"A very, slightly complicated, one. It's really hard to explain but...you're not who you think you are. You're actually the H.G. Wells who wrote all of that." I motioned back to her bookshelves. "Your memory was whipped clean and this fake life put in its place." She was quiet and just watched me. I could see that all of this was mulling over in her head. "You had a daughter, Christina, who was killed and you were in so much pain that you sought out your own type of time machine and found it." I scrambled through my pocket and found the picture of Christina and Helena that was in the file. "See?" I handed her the picture and she looked at it carefully.
Emily's eye got wider for a split second and then she shoved the picture back at me. "No! This isn't right!" She started to run for her kitchen. I had to grab her from behind and kept her in place.
"Stop! Helena! Calm down!" We struggled for a few more minutes and then she started to become still.
"My name isn't Helena. It's Emily. I'm a high school English teacher whose parents are dead and I live with a cat." Her voice cracked and tears were rolling down her face. She was scared and I don't blame her. I'd be scared too if the tables were turned.
"Ssshhh. Okay. Calm down." She sniffled some more and I loosened my grip. Emily turned and wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder and started to cry. She clung to me and I didn't know what to do. I wanted her to remember who she really was but then I didn't want to traumatize this simple woman anymore then I already have.
"Why do you want me to be H.G. Wells again?" Again? I pulled away from her and studied her face. Did she remember something?
"Emily…what did you remember when you saw the picture of Christina?" Before she could answer, my Farnsworth sounded. I kept one hand on Emily to make sure she didn't run and answered it. "Hey Claud how are you?"
"Is she back?" Claudia missed H.G. like I did. She saw the best in her. "Let me see!" I faced the Farnsworth towards Emily so Claudia could see.
"What is that?" Emily's voice was quiet and timid.
"Oh…" There was that disappointed sound and look Claudia had. I felt bad for the woman. She, like I, really liked having H.G. around.
"Myka!" Oh great, it was Artie. "What the hell are you doing?" And he was mad.
"Artie, Mrs. Fredrick sent me here to get.." I glanced over to Emily who was now sitting on the couch with her face in her hands. "Has she read you in yet?"
"Yes…" He grumbled something but I was paying more attention to Emily. "Look, Claudia thinks she can fix the orb so bring H.G. here." Before I could say anything the screen went black. I shut the Farnsworth and sighed.
"How important is it that Emily Lake goes away and H.G. Wells come back?" I was surprised at the tone of her voice. It was like she believed me but then didn't at the same time.
"Very important." I walked over and knelt before her. "Emily, you don't remember being Helena so you don't remember the friendship we share. You...or Helena has saved not only my life but the people who I work with lives also." I'm not sure when I took her hand in mine and squeezed but when I did she smiled and agreed to come with me.