A/N: I don't know what to say...I am so sorry for taking two weeks to update again! I suck, I admit it! I really hope you guys enjoy the chapter, especially since it was so long in coming. This chapter isn't very action packed but it will start to establish Beck and Tori working as a team.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, never have, never will.
The ride back to The Facility was silent for the most-part. Finally unable to stand the tension any longer, Tori decided to talk to her new partner.
"So…." She began before letting the word trail off into nothingness.
"Yeah, so…." Beck agreed as he slowly raised his eyes from the floor of the van to meet Tori's.
"…I'm really sorry that I almost shot you!" Tori blurted out before she could stop herself. Beck's eyebrows furrowed at her statement and he seemed to be thinking of how to respond to her apology.
"Um, it's okay, just don't let it happen again." He replied with mock formality. Realizing that Beck wasn't completely livid with her, Tori relaxed. She thought back to their encounter and suddenly burst into a fit of giggles.
"You should have seen your face when you first saw me." Tori said in between her giggles which were getting louder and louder. "You looked like you were about to shit your pants." At this, Tori completely lost all control and started laughing full out.
"Well, it's not like you looked like Miss Fucking America when you saw me Tori." Beck said sarcastically, before starting to chuckle himself. Before the two of them knew it, they were rolling around on the floor of the van, hysterically laughing.
"Are you guys okay back there?" Kira called out, turning around to see what was the cause of all of the commotion.
"And someone thought it would be a good idea to have teenagers become agents?" Joe grumbled, frowning slightly.
"Oh come on Joe, they are best friends and just found out that they are now partners. It's been a long night for the both of them. Give them a break." Kira replied as she turned to face her partner. By this time, Tori and Beck had finally calmed down enough to climb back into their seats.
"I just cannot believe that you are my partner!" Tori squealed before realizing what a fan girl she must sound like. Taking a deep breath and attempting to not sound like a complete idiot, she continued. "I mean, it's just that I thought I was the only one who made it into S.T.A.R.S."
Beck smirked at her sudden outburst, enjoying the fact that Tori was starting to act a little bit like her old self around him.
"That's what I thought too." But, if it had to be anyone, I'm glad that you're my partner Tori." Beck said as he smiled warmly at his dear friend.
Tori smiled back at him, thinking she could get used to spending all of this extra time with Beck. Of course, it would only be on a friendly and professional level. They were partners now, and the job always comes first.
"I'm glad you're my partner too Beck." Tori softly said as she felt her cheeks flush. A few awkward moments passed before Tori continued their conversation.
"So...how did your initiation weekend go?" Tori asked, as memories of that horrible time not too long ago came back to haunt her. She saw Beck's eyes cloud over and could tell that it was not a memory he wanted to revisit, at least at this point.
"It was…awful. Let's just leave it at that," was his tense answer. Tori took that as a sign that the topic was off-limits for now and she quickly tried to think of another topic to discuss.
"10 more minutes until we are back at The Facility," Joe declared from the driver's seat. Tori was thrilled at Joe's abrupt interruption because it seemed to pull Beck back from his memories and into the present. The look of fear and and anger left his eyes and was replaced by the sparkle that was usually present.
"Okay, so you know how in Sikowitz's class sometimes he asks us to think of the first word that comes to our mind when he asks us a question? Let's play that game, only about stuff we have learned in training!" Tori said excitedly, bouncing up and down in her seat.
"Okay, but who is going to ask the questions?" Beck wondered aloud.
"Let's alternate, I'll start. What's your favorite style of hand-to-hand combat?" Tori fired off at rapid speed.
"Krav Maga, and you?"
"Jujitsu, probably cause it is one of the only styles where I don't constantly trip and fall on my ass!" Tori joked.
Beck chuckled at Tori's attempt at making fun of herself before asking his first question. "What is your weapon of choice?"
"XM8 Assault Rifle." Tori answered quckly. "What about you?"
"Benelli M4 Super 90 Semi-Automatic Shotgun." Beck said without hesitation.
"So, you like the more close range type of weapons, eh?" Tori inquired, while also poking fun at Beck's Canadian heritage.
"What can I say aboot it; I like to be close to a target before I shoot it." Beck said, smirking slightly at his silly joke.
"If you kids are done flirting, we're back." Joe stated as Tori and Beck both rolled their eyes.
As they entered the building, Beck continued questioning Tori. "So, all of those times you said you were at acting camp? Was that really just your cover?"
"That and my awesome "job" at the mall." Tori replied sarcastically. "And no wonder you were going to visit your family in Canada so much, you were…"
"Training with Joe, yup." Beck finished for her.
As the four agents entered The Facility, Kira and Joe went to check in with Washington while Tori and Beck walked over to a small couch and sat down.
"So, was Kira the one who did the majority of your training?" Beck asked her, looking over at the beautiful Asian woman.
"Yes…and quit leering at her!" Tori replied as she smacked Beck on the arm. "Did you do most of your training with Joe?"
