Hello again!
Yes, as you can see, I'm still on time. Also, I already shortly looked into season 4 by now. I did that after I realized after my update last week with The Breakfast Bunch, that Cell Block from season 4 won't work at all - or at least Beck and Jade wouldn't participate. I noticed that there are a lot of weird episodes in season 4. I'll definitely cut Brain Squeezers and it's very likely more episodes get cut there, or otherwise will only very shortly mentioned (like Andre's Horrible Girl in this chapter). Which means, that there aren't too many episodes to go. Though I still estimate about 20 chapters in total (as there are two birthdays coming up in the fic that both get a lot of room). We'll see.
Thank you very much to alicheriee, batgirl and the unnamed guests (happy you also like my other Bade stories :)) for the great reviews! I'd be especially interested what all you guys think about this chapter; the first episode of this in particular of course.
Have fun reading!
Jade and Beck seem to be in some sort of crisis. Yes, they have always bickered but it's somehow worse now. From time to time they are okay again but never totally. They are not back anymore to that couple that touches all the time and doesn't seem to be able to be without each other. They do spend surprinsingly much time apart from each other, Beck coming to visit Tori with Robbie and Andre a few times while she still sits there with her broken bones.
When she finally looks normal again, they have Sinjin's game show coming up – and that seems to break Jade and Beck totally.
They don't bring Benji. After Tori asking, Beck says they have left him with his mother and her sister who's visiting. Jade meanwhile asks why Tori cares, obviously is annoyed. Which makes Beck roll his eyes at her and Jade glare back at him.
She would've bet that those two could ace a game like that but they can't stop fighting. Jade makes harsh comments all around and seems even more uncooperative than ever while Beck isn't just taking it calmly but shoots back and calls her out for it in harsh words.
And finally, Beck utters the words that he isn't happy in their relationship and Tori sees Jade's face fall and knows she will never forget that.
Jade goes over to ignoring Beck, as they can see in school the next day. Beck meanwhile tries to talk to her again and again and they end up fighting the whole day.
During their last break, they have both just run off again and their friends remain. After looking at each other awkwardly for a while, they finally start talking about something else again. And as they all have time again, they are thinking about playing poker another time. It has been fun the last time, therefore of course they feel like doing it again.
"What are we doing about Beck and Jade?" Robbie carefully asks after they agreed on meeting today after school.
They share glances before Cat says slowly and almost pouting: "We can't not invite them."
"But do you really want them around like this?" Andre asks sceptically and clearly, Cat doesn't. She sometimes even hates their bickering. She definitely hates their bigger fights. They all do.
"I think we shouldn't tell them about it," Tori says. "Maybe, they can use the time to finally talk about their issues." She doesn't know how much time they lately actually had together, just for the two of them. In school, there's obviously always someone around and Beck has been kept up with Tori's issues and has also helped Andre out the last few evenings with issues with his family as far as Tori knows. On the other hand... It's not like Jade seems like she wants to talk.
It's Robbie who bites his lip and then says: "I'm not sure they can talk this one out. It's actually a lot like the times they broke up before. Possibly worse. You know... The mood between them, the way they fight, the way how they don't make up in between every now and then."
"Don't say that," Cat breathes, looking afraid.
Tori definitely also doesn't want their friends to break up. Also, because there is a child involved. "Can we do something?"
Andre shrugs. "I don't think so. Either they come out stronger, or it will be over soon. I don't think there's anything we can do about it."
.
.
Tori doesn't know how Beck could've possibly known, if someone blabbed or he overheard one of them somewhere in school, but in the middle of their card game (that Trina almost has joined but luckily has decided against in the end), the door bell rings, Tori opens, and Beck and Jade charge in, Jade with Benji in her arms.
"See?" Beck says. "They're all here. I told you they'd all be here."
Tori hurries to say, after she has closed the door behind them: "Listen, I'm sorry that we didn't invite you guys to play but uh..."
Beck cuts through her: "Tell her why you didn't invite us to play."
Tori racks her brains and answers hesitating: "Well, 'cause... we were planing your surprise party?"
"What?" Jade asks with furrowed brows while she puts Benji on the floor. He has started wriggling uneasily in her arms from the get go, now he quickly runs over to Cat on his little legs, who pulls him into her lap and holds him tightly as both of them watch Beck and Jade with big eyes. As if Cat actually was their child as well, as if two siblings watched their family break apart.
