Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or any of it's characters. If I did, they do more action scenes.

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Jade wasn't thinking. She knew there really wasn't time for that, not right then. No, she had to act, or the whole school would blame her. That's the thought she would come up with later, after, when she had the time to think about her actions. No, she acted, and now, was in deep in a situation she should never have been in.

They were trying to abduct Tori. Jade saw them, several large, menacing looking men, doing their leveled best to look inconspicuous until the Latina walked out to where they were. And Tori, sweet, trusting, naive Tori, she'd believed the random kid who was now tossed to the side, screaming her fool head off, when said girl said she wanted to show Tori off to some friends, because the Latina had been on television more then once. Jade had watched, eyes taking in the way the girl seemed more coached then honest, and how the girl was too young to realize the danger she'd put both herself and the singer in. Jade had reacted, following, ready to tease the Latina, only to leap into the middle of the abduction when it was sprung.

Jade knew she couldn't stay still, not for one second. The men, they had a professional feel about them, even if to Jade, they weren't thinking professionally. They were intent on beating Jade down, something their numbers helped with, instead of making sure the girl they were after was taken. So Jade had to endure the initial resistance, blows from the hands, boot clad feet, and at least one baton that may well have given her a concussion, all while looking for her opening. Blood dripped down her face, closing one eye, even as she saw something she just couldn't believe. Through the fading stars brought on by the baton to her head, she saw the guns, hidden in the men's holsters, and realized she'd already won.

The pale girl moved, weaving between the half dozen men, striking and blocking, taking the few blows she couldn't avoid, and dishing out punishment almost randomly. Jade knew she didn't have much of a plan, to frazzled from the blow to the head to do much more then to strike hard and distract the thugs. However, her big hope was that Tori could run, maybe find them some help. Jade had even woven her way through the men as quickly as she could, just to strike the one holding Tori, hoping to free her, just so she would get away.

The girl they'd used to lure Tori, who couldn't be any older then twelve, turned out to have been a poor example, standing and crying instead of running when she had a chance. Already, jade had concluded the child was terrified of her impending fate, too scared to even move, even as Jade drew all the men in to herself. For both Jade and this poor child, the best hope of anyone getting out without being taken was if Tori ran, got help, found anyone to call the police. It was what Jade had assumed was her biggest shot at success, even as she'd been knocked down, almost out, by the baton during her initial attack. Just after she'd struck the man holding Tori, that weapon had almost ended her hope of anyone escaping. Tori running, getting help, was Jade, and this girls, best hope. It just wasn't the only one.

Throughout her training, Jade had heard about what happened when the body flowed with a natural energy, more directed by her chi then directing it, but hadn't put much thought into that ideal. It was the myth, the fantasy of the force warrior, who could do impossible things. Things like walk through walls, or leap up to the roof from the ground, or take on six trained soldiers, all armed, and somehow walk out the victor. Today, she felt like maybe she was living that fantasy, even as she'd rolled to the side to get an opening, and then pushed her way to her feet, all while trying to clear what vision she still had from the fog of that head blow.

Jade kept moving, striking, fighting. It was all she could focus on, out of fear that she'd not be able to do anything else if she ever stopped. That meant she didn't have the option of stopping and remembering that she didn't believe in fantasies. Jade had always steadied herself with the cold, harsh realities, as well as a deeply held onto hope that her very real talents, the same ones she'd been honing for years and years, would carry her though life. Jade didn't believe in fairy tales, and even as the cold realist in her warned against her odds of making it in entertainment, she'd worked to trim those odds, day by day, to the point where martial arts wasn't about self defense, cause hello, weapons, but about controlling her anger.

Today, she was counting on the fantasy.

Another strike, then rolling to the side, making sure to put a guy between her and at least one other. Strike, move, strike twice, and keep going. Make then follow her, set the pace, and hit hard. Watch the weapons, the now two batons being wielded, and remember the men will focus all their attacks through those weapons, meaning she knew exactly what they'd try. Jade followed her instincts, and moved with each bow, not sure how long she'd last before they beat her down, or one of them just went for a weapon more deadly then the batons.

Jade knew, despite the possibility of a cracked skull, she'd caught a break when they'd pulled out retractable batons. Jade could defend against those weapons far better then the guns, and after getting up was even able to even take one of the weapons away, using it to block the metal batons instead of just dodging. That alone gave her more flexibility then they'd expected, and allowed her to take the fight back to them. Further, just as she knew they'd focus any attacks through their weapons, she could use her baton just for defense, and pull their focus away from her strikes, punches and kicks and the occasional elbow.

