Title: Everything I've Got
Author: Sulkygeek
Pairing: Alice/Dana, Alice/Helena
Author's Notes: Many thanks to those who have commented on this story over at l-word.com and in my livejournal. It is much appreciated.

The title of this story takes its name from the Minnie Driver song, 'Everything I've Got in my Pocket.'

Chapter 1

Dana watched Alice exchange brief pleasantries with a former boyfriend (Alex, dark hair, brown eyes, handsome, a writer; it was never serious) near the counter at The Planet, and Dana could not help but bristle, though she knew for all of Alice's confidence and good humor, the blonde was not particularly comfortable when Lara is around, so Dana didn't feel like she was overreacting watching Alice make nice with an ex and feeling a little jealous. Though Dana could acknowledge Alice was a better sport about Dana's burgeoning friendship with Lara than Dana was about Alice's occasional encounters with someone she'd once dated years ago. It was a little unfair, even in her own mind, but that's just the way things were.

Dana watched Alex touch Alice's arm as he smiled and said something Dana could not quite hear from her place at the table. Alice smiled happily, and Dana recalled how well Alex and Alice got along when they were dating, even if their relationship had never been serious. Dana recalled Alice telling her it was "just fun" with Alex, and Dana wondered how Alice knew Alex wasn't the one, how Alice seemed to know right away that Alex was just for fun and how Alice could seem so sure Dana was the one for her so soon. Dana envied Alice for her confidence about that. There was no doubt, it was like Alice seemed to believe her place in the world was with Dana, and Dana envied Alice for it. She wanted to believe the same, that her place in the world was with Alice. She desperately wanted it to be Alice.

Dana pursed her lips as she watched Alice laugh heartily at whatever it was Alex said and Dana recognized the laughter as real. She'd heard Alice laugh enough times to know when her laughter is real, and her laughter is just a social nicety. This was not one of those times. Alice laughed loudly with a total lack of self-consciousness and clapped her hands together in delight.

Alice and Alex clasped hands as if they were old friends as Alice laughed with pure joy and Alex laughed as well, obviously delighting in Alice's laughter the way Dana was delighting in Alice's laughter, even as she tried to push down her jealousy. Despite her jealousy, Dana could not help smiling as she watched her girlfriend laugh with child-like delight, though a part of her wondered what it was Alex said that could make her girlfriend laugh like that. It had been a while since she heard Alice laugh that way and a part of her wished she were the only one who could make Alice laugh like that. Another part of her wished she had made Alice laugh like that--but it had been so long since she had, and she missed the sound and was glad to hear it, whatever the reason. She loved Alice for the way Alice could laugh like that. Some people laughed like their laughter were rewarding you for being clever, but Alice wasn't like that at all, and Dana loved her for it. There were countless reasons why Dana loved Alice, and as Dana watched Alice, she rattled off a list in her head. Alice is: beautiful, funny, kind, generous, warm, giving, great in bed, a great kisser, laughs easily, surprisingly shy at times, devoted, reliable and eternally loyal. Dana loves Alice for the way Alice will remind her not to leave the house without a water bottle, for the way Alice will stock her refrigerator with Dana's favorite foods and drinks, even if Alice doesn't enjoy them herself. She loves Alice--there's no doubt in her mind about that. But there is doubt if Alice is her forever girl. And she hates herself for it.

Their orders came up and Dana watched as Alice smiled at Emily, the barista, who smiled back. Alice grabbed two coffee cups, one for herself and one for Dana. Alex grabbed his order as well and waved with his free hand. Alice raised both of the coffee cups in each of her hands, indicating she would wave if she could and gave a tiny little shrug of her shoulders and smiled apologetically. This made Alex laugh and he moved in close to Alice and kissed her on the top of her head in a gesture even Dana could see was purely spontaneous. Still it made her fill with jealousy, even if she could understand what it was like to be filled with a surge of spontaneous affection for Alice and needing to physically express that affection. She experienced similar moments almost daily--it was impossible not to.

Dana tended to be more jealous of Alice's male exes than her female exes with the exception of Gabby Deveaux--probably because Alice just seemed to fit somehow with many of her male exes. Alex, for instance, was eight inches taller than Alice, and Dana recalled the way Alex would stand behind Alice and wrap his arms around her waist when they were still dating. Dana remembered thinking Alice looked like she felt safe. She wasn't sure if she did that for Alice. 'Probably not,' Dana admitted to herself. She wished it were different, but somehow she just knew Alice didn't feel completely safe with her and it was for reasons that were deeper than the purely physical.

Alice laughed again at something Alex said to her, and then the two parted, going their separate ways-- Alex out the door and Alice back toward the table. Alex stopped to wave at Dana on his way out, and Dana smiled reflexively in acknowledgement as he passed her.

"He looks the same," Dana said, a little more brusquely than intended. He had always been kind to her, at least for the five months he and Alice dated several years ago, but there was simply something about him she didn't like. She didn't like him when he and Alice dated, and she especially didn't like him now after watching him practically molest her girlfriend. 'Okay, so he didn't molest her,' Dana acknowledged inwardly. 'But still.'

He just gave her bad vibes somehow, though she knew Alice would think that was crazy. Alice still thinks of him as the nicest guy she'd ever dated, outside lesbian men and her first high school boyfriend whom Alice had adored. That troubled her, that Alice would think that Alex was the nicest guy she'd ever dated, and she was glad Alice was dating her and not some asshole guy. Dana didn't know why she never liked Alex. She'd been relieved when Alice told her it wasn't serious while Alice and Alex still dated and it wasn't out of a sense of jealousy there was just something about him she didn't like and she didn't particularly want him around either, which was difficult considering he lived in West Hollywood as well. 'Maybe he'll go gay,' she thought idly.

Alice's eyes flickered with some unreadable emotion before she shrugs and smiles. "He does," she agreed, passing Dana her drink.

"What were you two talking about?"

Alice shrugged. "Old times."

Dana waited for more details, but nothing more came. There was a momentary lull in conversation before Dana spoke again, her voice softer and more earnest. "Al? How did you know? How did you know he wasn't the one? How do you know I am?" She was happy with Alice--she thought they got along well, the sex was still great and there was no one she was more comfortable being around. But she wondered how people knew someone was the one for them. Alice had plenty of experience in knowing someone was not the one, but Dana had never dated much--she'd always been too busy with tennis and Alice was her first major relationship--ever. She had her doubts, and she wanted to know how Alice knew, if Alice knew because she'd had so much experience with people who just weren't right for her, or if it was something more than that. She had to know. She had to know how Alice could seem so sure when she was still so uncertain. She wanted to be sure, the way Alice was sure.

