Sheri is getting on my nerves... I can't wait till she gets hers.

Fourteen

Michelle found a corner, and put them both in it. "Can I ask what your damn problem is?" She fumed. "Damn it, I'm trying to build something we can use here. "

Shari glared back at her. "It's all bullshit!" She said. "Can't you see what they're trying to do? We spent how many months putting together a campaign, getting new clients, digging a wedge into them. We're going to blow it if we let them steal the spotlight!"

Michelle ran her hands through her hair. "Shari.. Shari… you're not seeing straight. Look at them." She turned her companion around and pointed. "How in the hell would you like to remove them from the spotlight?"

"You should have let me alone! If I kept at them…"

"If you kept at them… "Michelle gritted her teeth. "You were going to get your clock cleaned any minute. Didn't you see that look you were getting? You're the one who used to sleep with her.. I'd have thought you'd clue into that."

Shari made a disgusted sound. "Psycho."

"Hey." Michelle patted her arm. "It's not psycho to go after someone who's taking potshots at your significant other. You were being obnoxious."

"I wasn't."

"You were." The shorter woman exhaled. "So just cool it. Go back to the booth and schmooze. Let me deal with those two. At least I can have some sort of conversation with Vega. Besides.. I want to see whatever it is they're developing – that sounds like technology we can't afford to ignore."

Shari glared at the WesTrek booth, then she shrugged. "Whatever."

"Just stop antagonizing them." Michelle's voice gentled. "You just keep pushing them, and they push back. WesTrek could cover our budget in West's lunch money. So let's back off, and see what they're going to do next. Last thing we want is for them to come gunning for us"

"We can handle it."

"Technologically, no we can't." Michelle told her, with a wry twist to her lips. "Our strength is small, personalized niches, and accounts where we can compete with them based on skinny margins. When it comes to the big silicon… baby, we're recycled glass."

Her taller companion stuck her hands in the pockets of her skirt. "I want to keep them off balance." She said seriously. "Jade likes to control what's going on. She doesn't do well when she has to improvise."

Michelle studied the lanky, dark haired form lurking behind Tori's seated figure. "I don't know about that." She disagreed. "But at any rate, go on back to the booth and let me do my thing. I'm the nerd, and it'll be up to me to find a way to give us enough technology to get a leg up on these guys while you dazzle them with the savings they'll get."

"Mmph. Okay." Shari finally agreed. "I guess I just sometimes look at Jade , and I see that grotty kid I actually slept with in the depths of my stupid youth. I can't adjust my focus to believe this is actually a CIO of a major Tech company. I just can't."

Michelle patted her arm again. "Well, I first met her that way, so it's easier for me. G'wan." She gave Shari a push, watching as she reluctantly retreated to their smaller, but snazzy looking booth. She started back towards her target, but stopped when Peter Quest stepped into her path unexpectedly. "Oh, hello."

"Well, Ms. Graver, how are you?" Quest seemed quite pleased with himself. "Ready for a challenge?"

"Absolutely." She assured him. "We're very confident we can put together a package for you that'll knock your socks off."

He chuckled. "You'd better." He turned and indicated the crowd around WesTrek. "It's going to take a lot of snaz to knock them off. Hope your lean, mean, cost savings machine's up to it." With a grin, he sauntered off, clasping his hands behind his back as he paused to listen to Tori's smooth, New English voice.

"Shit." Michelle cursed. "I thought he said they'd turned him down. What in hell changed…. "She paused in mid mutter, and her eyes narrowed. "Oh, brother. We probably just shot ourselves in the kneecap. Damn it."

"Did you say something, ma'am?" A passing usher inquired. "Need directions?"

"I need a tranquilizer. Got any?" She responded. "No, huh?" She watched the usher retreat in confusion. "Damn, damn, damn." Once they'd accepted the bid challenge, her focus had been to defuse the rising tension between them, and even though she hadn't expected either Jade or Tori to rise to her offer of employment, she'd counted on the gambit altering their relationship enough to make them feel a little wary of head to head competition.

Quest had been so damn sure. Pissed off, in fact, at how he'd been treated and she'd taken quick advantage of that in arranging their position as the prime bidder on his contract.

So what had changed? Michelle's eyes narrowed, remembering suddenly Tori's altered attitude on coming into the hall that morning. If the Latina had possessed a ruff, in fact, she was sure it would have bristled. She drummed her fingers on her thigh.

