Lara touched the rose to her lips and inhaled the sweet scent. Smiling, she turned and walked back to the table where Alice sat. As she approached, she saw another familiar figure reach Alice and hold her hands out to the blonde.

Alice stood, and with a backward glance at Lara joined hands with the brunette woman. Lara sped up, aware that something was horribly off with the picture playing out before her. "Alice, wait!"

Instead, the brunette answered for her. "No Lara, Alice is coming with me." She wrapped her arms around Alice, and the two disappeared.

"Alice….Dana….noooooo!" Lara reached out convulsively and came away with nothing more than empty sheets. She sat up in bed, shakily, still not completely awake. For a moment she glanced around confusedly, as if hoping to find a trace of Alice in the darkened bedroom. Finally, she sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. The clock read 4:18.

"Fuck." Lara leaned back and closed her eyes. She knew sleep wouldn’t come again, but hoped to at least calm her breathing before she got up for the day. After her talk with Alice, she’d gone to bed in a light mood; but the vivid dream had put a damper on her optimism. Still, she looked forward to seeing Alice later at the Planet.

With a grunt, she swung out of bed and began to dig out some running clothes. Early morning runs had become habitual, as the nightmares dug firmly into Lara’s psyche. Running seemed the only refuge from the worrying images that plagued her during the night hours. Lara grabbed a banana and poured herself a glass of water.

Ten minutes later she slipped out of her apartment and began the familiar routine of stretches. Within minutes she’d settled into a pace that was fast enough to push all thoughts of Dana from the edge of her mind.

*********

Alice trotted into the Planet looking around for Bette.

"Over here." She heard Bette drily comment. With a sheepish grin she turned to find Bette seated with two cappucinos. "So nice of you to join me."

"Sorry," she breathed as she slid into the seat opposite Bette. "Y’know…work….you do remember what it was like, don’t you?" She smiled sweetly.