Another chapter for you at the end of my vacation. I hope you enjoy it.
ryankimberley6: Thanks, I'll try my best.
mkpunk: Thank you for the support in regards to that reviewer. The first story in these series that I started back in 2011 was to show how the premise of their archetypes could start off a relationship. It was actually a critique of how one could make the Seddie relationship believable instead of the mess the show gave us. It took a good six months in universe to ever admit they romantically loved one another.
Shay was just reading a book, that is all.
Tori is just a friendly girl, that's all :D I can assure you that Beck does not enter into a relationship with a character from illusorygentleman's universe. The cameo appearance of one of his characters was as an allusion about how our story universes co-exist as parallel universes to one another in the greater multiverse.
Regardless of the either it being a game or real concern, Ian is caught in the middle.
Colonel Shay hates West for breaking Ruby's heart and West doesn't like Shay because… well there are a buttload of reasons.
Fanfic-Reader-88: There could be a simple explanation as to why the Colonel acts more like Jade's dad than Mister West. Did Jonathan work his charm or is Tori just naturally drawn to Bensons—I mean guys like him? Freddie didn't take Jade from Beck and if and that's a big if, Beck loses Tori, Jon won't be taking her either. Noelle is just a sweet girl making a cameo.
Challenge King: Maybe Tori could have her very own Benson? If Jon noticed that resemblance, when will he notice his own possible resemblance to Freddie? We'll see how the Ian situation turns out.
illusorygentleman: Thanks. Noelle is a sweet girl that I'd like to see interact with my characters.
Twilight Warrior 627: There problems is totally Freewill's doing… or are they? You know Jon's going to be involved somehow.
Guest: Thanks
seddieloverfan12: You know I can't spoil that for you. Thanks for reading.
guest: You're welcome. In essence, the Beck and Ava discussion was the ongoing discussion of whether terrorism should be handled as a law enforcement matter or regarded as a military manner. It's up to the reader to decide which is the correct course or perhaps a combination of the two.
Since I explored the mystery of Mrs. Shay, it was only fair I do it with Mister Benson.
I hope you enjoy this chapter.
PD31 Update two of his stories: 'A Place to Call Home' and 'A Summer in Film'.
mkpunk is working on an interesting superhero story involving the iCarly/Victorious gang that I need to read more thoroughly to appreciate.
Finally, illusorygentleman had updated three times his 'Killer Tuna Redux' story and there is some major Jedi in that, but remember kiddies, it is M and you shouldn't read it if you're not old enough. Don't rush growing up.
Okay, on with the story.
Rating: T Language
Chapter 5
Jade West's Room
West Residence
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Jade West might have became a millionaire (without a signing bonus) over the last one and a quarter years from her album and tours, but her room didn't really reflect the change in her financial situation. She still had the same basics decorated room as she did when she graduated Hollywood Arts: the pinned butterfly collection, the various specimen jars and the bunny 'mansion' for Easter, her pet bunny Freddie had gotten her the Easter of '12, to name a few of the steadfast decorations. However, there was a platinum record plaque signifying her platinum sales and her Grammy next to one of her specimen jars.
As her mother and Colonel Shay were eating dinner downstairs, Jade rested back on her bed, pillows propping up her back staring at the television without really watching it as she held and gently stroked Easter's back.
Freddie relaxed back in her worn burgundy chair and he just sat patiently and quietly, waiting for her to speak when she chose to speak. He wasn't even trying to pass the time by glancing towards the television or playing on a PearPad or anything of the sort.
Finally, perhaps a half an hour of sitting in silence, Jade finally spoke, "I'm afraid Freddie."
The computer science major sat up in the seat and quietly asked, just loud enough to be heard over the television, "Of what exactly?"
"That she'll… she'll cut me off from Ian's life. What if she's so damn paranoid with my father egging her on that she decides that she really doesn't want my presence near Ian? She could just cut off any contact with him if she wanted to."
Freddie slightly bowed his head, unsure on how to respond.
Fortunately for him, Jade was still in her train of thought and continued, "I could pull back and she might not feel as threatened and relax, but if I do that, Ian might think I'm abandoning him. I know he missed me during the tour and I don't want him to think for one moment that I don't care about him…"
Jade fell silently, gently stroking Easter's back as she got lost back into her thoughts then she started speaking again, "You know that Thanksgiving wasn't the first time I met him? I really did resent him for a time… my father… my father loved him more than me. He left to start a new family and left me behind… the child that he didn't want and he eventually gained one that he did want and now… my life would be missing a piece without him."
She snorted and smirked before looking up at the ceiling. "Listen to me. I've gotten all mushy. You just had to mellow me out didn't you Freddie Benson?"
