Bette pounded on Tina's door, grateful that on this working day, Tina's neighbors were not around to be curious onlookers. "Tina, come on..."

Getting the information on Tina's exact home address out of Alison had been difficult, because as eager as she'd been to help Bette out, she nonetheless had a strong sense of loyalty to her boss. But her loyalty didn't stop her from making the hint that Human Resources kept records on their employees. And that she was pretty sure Bette was listed as Tina's next of kin, thus defying confidentiality.

Bette placed her palm flat on the wooden door, her emotions overwhelming her. Softly, her voice a low whisper and in a soft prayer, "Tee, please just open the door."

She heard the latch turn, and then the door opened slightly. Bette looked up to have her gaze meet one that mirrored her own pain.

God, it hurt to see Tina in pain. It was bad enough to know she was hurting, but to actually bear witness to it, and to know it was there because of you... Bette didn't bother keeping her emotions under control, there was no point in hiding them from Tina.

The sight of Bette, no matter how rumpled, how hurt, how much angst was evident, still put Tina's heart in a flutter, completely belying her beliefs. Ahh, goodbye, resolve. No, wait.

"What are you doing here?" Tina asked quietly.

"I know I taught you the best way to sneak out of houses, but I think you owe me a proper explanation."

"Fine. I'm sorry about fighting you every step of the way. I'm sorry for leaving you with just a note." Tina said, her voice flat, but still underlined with emotion. "Please just go, Bette."

"I can't just let you go, T." Bette looked at her. She was not invited in, and she was not going to force it. Yet. "I'm sorry about last night. Please forgive me."

"It's more than just last night, Bette. We both said things. We're both wrong. And we both need to stop doing this."

"It's one fight, T. It's one fight." Bette repeated. "You can't just bail on us and leave everytime things get a little hard."

"'A little'?" Tina repeated incredulously. She opened her mouth to debate that point, then thought the better of it. "No."

Bette hesitated.

"I told you, I'm not doing this with you. My head hurts, my heart's broken, and I can't look at you." Tina looked at Bette. "Go away."

"So why did you open the door?" Bette challenged.

"Security wanted to make sure whether or not to send you out." Tina hesitated. "How did

"Someone was going out."

"That would be you." Tina moved to close the door.

"No, T, wait." Bette interjected, using her foot to block the door from closing. "You tried so hard to keep me out of your life here, keeping your number, your address a secret. But I still found you. Don't you think that means something?"

"Yeah, the fact that I can't trust anyone." Tina snapped.

"Tina, please, hear me out."

"Why? What do you have to say that can take back the fact that just last night you were daring me to say the name of the one person it hurts to even think about?" Tina demanded. She groaned. "Oh, dammit," she left the doorway, and retreated to inside the apartment.

Bette hesitated, then slowly crossed the threshold, following Tina inside, closing the door behind her.

Tina had always worn her heart on her sleeve, but then again Bette realized that things have happened that may have changed that. It was at that instant that Bette realized the humiliation it must have caused Tina when news of her infidelity spread. God, would the pain she'd caused Tina ever be equalled out in the cosmic scale?

Bette scanned the apartment, and had to admit, no wonder Tina didn't want to give it up. It didn't have much of a view, but it was big enough to be comfortable, but not to the point of being overwhelming. She slowly made her way to the loveseat, where Tina was sitting.

"I didn't do it for you." Tina said softly, referring to Bette's presence within the apartment.

Bette understood, it was simply so that they would not run the risk of strangers bearing witness to what would happen between them. "Tina please let me explain."

Tina pulled her legs up close to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. "Why should I let you?"

"Because you know as much as I do that it's not a mistake that warrants this," Bette sighed. "That justifies us. It's not fair."

"You want to talk about what's fair?" Tina asked sharply.

"Look, I know I said a lot of things last night--"

"You pretty much said you did it on purpose." Tina cut in.

Bette grimaced. Yes, she'd realized that. It had been a long plane ride. "That's not what I meant."

Tina shrugged.

"You don't get into this kind of trouble on purpose, T. You don't go into this kind of stupidity when you're being rational." Bette sighed, standing a good distance from Tina's seated form. "What I told you last night about the affair was something I've come to realize over these past few years."

"They're just excuses."