Working with Ghosts

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

Chapter 30 (An Ending, but a New Beginning)

Ten years later, Jade sat amid the friends and family of the victims taken by Beck Oliver. Before them a glass window was the one thing separating them from the monster. He was being strapped to the metal table and was wearing only his boxers.

Beside her was Freddie, her second husband now of six years. Vanessa and Ryan were also with them, and both were much happier now than they'd been in a long time. Rachel was beside Vanessa while Jason, Lindsay, and the other two children were seated in the row behind them. The couple had married about eight years ago, after almost two years of dating.

It was rough for everyone to be here, to be reminded of the pain they'd gone through so long ago, but it was necessary. They hadn't been present for Andre's execution in Louisiana-the state made quick work of their serial killer, sentencing him to death and executing him only five years after his trial.

Seeing Beck here was a relief, despite everything. She no longer felt that connection she once felt with the man, and was happier with the man beside her than she ever was with the murderer. Still, it wasn't easy to see him go.

"I don't like being here," Jade whispered to Freddie. He squeezed her hand and flashed an understanding smile. When she looked past him, the looks on her children's faces astonished her.

Vanessa and Ryan were glaring coldly at their father. Over the years, they'd grown close to Freddie and never talked about Beck. She knew Vanessa felt betrayed, but never really heard much from Ryan. Still, both wanted to attend their father's execution, and they weren't minors anymore, so they could be there of their own will.

The executioner hit a switch that raised up the table and made Beck face those in attendance. He huffed multiple times and sneered at the man beside him. "Is there anything you would like to say to those here today?" The man asked. Beck raised an eyebrow and glanced off to the side.

"My only regret is I let Andre loose as long as I did." Jade curled her lip into a smirk as she stared at the executioner. She'd recently been promoted to Captain rank and was in charge of her own squad of homicide detectives. As a captain, she had a few connections and was able to pull in a few favors.

As a final insult to Beck, she managed to call in a favor and reached out to Ross.

Over the years he'd made a name for himself. He found a nice girl, settled down and even had a son of his own that he was trying to raise right. He also continued on to medical school and became a physician's assistant.

Jade never forgot what he said to her so long ago, and now, he was a citizen executioner for this one execution. "Beck has no idea, does he?" Freddie inquired. Jade shook her head and narrowed her eyes as her former husband looked up to the executioner.

"Try not to enjoy it too much," Beck muttered. "I should have died ten years ago when that fruitcake shot me in the head." Ross's lips curved at the corner and his eyebrows rose while he lowered Beck down.

"Oh don't you worry about that. I don't actually enjoy doing this, but I feel all right." Ross tapped the needle once as a prison nurse applied a tourniquet to Beck's arm. Beck closed his hands tightly and shut his eyes. "Do you remember my name?"

"Hardly Care."

"Ross. Samuel Ross." Beck's eyes snapped open and his muscles tensed up. His lips separated and fear poured into his eyes for the first time. "They let citizen doctors and PA's carry out executions now."

"You're a fucking doctor now?"

"Not quite."

"Shit. How the hell-" Beck tilted his head back, hanging it upside down and staring at the window. Jade stared back at him with a cold look in her eyes, listening as the man cursed her.

Ross placed a hand to Beck's arm and brought the needle towards the vein. "That poor girl, those poor women. It's only a shame that you outlived them and lasted as long as you have. I can't stand killing, but scum like you? Yeah I don't think I mind."

"Goddamn it." The needle pricked Beck's arm. Ross's thumb flicked to the plunger and shoved it down. Over the years, the serum had been operated on to the point that it could kill its target in a matter of seconds. The muscles and nerves in the body would react accordingly, but the person was dead nonetheless.

Jade held onto Freddie's hand, gripping it tight as she watched Beck's eyes roll into the back of his head. His body began its unconscious convulsing, and Ross turned away with a look of disgust.

It was true that no executioner actually liked their job, not even this man that wanted nothing more than to take out the man responsible for Trina's murder. "I thought I would hate seeing him here," Jason said. Jade looked over her shoulder and frowned. "I don't like being in the same area as that man, but I'll be honest…knowing that he felt remorse makes me despise him a lot less than the man that actually took Trina away from me."

"I'm sorry Jason."

"Don't be." Jason closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath. "Beck's death doesn't bring the victims back, but it helps us heal. It helps knowing that man can't possibly do anything to hurt anybody else."

"I'm glad he's gone," Vanessa replied. Jade raised an eyebrow and watched her daughter trace her fingers across the pink scar on her neck. "I mean, I know he's my father, but…I don't know. It isn't easy. I'm just glad we don't have to fear him anymore."

"Our dad?" Ryan stood up and grabbed his varsity jacket from the chair. "Freddie's our dad, Vanessa." Vanessa smiled sadly and rose to her feet. The rest began to stand, with each person taking one final glimpse at Beck before the paramedics rolled him out of the room.

