A Time For Sacrifice [Inamorata Fan Fiction]

Chapter Two: Boats Against the Current

Nightingale seemed surprise to hear an apology. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve met, Agent Bure.” 

“Please call me Caroline,” she responded, waving her hand dismissively.

Nightingale smiled genuinely. 

Then suddenly, Caroline’s head ached painfully like someone took a hammer to her skull. Caroline jolted backwards and shrieked.

Her vision was spotty and fuzzy. Caroline held out her hand when she thought she saw someone...someone who looked similar to Michael but decades older.

The white light faded, and Caroline was in a familiar room with tall ceilings and a long table with four familiar people seated.

When Caroline's vision fully cleared, she met Pierce's gaze and grinned weakly. Then beyond Pierce, she saw him—a man, as handsome as ever, and her heart leapt with joy. Caroline ran up to Clarence and gave him a python-grip hug, tight enough for him to wheeze out in pain.

“Wow, I didn’t know you felt that way about me,” Clarence drawled with a sly grin.

“Shut up, I just miss you!” she exclaimed, burying her face onto his chest. She had the biggest urge to cry but decided not to give her audience a waterworks type of show. After a long awkward pause, she released him to examine the room.

There was David, cool and attractively dangerous, and largely muscular Nicholas standing by David’s side.  Then where was…?

Caroline looked around and choked when she saw Robin—same dark hair threaded with silver but wearing a dove grey sheath dress, and a dancer’s build body brimming with elegance and grace with a willowy frame to boot. Oh. My. God. Robin is a woman!

Without thinking, Caroline screeched, “Robin?! Did you get a sex change?!” 

Female Robin gagged, her dark doe eyes widening in shock. A deep blush spread on Robin’s cheeks.

How adorable, Caroline thought of her friend. Her friend? Since when had they ever became friends. Caroline suddenly received flashes of memory of Robin and herself throughout most of their lives—laughing together, playing pranks, sharing secrets. She came to the staggering conclusion that they were best friends, and Caroline never knew how good that felt until now.

Robin cleared her throat. “As we’ve discussed in private,” Robin indicated with her chin to the gaping men in the room, “I like my lady parts the way they are...despite the fact that ‘scissoring is like an awkward two-person yoga move.’” Her voice was high and fluting, but with the same musical quality as the Robin from her world.

Caroline realized from Robin’s pointed look in her direction that she was quoting Caroline herself. But that wasn’t a conversation Caroline remembered, and she knew it was something she would. What did happen when she jumped through the timeline anyway? Her memory was too fuzzy to make sense of it all.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...ruffle your feathers,” Caroline commented with a smirk.

“Really, Caroline?” Nightingale replied, deadpanned. “Another bird pun?”

“Let’s get on with this meeting,” David barked with his trademark impatience.

Caroline was too preoccupied with her own thoughts and blocked out their discussion. It was important, yes, but Caroline had other things to worry about like keeping the time stream intact. I’d already done enough damage, she thought, staring back at Robin. Hmm...or maybe not, she finished her thought with a secret smile.

Caroline realized that when she replaced David’s professional position in the team, she must’d replaced him in his personal life as well. 

David interrupted Caroline’s thoughts. “And Clarence, you’ll take Nightingale to the lab for examination.”