Topic: Temporal Ramifications - Day 1

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-09 17:36 EST
The Letter

It seemed a bit like time had suddenly sped up, and everything was passing by so quickly. Ada knew that life, and time had a way of suddenly speeding up, even though there were scientists that had proved that time was a constant. If time was so constant, then it should feel constant. And, if Ada felt like time was whooshing by very quickly, then there had to be something to the idea that time was speeding up.

It just felt so much like she was in slow motion. Emma had found herself a steady job that she obviously liked. Lily had taken to spending some time with Emma while she was working, and the rest of her time was spent socializing. And Ghent... well, Ghent had just gotten busy, and Ada had gotten busy, and before anyone ever realized it had happened, everyone was too busy for everyone else. But, this was just how families were, in Adalia's mind and memory -- when people are comfortable and secure, they usually have no problem spanning lengths of time without seeing each other.

But it was all going so fast. Ada was certain that if time actually kept up going as fast as it was, then she would be looking at middle-age within a week, and death within a month. It was certainly a lot to think about.

So, when the letter arrived, time suddenly screeched to a halt. She had met with her godfather, Theron, earlier in the week. Ada had been fearing the meeting since she had asked Theron to help her take out Jad, who was actually the second victim in a few short days. She was no longer a favorable person in the eyes of her very judgmental and harsh godfather, and would have to pay a price for his services like everyone else. It seemed appropriate that she would follow in her father's footsteps.

Theron had taken the opportunity to warn his goddaughter that his terms were coming. They were a set of instructions that she would have to follow, and when she completed her task, he debt would be forgiven and forgotten. So, the letter, when it finally arrived, made the world seem suddenly very slow to Ada. She could hear her heartbeat in her chest, slow and steady, and could feel the tingling in her fingers as she held the letter in front of her. Everything felt dark and ominous.

She was standing in the front hallway, just staring at the writing on the outside of the envelope. If anyone had been watching, they would have seen that she actually stared at the letter for a full five minutes, silent and still, before she realized it would look more suspicious, the more time passed. So, she moved.

The first place that she could find was the small bench right near the front door. She sat down carefully and turned the letter over to look at the back. There was nothing there but a sealed envelope -- no clue as to what demands were inside. Her mind was racing, trying to imagine what Theron would be asking for; she didn't want to open the letter at all, even if she could find out quickly. But the alternative would likely be much worse.

Her finger wiggled under the glued paper, and she tore along the top of the letter to get it open, using her one hand and a leg to complete the action. Inside the envelope was a folded piece of lined notebook paper, sitting innocently, like it was a letter of salutations or a message of thanks. Ada knew better than that.

Once more, she was forced to glance around and make sure that no one was watching her. When she was satisfied that no one was hanging around and watching her, she opened the letter and held it up to the light to read:

Ada,

Your debt will be fully paid if you follow the instructions contained in this letter. I trust you need not be reminded of what can, and will happen, if you fail to follow these instructions. This is my price:

Tie up your loose ends. Meet me behind your manor, and come prepared.

Theron
The brevity of the letter caused a chill to creep down Ada's spine, and it settled quite firmly into her stomach. The instructions were so vague and yet starkly simple. She read over it one more time, making sure she hadn't missed a word, or misinterpreted what he was demanding. But, even after reading it a second time, everything seemed the same. Time was still creeping slowly by -- she could still feel her heartbeat, but it was so much faster that it seemed almost out of place. She could swear that she could almost tell the difference between one valve of her heart and another.

Tie up your loose ends. That seemed obvious enough -- she would have to make sure that either people knew she could be killed, or knew she would be gone for a while, or knew nothing. However she chose to leave her life behind (even momentarily,) she would have to make sure that no one would come looking for her.

She would then meet Theron behind the manor, which was an easy thing for follow. But, then she looked over the last two words and frowned a little. Come prepared... She wondered what she had to come prepared for. There weren't going to be any fancy dress balls waiting for Ada behind the manor -- that much she knew for certain. And, yet, she still wondered what she was going to face, which would determine what she was going to take. She read it again, and before she could get side-tracked by another thought, she whispered into the quiet hall, "For everything." That was what she was going to do -- at least, when she could bring herself back from the slow-moving, time stretching, moment she was in.

At least she knew she was still alive; everything passed lazily by her, like dust floating aimlessly in the morning light. And, in her ears, the rapid, nervous heartbeat, pounding in her ears. It was probably possible that someone else would be able to hear her heart beating so fast, if they were quiet and listened hard enough.

