probably should have worked ono something else today... but I'm sleepy as hell. so this one gets updated LOL LUCKY! (I shouldn't have gone to that chick bar on Saturday, I'm toast)so here we get to see how well these ladies can keep their hands off each other. this is just the beginning of this trip. we will see more next chapter. Enjoy!~S.K.

Four

"Here you go." Skippy smiled at Tori, as she handed her a clipboard with a sheaf of papers on it. "Just fill everything out, and feel free to ask me if you have any questions."

Tori took the papers. "Okay.. what's this all for?" She asked, glancing at the forms.

Skippy put a hand on the seat back next to her. "Well, it's so we know you better... That way we can tailor the seminar more closely to your needs."

"Ah… wouldn't it have been more efficient to give us these before hand?" The brunette woman asked, curiously. "I mean… it's not like you'll have much time to do any tinkering."

Skippy's perky smile became a little fixed. "Why, we'll stay up all night if we have to… don't you worry…if you'll just fill out that information."

Tori pulled the cap off her pen and studied the papers. "If I didn't know better... I'd say this was just to keep us busy on the trip." She murmured, with a shake of her head. "Because I don't know how much tailoring you're going to get done with a list of my favorite library books."

"Now now.. you just let us do our jobs… that information tells our analysts a lot about you." Skippy informed her, as she escaped down the row, handing Jade her clipboard and leaning over to give Steve his. "There you go... any ... um... questions?"

"Yeah.. do you have an assigned seat, or can you help me fill mine out?" Steve asked her, giving the young blond a smile.

Skippy beamed at him "Well, let me pass out the rest of these, and I'll come back to give you a hand, okay?" She scuttled down the isle, making sure everyone had a clipboard. "Yes sir?" She leaned over where Rob was seated. "Did you need something? A pen?"

Rob held up one of his never-ending supply of mechanical pencils. "No, thank you."

"You must be an accountant." She smiled at him. "They always have those things."

Rob nodded gravely at her. "When you graduate from college with a financial degree, they give you a dozen cases of them." He assured her. "With your name on them." He held his up. "See?"

"Oh… yes" Skippy edged away from him, and turned a bright smile on Jade, who was neatly printing in her name. "And what are you?"

"Trouble." Jade replied, peering at her from under dark lashes, and leaving a faint smile on her lips.

"Ah." Skippy backed off. "Well, how about some pop, huh? We've got cola, orange, and lime."

"Milk." Jade replied, intent on sucking as much enjoyment out of the weekend as she could. That included tormenting little blond girls who were far too perky for their own good.

"Milk… okay…I think we have some of that... let me go look." She escaped down the row towards the front of the bus, where Elle and her assistant were installed in regal splendor. The marketing VP had a colorful, warm woven throw tucked around her knees, and her assistant, a tall, thin man with nervously blinking eyes and thick glasses was hunched over the forms. Just about everyone else had chosen to wear jeans, except for Jose, who was in a pair of neatly pressed chinos and a guayabera.

Jade tucked her knees up and rested her clipboard against them, chewing on her pen top as she studied the forms. They were a collection of questions meant to probe her innermost psyche, she reasoned, otherwise why ask if she liked chicken instead of fish, or if she picked an aisle seat in an airplane or a window? She half believed Tori was right, and this stuff was just to keep them occupied for a while, until they got there, or until the boredom of the trip set in, and they fell asleep.

Skippy came back and handed Jade a small carton of milk, then sat down next to Steve and started going over the questions with him.

"Psst." A soft whisper caught her attention, and she glanced over at the back of the next seat. Tori's Brown eyes were peering at her.

"Yeah?" She asked softly.
"Do we get points if we can answer more than ten percent of the questions with 'none of the above'?" The brunette woman inquired. "I hate all those animals in question six."

"Hey.. " Jose's voice rose. "What do you mean here, relations with animals? What kind of people do you think we are?"

"Sir... that means pets." Skippy smiled perkily at him. "You know, like doggies and kitties? Do you have any loved pets?" Her smiled faded. "Not do you...uh...love… pets.. not in that way.. um… we really don't… care to know about that."

