I woke up to bright sunshine blinding me through the Victorian bedroom. It was magnificent! I hadn't really been able to look last night but this room! Oh my gosh! It was beautiful! It had cream walls, that when the light hit them just right it was almost gold! The bed was amazing! It was huge! And had well, Victorian oak, truly beautiful! And not to mention the gorgeous dress! And I'm not one to comment on dresses and call them gorgeous. It was a royal blue colour. The boot like things beside it were more me. I attempted getting dressed but it didn't feel right, I couldn't get it tight enough. And then the hair, that I didn't even know how to do. A thought hit me then, "I don't have my flat iron!" at that thought I pouted.
Knock…knock…knock… could be heard at the door. I walked over to the door and opened it; it was a dag-on heavy door! "Hello?" I said as I opened it, then seeing Helen "Good morning," I said with a smile on my face. "Don't suppose you could help me?"
"In." she ordered with a smile. She helped me tighten the dress and then looked at my hair seeming to consider what to do with it. "Comb it out and then I'll fix it," she finally said.
"Okay, and thank you," I said not really sure what to say.
"You're welcome," she said smiling at me, I sighed, mum used to smile like that at me when I was around her, I missed her so much, but that's a thought and story for another day. "My father arrives shortly and would more than likely like to meet the strange girl staying in his house," Helen said as she finished my hair. She stood up and brushed her skirts off.
"Okay, what will you tell him of me?" I said curiously.
"That you're from the future, stuck here until I can get Nikola to look at your time device. Also we hope he can fix it, and that you will need a place to stay my dear long lost cousin." Helen said with a reassuring smile on her face.
"Fair enough, what if Nikola neither can't nor won't fix it?" I asked.
"I am fairly certain he can and will, but on the off chance that neither of those works out then you will have to make a life here."
"Would I be allowed to stay and work with you? I mean if I can't go back? Would you teach me what I don't know?" I said hopefully. I knew some about her work, not much but enough, and even though I built the device I wasn't sure I could fix it, I needed Nikola's help. And more than that, I wanted to stay, I really didn't have anything to go back to in my time.
"I might be able to." She said with a smile, "most girls shun my work, say leave it to the men, but you seem to know a lot about my work and what I truly do, and you don't seem to want to shy away, why is that?"
"I erm- saw a show once," so that was a lie, but it works, "didn't we have to meet your father at the docks?" I said changing the subject, I hated lying to her, always had.
"Yes we did, this way." Helen said walking to the door with me following right behind her. We had a nice long walk to the docks, we talked about how things were going in this era so I wasn't confused or anything.
The day was nice, it was sunny, not too warm but not too cold. A rare occasion as it normally rained, it was a little foggy, but not too much. The wind was blowing, and as we neared the docks I could smell the sea. It was early in the morning and most ships were not due for hours, but Gregory's was due within the hour. I looked around and took in the sight of Victorian London. It was a sight. We were at the docks for maybe half an hour before a ship arrived. I wasn't so keen on meeting him as one might think, some would say I was crazy for not being so, had they known him. Most people adored him as they did his daughter, I on the other hand didn't like spending time with him in the future, well I mean when he was alive. Don't get me wrong, I liked the old man but he got on my bad side a lot, I had one pet peeve, and he always did that one thing I couldn't stand. We never really got along. See I'm protective over my loved ones and if you constantly say how you don't trust, nor like, nor approve of one of my loved ones then you get on my bad side, and that is not a place you want to be, believe me. "There he is" Helen said pointing to where her father was coming off of the ship. She looked like she was so happy to see him, I wondered how long he had been gone this time, off on some un known trip to Helen, sure he told her where he was going first, but where did he go after that? what was he really doing? Was he sure he was going to come back? God! I swear he is worse than Nikola, at least then you knew you were getting more than you bargained for! With Gregory, you never truly knew what was going on, but that's the life of a scientist right? I shook my head, letting go of the past dislike for him and slapped a fake charming smile on my face, I needed him to like me, and if he didn't like me then Helen wouldn't be far behind, and that I wouldn't be able to bear, for certain selfish reasons.
