Alice ”Just tell me anything you want.  Whatever you need.”

Lara ”…The happily ever after part?”

The tears are still fresh on Lara’s face as she sighs.

Lara ”My little sister used to believe in that stuff.  The knight in shining armor…rescuing the princess or fair maiden from certain peril.”

Alice ”You have a little sister?”

Lara ”…Yeah.  And three brothers.  I don’t speak to any of them.  But she would go on about one day…wanting to find this handsome prince.  All that…heterosexual fairy tale bullshit.  It would be nice to be able to believe in some of that now.”

Alice ”…Well yeah…I mean except for the part where the princess gets rescued by another smokin’ hot princess.  Damn…I should write that.  Or maybe get Gabby to write it…she’s always workin’ on screenplays.”

Alice keeps her focus on Lara, despite the brief tangent.

Alice ”Just whatever you need.  Whatever I can do.”

Lara ”I don’t know anymore.”

Alice ”Yes you do.  Lara…you really love her that much?”

Lara ”I just know…that if she said, ’Yes…’ I’d be a lot happier right now.”

Alice ”Well…I hate to say this, but…you’re not gonna get her in San Francisco.”

Lara ”I’m not going to San Francisco.  I’m going back to L.A.  …All this time.  Everything has been so confusing.  With you…with Dana…with me.  I’m still getting over her death.  I know you are, too.  And we’ll never know…what that could have been like.  But we should be happier than this.  We can’t undo what happened to Dana.  We can’t…  But we can at least…try…fucking try to make things better now!  But we won’t!  We don’t!  …We just…keep hurting each other.  Over and over!  …Ffffffucking Shane.  I could have accepted it!  I could have accepted losing Carmen for this reason!  I’ve lost others for far worse!!!”

Alice ”Lara…come on…just keep calm, okay?”

Lara finds her tears flowing once again.

Lara ”I…can’t.  Goddammit.  I fucking can’t!”

Lara sits up in the bed, prompting Alice to immediately hop on the bed, practically mounting Lara’s legs that are still under the sheets.

Alice ”Lara!”

They look at one another.  Alice is ready to break down as well.

Alice ”We’ve been…through too much hurt.  And yer right!  We’ve got…to stop!  I love Shane.  She’s my friend…and she’s not perfect…and yeah it fucking sucks!  But she’s still my friend.  And Carmen’s our friend…and I know she means a lot to you…  Shit, she means even more now.  All I’m askin’…is whatever you wanna do…just sleep on it first.  Okay?”