Sunday 31st July 2012

Every minute 267 people are born, and 108 people die. Every minute 267 people take their first breath, and 108 take their last. Every minute 267 mothers smile with absolute joy at the first glance of their new born baby, 267 fathers watch on with a tear in their eye, scared but determined to be the perfect role model. Every minute the hearts of 108 families break and splinter into pieces, and their long grief-stricken journey starts, that will finally lead to recovery.

Jade sat in the driver's seat of her car, by the entrance of the church. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining and birds all over the country had been singing their hearts out. Jade couldn't hear any of it though. She had been sitting there since seven that morning, and it was now eleven. She had seen the priest go in soon after she arrived, wearing his robes and ready for the day ahead. A couple of hours later she had seen the coffin go in, made of Beachwood and covered in pink, dusty, old fashioned roses. Following the coffin Jade had watched the Valentine family, father and son, slowly walk in. Finally, forty minutes ago, she had seen all the guests go in, including her friends. The service itself had started half an hour ago, but she couldn't make herself join it. Everyone had said that she didn't have to go, that it was perfectly understandable if she stayed at home. She had said no though, she had said she was ready. Jade had persuaded everyone, even herself, that she could do it. But here she was, unable to get out of her car.

It had been two weeks since Cat had died. After Jade and Tori had seen her in the back of the ambulance they had chased it all the way to the hospital. The doctor there said that it was almost instant. A bottle of her grandma's medication, downed with vodka. Her father had driven straight up, and it was he who officially confirmed that the girl in the morgue was Cat. They kept the body a couple of days, but it was pretty clear that she had committed suicide.

Jade was jerked back into reality by the car door opening on the passenger's side. A boy slid in next to her. It was Robbie. His eyes were red from crying, his glasses steamed up.

'The service has moved out to the grave yard. They are about to lower the coffin in, and Mr. Valentine was wondering if you were going to say your speech or whether it was too much. He says it is fine if you can't manage it.'

Jade looked at him, as if she hadn't realised he was there. She pressed her lips tightly together, then spoke.

'I want her back Robbie. There was so much that she wanted to do, so much that I wouldn't let her do. She wanted to go swimming with the turtles this summer. I told her that there was no way that I would ever go near the ocean, let alone go swimming in the middle of it. I just want her back! I'll swim in the ocean every day, wear pink for the rest of my life Robbie, I'll do anything! I want Cat to come back!'

Robbie put his hand on Jade's arm, and for the first time in his life it wasn't pushed off.

'Shhhh Jade. I know it's hard, but you need to come with me and say goodbye to Cat.'

'I'm not ready to say goodbye to her! She can't be gone, it's too soon. We were going to go to University together, then live in New York together while I started directing plays and she pursued her singing career. She was going to be my children's godmother!'

Jade's voice rose and rose, until she was screaming.

'Jade, I know how you fee-'

'No you don't! No one knows what I'm going through right now! I didn't get to tell her I forgive her, that I want her to be my best friend again. She died thinking I hated her!'

'I never got to tell her I loved her.' Jade turned to Robbie, shocked. He continued. 'I say that I know how you feel, because I do. I have loved her ever since I set eyes on her in kindergarten, but I have been too much of a coward to tell her, and now it's too late! So, please Jade, come with me and say goodbye to Cat because I know that if you don't you will regret it.'

Robbie got out of the car and walked round to the other side. He put out his hand for Jade to take, and after a moment she did. Together they walked through the graveyard to where there was a crowd of people crowded round the grave Cat's coffin was about to be lowered into. As they approached Robbie cleared his throat, and everyone turned. Mr. Valentine gave Jade a nod, silently telling her that the stage was hers. She stepped forward and pulled out a sheaf of paper from her clutch, willing herself not to cry.

'It says in the Bible that for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.'

The tears started rolling down Jade's cheeks silently.

'God, I don't know why you took Cat from us this soon and caused us so much grief, but I am trying so hard to understand. I'm so scared about the future, and I have no clue how I am going to be able to live without my best friend, but I'm talking it day by day, and trusting that you know what you're doing.'

More and more tears came, dripping onto the sheet Jade was reading from and blurring her vision.

'Cat, I don't know whether you can hear me or not, but I want you to know that I love you, that we all love you so much. I don't know why you took your life, but if there is one thing I know it's that I was part of the cause, and I will never forgive myself. This guilt will live with me every day, and I deserve every last bit of it Cat. And one day, in the future, I know that I will see you again and then I will apologise to you in person.'

By this stage Jade was sobbing loudly, her makeup was running and she was clutching her stomach, trying to keep herself together. Her friends were standing in a little group, and they called her over but, instead, she went to the opposite side and stood by Cat's father and brother. She couldn't speak to them then, and probably wouldn't be able to for a long time after.

The coffin was slowly lowered into the ground and the priest said his final words. Jade walked over to the edge of the grave, scooped up some earth from the ground and dropped it in. Then, without a word to anyone, she walked away, out of the graveyard, got in her car and started to drive.

A/N: Wow, it's been a while, huh? I'm really sorry, I don't really have an excuse but there has just been so much going on! However, here finally is the long awaited chapter! Such an emotional chapter and I hope I've done it justice. I found myself tearing up a bit reading it, but that may have just been me... I was going to do another chapter but now that I've read this I'm not so sure as this chapter seems to have a pretty good ending... Anyway if I have another chapter I will see you then but if not I hope you have enjoyed this story and keep an eye out for another Victorious story that will be starting very soon... Finally, could I PLEASE get to 100 reviews for this story? That is only 12 more!

djlilly: sorry I couldn't have Cat's heart restart, I had already planned out the story!

Kit-the-Kitty: Gulp. Please don't kill me!

yowzers: I guess we will never know...

SkyeVenomatic: Thanks so much for the stuff you said about my new story! Because of you I've decided I'm gonna write it even if the people from the story don't read it!

P.S. Since this may be the last chapter of this story I would like to announce ROTS (reader of the story- like Ariana's FOTM!). I have more than one for this story and they are *drumroll* SkyeVenomatic, Sugarplumfairy123, lilly and Cabbiefan101 who all pretty much reviewed every single chapter! However, I love all of you guys and am so grateful for all the follows and reviews.

Peace out and have a nice life ('till next time...)!

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