on my left breast and her mouth all over my neck, littering it with remnants of her. Her hand moved from my breast, down my stomach, and between my legs. A moan escaped me as she fingered me so well. Her face was directly above mine, looking down at me with that same devilish smirk she liked to tease me with. Suddenly there was something inside of me, and the part of my mind that was supposed to register that this didn't make sense was completely offline. I didn't care what it was, all I could focus on was the pleasure she was giving me and her lips moving against my own. She pulled away from the kiss, looking down at me intensely, "You're mine," she whispered huskily.

I was awoken by a few stray beams of sunlight streaming through the cracks in the blinds. My eyes closed tightly, blocking it out, my hand reaching up to move the hair out of my face. I stood up shakily and went to the bathroom. It was only as I looked at myself in the mirror that I realized I was naked, my neck and chest covered in hickies.

My memory was blank, the last thing I remembered was Steven and I taking the ecstasy, and then, nothing. From my own appearance, it wasn't difficult to figure out what had happened after my blackout. I wasn't caught off guard, because I knew that's what happened to me on this particular drug. Usually, I was able to deduce the happenings of the previous night after a bit of thought, so I set my mind to remembering. I knew I had sex with someone, and I knew that more than likely it was Steven. I wracked my brain trying to remember if anything had happened afterward. I had no idea. Even as I went back into the bedroom and put on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, I couldn't recall what had happened later. I surveyed the room carefully, but to me, it seemed that nothing more had happened. Since I never trusted him to be careful, and didn't remember any specifics, I went back into the bathroom and took a morning after pill.

From the silence in my apartment, I knew Steven was gone. I picked up my phone and sighed as I realized it was dead. I put it on the charger and left the room. In the living room, I found a note on the coffee table.

Remember what I told you to do today. I'll be back by 10.

I decided not to waste any time and grabbed a bottle of Gatorade, sipping it as I got dressed. I grabbed my keys and left the apartment, heading over to Jade's house.

Much to my displeasure, Jade wasn't home when I got there. Beck was, and I explained the situation, telling him what I needed. He told me to wait in the living area, and he left, coming back a few minutes later with an envelope. I thanked him and left.

My mind didn't register much more of the encounter, as it was still in a haze. For the life of me I couldn't even make out the details lying on my couch only a half hour later. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep again.

"Tori, hey babe, wake up," Steven's voice snapped me into consciousness.

I groaned and sat up. My body ached and my head was killing me. "Fuck, can you get me some aspirin?" I asked.

He nodded and left, returning a moment later with two pills and some water. "You okay? Never seen this effect on you."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think it was because I took it on an empty stomach."

"That'll mess you up for sure. Did you get what I asked for?"

I pointed to the table, though I had never checked the envelope or what was in it, so I was honest. "Jade wasn't there. That's what Beck gave me."

He checked the envelope, "I guess you do have these guys wrapped around your little finger. Well done, babe." It was silent for a moment longer before he gently patted the back of my head once, "I know what you need."

I didn't ask, though a moment later I heard him on the phone, ordering a pizza. My stomach growled at the thought. He hung up and sat next to me, patting my knee, "We'll get you something to eat and you'll feel better."

"What happened last night?" I couldn't help but ask.

"What do you mean?"

I shook my head, "I just don't remember what happened after we took the X."

"We had sex and then went to sleep, why?"

"I'm just not used to forgetting so much."

"We'll have to make sure you don't take it on an empty stomach again."

Steven checked his phone and had a curious look on his face, standing up and heading towards the bedroom. I had no idea what he was doing and didn't particularly care. My head was pounding. He came back and handed me my phone, "Has this been here all day?"

"Yeah, I think I forgot it on the charger when I left." I took the phone and turned it back on, surprised when I came across several notifications. About a dozen texts and calls were among them, mostly from Cat. I ignored the rest and looked at what she had sent. They were mostly asking me to contact her right away, so I got up and went to the bedroom, closing the door behind me. I called her number and she picked up after only two rings.

"Hey, how are you doing?" She asked eagerly.

I grunted in response, a signal she knew meant that I wasn't much for talking. "When you came by this morning Beck said you seemed really out of it. He said you were clearly stoned, but didn't understand why, since it was only 9 in the morning. But anyway, Jade wanted to know if she could have your number. Speaking of which, what's going on between you two?"

Cat really knew how to fill in silences. I tried to answer all of her questions, "I probably was stoned. I don't think that's a good idea right now, and nothing you need to know about. Did I get everything?"

