They parted briefly, Tina’s voice, quiet and a little unsure, breaking the silence. “I’ve missed this,” she said, her words carrying the weight of all the distance that had built between them.

Bette’s thumb traced a slow, absent pattern on Tina’s wrist, her gaze softening. “I’ve missed us,” she murmured, feeling guilty. “I’ve missed the little things. The mornings, the quiet moments, the way everything used to feel… easy. I’m sorry.” She finally said her voice hitched.

Tina pressed her forehead to Bette’s closing her eyes at the words she hadn’t realised she had been waiting for. “I am too.” She whispered, searching for the vet’s lips once again but stopping short of making contact. “It’s easy to take things for granted, isn’t it? The way we just… existed together. Waking up to coffee, sharing laughs with Angelica, just… being. And then we get caught up in everything else, and before we know it, the connection slips away.”

Bette lifted her head slowly, meeting Tina’s gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “It’s like we forgot how to just… be. Together. We’re still here, though, right? We can still find our way back.”

Tina smiled softly. “We will. We just need to remember to make space for us. For us.”

Bette looked at Tina, her heart swelling with something close to relief. “I want that for us too. I’ve been so focused on… everything else, and I didn’t realize how much I was losing sight of you. Of Angelica.”

Tina’s eyes softened, the corners of her lips lifting as she reached out to touch Bette’s arm. “I get it. It’s been hard, but we’ll work through it. We always have.”

Bette nodded, the weight of the conversation settling around them, but there was still something hanging in the air. She hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Tina, can I ask you something?”

Tina tilted her head, her brows furrowing. “Of course.”

Bette took a breath, then quietly asked, “What do you think of Nyah?”

Tina’s gaze shifted for a moment, the question clearly catching her off guard. There was a brief pause before Tina answered, her voice carefully measured. “Nyah?”

Bette nodded, her expression serious but open. “Yeah. I know she’s part of the team, but I’ve been spending a lot of time with her. She’s a good leader, and we work well together… But I just… I don’t want you to feel like… ”