A Subconscious Fight
DISCLAIMER - I do not own Victorious, or any of the Characters, Images, or any else that is in any way related to it.
FYI: Italics is someone's dream, Bold is someone's inner thoughts, and Bold Italics is a Text Message.
Chapter 18 - Our Time Is Now
Tori was looking around, tears in her eyes. Her mother and sister were trying to calm her down, knowing that it was futile. She and Cat had finally made it. After everything with their unique situation, through all the struggle and strife, they had persevered, and had come through better and stronger. Tori's daughter, Elizabeth, came running in, grabbing her mommy and looking up to her.
"Hey baby, you look pretty!" The three year old giggled, knowing that she wasn't supposed to look better than her mommies. It was their special day. They had planned it, fervently, and finally had everything settled. "Now, where's daddy?" Tori knew André had let his daughter see her mother in her dress, because the child had been kept in the dark. She had wanted it a surprise, but also because she didn't want the child to tell Cat what it looked like. She had made it special.
It was a simple design, flowing across her body and accenuating every curve. There was a short train on the ground, and lace stitched into the waist. There were red flowers on her shoulders and her bust, specifically asked for because they would compliment Cat's hair. Her veil covered her face, but wasn't thick enough to hide what would be a rush of tears that would certainly ruin her fresh makeup. Her bouquet was white, red, and pink roses, with a few daisies added, because they were Cat's favorite.
"I don't know, mommy. He and Jessie said I could come see you, and that I should get ready here." Elizabeth was preceding her mothers down the aisle, throwing flowers everywhere while cameras were being flashed in her face. Tori looked to her daughter, smiling the size of Texas. Tori couldn't help but melt to the toddler, knowing that it was a special day for her, too. It was a unique day, and something that the child wouldn't experience again for a long time. So it was like a once in a lifetime chance, or so the child felt. She didn't know how long it would take until her day came. But she knew that if she found someone who loved her like her mommies loved each other, then she would eventually get her chance at a day like this.
Tori smiled, thankful that everything with André had worked itself out. After Cat found Jessica, and relayed the message that he wasn't at fault, she skeptically took him back. But once Tori showed up, apologized, and reitterated the point, she accepted everything and fell back into her comfortable, routine life. It took some time for her to trust Tori again, especially since she worked so close to André. But once the wedding date was set, and André put on ring on her finger, everything was forgotten.
"Okay. Well, the ceremony will be starting in-?" Tori looked to her mother, butterflies in both their stomachs.
"Twenty minutes, baby. Ohh, I'm so happy for you." Holly picked up her grandaughter, kissing her cheek and holding her tight. "Can you let me help mommy finish getting ready? You do want her to look extra pretty for Cat, right?" That was another thing the child knew. If she talked to either mother alone, they were called mommy. But if both women were together, then their first names would suffice.
"YES! Oh, Cat looks so pretty too."
"Ah-ah young lady. Not a word. Its bad luck."
"What's luck?"
"Don't worry about that baby. Just know that luck helped Tori and Cat fall in love with each other, and gave you two mommies and a daddy, okay?" The child didn't fall for the explination. She didn't fully understand what luck was, and knew that there was more to it. But she dropped it and smiled wide. "Now then, go with aunt Trina and let me help mommy, okay?" The child beamed, smiling again. Trina took her niece's hand, and walked her out the door.
Tori and Cat didn't even have to worry about the finances for the wedding. What their parents couldn't come up with, the record company gave. They did so on one condition. Tori would need to give a free concert, and the money she would have earned from the tickets would go to their wedding. She agreed, and came up with an idea. She went and found the waitress who had helped her all that time ago, still serving tables in the same diner. When she told her of her plan, the woman's eyes lit up at the idea, knowing that on a waitress' pay, there was no way she could give her daughter a memorable eighteenth birthday present.
Tori walked into the girl's school, which was having an assembly for reasons that no one, other than the principal, knew. When Tori came forth, and announced her happy birthday wishes to the girl, the crowd of about six hundred erupted. After singing a few songs, including Make It In America, which she had been discovered by singing in the first place, the girls came up to her with tears in her eyes. When Tori told her her mother had paid for it, which was fabricated but the girl didn't seem to care, the girl broke down even more.
Tori offered a birthday present of her own, her chartious side getting the better of her. She invited the girl, along with five of her friends, to a day in the life of Tori Vega. After shopping and recording a fun song in the studio, with the help of André, the girls got to meet Beck, Jade, and Cat. Meeting the hotest guy in Hollywood sent all the girls into a frenzy, and Cat instantly befriended the girls. Even Jade was cordial enough to have a good time. By the time the girls were returned home, their day finished, none of them were able to speak, their voices having left them from screaming at every new nuiance of Tori's life.
