Torchwood 1944: The New Lords of Time

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

His hand drawing lazy circles on her tigh did things to her that made it hard for her to keep her focus. She swallowed heavily, her mouth suddenly dry when she licked her lips. God this man was still able to drive her insane. She was still pressed up around him, her skirt had hiked up when she had decided to straddle him in the kiss. Still, she had forced herself to ask the question and she could barely wait for an answer.

"I seem to recall saying quite a few things to you on our wedding night," he said with a wink and a devilish grin. "When my lips and tongue weren't otherwise engaged..."

She couldn't help it, that old smirk she wore so well crept up to her face at the memory how they had spend most of their honey on the west coast of Ireland. They had to remain in the country for Torchwood business and she wanted to get far away from the throne at Tara Hill. Still, that hadn't deterred them and later calculating back one of those days had to have been the day that she got pregnant of the twins. She had remembered the long nights fondly.

When he recited the words he had told her that day, when he held her in his arms as they looked over the cliffs at the roaring sea. She swallowed heavily again. Only.. only Robert would know those words. Only Robert would know those words.

She just stared at him, her face blanching as it finally dawned on her. His words tore the last of doubts away, she knew that only Robert could know these words. Only he would know, only he would know.

Her face broke into a relieved smile, the tears finally coming down her cheeks.

"Oh Robert, it's you"

And with that she swooped onto him for a hungry, passionate kiss, her hands clinging to him like a lifeline. This was still her husband, her lover, the man she had falen inlove with. They had still shared those moments, he had still fathered her children.

He was still there.

"Love me" She murmured heatedly against his lips, pushing her hips against his in sudden flaring need. She was with her husband, her lover and all was well again.

She wouldn't be alone.


[[OOC: Feel free to narrate them to the next morning or where Tonks comes in]]

[The Meddler]

"Oh Robert, it's you"

He was about to say something like "That's what I've been trying to tell you," when her mouth was on his as she poured her joy and relief into her hungry kiss.

"Love me" She murmured heatedly against his lips, pushing her hips against his in sudden flaring need.

"I always have," he whispered. "I always will." And then he lost himself in her.

---

Two hours later...

Age has brought us discipline, the Meddler reflected with a wry grin. We made it all the way into the bedroom...

That hadn't been a guarantee, once they'd gotten started. But this apartment wasn't their townhouse, and the children's bedroom was much closer to the living room, and while the Meddler didn't consider himself a prude he also wasn't in a mood to explain human reproductive biology and rituals to two inquisitive four year olds.

So they (barely) made it to their own bed, clinging to each other in the darkness, driving away the fears and the sorrows of the past day and celebrating life and love in the most ancient of methods. And when they were finished they held each other, talking as lovers will until she had fallen asleep in his arms.

And now, the Meddler reflected, we get to one of the adjustments that will have to be made while she's still human.

He wasn't sleepy. Not in the slightest. And romantic as it might sound to watch your love sleep, it did slowly begin to pall.

Carefully, making sure not to wake her, he slipped from the bed.

[The Master]

"We have a confirmed Gallifreyan technological signature."

"Where?"

The first speaker recited a series of coordinates, indicating Earth, Northern Ireland, the last two weeks of AD 1944.

"Details?"

"There was an energy discharge, consistent with the terminal cycle of a Chameleon Arch. There have been no further signs of Gallifreyan technology, however, and our Urdr Engine has been unable to forecast any further activity from the energy signature."

"Which would be consistent with what is known of the Grandfather Paradox."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Set a course for the location of the discharge. Alterations to that time-space node were scheduled anyway, in order to assist with my Lord the Master's assignment to bring this world into harmonious compliance with Law and Duty. Perhaps we will be able to, as is said on Karres, handle two vatches with one hook."

"Of course, my Lord."

A time rotor roared to life.

[The Meddler]

Around 6 a.m.
December 24, 1944
In other words, about eight hours later...

A hint of light from false dawn crept through the window. The Meddler looked up from his book, Erwin Schrödinger's What Is Life?, and set down the pen he'd been using to annotate it.

