Voodoo Curse

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:This story probably won't be among the lengthier ones of mine, just to let everyone know that may be worried about length.

Chapter 9 (A Father's Concern)

Beck made his way to his daughters' homes after receiving a text from Jade that seemed to worry him a tad. While she was off trying to find employment at whatever a fifteen year old could get-since a college degree was useless at this point-Beck was the only one to respond when she texted him that the girls thought there was someone hiding out in their bushes.

According to Jade's text, they were by themselves at the house since both parents were working.

He arrived to find the front lights off and the upper floor bedroom light on. Trina poked her head out the window, bending down a bit to show Tori standing behind her. She pointed out and to the right. "Near the back porch," she mouthed. He nodded and turned to see a pair of headlights in the distance.

The headlights flashed in his eyes for a moment, then shut off when the vehicle parked alongside the mailbox. It was a red truck with the letter F and numbers 150 on the back.

A well-built person stepped out, his brown eyebrows arched over his deep blue eyes. The man reached out and pointed to Beck. "Who're you?" He asked in a deep tone. Beck was somewhat taken aback, but not too startled. Since the girls were alone, they might have reached out to someone they knew.

"I'm Beck, and you are?"

"Trina's boyfriend." His heart stopped for a moment and he looked up to Trina's window in time to see her smiling down at the man. "She called me up saying someone was hiding out back."

"Well I'm a friend of theirs, they texted my girlfriend and she sent me over." Beck extended his hand, searching the man's eyes. The man had a larger build than he did, so he certainly didn't want to tumble with the guy. "Good to meet you."

"Jason." Jason shook his hand. The man's firm grip caught Beck by surprise, and he smiled faintly. Jason pulled his hand away and looked towards the back gate. "Trina said the guy's on the back porch. Only exit is that gate."

"Okay." He was content letting this man lead the way, and hoped to have more of a conversation with him later on, but there were more crucial matters at hand. So far he seemed to be a reasonable minded person, and it was admirable that he came to the girls' aid in such a timely manner.

"I'll go in first, and you guard the gate. If I don't catch the guy, then you grab him."

"Got it." Whoever was stalking his daughters was in for a hell of a night. Beck put his back to the fence and watched Jason calmly open the gate and enter. Jason crouched low and walked slowly towards the porch.

Beck folded his arms and leaned forward, peering past the gate as much as he could. It was difficult to see with how dark it was, but he could make out a faint image of the bushes moving along the house and passing Jason up.

Jason turned his head just as someone leapt out behind him. "Beck, he's making a run for it!" The figure hesitated for a split second, then shot past the gates. "Get him!"

"I'm a runner, he won't get far." He took off, swinging his arms through the air and making great strides. Back in the day he used to try and get involved in marathons, and would often ride a bike, so he had powerful legs.

Jason was soon behind him, maintaining a decent pace though not catching up as swiftly.

Before the stalker ended up at the corner of the street, Beck was upon him, tackling him to the ground. The boy was skinny and somewhat weightless. In Beck's anger, he flipped the boy over with as much force as he could and grabbed his shirt collar with tight, trembling hands.

His chest throbbed as he flared his nostrils and leaned down, but when he saw Robbie's eyes gazing back, the shock was paralyzing. "You?" He shouted aloud. "You're the one stalking them?"

Jason stepped alongside them and glared down at Robbie. "You know this guy, Beck?" Robbie whimpered and Beck dropped him onto the pavement.

Robbie screamed in pain and threw his hands to the back of his head while curling up. "Course, he's one of those kids we met a little while back. He befriended Tori and Trina." Hearing footsteps coming from behind, Beck turned and saw Trina running up.

She was wearing a purple tank and long black workout pants with a red stripe down them. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and her body was covered in sweat, signifying she was likely working out before they made the call.

Trina was a swift runner, which Beck took pride in seeing. "Who the hell is he?" Trina asked with quivering anger in her voice. "I would have kicked his ass beforehand, but Tori was freaked out, so I had to stay inside with her." Trina's eyes dropped to Robbie and her mouth twisted into a scowl. "You?!"

She yanked Robbie off the ground and shoved him up against a tree trunk. His eyes widened as she lifted him half an inch off the ground. "What the hell were you doing hiding outside our house, watching my sister? Huh?"

