!This chapter includes graphic depictions of violence!
Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious...
"Tori…" I say nervously, looking at the aggressive group around us.
"Shh, it's okay. Stay close to me." Tori orders softly. I nod and edge closer to her. "What do you people want? Our money?" Tori asks them, holding out her purse. "Here, take it." She throws it down in front of one of them. They don't move.
"Ha. We don't want your money." One of them snarls.
"We're just here to… teach you a lesson." Another one adds.
"What are you talking about?" Tori glares. I can feel her trembling slightly. We're in a bad position.
"We saw you faggots kissing back at the café." One explains.
"We don't take too well to people of… your kind. We've made it our civic duty to make sure you don't pollute our air with your disgusting disease." One growls.
"So what are you going to do? What, do you plan to beat it out of us?" Tori snaps.
"That's the plan." One steps closer, beating the metal rod to his hands. Tori tenses.
"That… that won't do anything. That's not how it works." Tori tries to reason.
"Then I guess you're better off dead." Another one steps closer. I start to whimper.
"We haven't done anything to hurt you." I beg. "Just leave us alone. Please."
"Ha! You hear that? This little lesbian thinks the faggots haven't done anything to hurt us." One quips. Then another one bounds forward, grabbing me from behind and yanking me away from Tori.
"Tori!" I scream.
"Let her go!" Tori demands frantically. She tries to dart to me but another two grab her by the arms, holding her back.
"Help!" I shout. The woman in the group with a mask steps in front of me.
"No one is going to help you. You're the scum of the earth." She drawls.
"Look who's talking-oof!" Tori starts to growl, but one of the guys holding her back elbows her in the stomach. Tori doubles over, coughing.
"Don't hurt her!" I cry.
"Honey, the last thing you should be worrying about is your little girlfriend." The woman sneers, yanking out a knife. My eyes go wide.
"What… what are you going to do?" I whimper.
"Well, I noticed part of the problem here was your little smooch fest earlier… and from what I saw, you were the one who initiated it." She saunters up close, pushing the cold metal of the knife against my cheek. "Can't kiss the same sex if you don't have any lips."
"No, no please!" I sob, feeling the sharp pain of the knife digging into my cheek. I see a small group of people walking on the other side of the street. "Help! Please, help!"
"Move along if you know what's good for you." One of the men holding Tori yells out to the group. They shuffle along quickly. I don't believe it.
"See? No one's going to help you." The woman with the knife glowers, sliding the knife to my bottom lip. I feel more skin on my cheek split and I hiss in pain.
"Let her go! I'll do whatever you want, just let her go!" Tori chokes out, recovered from the previous blow to her stomach.
"Shut up." A man spits at her.
"Any last words while you can still talk?" The lady asks.
"Just do it already!" The man holding me growls.
"Hold on, let her say her piece." The woman says, poking the tip of the knife into my bottom lip. I can hear Tori struggling helplessly and crying. I take a moment, and then I spit in the woman's face. "Ugh! You little cunt!" She turns away touching her face in disgust. As soon as the knife leaves my face, I drive my leg back into the man's groin. He loosens his hold a bit as he doubles back from the brunt force. I don't think I hit him hard enough, though. I start to twist away and just when I think I'm free, he grabs my wrist, yanking and twisting back painfully. My arm is filled with a dull throb.
"We've got a fighter." The man holding me back groans. The woman with the knife stands up straight and runs at me angrily before submerging the knife right into the side of my stomach. I double over in shock.
"Cat!" I hear Tori shriek as the burning pain starts to spread throughout my side.
"Let's get this over with." The woman glowers, still holding part of the knife in me.
"Whoa holy shit, watch out!" Someone behind her yells before the woman is yanked back by a now free Tori. The knife jaggedly rips from me which makes me cry out in pain. I can feel the blood seeping from it. Tori goes to punch the woman in the face but the woman is too quick, slamming the bottom of the metal rod she's holding square into Tori's face. A man from behind her swings his rod to hit Tori in the back, making her collapse to the ground groaning.
"T…Tor…" I whimper out, body being overcome with shock from my wound.
"Can't you two keep a hold on a stupid girl!?" The woman snaps.
"She acted like she passed out! She took us by surprise!" One of them complains.
"Well make sure she really passes out this time." The woman orders.
"Gladly." The man grunts. Tori looks up at me weakly, blood covering her face, before the man kicks her in the side, hard. Despite the shock I'm feeling, I react.
"STOP IT!" I screech, lunging forward. But the man holding me back stops me, yanking my arm and pulling it far behind my back. My shoulder pops painfully and I gasp, dots filling my vision.
"Do what you want with that one." I hear the woman says. Suddenly I'm being pushed against the brick wall.
