Disclaimer: The show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.
Revenge of the Wolf
Chapter 21 – Don't be cruel
No One's POV.
The reunion was tender and heartfelt as Jade and Tori tearfully embraced. However as beautiful as it was, the moment was not destined to last.
Tori had turned into a wolf and forgotten her human side, in an effort to erase the trauma of fighting and seemingly killing her mate. Though they had brought her human side out and Jade turned out to be alive, the trauma of the incident itself remained very intact.
Just as quickly as the tender moment started, Tori found herself flashing back to the fight. All of the emotions associated with it, anger, betrayal, pain, quickly returned.
Next thing Jade knew she was being shoved back.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! DO YOU KNOW WHAT NEARLY HAPPENED THANKS TO YOU!" Exploded Tori.
Suddenly facing the rage and anger of her mate, something that Jade dreaded but knew would happen, she began to shake. "I'm. soooo sorry Tori! Please listen to me…"
"Sorry! You're Sorry!" Ripped Tori, viciously. "Our children almost wound up being raised by that psycho. She was going to raise them on human flesh. Do you know how abhorrent that is. How much it disgusts me."
Backing off further, Jade looked away in shame as Tori continued her verbal attack.
"I told you this wasn't a good idea, you didn't listen, I warned you something wasn't right you didn't listen. You were too busy having your ego boosted by that little tramp!"
Tori, not even thinking twice, continued to lash out at Jade.
"Just how stupid are you. You're supposed to be a leader and you walk us right into a trap."
And so it continued for the next several minutes, Tori berated Jade for being utterly stupid, ego driven and so obsessed with revenge she put not only her family in danger, but the entire werewolf community. More than that Tori also hit her pretty hard about disrespecting her and how a proper mate would never ever consider such a thing.
But as Tori went on, there was something she didn't really become aware of. It was the fact that Jade was not fighting back. In fact, all Jade did was to slowly back up and with each step began to shake more and more, her eyes not daring to look at Tori.
It was only when Jade finally backed into a corner and collapsed; visibly trembling did she realize something was wrong.
Victoria and Jadelyn had decided to get a late bite to eat and were just about to restaurant when they got a phone call from Jade's cell.
"What!" Growled Jadelyn, not happy with the interruption.
The voice she heard was not Jade's it was Tori's and the Latina seemed frantic. "It's Jade. I can't get her to answer me. She won't respond."
Knowing something went wrong with the little happy reunion; Jadelyn cursed silently and turned the car around.
"We'll be there in a few minutes." Jade said before hanging up.
Jadelyn and Tori arrived 10 minutes later Jade in a in a semi fetal position, shaking like a leaf and blankly staring off into space. Tori looked visibly distraught and was shaking her, but to no avail.
"Jade! Talk to me! Please talk to me."
Victoria quickly rushed to Jade's aid while Jadelyn, grabbed Tori by the wrist.
"What in hell happened here!"
"I….I….I…got mad and I started to yell at her. She just collapsed, now she won't respond. She…..what's wrong!"
"Jade, I'm no expert, but she looks completely catatonic!" Said Tori, with a worried expression.
After all the work and trouble she had been through to help Jade out, apparently ruined in a matter of minutes, Jadelyn slapped Tori in the face.
"You stupid wench! First Victoria and I took her into our home, nearly dead. Then we spent weeks trying to put her back together, physically and mentally and in less than a half an hour you ruin pretty much everything we've done. Did it even occur to you that, she's completely traumatized and deeply haunted by what happened? Did that even go through your tiny brain, before you ripped her a new one. She has nightmares every single night, did you know that. No you didn't."
"Jadelyn,stop!" Said Victoria.
The infuriated Jadelyn, continued her tirade. "She's suffering what can only be considered a soul crushing amount of guilt, did you know that. Yes, you're angry and I'd say you have a right to be angry. But from the looks of it, your little stunt too what's left of her mind and pretty much shattered it. She was getting better, she was working out she even got a fucking job. She wanted to make things right. You talk about this special bond a wolf and its mate has, how you're supposed to know how each other feel. Why don't you act like that means something and not like some stupid mutt!"
For a split second there was dead silence as Tori fumed, in rage. She then attacked Jadelyn, locking her hands around her neck.
Of course with her superior strength, Tori could have easily crushed Jadelyn's windpipe.
