Helena and Alice sat on the sofa in Helena's living room, sorting through the enormous volume of mail Helena received daily. Alice sat at one end and Helena sat at the other with her feet placed in Alice's lap as the blonde sorted through the correspondence, passing Helena the obvious bills, dropping obvious junk mail on the ground in one pile and junk mail that needed to be shredded in another pile as Helena read through various letters and bills.

"Bill," Alice said, passing Helena the envelope.

"Thank-you, darling," Helena said absently, reading a letter with one hand and taking the bill with the other.

"Bill," Alice said, passing Helena another envelope.

"Thank-you, darling."

"Bill."

"Thank-you, darling."

Alice frowned when she came upon another bill from a convalescent hospital. She'd been ready to just pass it to Helena, but then she caught the sender's address and her natural curiosity piqued. Alice tugged on the cuff of Helena's pants leg. "Helena?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Were you sick or something?" Alice asked, puzzled. "I mean, not when you got that cold last month. I mean, really sick."

Helena looked up at Alice, bewildered. "No," she said. "The only time I was ever really ill was when I was twelve and had pneumonia. Why do you ask?"

"Why do you have a bill from a convalescent hospital?" Alice asked, holding up the bill

Helena took the bill and shrugged. "Rowena had a bad fall at the home and they couldn't care for her there, so she had to be hospitalized."

Alice stared at Helena as though she were suddenly speaking in tongues. "Do you want to give a little more detail?" she asked, poking Helena in the ribs.

Helena looked confused. "Rowena," she repeated as though Alice should know.

Alice stared back blankly.

"Oh, that's right," Helena murmured, realizing of course Alice didn't know about Rowena. She smiled. "Rowena is Winnie's mother."

Alice winced slightly at hearing Winnie's name. "Why is the bill coming to you?"

Helena shrugged. "I pay for her care."

Alice tilted her head to the side. "Why?" she asked simply.

After everything Winnie has said and done to Helena, Alice can't imagine why Helena would want anything to do with Winnie other than the children. And since Winnie 'temporarily' relinquished custodial rights so she could concentrate on starting her new life with her philanthropist chick, Alice saw no reason why Helena had to think about Winnie. Winnie wasn't even calling the house anymore.

Helena shrugged. "Winnie and her family was my family for a very long time," she said softly. "Rowena was always very kind to me before she got ill," Helena said. "Alzheimer's," Helena said sadly, upon seeing the questioning look on Alice's face. "I want to ensure she is taken care of," Helena explained. Before Rowena was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and then deteriorated from the condition rapidly, she'd always been very kind to Helena, and Helena was not the type of person to forget even the smallest act of kindness. She would never think to punish the mother because of the daughter--there was no way Winnie could pay for Rowena's care on her own, although now that Winnie had her new companion, perhaps she could. But Winnie was not the most filial of daughters--Helena knew Winnie had a contentious relationship with her mother when Rowena was well, and perhaps that was one reason why Helena always felt close to Winnie, because she thought Winnie would understand why she and Peggy did not get along. Still, Rowena was always good to her, and though she and Winnie were no longer together, a part of Helena still considered Rowena to be family. "Family is important to me," Helena said quietly with a shrug. As long as Rowena was alive, she would continue to pay for her care. "That reminds me, I ought to visit her soon," she said absently. Rowena was in nursing facility in Winnie's home state of Oklahoma, in the Alzheimer's unit.

Alice smiled sadly at her. Somehow, it just made her sad to hear that, to know how good Helena really was, even to Winnie who tried to hurt Helena at every opportunity. She rubbed Helena's feet, giving a slight nod. She didn't know why it made her feel so sad to hear that--Helena was a good person and of course she wouldn't have allowed her former mother in-law to suffer because Helena and Winnie broke up. But somehow, Helena's continued attachment to Winnie's mother just made her a little sad. And she had to admit, she was a little jealous.

It was stupid, of course, to be jealous of such a thing. But Helena caring for Winnie's mother could possibly mean that Helena, despite everything, still cared for Winnie. Actually, knowing the kind of person Helena was and the attachment Helena had to Winnie and their relationship, Alice had very little doubt that a part of Helena did still care for Winnie and though she wouldn't care about that if Winnie were a tolerable person.

It was the fact Helena still probably cared about someone as intolerable as Winnie that made Alice a little jealous. She knew it was ass backwards, of course, she should be jealous if Winnie were tolerable because it might mean Winnie and Helena could get back together one day. The fact Winnie was such a bitch and explicitly told Helena that Winnie never loved her and had basically used her for ten years as a money purse meant Helena and Winnie would never get back together. But she was jealous nonetheless-- jealous someone like Winnie could still have a hold over Helena.

Sensing Alice's change in mood, Helena used her toes to poke at Alice's knee. "Why did you assume I was the ill one?" Helena asked. "Do I look like the sanitarium type?" she teased.

Alice laughed. "No, you don't look like the sanitarium type," Alice said rolling her eyes, slapping Helena's foot. "I was just curious."

Helena grinned impishly. "You seem to have a strange fascination with me feeling unwell," she commented. She eyed Alice with mock suspicion.

Alice chuckled and slapped Helena's foot again. "Yeah, because you know how much I like the wilting flower type, Helena," she said sarcastically.

Helena grinned and tilted her head back dramatically and coughed delicately. "Oh, Alice, I do believe I love you so" she cried out, trying to imitate a Southern belle.

Alice giggled and reached across to whap Helena's stomach.

Helena chuckled and grabbed Alice's hand, pulling the blonde woman down to her. "Take me, Alice," Helena said, still in her Southern belle role.

Alice laughed and slapped Helena's shoulder. "Stop that! It really creeps me out when you do that. And how many times have I told you how weird it sounds when you pretend to be Southern?" Alice asked, pecking Helena's lips. "It's just not right!"

"Well, shucks, I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," Helena drawled.

"You don't do a good cowboy impression either," Alice said dryly, but grinning affectionately as she half-lay on top of Helena. She tucked a lock of hair behind Helena's ear and smiled when Helena smiled at this familiar gesture. "I love you just the way you are."

Helena ducked her head. "Just as I am?" she asked in her normal voice, not quite meeting Alice's eyes, though she smiled a little shyly at Alice. Deep down, she knew it was true, but she really liked hearing it nonetheless.

Alice smiled at her. "I said I love you and that's forever," Alice sang, deliberately lowering her voice trying to imitate a deep baritone, giggling when Helena beamed at her. "And this I promise from the heart," Alice continued, trying her best to emulate Barry White as she sang his famous song. "I could not love you any better, I love you just the way you are," Alice crooned.

Helena giggled and poked Alice in the ribs, causing the blonde woman to squeal and try to squirm away but Helena held her close and nuzzled Alice's nose with hers before kissing Alice, her tongue licking across Alice's lower lip before gently pushing its way into Alice's mouth.

Alice moaned into the kiss and began eagerly sucking on Helena's tongue, her hands trailing across Helena's back and slipping under her tank top as she traced circles across warm skin.

"Mommy," Wilson said, walking into the living room with Jun Ying.

Alice broke the kiss and both Helena and Alice turned to the children.

