The Next Day

Woke up at 2 PM with the worst hangover of my life. I’m amazed I managed to drink that much.

When the headache started to subside, memory punched me in the gut. Considered going back and seeing how much was left in the mini-bar, but unfortunately, I hadn’t left enough to drown out the bodies from my head a second time. Plus I needed a clearer mind to figure out what I was going to do about 330.

A few hours later I’d built up the resolve to knock on the suite door to her room. No answer. Oh well, she’s not home, guess I’ll just go and… um… do something?
It was evening when I finally opened the door. The room was just as much a mess as the day before. I feel sorry for the cleaning staff who has to deal with this chaos. No 330, though.

Where could she have gone? Well, she’s a time traveler, so… anywhere. Great.

Went out into the city, and started walking. Might have been a coincidence. Or fate. Or just my subconscious leading me. But I ended up at the exchange spot from yesterday. The bus and Miss Sieppe’s body were both gone. That, or they were still there and I could no longer see them. Not the happiest of thoughts.

The street was mostly empty. Or at least as empty as Chicago can get. It was late, after all. Looked further down the street, and saw 330. She was sitting on the curb, staring at the space where the bus had been. Hadn’t looked at me, so I wasn’t sure whether or not she knew I was there. Well… now or never.

Took a deep breath, and walked to her. She still didn’t react. Sat down, facing away from her so our backs were touching. She flinched when she felt me. Okay. Made it this far. Now what was I supposed to do?

“I’m sorry.” Phew, she was the one talking. “I shouldn’t have acted like that last night.”

Tried to think of how I was supposed to be reassuring. Unfortunately, the only role models I have for confidence are I-330 and the Doctor (who 330 is acting like half the time anyways,) which doesn’t help me when I’m trying to be confident for 330. “It was crazy for all of us. I shouldn’t have panicked and ran out on you like that.”

“I was stupid.” She said. “Trying to play the hero again. Thinking I could save them all. I knew it wouldn’t work. Still, I couldn’t help but hoping. That maybe this time, it would work. That the monster would let us go or something. Stupid.”

“Don’t say that. You did the best you could.”

“Ha.”

I didn’t want to continue this line of conversation. Thinking about how people who didn’t have to die did so because we tried to interfere… I don’t want to dwell on that any more than I have to. So I changed the subject. “So, um, about that kiss….” I’m glad we weren’t facing each other. She couldn’t see how red my face was.

She flinched again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“No, it was-”

“I’d understand if-”

“330, it’s oka-”

“I just lost control of myself, and wasn’t thinking about what you thought or what…”

“330….”

“…you were going through, I just forced myself on you, and you must hate me now…”

“330…!”

“… I’m the worst there is, I’m a monster, I’m no better than-“

“330!” She finally turned to look at me, letting me shut her up. I’d say kiss, but it was more me clumsily ramming my face towards hers in the vague hope that our lips met in the same general area. Can’t say how long we were like that, since I don’t remember much until I heard, “Mommy, why are those two girls kissing?” “Just keep walking dear.”

Sudden embarrassment, coupled with the realization that I was in public, and I broke off. 330 looked more shocked than anything else.

“Okay, I have no idea what’s supposed to happen next.” I said to her. “So I’m going to need some help here.”

She laughed, still not looking entirely recovered from the surprise. “Um. I guess you don’t hate me? Okay, that’s good.”

“No. I really don’t. How long have you… you know… in me… been… um….”

“Roughly? Since several months from now.”

“What?”

“Time travel. It’s a long story.”

“You mean you-”

“A long story.”

It wasn’t that funny, but I started laughing, and couldn’t stop. 330 started as well; this whole scene we’d drawn ourselves into almost didn’t seem real. At least not for me. Never imagined I’d end up in something like this. Seems odder than going on adventures with a time traveler, honestly.

“Where do we go from here?” 330 asked. Dammit, I was hoping she’d be the one who knew what to do, because I sure didn’t.

Went through my memory trying to find something I could use to help me with that question. Finally settled on that line 330 had used back when we met the Masons. “Try buying me a drink and we’ll see.”

That got a smile from her. “Deal. But first, we’ve got to clean up the mess we’ve made here.”


So… um… yeah. That happened.

-Lisa