“Monster,” she whispers forcefully as she slaps Faye Buckley away.

The host touches her leg comfortingly under the table and it’s all it takes to remind her that she’s still on the air, that she’s still in public, and that she needs to act appropriately. 

After quickly composing herself, she rises to her feet abruptly, thanks the host for his time and rushes off the stage and into the back where everything is a blur except for her forced smiles and insincere assurances that she’s okay and the soothing touch of Tina’s hand squeezing hers.

Bette automatically makes a beeline for the driver’s side, but Tina deftly removes the keys from her wife’s hand and puts her foot down when Bette raises a challenging eyebrow at her.

She doesn’t fall apart when they get into the house.

She doesn’t.

She won’t.

She’s Bette Fucking Porter, and she will not cry because some right-wing nut job used the details of her personal life against her.

But then Tina places a cup of tea in her hand and nudges her into the bedroom and Bette thinks about how she’s kind of been picturing them keeping their baby boy’s bassinet next to their bed for a while before moving him to his nursery and then she thinks about how he’s gone and how it’s all her fault.

She sinks onto the end of the bed and stares at the wall, absently sipping at her tea until Tina kneels in front of her.

“Baby?”

Worried hazel eyes watch her carefully.

Bette doesn’t have the energy to respond, and Tina tries again.

“Baby, I think you should lie down for a while, ok?”

Encouraged when Bette nods, Tina rises to her feet and gently takes the teacup from her wife’s hands and sets it on the nightstand nearby.

“Alright,” she says, turning back toward Bette, “let’s get you into something more comfortable.”

Instead, Bette reaches out and catches Tina’s hips, maneuvering the blonde in front of her and resting her forehead on Tina’s belly.

They’re both silent until Bette’s shoulders begin to shake and Tina feels her heart twist.

“Oh, Baby…” Tina trails off softly. She rests her hands on the brunette’s back and then begins to rub comforting circles into it while she cries.