"Shame about this one. She's a pretty little feisty girl, aren't you? Yeah, maybe you just need some converting." The man hisses to me. I can only whimper. Everything's happening all over again.
"Hey, maybe she just hasn't had the right dick." One of the men kicking Tori pauses to say.
"You're probably right. We should change that. All three of us can get a turn." The man holding me mutters, thrusting up against me. No.
"No!" I cry out in unison with the gasping voice of Tori.
"Shut up." The man shoves me hard, and my head cracks against the wall. My brain rattles, and nothing is clear anymore. Everything's fading out. I'm slightly aware of the man unbuttoning my jeans.
"Don't you touch her!"
"Holy sh-"
"Bitch!"
"Get her!"
The feeling of the man leaves me and I'm slack against the wall, barely holding myself up.
"Ugh, that hurt. Hit her again."
"Here, let me do it."
I start to slide down slowly, my legs weak, barely holding on to consciousness or reason. I barely hear a sickening crack and a strangled cry from Tori.
"Just put her out of her miserable existence."
"But, murder? We've never actually killed anyone."
"Whatever, these two are more trouble than they're worth."
"I got it."
The last thing I hear before darkness consumes me is the sound of a gunshot.
This feels different from when I usually pass out. When I've fainted, it feels like I'm in some dizzy sleep. That's not the case this time, though. This time, I'm just suspended in darkness and my body feels weightless. In fact, I don't even know if I have a body anymore. I know I have a head, though. I know because it feels like a balloon. Or maybe I am just a balloon now. A balloon that a young child was careless with and let go at a parade, and the child screams and cries as I rise up into the endless sky to an unknown fate.
Someone was screaming earlier. Maybe they were screaming for me because I was floating away. Or maybe it was me who was screaming because I don't want to float away. I like it on the ground. I need to go back down…
Suddenly, my head doesn't feel like a balloon anymore. Or if it does, it's a balloon expanded way passed its limits. My head is throbbing. It makes me feel sick. Ugh, can somebody stop the pain? Can somebody stop that annoying beeping noise? It's not helping!
Beeping? Where am I?
"Well, she seems to be stable." I hear.
"How is she, doctor?" I hear someone else say. The voice sounds familiar.
"Stable. Like I said. We won't know what the extent of the damage caused by the concussion is until she wakes up, but the rest will heal on its own."
"Could she wake up… functioning at a lower level?" The familiar voice asks. I know that voice.
"Perhaps. The brain is a very mysterious and complicated thing. Medical experts and psychologists are still trying to figure it out. Every brain injury is different. Did you see what caused the trauma?"
"I… no. When I got there, she was lying against the wall. The whole… side of the wall was covered in blood." The voice explains. Blood? My blood? On a wall?
"Are you… in anyway related to this girl, too?"
"…No. But she's important to me and until her parents get here, I want to look after her. Please." The voice begs.
"Very well, officer. I need someone to tell me if she wakes up anyway."
"Thank you, doctor." Officer… could it be Tori's dad? That fits… it sounds a lot like Tori's dad… why is Mr. Vega here, with a doctor? Doctor… blood… beeping… Hospital. Oh. "Cat. Can you hear me? You probably have a whopping headache right now. And stomach ache. And arm ache. Everything must ache. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner…" I hear him sniff. "Those guys. We got them all, don't worry. You probably won't even need to stand trial this time. It's obvious that these thick-headed… close-minded…" He sputters before calming himself down. "…Regardless, you're safe now."
He's silent after that for a while. I wish he would have told me more about what happened. I'm still a little in the dark, literally and figuratively. I want to respond but I just feel so held back. Held back, like by that man in a mask… oh my god.
"Nnnn…" I groan quietly.
"Cat? Hey, it's David… erm, Tori's dad. Focus on my voice. Give me some indication that you understand what I'm saying." Mr. Vega instructs. What do I do? My body feels like a brick. I kind of wish I felt like a balloon again.
"Nnnn." I groan again.
"Okay, good. I think. Try and open your eyes." He says. So I try. They flutter a bit, but they feel as heavy as the rest of me. "Keep trying. Go at your own pace. Just keep focusing on my voice. That's right. You're doing great, Cat."
I keep trying for what feels like forever as he keeps saying encouragements before I finally open my eyes. Only for a second though, because the white flash of light made a sharp pain split down my head. "Bright." I croak out. I hear him shuffle a bit and a click.
"There, try again." Mr. Vega says. I open my eyes much quicker this time and see that it's a lot dimmer in the room. Good.
"What happened?" I ask weakly. He lets out a sigh of relief. His eyes are all red and puffy.