((This was written for play on January 7th, 2008, and reposted here for continuity purposes.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-09 17:59 EST
Day 1 | Part 1

Ghent had been busily examining a few books, checking various calculations he had made. He decided to stop for awhile and go for a run. He hated the cold, but staying in shape was just habit. His blue and white "HRA" hooded sweatshirt was pulled on, as well as some sweatpants that fit well enough to run in. He pulled the hood up and exited his room, intending on leaving via the front door. He pauses, of course, upon seeing Ada on the bench. ?Hello there, sweetie. Are you all right??

It took a moment for Ada to even register that someone was talking to her. The letter was held loosely in her hand, as she broke her stare and looks up at Ghent. For a moment, she looked very confused, but then her eyebrows knitted together and she stuck with a determined expression. "Yes, I think so..."

Always observant, Ghent's dark eyes flicked to the letter she held. It was a brief look, especially since her expression had changed. He nodded toward her hand. ?Okay. What do you have there??

Ada stood up from that bench by the door (finally) and pressed the letter into his hand as she passed. "I need to get ready." And, off she went towards her room. "I'm leaving for some time. Maybe forever."

Ghent froze for a moment at her words. It didn't last long. He was chasing after her quickly. ?Wait. What are you talking about, Ada? Leaving? And forever?? Ghent actually looked hurt. Had he done something wrong?

Fortunately for her, Ada hadn't seen Ghent's expression -- it would have done a lot to make her think twice. Her door was left open as she started pulling things out of drawers and throwing them on the bed. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it. "I have to go -- I have to go, and I just wanted you to know that I was going. I have some things that need to be done, and I can say that it's possible that I might not be coming back."

?Can't I come? What's going on, Ada? Tell me.? Ghent was certainly confused. The woman he loved was just going to leave. If she might not come back, it sounded dangerous. He knew Ada had her own unique way of doing things, but this didn't fit in his mind. For the moment, he decided he could block the doorway, at least.

She was still piling things she needed on her bed, making a complete mess out of her room in a very short order. "I got that letter, and it told me what to do: 'Come prepared, tie up loose ends.?" She repeated these instructions to him like they were objectives.

?From who?? Ghent didn't plan on moving anytime soon. His arms folded over his chest, but his expression didn't change. ?And what does that mean exactly?" He was trying his best not to sound irritated, but his confusion was making him lean in that direction.

She grabbed a backpack and started shoving various important objects into it, looking up at him every so often. "It's Theron. He helped me with Jad, and with that man that came to the house. He's calling in his favor, so I have to go. It's all in the letter." She gestured towards the paper she had shoved into his hands, obviously talking about the ridiculously short letter.

?Then I want to come. This is my fault.? He felt guilty more than anything now. Ghent frowned deeply and looked at the floor for a moment, then at the letter. He made a fist unintentionally, crumpling some of the paper up.

"It's at least half my fault -- probably more than half. Probably as high as 75% my fault." This was said to maybe side-track him. She was still debating whether she wanted him to go, or not.

?Ada, if I hadn't come none of this would have happened at all.? Surprisingly, Ghent was still relatively calm. A bit of frustration does leak out though. He tossed the letter aside angrily.

She watched his angry outburst and then started closing up her bag. "If you want to come, you can. You could come, and then if you had to, you could leave." She was really torn between a need to have him safe, and a need to have him close. At least she could change her mind later.

?Okay.? He had no intention of sticking to that plan at all, but he wouldn't voice it. Ghent simply nodded to her and disappeared from the room. His pack still had some clothes in it and he didn't care enough to make sure they were completely clean. He snatched it up after retrieving his S&W from underneath the bed: Insurance.

Ada made one last check of what she was bringing with her -- she was doing her best to pack quickly for every possible outcome that she would face, including a raincoat, socks, several lighters and a packet of matches -- things that made a mixed cocktail of survival items. And when she was fairly satisfied, she moved to the kitchen to collect up some food. "We'll go out the back." It was said quietly, and not necessarily to anyone in particular.

Ghent made sure to pull his sweatshirt down over his weapons. Whoever Theron was, he immediately had the Major's distrust and they hadn't even met. After sliding his pack onto his shoulders, he left his room and went to look for Ada. Once he realized she wasn't in her room, he headed down the hall, and when he spotted her in kitchen, he just stood and waited.

