A tear trickled down Tina’s cheek as she watched the interaction between Bette and Candace. She didn’t quite know what to do, and so resorted to knocking on the door. Bette turned to her with wide eyes, and Candace simply smirked.

“T…” Bette pleaded.

Tina stood there shaking her head.

“Whatever you think is going on isn’t, you have to trust me T” begged Bette.

“I…I don’t know if I can”

Tina looked into Bette’s eyes with disappointment, and turned and left.

“Tina!” Bette yelled.

“Let her go” Candace grabbed Bette’s arm.

“Get off me!” Bette struggled with Candace, but her grip remained firm.

Candace tightened her grip and took hold of Bette’s other arm as well. She held their faces inches apart and stared angrily into Bette’s eyes. A wave of fear passed over Bette, but she managed not to show it.

“Don’t fight me Bette, you’ll regret it” Candace’s eyes were cold.

“I’m giving you one last chance to let go of me” Bette stood her ground.

“Or what?” Candace smiled evily.

“Get your ***** hands off me” Bette yelled, pushing Candace away.

Candace responding by shoving Bette’s shoulders firmly so that she was thrown against the wall. There was a fire in Candace’s eyes, and Bette was no longer able to hide her fear.

“What did I say about fighting me?” Candace asked in honeyed tones.

Bette leant against the wall “what do you want from me?”

Candace smiled and strolled over to Bette “Everything”

She gripped Bette’s chin and squeezed it tightly. Bette winced in pain.

“I want you to look in my eyes. I want you to see the face you’re gonna be *****. Look!”

Bette turned her head away and felt Candace let go of her chin. She then felt the harsh slap of Candace’s hand across her cheek.

“I said look at me *****!”

Whimpering, Bette turned to look at Candace.

“Please, just leave me alone” she begged.

“You’re not getting away from me. You and me make sense, and we’re gonna be together whether you like it or not”

Candace pinned Bette up against the wall and started to suck and bite her neck. Bette screamed and Candace slapped her again.

“I’m warning you, shut up”

Bette yelled again and tried to push her away. Candace shoved her hard against the wall and she yelped in pain. With one hand on Bette’s neck, Candace ripped the buttons off Bette’s shirt and looked at her exposed flesh with a grin on her face.

“Just as good as I remember”

“Please” Bette started to sob.

Candace ignored her pleas and grabbed her breast firmly.

“I’m gonna enjoy this” she sneered.

She ran her hand down Bette’s stomach and stared at her as she unzipped her fly.

“You ready?” she smiled at Bette.

Bette’s face crumpled and tears poured down her cheeks.

Candace smirked and held her hand just above Bette’s underwear.

“Get your hands off my wife” the voice came from by the door.

Candace laughed as she turned to face Tina, who walked calmly towards her.

“I said, get your hands off my wife” Tina ordered.

“So you’re still kidding yourself that she wants to be with you?” Candace sneered.

“Have you even listened to a word she’s said?” Tina asked as she stopped a couple of steps away from Candace and Bette.

“She wants me. Look at her, ready for me to take her”

“Step away now”

Candace laughed and grabbed Bette’s breast.

“You asked for it” Tina said angrily.

Tina took a step towards Candace, grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her away frm Bette. She stood in front of Bette, and felt Bette’s weight collapse against her back as she sobbed. She reached her arms round behind her to hold Bette’s waist protectively. A slightly wounded looking Candace turned back to face them.

“Don’t you ever touch her again”

“Are you forgetting what happened between us?” Candace asked.

“No I’ll never forget, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t forgiven her” Tina replied.

Candace laughed “how stupid are you?”

“Love makes you do stupid things”

Candace sauntered over to Tina and tried to speak, but was cut off.

“Now get out of here” Tina snarled.

Candace smirked and strolled out of the office, giving a little wave as she went. As soon as she’d left, Tina turned and took Bette in her arms.

“T, I’m sorry” Bette sobbed into Tina’s shoulder.

“It’s okay baby. That wasn’t your fault, you know that don’t you?”

“But you said you didn’t trust me”

“I said I didn’t know if I could. Now I know I can. Bette, that woman is trouble” Tina rubbed Bette’s back.

“I was so scared” Bette stammered.

“It’s okay, I’m here”

They clutched each other tightly. Tina found herself fighting back tears as she held Bette close.

“Why did you come back?” Bette asked quietly.

“I was waiting around outside trying to figure out how I was feeling. I heard you scream and came straight back up here”

“You saved me from…from…” Bette dissolved into floods of tears again.

“I know baby, I know” there was no mistake in Tina’s words.

“Did you mean it when you said you’d forgiven me?”

“Yes” Tina lifted Bette’s head to look in her eyes “I forgive you”

Bette smiled tearfully “I thought…I was scared…I don’t know…”

Tina laughed softly “You know, even though that made no sense I still understand you. We’re obviously meant to be together”

Bette nodded and started to cry again. Tina wiped her tears away with her thumb, and then leant their foreheads together. Slowly she tilted her head so that their lips met. They kissed softly, and then Tina pulled back.

“Can you still not stand to kiss me properly?” Bette asked quietly.

Tina didn’t reply, instead she put her hand behind Bette’s neck and pulled their mouths together. She kissed Bette hungrily, and their tongues danced together. Tina moaned and moved her hands into Bette’s hair. Bette clutched Tina for support and gave everything to the kiss. Tina backed Bette up against the wall to steady them. They continued to kiss deeply, as Bette’s hands ran up and down Tina’s sides. When they broke apart it took them both a minute to catch their breath.

“I didn’t know if you were ready for it” Tina said breathily.

“I’m always ready for you” Bette pulled Tina into an embrace and kissed the top of her head.

“I think you should take the rest of the day off, you won’t be able to work now” Tina suggested.

“Not after that kiss I won’t” Bette grinned.

“Come on, let’s go” Tina took Bette’s hand and led her out to her car.