"Mommy," Wilson repeated. "Jun Ying and I want to play soccer with Jeremy and Charlotte in the backyard, but we can't find our soccer ball anywhere."

"It's in the car," Helena and Alice said simultaneously.

They exchanged a look and a smile. Helena gestured toward Alice deferentially, grinning.

"Ask Lulu to get it for you," Alice said. "We don't want you to go out into the driveway alone."

Helena's car was parked in the driveway whereas Alice and Lulu's cars were parked in the garage. Though Helena's garage could certainly hold more cars, and in fact, did, it was currently occupied by a cardboard dollhouse Wilson was building for Jun Ying so Helena's car, the one with their soccer ball inside, was currently parked in the driveway. And it wasn't that they didn't want the children to go into the driveway alone, they could play out in the front yard alone, if they wanted to. It was just that no matter how safe it seemed, tragic stories always seemed to occur from unattended children and cars.

"Thanks Alice!" Wilson and Jun Ying said, running out of the room together, calling for Lulu.

Alice watched them leave, smiling fondly and then turned to look at Helena again. "What?" she asked, upon seeing the somewhat stupefied expression on Helena's face.

Helena shook her head, "it's nothing," she said with a sunny smile. It was only that it just occurred to her how much Alice was a part of the family now and how Alice didn't seem to care the children walked in on them kissing. She didn't care either, because she wasn't ashamed and she taught her children not to be ashamed. The fact Alice was okay with the children walking in on them making out--that she didn't seem embarrassed or ashamed reinforced Helena's belief Alice was the perfect one for her, and for her family. Alice wasn't ashamed to be openly affectionate in front of the children, but Helena would have understood if Alice had been a bit embarrassed by the children walking in on them kissing as passionately as they had. Alice's reaction, or rather, lack of reaction, and the way the children were so comfortable around her, and she so comfortable around them made Helena feel like she needed nothing else because she already had everything she needed.

"I feel like I'm in high school and I just got caught making out with my girlfriend by her parents," Alice said with a laugh. "Except, you know, I didn't have a girlfriend in high school and we got caught by your kids," she said, chuckling.

Helena laughed. "I suppose it does feel that way."

Alice grinned. "The boys were so smooth back then," she commented. "They had some great lines. I'm going to use one on you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"All right," Helena said pleasantly, looking at Alice expectantly.

Alice looked at Helena thoughtfully for a moment and then grinned impishly. "Hey, Helena," she said, lowering the timber of her voice to sound like a teenage boy. "Wanna make out?"

Helena laughed. And then shrugged. "Sure!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, trying to imitate what she thought a high school cheerleader sounded like. Then she grinned crookedly, and pushed her lips against Alice's-- she was finished playing games.

----------------

"Come on, Scourge McDuck," Alice said, calling up the stairs at Helena who was lagging a little behind. "We have to meet Bette and Tina for breakfast in fifteen minutes." She and the children watched an old Duck Tales video for fifteen minutes that morning while Helena got breakfast ready and Alice decided 'Scourge McDuck' would be Helena's new nickname.

It made sense considering they were meeting Tina and Bette and Bette was the one who decided Helena was the Scourge of the Universe. Evidently, despite that fancy Yale education she was so proud of, Bette was unfamiliar with world history, since she didn't seem to realize there were better candidates for Scourge of the Universe than Helena Peabody. But Alice thought 'Scourge McDuck' was a hilarious nickname and even Helena laughed about it, but Helena didn't mind laughing at herself.

"I'll be down in a moment!" Helena called.

"Yeah, sure!" Alice exclaimed. She shook her head. "Women," she muttered. She knew she was like that, too--she said 'a moment' when really, it was closer to 'an eternity.'

But, really. Women.

She wandered into the kitchen where the children and Lulu were eating breakfast and sat down at the table, idly grabbing a forkful of scrambled eggs from Wilson's plate.

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you eating breakfast soon?"

Alice shrugged. "Supposedly." She grinned down at Wilson. "You don't mind, do you, kid?"

Wilson shook his head earnestly and held up his plate to her.

"You can have some of mine, too," Jun Ying piped in, also holding up her plate to Alice.

Lulu and Alice exchanged a look and then Alice chuckled lightly. "No, I want you kids to eat up, okay? Breakfast is really important. It helps you grow up to be really strong," she said, wondering when the hell she started spouting off that kind of thing. She never had before and Helena never said that kind of thing--it was too patronizing and Helena wasn't like that. She had no idea where it came from, but Wilson and Jun Ying didn't seem to mind.

"Like Mommy," Wilson and Jun Ying said together as they resumed eating.

"Yeah, like your mom," Alice said softly, grinning affectionately.

Helena wondered into the kitchen moments later. "I'm ready," she announced, walking toward the table. "Do you like your breakfast, babies?" she asked, kissing each of their cheeks in turn and crouching by their chairs.

Wilson and Jun Ying nodded eagerly and turned to hug her.

Helena smiled and touched the backs of each of their heads. "I am very sorry I can't have breakfast with you this morning," she said very seriously. "But Alice and I must meet some people for breakfast this morning," she said.

"It's okay, Mommy," Jun Ying said.

"Yeah, we'll have dinner together, right?" Wilson asked.

"That's right," Helena murmured. Then she stood and kissed the tops of their heads. "Have a good day at school, babies," she said. She turned to Lulu. "Did you finish your paper?"

Lulu nodded. "Yeah, thanks for proofreading, Helena. I really appreciated it."

"Anytime," Helena said, stopping to lightly squeeze Lulu's shoulder as she passed by. For as long as she lived, she would never forget the kindness Lulu showed her when Winnie took the children, and whatever Lulu needed, Helena would always try to provide.

Lulu touched Helena's hand. "Have a good day, Boss Lady."

Helena smiled. "Thank-you, Lulu."

Helena walked to Alice who took the dark-haired woman's hand.

"Hey," Alice greeted, kissing Helena at the corner of her mouth.

"Hello," Helena breathed.

The two walked out of the kitchen toward the driveway to Helena's car.

"Are you ready?" Alice asked.

"I suppose," Helena said faintly. Having breakfast with Bette and Tina wasn't something she really wanted to do, but since this was the first offer of acceptance the couple was extending their way, Helena and Alice were jumping at it. After all, if Bette and Tina offered a peace offering, the least they could do was accept. Though she tended to want to avoid any unnecessary interaction with Bette and Tina, she also wanted to make an effort for Alice's sake.

When they arrived at The Planet, Kit greeted them with a grin and pointed them toward Bette and Tina who'd also brought along Angelica.

Helena and Alice exchanged glances and then Alice lightly squeezed Helena's hand and led them toward the table. "Hey guys," she said.

Tina smiled at them. "Hey, have a seat."

"Hello," Helena greeted simply.

Bette gave a semi-sincere smile.

Helena and Alice sat down and perused the menu.

"Helena, do you want to get the pancakes and I'll get the egg, bacon and potato skillet?" Alice asked absently, because it was their tradition to share their plates.

Helena did not look up from the menu. "You prefer the waffles over the pancakes here, darling."

"You like the pancakes better though," Alice said as she contemplated what to order to drink. She paused. "You know what's good? The Belgian waffles, they aren't as good as yours, but you'd like them. Want to get those?"

