“I’m nervous,” Tina said quietly.

“What?”

Bette wasn’t expecting to hear Tina confess that.

“I’m nervous,” Tina said a little louder.

“You are?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Being back here. In our home. With you. It scares me.”

She said OUR home.

“It does?”

“Yeah…it does.”

“Why…why does it scare you?”

“I want this so badly.” 

Tina motioned between them.

“I want us to be an us so badly. And I’m afraid of fucking it all up.”

They stared at each other. The air around them was heavy. 

“I’m nervous too,” Bette admitted quietly.

“You are?” 

Tina pretended like she didn’t already know.

Bette nodded.

“Why?”

Bette took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Because I…”

Bette stopped talking and looked down. Tina took a step forward. Bette was instantly consumed by Tina’s scent and her head began to swim.

“Because why?” 

Bette realized guilting Tina into moving back into their house was precipitous and she didn’t know how they were going to coexist with so much still to talk about and work through. Bette wanted to gather Tina up in her arms and kiss her for hours. Chemistry was never their problem. Tina took half a step forward.

“Because I bullied you into moving in with me.”

Tina’s eyes got big. 

Bette was about to say something else when they heard commotion in the direction of the garden. They both looked at each other. Then towards the sound when Alice suddenly appeared. Bette’s eyes got big and she shot Tina a look before she expertly covered it. Tina saw it.

“Hiiiiiiiii,” Alice cheesed.

“Al, wh-what are you doing here?” Tina asked.

Bette rolled her eyes. 

“What do you mean? We came over to celebrate,” Alice was still cheesing.

“We?” Bette questioned. 

Dana and Shane walked in as if on cue. Bette shot Tina another look. She assumed Tina invited them over. Bette wanted to be alone with Tina their first night back under the same roof. Their roof. In their home. The more Bette realized what was happening…Tina did not like the look in Bette’s eyes. They were having such a lovely moment. A real moment. For the first time in a long time. It was raw and they needed those moments to help them build a bridge back to each other.