"It's that one," she said, pointing to her booth.

"D1?" he asked as he slid the door open. It was completely empty. "Is that where you hit your head?"

She followed his outstretched finger to a red stain on the top of the bench and adverted her eyes as quick as she could, "Yes."

Giving her a sideways glance he asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"No," she answered, fumbling with the material of the dress to distract herself.

"Okay," he said, stepping into the booth and wiping the blood away with the same sleeve he'd used earlier on Jade.

"What are we doing?" she asked stepping in beside him, closing the door. With a smile, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a pocket knife, "You aren't supposed to have that."

"I know," he said, smiling, "so watch the door. How much more time do you think you have before you travel back?"

"I don't know," she said glancing back at him, watching him carve her name into the wood and then a date.

"It isn't 1815," she said.

"You're supposed to be watching the door," he laughed, "and no it isn't from wherever you come from, but in Monorail, currently it is."

"Each world is in a different time?" she asked him, now sitting down beside him.

"Not exactly they're more labeled with different times rather than actually being in different times," he said sitting down with her.

"So now what?" she asked, reaching up and tracing her fingers over the freshly carved wood.

"You were traveling with people right?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, taking her hand away from the wood to look at him, "why?"

"Ask them if they saw it before you came back, otherwise they would have heard and seen it being carved as I did it," he said, looking deep into her eyes as if to see whether she understood or not.

"Meaning?" she asked to his disappointment.

He laughed, "Meaning, if they saw it happening as I did it then you're changing the past and the future can be changed and if it was already there, you aren't changing a thing and the future is set for good."

She bit the corner of her lip and looked away, wondering how much longer she had before she was torn away from this time and thrown back into her own.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked as he reached for her, but suddenly she felt as if she were being pulled away from him into a blackhole and then suddenly she was thrown back into the seat only she had landed on top of something.

"I told you," Petra laughed from the other seat, "you should've listened."

"Get off," Drake said angrily to Jade, who was sitting on top of his chest.

"So you time traveled for the first time," Petra commented, raising an eyebrow as if asking her to tell her everything that had happened.

Slipping off of Drake, Jade couldn't help, but stare at him, wondering if he now knew everything that had just happened to her. I do.

She sighed and then thought to him The carving in the wood-

Yeah, I saw it. He thought to her, smugly.

No, idiot, did you see it being written?

It was already there. Seems like you had a great time. His eyes were spitting anger at her.

Rolling her eyes, she took her mind away from him and turned to Petra. "How did you know I time traveled?"

"My . . . grandfather was a time traveler," she answered, glancing sideways at Drake "who'd you time travel to?"

"Who?" she asked, glancing at Drake, who's anger was only increasing, "Don't you mean when?"

"You aren't experienced enough to travel to a certain time so you travel to whoever is on your mind and the time is random," she replied casually.

"Good to know what's on your mind," Drake muttered under his breath furiously.

"Can I travel to the future then?" she asked, ignoring him "And when will it happen again?"

"No, I don't think so" Petra said, shaking her head, "And probably not until tomorrow, but by then we can get you a device that can help you control it."

"What a shame," Drake whispered into Jade's ear, spitefully, "thought you could travel back and buddy up with him some more today?"

"Get over it!" She shouted at him, pushing him away from her. He isn't such a bad person seventeen years ago, she thought to him.

Oh, of course, how could I forget it wasn't until I was born that he turned into a monster! He glared at her so intensely that she had to look away.

"What's the matter with the two of you?" Petra asked, studying their hateful glares at one another.

"This train couldn't be going any slower," Drake muttered to himself, "it feels like I've been sitting here for years!"

She hated it when Drake was in bad moods because no matter how much or little he tried he would be in a terrible mood for the entire day and would try to put everyone around him in an equally if not worse mood.

"You have no right to be angry with anyone," Jade mumbled to him, trying to not let Petra hear. "Just calm down or go back to sleep please."

"You know what I've got a better idea," he smiled, and stood up. The doors creaked as he slid them open and then slammed them with a loud bang.

"Will he be back?" Petra asked, pointing at the doors.

"Probably not," Jade answered, "he won't show up until we get off the train."

The rest of the train ride seemed to drag on slower than Jade could have ever imagined. Every once in a while, Petra would comment on something, trying to spark a small conversation, but for the most part neither of the girls talked to each other much

So the time wilted away minute by minute.

It wasn't until around dinner time that Petra stumbled over the subject of time travel and as she sipped away at a glass of wine, she told Jade every little fact she knew about it, which comforted Jade's few worries about her newfound power. Truthfully, she was more bothered by how different Damien was seventeen years ago than the fact that she possessed a rare gift. Every so often she found her self touching the carved words on her bench. She couldn't string both Damiens together. They were two completely different people. She wondered what could change a person so drastically.

