chocolate and pistachio with fresh peaches
Story: Timeless { backstory | index }
Title: Something Wonderful
Rating: G
Challenge: Chocolate #23: nostalgia, Pistachio #30: (not so) happily ever after
Toppings/Extras: fresh peaches
Wordcount: 1,140
Summary: Goodbyes are said and hearts are warmed.
Notes: I’ve changed the ending. Completely. Yes, a bunch of stuff is now going to be AU and a small group of characters I’ve grown to love no longer exist. But! To me, this ending is exactly what I’ve been looking for-the other one never quite satisfied me… Peaches: The Venus-Neptune aspect lightens moods and eases tensions. Just be ready to expect the unexpected.
Rows of lights glowed on the control-panel that spread over an entire wall. The machine was purring, barely audible, faithful as it had ever been. In the centre of the laboratory, the capsule gleamed.
Rosalind Ashdown threw her arms around Isaac Prowse’s neck as they stood at the threshold into the labs.
“I’m going to miss you!” she said, withdrawing unhappily. “You’re my other brother. What am I going to do without you?”
“You’ll be fine,” Isaac reassured her with a smile, fighting to stay chipper despite everything. Because he’d made his choice and he didn’t regret it-but good God, there were things he would miss… “Your real brother will take care of you.” At least that was true: her older brother had changed a lot and Isaac knew that he really, really would take care of her.
Rosalind blinked, smiled shyly, and then edged out of the way. There were others to see.
Verity Ashdown swooped on him with a kiss to the cheek. She smelled like she always did-of talcum powder and sandalwood and divinity. Blonde hair wafted over her shoulders. Her gorgeous face cracked into a devilish grin as she drew away.
“I never did manage to convince you to have that affair,” she said, pouting lightly. “I suppose it’s to your credit, really. Have a good life.”
She had scarcely moved out of the way when Jacob Graham swaggered forwards and slapped Isaac on the back with a loud clap. His usual wide, slightly lopsided grin was plastered across his sun-weathered face.
“Prowse! ‘Ow many years ‘ave we spent tryin’ ter kill each other now? It just won’t be the same!” he said in his customary bellow. “I’ll always remember yer, that’s fer sure. The scars’ll make sure of that.”
“The same to you,” Isaac replied, trying not to smile but failing miserably. “You didn’t make it easy.”
“My sincere apologies,” Jacob replied. He gave a sweeping bow and began walking back towards the time capsule. “’Ave a good ‘un, old bean. And good luck with your ladyfriend!” He raised his bushy eyebrows. “Yer goin’ ter need it.”
Grinning at him one last time, Isaac finally turned back towards the final goodbye. The one he was having mixed feelings about…
“Mr Prowse,” Lord Ashdown said, shifting uncomfortably a moment before setting his face into its usual expressionless façade. His silvery blue eyes were steady and his emotions as unfathomable as always, but Isaac fancied he could see uncertainty in his body language. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“Indeed it has, sir,” Isaac responded politely.
Ashdown’s tentative expression momentarily strengthened. Thirteen years of service, dating all the way back to his late teens. It was a lot to think back upon.
“I just… I wish there was something more I could do for you,” he said after a pause far longer than was usual for Ashdown, who always had several responses poised on the tip of his tongue.
“Letting me stay here is reward enough,” Isaac reassured him.
He could very well see Ashdown’s thoughts straying to the rather austere Adele Merritt.
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said eventually, attempting the smallest of smiles. Isaac couldn’t help it-his poker face cracked into a grin. He tended not to smile when around his master for the sake of professionalism, but this was going to be the last time they saw each other, after all. Well, if everything went according to plan… they had all discovered that these things rarely did.
Nevertheless.
“Take care of yourself,” he said in the most friendly tone of voice he had ever directed towards the slender gentleman that was his master.
“I, er, yes, thank you,” Ashdown replied hesitantly. “You as well, Mr Prowse.”
When he walked away it hurt a little more than Isaac had predicted, just a small pressure in the centre of his chest. God, he’d never really liked him much, but he was really going to miss that crazy little twit-he was quite certain he’d never meet another one like him.
But his smile strengthened anyway as he felt a hand slip into his.
