"Cat, what is going on?" Jade took another step up the stairs and this time Cat didn't back up, just curling her hair on her finger, looking around, making sure no one was around.

"Nothing!" Cat tried to sound reassuring. "Nothing happened, we'll continue as if nothing happened."

"It doesn't work that way, Cat. We have to figure this out," Jade crossed her arms, staring up at her. Cat was now biting her lower lip, eyebrows furrowing as she usually did when she was mentally cornered.

"Jade, you're my best friend right?"

"You already asked me-"

"Right!?"

Jade pursed her lips, "Well, yea, but we can't just ignore-" Cat shook her head. "Then stay my best friend. Please don't see me differently. We can't be anything more."

"Fine… whatever…" Jade turned abruptly, took a step down and then quickly whirled around. "You know what, no. This has been going on for far too long. I've been mentally kicking myself for not saying anything earlier, but this is as far as it goes, baby girl. Don't you dare do this to me now."

"Jade, stop," Cat said backing away as Jade climbed the steps up to her with each heated word. Afraid of what she would say, deep down already knowing what it was.

"I like you," Jade declared, and said even louder, "I fucking like you! And yes in that goddamn way!"

"Stop it!" Cat cried, covering her ears. Jade didn't. She kept coming closer. "The thing is though, I liked you even before I could even acknowledge it and I would run away scared because of what it would do to us. I had every right to be scared because look at us now."

Cat shook her head roughly, not wanting to hear anything Jade was saying. It took ten minutes to calm Cat with a hug, caressing her hair as Cat trembled against her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay."

Cat eventually pulled away calmly from Jade. "Can I… ask you something?" Jade nodded. Cat furrowed her eyebrows again. "Am I …" she stopped and tried again, "Am I the reason… you broke up with Beck?"

Jade moved away from her, flopping her arms to her sides. "You saw me. I was miserable. I was making him miserable. How could I make him happy when I wasn't happy with myself? He wasn't my all anymore." Jade turned to look at Cat again. "All I could think of was you. You tormented my dreams and haunted my fantasies." Jade crossed her arms and looked up at the high ceiling. "I tried to put you in someone else's arms and look what happened. I blame no one but myself. I thought by having you with someone would make me move on. Made it worse." Jade sighed heavily. "I was insanely jealous. At first I thought I was jealous of your happiness but no, I was jealous of him. He got to touch you and kiss you whenever he pleased. My fantasies were his realities. I started to hate him and it made me paranoid, only because you were his girlfriend."

Cat shook her head, "I wasn't very much of a girlfriend to him…"

Jade went up to her and gripped her shoulders, "No, Cat, you were an amazing girlfriend up until he let you. You were kind, sweet and caring. You defended him and you put him first. He fought to keep you, that's how I know you were an amazing girlfriend."

Cat shook her head roughly, "No, I was horrible to him! I drove him insane!"

Jade chuckled and pressed her forehead to hers, "Yea, you did." Cat's shoulders slumped in defeat and made an annoyed sound in her throat. "And I am willing to go insane for you too." Cat looked up in shock at Jade's words. "What?"

"I know you'll take care of me the way you did for him," Jade kept on saying all the while Cat kept shaking her head, tears glittering her eyes. "Jade, no…" Cat started to back away.

"Cat, you're going to seriously make me beg?" Jade said in a sour tone. Cat now looked confused, "I, what?"

"Don't make me, Cat, don't make me, I swear to god, you better not," Jade said loudly, eyes starting to glare. Cat gulped hard, "What? What? What am I doing?" She looked at her hands and around herself.

Jade gave a frustrated sigh and landed on one knee in front of Cat, making the redhead gasp. "You're asking me to marry you?"

"What? No! Be my girlfriend!" Jade shouted making Cat flinch. Jade quickly readjusted her tone, almost getting up. "Cat, be my girlfriend."

Suddenly the hall echoed with steps and voices of teachers. Jade sprang to her feet and grabbing Cat's hand, ran up the steps to hide behind a tall potted plant against the wall, pushing Cat against it, hiding her with her body, hands on her elbows. Cat stared up at Jade admirably. Jade looked over her shoulder to see if the teachers were to approach them. Cat smiled to herself and pressed her cheek to Jade's chest. The other girl turned back to her and smiled back down at her.

.

