Time Again

Chapter 10: Missing Pieces

Turning around I looked straight into Wes's hypnotizing eyes and spoke,

"I believe you," my voice shook with conviction.

"You do?" His eyes were hopeful.

"Yes," I spoke with complete confidence.

"Well that was easier than I expected," Wes looked impressed and strangely proud.

"What were you expecting?" I was curious to know what he thought I would have been like.

"You screaming, running out of my apartment calling me crazy and never speaking to me again," I thought I saw Wes cringe a little at the last part.

"Well I'm not doing any of that," I smiled bravely still shaking slightly from the shock of everything. I was pretty sure I was going to freak out later when Wes wasn't around to save me. Oh well, I'll cross that bridge later.

"Which is good, do you have any questions though?" Wes's face was open, ready to answer any of my questions.

"I have some," I sat back down on the couch and mentally prepared a list.

"Fire away," Wes sat beside me.

"Well to start off, who was that family I kept seeing get murdered? It was awful and I experienced these strong emotions I knew weren't mine." Wes froze and the blood drained from his face leaving him vividly pale.

"What did I say?" I whispered, I didn't understand his reaction.Wes swallowed and took a deep breath before speaking,

"The family you saw was mine," His voice was rough with emotion.

My heart stopped and my hand flew to cover my mouth.

"Oh Wes, I'm so sorry I didn't know. I'm so sorry," I felt so insincere but I had to ask, "Why was I seeing your family?" Wes struggled to bring himself to the present and I hated that I was causing his pain, but I had to know.

"I- I don't know," Wes stumbled over his words, I've never seen him so disturbed.

"It's okay, I'm so sorry for this. I shouldn't have asked," I cursed myself for not thinking and an odd anguish grew in my chest and I found it hard to breath. The sadness was so intense I couldn't help but turn to Wes, seeking comfort for my pain or to sooth his. Anything to make this horrible feeling go away.

"No It's not your fault. I never really mourned their death and talking about it is harder than imaginable," Wes sucked in a lung-full of oxygen before continuing, "They were murdered at the hand of the Cumacht, a group of power hungry Time Travelers who want to rule over all the Time Travelers," Wes didn't pause, the words tumbled out of him and I knew that he hasn't ever spoken of his family's death and that he needed this time to talk about it. "I chose to sneak out that night and when I came back I found my whole family slaughtered on the front lawn," Wes bit off the words and clamped his jaw tight. His whole body trembled as he strained against the assaulting memories.

Looking away, Wes clenched his hands into fists and dropped his head. I caught sight of two translucent salt water tears drip down his sculpted cheeks. I hated, with my whole being, to see him like this. Closing the space between us I simply laid my head on his shoulder and held his hands. He blamed himself for the death of his family when he had no power over what happened.

Softly I spoke, "If you were with your family that night you would have been killed right alongside of them and I would have never gotten the chance of meeting you. You would have never shown up in my history class that Monday morning, I would never know I was a Time Traveler, and we certainly would not be sitting here right now. So please Wes, don't blame yourself," by the time I was finished I had matching tears rolling down my face.