One of these Lives

by S. Welles

Some different Sliders go to world where taken over by their past lives

The vortex opened and the four of us tumbled out into the new world. For once the Professor had made sure Remmy entered the vortex before him. Actually the Professor was the last one in so on the next world, the rest of us made sure we were quickly out of the way so he wouldn't flatten us. As usual we landed on a hard road about a meter from softer grass.

'Once again we managed to miss a nice soft landing,' the Professor grumbled.

The rest of us had gotten used to the Professor's grumblings and had even come to expect them. A slide wouldn't be complete if the Professor didn't complain about something.

Once we had dusted ourselves off, as the road we'd tumbled onto was a dirt road rather than bithamen, we took stock of our surroundings.

'It looks like that Western world we went to awhile back,' commented Remmy.

The rest of us nodded our agreement. By the looks of it there was a town only a short distance away, so we started walking in that direction. It wasn't long before we reached the town. It could have been the set of a Western movie. By the looks of it there was only the one inn and as we headed in that direction, we received some strange looks. We were more than used to that by now. It was probably our clothes the people of the town were staring at.

'How long are we here Mr. Brown?' the Professor asked.

Remmy glanced at the timer he held. 'About a day and a half.'

I quickly calculated when that would be, since it was nearly dusk now. 'Does that make it a late night slide?'

'Should do,' Arden agreed.

The Professor had been looking around the town and suggested, 'maybe we should get inside. We seem to be drawing a lot of attention just standing here.'

Arden took a quick look around and noticed a number of people now staring at us. Without meaning to, we had stopped on the steps up to the inn.

'You're right, we do stand out.'

Quickly, we headed into the inn. Inside it was slightly cooler than outside and the room was illuminated by only one dusty window. When my eyes had adjusted to the dimness of the room, I noticed there were lanterns placed around the large room, but they hadn't yet been lighted. The room was filled with tables and chairs and a bar at the far end. No one was around so Remmy called out, 'hello? Anyone here?'

A young man entered the room from a door next to the bar.

'We're not open yet,' he said.

'We're actually from out of town and would like a couple of rooms if possible,' Remmy said.

'In that case, you're most welcome. How long are you here for?'

'A couple of days,' Arden answered.

He had walked over to where we stood and as he drew closer the young man was able to take in our appearances properly. His eyes widened in surprise and he asked, 'where exactly are you from anyway?'

'We're from Canada,' Arden answered with the typical response. At this stage we thought the shock on the young man's face was from a look at our clothes, however we later found out it was from a very different reason. He seemed to take Arden's explanation at face value however.

'We have two spare rooms at the moment,' he said. 'If you'd care to follow me?'

We followed him up a rather rickety flight of stairs, where he showed us which rooms were ours.

'Dinner is at 7 o'clock down in the dinning area. It's covered in the price of the room, but drinks are extra. Let someone know if you want to bathe and they'll get the water ready for you.'

'Thanks,' Arden replied. He turned to us and asked, 'anyone for a bath?'

To his not so great surprise, I answered, 'I could use one and if you want my opinion so could the rest of you.'

'I'll get the water ready for you,' the young man replied. 'I'll send someone to let you know when it's ready.'

'Thank you,' I answered. And with that he disappeared down the hallway.

Each of the rooms had two single beds so there was a debate as to that shared rooms with who. I disliked sharing a room with the Professor as he snored, the other two did as well, but to lesser degrees. But by their accounts I would often talk in my sleep and even occasionally go walking. In the end we flipped a coin. I was to share with Arden. As I went into one of the rooms I saw the look that passed between Remmy and the Professor and was at a loss to decipher it. So I put it out of mind. The room was just as dark as the hallway and smelled slightly of dust, but it was better than sleeping in the open. Arden opened the window, which allowed some fresh air in and I flopped down on one of the beds. Arden glanced over at me and shook his head in disgust.

'Alison you're a housekeepers worst nightmare.'

'Hmm?'

'Shoes on the bed and at that, dust covered shoes,' he answered.

To make him happy I kicked my sneakers off and pushed them off the bed. 'That better?'

He just shook his head again.

Scott hurried downstairs from showing the strangers to their rooms.

'Mum, hey mum,' he called.

'Scott, how many times have I told you not to shout,' came the answer from the kitchen. As Scott entered the kitchen, an oldish woman looked up.

'Please try to remember not to shout,' she said.

'Yes mum,' before he could continue she spoke up again.

'Were those people interested in some rooms?'

'That's right. I gave them the last two.'

'But those were reserved.'

'I know that, but those people will only be staying a couple of days. Mum you have got to take a look at two of them.'

'Why? They aren't criminals are they?'

'No, nothing like that, it's just that,' he paused.

'Just what?'

'Well I think you should to see for yourself.'

'I'm a little busy at the moment Scott. Did any of them want to bathe?'

'Um yeah, the woman did.'

'Then hadn't you better get the baths ready? I'm sure she wouldn't want to bathe with some of the regulars around here that will be in soon.'

Scott hurried away to do just that.

One of the other women, who was also working in the kitchen looked up and asked, 'what was that all about?'

Kathleen, Scott's mother, answered her sister, 'Lara I have no idea. But he just gave the inn's last two rooms to complete strangers, then suggests there is something special about them.'

Lara laughed, 'at least the kid's got nerve.'

Kathleen made a face and they turned back to their work.

I was just beginning to fall asleep when the young man knocked on the door to say the bath was ready. Without bothering to put my shoes back on I followed him to the bathhouse.

