Set a while after the end of season 1, Gladys has moved into Kate's old room.

Betty tried with all of her might to keep from casting a glance in the brunette's direction. She bit her lip, she closed her eyes, she even attempted silent prayer. But being in such close proximity to her, naked and not paying attention, Betty just had to stare.

She did not make a habit of peeping in the shower. It was bad enough to… be that way, let alone try to act on it; she had certainly been burned by that boiling water. She had too much respect for her girls to think of doing that.

But Gladys…

They were two of the last remaining in the shower. They weren't being supervised currently, and the other few girls certainly weren't paying attention. They were more focused on getting as much chemical off of their skin as possible.

She wasn't sure if it was the steam, or just the romanticized idea of being near to Gladys while unclothed that made her entire body feel like it carried the same powerful, vibrating hum of the factory equipment. She was very certain, however, that Gladys had a beautiful figure, and she wanted to touch it.

She was beginning to feel extraordinarily brave, empowered by her will to so boldly fantasize in such dangerous waters.

As the last paranoid worker exited the shower, Betty sauntered over to Gladys as she turned to exit, as well.

"I wish I were such a pretty picture," she said with just enough smooth honey, and just enough jealous longing to pass as such in the event that her advances were thwarted.

"Oh!" Gladys exclaimed a little breathlessly, startled perhaps from her own steam-induced fantasy. Her voice shook a little. "I was… a little off my guard." She couldn't help but to steal a glance at the blonde's pert breasts.

"My apologies. I was just feeling a little envious over your figure." Her hand subtly, "accidentally," grazed Gladys' backside, and she froze for a moment and shivered.

"Ah," she hissed quietly.

"What?" Betty asked as she grabbed for her towel.

Gladys wondered if she should say anything at all. "I'm just a little anxious."

Betty stepped outside of the shower. "Oh, that kind of anxious," she said with a wink.

A blush rose into Gladys' cheeks. "Well, I haven't exactly been… properly taken care of since James left."

Betty tucked the towel around herself and let her hair down from its knot. "Well, that's just terrible. I would recommend taking care of yourself…"

"I don't know that I would be very good at that. I've never really tried it."

Betty winked. "You should try it sometime."

She left Gladys standing with a towel wrapped loosely around her flushed body, wondering where exactly one began with… taking care of things.

Gladys sunk herself slowly into the warm water, letting it wash over her sensitive skin like the touch of a lover.

She leaned her head back, letting the warmth seep into her hair…. She failed to notice the faint jiggling of the doorknob of the door she rarely locked.

Betty, well aware of how to open the troublesome door (locked or not) easily fought her way into the room.

"I was thinking about going-" her words died in her mouth as she took in the sight before her.

Gladys sat up abruptly with a slosh of the water. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you," she muttered just loud enough for Betty to hear.

"I, uh, I'm sorry… I'll just come by in a while or you could come across the hall when you get a moment…" Betty's words trailed off as she turned away.

"Oh, no, no. I was actually just getting a little too lost in thought for comfort. I could use a little conversation."

A familiar tingle mixed with the warmth of steam began to settle into the blonde's chest for the second time that day, and she hesitantly seated herself, facing away from the tub and beautiful Gladys's beautiful, exposed body. "Are you sure?"

Gladys laughed. "Sure that I need some distraction? Positive." She dunked a cloth into water.

Betty twisted her hands together. "I meant, that I'm here."

"I will not justify that with a response. Now, where did you mention you wanted to go?"

Betty stared at her fidgeting hands. Gladys, lovely, lovely, Gladys- slightly annoying yet still lovely Gladys was such a short distance from her, naked…. How could she think? She searched frantically in her mind for something coherent and relevant to say.

"I thought we might, uh. To that… There, around that corner…"

The bathing beauty tapped some water out of her hair. "Come sit closer? I'm can't hear you very well and I'm too exhausted to strain." She reached blindly for the shampoo bar, which was placed into her hand by Betty as she cautiously placed herself near the bathtub.

Hold still. Do not breathe that way. Do not act like a… a…

"You know what? I think some girl time sounds lovely. I think we should go- wherever it is."

Betty nodded. "Sure. It's not so very late now, and I can help you fix your hair-"

Do not do it.

"I'll start at the roots and work my way up. I'll wash that mane of hair for you, Princess." She took the shampoo bar back into her own hands and rubbed it between them. Expensive and imported soap, at a time like this.

