Hally sat at the conference table, half-heartedly flipping through the pages of the briefing dossier. Words were being passed across the table, the kind of focused chatter that usually demanded her full attention. They were discussing the Cyber conversion unit that had been discovered in Plymouth, one member of the team who had discovered it was outlining the facts they'd gathered so far. Several missing humans in the immediate area, power outages, the whole Cyberman army starter kit.

They'd traced it back to one singular Cyberman, one who hadn't quite gotten the 'mass suicide' memo.

One of Missy's strays.

The team was discussing next steps, the best approach moving forward, balancing caution and aggression. Act too quickly and they might lose them, too slowly and more humans might end up converted. They were assuming between five and ten had been converted so far, but it could be more. Recon was the first step, though Kate was already leaning toward an aggressive strategy.

Hally barely nodded.

She wasn't really listening.

"Come here." A purr so low Hally was sure she felt it pulse between her legs.

The way her wrists were cuffed together behind her back, arms bent at right angles made straddling her wife a challenge. But she was nothing if not stubbornly resolute.

"Judging by the number of power surges we've picked up within the local area, we're looking at at least seven completed or attempted conversions…"

Her knees pressed against the edges of the armchair, the scratch of Missy's skirt itching the inside of her thighs as she settled on her lap. Missy's hand didn't tease as it slipped between her thighs, pushing long, purposeful fingers into her heat.

"We could send in a recon team, gather further intel."

"What information are we missing before we can dismantle the unit?"

"Well… we've not come across this particular system. It's origins are not… primarily Cyber-technology."

Her other hand came to rest at her hip, easing her into a steady rhythm rocking onto her hand. The moan that fell from Hally's lips had a smirk curving sharply onto her face. "Attagirl… take what you need, poppet."

"I assume we're talking about Time Lord technology?" Jack's voice cut across, and it drew her attention momentarily.

Kate offered them both a tight-lipped smile. "Indeed."
The conversation filtered back towards intelligence gathering…

"Tell me I can come," Hally pleaded, her voice breaking, hips rocking with increasing desperation. "Please…"

Missy brought up her free hand, tangling it in her hair as she pulled her down against her lips. Kissing Missy was all-consuming. It left her breathless and squirming. Missy was intent in the invasion of her mouth. Her tongue teased and tormented while her teeth were not shy in reminding her of their presence. With her mouth, Missy took, she commanded and Hally surrendered.

Pulling away, leaving Hally gasping, Missy's mouth pulled into a smile, the red of her lipstick so dark it could have been blood. She leant in, her breath fanning across Hally's face as she opened her mouth. "You ca-"

"Hally?"

The sound of her name stalled the memory to a sharp halt.

Ah, Kate was looking straight at her, expectantly.

Clearing her throat Hally willed her hopelessly distracted brain to remember the last few sentences of the conversation. But, traitorously, it was coming up blank. She dared a glance at Jack, hoping for a clue. Instead, she found his trademark smirk spreading ever so slowly across his face, confirming her suspicions: she'd been caught zoning out.

She decided to keep it vague and hope for the best. "I can look into it… get back to you."

Kate didn't seem to notice anything amiss and moved on, wrapping up the meeting. The room gradually emptied as people filed out, and Hally snatched up the dossier in front of her, making a mental note to track down the meeting minutes later. Hopefully, they'd clue her in on whatever it was she'd just committed to doing.

"I'm eighty percent sure you weren't listening to any of that…" Jack's drawl hummed over her shoulder as she moved down the corridor towards her office. She chucked a look back at him, her lips curving with a pout.

She should have known that simply ignoring his evident jab wouldn't stop him from continuing. "You look… nice. New clothes?"

Hally let out an exasperated huff, pushing open her office door, resolute to the likelihood of Jack following her. Of course, he'd noticed.

She had woken up around a week ago to find almost all of her clothes had been replaced.

"Oh, dearest," Missy purred, lounging on the bed watching her stew with painted amusement. "The whole barely-holding-it-together look is quite adorable on you, but we both know you can do so much better."

"Something like that." Hally muttered, dumping the files on her desk as she made her way to her seat. Jack, apparently taking that as an invitation, strolled in and dropped into the chair opposite her, one leg crossing over the other in a picture of casual amusement.

"She's got style. I'll admit that."

"Yes. Yes. It's bloody annoying." Hally clipped, running her hand through her hair. "I look amazing." Her tongue clicked irritably against the top of her mouth. "She swapped out my makeup too, and then… then, she took me out to get my hair cut before we went on our date."

Jack's chuckle was low and warm, a hum of amusement beneath her words.

"I'm not saying I don't like it… because I do," Hally admitted as she opened her laptop. "I don't think I've looked this put together since… well, since the last time The Master picked out my wardrobe."

The irritation in her voice was there, but it rang hollow. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips despite her best efforts.

Jack's grin turned downright wolfish. "And is that what's got you so distracted?"

The knowing gleam in his eyes made her cheeks warm. She rolled her eyes, hoping the movement would mask her blush. "Sure… let's pretend it was."

"So," Jack said, leaning forward with a smirk that could rival Missy's. "Dating's going well, then?"

Hally snorted, her glare playful. "Shush, you."

Jack's grin was broad and mischievous. "…You know… too many orgasms can be bad for you, right?"

She choose to actively ignore his bait, instead shaking her head. "I suppose dating is going well. Although… we're not really…" She settled back into her chair. "…well, we're not actually having sex after the dates."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, his interest piqued. "Oh? So when are you having sex?"

Hally let out a slow hum of laughter, amused by how effortlessly he cut past any social etiquette to just ask. "Just… now and then."

"Uh-huh. Is that why you've been to the school so much?"

Her cheeks warmed, and she shifted slightly under his gaze. "Maybe."

"Oh boy," Jack said, straightening in his seat, his expression both entertained and incredulous. "Okay… during the day?"

"People can have sex during the day." She replied matter-of-factly, her tone perfectly innocent.

Jack barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, no, I know… So, hold on, let me get this straight—you're dating your wife while simultaneously having casual afternoon sex with your wife?"

"Yeah…"

"Right…" He blinked, tilting his head as if trying to process the logistics of her statement.

"That's not that weird, is it?" Hally asked, her curiosity genuine.

Jack pulled a thoughtful face, clearly weighing his response. "Uh… well… who am I to judge?"

"Huh…" She considered it for a moment. "It is quite casual. I mean, it's good… don't get me wrong, it's… good."

Jack raised an eyebrow, the motion exaggerated enough to make her laugh despite herself.

"…But she doesn't…" Hally hesitated, biting her lip, unsure how much detail was too much. Finally, she pushed ahead. "It's not like we're having sex together. It's more… her having sex with me."

Jack's eyebrows climbed even higher, though his expression remained free of judgment.

Hally frowned, coughing awkwardly. "I don't know… it's like she's holding out. In fact—no, I know she's holding out. I just… I'm not completely sure why."

Jack shifted in his seat, his brow furrowing thoughtfully. "Can you not feel why?" he asked, tilting his head.

Hally bit her lip again, her gaze dropping to her desk. "Uh… we haven't… we're not…" She cleared her throat, her voice faltering.

Jack's frown deepened. "You haven't? At all?"

She shrugged, her expression uncertain. "It's just different. I don't know…"

"Maybe that's why she's not letting you reciprocate?"

"Yeah, it might be," Hally admitted, her voice quieter now. "She's done that before—not… well, held back until we were… you know, in each other's heads." She gave a soft laugh, but the sound felt hollow.

"I thought that just happened? By proximity?"

"Yeah… no… it does," she said, fidgeting with the edge of her desk. "I'm not… blocking her out. She's still there, it's just… I don't know. It's just surface level."

"Why?" Jack asked, his tone softer now, the teasing replaced with genuine concern.

Hally sighed, leaning back against the desk as though the weight of the question had settled on her shoulders. "I don't know. Sometimes it just takes time."

Alina had handed her the project file that morning, with a smile and the ominous words: "End of day, please."

Any hope Hally had of sneaking out for a stolen lunch break with Missy had rather quickly evaporated in that moment.

Hally really wasn't all too sure why this particular report needed to be completed so urgently but, well… she'd learnt to simply acquiesce to Alina's requests. The path of least resistance.

Barely five minutes into what should have been her lunch hour, Hally heard a sharp knock at the door. Before she could even call out, the door swung open, revealing the unmistakable silhouette of her wife.

Hally blinked, momentarily disoriented by the sight of Missy standing there, framed by the door.

"What are you doing?" Hally asked, her voice coming out more incredulous than she intended.

Missy's sharp smile curled upward. She shut the door behind her with a decisive click, not bothering to answer right away. Instead, she sauntered into the room. "You didn't show up for lunch," she said finally, her tone crisp, each word carrying that air of cool, amused impatience.

Hally opened her mouth to reply, but Missy didn't seem to need a response yet. She was already surveying the space like an artist appraising a blank canvas. Her sharp eyes swept across the room, taking in every detail with a slow, methodical precision. Her gaze lingered on the haphazard stack of folders by the computer, the barely touched mug of tea, the faintly scuffed edge of the desk that suggested Hally sometimes sat on it when she was too restless to stay in her chair. Missy moved as though she were cataloguing everything she saw, filing away each piece of evidence to construct a fuller picture of Hally in this space.

She trailed a finger lightly over the edge of a bookshelf, inspecting it for dust, though Hally knew Missy was less interested in cleanliness than in how the books were arranged, what they might reveal about her. Then, Missy turned her attention to the collection of knick-knacks on the windowsill—gifts from Lily, little souvenirs Hally had picked up throughout office life. Missy paused, picking up a miniature plastic potted plant. "Adorable," she murmured, setting it back down with deliberate care.

