Shane’s flight gets in at 5 o’clock Thursday evening and despite Harper’s careful planning she is stuck at work. Half her staff is home sick with the nasty flu that’s going around. This leaves Harper, the intern and Steven, her shipping guy to fill a large order. She contemplates farming out some of the work to a competitor to free her up to welcome home Shane the way she had wanted. But in the best interest of her business and it’s reputation she decides to stick it out.
*
Jenny waits as patiently as she can at baggage claim. She rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet, unable to contain her excitement at Shane’s return. To her it feels like a year since she’s seen her friend. As people begin to bustle past her she grows more anxious knowing this must be her flight.
Shane picks up her pace when she spots her roommate in the crowd.
“Jen!” She waves and yells.
Jenny’s face lights up when she hears the familiar voice. She jumps up and down when she sees Shane running toward her. “Shane!”
Jenny jumps into Shane’s strong embrace, “Oh my God! It’s so good to see you.” Shane says hugging her.
“Welcome home.” Jenny is practically in tears.
Shane puts Jenny down and looks at her, “Damn, I missed that face.” Shane says with a crooked smile. “Let’s find my ***** and go home!”
“Yay!” Jenny raises her arms in celebration.
*
Harper is finally able to grab five minutes to herself to return Shane’s call and get some fresh air.
“Welcome home!” Harper’s tired voice says.
“Thank you.” Shane says happy to be home and happy to hear Harper’s voice.
“How was your flight?”
“Long!!” Shane says with dramatic flair.
“And how does it feel to be home?”

 

“Gooooood!” Shane draws the word out like a sigh of relief. “How are you holding up?”
“It’s going to be a long night! I did manage to recruit Christine and Joe to help later, so that much is good. Shane, I’m so sorry about this.” Harper feels awful.
“It’s ok, please don’t worry about it, seriously. We have the rest of our lives to see each other.”
Jenny’s head snaps in Shane’s direction when she hears this. Her eyes are wide with wonderment as she eyes her roommate. All Shane can do is shoot her the ‘shut up’ look.  Jenny just smiles happily at her.
“I just wish you’d let me come and help you.” Shane continues.
“You’re friends have a very nice welcome home dinner planned for you. There is no way I’m going to let you skip out on that.”
“I can do both.” Shane really wants to help, but most of all wants to see her.
“I really appreciate it but you’ve already had a long day and you should have fun at dinner and enjoy seeing everyone again. You’ve been working your ***** off for two months so have fun!”
Shane knows she’s fighting a losing battle, “Ok, fine. But just know I’m not happy about it.”
“Tomorrow night is all yours, I promise.”
“I can’t wait.” Shane smiles to herself and then looks over at Jenny. “I better go and keep Jen from getting full blown road rage.”
Harper laughs, “Uh oh, bad traffic?”
Shane leans over to look at the dashboard, “We’re cruising at about four miles an hour.”
“Welcome back to Los Angeles.”
“Yeah, no *****!” Shane laughs.
***
Shane and her posse of friends have a great dinner at their favorite Japanese place. She tells them all about her two months away. All the while she is completely distracted by the newest addition to her family. She gifts little Angelica with a I Love NY onesy. And spends much of the dinner smiling in awe of the perfect little baby. Bette and Tina smile at one another touched by Shane’s new demeanor. No one but Kit has been so thoroughly enthralled with Angelica.
“Shane do you want to hold her?” Tina asks softly when dinner is cleared away.
Shane looks at her a little shocked, as if this option was not possible. “Can I?”
“Mmhm.” Tina’s voice is encouraging.  “Keep your hand back here to support her head.”  Tina hands Angelica to Shane.
Shane’s very careful, “Is this ok?”
“Perfect.”  Tina smiles at her.
The others all seem to be engaged in conversation and pay no attention to Shane and Angelica bonding.
“Hi Angelica.”  Shane’s deep voice is soft and soothing.  “I’m Shane.  Aunt Shane, I guess.  It’s nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard so much about you.  Sorry it took me so long to get here.”  She stops and looks at her.  She inspects her little hands and feet.  “You are perfect.”  She traces her round face with her fingertip, “You look like your Momma T.”
