Well, here it is. Robbie's POV on things after seeing Tori and Jade kissing.
I hate this moment more than anything.
It's the moment that everything came crashing down around me. Dragging my limbs into the driver's seat of my car, I turn the keys and it roars to life. Gripping the steering wheel, I slam my foot to the floor, wanting to place the Vega home in my rear view mirror as quickly as possible.
Speeding down the freeway, my heart lurches pathetically. I'm driving faster than I should be, more recklessly than I ever have. Eyes deviating from the road in front of me, I peer down at my knuckles. They're bleached white, like all of the tension inside of me is pooling in my hands.
Finally, I'm home. Walking up the winding path towards the front of my house, I feel as though I'm in a daze. The image of Jade and Tori together, joined at the lips playing over and over before my eyes.
Unlocking the door and twisting the handle, I make my way inside. Releasing whatever tenuous grip I had on my bag, I watch it fall to the ground and land in a crumpled mess from the corner of my eye. Each step I take towards my room feels like I'm trying to lift lead shoes, like it's not even worth trying to escape the pain. Lifting my arm, I wrap my fingers around a Pear Box controller and turn the television on. As immature as it is, I feel as though escaping into the virtual reality of one of my games is the only thing that will stop my from falling completely to pieces.
Slamming a button of the control, I wait as my Pear Box hums to life, waiting for it to drag me away from the misery that seems to have crept into my very bones. I should have known it was too good to last, that something like Tori and I was doomed to failure from the beginning. What of Jade though, did she just swoop in, destroying this because she could? Or was this whole thing planned all along? Visions of Jade plotting this whole thing out from the beginning dance before my eyes. I shake my head back and forth, hoping to shake all thoughts not related to the flickering screen in front of me away
Plowing through enemy after enemy, my mind still won't focus on anything but Tori and Jade, Jade and Tori, their lips coming together, what else they could have been doing, saying. It's maddening. I'm so lost in the thoughts that the light knocking at the front door barely registers. Once I hear the sound, I ignore it anyway; I don't want to see anybody right now. I just want to sit here alone, wallowing in my own misery. The knocking continues for a few more moments, finally ceasing when it becomes clear that I'm not going to answer. Then a creak, I recognize it as the familiar sound of my front door opening. The possibility that it might be Tori enters my mind, sending the hairs on the back of my neck on end.
Ears pricking, I can hear the sound of the floorboards in the living room creak and groan, as if warning me of an incoming threat. I bow my head, shadowing my features. I just can't deal with Tori right now; the wounds are still too raw. My hands grip the controller tightly, shaking against it, as the creaks grow louder and closer to my door.
"Robbie, are you in there?" Tori's hesitant voice fills the air and my heart actually aches, the painful sight of seeing Tori and Jade together assaulting my every sense once again. Yeah, and I thought I could wipe away her existence with a fucking video game? Screwing my eyes shut, trying to block out the waking world, I release the grip on my controller, ignoring the sound of it bouncing pitifully off the ground.
"I heard your TV go quiet, I know you're there. I need to talk to you Robbie. Can I come in? I'm coming in." Tori speaks once more, words spewing forth, almost blurring together in an incomprehensible babble. I shuffle backwards, resting my back against the wall, like it's going to stop her from surprising me. I pull my limbs together, like it's going to stop her from hurting me. I silence myself, like it's going to stop her from finding me.
My throat tightens, as the sound of footsteps grows louder.
The door handle twists.
As if in slow motion, the door creaks open and light floods my room. Tori's silhouette and I feel my heart skip a beat, I feel my mind lose its self in her curves. She's so achingly beautiful, I know that if I'm to look into her eyes for even a second I'll forgive her no matter what she says. I take the coward's way out. I draw my spindly limbs even closer to my chest and bury my head in my hands, a tangled mess of what I was only hours ago. I try to ignore the twitch in my chest and the sound of Tori's gasp. It's been less than half an hour since I left her house, but I know I'm broken enough to make it seem like I've spent a week in hell.
"I know that looked bad." Tori's words are slow, like she's trying her best to keep them soft; to keep them blunt enough that they can't possibly hurt me. The urge to look at her, to lose myself in those damn eyes gnaws at me, tugs at me insistently, like it's the natural thing to do. Feeling a slender finger graze against me, my bones rattle, jarring away from her touch and into the unpleasant embrace of the wall. Brain still addled from striking the wall, I make the mistake of letting my eyes linger on Tori's form.