Hally shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The space she spent hours in every day, which had always felt functional and impersonal, now seemed oddly intimate under Missy's scrutiny.

"Sorry… yes… no, I'm busy," Hally stammered, gesturing vaguely at the mountain of paperwork on her desk. Her cheeks felt warm.

Missy turned, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she stepped closer to Hally's desk. "Well, clearly," she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy as she eyed the clutter. "This is… charming."

Hally glared up at her, but the effect was ruined by the way Missy leaned forward, resting her hands on the edge of the desk. Her smile sharpened into something teasing and predatory. "Of course," Missy added, "we can always make it quick." She winked scandalously.

Before Hally could form a response, another knock sounded at the door. It was a lighter, more measured tap this time, but still firm enough to force their attention. The door creaked open just a fraction before Alina poked her head in, her expression bright and almost too cheerful.

"Ah, you're both here. Perfect," she said, her tone chipper enough to immediately raise suspicion.

Hally frowned, her eyes darting between Alina and Missy. Her wife, ever quick to pick up on an ulterior motive, tilted her head, her sharp gaze narrowing on Alina. "Coercion, Alina. I expected better from you," Missy drawled, her voice laced with dry amusement as she straightened, clearly bracing for whatever was about to unfold.

"Or," Alina countered, stepping fully into the room with a smile, "it's just a coincidence." She let the implication hang in the air for a moment before adding lightly, "But… while I have you both here…"

Missy's eyes narrowed further, her lips curling into a smirk that could cut glass. Without missing a beat, she crossed her arms and shifted to lean casually against the edge of Hally's desk. The motion was deliberate, calculated—a declaration that she and Hally were now a united front against whatever plan Alina had concocted.

"We're not doing this." Missy said firmly, her voice carrying an edge of mockery as she gestured vaguely toward the office. "I came here to do unspeakable things to my wife on her desk, not relapse into couples therapy."

The noise that vibrated in Hally's throat was akin to a warning growl.

Unbothered, Missy raised an eyebrow and smirked, clearly enjoying herself.

Alina, unflappable as ever, simply shrugged, her smile unwavering. "We don't need to sit down and have a proper chat," she replied lightly, as though Missy's reply hadn't been wildly inappropriate. "I just wanted to check in."

Hally stared at her for a moment, her brain working to catch up. Finally, she managed to string together a sentence. "So… you did plan this," she said, narrowing her eyes at Alina.

"I am not confirming that," Alina replied smoothly, her tone so practised it was impossible to tell if she was joking or serious.

Hally let out a long sigh, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair. "So you don't actually need this by the end of the day?" she asked, gesturing toward the stack of files Alina had dropped off earlier, which Hally had assumed were urgent.

Alina's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Friday would be fine," she said breezily, clearly enjoying herself.

Hally let out a frustrated huff, slumping back into her chair. She glanced at Missy, then back at Alina, who seemed perfectly content to remain standing in the middle of her office until she got what she wanted. The human had manoeuvred the pair of them into her trap with expert precision, and there was no escaping it now.

Missy, meanwhile, was glaring at Alina, her expression one of pointed annoyance, though it was clear from the slight quirk of her lips that she wasn't entirely unamused. "This is entrapment," she muttered under her breath.

Alina ignored her, moving to lean back against the wall. The move was casual, and yet displayed her obvious intent to remain. "So," she began, "how are things going?"

The question seemed innocuous enough, but Hally could feel the weight of it immediately.

Missy's eyes narrowed further, and she let out a low, warning hum. "Define 'things,'" she said, her voice silky smooth and dripping with menace.

"Things," Alina replied simply, still smiling, her tone maddeningly vague but pointed enough to indicate that she wasn't going anywhere until she got a response.

Hally groaned, pressing her hands to her temples. "Can we not do this right now?"

"Oh, do you have other things you need to be doing?" Alina shot back, eyes slipping between the pair of them.

It hung in the air, an obvious challenge.

Hally conceded with a heavy exhale. "Fine," she replied curtly, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair. "Things are fine."

Alina tilted her head, considering her for a moment. "How's Lily adjusting?" she asked casually.

"She's fine," Hally answered, her voice clipped. "She adores her."

Alina hummed softly, clearly unsatisfied with the surface-level response. "Are you having sex?"

Hally groaned audibly, pinching the bridge of her nose as her patience began to wear thin. "That's a bit forward for just 'checking in,' don't you think?" she muttered, shooting Alina an irritated glance.

Unfazed, Alina simply smiled.

"Yes," Hally admitted finally, her tone flat. She shot Missy a quick glance, looking for backup—or at least some form of solidarity.

Missy cocked her head to one side, a faint glimmer of amusement dancing in her eyes. She offered no comment, seemingly content to let Hally take the lead.

"And how have you found the shift in the dynamic?" Alina pressed, her gaze unwavering. "Having her here with Lily, too?"

"It's fine," Hally replied with a shrug.

Alina leaned forward slightly, her expression neutral but probing. "Suddenly having someone else's parenting style can be difficult."

"It's been fine. Like I said, Lily adores her."

The silence that followed felt heavier than it should have. Alina's narrowed eyes lingered on Hally, her thoughtful expression clearly signalling that she wasn't buying the breezy response.

"Have you discussed your reservations about what happened?" Alina asked finally, her tone calm but insistent.

"Yes," Hally said with a touch of impatience. "We did. We moved past it."

Alina didn't immediately respond, her gaze flicking between the two of them as if assessing the truth of Hally's words. A faint wrinkle formed at the bridge of her nose, but after a long beat, she turned her attention to Missy.

"And you?" Alina began, her tone taking on a sharper edge. "Do you think what you did could have been self-destructive?"

Missy's eyes narrowed, her posture stiffening as her tone sharpened to match Alina's. "Sorry?"

Alina shrugged, her nonchalant demeanour doing little to mask the deliberate provocation behind her question. "Some people, when they're close to getting everything they want, find a way of imploding. Do you think that might be what happened?"

Missy scoffed, the sound cold and dismissive. "I wasn't being self-destructive," she said icily. "I was being purposefully and precisely destructive."

"Mmhmm," Alina hummed, clearly unconvinced. Her gaze lingered on the pair of them for a few more silent moments, as though she was waiting for one of them to crack. When neither of them did, she sighed softly.

"Kate wants to see you in her office," Alina offered finally, straightening up and adopting a more formal tone.

Hally pulled a face, groaning. "Now?"

"Yes," Alina replied firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Hally pouted, the reluctance clear in her every movement as she rose slowly from her chair.

Alina turned to Missy, her polite smile sharp. "Both of you," she added with a pointed look.

Missy arched an eyebrow, her lips curving into a slow, mischievous smile. "Oh, how exciting," she purred, pushing off the edge of Hally's desk with a dramatic flourish.

Missy strolled into the office ahead of her, she moved with purpose, her gaze sweeping the room like she was assessing how best to occupy it.

"You summoned?" She cooed, her tone a mix of playful arrogance and thinly veiled mockery. Hally closed the door behind them.

Kate glanced up from her desk, her eyes darting between the pair of them before she gestured toward the chairs in front of her. "If you could take a seat, I have something I want to run past you both."

Missy didn't hesitate, easing herself into a chair with deliberate elegance. She crossed her legs, her black turtleneck and long black skirt impeccably fitted. The skirt rode just high enough to reveal her ankles. It was quite frankly ridiculous the effort it took Hally to draw her gaze away from the exposed skin. "Yes, ma'am," Missy drawled, the faintest smirk tugging at her lips.

Kate's jaw tightened, but she chose to let the condescension slide, focusing instead on the matter at hand. She picked up a folder from her desk, opening it with the kind of precision that suggested she'd rehearsed this conversation in her mind.

"The identified Cyber Unit," Kate began, her eyes flicking briefly to Hally with a hint of understanding, "I want to send the two of you to handle it."

Hally blinked. Slowly, she shifted from where she'd been perched and sank into the seat beside Missy. "Uh… the two of us…?" she echoed.

"That is what she just said, dearest. Keep up," Missy quipped, her tone laden with mock chastisement. Her lips curved into a knowing smirk as she watched Hally shoot her a glare—half-annoyed, half-resigned.

Kate didn't flinch, her composure as unyielding as ever. "Missy knows the system," she explained simply. "She did partially create it, after all. It's the most efficient option."

Missy's smirk deepened, her eyes dancing with a mixture of amusement and challenge. "...and?" she prompted, leaning forward slightly savouring the tension in the room.

Kate's tone sharpened, the words pointed as they cut through the subtle games. "And… because I don't think it's unreasonable to ask you to clean up your own mess."

The shift in Missy's demeanour was almost imperceptible, but Hally caught it—the faint tightening of her jaw, the way her smile sharpened at the edges like a blade. Her head tilted, her expression unreadable, but she said nothing.

Taking their silence as tacit agreement, Kate pressed on. "We believe there are six converted Cyber units currently operational at the site. The objective is straightforward: shut it down before they have the chance to expand further. Get in, delete everything from their system, and destroy the units and the conversion equipment."

She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest as her eyes fixed on Missy with deliberate intent. "A little destruction," she added with a faint edge of irony. "Thought you might enjoy that."

Missy's smile widened, her eyes alight with mischief as though Kate had just handed her the perfect gift. "Oh, you do know how to make a girl feel special," she drawled, her voice dripping with mock affection.