"Then maybe that should have been phrased better." Jose muttered, and Jade couldn't help but agree. She chuckled and looked over at Tori who had her own giggle going.

"What about my python?" Rob commented dryly from his dark corner. "Do you consider the rats I feed her pets too?"

Jade covered her eyes and bit back a laugh.

"Um…. Well, no... because they're kind of.. um.. transient, right? We mean permanent pets." Skippy replied. "Like… They are there all the time."

"Like my Sweetiepie." Cat mused, from her seat across from Jade, affecting a child-like voice she liked to use to confuse people. "She's the prettiest parrot:"

Skippy smiled at her. "See? Yes.. that's what I meant.."

"Mm… I loved her so much, I had her stuffed when she died." The Personnel VP added in the same voice. "Now she's the most permanent thing in the house."

Jade clamped her jaw muscles tightly.

"You people are so disrespectful." Steve suddenly said, sharply. "This woman is here to do a job, and you all think it's a joke." He glared at them, and Skippy beamed gratefully at him. "The board takes this seriously, and you should too." He sat down, smiling at the guide as she eased into the seat next to him.

Jade outright laughed. It was going to be a long weekend if he had to watch this clown try to get into that woman's pants and she couldn't do what she wanted. "If you can't take a joke Stevo…"

He rolled his eyes, not at all inclined to tell the most senior member here off. He wanted to look respectful at least.

The droning of the bus's tires finally changed, and Jade shifted, blinking her eyes and glancing out the window. It was pitch black outside, only the very occasional lamp flicking by, along with the rare, desultory billboard. She glanced to her left, between the seats, and spotted the gentle curve of Tori's cheek, as the brunette woman dozed, her head resting against the chill window.

Across from her, Steve and Skippy were conversing in low tones, and everyone else seemed to have fallen asleep. Jade straightened, and checked her watch, then stood and stretched the kink out of her back from the semi-comfortable seat. "Almost there?" She inquired quietly.

Skippy turned her head. "Yes.. we just turned off the expressway.. we've got a little bit to go yet." She replied cheerfully. "It's way, way out there… we wanted to get to where you couldn't even hear the traffic at all."

Jade leaned against her seat back and peered out the window. A billboard went by. "Aardvark Bail Bonds." She commented. "Next right." Her head turned. "Guess you're not the only ones who wanted some privacy."

Skippy blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

Jade peered out again. "Bill's Bail Haven." She enunciated. "No waiting, six lines." Her blue eyes regarded her wryly. "We're out near Wasco."

"Wasco?" Steve asked, obviously disgruntled at having his discussion interrupted. "What are you talking about, Jade?"

"The Federal Penitentiary." Came the droll response. "There's also a state jail out near here.. if I'm not mistaken.. no wonder it's empty."

"Oh.. well.. we're not going there." Skippy assured her. "It's a camp just west of here, By Crystal Lake, really... we wouldn't take you to a prison."

"Oh, I don't know." Steve sniped. "I'd like to see that, myself."

Jade gazed at him. "Steve.. you'd have a lot more to worry about than I would." She replied silkily.

He leaned back. "Oh… I don't think so… I think those women would knock that tough attitude of yours right off."

The dark-haired woman put her hands on her hips and smiled at him. "At least my attitude has something to back it up." She replied meaningfully.

Skippy had been watching them, her head bobbing between them like an errant, blond ping-pong ball. "Oh… do you two know each other well?" She asked brightly.

Steve studied Jade's tall form speculatively. "C'mon, Jade… those days are long behind you… cut the crap." He laughed. "When was the last time you even hit the mat?"

"Mat?" Skippy seemed to sense a fight, and dove into an attempt to divert it. "What kind of mats are those? Are you into aerobics? I am."

Jade decided to ignore them, and instead strolled off down the aisle, ending up in the back of the bus where there was a toilet and a small refrigerator. Jade explored that, finding a can of Yoohoo to her muted delight. She also picked up a bag of pretzels and held on, as the bus took a right turn, and slowed drastically.