Alice regarded her silently for a moment before she shrugged again. "I just knew, I guess. I felt it in here," Alice said, reaching for Dana's hand and placing it over her own chest. "Alex was fun and super nice, but it just wasn't meant to be and we both knew we were only in it for the fun." Alice paused and then her voice dropped in volume. "It was different with you," she said quietly.

Dana's fingers curled slightly as she felt Alice's heart beating beneath her palm and couldn't help but smile. "You look so pretty today," Dana said softly, moving her hand up to brush across Alice's face.

Alice smiled and touched her face self-consciously. "I'm meeting my mother for lunch," she explained. "So I used that...."

"Oh, that mask from Aveda we got last week?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah. I don't want her to tell me I'm looking like Ernest Borgnine again."

Dana grinned. "Maybe I like the Ernest Borgnine look." Dana thinks for a moment that Alice could look like the Elephant Man, and she would still love Alice. But she is glad Alice is beautiful and does not look like the Elephant Man. Dana gently touches Alice cheek, wanting contact with the soft, smooth skin. She loves this face.

Alice laughed. "Is this your way of telling me you're a latent heterosexual who has a thing for dead old guys?"

"Ernest Borgnine is not dead."

"I think he is."

"He's not, Al."

"Since when are you such an authority on actors? Do you actually have a thing for Ernest Borgnine?" Alice teased.

"My mom liked him on McHale's Navy, if he did die, I would know about it."

"Oh," Alice said, seeming to accept this. "Really?"

"Really, Al. He's not dead."

"Your mom liked McHale's Navy?"

"She did," Dana acknowledged with a grin.

"Hm." Alice said. "My mom liked it too," she said absently. She never thought her mother and Sharon Fairbanks would ever have something in common, even some old television show. They just seemed far too different. Something about the fact that both their mothers liked the same actor on the same television show makes her happy. Alice glanced around The Planet restlessly and happened to catch Kit's eye and smiled at the older woman. Kit smiled back. Alice turned back to Dana. "So is everyone coming or…"

"Carmen called and she said she, Jenny and Shane are going to be a little late. Something about a pipe problem at Shane and Jenny's. Tina and Bette can't make it--Angelica has a pediatrician's appointment."

Though she felt a little guilty, Alice couldn't help but be a little relieved Tina and Bette weren't coming. Caring for an infant was taking its toll on both Tina and Bette and the two women were more on edge than usual, often sniping at other people and at each other. They had frequent arguments about who got an extra hour of sleep, which Alice knew was fairly common. Her brother and sister both went through the same thing with their spouses when her nieces and nephews were born and she heard similar experiences from acquaintances and friends with children. She'd also heard of couples who split up after the first child because the stress was too much for them, though there were plenty of couples who stayed together. Alice was concerned for them because their situation seemed more delicate because Bette lost her job at the CAC and was currently staying at home with Angelica whereas Tina had found a job at Paramount Pictures to bolster their income and Alice knew Tina had wanted to stay home with Angelica.

Alice knew Bette well enough to know the woman could not stand being a stay-at-home mother, that she needed the demands of a workplace and needed a job through which she could derive her identity. And more than that, Bette was just not a stay-at-home mother kind of person. She wasn't trying to cast aspersions or doubt onto Bette's parenting skills, but the fact was, Bette just wasn't a stay-at-home mother type, and Alice wondered what would happen when Bette found a job. She knew there had been arguments around the subject between Bette and Tina lately. Alice also knew Tina didn't particularly want the job at Paramount, but the pay was excellent and the necessity was there. Tina would have much preferred to gone on working at the Centre in a job she truly cared about, but she was ultimately a pragmatist. Tina knew they needed the money. She didn't particularly like her job, but that didn't meant she wanted to quit her job the second Bette found hers either. Tina wanted some identity separate from Bette's.

Tina and Bette's respective career situations also heightened the bad moods they each seemed to perpetually be in. And of course, when they weren't being snippy with others or with each other, they tended to talk about something Angelica vomited up or about breast-milk pumping or a myriad of other bodily function-related subjects in overly happy, 'oh, we're such a happy couple' type tones. Apparently, Angelica enjoyed throwing up on Bette, and Bette regularly went into too much detail about the vomit that ruined some designer suit or ensemble. These were subjects Alice didn't really want to hear about over coffee. Or over anything else for that matter. She believed friends should share the details of their lives, but there were certain details that just shouldn't be shared. There were limits and after hearing about breast milk pump snafus and embarrassing lactating moments as Bette and Tina completed each others' sentences about these snafus and embarrassing moments, Alice had her fill. She loved them both, and she was glad they were back together, but the whole thing was reminiscent of Tina's first pregnancy when Tina and Bette over-shared about all of Tina's bodily changes. She liked baby Angelica as much as anyone else, and as soon as the kid stopped vomiting and spitting up on people and was capable of coherently articulating a thought or desire, Alice planned on spoiling her rotten. But Alice didn't want to hear about Angelica's baby poop or baby barf, and Tina and Bette seemed to spend a little too much time talking about that. 'So fucking boring,' Alice thought. 'And gross.'

Alice took a sip of her coffee with a little difficulty because she was thinking about breast milk pump snafus and Tina's hemorrhoids. 'This is exactly why I don't want to hear about that stuff,' Alice said making a face and then forcing herself to take another sip because she'd paid for the stuff and since it no longer tasted like poopy shit, she saw no reason why she shouldn't drink it. Just as she was getting too caught up in her thoughts, Alice glanced around again spotted Jenny, Carmen and Shane finally walking in through the door. Alice waved to catch their attention, though she and Dana were seated at their usual table and the trio was already walking toward them anyway. "Hey guys," Alice said, setting off an exchange of greetings and pleasantries as Jenny, Carmen and Shane sat down.

"Bette and Tina coming?" Shane asked, glancing around.

"Angelica has a pediatrician's appointment," Dana and Alice said simultaneously. They exchanged grins.

"Jinx," they said together.

"Double jinx," they said at the same time.

"Triple jinx!" Alice said, just a little too loudly, a beat before Dana.

"Damn," Dana muttered.

"You owe me a dinner," Alice said, slapping her hand happily on the table.

It was a game they played, which emerged after they realized they sometimes said the same thing at the same time. Whoever said the 'jinx' first was the winner, and the other person bought dinner that night. And if they said 'jinx' at the same time, then it became 'double jinx' and 'triple jinx' and so on until someone said it first.

"Yeah yeah," Dana grumbled good-naturedly, casually slinging her arm around Alice shoulders. "You talk faster than I do, so of course you'd win."

"You're just jealous."

