Fan Fiction
This story has been set to a rating of NC-17. Age verification is required to proceed.
A New York New Year
Login to add story to favorites
(11 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)You need to be a registered member to rate this post.
Loading ...
Tina flashed her passport and boarding pass at the agent at the entrance to airport security. She sighed heavily, watching as he exit stamped “Singapore” on a new page, handing her boarding pass back to her with a wave of his hand, already looking at the next traveler. Security was a breeze, having Studio pre-check credentials making this part of the airport experience easy, the lounge and a cocktail waiting for her.
Opening an office in Singapore was not what she wanted as part of her professional responsibilities. She had been traveling almost nonstop over the past year and the toll on her marriage, her stamina and her emotional health was, as she had come to realize, very costly. Too costly.
Waiting for her drink, Tina shuffled some paperwork, opening her laptop but not really paying attention to the 27 new email messages. Her mind was on Bette, as it had been during the entirety of her trip. As it was most days. It had been a difficult year and that was putting it mildly. The constant arguing, the bickering, the way only two long term lovers can push all the right buttons to trigger the other.
They had been so happy… that is, until they weren’t… and the pieces that conspired to pull them apart the result of a near perfect storm. Tension seemed a constant companion, the gulf between them widening, everything she said or did seeming to add insult to injury. Everything Bette did the same.
And then it happened. Right as she was leaving for the airport, a day long argument over her travel schedule having reached a pitch… this gem… this awful phrase came flying out of her very own mouth, silencing Bette, making the brunette sink to her chair in stunned disbelief, tears springing to the chocolate eyes. It was as if all the air had been pulled from the lean body, like when a balloon suddenly deflates.
“Maybe it’s time, Bette. Time to just end this marriage. We are clearly miserable with each other, maybe divorce is the only way we can both be… happy…”
And she would forever hear the sound Bette made when this awful declaration left her mouth, a sound that made real the disconnection between them. This is what anguish sounds like, this is what rock bottom means. And if Tina could have pulled those words back in her throat, if she could have swallowed them whole, razor-sharp edges and all… she would have. But they hung there, piercing both women with their clarity, the damage done.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
BK,
And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. Yes, Nick reminds me of someone. Suspenders, the laugh. I half expected Tina to look over and find a cookie but no Nick. But we know that Nick is meant to meet Tina at this day and at this time and with this message. Tina wants to go home. All she needed was a little nudge. Bette wants Tina to come home. She just needs to get out of her own way and let Tina in. You can’t keep an eternal love down. Not for long. Ultimately, I guess Nick is whoever or whatever we need him to be. For sure, Nick helps point Tina in the direction she really wants to go: Home to her Bette. As fast as possible.
Life got in the way. And loss. Both ultimately realizing how much they love and need and cannot live without the other. Tina realizing that all of the money and power and success in the world without Bette is meaningless. Bette realizing that she is hurting and grieving and the only way to truly heal is to share her grief with Tina. And that means opening her heart. Talking. Sharing. Communicating. There is no blame. It all washes away in the power of their love. In the magnitude of the purple days!!! There is fear and a lot to work through. But there is literally nothing the other cannot and will not forgive. The ultimate question? Is either one better off without the other? The answer? Not in this or any other lifetime. As we always come away with based upon your beautiful descriptive writing of their interactions. And I imagine Angie will benefit greatly as our couple share that love with their daughter.
Thank you for this excellent New Year’s chapter. I suspect Peggy just might be an elf! She’s so in their corner. Bette and Tina have got so much love in their lives. I’m going to regard this story as good luck for the New Year. And a sign of good things to come for our couple. “This I promise. I hereby bring back purple passion days, minimum frequency five times a week…” Here’s to a return of the purple passion days for our beloved Bette and Tina. Are you paying attention, Marja? Happy New Year!
Great comment, Billy. Yes to a return of purple passion days! Happy New Year!
Same to you!!!!
Celebrate BIG!
return to purple passion days! I love it! Happy New Year to you!
Thank you Billy. Well said. Life got in the way and the ultimate question you ask – is either one better off without the other? All of here on this site know the answer. Wish the writers on GQ did as well. It is fixable if they would just think it through. All they needed was a little nudge. Hope all is well, thanks for taking time to comment!
PERFECT!!!!!
Agree!!
Thank you Magic! Glad you liked it
Nice story….
Why is it that when problems occur, our first reaction is to suppress acknowledging it, then to avoid confrontation, and be defensive and then run whenever possible to keep from getting it resolved.
Bette going through a grieving process which she does not share with Tina. Tina putting work ahead of her family. And that includes trips which are on the other side of the world and mean much time away from her family and particularly during the holidays. Both know there are huge problems in their relationship and both begin to make moves to repair it. Bette begins to deal with the room and the things which were to be apart of this baby’s life and Tina decides to return home in time for the New Year’s party at Peggy’s.
Nick appears on the journey home for Tina to remind her that time is a precious commodity and that relationships take both time and effort to reap the joy which comes from a loving family. The story ends with a renewed commitment between Bette and Tina to work toward resolving their problems and that their love for one another is just as strong as ever.
Thanks for the story…. Happy New Year.
Martha
Thank you for taking time to comment! You are exactly right – the first instinct is to suppress acknowledging a problem then avoid talking about it or be defensive. Sums up our favorite couple very well, I think. I like that you said “time is a precious commodity”. A good reminder as we wind down this strange year. Happy New Year !
What a beautiful story !
There is so much love between these two and we still don’t know how those people from GenQ dared to sell us a story like theirs. Such a shame !
I agree with Billy Peggy must be an elf, always there when needed. And oh nice touch with the scene in the champagne room, a blast from the past …
Thank you and Happy New Year.
