But I want  Shane closed
her eyes, the intensity of what she felt, of what she wanted to say was
overwhelming.  I want there to BE an us,
Tina.  There.  It was said. 
The power of that simple statement made her pulse race.

I think I do too, Shane, Tina
whispered, leaned forward and kissed her softly.  But I want it to be real.  I want it to be honest.

  Me too, Shane
whispered back.

Tina smiled, ran her fingers through Shanes
hair.  Good.  Then the first order of business is for me to
cook some

No, Mis—, no, Tina, thats my job.

  Your job, Ms.
McCutcheon, is to clean off and set the
table.

  Yes Maam, Shane
grinned that smile that made Tinas heart glow.

And then.  Tinas
face sobered, then Im going to go clean out my desk.

  What?

Tina nodded. 
Yep!  I loved the job, Shane,
and I did my best.  And I could NEVER
have done it without you.  You know that,
dont you?

Shane hung her head to one side and blushed
faintly.  Her skin didnt look quite so
pale this morning.

But its not me anymore.  Its not who I
want to be.

  Well.  Shane drawled,
then who DO you want to be?

  I dont know, Shane,
she sighed, eyes darkening.  I guess I
have to figure that one out too.  She
pulled Shane into an embrace and kissed her long
and deep, savoring the taste that was distinctly her.  Now, she smacked Shanes
knee, go clean the table, and set it.  Im
starving!

Shane grinned ear to ear.  Yes maam, right away maam, she teased.

I can see youre going to need some retraining, Tina  Eggs.  Bacon.  Juice.

*~*~*~*~*

Dana woke with a start, sitting up rod straight
in the bed, a cold hard shiver washing over her.  She looked over, half expecting to see Alice
there for some odd reason.  Instead, it
was Tonya, her wife.  The smile on her sleeping face didnt seem
sexual at all; it looked predatory.

She looked at her left hand, the gold and silver band shimmering in the low
light of the early morning dawn.  She had
actually gone through with it.  She was
married.  To Tonya.

Oh god.  She muttered, feeling dirty,
feeling.

Used.  She pushed the covers back slowly,
and slinked out of the bed she shared with Tonya.  The fact biting into her for some reason.  She went outside, the mist of the early
morning dew, or smog was still hovering over the city.  And something else, too, some nameless dread
hovering at the edge of her senses.