.Crumbling World

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 37 (Dazed and Confused)

Her parents' wedding was, like her grandparents', not a huge occasion. Some of Tori's relatives wanted it to be a larger spectacle, while even her grandpa Zerida wasn't thrilled that it wasn't a traditional Spanish wedding. Trina did promise him she tried to teach Spencer some salsa dancing, with even Carmen trying to teach him, so that there could be some salsa and flamenco dancing.

Even Andre got Trina to hire him to be the wedding singer; yet again she did so because he was a cheaper alternative that was just about as good as a professional artist that might charge an arm and a leg.

"Look at him, he's enjoying himself so much." Cat pointed across the way to the stage, where Andre was practicing some of his tunes. Tori raised her cup of sparkling soda to her lips and nodded, thrilled to see him enjoying himself for a change.

They stood at the non-alcoholic booth, feeling somewhat like children in the building. It was strange that a church hosting the wedding would have alcohol, but lo and behold the adults were at the booth with wine and a unopened bottle of champagne reserved for the bride and groom.

Several guests were already at the pews, talking amongst themselves and waiting for the ceremony to get underway. It was a simple gathering with friends and family; even the reception was going to be small.

"So who are the people on your dad's side?" Robbie inquired. Tori had to assume he was talking about Spencer's best man and groomsmen.

"The best man is his best friend, who goes by the name of 'Socko', simply because he owns a shoe shop which also specializes in these cool, unique socks." His real name was Jeffery Romero, and he'd known Spencer for nearly twenty years. "His first groomsman is T-Bo, he owns a smoothie shop." His real name was Tyson Grant, but he was known as T-Bo, a shortening of the nickname T-Bone, for his love of the steak he always ate. "He and Spencer have been friends for at least a decade."

"Cool, and who's the other guy?" Robbie pointed to a boy around Carly's age. He had tanned skin, short hair spiked in front, and a muscular toned form. Cat sipped her drink and peered over the cup with a squint in her gaze.

"I can answer that one," Cat replied, "Sam's boyfriend up in Seattle." Cat shut her eyes and swallowed the drink. "He's an interesting guy, I think he's trying to move down here, but his mother keeps fighting him. It's exhausting. He's eighteen and old enough to make his own decisions, but she doesn't care."

"Think he's going to manage to do it?"

"Yeah. He's put starting courses UCLA, so shouldn't be a problem." She lowered her cup and sighed. "Apparently Spencer's decided to name him a groomsman to help him strengthen his ability to actually make that move…save that he's known the guy since Carly has; it doesn't seem right that he wouldn't be a part of it."

"Makes sense." Tori breathed in and looked to the girls up front. Her mother wanted to have her as her maid of honor, but Tori didn't feel like she deserved the honor. "I'm glad I convinced Mom to name her best friend as Matron of honor. I know she really wanted me up there, but Misty is the one that really helped her over the years and they're still in communication. It didn't seem right to me that she wouldn't be up there."

"Guess that's a good reasoning," Robbie remarked. "And the other girls?"

"Jacelin and Jaevia." All of the girls were in the bride's room helping her to prepare. "Her closest friends and former coworkers from Outback." Tori really just wanted to sit in the pews and watch her parents' union with a gleeful satisfaction.

She felt a swift nudge coming from Cat and looked to see the redhead point at the main doors. "What?" She turned and her throat stiffened when she saw who was entering the doors. "Jade?" Jade was dressed, surprisingly, in a velvet blue dress with lace shoulder straps. She was looking around frantically, holding her wrist at her waist.

When their eyes met, Tori felt her heart rise. She smiled faintly and walked towards her friend, but with a nervous caution. "Jade, I didn't think you'd come."

"I wouldn't miss this." Jade sucked in a heavy breath of air and smiled sadly as Cat and Robbie approached from behind. "So, I see Robbie's back in."

"Yeah. I missed you, Jade."

Jade swept her hair back and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I feel bad. You stayed my friend, and I stayed yours; and now Andre and Robbie are back in and I was on the out. I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. You were grieving. Are you-"

"It's still hard." Jade bowed her head. "There are times I turn around and I see him standing next to me, but he's not there." Her heart sank and she bit down on her lip. "When I look at his pictures, I break down and cry. I can't help but to miss everything about him, from his scent to the way he talked and the way he held me." Jade started to tear up and shook herself. "I wish I could have visited you after you moved into your new home but it's…too hard."

She understood, though it was painful. She gave Jade a careful hug, knowing all too well that Jade's grief was really only just beginning. "I'm sorry Jade; and I want you to know something else." She stepped back and Jade looked up to her, sniffing once. "I never meant to pressure you."

