Title: Just Once

Derived from: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares

Pairing: Tibby/Bridget

Summary: A oneshot alternate ending of what happened after Bridget admitted to Tibby that she was losing herself in the second book.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in any way. The slightly altered excerpts I use from the Second Summer of the Sisterhood are not mine. I only own the basic idea of this fanfiction.

--- Just Once ---

One-shot

"I may have lost her," Bee said solemnly. She was perched atop Tibby's bureau with one leg crossed under her and the other dangling over the edge.

"Lost who?" Tibby asked, looking up from the mess of her packing to her friend.

"Myself." Bee said quietly as she bounced her heel against a closed drawer. Tibby stood up and abandoned her packing. She carefully backed towards her bed and sat down. This was a rare mood for the newly sad Bee. Month after month since the last summer, Carmen had tried to pry introspection from Bee, but it hadn't come. Lena had been maternal and sympathetic, but Bee hadn't wanted to talk. Tibby knew this was important.

Although Tibby was the least physical of the group, she wished Bee were sitting next to her on the bed, close by her side. And yet she knew intuitively that the blonde was sitting on the bureau for a reason. She didn't want to be sitting on a low, soft place within easy range of comfort, no matter how much she wanted the comfort. She also knew Bee had chosen Tibby for this conversation beacuse as much as Tibby loved her, she would listen without overwhelming her.

"How do you mean?" she asked the blonde carefully, watching her expression closely.

"I think about the person I used to be, and she seems so far away. She walked fast, I walk slow. She stayed up late and got up early, I sleep. I feel like if she gets any farther away, I won't be connected to her at all anymore." Bee answered quieter still, looking up from her lap to Tibby. Tibby's desire to go closer to Bee was so strong she had to clamp her elbows against her legs to make them stay put. Bee's arms were wrapped around her body, containing her. Tibby looked at the girl across from her sadly. She looked so different from the bubbly blonde from last summer, not that it mattered to Tibby. She thought Bee was beautiful, no matter what she looked like on the outside.

"Do you want . . . to stay connected to her?" Tibby asked slowly and quietly. She didn't want to upset her friend more. All she wanted was for Bee to be happy. Tibby waited patiently for her friend to answer as she thought about how Bee had tried to change herself in any way possible this year. . . all because of Eric. Eric. Tibby's inner voice spat the name out like a bad taste that lingered in her mouth. Eric had caused her Bee so much pain. . . it sickened Tibby. Wait . . her Bee? What did she think that for? Bee was her friend . . but to claim her as hers . . .

"Do I want to?" Bee's words interrupted Tibby's train of thought. The taller girl thought about the words carefully. Tibby waited. "I think I do." Tears flooded Bee's eyes, gluing her yellow eyelashes in triangles. Tibby felt tears fill her own eyes. She couldn't stand seeing Bee so sad. . . .

"You need to find her then," Tibby said, and her throat ached with pain for her friend and the need to be beside her. As if answering her inner call, Bee stretched out one arm and left it there, her palm turned up to the ceiling. She was inviting Tibby to come closer to her. Tibby got up without thinking and took her hand, and Bee laid her head on Tibby's shoulder. Tibby felt the softness of Bee's hair and the moisture from her eyes on her collarbone. She stroked the girl's hair and whispered comforting words to calm her down.

"That's why I'm going," Bee whispered into Tibby's shoulder. Tibby nodded and continued to stroke Bee's soft hair as she waited for her to calm down. It felt good to Tibby, to have Bee on her shoulder like this. It made her feel so . . . complete. Bee let Tibby ease her off the bureau and into a sitting postion on Tibby's bed. Tibby sat cross-legged with her arms wrapped around Bee as she leaned against her. They sat like this for several moments before Bee spoke again.

"Tibby . . ." she said quietly, lifting her eyes to meet the girl's who was holding her.

"Mmm?" Tibby answered, taking in the warmth of Bee's body. The girl in her arms shifted so that she was leaning on Tibby's shoulder again.

"I'm afraid of losing her . ." Bee said, wrapping her arms around Tibby's waist and pressing against her tightly. Tibby was surprised by the sudden contact, but didn't object as she listened to her friend speak. She reached up once again and began to stroke Bee's hair as she waited for her to contine. Bee stayed quiet. Tibby continued to stroke her hair. After several moments of silence, Tibby leaned her head against Bee's and breathed in. Her hair smelled like spring and fresh cut grass, and Tibby sighed softly into the girl's hair.

What is this I'm feeling . . ? Tibby thought as she sat close to Bee, breathing in her scent. This feeling . . . of longing . . of hope that we'll stay like this . . . She took a deep breath and thought for a few moments more . . . before she realized what she'd been feeling all these years. Maybe now . . would be a good time to tell her . . . Tibby thought, stroking Bee's hair lightly. To let her know that someone else cares about her . . . She ceased her stroking and decided. She was going to tell her. Tibby pushed Bee away slightly, so that Bee was facing her on the bed, and there was about six inches between their faces.

