Metamorphosis

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 16 (Heartfelt Concerns)

Trina was guided up the stairs of the tower into Jason's office on the top of the walls, and she swore to herself she was not looking out the window. The receiver of a phone was laying sideways on the desk. "I keep a phone in my office as an emergency line, so that Uncle Erwin or mom can contact me if they absolutely need to."

Jason put his hands behind his waist and sighed as Trina approached the call. He looked annoyed and she understood why, somehow Tori managed to find the emergency contact number for Jason, and wanted to talk to her sister. "So you broke the rules and didn't hang up?" She smirked at him and he exhaled sharply.

"For you?" His hand pointed to the phone and he flashed a smirk. "I'll break my own rules just once." Trina laughed and picked up the receiver. It weighed heavily in her hand, and drew her eyes to stare for a long second. "Your sister seemed adamant about wanting to talk to you, so…"

"Yeah." She brought the phone to her ear and smiled gently. "Tori?"

"Trina, hi!" Her sister's voice brought a fresh set of tears to her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to see Jason step outside. It was out of respect of her privacy that he did so. "I had to twist Mr. Sikowitz's arm a little for the number butI got it. I just really wanted to hear your voice. I've missed you."

"I missed you too. How is everyone?" She sat down in Jason's chair and was startled by a comforting sensation enter into her body. It was warm and felt as though Jason were giving her a hug. She shifted herself in the chair and hummed. "Jason must do a lot of work here…"

"What?"

"Oh nothing, Jason has a very comfortable chair." She moved her body towards the desk and bent her arm at an upwards angle to rest her hand beneath her chin. "Lindsay's right, I'm attracted to the man." She closed her eyes and exhaled as her sister laughed. "But nothing's going to come of it."

"Why not? If you like this guy."

"It's hard to explain." Her left arm stretched across the desk and her eyes drifted to the papers on the desk. Her lips turned up when she saw a letter from Jason's uncle, telling him that everything was fine with him and with his mother. "What's going on with your friends? Your last letter was a little cryptic."

"They're still fighting with each other." Tori's voice faltered and Trina frowned. "I've been trying to fix it, hell even Ian's been trying to help." Her eyebrows rose and Tori stopped suddenly.

Trina knew Ian was still involved with the family, but she didn't think Tori talked much with him anymore like she used to. That said, he wouldn't be getting involved with the kids from Hollywood Arts.

"Mom and Dad are getting better. Slowly. Dad's devoting more time to coming around, but that also means he's even more protective." David was protective enough as it was. Hell, the man had an alarm attached to his phone that went off whenever the front door was triggered. The security cameras in the living room were hellish enough, though he didn't often review the tapes.

"Do you think they're going to stay together, Tori?"

"I…hope so." Trina sat up straight and listened for Tori's sorrowful sigh. "There's a talent coach from Russia that's been hounding me, Trina. It's exhausting." Her lips parted and she tensed her brow. "I don't want to give up my family for a singing contract in some foreign country."

"Have you told him you're not doing it?"

"Several times, but he's not letting up. Ian was right, I've become too preoccupied with this obsession of being famous. It's costing me to lose everyone I care about, how do I stop it?" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "How do I keep you from leaving home to go college when you come back? How do I stop mom and dad from getting a divorce? How do I stop my friends from tearing each other apart and splitting down the middle?"

Tori's voice was rising and Trina could feel the anguish seeping into her from the other end of the phone. Her breathing grew heavy and her hands balled up. "I don't know." Things were bad before Tori went to Hollywood Arts, but the way the girl demanded attention afterwards stole time away from the family and forced everyone to focus on her.

That focus caused extra tension that forced the rift that was already there to be spread wide open. "It's funny. I could equate that stupid Russian agent to a drug dealer. He keeps putting me on stages, getting me to sing…and I feel the rush all over again, and I'm just that tempted to say 'yes, I'll go to Russia for a contract'."

"It's not what you want, sis?"

"No!" Trina's mouth turned up to a smile and she leaned back in her seat. "It's not important right now. What's going on at camp? This Jenny girl still causing problems? How are things with you and Jason?"

"Jason and I are just friends."

"Dad doesn't think so, and neither do I." She laughed in disbelief. "What are you laughing at? Dad's almost having a conniption, he can't talk to this boy. I think it's great you found someone, or I hope you can let yourself find that someone."`

"You're trying to tell me Dad's actually concerned that there might be a boy in my life. Do you forget who it is you're talking to, and who you're talking about?"

