After the Fireworks

Notes: 1) Follows events in "After Cat Gets A New Roommate" by a couple of weeks.

2) I took artistic license with some of the LA region fireworks. Chicago's Navy Pier has fireworks every Saturday during the summer after 9 PM. And several locales have fireworks all weekend. I gave added those extra days to the Southland holiday observances. if they don't already have multiple displays, like the Hollywood Bowl. And, if they don't have fireworks, the Santa Monica Pier Authority should consider it.

3) Meant to post this last weekend but... Sorry.

"YAY!" Cat screeched again as a large fireball exploded over the shore. She squealed in delight with each colorful explosion.

It was the Fourth of July, Independence Day, and the Hollywood Arts gang, with Cat's roomie Sam, were settled on the beach near Marina Del Rey to watch the fireworks being fired off the Santa Monica Pier. Cat, naturally, wanted to be on the pier itself but Jade kyboshed that idea.

"No!" Jade said as she watched the mass of people streaming towards the pier as the sun neared the horizon. They stood on the sidewalk named Ocean Front Walk looking north towards the pier, about three quarters of a mile away.

"Aw poo!" Cat exclaimed. "Why not?"

"It's too crowded!"

"No it's not!" Cat argued.

"Yes it is," Jade declared. When she saw Cat was about to say something, she added a harsh, "NO!"

Cat muttered, "Meanie."

"What?!"

"Nothing," Cat said innocently.

Tori stepped in between the two old friends to soothe ruffled feathers. "Cat, it's just we're scared we might lose you in the crowd. Isn't that right, Jade?"

"Yeah, okay. I guess."

"Aww…" Cat hugged Tori then Jade. To everyone's surprise, Jade let the hug linger for a few moments more than usual.

Beck leaned over to Tori, "I think you're rubbing off on her…"

"Hey! Oliver! The only rubbing going on is strictly between us. Got it?"

His hands held up in surrender, Beck smiled and stepped back next to a wobbly Trina.

At this point, Andre, Robbie and Sam strolled up. With a big smile on his face, Andre said, "Hey muchacho and muchachas! We got it!"

"Yeah, the perfect place to watch the show!" Robbie exclaimed.

Rex chimed in, "Yeah, perfect place to get sand in your a…"

"REX!" Robbie clapped his free hand over the puppet's mouth.

Sam just stared at the puppet. "So, you like totally control this thing? It's not like… Oh, say Chucky or that ventriloquist dummy on The Twilight Zone?"

"Or Magic?" Jade added. "The old horror movie? With Anthony Hopkins before he got into bondage?"

"Watch who you callin' a dummy, Puckett!"

"C'mon, let's go. My Pazinis aren't good in the sand," Trina whined.

"Why are you even here? Who invited you?" Jade asked.

Tori replied for Trina, "I invited her. If you and I are going to be together, you two have to learn to get along civilly. I don't expect you to like each other but I need you two to stop this feuding."

"Thank you little sis," Trina said with a smile.

As if reminded of her sister's immediate presence, Tori turned to her. "Why? Trina, why did you wear those ridiculous shoes to the beach?"

"Ridiculously hot shoes!"

"No. No, not hot. Stupid. You tried jogging in them a while ago and remember how that turned out?"

"But Tori…"

"B-b-b-but!" Tori held her hand up in front of Trina's face. "No buts! If you're going with us, take the shoes off and walk barefoot."

"Then no one can see my awesome shoes!" With a pout, she sat on a sidewalk bench and fought the shoes off her feet. She was unable to stifle the moan as the shoes came off. "Aaahhh…"

"Feels better, doesn't it?" Tori asked.

"Style has nothing to do with feeling better. Just feeling fabulous!"

"God, she sounds like Patsy and Edwina combined into one irritating person," Jade groaned. Tori shot her a look and she fell silent even as more insults came to mind. Later, she promised herself.

Beck shouldered one cooler as Andre and Robbie grabbed the handles on the other, larger one. The octet set off across the beach, following Sam as she returned to the spot they found.

