Out of Time (Collectors Cross-Over)

Chapter 6

Emily - Alternate

"Hey, do you think it was ok that we did the cage fighting?" I looked over at Ian. Brody was up taking a shower from soccer practice.

Ian shrugged. "I think it got out some of the aggression that's been building. You alone were wound tighter than any spring I've ever seen. You needed it. Why?"

"I don't know," it was my turn to shrug. "I've just been thinking about it a lot these past few days. I still can't find any activity."

"And that's a bad thing?" Ian laughed at me. "We've got enough to worry about with soccer."

"I signed up for ballet," I told him. "I kind of want to surprise Brody with it."

"That's cool," Ian got up and went to the fridge. "Where is Brody anyway? He's showering for a long time."

"Where the fuck am I?" Brody came walking into the kitchen. "And what did you do to your hair?" he looked at me like he'd never seen me before.

I reached up and touched my hair. I'd kept it shoulder length since I cut it. "Um, I washed it earlier today when I showered right after you left for practice."

"Who are you?" Brody saw Ian for the first time.

"Are you feeling ok?" I walked over and put my arms around his waist. I tried to lean up and kiss him, but he pulled away from me. What the hell?

"You can't kiss me," Brody stepped back. "You'll get sick."

"I won't get sick," I laughed. "You're not sick, so why would I get sick if I kiss you? We did more than that last night. Wait, why aren't you wet?"

"Huh?" he looked at me like I was crazy. "Odin!"

A moment later he was standing in our kitchen. He still looked just like someone's grandfather. "What are you doing here?" Odin cocked his head to one side and looked at Brody.

"That's what I'd like to know," Brody said. "More importantly, where am I?"

"You are in a dimension where Emily is the only Collector. Brody is still her Keeper, but here, they are a couple. Nate and Emily are not Matched." Odin never took his eyes off of Brody.

"Whoa," I held up my hands. "Back up to the Nate and Emily thing."

Brody sighed. "Where I live, Nate and Emily are a Matched Pair. They're both Collectors and I'm their Keeper. Now, how'd I get here?"

Now Odin turned and looked at me and Ian. "It seems the club you went to, and the fighting the two of you engaged in, provoked a Temporal demon. You must have fought against an offspring or something."

"And?" Ian prompted.

"To exact some revenge, it has switched your Brody, with this one," he pointed back to the guy in my kitchen.

"So, switch them," I suggested.

"You have to have the demon do it. When a Temporal demon is involved, I cannot interfere," it was Odin's turn to sigh. "I suggest you begin researching." He turned to Brody again. "Your mobile phone will still work to reach your Nate and Emily. I will go to them now and explain." He bowed and was gone.

"So, cage fighting?" Brody put his hands in his pockets. "What's up with that?"

Ian told the story. I sat down in my chair pretty hard. My boyfriend was trapped somewhere in another dimension thanks to what I'd done at the club. I dropped my head to the table and started to cry. I felt a hand on my back, and could only imagine that it was Ian, I doubted New Brody would comfort me, I mean, he didn't know me or anything.