Tori raised her hand and asked to be excused to go to the washroom. She was coming around the corner when suddenly what she saw made her stop in her tracks. Jade and Cat were half hidden in shadow by a tall potted plant in the hallway against the wall. What she saw made her smile for the both of them. Jade and Cat's lips were lightly pressed on each other, both leaning in, Jade holding Cat's elbows as Cat's hands were placed on Jade's upper arms, gently gripping her. Tori, incredibly happy for them, almost wanting to squeal, slowly started to back away from the scene and very quietly made it back to class, forgetting what she had got up to do. Andre gave her a confused look which read 'that fast?'

Tori saw the boys looking at her and she gave them a wide smile and two thumbs up. Realizing they had no idea what she was talking about, she just shrugged it off and kept on smiling. Somehow she felt accomplished.

.

Cat finally pulled away slowly, hiding her face from a soft blush. Jade ran her fingers through Cat's hair lovingly. "You haven't answered me…"

Cat was tongue tied and took a few tries to speak but all of the sudden her eyes widened. "Wait, shouldn't we date first?" Jade chuckled and put her hands on her hips. "Well let's see. Since we hit all three bases that night…"

Cat's hands flew to her face, unexpectantly recalling that night, "Oh my god…" she moaned. Jade smiled at her and lifted her chin up to look at her, "And agreeing to be my girlfriend…" Cat lowered her long eyelashes.

"I guess, yea sure," Jade shrugged. "We can go on a date this Friday."

"Jade, I'm so sorry… I killed the romance… See?! I'm no good!" Cat protested but failed with her tone as Jade had pressed her back against the wall, breathing into her ear. "No, Cat. You've ignited it."

.

Beck watched as Tori suddenly flew out of her seat, threw her bag onto her back and rushed out. "Still no Jade or Cat?" Andre asked Beck who shook his head slowly. "What is up with the girls lately?"

Tori bustled through the halls and coming up to the lockers she saw Cat and Jade talking at Jade's locker. Jade had made Cat laugh, giggling as she covered her mouth. Tori caught sight of Cat's face which was beaming and glowing. "You guys!" Tori ran over to them, surprising them with her loud cheerful voice. "Oh my god! You guys, I'm so happy for you!"

She spread her arms and hugged them both super tightly. Jade didn't push her away or give any snide remarks. She just smiled and rolled her eyes, hugging back. Tori had been on their team the entire time, informing Jade of Cat's situation and vice versa. She knew the struggle they both went through and the journey they discovered when they realized they loved each other. She had known they belonged together even when the girls were technically with the boys.

Tori then hugged Cat incredibly tight. "Cat! You did it! You did it! You did it!" Both laughing and hopping up and down as they danced in a circle. All of the sudden Tori caught sight of a guy coming towards them and she stopped abruptly, hiding Cat's view of him, hugging her protectively to her chest. Jade who had been watching the two in amusement saw Tori's face suddenly fall, making her turn her head to see what had interrupted them.

.

Andre stood back as he looked over the menu from the food truck. He was hungry and feeling like an after school snack. He rubbed his hands slowly, licking his top lip. "Man, can't decide…"

Beck was beside him, watching a couple of girls who were eyeing him with flirty smiles, occasionally turning to each other to comment about him. "What do you think?" Andre asked his absent minded friend. Beck grinned and turned to look at his best friend. "I think I should date again. What do you think about Tori?"

Andre shrugged as he ordered a burger. "Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't date anyone within our ring of friends."

"Why's that?"

"Why?" Andre cooly turned to him with raised eyebrows. "Ya know even with Jade being hard-core and all, she hasn't sat with us ever since you guys broke up. I'm actually missing all her snide remarks and throwing water in our faces. You want to add Tori to that absentee list? I don't know about you but I want us all to be friends and stay together. Ya know, no tension or regret." He received his burger and moved to sit at a table with Beck following him.

"Hey Tori and I could actually last, we get along great," Beck tried to argue as Andre was enjoying his burger, shaking his head at Beck. "And another thing, I don't think I can handle watching two lovebirds all lovey dovey at the lunch table. PDA, naw man." Beck pursed his lip, trying to think it through.

"I'll ask her anyway," Beck got up and headed back inside. "You gone fail!" Andre hollered after him, with a smirk. He swore as ketchup dribbled down his chin, girls giggling at him. "Wassup ladies!" he said with a smile trying to laugh it off.

.

Jade instinctively moved in front of the two girls, spreading her legs in a fighting stance. Tom stopped in mid step. He should've known it wasn't a smart move to approach them head on, but when he saw them all together he thought he'd seem less threatening to them. Didn't seem that way. He gripped the small box he held in his hands and then very cautiously placed it on the floor a few feet away from Jade's combat heeled feet. He very slowly backed away, eyes on the girl in case she suddenly lunged forward and kicked the box in his face. He swallowed hard as he stood up straight.

