HEY THERE!

This is something I've been working on for the last couple of days. For the people reading my Harry Potter fic as well; the next chapter is coming along, so don't worry. I don't plan on abandoning the story, no matter how slow I am.

For people just enjoying this fic; it's going to be mainly about her and the friendship between her and the Beatles, but of course there will be a bit of romancing going on. It's supposed to mirror life after all.

Hope you will like it and I hope you will leave a review.. I sort of need reviews to make me believe writing fanfiction is worth the time.. XD

It was late in the afternoon when I got off the bus by my uncle's laboratory. The bus was full of students going home after a hard day of learning. I had to push myself out, causing people to swear when I stepped on their toes. I just came from school as well, my book-bag slung over my shoulder. I slowly walked away from the bus stop, a lazy smile on my face as the sun shone on my shoulders.

It was a small walk from the stop to my uncle's work, but in this weather I didn't mind the walk. I hummed along to I Feel Fine, slightly swaying to the sound.

It was a late in the summer in Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, my hometown. Schools had just started a few weeks ago and although it was my first year in college, I was already swamped in homework. I was a history and art-history student. I did them both at the same time. People called me crazy and I probably was (Uncle David was the only one who said Sure, go ahead), but when I was trying to pick one of the two, I realized I couldn't and just picked both. I was already regretting it a bit, because there was no way I would be able finish any of the homework.

I rang the bell to my uncle's laboratory and after a few seconds it opened up. I came in and the inside was such a heavy contrast with the outside that I had to blink a few times to let my eyes adjust. Outside the sun stood low, drawing long shadows and soothing you. Inside it was all clear white light, with white walls and floors. On the end of the room was a reception, the name Konings Corp. spelled in silver letters on the wall behind it. The man behind the counter looked up. 'Oh, hey dear! Walk right through!' He said, buzzing the door and letting me through the door. I smiled at him, quickly pausing my iPod. The Beatles were harshly cut off. 'Thanks Alfred.' I said, pushing open the door that led to the laboratory.

Normally the laboratory was strictly personnel only and my uncle had made me promise that I would never tell anyone about it, but after that he had proudly presented it. I walked in and yelled; 'Uncle David! It's me!' I walked off the stairs, not paying attention to the gigantic room to my right, but instead looking in my bag, reaching around my jacket. 'And I've got the essay back!' I added, pulling out a crumbled piece of paper.

Now I did look up, noticing Uncle David hadn't answered me. An almost empty space stared back at me. In the corner of the far end of the room there was a glass box that was slightly bigger than a phone box. It had thick cables sticking out of it, connecting it to a generator as big as a small house, almost reaching the ceiling. A twinge of excitement started to form in my stomach. Uncle David had mentioned a special project, one he and his partner had been working on for almost a decade already, but he said he couldn't tell me anything until it was at least finished. It looked more finished than it had ever had.

'Uncle David!' I yelled again, walking to the control room build into the wall. This time I did get an answer. The door of the control room opened and his head poked out, a grin on his face. 'Marit, honey, come in!' He went back in, but left the door open, so I got my bag and went in after him. The inside of the control room was a lot more like the two doctors that occupied it. The big room had to be kept clean, but inside here it was a big whirl of half eaten sandwiches, filthy coffee mugs and crumbled up papers. Uncle David sat back down on his office chair, intently gazing at his computer screen. He had dark circles under his eyes. 'Uncle David, did you get any sleep last night?' I asked suddenly feeling worried. Beside him was Dr Janssen, his partner, who was sleeping, drooling over his keyboard.

'Sleep?' Uncle David asked. 'God no! Haven't had any in days! We actually did it Marit! Marit, honey, we did it!' I frowned at him. He looked slightly mad now and in order to distract him, I stuck out my arm, my hand still clutching the essay I brought from school. 'I got the essay back.' He looked at my hand blankly. 'What essay..?' He asked. I huffed. 'The one you proofread for me!' I answered and he rolled his eyes, taking the essay from me but instead of looking at it and see how I had done, he put it on his desk between the rest of his junk. I was about to get slightly angry with him, but he shushed me before I could say anything. 'The project is done.' He said.

I let my bag fall to the floor, taking out the earpieces of my iPod and putting the whole thing in my back pocket. 'That thing out there? That's it?' I asked and he nodded vigorously. He turned to his partner and shook his shoulder. 'Hans, buddy, Marit has come to visit.' He said and Dr Janssen shot upright, a startled look on his face, making me laugh. 'Oh, hi dear.' He said, laying his head back down. He kept his eyes open though.

