The gun kicks back in her hand and the shot echoes in her ears as Alison watches the bullet hit the target dead-on.

"Five for five!" Beth cheers. "I think you've got it, Ali. Let's pack it in."

"Okay," Alison agrees, and watches as Beth heads back to her car. Surprising herself, she calls out "Beth, wait!"

Her clone turns around, confused. "What?"

Alison lays down the gun and walks closer to her, thinking. "Donnie took the kids to his parents' for the weekend. You could come over and have a drink, to celebrate."

"You want me to come to your house, Hendrix?" Beth raises her eyebrows. "That's a first."

"There's a first time for everything," Alison replies, flustered.

"That there is," Beth grins. "Show me the way."

…

Alison takes a deep gulp out of her third (fourth? she's lost count) glass of wine. Beth is halfway through the six-pack she'd picked up on the way to Scarsborough. They're both sitting on the couch, Alison leaning back and Beth with her legs crossed, knee warm where it touches Alison's thigh. The housewife is shaking with laughter at Beth's Art impersonation.

"You're such a cop, Beth! With your beers and your partner and your cop face."

"My cop face?" Beth snorts. "It's the exact same face as yours, Ali."

"Oh, fudge," Alison scowls. "I forgot. We have the same everything." A foggy idea starts to make its way across her mind. "Do you think we're afraid of the same things?"

"What?" Beth asks. "We're different people. But what are you thinking of?"

"Well…" Alison stalls. "I've always been afraid I was a bad kisser." She claps a hand to her mouth after the words spill out, turning scarlet. She hadn't expected to say that.

Beth doesn't seem to notice. She's holding her chin, brows furrowed quizzically. "I've always wondered a little too." The detective runs a hand through her hair. "I bet if we kissed each other it would be like kissing ourselves. We would know for sure."

"You want me to kiss you?" Alison gasps, eyes widening.

"It's an investigation. I'm a cop. I investigate things. Like kisses." Beth giggles. "Come on, Ali."

There's a warmth spreading through Alison's body that she doesn't think is just wine. Beth is looking at her expectantly. Alison puts down her glass.

"It would be good to know," she says. "Just to be certain. How should we…?"

Beth uncrosses her legs and moves to sit closer to Alison. She twists to face her, one hand resting gently on the housewife's waist and the other cupping her face. "Like this, I think," Beth whispers, and leans in. Alison closes her eyes.

Beth's lips are soft and warm, pressing gently. Alison wraps one arm around Beth, reaching up with the other to gently grasp the other woman's neck. The hand Beth had on her face runs through her hair, and Alison gasps. Beth's tongue slips in, and Alison tilts her head to give her better access, pulling her in and fisting her hand in her shirt. Beth's hand is running up and down her side, tingling erupting through Alison's body wherever it goes. Eventually, both pull away, panting for breath. Beth's pupils are dark.

"Wow," Beth breathes. "We're great kissers."

"I think we should do it again," Alison says. "To double check."

Beth nods quickly. "Good idea." Before she can move back in, Alison's come forward to meet her. "Mmmph!"

The second kiss is just as intense as the first, and tension coils in Alison's stomach. "You know," she says, voice high, "we don't know if we're good at other things. We could investigate that too."

Beth flushes. "Yeah," she says, voice hoarse. "We should be thorough. Very."

As the night goes on, Alison discovers just how thorough Beth is. Later, when Beth is snoring next to her, Alison lets herself hold the other woman close as she falls asleep. Have to be sure we're good at cuddling too, she thinks. I hope there will still be other things to check in the morning…