The Time Rip (44 page)

Unfortunately, Brett began to laugh so hard he could not adequately defend himself and soon found himself in a headlock while Jeremy laughed back delightedly at his apparent victory.

“Brett, you idiot, I bet Greg put you up to this.” He turned to look up at Janet and said, “Where is he?”

Janet suppressed her own laughter, “Hey don’t look at me, this was entirely Brett’s idea. Greg is supposed to be meeting us at the house.” She looked pointedly at her watch, “About now.”

Brett extricated himself from Jeremy’s hold and turned to face him, “We found it, Jer; we found your time rip.”

A shocked gasp from the bottom of the stairs drew their attention. Freya stood for one moment, colour draining from her face, before she bolted past them to the kitchen door. Janet winced, but Jeremy was already moving. Brett pulled him back. “Let me talk to her,” he said.

Jeremy hesitated a moment then nodded, watching his brother saunter out the door after Freya as if he had all the time in the world to catch up with her.

Janet watched Jeremy’s grim face and was profoundly grateful that she had Greg, a happy soul with no hero complex or hangs ups to deal with. The corny drama of the situation made her want to laugh and she sought for a way to lighten the mood.

“I’m surprised you let the silent cave man go after her,” she tried, “I’ve been trying to get him to open up a bit for the last three hours.”

Jeremy glanced across at her, his face softening with a slight grin. “I bet he knows far more about you now than you could say of him. He has a gift for getting people to talk.”

Janet grinned back at him, “The mood Freya’s been in lately I think he might get an earful.”

Greg flashed into the room then and Janet cast herself on him saying, “My hero!”

He looked down at her in surprise, “C’mon, Janet, I don’t have any more doughnuts, you ate the last one, I promise you.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “You two are well suited.”

It did not take Brett long to find Freya, she had raced up to the field boundary and then simply stopped and sat on the ground. The tall grasses of the meadow a backdrop to her figure. Brett walked over and sat next to her.

She looked small and forlorn, a lost little girl, until he looked at her face. She was wearing a thoughtful expression, half-rueful, half-amused.

“Janet didn’t tell me where it was,” he said, “she went to take a look and I followed her. She specifically asked me to leave her alone.”

Freya swiped a hand under her nose and looked up at him. “It’s all right, it doesn’t really matter now, anyway.” She sighed and seemed to gather her thoughts. “When I first met you, you swore you wouldn’t rat on me to Jeremy. You said we were best friends.”

Brett eyes widened and he laughed somewhat nervously. “Oh my God, what have I walked into. How have you already met me?”

“You helped me with something, um…” Freya suddenly grinned, “Actually, you said Jeremy was antsy over it all and you asked me not to tell him what you did, so I guess we’re even anyway.”

Brett blinked, “You want me to swear not to rat on you to Jer about something,” he tried.

“Yeah.” Freya sighed and stared unseeing over the field. Eventually she spoke, “It’s a bad habit of mine, you know.”

Brett waited, refusing to be drawn; then understanding struck, “Legging it when you hear something you don’t like?”

A shiver of laughter shook Freya and she grinned again, “That’s one way of putting it. I guess I freaked when you said you’d found the time rip. I don’t know why, I knew anyway that it was going to be found. It was just a bit of a shock after everything else.”

“Dare I ask about the everything else?”

Freya paused and drew a breath, gaze skittering away.

“You want me to swear, I’m happy to.”

She bit her lip and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “I stole a time device and I need somewhere to stash it so Jeremy doesn’t find it.” It was Brett’s turn to shiver with silent laughter, and Freya looked up at him sharply.

“Fantastic. Jeremy promised to train me up on using the thing, but he won’t let me have one. I’ll look after it for you and in return, if he ever discovers it, I won’t tell him I got it from you.”

“I’m not sure. I mean, if you keep it in 2008, I won’t be able to use it if I need to.”

“How about if I promise to visit every week.”

“Done. Jeremy will do his nut if he ever finds out, you know.”

Brett laughed softly, an eerie imitation of Jeremy, “Don’t worry about that. I can deal with my little brother. Besides, it’s not Jer who’ll give me grief over it anyway.”

Freya smiled and then rubbed her hands over her arms as if suddenly chilled. “He’s going to get it closed now isn’t he,” she said quietly.

Brett guessed they were back to the time doorway. “Why don’t you want him to close it, Freya?”

She looked up and huffed, “Because…” she hesitated, conflict running over her face. “Because, it’s just— he just can’t okay.” She fidgeted for a moment, fingers finding short blades of grass and pulling them up.

Brett was silent, watching her with Jeremy’s dark chocolate eyes. She tried again, “It’s just…I need to come here.” She paused and suddenly realised the truth she had suppressed. “It’s that Nathan is…” she stopped again, “My brother’s not dead here, because he’s not born yet. I can have him and Janet here.”

“And if Jeremy closes the time rip and things don’t work out between you, then you won’t be able to come back here.” Brett spoke softly, his tone low.

Freya exhaled sharply and said in a rush, “I know it’s dumb. It was six years ago. I should be well over it by now. I know, intellectually, that it makes no difference that he’s not born yet here. I can’t even go back and save him, because to do so would mean I would change history and I might lose Janet, not to mention Jeremy.