"Bee . . ." Tibby said with uncharacteristic shyness as a light blush spread across her freckled cheeks. She stared into Bee's eyes and took another deep breath. Well, it was now or never. "I want you to know that you're not alone . . ." she said quietly, moving closer to Bee. " . . . and that Eric wasn't the only one who loved you . ." The distance between her and Bee was closing fast. And Bee wasn't doing anything about it. Tibby took this as her cue to move in. Her lips met Bee's in a shy kiss. Tibby pulled away after a few seconds in order to gauge Bee's reaction.

"T-Tibby . . . ?" Bee said in disbelief. Tibby flinched slightly at the weirded-out tone in her voice. She looked down at her lap and began to pull away. She'd messed up; Bee would never want to see her again. If she could just get up off the bed . . . A set of lips on hers broke Tibby's train of thought. Bee's lips. Bee was kissing her this time. And it felt so good . . . As they pulled apart, Bee smiled. "It took you long enough." she said with a grin.

Tibby smiled. Bee felt the same way about her! "How long did you know that you . . . ?" she asked breathlessly. Bee giggled.

"For a while . . ." she answered. She looked up to Tibby. "for about three years." Three years! Tibby thought. That was about how long she had like Bee . . .

"Really?" Tibby asked. Bee nodded, and Tibby smiled. "That's how long for me too . . ." Bee grinned and pushed Tibby down onto the bed as their lips met again, but more fervently this time. Three years of desire came bubbling to the surface as they kissed on Tibby's bed.

When they broke for air, Bee grinned and said, "I guess it's a good thing you're home alone."

"Yeah," Tibby laughed, wrapping her arms around Bee tightly. "I love you," she whispered in her ear.

"I love you too," Bee said, kissing Tibby again. This time, they went to the next level. Bee ran her tounge along Tibby's bottom lip as a request for entrance. Tibby moaned quietly into Bee's mouth and complied, parting her lips to let Bee's tounge explore every part of Tibby's mouth it could reach. Bee's tounge found Tibby's, and the two tounges waged war on each other twisting and pressing against each other for several long moments - but this wasn't enough for Tibby. Bee had given her a taste of pure pleasure, and she wanted more. Tibby broke the kiss with a whimper of discontent from Bee, which was quickly silence when she began trailing kisses up and down Bee's neck, pausing to suckle on the nape.

Bee moaned quietly as Tibby began to work lower and lower, kissing her through her shirt down to her belly. She rolled up the edge of Bee's tank top and kissed her bellybutton, swishing her tounge around in there for good measure. She abruptly halted her tounge's movement and slithered up Bee's body so that she and Bee were face to face. Tibby looked down at the girl underneath her with a question in her eyes.

"Are we . . . ready for this?" she whispered, voicing her question aloud. Bee stared up into Tibby's questioning eyes and considered what they were doing. Were they really ready for this?

"I'm not sure . . ." Bee replied quietly, looking away from the girl on top of her. She flicked her eyes to her friend's face and saw the desire in her features. Bee took a shallow breath and let it out slowly to calm her thoughts. She stared up at Tibby and decided. "I'm not sure if we're ready . . ." she repeated slowly. ". . . but I'm willing to try . . . if you are." A smile spread across Tibby's face like a slow-burning wildfire.

"I am . . ." she breathed. Bee nodded into Tibby's dark hair and breathed in. She wasn't sure what they were about to do . . . but it was sure to be a promising experience.

-----------------------------------------------

A few hours later, the two girls lay in Tibby's bed; their naked bodies pressed against one another as they slept in each other's arms. The early evening sunlight fell gently upon their faces, awaking one of the two from her sleep. Tibby's eyes fluttered open to the sight of Bee sleeping comfortably in her arms. She smiled and pulled Bee closer to her body, which the other girl responded unconciously to by snuggling against Tibby's collarbone. Tibby smiled and kissed Bee on the forehead, which awoke the sleeping girl.

"Tibby . . ." she murmured into Tibby's soft skin.

"Yeah?" Tibby replied quietly, beginning to stroke Bee's hair again. The girl in her arms looked up at her and smiled. Bee pulled Tibby closer and met her lips with her own. As they pulled apart, Bee wrapped her arms around Tibby's neck and rested her head on her shoulder.

"Are we . . . together now?" she asked shyly. Tibby smiled and squeezed Bee lightly in her arms.

"We are . . if you want to be," Tibby replied.

"I want to be . . ." Bee breathed, pulling Tibby in for another kiss. This . . . is heaven . . Tibby thought as their lips met once again. After they broke for air, the two snuggled comfortably into each other and fell asleep again in each other's arms.

----------------------------------------------------END . . . ?----------------------------------------------------

Well..what did you think? This is my first yuri fanfic, so please have a little mercy. o.o Read and Review if you like. Thanks for reading. xD