Lost In Time

Going On

Another short chapter chock-full of hopefully some good feeling, before...:P

For the first time in a long time, I felt okay. Better even. I felt good. School wasn't such a drag when at the end of it there was my Pop sitting outside with a white chocolate mocha with an extra pump of white chocolate, just for me, with a smile. It was easier to get through the paperwork Simon kept throwing my way when Pop was right there, helping me through it, grumbling about papercuts. He always knew how to make me laugh. And when he found out that Simon had left me at Suicide Bridge, Pop had excused himself and had had a 'chat' with Simon in the men's restroom. I didn't question why Simon's suit was all wet, or why his face looked swirlied. Some things are better left unquestioned. Of course, once Pop found out, Rosa was bound to, and everyone heard the wonderful use of Spanish curses being flung inside that closed office. It went on for an hour, eventually everyone stopped laughing. Peter was no longer a problem, and, just like magic (the magic of hard work and being afraid for your life and career, that is) Dracula's button was found, put in a safe box, and delivered promptly to the corner of Rosa's desk for her to catalogue, when she returned from her three week cruise that was. She had worked so hard (and had caused Simon to go deaf for two weeks) that she deserved a good vacation. She sent me various photos and called me every day to gossip about everything, it was good to hear her so happy. But don't worry, she told me, she would be back in time to throw the office Halloween party, just like every year. Some things thankfully never changed.

Midterms came and went, with everyone in the dorms stressing. I studied like crazy for my Herbology written and practical exam. The practical was awful, on top of taking care of and breeding mice and incubating an egg, which still showed no signs of hatching, I had to grow a filth feeder in an aquarium. It was one of the hardest two weeks of my life, making sure to do no sudden or loud movements so the thing wouldn't squelch ink and filth everywhere, I was thankful when I could (carefully, walking as slow as molasses to class) turn it in for a grade. I passed with A's, and vowed never to take Herbology again, once this semester was over. I was still at a standstill on the broach on Professor Parris's neck. She got more and more suspicious the more I looked at it, which made everything worse. She hated me. I was a permanent member of the troublemakers station. Travis and I slowly acquired an easy-going, no talking relationship. He never said a word, and I never pressured him. Claire just dealt with me, but I was starting to see it was all just a tough girl act. I also noticed how she always seemed to have some sort of animal in her pocket. A pet lizard, a wild bird on her shoulder, a snake nestled in her hood, it made no difference to what it was. If it was an animal, she probably had it in her pocket, or entangled at her feet. One time, she tried bringing a puppy to class, and got kicked out five minutes later, with strict instructions never to bring 'that destructive animal' near the greenhouse again, after four destroyed plants, two broken pots, and three poop piles and a pee spot later. With my classmates, Herbology was slowly becoming bearable.

Saturday classes still sucked, but with Pops back in town, we were back to going to the gym near every day, gun range every two days, and the beach every Sunday morning, with waffles of course. He found a nice modern condo with all the amenities a short three minute walk from Greenvale, and I spent almost as much time there as he did over at my dorm. Everyone just accepted he would be there. When some of the kid's parents had a problem with it, they backed down with a single sharp look. I was right about him not liking Dim. Turns out he knew Narkus, and thought just about as fondly of him as I did, which is to say, not at all. But, he tolerated everything well, because he knew I didn't have much of a choice in it. I was the heir, and he would rather have to deal with stupidity and idiots than for me to turn my back on such a responsibility. 'It was my duty' and all that jazz.

Of course, we still had our bad days. Pop wouldn't even look at Arianna, much less stay in the same room as her. After her outburst the other day, neither did I. More often than not I would find him hurriedly wiping his eyes when I entered a room, holding a picture of Dad. Simon had given him copies of the pictures he had, considering we lost it all in the fire. Everyone pitched in, helping us out with moving, buying stuff, and just being a good friend. We had a private Traveler's memorial service, on the edge of a cliff in Travelerverse. We each got to say goodbye. Dad would've loved the spot, he always loved the ocean, the wind going through his air. He said it made him feel free. Now, he was free, free to be in the place he always loved to be.