Holy cow, thank you for all the reviews! I'm glad you seem interested in this story. I find it fun to write. I hope it will love up to your expectations. Now I'm nervous!


After four days of Beck's incessant needling to meet for coffee, Jade reluctantly agreed. But there was no way she was going alone. Not yet. Since Tori was off somewhere with Andre, Cat was her only option. Jade spotted the little redhead lazily lounging on the couch watching some annoying cartoon.

"You're coming with me," Jade demanded hastily, shutting the TV. She left no room for Cat to protest and pulled the small girl up with ease. "Now."

Cat knitted her eyebrows together in confusion as Jade pulled her toward the door. "Where are we going?" she questioned curiously. "Wait! I'm still in my jammies!"

Jade looked down at Cat's candy themed pajamas and scowled. "It's 3:30 in the afternoon!"

"I'm having a lazy day!" Cat protested with a cute pout. She ran up the stairs to change and grab Mr. Purple. "Okay, now I'm ready!"

"Do you have to bring that thing?"

Cat petted Mr. Purple and cuddled him close. "He's not a thing! And yes I do! He's still mad I didn't let him come camping with Robbie and I. He wasn't allowed 'cause he was grounded."

Jade didn't bother to respond. She practically backed out of the driveway with Cat's door still open. The younger girl screeched in protest and quickly buckled herself and Mr. Purple in. "Where are we going?"

"To see Beck," Jade said sharply. As they got closer and closer to Jet Brew, she felt her heart begin to race. "Except he doesn't know you're coming so just hide behind me until we see him, okay?"

"Oh! Like a surprise?"

"Sure," Jade deadpanned. She peered over at Cat when the light was red and rolled her eyes as the girl started to whisper to her giraffe. "So you've been out of school for like three weeks now. Are you planning on getting a job?"

"Yes," Cat huffed, sticking her bottom lip out. "I'm just…taking my time!"

"You can't live off your parents forever."

Cat sighed and fiddled with Mr. Purple's ear. "I knowww," she said dramatically. "I'm going to get a babysitting job soon. I promise!"

"You? Babysitting?" Jade burst into laughter. Cat was practically a child herself. Who in their right mind would trust her alone with a kid?

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Cat gasped in offense. "I'm a great babysitter!"

"Have you ever babysat before?"

It took Cat a few minutes to respond. "No…but I have watched my neighbor's pet goldfish while he went away! But my brother ate it so he never asked me to pet sit again."

"I rest my case," Jade mumbled.

Cat just giggled and peered out the window. "Where are we meeting Beck?"

"Jet Brew," Jade replied flatly. She purposely took the long way to delay seeing her ex-boyfriend. It's not that she didn't want to, she just wasn't sure what he wanted to "talk" about.

"But I hate coffee!"

"So get juice," Jade said in irritation. She was suddenly rethinking her decision of bringing Cat with her.

"Kay, kay!" Cat was happy again.

When they finally reached Jet Brew, Cat watched in confusion as Jade drove around the parking lot at least six times. She missed four or five open parking spots. "Uh, Jade? Why are you driving around in circles like my brother?"

"I'm looking for a parking spot!"

"There's one!" Cat pointed out happily. "And another. Jade! You're missing all the spots! Just pick one!"

"Don't be such a backseat driver," Jade told her friend shortly. She groaned and finally pulled in a spot that was furthest away from the entrance.

Cat blinked. "But I'm in the front seat."

"It's an expression, Cat," Jade said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I don't get it," Cat continued on. "How can someone be a backseat driver if they're sitting in the front? Wouldn't they be a front seat driver?"

"Cat," Jade began rather calmly. "If you shut up now, I'll stop at Barney's Bibblery on the way home and buy you some bibble."

"Really?" Cat's eyes were about to pop out of her head. "Pinky promise?"

"Yeah, whatever," Jade grumbled. The only way she could get Cat to stop squealing was to lock pinkies with her. "Stay behind me while we walk."

"I got you, girl," Cat promised with a wink. She muffled her laughter into Mr. Purple and skipped happily three or four steps behind Jade.

Jade was just about to pull front door open when her phone rang. She stepped aside and nearly knocked Cat over. "Move," she hissed. Cat did as she was told and sat down on the small wall lining the entrance. Jade looked at the screen and frowned when it was Beck. "What? I'm here."

Cat muffled her giggles into her hands. "And so am I. But you don't know that!"

"What do you mean you're running late?" Jade barked into the phone. She glared at an innocent woman passing by who happened to stare out of curiosity. "How late are you going to be?"

"Hopefully not too late," Cat told Mr. Purple softly. "Or else Jade's gonna get soooo grumpy."