He'd been mildly disturbed, at first, to realize that his oddly-augmented senses allowed him to see quite clearly in very little light. But he'd put that to good work, starting back through his technical library for a little light reading. All of it was fundamentals, of course, second or third year Academy work. But it had been either that, or dismantling the radio to build a signal device to attract the TARDIS' attentons.

And that would be dangerous. He had to assume, for now that the 'new Gallifrey' was still hunting them.

Next to him, Celia stirred and looked up at him. He placed the book on the end table, and smiled at her.

"Good morning, love. I hope I didn't wake you."

(OOC: I've got a little more drama in mind, before bringing Tonks in. Here's hoping you can handle being human a little longer...)

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

In that kiss she had lost herself, she was so glad that he was still her Robert, the man she had married that she forgot about all boundaries and just clung to him like a lifeline. She barely registered when he had picked her up, carrying her to the bedroom, she was too busy on concentrating on his lips on hers and finding a way to get that waistcoat and shirt off him.

There had been a lot of fumbling with clothes, buttons that sprang off when they tested their patience but they managed to make it to the bed one way or another. That night, she lost herself in him and got to know with her newly improved husband in practically every way she could. In the end, she had given in to the drowsiness of sleep and had fallen asleep in his arms.

That's when the dreams started again.

Time travel, a war in a dark world, a man with long white hair that looked at her in a way that just made her want to run away as far as she could. Then he was there, The Meddler. Her heart leapt at the sight of him the same way it had just hours before when she shared her passion with him.

Then, the images faded to black. She was disoriented at first, but in the distance she saw a figure standing there under a singe spotlight.

She decided to go towards it, hesitantly at first but her footsteps fastened as she came closer to the figure and a sensation of recognition came up in her. She had to, she had to see.

And then she skidded to a halt suddenly, the womans back was still turned to her, the spotlight putting a halo to her long copper hair. Hair she knew well. She recognised this woman, her leather battle clothing that looked ready for war, the stance of a strong woman sure of her own self. Of who she was.

Something she lacked at the moment.
.
She knew who she was before the woman had turned around to her and the most intense green eyes she had ever seen turned towards her. Her breath caught in her throat, the aura of power around the woman did not lie, she was Sidhe. But there was just this little something extra that made her so much more.

Her beauty left her breathless. In essence, it was her own face she was looking at. Yet at the sae time, it was her presence, her grace that left her feel plain and grey.

"You're her aren't you? Y-you're Sisilaya." she whispered with a shaken breath.

"Yes."

Her voice was melody on itself and she felt her heart waver. She took a step back, dread creeping up on her.

"We are one, Celia. You know this, don't you?"

She swallowed heavily, averting her eyes from the woman before her. She had tried to deny it for so long, tied to find other explanations. But in the end, there were none. She heaved a shuddered sigh.

"I know." She said, her voice breaking.

"We need to become one again. The children, they need it. They too, are like us. Deep down."

The Sidhe before her had placed her hand on her own abdomen, which was slightly swollen in mirror to her own. She hadn't even noticed it at first. There was more at stake then just Ken and Morgaine, she realized yet again.

The woman faded again to blackness, her hand remaining on her abdomen as the world around her faded to black.

She stirred in the bed, opening her eyes to the first rays of light. Or what she thought was light. She rubbed her eyes, taking in the room around her. Robert was sitting the, looking at her with a kind smile on his face.

"Good morning, love. I hope I didn't wake you."

"No-" Her voice sounded hoarse from sleep and she stopped to cough, her voice sounding more normal now if not a drowsily from sleep. "No, you didn't. Did the children wake yet..?"

[The Meddler]

"No-" Her voice sounded hoarse from sleep and she stopped to cough, her voice sounding more normal now if not a drowsily from sleep. "No, you didn't. Did the children wake yet..?"

"If they have, they've been abnormally quiet." A gentle chuckle. "And I'm not prepared to accept that they'll be abnormally quiet on Christmas Eve."

