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Stigmatized
Wes took a moment to take in his surroundings, feeling almost faint. There were actually cars floating in the air as if they were parked, the buildings were a silver white and the birds in the trees were robots, like circuit. And the only thing he could think in that moment, the only thought that came to him was, why on earth was the grass blue? Everything has seemed to have evolved.
Fred was right about the mutants; humans and mutants were walking along the streets side by side, enraptured by their conversation so much so that he didn't think anyone had noticed that he'd appeared out of nowhere. Wes was grateful for that, and the cover of darkness. He had a feeling that, although time travel was possible in this time, it was not approved for public use, especially by a 21st century man.
Wes walked along the street, hunched over and hands in pockets in an attempt to be as invisible as possible. He had to find Jen, but how? She never talked about her home and he couldn't just go round knocking on doors in the middle of the night. He approached a square box, the size of a telephone box, but inside there was what looked like an evolved computer screen instead of a phone. Truth be told, it could have been anything, but something in his gut told him that this would help him find Jen.
"Are you using that?" A gruff voice said from behind him. Wes turned, startled. "I said, are you using that?"
Wes took a moment to wipe his amazed look off his face, as the sight of a mutant inches off his face was usual enough to him. "Um, no. But I wonder if you could help me, I'm from out of town and this computer isn't like ours back home." Wes half-lied.
"Well, sure." The mutant bared its teeth, Wes chose to believe it was smiling. "What do you need?
"I'm looking for a friend of mine, Jen Scotts." Wes asked. "She invited me over, but I lost the address."
"Sure, happens all the time. Those aerobuses eh? Not what they used to be." He laughed and Wes just played along, having no idea what an 'aerobus' was, but could only guess from the floating cars. The mutant entered the computer box and tapped a few buttons, making the computer beep. "Found: Jennifer Scotts, 6042 Neonst Building, 124th Street."
"Brilliant! Thank you." Wes smiled, the prospect of seeing Jen getting closer and closer. Wes looked around the street. "Uh, which one is 124th street?"
"You really aren't from around here, are ya?" The mutant nodded his head disapprovingly. "Go down there," He pointed. "Take a right, then the second left and you're there."
Wes took a moment to commit the directions to memory. "Thank you so much." Wes grinned gratefully.
"No problem." The mutant muttered.
Wes left his helper and walked down the street, smiling uncontrollably: this was actually going to happen. He'd fought ridiculous, unimaginable odds to find her, and now nothing could stop him.
If I give up on you, I give up on me
If we fight what's true, will we ever be?
Even God himself and the faith I knew
Couldn't hold me back, couldn't keep me from you.
This was it: Apartment number 6042. Jen's home. Wes breathed, once in and out slowly. He raised his hand and knocked on the door. Knock. Knock. Knock. He waited.
"Coming!" Her voice yelled from the inside, Wes' breath was caught in his stomach, or so it felt. He heard computerized locks unlock and in one swift movement, the door opened. There she was, as beautiful as the day they had parted.
"Alex, what are you doing here? Look, come on in, I'm just cleaning up." She really only glanced at him before turning back into her living room, leaving the door open for him to follow through.
He'd imagined all these words to say to her, he even had a speech prepared, but now… no words formed, all he could say was, "Jen."
She still wasn't facing him, just cleaning some space on her table. "You want a coffee?" She spun round to face him. "What on earth have you done to your hair?" She teased.
"Jen." Wes breathed, unable to take his eyes off her, unable to say or do anything.
"Seriously Alex, you almost look like…" Jen stopped, her smile fading.
"Jen." Wes said again, his body filled with so much warmth just to say her name. She was really there, in front of him.
Jen walked towards Wes, placing her hands on his face, looking deeply into his eyes. "Wes?" She whispered, feeling betrayed by her own words.
"Hi, Jen." Wes smiled.
Jen stepped back, placing a hand over her mouth, tears forming and breath shortening in shock. "Wes?" She ran to him, holding him so tightly, shaking unequivocally.
"It's me, Jen, I'm here." Wes whispered in her ear. She didn't let go of him or loosen her grip.
"If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up." She said, more to herself than to Wes.
Wes pulled away just slightly to look at her face, but kept her in his arms. "This is not a dream, I've got you. Finally, I've got you."
Jen smiled at the sight of him, at the sound of his words, though her tears couldn't possibly stop. "But how? I… it's not possible. But you're here… you're here and you're my Wes."
He smiled, wiping her tears away with his finger. "It doesn't matter how, all that matters is that I'm here."
