Episode 121: Worn Out
“Rob? What’s this favor you wanted to ask me?” Dustin asked, as he saw Robin sit back down, and remain silent for a moment.
“Hold on, I think we’ll have to leave that for later. I’m not feeling well. I’m dizzy and… Ouch, it’s my head again.”
“Do you want us to go to the hospital? It’s nearby and my mom is on call, they’d see us fast,” Dustin suggested, trying to disguise his concern.
“No, it is not necessary, I’ll be fine, just give me a second.”
“Sorry to insist, but you look terrible,” Dustin replied.
“I know, that’s how I feel, but like I said, I’ll be fine in a few hours.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I will, I swear.”
“Anyway, you’d better lie down while I run your bath. Come on, I’ll help you upstairs.”
“Aaaand here we go again,” said Dustin, as they both headed for the stairs.
“I really don’t understand why I feel so bad, this is unusual,” Robin complained.
“Of course it’s unusual, you suffered an accident, for heaven’s sake”.
“I’ve had accidents before, and I’ve never felt this strange.”
“Define strange.”
“Well, it’s like–extreme fatigue, and–like there’s a revolution going on inside my body.”
“Well, you almost got electrocuted. Not counting the radiation, you must have received. In fact, I’m surprised you’re in one piece–And I’m certainly glad.”
“Really, Dust, I’m sorry to give you so much trouble and at this hour.”
“Oh, it’s no bother at all,” Dustin replied.
“You’re a great friend, you know that?”
“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. I’m not an athlete and you don’t weigh 100 grams,” Dustin joked.
“I know,” Robin replied, barely smiling. Exhaustion was causing his eyes to continually close.
“Almost there, just one more flight of stairs… That door across there is my room. It’s the closest one, but it’s a real mess. There are books everywhere, on the floor and on the beds…”
“Anything interesting?”
“If you feel like reading about the theory of relativity and quantum physics.”
“Honestly, I don’t want to know about the subject right now.”
“I thought so.”
“Third floor,” Dustin announced.
“Are we there?”
“Yes, it’s that door at the back.”
“Good, it’s about time.”
“Upstairs on the fourth floor is Jul’s room, she still stays in it when she comes to visit, but I don’t know if you want to go there.”
“I’d love to, but I don’t think I can take any more stairs. I’m dead, dude.”
“Well, I’d carry you over the threshold, but it’d be kind of weird,” Dustin teased.
“Yeah, no, I-I’ll walk,” Robin replied, trying in turn to smile.
“Are you sure you can?”
“Yeah, you can let go now.”
“Okay.”
Dustin stopped and opened the door to which Robin reached, a little unsteady but on his own two feet.
“This is it”, Dustin said “It was my parents’ bedroom, it has its own bathroom, so you’ll have absolute privacy. After the bath you can take a nap or spend the night here, if you like.”
“I don’t think so, but thanks anyway.”
Episode 122: Safe
With the heater already on, both Dustin and Robin were able to shed their warm clothes.
“Surely your parents won’t mind if I use their room?”, Robin asked.
“Of course not, it’s been a while since they moved out, it’s been empty since then, so you can use it as long as you want.”
“Thanks, I’ll just sit here a minute,” Robin said, sitting down on the bed. Dustin stood there watching him.
“You know, I keep thinking you should see a doctor.”
“And I’m telling you I’m going to be fine.”
“Really? Down there you almost passed out. You’ve got a headache, you can barely stand up, maybe you’ve got internal bruising. And those scratches on your face, they don’t look good at all.”
“The headache will pass, and the scratches will go away in a few days. It’s no big deal.”
“How do you know, you’re not even wearing your bracelet, you’ve been without it for quite some time.”
“There must be residue on my body from the suppressants, or the damage would have been worse. Believe me after the bath I’ll be good as new.”
“If you say so,” Dustin sighed. “Well, I’ll hurry up and get it ready, I still have to call Juliette…”
Dustin started to walk; Robin got to his feet as fast as his tiredness would allow.
“Dust, wait.”
“Yes?” Dustin asked stopping.
“Please don’t tell Juliette anything.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t keep something like this from her, it was a serious accident, she’ll want to know how you are.”
“I didn’t mean the accident, I meant everything else, you know, the Kaleigh and Collin thing.”
“Ah, more secrets?”
“No, I just want to be the one to tell her everything. I want to speak the truth to her for once.”
“Sounds fair.”
“As for the accident, I wouldn’t want to worry her or make her go out at this hour and with the snowfall. So don’t tell her anything about that either, I’ll tell her all in due time.”
“All right. If that’s how you want it… Now, I’ll fill the tub and then I’ll leave you alone. Like I said, you’ll have privacy here.”
“Thanks, Dust.”
“You’re welcome. You know, this is your home, it’s at your disposal if you need to stay and rest or hide from those ‘Council’ people from Oasis Landing. You’ll be totally safe here, okay?”
“Got it, and thanks again”, Robin, replied wearily.
“Great, now, how about you lie down and get some rest while I take care of everything?”
“Sounds good.”
