Until It's Gone - Part Two
Title: Until It's Gone
Pairing: Jat(Jade/Cat)
Disclaimer: These characters are Dan's, and as such are totally and completely gay for each other without my help :) I'm just having fun.
Summary: It's often hard to tell how much someone means to you. Jade West struggles as her life and relationships get complicated. It takes a brush with disaster and an uncertain future to show her what really matters most. A story told in flashbacks.
Beta'd by sikbblgum.
Prologue
Part One
Things don’t end smoothly between Jade and Beck.
Jade finds herself uncharacteristically nervous about bringing up Tori around him. It takes several days after her conversation with Cat to even broach the subject and the resulting dialogue resolves nothing.
Beck writes off Jade’s concerns as typical Jade-esque jealousy; tells her not to worry, Tori’s just a friend. What he fails to understand is that Jade knows that. Of course Tori is just a friend, Beck is dating Jade after all. It’s not a matter of what she is; it’s a matter of what Beck wants her to be.
It happens one week to the hour after her first conversation with Cat on the subject. Jade spends her free period before lunch on her bench contemplating Beck and Tori, again. Nothing comes to mind that she hasn’t already thought of or that Cat hasn’t already pointed out. Jade strengthens her resolve to end things with Beck but still has no idea how she’s going to go about it. Beck is a friend, a good one, one Jade is afraid of losing and she doesn’t see how this can end well.
The lunch bell finally interrupts Jade’s inner turmoil and the conflicted girl is forced to leave her secluded stone sanctuary in search of food. It’s not until she already has her food and is settling into a seat in the cafeteria that she remembers she really needs to talk to Sikowitz before class to ask for an extension on the scene she was supposed to prepare.
Sikowitz’s classroom is on the other side of the campus from the cafeteria. It’s only as she is turning into the hallway outside of the classroom that Jade realizes she actually has no idea where the eccentric drama instructor’s office is and it’s unlikely he spends his free periods in a classroom with no desk.
Just as Jade is about to turn around she hears sounds coming from what should be the empty drama classroom. Deciding to investigate, she makes her way over to the darkened classroom. It wouldn’t surprise Jade in the least to find Sikowitz on the floor of the empty room meditating over his coconuts or whatever it is people like Sikowitz do with their spare time.
“Hello? Sikowitz?” Jade calls out into the room as she opens the door and flicks on the lights.
A gasp comes from the other end of the room and Jade sees two forms quickly jump apart. Jade looks down at her feet impatiently and grumbles to herself; great, no Sikowitz, just two idiots looking for a spot to make out. It isn’t until she hears the shorter idiot call out her name in a panic that she realizes the voice belongs to none other than Tori Vega. The panic in her tone draws Jade’s attention and she immediately recognizes Vega’s accomplice.
Jade’s voice is cold and sharp as steel when she speaks up again, “Vega. Leave. Now.”
Tori looks helplessly between Jade and the boy next to her, “Jade, I swear this isn’t what it looks like. He didn’t-”
“Out. Now.” Jade repeats. She doesn’t raise her voice but her tone cuts through the air like a knife.
Tori gives one last apologetic look to her male companion before making her way shakily to the door.
“Jade, I…” she tries one last time as she reaches the door but Jade pointedly ignores her and Tori finally gives up and leaves, closing the door quietly behind her.
Jade’s icy demeanor slips a bit as the door clicks shut behind her.
She gives a long, drawn out sigh, “Beck, I’d say I’m shocked but…”
Beck has a helpless look of his own plastered across his face and his eyes couldn’t be more apologetic when he starts, “Jade, this really isn’t what it looks like. We weren’t-”
“You weren’t what? Making out with Tori? No I kind of saw that part. Try again.”
“No. No that part did happen, but I swear it didn’t mean anything, Jade. It just happened. I was going to say we weren’t sneaking around behind your back. This wasn’t planned, Jade. We were in here rehearsing a scene and then…”
Jade gives a defeated sigh and her anger slowly gives way to a resigned hopelessness, “And I guess that makes it all better. Doesn’t it.”
