A change in the river of time can have lasting consequences.

If you are familiar with certain other stories of mine then you will recognize this is another story featuring the enigmatic character of The Traveler, Endymion. If you are new though then just a heads up, you are not supposed to know exactly who he is or what. At least not here, his story continues elsewhere.

Plus this gives me an excuse to create a story where Laura lives.

Enjoy.

"Laura, where are you?" Ruben called out to his older sister.

From behind him the seventeen year old girl Laura stifled her giggle by biting her lip softly.

"I know you're in here, I can hear you breathing..."

Laura moved up closer to him until she was only a step away, the hay on the floor of the barn muffling each step.

Ruben tried to turn around but Laura had already side stepped him and was again behind him and out of his sight.

This time she did not try to hide her giggle.

Ruben whirled around and saw her finally. He instantly ran up to her throwing his arms around her middle. Laura could not help but smile as she returned his embrace.

Her little brother always was very affectionate with her. Likely stemming from the lack of affection their parents gave him. It made her sick to her stomach to think about it, her little brother deserved better.

She tried to do her best to make up for it but she was no substitute for their parents. There was only so much she could do for the little one. So she did what she was able to, remind him he was never alone and would always have her.

This was why she brought him out here to play. It was private and off aside everywhere else. While here they could be whoever they wanted, she was just the big sister and he the little brother. No mom and dad, no mansion, just them.

Laura loved every moment of it.

"Come on" Laura took hold of Ruben's hand and pulled him over to a nearby wooden platform. "Let's try this."

Laura climbed up the ladder onto the platform motioning for Ruben to follow. He did so without hesitation. Laura then proceded to jump off the platform, landing on her rear in a big pile of hay which heavily softened her landing.

Standing up, Laura held her arms out for her younger brother. "Don't worry, just jump." She sent him a radiant smile, she knew he could not resist.

Ruben still looked nervous but after a few moments he dove off just like she had. The young boy let out a soft grunt as he landed softly exactly as she had.

"See? Fun wasn't it?"Laura let out a soft giggle as she sat on her knees beside Ruben. The young boy laughed as he nodded enthusiastically.

As they were playing, Laura began to notice a strange smell. It was something she had smelled before, it reminded her of when her family would have a fire going in the fireplace of a sitting room.

It took Laura only three seconds to realize why it was so familiar. That was because it was the product of a fire.

Smoke.

They were in a barn in the middle of a sunflower field. The only source of such a smell would have to be a fire. If there was a fire nearby though, and they were in a barn full of hay...

Laura never got the chance to scream a warning to Ruben before the flames erupted from seemingly nowhere. The second they touched the dry hay, they grew exponentially.

The young girl rushed to the door to try to push it open. If they could get the main barn door open then they could rush out quickly before either was burned too badly.

Only when she pushed against the door did Laura understand the sheer danger of their situation.

The door was stuck fast.

"Somebody! Open the door!" Laura screamed as she pushed against the door with all her strength. The heavy wood however did not budge.

A voice behind her cried out in pain.

Laura whirled around just in time to see Ruben collapse on the floor. "Ruben!"

While she had been shoving against the door, a large stack of hay lit aflame had fallen straight toward the young boy. He had moved fast enough to dodge being crushed by the burning material but some of it flew off on impact against the floor. The pieces of burning hay had flew over him, burning his skin in several places along his face, neck, and shoulder.

"Ruben you have to get up!" Laura was at her brother's side in an instant. As gently as she could she moved her arm beneath his and lifted him back to his feet.

The flames were running all along the stray pieces of hay covering the floor. The flames were licking at their clothing and any exposed skin. Laura could feel the fabric of her dress covered in small fires but she pushed the pain out of her mind. Ruben was in danger and she was going to get him out of here.

Even if it was going to cost her life.

Looking frantically around the room, Laura searched for any way out of the barn. Her eyes settled on a small window in the loft. It would be a nasty drop outside but it was a chance. A chance she very willing to take. A nearby ladder led up to the loft, the two siblings only had to reach the ladder, climb up, and then climb out the window.

They only made two steps when Ruben collapsed back to the floor. "L...Laura?"

"I'm here Ruben, just hold on." Laura was in tears, not just from the pain of her burns, it was the pain in Ruben's voice. She had always been sensitive to his pain. If he was hurt, she was too.

She was about to try to lift him again when all of a sudden Ruben was raised back up to his feet.

Without her assistance.

Laura's eyes moved to the other side of the boy to see a man had his arm under Ruben's just like hers had been. It took her a moment to register that there was another person in the barn with them.

The first thing she saw about him was the long black coat he wore. The second was the weird silver eyes he was looking at the two siblings with. Laura had never seen anything like them before. Were they not in a burning building, Laura would almost feel enchanted by them.

