"I love you too, Tina."

It felt forced and Alice could feel it. Tina couldn’t though and that was a relief. She just smiled and turned away.

"Why are you with that girl still?" Alice asked.

"She’s been there for me, Al."

"Doesn’t mean you should be with her."

"Then who Al?"

"You know who!"

"It’s not going to happen, so drop it. We have more important things to talk about than my love life. Now come on, let’s get home."

***

Bette and Alice changed into pajamas and crawled into Bette’s bed. Alice took her place in Bette’s arms. This was a position they were familar with. Bette meant protection for the group of friends. She’d cradled all of them—Alice, Dana, Helena, and even Shane—in her arms when things went bed. She and Alice also dated briefly when they were seventeen, until they realized it was too weird.

"You know, I have to pick up Helena in the morning. I promised." Alice whispered.

"That’s fine. Just…."

"Drop you off at home before. I already planned on it."

"Thanks."

"You two really should talk, Bette. I know there’s a lot of pain there, but I can’t take it anymore."

"Al, please…"

"Okay, I’m sorry. Just tell me that things are going to be alright. That things will be back to normal."

"Nothing’s going to be normal, Alice. But things will be alright." Bette held Alice tighter, kissing her shoulder and waiting for her to fall asleep.

Dammit, Dana! Alice needs you! We all need you.

Bette thought to herself, hoping that somehow Dana could hear it.

***

The next morning, Helena was waiting at the airport for Alice to come and pick her up. It was hot in an unnatural way in Los Angeles. Helena realized that it wasn’t LA that was hot like that, it was her. She was in Bette’s domain now. She had to play by Bette’s rules, which meant seeing her with Tina. It meant seeing her happy and in love, or at least that’s what she thought. She had to deal with seeing Bette with someone else.

They were both responsible for this demise.

She saw Alice out of the corner of her eye and smiled. They practically ran up to one another.

"Alice! I’ve missed you so much."

"Well, you could’ve just…"

"Stop! I don’t want to hear it…"

"I know. I’m glad you could make it."

"I’m so sorry, Alice." Helena felt the tears threatening to fall but held it together for Alice.

They got into the car and started the excursion through LAX and to Helena’s mother’s place in Los Angeles.

"You know, Bette and Tina are thinking about having a baby." Alice said as she merged onto the road.

Helena felt a piece of her already broken heart rip out. A baby? No! She and Bette were supposed to have babies together and raise them like a family. They talked about this when they were still very young, around twenty. But they threw that down the toilet when they began fighting.

"Well, if they’re in love, then they should." Helena said, sucking up her pride and the tears that wanted so badly to fall.

"Okay, who are you and what did you do with Helena Peabody?" Alice said, "You can’t be serious! Bette doesn’t love her, she loves…"

"Don’t Al. I’m here for Dana not for Bette. What we had is in the past."