I have like three more chapters written for this, so hopefully I will be able to keep updating!

Training with Teresa was like when she had trained Clare in the Quicksword, except this time, Irene was the one dropping to her knees far too quickly, panting and exhausted.

"Shit," she said, thrusting her sword into the ground for support. "Shit."

"It was better," Teresa said, too kind and gentle. Though she was also breathing hard, she still had energy left, while Irene was done for the day.

"You don't have to lie." With a grunt, Irene pushed herself up, legs shaking with fatigue. "We've been at this for over a week, and I'm barely any better."

"That's not true. Your stamina is improving. It will take time."

"It will take months, years maybe, for me to improve like this." To improve using only her human strength.

Teresa's mouth pressed into a hard line. "We agreed to wait."

"I know, but for how long? What if Rafaela dies before we can find her?"

"What if she's already dead?" Teresa countered. "You haven't been able to find anything about her online. Isley said he hadn't seen her in a long time. We have no guarantee that she's even out there anymore. Or that she could help us even if she is. All we have is Isley's word, and I don't know how much I trust that at this point."

"It's all we have." Irene started walking back to the car. They were on Irene's family property outside the city where they had been training every afternoon while Clare was at school. "I won't get stronger quickly unless we can figure out how to really access our yoki." She turned to look at Teresa. "Unless you're purposefully trying to sabotage that."

"Irene, of course not. I said I would do this with you, and I meant it." Teresa carried her sword to the shed and locked it inside. She did not want it in her apartment for Clare to find. "I thought we were good."

Sighing, Irene came over and kissed Teresa softly. "I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated."

Teresa pulled her back in for another kiss, cupping Irene's jaw in both hands. "I love you. I'm not trying to slow down your progress. I promise we will go look for Rafaela as soon as the Oscars are over and Chris is back from assignment."

"It seems silly to put everything on hold for that," Irene complained, feeling like a petulant child.

"I still have a life that I have to be present for. It would be in poor taste if I skipped the most important award show of the season." She tilted her head. "Plus, my mother would die if I backed out now."

"It just feels so trivial." Who cared about celebrities patting each other on the back when there were monsters loose in the world?

"It's my work, Irene. It's not trivial to me."

Irene grimaced, taking a breath before rephrasing. "I didn't mean it that way. I don't think your work is trivial. I just think that the emphasis on awards shows is entirely too much."

"All right, I agree with you on that. But I have to go, or I risk offending the 'Academy.'" Teresa's voice grew low and dramatic on the last word.

"I suppose." Even if she still thought it was a useless display of opulence.

"You're still good to watch Clare, right?"

"Yes." Though she was incredibly nervous to spend an entire weekend alone with Clare. Chris was on assignment for a couple of weeks, and Teresa thought it was the perfect opportunity for Irene and Clare to bond. "You're sure she's okay with it?"

"Irene, she can't stop talking about it. She's very excited."

"Okay. I just don't want her to feel like I'm imposing."

"She doesn't. I promise." Teresa kissed her once more. "It's fine."

"All right. And I will try not to worry too much about Rafaela. I just want to feel like I'm working towards something."

"I know. It won't be much longer. And then awards season will be over and Chris will be back. We'll have time to travel." The information from Isley suggested that Rafaela was out of state, probably in Maine somewhere, and they would need time to track her down. "We should also visit your brother and Elda."

Irene ground her teeth. "Do we have to?" She was trying to normalize her relationship with Paul, but it was not going well.

"Yes. I want to meet him, and I would like to see Elda."

"She doesn't remember."

"I know. I just want to see her. After all, she's sort of my sister-in-law now."

"I don't remember proposing." The words were out of her mouth before she could think better of them, and she awaited Teresa's response anxiously.

Teresa elbowed her with a grin. "Oh, come on. We're practically married at this point. Next thing you know, we'll be filing our taxes jointly."

"Maybe when this is all over." She busied herself securing her sword in the back. Unlike Teresa, she felt safer when it was near.

Teresa turned serious. "Yeah?"

"Why not? You're not wrong. If after everything we've been through, we still want to be together, then I don't see why we shouldn't get married." Irene slid into the car, trying not to make such a big deal of it even though her heart was pounding. That kind of commitment was something they could neve have done in their old life.