Dustin disappeared behind the bathroom door. Robin stood for a moment, thinking about what he should tell Juliette. He was going to tell her everything without leaving out a detail, about Kaleigh and Collin, and how stupid he had been to complicate their lives like this. How would she react? Would she forgive him? Would she kick him out of her life forever? He had no idea, but of one thing he was sure: no more lies, he had to clean up his record and start from zero. If that was even possible for him.
Episode 123: In Limbo
The sound of water filling the tub brought Robin out of his reverie. The headache was gone, but the dizziness was still there, and it was even stronger. On top of that he was beginning to feel a tiredness that barely allowed him to stand.
The room was so warm, and his weariness so great, that he forgot his nerves and laid down for a moment.
“I’ll close my eyes for a second, just one, while Dustin comes back, then I’ll take a bath, change and go,” he thought as he settled into the Shen’s comfortable bed.
“This bedroom is the most private at our headquarters,” Dustin explained from the bathroom “Judy loves it, I’m sure she’ll want to move in here when she arrives, a few days before the wedding. We decided to get married here in Aurora Skies. My parents will lend us their house for the ceremony. This one is cool, but with the Time Portal in the courtyard, it might not be appropriate. I mean, some of our guests don’t even know what it is… Anyway, I’ll try to keep the water not too hot, because of your scratches, would you like me to put bubbles in, or would you prefer just warm water?”
Dustin suddenly realized that he hadn’t stopped talking since he had entered the bathroom, and that Robin hadn’t spoken all that time, perhaps he had bored him with his talk? He had been so excited talking about the wedding that he had almost completely forgotten about his interlocutor.
“Rob–?”
At the silence coming from the bedroom, he turned the faucet back off and headed for the door.
“Rob, the tub is ready, you might want to come in while I get your…”
He stopped dead in his tracks as he entered.
“Oh, boy,” he exclaimed, seeing Robin lying on the bed, sound asleep. “I guess the blessed suppressors finally started to kick in. It’s about time… Okay, I’ll leave you alone, a little time in limbo won’t hurt. When you wake up, remind me to get me one of those wonderful bracelets.”
After covering him with the blanket, Dustin went to the closet to get out a change of clothes. He looked for something warm that would protect Robin well from the cold, folded it carefully, laid it on the bed and headed for the door.
“There you go. You’re sheltered, buddy. Now I’ll let you sleep. Damn it, you’ve been through a lot, you deserve to rest”, he added, and turning off the light, he left the bedroom.
Once outside, he decided not to call Juliette. He hated to leave her out, but he had to take Robin’s word for it.
He might not be ‘Terminator’, but if he said he was going to be okay, it was best to believe him. After all, he came from the future, he should know full well what was happening to him and what he should do, new things about science and medicine he was ignorant of.
“Okay, Rob, I’ll trust you and go to sleep myself, at least you’re resting now. That will do you good, I hope… And Jul, sister, you’ll have to forgive me this time”, he said as he closed the door behind him.
Episode 124: Awakening
Robin awoke hours later, feeling much better, all traces of pain gone, as well as fatigue and sleepiness.
Without hesitation he got up, ready to take the bath he had left pending. He would wear the clothes Dustin had left him and return home at once.
He didn’t want to wake Dustin up at that time of the morning, especially after having kept him up all night, so he prepared the tub himself, with warm water and bubbles to relax. Truth be told, though, he felt quite relaxed, and -just as he had told Dustin- as good as new. He felt almost as if he had been born again.
He lay in the tub for a while, resting and thinking about his next step: talking to Ann. He would also ask Dustin to please help him decipher the Council document that supposedly contained all the information about his origins.
When he got out of the bathtub, he headed to the bedroom to get dressed, but first he stopped in front of the mirror to check his face and see if his wounds had improved with the warm bath water.
When he looked at himself, he got a big surprise: the scratches on his face had disappeared without a trace!
Episode 125: Healed
“What the hell? The scratches are gone, I’m healed! But– how could this happen?”
True, the suppressants eliminate pain, but they don’t heal wounds, or did the bracelet contain something else I don’t know about? Even if it was so, I’m not even wearing it, and there are no scars left either. This is really weird”.
Still stunned by the surprise, Robin continued on his way to the bedroom.
“I’m certainly feeling better, and I’m glad, but those bruises were pretty bad, how did they just magically vanish like that? No matter how advanced the medicine is, it just can’t be. What on earth is happening to me?
He would find out later, there was no time now.
He dressed quickly, grabbed his wallet and the flash drive from the clothes he had taken off and headed for the door.
Before he went out, a thought assailed him: would this have something to do with the DNA issue the RSL wanted to discuss with him? Could it be that they had found something strange in him? Was he some kind of freak?
This possibility alone only added to the anguish he was already feeling, which was heightened by the thought of Dustin’s reaction when he saw him. How was he going to explain to him that overnight, those wounds had disappeared from his face, as well as all traces of pain and fatigue from his body? That he literally felt ‘as good as new’? Was this something they both needed to worry about?
“Nah, maybe it’s just some unknown, delayed effect of the suppressants. I never knew exactly what meds the bracelet had, and I’ve never been injured before. Maybe it contained some antibiotic or a cicatrizant that accelerated the healing. Anyway, if there were any of these substances in it, I’ll never know, because mine was left in Oasis Landing,” Robin concluded, as he reached the stairwell.
