It was obvious which room was Jade West's the second they made it to the Emergency Care ward – not just due to the uniformed police officer stationed outside the door but from the two teenage boys not too far away. One of them, an African American boy with dreadlocks, was pacing back and forth, his fists clenched. The other, a tanned boy – possibly Indian or middle eastern – with thick and long (for a boy) hair stood stock still, arms crossed over his chest, teeth clenched as he glared at the officer – who was looking more and more uncomfortable as the seconds passed.

"Andre Harris? Beck Oliver?" Fowler asked the two boys, and the pacing boy stopped, glancing at the duo of detectives.

"Yeah. I'm Beck. That's Andre." The tanned boy with nodded, motioning to Andre briefly. "You the detectives involved in this case?"

Fowler and Diaz exchanged glances at the rather terse tone the boy had, but he could be excused; his girlfriend was in hospital after being raped and killing the rapist mid-act. Not to mention the stalking which, while primarily aimed at Jade, had targeted him too in someone violent manners – faces scratched out of photographs and shredded clothes weren't exactly reassuring.

"I'm Detective Diaz and this is Detective Fowler." Diaz replied, shaking the offered hand firmly. "And yes. We're in charge of this case. We'd like to speak with both of you, if you don't mind?"

"Why? What's there to interview about. That fucking creep Ryder tried to..." He cut himself off, frowning, as if unable to say the words. "And he got killed for it. Case closed." Andre snapped, a frown on his brow.

"We know it seems all very...clear cut what happened. Believe me." Fowler spoke in a soft yet firm tone. "But I think we all know this case will be a media circus. We can't risk anything being missed, if we want to make this as clear cut as possible."

Beck looked at them with narrowed eyes for a moment or two, before exhaling. "So...you don't...you're not looking for reasons to arrest Jade?"

Diaz shook her head. "No, of course not. But as I'm sure you're aware..." This she directed moreso towards Beck than Andre. "That this has the very real potential to get a lot of media attention, due to the connection between Jade and Daniels, and their fathers jobs. To make sure this case is airtight in it being self-defense on Jade's part, we need to investigate every avenue."

Beck and Andre glanced at each other briefly, before nodding. Both boys and detectives perked up a little at the sound of the door to Jade's hospital room opening, and a tall man came out. His eyes spotted the two detectives and narrowed a little, as he smoothed back his slightly messy hair. This wasn't the Steven West the two detectives had seen in court rooms, or sitting next to his clients during interviews. That Steven West was nicknamed The Shark, due to his tactical scalpel like precision when poking holes in witnesses statements and discrediting them. If there was blood in the water, then he'd attack remorselessly.

No. This Steven West was far more...human. He was still in a suit – did he own anything else? - but it was creased and his shirt was halfway untucked, his normally no-nonsense dirty blonde slicked back hair was now falling into his grey-blue eyes (that matched his daughters perfectly). The whites of his eyes themselves were tinged red, showing a mix of tiredness and possibly tears – which wouldn't be too out of left field; his only daughter had been attacked and then killed her attacker, and was now in hospital.

"Detectives Diaz. Fowler." Steven nodded to each of them, his lips tight; perhaps he was under the same impression as the boys, thinking they were trying to figure out a way to pin this on Jade. Or perhaps he just didn't like them. He turned to the two boys. "Beck, I've managed to get you on the visitation list for her. You can go in, in a few minutes, when the doctors have finished their examination."

Beck almost melted with relief, his eyes fluttering shut as he let out a long exhale.

"Andre, unfortunately, I couldn't get two people on her list. But you're welcome to wait, of course." Andre nodded, his lips tightening a little in unhappiness, but obviously he couldn't say anything; of course, Beck was the one who got the priority of visiting over him.

"How is she?" Beck asked, chewing his lip.