"I am. I'm very jealous of your oral skills," Dana said, a little mockingly and then immediately blushed fiercely as she realized what she said as she watched a wickedly naughty expression cross Alice's features. "Uhm…not… uh… Not like that, Al!" Dana exclaimed, lightly slapping Alice's arm as a rebuke for Alice's very likely dirty thoughts. "You know what I meant!"

"Ow," Alice said, more out of reflex and habit than actual pain. She laughed and rubbed her arm at the spot where Dana hit her. "I wasn't going to say anything," she said with mock defensiveness, her expression falsely wounded and her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Really," she insisted, her expression entirely and believably innocent although everyone at the table knew better. "It was too easy," she said, looking at Dana with such a wide-eyed, ingenuous expression that the tennis player would have fully believed her if Dana had not known Alice so well.

"Yeah, right," Dana said dryly, though her eyes shone with affection. She wanted to kick herself when she realized she almost believed Alice. 'Stupid innocent pixie look,' Dana thought to herself, 'she looks about twelve right now,' and she felt her affection swell as Alice fluttered her eye lashes playfully at her because she was still trying to convince Dana that she wasn't going to say anything about Dana commenting she envied Alice's oral skills. Dana grinned at Alice and impetuously kissed the blonde on the mouth. "Perv."

Alice laughed. "Okay, I was totally going to say something, even though it was too easy, I admit it." She shrugged and threw her hands into the air. "I'm a perv," she announced.

Dana and Alice burst into laughter as they put their heads together, held hands and giggled.

"I like that you're a perv," Dana whispered quietly, blushing a little. She was still a little shy about that sort of thing.

Carmen, Shane and Jenny watched the pair with amusement.

"Oh, dinner. That reminds me," Carmen said, as she glanced at Shane and Jenny. "You guys are still coming over to my mom's for dinner tonight at six thirty, right?"

Shane nodded, but Jenny hesitated.

Carmen tilted her head to the side. "What?"

Jenny shrugged and smiled apologetically. "I don't know…I don't want to be…the extra person. You and Shane are a couple now, you don't have to keep inviting me out. It makes sense for her to be there. I'll--"

"That's bullshit, Jenny," Carmen protested.

"You should come," Shane insisted.

"But--"

"My mom will kill me if I don't bring you," Carmen said, touching Jenny's shoulder. "She's on this mission to make you gain a few pounds." She turned to Shane and smiled wryly. "You, too," she said. She looked at Jenny pleadingly. "Come on, you should come."

"But--"

"Just come, Jenny," Shane said.

"Please?" Carmen asked.

"All right, all right," Jenny said, ducking her head and peering up at Carmen through her lashes. "I'll come. Thank-you."

"Good," Carmen said, exchanging a smile with Shane.

"See? Don't make it harder than it has to be," Shane said.

Alice lightly kicked the sole of Jenny's left shoe under the table to catch Jenny's attention and smiled. Jenny turned to look at her and smiled back. Alice didn't always understand what Jenny was talking about, especially when she went into 'writer-mode,' but Alice felt that she understood Jenny's motivations--sometimes, anyway. Other times, she was just as perplexed by Jenny as anyone else, but she had to admit that even when Jenny baffled her, she simply liked having the writer around. But then again, she'd always been a sucker for dark-haired women with light-colored eyes, especially when they were also writers. But she just felt like Jenny brought something really good to the group.

"Hi guys."

Alice turned to the new voice, the smile on her face momentarily faltering when she saw Lara Perkins. They were seeing more of Lara now that she was The Planet's chef, but it didn't make things any easier. Alice instinctually moved away from Dana, and Dana's arm which had been previously wrapped around Alice's shoulders fell to Dana's side, though Dana did not seem to notice. Dana immediately placed both her hands on Lara's right arm.

"Lara! Hi!" Dana exclaimed, standing up to give Lara a hug.

Alice crossed her arms around her chest and then uncrossed them self-consciously and shifted in her seat to sit on her hands. She tried to avoid watching Lara and Dana converse, and then pulled her hands out to play with a packet of sugar. Carmen, Jenny and Shane looked at her sympathetically, and she forced herself to smile at them.

After Lara and Dana exchanged some idle conversation, Lara smiled at the rest of the occupants of the table. "Hi guys," she said cheerfully.

"Hi," everyone chorused back.

Lara glanced at Alice. "Hi Alice," she said cautiously. She knew the journalist wasn't entirely comfortable around her, and she could understand that. It was a little awkward for her, too.

Alice tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hi Lara," she said, forcing herself to smile cheerfully. It wasn't that she disliked Lara. Lara had always been perfectly nice to her, but she was a little uneasy by the amount of affection Dana seemed to have for Lara. And of course, Dana and Lara were friends again. They had platonic dinners together and met for coffee on occasion. It made Alice a little uncomfortable, because Dana had once said she wouldn't see Lara socially again since it would be like "dating" but now they were striking up a friendship. She had no idea what changed, Dana never said--and it confused Alice, but she didn't want to be one of those people who became super clingy. She hated that quality in other people and she certainly hated that quality in herself. She'd already seen herself do that with Dana, and she didn't want to go there again. So she kept silent. "How are you?" Alice asked.

Lara shrugged. "Oh, can't complain. And you?"

Alice smiled and nodded. "Good," she said. "Uh, very good." She nervously moved to tuck hair behind her ear. "Uh, do you want to join us?" she asked, inwardly wincing and mentally kicking herself. She had no idea why she asked that, she didn't actually want Lara to join them--it just seemed like the thing to ask and it was sort of habitual.

Lara shook her head and gestured toward the kitchen. "I should really get back to work. I just wanted to say come out and say hello."

"Well, hello!" Alice said, with overly forced cheer.

Lara laughed. "Hello, Alice." She glanced around at the table's other occupants and smiled. "Okay. I should get back," she said. "See you around"

Alice observed Dana silently as the tennis player watched Lara walk away and felt her spirits plummet. Feeling the need to get away, Alice stood up. "I should go, too, actually"

Dana turned to look at her, startled. "What? Why? Where are you going?"

"Lunch with my mom, remember?"

"But it's only 10am, Al," Dana protested, baffled. She reached out to place her hands on Alice's forearms. "How could you guys possibly eat lunch this early? Is it brunch?" Dana asked guilelessly, tilting her head slightly to the side to gaze into Alice's eyes.

"I know, but I have to go into the office first," Alice explained.

"But it's Saturday," Dana said, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why would you go in on a Saturday? How come you didn't mention it before? Why can't you stay? I want you to stay. We didn't even get to spend any time together last night."

'Fuck,' Alice thought. She was never a very good liar. "Uh, I forgot something I need for an article that's due soon. I just remembered, you know? So…yeah… I should go."