"Well, it seems you can talk. That's a good sign. Hold on, I'll explain everything in a minute." Mr. Vega promises while standing up. I try to nod, but my head doesn't want to co-operate. I hear Mr. Vega have an exchange with who I guess is a nurse out in the hallway, and then he's back at my side. "Okay." He sighs. "What do you remember?"
"I… don't know. I remember men in masks. They were really bad people. It's… fuzzy." I wince. "Oh. A woman, too. She was the worst." I recall slightly. Then I remember a knife. "I think she tried to cut my lips off. Oh my god, did she?!"
"Your lips are fine, Cat. Relax. You have a small cut on your cheek but that's it." Mr. Vega explains softly.
"…What about the rest of me?" I ask.
"Um… from what the doctor told me, you've suffered from a grade three concussion, a broken wrist and a dislocated shoulder – now relocated…" He lists off. I now become aware that while my left arm is slack at my side, my right arm is across my torso in a sling. Ouch. Now that throbs, too. "…And a puncture wound in the left side of your abdomen. I'm not a doctor, but I've seen enough in my line of work to recognize a stab wound. Was it the woman with the knife you were talking about?"
"I… think so… Yeah." I try to remember. I think I remember her being really angry, and then stabbing me… Oh. Yeah. "I… I was stabbed."
"You lost a lot of blood from that, but you got some transfusions and although you'll be weak for a while, you'll be fine. No organs were damaged. It's all stitched up and it will heal in time." Mr. Vega assures me.
"Is she awake, then?" A man with a long white coat walks in.
"Yes, doctor. She seems to be having trouble remembering the incident, but otherwise she seems fine." Mr. Vega explains.
"Let's just check her out here." The doctor says, sitting on the bed by me. He pushes a button, making the bed lift me up a little. The bending makes me feel the literal stabbing sensation in my side, making me hiss in pain. "Sorry about that. I need to check your eyes." He says, pulling out a small flashlight. I feel like I'm missing a very, very important detail.
Tori.
"Where's Tori?" I ask quickly. I see Mr. Vega's face go pale as he looks away, visibly upset. My heart drops. Mr. Vega is blocked from my view as a light is shone in my eyes. Everything slows down as I wait for a response. Why wouldn't her dad be with her right now? Why is he with me? She's not… She couldn't possibly… Tori can't be… If she is, I can't live without her. I can't. She's my…
When you're worried about a loved one and you're waiting to hear their fate, it's the longest moment of your life. This doctor could have been shining the light in my eyes for a year, even though it was probably only a few seconds.
"She's in surgery right now…" Mr. Vega finally croaks out.
"What… what does that mean?" I ask with a whimper. My eyes adjust to the lack of light. It hurt my head, but I don't care.
"It means she's on the road to recovery. As are you. You need some rest but you'll be fine. Do you want anything for the pain?" The doctor asks.
"No thank you." I say. I want to be completely clear headed right now until I know Tori is undeniably okay. The doctor nods and leaves the room, checking a clip board. "Why is she in surgery?"
"She… One of the assholes fractured her left femur, so they're putting pins in to help fix that. And they… beat her so brutally that she had internal bleeding. They're fixing that as well." Mr. Vega explains darkly. He looks sick. I feel sick too. She must be in a lot of pain, and by his reaction, we must have been pretty close to losing her…
"But she'll be okay?" I ask. He gives me a small smile.
"Yes, permitting the surgery goes well." He assures me. I furrow my brow. I want to cry.
"I… everything's still fuzzy about what happened, but I remember a gunshot…" I recall.
"That… was my doing." Mr. Vega admits. "We got a call about a disturbance. I was conveniently the nearest officer so I checked it out immediately. When I showed up, I saw… I saw them beating my daughter. One was about to bring their weapon down on her head. I didn't even think. I shot him."
"Oh god." I mutter. "Thank you."
"I didn't kill him, but I wish I did." He growls. "Don't repeat that to anybody."
I lean back a bit, thinking. There were other things. It's coming back to me slowly. I remember… right before the gunshot… "They were going to rape me… I don't know how far it got." I tremble.
"When I found you, your jeans were undone but that was it. You were checked out here to make sure. You weren't raped, Cat. I promise." Mr. Vega swears. I let out a breath of relief, my head sinking back. Ow. I reach my good hand up to touch my pounding head and wince. I can feel the bandages lining my head. "I should let you rest." Mr. Vega nods at me. "Want the bed lowered?"
I nod and brace myself for the sharp pain. For the record, getting stabbed is not fun. Mr. Vega gets up and grabs the curtain. "Um, Mr. Vega?" I start.
"Yes?"
"Thank you… for caring and watching over me. You didn't have to." I mumble.