"Yeah." I mutter, the word falling from my lips. Shattering on the ground beneath me as silence surrounds us and I lose myself in Tori's eyes. They're nothing like what I'm used to, the color seems to have disappeared from them completely and they're dull and lifeless, as if drained by the angry red rim surrounding them.
"But I can explain everything. It was just a-" Tori's words shatter the silence once more, her voice nothing like what it should be. Where birds should be singing, I hear only nails on a chalkboard and my heart breaking all over again. I can't take another word; it hurts too much to hear Tori speak.
"Misunderstanding. Right?" I cut in, my voice cracking as I force the words from my lips. There's not an ember of anger in my voice, only the icy embrace of pain. I can't bring myself to be angry at Tori anymore, not when I wish she was still mine, if she ever was.
"Yeah!" Her words are optimistic, the light shining forth from her eyes once more, if only for a second. It's like she's hoping I'll laugh and tell her what a funny old day this has been. Her face falls, eyes dulling once more when she realizes I'm not going to do that. When there are no words filling the air, my mind wanders, memories of Tori and I holding each other tightly dancing before my eyes. Before I know it, Jade pries her away, the sunny meadow we had been in giving way to darkness and leaving me to face reality.
"I'm sorry I misunderstood your feelings for me. I'm sorry that I didn't know there was something between you and Jade. I'm sorry that I was just a pawn this whole time." With my chest heaving, my heart feeling as though it's going to burst, my eyes fall upon Tori once more. She's not sitting up as straight anymore; she's wilting under my gaze and it's tearing me apart. I can hardly bare to be the one saying these words to her, I falter and have to take a deep breath.
"But most of all, I'm sorry I ever believed you…could want to be with me." What remained of Tori's smile is dragged into the darkness by my words, her lips quiver and I can tell from her rapid blinking that she's holding back tears. I swallow what feels like razor blades and run my hands over my face, dragging my nails across the skin, trying just to feel something other than my heartbeat.
"That's…what? That's not right at all." Tori's words flutter through the air, like a bird with one broken, gnarled wing. Eyes flickering back to her, Tori's eyes are brimming with tears, my heart twists painfully at the realization that they're not crocodile tears, they're completely real. I want her to tell me that I'm wrong to think she could ever be with Jade, that she's mine and only mine. I can't bring myself to let her in, to let her past the walls I had tried so hard to keep people out of. I'm still trying to put together the pieces of what was broken last time I let that happen, last time she was inside of those walls.
"Tori, just go. Please just let me have my peace." The words taste vile as they leave my lips, like the foulest lie that I've ever told. Screwing my eyes shut, I try to ignore the feeling that I'm giving up, that I'm falling at the first hurdle and overreacting for no reason. This is right, being alone is right. You can't be hurt if there's nobody around, I repeat the mantra in my mind as though that will make it true.
"But Robbie!" Tori's voice is strangled, desperation weighing down her words. Lifting my eyelids, I return Tori's gaze, if only until my heart can't take anymore. My eyes fall to the floor, tears finally rushing towards the surface and staining my knees.
"Please." I croak, unable to look up again. I feel as though I only exist in the physical form. Air rushes in and out of my lungs and I'm breathing, I'm not alive though, not really. Tori will walk out of that door soon and a part of me will leave with her, the best part of me.
"Will you call me later?" Tori's words leave her throat with a crackle, sadness creeping into them and seizing their movements. I shudder, imagining Tori's face creased with pain, remembering how dull her eyes were. I feel nauseous, Tori's pain weighing on my mind as silence falls over us, strangling me with its grip. I hate that we're like this, that we're so broken. It was bound to happen eventually though.
"Probably not." I respond, pulling the broken pieces of myself together long enough to reply, long enough to meet Tori's eyes and to see her arms rise for a split second. Watching as they fall limply to her sides, I wonder if she was going to try and touch me again. I wonder what I would do if she tried to touch me again.
Sob slices through Tori as she takes a step backwards and begins to turn away from me. Peering at her retreating form, I know that if she had touched me, I would have shattered into a million pieces. It's one thing to have nothing, you get used to it eventually and it becomes a part of you, the pain dulls. But to have Tori Vega, brief as it may have been, only to have it torn away from you, is another thing entirely.
