Disclaimer: Checked, still don't own.

Here's a second chapter: A Simple Request.

:}

Tori sighed. She loved days like this, when Jade could tear herself away from her over busy life and come by. 'Soon, Tori, soon, we'll be married, and no more booty calls.' Tori reminded herself. The Latina smiled, glancing over at her fiance. Jade lay on her back, with Tori cuddled into her side, both feeling the after glow. Tori let that moment linger. 'Soon, you'll be mine.' She repeated to herself, even as her mind shifted to building up to the task she'd intended to get done. The one she's wanted to cover, but wanted to get the sex out of the way first, just in case. 'Just, a few things to do, and then, we get married. I'm thinking, maybe, we should handle one of them. I mean, we have a tacit agreement, and it's just fifteen days away. Also, I want my weekends with you, babe. Not gonna get them when those are heavy work days, so might as well bite the bullet...'

Tori was once again gathering her courage. "Jade…?" She said, and realized she had no idea what she wanted to say.

"Give me five more minutes." Jade said, snuggling into her girl.

"I was wondering..." Tori tried again.

"Sure, you can top me." Jade replied. "Just, lets enjoy the moment first. Then, go wild. I promise not to struggle too much." A strange smile crossed her pale face. "That is, unless that turns you on."

"Okay, eww." Tori said. "Not Beck."

"Yea, he had such a fragile ego." Jade snipped. "But hay, you wanna talk, go for it. Me, just wanna feel the warmth."

"You realize, in just a couple of weeks, we'll be feeling each other all the time." Tori said.

"I'm sure we'll have to cut down at some point." Jade said, smiling at the ceiling. "But until then, what a way to start a marriage."

Tori caressed her lovers face, careful not to touch anywhere too intimate, even as she tried not to roll her eyes at what Jade was implying. "I was thinking, once you move in here, you won't be paying rent..." Tor started.

"Not sure I like where this is going." Jade's voice wasn't playful any more.

"I'm not trying to buy you, just point out that maybe, you won't have to work at Puppies any more." The singer said, stretching so her body rubbed against Jade. 'She's getting upset, All the dirty tricks, NOW!'

Indeed, Jade's body had stiffened. "Oh really now?" Jade asked, rolling out from under Tori to look the other girl in the eye. "Well, what about spending money, or food, or tuition. I'm paying my fucking way through school, or have you forgotten."

"You graduate in just over a month." Tori pointed out. "Are you going for an advanced degree, maybe? Cause otherwise, your grants, scholarships, and lets be honest, the fact that you've already paid for everything save the cap and fucking gown, covers just about everything for school."

"But I'm..." Jade started, pulling back a touch from Tori to glare at her.

"Saving up to make your first movie." Tori cut her off. "Something that no longer can be done by maxing out your fucking credit cards. I'm sorry, babe, but you'll need financial backing, even for the small, basic horror film you'd probably start with. And for that, I'm the key, cause I know the right people. Hell, given my roll on television, I may want to be in the movie. I mean, it's in my current wheelhouse. I can be the adult looking teen in jeopardy, or play an older character, like maybe a doddering twenty five year old. I can do all kinds of things, just as long as we agree to make the movie while I'm on break from my hit show." Tori felt that maybe she didn't need to add the last part, but at the moment, every bit of edge helped.

"Maybe I don't want your help!" Jade said quickly, sounding almost hurt in her frustration.

"Oh, like your gonna get funding for any movie that would put you on the map without someone believing in you." Tori growled. "Babe..."

"Stop fucking calling me that!" Jade snapped.

"Jade…" Tori tried to continue. 'Deep breath, Tori. Calm down.' She though, as something hit her. "Wait, why can't I call you babe?"

"Beck used to call me that." Jade explained. "Turns out, he'd usually say it when he wanted me to think he respected me, but was about to treat me like a child."

'That doesn't sound much like him." Tori commented.

"Oh, it was totally like him." Jade informed her girl. "You two never really dated, so you never saw that side of him. Sure, he's a great guy, but he wants everyone to see him as the conquering hero, and sometimes, he doesn't think much about what the person he's helping might need. Boy often didn't take anyone seriously." She vented. "Except Robbie, and only cause Angel chose him." There was another thoughtful pause. "Ever find out why?"

"Angel has a thing for nerds." Tori said. "I..." Her eyes glanced up, away from Jade. "I know this, cause she told me after I saw her looking at you all thoughtful like."

Jade looked confused. 'Naked and confused.' Tori thought.

"Wait, are yous saying…?" Jade half asked. Then realization hit, and Jade started to seethe again. "WHAT. EXACTLY. ARE. YOU. IMPLYING?!" Jade asked, and she would have been screaming if she hadn't been breathing out every word.

"That my girls a nerd." Tori said softly. "Hay, nothing against nerds. Not all of them are like people think, all Robbie. No, most are just people who are too smart for their own good, and those who don't fall into the classic image become dark and brooding." Tori leaned in to kiss the tip of Jade's nose. "Or is the president of the Hollywood Arts computer gaming club gonna argue?"

