Autumn Leaves

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

Chapter 36 (Father's Orders)

Inside the mansion, David paced furiously in front of the couch while tapping his chin. Trina and Jesse sat together, holding their breath as the man muttered angrily. "My daughter. Part of the Black Knights." He looked at her, then looked away, shaking his head. "How long?" She bowed her head as her father turned to her and started to raise his voice. "How long, Trina!"

She clenched her eyes, wincing as his voice echoed through the walls of the mansion. "August. Since August…" David frowned at her and lowered his arms. His shoulders fell and he let out a small sigh. "It was after Sinjin-after he was murdered, and after Ross beat me up. Tori's friends didn't help much, I didn't have anywhere to go."

"Didn't have anywhere-You could have come to me, Trina! You think I would have done nothing?" She leaned forward, shouting back at him.

"It wasn't like I thought you would!" He locked his jaw and folded his arms. Yelling wasn't going to help much, especially since he seemed on the verge of a perpetual meltdown. ''You were never around, mom was busy fucking some guy like a tramp. Who could I go to and feel okay? I had nobody!"

"I would have been there for you if you only came to me. You know that, Trina."

"Maybe I know that now, but back then I sure as hell didn't!" Her eyes stung as her body burned. "I know I did some things I shouldn't have, I screwed up." She looked to Jesse as David's glare slowly turned to him. "Don't blame him though, okay? It's not his fault. He's the one that from day one to today has been telling me I shouldn't be a part of this life." David wiped his forehead with a folded napkin, then pointed his hand to Jesse, tucking the napkin between his thumb and palm.

"He's right! You shouldn't be a part of this. What did you think I was going to do when I found out, Trina? He's a damn gang leader! He's only lucky I haven't torn him to shreds because he's been honest with me, and happens to be involved with my daughter, apparently."

"Don't say it like there's a relationship, there isn't. We're strictly friends, Dad…" Jesse was being smart by not saying anything at all, and Trina appreciated him for it. She could tell David did too, especially since this wasn't a conversation for his involvement, this was a conversation between a father and his daughter. No one else had any right to interject. "I haven't even been with anyone since Sinjin. I don't think I could be."

David lifted an eyebrow and raised a hand, "Regardless. I don't approve of you being involved in this. I can't approve of it. I don't care if he's your friend or not, what I care about is, how much danger are you being put into?"

"It's not like Jesse lets me get involved in the missions all the time. Half the time he tries to keep me out of it so I don't end up getting hurt."

"I can respect that. Thank you, Jesse." David gave the man a sharp nod, then returned to Trina. His features stiffened more and his brow furrowed over. "The only reason I haven't arrested him, or you, for that matter-is because the Black Knights haven't done anything. They've not attacked the city, they've not attacked the police, but now I know to keep my eye on them."

"Probably wouldn't be good for the city to know your daughter's part of a gang either, huh?"

"I don't give a shit what they think about my family. My family is my business." Trina nodded and closed her eyes, breathing out slowly. "That captain brought one of the Scrapperz over, informed me of where one of their higher leaders live…then I get a call, the Knights have guided citizens out of a neighborhood because the Cravens were organizing a hit on one of their people." He pointed to Jesse and narrowed his eyes at Trina. "I caught him limping back to the house, where apparently one of the captains were, and I put two and two together." Trina's heart stopped and she glanced over to Jesse, who had his head bowed. "He explained everything to me, so naturally, I can't really charge the Knights for protecting one of their own, especially when they cleared out all the innocents beforehand."

"Dad, I-"

"He told me you weren't involved in that mess, that I'd find you here." She dipped her eyes down and folded her hands into her lap. "I don't care to know what you've done or didn't do up to this point, okay? I do not want to hear it, do not want to deal with it." She lifted her head up as pangs of guilt and fear stabbed her. This was the same thing Tori had told her before, that the past wasn't any of her concern. "If he's been trying to get you out of this life, tell me why you're still a damn part of it. Why is my daughter running with the Knights? Better them than the Scrapperz or the Cravens, I suppose, but it doesn't make things that much better."

"Because I can't leave!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because people will die." He raised an eyebrow as she began to tremble. She didn't expect there was any protection anymore, not outside of the Knights. Jesse looked over to her with a subtle frown. "Recently one of our own moved away. You remember that attack on the airport?"

"Of course."

"Well our friend was trying to get out of this life, and of course the other gangs recognize her, so they tried to kill her. That resulted in the warfare at the airport." David began to loosen his muscles as Trina met his eyes with great concern and worry. "Jesse himself tried to leave this life when his fiancé was alive. The minute they did, there was a drive by. Someone was trying to shoot him, but they hit Sasha instead…If I try to leave this life, the other gangs will take notice and they'll kill me. Or they'll kill Jesse to try and get me, or take me to try and get to him." Jesse leaned his head back, raising both his eyebrows with sudden surprise. David curled a finger at his chin and blew his nostrils out slightly. "Then there's Beck…"

"What about Beck? Tell me. I know he's a part of the Scrapperz, but I've yet to locate him."

"We don't know where he is. Maybe one person does. He's the head of the Scrapperz, dad. He's the reason El Sangre's gone. He's been planting his own members within Sangre, until they were destroyed. He's doing the same thing with the Cravens, he's even…he's even put his people in the police department." David's eyes widened and his lips parted slightly.

"No…"

"Beck's the main reason Tori's at Baylor with Jade, Cat, and Sam. You know that, but because of the possessive boyfriend part. He could go after them, Dad. He could go after you. He knows who my family is, obviously. He hates me, Dad. I don't know why he hates me, but he does, and he'd be willing to do anything to kill me, get rid of the Knights, and just…he'd ruin this city if he had the chance to."