Andre now stands up and takes over which Tori is happy about: "Alright. We didn't invite you guys to play because you two are always screaming at each other lately. And it makes everybody feel awkward." And it worries all of them, it makes them feel bad so deep inside. Because Beck and Jade are the couple, the couple that can go through everything, that shows that true love exist. But maybe, it doesn't. At least not between them. Though they also have broken up before and have gotten back together.
"See?" Beck says, making a rough gesture to the table where Cat and Robbie are still seated and at which Andre still stands. "We fight so much, even our friends don't want us around!"
"Why do you care what other people think?" Jade answers and Beck presses his lips together before he then says: "Look at our son! Is this something you want for him?"
They are both aware of their son. Tori notices that both may talk with a lot of emphasis but they aren't getting as loud as they are sometimes in school.
But this has apparently been a low blow, the way Jade looks. Between gritted teeth, she gives back: "Don't. Don't say I'm doing something bad for my son. Don't make this my fault, Beck!"
"I'm not," Beck claims. "I just want to talk about it!"
By now, Tori awkwardly steps around the couch to her other friends who also watch the scene with horror. As does Benji, who must be used to their little bickering but who also knows that it usually also is fine again within a few minutes. It obviously isn't now. Tori wonders if one of them should go outside with the small boy but she doesn't dare just taking him – or interrupting Beck and Jade in their fight.
"Yeah, right!" Jade now answers. "That's why you always run away" – Tori hasn't seen Beck do that in school, quite the opposite – "and try to always have more people around you than just me and possibly your son."
Beck obviously also doesn't understand this claim. "I've tried talking to you for almost a week now!"
"No, you wanted to come here again today and have been here and everywhere else for the last two weeks!"
"What are you talking about?" Beck asks.
"We haven't been alone for two weeks, Beck," Jade stresses. "We have barely been just the two of us and Benji. You obviously don't want to spend time with me!"
This time it's Beck's face that falls and his answer is much softer than all his previous words: "That's not true."
"Yeah, right," Jade says again, still sounding angry and irritated. "And that's why you're saying you're not happy with our relationship anymore."
"Because of the constant fighting," Beck is quick to put in.
Jade doesn't seem to believe that. "Sure. And that's also why you suddenly left me alone all the time, right?"
Tori is sure nobody has been supposed to hear but there has been something broken in Jade's voice just now. She exchanges an uncertain look with Andre.
"You told me it was okay," Beck says. "You told me every single time that I could go." And he went to help out his friends, namely Tori and Andre, and to spend time with everyone. It's not like he was out god knows where. And Jade has even been with him some of the times. They have all spend some evenings together during the last two weeks and of course Jade has been there too. Benji as well sometimes.
Jade crosses her arms in front of her. "Because I'm always the jealous bitch and I know you will leave me when I tell you to spend less time with our friends."
Tori swallows and immediately, Beck takes a step forward to Jade, saying earnestly: "I won't, Jade. I love you." It's almost as if he's worried. As if he wouldn't have counted on the word 'leaving' to ever come up, something along the lines of 'breaking up' while their friends all have deemed that highly possible.
Jade doesn't seem soothed, instead she spits out: "Yeah, you love me so much you didn't spend one evening just with me and Benji last week. We didn't spend a night together, not even on the weekend. And you wouldn't have spent any afternoon if we hadn't accidently had a son together."
"That's not true," Beck repeats himself, taking another step to her and suddenly standing closely without her drawing back or pushing him away. "I'm sorry. It's just... You know it has been stressful the last few days and... yeah, I kinda was glad to get out of the house. I thought the distance would do us good, especially when we fought so much. I should've realized how you felt. I didn't though. I'm sorry. But you need to talk to me about these kind of things. Whenever you feel... lonely or something."
Because they usually know everything about each other, but surely, if they are stressed, if Benji is keeping them busy, they can miss stuff. And it's unbelievable that Jade has actually felt lonely but now that Tori thinks about that... If Beck has wanted to meet up with them every single day, she would've felt lonely as well if she would've wanted to stay home with her son every once in a while.