“Uh oh!  Harper better look out!  I think I just saw Shane’s biological clock start to tick.”  Alice says eyeing the scene.
“Oh and yours isn’t?”  Shane retorts.
“Nope.”
“What, are you the Tin Man?  Where’s your heart Al?”  Shane asks.
“My heart and my uterus are not connected.”  Alice quips back.
Shane just gives her a look and turns her focus back to Angelica.
“Don’t pay any attention to her Little One.”
“Where is Harper?”  Dana asks having gotten to dinner late and missed the story.
“She’s stuck with a rush order at work.”  Shane says.
“Why can’t the other people deal with it?  She should be here, you just got home.”  Dana says without sounding bitchy.
“Half her staff is sick with the flu, which leaves her with two people plus herself.  I offered to help but she refused.”
“We should go help her!”  Tina says, “She can’t deny all of us if we just show up.”
Shane smiles at the thought.
“Yeh!”  Dana agrees.
“Totally.”  Alice pipes in.
“I’m game.”  Jenny says.
Carmen looks at Jenny, “Me too.”
“Babe, would you mind watching Angelica?  I’d really like to help.”  Tina asks Bette.
“Of course not.”  Bette leans in and kisses Tina.
“Thank you.”  She says with a smile.  “What do you think Shane?”
Shane is blown away by the generosity of her friends.  “I think you guys are amazing.”
***
Harper is singing along to the blasting music of The Go-Go’s in an attempt to keep the morale of her puny staff up.  Susan is busy loading shirts into the drier, while Steven boxes up what is done.  Christine hands Harper one last shirt to fill the press.
“I remember when this song came out!”  Harper says loudly to be heard over the music.
“Man, your old!”  Christine makes fun.
“Yeah, yeah!  Pipe down Junior!  They’d play it at our dances in Middle School.”  Harper begins to do her best 80′s dance to “Head Over Heels” as she sings along and inserts hand claps in all the right places.
Christine joins in and does her best backing vocals and air piano.  Susan and Steven both being way too young to remember the that part of the 80′s laugh at the goofy dancing.  The biggest laugh comes when Christine starts beating Harper’s back to get the right shaky vocal styling of Belinda Carlisle.
When the song ends a loud chorus of clapping and whistles erupt startling the workers.  No one noticed Shane and her merry gang walk in.
“Holy *****!”  Harper yells when she sees Shane.  She runs to her and jumps into her arms.  Their lips lock in a passionate kiss.  Everyone can’t help but stare in awe at the happy couple.
“Oh my God!  What are you doing here?”  Harper says ending the kiss, holding Shane by the hips.
“We came to help!”  Alice says loudly.
“Did you…”  Harper starts.
Shane stops her, “It wasn’t my idea, I swear!”
” I suggested it.”  Tina comes to Shane’s defense.
“But what about your dinner?”  She says to Shane feeling bad for ruining her first night back.
“We ate and it was wonderful.”  Shane says looking deeply into the blue eyes she’s missed so much.
“And now we’re here, so put us to work.”  Alice says tugging on Harper’s arm.
*
By 3:30 all the work is done, thanks to the many extra hands.  Harper is standing in Shane’s bedroom watching her exhausted “steady date” rifle through bags in search of her phone charger.
“Where the ***** did I put this stupid thing?”  Shane blurts out in frustration.
“You need help?”  Harper tries not to laugh.
“No.”  Shane goes back to the first bag she searched.  “*****!  Here it is!”  She says, “I’m too tired for this.”
“I know.”  Harper can’t help but feel guilty.  “I’ll plug that in, why don’t you go wash up.  You’ll feel better.”
“You’re right.  Thanks.”  She hands her the cord and her phone.  “Be right back.”
When Shane returns her hair is wet in spots from washing her face.
“Feel better?”  Harper asks taking the beautiful woman in her arms.
“Mmhm.”  A sleepy Shane says.
They share a brief kiss.
“Minty.”  Harper comments.  “My turn.”  She starts to leave the room.  “No more unpacking young lady.”  She says as Shane goes back to her bags.  “It’s bedtime for you.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
When Harper returns Shane is sound asleep.
