Peyton landed on her feet and felt herself falling forward, she rocked back on her heels and took a deep breath, she hadn't quite worked out the whole landing thing. She smiled, it had been a long arse week and she was pretty tired. Her mission had taken her back to the 2nd world war, she had been debriefed and told just to observe, everything had gone according to plan until the bombs started raining overhead. She had dove for cover and ended up in a bunker beneath a French café that supported the resistance, she knew this from all the recon she had done in the week.
Pale faces looked at her with suspicion, it was 1943 and she had never felt more out of place. What the hell was she doing here, putting herself in harms way to just observe. It seemed like a pretty big risk to take and she wasn't even allowed to participate. Herbert had joined her for a few days and given her a little more information; he had told her that this mission was part of her training. She would need to undergo combat and weapons training, Peyton had nodded mutely and accepted her fate. Anytime she had not consented she had been ripped out of her present with little or no warning. Herbert had warned her that he would continue to do this until she complied.
He explained to her that he didn't enjoy doing what he did, but he had a very short time frame to get her ready and her resistance was eating into that. Peyton acquiesced the second time it occurred, she had been showering and she had found herself wet and naked in his studio. She was fuming until he outlined the significance of her role, after that she took very quick showers just in case. She also stopped sleeping naked; Luke had found this slightly amusing but had gone with it.
'Hi, my name is Penelope and I have been asked to observe' Peyton had used Brooke's middle name as an alias; it was easier to remember her identity if she used names familiar to her.
She took a look around at the faces before her, she recognised Henri he was the team leader for this group and he was a good man. He was true of heart and dedicated to his cause, she admired him and his strength of spirit, he was not someone to be trifled with-that much she had discerned already.
'Welcome Penelope, you will be kept safe here' Henri smiled at her and the two struck up a short conversation. He needed someone to help plant bombs along the rail tracks to disrupt the supply routes for the Germans and although her brief had said observe, if she didn't help they would grow suspicious of her and besides Herbert said she could intervene only if her first missive was going to be compromised.
Peyton gazed around at the faces before her; they were pale in the dim light streaming in from a small window at the top. Worry was etched into their features and you could feel the tension in the air it was palpable.
'Henri, we need to get moving-gather your men and meet me outside over by the old water fountain in the South West corner by the old River café' Peyton had poured over the maps of Paris before she went on her mission, she had familiarised herself with the landscape. She knew any knowledge of her surroundings would prove invaluable, tonight was no exception. She bounded up the stairs and scanned the area for anything that seemed out of place, the square was deserted; she quickly covered the distance as the clouds provided ample cover. She made it to the fountain and crouched down low careful to conceal herself. Once she was satisfied that she couldn't be spotted by an inquisitive observer she took out her iPhone and wrote some notes. She needed to keep an accurate account of her movements and interactions just in case the mission was compromised and they needed to go back to alter something.
Herbert had stressed the importance of doing this on more than one occasion and Peyton had never failed this instruction it had kept her alive-Herbert would fast forward into time to see if anything fatal had occurred as a result of their appearances, only once had he seen her death. Peyton had been brought back video footage and instructed on how to avoid being shot. Her faith in Herbert's system skyrocketed after that incident and she had never questioned his directives; they kept her alive and allowed her to have a somewhat normal life with her husband and two children. Luke had a vague idea of what she did, but she couldn't reveal too much in case it altered their future. He had been satisfied with Herbert's explanation and Peyton's gentle persuasion. He didn't necessarily like what she did or that she was in harm's way, but he respected that this was her destiny. He believed in fate and accepting it kept Peyton here with him so he felt like it was a little victory in and of itself.
He couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't the mother of his children and the face he kissed in the morning. She breathed life into him and if accepting she had a really strange and dangerous job-well it was something he would learn to deal with.
Luke woke up and he couldn't sense her presence, she was gone. They had gone to bed together and somewhere in the middle of all that she had slipped out and gone time travelling. He felt alone, he missed her sleeping curled up to him and keeping him warm, she kissed him in her sleep sometimes-he found this particular little nuance of hers endearing.
He pulled the covers back and decided to go and check on the twins, he tiptoed quietly down the hallway and gently pushed the door open. Sawyer was sprawled on her back and clutching her blankie, her brother was curled on his side and his wispy blond hair formed a halo around his face. When he was awake he had the greenest eyes-Sawyer had deep blue eyes and it was a beautiful thing to behold, the twins were a perfect blend of Peyton and himself. Sawyer was going to break hearts one day, she was already adorably cute and Will was handsome just like his dad.
