Clarke walked into the guest room, carrying fresh sheets and pillows in her arms. Shawnette sat quietly waiting on the bare mattress.

"Sorry we don't have much company these days." Clarke said and laughed nervously.

"It's cool." Shawnette said. "Want some help?"

They shared small talk while they dressed the bed. Janet approached the bedroom quietly and stopped to listen as she heard Shawnette's voice.

"So how did you end up with Janet Jackson?" Shawnette asked jokingly. Clarke fluffed the pillows and threw them on the bed before taking a seat.

"Man..." She said and smiled. "You know it's still kind of hard to believe. Emori, Jimmy's niece actually introduced us."

"All about who you know right?" Shawnette said.

"Out here? Absolutely, but it was kind of a weird situation, with Emori I mean. Let's just say, she had eyes for me. She was trying to impress me by introducing us." Clarke shook her head. "But the second Janet was standing in front of me... I knew I'd never have eyes for any other woman, ever again." Clarke stared off as she remembered that day.

Janet felt her stomach sink.

"Damn, that's heavy." Shawnette said. They both started to laugh. "That's very cool is all I meant." Shawnette nodded. "How'd you get outta that situation and still come out with your best friend and Janet by your side?"

Clarke rolled her eyes.

"That's a long story for another day. I can't tell you all my secrets." She joked. "How did you meet Janet?" Clarke asked. Shawnette laughed to herself, stood up and slowly paced. The memories could be seen flooding in just by looking at her.

"Well," She began. "I was a nervous wreck that day. I was in line waiting for my audition. She's this enormous star right? So I didn't think she would actually be there, you know?" She said, Clarke nodded. "They led us in to this huge dance studio where I started to notice people's reactions. I glanced up and there she was. Sitting fucking 10 feet away from me." Shawnette said and smiled brightly. "I couldn't believe she was right there..." She was quiet for a moment as she lingered in the memory. "Anyway, afterwards, one of her people approached me. She wanted to know if I'd like to hang out with her and her friends."

"Damn that's cool." Clarke said and smiled.

"Right? It still gives me chills. I mean she wanted to hang out with me..." Shawnette shook her head. "We were pretty much inseparable after that, until one day, we just weren't anymore. Now here we are, all these years later... I've really missed her."

"She never talks about it." Clarke said.

"I'm not surprised." Shawnette looked away.

"What happened?" Clarke heard herself ask. She'd never had the courage to ask Janet herself.

Janet finally entered the room and caught their attention.

"You forgot the towels." She said holding them up. She walked over to Shawnette and handed them to her.

"Thanks. Thank you both. I should let you get to bed. I hear Clarke here has a busy week ahead of her." She said.

"I do. It's gonna be crazy but at least I won't have to do it alone." She said.

"What do you mean?" Janet asked.

"Emori is coming with me." Clarke said excitedly. "And since my flight got cancelled, we're catching the next one out together."

Janet was visibly bothered.

"Will Max be there?" She asked.

"No, she has a shoot that week. Just Ems and me." Clarke said.

They'd forgotten Shawnette was even in the room until she spoke.

"Do you guys think I could get one more towel and those clothes please. I kinda want to get cleaned up." She said.

"I'll get it." Janet and Clarke answered in unison.

They headed down the hall and into their bedroom where Janet closed the door. Clarke walked into the closet and and grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Janet stood close behind her.

"Why didn't you tell me that Emori was going with you?" Janet asked.

"I guess it just slipped my mind babe."

"Slipped your mind? Clarke that girl did everything she could to get make you hers and your gonna go on a vacation with her? Just you two?"

"Vacation? Baby, I'm going out there to work. Are you seriously upset about this?" Clarke asked.

"It's a little shady that you didn't tell me about it don't you think Clarke?" She said. "The same girl that would stop at nothing to break us up just to be with you."

Clarke scoffed as she walked into the bathroom to get extra towels.

"Janet that was 3 years ago. And that "girl" is a married woman now." Clarke said and tried to walk out of the bathroom. Janet stood in her way.

"Are you sharing a room with her?" She asked.

"You know what... I'm not about to do this with you?" Clarke said and walked past her. "After all this time, you still don't trust me? Is that what's stopping you from marrying me?" She asked but didn't wait for an answer. Instead she headed for the bedroom door.

"Clarke wait, please. I'm sorry." She said and walked up behind her. She rested her head against Clarke's shoulder. "I'm sorry baby, I don't want to fight."

"To answer your question... No we are not sharing rooms. I have my own suite and so does she. There hasn't been one point where I've even looked at her that way. I don't want anyone but you... I thought you knew that." She said and walked out of the room.

Janet didn't sleep at all that night . She'd sat up waiting for Clarke to come to bed but spent what was left of their night in bed alone.