*
Shane rolls over reaching out for Harper.  When her hands do not find what they seek she opens her eyes.  Her disappointed eyes land on her bedside clock shocked to see it say 2:49pm.  She notices a note sitting next to the clock.
GOOD MORNING OR MAYBE AFTERNOON!
I HOPE YOU SLEPT WELL MY TIRED ONE.  GIVE ME A CALL WHEN YOU WAKE UP SO WE CAN MAKE A PLAN FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LAST NIGHT, I COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!
XO, HARPER
Shane smiles and grabs her phone.
*
Shane stands with her arms wrapped around Harper as she stands chopping veggies.  She rests her head on Harper’s shoulder.  “I didn’t know you were so domestic.  It’s really *****.”
“I love to cook, I just can never motivate to do it for just myself.”  She leans back and gives Shane’s lips a quick kiss.  “We should have a dinner party some time.”
“Yeah?”  Shane smiles excited by the idea.  “That would be cool.”
“Sophia and I used to have them all the time.”  Harper says innocently.
“Oh.”  Shane’s excitement deflates.
“I’m sorry.”  Harper notices the change in her voice and felt her body tense up.
“Don’t be.”  Shane tries to play it off.
Harper turns to face her, “I didn’t think, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s ok.”  Shane takes a deep breath, “It’s hard to think about your life with someone else.  I get a little jealous sometimes.”
Harper kisses her forehead, “I know how that feels and I don’t want to do or say anything to add to that.”
Shane grins.
“You are the one McCutcheon.”  Harper gently holds her head in her hands, “The only one.”
Shane feels herself blush.
They eat their feast and enjoy more wine snuggled up by the outdoor fireplace in Harper’s yard.
“So how does it feel to be home?”  Harper asks.
“It feels good, but kind of weird.  It’s really strange not to be working.”
“I was wondering how you’d do.”  Harper says, “I wasn’t sure if you’d get Post Set Depression.  I know a few friends who get it bad.  I used to get Post Tour Depression, it was awful.”
“You were in a band?”  Shane turns to face her in shock.
“Yeah, a long time ago.  I never told you that?”  Harper says very non-chalantly .
“Nooo.”
Harper laughs at Shane, “It was a long time ago.  You’ve seen my guitars.”  As if that explains it all.
“Yeah, I knew you played.  But I didn’t know you played!”  She stresses the last word.  “I didn’t know I was dating a rock star.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call myself a rock star any more.  I wouldn’t say I ever was.”
“Did you put our a record?”
“A few.  All Indie stuff.”  Harper can’t believe Shane is so excited.
“Bust’em out!  I need to hear them.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, now.”  Shane’s bursting with excitement.
“How about I give them to you now and you can listen to them later.”  Harper tries.
“No, I wanna hear them now.”  Shane demands.
“What if I told you I had something else planned for right now?”
“It would have to be pretty amazing to change my mind.”  Shane catches on and plays along.
Harper moves her lips slowly along Shane’s neck, eliciting small moans.
“I was thinking of,” Harper kisses her ear, “Drawing us a nice hot bath.”  Shane moans deeper when Harper sucks her earlobe.  “And getting you all relaxed,” Her lips brush against her jaw line as her fingers trail along Shane’s abdomen. 
“Uh huh.”  Shane practically moans her words as Harper’s touch causes her to ache with desire.
“Uh huh, then I thought,” Her fingers tease Shane’s *****.  “I’d start teasing you.”
“I think you’re already doing that.”  Shane interrupts.
“This is nothing.”  Harper taunts her, then nibbles her neck.
“What happens after the bath?”  Shane’s getting off on the sound of her voice and the sensations her words bring.
“Mmmm, then we’ll get on my bed and I’m going to explore every inch of your body with my mouth.”
“*****.”  Shane sighs with an excited gasp.
“Yes, but that comes after the exploring.”
Shane cracks under pressure.  She grabs Harper’s face and pulls her in to a passionate kiss.  The last 3 weeks of waiting for this moment finally coming to a head.
“God, I want you so bad.”  Shane says between kisses.  “I missed you so ***** much.”
“Me too.”  Harper manages to get out before Shane’s lips crash onto hers again.
They continue to sit on the lounge chair for quite awhile and make out.  They are both soaking wet and completely turned on.