"I heard that," Jade hissed, covering the phone with her hand. She rolled her eyes when Cat just shrugged with a dimply smile. "Ugh, fine. See you in exactly ten minutes. Any later and I'm leaving."

Cat stood up and watched as Jade threw her PearPhone back into her bag. "You look mad."

"And you look like you want all your pretty red hair cut off."

Cat's eyes widened and she frantically shook her head. "No, no!" she squealed, wrapping her precious hair around her little hand. "Let's just go in and find a table."

Jade pulled the door open and practically pushed Cat inside. She ordered her usual (black with two sugars) while Cat grabbed the last empty table. "Thanks for getting me something!" Cat whined when Jade came back to the table.

"I'm not your maid," Jade snipped. Despite the coffee being piping hot, she took a large sip and sighed. She dug in her purse for a five-dollar bill and threw it at Cat when she couldn't take anymore of her pouting. "There. Go get some lemonade."

"Kay, kay!"

When Cat disappeared, Jade slumped down in the chair and began to play a game of Grumpy Gerbils to curb her nerves. Every now and again she looked up to make sure Cat was still waiting in the long line. The last thing she needed was Cat wandering off because she spotted something shiny.

"I got here with four minutes and sixteen seconds to spare."

Jade cursed when she let the gerbil die and looked up to find Beck peering down at her with a grin. "Congrats," she deadpanned. "Sit."

Beck slid in Cat's seat and looked all around. "You didn't get me anything?" he teased. When Jade glared, he held up his hands. "Only joking."

Before Jade could say anything, she spotted Cat creeping behind Beck with an excited smile. The ice from her pink lemonade in her hand kept swirling around, causing Beck to turn around before Cat could surprise him. "Hey, Cat!"

"Wow! Beck's here!" Cat said dramatically. "And so is Jade! And so am I! What a coincidence, huh?"

Jade wanted nothing more than to smash her head on the table. "Oh my god," she groaned. She was never, ever, ever using Cat as a buffer again. "Cat!"

"Whaty?" Cat asked innocently as she chewed on her blue straw.

"I'm gonna go grab a coffee," Beck said, looking back and forth between the two girls. "Do you want anything?" When they shook their heads, he patted Cat's shoulder and went to stand in line.

"He looked so surprised," Cat giggled, obviously very proud of herself.

"I'm going to smother you in your sleep," Jade said harshly. "And now I'm definitely not getting you bibble."

Cat gasped. "But you promised! You can't just break a promise! It's un-American. "

Beck returned just as Jade was about to scare Cat with more threats. He pulled up a chair from another table and positioned it so he was right next to Jade. "So," he began awkwardly. "How have you ladies been?"

"Lovely," Jade griped. She took another sip of coffee.

"How have you been?" Cat countered with a giggle. She barely got to speak to Beck when he was over visiting a few days ago. He had to leave "early" but didn't give a reason. Cat figured it was because Jade spent half the night ignoring him.

"Good," Beck chuckled. "When does your movie come out, Jade?"

"In three weeks," Cat answered for Jade. "Jade has a shirtless scene in it," she added in shyly, completely oblivious to the looks Jade was giving her. "Oh, but don't worry! She was too scared to do it so it's a body double."

"Cat, go get a muffin," Jade demanded lowly. "Now."

"But I'm not hungry."

"Yes, you are," Jade said through gritted teeth. If Cat didn't leave the table, she was going to reach over and choke her. "You told me you were hungry before Beck got here."

"But Jade!" Cat gasped in mock surprise. "I didn't come with you. We met here by chance! Remember?" She shook her head at her friend.

Beck cleared his throat. "Am I missing something here?"

"No," Jade said before Cat could. "Cat, go get a muffin."

"Jade," Cat whined. "I'm not hungry! Did you take some pills to make you go cuckoo? My brother did that once. He ran through the neighborhood naked and tried to marry a stray cat."

"You know what, Cat? I'm kind of hungry," Beck said, hoping to save Cat from Jade's murderous glare. "Will you get me a muffin?"

"Sure!" Cat beamed, taking the money from Beck. She skipped away with Mr. Purple and got in line.

All Beck could do was laugh.

"What?" Jade asked, her eyebrow knitted together.

"Out of all people you bring Cat as a buffer?"

Jade feigned innocence. "No. She, she just followed me into the car and wouldn't leave. You know Cat…"

"And I know you," Beck countered with a wink. "You're lying through your teeth."

Jade didn't respond. She finished her coffee and shrugged. "Fine, whatever."

"What did you think I was going to do? Propose?"

"I hope not," Jade guffawed. "I wouldn't have said yes."