Ada had collected the last of her things and was busy fitting them into the empty spaces in her bag. There was a small cooking pot, a compressed loaf of bread, several bottles of water, and canned goods, among other things. It was as close to basic as basic could be. And then the pack was pulled awkwardly onto her shoulder, and she turned toward the back door. "This way."

He followed her. While he still wasn't exactly sure what was going on, he tried not to let it bother him. He'd been in similar situations before, after all. Ghent tried to stay fairly close to Ada.

Her pace was far from slow, but there was no doubt that Ghent could keep up. "Theron is a very large, very forceful man. But as long as we follow the rules, I think that we'll be all right. Just... just let me talk to him."

?That doesn't frighten me. Just so you are aware.? He hadn't meant to sound defiant, if he had. But he continued to follow Ada. "I won't say a word."

"Okay." She nodded and looked at her watch, noting the time. It was still early enough to know that they would have time to keep traveling. Still, she hadn't expected to leave much earlier. "Did you bring your keys?"

?Yes, I did.? His voice softened considerably. His right hand patted his pocket to be sure the keys were indeed there. Once confirmed, he was silent. Ghent simply followed Ada's lead.

"Mm." She nodded, glad at least one of them had thought enough ahead. "We should have left a note for Emma and Lily. What if we never come back?" Ada seemed fairly concerned by this thought, but she still moved forward at the same fast pace.

?It's too late, it seems.? In all of his fervor, the thought had skipped his mind as well. That's what happens when he gets worked up. He scowled to himself for a moment.

"They're both smart, like you, so they'll figure it out. And I'm sure they would understand." She nodded and started up the long hill leading up to the manner. The temperature was much higher than normal, so the ground was wet and muddy from the rain and melted snow.

?I hope so.? He continued to follow Ada, careful of what steps he took. While used to marching, losing footing happened to everyone at some point. It was better to be cautious.

She struggled up the hill, doing her best to keep her bag under control. Idly, she wondered where he missing arm was, and what condition it was in. It would have been so nice for the arm to have to do all of work, while 85% of Ada chilled in a desert resort realm. Nope, she couldn't have been that lucky. The thought was pushed aside, though, and she had to stop for a second to catch her breath. "Ghent, honey, you don't have to go. I think I'd rather have you home, than here." She leaned over a little, still trying to catch her breath some. The backpack slipped on her shoulder and teetered dangerously close to falling.

?And risk not seeing you again? Not an option.? It didn't sound harsh. He had calmed down since leaving the house. The physical activity had a lot to do with that. ?Besides, I already told you, sweetheart: This was my problem to begin with, and I involved you.?

Despite everything, Ada couldn't help but feel like Ghent was still her absolute hero. Calm and collected, ready for anything, and looks good doing everything. "That's so sweet. Did I ever mention how happy you make me?"

That got a smile out of him. ?Once or twice. I feel the same way about you, you know.? He kept smiling for a moments. Dark eyes searched for something unfamiliar as they continued on.

"That's a relief." She let out a sigh, and then continued toward to the manor. They wouldn't be too far away at this point. Once again, Ada checked her watch and started keeping an eye out for Theron.

Ghent couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. His right hand wanted to hold onto his Jericho, but he knew that wasn't something he could do currently. Instead, he'd twitch his fingers every now and then.

Within moments, the manor loomed over them, nestled behind and beneath some overgrown accent trees and a large amount of ivy. Before Ada could even wonder what the next step was, there was a portal shimmering away in front of their obvious path. She hesitated, and then stopped. "You?re certain you want to go? There may be no coming back from here."

?I already made my decision, my love. Let's go.? Dark eyes examined Ada for a moment, and then shifted toward the portal ahead. He could only wonder.

She nodded and moved ahead through the portal, which seemed to do nothing more than drop them off some time at night. And there was no reliable way to know the exact time. Ada looked around, suddenly feeling like she was in the middle of nothing -- it had become so dark so quickly, that her eyes needed some time to adjust. "Here? This seems... Odd."

?Where is here?? Ghent's eyes hadn't adjusted yet. Obviously he followed Ada through the portal. He blinked a few times and took a look around.

"Where we just left. Only darker. And a little warmer." She took her bag and placed it down on the ground. "There are probably instructions somewhere around here. Or, Theron's somewhere around here. Either way, we'd better find a place to settle until it?s light again."