Her sister groaned out in exasperation. "Trina, Dad still loves you." Her eyes darted to the right and her shoulders rose. "You've always been his favorite. You're his little girl, I never got the attention from him that he gave to you. Why? Because I didn't like the same things he liked, I didn't want to sit and watch Sunday football. I didn't grow up attached to him."

She pat the surface of the desk and looked to the closed door. Jason had been gone for a while and she wasn't sure how long her wanted to have the emergency line open. "That all changed a very long time ago. You know, Jason has this line for his uncle and his mother, so I'm not sure how long we should be on this."

Tori didn't reply, so she repeated her sister's name to make sure they didn't lose each other. "Katrina." Her father's voice startled her. She held her breath and closed her eyes as the man spoke firmly. "Who is this boy that you're talking about in your letters? One of them indicates you've been flirting with him while working out. What does that mean, sweetheart?"

Trina rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "It's nothing, Dad. Just harmless flirting with a guy. There's nothing more than friendship there."

"He's still a boy that I don't know, and with you over there…" She sensed the concern in his voice and started to smile. As hope glistened in her heart, she thought perhaps Tori was right about the man. "I like to know that you're here, and if there's a guy in your life."

"I'll be fine, Dad. Don't worry."

"Of course I worry. What if this boy does something? What if you're hurt and I can't get to you? I don't want something happening to you."

The phone cord became tangled in her hand as she twisted it while reclining in the chair. Her eyes drifted to the ceiling and her shoulders rose. "Why do you act like you care all of a sudden? Your job's always been more important than us, so don't start acting like you finally give a shit when you don't."

"That's not fair."

"It isn't?" Her calmness turned to anger, and her blood to ice. Trina leaned forward and closed her hand on the desk. "You got a promotion and you stopped paying attention. We used to do stuff together all the time, and then you just stopped." Her voice rose and she slanted her eyelids. A vehement growl left her scowling lips.

"No more watching the football games, no more betting on boxing matches or throwing the ball around outside. You just quit on your family. You want to tell me I'm not being fair?"

"No." When she heard his defeated sigh, her muscles began to relax. "You're right. It's just what Tori's said, just what your mother said. I did stop…I felt like the stress of the job was too much and I didn't want my family to see that. I detached myself, and I'm sorry. It wasn't fair to any of you."

Her heart sank and a heavy breath fell away from her. "Of course it wasn't fair. It hurt us. It hurt Tori, hurt me…don't you realize that trying to protect us from the stress of your job just hurts your family more than it would otherwise?"

"I know it does. I'm trying to work on that." She closed her eyes and folded her arm on the desk. Her body leaned over it and her head bowed towards it. She couldn't stand confessions, but hearing this from her father impacted her greatly. "Trina, I'll always love you. You'll always be my little angel."

As her heart leapt to her throat, she began to tear up at the mention of the familiar title. It was something he called her when she was a kid, and of course, she never quite grew out of hearing it.

"Dad…"

"Don't give up on me, I really am trying my hardest to make things right. For you, for your mother and your sister. You're up there, so I can't watch over you…all I can do is just pray you stay safe."

She pulled her hair back and started to smile. Warm blood rushed to her cheeks, and her head turned down as she spoke softly. "I can take care of myself, you know. I'll be safe."

"I know you will, but I worry. I always will. I'm a homicide detective, do you know what that means?"

"You work odd hours?" She smirked and listened to her father's laugh.

"Well that, but it means I see a lot of crime. I've seen parents lose their children, and every day I come home, I'm terrified that it could happen to me. A parent shouldn't have to bury their child, Trina."

"I'll be safe, Daddy. I promise to come home in one piece."

"Good." Trina let out a small, airy laugh. She pictured him with the widest grin on his face, and it pleased her. "When you get home, let's have dinner together. Catch up, me and you."

"You mean a daddy daughter date?" She raised an eyebrow and he chuckled. "I don't see why not. That is, if your job doesn't take precedence. I understand how important it is, though."

"I'll ask for time off, if I have to. They can assign a case to another detective if they must."

"Okay dad. We'll see."

"And be careful if you're getting involved with boys!" She rolled her eyes and felt her cheeks ache from the pressure of the grin on her face. "You're still my little angel. Can you blame a dad for not wanting his girl to grow up too fast?"

"Stop worrying. Jason and I are just friends." It was too much risk to open herself up like that. She was comfortable with friendship. "I need to go. I don't want to take this line up too long."

"Okay. Your mother says hello."

"Tell her hi back. Say bye to Tori for me, I'll send a letter soon. Love you, daddy."

"You too."