"Jade, I'm joking," Beck said seriously. He ran a hand through his hair. He had at few more minutes with Jade alone. Cat was still in the back of the line. "I just wanted to catch up and see how you were."

"Why? Because the last time you saw me I was a sniveling mess?"

Beck traced the rim of his coffee cup and sighed. "I was hoping we'd be past that."

"Oh, I am," Jade scoffed angrily. "I am so past that. Don't you worry, Beck."

He tried not to think about the last day he saw Jade. She had come to the airport to say goodbye and to wish him luck. But once they broke apart, there was something inside of her that just snapped and she begged and pleaded for him to stay. Jade West did not beg. She looked so vulnerable and innocent clutching the lapels of his leather jacket that he took off and gave to her to keep as something to remember him by. He remembered Tori and Andre holding her back while he hopped into the security line.

There were days where he wished he stayed. He wished he could trade the fame for Jade.

Today was one of those days.

"Here's your muffin!" Cat chirped happily. She put the plate down in front of Beck and plopped down in her seat. "I got you blueberry because it was the last one and it looked sad."

Jade rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She watched Cat pick at the muffin covertly. "I thought you weren't hungry?"

"Well," Cat said, stealing a sip of lemonade. "When I was in line I started to remember that maybe I was kinda hungry!" She took another piece.

"It's all yours," Beck said, sliding the plate over to Cat. He smiled when she squealed and leaned over to hug him. "Enjoy."

Cat mumbled something incoherently. Beck and Jade knew that would distract her for some time.

"Did you really kill your aunt?" Jade found herself asking. Okay, maybe she decided to catch up on Beck's show last night. "I mean, on the show."

"Ah, so you watch?" Beck's eyes lit up.

Jade shrugged. "Maybe. Or I just see the previews on TV. They usually give away everything without me having to watch the whole show."

"Your show's too scary for me," Cat piped up with a pout. "I tried to watch one episode but it was too scary. I don't like seeing you being mean, Beck."

"It's only acting," Jade defended Beck quickly. "Do you really think I would kill you in your sleep like I did to that irrelevant actress they cast in my last movie?"

"No," Cat shook her head. "I never believe you when you tell me you're going to smother me in my sleep! You're only just saying those things to make me be quiet."

"Yet it never works," Jade mumbled.

Beck laughed and ruffled Cat's hair. "I'm sorry Danny scares you. He kind of scares me too, Cat."

"Really?" Cat asked in wonderment. "His long hair also makes you look funny. Like a lion!"

"Yeah, like Robbie's hair isn't funny," Jade said defensively. She caught Beck's smile out of the corner of her eye and frowned. "It does look frizzy sometimes."

"Okay, enough about my hair," Beck cut in when Cat giggled. He self-consciously tugged on his hair. "It's not that bad, is it?"

"Well you do kind of look like a girl," Cat said innocently, kicking her legs under the table. "But a really pretty girl!"

"What do you think?" Beck asked, turning to Jade and looking her straight in the eye.

"I like it," Jade replied softly, looking down at her empty coffee cup. "I'm gonna get another coffee. Do you want anything?"

"Oh! I want-"

"No? Okay," Jade said, ignoring Cat's whines.

Beck waited until Jade was out of earshot to speak. "Hey, Cat," he whispered, patting the redhead's forearm to get her attention. "How's Jade doing?"

"How's Jade doing at what?" Cat blinked on confusion.

"Never mind," Beck said with a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with an overly confused Cat. It had been so long he almost forgot how to handle her.

"Jade was sad," Cat answered after a long pause. She held Mr. Purple tighter and jutted out her bottom lip. "She cried a lot and hid in her room all the time."

Beck scooted closer to Cat and hugged her. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Cat promised. She smiled up at Beck. "Maybe if your show filmed in LA you'd still be together."

"Maybe…"

"I think you would," Cat continued wistfully. "I think she still loves you. Do you still love her? 'Cause if you do, you can get back together!"

Beck rubbed Cat's back and let her go. "It's not that simple, Cat."

"I understand. I don't like it, but I understand."

Beck enjoyed the rare moments where Cat actually could actually process the truth like an adult and not like a petulant child. She was more perceptive than she let on.

"Here," Jade said dully, forcing a cake pop in Cat's hands. "Enjoy."

Cat gasped in pure delight and wrapped her arms around Jade. "Thank you!"

"No bibble though," Jade said matter-of-factly.

"I hope you're not eating bibble," Beck said to Cat sternly. "Do we need to call Oliver again? You do remember what happened in high school, right?"

"Cat is toooo busy enjoying her cake pop to answer your questions," Cat replied robotically. "Please leave a message at the beep and she'll get back to you as soon as she can. BEEEP."

