(Flashback: the previous night)

Alice drove home in complete shock. One, with the fact that she had been able to somehow muster up the balls (so to speak) to kiss Dana, and two, that Dana had actually kissed her back. Kissed her back! While it wasnt Alices main priority to break up Danas relationship with Tonya, she couldnt help but smile at the thought of Dana reciprocating what she herself felt.

She entered her apartment still in a bit of a daze. Worrying thoughts had begun to creep into her mind as she opened the door and entered the front hall. “*****” she muttered under breath. “*****.” Had she just ruined one of the best friendships she ever had? Would Dana resent her, would she ever speak to her again? Her train of thought was suddenly cut short when she saw Tina, slumped on her couch, her face pale and tear- stained. It didnt take long to learn what had happened between her and Bette. Finding out that Bette had been unfaithful shocked Alice and shook her to her core. If a couple like Bette and Tina couldnt survive, was there really any hope for her and Dana, or anyone else for that matter?

Alice spent the entire night with Tina on the couch, holding her when she cried, and gently stroking her hair when she drifted off into uneasy sleep, only to inevitably wake up and begin crying again. Tina was one of her best friends, and to see her in this state broke Alices heart, and succeeded in pushing thoughts of Dana from her mind. Right now, Tina was her main priority.

(Flashforward: the following day)

Danas car pulled into Bette and Tinas driveway. She noticed Tinas car was missing, but didnt think much of it. Although Tina was generally the more level- headed of the two, she had always found that Bette could also give good advice on her own. She headed up to the door and knocked gently. From within the house, she heard the rapid patter of footsteps approaching. The door swung wide open to reveal Bette, eyes wide, as if she was expecting the president of the United States to be standing there at her doorstep. Her entire body slumped when she saw Dana.

“Goddamn girl, and I thought I looked like ***** this morning.” Dana scoffed sarcastically, hands on her hips. She looked at Bettes disheveled hair, and puffy eyes surrounded with smeared eyeliner and mascara. Then she noticed the reddish bruise on Bettes right cheek, and as she fully absorbed Bettes demeanor, she realized something was seriously wrong. “Bette, my God, what happened?” Dana asked, now in a gentler tone. Without warning, Bette burst into tears, covering her distraught face with her hands.

Dana was now seriously taken aback. “Bette, hey, sweetie. Come here, come here.” She quickly pulled Bette into her arms, and felt warm tears dripping onto her shoulder. She gently maneuvered the two of them into the house, closing the door behind her. She guided Bette over to the couch and sat her down. She waited a moment for Bette to at least catch her breath. Thinking back, Dana realized that this might be the first time she had seen Bette cry like this. “Bette honey, whats wrong? What happened? Please, tell me what happened.” This only prompted a new barrage of tears. Danas heart thudded. She could only think of one possibility. Oh God, something bad has happened to Tina.

“Ive lost hershes.gone Ivelost herforever.” Bette had to take pauses in between her words to catch her breath.

“What, what happened?” Dana asked slowly, petrified of what Bettes answer might be.

“She found out, she found out that Ithat I slept with Candace.Oh my God, what have I ***** done?” Again, Bette collapsed into hysterics. Dana let out the breath she was holding, relieved to know that Tina was, at least physically, safe. On the other hand, Bettes revelation stunned her. While she had noticed some sort of chemistry between her and Candance on the day that they had been arrested at the CAC, she never thought that Bette would have a full on affair. To Dana, who was a bonifide klutz when it came to relationships, Bette and Tina had always seemed to be the epitome of true love and happiness. She felt her emotions being torn between Bettes current condition, and how Tina must be feeling right now. At least for the moment, thoughts of Alice and Tonya had been pushed to the back of her mind.

“Shhhh, its ok, its going to be ok. You guys can get through this, you two are strong.” Dana soothed, unsure of how much truth her words actually held at this point. She shifted Bette so that the taller womans head now lay in her lap and her body stretched across the couch. She gently caressed Bettes dark hair with her fingers, feeling the perspiration that had formed along her brow. Bette who had been up the entire night now finally felt her sobs slowing, and her ragged breath began to even, until without knowing it she had drifted off to sleep in Danas lap. Dana settled back into the couch, continuing to stroke Bettes hair, willing to stay as long as necessary to help her friend. Like Alice with Tina, at this moment, Bette was Danas main priority.