Chapter 12
 
"Welcome detective Kennard," Captain Tasha Williams said leading her into the precinct. "So you’re living with Bette?"
 
"Yes I am," Tina said, "your Bette’s best friend’s girlfriend, right?"
 
"That’s right, Alice’s," Tasha said.
 
"I can’t wait to meet her," Tina said.
 
"I’m sure you won’t be saying the same thing once you meet her crazy ass," Tasha said laughing.
 
"Oh how nice," Tina said dryly following Tasha into her office.
 
"So you’re with Bette as a couple now?" Tasha asked, "Shane told me."
 
"Yeah, after I saved her, I kinda fell in love with her," Tina said with a small smile.
 
"Kinda?" Tasha said with a little laugh.
 
"Completely and utterly," Tina admitted with a nod.
 
"Heh, well before getting into your expertise I think it would be a good idea to get to know the LA area," Tasha said, "you know so you can get around if there’s a high speed car race or something."
 
"That would be wise yes," Tina agreed.
 
"So for the next two weeks while your partner’s transfer is being completed I want you to do some patrolling around the city," Tasha said.
 
"Traffic cop, got it," Tina said with a smile.
 
"This is not a demotion in any way," Tasha said.
 
"No I understand, in fact I prefer it this way, I need to get to know my new city, that’s how I found Bryon," Tina said. "Do I have to get in uniform?"
 
Tasha grinned and said, "no, I know you like wearing your suit. However, it is regulation that you wear a bulletproof vest." Tasha handed her a vest that had the LAPD insignia and a badge on the other corner.
 
Tina took off her blazer revealing her police belt that had her gun, handcuffs, and stick. She slipped on the vest that was a tight fit around her body and looked way better than the regular uniform.
 
"Sweet, this is much better, I can move around a lot more," Tina said.
 
"That’ll be your daily uniform from now on," Tasha said, "go ahead and meet with our supply officer for more vests."
 
"So I can’t wear my blazer?" Tina said with a teasing little smile.
 
"Well you could but I think your uniform will look better with our LAPD jacket," Tasha said taking hers off her chair.
 
"I agree," Tina said with a grin.
 
Tasha stood up and handed Tina a sheet of paper. "Here’s your route," she said. She shook Tina’s hand firmly and Tina stepped out of the office.
 
She walked to the supply officer and got all her materials, then went to her assigned police car. She got in and put her coordinates in the GPS system that way she could drive around and always be able to get back to the station.
 
Tina started driving around, discovering the city little by little. It was about three hours into her shift when she was parked in between an alleyway and her radar started beeping erratically.
 
"97! Whoa!" Tina said. She turned on her siren and pulled out of the alleyway. The navy blue mini cooper pulled over immediately and Tina parked behind her. She grabbed her ticket book and stepped out of the car.
 
She went to the window as it went down and a perky blonde grinned at her, "officer! What a beautiful day!"
 
Tina smirked. She’s heard a lot of things people say to get out of a ticket, but this was by far the weirdest.
 
"License and registration please," Tina said firmly.
 
"Yes," she said handing her the items. "Listen, you wouldn’t give me a ticket, I’m your captain’s girlfriend!"
 
"Oh are you?" Tina asked, "surely the captain’s girlfriend would know not to drive 97 on a 45 speed limit."
 
"Of course, it’s just my friend went to Philly to visit her family but she was kidnapped by a psycho-maniac who locked her up and raped her," the woman babbled, "then a super hero cop saved her and according to one of our best friends she’s back and she’s hooked up with the super hero cop."
 
Tina looked down at the driver’s license and saw that it said Alice Piezecki. She smiled and said, "so you’re Alice."
 
Alice looked stunned, "how did you know that?"
 
"Well I have your I.D," Tina said with a smile, "but uh, I’m the super hero cop."
 
"No way!" Alice screeched, "wow you’re pretty!"
 
Tina smiled and said, "thanks. But I think you’ll find Bette at the gallery. She said she was working today."
 
"Alright, thanks," Alice said with a nervous chuckle, "if you’ll just give me my license back I’ll just be on my way."
 
"Not so fast," Tina said, "everyone, even the captain’s girlfriend, has to follow the speed limit and obey the laws."
 
"Oh come on," Alice pleaded, "can’t you let me off with a warning."
 
"I’ll give you a minor speeding ticket," Tina said, "sorry but 97 on a 45 is too big of an offense."
 
Alice sighed, "I guess so."
 
Tina wrote her up then said, "tell Bette I said hi."
 
"You should stay in your uniform," Alice said, "she loves a woman in uniform."
 
"She’s told me," Tina said grinning, "she stares at my dress uniform all the time."
 
"Well it was a pleasure to meet you Officer," Alice said.
 
"Call me Tina," Tina said, "nice to meet you too Alice."
 
+
 
A knock on the door made Bette look up from the stack of paperwork on her desk. James had done an excellent job holding the fort but running a gallery like Bette’s was a two person job.
 
"May I come in?" James’ voice said from the other side of the door.
 
"Of course James," Bette said.
 
James walked in with a few brochures and catalogs in his hands. "Okay, so I brought alternative options," he said. "Jean Pierre’s exhibit was a hit and I know you wanna top that this month but we just don’t have the budget."
 
"But James if we could do the GLBT exhibit this gallery will never suffer a low budget ever again," Bette said, "I mean we would be able to hire people so that you and I could actually own this place instead of being owned by it."
 
"I know we’re slaves to this gallery and this exhibit would be our freakin pension, but we would have to go bankrupt to afford it," James said.
 
Bette sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It would be perfect if we still had the backing from the Peabody Foundation but ever since Helena took over…" She looked away dejectedly.
 
"This is not the Bette I know," James said.
 
Bette looked up at him in surprise.
 
"The Bette I know would be in a power suit at Helena’s office giving her deal she would not be able to resist," James said. "Look, I know what that fucker Bryon did to you was terrible and that you’re stronger because you’re keeping the baby, but you’re not winning."
 
"Winning? What do you mean?" Bette said.
 
"He took your confidence and self-esteem," James said, "I by believing him and not believing in yourself you’re letting him win."
 
"Tina told me that I should use this to make me stronger but I just don’t know how," Bette said.
 
"I’ll tell you how," James said, "you’ve already started by finding love and keeping this baby, now you have to work on yourself. Get in your best power suit walk up to that Peabody and demand that money, then put up the exhibition that will make you famous all around the world!"
 
"You’re right," Bette said encouraged, "damn it you’re right!"
 
"Right about what?" Alice said stepping into the office, "by the way I just met your girlfriend, via her giving me a ticket!"
 
"How many times have I told you to stop speeding Alice," James said.
 
"Don’t chastise me Jimmy boy," Alice said.
 
"Don’t call me that," James muttered.
 
"Alice," Bette said grabbing her cane and standing up, "you’re taking me shopping."
 
Alice’s jaw dropped, "but you hate shopping!"
 
"She doesn’t hate shopping, she just hates going with you," James said.
 
"Shut it Jamester this is a one in a lifetime opportunity," Alice said. "Alright Bette let’s hit the mall!"
 
"Actually I wanna buy a new power suit, I’m gonna get Helena to fund my exhibit," Bette said.
 
"Oh Bette, she’s our friend don’t put her in this position," Alice said, "she explained nicely that she wasn’t supporting the arts anymore."
 
"Alice," Bette said grabbing her purse and limping over to the door, "trust me she will fund this one."
 
"My, my sure of yourself are we?" Alice said opening the door for her and following her out.
 
James grinned and said, "that’s my girl."

TBC