Yes – I left out the She Bar kiss in reverse. Majorly heavy sigh. Happy New Year.
Happy New Year to you and your family ;-)
Thank you Izzie! Glad you liked the nod to the champagne room and She-Bar kiss in reverse. I for one was hoping GenQ would use that in S2, imagine how great that would have been! Such an easy answer to get them moving in the right direction! Happy New Year to you as well, thank you for taking time to comment!
Hey BK,
What a wonderful story!
I was a little afraid and sad the first few pages but knowing you i knew you would make it all right with Tibette! And you delivered again, how i wish they would ask you to write a season three if it will be renewned, it would be the only reason i would watch it again!
I too agree with Billy about Peggy being a elf, always there watching over our couple! I love Peggy, i want a Peggy in my life too!
Thank you for this story! I hope you had a great Christmas!
Thank you Izzie! Glad you liked the nod to the champagne room and She-Bar kiss in reverse. I for one was hoping GenQ would use that in S2, imagine how great that would have been! Such an easy answer to get them moving in the right direction! Happy New Year to you as well, thank you for taking time to comment!
This was a reply to Izzie, somehow ended up as a response to you BiBI!
BiBi my friend, I was a little worried the chapter would turn people off if it was too sad. I wrote and rewrote it over and over to add touches of hope so I am glad you stuck with it! I hope you are hanging in there with all the virus increases and shutdowns. Stay safe my friend.
Too sad or not i will always read your story but i am happy you added touches of hope!
I am hanging in there, lockdown again but i don’t mind it. My wife, dog and family are ok and that matters. Locked away in a cabin till the second of january to avoid the firework. We have fun and make the best of it.
Stay safe and healthy my friend!
BiBi that sounds heavenly honestly – a cabin with your wife and dog. I can not think of a better way to ring in the new year. Enjoy!
BK,
This is awesome. A beautiful, magical story. So many special moments –
From Nick telling Tina of things she needed to be reminded of to Bette and Angel painting the baby’s room to Tina racing to be with Bette by midnight on New Year’s Eve – at that point I was cheering her on.
The champagne room…by this point I was reading through tears, lol
Especially loved the passages about their handholding, and this just says it all – “And their hands were the first touch they ever shared, when Bette placed an earring in Tina’s hand, closing her fingers over the item and using the grasp to pull the blonde closer for their first kiss.”
I believe in the magic of Christmas and New Year’s Eve and of true love and the magic that is Bette & Tina.
Omg, such great writing. Thank you for this great, special story! Happy New Year!
I was cheering Tina on too! Running through the streets with a light snowfall and Bette on the other end! One can dream, right Westy? I love watching their hands, they are always in sync (and I mean during TLW), sometimes just their fingertips touch and other times they hold hands. Makes me think of that scene in the hotel room when they are in the process of adopting and Bette just watches Tina’s hand in hers. So sweet.
Thank you for your unwavering support and comments. Means the world to me!
Just found this, BK! A lovely treat from you at Christmas. :-) Here’s a few thoughts…….
“She was a storyteller at heart, the movie scripts and production an escape of sorts, a story that she had control over, a plot she could manipulate. It calmed her. To know the ending, to be prepared for any cliffhanger or shocking twist.” Yes, I think this is important. TLW S5 and S6 really showed us how much Tina’s career means to her and how good she is at her job, and with the NY move being for T’s career, it makes sense to examine this side of her.
So sad to read about Bette giving birth and then losing a baby. Utterly shattering experience for anyone.
“But deep down she thought Tina would love the changes, she thought Tina would smile that smile that had been missing of late, that smile that made the hazel eyes look like tide pools. And changing the room might make it easier to talk about what happened.” I like this, and I feel that the story convinces because neither of them has given up. Bette isn’t changing the room in preparation for Tina leaving, she’s doing it with the assumption she’s going to stay, and that’s presumably what Angie is intuiting as well. And Bette needs an ‘in’ to talk about what she’s been avoiding. Good stuff. One plot point with several functions. Neat!
The dead phone battery is pure plot device and I love it!
They needed to be together to say goodbye to this year, put it to bed like the troublesome child it was.
“And run she did, at first a slow jog then faster as her muscles warmed and her anxiety took over. A long time runner, it felt good to challenge her body after all the sitting, to be in control of the next ten minutes. Taking the steps to the building two at a time, she made her way up the elevator, her heart in her throat, a wish on her heart, melting snowflakes in her hair.” I watched ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ a few days ago and I love this Capra-esque sequence! What I wouldn’t give to see Laurel do this.
“The leather pants made her look part baller, part angel” – ha, great JB reference.
Their reunion is, of course, beautiful. And we are left with no doubt that they are on the right track again.
A lovely romantic NYC new year story. Thank you, BK. Happy new year to you when it comes!
Largo
Largo! Thank you so much
I absolutely love your insight with this, you sum it up perfectly – “Bette isn’t changing the room in preparation for Tina leaving, she’s doing it with the assumption she’s going to stay, and that’s presumably what Angie is intuiting as well. And Bette needs an ‘in’ to talk about what she’s been avoiding”
Neither one of them has given up! YES.
And I agree, LH would nail a scene where she had to run to Bette!
Hope you have a great New Year and that we have more coming from you with the REAL series or something new. I drop everything when I see that you posted.
Thanks!
Thanks, my friend! Happy new year to you. :-)
BK
Oh my… Lovely story and so true to the love these two have for each other. Life does have a funny way of getting in our way… love the sentence… “Love always bats last.” And so it does.
Such a treat and yes I too believe there is a path for reconciliation, it just takes desire for it to happen.
No matter what happens with GQ we will always have LesFan and you BK.
Sorry it took me so long to finally read it.
K