Twelve

It was gathering twilight as Jade packed up her briefcase, and stood, stretching out shoulders stiff from hunching over her keyboard for the last few hours. Tori had left already, and she'd stayed, getting an unruly inbox cleared and finishing up some reports that had been hanging around for a couple of days.

Jade walked over to the wall, and peered up. With any luck, they'd be able to start preliminary testing on the new backbones at the end of the week, and Jade got a big piece of satisfaction out of that. Three weeks ahead of schedule, and she was just a touch under budget. She smiled, and ran a finger over the newly printed schematic, nodding a little at the spidery tracework of interconnections.

At the bottom, in the designer block, was the description, and the engineer.

Jade West.

Yeah. Jade exhaled. This is my baby, all right. There were so few, concrete things in her career that she could point to, and make that claim for. Most of her accomplishments had been behind the scenes, making the parts run with little or no visibility other than her notoriety within the management staff.

But not this. This was right out there, in plain sight, for everyone to look at, and Jade was absolutely damned positive she was going to put out the very best product she was capable of. What have you done for us lately, Jade?

She'd point. That's what.

The door opened, and she turned, surprised, then irritated to see J.D Ankow standing in the opening, his jacket slung over his shoulder. Not what she wanted to see at the end of a very long day, that's for sure. "You want something?"

"Thought about what I asked?"

Jade went back to her desk and picked up her briefcase. "Nope. I had real work to do this afternoon." She shouldered the case and fingered her car keys. "Anything else?"

"Oh.." He stepped back to allow her to exit. "I thought I'd just take the opportunity to try and find out a little more about you, West."

"You've got the time it takes to go down 15 floors and out to the parking lot." Jade replied, heading past him and closing her door.

He followed her down the hall, and through the elevator doors, waiting for them to close. "You know what I find funny?"

"Jock itch."

He smiled thinly. "You're quite the mystery woman around here, West…. That intrigues me."

"You're easily intrigued, then." Jade replied dryly. The elevator made a soft hissing noise as it descended, and smelled strongly of the brass polish the cleaning crew had used on the rails.

"No one seems to know anything about you… not where you live.. not what your hobbies are… I find that very strange, in a place like this."

One of Jade's eyebrows lifted. "Why would they?"

"Human curiosity... same as what I'm feeling." Ankow answered. "I tried to get your personnel file, but they stonewalled me with disclosure regs… and not one person I asked, from accounting to sales seemed to know anything about you, outside this office building."

Unexpectedly, Jade smiled, feeling a sudden, surprising affection for her coworkers, quite a few of which certainly could have divulged any number of juicy personal details to him. Things on that front had gotten a lot better since she'd quit and been rehired a few months back. even Jose and Elle had called a truce, in fact, Jose was actually really excited about the new network. "They mind their own business… maybe you should take a hint."

"That won't keep me from finding out what I want to know."

The doors opened. "All right. " Jade crossed out onto the marble floor. "What do you want to know?" She waved at the security guard, who waved back and smiled. "My favorite color? It's blue."

"Where's home?"

"San Francisco." Jade started across the mostly empty lot.

"Live alone?"

"Why do you care? If you're looking for a night out, I'll give you directions to North Beach." Jade felt a prickly edge enter her voice. "Or the addresses to a few clubs."

He laughed. "Any hobbies?"

Jade reached her Volvo, and unlocked it remotely, opening the door and tossing her briefcase in. "Time's up." She leaned on the doorframe. "I scuba dive."

"Nice." He indicated the car. "Diving's a pretty expensive hobby… guess we paid for that too, hmm?"

Asshole. Jade got in the Volvo and started it, then turned. "What did you do with your dividend last quarter?"

Ankow was surprised at the question. He cocked his handsome head to one side and studied her, then shrugged. "Ski Vacation in Aspen, as a matter of fact.. why?"

Jade smiled. "Guess I paid for that… since I delivered that dividend." She closed the door and their eyes met through the tinted glass.

He stepped forward and put a hand on her mirror, then curled his finger down, indicating the window.

She briefly considered driving off, perhaps with his hand attached to her car, then decided the ton and a half of paperwork wouldn't be worth it. She rolled the window down. "Yes?"