'You'll have about half an hour before the regulars start to come in. You might want to be out of here by then.' With that said, he left me some towels and was gone.

The bath was very relaxing and I made sure I was out before anyone else showed up. One bad thing was having to get back into my dusty clothes again. However, there wasn't anything I could do about it at this stage. I headed back up to the room where I found the lanterns had been lit. It was just after 7 o'clock and the noise from downstairs was building.

'Why don't we join them?' the Professor suggested.

'Good idea,' Remmy seconded.

They must have been hungry, but then again so was I. So we headed downstairs. Entering the large dinning area we got a few stares, but it seemed most of the men were to busy eating to pay us any more attention. We found a table in an out of the way, darkened corner. We didn't have to wait long before and oldish woman came out of the kitchen and headed in our direction. In her hands was a tray with four plated and cups. She was concentrating so completely on not dropping the tray that it wasn't until she was at our table that she really looked at who was seated at the table. When she did her eyes grew wide and in surprise the tray slipped out of her hands. It hit the ground with a crash that sent silence through the room. The silence lasted long enough for Arden to slip out of his seat and ask the woman if she was alright. With a slight nod she bent down to pick up the pieces. Arden bent down to help. The young man who had shown us to our rooms came out of the kitchen along with another oldish woman. She was obviously a close relative of the woman who had just dropped the tray.

'Here mum, let me help you with that,' the young man said dropping down next to Arden to pick up the pieces.

The woman on the floor stood up slowly and the one who had come from the kitchen put and arm on her shoulder and asked, 'are you alright Kathleen?'

At first she seemed not to hear as her eyes feel on me.

'Kathleen?'

'Yes Lara, I'm fine. Scott,' the young man looked up, 'are these the people you were talking about?'

'Yes mum.'

Lara didn't understand until she took a close look at us. The Professor and Rembrandt she only gave a cursory glance, but her eyes were drawn to Arden, and myself who had stood up. Her eyes flicked between the two of us and I couldn't help but wonder exactly what was going on. My initial reaction was that they must know our doubles.

Lara turned to Kathleen and demanded, 'how is this possible?'

To which Kathleen just shook her head. She had no idea how it could be possible that their parents, who by the way, had died nearly forty years ago could possibly be here.

Arden glanced at me and I gave him a blank look that meant I had no idea what was going on. He got a similar look from the Professor and Remmy. It was the Professor who spoke into the awkward silence that had descended on this small area of the room.

'Ladies,' he said,' you seem to recognise my two young friends here.'

As he spoke, Remmy was closely studying the two women. He then looked sharply at Arden and myself and noted a similarity. He began to wonder more than ever what was going on and was surprised that no one else seemed to have noticed the similarities. But he was aware by now that scientists such as Arden and the Professor sometimes, who was he kidding, often missed what was right in front of them. And as for Alison, well he could never tell what she was thinking. He had a suspicion she noticed a lot more than she let on and was at least as smart as the other two, although in a rather different way. A lesser man may have resented travelling with three extremely intelligent people, but Remmy never had or would. Although on occasions the Professor and Arden, especially the Professor had a tendency to show off their knowledge, Remmy reasoned it was because the Professor was after all a teacher, and that he liked to teach. So Remmy took it in stride and he and Alison would often complain about the eggheads together, but he didn't really take it to heart.

'Sir,' the woman who had dropped the tray said, 'of course we recognise them. They are our parents.'

My eyes widened in surprise. That was a new one. I love it how even though we had been sliding for nearly three and a half years I was still able to be surprised by differences on the worlds.

'But,' she continued, still talking to the Professor, 'both of them died years ago. So how is it possible that you are here before us?' That question was aimed at Arden and I.

'Well,' thought Remmy to himself, 'that explains the likeness.'

Arden and I glanced at each other than at the women in front of us. It was Arden who answered.

'It's rather complicated, but basically we're not from this world. We're from a parallel version of this world. But the world we're from is very different to this one.'

Arden always made it sound so simple, but if I tried no one ever seemed to understand what I was on about.

'So basically you are our parents, but in the same way you're not,' said Lara trying to understand.

'Exactly,' I agreed.

I heard Remmy whisper something to the Professor, I didn't hear exactly what he said, but it was something to the effect of, 'that sounded exactly like something Alison would say.'

The Professor whispered back, 'and she was the only one who understood it as well.'

They both smiled at that.

We talked late into the night. It turned out that our doubles of this world had different names, my double was called Kathleen and Arden's was Logan. Kathleen and Lara were the eldest of five children, Kathleen about two years older than Lara. I couldn't imagine myself with one child let alone five.

I went to bed that night with thoughts of my double running through my head. It was weird. I mean we've met doubles in just about every conceivable form. Some good, some bad, some near identical, some strange. And we'd met double of mine and Arden's that were married. But this world was different in that our doubles had been dead for nearly forty years and it was their children we met. Children that had their own children who were only a few years younger than me. I suppose it was strange for them as well.

So with thoughts like this rattling around my mind it wasn't really a surprise when I dreamed about this double of mine. I had always remembered a lot of my dreams, whether or not I actually wanted to. And many of them were very real, vivid almost, but none had ever been like they were that night. There dreams were not only vivid, but real and somehow I knew that. In the dreams I was actually my double. Everything she saw, touched, felt, I experienced like I was her.