"Well, okay," Dana said with a shrug, seeming to accept this, even as Shane, Jenny and Carmen exchanged knowing looks. "Have fun at your lunch with Lenore, Al."

"Yeah, right," Alice muttered darkly. She adored her mother, but spending time with her--even when it was just a meal, had the tendency to exhaust her. She unknowingly rubbed her forehead in a gesture of frustration. "So I'm going to go."

"Okay," Dana said softly, standing up to kiss Alice on the lips. She wrapped her arms around Alice's waist. "We're definitely having dinner tonight though, right?" she asked, pressing her forehead against Alice's and looking into Alice's eyes.

Alice smiled, "yeah, of course," she said. "You're paying after all," Alice joked.

Dana laughed and then sat back down. "I'll see you tonight, then."

"Yeah, see you," Alice echoed. She waved at her friends and then turned to walk out of The Planet. She had another two and half hours before she had to meet her mother and she decided she would just go back to her apartment and lay down. She didn't really have to go into her office, she just felt the need to be alone for a while after watching Dana and Lara interact. It had been purely innocuous and not a big deal at all and she hated herself for overreacting. But she'd been bothered by the way Dana watched Lara walk away. She wished Dana's friendship with Lara would stop bothering her, but she just could not help herself. It just did-- and she had no idea how to make it stop bothering her. That fact coupled with having to have lunch with her mother was giving Alice an intense headache. She rubbed at her temples as she paused at a stoplight on her way back to her apartment and reminded herself the day would get better--after all, she was going to have dinner with Dana that night.

Alice parked her car and then trudged to her apartment and flopped onto the bed. At least she got to pick the restaurant where she and her mother would be having lunch. She typically got stuck with the bill, and when her mother chose the restaurant, it was always somewhere fancy, over-priced with a snooty staff and the food wasn't even that great. And she knew her mother was going to hit her up for money anyway, so she wanted to save as much as she could. She loved going to a particular Italian restaurant in Westwood--it was very tiny, the staff was courteous and the food was excellent at affordable prices. It certainly wasn't going to put a dent into her finances as meals at restaurants her mother chose often did. It was her secret restaurant. She usually just got take-out from the restaurant and brought it home because she didn't quite want to share the restaurant with anyone yet, though she'd been going there for years. She tended to go there when she was unhappy or depressed or was just in the need of some comfort food. Today, she knew she would need some comfort food because she was having lunch with her mother, and she knew she would be even more in need of it after the Lara incident, which she knew she was blowing out of proportion.

And lately, she'd felt the need to share some part of her life with her mother. She saw how Dana got along with her parents--they exasperated her, but they were incredibly supportive and wanted to be involved with Dana's life and Dana loved them for it. Alice had to admit she was jealous. It was too late for her to have that kind of relationship with her father--they had not spoken in several years, and she gave up on having any kind of real relationship with him though she loved him deeply. So she wanted to have something with her mother.

Alice rubbed her face. She was so angry with herself for being so upset Dana was friends with Lara. She hated she was turning into someone clingy and overly needy and emotional. But it frustrated her she couldn't even bring that up to Dana because she simply didn't know how to communicate her discomfort without coming across as being overly controlling or needy. 'Damn,' Alice thought. She wondered how she could be a journalist and still be so crappy at articulating her thoughts when she really needed to--well, it wasn't so surprising, really. She'd always been that way as far back as she could remember.

She could write songs, she'd won creative writing competitions in grade school and journalism awards in high school and college, but she'd always had a hard time articulating her feelings. Her father was the same way, and though she sometimes hated to admit it, because she was confused and hurt by his distantness, she did take after him. Her brother and sister took after their mother. Like Lenore, they were self-absorbed and self-obsessed and they had no problem articulating exactly what they needed or wanted. Her father was different, and unfortunately, Alice took after him in that capacity. It wasn't just a bad thing to be like her father, Alice acknowledged--he had been loyal--it was her mother who cheated on him so often that he'd finally demanded a divorce. And he was always a good provider. After the divorce, and after her mother won custody, he was never late with a generous child-support payment check. Lenore made more money because she'd had steady work as an actress back then, but she spent money as thought it were water, and so the large child support checks were a necessity. The older Alice got, however, the distance with her father became greater and widened with each passing year of silence, to the point where it was painful when they did speak. Her father simply baffled her, and as she grew older, she recognized some of the same qualities she hated most about her father in herself, even as their relationship became increasingly remote.

Alice heaved a heavy sigh and then sat up and glanced at the clock. 'Fuck,' Alice thought. It was almost time to leave to meet her mother. Alice stood and walked into the bathroom to touch-up her make-up, fix her hair and adjust her clothing.

Alice arrived at the restaurant at exactly 12:30 and she was not surprised her mother wasn't there yet, though she told Lenore to arrive at the restaurant at noon because punctuality wasn't her mother's strong suit. She waited outside of the restaurant for fifteen minutes before her mother finally arrived.

"Hi mom," she greeted, hugging her mother.

"Hi, honey. Sorry I'm a little late."

Alice smiled wryly. "It's okay, Mom." Technically, her mother had only been fifteen minutes late, which was considered on time for Lenore, but since she told her mother to meet her at noon, Lenore should think she was forty-five minutes late. Alice had no idea how her mother could think forty-five minutes was just a "little" late, but she'd long given up trying to understand her mother. It was so typical of her mother who had routinely picked her up a 'little late' the few times her mother was responsible for picking her up from school when she was younger. "You look good, Mom," Alice said, knowing her mother would eventually ask her anyway. It was their ritual. If Alice didn't make a comment about how well her mother looked, Lenore would inevitably ask 'how do I look?' and then would demand Alice give the particulars. It was easier and less labor-intensive to bring it up first. And really, she didn't mind. She knew it made her mother feel good and it cost her nothing to tell her mother she looked good, especially since Lenore did look good. Alice wished her mother didn't fear the aging process so much-- it was treating her well. Alice smiled broadly at her mother. "Did you get a hair cut? It looks good."

"I did," Lenore said with a smile, touching her hair. She fingered Alice's hair. "I think you need a trim, honey. Just to even out your ends."

"Sure," Alice said with a shrug.

Lenore touched the space between Alice's eyebrows. "Alice, you need to stop worrying so much. This wrinkle is getting deeper, and then you won't get a girlfriend or boyfriend. And you're going to give yourself an ulcer."

Alice swatted at her mother's hand. "You don't get ulcers from stress, Mom. And I told you, I already have a girlfriend. I'm dating Dana, remember? Dana, my best friend, dark hair, blue eyes, swings a tennis racket professionally?"

"Oh, that's right. I forgot," Lenore said pleasantly. Then she glanced at the restaurant and looked dubious. "Alice, this place looks really small. I drove by here at least four times, because I kept missing it. Maybe we could go somewhere else."

