Disclaimer: The show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.

Second Chance, Second Choice

Chapter 14 – Crazy

Jade's POV

Just when you have life figured out, it turns upside down just to fuck with you. First Tori breaks our date and starts acting like a major asshole. Then all of a sudden last Friday, I have this bizarre gap in my memory.

One minute, I'm at a party. I start feeling tired and the next thing I know, I'm in an alley with Vega.

I know that people have been drugged at parties and that is the only logical explanation. But it doesn't fit with the facts. The beer was out of a half barrel and it's impossible to tamper with the beer in a half barrel. I made sure to pour the beer myself, both times. And I used a cup that was brand new. In fact I pulled it from the package myself. I'm not stupid, a person at a party or in a bar should always be careful about their drinks.

After a came to in the alley, told Vega off and went home. Looking at the time on my phone, I realized that I had lost about half an hour. Not in the mood to party anymore, I went home and watched this bizarre Russian horror film about Joseph Stalin coming back to life and killing people. Nobody could stop him, until Lenin himself came back to life, accused Stalin of killing him in the first place and they destroyed each other. It was really weird, though some of the death scenes were kind of cool.

The rest of the weekend, I spent at home, either watching horror films or working on a story I was writing. I could have gone out, but I just wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone; especially a certain Latina.

I thought that would be it.

Wrong!

She comes to me and tells me this insane story about time travel and altering the future and how I wind up making porn films with me killing myself. What a psycho.

Then later on she tells me she can prove it. But I simply walked away.

Then I find the flyer for a band in my car and on it was written.

"Trust Tori, Please."

It's in my handwriting. How can that be? I didn't understand it at all. When I got home I took a sheet of paper and wrote the same phrase on it, several times. The handwriting was exactly the same.

Tori in her babbling, told me that my future self somehow took over my body. Now am I to believe she, wrote this for me, before she vanished.

I want to dismiss it as utter bullshit, but I find myself perplexed. What happened during that missing half hour? I did check myself after I got home that night; there was no sign that I had been assaulted. Though I was short 30 dollars. I had more than 50. Why would someone stealing from me, only talk part of my money.

Thinking back to the party, I remembered Robbie was there. So I called him up and asked him about the party. I wanted to know what he saw me do.

When I asked, he seemed oddly hesitant to tell me. He did when I threatened to come over to his house and hurt him.

So he tells me this story of how I told him, that I made it and this crap about the ocean of time. Then I asked for Tori and left to find Trina.

I could call Trina, but I don't want to and even if I did, she wouldn't tell me squat. Besides, she'd just tell Vega and that would encourage her.

I don't like detective novels or movies all that much, but I had an idea. At any party, there's always one or two people filming or taking pictures of drunk people making asses of themselves. So I jumped on the slap and looked for videos or pictures from the party.

After almost 45 minutes of wasting my time, I finally found something. Someone was taping one of their friends who was slamming beers just outside the kitchen. However in the background, you can see me talking to Trina.

I could not hear a word of what either were saying, but I was talking to her. It appeared a threatened her at one point. Then I left and headed in the direction of the front door. I observed my demeanor carefully and I didn't appear drunk or out of it. In fact I looked like I was very intently set on doing something.

Now I'm angry, hurt and downright baffled. What the hell was I doing?

Lying in bed later, I found myself looking at the message; I had seemingly left for myself.

Why should I trust her? I did say this all felt like play that had gone off script. That would confirm that feeling. It might just confirm the fact that Vega's driven me insane.

Yet, she's supposed to be the woman I fall in love with and marry. Right now, I just want to strangle her.

I keep flashing back to that kiss she gave me. It's like, she knew just which buttons to push and boy did she ever push them.

This is madness.

But that brings me to a quote by the Spanish playwright, Pedro Calderon de la Barca.

"When love is not madness, it is not love."

Either way, I'm going mad and Vega's the cause of it.

The next day I kept to myself and spent a lot of my time mulling it all over. I just kept asking myself, why should I trust her? Fuck the future me. She was dumb enough to marry that psycho Latina and she got what she deserved.

Though I will tell you, I am scared. Who wouldn't be? Suppose if someone told you, that you're going to die tomorrow. Normally you'd laugh, but if they proved it, you know your fate would be sealed.

I saw Vega here and there during the day. She looked really depressed, like someone had pulled the rug out from under her. I want to feel bad about that. I like her once, maybe I still do.

I guess that leads to the question. Which am I more afraid of. Taking my own life as result of a failed acting career, which is mostly spent in adult films or falling in love with Tori. Or am I afraid of losing her.

I am cracking up. This can't be real.

I spent another evening, thinking it over, holding that flyer in my hands, looking at the words,

"Trust Tori, Please."

Over and over.

No one's POV

The following day was Wednesday. That also happened to be the Tori's mothers birthday. All day Tori remained depressed and Jade remained antisocial and deep in thought.

At the end of school, Tori, who borrowed her mom's car, drove to the mall. Even if Jade didn't show up and she was sure she wouldn't, there was still something she could do.

Tori arrived at the mall, just before 4 and spent a few minutes buying her mom a small birthday present and card. By 4:25 she was sitting in the food court.

