Heroes of the Past and Present

Disclaimer: Do not own Victorious, do not own the video game

A/N:

Chapter 35 (Ancestor's Guidance)

Trina moaned and slowly sat up, startled by her surroundings. She was in the bedroom of Sarah's home. She looked towards the open door and started to smile when she heard Tori's voice outside the room. She pushed herself from the bed, staggering once she got onto her feet. Nearly falling over, she grabbed the edge of the table beside her and held herself up. "Damn," she breathed out as a rush of pain shot through her body.

"Whoa!" She looked over in time to see Sinjin hurrying through the door. She released the table and turned around, happy to see him save and alive. She turned a bit too quickly, because in that instant, she became dizzy and her body grew numb, causing her to fall forward. Sinjin managed to catch her and chuckled as she looked up to him, groaning. "Careful Trina, your body's still recovering. You lost a shitload of blood back there…God we were worried…"

"Thought I wasn't going to make it?"

"Yeah. I just stepped out for some water, I come back and you're trying to walk? That's a big step." She laughed and moved her arms around him, hugging him tight. Tears began to form in her eyes, and her fingers became tangled in his shirt. His voice softened as she pressed her cheek against his chest. "How are you feeling, Trina? Aside from, possible dizziness?"

"Scared. Thought I was going to lose you and Tori. I couldn't lose you two…I am so sick of people leaving me, so sick of losing the people in my life. Just when I start thinking I can be happy…everything starts crashing around me." Sinjin helped her to sit on the bed and sat beside her, holding a protective arm around her waist. She set her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing heavily. "I thought it was all gone for sure…"

"You've always carried the weight of everything on your shoulders. You've taken bad things harder than most people ever would, and the good things that have happened in your life can sometimes fade away into obscurity. What happened back there, I know you're going to want to place a lot of emphasis and fret over it, but don't. Everyone's safe, everything is okay."

"Except Meredith won't get to see her son…" She saw what he was talking about, and he was correct. All her experiences in life led her to look at the bad and to let that outshine the good. She felt guilty, sure over having had to take out Zander, but doing so she saved many lives. The lives should outweigh that, shouldn't it?

"It was probably for the best, Trina. If you think about it, Zander was so intent on murder that he would have killed Meredith regardless. He was going to kill everybody, you saved their lives, including Meredith's own. That's what matters, that you saved lives. The lives of many innocents outweighs one murderer…as cold as it sounds."

"Could he have been saved?"

She glanced to the door and saw Sarah leaning against the frame, arms folded and a soft smile on her face. "You know, I wonder that myself many times." Sarah walked into the room and sat on the other side of Trina. Sarah looked to the wall and exhaled. "Whenever I come across a fight, I have to asses the situation. I always ask myself, 'can this person be saved'? Sometimes the answer is 'no'. Sometimes you have to take someone down in order to save lives." Trina bowed her head, only raising it back up when she felt her ancestor's hand on her shoulder. Sarah gazed at her with a comforting gaze. "Life is full of difficult decisions, and every day you have to make tough decisions. Being strong isn't about having all the courage in the world, or saving everyone possible, even the bad guys. It's about having the guts, having the power to make the tough decisions, the right choices…If that means having to take one life in order to save many, then that's what you have to do. No one should ever have to be put on the spot in that case, but sometimes it is inevitable. You saved a lot of lives out there…"

"Thanks. You know…you're going to save lives too." Sarah chuckled as Trina looked up to her, full of respect and admiration. There was still the inevitable war that was coming, and Trina already knew the outcome, but the outcome was better for everyone. She didn't want to think too much about it, she didn't really care for over-thinking things. "Dad's always told us stories about you, about the others, and I have always looked up to you…sometimes I wanted to be just like you." She chuckled nervously and reached up to brush her hair back from her face. Sarah beamed with pride. "I never really figured you had trouble making those hard decisions, as you say, but I guess I see how it goes."

"Thank you. Yes, it's not easy. There are a lot of things I've done that I regret, but when I look at the bigger picture, I see how a lot of my choices and decisions come together for the better. You just have to pick yourself up and keep going."

"I know." She glanced to the door once more and frowned. "For a second out there. I was terrified…afraid of Tori's friends being killed. I was worried about them, not because I didn't want Tori to lose them or anything, but…weirdly enough, I was just worried. I didn't want to lose them…" Sarah clasped her hands between her knees and looked up to the wall in front of them, she smiled and nodded her head.

"Like it or not they've impacted your life, whether positively or negatively they are a part of your life. Aveline briefed me a bit more on what's been going on, and it sounds like you have been through a lot with them lately. Maybe you won't trust them right away or be on the friendliest of terms for some time, but a part of you might acknowledge their importance in your life?"

"I don't know, I don't want to trust them and then see them hurt me again. I don't want to see them hurt Tori again. Do I think they're going to? I don't know."

