Alaya grabs her wife's body up in her arms and carries her up the stairs to the drawing-room. "When did you get home?"
"Moments before I rang the bell. We went directly to Tori and Alaya All of our stuff is combined, were are too tired to divide our things. I immediately came home, that is when I noticed I was being followed. I calmly walked to our home and went to my bicycle to call for help. It was just moments. They didn't harm me. Here I thought coming home would be a peaceful reunion." Fiona smiles as she touches every scale on her wife's face. "I missed you so much."
Alaya places her wife on the chaise and proceeds to take off her wife's shoes and notices the blue ribbon tied to her ankle. She unties the ribbon and pulls out the leather pouch. She pulls off the socks and sees what she has suspected there are sores. When Fiona stood next to her she would not stand sure-footed and kept re-balancing herself. "I will be right back."
"Mother Vastra, you truly have not found the tea?"
"You have hid it well." Mother Jenny laughs, "My poor Silurian is truly beset by the hidden tea supply."
"I shall start looking for my Scottish whiskey tomorrow." Fiona teases, "Do I get a hint?"
"No. Good luck I hope you are tortured as much as I." Mother Vastra smiles.
"I have so much to tell you, my travels and thank you so much for sending Miss Shaw and Miss Gardner. It was generous of you." She stretches out her arms, "Please mothers come closer."
Mother Vastra and Mother Jenny come to be by Fiona's side. "We are glad you are home little one. You were missed." Vastra instinctively tastes Fiona with her tongue down her cheek and around her neck. It was a different touch than her wife's, it was unexpected but she didn't flinch. It felt loving and tender, like a hug from her mother.
"That was nice, you can do that any-time you want to know me or taste me. That felt motherly."
"My family scent is whole again."
Mother Jenny cupped Fiona's head in her hands and kissed her cheeks. "Welcome home."
"We would have come ourselves if it was possible. Alaya alone would have followed you to Serbia."
Alaya returns with a basin of water, towels and a first aid kit. She cleans cleans her wife's feet and tends the wounds. As she is wrapping a bandage she looks to her wife's eyes gazing directly into her own. "I would have come, but your letter convinced me
"How is my brown-eyed half-Silurian? I truly wanted to shock you and halt to whatever noble romantic gesture you were going to attempt."
"I am pleased you are home." Alaya gently wraps her tongue around her wife's wrists and with the tip of the tongue licks the pulse point. Slowly she slinks back her tongue and smiles.
Fiona starts to yawn, "I am sorry it was a long trip and it is very late. Would you mind if I rested my eyes?"
"We shall have a good meal tomorrow night and celebrate your return. Good Night." Mother Jenny offers.
"You fought bravely." Vastra smiles, "Your instincts didn't falter. I am proud of you."
Fiona nods and blushes knowing that it is wasn't just about being ready to fight.
The mothers head back to their bedroom.
"We are both tired, it was an eventful night. Please rest I will tend your wounds." Alaya gently cleans the wounds and put on proper bandage.
Fiona in a sleepy tone, "I suspect you do not have off tomorrow. Do not worry, I could use the time to get acclimated back into being home."
Alaya smiles.
Alaya finishes the bandages and stands up, brings over a blanket and covers her wife.
Alaya leaves the drawing-room and knocks on her mother's door. Mother Jenny answers in a housecoat, "May I have a moment?" Mother Jenny opens the door wider.
"How are you?" Mother Jenny asks knowing full well that a year changes things.
"Does she still love me?" Alaya looks to the floor with clutched hands.
Mother Vastra is by her daughter's side, "When she fought where did she stand? Was it by me? Your Mother Jenny? She could have stood anywhere or hide behind us for protection. If there is any doubt look to her instincts. Look to the passion of her actions. She is loyal, strong and worthy of your love. You are stronger, more confident and prepared to adjust to life. No matter what happens, you have lived and survived. Stand proud my dearest."
"Thank you." Alaya hugs her Mother Vastra with such glee that it surprised the tall Silurian. She pulls back, holding her Mother Jenny's hand, "How are you two?"
"We have a month to investigate and obtain a solution. So let us take time out for ourselves and our family." Vastra speaking directly to her wife.
Mother Jenny nods.
"Be near your wife, you only have a few hours until you must go to work." Mother Vastra commands with a smile.
"Good Night!" Alaya offers before she closes the door and heads back to the drawing-room to watch over her sleeping wife.
