You know I don't own the characters, and so do I! Anyway, let's have a go at time travel. Just remember I'm a science nerd. Let's try and keep it within the realms of science. Happy reading.

Chapter 1 - jumping straight in

"Swee-eet." He made the word into two syllables.

"Wait a sec—are you legal yet? When's your birthday?"

"You missed it," he teased, narrowing his eyes in mock resentment. "I'm sixteen."

"Not that your age ever stopped you before," I muttered. "Sorry about your birthday."

"Don't worry about it. I missed yours. What are you, forty?"

I sniffed. "Close."

"We'll have a joint party to make up for it."

"Sounds like a date." His eyes sparkled at the word. I needed to reign in the enthusiasm before I gave him the wrong idea—it was just that it had been a long time since I'd felt so light and buoyant. The rarity of the feeling made it more difficult to manage. "Maybe when the bikes are finished—our present to ourselves," I added.

"Deal. When will you bring them down?"

I bit my lip, embarrassed. "They're in my truck now," I admitted.

"Great." He seemed to mean it.

"Will Billy see if we bring them around?"

He winked at me. "We'll be sneaky." We eased around from the east, sticking to the trees when we were in view of the windows, affecting a casual-looking stroll, just in case. Jacob unloaded the bikes swiftly from the truck bed, wheeling them one by one into the shrubbery where I hid. It looked too easy for him—I'd remembered the bikes being much, much heavier than that.

I could see him appraising the machines as we wheeled them into the garage, and when we were safely inside and safe from view he looked over at me. "How attached are you to the whole 'bikes' thing?" He asked, a sparkle playing in his eyes.

"Well I thought it would be something cool for us to do." I paused for a moment. "Well for you to do, for me to watch. Why, what are you thinking?"

"Well stop me if I'm out of line here, I mean they are your bikes and all, but I was hunting through some of my Great Grandpa's stuff and I came across something interesting." Now he was full of mystery and I couldn't stand it.

"Do go on." I prompted.

"It's a blueprint for some kind of contraption, but I would need to strip the bikes down for parts." He pulled a face like he was unsure he wanted to do it.

"What kind of contraption?" I asked, keeping it bright. I had no intention of scaring him off.

"Promise you won't laugh?" I shook my head solemnly. "It's a time machine."

Oh come on! A wide grin had split my face and I was straining not to laugh.

"Really Jake, a time machine?"

"Sure. Back in his day they used to invent all kinds of crazy stuff. Dad will never admit it but I think they were baked out of their minds. You know, the old peace pipe?"

"You really think this can work?" I asked. I decided to humour him. It may be a stupid waste of time, but so long as we could waste that time together I would be happy. He looked very sure. His answer was a silent nod. "Then let's do it." I said and he excitedly leapt to his feet.

"I want to go see Ephram and tell him the thing works!" He exclaimed.

"Wouldn't that, I dont know, mess up the timeline?"

"You worry too much. Don't sweat it."

And so our project was set.

I feel I can jump forward a couple of weeks and you wouldn't really miss anything. My life was coming back on track in a really great way and I was always torn between the question that constantly burned in my mind. Was it Jacob. Was it his friendship, his intoxicating smile and enthusiasm, his friends who seemed to materialise at will, almost in an attempt to scare the living crap out of one another, or was it the other thing. The thought. The seed of hope.

In the beginning I humoured him, yes, that I can admit, but then a little voice in the back of my head began to whisper 'what if?' And that's when I started to over think the whole thing. I would have the opportunity to see him again. Maybe even follow and find him. Just go to the day before he left. That's all I would need. One last, long lingering look at his beautiful face so I could burn the image into my mind for good. I could even say goodbye. Hell, if I went back a week further I could stop the whole birthday incident. It almost felt unhealthy to even think these thoughts, but that didn't stop me. In fact I was beginning to feel something close to excitement. Like I was really going to get to see him again.

