Title: Homemade Always Says It Best

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG, but I plan on bringing it up to PG-13 at some point.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine...I cannot claim them. They all belong to the hardworking people involved with Once and Again.

Feedback: Yes please, I want to know what everyone thinks of this story so far.

Summary: This will be a J/K or Jessie and Katie story eventually. It's just my take on another way that the girls could have ended up discovering their feelings for each other.

Author's Note: First off, thank you to everyone who reviews. I'm sorry that my updating was a little slow for this chapter, but I do have plenty of ideas for this fic, and I don't plan to ignore it…I've just been a bit busier than normal lately. So, have no fear…an update is here! (And yes, I do know how corny that sounds. Haha.)

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"She can't know we're doing this." Katie was talking to Tad on the phone. It was Sunday, and it was late morning.

"Doing what?" Tad played innocent, hoping that Katie would come out and actually say that she liked Sarah, and that he had done a good job of matching people together for once.

"This thing with me and Sarah…" Katie let the sentence halfway roll off of her tongue before she bit her lip. She just couldn't, because, well, if she did…then she would have to tell Jessie that she was into girls. If Jessie knew that she was into girls, then she might know that Katie liked her, then maybe Jessie wouldn't want to be her friend anymore. She'd have no best friend. She'd only have Sarah and Tad. She wanted Jessie too. The girl's mind was on overload, making her more panicky than ever. She did like Sarah, yes, but she didn't want to lose her friendship with Jessie, if Jessie were to find out that she was gay…

"Well, we're not doing anything that she shouldn't know about." The she in question was Jessie. Katie felt guilty that her best friend didn't know. Tad could hear his friend panicking over the phone. The panic was done mentally, but trailing off was not a good sign for Katie. It only happened when the inner panic button was hit in her mind. She must be really nervous about going to see Sarah later that day. The two girls had agreed to hang out later.

"Yes, we are." Panic was still within Katie.

"What are we doing then that's so bad?"

"We're apparently on operation Get Katie A Girlfriend." Katie frowned thinking of that. It was weird to say, relaxing to admit, but still, weird.

"That's too long for a name." Tad chuckled and after a moment, Katie did too. "And it's apparently not necessarily."

"Why's that?"

"I think you have one." Jessie? That was Katie's first thought, but then Katie realized that he meant Sarah. Within a moment, Katie realized that maybe she could have her as a girlfriend, Sarah, that is. She might never have Jessie, but Sarah…

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The two girls were at Katie's house watching a marathon of some teen show that was on when Sarah had gotten there. "So, I have this friend," the dark-haired girl trailed off, waiting to see if realization flickered in the other girl's mind.

"Uh-huh," Katie nodded.

"She likes this girl."

"Uh-huh," another nod.

Sarah figured out that Katie wasn't listening, so she edited her story. "But the girl is really a guy."

"Hm," Katie agreed that it was weird, not thinking much about it.

"And the guy is purple."

"Mm," Another nod from the light-haired girl.

"Sickly looking." Sarah rolled her eyes. Katie still hadn't caught on. She must be really out of it.

"Of course he's sickly. He's purple." The words had finally registered in Katie's mind. She might have been a bit out of it, but she wasn't deaf. Katie heard Sarah as she switched subjects.

"So you are listening to me!" Sarah was amazed at this apparently, or at least pretending to be amazing; Katie wasn't really sure which.

"Course I was." Katie smiled the famous Singer grin. "Now what about your friend?"

"Oh," one flash of the Singer charm, and Sarah was a goner. "Um," she fumbled for her words, unsure of what to say now. She felt weird asking Katie to be her girlfriend; she felt weird asking anyone to be her girlfriend. It probably didn't help any that Katie was beautiful and funny and, well, she knew when Sarah talked about purple guys. Triple plus.

Katie turned away from the television and looked at the other girl on the couch with her questioningly. It was a commercial anyway. "Did you mean, um, someone else when you said friend?" She tilted her head to the side, trying to figure it out. Katie wasn't sure if she was being asked out or not.

"What? No!" Sarah freaked. "Um," she mumbled, but Katie was smiling. "Maybe?" Katie was still smiling, and this time Sarah was too. The smile on both girls faces remained as Sarah slid her hand a few inches, threading her fingers through Katie's. The commercial was over.

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"Tad, I don't want to go to a movie tonight." Jessie was grumpy, and Tad wasn't sure if it was because he had woken her up or not. It wasn't that early in the morning.

"Why not?" In fact, it was more like early afternoon. He just didn't understand girls.

"I don't feel well." Jessie was lying and telling the truth all at once. She physically was as healthy as, well, as a healthy human can be. Emotionally, she was a wreck. Sarah and Katie got along almost too well…

Why do you never want to go on a date with me when it's just me? Tad considered asking that question. It was what was in his mind, but instead, he switched back to the safer route. "I'll let you pick what we do."

A sigh escaped Jessie's lips. She didn't really feel up to hanging out with anyone, especially her so-called boyfriend at the moment, but he was acting so sweet. "Can we go for a walk?"

"A walk?" She wasn't disagreeing anymore. "Sure," Tad had won her back over. Oh yeah. He was awesome.

"Maybe get some food?" Jessie was still rambling, just noticing the faint growl in her stomach.

"Of course. I'll see you in…half an hour."

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"So," Tad glanced over at the blonde girl. He had just picked her up about five minutes ago, but she hadn't said much of anything since. So, he decided it was up to him. "You wanted to take a walk."

"Uh-huh." Jessie looked up from the ground and smiled at him. He really was a great guy.

"Why?"

"I felt like some fresh air." The blonde shrugged, and he looked confused. "It's a nice day out. Isn't it?"

"Sure it is." She glanced at him oddly. "It is," he repeated more sincerely, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, it is." Jessie grinned blissfully. He was happy. She should be happy.

"Hey, this place has all day breakfast specials." Tad grinned, tightening his grip on Jessie's hand. She had mentioned that she was a bit hungry, and breakfast was a good meal at any time of the day. "Who doesn't like the option of having breakfast all day?" Jessie shrugged helplessly as Tad answered for her. "No one! That's who."

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They had ordered their food, and were waiting for it when Jessie finally got the nerve to ask him a question that she had been wondering. "Tad, what are we?"

"Humans," he answered thoughtfully, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes at him.

"No, I mean," she paused for a moment, searching for words. "Do you consider me your girlfriend?"

"Oh Jess," he reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Course you're my girlfriend. You're my number one girl!" That's what it was all about, her bad attitude, her not wanting to go out on dates with just him…She was afraid that he was interested in other girls! He'd show her. He'd be the best boyfriend ever. Jessie was just focusing on the words that Tad had said, when the door jingled and some couple walked in holding hands. She had gained a boyfriend without realizing it, without really wanting it…He was smiling at her. He tried so hard to please her. She smiled back.

Jessie couldn't look at Tad when he looked at her like that, like he wanted to kiss her. She just wasn't ready for too much yet. That's all. It didn't help her any to look up and notice Katie walk in. Actually, Katie was with Sarah, which was weird. Jessie didn't know the two girls had hit it off that well…They were holding hands. "What the hell?" It was like Jessie to talk like that, which is what caused Tad to glance back, noticing the two girls holding hands.

Jessie was loud enough that the two girls walking into the restaurant noticed them as well. "Oh," Katie whispered, instantly dropping Sarah's hand like it had burnt her.