Strange Highways

By Bekka Mouri

Aly slipped into Bekka’s room quietly so she wouldn’t wake her sleeping friend. She had fought with herself until the wee hours of the night about the task at hand. She felt like she would be losing her best friend if she didn’t do it but she couldn’t help but to feel selfish. She was torn and finally decided it would be the best thing for Bekka to regain her memory.

She also felt the Tim was being selfish and she was sure he knew it too. She was afraid it was the shock of seeing Bekka in the arms of another man had made him irrational but she did not want to argue with him about it. She wanted Bekka back as well because she was the only person that knew about her horrible past. They had become so close in such a short time, it would have been like shoving a knife though her own heart to let Bekka go on not knowing who she was.

Aly had heard whispers that Zarkon would try to take advantage of Bekka’s helpless state and make her one of his wives. She figured he would try to convince the amnesia stricken girl with some bogus story. Gina and Tamy had prevented it but Aly was certain that Zarkon would somehow get away from the witch Hagger. If Bekka got here memory back, she would be able to protect herself from Zarkon.

Zarkon had threatened Tim as well. He did not seem phased the Tim had almost single handedly killed a Daedra Lord. If Aly hadn’t stepped in, Tim probably would have still won but been injured worse. Aly couldn’t help but to step in because of her brother’s pain she felt as she looked for him.

As she moved towards the bed, Aly tried to fight the dull pain that still existed in her body. She had regained enough of her power to help Bekka but it would have Aly laid up in the bed for a bit longer. ~It’s a sacrifice I have to make,~ Aly thought, placing her hand on Bekka’s forehead, ~I can’t let that fish faced trout farm reject get his hands on her.~

**

“ I didn’t think I had missed THAT much, “ Sekhmet looked down into Samara’s face, his disbelief evident. “ I wish I had stayed. I could have helped you and the captain find that imposter. “

“ The fool made the mistake of trying to ambush Maeve, “ Samara sighed, running her finger down Sekhmet’s jaw.

“ Stupid idiot, “ Sekhmet muttered. “ And look at what his sick obsession has caused to happen. “

Samara chuckled, “ He is on his way to get his, darling. Gina is going to take some of us along so we can watch. “

“ Is he going to be killed? “ Sekhmet asked, a little bit of his warrior spirit flashing in his eyes.

“ Not by Gina. Lotor wants to finish him off. He is very mad that someone would think they have big enough coconuts to trespass into his palace to kidnap one of the harem ladies. “

Sekhmet raised an eyebrow, “ But she isn’t yet. “

“ Close enough, though. “

“ True. Do you know what exactly was behind the whole accident? “ Sekhmet asked.

Samara shook her head, “ I was helping Dragon at the time. I stayed with him until we found out Mehrunes had been caught by Jetstorm, Trieze and Maeve. “

“ I heard a demon of some sort had something to do with it and the other two pledges finished him off, “ Sekhmet shook his head, “ But I want to hear the story from one of the pledges and not just hearsay and rumors. “

Samara smiled, “ Oh? I heard that she had jumped but that was while I still with Dragon. I am sure they will tell you if you ask. I would like to know myself. “

“ So would I. If the demon story is true, I feel we have a very powerful set of mages on our hands. “

Samara nodded and then kissed Sekhmet, “ That’s for sure. “

**

“ Bekka? “ Sarah knocked on the door. She furrowed her brow when she received no answer. She stepped into the room, “ Bekka? How are you today? “

Bekka lay in the bed, just staring blankly upwards. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling as her hands gripped her blanket tightly. Her breathing wasn’t visible and her body was totally still. Sarah waved her hand in front of the woman’s eyes but they did not move.

“ Oh no! “ She gasped, placing her fingers to Bekka’s throat. She sighed in relief when she felt Bekka’s pulse although it was a little slow. “ But what could be wrong with you now? “

**

Tim woke up to the gentle sobbing of his sister. He could sense she was troubled deeply about something and very scared. ~Al,~ He reached out to her mentally, ~Are you alright?~

“ I killed her, Tim, “ A low trembling whisper came from Aly. “ I did it and I think I killed her! “

“ Did what? “ Tim opened his eyes and looked over to Aly. She looked like she had been up all night and used her powers again. Her bed was propped up a little so she was sitting up at an angle. Tears streamed down her exhausted looking face. “ You… made her remember? “

