Monsters & Demons

Rated M

Genre: Drama & Adventure

Summary:

When Tori arrived at Hollywood Arts, she knew that things wouldn't be the same. Little did she know that she and her friends would find themselves wound into more than teenage drama. Jade thought all she had to worry about was her status being threatened. Does Trina finally have a true friend? A trio of newcomers shows up, bringing along more than the gang bargained for. Homework and plays don't sound so bad anymore.

A/N:


Chapter 7: Grounded


Several hours passed by and the entire resort was on high alert for Liam. Sikowitz was busy trying to comfort his students, two of which were completely distraught. For Cat Valentine, the poor girl was near the edge and trying to avoid having a panic attack. Thankfully, Andre & Robbie were there to comfort her.

This left the Vega sisters, Garland siblings, and Beck to look after Jade who was still shaken up.

Hours of no answers and several questions would do that to a person. Right?

Still, she was growing more and more regretful as the seconds pounded by and she wasn't getting better. Eventually, she felt a premature urge to be alone and dashed off for the room she shared with the other girls. Given the predicament, the group thought it best not to disturb her and focus on calming down the aching Cat who was crying about her new friend.

Using her keycard, Jade hoarded herself inside of the room and flopped on the bed; a miserable heap hoping to atone for her sins.

She'd find any chance for that robbed from her as a knock resounded through the room.

"Go away!"

Another knock answered her.

"I said...!" She stopped midway into her sentence when the door suddenly opened revealing someone she'd never thought would dare disobey. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for answers, Jade and you're going to give them to me."

"And just why on earth would I tell you anything? Besides, I've already given my account of what I saw before he...!"

"You're lying..."

Silence washed over the room as the mystery person glared at the dumbfounded goth. It was a total role reversal as Jade found herself in a defensive position.

"H-how would you know if I'm lying or not? It's not like you were there."

"But, I was..." a humorless grin graced the girl's full lips. "From Halloween night to a few hours ago, I've been keeping a close eye on you two and I must say, you've been a bad girl."

In spite of the heat keeping them warm, Jade couldn't shake off the sudden chill that ran down her spine.

"What do you want, Trina?"

The younger Vega sibling walked over to the bed opposite her temporary roommate.

"I want the truth, Jade. The. Whole. Truth."


Another hour passed by and the gang had practically camped out in the back lobby in hopes of getting any word on Liam's whereabouts. At this point, Cat had fallen asleep on Andre after crying herself into unconsciousness. The only one still awake was Sikowitz who was contemplating how to explain the potential worst to the boy's family.

Thankfully, he wouldn't have to do that as a snowmobile came cruising down the mountain face. Even better, he wasn't alone.

On his back, the teens and teacher could see the shivering form of Liam who was clearly exhausted.

"How is he?" Sikowitz asked.

"Surprisingly, he'll be alright. Aside from a slight wound on his forehead, he'll be alright." the driver noted with a relieved sigh. "It's nothing short of a miracle that he didn't get frostbite. We found him passed out at the top of the slope with some markings on his neck, but no signs of any immediate danger. For now, we recommend getting him inside and warmed up though."

"Right. We'll take care of him from here. Thank you so much!"

"No problem. You might want to pick up some over-the-counter medicine too just in case. He was out there for a fair amount of time."

"Will do..."

At that moment, Cat began to stir in her friend's arms just as they were helping Liam to the elevator that would take him to the guy's room. Thankfully, Andre was able to convince her not to bumrush the weak and unsteady boy.

While she was none too pleased that she couldn't hug the guy she considered a brother, she was happy that he was back safely. Still, there was something troubling her; one question that itched in her brain.

What exactly happened?


"Spit it out, Jade..."

Jade stared at Tori Vega, feeling something she'd never imagined coursing through her heart when around the girl.

Terror.

That's right, Jade West was terrified of the girl she'd typically mock and tease and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the dynamic had shifted in the latter's favor.

"You're crazy..."

