"Do you reckon I could go as an exhausted Mom for Halloween?" Jade joked as she stood up finally after soothing her fussy daughter to sleep. Vada was now just over 3 weeks old and Jade was still finding it hard to settle into her new Mother role. "I am so tired. I feel like I haven't slept in eighteen years."

Tori laughed as she kissed her girlfriends cheek. "You could go as a Milf for sure. You don't look tired."

"I feel it, and you're an awful liar, Vega. I look awful." Jade stuck her tongue out, moving towards Tori. Anyways, you would say that. You're my girlfriend." Jade wrapped her arms around Tori's waist, touching her lips gently against Tori's warm skin. "You can go to that party tonight if you like?"

Tori moved her face so their noses brushed together, giving eskimo kisses. "And leave you and Vada on your favourite holiday? No thanks. We'll have a party here." Tori was doing everything she could to help Jade out during this hard adjustment. She helped with night feeds when Jade needed sleep, she changed diapers and she babysat Vada every now and again so Jade could catch up on school work. None of that bothered her, Vada was a blessing and Tori couldn't be happier to have her and Jade in her life.

"I can't believe your Mom got her that costume. It's amazing."

Tori chuckled, rolling her eyes as she turned to face the sleeping baby in her moses basket. "I know, I have no idea where the hell she found it. She's a mini you now."

Jade's eyes stayed glued on her newborn daughter who was dressed in a 'scissor' baby costume, she still couldn't get over the fact that that little bundle of cute was her's. It just wouldn't sink in that she had created such a beautiful thing. "So while she's asleep, shall we go for a nap?" Jade cocked her eyebrow, a smirk flowing over her red lips.

"What happened to you being an exhausted Mom?" Tori rose her eyebrow as she copied her girlfriend.

"I'm never too tired to please you." She shut Tori up by stealing a kiss from her, heavily moving her lips down her chin and onto her neck. She smirked as she kissed harder, feeling Tori's chest heave against her.

Right on cue Vada began to cry all over again, her piercing screams tearing the two girls apart in a panic.

"Well that five minutes of quiet was nice while it lasted." Tori smiled sympathetically. "Do you want me to see to her?"

"No it's cool, I got her. Go get in your costume. I think she wants a feed." Jade kissed Tori again quickly before picking up the grizzly baby and calming her down. "Can we watch the Scissoring?" Jade called into the hallway as Tori walked off.

"Nope." Tori laughed, not looking back as she left her girlfriends room.

For Vada's first halloween the girls took her trick or treating around the neighbour hood; Tori dressed as Belle, Jade dressed as the Beast and little Vada was dressed as Chip the Cup.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Tori crashed against her sofa as they got back, her arms tired from carrying around the candy.

"It was real nice. I think Vada enjoyed herself." Jade laughed. Vada had slept almost the entire time, only waking as they were walking home.

"Ok, we did what you wanted to do, now it's my turn." Jade hauled herself back up again, flicking through the DVD selection Tori and her had laid out earlier. "You promised." She winked as Tori groaned behind her.

"Fine, we'll watch this movie, but on one condition." Tori pulled Jade back onto the sofa, wrapping her legs around her body.

"And what's that Miss Vega?" Jade's infamous smirk filled her face as she knew she'd gotten her own way.

"That you sleep in my bed tonight." Tori whispered in her ear.

"Deal." Jade replied, hitting the play button and covering her arms around Tori.

"Happy Halloween."

...

"You are not wearing that in public." Tori barked at her girlfriend.

Jade's face pulled into confusion as she stood in front of the mirror. "Why not?" She looked at herself some more. She was wearing a short, red, white and black velet dress, with fish net tights and knee high red boots. "Oh I know why." Jade turned around to her closet. "I forgot the Christmas hat." She placed the hat on her head. "Now am I ok?"

Tori stood with her arms crossed across her chest, a large frown on her face. "No. We're going to a Christmas meal with my family tomorrow, not a party. You'll have to wear something else."

"But I'm going to be Mrs Clause, for Vada." Jade bat her long eyelashes at her girlfriend, her lips pursing into a pout.

"You look more like a whore than Mrs Clause." Tori chewed on her lip. "Change it."

Jade threw the santa hat onto the floor. "I can dress how I like Tori. You're not the boss of me. Since when did I start to listen to you anyways?"

"Since you became a Mom, Jade. Do I really need to remind you that you have a 12 week old daughter?" Tori's hands flew onto her hips as her face turned red from shouting.