"Oh.. we're almost there." Skippy stood up and went to her seat at the front, gathering up her stack of paper and peering out the front window. "Okay, folks.. you'd better wake up because the road gets a little bumpy up here, and I don't want anyone to get scared." Her perky voice stirred the rest of the group, who struggled awake, peering around.

Jade made her way back to her seat, and dropped into it, opening her Chocolate drink and sucking at it in silence. A brunette head appeared over the seat in front of her, and she glanced up, only just barely keeping herself from giving Tori a friendly smile. The brown eyes, black in the bus' low light, twinkled a little in acknowledgment, and instead, she offered the brunette woman some pretzels.

"Thanks." Tori replied politely, selecting one and munching on it.

The bus turned to the right again, and now it felt like they were going over a thousand bumps, the vibration rattling through them unpleasantly.

"Jesus Christ." Jose blurted. "What kind of place are we going to?" They all peered out the windows, but could only see darkness, and trees, whose leaves slapped against the bus's tall sides. After ten minutes of rattling, the bus slowed, and pulled in under some kind of portal, now rocking unevenly as the road turned to soft dirt.

Then a clearing in the trees showed a sort of Kabutz like environment where there was a large communal cabin, and then dotted tents in glamorously fairy lit paths there are tents of Four, and Two scattered throughout.

"Nice." Tori said softly

"Unless you're in one of those Four people Tents." Jade murmured.

Finally, the bus stopped, and the interior lights came on. "Okay." Skippy faced them. "We're in front of the main hall.. we're going to get off the bus, and I'll walk you over to your cabins." She checked a list. "We have some hot coffee in the hall, and some sandwiches if you're hungry, but this camp is not a luxury hotel, okay?"

"Does that mean we have only mustard or catsup but not both?" Rob commented dryly, as he hefted his bag to his shoulder.

Skippy smiled. "You'll see.. we try to make it so you don't concentrate on your surroundings.. but on each other instead." She led the way. "Well, let's get started!"

They got off the bus, and were assaulted by cold air full of the smell of pine and sand. In front of them was a wooden building, with a porch that circled most of it, and they followed Skippy up the stairs and through the swinging door.

It was a rustic place, and Jade was forcibly reminded of a few navy camps she'd been in during her younger years. There were trestle tables arranged in neat rows, with long, narrow benches next to them, and faded banners on the walls. The place had been swept, but it was chilled inside, and only three lights were on, lending a dank, almost dingy quality to it. "Nice." She stated with a shake of her head. "What is this place?"

Skippy looked up from her papers. "It's Huttopia." She replied, with a slightly smug smile.

Elle had been looking around, and now she stared at the woman, aghast. "You can't expect us to stay in this disgusting place." She tugged her jacket around her. "This is ludicrous."

Jose stepped up next to her. "I must agree... this is not a place for people like us." He waved a hand at her. "There must be a hotel around here."

Rob perched on the edge of a table. "I could protest this on religious grounds." He stated, mildly, glancing at Cat. "Do I have a case?"

The Personnel VP blew out a breath. "I have to admit, this is not what I expected from your company. " She addressed Skippy. "I know this is not the kind of facility they used in Back East."

Steve had been roaming around, studying the walls. "Oh… I don't know… it's not so bad." He turned a smile on them. "Kinda reminds me of when I was a Boy Scout." He spread his arms out. "C'mon… it's only for two nights… lots of fresh air... probably do us all some good." He took in a deep breath.

As though by common accord, they all turned to Jade, who was leaning against the wall. The CEO shrugged. "I've been in worse." She commented. "My guess is.. They are re-building after the heavy rains this winter, right?" Her eyes went to Skippy.

"Yeah... " The perky blond looked disturbed. "They assured us you wouldn't have any problem with this place… I have to call my office… we were very explicit in describing it"

Jose snorted. "They must be laughing their asses off at us." He spat disgustedly. "Big joke.. big joke… wait until I get back there, I'm going to call up those bastards and give them a piece of my mind." He pointed at Jade. "See what you got us into?"

"Yes… I hold you responsible for this, Jade." Elle agreed. "What were you thinking of?"

Cat got between them. "Wait a minute… this has nothing to do with Jade."