After reporting to the record company of her day, and proclaiming that she would like to continue the endeavour on a bi-annual basis, the company happily agreed to keep their end of the deal. They gave her a check for ten grand, which was more than enough to put them over the top. When she told them that, they said to take the rest and use it for their honeymoon. Everything worked out perfectly, and upon remembering it, Tori sighed and shed a single tear.
"Tori, baby, I want you to have this." Holly produced a box for her. Upon opening it, the latina cried out even more. It was a set of blue stones on a silver bracelet that her mother only wore for the most special of occasions. It would help with the "Something borrowed, something blue. Something old, something new." tradition that came with brides at a wedding. Tori had borrowed Jade's diamond earrings, knowing that Cat adored them and would instantly recognize them. Her dress and pearl necklace were new, and her heels were also her mother's from her wedding. Everything was set. Eventually, David came in, and took his daughter's arm. They heard the music, and started their walk.
xxxxx
Cat was with Jade, tears in both their eyes. Cat's were understandable, but she looked to Jade with a confused look. She knew Jade treated her like a sister, and she was happy for everything they had accomplished. But Jade wasn't one for tears, even when saddened in the worst possible of ways. She hadn't even cried at her own wedding.
"Jade, why are you crying?" The redhead was still getting dressed, and Jade was doing her best to help her finish her hair while the dress was going on. It was specially made, just like Tori's had been. It was a bit more revealing, showing her cleaveage. It was strapless, and came down just below her shoulder blades in the back. Still beautiful and elegant, she had it made for Tori. She knew Tori's eyes like to roam, and that they would eventually find their way, even if they weren't supposed to. It had some darker shades of green in them, which next to Tori's red, would make a perfect symmatry. Of course, neither girl knew that, but Jade had "hinted" without revealing any details, knowing that she could coax them both into it.
"Cat, I, you, um-" The goth stood there, knowing what she wanted to say. But the words wouldn't form in her mouth. Cat finally saved her from needed to say anything, hugging her best friend and asking for her help with the final touches to her makeup.
Jade finished with Cat's hair, which was tightly wound in a bun on the back, with a few curly strands coming across her face. Jade's diamond earrings were being worn by the other bride, so she handed Cat her diamond bracelet, which would again, accent the latina perfectly. Cat was wearing a blue set of earrings, and her new pearls around her neck. Finishing her ensemble, her mother came in, wrapping a white lace bow into the bun on her hair, which doubled as a veil for her eyes. She looked to her daughter, then to Jade, pride in her eyes. Cat had come so far, and Jade was a big part of it all. Mrs. Valentine was ever thankful to the goth, and always promised to help is she needed it.
After a few minutes, Elizabeth came in. "Hey mommy. Oh, you look beautiful!" Cat blushed, even getting shaken by the words of her three year old daughter. Cat was so thankful that everything with André was taken care of, and was put behind them. Once she had explained to Jessie that everything was a misunderstanding, and Tori added her own apology, the girls became good friends. Jessie even accepted Elizabeth as part of what would be her own family soon, and though the girl knew she had two mommies and a daddy, having another "parent" excited her. It meant more toys for her birthday, and another person to wrap around her finger and manipulate. The little one had learned the deed from Jade, whose persuasive skills were still as sharp as ever.
"Elizabeth, I need to finish getting ready. Where's daddy?"
"He told me to find you or Tori, and finish getting ready."
"Oh, okay. Mom, can you-?"
The older woman nodded, taking her granddaughter and whisking her away. The girl still needed her dress and her hair put up, and Tori would be indisposed as much as Cat was. Elizabeth broke away from her for a moment, stopping in with Tori and complimenting her on her dress. After a few minutes, where Tori told her to finish getting ready, she finally returned with Trina, and they helped as she got herself ready. Finally, she saw Aiden, Jade and Beck's son, and the two of them took their places.
"Wow, Elizabeth, you look pretty!" The small boy looked away from his first crush, knowing that they would be best friends. But that didn't stop him from liking her as more. They were still way too young to understand it, but it didn't mean it wasn't true.
"Thank you. You're handsome, too." The small boy blushed, and leaned in, kissing the girl's cheek. After a short giggle from both, they stood, hand in hand, waiting for everything to begin. The ring bearer and flower girl looked around non-chalantly, revealing in their first ever kiss that didn't come from family.
Beck walked in to Cat, who had asked him to escort her down the aisle, since he was the only guy in her life she would trust enough to do it.
