The next morning Tina woke to see Bette’s face looking back at her. It was a sight she’d always loved to wake up to, and she hoped that it would be something that would start to happen more often.

“Morning gorgeous” Bette said softly.

“Morning” Tina whispered, leaning over to kiss Bette on the forehead.

“Did you sleep well?” Bette asked.

“Yeah, really well. You?”

“The best I have done in a long time. Where did you go, though?”

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough” Tina looked away.

Bette reached over and took Tina’s hand. She rubbed her thumb over Tina’s knuckles, and then gasped.

“Baby, there’s blood on your hand. What happened?”

“Let’s just say my unfinished business got finished”

Bette leant up on her elbow and looked down at Tina, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

“What did you do?” she asked nervously.

“Defended your honour” Tina whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“Someone got what was coming to them”

“Baby…” Bette said warningly.

Tina reached up and stroked Bette’s face.

“I can’t let people get away with hurting you like that”

“You’re talking about Candace, aren’t you?”

“Baby, I couldn’t just let her get away with treating you like that”

Bette couldn’t help but laugh.

“You never stop surprising me, you know. Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about you…” Bette smiled.

“Seeing her hurt you just got me so angry” Tina said seriously.

“I know baby. And you don’t know how much it means to me” Bette leant down and kissed Tina on the cheek.

Tina reached up with her left hand and clasped it round Bette’s. Bette felt the metal of Tina’s ring against her finger, and looked into her eyes.

“You put it back on” she whispered.

“I used it to give her a bloody nose” Tina grinned.

“Oh” Bette looked disappointed “so you don’t actually want to wear it”

“No” Tina slipped off the ring and put it in Bette’s hand “I want you to put it back on for me”

Bette looked at the ring in her hand, and then back at Tina. She’d never taken her own ring off, but hadn’t realised Tina had kept hers close for so long. Staring into Tina’s eyes she slid the ring back onto her finger.

“Thank you” Tina whispered.

They kissed softly, and then Tina got up to go to the bathroom.

“Hey” Bette watched her walk away “since when were you wearing no pants?”

Tina turned and grinned before entering the bathroom.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Later that day Tina had taken Bette to work and returned to Alice’s. She was smiling as she fixed herself some lunch, and was only slightly annoyed when the doorbell prevented her from eating it.

“Can I help you?” she asked the cops on the doorstep.

“Tina Kennard?”

“Yeah, that’s me”

“Tina Kennard, I am arresting you for an assualt on one Miss Candace Jewell. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?” the cop put the handcuffs on Tina.

“Yeah” Tina said shakily.

Tina didn’t really know what to think as she was driven away. Logically she should have left a note or something for Alice, but she wasn’t thinking straight. Last night it had felt so right to Candace like that, but maybe now she felt a little guilty. She hadn’t really stopped to think of the consequences of her actions. And what repercussions would this have for Bette and her reputation?

When she reached the police station Tina was booked in and put in a small cell. It was only then that she started to cry. Unlike most of her friends, she had never been arrested before. All alone in that cell, she was definitely scared. Eventually she was offered her one phone call, and dialled Bette’s number at the CAC, praying that she’d answer.

“Bette Porter” her voice was fairly cheerful.

“Bette, it’s me”

“What’s up? You miss me already?” Bette joked.

“Baby, don’t get mad, but I’ve been arrested”

“What the ***** for?”

“Assualting Candace”

Bette sighed.

“Baby I don’t have long, I just didn’t know who else to call” Tina explained.

“Of course you should have called me, it’s gonna be okay baby” Bette soothed.

“What do I do?” Tina panicked.

“Just hold tight. I’ll sort it”

“Ok I have to go”

“Listen T, I love you and everything is gonna be okay”

The phone went dead and Tina was led back to her cell.