Jade reached the Vega household a little after lunchtime. She had decided to apologize to the whole family and then talk to Tori. Jade West didn't do apologize, so she was very uncomfortable about what she was going to say. To make it more complicated, she realized she may be due an apology herself. So now she found herself in her car, parked in front of their house, trying to force herself to face the confusion and talk to Tori. She had checked her makeup and her clothing several times while getting ready, and was sure she looked hot in her jeans and Gears of War t-shirt while still generating an image of respectability. No sense in sending the wrong message to Tori's parents. They were just starting (hopefully) to date, so despite what Trina had said, she was not expecting sex to even come up as a topic for months. Even the thought of David and Holly thinking about her and Tori doing 'that' made her nervous. To kill some time and get her courage back, she called Raj.
"Hello Jade. Have you made up with your girlfriend yet?" Straight to the point, not Raj like at all.
"Are you alone?" Jade asked.
"Unfortunately yes" came his reply.
"I though you were dating that crazy chick. Whats her name? Lucy? The one afraid of people?" Jade asked.
"I am. She just doesn't like to spend too much time with me. She thinks I'm pressuring her. Just because I want her to meet my friends, it doesn't mean I'm pressuring her. She has to understand that my social group is an extension of my identity. I know she's scared, and maybe climbs out of bathroom windows when nervous, but I know you guys are very accepting and will make her feel comfortable. We'll, they will. You'd just scare the panty's off her and scar her for life. Worse if you talk." Raj stopped to inhale. That was Jades opening.
"Raj, shut up or you'll have more to worry about than a girlfriend dashes at the first sign of a commitment. I need to tell you something and it stays between us. Tell anyone and you might as well live your fantasy cuz you wont have anything left to lose. Am I making myself clear?" Jade was her usual intimidating self.
"And there's another example of why I cannot introduce you to her until she has the safety of the group. And possibly body armor. Jade, you need to stop with the crazy threats and learn to trust. Of course I won't tell. You trusted me with this whole likes girls thing. You thought I was gay, so I'm a bit peeved at you for that, since I clearly told you otherwise more than once. Still, you know I kept your secret and I will continue to keep your secrets. I like us being each others confidants. Just.." Raj didn't get the option of a pause this time.
"SHUT UP!" Jade's scream was loud enough to alert the neighborhood. The Trina's car was there, so it was likely she was home. Assuming everyone else was there (and their cars in the garage) Jade had maybe a couple of minutes at most until they came looking for her. "Raj, I don't have time for this. Just listen. I freaked out when Tori was talking to me because she mentioned fucking me to make me love her. I didn't take that well because, well, when I was twelve I was kinda, well," Jade took a deep breath. 'courage Jade. You can do this.' "I was raped." She had forced it out, and for just a second wasn't sure her voice had worked. Raj gave a sharp, shocked inhalation and Jade spoke before he could. She didn't need questions. "Don't worry about the details, they don't matter. Just shut up, don't tell, and well talk later. I gotta go. Bye." Jade hung up before she dropped her phone. She was on the verge of tears. 'Damn Raj. Why do you have to make it so hard. Just let me tell you and accept me, okay.' Jade fought back the need to cry only to be brought out of her thoughts by someone knocking on her drivers side window.
"Are you all right in there?" Detective David Vega asked.
"Fine. Better then fine. I just told a friend I trust about my past, but he just never shuts up about his problems. I had to scream just to be heard. I wish I'd waited to tell him in person." Jade was babbling.
"Take a deep breath, and relax. Okay." Jade followed his instructions. "Better?" Ha asked. She nodded. "Good. Come inside. Tori wants to talk to you." He said calmly.
Jade got out of her car, locked it, and followed the Vega patriarch into his home. She saw Holly working on something at the kitchen table, Trina sitting on the ledge of the rise and wearing her headphones listening to music, and Tori was sitting on the couch, gripping a cushion hard enough to make it scream, if cushions screamed.
"Guys. I kinda owe you an apology. Or I think I do. Damn it, this is too confusing. I janked it up, and I want to say I'm sorry. Don't know why, and I don't care. I really wish I hadn't freaked out when I did. I though I was past it, but I'm barely coming to terms with my bisexuality, let alone my interest in Tori. I never thought she'd feel the same, then it seemed like she only did because Beck asked her to." Jade took a pause to see if they were listening. She felt vulnerable. It was the price she had to pay if she wanted to continue to be a part of this family.
"Jade.." Tori started.
"Please, let me finish. Or stop pausing. I-I don't know what to say." Jade started to cry. Tori was standing and moved to her in an instant. Taking the goth in her arms, Tori just held her whispering soft words to help calm Jade down.
"You don't have to say anything. We understand." Tori repeated. After the fourth cycle, Jade allowed herself to be pulled to the couch. They sat together for a few minutes, calming down and just being there for each other. Jade came back to herself quickly. "We know a lot of what you were going through, or we think we do. Jade, it's okay. Your whole life is changing, and far more quickly then any of us were expecting. Just take your time. There's no need to rush. Take all the time you need." Tori said in a soft, calm voice.
