AN: This is part of Seven Days of Victorious. Thanks for inviting me to play. Hope you enjoy the stories I have written and those waiting for my other story I will get back to it this week.

Fireflies

"Jade Honey, what are you doing on Saturday morning?" Tori said while tracing small figure eights on the nude back of her girlfriend as they lay in bed together recharging after their love making session.

"I believe I am sleeping on Saturday morning Tori. Why?"

"Well I thought that we could spend some time together."

"Why can't we spend some time together right here? That way I can sleep and you can spend time with me." Jade groaned as she just wanted to close her eyes for about an hour or so.

"Well I was thinking maybe we could spend some time with some other girls too." Tori pushed a little further.

"I didn't think you were into the group scene Vega. You have really expanded your horizons since coming out. Good for you. Who did you have in mind? That little strawberry blonde at the coffee shop right? I would be up for her joining us, but we would have to have some ground rules." Jade said with a little more life now.

"Jade! I was not talking about the girl at the coffee shop! Her name is Darci. Do you remember me telling you that I am a volunteer leader of the Firefly Girls?" Tori tried again.

"No, but I will take your word for it. What the hell is a firefly girl?"

"Hello! The Firefly Girl Scouts of America? They are girls between the ages of eight and twelve. I am a pond leader and I am supposed to host an activity this Saturday." Tori finally fessed up.

"Well I got to tell you that eight to twelve year olds. We could go to jail, but if you have your heart set on it. I will go along with your plan." Jade smiled to herself with her face turned away from Tori.

"Jade you sicko! I am not talking about that! I was thinking we could have them over to swim or cook or something. It wouldn't take all that much and it might be fun." Tori kept on pushing.

"You are so easy to get revved up. It is hardly worth the effort. Well, have fun with your little girls I will join you just after lunch. Maybe you can have them make me a lunch?" Jade said still avoiding committing to helping her girlfriend. "Go to sleep Baby Girl I am tired."

Tori turned out the bedside lamp and closed her eyes and soon both girls were snoring comfortably in their bed.

The next day Jade dragged herself out of bed and went about her way without giving the post coital discussion a second thought. She was thinking more about what she had to get done that day on set.

She was in the middle of shooting the B roll for a documentary she was working on. The editor wanted the footage by the close of day and she was nowhere close to being finished shooting. Her shooter was stuck in traffic and got to the location an hour late.

Tori called her at lunch to talk about getting some groceries for the next day when the Fireflies would be coming over. Jade was trying to explain the angle to the camera guy and where the light reflector needed to be and didn't really listen to Tori. Jade agreed with what Tori said and didn't realize that she had agreed to barbeque for the girls for lunch.

She did hear her ask her to get the groceries and told her that she wouldn't have time so Tori would have to stop and pick them up. Tori was not happy, but she did it anyway.

Jade came home that night at about eight o'clock. Her meal had long gone cool and not worth eating. Tori was not happy. She stomped around the house cleaning and slamming cupboard doors. The silence was like thunder. Jade tried to ignore what was going on around her. She read her eBook and drank her beer on the couch.

"Ok what is wrong woman?" Jade asked.

"You don't know?" Tori demanded.

"No, No Tori I have no idea why you are so pissed off. Care to enlighten me?" Jade pressed.

"I told you on the phone. That I was making fish tacos for supper tonight. You said you would be home in time. Do you? No you get here two hours late and now your meal is cold and it turned to glue. You promised me that you would be home." Tori started to tear up.

"Was I working when I told you I would be home?"

"It was when I called today at lunch." Tori confirmed.

"I was up to my ears in bull shit Tori. I have to be honest with you. I would have agreed to anything you asked. I am sorry, but I wasn't listening. I was trying to get my film crew in place and get the work finished." Jade admitted.

"What? You weren't listening to me! That is your excuse? Not cool Jade." Tori was angry and Jade knew it.

"I am sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?" Jade asked.

"Well, you can take the van in the morning and go pick up the Fireflies at the school. That way I can stay here and prepare for their arrival." Tori now had a grin on her face.

"Ok, ok I give up. I will help you with this damn Butterfly thing." Jade gave in.

"Fireflies," Tori said straddling Jade on the couch and giving her a kiss, "Thank you."

That is how Jade found herself behind the wheel of Tori's mother's van in the school parking lot at nine in the morning on a Saturday. The one good thing about the whole thing was there was no line up in the drive through at The Java Shack and pretty Darci was working. One of those little moments that Jade would file away in her mind. One day when Jade is old, Darci will be that strange little smile on her face.

There were six girls in total and Jade gave the mother's Tori's phone number and their address. She ensured them that the girls would have a great time and be very safe. Once all the mothers were happy she loaded the girls in the van and made sure everyone was buckled up and off they went on their day of adventure.

When Jade looked in the rear view mirror she could see all the girls laughing and chatting happily except for one girl. She was staring out the window and not talking to anyone. She seemed to have a constant sneer on her face. There was something that Jade didn't like this girl.

The little girl had black hair down past her shoulders and somewhat curled at the ends. She was wearing the same uniform as the other Fireflies, but her sash had no merit badges. She didn't even had the badges that the other girls had from weekend sleepovers. Jade figured that she didn't like to join in or take part in the group activities. Jade shook her head, what kind of kid didn't like to have fun.

When she pulled up in front of the house, the girls all piled out of the van and thanked Jade for picking them up. The strange girl that Jade found was named Ivy said, "I'm not going to thank you for the ride. What was I going to do walk to Tori's house? You only did it because she probably told you too."

Jade wanted to backhand the kid but chose to have a last drink from her coffee instead. In her mind she was planning painful things she would like to do to Ivy. Dragging behind the van all the way back to the school might be fun. Jade smiled to herself risking looking like a grinning monkey.