That's why she smells so wonderful…

The blonde worked her nimble fingers through Gladys's hair, gently caressing the skin beneath, trying desperately not to stare at her naked form in the water.

"That feels heavenly," Gladys muttered. "You're so very gentle. Who would have thought."

Betty chuckled. "I'm not exactly the most graceful goose, huh? I suppose I just fell right into your pampered princess trap- gotta be careful not to bruise you." She dipped her hands into the water to rid them of the scented suds.

"Ready for rinse-off," she joked.

Gladys whined. "No, please… Don't stop? It feels so wonderful. It's almost like you've got magic flowing from those fingertips."

Betty grinned stupidly and bit her lip. "Well, I am pretty… handy with my hands." She was referring, of course to her position in the bomb factory, but realized the implications of her words in conjunction with what she had mentioned to Gladys earlier in the showers. She stilled for just a moment, paralyzed in horror, but Gladys appeared unbothered my the comment.

She set a firm rhythm in the dark tresses, and found her hands easily taking control while her mind wandered. Unwittingly, so did her hands. She massaged along the back and sides of Gladys's neck, and moved onto her shoulders, squeezing and rubbing with finesse. "You are wonderful with your hands," Gladys murmured, bringing Betty's mind back to attention with alarm.

"I, well, uh. You've worked so hard lately, your poor shoulders need to loosen up. And with that over-filled bag you've always got…" Again, she rinsed the soap from her hands and this time, removed herself from the chair.

"Rinse the soap out before it makes you itch."

Minutes later, Gladys pulled the drain stopper. "Could you please give me that towel?" She asked softly, ringing the water from her hair.

"Sure thing," Betty said. She was beginning to lose control over her eyes.

Gladys dried herself thoroughly and slid on a pair of cotton undershorts. In a swift gliding motion, she seated herself on the side of the bed and flipped her hair over one shoulder. "Bring back those magic hands?" She pleaded.

Every nerve in her body begged her to scream "NO," and dash away, but Betty seated herself behind the brunette and began to knead her shoulders.

"Mm, yes. You are a miracle worker," Gladys mumbled.

She wasn't sure if it was Gladys's exposed body, or the steam, or the chemicals of the factory finally getting to her brain, but Betty took an open invitation.

She trailed her hands firmly up and down Gladys's sides, squeezing here and there to keep up the illusion. She brought her hands back to the base of her neck, slipping them around to her chest before she finally lost all resolve and cupped Gladys's breasts with a soft whimper from her own throat.

Gladys, surprised but not disgruntled, released a breath caught in her throat at the contact. What was she really doing wrong? Nothing. Her body ached for touch and Betty was someone she knew well and trusted. Betty wouldn't hurt her or get her pregnant. And exactly how much does something two friends did matter? James didn't even need to know. It was all rather innocent, really, and just between friends-

"Oh…" Gladys whimpered as Betty's soft lips made contact with the tender flesh of her neck, and Betty's fingers brushed over her nipples.

"I"m so sorry," Betty muttered between sultry kisses to the brunette's skin.

"Please, don't be," croaked Gladys. She reached her hand back to push it along the inside of Betty's thigh and grasp at the soft flesh through the flimsy material of her pants.

"So, so, sorry," Betty mumbled, her lips fluttering down Gladys's neck as one of her hands caressed its way to the apex of her thighs.

Gladys stood abruptly and turned around to face a bewildered-looking Betty. "Please, please show me how to do this," she murmured, fingers gliding through the buttons of Betty's blouse. "I have no idea how to help myself, or how to help you." Her eyes pleaded honestly. She parted the shirt and the silky material slid from the blonde's shoulders.

Betty nodded slowly and allowed her camisole to be pulled over her head. "You're off to a good start," she breathed.

Gladys stepped back very slightly. "You have such lovely skin, you know. It's a shame that you keep it so covered." Betty blushed, and Gladys tentatively pressed her lips to Betty's collarbone.

It had been so despairingly long since she'd been so close to someone, let alone been touched, skin-to-skin. All the pain of Kate and that loathsome kiss melted to the floor and pooled in a puddle with her clothes and Gladys's underwear. The woman in her arms might not exactly be the holder of her heart, but they were close, and so were their bodies and it didn't really seem to matter.