The hallway was quiet, watching, expecting a fight. Reine was standing off to a corner, distracted from a conversation. Jade was glaring daggers at Tom and if looks could kill…

Tom cleared his throat. "Uh, these are uh… these are Cat's things that … she would leave at my place… thought I'd give them back. I thought to call her but I figured that might've not been a good idea…"

The girls still said nothing. Cat had stiffened in Tori's arm when she heard his voice. Tori still tightened her grip on Cat's back, even taking a few steps back. Tom glanced over at Cat who was hiding in Tori's arms and when she didn't look up at him he saddened. His eyes downcast he started to back away. So this was how it was going to be… He looked up at Jade, " I suppose this is where you say you've won."

Jade crossed her arms rocked back on her hip. "If I did then that'd make me like you now wouldn't it?" she leaned forward. "No, boy, I am way better than you can ever imagine and I won't be parading Cat as if she was a trophy that I won. Better yet I won't even tell you to stay away from her, cause we all know you will," she said smiling sweetly which made him take a few steps back.

"I didn't do anything –" he started but Jade lunged forward to threaten him. He kept his ground and shot back, "I loved her, alright!? I still do!"

"How dare you say that after all you put her through!" Jade shouted at him, now riled up. "You kept on hurting her! And I kept having to butt in to stop things from getting worse! If you think you're going to start a guilt trip you are aboard the wrong train!" They both started yelling at each other, each raising their voices.

"No! Stop both of you!" Cat had wrenched herself free from Tori's arms and hurled herself in between Tom and Jade, arms extended to each one to stop them in their tracks and halt their shouting. She looked back and forth at each of them. "Tom never hurt me! I hurt him!"

Jade took Cat's hand and tried to pull her back away from him, but Cat shook her head at her. "No, Tom would never hurt me. You've all misunderstood him! He's a not a bad guy."

Tori came over, "Hunny get away from him."

"No!" Cat wrung out her hand from Jade's grasp and backed up to Tom. "He cares about me and would never hurt me. He didn't do anything wrong. I hurt him!"

"Cat…"

"Listen to me!" Cat yelled, making the girls stand to attention. "It was always me, I wanted to be loved. I picked Tom. I made the choice to be with him even knowing that I loved Jade. I tried to forget my pain! I am the one that played games with his heart. I'm the one, even though with him being my boyfriend at the time, couldn't stop thinking about Jade." Cat came closer to Jade. "I made all those choices. He saw it. It made him upset. I know it would do the same to you…" Cat gently caressed Jade's face, slowly tracing her jaw. She turned back to Tom. "At the club, you apologized to me and set me free. I know that was hard for you. It was hard for you from the beginning but you kept on trying. I thank you for trying to be my all. I appreciated your love but you deserved to be treated better." Tom looked away, swallowing hard.

Cat took a step away from them both so they now stood in a triangle. "I was being selfish. I wanted you both but in the end I was only fooling myself. That's how I figured I'd be a bad girlfriend…"

"That's not true!" Tom and Jade said in unison at Cat and it made her smile with tears in her eyes. "I'm such a fool…" she covered her face. Jade moved to hug her but Tom made it to her first, hugging her tightly. Jade and Tori glanced at each other and Tori gave her a sympathetic smile. Jade turned to leave.

"Jade, wait." Came Cat's voice, stopping Jade. Cat reached over and took Jade's hand and tugged her back towards her. "I want you two to not hate each other. I want you both to not glare at each other in passing. We share this school and it'll just be too tense. Don't you agree?"

Who was this talking exactly? Tom and Jade had the same question in their eyes. Cat held both their hands and was squeezing them tightly. "We need to get along. Please!" Both parties were quiet until Tom very slowly and cautiously held out his hand to Jade to shake. Jade stared hard at his hand for a few seconds then peered at Cat who was biting her lip. Jade rose her eyes to stare at Tom who stood unwavering with his hand still extended out to her.

She shook her head. "You will find I am less forgiving," she sneered at him and then turned on her heels, leaving them both.

.

I hope you guys are enjoying my story! Cast of Victorious does not belong to me. I had to throw that in somewhere eventually lol ...

I'll have to admit this was trying to write. I keep saying I'm going to stop at a certain point but really I think I'm going to keep writing until I accomplish what I want here 9.9 I literally am making this up as I pull up an empty MW file and the ideas just flow as I write. that's why there's so many twists and turns. How's it look for you guys? Does this method work for anyone else? :) I love feed back just as much as I love writing this :)