He slid worked himself further under the covers, and slid one arm under and around his wife. "I think this may end up being a busy day," he said with a smile. "Moira should be discharged today, and I thought it would be nice to invite her over. We should wire my parents... Robert's parents..." He considered his options. "Hell with it, my parents, and tell them they'll have a third grandchild in the spring."

He pursed his lips in thought. "Oh, we should probably make arrangements to have the car towed back. And I need to give some thought to a safe way to signal our TARDIS, in case she hasn't noticed I've deArched. And on top of all that, we need to make sure to enjoy the holiday."

The Meddler fell silent for a moment, then rolled on his side to face her. "Oh, I almost forgot..." Sliding his free hand up her back and neck, he kissed her thoroughly, pressing himself against her as his free hand slid over her curves. Finally, he broke the kiss. "Good morning."

He looked distracted for just a second, then smiled at her. "Given when the twins normally wake up," he observed, with a glint in his eye, "I think we might have just enough time to get a shower before they start demanding our attention..."

(OOC: I figure things will begin getting complicated soon. Welcome to The Meddler & The Dreamweaver's Christmas Special. )

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"If they have, they've been abnormally quiet." A gentle chuckle. "And I'm not prepared to accept that they'll be abnormally quiet on Christmas Eve."

She gave a soft chuckle, shaking her head. She had nearly forgot it was Christmas eve today, how she had missed the presents already under the tree the night before was beyond her. The children had been staring at them ever since they had gotten them, the kidnapping only got kind of.. in the way.

"They'll be singing carols pretty soon now, I think."

She smiled as he slid under the covers again with her, his arms coming around her as he pulled her close. he was suddenly instantly aware of her bodies reaction and what they had shared the night before. She gave a content sigh at the warmth of his body.

"I think this may end up being a busy day," he said with a smile. "Moira should be discharged today, and I thought it would be nice to invite her over. We should wire my parents... Robert's parents..." He considered his options. "Hell with it, my parents, and tell them they'll have a third grandchild in the spring."

"Actually, summer. I think I became pregnant around October.. That reminds me, how.. how are they your parents? Are they aliens too?" She snerked suddenly, the thought of his kind loving mother being an alien was a very funny thought to her. Then the other dawned on her again, Moira. She looked the Meddler in the eyes, searching his. Her fear of the Sidhe was quite deep rooted. "Who is that woman inside Moira? Tell me. She called me daughter on several occasions and I just don't.. understand. I know you told me to trust her, but I don't get why she doesn't seem to.. want me dead. How can I be her daughter? I never even met her!"

_____________________________________________


"Oh, we should probably make arrangements to have the car towed back. And I need to give some thought to a safe way to signal our TARDIS, in case she hasn't noticed I've deArched. And on top of all that, we need to make sure to enjoy the holiday."

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Your explanations always bring more questions.. what is this tardis you keep talking about? I know it's some type of space ship.. but wouldn't we as Torchwood have found it a long time ago if there was a space ship somewhere? And this Arching you keep talking about? I never seem to get it, tell me about it. You've used it in reference to me as well.."

Then, he slid up beside her, she cloud feel his hands sliding up her bare back and neck and she arched into his touch as he kissed her, thoroughly. She was already losing herself into him again, her hands sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck, pressing herself closer to him.

"Good morning"

She breathed softly against his lips, it took her a moment to snap out of him. She just smiled and kissed the corner of his lips "And to you too, I could wake up like this any day" She said breathlessly.

He looked distracted for just a second, then smiled at her. "Given when the twins normally wake up," he observed, with a glint in his eye, "I think we might have just enough time to get a shower before they start demanding our attention..."

She still recognised that glint in his eyes and she ended up smirking, her eyes hooding as he suggested the shower. She pulled her bare leg up, wrapping it around his waist.

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea." She said softly, her leg slightly tightening around his waist.

He'd first have to get her out of bed though.

[The Meddler]

"Actually, summer. I think I became pregnant around October.. That reminds me, how.. how are they your parents? Are they aliens too?"

"No, no, they're not," the Meddler said with a laugh. "It's actually sort of complicated - and you may hear me say that quite a bit, from time to time."

