Beck and Jade keep the idea of moving to New York to themselves for quite a while, and they themselves don't even talk about it that much. In fact, Jade doesn't even bring it up again until about three months later when she is getting ready to return to work to film her show's fourth and, recently announced, final season.
She and Beck are in their bathroom, washing faces and brushing teeth to get ready for bed. Valerie, who has become much more of a handful since she figured out the whole walking thing, has been fast asleep for a few hours.
"Do you still think New York could be good for us?" Jade says to her husband as she hops up to sit on the countertop between the two sinks in their bathroom
Beck is caught a bit off guard, seeing as they hadn't spoken about the idea since Valerie's birthday. He gives his wife a questionable look as he spits out his toothpaste and wipes his mouth off with a towel.
"I do, yeah." He tells her "It doesn't have to be New York, necessarily. But I think career-wise it would be good for the two of us...either that or Toronto would be the next best option in terms of finding wor-"
"I'm not moving to Canada." Jade cuts him off "I refuse to live there and I refuse to raise Valerie there."
"I figured that would be your response." Beck chuckles "I just wanted to communicate that it doesn't have to be New York or nothing."
"I think New York would be nice..." Jade admits, crossing her ankles and staring down at her bare feet dangling over the edge of the counter "I...I loved being there when I was in college, and I think that would be something I would enjoy getting to share with Valerie as she gets older...and I dunno maybe I could try out a spot on Broadway."
"I think that's a great idea." Beck smiles, moving towards her and wrapping his arms around her waist
Jade had gotten her start in performing in musical theater when she was younger, it was actually where she met Cat when they were children. Beck knew that as much as Jade enjoyed being on television and in movies here and there, she would never turn down the opportunity to return to theater.
"You think?" She asks him, draping her arms around his neck and looking up at him "You don't think I'm out of practice?"
"You?" He scoffs "Never."
"Okay." She says quietly as she rests her forehead against his "Maybe I can talk to my agent about putting some feelers out there in the coming months."
"I'll do the same." He tells her
"People would kill each other for the chance to see you on Broadway, you know that don't you?" Jade smiles a bit "You should give it a try, maybe we could co-star."
"I don't think musical theater is for me." Beck chuckles "Maybe a Broadway play, but no musicals."
"Fine."
"So we're really going to do this?" He asks her "We're going to New York when the show wraps?"
"I guess we are." Jade nods "Yeah."
They have at least eight months before they have to really worry about it, she has an entire season of filming ahead of her after all. But saying it out loud and actually confirming it makes it feel all the more real. It causes a pit to form in Jade's stomach. Even though nothing is happening yet it still makes her uneasy to think about leaving behind the life she has become so accustomed to and familiar with, even if she is returning to a city that she knows rather well.
"It's the start of a new adventure for us." Beck reminds her "We love adventure, don't we?"
"Honestly...as long as I have you and Val...it doesn't matter where we end up." Jade tells him "Adventure or no adventure, I'll go anywhere with you."
"Why are you more nervous than me?" Jade laughs, looking over at her husband
Beck shifts uncomfortably in his seat next to her. Suddenly his tux feels too tight and the room feels too hot. He's so anxious he feels as if he could explode.
Jade had once again received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The two of them are attending the ceremony together, having left Valerie at home with Jade's mom and step-dad, along with the rest of Jade's cast mates and their partners. The show is on commercial break right now, but when the broadcast returns they're going to announce the winner of Jade's category.
"I'm not nervous." Beck lies
"Yes you are." She smirks "You're squirming worse than Valerie when she wants out of her highchair."
"Alright, so I'm a little nervous." He admits "I just really want you to win, baby."
"It's okay if I don't." She reminds him "It's an honor just to be nominated, remember?"
"Oh please, anyone who says that is lying." Beck rolls his eyes "Don't tell me you don't want to win."
"Of course I want to." Jade laughs "But it'll be okay if I don't."
He grabs her hand in his and laces their fingers together before pressing a kiss to the back of her palm, just as the show comes back from commercial.
Jade barely comprehend anything that is happening as the presenters walk out on stage and introduce the nominees. She's an actress, she may appear calm and collected to her husband, but on the inside she's a literal wreck. She may never return to TV, she may never get another shot at an Emmy. Of course it really is an honor to be nominated, but it would be an even bigger honor to actually win.
"And the Emmy goes to..."
"You're a winner in my eyes, no matter what." Beck whispers to Jade
"Thank you, baby." She smiles
"Jade West Oliver for Vitality!" The presenter announces happily
"Baby, you won!" Beck cups Jade's face in her hands and pulls her in for a kiss, and then another, and another
"Congratulations, Jade!" She feels her co-star's hand squeeze her shoulder as she breaks away from Beck and starts to make her way to the stage
Her head is spinning as she makes her way down the isle towards the stage, trying to collect her thoughts to make a coherent speech but also worrying about not tripping over her dress or stepping on anyone's feet or falling as she makes her way up the stairs. So much is happening in such a short amount of time, yet it all feels like its happening in slow motion.
"Woah, this is crazy. Thank you so much." Jade says into the microphone, grinning as the presenter places the statuette into her hands "There's so many people I want to thank but so little time so if I seem like I'm rambling, it's because I am. Uh, thank you to my mom and dad and my step-parents, you guys have been supporting me from the very beginning and I would not have had the opportunities to be where I am if it hadn't been for you guys, and I'll never be able to repay you for that. Thank you to my husband Beck for literally being my rock for over a decade now and always being my number one fan, no matter what. I love you. Thank you to my daughter Valerie, who is probably awake and watching this right now even though it's way past her bedtime, baby girl...you are the reason I get out of bed in the morning. You motivate me to be the best that I can be and to put the best of myself into everything that I do, Mommy loves you so SO much. Thank you to the entire crew and creative team who work on Vitality and who give me the opportunity to bring Natalie to life and to the fans who love her so much. She loves you back and so do I. Thank you to Chris McGuire for being the best on-screen fiancé I could ever ask for...and uh, thank you to my best friend Cat Valentine. You always believed that I would get here one day even when I didn't, and I know you're smiling down on me and saying 'I told you so', and I'll let you gloat because I know you were right."
