Sarah stood there wrapped up in her plain black coat and pants, she'd almost forgotten how different winters were in California compared to Massachusetts. She set her bag down to take off her coat and was surprised to find May Craven standing before her, "General Alder, may I take your coat?"

Tally stared wide eyed next to her as if May hadn't just been staring daggers at Alder when they arrived.

"It's just Sarah Alder, ma'am. I'm no longer a General. Feel free to call me Sarah and thank you," Sarah handed over her jacket and watched as the elder Craven put their coats away in a nearby closet.

Sarah admired the coziness of the Craven household, shelves of books, knick knacks, and pictures. A picture of a much younger Tally caught her eye and she found herself endeared by it. She wondered what else she'd learn about the younger Craven here in her childhood home in the matrifocal compound she herself had funded but remained anonymous about.

She was roused from her musings as May returned and addressed Tally, "Tally, honey, I'll let you show her to the guest room while I get started on dinner."

"Sure, yeah, thanks mom."

Sarah picked up her bag and made to follow Tally only pausing to address May, "Thank you Ms. Craven."

"Please, call me May, Sarah."

Sarah nodded, "Of course, thank you May."

Then Sarah was following behind Tally up the stairs, "She's acting weird. I'm sure she would have been giving you the silent treatment the entire time."

"Yet you knowingly invited me?"

Tally winced, "Well, I didn't think about it till after I asked you. Besides I….," Tally stops at her bedroom door and blushes, "I wanted to spend Yule with two of my favorite people and I didn't want you to spend it all alone back in Salem."

Tally doesn't give her a chance to respond as she opens her bedroom door and turns the light on revealing her childhood room and throws her bag on her bed. The former general comes to stand in the doorway as she survey's the room. Admiring the hanging mandala's and the earthy tones of the room, a dream catcher hanging in the corner, and mugs lined up on the windowsill.

The younger witch momentarily opens her closet door forgetting the poster of General Alder tapped up inside and immediately slamming it shut. Sneaking a glance back at the former General who is now standing there with a smirk on her face.

"Shut up."

Sarah folds her hands behind her back out of habit, "I didn't say anything."

"But you were thinking something."

Sarah tilts her head as she takes in the young woman and then she looks around her room, "I was thinking how very you this room is," she enters the room and ends in front of Tally, placing a hand on the closet door pinning Tally against it, "It's cozy and welcoming…I imagine this is what a home feels like. And it lets me see another side of you I didn't know."

The older woman sneaks a glance at Tally's lips which are parted and then looks back up to meet her chocolate eyes, "A poster of me in Tally Craven's room is not a surprise to me. It's rather…adorable."

"Oh my goddess," Tally blushes and pushes the older woman away and grabs the older woman's bag, a smile hidden on her face as she heads for the door and hears Sarah laugh behind her.

Her laughter is becoming one of Tally's favorite things, she wants to make her laugh more, make her smile more. Try to fill up all those three hundred years of fighting and sorrow with all the laughter. She wants to mend all the cracks in Sarah Alder's heart and maybe one day she could even find a place in it for herself. With how close they've gotten since Sarah came back from the Mother for good, she thinks that maybe she's already made a place inside of her.

Tally leads her to the room at the very end of the hall and turns the light on as she enters, setting her bag on the bed, revealing a very simple but no less cozy guest room.

"This guest room has its own bathroom so just let me know if you need anything. My mom's room is on the other side of the house so you don't need to worry about waking her if you…," Tally pauses, she isn't sure if she should finish that sentence.

"Worry about what?"

Tally clears her throat as she folds her arms across her chest, "In case you have any nightmares. I know you still have them. Ever since you came back I've caught glimpses, I didn't want to say anything out of respect. And I didn't do it on purpose. Sometimes it just happens."

Sarah visibly swallows as she tries to ignore the shame bubbling up inside of her that she's allowed someone to see her weakness.

"I'm sorry, Tally. I…"

"There's nothing to be sorry about Sarah. If anything I'm sorry for accidentally seeing something I shouldn't have."

Sarah takes a step towards her, looking her in the eyes, "Isn't seeing all my secrets, all my vulnerabilities something you've always wanted to see?"

"Not like that. I want you to share them with me willingly. I know in the past I may have but now, now I want you to want to share parts of yourself with me because you want to. I don't want to force anything from you. I just want to stand on equal ground with you."

Sarah brings her hand up to cup the younger witches cheek, "Oh, Tally. You will always be my equal, if not more. Ask me things. I will tell you everything. Okay?"

Tally takes her hand and holds it there, "Okay."

They're broken from their moment when May Craven yells up to Tally asking what's taking so long and Tally lets her hand drop away.

Sarah heads towards the doorway leaving Tally standing there, Tally manages to get the words out, "Sarah?" The older woman turns to look at her waiting. "Ask me things too, okay?"

Sarah smiles, "Okay."

Tally smiles in return and the two of them leave the room to go join May before she comes searching for them. And Tally really doesn't want her mom ruining the moment any further.