I know who you are -Mac Coyle

Where I go, you go

Mac and I sat in the hospital cafeteria, across from Dylan, it was weirdly empty apart from the three of us. Dylan had given us some food, sandwiches. The total shock hasn't left his face as soon as he laid eyes on Mac. I'm sure seeing a younger version of your little sister must be pretty weird. I picked up my sandwich and took a bit out of it, looking around awkwardly. "Look I know it all sounds insane, I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't lived through it." Mac says with a laugh, after catching Dylan up on everything that happened so far. She also starts digging into her sandwich. "But I gotta tell you...you becoming a doctor...is almost as hard to believe." Dylan is just sitting there in silence, I stare at him, it's as if he's trying to work something out in his brain. "If you turned out this good, then I must be out there killing it" I glance over at Mac smiling, as she chuckles again. When I look back at Dylan I'm confused by his expressions. They look sort of empty and sad not so much shocked anymore.

Mac picks up her cup of water and takes a few gulps of it before setting it back down. "Jesus, you look like dad. Grandpa even....how is dad? And Alice? Are they still together? What about you? Are you like married with kids and shit? You some kind of playboy with like, nine hotties at once?" Mac bombards her brother with questions as she munches on some chips. Dylan sits there still utterly confused. I look between the two, trying to calculate what's going on. "My sister is dead"

My eyes go wide. "Dead?" I can't help but say in shock as I look over at Mac concerned. What the fuck is he talking about? Mac's smile that was plastered on her face is gone immediately. "She died of cerebral lymphoma when she was 16" there's no way this is happening, I'm still coming to terms with my faith, there's no way the same things happening to Mac "No...you-you can't be serious, look at her!" I say standing up, gesturing to Mac. "She's completely healthy...the fuck you mean she died?" Dylan looks even more startled as Mac just sits there, staring ahead of her. "You who are you? Who put you up to this?" "What did you say?" Mac asks emotionless. "My sister has been dead for 27 years...I don't know what kind of sick joke this is, but whoever-" is he seriously not believing his own sister? "Look man i don't know what more proof your looking for, your own sister is sitting right here in front of your eyes and your still not believing it and as for telling us Mac's dead, look right here you dumb fuck, because I don't know if you need glasses or something but-"

"Dr Coyle" A random, sophisticated looking lady interrupts my outburst. "I'm Donna Metcalfe. I'm the social worker here. Just want to ask you two some questions." Fuck this, Mac needs her brother not this dipshit. "You're obviously two very troubled kids...I hope you get the help you need" "are you serious?" Mac finally speaks up, snapping out of her dazed state. "This is what you fucking think?" "Hey" the woman objects. "Fuck you, Dylan" Mac says standing up out of her seat. The woman steps closer to Mac, looking like she's going to pounce on her. "All right now" I step in between them, staring the woman down. She just looks away and gestures towards the exit of the cafeteria, "let's go" she looks at both of us. Mac takes one more look at Dylan. I can't imagine how disappointed she is in him right now. We have no other choice but to follow the lady.

As we're walking down the hospital hallways, I glance over at Mac to see her eyes completely empty. It looks like all here hopes and dreams have just been ripped away and that spark has disappeared. I reach up to her arm and place my hand comfortingly on hers. She glances at my hand and then at me, my heart breaks for her. I know this feeling and it really sucks. "Wait here" the woman says as we reach a small room with a large window. She goes inside to talk to a man in a suit, who I presume is her colleague. Mac and I just stand in silence with our backs against the window, waiting for the woman to call us in. "Did you see that woman's shirt? Who wears colourful zebra print? Am I right?" I try my best to cheer Mac up but it's no use. She has no reaction, she just stands there with the same blank stare. I'm not sure she even heard me.

So I do the only thing I can do, it's what I really needed when I found out the truth about my future. I quickly walk to face Mac and throw my arms around her, embracing her in a hug. She just stands there for a moment with her hands by her side, but eventually she reaches her hands up and locks them around my back, she holds onto me tight as she digs her chin into the crook of my neck. In that moment I just wanted to be there for her, she's all that mattered to me. I look up when I hear someone clear there throat to my right. "Come on in girls"

Mac and I sit at a desk across from the social services lady. The formality of all this was making me uncomfortable, as I shift in my seat. Donna begins to ask us questions as she types stuff into her computer thingy. "Dates of birth?" "July 5th 1976" Mac says blankly. "January 4th 1976" I answer. I've no energy to even explain everything right now, so might as well have some fun confusing the lady. The lady pauses as she's typing and looks at us both questionably. "So your both 43?" "I've never been good at math but if that's what you calculated then sure" I say sarcastically. "If you say so" Mac adds. "You guys look good for your age" she states. "Yeah I guess you can't relate" I say with a exaggerated smile. She shoots me an offended look as she moves her attention to Mac. "I ride my bike, and I smoke a lot". She looks so done with us. "Where are you two from?" She asks with a defeated sigh. "Nineteen eighty-eight" she looks even more confused. "We're time travellers" i add with a smirk. I'm loving this. "It gets even better though" Mac continues. "We're actually dead time travellers...so, actually, technically we're ghosts" Mac says, matter-of-factly. As I just stare right at her and mouth 'boo'. She doesn't seem to be taking any of this seriously. You can't blame the woman to be honest. "Are either of you on drugs?" Mac and I glance at each other. I just shrug my shoulders, wanting to fuck with her more. "Okay I think I've heard enough" the woman says as she finished typing god knows what into her computer. She stands up and leaves the room telling us to stay put.

As soon as the door closes Mac and I make eye contact for one moment and burst out laughing. "Jeez did you see her face?" I ask between chuckles. "That basket case really thought she was loosing it" Mac replies. "Who knows, at this point maybe we all are" the laughter dies down pretty quickly after that and I mentally face palm. "Yeah well I guess finding out you kick the bucket in four years will do that to you" Mac sighs. I look over at her. "Mac I'm so so sorry....if there's any way we can fix this we're gonna try okay? We can find medicine...or keep travelling back so you can stay alive for as long as you want, or go into the future and find a cure, your not dying on me" Mac looks at me sincerely. There's this unspoken comfort between the two of us. Neither of us have a future, we're both destined for a shitty end, but sitting here, right now we're alive, we're alive and it feels like I'm only truly feeling it for the first time. And I can't help but wonder if the reason for that is- "Mac, Julia, come with me please"

"So it turns out that Dr Coyle has decided to take Mac under his care for the time being" Donna says standing beside Dylan. Mac kind of looks happy until here face goes stern again. "Wait what about Julia?" She asks, as I turn to the woman, worry laced on my face. "Miss Lopez will be placed into care until an opportunity for adoption arises" my face drops. Care? Adoption? Fuck no, I need to get home. "Fuck no! You can't do that!" Mac protests. " Mac, I'm afraid there is no living relations left to look after Julia, foster care is the only option". My eyes begin to water as panic sets in my stomach. I make eye contact with Mac for a split second. Suddenly Mac grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers. "I'm sorry doughnut or whatever your name is, your not separating us, where I go, Julia goes" Mac stares the two grownups down, not ready to give in. "I'm sorry girls, but there are rules I have to follow I can't just-"
"I'll take them both" Dylan blurts out. I look up at him with a shocked smile. "Mr Coyle are you sure? This is a big responsibility to take on...and these girls seem to be a bit of a handful" Donna try's to whisper that last part but Mac and I still hear. Obviously. I roll my eyes. "I'm sure, thank you, we better get going, I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do to my wife" Mac looks over at me and mouths 'wife?', with a uncomfortable look on her face, all I can do is shrug as we follow Dylan out of the hospital. That was a close one.