"No Tori, you don't need to god damn remind me. I fucking live with it every second of my day. I'm asking for one fucking night where I can act my age. Is that so much to ask for?" Jade squared up to her girlfriend, fury in her eyes. Being a Mom to Vada was Jade's main priorities, but she was still grieving for the teenage years she had lost so dramatically. She missed dressing up and partying. Now all she did was change diapers and feed and crying baby. It wasn't the life she'd imagined having and it was even harder to adjust to it.

"Stop swearing, she's in the room!" Tori pointed over to the crib where Vada was laying calmly.

"Stop shouting then!" Jade shouted back, knowing she had contradicted herself.

"Whatever, dress like a slut. See if I care." Tori stormed out, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

After a few loud bangs from Tori's room, she reappeared in Jade's room. "What are you wearing?" Jade laughed in shock at Tori's outfit choice. She was wearing a short black dress that barely covered anything with a pair of red heels.

"If you're going like that, I'm going like this." Tori stumbled over to Jade's mirror, applying thick red lipstick to her pouted lips, catching Jade's eyes every now and again from the reflection.

"This is stupid." Jade sat against her bed, her eyes fixed on Tori. "Why are we even arguing? We are literally arguing over clothes. It's Christmas for crying out loud, it's supposed to be a magic time." Jade pulled the dress over her head in one swift movement, tugging on a more appropriate black skirt and red shirt.

Tori kicked her heels off, collapsing beside Jade. "We're stupid. I'm sorry. I shouldn't control what you do. You are an adult and a Mom. I know you're capable of making your own mature decisions."

Jade wiped the lipstick off Tori's lips with her thumb, pulling a face at Tori's outfit again. "Were you really going to go out in that?"

Tori shook her head, a guilty smile on her lips. "Not in a million years." She giggled.

"Being mature and responsible gets boring sometimes." Jade admitted, her eyes guiltily looking over at her daughter. "But then I look at her, and being boring seems worth it."

Vada lay on her side, her emerald green eyes staring deep into her Mom's, a giggly smile on her face as she held her arms up, kicking her chubby legs as she gurgled to herself.

Jade picked her daughter up gently, sitting back on her bed with her daughter wrapped in her arms. "I look at this perfect angel and every worry I've ever had goes away."

The one thing Tori loved most about Jade was how much love she had for her little girl. She adored seeing her eyes light up when Vada smiled at her. She'd watched Jade struggle the first couple of months, adjusting to a routine, a sleeping pattern, breast feeding, but in the past few weeks Jade had become a natural. She knew exactly what Vada wanted more often than not. She wasn't as scared anymore. Everyday Jade seemed more and more like a Mom. And Tori loved watching it happen right in front of her.

Jade's eyes scanned away from her baby for a moment. "Merry Christmas Vada Marilyn West." Jade kissed her daughters hands as she baby beneath her squealed wildly. "Merry Christmas Tori." Jade lent over, capturing Tori's lips with her own.

"Merry-" Tori started, being interrupted by Jade's warm lips. "Christmas." She giggled. Even after all this time she still got butterflies when Jade kissed her.

"Do you want to open a present early?" Jade propped Vada up so she was lent against her stomach as she reached into her bedside table, revealing a small box with a large red bow on the centre of it.

"I already have the best present ever, the most amazing girlfriend and the worlds cutest baby."

"You are so cheesy Vega. Ok, I guess it can wait till the morning.." Jade moved the box back, only to be stopped by Tori's excited giggle.

"Hey, I never said I didn't wanna open it!" Tori rushed, her smile giddy. She examined the box for a matter of seconds before ripping the top of it. "Oh my god, Jade." Tori pulled out a heart shaped white gold necklace. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me, Vada chose it."

"Thank you Miss Vada." Tori moved closer, kissing the tiny baby on her button nose, sending her into fits of squeals and giggles again. "This is going to be such a great Christmas."

After another heated discussion, the girls finally decided on the perfect Christmas outfits. Everyone was in a good mood, even Trina was bearable for the entire day. The whole Vega family, including Jade and baby Vada exchanged gifts during the morning, followed by champagne and chocolates for breakfast before the mighty Vega feast for lunch. By the time everyone had finished their food there wasn't a single word said, everyone was so full up they could barely move. The evening drew around fast, the entire family sat snuggled up by the fire watching classic Christmas movies.

"I hope you don't mind, but I invited some of your friends over." Deanna headed to the door as the bell rang.

"Merry Christmas!" Cat screeched. As the door opened she threw fake snow over everyone, giggling the entire time. "I hope everyone got what they wanted from Santa!"

"Merry Christmas." We said in unison.

"Oh my goodness, look at how cute Vada looks in that little snowman costume. Or should I say, snowbaby." The redhead laughed to herself as she knelt down and cuddled the baby.