The spot was high on the beach, under a small tree. Someone had moved a bench over. The two blankets were spread out before the bench and everyone picked a spot. Jade sat against the tree and Tori sat between her legs, leaning back on her girlfriend.

"Y'know, those aren't pillows," Jade quipped with a small smile directed at Tori.

"But they're so soft and round," Tori countered with a smirk as she looked up at her love.

"Ladies, please? For the benefit of those of us who don't have 'pillows'?" Beck asked.

They both laughed but refrained from saying anymore.

"A'ight then. Who wants what?" Andre asked as he opened the large cooler.

Sodas were passed out and snack bags were opened. Chit-chatting began.

The apparently larger sun touched the Pacific and, as the few offshore clouds lit up, sunset commenced.

Several PearPhones came out and pictures were taken of the spectacular display. Sam whispered in Cat's ear and Cat jumped up and ran down the beach to silhouette her body against the sun as Sam took several pictures.

Jade looked down as Tori looked up and they both smiled knowingly. Tori settled back against Jade, both enjoying the close contact too much to move.

Surprisingly, Beck had Trina do the same thing – minus the Pazinis. He took several pics of her then joined her by the surf line. They started to walk along the shore and were soon distant images in the twilight mist.

Tori asked Andre, "What's up with Beck and Trina?"

"Well, I'm not one to gossip…"

Jade laughed, "Yeah, right!"

"Well, jus' between you and me? I think Beck likes her."

"Huh?" "What?" "You joshin' me!" and Jade's "No fucking way!"

Cat came running up, pulling Sam by the hand. Sam nodded down the beach, "What's with those two?"

"We were just discussing that." Tori replied. "So, Andre, what gives?" She leaned forward and slapped his shoulder as best she could without getting to her feet. "And why didn't you tell me?!"

"Hey! Don't damage the merchandise! Anyway, chica, he asked me to keep it quiet."

"But you can never keep a secret!"

"Yeah, well… He only told me this morning. I think it started back when you guys took that roadtrip."

"Do not speak of it!" Jade warned. She hated that stupid, wet drive with heir stupid hamster-powered robot for a stupid old actress who wasn't dead.

"You know, she kissed him pretty hard in the hall that day. And, later, when he started to pull his scam, he kissed her in the Black Box."

"That was months ago!" Tori said. "Trina's had tons of failed dates since then."

"I dunno. Guess she kinda go to him."

"She is a good kisser," Cat said.

"Huh?" "What?" "Child, you trippin'!" "Cat!" "You kissed my sister?"

Cat smiled at everyone innocently. "Yeah. In that play last fall?"

Another chorus of understanding replies followed.

Then Jade looked at Cat. "When you stage kiss, it's only lips…"

"That's not so bad, sweetie," Tori interjected. "With the right person."

"Well…we didn't just kiss with our lips."

Jade pinched the bridge of her nose as if fighting off a headache. And sometimes, getting information from Cat could be a real headache. "Okay, Kitty-cat, what happened? When?"

"During one of the rehearsals, Trina said it might look more realistic if we really kissed. You know, like you and Tori. So we did. And she was pretty great."

Sam was looking at Cat oddly as were Robbie and Andre. Rex's wooden face, with the unchanging expression was staring at her as well.

"And…" Jade said, the patience in her voice slightly strained.

"And we decided not to do it during the show."

"Cat, you're killing me here!"

"Why Jade?"

"How long did you two… Wait, are you two still…"

"Still what?" Cat asked innocently.

Tori stepped in, feeling her girlfriend tense up behind her. "Are you and Trina still a… Um, are you still a…couple?"

"Couple of whats?"

Sam barked out a laugh. "Are you two still together?"

Cat looked puzzled, "No. She's down there with Beck."

"Aaagh!" Jade jumped up in frustration. Tori fell back against the tree.

"Ow! My head!"

Jade marched over to Cat and grabbed her below her shoulders. "Are you two in a relationship?"