"All right, darling," Helena agreed amenably, glancing over at Alice who was at that precise moment tucking some hair behind her ear. "You've pinched my ring!" Helena exclaimed, pointing at Alice's hand and then looking at her own. "I went to sleep wearing that ring!"

Alice smiled guilelessly. "I did not steal it," she denied. "You took it off while you were sleeping, so I put it on so you wouldn't lose it. I know how much you love this ring."

Helena looked at her suspiciously. "I've never done that before."

Alice had a tendency to 'borrow' Helena's clothes and accessories and since they began dating exclusively, Helena noticed more of her wardrobe and accessories disappearing. Well, not disappearing, exactly, because Alice wore them in plain sight.

"Well, you did last night," Alice said innocently.

Helena looked at Alice's pants closely. "Are those my pants?"

Alice sighed patiently. "Helena, I told you, we're supposed to share our stuff," she said, cracking a grin. "You still have my Robert Smith shirt."

"I don't have your shirt!" Helena exclaimed huffily. "I washed it and returned it to you."

Alice looked at her blankly. "Oh, that's right," she said. "You did." She stared up at the ceiling. "I wonder what happened to it," she asked half to herself.

Helena laughed affectionately. "Did you look in the third drawer of your dresser?"

Alice shrugged. "It'll turn up." She grinned at Helena and pulled off the ring, "here, sweetie."

Helena chuckled. "You may wear it, it looks better on you--darling, is that my bracelet?"

Alice held up her wrist. "Yes." Alice laughed at the befuddled look on Helena's face. "We're supposed to share stuff, baby. It's a rule."

"How are you wearing my pants?" Helena wondered. "I'm taller than you are."

Alice scowled. "Only by two inches! Don't act like you're Gulliver and I'm a Lilliputian!"

"I'm sorry, darling," Helena murmured placatingly, "I forget sometimes you really aren't a tiny pixie since you so often do give that appearance."

Alice huffed. "Tell your kids I don't want to keep being the pixie princess in the play anymore. I want a sword, too!" Alice exclaimed, tugging at side of Helena's top. "Make me a sword, okay?"

"All right, darling."

"I'm five-foot-six, that's only two inches shorter than you," Alice said, a little sullenly. "These pants fit. With these heels, the pants are perfect. I told you, girls borrow clothes."

Helena fingered the jacket on the back of Alice's chair. "I'll borrow your jacket, then."

Alice looked at her in amusement. "You can't wear this jacket with your ensemble," Alice said patiently. "It just doesn't go. You can borrow something else of mine some other time."

Helena seemed appeased by this. "All right."

"What're you getting to drink?" Alice asked.

Helena grinned at her. "Why? So you can decide ahead of time if you're going to steal it?"

"No," Alice huffed. "I'm just curious because I care about what you drink, Helena."

Helena looked at her wryly. "I think I shall order an orange juice with extra pulp."

"Helena!" Alice squeaked in outrage, slapping Helena's shoulder lightly. She hated pulp.

Helena raised an eyebrow. "But darling, how does my choice in beverages affect you, unless you are, in fact, planning to steal my drink?" she asked with a grin.

Alice scowled at her. "I do not steal your drinks. Stop calling me a beverage bandit."

"Darling, I didn't call you a beverage bandit."

Alice poked Helena in the ribs, causing Helena to squeal and fly back in her seat.

"No," Alice said, "but it was clearly implied."

Helena rubbed her ribs. "I think you've broken my ribs," she muttered, looking genuinely wounded.

Alice looked at her intently. "Really?" she asked, scrambling forward. "It hurt?" she asked, leaning toward Helena, and gently touching Helena's rib cage. "I'm sorry, sweetie," Alice said sincerely, lifting up Helena's shirt slightly to inspect the damage.

Helena poked Alice in the ribs. "I'm perfectly fine, darling," she said casually as Alice squealed in response. "Ha! I've fooled you."

"Just this once," Alice admitted grudgingly.

"Could you two possibly not act like teenagers?" Bette hissed.

Tina gently nudged Bette's knee under the table with her own and exchanged a warning look.
Helena and Alice looked at one another and then at Bette.

"Aw, Mama!" Alice said in a high-pitched squeak. "Are we embarrassing you? We were just playin'!" she exclaimed with a goofy grin.

"You let these two be, baby sis," Kit said as she approached the table to take their order personally. She stood behind Alice and Helena and put her hands on their shoulders. "What'll everyone have?"

Once the orders were placed and Kit left, the table lapsed into semi-uncomfortable silence.

"Uh, so…Bette," Alice said, trying to make conversation. "Do you have a job interview today?" she asked, taking in Bette's outfit.

Bette looked resentful. "No," she said.

Tina winced. Bette still had yet to find a job, and though the job Tina took at Alphaville to pay the bills was, in fact, paying the bills and they were not in any danger of monetary desperation, Bette was still worried about the money. Tina used to think Bette's anger and anxiety was mainly fueled by a loss of identity in being recently unemployed, but a recent argument revealed that though Bette was struggling with that issue, she was mainly worried about money. And she couldn't seem to stop. "Uh, Helena," Tina said. "How are things at the Foundation?"

Helena forced a smile, sensing Tina had no interest in the answer. "Things are going quite well for us," she responded. "How are things with this little one?" she asked, smiling genuinely at Angelica who was gurgling happily at being bounced on Tina's knee.

Bette and Tina exchanged glances, smiling proudly at Angelica and began talking at once.

"She's growing so fast, we're shopping all the time."

"I think she's going to start talking soon."

Bette and Tina grinned, and Helena and Alice exchanged a smile, relieved that at least the entire meal would not be spent in uncomfortable silence.

Alice appreciated this gesture from Bette and Tina, particularly from Bette. She got the feeling Tina was mostly indifferent to her relationship with Helena, though Tina likely preferred it if Alice weren't involved with Helena. But Bette had outright dislike for Helena, and though it was mutual, Helena had the good grace to cover up her disdain for Bette to the point it wasn't obvious. Helena probably wouldn't bother trying if she weren't dating Alice, and the blonde knew this. Bette, however, had no qualms about showing her disdain for Helena and Alice had no expectations Bette would make an effort for her sake. Bette wasn't the type to do that. So she was surprised and grateful Bette was trying. She was sure Tina had a hand in that, but more than that, Alice thought Bette's effort was due to Dana. Bette and Dana always had a special relationship. They weren't particularly close, but Bette was always protective of Dana in a way Bette wasn't protective of anyone else. And it was because of this relationship, Alice knew Bette would have an even harder time accepting her relationship with Helena, considering Bette already hated Helena to begin with.

Since Alice and Dana were trying to be friends again, Alice suspected Dana was pushing Bette into trying to accept Helena as a part of Alice's life.

Breakfast was hurried--the meal and time specifically chosen because it was time-limited. Alice, Helena and Tina had to go to work.

Toward the end of the meal, Tina needed to use the restroom.

"Could you take her?" she asked Bette, trying to hand Bette the baby. They had a day-nanny to watch over Angelica while Bette concentrated on her job search, but Bette did spend significantly more time with Angelica than Tina and so they agreed to diminish Bette's parental burden, Tina would try to take care of Angelica as much as she could when they were together.

