As Alice sorts through her mail she finds a package and immediately recognizes the handwriting. She gently opens the package to find a tape and letter enclosed.

Al, I know that I have failed you as a friend and have no right to ask anything of you, but if you could, even if just for old times sake, get Shane, Dana, and Kit together for me and watch the enclosed tape I would be eternally grateful. Please invite Tina as well, even though she will probably not come. Once youve all watched this, please keep it somewhere safe, so that if the day ever comes that Tina wishes to see it she may. Youll understand more after you watch. Thanks, Bette

P.S. Al, as tempting as it is, please wait and watch with the others.

Alice gets the gang to come to her place. Surprisingly, even Tina has agreed to come. No one had talked to Bette in over 2 weeks and now she was missing with no explanation, so everyones curiosity was hoping to be answered with the tape.

Alice: Okay guys, since were all here, lets get this started. And I want you all to know, as unbelievable as it sounds, we are all seeing this for the first time.

Alice starts the tape. Everyone is taken back a little at the sight before them, especially Tina. Bette is sitting at the house, but it is not the strong, confident Bette that they were used to seeing. She looked thin, frail, and broken. Tears build in Tinas eyes as she watches the screen.

Bette: First of all I want to thank you all taking the time to watch this, even though I dont deserve it. I know I am being a coward by taping this but you all know Im not good at opening up, so this is the best I can do. It may seem like I am rambling at times and I apologize for that. Please bear with me. This emotional stuff is really difficult for me. Where do I start? Its been over three months since I colossally fucked up my life along with Tinas and to a degree part of all of yours. Please believe that if I could take it all back, I would without hesitation. I understand all of your anger and hatred towards me, but believe me when I say that it doesnt compare to the anger and hate I feel towards myself. I cannot believe I allowed myself to fall so hard, sink so low and become something that I have always abhorred. So much for monogamy, so much for values and convictions. I guess that is one of the reasons why I feel so lost now. I dont know who I am anymore. Everything I thought I was seems to have disintegrated right before my eyes. I cant seem to figure out how I let things get so fucked up. I hope some day that I will be able to put the pieces of my life back together, I just dont know how I am going to accomplish that without Tina by my side. Nothing really matters anymore. Losing her has created such a void in my soul.

Bette pauses as she wipes the tears from her eyes then continues: I understand that Tina cant get past what I did. I cant seem to get past it myself. These last few months have been so hard. I miss Tina so much, I am dying inside without her. I would do anything for a second chance with her. To be able to put my huge mistake behind us. T is the one I was supposed to grow old with, she is my soul mate, my best friend. I cant sleep, I cant eat, all I seem to do is think about her. She was my life, my heart, my soul. I still find myself calling out to her only to realize she is not there. I still pick up the phone to call her, only to realize that she doesnt want to talk to me. At night I still find myself reaching out to hold her only to find a cold, empty bed. You may find it hard to believe after what I did, but I never stopped loving Tina and I never will. She was the first and only person able to reach in and waken my heart and soul. These last seven years with her were the best times of my life. She made me a better person

Bette pauses again as tears flow down her cheeks:

that is up until I destroyed her. I know you all think that I was the strong one, but I wasnt. It was just a faade that I was able to pull off as long as Tina was by my side. Tina knew that, after all, as shocking as it may be to you guys, she was the strong one. She was my light, my strength. Without her I am nothing. I am just a shell of the person I used to be. Someone please tell me how I get through this without her, without being able to talk to her. How do I get out of this hole of despair I am in? Is it even possible?

There is a pause in the tape and you can tell it has been stopped. Bette appears again and it is obvious why there was the pause. Her eyes are red and swollen and her cheeks are tear stained. She clears her throat and begins again.

I miss all of you, too. I know that Tina needed you and I am glad you were there for her. I guess I allowed my guilt and shame to keep me from reaching out to any of you even though I wanted to. I felt I didnt deserve any compassion, not for the monster that I had become. I brought this all on and have only myself to blame. I deserve whatever punishment comes my way. I just wanted you all to know that you have always been and always will be family to me and I am sorry I let you all down, created such a disruption in your lives and busted up our family. I am well aware that things will never again be the same, thanks to my heartless and selfish actions.

Bette pauses again as though she is collecting her thoughts: