A/N: I know...I'm sorry this is so late, beyond late really. No excuses. Explaining to you guys why it's been so long is like trying to explain to a teacher why my project is late back in high school. Not gonna fly. lol Thank you for all the reviews and alerts. It still makes me feel great about this story.

As for the show ending, it won't change me writing more Jori in the future, but I'm still bummed out about it. I will just have to double my writing to make up for it. lol

You've waited long enough.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 21

When Dreaming Gets Drastic

The smell of bacon, eggs, pancakes and other amazing aromas invaded Tori as she slowly woke up. She was confused about who could be making breakfast in her kitchen. It couldn't be Trina. That girl didn't know how to do anything for herself. Plus, she wasn't even home. Still half asleep, the younger Vega hoped that it was someone she knew like a friend and not some deranged lunatic. But the heavy weight over the small of her back was more confusing. She turned her head from where her face was buried in her pillow to catch sight of the beautiful pale skin that belonged to Jade. Tori readjusted her body, a wide smile forming on her lips. As she did so, Jade's arm that was still wrapped around Tori tightened protectively. This made Tori's smile grow even wider.

As she snuggled more into the peaceful raven beauty, Tori was knocked out of her little world by a crash coming from downstairs, reminding her that an unknown person was in her kitchen. Worry flooded her face, while removing Jade's arm from around her, slipping out of bed, and tripping over Jade's black duffle bag. When she looked down at the contents that spilled out, she noticed a teddy bear. Tori chuckled at the thought of Jade, with a stuff animal. Jade. She decided to pick it up and cuddle it under Jade's empty, pale arm. And as Tori thought, Jade took to it like she was five years old again. The look of joy on Tori's face fell as she remembered everything that happened last night. She'd just have to wait until Jade woke up to learn the rest of the night's events. With a kiss to Jade's cheek, Tori made her way out of the room and down the stairs, cautiously tip-toeing down each step.

As soon as she saw the back of a newly familiar figure standing at the island of the kitchen with a bowl in hand, she stopped at the third step from the bottom, taking in the scene. Tori's eyes squinted with the question as to why Mika was cooking breakfast in her kitchen, rolling around in her head. Her attention was caught by the sound of a male voice coming from the couch, neither occupant noticing her presence yet. Tori scratched her head in bewilderment. What the hell was going on? She checked the clock on the kitchen wall, reading 10:00 am.

"Why do you insist on pushing yourself like this? You've had four hours of sleep. You gotta slow down." The low voice from the couch addressed Mika. Still taking in the scene like it were a movie, Tori stayed where she was on the stairs, arms crossed, eyebrows crunched inward.

"Because I'm over compensating for all the mornings I missed cooking breakfast for her, Okay? Is that what you want to hear Evan?" Mika answered. Tori's confusion grew when she heard a much more nasally voice from the chef in the kitchen. Shrugging that off, her attention focused back on the guy on her couch, again. 'So that's Evan.' The thought finished up her inner dialogue before Mika spun around, revealing her injury from the night before.

"Oh my God! Mika, what the hell happened!?" Tori exclaimed unexpectedly bringing her hand straight up to cover her mouth in shock, making both Mika and Evan jump by the sudden outburst. The sight of the singer's broken nose fully woke Tori up.

"Yeah...Tori, hey.! Ummm...Have you met Evan?" Mika asked gesturing toward the couch, attempting to change the subject and Tori's stare from her nose as well as what went on last night.

"I wouldn't even brother with her kid. She won't talk to me about it either." Evan told Tori, looking at his phone the entire time until he finished. "You must be Tori. Thanks for letting us use your kitchen unexpectedly. Mika just had to insist."

"Can you put chocolate chips in a batch of pancakes Mika? Please?" Just then, Kelly walked out of the bathroom downstairs. "Oh, hi!" She looked up at Tori with a brilliant smile. "Tori, right?" Tori stood there incredulously at the sight, annoyance growing with every new person that showed up in her house randomly.

"Okay, who are you now?" Tori was losing her cool little by little.

"Kelly, leave her alone." Mika shouted from the kitchen. Kelly just gave Mika narrowed eyes, making her way to the couch.

"Sorry, we all barged into your house and all. Like I said, Mika's idea. We're just here for the food. Your parents home?" Evan inquired

"Uhh...No. Wait, how did you get in?" Tori was still planted on the stairs, bewildered.

"Mika can explain that. Can I light up?" Evan asked, holding up a joint and lighter.

"My dad's a cop..." Tori answered automatically.