Tori finished up her presentation, to applause from the her audience. Jade lounged behind her like a well dressed eagle, one hand never far from her partner's shoulder. As though sensing it, Tori half turned and bumped the taller woman with her shoulder, grinning at her with almost intimate warmth.

"Jade 's having 'Hi, I'm an WesTrek HacTor" shirts made up." Tori announced. "I don't think they'll be ready before the show ends though."

"Aww." The Tech TV reporter chuckled. "That was a real hot question yesterday. Did you do that on purpose, Ms. West? You've been accused of being too conservative, you know."

Both of Jade 's eyebrows hiked. "Me?" She drawled. "Buddy, I've been called a lot of things by a lot of people…that ain't one of them."

The crowd laughed with her.

"WesTrek." The reporter restated, with a tolerant smile.

Jade perched on the corner of the desk Tori was sitting at, letting both powerful hands rest on her knee. "No, I really didn't." Her voice altered, going a touch more serious. "It was something that came out of the discussion we were having. It isn't something I've ever hidden, but on the other hand, it's not something we put in the shareholder's folio every year either. It comes down to having the right skill sets in the right places all the time. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, but I would never not hire someone with that skill set just because it might be viewed as radical."

Tori took a breath, having run out while listening to one of the longest single bits of speech she'd ever heard her partner make.

"I think most of us view hacTors as something bad." The reporter conceded.

"Sometimes they are." Jade agreed. "But the really good ones also have a spirit of discovery, and a hunger for gaining knowledge that in my business, sir, is priceless."

Wow. Tori blinked. I like that. She cocked her head and looked up at Jade 's profile. "You know, you're about the best example of that I've ever seen."

Startled, Jade turned and met her eyes, a hesitant grin tugging at her lips. "Thanks."

The room faded out for a single moment.

Then the air conditioning cycled on, and buzzers next to them went off, and another question was shouted at them from the crowd. Jade swiveled back around and answered it after a brief hesitation, leaving Tori to rest her elbows on the counter to simply watch and listen.

She spotted Michelle near the corner where two walls joined, also watching, but there was no longer any sign of Shari. Tori gave Michelle a point for good sense in getting her out of the room, because she'd seen Jade 's face as she'd come up behind her heckler.

Oo. She'd been pissed. Shari's obnoxious comments hadn't really bothered Tori that much – she'd seen much worse in both takeover bids, and competing boardrooms. But she found Jade 's protective instincts charming in the extreme and she was glad to know she could always count on that solid, forceful backup whenever she needed it.

"So that's really all we have to say for the moment." Jade concluded. "You guys better go pay everyone else some attention."

The television lights went out, and the crowd slowly started to disperse, talking among themselves as Jade eased off the desk and dropped into the chair next to Tori instead. "Ever tell you how much I hate trade shows?" She uttered under her breath.

"Right back atcha." Tori smiled pleasantly at the passing throngs. "Boy, will I be glad when five o'clock gets here. Can I interest you in dinner and a beer after that, boss?"

"Mmmmmm." Jade rumbled low in her throat. "I have a taste for Mexican. Want to go pavilion hopping with me at Epcot?"

Tori found the irritation of the morning slipping away. "If we can have dessert in France, sure." She agreed. "And you buy me that beer in Germany."

Jade leaned back and laced her fingers behind her neck. "You're on, Yankee." She agreed. "I'm gonna send our crew back to the hotel once we shut down. Let someone else clean this crap up – I gave the bar manager over there my credit card to get them all plastered."

"Jade ." Tori covered her eyes. "That's so responsible of you."

A shrug. "They're not driving." Her partner replied unrepentantly. "They deserve it. They worked their asses off." She paused and leaned over, touching Tori's arm. "Did you talk to any of them yet?"

Tori shook her head slightly. "Didn't think this was the place." She said. "I could pull them out one at a time… might make for a lot more entertaining afternoon for me than it would otherwise."

"Do it." Jade said. "I'll cover this joint."

"Let me get my paperwork." Tori got up and headed for the locked switch cabinet, where she'd stowed her likewise locked briefcase. "Is there a little room.. oh, yeah, I see it. Over there near the entrance."

Jade nodded.

Tori removed a folder from her case and closed the cabinet back up. Then she stood and went to the first of their techs, sitting at one of the smaller consoles. "John? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

The dark haired man glanced up at her, surprised. "Sure.. um.."