"I'll have my phone on me. Just in case." Tori's misty eyes lock with my own once more as she turns back to me, hand dipping into her pocket and dragging her phone out. She waves it nervously at me, her movements rigid and lacking her usual fluidity. My heart trembles at the site of her eyes, so broken and lost, as though she's lost in the same fog I am. She watches me for a moment, eyebrows knitted together as though she's hoping I'll have a change of heart.
When she finally pirouettes and trudges away from me, I don't think I've ever seen less life in Tori Vega. With each step she takes, whatever remains of my heart shatters just a little more until Tori's footsteps finally fade into nothingness. The crack of the front door shutting is the last thing I hear before silence falls over the house and I'm left with only my thoughts and my memories.
They haunt me.
After Tori leaves, the Pear Box can't even hope to distract me from the thoughts running through my mind. I just end up lying on my bed, staring at the roof above, throwing my frame around the bed in a vain attempt to find comfort, to find solace and to fall into unconsciousness.
Four blinking numbers greet me.
My eyelids flicker, as unwilling to open, as I am to regain consciousness. I blink the sleep from my eyes, all of the events from yesterday slamming into my mind full force. I feel as though I'm waking up after being in a car accident. Half falling out of bed and landing next to my bed with a thud, I feel my body wake up inch by inch. Rubbing my eyes, I pull myself from the ground and stumble out of my room.
Shuffling into the kitchen with a yawn, my gaze falls, coming to rest on a scrap of paper waiting on the bench for me. Hanging an arm out and clasping it in my hand, I scan through the chicken-scratch handwriting. The words fly past my eyes as I take in their meaning. Usually a note from my Mom saying she won't be around for the next few days would see my heart clench painfully, but right now it's a blessing in disguise. No parent, no school, no Tori. It's an easy decision and I'm halfway back into my bed before my brain can even begin to talk me out of going straight back to bed. This time as my eyelids fall, sleep overcomes me faster than I had expected.
12:34pm
The angry red letter greet me as my eyes flutter open once more, this time the fog of sleep lifts easier. The feeling of being hit by a car doesn't subside though. I feel like hell. Sitting up and spinning around, so that I'm sitting at the edge of my bed, I allow my head fall into my hands. I'm at home, alone on a school day, and I've got nothing but my thoughts to keep me company. Absently, my gaze follows the bright afternoon sunset before something catches my eye, something that's just perfect to drown out thoughts and memories. Sliding to my feet and stepping away from my bed, I pick up my guitar. The sensation of the cold, weathered wood of my guitar feels like liberation, like freedom in my arms. Clasping the old, battered instrument in my hands, I plug it in and switch on my amp. Within moments, my ears are swimming in the sounds of power chords as my fingers skitter over the frets. The distorted wail of my guitar almost drowns out the thoughts that plague me; they're never more than a second of silence away though, the thought only spurs me on to play faster, harder, better than I ever have.
I lose track of time paying my guitar, fragments of lyrics floating through my head and blurring reality. I'm so wrapped up in the sound, that I don't notice my phone going off until I my fingers have cramped up and I've laid my guitar on the ground. Nothing that my screen is illuminated with missed alerts, curiosity overwhelms me and against my better judgment, I pick it up. Fingers skittering across the screen, I scroll through my new messages. One text each from Beck and Andre, just the usual "Where r u?" type thing you send to an absent friend. Nothing special.
What really catches my eye is that I have a few messages from both Cat and Tori. There's even one instance of Jade's name in my inbox. Shaking my head, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in my chest, I allow the phone to drop from my fingers, barely paying attention as it bounces roughly against the floor. In an instant the place that had been my sanctuary, has become something more akin to a prison. It's as though the mere visage of Jade's name was enough to infect my room, to make it uninhabitable. I hurl myself out of my office chair, wasting no time in stealing away into the kitchen. Hoping the distraction of getting something to eat will take my mind off things for at least a few moments.
Rummaging through the cupboards, paying more attention than what is nescicary, I Eventually find something to slay my hunger, something to remind me of a simpler time, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Somewhere within me, I think my mind is attempting to regress, to hold onto something childish and deny the nightmarish reality I find myself stuck in.