'Hans and I made a breakthrough five days ago.' Uncle David said, moving his hands animatedly, gesturing to the thick glass that separated the control room from the rest of the laboratory. 'What kind of breakthrough?' I asked, sitting down on the edge of the desk. 'You never told me what you were working on.' Something clicked in his eyes and he sighed. 'And maybe it's better I won't tell you still.' He said, shaking his head in regret. I groaned. 'Aw, come on! I've never told anyone about this laboratory either, did I?' I commented, standing upright again. The two men looked tired and said nothing, but I saw sparkles of joy in their eyes.

'Sure, keep it to yourselves, I hope it will make you happy!' I said after a few seconds, crossing my arms in frustration. I looked around the dimly lit room. 'Maybe you should come outside and get some fresh air. It's wonderful weather and according to the news reports it will be one of the last nice days before rainy fall comes along.'

Uncle David waved my words away, his mind already set on papers in front of him that were scrawled full with his tiny handwriting. 'What's one sunny day? When we're finished, we can relive the hell out of this day!' He said, crossing out a few words on his paper.

'Excuse me?' I asked and he looked up, realizing what he had said. 'David!' Dr Janssen called out, slapping him across the back of his head. 'Oops?' Uncle David said uncertainly. 'Is that what you're working on? A time machine? And it's done!' I shrieked, excitement breaking through my voice. I pinched myself. That couldn't be real. Maybe I had understood it incorrectly.

Uncle David and Dr Janssen looked at each other and I saw Dr Janssen give my uncle a slight nod. 'Yes.' Uncle David said, turning back to me. 'It's a time machine.'

I wasted no time but ran out of the control room. I looked at the glass case in the far end of the room, approaching it sceptically. I tapped the glass. 'It doesn't look like a time machine.' I said. Uncle David moved to stand beside me. 'How would you know. This is the first.' He said. I shrugged. 'Fair enough, I suppose.' I chuckled.

'How do you know it works?' I asked. 'Did you..?' I asked, questioning him with my eyes. 'Did I go back in time myself?' He asked, laughing and taking a sip of mug of coffee I hadn't realized he was carrying. 'No, we sent monkeys that are trained to drag things into their cage. The machine can't handle my mass quite yet. Up to about 75 kilos, but over that can get really dangerous.'

I nodded, stroking the edge of the time machine thoughtfully. Suddenly a thought struck me. 'Send me.' I said, turning to my uncle. He blinked at me. 'What? Are you crazy?' He replied. 'No, what can a monkey do for you? Grab some sticks and sand and bring it back here? I can actually tell you about it!' I urged, yanking his sleeve. 'I'm just over sixty kilos. I'll be fine!'

Uncle David stared at me and it must be the lack of sleep but I see his head nodding as he thought about it. Dr Janssen comes out of the control room, stretching and yawning. 'What are you talking about?' he asked, putting his hands in his pocket. 'I'm going back!' I told him and he frowned. 'No you're not.' He contradicted me and I shook my head. 'You've been sending monkeys but they can tell you nothing of value. You'll have to send a human eventually anyway and why not a history student like me? I'm light as a feather and absolutely willing! Please send me!'

Dr Janssen didn't seem convinced. Hans was a young man from somewhere in his early thirties, opposed to my uncle's forty years and when I was younger I used to have a slight crush on him. Although almost two decades his junior, Dr Janssen was very much the adult as opposed to my uncle. He started out as my uncle's assistant before becoming his full-fledged partner.

'Think about it Hans..' My uncle began and when he said that I knew I was in. 'We never got anything concrete from the monkeys. We've been testing with them for a week and she's right. Sticks and leafs were the most interesting they took with them.' Hans looked at me worryingly but then said; 'If you're sure about it.' He said. 'Hundred percent.' I replied.

It was silent for a few seconds and then the two men ran to the control room. I hurried after them, nerves erupting in my stomach, threatening to eat me from the inside. Uncle David was flicking switches on a metal box connected to the computer and on the other computer Dr Janssen was typing in codes and passwords.

'Where should we send her?' He asked my uncle. My uncle shrugged. 'Anywhere after the Second World War. We wouldn't want her caught in the crossfire. Besides, before the War she wouldn't be able to dress like she does.' He said and I looked down. I was wearing a pair of washed out jeans and a flowery oversized shirt. I did look quite twenty-first century.

'And- ' Uncle David continued '-make sure it's in the Western world. 1970's Vietnam is no picnic either.' Dr Janssen nodded, setting the dates and then looked at me. 'Within that perimeter, do you have any requests?' He asked me and I wanted to say something, but suddenly I couldn't think of a single thing that I would've loved to see in the past. I simply shook my head. 'No, anywhere is fine.' I said. He smiled and said 'Random place and date it is then!' and he clicked a button on the screen. He narrowed his eyes and then shrugged. 'Liverpool on the 6th of August 1960? That sounds okay?' He asked and I nodded. 'As okay as any other.' I replied.

