Van polished off his ice cream and Shane just shook her head at his appetite.

<b>Van:</b> Uhm…you two can…I uh.

<b>Shane:</b> I’ve always been the most patient with your nervous stuttering, but you’re killing me here…spit it out.

<b>Van:</b> I was just making you sweat with the tests…there’s no way you had the HIV.

<b>Shane:</b> Huh?

<b>Van:</b> Well…I mean the test only takes like a couple hours nowadays besides you had no chance you said you practce safe ***** and it been years since you got off the streets and you don’t need needles for all that stuff you pump up your nose so….I just wanted to make you sweat it out two weeks to teach you a lesson.

Shane tossed her bowl in the sink and hopped down off the counter.

<b>Shane:</b> So you let me, and Bette, and Tina and Dash and ***** ALICE think…

<b>Van:</b> No , I explained to Tina…Shane working with kids and having an active ***** life you should know all this stuff.

Shane pinched the bridge of her nose.

<b>Shane:</b> Why do we keep doing this? We’ve been going in circles for the past three months.

<b>Van:</b> I don’t want to fight with you.

Shane gave him a skeptical look.

<b>Shane:</b> Since when?

<b>Van:</b> Since ….its time to let it go…you’ve changed, I’ve changed.

<b>Shane:</b> Have you?

Van rolled his eyes looking exactly like Shane.

<b>Shane:</b> Okay, Okay, so we start now?

Van nodded and shoved his hands in his back pockets.

<b>Van:</b> No more petty fights if you keep up with this <i>’In control Shane’</i> thing you’ve got going.

<b>Shane:</b> Okay…and I won’t push the fact that you’re a flaming homosexual hiding behind the cloth.

Van turned to Shane with a rage she hadn’t seen since they were living on the streets. She held her hands up in defense before he could even contemplate attacking her.

<b>Shane:</b> Just one last shot for old times sake, come on man its only fair, I’ve been trying to figure out all day how I was gonna keep my hands of Alice for another week and a half.

<b>Van:</b> Shane this is the last time…I mean it, this is our last chance together, I can’t do this again.

<b>Shane:</b> I know…Okay you guys can come in now.

Van looked perplexed until Alice, Father Joe and Dash popped their heads around the doorframe like three stooges. Van’s face went pale and he moved to leave. He hurried towards the door, but Dash quickly stepped in his path.

<b>Van:</b> You knew they were there? Deal’s off!

<b>Dash:</b> Woah there big guy…there’s nothing to be embarrassed about…secrets safe with us.

Van ran a nervous hand through his hair.

<b>Shane:</b> Van its a small house, you really thought they didn’t hear us?

Van snatched up his bag to go and rushed towards the door.

<b>Father Joe:</b> Van come on an wait a minute son.

Alice blocked the door this time, and Van gave her a challenging look.

<b>Alice:</b> Okay listen….around here, we’re all practically family…so you secret is safe with us…you two just made up so don’t run out okay? Please? stick around…if anything you should be more comfortable…you know we’re one big joke…a crazy bi-sexual, a priest and a ***** sit down for dinner and…

Van tossed Alice out of the way and stormed off.

<b>Alice:</b> No?

Alice looked at Father Joe who was covering his eyes and shaking his head. Dash’s mouth was covered as she tried not to laugh , while Shane covered her ears and clenched her eyes expecting the door to slam.

<b>Alice:</b> Man its a good thing he doesn’t know I’m a reporter or he really would have ***** his pants…hey…you guys kinda look like those three monkeys….you know the ones that don’t know evil.