Disclaimer: The show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.

Start from scratch

Chapter 3 – Brick wall.

This chapter will be a bit intense, possible trigger warnings.

No one's POV.

After a few minutes in her room, Tori came out in sweats. Then she washed her hands and wordlessly started dinner. Knowing her help wasn't wanted, Jade put her phone on vibrate and turned on the TV.

There was nothing really on and Jade ended up watching the mindless Wheel of Fortune. She hated the show, but it served as distraction from the banging of pots in the kitchen and her incessantly buzzing phone.

After about a half hour, Jade heard Tori call out. "Dinners ready."

Walking into the kitchen, Jade could see the small table was set for two, with spaghetti and salad dinner on the table.

Not knowing what to say, Jade sat down, served herself and began to eat. Despite her icy demeanor, Jade found Tori's cooking to be rather good.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Jade said.

"Thank you. It's very good."

Tori who had been looking only at her plate, raised her head and nodded. "Welcome."

Jade felt the need to say something else, anything. "So how's Trina?"

"Fine." An annoyed looking Tori, said quickly.

Jade just lowered her head and resumed eating. After a few minutes, more Jade became aware of the distant buzzing of her phone for about the 20th time this evening. Already frustrated by Tori's icy demeanor, Jade didn't deal with Beck's calls.

So abruptly she got up and walked over to phone where she could see it was Beck. Jade quickly answered.

"Beck, I'm alive. I'm not coming back. FUCK YOU!"

Jade then hung up the phone, turned it off and returned to dinner. "Tori, you see, I'm not going back."

Tori, swallowed a bite of salad. "You will."

Feeling like she was getting nowhere, and much more an appetite, Jade finished what was on her plate, and put it in the dishwasher.

That done, Jade went back into the living room and lay down on the couch. She could hear Tori finish her dinner, and cleanup, which took several minutes. Coming out of the kitchen, Tori looked at her and said in a weary voice.

"I'll be watching TV in my room."

Tori only came out of her room once for the rest of the night and that was to wash up an brush her teeth before bed. She said nothing to Jade, who was watching the 1971 Spanish Horror film, "Tombs of the blind dead."

A little later, the lights were off and as they both drifted near sleep, both women oddly were thinking of the very same thing. How this all started.

4 years ago.

It was just after the first month of their senior year at Hollywood arts, when Tori saw it. It was a small bruise on Jade's upper left forearm. That day, Jade had worn her leather jacket all day and had briefly taken it off while at her locker.

Tori who was standing nearby and happened to see it, walked over. "Something happen Jade?"

Jade instantly scowled. "None of your beeswax Vega! What are you, my mother?"

Tori scowled back. "I thought were actually kind of friends. I was just concerned. That's all."

"It's nothing Vega, your concern is duly noted." Jade sneered. "That said, piss off."

With a shrug, Tori pushed the bruise out of her mind and walked off.

While Tori forgot the bruise, Jade seemed to let Tori get a bit closer. Jade kept up her insults and occasional pranks, but from time to time, she'd ask Tori if she wanted to do something. Though Tori observed they usually occurred during times where her and Beck were on a rough patch.

It was a few months later during Christmas break the whole gang had gone to the beach on an unseasonably warm day. Jade had run late that day arriving a full 20 minutes after everyone else was already on the beach.

It was at this point, Tori realized she had left her pearpod in her bag that was in her locker in the changing room just off the beach.

Running back she knew Jade was in there changing at the moment and thought they could come back to the beach together.

Entering Tori ran in and said, "Better late than never Jade. I'd thought you'd never sho…."

Tori however was stopped in mid-sentence by the sight of something she had always wanted to see.

It was Jade's naked, pale and, in her opinion, perfect body which, the mere sight of it caused Tori's heart to pound.

However the look of happy surprise quickly melted off her face when the Latina could see two large bruises on her torso. From Tori's vantage point, they appeared to be rather fist sized and fist shaped.

.Jade's mouth parted slightly as she looked down at her bruises and then to Tori who was now distinctly frowning.

Tori then turned and left the changing room without saying another world.

Upon returning to the group, Cat walked up. "I thought you were getting your pearpod?"

"I decided to leave it in my locker. I don't want to lose it or get sand in it."

Cat then pointed to Jade, who had just exited the changing room wearing a solid black one piece bathing suit.