Alice tried not to take it personally. "The food is really good, Mom. I come here all the time. Let's go inside." She opened the door to the restaurant and ushered her mother inside. She walked inside, and smiled at the owner, Davide, who greeted them at the door. "Hi, Davide."

"Hello, Alice," he said, smiling pleasantly at her.

Alice and her mother smiled back and he gestured toward a table. Alice frowned suddenly and gazed past him, spotting a familiar face. 'Is that-- no, it couldn't be her," Alice thought, wondering what Helena and Peggy Peabody would be doing in a tiny Italian restaurant in Westwood where the most expensive thing on the menu was a sixteen dollar chicken and sun-dried tomato pizza. Although the restaurant was small, Helena had yet to see her because she was focused on her mother.

Alice and her mother sat down at the indicated table, which was the furthest from Helena and her mother, but if Helena merely looked in Alice's direction, she would certainly see the blonde. The restaurant was only the size of a large living room.

Alice recognized an uncomfortable, unhappy person when she saw one, and at the moment, Helena Peabody looked like a child being chastised. Alice felt a tiny note of empathy but tried to push it aside as she looked through the menu, though she already knew what she was getting.

"What's good here, Alice?"

"The gnocchi is really good, Mom. But it's all pretty good."

"What are you getting?"

"The spinach gnocchi."

Lenore shrugged and continued to peruse her menu.

Alice glanced at Helena who still had not spotted her, much to her amazement. Although she wasn't that surprised-- Helena's eyes were firmly gazed on the table in front of her and Peggy had not stopped talking yet. Alice's expression softened sympathetically as she watched them. Every time she saw something like that--and she seemed to see that often, where someone was being berated by someone else and just taking it silently, she always wanted to intervene. But she felt especially sorry for Helena who looked near tears. Alice never expected she would see Helena Peabody look like that--every time she'd seen the dark-haired woman, Helena had appeared supremely in control, like she was on top of the world. But watching Helena obviously being ripped apart by her mother, Alice felt sympathy and empathy for her. 'That sucks,' Alice thought unhappily. She just hated to see that sort of thing.

Her own mother often made critical comments, but they never seemed particularly mean-spirited. It didn't mean she wanted to hear them, but she didn't take them seriously either. It was just the way her relationship with her mother was. She'd long accepted it. Her mother cared about her, of course, but her mother also cared more about herself and the only way she showed she cared about Alice was by making commentary on Alice's life--commentary which wasn't always kind. Alice accepted long accepted it because her mother's comments weren't meant to be cruel and mean-spirited.

But she could tell just from Peggy's body language and expression that she was saying something critical and mean-spirited. Though she couldn't hear the content of the conversation, she knew a critical tone when she heard one and Helena was sitting in her seat, her expression downcast, shoulders slumped, wearing a grim expression as she pushed around her gnocchi listlessly with a fork. Looking at Helena like that, Alice couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her, especially since Helena had ordered the spinach gnocchi which was Alice's favorite item on the menu. Alice winced in sympathy, but turned away from Helena and refocused her attention on her mother who was going on about some new director she was dating and some recent audition experiences as she flipped through the menu.

As Alice listened to her mother speak, she couldn't help but steal glances at Helena whose grim, unhappy expression had not changed. Peggy was still going on about something and Helena looked simultaneously sullen and heartbroken and the mixture frankly disturbed Alice a little. Alice turned back to her mother and smiled affectionately. Lenore would never win Mother of the Year Awards and she did frequently make critical comments about Alice's appearance, career or spotty dating history, but she never went on twenty minute diatribes, and judging from the weary, resigned expression on Helena's face, it was obvious to Alice that Helena was used to it. Even from several tables away, Alice could see Helena's lower lip momentarily waver and the action compelled Alice to stand up. 'That's just upsetting,' Alice thought, she didn't think she could take any more of that, even if she barely knew Helena. She couldn't stop looking at them. She didn't know exactly what she was going to do--it's not like she could tell Peggy off. But she wanted to give Helena a little break.

"Hey mom? Excuse me for a sec, I see someone I know and I really need to talk to her."

Alice approached Helena and Peggy's table and could hear Peggy berate Helena for her choice in restaurants. Apparently, it wasn't up to Peabody standards. Alice rolled her eyes slightly at the elitism, though she made a mental note that Helena had chosen this restaurant. Peggy made another request to have lunch the following week at the same time, though Peggy made some comment about choosing the restaurant. Alice could gauge Helena's feelings about that immediately--Helena clearly did not want to spend more time around her mother. Alice smiled wryly, wondering what the hell she was doing and then paused to stand next to Helena, a little amused that Helena had been so focused on staring at the table and listening to her mother that Helena never even saw Alice approach. She'd always admired that kind of intense concentration-she'd admired that in Bette when she dated Bette and she admired that in Dana with the intense attention Dana paid to tennis. But another part of her felt a little more sympathy as she realized that if Helena didn't see or hear her walking over, it meant she was listening to every word Peggy was saying and probably taking it to heart. That kind of intensity had its down side, where every injury was felt a little more deeply.

She placed her hand on Helena's shoulder and felt Helena jolt at the unexpected contact. "Hey, Helena!" Alice said in tones that were overly friendly for the casual acquaintance relationship that they had. She moved her hand away from the dark-haired woman and pretended to casually brush back a lock of hair. She felt a little uncomfortable doing this and as a result stuffed her right hand in the pocket of her jeans.

Helena looked at her, startled and suspicious.

"I saw you over here having lunch with your mom and just came over to say hi. It's been so long since we've hung out! The food here is totally great, you were right. Thanks for the recommendation," Alice said smiling broadly. "You always have great taste."

Helena now looked simultaneously surprised and confused. "Ah…you're welcome?"

"Are you stating it, or are you asking her?" Peggy interrupted. "Helena, you really must pay more attention to the way you speak. You're a Peabody after all. The way you speak is a reflection on the family."

Helena's face fell, and Alice's expression darkened. Maybe she was too sensitive from her own upbringing and her relationships with her parents, but she hated it when parents talked to their children that way, especially when the children obviously took it to heart the way Helena did. Alice's felt a surge of protectiveness for Helena, which she felt was stupid because she barely knew Helena. She didn't even like Helena that much, but all Alice knew was that she sort of hated Peggy Peabody at the moment. Still, Alice managed to grin.