Jade uncrosses her arms again, glances to their friends while she has stared to Beck determinedly before, as if to ignore everyone else. And maybe she would've said something more to Beck if they were alone in the safety of one of their homes. But Jade certainly has already trouble having these really big emotional fights in front of anyone. Actually talking about it afterwards must be impossible for her.
So, instead of an answer, she suddenly leans forward and involves Beck in a kiss.
Beck returns it without hesitation, puts his hands on her hips as he pulls her closer. She wraps her arms around his neck as she also draws him closer still as their lips meet and meet again without ever actually breaking apart in between.
Okay, they clearly are starting to fully make out. Apparently, their fight is forgotten. They have understood where the other one was coming from and possibly both have done something wrong but they don't need to say that because they know. And just like that it's fine again. Even with a fight like this, they can make up just like that. Because they do love each other. And because they do want to make this work.
Tori doesn't know if they would've fought this out just now if Benji wouldn't be there, if he wouldn't exist.
But now, it's fine again and Tori looks to their son that still sits on Cat's lap, held closely by her though she smiles by now. He also looks quite confident again, relaxed, even relieved. Tori asks herself how much he has understood and how long he will remember this. She hopes that Beck and Jade will never fight again in front of him – or ever in general.
Now, they are making out in any case and while it makes everyone smile out of relief at first, Tori exchanges another awkward glance with Andre after a minute or so.
Beck lets his hands wander to Jade's ass, before Tori quickly says: "Uhm... Guys. We're still here."
Beck and Jade's lips break apart, they bodies don't though. They turn slightly together to look at their friends and Beck glances to Benji, before he asks: "Do you think, Benji could play cards with you for a while?"
Whoa, okay. Jade smiles at that and obviously they want to go away alone. Tori is sure that they want to do something, Jade has not meant when she has told Beck that they haven't been alone any evening for two weeks now. But possibly, that's what they need to properly make up. And possibly, Tori misreads the situation and they just want to leave alone and spend time without... going there.
"Sure," Cat says, now totally happy again, tickling the young boy that laughs. "Little Benji can play in a team with me."
Beck smiles and he and Jade share another kiss before they finally fully break apart. "I'll get his bag," Beck says.
He leaves the house again while Jade walks up to Cat and Benji and draws her son into her arms. She doesn't seem embarrassed at all that obviously their friends know what they're up to now. Tori notices that Andre and Robbie totally are, as is she.
Jade now easily talks to them again, though: "He has eaten but you can give him some snacks or something. Not too many. And you know how to change him, right?"
She looks at Robbie and Andre at that, who both nod. However they know.
"I know, too," Cat says with a bright smile and Jade chooses to ignore it, instead she continues: "Call one of us if he cries and you can't calm him down."
In the same moment, Beck comes back inside. He drops the bag next to the door before he walks up as well.
Jade meanwhile turns to Benji in her arms and Tori has never heard her say it but is sure she has told him a thousand times, now extremely softly: "I love you, Benji."
"Love you, too," Benji answers and Tori's heart almost melts. She has also never heard Benji being able to say it back, even the few times she has heard Beck tell him.
Jade kisses his cheek, then Beck drops a kiss on Benji's head, saying: "I also love you."
And Benji also answers him: "Love you, too."
"Be good, yeah?" Beck then tells him while Jade hands him back to Cat who takes him happily.
Then, Beck turns back to Jade once more: "Everything taken care of?"
She nods, takes his hand and pulls him with her. Without another word, they leave.
"Well, that has gone differently than I expected," Andre truthfully says as soon as the door is shut behind them.
"Luckliy," Robbie nods.
Cat tilts her head. "I hope they have a good time."
Tori can't help but say: "I bet they will." That makes Robbie and Andre smirk slightly, obviously knowing what she implies.
Cat just looks happy at that and turns to Benji: "Hear that? Your parents will have a great time. And we will, too. Wanna play with us?"
"Yes," Benji decides and that makes Tori and Andre finally sit down again and they get back to playing.
.
.