“I know it’s all academic anyway. Here, there, wherever, he’s still gone and he’s not coming back.”

“Freya, there’s nothing dumb about how you feel and there’s no time limit on grief. Jeremy was right about you. He told me you were an incredibly strong person.”

Freya stared at him, stunned, “He said that?”

“He’s worried that you’ll grow out of him in a few years time and not want him around anymore.”

Freya could only blink at Brett in astonishment, but he did not say anything further; simply staying quiet and waiting for what he was sure was coming next.

“He wants some kind of commitment from me. I can’t, I don’t.” She broke off and looked away, shocked by the tears that suddenly ran down her face. She gave a choked gasp half-laughing and holding out a hand as if to ward him off. Brett took her outstretched hand and pulled her towards him, hugging her carefully.

Freya laughed and swallowed her tears, hugging him back, suddenly glad for the comfort when she felt so mixed up. “Christ, Brett, I’m a mess.” Reluctantly, she straightened up, wiping away the last of her tears with her palm, leaving a streak of mud over one side of her face. “Commitment’s a dirty word.”

Brett shook his head, “You’ll sort it out.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he spoke, “Maybe we should go back and let him know you’re okay.” He stood up as he spoke, pulling her to her feet. Freya rubbed her hands over her arms, not wanting to walk back to the house yet. Brett turned and waited.

“Brett.” She hesitated and looked away across the field for a moment. Here was yet another person that she cared for, who she didn’t want to lose. When had she gained so many friends? There had only been Janet for so long now, and suddenly she had all these people to think of.

She sighed and looked back at him. “I always wondered what Nathan would have been like if he’d lived to grow up. I like to think he would have been something like you.” She spoke the words quietly, wanting to say them, but embarrassed at the same time.

He walked back to her and took her hand, “That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever had,” he placed her palm against his heart and said, “I promise you, whatever happens with Jeremy you won’t lose me from your life. I think we’re gonna be good friends.” He grinned suddenly and said, “As you’re seeing my little brother, that makes you a sister by association. I think my other brothers are going to want to meet you. They are going to be thrilled to have another little sister to boss around.”

Freya allowed herself to be drawn back to the house. As they entered the kitchen, Jeremy looked up from where he was lounging against the sink. Brett gave Freya’s hand a reassuring squeeze and said to Jeremy, “Where did Janet get to?”

Jeremy studied his fingernails for a moment, “Greg turned up and decided he would be better at cooking than you. Apparently, he’s taken Janet to the shops.”

“Greg said that did he? Excuse me.” Brett stalked out the door, leaving Freya to face Jeremy alone.

The kitchen was suddenly silent. Motes of dust played in a clear rectangular beam of sunlight from the open window, their chaotic movements in accord with Freya’s thoughts.

Jeremy had not approached her. Had not said one word. He just watched her intently, making her pulse scramble. She attempted to sort through her mixed thoughts and feelings. Jeremy wanted her. Brett had confirmed it and given her a small insight of his brother’s feelings. She wanted him too, far too much. Her feelings for him were bordering on obsession.

She wanted to watch his beautiful face all the time, to try to read his emotions as he so easily read hers. She wanted to listen to his voice, the gentle inflections in it, and she wanted the calm she felt around him; the capability he seemed to wear like a second skin.

Clear as a bell, the knowledge sang through her that she wanted him for all time, not just a passing relationship. Somewhere along the way she had fallen hard for him, and now she was damned if she would let him get away. But all that was for the future.

She wanted Jeremy and he wanted her. Why couldn’t it be as simple as that? She slowly crossed the room to stand in front of him and hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, resting her face against his shirt.

Jeremy held her close to him, allowing hope to burn bright inside. He stroked his hand over her head to feel her silky hair. His fingers reached the nape of her neck and burrowed under the golden mass to find soft skin.

“Freya,” he said quietly, “I won’t try to close the time rip. Brett is going to live here, but in 2008. Between us, we should be able to monitor it well enough. You can come and go as you please through the rip, or I can transport you with my time device.”

Freya looked up at him in shock. She had never expected anything like this; he was contradicting everything he had previously said.

“There will be conditions, of course, but I hope you will hear me out.”

Freya looked into his eyes, studying the dark chocolate colour, trying to see what was behind the change of decision. Now that he was saying she could get herself home, perversely, she was happy to let him transport her. She smiled and almost shook her head at her contrariness. “What are the conditions?”

His fingers left her neck to stroke through her hair, gently combing out tangles. “I cannot allow anyone to know I am not from 1908, and if you are to visit me here, then you also need to give the illusion that you are from this time. I can provide you with suitable clothing, but you will need to know the laws and customs here.” He shrugged, “I can train you in these matters easily enough, but no one from either 2008 or 1908 should have knowledge of the time rip, or the work my colleagues and I do here. For others to know could put our lives at risk.”

This was going to be easier than she had expected. “Okay, I promise not to say a word, and I’ll do my best to learn the stuff you tell me.”

Jeremy smiled gently at her. “There are other matters that you should be aware of. In this century many diseases are endemic, such as TB, or consumption as it’s known here. I would like you to consider being vaccinated against anything you may come across.”