* * * *

It was a beautiful winter's day. The sun was shinning brightly in a clear blue sky, but the sunlight did nothing to dispel the cold. At times there was a wind that would cut right through anyone out in it. And for once the whole town was out in the sunlight and wind. Winter in the little town was usually wet and cold, the town was too far west to get snow, but the bitting rain and wind more than made up for it. The townsfolk had first gathered in the small church in the centre of town, and then had headed to the graveyard. It was a tiny graveyard, but then the town wasn't very large. The funeral was for the Sheriff and his wife. They were merely the latest victims of the plague that had swept through the town. The graveyard had filled more quickly in the past month than it had in the past ten years. When the plague had first struck, many people had left town, many of them later returned when they discovered the rest of the country was in the same shape. The town's doctor unfortunately had been one of the first people to die of the plague, so ever since then the sick cared for themselves, but as of yet no one who had gotten sick had recovered. But the townsfolk that were left, about half of the original number, hoped that if they hadn't caught the plague by now, that they weren't going to. And they were right. In this one little town, the Sheriff and his wife were the last ones to die, but at the time of the funeral the townsfolk didn't know that. Since the plague had broken out, there had never been a gathering of this many people. Everyone was afraid of catching the plague off someone else, but there hadn't seemed to be any pattern whatsoever to connect the people who had died. But people were afraid anyway, as is the nature of people everywhere.

The Sheriff had been the most respected man in the town that was the reason why, despite the plague and the cold, the townsfolk turned out for his funeral. The Sheriff and his wife were buried in the graveyard that day in the clear winter weather. As soon as the ceremony finished the townsfolk sculptured away again. There was no one to witness a young boy sit down next to the fresh graves and softly cry to himself. No one that is except an even younger girl who was tired of being couped up inside for the past few weeks. She had snuck away from her parents and hadn't yet been missed. This little girl and her parents had been at the funeral, but she was too young to really understand what was going on in the town around her. She had been passing by the graveyard on her way to nowhere in particular when the sound of crying drew her back into the graveyard.

'Hello,' she said to the boy in front of her. 'Why are you crying?'

He looked up in surprise and with a sleeve wiped the tears off his face. 'I wasn't crying,' he claimed.

'Yes you were, I saw you.'

'So what if I was. I'm allowed, my parents just died.'

The little girl didn't really know what that meant, but she looked around the area and a short way away, saw what she was looking for. To the boy's surprise she went away, but quickly came back and held out a wildflower she had picked from a bush not far away.

When he didn't immediately take it, she frowned and said, 'it's for you.'

'Why would I want a flower?' He asked in a nasty voice.

'Daddy gave me a flower when Binda and Scotty died. So I give you one.'

The boy looked up and took the flower. He noticed the little girl in front of him had grey eyes and he'd never seen grey eyes before. 'Who are 'Binda' and 'Scotty'?' He asked curiously, inspite of himself.

'They are older than me and would sometimes let me play with them, but they're in the ground now and I have no one to play with. Will you play with me?'

'I don't play with babies.' He had figured 'Binda' and 'Scotty' were an older sister and brother.

'I'm not a bay. I'm nearly four.'

'Big deal, I'm six and a half. Why don't you go away.' But instead of leaving she sat down on the grass next to him. When he saw she wasn't going to go away, he asked, 'what's your name?'

'Kathleen.'

'I'm Logan. Where are your parents?'

'They went home, but I didn't want to.'

'Why not?'

'No one to play with me, and mummy and daddy don't notice me. So I stay here with you.'

'But you can't.'

'Why?' she asked, turning big grey eyes to his blue ones.

'Because.'

'Because why?'

'Just because,' he responded.

'That's silly,' she declared.

'Look, you should go home. It's cold out here and you're parents will be wondering where you are.'

A frown came over her face as she thought about it. ''kay.' She stood up and Logan was a little disappointed that she was actually going to leave. He didn't want to be out here alone and he had nowhere to go. But Kathleen didn't leave, not straight away anyway. 'You come too.'

'What?' Logan asked in surprise.

'You come too,' she repeated. 'That way I have someone to play with and you don't have to stay out here.'

'What if I like it out here?'

'But it's cold out here.'

Logan saw that the only way he was going to get her to go home was to take her there himself, which was what she wanted.

'Alright, I'll take you home.' Logan stood up and Kathleen slipped a little hand into his. 'Which way?' He asked as they left the graveyard.

'This way,' she said, tugging him in the right direction.

It wasn't far to Kathleen's house. Once there, she reached up and opened to door at which she smiled proudly, as the door handle was higher than usual. Logan wondered about this, but realised this probably wasn't the first time Kathleen had gotten out of the house. And he was right, the high doorknob had worked for a while, but not long enough. Taking Logan's hand again, she led him inside. At the door opening the two adults who had been sitting down in front of the fire, looked over.

'Kathleen, where have you been?' The woman, Kathleen's mother, asked seeming none too concerned.

'Nowhere,' was Kathleen's answer.

'Who is that with you?' This time it was her father who asked the question.

'Logan, sir,' Logan replied nervously.

'Aren't you the Sheriff's son?' Kathleen's father asked after a long look at him.

'That's right sir.'

'Damn shame about your parents son.'

'Yes sir.'

Something in this exchange had caught the attention of Kathleen's mother.

'Logan, what happens to you now? Do you have any relatives around?'

'None that I know of ma'am.'

'So you have no one to look after you?'

'That's right ma'am,' Logan agreed, trying hard to hold back his tears. He wasn't entirely successful and a few slipped down his face. Quickly he brushed them away, but as he did Kathleen's mother quickly got up and hugged him.