Beck gives a helpless shrug, “No. It doesn’t, but I swear, Jade, it won’t ever happen again. It was a mistake and I’m so sorry. I-”
“Beck-”
“Tori’s just a friend, Jade. I swear. Please-”
“Beck. Stop. Just… stop. I get it, ok? You aren’t a cheat. I get it. I know you, Beck. I know this wasn’t premeditated. I know if you promise it won’t happen again then it won’t. I get it.”
Jade takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly, “That isn’t the point though. We aren’t working Beck. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. It’s time we both stop trying so hard to hold onto something that’s already broken.”
Beck reaches out to put a hand on Jade’s cheek but she turns away from his touch, “Jade. Please don’t do this. I know I screwed up but this doesn’t have to be the end for us. I l-”
“You what? Love me? No you don’t. You think you do but you don’t. It’s so obvious it’s a wonder you’re the last to know. Maybe you just feel obligated. You feel more for Tori than you ever did for me. It’s over, Beck. Just, you know, go be happy or whatever.”
Beck takes hold of Jade’s right hand with his own, “Jade. I don’t have feelings for Tori. Please…”
Jade takes a step back and drops his hand, “Beck. Stop. It’s over, ok? And it’s been coming for a long time. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Just go. Chase after Tori or something. Even if you don’t have feelings for her, it’s still done Beck. Just leave, please. I can’t deal with this right now.”
Beck’s shoulders slump in defeat as Jade walks away from him and takes a seat on the edge of the stage and begins staring silently at her own hands. Beck finally gives up and, with one last look at Jade’s stoic form on the stage, exits the classroom.
As the door clicks shut Jade slumps forward and takes her head in her hands as she finally lets the tears fall.
Jade stays seated on the small stage, silently sobbing for a long time and that is exactly how Cat finds her ten minutes later when she enters the classroom fifteen minutes early for the next class.
The redhead doesn’t say anything, just silently takes a seat next to the broken girl on the stage and wraps an arm tightly around her shoulders. Jade buries her head in her friend’s neck as she wills the tears to stop.
After several minutes Cat nudges the other girl softly and carefully helps her to her feet.
“Come on, let’s find a bathroom and get you cleaned up, then we can skip the rest of the day and go get ice cream or something. Alright?”
Jade doesn’t say anything but gives the other girl a thankful smile as they leave the empty classroom behind.
Pairing: Jat(Jade/Cat)
Disclaimer: These characters are Dan's, and as such are totally and completely gay for each other without my help :) I'm just having fun.
Summary: It's often hard to tell how much someone means to you. Jade West struggles as her life and relationships get complicated. It takes a brush with disaster and an uncertain future to show her what really matters most. A story told in flashbacks.
Beta'd by sikbblgum.
Prologue
Part One
Things don’t end smoothly between Jade and Beck.
Jade finds herself uncharacteristically nervous about bringing up Tori around him. It takes several days after her conversation with Cat to even broach the subject and the resulting dialogue resolves nothing.
Beck writes off Jade’s concerns as typical Jade-esque jealousy; tells her not to worry, Tori’s just a friend. What he fails to understand is that Jade knows that. Of course Tori is just a friend, Beck is dating Jade after all. It’s not a matter of what she is; it’s a matter of what Beck wants her to be.
It happens one week to the hour after her first conversation with Cat on the subject. Jade spends her free period before lunch on her bench contemplating Beck and Tori, again. Nothing comes to mind that she hasn’t already thought of or that Cat hasn’t already pointed out. Jade strengthens her resolve to end things with Beck but still has no idea how she’s going to go about it. Beck is a friend, a good one, one Jade is afraid of losing and she doesn’t see how this can end well.
The lunch bell finally interrupts Jade’s inner turmoil and the conflicted girl is forced to leave her secluded stone sanctuary in search of food. It’s not until she already has her food and is settling into a seat in the cafeteria that she remembers she really needs to talk to Sikowitz before class to ask for an extension on the scene she was supposed to prepare.
Sikowitz’s classroom is on the other side of the campus from the cafeteria. It’s only as she is turning into the hallway outside of the classroom that Jade realizes she actually has no idea where the eccentric drama instructor’s office is and it’s unlikely he spends his free periods in a classroom with no desk.
Just as Jade is about to turn around she hears sounds coming from what should be the empty drama classroom. Deciding to investigate, she makes her way over to the darkened classroom. It wouldn’t surprise Jade in the least to find Sikowitz on the floor of the empty room meditating over his coconuts or whatever it is people like Sikowitz do with their spare time.