"Of course it does." Steve interrupted smoothly. "Her lack of cooperation is what landed us here, Cat… but now that we're here, we might as well make the best of it." He smiled at Skippy, who still appeared very upset. "I'm sure we'll carry on, despite what old Jade's gotten us into."

"That's a very good attitude St… I mean, Mr. Fabricini." The blond woman asserted.

Jade gave them all a dour look, realizing Steve had won a point. "Arguing about this right now is pointless." She stated evenly. "We can discuss it when we get back to San Francisco, or better yet, we can all take a flight over to New York and talk about it with Alastair directly."

That threat got a wide-eyed response. "Right now, let's just get through this. " She looked over at Skippy. "You were going to take us over to a cabin? I think some sleep would be a good idea."

"Um.. right. Okay… let's go." The guide knew when to beat a retreat. "Right this way… now, we put sheets and blankets on the bunks.. it's a little nippy tonight, so I have someone out checking for space heaters, but we don't have that right now." She led the way across the lit ground, towards the smaller structures, stopping at a four-person tent. "I figure the men could stay together since there are only four of them…Here we are." She opened the door and stood back to let them enter. Jade and Tori looked at each other. Sinjin isn't here yet… he was going to be the odd man out. "Watch your step."

Then Skippy guided the ladies to Another Four person tent. "So most of you can go in here."

"Assistants and non senior members go in this…" Elle stated.

Jade looked at the marketing VP. "That still leaves you here. Because If you and I have to share a tent, I might murder you in your sleep."

Elle stepped back and headed toward the four person tent.

Tori snickered, and Cat smirked at the two. "Hold on… I'll join you, that way you can't say no Senior staff roughed it." The diminutive woman winked at her friends and practically skipped into the tent

Then Skippy led the last two women to a two person Tent. It was, Tori decided, pretty nice. She'd been to camps, sure, but the ones her parents had sent her to had carpet on the floors, and private bunks for each camper. This was not like that. It was basically a tent set up in a circle, with a shared bathroom in the middle, featuring single wooden framed bunks against the walls and shuttered windows between them. the bathroom was split in two also, with two toilet stalls, and two showers, lacking curtains.

Oh boy. Tori glanced at Jade, who looked like she was caught between wild amusement, and true irritation. "Men on one side, women on the other." The CEO stated flatly. "Just don't think about it… pick a bunk, and let's just get some sleep."

Jade stalked across the wooden floor, selecting the bunk on the right and tossing her bag down on it. Tori ambled over and chose the other one, sitting down on it and folding her hands in her lap.

"I'm going to be ill." Elle stated in the tent next door. "This is unacceptable."

Tori stood and circled the small room. "Well.. it's not really that bad." She stated. "I mean, it could be worse, and the linens are fresh.. it's clean in here, they obviously keep it up. It's only for a night or two." She stated loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"I swear if a creature crawls on me at night…" Elle complained again.

"Look.. we're sort of stuck here.. it doesn't make sense to fight it now.. let's wait until we get home, then we can talk about it." Tori stated then turned to her Lover. "I guess sex is off the table tonight."

Jade smirked. "It's never off the table, Tori… can you be quiet?" She whispered

Tori moved closer and wrapped her arms around Jade. "Is that a dare?" She whispered back as Jade enveloped her in her arms and kissed her softly.

The murmurs next door reminded them that there wasn't much separating them from the res, and they really needed to keep their hands to themselves.

"Well… it is clean." Elle's voice said grudgingly. "I suppose I could make a sacrifice… But you're going to pay for this, West."

"My company, my money…" Jade directed back at her. "Already done." She sat on her bunk, leaning against the headboard. "Threats are pointless." She stated, point blank. "So shut up.. I didn't ask for this.. I wasn't the one who sent the damn email to the board... and I don't want to hear that crap for the next two days."

"Well.. he wouldn't have had to send it if you'd cooperated with him, now would he?" Elle shot back.

"I don't cooperate with unreasonable requests… you should know that about me by now." Jade responded irritated. "I don't care who makes them.. not you, not Alastair... and especially not your little hatchet boy. I am Your Boss. It may do you well to remember that and quit your bitching."