He got downstairs quickly, effortlessly and without pain, his leg functioning perfectly. He hoped he could get out without Dustin seeing him. Observant as he was, he’d notice right away about his face and ask him a thousand questions for which he had no answers. So, he’d rush out and thank him later through a text message.
Some other day he would tell him about the flash drive thing…
Episode 126: Inexplicable
Robin had almost reached the door when he noticed that contrary to what he had thought, Dustin was already awake, ready to start his day’s work. Just now he was in the kitchen, all dressed and with breakfast ready.
“Hey Rob.”
“Hey, Dust,” Robin he answered from the doorway, not daring to show his face.
“Good morning. Good to see you awake and back on your feet. How are you feeling today, a little better?”
“Yes, I– I’m much better, as you can see,” Robin replied, turning to him.
Dustin froze.
“What? Good God, Robin, your face–“
“I know.”
“But how…? “
“I really don’t know, when I got out of the tub the bruises were gone,” Robin replied.
“Gone? Just like that? How do you explain it?”
“I don’t have an explanation, they just– disappeared.”
“Wow, this is amazing! No doubt about it, that bracelet sure is advanced medicine.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think the bracelet has anything to do with it. I don’t even wear it anymore, plus I never heard it could do anything like that.”
“You’re saying you cured yourself out of nowhere, just by going to sleep?
“It seems so.”
“Amazing!
Do you realize that we are facing a ground-breaking discovery here, a new form of healing. What would we call it–self-healing?”
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I ‘self-healed.’ We both know that’s not how the human body works. Our skin doesn’t regenerate itself overnight.”
“Well, something must have caused this effect. Do you think it was the drugs from the bracelet?”
“Honestly, I doubt it.”
“Then maybe it was the Portal explosion? The radiation it produced could have caused you to mutate in some way.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure? Don’t you feel different? Changed?
“Well, I must say I feel a lot better and stronger than I did before the accident, but–“
“There you have it. Unbelievable… Tell me, did you ever experience anything like this before? I mean the self-healing.”
“No, because I’ve never hurt myself before, except when I was a kid, hence the scar on my lip”.
“… Although I don’t remember how it happened.”
“Perhaps on that occasion you self-healed as well. Then your ‘power’ would be from birth. But how did you acquire it in the first place?”
“No idea, and frankly I don’t think I have any ‘power’.”
“That we don’t know. Maybe your parents had it and passed it on to you. Or maybe you were the subject of some experiment that resulted in this.”
“Please, Dust, an experiment for what or by whom?”
“I don’t know, that’s what we need to find out, or don’t you want to know?”
“Sure, I’d love to. Which brings me to what I was going to ask you last night.”
“Right, the favor you wanted, what is it? Reveal the mystery already.”
Episode 127: The Favor
“You know I’m your unconditional friend no matter what, so ask for anything,” Dustin said.
“Thanks, listen, I need you to take a look at this,” Robin said, pulling out of his pocket the flash drive Kaleigh had given him.
“A flash drive?”
“It’s not just any flash drive, it contains important documentation, which is why I need you to help me unlock it.”
“Sure, let’s go upstairs to my study, I’ll see what I can do.”
They both took a seat, Dustin turned on the computer and examined the document.
“Let’s see… Wow, this is really well protected. It doesn’t look like an easy task, but we can try. What information do you say it contains?” he asked.
“Information about me that Kaleigh subtracted from the government database, the Population Council, specifically.”
It doesn’t look like an easy task, but we can try. What information do you say it contains?” he asked.
“Information about me that Kaleigh subtracted from the government database, from the Population Council, specifically.”
Dustin was startled.
“Kaleigh stole information from the government?” he asked, forgetting the computer and swiveling his chair toward Robin.
“She didn’t ‘steal’ it. She’s a cop, she can log into the system if she wants to.”
“Oh, a cop stealing government data to give to a fugitive, I feel better already.”
“She not only stole that data, but she also helped that ‘fugitive’ escape from Oasis Landing.”
“A policewoman helped you escape.”
“She’s a loyal friend.”
“Or she’s still in love with you,” Dustin exclaimed standing up. Robin rose with him.
“You’d better be careful, Jul won’t like it, and you’ve got enough on your plate with Ann.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything myself as soon as I see her.”
“Tell her that you had a child with Kaleigh or that you’re a fugitive from the law?”
“Both. I can’t keep hiding things from her anymore, so I’ll tell her the whole thing the day of our date.
“Yeah well, good luck with that.”
“Thanks, will need it.”
Anyway, what exactly do you want me to do with the flash drive?”
“One of the documents, the one I’m most interested in, is locked and I need you to open it, you would know how.”
“You want me to hack a government document?”
“The government of Oasis Landing, not the Aurora Skies one.”
Still, what if they track me down and arrest me, if they erase my memory like they wanted to do to you?”
“Come on, Dust, no one will be looking for you, this is 2016, remember? The Restart doesn’t exist here. Please, only you can help me with this.”