'There, there,' she said. She turned to her husband who seemed to know what she was thinking and he nodded.

'May as well,' he said, 'after all it will give Kathy some one to play with.'

Little Kathleen was watching quietly as the scene unfold the way her little mind had hoped it would.

At Kathleen's mothers hug, Logan's tears started to fall in earnest. Before too long his tears dried up and she handed him a hanky, which he used to dry his eyes and blow his nose.

'Logan, since you have no family to look after you, how would you like to stay here, with us?'

Logan thought about it and looked at Kathleen's parents. They seemed like nice enough people and he remembered that they had recently lost two children. He looked over at Kathleen, who smiled up at him and in that instant his decision was made.

'I'd like that very much, but I don't want to bother you at all.'

Kathleen's mother smiled, somewhat sadly. 'You won't be a bother.'

And that was that. Logan came to see Scott and Gladys as his own parents, but his relationship with Kathleen was much more complicated.

* * * *

I stirred in my sleep, but didn't wake from dreaming. Arden, in the other bed stirred also, but didn't awaken either.

* * * *

Time passes, as time does. The day when Logan would return from school was rapidly approaching and Kathleen was so excited at the prospect of seeing him again. It had been awhile since she'd last seen him, but they constantly exchanged letters. But there had been something in Logan's last letter which troubled her greatly. She picked up his letter to read again, trying to discern if there was any deeper meaning in his words or if it was just her imagination. Once again she was unable to know for sure if the girl he mentioned meant anything to him. It was obvious she did, otherwise Logan wouldn't have mentioned her, but what exactly did she mean to him? She tried to put it out of her mind. She would know soon enough, when he came home. She found she couldn't though, not fully. Ever since she'd gotten the letter, she'd been unable to concentrate on her own studies and housework. As Kathleen sat at her desk in front of the window, opened to allow any breeze in, she was drawn from her musing by a commotion downstairs. This was nothing new as her parents ran the town's only inn, but her Aunt Glenda was also expected. Kathleen didn't particularly like her Aunt Glenda and she couldn't stand the thought of being couped up with her on such a beautiful summer's day like this. So Kathleen grabbed the book she was reading and without anyone noticing, she snuck out of the inn as she had done so many times before. Years ago she and Logan had been bored and had explored the inn. They had discovered an old unused servants passage which led outside. This became the way they would sneak out for their many night adventures. More recently Kathleen used it to escape anything she didn't want to do. Before Logan had left for school, he had made sure she didn't use the passage for that sort of thing, but then Kathleen hadn't needed to escape. She had found more and more recently that she needed to get out, usually just to be alone. There was a secret place she would go to and no one, not even Logan, knew where it was. It was hers and hers alone. Someday she hoped to show it to Logan, but that was unlikely if he had found someone. Her thoughts turned once again to the girl he had written about as she entered the woods behind the inn. But her mind couldn't stay for long on that gloomy topic when the woods was so alive around her.

The commotion at the inn wasn't in fact caused by Kathleen's old Aunt Glenda, but rather someone much more pleasant. It was Logan. The trip had taken him less time than he'd planned, so he was a couple of days early. Nor was he alone. There was a young woman, much his own age with him. Gladys and Scott greeted Logan in the courtyard as he dismounted. A servant had rushed to tell them that Logan had returned. The same servant went to tell Kathleen, but found her room empty. Once Logan had dismounted he helped his companion down, then turned to Scott and Gladys. He looked around for Kathleen and was rather disappointed when she didn't appear. Gladys embraced him then stepped back and took a long look at him.

'You look well,' she said.

'Thank you. Neither of you look a day older than last time,' Logan said and meant it. He was dying to know where Kathleen was, but before he could ask Scott asked about his companion.

Logan took hold of the young woman's arm and introduced her. 'Scott, Gladys, this is Asher. I believe I mentioned her in my last letter. Asher is my cousin.'

'Your cousin?'

'That's right. It seems my mother had a brother and Asher is his daughter.'

Asher stepped forward. 'It's a pleasure to meet you. Logan speaks very highly of you.'

Scott and Gladys beamed.

'Why don't we all go inside, out of the heat,' Gladys suggested.

'Good idea, the two of you must be tired after your journey.'

'I am,' Asher agreed. 'I'm not sure about Logan though. He was in such a hurry to get here.'

The four of them went inside and when there was still no sign of Kathleen. Logan had to ask, 'where is Kathleen?'

'Yes, I'm dying to meet this Kathleen, Logan talks so much about her,' spoke up Asher.

'That's a good question,' Scott turned to the servant.

'She wasn't in her room sir, and I couldn't find her anywhere else.'

Scott and Gladys glanced at each other. 'She's been disappearing a lot lately,' Gladys said as way of an explanation.

'Actually, Gladys' sister Glenda is suppose to be arriving any time so Kathleen probably heard the noise and thought it was her.'

Gladys shot her husband a look.

'After all sweetheart, your sister isn't the easiest person to get along with. Katy will turn up sooner or later, she always does, but in the mean time, are either of you hungry? It's about lunch time after all.'

They sat down to lunch with Logan keeping an eye out for Kathleen.

'So Asher how did you find out you and Logan are cousins?' Gladys asked.

'Well we met one day in the town where Logan was going to school. I noticed he looked a little like my father so I inquired into who he was and that was that.'

'What about your parents Asher?'