"Ladies." Cat spoke up. "Can we can it for the evening, please?" She requested. "We've got plenty of time to assign blame and fight with each other when we get back to San Francisco.. let's just get this over with."

Jade sighed. Cat was right, and besides, she was letting Elle get to her. "Right… " She sat up and unbuckled her overnight bag, tugging out a flannel nightshirt. An awkward silence fell, and she glanced up, to see Tori just watching her.

Across the way, the men's voices were a rumble. They were in deep discussions just like they had been, and Jade sighed and started to undress.

A wild scream erupted from the closed door to the bathroom, and after a stunned moment, the door was thrown open, The women went to the tent flap to see a half-clad Elle, who screamed and bolted for the door to her Tent.

Unfortunately, she forgot to open it, and slammed face first into the planks. "Oh my god.. oh my god… help!"

Jade hopped out of bed and headed over, hearing heavy footsteps from next door. She reached Elle just as Jose peeked out of the Flap, resplendent in his white silk boxers with red hearts. "Jesus! What is going on here!"

"I have no idea." Jade snarled. "Elle..what in the hell happened?"

The marketing executive turned, and waved her hands wildly. "It attacked me! My god.. I have to get away!" She pointed at the bathroom. "In there!"

Tori had followed Jade across the clearing, and now she ducked her head into the bathroom, glancing around cautiously. She saw the toilet, one small sink that had Elle's makeup all over it, the shower stall, and a snake. She started to pull her head back out, then froze. "Oh… Jesus.. " Her eyes widened. "Anyone know the local fauna?" She jumped back as the snake slithered out. "Look out!"

"Dios Mio!" Jose yelped, spotting it. He jumped back inside the boy's Tent, and slammed the door.

The snake, a three foot long green specimen headed towards Jade. "Where's Steve Irwin when you need him?" Jade muttered, as she peered at it in the low light.

"Long dead…" Tori mumbled.

"I think it's harmless," Jade muttered.

"You think?" Cat was standing on one of the folding chairs on the tent porch. "Jade, don't 'you think' me, okay? I am not going to spend all day Monday filling out paperwork because you got bit by a 'you think'"

"No.. it is." Jade waited for the snake to crawl up on her foot, then she captured its neck, and lifted it up. "Probably looking for a warm place." She examined it. "Yeah…it's just a garden snake… it's not dangerous."

The door to the men's side cracked open and three sets of eyes peered out. "Goodness." Elle's assistant squeaked.

Jade sighed, and motioned Elle away from the bathroom door. "Move… I'll put it outside."

"What?" Steve now stuck his head through the door. "And let it attack someone else? No way.. kill it!"

"We can't always kill things that have the potential to annoy us." Jade stated looking at him steadily. "Now, get outta my way, Elle." She moved towards the door, and the woman screamed, backing away from her and tripping over a rock. She tumbled over it, landing on her butt on the floor and scrambling back, looking like a huge, white skinned spider.

Jade removed the snake from the premises, then dusted her hands off, and went back toward her tent.

The boys were behind their flaps. The girls were clustered back behind theirs, Tori's Tweety clad form waited for her on the porch of their tent.

Everyone was looking at her. "We voted you Snake Hunter." Tori informed her, with a faint grin. "As in, could you check for more?"

Jade put her hands on her hips. "I didn't get a vote." She protested. "Besides, in this weather, it's easy...look where it's warm."

As one, five sets of eyes turned towards their bunks. "Oh my god." Elle slumped to the floor, in a faint.

"Uh.. I think we'd better leave the light on." Cat stated nervously, as she and Mary Lou struggled to get Elle into her bunk.

Jade sighed, and shook her head, going over to her bunk and sitting down on it. "I'm sure it was just an isolated thing." She reassured them. "C'mon… we've got to get some sleep… God only knows what Mary Sunshine has in store for us tomorrow." She stretched herself out on her cot on one side, crossing her ankle and propping her head up on one hand.

Tori slowly did the same, crawling into her bed after she peered around it nervously, then lying down so her head was close to Jade's. "I hate snakes." She muttered.

