I've been getting mixed reviews on the Bethany-Holden situation, and to be honest with you, I myself don't know how it's going to pan out, so just sit tight and suffer with them, I guess. Thanks for the love, and to quote the guy at the end of the Clerks episodes: Thanks for watching! ;)
*Karasuma*Firestorm*

R for language.

Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.

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Bethany stirred, eyes squeezed shut tightly. Light was filtering into her room, she reached blindly for her comforter to yank over her head, and found nothing. She aimed to cover her head with a pillow instead, but found that her pillow was unusually shaped...it was warm...it was *moving*...

Christ. She blinked, stretched her arms out without moving. She was spread out on a couch, head resting of the chest of a snoring Holden McNeil. She peered upwards at his face, at his good looks, at his serene expression, at the slight amount of drool building at the corner of his mouth.

"Shit," Bethany muttered softly, and dragged herself into a sitting position without disturbing Holden. It occurred to her that her bag was still in Holden's car from last night. She added retrieving it to the mental to-do list she was already forming, and ran a hand through her tousled hair thoughtfully. She'd have to do something to thank Holden, definitely. The guy was being the sweetest bastard she'd ever known, short of Rufus, and maybe Bob.

Bob. She'd have to wander down to the Quick Stop later, thank Dante and Randal for their help, not to mention actually meet up with Jay and Silent Bob, as the two stoners were the real reason she'd dragged her ass to Jersey. Speaking of which, she should call Liz and see how things were going back at the home front.

It took a few minutes to locate the phone in Holden's comfortably cluttered home. The guy was clearly too used to the bachelor life, she thought ruefully, throwing aside an old magazine. She punched in her calling card number, then dialed Liz.

"'Lo."

"Liz! It's Bethany."

Liz sounded immensely relieved. "Thank God you're okay, Bethany. I was going crazy, what with extra parenting duties and shifts, covering for your Jersey-bound ass."

"And I'll owe you big one of these days," Bethany swore. "How's Alanis?"

"Sleeping. I daresay, like a baby," Liz said dryly. "Did you find whatever it was you were looking for?"

"Something along those lines."

"You calling from a hotel or something?"

"No, this guy's place."

"I *knew* this was about a guy."

"Liz, it's not about a guy. I don't even know this guy, really."

"Then why the *hell* are you staying with him?"

"He offered..." Bethany said weakly.

Liz sighed. "I give up. I'll leave you to do your...your whatever. Your sabbatical. You have fun."

Bethany hung up, and stretched her arms above her head. She was exhausted. All those things she had to do today...they could wait, right?

"I hope so," she muttered, and wandered off to Holden's room, where she promptly collapsed on the bed.

~~~~~

Holden woke up an hour later, sprawled upright on his couch. He recalled that he and Bethany had fallen asleep discussing ad nauseam his failed relationship with Alyssa. Why he'd opened himself up to her like that, he wasn't sure. He barely knew Bethany, and ultimately, he was still aching from Alyssa's brush-off.

But he liked Bethany. He liked her a hell of a lot. And he was pretty sure she felt the same. He was totally confused as to what to do. So the way he saw it, he had one option.

He found the phone and dialed Banky.

"Yo."

"Bank? It's Holden."

"Dude, it's seven o'clock in the fucking morning. Why the fuck are you calling me?"

"Well, it's hard to explain. See, this chick who's a friend of Jay and Silent Bob came to visit them..."

"Prison pal? Prospective buyer?" Banky asked.

"Not that easy. Actually, she's a decent person. Single mom, church-goer, works in an abortion clinic in Illinois, really beautiful," Holden said.

"Uh-oh. I smell a plot twist."

"No, that's just your mom's stink traveling through the phone lines," Holden said dryly.

Banky laughed. "Fair enough. So what's the buzz?"

"Basically, she just got into Jersey last night or so and needed a place to stay, so I let her crash here."

"Ah, so you need a 'how to kick her out without ruining any possibilities for further chances at getting laid' excuse."

"Fuck, Banky. I didn't sleep with her." Holden exhaled sharply, glanced towards the bedroom, where he'd seen Bethany passed out. "I...I really like her, Bank."

"Big surprise there. Another lesbian?"

"Look, are you gonna help me or not?" Holden said, getting annoyed.

"So you like her," Banky relented. "What's the problem? She hate you? Have a boyfriend? What?"

"I told you already, she's a single mom. So she's got no one, and she seems to like me well enough." Holden ran a hand through his hair. Once Banky counseled him, he was going to need a shower, he decided. He was rather grimy. No wonder Bethany had opted for the bed rather than staying curled up on the couch with him.

No, not *with* him. Near him. Close to him.

Too close. He remembered hanging out on the couch with Alyssa, it made his heart contract.

"I reiterate, what's the problem?" Banky said, breaking the reverie.

Holden sighed deeply. "The problem is, I feel that by liking her at all, I'm being disloyal to Alyssa."

"Alyssa, who dumped your sorry ass months ago and is currently seeing a *female* swimsuit model Alyssa?" Banky interjected.

"How do you begin and end a question with the same word like that?" Holden said. "You got skill. Yeah, that one. I can't believe she's with a *girl*."

"She's a lesbian. Go figure."

"How does one man get to be so funny?" Holden asked.

"Years of living with your funny-book-drawing ass. You were saying before the personal attack?"

"I really feel...I don't know, drawn to her. Like I was with Alyssa, but different. Better, even. Maybe. I don't know."

"Well that was decisive."

"I called you why..?"

"Jesus Christ," Banky said, exasperated. "So you're not sure if you like her or not, but you think you do."

"Pretty much."

"Then go for it."

"Yeah, but what if I do, and she rejects me?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Banky observed sagely.

"Or what if we *do* hit it off...think of all the problems *that* will cause. She lives in Illi-fucking-nois, Bank! And she has a fucking *kid*! I don't know if I can handle that kind of shit. I mean, that shit is big time."

"You wanted kids with Alyssa, didn't you?" Banky said softly.

"Yeah... I guess I did. I don't know. But it was different. Our kids. And that was going to be with time. This...it's all so sudden."

"No one's asking you to be a fucking father, Holden. Take it a day at a time. And as for the Alyssa thing, well, *fuck* Alyssa. No, wait, you already did that."

"Funny."

"I know. But whatever, you know what I mean. It's been forever, dude. It's time to fucking move on."

Holden nodded, then realized Banky couldn't see him. "Okay. Okay, I'll do it. Listen, you wanna have breakfast this morning? You can meet Bethany, and tell me what you think. I know it's asking a lot, but..." Holden faltered, unsure of where to go with this. Suddenly, Banky's approval meant everything to him.

"Yeah, I guess, since I'm already *up* and what not."

"Oh, shut up. It's not like you were gonna do anything anyway."

"How do you know that? I could be entertaining a lady friend, even as we speak."

Holden laughed. "Yeah fucking right. I don't think Hoop would appreciate that comment much."

"Shows how much you know."

"You got me there. Meet you in an hour or so?"

"Yeah, okay."

Holden paused, still a little shaky of their repaired friendship, after all that had happened. "Um...thanks, Banky."

"For the breakfast? Fuck, no thanks needed. You're paying."

"No, not just for that. For, well, everything. I really appreciate it."

There was a long pause, and for a minute Holden wondered if Banky'd hung up. "No problem. Holden...good luck. See ya later."

Holden smiled. "Yep. See ya."

He went into the bathroom, feeling better about, to quote himself, well, everything. Banky was, for once in his moronic life, totally right about the Alyssa thing. He should just let it go. And he was going to do just that.

He hoped.