"Not much has changed since we last spoke. She's been sleeping a lot and when she's not sleeping she's...well, not exactly inconsolable, but close to it. But we both know that she'll do better with you sitting next to her over anyone else." He looked a little irritated at that, which Fowler guessed would be the automatic reaction of a parent who felt obsolete next to a high school boyfriend. Now Mr West finally turned to the Detectives, for more than just acknowledging them. "Is there something you need Detectives?"

Fowler nodded towards Diaz, knowing she'd be far more likely to hold her own against Mr West; she'd dealt with him more than he had. Plus, Diaz was kind of terrifying when she needed to be.

"We're hoping to speak with Mr Oliver and Mr Harris, firstly. And then, if possible, yourself and Jade." Seeing Mr West's eyes narrow, and assuming he had the same idea as the boys, she quickly continued. "We need to go down every avenue for this Mr West. You know the media circus this will be when the story finally gets out. Every move is going to be scrutinized. We need to make sure we have a 100% surefire case of it being self-defense or it could get messy in the media."

"We're not looking to pin Jade with anything, Mr West." Fowler assured. "From what we've found in just a few hours...Jade won't be seen as anything other than the victim in this case, if everything keeps going this way. If we can prove that Ryder Daniels had been stalking Jade, then that makes the case even more airtight."

Mr West had relaxed a little at Fowler's assurance that they weren't looking to catch Jade out, but then his eyes widened and his fists clenched at the mention of the stalker. "You think Ryder was the one stalking Jade?"

Interestingly enough, both Beck and Andre looked away awkwardly, obviously hoping not to be implicated in knowing that little factoid, but not having told Mr West.

"Yes. From what we've heard so far...there's a lot of evidence that points to that. We have the crime scene team at the Daniels residence right now, having a look. But we're currently looking at it being very likely." Diaz raised her eyebrows. "Jade didn't tell you of her suspicions?"

"Jade suspected-" He cut himself off and turned to the two boys who were currently looking directly at the floor. "You two knew it was him and didn't say a thing?"

Beck winced a little and shook his head. "I wanted to, Mr West. But Jade made me promise not to say anything..." He shrugged a little, but did look pained; like he really had wanted to tell his girlfriends father the truth, and blamed himself for what happened last night because he didn't. "She kept saying she had no proof, other than a gut feeling. And didn't want to cause any issues or drama between you and Mr Daniels."

"That stupid girl." Mr West managed to choke out, his eyes filling with tears at a thought that was painted across his face: maybe if she'd told him, it wouldn't have gotten so far, maybe this wouldn't have happened. It was obviously the same thoughts running through Andre and Beck's mind as well. He turned to Beck. "Will you stay with her for a while? I need to head back to the house. There's a few things she needs brought here if she's going to be staying the night and I need to finalise the security updates Julia has been arranging."

"How is Mrs West?" Andre asked quietly.

"She's upset, obviously. But she doesn't want to come to the hospital and overwhelm Jade, so she's been arranging upgraded security at the house for when Jade comes home. We don't want her to feel unsafe, or for reporters to try and get access."

Within 10 minutes, the doctors and nurses had exited Jade's room, and Beck had taken their place. From peering through the window in the door, Fowler could see that Jade had leant forward enough to wrap her arms tightly around the boys neck, as his own held her tightly against him, his chin resting on her head as he stroked her hair. No doubt it was the first time Jade and Beck had seen each other since before the attack last night.

Mr West had left, telling Andre he'd be back shortly, before nodding to both detectives as he passed them. Diaz had flagged down the doctor dealing with the case a few moments after she'd left the room, eager to get some more details if possible.

"I don't know if there's anything that's not in the initial report." Dr Keening explained, running a hand through her hair. "She sustained head trauma, contusions around her eye, shallow cuts on her neck...various bruises and marks across the rest of her." She spotted one thing on her clipboard and nodding. "What I can tell you though is..it looks like the perp went in with the intent to rape her." She let out a sad sigh and shook her head. "During the rape kit, we found that there was a...lubricant used. He made sure he was lubricated before he even went into the theatre she was found in, most likely. She doesn't remember him putting anything on before he inserted himself. But she's had a mild allergic reaction to it, which obviously isn't helping the pain she's feeling."