"C'mon." Tori took him by the elbow, and led him out of the booth, giving the rest of the techs now very alertly watching her a smile. "You all are next. Don't worry."

Jade watched the guys after her partner walked out of earshot from the corner of her eyes. They were plainly bewildered, but none of them looked particularly worried.

Now, if it'd been her doing it…..

"All right, West."

Jade tilted her head to one side, making eye contact with the aggressive questioner in gray whom she'd thought had moved on to more interesting things. "Ye..s?" She moderated her usual response.

The man stepped up into the booth and flipped a card at her. Jade picked it up and looked at it, noted the Army insignia then flipped it back to him. "Something I can do for you, Captain Mousser?"

The man turned one of the chairs around and sat on it, folding his arms across the back and studying her with bright, alert eyes. "Yeah. Let's talk. You ever play G.I Joe as a kid?"

Jade blinked. "What?"

The captain grinned at her. "Wanna get to play with more cool toys than your company could afford in twenty years?"

Oh… Jade groaned inwardly. I've got a bad, bad feeling about this…..

Tori settled back in her seat and watched a loaded boat drift by, with two giggling girls in the front and two necking teenagers in the back. She found herself wondering if they were all related, and it reminded her somehow of her much younger years.

They'd never gone to Disney World, but they had gone to a couple of smaller thrill parks up north, usually with some of her mother's staff to keep an eye on them. Tori remembered one such afternoon, in the fall, when the crisp air had made everything seem bright and fresh to her. She, Shelby and Trina had shared a fried dough pastry covered in white powdered sugar, and she'd finally coaxed her sister to come with her on the tall roller coaster.

Trina hadn't enjoyed it at all, she recalled ruefully. She'd ridden the coaster again by herself, but somehow it wasn't the same and by the next year… Tori dismissed the thought and shook her head, taking a sip of her beer instead.

Jade would go on roller coasters with her, and enjoy them, wouldn't she? "Jade?"

"Yeeeess?"

"How do you feel about thrill rides?"

"Yes." Her partner responded instantly. "They don't have enough of them here."

"Heh." Tori took another sip of her beer and smirked. "We should try Universal next time. They've got some killer coasters."

"You got it."

Just the answer she wanted to hear. Tori exhaled in satisfaction, casting her eyes around their surroundings with an agreeable smile.

They were inside the Mexican pavilion, where the air was cool and dry, and the lighting a perpetual twilight. It was calm and peaceful, and the scent of Mexican spices filled the air. The restaurant was only half full, and they had a table in the corner with a good view of the 'river' all to themselves.

It was nice. Tori crossed her denim covered ankles under the table, glad beyond words she was out of her suit and into the jeans and light t-shirt she was currently wearing.

She'd noticed a tendency in herself lately to have less and less affection for the formal business clothing they wore at the office, and at functions like this. Though she never had minded dressing up, and she was self aware enough to acknowledge the vanity of liking how she looked in the neatly tailored fabric, she'd found herself looking forward to shedding them at the end of the day in favor of the softer cottons and denim they both favored at home.

Tori let her hand rest on her thigh, smoothing her thumb over the faded blue surface with an absent smile.

Across the table from her, similarly attired, Jade was studying the menu with half closed blue eyes. "Hey." She interrupted her companion's ruminations again.

"Mm?" Jade looked past the writing at her. "Are you as glad as I am that's over?"

Tori grinned wholeheartedly. "You bet, Dixiecup." She lifted her beer, waited for Jade to do the same, then touched her glass to her partner's. "Here's to a sort of successful trade show."

Jade took a long swallow before she set her mug down. "I think it was successful." She tendered her opinion thoughtfully. "For the company. For us it was just one huge pain in the ass."

"Except the dive." Tori reminded her. "And that first day. That was fun."

"Uh huh."

"And tonight." Tori reached across the table and fit her fingers around Jade's, giving them a gentle squeeze. "And you know, last night was pretty cool too."

A twinkle grew in Jade's eyes.

"So really, it was just the sixteen whatever hours we had to spend in that hall that tanked." Tori concluded. "And since it's tonight, and I know tonight's gonna be great, to hell with it." She glanced up as their waiter arrived, giving them both a smile. "Hi."