Jade pulled away from Tori, still holding hands but shifting to address the room again. Holly had moved to the dining room chair closest to the living room. Still, she had to start somewhere, so "Tori, I want to date you, but I can't lose the support your family's been giving me. If things don't work out..."
"Jade, stop. I don't know where this is coming from. Maybe your worried about needing support, but you're not going to feel this way for the rest of your life. You've got a lot going on right now. You're strong, and you can handle things fine. You just need a little support right now." Trina chirped in, startling everyone since they didn't think she was listening. She moved forward to sit on the other couch.
"Besides, you're assuming things will go south." David said. He was still standing, giving everyone else space. "For now, lets assume you won't do anything to hurt Tori, and that even if the romance doesn't work out you'd still be friends. That way, You feel like your risking less, and can safely date Tori. You're still part of the family."
"It's hard. I'm not used to people believing in me, or loving me without a catch. So whats the catch?" Jade tried to sound like she was joking, but they all knew the truth.
"The catch is you have to be willing to love me back." Tori said, pulling Jade closer. Tori stared into her eyes, and slowly moved forward until their lips touched. They kissed briefly at first, tentatively, but things escalated and soon they were in a full make out session. Everything Tori did made her feel so good, and Jade wrapped her arm around Tori's waist, pulling her closer while the other cupped the Latina's cheek. Tori's hands had found more intimate places, one on Jade's ass while the other moved up her shirt. The goth lost track as air became an issue and they two broke apart. Her body was screaming it was ready for more.
"Not in front of the family." David sounded annoyed, but not mad. It was the voice of a father reminding a child for the eighteenth time not to run in the house. "A little kissing is understandable, but nothing this heavy. And Tori, hands off her breasts." Jade suddenly realized where Tori's hand was, and that the singer had been groping her for who knows how long. Jade also had to admit she'd enjoyed it. It worried the brilliant girl because while it felt good, they hadn't been on a real date yet. Well, not one that wasn't either enforced by Sinjin's spying or used to avoid going to the drag races with Beck.
'I'd go if the racers were in Drag.' Jade smiled at her thoughts. Yes, they needed to go on a date. She thought for several seconds about what the perfect date would be. "Tori, I was wondering if you'd like to go out together sometime?" Jade was nervous.
"I'd love to. When?" Tori responded, her eyes brightening at the request.
"Dad and mom might want to go into another room. I need to talk to you both about this date thing." Trina said.
"No. I'm staying right here." Holly said. "If you're going to tell Tori about how quickly she should sleep with Jade, I'm gonna be here comment."
"It's all right, Trina, we know your opinion on the matter. It's not our choice to make. Jade, take you time, and don't rush into anything. Tori, we do have rules, even in special circumstances. While I want you to wait, I'm gonna trust you not to make this a friends with benefits kinda thing. If it's part of the relationship, enhancing the connection, I'll understand. As long as it's not just to get laid. And be discrete." David was full of surprises. Jade had no idea how he could be so understanding about his baby girl having sex.
That's when it hit her. They were discussing her and Tori making love (she decided that's what David said would be acceptable) in front of the whole Vega family like it was a normal family discussion. 'Next on the agenda, little Tammie wants to boff her boyfriend. Whats the family's opinion on the subject.' Jades thought used her gravelly old man voice. Then her imagination shifted to her normal voice. 'My god, how do they do this without everyone dying of embarrassment?' Jade wondered as she looked around the Vega family. To their credit, Tori was blushing and Trina looked uncomfortable. Holly looked a little shocked, but recovered quickly.
"Okay, now that its in the open, I think we do need to discuss this. Tori, it's inevitable you're going to want to consummate your relationship with Jade. I'd like to think that you'd date for a while first, but I realize you've been wanting her forever and maybe now you can have her. I agree with your father. Be sure it's for the right reasons when you to do it." Holly had trouble at the end. Only David seemed comfortable having this conversation.
'Is this part of his job, discussing teenage sex lives?' Jade thought. "If you don't mind, I'd like a say in this. I'm not sure when I'll be comfortable going all the way, so lets just agree to take it slow for now, Okay?"
"Please. Tori totally has you. Like just now, she groped you and you let her, and that's just your first kiss. You two will be doing the naked mambo before you know it. Just don't freak about it, okay. It's all right, you two are probably going to wind up married anyways." Trina was enjoying this far too much.
Jade paled at the thought. (Hard to tell on her complexion.) Yes, she might be willing to get married, but everything was happening too fast, and she was trying to mentally play catchup. This wasn't like physics, where she could run the equations and see if it added up. She swallowed, and forced herself to look at Tori.