'My mother died of the plague and my father raised me. When he found out about Logan he was really happy, we both were.'

'Neither of you knew about Logan?'

'Dad knew his sister had a son, but they had been out of contact for a long time even before the plague. My father had tried to find her, but had no success. He thought that maybe they had all died in the plague.'

'What does your father do?'

'He's a merchant, so we travel around a lot. It was only by chance that we were in town when Logan was there.'

'So you're following in your father's footsteps Asher?'

'I'm soon to be married and my fiancé is a farmer, so I'll give that a go. Travelling around so much doesn't really suite me.' She laughed, 'my father was upset because he had been training me and now needs to find someone else to help him.'

The rest of the day past pleasantly enough and just before dusk Aunt Glenda arrived. Logan didn't really like the old woman and wasn't surprised that Kathleen had taken off to avoid her. When they were younger, they both had hid when Glenda came to visit. They had made a game out of it, seeing who could avoid her for the longest time. Kathleen inevitably won.

However when dinner came and went with no sign of Kathleen, her parents began to worry. Just as they were about to go out searching, Kathleen turned up.

Kathleen had spent the afternoon in her secret place. There she would read or draw or sometimes do nothing at all. The spot was a sheltered little clearing in the middle of the woods. There was a river that ran through the clearing, which in the summer heat, Kathleen would often swim in.

Sometime around mid-afternoon, she figured she'd better go home, she'd probably be in trouble as it was. So she headed home. But before she could reach the inn, Kathleen met up with a friend of hers. Actually it's probably truer to say her only friend other than Logan.

'Hey Kathy, where have you been?' Alexa asked good-naturedly.

'Around. My Aunt Glenda's here and I don't really like her, so I took off for a while. How about you?'

'The usual jobs, but I'm finished for the day so why don't you come over.'

'I probably should get home.'

'You in a hurry to see your Aunt Glenda again?'

Kathleen winced. 'Not really, let's go.'

With that the two girls headed to Alexa's farm where they spent the rest of the afternoon not really doing anything, but having fun doing it.

Kathleen stayed for dinner and went home after that. She knew she was going to be in trouble, but didn't really mind as she had gotten out of a day spent with Aunt Glenda.

As soon as she walked in the door her father asked, 'where on earth have you been young lady?'

'Around,' she answered.

'So you don't think it necessary to come for meals anymore or be polite to guests?'

Kathleen just shrugged.

Her mother had heard voices and came into the lounge, closely followed by Logan and Asher.

'Have you eaten Kathleen?' asked her mother.

'Yes,' she answered quietly. Her mind was racing with possibilities as to who the strange girl could be and she came to the conclusion that she had to be the girl Logan had written her about. Kathleen looked at her closely. The girl was really pretty with long black wavy hair and blue eyes nearly the colour of Logan's. Her features were strong, but softened by an amazing smile. Asher meanwhile was studying Kathleen with as much interest. After all this was the girl her new found cousin was in love with. Although he'd never actually said that, it was obvious to Asher whenever he spoke of her. The girl in front of her was remarkably tall and looked like she had only just stopped tripping over her own feet. Her dark brown hair was about to her shoulders, but was tied back with a ribbon although strands had escaped and been tucked carelessly behind an ear. She was very pretty, but didn't seem completely sure about herself yet. Asher knew her to be a few months over fifteen, but the thing that really drew Asher's attention was the girl's eyes. She saw they were grey, but in the firelight she saw gold flecks seemingly dancing about.

'Hello Kathleen,' Logan said. To him Kathleen looked so much more grown up than last time he had seen her.

'Hi,' she said, not really looking at him.

'If you hadn't run off when you did you would have seen that it was Logan and Asher who had arrived before lunch, not your Aunt Glenda,' commented Kathleen's father.

'That would be right,' Kathleen commented. 'Excuse me, I'm going to bed.' She made to leave, but was stopped by her mother's sharp voice.

'Just a minute young lady. You're not going anywhere until you tell us where you were. We were worried about you.'

'I told you, just around.'

'That's not good enough.'

Logan listened to the exchange wonderingly. He knew Kathleen had always been rather stubborn, but he'd never known her to be like this.

'I was with a friend,' Kathleen answered.

'With a friend?' Scott repeated. 'What friend would this be? I didn't know…' he didn't finish the sentence, Kathleen finished for him.

'You didn't know I had any friends? That doesn't surprise me.' And with that she was quickly gone.

Logan was amazed by Kathleen's behaviour. Whereas her parents were more amazed by the revelation that Kathleen had a friend. She had never been one to interact much with others. They had hoped by sending her to school she would make friends, but it had always seemed that Logan was the only friend she needed.

'I wonder who it could be?' Scott pondered out loud.

Something occurred to Gladys. 'You don't suppose it could be a boy do you? She's at that age after all.'

'That would be a pleasant surprise,' said Scott.

Logan on the other hand didn't think so. He was upset that Kathleen hadn't mentioned anything to him and he was determined to find out. He had seen something in Kathleen's eyes before she'd left to go to bed, which he couldn't quite identify as he had never seen it there before.

Asher who had been at a loss during the exchange had also seen the same thing in Kathleen's eyes, but unlike Logan, she knew what it was. It was pain. The girl was hurt over something. So being the caring person she was, Asher found where Kathleen's bedroom was and knocked softly on the door.

Kathleen had hurried upstairs where she entered her room and flopped on to her bed. What had started as a perfect day, had defiantly ended in a less than perfect way.