"Hmm? How do you feel about lizards?" Jade inquired seriously.

"Um… I don't know.. why?" Tori asked, hesitantly.

"There's one on your leg." The dark haired woman pointed.

Tori yelled, and jumped, leaping across the space between their two bunks and landing practically in Jade's arms. "Shit!" She watched the tiny lizard scamper away, then exhaled raggedly. "Damn."

Then she realized where she was, and peeked at Jade's face. "Uh… sorry." She eased away from the taller woman, whose eyes twinkled. "Jade, this isn't funny.. I hate these things."

Jade almost told her to stay where she was.. that Jade would protect her. But Cat, Elle and Mary Lou could hear them. "Look.. just relax. Lizards are good.. they eat bugs."

Wrong thing to say. In a split second, everyone was in the tents were outside staring at them.

Jade sighed, and pulled the covers up over her face. It was going to be a very long night.

They'd finally gotten to sleep. Jade had convinced them, by sheer force of will, that if they'd turn the lights off and pull the covers up over their heads, no bugs would get to them, even if they were here.

So they had, and now she was snuggled down in her own bunk, waiting for her body to relax in this strange environment, and listening to the soft breathing around her.

A low, rumbling sound came from next door, and the dark haired woman smirked quietly, then exhaled, hoping none of her sleeping companions was prone to snoring.

Tori wasn't, she knew, unless she was flat on her back and exhausted. Jade suspected she'd be guilty of that in the same state as well, but usually the brunette woman preferred to curl up on her side, or against Jade's shoulder, her breath gently warming the other woman's neck.

It was incredible, Jade mused just how good that felt. She turned her head and gazed into the darkness, barely able to distinguish the huddled figure in the bed next to her. Hmm. Jade inched forward, getting as close to the head of her bunk as she could, then she slipped a hand between the rough two by fours that lined the beds and closed her fingers over the hand she could just see curled over Tori's head.

A soft gasp, then the brunette head lifted. "Oh." She barely whispered. "You scared the beejeezus out of me."

Jade smiled, and chafed her hand. "Cold?" She murmured in response.

"Mm." Tori squirmed closer, until her face was within inches of her lovers. "Even with the extra padding, I'm still shivering…pretty embarrassing for a New Englander." She admitted.

Her partner grinned, looked toward the tent flap fleetingly. "Can't have that." She slipped out of her bunk and pushed it closer to Tori's, the darkness shrouding them in safety.

"Jade" The brunette woman mouthed. "What are you doing?"

"Protecting corporate assets." The executive purred, right into her ear as she curled her body around Tori's and tucked the cover around both of them. "Got a problem with that?"

"I don't.. but everyone else is going to, Jade." Tori breathed. "I thought we were trying to keep this quiet… what if someone walks in and see's us in bed together is going to be just a litttttllee conspicuous, don't you?"

"Shh… no one wants to wake the dragon… just relax." Jade reassured her. "Unless you don't want to be warm, that is.. I can leave."

Tori snuggled closer. "Mmph." She grumbled, burying her face into a very welcome, very warm neck. "Well… at least I'll be safe from snakes." A pause. "legless ones, anyway."

Jade chuckled softly, and felt her body easing into Tori's comfort.

Tori began nibbling at the neck in front of her. Unable to help it. Jade settled herself comfortably tucked around Tori's body, her hands moving in slow, gentle circles against the brunette woman's skin.

Tori hummed in pleasure and ran her hands up Jade's shirt. Letting her hands rest on Jade's ample breasts.

Jade whimpered, as she flipped them so that she hovered above Tori. Tori opened up for Jade, the other woman's body falling perfectly between her parted legs. Jade moaned as quietly as she could at the heat pressed against her lower abdomen. Her hands immediately catching Tori under her thighs, as she begins to kiss her way down Tori's body.

Tori sighed, as her lover slid her panties down her legs, and soon, Jade's mouth was on her. She bit the pillow to keep the sound of surprise from bursting from her lips. She fought to control her hips and lips, sometimes failing, but succeeding most of the time as her lover got her fill.