Beck walked beside Jason and crossed his arms, matching Jason's guarded posture while staring Robbie down. The terrified teen raised his trembling hands up and tried to speak, but only sniveling whimpers rushed from his mouth.

Seeing her taking control of the situation took the weight off his shoulders, and while he was still pissed at Robbie, he didn't want to go overboard with his anger. "So…" His eyes travelled to Jason. "I hear you and Trina have been kind of off and on. What's that about?"

"The on and off part really isn't frequent." Jason shrugged and glanced at him. "I've moved around often, and the first two times we separated because of the distance. I've been staying with my uncle nowadays and decided to attend UCLA, so I'm here to stay."

"I see." There was something oddly familiar about this man, but Beck couldn't make it out. Jason curled a finger over his chin and Beck could almost feel the man's inquisitive eyes searching him. "So the two of you met at camp?"

"Sort of, that's where we started a relationship. We met initially when she joined the karate studio downtown."

"Two of you are fairly serious, then?"

"Yes." Jason seemed to have little to say, or at least was very private about his personal life. This was good, it meant he wasn't a braggart when it came to relationships. "You look familiar, Beck…"

"Wouldn't know where you've seen me." Old photographs most likely, but only if he was somehow connected to Erwin.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you around the girls. How long have you known them?"

Beck unfolded his arms and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Just met." He looked back to Robbie and Trina, raising his eyebrows as Robbie took off running. Trina dusted off her shirt and walked towards the two.

Tori came running from behind, panting as she slowed her pace. "Who was it?" The girl asked. Trina pushed her hand through her hair and pulled away the tie holding her ponytail up.

"One of your oddball friends," Trina replied, "The one with the puppet." Tori scrunched her face and rolled her eyes. "I suppose he's harmless."

"Harmless?" Beck paced to the right, scoffing under his breath. He wanted to beat the kid senseless for spying on the girls, so he hardly considered it harmless. "He was spying on the two of you, that's hardly harmless."

"At least we know it's him." Tori shrugged and put her hands to her hips. "We know he's not going to try anything, he's just a little obsessive is all." She stepped beside her sister and wrapped an arm around Trina's. "Besides, if he tries anything, Trina can take care of him." Trina flashed a smirk and closed her eyes.

"Some boys can be intimidated by a girl that knows how to fight. Robbie's a bit squirrely, I'm not afraid of him."

Beck grinned and pride glistened in his eyes as he looked to his eldest daughter. Trina pat her sister's back and started heading back to the house with her. Jason glanced at him and chuckled once.

"Come on, let's keep the girls company for a bit until their dad gets home."

"Right."

Trina and her boyfriend disappeared upstairs, leaving Beck and Tori in the living room. While Tori prepared some sandwiches in the kitchen, Beck sat nervously on the couch and staring up at the ceiling.

The teenage couple left to work out, but he couldn't be sure if it was just working out or not. He knew what teenage hormones were like, and he knew just how much energy was built up from working out; he was no stranger to the act that followed when it came to relationships.

"What are you worrying about over there, Beck?" Tori pushed a sandwich into the microwave and looked at Beck with a curious smile. Beck leaned back into the couch and shrugged.

"Nothing." He draped his left elbow over the top and cupped his right hand over his right knee. He could almost hear the thumps vibrating from the second floor, and he was certain someone was shouting, but not aggressively.

Thinking back to his moments with Jade, she'd always been extremely loud in bed. If that pattern followed, he didn't need to question what was happening upstairs.

His stomach was in knots over this knowledge and he was mentally praying for the strength to not separate the two. After all, they probably were just working out.

Tori's eyes rose to the ceiling and her faint smile twisted wryly. "Oh don't worry about them. If they're being too loud, I can just go knock on their door and ask them to be quiet." His eyes enlarged and his heart began to tear through his chest. "I only wish I had a boyfriend devoted like that, last guy I dated was an ass."

"Oh?" He leaned forward, furrowing his brow as Tori made her way to the living room. "What happened with that?"

"Danny? He cheated on me." Her eyes fell and she moved her left hand over her right wrist. Sorrow swept over Beck's chest along with a wave of anger. This boy should consider himself lucky that he wasn't around when dating Tori.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It can't be easy to go through something like that."

"Thanks, but I'm alright." Tori sat beside him and leaned her head back on the couch. A heavy sigh left her lips and she slowly folded her hands on her stomach. "You know? I don't think the others like Trina."