"There's Jade, I wonder why she was late."

Tori shrugged, though she suspected the Goth was late on purpose, to avoid changing with the others. "I don't know."

Jade when she got back to the group, acted as if nothing was wrong as she gave Beck a kiss. Tori acted as if nothing was wrong either, but she kept a close eye on not Jade, but Beck. He was his normal happy go lucky self as he had fun with the others. Tori contrasted that image in her mind along the two bruises she saw and the one she saw previously. Seeing the two today, brought back the memory of the other one.

It was a bit later Jade looked over at Tori who was sitting on the sand watching Beck intently. Jade was used to other women looking at Beck, but this wasn't like those looks. It was a cold hard stare.

For a moment Tori looked over to Jade with a stern look. Jade knew exactly what that look meant.

"I know"

Then Tori looked away, and playfully ran to join Cat in the water. She would notice that Jade couldn't look her in the eye for the rest of the day.

When it was time to leave, Jade said she was going to stay on the beach for a while longer with Beck.

Tori merely smiled and said goodbye.

Tori didn't see Jade or Beck for the rest of winter break. Andre had told her that Beck took her upstate to visit all the locations where the scissoring was shot as a special present.

On the first day of the last semester of their senior year at Hollywood Arts, Tori was walking past the broom closet, when a pale hand reached out and pulled her in.

As she expected it was Jade, who looked somewhat desperate.

"Can you tell!"

Tori's face quickly registered in confusion, but a second later she noticed that Jade had just a bit more makeup and concealer around her left eye.

Tori suddenly sobered up. "That Beck gave you a black eye."

"He didn't mean to. You need to understand that Vega!" Jade snapped back defensively.

"Jade, how long has he been abusing you?"

"Some help you are." Bellowed Jade, as she turned to leave, only to be stopped when Tori grabbed her arm.

"I can put a bit more makeup on your right eye, that way it will look even. Right now you have more on one than the other."

Jade lowered her head. "Why would you do that for me?"

"I know these situations need to be handled carefully. You need help, not humiliation."

"Look, when he drinks he just gets a bit careless and physical. He loves me."

Tori glared at her. "Do you have any idea how many woman have said that in the course of human history."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THE REAL HIM!" Jade spat back.

"Do you want my help or not. I can help even out your makeup so it's not noticeable. If you do, we talk about this later. If not, take your chances. Yes or no."

Jade sighed. "Yes."

It didn't take much but Tori fixed Jade's make up and as far as she could tell no one noticed.

The next Saturday, Tori took Jade to dinner to talk about it. Jade said she appreciated Tori's discretion, but insisted there was no problem.

Tori of course kept hammering away, saying just how bad it was and how she deserved better. For Tori, who liked Jade, it was simply about getting her out of a bad relationship.

In the end, Tori she convinced Jade that it was better to be away from Beck. Tori was rather proud when Jade broke up with Beck over the phone.

She was crushed when 3 days later she went back to him.

Jade said that he said things would be better and appreciated Tori's help. Tori, in this time, told none of her friends and acted as before, but shied away from doing anything with Beck alone.

A few weeks she found Jade again wearing a bit more makeup and again Tori hammered away. Again she succeeded for a time, only for Jade to go back, when Beck turned on the charm.

From what Jade had told her, Beck had a rather Jekyll and Hyde personality. His darker side would come out when he drank, but not always. Tori did learn he was extremely adept at covering up with his charm. The abuse wouldn't happen all the time, but in spurts.

So the cycle continued through the semester, with Tori doing her best to help Jade. While she failed each time, the pair did soon become close friends. Though Tori was continually frustrated by Jade's refusal to except what Beck did was really abuse. Jade would break up and get back with him, numerous times.

Finally they graduated. Cat won a scholarship to study costume design at a small college in Boston. Andre decided to go to Florida state and Robbie, Beck, Jade and Tori all planned to go to UCLA.

Tori and Jade were spending a lot of time together as Beck had been a bit more Hydeish lately and Tori felt like she was making some real progress for once. Jade during those times, tended to avoid Beck and spent time with Tori.

A week after graduation, a popular and well to do student named Hunter Burns threw a large party for the graduating seniors. Tori who in the back of her mind hoped to someday be more than friends with Jade, went with her to the party as she had gotten Jade to break up with him again.