Aly nodded, “ It was horrible, Tim! I brought back all of her memories and she started shaking and crying. She thrashed about for a long time and suddenly became as still as the dead! I couldn’t find her pulse and her eyes were wide open! Tim, I killed her! “

Tim’s whole body went colder than it already was. He had demanded Aly make Bekka remember everything but he didn’t know that this would happen. He could feel his heart breaking again but this time, it hurt him more. ~Did my selfishness do this? Did my want to have her back take her away from me forever?~

“ It was our selfishness, “ Aly sobbed, “ We wanted her back to normal so she wouldn’t forget us and now look what happened! I should have talked to Sarah before I did it! “

“ Talked to me about what? “ Sarah asked, startling the twins. She had been in the doorway but had gone unnoticed. She crossed her arms over her chest, thinking over what she had just heard and tried to think of a good way to approach them about it. “ Are you the one responsible for the state Bekka is in now, Aly? “

Tim and Aly looked at each other, their eyes wide. They didn’t think Sarah had heard that much of the conversation. Aly hung her head, “ I’m so sorry Sarah. I just wanted her… “

“ What were you thinking? “ Sarah stepped into the room. “ Don’t you know it’s dangerous to make some one in her condition remember things that fast? “

Aly shook her head, “ No. “

“ It’s very dangerous, even more so with people who have been through as much trauma as Bekka has been. Doing something like that could have killed her. “

Tim and Aly looked at each other, “ Could have? “ they said together.

“ Yes, could have. “

“ You mean… “ Aly whispered.

Sarah nodded, “ She still alive but in a catatonic state. At best, she is watching her past in her mind and will come out of it when she is done remembering. At worse, she could never come out of it and be that way for the rest of her life. “

Aly covered her mouth, “ Oh no! What did I do? “

Tim shut his eyes, “ It’s all my fault. I should have never demanded you to do that, Aly. “

Sarah looked at the young man, “ You wanted her to do that? “

“ Yes. I didn’t want her to… “ A tear slipped down Tim’s cheek.

“ Leave you for another man? “ Sarah finished his sentence. “ Tim, she didn’t even remember you liked her that much. She didn’t know you had a crush on her until I told her you did. She felt horrible about what she had done when she found out. “

“ She did? “ Tim opened his eyes.

“ She felt like she was going to die. She said she would have never had Sekhmet if she had know you like her that much. She thought she had scared you away with that kiss she gave you two days ago. “

“ I liked that kiss, “ Tim shook his head, “ That’s why I got so mad when I saw her with that guy. “

Sarah sighed, “ There’s nothing we can do for her now until we know if she is going to come out of it. We just have to hope she will. “

**

On the outside, Bekka was still. Inside, her mind was alive with a rush of images and sounds. It was like someone had opened a floodgate and she couldn’t stop their flow. She braced her body, each memory slamming into her like a gunshot.

When She first came to Doom.

Enova’s death she could feel like it was her own.

Finding the necklace and Enova’s letter.

The day she was sold to the Dagon family.

The first time she met Mehrunes and how he told his parents she would be nothing but trouble.

Her first beating.

The next beating.

The huge rats becoming her pets so she wouldn’t be alone.

All of the beatings and everything between the time she was ten and seventeen ran together after awhile, like someone had pressed fast forward. The next thing she remembered was Hermaeus telling her of the chance to escape. She saw the rats; sitting up and begging for her not leave. Another blur of images chronicled her journey to the club where she worked for long years, pleasuring men by punishing them.

The club and her nightly endeavors.

Finding the flyer.

The palace.

The groping King.

The warlord who came to her rescue.

Meeting Lotor.

Meeting Aly and Tim.

Meeting Sudan.

The way Tim looked at her.

Meeting Sarah.

Meeting The Scribes.

The vision of Mehrunes coming to get her and her first time in the hospital.

The first test.

Aly telling her about how she had been abused.

The bounty hunter showing up in the harem.

Hircine.

Hermaeus.

Nothing. A blank spot.

Her grip on the blanket loosened slowly as she blinked. Her eyes felt like they had been open for hours. The world she was in now came into view. She was in the hospital. She flexed her fingers; they were stiff from being in one position for a long time.

She took a deep breath and blinked again. Her body was sore; the strain of recalling everything had taken a toll on her body. She flexed her arms to stretch the stiff muscles and shut her eyes, falling asleep. It was a dreamless sleep; one brought on by sheer exhaustion.