Jade looked at her fiance with murder in her eyes, then softened immediately. "Okay, I was a fucking nerd." Jade admitted. "But a hot fucking nerd."

"And that's what I'll be doing in a bit, once you agree to quite Puppies." Tori said, slipping a scooch closer to Jade.

"That again?" Jade asked, scooting away from her girl. "Give me one good reason I should quite?"

"How many girls have been sexually assaulted in the employee parking lot?" Tori asked back. Her face remained neutral, just like she'd learned to keep it during their many, many poker games in high school.

"Not that many?" Jade replied.

"How many?" Tori pushed.

"I'm not really sure, cause I didn't ask." Jade answered.

"What about since you've been working there?" Tori asked. "How many sexual assaults in that poorly lit parking lot, which is out of view of the main street? You know, the one where they don't even have security patrol it, save for the occasional police cruiser?"

"Not that many." Jade insisted. As Tori rolled over to retrieve her phone from her night table, Jade got nervous. "And what are you planning on doing with that?"

"Calling my dad." Tori said. "Gonna find out..."

"OKAY!" Jade stopped her. "Maybe two per year, average, since I've been there."

"Eight assaults, or eight victims?" Tori pushed.

"Why does this matter?" Jade asked. "I can take care of myself. No need to worry your head over what happens to me, okay! Sheesh."

"Really?" Tori asked. "Really? You're about to become my wife, and you don't get why I'm worried?" Tori's glare softened, then a look of horror crossed her face. "Unless…"

"NO!" Jade said far too loud. The, softer "No one's assaulted me, No one tried to rape me. I've had a couple of propositions, but nothing I can't handle."

"A couple…?" Tori spat. "Like the one I stopped?"

"Usually the drunks are inside, and management tries to gently calm them down." Jade explained. "Bad for business if they get to direct with someone who's essentially harmless. But if they go too far, the establishment will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."

"How many sexual assaults have they pushed for prosecution?" Tori asked.

"Oh, you know..." Jade avoided. "Wait, why do I have to give up my job, when you get to keep working?"

"I make..." Tori stopped herself. "Jade, this isn't abut me making a lot, while you're not there yet, cause we both know your gonna make it. No, I just want my wife home, safe, and not showing off her stuff to every horny guy old enough to buy beer."

"Three." Jade said. "In the time I've been there, they've charged three guys with one kind of sexual assault or another."

"Then why don't you want to give up that job, let me take care of you?" Tori asked. "You can focus on your work, writing, and making movies that will give me nightmares. I mean, yea, they pay well, but it's not like we need the money."

"You certainly don't." Jade scoffed.

"Sorry, what?" Tori asked. "Baby..."

"I said not to call me that!" Jade hissed.

"I said baby." Tori explained meekly. "Totally different."

"No, it's kinda, well, okay..." Jade admitted, at the root, the two terms meant different things. "But I still want you to take me seriously."

"When haven't I taken yous seriously?" Tori asked, not getting miffed. "This whole thing, us getting married, is me taking you very seriously. I want us to be serious, married, and in love. You do love me, right?"

"Gods, yes! I love you, Tori, but that doesn't change..." Jade's voice faded, her eyes looking soft and apologetic.

"I'm not gonna like this, am I?" Tori guessed, even as she wrangled her own hurt under control.

"Tori, baby..." Jade started.

"Don't call me that." Tori snapped, ever soft as it was. "You said it's used when someone isn't taking you seriously, and I need you to take this very seriously."

"It's not that I don't love you, lover." Jade said. "Tori, I love you. I really do. It's just..." She sighed. "I don't trust easily. It's incredibly hard for me..." the goths voice fading.

Tori got mad. "You don't trust me?" She hissed, her own issued coming forward.

"I do." Jade assured her. "I do, just..." She looked away.

"What?" Tori was pissed, but not lost. Not yet.

"It's just, I trusted Beck, and..." The goth

Tori sighed, taking the moment to let go of her rage. "Yea, you trusted a guy who'd never consciously hurt you."

"And yet, he did." Jade said, and for that moment, Tori could see how broken the pale girl was. "Why the fuck do you think I like to control everything? Why is it I never asked for anything more when we were just friends with benefits? I knew, once things start going well for me, I get hurt., I… I'm just guarding against the time when you realize how bad I am for you, and move on."

"Still wazzed." Tori said.

"Angry sex?" Jade suggested.

"No, just wanna hold you." The Latina replied, slipping her arms out to embrace the goth.

"You still love me?" Jade sounded surprised.

"God, when will you get it through your head, yes, people love you." Tori shook Jade, trying to make the blue eyed girl understand. "Cat loves you like a sister, but that's still love. Beck, maybe he had no idea how to handle someone like you, but he did love you. And before you get down on yourself for not making it work with Beck, that was a fucking high school romance. Those rarely last. Hell, neither of us knew ourselves back then. I knew I wanted to be a pop star, but that was after wanting to be a vet, a teacher, an astronaut, and even a professional hamboner. You know the last bit. But now, I have what I want, and it's time to figure out what I want for the rest of my life. Jade, we're still kinda young, but I think we're both old enough to know we want this."