He began playing with a strand of her hair as he talked. "There was, I believe, a real Robert Duncan Goodall. Real, in the sense that he was born to Kenneth and Lady Jane Goodall. The Nornir Looms don't invent detailed histories, and family, out of thin air."

A sigh. "The original Robert Goodall died in Cairo, killed in an alley by slavers from a ring that he'd helped to break up. He was barely nineteen. The Arch gave me his identity and inserted me into the alley, wounded and left for dead."

He chuckled, dryly. "I can say they're my parents, because I've been Robert Goodall almost as long as he was." His expression turned serious. "Also, I like them. No, that's not strong enough. I love them, perhaps even more than my Uncle and Aunts, and I'm not going to hurt them just because I'm not biologically their child."

He smiled at her again, then saw the look of concern in her eyes. "Who is that woman inside Moira? Tell me. She called me daughter on several occasions and I just don't.. understand. I know you told me to trust her, but I don't get why she doesn't seem to.. want me dead. How can I be her daughter? I never even met her!"

The Meddler kissed her on the nose. "Her name, the name I've known her by anyway, is Éibhleann. And you have met her, even if Celia Sionach-Goodall hasn't." He paused, choosing his words, then shrugged mentally. "She doesn't want you dead because she's your mother. And she already died once to keep you safe."

---

He went on to explain his thoughts on what would need to be done today.

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Your explanations always bring more questions.."

"They do tend to do that, yes."

"What is this tardis you keep talking about? I know it's some type of space ship.. but wouldn't we as Torchwood have found it a long time ago if there was a space ship somewhere? And this Arching you keep talking about? I never seem to get it, tell me about it. You've used it in reference to me as well.."

He grinned at that. "Well. I was wondering when the questions would start. Let's see... The TARDIS is our ship. It is a ship bred to travel in time and in space, and Torchwood has never found it because it mostly exists in dimensions outside the four that humans experience. Oh, and the portion that protrudes into conventional space-time can look like anything. She's been trees, rocks, a cathedral, a door, a pillar in the London Underground, a light fixture in Roald Dahl Plass, a '57 Studebaker, and on and on and on."

The feel of her, warm and soft against him, was really getting distracting. With an effort of will, he moved on to the next question.

"Arching is the short term for 'entering the Chameleon Arch'. The Chameleon Arch is a collection of devices that can be used to transform a Time Lord's biology and memories. It's why I was fully human, and why you still are. Because we were both remade."

Before she could ask anything else, he decided to kiss her thoroughly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with enthusiasm, and he groaned a little into her mouth as she pressed herself against him.

"Good morning," he said as he broke the kiss.

She breathed softly against his lips, it took her a moment to snap out of him. She just smiled and kissed the corner of his lips "And to you too, I could wake up like this any day" She said breathlessly.

"I think we can arrange that," he whispered against her lips. He looked distracted for just a second, then smiled at her. "Given when the twins normally wake up," he observed, with a glint in his eye, "I think we might have just enough time to get a shower before they start demanding our attention..."

She still recognised that glint in his eyes and she ended up smirking, her eyes hooding as he suggested the shower. She pulled her bare leg up, wrapping it around his waist.

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea." She said softly, her leg slightly tightening around his waist.

He kissed her again, one hand sliding over her hip and along her thigh, pressing her tighter to him, and then his lips left hers to leave a trail of feathery kisses along her jaw. Gently, but with increasing eagerness, he nibbled at her throat.

Distantly, high-pitched and off tune singing could be heard, mingling with the sound of two small people laughing and bouncing on a mattress...

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!
"Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!"

The Meddler, who had just returned to kissing his wife, snorted with laughter. "Ah, love," he said, resting his forehead against hers, "For a Time Lord, I seem to have abysmal timing."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

The story he told about Robert Goodall was almost so out of this world that if it had been the day before she wouldn't have believed a single thing he said. But now, after she saw more and more of what he was, the look in his eyes she felt that he wasn't lying. It was hard to explain.

