Title:Weho Days - part 1 - A Night at The Planet Author: halfofone [ Send a Private Message ]
Copyright: Mine Content Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: All the characters and locations belong to Showtime. I am merely taking them out for a quick polish. Author's Note: This story was meant to be an entry in the Fantasy Challenge 4 - What happened to Helena between season 2 and 3. As usual I missed the deadline and in any case I don't think the story answers the question.
Summary: Post season 3. Nothing much happens. Bette, Helena and Alice meet, drink and say things, most of which they then wish they hadn't. Total Views: 3817 times.
Weho Days - part 1 - A Night at The Planet by halfofone
Even though it was early by clubbing standards, the crowd was building up for one of those evenings of music that Kit insisted on holding every few months at the Planet generating an uneasy mix of customers. There was the usual crowd of WeHo lesbians and gays, many of whom were more than a little overawed by the infinitely hipper crew of interlopers who had been drawn to the Planet by the promise of music cool enough to chill the smouldering LA night. Kit drowned out the protests from her manager Billy about the evening's entertainment, saying 'I know this isn't playin' to my 'core' 'audience' but damn at least occasionally they should listen to something decent'.
Three such musically-challenged lesbians sat back in their usual place, a quietish spot some way from the stage, and watched the swirl of people jockeying for space. The music hadn't started yet and it was still possible to hear yourself and more importantly to reach the bar but it looked like these three were taking no chances as a lineup of cocktail glasses already stood at attention shouldering their umbrellas and olive sticks. One of the two brunettes at the table shifted to watch her companion.
"Did you speak to Tina today?" she asked tentatively. Her accent marked her as not from around these parts by several thousand miles.
"Yeah," replied the other brunette at the table. She didn't take her dark eyes from the crowd.
"And..." persisted her companion.
"We didn't talk for long but she is going to give me some visitation rights. No adoption but she may let Angelica visit and even stay with me sometimes."
The blonde woman who had been slouching opposite sat up, nearly knocking over her extravagantly tall cocktail and shrieked.
"Wow! Why didn't you tell me? Bette, that is just the greatest." Taking in the slight frown on her old friend's face Alice moderated her enthusiasm "Okay not so good about the adoption. But I mean...how? Last I heard Tina's lawyers were going to banish you from the western seaboard."
Bette's frown deepened. "You'll have to ask Helena."
Alice turned to stare at the Briton. "What? How? Have you got contacts in the Mafia that owe you big? Did you offer to pay Angie's college fees."
Helena was still watching Bette. The recently appointed Dean of Los Angeles Art School downed a vodka-martini in one. Helena took her gaze away and smiled warmly at Alice.
"I spoke to Tina. Reasoned with her."
Bette smiled too but it wasn't gentle or affectionate. It was bitter like prussic acid. "And of course she listened to you rather than talk to her partner of eight years."
Helena lost her smile and a little patience.
"I'm her friend Bette and I am outside this. She is much more likely to listen to me - after all I didn't take her baby daughter on a road-trip that was suspiciously like a kidnapping."
"I did not fucking kidnap Angelica. I just needed time to think. And she's my daughter too remember. I had every right.."
"Do not say that to Tina!" Helena interrupted Bette's rant, "unless you want to unpick everything we have managed to stitch together from this mess. I'm going to the bar. Do you want anything?"
Both her companions accepted. The tall Briton pushed her way to the bar ignoring the dozens of eyes that swivelled to watch her graceful progress.
Alice turned in her chair and watched her too. "She is amazing."
"Why is she doing it?" growled Bette, her gaze also following Helena's slender form as it insinuated itself between the ill-assorted lezzies and gangstas.
"Whoa there sheriff!" exclaimed Alice turning back to face Bette. "Don't quibble with her motives Bette. She has just pulled your stubborn ass out of the biggest tar pit you have ever been in."
"I know it Alice," Bette sighed and some of the irritation had left her voice, "but I just can't quite believe it. She loathes me and you won't be surprised to know that I really don't like her either. I mean she is half the reason I am in this mess."
"I don't think so Bette. You and Tina were well on the way to relationship hell long before Helena showed up. You're re-writing history."
"Bullshit Al" said Bette rejecting Alice's argument. "Helena was on a mission to destroy. She wasn't content with just seducing and fucking my girlfriend; she pursued me into the CAC, persecuted me almost daily and then lost me my job. The financial strain didn't help us you know."
"You don't know for sure that she had you fired and in any case she gave Tina a job thus neatly pulling you out of penury. It's not her fault that Tina couldn't stand being the bread-winner. I mean who knew?"
Alice picked up a stray cocktail stick and began unconsciously stirring the contents of Bette's slippery nipple spoiling the beautiful arrangement of layers. Bette sighed and took the drink away from the fidgeting fingers.
"Don't be too rough on her Bette, she took a hard hit over that woman she was with and then what with Peggy cutting her off."
"Now I'm supposed to feel sorry for her! Alice I tolerate Helena because, for some reason which I can't quite fathom, you and she are friends and she is obviously trying in her own heavy-handed way to fit in. That said I find it hard to trust her."
"Of course you're right in one way," Alice mused. "Helena seems like a different person from when we first knew her. Do you remember what an arrogant overearing little shit she was?"
"Umm Alice," warned Bette.
"She's behind me isn't she," whimpered Alice, mortified.
"Darling Alice I am indeed behind you." Helena set the drinks on the table and then bent to kiss Alice on the neck. "Of course I'm still an arrogant overbearing little shit."
"I didn't mean..."
"I take it that Ms Porter distrusts my motives." Helena pushed her chair back and took her seat, leaning back on it to get a better view of both her companions. "It's not that complicated. I fight for my team and God help me, you two are on my team. What Tina was trying to do, taking away Angelica, was inexcusable, as of course was your behaviour Bette."
Bette raise an eyebrow at the criticism.
"Didn't you and Winnie or, as you still refer to her, 'that Succubus', which is actually more appropriate as a name for Tina now I that think about it...I may borrow it...
