Helena laughed, a bitter laughter that could scold if you strayed to close, “You don’t know Bette Porter.  You know who you want her to be, not who she is.  She doesn’t need your games right now Tina.  She needs someone to love her.”  She stopped, looked at Angelica, running her hand through her hair, “She needs her daughter.”

“She’ll get to see Angelica, that’s all I can promise.”  Tina stated, resigned.

“That’s not good enough.  I get to see my children, but I also get to be their mother.  I get to help decide what school to send them too, what camp, what after school sports or interests that they have.  I am their mother…  I could never be a friend or and aunt to them.  It would be cruel to ask that of me.”  Helena pleaded with Tina, trying to remind her of Bette’s position.  Of where Bette would stand.

“I don’t know what you want from me Helena.  I don’t trust her with Angelica.  I don’t trust her not to take her from me again.”  Tina explained softly.

“Bloody hell Tina, she came back.  She didn’t run out on you for months, like you have, she left for 2 days.  Ask Kit about how she found Bette when Bette finally contacted her.”  Helena sighed, “ask her friends how she has been without Angelica.”

“Helena…”

“NO!”  Helena yelled, tiring of trying to get through to Tina.  “Don’t you try and defend yourself, again.  Take some responsibility Tina, admit you were wrong and reunite mother and child.”

“How do I know she wont run off with her again?”  Tina asked, so quietly she could barely be heard.

Helena smiled, knowing she had the exact answer she needed.  “Bette will never let you suffer the same pain that she has been.  She loves you too much for that.”

**********

It was like waking from heaven to discover you were pulled into hell.  The searing pain in her hand was a perfect match to her heart as the blessed numbness receded.

She blinked, resting her eyes on the IV at her bedside and following the line into her right arm.  A Metal needle pressed under her skin, into her vein pumping in fluids.  Pumping in life giving medications to facilitate her recovery.