"Sick bastard." Diaz hissed under her breath, shaking her head. The fact that Daniels went in with the express purpose of having sex with Jade, knowing she'd be unwilling so he made it easier for him...it was disgusting.

"We're keeping her in for another night, just in case. We've had to give her fairly strong sedatives to help her deal with everything and process things without having panic attacks, but due to that, we want to keep her under observation. I don't think she'll be in a place where she can have an interview until tomorrow, at the earliest." The doctor shook her head. "This has...well, it's broken her. She may have been abused in the past, and this has brought it all to the surface again."

Fowler and Diaz glanced at each other. After their talk with Lane that morning, and his suspicions about her upbringing, they'd had all mentions of Jade West pulled out of archive at the station, swinging by the West Division office to pick the file up (and check in with the Captain, letting him know everything they had found out so far). And there, from around 6 years prior was the report they had suspected would be there; called in by Cynthia and Robert Shapiro (Robbie Shapiro's parents? Most likely), Jade had arrived at their house in tears, covered in blood and bruises, hysterical. And then the truth came out; drug abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse, ongoing for around 6 years. Her mother was dead and gone, but Jared Kovac was currently held at Atascadero State Hospital, with a life sentence for drug dealing, the second degree murder of Renee Fletcher (previously West before the divorce) and multiple counts of child endangerment, child molestation, sexual abuse against a minor and rape of a child. Jade West had, had a hard life, despite living a fairly privileged lifestyle with her father now. And now this? No wonder she was so upset and hysterical.

After thanking the Doctor, and enquiring about a private room they could use to interview the boys, the pair of Detectives turned to their first interviewee at the hospital; Andre Harris.

The room they had secured was thankfully a consultation room, not an actual hospital room – it had an examination table tucked into one corner with a curtain to pull around for privacy, but it also thankfully had a desk (with a computer on it) in the corner, along with three chairs that while not comfortable, weren't like rocks.

"OK Andre. We've spoken with a few other people about any...incidents leading up to last night. And we're wanting to talk to you as you've been mentioned a few times by your friends, Cat Valentine and Robbie Shapiro. Along with Mr Alexander, from your school, saying you're very close to Jade?"

"Well yeah." Andre shrugged, looking down at his lap as he avoided the detectives gazes. "I'm really close to Jade and Beck. Like the Three Musketeers or whatever." He glanced up. "I mean...yeah I was involved a few times in...'incidents', if that's what you want to call Ryder Daniel's being a skeezy freak towards Jade."

"Well, we already know about the incident in Slausons Super Mall." Diaz responded dryly, all too aware that she had a beer riding on this interview – callous as it may be, sometimes you had to make light of whatever you could in this line of work. She saw the worst of humanity on a daily basis, she saw people broken and hurt and bleeding out. So when a chance for levity or even just a silly little bet arrived, she grabbed it, and knew multiple other detectives did the same thing. "And we've been told that you tended to be around for the phone calls she received? That the stalker found your reaction amusing?"

Andre shrugged a little. "I guess? I know he seemed to call more when she was with me rather than Beck. So I guess yeah, it did seem like her found my reaction to the calls funny. He'd chuckle a lot when I answered instead of Jade." The boys lips tightened a little and he crossed his arms, his fingers beating rapid tattoos against his biceps.

"And you had suspicions the caller was Ryder for a while?"

He nodded, furrowing his brow a little. "Everyone - and I mean everyone – knew Ryder Daniels was infatuated with Jade. He'd always be hanging around her and trying to get her attention. Anytime Jade was upset or pissed with Beck, he'd always appear at her side like he was just waiting for his shot with her. It pissed me off...because Beck's my best friend, you know? And seeing some guy just panting over his girlfriend was irritating." Andre tugged on his dreads a little, frustration coming to his face as he thought about the now deceased boy.

