May 22, 2012
Ohio

Max sighed and sat down beside Helena who couldn't stop crying.

"I'm sorry babe, so sorry," Max said as Helena snuggled against his chest and sobbed.

"It's hard, I've lived off of my mother for so long and now she's gone," Helena cried.

"It hurts to lose the people you love," Max said softly. "When my dad died I felt like my heart was ripped apart. I mean maybe we had our differences but when it came down to the real things he was always there for me. He gave me a home when I wandered back home pregnant and alone."

"Even when they took her off the machines she lasted for a month," Helena said softly. "My mum is so strong. The strongest person I know...knew."

"You still know her babe," Max said. "She lives on in you. Make her proud by being as strong as she was to the very end. You can surpass this and make of your life one of happiness and no regrets."

"I already have one of happiness, because I have you and David," Helena said touching Max's face gently.

"I couldn't ask for anything more either," Max said.

"I only have one regret though," Helena said. "It's been weighing on me for the past 7 years."

"7 years," Max said, "so when Jenny was alive?"

Helena nodded grimly. "I am responsible for Alice's imprisonment."

Max's eyes widened. "What?"

"I had a piece of information that would have expunged Alice from all suspicion, but I kept quiet and she was convicted and locked up," Helena said.

"What piece of information?"

"I...I know who killed Jenny."

Max shot up out of his chair, wide-eyed, and stammering out of control. "You...kn...what!"

"Remember Nikki's testimony?" Helena said, "how she said she ran inside when Dylan started attacking Jenny?"

"Yeah, the police dismissed it, they said Dylan had an alibi and that Nikki just wanted the heat off herself," Max said. "Why? Was that the real reason? Was Nikki the one who killed Jenny?"

"No she didn't," Helena said, "everything Nikki said was true."

"About Dylan? But the police said..."

"Dylan is a master with film making, you think she couldn't film a documentary scene in San Francisco three days after the murder and then change the time stamp to the day of?" Helena said.

"Wait, so you're saying Dylan killed Jenny? And you let Alice take the fall!?"

"Jenny had been raping me for months and that night she was gonna do something worse then ever before," Helena said. "Dylan attacked her to protect me. She did it because she loved me. And I loved her too much to incriminate her."

"Oh man," Max sighed sitting down to compose himself.

"I think I need to call Duffy and tell her everything, even if it means Alice never forgiving me for what I did to her," Helena said.

"You have to do the right thing babe," Max said softly.

"Are disgusted by me now?"

"Never," Max said, "I would have done the same."

May 22, 2005
Focus Pictures NYC

When Bette walked into Tina's office, she saw her sitting in front of her computer screen staring blankly and crying.

"Tina?" She said softly.

Bette glanced up at her with that same look of pain when she had discovered the affair with Candace.

"Whatever Jenny showed you, it's not true," Bette said.

"Is that so?" Tina said angrily turning the screen around.

Bette's eyes widened. Kelly was leaning against the couch and Bette was crouching down in front of her. "No, this is a misunderstanding!" Bette cried.

"Looks pretty clear to me," Tina said standing up angrily.

"No, let me explain," Bette said. "When she came to the house she was stinking drunk and she brought champagne and some glasses. When I pushed her off of me, she knocked down one of the glasses. I was bending down to pick up the glass from the floor, it must have looked this way from Jenny's window."

"That's a bit far-fetched don't you think?" Tina said.

"Too far-fetched to make up," Bette said. "Please believe me T. I promised I wouldn't cheat on you again, and I'm holding to that promise."

"But this video..."

"Fuck the video Tina, look at me," Bette said gripping Tina's arms, "look at me!"

Tina looked at her slowly.

"Look into my eyes, I've never been able to lie to you," Bette said. "I did not cheat on you with Kelly, this video is bogus."

Tina looked deep into her eyes then sighed. She hugged Bette close and said, "I knew you couldn't do that to me."

"She sent me a video too you know," Bette said softly.

Tina took a step back looking like a scared puppy. "W-what did she, uh, send you?"

"Why don't you tell me who Valarie is?" Bette said sitting down on the desk but in a non-aggressive, inviting manner.

"Oh God," Tina breathed sitting down in her chair.

"I broke the CD," Bette said.

Tina started crying and put her head in her hands in shame.

"Tina," Bette said softly putting her hands on Tina's shoulders, "why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Tina said angrily, "that the first woman I ever slept was my sister? That I didn't even try to really stop when she was..."

"Stop!" Bette snapped, "don't you dare think this is your fault! She blackmailed you, and you were just a child. You didn't know how to defend yourself."

"Yes I did Bette, I could have pushed her off of me, I could have gone to my parents or the police," Tina said. "But I didn't."

"You were scared, and young, and you trusted your sister," Bette said. "She's the one who broke that trust. She abused you and kept the evidence for her own entertainment. She's a monster."

"You're not disgusted by me?" Tina whimpered looking into Bette's eyes.

Bette caressed her cheek and said, "I could never be disgusted by you."

May 22, 2012
New York General Hospital

"How are you today my love?" Tina said propping up Bette's pillow and tucking in the blanket underneath her neatly.

Tina started fixing Bette's hair as she said, "I had your robe changed today. I bought you a nice green one, cause I know you've always hated the icky hospital ones. I've been brushing your teeth and shaving your legs and bathing you everyday for the past month that you've been in here. But I don't mind doing it."

She kissed Bette's forehead then gently grabbed her hand. "The boys and Angie are doing great. Angie visits you once a week, and the boys were barely released from the maternity ward a few days ago. Kit and Alice are taking care of them now. Angie helps a lot too. She's only 10, but she loves to carry the boys, and bottle feed them, and sing to them when it's time to go to bed. She read to them last night, it was so cute."

Tina started crying. "Bette, when are you gonna wake up?" She held on firmly to her hand and sobbed, "please wake up Bette. I need you. We need you."

It was at that moment that Tina felt a squeeze on her hand. She gasped and looked down at them. Bette's hand was gripping Tina's so tightly and when she looked up she saw her eyes were starting to flutter.

"Bette? Bette!" Tina cried.

Bette's eyes opened slowly and Tina gulped and hesitated.

Bette looked confused and disoriented, but when she turned her head to the side and saw Tina, she smiled brightly. "Tina."

"Bette!" Tina sobbed, "you're awake!"

"What happened?"

"You had difficulty giving birth to the boys and went into a coma," Tina said softly.

Bette's brow furrowed. "Boys? Giving birth? Wait, what?"

Tina's heart sank. "You don't remember?"

"The last thing I remember cuddling together on the first night you moved back in with me after the whole Jodi thing." Bette said. "We were putting the last of your clothes in your original closet, and we were just so happy."

"That's the last thing you remember?" Tina said. "You don't remember Kelly? Or what happened to Jenny? Or the fact that we live in New York and you just gave birth to triplet boys?"

Bette's eyes were wide. "Kelly? Kelly who?"

"Your old college roommate."

"I haven't seen her in years, what does she have to do with anything?" Bette said, "and what happened to Jenny?"

Tina sighed. "I don't wanna overwhelm you right now. You rest up I'll call the doctor."

 TBC