"You make it sound so romantic." But Teresa was smiling as she started the engine.

"Would Clare be all right with it?"

"Clare?" Teresa considered it. "Yeah, I think so. I know she has no memories of her old life, but I think she feels like she's connected to you, somehow. And she's very glad we didn't break up.

She thinks you're a good influence on me."

"Well, she might be wrong there."

Irene did not like the guilt that welled inside her. She was asking Teresa to risk her life, to possibly leave Clare again. Irene knew the trauma that losing Teresa had caused Clare before. And now, they were risking that again.

"I make my own decisions," Teresa said. "And I told you, we won't go after Priscilla until I know I can beat her. I won't make the same mistake twice, I can assure you that." There was such determination in her voice, that Irene could not help but believe her. "I will not leave Clare. Not again."

"Then we have a lot of work to do. You're improving faster than me, but you're still nowhere near where you need to be."

"I know. And that's why I agree we have to find Rafaela. I just also still have to be a mother in the meantime. And that means going home and starting dinner." She looked over at Irene. "Do you want me to drop you off at your place?"

Irene was easing back into Teresa's life, but they had still not stayed the night together since Christmas.

"Do you think Clare would mind if I stayed for dinner?" She kept her eyes ahead on the road as she asked.

"Well, how about you text her and see? She likes hearing from you."

"Isn't she in class?"

Teresa took a look at the clock. "She's on her free period. She's allowed to have her phone."

Irene pulled out her own phone and scrolled to Clare's contact. It was still strange to have her phone number, but Teresa had insisted on it.

-Hello, Clare. It's Irene. I wanted to check to see if it would be all right for me to join you and your mother for dinner tonight.-

She reread the text twice, sure it was much too formal, but she hit send anyway.

"Hopefully she'll say yes-" She looked down as her phone buzzed. "Oh, she's very quick."

-Hi Irene! Yes, plz come 2 dinner!- The text was followed by several emojis Irene did not understand.

Irene worked hard to keep her mouth from curving into a smile, but she could not stop the pleased blush that spread across her cheeks as she thanked Clare. "She said it was fine."

"Of course," Teresa said knowingly. "I told you. She likes you."

"I like her, too."

"I know." Teresa glanced at her. "You gave her your only arm."

"That was different," Irene grumbled. "She was going to get herself killed."

"Your arm wasn't going to save her."

"It did, actually," she said. "On several occasions. She told me so herself."

"It wouldn't have saved her against Priscilla," Teresa amended. "You knew that, and you gave it to her anyway."

"She was determined to avenge you. I felt like...like I owed it to you to do everything I could to protect her. And she...she loved you, and she wasn't afraid. Her love for you made her strong, and I was envious."

It took Teresa a moment to answer. "You've always been strong."

"No, I haven't. I had power, but that did not make me strong. I reduced my risk as much as possible, and I only fought battles I knew I could win."

"That's not true. You came after me."

"That was stupidity, not strength."

"Sometimes there's not much difference."

"Regardless, I did not feel strong when I deserted. I hid for years because I was scared."

"Irene, being scared doesn't make you weak. I know you've been scared in battle before."

She swallowed, turning to look out the window. "Not like that."

"Hysteria hurt you just as badly."

Yes, Irene had been one of the many warriors cut down that day, though she had survived.

"But she did not hurt you," Irene said. "She didn't even touch you. No one could. No one ever could. And then…"

"Oh."

"Yes." She still could not look at Teresa, as if looking at her would convince the universe to snatch her away again. "So, I ran. Like a coward."

"Irene, stop. You are not a coward. What you're asking us to do proves that." Teresa reached over and took her hand. "You saved Clare from that other warrior just because she felt like me, even though you knew using the quicksword could draw attention to you. You trained her and gave her your only arm. And you faced Rafaela with dignity, knowing she would cut you down. You are no coward. Wanting to survive does not make you a coward."

Irene was not sure she believed Teresa, but she knew arguing would be pointless.

"Well, anyway, I'm glad Clare wants me at dinner."

Luckily, Teresa let it go.

Besides, they had to pick up Clare from school.