The slightly mocking air was gone, as he leaned towards her, a predatory sparkle in his gray eyes. "You know… I spent eight years as a Ranger… and we used to love to get new people in like you so we could beat the smartass out of them."

Jade felt a chill go down her back, at the note in his voice. "Is that a threat?"

"No… just a warning." Ankow answered. "I don't like you, Ms. West… and I don't take kindly to people with smart mouths, and attitudes." His expression was deadly serious. "Don't play games with me."

She felt it happen. That dark, animal part of her that so very, very seldom awakened stirred, sending a chase of warm blood to her skin and lifting her nape hairs. Everybody's got a fight or flight reflex,Gigi… you get yers from me, and it ain't inta runnin nowhere. "Guess we finally found something to agree on then." Jade felt her voice slip in pitch, dropping deeper and taking on a slightly husky tone. "Because I don't like you either, Mr. Ankow... and this is the only attitude I've got." She leaned forward, almost nose to nose with him. "Don't you play games with me."

His eyes narrowed. "You will regret this." His answer was deceptively mild. "I promise you that."

Then he released her mirror and stepped back, watching intently as she closed the window and shifted the Volvo into gear, heading for the parking lot exit.

Jade watched his shadowy figure until it disappeared into the distance.

Tori circled her neck with her towel and toward the back door, opening it for Chino who galloped ahead of her. "Hey.. take it easy." She peered inside as she cleared the doorframe, then made a face. "Where's mommy Jade, huh?"

"Argrrr!" Chino bolted for the door, then chased her tail around in a circle when she found it closed, making Tori laugh.

"Cut that out.. you're going to slip and fall." She used the edge of the towel to wipe her face off, after her hour's run along the path circling the island. "Whew.. it's muggy out there, but not as wet as it was this morning, I'll tell ya, Chino."

The fan felt good against her overheated skin, and she just stood for a minute, letting her body cool down. It was hot, sure, and not really comfortable to run in such humidity, but completing her laps made her happy with herself, and she stretched her arms over her head, enjoying the sensation of strength in her body.

"Okay." She exhaled. "Shower, then dinner… but first.." She walked over and picked up the portable phone, then dialed Jade's cell number. It rang a few times, then clicked, and a familiar, deep voice answered. "Hey babe."

She could almost imagine the smile on Jade's face, since it changed the tenor of her voice slightly.

"On my way… just getting on the bridge."

"Oh, good.. I just finished my run, and I'm going to take a shower." Tori felt a little relieved. "Everything okay?"

"Mm." Jade grunted softly. "Ankow just stomped all over my last nerve and Fedexed it to Cleveland."

"Oo." Tori winced. "Well, I can offer you a massage, some stuffed salmon filets, and tiramisu… how's that sound?"

A low moan. "Sounds like heaven…what do you get out of this deal?"

"You." The brunette answered softly.

She'd hit Jade's soft spot, and she knew it, by the significant, awkward silence on the other end of the phone. Her wife never expected her to say things like that, and she occasionally pulled a sappy little bit of mush out of her pocket because it was so cute to see Jade blush, and go all tongue tied.

Not too often, though.. it'd lose its shock value. "Jade?"

"Um.. yeah, I'm here." A clearing of the throat. "G'wan… take your shower.. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay." Tori smiled. "See you in a few." She hung up the phone and set it down, then padded into the bathroom in their bedroom and started the water running, closing the door to the eight sided stall and peeling off her running gear.

Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, and she gazed speculatively at herself, tensing her stomach muscles just to watch them move, and making a fist. "Good god. No one who knew me in high school would believe this, that's for darn sure." She shook her head and ambled into the shower, sticking her head under the spray and scrubbing her head vigorously. "Uuuggggghhhh…"

For a short while she just stood, letting the water pound down over her, easing the aches from her muscles. The shower made so much noise she didn't even hear the door open, and looked up with a start as a cold draft blew in, preceding a pair of appreciative blue eyes, and an expanse of naked, slightly tanned skin that her fingers itched to touch. "Hey."