It was around midnight when the train came to a screeching halt, jolting Jade straight out of her dreams. Across from her Petra gave a loud yawn in the pitch black. Then she flicked the light on.

"I suppose this is where we say goodbye," Petra smiled at Jade sleepily.

Jade merely nodded as the booth door slid open and an older woman, wearing bright red lipstick and a navy blue uniform with golden buttons, said, "Come on out girls. Time to leave. Do you have everything?"

"Yes," Petra answered for the both of them, "come on Jade. I'll stay with you until Drake shows up."

Walking out of the train was like swimming through a sea of people, all shoving and trying to push their way ahead of you with little to no patience. Jade's feet were crushed under heavy boots and spiked by pointed heals multiple times before she finally stepped out into the crisp night air, lighted by a few street lamps. People flowed around her, like water around a rock, as they dispersed into the city. Jade looked around, wondering were Drake was. He had managed to completely veil his thoughts from her. As her eyes wandered over the people, they fell onto a figure of a man wearing a trench coat and a tall hat, waving to her through the foggy air.

"Erik!" she said, immediately shooting her arms into the air and waving at him.

"You know him?" Petra asked through a smile, tilting her head toward Erik.

"Yeah," Jade beamed, "thanks for everything."

"I'll be going then. Catch you later" she responded, stopping down to pick up her little cat and then with one last wave of her hand disappeared into the waves of people.

"Jade," his deep voice sounded out through the people as he made his way to her.

When he was finally close enough, he embraced her in a strong, warm hug. "How are you?" He asked releasing her. "I swear I never thought I'd see you again."

"I'm fine," she said, smiling at him and then looking down where his gloved hands were still holding onto her's. "How are you?"

"Never better," he answered jovially. "The train ride wasn't too painfully long and lonely I hope?"

"It wasn't that bad," she responded, feeling his hands tighten around hers.

"Jade, now that you're here and we are alone, there's something I've been wanting to tell you-"

However, he was interrupted by Jade's gasping as Drake's warm breath fluttered across her skin and he kissed the side of her neck, pulling her hair away to one side. His hands found their way into hers as he spun her around and began to kiss her on the mouth almost violently. So that she was forced to take a step back and just when she thought she'd pass out from lack of oxygen he drew back, but only long enough for a few short breaths and then he was back again. She knew that she couldn't shove him away and risk showing Erik that she didn't like him because if he knew the two of them weren't together, then his father would know and he was an important person and Damien would skin the two of them alive. However, she was beginning to feel faint as she got fewer and fewer breaths of air until finally she bit his tongue which was halfway down her throat.

Suddenly he took a step back, holding a hand to his mouth, where a dark streak of crimson red blood was streaming out in a steady flow. He looked at her furiously, almost deadly. His thoughts reentered her mind and they weren't pleasant at all.

"I didn't realize that the two of you were still,  were ever. . . together," Erik said from behind Drake, "I suppose I just guessed that since he basically kidnapped you-"

Drake turned to face Erik, making sure there were no traces of blood on his mouth and what was flowing from the wound he swallowed. He held an open hand behind him, waiting for Jade to take it. For a moment, she stared at it, biting her lip, but finally she took it and stepped beside him.

"It's so nice to see you," Drake said cooly, eyeing Erik's freshly pressed uniform. "Coming from school to meet us? How nice." 

He nodded, but kept his eyes on Jade, "I didn't realize you were even coming. Should I be expecting Damien as well?"

"Why wouldn't I come?" Drake laughed. "Didn't I make that clear in my letter? I wouldn't miss an opportunity to see you, not for the world."

"Will Damien be here?" Erik asked gravely, ignoring Drake's sarcastic comments.

There was a silence as Drake waited for Erik to ask him once more, but Jade said instead, "No, thankfully he won't be."

Drake glanced at her through the corner of his eyes, frustratedly. "Well, I think we should be going it is late," Erik said, with a twitch of his mouth.

"We're still staying at your place right?" Drake asked beginning to walk with Erik and tossing Jade's hand away.

He nodded, "It's not too far from here, maybe a block or two."

"And how are things at the academy?" Drake asked, stepping up onto the sidewalk with Erik. Jade knew that he was asking all these questions to try to keep her out of the conversation, even though it pained him greatly due to his injured tongue.

"Same old, same old," Erik yawned. "Jade, did you miss it here while you were away?"