She had failed with Jade and could not come up with any other ideas, to help or convince her. Still she hoped against hope that Jade would show up. Tori even went so far as to order Jade something to drink.

But for now, she sat at a table, sipping a strawberry banana smoothie watching one of the mall clothing stores.

A minute later, Jade who was wearing all black and a fierce scowl sat down in in front of her.

"I'm here." Barked Jade, in a harsh voice.

Startled, Tori pushed a cup of coffee across the table. "I…I…got some coffee for you. It's your favorite."

Jade eyed the coffee with suspicion, and then quickly snatched it. After taking a sip, she nodded in approval. "You got my coffee right. But that don't mean shit."

"I didn't think you'd come."

"I'm sure you didn't."

"May I ask why?"

Jade pulled a blue sheet of paper from her purse. From what Tori could see, it was a flyer for a band. Turning it over, she pushed it across the table.

"Thursday, there was nothing on the back. Two days ago, I noticed this. It's written in my handwriting."

Tori picked up the paper and read the three words. She knew it was from her Jade and for a moment she felt like she was going to cry.

"She left that. She must have. When she rushed to find me, she must have seen that flyer in the car. Left this for you. I tried to write things down, knowledge of the future, but I couldn't. This is just a simple message. Maybe that's why she could, and I could not."

"Never mind that, you said you had proof. Show me." Snapped Jade as she took the sheet of paper back.

Quickly sobering up, Tori pointed across the food court to a nearby ladies shoe store. In the front helping a customer was a woman of about 30, with short brown hair.

"See her?"

"Yeah so what."

"Today is my mother's birthday, she wants to go out to eat for dinner. But my father will be late."

"What does that have to do with that woman?" Said Jade, looking increasingly impatient.

"Her name is Alison Howe, less than a month ago, she left her abusive husband and filed for divorce. Her husband's name is Ray. He works as a machinist and is violent, abusive and drinks a lot. Alison has had enough and wants out. You felt the same way at one point. I can't blame either you or her."

"Ok. I still don't get it."

Tori glanced up at the big clock in the food court, then back to Jade. "Ray, has just been served with a restraining order, due to threats he's made against her. That sent him over the edge. In less than 15 minutes, he will walk in that store and shoot both Alison and her boss. He thinks they're having an affair. They're not. They are both badly wounded, but survive."

Jade scrunched her face. "Seriously? What does he look like?"

"As I recall, about 6'2", heavy build, short black hair. But that's not the worst part."

"What is, then?"

"He shoots them, using a very powerful handgun. He has several in a bag with him. One of the bullets, misses his targets and goes through the wall and into the toy store next door. That bullet strikes and kills a 7 year old boy, named Jeremy Ryerson. He's there, as he's been invited to a birthday party for a classmate and was buying a present with his mother. Ray flees the scene, wounding a security guard on the way out. After a lengthy police chase, in which my father takes part in, my father and his partner Gary, corner him and shoot him dead. That is why my dad was late for my mom's birthday dinner."

Jade shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She hoped it was just a story, as the thought of some 7 year old kid, being gunned down, sickened her.

"If this is true, do you think I'd get my jollies watching some kid get gunned down. I'm not that twisted. You might be. I'm not. If it's true."

Tori sighed, as her face fell. "I found that I can't write down events of the future. I'm certain that things I tell people about the future will somehow fade from their minds, after I'm gone. I have to actually change things. Jade, I screwed up a lot of things. You don't even know badly I feel. So much so, I can't stand to even look at myself. I do want to prove myself to you, but more than that. I want to make sure Jeremy Ryerson goes to that party. I'm going to stop Ray. I don't care what happens to me. If something does, by chance, I'd just be paying penance for my sins."

Tori then opened her bag to reveal a very large carving knife. It was one of those types you'd use to carve up huge turkey. "If I can't fix things for you, I'm going to fix them for Jeremy. He deserves to live, he's only 7 years old. I remember reading he loved Star Wars. So I'm going to take Ray out."

Jade carefully studied Tori's eyes and could tell that she meant it. She barely knew what to do. This whole thing was getting crazier by the moment.

"This can't be possible." Muttered Jade.

"It is. Just wait."

A tense silence seemed to descend upon the pair as Tori drank her smoothie and carefully looked all over the food court.

"This can't be real." Thought Jade.

Neither spoke for several minutes, but as time passed Jade began to feel more and more tense and on edge. What if this Ray guy actually showed up?

Jade was suddenly brought from her thoughts by the sound a boy.

"Can we get some Pizza?"

Looking over she could see a woman and young boy with blond hair. He was pointing to the pizza restaurant at the food court.

"No Jeremy, we're getting the present and going straight home. I'm making taco's for dinner."

"What do I get Todd for a present?"

"Don't worry Jeremy, Todd's mother gave me a list of things he likes, come on."

Jade watched, Jeremy and his mother as they made a beeline for the toy store. Already uptight and nervous, the sight of that boy and how things were coming true, made Jade's stomach like it was filled with lead. This was getting all to real, for Jade's comfort.

Tori quietly noted the boy and his mother, but kept watch for someone else.