Everything went well and all had a good time. It was even better as she had heard Beck wasn't going to come, which would allow them to relax and not worry. At one point Tori wound up talking to a couple girls from chorus. Jade told her to go ahead and talk as she would be not spending time with chorus losers. Tori had lost track of time and when the conversation broke up, she realized she hadn't seen Jade in some time. The house the party was being held in was large and full of people so finding Jade wasn't easy.

Finally she saw Sinjin who she thought might know.

"Hey Sinjin, have you seen Jade?"

The strange boy scratched his head. "Uhhh…Oh yeah. I saw her with Beck about 45 minutes ago. He looked a bit drunk."

Tori suddenly had sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Thank you." Tori said, as she rushed off.

Frantically she searched the patio and lower level of the house and found nothing. All that was left was the upstairs and that just gave Tori a chill.

There were 4 bedrooms and in the first three she found busy, and rather annoyed for being disturbed, couples. None of them were either Jade or Beck.

In the fourth one she spotted no one, in the room or on the bed. It appeared to be empty. She was about to close the door when she became aware of someone crying.

Tori then entered the room, closing the door behind her. The room was dark and the sound came from a narrow space between the bed and the wall. The bed itself appeared to be messed up.

Peering in that space she could see it was a figure wrapped in the bedspread. She had her head down and appeared to be wearing no clothes. "Jade?"

The sobbing figure raised her head to reveal it was Jade. Instantly the Goth reached out her arms and Tori hugged her.

Jade buried her face in Tori's shoulder and sobbed for several minutes. Tori just rubbed Jade's back and tried to soothe her down so she could talk.

"Jade what happened."

Jade pulled back and wiped her tears. "I tried to tell him, I didn't want to see him anymore. He…He…..dragged me in here and raped me."

Feeling like a shit, Tori spent the next hour comforting the broken Jade and listened to her describe the act of violence, from beginning to end.

Finally Tori said. "No more games. He raped you and you need to let me tell my father, He'll make things ok. You deserve so much better. Please Jade, let me end this. I can't and won't keep it a secret anymore."

Jade nodded and tearfully threw her arms around Tori. "Please make it stop."

Tori took Jade home and saw to it she was safely in her bed. Once there, Tori kissed Jade on the forehead.

"I'll tell my dad first thing. We'll come over tomorrow, you can make a statement and we'll have him arrested. Everything will be ok."

Jade smiled weakly. "You've been such a very good friend Tori. I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. Thank you. I can never repay you."

Tori confident she would stop Beck for good ,went home and in the morning told her father what had happened. While he was unhappy she went to a party he took the rape allegation extremely seriously.

He agreed and just after 11 o'clock in the morning, Tori and her dad arrived at the West home. They knocked and a few moments later a hung over looking Jade answered the door.

"Jade I told my dad about the Rape. We can talk about it and get the papers filed."

Mr. Vega nodded. "I'm prepared to take your statement Jade. Then I can bring Mr. Oliver in."

Jade frowned. "Uh…I don't know what you're talking about Tori.

In Tori's shock, she noticed something. It was the faint smell of cologne, the same cologne she smelled the night before in the room Jade had been raped in. Tori realized to her horror, that Beck had beaten them there and gotten to her.

Jade then looked to Mr. Vega with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry she dragged you here for nothing Mr. Vega. I was at the party, I'll admit that. We even went together, but I don't know what she's talking about."

Jade suddenly snapped her fingers. " Wait a second, I think I know…Beck and I had a pretty nasty argument last night. I was pretty drunk and very upset. After Beck had left, Tori found me drunk and crying. I think Tori must have misinterpreted something I said. I was very out of it and probably didn't make much sense. But much to her credit, she took care of me and saw that I got home ok. But unfortunately she thought something happened that didn't. She did do the right thing by telling you and that shows she is a true friend, only it was the wrong situation. She meant well, she was simply wrong. Nothing happened. I'm terribly sorry."

Tori suddenly felt like she had literally been stabbed in the back. On top of the sense of betrayal was the fact that she had been made to look like a fool in front of her father. That in itself, stung badly.

"JADE HE'S HERE ISN'T HE! LET ME IN!" Tori yelled, as she tried to push in the doorway but was stopped by her father.