The two doctors kept working in silence for a few minutes. 'So you can't only travel in time but also in space?' I asked. Uncle David smiled and Dr Janssen answered me; 'After you figured out how to jump time, jumping space is just a very small step. You're in Amsterdam in the one second, in Liverpool in the next. Or in the second before that if you want to.'

Uncle David stood up and jogged out the door to the time machine. I quickly grabbed my bag and ran after him. He opened a latch in the glass box and let me through. 'Just stand in the middle, try to keep your hands and arms to your sides.' He said. I nodded, climbing the box and then standing straight, my chin up.

Butterflies were flying through me and I couldn't believe this was actually happening. It felt like any moment someone could crawl out from underneath the generator and yell "IDIOT" and laugh at me for actually believing such a thing.

'Here.' Unce David said, taking a permanent marker from his pocket and giving it to me. 'Mark the exact spot you appear and make sure you are there when we transport you back.' He looked towards the control room. 'How long does she have?' He yelled and Dr Janssen replied through the speakers; 'An hour exactly.' Uncle David turned back to him. 'You have an hour. You have your phone right, for the exact time? Is it charged?' I nodded, patting my pocket and feeling my phone. 'It has charged all night. It's good for another couple of days.'

He looked at me, a small smile forming on his lips. 'Be ready to be the first time traveller in the history of mankind! Do you have any last words?' I laughed. 'Not my last, I hope!' I said. He ruffled my hair and prepared to shut the latch but then thought differently. 'Are you sure?' He asked. I nodded and said; 'I'm a history student. Most of the time I already live in the past anyway.' He hugged me quickly and then closed the little door, sealing it.

I cleared my throat and suddenly I felt a bit claustrophobic, despite the box being made of glass. 'Over the intercom Mr Janssen was talking to the sound-log, making sure that everything was recorded. After a long list of coordinates he handed the microphone to Uncle David.

'Okay, Marit, if you don't want to go through with this, say it now.' He left a pause and I said nothing. After a few seconds he went on. 'When you arrive, you first mark your arrival. Make sure it's permanent and it can't easily be moved. I gave you the marker of course.' He trailed off and I could hear the nerves and excitement in his voice when he cleared his throat. 'You have one hour exactly. Check regularly how many minutes you have left. Don't go too far, you don't want to get lost.' I closed my eyes for a second, breathing in deeply, steadying my breath. I was shaking.

'Don't interact with others. Keep out of other people's business. We are not sure how your presence in the past could affect the present. We don't want to take any risks.' Uncle David said. I heard papers being moved aside. Dr Janssen took over. 'You aren't wearing the most normal clothes for the time period, but you won't stand out too much in the sixties. Just keep moving and don't hang around in one place too much.'

It was silent in the laboratory for a minute and then Dr Janssen started counting down. I sucked in my breath and shut my eyes closed. '10, 9, 8,' Dr Janssen's voice echoed over the speakers. I suddenly had my doubts about going to the past. Maybe we should've thought about it a bit longer, taking more time to prepare. '7, 6, 5,' No, if I had insisted on waiting they would've changed their minds and I would never have a chance like this again. It was now or never. '4, 3, 2,' The generator was making a tremendous noise and the glass case I was standing in was rattling. '1..' Dr Janssen finished and a flash of light blinded me, even though I had my eyes closed.

For a second it felt like I was being squeezed through a very tight pipe and my bag was being pressed into me, but then I could breathe again and a small breeze was playing on my skin. I opened my eyes carefully and saw that I wasn't standing in my glass case anymore.

I stood in the corner of a dirty alleyway. I was about to put a foot forward when I remembered to mark my place. I took the marker out and made a close circle around my feet, making it thick and easy to see. I put the marker away and looked at the time. It was 18:46 in the evening.

I walked out of the alley, drawing a big black arrow on the wall to indicate that this was indeed the alleyway I was looking for in an hour. No need to make it hard for myself. The alleyway came out on a street that I had never seen before. Definitely not Amsterdam then, a city I knew by heart. Old fashioned cars lined the street. 'No..' I murmured, correcting myself. 'Completely modern cars.' I quickly took out my phone and snapped a picture of the street.

I put it back in my pocket and started walking down the peaceful lane. There weren't much people around and I was down my fifth minute in the sixties when I met my first past-person. It was an older gentleman with a hat and a cane and I quickly walked past him, trying not to make eye-contact. I felt his eyes follow me though, taking in my strange appearance. I now wished I had worn something less noticeable for the era today so I could've blended in. I shook my head. Not today. In another fifty years or so.

