knowing it could happen and actually experiencing it…. He’d never believed half of it, but now reality had hit him right between the eyes, to say nothing of capturing his heart. “But Sean was supposed to die, Ali,” he protested. “I read that part of the file. I saw the images and read the police reports.”
“In an altered history, he did, Jason.” Alisha shook her head and leaned over, kissing his forehead. “You came back to put things right, to put things back on track. We don’t always just observe.” Her tone changed to one of amusement. “I suppose that was another lecture you either skipped or zoned out in?”
“Hey, I didn’t do either of those.” Jason felt the need to defend himself. He raised his free hand to swat her as they always did, but it felt like lead. He opened his eyes; it took more effort than it should.
“You should sleep,” Alisha chastised him softly. “Your recovery will be quicker than any of the natives, but your body still needs time to return to normal, just as theirs does.” She smiled at him sadly. “I’m going to miss you, but you have a good life, I know you do. Look after Sean, he’s a good guy. You both are.”
“You’re leaving,” Jason murmured, his throat dry from all the talking, his focus beginning to wane again. “Will I see you again?”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Alisha opened Jason’s watch, activating the recall device. Already she was beginning to fade, to return to her proper place in time. “Time will tell. We make our own future, Jason, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“Goodbye, Ali.” Jason bit his lip, closing his eyes. Damn, he was going to miss her. He reached out his hand, felt someone take it, focused on the warmth of their grasp, and let himself drift.
“Jason?”
The voice he heard when he woke the second time was deeper, a man’s voice. Jason felt his lips lift into a smile; he whispered a name in return. “Sean.”
Strong arms pulled him into an embrace, although Sean’s touch was gentle, cautious. Jason leaned into it, feeling safe, knowing that for the first time since he could remember his sleep had not been plagued with dreams promising him what he could not have.
“God, I’ve been so worried.” Sean rubbed at his eyes. They were red. He retreated back to the edge of the bed and examined Jason closely. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. You scared me. I thought I’d lost you.” He shivered. “All that blood. I freaked out. The ambulance seemed to take forever.”
Jason cracked a half grin. “Nah, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” He squeezed Sean’s hand. “That’s okay, isn’t it? I want to stay, if you’ll have me.” Despite what Alisha had said, he wasn’t about to presume anything. He’d tell Sean everything, the whole truth, however crazy it sounded. He deserved to know what he was taking on.
“Of course I’ll have you,” Sean said softly. He shuffled closer, brushing his lips against Jason’s. “I love you, and I want a future with you, or at least try for one.”
“That’s what I want too.” Jason returned the kiss, lingering. “Slow dreaming,” he sang softly, repeating the final words of Sean’s song. “I’ve found my moment in time.”
About the Author
A NNE B ARWELL lives in Wellington, New Zealand, sharing her home with her twin daughters, at least during the holidays, when one of them isn’t away at university. Her son has left home and started his own family, although she claims she is too young to be a grandmother already. Her three cats are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.
In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching and has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and a librarian. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction club and plays piano for her local church and
“In an altered history, he did, Jason.” Alisha shook her head and leaned over, kissing his forehead. “You came back to put things right, to put things back on track. We don’t always just observe.” Her tone changed to one of amusement. “I suppose that was another lecture you either skipped or zoned out in?”
“Hey, I didn’t do either of those.” Jason felt the need to defend himself. He raised his free hand to swat her as they always did, but it felt like lead. He opened his eyes; it took more effort than it should.
“You should sleep,” Alisha chastised him softly. “Your recovery will be quicker than any of the natives, but your body still needs time to return to normal, just as theirs does.” She smiled at him sadly. “I’m going to miss you, but you have a good life, I know you do. Look after Sean, he’s a good guy. You both are.”
“You’re leaving,” Jason murmured, his throat dry from all the talking, his focus beginning to wane again. “Will I see you again?”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Alisha opened Jason’s watch, activating the recall device. Already she was beginning to fade, to return to her proper place in time. “Time will tell. We make our own future, Jason, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“Goodbye, Ali.” Jason bit his lip, closing his eyes. Damn, he was going to miss her. He reached out his hand, felt someone take it, focused on the warmth of their grasp, and let himself drift.
“Jason?”
The voice he heard when he woke the second time was deeper, a man’s voice. Jason felt his lips lift into a smile; he whispered a name in return. “Sean.”
Strong arms pulled him into an embrace, although Sean’s touch was gentle, cautious. Jason leaned into it, feeling safe, knowing that for the first time since he could remember his sleep had not been plagued with dreams promising him what he could not have.
“God, I’ve been so worried.” Sean rubbed at his eyes. They were red. He retreated back to the edge of the bed and examined Jason closely. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. You scared me. I thought I’d lost you.” He shivered. “All that blood. I freaked out. The ambulance seemed to take forever.”
Jason cracked a half grin. “Nah, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” He squeezed Sean’s hand. “That’s okay, isn’t it? I want to stay, if you’ll have me.” Despite what Alisha had said, he wasn’t about to presume anything. He’d tell Sean everything, the whole truth, however crazy it sounded. He deserved to know what he was taking on.
“Of course I’ll have you,” Sean said softly. He shuffled closer, brushing his lips against Jason’s. “I love you, and I want a future with you, or at least try for one.”
“That’s what I want too.” Jason returned the kiss, lingering. “Slow dreaming,” he sang softly, repeating the final words of Sean’s song. “I’ve found my moment in time.”
About the Author
A NNE B ARWELL lives in Wellington, New Zealand, sharing her home with her twin daughters, at least during the holidays, when one of them isn’t away at university. Her son has left home and started his own family, although she claims she is too young to be a grandmother already. Her three cats are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.
In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching and has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and a librarian. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction club and plays piano for her local church and
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