Tori opened the door and invited all the girls in. Jade locked the van and followed the insolent girl into her house. All Jade could think of was climbing the stairs and going back to bed. She would let Tori deal with these woodsy delinquents.

She had just placed her foot on the bottom stair when Tori asked her where she thought she was going.

"I am going to have an early morning nap!" Jade said.

"No you are not. You have to help me. You said you would help me." Tori stated.

There was no way out of this situation. Jade decided to get another coffee and wait for Tori to tell her what she was supposed to do. Somehow Jade knew it would not be something that she wanted to do. Then it came.

"Jade why don't you take half the girls and you can either do the craft that is on the table or you can take the guide book and help them earn a merit badge."

"Where is the book?" Jade said.

Tori tossed her the manual and a smile. That smile was dazzling and Jade could never resist her when she smiled at her. She never could, even when she was pretending that she hated her.

"Come on you little life leeches we have some reading to do." Jade called to three of the girls that were waiting for her.

She had three of the six girls to look after and then they would switch girls later. She had Ivy, Ariel as small redheaded girl and beautiful girl with long dark hair and eyes named Valerie. They moved into the living room and sat down.

As they were sitting down Ivy rushed in and sat down right where Valerie was going to sit so that Valerie almost sat down on her. "What are you doing Voss? Are you trying to sit on me?"

Valerie was embarrassed and excused herself and moved to another spot. Ivy smiled an evil smile to herself and Jade wanted to slap her. Why was she treating this nice girl this way?

Jade found a merit badge that was based on film studies. This was going to be easier than Jade thought. This was her field of work. How hard could it be?

Jade started tell them all about the very early days of film when Ivy cut her off.

"Jade do you and Tori live here all by yourselves?" Ivy asked.

"Yes this is our house. We bought it about a year ago." Jade said rather guarded.

"So no boyfriends or husbands?" Ivy asked with a smirk.

"Ah no! We are the only ones who live here." Jade hoped they could move on now, so she started back in on the history of film.

"So no men for either of you. I guess you are lovers then. Lesbians." Ivy said staring right at her.

"Yes kid we are together." Jade said starting to get annoyed.

"So that means that you and her lick each other's…."

"That is enough Ivy!" Jade said giving her a death stare.

Ivy smiled to herself and moved on to a new victim. She was staring hard at Ariel. She was about six inches away staring right at her face. Ariel was getting more and more nervous and antsy. Jade kept going while watching Ivy trying to see what she was doing.

"Stop it Ivy! Stop staring at me!" Ariel shouted at her.

"What? I am not doing anything. Did I touch you?"

"No but you are staring at me and it makes me nervous." Ariel was really getting worked up.

Ivy leaned in closer to Ariel. Then she started whispering "Ariel, Ariel."

Soon the tears were rolling down Ariel's face. She was crying uncontrollably. Jade asked, "What is wrong Ariel?"

"I am scared." Ariel said.

"What are you scared of?" Jade asked.

"I am scared of what Ivy might do to me. Last time she did something like this I went home with a huge wad of gum in my hair. My mom had to cut it out and I was left with a bald spot." Ariel cried.

"She won't be sticking gum in your hair because I will make sure of it." Jade promised.

While Jade was dealing with Ariel, Ivy found a pair of Jade's scissors and cut a piece of Valerie's beautiful hair. Jade jumped up and grabbed the scissors and lifted Ivy right off the ground and hauled her back to her spot on the couch.

"So what do you think you are going to do to me?" Ivy shouted at Jade.

"I am going to slap the hell out of you, you little …." She was cut off.

"Jade!" Tori came over and put her hand onto her girlfriend's arm to calm her down. "Jade we don't threaten the Fireflies."

"I wasn't threatening her Tori. I was predicting her future. I would have slapped that little brat. Someone should have slapped her a long time ago. She just can't go around being mean to everyone!" Jade said.

Tori smiled and turned away so that Jade couldn't see her face. She was starting to see the irony in this situation. She told Jade to go outside and cool down and she would get the girls a drink and a snack.

Jade went out by the pool and sat down on the bench around the corner of the house where she couldn't be seen. She reached under the bench to her hiding spot and took out her hidden pack of cigarettes and lighter.

She drew smoke out of the pack and lit the end. Jade drew deep on the smoke and then tipped her head back and blew out. That was when she felt rather than saw the person watching her. She turned her head to the side and there was Valerie standing with her arms crossed over her chest leaning on one hip with a look of disgust on her face.

"What are you doing out here kid?" Jade asked.

"I came out to thank you for standing up for me in there." Valerie said quietly.

"No problem." Jade said taking another drag on the cigarette.

"You shouldn't smoke you know. It is not good for you. It is also not good for other people to breathe your smoke." Valerie said.

"Is that so? Well I don't smoke."

"What are you doing now then?"

"I only smoke when I am stressed out."

"Do you get stressed out often?"

"I get stressed from work and when little girls ask me a lot of questions." Jade looked at her cigarette and then crushed it out under her heel. She then took some gum out of her pocket and put it in her mouth. She was hoping the mint would cover her breathe so that she wouldn't have to listen to Tori's lecture too.

She got up and went back over to the sliding glass door and followed Valerie back inside. That was when the irony of the entire situation hit her. She had to laugh out loud.

"What is so funny Jade?" asked Tori on the way past.

"Sometimes life has a way of sending us messages and today I got it loud and clear. Let me help you with cleaning up the kitchen." Jade said smiling at her girlfriend.

The End

AN: Thanks for reading this. Please leave a review. So glad I was asked to be a part of this Victorious week.