Generation 2, Chapter 31 - Unpleasant Memories

Looking in the direction Chase ran off in, Heath wondered aloud "why is he so mad at us?"

"He was told lies about us," Emit explained "he's angry and hurt.  I hope one day he'll let me explain the truth to him.  Until then we have to keep you safe ..."

"And my dad?" Heath asked concerned.

"Yes your dad too," Emit sighed marveling at how perceptive this little boy was.  "Come on lets go back and see your dad."

Shaking his head "I haven't gotten anything for Irissa yet."

Taking a teddy bear from is pack, Emit handed it to Heath "do you think she'll like this?"

Brightening Heath took the teddy bear, squeezing it against  his chest.  "It's so soft and cuddly, she'll love it."  Looking at Emit "don't you want to give it to her yourself?"

"No that's ok," Emit smiled down at him.  "She like it more coming from you."  He sighed wistfully watching Heath walking hand in hand with Beverly.  Would things have been different if he had the chance to spend moments like this with his own son?  He missed so much without even knowing he had it.  Would he get a second chance to help his son?  Did he deserve a second chance?

"Aren't you coming?" Heath asked stopping at the door half turned towards Emit.

Nodding Emit waved him on "I'm right behind you.  I have some things to discuss with your father."  Did his desire for family drive his need to become close with his ancestors?  Will the watchers use this weakness against him?  Will it cause more harm than good?  

***

Running into Adam's room Heath waved the teddy bear around "look what Emit gave me to give to Irissa.  It's soft and cuddly.  Do you think she'll like it?" he asked seeking Adam's approval.

Taking the bear Adam looked at it and in mock seriousness he inspected the cuddlebility of the teddy bear.  Winking at Heath he said I think she'll love it."

Beaming Heath grabbed Beverly's hand "come on let's go see her."

Shrugging Beverly allowed herself to be dragged from the room.  She was still a little shell shocked from the near abduction and marveling at how Heath seemed to have bounced back from it so quickly.

Emit entered the room as Beverly and Heath left.  Adam looked up and smiled in greeting. "Emit it's good to see you.  Thank you for the teddy bear, Heath is can't wait to give it to Irissa.  It made his day."

Clearing is throat Emil asked "did he tell you what happened?"

Something in Emits tone sparked an adrenaline rush that had Adam jumping to his feet only to find his legs wouldn't hold him.  Emit caught him before he fell face first onto the floor.  "Calm down. Every thing's alright.  I arrived in time to stop him."

"Stop him?" Adam asked incredulously "Stop what?"  Looking at Emit in a mixture of anger and confusion.  He had a strong feeling that whatever happened he should just gather his children and Beverly and go home.  To hell with the aliens and the future.  He could only deal with the here and now and his children came first.

Looking away as if he could hear Adam's thoughts Emit said "Chase tried to abduct them ...."

"Them?" Adam exploded "he tried to take Beverly too?"  What kind of person was this Chase?  Beverly wasn't even related to him or Heath.  Did he just take her because she was there?  Heath was just a little boy.  Neither deserved this.  He should tell Beverly to go home where it was safe.  At the thought of her leaving left him feeling frozen inside.  Something he hadn't realized was there just died as he saw his last chance at happiness slip through his hands.  But he couldn't put her endanger and just being associated with the Van Winkles was enough to put a target on a person's back.

"Adam don't let this make you do something stupid," Emit pleaded noting his defeated expression and downcast eyes.  "I can handle Chase.  He's not a proficient time traveler yet.  He's hurt and confused.  He doesn't know what he's doing."

"Yeah right," Adam tossed Emit an angry look "he's already tried to kill my dad, abduct my son and g-friend.  He's menace ..."

I can't just write him off," Emit shouted walking towards the window "he's my son.  I have to believe I can reach him.  Help him."

"Your son?" Adam asked "but how? Why? I don't understand."  Adam stumbled over his thoughts and words.  If Chase really was Emits son then he just wasn't any bad guy but family.  You couldn't just turn your back on family.  Looking at Emit's distraught bent form Adam sighed giving in "maybe you should tell me everything from the beginning."

Nodding Emit turned from the window "I guess it's time I tell someone."  He reached into his pack and brought out a dragon "hope you don't mind a borrowed it.  What I'm about to tell you is for your ears only and this place isn't a safe zone."

Nodding "it's probably how Chase found out we were here.  He took advantage of the opportunity and exploited our weakness."

Released the dragon flew around the room before landing on the floor near Adam's bed.  Emit watched for a moment, gathering his thoughts.  "For years I never thought about my family.  I took great pains to avoid meeting my ancestors.  Not only to protect them but the temptation to make changes to my own timeline." Smiling Emit continued "that changed when my time machine broke down thrusting me into the past and landing me in your fathers front yard."