"Well, hello there." Jade joined her under the spray, and circled her with both arms. "Funny meeting you in a place like this." She pulled Tori closer, and hugged her tightly.

Oo. That definitely felt very, very nice. Tori abandoned herself to the mixture of warmth and chills the skin on skin contact provided. "Mmmmmm…." She sighed blissfully. "What a nice end to a rotten day."

"Ugh." Jade groaned in agreement. "I swear, that guy's missing some chips in strategic places." She picked up the scrubber buffy and the liquid soap, and started cleaning her wife's back. "He came back to the office tonight… I think he was just trying to goad me, but.."

"Proof positive of his stupidity." Tori found an interesting bit of skin to nibble.

"I don't think he's stupid." Jade corrected quietly. "He just has an agenda.. wish I knew what it was. He was poking around the place looking for gossip about me today, by the way."

"Oh god." Tori buried her face into the warm skin she'd been tasting.

"No.. no.. " Jade chuckled softly. "For whatever reason… they all closed ranks and made me out to be the great mystery woman of San Francisco."

"Oh?" Tori lifted her head and peered up in pleased surprise. "Awesome… but you know, I've kinda got the feeling that the whole attitude thing has changed in the last few months." She ran her hands over Jade's sides, and gave her ribs a little tickle. "It's become fashionable to admire you."

Lazy blue eyes regarded her, "It's all your fault." Jade tilted her head and claimed a kiss. "What you haven't done for my reputation…" She laced her fingers behind Tori's neck as the tanner woman fell against her, and Tori's hand roamed slowly down her body, tracing her curves .

"I just tell people the truth." Tori murmured , as she felt a powerful thigh slip between hers, and the scrubber tickled over her suddenly oversensitive skin.

"The whole truth?" Jade whispered in her ear playfully, nibbling a tasty earlobe.

"Well…" Tori laughed faintly, as the sensation shot a jolt right through her groin. "I leave out a few details."

"Ah." Jade slid a hand lower. "Like that?"

"Uhhhh… yeah."

A nibble. "And that?"

"Oh… definitely."

Jade chuckled deep in her throat.

"Okay, we're set for tomorrow, right, Dre?" Tori held the phone against her ear with one shoulder while she neatly removed two fish fillets from the oven. "I'm telling you right now though that bowling is not a skill of mine."

"Who cares?" Andre laughed. "It's disco bowling.. just the gang.. they want to see you like crazy, Tor, and no one takes it seriously."

"Okay." Tori smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"Think Jade'll be interested?"

Tori stuck her head out around the kitchen door and regarded the athletic form sprawled on the couch with a Labrador tucked between her knees. "Jade, how do you feel about bowling?"

A lazy eyelid opened, revealing a slightly astonished blue eye. "Bowling?"

"Mm.. Andre and my old gang invited me out tomorrow… it's disco bowling, you know."

The other eye appeared. "Disco bowling? No, I don't' know."

"She's never heard of disco bowling, Dre." Tori announced into the receiver.

"Figures." Her friend replied, with a chuckle. "It's in the dark, mostly.. and they put flurecent stripes down, and there's music…"

"Okay..okay..hold on." Tori covered the mouthpiece. "We're going to be in the dark, throwing large, round, heavy objects and trying not to kill each other."

Both eyebrows lifted. "Oh.. I wouldn't miss that for anything." Jade responded seriously. "Do they serve alcohol?"

"They have a bar there, Dre?"

"Jaden straight." Andre told her cheerfully. "And a junk food snack counter."

"She's there." Tori grinned. "Eight, right? It'll be great just to fool around after all the junk that's been happening at work… and I can't wait to see the guys." She'd made it a point to get together frequently with Andre, but had only seen the rest of the Buzz bunch twice. "I hear Ray got a buzz cut."

"Omigod." Andre sighed exaggeratedly. "You have no idea… he looks like someone ran his head over with a lawnmower. You have to promise not to laugh."

"I promise." Tori replied solemnly. "See you tomorrow." She hung up the phone and put it down. "Dinner's done."

"Mm… so I smell." Jade hauled her body up out of the couch's comfortable embrace and stood, tugging down her barely decent t-shirt and ambling over to where Tori was standing. "Disco bowling, huh?"