Tina started to hand Bette the baby, but Bette refused, wincing.

"My suit, you know" Bette said gesturing to the white Jil Sander. "And you just fed her, so…"

Tina looked confused and exasperated. They had an argument before coming to The Planet because Bette didn't want to go to the breakfast. Since Bette had to take the baby home, the suit wasn't a huge concern, or at least, it shouldn't be. She was sure this was so passive-aggressive way for Bette to punish her somehow, which wasn't really Bette's style, but they'd been out of touch lately. "It's just until I come back from the bathroom."

Alice bit her lip. "Pass that baby here," she demanded, standing and reaching for Angelica. "She hasn't spent nearly enough time with the best auntie in the world."

Bette grinned. "I don't see Kit here."

Alice threw her a dirty look, but grinned.

"I don't see why you couldn't just take her," Tina grumbled at Bette, as she gave Alice the baby.

"My suit, T," Bette said, as though it were obvious. Bette looked at Helena. "Surely you know what that's like."

Something about her tone made Alice bristle, and before Helena could respond, Alice spoke. "No, she doesn't care about that kind of thing. She loves her kids. She lets them crawl on her all they want no matter what she's wearing," Alice said meaningfully.

Tina, who was standing up, ready to go to the bathroom, paused at the subtle, but abrupt change in the table's atmosphere. She exchanged a look with Helena who glanced at Alice then at Bette and then back to Alice again. Tina and Helena looked at one another helplessly.

"Well, it must be nice to have that kind of wealth which gives that privilege, I suppose," Bette said lightly. "She can always buy a new suit," she commented sardonically.

"Actually, Helena is just kick ass with an iron and knows a great dry cleaner," Alice snapped, her voice rising.

"Darling," Helena murmured, touching Alice's knee, trying to diffuse a situation which was rapidly becoming heated.

"Well, I guess that just leaves her with more money to buy other things then, like your love."

There was a moment of silence as all the movement at the table stilled.

Bette winced, knowing she'd gone too far and wishing she could have thought about what she said before she actually said it. It was just that moments like these, her mouth got away with her.

Tina groaned, shaking her head, knowing Alice would not let that go, and really, who would?

Alice reached for her vanilla ice blended coffee drink and then thinking better of it, she grabbed a glass of water and hurled its contents on Bette.

Horrified silence ensued and no one said anything for a long moment, though The Planet's other patrons stared and whispered and Kit ran to the table with a few rags.

"I'm sorry!" Alice squeaked, horrified by her lack of control. She was usually good at controlling her impulses and she'd had enough control not to hurl her cold coffee drink at Bette, she didn't know why she couldn't stop herself from throwing the water. In fact, since she chose the water because coffee was such a bitch to get out of a white suit, it meant it was a conscious choice on some level, and that horrified Alice even more. "I'm sorry!" Alice repeated, biting her lip at the sight of Bette Porter with water running down her face. In some other circumstance, she might have found that hilarious, but she didn't find this funny at all. "I'm sorry! It was…an arm spasm or something," she said. "I'm so sorry, I'll totally pay for the dry-cleaning."

Bette, who heretofore appeared too shocked to say anything, opened her mouth to speak but was stopped by a harsh silencing look from Tina.

"It's okay," Tina said. "It's only water. You don't have to pay for anything," she said, sitting down again to wipe at Bette's face with a napkin. "Why don't you guys go ahead and leave, we'll take care of the bill," Tina said, wanting to ward off a possible riot.

"I'll totally pay for the dry cleaning," Alice said anxiously. "That was Penta water, and uhm, it has different mineral properties or whatever, I'll totally pay for the dry-cleaning," Alice said.

"I think we should go," Helena whispered in Alice's ear.

Alice looked at Helena, clearly upset, but nodded. "I'm sorry," Alice repeated, passing Angelica back to Tina.

"It's okay," Tina said.

Helena reached into her purse to pull out her wallet.

"It's okay, Helena, we got it this time," Tina said.

Helena wordlessly put down some cash and then took Alice by the hand and led them out of the restaurant.

"I can't believe I did that," Alice groaned as Helena drove Alice to work.

Helena shrugged helplessly. "I'm sure she'll forgive you," she said.

Alice buried her face in her hands. "That was so fucked up of me. She loves that suit! Shit. Why did it have to be that suit?" Alice groaned pitifully. "I can't believe I did that."

Helena couldn't believe it either, and though she personally thought the sight of Alice throwing a glass of water of Bette was sort of hilarious because it brought to mind the Sephora Barbies, it was clearly upsetting Alice, which meant it upset Helena as well. "Darling, I'm sure--"

"It's just that I couldn't stand her saying that about you," Alice said, pounding on the side panel in frustration. "God, she's such a fucking bitch about this," Alice said. She groaned again and rested her head against the window. "But I was such a fucking bitch, too. She's one of my really good friends. I can't believe I did that to her."

"Perhaps by tonight things will calm down and you can apologize to her again," Helena suggested. "Why don't you go after dinner?"

Alice looked uncertain. "Yeah…"

Helena patted Alice's knee. "You really should apologize."

Alice looked at Helena. "Are you okay? I mean, about what she said." She was still furious about that, but she was furious at herself for losing her temper that way.

Helena shrugged. "Bette Porter and I do no like one another. That's no secret, darling."

"Yeah, but what she said--"

Helena shrugged again. "I tend not to care what Bette Porter says." She paused. "At least, I try not to," she said wryly.

Alice nodded a little. "Okay," she said softly. "What she said was bullshit anyway." She paused for a beat before speaking again. "Helena, you know that I don't lose my temper like that, right? I mean, this isn't going to make you think you can't trust the kids around me or something?" Alice asked. She was horrified she'd done what she did while she held Angelica in her lap, somehow that made everything seem even more wrong. "Because normally--"

"Of course I trust the children with you," Helena interrupted gently. Helena knew how uncharacteristic the outburst was of Alice, and truth be told, Helena has seen worse, though in other people. Though she knew how much the action distressed Alice, Helena thought that had more to do with who Alice was as a person, than the action itself. Alice hated to hurt her friends, but the action itself wasn't so bad, at least not in Helena's eyes. She was grateful Alice did it in defense of her, and though she was shocked when it happened, she was over it. "I know you," Helena said comfortingly.

Alice grinned at her. "Thanks," she said, "I think I will go over after dinner."

And she did.

When Alice went to Bette and Tina's house after having dinner with Helena, the kids and Lulu, Bette answered the door and looked at her warily.

"Hi," Alice said softly.

A beat. And then Bette responded. "Hi."

"Can I come in?"

Bette looked behind Alice. "Do you have a bucket you want to dunk me into?"

Alice winced. "Bette--"

"Come in."

Alice walked inside and followed Bette toward the living room. "Is Tina around?"

"She had to work late," Bette said flatly.

"Oh" Alice said.

Silence ensued as Bette and Alice looked at one another.