Jade kissed Tori's lips long and hard as she continued to please her lover with her fingers, granting her a second blinding orgasm, but Before Jade could plan a third, Tori pushed Jade on to her back and slipped her hands into Jade's shorts and panties, finding the wetness there intoxicating.

She entered her swiftly knowing her lover's very erect nub was ready to explode. She stroked Jade fast and hard and Jade bit her bottom lip as her hips jerked taking Tori's hand's assault, Soft pants and squeaks came out of her, she couldn't help it. But in all she was able to experience this pleasure without alerting the campers in the other tents. "Oh fuck…" she whispered in Tori's ear

"Yeah?" Tori asked still a bit unsure that what she was doing was right.

"Yeah…" Jade sighed. "Don't stop.. Don't stop… Oh fuck…" with that final ground out word Jade exploded. A stream of fluid escaping her body as she covered her face with both Tori and her pillow as she screamed.

"Jade? Tori?" Rob asked from outside the tent.

Jade started to laugh hard.

"You guys okay?" He said not sure if he should come inside.

"Uh… yeah… I just saw another lizard on my bed…" Tori said readjusting herself and putting her underwear back on.

Jade couldn't stop laughing. Tori looked at her lover undone and smiled. "Tori just get back in bed and go to sleep." Jade stated.

"It's not funny." Tori said to her a chuckle in her voice.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Would the two of you shut up?" They heard as Tori settled back in her lover's arms.

Jade sighed loudly. Her laughs changing to silent body quaking chuckles. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'll stop." Jade said pulling Tori into her.

"You've never done that before." Tori said in a whisper.

"I've never had to be quiet with you before." Jade said softly back and kissed Tori's temple as they settled in. Jade as the big spoon.

"I love you…" Tori whispered.

"I love you too…" Jade said finally settling and tracing soft circles over Tori's belly.

Tori's breathing evened out, and slowed, and she dozed off, her hands flexing gently against Jade's chest, and somehow that made the aggravations of the day ease, and float off, clearing her mind and allowing her to drift off as well.

She was seated on a grassy slope, overlooking a river valley. The open, rolling land stretched out before her, split by the deep blue and gray line of water whose rush and rustle came to her faintly. The wind blew against her face, pushing the hair back, and ruffling the soft fabric that covered the body of the brunette woman lying curled up, with her head pillowed on her outstretched legs.

A hand she recognized as her own gently stroked the soft hair spilling over her skin, and she was lazily aware of the soft buzz of a bee nearby, and a songbird trilling overhead.

Her eyes traveled down her companion's body, and she felt the strange blur of surprise and familiarity as she realized the woman nestled against her was with child, her belly swollen under the soft fabric. Her other hand was interlaced with the woman's, and both were tucked against the surface, and as she sat, caught between her dream and the faint memories resting against her consciousness, she felt the soft flutter of a tiny life against her fingers.

A little smile moved the lips of the brunette woman, and her eyes slid half open, meeting the blue ones watching her and taking on a quiet, warm sparkle.

She felt the muscles of her face move, and knew she was smiling back.

The brunette woman nestled her head back down and closed her eyes, and she tilted her own head back to rest against a tree's rough bark, as the sweet, cool wind lulled her into a dreamy, wonderful haze.

She just barely beat the dawn. Jade's eyes fluttered open as the first gray outlines were beginning to be seen beyond the trees, and she reluctantly untangled herself from Tori, and slipped out of the makeshift bed and separated the bunk. Climbing back into it, and tugging the covers up against the early morning chill.

She remembered her dream, and her brows knit, as she tried to figure out where in the hell she'd imagined a pregnant Tori from… could it be a premonition? Tori hadn't said anything like that had happened during her visit home, but… Jade sucked in a breath, remembering finding her lover in the bathroom the day before, white as a sheet, and she wondered. Surely Tori would have told her if she'd been assaulted at home, right?

Unless it wasn't an assault, of course.. unless… Jade mentally slapped herself. Don't be stupid, Jade… that kind of speculation does you no good, and gives her no credit… not fair. You're overreacting… it was just a stupid dream… I know she's had her period since then.. though that's not always a definite sign…. C'mon, it was just a dream.

