Alice smiled brightly and blushed.

“I’m in love.”

“I know, but this is something more.”

“I don’t know,” Alice stammered. “Maybe.” She wasn’t being coy; she just didn’t think she could explain.

“I remember that feeling,” said Bette wistfully as she sat. “It’s good to know that it’s still out there. Hang on to it, it’s worth fighting for.”

“I can’t tell if that advice was cynical or hopeful.”

“Both I guess. Sleep deprivation. Sorry.”

“And how is your beautiful daughter?”

“Napping at the moment. Tina sent me for a caffeine fix so she could get some sleep.” Bette’s smile was tempered only by her exhaustion.

“I was thinking I’d stop by a little later.”

“I think T would like that. I’m not allowed back for an hour or so…”

“So hang with me and I’ll go with you. Dane will meet us there,” Alice said, reaching for her phone.

Dana sat in the locker room, showered, dressed and stalling for time. She let her phone go to voicemail when she saw Alice was calling.

“Seriously,” she thought as she slowly dialed Lara’s number. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

Five hours and two more messages later, Alice was at the edge of frantic. This was the part she didn’t get. Was three messages too many? Would checking Dana’s condo be going too far? After yesterday, it wasn’t that she was thinking that she’d find Dana in bed with Lara. So much. She beat back that dark thought.

She was actually worried for Dana’s safety. But now she didn’t trust her instincts and they were screaming that Dana was in trouble. She didn’t know what kind of trouble and she didn’t know what she could do or should do. All Alice did know was that not doing anything was making her crazy.

Dana steeled herself for the inevitable confrontation before letting herself into Alice’s apartment. She knew she should have called but it had been so much easier not to. She had absolutely no idea how to explain herself and reverted to the repressive ways of her upbringing. If it wasn’t acknowledged, it couldn’t be real, could it?

She was met at the door with a hug. A hug! Shit.

 Alice was plenty pissed and needed an explanation, but all that would come after expressing her relief. Pulling back from Dana, she kissed her tenderly and led her by the hand to the living room, where the only light was from the candles she’d lit hours ago in an attempt to calm her nerves. Dana thought it was a romantic overture and was taken aback. What the hell was Alice thinking? A smile crossed her face as she decided to go with it.