She was hurt. And…despaired.

Tina quickly gathered her things, switched the light off everywhere and left the apartment. She wanted to be with her family tonight.

The next day after spending the whole afternoon soothing her mood by gardening with her mother and sister, Tina decided to return to the apartment. Bette must be home already, probably sleeping after working all night.

Tina opened the front door and walked into the completely dark condo. She presumed that her guesses were true – Bette was sleeping. Putting the keys on the stand quietly, the blonde turned the hallway lamp on and took off her jacket. Her eye sight fell far at the living room, and as the light illuminated it just a bit, Tina saw the mass of Bette’s dark hair sprawled on the back of the sofa. While Tina slowly approached the sofa, her brows furrowed further and further. Stepping around the sofa, the blonde got a good view of her girlfriend.

Bette sat there fully dressed in a slouching position with her head reclined.

”Bette?” Tina called softly so she would not scare the possibly sleeping brunette. Tina switched on the table-lamp.

”Hey…Tee” Bette suddenly answered, her voice so weak it broke Tina’s heart.

Tina seated herself near the brunette, whose eyes were still closed, and spoke in a coaxing way. ”Bette, come on let’s go to bed”

When Bette didn’t answer, Tina bit her lips nervously. The situation worried her. Though apparently not enough, because when she glanced down at Bette’s right hand, she gasped out loud. The hand was bandaged. The bandage itself was slightly stained with blood around the knuckles area and was rolled around the hand so messily like it was bandaged not by a professional doctor in a hospital, but on a street in haste by some stranger.

Tina lifted her head and saw that Bette was looking at her through heavily lidded eyes.

”What is…going on with you?” Tina asked, her voice quivering. ”Where have you been? Why is your hand…bandaged?”

Bette let out a chuckle or at least what her weak voice was able to produce. She waved her unbandaged hand in the air and then let it fall on her stomach. ”Just a cut, Tee”

”You are lying, Bette, it’s not just a cut. I’m not blind.”

Bette closed her eyes again, exhaling through her nose with such heaviness, like the air in her lungs weighed a nigh on to a ton. ”God, I’m so tired…” She whispered.

Hot tears rolled down Tina’s cheeks as she watched her lover experiencing this condition. The blonde sniffed and reached for Bette’s bandaged hand. She took it gingerly in her hand and leaned it against her lips, placing tender kisses on each bare finger, one by one. The blonde then put the hand against her forehead and started to sob, repeating over and over: ”You’re scaring me… What is going on…”

Bette sat up slowly and got off from the sofa right on her knees in front of Tina. Placing her head on Tina’s lap, the brunette spoke quietly. ”Don’t cry, my Tee. Everything is going to be okay from now, I promise, baby”

Tina nodded at Bette’s words, but still continued to cry.

”I love you more than life…” Bette said, lifting her head and wiping Tina’s tears away. ”Can we just go sleep now?”

Tina nodded again and began to stand up, pulling Bette along with her. ”I love you too…” Tina whimpered, leading them both to the bed so they could fall in a much needed peaceful sleep.