"But it wasn't too bad until he graduated. After the summer...he just kept hanging around her. Coming to school, 'accidentally' bumping into us if we were going out to get food or whatever. I dunno, maybe it was because since Jade moved in with her dad, he's pretty much always had her close by – they went to Page Academy together and even when he moved up to Hollywood Arts when she went into 8th grade, they saw each other tons when they were at their houses. But now he graduated, Jade was almost always out at Beck's or with us, so he didn't see her every day. Maybe it just...flipped a switch or something, I don't know. But he never used to be so open about his pursuit of Jade." Andre's voiced raised a little as he continued. "Like, he didn't even pretend he wasn't doing it anymore." He shook his head. "She didn't even like him that much as a friend anymore! She tolerated him because of her dad and because he was a friendly face at the fancy parties she got dragged to by her dad."

Fowler lent forward a little. "Like we said...we know about the phone calls and the mall incident...was there any other incidents you had with either Ryder directly or through the stalker?"

Andre let out a scoff. "I had a few incidents with Ryder directly, other than the mall, yeah. Mostly just scuffles, no real fighting. But regarding the stalker...other than phone calls. I had an incident once. Just 4 fuckin' days ago." The boy shook his head, looking Fowler directly in the eyes. "I came home from the gym. Beck dropped me off at home...when I got in though..."


Andre frowned as his door opened without him turning the key – weird. His Grandma was away at some Wellness Retreat, designed for people with her issues to help try and calm them and help them find coping strategies that worked for them. So he knew that the door should have been locked – because he always locked the door when he left.

He moved quietly, not bothering with the lights; he knew where everything was anyway, and there was enough light coming in through the windows from the street lights. After checking the ground floor (his living room, kitchen, main bathroom and his Grandmas's room), he headed upstairs to check out his room – his room was a loft conversion, so it took up the whole of the upstairs, along with a en suite bathroom. He glanced around his room, peering into his bathroom quickly. The whole house was empty, but that didn't explain the unlocked door.

And sure, maybe he was a little suspicious lately – but with a stalker targeting one of his best friends, the girl he had pretty much been in love with for the past four years, he wasn't really thinking he was being paranoid. Especially when he noticed something on his bed that didn't belong there.

A plain white envelope with 'Andre' written in jagged block letters on the front. With apprehension, he picked up the envelope – that hadn't been sealed at the back, and picking it up caused a handful of photos to fall out. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped when he saw the subject matter of the photos.

Jade.

But not the Jade he was used to seeing on a day to day, dressed in black and lace with pops of colour. Not even dressed down in black shorts and a sports bra, like she wore when she joined him and Beck at the gym. No, these pictures were different.

They were taken through the tiny bathroom window of the RV, Andre assumed, since he recognised the dingy tiles and the cracked toilet cistern lid. And were a slowly progressing scene of Jade undressing, each shot having her missing another article of clothing until the final one had her totally nude, standing under the shower spray, face tilted upward into the spray of water, her eyes closed.

It was a Jade he'd longed to see for almost the entirety of his high school life, and he couldn't deny the faint stirring in his lower stomach but it was easily squashed by the thought that these had to have been taken by him. The Stalker...most likely, Ryder fuckin' Daniels.

With a stone face he shoved the photographs back into the envelope, only then noticing the block capital scrawl on the little triangle flap 'THOUGHT I'D SHARE THE WEALTH WITH SOMEONE WHO WOULD APPRECIATE IT AS MUCH AS I DO.' His stomach dropped as he realized that this sicko, this stalker, had figured out what he thought was his best kept secret. And somewhat boxed him in. Could he really go and tell Beck and Jade about these photos when they'd obviously figure out his feelings from the note? Did he really even need too? They knew the RV wasn't the safest of places, he'd already shown that with the picture of Beck and Jade having sex, with Beck's face scratched out. Would telling them really change anything? He wouldn't keep the photos either way, they'd be burned the second he could do so – no matter how much he liked the sight of her naked, he didn't deserve them, or want them. He had long since come to terms with the fact he'd never get with Jade, never have a chance with her; unrequited love was a bitch, but it was one he was pretty used too at this point, and he valued his friendship with the duo far more.