"Is it him that's keeping you in this life, then?"

"Sort of. I mean, other gangs would probably like to wipe us out. I don't want anyone in my family to get hurt. I don't want…" She glanced to Jesse, who was now leaning back and had his eyes closed as he listened to them. David followed her gaze and exhaled slowly. She didn't want to lose Jesse either, and as long as she was here, she knew he was okay. "I was going crazy not knowing if he was okay…"

Jesse turned his head, still keeping his eyes closed as he separated his lips, "He had my phone locked up." Her fingers slid over to Jesse's wrist and she set them gently on his arm. His eyes opened for a brief second, then he closed his eyes and turned his head away.

David huffed and began to pace again, "I don't know what I'm going to do." She looked back to her father, growing nervous once more with his never ending pacing. "My daughter's a member of a gang. Granted one that isn't technically active at the moment. My primary concerns are the Scrapperz and the Cravens, but still…" He stopped and turned towards them, narrowing his eyes for a minute. "You know what? You can cleanse the situation a bit."

Jesse opened his eyes back up and sat up. Trina felt a sudden spike in her nervousness and slowly nodded. "What would you have me do, Dad?"

"Help me with the Scrapperz. You don't want me taking out the Knights in the process of all this, much less finding something to use so I can throw Jesse's ass in prison, then help me put out all these other gangs. Once we've cleaned up the streets and wiped them out, I want you to get the hell out of this life and come home. Do you understand me?"

"I think so…"

David ran his hand through his hair and growled under his breath. "God what am I getting myself into?" He was essentially requesting the help of one gang to tear down all the other gangs. It was a complexity in his mind, a difficult decision. "I do not want to be one of those corrupt officers, I will not be, and I will not allow corruption in my ranks."

"We've been trying to find out who in the LAPD are on the Scrapperz payroll," Jesse replied. David looked over to him and slowly nodded, then circled his hand in the air. Jesse saw the gesture and cleared his throat. "We don't know anything yet. Alfonso, one of the underbosses, might have a list. If not, the other underboss is Manuel, he may know who is who in the police department."

"Then here's what I want your Knights doing, Jesse. I want them finding out that information. I want them helping to get rid of both the Scrapperz and the Cravens. I'm focusing my men on all these smaller gangs, and many are being diminished now…" David narrowed his eyes and walked over to Jesse, leaning over him and gripping his knees. He tightened his grasp on Jesse's wounded knee, causing the man to shudder in pain. Trina's heart jumped and she immediately swat at her father's hand, to no avail. "And one more thing, just so we're clear, Jesse."

"Y-Yes sir…"

"If anything happens to my daughter, you will pay the price. I will bring the wrath of this police force down on you, and I will tear you apart." Trina leaned back, swallowing hard and holding her breath as Jesse nodded. "We're clear? Good. You are to keep my daughter safe, protect her at all costs, because I know neither you or I would like to see anything happen to her."

"No sir, I won't let anything happen."

"Then we are golden. Because right now, the fate of your little gang lies on whether my daughter is alive and unhurt. I may be the only non corrupt officer in the entire LAPD, but believe me-if something happens-I can turn on a dime and gun my way through every one of your ranks until there's nothing left but a bloody pile of bodies."

David let go of Jesse, causing him to take a deep breath and grab for his leg. Trina reached over, massaging the area as David towered over them. He looked over to Trina, then turned away, storming out of the house. They waited for the car to start up, then heard the tires burn on the ground. "I'm sorry, Jesse…" Jesse took a deep breath and slowly shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, but I will say one thing."

"What's that."

"Your dad is officially much scarier than Sasha's father ever was." Trina swept her hair back and looked towards the window. She glanced back at Jesse's leg, then the sling his arm was in. He followed her gaze and pointed to the arm. "See this?"

"Yeah?"

"The Cravens gang only shot me in the leg. They never broke my arm." Trina's eyes widened and she quickly looked to the window, piecing together what must have occurred.

"I guess that means we're working with the LAPD then…"

"Yep."

"Great." She sighed heavily and bowed her head. "I always wanted to work for the police, just never pictured it would be like this." It was a good way to try and get out of this life though, as Jesse and her father wanted apparently. To take out the other rival gangs and ensure her safe escape into a normal life. Maybe this was for the best. "Guess we're not remaining neutral between the Scrapperz and Cravens anymore, either."

"Nope…I'm afraid not. Though, you heard your father, I'm keeping you out of the front lines." She groaned as Jesse started to smirk. "You can take your hand off my leg now, it's fine." Her eyes widened and she quickly removed her hand.

"I was worried about you, you know." He started to stand, wincing as pressure was applied to his hurt leg. She stood with him and glanced down to the leg. "Did they at least take the bullet out?"

"Yeah, it's just a little pain. It will subside. Sorry to worry you. It was better that you weren't there, Tim's fighters were pretty sharp, but then, I think they were mixed with some Scrapperz, so…yeah."

"And Tim?"

"He's definitely gone. Rachel won't be struck by the Cravens again, though I'm hoping she'll stay out of her home base for a while."

"Tell me how we didn't just get arrested…" Jesse raised an eyebrow and pointed to her, then circled his finger in the air.

"You're his daughter, and we did nothing wrong. Basically we just got lucky, but any wrong moves and we're toast…It may be good to call a meeting and let the gang know the situation…"

In other words they got lucky though David will probably be keeping them under constant watch.