Cara and John don't have much contact with the other Tomorrow People anymore. Just after the war ended it was simply too painful, brought up too many bad memories, but now they all have their own busy lives in different places. They all have families and jobs – they have regular lives, and with those regular lives comes an organised sort of chaos that's difficult to take time from. But it's been ten years now since the war ended, and Stephen has insisted that they all get back together in New York.
Cara and John haven't been to New York since they finally took down Ultra. It turned out that the government didn't know the true purpose of the organisation they funded. By the time the government found out the real intentions of Ultra it was too late and the entire place had been destroyed – literally. Jedikiah and the founder were dead along with many of the people who worked for them and even some of the Tomorrow People. Nobody meant for things to happen like that. In the end, the war was ended by an accident. Nevertheless, it exposed everything that Ultra had been hiding even from the government.
At first it was utter chaos. Nobody really knew how to handle the situation. Eventually it was agreed that it was too dangerous for the world to find out about the existence of a super-human race. The explosion of the Ultra headquarters was covered up. The public was given the story that it was a terrorist attack and the terrorist responsible was killed in the explosion. All the Tomorrow People who had once been fugitives were given an offer: freedom and protection in exchange for silence. John and Cara both accepted the deal and, once they knew everyone else was safe, left to build their own life together.
They moved to Boston. It wasn't a place that either Cara or John had ever envisioned themselves in but it was the place offered to them for their protection, and safety wasn't something they could refuse. They moved into a little house just outside the city and got jobs – Cara working with deaf children and John working at a high-class restaurant.
For quite some time they were constantly on edge, convinced that something was going to go wrong and they'd have to leave. For this reason they were both hesitant to get comfortable and set down roots. But after two uneventful years they had to face the facts; they had completely ordinary, safe lives. After this realisation John proposed to Cara, and they got married and really started their lives.
Children was a difficult topic for several years. The ever-present fear that something was going to go wrong and their lives were going to fall apart was the most obvious obstacle, but there was also the issue of Cara and John's own difficult childhoods. It was eventually John that pushed the idea in their second year of marriage. The two argued for weeks, but having children was something that Cara had secretly been thinking about for months so she didn't put up as much of a fight as she could've. A little under a year later, Cara and John's first son was born. They named him Michael James Young. Another three years later Cara gave birth to their second child, a baby girl they named Alicia May Young.
Now Cara is six months pregnant with their third child, and she and John couldn't be happier with the way their lives have turned out. It's a far cry from the life they had fighting Ultra and they're ridiculously grateful for that, even though it means they don't see their old friends anymore.
Then one day John gets a call from Stephen inviting them to a 'reunion' of sorts for the Tomorrow People in New York. Stephen explains that it's been ten years since the war ended. It's going to be an anniversary, almost a memorial to those who were lost that day. It doesn't take Stephen much to convince John to go after telling him that.
A few weeks later, Cara and John stand in front of Stephen's door. John is carrying two-year-old Alicia and Cara is holding five-year-old Michael's hand. Michael has a tendency to get distracted and run off in his own little world and Cara is anxious enough about being back in New York without having to deal with a lost son.
The door is opened only seconds after John rings the doorbell and they're greeted by a face they weren't expecting. Cara and John glance at each other in surprise
"Hi," Astrid greets them with a grin. "It's nice to see you both."
Cara is the first to break out of her stupor. "Astrid," She moves forward and gives the woman a one-armed embrace, still holding her son's hand with the other. "We didn't expect to see you here."
Astrid laughs and steps back from Cara, holding up her left hand to display a wedding ring. "Stephen and I got married a few years ago. After you left he finally noticed me." The blunt nature of Astrid's words surprise both Cara and John but before they can comment or reply Astrid invites them inside. "Everyone's in the living room," She explains as she leads the small family through the hallway. "We've been waiting for you."
She's not wrong. When Cara and John enter the living room through the kitchen they find a group of about fifteen people. They only recognise about ten of them and assume the others are family members.