Ghent nodded a little. His eyes finally started to adjust. ?This is a little odd, you're right.? He seemed to be considering that, also.

"Take your keys and head inside, and I'll take a look around. Whatever's going to happen would only be complicated more if we were caught somewhere we shouldn't be." She moved her bag over to the door, so he could take it in. "If I'm not back by the time it's light, then you should assume I'm not coming back." Ada backed away, waving at him. "And always remember that I love you." Just in case.

?I love you, Ada.? He nodded a little at her words. What else could he say? Uncertainty was invading his mind. He did as she asked though. He began to head inside, after unlocking the door.

((This is adapted and edited from the play of January 7th, 2008, with permission. For more information, please PM Adalia Dodd))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-09 18:32 EST
Day 1 | Part 2

Ada had made two complete sweeps of the areas surrounding the back of the manor. She mainly stuck in the tree line and stayed well out of sight. So, after she was certain no one was hanging around, she moved into the manor to find Ghent. At least they would be able to be well out of sight in the large, ornate house. Her eyes being well adjusted allowed her to find Ghent quickly. "I don't think it's close to dawn yet. It's no later than two, probably."

?Then what are we going to do? I gather you don't really know what's going on either.? Ghent frowned a little. His eyes searched the darkness for a few moments before they settled on Ada.

"We wait for instructions." Ada knelt down in front of her bag, and started searching in the dark. It took her probably four times longer than it would take anyone else, but eventually she found the binoculars and moved out of the room they were in. She crossed to the front of the manor and found a shadowy spot where she could look through the massive front windows toward the guest house. Her feelings told her that was the only logical reason for being there -- to observe their future selves.

Ghent hadn't quite put everything together just yet. He watched Ada move to her lookout spot without comment. Since she was sticking to shadows, he would do the same. No passing in front of any windows or the like. He did make sure that his left holster was unfastened, though. Just to be sure.

From what she could tell, everyone was very obviously asleep, or moving around without the lights on. She had no clue that they were anywhere in the future, but she knew they had moved through time at least some. She let the glasses down and headed back to where Ghent was. "We should probably take shifts and keep a lookout."

?All right, but what exactly are we looking for, Ada?? Satisfied with the placement of his gun, he returned to watching her. It was likely hard to see his eyes, but they displayed the majority of his discomfort. His body language remained mostly normal.

"For Theron. And for anyone else." She set the binoculars aside and moved over to her bag, grabbing a sweater and doing her best to pull it over her head. Her voice was muffled as she talked through the wool. "You can get some sleep, if you want. I'm going to take the first watch."

?Somehow I doubt I'm going to be able to sleep.? Ghent sat with his back toward a wall, as he did in any combat situation. He let out a quiet sigh and glanced over at his pack for a moment. He started digging, until he located his knife. He had no belt to put it on currently, but at least it was there.

She finally got her sweater on, and then went to pacing back and forth in the room, trying to think things over. "I'm glad you're here with me, even if I don't want you anywhere near harm. It feels better to have you around."

?Glad I'm good for something.? He smiled a little at Ada. It was a joke, of course. He thought maybe it might help them both. He pulled the Jericho free from its holster and ejected the clip. He wanted to make sure there was ample ammunition.

"Mm." She moved back and forth once more, watching her footprints making dark spots in the thick layer of dust. Something told her it would be better to not roam around the rest of the house. "Maybe I'll head down towards the house and see what's going on. It's possible that we don't even live there yet."

As the clip locked back into place, he lifted his gaze to her for a moment. One red brow immediately went up. ?We? Wait a moment.? Even little clues such as that were all Ghent usually required to piece something together. ?Are you saying we went through time? Then when is this??

She must have figured they were in the past. "Not when we came from, for certain. I don't know anything more than that, though." Ada shrugged and moved over to her bag to look for something else. Her sweater was dark enough that it would provide some cover, and a mostly-black ball cap was placed on her head next.

Ghent decided he'd better change out of his sweats. They were pretty bright after all. He pulled some jeans out of his bag and a dark colored shirt. He didn't bother with any sort of modesty. He changed right there. Besides, it was fairly dark. Once he was finished, he fitted his holsters on again and slid the knife into the sheath attached to the back of his belt. ?I don't like this a bit.?

"I'm sorry. I don't like it either, but it has to be done." She tucked her hair messily into the hat, though she couldn't get it all. But, the less of that color she showed, the less recognizable she would be. "You can stay here, if you're uncomfortable."