She felt sorrow, sorrow for the death of the original Robert Goodall and in a way, the parents got their son back when the Meddler while under the Chameleon Arch took his place. She wondered though, he had spoken about both of them in that tense, It had happened to her too. Were her memories even real, who's were they?

"I.. I saw her in my dreams last night. Saw her face for the first time. Sisilaya. She.. said said we had to become one, for the children." She had placed her hand on her abdomen again, mirroring the way she had held it in the last moment she saw her. Looking down she stared at the slight swell of her abdomen and sighed. If it came to protecting her children.. she would do everything, including giving up herself for their sake.

And she realised that the Sidhe woman, Éibhleann he had called her was The Dreamweavers mother. It finally clicked and made sense to her. Why she had called her daughter.

I am your daughter, but incomplete.. with my own mind. My own life. She realized with some sort of sorrow.

Her eyes flashed golden for a split second.

He went on about his spaceship, the tardis. She was surprised his ship was bred, not build. Her eyebrows rose in surprise but he rambled on, wisely enough. Else the questions would never stop. It was amazing though, how such a device could not only travel in time and space but also was so well adapted to it's environments it could completely blend it, better then a chameleon even.

Then, his lips were on hers and the questions were cast from her mind as she felt his warm skin press up against her. Her eyes nearly rolled back when his lips fleeted over her jaw, his hands rubbing her in places that made her feel like her body was on fire. The suggestion of a shower only added fuel to the fire and his teeth on her neck made her fingers curl into the bedsheets.

Then the distant sound of children's voices filled her ears and she sucked in a deep breath. Closing her eyes as Robert seemed to hear it too, the attention on her neck stilling. She chuckled softly, shaking her head slowly. Her leg lost it's tension on his waist and now just rested on it.

"Ah, love," he said, resting his forehead against hers, "For a Time Lord, I seem to have abysmal timing."

"Should have know they'd wake up early for Christmas eve, love. I think it's better we go out and greet the monsters before they tear down the house."

She placed a kiss on his lip, pulling him as she wrapped her arms about him tightly, pressing herself to him in a tight hug with a whispered "I love you" from her before she rose and slipped into a bathrobe she found draped over a chair.

[The Meddler]

The Meddler grinned his way through breakfast, utterly fascinated and delighted by the twins and their behavior. And by their laser-like obsession with things.

"You said you'd tell us about the space ship, daddy!" they both demanded.

And so, over breakfast, he told them about the TARDIS. It was much the same as he'd told Celia, albeit simplified a little: a ship, bigger on the inside than on the outside.

"How big is the inside?" Morgaine wanted to know.

The Meddler had shrugged. "It depends. About the size of England."

A ship that could travel anywhere in time and in space.

"We could go see knights?" Ken asked. "And rescue princesses?"

"Easily."

"Dinosaurs?" asked Morgaine.

"Yes."

Their faces lit up.

By the time breakfast was finished, they wanted to see the TARDIS now. Patiently, he explained that he'd had to hide the ship before they were born, because some people called the Time Lords had wanted to hurt their mother and himself, and now it had to come find them. It was around then that Morgaine asked a clever question.

"Daddy? Where did you get Tardis from?"

The Meddler glanced at Celia, then shrugged. "I stole her from the Time Lords. A long, long time ago."

"But stealing's bad, daddy. You said so."

He lifted an eyebrow, then tapped her on the nose. "You're right, it is," he agreed. "But those Time Lords were very bad people, and had done a lot of very bad things to me when I was a little boy. So I stole her so I could get away."

"Oh." She threw her arms around his neck. "It's all right now, isn't it daddy?"

He hugged his little girl, and gave his wife and son a loving look. "Yes. Yes it is."

---

A few hours later...

Snow was falling in thick, fat flakes, causing Ken and Morgaine to run up and down the sidewalk with their tongues out. Their giggles and shrieks of laughter echoed in the quiet of the winter morning, and other pedestrians shook their heads and laughed.

The Meddler walked hand in hand with his wife, who had been forced to insist firmly that he wear his winter overcoat.