The sound of knuckles rapping against the door disturbs me from the sandwich I'm attempting to prepare. I flinch badly, the knife shuddering from my grasp and almost causing me to slice open a finger. Shaking the distracting thoughts from my mind, I refocus my mind on the task at hand.
It's only 2 in the afternoon, so it can't be anybody I know. Must be a door-to-door salesman or a Jehovah's Witness. Grimacing at the memory of the last time I answered the door, only to find somebody from Sky Store in front of me, I resolve not to let them in. Even as I finish cutting my sandwich into halves, the knocking doesn't abate like it normally would. I'm pretty sure it's getting louder and more insistent if anything, they must really need the sale, usually the knocking would have stopped a long time ago.
"Robbie! It's Cat, let me in!" The words filter through the door, alerting me to the fact that it's not anybody trying to sell me things or change my religion. It's just sweet, tiny, red headed Cat Valentine. If my mood wasn't so dark, my mind so messed up; it would be a welcome distraction.
"I know you're in there, I can hear you blinking." Flinching at the sound of Cat's shrill voice and peering over at the door, I wonder what exactly she's doing. Silence swirls around us as I fail to answer her. Feeling my stomach tighten, I don't think I can handle any sort of human interaction right now.
"It's unlocked." I call, not thinking my response through fully. Lifting the sandwich to my lips and biting down, it's a brief slice of heaven, doing just as I had hoped, transporting me to a time where my heart didn't ache with every beat. Hearing the familiar creak of the front door, I see the petite form of Cat Valentine fill a portion of the entrance. Tearing another bite from my sandwich, my gaze follows Cat as she bounces across the room effortlessly. She's rainbows and unicorns and I'm the rain, the sadness to her joy.
"What do you want Cat?" I ask, discarding the crust of my meal on the kitchen bench. Leaning forward, I prop myself up of my elbows, narrowing my eyes and following the streak of red hair still moving wildly in front of me, Cat never quite stops moving, even when she's seated as she is now.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat demands as her hands slap against the bench in front of her as her good mood goes up in flames. Taking a seat next to her, Cat's deep chocolate eyes are rife with accusation and I wilt under her gaze. Guilt consumes me; just because I'm in a dark place doesn't mean that I have to be the albatross that drags Cat under as well.
"It's just…weren't you meant to be going to Mexico today?" I ask, gently, keeping my words soft to avoid upsetting her further. Cat's the only person that went out of her way to visit me, to care enough to visit. Relief washes over me as Cat's face lights up once more, that 1000-watt smile lighting up the room as her bad mood disappears as quickly as it had come on. It's times like these that I truly envy Cat Valentine.
"I am, my brother said the best time to enter Mexico is at midnight." She announces finally, the words leaving her with great hesitation as her brow wrinkles in concentration. Peering over my glasses at Cat, I notice her eyes darting around the room. Like she knows something is amiss about her brothers reasoning, but doesn't want to question it outwardly.
"Uh, yeah…what are you here for then?" Though I try and keep the suspicion out of my words, the pout on Cat's face deepens with every word. Seeing the girl in front of me crumble only brings back painful memories. Straightening up, I allow my face to soften, shooting a soft smile at Cat, hoping she doesn't realize just how hollow my eyes are, how empty that smile is.
"Oh, um…I just wanted to make sure you're…uh, that our project is ok." She replies, looking up at me through her thick lashes. Her voice crumbles and reforms several times through her sentence, as though she's trying her hardest to remain strong. It's not something that Cat's used to, I can tell.
"It's fine, we pretty much finished it yesterday. Remember?" I state, avoiding her gaze by staring into my cup. Even though I had been annoyed about cat wandering off yesterday, the truth is we were pretty much done, an extra script I had been working on coming in handy.
"Oh yeah…" She mumbles, the words coming out uncharacteristically solemn. A heavy silence falls between us once more; I'm paralyzed by Cat's eyes piercing into my own. I almost lose myself in them, trying to find the hidden meaning in her words in vain. All this time I thought Cat was just skin deep, never bother to dig beneath the surface façade of irrelevant stories and strange actions. There's so much more going on in there though, so easy to catch in the right light, just like now, but so hard to hold onto.
"One time I went to an amusement park and the dolphin waved at me, but then I had a purple milkshake." Cat's voice takes on it's usual effervescent hue, but for the first time I notice that her eyes don't light up as much as she wants you to believe they do, that there are deeper thoughts at work behind those nonsensical stories.
