'Victoria, we don't have all day. Get out of the damn bathtub!'

A voice comes from behind the bathroom door, angrily shouting,'Jeez, Joy...is there something wrong with me enjoying a bubble bath and champagne?'

Joy yells back in response, 'Yes, there is when there are people needing the bathroom too. God woman, you can be so inconsiderate sometimes!'

Victoria sips her champagne, then replies, 'You do know there are two other bathrooms in our condo!'

Joy growls in response, 'But you know I like this one! It's our bathroom that we share...together, if you didn't think about that!'

Victoria sets her champagne down on the ledge, and gets out of the large tub, throwing a nearby towel over her naked body. She dries her feet on the mat, and walks carefully over to the door, opening it to find an angry Joy.

'Why the hell did you lock the bathroom door for...'

Victoria picks up her champagne, taking another sip.

'Alone time...'

Joy looks at her, staring blankly at her.

'But, babe...I need the shower. You've been in there for forty five fucking minutes, probably sipping champagne, letting classical music play loudly as you soak.' She looks around, and then sniffs.

'Have you been smoking in here? Tori, it smells god-awful in here.'

Victoria spies an ashtray, with a stub of what was left of a cigarette.

'Oh, oh that? Babe, it's been a stressful week. I've been swamped like mad with work.'

Joy enters the bathroom, and picks the butt out of the ashtray.

'So, you smoke to ease the stress? Honey, the only time I've ever seen you smoke anything was after sex.'

Victoria takes the cigarette butt out of Joy's fingers, sticking it back in the ashtray, and then looks at Joy, smiling.

'Why are you smiling?'

Victoria sighs. 'You are so pretty when you're snarky.'

Groaning, Joy then says, 'Tori, you sound almost like my mother, except for the fact that she seldom used pretty to describe when I'm snarky.'

Victoria smiles sweetly, leaning in, and kneeling against the bathtub to pull the drain. She was still wearing nothing but her towel.

The water drains, and Victoria struts up towards Joy, and kisses her on the cheek.

'I love you…' she says, switching her towel for her bathrobe, and then heading towards their bedroom.

Joy smiles, 'I love you too.'

Victoria stops, and Joy runs up to her, throwing her arms around her neck, and kissing her again.

'I'm sorry I got on you about your habits.'

Victoria smiles coyly, looking down at her feet, then looks up.

'Well, I'm sorry that I pushed your buttons today. I just needed some time alone, even if it was for an hour or so.'

Joy sighs, 'Babe, you know you can come to me when you're stressed. I'm willing to listen.'

Victoria smiles sweetly at that thought. 'That idea sounds great.'

Joy smiles, and Victoria turns to enter their bedroom. She then stops, turns to look at Joy.

'I'm sorry, babe.'

Joy shrugs, 'It's alright, love. Really, it's alright.'

Victoria beckons Joy, 'Come here, sweetheart.'

Joy comes over towards her, and Victoria holds out her hand.

She smiles, taking her hand in her own, lacing her fingers through Victoria's.

'I feel bad for us fighting like this. It's a good thing Sade wasn't here. She doesn't need to see us fighting.'

Victoria nodded, 'I promise my dear, the next time I'm stressed, I'll come to you first. It's just, just-I've never had someone intimately close before in my life, a relationship where we were not only physically intimate, but emotionally intimate with each other. You're the first relationship I've had where I actually care. And, I'm scared baby, I'm scared. I don't want to mess this up.'

Tears run streaming down her cheeks, and Joy reaches her hand out, brushing the tears away.

'Don't cry, please don't. You won't mess this up. Trust me when I say this, but I'm scared too. This is the first lengthy relationship I've had, and I'm so far beating the odds. I've been scared for a while that I'd mess this up.'

Victoria smiles, her eyes still wet with tears.

'You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to mess it up.'