Helena sighed her understanding as both women pulled out their Blackberries and sent a quick series of notes to their small circle…sparing them none of the intimate details of Alice’s ordeal, and requesting their presence at Alice’s for a late brunch. Then they went to bed.

The muted light of morning penetrated Alice’s consciousness and, reluctantly, she began to stir. She wasn’t really rested. In point of fact, she felt like she had a hangover. A bad one. Yet she actually felt much better than she’d felt in a very long time. Instinctively she snuggled back against the warm body behind her, even as she felt someone else’s light breathing tickling her nose. She struggled to remember where she was. What stupid, reckless thing had she done?

And then it came to her, the memory of Bette jumping fearlessly into the deepest part of her despair and refusing to let her drown. She gingerly opened an eye and discovered Helena Peabody sleeping soundly, an arm draped across her waist. Glancing down she saw what could only be Bette’s arm folded snugly around her shoulders. She caught herself just before blurting something sarcastic and surly, the realization that she was safe bringing her to quiet tears.

After a moment, she sensed movement at the end of the bed and twisted her head to see Shane sitting there, watching over the unlikely threesome with a mournful look. She couldn’t help herself. Alice laughed. Trying to stifle it, she ducked under both women’s arms, darting off the end of the bed and running for the kitchen before bursting into a fit of giggles. Shane was on her heels, deep concern written on her solemn features. First the tears, then this. She felt slightly panicked. It didn’t help matters that every time Alice seemed to get some control, she’d take one look at Shane and lose it even more. She laughed so hard, she cried again.

Finally, she turned to Shane and rested her hands lightly on Shane’s shoulders.

“You’ve got to lighten up. Seriously. The puppy-dog eyes are killing me,” Alice said though her tears, planting a kiss on Shane’s cheek. “God that felt good.”

“What the fuck, Al?” Shane’s brain wasn’t built for this.

“Okay, I don’t know what the Bobsey Twins told you, but I had a teeny, tiny little nervous breakdown,” Alice said with a smirk, “and even that doesn’t prevent me from seeing the perverse humor in what those two are going to think when they wake up in each other’s arms.”