Beck and Jade wore identical expressions of disdain.

"You," Beck said, pointing an accusatory finger at Jade, "shouldn't even be bringing up bibble when she's around."

Jade smirked and held her hands up in defense. "Oops."

Beck deemed it safe to reach over and lightly tap Jade on the thigh. She didn't push his hand away. Instead, she playfully slapped his arm. Cat just watched the two interact with a large smile. Maybe things would be okay after all! She decided to let her two friends have a moment and sat back in enjoyment.

But her enjoyment was cut short when Beck's phone rang. "I'll be right back," he said, disappearing out the door.

"Go follow him and see who he's talking to," Jade said to Cat quickly. "Now."

"Aw, but Jade!" Cat sighed in annoyance. "I just started a really nice day dream about puppies wearing sunglasses!"

"I will buy you bibble."

Cat got up as if her pants were on fire. She tiptoed out the front door and spotted Beck near the bushes, pacing all around.

"I can't talk right now," Beck said into the phone. "I'm at Jet Brew."

Cat crawled behind the closest bush to Beck and clapped her hand over Mr. Purple's mouth. "Ssh, Beck can't find us here."

"Does it matter who I'm having coffee with?"

"Uh oh," Cat whispered to Mr. Purple. "I wonder who he's talking to? Oh," she giggled quietly. "I forget you can't talk sometimes!"

"I'm not having this conversation now, okay? I'll call you later."

Cat shrunk further down in the bushes when she heard Beck's footsteps. She strained her ears and quickly covered her mouth when she heard a faint "love you, too."

There was no way she could tell Jade Beck was probably talking to a girl. It would break her heart all over again!

"Cat?"

"Mr. Purple?" Cat asked, her mouth falling open while she looked at her purple giraffe in amazement. "You can talk!"

Beck cleared his throat. "Look up."

Cat laughed nervously when she saw Beck looking down at her knowingly. "Don't look! Mr. Purple is going to the bathroom and he's shy!"

"Uh huh," Beck said, pulling Cat up to her feet. "Why are you in the bushes?"

"Not spying on you that's for sure…"

Beck shook his head. "Did Jade send you out here?"

"Nope. I told you…Mr. Purple had to go potty. Jade did not promise me bibble if I came out here to spy on you."

Beck chose not to respond and guided Cat back inside, practically pushing the small girl into Jade when they got back to the table. "Look who I found in the bushes."

Jade choked on her coffee. "Ugh, throw her back."

"Hey!"

"I was talking to my mom," Beck told Jade simply.

"Good for you."

Cat shook her head. "Oy," she muttered into her hands. "I could be at home in my jammies watching Finding Nemo."

"Oh," Jade said flatly. "Excuse us for interrupting your action packed Sunday."

"You're the one who made me come!"

Beck laughed. Loudly. "I missed this."

"Us fighting?" Cat said. "Why?"

"I don't know," Beck shrugged. It was nice to see that despite being away for the past year things still seemed normal. Cat was still Jade's lackey. "It's familiar."

Cat beamed and clapped her hands. "Yay! Seeing you and Jade together is familiar, too! I like it."

Jade and Beck shared with faint smiles on both of their faces. "Yeah," Beck said, his eyes never leaving Jade's. "I could get used to this."

"Too bad you're only here for the summer," Jade snapped. It was like a switch had been turned on. Who did Beck think he was? She wasn't going to let him back in that easily. "Come on, Cat. Let's go."

"To Barney's Bibblery?"

"No, Cat. To narnia," Jade said in exasperation. She was definitely going to pawn Cat off on Tori when they got home.

"Phooey."

Beck stood up, knowing he had upset Jade. "Hey," he whispered, grabbing Jade's elbow to hold her back. "Cat, can you wait outside?"

"I should just move outside!" Cat complained but still heeded Beck's plea.

"What's wrong, Jade?"

Jade pulled her arm free. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Beck said. "I know you."

"You don't get to come back here and act like everything's still the same," Jade replied after several deep breaths. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes.

Beck didn't have the will to protest. "I'm sorry. I just meant it was going to be nice seeing you again."

"No you didn't," Jade sniffled, fiddling with the hem of her black tank top. "But if that's what you want to believe, okay then. I won't stop you."

"Jade-"

Jade shook her head and stepped back. "Welcome home," she whispered sincerely.

"Can we try and be friends?" Beck pleaded as Jade went to walk away. "Please?"

"Fine."

"Promise?" Beck said, holding out his hand for Jade. "Friends?"

Jade rolled her eyes but let a smile slip. "Friends. For now at least."