Before she could even start to choke Jadelyn, Tori froze when she felt something cold, sharp and metal being placed against her neck.
"Tori" Came the eerily calm voice of Victoria. "I'm holding the blade of a pair of razor sharp, sterling silver scissors against your neck. Which means I can easily kill you, so think carefully about your next move. On the first day Jade arrived Jadelyn gave me one of her two pairs of silver scissors and insisted I have it with me at all times; on my person during the day and under my pillow at night. Just in case of an emergency. She was most insistent and I'm glad I listened to her. Now first, get your hands off my fiancé's neck, RIGHT NOW! I'm no werewolf, but I will kill you to protect, MY MATE!"
Looking just a bit surprised, Tori removed her hands off of Jadelyns neck, but found that Tori had not moved the scissors.
"Good. Now listen carefully, Jadelyn was crude and needlessly insulting, but essentially right. I know you didn't want to hurt her any more today than the day of the big fight. But as I see it, you need to be careful. You're both quite traumatized and as a result can very easily hurt each other. You lashed out without thinking, letting your anger run the show. You do have a right to be angry, but you can just let it out uncontrolled. You both need to work out your issues, constructively. You didn't take into consideration Jade's mental state and as a result it appears to have collapsed. Now I want you to calm down. Let's work the problem."
Victoria then glared at Jadelyn who had backed off and was still trying to catch her breath, but otherwise looked ok. "and that goes for you too."
"We good now Tori?"
Now looking very sober, Tori nodded.
As soon as Tori, removed her scissors she crumpled to the floor, crawled over to Jade and pulled her into her arms.
Tori began to gently stroke Jades long black hair. "I didn't want to harm her. I mean it."
Victoria put the scissors back in her purse. "I agree with Jadelyn that you do have a right to be angry. Jade, screwed up and walked you into a trap. She put in danger you, your children and the whole werewolf community. I can tell also you're upset about having to fight her."
Jadelyn having recovered, pointed at Tori. "Jade is mostly to blame here, but not totally! I know my Tori and she's no pushover. She's also stopped me from doing things that I shouldn't. I'd be willing to bet you're the same way. No one put a gun to your head. You walked in there, you could have put your foot, at least tried to do more to stop her. Now that doesn't excuse Jade's actions one bit, but know this….you walked in there. No one made ….."
"Jadelyn that's enough!" Barked Victoria, cutting Jadelyn off. " Take Jade into her room and put her to bed. I'm going to keep talking to Tori. And apologize for calling a dumb mutt."
Jadelyn walked over to where Tori was holding Jade. "I'm sorry I called you a dumb mutt."
"I'm sorry I went after you. That never should have happened." Replied Tori, a look of shame in her eyes as she released Jade.
Jadelyn then picked Jade up and started towards the bedroom and paused in the doorway. "Tori, A lot of things never should have happened. My mother should have never died less than 2 minutes after I was born, I never should have dated an abusive rapist, you should have never walked into that trap, as I said a lot of things never should have happened. But they did. But we need to learn to try and live with those things. Some days I do better than others, but I always try. You two need to do the same, or it will eat you alive."
Jadelyn then walked into the bedroom leaving Victoria and Tori alone.
Victoria then got up walked to the fridge, got out two beers and placed on the kitchen table and sat down.
"Sit with me."
Tori quietly got off the floor and sat down at the table opposite Victoria. For a moment she studied the bottle of Budweiser in front of her, then after opening it, took a drink.
"Look, Tori I'm not going to apologize for…."
"You don't have too. You were protecting her from me. I can't fault you for that, in fact I'm glad you did."
Victoria took another drink of her beer and for a full minute neither spoke.
It was Tori the broke the silence, but sounding sad and resigned. "She's right!"
"About?"
Tori sighed. "Me walking in there. Jade did pressure me, she did lay a guilt trip on me and those did play a part in my decision, but it was my decision. I was suspicious of Margo, but I still followed her inside, just like Jade did. Some of the blame is mine."
"Blame is a tricky thing sometimes. For the moment, I don't think it's all that important. But I think there's plenary to go around. "
"How did they find out about Margo?"