Cat laughed, "No! Why do you think… Oh, cuz we kissed?" She giggled and said, "It was like when you and I kissed back when we were freshmen."

"CAT!?" Jade's eyes flew over to Tori who smiled sweetly. The smile was not reflected in her eyes.

"What? You never told me not to…"

"Do not speak… Aw crap." Jade turned to look at the others, "It wasn't a big deal. We were just… I was just starting to go out with Beck and…"

Tori stood up, rubbing the back of her head. "And you were scared you couldn't kiss well?"

"Yeah. Um…"

"So Cat was just experimenting with my sister…"

Cat nodded eagerly, her expression hopeful. "Right. We were trying it for the play."

Jade finally noticed Tori rubbing her head. "Aww, did baby get a wittwe owie? A boo-boo?"

Tori stared at Jade for a long moment then said, "Yeah! When someone got up too fast and let me…"

"C'mere," Jade took Tori's hand and led her back to the tree. "I won't get up without telling you ahead of time. Okay?"

With an unsure tone, Tori agreed, "'Kay…"

They snuggled down against the tree again as Beck and Trina came back to the group, hand in hand.

"Hey guys! I…uh, got something to tell you," Beck said.

"Beck and Trina, sitting in a tree, f-u-c-"

"REX!"

Beck and Trina both turned red as the rest laughed.

"What time do the fireworks start?" Sam asked.

"Uh, 9:30 or so," Andre replied.

"What time is it?"

Robbie perked up and pulled out his ridiculously large touchpad, "Let me check my PearPad!"

"It's 9:15," Beck replied even as Robbie was still logging in.

"Ooo!" Cat shot to her feet. "Gottapee. Gottapee. Gottapee."

She raced up to the sidewalk and down to a nearby facilities building.

Jade declared, "Me too! I'm getting up Tori."

She was already standing as she finished her statement and Tori fell back against the tree again.

"OW! JADE!?"

Jade was already several yards down the sidewalk. Sam and Trina followed.

"Can I get a concussion from hitting my head against a tree? A lot?"

"Let me check," Robbie said as his face was underlit by his tablet.

"You'll be fine," Beck assured her. "But if you start feeling dizzy…"

"Yeah, yeah." She settled back then said, "Dang it! Now I gotta pee!"

There were only three stalls in the graffitied public beachfront bath house and they were occupied by friends. Tori and Trina weren't waiting long though. When Tori came out, she saw Jade waiting for her. She gave her girl a glaring look and turned to wash her hands.

"Sorry, baby. I'll make it up to you," Jade said as she gently kissed the back of Tori's head.

Tori humphed then looked at Jade's face in the mirror. She smiled slightly, saying, "But it really hurt."

"I'm sorry. We could stay here and forget about the fireworks. I'll make your headache go away," Jade said in a low, seductive voice.

Tori turned and beamed at her. "Gimme some sugar!"

Jade pulled Tori to her and kissed her softly. Tori's lips opened and Jade snaked in. The passion was palpable in the room as they made love with their mouths.

Unbeknownst to them, Cat had waited outside for her friends. She walked in and squeaked.

"Eep!"

The pair quickly parted then started to laugh when they saw Cat's face.

"I was afraid you guys were going to miss the fireworks…"

Tori laughed again. "Okay. We're coming."

"Not yet," Jade whispered in Tori's ear, causing a bit of humidity in the brunette's shorts.

Jade walked over, throwing her arm around Cat's shoulders, "Let's go."

"Sorry if I walked in on you," Cat apologized.

"No worries. We were just practicing too," Jade told her as Tori giggled.

The fireworks went off without a hitch. The sky above Santa Monica was awash with all the colors of the rainbow. And to the north and south along the shore, other fireworks displays were going on as well.

The gang were all settled when the show started. Ooos and Aaas were muttered often with an occasional "Yay!"

From time to time, during the show, someone would glance around and see the faces of his/her friends bathed in the vibrant colors from the sky.

