"It's alright Mom, I've got it," Jim tried to assure Sarah, gently kicking the front door open as he balanced baskets of groceries in his arms. "Sweetheart, you just got back, you must be exhausted-" the woman tried to protest as her son continued to the kitchen with his cargo. Jim began to whistle, barely turning his head to give his mother a look of feigned innocence as he passed through the doorway separating the dining room.
Sarah shook her head, placing her hands on her hips, but she couldn't help the smile pulling at her mouth as she moved to help Jim put away the groceries. "I wasn't expecting you back so early," she remarked contently over the sound of Morph's chirps (who was happily snacking on a stray cracker). "Me neither. Solar currents got strong over the Astrobar Clusters," the boy spoke, taking jam jars to the pantry.
"But I...won't be staying long," he trailed off quietly, an obvious crestfallen tone in his voice. Sarah turned her head, her previous smile falling into a passive frown. "They calling you out soon?" She asked gently.
Jim nodded, trying to keep his expression from turning completely sour. "They gave us less than two days. I'll have to leave tomorrow," he muttered, shoulders slumping as he paused at the counter, canned fruits in his hands with eyes cast downward.
Sarah sighed, slowly coming behind her son as she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a comforting hug. She felt his limbs relax somewhat, already able to feel the tenseness in them as Jim exhaled. "I was just hoping..." he spoke quietly, pondering the jars in his hands. "That we'd be able to stay...for just a little longer."
His mother rested her head on the boy's shoulder, giving a light squeeze as she ran a hand up and down his arm soothingly. "I know Jim. I know you miss home," she whispered gently. "But I'll take the time I have with you here. It isn't nothing, even if it's not much."
Jim nodded, sighing as he turned and embraced her. "Yeah," he spoke quietly. He held her for a moment longer before parting to steal a glance to the ceiling.
"But while I'm here, I want to introduce you to some friends," he said, mouth turning upward into a subtle smile. He gestured toward the dining room, making a silent invitation for Sarah to follow him out of the kitchen. As they exited back into the warmly-lit entrance hall, Jim caught view of Silver coming down the stairs, two girls in tow.
"Ahoy Jimbo," the cyborg spoke, spying the lad as he made it to the last step, extending a hand to assist Anna and Victoria as they descended down the rest of the stairwell. "Hi, Jim," Anna smiled, offering a nod of thanks to Silver before turning her eyes back to the boy. "We heard your mother was coming back from town and thought she could use some help with cargo."
"Well, I'm afraid he's beat you to it," Sarah spoke from behind Jim. Forgetting she was there, he jumped lightly as she stepped from behind him to stand in front of her new guests. "Oh, uh-mom, this is Anna and Victoria," Jim ushered hurriedly, extending a hand to the girls. "Our new crew members," he added as Sarah stepped forward, embracing each with a smile.
"We're so happy to have you," the woman spoke. "I hope you enjoy your stay, short-lived though it may be."
"Speaking of short-lived," Vicky added with widened eyes. "My boots got so worn in that comet shower; they've got holes! I'm going to catch the trolley into town, get something new before everything closes. See you all at dinner!" She spoke quickly, giving Anna a quick hug before darting out the front door into the rain, her fiery-red hair the last visible trace of her existence.
Her sudden disappearance left all but Anna momentarily stunned, she apparently used to it as she drew her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "Thank you for accommodating us, Mrs. Hawkins," she spoke politely with a small smile, tucking a stray hair back into her loose bun.
"Of course," Sarah smiled. "And you're Anna-the one Jim's always been talking about in his letters?" she confirmed. At that, said boy's face suddenly turned a bright pink that extended to his ears. "Mom-" he sputtered in shock as Silver, watching in amusement, snorted trying to contain a laugh.
Anna's eyebrows raised at the comment, gaze switching between the three adults in front of her as a small grin twitched at her mouth. "Must be me, considering I'm the only Anna on board," she spoke with a polite smile as a light hue glowed on her cheeks.
Sarah looked at both the girl and her son as a somewhat sly expression came over her face. "Ah," she nodded. "Indeed it is, then," she spoke as Jim kept his face downward, hand covering his eyes in exasperation and trying-to-be-hidden embarrassment. "Well, Anna, could you give me a hand in the kitchen as my son here beat you to the groceries?"
The girl nodded, allowing Sarah to cross her arm in hers as they both continued to the kitchen, eliciting conversation, leaving Jim and Silver by the stairs. Once out of earshot, the ursid allowed himself some good chuckles, clapping a hand on the boy's back. "Subtle as a brick, eh Jimbo?!" He teased. "Why, you was as bright n' red as a tomato back t'ere!"
"Shuddup," Jim groaned as the finally fading hue returned in his embarrassment. "Oh, ye've got it bad lad," the cyborg added with a laugh. "I can practically see Cupid's arrow pointin' through ye, feathers n' all."
The boy, still looking at the floor, lowered his hand to cast a look the ursid's direction. "You think she knows?"
Silver laughed at that. "Jim, at t'e rate yer goin', half ta crew probably knows, and I'll wager she can tell too." Jim groaned again, head to the ceiling now, face almost as bright as its initial blush in his exasperation. "But," the cyborg continued. "From what I can tell, her feelings t'ward ye ain't much different," he finished with a coy smile.
Jim's head suddenly turned to the ursid, a searching expression in his gaze. "Really?" He questioned. "Aw, c'mon lad," Silver chuckled. "Ye can't have been that blind-why, the lass has probably talked about ye with me more times t'en not. She's got a fancy fer ye, little doubt about t'at."
