A Family Stolen

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 26 (Friendly Advice)

Trina's hospital room was quiet and felt strangely warm as Jade entered it. She figured it was most likely she that was warm, though. On the hospital bed, Trina lay with her eyes closed and forearms folded across her belly. Jason sat beside her, sporting a new touch of stubble, he was bent over with his elbows bent on the bed and hands enclosed at his forehead.

She made her approach, carefully placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "How is she?" Jason raised his head and let out a soft exhale while gazing at Trina. Her face appeared to tense every now and then. Her muscles tensed, only to relax when Jason reached down to caress her hand.

"She's sleeping. The hospital wants her and Tori to stay for observation." He reached across Trina, gently sweeping the hair from her face. "She was up most of the night, of course, so we just stayed up talking."

"What did you talk about?"

"Everything, and then nothing. We just found stuff to talk about to keep the mind going or just to fill the silence." She nodded, understanding how he meant. She glanced at Trina with a hopeful smile, feeling confident that the girl could make it through this.

"I'm surprised you're not with your uncle." His eyebrow rose and her face grew red with embarrassment as she knew he would rather be with Trina right now. "Or well, not surprised, but…" He chuckled, bowing his head.

"I know what you mean. He's off accepting rewards. He says he doesn't care much about them, but I think he's happy to be getting the recognition. I could be at his side offering support, but I'm not needed there."

"Right. You're needed here, beside your girlfriend."

"Exactly." Hell, Ian was over in Tori's room right now, hence the reason she was here. Jason ran a finger over his lip and smirked gently. "We spoke of you as well." Her eyebrows rose and he turned his head to her. "She was joking about maybe having to have a talk with you, treating you like you treat the girls that get close to your boyfriend." Her jaw dropped open and, unable to be offended, she started to laugh. "She says thank you, by the way." She hummed as he glanced away from her. "For keeping me level and grounded, she knows it was difficult, and god knows what could have happened if you weren't there."

"I think I'm honored she would think that about me." She put her hand to her chest and leaned sideways against the wall, gazing out at Trina. The group had come a long way as a whole from being the very people that would ridicule the girl, now they were going to work on the way they behaved and came across; but each of them knew their friendship with Tori now lay in the hands of the sisters. "I don't want to seem pushy and know the girls need time to heal, but did she say anything to give you a guess about whether or not…" He glanced at her solemnly, his lips pursed just a tiny bit and his brow heavy.

"You're wanting to know where Trina stands with you guys?" She dropped her gaze momentarily, listening to his large inhale. "She's grateful for everything you've done. She told me she feels like personally, she doesn't know whether to trust you all or not. You've caused her a lot of pain in the past, and she already didn't trust you guys before all of this…and she's had enough of being hurt. She needs time to think about where she stands."

"I understand." The tears started to well up in her eyes and she looked at the wall as if looking through it to Tori's room. Part of her hoped Trina would be well enough to say it would be okay for them to still be friends with Tori. "I know from what we've learned, the things Tori does hinges on what her family tells her."

"It does, and Trina already told me she's not going to tell Tori one way or another whether or not she can have you guys around." Her breathing hitched and she held onto the breath, feeling her heart rising. "She would probably prefer the others not come around her too much, which I find amusing because that means she doesn't mind you."

Jade cupped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh and raising her eyebrows high. "Wow. You're kidding." She knew the girls well enough to know she'd typically be the first person they'd want to cast off into the ocean if possible. "Me? Why does her opinion of me change so much? I'm the last person in the world she'd want to see, or that's what I'd think anyway…"

"I think it has to do with me." He sat upright and looked to the life monitor at Trina's bedside. "She asked me if I thought you were a bad person and I told her you helped keep me stable. So, she told me since I had little issue with you, that maybe she could try and see something good…however, you're in the same boat with the others. The girls need time, and they need to tell you this themselves. I can't be the one to answer the question, and neither can Ian-by the way."

"Ian? You think I'd ask Ian?"

"You're asking me." She blushed and Jason shot her a knowing smirk. "If I were a betting man, I would wager you'd be thinking of asking Ian next if Tori wasn't up and talking like Trina's not." He had her pegged, she hated to admit it, but he must have figured her out well during their chats together. "I'd be cautious anyway. Right now Ian has less of an opinion of you guys than I do, and that's just because his opinion might not have changed where I've been working alongside you this whole time and had the chance to see firsthand how you've changed."

"Right. He wouldn't know very much about our role in everything. He knows we were looking into it, but not that we were so directly involved."

"Exactly." She had to wonder Gary's opinion of them too, but in an effort not to appear selfish, she wasn't going to ask anything more on the subject. This wasn't about her or the others, it was about offering to be there for the girls during their recovery.

A smirk spread over her face and she walked towards the bed, wrapping her fingers around the metal bar of the bed's end. "I'm amazed she'd want me around either with as much as you and I have talked to one another. Beck could tell you, I'd be all over him for spending even the smallest amount of time with another girl." Jason closed his eyes, his own smirk spreading wide.