"I kinda like the way she talks," Alice said, lightly punching Helena's arm in a gesture meant to communicate affection to Peggy. "I think it's the accent." Alice forced herself to grin at Peggy. She liked Peggy on principle because Peggy helped Bette and she liked people who liked her friends. But she couldn't stand the way Peggy was treating her own daughter, even if she was Helena Peabody whom Alice didn't particularly care for out of loyalty to Bette. Looking at the two of them was just painful and she was filled with an odd protectiveness toward Helena. She touched Helena's shoulder. "And I came over to remind you that you promised to come to that KCRW thing next week. It's exactly one week from now, remember? Around this same time? So that's how many hours from now?" Alice grinned impishly. "What's 24 times 7?"

"168," Helena answered immediately, her voice slightly faint. She was still confused, and she searched her mind to recall if she'd promised Alice anything while she'd dated Tina, but she couldn't remember making such a promise, especially since it'd had been nearly two months since the last time she saw Tina and she didn't think she'd make Alice a promise to be at an event so far in advance. And really, it wasn't like her to forget such a thing. She tended to remember all her appointments, meetings and promises without the help of an assistant, appointment book or Palm Pilot. In her entire life, she'd only forgotten one appointment, and it was the day after Winnie walked into her office, told her that Winnie didn't love her--had never loved her and walked right back out. Helena was beginning to catch on to what Alice was doing for her, and though it perplexed her, she looked at Alice gratefully.

"And remember, bring the kids," Alice added as an afterthought. She was a little impressed Helena had been able to come up with the number so quickly, math had never been her strong suit. Her parents divorce had been bitter, and the custody issues had been bitterer still mostly because both her parents were just trying to hurt the other. Alice knew deep down, neither of her parents wanted the children as badly as they made it seem in the custody hearings. If Helena was clearly so uncomfortable around her mother, Alice suspected the woman wouldn't want her children around Peggy as well and Alice didn't want to give Peggy any reason to be alone with Helena's children when she didn't know what Helena's situation was like. She thought it was possible Peggy would suggest the children spend time with her if Helena was busy next week, and she wanted to make sure Peggy didn't have that opportunity. She didn't want to make things worse for Helena, after all. She was doing this whole thing extemporaneously, pretty much blind.

"I didn't forget," Helena said with a smile, knowing that if she claimed to have forgotten, her mother would use that as a sign of weakness and negligence and she would get a lecture. It wasn't worth it for a fake event, especially since she never forgot her obligations anyway. "But thank you for reminding me," Helena said. "It is much appreciated."

"I suppose if you have other obligations, we'll have to reschedule our next lunch," Peggy said airily. "But remember, Helena, I'm only here for the next three weeks until Roderigo and I are going to Greece."

Alice observed a look of pure relief wash across Helena's features and realized she'd done the right thing. 'Roderigo?' Alice thought to herself, making a tiny face. She didn't think people were actually named Roderigo.

"Yes, mother," Helena answered. She turned to Alice. "Thank-you again."

Alice grinned. "You're welcome," she said with a wink. "I should get back to my mom. She needs the attention," Alice said, only half-joking. She could see her mother out of the corner of her eye and Lenore was definitely becoming impatient. She paused as she pretended to study Helena. "You're looking really good," she said, casually. "But then, you always do." Alice smiled impishly, though she only commented on Helena's appearance because she knew Peggy was likely to have criticized some aspect of it. She gave a slight wave. "So we'll see you next week?"

"Of course," Helena said with a smile. She watched Alice walk away, staring at the blonde thoughtfully.

Peggy turned around to watch Alice walk away as well and looked at Lenore thoughtfully. "Isn't that Lenore something-or-another from that old television show? Is that her mother? Why didn't you tell me you were friends with the daughter of a celebrity, darling? We could invite her to some of our fundraising events."

"I'll remember to talk to Alice about that, Mother," Helena said softly.

"Helena, you really must learn to capitalize on all your assets and connections. The Peabody Foundation is much respected and I won't have you running it into the ground with your ineptitude."

"If you're so dubious of my capabilities, why did you appoint me head of the Foundation, Mother?" Helena asked, finally exasperated.

Peggy regarded her silently for a moment. "You're my only child," Peggy said. "You were my only true option. We have to keep it in the family, of course."

Helena's lip trembled. "I see," she said tightly, glancing away. Unable to keep herself from casting her attention toward the blonde, Helena watched Alice interact with her mother. The blonde waved at her, and despite the fact her mother had once again managed to make her feel like she was worthless with just a few words, Helena smiled in return. Alice made a small, goofy face and Helena choked back her laughter and turned to look at her mother with a smile. They were almost done with their meal, and Helena felt lighter somehow. Before Alice's interruption, she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on with her mother, but now it didn't matter as much. "The tiramisu here is excellent, Mother," Helena said softly. "Would you like me to order it for you?" Helena was relieved when Peggy simply nodded and did not make any comments that the best tiramisu could only be found in Italy.

Toward the end of her lunch with her mother, Helena saw Alice stand and walk toward the bathroom and she quickly excused herself to follow the blonde into the bathroom. She just needed to get this whole thing sorted out. She'd been so preoccupied by trying to guess why Alice did what she did, she blocked her mother out entirely for the rest of the meal, which was actually a blessing. But she still wanted to talk to Alice.

"Did I…promise to be in a particular place?" Helena asked, as she followed Alice into the bathroom and saw Alice at the sink, washing her hands.

Alice looked at Helena through the mirror and smiled kindly. She shook her head. "I made it up. You owe me nothing." She smiled wryly. Alice grabbed a paper towel and dried her hands. "Let's just say I know what it's like not to have the greatest relationship with your mother. And you just looked like you needed a break."

Helena suspected Alice had merely done what she did for show, to save her, so to speak, but she had been utterly confused as to Alice's motivations. She could not recall anyone ever doing something like that for her, and Alice was practically a stranger. She just didn't understand it, and though her mind told her to be suspicious, for the moment, she decided just to be grateful. She was still suspicious, of course, no one had ever done anything for her just to be kind, but she couldn't fathom what Alice's ulterior motives would be. They practically had no affiliation other than Alice being friends with Tina and Bette and that fact only served to make Alice less likely to do what she did. Helena was still a little suspicious because Alice of Alice's friendship with Tina and Bette, but everything had just been so spontaneous and Helena had no idea what Alice stood to gain by doing what she did. Helena thought about what Alice said, that the blonde knew what it was like not to have the greatest relationship with one's mother and from what she observed between Alice and her mother, Helena suspected it was true. They looked like they got along well enough, but Helena thought Alice looked very weary. "Thank-you," she breathed

Alice smiled. "It was no big deal," she said, waving her hand dismissively and she tossed the paper towel into the waste bin with casual grace. "Yay, it went in," Alice commented, looking supremely gleeful. She blushed slightly when she saw Helena look at her, amused. "I never get it in," Alice explained self-deprecatingly. "But I always try."

