AN: Hello everyone. Happy New Year and welcome, finally, to an update for this story. I know it's been a long time in coming (almost six months, wow!, not counting last week's one shot) but I hope you all enjoy it.

Thank you to Crovus for reviewing the last chapter and also to Challenge King, Jeremy Shane, Subject87, amber, FR-88 and Agent-M for reviewing the Christmas one-shot. That one won't be continued (sorry Amber) but hopefully this will do instead.

It was Friday lunchtime for us and, with our coursework deadline fast approaching, it meant we had been given an afternoon without classes in order to get things done. All of this was great news for Andy and me as we had already finished our project.

"Free afternoon," I smiled at my friend.

"Oh yes," he grinned back, "what do you have planned?"

I checked my watch. "It's almost lunchtime at Hollywood Arts; I thought I'd head over there and surprise my girl."

Andy smiled in amusement. "Need a ride?" he offered; I accepted with gratitude, playfully observing that he just wanted another chance to eye up the girls, especially Cat – a charge he found himself unable to deny.

I got out of the car near the Asphalt Café; I spotted the group of friends so I made sure I hid myself from the view Tori had from her table, and thanked my friend for the ride. I walked up to the table, staying out of my girl's line of sight – which put me directly in Jade's. I placed a finger on my lips as she noticed me and, being a consummate actress, she instantly turned her attention back to her lunch with a bored expression on her face, though she flashed me a quick smirk while Tori's attention was on whatever Cat was saying to her.

I arrived at the table, directly behind Tori and tapped her gently on the shoulder. She spun around and her face broke into a huge grin (matched by those of her friends; they were both pleased to see me and surprised that I had made it to the table without her realising my approach) as she leapt to her feet and pulled me into a hug and a kiss.

"Hey girl," I greeted her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in delighted surprise.

I was about to explain when Jade piped up from behind her, in her best 1940s movie star voice, "Why yes, Freddie, what brings a guy like you to our school on this fine Friday lunchtime?"

"I don't talk like that!" Tori snapped as she turned to her fellow singer-actress, causing Jade's smirk to grow.

Do not laugh, Freddie. Do not laugh at your girlfriend. That will stop you getting laid tonight.

Instead I forced my face into a more neutral expression as I slid in next to her at the table and wrapped my arm around her. I explained about having the afternoon off to finish a project I'd already finished… "so I thought I'd come over here instead and surprise you."

"You definitely did that," she agreed.

"I hope it was a pleasant one."

"What do you think?" she asked before kissing me again. "C'mon, give Tori a squeeze."

She pressed herself close to me and I hugged her tight, crashing my lips passionately against her own.

"Dude, the bell goes in a few minutes," Jade pointed out. I'm not sure how long we'd kissed for by the time she brought that up.

Tori pulled away reluctantly and told her dark haired friend, "Well we still have a few minutes then," and returned her lips to mine.

The bell inevitably sounded, bringing us reluctantly apart again.

"You wanna sit in on some classes?" she invited me. "I can drive you to work afterwards."

"Sounds good; I have to work downtown tonight and tomorrow because they're short-staffed, so it should be easier than getting back to campus… if there's somewhere I can crash tonight?" I raised my eyebrows at her and she smiled.

"I think we can find you somewhere."

"It's good that you're here Freddie, she's more like Tori again," Cat suddenly volunteered.

"Oh?" I turned to my girl in surprise but it was Jade who answered, in her usual sarcastic tone.

"Yeah, she's been in a funk for a few days; if I cared I might be concerned about it." The grin she directed to her long-time rival suggested that she wasn't entirely serious with the last remark. I nodded at her words; she had seemed a little off during our recent chats but had been complaining of her work load so I had put it down to that.

Tori just rolled her eyes. "So you're downtown both days?"

"Yeah, and I need to get back Sunday afternoon to do some college work but we'll have tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday morning. But anyway," I said, realising that she had rather abruptly and adeptly changed the subject, "why do you think you were 'in a funk'?" My words brought an instant grimace to her lovely face.

"Can I tell you after school?"

I nodded; she wasn't blowing me off but it was clearly something she didn't feel comfortable discussing in front of her friends just now.

I sat with her in Sikowitz's class; the rather odd teacher didn't comment on my presence, I guess there's a chance he didn't even realise that there was an extra student there today as he seemed even more out of it than I remember from Kenan's House Party where I briefly came across him.

We left at the end of the day; Tori still wasn't in a mood to talk as we reached her car, nor during the drive to my work, so I respected her feelings on the matter and didn't bring it up, choosing instead to make some tentative plans for the weekend – dinner and a movie downtown after work tomorrow and a lazy Sunday morning just relaxing with one another. Another 'safe' topic came to mind as we neared the Pear Store.

"Spring Break is coming up soon," I commented.

"Don't remind me; I've far too much to do before then," she complained.

"I was thinking more about what to do during the break."

"Anything you had in mind?"

"Well, I think Carly and Sam still want to come down for the week so we can maybe think of a few things to do around the place for the week. Hit the beach, an iCarly special… and we need to make sure there's plenty of time for the two of us." I put my hand gently on the one she had rested on the shift stick. She smiled at the gentle contact.

"I'll try to think of a few things while you're at work; we can talk tonight. I'll make sure to save you some dinner."

I nodded at her thoughtfulness, kissed her and got out of the car a block-and-a-half or so from the store; it was easier for her to head back from the main road than try to get there and then navigate her way out again. I was a little distracted during my shift, wondering about whatever it could be that was causing her problems, but I was still able to do everything that I had to, spending most of the evening on the Brilliance Bar but a little time covering breaks on the shop floor helping the sales team.

The shift flew by and before I knew it I was clocking off, smiling as my phone beeped right on cue to inform me that Tori was ready and waiting to collect me. She was happy to see me but still looked rather distracted on the drive home.

I ate once we reached her house, noting with slight curiosity that her father was sat watching TV but her mother wasn't around; I assumed she had already gone to bed. Tori and Trina sat with their dad watching whatever was on, though it has to be said that Trina spent more time watching me than she did the show. I shook my head, wondering if she had completely disregarded our little talk from a few weeks ago. My girl, meanwhile, was becoming more and more withdrawn as the evening went on so, having eaten and cleared away my plate and cutlery, I yawned theatrically (amusing myself that I was trying to act in the presence of two experts) and pointedly informed my girl that I was feeling tired and would head to bed. Her dad grinned and wished me a pleasant night's sleep before glancing at his youngest daughter with raised eyebrows; his eldest said I could always crash in her bed if I really wanted to, earning an exasperated "Trina!" from her sister; she responded with a look that said "what?"

Tori got up and headed with me to her room. "Are you really tired?" she asked huskily.

"Not yet," I smiled back, pulling her in for a kiss.

"I think I can fix that," she said casually as we reluctantly separated, albeit she wore a wicked grin.

After well and truly "fixing it" we lay cuddling in her bed. Despite what we had just shared I could tell that my girl was still distracted and a little distant.

"Tori, is everything ok at school?"

"What? Oh yeah, school's fine – busy but things are good. Plenty to do but we'll all get there before graduation, I'm sure."

"So if it's not school, what's been upsetting you recently?"

She sighed and turned to me; her eyes were full of fear and concern, I tried to fill mine with love and support as best as I could. "I think my mom is having an affair with dad's partner at work," she whispered.

AN: Yeah I'm leaving it there… hopefully the next chapter will be up by the weekend – certainly it won't be another six months. PD.