Notes: Based on a suggestion by another Jori writer (who wished to remain anonymous). Posting will follow irregularly as I haven't finished the story yet.
This hasn't been betaed so please ignore any mistakes or typos.
I don't know much more about psychology than what I've picked up on TV and in the movies. Hopefully I'm not too far off the mark.
Disclaimer: Victorious and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.
Just past noon, Jade marched into the Vega home after letting Tori answer the door. "The deal is off! No more amateur psych from you."
"What? Why?"
Jade thought about it for a moment then admitted to the nightmare. "I'm not having more dreams like that! I'd rather have a horde of cannibalistic, knife-wielding, psychotic corpses chase me in my dreams than a single amorous…dolphin."
Actually that'd be pretty cool, Jade thought as Tori stood there with her mouth hanging open.
"Jade, that's actually a breakthrough," Tori said, her mind racing as she tried to come up with something. Jade just stared at her. Tori had to come up with something now. Anything.
"Um… Well…" Tori was trying to grab at non-existent straws. Finally, she got an idea. She hoped. "Did you ever have that dream before?"
"Huh?"
Bingo! Tori thought triumphantly. "Did you ever have that dream before?"
"Well, no… I mean, I had nightmares about dolphins but…" Jade admitted.
"No The Godfather meets Barry White kind of thing?"
Quietly, Jade replied, "No. Nothing like that."
"That's it. Your subconscious is working on your fears and created that dream."
Mentally crossing her fingers, Tori waited to hear Jade's response. She didn't have to wait long.
"That's stupid!" Jade fell back on the couch, her arms crossed as she glared straight ahead.
Images of Beck trying to woo her filled Tori's mind as she scrambled to come up with a response. Why couldn't she thing of anything? What was wrong with her brain?
"Okay, Vega, on second thought, you may be on to something."
Thank you, God!
"I haven't had that kind of dream before. Even after I realized that dolphin wanted to… Oh, Jeez! Never mind!"
Jade sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. Which was off.
Tori interrupted Jade's thoughts, "Want something to drink? I can make coffee if you want."
Surprising Tori, Jade said, "No. No coffee. You have any soda? Seven-up or Sprite or…"
"How 'bout a Fresca?" Tori asked in her best Judge Smails voice.
"Funny, Vega. Not!" Jade shook her head as said, "Do you have any of the Ancient Chinese Secret tea?"
"How… How did you know I have…that tea?"
Jade smirked, "I know more about you than you know…"
Tori's heart froze in her chest. Oh my God! Does she know how I feel…?
In the single second her thoughts ran away from her, Tori managed to maintain an outward calm. That finally filtered in and she realized her fears were baseless. Jade would've called her on her deepest secret by this point.
With a deep breath, Tori asked, "Hot or iced?"
"What the hell… I'll try your lame attempt at sun tea."
Tori was about to ask how Jade knew about the sun tea until she remembered the gang being over one day and she had Andre help her bring in the three jugs on the side porch – set there to let the sun steep the tea bags slowly in the jugs of water.
"I, uh, I know how you take your coffee. What about tea?"
Jade shrugged, "Just some ice. Not a lot though. I prefer my tea plain. So no lemon or sugar. Got it?"
"Like me. Easy-peasy."
"Vega, don't say 'easy-peasy'. You sound like some kind of preturd."
Tori growled to herself. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to date Beck for a month. Might even get Jade jealous… "NO!"
"No? Vega, did you just say no to me?"
"No, I was… It was just a… Shit, I didn't mean to say that out loud."
"So you were just gonna say no to me in your mind?"
Tori shook her head, "The 'no' wasn't directed at you. I was talking to myself. It was… I was… You weren't the… Shut up!"
"And now you tell me to shut up?" Jade hid a smile, she was enjoying having fun at Tori's expense.
"No! Not you shut up but…"
Using what she called her doofus voice, Jade said, "Not you shut up? Tori talk like dyslexic Tarzan much times?"
Still somewhat mortified, Tori couldn't help herself as she started to laugh. And Jade soon joined in.
"So what's next, Vega?"
"How 'bout the LA Zoo?"
Jade shrugged, "Why not?"
And so they headed north to the Ventura Freeway to come around on the east side of Griffith Park and the zoo.
After paying their admission, Tori led Jade into the zoological park. She consulted the small map they were given as well as one of the larger 'You-Are-Here' maps mounted just inside the gates.
"Damn!"
"Vega! You said a dirty word," Jade taunted.
"They don't have dolphins or… Damn."
"I'm going to get a swear jar at this rate. You could keep me in coffee for the rest of my life."
Tori turned to her companion, "What? No… I don't swear. Not that much."
"You know what they say, Vega. 'Damn' is a gateway word. Before long you'll be calling people motherfu…"
"No, I won't!" Tori interrupted quickly.
