Pandemic

Tori

The love of my life died in January. Right before awards season. Which really didn't matter because There were no awards. They were cancelled. I was four months pregnant and about to start showing, so I had to bite the bullet and go back to work three days after the funeral.

The Finale to Me and Jade's show. Our characters had been out of sorts for the last few seasons. And for the Finale, Hanna and Bree were going to get back together. The BreHanna fans were going to get their satisfactory ending after the on and off nature of their relationship.

Though I was not happy in my life, I was glad to give this glimpse of happiness. And to let my fans know that I would be alright.

"Every one Mark!" Jade stated standing on her mark at the top of the stairs. "Turn the monitor, let me see? Perfect" she said and turned as they marked her spot she finished going toward the monitor, having her stand in the path that she was about to take she looked up and shouted."Tori, come out!"

I walked the path I was going to take. I watched my best friend watch the monitor and I understand she is in her element and I can't wait to work with her again. This is my final scene on the show and I feel tears come to my eyes. "Tori, save the emotion for when we're rolling" she says trying to tease. But I look and she is trying not to cry and it made me laugh and cry. "Set it, and we can roll this before tori looks like whole bloated fish."

Jade finally reached me and placed a gentle hand on my back. I stood up straight and fell into my best friends open arms and she walked me back to our starting spot "you okay?" She whispered to me.

"I just realize this is the last thing we are going to work on together." I said. "Vegas Valentine is over, and now Hannah… What am I gonna do without seeing you every day"

"Shhhh… we will make something happen okay?" She whispered and kissed my cheek.

"They are talking about closing the state down, and we will have to shelter in place, and I'm in that house, where everything is Andre and he won't be there."

"You and Sirrah can stay with Me and beck." She said to me, "We'll make like a compound and live all together so we don't have to be alone."

I looked at Jade and smiled despite the fact that I know she needs alone time. "You don't have to do that for me Jade."

"What makes you think I won't miss seeing you every day." She breathed out trying not to let the tears trapped behind her lashes. "You are the only person outside of Beck that I miss when they are not around. I love you."

I cried in earnest now. "I love you too Jade." I said and she wrapped her arms around me too.

"Oh my god." Jade said, sniffling herself. "Make up please, we need a touch up."

"I'm sorry.." I said laughing through my tears. "These hormones are the devil."

Jade laughed and stepped back heading for her mark. "Position One, on my mark." she shouted and headed for her place and looked back at me while makeup worked on my face. Once they were done she nodded at me. "Ready? And Action!"

I watched Bree run down the courthouse steps. I ran after her and called out. "Wait! Bree!" We both stop. She curled in on herself her shoulders slumping forward. "Bree, please, we've been through too much." I said closing the gap between us.

Bree turned to face me, blinking tears from her eyes. "I'm never going to be enough for you. I keep coming back allowing you to make me feel like… like.."

"I know," I said, coming closer to her. "I don't care anymore." I said, reaching out and placing a trembling hand on her moist cheek."

"Hanna…"

"I love you," I said and leaned forward placing my forehead on hers. "I don't care who knows."

"Your kids…" Bree stated.

"They'll get over it." I leaned forward and kissed her. "I can't live without you anymore."

Bree's smile appeared on her face so cautiously, it prompted me to caress her cheek. Then I remembered the exercise we had done in class twenty five years ago. And I smile. Jade was so good at emoting. I wrapped my arms around Bree and kissed her again deeply. Her arms wrapped around me as well and it was a while before I Felt her arm let go, and she pulled back. "Reset, Let's do that again close angle."

She went off to the monitor and watched a play back while they set my position.

"That's a wrap on BreHanna guys." Jade said. "Say bye bye to Tori." She leaned back in her chair. Then Beck walked in and placed his hand on her shoulder gently. She looked up at him and smiled and she pulled Beck toward her trailer. "We're shooting the kids, next guys I will be back in twenty."

She and Beck disappeared behind the door, and the rest of the crew snickered. I rolled my eyes and went on to say goodbye to the cast and crew who were already wearing masks. I got in my trailer and turned on the news and it was official the state was closed.

Twenty minutes later, Jade knocked on my trailer door and walked in wearing a new outfit and looking freshly showered. I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. "So Beck found a Mansion we could all rent." Jade said sitting on the couch. "I just heard that the state is closed, so it might be a bit before we can shelter in place together, but it would fit you and your kids me and my family; Cat Robbie and the twins. Your mom and Dad and Trina. It's got three guest houses in the back plus the main house."

"So there's plenty of room if they want to come?"

"I just feel we should create a bubble, you know, if we are all fully supportive of each other no one has to feel alone."

"You mean me," I said sadly.

"Especially you." She said seriously. "You are at a high risk of everything. This is a geriatric pregnancy of twins, and you are forty three years old." She shook her head. "I understand you guys wanted to try again, but now that he isn't here, I can't leave you alone."

"And now that he is gone…" I started.

"Postpartum depression is real Tori." she shook her head. "I am not about to lose you because you were locked away alone."

