Jade West pulled up outside the small pre-school situated down the street from Hollywood Arts High School. Grabbing her messenger bag from the passenger seat she swung her booted feet out of the car and ran into the reception area of the school.

"Hey Sally, sorry I'm so late I had rehearsal. Is he mad?" The receptionist greeted her with a familiar smile and nodded. Jade proceded into one of the colourful classrooms leading off from the lobby. Quietly she walked towards the small, pale, dark haired child sitting in the corner. She squatted down in front of him so their eyes were level.

"I'm so sorry kiddo, I tried to get away on time but my crazy teacher forced me to stay." The boy looked down avoiding eye contact with her so she tucked her middle and 1st finger under his chin and gently lifted his face so he was looking at her.

"Go away Jadey, I'm really angry at you." She couldn't help but smile at his blatant show of anger but she knew she had yet to win him over.

"So you don't want to see what I got you then?" The little boy perked up and tilted his head questioningley at her.

"I do wanna see! I'm not really mad, Jadey pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaseeeeeee!" Jade chuckled and stood up straight picking the young boy up under his arms allowing him to link his tiny legs around her waist clinging to her.

"Oh so now your not mad?" He shook his head ferociously. "Okay, well I might have just got you something you've always wanted..."

"A DINOSAUR!"

"No... even better... I've got tickets to... Disneyland in Florida!" Jade laughed as the little boy started to bop up and down on her hip.

"Really Jadey, just you and me?"

"Well, I have three tickets so we're going to have to figure out who else to take, okay?"

"Okay, lets take someone that we love though Jadey, not someone mean!"

"Of course you little monkey... we'll take someone that we love."

Jade picked up the boys tiny backpack and carried him to the car. She strapped him into the booster seat and told him to wait for her. She then went back to talk to Sally, the receptionist in charge of school fee's and after-school child care.

"Sally I'm so sorry. I really am. I know he gets so worried when I don't show up on time. I really did try my best to get here.

"Jade don't worry, we understand that you're always going to need extra support when it comes to Chase and we're happy to oblige!" Sally pulled Jade into a sympathetic hug and Jade reluctantly accepted it

"Sometimes I think maybe I'm taking on to much here. I love Chase so much and I'll always be there for him but its so hard to live my life as well, you know? ... But I wouldn't give him up for the world." Sally nodded in understanding. Financially Jade West was fine when it came to Chase's, it was just time that she was short of.

After Jade had filled in some forms and said goodbye to Sally she drove home with the now sleeping Chase in the back. When she pulled up outside her apartment building she was thankful to see that her neighbors cars were not there. They always judged her whenever she was with Chase. Not that she cared, but she didn't feel like dealing with their stares today.

She carried Chase up in the elevator and into the apartment, laying him carefully on the giant squishy sofa, removing his shoes and jacket before covering him with a blanket. She then emptied his backpack and organised its contents before doing the same with her own. She had managed to do most of her homework in her free periods that day so she had enough time to clean the house before Chase woke up. Once he had she made them both some dinner and snuggled down with him on her lap to watch Finding Nemo before bed. After the movie had finished she bathed him and got him dressed for bed tucking him down tightly in the tiny room next to her own.

"When are we going to Disneyland Jadey...?" Chase yawned drowsily.

"In 3 weeks little man..."

"That's not that long is it, Jadey?"

"No not too long, but you have to sleep now so the time will go quicker, okay? And you know all your dreams will be filled with Nemo tonight?" The little boy nodded in response too tired to reply. "I love you through the sky, past the stars and to the moon and back." she said kissing his forehead tenderly.

"And I love you through the ground, past the lava and to the center of the earth and back Jadey." he murmured into his pillow sleepily. Jade smiled at their little ritual before slowly creeping out of the room turning on the blue starry night light and pulling the door to so it was only open a crack.

She crept into her own room and got ready for bed, sinking into the soft sheets with exhaustion.

oooOOOooo

The next day after she had dropped Chase off at school she grabbed a Starbucks before driving to school. As she trundled into Sikowitz's class sleepily she glanced around the room looking for a seat. She rolled her eyes in annoyance when she saw the only free chair was next to Vega. That girls happiness and energy always beamed way to bright in the mornings.

"Hey Jade, you alright?"