If there was one thing Ghent hated, it was basically being forced to do something. It meant someone else was holding all the cards. He intended to figure this out, one way or another. ?No, I'll come with you.?

She nodded and moved over to where Ghent was, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "We'll work this out. I promise." She probably needed the moment of interaction more than he did, and after the kiss was a short nuzzle.

?Okay.? He nodded in acknowledgment of her words. He reached out to hug her at the waist before she moved away. Then he slid the Jericho out of it's holster and flipped the safety off. He didn't think the weapon was going to be needed, but you never know. ?Let's go then.?

Everything she had was left behind, as she slipped out the back door of the manor. It was slightly brighter outside than it had been inside, so she could see much more than before. Once Ghent was outside, she slipped around the side of the building and started down the hill toward the guest house. There was no cover for either of them, so she moved as fast as she could.

Ghent just kept up pace with Ada. There was no point in getting there sooner or later than her. He was slightly crouched as he went, though. Training instinct always stuck with him.

The trip down to the house was completely uneventful, which came as a bit of a shock to Ada. She crouched down underneath one of the kitchen windows and listened for any movement inside. There might have been footsteps, but she couldn't say for sure. So, she waited to see if Ghent looked like he'd heard something, too.

The silence disturbed him. If they were in the past, then there was no way he could be around. He would've remembered this event, he thought. He listened just as Ada had, but his eyes were directed toward the corner, where the outside wall turned. But if this was the future.

She gestured to him that she was going to go down around her side of the building and started her slow, careful steps towards the side of the house where the bedroom windows were. It was doubtful that any windows would be open, but she hadn't even thought of the windows before she was crouching beneath them.

Instinct was making him wary. Plus, he might have been over thinking the situation. If this was the future and he was still with Ada, wouldn't he know that they'd be getting a visit tonight? He followed Ada, staying crouched as she had.

Ada continued under the windows, since she didn't hear anything, As she got to the front of the house, and stopped and held out her hand, whispering to Ghent. "Can I borrow your keys?"

?Here.? He whispered in return and offered the keys to her. He then moved to stand beside the door, his Jericho held in both hands. He couldn't take any chances.

She carefully and quietly made certain she had the right key, before unlocking the door and pushing it open a few inches. Logically speaking, she still felt like it was the past. So, she grabbed a piece of mail on the floor, and held it out to Ghent so that she could snoop some more, her head poking around the few inches of space there was to look through.

He took the envelope with his left hand and glanced at it. He was searching the front for some sort of date. Ghent wanted to either confirm or deny his suspicions outright. He also tried to keep an eye inside, in case he needed to use his firearm.

Ada hadn't had a chance to check back with Ghent before slipping into the living room of the house. She wanted as much information as she could get.

The mail would have a mark on it from when it had made it through the post office, so it would be stamped for April 11th, 2012 -- which made it Ghent's birthday. It was his letter, too, so his name was on it. Immediately his eyes narrowed. He snapped his gun behind him quickly. It might have just been paranoia that made him do it. But he thought he might see himself when he whirled around. The letter was temporarily forgotten.

Just as Ada had disappeared inside, another Ada, much older looking and wearing a dressing gown, appeared in front of Ghent. She didn't seem to realize that this wasn't the Ghent from her time. "You heard something too?"

He froze, but only for a moment. He had no choice but to lie, in this situation. That's what he figured. ?Yes, I did.? He whispered to the future Ada. He had no plans for ill intent, but maybe he could figure out where his future self was.

The future Ada rubbed at her eyes tiredly and nodded. "Well, I didn't see anyone out back -- I think it must have been an animal." Her voice was getting steadily sleepier. "We should probably just go back to bed."

?Maybe we should check the way I went out again. Just in case.? His words were still quiet. He was taking a risk here. Either future Ada saw where future Ghent had gone out, or she would get confused. That's what he figured. Ghent decided he'd have to risk it.

"Okay, honey, you do that." She brushed at his hand as she passed him and went through the unlocked, partially open front door.

There were no sounds of surprise or anything generally amiss, and soon the present Ada came back through the door, closing it quietly behind her. "I think we're in the future..." She had no idea he had actually talked to her future self.

He lifted a brow for a moment. Apparently the two Adas had not seen each other. Either way, he was relieved. ?I suspected as much when we actually got down to the house here.? He was still troubled that his future self hadn't revealed himself. He hands the letter over to Ada. ?Look at the postmark.?