"It's 35 degrees Fahrenheit out there," he'd insisted, "What would I need a coat for?"

"To look human," had been her rebuttal.

They'd already sent the telegram ("Mom Dad stop just learned Celia pregnant stop new baby due midsummer stop"), and now they were walking towards the hospital.

Suddenly, the Meddler stumbled. Then he staggered several paces, wobbling like a drunk man, before catching at Celia's arm and shoulder for support. "Something..." he gasped, face ashen, "Something's happened. To time. Something big."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She had to agree, breakfast was a delight. She had taken a quick shower while the Meddler had kept the children busy. Once dressed she had breakfast done in a whim and they were all sitting by the table enjoying their meal while the kids asked the Meddlers ears off his head. She just silently ate her breakfast and watched the scene unfold.

Save princesses, see dinosaurs. The children all took it a bit easier then she did. Some part of her still thought don't be ridiculous but by now she knew there was more to the man she still called her husband then one could see at first glance.

"Daddy? Where did you get Tardis from?"

The Meddler glanced at Celia, then shrugged. "I stole her from the Time Lords. A long, long time ago."

She rose her brow. Stealing indeed was something she frowned upon and had not expected him to steal such a great thing as a space ship.

"But stealing's bad, daddy. You said so."

He lifted an eyebrow, then tapped her on the nose. "You're right, it is," he agreed. "But those Time Lords were very bad people, and had done a lot of very bad things to me when I was a little boy. So I stole her so I could get away."

Morgaine threw her arms around his neck and said it was okay now and she couldn't help but smile at the two. She took Ken in her lap, the boy struggling a bit at first but quickly succumbing to the motherly love and threw his arms around her neck. She combed her fingers through his bright red hair, working out the tangles. Now already, the boy liked to keep it long.

"It'll all be fine" She whispered and looked lovingly at the man across the table from her, holding their daughter.

_____________________________________________


"Well, that's one way to get fluids in them. They always refuse to drink enough." She said with a smile, her arm linked with the Meddlers as they walked along the snowy lane, the children catching snow in their mouths with much giggling.

She had insisted he'd wear a coat, the man was insane and thinking he could go out in the freezing cold without one. They had argued for a bit, their children watching on with wide eyes. Eventually she had rebutted back that they were on earth, and he had to look human. If he started wearing no coats the kids would demand they'd take his lead and she'd have none of that.

Then, he stumbled and he'd nearly pulled her out of balance too if she hadn't been able to grab onto a lantern post in time. She looked at him worriedly as he gasped and wheezed, wobbling like a drunken man with his eyes wide.

"Something..." he gasped, face ashen, "Something's happened. To time. Something big."

She steadied him, holding him up by his elbow. Her eyes were wide with shock and the children had turned around to stare at them. She looked around her, something had happened to time? She couldn't see anything happening around them.

"Are you sure..? Everything around us is still the same Robert.." She whispered. People who were passing by were looking at them strangely.

[The Meddler]

"Are you sure..? Everything around us is still the same Robert.." She whispered. People who were passing by were looking at them strangely.

The dizziness generated by the timeshock had passed, and the Meddler managed to stand upright. "Yes," he said, still sounding out of breath. "I'm positive. Something happened. Somebody changed something - I recognized the signs."

He looked around wildly. "Newspaper. I need a newspaper. Or a news magazine." He wobbled a little as he strode towards the newsstand on the corner, but his legs gained strength with every step. The twins followed him, laughing.

The Meddler stopped, staring in shock at the headline of the Belfast Telegraph: "PEACE WITH GERMANY". He hesitated for a moment, then scooped the paper up and began reading. "What?" he muttered. "Overlord failed?"

"You gonna pay for that, mac? This ain't a library."

Without looking, the Meddler pulled a pound note out of his pocket and shoved it in the directon of the stand's owner.

"Hitler was killed on July 20?"

"What, don't you read the news? Been a cease fire since August, hasn't there?" The man handed the Meddler back his change. "Churchill's just signed the peace treaty, he has."