Alaya grabs pillows and blanket, quietly dragging a chair next to the head of the chaise. She lays down and holds her wife's hand. It took another fifteen minutes before Alaya fell completely asleep, she lost the fight trying to stay awake to watch her wife sleep.
It seems like minutes have passed as she is woken as Mother Jenny whispering in her ear, "Good Morning. Time to wake up."
Alaya blinks open as she remembers the night before and looks down to her hand. Fiona has held it all night. Alaya smiles and looks to her mother, "She is home."
"Yes, you need to get ready for work. I have made coffee."
Alaya nods, slowly pulls her hand out of her wife's gentle hold and exits the drawing-room shutting the door behind.
"I will get changed. Mother, please if you do not mind but pack me a lunch? It would be helpful. I have much to do."
"Of course."
Alaya quickly goes through her task list before she leaves for work. After she changes into her detective uniform, eaten her breakfast, she creeps into the drawing-room, gently kisses her sleeping wife's forehead and heads off to work.
The sunbeam slowly moves across the drawing-room to shine brightly on sleepy red-head. Fiona stretches and smiles at being home. She sits up to see the message cylinder. She spells her name and out pops a note.
My Dearest Fiona
Welcome home. I hope you slept well. There is food in the kitchen, coffee and if you are tempted there are sweets. I shall be home around four in the afternoon. Enjoy your day. Please let your feet heal.
Your Alaya
PS Tonight we shall sleep in our own bed. I will remove the hot water bottles for my love is home.
Fiona loved that her butterflies danced in her stomach.
She goes into the kitchen and makes herself a light meal of coffee, toast and jam. She quickly looks under Mother Vastra's choice seat to make sure the tea remains. She smiles seeing nothing has been tampered.
Once breakfast is done she heads up to take a nice hot bath. After she is dried she looks at her clothing, she has worn the olive green wool outfit long enough. It is time to return to her life ... she decides on her favorite skirt and blouse but decides to hold off on putting stockings and shoes ... to allow the wounds to heal. She grabs her physician bag and re-dressed her wounds ... 'something is different about my Alaya. Something warmer. Something more mature. What did I miss while I was gone.'
She ponders her thoughts as she makes the bed. She pulls back the sheets to make a fresh change and four hot water bottles fall to the floor. Fiona lets out a hearty laugh. She continues to make the bed with new sheets and notices the picture next to the alarm clock, she blushes as it is a picture of herself standing in front of the moonlit windows with nothing more than a sheer nightgown. She looks closely, her hair is short or is it up. She can't tell.
She looks at her wild long hair, 'my long hair, Alaya has never seen it this long.' She quickly sits at her vanity and pins it up in a tight bun, leaving little for the imagination. 'What if my wife prefers short hair? It is becoming practical with the war.' She tightens the bun with another tug. Satisfied with the hidden hair she takes empties the hot water bottles and returns them to the storage area with all the other emergency supplies.
She returns to the drawing-room to fold blankets, return furniture to its rightful place ... at least what she remembers to be the room settings. She looks to the map on the wall with notes, telegrams and markings. She tears up and sits down. She covers her face and wails into her palms. Fiona mourns the lost time, the lost educational progression and now she fears the consequences of Elise's anger. She grabs the pillow behind her back and screams into the fabric.
Fiona fails to notice the mothers running into the room. Mother Jenny rushes over and attempts to comfort Fiona.
Fiona instantly stands up and pushes back. Seconds later she realizes it is Mother Jenny. "I am so sorry. I ... I reacted poorly." She steps back into Mother Jenny's open arms and sobs.
Mother Vastra wraps her long arms around her wife and Fiona.
They allow Fiona to compose herself, "Thank you. When Alaya returns there is much to talk about."
Mother Jenny nods as she steps back to evaluates Fiona's face, "Are you better?"
Fiona nods, "Thank you both. I am looking forward to being back into the gym. I shall imagine the punching bag Elise."
Vastra laughs and gives Fiona a pat on the back, "I pity the punching bag."
Mother Jenny, "I am going to prepare dinner. Would you like to help?"
"Yes, I want to help." Fiona grabs Mother Jenny's arm, "Tell me ... how was my Alaya? Did she brood?"
Mother Jenny and Fiona prepared a grand dinner together while discussing how Alaya came out of her obsessive worry into a self-sustaining woman.
Meanwhile a smiling Mother Vastra reads the evening newspaper licking the air taking the scent of her family member her tongue forgot.