"Yeah…he seems tough, but he knows his shit." Beck announced.
"Hey, you two, over here." Kira called from where she and Joe sat in front of a computer terminal.
"So, what's up?" Beck asked as he and Tori made their way over to the two older agents.
"We wanted to let you guys know that you are done for the evening and you can go home." Kira answered as she went over to another computer terminal and began furiously typing on the keyboard.
"But, tomorrow is going to be another big day for you both. Now that you have been partnered up, you will have to learn to work together as a seamless team. We will be starting to train you in partnering skills tomorrow. You two have to learn to think alike, almost like one person split in half. You have to learn to rely on one another and partner training will help you learn to do that." Joe said as he looked from Beck to Tori, making sure that they understood the severity of what he was telling them.
"Right, work together…so can we go home now?" Tori asked, feeling extreme exhaustion settling onto her.
"Yes, you can go home. But, be back here tomorrow, 7am, sharp!" Joe announced as he went back to his computer screen. Tori and Beck slowly made their way outside, both of them dragging their feet as the evening's events finally caught up to them.
"Do you want a ride home?" Beck asked as he saw that Tori had ridden her bike to The Facility.
"Oh yes, please! That would be fantastic." Tori said as she inwardly breathed a huge sigh of relief. She hadn't wanted to pressure Beck into driving her home but she honestly didn't think she had the strength to get herself home on her bike.
"Just leave your bike. I'll pick you up in the morning and you can take it home with you tomorrow."
Beck walked around to the passenger side door and quickly opened it for Tori, offering her his hand as she stepped into the car. Tori smiled sweetly at him as she slid into the passenger seat.
"Why thank you kind sir." She said, using the voice that Jade liked to mimic her with.
"Anything for you M'lady." Beck replied as he slid into the driver's seat and started up his 1969 red Mercury Cougar. He quickly pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of Tori's house.
"I forgot to ask you before, but why were you involved in my field test today?" Tori suddenly asked. "Was it your field test too?"
"Nope." Beck replied in a slightly smug tone of voice. "I passed my field test last week. I honestly thought that this was supposed to be my first mission. Joe and Kira didn't give me much information, just that I was supposed to pick up a briefcase from a coffee shop and deliver it to some guy at that abandoned shipping yard. I had no idea that another agent would be involved or that I would be posing as the enemy in someone's field test."
"I'm surprised they didn't give you a gun or something to defend yourself with. I mean, I really could have shot you and you would have had no form of protection."
"Well, I think Joe and Kira were betting on the fact that you are you."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Tori asked, realizing that she sounded a lot like Cat at that moment.
"Just that it isn't in your nature to want to hurt people. I think they knew that you would do anything within your power to get out of having to harm someone physically, even if it meant putting yourself in danger." Beck theorized while keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him.
"Speaking of that," he continued. "We have got to make sure that you will be able to actually take someone out if and when the time comes. You can't hesitate like you did today with me Tor. The people we will be going after aren't our friends and they won't be giving us any second chances."
"I know, I know." Tori said as she felt herself tense up. "It's just…" She paused as she tried to think of the right words to convey how she felt.
"Beck, I'm scared. I know I have had all of this training and I can physically do it but, I don't want to kill anyone." Tori said as her shoulders slumped. "You probably think that they are idiots for picking me, don't you?"
"Nope." Beck answered as he reached over and squeezed Tori's hand. "I know that they had a good reason for picking you Tori Vega and like I said before, I wouldn't want anyone else to be my partner."
"Yeah, right." Tori grumbled. "I am sure you would much rather have been partnered with someone like Jade, someone who kicks ass first and asks questions later."
"Actually, Jade is not somebody who I think would be a good fit for this type of job. She gets angry too easily and she lets her emotions rule her actions. Now suck it up Vega and quit talking about Jade and feeling sorry for yourself!"
Shocked at his harsh words, Tori looked over to find Beck smiling apologetically at her and she couldn't help but to reciprocate. He really was one of her best friends and she was so glad he was going to be along for the crazy ride she knew they had ahead of them.
She didn't realize how quickly the time had passed until she noticed Beck pulling up in front of her house. He quickly put his car in park and leaned over to give her a hug, hoping that she would realize how much he believed in her.
"You can do this Tori, we can do this together." Beck said before sticking out his pinky finger, holding it ready to do what is known across the world as the "pinky swear."
"Partners?" Beck asked as he nodded towards his pinky, waiting for Tori's response.
Tori hesitated for a moment, could she really do this? Then she remembered everything she had been through in the past few months. She had already reached and moved beyond so many goals that she never would have dreamed of being able to do six months ago. And, now she had Beck, one of her best friends by her side. She felt a rush of exhilaration run through her as she finally linked her pinky with his.
"Partners!"
So, I know it was a long time in coming but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really wanted Beck and Tori to restablish themselves on both a professional and friendly level. I know I promised you guys that I would address the rest of the group in this chapter but I just couldn't get to that part. It will be in the next chapter though, I promise!