“What is in that document that is so vital to you?”
“That document seems to contain information about my parents. Who they are, if they are still alive and where they are. What my origins are, my real last name… Maybe it also says something about my DNA, why I’m wanted by the RSL people and some explanation about what happened to me today. This ‘self-healing’, as you called it.”
“You expect too much from a single document, but it sounds intriguing.”
“It’s more than intriguing, Dust. It’s critical to me.”
“Fine, I’ll do it. Like I said, it doesn’t look easy, but at least I’ll try. Or I’ll ask my parents for help. They know a lot more about advanced computing and future security measures than I do.”
“Your parents? Do you think they’ll want to help me after all I’ve done?”
“Oh, of course they will, they adore you– they just don’t know it yet, he he.”
“You sure know how to cheer me up”, Robin joked. “Anyway, I’ll come back another day to see how you’re doing”.
“Wait, maybe I can make an attempt right now on my holo-computer, it’s in my bedroom, I can go get it while you go downstairs and eat something. You must be starving.”
“I am, but I really have to go. I don’t want to take up any more of your time, I know you have to go to work. Thanks again for all your help, I’ll get the clothes back to you as soon as I can.”
“Ah, don’t worry, there’s no rush.”
“Just one more favor”, Robin continued. “Not a word to Jul about this, please, okay? I’ll tell her everything in due time.”
“Okay, and once again, good luck with everything.”
“Thank you, Dust, really”.
“Ah, it was nothing”.
“No, I mean it. You literally saved my life.”
“Well, that’s what friends are for, right?”
“Right,” Robin smiled. “Please call me as soon as you have anything.”
“I will, don’t worry.”
Episode 128: Too Many Questions
“Robin! Oh, Robin, welcome home, love. God, I missed you so much. How are you? Are you all right? Did you have a good trip?” exclaimed Ann, rushing to hug him as soon as she saw him enter the bedroom.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Robin replied overwhelmed. “Where’s Jessi?” he asked right away.
“In her room with Bethany and Five.”
“I’ll go see her right now.”
“Wait-.”
“Is it just me, or did it take you longer to come back this time?” Ann asked when she was finally able to let go.
“It’s not you. This time my trip was longer, and… there were some complications,” Robin replied.
“What kind of complications, did something go wrong with your engineered baby?”
“No, the baby’s fine.”
” Then, any problems with this ‘volunteer mother’–what’s her name?”
“Kaleigh Chandelace.”
“Is she pretty?”
“Ann, that’s not important. All you need to know is that the baby is fine, although he’ll have to stay with his mother for a while.”
“Yeah, sure– Wait, you said ‘he’ll have to stay’. It means it was a boy.”
“Yes. His name is Collin.”
“I see… And I suppose he will be your successor.”
“Not necessarily, Jessi could be too. If I can keep my job, that is,” Robin concluded.
“If you can keep your job? What are you talking about, are you planning to quit or something?”
“Like I said, there were some complications during my stay in Oasis Landing that will prevent me from further Time Travel.”
“You haven’t said what kind of complications, did you get fired from the job, honey?”
“Something worse, I’m– afraid I’m in trouble with the law.”
“What? You mean you committed a crime? But how… Can you go to jail?”
“If you stop asking me so many questions, I’ll explain everything.”
“Okay, I’m listening…”
Episode 129: The Rightful Heir
Robin told Ann in detail everything that had happened in Oasis Landing and why he was now trapped in the past. He explained to her as well that the crime for which he was now being pursued was having children in the “forbidden” way, and with someone from the past. (He avoided, of course, and for the moment, to mention the matter of Juliette and Rowan).
Ann took it all rather calmly because, truth be told, deep inside, knowing that Robin would be staying in Aurora Skies indefinitely made her truly happy.
“So now I will have you all for myself? No time travel, no time portals, no volunteer mothers or designed children? You’ll be mine and mine alone?” she asked cheerfully.
“So it would seem,” Robin sighed.
” Awesome!”
“Sorry, I know you love your job, but I can’t help it, I’m glad I finally won’t have to share you with anyone else.”
“Yes, about that, I–“
“Oh, no, no, we won’t talk about Oasis Landing anymore. Now we just have to think about us, Jessi and our upcoming child.”
“Of course, but first there’ s something else I must tell you.”
“Later”, Ann interrupted him again “Now promise me that when our son is born, he will be your successor.”
“How do you know he’s a boy?”
“I just know. It will be a boy, as handsome as you, and we’ll name him Robin Crane II. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great.”
“So? Do you promise that our baby will be your successor and not your other son, Collin?”
Robin was slow to answer, anguish was consuming him. Should he tell Ann that there was another possible successor besides Collin? Maybe not yet, maybe it was too soon?
“Robin, is something wrong?” Ann asked suddenly worried.
Episode 130: The Other Restart
Rob What’s going on? Do you have any other problem?”
“No. I mean, yes. I–“
“I get it,” Ann interrupted him. “You don’t want to promise me anything, cause you’ve already decided that Collin will be your heir. You and his mother made that decision and now you don’t know how to tell me. Is that it?” she exclaimed.