Freddie softly smiled and lightly teased, "I think more of it as loving you. How much you 'mellowed out' is entirely on you. You don't always have to be a hard shell, just like you had to pull me kicking and screaming to realize last year."
The pale singer's smirk turned into a soft smile, recalling how hard she had to fight to get him to realize it was okay to be him again, that he didn't have to be quick with the anger and be harsher than the other guy if something happened to try to mess up their lives.
The computer science major's smile slightly faded as he put on a more serious expression to continue on with her primary concern. "Jade, you can't suddenly pull back. If the Colonel is right about Mister West, then he wins two ways: he doesn't have to worry about your influence as much and can demonize you with Ian about saying you really are too busy for him and don't care about him."
"I'm still janked if I do that. She'll just push back—or my dad—and I might not be able to see him at all."
Freddie was loathed to make the suggestion, but it did look like their backs were against the wall, "She really can't if you're more involved with the family."
"What?"
"Deep down you still want a relationship with your dad and he's still open to it, so why not indulge him a little?"
Jade gave him a narrow gaze as she slowly asked, "So I put up with more of his silent and not so silent judgment of me?"
"If the upside is that you and Ian can maintain your relationship, well… it is a small price to pay?"
"But it's not honest. He's just manipulating me in the relationship, not wanting to be my father."
Freddie palmed his forehead and muttered in a tired voice, "I guess he never listened to you song on fatherhood."
Jade looked back down at the bunny in her lap and regretfully replied, "He heard, but instead of him finally understanding what I meant, it offended him. I saw the look in his eyes after listening to it. He thought I was making a comparison between him and the Colonel."
"You weren't?"
She looked up from Easter and gave him a lopsided frown.
He lolled his head to the side and confessed, "I heard a little comparison."
She rolled her eyes and glanced away. "Maybe there was a little, but that wasn't the point. The point was for him to see… that I want him to love and accept me, not try to make me into something I don't want to be."
Freddie got up from his seat and walked over to slide beside her in bed. She scooted over to give him a little more room then rested her head against his upper chest and the crook of his neck after he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He whispered, "All the more reason to stay close to Ian so it doesn't happen to him. I know we've done enough fighting with everything that's tried to get in our way of being happy, but it looks like this'll be just another one we face."
"We?"
He snorted out a laugh and teased her with a smile, "Hey, you're not the only one that cares about him. He's going to be my little brother at some point."
Jade smirked then lifted her chin enough to place a soft peck on his lips before settling down into his one arm embrace.
Freddie softly muttered, "It's going to be alright."
"Promise?"
He cracked an almost painful smile, signaling the acceptance of the struggle they could face. "I wish I could."
They remained silent as they watched something random on television with Jade peacefully stroking Easter.
In another part of the house, Ruby was snuggled up with Shay as they sat on the couch and watched television.
Shay idly remarked, "I think Roy really spooked her with his visit."
Ruby took a soft breath then answered in a weary voice, "Roy can get under her skin more than she likes to admit, but I never thought it would be over this. I really never expected her to bond with Ian so much. She likes babies, but she never cared much for little children. They always bothered her in being 'grubby'."
"It was probably Freddie that got the ball rolling."
"Yes it was. It would be easy to say that he's been a positive influence, but I like to see it that he let her get to be herself and work out a lot of… kinks in her personality so she could feel comfortable in her skin instead of having someone who always tried to get her to 'behave'."
"You're talking about that pretty boy, right? He thought he could talk to her like a child?"
"Yes, he's the one. I hate to knock her first love, but her breaking up with him was probably the best decision of her life."
"You can never trust pretty boys… they always screw the girl over some way…"
She smirked while keeping her focus on the television. "…but bad boys are fine, right?"
Shay rolled his eyes, but quickly forgot about the reference to his past when she laughed and turned her face to him, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.
The pair then relaxed to continuing watching their program.
Tori and Trina Vega Residence
Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Jade tapped the doorbell then patiently waited for someone to answer, hopefully not Tori. She didn't have to wait long as the door opened to thankfully reveal Trina, an odd thing to give thanks about in the pale girl's mind. The older Vega sister had a fine film of sweat on her while she had her hair tied up behind her head and was dressed in a blue sports bra and tight white jogging pants hugging her thinner than expected frame that her casual wear hid.
Since they had graduated high school, Trina had gotten on a real health kick that involved not eating meat—going full vegan as Jade understood it (she didn't really pay attention to what the girl eaten a few days ago at Bots)—and started intensifying her workouts and martial arts training.
The change in life style had a considerable effect on her body as she had dropped the weight to the point that she was practically Tori's size except for her larger bust.
