Previously, on The L Word. . .

The flashback--Dana walking out the door during hers and Alice's breakup. Lara is in the car waiting for her. Dana tells Lara that she didn't leave Alice for her and that it wasn't working between her and Alice. Dana says that how bad she's feeling about being the one hurting Alice is worse than being the one getting their heart broken. Anyone who has been on both sides of that care to comment?

Bette is at her Buddist retreat--a silent retreat. She's having a hard time--looks like she's on the verge of tears most of the time. She does get to talk to one of the retreat leaders but shockingly, as we all know how Bette likes to talk, she doesn't open up.

Dylan and Helena have lunch with Helena's kids. Helena simply touches Dylan's arm and Dylan gets all tensed up and says not in public and kind of says something along the affect that she's not that way (at least that's what I gathered she was saying).

Dana and Alice go shopping and Dana tells Alice that Alice is her favorite person to do stuff with. They go and meet with Dr. Susan Love and Dana offers to do whatever she can to help with Dr. Love's foundation (yes ladies, there is such a foundation--that's one of the many things I love about this show--they see opportunities to educate and make full use of them). Dana says she sees it as a new lease on life.

Jenny and Max are planning an "80's Trans Prom." Kit has a talk with Max about changing and says that she's worried about him. Max gets defensive when Kit calls her "girl" and Kit points out that she calls everyone that. Kit says that it saddens her to see the strong butch women giving up their womanhood and says that Max will be giving up the most precious thing in the world--being a woman.

While setting up for the party at WAX, Carmen is snappy at Shane. She's upset because Shane isn't sexually aroused by her. Shane says that it doesn't have anything to do with Carmen. Max snaps at Jenny in front of the others.

Tina has a kids swimming lesson over at her house and Helena comes with her two kids and a single father comes with his son. Tina and the guy start flirting and wind up going to the beach together. While at the beach, Tina says that she still loves Bette but that she can't explain her feelings. When they get back to Tina's, they kiss and then Tina invites him and his son to stay for dinner. After the kids are put to bed, they hook up.

At the Trans Prom, Alice gets asked out by a gal and Dana seems to be jealous. Max dances with Tina and then gets pissed off seeing Jenny dancing with a guy and starts getting a little physical. Jenny leaves and Max goes to follow her and passes Shane, who tells Max not to hurt her or she'll "cut her fucking tits off." Max apologizes to Jenny, who appears to be starting to doubt that things between them are going to work out, especially when Max gets all pissed off the next day when he realizes that they didn't raise even half the money needed. Max lashes out at Jenny and asks why her rich friends didn't contribute more. I can't even begin to tell you how rude I thought that comment was, not to mention the behavior.

Shane and Carmen go to Carmen's mom's house and while there, their tattoos are noticed by some of Carmen's relatives. When Carmen's mom notices, she talks to Shane and invites the both of them over for dinner the next night, telling Shane that there is someone she wants Shane to meet. At the dinner, when it becomes obvious that Carmen's mom is trying to set Shane up with a guy, Carmen comes out to her family. There is an exchange between the two of them in Spanish (it pissed me off that there weren't subtitles) and Carmen's mom told the both of them to leave.

Helena is over at Dylan's house and Dylan tells her that her boyfriend is out of town. Helena thinks that Dylan is playing hard to get--she's actually trapping her and tapes Helena saying things like she won't give Dylan any money for her project if Dylan doesn't have sex with her. After Helena leaves, Dylan's boyfriend comes out and Helena gets served with a sexual harrassment subpoena.

Kit and Angus talk about getting married. Kit tells Angus that if she were to want to get married, that he would be the guy she'd want to marry. He asks her what that means and she says that since gays and lesbians can't get married and enjoy the rights associated with marriage that she wasn't going to do it. He then suggests living together.

Alice is getting ready for a date and Dana seems to not really care for it. She even stalls Alice a little bit but claims that she wants Alice to go out and have a good time. She calls Alice a couple of times while Alice is at the restaurant but the second time it's because she wants Alice to come back. Alice gets there and Dana is burning up and gets taken to the hospital. The chemo has broken down her immune system and she has an infection.

Shane and Carmen get into a discussion about how Carmen came out to her family. Shane's afraid that her family is going to blame it on Shane and that Shane is going to loose them. Carmen says, "What do you know about family?" to Shane, which hurts Shane, given her background. I really want these 2 to make it--they need to go to couples' counseling.

Bette calls and leaves a message on the answering machine--it's to Angelica but it's more to Tina. She says she wants her life back.

Next time: Well, this is the episode they're saying we're not to miss. Lara calls and leaves a message for Dana--wanting to talk about coming home. According to TV Guide, Jenny's ex-husband makes an appearance and is shocked by the man Jenny is now with. Only 3 more episodes left, ladies.