Alice twisted so that she was facing Lara. Looking up, she murmured, "Good teacher." Grasping Lara’s shirt, she pulled the redhead towards her. She froze, just before their lips met. "You don’t use this teaching practice on all your students, do you?"

Lara answered with a quiet chuckle. "Only the very special ones……and so far you are the only special student I’ve taken on."

Alice smiled and closed the remaining distance with a soft, "Good." Their lips met lightly, and Lara found herself shocked at the softness of Alice. She gently breathed in and deepened the kiss, deftly parting Alice’s lips with her tongue. The blonde moaned again, and draped her arms around Lara’s shoulders, one hand softly combing Lara’s hair back. Lara closed her eyes as the pleasant sensation of Alice’s fingertips swept through her.

The phone’s shrill ringing jarred the two slightly apart. Lara murmured, "Let the answering machine get it."

Alice laughed shakily. "Um….that’s fine, but what about the omelet?"

Lara glanced over Alice’s shoulder at the stove. "I’d say it’s ready." Squeezing Alice’s hand she moved to the stove. "I guess we should keep our strength up."

"Never know when it will come in handy," Alice replied coyly.

Lara’s answering machine picked up on the fourth ring. At the tone, Bette’s voice spilled into the kitchen. "Hey Lara, it’s Bette. You certainly were quiet this morning when you slipped away. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you off. Wanted to let you know that I am defintely looking forward to our dinner date this week, but was hoping we could change it to Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Let me know if that’s a problem. Give me a call at home or on my cell….." As Bette droned on leaving the numbers, Alice looked at Lara with a troubled expression.

"You spent the night at Bette’s?"

Lara nodded warily. "On the couch….Kit was there too. I was a little too tipsy to drive home."

Alice chewed her lip for a minute. "Dinner date?" She looked at Lara, who suddenly seemed a little uncomfortable.

"Just as friends."

"I’ve heard that before." Alice replied bitterly, thinking of Dana’s "innocent" dinners with Lara just before their relationship folded.

Lara knew what Alice was referring to and retorted angrily, "God, Alice! Didn’t you learn anything from blowing it with Dana?"

You know when you say something truly hurtful, and the words dangle there…..almost visible? You want nothing more than to reach out, pick them up and stuff them deep back inside.

Lara wanted nothing more at the moment than to take back the hurtful words, but they hung there heavily between the two angry women.

Alice stirred first. Tears welling into her eyes she turned and started for the door. Slipping on the beans, she caught her balance and kept on going.

"Alice! Wait. I’m sorry….." Lara’s voice was etched with grief. She followed Alice who was now heading down the stairs towards the front door of the apartment building.

Lara came into the hallway and started down the stairs. "Please, let me…." Her voice tapered off, then came again in an alarmed tone. "Alice?"

Lara’s tone caused Alice to pause, hand on the doorknob. Looking up, she saw Lara falter. Halfway down the steps, she’d paused and gripped the banister. Her face was pale. As Alice watched, Lara’s eyes rolled back slightly and she pitched forward. She tumbled down the remaining four stairs and landed in a heap at Alice’s feet.

"Oh my god, Lara!" Alice knelt down and gently placed her hand on Lara’s shoulder. The redhead had landed face-up and was sweating slightly. A trickle of blood could be seen at her hairline.

The tenant in the ground floor apartment opened her door slightly and peered out curiously. Alice looked at her and pleaded frantically, "Please, call an ambulance!"