A/N: Okay, we've got a major moment happening. I really wanted this in time for Valentines Day so enjoy some Jori!

Tori paced her room, heart racing.

She asked for a rendezvous with Jade. Late at night. In her chambers.

(Chambers? What is this "Game of Thrones?")

The Latina checked her hair in the mirror. Not that she was going out but she was having company. Some very special company.

"This is really happening," she whispered to herself. "Oh man."

Unbeknownst to Tori, Jade had dabbled a bit in the dating scene as far as women were concerned. If you can call acting like a total dweeb who bullshitted her way into a nightclub experience. But in her case, Tori was going in this cold.

She had never been with another girl before and it was going to be with Jade.

It was easy to fall for the goth in the first place. She was smart, creative, passionate, stylish and drop-dead gorgeous.

Tori may have heard some complimentary remarks here and there but even she felt like she was swinging way out of her league.

On the umpteenth pass by the mirror, Tori paused and turned her lower half as far as she could to see her backside better. She wasn't conscious when she put on her pajamas following her shower. It was her typical bedtime clothing of choice: shorts and a t-shirt. Even when at one of her relatives back east during the colder months; the house would be adequately heated and she's end up wearing the same thing.

On this particular occasion, Tori was more aware of how short her shorts looked. Her nightly shower usually meant that she was staying upstairs, maybe not going to sleep right away, but that she was done with entertaining guests and family. Tori was in her own private domain.

But now Jade was coming. In this most intimate of spaces and at such a (as they would say in the old days) scandalous hour.

Tori let her mind wander, wondering if Jade would like how her shorts looked on her.

A loud tapping on the window made her jump.

She turned and there was Jade casually outside her window like Peter Pan.

Tori went over and opened the window. She poked her head outside and looked around.

"What's your issue, Vega?"

"Looking for the ladder," she replied. "How do you do that?"

Jade shrugged.

"Parkour I think they call it."

"You're pretty light on your feet," Tori said as she helped Jade into her room.

The pale girl took a few steps and looked around the room. Jade eyed Tori's bed.

(Mmmm, wait until you see me off my feet.)

"You okay?" Tori asked.

Jade shook her head, "Fine. Just thinking."

Tori sat on her bed and gestured for Jade to join her.

(Damn, girl! I was joking!)

"I just want to start by saying I'm sorry."

"Why?" asked Jade.

"For that kiss. I mean I wasn't sorry that I kissed you but where I did it. It shouldn't have been in front of everybody. That wasn't fair."

Jade smiled.

"Don't worry, only Beck and Andre say it. Everyone else only saw me run out of the class."

Tori was relieved it wasn't utter humiliation for Jade but she still felt bad.

"Guess that's what they call gay panic?" she poised, trying to make lite of the scene.

Jade giggled and put her hand on Tori's thigh. The sudden seriousness of her face was the realization that Tori wasn't wearing pants like she was. The tan beauty's long legs were on full display.

"Oh!" Tori shuddered.

"What?" Jade asked concerned.

"Your hands are cold," she said.

The goth quickly withdrew her hand and scratched the back of her neck with it.

"Hey, I didn't say stop."

Jade looked at Tori, surprised.

"Sorry my hands are cold."

Tori took Jade's hands in hers very sweetly.

"I'll help you warm up," Tori said in a rather sultry voice.

(Where the HELL did that come from?)

"Voice went a little deep there," remarked Jade.

"Yeah that was weird," agreed Tori.

Tori was a nervous wreck for the longest time and even since inviting Jade to meet with her, she was somewhat easing into the idea. But once Jade came through her window, like something out of a dream; it just felt right. All of it. Tori felt like her and Jade fell into place like the perfect pair of gloves.

And with this newfound confidence, things started to get smooth.

"Tori?"

"Yes," she smiled, batting her eyelashes.

There was that warmth from last Christmas again. Jade was glad she was wearing jeans and her green flannel shirt to cover up the gooseflesh. She was certain that she was completely covered.

"I know we didn't start out great. You think you have regrets about a peck on the cheek? What I did was way worse. I didn't like you in the beginning."

Tori nodded, rubbing her thumbs on the back of Jade's hands. She still had hold of them.

"I know you feel bad," Tori said. "But we've grown so much closer since then."

"I didn't make it easy," Jade sadly added.

(I know Jade has changed but I didn't know she harbored all this remorse. How long was she carrying this?)

"Did you ever think about us before?" asked Tori.

Jade sat in stunned silence, never hearing such a query before.