“I need you now Harper, I can’t wait.”  Shane pants desperately next to Harper’s ear.
“I know, me too.”  Harper pants.
Shane’s frantic hands begin to undo Harper’s pants.  When she gets them unzipped she begins to tug them off.  “Commando, hot!”  Shane smiles at her panty-less girl.
“Thank you.”  Harper says lifting her ***** up in an effort to aid Shane in her clothing removal task.
Once Harper is bottomless she locks eyes with Shane.  “Now you.”  She says working her nimble fingers on her button and zipper.
Shane stands up to kick off her sneakers and finish removing her pants.
Harper feels a hot rush when she sees Shane standing there in her white cotton boys briefs.  “You are so ***** hot.”  She says grabbing the waistband of the briefs, pulling her in for a kiss.
“You like?”  Shane’s lowered voice registering her arousal.
“Very much.”  Harper’s smile is wicked as she watches Shane stand up. 
Shane slowly hooks her thumbs into the waistband.  She works them around the length of the band teasing Harper.  “You know what I like?”  Shane locks in on Harper’s sparkling blue eyes.
“Tell me.”  Harper plays along.
“I like that I can do this.”  Shane slowly slides her hand down over the front of her briefs, and into the front flap opening.
Harper’s heart skips a beat at the sight.  Her breath catches when she sees Shane’s fingers working underneath the white cotton fabric.  She bites her lips and sighs when Shane removes her glistening wet fingers with a satisfied moan.
She moves her fingers toward her mouth, “You’ve got me so ***** wet.”  Shane places her two fingers in her mouth, gently sucking them.
Harper feels faint, “Tease.”
Shane playfully raises her eyebrows and gives her a satisfied grin.  Finally she removes her briefs and straddles Harper’s aching body.
She moans when she feels Shane’s wet ***** slide down her stomach.  Harper sinks her teeth into Shane’s neck.  The pleasurable pain releasing a satisfied moan.
With the chair fully reclined their fingers bury deep inside one another.  Their passion is fast and furious.  The desire raw.  The need desperate.  They want to fill and fulfill one another.  Their mouths travel along collarbones, necks and each others mouths.  As they climax neither one of them can hardly breathe.  Their heads rest against one another.  Their moans cause each other to race to their climax.  Moans become screams as their orgasms rip through them like freight trains, their eyes locked onto each other.
Shane’s body gives out on her and she collapses on top of Harper exhausted.  They lay like that unable to speak, trying to catch their breath.  Post ***** aftershocks cause each of them to involuntarily shudder from time to time.
“Holy *****.”  Harper speaks first.
“Yeah.”  Shane agrees.
“Have I told you I love you lately?”  Harper barely has the energy to speak.
“I don’t know.  I don’t think I can think any more.”  Shane chuckles to herself.  “I think this is what they mean…”  Her voice loses it’s energy.
“What?”  Harper says with exhausted confusion.
“I think you fucked my brains out.  I can’t think or remember anything.”  She chuckles at her own joke.
Harper joins her laughter and kisses her shoulder.
“I love you Harper.”  Shane says sweetly into her ear.
Harper smiles, “I love you too.”  She wraps her arms around Shane and holds her tight.  “I’m so glad your home.”
“Me too.”  Shane kisses her cheek, “I missed you so much.”
They lay quietly basking in their afterglow.  The crackle of the fire and glow of the moonlight adding to the magic of the moment.
“I think I understand another age old saying.”  Shane says breaking the long silence.
“What’s that?  ‘There’s no place like home?’” Harper takes a guess.
“No, ‘I’m freezing my ***** off’.”  Shane laughs.
Harper quickly slides her hands down to her bare cheeks.  “Oh my God!  You are!”  She laughs, “Would you like to go inside?”  Harper asks still laughing.
“Mmhm.  I know it’s not much of an *****, but I’d like it not to freeze off.”  Shane laughs as she carefully gets up.  Once she’s safely on her feet she offers her hands to Harper.
“Grazie, amore.”  She says in Italian.
Shane pulls her into an embrace, “Say that again.”
“Grazie,” She kisses her, “amore.”  She kisses her again.
“I don’t know what you said but that was damn *****.”
Harper presses her lips against Shane’s ear, “I said thank you my love.”
