The alarm goes off at the usual six in the morning. Fiona jumps out of bed in a panic.
Alaya reaches out and silences the belting sound. "Fiona?"
Fiona nods as she leans over with one hand on the bed. As soon as she catches her breath, "Alarm startled me." She find her glasses and notices her Alaya has a goofy grin on her face. "What is funny?"
"Your hair."
Fiona runs over to the vanity, "Alaya! My goodness it is a mess." She bushes out what she can and gathers it up and ties it with a ribbon. "There, the wild mess has been tamed." She turns to her wife and asks, "You are positive you like this frizzy mess?"
"Oh Yes. It is a wonderful and fun. It matches your personality. Even when it resembles a discarded bird's nest."
"Don't ye take a rise it to me good wife, Ah shall leave ye home alone."
The London foursome, Flint Family and the Flint-Saint Clair Clan all in a private car. The women pooled their money to ensure privacy.
Alaya and Fiona are sitting next to each other on the velvet red chesterfield, Fiona is leaning against her wife with her eyes closed.
Louisa is talking to Vastra, "We need to know what happened. We need to be prepared."
Mother Jenny is watching Alaya and Fiona, she catches her daughter's sad eyes. All she can do is offer a smile.
Alaya smiles back. It gave her the confidence to prepare her wife.
Alaya stirs her wife out of the mental void, "Fiona. We have less than eight hours until we reach Edinburgh. I am so sorry, we need to know what happened with Elsie."
Fiona grabs her wife tightly, "Why can't I just tell one person. Why do I have to be everyone?"
"You are right." Alaya stands up, walks to her Mother Vastra and interrupts her conversation with Louisa.
As the train moves faster and faster it is impossible to hear a conversation that is on the other side of the car. Fiona watches as her wife defends her, negotiates and even compromises. Fiona wishes she had Silurian hearing. She becomes introverted as she notices all eyes are on her, she feels as if she is Louisa facing the courts. She emotionally retracts and pulls her body in for comfort.
Alaya runs to her wife and picks her whole body into her own.
Fiona hides in her wife's chest, the safest place in the world.
Alaya whispers in her wife's ear, "Louisa and Mother agree, this is too much of an audience. Would you like to talk to Louisa alone?"
Fiona nods yes.
Alaya looks to Louisa with a smile. "It is all set. You and Louisa will go to the front of the car while the rest of us will seat ourselves further away."
Fiona nods yes.
Alaya puts her wife down, kisses her forehead and encourages her towards Louisa who is waiting at the table with paper and pencil.
Fiona walks to the table and faces Louisa.
The noise of the tracks is too loud for even Alaya's hearing. She watches as her wife points to the end of the car and Louisa nods her head yes.
Fiona comes back to her wife, grabs her hand, leads her to the table and sits down.
Fiona looks to her wife, "There are rules." Alaya nods. "You are there to listen, not judge, correct or interject. You are a piece of furniture, no emotions, no clasping of hands, no facial expressions and certainly no physical contact. This is about me."
Louisa smiles, those words were uttered before.
Fiona grabs her wife's hand for support, "Well a little physical contact ... for my nerves."
Fiona told Louisa everything.
It was hours of Louisa questioning, clarifying and making notes.
Fiona would tear up, pound the table and even stand up to pace.
Fiona got it all out, every sorted detail.
Louisa closed her notes. "I need a drink," and walks over to the cabinet to give herself a small glass of brandy.
"Fiona, thank you for letting me hear. I am sorry you went through all that, alone."
Fiona tears up, "Never alone again. Please?"
"I will do my best." Alaya asks softly, "At a later time I do have questions. Let me know when you are ready."
Fiona nods, "Just not now. I would love fresh air."
Alaya and Fiona go to the back of the car and go out on the small metal landing. They look out and notice something familiar, the York railway station.
Alaya takes her wife's hand, "You have been talking for four yours. Why don't we have drink and sandwich?"
Fiona quickly runs back inside and opens the cabinet with zest. "No ... no ... no ... " as she picks and reads each label. She gets on her hands and knees looking deep into the cabinet, "Ah! I found it," echoes from within. Fiona pulls herself out and it triumphantly holding a bottle of Scottish whiskey. "It is only from Oban, but It will dae." She pours herself a small glass and gulps in one shot. "Ah I have missed 'at. My good wife, no matter how this turns out ... we shall do it together."
Alaya laughs, "Together!"
Fiona finds herself a seat. "Mother Vastra, I am now determined to find my whiskey. Since ye have noot found your tea supply ... I have at least a year." Fiona smiles at Mother Vastra, "You shall have a month of loo duty."
Mother Vastra smiles with widen eyes, "My dear Fiona ... that Oban stuff has given you a false sense of reality. I shall find my tea supply. Your whiskey shall be at least a ripe 25 year before you taste one drop."
Alaya, Jenny, Fiona and even Vastra let out a roar of laughter.
Everyone else is left out of the joke, and they will be, for the rest of their lives.
Louisa turns to Alaya and Fiona, "Why don't you two return to your private world. I shall disclose with everyone what you shared. We shall discuss openly. Fiona, you did very well."
Fiona collected pillows from around the car and created a little moroccan seating area. She lays down and Alaya curls up. They fall asleep to the rhythm of the tracks.
"How can they sleep?"
"Do they always sleep so conjoined?"
"Look at that red hair."
Slowly Fiona and Alaya wake to find six woman looking down at them. Fiona and Alaya attempt to get up but scales are caught in a strand of hair. "Don't move," as Alaya attempts to free herself from the mane. "Turn around let me fix this."
Fiona turns her back to allow Alaya to meticulously put put Fiona's hair up in a soft bun.
"All done."
"Thank you."
Fiona smiles, "Entertained?"
Mother Jenny and Mother Vastra offer hands to stand upright.
"We are nearing our destination."
Fiona goes to the window and is attempting to find Edinburgh Castle, "Look Alaya! Isn't it a grand fortress?"
"Wow! I believe it would an amazing city to explore." Pulling her wife close. "What grand adventures we would have."
The North British Hotel is just a few feet away from the rail station, which is a great location considering the long trip from London has completely demolished everyone's energy.
Once Alaya and Fiona have entered their room they let their clothes drop to the floor and slip under the covers. They are relieved to finally have a privacy.
Alaya whispers to her wife, "It is a shame our energy is tapped."
"Aye, tis is a shame. I am pleased to be with you without the constant eyes from our friends and family. When I am with you alone, I don't have to pretend to be somewhere else."
"That is wonderful to hear," Alaya yawns. "Good night."
Fiona curls up to her wife, "I will not be attacking you tonight. Tomorrow, I might."
Alaya smiles and wonders what Fiona's hair will look like tomorrow and falls asleep minutes later.