There had been some soft mumbles of concern among the group of friends that this was a coping mechanism in the aftermath of her parents' divorce, eating being the one thing she could absolutely control. However, Tori reassured them that Trina was fine and since they were sisters, about the same height and now weight and Tori was healthy at that height and weight, there wasn't much reason to doubt the younger sister.
The brunette with blonde highlight gave a quick glance over the pale teenager while taking a chug from her water bottle then commented with a little shortness of breath, "Tori's not here."
"I'm not here to see Tori, I'm here to see you."
The corners of Trina's mouth turned down and giving a doubtful look to her. She asked in a slightly her than normal pitched voice, "Me? Why do you want to see me? "
"Because I need to talk to you about Tori."
"What about Tori?"
"Actually, it's more to do with Beck…"
Trina slightly frowned again, but she opened the door and allowed the musician to enter the home.
Jade stepped inside then Trina closed and locked the door behind them before she led the internationally recognized musician into the expansive living room.
The older of the Vega sisters turned after picking up her towel to pat away her neck and lazily asked, but Jade could hear the softest of tenors in the older girl's voice that she was eager to hear her answer, "So, what do you want to know about their relationship? That's what you really want to know about?"
"I do want to know what's going on with those two because Tori's acting… strange."
"Strange?"
Jade licked her bottom lip and clarified, "Tori's acting all possessive and she did not look comfortable when Beck put an arm around her shoulder at our early dinner."
Trina attempted to dismiss her concern by asking, "You mean you're seeing her start to act like you when you were with him in high school?"
The slightly thinner girl's lips became a thin line and her gaze grew slightly cold from not only the mild insult, but she realized that Trina knew exactly what she was talking about and trying to pump her for information while trying to keep what she knew close. "She actually dismissed my concerns yesterday by bringing that up, but I turned out to be right and I know what I'm seeing, so… what's causing her to start acting that way?"
Trina paused and stared as she continued to pat her sweat away, confirming to Jade that the elder Vega sister suspected something as well.
"You're her sister and you live here, so you have to know what's going on and something is going on with Tori."
The older girl looked to the floor, still unwilling to answer the musician's question.
Jade raised her hands and pointed out, "Fine, if you don't want to talk to me, I'll share my suspicions with Freddie. He'll come over here and I know you'll tell him what you know or… he'll go to Tori and if I'm right, she'll deny it and he'll see right through it then he just might go looking for Beck to get to the bottom of this. You know he won't put up with any chizz from Beck in regards to Tori."
The hopeful actress turned and started to head out to let herself out, but Trina called out, "Fine. As entertaining at it would be to watch Freddie kick the chizz out of Beck then I wouldn't hear the end of it from Tori. I haven't talked about this with Tori and I didn't want to speculate what could be going on without some actually proof and make it look like I'm just trying to cause trouble since I'm not Beck's biggest fan, but since you're seeing it too…"
"What are you seeing?"
"I have noticed she's getting irritable lately and it looks like to me she's getting a little jealous, a little possessive of him, especially with him having those two female co-stars of his on his show… she's acting just like you were with him in high school most of the time." Trina took a quick sip from her water bottle then continued with a somewhat flippant tone, "I figured out how much of a jerk he was after the whole 'boys fighting trick', but I really just thought you were a clingy bitch at the time when you two first broke up and I didn't see what he was doing wrong, but now…"
"But now that it's happening to your sister you're seeing I was right and a lot of it was on Beck?"
The older girl hated to admit it, but she did, "Yeah."
Jade shook her head and commented with mild disbelief, "He can't really be starting up the same behavior he had when he was with me. I thought he finally got over that a few weeks into starting to date Tori."
"He did, but he may be having a relapse because of the mood swings she's been having."
The paler girl's stomach almost fell out of her as she asked, "Mood swings? She's not…"
Trina rolled her eyes. "Pfft, oh God no. She never stays at his place and he certainly doesn't spend the night over here and I've never heard them go at it."
"Would you?"
"Our rooms are on the same floor and trust me on this, I know Tori has to be a screamer."
Jade's eyes nearly bugged out and she slowly asked, "Do I want to know?"
"Oh get your head out of the gutter. We're close, but we're not that close. It's always the quiet ones you'd never suspect."
Jade just nodded, accepting the girl's word as she didn't want her mind start to imagine stuff between the sisters. "Okay, she's also having mood swings…" Jade licked her lips and started a question she didn't like asking, "Trina, I need to ask you a question about what other kind of behaviors that you're noticing. It's just between me and you. It doesn't leave this room."
The older Vega sister cautiously asked, "What?"
"Did you notice when Tori got back early from her tour if… if she flirted with Freddie? More than just some friendly banter?"