"Cat, yes I did. You're with my daughter. You make her happy, and that makes me happy. You're like family to us, Cat. I hope you know that. I would have pulled my gun just as quickly for you." Mr. Vega states.
"Thank you." I say, lip quivering. "Will you let me know how Tori is once she's out?"
"Of course. Rest up." He nods, pulling the curtain closed. I hear his footsteps walking away.
I close my eyes, a tear escaping one of them. I can't cry because it hurts. What's happened to me and Tori… It was all my fault.
The sound of a curtain being pulled back, and then a gasp.
"Oh… Oh Cat, baby…" I hear my mom whimper.
"How is she?" The voice of my dad asks. Mom? Dad? Ugh, my eyes won't open again… dang it.
"She's resting off her injuries now. She was awake earlier and she seemed to be functioning at a normal level, minus some struggle with pain and memory of the incident. I'll run more tests once her side has healed a bit more. It's too dangerous to move her too much without risking her stitches tearing." My doctor explains.
"Why would someone do this to her?" My dad asks.
"Do you think it was some Northridge kids who were still bitter at her?" My mom questions, voice quivering.
"The attackers were middle aged, and they had no relation to Cat." I hear Tori's dad's voice again.
"Officer Vega. What are you doing here?" My dad asks.
"I was the officer who found her… and they also attacked my daughter. They were together at the time." Mr. Vega explains. "Please, call me David."
"Oh my goodness, is Tori okay?" My mom asks.
"She just got out surgery. She's in the recovery room now, and they said she should make a full recovery. I can't see her until she's stable, though. Right?" Mr. Vega says.
"That's correct." My doctor pipes in. Tori's going to be alright… if I were fully conscious, I would scream in happiness.
"Officer – David. Why were they attacked?" My mom asks.
"I still have to get a statement from Cat and Tori, but judging from the eye witness accounts and even the statements from the attackers themselves, it was a hate crime." Mr. Vega explains.
"Hate? Hate against what?" My dad asks. Wait. Oh god. No.
"Well, hate against homosexuality." Mr. Vega reveals.
"That doesn't make any sense. They must have attacked the wrong girls. Our daughter isn't gay." My mom affirms. Stop. Mr. Vega stop talking, please.
"… Cat never told you?" Mr. Vega asks. I need to do something. My parents can't find out like this. I need to have a heart attack. Or something. Anything. Something to distract everyone.
"Told us what?" My dad demands.
"…Your daughter and my daughter have been dating for some time now." Mr. Vega sighs. Then there's silence.
No.
Oh god, no.
This can't be happening.
"That's not possible." My dad mutters.
"It's true. I'm sorry she never told you." Mr. Vega says.
"Perhaps she never did because she knows it's something to be ashamed of." My mom states.
"Hold on. I know your views are none of my business, but I find nothing wrong with the relationship. They make each other very happy." Mr. Vega reasons.
"David, with all due respect, but do you consider this to be nothing wrong? Your daughter did this to my Cat!" My mother cries. I feel my stomach drop. I hear Mr. Vega let out a shuddered breath.
"I know this is shocking and you're pretty upset, so I'm going to leave you to collect your thoughts." Mr. Vega states. No. Don't go.
"Wake up." I hear my dad forcefully say. "Wake up!"
"I would advise against that…" My doctor says quietly.
"Don't tell me what I can or can't do. Caterina, you need to wake up right this instant." My dad says so angrily that I'm actually able to slightly open my eyes. I'm scared. "Is it true? Are you romantically involved with Tori?"
"Y…yes." I croak out. My mouth is dry. My dad's face goes red as he turns away, combing his hand through his hair. "Dad… it's not a big deal…"
"The hell it isn't." He growls, pointing at me.
"Cat, why would you choose to do this?" My mom asks sternly. "It needs to stop."
"I… I can't stop what I feel in my heart." I tremble out.
"I think you're just a little confused." My mom says sympathetically.
"I'm not confused. My feelings for Tori are the only thing I'm absolutely sure of in the world." I choke out.
"But that's not possible. You can't feel romantically for a member of the same sex." My dad argues.
"Tell that to my uncles. Or Ellen. Or take a walk in my shoes for a day. Then tell me that I can't feel romantically for Tori." I glare. My head is pounding again as tears fill my eyes.
"Honey, sometimes feelings of strong friendship can be confused for something they're not…" My mom tries to explain.
"I love her. And she loves me." I state.
"You're a seventeen year-old girl! You don't know what love is!" My dad snaps. I wish he wouldn't yell.
"Love doesn't know an age limit." I mutter. I cough and collapse back into the bed, feeling spent.
"I'm sorry, but this patient needs her rest. I'm going to have to ask you both to leave." My doctor orders, and I'm grateful.