I reached the end of the street and this one ended in a busier street, with people walking around, looking at shop windows and laughing. I was relieved to see that the cars drove on the left. The time/space machine (I had never asked if they got a name for it) at least got me into the right country. Or perhaps Australia, but I was looking at it positively.

I started walking down the shopping street, here and there attracting weird looks but furthermore just being ignored by the majority of people. I saw a newspaper stand and quickly jogged towards it, taking the first newspaper in my reach.

The Guardian (formally known as the Manchester Guardian)

6th of August 1960

FIDEL CASTRO NATIONALIZES AMERICAN AND FOREIGN-OWNED PROPERTY IN THE NATION

It was the right date at least. It felt funny reading about something you studied in class like it was happening right now. Which it was now.

I snapped a quick picture with my phone, before putting it away. No one saw me taking it out, but I doubted that anyone would think anything about it. The owner of the newspaper stand was getting a bit sick of me though. 'Buy it or beat it, girl!' He said in a heavy accent. I wasn't really used to the accent and it took me a second to realize what he was saying. 'Oh, yes, sorry.' I said, putting the newspaper back and hurrying along.

I decided to get off the main street again and went into a narrower street, that was still pretty wide actually. The tall buildings most resembled hangars, giving me the feeling we were close to the docks. I liked the city up till now and I made a mental note to myself to visit Liverpool once I got back to the present time.

I heard music and I looked around to see where it was coming from. A couple of girls ran past me, giggling and disappeared down a stairway, apparently into a cellar. There was written, in big letters, The Cavern above the door with underneath the billing, but I didn't read the billing but just went down after the girls, because this is where the lively music was coming from.

The further I got down the stairs, the louder the music became. It smelled like sweat, with a sweet fruity undertone and before me people were dancing and bobbing their heads. The music sounded familiar and I tried my best to place it, before giving up entirely and just pushed myself through the crowd, trying to get a good look on the room.

The ceiling was quite low, with arches reaching over our heads. I felt lucky to be quite tall, because when standing on my toes I could look over the other people's heads quite easily. In the end there was a stage, the band almost hitting their heads on the ceiling and the club, if you'd like to call it that, was packed with people, dancing and screaming and singing along to the music. I still couldn't place the music but it felt awfully familiar and I felt myself humming along to a tune, trying to hear the words over the screams.

The song ended just as I reached the bar. 'Thank you all for listening! We're going to take a break now but we're back in twenty minutes!' One of the band members yelled over the disappointed moans of the audience.' I ignored the people around me.

'Could I have a Coca Cola?' I asked the guy behind the bar and he nodded, getting me a glass bottle and a straw. 'That'd be 20 P, love.' He told me and I started patting my pockets, realizing that the only money I had were Euro's, which weren't even worth anything in present day England, let alone 1960's England. 'Um..' I started, not knowing what to say or how to explain.

Someone threw a few coins on the counter and I looked up to see an awfully familiar face looking back at me. 'I'll pay for her, Harry!' John Lennon said to the bartender, handing me my coke. 'What's wrong with you, not taking any money with you?' He asked, leaning down slightly.

I couldn't find the words, because suddenly everything in my mind clicked. 1960's Liverpool. The birthplace of the Beatles. Of course the music had been bloody familiar; I had been listening to the freaking Beatles on my way to Uncle David's laboratory! It felt like a really long time ago. I couldn't quite believe how stupid I was.

John Lennon was about two or three centimetres taller than I and he was broader than I thought he would be. His hair wasn't cut in the famous Beatles mop top yet, instead just forming a bit of a greasy, curly bang over his forehead and he just looked very young. He was about my age, but he was younger than I was used to seeing him. It was hard to believe how much difference about four years could make.

'You don't say much do you..?' He asked me and although his statement was far from the truth, I didn't feel like denying anything right on that moment. He pulled me along, away from the bar and he pushed me through a door into a tiny backroom. 'This is a lot quieter.' He explained when I looked around, seeing the bare walls and dim lighting. I had to agree. The almost deafening noise was now lulled down to a dull murmur and it felt like peace for your ears.

He took a sip of his beer and I copied him, sipping on the straw of my Coke, staring at him sideways. This was unbelievable.

His clothes were different as well. The Beatles I knew had the fast looking suits, but John Lennon was wearing a leather jacket and tight pants instead of the suit. I must say I wasn't opposed to the outfit at all.