I breathed out in relief and hugged my friend. "Thank you."

"I love you Tori," She said softly.

Jade

"I love you, Tori." I had been admitting that more and more as the years went by. I mean't those words every time. Beck and I have an understanding. I won't flip out on him and act like a Jealous bitch, if he doesn't get in the middle of Tori and my friendship.

Beck and I… We are happier than we have ever been with each other. We need each other, and we need time appart. I went to see the commpound a week after the show wrapped. We were in the middle of heavy post production, something we were doing working from home. It is february now. Valentines day and Beck and I made touring the Mansion and it's grounds for our bubble.

Trina opted out of the bubble. She was stuck in new york. Cat and Robbie decided that they wanted to spend this time just being together without the kids. Who had opted into the bubble to be with their friends Jordan and Miri. The kids would house themselves at the guest houses out back. Along with Holly and David, who would be keeping an eye on them.

Leaving the nine bedrooms of the mansion free for Harry and his wife, and my new grand daughter that I still have not met because she was born in the chaos before the pandemic Tori and Sirrah, and a nursery for the twins, then Beck and me. And His assistant who ocationally stayed with us at home… "Beck I don't want to hear." I said softly as we walked. "I don't want anyone to hear. Why can't she stay on the lower level?"

"I thought she'd have a cabin." He mentioned.

"Yes but… maybe we can get David and Holly to move into the main house and stay away from the reckless young adults." I said. "They can have the lower master."

"We of course need to have the west wing." I said with a smirk.

"Naturally," Beck said Leaving the incredibly light an airy east wing where the sun rises in the morning to Tori. It was breathtaking. With views over LA. The west wing had views of the sea, which of course would be amazing for Tori to rock her twins to sleep to at night.

The compound was up in the Malibu hills. This was perfect for us. "So when will we move in?"

"We can go for it this weekend." He said, "They just have to get all the adult signatures."

I laughed,"you mean you, me and Tori right? Because that is a lot of adults."

He laughed with me. "Yeah…" Then he wrapped his arms around me and walked with me to a picnic set up he had for us by the pool. I blushed and sat with my husband. "Listen…"

"I saw the article Beck, I don't want to talk about it." I said stopping him.

"We have to talk about it. We need to let them know before they find out it's true." he said.

I sighed and crawled over to him and kissed him. "Not tonight," I whispered.

"Okay, but soon?" He said moaning into my mouth as I settled on his lap, my dress riding up my hips. I moan my ascension and don't hesitate to do the dance we had been doing for thirty years.

The crew arrived at the end of the week and we all kind of settled in after our covid tests came back negative. David and Holly went to the downstairs master. Brant and Hailey the twins each brought their companions. And settled in the bigger guest house out back Jordan and Miri settled in the more central one and Helena settled in the smallest guest house that was apart from the other two. Just a little more secluded than the rest.

Harry and Meghan… weird right... and their baby girl Olivia settled in the west wing with Me and Beck. Tori took her three rooms on the east wing and practically disappeared inside them. She didn't even talk to me. Just settled. Sirrah wandered out back with the rest of the kids and I stood in the kitchen a little overwhelmed.

Why was it that in a compound full of people I felt alone. So I climbed the stairs and went to Tori's room.

I knocked and when there was no answer I opened the door. I looked around the room. They had put up a nursery since the last time I was here. The room adjacent to Tori's connected to her bedroom through a door and it was open. Tori was not in her bedroom proper so I walked toward the nursery door. "Tor?"

"He would have loved having all of us in here together." She whispered. I wrapped my arms around her from behind. The same way Bree held Hanna for ten years give or take on our show. That show made me see some things about myself. Now I am a little angry and relieved because I used to get so jealous of Andre. But I am angry that he left her like this. It didn't matter that it wasn't anyone's fault, I was angry.

"Yeah, he would have. It's like old times, plus parents." I murmured and ran my hands across her belly. "But he's here through your children. And He loves you, Tori."

She nodded and turned in my embrace letting her head drop on my shoulder. "What would I do without you?"

"I don't know, mope around in your room…" I said pushing away from her. "Can we go make some dinner for our massive family please?" She smiled and nodded then followed me down the stairs into our large kitchen. "Really should have hired a live-in chef."

"Meghan's a chef," Tori stated.

"Meghan just gave birth a month ago… she is on leave." I stated just as my daughter in law appeared in the kitchen with my little grand baby. The sight made me melt.

"Oh please, let me help," She said. "Anything to make me feel like more than just a milk cow."

I laughed and approached her. "Give me that baby. Have at it Cheff." I took my granddaughter and sat comfortably at the bar stool patting her gently on her back. The three of us enjoyed a beautiful afternoon as Tori and Meghan got our feast ready, and I cuddled my Olivia.

This was my best idea ever. I smiled at my family as one by one passed through the hub of the bubble. The kitchen.

"Hey, where's Beck?" David asked and my smile faltered.

"He's out back." I answered. "It's so nice knowing where everyone is."

Everyone laughed, and resumed the day. Beck and I really needed to talk to them all.