The Time Traveler's Wife

The Things They Want

April 2018

"Whoa," Carmilla comments when she finally focuses after returning from traveling again-- second time this week. "That was a rush."

"When did you go this time?" Laura yawns, holding a toothbrush in her hand as she faces the bathroom mirror in the next room.

Carmilla walks up behind her and wraps her arms around her waist. "2005. Watched Past Me go find Mattie." She chuckles, giving Laura a peck on the cheek before letting her go.. "She had just moved out of her mom's house. Or... had been kicked out. Still not totally clear on that."

"She also got her abilities from her dad, right?" Laura asks, rinsing out her mouth and turning to face Carmilla.

"That's what the assumption is. It's not like her dad died. He just.... Ran away. Didn't even tell Mattie's mom about his condition, or that Mattie might inherit it."

Carmilla and Laura head back to their bedroom and Carmilla gets into bed first, shifting some of Laura's work notes to the top of the chest at the foot of their bed. She tries not to laugh at Laura clearly having gotten bored while working and doodling a giant goat carrying her away.

"That must've been weird, watching you meet Mattie," Laura comments.

Carmilla sighs and fluffs their pillows. "I was standing there, watching my fifteen year old self and... I was so angry. So lost and hurt. I was traveling so often then. Every single time I lost my temper or got upset. Mattie told me from the first moment we met that the secret to not traveling so often is to remain calm. Stay grounded, instead of lose myself in the moment."

Laura puts on moisturizing lotion and watches as Carmilla sighs.

"After I told Mattie I had met her in her future and she sent me to her past self for guidance, I asked how she could've gone through all that and not be angry. Not be angry at her mom, angry at her dad, angry at the world."

"And?"

Carmilla snorts. "She told me that she didn't see our condition as a curse. She saw it as a gift. A gift that made us better than everyone else. A gift that allowed us another two dimensions of travel, that blessed us to be able to see fleeting moments and people that had come and gone. She said I should be grateful to be so lucky."

"That explains her holier-than-thou attitude," Laura comments, making Carmilla laugh.

"I guess I was just reminded how much I love coming home to you," Carmilla comments, shimmying over as Laura climbs into bed and rests her head on Carmilla's shoulder. "How glad I am to no longer be that angry, scared, lost girl."

"I'm glad you don't feel angry, scared, and lost anymore, either," Laura says gently, sleepily.

"I love you," Carmilla whispers.

"I love you, too," Laura mumbles, before drifting off to sleep with soft snoring.

~*~

July 2018

"Hey," Laura greets as Carmilla blinks to adjust to familiar surroundings.

"Hey," Carmilla replies.

Laura gets up from her spot at the dining room table and hands her a pile of clothes.

Carmilla frowns and looks around, confused.

"You've been gone for almost a week," Laura explains. "I wasn't sure how long you'd be gone, and the furniture store wasn't gonna hold our order forever, so Danny and LaF and Perry and Kirsch came over to help set up the new dining room table and the chairs and the couch and coffee table."