"Look," Alice sighed. "I'm sorry. What I did to day was totally uncalled for. I'm really sorry, Bette. Really. I just…I lost my temper, and I didn't mean to, and I know it's not an excuse. I have no excuse for what I did, but I really am sorry."

Bette stared down at Alice, her expression inscrutable before she finally softened. "I'm sorry, too," she grumbled with difficultly because it was so hard for her to apologize even when she should. It was a matter of pride. "I know I had it coming for what I said," Bette admitted. Tina had told her as much. "Look, let's just call this one even, okay?"

Alice nodded. "Okay," she said softly. "But Bette? You can't say stuff like that to Helena or about Helena anymore. You're a good friend and I love you, but if I had to choose--"

"Okay," Bette said quietly. "Look, I'll try to be civil, all right? I'm going to try."

"Okay," Alice said softly. She knew Bette would not be particularly successful, but it meant something to her that Bette said she would try. It wasn't likely the action would follow, but even empty words at this point meant something to her from Bette. "We still friends?" she asked sincerely, looking hopefully at Bette.

"Yeah," Bette said. "Sure."

"Cool," Alice grinned.

Bette hugged Alice impetuously. "Are you really happy with her? Why are you so into her? She's a monster, Alice. She's been trying to ruin my life for--"

Alice stiffened and pulled away. "Bette," she said warningly, biting back a retort that Bette did a good enough job of ruining her life on her own without anyone else's help.

Bette made a face and looked away. "Okay," she relented.

Alice sighed, feeling better that she'd apologized and Bette accepted her apology but not feeling as though anything were really resolved. "I'm going to go," she said.

"Okay," Bette said softly, looking like she wanted to say something more, but chose not to as she closed the door behind Alice as the blonde left.

When Alice went back to Helena's that night, she found everyone in the kitchen rocking out to the Ramones. Jun Ying and Wilson were in the kitchen dancing around to 'I Want to Be Sedated' wearing sunglasses, Jun Ying strumming the half-sized guitar Alice gave them months before and Wilson banging on a tenor drum. Lulu was sitting at the kitchen table doing her homework occasionally yelling out a word in English so Helena could respond with the French equivalent. Helena was at the stove, stirring something that made the entire kitchen smell like apples.

"Hey guys," Alice greeted.

"Hey Alice," Lulu called cheerfully.

"Alice!" Jun Ying and Wilson said, running to her and nearly bowling her over.

"Hey kids!" she exclaimed.

It'd been less than an hour since she last saw them and they still acted as thought it'd been a year. They were so naturally and openly affectionate and enthusiastic and she found herself loving them and feeling pride in who they were, almost like she were their parent, too, which is something she never thought would happen. It was nothing against Wilson and Jun Ying personally, it was only that she never wanted children because she didn't believe she would make a very good mother and even after she realized that the children would always be a part of her life, because Helena would always be a part of her, she never really thought she'd be anything more to the children than their mother's girlfriend, but she really did feel a part of the family now and it really was because Wilson and Jun Ying were so affectionate with her.

"Darling, could you come here for a moment?" Helena called.

"Sure," Alice said, sauntering over.

"Could you taste this, please?" Helena asked, holding up the spoon to Alice's lips.

"Sure," Alice said, bringing the spoon to her mouth. "It's good."

"Good," Helena said, putting the spoon on the counter and reaching for another wooden spoon and giving the apple sauce another stir before turning off the stove.

"Aren't you going to taste it, too?" Alice asked.

Helena shook her head. "Of course not," she said, making a face. "I loathe apple sauce." She shuddered. "It's the consistency." She personally found apple sauce to be foul, but Wilson and Jun Ying liked it, so she made it fairly often. Usually she had the children taste it, but they'd already brushed their teeth.

Alice raised her eyebrow. "Why are you making it?"

"Wilson and Jun Ying are fond of it."

"So you called me over here to try something you didn't want to?" Alice asked.

Helena smiled brightly at her. "That's right."

"I'm your guinea pig?!" Alice squeaked in mock outrage.

"I would not have put it quite that way," Helena said absently as she covered the pot with the lid.

Alice reached for the wooden spoon and lightly tapped Helena's shoulder with it.

Helena turned to look at Alice and raised an eyebrow. She wiped off her wooden spoon with a towel and then tapped Alice's shoulder with it.
Alice tapped back and soon they were engaged in a full-on wooden spoon fight, with Wilson and Jun Ying jumping into the fray. Alice, Helena, Jun Ying and Wilson chased each other around the kitchen table, shrieking with laugher while Lulu placidly continued to do her homework, as the Ramones played in the background.

---------------------

Alice watched affectionately as Helena danced around the bedroom in her underwear as they listened to 'Oh Oh I Love Her So' as she made her way to her lingerie/pyjama drawer to search for something to wear to bed. 'She's on a Ramones kick,' Alice thought wryly, watching Helena rifle through her drawer while dancing in place. Helena found a suitable black tank top and danced toward the bed, Alice enjoying the sight of Helena in nothing but a black tanktop and black bikini cut underwear. Alice grinned as Helena playfully leaped into the bed, nearly tackling Alice over as she straddled Alice's waist and captured Alice's mouth in a kiss.

"You're in a good mood," Alice commented as they fell onto their backs. She lightly patted Helena's butt. "I like it. You're cute when you're in a good mood."

Helena shrugged and grinned impishly. "Am I not always in a good mood?" she asked, not even bothering to protest the cute comment anymore, because there was no point in doing so.

Alice grinned back. "No," she said. Most of the time Helena was pleasant, but pleasant did not necessarily mean a good mood. Then there were days when Helena became withdrawn and obviously sad even if she tried to cover it up, and even then, Helena was still pleasant. But these really good moods, the ones that weren't a response to something else, but for no reason at all, weren't all that common. But every time it happened, when Helena was in a genuinely good mood and not just happy something went well, Alice's mood always elevated accordingly. "Have you met yourself when you have PMS, Helena?" Alice asked, pretending to shiver in fear. Unable to help herself, she grinned at Helena before Alice clutched the sheets and brought them to her face. "Save me!" she squeaked. "Helena has PMS. Eeeeeee!"

Helena laughed good-naturedly and lightly slapped Alice's stomach. "How did it go with Bette?"

They didn't really have a chance to talk about it. After Alice came home, they played around a little more with the children and then it was Reading Time and after the children went to bed, Alice and Helena showered and got ready for bed and they did not have an opportunity to talk about it until now and Helena wanted to know how it went because it was important to Alice.

"She accepted my apology and apologized for what she said, but…" Alice shrugged. "But I still feel mad about what she said. I dunno. I guess it's just going to take some time," she said, squeezing Helena's hand. Call her an optimist, but she hoped her friends would come to love Helena, as a friend. Not that she was expecting it, because ultimately, she was realistic, but she still had hopes that twenty years from now, they would all be crowded around a table for Thanksgiving dinner and it wouldn't be one of those uncomfortable dinners where everyone hated each other, but one of those dinners everyone was genuinely glad to be there. It didn't happen much, and she never had it growing up, nor did any of her friends come from that type of family, but she hoped they could be that kind of family. Alice supposed she would just have to see it through. After all, she never thought she would find the kind of love she had with Helena, but she did. Hell, she found it twice, really, because she'd loved and been loved by Dana as well, and for someone who never thought she would find a relationship like that, to have been in two well, it was enough to make her hope for that Thanksgiving dinner in twenty years.