Peyton felt her torso twist in anxiety and concern, she could hear gunfire in the distance and Henri squatted beside her breathing heavily. They had laid the charges on the track and she knew she would need to do a disappearing act pretty soon; she had outstayed her welcome already. Herbert was expecting her in London; he had modified the timepiece a little. Some trips to the future had allowed him to do this; basically the modifications he had made allowed them to create a timetable for when they could travel. Peyton had five minutes left, she whispered good luck to Henri and then tore off into the forest off to her right, she ducked behind some trees and then focused on her destination and felt herself get pulled through time. She landed like a cat inside Herbert's workshop, he was grinning at her and clapping.
'Well done my dear, you were most excellent' His eyes shone with pride at his protégé and she couldn't help but smile back at him. They had their ups and downs but he was like a father to her, and she had grown to really love him over the course of the years. Peyton had time travelled back to when the twins were born; she had wanted to experience it all from the beginning so she had known Herbert for around two years now.
'Thank you Herbert. Well I feel as though the mission was a success, we planted the bombs no one was killed as far as I could tell and I made it back in one piece. Where's Brooke, she was supposed to meet me here-or is she still stuck in Italy?' Peyton had been doing the occasional mission with Brooke, she had been field trained by both Herbert and herself so much so that she was an asset to have with you instead of a liability.
'Brooke is right on schedule my dear' with a quick glance behind him Brooke appeared.
' it is good to see you' Brooke grinned at her best friend and enveloped her in a tight embrace. Peyton smiled and gripped her friend just as tightly.
'Brooke I saw you yesterday-what's going on?'
'Wait, what?' Brooke looked confused and then it dawned on her, Peyton had seen a version of Brooke that existed in the present-whilst the other Brooke-which was still the same Brooke just from another time had been elsewhere. It made her head spin when she first learnt all about the paradoxes and alternate dimensions and realities but it got easier and less confusing the more they travelled.
'Yeah, so anyway-how was Brooke of 2009 doing?' Brooke smirked at her best friend and just laughed.
'Pregnant and bossy-so basically the same just fatter' Brooke smacked her on the arm.
'Ow, ok so I kinda deserved that but you looked happy B. Davis-Baker'
I'm so glad we time travelled into the future to find out who my future husband would be, because seriously having you tell me stuff that hadn't happened was starting to freak me out' Peyton sat down on the couch and grinned at her.
'Yeah well, Herbert did say that there was nothing wrong with us observing the future-as long as we didn't interfere. Besides you just kept coming over every day bugging me about what my future held until I snapped and poof we popped into the future'
'Poof?'
'Yeah poof, now you're field trained and it's kinda nice having someone else around to talk to about all this stuff. Besides you've known me forever and it's better to have someone who knows you than a stranger to time travel with' Peyton had chosen Brooke as her second. She would have like to include Luke as well but if something happened to them the twins would be left alone, she couldn't take the risk. Herbert had encountered situations that couldn't be redone and he didn't want Peyton being in the middle of one. It was safer this way; Brooke was never sent on dangerous missions she was just given scouting instructions. She would take note of current trends and report back. It gave her an edge and allowed them to build up a tidy nest egg that would help expand the scientific side of time travel, they were all becoming very wealthy but it was in the pursuit of science not megalomania.
They did what was known as insider trading except that they could never be caught, they learned the future and then went back to capitalise on it. The money they made was to build a state of the art workshop where Herbert could continue to invent machines that would make time travel safer. The money was never used for a nefarious purpose and it was for that reason alone that Brooke agreed to write down which companies were making a fortune. The company Herbert had set up, well it was more like a corporation-owned shares in a lot of major companies that made billions a year.
Peyton had secured a future for her husband and children, she figured with all the risks she took the least Herbert could do was ensure that money would never be a problem for them. Brooke's fashion empire made so much money that although she was a majority shareholder in the companies Herbert invested in; she had opted to set up a foundation that benefited poor people. Her foundation was funded by her dividends and offered academic scholarships for the socially and economic minorities in New York. The headquarters for Clothes Ova Bros was in NY so it made sense that the foundation would be there too. Peyton set up art scholarships for gifted art students. Luke made a lot of money being a successful author and well her music label was kicking ass. Haley was doing an awesome job of running it.
'So, where did H-Bomb send you this time?' Brooke seated herself comfortably and settled in for a gossip and a catch up.
Peyton chuckled, Brooke and her nicknames. Even though Herbert hadn't invented the H-Bomb he had been there for the process and even stuck around for a few days on the Manhattan Project. He took tea with Oppenheimer, Peyton was a little jealous-to be around a mind like that-she couldn't even fathom it.