Trina plastered a bright smile on her face, catching Jade a little off guard, as she answered, "No, I didn't see Tori doing any flirting with Freddie, but…"
"But what?"
Trina motioned to the couch and answered, "But after the VMAs and Tori went to bed, Freddie bent me over the back of the couch and janked me until I couldn't walk for the rest of the night and the following morning."
Jade frowned and her nostril flared as she resisted the urge to just slug the young woman.
The comedic actress glared and angrily mocked the songstress, "Hurts doesn't it? It should. You just accused my sister of going after your man. I thought you got rid of all that paranoid jealousy chizz years ago, especially with Tori. How could you ask such a thing? Do you believe that bullchizz all those tabloid hacks liked to imply when they saw or took pictures of them out together?"
Jade softly answered in a far calmer voice than Trina expected from the pale singer, "I had my skull fractured and neck snapped by a falling battery, a god threaten to murder my future child for not breaking up with Freddie and going back to Beck and my stepmother is now threatening to cut me off from seeing Ian because she's afraid I'm going to take her place as his mom; your bad joke doesn't hurt, it just pisses me off, but I don't have time to verbally cut you down to a stump. I'm asking because in hindsight of the last two days, I've seen her flirt with someone twice. It looks like she's trying to reach out for the comfort Beck isn't giving and reaching out to Freddie is the logical choice since they're close and he probably wouldn't interpret it like André might."
Trina's righteous indignation in defending her sister somewhat faded at hearing Jade mentioning being cut off from seeing Ian.
She hadn't had extensive contact with seeing Jade and Ian interact, but what she had saw told her that Jade had really grown attached to the child and really cared about him. The sight of sweet, motherly Jade really clashed with her vision of the mean, bitchy girl.
She sidestepped that issue for the moment to stay on the topic at hand, "You're saying Freddie would be too stupid to realize that she's flirting with him—assuming she has?"
"No, that he would just think she's joking, not believing she would do such a thing until it became so blatant there wouldn't be any other way to interpret it. Has she done it or not?"
"I haven't noticed her blatantly flirting with him, but you saw her flirting with another guy?"
"Yes."
Trina shook her head. "Tori wouldn't cheat on Beck…"
"But she might hurt in the meantime and try to make up for the loss without crossing a line?"
"I don't like thinking about my sister that way."
"Then we need to subtly talk some sense into Beck to get him straightened out before she does something she regrets or… Freddie kicks the chizz out of him."
Trina let out a considerable laugh then retorted incredulously, "Subtlety? The boy can't handle it right in his face or you two wouldn't have broken up in the first place. He's too much of a self-righteous prick most of the time to admit when he's wrong. To this day, he still has not apologized to me about pretending to get in a fight and making me look like I was crazy in front of my dad."
Jade flicked an eyebrow, signaling her surprise at the girl's brutal honesty (and agreeing with it) then questioned in a slow manner, "I doubt that Tori lets him win every argument they get in, so there could be hope. Would he want a repeat of losing someone else for the same reasons?"
"I don't know. I've never seen them really fight. I think he placates her a lot so that they don't get into fights. He couldn't act as if they were always her fault like everyone thought you were the cause during your relationship with him. Everyone would see it for what it was. I can't get into his head to know what he truly wants, but since he's avoiding fights, maybe…"
Jade answered in a resolute voice, "Then we'll have to go with a maybe."
Trina was quick to answer, "A maybe? You want to go on a maybe? He didn't take what you believed serious the first time around and he doesn't take me serious at all."
"We know doing nothing could end up with Tori heartbroken and with every pop media outlet covering it for people to consume like a trashy reality drama. I would like to avoid that fate with her."
Trina licked her lips as if her water suddenly became sour; the prospects of that happening to Tori making her feel a little queasy. The gravity of the situation hit both girls for different reasons until Trina snickered then raised her hand to her mouth to suppress a laugh.
Jade slightly frowned and asked, "What?"
"Could you have ever imagined that one day that you would want to save Tori's relationship with Beck?"
The pale singer snorted out and glanced to the floor with a slight smirk before licking her lips and softly admitting, "I've done a lot of things in the last two years that I'd never imagine that I'd be doing." She perked up and laughed it off, "I knew I'd become a success, but… I could never imagine everything else that's happened to get me here." She lifted her left hand and looked at the engagement ring with the three small stones: diamond, jade and sapphire then glanced further up her arm to see the homemade bracelet Ian had made for her.
The lighter brunette nodded her head then asked, "So when do you want to talk to him? Today?"
"I have a few things to take care of today, but how about tomorrow? I don't have any classes or any other commitments."