Helena chuckled. "It's all right, darling, she does lack…self-control sometimes," Helena said. "It happened a few times at the CAC when she unintentionally offended some contacts. I'm sure she didn't actually mean it, and even if she did, what does it matter? We both know it isn't true."

Alice grinned at her. "Yeah," she said, happy to see Helena didn't seem too wounded by what Bette said. A month ago, Helena might have been and inwardly wondered if it was true, but unless Helena became really good at covering up her feelings, Alice got the feeling Helena had none of that doubt in her mind. As long as Helena wasn't hurt by what Bette said, Alice knew it would be a little easier to forgive Bette, who was really kind of an asshole and always saying asshole-y things because she had no self-control and thought she could get away with shit like that because Bette thought she was above everyone else. Bette was a jerk, and even Bette could usually cop to it, even if she never apologized for it since she felt apologizing was beneath her, even if she should. But that didn't mean Bette was a bad person and Alice didn't think Bette really believed some of the shit that just flowed out of her mouth. It was just that she was angrier this time about what Bette said than the last time she saw Bette. They'd been at The Planet then, too, and once again, Bette didn't have the self-control to bite her tongue, but back then, Bette was an asshole more on Dana's behalf. Today she was just an asshole out of spite, which was just typical of Bette. Much more typical than being an asshole on someone else's behalf. So typical, Alice was sort of used to it and really not that angry because Helena didn't seem too bothered by what Bette said.

Alice was angrier at herself for losing self-control.

She knew, however, if Helena had been hurt by what Bette said, it would be a different situation entirely. She would have still apologized for throwing the water and offered to pay for the dry-cleaning but she would have been a little hostile about it and she wouldn't have made an effort to ensure their friendship. "Still…" Alice trailed off thoughtfully. "She's just lucky Wilson and Jun Ying weren't there or they might have busted a cap in her ass," Alice joked.

Helena laughed. "Alice!"

Alice chuckled. "What?" she asked innocently. "It's true, those kids are really protective of you. You guys totally ganged up against me tonight," she said, trying to sound grouchy, but her voice squeaking tellingly instead. The moment Wilson and Jun Ying joined the fray in defense of their mother, Helena and the children ganged up against her until she had to cry surrender. No matter where she ran, Helena, Wilson or Jun Ying was there, the three working collaboratively to trap her. There was no escaping.

Helena was your typical Mama Bear when it came to her kids, but the children were just as protective of her as she was of them.
Helena smiled affectionately as she thought of her children. "May I talk to you about something?" Helena asked, suddenly serious.

"Of course," Alice said, looking at Helena intently.

"I was wondering if you would be an emergency contact for the children at school."

Alice looked at Helena quizzically. "Huh?"

"Lulu is the children's emergency contact right now," Helena explained. "But I would like to add you as well."

"What would I have to do?" Alice asked.

"Hopefully nothing," Helena responded with a low chuckle. "It means in the event of an emergency when they couldn't reach me, they would call you and release the children to you if they had to." Helena shrugged and smiled wryly. "I talked Mr. Stevenson--"

"How is Steven Stevenson these days?" Alice interrupted. It just cracked her up that the children's teacher's name was Steven Stevenson. It was just sad. She has heard some sad names in her lifetime, but Steven Stevenson ranked up there fairly high.

Helena grinned at her. "I told you! He took his stepfather's surname when he was ten!"

Alice shrugged. "So? His name is still Steven Stevenson."

Helena laughed.

"So, you were talking to Steve and…?"

"He told me a few years ago there was a fire at a school he taught at and he could not release a student to his sister, although Mr. Stevenson had the sister as a student ten years before and knew her quite well because she wasn't on the boy's emergency contact list." Helena shrugged. "If there were an emergency, I trust the children to you. I want you to be able to take them."

"Yeah?" Alice asked softly.

"Yeah," Helena responded softly, grinning hopefully at Alice.

"Well, put me down!" Alice said, with a laugh, slapping Helena's shoulder lightly. "I would love to be an emergency contact." She never thought she would ever have this conversation with someone, but here she was.

It initially freaked her out a little when Helena asked her because she never wanted to be a mother, never wanted to have children because she was always scared of fucking them up somehow. But she adored the children, loved them the way she loved their mother, and she knew if something ever happened, she would want to be there.

"Thank-you," Helena said, smiling. She looked up at the ceiling. "If the children ever felt sick at school and they could not reach me, they would also call you as well," she added.

Alice nodded. "Good," she said, realizing she did want this, that if something happened or one of the kids got sick and no one could find Helena for one reason or another, she would want to be the one to watch over the kids until Helena could be reached. Alice grinned. "I'm an emergency contact," she crowed, tickling Helena's sides and kissing Helena's cheek.

Helena giggled. "Yes, you are."

Alice beamed at her, pleased. "C'mere," Alice breathed, pulling Helena close. "You're pretty," Alice whispered, nipping playfully at Helena's lip.

Helena looked intently at her and smiled slightly, caressing Alice's face and then rested her head on Alice's chest, hugging her tightly. "Thank-you for choosing me," she said quietly. It struck her how different it would be for her if Alice hadn't. She would have her children, who were ultimately the most important people in the world to her, so she would be happy nonetheless. But being with Alice brought a different kind of happiness, and she was so happy to have someone to share her life with, someone who would help her when she felt overwhelmed and felt the same kind of pride in Wilson and Jun Ying she did. A month after Alice made the choice, it was still difficult for her to believe sometimes that Alice had chosen her.

Alice felt tears well in her eyes. It still struck her--the way Helena seemed so relieved and surprised Alice had chosen her. "I'm happy I did, too" she said thickly, hugging Helena tight and kissing her lips.

--------------------

Alice arrived at the house and let herself in with her key. She walked inside, ready to call for Helena but paused when she heard stomping upstairs and Helena shrieking, sounding terrified.

"Helena!" Alice cried, running toward the stairs in alarm, panicking. "Helena!" she yelled.

There was no response-- instead the stomping continued and Helena continued to shriek.

Alice stopped abruptly at the first step of the stairs and then ran back to the hall closet to fetch Lulu's lacrosse stick and ran up the stairs, yelling Helena's name. She paused at the top stair to listen to where the sound was coming from and heard Helena in her bathroom and Alice ran into the bedroom and ran toward the adjoining bathroom, throwing the door open, screaming and waving the lacrosse stick as menacingly as she could.

At this, Helena turned around, screaming even louder than she had been, clearly startled.

Alice screamed in response to Helena screaming and then looked at her and blinked.

Helena was wearing a pair of boots, listening to an iPod and jumping around the bathroom. Alice walked in on Helena mid-jump.

"Darling!" Helena exclaimed, pulling out the ear buds of the iPod. "You startled me!"

"I startled you?" Alice said in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing up here? You scared the shit out of me, Helena. I came home and heard you screaming like you were being murdered or something."

Now that she knew Helena was okay, Alice was just confused.

Helena ducked her head and blushed. "I'm trying to kill a spider," she mumbled.

