Author's note: OK, guys, it's time to start working for your posts. My beta and I are both really bad at titles, as you may have guessed. Any one want to help? Review or send me an email; you'll get a summary of the next installment in The Tara Chronicles. Please help me out guys, the next installment's ready to go!

Unexpected Ally Chapter 8: Recovery, and an Offer

Thirty-six hours after the earthquake, when Tara came back downstairs, Alyssa was sitting at the table doing an assignment.

"Afternoon." Tara said somewhat fuzzily.

"Tara! You're…" Alyssa hesitated, not sure how to finish that, and settled for, "…OK?"

"Yes. And, luckily, California will not be falling into the sea any time soon. Why are you here, Alyssa? Sorry, that came out wrong; I mean you as opposed to any of the others. Of course you're welcome to be here."

"I had this assignment to get done." Alyssa explained. "It's quieter here than on the Animarium."

"That explains that, then. What day is it?"

"Wednesday. Are you sure you're OK?"

"Tired, Alyssa. That's all. Don't worry about it." She got up and turned to root in the press.

"Tara? What did you tell Cole about a jigsaw?"

"Oh…" Tara turned back to Alyssa, laughing. "He was surprised that fixing things would take me so long. I told him it was like a jigsaw when I had no picture, edges or corners, and wherever I put a piece was where it stayed no matter what."

"Is that really what it's like?"

"No. It's the only way I can tell it, though. It's…literally, I can't describe it." Alyssa nodded, letting it drop.

"Merrick was asking for you yesterday."

"He knows where I live." Tara said, losing interest in the conversation and turning back to the press.

"Does he?"

"If he wants to." She glanced over her shoulder. "You know he knows things, Alyssa?"

"Yes."

"He could know this if he wanted to. I have never hidden from him."

"Tara," Alyssa asked slowly, "Are you in love with Merrick?"

"Not the way you mean it, no. I respect him greatly as a warrior, and I would miss him a lot if he left, or I left. But…" she hesitated. "Thariin's people…do not form casual relationships of that kind. If we love, we love forever. And whoever I am, I am always Thariin." Alyssa frowned, trying to follow that.

"You can't love more than once?"

"I love." Tara sounded insulted. "Just not the way you mean. You are talking of deep, soulmate, true love. Once in a lifetime." Alyssa nodded. "Merrick has that already. And I…I will live as long as Earth does. I have lost count of my years already. I do not wish a broken heart to keep me company." Bowing her head, she murmured, "Any more than I have already."

"Tara." Alyssa said softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"I know. This is…it's not new to me, Alyssa. It doesn't even bother me anymore, truthfully." Alyssa nodded slowly.

"Who were Thariin's people?" she asked, using the same phrase Tara had.

"Why?"

"I'm curious. You said your country was gone. Where was it?"

"It doesn't fit on today's map, Alyssa. I told you, I've lost count of my years…the world was different then."

"And who were Thariin's people?"

Tara smiled. "Thariin's people were people. They lived and they loved and they fought. Sometimes they won. Sometimes they died."

"You're not answering the question." Cole observed from just inside the doorway. Alyssa jumped, but Tara didn't seem surprised.

"No, Cole, I'm not answering the question." She ran her hands through her hair, pushing it back. "Now I'm answering the question."

"Your ears have points." Alyssa said in wonder.

"Yes. Thariin's people were Elves."

"Elves…" Alyssa repeated.

"I thought Elves were very small." Cole commented.

"No, you're thinking of pixies, Cole. Elves were, as a rule, taller than Men." She shrugged faintly. "I am the last Elf on Earth."

"What happened?" Alyssa asked. Tara smiled.

"There was no war, if that's what you think…not after the first one, anyway. Elves…Earth wasn't quite right for them. So they left." She turned away. "It's not something I think about much. Are you hungry, Cole?"

Later, after Alyssa and Cole had left, Tara was reading when her doorbell rang. Frowning slightly—the Rangers used the back door—she went to see who it was.

