Beep, beep, beep. That is the sound that Dana woke to. She rolled onto her back searching the nightstand with her arm trying to find the alarm clock. After she knocked several pieces of paper and a book onto the floor she slammed her hand onto the top of the alarm clock shutting the thing off. She rolled over hoping to snuggle up with Alice for another five minute. Alice laughed at the sleepy face on Dana when she rolled back over. ” And what did that alarm clock ever do to you.” ” Well it makes me role out of your arms every morning.” ” Ah I see. That was a very quick witty reply for 8 in the morning baby very good.” ” It wasn’t witty it is true now come her I want to snuggle some more.” ” Ah I don’t think so Fairbanks it was your idea to furnish the new house from scratch and I do suspect it will take a while to do so get up.” Alice sat up and was half sitting half standing when she felt Dana pull her back onto the bed. ” Excuse me but I do believe I have not had my morning kiss you are neglecting me missy.” ” Oh please forgive let me fix this.” With that Alice turned and faced Dana straddling her waste and kissing her forcefully on the lips demanding entry with her tongue until she had no choice to pull away because she needed to breathe. ” Ok Fairbanks get that cute little but out of bed I am going to make us some coffee because we don’t have time to go to the planet this morning.” Dana lay there for a few moments looking at the door Alice just walked out of. She dragged her self out of bed and washed her face then walked to the kitchen walking up behind Alice she smacked her lightly on the ass. ” And you say I have a cute butt I do believe yours is much cuter.” ” Oh really well I guess we will just have to agree to disagree now sit down because I have made fruit salad for breakfast.” ” Aw baby you didn’t have to do that I would have made us breakfast or we could have just got something while we were out.” ” Nope we wont have time this morning now come on eat.” ” Yes boss.” The two ate in a comfortable silence until Dana broke it. ” I am going to call the bathroom guy and give him the details of what we want in a while. Were do we want to go first?” ” Well that is your job babe you are the furniture person not me I think we should make a list of the most important things that we should try and get first.” ” Yeah well obviously the bed should be first that is the most important thing I think we should try and get most of the big stuff first to.” ” Ok well you call they guy I will wash up her then go and get changed and we can do the list before we leave.” ” Ok you’re the boss.” ” Yes I am.” Alice said cockily which received another smack on the butt only this time it was a little harder. Once they had dressed they sat on the sofa making there list the bed was of course at the top of it, then the sofa, then dinning room table, office table, chair and shelves, coffee table kitchen stools, drawers for all the bedrooms. The closets were big enough so there was no need for wardrobes, garden furniture. Dana thought this was very important as she was hoping they could start having bbq’s as soon as possible. Then kitchen utensils. ” Baby why don’t we just take the kitchen things that we have and we can get new one’s later on.” ” Well what is the point in that when we can get them today and save our selves taking old one’s in to only have take them back out again when we get the new one’s.” ” Well I can’t argue with that.” At about 9.30 they were driving into the car park of the first store. Exactly 1 hour later they were driving into the car park of the third store. ” Who thought you would be so fussy when it comes to furniture.” ” I just want it to be the best Al I just want you to have the best because you deserve to have it we both do.” ” Yeah I know you just want us to have the best but the best comes with a very nasty price tag.” Dana was walking across the car park holding Alice’s had. ” Would you please stop going on about the price of things baby that Pepsi deal should be spent on this house and us having the best.” ” But I just feel so inadiquite like I am not making any form of contribution.” ” Alice we have spoken about this you are making this hole thing possible you are giving me a home you are giving me love that is the biggest contribution ever and I plan on settling this issue with money once my lawyer is done with my deals because what’s mine is yours ok.” ” What are you talking about Dane.”? ” Once John is done with the paper work for my deals he is going to sort out my accounts so you have access to everything.” ” Dana I don’t want your money.” They were stood outside the front of the stall Dana still holding Alice’s hands. ” I know you don’t that is why am doing this. Alice I am doing this as another step into our future I want us to share everything and you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to but it would make me feel better just knowing that you had access to it. I want you for the rest of my life and in order to do that we have to share our lives.” ” Dane that doesn’t solve the issue that I feel like I am not contributing to this.” ” Look Al Howie was right I can afford to spend money on this house and this house is going to be our home for many years to come yours and mine let me do this please because you would do exactly the same if the shoe was on the other foot. I