"Crazy enough to tell everyone that you're the one responsible for him disappearing." Once again the goth just looked at her silently. "I happened to be leaving the pool when I spotted Liam rushing out to the gondolas. He was practically begging the operator to let him on before they closed down for the night. Sometime after, I noticed you and Beck getting off and that wicked grin of yours when you've done something vengeful."

"That doesn't mean anything..." Jade fired back. "...and why do you care anyway?"

Tori's mouth opened just as the door opened, revealing the trio of Travis, Ahrya, Robbie, and Beck.

"Guys! They found him!" the former announced. "He's a little hurt but, he's alive!"

Grinning softly at the news, Tori turned back to the alleviated yet conflicted goth, mahogany orbs hardening at ocean-like orbs.

"Isn't that great, Jade?"


For the next couple of days, Liam had to spend time in a nearby hospital at the insistence of Sikowitz. It wasn't fun, but the boy wasn't in any position to argue as he spent most of the time sleeping and recovering from the extended time in the E.R. He was grateful that his vitals came back on a positive note and that there was no lasting damage to his body.

His neck had bite marks but nothing that would result in long-lasting damage. Sadly, he was given a rabies shot just to be safe, exposing his fear of needles to the others in attendance. It was a bit comical the way he waved around a (thankfully) clean bedpan to defend himself before finally having the nurses hold him down for the injection.

Chalk this up to the worst vacation he'd ever been on.

While the others were told to continue enjoying their week-long vacation, Cat decided to stay with the boy until he woke up. In her eyes, having someone close to her in the hospital left a foul taste in her mouth; the last thing she was thinking about was having fun in the snow. For all she cared, spending time with her travel buddy was enough for her as she opted to spend the night with him while he healed.

She wouldn't be alone though...

Of course, Jade West would stop by the past few days to see how Liam was doing. However, anytime she came close to going into the room, she'd always stop and turn around, swiftly going back to the resort. There were two reasons for that:

1. She would see Cat curled up under the boy and her heart would start breaking upon seeing the innocent sight.

2. The most obvious reason; SHE was the reason (at least indirectly) he was in this situation.

Even now, she found herself in the lobby, wondering just what she would do once she saw him. Moreso, she had to face the reality of what he would do once he saw her. She sat there, staring at the ground and wondering just where did things go wrong?

There was the talk they had at the rest stop. Then her own sense of jealousy convinced her to trick him into revealing who his crush was only to have him go off on her before storming out of the shop. Then, all she remembered was that dark place taking over her thoughts. She felt embarrassed that he'd just leave her alone, but her prying led to it in the first place.

It was Jade's wounded pride that led her to do the unthinkable; she lured him into a trap that exploited his already vulnerable heart. The thought of his shocked face was enough to make her want to vomit in her mouth. Sure, she was notorious for being vindictive and petty, but upon deep reflection, even she had to admit that she took it too far.

Had she just let sleeping dogs lie, none of this would've happened.

"I guess hindsight really is 20/20."

"Something wrong?"

Jade's jerked in her seat upon hearing the last voice she wanted to hear at this moment. Lifting her head, the pale girl was greeted by none other than Tori Vega raising an eyebrow at her.

"Come to kick me when I'm down, Vega?" she spat with venom.

"Whether you believe me or not, I'm here because Cat called us about Liam waking up."

Jade West nearly shot out of her seat, grateful that she managed to push down the impulse enough to not look like a psychopath. This didn't stop her from clutching at Tori's coat, her fingers tensing around the outer garment as if they were the very words spoken.

"What?!"

"Yeah. Cat said that his condition was stabilized and we came as quick as we could to be there for him," she rested the girl's hands off of her. "Anyway, despite your involvement, you deserved to know so... now you know."

With that said, the aggravated Tori walked down the hallway.

Alone again, the feeling of dread mixed relief as she weighed her options. While she was happy that Liam was finally stable and able to communicate again, she still felt unworthy of seeing him, or more specifically, she feared the inescapable; hatred and vengeful glares filled her head. The anger and judgemental gaze from the boy she considered a friend was all she cared about though...

Just like the one he gave her at the coffee shop.

