I drove for hours, not knowing where to go. It was 2 weeks before Christmas and all the hotels were packed. I decided to take a chance and drove to the one place I knew I could always go, Shane’s. I pulled up to her house and saw the lights were still on, I figured Tina probably called her already. I got out of my car and grabbed the one bag I had, and headed towards Shane’s door. Before I could even ring the doorbell, the door opened, and I was met by a screaming Carmen who grabbed me so fast and held me so tight I couldn’t breathe, but that didn’t matter, it just felt so good to be hugged like that again.

She finally let me go, “ Hey Carmen”.

She wiped away tears and smiled, “ Dana…I’ve missed you so fucking much!”.

She stepped aside and there she was, my best friend, “ hey Shane”.

She wiped away and tear and offered a weak smile, obviously fighting back tears, “ is that all you have to fucking say Fairbanks?”

I looked at her apologetically, “ There’s a lot I should say Shane, but you’re Yoda remember? You already know what I have to say”.

She laughed and I dropped my bag and walked to her with tears in my eyes, she whispered before letting me go, “ I’ve missed you so much”.

I wiped away my tears, “ it’s good to be home”.

—————————-

The next couple hours I told them about New York, where I lived,, who I met, why I left. They all understood, not once making me feel guilty for leaving. Then I told them why I came back, how much I missed having a family, how much I missed feeling loved.

“why’d it take you 5 years Dane? you didn’t call us once, told us where you were…Helena hired someone to find you, you know? Bette went out to New York, she watched you, making sure you were ok”.

I nodded, “ I know, I saw her, she was never very good at the whole spy thing”.

Carmen came back in hearing the last part of what I said, “ well neither were you from what Tina said”.