The air was damp and carried the tang of oil and scorched metal. Hally crouched behind a rusting shipping container, her glare fixed on the flickering neon sign above the factory's nondescript entrance. The building loomed in the shadows, its purpose hidden but unmistakably ominous.

Behind her, Missy leaned casually against the container, her posture the epitome of nonchalance as she inspected her nails. "Darling, if you're trying to intimidate the building with that glower, I fear you're falling short."

Hally didn't spare her a glance. "I'm not trying to intimidate anything. Just trying to figure out how the hell we're going to do this quietly when I've got you here."

Missy gasped, pressing a hand to her chest in mock offence. "Oh, my sweet little storm cloud, you wound me. Have you forgotten that subtlety is my middle name?"

Hally side-eyed her. "Yuhuh, sure." She let out a soft sigh. "Ok, so." Hally said, her teeth clenched. "We get in, figure out how many Cybermen they've got in production, hack the system, destroy the whole operation, and get out. Quietly."

Missy nodded, adopting a look of exaggerated solemnity. "Quietly. Like a whisper on the wind. Like a shadow in the ni—"

"Missy."

"Yes, darling?"

"Shut up."

Missy chuckled, straightening up and brushing imaginary dust off her coat. "Fine. Lead on, fearless leader."

Hally ignored her and crept toward the side entrance. As expected, the door was locked. She knelt, pressing her hand against the lock, acutely aware of Missy standing far too close behind her.

UNIT backup wasn't far off, but Kate's orders had been explicit: quick and quiet.

"You know," Missy murmured, her tone low and teasing, "you have a delightful little furrow between your brows when you're concentrating. Makes me want to—"

"Missy, I swear, if you don't stop talking—"

The lock clicked open, cutting her off. Hally shoved the door ajar and stepped back.

"Brilliant work, darling. Such nimble little fingers," Missy purred, slipping inside before Hally could stop her. Her black boots made almost no sound on the concrete floor.

Hally bit her tongue and followed, scanning the dim corridor ahead. The hum of machinery grew louder with every step, a faint blue glow leaking through cracks in the walls.

"Factory floor's supposedly straight ahead," Hally whispered, her voice low.

Missy tilted her head, as though listening for something only she could hear. "And the Cybermen?"

"We'll find out soon enough," Hally muttered, moving cautiously down the corridor.

Rows of storage crates lined their path, each stamped with large symbols. Missy paused, tapping one of the crates with her finger.

"Do you think this one's full of spare heads? Or perhaps legs? Always useful to have spares, don't you think?"

"Missy—"

"Oh, fine, I'll focus. Spoilsport."

The dim corridor gave way to the factory floor, a vast expanse of shadow and steel. Hally froze, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Rows upon rows of incomplete Cybermen hung lifelessly from mechanical rigs, their soulless faces illuminated by the eerie blue light that bathed the room.

Her stomach churned. "Creepy," she muttered under her breath.

Missy, however, seemed utterly thrilled. "This is just delightful," she whispered, her tone gleeful. "All this potential for chaos, and they're just… hanging around."

Hally shot her a look but didn't respond. Somewhere in this factory was the central conversion computer—that was what they needed.

As they crept forward, the hum of machinery seemed to grow louder, a mechanical heartbeat that set Hally's nerves on edge. Her eyes ran along the row of barely put together Cybermen. "I'm starting to think their estimate of five to ten might be slightly out…"

"Classic UNIT." Her wife hummed.

They found the conversion unit behind the plastic curtains—clumsy, ugly, and barely functional. How a device like that was still running, Missy could not understand. Humans truly had no finesse. The thing looked like it was held together with spit and prayers, but she supposed it didn't need to be perfect.

Mincing humans wasn't an art, after all.

A metal table, restraints, all of it poised for the meat processing. The saws hovered, the drills poised.

A perfect little butcher's table.

Missy's eyes flicked between the conversion unit and the low hum of Cyberman machinery that filled the factory floor. The dim, sickly glow of the place was unsettling enough, but it was the sound—the incessant mechanical buzz—that really scraped underneath her skin. Hally, of course, moved straight to business.

"Try powering it up," Hally suggested, her voice sharp with quiet determination. Missy's lips curled but she did as instructed.

The device flickered briefly, a weak response to the command, but then sputtered out. The screen glared with a disappointing grey screen.

"Primitive," Missy muttered, tapping a finger against the terminal in annoyance. "It barely has enough power to come out of stand-by. It's not going to turn on unless it's got something to convert." She glanced over at the table again, watching the hovering drills. "I need this on to delete the coding, poppet."

"I know." Hally bit back.

The silence between them stretched, filled only by the steady hum. Hally muttered to herself, pacing the length of the dimly lit room with a focused intensity. She'd pulled her hair back in a loose knot at the base of her neck, a few stray strands clinging to her temples.

Missy lounged nearby, perched lazily on an abandoned console, legs crossed at the knee, watching her wife with an arched brow and a growing sense of impatience.

"Are you planning to mutter your way out of this, or should I call ahead and book us in for Cyber-conversion now?" Missy drawled, her tone dripping with theatrical boredom.

Hally paused mid-step, fixing her with a glare. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Oh, absolutely," Missy shot back with a sharp grin. "When I'm asleep. Or dead. Briefly."

"Then try it now," Hally replied curtly, before turning her attention back to the tangled mess of wires and flashing panels in front of her.

Missy smirked, crossing her arms as she watched.

Oh, she's in one of those moods.

That edge of authority was creeping into her voice—crisp, commanding, a little too bossy for Missy's taste. And yet, plenty arousing.

"Ok… I've got a thought…" Hally started slowly.

"Brilliant. Do share with the class," Missy said with a lazy wave of her hand.

"It just makes sense for me to lie in the conversion unit…Long enough for you to turn it on and delete the coding."

Missy's sharp laugh echoed through the room. "Oh, darling, that's a bold choice. You do know what a conversion unit is, don't you? Clue's in the name. Conversion. As in, turning you into one of them."

Hally ignored her, already pulling off her jacket and rolling up her sleeves. "It's the only way to override the system. It's barely functional, I'm more than sure you can hack into it before it does any damage."

Missy's amusement faded, her gaze narrowing as she slipped off the console and stalked closer. "Oh, darling. And what if the little conversion unit packs more of a punch than you assume? What happens then, hmm? I'm left explaining to Lily why Mummy's a Cyberlady now? 'Sorry, darling, she got a little too brave for her own good.'"

Hally's jaw tightened as she busied herself with the controls. "It'll work," she said firmly.

"That confidence is very attractive," Missy replied, her tone deceptively light, "but it's not terribly convincing." She reached out, gently taking Hally's wrist to still her movements. "You know I find you irresistible in anything but Cyber conversion might just be the limit."

Hally let out a soft sigh, fixing her with her gaze. "If it even scratches me, I'll disintegrate the whole thing.2

If Missy had any sense, she would have blown the whole thing up then and there. It would probably do.

But no. Her wife. Her idiot, beautiful wife. Of course, she wanted to play hero. She insisted on taking the lead.

So there they were. Standing in the pathetic excuse for a conversion room. Her wife, the guinea pig. Hally, looking far too serene for Missy's liking, her shoulders relaxed like she was about to settle into a cosy chair instead of a machine designed to mince meat into a walking steel pipe.

"Fine. Fine," Missy muttered, rolling her eyes. "Go on then. But you better hope I don't have to pull you out of this thing, because I'm not going to be gentle."

Hally shot her a glance, that look she always gave when Missy was being unnecessarily dramatic. "I'll be fine."

Missy gritted her teeth.

And sure enough, when Hally lay back on the table, it wasn't with any hint of fear. She felt fine. Steady. Too damn steady. No fear, no trembling, just... fine. Like she was about to take a nap.

She worked quickly at the terminal, fingers darting over the cracked keyboard. The system was a mess— practically begging to be shut down. But it was still stubborn as hell. They'd ruined it with their typical Cyberman nonsense. Like the universe had a personal vendetta against her sanity.

"Stupid thing," Missy hissed under her breath, slamming a key in frustration. "Come on, come on..."

Behind her, Hally shifted, her voice cutting through the noise of the machines. "Hurry up. It's not getting any more comfortable in here."

"Yeah, well, you're the one who wanted to lie there." Missy shot a look over her shoulder, trying and failing to hide the irritation in her voice. "Twenty seconds, darling!" Missy called back, mostly to herself, but it was something to say to drown out the building whir of the machinery. The conversion unit was slowly powering up. The arms were twitching, preparing to move, drills spinning. Missy could feel her hearts beating irritably in her chest.

"Do shout if any blades come near your neck!" she quipped, trying to keep her voice light, though she could feel her own unease tightening like a knot in her chest.

"That's not helpful!" Hally snapped back, voice sharp. No fear. No panic. Just fine.

The low metallic hum filled the room, and the conversion arms twitched again, closer now, their blades snapping into position. Missy spun back to the terminal, fingers flying as she typed frantically. She couldn't afford to waste a second.

There was a clang.

A sharp, brutal crack of metal against metal, and before Missy could react, something slammed into the back of her head. The force sent her stumbling forward, her vision flashing white. The terminal buckled under her grip. Her head ringing she pushed herself up, spinning around just in time to see the Cyberman advancing.

"Oh no, you don't," she snarled, eyes narrowing. No. No.

In one fluid motion, she yanked the weapon unit from the Cyberman's arm, her hand steady despite the rage burning through her. She slammed it into the thing's chest, sparks flying as the electricity surged through the Cyberman's body. It convulsed, jerking and thrashing before it crashed to the floor with a resounding clatter.