Then she got up from the couch to get away from him.
Robin went after her, making efforts not to show his uneasiness. Already without the suppressants he was finding it difficult to maintain his usual control, and feared she was beginning to notice.
“Come on, answer me, Rob,” she pressed.
“It’s not that. In fact, I haven’t decided anything on the matter. I have to think it through to make the right decision, but just now I can’t with everything I have on my plate.”
“”But when the time comes, our son will take priority, right?”.
Wrong. The priority, as a rule, was for the eldest son, in this case Rowan. But Ann did not yet know that Rowan existed, so… How to tell her without hurting her, without ruining her illusion?
Maybe it would be a good idea to name Ann’s son his successor and forget about the problem, but what about Juliette? What would she say then? No, before making any promises, he had to talk to her first.
“Rob, you don’t answer anything?”, she insisted in a slightly sweeter tone and wrapping her arms around him.
“I promise you that if I have to choose between Collin and…”
“Robin II,” Ann stepped forward.
“And between Robin II, I’ll choose Robin II as my heir.”
It wasn’t a lie. Except that his decision was not just between Collin and Robin II. There was a third candidate to the succession: Rowan, his first-born son, who had first priority and whom Ann knew nothing about. But this wasn’t the right time to drop such a bombshell.
“Will you? Aw, thanks, love,” Ann exclaimed, oblivious to his thoughts.
Then she kissed him, Robin returned the kiss without hesitation. They had kissed many times before, but this one was different, now he could feel with more intensity. Maybe it was a side effect of the accident, maybe it was just the absence of the suppressants. The thing was, he felt more alive than ever.
“I love you; did you know that?”, Ann whispered.
“And I love you, but… there are things about me that you don’t know yet and I’m afraid they will tear us apart someday.”
“Nothing, no one, will ever tear me away from you,” she replied, kissing him again.
In seconds, Robin forgot about everything: his problem with the Oasis Landing police, the flash drive document, Kaleigh, even Juliette… Everything was wiped from his mind, like some other kind of ‘restart’, only this was sweet and comforting.
Outside those four walls, everything remained complicated and frightening, but of one thing he was sure at the moment: he had returned home, his one true home.
Episode 131: The Date
After an idyllic night in Ann’s arms and at home with his family, the next day came, and Robin’s dilemma was still there, he had to tell Ann about Juliette and Rowan, but he had not done it and he would not do it today either…
That afternoon he had arranged to meet Juliette at Serenity Sands Beach to discuss Rowan’s custody. At that meeting, he would take the opportunity to tell her about what had happened in Oasis Landing, and about Collin, his engineered child.
He arrived on time for the appointment, Juliette was already there and upon seeing him, she immediately hurried to him.
“Robin!”
“Oh, Robin, darling. I was so worried about you. Are you alright?” she exclaimed, hugging him.
“Dustin told me what happened with the Portal. The explosion, the fire…”
“Did he tell you? But I specifically asked him not to tell you anything”.
“Please don’t hold it against him, I was the one who pressured him, I practically forced him into telling me. He didn’t give details on the accident, but he said you got hurt and that you…”
“Hey, Jul. Easy, look at me, I’m fine”. Robin replied.
“Sorry, maybe I’m overreacting, but I was so scared,” she said, still shaken.
“Well, thanks for your concern, dear, but really, I’m fine.”
“Dust also said that you had a serious problem in Oasis Landing and that you couldn’t go back there anymore, will you tell me what happened?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything in due time, part by part, okay?”.
“You better.”
Episode 132: Where did the Oceans go?
“Sorry, I’m so nervous I didn’t even say hello to you, so… Hi,” Juliette said, smiling at last.
“Hi,” he replied, smiling too.
“It’s cold in here. Shall we go in?”
“Sure.”
“Had you ever come to Serenity Sands before?”
“No, never, but I’ve heard that people like to spend their evenings here, especially in the summer.”
“That’s right, as its name says, it’s a very peaceful place. Mind you, there’s not much privacy, but at this time of year there is few people, and inside the cabin we’ll be able to talk in peace and quiet.
“Sounds good.”
“I know that the current weather is not the most suitable to see us on the beach, much less after the snowfall, but as you said some time ago that you would like to experience the sea…”
“It’s okay, the cold won’t be a problem, I come well wrapped up. Although I confess, I’m still a little afraid of the sea. In Oasis Landing we don’t have beaches, except Derelict Beach, in the Wasteland, but it’s nowhere like this. It is dry”.
“All is dry. The only water we have over there is from artificially created lakes”, Robin explained.
“What happened to the oceans and rivers?”
“Well, some say they were dried up by an asteroid that fell in the late 2020’s, that’s before I was born. Others say it was global warming, and some others say it was stolen by…”
Robin suddenly fell silent.
“By whom?” Juliette pressed; Robin kept quiet.
“Rob? Tell me, who would steal the water from the oceans and why?” She insisted, stopping at the foot of the stairs.
Robin heaved a sigh.
“Someday I’ll tell you all about it, right now we have more important matters to deal with don’t you think?” Robin replied.
“More important than the planet running out of water in the future?”, Juliette claimed.