Like her children, Jade felt nothing towards Beck. She'd grown past him. Sure she still had a flicker of sorrow for the man, but it wasn't overwhelming enough to make a significant impact.

"I only wish Mr. Vega could have been here," she said. Freddie moved his hand to her lower back and gently kissed her right temple.

"So do I."

David passed away not long after the trial. He'd told everyone that he was ready to go, he could finally rest and be with his daughters knowing their killer was off the streets.

Also missing from the execution was Holly. Jade found it highly ironic that David was the one still pining for his daughters, still loving them long after death and thinking constantly about them while Holly never did anything. She never showed up at the trial, never showed up to anything that had to do with the girls.

On one hand, Jade was disgusted by it, but on the other hand she understood why the mother would want to distance herself emotionally.

Jade and Freddie left the building last, with Vanessa and Ryan in front of them. She watched her two children with pride, smiling when Vanessa ran up to meet a boy waiting beside a bright red convertible. This was the girl's boyfriend, and he reminded her a little of Jason, so she was certain he would treat her daughter well.

As for Ryan, he was like his father when it came to women, but he didn't have the same narcissistic ego. He was dating somebody, and routinely told women that were interested in him that he wasn't available. It was a lesson well learned, and Ryan was sure not to become anything like his father.

"I still want to talk to that guy," Freddie said while pointing at Vanessa's boyfriend. The couple were already in the car and starting it up. "I swear, every time I show up, he disappears! What in the hell."

Jade rolled her eyes and slid her arms around his left arm. She leaned into him and smiled brightly. It warmed her heart seeing him so protective of the girl; part of the reason she fell for him after the trial and divorce was because of how much he cared for the kids and the family.

"He's a good guy."

"You've already talked to him, haven't you?"

"Yep."

"How did I miss that?"

"You were asleep on the couch when he came over to take Vanessa on a date. We talked while she got ready." Freddie's jaw fell open and Jade looked back to him with a smug expression. "You were so stressed out and tired from all the paperwork that I just couldn't bear to wake you."

"Evil, pure evil."

"Yep. Don't worry, you'll have your daddy moment soon enough I'm sure."

Freddie laughed openly. They made it to their car and he unlocked the driver's side. Jade looked off to the vicinity of Ryan's vehicle and watched him back out of the parking spot. When he left, there wasn't a car in front of where he'd been parked.

Instead, there were two vaguely familiar girls with long brown hair and identical faces. Her head jerked back and her eyes slanted. "Freddie?" The girls were looking around anxiously and looked lost while they were walking through the lot. Freddie glanced over with raised eyebrows and turned towards the girls.

They were young, just younger than Ryan. As she pieced together the identity of the twins, she felt her heart skip a note. She knew these two. "Oh god, it's Sami and Angie." Freddie's jaw dropped as the girls approached them.

"I'm telling you," Sami said with an urgent voice, "I'm too nervous for this." Sami was wringing her hands and was slouching while Angie was walking tall and confidently. "I think the execution's over."

"Sami, they see us." Sami's eyes widened and shot up to Freddie. The girls stopped in front of the couple. Freddie remained frozen, staring with surprise at the girls. "You're Fred Benson?" He nodded slowly. "Mom told us about you, we wanted to find you…your office said you were attending an execution."

"Y-Yes." Freddie adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. "That's finished now. Does your mom know you're here?"

Angie's lips pressed together and her head rolled to the right. "No." The girl shrugged nonchalantly while her sister bowed her head. "I don't care. I want to know who my father is, she doesn't want us to, but I want to."

"He has another family," Sami whispered, "I don't think he wants anything to do with us."

Freddie stammered for a minute, stopping when Jade nudged him sharply in the back. This was his chance to get to know the two girls he'd longed to know, and he was about to blow it.

"That's not true." Angie and Sami exchanged surprised glances. Freddie approached them, smiling openly. "I'd love to get to know you two. In fact, this here is my wife, Jade." Jade waved at the girls and walked beside Freddie, taking his hand in hers.

"Why don't we all grab some dinner?" This was an excellent time to get to know these two girls, although it hurt to know Melanie still didn't want them to know their dad. It might be hard to get her to jump on board with the idea, but the important thing was that Freddie and these girls would get the chance to know each other.

It was the start of something new. The lid could be closed on the past, never forgotten but put behind them. Life would always continue on, no matter what happened.

The twins nodded in her direction and grabbed each other's hand. "Sounds good. We like Italian food." Freddie's eyes lit up and he started to bounce on his toes.

"So do I! I know the perfect place."

"We parked at the other end of the lot," Sami said, "Can you drive us to our car and we'll follow you?"

"I'd be happy to."

Yeah it leaves it open to a potential sequel, but that would be done in the iCarly realm and I may not have time or the ability to do another ongoing WIP at the moment. For this tale, it's over. Jade closes the lid on the cold case once and for all. Thank you to everyone who followed this journey, and I appreciate everyone that left their commentary, input and critique! Don't forget to let me know what you thought of the execution, of the twins, and so forth. Until next time!