"Got it...That's a no. How about a simple cigarette?" Evan tried again wiggling his eyebrows. Tori gestured to the back porch. Before she could open her mouth with instructions, Evan butted in. "I'll take a plastic cup for the ashes 'Mom' don't worry. Come on Kelly." With that, Kelly and Evan shut the french door to the back porch. Tori finally made her way to the kitchen table and took a seat with a sigh. That was...interesting.

"Don't mind him. He's usually not that rude, just tired. Long night. And as for Kelly, well actually they both jumped in my car when they heard the word 'breakfast'." Mika commented, flipping a pancake in the pan.

"So? Are you gonna answer any of my questions?" Tori asked impatiently.

"Uhh...Which one?" Mika countered, busying herself more with the cooking, hoping Tori would drop the subject with enough beating around the bush.

"Mika... seriously?" Tori's was about to rip the older girl's head off, she didn't care whose sister she was. Mika one the other hand just sighed.

"Okay. I jimmied the lock."

"A dead bolt?"

"I never said I was a saint, now did I?" Tori rolled her eyes. She was exhausted and felt like today would be longer than yesterday. It was almost next to impossible to get any information from either West, stubborn as hell. At least it was saturday.

"So, how did it go last night?"

"As well as I could have expected...I don't know. Fine, I guess. How is Jade?"

"Last I remember, she was guiding me up the stairs to bed. I fell asleep on the couch waiting for you guys." Tori answered. Worry etched Mika's features. "She was asleep when I woke up."

Tori's heart ached, remembering all the pain from the day before with Jade. She worried about the pale girl currently laying in her bed, hopefully sleeping peacefully. Waking up entangled with Jade was an amazing feeling that couldn't be duplicated by anything else. A silly smile formed on the tan girl's delicate facial features despite her previous worries.

Mika turned to face the brunette, seeing the dreamy look plastered on Tori's face. Mika figured the girl was thinking about Jade. It was cute and for a split second, she forgot about all the problems that surrounded their little club. All the problems she felt she dragged into the two teenagers' lives. Maybe she should just bolt and forget everything. It wasn't fair to complicate their lives. Too late, really. Both girls were thrown from their thoughts by a horrific scream coming from upstairs. Both heads swung to face the entryway upstairs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bang!

Jade heard a crack but didn't dare to believe it was what her brain processed it to be. The dark night made it impossible to see anything. The only source of light, a single street lamp, spewed the illumination on a lone figure. Nothing else could be seen. It was like a spotlight on a black stage. Jade was only feet away from the person, but still couldn't figure out what was transpiring right before her. She couldn't recognize the being under the light, the face being blacked out by shadows.

"Jade?" She panicked upon hearing her name. The voice was weak. Lifeless. She knew exactly who it was. All the color drained from her face, putting the pieces together of the situation as she frantically made her way, running to the figure.

"Mika!" As soon as Jade made it to her sister's side, Mika collapsed to the ground, holding her abdomen. Jade dropped to her knees, examining the reason for Mika's fall. "Oh my God...You've been shot." Jade's whimper broke Mika's heart. Jade hesitated before placing her hands on the gunshot wound to attempt to stop the bleeding. "Just hold on Mikey, please! I need you!" Jade could feel hot tears staining her face. She didn't even know when she started crying.

Mika winced in pain with the pressure of Jade's hands pressing onto the bleeding wound. Panic rose throughout Jade's body while she struggled to stop the bleeding.

"JJ...Don't worry...about me." Mika managed to squeak out, face contorted in pain. "Turn around!" Mika shrieked at Jade with the last of her strength. Her body fell still, Jade whipping her head around to see a man in the shadows, gun in one hand aimed at her, his other arm wrapped around Tori's neck from behind, hostage style, both facing the pale girl.

"Tori!" The younger West stood straight up at the sight, knowing somewhere in her mind that her sister was gone and now, she had to save the rest of her heart, Tori. Brave face intact, she dared a step forward.

"I will not be disrespected Jade. You know what happens when you act like this. Look at what happened to poor Mika." The gunman's menacing voice cut through the dark girl to the bone. She swallowed. The man was only trying to distract her. She locked eyes with Tori. The intensity was impossibly strong. Tori's face of pure horror, Jade's of absolute panic but determination. Everything they never got to say to each other, the 'I love yous', 'you're beautifuls', the intimate moments that they may never share, future years of commitment, devotion were all said with one look. Instead of their pasts flashing before their eyes, it was their possible future together.

"Let her go." A shaky, yet strong plea slipped pasted Jade's lips.

"She isn't going to live through this Jade and you know it." He answered. A whimper was heard from both girls at this.

"She has nothing to do with this. It's just you and me."

"Yeah, but it's much more fun this way, don't you think Jade? You're the reason this girl here is going to die tonight." He stepped out of the shadow to reveal his identity. Before Jade could respond...Bang!