"So, you're happy with what we've got?" As much as I want to look deeper into Cat's mind, I get the feeling that today might not be the best time. Not with her planning a trip with her brother, not with my mind so focused on the bad things in life. With my answer, I wonder how she will answer me, will it be something outlandish or will Cat actually say what she's thinking once more?
"Yep! Unless you've changed your mind and want to make it about a giraffe learning how to love?" She suggests with a crooked smile. Ordinarily when she suggests that premise, there's no hint of irony in her words. As she leans forward slightly, I see a twinkle in her eyes, something that tells me she's only kidding for once.
"You suggest that every time." I lament outwardly, though happiness creeps into my heart for what feels like the first time in an age. It's not the delirious high of touching Tori or making her smile, it's more like the warm embrace of hot cocoa in front of an open fire.
"It's a good idea!" She insists, red hair weaving through to air as she nods her head insistently. My pupils drift lower, Cat's smile is infectious and soon I find myself returning it, as much as I hate what my reality has become since yesterday, as much pain as I'm in, I can't bring myself to hate Cat's presence. Not even slightly.
"I know Cat, I know." I state quietly, allowing the conversation to hum along. Hopefully Cat won't catch the despondency in my words and that the conversation won't die out, like when she first entered the room. Seeing only a slight tinge of worry within her eyes, I allow my muscles to relax, my muscles to uncoil slightly. I don't think I'll let them down again fully for a long time though. Last time I let that happen…well, it's obvious what happened.
"Are you ok, Robbie?" Cat's question catches me off guard. Her words are sugary sweet, eyes still shining in a way that masks her worry. Her tone is so sweet that the implication of the question is almost lost on me, it almost feels as though she's simply asking the weather.
"I'll be ok, Cat. I answer lightly, hoping that the cracks in my tone aren't wide enough for her to see through my lie, that she misses the strain in my voice. Cat's eyes narrow almost immediately though, brown orbs shooting towards the roof in annoyance. A loud exhale escapes her throat as she spins on her seat, to face me. Her movements are jerky and impatient, like she doesn't want to dance around the issue.
"Robbie. If you don't talk about it, you can't let the hurt out." Cat's words retain her usual bright tone, lighter than candyfloss almost. Underneath the way she phrases her words, there's a deeper wisdom, a deeper understanding of my pain. Blinking rapidly, trying to focus my thoughts, to hold on to even one constant, it's like trying to catch a butterfly with a pair of chopsticks.
"How much do you know Cat? Be honest, please." Finally, my mind wraps around a thought, though my words come out in a jumble. I meet her eyes, Cat's deep brown eyes swimming with words unsaid, her brow creased with thought. I hold her gaze, finding comfort in her own hesitation.
"I know that Tori was sad today. Like sadder than I was when they stopped letting me visit the giraffes at the Zoo, that's really sad!" Cat replies, the crease in her brow only deepening. It's as though she's focusing on sounding as happy as she can under the circumstances. My heart clenches painfully, the mention of Tori causing it to beat with increasing speed.
"I know that Tori didn't even sit at the same table as us. I know that you didn't even come to school, so I also know that something bad happened." Cat's words aren't so light and fluffy this time, the cracks appearing in her facade. She speaks slowly, each word seemingly thought out well in advance. It's a stark contrast to the rest of the time when Cat's machinegun fire sentences seem to have left her mouth before her brain can even begin to process them.
"I…" Words fail me as my brain attempts to process every possibility of what Cat's words could hold. I realize I've been too silent for too long when Cat clears her throat, impatience written on her face. Forcing a smile, I turn my seat to face Cat, preparing myself to relive the most painful moment of my life.
"I went to Tori's house yesterday, I saw her kissing Jade. Since then I've been here, trying not to fall apart." Each word burns my throat like acid on it's way up. The explanation is short, but far from sweet. It takes all the self-control I have to hold myself together just to spit that small amount of words out. Cat's eyes widen as she observes me, her tiny hands shoot upwards, clasping in front of her heart, like she expects it to shatter in sympathy.
"Are you sure you saw the whole story?" The words leave Cat's lips unexpectedly and her hands fly over her lips as though it will stop her from saying anything else. If she expects the words to hurt me, she's sorely mistaken. I actually feel my heart swell slightly; it's nice to know that somebody cares enough to even ask that.
