A/N: Ok, so this is the result of insomnia, one too many classes in one day, and the fact that the first line has been running through my head for weeks. I don't really like it, and i have no clue where i'm going with this story, but any feedback would be appreciated (especially if you want me to continue this).
"Zane Michael Donovan can you tell me why three kids showed up on my doorstep calling me grandma?" my mother's calm and yet authoritative voice demanded as soon as I picked up my phone. After spending the past month sorting out the disaster that was the Titan mission, the last thing I wanted to hear was my mom spouting off crazy speak, let alone hearing it at three in the morning. Sure it was six a.m. where she was and she was always up at this time doing God knows what, but still. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but getting woken up at three in the morning isn't conducive to being affectionate.
"Um, could you repeat that?" I muttered, rubbing a hand over my face and trying to shake off sleep.
"Why are three children here calling me grandma?" she repeated. By the tone in her voice I could tell she was losing patience. As her words sunk in I could feel all the color drain from my face. Three kids calling my mother "grandma"…my mother a grandma. For the next fifteen seconds the only phrase running through my mind was "oh shit".
"Mom, can you hand the phone to the oldest, I need to talk to them," I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I knew I didn't fool her by the pause that followed but she knew better than to ask me right now.
"Hello?" a voice eerily similar to mine spoke over the phone.
"Hi, I'm Zane, who are you?" I asked in the calmest voice I could. I really wasn't experienced with kids but I knew enough not to freak the kid out. Before I could get an answer Jo tossed onto her side and kicked at me lightly, nudging me towards the edge of the bed. After the Astraeus crew had gotten back to Eureka safely Jo and I rarely spent time apart. Funny how it took a near death experience like this to get us to admit that we loved each other. But just now it looked like she preferred I wasn't here.
"Zane, if you're going to be on the phone go in the other room," Jo complained.
"Fine, but you should know my mom just told me kids showed up calling her grandma," I informed the sleepy woman before getting up and going into the hall.
"Dad?" the voice over the phone caught my wandering attention again. Dad? Really?
"Um, who are you?" I repeated.
"I'm Will and I'm here with the twins," he replied as if I should know who he was and who the twins were.
"How old are you?" I asked because by the sound of his voice, he really wasn't a kid.
"Sixteen. The twins are seven. Listen Dad, could you and Mom maybe hightail it back here? I love Grandma and all but she looks about ready to kill and I don't want to be in the line of fire," Will told me and I could only imagine the look on my Mom's face right now.
"Fine, I'll be there soon, but I just have to ask you one more thing. Hypothetically, if this was 2011 and you kids came from the future, what would a safety word be that me or mom would have you tell us?" I questioned.
"Either 1947 or Lisa's Lingerie. Honestly, you and Mom could never agree on that. Mom though 1947 was better since you both knew about that but you always suggested Lisa's since it was your favorite story from…well, before," the teenager explained sounding uneasy. Oh hell, this kid knew. He knew and he was my kid and he was from the future.
"We'll be there soon Will, just tell Grandma that I'll see her soon," I muttered, already heading back into the bedroom where Jo was surprisingly already getting dressed and packing a bag.
"Ok Dad, bye." As soon as I hung up the phone Jo turned to me and frowned at my curious look.
"As soon as I overheard 'hypothetical' and 'grandma' I figured we were going on a trip," she explained, tossing some clothes at me. I sighed and nodded.
"Jo, we need to go to Boston."