"Come now Master Ruben. Now is not the time to linger." The newcomer's voice seemed to reassure Ruben, or spur him on, because the boy was moving again. Oddly enough his voice did the same for her, she was still scared yes but somehow hearing him speak made her feel better.

Who was this man and where did he come from? Laura had tried to open the doors herself, they were still sealed shut even now. He could not have been here already. Her and Ruben had checked the barn for anyone else there. They were completely alone.

Normally Laura would be weary of strangers, especially if they were around her little brother. However, right now Laura only cared to get Ruben out of the burning barn.

Any help was greatly appreciated toward that end.

Ruben did not seem to notice the new arrival. If he did he did not show it. Except for a whimper of pain he did not make a sound.

The younger of the two siblings was at least moving on his own now despite what had to be extremely painful burns. Laura was about to follow when she felt a large but lightweight coat being draped over her shoulders.

"Keep this on, it shall keep the flames at bay." Laura did not know why the man gave her his coat but the effect was instant. The flames were all around her but she did not feel most of them through the odd leather fabric of the coat.

Quickly slipping her lithe arms through the sleeves, Laura followed her brother toward the ladder. The silver eyed man right behind her.

Within moments the three were at the ladder. "Ruben, you have to climb, we're almost out of here." Laura tried her best to sound reassuring like the man had been. She was more terrified than she had ever been in her life.

Ruben did as he was told and went up.

Laura was right behind him but when she was almost to the top the ladder broke. Laura cried out but managed to catch on to the edge of the wooden loft.

"Laura!" Ruben screamed. He was moving to help her up but he did not have the strength, even if he was not already badly burned.

Laura knew that between herself and Ruben she would be able to climb up but she did not have to try. A hand had shot out from beside Ruben and latched onto her wrist.

"I've gotcha. Upsy-daisy." The man was beside Ruben pulling her up but... that was imposable. He had been behind her when she started climbing the ladder. He could not have gotten around Laura without her noticing.

They were so close to their escape that Laura did not bother questioning the strange man.

They were at the small windows moments later.

"Ruben, you have to climb..." Laura helped Ruben up to the small window so he could climb out. She could hear his yell as he fell but if she recalled correctly there would be hay there to soften the fall at least a little. It was certainly better than burning.

The stranger was in front of her now kneeling on the ground with his fingers laced together. Laura stepped forward and put her foot in his hands. With a great heave, he tossed her up to the window. She grabbed on to the edge of the windowsill and pulled herself through. Just before she did, Laura heard a loud crack behind her.

A large wooden beam from the ceiling was falling.

Straight toward the stranger that had helped them escape.

Laura was about to scream a warning to the man but before she did, an invisible force hit her and shoved her out the window. On reflex, she screamed as she fell to the ground. Thankfully she had been right, there was a pile of hay underneath the window they fell from.

"There's another one!" Someone was yelling. It was only then that Laura had noticed there were several people all around helping her back to her feet.

She was about to call out to her brother when the boy in question suddenly rushed to her. He crashed into her almost hard enough to knock her down but she held her ground. Ruben's arms were instantly around her tightly.

"L...Laura?" Ruben's voice was so soft, so fragile, it broke Laura's heart.

Wrapping her own around him just as tight, Laura whispered softly to him. "Shh... it's alright. I'm right here. You're okay." Laura held one arm around his smaller form while her other rubbed soft and soothing circles into his back.

The third thud of a person hitting the hay pile behind her that Laura was expecting never came. With Ruben still in her arms, Laura risked a look at the barn. Her eyes shot open in disbelief.

She had looked just in time to see most of the burning building collapse into itself.

With the stranger still inside.

"Wait! There's still someone inside!" Laura was screaming. "You have to help him!" The man had helped save her brother and herself, they had to do something for him.

"Girly..." Laura looked up when one of the men around her put a hand on her shoulder. "Ain't no one coming back from that."

No... he could not be gone. They could not leave him in there to die, but there was nothing Laura could do. She could only watch the barn burn the rest of the way, holding her brother tighter than she had ever done before.

Going to be a multi part story. Reviews give me incentive to get the follow-up out faster.

Has anyone else wondered how things could have been different if Laura was not killed? Personally I think Ruben was a bit of an eccentric child yes, but if he grew up with his sister he would not have gone insane like he did. I think he had the potential to be a brilliant doctor, and with a rich family like his he could have afforded the schooling. That would be on top of the knowledge he already had.

There is a good chance if Laura had survived, all of his experiments with the STEM system would never have happened. If I recall correctly from one of the audio tapes, his entire goal with the STEM project was to bring Laura back.

This is just my theory but what do you all think?