As I've mentioned in one of last weeks chapters, the updates will be once a week, plus a double update on the last day with the flashback. Since I'm only doing four chapters a week for now, five with the flashback, the updates will be today, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Please enjoy, and thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites.
Disclaimer: The plot belongs to moonecheese1331, now Captain Wednesday III. 'VicTORious' belongs to Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider. The only parts that are mine are the mine are the three flashbacks and the chapters after 16. I also don't won the songs. I don't remember who sings the original of the second one mentioned. All I remember is the Liz Gillies cover with Max Schneider. The first song is from 'VicTORious'. You'll recognize it with the first word.
Jade's eyes pop open to the soft sound of singing and the much, much louder sound of a baby crying. She checks her phone-it's only 3.
She tip toes to the only light in the apartment-a faint glow coming from what must be the nursery.
She pushes the door open a little further, and sees Tori holding the sobbing child in her arms.
Well I was walking
After midnight
The smooth sound warps its way into her brain and her eyes grow big. Blake's crying is reduced to a few sniffles as Tori continues to hum, softly, sweetly, patiently.
Out in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
Tori bends down and kisses Blake's forehead. His eyes close. She places him gingerly in his crib and gazes at him for a few minutes.
Jade shifts her weight so she's leaning against the door frame. It creaks, and Tori whips around.
"Jesus, Jade."
Jade gives her a half-smile. "This has been really hard on you. I can tell." She says, motioning to the nursery and letting her hand drop.
Tori nods. "Yeah. Yeah, it has."
Jade flips her now brown hair over her shoulder, green highlights glinting in the faint light.
She steps out into the hallway, Tori following suit. They walk side by side and to the couch, where Jade collapses.
"Why'd you keep him?" Jade mumbles sleepily.
Tori's breath catches.
"I honestly have no other answer but that it seemed like a way to heal." She breathes out before settling next to Jade.
"Come here…" Tori mumbles and Jade raises an eyebrow.
Tori rolls her eyes. "Come on, like old times. Remember after Sikowitz's insane playdate idea you came over?"
Jade nods, shifting closer to the half-Latina. Tori lifts up her arm and Jade uncertainly settles in, her head on Tori's stomach, just like that night. Not that either would admit it at the time, but that night had really brought them closer together.
"How'd you do it?"
"Shhhhhhh…sleeping time." Tori flutters her eyes closed and Jade sighs, feeling her head rise and fall with Tori's breathing.
She waits a few moments before closing her eyes. There's a million things on her mind, but she just moves her mouth as if she's saying something and tries to sleep. There' bright spots dancing behind her eyelids and she's vaguely aware of Tori humming a different, more familiar tune.
The words play in her head:
In my victory
Just remember me
When I make it shine
Less than five minutes later, a piercing cry racks the apartment.
Tori's eyes pop open, as do Jade's.
"Goddammit."
/
Tori finally gets Blake to sleep, hopefully for longer this time. Jade gives her a half-grin before collapsing on the couch once more.
"Jade…are you sure you're going to be comfortable?"
"I'll be fine, Tori."
"If you say so…" Tori bites her lip and Jade snuggles into herself.
Tori watches her old enemy on the couch the way one might stare at a tiger. Jade curled up into an even tighter ball and Tori raised an eyebrow.
"You're going to be comfortable like that?" she asks, disbelief dripping from every syllable.
"Tori, we're just starting to get to know each other. I think it's best for me to be out here."
Tori bites her lower lip, tasting the strawberry lip gloss. "That's what Lila said." She states before she can help it. Heat rushes to her cheeks and Jade rolls over, green meeting brown.
"What was the outcome then?" Jade says evenly, her voice betraying no emotion.
"Well…I slept out here with her…and then we ended up kissing before we fell asleep."
Jade raises an eyebrow. "Sounds like you got yourself a fairytale there, Vega." She pauses, a malicious smirk spreading across her lips. "In fact, I'm surprised she's not a doctor. Or a princess." She says in the Southern Belle accent Tori hates.
Tori narrows her eyes. "Obviously one of us hasn't changed very much."
Jade smirks and Tori plops down on the couch next to her.
Jade raises an eyebrow, but Tori groans.
"If you're so insistent on not taking the guest bed, I'm staying out here with you."
Jade smiles for a split second and Tori stretches out so her head is on Jade's midriff and her back is pressed against her legs. To anyone looking in, it might seem romantic.
Jade smiles as Tori's eyes close and she starts to hum her own tune.
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?