"I…" I want to answer her with fire in my voice, commitment in my words. Admittedly though, I don't have a clue what the full story is. Falling into my own thoughts, losing track of Cat I have to wonder. What actually happened? Is my mind just playing tricks on me, leading me to false conclusions?
"Robbie, I say this as your friend, you need to talk to her." Cat's words resonate within me. Like they're linking up with a long forgotten thought deep within me, making me realize something I've known all along. Forcing myself back into the real world, I gaze at Cat. Her eyes are clouded by concern and I have to wonder what prompted this complete 180 degree turn in her attitude towards Tori and I becoming involved.
"Cat, why do you suddenly want to see Tori and I together? You were so against it before, during and after the movies on the weekend." I bite down on my lip as the words leave me, hoping I haven't offended Cat. Seconds pass and I breathe a sign of relief. If she was going to get upset, it would have happened by now. Instead, she's impassive, face devoid of any expression. It's a look that's completely alien on Cat's usually animated face.
I saw how happy she made you." Cat states simply, her voice cutting through the silence as I wonder just what I should say in response to that. Her words were neither comforting, nor aggressive. It's like she was just stating a fact.
"And that changed it?" I ask dumbly, hoping Cat will expand upon what she said. Again, I've caught a glimpse of the observant, wise person hiding behind that mask of naivety. It's addictive, something that I want to see more of. I've never had a friend I could be this open with, that I could speak my mind to.
"I…" Cat begins to speak, but falters. Unspoken words sliding from her lips, before floating away without a sound. I watch her anxiously, scratching the fingernail on my right thumb nervously. Cat's eyes seem so far away right now, lost deep within her own thoughts.
"I'm sorry…" She whimpers, shrinking back at my words.
"I was jealous, I thought she was going to take you away from me. But then nothing changed yesterday, you sat a little closer to Tori, but you still made time for me." There's vulnerability in Cat's words that I've never seen from her before. Sure, I've seen her get upset; I've even seen her cry. None of those occasions felt as real, as heartfelt as her words right now.
"Why were you jealous Cat?" I question gently, as though I'm talking to a child. I know Cat isn't as fragile as she lets on, but she's still a gentle soul.
"You're my best friend, not Jade, not Tori. You are." She replies, looking towards the ground. My mind conjures images of all the times Cat and I had leaned on each other, all of the times where all we had was each other. I can't help but smile at the memories; she's one of a kind.
"Cat, I'll always make time for you. Just like you've always made time for me when you had a boyfriend." I announce, sliding out of my seat and ascending to my feet. Before a second thought can pass through me, I'm stepping towards Cat, leaning over and pulling her into the air. Her giggles flutter through the air with a childlike glee as I twirl her around. It's comfortable and pleasant, if nothing like when I would hold Tori close. There's a smile on my face and a warmth against my chest, it's the thudding of my heart is missing though.
"Promise?" She squeaks, still clinging to my side as if I'm her life preserver. Cat's voice takes on the tone of the little girl that everybody thinks of her as, the little girl that I had thought of her as. Peering down at her crinkled brow as she gazes up at me, my eyebrows slam together in confusion. Then my mind manages to latch onto a plausible reason that she's upset, Cat doesn't believe me.
"Pinkie promise." I reply, watching the worry drain from Cat's face in an instant. Just like a child, where worry and suspicion has been present, excitement has taken hold. Bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, Cat disentangles herself from me, holding her small hands out, pinkies extending toward me. Shaking my head slightly, it's strange how she's almost like the girl everybody expects her to be, yet so different. Lifting my own hands toward Cat, our pinkies interlink and as if through osmosis, Cat's sunny smile infects me once more. I feel the darkness drain away from me if only slightly. Instead of blindly sliding through pitch black, I can see a light in the distance.
It's ever so faint, but it's enough for now.
There you have it, angst with a sprinkling of fluff towards the end. Hopefully that tied up the Cabbie subplot from earlier in the story in a satisfactory way. If this chapter bummed you out, check out the 2nd season three teaser, there's some major Rori.
I'd like to take moment to send a special thanks out to anybody that's reviewed this story or even read it. A massive thanks to RaptorIV. Since I can't PM you and say thanks personally, here it is at the bottom of this chapter. :)
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