"Tori, stop it, Right now! You can't just burst in her home."

Still keeping her straight face, Jade shrugged. "I'm alone Mr. Vega. If you'd like to see for yourself, go right ahead."

Mr. Vega shook his head, "No that won't be necessary, we'll be leaving now. My apologies for disturbing you Jade."

Jade smiled. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding and having you come out here for nothing."

Jade then looked to Tori, as she walked off with her father. Jade had done things to Tori in the past, sabotage the Prome, pour coffee on her head, but never before had Jade seen Tori look so utterly and totally humiliated.

Jade could only stand to look at the Latina for a few seconds longer before shutting the door and turning away.

Beck had gotten to her that morning and as always, had turned on the charm. For about a week after that, things were good and Jade tried to forget the lie she told.

Jade however couldn't forget that look of total humiliation on Tori's face and eventually her conscious got the best of her. So she decided to try to apologize.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon 8 days after the rape, when Jade rang the Vega doorbell. A lump had formed in her throat and she felt horrible for what she did. Jade justified it by telling herself she was protecting the man she loved, and he was simply too drunk to know right from wrong. But regardless, she was determined to smooth things out between her and Tori. After all Jade, considered Tori to be one of her very best friends.

It was Trina who answered the door, upon seeing it was Jade, her eyes narrowed into a harsh glare.

"What do you want Jade!"

Looking as apologetic as she could, Jade said. "May I please speak with Tori."

It was a full 3 seconds before Trina answered. "She's gone Jade!"

"What?"

"You heard me numskull, she's gone. She decided against going to UCLA and is going to college out east. She left 5 days ago. Until September when she can move in the dorms, she's staying with some relatives. If you don't believe me, look up in her now empty room."

Feeling like she had been punched in the stomach, Jade croaked. "Where!"

"AS FAR AWAY FROM YOU, AS FUCKING POSSIBLE, YOU WORTHLESS, FUCKING BITCH!" Trina screamed, right before she slammed the door in Jade's face.

Suddenly feeling devastated, Jade's hands began to tremble as she staggered away from the door.

Desperate to make this right, she pulled out her phone and dialed Tori's phone number.

The recording she got, told her the phone number had been disconnected.

The lump in her throat, now feeling like a boulder, Jade got in her car and drove away. Several blocks later she pulled over and no longer able to hold it back, began to cry.

Tori had been a true friend; a friend who fought for her time and again, now she was gone. Feeling betrayed, humiliated and tired of banging her head against a brick wall, she had gave up the fight and left.

It was then a text came through from Beck.

"Hey let's party tonight. Feel like getting blitzed…woo hoo"

Present day.

The previous night was the first time in 3 years since she had seen Tori or heard from Tori. Some three years after her betrayal, Jade once again came to Tori for help.

For reasons she couldn't fathom, Tori again took her in, but now the once bright happy Latina was now cold,angry and cynical. Jade could only wonder what else had happened to Tori in the 3 years that had past.

In the dark, Jade got up and put her hand on Tori's closed bedroom door. Once again Jade recalled that look of utter humiliation as Tori walked off and began to choke up.

Tears running down her face, Jade whispered. "I'm sorry Tori. Please forgive me."

I hate to say it, but this chapter is loosely based on a true story.

The line that Jade says. "YOU DON'T KNOW THE REAL HIM!"

That is the exact words that a woman I knew in college told me, when I told her she should get away from the abusive creep. She liked him, was infatuated with him, hung around him like a puppy dog.

The creep in question was, tall, handsome, outgoing and dressed straight out of GQ. In reality he was a narcissistic, alcoholic, sociopathic, creep.

He would later, rape that same girl and indeed he got to her. The next day, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world, waltzed in her room. I knew her roommates were going to get the authorities involved, but he emerged a short while later and her story had suddenly changed.

He got away with it. a few months later, when drunk again he would violate her in a way I care not to think about and won't dignify by describing here. That finally got it through her head, he was bad news, though sadly, charges weren't filed. I think she just wanted to put it past her.

Thinking back to that conversation when I warned her, I only wished I had pressed harder or done more. All I can do, is use her story to possibly help others.

In the movies, bad guys are frequently, ugly, misshapen or unattractive.

I encountered one in real life. I'll always remember that million dollar smile and the evil that lurked behind it.