But it wouldn't be fair to not tell them. Jade had already had so much taken away from her in her life, not least of all having her safety and security taken from her by this stalker. (By Ryder Daniels, Andre said to himself. Just because it was the most obvious answer, didn't mean it was the wrong one. Akums Razor was a thing for a reason). She deserved to have all of the facts given to her, not for him to horde them to himself like a grubby little secret.

He would tell them, he decided, pulling out his phone. He wouldn't let them in on the note, because it didn't effect much. But she deserved to know that these photos existed and to burn them herself if she chose to do so. He quickly selected the Beck's contact in his phone, holding it up to his ear.

"Hey man, you forget something in my car?" His voice was somewhat echoing, letting Andre know that he'd answered on his handsfree kit Cat had bought at the start of senior year, after she saw an after school special about teens crashing their cars because they answered their phone while driving. She got one for him, Jade and even Trina too, all the teens she was close too who drove.

"No. Listen Beck...somethings turned up here. From that sicko." Andre ran his fingers through his hair, clenching his teeth. "They got in my house man, and left pictures. Pictures of Jade. Just sitting on my bed when I got in."

There was a screech of brakes on the other end of the line, before dead silence. Beck had obviously pulled over and, if Andre knew him as well as he thought, no doubt Beck was now seething in pure rage. "What...kind of pictures Andre?" His voice was low and rough, even across the echoing static of the hands free kit.

"Nudes, Beck. Pictures of Jade getting undressed to shower and pictures of her showering. Taken through the RV bathroom window."

"Fuck." Andre heard a dull thud, and assumed Beck had slammed his hands on the steering wheel in anger. "Right. OK. Listen, I'm grabbing Jade then we'll be over. See you in 15."

Andre tossed his phone on the bed, tearing off the bottom line of the envelope flap – the bit that almost screamed out that the stalker knew about his deepest, most well kept feelings. Jade didn't need that right now – or ever. He knew if she ever found out, it'd ruin the friendship they both treasured so much.

As promised, not even 15 minutes later, Andre heard the spray of gravel as Beck pulled up outside, at the bottom of the driveway, behind his own car, along with the slam of two doors. He had the front door open before either of the couple could bang on it hard enough to break it – Jade had actually caused a crack in one of the wooden panels before, when she came over to his after a fight with Beck to rant and cuss.

Beck looked like he was about to spit fire but Jade was the truly upsetting thing to see. She looked so small and defeated; she'd obviously not been intending on going out tonight, since her hair was free of the colourful extensions she loved so much, and she was just dressed in a pair of loose grey cotton sweatpants and a black tank top, her feet in a pair of slip on flats and a red and black flannel shirt put over the top. It was a Jade West he was pretty sure only Beck truly got to see; no make up, no flare or flash. Jade without any of her shields. She looked younger – it was odd; Jade was the youngest of their little group, but was often mistaken for the oldest along with Beck. But now, she somehow managed to even look younger than tiny little Cat.

"You OK?" He asked quietly, eyes searching hers as she nodded, although her grey blue eyes held a hint of fear.

"Yeah I'm...yeah I'm OK. Can I see them?" She asked in a small voice, biting her teeth into her lower lip and Andre nodded, handing over the white envelope.

"They must have been taken before last week." Beck stated, leaning against the wall of Andre's living room, arms crossed and a frown on his brow. "They can't be recent – we've been staying at Jade's with all that extra security from her dad for the last week. Jade hasn't been to the RV except to grab things since the night someone was in her house."

"They're from last year." She choked back a sob at the end, her fingers gripping the pictures so tightly the tips were white and the photos were started to crinkle and crease. "I don't have the Coqui Frog taino tattoo on my ribs in the photo...I got it just before school started after Tori..." She swallowed hard. "Why...why would he send these to you?!"

"He said he wanted to 'Share the wealth'." Andre replied, shaking his eyes, eyes solemn. "On the envelope flap, that's what it says. I ripped it a bit trying to open it but it's still there." He rested a hand on her shoulder, making sure to telegraph his movement. He got a bit more leeway than most, but sudden touching still wasn't a thing he got to do. "I promise I put them back straight away after seeing what they were and then called Beck. I wouldn't...I wouldn't look at them."

"I know Andre. Don't worry. You wouldn't do that to me." She sent him a weak smile before shoving the photos back in the envelope. "It's just...why? Why would he do this? Why send them to you, not me or Beck just to mess with us?"

"I got in an argument with Daniel's two days ago. About him following you around and bothering you." Andre admitted. "Maybe...he's doing it to mess with me. We already know he seems to find it most amusing when he does those creepy calls."

"We're not sure it's Ryder." Jade interjected, wrapping her arms around herself and rubbing her hands up and down her arms, as if for warmth. "It...It could be someone else-"

"Stop it Jade." Beck snapped, shaking his head. "I know you're only saying that because you don't want to cause trouble for your dad, but you know this is him. You can't keep denying it. He's been showing up wherever you go. He knows the security codes for your alarm system no doubt, since he's probably seen you or your dad do them a hundred times. This just confirms it." He took two long strides and was stood in front of Jade, placing his hands over hers, haulting their rubbing of her upper arms. "Andre just so happens to get these photos just two days after he gets in a fight with the asshole? You know it's him Jade, so just...stop denying it!" Andre frowned and took a step forward when he noticed that Beck's grip on her had been getting progressively harder as he spoke.

He could understand the anger and frustration Beck must have been feeling. Hell, he felt it and wasn't even her boyfriend, just her best friend. And he knew that Beck and Jade were somewhat...rougher with each other than most couples. But losing his temper and holding her arms so tightly was vastly different from bruises and the occasional slap during sex. "Beck man, let up. Too tight." Andre stated in a low voice, putting a hand on his shoulder and it was like Beck suddenly realised what he was doing and instantly dropped his hands like she had burned him.

"Shit Jade, I'm sorry." Beck told her pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly (but not too tightly. Andre made sure to be watching out for that to make sure it didn't happen again). "I just...I'm worried Jade. These photos...you said they're from last year...that means this has been going on way longer than we thought."

"I just...I don't want it to be him." Jade's voice was small and quiet, and despite the fact this was happening right in his living room, Andre almost felt like an intruder to the pair. "It's just...we've never been best friends but he...he was the first friend I had after I moved in with my dad. He used to protect me from assholes in middle school and be really sweet to me, and bring me sorbet when I felt shitty. I don't want him to have done...this."

Beck met Andre's eyes over the top of Jade's head, and his worry was almost palpable. Whoever this stalker was, (and he knew that even Jade, despite her not wanting too, knew it was Ryder Daniels) it was getting worse and worse. Photos that were obviously taken from a long time before, proving this wasn't just a sudden thing. He knew better than to voice his suspicion right now, which he was sure was the same one Beck was thinking of; Ryder had known Jade since she was 12. He'd been interested in her since then too. Who knows when this sick obsession started? It could have been going on for years before he finally just got too overeager and more forward with his stalking.

"I don't...I don't want to go to the police about this." She said suddenly, her voice still small as she chewed her lower lip. "These photos...I want to be famous. Do you really think that some underpaid and undervalued cop won't sell some nudes of me for a bit of cash on the side? It's bad enough that this whole thing might come out, never mind...people seeing those pictures." She shook her head, one hand covering her mouth as a sob slipped passed her lips.

