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With a loud gasp, Tally returned back to the present.
The music from the box played softly in the background as Tally tried to catch her breath.
“Did the song lead you to her?” Alder's curious yet worried voice immediately came from below. The woman was crouched down in front of her, her hands resting on her knees as she looked up and into her eyes.
“I know where she is.” Tally said, still trying to calm down her breathing. She’d seen the witch trap herself in the ice with her own two eyes. She had experienced the vision as if she’d actually been there.
The music box stopped playing and Alder got back up, “we leave at daybreak.”
After some discussion as to where they were going and whether or not the first Song was going to prevent the end of the world, Tally’s unit mates realized there was no stopping Tally from going and left the room in order to go to bed.
“We should get some sleep as well. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.” Alder suggested. They were now the only two left, a fact Tally was painfully aware of.
“Where will you be staying tonight?” Tally asked before Sarah had a chance to leave the room.
“I’ll take the couch. I’ve had worse.”
“Yeah, centuries ago when you didn’t have biddies who slept for you. You’re not used to it anymore.” Tally didn’t know where this was coming from, but she knew she couldn't just let her sleep on the couch.
“I’ll be fine, Tally.” Sarah promised her.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch, end of discussion.” The words came out harsher than intended, but she was tired and not up for a discussion right now.
“That’s not up to you to decide.”
“It is if I make it.”
“Alright, then where’d you propose I sleep? It’s not like there’s any room left, I asked already.” Tally hadn’t thought this through.
She knew Nicte’s room would be empty right now, but she was also aware Alder wasn’t going to touch Nicte’s stuff with a ten foot pole. Not with whatever history those two had going on.
And so, she said the only thing she could think of, “we could share?”
“What?” Alder asked, face confused.
“My bed. We could share, it’s big enough.”
“Tally don’t be ridiculous. You don’t have to…”
“I want to.” Tally interrupted her before she could finish.
“No.”
“I insist.”
“Your sleep is more important than mine right now.” Sarah urged, still not budging to Tally’s suggestion.
“You forgot the importance of sleep for yourself, didn’t you?”
“Maybe, but that’s not the priority right now.”
“We can share, don’t make such a big deal out of it.” Tally tried again.
“I haven’t shared a bed in forever.” Alder admitted, finally warming up to the idea. “How can I not make a big deal about it. I don’t even know what I do in my sleep, maybe I talk or snore really loudly.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Tally walked to the stairs and threw a glance behind her to see if Alder was following, which she wasn’t. “Don’t make me drag your ass up there.” She warned her with a smile.
Alder groaned in frustration but followed her anyway.
The walk up the stairs and towards Tally’s room was done in silence. It wasn’t far and while Tally had been adamant to sharing, she was freaking out on the inside. Suggesting it was one thing, but actually doing so was a completely different thing.
Was she actually about to share a bed with the woman she’d been crushing on for months now?
Of course, it was just that: sharing a bed. Nothing more, nothing less. But Tally couldn’t ignore the way her heart had started to beat just that little harder and the flutter in her stomach was acting up already.
She walked over to the dresser to grab some clothes to sleep in.
“You need something to sleep in? I don’t have much, but there might be a shirt you can use.” Tally broke the silence, hoping it would help her take her mind off of things for a little while.
“I'm fine. Besides, you've done enough already.”
“Suit yourself.” And with that, Tally turned her back to her and started to get undressed, putting on the shirt and shorts she'd been sleeping in since they'd arrived here a few days ago.
When she turned around Alder had finished getting undressed herself leaving her in only a tank top and panties.
Tally gulped.
She hadn’t expected this.
Her toned body almost fully on display right in front of her. Those legs were impossibly long. And was that a nipple poking through the thin fabric of her top?
Tally's throat suddenly dry at the sight.
Goddess.
This really had been a very bad idea.
“I'm going to get ready for bed,” Tally excused herself before making her way out of her room and into the bathroom.
She really needed some water. She turned the tap on and held her mouth underneath the faucet. The cold liquid hitting her throat help to clear her mind again.
When she got back up, she stared at herself in the mirror for a moment.
Why had she thought it was a good idea to suggest they could share her bed? Seeing Sarah like this and knowing she'd be very close to her in a matter of minutes was definitely not helping with her crush on her.
She just wanted to be nice, because that is what Tally Craven does: be nice.
And she regretted it already.
Tally quickly brushed her teeth, splashed some water on her face and returned to her bedroom.
When she opened the door to her room and walked inside, the place was dark except for the light on her side of the bed. Sarah was already in bed. The blanket wrapped around her waist, leaving her arms and shoulders bare.
“Sarah?” Tally whispered, but the older woman didn’t reply. The slow, steady breathing indicating she was most likely asleep already.
Tally wasn't surprised. Today had been a long day and she could imagine the new need for sleep would have her more tired than any other person would be right now.