Helena's expression softened. She found the entire thing adorable. "Really," Helena said quietly. "Thank-you for what you did. I--"

Alice raised her hand, gently cutting her off. "I know what it's like," she said with a shrug. "You looked…unhappy, and I know what that's like. I just thought you needed a distraction or something. Anyway, I'm glad it worked out and it was no big deal," she said, with an easy grin. She moved to walk past Helena but stopped when she was directly in front of the other woman. "I know it's none of my business," Alice said quietly, "but speaking from experience, it hurts a lot less if you don't actually listen to her the way you do, Helena," Alice said gently as she moved past the dark-haired woman to walk toward the door. "See you around," Alice said, casually as she breezed out of the restroom.

Helena stared at the closed door for a moment, Alice's words--'it was no big deal' reverberating in her mind. "Yes, it was," she whispered quietly before she walked out the door and back to her mother. She and her mother were finished with their lunches and the two stood up as they walked toward the door. Helena waved awkwardly as she passed by the table which was en route to the entrance/exit. She wasn't sure if she should do that. It made sense to do so--after all, Alice had spared her from one of her mother's diatribes, but they weren't exactly friends either and Alice had been dismissive of the entire thing. Alice caught her eye and winked. Helena beamed at her with a large smile. Alice smiled back.

Helena heard her mother speak to Alice's mother, asking, "pardon me, but weren't you on--"

And then heard Alice's mother laugh and interrupt, saying "On Empire Falls, yes, I was."

Helena turned around quickly, her horrified, embarrassed expression mirroring Alice's horrified, embarrassed expression exactly. Helena would never have said anything to Alice about her mother, and Alice was obviously uncomfortable now that Peggy and her mother were speaking.

Helena had so few moments when she was embarrassed and wished a crater would open up in front of her and engulf her, but this was one of those moments.

"Mother--" Helena and Alice said simultaneously. They each paused and looked at one another, each woman realizing the other was feeling equally as mortified. They exchanged wry smiles as they each realized their mothers hadn't heard them.

Peggy and Lenore ignored then, went on speaking, talking about old television shows and which actors they knew in common. Alice's face reddened as Lenore made an overly revealing comment about having slept with a once-famous, now dead actor. Helena winced from embarrassment as Peggy recounted a similar tale with another once-famous, now incontinent actor. Helena and Alice looked at one another in commiseration and exchanged small, mortified smiles as the conversation went on.

Finally, after extracting a promise from Lenore to attend one of the Peabody's next fundraising events, Peggy excused herself with Helena trailing behind her, humiliated.

"She was so nice, don't you think?" Lenore asked, meaning Peggy.

"Yeah, sure, Mom," Alice said, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. God, she was so embarrassed.

---

A little over twenty four hours later, Alice stopped in the midst of her cleaning when she heard a soft knock on the door. She turned down her stereo, unsure if she'd actually heard a knock or if it was just random noise. But then she heard the knock again, this time a little louder.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"Alice? It's Helena Peabody."

"Huh," Alice commented wondering what Helena Peabody was doing at her apartment. Alice ran to the door and answered it. "Hi," she said brightly.

Helena looked at her sheepishly and smiled. "I'm sorry for not buzzing, someone was coming in, so I just followed after them."

"Oh, it's fine," Alice said. "What's up?"

"I, ah, wanted to thank you for the other day. It was much appreciated."

"Oh, that?" Alice asked, with a gentle laugh. "Helena, don't worry about it. It wasn't a big deal at all."

"Yes, but…" Helena's voice trailed off. 'No one's ever done that for me,' Helena thought. Helena held out the package in her hand. "I wanted to thank you anyway."

Alice looked at the wrapped box curiously. "What is it?"

"Open it," Helena said quietly.

"Helena, really, it wasn't a big deal," Alice protested.

"Please accept it," Helena said sincerely. "I want to thank you."

Alice hesitated for a moment and then took the package from Helena's hands. "I love presents," Alice said with a mischievous grin. "Come inside," she said, opening the door wider and stepping back so Helena could come inside.

"Oh, I don't want to impose--"

"You're not. Come in," Alice said.

Helena hesitated and then stepped inside, taking in Alice's furnishings and decorations. Helena followed Alice toward the living room.

"So you want anything to drink?" Alice asked.

"No, thank-you."

Alice flopped onto the couch and set the package on the coffee table. "Sit down," Alice said with a grin. "I'll open it in front of you."

Alice unwrapped the present carefully, peeking glances at Helena and making a show of carefully peeling off the tape. Alice opened the box, and her eyes widened. "Helena, a Bulga bag? I can't accept this. These things are like, $500! They're gorgeous, but--" She held the box out for Helena to take back.

Helena blushed. The money was nothing to her, and it didn't seem particularly extravagant when she purchased it. She'd thought it was a small gift. For someone who'd always had money, it was that big of a deal at all. She suddenly realized $500 to her meant something entirely different to Alice.

"Please just take it," Helena pleaded sincerely. "I want to thank you for what you did for me, and the money…well, it means so little to me. And I wanted to apologize for my mother and the way she…well, sort of shanghaied your mother into attending one of our fundraising events which are just…insufferably boring." Helena thought, making a face just at the thought of them. She hated the fundraising, social aspect of her job. Not that she was anti-social, of course, but social interactions at such events always rang false, and the pretenses and pretension bored her.

Alice hesitated before lowering the box onto her lap. "Okay, one, my mother loves the attention. And believe me, my mother doesn't feel obliged to attend anything. It's fine. And God, I'm sorry for the way my mother talked your mother's ear off about all those actors."

Alice and Helena winced together at the memory of their mothers' rather embarrassing and involved conversation about their past sexual exploits with actors.

"And secondly, there's no need to thank me," Alice said softly. "She was being awful to you. Anyone else would have done it."

"No," Helena said. "No, they wouldn't have," Helena said, her words coming out more intense than she intended. Helena blushed. "Please. Just take it," Helena pleaded softly.

Alice nodded reluctantly. The gesture was so sincere, that Alice decided to just go with it. She felt badly about taking a gift for something that had cost her nothing, but Alice sensed Helena would feel aggrieved if she didn't accept the present. "All right. But…" Alice grinned suddenly and stood up. "But you have to accept something from me."

"Alice, I could not--"

Alice waved her off and ran to her desk, opened a drawer and pulled out an envelope. "Someone gave me four tickets to the Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Nigel for next Saturday," Alice explained. "I've always wanted to go, but no one was interested in going with me," Alice said, smiling wryly. "I can't go myself, so…" Alice shrugged and walked over to Helena and passed her the envelope. "You should take Leigh and the kids."

"Leigh and I aren't dating anymore," Helena said softly.