want to be able to give you everything you want and deserve and if you want to look at it another then let me do this because it is what I want to do I want us to share everything we can Al.” Alice looked up into Dana’s pleading eye’s and realized that she had to make changes to her self she sore the love and want in Dana’s eye’s and she never wanted that to go away. ” Ok. Look I know I have to learn to compromise but this is a big thing for me for both of us and I want all of that Dana. Baby I do I want to share everything with you.” ” Really oh baby I don’t know how you do it but some how you manage to make me happier each day sometimes I think I am going to explode. Are you sure though Al I mean I want this but I don’t you to feel pressured if you want to wait then we can leave the money thing for a while.” ” No Dane I said yes to everything you are right but there is one thing you to do first.” ” What tell me I will do anything you know I will.” ” If we are going to do this it has to be our bank account mine and your that means we both go together just one like me and you put them both together and make one I know my journo salary is like nada compared to what you make but it would make me more comfortable.” ” I do believe you have your self a deal missy and I like that description about us being one.” ” Ok Fairbanks come on get in there we have one rather large house to furnish and we have bought absolutely nothing and I plan on making love to you in every room in that house and I don’t want to do it on our very nice yet pretty hard floors.” ” Ohh ok come on oh and I ordered the carpet to this morning.’ ” You did you are a busy bee aren’t you.” ” Just thinking of your lovely soft skin and how I don’t want it to get rough because we are having sex every were in that house.”——————— 3 hours later—————————- ” Ok so that is most of it just the bed linen kitchen stuff and furniture for out side.” ” Really we have everything else.” ” Oh wait and a dinning room table.” ” Ok.” ” Can we eat first though I have jumped on more beds and sofa’s today than Shane has had sex on.” ” I am sure Shane would really appreciate that but it is so true. I am starved fruit salad doesn’t really keep you full for five hours does it.” ” Nope come on I will buy you lunch there is that great little Italian down the street.” ” Oh yeah remember the place we used to go there when I would come and meet you at the office.” ” Yep that’s the one.” ” Do you remember all the place we used to go if one of use found some were new we would go and try it out together and ask each other what we thought.” ” Yeah we used to go everywhere together. Not that we don’t still do that but I mean we were just friends then and we probably looked like a couple.” ” Al I don’t think we were ever just friends Shane and Bette are just friend we always had some thing more and I think we both always knew it.” ” Of course we always knew it we were always in love with each other we were just to chicken to admit it.” ” Yeah but this wasn’t the love thing this was our connection I always drifted towards you on a night out you were the only one I ever felt comfortable doing goofy dance on the dance floor with you were the only one I would go to dinner with five times a week.” ” Very true baby, we did always have something special we still do. Do you remember that night out side milk?” ” Al there has been plenty of nights out side Milk” They had just entered the restaraunt. ” Hi can we get a table for two please out side e if it is possible.” ” Sure follow me.” They followed the guy out side and sat down and ordered some drinks.” ” Ok so the night outside Milk.” ” Oh well I was staying with you for the week because you were going on tour in two days and it was pouring with rain outside.” ” I used to love those weeks you would come and stay for a week before I left and then a week after that was the best part about going on tour I used to look forward to going so I had that week before then while I was away all I would think of was getting back so we could have that week.” ” Yeah I used to love those week this was the first tour that I wouldn’t be able to visit you on and the first tour that was four months long.” ” Oh I remember baby.” Alice smiled at Dana’s blas response. ” I bet you do.” ” Ok Ladies what can I get you.” Once they had place there orders Dana looked at Alice. ” What do you mean I bet you do.” ” Dana I remember everything about that night.”——————–That night outside Milk.————————Dana walked out the entrance of the club she had been looking for Alice for thirty minutes now she knew the blonde was drunk she had been throwing her drinks back all night. The rain was pouring down onto the street. Dana spotted Alice sat on a bench across the street she immediately ran over to her. ” Al what are you doing sitting out her I have been looking for you for half an hour.” ” Am sorry Dana I just had to get out.” ” Al you are going to get your self sick sitting out here why are you sat on your own you should come and got me and we could go home.” Dana looked at Alice properly for the first time and could tell she was crying. She pulled the blonde to her the rain soaking them both to the bone. She pulled the blonde into her body wrapping her arms around her kissing the top of her soaked hair. ” Oh Al what’s wrong?” ” You are leaving the day after tomorrow for four