Disclaimer: I do not own this show. Victorious is a show that's on television and would have my name in the credits if I did. If my name is there, then people would know that I own it. But I don't. So sadly, I am not famous.

A/N: I started this chapter really strong...and then I don't know what happened. I wanted to get this out today because I really didn't want to continue my habit of updating later and later. I think this is just a filler chapter, then. Helps get some knowledge of what else is going on besides what's happening between Jade and Cat. Like I said before, I write what I'm feeling. So...blame that if you wanted to blame something. I'm really happy about these reviews though. I don't want to discourage people from reviewing, but I don't want to seem annoying about it. If I'm doing a good job at whatever I'm doing, then yay. So, I will continue writing as fast as I can, and I hope you readers enjoy this chapter. If not, then I will work my hardest for the next one to be better. Thank you (:

As the water dripped down my cut and broken body, my mind completely ignored the little shots of pain that spurted through my system. The waves of agony that shuddered through me did not matter. Injuries heal. It all takes time.

Now, the type of injury is crucial when it comes to how long it would heal. Normal outside scrapes and black and blue's would fade away without any time at all. Inside, emotional and mental wise, it may take much longer. My emotional sense was already ruined beyond healing. Only a certain person was ever able to make me feel good things again. That person, unfortunately, was now going through the phase that I had endured a while ago. Well, she also went through a similar one early on, but this time it was rougher because things were so complicated.

I wasn't so sure that Cat could fully heal.

My fingers ran along Cat's wet, injured skin. Every time I passed over a nasty looking bruise or some form of opening with blood leaking out, Cat would flinch slightly or squeak a little, yet she did not tell me to stop. I figured that she needed somebody that she could trust completely, and the only way to really know that that person existed was to be with them, to know that they were there, to feel their breath hitting a portion of their body, to have that connection of skin touching skin, to know that they weren't alone. Even if it cost a little bit a pain when my fingers slid upon opened wounds, it was better than the alternative.

Surprisingly, even though I just lost my family, my home and my old life, I wasn't the one that needed to be comforted. I felt strong. I felt powerful. I felt like I could accomplish anything. And I realized as I was holding my beloved Cat in my arms without another care in the world, that it was because of this girl that I felt that way. She was the one that needed to be cared for, and since I was able to have control of that, I believed that I was tough. I've always been, haven't I?

Cat was as unresponsive as ever, though. Without a doubt, she was in an entirely different world. I didn't want her to stay there. I couldn't lose her to that world.

I twisted the girl around as gently as I could. I don't even think she realized that I forced her to face me until our eyes met each others'. Her chocolate brown eyes were so large that they seemed forever scared. Her lips were quivering to go along with her body shaking lightly. But regardless of the fear, we held eye contact. She knew I was here. She didn't want me to leave.

"Stay with me, Cat," I pleaded, allowing myself to show the secret vulnerability that I knew existed in everyone somehow. It surprised me how quickly I was able to go from strong to weak, just by seeing how broken Cat was.

I then brought my head closer to hers to kiss those quivering lips. They were barely warm and incredibly weak, kissing back with one-tenth of their normal strength. I didn't give up so easily. One of my hands went to the back of her head, keeping it close to me, while the other brought her arm around my shoulders. They switched around so that both arms interlocked behind my neck. I could feel the fight in her. She was trying to break free of the pain and suffering that was going on in her mind.

That thought of hope enraged the zeal in me and I kissed her harder, begging her, needing her to return to me, to remember her feelings for me and kiss me so roughly that I couldn't remember anything except for her.

"Cat," I moaned through my attempts. "Cat, please come back to me."

Our lips collided again and I thought I felt some power through her lips.

"Please. You need to stay with me. I can't lose you, not after I've lost everything else."

I was sure this time that she was returning back with strength in her arms as they hugged me.

"It's you and me. We don't need anything or anybody else. So long as I have you, I'll be as strong as ever."

It was a promise that I would die to keep. Cat really was the only thing I needed. She was my hope, and it seemed like this time hope would stay instead of die out, so long as Cat didn't die.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just—"

"Scared," I added. "I know."

