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It had been three years.
Three years since the war between the Army and the Camarilla ended.
Three years since the Army and the Spree teamed up to take down the Camarilla once and for all.
Three years since Raelle and Abigail had found their way to the Tarim camp after Raelle was able to release the mycelium from her body which ended up saving their lives.
It had been three years since Alder had released Tally of being a Biddy, having found a more suited cadet for the job.
And it had been three years since Raelle last saw her.
Raelle had been avoiding having to be anywhere near her for the past three years and if she had any say in it she would believe she was doing a good job at it.
That is to say until now.
Raelle and her unit, Abigail and Tally had just come back to the base camp after their last mission. Anacostia had asked them to go around and help anyone who was left behind on the field, Tally’s Knower ability came in handy on the field helping them find anyone who couldn’t be seen to the human eye and Raelle making quick work on fixing them up while Abigail stayed on guard making sure there were no hostiles.
Upon returning to camp Raelle didn’t notice her right away, no, it wasn’t until she bumped into Tally, who had stopped abruptly, that she noticed something was off.
“Tal, why did you-?”
“Raelle.”
Raelle felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that voice, she knew that voice all too well, she still recognized her voice after all these years.
Raelle looked passed Tally to see the woman who she hasn’t seen in over three years.
“Scylla.” Raelle spoke out hoarsely, the name unfamiliar on her tongue after all these years.
As Raelle looked into Scylla’s bright blue eyes, she knew exactly how she felt.
Angry.
Angry at Scylla for not telling her the truth all those years ago, That she was part of the Spree and she was just using Raelle to lure her to them.
Angry that Scylla was working under her mother, who she thought was dead for a whole year but turned out to be alive and Scylla’s boss - though Raelle still didn’t know if Scylla knew it was her mother.
Angry that after all these years she still couldn’t say that she hated her, angry that she couldn’t say she still loved her either.
Angry that no matter how hard she had tried, Raelle still couldn’t forget Scylla. No matter how hard she had tried to, she just couldn’t forget her, Scylla was the first thing she thought of in the morning after she had woke up and the last thing she thought of when she went to sleep, and it didn’t help either that Scylla had connected them together when she engraved the “S” on her palm, almost always knowing how the other one was feeling.
Raelle could not only see how nervous Scylla was but she could also feel her nerves, and Raelle would bet on anything that Scylla could feel just how angry she was
It was then that Abigail decided to speak up, “Why if it isn’t Necro! You wouldn’t believe all the trouble we had to go through to make sure we wouldn’t run into you.”
“Ow! What the hell Raelle?” Raelle had nudged Abigail hard in the ribs after she saw Scylla’s face fall, "It’s true!” Raelle hated that she still cared for the woman across from her after all these years.
Tally chuckled a little and chose to intervene as she pulled Abigail away and said, “Come on now Abigail, let’s leave them be.”
Abigail grumbled under her breath but didn’t fight it.
Now that it was just the two of them Raelle took the time to really observe Scylla.
She looked skinnier than the last time she saw her and tired. . . really tired even and Raelle cursed herself for worrying about her health. Maybe after all this time Raelle really just felt confused.
Does she still love Scylla?
Does she hate her?
Raelle sure knows she can’t forget her, she doesn’t think she ever could, hell she’s proven even when she wanted to forget her she couldn’t.
“So you were avoiding me, huh?” Scylla spoke up finally, trying as best as she could not to let her voice crack, Raelle noticed it anyways.
“I- well, I mean, yeah.” Raelle stuttered out, suddenly feeling bashful.
“I actually thought for a while there, that they did send you off to die. . .after I had left you back there.” Raelle cringed thinking about how she had just left Scylla back in her cell, she could still hear Scylla crying out to her like it was just yesterday.
Scylla made a face at the memory as well, remembering it all too well.
“If I remember correctly,” Scylla paused before continuing, “you said you wished we never met.”
Raelle frowned and nodded, she had felt betrayed and lost and she had wanted to hurt Scylla just as badly as Scylla had hurt her, so she had told her what she thought would hurt her most, that is if Scylla had ever really cared for her.
Scylla looked at Raelle and asked just barely above a whisper, “Do you still feel that way?”
Raelle knew the answer, she just didn’t want to answer.
It may have three years since they’ve seen each other but that didn’t mean Raelle would allow Scylla to take her over again, especially after all they’ve been through.
“Scylla, why are you being so careful now all of a sudden?” Raelle asked, having noticed that Scylla wasn’t acting as bold or confident as usual, not like herself entirely.
Raelle watched as Scylla sighed and again she could feel her nerves, Raelle would be lying if she said she wasn’t feeling nervous too.
“Rae. . . I lost you.” Scylla finally answered in a rougher voice than usual, and it certainly got Raelle’s attention.
“Raelle, I lost you because I wasn’t careful enough the first time around.” Scylla continued on, “I thought that if I jumped in and immediately went for it then everything would work out just fine, that I could get you to trust me and I could deliver you to The Spree. . .” Scylla admitted, with a sad smile.
Raelle had been feeling herself getting angry again, that is until she saw the look on Scylla’s face.
Scylla then looked directly at Raelle and said, “That is, until I fell in love with you.”
Raelle felt the shift inside her immediately after hearing Scylla’s words.
She had started to tear up as she continued, “I realized the whole time that I never needed or even wanted the Spree Raelle. . . I had just wanted a life with you.” Scylla admitted, “By the time I had realized it, it was too late.”
Now more than anything, Raelle felt more confused than ever about how she felt for the bright blue eyed woman in front of her, she hadn’t believed Scylla when she had told her that all of it was real. It seemed impossible, more so since Scylla had been a terrorist at the time, but now that the Spree and the Army are working together what would Scylla possibly gain from lying?
“I know you’re confused Raelle, but I promise you,” Scylla started walking closer to Raelle now, stopping right in front of her to take her hands in her own, Raelle let her, “I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Raelle believed her, but she also knew it would take time for them to fully mend things again, but Raelle knew that she was at least willing to start.
Scylla smiled brightly and said, “I’ve loved you this whole time Rae, I’ve never forgotten about you.”