"Actually," Drake began for her, "she's quite enjoying her time at Damien's mansion. Never boring, there's always a party or dinner to keep her busy and on the off chance that there isn't, well then there's me."

Jade rolled her eyes, wondering if Drake would be her voice for the entire trip. "Right," Erik responded, awkwardly, "but surely Jade you did miss something from here?"

"Not yo-" Drake began to say but Jade interrupted him this time with a small cough.

"Yes, actually," she said looking up at him, "I missed everything that's why I'm here because I'm homesick. Why did Drake say we were here?"

"He said it was business," Erik shrugged.

"For me," Drake growled. "Are we almost there? I thought you said it was close by."

"It's right there," Erik sighed. Jade could tell that he was quickly becoming irritated with Drake.

"I thought you lived with your family," she said, looking at the small flat sitting on top of a bakery.

"No," he smiled, uncomfortably, "I haven't seen them for a while, actually."

"I'm sorry," she said, walking closer to him.

"No, it's actually easier this way. Um, it's closer to the academy and it's nice having a place of my own." He said, leading Drake and Jade through a narrow, brick ally way. The sweet smell of baking bread filled the damp passage.

"But they pay for it," Drake commented, pushing a few dead vines dangling down from the roof, out of Jade's way, letting her pass in front of him. "Like they pay for your education at the academy."

Erik gave a small laugh, making Jade press her lips together in anticipation. Erik and Drake got along about as well as cats and dogs, but she wouldn't be held accountable for keeping the peace. "No, um, they cut me off. I guess you could say."

Drake's mouth widened into a grin, "So you work as a baker then?"

Erik opened a door on the side of the passageway, letting an orange glow pierce through the musty air. "Through here," he said, holding the door open as the two walked in.

Jade looked around the very tiny area. Directly in front of her was a steep staircase and on either side of her was a door. There was barely enough space for the three of them to stand in the room. "And up the stairs," Erik pointed to Drake.

The wood creaked and moaned beneath their feet as if it wanted to cave in and the paper on the walls was drooping and shredded. Some pieces were scattered across the stairs at which almost every one was a bucket full of old rain water.

"Got a lot of leaks?" Drake asked, tilting his head up to the high ceiling.

"There's a light switch to your right at the top of the stairs," Erik muttered.

Jade sighed, "By the way Erik, I just wanted you to know how appreciative Drake and I are for you letting us stay here with you."

"Hope you don't go broke because of us," Drake added, "if you do I'll lend you some money."

"You're welcome anytime," Erik said, directly to Jade. She glanced at his face. He looked exhausted. Dark circles sagged beneath his eyes and he yawned at least twice every minute.

At the top of the stairs, Drake flicked the lights on, "Which door?"

"The one at the end of the hall," Erik said softly. "Try to keep it down. I'm not the only person who lives up here."

The room was small but Jade had expected that. There was room for one of every essential thing. There was one bed, a couch, and oven, a table with four chairs, a radio, a sink, and a cupboard with a few dishes. There was one door beside the bed, which Jade guessed to be a bathroom. Everything was old and used and on the verge of breaking.

"And we'll be staying where?" Drake asked, turning towards Erik, accusatively. "I thought you said you had room."

"You two can take the bed and I'll take the couch," he answered, turning on the lights and then walking across the room to the one window in the room and grabbing the curtains, pulled them close. It didn't help to muffle the loud noise steeping in through the glass from the noisy street below.

Drake nodded and walked over to the small bed and laid down, grabbing the sheets and pulling them over his head.

"I guess, we should all get some sleep," Jade said, flicking the lights off again.

She was not happy at all about sharing a bed with Drake, but with no other choices at hand she slipped out of her dress so that she was only in her under garments, took off her boots, let her hair down and slipped in beside him. It was just light enough to see his silhouette silently breathing. She wondered if he was already asleep.

Drake. She thought to him.

With a loud sigh he flipped over on his side so that he was facing her. The springs holding the bed together shrieked and moaned under the weight of the two of them. "Yes?"

What exactly are we here for?

I thought we already went over that. He thought to her, squinting his eyes in the darkness, trying to see her better.

No, I mean, like what will we do tomorrow? Just stay in his room?

"If that's what you want," he whispered with a crooked smile, but when she punched him in the arm, he muttered, "Well I'm going to the academy with Erik that is if he isn't baking bread. You can tag along or if you want to do something actually useful go find that thing Petra was talking about so you can get your time traveling under control. Take one thing off my mind."

"Where the hell would I find something like that?" she asked, angrily.

"I don't know, we can ask Erik tomorrow, all right? I'm tired and you've been getting on me all day for being in a bad mood so let me sleep," he responded and then flipped back over.