Jade had no idea how badly she'd been hurt, and honestly, no longer cared. She didn't even take the time to chide herself for rushing into this situation. One momentary laps in her concentration, and the fight would be over. The wound on her head was a result of trying to will Tori and the girl to run, instead of the two just staring as Jade functionally gave her life for nothing.

With a twirl and a defining noise, the fight ended, Jade dropping to the ground, a bullet lodged in her, someplace in her chest. The pale girl wondered how long she'd linger, or if the men would save her life just to inflict something worse. Her heart was hammering in her ear, even as she realized she was on the ground, clinging to life. Now, she could stop and think, to rebuke her actions, to point out what a fool she'd been, all for a girl she refused to call a friend. Oddly, she didn't regret her decision so much as her friend not getting away. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid...'

"Jade, stay with me." Tori's voice echoed in her head. "The police are on the way, and I hope they called an ambulance, cause dam, that's a lot of blood. Jade, the nice lady on the line said to try and keep you conscious, so stay with me. Help is on the way, and we're so grateful you saved us, even if it was kinda stupid. I'm pretty sure my dad would have told you just call the police, and let them do their job. Still, you did save me, and my fan, and shes here, crying, cause damn, that was scary. They...they had guns. Batons and guns and there were so many of them… I can't thank you enough. I… Damn it, why'd you break up with Beck? Now I have to tell him this happened, and he'll wonder, was it a ploy? No way he'll just believe we were really friends. Jade, you HAVE to recover. I need you to recover, so I can prove we're friend…"

It hurt to breath, Jade knew that, so she acted without thinking, before she blacked out, something she knew was coming. Not sure if she'd be alive much longer, she acted, before she could even think about what she was doing. Her hand reached up, shaking, to take the singers head and pull her closer. Lips touched, and while there was that coppery taste of blood, Jade kissed her rival quiet. "Vega, you talk too much…" Jade got out before her world started to fade to gray….

Her eyes opened what she suspected, from the so many clues, beeping noises to the side, white walls, and a chart with some persons name written on it under the title "Nurse", was the hospital. For a short while, all the pale girl could do was take it in, that she'd survived, and was now in a comfortable bed someplace, probably the hospital. Jade didn't have that long to herself, however, as a familiar Latina soon was alerting everyone she was awake.

The nurse seemed less then surprised. "Miss West, you're a very luck girl. A few inches to the side, and you'd be dead right now. However, the bullet did pierce a lung, which we reinflated, and caused some other damage. But it's not as bad as it looks, or feels. Nasty enough chest wound thought, even if we suspect you'll be up and doing physical therapy in as little as a week. Probably more like two, but we'll get you up and moving, and two weeks after that, good as new." The nurse explained. "I'll let the doctors explain it to you more clearly, but all thing considered, you're gonna be healed and out of here withing a month."

"Plus, they saved your figure. Not sure you'd appreciate losing a boob over saving my life." Tori rambled.

"Vega, please…" Jade said, needing to focus. Her memories of that fight were fading, but she wanted to lock all of it, the way she just flowed from move to move, in her memories, even as she realized, she was shot by the last of the men standing. The last man, who she was taking down, even as he shot her. "What happened to the…" She started, but given her inflated lung, she needed a bit more time to get used to speaking again.

"Those guys? Well, it tuns out they were soldiers from Yerba. Yerba!" Tori started to explain. "They were sent to get me, and then probably he rest of you, so the chancellor could show the world he wasn't weak. You, you stopped them, and now Yerba is facing a major international incident." Tori sighed. "Now, I have to let everyone know, cause Beck, he just wouldn't believe..."

"VEGA!" Jade's head ached from the volume of her snap, but it got the singers attention. She felt the world shift to gray, just for a moment, before she could focus through again. Needing more information, she pushed on. "Did, did I kiss you?"

"Kinda sorta." Tori affirmed, now managing to look embarrassed, even as she watched the pale girl breath.

"Did you like it?" Jade couldn't feel nervous. 'Damn me acting all implosive again.'

"You're a good kisser, though the circumstances, I think I'd have thought Robbie was a great kisser if he'd just saved me from that." Tori babbled.

"Look, I'm gonna pass out again soon, so, lets just agree…" Jade knew she had to protect herself, but had already risked too much to not make a bold move. "Wanna be my girlfriend?"

Tori smiled, watching her girl start to fade again. "Yea, no one is gonna believe that either." She sighed, turning to the nurse. "Any chance I could get someone to vouch for me? When I tel them, I need a witness…"

:}

Okay, took forever, but I added something new to my story. Gonna try and add more in a day or two, but life got complicated, and I had to put a pause on some of my stuff. Lets hope I add more soon….

Thoughts?

The song "The Whole World is Watching." By Within Temptation inspired this story. Two versions on Youtube.