Jade tears up as Cat's name leaves her mouth, but she knows that she can't allow herself to fully burst into an all-out sob without it becoming a headline in a matter of minutes.
"And to every little girl out there watching, who is dreaming of being up here on this stage...never stop dreaming. Never let that fire burn out, never stop working, and never EVER let anyone tell you that you can't make it...because I'm telling you right now that you can." Jade finishes as the transition music starts to play "Thank you so much again, have a good night everyone."
"To Emmy award-winning actress, Jade West Oliver." Beck grins raising a glass of champagne in a toast to his wife "May this be the first of many."
"Thank you, baby." Jade smiles, pressing a kiss to his lips
"To Mah-me!" Valerie exclaims, raising her sippy cup to mimic all of the other adults in the room
Jade had an early call time on the morning following the awards ceremony, so although Beck had rewarded her privately when they got home that night...there hadn't been much time for celebration. Now on the following Sunday, the two of them along with all of their parents, Tom and Julie, Caleb, and Valerie, of course, were gathered in the couple's home for a small get together of their own.
"Alright you..." Beck chuckles, scooping Valerie up in his arms "You got to say hi to everyone for a while, but it's past your bedtime."
"Goodnight, baby girl." Jade smiles as she kisses the toddler on the cheek "Sweet dreams, I love you."
"I luh you, mah-me." The toddler responds, earning a chorus of 'aw's from everyone in the room
"Can you say goodnight to everybody else?" Beck asks her
"Night night!" Valerie waves to the rest of the adults
Beck allows Valerie to move from lap to lap of everyone in the room, giving hugs and kisses, before carrying her out of the room and upstairs to put her to bed.
"That's one great kid." Jade's father, John, says as Beck leaves
"Yeah she sure is." Jade agrees
Everyone makes small talk while they wait for Beck to return, some about Valerie but most about Jade's award. How it should technically be her second and that she had been snubbed the year before when she lost out to an actress from a rival network, how they better keep the statuette out of reach or Valerie will claim it as her own, and how there would be many more wins in her future. It's finally Caleb to who speaks up and asks the question that Jade knows will lead to the conversation she's been dreading having with their families for weeks now...
"So have you given any thought to what your next project is going to be?" He asks her "I mean, you said the show is ending after this season, right?"
"Yeah, it is." Jade nods "Which sucks because I love it so much and I love my cast...but I'd rather give it a proper ending like they're planning to than keep making more episodes and have it get canceled out of nowhere because people lost interest."
"I personally don't think I'll ever lose interest." Julie admits "It's my favorite show on TV right now."
"I appreciate that." Jade laughs, taking another sip of her champagne "But I think you're a bit biased."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"So seriously, honey. Have you given any thought to what you want to do next?" Jade's mother asks her "Maybe another TV show?"
"I uh..." Jade hesitates "I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do, there's just some external factors we need to take into consideration."
"Like?"
"We should wait for Beck before I clarify that."
"Oh my gosh..." Beck's mother gasps "Are you pregnant?"
"No!" Jade is quick to answer "No no no...that's a ways away for us still."
"What is?" Beck asks as he re-enters the room
"Another kid."
"Oh yeah no." Beck shakes his head "One day for sure, but not right now. Unless Jade knows something I don't."
"I certainly do not." She assures him "But I did mention there's some external factors we need to take into consideration before I pick my next project."
"Ah." He nods "Right, the external factors. Well...we should just come out and be honest about it, don't you agree?"
"I do."
"Jade and I are considering moving to New York." Beck announces, taking Jade's hand and lacing their fingers together "We've talked it over a few times now, and we agree that a change of scenery away from LA would be good for all three of us. Plus, it would provide us with a whole new set of opportunities."
"Obviously not right now." Jade adds "The show doesn't wrap filming until end of April or early May depending on production...but in a few weeks my agent is going to put some feelers out to casting agents out there and see if there's any roles for me on Broadway next fall."
"Oh that would be great for you." Jade's mother seems happy, much to the surprise of Beck and Jade
"You think?"
"Of course." Her step-father agrees "You loved being there in college. And you've always said that you'd want to get back on stage one day."
"I really would like to, yeah."
"What about you, Beck?"
"I'll put my feelers out too." Beck responds "There's always a movie or a TV show filming in New York."
"Tom? Julie?" Jade turns to Cat's parents "Would you be okay with that?"
"Why are you asking our permission?" Tom laughs "You're grown-ass adults."
"I mean...Valerie would be on the other side of the country."
"Caleb was hoping from country to country for almost ten years." Julie reminds her "I'm not going to tell you that you can't take a certain opportunity just because we won't see Valerie as often. It was inevitable, she's going to be starting school in a few years anyway. Just promise that you'll be bringing her back to visit."
"Oh my gosh, of course." Jade promises "Birthdays, holidays, as often as we can without throwing her schedule completely off."
"Do what's best for your family." Julie tells them "But it means the world that you would even consider asking us for permission."
Beck and Jade glance at one another and share a smile, knowing that they could set their plan fully in motion now.
"I guess we're doing this then." He laughs
"Yeah, I guess we are."