"Vega if you set this up, I swear….."

"No Jade. I didn't"

Time seemed to slow down as Jade began to look around. Again the words, Trust Tori, Please, flashed through her head.

It was 2 tense minutes later Jade spotted a figure walking down the mall. It was a tall heavy set man with short black hair. He was wearing boots, blue jeans, a large army fatigue jacket and was carrying a backpack.

Unlike all the other shoppers, Jade could see he looked, angry, tense and paranoid. He kept looking the mall security guard a little ways down the mall. The security guard however was too busy flirting with the woman from the sunglasses hut, to notice the man how looked very out of place..

As the man walked closer and closer to the shoe store, Jade noticed he kept reaching in his jacket.

"No….No…No…." Said Jade to herself as the man walked past. This was starting to feel like a nightmare.

Jade looked across the table to see Tori was gone. In fact the Latina was several feet away, making towards the heavy set man, with the knife in her hand.

Just then she looked and saw that very man, stop and from his jacket, pull out what looked like a very large and shiny hand gun. She didn't know squat about guns, but that one looked really nasty

In one horrible instant, Jade realized. "Tori's not crazy, I'm not crazy, but that man is."

Jade, who had begun to panic, looked over to the store. Alison, Ray's intended victim was stocking some shelves and hadn't noticed her now armed husband only yards away from the store.

Nor had Ray realized that Tori was coming up behind him with a huge knife. If anyone was going to get killed now, Jade realized it would almost certainly be Tori.

Not even thinking twice about it, Jade pulled something out of her bag and bolted from her chair. By now, Ray was only 20 yard from the store and Tori was 10 yards behind him.

Sprinting as fast as she could, Jade reached and then passed Tori in seconds.

She caught up to Ray just as he reached the entrance to the shoe store and had started to raise his gun. In one swift motion, she jabbed a stun gun in his back.

The stun gun crackled to life and the man suddenly seemed to shake. He then began to crumple to the floor and at the same time dropped his gun.

As the gun hit the floor it went off, making a large booming sound that echoed up and down the mall. Jade wasn't sure where the bullet went, but she did hear the sound of shattering glass.

Rey was on the ground and appeared to be stunned. But Jade didn't take any chances. So she grabbed the scissors from her boot and stuck it to his neck.

It was right then Ray opened his eyes.

"Look, fuck face. My scissors is pointed right at your jugular vein. All I have to do is push just a bit to cut it wide open. You'd bleed to death, before the ambulance got halfway here."

Jade hadn't noticed but a crowd of onlookers quickly assembled. A second later, 2 security guards came running up.

"What the hell is going on?" Yelled the younger of the two security guards.

"This asshole was about to shoot someone, he had his gun out and everything."

Looking up Jade could see that one of the front windows of the store had been shattered.

Ray who as he recovered, glared at Jade. "This bitch attacked me."

"Get off him." Said the security guard to Jade.

"Not until you cuff this psycho."

Ray quickly protested. "I'm innocent."

It was then Alison, who looked white as a sheet, came out of the store and pointed to Ray. "This man is my husband. He has made repeated threats against my life and I have a restraining order out against him. He's not supposed to come within 500 feet of me. He was here to kill me!"

The second security guard, who looked older and more experienced, looked around. "Is anyone hurt? The gun went off."

A man who Jade presumed was Alison's coworker, came out. "The bullet lodged in one of the metal support beams of my store. I think everyone is ok."

"I just wanted to talk to my wife." Screamed Ray.

Tori, who had already ditched the knife, and already knew was in his backpack, grabbed it and unzipped it. The crowed gasped as they could see it contained, several more handguns, a sawed off shotgun and a number of boxes of ammo. "With enough firepower to blow up half the mall. I don't think so."

The older security guard, looked at the bag, the shattered window and then to Ray. He then pulled out a 2 way radio. "Central, this is Bob. Call 911. Tell them to send an officer right away. We have a suspect who just tried to kill someone. We have the situation under control."

Bob motioned to his fellow guard, as he picked the gun off the floor. "Cuff this asshole,"

Jade got off, as a very furious looking ray was handcuffed. That of course didn't stop him from threatening to kill not only his wife, but everyone else present. He finished off his rant, by threatening to blow up the mall. It was painfully obvious to all present, he was a total psychopath.

As Jade stepped back, she looked over to see Jeremy and his mother, standing near the back of the crowd.

"What's going on mama?"

"I don't know. You have Todd's present. Come on. Let's go home."

She could see Jeremy's mother take him by the hand and walk off, as the crowd gathered yet more people.

Jade seeing that everyone was watching a very furious Ray being helped off the floor vanished into the crowed and slipped away. She spotted Tori who had also stepped back to the edge of the food court.

As Jade walked over, Tori asked. "I would have done it. I was prepared to go through with it."

"You would have stabbed him and he promptly would have shot you, right between the eyes. Not a chance."

Tori smiled glowingly "You saved that boy too."

Jade looked and could see Jeremy and his mother vanish out one of the exits. She then turned back Tori with a rather fatalistic expression.

"Too bad I couldn't save myself."

Tori opened her mouth to speak, but it was too late. Jade had already run off.