"Missy!" Hally's voice rang out, panicked.

Relief surged through Missy.

Hally still felt fine.

Whatever this machine was doing, it hadn't harmed her.

But then she saw it—the blood. It pooled under the table, dark and spreading. Her gaze flicked up to her face. Pale. Her breathing ragged.

The drill had pierced her hip.

Something was soldering along her shoulder.

Yet, somehow she couldn't feel the pain.

Her hand slammed against the control panel, shutting it off with a harsh, mechanical thud. The machine stilled.

A low groan of pain slipped from Hally's lips as she pressed her hand against the drill, her fingers curling around it, and with a forceful push, she disintegrated it beneath her touch. The remnants of the machinery crumbled to dust, but the victory felt hollow. Missy's hearts lurched as she moved closer, already knowing what she'd find.

Hally stood there, blood streaking across her hip and shoulder, dark red staining her skin. Missy crouched beside her, her hands moving automatically, trying to assess the damage even as her mind screamed. Blood slicked her fingers, warm and alarming in its volume.

It wasn't right.

Hally wasn't supposed to bleed like this—not like this.

She should be healing. She had to be healing.

Faster.

Faster.

Stop bleeding, woman.

Missy shifted the fabric of Hally's torn shirt, her fingers twitching as she revealed a large, ugly gash across her wife's clavicle. The wound was raw, burnt, and oozing. It didn't look like Hally. It didn't feel like her.

"You're not healing," Missy said, her voice low, hard with confusion. She touched the wound gingerly, but there was no change. No sign of regeneration. "Why aren't you healing?"

Hally's eyes fluttered. Her body swayed, her head tilting. She collapsed forward into Missy's arms, her hands gripping weakly at her.

"No," Missy insisted, her voice a sharp, desperate command. "Don't you dare pass out on me. Do you hear me? Don't you dare."

Her wife's blood soaked through Missy's clothes, warm and wet. And against her, Hally's body fell limp. For a moment, Missy's breath caught in her throat, panic surging through her like a flood. She held on tighter, her own fear choking her as she cradled her wife against her chest.

Her dead weight had her shifting, moving to pull her into her chest. Her lips pressed against the cool skin of her wife's temple. "You stupid, infuriating, beautiful idiot," Missy whispered, her voice trembling despite herself.

The pale form of her wife lay unconscious in the medical bay. She could have taken her to the TARDIS, but something had stopped her, something had had her bring her to UNIT. The soft hum of machines surrounded her like a distant, mechanical heartbeat. Her jaw tight, Missy stood nearby, her eyes never leaving her wife's still form, her expression fierce.

"You put her in that unit," Jack's voice was low, a barely contained frustration in his words. He stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed.

The words hit Missy like a slap. She turned toward him, her voice snapping, "The plan wasn't for her to get hurt!" She shifted her attention to the so far useless doctor. "Why isn't she healing?"

"I can't find any biological reason," Owen replied, his eyes focused on the readout from the various machines attached to Hally.

Missy's eyes narrowed at him, her irritation burning hot beneath her skin. "Then why did she pass out? She's lost more blood than that before."

Owen glanced at the monitors, clearly conflicted. "Most likely she passed out from pain."

Missy shook her head sharply, her voice low but forceful. "But she wasn't in pain. That much pain, I would have felt it." Her gaze turned back to Hally, softened for a brief moment. "She was okay. She was fine..."

Owen paused, thinking carefully. "Keeping her unconscious seems to be letting her heal faster."

Alina, standing near the door, stepped forward. "Does she have any conscious control over it?"

Missy shook her head slowly. "Not consciously, no. There are subconscious nuances. Or if she was exerting enough energy, enough power, it might delay it, but she wasn't. She wasn't doing anything."

Alina didn't look convinced. "You should have been able to feel that much pain, if she was in enough pain to pass out, you should have felt it?"

"Yes." Missy's answer was instant, though her lips thinned, her jaw clenched.

"How much effort would it take for her to hide that from you?" Alina asked, her voice curious, probing.

"You can't hide it, it doesn't work like that," Missy snapped, her tone sharp as a knife.

"Can't it?" Alina pressed.

Missy's eyes narrowed, her patience starting to fray. "You can't lie through a telepathic bond, not like that. It would take years of practice—purposeful practice. She isn't lying. I've been able to feel her." She took a breath.

Alina pushed. "When she's angry? Sad? You've been able to feel it?"

Missy shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Alina's eyes. "She hasn't… she hasn't been that emotional."

Missy stood frozen, her eyes locked on the figure of her wife, unconscious and vulnerable on the bed. The words echoing in her head seemed distant at first. Alina's disbelief, Jack's prodding, all of it faded into the background as something inside Missy festered uncomfortably.

"What about in the cave?" Jack asked. "She was emotional then. She nearly brought the roof down on us, we saw how emotional she was."

The words lingered, but it was the silence from Missy that spoke the loudest. She remained still, her gaze unblinking, a slow realisation dawning.

"Did you feel that? Through the bond? Could you feel it then?"

No response. Not from Missy. She didn't even turn to look at them. Everything else faded into the background as she felt the pull of her wife's mind, an instinct she had learned long ago—finding her, even in her silence.

Turning sharply, her heels clicking on the floor, she moved toward Hally. Her steps were quick, purposeful—there was no asking for permission. Missy's fingers brushed the side of Hally's temple, her touch warm. She didn't hesitate. She dove in.

Inside, it was chaos—walls, layers, resistance. Something thick, sluggish, pressing her out. Missy dug, pushing through it with a force that stung. It would've hurt, probably would have burned if she were awake. She needed to know.

Then, like a dam breaking, something cracked, and pain flooded through her.

It was a sharp, jagged thing, slicing through her consciousness in waves. The emotion—fear, pain, guilt, confusion—came at her in a torrential flood, so powerful it stole her breath.

It was all there.

Pieces she hadn't known to ask about.

Hidden under layers of 'fine.'

Missy pressed deeper into Hally's mind.

Beneath every surface emotion Hally had presented to her since she'd revealed herself—calm, collected, infuriatingly "fine"—lay a torrent Missy hadn't seen, hadn't been able to see. Each hidden wound surfaced, slicing at Missy with cutthroat precision.

They were moments Missy knew, times she had brushed against Hally's emotions through their connection and dismissed them as fleeting. But here, in the raw and unfiltered reality of Hally's mind, they were so much more.

The quick wince Hally had once hidden behind a laugh when Missy teased her about being too serious. "It's only a joke," Missy had said, brushing it off. But now she felt the sting it had left behind—sharp and lingering, Hally twisting the blade herself.

The stiff nod Hally had given when Missy had snapped, "I don't need your constant hovering!" She'd told herself it was nothing at the time, but now Missy saw it for what it was: a quiet retreat, Hally folding herself into the corners of her own mind.

The too-tight smile when Lily had run to her, arms open, yelling for Mamaidh—not for her. Hally had waved it off, hiding her hurt behind a tired grin. But Missy could feel it now, the ache that had radiated through her wife like an echo, settling deep into her bones.

Fear seemed to sit within her.

The fear she'd failed.

Fractures inside her wife.

"Did you always have those eyebags, or are they new?" Lily's voice rang out, bright and unthinking, a child's curiosity turned blade. "Because that could never be enough, could it? It couldn't be enough to just come home with me." Hally's voice echoed, raw and wounded. "It's always you. You never let me do anything," "Where's Daddy?" The words scraped. "Mamaidh is my favourite." It had been meant with love, but the words clanged in Missy's mind now, the way they'd pressed into Hally like a reminder of who she wasn't. "She stayed over once, why can't she stay over always?" "I don't owe you anything." "You're such a control freak."

That fear.

Fear she'd resent her.

Fear she hadn't done enough.

Fear she'd been too broken to fix.

Fear her wife wouldn't like the person she'd become.

Missy's fingers pressed against her temples.

The nights she'd felt her waver and assumed she was just tired. Now, she saw the truth: the restless nights spent overthinking every decision, every word, every misstep.

The loneliness she'd hidden in the quiet spaces between their lives.

It was suffocating. It was unbearable. It was her.

"Wake her up," Missy rasped.

When no one moved, her gaze snapped up, her eyes burning with fury—and something far more fragile beneath it. "Wake. Her. Up," she hissed, each word cutting through the air like a blade.

Alina shifted and with a silent nod, she moved to remove the sedation. Slowly, Hally's body began to stir, her mind pulling itself back from the depths of unconsciousness.

She felt it then, the wall. Like the soft falling of a veil, softening the sharp edges. The pain, the guilt, the fears, all softened into a hazy blur, replaced with an overwhelming sense of 'fine.'

When Hally's eyes fluttered open, the quiet pain in her expression was enough to cut through Missy's chest like a knife. Her gaze met Missy's.

"You've been lying to me…"

Ice-blue eyes locked onto hers, fierce and unyielding, a storm swirling in them that cut through the haze of grogginess clouding Hally's mind.

She blinked, trying to focus. Her shoulder and hip ached—stiff, dull pain that tugged at her movements, though not as sharp as it had been before. Still, it was enough to make her wince. "What...?" Her voice was thick, disoriented.

"You've been lying. Lying to me." The growl in Missy's voice made Hally shiver. Anger simmered beneath the words, raw and fierce.

Hally scowled, her brow furrowing in annoyance. "I haven't said anything." She was snippier than she intended, the irritation bubbling up as Missy's fingers remained pressed to her temples. She tried to bat them away, but Missy only tightened her hold.