Sarah shrugged her shoulders and glanced back to her. Trina was kicking herself for being so confused over all of this. She didn't know how she felt about them, she wanted to trust them and to give them a chance, but she was afraid. Terrified of them walking over her again. "Sometimes, Trina, trust isn't about having blind faith in someone. It's about having faith that there's goodness in someone, that you believe them when they say they care about you. I don't think any of them ask that you have blind faith, and I don't think any of them expect you to trust them right away, but to give them a chance doesn't mean you're saying that you will. It just means you're saying that there's a possibility in the future that you will be on good terms with them, but if they screw up, there isn't a big possibility of it."

"So it's okay if I hold them at arm's length but to be friendly?"

"Oh yes, of course. You're only watching your own heart and emotions, and that's more than understandable."

"What about Lindsay? I…I don't know what to do about her."

"Lindsay?" Sarah tapped her chin, raising an eyebrow as she tried to recall their first conversation. "Ah! Yes, well, she's one of your best friends, right?"

"Was…"

"The best," Sinjin reminded her. Trina laughed once and closed her eyes as she drew in a sharp breath. She loved Lindsay with all her heart, and truly wanted to reconnect, but she was terrified that she'd lose her again. She pushed her away once, she didn't want to do it again. "She was a far better friend to you than I ever was."

"True…but you stayed with me."

"She only left your side because of all the arguing over those people out there. That was only because both of you were stressed out with each of your own personal dilemmas at the time. I'm pretty sure she would love to be with you again." Sarah hummed to herself and started to stand. Trina looked up to her, wanting a surefire answer.

"I would say, if you're willing to give your sister's friends a chance to redeem themselves and to try and be on good terms with them…and they're the ones who have given you all the grief, as well as being the reason you and Lindsay separated, then why wouldn't you give Lindsay a chance?" She held onto her breath and glanced to her feet. It really was just her stubborn pride, and her clinging onto past things that kept her from acknowledging certain things such as this. Sarah was correct, in every way she was right. Sarah turned to her and folded her arms over, smiling at her. "Now if you must ask, I say what I've already told you." She reached over, tapping Trina on the right temple. Trina laughed once and leaned back. "Tell that brain of yours to shut up, and listen to what you feel in your heart is the right decision. Sometimes, taking a risk, can lead to the greatest things in life…am I right?" Sarah motioned to Sinjin, and Trina quickly wrapped her arms around his arm, brimming with confidence. If she hadn't taken Sarah's advice the first time, she probably never would have opened herself up to Sinjin, and she was extremely glad that she did.

"Yeah…I suppose so." Sinjin reached over and kissed her neck, sending a tickling sensation through her body. She laughed and leaned away, her knees pressed against each other and she shuddered as he leaned back, smirking at her. She playfully smacked his shoulder and looked up to Sarah once more, grinning as the woman looked smugly at her. "Yes, yes you're right."

"You're happy?"

"I am."

"Good. You deserve some happiness in your life. Now, do you think you can stand?"

"Yeah…" She started to stand up, using Sinjin's shoulder for leverage. "How is everyone else?"

"Recovering, but everybody's fine. They're just waiting for you to come out. You're the woman of the hour."

"I'm glad. Woman of the hour? Oh god..." She cringed at the thought, yet allowed it to bring a smile to her face. Before, she would love to have been the center of attention, but these days it was the farthest thing from her mind. "I guess I'd better go out there then. Have you seen Bethany or Gamlen yet?"

"Yes, actually, Aveline sent word to both of them and they came by about an hour ago." How long had she been out? She couldn't believe she missed the reunion! It didn't matter though, she was happy that everything was shaping up for them, regardless. She couldn't be happier with the news than she was already. "I believe I've never seen Bethany so excited before. You know how it is with younger sisters looking up to you…Tori won't stop going on about how much of a hero you've always been for her. I think you should be proud of her."

Trina smiled and quickly nodded, "She's my sister, I'll always love her no matter what." As if there were ever any question, she could never stop loving Tori, that girl meant the world to her.

Once they made it out of the room and down the stairs, it was Tori who first reacted. Trina was startled by her sister's joyous cry, and was practically knocked over when Tori ran over to her and threw her arms around her. "I'm glad you're awake!" Tori exclaimed, "I was so worried!"

"Well fortunately you won't have to worry anymore, everything's going to be fine." Trina breathed in slowly and looked to her sister's friends, she knew the adventure wasn't over yet. Still, she wanted them to be safe. "I guess I have to go let Meredith know about Zander, this isn't going to be easy...I'm relieved all of you are all right."

Jade chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, "We couldn't let ourselves go out like that. Besides, we had to make sure you were going to be okay. Would you believe Sinjin wouldn't leave your side for a minute?"

"Cliché, but I'm not surprised." She smirked at him and he rolled his eyes, still smiling back at her. She leaned into him, whispering softly. "I love you." With that, she kissed his chin and pulled back to Tori, hugging her little sister. "Thank you guys…for getting me back here in one piece."

So they seem to be in good shape. Now it's just time to tell Meredith about her son. Though, that war may break out soon.