A/N: Thanks to all of you for your wonderful reviews. I really didn't expect to strike fire this quickly. I am trying to crank out two chapters a week minimum. My schedule has gotten really out of control, preventing me from doing me normal every other day output.

Sorry for that but it's the only way I can get this story out to you in some routine. Plus, I don't know any of your schedules so I'd like to think I'm giving all of you the chance to catch up.

You are all amazing. Hope this story lives up to your awesomeness.

;-)


"Dad…." Tori leaned in the doorframe to Captain David Vega, LAPD.

"Yeah, honey?" the fifty-year-old man looked up from an open file folder in his hands, smiling.

Tori rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Seven cruisers and a sniper? Really?"

"You're welcome," he said, looking hurt.

"You know that standard procedure for a holdup that size is four units, including the negotiator."

"Looked like a pretty busy bank to me."

"You're doing it again," she pointed.

Captain Vega stood up. "What?"

"The special treatment. I told you, dad; you need to start trusting me. I went to the academy. I trained and graduated." She slammed her hand down on the desk. "With honors, dad!"

He closed his eyes and nodded, "You're right. But can you blame me?"

Tori glanced over to the small picture of her and Trina when they were in grade school, actually enjoying each other. Their little smiles were so bright, they rivaled the many different colors of the carnival behind them.

"Dad…" Tori's tone grew sad and she almost lost it when she noticed a tear falling from her father's closed eyelids.

"Sorry," he said quickly adjusting to sitting more erect and wiping his eyes. "I didn't want to upset you…"

"Dad," she went around the desk to hug her distraught parent. "I miss her too. Every. Single. Day."

He held onto the only daughter he had left, refusing to let go. "Tori…I love you both. I never think of Trina in the past tense. I guess it fools my mind into thinking that she's not really gone but somewhere else."

"But that's not the truth, is it?" Tori asked, despite how painful it was to present that to her father.

"No. She's dead. And it's my fault…"

"Listen, dad" Tori held his face so she had his full attention. "Don't do this to yourself all over again. You didn't know."

"Tori, I shot her."

"It was an accident," Tori shook her head. "You didn't know."

Tori remembered that night all too well. She was away at college and Trina was staying over because her apartment was being fumigated. Her dad woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of stirring downstairs. He took his standard issue and went to investigate. According to the Internal Affairs psychiatrist, her father mistook the figure in the shadows for an intruder. He aimed his gun, threatening the stranger cloaked in darkness. Accidentally bumping into a chair made his hesitating finger squeeze the trigger and shot Trina through the left lung.

She was pronounced D.O.A. at the hospital.

"Everyone said that it wasn't your fault," Tori pleaded for him to understand.

He fiddled with his mug of old coffee. "Your mother didn't think so."

"Well, mom is wrong. Believe me, she has room to talk. She isn't exactly a guiltless person herself."

Tori couldn't help but notice that her dad wasn't wearing his wedding band anymore. Ever since Holly left him for his old partner, Gary and the two ran away to San Francisco together, he still held some hope that she would return. But his band was gone now. He must have finally given up, Tori thought.

"I just…I don't want to lose the last important girl in my life."

"I'm not going anywhere, dad. And I do appreciate your concern and everything you have tried to keep me safe but I have paid my dues. I know my way around a gun. And in case you haven't noticed, everyone is scared to death to let anything happen to me. Fear of what you might do to them, I guess." She smiled big to raise his spirits. It worked. For now.

"I do need to trust you more," he said. "You're 28. An adult. I need to trust that you can handle yourself. Just remember that we're all a big family here. We look out for each other. And as your superior, I will judge as to what is necessary backup for my men and women out there."

"Fair enough," Tori sighed.

"What are you doing besides, you know, going to the bank?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I dunno. Maybe hit the ranges. Go over some paperwork. I'm sure half of it needs to be in triplicate…"

He takes her badge hanging from her neck and pulls her away from her sentence.

"Tori," his tone was very dad-like. "You have to stop."

"Stop what?"

"I lost my wife because I didn't know when to quit this job. Didn't know when to say that was enough for one man for one day. But no, I neglected my family and now it's broken."

Tori shook her head.

"Tori, do you ever go out to have fun? Go on a date? How long has it been…"

"DAD!" Tori snatched her chain from his hand. "I'm not talking about my social life with you!"

"Okay," he nodded. "Message received. Just as long as you are taking a break from work."

Tori marches toward the door of her dad's office. "It just so happens I have plans for tonight."

"That's good."

"Good," Tori countered.

"Alright," he nodded. "Have fun."

"I will."

"Good."

"Great."

"Love you, Tori."

"Love you, too, dad" she giggled and left.


Tori walked through the entrance to the neon nightclub X "squared." It was one of the newer lesbian bars in L.A. The whole place was jumping with clientele ranging from twenty-one to sixty plus.

She appreciated the choice of music at the place. No techno, house music or any rave junk. It was primarily alternative, which was much more musical and less pure noise and pain.

Choosing a stool toward the end of the bar furthest from the entrance, Tori leaned forward signaling the bartender to come over.

"Hey, Officer Vega" the lovely girl with the shaved head smiled. "What can I get for you? The usual?"

Tori would be lying if she said that her Barbados accent wasn't a turn on. "Oh, you know what? I'll have a pomegranate margarita."

"Festive," she winked. "Any particular reason?"

"Nah," Tori shook her head. "I just don't feel like anything hard tonight."

"Gotcha. Be right back."

Tori rested her head on her arm, taking in the jovial atmosphere. She saw a black-hooded girl whispering to the band on stage. They nodded and the guitarist tapped the mike, alerting the house to listen up.

"Ladies, we have a special treat tonight. This songbird wants to give us a performance."

The newcomer approached the mike and a pale hand unfurled her hood. Tori's mouth hung wide open.

"Jade?" she said out loud.

The woman brushed back her black as night hair and took the microphone off the stand and waited for the band to begin.

I don't know just where I'm going

And tomorrow, it's a little overwhelming

And the air is cold

And I'm not the same anymore

I've been running in your direction

For too long now, I've lost my own reflection

And I can't look down

If you're not there to catch me when I fall

If this is the moment I stand here on my own

If this is my right of passage

That somehow leads me home

I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave

If this is the last chance before we say goodbye

At least it's the first day of the rest of my life

I can't be afraid

'Cause it's my turn to be brave

All along all I ever wanted

Was to be the light when your life was daunting

But I can't see mine

When I feel as though you're pushing me away

Well, who's to blame?

Are we making the right choices?

'Cause we can't be sure if we're hearing our own voices

As we close the door

Even though we are so desperate to stay

If this is the moment, I stand here on my own

If this is my right of passage

That somehow leads me home

I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave

If this is the last chance before we say goodbye

At least it's the first day of the rest of my life

I can't be afraid

'Cause it's my turn to be brave, oh, yeah, oh

And I might still cry

And I might still bleed

These thorns in my side

This heart on my sleeve

And lightning may strike

This ground at my feet

And I might still crash

But I still believe

This is the moment I stand here all alone

With everything I have inside, everything I own

I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave

And this is the last time before we say goodbye

At least it's the first day of the rest of my life

I can't be afraid, it's my turn to be brave

The whole house was brought down in cheers and whistles. Jade didn't smile nor frown but simply ran off stage and met up with the management of the place. After being handed an envelope, she dashed out the rear exit.

Tori never got to touch her margarita because she was following that woman who blew in from the past.


A/N: The song is "Brave" from the album I Stand by Idina Menzel. If you don't know who that is, all I have to say is Rent and Wicked. Go out and buy this album; you will fall in love with it!