A/N I don't own Victorious. I don't receive money for any writing done on this site.

Chapter 4

Family Portrait

Holly

Cat was standing outside, talking to Sam, asking her to come get her. She had her back to me. "No, Sam, I never want to see them again. I don't need them, and it's obvious that they don't need me." I heard her saying as I came outside and stood by the door. "I don't care what you think, you don't have to deal with them every day. You can sit at home doing nothing while I'm at school, watching those two make everyone feel sorry for them. Then Little Miss Priss wants to fix everyone. She can't be happy with the way we are, she has to make us just like her. Didn't Hitler die? So why is he here in Hollywood masquerading as a teenage lesbian girl?" Cat said into her phone, still not looking my way.

"Alright Cat, that's enough." She jumped as I spoke. "I know you're pissed, but you don't have to put your sister in the same category as Hitler for Christ's sake." I said, walking to her with my hands on my hips. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I love you too. See you at home…I will." She ended the call. "Sam said she loves you and will be by to help Dad this weekend." She shoved her phone into her pocket and tried to walk away from me, but I grabbed her arm and pointed to the bench outside the front door.

"Cat, this isn't going to go away unless you talk to one of us. And we all saw that Tori is out of the question on talking, so do you think I can take a stab at it? I have a few years of training in the field of motherly listening," I tell her.

She looks around like she was looking for someone before looking down at her feet. She shrugs and played with her hands. "I love Tori. And Jade and I have been friends since the third grade. But I just don't belong here. You and Dad have made it more than clear that you want to help us, but not all of us need help," Cat says, making air quotes around help. "I don't need a mom and dad telling me what to do and filling my days with broken promises, and I sure the hell don't need a fake family to join in on the fun. So if you want to play house with the others, so be it. Fine by me. But I have done just fine on my own. I don't need another set of parents to kiss the wounds they put on me." Cat looks to the side, like she sees someone standing there, but then shrugs it off.

I wanted to yell at her and let her know how much that hurt, but she was hurting already and the last thing that Cat needed was another person telling her that she was wrong for feeling the way she does.

I took a deep breath and thought about how to put my words so I would not hurt her anymore. But I will also find a way to put her in her place. "Cat, you may feel like you don't need help, and that's fine. I'm not going to harp on you and tell you that you're wrong. I will be here for you when and if you feel like you ever do need help for anything. You need to know that you are a very important part of this family, and you do belong here as much as any of the others do. I love every one of you kids, and I would do anything for you, but be rest assured that I will not stand here and be talked to the way you just did. I have not once gone out of my way to hurt you, young lady, and I will not be treated like I have. Now, if you have anything you would like to talk about, I will be more than happy to listen to you, but remember that even if you don't want to see me as your Mom, then you better see me as your elder and respect me as such." She flinched from the steel in my voice, and I saw an apologetic look cross her face. Then she looks to the bushes and does a small wave of her hand and snaps her head back to face me. I wasn't quite sure what was going on here, but if I had to guess I would say Cat was starting to hallucinate. I'm about to ask her what's in the bushes when she started in on a rant.

"Do you how it feels to live in a home where you are not wanted? That when you bring home a report card with straight A's it's just thrown aside, because your brother had done something trivial that you had done when you were five? And he is four years older than you. Have you ever lain in bed and wished that you just didn't wake up the next day? I have, when I was six. You knew when your parents were taking you to the doctor, it was to make you feel better. When mine took me, it was to make my brother better. Your parents were your keepers, I was my brother's." Cat told me things like it were out of a Hollywood movie, but I knew it was true.

"What can we do to help you feel like you belong? Cat, I am so sorry you feel like we never cared for you, but sweetheart, that is just not the case. We all love you very much," I tell her with tears in my eyes. I just cannot see how people can treat their children like this. Having a child, just to save the first? Don't they see that every child is a blessing?

Cat twitched like she is shaking off the cold. "I was born to be a tool to help my brother. Then they found out that I couldn't help him. I wasn't a right match or something, so I was cast aside. Then my Nana put me in Hollywood Arts, because she thought I would have fun and find good friends; she wasn't wrong. I did make some really good friends, and I was having the time of my life. Until that night I got into the car with Tori and everything changed. I was in a terrible car accident that almost killed Tori, and here again I wasn't able to help. Jade had to pull me out of the car. I was tested to see if I was the right blood type, and I wasn't a match. But Robbie was. He saved Tori's life. Jade saved her in the car, and Robbie saved her in the hospital, and Beck saved her on the road, but I wasn't a match. I couldn't save anyone. I am nothing. I'm just not the right match, I don't belong." Cat was shaking and waving at the bushes like she was telling someone or something to stay where it was. She was crying, and so was I, but then it hit me. Yes, she was the right match. I hoped that if I told her, whatever was bothering her at this moment would leave her alone.

"Cat, you do belong dear. If it wasn't for you, Robin would be in some state foster home somewhere. The judge even said that you were a perfect match. You, Cat, saved Robin. With all the work you did before the hearing, and the paperwork you did, plus you had your babysitting business and school. Yes, Cat, we have given Tori and Jade more face time. That has to do with them being here in the house…always in the house. Never going anywhere, just here. But you! You are living on your own. We don't know what's going on because you're not here like them, all the damn time. So, would it help if we have more family dinners, or maybe I could come over and spend time with you?" I asked, and smiled at her. She looked at me with dazed eyes. I could almost see the wheels spinning in her head as she turned over what I had said to her. Finally, she nodded once and came back from where ever her mind had taken her.