"Buenas Noches, Senorita." The boy greeted her cheerfully. "What can I get for you lovely ladies this evening?"

"Two of these, two of these, and one of this." Jade pointed at her menu. "And two more of these in a few minutes." She indicated the beer.

"Got it, thank you." The waiter took the menu and disappeared.

Jade stretched in her chair, then slid down, extending her long legs under the table. She cradled her mug in her hands, sipping slowly at it as she watched the restaurant fill at a very leisurely pace. Few families, she noted, more couples who seemed to be enjoying the low light, and the pavilion's romantic atmosphere.

She tilted her head slightly and let Tori come into her line of sight, admiring the nice gilded tinge the warm illumination brought to her skin. Her partner's attention was still on the river, so she had a few peaceful moments to simply look at her, and enjoy the view.

Tori must have sensed it, one hand coming up to fiddle with her hair and riffle it back over her ear on the side facing Jade. It was an endearing bit of self consciousness, and Jade responded to it by dropping her hand beneath the table and finding Tori's knee to give a light squeeze.

Her partner turned her head and rested her chin on her fist. "Will you ride on the boat with me after dinner?" She asked.

"If we sit in the back seat." Jade drawled. "Sure."

Tori grinned. "You know, I was just thinking about the last time we were here."

"Mm.. that food festival was a blast."

"I had so much fun." Tori said. "I hadn't had that much fun with anyone for years, Jade. Years." She flexed the fingers of her free hand in front of her, the light catching on the ring on her finger. They'd both suddenly found themselves wearing them, after keeping them on neck chains for so long, and neither of them had really discussed why yet.

Just one morning, she'd put hers on, and later on that day, when she'd been in a meeting with Jade she'd looked up across the conference table and caught the flash as she moved her papers. Weird. Synergistic in a way she didn't quite understand, but somehow also very comforting.

Maybe they'd find time later to talk about it.

"Years? Me either." Jade replied. "I remember sitting at the Pub looking across the table at you halfway through dinner, and realizing I just never wanted to leave that day."

"Really?"

Jade nodded. "Remember when we were talking about IPv6?"

Tori chuckled. "Yes."

"I think I fell in love with you right then." Jade smiled easily, laughing when she saw the blush creep up Tori's neck. "No, that's not really true."

"No?"

"No." Jade rested her head against her fist. "I did that when I saw you the very first time, in that old office of yours." She admitted. "There I was, standing in that doorway, just staring at you like I'd just seen my first multipartitioned disk array."

Tori indulged in the memory willingly. "I remember that moment." She murmured. "I remember it being just such a lousy day… after Robert had told me what was going on, and with all those people looking at me.. depending on me to protect them." Her lips parted as a sigh trickled out. "And it was just a lousy day for me anyway.. I'd talked to my parents the night before, and they'd put all kinds of pressure on me to get out of San Francisco."

"Grr."

"Mm." The brunette nodded wryly. "Then the whole office gang went to lunch that day, and invited me to go along. I really wanted to, but I stayed there with my carrots instead."

"And met me."

"And met you." Tori agreed. "No matter how nasty that was, boy… let me tell you, I knew something happened to me the minute I picked my head up and looked into those baby blues. You were the only thing I thought about for the rest of that day." She reached over and tangled her fingers with Jade's again. "My heart jumped every time I saw an email from you come into my inbox."

Jade smiled at her.

Tori smiled back, and they both dissolved into silent laughter. "We're a couple of mooney saps, you know that?"

"Yeah." Jade admitted. "But I don't give a damn."

"Me, either." Tori straightened up as the waiter returned, putting down the appetizers Jade had ordered them. She handed over her now empty mug, and settled her napkin on her lap neatly as she surveyed the tasty plate of nachos and other small Mexican treats. "Mm. Looks good."

Jade selected a morsel and nibbled it. "Couple things I forgot to tell you before we left."

Tori looked up from a piled high nacho, caught halfway into a bite. Her eyebrows did the talking for her, rising up sharply in question.

"Alastair called."

"Ah." Tori swallowed and wiped her lips with her napkin. "Is he mad?"

Jade shook her head. "No." She toyed with the tortilla in her fingers. "Well, he was, but after I talked to him for a while he chilled out. But.. um…"

Uh oh. Tori could see the fidgets already starting. "What's up?"