“Hello? Sikowitz?” Jade calls out into the room as she opens the door and flicks on the lights.
A gasp comes from the other end of the room and Jade sees two forms quickly jump apart. Jade looks down at her feet impatiently and grumbles to herself; great, no Sikowitz, just two idiots looking for a spot to make out. It isn’t until she hears the shorter idiot call out her name in a panic that she realizes the voice belongs to none other than Tori Vega. The panic in her tone draws Jade’s attention and she immediately recognizes Vega’s accomplice.
Jade’s voice is cold and sharp as steel when she speaks up again, “Vega. Leave. Now.”
Tori looks helplessly between Jade and the boy next to her, “Jade, I swear this isn’t what it looks like. He didn’t-”
“Out. Now.” Jade repeats. She doesn’t raise her voice but her tone cuts through the air like a knife.
Tori gives one last apologetic look to her male companion before making her way shakily to the door.
“Jade, I…” she tries one last time as she reaches the door but Jade pointedly ignores her and Tori finally gives up and leaves, closing the door quietly behind her.
Jade’s icy demeanor slips a bit as the door clicks shut behind her.
She gives a long, drawn out sigh, “Beck, I’d say I’m shocked but…”
Beck has a helpless look of his own plastered across his face and his eyes couldn’t be more apologetic when he starts, “Jade, this really isn’t what it looks like. We weren’t-”
“You weren’t what? Making out with Tori? No I kind of saw that part. Try again.”
“No. No that part did happen, but I swear it didn’t mean anything, Jade. It just happened. I was going to say we weren’t sneaking around behind your back. This wasn’t planned, Jade. We were in here rehearsing a scene and then…”
Jade gives a defeated sigh and her anger slowly gives way to a resigned hopelessness, “And I guess that makes it all better. Doesn’t it.”
Beck gives a helpless shrug, “No. It doesn’t, but I swear, Jade, it won’t ever happen again. It was a mistake and I’m so sorry. I-”
“Beck-”
“Tori’s just a friend, Jade. I swear. Please-”
“Beck. Stop. Just… stop. I get it, ok? You aren’t a cheat. I get it. I know you, Beck. I know this wasn’t premeditated. I know if you promise it won’t happen again then it won’t. I get it.”
Jade takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly, “That isn’t the point though. We aren’t working Beck. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. It’s time we both stop trying so hard to hold onto something that’s already broken.”
Beck reaches out to put a hand on Jade’s cheek but she turns away from his touch, “Jade. Please don’t do this. I know I screwed up but this doesn’t have to be the end for us. I l-”
“You what? Love me? No you don’t. You think you do but you don’t. It’s so obvious it’s a wonder you’re the last to know. Maybe you just feel obligated. You feel more for Tori than you ever did for me. It’s over, Beck. Just, you know, go be happy or whatever.”
Beck takes hold of Jade’s right hand with his own, “Jade. I don’t have feelings for Tori. Please…”
Jade takes a step back and drops his hand, “Beck. Stop. It’s over, ok? And it’s been coming for a long time. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Just go. Chase after Tori or something. Even if you don’t have feelings for her, it’s still done Beck. Just leave, please. I can’t deal with this right now.”
Beck’s shoulders slump in defeat as Jade walks away from him and takes a seat on the edge of the stage and begins staring silently at her own hands. Beck finally gives up and, with one last look at Jade’s stoic form on the stage, exits the classroom.
As the door clicks shut Jade slumps forward and takes her head in her hands as she finally lets the tears fall.
Jade stays seated on the small stage, silently sobbing for a long time and that is exactly how Cat finds her ten minutes later when she enters the classroom fifteen minutes early for the next class.
The redhead doesn’t say anything, just silently takes a seat next to the broken girl on the stage and wraps an arm tightly around her shoulders. Jade buries her head in her friend’s neck as she wills the tears to stop.
After several minutes Cat nudges the other girl softly and carefully helps her to her feet.
“Come on, let’s find a bathroom and get you cleaned up, then we can skip the rest of the day and go get ice cream or something. Alright?”
Jade doesn’t say anything but gives the other girl a thankful smile as they leave the empty classroom behind.