L Stands for Friends

Chapter Four

Previously…

"Joey invited us over to meet his friends."

"We come from our own group of dysfunctional people."

"Did you hear anything about playing at that one club?"

"The woman who owns it hasn't returned my call yet."

"Who owns it?"

"Some Latina chick. I couldn't even pronounce her last name."

"We should do a girls night."

"Wow, this place is…" Monica glanced at Tina who nodded in agreement.

"Mike did not say that this was a gay club," Phoebe explained in an attempt to defend her husband.

Tina, Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel moved through the crowd of dancing women and the occasional man, fighting to get to the bar where drinks were waiting for the straight girls put in a very uncomfortable position.

When they finally reached their destination, the four of them collapsed on bar stools and some butch lesbian walked over to them, a nose piercing glistening in the dim light, "Can I get you girls anything?"

"A glass of merlot?" Monica suggested and the bartender raised an eyebrow.

"Four beers, please," Tina interjected and the bartender nodded before walking away, leaving the four girls alone.

"What's wrong with wine?" Monica asked and Tina glanced at her, realizing how long it had been since she had befriended any straight people. True, during her and Bette's brief hiatus, some of the friends she had made were heteros, but they were boring and none of them would have been caught dead in a gay bar. Tina admired her three new friends, realizing that they were unlike anyone she had ever met before.

"You don't get wine at a gay club," Tina explained, "It's more of a beer atmosphere with tequila shots."

"Wooh, let's get some of those shots over here!" Phoebe whooped and everyone laughed.

"Let's start off slow at least," Monica smiled before her eyes began scanning the club, watching two women grinding against each other, "It's a shame. I was really looking forward to dancing."

"Get a couple drinks in you and I'm sure you'll dance with someone," Tina laughed as the bartender gave them their drinks.

"You don't even have to wait for a couple of drinks," Rachel grinned, taking Monica's hands and pulling her to her feet and the two began dancing together, laughing so hard while Tina and Phoebe were in fits of hysterics.

"God they're so childish," Phoebe said in an attempt to be stern, but when Monica tripped over Rachel's feet, she burst out laughing once more, leaning on Tina as she laughed.

"I think they're great," Tina smiled, feeling a pang of sadness as she thought of her friends back in Los Angeles. She wondered how they were all doing. "They remind me of some of my old friends."

Meanwhile, Monica and Rachel had gotten to the center of the dance floor and were laughing as they danced together, several onlookers watching them. Everyone could tell that they were straight, but everyone could also tell that they were having fun. The owner of the club, grinned before her eyes found the blonde sitting at the bar. It couldn't be…

"Monica? Rachel?" Both women turned around to see Carol and Susan staring at them in shock. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Carol, Susan, hey," Rachel laughed, giving them both a hug while Monica rolled her eyes, grinning.

"Want to hear something funny? She's had maybe a sip of alcohol tonight," Monica giggled.

"That's nice," Susan patted Rachel on the back, looking slightly awkward. She was never that close with Ross's friends like Carol was. "So what are you two doing here? Last time, I checked you two were straight."

"Phoebe's husband was going to play here so we thought we would check it out," Monica explained, pointing over to where Tina and Phoebe were still sitting, laughing.

Susan squinted, "Is that Tina Kennard?"

"Yeah, actually," Monica nodded, "Do you know her?"

"Yeah," Susan glanced at Carol who looked at her in confusion, "She was at our wedding. Bette's partner?"

Carol nodded, "Right."

"You guys should come over and say hello?" Rachel smiled, "Help Tina teach us proper 'gay' behavior."

Carol and Susan rolled their eyes, but smiled.

Meanwhile…

"Okay, okay, I have never had sex in a public place," Chandler said and Bette, Joey, and Ross all took the final sip on their third bottles of beer before putting the empty bottles at their feet. Ever since guys' night (although that title was void now that Bette joined the group) started, they had gathered around, playing drinking games. Bette and Joey were both getting a little tipsy, showing that they were definitely the most adventurous in the sex department. Chandler and Mike were still on their first.

"Where did you and Tina do the nasty, Bette?" Ross asked with a lopsided grin. The professor was probably the most drunk at the moment since he couldn't handle his liquor as well as his companions.

"Well the most recent time was when we christened Tina's new office," Bette laughed before taking her fourth drink, opening it silently. "Mr. Hannigan, I do believe it is your turn."

"Okay," Mike paused for a moment, thinking, "I have never cheated on my girlfriend."

"Now hold on," Chandler lifted his hand for a moment, "What counts as cheating because if you all remember I cheated on Monica the day after our wedding? When Ross and I tried to get all those pictures retaken?"

"That doesn't count," Bette commented with a slight shake of her head.

"I think it does," Ross murmured, "I mean he kissed another woman. That's definitely cheating."

"No it isn't," Bette and Joey protested simultaneously, glancing at each other quickly.

"You two don't think that kissing is cheating?" Mike asked before taking a sip of his drink, "Boy, I'm glad that I'm not in a relationship with you two. I could never imagine kissing another women other than Phoebe."

"I think it has to do with your agreement as a couple," Joey explained and Bette raised her glass.

"Hear, hear."

"So Bette," Ross crossed his arms, staring at the brunette, "If Tina were to kiss another woman, you wouldn't be pissed?"

"No," Bette whispered, memories of mistakes from years ago flashing in her mind, "I've done worse."

Back at the club…

"So Carol, Susan, how is Ben?" Tina asked after embracing the two women. She hadn't known them that well, but she knew that Bette had kept communications with Susan during their relationship, occasionally talking to her in the dead hours of night.

"He's good," Carol smiled, "He just started middle school."

"What about you, Tina?" Susan asked, "The last time I talked to Bette, she said that the two of you were trying for a baby?"

"Yes," Tina nodded, smiling, "We have a daughter, Angelica, and we're thinking about adopting another one, but we really want to get settled in the city before doing anything too quickly."

"Who carried Angelica? You or Bette?" Susan asked.

"I did," Tina answered.

"Really?" Rachel interjected, "I assumed it was Bette because she looks so much like Angelica."

"Although she does have your eyes," Monica offered.

Tina shrugged, smiling, "It doesn't matter which one of us carried her. We're both her mothers."

Susan rested a hand on Tina's arm, "Spoken like a true lesbian."

"Hmmm, odd thing to say since the last time I saw her, she was on the arm of a man," Everyone turned around as a new voice joined the group and Tina's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the curly locks, the fiery stare.

What the fuck?

"Carmen?"

At Joey's…

"I had a really nice time tonight," Bette smiled as she and Joey hovered by the door. Ross had left about half an hour earlier to relieve his babysitter from watching Emma and Angelica. Angelica was staying the night with Ross and Rachel since the two of them offered to give Bette and Tina some "quality" time together.

"So did I," Joey returned Bette's smile, slightly nervous. He glanced over at his couch where Chandler and Mike were passed out after consuming five beers and some funky green drink that Joey had found in the back of his fridge.

"We should do it again sometime when the 'wives' go out," Bette laughed and leaned forward to give Joey a peck on the cheek, but the dark-haired man turned his head in surprise, their lips contacting with each other's.

Instantly getting into the mood, Joey cupped Bette's face while the brunette rested her hands on his hips. After a couple seconds when their heads cleared both of them broke apart, their breath heavy.

"Bette," Joey whispered.

Bette quickly turned around, opened the door, and disappeared from sight.