"It seems Valentina is a Major in the Russian army, specifically Russian Military Intelligence. She not only hunts as a hobby, she occasionally uses her skills to hunt down, rather dangerous people, terrorists, drug lords. That kind of thing. She was on vacation when she met you and just wanted to help. But shed some contacts in the Russian military to get some data off Mrs. Janda's phone. One of those led to a house, where Julia and Valentina discovered Margo was living."
"Oh."
"There's more. They found a collection of skulls in the basement and a fresh kill. She's been hunting humans and eating them for several years."
Tori nodded. "A renegade. That's what we call them. I hope she rots in hell."
"They also found some of that substance they used in the brothel. Julia and Valentina realized you were walking into a trap. You know the rest. They got Beck to try and warn you but he was too late. He did managed to help you in your fight against Margo."
Tori took a long drink of her beer, but said nothing.
"I have good news. Fiona and the girls are fine. Your parents have moved into your home and they are being watched. Beck is our man on the inside. He stops by a couple times a week. We think as long as Claudia thinks you're both dead, she won't go after the children. In fact we believe she'll play the long game and try to befriend them. Claudia sent a condolence card and some flowers to the house with a note saying that if they needed anything to contact her. If she shows up there, Beck knows to call Julia immediately"
Tori hated not being able to protect her little ones and made a mental note to thank Beck later. Then another thought came to her mind.
"She thinks we're dead?"
"Everyone does. The only people who know the truth are Julia, Valentina and Beck. After you fled, Julia used her magic to collapse the rest of the building. As far as everyone else is concerned, you Jade and Margo are all under that pile of rubble."
"Does Claudia believe that?"
"As a matter of fact she does. Julia said that Claudia knows of an ancient ritual, where some kind of spirit could be summoned and it could sense the life force of anyone on the planet. Now it couldn't' find them, but it could sense its existence. Julia and Valentina took Jade here as here she's utterly undetectable. Claudia's cast it twice, once looking for Jade, shortly after this all happened, and once about a few days ago, looking for you. In each case, she found nothing. In her mind, you're both officially dead."
Tori lowered her head into her hands. "Now what? I'm messed up, Jade's catatonic. My mind is still spinning from all of this."
"You both need therapy, badly. Perhaps you can find a werewolf therapist in your world. You also both need to remember just how fragile the other is. One last thing you don't know. Jade was fully aware of what she was doing when she was forced to attack you. She senses Claudia wanted her to suffer. She was aware the entire time and it haunts her deeply. Believe me, she's painfully aware of how badly she messed up. Right now, you two need each other."
"But Jade's…."
"Catatonic. I know. But I think with some TLC, she'll come round. Here you're safe and here you can both recover until you're ready….."
Already sensing the answer, Tori asked. "Ready for what?"
"You both know Claudia is into some nasty stuff. That her reputation as a honest, decent member of the wizards council is an illusion. If you show up, she will come after you or your children. I'm afraid to say it, but you have no choice, but to take her out first and while you still have the advantage of being dead."
Tori lifted her head and threw up her arms. "How?"
"Before they left, Julia mentioned they found a possible lead in Margo's house and right now, Valentina and Julia are quietly following up on it. They'll let us know. But for now, you worry about yourselves."
Tori took another drink. "Jade has a job?"
"Yes, washing dishes part time at some Templar's family restaurant. It's a few blocks from here. I'll speak with Jadelyn tonight, until jade is better, I'll see if I can get her to take Jade's place. So Jade won't lose her job. She's also been working out at a local health club and jogging again. She is trying, despite her rather hunted mind."
Tori finished her beer and got up from the table, with a distant sorrowful expression. "I can't thank you enough for all you've done. I just blew up without thinking. You've both worked so hard and I come and wreck it, not to mention nearly strangling Jadelyn. I'm very sorry."
"Go to her."
Tori walked into the bedroom where she found Jadelyn sitting by the bed. After giving her a mildly suspicious look, Jadelyn go up and started to leave.
"I got her to go to sleep. Don't ask me how I managed it. Maybe she'll be better in the morning, I don't know. If you'll excuse me."
Tori stopped her. "Again I'm sorry. I didn't realize how messed up I was or how messed up Jade was. I reacted badly, please forgive me. I will make this up to the both of you."
Jadelyn nodded. "I do, but don't think me or Victoria will stop carrying those silvers scissors."
"Fair enough."
