Numb. That was what she felt when the voice that crackled across the phone line delivered the news. Coldly, impersonally. The Goth slid down the wall she had been leaning against, pulling her knees to her chest. Her parents, dead, in a car crash. It couldn't be. Her parents were invincible. Unconsciously, a whimper broke past her lips as her heart broke; a cry of pain. Her body felt frozen, knuckles white as her fingers clutched at her shins. It was her day off. The studio didn't call today. But all that slipped from Jade's mind as her world blew apart.
When Tori came home to silence, she frowned. Normally on her day off, Jade would be sprawled on the couch marathoning movies or shows on Netflix.
"Jade?" She called, putting her jacket and shoes away and dropping her bag. She looked around the apartment and, not finding her, headed into the bedroom. "Jade." She breathed. Her girlfriend was curled up in the corner of their room, staring blankly in front of her. "Jade, what happened? How long have you been here? You're freezing!" Tori dropped to her knees beside her and wrapped her in a fleece blanket from their bed. Kneeling in front of her, Tori peered into her eyes. "Jade? Babe, what happened?" she asked softly, gently taking her girlfriend's freezing hands and blowing on them to warm them. Slowly, the girl's eyes focussed on the tan girl in front of her.
"P'rents." She mumbled, blinking slowly, eyes still showing shock. Warm lips brushed across Jade's knuckles, and her eyes slowly focussed on Tori's hands.
"What happened with your parents, baby?" Tori asked hesitantly, still warming Jade's hands in hers. There was a long, bruised silence.
"There was an accident." Jade finally spoke, some life finally returning to her eyes. They filled with tears and she shut them, letting her head fall against the wall with a loud thump. "They're dead, Tori. They're dead." She whispered harshly into the silent room, letting the words fly out at last. Tori watched as she crumbled, her face contorting in pain and her body folding in on itself, as she bowed her head to her knees, sobbing hysterically. Helplessly, Tori pulled her into her lap as Jade wept into her neck.
"I...I'm sorry, Jade." Tori pressed kisses gently to her temple, rubbing her back soothingly as she cried.
"They're never coming back." Jade whimpered, her lungs burning from her stuttered breathing. For once, Tori had nothing to say back.
"I'm sorry." She finally whispered again, wrapping her arms around her as Jade's fingers clutched at her shirt tightly, face still buried in her neck as tears continued to pour.
After what seemed like hours, Jade's body finally stopped shaking with sobs and she fell asleep in Tori's arms. Though she gave a small sigh of relief, Tori knew that the night was going to be a long one. Careful not to jostle her, the singer stood with her girlfriend in her arms and tucked her into their bed, turning on the bedside lamps to cast a soft, comforting glow in the bedroom. After taking a quick shower, Tori changed into some more comfortable clothes and made herself some coffee, settling in with study materials beside Jade to be there for her.
She'd only been asleep for what seemed like seconds before her mind conjured up grotesque images of her parents' broken bodies. Over and over again, her brain came up with different scenarios of how the crash happened, each one more ghastly and gory than the first. With no way to wake herself, Jade watched in horror as she witnessed her parents' deaths in full, graphic detail.
Tori had only settled in for about a half an hour before her attention was diverted by soft whimpering coming from Jade's side of the bed. Setting her laptop and papers on the bedside table, she wriggled beneath the covers to lie beside her girlfriend, pulling the girl into her arms and rubbing her back.
"Shh...it's just a dream, Jade. I'm right here. Just a dream. Nobody's gonna hurt you. I'm right here, baby." She murmured soothing words as the girl settled down and her breathing calmed. With her girlfriend sprawled across her body, Tori shuffled towards the center of the bed and made room for her laptop, continuing to stay awake as she kept watch over Jade. Throughout the rest of the night, Tori continued to have to comfort the girl. Every hour or so, Jade would either start whimpering or start crying out in her sleep. A few times, she woke up to the softly lit bedroom and the comforting warmth of Tori's arms around her, and she always fell asleep quickly afterwards.
"Hey." Tori blinked a couple of times as she woke, to the sound of Jade's voice. Her girlfriend had stacked her hands on her stomach and rested her chin on them, watching Tori as she slept.
"Hey." Tori replied, voice hoarse with sleep as she smiled sadly at Jade. She rested a hand gently on the side of her girlfriend's face. "How're you feeling?" She murmured, rubbing her thumb over her cheek. Jade shrugged.
"Sad. But better now." She gave a half-smile. "Thanks for...you know. Being...here."
"I'm always here for you." Tori reassured her, lacing their fingers together. Jade shuffled up and leaned over, pressing her lips gently against Tori.
"I know. Thank you." She mumbled into their kiss. "I love you so much." She pulled back and met amber eyes. "I love you so much." She whispered again as tears sprang into her eyes, pressing their lips together again. "You're the closest thing to family I have left anymore." Pulling back, she smiled sadly at her girlfriend. Tori framed Jade's face in her hands, leaning their foreheads together.
"I will always be here for you. Waiting for you to come home." She breathed, tears shining in her eyes. "I know it hurts right now, but one day, you'll remember them and who they were and it won't hurt anymore. And they will always, always, be here in your heart." She murmured, placing a hand gently over Jade's heart.
"I love you." Jade breathed again, tears falling as she buried her face in the crook of Tori's neck.
"And I, you."