She shifted, sitting up. The pain was manageable, but it still pulled at her. She glanced around the room, taking in the silent audience. Her gaze returned to Missy, who was staring at her with an intensity that bordered on fury.

The tension between them crackled. Missy's hand moved to her hip, pressing there in a way that made Hally hiss in pain. It was still too raw to bear. "Ow. Stop it."

But Missy didn't move.

"Does that hurt?" Her voice was low, dangerous.

"Yes. Ow." Hally scowled harder, feeling the sharpness of the pain, the indignity of it.

"So why can't I feel it?" Missy's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something darker passing over them. She leaned in, the bond between them flaring, pressing so hard it made Hally wince. It was more than uncomfortable; it was painful.

"Why, why is it that all I can feel coming from you is contentment?" Missy's voice was sharp now, and it cut through Hally.

Hally slapped her hand away. "I don't know," she muttered, her throat tight. Her mind raced, but it was a blur. She didn't understand why Missy was pushing so hard. It wasn't comfortable. It hurt.

Missy didn't say anything more. Her gaze hardened, and before Hally could react, she grabbed her wrist, pulling her up, pulling her toward her. Off the bed. The force of it left no room for resistance. "Harkness," Missy clipped, her voice cold, detached. "Pick our daughter up from school. She's having a sleepover at yours." Without another word, the world around them shifted, twisting into a blur of movement, and suddenly, they were in Missy's TARDIS.

Hally didn't even have time to adjust before she was pressed up against the console. Not in the way she was used to. This wasn't sexual. This was Missy boxing her in, trapping her with nothing but them. Missy's forehead pressed against hers, close enough to feel the heat of her breath.

"Stop lying."

"I'm not…" Hally's words faltered, the weight of Missy's gaze smothering her.

But Missy wasn't listening. She pressed harder, pushing through Hally's thoughts, pushing through the layers of contentment she had carefully woven. The pain was sharp now, like ice shattering through her defences. Missy didn't stop until she'd broken back through, until she broke through the calm exterior Hally had built around herself. The ocean of content breaking against the island of what was real. What was true.

"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why have you been lying to me?"
"I haven't…"
"Stop it. Stop it. Liar."

"I don't know… I don't know what you mean. Missy… Can you ease up? It hurts."

Missy was moving through her mind, inside it like an intruder, roughly, without permission. She shifted through memories—raw moments, blurred by years of suppressed emotions. Lily. The first time Hally felt her presence, the subtle echo of Lily's own emotions. The first time she'd realised that, when she was happy, Lily was happy—when she was anxious, Lily felt it too. It was there, embedded in her mind: a shared consciousness.

Missy's presence in her mind was overwhelming, shifting, as though searching for something. Hally couldn't keep up with it, couldn't keep track of the moments it unearthed.

But there was one memory, clear as day. The day she had shifted, forced herself to smile when her birthday had arrived and she should have been celebrating. It was a perfect moment for Lily, but Hally had buried her own emotions deep, buried her exhaustion, her worry. She wanted to be fine, for her daughter.

She'd shut down, a smile painted on her face, as if her joy was a costume she had to wear for Lily's sake. She had learned to do that, to make herself fine, always fine, so that Lily didn't feel the strain, so that Lily never had to be heavy with her mother's worries.

Hally's mind spun. It hadn't been intentional. She hadn't meant to shut herself off. But she had done it, so many times.

The feelings, emotions, began to slip between them both at once. I didn't mean to…

The pain was so sharp it felt like a physical wound.

Missy was inside her, working, threading through the barrier Hally had created. "She doesn't have to feel everything you feel."

It was a quiet thought, so soft, but it echoed, shaking the foundations of the wall Hally had built in her mind.

"I didn't want her to feel blocked out."

The bond between them was immense, constant. And it was wide open. Missy could feel everything Hally was trying so hard to suppress, trying so hard to lock away, just as Hally felt Missy's emotions crashing against her like a storm. "No, you don't have to block her out. It's a muscle. You can contract it. You can thin it out. It doesn't have to be everything or nothing."

Missy wasn't just in her mind; she was beside her, pressed up against her, both of them in the space between breaths, between thoughts.

Hally's pulse quickened, guilt rushing in as she felt Missy's words reverberating through her. She had failed. She had failed to find balance. She had failed in the one thing that should have come most naturally.

Don't.

Missy's thought cut through the chaos, a calm in the storm. "There wasn't anyone to show you. You didn't know how."

It wasn't untrue…

She had done so much on her own.

She'd done what she could.

She'd done her best.

Missy showed her. She guided her through it, carefully, tenderly. Hally felt a shift, the sensation of contraction, a narrowing of the river between herself and her daughter. Not closing it off. Not blocking it. But filtering it, making it manageable.

Missy's forehead pressed against hers, the contact grounding her. Her hands cradled Hally's head, holding her in place as she breathed through the process.

Don't lie.

The command was simple. The words echoed in Hally's mind.

She wasn't fine.

She didn't need to be.

"I'm sorry," Even the thought was quiet, subdued. "I didn't mean to…"

Missy's presence in her mind was soft now, not intrusive, but gentle. There was no anger in her thoughts. Only something deep and unwavering.

"You didn't know."

"I didn't know," Hally repeated.

She wasn't fine. And now, Missy could see. Missy was there. The weight of everything she'd carried was lighter when carried by the both of them.

"Don't hide from me, Hally," Missy whispered, the voice in her head an unspoken promise. "Not ever."

Hally's breath hitched, her chest tight, a wave of emotions crashing down on her. The walls she had so carefully constructed around her hearts crumbled. She didn't want to think anymore, didn't want to rationalise any of anything. Tears welled up, unbidden and raw, threatening to spill over. She swallowed hard, trying to force her voice steady, but it cracked under the weight of her words.

"Let's just go. We could go…All three of us. Just… we could…Let's do it."

Missy was quiet for a moment, the only sound the low hum of the TARDIS. The gentle whirring felt like it was pulsing in time with Hally's heartbeats. Then Missy's voice, soft yet firm, broke through the storm inside her mind.

"Sweetheart, you want her to have a home."

Hally shook her head, her grip tightening on the console as if it could anchor her to something solid in this swirling, fractured moment. "But I need this more. I want this more." A sob clawed its way up her throat. "What we'll exist like this here for… what… ten years? Until she's an adult?" Her voice quivered with the desperation, the weariness of being stretched too thin, of constantly trying to hold it together.

Missy turned to her then, her gaze piercing, knowing. "We could…"

Hally didn't need to hear the rest. She could see her. "I can see it in your eyes that you don't believe that," She whispered, almost too softly, as if afraid to speak the words aloud.

"Darling…" The silence stretched between them, heavy.

"I can feel you clinging to this like you know it's not long term."

There was truth in it, painful truth.

"We're all out of order, darling," Missy breathed, her voice lower, like a quiet promise.

Hally closed her eyes for a moment, feeling Missy's presence pressing close in her mind, grounding her, offering that sense of steadying comfort. And yet, the doubt was still there, gnawing at her.

"I've got you. I'm here. I'm all yours. I'm here."

It was the simple declaration, Hally could hear the sincerity in every syllable, feel the promise in it. And yet, her mind kept spinning, caught in the same whirlwind.

"Are you most comfortable at home?"

Hally's hearts fluttered at the question. She wasn't even sure anymore where she was comfortable, where she belonged. Missy's TARDIS was new… but it was Missy's. But home... Home was different. Home was where she had her family, where she could at least pretend to be normal, to be grounded.

"Here or home? Where are you most at ease?" Missy's voice was softer now.

Hally inhaled deeply, finally finding the words to answer. "Uh…" She hesitated, torn between the two worlds, both of them offering their own kind of safety. But truthfully, she knew where she felt real peace. "Home..." she whispered.

Missy nodded, her gaze shifting to the TARDIS controls as she piloted them through. The hum of the engines surrounded them, wrapping them in a cocoon of sound.

The TARDIS gave a final, soft shudder before landing with a gentle thud in the kitchen. The familiar hum of the time ship faded, leaving an almost eerie quiet in its wake. The air felt different here, more still. It was Hally's space, her home—calming in its predictability, in its walls, its comfort.

Missy was already moving, as always, a graceful force of nature, her every step precise and confident. She didn't waste time, leading her from the TARDIS. She crossed the small distance to the kitchenette in a fluid motion, not once looking back as she spoke over her shoulder. "Come on," she coaxed, the usual edge to her voice softened, gentled, as if sensing the weight that had settled in Hally's bones. "Let me look after you. I've got you."

Hally swallowed, her chest tight with exhaustion. There was a flicker of a moment, a reluctance to fold, but it died as quickly as it had come.

Turning slowly, she allowed Missy to guide her to the sofa. Her body ached—so sore, so heavy. Missy's touch, her steady hand on her back, was an unspoken promise that this was safe. That this was what Hally needed, even if she couldn't admit it aloud. She leaned back into the cushions, her eyelids fluttering closed as the quiet of the room settled around them. She didn't have to speak. Didn't have to explain. Missy was there, and that was enough.

It didn't take long for Missy to return with food. Hally's stomach growled faintly at the sight but there was a tightness in her gut, a reluctance she couldn't shake. She wasn't hungry. Not really. But Missy's gentle insistence had always been enough to push past any stubbornness.

"Here," Missy said, her voice low and soothing as she set a tray in front of her, the food steaming slightly. "I made it special. Now eat."

Hally felt the familiar, stubborn tug of resistance rise within her, and she muttered, "I'm fine," but Missy wasn't having it. She leaned closer, nudging the bowl gently toward her, her hands steady as she reached for the spoon.