"Right. You told me you were…developing some sort of feelings for me." Jade's breath hitched and her eyes welled up with tears. "I can't even begin to think about that, Tori. Not with Beck…so fresh on my mind."

"I know."

"But I have to ask." Jade furrowed her brow. "Why? Why me? It makes no sense." Tori pursed her lips and tilted her head. "I've done so many things to hurt you, all because I thought you were a threat to my relationship with Beck. I almost caused you to go into shock in the hospital, to need a blood transfusion." Jade put her hands to her chest and scoffed. "I'm the enemy, remember? You were just this girl that liked my boyfriend…why would you want to be with me? Hell, I-I don't even think I have feelings for girls. I don't even know, I've never thought about it. I mean, even now I can't think about it."

"Because of Beck."

"Yeah…"

Tori walked with Jade to the nearest pew and sat with her, leaving Robbie and Cat to watch them carefully. "I guess I wonder the same thing." She tucked her hair back and closed her eyes. "I think it's because of what's been going on recently…how you were there for me, you stayed here for me." Jade smiled and started to nod. "I never had feelings for girls before, but I don't think that matters. It was just…maybe because of all that you said, you were still there for me and you still cared about me. Even with Beck gone, I wouldn't have blamed you if you dropped me because he was the reason I was in the group; but you didn't."

Jade clasped her hands together between her knees and looked down towards the ground. "Right. I guess it makes sense."

"I don't want to cause you any stress, to make you confused or anything. Especially now, with Beck still so fresh on your mind. Take your time. I'll…be here, waiting." Jade smiled gently. "I mean, it's kind of your call."

"Yeah. Whenever I figure things out, I guess we'll have to talk. I mean, the last thing I want is to get into any kind of relationship right now and risk having that be a rebound." Jade sniffed and ran her finger across her nose. "When's the wedding going to start?"

"Soon, I think. Guests are still arriving, and Mom's still getting into her dress."

"Cool."

"So, let's go talk to Cat and Robbie some more, huh?"

Jade smiled. "I'd like that." They got up and moved to their friends. They stood together, chatting for several minutes and watched as more of Trina's and Spencer's inner friends arrived. It was amazing to see so many people from their past here today, especially because she didn't know much about them.

It made her think, one day she was going to have to ask her parents all about those fifteen years; but she was nervous about asking.

"So I figure your mom's changing her name, are you?" Tori nodded, excited to be able to get to that point. She enjoyed saying it too 'Victoria Shay'. Since her mom was changing, she didn't feel right not doing so. It had nothing to do with wanting to be traditional or conforming to any kind of societal rules; nor was it against the modern day feminists that believed changing their last name was giving the man more power or something. She just simply wanted to adopt her father's name as a family name, nothing more and nothing less.

The doors opened one more time, but the person that entered knew neither Trina nor Spencer. When Tori saw him, her heart stopped and she froze in the pew. Jade looked back at the boy with sandy brown hair flowing like waves to his chin. His skin was tan and his form was a bit more built than Tori remembered. "Who's that?" Jade asked.

"I-Ian." Ian's eyes fell onto her and he started to smile. Her heartbeat crashed against her ribs, and in that instant she could recall every moment spent with him. "Oh god." She rose, clutching the top of her dress. "What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"Sarah texted me about you joining the science club, said I just 'had' to meet you, and that you were at your parents' wedding." He smiled and Tori looked back to see Jade furrowing her brow at him. "It's been a while. Except, I seem to recall your parents being married already."

"Oh you've missed out on a lot…" Tori got up and walked over to him, every inch of her body was trembling. Her voice was low and her eyes travelled from his to Jade, and back. A cloud of confusion started to swirl about her. This was horrible timing. "Turns out my real mom had me as a teenager, and her stepmom forced it to be a secret until it came out recently." Ian's mouth fell open and his eyebrows rose.

"Oh, is that all?"

"That's the shortest, in-a-nutshell I can give. My mom, my real mom, is getting married today to my real dad. Her boyfriend at the time, they got back together all this time later."

Jade walked up with Cat and Robbie, and Tori immediately had to introduce them. "Ian, these are my friends. Jade, Cat, and Robbie. My friend Andre is on the stage as the wedding singer." Ian nodded and Tori watched Jade lean into Cat.

"Who is he?" Jade whispered. Cat rolled her eyes.

"I believe it's one of her old boyfriends."

"One of the good ones or one of the bad ones?"

"Good, I believe."

Tori ignored the comments. She'd told Cat about Ian once or twice, so it wasn't such a surprise that she knew. "Guys, this is Ian Dennison. He and I were close back at Sherwood." Ian blinked, his nose scrunching a bit.

