Bette glanced at her watch and fell into the chair by the bed.  “If she doesn’t show up soon, we’re gonna have to take you back to our place without her.  I need to get back to work, I haven’t been there long and I’m still making impressions.”

“Are you kidding me?  You are at work too much as it is.  If you ask me you need to cut your hours back.”  Alice blurted.

Frowning, Bette hissed.  “Not all of us are lucky enough to have a list of ten sentences due at the end of each week.  Some of us actually do real work.”

“What ever.”  The journalist huffed. 

Tina patted her wife’s hand reassuringly and turned to her best friend.  “Al you’re not being fair.  Besides Bette’s schedule isn’t what’s bothering you…you’re worried about Shane.”

“Look as much as I am enamored by this conversation…and at seeing Al’s ***** hanging out of that hospital gown, we need to get moving.”  Bette tossed the bag of clothes Tina had brought for Al.  None of Alice’s or Shane’s items survived the fire.

Alice dropped her face and stared at her feet.  “Right…I’ll change and meet you guys outside.”  Unwilling to argue anymore with Bette and worrying about Shane, the journalist prepared to leave the hospital.

Offering her best friend a reassuring smile, Tina stood and led Bette out of the room.  “Why are you so hard on her?  She’s had a really rough week, she lost everything and she is trying to heal…Sometimes Bette…”

“She doesn’t make it easy T.  She goads me.”  Bette threw her arms up in front of her defending her actions.  “Besides why do I always get the lecture…she starts it.”

“Who starts it?”  Shane grinned at the couple before her.  Even when the two women were arguing about something it put her at ease just seeing them together. 

“Alice she’s all upset because…Ouch!”  Bette grabbed her arm and backed away from her partner.  “What was that for?”

Tina forced a smile on her face and changed the subject.  “She’s just not feeling a hundred percent so she’s acting a little cranky.  I’m sure she’ll be fine…why don’t you go in and see her.  She was asking about you.”  The blonde knocked lightly on Alice‘s door and pushed it open allowing the confused Shane through.