She was still just lying on her bed when there came a soft knock on her door.

'Come in,' she called, thinking it would be Logan wanting to know why she'd acted like an idiot downstairs. But to her surprise it was Asher. She sat up in a hurry, but wasn't sure what to say.

To Kathleen's relief Asher spoke up, 'I don't believe we were properly introduced earlier.' She held out a hand. 'Hi, I'm Asher, Logan's cousin.'

In amazement Kathleen shook the offered hand. 'I'm Kathleen.' She was Logan's cousin, nothing more as Kathleen had feared.

'Um would you like to sit down?' Kathleen asked already having stood up to clear the stuff off one of the chairs.

'Sure,' Asher answered looking around the room. The room was illuminated by a couple of lanterns, there was also a fireplace, but in the heat no fire burnt there. 'You've got a lot of books,' Asher said after noting that nearly every avabile space had been filled with them.

Kathleen nodded. 'I love to read. What about you?'

'I've never really had much of a chance to read, what with all the travelling with my father.'

'Really? What does your father do?'

'He's a merchant, so he does a lot of travelling to all kinds of different places. And since I had no other family to stay with, I went with him.'

'Must be marvellous.'

'I was never too keen on it myself. I prefer staying in the one place. And since I'm to be married shortly my father needs to find someone else to help him.'

'You actually got to help?'

Asher smiled. 'Yes, he was training me to take his place when he got too old, but I was never that interested.'

'What does your fiancé do?' Kathleen asked interestedly.

'He's a farmer and although I've never had a chance to try farming I'm more than happy to give it a go. Besides it means no more travelling.'

'I'd love to be able to travel, to see the world.'

'What? Even in the rain and the mud or the searing heat and dust?'

'Maybe because of them,' was Kathleen's answer. 'I know I'm going to be stuck in this town forever. My parents aren't even going to send me to school like Logan. I'm stuck here'

'Is that so bad?'

Kathleen laughed. 'No, not really. It's a nice enough place, just boring. I know I'll spend the rest of my life here and that's fine, but…'

'But you would like to see more of the world also. Right?'

'Exactly. The problem is no one else in the town seems to understand that at all. They're content to live their entire lives without ever travelling past the town limits or maybe the next town at the most. And I suppose the only reason I am is because I listen and talk to many of the travellers who have stayed at this inn. From them I've heard about all manner of wondrous things that I want to see for myself.'

'I can understand that. Is that also why you read so much?'

'Probably,' Kathleen agreed smiling. 'That and it gives me something to do.'

'What about your studies?'

Wrinkling her nose, Kathleen answered, 'the stuff they get us to learn is so boring. The only good part is history.'

'So what do you expect to do?'

'I don't really know. Logan expressed an interest in running the inn, so that's what he'll do. To tell you the truth, I've never really though about it.'

As the two of them talked, an idea had occurred to Asher, but she thought it better not to mention it to Kathleen just yet. She had to talk to her parents first. The very next morning Asher did just that. A first Scott and Gladys were rather uneasy, but it didn't take much on Asher's part to convince them, especially after the long talk, Asher had with Kathleen last night. The next step was to ask Asher's father. A few days later in response to the letter she had sent, Asher had a letter from her father. He was more than eager to give it a go. After this letter Scott and Gladys decided that Kathleen could go travelling with Nikolas, if that's what she wanted.

The first thing Kathleen knew of this was when a servant found her and Logan returning from a horse ride. They'd done a lot of catching up, but the whole time Kathleen suspected there was something Logan wasn't telling her. Logan on the other hand had really wanted to let Kathleen know what had been going on the past few days, but knew it wasn't really his place. Although he would desperately miss her, just as he had the whole time he'd been away, he knew it wouldn't be forever. He had also realised from talking with Kathleen that it was something she had to do. He would be here when she got back.

When the servant found them and informed Kathleen that her parents wanted to see her as soon as possible, Kathleen couldn't help but think she was in trouble. She was at a loss to think of anything she'd done wrong lately, nonetheless she went nervously to her parents study.

Kathleen soon enough found out that she wasn't in trouble. Instead she was being given the chance to fulfil her dreams. Naturally she took the opportunity.

Excited and not quite able to believe it yet, Kathleen left her parents study and straight away went to tell Logan. Upon telling Logan the news, she discovered he already knew.

'How long have you known?' Kathleen asked, a little annoyed that everyone had been planning her future without telling her.

'Only a couple of days. Don't be mad Kathy. It's just that no one wanted to tell you until it was a sure thing. That way you wouldn't be disappointed if it didn't happen.'

Kathleen respected that, but she wasn't about to admit it. 'Well since everyone around here already knows, I'm going to go tell Alexa.' Kathleen turned to leave, but was stopped by Logan.

'Who is Alex?'

'Not Alex, Alexa, she and I go to school together. Anything else?'

Logan shook his head, relieved on two counts that it was Alexa rather than Alex and that Kathleen had made a friend. For some reason she'd always had trouble making friends. Logan on the other hand had always been able to make friends easily enough.

Kathleen sped off to tell her friend.

* * * *

The room was beginning to lighten with the dawn, but neither Arden nor I stirred. We were both deeply asleep and still dreaming of our double's lives.