The boy considered this for a moment, gaze lingering on Silver before turning back to the ground as he ran a hand through his hair. "I-I didn't really notice I guess," he spoke in a seeming daze, contemplating this new information before a shake from the cyborg pulled him from his concentration.
"Don't be lookin' too hard into it Jimbo, ye both are still not more t'an new friends, remember? Take it slow."
"Right," Jim nodded once, still half in a daze before a sudden thought broke the remaining fog in his head.
"Hey, where's Doppler?" He asked suddenly, eyes scanning the dining room. "I thought he was at the widow table, but-"
"I see 'im," Silver interrupted, mechanical eye whirring as it focused on a room beyond the kitchen. "Sleepin' wid all those lasses o' his. Man looks mighty tired," he added. "Bet he is," Jim agreed, hand fiddling with the object in his pocket. "I actually wanted to ask him about that solar crystal I found. I'll wait till after dinner, though."
"T'at one ye showed me a fortnight ago?" Silver questioned.
"Yeah. Charlie didn't know much about it apparently, but he thinks it's something from one of the old chronium planets, which is why it's still in such good condition. But he didn't recognize the markings," the boy answered, feeling the crystal's pointed tip with his finger. He didn't want to bring it out in front of open eyes, and frankly, he wasn't sure he should even be keeping it somewhere as vulnerable as his trouser pocket. He sighed, withdrawing his hand to tickle Morph who had finally emerged from the kitchen to settle on Silver's shoulder.
"Well, ta Doc can probably find somethin' on it wid all those books o' his," the cyborg nodded, turning his attention to the amalgamate happily snuggling into his neck.
"Yeah," Jim nodded, thoughts trailing off. He took a deep breath, trying to refocus his vision before being brought back to reality by Silver's heavy hand on his shoulder. "Ye alright lad?" The ursid asked, leaning to look the boy in the eyes.
"Tired," Jim answered, stifling a yawn in his throat.
"Ye sure look it. Why don't ya go upstairs, get some shut-eye 'fore supper?"
The boy shook his head. "I'm alright," he said simply, trying to perk up to appear more alert than he actually was. Silver huffed once in feigned acceptance. "Sure ye are. I can see ye tryin' ta keep those baby blues open Jimbo; yer tired and ye need a rest-an' I won't be hearin' any more o' those refusals. Off with ye lad," the cyborg said, giving Jim a light push toward the stairwell.
Not having the energy to fight the ursid anymore, Jim simply sighed, half-stumbling to the steps as he began making his way up to his room. He couldn't help the yawn creeping up his throat as he passed the guest quarters, ascending to the hallway reserved for family and private invites.
Making his way to the end of the hall, Jim pushed open his bedroom door, allowing in cracks of light to spill into the dark space. Upon seeing the familiar items and furniture, he couldn't help the small smile lifting his mouth. There really was no place like home...
Gently kicking the door shut, the boy shuffled over to his bed, collapsing onto its soft covers. He didn't have the energy to kick his boots off, but that didn't seem to matter as he laid down, sinking into the gentle mattress. And within unbidden seconds, the lad was fast asleep.
...
...
...
"Tick tock."
"Tick tock, lad."
"What?"
Jim looked at his slowly manifesting surroundings. He was in a pit of a deep blue, clouds of dark mist gently coming in and out of focus, and he appeared to be levitating, almost, alone in the chasm. But who was it that spoke?
"Where are you?" The boy asked, trying to look for the source of the voice.
"Tick tock."
Jim's eyes narrowed, looking down at the non-existent ground. He couldn't see his feet. Just as he couldn't see his speaker.
"Tick tock."
It said again, this time more in focus, as if suddenly closer, more present. Jim tried to turn around, but the same view greeted him. "Who are you? What do you want?" He demanded, feeling threatened as he tried to find his senses. Everything seemed so fluid, so...untouchable.
"Tick tock. Find the clock."
"...What?"
"Tick tock. The clock of time. Ticking and clicking. Everyone looks for something different."
"What are you talking about?" Jim questioned hesitantly. His surroundings suddenly churned to a violet, shadows faintly manifesting into something the boy couldn't quite make out.
"Some for wealth, some for fame, some for love, some for time itself."
"...I don't understand," Jim murmured, feeling a sense of dread begin to fill him.
"What you're looking for has changed many times." The voice spoke, closer still. Jim seemed to feel a presence lurking somewhere behind him, but he found himself suddenly unable to move. He tensed as he felt hands grasp his shoulders, a mouth dipping near his ear.
"What are you looking for, James Hawkins?"
...
Jim jumped awake, a deep gasp filling his lungs with air as his eyes shot open. His mind was racing, half-still in the strange realm he'd been in his dream just moments ago. He stared at his window, trying to comprehend reality and what he'd heard-he'd never had a dream like that before, never something as lucid as the presence that'd been speaking to him...what had been said-what did it mean?
He breathed for a few moments longer, trying to calm himself before a sudden knock came at his door, causing him to jump slightly as Sarah gingerly peeked her head into the room.
"Jim? It's time for dinner," she spoke in a quiet whisper. The boy finally broke his gaze from the window, nodding once as he groggily got to his feet. He rubbed his eyes, making his way to the door where Sarah stood waiting for him.
Her expression drew into concern as she laid a hand on her son's shoulder. "Are you alright sweetheart?" She asked gently.
"Yeah, just...just a weird dream is all."
"Alright..." the woman trailed off. "Well, Silver made your favorite. Bonzabeast," she said with a smile, carefully moving away a strand of hair that had fallen in front of the boy's face. "You ready to head down?"
"Yeah. Sounds great, mom."