"Yep, busy?"

"Yeah, I'll try to call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure, take care of yourself."

I shook my head and just tried to keep them from my mind, I couldn't handle it. I went back out into the living room, where Steven was just bringing in the pizza. He picked out two slices and put them on a paper plate, offering it to me with a smile. I took it and sat down on the couch, "Hey, what do you want to drink?"

I turned on the TV, "Surprise me."

Steven sat down next to me a moment later with his own pizza as well as two drinks. He handed one to me before leaning back and putting his feet up on the coffee table. As I flipped through the guide, he pointed to the screen, "Stop, go back up two, there."

"The news?" I asked, confused.

He just grinned and stayed silent, watching the broadcast. About 2 minutes later they started on a new story.

"This just in; a brutal gang shootout in a quiet suburb of southeastern Florence-Graham has come to an end, with 25 confirmed dead at the scene. At least 50 more are in the hospital, most in critical condition. Several homes of known gang members were torched to the ground, and firefighters are still fighting the blazes left behind. The cause for this violent outbreak is unknown, though it is speculated it was a fight over territory or dominance between the gangs Sicilian Brotherhood and Public Enemy Number 1. The shootout led to the discovery of a massive methamphetamine manufacturing site, with various other narcotics found, amounting to over three-quarters of a million dollars. We will report more as it becomes available. Residents of Florence-Graham are highly recommended to stay in their homes until this quiets down, and a curfew of 10 PM has been issued by the LAPD."

"All in a days work," Steven muttered, a victorious smile on his face.

"You did this?" I asked, shocked.

Steven shrugged and grabbed two more pieces, "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Best part? They'll never know."

I was stunned. I couldn't believe in one single day Steven had done all of this. Though as I thought more about it, it made sense. The fight was coming to a head anyway, both sides were chomping at the bit to start the war, all it took was some provocation, one wrong move, one slip up. I knew it wasn't over either, this was just the beginning.

"Who was killed?"

"I wasn't there, so I don't know. I'll be heading over tomorrow to figure out what kind of damages we sustained, but heard word that Taylor was gunned down in an alley, let's hope it's true. I've been wanting him gone for a long time. Awfully convenient how this worked out, hm?"

I bit my lip and thought about it, "Why have you wanted him dead?"

Steven threw his empty plate into the kitchen like a frisbee, grabbing his drink and putting his arm over my shoulders, "I know he's been blackmailing you, there just wasn't a whole lot I could do. But I've finally been given enough incentive to start this war, so I'll just start plucking off the ones who aren't loyal, starting with those sellouts. Anyone who stays with me is guaranteed immunity."

"How do you know?"

"You underestimate me, babe. As long as you stay with me, you'll never get hurt."

I swallowed hard, but couldn't keep myself from asking, "What happens to those who turn on you?"

"Well, you saw those photos. That's what happens." He looked over at me and gave me a strange smile, "You know you're safe with me, right?"

I nodded. He kissed me and got up, "What are you feeling tonight?"

"Could I just get a hit of smack? I really don't feel like a full day blackout again."

Steven went back to the bedroom and I sighed heavily, putting my head in my hands. I was so conflicted, I couldn't even keep my thoughts straight. My mind was spinning, going through the events of the past few days. I was shocked, I was confused, and most of all, I was terrified. Steven came back and started to fix up a hit for me. I finished my last piece of pizza and sat back, waiting. A moment later, he had it ready. He injected it with expert precision and I exhaled, embracing the high. He fixed up another for himself, waiting a moment to light a joint as well before injecting his own hit. We floated on the high for who knows how long, going through at least three joints.

He managed to confuse me even more when he smiled at me, picking me up bridal style and carrying me to the bedroom. He kicked the door shut, lying me down on the bed and getting on top of me, kissing me in a way I hadn't experienced from him before. It was more passionate, romantic even.

"I love you," he whispered, shocking me into silence. He'd never once uttered those words to me, even under the most debilitating highs, he never came close. "I'll keep you safe. You're mine. "

I couldn't even formulate words anymore, my mind was just gone. Though through my intense high and all of the confusion ripping my brain apart, one thought managed to make itself painfully clear.

Maybe Jade didn't think of everything after all.

A/N: I really appreciate all the reviews, you guys give me the inspiration to keep writing. I'll definitely keep on this story and get these chapters out in a more timely manner. Until next time, let me know what you thought of this one.