Tina and Bette stood holding each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither one of them wanting to let go.

Bette finally released Tina, her breathing erratic through her tears. Needing to sit, she eased herself down onto the couch and lowered her head into her hands. Her heart was aching from all the extreme emotions she had gone through today. She had started out by reading Tina’s e-mail, which had brought her hope and excitement, only to have her heart shatter when she looked at the pictures of Tina and Elaine. She had spent the rest of the day grieving for what she and Tina might have had, knowing she had to put aside her dreams, so she could be the friend to Tina, she had promised her she would be. Now here she sat, her heart just having been resurrected by Tina’s declaration of love to her…not to Elaine. Bette didn’t know how much more she could take today, and had absolutely no control of her tears. She knew she was falling apart emotionally, and looking up at Tina, she silently pleaded with her not to make her do it alone.

Tina wasn’t about to let Bette go through this alone, not after the gift that Bette had given her today. She didn’t care what had happened in the last six months, with Bette’s single act of selflessness, Tina knew that she would take care of Bette, just like she told her she would that night in the shower, all those months ago. She sat down on the couch next to Bette and wrapping her arms around her, leaned them both back, lowering Bette’s head onto her shoulder. They sat there, Bette letting go of so much fear and pain with each tear, Tina quietly telling her how much she loved her and that she is here for her…”I’m here Baby…I’m not going anywhere…I love you so much…”

After about a half an hour Tina could hear Bette’s breath had become slow and even, indicating she had fallen asleep. She eased herself off the couch, laying Bette down as she got up. She lifted Bette’s legs up so she was fully stretched out, and then covered her with a blanket. Looking down at the woman she loved so much, Tina couldn’t help but think that as strange as it sounded, those pictures might have actually saved their relationship, rather than tearing it apart. Tina knew that she wanted to go back to Bette, and that if Bette could face all her fears and come to Tina the way she did today, then Tina was willing to face hers as well and start a new life with Bette. She quietly giggled to herself, thinking about that piece of paper she had signed giving Bette her “Sixty Day Notice” that she wanted to change their platonic friendship to a sexual one. ‘***** that! Sixty days my *****!!’ It had been way too long and now that Bette was up here…Tina wasn’t going to make either of them wait. However, Tina knew that tonight was not the night. It had been a long day, and she knew that Bette was so emotionally spent, that a sexual release might be too much. She needed comfort, she was already physically drained.

Tina looked at her watch and thought that they both needed food as well. She wrote Bette a note telling her she went to get some Thai food and that she would be right back. She grabbed her cell phone and quietly slipped out the door, walking right past the photographers that were still there, without even looking at them.

First she called the restaurant to put her order in, then she called Alice, knowing her friend was probably going crazy wondering what was happening.

Alice picked up the phone on the first ring. “Tina? Did she call? I haven’t been able to find her, and she hasn’t called anyone, not even Kit!”

“Hey Al…It’s Ok, she’s here.”

Alice frowned into the phone. *****, if Bette jumped on a plane and flew to Vancouver…well that just sounded like trouble. “Oh God Tina! Are you Ok? Please tell me she didn’t yell at you without listening first.”

Tina smiled into the phone. She could just see Alice pacing in her apartment. “No Al, she didn’t. In fact, she did the total opposite. She flew up here to be my friend and to help both Elaine and I with the publicity. God Al, it was incredible. She came up to support me, even thinking I wanted to be with Elaine. She really has changed over the last six months, and those changes make me love her even more.”

“Wow Tina. I don’t know what to say.”

Tina sighed into the phone. “I know. She was magnificent. The amazing thing is, as much as I love her, I was feeling so much fear around Candace, I didn’t know how I was going to let go of it. And by her coming here today and saying the things she did…my fear is disintegrating right before my eyes. God, I love this woman.”

It was Alice’s turn to smile into the phone. She couldn’t wait for her two friends to get back together, so their family could be totally happy once again. “Well, that’s Bette Porter for you. She never does anything half-assed…and I love her for that too.”

The two friends stayed on the phone for a couple more minutes, before Tina arrived at the restaurant. She picked up the big bag full of her and Bette’s favorite dishes and headed home…

Home…amazing how that word had a totally different meaning, just knowing that Bette was waiting there for her.