Collision Course 4.40

            Jo and Bette walked into Bette’s home quietly, heading to Angelica’s room with soft feet, Jo was carrying the young girl in her strong arms.  It was well passed midnight, and both women were tired, yet they seemed rejuvenated at the same time. 

            Tina was staying overnight at the hospital, being watched over for a possible concussion and when they’d left, a friend of Sam’s, Dr. Marty Summers had just gone in to check on how Tina was doing and to talk Tina through anything she needed to talk about. 

            When Jo had returned from checking on Sam, Shane had stayed with the heroic tomboy, she’d left for a short time, saying that she had work to do.  Bette had stayed alone with Tina, neither of them saying anything, instead they’d watched Angelica sleep across the room.  Both had been lost in their own thoughts, Tina had dozed for a while, and Bette had then taken up watching her bruised face slumber rather unpeacefully.

            Alice had left much earlier, without Lara in tow, because Carmen had asked Lara to drive her home.  Bette had been sure it had been a ploy to keep Lara away from Alice.  Apparently, it had worked, since Lara had quickly jumped at the opportunity to leave, even if it had been without Alice.

            Alice had gone to see Sam also, and by the time Jo had returned, visiting hours were over, and the only reasonable thing to do was take Angelica home with them.

            “She looks so peaceful,” whispered Bette as Jo pulled the covers over the young girl, tucking her in with deft fingers.

            “She should be peaceful, children should always be protected and peaceful and safe,” said Jo softly.  Licking her lips, motioning for the door with her head, needing to cleanse her soul, Bette’s brow furrowed and she began to worry that Jo was hiding something.  It was rather unlikely, since Jo was an open book, so to speak.

            Jo took her hand, gently pulling her to Bette’s bedroom, catching a glimpse of her abandoned laptop on the kitchen counter as they moved along the hallway.  Easing Bette into her bedroom, the blonde tomboy seemed ill at ease, her face taking on a seriousness that Bette had never really seen before.