It has been a week since Tina moved back in to the house. She and Bette have settled in to a comfortable routine. Tina is sleeping in the guest bedroom and Bette is still sleeping on the sofa. Tina had asked Bette the first night she moved home why she was sleeping on the sofa. Bette told her that she had been sleeping there since the night she left and she would continue sleeping there until Tina was ready for them to be in their bed together. They had been back to see Dan Foxworthy again and they had talked through some more of the issues that they felt had contributed to their relationship breaking down. Bette has been kind to her and she has made sure that Tina knows where she is through out the day. She makes sure that she is home by the time that Tina comes home from work. Bette doesnt want Tina to have to wonder where she is and if there is a possibility of her being with Candace. She knows that would never happen but she feels that Tina might still believe that it could. Bette knows this is part of her repentance for what she did with Candace. Tina and Bette have not been out with Alice and company since Tina moved home. Alice had called and invited them out but they told her they werent ready to go out as a couple among the group yet. So far Tina was happy that she had moved back home but she knows that Bette has been walking on eggshells around her. Tina had been a little worried about Bette wanting more from her than she was ready to give but now she is worried because in the week she has been there Bette hasnt touched her at all. As each day passes her worries increase and she starts to think that maybe Bette has decided that she doesnt want to be with her. She thinks that maybe Bette has realized that she isnt the one she wants. She is driving herself crazy thinking maybe Bette wants to be with Candace. Tina finally reaches a point where she needs to talk to someone about how she is feeling so she calls Alice.

Alice: Hello.

Tina: Hi! Are you busy?

Alice: Nope. I am in-between articles right now so I am free as a bird.

Tina: Do you think that you could meet me for lunch?

Alice: Is there something wrong?

Tina (quietly): I dont know. I need to talk.

Alice: Okay how about the Planet?

Tina: No. How about I pick us up some food from the deli and meet you at your apartment at 11:30 a.m.

Alice: Okay. See you then.

Tina watched the clock until finally it was time for her to leave to go pick up the food and meet Alice. She got to Alices door and she knocked. It felt kind of funny to knock since she had been living there only a week ago.

Alice (opening the door): Good thing you are here. Im hungry.

Tina (holding up the sack of food): I hope you like what I brought.

Alice (digging through the sack): It smells good. So whats going on that you needed to talk?

Tina: Its Bette.

Alice: Whats she done now?

Tina: Its what she hasnt done that has me wondering if she has changed her mind about wanting me back.

Alice (confused): What are you talking about?

Tina: She hasnt even touched me since I moved back home.

Alice: Oh.

Tina: When I moved in I told her that I wasnt ready to share a bed with her. I told her that I had to be sure of what I wanted. What if she has decided that she doesnt want to be with me? Maybe she has decided that she wants to be with Candace.

Alice: You dont really believe that do you?

Tina: I dont know.

Alice: Well I would be willing to bet my bank account that you are wrong. I know that Bette loves you. Have you stopped to think that maybe you are the reason she hasnt touched you?

Tina: What are you talking about?

Alice: Well lets examine the facts. You told the woman that you werent ready to share a bed with her until you know what you want. That is understandable given your situation, but do you think that maybe she is afraid of touching you because she is waiting on you to tell her what you want. I really cant speak for Bette, but if I had a woman who was the love of my life living in my house and she told me that she wouldnt share my bed because she wasnt sure of what she wanted I would be reluctant to touch her. I would be afraid if I touched her I wouldnt want to stop with just touching especially if we hadnt made love in a while.

Tina (digesting what Alice said): I guess I didnt think about that.

Alice: I think that Bette would do anything to keep you with her.

Tina (tearing up a little): What am I supposed to do?

Alice: What do you want to do?

Tina: Honestly?

Alice: Yeah.

Tina (blushing): Part of me wants to take her in my arms, kiss her and rip her clothes off and we would make love all night long. There is another part of me though that cant let that happen. If I give in to those feelings and things dont work out I dont know how I would handle it.

Alice: I dont know if you want to hear what I think about this, but I think you have to take a chance. If you keep living in fear and are holding a part of your self back do you really think you can be happy?

Tina: No but I just dont know if I am ready.

Alice: Only you can know that.

Tina (looking at her watch): I really have to get back to work. Thanks for listening and helping me get a new perspective on things.

Alice (hugging Tina): Thats what friends are for.

Tina left Alices and headed back to work. She tried to focus on her work but it was no use. All she could think about was Bette and what Alice has said to her. She decided that tonight she would talk to Bette about what she was feeling. She managed to make it through the afternoon of work and went home to find Bette in the kitchen unloading a couple of to go cartons from her favorite restaurant. Bette hadnt heard her come in so Tina just stood there looking at the woman she loves before she says hello.

Bette: Hey you. I didnt hear you come in. I brought food from your favorite restaurant. Are you hungry?

Tina: A little. What about you?

Bette: I could eat but Im not starving. You want to wait a while?

Tina: Yeah. I want to change clothes and relax a while.

Bette: Okay. I am going to take a shower since we are going to wait to eat.

Bette heads off to the shower and Tina heads to the guest bedroom to change clothes. Tina still cant stop thinking about what Alice said to her about whether she could be happy holding part of her self back from Bette. Tina thinks about how wonderful Bette has been since they started talking again and since she moved back in. She then lets her self think about Bette being naked in the shower. Tina is trying to make up her mind what she wants and finally she decides. Tina is scared of making the wrong decision but she wants Bette in every way. She walked in to the bathroom, took off her clothes and quietly opened the shower door and walked in. Bette had her head under the spray of water and didnt hear or see Tina get in the shower with her. Tina didnt want to scare Bette so she said her name loud enough for Bette to hear her. Bette turned and was shocked to see Tina standing there naked. Tina started to walk towards Bette and when she got close enough to her she started to reach out to touch her.