"That's fine Jade." Andre promised, Beck echoing his words. "We can...well, I was going to burn them. But I felt that...you should know and get the final say. Say the word and we can go into my back garden and burn them in a trashcan or something."

Jade nodded, her eyes locking in on Andre, and for a second, he swore to God it was like the lungs were frozen in his lungs. People always said that eyes were the windows to the soul, but to be honest, Andre always thought that was all very romantic, and good for songs, but deep down, he always thought it was a crock of shit. Sure he knew eyes told you a lot of stuff – rimmed red if you had allergies or watering if you were sobbing or cutting onions, but by and large, he was pretty sure they told you jack shit about someone. But at that moment, when Jade's stormy grey-blue eyes locked onto his, it felt like their eyes didn't just meet, but they collided. Her pupils were pinpoint, almost lost in the stormy colour of her iris', and they had so much...fear and worry in them, but underneath that, the fire that he was so used to, that he was so worried was going to burn out if this continued on, the fear and paranoia, was still there just banked a little; still smoldering embers of sass and guts and acidic barbs.

"I want to burn them. Just...to destroy them. I know the creep will still have copies but...but I just...I need to get rid of them."

Andre and Beck both nodded, before Andre hurried into the kitchen to grab a metal bucket they had under the sink for the occasional leaks in the roof, along with an old newspaper from a few weeks ago. He peered back into the living room, spotting the couple standing face to face, with Beck's hand gently under her chin as she looked up at him with wide eyes. Evidentally, the movement of the door caught their attention, as Jade's mask slipped back into place, still cracked and frayed, but the momentary softness he'd seen vanished within milliseconds.

"I got a bucket and news paper. Does one of you guys have a lighter?" He asked, glancing at Beck, knowing he normally kept a zippo on him for the one or two cigarettes he and Jade smoked throughout the day. And he was correct, when Beck nodded and pulled out the zippo in question – black with J+B written on it in faded and scratched up tippex. He was pretty sure it was Jade's first ever gift to Beck.

The trio moved through the kitchen, out the back door and onto the sandstone patio area, Andre putting the bucket down on the paving slabs and handing Beck the news paper to start the fire. Within moments, flickers of flames and smoke were coming out the top of the bucket and Jade stepped forward, the envelope in hand. Without any pomp or ceremony, she held the envelope to the dancing flames and watched as it caught fire, the crackling and popping of the photo paper catching fire echoing in the otherwise still night.

Jade held onto the corner of the envelopes, even as the paper was almost utterly burned away, along with the photos becoming distorted and curling. She continued to hold on even as flames licked up at her fingers. The second that happened though, Beck reached out and gently knocked the pile of burning photos out of her hand and into the bucket, before lifting her hand up to his mouth and pressing a gentle kiss onto her fingers, as Andre looked away from the scene with an empty feeling in his stomach.


It was quiet in the make shift interview room, as Andre stared down at his feet, a frown on his face, and the detectives' exchanged glances. From the story, it seemed like Diaz had been correct (not that it mattered) and Andre Harris was having some serious (and seriously forbidden) feelings towards his best friend/best friends' girlfriend.

"So this didn't get reported at all?" Diaz asked, a little annoyed – they'd burned good evidence. Hand writing on the envelope, possibly DNA on the glue strip, finger prints on the photos themselves. But she could understand their side of things – Jade didn't want nude photos of her floating around a evidence room that could be leaked to the press and ruin her future.

"I couldn't say no...she was too upset. Saying no to her would be like kicking an abused puppy." Andre shrugged. "I know we should have said something, filed a report but...they were full nudes. Jade couldn't let something like that get out, she's too proud. And I couldn't do that to her any more than Beck could."

"It could have been solid evidence against the stalker Andre..." Fowler replied gently, and wasn't ready for the anger in the boys gaze as his eyes shot up and met his.