"You've had a long day, love," Missy said, her tone as soft as a whisper, yet with an unshakeable sense of care. "Let me take care of you."

Hally hesitated, the voice in the back of her mind nagging at her, questioning why she should give in, why she should let Missy do this. There was guilt—always guilt—creeping into her thoughts, but Missy wasn't asking. She was simply doing. And maybe, that was ok.

She opened her mouth, allowing Missy to feed her, despite the ridiculousness of it, it seemed to spread warmth across her chest. A comforting wave. A feeling, buried so deeply within her. It was visceral. Letting herself be taken care of.

Missy kept feeding her, her voice a soft cadence, soothing in its regularity. Hally didn't know if it was the exhaustion or the tenderness of Missy's actions, but she felt herself sinking into the rhythm. It wasn't about words—it never was with them—but Missy's presence filled the silence in a way that made Hally feel lighter.

When the bowl was empty, Missy set it aside and settled beside her, her arm coming around Hally's shoulders, pulling her into the familiar warmth of her embrace.

"Rest," Missy murmured, her voice soft as she rubbed gentle circles on Hally's back. "I've got you."

Hally closed her eyes. She didn't care that the film on the screen didn't hold her attention. It didn't matter that her mind wandered to a thousand different places. All that mattered was Missy's hands, the comforting weight of her presence, her soft caress over Hally's skin, reminding her that she didn't have to carry it all alone.

She wasn't alone.

Not anymore.

When the movie ended, Missy didn't hesitate. She stood up, extending her hand toward Hally with an easy, unspoken command. "Come on," she said, her voice quiet but firm, a gentle authority Hally couldn't resist. "Let's get you into a bath. You deserve it."

Hally sighed, the weight of her weariness pressing down on her. She didn't argue. She didn't have the energy for it. With Missy's steady help, she rose to her feet and allowed herself to be guided to the bathroom, her muscles still sore, but the tension starting to ease.

Missy set the water running, her hands moving effortlessly as she adjusted the temperature. She undressed her slowly. The warmth from the bath was inviting, comforting, and Hally couldn't help but relax as she sank into the water. Missy sat at the edge, her eyes never leaving Hally's face.

Guarding something precious.

"Let me," Missy said quietly, her voice a soft command, and before Hally could respond, she reached for a washcloth, her fingers warm and sure as they began to work over Hally's skin.

Hally closed her eyes, sinking deeper into the water, letting the softness of the cloth glide over her tired body. It wasn't the sensual kind of touch, not the kind that stirred anything but the gentleness of caring. Missy wasn't here to seduce her. She was here to care for her. To heal her. And Hally let her.

The rhythm of Missy's hands as they washed her was steady, almost meditative. Hally's muscles, still tight with exhaustion, relaxed under her touch. The ache in her body slowly faded, as if the simple movements of Missy's hands were enough to melt it all away.

From the bath, Missy helped her into the shower. Discarding her own clothes before she joined her. Her wife's hands trailed over her skin, washing through her hair with an intent tenderness. Like this, Missy was shorter than her. Not by much, just a couple of inches. She'd not really noticed before. But now, with her wife naked in front of her, she could take in each and every detail. So close and tangible.

Wrapped in a towel, Missy led her to her bedroom. A pleasant hum had sunk into her skin.

It was ok.

It was all alright.

Missy was here.

Missy would take care of her.

They stood at the end of the bed, the only sound in the room their breathing, the air thick with unspoken understanding.

Missy's hand slid around Hally's waist, guiding her toward the bed. Her touch was gentle but firm, a quiet reassurance that she was here.

Missy's fingers trailed delicately across Hally's cheek, her touch tender but with an undeniable sense of stewardship. Her voice was a low murmur, intimate.

"What would you like, darling? Would you like to sleep?"

Hally licked her lips, her gaze roaming over Missy's exposed skin. Her voice came soft but resolute. "I don't want to sleep… no."

A small smile curved Missy's lips. "And what would you like? Gentle? Rough?"

She pressed against Hally, their chests brushing, skin warm against skin. Hally's breath hitched. "I want to touch you."

Missy leaned in, her lips brushing Hally's in a soft kiss, her movements unhurried.

"I want you to make love to me…"

Missy's mouth came to press against hers, her tongue caressing the inside of her mouth. But Hally paused, her breath quickening, her cheeks flushed.

"But…"

Missy pulled back slightly, her head tilting in curiosity, her ice-blue eyes locked on Hally's. She waited, patient and unwavering.

"There's something… I want to try …" Hally's voice wavered, but her resolve didn't. She was breathing hard, her body warm and relaxed. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became.

Missy caressed her cheek, her thumb brushing lightly over the blush that had deepened. "What a beautiful blush. What is it you want, darling?"

Hally bit her lip, nervous but not retreating. The warmth between them was steadying her, and she hummed softly, the words lingering on the edge of her tongue. "I… Maybe I don't want to say it out loud."

A soft chuckle fell from Missy's lips, her amusement tinged with intrigue. "Oh, so it's kinky, is it?"

Hally's blush deepened as she leaned forward, her mouth finding the curve of Missy's shoulder. She kissed her way up Missy's neck, her face partially hidden as if that might shield her vulnerability. "I need… I want you to punish me."

Missy's hands tightened slightly on Hally's waist, her grip grounding them both.

"Reprimand me. Put me in my place," Hally continued, her voice quiet but steady, each word weighted with meaning. Her breaths quickened against Missy's skin.

Missy shivered visibly as Hally kissed along her neck.

"I didn't mean to lie… but I still did it," Hally whispered, her lips brushing Missy's jaw. "Missy… I want you to make love to me… but first, I want my Mistress to punish me."

Her words hung in the air as she drew back just enough to meet Missy's gaze. Her cheeks burned, her blush spreading across her skin as she locked eyes with her wife. Missy's blue irises were almost consumed by the black of her pupils.

Missy's hand rose to cup Hally's face, her thumb brushing over her flushed cheeks as she regarded her with a mix of affection and something darker. Something growing. Something achingly welcome. "Oh, darling, you were made just for me."

Her thumbs pressed gently against Hally's cheekbones, her voice a low, intoxicating murmur. "You're going to be a brave girl and take your punishment, aren't you?"

Hally's breath caught in her throat, her reply spilling out in a soft rush. "Yes, Mistress."

Missy shifted, her movements fluid and deliberate as she positioned herself at the bottom of the bed. She held out a hand, her eyes never leaving Hally's. Hally took the offered hand without hesitation, allowing Missy to guide her.

She stretched herself across Missy's lap, her hips settling against Missy's thighs, her body warm and pliant. Her arms crossed as she rested her head against them.

Missy took her time, adjusting Hally's position until she was satisfied. One hand began to stroke up and down Hally's back, tracing the curve of her body, while the other combed through her hair.

Missy pressed gently against the space between their minds, her presence slipping into the crevices. The caress became a gentle scratch, her nails dragging lightly over Hally's skin, awakening her nerves.

She pinched and stroked along the backs of Hally's thighs and the curve of her ass, teasing. Hally arched into the touch, her body responding instinctively, a soft moan falling from her lips, anticipation blooming within her chest. The room filled with warmth, desire, and an unshakable relaxed trust.

Missy's voice was low and measured, each word dripping with intent. "You have disappointed your Mistress…" A light tap landed on the back of Hally's thigh, barely a sting but enough to make her gasp softly. Missy's hand moved methodically, warming the skin, leaving it tingling and sensitive. "But I am proud of you for coming to me and asking. I'm always more than happy to teach good behaviour, darling."

The sharp crack of Missy's palm meeting her flesh came a moment before the sting. Hally hissed through her teeth, her body arching instinctively, a groan spilling from her lips.

"While I'm pleased," Missy continued, voice silken, "I don't think you want me to go easy on you, do you, sweetheart?"

Hally barely had time to answer before the next blow landed, this time on her other cheek. It stung sharper, forcing a jolt from her body. Missy's left hand tangled in her hair, anchoring her, keeping her steady.

"No, Mistress…" Hally managed, her voice trembling.

Missy hummed in approval. "Shall we start with ten, hmm? See if we can't sate that little masochist of yours."

"Yes… please…" The words left her as a breathless plea.

"So polite…" Missy cooed. The next strike was hard and precise, landing on the same cheek.

Oww.

The pain flared, radiating outward, but beneath it, something grounding began to settle. Hally's breath slowed, her focus narrowing. Quietening.

Missy's hand rubbed over the freshly marked skin, soothing the burn. It was brief, a moment's reprieve before another sharp smack. This time, it struck the undercurve of her cheek, spilling into her thigh. Hally's breath hitched, her toes curling. She shifted instinctively, her hips rocking forward, but Missy's hand was quick to pull her back into place.

"Ah, ah," Missy chided, her tone laced with teasing reprimand. "Don't you wriggle off Mamaidh's lap."

The term short-circuited Hally's thoughts for a moment, sending heat racing through her body, but there was no time to dwell on it. Another slap followed, harder this time, and the sting lingered, layering over the previous blows. Missy worked methodically, her precision unyielding, each strike chosen to leave its mark in places Hally would feel with every step or movement.

"This is what you need," Missy murmured, her voice a balm to the sting. "A little bit of attention. A bit of discipline."

Hally's legs began to tremble as Missy doubled back, delivering fresh strikes over already tender areas. "…you have always been rather lacking in that department." The discomfort deepened, a dull haze sharpening into a steady throb. The next hit drew a yelp from Hally, her body wriggling reflexively beneath Missy's hand.