“Yes, because we came to talk about our son. He’s more important to me for now. And it’s not the planet, just Oasis Landing… as far as I know”, Robin replied.
“Will you continue to keep secrets from me, Robin Crane?”
“Nope, from today on there will be no more secrets between us. I promise.”
“Good. Now let’s hurry up and get inside, it’s freezing here.”
“Sure”.
Episode 133: The Cabin
“So, what do you think?” Juliette asked as they entered the only cabin in Serenity Sands.
“Hm, yeah, I like it. Excellent choice.”
“Thank you. I like it too, it’s one of my favorite places, you know? It’s so cozy and peaceful”.
“Yes, it is.”
They both took off their coats, Juliette settled on the couch, Robin made sure to light the fireplace, and then went to sit next to her.
“Are you sure we can talk in here?”, he asked.
“Yeah well, like I said, it’s not totally private, but people usually stay out on the beach, and they won’t come in if they see the cabin is busy.”
“I see.”
“And how is Rowan?” Robin asked, by now more comfortable in front of the fireplace’s warmth.
Juliette’s gaze lit up just at the sound of her son’s name.
“Fine,” she replied “Growing every day and getting into lots of mischief, like the curious and restless child he is.”
“I hope he won’t give you too much trouble.”
“Oh, no, he’s a very good boy in general. I’m sorry I didn’t bring him along. I didn’t think it wise to take him out with this weather, so he’ll stay with my parents tonight.”
“Good call.”
“You can visit him whenever you want. Once or twice a week, or daily, if you like, and if it doesn’t get you in trouble with… you know.”
“Well, I could sneak out in the evenings when Ann’s working or at some gig.”
Juliette’s face suddenly darkened.
“Jul? What’s the matter, did I say something wrong?”, he asked, puzzled.
“You said ‘I can sneak out’ as if we were doing something wrong.”
“Well, it’s a fact that as long as Ann doesn’t know of Rowan’s existence, I’ll have to see him in secret. It’s not ideal but, at the moment, there is no other option.”
Episode 134: Too Close
“So, you haven’t told her yet.”
“No.”
“When do you plan to?”
“I don’t know, soon. Whenever I gather the courage.”
“Okay,” Juliette replied, lowering her head.
“Jul, I’m truly sorry,” he said, moving closer. “Believe me, if this was 2054, I’d move in with you and Rowan right now, regardless of anything else.”
Juliette was startled.
“Well, this is not 2054, but 2016. So, no polygamy, okay?” asked Juliette.
“Of course not, sorry,” Robin said, blushing.
“Okay, now, can we get back to the subject?
“Absolutely, where were we?”
“Rowan, your visits, custody, and if he’s going to carry your last name.”
“Rowan is my firstborn and most likely my successor. He must certainly carry my last name.”
“Your successor?” Juliette giggled. “Rob, I told you before, this isn’t a monarchy, it’s just Aurora Skies.”
“You’re right,” Robin replied, embarrassed. But inwardly he was relieved to know that Juliette didn’t care about certain things like firstborns and successors. That would simplify things a lot for him.
“Alright, then, you just say what day you want us to register Rowan and I’ll go with you to the registry office”, Robin said, placing his hand over hers. Juliette found it incredibly warm, and his touch alone was like a jolt to her senses.
“Do you mean it?” She asked.
“Of course I do.”
“I want you to know that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure our son has all he needs”, he said, moving closer, holding her hand and looking at her tenderly. Juliette looked at him too, trembling inside.
Almost immediately she pulled away from him, she didn’t want to, but she felt that they were both getting too close, more than she could, or should allow. There was something different about Robin, something she hadn’t noticed before, a new kind of attraction, a strange force that drew her to him like a powerful magnet…
Episode 135: Mesmerized
“What?” Robin asked, seeing her stare at him.
“Nothing, it’s just that you look different,” Juliette said.
“Different? In what way.”
“Different for the better, I mean. It’s not just your hairstyle, but something about your gaze and about your tone of voice, that makes you seem more…”
“Human? You don’t think like you used to, that I’m a cold, emotionless robot?”
“Yeah, well, I’m sorry I said that. I was mean and clearly, I was wrong. Now I understand you were just trying to keep your emotions under control, to stay out of trouble.”
“And you’d think it worked, but apparently it was just the opposite,” Robin replied.
“No, I think the problems you’ve faced have made you a better, more expressive and caring person.”
“You seriously think so?”
“Sure. Well, you were already quite passionate, but now you’re also gentle, that makes you even more… endearing.”
“Well, so much time among ‘sentient humans’ had to influence this cold robot,” Robin joked.
“And you learned to joke, huh? That’s wonderful!”
“But you’re wrong about the ‘cold robot’ thing, you’re not cold at all. Your problem is that you tend to repress your emotions, as a defensive mechanism, but essentially, you’re a good person”, Juliette concluded.
“I don’t quite agree with that last one,” Robin pointed out.
“Well, that’s what I think,” Juliette reaffirmed.
“Well, thank you, I guess,” he replied, resisting the desire to approach her, Juliette struggling not to fall under the spell of his gaze.