"But Tori doesn't either. They might spend the day together since she'll be leaving next weekend for filming. We can't talk to him about this with her there."
"I'll just suggest Freddie and Cat take her out to lunch between their classes then we'll surprise him."
"He may not like us 'ambushing' him with this."
Jade crossed her arms under her chest and asked, "Is his feelings are primary concern?"
"No, but that's kind of harsh coming from you."
"Yes it is… he was my first love, but… does that mean I should put his feelings above the person he's hurting? This isn't the first time I've had to put his feelings secondary."
Trina in a surprise move to Jade, gave her a soft and understanding nod. "I guess not."
They fell silent with one another before Trina thumbed over her shoulder, "I need to go take a shower then head out to the studio. Can you let yourself out?"
"Yeah, I have another important stop to make. I'll call to see when you want to meet up."
And with that, Jade was out and Trina was heading upstairs to grab a shower.
Paramore/Colossal Studios
Hollywood, CA
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Jade nodded her thanks to the assistant that led her to the dressing room and opened the door for her. The pair entered, the assistant walking with her to make sure the room was to (whom she thought) model's approval.
The young woman stopped as she saw Heather Fox in a silk robe at the makeup station touching up her makeup then back to Jade then back to the girl in front of the mirror. The ponytail wearing assistant quickly realized she had been tricked by the musician in thinking she was Heather do to their near identical looks. Jade had removed her brow piercing and the assistant hadn't given it much thought that Jade's hair was only dark brunette instead of jet back or that it was a little shorter than the model's hair.
She directed a deep and disapproving frown at the singer, but Jade politely brushed her off, "Thanks."
The familiar voice caught the model's attention and she turned in place. She was slightly taken aback from seeing her physical twin dropping by, but then put on a hesitant smile. "Jade?"
The singer softly answered with a warm smile, "Hey."
The model stood up from her chair and gave her a guarded, but not hostile in any way expression. "Hey. It's good to see you."
The assistant remained standing next to Jade, contemplating whether she needed to call security on the singer.
Heather politely waved her away, "It's okay. Jade's a… a friend."
Jade cocked her pierced eyebrow at the darker haired girl's hesitation of calling her a friend as the assistant turned and headed out of the dressing room, pulling the door closed behind her and feeling a little sore at being tricked. The internationally recognized singer was the one that always guarded using the word friend, not the openly friendly model.
There was an awkward pause between the pairing until Heather motioned to Jade in her black leather jacket, black scoop-neck shirt with a flared hem over her hips and skinny dark blue jeans, "You look good. Did you drop a little weight?"
Jade looked down at herself to see what the other girl was talking about. She still had her thin yet shapely figure in all the right places and couldn't visible see a difference than the last time she saw the model even if the scale showed her being a little lighter than before the tour.
She looked back up and joked, "The benefits of being on tour. Performing on stage is a nice workout." She motioned back to her and commented even if the fellow teenager had a white silky robe that covered her completely from shoulder to ankle, but hugged her pretty snug, "You look good too."
"The thanks go to the personal trainer three times a week."
Jade nodded then idly asked, trying to fill the conversation with small talk while she gathered her wits in seeing that the starting exchange was not as welcoming as expected (the alternative being to rudely dive headlong into the real purpose in her visit and snap at her as she would have probably done two years ago), "Modeling swimsuits today?"
"Hardly, I'm just touching my makeup up before my next wardrobe change. I'll leave that and the nudes to Tasha."
Jade had to take a second for the name to register then the recognition of the name hit her due to being a peripheral girl from Freddie's past that used to date Gibby Gibson and had recently gotten famous from her nearly nude appearance in the Robin Thick video 'Blurred Lines', that artist popping to the front of her mind due to her recent one may call bashing of Miley for performing with him.
The singer raised her brow and replied a little louder than normal conversational voice, "Ah…" She bowed her head then glanced around the simply furnished room. She looked back to Heather and continued, "I've been back a just a few weeks. I've been meaning to stop by sooner and we missed you at dinner at Bots, but… I give you the 'I'm busy with settling back in and getting read for college excuse' and the 'you're busy excuse where I didn't want to bother you', but really… I didn't know how to see you after finding out about you and Dusty breaking up."
So much for some gentle small talk.
The darker haired teenager nodded her understanding then gave a half smiled as she answered, "Sorry for missing the get together. I ah… busy with a shoot. I'm great. I have no real complaints. Modeling's going great."
Jade prided herself at being able to see through when people were lying to her, a skill that had come in handy over the last year and a third. However, she just didn't expect it to be from the sweet model. She had learned over the last year that the sweet girl-next-door image really wasn't a façade. She really was like Tori or Carly in that respect and mildly creeped her out as she wondered if this was what her father wanted her to turn out.
