The Price of Desire

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious

A/N:

Chapter 19 (Tearful Reunion)

After stepping from the bathroom of the motel they were at, Trina was delighted to see Jade indulging in the meal they acquired from Wendy's. She was scarfing down a triple burger, happily munching on those delicious sea salt fries, and washing it all down with a cool chocolate frosty. She remained at the brown table while Jason and Christy watched from their individual beds. Jade was eating so fast that it was astonishing! Sikowitz was sitting in the chair next to her while Dr. Richards stared silently out of the window. "Jade? When was the last time you ate?" Jason asked curiously.

Trina laughed and sat next to him. Jade didn't even look from her food as she quickly set the burger down, took several fries and shoved them into her mouth, then spooned out some of the frosty. Once that was down, she took a deep breath. "I haven't eaten since I left home." So it was at least four to five days since she'd had anything in her stomach. "God, I am forever in love with Wendy's!" Trina and Jason chuckled while Sikowitz jerked his thumb towards the starved girl.

"Well, at least she's got each of the major food components that she needs."

"She needs to eat slower," Dr. Richards said urgently. He looked towards Jade and shook his head. "She hasn't eaten in days, that much food and eating that fast, it will make her sick." Jade looked up from the food and frowned. She did not want to give it up. "Slow down Jade." He moved from the window and walked towards Trina. "I didn't find any physical wounds, but she's definitely got some deep emotional wounds. Poor girl doesn't need anymore trauma in her life." Trina slowly nodded her head and sighed as she rested her head on Jason's shoulder. Sikowitz raised his eyebrow and Christy stared at the two, pointing at them. Her hand had also subconsciously found it's way to Jason's.

"Uh, you two…hook up or something?" Whoops, she'd been hoping to tell them after all this crap was over. Well, either way it was necessary to tell them. "Is this going to be an issue for you? I mean, do you want to deal with the emotion?" Trina lifted her head and smiled slightly.

"We're actually not going to start dating until after all this is over, but yes, we've 'hooked up'." Christy lowered her hand and smiled at her friend, she'd already known that the two had feelings for each other. It wasn't like it was obvious, Trina and Jason both had feelings for each other for at least a year now, and both divulged this information to her at some point of time. "And no, it won't be a problem."

"All right. Well I'm happy for you two. Maybe now you two can stop coming to me and constantly telling me how you feel about the other." The two laughed lightly and Jade looked over with eyebrows lifted.

"Hey guys? When can I see my family?"

"Soon Jade, very soon." Trina moved from the bed and walked over to Jade. She took a fry and popped it into her mouth. "I've already sent them a message that you're safe. We've set up a meeting point close to that beach, but not close enough that any of the gang members will find you."

"You think they're going to be upset with us?" Sikowitz asked with a slight huffing tone. "A major outlet of theirs just exploded, a whole sector."

"And that one was on Mortimer. Not us." Jason chuckled and shrugged his shoulders a couple times. He'd actually been struck several times in the upper back and arms, Dr. Richards had a field day patching him up. Christy didn't take too many wounds, but seriously, who would be stupid enough to charge at someone with a dangerous piece of sharp metal? "Hey Jade. You may want to know, Robbie and Andre are safe." Jade smiled and quickly nodded her head. "As for Beck, I promise you, we will find him." Jade slowly stared at her sandwich, she swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

"Nothing's ever going to be the same again, is it?" She asked. Tears dripped from her eyes, crystal-clear tears, not hit with mascara. She actually had no makeup, which made her appear completely different. Beneath that pale exterior was a girl with beautiful olive skin, jade green eyes, and healthy pink lips. Since there was no makeup with the group, she wasn't actually able to put any on after her shower.

"No Jade…I'm sorry…but a lot has happened. Even the fact that Robbie lost his puppet isn't something to be happy about." Jade let out a scoffing chuckle and turned her head to the side. No, there wasn't any happiness to be had about that.

"That stupid puppet. You know it was Robbie all along, he just wanted some attention." Her eyes were half-lidded and her face grew soft. "Beck's my boyfriend, Cat's my best friend…"

"You won't lose them. But more importantly…" Jade lifted her head and moved her sad eyes to Trina's. "We need to get you to your family." Jason and Christy moved from their bed and Sikowitz cleared his throat, they were ready to get moving. "Do you want to finish your food?"

"No…" She started pushing the food into the Wendy's bag for later, her appetite seemed gone from her. She sniffed and closed the bag, clutching it tightly. "You didn't tell me about Andre…how is he?" Trina's heart sank and she slowly turned her head to the side.

"He's been paralyzed from the waist down." Jade gasped and covered her mouth. She couldn't believe it! "We're going to make those gang members pay for what they've done." Jade nodded and rose from her seat, her legs quivered and her head bowed.

"I hate them…those people…I hate them…D-Do you know when I can talk to Robbie or Andre?"