Bette (unconvincingly): I dont think that you should be in here.

Tina (picking up on Bettes doubt she decides to have a little fun): I cant take a shower if I want?

Bette (she is staring at Tinas naked body): Thats not what I meant. You shouldnt be in here with me.

Tina (still having fun): I figured that you had managed to go a week without so much as touching me that my being in the shower with you would be no big deal.

Bette is thinking to her self I can do this, I can do this, just dont touch her and get the ***** out of here as fast as possible.

Bette: So uh, let me get the shampoo and you can get under the water.

Bette starts to grab the shampoo and move out from under the water when Tina touches her arm. Bette felt a jolt go through her when Tina touched her. She knew that she had to get out of there now or she would not be able to keep her hands and mouth off of Tina.

Bette (struggling with her feelings): Tina if you touch me again I wont (Tina interrupts her)

Tina (reaching out and walking her fingers up Bettes arm): You wont what?

With that Bette pulled Tina in to her arms and kissed her passionately. When they broke the kiss they both were out of breath. Bette wanted nothing more then to keep kissing Tina but she had to be sure that this is what Tina wanted.

Bette (staring into Tinas eyes): Are you sure? Because once I really start kissing you I am not going to stop until I have thoroughly made love to you.

Tina (moving in to kiss Bette): Im sure. Now shut up and kiss me.

Bette did as Tina asked but she quickly broke it off. Tina didnt understand why she had stopped.

Tina: Bette?

Bette (putting her finger against Tinas lips): Its okay. I want to make love to you in our bed. It is going to take some time and besides the shower floor and walls are cold and hard.

Tina (laughs): You do have a point.

Bette pulled Tina from the shower. She grabbed a couple of towels and handed one to Tina. She then began to gently rub the towel on Tina to dry her off and Tina did the same with her.

Bette: God T. if we dont get out of here we are going to wind up on this floor.

Tina loved it that she was able to drive Bette crazy. She took her hand and led her to the bedroom. Bette didnt make it very far into the bedroom until she was running her hands up and down Tinas body and she was kissing her. She licked at Tinas lips, begging for her to open them so that she could put her tongue in Tinas mouth. They were totally making out, tongues darting in and out of each other mouths, as they made their way over to the bed. Bette was crazy with desire but she knew she had to slow things down. She wanted to make this about Tina. She felt the need to make sure that Tina knows how much she loves her, how much she wants her and wants her to know that she is the only person in the world for her.

Bette (pulling back from kissing Tina long enough to regain a little control and to lie down on the bed and pull Tina down with her): I love you T. You are my heart.

Tina (kissing Bette on the neck): I love you too.

Bette (having trouble concentrating because Tina is now licking her neck and has started to fondle her breast): Baby I want this to be about you and my love for you.

Bette then gave in to her desire and kissed Tina with all of the passion that she had been holding inside. She realized that her passion for Tina had been buried and hiding inside of her for years and she was determined not to ever let go of it again. She stopped kissing Tinas mouth and took Tinas face in her hands and she gently kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, her nose and finally her mouth again. Her hands were now on Tinas ***** and she was kneading them gently. Bette moved down to kiss Tinas ***** and she looked up to see Tinas head thrown back and her eyes closed. She asked Tina to look at her while she made love to her because she wanted her to see how much she wants her. Bette kissed her way down Tinas stomach until she reached Tinas most private part. Bette was watching Tina as Tina was watching her tasting her. Bette knew that Tina was very aroused but she wasnt ready to let her go over the edge yet so she moved back up to kiss her stomach, then her ***** and then her mouth. She has her hands on Tinas ***** and asks her to tell her what she wants. Tina takes Bettes hand and lowers it until Bettes fingers touch Tinas core. Tina now decides that she doesnt want to take this journey alone. She knows she could give in to the movement of Bettes hand but she fights to hold on to her last shred of control. She tells Bette that she needs for them to reach that peak together. Bette moves up so she is side by side with Tina. Bette and Tina are now facing each other and they each place one hand on each others breast and begin to gently squeeze the nipple and knead the breast they are holding. Their other hands have made their way to each others core and they are making love to each other. They both reach ***** within seconds of each other. They lay there not moving for several minutes before Bette pulls Tina over into her arms and holds her tightly. As Tina is lying there she feels Bette start trembling and she pulls a way to look into Bettes face. She sees tears on Bettes face.

Tina (wiping at Bettes tears): Baby? Why the tears?

Bette: I almost lost you .To have you back in my arms and for you to love me is just a little overwhelming. I am so lucky to have you back and I promise I will never take our love for granted again.

Tina (she has turned serious now): I am counting on that because I love you and I want to be with you forever but if you ever cheat on me again I will walk away and never look back.

Bette (turning Tinas face up to hers): Ive learned from by mistakes and I intend to spend a lot of time making up with you if that is okay.

Tina (laughs): Oh let me think about this. That might be tough. I mean it would require lots of kissing, touching and making love. Nope I dont think I can do it without some convincing.

Bette (laughs and goes in for a kiss): I see I have my work cut out for me.

Tina (breaking the kiss to catch a breath): Okay Im convinced.

Bette and Tina made love through the night and it wasnt until dawn was breaking that they finally gave in to sleep. There were still holding each other in their sleep as if they could never let go of one another. They had finally begun the process of healing and starting over.