"No. I'm not scared. I'm lost. I'm not sure where to go."

At this point we had stopped kissing. Our hands didn't release each other, but we were now staring into the other's eyes. The chocolate coloring mesmerized me once more. It was such a lovely color.

"I don't know where to go, either. But I don't really care anyways. I only have one goal now, and that's to protect you. So, wherever that is leading, that's where I'll go."

Cat looked down in thought. She was either always thinking, or never thinking. I really didn't know where the pink pill took her.

"I just want to be with you. You make me feel safe," she murmured, loud enough for me to hear, but maybe she was talking to herself.

"You've seen me with my scissors. You know I can keep you safe."

"I can keep you safe, too."

I looked at her then, inquiringly.

She continued, "I know all about my gang. They're really the main enemies, right? So, I know every thought that they could possibly have. I'll keep them away from you, I promise."

I said nothing while soaking it in. I thought that this might've turned into one of those teenage drama books where one of the lovers always had to keep saving their vulnerable partner. It really was a lame idea; most people can handle their own mess, otherwise they'd be dead by now. The fact that Cat was actually trying to keep me safe as well…well, that made my heart warm. She was vulnerable. Just look at her. She could barely put up a fight, though her scuffle with my father was pretty impressive. But wouldn't the main point of this was me saving her ass? I mean, that's what happened at the beginning of this story. I probably wouldn't doubt that that's how this tale ends; her saving me. I probably had one of the best relationships in the entire world. Even through all of this, I was the lucky one.

After thinking all of that, and standing without a sound doing it, I figured that there really were no words that could explain everything that went on in my head. So, all that I did, as corny as it sounds, was hug her. I was also tearing up. Not crying, hell no, not crying. Just…a little moisture fell from my eyes. I was tough enough to admit that.

Cat didn't notice, anyways.

A loud noise broke out moment. My emotions were angering up, but then I realized that it was the tone to my phone.

"Someone texted me?" I asked no one in particular.

Cat released me from her grip and I stepped out of the shower, not really bothering with clothes again. It was only Cat for crying out loud, plus, I was in a hurry to see who texted me. It made me anxious. Maybe it was my father texting me threats or maybe the police or maybe anything. Maybe someone was stalking us again and keeping tabs on us by using instant messaging. Sounds like a television show. Is that what's happening?

Regardless of all of that, I reached the phone in no time at all and saw that it was actually a status update from Rex. Of all the things that I could've received, it had to be an update status. I remembered then that that was what I was actually checking before I heard Cat crying. Rex was always the one with information about the biggest news, so of course it would be logical to check his Slap page.

I quickly opened the message and saw in a nice font what Rex had to say.

Rex: Jade and Cat are on the run! My people told me that Jade's stepmom was SHOT and her dad's out in a COMA. I wonder who did the dirty deeds. #IthinkitwasJade

I read it out loud to Cat who was drying herself off, her cheeks a blush of pink.

"Are there any comments?" she asked.

I scrolled down to see that there actually were quite a few, so I read them out loud.

Tori: Not surprised.

Beck: I don't believe that Jade would actually kill someone. Knock them out, sure, but never a killer.

It kind of gave me some happiness that even after everything I've put Beck through, he still believed that I wasn't entirely evil.

"That's nice of him to say," Cat added to my thoughts.

"Yeah…," I replied thoughtfully. "That was."

"Do you still feel for him in that way?" Cat questioned quietly. The very idea shocked me into looking at her. Was Cat really insecure that I'd be disloyal?

"No way! Why would you even think that?"

"I…" Cat couldn't reach my eyes. She turned around, hugging the drenched towel to her body. "I was just wondering."

I went over to her, my phone still in hand, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Be sure about it, Cat. I'm all yours."

Cat just shook her head. She didn't even bother to look at me. I guess she was just nervous about the situation.

"Uhm…let's check out the other comments," I tried.

Underneath Beck's comment were a lot more that really helped me get a sense of things.

André: I don't see why Jade would ever do that. She can be mean but…she's not THAT mean.

Tori: Well, we've all seen for ourselves that she ditched with Cat. Poor girl.