She sat down on the bed, reaching for the light on the nightstand. Before pressing the button, she threw one last glance at Sarah and stopped herself from turning the light off as her eyes were drawn to Sarah's back.
Those naked, muscular shoulders. A few scars running over her body. Tally guessed they were from a time before fixers. She wanted to reach out and run her hands over them, trace the faint lines on her skin with her fingertips, get acquainted with every part of her body. Learn the stories behind each and every one her scars.
She couldn't and she never would be able to, she was well aware of that. But that didn't mean she wasn't curious about all of it.
She should really try to sleep now, though. Like Sarah had said, they'd have a long day ahead of them tomorrow and she could use all the rest she could get.
Tally turned off the light and went to lay down in bed on her side, her back facing Sarah's. She hoped that not being able to see her would help her fall asleep sooner rather than later.
But as soon as she closed her eyes, she was very aware there was someone next to her. Especially because said someone was no other than Sarah Alder.
She could feel the heat radiating of Sarah's body against her back. She could hear her breathing behind her. She could even feel the tiny movements as she stirred a little in her sleep.
They were too close for Tally's liking. While the bed was big enough to share, it wasn’t big enough to give either of them lots of space.
And to make matters worse, the slight tingle in her stomach refused to go away.
Why out of all the people did she have to fall for the former General of the United States army?
Tally had been wondering that ever since she realized she had feelings for her, which wasn't that long ago. If she was honest, it was her return from the dead a few days ago that only solidified what she already knew: she was in fact in love with Sarah Alder.
Looking back, the feelings had been there for way longer. If she was honest, she was aware she had a crush even before conscripting. She had just simply chosen to ignore it as nothing would come of it anyway.
But now she could no longer ignore it.
The feelings only getting stronger the more time she spent with her. The more she saw the woman beyond being the General, but simply being Sarah.
Tally turned to lay on her back and stared at the ceiling in the dark. She was still wide awake and there was no way she was going to fall asleep anytime soon.
She hated this. Tomorrow was going to be a long and busy day and she needed all the sleep she could get. Not to mention they were supposed to leave a sunrise and that would mean not even a full night’s sleep anyway.
Tally moved an arm up to rest under her head. Maybe if she just closed her eyes and focused on anything else, she’d be able to sleep.
Tonight had been something else entirely. Looking into the past had definitely been an experience on its own. She never experienced her Sight as vividly as today. She had felt the cold, heard the snow crushing under her boots as she ran through the snow, saw and heard the people as if she was actually there with them.
She knew her Sight was powerful, but not that it was capable of doing what she had done tonight. It made her curious to see what else she could possibly achieve with her Sight.
A sudden pressure on her stomach startled her and made her jump a little. Her eyes shot open at the contact.
Sarah, in her sleep state, had rolled over to her other side facing Tally. As she did, her arm slung around her waist, setting heavy on top of her.
Something about the way Sarah immediately held her, told Tally the last time Sarah shared a bed with someone must’ve been with a lover.
The tug at her heart at the thought of Sarah with someone else didn’t go unnoticed.
Tally moved her head to the side to look at her, taking all of her in. Even though it was dark in the room, she could still make out her features now that her eyes had adjusted. The way Sarah's hair fell around her face. How her body moved with every breath. How peaceful she looked while asleep.
She wanted so badly to reach out. To touch her face, tug that lose strand of hair behind her ear and let her hand rest on her cheek. To lean in and brush her lips against Sarah’s. To nuzzle into her.
Stupid crush.
She tried to move, turn away from her again, but Sarah’s grip on her waist was too strong and she couldn’t move even if she tried.
And if that wasn’t enough already, Sarah snuggled closer into her. A whiff of her perfume hit Tally’s nose as she did. The scent wasn’t very strong or distinctive, but at the same time very typically Sarah.
Her heart fluttered in her chest.
She got it really bad for her, but she knew they’d never be anything more than they were right now.
She was okay with being friends, or whatever it was they would call this amiability between the two of them. It was more than not having her in her life at all or than to have Sarah as her superior only.
No, Tally was happy with the way things were.
This was all this was ever going to be. She didn’t have a chance with her for multiple reasons and she made her peace with that fact.
And maybe, just maybe, she’d have to guts to tell her the truth someday.
Tally closed her eyes, trying to enjoy this moment while it lasts. This closeness of having Sarah nuzzled into her, her warmth, the way she smelt, the way her body moved with every breath she took.
It was something. And focusing on all of those things helped Tally calm down and feel at peace as she slowly drifted into a state somewhere between sleeping and being awake.
Tally had no idea how long it had taken her to fall asleep. But once she finally did manage, she'd gotten the best sleep she had in weeks. All because she was safely wrapped in Sarah Alder’s strong arms.