Episode 136: Broken Spell
“You’ve changed too, you know”, Robin replied, placing his hand on Juliette’s cheek.
“Really, in what way?” asked Juliette.
“Well, you seem calmer, more relaxed. You joke around more, and you don’t just talk about your career and Science anymore.”
“Becoming a mom had its advantages, it made me more aware of the world and the people around me.”
“And prettier too” Robin said.
“Robin, stop it okay?” she begged, blushing.
“No, I mean it. You know, motherhood suited you. You look beautiful.”
Juliette shivered, but didn’t move an inch, mesmerized by this new version of Robin. What had that terrible accident done to him to turn him into this adorable being?
She didn’t notice, but Robin was also inexplicably more attracted to her, and so his resolve not to cross certain boundaries vanished in seconds.
Unable to contain himself anymore, he moved closer and brushed his lips with hers. Juliette put up no resistance, anticipating the glory of a long-awaited kiss.
But unlike their previous encounter, this time it was Robin who reacted, moving away from her at once. And the sweet spell that for moments had enveloped them both was broken, leaving Juliette surprised and confused.
Episode 137: The Latest Secret
“Robin? Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Is that why you pulled away, as if you regret kissing me?”.
“I don’t regret it at all.”
“And then?”
Robin stood up and walked away from her.
“Please don’t get me wrong. I wanted to kiss you. Hell, I’d been wanting to since we got here, but I just can’t, not without first telling you what happened in Oasis Landing.”
“Was it so terrible?”
“I was stripped of my passport, forced to flee the city, not to mention I almost died when they blocked the time portal. Does that sound terrible enough to you?”
“Of course, and I’m truly sorry, that was so unfair, and for you it must have been…”
“Wait. Why did they take away your passport?” Juliette asked.
“For breaking the law.”
“In what way? What law?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it in detail.”
“Do you have to tell me right at this moment?” Juliette asked, still reluctant to give up the charm of the moment just experienced.
“Especially at this moment, after what just happened. I can’t keep getting close to you like this, Jul, not without you knowing the whole truth about me, who I really am.”
“For God’s sake, Robin, I know who you are.”
“No, you don’t. In Oasis Landing, before we met, I did questionable things, got involved with less-than-recommendable people, lived in a way that I know you wouldn’t approve of. I pretty much was that mindless ‘robot’ you saw at the beginning.”
“A conceited, unscrupulous guy who thought only of himself and who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. I’m not at all the good, sensible man you thought you saw earlier. I lied to you, Jul, I kept things from you about my life and about the future that I should have told you in the first place, for your and Rowan’s safety. And now, thanks to my stupidity, I’ve gotten us into a big trouble. Me, you, Rowan… and Ann and Jessi.”
“Good grief,” Juliette muttered.
“I am sorry. I wish you didn’t have to hear such embarrassing things about me. But I told you there’d be no more secrets, so I’ll tell you the whole thing. Although, it’s so damned complicated I don’t even know where to start.”
“Start wherever you want. I’m not a child, I’ll deal with anything.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then, I’ll start with the most recent. What I’m about to tell you, you better listen to it sitting down…”
Episode 138: The Whole Truth
Serenity Sands Beach, Past 5 PM…
As the sun began to set outside, Robin narrated to Juliette everything that had happened in 2054, as he had said, part by part, starting with the most recent, everything regarding the RSLs. The grave mistake he had made in forgetting to cancel his application to have an engineered baby, which had caused the process to go forward with the consequent birth of his third child, Collin. He also told her about the mysterious call from an RSL doctor asking him to come to their offices, about a DNA issue he had no idea about.
He went on with the embarrassing story of him and Kaleigh, including all the crazy things they had both done as teenagers, when they had been sweethearts, first in high school and then at the Time Academy, where she studied to be a policeman and he trained to become a Time Traveler, Emit’s future successor. And how, to his surprise, Kaleigh had turned out to be the ‘volunteer’ mother, having to stay at his house while they both awaited the baby’s arrival.
As he recounted all this to her, Juliette’s eyes darkened, and the expression on her face went from disbelief to utter disappointment. The very idea of another woman in Robin’s life made her feel upset, jealous and hurt. As he spoke, all sorts of questions about this Kaleigh tortured her. Was she pretty? Did Robin still love her? And the worst: Had they slept together again during her stay at Robin’s place?
Aware of Juliette’s reaction, Robin decided not to hurt her with more details of his former relationship, so he changed the subject. In a somber tone, he told her how the Council had ordered his arrest for what it considered a violation of Population Law, forcing him to escape from Oasis Landing on the very night of Collin’s birth. How they had blocked the Portal’s energy, causing the great explosion that nearly killed him and how he was now in exile, hunted, unemployed, without his passport and without the slightest chance to return for his son.
He told her about the punishment they would apply if they managed to apprehend him: The Restart, a procedure to completely erase memories, leaving the memory at zero, as if newly born. Kaleigh and Emit could receive The Restart as well. She, for covering up for him, Emit for having activated the Portal and bribed the guards of the Community Center to facilitate his escape.
