Chapter Text
Tally sits in her office looking over paperwork regarding new cadets. She leans back thinking about her fight with Sarah several days back. The general has been gone for about a week on a peace mission and their last conversation had been a fight. Such a stupid argument in retrospect, Sarah had been working long hours and Tally just wanted her to be home more with the kids.
The door to her office opens and Marie steps inside looking stressed and wringing her hands in front of her. What did her kids do now?
"What did Beth do?" Tally sighs deeply looking away from the older woman to the window and standing.
"Tally, Sarah is back." She says but her eyes scream that something is wrong.
"Where is she? Why didn't she come here?" Tally asks, stepping around her desk and approaching the older woman.
Is she still angry with me? She could have at least come and let me know she was back.
"There was an accident. She is in the infirmary." Marie explains lifting a hand to calm Tally.
"She is okay, just sleeping still." Tally is already out the door and running to the hospital.
Marie follows her after far-speaching Raelle and Scylla. Telling them to pick up the kids from the daycare and take them home. She would explain everything later.
Entering the infirmary room that Sarah is laying in, Tally approaches her bed and shoots Wick a look. Sarah is so still in the bed other than her chest moving with her breath. Fixers work all around her cleaning up bruises and cuts along her perfect face. A face that tally has missed so much over the last week.
"What happened?" Tally ghosts her fingers over the older woman's face. Her lips are busted and there is black and blue under her eye.
"They were coming up on some Camarilla and one of them got a wind strike on her. She hit her head and has been delirious since." Wick explains as Sarah starts to shift in the bed.
The older woman opens her eyes and Tally can instantly tell something is wrong with her. There is no recognition in her eyes as they lock on Tally. Marie steps closer into the room and Sarah's eye line.
"Marie what are you doing here? Why is there a Cadet in my room?" Sarah groans sitting up and Tally feels her heartbreak.
Please goddess no! Tally feels her breathing pick up and her heart begins to race. This can't be happening right now.
"General, what do you remember?" Wick asks from her side of the bed and Sarah rubs her head.
"I don't know it's fuzzy."
"Do you know what year it is?" Marie asks her, crossing her arms and rocking back and forth.
"2021," Sarah says it's the most obvious thing in the world. Tally feels herself fall backward into a chair.
"Sarah, it's 2025," Wick says and Sarah pales instantly. Tally can feel the confusion and shock come through their bond and is overcome with heartache.
The general tries to get out of bed, becoming irritable and antsy. Wick sedates her before placing her back in the infirmary bed. Marie takes the seat next to Tally and rests a hand on her shoulder.
"It will be okay Tally. She will be okay."
How can it be okay? We have two children she doesn't even remember.
"I have to go and take the children. No one tell her anything. She needs to recover, we can't get in the way of that. Let her think her quarters are still hers." Tally instantly goes into crisis mode.
"Are we sure that's for the best Tally?" Marie asks, watching the Captain pace the floor in front of the bed.
"Tally is right, her mind can't handle that kind of shock right now. We should try for the time being to let her memories come back on their own." Wick says, rubbing Tally's shoulders. The older witch wipes the tear tracks from her face gently with the pads of her thumbs.
The two women watch the young captain move to the bed and take the General's hand. Even though it breaks her heart she slides the woman's wedding ring off and puts it in her pocket. Marie lets out a strangled sound at the action causing a tear to fall from Tally's eye. The young captain places a soft kiss on the wounded woman's forehead.
I love you, Sarah Alder. She sends through the link even though she knows Sarah will not hear it in her state.
"Marie, can you come by the house later?" She asks her bodyguard that due to Sarah's instance has not been relieved from her duties.
"I'll be there Tally. The kids are home with Raelle and Scylla." She says standing and moving to the wall to keep watch over the General.
Wick rubs Tally's arm as she walks past and promises to let her know if anything changes. The walk across the base takes longer than normal because Tally is too deep in her thoughts.
How am I going to be a parent to our kids knowing their mother is across the base and doesn't remember them?
Walking through the door she finds Raelle asleep on the floor next to her children. Raelle and Scylla's son is curled up on the couch as well. The blonde hair that shines so brightly it's obvious it's the blonde witch's child. Scylla is cleaning up the kitchen from what she can tell was a messy dinner. Stepping into it she is handed a glass of wine and a hug from the other witch.
“She doesn't remember us,” Tally whispers brokenly into the other girl's neck and Scyllas hand rubs down her back softly.
“She will, you two are soulmates. It will be okay and until then, Raelle and I will be here to help.” She replies as the blonde enters the kitchen sleepily and takes over the hug.
“I told Marie to take her to her office quarters and not tell her about us. I can't put more pressure on her right now and the kids don't need to see a mother who doesn't remember them.” Tally whispers her face harshly as the two married witches exchange a look.
“Is that a good idea Tals? Wouldn't being here help her remember?” Raelle asks cautiously while taking a sip of her wine and leaning against the counter.
“You didn't see her face when she saw me. It was blank, there was nothing there. She doesn't remember me as anything other than a cadet.” The redhead whispers looking down at her drink.
“Okay Tal, okay. Let's get you and the kids to bed okay?” The blonde sits her wine down and moves to the living room picking up Beck gently to not wake him. Scylla picks up Beth and they move down the hallway with Tally following close behind. With her kids and bed and a kiss on their heads, Tally turns the lights off and closes their doors. Returning to the kitchen they are met with the sight of Marie dropping a duffle bag on the ground and removing her coat.
“What's all this?” Tally asks finishing off her glass and pouring another one for her and Marie.
“I’m moving into the new guest room until all of this is sorted out. Scylla and Raelle can take the old one since I am assuming they aren't leaving either?” Marie explains draining her glass in one go.
“No, we are staying. We can move the extra cot into the guest room for Miller.” Scylla says as she finishes wiping off the counter.
Sarah had expanded the house about a year ago to make the living room bigger for their family and add extra guest rooms. Tally has never been so grateful until now, she had assumed her wife was going overboard at the time but now knowing that Abigail and Adil will probably be in soon it is nice.
“Abigail and Adil will be in tomorrow with Marcus,” Marie informs as if she has read her mind.
We will need to get more groceries.
“Okay, we have all had a long day. Y'all have work tomorrow and I can stay home with the kids.” Marie says sending them all off to their rooms.
Tally gently pushes her bedroom door open and steps inside. Finding a set of Sarah’s joggers she inhales her scent before pulling them on and falling into a fitful sleep.