Somehow, it's different not having Beck or Jade around but still having Benji with them. Tori realizes why that is when Benji starts crying and they decide that he probably needs to be changed and Robbie leaves with him for the bathroom to do just that. It's because suddenly, they are responsible. Usually, Beck and Jade of course are the ones to take Benji when there's something wrong, to watch him primarily when he runs around, to look after him, making sure he's fine. Now, it's totally on them and that is weird as Benji also is awake and running around, babbling and whining every now and then, unlike almost a year ago when Tori watched him for an hour while Benji had his nap – with the option of very quickly getting to Beck and Jade as soon as Benji would cry. Of course, they now can also call them but they all know they don't want to do that, they do want to grant them their time off, their time alone.
They come back after over an hour. Benji has sat between Andre and Tori on the floor, playing with a few bricks, Andre has gotten out of his bag for him after he has gotten bored just watching them play cards.
Now, he directly jumps up to his feet when his parents walk in without knocking or anything. Tori wants to call them out for that but Benji already says happily: "Mommy! Daddy!"
And who can interrupt that?
Beck squats down and Benji gleefully runs into his arms as if he hasn't seen him for ages. Tori wonders if Beck and Jade are expected like that almost every day after school. That'd definitely be something to be jealous about.
"Hey, baby. Have had a good time?" Beck asks, standing up with the little boy in his arms.
"Yeah," Benji answers and while Jade also touches the boy shortly in his back, Beck smiles: "Good."
"What about you?" Andre asks. "Everything alright?"
Tori doesn't know if she would've asked or if she just would've trusted that everything was fine now again.
"Yes," Beck answers and actually adds: "Sorry to have pulled you into our mess. And thanks for looking after Benji."
Jade draws the child out of his arms into hers, looking rather uninterested in their talk but making faces for Benji which Tori also has never seen like that, but which Benji obviously loves.
"Sure," Tori says quickly and Andre says: "You know we always love having him around." They totally do.
"Did he behave alright?" Beck checks.
Robbie answers: "He was great. He's becoming more and more his own person." That is true and it's wonderful and impressive to see. Tori has only met him when he was one year old already. But he has barely had his own personailty back then. He definitely has now. He can think on his own, he understands what's going on.
Beck smiles, looking at his son in Jade's arms, rubbing his back. "He is. And he finds that he loves the word 'no'."
"Like he should," Jade claims with a smirk.
But Tori guesses it must be pretty stressful. Yes, Benji totally is at an age where he loves the word 'no'. Not that Tori has experienced it all that much yet but it's also not like she has spent all that much time with Benji.
And she remembers how Beck has said during their fight that it has been stressful lately and... well, maybe it has been about Benji. Maybe, Benji has lately been more difficult than before which has made Beck's and Jade's fighting worse like it does with them. And somehow, Beck has thought some distance would do Jade and him some good, not always sitting on each other. But Jade has interpreted that as him wanting to leave her. She has felt lonely but hasn't said so, instead has 'allowed' him to leave every evening and somehow, it has ended up in a mess.
They are over that now, Tori knows. Even if Benji keeps being difficult. They are through with that phase again, with their fighting. At least in this extreme way.
"Wanna stay and play cards with us?" Tori now asks.
Beck and Jade share a look before Beck answers: "I think we will go home now. Benji will have to go to bed soon anyway."
"Not tired," Benji says, has listened and understood what has been said.
Jade smirks again. "Of course, you're not. Wanna wish everyone a good night?"
"Good night," Benji does say and waves to the friends. They all wave back as Beck grabs the bag and the small family leaves.
The others also don't stay up all that much longer. When Tori goes to bed, she is just glad that Beck and Jade have stayed together, that their family and possibly their group of friends haven't broken apart somehow.
.
.
She's not that sure she should be glad about it anymore when she experiences Beck and Jade in school over the next week. They don't seem to stop touching each other at all. It's as if they have to catch up on missed opportunities both weeks before. It totally is annoying as well, though when Tori stops and thinks about it... Yes, better like this than them having broken up. And it's not like they will be like this forever. They just do have phases like this and their fighting phases. That's how they work. Though Tori still hopes it will never ever get as bad again with the fighting as it has this time.
Otherwise, Tori is very much occupied with Andre and his girlfriend this week. There is a moment she wonders if Andre only dates a girl that commanding and harsh because he's still in love with Jade after all and has to get someone like her now that Beck and Jade are so close again. But she knows that that's not true when Andre finally tells her the real reason why he's still dating the girl. It's because of her father which is so wrong but Tori of course is with him when he offers her to sing with him on her birthday party, in front of her father.
