Parallel Lives

Natalie was trying to stay strong.
Trying to stay awake.

Only it was getting harder and harder, even harder than when she had been in that pit years ago.

Maybe, she supposed as she turned over onto her side and stared at the wall, it was because back then she had known someone would be looking for her and wouldn't give up till they had found her.

This time, well, it was different.

Maybe Tess was right.

Maybe all they would ever find where her skeletal remains years from now if they ever torn down this mausoleum of a house.

Or maybe someone would just stumble upon her when it was too late.

God, she hoped it wasn't her mother.

That and the hope that somehow Jessica would overtake her alter and somehow remember she had locked her down here where all the hope she could hold onto as she slipped into a troubled slumber. . .

John held his gun on the man in front of him, trying to come to terms with all the accusations that were being thrown around.
From Tina to Talia to Antonio to Jonas.
He was the acting Commissioner and he needed to be able to handle this.
But for some reason, he couldn't concentrate.
His aim faltered for a second and that was all it took.

He felt the pain cut through him as he staggered back.

Heard the next shot.

And in his mind's eye all he could see were the things he had lost. . .

Once more he saw a dream family, only this time she was waiting for him as he felt himself slip into the light.

"What the hell are you talking about, Balsom? You think that we're not the first ones to slip back in time?" Bo demanded angrily.

"That's what I said, wasn't it?" Rex demanded.

Gigi looked from one man to the other and then exhaled sharply: "So if you're not who is? And Bo, what does it have to do with that guy isn't buying that you're Asa and we're. . ."

Bo shook his head as he started to pace: "you two wouldn't know him. I did. Years ago. . . He was my father-in-law."

"Wow. . ." Gigi muttered.

"Which time?" Rex asked, causing Bo to spin and glare at him. "What? I think it's a valid question. I mean, it might help us figure out what he's changed or is changing so we can fix it."

"I didn't change anything," the man in the door said quietly. "I came back to do just that. To fix things. . . make things right. I never figured on encountering you here, Bo. Or your little friends."

Gigi gulped as she looked up wide eyed at Rex, who put his hand on her shoulder, while Bo stared at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? And who are you supposed to be? The wicked witch?"

"Balsom," Gigi sighed. "What would that make you? The Scarecrow?"

The man laughed slightly as Bo shook his head: "Roger, what is going on? What do you mean you're here to 'fix' things?"

Roger Gordon sighed as he moved further into the room and closed the door behind him: "I don't need to get locked up again. Not for this."

"You've been locked up? Here? Great, Bo. A convicted criminal to help us!" Rex complained.

"My. . . record isn't in this time frame," Roger said stiffly. "I tried to stop things before. Ended up in a padded room."

Bo nodded: "can't say I'm surprised. I keep telling Balsom here that he needs to tone it down before. . . How in damnation did you end up here?"

"Playing at being Asa too long or are you morphing into him?" Roger asked concerned. "You stay too long, with the real person who's life you've overtaken not in the. . . you become them," Roger warned.

"How do you know all this?" Gigi asked. "The professor doesn't."

Roger shrugged: "my father. He wasn't the most. . . stable of men, but he was something of a genius. Aside from building an underground city. . ."

"An underground city? You have got to be kidding me!" Rex scoffed.

"It was named Eterna," Bo cut in. "And it existed. A few people got trapped there a few years back."

"And where is it? Oz?"

"Llantano Mountain. We had the entrance demolished to make sure no one else would get stuck down there once everyone got up. . ."

"But it wasn't enough to protect your family from its reach, was it Bo?" Roger asked as he took a seat on a nearby couch. "Your niece was trapped in one of the escape hatches."

"The pit," Bo exhaled tiredly. "Damn, knew I was missing something when we were investigating. . ." he continued angrily.

"You would have had to have the right plans to find it," Roger cut in. "Look, we don't have a lot of time here."

"I still don't understand how come you came to 'change' things back," Gigi sighed. "I mean, that would mean someone else had to have changed things at some other point in time."

"He did," Roger said sliding towards the end of the couch. "My father's doctor. A young up and coming man of science who got into his head and used his research to change history. To make a different life for himself.

Only it didn't quite turn out how he expected.

He came back a few other times from what I can tell.

Interfered with people finding out certain truths.

Surviving injuries.

Being with the people they were supposed to be.

I promised myself that I would find a way to stop it from happening this time. . . only somehow you are here and. . . if you do things to ensure history as you know it you will be condemning the people you love to great loses."

"Great, more doom and gloom," Rex muttered.

"Who was this guy anyway?" Gigi muttered.

Bo shook his head: "not hard to guess. Spencer Truman."

"So he changes history and what? We're not supposed to mess with it. People who are alive won't be."

"At least not as you knew them in your reality," Roger sighed. "It's a complicated balance."

"But it's worth the chance to make things right, right?" Gigi wondered. "I mean, I know some people would die, but. . ."

"It's not about people dying, young lady. But them living instead. . . children who should've been born but weren't in your world.

Couples who had bright futures but had them stolen from them.

Families who are incomplete."

"And what about couples who are together? How would this affect them?" Rex wondered worriedly. "You change history, you mess with people who are-- who were born-- not being born.

People who love each. . ."

"The children who were meant to be will still be.
The people who were supposed to be together will be.
True love always finds away, even when it's been deferred. . ."

Bo exhaled sharply: "I'm not going into how changing things would. . . damnit! If things have already been changed. . . Going through the portal. . . Ugh! I feel like I'm trapped in a bad Star Trek episode!" he admitted. "But I can guess what he changed. He tried to make himself a Buchanan and it didn't work. Then he decided to make it David. . ."

"So what? We need to make sure David is conceived, just not via a Buchanan, right?" Gigi asked. "I'm sure I can convince Emma to. .. to fall quickly for someone. . .Maybe even a guy who will treat her right.
That way those two boys might not turn out so bad."

"We'd be returning to a world we had no clue how to function in," Rex reminded.

"You'll catch on quickly," Roger told him. "You're memories of the other reality will fade in time.

For you and anyone else who slides into it via a portal."

"What does that mean?"

"There's two people who aren't living in their right world. Who Spencer grabbed from their reality to destroy them."

"Who?" Gigi asked.

"I can't tell you that. Can't tell you exactly when he did it. But I can tell you that if you don't do this they will die in both realities. And there's a third person who was moved from your reality to another. . . we don't fix it, he'll fade away completely."

Rex, Gigi, and Bo shared concerned looks: "Ok, what do you think we have to do and how do we do it?" Bo demanded. "Because I'll be damned if I let Spencer get away with costing my family anyone else we love. . ."