Heather turned back to her vanity and took a seat, picking up a makeup pen and touching up her eye shadow.
"I know you'd like to break into acting, but you're not good enough yet to be an effective liar… what happened?"
The model stopped her touch up then slowly sat the pen down and looked up to the mirror to see her reflection and in a way, a second distorted one. She met her doppelganger's eyes in the reflection and asked quietly, "You don't know?"
Jade crossed her arms under her chest and stated the obvious, "I wasn't here. How would I?"
Heather knotted her lovely pale brow. "Freddie didn't tell you?"
"No, he's just as much in the dark as the rest of us… well the ones of us that care. Ava doesn't know either. You break up and he's now hopping around the planet sending monsters to Hell. What happened?"
The darker haired 'twin' bowed her head slightly so she couldn't look herself or Jade in the mirror.
Jade took a step closer, resting a hand on the other girl's left shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
"Jade, that self-righteous basta… broke my heart…" Heather's shoulders slumped as she picked up, "…the sweetest, kindest and most loyal and caring guy that I have ever known outside my father broke my heart and I don't want to talk about it…" She looked up briefly to the mirror to catch Jade's glance behind her and softly finished, "…especially to his friend that would find someway to massage or make his behavior not as bad is it is, okay?"
The hurt in the near identical looking girl's eyes was palatable which just made it so much harder for Jade in trying to understand why her friend would have done such a thing. She just couldn't reconcile him doing that to the girl she had seen he had so clearly liked and cared about.
Jade dropped her hand away from Heather's shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry… and I wouldn't try to belittle your feelings that way by trying to defend him. I do know what it's like to hear people give the guy a pass…" The singer cracked a soft smile and commented with a lighter tone, "…and he certainly is a bastard."
Heather snorted out an unexpected laugh and covered her mouth with her right hand. She softly laughed, "Please don't try to make me feel better about the situation."
The shorter haired 'twin' dropped her hand and answered, "I wouldn't dream of it. I have to keep my reputation up as he hard rocker chick." She walked around to lean against the edge of the table to look at the girl who was gathering herself.
Jade quietly asked, "How did he break your heart?"
"I told you, I didn't want to talk about it."
The singer didn't want to be confrontational over the matter, but what Heather had just told her did not sit well with her. "As you said, he's my friend and you just accused him of breaking your heart. I can't wrap my head around those two things."
The darker haired girl snapped, "That's not my problem Jade."
The songstress took a slow, deep breath then slowly let it out, trying for it to take away any kind of anger she wanted to direct at the girl. There were plenty of people that she wouldn't hesitate to go off on: her father, Sam, any paparazzi that wanted to get to close in taking a picture of her with Ian, but she didn't want to do that to Heather.
She calmly answered, "It's your problem if you ever start answering questions about your relationship with him and start trashing him. You're right, he is my friend. Hell, he's done more for me than I'd like to admit. He put up with me, stood up for me, threw himself on me to protect me during an earthquake and saved my life at the cost of some of his humanity and those are the things I can list off the top of my head. I wouldn't let you just get by with saying that without telling me the whole story, especially since he's the one that took off and not with another girl. That could make people think you're the one that broke his heart and he left to try to lick his wounds."
Heather jumped from her seat, got into Jade's face, just inches away from their noses touching, and glared right into the songstress' eyes shouted, "I love him! He's the one that walked away and told me to go find someone that would make me happy!"
"Why?"
The fight was suddenly taken out of the model as she quietly answered, "I don't know."
She retook her seat and rested her elbow on the tabletop, bracing the side of her head with her fingertips. She sniffled, feeling the first tears started to form in her eyes. "I don't know Jade. We were going great—fantastic even, I thought… I thought maybe he would…"
"He would what?"
Heather looked up with brimming tears. "I thought it was just a matter of time before he asked me to marry him."
Jade took a deep breath at hearing that revelation. Over the last year, Jade had watched the couple grow closer despite the fact that her star rose and he remained grounded (an ironic thing to say for someone who literally had wings). The model had plenty of suitors that would leap at the chance to attach themselves to her high profile name yet her physical 'twin' steadfastly remained herself and loyal to him. The couple acted like two non-celebrity people who were young and happily in love with one another and the world couldn't bring them down, but even she didn't realize that they had grown that serious over that time.
The lighter hair teenager softly asked, "What would you have answered him?"
Heather bowed her head and softly shook it. Her voice was barely that above a whisper, "It doesn't matter now."
The model's tone alone told Jade the answer and her heart went out to her. "I'm sorry."
The pair remained quite for a time until Jade softly mentioned, "You know you're always welcome to hang out with us. We may not be the closest, but you're my friend too."