"Relax. Trina's messing with you. Besides, I'll bet that's not whats freaking you out. I think it's the loss of control. Think about it. You're so used controlling everything, including yourself. You usually have to force yourself to do sex things, and yet I got to second base during our first kiss. I think you're worried that Trina's right and I'll be able to take you at will. Don't worry. I'll never ask you to do anything you're not totally comfortable doing. Besides, I've heard that seduction is the art of making you comfortable doing that kind of stuff. Even wanting it." Tori said with a devious smile, her voice turning a little husky towards the end. Jade thought about it for a second, and came to the conclusion that Tori was off. What was freaking her out was that this was risky, exposing herself like this, yet she trusted this family enough to sit when she wanted to run. She trusted Tori enough to put her safety, body, and her heart in the singers hands and assuming she wouldn't get hurt. Plus the whole family was discussing when the two of them should sleep together. That was freaky enough.
Jade took another deep breath and tried to change the subject "Tori, how about you and I meet up for dinner. Say Tuesday? I'd say Friday but then we'd have to wait a whole week, and I'm not doing that. So Tuesday, you, me, the Cheesecake Factory in Pasadena? Whada you say?" Jade smiled, feeling like she was taking control again. It was a time and place where her work friends would be, so it felt safe.
"I like that. For our second date." Tori still had that devious smile.
"Second? You're counting the stupid play date Sikowitz made us go on?" Jade asked.
"Okay, maybe what, our fourth date? I'm not sure what we've done that counts as a date. But whatever. I'm taking you out tonight. I'll be by your house at six thirtyish, and we'll go from there. Yes, I don't have a license, but I'll take care of transportation. You just make yourself pretty and enjoy the date." Tori said, the evil smile never leaving her lips.
"So sex by Friday?" Trina threw out.
"Trina" came from every other member of the Vega family.
'Not Friday, but defiantly sooner than I'd expect. Tori makes me feel so safe. I know I'll probably agree to it earlier rather than later. I just have to be sure that when it happens, I'll enjoy it.' Jade let herself get lost in her thoughts as the Vega's discussed the particulars of Her impending date. Only Tori remained silent, putting her arm around Jade and pulling the goth in for a little cuddling. Jade snapped out of her thoughts long enough to ask a question.
"So how do I dress?" She asked.
"Casually formal. A dress or top and skirt combination. Or something like the outfit you wore when you had the satellite picture retaken. Just tell Robbie to keep his hands off. You're mine tonight." Tori said, still smiling.
Jade squirmed at the memory. She did owe Robbie something for that moment, but decided to let it pass so as to avoid litigation. She would just continue to have him help her with whatever scheme she came up with at school as payment. In the middle of that thought chain, something broke. 'Tori's Catholic, right? Gays and Catholics don't mix.' Jade tried to ignore the thought as it shot to the forefront of her mind. 'Just don't bring it up' she decided with a firm resolution.
"Um, I hate to ask, but aren't you guys Catholic? I mean, this gay thing's a major no-no, right?" Jade asked with a sudden sense of nervousness.
"Not our church." David said. "I guess it's a schism of sorts, but where we attend church they even do gay weddings." He almost laughed until he saw the panic in Jades eyes. "No pressure." He said smirking. "You probably should get home so you can get ready for your date."
"So, later." Jade felt a strange mix of excitement and dread as she made her way out of the Vega household and to her car. She would have about five hours to prepare, and wanted to use every minute. She raced home to get ready, only to stop outside her house and hesitate. She still needed to do something. She pulled out her phone and hit redial.
"Hello Jade. I can't talk. I'm going over to Lenard's to play D&D in half an hour. If you're free, you should join us." Raj said calmly. This morning forgotten, or more likely stored away for a future argument.
"I made up with Tori. We're going out tonight." Jade said.
"Good for you. Now if you meet a hot actress or model or such interested in a nice quiet Desi man I'd appreciate an introduction." Raj said.
"They discussed our sex life. I mean our potential sex life. The point is, they discussed me and Tori sleeping together." Jade blurted out.
"What did they say?" It was the obvious question, but raj obliged.
"Mixed vote. Her sister thinks we should practically end our first date in bed screaming each others names, while her mother would like us to wait until we're in more of a relationship. Her father just wants it to be for the" Shifting to what would be a good approximation of David Vega's voice "Right reasons." Shifting back "I swear it was the freakiest thing I've ever dealt with, as far as parents are concerned."
"Speaking of awkward conversations, did you ever tell your parents you were raped?" Raj seemed to be angry, but kept some control on his emotions.
"And why would I?" Jade asked.
"Because, regardless of what you may think of them, they are your parents. They have the right to know what's been hurting you for years. It has, I assume? I know it may not be an easy topic, but some day I think you should tell them." Raj said.
"I need to get ready for my date. We'll discuss this later." Jade said. Raj had become more than a confidant. He was the one pushing for her open up to her family. She decided to go with the whole gay thing first. And before that, she had a date.