"I never thought of it that way. I guess I do match with Robin. After Sam and I get married, we were going to see if we could adopt her," she tells me. And her trembling slowed down and she was able to look me in the eye.

"Adopting is a big step, and she does have a lot of issues. Plus, what about Robbie? He may have something to say about that. And when did you get engaged?!" I was getting excited. Two more of my daughters were getting married. Wow, Jade was right. This family really was messed up, all of the kids marrying each other.

"Sam asked me the other night, and I said yes. But I'm scared. I don't know how to be a good wife," she told me. I placed on hand on her knee and smiled warmly.

"Good. You should be scared. If you weren't then I would worry. If you have any troubles come talk to me. I'll help you."

"Or Tori," she said in a small voice. I laughed and gave her knee a squeeze.

"Tori hasn't started being a wife yet. They live here, with mommy and daddy." Cat grinned at this and giggled. "No Cat, they are the ones playing house." I gesture toward the house.

"Um, I get the feeling you want Tori and Jade to move out. Not that it's a bad idea. In fact, I personally think it's a great idea for you to tell them to find their own place. It would be the motherly thing to do, don't you think? I mean, why drop hints when you can just be up front with them and tell them what you told me. If they want to be a married couple, then they have to be on their own as a married couple and not play house," Cat told me and I had a feeling that she had a hidden reason for saying it, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I stood up, and offered Cat my hand. She took it and I pulled her to her feet. My arm went around her shoulder as I walked her back in to the house.

We went inside to find Jade and Tori cleaning up the broken window. Jade had gotten a piece of cardboard to fit into the hole and Tori was sweeping up the glass. Cat wasted no time, grabbing the trash can and scurrying over to help out. Tori and Cat smiled while they worked, just not at each other. Even though there is a lot of talking that has to be done right now, the window mess is being cleaned up. I thought about saying something, but I went to the table. There will be time to soothe hurt feelings later.

I sat at the table and watched the girls clean, and thought about what Cat had said about being up front with Tori and Jade, and she did have a point. I have never been the type of parent that tried to trick my kids into doing anything, so why start now? And if they were going to be an adult married couple, then they would have to face things as adults. Me tricking them would not be a good start. I just wish I knew what to do for Cat, to make her feel more like part of the family.

Jade came over to sit, and let the other two finish up their mess, she announced loudly. "So, did you and Cat have a good talk?" she asked me. I thought about asking her if Cat had any mental problems, but how stupid is that? How could a person go through all that and come out unscathed?

"In part, yes. But for more, I would have to say no. She was very rude and disrespectful to me at first, but after I put her in her place, she opened up a little. Jade, did you know how her family treated her?" I asked, but something told me that Jade did indeed know. Jade seemed to know about everyone's back story. I may have to have a long talk with her so I don't go in blind again. What I saw today is something I need to talk to Jade about at a later date.

"Yes. Out of everyone, Cat and Beck are the ones I know the most about. I have known them the longest, and of course, I dated Beck for two years. So we talked a lot. What did she tell you?" Her gaze was sharp, like she was ready to attack. I'm not sure who she would attack. I guess that she's so used to being on her guard about Cat that she doesn't even know that she's ready to attack.

"She told me that her parents used her as a tool to make her brother better. And when that went south, they cast her aside, and treated her like a piece of crap." I could only shake my head in disgust. I can definitely understand that readiness to attack in Cat's name.

"So she didn't get into the deep stuff. We were in middle school and her parents took off, leaving her alone. They took her brother to some hospital back east and left some money on dining room table for her. They were gone for two months. She was able to get her Nana to come to school so they would get off her back about having her parents come in to talk to the teacher. I wanted to talk to my parents, to see if she could stay with us, but I hadn't seen them for weeks. You see Mom, Cat has a fear of being left. Sure, now her brother is doing somewhat better, but he can never be trusted to live on his own. So he lives with his parents." She shook her head and looked over to Cat and Tori. They were sweeping the last of the glass into the trash, and they still weren't talking. But the angry looks were gone. I turn my gaze back to Jade.

"I just want to help her. How can I do that?"

"Just show her that you are really here for her, and you are not going to go anywhere. Mom, everyone that has ever said they would help Cat has walked away from her. Her parents are just dick weeds, to be nice, and even her Nana has walked away. As soon as Sam moved in, Cat's Nana was out the door to live in that cemetery waiting room. And I hate to bring it up again, but we were in that damn accident, and no one even looked at her twice to see if she was alright after PT," Jade said, and I had to hold back my laugh at her description of a retirement home. I just didn't know where to start with Cat. I didn't want to say that she was far too damaged for help, but I can sure the hell say I was in over my head on this.

"Should I get her into see someone, maybe even get her on some pills? I mean, I think I'm over my head on this." Jade let out a small laugh, which was the last thing I was expecting.

"Mom, this is something I have to tell Tori now and again, and now I know where she gets it. You're over thinking it. All you have to do is be there for her. As you can tell, Cat never had a real childhood, so just make a day that is just you and her. Go for ice cream, or to the mall, or hell, take her to work with you. I wouldn't take her into court with you, you both might end up in jail. But maybe on a weekend you and Dad can take her to Disneyland. I know for a fact she has never been there, and she would love that you two took time just for her," Jade told me and I started to see how much of a child Cat still was, even at eighteen, and that made me so sad. She was about to get married and she still hasn't finished growing up yet.

"I just hope that everything works out for her. And with Sam and her getting married, things can become very hard really quick for Cat," I said, and the look on Jade's face told me that she didn't know something. Oops, I think I let a secret out.

"Cat's what?" Jade gasped.

A/N The title is from Pink. I did not get permission for the use of this title.