OH MAN. I am so sorry for leaving like a million years in between updates. School has been so insanely hectic, and I've started doing a bunch more that has literally eaten away all of my time. I also couldn't really think of anything else to write - but you guys helped me get my inspiration back! It was so great to stop by and see that there was still interest in this story, so I decided that I would update ASAP. The new season of Victorious has also really helped along my inspiration - Jori is so cute! Anyway, here's the long awaited (probably too short) update. I hope you guys like it... it's pretty explicit, so I've warned you! Hopefully I won't leave you hanging for another 50 years (I am 99% sure I won't). Stay tuned!

Part VI.

I drove as fast as I could to Tori's house, but having lost my nerve, I sat in my car across from it for nearly an hour. My heart hammered in my chest while the blood rushed audibly in my ears, and I kept searching for reasons that said I was making the wrong decision by being there. Every reason I could think of was outweighed by the fact that yes, I really did love her. As confusing and painful as everything was, it was the only obvious thing that had any bearing over me. I ran my finger across my steering wheel a few times, as if to coax it to go and do what needed to be done. Eventually I gave up and decided that I needed to do something soon, because it was getting late, and I was sure that I had seen a pair of eyes peering at me through the curtain more than once. It was time.

The evening air nipped at me as I made my way across the street and up her walkway. Hesitating before I knocked on the door, I tried one last time to talk myself out of this, to no avail. As I went to knock, the door opened as if it was telling me to "please, please just fix this, Jade." Vega's mom stood on the other side and smiled at me.

"Hi, sweetie. Why were you outside for so long? Is everything okay? Come in," she moved herself out of the way and motioned for me to do something. Walk. Right. I took off my boots and walked to the stairs. "Tori's just in the shower. Do you need something? A drink?" I shook my head. "Okay, well, if you decide you want anything don't hesitate to just grab it." I stood there like an idiot for a few more awkward moments, unsure of what to do. "You can go upstairs and wait for her if you like?" I tried to smile, but I just nodded, padding up the staircase.

My nerves continued to screw with me, moreso once I had entered her room, making it hard for me not to run out the way I came. I made my way slowly around her space, taking it all in like it was the first time I'd been there. Shelves and shelves of little trinkets that were just so Tori lined her walls. Little figurines, dolls, pictures; her room was so innocent. My eyes scanned the pictures. They were of little girls with little mouths missing teeth, the same girls as Disney princesses, faces I'd never seen before with a young Tori, and group photos from recently. Group photos that included me, that I was smiling in, that I was happy in. And one of them in particular caught my eye. It was the night when Tori disguised herself as Louise Nordoff and got back at those stuck up bitches in Karaoke Dokie. I remembered how proud I was of her that night. The picture was of Cat, Tori and me. We were all so happy. And I remembered that all I wanted to do was tell Tori how amazing her performance was, and how fantastic and beauti-

A reflection in the picture startled me and I turned around, now face to face with a freshly showered, still-in-her-towel Tori. She was a canvas of emotions: confused, sad, happy, and... something I couldn't quite figure out.

"Hi." She tried to sound angry, but her eyes betrayed her.

"Hi." My voice came out in a whisper.

She made her way over to her laundry basket and dumped in it a ball of jeans and a t-shirt. Not bothering to put anything on aside from her towel, she sat on her bed and asked me, "so?"

"So what?"

"So, why are you here?" She patted the spot on the bed beside her, but as fragile as I was feeling, I would probably shatter if I moved any closer.

I leaned against the wall. "I just wanted to... well, apologize." Come on, Jade. "I was being stupid and I didn't mean to hurt you or ignore you or anything like that... For once." I tried to make her smile. I needed her to smile.

She looked down at her knees and back up to me. "Well, you did. You did hurt me. Was our friendship a huge, twisted joke to you? Were you using me? Because I can't understand why you would just..." Tears filled the corners of her eyes.

I tried to keep it together, because her crying was really the last thing I needed right now. I moved slightly closer, still intact. Closer. And still closer. Until I was in front of her. "It isn't a joke to me. You were never a joke to me."

A weak smile flashed across her face, but only briefly, before she stood up. We were inches apart now, and I had to fight the urge to step backward... or forward. Firmly rooted in the ground, I waited for a response.

"What is this, then?" She asked the same question that I couldn't answer in the janitor's closet. Her eyes were searching my face for something, and I was desperate to find the right words. "Jade? What is this? What are we doi-"

My still hammering heart finally exploded when I closed the gap between us. I pulled Tori in by her hips and kissed her, gently at first, but with more desperation as it went on. I was desperate to show her. Desperate to let her know just what this is to me. Desperate to show her how much I need her... want her. That...