All too soon, the grande finale came with dozens of skyrockets and several mortars going off nearly simultaneously.

The gang stayed where they were. Small crowds slowly started to stream by them on the sidewalk. Soon after, a long line of cars that had parked near the pier slowly made their way south towards Los Angeles and the towns near the Palos Verde Peninsula.

The eight friends sat and talked. By this point, Beck was cradling Trina much as his ex was cradling the younger Vega. Everyone was still surprised but that was wearing off as they came to realize the two did make a cute couple.

Cat confirmed that point, "You two make a really cute couple."

"Not as cute as us," Jade declared. She wasn't about to come in second to her former boyfriend and she didn't want that shrill harpy besting her woman.

"I still say it's weird! She did some kind of juju on Beck," Rex declared.

"Rex!" Robbie scolded.

"Well, how do you explain it then?"

Sam smacked the back of Rex's head, a hollow knock was heard. "Love, ya stupid pile of chiz!"

"Hey! I resent that remark, Puckett!"

Jade spoke up, "Nah, but you do resemble that remark."

Everybody laughed but Rex, even Robbie until the puppet turned its head to look at him.

Cat whined, "I miss the fireworks."

Andre replied, "Don't worry, Little Red. There's more tomorrow night and Saturday."

"There are?" The ditzy girl's eyes lit up. "Here?"

"Yep. The pier's having fireworks tonight, Friday and Saturday."

"The Hollywood Bowl is too," Tori added. "All three nights." She looked back and up at Jade, "We should go, Jade. The orchestra plays some great music then the fireworks go off behind the amphitheater. It's really cool."

"Maybe," Jade said. She knew that she'd give in and they'd be there one of the next two nights.

"Hey, can we come back here tomorrow night?" Cat asked excitedly.

Tori's response wasn't exactly what Cat wanted to hear, "I'm not sure Cat. I mean, family things and…"

"Oh crap!" the dejected girl said.

"You can come up here yourself. You and Sam… It's only a little over a mile or so from your place and we walked it fine," Tori said, trying to perk up her friend.

"Easy for you to say," Trina moaned.

"No one told you to where those stupid shoes!" Tori exclaimed.

Cat still looked sad. "It won't be as much fun without everyone."

"I'm sorry, Cat. Look… We'll see, okay?" Tori looked at Jade for support only to receive the patented West eye roll.

"Really?"

Taking pity on her oldest friend, Jade said, "We'll try."

"Yay!" Cat yelled.

"No promises!" Jade added forcefully.

Cat's face fell slightly, "'Kay…"

"Hey guys? I think the worst of the crowd is past," Andre observed.

They packed up everything, throwing their trash in a nearby municipally-funded trash can, and headed back to Venice.

Everyone said their goodbyes at Cat and Sam's condo near one of the canals. Andre gave Robbie a ride and Trina told her sister, "You're on your own. Beck and I are going out."

Jade said to Tori, "She means in…"

Beck just smiled as he led the older Vega to his truck.

Soon, back in the Hollywood Hills, and having the house to themselves, Jade attacked Tori as soon as they walked in the door. The kisses were immediately hot as the Goth began to paw at her lover's clothes.

"I want you naked, Vega," She snarled before her tongue was being sucked back into Tori's mouth. The brunette nipped it and allowed her tongue to glide along the supple muscle as she sucked on it like a lollypop.

Tori wholeheartedly agreed with Jade's snarl, her hands already under Jade's shirt, her fingers tweaking the hard nipples. The girl knew Jade was topless under her shirt – Tori had felt Jade's nipples pressing into the back of her head as they watched the show. Now she enjoyed the lack of a bra.

Gently twisting then tweaking the buds, Tori could feel Jade's moans in her mouth as well as hear them. That only added to her arousal.

They broke the kiss and stared at each other, seeing their own hunger reflected the other's eyes.

In a reverse move, Tori grabbed Jade's and dragged her upstairs to her room. Even though they knew they had the house to themselves, Tori always insisted the door be closed before they played.