Tori paused for a moment as Jadelyn left then turned her attention to her lover. She was lying in bed, her eyes closed, looking for the moment quite peaceful.
After watching her for a few moments, Tori closed the door, stripped down and crawled into the bed with Jade.
Pressed up against her, Tori whispered. "There's so much to say. But for now, theirs is only one thing you need to know. I love you, I always have and always will. Nothing will ever change that. We'll make it baby."
Jade stirred, just for a moment, then lay still again. Tori could only hope that meant Jade heard her.
Exhausted and emotionally worn out, Tori closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep.
Meanwhile back in Tori and Jade's universe.
Julia normally kept her home very neat and tidy. But today, her dining room was a mess of maps, pictures, books on history, geography and magic, plus a half drunk bottle of wine. At the moment Julia and Valentina were looking over a detailed map.
"That's the place Julia. She's there, that's her lair, so to speak. What we found, points right there."
"I'd like to agree with you, but I'm just not 100% certain. We need to be 100% certain, or Claudia and her minions will cook us both."
Valentina appeared to think for a moment and then using her finger ran a line across the map. "I think it will be in range."
"What?"
"The program is pronounced orlinyy glaz, or in English, Eagle eye. In this case it's Eagle eye 3. It's one of the Russian Military surveillance satellite's that circle the earth. That one passes over Europe, every other day."
Julia found herself amazed that Valentina would even part with what she assumed to be classified information. "A spy satellite?"
"Yes, I'm owed a large number of favors and if I cash them in, I may just get us a few close up shots of that particular spot, on one of its next passes."
"How close?"
Valentina smiled. "Close."
"Valentina, I hate to see you go through all this trouble."
The Russian drained her glass and refilled it. "Margo not only fooled Jade and Tori, she fooled me. I'm a werewolf and a trained intelligence agent, should have seen it coming, or at least been more suspicious. I feel obligated to Jade, my queen, to make up for this by using every means at my disposal to help locate where Claudia hides out."
"I admire your dedication."
Valentina smiled. "Don't knock yourself. You've gone above and beyond. We found it."
"We think we found it. We can't even think of going to Jade about this, until we know for absolute sure."
"We will. You and I. We make a great team you and I'm not just saying that. In fact, I've rather enjoyed our time together. "
Julia found herself blushing at the compliment. "Thank you. We've spent a lot of time together in the last few weeks, finding Tori and then following up on this lead. I like spending time with you."
The pair had worked together much in the last several weeks and they found they actually had much in common and got along extremely well. In fact by now, though they had not said it openly, they had become close friends. It was strange for Julia whom like to flirt but had few friends and never one that she became so close to so quickly.
Valentina slapped Julia on the back. "Come on, we can do nothing more now until we can get those satellite photos. If you can whip up a teleport spell and get us to Moscow, I'll show you a real good time. We'll hit some of the hottest clubs and we'll melt one or two of my credit cards at some of the most expensive stores. Then you can tell me about all these young studs, you like to play around with."
Julia blushed even further. "So my reputation as a cougar has gotten around a bit. What can I say, I like their energy."
"But none of them stuck."
Julia shook her head with a rather disappointed expression. "No. Their fun but I always lose interest eventually. No one's ever kept my interest very long. What about you. You're in your 30's and I don't see any ring on your finger."
Valentina made half smile than shrugged. "Never found the right person either. But you never know, whom may just keep your interest."
Julia smiled as she moved to gather the ingredients for the teleportation spell. "No Mr. Right either, at least I'm not alone. Think we'll meet anyone?"
"Forget the men, who needs them anyway, this will just be a girl's night. One wizard and one werewolf, we'll have a great time."
So, we had a bit of a setback with Jade, after Tori yelled at her. Both women have to realize that the other is just as fragile as the other and they must work together to work their way through it.
But on the other hand Julia and Valentina seem to be on to something. Possibly in more ways than one.
The chapter title, "Don't be cruel" is from the Elvis Presley song of the same name.
Last minute rant of the day: What the fuck 2016! First you Take, David Bowie, Then you take, Angus Scrimm AKA (The tall man) from the Phantasm movies. Then you take, Alan "Snape" Rickman and now Glenn Frey of the eagles. Stop bumping off all my heroes, 2016 you're shaping up to be a sucky year.