The excitement wasn't unjustified. The machine was coming along. When anyone asked about it we would just tell them it was a car or a rocket or some other crazy story, not that any crazy story would be as crazy as the truth, but it felt right to keep it between us.

In the days that passed we visited junkyards and electrical stores where we could find them, picking up all sorts of random parts. Most seemed like junk but every now and then we found something, like the time we took a drive for over two hours to get to an antiques store. I hate to admit that I complained much of the way there, but when we arrived and I saw the look of glee on Jacobs face I couldn't help but smile. He ran off into the store, rummaging through this and that talking to to himself as he did while I leaned on the counter, aware of a small man watching me from a nearby bookshelf. I gave him a little wave and he moved towards me in a quick motion. As he drew close I could see he was maybe a foot or two shorter than me, he was a very pale white and his face was both deeply creased and badly pockmarked. He looked at me curiously.

"Ah.. What bring pretty girl to shop, am wondering?" His accent was odd. Maybe European. It made me chuckle and he made a face. I smiled my warmest smile and he seemed happy with it.

"Uhm, my friend and I need some parts for a school project." I lied. If I didn't know better I would swear he had a look of disbelief in his eyes.

"Oh, now come. Pretty girl no lie to Ishmeil. Ishmeil might have part you need...?" He winked and disappeared into the back. Just then Jacob appeared by my side.

"Bella, I am so sorry, looks like a wasted trip. There's nothing here. Either the internet lies or someone beat us to it." I held up a hand and he shut up. Ishmeil was watching us with bright eyes. He nodded quickly and scurried into the back room. "What in the hell?" Jacob asked. I just kept my eyes trained on the empty doorway.

"What did you say we came here for Jake?" I asked out of the corner of my mouth. He ran his hand over his face before answering.

"I didn't. I heard this was a good place for off the wall gadgets and thought they might have a few things from Ephram's list. Looks like I was wrong." He sounded a little crestfallen.

"You may just be right after all." I whispered as Ishmeil reappeared, a wide smile cracking his wizened face. Jacob seemed even more confused than ever, seeing the small man carrying an armful of nik knacks.

"Now, now let us see what Ishmeil can bring to you." I saw the look of distain on Jacobs face and so did our new friend. "Oh, thinking we know all, are we?" He directed at Jacob.

"Just ignore him Ishmeil. He should know better." I said giving Jacob a shove. He looked hurt for a second until his eyes lit up again with their familiar sparkle.

"Ok old timer, let's see what you got."

Ishmeil let out a tiny shriek of glee as he tipped the contents of his arms onto the counter top and began to rummage through them. I saw Jacobs eyes light up at some of the artefacts before us. "Now, project such as yours..."

"You told him?" Jacob interrupted.

"No, he just knew, now shut up." I elbowed him in the ribs, standing on tip toe to do so. "Please, go ahead." I encouraged.

"Ah yes, very well. Thinking you will be needing these?" He held some bundles of wires and cogs that looked worthless to me but Jacob took them and turned them in his hands eyeing them with wonder. "Helpful, no?" Jacob nodded as he stared at the alien objects in his hands. "And we have all of these." He handed over more stuff, none of which I could describe beyond saying it looked like a car wreck. Jacob was impressed though.

"I don't think we can afford all of this stuff sir." He whispered.

"Lets us arrange something then. Needing these more than me, wouldn't you agree?" Ishmeil chuckled and rung up a number on his antique register that I could hardly believe as it was well within our budget. "But most of all, you will be needing this." His voice had changed. The mischievous tone was gone, replaced with utter seriousness. He was holding a veil of luminous green liquid. Jacobs eyes were bulging and he was trying to speak. "Yes." Ishmiel confirmed. "Nitrotrinadium."

"No way, that stuffs a myth, isnt it?" Jacob asked.

"And it looks like myth?"

"Come on Jake, let's take it." I said, pulling out the cash to pay. Neither of us spoke on the drive home, me because I was a little freaked out and him because he was too busy staring at the stuff we had bought. Not a wasted day at all, then.