Estrangement

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

Chapter 34 (A Family Coming Together)

"How was church?" Kate asked as Tori walked into the office Monday morning. She felt blissful and full of energy.

"It was fantastic." Zack and Alex enjoyed it, and of course Alex really enjoyed hanging out with Rachel, Daniel and Megan. Of course, Trina's pastor announced the baby, but it was not yet known the gender. Sinjin was hoping for another son to balance out the family. "I'm so glad Trina's finally giving me a chance."

"Yeah, we told her it would be a good thing for both of you." Kate stood up and grabbed her lab coat from the table. "Are you ready to get started? I don't expect you to know everything yet, so right now I just want you to observe."

"Okay." She was excited to actually start working on patients, but it would be some time before then. No matter how long it had been, she still needed more training before she went in and screwed something up. "So nothing too different from usual today?"

"Right, take it slow and take notes." She grabbed her veterinarian journal and smiled as she followed Kate out of the office. There was a lot left to learn, and she was eager now to learn everything. Kate looked over her shoulder and smiled. "You seem much happier. Glad Trina's finally starting to come around, huh?"

"Very. I was scared she would never decide to give me a real chance. More than ever I wanted that, so it's like the best thing about coming to New York." Kate laughed and nodded slightly.

"Trina really did miss you guys, she's let her pride dictate those last twenty years. Emma and I always felt she wanted to see you or call you, but just kept telling herself she was through and that you wouldn't even bother with her. You showing up at her door did more for her than just throw a wrench into her life plans, I think it helped her to see what she was missing from her life. You know?" Tori nodded slowly, smiling pleasantly at the thought. Always she was an important part of Trina's life, and Trina a part of hers, she just lost sight of that and pushed her sister away when she should never have done so in the first place.

"Well then, I'm glad we found her. She and I are going to keep talking to Jade, we're slowly mending our relationship again." They were going to let Jade monitor their progress until she was certain the sisters no longer had to meet with her on a regular basis.

"That's good news. Are you two doing anything tonight?"

"Yeah, we're heading to the DNA clinic with Megan." Kate turned and raised an eyebrow. "Megan's not been feeling well and she told me that she would still like to confirm that Sinjin is her biological dad, so I had her talk to Trina, and she agreed. So we went down to take that test, and we're going to check the results."

"Ah. Emma and I always assumed her father was Sinjin. In some ways she acts just like her dad, in other ways just like her mom. You know she's in Volleyball and the track team?"

"Oh! I didn't know that actually." That was just like Trina, though Trina didn't really stay on the Volleyball team long. Mostly she was involved in track, martial arts, and gymnasia. She had been a gymnast in her early years, and a cheerleader in her junior high years. "Megan's an impressive and smart girl, I love how close she is to her mom and dad. Same with Rachel and Danny. I only hope I have a family like that one day."

"I'm sure you will, Tori. What about that guy you're dating?"

"My boyfriend, Zack? He is a good man." Tori smiled at the warm beats of her heart and took a deep breath as Kate led her out to the receptionist desk.

"He has a son, right? You get along with his son?"

"Yes, Alex is a great kid." She never thought about them as a family, but it was possible. She wanted to focus on her immediate family first, however. Right now Trina's family had top priority in her life, no questions asked. "Maybe one day, I don't know what's going to happen in the future. If I did, I would have changed so many things about the past."

Kate laughed lightly and began flipping through papers on her clipboard, studying the schedule of appointments for the day. "It's a shame isn't it? The most coveted and anticipated invention of the future that everyone wants now and in the past is the time machine. 2030, and still no one has invented the time machine!"

"I know, right? There must be a reason people keep putting it off."

"No one wants to play god, I think. Can you think of all the things someone could change? Honestly, I wouldn't change anything. It's better to live life without regrets and to learn from the past mistakes and events, because those things are what make you who you are." Kate lifted her eyes up and pointed her pen at Tori. "The reason you are here right now, the reason you are who you are is because of everything that led up to this moment. Say you went back in time and stopped Trina from leaving that day. So many things could be different-up to the point that maybe even the children she has now wouldn't exist."

"Wow…"

"Then realizing that, we see that use of a time machine to change something could be a selfish act." Her eyebrows shot up and her shoulders slumped. Kate moved the clipboard to her side, holding it between her wrist and body as her fingers locked around her belt. "When people want to change something in the past, in their life, they're not thinking about how anyone else is affected. Say you went back. Trina's extremely happy with where she is in life, she loves her children, her husband, and even has great financial security. She wouldn't have had any of that if she didn't leave Las Angeles. She wouldn't have ever met me, Emma, Nancy…"

"True. Maybe that's why no one's invented it yet, they just don't want someone else changing their lives." The women laughed for a minute then Kate turned back away.

"Or they did invent it, screwed something up, and went back in time to stop themselves from inventing the time machine."

"Always possible."

"Anyway, our first appointment is set to come in about an hour, so let's get everything set up. We have a fairly busy day today, a lot of stuff to do."

"All right."

Later that night, Tori sat beside Trina, Megan and Sinjin at the clinic while waiting for the nurse to retrieve the DNA results. Trina had her arm around her daughter's shoulders while Megan was holding onto her father's hand. Tori watched the girl study the door ahead of them. She didn't look afraid, but rather confident and strong like her mom. Tori knew Megan was nervous, since the girl confided her nervousness to her already.

