I apologize to the world, but it's true. Physics classes in collage often grade an A at less than 50%. My brother knew someone at one of the U.C.'s who got a 90+% on one of those classes, and was a graduate student (in physics) before he knew what was happening. Physics can be like that.

Oh yea, I don't own anything.

I might have modified some things from the Big Bang Theory to fit my time lines.

:}

Tuesdays class was going well. The students were used to Jade's pace, and were able to absorb the material. Her quiz was graded and it looked good. That is to say, her students did well enough without her grading on a curve. Jade didn't believe in the curve, since by default that failed half her students. She did modified straight percentages. It still bothered her that a class like this could study hard and still do poorly on a test. She never understood why a high score on a physics exam was under fifty percent. She accepted that some things just were hard for other people, and to never again talk to her colleagues about how easy the quiz was. Lenard and Sheldon both were on her case about how easy she had made the quiz.

She took a moment during the morning break to think about her life. She had spend a great deal of Sunday on the phone with Tori. Of course, while Tori was in church she had to find something else to do, so participated in the weekly paintball games. She was getting better, and after doing some reading decided to focus on her strengths. She found high ground and was a sniper the entire time. Penny was still better at it, but Jade found a dark satisfaction in playing "God" (As the sniper is frequently referenced by special forces and SWAT) and watching everyone's back. She even saved Penny from a flank attack. After, she had gone swimming with her high school friends. Tori hosted, and the two made out a bit. Jade liked that part.

Monday was her usual busy day, and Jade had the added burden of mixed news. For everybody but her and Sheldon it was great news. Lenard had been accepted on Hawking's team for the deep water hydrodynamic experimental expedition in the North Sea, and would be gone for two or more months. Sheldon was dying of jealousy, and Jade was worried about losing one of her friends. She depended on Lenard to be the sane one in her life, at least in that group. His going away was disturbing to her. The worst part was he would be leaving by the end of the week, so he wouldn't be there for her seventeenth birthday. Jade knew it was a fantastic opportunity, but was still bummed. Secretly she hoped this didn't make her the sane one in the group, because then everyone else would depend on her to be their anchor. She liked being the unpredictable angry one in the group. She would put worrying about it off and ask Tori to come with her to his going away party on Friday.

So here it was, Tuesday, and she needed to get through her class so she could talk with her therapist. After that, she had her office hours followed by her date. Jade wanted it to be special, but also to show Tori that her adult friends were fun to hang around, or at least weren't losers. She had planned a little something after dinner, including a drive to a beach where she had heard there would be a bonfire. Jade was of course concerned for their safety, but had been assured that the police would be there and that everything would be fun. She also was carrying three pairs of scissors, so she felt armed.

Class came to an end with Jade warning them that the final was comprehensive, and would be the second week in August. Her class groaned, but no one complained. Keven looked concerned, but that was because he'd be grading it. 'Monkey had better do his job, since he won't get me coffee.' Jade then went to lunch, joining her friends in congratulating Lenard. Sheldon was still going on about the dangers of the ocean. Jade rolled her eyes, mentioned something about dolphin rape gangs, and left it at that. After lunch, Lenard walked Jade to her car.

"Jade, Sheldon's taken a liking to you. I mean, it's rare. To him, either everyone's an idiot, or they're a threat. Sometimes both. He seems to see you as more of a friend." Lenard was obviously leading up to something.

"He see's me as a useful resource he doesn't like to share and who he can bore to tears with his idea of good advice. I get better mentoring from my coffee maker." Jade said. She smirked just a little, sighed and continued. "I suppose he means well, and that he really believes he's helping me."

"That's the point. He trusts you. Well as much as he trusts anyone. So I was wondering, to take some of the pressure off Penny, could you be there for him while I'm gone?" Lenard asked. That was the favor, saving Penny from the rampaging ego of Doctor Cooper.

"And there it is. You know what, no." Jade looked Lenard in the eye, just for a second. "I see the way he treats you, and I'd probably throw him out the window the first night." she said, trying to avoid sounding like a sociopath. They continued walking and she waved to Dave the coffee kiosk guy as she came by, stopping to pay for the coffee he had ready for her. Normally they'd talk for a second, but Lenard was there and Jade didn't need him trying to look down her shirt.

"Funny you should mention nights. He's going to need someone to spend the night occasionally. Just so Penny won't have to drive him to and from work each day. C'mon, just until your school starts. Please?" Lenard said. He continued hoping to convince the scary girl to help. "He just needs you for transportation, maybe some companionship, and to scare away...um...well considering it's you, I'd say just about everyone. But he likes it that way." Lenard was surprisingly good at begging. Jade suspected Penny was responsible for that. She quickly cleaned her thoughts.