It was enough to make her eyes start stinging as tears began to surface. Crushing her soul, she took a deep breath, for all the good that it would do her.

You deserve it though... Those judgmental reflections began to materialize.

How would you feel if he did that to you?

You deserve his hatred.

He deserves better...!

With a friend like you, who needs enemies?

Jade wanted nothing more than for the world to swallow her whole at this point. One by one, the stinging hits from her brain made her want to just run away and lock herself in the hotel room for the duration of the trip.

However, fate had a different plan though.

"There you are!"

A single touch finally broke the spell of her mental torment as she opened her eyes to find Cat looking back at her with both concern and excitement.

"Jade! Come one, Liam's awake!"

Before she could protest, Jade found herself being pulled down the bright corridors until they reached the room where he was residing in. Instantly, Jade pulled away and stared at the girl who appeared puzzled at her actions. Her brown eyes pondered Jade's awkward stance for a moment before finally asking the million-dollar question.

"What's going on with you, Jade?"

"It's nothing. I'm just a little overwhelmed at seeing him in a hospital bed."

"You didn't feel that way when Robbie was in the hospital, though..." Cat tilted her head questionably.

"That's because I don't really care about Shapiro like that."

"You cared enough to come to see him."

"Umm... I remember trying to sabotage Tori's chances at making it to the play, remember?"

Still, Cat wasn't having it. She continued to pry as if Jade was hiding the keys to the city of gold. One question after another, each one chipping away at the girl's defenses until she was left with nothing left but raw emotions.

"Jade, you're hiding something and I think it's about Liam..."

Fear and dread.

These feelings tag-teamed her very soul. She couldn't tell Cat but, she knew that her friend had enough sense to pick up that she was connected to Liam's state. Should she admit or lie? Tell all or bury the truth?

She swallowed a lump in her throat; the decision was made.

She went on to explain what happened, from the revelation to Liam seeing her and Beck having sex in the gondola, leaving a certain crucial detail. As tears began to pour down her cheek, Jade found herself captured in a tight embrace, much to Jade's shock. Sure, Cat was at the very least, disappointed in Jade for being reckless, but she still cared for one of her closest friends.

"Liam is in there because of me, Cat. I know he hates me!"

"Then try and make things right..."

"But..."

"No buts. You won't know how he feels until you go there and see him. You at least owe him that much."

Jade had no argument for that. Since when has Cat ever been the voice of reason?!

"Fine..." Jade took a deep breath and opened the door.

Inside, she found everyone around the hospital bed, each of them having varying looks as she and Cat entered the room. Of course, the only look that mattered was the pair of green jewels staring back at her. Those eyes, calm and unreadable, pierced through her defenses faster than any glare ever could.

"Jade?" His light-hearted tone only made things worse.

"Hey..."

The air grew heavy as everyone watched the soundless interaction between the two. It wasn't until after she saw the ghost of a smile appear on his face that she allowed for the last remnants of her emotional shield to crumble.

"What took you so long?" his smile began to grow bigger.

"You were waiting for me?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I want my best friend around?"

The look of confusion on his face gave him an even more innocent appearance that made her heart melt. After all that she had done, he was actually smiling at her as if the previous event hadn't even happened. In spite of that, she knew that she had to make sure. She walked past everyone in

"You don't remember the fight we had a few days?"

He tilted his head.

"We had a fight?"

A sudden understanding began to befall her.

"You don't remember?"

Taking a moment, he closed his eyes and began to go back through his mind. Unfortunately, when he tried to focus on anything during the last few days, everything began to grow hazy.

"I'm sorry... I don't remember much. I just recall doing some thinking and then, everything's dark."

"No need to push yourself!" Sikowitz intervened. "The good news is that the doctor gave you the and just in time! We have the rest of the morning to have fun before we have to fly back and we best not waste it here with this god-awful food."

Everyone agreed with the teacher and soon, they began to file out of the room to give Liam some privacy. It didn't take long for him to get dressed and soon, he was discharged with a clean bill of health.