Jade smiled enigmatically then said, "Well, since we're here, let's at least look around. Maybe it's feeding time for the big cats!"
Tori rolled her eyes but led the way from the entrance to watch the sea otters then over to the American crocodiles.
"Aren't they cool?" Jade asked. "Perfect killing machines."
"Jade…" Tori just shook her head slowly.
Then, past the Children's Zoo, they came up on the Aviary. Entering what Jade considered a large bird cage, Tori pointed out some of the more colorful birds. Jade shook her head, "Where are the vultures and condors?"
"What are you? Morticia Addams?" Tori asked.
"No but she was pretty hot," Jade countered before continuing along the walkway, leaving Tori again with her mouth hanging open.
Did she just say Morticia was hot? Tori thought about it, considering Carolyn Jones in that long, skin-tight black dress and… She shook her head. Not the time or the place!
As she walked up to Jade, Tori couldn't help but picture Jade in that dress. She could definitely fill that out.
In the African section, Jade only seemed really interested in the jaguar. A beautiful, sleek cat that continually prowled its enclosure.
The only other big cats the zoo had were tigers. Jade was even more enthralled by them. One was sleeping and its mate was roaming their ground.
"Look at them, Vega. Aren't they beautiful?"
"Yes, they are," Tori admitted.
There was also an American black bear. He was moving slowly around, occasionally growling or snorting.
"Reminds me of that doofus quarterback from your old school, Vega," Jade noted.
Tori nodded. Todd Chiles did look a bit like that, hulking and hairy. And he was a doofus. But he has taste, hitting on Jade at Karaoke Dokey, Tori thought.
Coming around the path winding through the zoo, they came on the gorilla exhibit. Now it was Tori's turn to be afraid of an animal. Remembering her two fractured arms from her time at the Gorilla Club, she tried to drag Jade away.
"C'mon, Jade. I…I don't like it here."
"Well, maybe I should do for you and apes what you want to do for me and…dolphins…"
"Okay, but not today. Please?" Tori realized there was a whine in her voice and inwardly cursed herself. Then, for some reason, she felt the need to calm Tori. "Anyway, gorillas are actually the most peaceful of the great apes. And the clown at the Gorilla Club was some bruiser in a monkey suit."
"I…I know but…"
Jade nodded, "Okay. Let's go."
The next animal Jade really showed an interest in was a Komodo Dragon.
"Even their saliva is toxic," Jade said. "Kind of like the Alien."
"Actually, the Alien's saliva was just slimy and nasty. Its blood was acidic."
"Wow, geek points to you Vega," Jade said with admiration in her voice.
Before they left, the pair had seen most of the animals on display. As they neared the main path back to the entrance, Tori said, "Look! The carousel! You want to ride it?"
"I don't do carousels."
"Ah c'mon. You can ride a tiger…"
In the end, Tori rode a swan and Jade stood outside, impatience practically spewing from her pores. But inside, she felt peculiar warmth, She does remind me of Leda in that old painting.
As they left the zoo, Tori handed Jade a small, stuffed tiger.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Jade asked.
Tori looked crest-fallen. "Well, you liked the tigers and I thought… Never mind, I'll give it to Cat."
As Tori reached out for the toy, Jade half-turned. "NO! I'll keep it. It'll remind me of this colossal waste of time."
Jade's actions and the tone of her voice belied her words and Tori had to turn to hide her smile.
As they reached Jade's car, the Goth said, "Hey, it's still early. Wanna go see what's going on at the observatory?"
"Sure. I haven't been there in years."
"Me either," Jade nodded. "And, since this isn't part of your therapy, I'll pay."
After the short drive, they got out of the car and headed to the famous Art Deco facility overlooking Los Angeles.
"You know this was Krypton on the old Adventures of Superman?" Tori asked.
"Superheroes too? Vega, you are full of surprises today."
Inside the landmark building, they found they were just in time for the second showing of 'Time's Up' which explored the nature of time. After that presentation, they watched 'Centered in the Universe' about man's place in the cosmos.
Afterwards, Jade led Tori along one of the walkways along the slope until they found an empty bench. Los Angeles was laid out below them as the sun was sinking towards the horizon off to their right.
"You mind sitting here for a while, Vega? I love how the city looks at night from up on the hills."
Tori was thrilled by Jade wanting to share this with her. "Of course, Jade. I'd love to watch the lights come up."
"Thanks Vega. But no talking. Got it?'
"Got it."
The next hour was passed in comfortable silence as the world darkened and the lights of the City of Angels came up. The lattice pattern of streets and avenues, with pools of more thickly clustered lights, filled the darkness below.
Breaking her promise, Tori quietly said, "It's beautiful."
"Yes it is."
Tori turned to Jade. "Thanks for sharing this with me."
Rather than the expected snarky comment, Jade simply said, "My pleasure."