"What?" Alice asked, unsure if she heard Helena correctly.

"I'm trying to kill a spider!" Helena said, louder, reddening even further.

Alice looked at her, amused. "This is how you kill spiders?"

Helena kicked the floor with the toe of her shoe. "I don't like hearing the crunching of exoskeleton," she muttered, hence the reason why she listened to an iPod at full volume, screaming. "And I'm afraid of spiders." She made a face. "I don't to touch them."

Alice laughed. "Who kills the bugs in this house, Mom?"

"Wilson catches them and lets them outside," Helena exclaimed. "But he's at school, so…"

Alice laughed and looked around. "Did you get him?"

"I don't know," Helena said, looking around. Seeing no bug guts, she frowned and glanced at the soles of her boots. "I didn't get him," Helena said, looking glum. Then seeing the spider scamper across the floor, Helena shrieked and leaped back. "There he is!" she said, pointing.

Alice looked down at the ground, prepared to see an enormous tarantula, but only saw a tiny spider instead. Alice looked at Helena, amused. "That thing? It's so little!"

"Catch him, darling, please?" Helena pleaded, trying to hide behind Alice.

Alice looked at Helena. "You want me to capture and release your spiders since Wilson isn't around? A woman who isn't 'masterful and butch' by your standards? Is that wise? I might pick up the spider only to shriek when he moves, making him fly into the air and land in your mouth."

At this, Helena shrieked again and leaped out of the bathroom. "Darling!"

"Go get me a piece of paper and something to cover him up with," Alice said with a laugh.

Helena ran to fetch these items. Alice watched her leave and shook her head fondly. "And she thinks she's the butchier one," Alice commented under her breath.

Helena returned moments later with a newsletter from her alumni association and a plastic cup and passed these items to Alice. She watched as Alice easily caught the spider under the cup and then slid the paper under the cup and stood up.

"Better step away or else it might get on you!" Alice teased.

Helena hastily leapt back and shrieked when Alice waved the spider at her.

Alice laughed and walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs. "Could you get the door, sweetie?" she asked.

Helena opened the door and followed Alice outside as Alice walked out to the street and then released the spider.

Alice turned back to Helena and grinned. "You're such a wuss."

Helena crossed her arms. "I am not," she huffed. "I'm afraid of spiders--everyone has a fear. It's quite normal. It's evolutionarily-based."

"Hey Helena?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Spider guts!" Alice said, holding up the newsletter and cup.

Helena squealed and backed away.

There were no actual spider guts, but in Helena's mind, the offending items were now contaminated with spider germs and as a consequence, she did not want them near her.

"Spider guts! Spider guts!" Alice chanted, chasing Helena around the front yard.

Helena shrieked and sprinted for the front door.

Alice reached it just a fraction too late and she heard Helena lock the door.

"Helena!" Alice laughed, banging on the door. "Let me in!" she cried out pitifully, scratching at the door. "Let meee iiiiin," she said, trying not to laugh.

"Throw them away in the bins around the side of the house!" Helena called through the door.

"Let meee iiiin," she repeated.

"Throw them away!"

"All right! All right," Alice capitulated, giggling, backing away from the front door to walk around to the side of the house.

Once she disposed of the newsletter and the cup, Helena let Alice back into the house, eyeing Alice almost warily.

"I threw it out," Alice said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in affectionate exasperation. She kissed Helena on the cheek as she passed the British woman to wash her hands.

"Thank-you, darling," Helena called after her.

"Yeah, yeah," Alice laughed, shaking her head.

Helena trailed after her, coming up behind Alice as the blonde washed her hands at the bathroom sink. Helena wrapped her arms around Alice's waist. "My hero," she murmured.

Alice turned to the side to dry her hands on a towel and then turned to face Helena and pulled her close. "So you have no problems bashing in the head of a stuffed animal wearing a dragon mask made from a paper plate, but when it comes to catching tiny little spiders, you turn into the biggest wuss ever?" she teased. "Do your kids know about this? Maybe you should be the pixie and I should be the one that gets the biggest sword."

Helena laughed. "Biggest sword, hey?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alice made a face and shook her head, swatting at Helena's stomach lightly. "Don't twist that!"

Helena looked at her innocently. "Twist what, darling?

Alice shook her head, giggling. "So not only is my girlfriend a wuss and pervert, but she's also in denial!" she exclaimed. "What a catch!"

Helena playfully shoved Alice away.

"And a ruffian," Alice added.

Helena grabbed Alice's hand. "Let's eat lunch, darling," she said.

"And you're trying to make me fat," Alice said, putting her arm around Helena's waist and moving in close to kiss Helena on the cheek. "Are you like the wicked old lady in Hansel and Gretel? You're trying to make me fat so you can eat me?"

Helena raised an eyebrow. "I don't have to fatten you up to do that," she joked.

Alice laughed in delight as she followed Helena toward the deck. "Dirty," she whispered, kissing Helena's neck and stepping out onto the deck.

"Lunch," Helena said lightly, pointing to the patio table.

Alice smiled at her, "you're really sweet, you know that?" she asked.

It was just a simple picnic lunch, something they set up because Alice realized a few days before they never ate lunch together, at least, not during the middle of the week. They ate breakfast together, and dinner together, but never lunch since they were both at work. And even on the weekends, they were usually not together during lunch since the kids had their soccer games, which Alice usually tried to attend, but Helena always took the team out for lunch afterwards and Alice usually went back to her apartment to clean up before meeting back with Helena and the kids at home. It struck her as funny they rarely ate lunch together since they spent so much time together and Helena took it upon herself to rectify the situation.

Alice thought perhaps they would just meet at the house and they would go together to a restaurant or perhaps eat leftovers, she didn't really imagine a picnic lunch out on Helena's deck.

Helena grinned. "Shall we?" she asked.

Alice smiled back and sat down. "You know, this almost makes up for the fact you're a total wuss, Helena," she teased.

Helena groaned. "Must I keep hearing about this?"

Alice pretended to contemplate this. "Yes, actually," she said. "You know I'm going to lord this over you forever."

"How long is forever?" Helena asked, since in her experience, forever wasn't so much an eternity as it was just a lengthy period of time that could range from anywhere between three hours to a million years, neither of which really amounted to 'forever.'

"For an everlasting period of time, Helena, constantly, in perpetuity. You're going to hear about this when you're eighty and I'm eighty-one and one quarter, you'll hear about this while you bounce around on clouds playing a harp. I'll follow behind you and make fun of you for being scared of itsy bitsy spiders," Alice said, thinking of the story Katie Chae told her.

Helena mock scowled, though it touched her to hear Alice was planning to stay in her life until they were eighty. She hoped for it, of course, but it was nice to hear confirmation, even if it came in the form of relentless teasing about her fear of spiders. "I told you! It was the only song that would make Jun Ying go back to sleep when she was little!"

Alice laughed uproariously. "Yeah, like the kid is an old fogey now or something," she said.

"Don't make me fetch my wooden spoon," Helena said warningly, trying to narrow her eyes to look intimidating, but squinted when the wind caused hair to go into her eyes.