She set hung up and slid her arms across her waist. Her eyes focused on the desk for what felt like an eternity. As the silence around her grew more deafening, her eyes erupted with fresh tears and her body started to tremble.

In her mind she could see herself as a young girl again, riding on her father's shoulders as they ran down the beach. Behind them her mother called out, telling David not to run for risk of dropping their child.

That memory changed with age, but the love had always remained. Even as she grew and would don a football jersey while watching the superbowl with her father wearing a matching jersey, Holly and Tori would watch on and shake their heads whenever they screamed at the television.

Her heart ached with each fleeting memory. Those moments were the ones that she longed for, that she yearned to experience again.

The door slid open and she threw her head up with a gasp. Jason took a step in and kept his hand on the knob. "Trina? You alright?" She wiped away her tears and released a sobbing breath.

"I'm fine. Don't worry too much." She took a deep breath and stood up. "Sorry I took up the emergency line for your uncle."

He smiled at her and waved his hand through the air. "It's okay. Your sister made it sound important enough." She smiled back at him and nodded.

"Thanks for understanding." Trina walked around the desk and leaned her waist against the edge. Her hands grasped the edge and her eyes connected with his, studying the concern in his eyes. There was another emotion in there that concerned her; panic. "What about you? You look upset."

"Well, being in charge means I have to make sure all the people here are safe." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. A wrinkle popped up between his eyebrows, then the corners of his mouth pulled back into his cheeks. "That rule even extends to Jenny. Her bunkmate says she's been gone all afternoon and hasn't come back to camp."

"Doesn't she usually leave the site for a while?"

"Yeah, but her roommate says she never stays out past sundown. The woods out there aren't safe at night." He uncrossed his arms and started walking towards his desk, though it was more of a beeline to her. Her upper body leaned back and she held her breath. "It's not something you need to worry about, but I do have to send out a search party. It seems Eric is missing as well."

"Eric? The guy in our group?"

"Yeah. According to his roommate, he wanted to see where Jenny was going on a daily basis."

"Do you even know?"

"No. I've never thought to ask." Sundown was coming quick, and two people lost in the woods at night would be terrible for the camp. She understood the danger, and despite it being Jenny, she did want to help find the girl.

"Let me look for her." He raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head.

"I'm not sending you out there. I don't want you getting lost."

"You and I have gone hiking through those woods almost every day since I've been here. I know the woods." He furrowed his brow and breathed in slowly. "You won't have to worry about me, Jason."

He turned fully towards her and stood close enough that she could feel his breath her cheeks. "I don't want something to happen. You know the other side of the forest has a camp for recovering drug addicts, those people might be out and about at night."

She admired his concern for her, but felt it was unnecessary. Not many people knew the woods, that was true. Jason was one of the only people to leave camp on a regular basis, so those who knew their way around camp did so by their own exploration or by joining him.

That said, she was certain Travis was one of the few people who knew the woods. "Will you send Travis out to look for her?" He nodded once and she turned up a confident smile. "Then I'll go with him. What about you?"

"I have to stay here in case they wind up returning. I can signal the others on the radio to return."

She ran her tongue across her teeth, then clicked it against her cheek. "Let me find her. I wonder if she just ran off or something? I know she can't be happy about being switched to another group."

"That's the problem." He ran his hand over the back of his neck and slanted his eyes. "I don't trust Eric. Jenny's caused a lot of grief, and I've been watching, he almost always reacts. Cold as hell. So if he's gone looking for her and she hasn't come back…"

A streak of fear struck her like a ton of bricks. She understood his worry even more now. Jenny had to be found, and of course, so did Eric. "I'll bring her back safe." Jason pressed his lips together and looked into her eyes. His eyebrows slid up in the middle.

"Trina." His hand came to rest on her upper arm. "If it starts getting dark, please come back. If you do join Travis, stick with him. He knows the woods once it's dark." She reached across her chest, placing her hand over his, then smiled at him.

"First my dad, now you? Don't worry about me." He chuckled at her and pulled his hand away.

"I can't explain it."

"I'll be fine. We've got an hour, maybe? I'll get her back before sundown. Also, if I run into anyone from the drug rehab camp that seems dangerous-" She smirked and walked past him, then emphasized the swaying of her hips while looking over her shoulder. "I'll kick their ass."

Jason exhaled and curled his lips into a slick smile. "Stay safe out there. Travis is already leaving camp to look, I'll radio in and let him know you're joining the search."

So what do you think about the phone call she had? What is running through your mind there? Also, we see someone has gone missing, do you suspect something wrong as well?