Beck: Once again, Tori, I don't blame her for doing that. I don't think that anyone does.

André: I don't. The two looked good together. They're a cute couple, really.

Robbie: I don't either. But I saw for myself that both West's are at the hospital. Mrs. West looks really bad.

Rex: You can't handle blood, Robbie. What were you even doing there?

Robbie: Uhm…I just needed to see things with a doctor…

Rex: You got another rash again, didn't you?

Tori: Ew, Rex. TMI.

Beck: Yeah, Rex. We all didn't need to know that.

Rex: A-N-YWAYS. Back to the topic at hand. Things are goin' down with Jade and Cat.

André: Yeah, they've been doing everything together. Now they've run away after some messed up stuff happened to Jade's parents? Who knows what's really going on?

Tori: I for sure don't. They might as well be stuck together since that's all anyone can talk about anymore. "Cat and Jade" "Jade and Cat". Why not just call them Cade or maybe Jat for crying out loud? It's so much easier than repeating the names and the "and".

I looked up from reading to consider that. Cade. It sounded so…cute. I cringed. Cuteness. Augh. Cat is turning me cute…but I guess it's worth it. A look at Cat (which she was looking at me because I stopped reading) told me that it definitely was worth it. Those worried yet curious eyes of hers just made me melt.

"Do you like that name? Cade?" I asked her.

She smiled at me and replied, "Yeah! I love it actually. Cade is just so adorable. It's like a mix of our names to create the perfect pet name!"

I seethed at the fact that she thought it was a pet name, but ignored the feelings.

"One of us can't be called that, though. It's either both or neither."

She thought for a second, one finger on her chin, her eyes searching the air.

"Then both of us it shall be!" she exclaimed with a giant smile.

"I'll only endure it for you, sweetie," I muttered under my breath.

"At least you're enduring it," she replied in a sing-song voice.

I face palmed, but chuckled, and continued reading.

André: I think that you're just being a little bit jealous, Tor. They've been the center of attention for a while. Does anyone know where they are?

Beck: Nope.

Robbie: Nuh-uh.

Sinjin: I've heard some rumors.

"Where the hell does Sinjin come from!" I exclaimed when I read his comment.

"Uhm…" Cat whimpered at my sudden outburst.

"Sorry, Cat. It's just…he's everywhere! I don't think I'll ever be able to shake him."

Cat sat down next to me where I noticed that she was fully clothed in the wardrobe that she wore the night she slept over my house. And…I was still naked. Screw it.

"Let's just keep reading," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. I wont lie, it send some goose bumps down my arms, but I did as told.

André: What rumors, man? You can't just say that and leave it hanging.

Beck: Yeah, Sinjin. What do you know?

Sinjin: Well, I was walking down the street near Jade's house because I saw her and Cat run out of the building at school. And then I saw Jade's car speeding the opposite direction, out of town.

André: How the heck is that a rumor? She could've been going anywhere. Do you know where she was actually going? Or maybe, I don't know, where she is now?

Sinjin: I think she's in Ohio.

Beck: …

André: …

Robbie: Ohio!

"Really? Ohio?"

Cat giggled beside me. There was actually a television set in this room, but I think that we'd both agree that this was better entertainment.

"That's like…a bajillion miles away!" Cat said in between giggles.

"That stupid nerd…" I shook my head while laughing.

Beck: Just forget about Sinjin. He's no help.

Sinjin: Hey!

André: You know it's true, man.

Robbie: Does anyone else think that they're reading this right now?

André: I kind of do.

Tori: I think they're doing each other.

Beck: Really, Tori, please keep your comments to yourself. I'm sick of all of this crap that you're giving everybody. I thought you were a different person.

Tori: All this commotion about those two are giving my a headache. I wish people would drop it!

Beck: This is important stuff. Cat and Jade are your friends, remember?

Tori: I thought we were calling them Cade.

Beck: Tori, stop talking or else I'm breaking up with you.

Tori: What?

Beck: Do it. You're not helping, either.

Tori: Whatever…

André: Damn, Beck.

