|1| Whatever It Takes || Code 8: Connor Reed

10. Listen

Victoria was making coffee in the corner with Tyla using her abilities to light up the electrical outlet, while Victoria was pouring the coffee after the coffee was finished. Tyla was pulling her hand back and Victoria waited for a minute before unplugging the coffee pot.

"Quit drinking our liquor, asshole!" Victoria could hear Jordan shouting and Victoria groaned, shoving the coffeepot into Tyla's hands before she was running out of the kitchen. Victoria was catching Jordan's fist before it could hit Garrett and she sent Garrett flying back into a chair before he could send Jordan across the room.

"That is enough!" Victoria shouted loudly with exasperation in her tone and she was standing in between the two of them, swiftly shaking her head. "Stop this shit and act your fucking ages!" Victoria shouted and the two were staring at her, before she was shaking her head again. "We have kids here, who are acting more mature than the two of you right now."

Jordan was turning around quickly to see that Dawn was standing in between Tommy and Tyla, who stood in front of Griff. They were all looking at each other and staring at the fight, while Victoria was still standing in between them. "So. Are we done here?" Victoria asked coldly and Jordan stared at her with burning fury in her eyes, before she nodded slightly and stepped back at the anger in Victoria's eyes. Victoria walked back over to Tyla and she took the coffee mug, swiftly taking it from her younger daughter and she quickly walked out of the house.

Victoria sat down on the front porch steps and she took a big sip of the coffee and she was shaking her head. Victoria heard creaking footsteps and she was chuckling humorlessly. "I honestly don't know how long I can keep them from killing him anymore." Victoria admitted as Connor sat down next to her.

"Well, you've got me here now." Connor remarked and Victoria was glancing over at him, before she shook her head.

"They won't listen to you, Connor." She pointed out as she took a sip of her coffee, before she was inhaling the scent of the pumpkin coffee. "Not like they listen to me anyway, you know what Jordan is like." She said and Connor nodded.

"You can't take everything on your own shoulders, Tori. Nobody alone can carry the weight of the world on their backs." Connor pointed out as she was looking down at the dirty steps and she sighed.

"But if I don't do it, then who will?" Victoria countered and then, unfortunately for him, Connor didn't have an answer for her. "I don't want to be in that position, I never wanted to be. But nobody else stepped up so, I had to." Victoria murmured.

"Oh, come on." Victoria jumped at the familiar zap to her side and she glared at Connor, who smirked as she was shaking her head at the mischievous glint in his eyes. "Don't make me keep zapping you." Connor threatened with his fingers lighting up with electricity.

"Oh, don't you dare!" Victoria said and he was laughing at her, before she was shaking her head and he zapped her again. "Hey!" As the zaps continued, the indignation turned to laughter as she was shaking with it and pain equally. "Okay fine! Okay, I give! I give up!" Victoria said and now, she was holding her ribs and she was doubled over, wincing in pain.

"Okay, sorry." Connor said with an immediate apology, noticing how much pain she was in and then, Victoria took a deep breath in, before she let it out and she was stabilizing her ribs.

"It isn't your fault." Victoria mumbled and Connor offered her a silent hug, before she accepted it and she leaned on his shoulder.

"But seriously, let someone else take the weight every once and a while." Connor said and she was looking at him. "Griff already seems ready and willing to take over for you Tori, if you would ever let him." Connor pointed out.

"It doesn't... I don't want him to become stuck in this life like I have. I grew up in this life and I haven't been able to find a way out of it." Victoria was staring down at her hand which was shaking, while water was rising around her and she was shaking her head. "I don't want him to end up like me, feeling as if there was no end to this." She murmured.

"There is always an ending somewhere in any situation, you just have to know where to look." Connor said and she was looking at him. "I called somebody to hopefully be able to help us..."

"Davis." Connor looked stunned that she knew and she was shaking her head. "He is my go-to guy in the department now, he is the reason that I just already knew about Garrett and King." Victoria admitted and she was looking at him. "Don't even worry about it, Connor. I put my beef with him aside, a long time ago. Thanks to Park, mostly." She murmured and Connor glanced at her. "I'm not completely sure what happened to him, Davis wouldn't tell me. So, don't even ask me." Victoria said.

"All right, I won't." Connor replied and she smiled slightly, before she was grabbing her coffee again. "Are you okay? I know that you and Mina were close..."

"I should be asking you that question Connor, because I haven't seen Mina since I was fourteen years old." Victoria said quietly and he was looking at her. "You and Pav were the ones who were forced to watch her dying, Connor." She pointed out quietly and he was looking at her.

"I know." Connor murmured and he was looking at her, before he grabbed one of her hands in his. Victoria shut her eyes briefly and Connor looked out at the lawn. "It just makes me want to destroy King even more."

"You aren't the only one." Victoria murmured quietly and she squeezed his hand. "But don't get yourself killed in the process, all right?" She asked and then he was nodding.

"I can't promise that, Tori, but I will do my best." Connor murmured and then when he looked down at her, he smiled at the sight of her being sound asleep and then, he silently resolved not to move and he was brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Connor also took the coffee out of her hands, resolving to drink it while it was still warm and then, Victoria was soundly asleep. "Tor?..." Connor turned around cautiously, trying not to and shushed Jordan immediately, who was looking at the sleeping woman. Jordan was nodding, raising her hands in surrender at the sight. "Did she sleep much last night?"

"Not nearly enough." Connor murmured quietly and she was sitting on the other side of the steps. "I haven't seen you that angry since I hurt Victoria." He murmured.

"I, uh... It's complicated." Jordan admitted and Connor lifted his eyebrows as he was shifting his arms around Victoria, who mumbled something before she was back to soundly sleeping. "I'm bipolar." Jordan said and Connor lifted his eyebrows.

"I never would have known." Connor admitted and then Jordan scoffed quietly at the words, before she was shaking her head.

"About that... I am sorry Connor, for how I reacted to the first time that you accidentally hurt her." Jordan said and then, she was rubbing at her eyes.

"Weren't you having an episode during that?" Victoria mumbled and she opened her eyes, before Jordan winced. "You two are not nearly as quiet as you think, that you are." Victoria muttered.

"What she said. But that's still no excuse for what I did." Jordan held out her hand and he glanced at it, before Connor moved his hand to meet it and they shook on it.

"Well, it has taken you two almost six fucking years... But finally, you have talked it out and you are talking like human beings should. And thank god for that." Victoria said as Jordan laughed, before Connor let her go and Jordan hugged Victoria gently and she was trying to avoid her broken rib. "And, don't you dare die on me either." Victoria mumbled quietly.

"I'll try not to." Jordan admitted as she was messing up Victoria's hair and Victoria was smacking her hand away, as Jordan was laughing at her quick attempts.