Wes and Eric were standing on her doorstep.

"Uh-hi. Come in." She stood back to let them both in, directing them to the sitting room. "I wasn't expecting…I didn't know you were coming. Would you like something?"

"No. We just want to ask you something." Wes said, pulling off his beret.

"OK." Tara was expecting more Who-are you-where-did-you-come-from stuff, so she was surprised when Wes went on, "Come and work for the Silver Guardians."

"Excuse me?"

"You did a lot of good on Monday. We could use you."

"I bet you could." She glanced at Eric, who hadn't said a word yet. "You in this too, or did he overrule you, Eric?"

Eric glanced at Wes before saying slowly, "We needed the help on Monday. I don't deny that. But I'm not so sure…"

"That's what I thought." Tara cut him off. "You want me because you think I can…what? Stop earthquakes all the time? Level buildings you want leveled, hold up dangerous ones? It's not what I do. Earthquakes are needed, most of the time, and I'm not a wrecking ball. And if a building needs to fall I'm not gonna hold it up, even if I could."

"That's not what we…" Wes started. She cut him off as well.

"That's exactly what you thought." Tiring suddenly, she sank into a chair. "Look, Wes. I like you. I wish I could help you. But I can't interfere with this stuff. I can't even help the Rangers." She rose to her feet again. "Thank you for the offer, but no thank you." Wes stood as well.

"Can't blame us for trying." he said.

"Are you OK?" Eric asked suddenly.

"I'm really very tired, Eric. I spent the last two and a half days putting California back together." Wes glanced at the floor uneasily.

"How'd that go?"

"Fine." She looked from one to the other. Wes was shifting his weight back and forth; Eric was just ignoring his partner. "What?"

"You can't stop earthquakes?" Wes asked.

"What…oh. That one wasn't natural. It was hurting more than helping. Most earthquakes are needed to release pressure in the earth…you must know this stuff. It's basic." Both men nodded. "Right. This Org was causing 'quakes in the wrong place. I don't know why he picked Silver Hills; it was a stupid place to do it. He nearly buried himself about six times before I found him."

"What happened then?" Eric asked. Tara grinned.

"I buried him." Turning away from them both, she went on, "Having California drop into the sea would not be good for the earth, so I could stop it. Regular earthquakes are something else."

"You buried him?" Wes repeated. "Any chance he's going to dig himself out?"

"Nope. Not where I buried him." She looked back at them. "I have to go. Feel free to make yourselves at home."

"Wait a minute." Eric said, taking a step forward.

"Don't touch me, Con…Eric." Tara jerked back away from him.

"What? I wasn't…" Eric sighed. "Look, we're sorry we disturbed you, all right? We're going now. 'Bye." Pushing Wes ahead of him, he left the house. Tara followed them to the door and watched Eric push Wes into the Guardian truck and drive away. They passed Taylor, who was coming down the road, and she blinked in surprise; but they pretty much ignored her. Tara left the door open and went back into the kitchen.

"Hey." Taylor pushed the door closed behind her. "What did Eric and Wes want?"

"Oh. To offer me a job."

"A job?" Taylor repeated.

"Yup. I get to be earthquake warning. Wouldn't that be fun?" Seeing the look on Taylor's face, she went on, "Don't worry, Taylor. I told them no."

"Good." Taylor said. Before Tara could say anything, she went on, "Cole sent me to invite you to the Animarium tonight."

"He did." Tara murmured.

"Yes. We're…" Taylor hesitated. "…celebrating."

"Celebrating what?" Taylor shrugged.

"Just…celebrating. We're alive, isn't that enough?"

"Ah. One of those." Before Taylor could ask, Tara went on, "Most of the other Rangers I knew…had parties for any reason they could find. Some for no reason at all…just because today they were alive, but who knew about tomorrow? I have something to do, Taylor, but I'd like to come then, if that's all right."

"Sure."

"I need about an hour."

"I'll pick you up here then."

"Thank you, Taylor."