Clare looked surprised, but pleased to see Irene in the car when she slid into the back seat.

"Hi, Irene!" she said, brightly.

"Hello, Clare. Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah, I got a B+ on my math test, and then my art teacher said my painting was really good." She glanced to her left with confusion. "Why is there a sword back here?"

Teresa's eyes widened, and Irene winced.

"Oh, um...that's mine," Irene said quickly. "I...really like swords, and your mom went with me to buy that one." She hoped her voice was sure and convincing.

Clare looked up at her, skeptical. "You like swords?"

"Yep, love them. I'm, uh, I'm starting to collect them."

Teresa just barely covered her snort with a cough, and Irene wanted to bang her head against the window.

"Really?"

Well, she was committed to this now. "Yes, I find them...fascinating."

"Oh, okay." Clare glanced again at the claymore, suddenly thoughtful. She reached out to touch it, and Irene watched, chest tight. Would the sword trigger Clare's memories of training with her? Next to her, Teresa held the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white. "It's really big."

"Um, yes. It is."

"Do you know how to fight with it?"

The lie she wanted to tell died on her lips. "Yes."

"Irene," Teresa said, the warning deep and clear.

"Can I see?"

"Clare, stop." Teresa's voice was hard as steel, as hard as Irene's sword, and Clare shrank back, staring at the rearview mirror, mouth parted.

"Mom?"

Irene laid a hand on Teresa's arm, looking back at Clare. "I'm afraid I'm not very good," she said.

"Your mom is just...protecting my dignity."

Clare, of course, did not look convinced, but she was a perceptive child. She could tell this was

not a conversation she should pursue. "Oh, well, when you're better, you can show me."

"I will," Irene promised, hoping to appease both Clare and Teresa. She quickly steered the conversation back to Clare's school work, and Teresa slowly relaxed.

At Teresa's apartment, Clare dashed to her room to change out of her uniform, and Teresa turned to Irene.

"We have to be careful."

"I know. I don't want her to remember, either. I forgot the sword was there. I'll leave it with yours from now on." Even if she felt safer when it was near.

"She looked at it like it was familiar." Teresa's voice shook.

"I know." Irene took her hands. "We can't know what's going to happen. Isley said not everyone remembers. Clare had found peace in her life. Maybe she won't have any unfinished business here."

"You remembered. What was your unfinished business?"

Irene looked at her, incredulous. "You, Teresa."

"That won't be Clare's, too?"

"No. No, I don't think so." She rubbed her thumb over Terersa's knuckles. "She finished what she set out to do. She was...happy."

"But you weren't."

"No. I was happy for her, that she was at peace. But I never found happiness for myself."

Teresa kissed her. "I'm not leaving you this time."

"You better not. Because I won't forgive you if you do."

Teresa cupped her jaw. "I won't put you in that position. Hey, why don't you go take a shower while I get dinner ready?"

"Are you saying I smell?"

"No, I would never say that," Teresa said through a wide grin. She pushed Irene towards the bedroom, giving her ass a little smack on the way.

Irene showered quickly and changed into clean clothes. Before Christmas, she had started leaving clothes in a spare drawer for when she stayed over. She pulled her hair up into a bun

and headed to the living room.

Clare was sitting at the table, working on homework while Teresa was in the kitchen. After a moment's debate, Irene settled on the couch near Clare to look at some briefs. She was trying to work from home now, trying to get back some part of her 'normal' life. She could not spend the rest of her life running around after hopes and dreams with a sword strapped to her back.

This world did not work that way.

She became focused on her work, shutting out the casual conversation Clare and Teresa had started, and before she realized how much time had passed, Teresa was kissing her hair and coaxing her to the table.

"It's time to eat, love."

"Oh." She glanced at the clock in surprise. "Right, coming." She stood and stretched before allowing Teresa to lead her to the table. She sat down across from Clare as Teresa put the food on the table.

"All right, dig in." Teresa smiled at them both as she poured some wine. Now that Irene was off her medication, she took a glass, as well. "Okay, Clare. Is your homework done?"

"Yep. And I'm almost done reading my book for my book report."

"Good. That's due in two weeks, right?"