She took the letter from him and squinted in the dark, trying to pick out the numbers and letters. Meanwhile, she offered over an (obviously) old calendar marked with 2011 at the top. "We're six -- no, five years in the future?"

He narrowed his eyes a bit as well, so he could examine the calendar. ?It appears that way. I must have ran into your future self. She asked if I had heard something, as well. Which means that I am around here somewhere, too.?

"If you're getting mail here, then I imagine you live here as well, yes." The letter was offered back to him, as Ada seemed to consider his meeting with her future self. "Did I look all right? For being older?"

He almost laughed, but not quite. He did sort of give her a helpless grin. ?Well, yes, but is that really relevant right now?? He wasn't upset. Ghent was a little amused, actually. ?Open up the letter.?

"I'm not opening your mail. Especially not here." She would open it, though, when she was certain that neither of them were going to be caught red-handed. "Let's head back up to the manor and bunk until morning."

?Lead the way. I'll watch out for?? He paused. ??myself, apparently.? After he readjusted his grip on the Jericho, he looked to Ada and waited.

She nodded and went along the side of the house, opposite where the bedrooms were. She remained crouched under the windows the whole way, and with one last check to make sure no one was coming out the kitchen door, she hurried her way back toward the main manor as fast as she could manage. At least the ground wasn't as soggy.

Ghent followed Ada, being sure to stay under the windows as well. He hurried along, though he was also trying to keep an eye out behind them as well.

The hill seemed easier to climb when it wasn't as wet. Everything was still and quiet on the Hills, and it was kind of surprising to think about how they were in the future when everything seemed so sedate. At the front door of the manor, Ada held the door open for Ghent and looked around to make sure Theron wasn't hanging around.

Ghent had to be cautious. It was his nature. He stepped inside with his gun held up. He tried to be quick, but it took a few seconds for him to be satisfied that everything was clear. He lowered the weapon and turned to look at Ada.

She offered the letter over to him. "It's addressed to you."

He pressed the safety on his Jericho and offered it to her in exchange. He didn't want his gun holstered until he was completely comfortable. After he took the envelope from Ada, he opened it carefully and reached inside to take out the contents.

She took the gun and held it at her side, watching him tear open the envelope. She had no clue what was inside, but she was certainly curious. It seemed to be some sort of bill, from her perspective, but she couldn't really read anything in the dark. "I brought some candles. We can make a place to sleep and get some light in the other room."

?Okay. Let's go do that then. I can't really read this currently without more light anyway.? He glanced upward for a moment, then over to her. He tucked the document back into the envelope.

((This is adapted and edited from the play of January 7th, 2008, with permission. For more information, please PM Adalia Dodd))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-09 18:49 EST
Day 1 | Part 3

Ada nodded and moved into the room where their bags were. She first grabbed a blanket and laid it out on the dusty floor, and then she grabbed a candle and lit it. The light it shed wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Afterwards, she started digging in her bag again. "We might get three or four hours of sleep before dawn."

Ghent read the contents of the envelope in the dim light. It appeared to be a medical bill. What exactly it was for, he couldn't make out. But his name was there. He was listed as a male, married. He lifted a brow at that. However, he continued to read on, sharing some of the information with Ada. ?Seems like a hospital bill. Not sure for what. They've got a lot of my personal information on here so it can't be a mistake.?

"So, you must be around, right? They wouldn't be sending a bill to a dead man, and I don't think future me would be so calm about seeing an alive you." Ada pulled out a long-sleeved shirt and pulled her sweater off. "I should have tried to get some more clues. Where did that calendar go?"

?Yes, I must be. But they have me listed as married.? He blinked a couple of times at the mention of the calendar. ?I must have dropped it. Damn.?

"Married?" She grinned in the dim light and pulled the long-sleeve shirt on over her t-shirt, struggling to get everything looking normal with that phantom limb at her disadvantage. "Well, you sly dog. Going out and getting married..."

?I don't see how that's sly. It has to be you I married, if I'm still living here.? He rolled his eyes, but chuckled as well. Ghent looked over the bill again. He was still trying to figure out what it was for. ?Can you make this part out?? He pointed to the section he was having trouble with. What a time to forget his rarely needed glasses.