"If you did, you probably hesitated because you felt guilty?"

The goth withdrew completely and stood up. Tori ran to her when it looked like she was going to turn and leave. The Latina brought her in tight and hugged her.

"Jade, if we are going to give us a try, we can't have any secrets between us. Okay?"

She reciprocated the embrace and tearfully replied, "Okay."

"I forgive you, Jade. If I didn't see that this whole ice queen persona was a defense mechanism and the sweetest thing was behind it, I never would bother trying. I am so happy that I didn't give up. You make me excited. You make my life interesting."

"Tori," Jade sniffed. "Thank you for being in my life."

The Latina leaned away from the hug until they were face to face.

"And thank you for being in mine."

Then she put her hand behind Jade's long black locks and drew her head closer and closer into a kiss. They closed their eyes, savoring their very first real kiss.

Once it broke, Jade looked totally breathless.

"I think that settles it," she smirked.

"That I'm your girlfriend?" Tori asked.

"And I'm yours," Jade said. "And just like you, I promise the same thing. I won't quit on you. Ever."

(You put in so much work on this friendship. Us, dating would never had been possible otherwise. Time for me to start putting in the work and making this relationship grow.)

They leaned in forehead to forehead.

"How much longer are you grounded?" Jade asked.

"Four more weeks," Tori sighed.

"I'm afraid I can't visit you until you come down from your tower, Rapunzel."

Tori giggled and kissed Jade's hand.

"I'm so happy right now."

"I can get used to this feeling," Jade nodded. She then leaned over to check the clock on the wall. "Damn, I'd better start heading home. My mom gets up in like an hour. She's such an early riser. If my ass ain't in bed, she will go ballistic."

Tori made a pout but swiftly put it away, trying to be understandable.

(I refuse to be a nag! I will be the awesome girlfriend.)

"Parting is such sweet sorrow!" she said, her hand on her forehead like she was swooning.

Jade shook her head.

"You're such a dork."

"But I'm your dork."

"And don't you forget it!" she pointed.

Jade opened the window and crawled her way out.

"Four weeks, that's a lot of time to think."

Tori nodded.

"That first date is going to be amazing."

"Eh," Jade shrugged. "You'll be sprung from Shawshank. Anything will look good to you."

Tori crossed her arms.

"Hahaha."

"See you tomorrow," Jade said.

"You'd better," Tori grinned as she walked over to her nightstand to unplug her phone. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Boots touch grass. Not a sound audible by human ears.

It's a known fact that cats (and Jade) always land on their feet.

She turned around and a dark figure made her heart stop and she fell on her butt.

David Vega stepped into the fluorescence of the bug lamp.

"Jade, we really need to stop meeting like this."

"Holy shit!" she gasped. "You scared me."

He offered his hand to help Jade up. She took it.

"My security system informed me of movement in my yard. When I got back I didn't see anything. I thought I'd check again to make sure if it was an animal or something. That's when you fell from the sky."

David then looked over Jade.

"Don't see a bag so you weren't robbing us," he looked up. "And that's Tori's window. Open."

The goth looked up and then back at her girl's father nervously.

"It is, isn't it?"

He folded his arms giving that unamused look

"I take it you two are talking again?"

Jade unwittingly blushed. But then realized who she was talking to.

"You could say that," she replied.

"And I take it we will be seeing more of you."

The pale girl curtly nodded and smiled innocently (enough).

"If I could make a couple stipulations?"

Jade gulped.

"Such as?"

"Number one, no more sneaky stuff. Please just knock or ring the bell. We will let you in."

She nodded.

"Two, I would rather Tori have friends over after her punishment is over."

Jade nodded, "Yes, absolutely! Just so you know, I wanted to meet but I didn't want to step over Tori's groundedness."

(Yeah, that's a word little miss B- in English)

He raised an eyebrow.

"Mm-hmm"

Mr. Vega then took better notice how off kilter Jade's clothes were, like she had quite the run-in.

"Finally, if you and Tori are going to spend time in her room...alone...we'd better be home and that door stays open."

David relaxed his stance to make Jade less skittish. She was shaking a tad. Can't be helped. Such is the effect of the girlfriend's dad. But at least Jade found herself in his good graces with her recent actions so he is willing to look the other way.

This time.

"You think you can do that, Jade?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

He smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

"Good to see you again. Be safe driving home."

As he walked away, he pointed east to Jade's surprise.

"Pretty smart, parking down the street."

(This guy's good.)