The Meddler ignored him, and stuffed his change back into his pocket without even counting it. "Look at this, Celia," he said, showing her the headline. "This isn't what happens. The Battle of the Bulge should be the news today - everyone should be worried about an Allied collapse in the Ardennes. Not the announcement of a peace treaty signed by Roosevelt, Churchil, and... Olbricht?"

He stared at the newspaper for a second longer, then looked at his wife in sudden horror. The omnipresent amber glow in his eyes was intensified, seeming to swirl and dance. "Oh, no," he whispered. "Oh, no. They can't have..."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"Are you sure..? Everything around us is still the same Robert.."

"Yes," he said, still sounding out of breath. "I'm positive. Something happened. Somebody changed something - I recognized the signs."

She winced softly suddenly, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was still for a moment while the Meddler made his way over to a news stand, the twins following on his heels. When the sudden head ache subsided she found herself alone and panicked for a moment till she saw the Meddler and her children by a news stand and she quickly hurried to catch up with them.

"PEACE WITH GERMANY". He hesitated for a moment, then scooped the paper up and began reading. "What?" he muttered. "Overlord failed?"

"Don't be daft, of course it did. It was all over the news." She cut in and immediately after stilled for a moment, shaking her head in confusion. "No.. wait.. it didn't. But I remember reading the news article. What..?"

Was she having conflicting memories now? She remembered both events just as clearly and was losing track of what was really happening. Her hand grasped onto Robert's sleeve. She swore suddenly in Gaelic, something she did not do often any more due to the children.

"Hitler was killed on July 20?"

"The meeting had been rescheduled back into the bunker, Hitler got paranoid. Everyone in that meeting got killed, including Hitler himself."

But the thing was, she also remembered it failing due to the fact the meeting had been last minute rescheduled to a room with large windows and the Führer had been protected by the table he was standing behind.

"Look at this, Celia," he said, showing her the headline. "This isn't what happens. The Battle of the Bulge should be the news today - everyone should be worried about an Allied collapse in the Ardennes. Not the announcement of a peace treaty signed by Roosevelt, Churchil, and... Olbricht?"

She was too busy rubbing her eyes with her hands, the conflicting memories were giving her one heck of a headache. She had no idea what was going on and she finally yanked a little harder on the Meddler's sleeve.

"Oh, no," he whispered. "Oh, no. They can't have..."

"Robert, what the hell is happening? I'm having conflicting memories and it's giving me a killer headache!" She hissed in his ear so the news boy would not hear.

[The Meddler]

"Robert, what the hell is happening? I'm having conflicting memories and it's giving me a killer headache!" She hissed in his ear so the news boy would not hear.

The Meddler looked up, a hint of surprise on his face. "But that's wonderful!" he enthused. "I mean, not the headache - that's clearly not wonderful - but the fact that you can remember both the old and new histories!" He kissed her quickly, drawing giggles from Morgaine and "eewww" from Ken. "That means that the Arch is performing properly. You are a time traveler, after all. You are functionally immune to even large-scale alterations to local history."

He took Celia's arm and began to walk, gesturing for the children to follow. "There are any number of possible ways this could have been done," he said, returning to the change in history, "but a comparatively small number of agents capable of it." He peered through the drifting snow, and led his family across the street. "I've got my suspicions," he muttered darkly, "I should confirm them, first..."

Before them loomed the grey stone bulk of St. Anne's Cathedral, severly damaged by German bombs some three years ago and still open for business.

"And to do that, we're going to church."

---

It was chilly in the cathedral, and it smelled faintly of frankincense and myrrh and human bodies. Candles flickered in wall sconces and around the altar, and the gentle murmur of human movement produced a sound like the sea. The seats were filled, and the services had obviouly begun a short time before.

"Lord of the Shining World," the Priest called, "we confess our unworthiness to stand in your presence as your Aspirants. We have failed in our Duty."

"Forgive and heal us," answered the congregation.

The twins stared wide-eyed at the stained glass windows, and the Meddler led them to stand at the back of the congregation. "Sounds like the Act of Penitance has changed since the last time I celebrated a mass," he said.