"Well, I suppose that's a good sign, then. At least we know we can make it for five years." She pulled her hair from inside the shirt, and then moved over to look at the section he was pointing at. "It's an itemized list. You must have had a room, because they're charging you with a bed for three days, some meals, some prescription charges..." She shrugged and didn't bother with the rest, for the moment. Instead, she moved over and sat on the blanket.

?I wonder what happened.? He considered that for a moment. He'd noticed earlier how quiet everything had seemed. After a shake of his head, he went to sit down beside Ada. ?And we still don't know why we're here.?

"But we know more than we did when we got here. That has to help some." Ada kicked her shoes off, and looked at her wet socks with a frown. Then she grabbed the candle and held it closer to them, holding out her hand for the letter. "Did it seem like I had been hurt? Or could have been?"

?Not from how you spoke. You were moving around well enough and didn't seem surprised that I was up and moving about. We're probably lucky it was so dark. I'm sure I must look a little different at least, if this is five years later.? He offered the letter to her and then began unlacing his boots.

She nodded and set the candle stick down, taking the letter and leaning close to the light. Ada studied the paper, and commented as she went along. "It looks like this bill is for a few months ago -- like we're making payments." Ada squinted and leaned in a little more. "From the end of December, 2011. I'll bet the calendar would have said something."

?It must have been something fairly bad, then. A three day stay, but we're still making payments?? Ghent frowned. He really wondering what the hell was going on, but he was doing his best to stay calm and collected.

"It could be any number of things." She placed the bill down on the blanket between them, and grabbed her sweater, balling it up to make a pillow for him. And then, she reached into her bag, looking for something else that would make a suitable pillow. "Three days isn't that long."

?It's not the length of the stay, it's the fact we're still paying for it.? He still considered this, as he fell backward, his head landed on her sweater. ?Thanks.? He spoke the word softly.

"Mm hm." When nothing seemed suitable enough for a pillow, she just laid down on her back and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm fairly surprised that it was an actual hospital bill, and not just a statement from that new free clinic." That seemed less normal to her, than still paying the bill.

?Maybe someone turned it into a hospital.? It was speculation, of course. He figured if the clinic did well that it was a possibility. He turned a little to look at Ada and noticed she had no pillow. He sat up and reached into his pack and offered the sweatshirt to her. ?Here.?

"Thank you." Ada stuffed the sweatshirt under her head and turned on her side so she could look at Ghent. "Whatever Theron wants, I'm certain it's here, but I don't know why he would need to bring us into the future to get whatever it is. What is there now, that wasn't there in the past?"

?That's the question, isn't it?? Ghent wasn?t really too sure. He considered that for a few moments before he lied down again. He turned so he could face Ada, much as she had to face him. ?Let's see if we can figure it out. We know it's five years later. We're married. I've been in the hospital for something. And nothing seems abnormal.?

She closed her eyes to think it over, her one arm tucked underneath his sweatshirt and her head. "Does it say we were both there? I thought it was just one bed on the list. And it might not even have been one of us -- we could be philanthropists."

?Wait, you might be onto something.? His eyes narrowed a little. He then flipped the page over. That seemed a foolish oversight. He sighed. ?It's definitely not the latter. ?Patient: Adalia Tyn.? This is a strange way to setup a bill.? He offered it over to her again.

Reaching up, she took the letter from him, and held it in front of her face. The candle was on the other side of her, but she was still getting some light off of it. "That is strange. I guess they wanted to make sure it was you paying, and not me." Ada looked over the first line and giggled a little. "?Adalia Tyn? has a nice ring to it."

?Maybe I'm rich now and that's why you married me.? He grinned at her. He was playing, of course. ?So if you were the patient, I wonder what the problem was. Your future self seemed fine. Maybe they replaced your arm with something.?

"I doubt I would marry you specifically because you're rich." She laughed and looked at him over the top of the bill. "And I certainly was hoping it would take less time than 5 years to get my arm replaced."

?I was thinking maybe there would be a more biological replacement available or something. I'm sure you're right and you had one of some sort.? It made less sense when he considered it further. ?What else would put you in the hospital??

Ada looked back at the paper for a moment, and then sat up on her elbow. "Oh, I see." There was certainly some surprise written on her face but it faded pretty quickly when she looked back at him. "I can see, now, why we're still paying months later."

?Why? Did you find something?? He looked at her again. Ghent didn't sit up as she had, but it didn't affect the curiosity in his tone at all. A red brow even went upward.