months Dana am not going to see you for four months. You are leaving me Dana.” ” Oh baby no I am not leaving you I am going on tour but I am not leaving you I will be back because I have that week to spend with you when I come back.” ” Dana I am going to miss you so much.” ” I am going to miss you to Al so much you realize that I haven’t gone longer than a month with out seeing you.” ” I know your leaving me Dane.” ” Al honey I am not leaving you ok.” Dana had had a few drinks so she was a little more confident than usual. ” Alice I love you ok and I am going to miss you your more than anybody I know and I am not going to leave until you believe that I love you and I will miss you so much that it makes me not want to go.” Alice got a cheeky smile on her face as she pulled her head out of the crock of Dana’s neck were it had been resting and she looked at the brunette. ” You do realize I could lie and say I don’t know and make you stay don’t you.” ” Yeah and I am kind of hoping you do because I don’t want to leave for four months either Al just think I am not going to see you or Mr. p for a quarter of a year.” ” Thanks Dana that just made it sound longer and I will take good care of Mr. p.” ” Am sorry I didn’t mean to and I know you will you always do sometimes I think he likes you more than me.” They both had soft tears on there checks the rain was starting to quite down. ” Dana am going to miss you.” ” Oh am going to miss you to Al so much I don’t know what I am going to do with out you.” ” Come on Dane let me take you home I don’t want you to get ill before you have to leave.” Dana reached up and wiped the tears off of Alice’s cheek. Alice let out a sye at the feel of Dana’s hand on her face. Dana pulled Alice head down and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead. Dana made the mistake of making eye contact with Alice afterward Alice edged closer to Dana and kissed her on the lips. Dana hesitated for a while but realized she wanted to do this. After a few minutes they pulled away resting there heads together. ” Are you sure we should be doing this Al?” ” Dana I am not sure of anything right now but I know I want this.” The rain was still falling gently. The two jumped in the taxi still kissing. Alice decided to heat things up a little the intoxification of Alcohol helped. She started to run her hand up Dana’s thigh reaching her crotch and the running it back down Dana thought she was going to explode so she tortured Alice in the same way until the arrived at the condo. Dana threw some money at the driver and pulled Alice up to the condo they stumbled inside and landed on the sofa. ” God Al I have wanted to do this for so long.” ” Shut up Dana and just fuck me please.” They found there way to the bedroom ripping off each others clothes Dana threw alice down onto the bed and climbed between her legs loving the feel of the skin touching. Just as Dana was about to lean down and kiss Alice she pulled away she pulled her self off Alice and sat on the other side of the bed. Alice looked at Dana. ” What wrong Dane what happened.” ” Al we shouldn’t do this am sorry.” ” Why we both want it.” ” Al the rules.” ” Fuck the rules Dana we both want this.” ” I know I just can’t do this I am sorry Al.” Alice got of the bed and put some clothes on that she could sleep in. then threw some over to Dana. ” Hey it is ok I will just have to settle for holding wont I.” ” Al am sorry I did I do want this it is just you are wicked drunk and I have had my fair share and the chances are you wont remember this in the morning and I will feel horrible in the morning.” ” I know” Dana was not convinced by that reply. ” Al look I do want this but there is a couple of ways this could the first one you don’t remember a thing and tomorrow I feel like shit and when we should be enjoying our day together all I will want to do is hold you but I can’t because I will be terrified. The second would be you remember and regretted it and our friendship gets ruined. I can’t risk that Alice we can’t risk that Al we can’t risk the best friendship either of us will ever have.” ” I know and I don’t want to risk it but there is one other way that this could go Dana.” Dana looked up at Alice. ” Dana we could do this and wake up tomorrow both remembering everything and not regretting a thing.” ” Yeah and then I would have to leave the next day on tour and not see you for four months and you will find somebody while I am gone because I would never just be with you one night and expect you to wait for me and another way that could go would be I leave some how we manage to get through four months of not seeing each other which is going to be hard enough as it with out sleeping with you before I leave then when I get back we would be happy for a couple of weeks then we could go out and I would go into paranoid freak mode thinking someone is going to see us and, God Al you should never have to hide who you are and I could never let you do that I know what it is like and I could never let you do it especially for me.” ” Yeah and there is another way we could wake up tomorrow spend the day together you would go on tour we manage to get through the four months you come back and we could be together and maybe eventually you would find a way to come out when your comfortable or we could live with out the PDA I mean I would be happy just walk down