"I'll spend the night, sometimes. But I want the right to bring my girlfriend. I'm not going to be able to guarantee his survival without getting laid." She said. Lenard didn't even blink.

"Great. Come buy before the end of the week to sign the roommate agreement." Lenard said. By this point they were at Jades car, and she had no time or intention to argue about a roommate agreement. She would just modify it later. A quick drive found her at her therapists office.

Her therapist was intrigued about the whole Vega family meeting and how comfortable they were talking about her sex life. While she wanted to overcome the lingering trauma from being raped, her therapist insisted they talk about this and some related issues. The elephant in the room had to be addressed. Jades parents. She hadn't yet told them about liking girls, still liking guys, or the dirty thoughts that have been multiplying in her head seemingly exponentially. The whole 'I was raped' conversation was going to be a lot harder. Her therapist asked if they knew she was in therapy, and they didn't. Her family was becoming the big obstacle Jade would have to overcome if she wanted to move forward with her life. Their opinions of her the last chain holding her back from letting go of everything. Jade would need more time to process everything, but the initial complaints around the rape were quickly resolving. Other issues would be worked on in connection to the sense of violation and loss of power, and through it Jade would grow stronger. Jade was a willing subject, open to talking about everything, so the process was moving quickly.

Two hours later Jade returned to Caltech to put in her office hours. She felt exhausted, but cleansed. It was like this after most of her therapy sessions. She was still running simulations for members of the department, but had gotten enough ahead of them all that she was able to work on her own theories. She was also observing another phenomenon while at work. She was fascinated by the roll of seemingly unrelated pastimes in research, but had to admit the toy dart gun fight she got in with Sheldon did help her clear her head. He seemed to require a lot of toys to break his thought chains and allow him a fresh perspective. Other strange pastimes had emerged, and gossip was one of them. So she was not surprised when she saw Sheldon at her office door. Alex was there as well, but kept her distance.

"I've brought you a copy of the roommate agreement." He said, smiling.

'That was fast' Thought Jade. "Ever had a female roommate? Living with your parents doesn't count."

"I have a twin sister. Why?" Sheldon asked.

"Learn to listen. Sisters don't count, unless you shared a bathroom with them past your eighteenth birthday. Did you? I thought so. And so I know this document is flawed. As a girl I have special needs." Jade replied.

"Like tampons and special yogurt?" Sheldon said.

Jade responded through gritted teeth. "Give me a PDF of the damn contract, and I'll modify it." She forced herself to relax. "And if your worried that I'm gonna ruin your life or your precious schedule, don't. It's just, well I'm a delicate flower, and I'll need special consideration." She said, managing to smile. Alex tried not to look too skeptical, but it was obvious. "Alex! FYI, I'm soft and feminine, GOT IT! So no rolling your eyes." Alex reacted by trying to hide behind Sheldon. She doubted he could stop Jade, but the goth just might hesitate before ripping him apart. As long as he didn't open his mouth.

"I see no reason you would need a special contract. I'm very egalitarian." Sheldon said, and Alex almost gagged on her own tong.

Jade stepped forward, looking Sheldon straight in the eye. "Don't you trust me?" she was almost breathing fire. "You should. You just don't understand women. Have your girlfriend explain why I changed things when I send the file back. Then we'll sign the new contract before the end of the week, after my fathers bosses lawyer finishes modifying it. That way, it'll be fair and we'll both feel safe." Jade took another step forward, backing Sheldon into Alex. Her voice grew low and intense for the next part. "It's important to know your roommate wont do anything... horrific in the middle of the night. Watch 'The Scissoring', it's my favorite movie, and it'll give you some ideas about what I mean." Jade ended with a predatory smirk.

Sheldon gulped, imagining the implications of Jade words. He's hadn't watched 'The Scissoring', but then again he didn't watch much horror. He did know what genre it belonged to, and had no trouble guessing what she might be referring to. Sheldon retreated.

"Lenard, I'm not so sure this is a good idea." Sheldon called as he fled from Jades office, almost tripping over his assistant.. Alex took the moment to run. Jade just laughed. She may not be his roommate, but if she was, she would have her space. She emailed a copy of the agreement to her Father along with a request for him to ask one of the lawyers his boss had to look it over.