-----
Ashdown first helped his little sister into the capsule, and then his wife-squeezing her dainty hand for just a little longer than necessary and smiling at her. She smiled back, tilting her head, dim as she had ever been but so full of love. It felt as if he had lived two lifetimes, and now he was returning to the first. But it would all be very different now.
When he went to ascend the first step, someone cleared their throat loudly next to him.
“Need a hand?” Captain Jacob Graham grinned.
After arching an eyebrow at him, Ashdown took a hold of the rough, calloused hand, stuck his nose into the air and glided elegantly up the steps into the top of the capsule.
“Once we get home, it’s business as usual, Captain,” he said serenely. “I hope you realise that.”
“O’course,” Jacob said with a wink. He turned to find his daughter gawping at him.
“Isn’t he the enemy?” Lidia demanded as her father took her by the shoulders and steered her towards the metal steps.
“It’s complicated,” Jacob replied, and helped her up. He then turned to a young Cooper Braun, who had just said his own goodbyes on the other side of the lab. Fresh-faced, dashing and young; the latest addition to his crew. That was how the entire deal was working; a swap. One person into the past, one person into the future. “Giddy up, then, maggot. There’s a world to see.”
Cooper was helplessly excited about what was to come. His directionless, meandering life seemed to have come to a culmination, and he was to be plunged into newness; the New World in the Old World, a fantastical place of bright and gleaming opportunity, and it was all open to him. He couldn’t wait.
-----
“This is what my machine was made for, Cass,” Adam said happily, eyes gleaming with passionate elation as he watched the scene unfold from his place at the control dock. His hands raced over the various panels and dials, putting everything into place, getting ready to send the capsule out of the docking station and through the intricate, baffling tubes of time.
“Sure,” Cassidy replied in a voice that couldn’t be bothered to argue.
Leaning his blonde head against one of the screens, Adam gazed at the capsule for a moment, smile still on his face. They’d even managed to pull Robyn and Victor back for one last mission-the whole gang was together. Graham’s crew had been successfully dropped off and now it was time for the final trip.
He felt, for the first time in a long time, that he had done something truly wonderful.
Title: Something Wonderful
Rating: G
Challenge: Chocolate #23: nostalgia, Pistachio #30: (not so) happily ever after
Toppings/Extras: fresh peaches
Wordcount: 1,140
Summary: Goodbyes are said and hearts are warmed.
Notes: I’ve changed the ending. Completely. Yes, a bunch of stuff is now going to be AU and a small group of characters I’ve grown to love no longer exist. But! To me, this ending is exactly what I’ve been looking for-the other one never quite satisfied me… Peaches: The Venus-Neptune aspect lightens moods and eases tensions. Just be ready to expect the unexpected.
Rows of lights glowed on the control-panel that spread over an entire wall. The machine was purring, barely audible, faithful as it had ever been. In the centre of the laboratory, the capsule gleamed.
Rosalind Ashdown threw her arms around Isaac Prowse’s neck as they stood at the threshold into the labs.
“I’m going to miss you!” she said, withdrawing unhappily. “You’re my other brother. What am I going to do without you?”
“You’ll be fine,” Isaac reassured her with a smile, fighting to stay chipper despite everything. Because he’d made his choice and he didn’t regret it-but good God, there were things he would miss… “Your real brother will take care of you.” At least that was true: her older brother had changed a lot and Isaac knew that he really, really would take care of her.
Rosalind blinked, smiled shyly, and then edged out of the way. There were others to see.
Verity Ashdown swooped on him with a kiss to the cheek. She smelled like she always did-of talcum powder and sandalwood and divinity. Blonde hair wafted over her shoulders. Her gorgeous face cracked into a devilish grin as she drew away.
“I never did manage to convince you to have that affair,” she said, pouting lightly. “I suppose it’s to your credit, really. Have a good life.”
She had scarcely moved out of the way when Jacob Graham swaggered forwards and slapped Isaac on the back with a loud clap. His usual wide, slightly lopsided grin was plastered across his sun-weathered face.
“Prowse! ‘Ow many years ‘ave we spent tryin’ ter kill each other now? It just won’t be the same!” he said in his customary bellow. “I’ll always remember yer, that’s fer sure. The scars’ll make sure of that.”