"I love you." I breathed, my mouth still dangerously close to hers.

She pushed her hips into mine and initiated the second kiss. My head started to swim and I felt like I was going to pass out, so I guided her towards her bed, pushing her backwards, meeting no resistance.

I straddled her and held her hands above her head. Breaking the kiss momentarily, I looked at her face, and then her body, studying it, taking her all in, and making sure that this was real. That smile that I'd grown to love crept up on her lips and I was drawn back in for more. The fact that she was still in her towel worked to my advantage; I traced my lips down her neck to her collar bones. Moving down further, I met the top of her towel. I wasn't sure what to do at this point - not so much in the sense that I'd never been with a girl - but moreso that I wasn't sure if she wanted anything more. Again, I looked to her face for some kind of sign.

She was flushed, her mouth open just wide enough to accommodate her occasional sighs. Her eyes were burning with lust, a hunger I had never seen in anyone. I moved my hand to the towel, still watching her, still trying to gauge her reaction. Is this okay? I was slow and deliberate, making sure that I wasn't doing anything wrong. Tori looked expectantly at me as I finally gained the courage to pull her towel away from her. She didn't seem nervous at all as my gaze fell over her in her entirety.

Her body was all curves and ridges, and I couldn't help but think of just how perfect she really was. After I was certain I had memorized every inch of her body, I placed my hand back in hers and continued my previous exploring. My mouth made its way back over her collarbones, skimming further down this time. I could feel my heart speed up again as I approached her chest. Making eye contact with her and smirking slightly, I ran my mouth playfully past her nipple. Her head tilted back at the touch. I gained more confidence, taking it in my mouth and running my tongue over it, Tori gasping. I let out a husky laugh at her reactions; this would take some getting used to.

I turned my attention to the other nipple while I slid my hand down Tori's arm, across her stomach, and over her thigh. Maintaining eye contact, I snaked my hand back up her stomach, then straight down to her center.

"Shit." She hissed as I began gliding my fingers over her, occasionally stopping to circle her clit. I wanted to tease her as much as possible.

I traced my mouth back up her neck and lingered by her mouth. I could hear her breathing, and I had to admit, I was getting wetter the heavier she breathed. Working my fingers more quickly now, her breathing sped up. She was getting close, I could tell, so I slowed down.

"Damn it, Jade." Her words were barely audible as I made my way down her body again.

This time, I climbed off of her and stationed myself between her legs. I kissed her thighs, nipping at them every so often. Deciding that this was probably too much torture for one evening, I introduced my mouth to her wetness. I ran my tongue up and down her slit slowly, provoking a lot of squirming.

"Just do it. Fuck. Just..." That was all the convincing I needed to enter her.

I slid my finger into her as I continued to trace patterns with my tongue along her clit. It wasn't long before I felt her tighten around my finger, while her hips raised up and stifled gasps fell from her mouth.

I assumed my starting position and kissed her. It didn't feel like it did before, all desperate and hungry. It wasn't full of pain and confusion and anger. This was a kiss full of understanding, gratitude, happiness, and...

"I love you, too."

There was no question, no pleading, nothing uncertain about her words. Tori loves me, and I love Tori; nothing felt complicated or fucked up anymore. It was all so easy.

I eased myself off of her, trying my hardest not to lose my grip on her hand.

We laid there for what seemed like an eternity in silence until she said, "It's pretty dark out, did you want to just stay over tonight?"

"I can drive in the dark, Vega."

"Let me rephrase this: I want you to stay over. Say yes?"

I answered her with a kiss on her cheek.

/ "I need to change." My reflection in the mirror taunted me. I was in Tori's pajamas, which were both pink and definitely not my style. There were ducks all over the bottoms and I felt like I was getting ready to go to the circus.

"No you don't! You look cute. Peh." Tori smiled and tried to reassure me while she brushed her teeth.

I met her eyes in the mirror and tried to give her my most intimidating look, which didn't work all too well considering I had fucking ducks on my pajamas. "Ah, screw it." I walked out of the bathroom and stood in the hall.

Another Vega peaked out of her room and stared at me. Trina was home? Oh my god, she was home. Did she hear... She cocked her eyebrow at me, snorted at the stupid pajama bottoms and closed her door again. I retreated into Tori's room.

"Whaddaya wanna do, Swan Queen?" Tori jeered as she waltzed in, closing the door behind her.

I ignored the joke at my expense and threw myself onto her bed, wriggling under the covers. She followed.

I took her hand and replied, "This is good."

She cuddled closer to me and turned off her table lamp.