Clarke's flight was leaving in just a few hours. Just as the sun started to peek into their bedroom and the room door opened. Janet sat up in the bed as Clarke walked in.

"Good morning." Janet said. Clarke didn't respond. She climbed out of the bed and followed her into the bathroom. "Baby, I said I was sorry. Can we please just talk?" She asked. Clarke grabbed her toothbrush and a towel. "Please." She said again.

"I have to get ready. Preston and Joey will be here soon." Clarke said and began brushing her teeth.

When she was done getting ready she grabbed her suitcase and her and Janet headed for the front door in silence.

Joey and Preston smiled and waved as the door opened. Clarke stood silently in front of Janet.

"Can we talk when you get home?" Janet asked and zipped up Clarke's jacket completely and rested her hands on her shoulders. Clarke nodded.

"Yeah babe we can talk. I'm sorry for getting so upset." She said.

"Me too. I love you Clarke."

"I love you too baby."

They kissed and Janet walked her to the car. After a quick hug from Preston and Joey, she stood at the curb and waved until they were gone. As she walked back towards the front porch, Shawnette's car was staring her right in the face. She'd forgotten about her just that quickly.

She walked inside, closed the door and leaned against it for a moment.

"What is wrong with me?" She asked herself as thoughts of Shawnette flooded in. Even the moment she'd just spent with Clarke wasn't enough to make her forget that aching inside of her that always somehow longed for Shawnette.

The guest bedroom door opened and there she was. She was dressed in her clothes from the night before, holding the towels and clothes that Clarke had given her.

They met in middle of the hallway.

"Good morning" Janet said.

"Hey, I heard you guys get up, so I thought I'd better get myself home." She said.

"Yeah, Clarke just left. We didn't mean to wake you. You can sleep longer if you'd like." Janet offered. Shawnette smiled, let the bundle of fabric fall to the floor and backed Janet into the wall.

"When the girlfriend's away, mama can play." She said and pressed her lips to Janet's ear. "Tell Strawberry I've been waiting for her." She whispered and slowly licked her ear lobe.

"NO SHAWNETTE!" She yelled and forcefully pushed her away. "This is our home! You think I would fuck you right here, where I share a bed with Clarke? I mean god! Things are already bad enough, I've already gone way too far... but I would never disrespect our home like that." Janet was quiet for a moment she tried to calm herself. Shawnette gazed at her with regret.

"I'm sorry." Shawnette said. "That was pretty fucked up of me to even try." Janet wouldn't look at her. Shawnette touched her chin and brought her eyes back. "Hey... don't be mad please."

Tears had already began to fall from Janet's eyes. She quickly wiped her face.

"We can't do this anymore." She said. "How many relationships have I sabotaged because I can't stay away from you. I don't want to keep hurting her like this. I can't and I won't."

"Then stop running from the inevitable." Shawnette stepped closer to her. "Do you still love me?" She asked.

Janet had been avoiding her eyes but now she was staring directly into them. She shook her head.

"Please don't ask me that." She said and moved away. She began to pace.  "God damn you!" She cried. "You couldn't just stay away from me this time. You couldn't let me be happy!" She yelled. "I'm happy with Clarke!"

"Really? Then where is the wedding huh?!"Shawnette snapped in frustration

"Were you listening to our conversation last night?" Janet said angrily.

"I didn't have to hear shit, I see what everyone else sees. You don't want to marry her." She said. "I mean damn J, stop trying to fool yourself. You keep saying you're happy. WE were happy J!" She yelled. "But you were so worried about what the people would think. I had to be your secret for ten fucking years and you go public with HER!" She said throwing her hands up in frustration.

"Shawn I-" Janet started to speak but Shawnette cut her off.

"Clarke this! And Clarke that! What about me J? What about us?" She asked hitting her hands against her chest. "That was supposed to have been us Janet." Tears streamed down Shawnette's cheeks.

"Things were different then and you know that. What did you want me to do? Announce it to the world?"

"YES!" Shawnette yelled.

"THINGS WERE DIFFERENT!" Janet yelled back louder.

"Different how? You were the one always talking about "be you" and trying to push boundaries. Be honest... you were afraid Janet."

"Okay!" Janet yelled in defeat. "I was scared. Terrified! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"I wanna hear you say you'll be with me." Shawnette said and gently touched her face. Janet shook her head and moved her hand.

"No." She said. They were both crying at this point. Janet couldn't look her in the eyes.

"I know this is not what you want." Shawnette said, Janet still didn't respond. "J if I walk out this door... that's it." Shawnette threatened in desperation.

Janet turned, walked towards the door and opened it.

"You're going to be late for your class." She said.

Shawnette stared at her in disbelief. She didnt say a word as she walked past Janet and out to her car. She turned around to say something, but Janet stepped inside and closed the door.

"Okay J..." She said. "Let's see how long you can fight this."