"Then we're taking her home with us now." My dad states.
"I can't allow that. She needs to be kept here overnight for observation." My doctor says.
"We are her parents, and we won't allow her to stay in such proximity to a girl who has poisoned her mind." My mom glowers.
"Please… don't…" I barely sob out.
"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter." Mr. Vega once again steps in the doorway, his badge gleaming. My parents stare at him long and hard for a moment.
"Fine. But we'll be back tomorrow to pick her up." My dad grumbles. They both give me a look that breaks my heart. Disappointment. They push past Mr. Vega and out the door. Tori's dad stands there solemnly looking at me, as I burst out into tears.
"Cat… I had no idea they would react that way." Mr. Vega sighs. "Maybe they just need some time to cope."
"Th… they hate me." I sob out.
"They're still your parents. I think it was a lot to take in for them." He approaches my bed, giving me caring eyes. Now I know where Tori gets that look from. It calms me down, a little.
"What do I do?" I sniff.
"Get better. That's all you should focus on now. Tori would want you to focus on getting yourself better first." Mr. Vega reasons. I nod slowly. Just then, a rapid beeping noise comes from the doctor. He pulls out a pager, glancing at it.
"Speaking of, it seems your daughter is ready to wake up." The doctor announces. Mr. Vega tenses, and then looks at me.
"I'd hate to leave you alone right now." He sighs.
"You have to go. I'll be okay. Send her all my love?" I request. He smiles lightly.
"Of course. Trina's on her way, she might be here by now. I'll send her over when she's done visiting with Tori." Mr. Vega assures me.
"Thank you." I smile.
"Feel better." He wishes before heading out. I look at my doctor. He's been standing there for a while.
"I'm sorry about your parents." He says.
"Thanks…" I mumble.
"Are you sure you want nothing for the pain?"
"No, I'm good." I sigh. "When can I see Tori?"
"When you're well enough to move without help. Right now it's just immediate family, anyway." The doctor explains.
"Okay." I shut my eyes. I want to see her now. The doctor gets another page.
"Buzz the nurse if you need anything." He says. I nod he walks out. And now I cry fully. It hurts everything, but I can't stop the wracking sobs. Maybe I should've taken something for the pain.
I cry until there's a mix of me not being able to handle the pain, and just running out of tears. I just stare at the ceiling, trying to control my thoughts. I try not to think of my parents. Mr. Vega said I should focus on getting better. It's what Tori would want… I wonder how she's doing. What I wouldn't give to curl up in her arms right now.
After an undetermined amount of time, Trina makes her appearance. For someone who is very picky about their hair and make-up, she looks a little less kept than usual. I can see a bit of smudged mascara on her cheek. She must be really affected by what happened to her younger sister…
"You look like crap." She states.
"Thank you?" I say slowly. She walks over, swinging a nearby chair to my bedside.
"At least you look better off than Tori." Trina sighs, sitting down. I feel sick again for a moment.
"How is she?" I ask softly.
"Well, as if it wasn't obvious before but I'm definitely the better looking sister now. But she'll live." She assures me. I stare at her. "She really loves you, by the way."
"What makes you say that?" I ask, feeling a blush.
"When she first woke up, as soon as she had the strength to talk, she didn't ask about herself and what her situation was. She didn't even ask how I was. I mean, my sister just got beaten to a pulp. Don't I get some sympathy?" I fight the urge to roll my eyes. "But no, it was all, 'is Cat okay?' She refused to answer any of our questions about herself until she knew how you were."
"Oh… Tori…" I sigh.
"Yeah. She's dying to see you. Ooh, maybe I shouldn't use that wording…" Trina trails off.
"I want to see her, too." I claim.
"Well neither of you are in a state to travel to each other's rooms. By the way… I heard about the run in with your parents. Dad told me. It sounded… pretty bad. I'm sorry." Trina mutters. I stay silent, looking down. "Listen, Tori can't be here for you right now, so I can be your shoulder if you need it."
"Thanks, Trina." I smile at her.
"Just try not to fall in love with me, too. That would be awkward." Trina scoffs. I actually giggle. Ow.
"Um… do you… think I'm too young to be in love?" I ask slowly. Trina leans back a bit, thoughtful.
"It really depends on the couple, I think. I mean, I guess at this age we're still in the developmental stages, so how we are now is not set in stone. I suppose that's why high school sweethearts don't work out very often. They change, and things aren't the same anymore. However… some do work. And I think those are the couples that change together. Maybe you and Tori are one of those couples, maybe you aren't. But if you take the plunge then you can have something very everlasting and amazing. Isn't that worth sticking it out to see?" Trina philosophizes. I gape at her. "What?"