Alice winced. "Oh. Sorry. I…" Alice shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't know.
She paused. "You can still take the kids, right? Maybe their nanny can go along?"

"They don't have a nanny."

"Really?" Alice blinked. She always figured Helena would have a nanny. She knew Helena loved her kids--Tina had told her as much. But Alice also knew Helena was super busy and rich--exactly the kind of person who usually got a nanny.

"I don't particularly enjoy the thought of some other woman raising my children" Helena confessed. "I make time for them. They have a baby-sitter, who they adore, of course, but she has the weekends off."

Alice's smiled. She liked that. Her mother never had time for her when she was growing up and she always admired parents who made time for their children despite being busy. "Have you heard of it?" Alice asked. "The Pageant of the Masters, that is."

"I have," Helena said softly.

"I think the kids would like it. I always wanted to go as a kid, but my neither of my parents could ever get it together long enough to take me." She held out the envelope for Helena to accept. "I think you'd all like it. It sounds really fun."

"I can't take this," Helena said softly.

Alice shrugged. "But I want you to have it. I can't just accept this bag for…well, for doing nothing. It wouldn't feel right, and I don't have anyone to go with anyway,"

Helena hesitated before she reached out to grasp the envelope. "Come with us," she said softly, staring into Alice's eyes.

Alice stared as well, and then blinked at the intensity. 'Her eyes are really amazing,' Alice thought. "I don't know," Alice said dubiously. "I--"

"You said you have always wanted to go, correct?"

"Yeah, but--"

"Come with us," Helena suggested softly. "You've always wanted to go, and I would feel very badly about just taking these away from you--"

"I'm giving them to you," Alice protested, interrupting Helena.

"I know," Helena said quietly. "But I won't take them unless you come with us, especially considering you've always wanted to go. Please, Alice. Come with us. I'll have my driver take all of us."

Alice paused. She thought it would be a little awkward, but she wanted to go, and this way she would have someone to go with. Still, it felt somewhat odd that it would be with Helena. "Uhm…" Alice hesitated. 'Oh what the hell,' Alice thought. "Yeah, okay," Alice agreed. She grinned. "Yeah, let's do it."

Helena beamed. "Truly?"

"Really and truly," Alice said with a grin. She gazed at Helena thoughtfully. "By the way, how did you know where I lived? I don't think you've ever actually been here, have you? Even when you were with Tina?" Alice tried to recall if Helena had ever come over or not, but she couldn't. She was fairly sure Helena had never been to her apartment though.

Helena blushed. "I had an acquaintance look you up--you weren't listed in the phone book."

"Ah, if you ever wanted to make a career out of stalking, it looks like you'll be set," Alice teased.

Helena flushed as she remembered Bette demanding to know if she were stalking Bette and Tina that day in front of the hospital when she'd practically begged Tina to go with her to have lunch with her mother. "I'm sorry," Helena apologized, feeling stung. She unconsciously moved away from Alice. "I didn't mean--"

"Hey," Alice interrupted, grinning easily. She touched Helena's shoulder briefly. "I was kidding. I'm not in the phone book because I actually did have an ex-boyfriend with stalkerish tendencies and when I moved I didn't want him to be able to find me. You're nothing like that. And it was very thoughtful of you to come here. Totally unnecessary though."

Helena grinned at her. "I heard you mention to Tina you wanted to buy a new brown bag you could take to work--"

"You remembered that?" Alice asked, surprised. "Wow. Yeah, this would be perfect and I just haven't gotten around to buying a new one yet, so this would be really perfect. Thank-you so much." She couldn't believe Helena remembered something so small--when she told Tina about that, it was only because Tina had asked her what she was doing over the weekend and Alice told her she might go shopping for a new bag. This was over two months ago, and she just hadn't found one she liked. She loved this particular bag though. Helena had good taste. And it really was perfect to take to work.

"You're welcome," Helena said softly. "I'm glad you approve of it."

Alice grinned. "I do," she hugged it comically to her chest. "I love it," she declared.

Helena laughed. "So next week…" she started to say, her tone slightly hesitant.

"Oh! Right." Alice stood up and ran back to her desk, grabbed a piece of paper and wrote her phone number down. "Here," she said, as she walked back to Helena and passed the dark-haired woman her phone number. "My landline and cell," she said. "Give me a call, and we'll iron out all the details." Alice grinned. "But I prefer if you'd call my cell phone, that way I can just save your number into my phone rather than punching it in." Alice shrugged self-deprecatingly. "I know. I'm just that lazy."

Helena chuckled. "All right," she said softly. "Well, I will let you get back to what you were doing. I will definitely call you this week, Alice. Thank-you."

Alice smiled. "Thank you" she said. "So, we'll definitely talk this week?" she asked as she walked Helena to the door.

"We will," Helena assured softly.

"Okay," Alice said. "Bye, Helena, have a good day,"

"Bye Alice, thank-you again," Helena said as she stepped out of Alice's apartment.

"Weird," Alice muttered softly as she shut the door behind Helena. It just felt weird. Not in a bad way, but the whole thing still felt a little strange. It happened so suddenly and it felt so natural, but she just realized she was going to the Pageant of the Masters with Helena Peabody and her kids and Alice never would have imagined that would be so. It felt sort of like a natural progression, and yet, when she really thought about it…"Weird," she repeated again softly, as she shook her head, still somewhat in disbelief. Then she shrugged and started to move into the living room to resume her cleaning. She didn't think it would require so much thought. 'It is what it is,' Alice thought. She passed by the mirror and idly glanced into it as she passed by and came to an abrupt stop, backtracked and stared into the mirror.

"Oh fuck!" she groaned, seeing the Biore nose strip across her nose. Alice covered her face in embarrassment and her face reddened. Alice laughed. She couldn't believe Helena never even gave any indication something was on her face--and the dark-haired woman had to have noticed. It was so obvious. 'Nothing fazes her,' Alice thought, a little in admiration. 'Well, except her mother maybe,' she qualified.

She groaned again and laughed good-naturedly. It wasn't the end of the world. But it was still embarrassing as hell and it wasn't the way she wanted to look in front of someone she barely knew, especially someone like Helena whose make-up was always perfect, hair perfectly coiffed and always in designer clothes. Helena didn't seem to care about the Biore strip though. Alice didn't know how Helena managed to do it--if the situations had been reversed, hell even if it were someone else with the Biore strip across her nose, Alice knew herself well enough to know she could not pretend. She would have become fixated and stared at it, and depending on how well she knew the person, she would have said something, ''She's cool,' Alice mused still laughing self-deprecatingly. 'Stupid Biore strip,' she thought, as she ripped it off and walked into the bathroom to discard it. At least her skin would look nice.

Next--->