"I'm fine Vega stop talking to me." Thankfully Sikowitz entered through the window and started the class before Tori could respond.

The day went by like any other. Jade managed to cram in all her homework during her free's and lunch, she aced the pop quiz Mr Jenkins surprised them with in History and she scared Sinjin so badly he pee'd his pants. However one thing had gone horribly... her physics test. She had flunked it completely and was sent to see Lane.

"Jade I can't understand why you failed the test? You can do every other subject under the sun apart from physics?"

"Lane. I'm not even going to bother arguing with you. I just suck at Physics, no matter how hard I try."

"Okay Jade, since you think that I propose we try to fix it... your going to be tutoured by the best Physics student at Hollywood Arts."

"Whatever Lane, if you really want some nerd to pee his pants teaching me everyday then so be it, but it has to be in school time..."

"No, I'm sorry Jade but this is going to have to be extra-curricular... you must be tutored in your own time." Jade's face fell. She couldnt do it. Chase needed her and he came first.

"Sorry then, I cant do it."

"Jade, I'm very sorry but you really don't have a choice... you need to get your Physics grade to at least a C if you want to return to Hollywood Arts next year." Jade's jaw dropped, how did she not know you could be kicked out for failing ONE class!

"URGH FINE. Tell your little geek to meet me by my car at the end of the day. If they're not there in ten minutes after school finishes I'm leaving without them." And with that she stormed out.

After last period Jade walked into the parking lot to see Tori Vega leaning against her car. She approached her menacingly aiming to get her away before the tutor came and Tori found out about Jade flunking Physics.

"Get away from my car Vega. I have places to be you know."

"Jade... urgh God... I can't believe I agreed to this... but Jade I'm you new Physics tutor." Jade gaped at Tori. Oh dear Lord, Vega was a nerd. She silently unlocked her car and got in waiting for Vega to get in the passenger seat.

"Vega are you coming or what?" she shouted out of her window at a frozen Vega on the pavement. Blinking rapidly Tori came out of her daze and got into the car next to Jade.

"Your not going to kill me are you?" Jade scoffed at Vega's actually nervous face.

"No Tori, I'm not going to kill you, now buckle up so we can go." Tori's face lit up with Jades use of her first name and she strapped herself in without hesitiation.

The pair sat in silence as Jade drove to Chase's school. Tori hadn't a clue where they were going and didn't dare ask and Jade was just trying to figure out how to keep Tori from seeing Chase. Know one knew about him, not even Beck and she didn't plan on ruining that anonymity now. When they pulled up outside the pre-school Tori raised her eyes brows in surprise.

"You want me to teach you Physics at a pre-school?" Jade nodded in reply before pulling Tori out of the car, hurriedly past Sally's questioning face and into an empty classroom.

"Vega, stay here and I'll be back in a second okay, I just got to.. urm get some paper to write my notes on." Tori nodded although confused and plonked herself down on a minature chair at a minature desk as Jade ran out of the room shutting the door behind her. She quickly explained the situation to Sally before going in to see Chase.

"JADEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY! You came on time!" Chase ran across the classroom on tiny legs and threw his minute self into Jade's open arms. His skinny little arms and legs wrapped themselves tightly around her.

"Sure did monster, couldn't leave you here alone could I?" He shook his head and she kissed him on his forehead and cheeks. "Did you have fun at school today sweetie?"

"Yeah... guess what we did? We painted and guess what I painted? Me and you at Disneyland. LOOK LOOK!" He shoved the painting in her face and she took it from him looking at it. It showed Jade and Chase holding hands standing next to something that vaguely resembeled Mickey Mouse. It completely melted her heart.

"This is the best painting I've ever seen, can I have it, Hun?" Chase beamed at her compliment and nodded so fast Jade thought his head was going to come off. Laughing, she set him down on one of the beanbags used for naptime at the back of the room.

"Jadey has to do something at your school for a little bit so you have to promise me your going to take a nap here now?"

"Okay Jadey... if you want me to." She took off her leather jacket and covered his curled up form with it before kneeling down beside him and stoking his raven hair until he drifted off. She then returned to Vega consicious that she had been gone at least 15 minutes.

"Sorry Vega I couldn't find any paper...Vega? VEGA!" Tori was startled from her sleep by Jade's shouts.