Gazing out the window Emit spoke in hushed tones "I knew I should have blocked the portal to keep Peter from following me but ...." He glanced over towards Adam "he reminded me my of father, at least the few memories I had of him.  The lust for adventure, the enthusiasm to learn new things.  Meeting Peter had me thinking of my parents that I hadn't done in years.  All the feelings of loneliness, despair, anger and pain I kept locked inside threatened to come bubbling to the surface after years of being repressed."  

***

"I loved my father like any toddler would.  He was bigger than life and I was always safe in his arms.  My mother was always laughing enjoying life.  All that changed we we moved to the colony on Lunar Lakes."  Stopping Emit took a deep breath "I've avoided visiting that time in my travels not wanting to relive that part of my history.  It's frustrating to know I can't change it without changing everything I've done and it's just too painful.  I blocked most of the memories of that time period but now with Logan showing up, a brother I don't remember having I had to go back.  I had to know what I've forgotten."

"My father was a quantum physics engineer, making great strides in the practical application of time travel.  He was almost ready to make the first time jump, unfortunately his work caught the attention of certain individuals who wanted the technology for themselves.  They saw it as a way to form a future of their own design and controlling people.  They called themselves 'The Watchers'.  They do more than watch, they destroy.  They killed my parents and abducted my brother."

"My father in an attempt to keep his family safe sold everything they had and bought passage to Lunar Lakes.  He quit his work in quantum physics and took up horticulture.  The watchers sent men to Lunar Lakes to kill my father, in the process they set fire to the house where my mother and I were trapped.  She managed to to get me out, dropping me from the second story window.  Logan had been with my father and I assume it was then the men took him.  I don't remember much before the fall, having hit my head on the ground.  I came too on an alien ship."

"The alien who found and ultimately saved my life was the same alien time traveler you met Adam when you were abducted.  I learned later he was coming to see  my father regarding his work in time travel, to seek his help in completing his mission to release the cure to save his planet.  He made several attempts to change what happened to my parents but without success.  All he had to work with was a 3 year old child."

"It was an unusual childhood to say the least and I was alive.  He taught me several things about time travel and keeping track of the time line, recognizing what could be changed what should be left alone.  Soon all my memories of my prior existence faded and were lost, all I had was the alien time traveler.  I didn't even remember my own name, late at night I would dream of my mother calling for me but when I'd wake it would be gone.  The time traveler called me Emit and instructed me to call him Relevart.  When I was older I realized in was time traveler spelled backwards but it was better then being nameless.  I was lonely and scared most of my childhood, being hunted by aliens trying to stop 'Relevart' from releasing the cure.   I'm sure he did the best he could for me and at one point he gave me a doll that became my best and only friend."

"When I was a teenager 'Relevart' would give me small training assignments to test my skills and abilities in manipulating time.  During these travels I learned about a potion that could turn imaginary friends real.  I desperately wanted a real friend, someone I could love someone I could call family.  'Relevart' warned me that the being I'd release from the doll wouldn't be the same person I knew as my imaginary friend.  I didn't understand what he meant and I didn't care. I should have listened.  I loved Donna and thought she loved me.  She had been the only friend I had in the world besides 'Relevart'.  She had been confidant, my comforter when I cried for my parents, she listened to my fears, my joys and I told her everything including the secrets of time travel.  I still feel the unfathomable pain she caused when she betrayed me to my brother.  She became my worst enemy."

'Relevart' dropped us off in Oasis Landing where I worked on finishing my father's work in perfecting time travel.  All the time Donna was passing along my break throughs to Logan and through him 'The Watchers'.  I inadvertently gave them the ability to travel through time. When the time was right I came home to find an empty house, Donna and all my research gone.  I had nothing left."

"I had no choice but to start over and thanks to time travel I had all the time I could want to perfect my work.  I had one goal, to find Donna.  To find out why she betrayed my trust, to know why she didn't love me they way I loved her.  I looked everywhere but I never found her.  When Chase showed up in Oasis Landing I began to wonder, his resemblance to me and the green in his hair.  I obtained a DNA sample and confirmed what I suspected, he was my son.   Donna must have been pregnant when she left and looking into origins of Chase I found her, long dead, killed by a man named Zedekiah Van Winkle.  It was then I remembered my name, the name I dreamed my mother calling, Zedekiah, Kiah for short.  I can only assume it was Logan using my name and the reason why Chase hates the name Van Winkle.  I have no doubt Logan has fed that hatred through the years." Turning towards Adam "I have to find out what happened to Donna in order to save my son."

Adam couldn't help but feel empathy for Emit but at the same time he wanted to take his kids to where they'd be safe.  Listening to Emit he noted the striking similarities between Donna and Wendy and he wondered was there something fundamentally wrong with imaginary friends once they became real.  Did all of them turn against the person that turned them real?  He wanted to help Emit but at the same time he struggled with his first priority the safety of his kids.  He wanted to tell Emit to find someone else to help him figure it out, but he was family even if several years in the future.  Emit had helped his family several time over despite the risk to himself.  All these thoughts screamed in his head and he knew there was only one choice he could make.  "Alright you have my help.  I'll do whatever I can to help you."