The trip back to the resort was rather eventful as the group constantly hounded the half-demon about being so reckless in weather that he wasn't accustomed to. After the berating ended, they all settled on some indoor fun rather than hitting the slopes. The hot tub and pool were their preferred destination and it was safe to say that everyone was more than happy to enjoy the remainder of their time.

Everyone except Jade.

After getting back home, the gang spent the next few weeks just enjoying the holidays with their families. They hung out occasionally but, there was something going on with Jade who'd been distant... well, even more than usual, ever since they got back.

With school starting up shortly, nobody was going to dare try and enter that rabbit hole, not even Liam.

After arriving home from the trip, Liam explained his injury to Lucille, who considered giving the teacher a piece of her mind. After much pleading and claiming it was his own fault, Sikowitz would be spared from such wrath.

At work, Liam went about his shift without much issue. The ragged skin on his neck would forever be a testament to his recklessness, even if he did admit that it was kind of cool too. He served the customers and collected his tips for the day, just like he would beforehand.

Routine... he hummed in his head. "Time to clock out."

"You need a ride kid?" he heard his shift manager call out, politely declining the offer.

The sun was still up in the sky so he wanted to stretch his legs and enjoy the weather. His legs would carry him on autopilot while his mind began to focus on the trip. He remembered having fun after leaving the hospital, but everything before that event was a blur. Liam tried to tell himself that it was probably nothing, but his soul knew better.

Look further inward...

The haze was so thick that there was nothing visible. Soon, Liam could feel the beginnings of a headache beginning to surface. Contemplating whether or not to press on, something began to ring in his ears.

You don't remember the fight we had?

A fight...

Liam continued to walk to his home, reaching his neighborhood just as dusk began to give way to the nocturnal blanket of night. His mind still jumbled, he concentrated on what Jade had asked him.

What were we fighting about? Was it so serious that it put me in the hospital?

Liam entered his home and headed to his room where he allowed his mind to drift off. Through his slumber, the inner workings of his subconscious began to work, showing him faded images of past events. He could see himself and Cat watching videos on TheSlap on the bus ride to the airport. He recalled wanting to rest right after landing.

Then there was Jade, standing in the hall outside his room.

Then darkness.

When he awoke, it was to the howl of the wind outside. A storm was brewing as the pitter-patter of rain lightly crashed against the roof. Normally, such a moment could be viewed as therapeutic, and comforting to the mind as the sounds would overshadow any thought that dared to corrupt him. That would remain accurate as the boy removed his hair tie, letting the locs fall freely.

He sat quietly, letting the sound of rain fill his senses with only his deep breathing to accompany the elements. He wouldn't focus on what was lost but on the few clues that he was afforded.

Before the trip, he was avoiding Jade.

Jade wanted to talk about something important when they landed.

He ended up in the hospital sometime after.

Jade inquired about a fight they had.

What is the connection?

"We had a fight about something and..." a crash of thunder tore Liam from his meditation, though it would come to aid him rather than ruin things. "We... We fought about something. Beck...! I was avoiding her because she went back with Beck during the party. I was planning on avoiding her so I wouldn't have to deal with it. Jade showed up and..."

He let out a growl of frustration, having come close to piecing the puzzle together. When meditation ceased to be of help, Liam decided to go the old fashion route with pencil and paper.

Were we fighting about Beck? No... We never talked about it. The doctors said that I was fortunate to not have frostbite which means that I must have been in the cold for a long time. But, why was I out there for so long?

Such a question would result in the tiny headache coming back though it was more throbbing than pain.

Liam was on the cusp of achieving his answer, but he would have to work for it.

Then, an idea began to appear in his head.

"Why would Jade want to fight me?"


As the storm raged on, Jade was comfortable in her oversized shirt while watching a horror movie in her room. After returning home, she was in no rush to relive the events of that trip. Liam catching amnesia was a lucky break in her eyes as she was able to feign ignorance and even managed to repair their relationship while keeping Beck.