And if it wasn't? Well… Jade put her chin down on her forearm, and thought about that. She'd never thought about children… she knew herself to lack the patience she thought a parent needed, and that complication was something she had never considered to be something she wanted as part of her life.

Her eyes traveled over Tori's peaceful face. Right? Or could she accept that, if it meant keeping what was becoming something essential to her?

She closed her eyes and remembered the look of utter love that had been in the eyes looking up at her, and she knew the answer. For that, she would accept anything. Everything. The sense of panic receded, and she relaxed, speculating that her own subconscious had maybe just prodded her into a moment of self awareness, one that brought a wry, wistful smile to her face.

The bunk felt cold, and lonely , and it took a lot for her not to just say the hell with it, and push her cot back to Tori's side.

Jade argued with herself for about five minutes, then sighed, and decided she'd better get up, and go do something before she caused havoc for both of them.

And Tori had been worried about herself? Jade gave the growing dawn an evil look, then she sat up, and grabbed her bag, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, and trudging off to the bathroom.

It was a relatively nice morning, she decided, as she exited the tent and stood on the porch, breathing in air thick with the trees around her, and with a faint hint of hickory smoke. Fog was rolling across the grounds, rising from the lake the ground sloped towards, and she could barely see the outline of the main hall, or of the scattered tents that peeked out from between the trees.

Jade stepped off the porch, her sneakers crunching gently over the fallen pine needles, and the tiny pine cones, and the fog fluttered out from her steps like a water's ghost. She headed down towards the lake, taking deep breaths to wake her body up, then spotted a small path that was well tended, and apparently went around the water's edge. She broke into a light jog as she reached it, then headed on down the path, enjoying the brisk morning air.

The sun was rising over the water, and it's rays filtered through the trees, throwing pale salmon stripes across the path and her, as she ran in silence, only the sound of her steps against the loose gravel and the soft lapping of the water against the shore breaking it. She was about three quarters of the way around before she heard steps behind her, and she cocked an ear, frowning as she didn't recognize the sound of them. A glance back made her curse roundly, and she took a breath, composing her temper before Steve Fabricini caught her up. "Morning."

He fell into step next to her, running easily in his black and silver running suit. "I'm surprised, Jade…didn't think you kept this up." He peered around in mock cheerfulness. "I do marathons, so… it's part of every morning for me."

Jade debated not answering, then she twitched her lips. "Great way to start a morning." She commented.

"Oh yeah." He agreed. "I do between five and eight miles a day… twice that on weekends.. I placed top ten my last three races."

The dark haired woman glanced at him. "Congratulations."

"Not your speed, huh?" Steve laughed. "No.. I can see you've lost that edge."

A subtle, dangerous glint appeared in ice blue eyes. "Bunch of guys running around New York in their underwear is not my idea of fun." She commented mildly, however.

"Oh.. you're wrong… " Steve shook his head in amusement. "It's the competition that I like… pitting yourself against a hundred.. against a thousand other people who all want what you want.. and you beat them." He eyed Jade. "I like that." He purred. "I like leaving people in my dust, just like I'm going to leave you in my dust, Jade. "

"Think so?" The dark haired woman remarked.

"I know so… you've made too many enemies." Steve told her confidently. "Even this.. I thought this was a mistake, but now…. " He laughed. "I'm going to enjoy watching your decline, Jade… I really am." He surged ahead, lengthening his stride and pulling ahead of her. "Time to think about retiring." He yelled back, heading around a bend in the path and disappearing from view.

Jade continued on at a steady pace, smiling a little when she heard a muted scream. "Watch out, Steve.. " She commented to the empty air. "Lake bends in there, must be a big mud wash." A loud, outraged yell shook the air. "The sticky, stinking kind." She trotted around the bend, and slowed to a halt, putting her hands on her hips and observing the black, odorous, thrashing form. "Last steps a bitch, Steve." She remarked cheerfully, hopping up on a long, sturdy log which went over the muddy pit, balancing neatly as she crossed over his head and landed on the other side. "Guess I don't have to worry about your dust right now, huh?" She waved, and broke into a jog again, contentedly increasing her pace and heading back towards the camp.