It was towards the end of her office hours when she got the PDF back from the lawyer, along with a comment on rush jobs. It was a long contract, and Jade was shocked it got back to her that day. She was hoping to have it before Friday, and knowing how long it can take, had asked for the rush job. A quick look confirmed the changes as well as ensuring her that the contract was both fair and covered Jade's roll of part time roommate. Some of Sheldon's restrictions seemed arbitrary, but if it was obvious they wouldn't make a difference then she had them leave those in. They only needed to change what affected her life.

She then made a few calls, to cover a couple of details she had thought of over the last few hours. If she could get other people to give Sheldon a ride on some of the days, that would satisfy Lenard's requirements about taking the pressure off Penny. She would also ask some of Trina's friends to help out, since they had graduated and were now either going to collage (A lot did) or finding work to support them as they pursued their dreams. Anyone who could help out was contacted. Finally, she called Stuart.

"Stuart, I've been thinking about your problem. The cost of running your shop is obviously hurting you. I think you just need to add some high revenue items that everyone might buy. Impulse buys. Gum, soda's, and other sundries. I'll send you the results of the research I've done. Apparently Gas stations make a fair amount of profit off that chiz. Hopefully it's make you enough money for you to move out and hire somebody, giveing you some time off. Let me know how it works out." Jade said. She wanted to ask his help with Sheldon, but the man had so little free time as is. 'If I ever make a comic themed movie, I'll make an appearance at his place.' She then sought out Lenard.

"Hay, Lenard, I just wanted to let you know I'm looking around and finding people to give Sheldon a ride. With luck, he'll have a ride to and from work every day until you get back, and I won't have to strap him to my roof." Jade said.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Sheldon doesn't just ride with anyone. I'm sure Penny will be happy to give him a ride whenever she can, and you just need to help him get home." Lenard had more to say, but Jade cut him off.

"Got that covered. Most of them will be from the department or kids who owe me favors. Big favors. Shapero's lucky he doesn't have a car right now. Sheldon will be introduced to them before he's offered a ride, and given a chance to bore them silly with his factoids. That way we'll move him to work, home or wherever without wazzing anyone off too much. If I don't have to drive him too often, then everyone wins. Or I win. That's the important part. Also, I'll be using your place as a crash pad until the end of summer so Penny gets to have some time away from Sheldon." Jade said. She knew it was far from over, since she still had to get Sheldon to sign her version of the roommate agreement. Still, that would be easier than explaining the arrangement to her brothers. They barely saw each other as is.

Leaving a still concerned Lenard, she went back to her office to make sure everything was ready. Instead, she thought about hosting her brothers for a sleepover. Just how to get Sheldon to abandon the apartment for a weekend. 'I could scare him, but I still need to work with him. Maybe Amy could...Not a chance.'

Jade was pulled out of her thoughts by a knocking at her door. It was rhythmic bot lacked a definitive pattern, so she had no idea who it could be. 'Still office hours. Damn, I have to answer it.' Jade thought grumbled to herself.

As she opened the door just enough to see who was there, she thought.. 'Gotta get a peep hole.' and then Jade was looking at the pronounced cheekbones of the girl who was close to owning her heart. 'She put in a good bid for it.' Jade smiled, both at her inner monologue's joke and at the sight of Tori.

"Hi, I know you wanted to pick me up, but I got a ride from Andre. He had an interview for another job today and was going to be in the neighborhood." Tori looked spectacular. Jade was captivated by the simple yet beautiful sight before her. Tori Vega looked good in almost anything, and her understated outfit of a light blouse and Skinny jeans accented her look.

'Especialy that Ass.' Jade thought. 'But how much better will she look in almost nothing.' The thoughts were followed by a disturbingly accurate estimation. Jade was usually good at guessing what people looked like naked, but it was rarely a handicap since she was in denial so much of her life. Now she was grateful for working with men who were good at killing her sex drive. Jade had allowed work to become a sanctuary from those thoughts that made her feel dirty. 'Well, dirtier.'

"So we have a choice. Either we go out on this date, or we find out if your office is soundproof." Tori's statement snapped Jade out of her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea. I need to focus in here. C'mon. I'll just get my coat and you can tell me what Andre is doing this time." Jade said as she opened the door, walked to her coat-rack, retrieved her leather jacket, and lead her girlfriend out of the office. Once the door was locked they headed towards Jades car.

"Andre heard about a restaurant that needs a piano player. He's hoping to get the gig, and that they'll let him work the dinner shift, as long as he's done by eleven. The pay at those places is okay, probably better than selling yogurt, but he'll also get tips." Tori explained. "So were you imagining me naked?"

Jade first impulse was to lie, but Tori deserved the truth. "My mind has a mind of it's own. Or something like that. Whats important is I'm gonna show you a good time." Jade said, missing the double entendre.