"Why?" She raised her head and tucked a strand of hair over hear ear.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about what Andre said the other day." Beck's muscles tightened and he looked to the front door in an attempt to hide his stern expression. "I know he thinks she's crazy obsessive because of how she acts."

"How does she act?"

"Like she's trying too hard. It's all for show, she doesn't want people to take her seriously. Unless of course, times like tonight, but mostly she acts overboard so people don't notice her. I don't know why, really."

"Easy," someone said from behind. Tori flinched and Beck looked back to see Trina standing with a smirk plastered on her face. Jason was beside her, his right eyebrow arched high and his powerful arms were crossed along the middle of his chest. "That way people don't see me coming, little sis."

"Oh sorry." Tori jumped up from the couch and pushed her hair from her face while chuckling nervously. "I know you don't want me telling people that, I was just talking without thinking."

Trina dropped her hands to her hips and shook her head. "It's okay." She kissed Jason on the cheek and motioned to the door. "Could you show Jason out, Tori?"

Their shirts were neatly tucked into their pants, though loose around the chest area as they were drenched with sweat. Trina's hair was wet and up in a ponytail. Judging by this, Beck figured he may have been worried about nothing and working out was all that the pair had been doing. Adding to that, too little time had passed for anything more than working out.

"It was good to meet you sir," Jason responded with a casual smirk. Beck's eyebrows closed together and his lips parted briefly as Tori guided Jason out. Trina sat down beside Beck. She slid her fingers through her bangs and sighed heavily.

"It's our secret, Tori and myself, I would rather her not tell people certain details. So, can I trust you not to tell anyone what she just said?"

His concern poured from his heart and he slowly nodded, promising not to tell anyone. The only one he cared to talk to about anything was Jade, and since she was Trina's mother, he might not keep something serious from her.

"Is everything okay? Why do you act obsessive?"

"To keep people from bothering me. If I act clingy, if I act obsessive and compulsive, people won't take me seriously and they'll leave me alone." Trina crossed her arms and looked towards the television with narrow eyes. "I only show people who I am that I want seeing who I am. There's a lot I don't need people to see, a lot I don't want people to see, and a lot I don't think people would like about me."

"Why? Why not be yourself?"

"Habit I guess. I'm a bit antisocial, have been ever since I was a little girl." Trina crossed her knees and stretched her arms out, closing her fingers around the front of her legs. "My mom calls it the 'shadow sister' syndrome, but I'm more than happy living in the shadow of my little sister." She laughed once and shut her eyes. "My boyfriend was the first person to see right through that. We were both loners, but now not so much as we used to be."

He smiled faintly and Trina looked at him with a curious expression. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this, or why I'm comfortable with it."

"I guess I just have that effect on people…"

"Maybe. I'm not usually that trusting." The door opened and Tori walked in, smiled at the two, then made her way to the kitchen. Trina sucked in a mass of air and shook her head. "Tori told you and Jade about our parents? Our real ones?"

Beck pressed his lips together and nodded once as a slow tremor started in his fingers.

Trina hummed and looked towards the blank television. Several seconds of silence passed by them like clouds in the sky, moving slowly and only growing. Eventually the silence broke and Trina spoke up with a quiet, but shaky voice.

"I was there. I saw what happened to them. Nearly three years old, you'd think I would have forgotten, but that memory haunted me." Trina's body began to shake. Beck could feel his breathing start to quiver and his heart broke under his ribs.

"My dreams, nightmares, I never forgot." Trina pushed her hands through the sides of her head, and cleared her throat. "I carried that with me for so long, I never trusted anyone and never wanted to let anyone get close enough…I thought, if my mother's sister could do that to her own flesh and blood…"

Now he understood why Trina acted the way she did; she was afraid of letting people close enough to hurt her. Acting over obsessed with things was a defense mechanism for her.

"But you show Jason that side of you."

"Yes, and he's really helping with that, but still there are some people I just don't want bothering me. Namely some of Tori's friends." She crossed her arms and started to chuckle. "Robbie is a good start." Beck rolled his eyes and replied with a soft growl.

"That kid needs to learn some respect and manners." Trina agreed with a hum. Beck looked at her with a simple smile and pondered her position for a moment. "You know, you shouldn't have to hide who you are to people. You're into karate, right?"