Tori sucked in a pleasant breath full of clean cotton and warm skin. "Hmm?" She looked up. "Oh.. yeah, well… it's mindless… just something everyone can do that isn't miniature golf." She patted Jade on the side. "C'mon… I'm hungry, and I know you must be."

Jade followed her agreeably, retrieving a pair of plates from the cupboard and holding them as Tori removed the fish from their pan and settled them on the china. "Mm.. nice, healthy fish."

"Uh huh." Tori gave her a wry look. "Stuffed with crabmeat and covered in parmesan… but life's a compromise, right?"

A wicked chuckle. "Right." Jade took both plates, additionally adorned with a baked potato each into the dining room and set them on the table. Tori followed her with a couple of glasses and a bottle of apple juice, which she poured as they settled down to eat.

Jade applied herself seriously to her potato, making very sure that every square inch of the inoffensive vegetable was covered in substances designed to disguise its taste.

"Jade.. why don't you just eat spoonfuls of sour cream, bacon bits, and cheddar cheese?" Tori wryly asked. "Wouldn't it be faster?"

"You mean it isn't healthier this way?" The blue eyes opened in mock innocence. "I could put pineapple bits on it."

"Ew." Tori winced.

Jade grinned, and handed over the handy carrier with the toppings on it. Tori peered at it, then sighed and helped herself to them. "You are so subversive."

It had become a friendly, comfortable banter between them, with Tori virtuously trying to ensure neither of them got scurvy, and Jade persisting on finding the darndest ways to circumvent her.

Not that it didn't have an effect, the brunette conceded, since she at least managed to keep her wife from eating cheeseburgers and fries every night... what she cooked was mostly very healthy, and she'd convinced Jade to ease off on her consumption of sugar and coffee.

Of course, she wisely kept her paws off the sacred ice cream, however. Tori smiled to herself as she watched her wife methodically decimate her fish, breaking off bitefulls and alternating them with scoops of her potato. . "Listen… seriously, Jade…"

"Were we being serious?" Jade glanced up, inquisitively. "This is wonderful, by the way."

"Thanks.. and no, but.. listen, don't feel you have to do the bowling thing tomorrow if you don't want to... I know you always feel a little weird around those guys." Tori nibbled a piece of her fish.

Jade ate in silence for a minute or two, considering. "No... I… " She paused, and put her fork down, picking up her glass and taking a sip of her juice. "They're fine… I had a good time the last time we went out with them." She admitted. "And if Ankow's going to be up to his tricks all day.. I'll be ready for some mindless playing around."

"Mm." Tori nodded. "Good point."

"Too bad we can't get him to go." Jade remarked. "Dark place like that.. bowling balls can get out of control pretty easily."

"Oo."

"He was an Army Ranger."

Tori blinked. "How'd you find that out.. Sinjin's stuff come back?"

"He told me." Jade exhaled. "I wasn't sure whether he was trying to impress me or scare me… needless today, he didn't get much satisfaction either way." She shook her head.

"Maybe you could introduce him to dad." The brown eyes took on a wicked twinkle, then sobered. "Wait.. was he threatening you, Jade?"

A half shake of the dark head. "No… well..." Jade sucked on her fork. "Hard to say… it was more of a… " She paused and thought hard. "It was more like… he was trying to intimidate me."

"Why?"

"Part of his game, I guess." Jade shrugged. "I gave it right back to him… I don't intimidate easily. but damn, he gave me the creeps."

"Hm." Tori slowly broke off a bit of potato and chewed it. "Ick."

They finished dinner and retired to the living room, cuddling on the couch and sharing a piece of Tori's tiramisu. "Mm.. did you spike this?"

"A little." The brunette grinned. "Do you like it?"

Jade nodded, and put her arms around Tori as she flipped channels, settling on the Discover Channel. "Oh… it's that extreme whatever show.. hey, aircraft carriers.. I used to have a model of that one."

"Yeah?" Tori fed her a spoonful of pastry.

"Yeah.. used to be a hobby." Jade sighed.

"Mm." Tori smiled to herself.