He sat down at one of the sofa's lining the wall and patted the cushion next to him. I stayed standing. He frowned. 'I won't bite, you know..' he told me, but that was not what I was worrying about. I had taken out my phone, the light of the screen illuminating my face and looked at the time.

It was 19:33.

'What's that?' He said, gesturing towards my phone but I brushed him off. 'Sorry, I have to go!' I said hastily, yanking open the door and running towards the stairs, pushing over people who were in my way. 'Hey!' I heard John Lennon's voice call from behind me, but I didn't stop and was soon standing on top the stairs. I looked around and started towards the right, then changed my mind and went to the left. I was right the second time, because it came out on the main street and I passed the newspaper stand I had seen earlier, but which was now closed.

I rounded the corner, running into the quiet street. Lights were now shining from the homes, giving the street a cosy feel. While running I was slipping on the jacket I had still in my bag, since the air had chilled down quite a bit since I had entered the Cavern. It was now nearing dark and the streetlamps could flick on any minute.

I was laughing, because not only had I travelled in time, I had also met John Lennon, who was not only a musical legend, but also dead. And I think he tried to hit on me. I had trouble breathing, running for my life and laughing my lungs out at the same time and while trying to control it, I almost missed the alley that was my spot was in, but noticed just in time the big arrow I had drawn on the wall. I skidded to a halt and went in.

It was abnormally dark in the alley already, but I didn't slow down as I ran forwards, towards the circle I knew was in the corner of the alleyway and I jumped in between the black permanent marker lines, breathing hard. I had a big grin on my face, hair sticking to my forehead, sweat making my cheeks glimmer.

I stood there for what felt like hours, but was probably only ten seconds in total and I quickly took my phone out of my pocket, fumbling with the locks on it. I looked at the display and froze.

19:48.

My heart had stopped beating and my I felt lightheaded. I refused to believe my phone and put it back in my pocket, standing straight again, looking straight ahead and trying to keep my bottom lip from trembling.

This time it was definitely more than ten second before I looked at my phone again.

20:17.

A tear slipped from my eye and I slid down the wall behind me, hugging my knees. What more was there to do? Was I stuck? Was there any way for me to go back? I didn't know and I didn't want to find out.

After a good fifteen minutes of staring at my in Converse-clad feet, I heard a siren in the distance. A couple of youngsters ran past the alleyway and I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was sitting behind a garbage bin in a dark and murky alleyway. I had lived in the city all my life and I knew that an alleyway was never the best place to stay. I took a notebook out of my bag, scribbling down a message on one of the pages.

Dear Uncle David and Dr Janssen,

I don't know if you'll get this, but I thought it was worth a try. I was late for the rendez-vous by two minutes. I hope you will try and bring me back again, but I can't wait for that here, that's why I'm leaving the note. It's getting cold and dark and I don't think this is the best part of town. I'm going to look for a place to stay for the night (don't worry, I'll be fine), but I'll be back tomorrow at the same time, at 19:46. That's, just to be completely clear about it, the 7th of August 1960.

I already have some amazing stories to tell you and I can't wait to be back.

Love,

Marit

I tore the paper out of the notebook and folded it up, taking an old coffee can from the bin a couple of meters away. I put the note in the tin and put it in the middle of the circle. It didn't look strong enough yet for me, so I put some pebbles from the street in it to weigh it down.

I sighed, looking at it, but then turned around and went back to the main street. This would be a very long night.

REVIEW PLEASE!

Also, she's from Amsterdam because I decided it would be the easiest to do convincingly for me. She was supposed to be from Liverpool herself at first, but as I was writing it I realized that I just was no Scouse myself and shouldn't try to pretend to be one. I'm not from Amsterdam either technically, but I spent most of my time there because most of my family lives there.. It's easier to relate to for me (:

Also, John or any of the other Beatles won't appear in the next chapter. I feel it's important to take baby steps, but I'm pretty sure they'll be there in the third.

Also, I'm sort of stealing the beginning from Crusade In Jeans, by the wonderful Thea Beckman. Of course that book takes place during the Middle Ages, but it's basically the same. Go back in time, have fun, miss their ride back. I can tell you it's a great book by the way. It's a book aimed at young teens, but it reads very well for older readers as well. Don't watch the movie though. It has nothing to do with the book.

Also she has red hair. Like a million of my characters do. It's just that I have a friend who has the brightest red hair and it's the most wonderful hair colour I have ever seen. I wish I had it, but alas.

Again; I hope you'll like it. REVIEWS PLEASE!

Oh and this: disclaimer! Nothing that's not mine is mine, so the Beatles aren't and Crusade In Jeans isn't and stuff like that. You get the drift.