"How do I know?" Jade asked. "How can I trust you not to want more?"

"Thats just it, I do want more." Tori said, her voice was now almost excited. "And I can have it with you. I can have the success, the life, but I need you. I need someone I can believe in. Maybe you can't trust me, not yet, but I trust you. I know, my manager wants a prenuptial agreement. She wants to protect me. But I kinda wanna be fair. You sigh it, but it'll be less and less binding as time goes forward. Kind of an intensive to stay together."

"What about a job?" Jade asked. "Something so I can have some money that's my own?"

"Okay, but since your not gonna be paying so many of your big expenses, I suggest something part time." Tori told her. "And safe. You can work as a server and not sell your looks. Maybe put that degree to work for you, get into management?"

"There are no part time managers." Jade said, but it felt like they were getting someplace. "So you want me to quite Puppies?"

"Do it tomorrow, so we can make plans for a mini honeymoon." Tori said.

"The point of getting married at city hall is to take this as casually as possible." Jade said, feeling a bit put off. "Let me put my two weeks in."

"Talk to your manager, let him know we might be hiring a bodyguard for you if you don't quit." Tori joked.

"That would impact my tips." Jade complained, but she was smiling. "So, I quit Puppies...?"

"And we can have you work part time someplace else." Tori finished. "Maybe doing production. They always need people who do production."

"Yea, they do." Jade agree, but her heart wasn't in that idea. "Just, if I do production, and you know, they don't hire production people part time, but if I do it, they'd expect me to put all my energy into their stuff. I need..." Jade faded, trying to argue why she couldn't do that kind of job, but she could waitress.

"Yea, I do." Tori said. "You wanna be your own boss. I guess, it can be easy for someone like you to see being a sever as something temporary..."

"Lots of people see it that way." Jade agreed. "Then, the years go by, and they realize, temporary has become their career."

"Then why hold onto a job I know you hate?" Tori asked.

"I earned it." Jade said, so fast she didn't have a chance to process what she was saying. Her voice was sharp, and so it cut through her filters before she could edit. Seeing the shocked look on Tori's face, she elaborated. "I worked hard there for every scrap of respect. You remember me saying that the assistant manager couldn't fire me? It's because I earned a lot of good will with the manager. He knows he can count on me. If I say I'll cover a shift, I will. If he needs someone to help out on short notice, I'll do what I can, but school comes first. He knows I'm gonna be there, work my ass off, and I can even help eject a drunk if necessary. Hell, he's let me learn a bit about tending bar, that's how much he trusts me."

"So, your saying, because you've earned the basic respect due any employee, you're not willing to just let go?" Tori asked. "I wonder, how much would it cost for me to buy a place like that?"

"You can't afford it." Jade said. "Puppies is a chain, and their owned by cooperate."

"Too bad, cause it sounds like they have a nice group of willing slaves there." The singer pointed out. "Jade, sweety, we've already agreed. You're quitting, finding another job. Hell, if I have too, I'll hire you."

"No, but that may be an idea." Jade said, perking up. "Maybe you can find out who's hiring an assistant, and I can get in that way? Then, when you help me make my movie, it'll look to the world like the person or group I'm working for helped, and no one will think I got special treatment."

"So, you're quitting?" Tori asked.

"Putting in my two weeks." Jade agreed. "And once we're married, I'll find myself a part time waitressing gig to pay the bills until I find the next thing, like being someone's assistant."

"Yea, you do that." Tori said. "So, snuggles?"

"Now you want sex?" Jade huffed.

"Please, I've been waiting to settle this so we can go ahead and give you that second round." Tori argued. "I mean, hell, I even enjoyed that this argument wasn't just civil, it was naked."

"I wish it was a first for me." Jade groaned.

"Did you and Beck make up and fool around after?" Tori asked, cuddling into her girl.

"You sure you wanna know?" Jade asked.

"Yea, cause your mine." Tori assured her. "You're gonna marry me, so I won, and I can hear about you and your ex."

"I wouldn't be so nice?" Jade pointed out.

"Yea, but I didn't date Beck." Tori purred. "And I'm done talking about him. Mama wants to top her girl."

"Nah, I'm gonna take charge." Jade said, rolling onto her girl, both pushing the Latina down and moving away from the edge of the bed.

"But you said I could." Tori whined.

"And Beck never could end an argument the same night." Jade told her fiance. "Which is why so many of our arguments either started or ended naked, but never both." She kissed Tori, who decided to take her victory and enjoy the evening.

'Now how to I get the wedding I dreamed off?' Tori thought, deciding to plot that out later, when she could think of things beyond how stunning Jade was. 'And so good with her tongue.'

:}

That happened. I was inspired to write this by my reply to a comment, and now, you get a second chapter to a one shot. Live it up.

Oh, and review. That would be nice.