"The Virgin Mary accepted your call to be the Keeper of Jesus," the Priest called. "Forgive our disobedience to your will. We have failed in our Duty."

"Forgive and heal us," answered the congregation.

"The Keeper..?" asked the Meddler.

"Your Son our Saviour was born in poverty in a manger," called the Priest. "Forgive our greed and rejection of the Protocols. We have failed in our Duty."

"Forgive and heal us," answered the congregation.

The Meddler was silent now, listening to the words and the rhythms of the liturgy.

"The shepherds left their flocks to go to the Shining City," the Priest called. "Forgive our self-interest and lack of vision. We have failed in our Duty."

"Forgive and heal us," answered the congregation.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and the orange-amber flames flickered in his pupils. He reached out and caught Celia's hand, and his voice could be heard - distantly, and with odd distortion - in her mind: Bad sign. Really bad sign.

"The wise men followed the Eye of Harmony to find Jesus the King," the Priest called as the Meddler drew in a hissing breath. "Forgive our reluctance to seek you. We have failed in our Duty."

"Forgive and heal us," answered the congregation.

The Priest began to lead the congregation in the Kyrie.

Let's get outside, he said again, voice distorted and distant as it lept directly to her mind without passing her ears.

Outside, a chill breeze whipped snow into their faces.

"We're in terrible danger," he said, simply.

(OOC: It just struck me that the Meddler didn't actually answer Celia's question very well. was going to fix that, but it struck me that this is what he's like.

Feel free to demand solid answers.)

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

His reply to her question was not really what she was expecting.

"But that's wonderful!" he enthused. "I mean, not the headache - that's clearly not wonderful - but the fact that you can remember both the old and new histories!" He kissed her quickly, drawing giggles from Morgaine and "eewww" from Ken. "That means that the Arch is performing properly. You are a time traveler, after all. You are functionally immune to even large-scale alterations to local history."

She was taken out of her pain moment by the kiss and she wobbled for a bit to regain her footing after him. He clearly had no idea what he did to a woman, specially now he was a Time Lord.

"Robert that just completely did not make sen-" She was cut off as he grabbed her by the arm and waltzed her off to what seemed to be the church. He was babbling something, but it didn't really make sense to her. Something about who could have done this. She looped up as they neared the church, hoping they weren't going inside there, her headache was already bad enough as it was.

"And to do that, we're going to church."

She again, swore colourfully in Gaelic.

_________________________________________


The stench in the cathedral was awful, and she had to press back the urge to cover her nose from the smell of it. She closed her eyes as the mass continued on, starting to archive her thoughts in a way. Marking what were her old thoughts and what were the 'new' ones. And it seemed to help, her headache was slowly subsiding as her memories calmed down.

"Forgive and heal us,"

"What are they doing?" She hissed to the Meddler, and at the same time grabbed Ken by the scuff who was about to touch a gold leafed statue that looked very delicate.

But the look she saw in the Meddlers eyes was something that did not make her feel comfortable, the orange glow in his pupils becoming brighter. She had seen that look before, when they had gone to get their children.

He grabbed her hand.

Bad sign. Really bad sign.

She sucked in a breath, her eyes widening at his voice yet strangely distorted inside her head. She had just heard his voice inside her head. Her wide eyed stare turned towards him, but his vision was focussed on the mass before them. Had she just imagined things.. was she finally truly going insane? Her face blanched.

Let's get outside,

So, she hadn't imagined it as he pulled her outside, the children followed immediately while being strangely quiet. It seemed they knew something was going on. The cold air hit her face and it felt like someone had shaken her awake.

Morgaine looked troubled, her arms coming around Roberts leg to cling to him. Ken looked far from happy too, clinging to his mothers hand. They knew something was going on.

"We're in terrible danger," he said, simply.

She was quiet for a moment, the cold wind cutting around the cathedral the only sound filling their ears.

"Then tell me what is going on, Meddler. Tell us what to do and we will follow." She whispered on the wind.

Her hand tightened on his.