"It's a shame this beautiful shade of pink won't last," Missy mused, her fingers trailing up Hally's quivering leg, from the back of her knee to the crease just before the curve of her ass.

Her voice softened, but the edge of command remained. "Have you had enough?" It was a question Hally knew Missy already had the answer to, but it was asked anyway.

"No, Mistress." The words came with certainty, even as her body shook underneath her hands.

Missy repeated her measured pattern, each strike deliberate and unflinching. The sting turned into warmth, then into a steady burn that seemed to spread through Hally's entire body. Each slap drew her further out of her thoughts, grounding her, in the sensations of her Mistress's hand. Her presence. Just here. Just Missy. A particularly sharp strike brought a cry muffled against the duvet, followed by the dig of Missy's fingers into the stinging flesh. Hally's muscles eased in response, tension unravelling across her back and shoulders.

A desperate moan escaped her lips.

"Oh, poppet," Missy chided, her tone dripping with amusement, "good girls don't moan like that."

"Mhm." She sounded drunk, even to herself.

Missy's hand came down harder, twice on each cheek, each blow sharper than the last. Hally's body jolted, her little yelps of protest breaking free, but there was no fight left in her to pull away. All she could do was feel, each strike connecting her to the woman above her, to the intimacy of her care.

"Mmmph."

Missy's left hand slipped between her legs, finding the heated flesh between Hally's, her touch deliberate, teasing as her other hand soothed the heated, reddened skin of Hally's thighs.

"Oh," Hally breathed, her voice catching as she leaned into the sensation, trying to push for more. But before she could gain any momentum, Missy's palm came down again, sharp and unyielding, halting her movement.

Another slap followed. And then another. Each strike fell harder, driving Hally forward, pushing her hips into the hand now working over her clit. The mix of sensations—sting and warmth, pressure and pleasure—left her reeling.

"More?" Missy's question hung in the air, her voice soft yet insistent.

Hally swallowed hard, struggling for words. "I don't—" She squeezed her eyes shut, searching for an answer. "—yes."

The moment the word escaped her lips, Missy moved again. Hally heard the rush of air before the next strike landed, followed by the resounding clap of skin against skin. The strength of the blows left her crying out, the burn spreading across her flesh in waves.

"You know you can always ask, my love," Missy murmured, her voice steady, a grounding presence amidst the chaos of sensation. Her hand struck again, hard, punctuating her words. "Whatever you need. Taking care of you is only ever my pleasure."

Tears welled in Hally's eyes, spilling over as Missy's hand came down in quick succession, landing on the same spot. The heat built, blistering against her skin, the sharp throb bringing her to the edge of what she could endure. Her throat tightened, and a soft whimper escaped her lips.

"Let go, sweetheart. I've got you," Missy coaxed, her tone tender even as she delivered another round of punishing strikes. Two, three, four more blows landed, leaving Hally sobbing into the duvet. Tears streaked her cheeks, her body shaking.

Missy's hand between her thighs didn't stop, the relentless pressure and friction against her clit only adding to the unbearable burn across her skin.

"Can you take five more for me?" Missy's voice dipped, a soft hum of amusement colouring her words. "Preferably before you come."

Writhing in her lap, Hally gasped out her answer. "Yes… yes…"

The strikes came in quick succession, each one precise, evening out the burn across her skin. Missy's fingers moved mercilessly between her legs.

There was an unmistakable vibration in Missy's voice. "Do you have any idea how wet you are?"

Hally's breathing hitched, a broken plea escaping her lips. "Can I?… Please… Missy… fuck… can I?"

"Yes, poppet," Missy answered, her voice a soothing balm. "You can."

The orgasm hit Hally with brutal force, her body shuddering violently as she let out a guttural moan. The release was overwhelming, her muscles trembling as she writhed against Missy's lap. Missy's hands moved with ease, rubbing gently over the backs of her thighs and her sore, reddened skin.

"On your back," Missy instructed, her hands moving to shift Hally's hips up off her. "Knees wide, darling."

There was barely a second before Hally complied, climbing off of Missy's thighs and settling onto her back in the middle of the bed. Her legs fell open, welcoming, as Missy moved between them, her intent clear.

A low moan escaped Hally's lips as Missy's mouth covered her, hot and insistent. Her back arched at the first touch of Missy's tongue, which moved with no gentleness or restraint, exploring her like she was something to be devoured. The flicks and strokes over her sensitive flesh had Hally a shameless writhing, whimpering mess, her body trembling from the sharp bite of her overstimulated nerves. The lingering sting on the backs of her thighs smarted against the usually soft fabric of the duvet underneath her.

Missy's tongue pressed, thrusting into her, fucking her. Hally's hands found their way into Missy's hair, her fingers tangling in the curled strands as she held her there. Her back arched, and she couldn't help the sound that tore from her throat as she shattered, her second orgasm ripping through her with embarrassing speed.

"Oh my god, I—I—"

Missy's voice reached her, dripping with pride and desire. "You feel that?" she asked, her tone a mix of satisfaction and command. "That's all me, sweetheart. Every inch of you falling apart for me."

A brief reprieve came in the form of long, languid licks, Missy's movements almost tender as Hally shuddered beneath her. Missy began to move up her body, kissing her way upward until their mouths met. The kiss was heated, consuming, and for a moment, all Hally could think about was the press of Missy's naked body against hers. She let her hands roam, exploring every inch of Missy's skin, revelling in the sensation of her skin against hers.

Missy rolled them with, pulling Hally on top of her with a strength that left no room for doubt about who was in control.

"Go on, darling," Missy urged, her voice low and teasing. "If you want to touch me… you'd better hurry up and do it now before I ruin you."

Hally hesitated only briefly, savouring the sight of Missy beneath her in the soft light. She kissed her way down Missy's chest, trailing her lips over her collarbone, her breasts, and further still, down the curve of her waist and hips. Every inch of Missy's body was a marvel to her, from the tone of her muscle to the softness of her curves.

Missy's thighs opened for her, and as Hally reached the inside of them, she felt a shift, a tug at her mind. Missy was burrowing deep into her consciousness, gentle but deliberate. The pressure wasn't painful, but it was intimate—an act of connection, not control. Hally could feel the damage of time apart being smoothed over, the familiar rhythm of the drums gone.

Her awe for Missy only deepened as she let her lips trace every inch of her skin, worshipful and unhurried. When Missy's hand came to rest in her hair, Hally felt the grip tighten for a moment before loosening, a rare moment of restraint from the woman beneath her. Missy might have been in control, but in this moment, she was giving Hally something infinitely more precious.

Hally's breath hitched. "Can I?"

Missy's smirk was inviting, her voice in her head low and teasing. "Whatever you like…"

With a reverence that bordered on worship, Hally pressed her mouth to Missy's heat. The softness, the warmth—everything about it was utterly intoxicating. Her tongue explored, tentative at first, gliding over folds, testing, tasting, as if committing every inch of her to memory. Missy moaned at the contact, her hips pressing up to meet Hally's eager mouth.

"Don't you dare tease me," Missy growled, her nails grazing Hally's scalp as she pressed her closer.

Hally chuckled against her, the sound muffled but full of mischief. "But you're so easy to tease…" she murmured, letting her tongue flick against Missy's clit before delving lower.

Missy's hips rocked, her movements insistent, chasing pleasure. Hally moaned into her, the vibrations drawing another guttural sound from Missy, who arched beneath her. "I love you," The sound whispered between them.

Missy's response was immediate, almost breathless. "I love you," she said, her voice mingling with the pleasure that coursed through her.

Hally needed more.

She shifted her hands, gently parting Missy's thighs wider to make room for her fingers. The first press of her fingers inside drew a sharp inhale from Missy, followed by a moan that was nothing short of debauched. The sound rippled down Hally's spine, her tongue rolling over Missy's clit as her fingers moved inside her, matching the rhythm of Missy's rocking hips.

"You're everything," Hally murmured, the words spilling out like a confession.

Missy gasped, her voice breaking. "Fuck… I love you."

Her nails bit into Hally's scalp, the sharp sting grounding. Missy's control faltered entirely, her body surrendering to the pleasure as her hips rolled against Hally's mouth.

"I hate that you do this to me," Missy rasped, her voice trembling with need. "That's it… yes… just there… You're fucking perfect…"

Hally pressed closer, her movements more deliberate. "I'm all yours," she said, her voice resolute even as her breath hitched with the effort to keep up. "There isn't a moment in this universe when I'm not yours."

Missy's cries grew louder, her moans unravelling into incoherent affirmations. "Yes… yes, yes! There! Yes!" Her body tightened. "You… beautiful… depraved… little… creature!" Missy cried out, her words punctuated by the sharp arch of her back. Her release was a sight to behold, her body tensing, her expression unguarded and raw, the sharp edges of her pleasure making her look both powerful and vulnerable all at once.

Hally didn't stop, her movements slowing only to draw out every last tremor, her tongue gentle now, soothing, worshipful. Missy shuddered, her breaths coming in broken gasps as she came down, her hands loosening their grip.

Missy's voice, soft but firm, cut through the haze. "Don't lie to me. Never. Not ever. Never. Never. Never again."

"I promise," Hally whispered, her voice steady and sure. She pulled her hand away, replacing it with her mouth, her licks tender, lapping and comforting. Then she climbed up Missy's body, her lips seeking hers in a kiss that was messy and desperate.

Their tongues tangled, breaths mingling as they clung to each other. Missy's lips moved feverishly, staking her claim with each press, each bite. It swept Hally away, her world reduced to the sensation of Missy's warmth, her touch, and the way she made her feel utterly claimed, utterly hers.

