Tina watched as Bette let her feelings completely go.

"I was never strong enough for you, T." Bette confessed. "Everybody thought I was, but you were always stronger. You stood up to your parents when they disapproved of your relationship with me. You were willing to quit your job when we agreed to start a family. You were able to walk away when I failed you. I couldn’t do that. I always looked for the easy way out, and I never realized I got away with so much because you were there to hold my hand."

Tina reached forward, and took Bette’s hand. "Bette, you didn’t fail me. We just made mistakes, that’s all."

Bette shook her head. "I should’ve been stronger. Better. I should’ve done so many things…"

"B, I couldn’t have asked more from you."

Bette looked up and met Tina’s gaze, and smiled weakly. "I had this great speech all planned out, but looking at you now, I’m afraid that if I keep talking I’ll just start to cry."

"You don’t have to talk." Tina said softly.

"I wish I could take it all back, and just…" Bette paused as she started to cry. "I love you, T, and I’m sorry if I’ve managed to single-handedly ***** it all up. But I only want to be with you, and…"

Bette let her voice trail off, and the two sat together, silent and just taking in this moment.

Tina glanced around the car, and smiled to herself, then tried to stop as she thought of how she was ruining Bette’s emotional moment.

"What?" Bette asked.

Tina shook her head, unable to control her growing giggling fit.

"Come on. Tell me."

Tina took a deep breath. "I lost my car virginity to you."

Bette stared at her, surprised. Of all the things she’d expected Tina to admit to, that was the one thing she never saw coming. "You never told me that."

"I sort of did, only I was between your…" Tina stopped herself. "We’re attending a wake. Let’s not go there."

"Actually, if you don’t mind, I don’t really feel like going in there," Bette motioned to the house nearby. "I can’t."

Tina hesitated, and looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Bette nodded. "Last night’s too raw, and I might just start earning my Academy Award. I can’t, not today."

"Okay," Tina nodded. "Let me go and tell Kit."

"No." Bette grabbed her wrist. "Stay here."

"Bette–"

"Tina, please. Don’t leave me."

Tina pulled out her cellphone, and called Kit.

"That thing’s your lifeline, isn’t it?" Bette asked, referring to her cellphone, letting Tina’s wrist go.

"It has its uses," Tina admitted, before returning her attention to the phone. "Hi, Kit. It’s me, Tina. I’m with Bette."

Pause.

"Kit, she’s not really ready to be there. And I don’t want to force her into anything she’s not ready for."

Another pause.

"Okay. I will." Tina glanced at Bette, and had to smile. "I promise to take care of her."

Bette turned to her, and smiled back.

"Okay. Thanks, Kit." Tina hung up. She dropped her phone back into her purse.

"He said your name, you know." Bette said suddenly, watching Tina, searching for a reaction.

Tina hesitated. "Who?"

"Daddy. Once. He was talking to Kit about her boyfriend, and, I don’t know. I just snapped." Bette looked at her. "It wasn’t much, but I couldn’t let him ignore you anymore. I couldn’t let him ignore us anymore. Even though there’s not much of an ‘us’ to ignore."

A long silence descended upon them, as Bette looked out the window and Tina grasped the impact of what Bette had told her.

"Baby?" Tina said softly, prompting Bette to turn back to her. She smiled gently. "There will always be an ‘us’."

Bette smiled, her relief at this confession evident.

Tina looked at Bette. "So what now?"

"Let’s escape all this."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. Away." Bette looked at Tina, and compared to the last time she said the words, how empty and numb she’d felt, this time all she felt was love, and how much she just wanted to spend forever with this woman. "Take me somewhere."

to be continued.