"That was just… very profound." I state.
"Don't be so surprised." Trina scoffs. "I can read some trashy romance novels as much as the next girl." She explains. Well, that explains it. But I guess her novels are right.
"Well, thank you. That makes me feel a bit better." I say.
"You know how I do." Trina flips her hair back.
"Where's your mom?"
"My mom? Oh, well you know she's moved out of our house now that the divorce is finalized. This was her first weekend living with Gary, so they were celebrating by spending the weekend off somewhere or whatever. We've been having a hard time getting a hold of her, but I'm sure she'll be right here as soon as she finds out Tori's situation." Trina informs.
"I wonder how Tori will react to that…" I mutter. Trina shrugs.
"I have no idea. All I know is that who she really wants to see right now is you." She states. Soon, love. I promise. Trina looks at her phone. "Welp, I should really get going. Due to Tori's predicament, this puts all the work on me for our hip hop class. I need to get home and rest up before workin' on my twerkin' tomorrow." Trina sighs.
"Ooh." I wince. Tori won't like that.
"What?"
"Nothing." I squeak.
"Okay… So, you'll be okay if I leave you here? Tori would probably ruin my favourite shirt if I left you while you were vulnerable and upset…" Trina grumbles.
"I'll be okay. Thanks, Trina. Oh, can you do me a favour?" I request.
"Sure."
"Can you text all my friends? Jade, Beck, Robbie, Andre… I don't know where my phone is and they have no idea where Tori and I are. They'll probably want to visit as soon as possible." I explain.
"Yep, I'm on it. Want me to give them all the details?" She asks.
"Yeah... let them in on everything." I nod.
"Alrighty. And hey." Trina says, putting her hand on my knee. "The Vega family has your back no matter what. I swear to Trina."
"That means so much." I breathe, feeling tears sting my eyes again.
"Oh, right." She leans in and kisses me on my uninjured cheek. "Compliments from Tori."
I blush as she leaves. It's not Tori, but I'll take it. Not long after she leaves, a nurse comes in to change my bandages and help me to the bathroom (thankfully). Neither were easy tasks, because guess what? She had to keep me steady since the concussion has thrown my balance temporarily off, and the bandages are around my waist… both activities involve a lot of touching, and the nurse isn't Tori. I admit I'm a lot better and human contact in general now, but every so often I would flinch and I could literally feel my stitches tugging. Not a pleasant feeling. After I was put back in bed, Mr. Vega came by again.
"Hi, Cat." He greets.
"Did you see Tori?" I yawn. I feel so exhausted even though I've just laid here all day.
"Yes. She's doing well. Worried about you, but she's well." He sighs. Just like what Trina said.
"Did you send her my love?" I ask.
"Absolutely. And she sends it back ten-fold." Mr. Vega smiles. I close my eyes and sigh. "So I need to get going for a few hours… take a nap and fill out some paper work involving the arrests today. I'll probably ask you for a full statement tomorrow when you've recovered more from your concussion and the details are less fuzzy. I contacted Tori's mom, finally. She's going to get here as soon as she can to see Tori. I told her to pop in on you, as well, after telling her the situation with your parents." He explains.
"Okay. I hope you have a good rest." I say.
"You too. I'll be back probably around 3 or 4am." He states. I nod and he leaves. I'm so grateful for the Vega family.
I lie there for a while trying to sleep, but I can't despite how tired I am. All I can think about is what Trina and her dad said to me. Tori wants to see you… Tori is worried about you… I want to see her, too. She's so close yet so far. She has a broken leg and so it'd be impossible for her to make the trek to my room, but my legs are fine. I mean, I have a stab wound with fragile stitch-work and a concussion that makes the room spin when I stand up, so it's probably a stupid idea to try anything. But at the same time… it seems even more stupid to stay here when my girl needs me.
My mind's made up. I look around for a moment just in case someone was randomly in the room. When I see no one, I start to sit up… ow. Ow. My wound did not like that. I collapse back down, slightly clutching my side. C'mon Cat. How many times did you practice getting up without the use of your stomach muscles in movement class? You can do this. I slide my legs off the bed, twisting my body until I'm lying horizontally across the bed. Putting my feet against the floor and using my one good arm, I slowly raise myself up to standing with my thigh muscles. It still hurt, but I think all my stitches are intact.
And then another problem. I start to get vertigo looking at the ground as if it's a thousand miles away. I close my eyes trying to catch my bearings. Tori. You need to get to Tori. You hear that, brain? Focus. I open my eyes and although the door is wobbling, I am able to make my way to it. I stumble getting close and I catch myself with my arm on the door frame. I feel my stitches tug a bit and the sharp pain makes me hiss. I wish I had my other arm for balancing. I glance out the door and I see some staff members, but they're preoccupied. I walk out quietly, trying to keep everything leveled in my head. It seems to get better, but my brain is pounding and that makes me feel nauseous. I make it to the nurses' desk and lucky for me, no one's at the front right now. I pull the book there towards me. Tori Vega. She's just down the hall. She really was close.