"I did." She seemed to be considering whether she wanted to tell him, or not. "The question is, how badly do you want to know? And how much of the future (or even possible future) are we supposed to know?"

?It's hard to say, but I fail to see how it could cause any harm if you already know.? He lifts his head a little and then twists to lie on his back. His hands are interlaced and put behind his head before he lies down again.

"Well, then, I guess it doesn't hurt for you to know you'll maybe, possibly be a father some day." She watched for his reaction, still holding the bill in her hand.

Surprised probably wasn't the word. He bolted upright. A few moments were allowed to pass. This wasn't something to get bent out of shape about. He exhaled deeply and let the tension subside. ?Well, that does explain a few things.?

"It sure does." She dropped the bill into his lap and laid back down, closing her eyes. "We also have to consider the possibility that there was a child, but there isn't now." Ada said it, but she sure sounded sad about having to consider the possibility.

?Yes, that's also true.? He wasn't sure what to think of that, but he couldn't bring himself to be pained. He was still a little confused. ?Did you hear a baby in the house anywhere? I didn't hear any crying or the like from outside.?

"I didn't hear anything when I was inside, except myself." Ada sighed and scooted closer to Ghent. They might as well stay close, if they've got to share a blanket. "But that doesn't mean anything, either. I think we just need to avoid finding out too much, and just wait for our instructions."

?You're probably right. Is this Theron fellow going to be expecting me to be around? Because if not, maybe it's better that I hide somewhere.? He spoke the words, but he was already reaching for Ada. It was comforting to him to hold her.

"He probably already knows. Or, at the very least, assumes that I would bring someone along." She couldn't very well put an arm around him in return, but she did nuzzle against him a little more. "But if you feel better hiding, you can."

He did his best to ignore the feeling of his own arm just sitting inside her phantom one. It was strange, but not enough that he planned to let go of her. ?If it's unnecessary, there's no point in bothering. Does he know who I am?? His last question was hard to decipher an answer to on his own.

"Nothing more than that you're important to me; I made sure of that." She couldn't do much about the phantom arm at the moment, but she would likely toss and turn some after a short while. "I'd just like to get this over with, and go back to our semi-normal lives."

?Me too, sweetie.? He sighed a little. ?Me too.? Actually, Ghent was starting to feel uncomfortable. Like he was meddling in affairs not meant to be meddled in. ?Ada, I'm sorry, but I'm a little afraid.?

"It's all right to be afraid. This isn't like anything we've dealt with before." For a moment, Ada tried to see whether the tension would lift, but when it didn't, she pulled herself up to prop on her arm. "If you don't want to do this, you can go home. I'd hate for all of this ruin what we have. And what we could have."

?It isn't that, but?? He paused, as he searched for the words. ?Armies, fighting, danger: those are things I can handle. But, time travel? Isn't this something mortals shouldn't tamper with?? The last question almost whispered. ?You are why I get up each morning, Ada. I want you to understand that I would follow you to hell. I'm just frightened.?

"I am, too. I've hardly had a chance to breathe, let alone understand what's going on. But Theron will have no mercy if he doesn't get what he wants. And, right now, it seems he wants us to travel through time." She frowned a little and leaned her head on his chest. "This is much better than the alternative."

?I trust you, Ada. So, I?ll accept that for now. I just want you to be safe.? That was his entire reason for wanting to tag along. His tone probably made that apparent. He hugged her tightly with his arm.

She let out a long sigh and nodded. "Maybe we'll have a normal life, one day. Something very dull and never surprising." But Ada didn't sound nearly as enthusiastic as she probably would have any other time. "But I'm glad you're here with me, love."

?Dull and unsurprising wouldn't suit you, I think. I'd settle for less dangerous though.? He smiled a little at her -- the usual, gentle type of smile. Ghent bent his neck a little so he could kiss the top of Ada's head.

"Mm." She made a sound in agreement, and seemed to settle more against him, obviously relaxing some. "I'll bet Emma and Lily both have boyfriends by now. They could even be married, too."

?I imagine so. Em's probably married, at least, though we probably shouldn't speculate too much.? The more he felt of her, the calmer he felt. By this point, he felt all right at least.

Ada yawned quietly and nodded in response to him. But she had been up all night, and it was catching up to her fast. So, it wasn't long at all before she was completely asleep, and so was he.

((This is adapted and edited from the play of January 7th, 2008, with permission. For more information, please PM Adalia Dodd))