Tina turned over to look once again at the clock on the bedside table.  It was nearly 2:00 in the morning.  What she wanted more than anything was for everything to rewind itself about 48 hours.  If she could just do that, she would have had the sense to turn down the invitation to go to Milk.  She and Bette could have just stayed in, like they had been doing.  If Tina could just get start over from that point, she would swallow her pride and just tell Bette how she felt about her, and prevent any of this from happening. 

Tina sighed and got up from her bed.  Nothing progressive was going to happen as long as she continued to wallow in self-pity in a house next door to her own.  She slid off the bed and crept quietly across the room to gather her things.  Zipping up her duffel bag, she tiptoed past Shane’s room and out the side door.

Even though it was late, Tina felt awake.  She used her key to open the front door and she soundlessly closed it behind her.  She dropped her bag beside the couch and continued on through the house.  Tina passed right by her room without a thought, and continued straight to Bette’s. 

The door was slightly ajar, and through the crack Tina could see Bette curled up on her bed asleep.  She could tell even from Bette’s sleeping face that this was taking its toll on Bette.  Tina took a moment just to watch this woman: her strong arms which now held herself, her tight white tank top, her unruly mass of brown curls.  She was so beautiful, and in that moment Tina knew that this truly was the Bette she had come to love.  Despite her earlier skepticism, she knew in her heart who Bette was. She knew what made her smile, made her laugh, made her cry.  And she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bette would never intentionally hurt her. 

Tina slid her shoes off and walked across the hardwood bedroom floor.  When she reached the bed, she sat down on the sliver of space left beside Bette’s body.  Bette was facing her, and remained asleep despite the new movement of the bed.  Tina reached down and swept the curls off of her love’s face.  She reveled in this moment; to be able to be this close to Bette without feeling guilty for doing so.

“Bette,” she whispered, rubbing her cheek with her palm.  She brushed her thumb across her cheekbone. 

Bette’s eyelids fluttered as she gradually came out of her slumber.  When she saw Tina sitting above her, she believed it was a dream.  She blinked furiously, trying to clear the image from her sight, but it didn’t go away.

“Tina?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

“Hi,” Tina answered, continuing to stroke Bette’s hair.  Bette sat up in bed and gave Tina more room to sit.  She clicked on the lamp next to her, and the two women sat face to face.

“I want to come home,” Tina said.  “Can I come home?”

“Yes please.”

TBC