Missy's hands roamed over Hally's body, fingers sliding over soft curves until they gripped her arse with a firm squeeze. She hummed appreciatively, her breathing still uneven, matching the rhythm of Hally's. Without warning, Missy shifted, her body rising just enough to push Hally onto her back. She settled between her legs with a deliberate, fluid motion, bending Hally's knees to draw her open.

With one purposeful move, Missy hooked Hally's leg over her hip, positioning herself over her, and before Hally could fully process what was happening, Missy angled her body, lowering herself until their slick, heated cores met. The intimate pressure made Hally's breath hitch sharply.

Missy began to grind, her hips rocking in a steady rhythm that sent sparks of pleasure coursing through them both. Hally's eyes flew open as the sensation registered fully—the wet, molten heat of Missy's arousal mingling with her own. Their gazes locked, Missy's deep blue eyes dark and intense, brimming with an unrelenting need that made Hally's pulse race.

The slow drag of Missy's folds against her was torturous, the slick friction building with each roll of her hips. There was nothing hurried about it; Missy moved deliberately, chasing her own pleasure as she used Hally's body.

"Oh… oh fuck…" Words fell breathlessly from Hally's lips as she gripped at Missy's thighs, her nails biting into soft flesh, desperate to anchor herself against her.

A soft whimper escaped her lips. Missy's pace started slow, teasing them both. She was devastating. Above her. Taking her. Hally had never seen anything quite as beautiful. Missy's guttural moan had a wave of wetness pooling between them. Her rhythm shifting, she bucked into her, harder, faster.

Her grip tightened, fingers digging into Hally's waist hard enough to leave marks. The build was slower this time, each grind more deliberate, more insistent, and it caught Hally completely off guard.

"God, you're so fucking perfect," Missy moaned, her voice strained and heavy with desire. She ground harder against Hally, her movements becoming erratic. "Fuck… fuck—"

The moment her clit slid against hers, Hally felt the tension break. She came undone with a sob, her entire body trembling uncontrollably as the climax wracked through her. "Oh my god—oh my god!"

Missy groaned above her, the sight and feel of Hally unravelling spurring her own release. Her rhythm faltered, hips jerking erratically until she locked against Hally's body.

She threw her head back, her cry echoing through the space as her body quaked with pleasure. "Fuck!" The word tore from her throat, raw and guttural.

As the wave passed, Missy slumped forward, her head coming to rest against Hally's knee. Her breath came in hot, heavy bursts against her lover's skin, her brown hair falling in messy waves. Hally stared at her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, struggling to steady her own breathing.

Missy was breathtaking like this, undone and exposed.

Slowly, she leaned down, her lips capturing Hally's.

Inside her mind, Hally could still feel Missy shifting, her presence brushing gently against her own. Missy moved to lie fully on top of Hally, their bodies fitting against one another.

Their lips met once more in a languid kiss, breath still ragged but slowing. Missy's hand drifted up to caress Hally's temple, her fingers brushing lightly over the damp skin. They lay there, intertwined, basking in the intimacy and the quiet that followed.

The air between them was thick with silence, the kind that lingered after something profound. Hally's chest rose and fell steadily, the warmth of Missy beside her.

"How long do we have?" Hally breathed, her voice quieter than she'd intended,

Missy hummed softly, taking a beat to come back to herself, her body still sticky with heat against Hally's, her hand tracing lazy circles on the bed between them. "It's just you and me tonight," she murmured.

Hally kissed her softly, but the question lingered, still hanging between. She pulled back just enough to touch Missy's face, her fingers grazing her cheek as if trying to find something—some assurance. "No…" she whispered, the word leaving her mouth with an unsteady breath. "No… I mean this, all of this… us, like this, how long do we have?"

Missy's expression shifted slightly at the weight in her voice. She didn't answer immediately, but Hally saw the flicker of something in her eyes. Concern, perhaps, or something more.

"Darling…" Missy finally spoke, her tone soft but carrying an edge of something Hally couldn't quite place.

"Just tell me… please…" Hally's plea hung in the air, fragile and desperate.

Missy's gaze turned inward for a moment before she sighed, a soft, almost imperceptible sound. "What makes you think I know?" she asked, though there was something in her eyes that betrayed the question.

"Because you do… don't you. I can feel it," Hally said, her fingers resting gently on Missy's face, tracing the curve of her jaw. "We're all out of order." She breathed, repeating her words back to her. Words she'd heard her say multiple times now.

Missy exhaled a soft breath, shifting slightly, her body moving away just enough to make space between them. There was something in her movement that felt more like a retreat than a simple repositioning, something vulnerable about it, something… sad. Hally noticed it immediately, and her hearts tightened.

"Something happened, didn't it? To you. After Gallifrey. You didn't come straight here… He's out there. And it's still my future…" Hally's voice trailed off, the words hanging heavy between them.

Missy didn't answer immediately. She didn't confirm or deny it. She just lay there, quiet.

Hally's hearts were pounding heavily in her chest, her pulse a steady drumbeat. She reached out again, her hand resting on Missy's shoulder. "So tell me… please… because my hearts can't take thinking I've lost you again," she murmured, her voice soft but filled with quiet urgency. "If pain is coming, tell me. I don't want to be completely blind to it. This… this is you and me… forever, Missy. If I have to wait, if there are going to be periods of time where I'm without you, I want to know. I'll walk this road as long as you're at the end of it."

Missy's hand found her face again, gently caressing her cheek as she let out a soft, resigned breath. "Darling…" she said quietly.

"Please…" Hally's voice trembled slightly, and she leaned in, pressing a kiss to Missy's lips, gentle, lingering. As she pulled back, she moved to kiss along Missy's neck, the motion tender and searching, her breath warm against her skin. She shifted slightly, positioning herself above Missy now, needing to see her face clearly. "Telling me won't change it. I promise."

Missy hummed softly, her hand resting lightly on Hally's back, drawing slow circles. She didn't meet Hally's eyes for a moment, her gaze lost somewhere far away, as though she was trying to gather the right words, the right truth to offer. "I don't have all the answers, sweetheart," she murmured, the words carrying a weight Hally could feel deep in her chest. "There are things I do know… things that have to happen but…"

"Just tell me how long… how long have I got you, like this?" Hally pressed, her voice soft but firm, desperate for some kind of clarity.

Missy shifted her position slightly, her eyes finally meeting Hally's, her expression unreadable. "Just us… like this… about a year," she said, her voice quiet, and there was a sadness there, something almost mournful in the way she said it.

Hally stared at her. The time, a cold weight in her chest. A year wasn't enough, not nearly enough. But she didn't protest. Instead, she reached forward, pressing her forehead gently against Missy's, her hearts clenching at the thought of how fleeting that time could be. "But I will be with you after that. All the way until him. It just won't be… like this."

There was a tenderness in Missy's touch as she kissed the top of Hally's head, her voice low. "It's not forever," she murmured, but there was a strange comfort in the words. It was strangely reassuring. To know, for once. To prepare, for once.

"So… we find him and then what?" Hally asked, trying to anchor herself in the present, in the now.

Missy hesitated, a shadow passing over her expression. "We shouldn't really be talking about it," she said quietly, her eyes flickering away.

"I go with him?" Hally asked, her voice hesitant.

Missy sighed, the sound full of unspoken things, things she wasn't sure how to explain.

"But then, he regenerates into you, and you come back here for me?" Hally pressed, her words slow and careful, as though she was piecing together a puzzle she didn't fully understand yet.

"Yes," Missy answered, her voice quiet, resigned.

"Why?" Hally asked softly, her eyes searching Missy's.

Missy let out a breath, her fingers gently tracing the curve of Hally's arm. "Because… because you needed me to."

"But where am I?" she asked, a frown pulling at her lips as she tried to piece together the timeline in her head.

"I don't know," Missy said with a soft, apologetic smile. "I can't see the future, darling. I only know what I know. I assume the older version of me catches up to you."

Hally furrowed her brow, thinking. "Make sure that she does…" she murmured to herself, lost in thought for a moment. Then, after a moment. "It's… a sad loop…" she muttered, quietly.

Missy shifted slightly, a soft smile touching her lips. "If you say so."

"No…" Hally shook her head gently. "It's just… something the TARDIS said once…"

"It's whatever we make it." Missy offered, her voice firm, as she kissed the top of Hally's head, a gesture so small, yet so full of meaning.

Slowly, she let her head rest on Missy's chest, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing steady and calming. They were entwined, limbs lazily tangled together, the cool sheets twisted around their bodies, cocooning them in the quiet warmth of the space they shared.

It felt almost as if the world had paused. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was familiar, like a soft lullaby that enveloped them, coaxing them toward sleep.

They settled into the lull. Both sets of breathing slowing into a gentle, calm rhythm. As the space between wakefulness and sleep began to blur, Hally's voice broke the stillness, low and fragile. "Missy…"

The name slipped from her lips like a soft breath, a gentle sound that barely disturbed the air.

Missy didn't respond immediately, but Hally could feel the small shift in her body as she heard her name. The tender sound of her breath, the faintest brush of her fingertips against Hally's skin.

"Yes, darling?" Missy's voice was soft, laced with drowsiness. She was right there, present and steady, her fingers tracing slow patterns on Hally's back, a soothing rhythm that matched the beating of her hearts.

Hally's chest fluttered in the quiet darkness. She shifted slightly, her lips grazing the curve of Missy's collarbone, and then her voice came again, softer this time. "Can you… will you… move in?"