"It was Tori's idea." Jade rolled her eyes. She'd wanted to dress Vada as en evil elf, but Tori was having none of it.

"She really is so beautiful Jade. She's the spitting image of you." Cat hauled herself back up to the girls' level. "I'm so proud of you both." Cat bounced onto her best friends, forcing them into a tight hug. "Oh I just love Christmas!"

After Cat, Robbie, Rex and Andre arrived each baring gifts. Jade joked several times about Vada being the baby Jesus and her friends being the three unwise men. The rest of the evening was spent around the piano by the fire, singing loudly to every Christmas song they could think of. Laughter filled the room from wall to wall. Jade had never experienced a Christmas with so much joy and laughter. It was the perfect ending to an eventful year.

...

"Are you nervous?" Tori sat shotgun beside Jade as they pulled into the Hollywood Arts parking lot.

It was Jade's first day back to school since having Vada. She'd just got used to her routine with Vada and now it was changing all over again. She'd be back at school full time while Vada was in daycare. It was another hard change that Jade had to face. She thought she'd be able to leave Vada with the daycare and she'd be fine, but letting go of her four month old daughter was harder than she had imagined. She hung around for a good twenty minutes, fighting back tears as she watched her daughter play with other babies.

"I'm fine." She wasn't nervous about school at all, she was nervous about not seeing Vada all day.

"I'm nervous." Tori admitted. Since word had spread about her and Jade's relationship shortly after Jade had Vada, rumours spread like wildfire. Tori had learnt to ignore what others had to say, she was happy and that was all that mattered.

"Don't be a wimp." Jade punched Tori's arm playfully. "We'll be fine."

The day crept by slowly for Jade. as she watched the clock, counting down the minutes until she could have Vada back in her arms. She hadn't realised how much she appreciated staying at home doing nothing with her little girl until now.

The last bell finally rung. Jade jumped to her feet, throwing her heavy bag over her shoulder.

"JADE. WAIT!" Sikowitz called after the young Mom.

"How can I be in trouble? I've only been back a day?" Jade slumped back in her seat.

"You aren't in trouble." Sikowitz laughed loudly, scratching his head slightly. "I wanted to congratulate you, you know, on having a human child."

Jade half smiled. "Umm thanks?"

"Here, have two coconuts. One for you, and one for the baby." He handed her two coconuts, one large and one baby sized. "What did you name the child?" He questioned as Jade stood up again to leave.

"Vada." She smiled proudly, stuffing the coconuts into her bag.

"Vada? I like it." Sikowitz smiled in approval. "Enjoy the coconuts!"

"Thanks." She laughed, leaving his class and making a beeline for the door.

"How was it? Did anyone say anything? If so I'm going to, well I'd totally, I don't know what I'd do." Tori laughed as we piled into my car.

"It was fine. People just told me how cute she was and how good I looked." A smug look appeared on Jade's face and she headed towards the daycare centre. "Sikowitz gave me coconuts."

"He's so thoughtful?" Tori replied, just as confused as Jade had been before.

"Oh my god, I missed her so much." Jade admitted as she unstrapped her daughter out of her car seat.

"Really?" Tori laughed. "I so couldn't notice."

"I'm her Mama, it's only natural I miss my baby." Jade argued playfully as she entered the Vega household, holding her daughter close to her.

"So school was seriously alright?" Tori couldn't quite believe that Jade had had it easy on her first day back. There was always that one bitchy kid who made a harsh comment. As Jade shook her head it clicked, Jade was that one bitchy kid. At least in the past she had been. "Ok, well that's good."

"I cannot wait until we graduate. I'll be able to work on my writing from home with Vada." She cuddled up to her daughter on the sofa. "That way Mommy will never leave you." She cooed in a baby voice.

"Six months to go." Tori smiled.

...

"Well I have to admit it. I did not think you'd ever graduate after you got knocked up and then when you struggled so much with the whole giving her up or keeping her situation. Oh and when you did keep her I thought for sure you would drop out of high school. You were so stressed and so tired. " Trina spoke confidently to Jade. "I mean, well done Jade. You deserve this. I couldn't of done what you did."

Jade's glare disappeared as she realised Trina had actually complimented her. "Come here you gank." Jade tugged Trina into a tight hug, almost too tight.

"Jade! You're flattening my hair. This took funeyi three hours this morning!" Trina complained, peeling herself from Jade and checking her hair in her cell.

"Shut up Trina." Jade laughed, punching her arm playfully. After living together for almost a year, they had both learnt to deal with one another, almost learning to be friends with eachother.

