Alice opened her eyes startled out of her dream by the very real banging that was coming from her door. How the ***** had someone gotten in the building so late. She laid there for a second hoping whoever it was would give up and go away and then groaned when she heard the noise again. Alice threw back the blanket that had been thrown over her and went to answer the door. She opened it to find Dana standing in front of her wearing a look that Alice had never seen before this moment. Alice swallowed. “Is everything okay?” She asked. Dana nodded but didn’t say anything right away. Alice waited to hear her speak and when she didn’t Alice filled the silence again. “Dana did you need something? Or did you just decide to come over here to stare at me?” When Dana still didn’t answer Alice heaved a sigh. “Okay, Dane, you know what, I’m way too tired to activate my mind reading abilities, so you’re either going to have to start talking or we’re going to have to call it a night.”

Dana squeezed her eyes shut, all of her previous courage had disappeared, but she knew that Alice would leave her there at this point and she really did need to talk to her. “Alice.” Was all she could manage for the moment. She took a deep breath and said the one thing that she was sure of, the one thing that she meant with all of her being. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I want to apologize for everything that happened earlier, because of course our friendship meant everything to me and I would be lost without you. And yes, if it really is what you want then we can go back to being friends. But I have to tell you something before that happens, and then we never have to talk about it again until you’re ready. I’m scared, Al.” Dana looked up into Alice’s eyes and Alice could see that Dana was being honest.

“What are you scared of, Dana?” Alice prompted Dana quietly. She didn’t want Dana to close up on her this time.

“I’m scared of losing you.”

“Dana, that’s why we should just forget this-”