A Caffrey Christmas Carol

Christmas Future - Part 1

A/N: For the purposes of this chapter I'm taking pieces of the fifth season and combining them in a scene set at Christmas.

Chemistry Lab, Derleth Hall, Miskatonic University, Arkham MA. 1975.

The lab was filled with people. They were talking, playing with Satchmo and Bugsy, and reaching for the plate of brownies that Henry had carried in.

Dressed in a loden-green blouse and coordinating tweed skirt, Lavinia held a carpet bag in one hand, and a massive umbrella in the other. The umbrella was probably plain black when unfurled, but it was certainly not boring. The handle had a gnarled, natural shape rather than a smooth curve, and was made of a type of wood Peter didn't recognize. He supposed he should be reminded of Mary Poppins, but instead she brought to mind thoughts of Gandalf. There was an otherworldliness and sense of power to this woman, making you wonder if she should be carrying a wizard's staff. Or maybe the umbrella would transform into a staff if needed?

She pounded it on the floor once, gaining silence as everyone in the room turned toward her. "Those of you from Arkham will stay here," she announced. "June has my instructions."

As Arkham June took the brownies from Henry, he looked at them mournfully but didn't protest.

"The visiting Diana, Jones, and Mozzie will remain here with your June. She will help you prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Diana asked.

Instead of answering, Lavinia called out, "Travis!"

The New York and Arkham versions of Travis must have been lingering in the hall. They entered the lab now, still in the midst of an intense conversation. Peter heard them mention "SETI" and "wormholes" and "fascinating" before their words were frozen by Lavinia's glare.

"The two of you are responsible for dismantling Mozzie's experiment. His methodology and findings must never be published. The crude but effective methods he used have torn our reality. We will strive to heal it, but we cannot risk that others will learn of his experiments and endeavor to repeat them. The wine that he stole from my private collection will be found and returned to me. Not a drop will be left here. Understood?"

NYC and Arkham Travis nodded.

"The rest of our visitors, come with me. It is time for you to see the future." Lavinia strode forward and disappeared in a flash of light. Peter, El, Henry, and Neal looked at each other and then followed.

###

They arrived in Neal's loft in the mansion. It crossed his mind to question if Lavinia had simply sent them all home instead of showing them the future.

"I sense your doubt," Lavinia said. "Patience."

A painting was on an easel beside the table, and Neal leaned in to inspect it. He admired the craftsmanship, but why was this Neal reproducing a master instead of creating something original? Between the demands of his full-time job at the FBI and the PhD program at Columbia, he needed to focus on projects for his classes.

"Is that what I think it is?" Henry asked, pointing under the chair.

Neal felt his heart skip a beat. It was a tracking anklet. He'd worn one briefly last year, and he'd vowed never to repeat the experience.

"What's going on?" Peter asked. "Is this the same world where Neal was in prison?"

"It is called canon," Lavinia said.

The door to the loft opened, and canon Neal strode in. He hung up his jacket and sat down in the chair in front of the easel. He took a deep breath and then reached down for the anklet, snapping it around his leg. Then he added paints onto a palette and mixed the colors he wanted. He applied a few brush strokes to the painting, then leaned back and frowned at it.