AN: Ok so Driving Tori Crazy told us that Tori can't actually drive. Well in this story she can (and I don't think it was too unreasonable an assumption for me to make – that she could drive – given that her parents bought her a car in Locked Up as a "reward" for taking Trina with her to Yerba.

"Well that was awkward" I said as Tori started her car to drive us away from LA International Airport.

"Your mom had to find out sometime" she responded reasonably.

"Does your dad have to?" I challenged gently.

"It's probably best that it takes him a while" she conceded. "So, will she still be upset about this at Christmas?"

I snorted out a laugh. "She'll still be upset at my graduation." I told her. "If we go up over Christmas", which we both want to – for a few days at least, "she'll make a thing of it. With our Guest Room occupied – you know about T-Bo, right?" she nodded "you'll get my room, I'll be on the couch and she'll probably have installed a new security system for my room to make sure we both stay where we're supposed to be."

I saw my girlfriend give a wry smile before adding brightly "At least Carly was happy for us."

"Yes, it was really nice to see her again and catch up with her. I'm glad that after everything that's happened over the last year that we can be good friends – and for real now. Sam… well, we'll see whether she comes around before my mom does!"

Tori laughed briefly before asking seriously "Is she going to be a problem? While you – or we – are in Seattle?"

"No" I stressed vehemently, "because like you said: she had her chance, and like I said: I love you Tori. I'm ecstatically happy with you so Sam can accept it, she can complain or she can sulk; but it's not going to change anything between you and me."

She shot me a quick, radiant smile before turning her full attention back to the road and saying "Good to know."

We had plans to hang with Tori's HA friends again today and they all arrived at her place shortly after we got back there. The second she was through the door Jade got to the point, commenting to me

"Sam does not like you two being a couple, does she?"

I knew the girl was direct but to be quite so blunt was a little surprising. It must have shown on my face as Tori began giggling as she looked at me.

"Jade doesn't believe in wasting time – or words" she laughed, smiling at her Gothic friend, who smirked back before returning her gaze to me.

"What Sam does or doesn't want is irrelevant" I told her tersely. "There's only two people's opinions that matter: mine and hers" I gestured to my girl then amended a moment later with a half-smile "Well, and her dad because he could set half of LAPD on me!"

Jade grinned knowingly and shot a conspiratorial glance at Tori, though she did, I noticed, glance uneasily at me a few times over the next couple of minutes as André turned the conversation to the new song that his label had commissioned him to write. When Jade headed to the kitchen for a refill of her coffee I decided to follow her.

"I'm not pissed at you, you know" I said quietly. She turned to look at me. "It's just that Sam and her attitude is a bit of a touchy subject at the moment."

"I get it" she replied, nodding. Then she sighed and continued. "Sometimes I just need to think before I speak… and I'm glad that things are going so well for you two."

"Thanks" I said, giving her a genuine smile – which she returned, and we made our way back to the couches, sliding next to our respective other-halves. I slipped an arm around Tori's shoulders and, in response to her quizzical glance, whispered "We're good."

Having missed part of the conversation I apologised to André and asked about his song. He explained that the music part was ok; he had a bit of a tune in his head but no lyrics yet. Robbie's offer of help was immediately and vociferously shot down by the entire group ("You don't want to know" my girlfriend whispered). We encouraged André to play his tune thus far and Cat surprised me by bursting into song: wow that girl has an amazing voice. Looking at her friends I wasn't the only one surprised by the moving lyrics she came out with.

"Whoa Little Red!" declared André "Where did that come from?"

She gave him a confused look before saying

"From my mouth" as if it was the most stupid question ever asked. We all exchanged looks but declined to comment.

Fortunately Robbie had recorded Cat's exploits on his Pearpad so André got busy writing, using her words as a guide and starting point. He was absent from most of the conversation for the next hour, while his friends discussed their classes and any performances they had to give before the end of term (nothing major but a couple of graded works). I was asked for, and gave, an update on my own studies before I asked about the events of yesterday.

"What did you guys get up to when Carly and Sam were here? Did they have much to say to you all?"

"Carly was really nice but Sam complained a lot" Cat piped up.

"Complained?" André looked up briefly from his song. "She was meaner than Jade!"

"Looks like I have to try harder if she'd outdoing me" the raven-haired beauty smirked, earning her a look from her boyfriend. She simply grinned malevolently back at him.

"Just don't be mean to my girl" I laughed.

"Spoil all my fun" she grumbled before flashing a sly grin at Tori. The two really have become much better friends in recent months: Tori mentioned that she can scarcely believe the way their relationship has transformed since my arrival – or to be more precise since Jade stopped viewing Tori as a potential rival for Beck's affections when the two of us got together.

It was around midday by now so we decided as a group to head out for lunch at a local mall food court. Tori and I tried the Cajun stand, Beck and Jade hit the Chinese while Cat, Robbie and André opted for Mexican, but we sat together and everyone pretty much sampled everything (despite the ever-present threat of Jade's fork if too much of her meal disappeared). Beck and Jade headed off for some alone-time afterwards with the rest of us opting to walk around the mall. This was mostly for my benefit: Tori had, of course, brought mom, Carly and Sam there on Friday. We spent a couple of hours browsing the various stores, though I did buy a couple of new books (despite my justified reputation as a tech nerd I really don't like e-readers, I prefer a proper book) before Tori and I said goodbye to our friends as we had to return to the airport and meet the rest of the Vegas from their flight.

Their flight was slightly delayed, giving us a few more minutes of "privacy" (as we were sat waiting in a public area by the gate for them to arrive and disembark), just to cuddle, trade a few soft, chaste kisses (oblivious to any looks we may be receiving from other waiting people). A few minutes later we saw their plane taxi to the gate and shortly afterwards Tori's family emerged to greet her. On the walks to Baggage Claim and to her car we fielded the expected questions: how our weekend had been, how Sam, Carly and my mom were, how had they liked LA, what had we been doing (we stuck to details of the daytime activities of the weekend), I chipped in with a couple of tales of Black Friday at work and we concluded the story-telling with today's events just as Tori pulled the car into a parking bay near my dorm.

With regret I got out of the car, Tori did likewise and we kissed goodbye. After the weekend we'd just shared it would be back to video chats, arranging evenings to spend together and keeping stuff PG-13, things neither of us were particularly looking forward to.

"Only a few weeks until Christmas break babe" I whispered.

"I can't wait" she responded. "Speak to you tomorrow?"

"I'll be on-line" I told her with a smile.

One more kiss and she got back into her car. With a wave she was gone and I walked back to my dorm to prepare for the week ahead.