She kissed her wife and pulled the blankets up around them before Tina reminded her “The lights!” It was something they both insisted upon if they were feeling in any way vulnerable, just to constantly reassure themselves that they were, in fact, alone. Either way, to blanket themselves in the dark.

“Just you and me baby,” Bette breathed assuredly, climbing back on top of Tina with little certainty in her own mind. ”I love your legs …” Somehow talking about her desires was making it easier to drift into that old comforting act of lovemaking they had so often enjoyed. ”Do you like that …?”

”Yes,” Tina whimpered, self-consciously slapping her own hand over her mouth in order to keep quiet with all that was happening. A part of her wanted to cry at the reconnection, and another part of her wanted to let loose and give herself over to her wife. With all that they were going through, they needed a little release. She shifted under Bette and reached her other hand down, between their bodies. ”Let me touch you …” she whispered at last.

”You want me, don’t you?” Bette teased, but in part showing her insecurities, too. The whole ordeal had been her fault, she felt. She had put Tina in danger with her fame and reputation, and all she wanted was for her wife to see her just as she was. She hadn’t changed.

”I want you,” Tina answered so evenly that Bette could do nothing but kiss and touch her. Appreciating the unconditional love they both shared.

It wouldn’t be like it always had been, but they needed each other. They grew hungrier with every touch and lingering kiss for what they used to share. They made the night theirs, and they laid asleep all night, undisturbed.

***

Hank and Patricia stayed up all night watching movies and playing card games to keep them wakeful enough to keep on guard for the exhausted spouses in the next room. They had kept very quiet, but as the morning was growing late, their games grew a little louder, and with that came wakefulness.

Tina bolted up, brought from a dismal dreamscape by voices in the room over, accompanied by Bette’s loving embrace that pulled her back into bed.

“Hunny! Hunny, it’s Pat … It’s okay. Try to keep relaxed, okay?”

Even with Tina’s resistance, Bette managed to cuddle her and overwhelm her with comfort.

“It’s okay, T. We slept the whole night through. I opened the curtains just a crack to let some light in. See? We’re okay.”

“We are,” Tina breathed, slowly relaxing to her wife’s innocent touch, grinning at the thought of what those touches had been the night before. She was happy in a very distinct way for once in what seemed like an eternity. After so much had changed – her comfort and security being ripped away from her – she wasn’t sure how long it would be until she could smile like that again, but Bette had given her reason to enjoy another night. And enjoy she had. “Mmm … we sure are.”

Unfortunately, another had witnessed that smile of reconciliation. Having scaled the fence from the neighbor’s yard around back only minutes ago, Sophia stood watching the grin pierce Tina’s recently subdued and careless face. But there it was, grinning at her – taunting her. She stood in the window, thinking.

“What do you want me to make you for breakfast?” Bette moaned into Tina’s ear, lifting off the bed to stare lovingly down at her wife. “I’ll get you anything you want.”

Tina giggled in return while Sophia glared at the sight. She would do anything for Bette, and she couldn’t stand the thought that Bette felt she had to try so hard to keep a woman who wasn’t meant to be with her. Tina doesn’t really know what Bette needs … I’ll do anything Bette wants. ME.

Sophia stepped back toward the tall fence with a twitch tugging at her lip as something inside of her had shifted at the sight. Whatever game Tina was playing at with her poisonous games of flirtation, they wouldn’t work. With tears wetting her eyes, she pushed back her loneliness and hopefulness, and at last she was filled with rage. Nothing was going to keep Sophia from Bette. Nothing, and no one.