*
The girls spend Saturday night lounging around Harper’s.  Shane sits attached to the stereo listening to Harper sing and play guitar.  When Shane begins to play the first record for the second time Harper hands her headphones.  Shane happily takes them, glad for the chance to listen more closely.
Harper sits on the couch working on her laptop trying to lessen her list of things to do.  Occasionally she watches Shane sitting on the floor bobbing her head to the beat, totally engrossed.  It’s been years since she’s seen someone captivated by her music and had forgotten how good it felt.
Shane finally ends her listening party and makes love to Harper on the couch.  She takes her time savoring Harper’s sweet wetness.  Her tongue tenderly works its magic.  Harper feels dizzy, drunk and euphoric.  She has no memory of ever feeling this good, of ever feeling this connected, of ever being treated so gently. 
Shane has all the time in the world to spend between her legs.  And she intends to take it.  She is falling in love with the way Harper’s ***** feels against her tongue.  And how the velvety walls of her wet ***** feel tightening against her fingers.  The way Harper moans softly when she manipulates her g-spot.
Harper’s fingers tangle in Shane’s hair as she begins to reach the most earth shattering climax of her life.  Shane’s fingers hold their ground against the push of Harper’s contracting *****.  She continues to work her fingertips against her ultra sensitive g-spot.  She increases the pressure against the magical spot as Harper begins to *****.
As she cums her face goes numb and her entire body shakes.  Her climax is soundless, resonating deep within her.  The sensation is unlike any she’s ever had.
“Breathe.”  Shane’s reminder pulls her back to Earth.
She opens her eyes to find Shane looks down at her.  Her face looks so serene.  Her beautiful green eyes sparkle.  Her hair and face are wet with sweat and *****.
When she slowly leans down and places a kiss on Harper’s forehead she feels her heart melt.  Her mind and heart fill with a 1,000 emotions and feelings.  She lifts herself back up slowly so she can look into Harper’s magnificent blue eyes.  Harper reaches up and presses her hand over Shane’s pounding heart.  They share a gentle smile.
“Shane McCutcheon, will you be my girlfriend?”
The shock of the unexpected words registers on Shane’s face, but quickly gives way to a crooked smile.  She begins to nod her head, “Yes.”  She says quietly with excitement.
Harper sits up, Shane sits straddling her lap.  Harper looks deeply into Shane’s eyes as her hands caress her face.  After an intense minute she softly presses her lips to Shane’s.  They both try to express all of their emotions in that kiss.
They eventually pry themselves apart to get cleaned up and ready for their double date with Alice and Dana.
When they arrive at the restaurant the girls are just getting out of their car.  Shane hasn’t let go of Harper’s hand since they left the house.  She feels giddy and wants to announce to the world that she has a girlfriend.
“Hey guys!”  Dana says to the approaching couple.
“Hey.”  They say together then laugh at the synchronization.
Alice leans into Dana, “They are so cute together, it’s sick.”
“Yeah, a little.”  Dana says smiling at the hand holding couple.
*
Shane whispers into Harper’s ear, “I gotta tell’em.”
Harper squeezes her hand under the table and smiles at her.
“I’ve got an announcement to make.”  Shane says as the waiter leaves the table.
Dana and Alice stop cooing at each other and look over at Shane.  Shane is a bundle of nervous energy as she clears her throat to speak again.
“It’s going to blow your minds.”
Alice blurts out, “Your straight!”
Dana smacks her arm and shoots her the shut up look.  Harper almost spits the wine out of her mouth.  Shane tilts her head with a raise of her eyebrow staring at Alice.
“Ow.”  She rubs her arm giving Dana a look.
“Sorry Shane, go ahead.”  Dana says.
Harper laughs to herself enjoying the very Laverne and Shirley antics of the girls.
“Well, as of today I have my very first girlfriend!”  Shane’s voice fills with pride and excitement.
Alice’s jaw drops and Dana smiles ear to ear.
“Oh my God, that is wonderful Shane.”  Dana jumps out of her chair to hug Shane.  “Congratulations.”
“Thanks Dane.”  Shane says as she gets squeezed.  Dana moves to Harper next.
“Yeah, that’s awesome you guys.”  Alice says still unable to move from the shock.