Tori reached for Jade's shirt but her hand was slapped. "I don't want to waste any time. Strip, Vega."

Tori's eyes stayed on Jade as she quickly pulled her own clothes off. Her excitement grew as more and more of Jade's paler flesh was revealed.

Belying her request, Jade took a little time. First she kicked off her shoes. Then the shorts slowly followed, leaving her in a black shirt and black boy shorts. Turning her back, as she often did to raise Tori's desire, she pulled off the short, exposing the sexiest bare back Tori had ever seen.

Then the shorts, baring that tight beautiful ass that Tori had claimed as her own. And no one else's!

In a flash, Jade turned and pushed Tori down on the bed. She followed and their naked bodies were again molding to each other, each with a leg between her lover's legs – pressing molten cores.

Jade resumed kissing Tori, taking the lead this time and ravishing her mouth. Tori moaned as she returned the delicious kisses.

As their tongues continued to do the Watusi together, Jade began to thrust her lower body against Tori. Her already wet thigh became slick with Tori's juices. And, in seconds, the aroma reached Jade's nose.

She broke the kiss to take a deep breath through her nostrils. The musky aroma was the sexiest perfume and she loved that scent.

If only I could bottle it, she thought for the hundredth time.

"I need you," Jade said simply. "I'm not waiting anymore."

The Goth raised up off Tori, smiling at the brunette moaned at the loss of Jade's body on hers.

Jade moved down the bed and settled between Tori's slightly splayed legs. She pushed them farther apart and lowered her face to that fragrant flesh.

At that moment, neither Jade nor Tori cared about the lack of foreplay. They knew what they needed. And Jade was going to make sure they got it.

She buried her face in Tori's sex, her tongue sliding in and out of the wet, molten folds. She explored every nook and cranny of Tori's pussy, searching for each droplet of Vega honey.

"Jade… Oh God! Right there… NO! Back and… Oh sweet Jee-ZUS! God, Jade! Ooh… I…want… Oh fuck! OH FUCK!" Normally much more restrained, practically silent, due to the other Vegas usually being home, Tori knew she could let loose. "Fucking… Oh my God! Your fucking tongue! Jade…I love you! I love… Oh… What you dooo… Fuck!"

Tori's dirty talk in bed was music to Jade's ears. And those words spurred her on to thrust her tongue into Tori, seeking the girl's most sensitive areas inside. Wiggling her tongue around, Jade could feel the flesh around her tongue pulsating.

"Fuck ME! JADE! I love your tongue in me… Fucking me… Fuck! You… Right th-there… I'MMM CUMMMMING!"

Tori actually spurted a bit of girlcum on Jade's face as her mind was blown. Jade loved it. Tori wasn't a squirter normally. Jade had only been able to get Tori off that hard twice in the past few months. She gloried in her ability to draw out such explosive orgasms.

Tori had practically passed out, a usual occurrence when Jade's incredible sexual talents were fully exploited.

Jade, the bottom of her face still slick with Tori-love, crawled up and held the nearly boneless nude form to her, kissing her lightly and stroking the heated skin as she brought her woman back to earth.

Slowly, Tori opened her eyes and stared at Jade in wonder. Then she smiled and pulled the Goth to her, kissing the girl heatedly before licking her essence off Jade's face. Said essence was then shared in another torrid kiss.

Finally, in a slightly hoarse voice, Tori said, "Wow, fireworks twice in one night…"

Jade smiled at the compliment. "Explosions and fire balls always turn me on, Vega."

With a wicked grin, Tori slowly got up and stumbled over to her phone. "Cat, we're going to the fireworks tomorrow night" She held the phone away as the redhead's squeal came over the speaker. "And Saturday night too." Another squeal before Tori said, "I'll call you tomorrow."

The phone was tossed to the desk and Tori's dark, lusty eyes locked with Jade's.

"You trying to kill me, Vega?"

Tori slowly sauntered over to the bed with the recumbent Jade. Her face sported an evil smirk as she licked her lips and said, "Oh yeah…"