"Jade? Jade!? Jade! Wake up."

"NO!" Jade shot up like a bullet out of a gun. The first thing her fear-filled eyes adjusted to were Tori's chocolate browns, full of life, love, worry. "Tori..." She whispered, throwing her arms around the tan love from her dream and buried her tear stained face into brunette hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the shampoo that always seemed to have the power to calm her. Reality hit her which brought the felling of relief that it was just a true nightmare.

"I'm here. You're safe." Tori cooed gently hoping to bring the girl in her arms to a normal breathing pattern instead of the chest heaving state. Tori looked back at her open door to see Mika standing there, nodding to let the tan girl know that she understood that right now, Jade needed Tori. Mika exited quietly and shut the door.

Tori didn't know what to think after all the things that happened this morning. How could a whole day be ruined in literally 20 minutes of being awake? Jade clung to Tori's body and she had no clue why. Sure, of course it was a nightmare but, what the hell happened in it? What could possibly make one of the toughest people she knew react like this? Tori could feel empathy roll through, washing over her own body while tears stung her eyes.

"Tori." Jade whispered into the brunette's ear, her grasp around the singer's neck tightening.

"It's okay. I'm right here. You're okay." Tori reassured and soothed the poor girl desperately clinging to her, rubbing her back gently. It seemed to calm the raven beauty. "What happened?" She pulled back, forcing Jade to look at her. All Jade could do was shake her head, protesting any answer to leave her mouth. Tori put her hand on Jade's knee who was now siding cross legged on the bed.

"You don't need to know." Jade mumbled, throwing her hand through her hair in frustration and the inevitable argument Tori will start. It wasn't that Jade didn't trust Tori or want her to know, it wasn't Tori's problem to deal with. Another side effect of being a West.

"Jade...don't shut me out." Tori replied with a hint of agitation in her voice. She removed her hand from Jade's knee and rubbed her face showing her frustration, which didn't go unnoticed by the girl being question.

"Tori, it's not a big deal. I'll handle it."

"You shouldn't have to handle it alone."

"I'm used to it."

"But it's not necessary this time. I'm here."

"Jesus, Vega. Just drop it already."

"All I wanna do is help, Jade."

"Well, you can't, okay! You can't fix everything, Vega and you certainly can't fix this!"

"Let me in Jade." Tori placed her hand on Jade's knee once more. But the pale girl shrugged it off and turned her back to Tori. "Listen Jade, I care about you. And I don't wanna see you hurting."

"Just leave me alone! You're worse than my therapist. At least she knows when to quit." Jade gave up and shut herself down. It was all she knew to do when times got hard.

"Fine. Give me attitude Jade. God knows I'm used to it. I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Which you probably won't." Tori mumbled that last part under her breath, making her way to the door, but Jade caught the snip at the end of Tori's words. Why did she insist on breaking her own heart and pushing people away? It was so difficult to let someone in when you were raised by cold and calculated parents.

"I need you..." Jade confessed with a heavy heart. She sighed in defeat, secretly hoping that Tori would stay and keep pushing her to talk about her issues. Tori felt the atmosphere instantly change from cold and distance to warm and understanding. Turning on her heal from the doorway, she made her way back to the broken girl sitting on the bed.

"I'm open and listening. That's why I'm prying. It's because I care about you Jade." Tori reiterated her earlier words.

"That's why I won't tell you. I can't drag you into this mess knowing that it will just end with me hurting you. You matter too much for me to let you fall into this." Jade began her explanation.

"I'm already in it." Tori calmly reassured Jade. When she looks back on where all her prying had gotten the two teens, Tori never regretted any of it. She didn't know why she wanted to know everything about the dark girl up until a little bit ago. The subconscious is funny like that. It's like it foreshadows your own feelings and actions.

Jade turned to face Tori with tear filled eyes, making her eyes bluer than usual. It was something Tori loved to watch, Jade's eyes changing with her emotions. The concerned girl had never seen Jade so vulnerable, so broken, not even in the past week where she cried hysterically in her arms. It crushed Tori's heart and constrained her throat, forcing out a sob she didn't know she was holding back.

"I'm falling apart and I don't know what to do. It's never been this bad. I can't even...I can't even escape it when I'm asleep."

"Jade..."

"I had a nightmare. A real one. There was this bang...Mika fell to the ground, then the gunman, he had you..."

"Oh my God..."

"He shot you..."

"Did you recognize him?" Jade nodded slowly with sad eyes. "Who was it?"

"My father."

Thank you for all the patience you guys have had due to my insistence in making you wait so long. You are the best! I promise you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter.

As you all already know, you're next move is to review, again and again and again. lol Thanks guys!

~EJ