"It would feel awkward after…"
"He's not around. He could be anywhere—literally."
"I know. I do keep up with the news. I know it's him… hunting things… saving people… the family business."
"Yeah."
Heather barely glanced up and asked, "Do you… do you hear from him?"
Jade regretfully shook her head. "I haven't heard from him since I got back. I've… I've prayed a few times to him, but he won't answer."
The New Jersey then Minnesota girl turned in her seat to face Jade then flicked a brow up and whispered, "That's kind of a surprise."
The pale singer furled her brow and questioned, genuinely surprised with the statement, "Why would that be a surprise?"
"You two share a… 'profound bond', so he'd definitely hear you if you prayed."
The singer blinked then slightly squinted before she asked, "'Profound bond'?"
The model softly muttered, "Yes, you two."
Jade shook her head. "I don't understand."
The darker haired teenager blew out a soft and tired breath, as if it wasn't just her body that was tired, but her heart and soul. She sat up in her seat and struggled to answer in a quiet voice, "What happened to you with the battery… He brought you back from the brink of death and at the same time reaching inside himself to a part that had been buried all his life while looking directly into your soul… that was very profound for him. I could tell it rattled him a week later when he came back…"
Jade swallowed down some apprehension. "…and spent that weekend with you before coming back to school?"
Heather answered with a simple nod.
The singer and hopeful actress cleared her throat and gather herself before calmly answering, "Whatever 'bond' we share from that night, I know that if you needed him, really needed him and called to him, he would be there in an instant."
The model glanced towards the mirror, unable to look at the standing girl. "Things change."
Jade bowed her head, feeling oddly strange that this must be what it was like to argue with her in not giving an inch.
The pair fell silence once more, Jade not sure what she could say to help while Heather just wanted to bury her feelings.
"Heather?"
Heather turned her head to look at the door while Jade looked up and away from the model towards the entrance of the room to see a young man around their age holding a small bouquet of flowers. The short, dirty blonde teenager stood just a few inches taller than Freddie, probably Beck's height and just as well built as her fiancé if not just a tad bit more muscular. He had a nice healthy tan to go along with his physique that was accentuated by his button up shirt, blue jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.
The model quickly turned to the tabletop and grabbed a tissue then dabbed under her eyes. She looked back to the handsome teenager with a bright smile as Jade took a sidestep to the model's right.
The oddest thing that struck Jade was that she knew him. Not 'know him', but remembered him from all things a dream—a real dream, not an 'It's a Wonderful Life' type dream.
The young man looked back and forth between the model and singer, obviously caught by the nearly identical appearance of the pair. He quickly noticed that Heather was dabbing her eyes. He eyed Jade suspiciously and asked, "Is everything alright?"
"Sure, everything is fine. I was just catching up with a friend of my Jade. She's been on tour for the summer and some of the fall."
He threw a glance to Jade, but it was first hesitantly then slightly judgmental of her, perhaps due to the colored hair extensions and nose stud or perhaps thinking she was the cause of upsetting the model.
Jade returned with narrowing her gaze on him and letting her lips become a thin line.
The young man put his smile back on and looked to Heather. "I didn't realize you had a twin."
"I don't. It's just a weird coincidence."
"Okay…"
Heather eagerly continued, "What's with the visit?"
"I was stopping by to visit my dad and he told me you were here, so…" He held up the bouquet to her and finished with a bright smile, "…I'd thought I'd stop by."
The raven haired model broke into a soft smile as she took the flowers and took a quick sniff. "Thank you."
The sandy blonde young man smiled at seeing her appreciation while Jade looked on with a guarded expression, seeing the stranger's intentions.
Heather turned back to her table and set the flowers down. She suddenly realized that Jade was still in the room. She hurriedly made introductions, clearly embarrassed at being rude without making proper introductions, "I'm sorry Jade. This is ah… this is Nate. His father is a producer at the studio."
Jade put on a tight smile. "Nate. It's nice to meet you."
The model continued for Nate, "And this is my friend Jade."
He gave a slight nod of his head and politely answered even if he was still giving the singer a guarded expression, "Ma'am." He looked back to Heather and bowed his head to comment in deference, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you weren't dress and interrupting you."
Heather subconsciously reached for the belt of her robe and made sure it was tightened. "It's okay, I'm decent. I have a few minutes before I have to get into my next outfit."
Jade suddenly felt like a third wheel, especially at seeing the way Nate was eyeing the model and she bashfully returning the attention. She instinctively wanted to say something to break what was becoming a comfortable mood between the pair, seeing the young man perhaps taking advantage of Heather's situation, but couldn't think of anything to say or do that wouldn't make her look like a petty child.