'Paris, we got bombed, planted some bombs and then I left before I got shot at by the Nazi's-it was a full day' Brooke started laughing.
'Jesus, it sounds like you get all the fun missions'
'If by fun you mean dangerous then yes I get all the fun missions. I had to run through gunfire-well away from it into a forest in high heel boots-because you told me that they set my legs off. I forgot I would be tramping through mud planting bombs on some train tracks. By the time I realized how impractical my attire was I had to run for my life' Brooke continued to laugh on the couch and was wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes.
'I'm so glad I can amuse you, seriously you're banned from suggesting outfits for me to wear. I don't know why I listen to you'.
'Well excuse me for wanting you to look fashionable and inconspicuous, sorry I almost got you killed. How about we keep this one to ourselves, Luke would go crazy if he found out the kind of danger you were in'
'Brooke, I love you-but you are even crazier than I already think you are if you think for one second I am gonna tell my husband I was almost gunned down. He worries enough as it is, I'm not about to add fuel to that fire' She sat next to Brooke on the couch, Herbert had left soon after Brooke arrived he had a few inventions he was working on. He was close to a breakthrough and Brooke although a great companion was a terrible distraction. Herbert needed peace and quiet, both things Brooke could never quite achieve in one sitting. They spent a few hours chatting and catching up and filling in the logbook.
'Peyt you ready to go?'
'Yeah'
They linked arms and spun through time, they ended up in Peyton's swimming pool.
'Peyton!'
'What?'
'You did that on purpose' Brooke was busy spitting chlorinated water out of her mouth, and trying to wade out of the pool.
'Well you did almost get me killed think of this as a friendly reminder that you suggest anything as ridiculous as knee high boots in war time France you get a mouthful of pool water' Peyton chuckled at her best friend and failed to notice her husband standing by the side of the pool, he a had scowl on his face and he looked angry.
'Ok, well I'm gonna go-Hi Luke-Bye Peyton' Brooke tapped her timepiece and disappeared into thin air.
'Thanks way to leave a girl stranded' Peyton clambered out of the pool and approached her husband, he was angry but he also really loved her and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms as soon as she stood before him.
'Would you mind telling me what happened to you that Brooke was partially responsible for?'
'Don't freak out ok?'
'You saying don't freak out-isn't exactly making me feel any better' Luke held her close and looked into her eyes. He had missed her but knowing she could have been killed almost gave him a heart attack.
'I was in France during the WWII and I was helping the resistance plant some bombs, we heard gunfire in the distance and I ran to the woods and went straight back to London' She spoke quickly hoping she could allay his fears.
'Peyton, was there a chance you could have been shot and killed?'
'Luke'
'Peyton'
'Yes, but…Herbert went forward in time and assured me that I had no bullet holes in my body so I knew that I would be okay'
'God, I don't know how much longer I can do this, every time you go away I worry. I lie awake at night thinking about how you're doing? I wonder if you are alright and every time you come back I let out a sigh of relief. I need to know that this isn't going to get dangerous'. Luke pressed his lips into a firm line and stared into her eyes seeking reassurance.
'Luke, I'm not going to stop doing what I'm doing okay? I know it's scary for you, but Herbert makes sure I'm okay before I go. We just made a minor wardrobe error and well I had to run fast in high heels-flat shoes would have been better' She kissed him gently on the lips and he didn't move for just a second, but then his body betrayed him. His beautiful wife was kissing him and her hands were tugging at the hem of his shirt. His lips took on a life of their own, his hands found her waist and he lifted her up. She draped herself over him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed kisses down her neck and then sighed.
'I don't know how you do it Peyt, but even when I'm mad at you I still want you-all of you' She giggled and kissed him on the lips.
'I just want you, all the time' She shrugged her shoulders and he saw the fire in her eyes when she looked at him. She was gazing at him with such intensity it gave him butterflies, he knew that look-they had the twins to prove it.
He peeled her wet clothing off of her and she giggled as he removed her clothing, then she felt a shiver across her body. She could feel something dark coming and it made her stop for just a second. He saw the change in her right away; he hugged her closer and told her it would be alright. She shrugged it off and captured his lips with her own, she didn't want to be consumed by dark thoughts and evil plans all she wanted was her husbands strong arms around her and his lips kissing her.
'Luke-take me upstairs' He swept her up in his arms and they made it to their bedroom moments later. He lowered her onto the bed slowly and hovered over her, she had been gone a few days and he had missed her. Peyton reached up and cupped his face, she brought him down to her and whispered a promise against his lips, and he nodded his head and then sealed it with a kiss.