Her partner set the chip down and leaned back, resting her hands on the chair arms. "I told him about the ship bid." She said, pausing when the waiter returned with two frosty mugs for them. He set the glasses down and gave them both inquiring looks.

"Everything okay here, ladies?"

"Just fine, thanks." Tori almost sat on her hands to prevent herself from shooeing him away. She waited for him to leave, then scooted her chair closer to Jade. "And?"

"He wants me… wants us, to personally do the bid."

Tori blinked. She looked around at the restaurant, then focused back on her partner's angular face. "Yeeeah… and? That's a problem? We were going to do that anyway."

"Right." Jade agreed. "It's not a problem… but he pretty much told me he expects me to deliver the contract, no matter what."

Tori sat back and drew one knee up, circling it with her arms as she puzzled the statement out. "Okay." She finally said. "And this is news, either? Jade, he always expects miracles from you." A crease formed across her brow. "You think it's going to be an issue?"

Jade took a sip of her beer. "Not really, no."

Her companion rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Okay, so what's the problem, sweetheart?" She asked, in a soft voice. "If that's not the problem, what is?"

"I got recruited." The dark haired woman leaned closer, and lowered her voice.

"Again? Jesus! I thought we told that guy to back off, and Michelle said…" Tori straightened indignantly.

"Not by Telegenics."

"Oh."

"By the army."

Tori's jaw dropped slightly. "The army?" She repeated. "As in…the U.S Army? They want us to bid for something?"

With an expression a mix of consternation and embarrassment, Jade shook her head. "No. They want me." She poked her thumb at her own chest. "As in… enlisting."

"You?"

"Me."

"In the Army?" The Latina goggled at her. "Like.. boot camp and everything?"

"Uh huh."

Tori covered her eyes immediately . "Oh, my god." She peeked through her fingers at her partner. "You have got to be kidding me." She watched Jade shake her head solemnly. "What did you tell them? When did this happen, Jade? Where was I? I was with you most of the afternoon.. what did they do, follow you into the bathroom or something?"

Jade settled back again, at last allowing a wry chuckle to emerge. After she'd gotten over the shock of the whole damn thing, it had been sort of funny. "I told them no." She exhaled. "But he was pretty insistent. Made me take his card, and said he'd be in touch. They've got some kind of project they're looking for high level engineers for."

"Jesus."

"You were talking to the guys." Jade went on. "Maybe I can talk him into an outsource. He talked like it was happening right now, though." She mused.

"Ah." Tori picked up a chip and examined it, then munched it thoughtfully. She swallowed, washing down her mouthful with a sip of beer as she pondered. "Right now as in the same timing as the ship deal."

Jade nodded.

"So that's the problem." The brunette picked up another chip. "Was he pissed off when you said no?"

A shrug. "Damned if I cared about that… the hell if he thought I'd even consider it. We're planning a family Tor, I can'at leave now."

Tori leaned over and offered Jade a nacho, smiling a little as her partner took it from her fingers with a delicate grace. "Of course not. Did he really expect you to just drop everything.. your job, your life.. and just join the Army? That's insane, Jade."

"You got that right." Jade licked her lips. "What in the hell would I say to my *father*? He forgave me being a rebel, forgave me being gay, and forgave me becoming a yuppy. " She shuddered. "He'd never forgive me for that."

Tori dissolved into snicTors, covering her mouth hastily.

"Chase my butt down and spank me till I sang Dixie." Jade muttered, shaking her head. She leaned back as the waiter returned with a tray, setting down their main courses. "Never hear the end of it, for damn sure."

She watched Tori drop her face into her hand, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter and after a moment, she relaxed and accepted the absurdity of it all. 'What a freaking day."

What a day. Tori let her laughter run down, and then she picked her mug up and extended it, clinking it against Jade's. "Save it for tomorrow. Whatever happens, we'll just make it work, you and I." She let a smile emerge, looking right into Jade's eyes as she said the last few words. "We can do anything."

It was just what she wanted to hear. Jade felt a tension she hadn't even really been aware of slip from her shoulders as she responded to the toast, putting the new problems away for the time being. "Tonight's for us." She agreed quietly.

"For us." Tori repeated, clinking her glass a third time. "To us."

A strolling guitarist strolled up behind them, strumming a wordlessly romantic tune as the river took yet another set of lovers anonymously downstream.