"Ah, here's our fearless leaders," Stephen announces loudly when he notices them. He moves forward and shakes John's hand, then embraces Cara with a kiss on the cheek. "I see you've been busy making miniature versions of yourselves." He's right. Michael is the spitting image of his father and Alicia is a copy of her mother. "And you've even got a backup plan in the works?" He questions, gesturing to Cara's protruding stomach.
John and Cara both smile at Stephen's familiar humour. It's nice to know that he hasn't changed too much. John gestures to Michael and says, "This is-"
"Michael," The little boy interrupts boldly. He pulls his hand from Cara's and approaches Stephen, holding out his hand for a handshake. "I'm five," He states proudly.
Stephen crouches down so that he's on the same level as the boy and shakes the offered hand. "I'm Stephen. I'm twenty-eight."
Michael nods and points to the little girl on his father's hip. "That's my sister Alicia." He points to his mother's stomach. "And that's my other sister in there. Mom said she's gonna be here in three months. And her name is Charlotte."
The small boy's proud voice catches the attention of all the guests, and they hear the name he unintentionally shocks them with. Suddenly the room feels emptier, and everyone is reminded of the people that aren't there. It's a reunion but there are people missing, voids that can never be filled.
Stephen stands and looks between Cara and John. "Charlotte, huh?" He asks, his voice portraying the sadness that they're all feeling.
Cara shrugs and rests her hand on her stomach. "It's one of the names we're considering. We did want to ask everybody first."
Nobody speaks for a few moments, until suddenly someone pipes up. "I think it's a great idea," Announces Irene for her place on the couch.
"Irene," John looks surprised. He hadn't noticed her before because she's changed so much from the young, smart-looking girl she was before. She looks mature now. Her glasses are gone, her hair longer and straightened in a neat fashion. "Wow. You look so different."
Irene stands from the couch and moves to greet John and Cara, and after that it's a whole lot of greetings and introductions. There's no more dwelling on the tragic events that separated the group ten years ago. Not for now, at least. For now John and Cara mingle with their old friends, catch up on the lives they haven't been a part of for years. They find out that Stephen now runs the organisation that replaced Ultra. He explains how he works to protect humans from the homo-superior race and to protect the paranormals from themselves and humans. It's a difficult job with many moral and ethical dilemmas, but he's working toward a more permanent solution that will render his establishment inessential.
It's not until late afternoon when things start to go from casual to sad. Michael, Alicia, Astrid and Stephen's son Edison and the three other children of the group are inside with Astrid while Stephen has called everyone out to the patio. Cara and John sit beside Stephen, who obviously has something planned. Once everyone is outside and seated Stephen stands are addresses them.
"Ten years ago today," He begins with a clear and strong voice and pauses for effect. It hits Cara just how much Stephen has matured and become the leader she knew he could be. "Ten years ago today the war finally ended. Ten years ago today you all became free. But sacrifices were made to get that freedom. Unintentional sacrifices, but devastating losses all the same." Stephen pauses again to look meaningfully around the group. "Things weren't meant to end like that. If Ultra hadn't captured Charlotte again, if Russell hadn't taken a team in after her, if Ultra hadn't had a system malfunction…all these things could've prevented the tragedy that brought things to an end.
"But we can't live our lives constantly thinking 'what if?' I've been thinking it for ten years and now it's time to stop wondering how we could've saved them and instead remember the lives that they gave up for us. Because I know that if they had the choice, they would've willingly risked their lives for this future. Because of them, I have a wife and son and successful career. All of us have the lives we always wanted. We've resented the term, but maybe we are the tomorrow people. We're the people of a tomorrow worth fighting for."
…
Cara blinks rapidly as the dim light assaults her eyes and she slowly comes back to reality. It takes her a minute or so to sort out her thoughts and memories. The dream was so real, so vivid. For a while Cara can't quite remember reality, but when it finally settles on her she can't stop the feelings of disappointment and longing that come with it.
"Michael, Alicia and Charlotte, huh?" John's voice startles her and she looks over to the other side of the bed to find him sitting up, attempting to stifle a yawn.
"You looked into my mind?" Cara waits for an explanation but is ready to explode at him. They have agreements not to invade each other's privacy and this is a blatant violation of her already unsteady trust. She sits up and faces John.