She decided to do the only thing she could do in the situation. "I'll go head and go and let you two…" She trailed off, unsure how to exactly word leaving the pair alone. "It was nice to catch up. Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome at my place and I hope you'll be at our next dinner. We'll probably have another one sometime next week before Tori heads off to New York for a month for filming."
Heather politely smile, still touched that the singer wanted to keep her as a friend despite what happened with Dusty. "I'll be there. I'll clear my schedule if I have to. Just let me know when you have a date."
"I will." Jade passed the young man another quick glance on her way out and he kept a polite expression, but his eyes clearly showed he was hesitant around her.
Once Jade was out the door, she mumbled a prayer under her breath, "Dusty, if you can hear me, there's a country boy here trying to move in on your girl."
Selma Ave Elementary School
6611 Selma Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Jade's black 2013 Audi A5 coupe pulled up to the elementary school's pick up point in front of the school. Jade spotted Ian's teacher, but didn't spot him with her. A concerned expression immediately formed on her face and immediately put the car in park, not caring if she had become a hazard for the vehicles behind her in having to go around. She hopped out of her car and walked around the front of vehicle to approach the strawberry blonde teacher in her mid-twenties and a slim build.
The singer glanced around to double check to make sure she hadn't missed him and asked, "Where's Ian?"
Mrs. Dorn easily answered, "He's already been picked up."
"Picked up? By who?"
"A teenager—a girl your age, but a little shorter. His mom just added her to the list of people that can pick him up."
"Blonde? What's her name?" Jade had a very short list for the identity of the girl.
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I'm at liberty to say."
Jade quickly reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. She quickly tapped the screen and pulled up her stored pictures. She held up her phone to the elementary school teacher and asked, "Is this her?"
The school teacher looked hesitant, still unsure what she was allowed to say. The look immediately told Jade that she had been correct.
"Thanks," Jade commented as she stuffed the phone back into her pocket then walked back around the front of her vehicle to slip back inside.
Apartment 22
Venice, CA
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Jade impatiently knocked on the door with the bottom of her fist and shouted, "Open up Sam! Cat! Whoever's in there!"
A few seconds went past before the door opened to reveal the blonde shorter girl who immediately snapped, "What do you want?"
"Is Ian here?"
Sam slightly shook her head and lazily asked, "Why do you want to know?"
Jade took a step forward and glared down at the stronger girl, taking advantage of the height difference to physically as well as verbally dominate the conversation, "Don't you dare play games with me when it comes to Ian. I went by to pick him up after school and they told me he was already picked up by a blonde and not his mother—you, who just got added to the list that can pick him up."
Sam glared back at her and resisted the urge to punch her. However, she tried a non-violent approach, more out of the irritation of not being able to get rid of her than actually being intimidated by the taller girl, "Ian's mom decided to hire us full-time for the afternoons, five days a week and is paying us very good."
"You didn't say you were going to start babysitting Ian. Does Cat know? Where is Cat anyway?"
Sam smirked and nodded her head to the taller teenager. She mocked, "You didn't ask and… she said that I shouldn't let you know and Cat… you know Cat. She'll be along as soon as she can. She's probably held up at school studying or in the studio recording. Except if it's Robbie treating her somewhere, she hates me babysitting alone. She doesn't think it's fair to me."
Jade narrowed her sight on the dirty blonde, her lips forming a thin line before taking another step to the blonde headed half-demon and looking down at her so there was barely any distance separating them. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke, "I'm going to say this once and only once Sam: do not play games with me when it involves Ian. If you dare try to conspire with his mom or my dad in using him as some kind of pawn against me or try to fuck at all with my relationship with Ian, I will bury you."
Sam was about to snap back at her, but Jade walked past the blonde, shoving her slightly to the side with her shoulder to get her out of the way.
Jade's anger vanished as vapor in the wind as she approached Ian, "Hey Ian."
The child was kneeling on the floor behind the odd looking coffee table the roommates had stolen from the set of their shared favorite show that had been canceled. He had a pencil in his hand and was apparently working on some school work. He happily shouted back, "Jadey!"
The dark brunette dropped her back on the couch then squatted then crossed her legs as she took a seat next to him. She leaned over enough for their cheeks to touch while she looked at what he was doing. "What are you working on?"
"I'm just working on my math."
Sam clenched her jaw and watched, fuming that Jade could just barge in and invite herself to stay as she started to help the child with his homework.
Author's Note: Oh how things are becoming more complicated for some characters. Thanks again to illusorygentleman for borrowing another one of his characters.
Guest star Quinn Friedman as Ian West
Guest appearance by Heather Fox as Herself