"Jeeez, you were gone ages, how did you not find any paper? There's a draw right over there labelled 'lined paper'?" Jade shrugged and sat down opposite Tori at the tiny table.

After around an hour of Physics Jade noticed that Tori kept peering over her head and through the class door but whenever she turned to look she couldn't see anything.

"Vega what the heck are you staring at, there's nothing there?!"

"I thought I saw a little boy walk past, he looked really sad and lost." Tori flinched back as Jade ran out of the room widley looking around the empty lobby. Tori followed her intrigued by her odd actions but Jade didn't care, she needed to find Chase and make sure he was okay. She started by looking in the classroom she had left him sleeping in and started to panic when all she found was her jacket on the floor. Horrible thoughts shot through her head as she imagined Chase being kidnapped or worse. She was interrupted from her frantic search of the classroom by Tori's voice out in the hall.

"Hey there little one, you look kinda lost, are you alright?"

"I'm not sure, I was sleeping and I forgot where I was." A little voice replied nervously.

Jade ran out into the hall full pelt and scooped Chase up into her arms, squeezing him tightly and showering him with kisses. Tori just stared at the pair in shock and confusion.

"Jadeeeyy I fought I was lost and I got really scared..." The little boy wriggled his face into the crook of Jade's neck amongst her long dark hair.

"Its okay baby, its okay. Jadey's here now. You're not lost, everythings alright." Jade comforted him. It wasn't until she was sure he was asleep again in her ams did she look back up at Tori.

"Um, Jade..."

"Look Tori, before you say anything just let me explain. This is my little brother Chase, he's five years old and I've looked after him his whole life because my mum left right after he was born and my dad moved to Europe practically disowning us both. He doesn't acknowledge our existence apart from sending us money." She looked anxiously up at Tori to see how she would react to her secret.

"Thats so amazing of you Jade..." Jade smiled, pleasantly surprised that Tori hadn't run away screaming. But then Tori Vega wasn't one to be afraid of other peoples issues. She's too nice and beautiful and funny.

Okay, so Jade had a huge crush on Tori Vega. Why do you think she was so mean to her? She was just trying to oppress the ever growing feelings she had for the half-Latina beauty. Maybe she wasn't handling her feelings in the best way but she already had enough in her life to worry about and although dating Tori Vega would be the best thing in the entire world, she was sure it also came with stress and bad things. She couldn't manage raising Chase, succeeding in her own career and loving Tori enough to satisfy her. So she didn't and never would...

Tori stepped closer to Jade and went to stroke the little boys cheek with a finger but Jade pulled back instinctlvely protective of the infant nestled in her arms. Tori nodded in acceptance.

"Tori, I'm sorry its just..."

"I understand, you love him and you don't want anyone to hurt him. Its a motherly instinct Jade, its fine." Jade cringed at the downfallen look on Tori's face. She knew she was just trying to be nice and open to Jade's life, but Jade was to scared of hurt and rejection to let anyone in. Especially let anyone get close to Chase.

But then on the other hand she wanted to let Tori in so baldy, she was tired of keeping her secret to herself and if anyone had to be a part of it, she wanted it to be Tori. With that decided she gently moved closer to Tori and grabbed her hand gently placing her own over the back of Tori's bringing it up to Chase's sleeping form allowing her to softly run a finger down his smooth pudgy cheeks.

oooOOOooo

That night when she got home Tori Vega ran to her room and collasped onto her bed. Jade West had actually let her in. She had told her the biggest secret she had and then had let her become part of the secret. Tori was buzzing.

Chase and Jade's relationship was adorable and Tori was so proud to have been allowed to interact with him, the one thing Jade loved most in the whole world. The worry and concern Jade had shown when Chase was missing and the relief and love she had felt when he was found only made Tori's feelings for her stronger.

Tori had been in love with Jade the first second she had laid eyes on her and the fact she was responsible for a child didn't scare her away anymore than Jade's antics over the last two years had.

Lost in her thoughts she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Tori, remember not to tell anyone about today. We need to have a serious talk when I'm less pre-occupied. Meet me at Nozu's during fourth period tomorrow. - Jade

Tori quickly typed back a reply.

I would never tell anyone Jade! I'll be there. :{) - Tori xo