John looks appalled and amused at the same time. "You were projecting," He explains. "It was as much a dream to me as it was to you."
"Oh," Cara says sheepishly.
John just watches her for a few moments, thinking something over. Soon he says, "It was a nice dream. Very lifelike. It sort of felt like it was real."
"It wasn't real. We can't see the future. That's not one of our powers." Cara can't help the feeling of regret that passes over her.
"Maybe it could real," John muses. He sees Cara about to protest and continues. "Maybe one day all of this will end and we'll be able to live like regular people. We'll be able to have jobs and friends and maybe even kids eventually. It might not happen exactly like your dream, but we could have a future together."
Cara stares at John disbelievingly. She can't understand why he's saying this. He's never expressed any feelings toward the future before, and Cara has assumed it's because of the same reason that she hasn't. Why get your hopes up for nothing? Sure, there's a slight possibility that they'll make it out of the war with Ultra alive and safe, but there's an even larger chance that neither of them will make it out alive – that nobody will. This war could end with all of their deaths and the total annihilation of their species.
"Come on, Cara, haven't you ever thought about what will happen once this is all over? I know you have, you dreamt about it."
"No," Cara denies. "I haven't thought about it. What good would it do?"
John grasps Cara's hand gently. "We're fighting for our freedom, right? Well what if we win? What then? We've been so focused on the present and fighting the immediate threat for survival that we don't know what we're going to do afterwards. We need to start fighting for the future, not just survival. We need to be sure that our future is worthy of the sacrifices we're going to be forced to make. Otherwise it's not worth it and we might as well spend the rest of our lives down here."
Cara smiles. "You sound like Stephen in my dream."
John shakes his head and moves closer to Cara. "No. I sound like you. It was your dream. Everything I just said is already right up here." John taps the side of Cara's head.
"Well what about you? What do you want the future to be like?"
John shrugs. "Safety and freedom first, but I'm not quite sure about after that. Maybe something like your dream. We could move somewhere new together, get jobs, get married, have kids. We could have whatever we wanted."
The realisation hits Cara like a train. She does want what John's describing. She wants a life with him just like her dream. She wants freedom and she wants choice. She wants happiness. She wants more than just surviving.
But that's the problem. To survive they have to sacrifice those things. To earn their freedom and have the lives they crave they'll need to fight harder – take more risks. They'll have to sacrifice even more than they already have. Tears burn Cara's eyes at the thought of losing Russell or Charlotte like in her dream.
"Hey, what is it?" John lifts Cara's chin and stares into her glistening eyes.
Cara sniffles hopelessly. "If we want that life we'll have to risk too much – lose too much. What's the point of having our freedom if we have to give up those we love for it? What if we lose each other?"
John doesn't reply for a while. Eventually he takes both of her hands in his and closes his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Cara asks, confused by his actions and silence.
John doesn't open his eyes. "Concentrating. Look into my thoughts."
For a few seconds Cara just watches him. She has no idea what he' trying to accomplish but she trusts him. He must want to show her something, and access to John's thoughts isn't something she's going to pass up. So she closes her eyes and skim the surface of his mind to pick up what he's focusing so hard on.
It's not a memory like she expected. It's just a thought developed by his imagination. It might as well be a memory, though, for the detail and emotion that's in it. It's simple. Cara and John in a backyard playing with a little boy much like the one from her dream. They chase him and he giggles childishly, squealing with happiness. The love and joy that fills her in that moment is almost unrivalled. She hasn't felt this happy since she was a child herself.
Too soon the thought ends and Cara opens her eyes to see John staring at her lovingly, but that love doesn't fill the void left in her heart by the pure joy she'd felt. There's an ache in her heart, a longing for what could be. She grips John's hands tightly to ground herself to reality.
"That's what our future could be like, Cara," John says slowly. "Isn't that worth any risk?"
Cara nods without any hesitation. "It is. It'd die just for the chance for you to feel that. It's worth it."
John smirks playfully. "I suppose we know what we're fighting for, then. I mean you've already named our children. It's all planned out."
Cara narrows her eyes at John. "Shut up," She says, and swiftly kicks him off the bed.