"Cat, you ready?"
"Yeah, I am!" The redhead was bouncing off the walls, knowing that in a few short hours, she would finally have everything she had ever wanted. Tori was hers, forever, and everything from their combined past had vanished long ago like smoke in the wind. Jade walked out of the room to take her place, behind her son, to walk before the brides. She, along with Trina, were the maids of honor, and Jessica and Holly were the other bridesmaids.
Finally, the music began, and Cat began her walk.
xxxxx
André and Robbie began the music, a rendition of the classic Wedding March on the piano and guitar. After a few moments, the pastor raised his hands, and the guests rose and looked to the back of the church for the women.
Cat and Tori walked, hand in hand, with Beck and David on either side, to the front of the church. Taking their places, and with a kiss from the men, they looked into each other's eyes for the first time today. Cat and Tori removed each other's veils, and the pastor began.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two souls in holy matrimony. If there is anyone who feels these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace." After no one responded, he continued. After the invitaional, and the opening prayer, he gave a speach about love and the bond between two kindred spirits. Finally, the vows came.
"Victoria, please repeat after me." She nodded.
"I Victoria - take thee Caterina - to be my lawfully wedded wife. In sickness and in health - for richer or poorer - for better or worse - as long as I live. You are my everything. Without you - my life would be incomplete. You are the missing piece - from the puzzle that is my life." Tori's voice shook with every word, her composure broken. The tears freely flowing, she never left the deadlock of her eyes on Cat's.
"Now, Tori, place this ring on Cat's finger." She took it, and moved it onto Cat's hand, noting how perfect it looked. "Now repeat. With this ring, I thee wed." Again, Tori's voice broke, but she got everything out.
"Caterina, please repeat after me." She stood still, frozen in place. She finally nodded, and the pastor began.
"I Caterina - take thee Victoria - to be my lawfully wedded wife. In sickness and in health - for richer or poorer - for better or worse - as long as I live. You are my everything. Without you - my life would be incomplete. You are the missing piece - from the puzzle that is my life." Cat took her time, annuciating every word, love in every syllable.
"Cat, place this ring on Tori's finger." She did, making sure to kiss the ring before placing it. "Now repeat. With this ring, I thee wed." Cat mouthed the words, but her voice was completely gone, for the first time in her life. It didn't matter, both girls knew it was only a few moments away. The pastor finally said the words their hearts longed to hear.
"I now pronounce you Wife and Wife! You may kiss your bride!" After a short sentual kiss, the audience applauding, the pastor spoke one last time. "It is now my pleasure to present Mrs. and Mrs. Caterina Valentine-Vega!" The girls had decided to hyphenate their last names, and keep them both. After one last roar from the crowd, the girls walked down the aisle, Jade and Trina following behind. Aiden and Elizabeth were following also, escorted by Holly and Jessica, and hugs were shared by everyone when out of view.
"OH, MOMMY! You look so beautiful!" Neither girl knew who Elizabeth was talking to, so they picked her up and both kissed a cheek. After a few minutes, the pastor came and brought them to the reception. After walking in, André, Beck, and Robbie were the first to get their hugs in. David followed, and kissed his wife before wrapping his daughters up.
"Oh, I am so happy for both of you!" A pair of pink lips found his cheeks, and he kissed both of their foreheads.
After a few minutes of mingling and eating, the girls looked to Jade and Trina to start their speeches. Jade's shook Cat to the core, making the smaller girl cry at how Jade perceived her. In Jade's eyes, Cat was one of the most exceptional people she had ever met, and as her best friend, one of her biggest inspirations. After mentioning how Cat's strength through the entire ordeal with her brother, which neither Cat nor Tori even flinched at the mention of the boy, she proclaimed that it was then that she knew Cat was the strongest girl she had ever met. After her speech, she finally sat down, and Trina took her place.
Trina went for the humorous side, noting that Tori wasn't nearly as talented and such. After laughing it off, and finally admitting that she knew Tori was better, which got almost everyone in the room to gag on their food, she finally got serious. She praised her sister for her efforts to make everyone's lives around her better, and knew that Cat was in good hands. She concluded with a few short words of wisdom, and both girls noted the truth in it.
"Girls, lie, cheat, and steal. Lie in the arms of the one you love." Both girls looked to each other, tears in their eyes. "Cheat every adversity." Both girls knew that had a big check mark next to it. "And steal every moment of happiness that life has to offer." Both girls knew that with each other, that would be easy. Trina's little checklist, as easy as it sounded to them, was something they would both remember and live by.
