AN: Some of this chapter might be getting a little close to being borderline 'M'. Hopefully it's ok to get away with keeping the 'T' but if people have misgivings then I'll see about making changes, I really don't want to 'M' rate it as I don't think the story warrants it.

I awoke after a refreshing sleep and glanced over to the bedside clock – 8:30. My next look was to my other side, drawn to the sleeping, peaceful form of Freddie Benson. My thoughts wandered back to the night before, from the adrenaline high of the performance to the moves I'd put on my boyfriend the second I got him through my front door (thankfully my parents were away for the weekend and Trina had found someone willing to invite her to a sleepover), culminating in the passionate yet tender and beautiful night we'd just shared. I lay back, staring at the ceiling, draped my arm over Freddie's chest and thought back on the journey that had taken us to this point, and perhaps crucially to my talks with Jade. A month ago I'd have thought it ridiculous that I'd be turning to her for – and getting – relationship advice, yet that had proved to be the case. I closed my eyes again, a contented smile on my lips.

Three Weeks Ago

"Thanks for this Jade – I'm sure more me right after a day in detention together wasn't your first choice for ways to spend the afternoon."

"Hey, keep buying the coffee and I'll stay all day" she joked. Jade, cracking jokes?

"I'm worried about what you said" I began, without preamble. "About Freddie, parties, college girls. It scares me."

"So you DON'T trust him then" – it was a statement, rather than a question, from Jade.

"I do, it's just… temptations, me wondering why he'd stick with me when he could have his pick of girls…"

"You need to stop that" she interrupted. "I'm sorry if what I said spooked you, it was just me being me. I went through the jealousy, and the worry, with Beck, quite a bit of it concerning you to be honest, and you'll just go crazy. I know from experience – remember Alyssa Vaughn?" I nodded. "Mistrust and jealousy very nearly wrecked everything for us. Don't go down that road Tori."

"I really love him though. I don't want some college chick to steal him from me."

"Have you told him you love him?" I shook my head. "Might be an idea to say so" she suggested.

"What if he can't, or won't, say it back" I voiced my other fear.

"Tell him then run away before he can say ANYTHING" she shrugged before turning to her coffee and taking a long draught.

I wasn't sure that she was entirely serious when she said that, but it seemed the best way to alleviate my fears about dropping 'the bomb' on Freddie, and it had worked. I suppressed a giggle at the way he raced across LA to tell me he loved me too, but I couldn't stop the smile on my face growing. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, causing a small smile to intrude on his slumbers then closed my eyes again.

Last Saturday, Hollywood Arts, 9 a.m.

"Awesome" declared Jade as finished our duet. "We are going to ROCK on opening night – I can't wait."

"Not least because Dickers doesn't have us in detention anymore after today" I pointed out.

"Definitely. I can't wait to have a lot more alone-time with Beck. No offence Tori but you're not quite the same."

Hearing her talk like that brought something else to the surface, something that again I felt I couldn't ask anyone else – not my mom, or Cat and DEFINITELY not Trina.

"So when did you and Beck decide the time was right to… you know..?" I asked. Jade raised her eyebrows a little. Aw, don't make me say it! "I mean," I tried again, "when did you know you were ready to take that step?"

"Tori" she said forcefully, "if you can't even SAY the word sex then I don't think you're ready for it!"

I sighed, squirming slightly as I felt my embarrassment growing.

"Hey I'm just new at all this 'girl-talk' stuff. Who else would me options be? Cat? Trina? Please!" Jade laughed at this observation. I persevered "I feel really strongly about him and I want this, I'm just not sure how to go about y'know… telling him, bringing it up."

"One thing I've always believed Tori, actions speak louder than words. If in doubt, remember that."

"You mean – seduce him?"

She shrugged again.

"If you want this – and if you have to."

A tingling sensation on my neck pulled me back to the present. Freddie was awake and placing soft kisses on my neck. I took his hand in my own and squeezed it gently, turning slightly to face him, leaning in to kiss his lips.

"Hey" I said with a smile.

"Morning beautiful" he replied, rolling over slightly to gather me into his arms. We lay there comfortably together in blissful silence for a couple of minutes before a slightly troublesome thought pulled me from my reverie.

"I'm going to miss you" I said, "over Thanksgiving. Don't forget about me when you're back in Seattle with Carly and Sam". I snuggled up even closer to him as I said this, nuzzling his neck.

"I'm not going back for Thanksgiving" he said, causing me to lift my head with surprise and to look at him. "I need to be at work on Black Friday so I'm going to be here."

Suddenly I saw the colour start to drain from his face.

"Tori, is that what last night was about?" The fear was evident in his voice.

"Oh God no, Freddie" I said, my voice as strong as I could make it in an effort to put all my reassurance into it. "Last night was because I love you, I wanted to show you how much and I felt it was our time. Didn't you?"

"It was a bit of a surprise" he admitted. "I thought that we'd talk about it before it happened – but this way worked as well" he finished with a hint of a grin.

"You didn't want to?" I asked uncertainly. He slid out of my arms, took my hands in his own and looked me straight in the eyes – I felt myself getting lost in his stare.

"If I hadn't wanted it to happen, then I would have said so" he said softly, before cracking a smile and adding, "Then I'd have checked myself into a mental home." The tension broke at this point and I giggled. "I LOVE you Tori Vega," he continued, and I heard his voice firming the way mine had moments earlier. "I wanted this to happen, I'm just surprised it happened this way." Then he leaned in and kissed me again. I kissed back. As we were already naked and in bed, it didn't take long before 'round 2' began.