"No matter what happens," Megan said under her breath as she looked up to her dad, "I know you're my dad regardless. I love you, daddy." Sinjin smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. She took a deep breath and moved her head to his shoulder. "Nothing changes with this."

"I love you too honey, and no, nothing will change." DNA wasn't what made family, that much was clear. What made family were the ties, the bonds, the love and trust as well as respect. Trina looked over to Tori with a slightly nervous glance.

"Thank you for being here," she whispered.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything." Tori's heart lifted as Trina reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It seemed that Trina knew she was there for her, and that's all she ever wanted. "You know I'm here for you, big sis. You and your family."

"Right." Trina looked over her shoulder at the car outside. "Is Courtney still helping mom out of the car?" Tori looked at the window with a chuckle. Holly had a cane she used to walk, and of course, Courtney was right beside her with her hand on her back as she steadied the slowly moving woman.

"Looks that way, Tri." Courtney looked exasperated, and Holly was waving her hand in the air as if she didn't want the help. Tori looked towards the children's play area where Rachel was watching Daniel play with Alex, who was here with his father. Zack was in the restroom, he was only here because Tori asked for his support, after Trina and Megan confirmed they were fine with it. After all, he was almost like family at this point. "Family is there for each other, right?"

"Yeah, it looks that way." Trina shifted in her seat as she looked to the bathroom. Zach walked out, washing his hands and heaving forth a heavy sigh. "Although this is more people than I would have liked. Megan has a track meet coming up in about a week, her team's racing against a rival school. Will you guys be there?"

"If you want me to be. I'll ask Zack if he'd like to go."

"Go where?" Zack asked as he sat down beside her. Megan leaned forward and looked over to Zack with a smile.

"My school track team is running against a rival team. I could use all the support I can get! It's next Saturday." Zack smiled and nodded his head.

"I'll try and make it."

The door opened and Holly let out a shout, "I got it, I got it!" Tori and Trina snapped their eyes in the direction of their mom, both laughing as Courtney rolled her eyes.

"You practically fell over trying to get up those stairs!" Courtney defended.

"I'm old, I'm not feeble."

"Uh huh. You're just lucky I'm nice enough to not take away that cane of yours." Courtney continued to guide Holly beside her daughters. Zack stood up and let her take his chair.

"Thank you," Holly smiled appreciatively at him and took a seat while Courtney merely shook her head.

"I swear…"

"Don't mind mom," Tori laughed, "She's just on one of her grumpy days." Courtney chuckled and took a seat.

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"I am not grumpy!" Holly snapped. Just then, the nurse's door opened and Megan's name was called. Since there was no one else in the waiting room, Trina just stood up with her daughter and husband, letting the nurse walk over, studying the family.

"You're all together just for this?" The nurse had some skepticism in her tone. Trina looked back Tori and smiled softly.

"Yeah, I guess it is a family thing." She put her hands to Megan's shoulders and looked at the nurse while Rachel, Daniel, and Alex hurried over to their parents. "So what's the verdict? Who's my baby's dad?" Her voice trembled for a second and a tear started to come to her eyes. Megan squeezed her mom's hand and leaned into her, trying to comfort her.

"It's okay mom, I don't care who it is. Be strong…" Trina gazed down with pride at her daughter, then held her head up high. Tori felt a strong sense of that same pride. She studied the family, her heart swelled up, and for once she felt like this family was complete.

The nurse looked handed the paperwork to Trina, smiling softly. "Your daughter's DNA matches with your husband's." Tori nearly screamed for joy as she watched her sister's face turn to relief. Sinjin grinned widely as his daughter squealed and hugged him tight.

"I knew it!" the girl cried. Trina put her hand to her chest and sucked in a deep breath. Tori stood up and walked beside her sister, studying the paper. She brought her hand to Trina's shoulder and met her sister's joyous gaze.

"I don't think there was ever any doubt," Tori remarked. "I'm glad it's confirmed, though." Trina turned to her and took her hands into hers. Tori's heart began to pound as she watched a new emotion come over Trina. No longer was she the hardened, sharp boss that she'd first seen when she got to New York. Now, Tori was looking into the eyes of her one and only sister. Tears welled up in her own eyes as Trina pulled her into a deep hug.

"Thank you, Tori…" Tori gasped softly and lifted her hands, hugging Trina back. The rest of the family rose up, all watching the sisters. "I never doubted it either, but…I was scared…Wouldn't have made it without you here."

"Trina."

"It's going to take some time, but I know you're here for me. For the first time, it does feel like I have everything, that my family really is complete. It's good to have you back, it really is. I…love you, baby sister." Tori's heart shot up to her throat, and her tears barreled down her cheeks. Finally, her sister was finally opening up to her. She closed her eyes and tightened her embrace around her sister.

"Love you too, Trina…I'm here for you always, you know that. If you don't, then get used to it, because I'm not letting you go." Trina laughed and wiped her eyes, quick to clear her throat as she realized her tough exterior was falling. Though Tori didn't mind at all. She swept away her own tears and let her voice waver for the moment. "I never should have let you go all those years ago…but it doesn't matter, right? We're a family now."

"Right…"

Family is always there for one another, and here we see that true unity forming in light of good news.