Stronger Than You Seem Chapter 23: Epilogue – The Value to Survival, a victorious fanfic

Thank you for your kind words, support, and lovely reviews along the way. I've much enjoyed writing these stories; the excitement and interaction from the readers is half the fun (although I do love writing for the sake of writing... it is so much better to share it). I think this epilogue gives a bit of closure. If you haven't, please go back to the last chapter and review - answer my questions :-) Then read this and tell me what you think. I know, I'm demanding. Thanks for being a part of the journey these stories have created. If I can make it work... I might pop back up with another one in the not too distant future. No promises (I don't want to disappoint), but a possibility.

Timeline – it's set a little less than a year and a half after the end of the last chapter.

Epilogue – The Value to Survival

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.

~C.S. Lewis

It was a gorgeous California summer day. There was just enough of a breeze to keep the heat from feeling oppressive and the sunshine was clear and bright. Jade watched from the side of the stage as the amphitheater filled with bubbly, excited fans. The sound of something metal crashing into the wooden boards of the stage, followed by stammering apologies, caused her to roll her eyes.

"Robbie, get out of their way," she told him sharply. He turned a brighter shade of red and backed away from the tech crew that was trying to prepare for the show.

"Cat is looking for you," he said. Jade backed away from the stage and followed the various hallways below the stage and into the dressing room Cat was sharing with Tori. The vibrant redhead was moving quickly through the room, clearly searching for something.

Jade watched her almost topple over a music stand before she put a stop to the madness. She stepped in front of her oldest friend, grabbing her attention. "What are you looking for?"

"I lost my dress," Cat told her breathlessly.

"Which dress?" Jade asked, eyeing a rack near the door that was laden with dresses; several of them belonged to the redheaded woman.

"The pink one," Cat answered with exasperation.

"You have more than one pink dress," Jade told her, walking to the rack and flipping through it. "What is wrong with one of these?" Several of them were pink. Jade held one up randomly.

"That's not the right one," Cat whined.

Before Jade could try to pacify her with one of the currently available options, Tori appeared in the room with a hanger in one hand. From the hanger hung a dark pink dress with a short, full skirt and spaghetti straps. It was covered in polka dots and tiny sprigs of lighter pink flowers. Cat squealed in delight.

"You left this in the car," Tori told her, offering her the hanger. Cat took it, hugged Tori, and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.

Jade and Tori both watched her go and then exchanged looks. "Remind me why I'm doing this?" Jade said, already feeling weeks of exhaustion creeping into her bones. The tour hadn't started yet and she could feel how tired it was going to make her.

"For me," Tori responded. "And thank you."

"Stop thanking me, just make sure Cat doesn't lose anything else before she gets onstage."

"I can do that," Tori said. Her expression changed to one of more doubt. "I can try."

Jade smiled and turned to leave the room, almost bumping directly into her husband. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her, his arms full with an extremely precious package. He handed their almost-one-year-old daughter to his wife. "She wants you."

"She wants food," Jade corrected him with a smirk. She carried Coral to her dressing room and Beck followed. He watched as she sat on her sofa and pulled a blanket over her shoulder. She stealthily undressed partially under the blanket and held Coral so she could eat. The child didn't need much direction; she latched on immediately.

A short two hours later, they could hear the noise from the fans gathered to watch the show. Now the space was full; the sound was almost deafening. After checking on Violet and Coral one last time – sitting in private box seats with their dad and their grandparents – Jade walked onto the right wing of the stage and stood next to Tori.

"You're going to be fine," Jade promised her, watching as Tori stared at the stage before them.

"This is going to change everything," Tori responded.

"Sometimes that's not a bad thing," her friend responded. "Now, that clapping is for you – get your ass on that stage before I drag you out there myself." She smiled a happy and relaxed smile – something that eighteen months prior would have been strange. They had both fought so many demons. They had all overcome so much. If ever there was a culminating moment that made it all seem worth it, this was it.

Tori stepped onto the stage as the band played the introduction for the second time.

I feel delirious
Come let's get out of here

After the first few lines, Cat and Jade were on stage, entering from opposite sides and joining in the song. The crowd exploded at the sight. Jade was the headliner for the tour – her fans hadn't expected her on stage so soon. And they certainly hadn't expected her singing back up.

We're so anonymous
But it's all coming clear
We're heading for the sky
And we'll get lost in it

Robbie followed Cat and Andre followed Jade, coming from the sides and onto the stage and joining in the song. Jade and Andre harmonized and she smiled as she leaned against him, back to back, singing a song they'd first performed over ten years prior.

Cause all I want, all I want, all I want is everything

I will pose if I wanna
I will vogue like Madonna
I might not dance like MJ, RIP
But I will give the best of me

All I want is everything, yes everything
Too much is not enough
I'm sick of settling for in between
And I'm not giving up
As long as it feels right
At least we know that we're alive
All I want is everything, yes everything yeah, oh

We don't ever stop
Let's watch the sun come up
We'll sleep when we're dead
Cause halfway kind of sucks
We're heading for the sky
And we'll get lost in it
Cause all I want, all I want, all I want is everything.

I will pose if I wanna
I will vogue like Madonna
I might not dance like MJ, RIP
But I will give the best of me

Hold onto me and I'll hold onto you
Don't over think, what have we got to lose?
It's me and you, me and you no matter what
Oooh

We're heading for the sky
And we'll get lost in it
Cause all I want, all I want, all I want is everything

I will pose if I wanna
I will vogue like Madonna
I might not dance like MJ, RIP
But I will give the best of me

Tori continued her first set with two more songs, both things she'd written in high school with the help of Andre. After Andre sang a song on his own, Tori returned for a second small set – this time with new songs. The crowd loved her, just as they always had.

Tori thanked the audience and was walking off stage when Jade walked on, stopping her. The darker haired-brunette handed a microphone to Tori, taking the one on stage for herself. "Thank you so much for coming to the show tonight." The crowd cheered. "This is a fun one for all of us – most of these songs were things we wrote and performed in high school. I want to thank Tori Vega for getting the show started – I'd say she set the bar pretty high." The crowd roared. "Let's hear another round of applause for Tori." It was a monstrous sound and Tori had to fight not to look down at her feet. "Now, before she goes back stage – I think she has time for one more song. What do you guys think?" The audience cheered again and the music started.

Jade and Tori's duet had not been planned – but it went over fabulously with the crowd. It wasn't a song that had ever been recorded – nothing that Jade's fans had ever captured and posted online. It was wholly new – and with a youthful, vibrant sound. And it was fun.

One.
Get your hands off my—
Two.
Or I'll punch you in the—
Three.
Stop your staring at my—
Hey!
Take a hint, take a hint
I am not your missing link
Let me tell you what I think
I think you could use a mint
Take a hint, take a hint

They ended the song with their harms around one another and indulged in a quick hug before Tori took her last bow. A bow she never imagined could have happened. It was an evening that would begin a tour that – five years ago – had seemed like an insurmountable impossibility. A tour that would reintroduce Victoria Vega to the music scene. She took that bow – the first that they all knew would become many - and handed over the stage to Jade – the surprising friend-for-life who had helped to make it happen when all had seemed lost.