Chapter 22

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MI6 insisted that we made our way back to their headquarters as soon as possible, so that's what we did. It wasn't as special as what I thought it was going to be. It was basically office space with a garage, gym and detaining rooms.

I was taken to one of the office blocks and they fixed my thigh which was extremely painful as they had to put pressure on it so more blood wouldn't come out but at the same time trying to stitch it up.

Mr Waltz was taken to one of the detaining rooms where he was questioned until he was imprisoned under his majesty's secret services.

Weirdly, after all we had been through, we still wanted to see Mr Waltz as we still had some unanswered questions. For instance, why did the writers movement start to happen so early? He replied with that because the time machine was messing with two time periods, some years were beginning to overlap too. Additionally, how did it work? And he replied that if you go faster than the speed of light, then you can travel back or forwards in time. The machine had a black hole core which if you're trapped in it, it's the slowest thing to be trapped in.

Sam and I went back to the Time Bureau and we saw that Layton had dipped. Clearly she saw that we figured out what was happening and we were bound to tell everybody.

"You didn't die in your timeline therefore, you could've returned to your life. However now there is a rip in time as there are two of you living two separate lives. If you go back, you will eventually fade from existence. It will be like you never existed." he said.

"Could someone take my place?" I asked.

"Perhaps, why? We can't bring your brother back." he said.

"No, but you could." I said.

"I can't accept that, John," he said.

"No, I went too far. I should've minded my own business, but I didn't. This is my punishment. Fixing the bureau and setting you free as you've done your bit. You can't change my mind." I said.

We told everybody at the time bureau what had happened and that I was going to take over Layton's job. Then we went back to the office cubicles in MI6 after we all did what we needed to do to move on.

"So what happens now, to us." asked Gabrielle.

"I don't belong on my timeline anymore, I can't reverse that. But someone can fill in the gap I created, and that will be Sam." I said.

Sam pulled a device out of his pocket that is used to make people forget about one another.

"It hasn't been used in a while, you both have to press it, which means one of you will forget about each other." said Sam.

"Cmon, you and me together. Like it has been from the start." I said.

"Look how far I went, for the fear of losing you. I almost risked my job for you John, and now you're throwing it all away!" said Gabrielle as she broke down into tears.

"This has to stop! We need to move on. I have to keep time in check. If we both remember, it's going to be too hard to keep going." I said.

Sam gave me the device and Gabrielle walked to me to grab the other side.

"So you don't know which side it is Sam?" asked Gabrielle.

"Well, we will find out soon," he said.

"And this is what you had to do to get to the next chapter of your life?" asked Gabrielle.

"Yes. " said Sam.

"How about we just don't. With Sam's device, we could travel the universe!" exclaimed Gabrielle.

"That would be great, wouldn't it?" I said.

We both pressed the button and waited for something to happen. It was like flipping a coin. Who is going to forget what happened?

"Nothing is happening," said Gabrielle.

We both just stood there awkwardly waiting for some excitement to happen to one of us.

"I don't think I could ever forget you." I said.

"John, I don't think you're ever going to have to." said Gabrielle.

She looked very pale and she was hovering about, she looked like she was spun around ten times and she was about to fall to the floor.

She dropped the device we just had and gripped the table to keep her standing. She took a gasp of air as fell to the floor slowly, still trying to hold on to staying awake and keeping her memories.

"Never be cruel and never be cowardly." she started blurting out.

"No, no, you're saying goodbye. Stop it." I said as I followed her to the floor.

"Always make amends if you can and never fail to be kind." she continued.

"I'm so sorry." I said as I started bursting out into tears.

"It's ok, we went too far. We broke the rules of time. This is right. I accept this. Smile for me." she said.

"How can I smile right now?" I asked.

"It's fine, I'll remember it anyway. By the way, my name is actually Darcy, Gabrielle was my code name for this mission." she finally said.

Those were her last words. She then finally gave in and fell asleep into my arms. After all that we had been through, she finally looked at peace.

I gave Sam all of his memories back and set him a life back up in London. Basically, I gave him a continuation of his life before he died.

For Darcy, I brought her back into her house and I placed her in bed so when she would wake up, she would think that after all of this, she went back and fell asleep. She would remember about her journey but would forget about the parts with me and Sam in it. She would think she did this all by herself.

I sat in her chair next to her bed and spoke to her for one last time. Like how a father recites a book for his children before they go to bed.

"It's funny, I thought that even through memories, I could stay alive. I was wrong. Silly me, I guess. When you wake up, you will have Sam again, and you won't even remember me. Well, you'll remember me a little, I will be a story in your head. That's okay, we are all stories in the end. That's how our lives never end, even when we die. Just make me look good, okay? The timeless lovers. Darcy and John, and to the days that never came." I said.

My TM was then flashing at me so I started to analyse it to see what was happening.

"My gaps are closing, but they can't close properly until I'm back at the bureau. I don't belong here anymore. Live well, love Sam, you have the rest of your life to live."

I finally left her side and pressed a button on the TM to return to the bureau.

Darcy

I woke up at about 1pm today. I was so tired from yesterday after everything that had happened. Finally, I can have a bit of a holiday now.

I decided to go to the pub to have a nice drink and roast dinner because I felt like I wanted to treat myself and I needed to replenish my energy from that mission.

As I was about to pay for my food at the bar, I saw a familiar face. No, it can't be! I swear he died! I mean, I should know as he died in my arms!

"Sam?!" I asked the guy who was sitting next to me.

"Oh my God, hi Darcy!" he replied.

He looked a little bit different than what he used to. He had a moustache and his hair was slicked over into a quiff.

"It's good to see you. What are you doing here? I thought you were dead" I said.

"I had to keep quiet about being alive so people wouldn't hunt me or anyone else I love down, but I'm back now." he said

"I thought about you the other day, you know." I said

"Wow, really. I thought about you too. Anyway, I'm about to leave now and it looks like you're about to do the same- could I walk you home or something?" Sam asked.

"I would like that very much." I said.

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