“Thanks Al.”  Shane sits back down.
“We need to celebrate.”  Dana says, “Should we order champagne?”
“Oh, none for me, gives me migraines.”  Harper says to Dana.
“Who else knows?”  The bewildered Alice asks.
“You’re the first.”  Shane says.
Alice slowly begins to recover from the shock, “I never thought I’d see the day.”  She shakes her head in hopes that it will help to clear it.  She looks at Shane contemplating the look on her face.  “I’ve never seen you this happy.”  She smiles kindly, “It’s nice to see.”
“I’ve never been this happy before.”  Shane says then turns and kisses Harper.
“A toast,” Dana raises her glass, “To happiness and new beginnings.”
They all join in and clink glasses.  “Cheers.”
***
Shane eventually makes her way back home Monday afternoon.  Carmen is sitting on the front steps tying her sneakers.
“Hey, what’s up Carm?”  Shane approaches the steps.
Carmen is startled by her voice.  “Oh hey!  Jenny just left for work and I’m about to take off too.”
“You know it’s cool if your around even if Jenny’s not.  I don’t want you to feel you have to leave when she does.  I’m sure when I was gone you guys were playing house.”  Shane smiles at her.
“Actually, no not really.  She was real busy working and writing so I wasn’t around much.”
“Oh.”  Shane is surprised to hear that.  “But every things ok, right?”
“Yeah, you know how Jenny gets when she’s deeply involved in her writing.”  Carmen sounds a little sad.
“Oh yeah.”  Shane chuckles, “Takes some getting used to.”
Carmen nods her head in agreement.  “How are you doing?”  She wants to change the subject.
“I’m ***** great!”  Shane’s smile is electric.  “I have a girlfriend now.”
“So it’s finally official?”
“It is.”
“That’s great.”  She hugs Shane tightly.
“I owe it all to you Carmen.”
“Me?”  She feels her stomach sink at the thought that she killed her own chance to get Shane back.
“I followed your advice and I let Harper get to know the real me.  It was the smartest thing anyone ever told me.”  She looks at Carmen.
“I”m glad it helped.”
“Thank you.”  Shane holds her hand.
Carmen feels a familiar surge rush through her body at the touch.
“I’ve learned a lot from you Carmen.”  Shane continues, “You taught me that I was a worthwhile person.  And that I could find happiness if I let myself.”
They sit quietly for a moment.
“Can I ask you a question?”  Carmen can’t take not knowing any more.
“Anything.”
“If I was so great and wonderful then why not me?  Why Harper?”  Carmen stares into Shane’s eyes.
Shane takes a moment before answering.  “Because I knew I could never share my whole past with you.  I knew if I did you would see me as even more damaged then you already did.  I knew your eyes would always look at me with pity and you’d treat me like a damaged doll you had to fix.  You are such a loving caring woman and that’s one of the things I love about you.  But I already saw the pity you had for me in your eyes with what you imagined the truth of my life to be.  And I never wanted to see what they’d look like once I told you the reality of it.”
“Wow.”  Is all a shocked Carmen can say.
“I’m not trying to hurt you.  I’m sorry Carmen.”
“No.  No, it’s… I’m fine.”  Carmen bites her lower lip.
“We had chemistry you and I.  There was something electric between us.”
“Yeah.”  Carmen quietly agrees.
“But Carmen,” Shane lifts her chin up gently to face her.  “I knew you were too much for me and I knew that I would bolt it we got together.  And I liked you way too much to want to hurt you that way.  I wanted to try with you but I knew I wasn’t ready.  And I knew I wouldn’t last.  And I knew you deserved much better.  It was the wrong time for us.”
Carmen can’t help the tears that well up in her eyes.  “I still held hope after that, that you’d come back to me.”
“I know and until I meet Harper I did too.”  And she really did.
“It may not look like it right now, but I really am happy you’ve found someone you can be your true self with.”  Carmen smiles.
“I never thought I would.”  She looks thoughtfully at Carmen, “You deserve the same too, don’t deny yourself that.”
Carmen gives her a sad smile, “I better get going.”  She stands and leaves the steps.
“See ya.”  Shane feels like she’s hurt Carmen all over again.