They have a great time and her father likes them. And Andre and that girl finally break up again which means, everything is back to normal.
.
.
On Monday, Tori desperately tries to reach Cat from the minute she gets up. She has also tried to reach her the evening prior but without success. But she has remembered that they have a science project due Tuesday. Which suddenly already is tomorrow. They definitely have to work on that the whole day, possibly even through the breaks.
Cat sits under Jade's locker with a sad face though. Tori sits down next to her and finds out that Mona Patterson has passed away the night prior. She doesn't know who that is but Cat says it's her favorite actress and she wants to drive up to her house to light candles on her front porch. Tori agrees to drive to her house together, so she can hurry Cat a little and they can get to her house after that finally work on their project and still finish it over night.
"So you'll drive?" Cat asks.
Oh. Okay. No, she can't. "I don't have a car to use today." She shares the car with Trina who has gone away for a few days on a trip with friends – with the car.
"Jade," Cat suddenly says as she stands up. Tori stands up as well, also noticing their friend walking up to them, only shortly glancing at them, then to her locker which she opens.
"What?"
"Will you drive Tori and me to an old lady's house after school?" Cat innocently asks.
Tori knows the answer before it comes: "No." But she quickly says: "Come on. I don't have a car at the moment."
"Me neither," Jade slowly answers with a bored voice. "It broke down and Beck is still at it to fix it."
Cat tilts her head. "What if my brother lets us borrow his car?"
She looks at Jade at that but why try persuading her if... "I could also drive then," Tori notices.
Cat turns to her with, shaking her head. "My brother is very particular about whom he lets to drive his car."
And he's okay with Jade driving his car but not with Tori? Okay, Tori also has never met Cat's brother but... still.
Cat already looks back to Jade with a pout. Jade rolls her eyes. "I won't drive you around to visit some strange woman."
"Please," Cat makes sweetly and... Jade has a heart for Cat, Tori knows that. That's why she tries to explain: "Cat's really sad because this actress passed away last night and..."
She gets interrupted by Jade, suddenly interest in her face: "Whoa! She passed away just last night?" Tori nods tentatively. "Then yeah. Yeah, I'll drive you guys to her house."
"Why'd you change your mind?" Tori asks, totally weirded-out. She does have a feeling that Jade understood how sad Cat feels. But the way she answered... That sounded more like there was another reason. Or at least, as if Jade wanted them to believe she had another reason.
In any case, Jade has a very creepy answer ready about the death of the woman still being so close and her spirit lingering and maybe, they shouldn't let her drive them there. But Jade has already decided to take them, after sundown, because apparently she doesn't like driving in the daylight. And with that, she closes her locker and leaves.
Tori isn't sure if she should get into a car with Jade after dark, on the way to a dead person's house. But she has already promised Cat by now to also come with her and she should keep with Cat as they probably won't have finished their project by then and this way, they can keep working during the ride and Tori can make sure, Cat doesn't stay too long at the house and comes back to hers afterwards.
She wants to ask Jade later when exactly she will pick them up or if she will text them before, when she finds Jade and Beck in the corner of a hallway kissing, like they sometimes just do, almost making out. Which they have done so much more again after their last big fight.
She hesitates for a second but is then ready to interrupt them until she gets close enough to actually hear them talking while they stand close and only kiss every now and then.
"So, I said I'd drive them," Jade just says. "You know... If that's okay with you."
Beck answers: "Of course. You know I like when you spend time with them. And not because I don't want to spend time with you."
Jade shrugs. "Sure. But I don't suddenly... want to leave you alone, you know."
Beck draws her in for another kiss, before he says: "Don't worry. You just said you'd only leave after sundown. So, we still have the afternoon together. And after that, Benji will soon sleep anyway. And we're still on for the whole weekend, just you, me and Benji and every now and then just you and me?"
"Sure," Jade says with a suggestive smile and as they kiss again, Tori decides to leave them at it for now and ask about the trip later.
.
The whole ride turns out to be a disaster with that excuse of a car and the rain, and then the woman not even being dead. Not to mention that it's apparently Cat's fault that that woman's house burned down. Wow.
They suggest Jade to come in with them afterwards to dry and everything which she declines, uttering a few bad words before she leaves for her own home.