I continue my wobbly journey but it's drowned out by the fact that I'm going to see my poor girlfriend in about a minute. I would run if I didn't think that would make me pass out. I find the room number and I look in. There she is… oh god.
Her bed is propped up and she's sitting up, leaning against it with her eyes closed. Her nose and the area around it are a deep purple and black colour with two thin bandages across it. I remember now. That woman slammed a metal rod into her face. Of course it'd be broken. Underneath that she has a small nasal breathing tube. It's better than having a full on oxygen mask or one of those breathing tubes down her throat. The rest of her is covered in a blanket, but I can see that where her legs are, one bump is clearly larger than the other. Must be from her cast. She has a bunch of wires running down her hospital gown and an I.V. up her arm. I guess Trina was right… I do look better off than her.
I walk closer to the bed carefully. I notice her chest doesn't inflate as much as it usually does, and her breathing seems laboured. I always loved watching and listening to her breathe, so I know the difference. Just as I get up to the bed, her eyes flutter open to see me. I give her a small smile, fighting every urge to leap on her.
"Cat?" She mumbles. Then her eyes pop open wide. "Cat!" Tori lifts up suddenly, but her body tenses as her breath hitches, eyes shut tight in a wince.
"Tori, sweetheart, shh. Relax." I say softly, touching the side of her face. She rests back against the raised bed, letting the pain subside. Her eyes open again, trained on me.
"Is this a dream?" She mutters.
"No, love. I'm here. I'm okay. We're okay." I whisper, stroking her cheek with my thumb and careful not to touch the discoloured area. She smiles weakly.
"Cat… I missed you." She sighs.
"I know. I missed you, too." I murmur.
"What are you doing out of bed? They told me you weren't allowed to leave it." Tori questions.
"What can I say? I'm a rebel." I smile.
"You should be resting." Tori mumbles, closing her eyes and leaning into my hand. "But I'm glad you're here."
"Me too." I whisper. Her eyes open again to look at me.
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
"Better, now that I'm with you." I say. "How about you?"
"Lots of pain. Lots of drugs to help fight the pain. None of them compare to you, though." Tori smiles.
"I love you so much, Tori." I tremble.
"Oh, Cat. I love you, too." She sighs. I sit on the bed carefully, and then lean forward even more carefully to touch her lips with mine softly. When I pull back, both our eyes are glistening.
"Tori… I'm so sorry." I breathe out.
"For what?" She asks. I close my eyes, suddenly feeling guilty for being in her presence and for kissing her.
"It's my fault… They attacked us because of me." I shudder. She furrows her brow.
"What? Did you hire them or something?" She asks incredulously.
"N-no… But… they knew we were together because I stupidly kissed you at that café. They saw that and they knew to attack us. It's all my fault…" I start to cry.
"Cat, stop it. We kissed just as any heterosexual couple would have. It's ridiculous that we had to suffer an attack like that just because of who we are, but…" She takes a moment to breathe, unable to breathe fully like before, "It's nobody's fault. You didn't do this. I didn't do this. We were just being in love, and then we were in the wrong place at the wrong time… that's it." Tori affirms.
"I just hate that they did this to you…" I mutter, a tear rolling down my cheek. She reaches up to wipe it away, wincing slightly as she does.
"Me too. When I woke up after surgery… The last thing I remembered was having my leg broken." She shudders. "I think I passed out from the pain. People weren't kidding when they said femur breaks are at the top of the pain scale. So I didn't… I didn't remember my dad saving us last second. All I knew when waking up was what they were going to do to you. I didn't even know if you were alive. It was the worst moment of my life." Tori's lip quivers. I remove my hand from her face to hold her hand. I guess that backs up what Trina said about Tori interrogating them about me as soon as she could.
"I had a moment like that with you. I didn't know what I would have done if you were…" I can't even finish. She nods slightly.
"I'm just so happy you're okay. I mean, I'm sad you're hurt and I want to take the pain away…" Tori pauses to look over my wounds, from my head to my arm to the hidden wound of my side. She watched me get stabbed. We both had to endure seeing each other face the brunt of physical abuse. It makes me want to hold her and never let her go. "But you know what? They didn't win. They wanted to snuff us out, but they couldn't beat us. Nothing ever beats us."
"You're right." I sniff. "Somehow, we always pull through."