Alice giggled. "You're cute," she said warmly, tickling Helena's ribs. She looked thoughtfully at Helena. "You know, the average person ingests about eight spiders a year in his or her sleep."

Helena's eyes widened and then she squealed, grabbing onto Alice and burying her face into Alice's shoulder, clearly tormented by the thought.

Alice chuckled and patted Helena's back, "it's okay, sweetie, I'll protect you."

Helena looked at the picnic lunch, appearing to be somewhat nauseated and smiled faintly. "I know you will."

Alice grinned at her. Yes, she would certainly always do her best to protect Helena, but that did not mean she couldn't mock Helena unrelentingly for her fear of spiders.

Which is why that night, when Helena leaped playfully into bed to make the children giggle before Reading Time, Alice couldn't resist yelling, "did you check for spiders?!" resulting in Helena instantly leaping out of bed. Even funnier was the three simultaneous dirty looks Alice received from Helena, Jun Ying and Wilson, each of them scowling and furrowing their brows in exactly the same way. Alice laughed, wishing she had a camera.

Jun Ying scrambled out of bed and protectively put her arms around her mother's waist as Wilson inspected the bed for spiders. Once it was determined there were no spiders, everyone crawled back into the bed for Reading Time and nothing more about spiders was spoken until the children went to bed and Helena and Alice were alone.

"We should check for cobwebs around here," Alice teased.

Helena huffed. "I know we don't really ingest eight spiders per year in our sleep," she said. "I looked it up." When she went back to the office, she'd been tormented by that thought and so she looked it up on the internet and found that it was a myth. And yet…She shuddered. "But just the thought of a spider crawling into someone's mouth while he sleeps…"

"What's with the gender specific pronoun, sweetie?" Alice asked, clearly enjoying the way it made Helena squirm. "That someone could be a she. It could be you."

Helena lightly slapped Alice's stomach.

Alice put her arms around Helena and chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll still love you even if you eat hundreds of spiders."

Helena shrieked in outrage and hit Alice with her pillow, shuddering violently at the mere thought of it.

"Don't be so ethnocentric, Helena," Alice chided, leaping out of the bed to escape the barrage of pillow-hitting. "Spiders are considered tasty treats in some parts of the world."

Helena groaned and buried her face into the pillow she was holding.

Alice laughed and sat down on the bed. She sat behind Helena and put her arms around the other woman, resting her face against Helena's back. "How's this? I promise you I will always check the bed for spiders, I will always capture and release the spiders when Wilson is not around and I will never again torment you with thoughts of eating spidery goodness."

Helena pulled the pillow away from her face and turned her head slightly to look at Alice suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. "Is this offer legitimate?" she asked, a little leery.

Alice moved so she could face Helena and looked deeply into her eyes and took Helena's hands and held them to her heart. "It sure is," she said softly.

Helena grinned at her. "Then I shall promise to occasionally relinquish control of the remote control."

Alice snorted. "You already do that," she said with a laugh. "You don't need to promise me anything, just be here so I can not torment you about eating spiders, okay?"

"Okay," Helena said softly.

Alice grinned a little deviously. "Helena?" she asked softly.

"Yes, darling?"

"How did you read Charlotte's Web to the kids?" she asked with false innocence. "Did you wear a gas mask?"

Helena groaned and slapped at Alice's shoulder.

Alice giggled and grabbed at Helena's hands.

They shoved each other playfully until Alice pushed Helena onto her back and straddled her hips She stared down at Helena for a moment and then smiled slowly, brushing a lock of hair out of Helena's eyes. "I love you," she murmured, leaning down to kiss Helena's lips. "I love you so much," she breathed.

"I love you, too," Helena whispered, moaning when Alice began to kiss her neck and suck at a pulse point.

Then they kissed again, lips meeting, tongues exploring, as their hands roamed, discarding clothing along the way.

Alice kissed at Helena's neck and moved her way down, tracing little light circles with her tongue. Taking her time sucking on a nipple, Alice grinned when she heard Helena release a low, guttural moan, felt Helena's fingers grip the back of her head. Alice kissed her way down, caressed Helena's warm skin with her tongue, felt Helena let herself give into everything.

For a while it seemed Helena was holding back-- since they came back from New York, they'd had sex, of course, and it was what Alice expected. But at the same time, it seemed like a part of Helena was holding back, like she was scared which Alice could understand given what happened the first time. She was scared, too, scared she wouldn't live up to Helena's expectations. She wasn't insecure about her technical skills, she was insecure and scared she would somehow make Helena feel deficient or used or anything like that because she knew other people had and she didn't want to be everyone else.

But now it seemed like Helena was really letting go, she wasn't holding back anymore, just allowing herself to give into this expression of Alice's love.

Helena's hips arched, her body bucked under Alice's touch. She begged and pleaded, fingers clenching into Alice hair. She concentrated on nothing else but Alice's touch-- her mouth, her tongue, her fingers and when she came with a hoarse cry, she felt Alice hug her, smile into her hair, felt Alice stroke her back making lazy little circles.

And once she caught her breath, she returned that love in full, reveling in the way Alice moaned into her mouth, in her ear. Memorized the feel of Alice's skin, how it felt like Alice was melting into her, memorized the taste of her, and memorized those tiny little gasps. She held Alice in a hard embrace and felt Alice's heart pound and memorized its rhythm, and Helena knew no matter what happened, Alice would be the woman who would make her weak forever. Some part of her always felt repulsed by the idea of ownership when it came to love--she didn't want to be anyone's possession nor did she want to possess anyone, but she knew she was lost.

She felt like she belonged with and to Alice and even if Alice told her tomorrow she didn't want her anymore, Helena knew she would always want Alice. She knew this was different from anything she ever experienced before. She used to think she would always belong to Winnie, because she'd loved Winnie so much and Winnie held her heart from the time Helena was nineteen years old. Winnie was ten years older and Helena couldn't believe someone so experienced and intelligent could be interested in her. She didn't think she could ever recover from losing Winnie.

And then she met Alice.

But it was so different with Alice. She wasn't some starry-eyed nineteen year old, grateful to have someone who listened to her or at least pretended to listen to her. She knew she was bitterer, harder, harsher, more cynical. She was difficult to love, difficult to accept, and Helena knew it. She also knew she made it hard for people to love her sometimes. And yet, in spite of it all, Alice loved her anyway. And Helena loved her in return. It wasn't that starry-eyed, desperate, helpless love she felt for Winnie. It was more real than that. She may have been an adult when she became a couple with Winnie, but she'd idealized it as though it were some adolescent romance and adolescent romances always have an unrealistic sweetness to it.

No, it was different with Alice.

She was definitely an adult now, and she looked at the situation realistically through the eyes of an adult. As much as she loved Alice and believed Alice loved her, she knew things happened sometimes, that they, too, could break up one day. It wasn't something she particularly obsessed over though, and she would think about it if that point ever came.

She knew their relationship could be over one day, but she also knew without a doubt she'd never felt this way about anyone before and that she was looking into the face that would make her weak in the knees for the rest of her life.

"I love you," Alice whispered, her breath tickling Helena's ear.

Helena smiled and nuzzled Alice's neck. "I love you, too," she said softly.

Next--->