"Yeah, Tae-Kwon-Do mostly. I've always been athletic-Aunt Holly says I get that from my dad." His lips pulled away, flashing a toothy grin. "Dad was a runner, a biker. I'm a runner just like he was. I'm athletic, and I love it. I love getting up and going for a jog in the morning, I love sparring matches with my boyfriend. It's who I am."

She squinted her eyes and rolled her head to the side. "Hollywood Arts. Of all the high schools in this area, they have the best athletic department." The corners of her mouth slid up and her eyes flashed with joy. "I wanted so hard to get in that I actually got Uncle David to hire a vocal teacher for me so I could train my voice to sing for the enrolling audition."

"Yeah, and you got in. You should be proud."

"Oh I was proud, but most of them left the room prior to my audition. Mr. Sikowitz let me in without really giving me a chance to audition." Her smile faded and she shrugged. "I guess it was okay, I didn't know why he did that, but I was fine with it as long as I got to get in the athletic department."

"So why do you act like you can't sing?"

"She still has to attend the art department classes." Tori walked to the recliner, holding a sandwich and plate in her hands. Trina nodded and Beck frowned at his youngest. "So she acts obsessive, acts like she can't sing or dance, or even act, so the teachers won't put her in productions and force her to take time away from the athletic stuff she wants to focus on."

"So the showcase?"

"So glad I got out of that," Trina laughed. She hesitated for a minute and narrowed her eyes at Beck. "So, everything I just told you…that stays between us."

"Sure. I still think you shouldn't be afraid to let your finer qualities show."

"Maybe…I don't know."

"Might cause people to respect you a little more?"

"Like who? Robbie? Andre? What do I care for their opinion?"

"Yeah, well, I can't argue with you there." He folded his arms and took a deep breath. The muscles in his body started to relax and his eyes drifted towards his eldest. "You know, your real parents, I don't think they'd ever want you to feel like you have to hide who you are to people."

"Yeah." She laughed once and started to smile. "You sound like Mr. Sikowitz sounds sometimes." He jerked his head back and grunted in surprise. "He's always saying I shouldn't conceal that part of me. I guess, I save that part of myself for the people I willingly let get close enough to me. My sister, Jason…Now I don't even know why in the hell I opened up to you just now, but I guess hearing Tori talking about me to you…"

"Well, just so you know. If you ever need anyone to talk to that isn't either Sikowitz, Tori, Jason." He smiled and pat her wrist once. Her eyes fell to his hand and her fingers curled into her palm. "You can always talk to either Jade or myself."

"Jade doesn't seem like the type of person who would care about my circumstances, much less anyone else."

"Oh I don't know." He smirked and shrugged at her. "I think she might surprise you." It would be so easy to just come right out and tell her Jade was her mother.

Perhaps it would be more believable if they were forty-five years old and not the same age as Tori; and younger than Trina by about two years.

While pondering the circumstance, he was struck with a bout of curiosity. "An odd question for you, Katrina." Trina flinched and moved her head back a bit as Beck scratched his chin. "Do the two of you believe in magic, or rituals, or say witchcraft?"

Trina's eyes squinted and her shoulders fell. "I do. Tori not so much, but I do." Beck's lips curled up and he whisked his finger from his chin. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just a little curious that's all."

"Well I think it's evil. I know Aunt Holly used to practice, and from my nightmares, I just can't bring myself to think anything good of that sort of stuff. It sickens me."

"I can understand that."

"And I know Jason's uncle started to take an interest in it recently." Trina pushed herself up from the couch and started walking towards the kitchen. "I plead with him not to go near that stuff, especially since he said he doesn't know how any of it works."

"Is he still interested in it?"

"Last I checked?" She picked up a sandwich and raised it towards her lips. "No. He's pretty much burned everything a while ago, said he was done dabbling in it." She took a bite, chewed it for a few seconds, then swallowed. "Good. I'd hate to see what he'd end up doing, whether accidentally or intentional. God knows he might end up conjuring up the dead somehow…"

Hmm a lot has happened here in this chapter. What do you think of everything? What do you think about what Trina and Beck talked about? Looks like Robbie might think twice about his stalking. Also, as everything that is said is important, any thoughts towards the boyfriend's uncle? I'd like to also point you to the possibility of what if Beck and Jade didn't go forward in time?