After the speeches, the girls got up for their first dance. André started the song, Jessica singing along with the music. Robbie was filming, and the girls danced in a small circle. They spoke loving words every so often, and stole kisses at every opportunity. Once they had finished, David walked up to Tori for his dance. Beck moved next to Cat, and held out his hand. He knew he wasn't her father, but he wanted her to have a guy to dance with.
After a nice dance, both men shifted to the other woman, and began another dance. Tori leaned into Beck, kissing his cheek. "Thank you, Beck, for everything. Being like a brother to Cat, you're like a brother to me, now, too. I hope you can be okay with that." Beck nodded, and kissed her cheek in return. David pulled Cat into him, whispering into her ear. "Welcome to the family, officially. Love you girl!" Cat placed her head on his shoulder, and their dance continued for a few minutes. Finally, everyone was ready for the open dancing.
Aiden walked up to Elizabeth, putting his hand out like a gentleman. After she placed hers softly on his, the children danced while every adult watched. When she leaned in and kissed his cheek, returning the gesture from earlier, the boy looked away. Five minds of the children thought the same thing. "They're going to be lifelong friends!" After the little ones finished, Tori grabbed Elizabeth and brought her to Cat.
"Now, you know Cat and I are going away for a little while, right?"
"Uh-huh. Daddy told me. I'll be extra good for him."
"Good." The girls kissed their daughter's cheeks again, and finally started making their way to the door, where the limo was waiting. After climbing inside, and with one final kiss, they were finally off for their honeymoon. They were headed to Paris for two weeks, letting the City of Love romance them.
xxxxx
"Caterina Vega, I love you." Tori pulled her dress off, her bra and panties barely covering her. Her puzzle piece tattoo on her right hip showed. At the sight of it, Cat smiled and laughed, knowing just how far the two girls had come.
"Victoria Valentine, you are the love of my life!" Cat's tattoo, on her left hip, was the outside border of a puzzle, with a piece resembling Tori's missing. They had gotten the shared tattoos after Cat voiced her opinion that Tori was the missing part of her life she had wanted and needed since she had turned thirteen. They had cried like babies through the entire ordeal, both calling each other wimps while wincing at the pain. The two lovers grabbed each other, pulling themselves onto the bed. Exhausted from their day and plane ride, the girls fell into a deep sleep.
"CAT! GUESS WHAT!"
"Whaty?"
"We've been nominated!" Tori and Cat had been working together for five years, and André was still around to help them out. But when they had pitched the idea to be a duo together, André was actually relieved. Jessica had found her own voice, and wanted to be by André's side. It would help both situations.
"YAY!" Both girls knew what it would mean to win the award. They would instantly skyrocket even further up the popularity charts, and their music would fly off shelves. They had already made their fortunes, with Cat still being in Jade's productions at times, and Tori being the head of her own production company. André was there along side Tori, but as the main music writer and producer. Tori was focused on writing lyrics, and together, they were an unstoppable force. And then after adding Cat's voice, which most people agreed was the best, they were transformed from unstoppable to indestructable.
The women looked to their eight year old daughter, and their newly adopted two year old son. Elizabeth and Aiden, who had been inseperable since the wedding, sat hand in hand. Johnathan was sitting, watching cartoons on TV. The girls, knowing that their lives were complete, looked into each other's eyes, and shared a kiss.
Both girls minds were calmer now than they had been in the last five years. After the initial damage to Cat, which required Tori's help, the struggle became a combined venture. Then, once the threat was defeated, their task was still incomplete. But now, on the happiest of days, they knew.
Their Subconscious Fight was over.
Oh, man. I hate for this to end. I love Cori, and had a great time writing these two stories. I hope you have enjoyed it, and I thank you all for everything you have done. The help, the encouragement, and the kind words went a long way into making this possible. You guys are the best!
I got the idea for Tori's charity in the first part of this chapter from two sources of inspiration. One, the TeenNick HALO awards. And two, Victoria Justice's real life charity, Girl Up! I do not own either of these, and all credits go to Nickelodeon, Victoria Justice, and all parties involved that aren't me.
Once again, my open challenge still stands, if anyone has an idea for a new story. I am getting help with a new story idea from AaronandSarah, and once I have it in my hands, I will start work on it! Not sure when I will have it, but hopefully, I can get it soon!
Also, I do have an idea for a new Catorade. If you wanna see drama and romance, wait a few days and look for the first chapter. It might be up sometime over the weekend, or the beginning of next week. I know my first wasn't too good, but I didn't plan it any before starting it. This time is different. I have the idea, and the basic story outline done. I hope you enjoy it!