She felt partly responsible for his injuries but she wouldn't ruin a good thing if she didn't have to. In her mind, her mistake was thoroughly covered up. Tori thought it best not to say anything and Cat agreed, leaving it all up to Jade to do the honors should she ever decide to.

The family wouldn't be returning for another day or so, affording her another day of privacy and quiet. Such a wonderful thought would have to wait as a loud booming knock traveled to her room.

"Who the hell is knocking on my door at..." she spared a glance at the clock as another knock tore through the building. "...9:32?!"

Grabbing her favorite pair of scissors, Jade carefully traversed the winding steps into the dark living room. She peered through the peephole to find a lone figure standing on her porch, drenched in a poncho. Who the fuck...?

"Open the damn door, Jade."

Liam?

She quickly opened the door to see that her guess was correct.

"What's up, champ?" she leaned against the doorframe. "Did you walk all the way here?"

"What did we fight about, Jade?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Liam calmly spoke. "Was our fight so serious that you'd put me in the hospital?"

"W-what?"

"I'm not repeating myself!"

He took a step forward, causing Jade to flinch as a result. Gone was the self-righteous vibrato, replaced by the very essence of cowardice as he stalked closer. If that wasn't enough, his dark grunts preceded the sinister glow in his eyes that haunted her before. Her body trembled as she tripped over her own feet. Suddenly, she lost the ability to move, as if a multitude of hands held her down. She knew what this meant if what he claimed was true.

His amnesia had disappeared somehow.

"I'm sorry...!" she whispered. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

A horrendous roar brought a fear the likes of which Jade had never experienced before. Her deeds had now come full circle as she began to sob uncontrollably.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that! It was an accident!"

What happened?

"I was going to wait for you, I swear!" Jade pleaded through her tears. "Beck said he would join me so we could all talk this out and understand each other! I... I didn't plan on sleeping with him, I swear! I don't know what came over me!"

The rage-fueled Liam studied Jade's helpless form. After a few moments of suffocating silence, he turned to leave. The goth watched silently until he reached the threshold. Almost on cue, the weather began to lighten up just as he peered over his shoulder.

"Liam...?"

"Thank you, Jade," he forced a pained smile.

"I... I mean, I thought you'd be angrier at me and..."

"Thank you for telling me the truth..." he cut in, the sorrow now visible in his own tear-laced eyes. "...and never speak to me again."

Jade's jaw nearly hit the floor, believing that she misheard him. Liam didn't just say what she thought he said, right? Dread and panic began to slither from beneath the darkest remnants of her soul as he turned away from her.

"You... You don't mean that!"

"I do. I'm tired, Jade... I'm tired of playing these games with you and I'm tired of having my heart broken just to mend yours."

"Liam, wait!"

"I hope he makes you happy."

A stunned Jade could only watch as he stepped onto the porch and into the elements. Only then did Jade regain the use of her legs. She quickly rushed to the door, screaming his name into the night, finding herself drowned out by the resurging downpour. Still, she called out into the blinding deluge until her throat was raw.

Each cry grew weaker, desperation proving to be a terrible motivator as it too gave way to despair.

Jade once more leaned against the frame of her front door, this time with a piercing sob that spelled the end of one of her truest friendships. The dagger to the heart was that she had only herself to blame. It wasn't just one thing and each one would make themselves known to the distraught goth.

The arrogance to think that Liam would stay no matter what.

How envious she became whenever he was treated better by others like Cat and Tori.

Her laziness when it came to upholding her end of the friendship.

An avaricious desire to keep the best of Liam without ever giving back.

The voraciousness exhibited how little she cared for his own feelings, especially when it came to Beck; wanting to have her cake and eat it too.

Her temper whenever things didn't go her way.

Lastly, her lust...

This is what started the road to this outcome. She just had to seek that mythical closure from Beck and now it cost her dearly. She could have just ignored him and maintained the healthiest connection she'd ever had.

Sadly, for now, all Jade could do it shut the door and mourn the loss of her truest friend. She hadn't felt this pain since her break up with Beck... No. This was something far worse and now, she'd have to live with the fact that it was all her doing.

The serpent of anguish had now constricted her heart.