"Awe, is little Jadey concerned? If your still worried about who's the man, don't be. I'll be gentle." Tori said as they walked. She then started smiling. "Give me a kiss."

"No." Jade said as they got to her car.

"No? Why? I mean, why not?" Tori whined.

"Because I'm the man, and I'll decide when we kiss. Besides, I don't like being teased." Jade said. Then she leaned over and kissed Tori quickly. "Be good and there will be more later."

As they drove, Jade thought about Tori. The girl was a goof, but she still loved her. 'Wait, did I just use the L word!' She started to panic, but got control over it almost immediately. 'This is too soon. Okay, you've been building feelings for this girl forever, and sometimes the connection morphs quickly. And if I've learned anything from Penny, it's that the heart will chose and sometimes you just go with it. That and a lack of talent leads to waitressing at the Cheesecake Factory.'

Tori had noticed Jades momentary distress, but let it go since she knew Jade was going through a lot at this time. She smiled as her imagination started going through everything she wanted to do to her goth. She had read two books on lesbian sex, as well as watching one so called promotional video that was just porn. The books had told her sex was never like porn. Still, for Jade, she had done her research, and wanted to be ready when the moment came. Tori was as trapped in her thoughts as her girlfriend, but she was getting far more aroused.

Once they arrived and parked, Tori gave her best eyes, flirting like crazy. She needed contact, and didn't want to say anything since Jade was being so defiant. It took her less than thirty seconds to get the first kiss, and they made out in Jade's car for a good ten minutes. Jade was quickly on the defensive once she realized where Tori's hands were going. They managed to keep it to some not quite discreet groping before parting.

Tori felt frustrated. She needed to cool down. As they went into the restaurant and were led to their seats, she thought of the least sexy thing she could to gain some self control. Her grandmother having sex quickly scarred her imagination, and she was in control.

Jade had enjoyed the contact outside, but felt she was losing control again. 'Just stay in control. Your the man. Well, I'm a girl, but in this relationship, I'm the man. Damn she's gonna so own me.' Jade's thoughts were disrupted by Tori's whole body shivering, like someone had walked across her grave. "Whats wrong?" Jade wanted to know.

"I just had to get a thought out of my head. Won't be trying that again." Tori half answered, looking just a shade paler.

"What did you do this time?" Jade asked, nodding hello to her colleagues at their table.

"I didn't want to pressure you, so I imagined my grandmother with my grandfather. I may never have sex again." Tori said, feeling just a little sick.

"Too bad. My breasts are so soft and full, and now I'll never have anyone sucking on them." Jade teased.

"I hate you." Tori moaned. Jade smirked.

"But you still want me, right?" Jade asked in a flirtatious tone.

"Please stop. My manager is trying to dissuade people from screwing in the bathrooms." Penny said. "Oh, yea, my name is Penny and I'll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with some drinks? Or maybe I can poor some ice water over you." Jade gave the server a glare, but her heart wasn't in it.

After their drink orders, Penny left them to talk.

"I'm glad you felt safe enough to take me here. I was worried it would be full of bad memories." Tori said.

"Like what?" Jade asked.

"This is where you were outed as a PhD. The entire school knew by the next day. It was the start of everything. Your admitting that you were... violated. Your admitting your bisexuality. For the record, no imagining anyone naked but me. Too much competition." Tori smiled as she said that.

"No competition whatsoever. I trust you. I know you wont hurt me, and I want to make you happy. I know I have to take care of myself so I don't hurt the one I love by proxy. I just want us to find that comfortable level of uncomfortable that builds...Oh chiz." Jade stopped, face dropping into her hands as Tori's smile grew, threatening to consume her whole face.

"When did it happen? I mean, I thought it would be a while. When did you know?" Tori asked. She wanted to gloat, but Jade was still too fragile for that. Once Jade got used to the idea of them as a couple, then the teasing would begin. She so owed Jade.

"I knew for certain in the drive over here. I can't believe I lost." Jade probably had more, but Tori wasn't taking that.

"Jade! You just admitted to loving me first. Losing's not the point. Whatever advantage you thought getting me to say it first was gonna give you doesn't exist. I knew I had you after our first kiss. Knowing you love me just makes it...Right. I never wanted this to be about lust." Tori said, smiling. "Oh, and Jade, I love you too."

Suddenly losing didn't matter so much.

:}

I realized I was losing Jades voice. I hope I'm finding it again.

Reviews welcome. So is cash. Since I don't want to tell you where I live, I'll settle for the reviews.