Jen kissed him; Wes felt her touch so familiar, so warm, as if she'd never stopped kissing him. He had missed her closeness so much, missed the smell of her hair… the only time he was ever complete, was when she was in his arms.
Tease me, by holding out your hand
Then leave me, or take me as I am
And live our lives, stigmatized.
I can feel the blood rushing through my veins
When I hear your voice, driving me insane
Hour after hour, day after day
Every lonely night that I sit and pray
They sat on Jen's couch, Jen's head resting on his lap as they held hands, stroking fingers, both afraid that if they stopped it would all be a dream.
"I can't believe this is happening." Jen smiled.
"Me neither. God, you look as beautiful as you ever did, you haven't changed at all." Wes caressed her cheek.
"You've changed." Jen giggled and stroked his stubble. "You look… older." Jen's smile faded. "How old are you? What year…?"
"Since you saw me last, I'm six years older. I came from 2007." Wes confessed, and though she looked startled for a second, Jen just smiled as if to say, 'As long as you're you, I don't care how old you are'. "How long has it been for you?"
"10 months, 8 days, 7 hours, 42 minutes." Jen whispered, letting another tear slip down her face. "I've missed you so much."
Wes leant down to kiss her, softly and in a comforting way. "I won't let you go again, I shouldn't have let you go the first time."
"Wes," She sat up. "I didn't want to give you up either, but there was a reason, remember? I had to go back. The timeline…"
" I know, Jen." He sighed, and kept his gaze on her constant. "But I don't care. You've dedicated your life to keeping the timeline safe, and we've both done a lot of good. We've done out part, and in return our hearts were broken. Now we need to be selfish."
"What are you talking about?" Jen asked, giving a worried smile and taking her eyes off him.
"This." He showed her his watch. "We can go anywhere, Jen, they wouldn't be able to find us. We could be together, just you and me."
"Where did you get that?" Jen asked seriously, sitting up in surprise.
"Does it matter? Jen, I'm talking about reclaiming our lives!" Wes cried.
Jen put a loving hand on his cheek. "I love you so much, more than I ever thought possible… and I won't pretend that the happiest times in my life weren't with you. I would do anything for you to stay here with me though I know you can't… but you're asking me to run away with you. We'd be fugitives, they would look for us and they would find us, wherever or whenever we went." Jen rationalized.
We live our live on different sides
But we keep together you and I
Just live our lives, stigmatized
Jen perked up. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Wes listened.
"It sounded like…" Jen's eyes widened. "Wes, you've gotta get out of here!"
"What? Why?" Wes jumped to his feet after Jen.
"They're coming! Time Force Agents, they've detected your temporal distortion trail. You have to leave, now!" Jen almost shouted in hysteria.
"Not without you." Wes held out his hand. "Come with me."
"Wes, I can't…" Jen looked at his hand. Wes looked at her, almost betrayed, but he understood. He was asking her to give up everything she lived for. Now, even he could hear the Time Force agents thumping up the stairs. Even if it meant being taken by them, Wes wouldn't leave on the chance that Jen might change her mind given enough time.
"Jen, I know that I'm asking you to give up everything to take a chance on me, but I promise you, you won't regret it. I didn't." He smiled.
Crash! Time Force Agents knocked down Jen's door, rushing through to where they stood.
"Freeze! Time Force, you are under arrest." The biggest one shouted, inching towards Wes.
Wes kicked the nearest agent, then the other four lunged at Wes, he evaded them and fought off another two. Jen was too stunned and confused to help either side.
We'll live our lives, we'll take the punches everyday
We'll live our lives, I know we're gonna find a way
I believe in you
Even if no one understands
I believe in you
And I don't really give a damn
If we're stigmatized.
Then bam! Wes was crushed to the floor, pinned down by one of the bulkier men. "You are under arrest for timejumping without authorization." He handcuffed Wes and dragged him up off the floor.
"Come find me, Jen." Wes whispered to her as they took him out of her apartment, snatching him from her life once more, leaving her in confused silence.
Now Jen had to choose: abandon Wes to be forced back into his own time without hopes of ever seeing him again, and go on with her work and life as though it never happened; or to run, run with him faster than her legs would carry her, to always be a fugitive, but trust in her heart that love was enough, so that all that other stuff didn't matter.
We live our lives on different sides,
But we keep together you and I
We live our lives on different sides
We're gonna live our lives
Gotta live our lives, We're gonna live our lives,
We gonna live our lives, Gonna live our lives,
Stigmatized.