Beck: It had to be done. So, we got any leads?

Robbie: Not that I know of. I just remember Jade saying "Delta" during class and then freaking out.

Beck: Who's Delta?

Robbie: Beats me.

André: Whoever that is, Jade must be scared of her.

Robbie: Jade? Scared? You're kidding, right? Jade's not scared of anything.

Beck: You'd be surprised. She may not fear for herself, but if it's about someone important…

André: Cat.

Beck: Bingo.

Rex: Why is all of this on my status? Can't you find a chat room?

Robbie: Really Rex? Are you that selfish?

Rex: Selfish? I just hate getting a million notifications for something that I don't care about. Now, if they were notifications from Ridgeway girls…

Robbie: Stop it, Rex.

Beck: Okay, Rex. We'll stop talking on here.

Robbie: Huh?

Beck: Let's just do what he says. We'll meet up somewhere and figure this out.

Rex: So long as you quit talking on here!

"And that's where it ends," I finished. "I think that they were starting to figure out something."

"Me too…" Cat unconsciously put her head on my shoulder. We had been sitting on the bed together while finishing the gossip.

"They won't find us, though. We don't even know what we're going to do."

"The gang might find us…"

I didn't notice until then that Cat's arms were wrapped around one of mine, and she shied into me.

"What are you scared of?" I asked her, curiously. I know what I'm scared of, but there must've been one thing out of the thousands of fears that she had that stood out.

"I'm only afraid of losing you."

I really should've expected that one. When it came to being hopeless romantic, Cat was definitely in her prime.

"How romantic," I said, teasingly.

"It's true. The picture that I have is only a picture. You are an actual person that makes the memories alive and happy."

When she said the word "memories", a light bulb went off in my head. I couldn't believe that I forgot about it, but I stood up and went over to the place where we threw our stuff down to retrieve the box that I was able to take from my room.

"What's that?" Cat asked, her expression lightening at the surprise that I had.

"It's my box of random shit," I replied sarcastically.

Cat was confused and I gave up on humor to say, "It's actually a box filled with the things I…care about."

It was tough saying that word. Care. Just like with the word love. It's a sensitive word and I don't…care. I rarely care about anything.

"Am I in there?" Cat questioned. I looked at her strangely and she giggled. "Don't you care about me?"

"Well, of course I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Cat grinned at me. Perhaps she was getting to close, to attached. But what else could she be attached to?

"So, what's inside?"

"Let's open and find out."

And…that's exactly what we did.

The first thing that was pulled out was something that at the time I showed Cat my box, I regretted putting it in.

"You do have a picture of me in here!" Cat exclaimed.

It wasn't just any picture. It was the picture of the first time that I met her. She was much younger than she is now. Her hair was actually brown, that's how long ago it was. I thought that I had finally made my first real friend, that's why I kept the picture. It meant something to me, considering how beforehand, I never had a friend. But how we met was really strange and it took me a while to realize that she was being friendly. I didn't know that friendliness was being pretty crazy to her.

"Yeah, uhm…you looked good there," I tried.

"Somebody liked meeeeeee."

"Shut up, Cat," I laughed.

We displayed the other various items that I had collected over the years. A couple of scissors, some random artifacts that only meant something to me, a plastic bag filled with a fatty lump…

"What is this?" Cat freaked.

"Calm down. I got it from the doctor when Rex supposedly died. Remember?"

I'm not sure why I really was amused at that fatty lump. Then again, Trina's mouth blood on Tori was pretty interesting, too. Oh…how the human body worked.

"I wasn't there…"

It took me a second to remember what did happen.

"You were put into the psych ward," I stated.

Cat nodded her head a bit gravely.

"They knew where to put me…"

"Don't say that, Cat. It was funny, really. They didn't know what to expect."

"Funny? Would you find it funny if you were placed into a room where people thought you would freak out at any second?"

Actually, I would find it fairly humorous because I would freak out on command, not at random.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure, Jade…" She got up and started walking back to the bathroom.

"Cat!" I yelled after her, but it was no use. She shut the door, leaving me, naked and wet, to think to myself.