"After all this is over, after you're all safe. For now, let's all get out of here. I'm sure your family's anxious enough, as are you."

"Trina, is it true…that Lane is…part of this?" She took a deep breath and folded her arms over.

"I hate to say it, but yes."

"Will you show him any mercy?"

"Jade. I've not shown anyone any mercy up till now…you really think I'm going to start by showing him any just because he masquerades as the school's guidance counselor?" Jade bowed her head and chuckled dryly.

"Of course not. Thank you for getting me out of there…I mean that. Thank you." Jade smiled and gave Jade a gentle hug.

"Come on, let's get you to your family. Your brother has a surprise for you."

Their drive had been a drive of complete silence. Christy had taken the moment to sit up front with Sikowitz so that Trina and Jason had to sit in the middle seats. The doctor and Jade sat in the back. Jade seemed to be watching outside with a small smile, absorbing every bit of her freedom as she could. Their meet point with the West family was a secure place near a police facility. Gang members right now were avoiding the police as much as possible, so this street was the safest place.

Jade smiled brightly when she saw her father standing with her mom and step mom. Her grandmother put her hands to her mouth, weeping tears of joy as she saw them driving up. The woman's husband put his arm around her. Jade's little brother Lance, started jumping ecstatically. Denise broke from Henry and Monica, moving quickly towards the parking vehicle.

Once parked, Jade was the first to leave. "Momma…" The second she stepped onto the ground, Denise took her in her arms, sobbing and kissing her forehead. Monica and Henry hurried over, the grandparents merely a foot behind them. They wrapped their arms around Jade, holding her close.

"We're never letting you go again," Monica said with tears in her eyes. "I hope you know that baby, we're family, we don't want to lose you."

"I know!" Jade sobbed and curled her hands in Denise's shirt. God she missed them, she loved them all. "I won't leave again. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." She choked her words out as she buried her face into the familiar clothing. She absorbed her family's smell, acknowledging their presence. Her body trembled with every tear that fell from her face.

Trina was the only one to step out of the car. She leaned against it and smiled at the family. Lance walked up to her and tugged on her shirt. She turned her eyes to him. "Thank you miss for saving her, I was really scared." She heard Jade gasp softly and looked over as the girl turned from her family members. She pointed and Lance looked over with a tearful grin. "Jade!" He ran towards her and hugged her waist. "I'm sorry, I didn't want you to leave! I didn't mean to make you run away!"

"It's okay Lance. It's okay…" She hugged him tight as he buried his face into her clothes. "I won't leave again, not like that. I promise. I promise." Trina spotted the green backpack on Lance's back and walked over, crouching beside him. She put her hand to his shoulder and he glanced up at her.

"Don't you have something for your big sister?" He gasped happily and quickly tore his backpack from his shoulder. Jade watched with a small smile as he reached into the backpack.

"Made this…for you…" As he pulled the brilliant jade colored swan from the backpack, Jade through her hands to her mouth in a gasp. Fresh tears ran from her eyes as Lance turned around and held it up to her. "I know how much you love swans, because they're so beautiful. I think you're like a beautiful swan, and it's jade because that's your name."

"Oh god…" Jade closed her eyes and sobbed. Lance frowned in confusion and tilted his head.

"You don't like it?"

"N-No I-I love it, Lance." She lowered her hands and smiled at him. She hugged him close and took the swan, holding it close and safely to her chest. "I love you so much, Lance. God I missed you."

"Trina, we should get going," Christy said from the car. "We don't want to draw too much attention." Trina glanced back, a tear in her eye. She nodded and glanced back at the family, Henry was watching her from behind his daughter. He had a gleam in his eyes and a smile on his face. If Jade said she never saw him smile, well, he was smiling now. No matter what, every father's pride and joy was their daughter.

"What can we ever do to repay you?" Henry asked, taking a step towards her. "Anything at all for saving our daughter." She lifted her hand and shook her head.

"Don't. You have her back, that's all that matters to me, that you can be happy again." It was the same thing she told the Shapiro family and the Harris family, she really didn't need anything in return. She didn't need money, she had plenty of that, she didn't need anyone's good graces, she was just pushing all that unnecessary greed away from her. "Just take care of her, she needs you now more than she's ever needed you. Don't ever neglect her, don't let her out of your sight, because she will always need you…just as my baby sister needed me…" Trina closed her hands and started to move into the car, she didn't want to stay here anymore. "I have business to attend to."

Once she entered the car, she stared out at the family as they huddled around Jade. At least now the girl could be happy. The others looked at her, Jason took her hand and Christy exhaled. "Are you going to be okay?" Christy asked quietly. Trina hung her elbow out the window and gazed wistfully at the family while Sikowitz started to drive.

"I'll be fine. Once I take the rest of these leaders out, I'll be just fine."

Such a tender chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter takes place at the Beach, where you'll see the one Captain, so far, that may actually have a moral bone in their body XD.