Tori licked the last taste of chocolate off her lips as they strolled around the lake towards the park's entrance. The last firework had gone off overhead, and now the crowds were dispersing, the shops closing up and the park going quiet for the night.

She fit her hand into Jade's as they walked, enjoying the warm comfort as her partner's fingers closed around hers. "Too damn short a trip again."

"Mm." Jade had been humming under her breath. Now she turned her head towards Tori. "Here, you mean?"

"Uh huh. I want a few more days to play at the water parks, and ride Space Mountain, and go to the Animal Kingdom… there's just so much we didn't get to do." Tori griped mournfully. "We spent too much time being stressed and aggravated by those jerks."

"Well." Jade tipped her head back, regarding the few, thick clouds drifting over the stars. "We've still got tomorrow. We've got the car, and no schedule to stick to." She replied. "I have to get the official bid proposal from Mr. Skunk, but other than that, I'm all yours."

Tori grinned in pure reaction. "Hmm… that's okay I guess."

"You guess?" Jade laughed.

"I want more." Her partner said. "I want to spend a week with you here just playing."

"Ahhh." Jade released Tori's hand, and draped her arm over the smaller woman's shoulders instead. "That sounds pretty damn good to me, Victoria. Tell you what. Let's put that on the schedule for a couple months from now."

Tori pouted.

"Right after Thanksgiving. We'll come up here for two weeks, and do it right." Jade promised. "They'll have the Christmas lights up.. it's gorgeous."

"Yeah?" Tori was willing to be persuaded.

"And not as hot."

Despite the evening's slight breeze, and her light clothing, Tori was sweating like a pig, and she acknowledged that her wise, partner might have a point. "Wweeelll…"

"We can make the most of the time we have tomorrow." Jade continued. "We'll leave right from the park as they close… make it home by midnight or so. Okay?"

There was a note in Jade's voice that caught Tori's ear. "Sure." She curled her arm around Jade's waist. "I was sort of kidding, y'know. I do want to spend time with you here, but I know we've got work to do." Despite the night's warmth, the contact felt good. "I was just teasing."

Jade grunted softly, but didn't answer.

"Christmastime will be really pretty." Tori fished a little. "Have you been here then before?"

A nod.

They rounded the edge of the World Showcase, and started through the passage towards the park entrance before Jade spoke up again. "I'm glad you like it here." She ventured. "I used to think I was being.. ahm…." Her shoulders hunched a little in an embarrassed shrug. "Childish for liking it as much as I do."

Tori leaned against her, depending on Jade's sense of direction to keep them both from heading off into a bush. She'd had three beers, and though she wasn't drunk, there was a layer of pleasant fuzziness between her and the ground. "Shoot." She gestured at the thinning crowd around them. "Half the people here don't have kids as an excuse to be here, Jade. Everyone loves this place. It's a cultural imperative."

"Mm. Yeah." Her companion sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Hang on." Tori steered them both towards a still open wagon. "I need some of that." She pulled Jade to a halt outside the coffee booth and held up two fingers to the attendant. "You want some too, right?"

"Sure." Jade merely draped herself over Tori, resting her chin on the top of her partner's head. "It's been a long day." Her eyes lifted to study the woman getting their coffee, noting the brief grin she gave the two of them while the cups were filling. "Bet it's a longer day for you, huh?"

"Aren't they all?" The attendant replied wryly. "I think the ones in summer last at least 48 hours." She sprinkled some powdered chocolate on the top of their drinks and set them down. "But, on the other hand, it's not so busy. So.."

"Yeah." Tori handed over some cash. "It's got it's trade offs. Mine included going on Test Track twice." She grinned impishly. "Worth the sweat."

"Yeah, but you're not wearing polyester." The woman grinned back. "But it could be worse – give me cart vending any day over being a character." She said. "My friend just got done being Goofy for the day, and he was too tired to even drive home."

"All relative." Jade commented.

"Yeah." The woman agreed. "This job's pretty cool. I get to see people all day, not like my mom. She works in accounting over at the main building. All she sees is cubicle walls." She leaned on the counter. "My partner, on the other hand, is really into being one of the landscaping people. Snip snip."

Partner. Tori had always liked that term, and remembered the first time Jade had referred to her that way with great fondness.

Castro. Tori gazed around her in mild bemusement, watching the crowds saunter past the small table she and Jade were sitting at. They drew looks in return, casually appraising and she found herself more than a little self conscious there in the midst of all the trendies and tourists.

