Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. I did mess with them a little, however. It's okay, they're fine. In fact, they may just be a touch better now…

:}

"Jade, when did you take this picture?" Tori asked her girlfriend.

It had taken quite some time for the two to get together, even after Jade and Beck broke up, and Tori dated Beck long enough to be the first, but not only, girl to break it off from him because she finally realized she wasn't into guys. Still, nearly ten years after graduation, Tori had settled into a lifestyle that took the most advantage of her two hit wonder status, a fate that befalls far too many pop princesses. Reality television and an on line platform for releasing her own music, as well as being responsible for her own marketing, videos, everything, had been a major risk. Only her less than stellar, but still there acting career had saved her, simply because, by keeping her name out there, she'd been able to also sell enough music to make up the difference. The amount of music she had to sell was lower, because she got to keep the lions share of the profits. As a result, she made as much as a moderately successful recording artist, not counting touring, simply by being in control of her own music. The Peartunes channel didn't hurt either.

"Oh, back in High School." Jade replied, shrugging. "Kinda hard to explain."

Jade's success had been as a creative writer, churning out mysteries with a dark horror fiction twist. For reasons she hadn't ever explained, she chose not to peruse acting after high school, swapping to writing while attending a collage located someplace back east.

"Where was this taken? I don't recognize the background?" Tori pushed.

"Near Jericho, Vermont." The pale girl replied. "I.. It's hard to explain."

"Try." Tori said again.

"You won't believe me." There was no malice in the statement, something that raised a red flag in her girlfriends mind. "I went there for a summer, and we took that picture."

"Lots of kids around your age." Tori noted. "Is that a castle in the background?"

"Nevermore academy." Jade relented. "Edgar Allen Pie attended there once. I wanted to get a feeling for standing in the authors shoes, and so I took a summer…"

"Waaaait…" Latin eyes pierced her. "You were never gone long enough to take more than a workshop there, and yet, this picture, for Vermont…. I played there on tour a couple of years ago, and that color of the leaves, this is spring. How were you there during spring?"

"Okay, but as I said, you won't believe me." Jade sighed. "I was able to split myself into two bodies, functionally two me's, and I attended school there while I was here. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy, cause the memories, the experiences, they bleed through all the time. But that's how I did that, and that's how I have that picture of me, with my classmates, who thought I was standoffish and weird, which is saying a LOT considering Nevermore was and is for the outcasts and the different."

"You're right, I don't believe you." the now irate Latina said. "How, per say, does one go about cloning oneself?"

"No idea." Jade shrugged. "I said I split myself. See, there's this ritual I know where I could split off a shadow of myself, and I sent that one there, cause I wanted to stay with Beck. She was a quiet, dedicated student who helped me master my magics, but then went wild after High School and moved to New York to peruse some of her own goals. It's where I learned I had a real taste for hot Latina's."

"Riiiight." Tori said. "So, she's out there, in New York, doing what? Maybe singing?"

"Nope." Jade replied. "Turns out mom is related to the Frump family. Hard to explain, except, because of that, I had a strong aptitude for magic, and was a natural witch. Kinda made going into entertainment dicey, cause there are rules, and you know me, the kind to break them. So, I reached out to my extended family, including the Addams family, and they had me talk with a distant cousin names Morticia. Got along great, loved her sense of ascetics. Did you know I'm part Hispanic. Not that much, cause very Irish in my background. But the Frump family is in there, and has a strong Hispanic tinge to the bloodline. So, anyways, I spoke with them, we did a few divination's, and I went and ended that ritual that was dividing my attention. Started writing after that, and the hit kept happening. THEN, I ran into this one time rival at an event, IN New York, and we hit it off. Got together, started dating, we moved back here to Los Angeles, and somehow, the paparazzi hasn't bothered to do more then the occasional picture. It's like, hello, lesbian celebrities here. You know this is still fodder for the rumor mill…"

"Wait, wait, WAIT!" The singer stopped her. "While I appreciate the rant about the press, you glossed over the fact that your story is just plain crazy."

"I only told you because you have photographic proof, and are smart enough to call the school to confirm, I did attend. Only girl in either class to get two high school diplomas." Her pretty face fell. "Sorry, I know better then to show too much pride in that. I only went there to hone my abilities, and to be among my fellow freaks."

"Show me." Tori demanded.

"Okay, we can charter a flight, act like big deals, and maybe see the school." Jade was planning. "Have to clear our schedules, cause I'm sure you're followers are gonna wanna know what you're doing next. Like, how it is my girlfriend is self stalking?"

"NO!" Tori cut her off. "Show me, split in two."

"I told you, there's a whole ritual thingy, and then, the second half will share my memories and chiz, but still be a touch different, which will jank me up if I let them stay apart for eight years, like I did the last time…"

"Show me!" Tori quietly demanded. "Need time? Okay, then we can take the time. I just, this story is bull, and I'm calling you out on…." Her mouth went slack as Jade seemed to shimmer, stepping apart, and then there were two. "Huh…?"

"Look, without the ritual, this won't last." One Jade told her. "But as I said, I am talented, and this was so much one of my gifts. It's kinda why mom insisted I attend Nevermore…"

"Let me get you a chair…" The other rushed.

"I get it, a lot to take in." The first Jade added as they sat Tori down. "Okay, but this doesn't mean we rush out and introduce you to that side of my family, cause hello, talking majorly weird, and I'm already regretting this decision."

"Give her some time." The second Jade insisted. "Man, you get so caught up in chiz, you often forget to have fun, or admit what you're feeling. Like, maybe it's time you introduce her to all of your family? Been a minute, and I hear Wednesday is at Nevermore now. Be real fun to visit her, see the place again. Hell, maybe I can bring my other half, who will bring her other half, and all three of us…. No, neither of you are ready for taking this to it's logical conclusion."

Jade watched her duplicate fade, and winced. "God, when did I get such a dirty mind?" She muttered.

"Probably the only real use I can think of for that talent." Tori said, seeming to find her way back. "So, how often was I with a clone?"

"Duplicate, and never." Jade told her. "I love you too much. Besides, you can see, without a full ritual, she just doesn't last. I hardly use her nowadays, cause as I said she stopped being quiet a while ago. So, we good?"

"We are so discussion this, later, after I've spoken with…" Tori stopped. "Who can I tell this too who won't think I'm crazy?"

"Father Mike." Jade offered. "He sometimes uses my other talents to help with church chiz. I only help out cause you and the fam go there…"

:}

I wrote this a bit ago, and let it sit. For a while, I was looking to continue it, up until I realized, this doesn't need more. So, thoughts?