“You wanna go for lunch with me?” Alice asked as Dana made a move to get out of the car. She realized it had been awhile since they’d had a meal together, and she wanted the peace and ease between them at the moment to continue.

“I’d love to,” Dana said with one of her trademark smiles. Seeing it made Alice lean over the seat and kiss her spontaneously.

“Okay, you pick. I’ll follow you,” Alice told her when she pulled away. Dana just smiled at her lovingly.

“Anywhere?” she asked teasingly.

“Anywhere,” Alice replied, her voice laced with meaning. Dana took her hand and kissed it, understanding. She decided to go easy and headed for one of Al’s favorite bistros when she got in the Mercedes, and to her happy surprise she didn’t feel one twinge in her shoulder on the way over.

By the time they were seated and had ordered, both of them were pretty relaxed. Deciding that they really didn’t care who was watching, Dana scooted her chair over to Alice’s side of the table and put her arm around her. Alice instantly moved into her, resting her head on Dana’s shoulder in a familiar gesture of comfort. They sat in silence like that until their plates arrived, but even after they’d been served, they stayed on the same side of the table. For some reason neither of them really understood, they were both feeling very close to each other and wanted to keep as close a proximity as possible.

That continued long into the afternoon. Dana had wanted to ask Alice if she’d be coming home, but she didn’t have to, since Alice pulled out her cell phone just as lunch ended. She pressed the button for Helena’s speed dial. “Hey, sorry hun, but I really don’t wanna stain furniture today. I’d much rather go home with Dana,” she said when her friend picked up, shooting a glance at Dana. “If she’ll have me, that is,” she amended softly. Dana smiled and squeezed her hand.

“I wouldn’t have you anywhere else,” she whispered into Alice’s free ear. In the occupied one, Alice heard Helena laugh.

“I heard that,” Helena said with a laugh. “Go home, darling. And hello, Dana.”

“Hi Helena,” Dana called a bit louder than necessary, making both Helena and Alice laugh and Dana blush. Alice hung up afterward and threw some money on the table.

“Let’s go home,” she whispered into Dana’s ear, and Dana didn’t think she’d ever been so quick to comply.

When they got to the apartment, they headed straight to bed. Socks was sleeping on it, and Alice carried her to her cat bed with a smile before coming back and hugging Dana.

“I missed you,” she said softly into Dana’s neck, feeling Dana’s arms tighten around her as they stood there.

“Me too,” Dana said in agreement. While she knew things weren’t solved yet, she really didn’t need for them to be. Alice was obviously doing better since talking to Tasha and her therapist, and the days with Helena seemed to have done her good. While she knew they still had things to work out, she was so happy to have Alice back home and in her arms that the talking could wait.

Especially since Alice was currently in the process of undressing her.