"I don't want to offend you by saying the answer to that statement." She jerked back and crossed her arms, still retaining her playful smirk.

"Oh go right ahead, I want to know."

"Trina can get jealous, but she's also confident in our relationship. She's always been that way, she knows I'm not going to step out on her, and that I'm always going to be loyal to her. She has her own insecurities, and from time to time thinks that I'd prefer to be with someone that hasn't gone through the things she has, but knows at the end of the day where I'm going to be."

She felt a sharp pang in her chest and lowered her arms. "Ouch." It was romantic still, and brought a tear to her eye to hear that; but his statement made her question her own irrationalities regarding Beck. "Not to mention, it wouldn't happen would it? You'd never leave her for someone else, much less me, so she probably wouldn't feel threatened."

"That's correct."

"Yeah. "I've never been through the trauma Trina has, and for her to be so secure about her relationship with you…" She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not going to lie, you are a stud." He chortled and turned his head away, flashing a wide and embarrassed grin. "But if she can be so secure, given what she's gone through, I think that amazes me. I'm impressed with her, maybe even more, and now I need to maybe think about why I act like that with Beck…I've been trying to hold back a lot…"

"Yeah, and by the way she'd be flattered by a woman saying what you just did about me."

"Well, that's cause she's got you, right? You're with her, she's landed a hot ass military man so why wouldn't she be flattered that other women might envy her?"

"Sure, I guess. I wouldn't put it that way, but yeah…have you asked Beck what he thinks about a lot of stuff? Is he the jealous type?"

"Not really jealous, but I think maybe I'll talk to him and see about us working on a stronger relationship." Jason nodded at the idea and reached for Trina's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Like Jason and Trina, she'd sat up talking to Beck most of the night before about a number of things going on. "He's a little nervous about continuing a friendship with Tori, I think."

"Why is that?"

"He wants to, but he knows there's a lot of issue surrounding him. I mean, he's tried to use Tori as a rebound once."

"It's in the past."

"Maybe, but maybe not. He worries Ian may not like him coming around much. He also feels guilty about what he did to Trina, and lying to Mr. Vega. I don't know, but he has a lot of guilt and says he thinks he's going to be apart from the girls for a while, give them some space and time to think things through."

"Then maybe it's for the best. If he doesn't feel comfortable going on, then it would be unfair for both him and the girls if he did."

"Yeah, Robbie's along the same lines too, I think. Cat was telling me about the talk they had while we were all at the facility, and he just feels too guilty-more than Beck does-so he's probably going to give some space too. As for me, as for Andre and Cat, we want to try our best to be there for the girls."

"Good, they'll need that. They'll need consistency too. So if your heart is in it, be there for them and be good. Don't hurt them, don't do things that cause them pain, and if you need to take time away to refresh, then do it. That's my advice." He curled his fingers under his chin and his eyelids fell halfway. "My advice. They need friends who are at their best, don't half-ass it. Don't say you're not going to hurt them, and then the next day go right back to insulting them. Say what you mean, do what you say."

He took a breath, his shoulders rising and his head tilting just enough for her to look out at her. "Because I can guarantee you. As much as I respect you and the others right now, if you went right back to insulting them or treating them poorly, it would be me keeping you away from the girls. I promise you that."

She held her breath, steadying herself and relaxing her muscles. "I believe you." In fact, she'd have it no other way. If they did something wrong or somehow hurt the girls in some terrible way and he told them to get lost, she would leave. "I would expect that from you too. You should want to protect them and keep them safe."

"They don't have anyone else right now besides Gary, Ian and myself. Beyond each other, we're the only ones left that they feel like they can trust. So if you want to be friends, be their friend…start over, start fresh, but be genuine and consistent. That's all."

"I understand." She locked her hands together in front of her waist and smiled at Trina. The girl looked relaxed, more so than when Jade had entered the room. Her breathing was slow and easy, and she had almost a serene expression on her face. "What will you do, Jason? I think the last time we spoke, you were considering some changes of your own."

"Yeah." He swept his hand through his hair and shut his eyes. "I'm going to leave the military. At least for now." Her jaw fell open and she did a double take, staring at the solemn and strong look on his face. "I need to be there for Trina and for her sister, give my all to them. The military would have me travel, take me at odd times and keep me away. I'd already thought about it before, but back then Trina didn't mind the thought of leaving home or going wherever the military took me. She once told me she wouldn't mind being a military wife, but now neither of us are sure that's the right way to go."

Jade stepped forward, looking him in the eyes. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you talked with Trina about it?" He sighed, his hand caressing his girlfriend's.

"We talked about it last night, and we'll probably talk more about it later; but Trina means everything to me. I love what I do in the military, and I love helping my country, but Trina comes first in my life. She needs me, probably more than ever."

"Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it'll be the right choice. You've got a good head on your shoulders and the military, I think, could always use someone like you." Jade knelt beside his chair and placed her fingers on the armrest. Her heartbeat felt as though it was beginning to slow, and a somber feeling swept through her. "Maybe let me give you some advice too?"

"Go for it."

"When my mom died, I felt lost. I was lost for a very long time." Jason frowned, his eyes moving downwards. Jade looked to the side, her eyes growing moist. "I needed her." She chuckled sadly and shook her head. "If it were me laying where Trina is, going through the things she has, I would be petrified…every day…wondering if you were going to come home. Or if you were laying out there like my mother, dead in some field, leaving me lost and alone all over again."

Her fingers trembled and she bowed her head. A tear ran down the side of Jason's face and he leaned over Trina, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Jade gasped softly, thinking only of her mother, and tensed her fingers around the small arm of the chair. "Now I'm not saying you should leave the military, I think you have a lot to offer it, but maybe the military can wait. I don't know where Trina stands on the matter, and she might tell you just to do what makes you happy…she might not want to tell you to leave it, but in her heart she might want you to stay with her."

"I would rather be with her. She's what makes me happy, not the military."

"Then you have your answer." She stood slowly and looked to the door with a sigh. "I think I'm going to go ahead and leave the two of you alone."

"Thank you." She approached the door and carefully grasped the door handle. She was troubled still by the ordeal she and Andre had gone through with Danny, but it seemed so small now. "Jade." She paused turning the handle and looked over at Jason. "I think the girls would appreciate you all being at their parents' funeral. It might show a bit of respect for David and Holly as well."

"We'll be there. All of us."

"Good. I hope you're healing well by the way. After that ordeal with the gas and all."

She smiled, grateful for his concern. "Andre and I are okay. It's more important to us that we got Tori out of there alive. Danny wasn't so lucky." Danny had been hit by a couple of the bullets going through his window, and some shards of glass-one of which sliced through his wrist. He died from the blood loss, a great irony. "You hear what the Governor is considering regarding Chief Ross?"

"What?"

"The crime was so egregious, the betrayal and utter misuse of the police department by its highest rank and the destruction of a well-respected cop's family as well as a former Navy Seal…some people in the public are so angry they're calling for the death penalty, and the Governor is considering it."

"Wow." Jason whistled and shook his head. "Bastard deserves it. Hell, I would think Ross deserves it himself."

"Yeah. If it happens, it'd be the first death sentence received by California since '92, I think. The first execution in this state since 2006. I'd be amazed if Ross only got life, but considering his role, who knows."

"Yeah who knows?" Jason looked up. "You should probably be with Beck right now, I would think. He and Sam are probably getting some awards too, now that I think about it."

"Yeah, they're thrilled. Maybe Beck can finally move up from being Sikowitz's 'glorified assistant'." She smirked and Jason laughed. "Maybe I really am destined to be a cop's wife."

"I don't see why you couldn't be a cop yourself."

"It's not for me." She still couldn't stand all the blood and the stress. It was tearing her apart that they couldn't save David or Holly, for that matter. Sikowitz even told her, there would always be the ones you simply can't save. "We came so close to losing Tori, almost as close as it sounds like it came with Trina…I, I can't deal with that kind of stress. I don't know how Beck does it, but I think I'd much rather be the supportive girlfriend of a rookie cop than an actual cop."

"Ah, the stress of only worry rather than the stress of duty. Something like that."

"I guess…anyway, take it easy. Let us know when Trina gets to feeling better." Jason nodded and gently caressed Trina's face. Trina looked to be stirring, her eyes opening briefly to meet his loving gaze. Jade closed her eyes and chuckled as she thought, if only for a brief second, that she could potentially be envious of the girl. "Trina's lucky to have you Jason, I'm sure she knows that." She pushed open the door and stepped out, letting out a trembling breath of air and furrowing her brow. She glanced up and smiled when she saw Beck walking down the hall. "Not off accepting your awards?"

"Nah." He walked up alongside her and kissed her temple. "I couldn't stand it. Had to be here for you, they can honor me without my presence if they like. How are the girls faring?"

"Sleeping. Both of them." She placed her head on his shoulder and he ran an arm around her lower back. "Know where the others are?"

"They're around. Ian's in there with Tori right now, and I think she's actually starting to wake up, so no one wants to bother them." That sounded fair. She wanted to catch up with the others anyway.

"Lord only knows what's going on with all of them right now. Jason had some good advice, so I guess we should go catch up with them." Beck nodded and the two of them walked off to find their friends. "I wonder what'll happen to the Vega home."

"The girls will probably move in with Gary, and what happens to the house sounds like it's in his hands somehow. He may sell it, or leave it for the city to condemn. I'm pretty sure no one in that family wants to even look at that place right now."

Well what do you think? They had a good talk it seems, some good things to say. What are your thoughts on Jason's advice to Jade, and vice versa? What does the future hold, we shall see.