“The same to you,” Isaac replied, trying not to smile but failing miserably. “You didn’t make it easy.”
“My sincere apologies,” Jacob replied. He gave a sweeping bow and began walking back towards the time capsule. “’Ave a good ‘un, old bean. And good luck with your ladyfriend!” He raised his bushy eyebrows. “Yer goin’ ter need it.”
Grinning at him one last time, Isaac finally turned back towards the final goodbye. The one he was having mixed feelings about…
“Mr Prowse,” Lord Ashdown said, shifting uncomfortably a moment before setting his face into its usual expressionless façade. His silvery blue eyes were steady and his emotions as unfathomable as always, but Isaac fancied he could see uncertainty in his body language. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“Indeed it has, sir,” Isaac responded politely.
Ashdown’s tentative expression momentarily strengthened. Thirteen years of service, dating all the way back to his late teens. It was a lot to think back upon.
“I just… I wish there was something more I could do for you,” he said after a pause far longer than was usual for Ashdown, who always had several responses poised on the tip of his tongue.
“Letting me stay here is reward enough,” Isaac reassured him.
He could very well see Ashdown’s thoughts straying to the rather austere Adele Merritt.
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said eventually, attempting the smallest of smiles. Isaac couldn’t help it-his poker face cracked into a grin. He tended not to smile when around his master for the sake of professionalism, but this was going to be the last time they saw each other, after all. Well, if everything went according to plan… they had all discovered that these things rarely did.
Nevertheless.
“Take care of yourself,” he said in the most friendly tone of voice he had ever directed towards the slender gentleman that was his master.
“I, er, yes, thank you,” Ashdown replied hesitantly. “You as well, Mr Prowse.”
When he walked away it hurt a little more than Isaac had predicted, just a small pressure in the centre of his chest. God, he’d never really liked him much, but he was really going to miss that crazy little twit-he was quite certain he’d never meet another one like him.
But his smile strengthened anyway as he felt a hand slip into his.
-----
Ashdown first helped his little sister into the capsule, and then his wife-squeezing her dainty hand for just a little longer than necessary and smiling at her. She smiled back, tilting her head, dim as she had ever been but so full of love. It felt as if he had lived two lifetimes, and now he was returning to the first. But it would all be very different now.
When he went to ascend the first step, someone cleared their throat loudly next to him.
“Need a hand?” Captain Jacob Graham grinned.
After arching an eyebrow at him, Ashdown took a hold of the rough, calloused hand, stuck his nose into the air and glided elegantly up the steps into the top of the capsule.
“Once we get home, it’s business as usual, Captain,” he said serenely. “I hope you realise that.”
“O’course,” Jacob said with a wink. He turned to find his daughter gawping at him.
“Isn’t he the enemy?” Lidia demanded as her father took her by the shoulders and steered her towards the metal steps.
“It’s complicated,” Jacob replied, and helped her up. He then turned to a young Cooper Braun, who had just said his own goodbyes on the other side of the lab. Fresh-faced, dashing and young; the latest addition to his crew. That was how the entire deal was working; a swap. One person into the past, one person into the future. “Giddy up, then, maggot. There’s a world to see.”
Cooper was helplessly excited about what was to come. His directionless, meandering life seemed to have come to a culmination, and he was to be plunged into newness; the New World in the Old World, a fantastical place of bright and gleaming opportunity, and it was all open to him. He couldn’t wait.
-----
“This is what my machine was made for, Cass,” Adam said happily, eyes gleaming with passionate elation as he watched the scene unfold from his place at the control dock. His hands raced over the various panels and dials, putting everything into place, getting ready to send the capsule out of the docking station and through the intricate, baffling tubes of time.
“Sure,” Cassidy replied in a voice that couldn’t be bothered to argue.
Leaning his blonde head against one of the screens, Adam gazed at the capsule for a moment, smile still on his face. They’d even managed to pull Robyn and Victor back for one last mission-the whole gang was together. Graham’s crew had been successfully dropped off and now it was time for the final trip.
He felt, for the first time in a long time, that he had done something truly wonderful.