She squeezes my hand. "And we always will." Tori murmurs. Ignoring the throb in my head, I rest my forehead against her and let out a sigh.
"I wish we could've gotten out a little less roughed up." I state quietly.
"Agreed. Having six broken ribs is very uncomfortable." Tori winces.
"Six?" I gasp.
"Mhm. They'll heal, don't worry. Just like everything else. Did the doctor tell you you'll heal up too?" Tori asks.
"Yeah. He wants to run a few more tests once I'm able to move more without risking ripping out my stiches in my side." I explain.
"Like you're risking now?" Her eyes narrow. I take my forehead off hers, smiling innocently.
"Maybe." I mumble.
"Cat Valentine, what am I going to do with you?" Tori sighs.
"Maybe once we're all better and physically able… you can figure out exactly what to do with me." I tease. I can barely tell through the purple, but she's blushing.
"Thinking about that already?" She asks, smiling.
"Hard not to." I claim sheepishly.
"Mmm… well, I can't wait." Tori murmurs. "But be careful with what you say. If my heart rate goes up and the machine starts beeping, nurses will run in here and catch you. You don't want that, do you?"
"No." I pout.
"Me neither." She grins.
"Okay, I'll behave." I yawn. I rest my forehead against hers again. How can my parents think this isn't real? This is a love worth fighting for.
I don't tell her about my run in with my parents. She might already know from her dad, but I don't want to concern her with it right now if she doesn't know. Right now, I'm just happy being with her, both of us alive, both of us sinking ships keeping each other afloat. I gently press my lips to hers again.
"Um." We hear. I pull back and look over to see Holly shifting slightly in the doorframe. "Cat. Tori." She sighs.
"Mom." Tori breathes.
"Sweetie… oh, how are you feeling?" Holly asks. She looks over at me as I stand up carefully. "How are both of you feeling?"
"I'm alright. Tired." I answer.
"I'm all hopped up on drugs. Never thought you'd hear me say that, huh? Luckily, it's just for pain." Tori jokes, earning a smile from both me and her mother. Tori looks at me. "If you're tired you should go to bed."
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Yeah… I have my mom to look after me for now." Tori sighs, smiling. I grin at her and I see Holly's face go aghast as she strolls forward to Tori's bedside.
"Do you mean that?" Holly asks.
"Life's too short to hold grudges… I'm willing to forgive and move on." Tori states. Holly's lip trembles. "Are you going to cry?" Tori smirks.
"No." Holly sniffs.
"Are you going to cry?" Tori repeats.
"…Yes." Holly bursts out crying, bending over to lightly put her arms around her daughter's neck. Tori looks over Holly's shoulder at me, mouthing an "I love you".
"I'll come see you in the morning." I grin.
"Sleep tight, honey." Tori answers, rubbing her mother's back.
I look back at them one last time before exiting the room. Something good came out of this. The future of my family relationship may be uncertain, but the future of Tori's is certain. She's found peace with her mom. Maybe I can find the same with my parents.
Walking down the hall, I feel a heavy dampness against my skin from the hospital gown. I look down to my side to see an increasingly expanding blood spot. Aw, chiz. So close.
Author's Notes: You know that thing writers do where they put their characters at their happiest and then rip it away from them in a ruthless fashion? I did that. I'm sorry, Cori! This chapter had some heavy themes... I'm sincerely sorry for ANYONE who has experienced hate of ANY kind, regardless of sexuality, race, gender, etc... The world can be cruel, but know that a lot of people will accept you for who you are, and people are getting more accepting every day! For example, the brutality at the beginning of this chapter - it's based off a story from near my hometown that I heard back in 2008. It's 2013 now, and I believe things have gotten a lot better just in a short span of time - in my hometown, in media, and society in general. Hope for the human race? Possibly.
So I did that thing where I can't keep up with myself, so even though the next chapter is supposed to be out Saturday morning, it'll most likely be pushed back to Sunday morning. I mean, I want to get it to you on Saturday, but I'm not going to enjoy writing if I'm forcing myself to reach a deadline by the skin of my teeth. I'm sure you won't mind too much... Nothing important is happening in this story right now anyway. Right? Pssshh... But hey! Maybe a miracle will happen. Regardless, let me know what you thought of this chapter.
Fun Fact: So I have a close friend in nursing, but she doesn't know I'm writing this story. So before I wrote this chapter, I went to her and was all, HEY, BRAIN HEMORRHAGING. HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND HOW LONG DO FEMUR BREAKS TAKE TO HEAL? WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE FOR FIXING A STAB WOUND? She was very confused. She also wasn't much help.
By the way! My first story, Fighting Together, turned 90 days old today! That means it's peace-ing out from my doc manager. It's weird, like I'm sending my firstborn off to college.