Even the always collected Jade seemed a little wary, her pale blue eyes hidden behind silvered shades as she hitched one denim covered knee up and rested an elbow on it, her sleeveless polo exposing her muscular arms to the sun.

Tori dusted a bit of pigeon down off her neatly pressed cotton short sleeved shirt and sat a little straighter. "You get down here much?" She inquired, still a little shy in their new relationship. "It's sort of fun."

"Eh." Jade fiddled with the spoon resting on her coffee plate. "Not really. It's okay, I guess. I used to hang out nearby, way back when." She gave the passing crowds a cursory glance.

"Used to?"

Jade's face scrunched up a bit. "In my wilder days." She explained. "When I first figured out what side of the street I was walking on."

Tori rested her chin on her fist. "You mean when you figured out you were gay?"

The dark eyebrows twitched. "Ah, yeah."

"But not now?"

A sigh. "No. I'm not much into the whole gay scene." Jade said. "I keep a pretty low profile."

Was Jade as ambivalent about that as she sounded? Tori wondered. She watched several more conventional couples go by, holding hands and laughing. It made her think about home, and Brian, and the times they'd just gone out together with a group of their friends somewhere.

It was different, when you were gay, wasn't it? In places like San Frasisco, you could get away with that. But not other places. Tori felt a little pang of irrational loss, as she remembered just how normal she'd felt in a restaurant or hanging out in the mall with Brian. If he'd put his arm around her, or they'd held hands, no one looked twice.

If she took Jade's hand, people would look twice, Tori realized. Better they stay, as Jade had said, low profile. No sense in sticking out.

Ah well. She looked over and studied Jade's face instead, contenting herself with the knowledge that she'd found something very special here, regardless of how the rest of the world looked at it. So what if she never got to throw a bouquet?

"Hey! Jade!"

Tori looked up to see a man and a woman approaching them. They were nicely dressed, and middle aged, and appeared pleased to see her companion.

"Hello, Marge; Charlie." Jade gestured towards the two empty chairs at their table. "Have a seat."

Tori sat quietly as they came over and sat down, wondering briefly who they were.

"How are you, Jade? Haven't seen you in years. You haven't changed much." Charlie said, with an easy grin. "Has she, Marge?"

"Not at all." The woman agreed. "That should make you feel good, Charlie, since you taught her in high school."

Oh. Ugh. Teachers. Tori folded her hands on the table and imagined them meeting some of hers back home.

Yikes. She could picture them all staring at Jade with those disapproving eyes, as she introduced her.. friend?

Hm. How did you go about introducing your significant other, if you were gay? As your girlfriend? Tori's brow creased. Your lover, and have to die from embarrassment no matter how true it was?

"I'm doing damn fine, for a change." Jade answered. "Tori, this is Charlie, my high school math teacher, and his wife Marge. Guys, this is Tori Vega."

"Hi." Tori gave them both a polite smile.

"Tori's my partner." Jade went on without missing a beat. "She's from Connecticut ."

Partner? Caught by honest surprise, Tori could only blink for a long moment, looking into the faces of these normal, ordinary middle aged people and wondering what on earth they were thinking of her.

Of them.

"Connecticut, eh?" Charlie chuckled. "Boy, are you a long way from home. I've got a cousin in New YorkI've been trying to get to move here for twenty years."

"Where in Connecticut, Tori?" Marge asked. "Have you two been together long?"

And then again, Tori let out the breath she'd been holding, sometimes you find acceptance in the places you least expect it. "No, not very long." She managed to get out. "And, um… Darien, actually, but I.." Without really thinking, she found herself reaching out for, of all things, Jade's hand. "I think I'm a lot more at home here than I ever was there."

Jade's fingers closed over hers and gave them a squeeze, punctuating the statement quite nicely.

Partner. Tori squeezed back, feeling her doubts dissolve into the late afternoon sunshine. Yeah.

"Tor?" Jade gave her a nudge. "Sleeping already?"

Tori wound her arm around Jade's waist, and bumped her back. "Nope. C'mon, partner." She picked up her coffee and saluted the attendant with it. "Thanks. Have a great night." She added, as they turned to continue on their way. "I know I will."

Jade's laughter melded with the music, confirming the night's magic and leaving tomorrow's problems for yet another day.