Bette Porter was supposed to take charge and lead their family, she was the support…and now…now she had to be both.  It was too hard, she hated the fear she saw in Bette’s eyes every time they had an argument.  Her wife was actually afraid that if she disagreed with her that Tina would be so horrible as to up and leave her.  Did Bette really think so little of her, that Tina was that petty of a person? 

Now here Tina was, contemplating doing just that.  Something she swore she wouldn’t do, so she wept in Bette’s pillow.  She cried for the life they had before the carpenter, before Dana’s death, and before Alice gave up on life.  She cried for the life she could never have again…and for how easily something so precious could fall through your hands.

******

Her head ached.  Even in the darkness she could feel her head throbbing painfully, threatening to explode in her skull.  Unable to open her eyes against the darkness surrounding her, slowly she moved her hand up to her face.  Feeling a warm stickiness, she struggled to open her eyes.  Finally after what seemed like hours, her right eye managed to pry itself open, and she saw the crimson red on her fingers. 

Regaining her senses, the copper smell of blood invading her nostrils, as well as mouth, Shane managed to roll over and immediately recognized her kitchen.  Concentrating hard, she tried to remember why she was lying in the floor in a pool of her own blood and a throbbing headache.  Had she gotten that dunk?  She didn’t remember drinking that much, sure she had a couple beers, but she had felt pretty sober.

The one question that kept running through her head was why Alice and Dana had just left her here in the floor.  Maybe the two was passed out drunk in the living room.  Despite her pain she had to smile at the thought of seeing the two drunken lovers passed out together with the cards and poker chips surrounding them.  If she managed to stand she would have to remember to get Al’s camera and take a picture of the scene for Bette and Tina to see when they return. 

Still right now, standing up was her priority, and she felt that it was highly unlikely that she could.  Unsure of how much blood she was in, but assuming it was very little, she had had a few head injuries in her life and they always look worse and bled more than a small cut should.  Assuming she fell and whacked her head on the table, Shane shut her eyes against the blinding kitchen light, and debated about going back to sleep. 

Not wanting to be embarrassed if Al or Dana was to wake up first, the young woman fought off the urge and instead forced her self to sit up.  Immediately the room began to swim and her head felt as if it did indeed explode.  Trying hard to concentrate on getting the room to stop its spinning, Shane heard a gruff muffled voice coming from the living room.  Slightly confused as to why Mark was here, since it was the only guy that had ever been to Alice‘s; she strained to hear what was being said.

“You’re right about one thing bitchyou’re out of time.”   

Eyes opening wide, the events of the last day flooded her memories and adrenaline rushed through her.  Oh God…Al…  Against all of her bodies protest she managed to stand and stumble out of the kitchen.  Stumbling and holding her head she awkwardly made her way to the living room.  There standing in the door way was…Dana?

******

“Fairbanks?”  The burly man tilted his head toward the broken looking woman in the doorway.  The brunette looked to be extremely malnourished, and nothing like the tennis star he had been searching for.  Still it was unmistakably Dana Fairbanks, and his night had just gotten easier.  “Stop.”  He nodded at the woman on her knees before him.  “You wouldn’t want anything to happen to your friend, now would you?”