the street holding your hand which we do any way.” ” Yeah and maybe we could do that for a while but then what happens when we come out of milk one night and we are both drunk and we end up doing what we did tonight then what.” ” I know your right we can’t risk it can we? God I am so drunk how much did I drink tonight.” ” Ha a lot.” ” Good night Dana I love you.” ” Love you to Al.” Alice wrapped her arms around Dana and they fell asleep. The next morning Dana woke up to find Alice sitting in kitchen with a cup of coffee. ” How do you feel this morning?” “Like poopy shit I think my head is going to implode and I can’t remember a thing.” Alice had spent the past hour sitting Dana’s kitchen crying trying to decide what she should do she came to the conclusion that she couldn’t risk loosing Dana and she didn’t think either of the were ready for serious relationship especially Dana and she wouldn’t want anything but that with the brunette. Dana was sure she felt her heart break a little when Alice said this but she also felt relieved she couldn’t risk loosing the only person she could depend on. ” The last thing I remember is sitting on the bench outside milk and you coming to find me and blubbering like a baby.” Dana smiled at Alice slightly. ” Well you disappeared on us and I spent thirty minutes looking for you and worrying I found in the pouring rain crying saying that you were going to miss me and that I was leaving you. I replied with I am not leaving you and that I am just going onto and that I have to come back to you because we have to spend the week together on my sofa. And that I was not going to leave unless you believed I loved you and I was not leaving YOU. You told me that you were tempted to say you didn’t believe me just so I would have to say and I told you that I was wishing you would say it so I didn’t have to go.” ” That sound like something I would say what else happened.” ” Well we finally decided to come home because you told me I couldn’t get ill before I went away we got a cab then stumbled in to the condo lay on the sofa a while then went to bed you threw some clothes at me and we fell asleep in each others arms.” Alice smiled at how Dana explained the events of the night before loving that she didn’t lie once she just left out some very important details. ” Well as long as I didn’t embarrass you that is ok then.” ” Nope. You were a good girl apart from walking of and letting me worry for a while.” ” Well that makes a change me being a good girl.” ” Mhmm it certainly does.” The two were now sat in the kitchen drinking coffee. ” So what do you want to do today AL.” ” Well the same as always sit around her and eat ridiculous amounts of unhealthy food lay on the sofa holding my best friend and watching all our favorite movies and not talking about her leaving for four months.” ” That sounds perfect.” Alice smiled at the relief on Dana’s face when she said she wanted to hold her she had to say that she didn’t want Dana thinking that she couldn’t. ” As long as I get to hold you to Al I am going to miss you so much while I am gone I just want to know that you are there today.” ” I am going to miss you to and of course you can hold me I always feel safer when am with you.” ” I always feel safe with you to it is strange I can walk down the street holding hand her in L.A knowing that some press head could get a photo any time and out me but when I am away and on my own and know that there is know chance they can find out I feel so scared because you aren’t there I know you will protect me when am with you.” ” Dana you should know that I will protect you even if I am not there I wont let anything happen to you.” ” I wont let anything happen to you either Al.” A few hours later the friends were sat in each other’s arms watching Grease and laughing. They never brought that night up again Dana believed that Alice didn’t remember and was just happy to still be able to hold. Alice knew that neither of them was ready to deal with the possible consequences that could have arisen if she did bring up the subject.——————————– The restaurant———————” I can’t believe you remembered and never said anything to me.” ” I knew neither of us were prepared for what could have happened if I brought the subject up we barely managed last year.” ” But look at us now.” ” Yeah but if that never happened we might not be here now we could be a totally different story we just have appreciate everything that got us were we are now.” ” You are so right. I also want to say thank you for that day for letting me hold you I was so terrified when I woke up and you weren’t there.” ” I was pretty scared to o thought I had fucked it all up spent an hour crying in your kitchen trying to decide what to do when you woke.” ” Awe baby at least now we have proof that we have always wanted each other.” ” Yeah but you ruined kissing other people for me every person I kissed after you was nothing nobody compared to you and then when we played spin the bottle I always knew you were afraid because you never kissed me the same except that once when we played and Lara was there you know when Tina was getting those call about the baby.” ” I remember.” ” I love you Dane.” ” I love you to Al.” The two finished there lunch and then went and finished they’re shopping happy that they could still learn new things about each other after all these years.