Jade stood at the side of the stage in her black gown, her mind playing back the last year of her life. It had been over a year since she'd found out she was pregnant and a year since Tori had been raped. Tori decided to drop the charges against Beck on the grounds that he moved schools and she never had to see him again, which he happily did out of guilt. For the rest of them, life just went on. Clocks carried on ticking, cars carried on driving and everyone carried on breathing. Tori and Jade got stronger everyday for so many different reasons. Aside from Vada, Tori was the one thing in Jade's life she was most thankful for. She was her rock, and vice verse. Every bad times the girls had, they were there for one another. The road behind them was rocky and so was the one ahead, but they faced it together.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, the class of 2013." Their principal began reading names of their classmates to the audience, each of them walking on stage and accepting their certificate. "Caterina Valentine, Robbie Shapiro, Andre Harris, Tori Vega and Jade West."

Jade and Tori headed on stage with the biggest smiles on their faces as they received their high school diplomas from their Principal. The group of friends stood side by side, all in their gowns as they held their certificates proudly. They had done it.

Jade's eyes scanned around the crowd of parents clapping wildly for their children. Her eyes landed on a blonde woman with two children cheering loudly beside her. Her Mom stood up, jumping up and down and waving at her daughter. Jade waved back shyly, a proud look still on her face. Behind her Mom sat a man with thick black hair and in a dark suit, slowly he stood up, clapping and keeping his eyes fixed on Jade. Jade's lips flew into a smile as she realised it was her Dad. After everything that had gone on, she thought he'd abandoned her and here he was. Both her Mom and her Dad were there to see her, something she imagined would never happen.

As the class started to exit the stage, the principal held back Jade. "Someone has a special present for you Miss West." He smiled, pointing to the wings.

Tori walked back onto the stage holding Jade's ten month old daughter, dressed in matching attire as her Mom and holding a bouquet of red roses in her chubby hands.

"Vada's very proud of her Mommy." Tori giggled as she took the flowers and handed them to Jade, still holding Vada on her hip. "And so am I."

Overwhelmed with feeling, Jade finally let out emotions. A tear trickled down her cheek as the biggest smile she could manage covered her face. "I love you so much Tori Vega."

"I love you too." Tori hugged Jade. Vada wrapped her arms around her Mom's hand as the three of them hugged on stage, the audience cheering just as loudly as before.

Tori locked their eyes, wiping away the tear that had now fallen from her eyes before taking Jade's hand in her own. "Any last words as a Hollywoods Arts student/mother/girlfriend?" Tori giggled as they exited the stage.

"I'll miss this place." Jade looked around the school. She'd had some of her best and worst moments in that school and it didn't feel real that she would never be taught in these rooms again.

"I agree. I'm excited but nervous about the future. This is where life really begins for us all. It's crazy if you think about it." Tori stood beside her empty locker, her fingers trailing over the dim 'Make It Shine' letters.

"I'm going to miss you guys!" Cat sobbed, collapsing onto her best friends.

"Cat." Tori whispered. "You're going to college ten minutes from here, you'll still see us."

"Oh yeah. That's good then!" Cat wiped her eyes, a smile back on her face.

Jade laughed at her naive friend, jiggling Vada on her hip as her body moved up and down. "Thanks for everything you two. I won't say this again, but I always knew you two were my best friends."

Tori coughed loudly. "And girlfriend?"

"And girlfriend." Jade repeated in Tori's voice. "We've all been through a lot of shit in our lives, but now is when it all starts. These hard moments shaped us as people and we are all stronger because of it. Our best and worst times were had during these years in this school and honestly, I don't regret any of it. It brought me to Tori and it made me who I am today. It made me the Mommy that I am today." Jade kissed her daughter cheek quickly.

Vada giggled as usual at her Mom, pouting her lips back at her Mom. "Mama!" She squealed.

"Did she just say Mama?" Cat shrieked.

"I think she did." Tori's eyes blinked several times. "Say it again Vada."

Jade smiled proudly as she witnessed her daughter's first word. The three girls, and the baby stood in silence for a moment, gradually the three best friends linked their hands one by one. The graduates took one final look around in awe as they said goodbye to the place that built them to become the people they were today. The redheaded actress, the popstar and the Mom.

Jade stood outside the High School for the last time, her eyes scanning the Hollywood sign as the sun set in the distance. "It was tough and it was rewarding at times. But it was a sacrifice. The best kind of sacrifice I could have made."

A/N - And there you have it. The end.

Thank you to everyone who followed this story, reviewed it and read it. I am sad to end this story, but after nearly a year I feel this is an appropriate ending. It's bittersweet. I hope you all enjoyed this story. And thank you to Dan Schneider for creating Victorious so I could write this.