"Father," Helen said as Gregory got closer, when he was within arms distance she threw her arms around him. So he had been gone for at least three months, I deduced. It was the look in both of their eyes that said they had been apart that long. Ha, so three months at least without knowing what he was doing-no! stop, he is younger, and your thoughts on him will hopefully change once your mission here is done, remember that! I told myself. I looked back at him with my deep blue eyes and saw into his, I could tell he was looking at my appearance, I looked similar to them, which helped with the cover story of me being a long lost cousin. I had blonde hair, blue eyes, my bone structure was similar to Helen's, but it was different enough that I only looked like a cousin, which was perfect, for I resembled my father more than my mother, which helped a lot. I saw the recognition coming in his eyes, and raised my figure to my lips in a shushing manner. Helen seemed to notice us looking at each other and introduced me. "Father, this is Ashley, Ashley this is my father, Dr. Gregory Magnus." Helen said smiling broadly.
"Nice to meet you sir," I said trying to keep the dislike out of my voice, I'm good at lying, or at least my mum and dad would always say I was, just like my sister. "Your daughter has been very nice to me, since I arrived in London, you raised her well," I said.
"You're not from here," he said narrowing his eyes at me. Nah-dip Sherlock! I thought, yeah I know that's not what he meant but still, the thought came.
"No, I'm not." I said and he gave me a knowing smile, "but, I'll explain that latter if you will allow of me." I flashed him a small smile.
"Right then, shall we?" he asked grabbing his bag again.
"Actually father, we have to wait for Nikola, he was due the same time as you, and Ashley needs to talk to him." Helen said not moving to follow her father, I silently laughed.
"And speaking of said insufferable, vampire genius," I said pointing to the spikey haired, thin framed man walking our way, not paying any attention to where he was going.
"I think he'll like you," Helen said with a small laugh as she looked to where he was, luckily he was walking right toward us. Good, I'll have the vamp on my side, Jack the Ripper, and the Great Helen Magnus; I needed that. "Nikola," she said loud enough to get his attention as he got closer. A big smile crossed his face as he saw Helen standing there. I just shook my head and rolled my eyes, he never changes.
"Helen, what a pleasant surprise," he said as his grin grew wider. "What can I do for you?"
Helen blushed at that, I coughed reminding her of why we needed to talk to him. "I have someone who wants to talk to you," she said gesturing to me.
"'Ello" I said as he looked at me, I did a four finger wiggle like wave, not really sure how to describe that.
"But we cant talk here, meet us for supper, at seven o'clock" she said giving him a smile, the smile I knew he couldn't resist, plus, he was intrigued with whatever I needed being a secret, I smiled at him.
"Of course Helen, good day." And with that he walked off.
"You do know, that he is in love with you right? I mean they all are in some way or another, John is madly in love with you, James is too, Nigel is rather fond of you," I said whispering it to her as we walked behind Gregory back to their home.
"I knew about James, and obviously John, but Nikola? I mean he flirts, but it's nothing serious, is it?" she said babbling as we walked.
"If you call him telling you time and time again that he loves you, serious yes, but John, stay with him, let Nikola flirt, but…" I said not sure what I could tell her without revealing too much.
"Stay with John, I get it, but he's a homicidal manic, I love him, but," she said with sadness in her eyes as she placed her hand on her stomach, I smile.
"That can change, and she," I said nodding to Helen, "can grow up knowing her father, but I do suggest keeping the embryo frozen for a century, saving John would alter the time line already, but it's worth it."
"How?" Helen said seeming to jump at the chance to save her love.
"All in good time," I said with a smile as we arrived at the Magnus household.
"Can you answer me a question?" Helen asked as we entered the house, I knew she wanted to know about her little girl, but I wasn't sure I could, or should tell her.
"Maybe," I replied.
"Did she have my longevity?" Helen asked worriedly.
"I erm- don't know, but she had her father's teleportation, after a fashion" I said not saying she died nor what said fashion was, "she was beautiful, had blonde straight hair, she was a fighter, she loved you and your work, and she hated dresses." I said with a smile, and Helen laughed at my last comment. Mary and a younger maid met us at the door and the younger one took Dr. Magnus' bag from him and took it to his room I assumed. We all headed to his study for an early tea, and for me to tell my story, which was just that a story, not the truth, just a story.