"Uh huh." Clare and Teresa discussed school for a while longer. Irene was content to just listen. She made sure to pay attention, to put aside anything she learned about Clare. She wanted to be attentive and present. She found that Clare was constantly catching her off guard, and the next thing the girl said was no exception.

"So, when is Irene moving in?"

Teresa choked on her wine while Irene sat frozen. "What?"

"Irene's moving in soon, right?" Clare looked between them.

"Why do you say that?" Teresa coughed a few more times.

"Well, Helen said-"

"Oh, my God."

"Helen said that lesbians always move in together on the third date, and I'm pretty sure you guys have been on more than three dates," Clare said matter-of-factly.

"First of all, that's a stereotype," Teresa said slowly, glancing apologetically at Irene. "Second of all, I'm not a lesbian. I'm bi."

"Whatever." Clare rolled her eyes. "But really, is Irene moving in soon?"

"We haven't talked about that yet. Maybe Irene doesn't want to live with a messy preteen."

Teresa was teasing, but Clare turned wide eyes to Irene.

"I can be neater," she promised, and Irene felt her heart melt.

"Oh, Clare. I like you just the way you are."

She was rewarded by a blush across Clare's cheeks. "Thank you."

"Your friend, Helen? Tell me more about her." The name stirred some unsettling thoughts in her, and she thought her sword might be the least of their worries with Clare.

"Oh, she's really funny. And super annoying. Mom doesn't like her."

"That's not true," Teresa said with a sigh. "I just think she likes to hear herself talk."

"I mean, okay sure," Clare conceded. "But she's nice most of the time. And she always knows the best places to eat."

"I swear, I have never seen a twelve year old eat so much."

Irene grew quiet as they continued to discuss Helen. Clare took no notice, but Teresa gave a few questioning looks.

After Clare went to bed, they sat on the couch watching mindless TV.

"So, what's with the questions about Helen?"

Irene took a deep breath. "I don't want you to worry, but I think that Clare's friend might be a warrior."

Teresa looked at her sharply. "What?"

"Yes. Clare told me about her friends, and there was one named Helen who was a loudmouth who loved to eat."

"Okay, that doesn't mean it's the same person."

"No, but it is quite the coincidence."

"Dammit," Teresa groaned, leaning back against the cushions. "Just how many warriors can be in our lives? Are we drawn to each other or something?"

"I think that's very possible." She rubbed Teresa's knee. "If she's friends with warriors already, then we may not be able to protect her from remembering."

Teresa turned her face away, a hand passing over her eyes. "I just want her to live a good, happy life. I don't want her to relive that pain."

"I know."

"It's not fair. After everything we went through, why should we have to feel it all again?"

"I don't know. But I'm glad I remember you and our time together."

"I love you, Irene. So much. You know that."

"But?"

"But, I would give anything to save Clare pain." She shook her head. "I did give everything for it before."

"I know." She no longer begrudged Teresa her decisions of the past. "But it might be out of our control." She chanced another suggestion. "Rafaela might know what causes us to remember."

"I know, Irene, I know."

"But we can't go."

"Not unless you want to go with Flora instead."

"No, of course not. I don't think she's ready for that, anyway."

Teresa turned contemplative. "She seems very sweet, and she spoke highly of Clare. I'm...I will never be at peace with the knowledge that Clare became one of us, but it comforts me to know she did not go through that life as lonely as we did."

"She had many friends," Irene said softly. "She was very loved."

"Even that brat she ended up with."

Irene pressed her lips together to try and stop her smile. "He was very dedicated to her. She could have done worse."

"Still. He sounded annoying."

"He was very polite when I met him."

"Of course he was. You were basically her only parental figure at that point. He probably wanted to impress you."

Irene's smile could no longer be contained. "Oh, you're going to have such a hard time when she starts dating, aren't you?"

"Luckily we won't have to worry about that until she's twenty-one."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I've decided."

"I see. And you don't think Clare might have something to say about that?"

"She's a good girl. She'll agree."

"Okay, well, good luck with that." Irene chuckled, shaking her head.

"You know what? Let's just go to bed." Teresa stood and offered Irene her hand. For the first time since Christmas, Irene slept next to Teresa, and her dreams felt like a warning.

She needed to prepare for battle.