"I don't know if 'close' is the way I would put it, Tori." Tori's cheeks reddened and she closed her eyes, embarrassed and still unsure of what to say.

"He was my boyfriend. He moved away and we weren't together anymore."

"Okay people!" Andre's voice echoed and grabbed Tori's attention. "It's almost that time, so let's get to our seats and get this wedding thing underway. I'm going to start singing pretty soon, and I want to see only a certain set of people on their feet right now. So if you're not getting married today, handing anyone off or participating in the nuptials up front, I urge you to sit down."

"I believe that's our cue," Ian chuckled and looked to Tori. The minute his eyes met hers, she felt a strangely familiar tingling sensation in her body. "We'll have to catch up later." Tori nodded and guided everyone to the pew. Jade sat on her right, with Cat and Robbie on her side. Ian sat on her left. Tori folded her hands neatly in her lap and took a quick breath of air.

Words could not express the joy Tori had seeing her mom and dad finally say their vows and kiss as official husband and wife. She felt like it was the unity of her family finally coming after so long, and she couldn't be happier.

After the wedding, she started to line up as her mom was about to do the bouquet toss; but when Trina saw her, her mother immediately protested. "Nope, I can't chance you catching this thing." Trina shook her head and Tori groaned.

"Aw, but Momma."

"Nope, I don't care if it's an old wives tale, you're not old enough to be getting married." Tori laughed and stepped back, watching as her mom turned around and tossed the bouquet. Strangely enough, the one that caught it was Sam; it landed at her feet and she picked it up.

"Well." Sam chuckled once and looked to Freddie, whose face turned red as a turnip. "Should I expect a proposal soon?" Freddie coughed into his hand.

As the reception was underway, Tori found Ian and dragged him off to a secluded place behind the building. He raised an eyebrow at her and she started to pace. "Okay, what do I say to you, Ian?" She took a deep breath and started to smile at him. She pictured every moment with him, and felt the age old desire coming back to her. "When did you get back? Why didn't you call me?"

She looked up and down Ian's body, groaning softly as she imagined his naked arms around her. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "I got back in town a few months ago, actually. I'm staying with my aunt right now, which means I'm attending Bell. I got involved in the science club there and they named me president because of my experience with science camps."

"Well, that's…good."

"I did want to get in touch with you, but I didn't have your number." She placed her closed hand into her palm and grit her teeth.

"Right, I had to change my phone number when my grandparents changed their mobile plan." Even now, her phone number was different because Trina and Spencer opened up their own family plan and put her on it. "What about the house phone?"

"I usually got your, I guess step-grandma?"

"Yeah." Holly never cared for Ian, and with the other recent discoveries, it wasn't at all surprising that Holly might never have passed him on to Tori. "So, how is Australia?"

"Honestly, it's nice being out there, but I'm glad to be back. I missed you." Tori smiled gently as a lump swelled in her throat. She reached out, touching her hand to his arm. She froze, amazed by the difference in size.

"You bulked up a little." She squeezed his bicep and he cleared his throat.

"Yeah, I've been working on my parents' ranch. A lot of busy work and heavy lifting."

"Yeah, I…I think we'd better get back inside before my parents start looking for me. I mean, it's their day, I don't want them to spend it worrying about me."

"Can't have that." Ian smiled and gave her a quick hug. She gasped softly and closed her eyes, sighing as her body grew warm from the heat. He released her and she followed him back inside.

She watched as he walked off, then turned to see Jade in the distance talking with Cat and Robbie. Her hand rose to her forehead and she cursed mentally. Her eyes traveled to where her parents were, slowly dancing together arm in arm. "I guess I'll have to talk to Mom about all this another time." She had no intention of hijacking her mother's wedding day.

Her eyes lifted to the sky and her hands closed as she visualized Beck looking down from above. "Just when I thought you were the only thing I had to worry about." She squinted and grimaced painfully. Clearly the attraction that had been there with Ian before still existed, but she wanted to at least try and date Jade as well. She wanted both, but like her mother had told her, that couldn't be possible or fair. "What on earth am I supposed to do now?"

Yeah I know, but I hate writing weddings. They're really all the same, so it's better to just do them in minimum. So you see what we have, Ian's back. Now mind you as much as I don't like love triangle cliches, there is one cliche in love triangles that I truly hate more than anything: Where one of those people is such an asshole that they're so hated it becomes obvious the main person won't end up with them. No. Ian is not going to be an asshole, because he is not. He is a genuinely good person, just as equally deserving of Tori's affection as Jade's. This is a real conflict. Jade's laid it out though as we see, she's still not ready it seems, but she clearly sees that she might not have all of Tori's attention soon, and that just might bother her. Give your thoughts on everything, guess we'll see how it all turns out.