He explained to her how traumatic it had been to have to leave his own home, in the middle of the night and on the sly, like a criminal, abandoning Collin to the mercy of the Council and social services, protected only by Kaleigh and her fiancé, Edwin Archibilt, who, like Emit, could be apprehended at any moment if they were discovered. How guilty he felt for having put all of them at risk, and how distressed he was not to hear from neither of them since he had left Oasis Landing…
Lastly, to Juliette’s bewilderment, almost in tears, he asked her forgiveness for the problems he had caused with his irresponsibility: “I’m so sorry Jul, what I wanted most was for this day to come so we could see each other and fix our situation. I thought that by now, my life would be solved, but it was the opposite, I only complicated it even more and I don’t know how to mend it, forgive me…”
Juliette fell silent. Now this was new, Robin Crane, the arrogant, self-confident, always in control young guy, now stood there defeated, humiliated. In another time this would have pleased her, but in this moment and context, it only left her sadder and more hopeless.
Episode 139: Shared Responsibility
As soon as Robin finished speaking, Juliette stood up from the couch, walked to the other end of the room and stopped there, her back to him. For a moment, silence pervaded the cabin, so that only the crackling of the flames in the fireplace, and the distant voices of Serenity Sands visitors coming and going outside, could be heard.
“Jul?… Juliette, don’t be quiet, say something, please,” Robin pleaded.
“What do you want me to say?” she replied.
“I don’t know, anything, Yell at me, insult me, tell me I’m an idiot, but say something for god’s sake.” Robin added.
“You’re not an idiot,” Juliette said, turning to look at him. “I’m not saying what you did was right, but I know you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Besides, I’m not one to judge you, since, in a way, I was the one who caused this whole mess.”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is. If I hadn’t kept it from you that I was pregnant, you wouldn’t have gotten desperate and gone to the RSLs. And most of all…you wouldn’t have rushed to marry Ann Conners. So, yes, I am responsible for a lot of it.”
“Nope. My decisions were made by me, not you, therefore, they are my responsibility. In fact, if I hadn’t been so selfish as to leave the University that night, if I had stayed to finish the semester and graduated with you…”
“We wouldn’t have graduated together anyway. I couldn’t go back because of my pregnancy, so I kept studying online, but I couldn’t take the final exam, so… I didn’t graduate either.”
“Anyway, we both made hasty decisions, each of us must take responsibility for what we did. But that’s not what’s important now, it’s your current situation,” Juliette continued “I’m talking about your exile, the cancellation of your passport and the arrest warrant against you. Have you thought about what you’re going to do about that?”
“Well, I’m hoping Emit will help me get my passport back so I can return home as soon as possible.”
“Go back to Oasis Landing? Isn’t that dangerous? I mean, they could…”
“Arrest me and wipe my memory, yes. But going back there is the only way to contact Kaleigh again and get Collin back.”
Episode 140: Doubts
Hearing Robin mention Kaleigh and her son, Collin, made Juliette go quiet again. True, she didn’t blame him entirely for her decision to have that baby, but she still had a lot of questions about the matter, she just didn’t know which one to start with, so she decided to start with the simplest one.
Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you had ordered an engineered baby?” she asked at last, after the long pause.
“I don’t know, I guess… I was afraid,” Robin replied.
“Afraid of what, Robin?
Afraid I would judge you for making a mistake, like all other human beings? Or was it pride, because perfectionist Crane can’t allow himself a mistake? Or maybe you didn’t want me to know who the ‘volunteer’ mother was?”
“It was nothing like that, I swear,” Robin replied, flushed.
“Listen, the day we met at Rowan’s birthday, that day I… felt that somehow, I had gotten you back, or so I thought, and… well, I didn’t want to lose you again by telling you about the stupid thing I had done with the RSLs.”
“Robin, for God’s sake. There’s no way you can lose me anymore, we’re bound for life, Rowan binds us together, forever.”
“I know, it was my bad. I should have told you right away, but I just… chickened out.”
“Amazing, isn’t it? The new, ‘different’ and ‘more human’ Robin you say I am now, is also a coward…”
Juliette was silent once more, she was fighting inside not to hug him, and forgive him not only that one, but all his mistakes. But something was still bothering her, and Robin thought he knew what it was.
Note: It’s been so long since I made these posts that I no longer remember exactly which pose packs I used, but I know that most if not all of them are Bee’s creations 😊. So, credits and thanks to her for her amazing work which you can find here: Poses By Bee (Tumblr); and/or here: Poses By Bee (WordPress).
ETA: Looking around my Tumblr I found the list with all the Pose Packs I used for the episodes on this page, which are:
I Don’t Wanna Pose Pack by Vertigo
Bittersweet Pose Pack by Fierce
LayStill Pose Pack by Blam
Dragging and Being Dragged by Simanator5000
After a Fight 2 Poses by Sea
TroubledPain Pose Pack by Blam
Emo Male Set 2 by Bee
Thanks to all of them for their wonderful work! 💗
The Shen’s Headquarters (Dustin’s home now) is Terrarium Tower by EA, it is a copy of the Oasis Landing Lot normally occupied by the Beaker Twins, refurbished and redecorated by me. 😉
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