"You think I don't know that?! I've been kicking myself since I heard because...if I had told someone...or forced Jade too...I don't care if she hated me for it. I would have taken her hating me if it meant this hadn't happened, if she didn't-" He cut himself off, as if he couldn't go any further, couldn't mention the word 'rape' without breaking down. They didn't blame him.

"This isn't your fault Andre. It's no one's fault but the stalker and Ryder Daniels." Fowler attempted in comfort. "I didn't mean for it to come out like I was blaming you. Now, you seem very convinced it was Ryder Daniel's who was stalking Jade. Do you have any solid reasoning or was it just because he was becoming more and more outgoing regarding his feelings?"

Andre sighed and shrugged a little. "I mean...nothing that shows 100% proof but...anytime anything happened between Ryder and Beck, a day or two later, something else would happen with the stalker, often when Beck was there or directed towards him. Like, after Beck and Ryder had a fist fight outside Hollywood Arts, the next day Jade got a picture of her and Beck together in his RV...with Beck's face scratched out. When Ryder complimented the necklace Jade was wearing, a day or two later, the necklace would go missing from her gym locker. Once...Cat thinks she saw someone 'tall with dark hair' messing around with Jade's locker as she passed, but when she doubled back to look, no one was there. But her bra was missing. I know 'Tall with dark hair' could have been anyone, but then at lunch, I saw Ryder speeding out of the carpark. He showed up wherever she was – the mall, school, Nozu, Karaoke Dokie, the Gorilla Club – anywhere we went, it seemed like there was a 75% chance he'd appear too." He shook his head. "And this wasn't just him appearing because he was Jade's friend, or just had a crush on her. The way Jade reacted...she was obviously uncomfortable about it. She didn't want him around but he just kept popping up."

Diaz and Fowler glanced at each other. What they really needed right now was access to the Daniel's property, to look around his room – if things had been going missing, if they found the missing items in his room, it would prove almost conclusively that Ryder was the stalker.

They managed to get through a few more basic questions with Andre, before letting him head out to wait for any word on Jade. Once the boy was out the room, Diaz gave Fowler a look. "You owe me a beer. He's totally in love with her."

"Fine. Once this case is done, I'll buy you a beer." He rolled his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. "I don't think we're going to get a chance to interview Oliver or West today. Even you aren't heartless enough to drag Oliver out of the room to interview him if it means she's by herself."

Diaz gave a nod in agreement – no way could they do that to the poor girl. Her father was away, just for now, and if they tried to pull Beck out to be interviewed, she'd be left alone in that room, with nothing to do but cry and think about what had happened.

"I think we should call it for today. Go back to the station, get all these reports filed and brief the captain. Tomorrow, we'll see about speaking to Oliver, West and Shaun Becker at least, hopefully get a chance to check out the Daniel's residence and maybe the West residence."


OK so apologies for the delay in this one. I know it should have been up last Monday, if I was wanting to stick to my own little schedule of weekly updates, but my stepfather passed away from pneumonia; so obviously, that hit pretty hard and I also wanted to make sure my mum and step sisters were OK - so yeah, updating my stories kind of slipped to the wayside, for obvious reasons.

I do apologise though, and I promise I'll try not to let that happen again, although I can make no promises.

Anyway, onto the chapter notes: So we've met Beck and Andre, along with Papa West (who, due to how serious the story is, probably won't go by 'Papa West' in this one!) and spoken with Andre about an incident happening to him.

Also, Jade mentions getting a Coqui Frog taino tattoo - the Coqui Frog is the kind of National symbol for Puerto Rico and the drawing is found in a lot of places, such as ancient tombs etc. In my continuity, Tori is half Puerto Rican - like Victoria Justice is, I believe - so Jade kind of got it as an abstract way to remember her, without doing something too cheesy.

Andre is totally in love with Jade and everyone but Beck and Jade know it. Like, the boy is doing a horrible job hiding it. But we also STAN unrequited Jandre with Andre being a gentleman, so it works out.