* * * *

Logan was really worried about Scott and Gladys. They had come down with some kind of illness and even the town's doctor was at a loss to help them. The doctor had already tried everything he knew and none of it had worked. Ever since they had gotten sick, Logan had been sending word of their condition to Kathleen, but there was no sign that she had even gotten his latest letters. Ever since Kathleen had been travelling with his Uncle, the two of them had been in steady correspondence. But it could take months for their letters to reach the other, but that didn't stop either of them. Sometimes the letters would even get lost and that's what Logan feared had happened. The last couple of letters from Kathleen had made it clear that she didn't know that her parents were very ill. So Logan kept writing, hoping that before it was too late, one of his letters would reach her.

Within a week, Logan had received a letter from Kathleen filled with bad news, but still no sign that she had gotten any of his last letters. The bad news was that there had been a raid by bandits on their camp one night and Logan's uncle and Asher's father, Nikolas, had been killed. Logan sent the letter on to Asher with one from him as well. Kathleen had made no mention of how she was and only rough details of what had happened. Nor did she make any mention of what she was going to do.

One night not too long after Nikolas had been killed, Kathleen was asleep in her room, when there was a commotion outside loud enough to wake even her. Cautiously, fearing an attack, she went to see what was going on. Ever since Nikolas' death the men of his caravan had looked to her for what to do and because of this they had been about to send someone to wake her. As Kathleen entered the inn's dinning area, the men saw there was no need for someone to get her up.

'What's going on?' Kathleen asked.

Damin, who had been Nikolas' second answered. 'A bag full of mail just arrived. Apparently it has been building up for the past six months or so at our usual base and it was only just forwarded here.'

'That's great.' Kathleen took charge and eventually all the mail was distributed. With a large pile of letters in hand, she went back to her room. She saw there were a large number of letters from Logan. Deciding to read the oldest one first, she then spent the rest of the night going through the letters. As she read them, Kathleen grew more and more concerned about her parents. Finishing the last letter just as the sun was coming up, she hastily packed what things she had and prepared to leave. The caravan was due to leave in the next week, but instead of going with them she was going to go home. Before Kathleen could leave she had to talk to Damin. Kathleen was quickly able to organise everything and then she was ready to leave. If the weather stayed fine, it would take her about a month of hard riding to get her home, but winter was rapidly approaching so she had no illusions about the weather staying fine.

Just as Kathleen had feared, about a week into her journey, one morning she left the inn to find a fine layer of snow covering everything. From then on travelling became much harder and a couple of times Kathleen had to spend a week or so holed up in an inn somewhere because of a blizzard.

Logan had eventually received a letter from Kathleen letting him know that she was on her way home and that she was worried about her parents. This letter had been written as soon as Kathleen had gotten Logan's letters, nearly two months ago and Logan was worried that she wouldn't make it back. He knew the weather would slow her down, but hoped she wouldn't be too late. Scott and Gladys, with the arrival of the cold, had steadily worsened and if Kathleen didn't get back soon, she would be too late.

The night was pitch black and with the pounding rain, Kathleen could barely see a meter in front of her. Nonetheless she kept riding, knowing she was close to home. She was wet and freezing. 'At least,' she thought to herself, 'when it was snowing, the snow would just brush off, but this rain…'

Hopefully it wouldn't be too much further. The town she called home never got snow, it was too far west, but it got rain and plenty of it in winter.

The hooves of her horse suddenly rang out on the paved streets of the town. Paved streets made travel in this weather much easier, but the only roads that tended to be paved were in towns. Lanterns were burning through the town, which did little to dispel the dark, but every little bit helped. Kathleen easily found her way to her parent's inn. In the stables she quickly unsaddled, rubbed down and left some food for her horse. Shouldering her pack, she entered the inn through the kitchen. Leaving her pack and cloak there to dry out, Kathleen went in search of her parents. Before she could get any further than the dinning area, Logan appeared from upstairs.

'Kathleen,' he greeted joyously. 'I thought I heard someone come in.'

'It's good to be back,' Kathleen stated, equally as happy as Logan.

They hugged and as they broke apart, Logan took in Kathleen's appearance. 'You look like a drowned rat.'

'Amazing, that's how I feel.'

'You've got to get out of those wet clothes. You must be freezing.'

To back up what Logan said, Kathleen shivered. 'Yeah, in a minute. How are my parents?'

Logan knew it wouldn't be long before she asked and he was dreading having to tell her.

Kathleen saw the look on Logan's face and took a guess as to what had happened. 'They died, didn't they?' Kathleen asked in a soft voice that Logan barely heard over the sound of the falling rain.

Logan just nodded, then closed the distance between them and put his arms around her, holding her close.

'How long ago?'

'Scott died just over a week ago and Gladys followed a few days later.'

'Have you had the funeral yet?'

'It was yesterday. We waited as long as we could, but…'

Kathleen nodded and broke away from Logan.

'Kathy there was nothing you could have done if you'd been here. The doctor did everything he could.'

'I'm sure he did, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept that I wasn't here.'

'You came as quickly as you could.'

'Yeah and at least you were here. They're in the plots next to Belinda and Scott, right?'

Logan nodded.

'Right. Where else would they be. I'll be back soon.'

'Shouldn't you wait till morning Kathy? It's still raining out there.'

'I'm already wet.'

Logan knew there was no point in arguing. 'Let me get a lantern then.'

To Kathleen's surprise, Logan went with her out into the pouring rain to the graveyard. But then she realised that they had been like parents to Logan as well.

Kathleen stood in front of the fresh graves for a long time, not noticing the rain or the cold. Logan was standing there as well, but he left her alone for the moment.

Eventually Kathleen spoke. 'It's just me now.'

'No,' Logan replied. 'It's us. You're not alone and you never will be.'

When she didn't say anything, Logan continued. 'When my parents died all those years ago, I thought I was alone in the world, but then a little girl gave me a flower.' He held out a hand and Kathleen could see it held a flower. The same type she had given him all those years ago. It was actually the only type that bloomed in winter, but that wasn't important. Logan handed her the flower.

'I've never been alone since that moment because you've always been there. And I'll always be here for you.'

Kathleen looked deep into Logan's face and even in the dark and pouring rain, she could see exactly what he meant. She knew because she felt the same way herself, she had been in love with Logan for as long as she could remember. And all that time, Logan had felt the same way.

Knowing she wasn't alone, Kathleen was able to cry over the death of her parents. Logan and Kathleen mourned the death of Kathy's parents, but then they got on with their lives. They got married later that year. They continued to run the inn and a couple of years later their first child was born, a girl Logan insisted on naming Kathleen. Time passed with four more children, all girls, entering the world.

* * * *

The morning had passed with no sign of Arden or Alison. The Professor had sent Rembrandt to see of they were alright. Getting no answer to knocking on the door, Remmy went in. He had been expecting the room to be empty because there had been no answer, but he saw that both Arden and Alison were still sound asleep, even with the sunlight streaming into the room and the heat. Remmy frowned, knowing neither of them ever slept this late. He walked over to Arden's bed, then proceeded to try to wake him up. When he was unable to wake him, Remmy really began to worry. Rembrandt hurried back downstairs, where the Professor was trying to stay cool, but too little avail.

'Professor,'

'Ah Mr Brown, any word from them?'

'Not exactly.'

'Not exactly?'

'I think we may have a problem. They're both sound asleep. I couldn't wake either of them.'

'Asleep? How could they possibly sleep in this heat?'

Remmy shook his head to say he had no idea.

The Professor and Remmy went back up to the room Arden and Alison were in and the Professor found out for himself that neither of them could be woken up. As they were trying, one of their double's daughters that they hadn't met yet came by.

She stopped at the open doorway. 'It's amazing. It really is them. I didn't believe Lara at first, but she was right.'

The Professor and Rembrandt took stock of the woman in the doorway.

'Let me guess, you're one of Logan and Kathleen's daughters,' said Rembrandt.

'That's right. I'm Niccola. You must by Professor Arturo and Rembrandt.'

'That's us,' Remmy answered.

'If you don't mind me asking, what is wrong with them?' she asked gesturing in the direction of the two sleeping forms.

The Professor answered, 'we don't know. For some reason we don't seem to be able to wake them up.'

'Ashil's husband is a doctor, do you want me to get him?'

Remmy and the Professor glanced at each other and Remmy nodded his approval.

'Ashil is another one of your sisters, correct?' The Professor asked.

'That's right.'

'It might be a good idea to get a doctor to look them over. After all we slide tonight.'

'I'll be back shortly then.' Niccola quickly left to find Ashil. Along the way, she let the rest of her sisters know what was going on.

True to her word, Niccola was back shortly with Ashil and her husband, Brett. It didn't take long for Brett to realise he had no idea what was going on, but he did suggest someone who may be able to figure it out.

'You think Sarah might know?' Niccola asked for conformation.

Brett nodded. 'This is more her area of experience than mine.'

'Who is his Sarah?' the Professor asked.

No one seemed in a hurry to answer, but eventually Ashil explained. 'Sarah is our youngest sister.'

'So what's the problem?' wondered the Professor.

'Oh no, no problem. It's just…'

'Just what?' Remmy asked curiously.

'It's sort of hard to explain. I'll go get her.' Ashil left to find her youngest sister.

It wasn't long before Ashil came back to the inn with Sarah in tow. On the way to the inn, Ashil had explained to Sarah what was going on. So when Sarah and Ashil entered the room, Sarah was prepared for what she saw. She had only been seven where her parents had died, so she barely remembered them, but she knew instantly that in some way the two people asleep in the room were them. It had to be that parallel worlds thing that Ashil had suggested. When Ashil first suggested parallel worlds, Sarah thought that Ashil was crazier than she was, but when she saw it for herself, Sarah knew Ashil wasn't crazy. Sarah slowly looked around the room. As soon as Ashil had told her what was going on, Sarah had an idea of what was happening and looking around only confirmed what she thought.

'Any ideas?' Niccola asked of Sarah.

'Only one, but your not going to like it.'

'Why do you say that?' Remmy asked. Remmy didn't understand what the problem the others had with Sarah was. That is until she explained what she thought was going on. Although Remmy didn't have as much a problem with it as the Professor did.

'Your saying that somehow the two of them are dreaming about their doubles?' the Professor asked incredulously.

Sarah was standing right by Alison's bed. She lent down to hear something she mumbled in her sleep and it confirmed what she thought. In response to the Professor's question she said, 'exactly. But I think they're not just dreaming about them. I think they're in some way experiencing their, what did you call them? Doubles? Their doubles lives.'

The Professor was about to say something else, but Remmy jumped in before the Professor could.

'Say for a minute that Alison and Arden are dreaming about their doubles lives, I don't understand how that can be possible. All they know about their doubles is what Kathleen and Lara told us last night, and that doesn't explain why they can't wake up.'

'I don't think we can wake them up because basically they don't want to be woken up. I think they need to go through their doubles whole lives. That's the point of this.'

'What do you mean, the 'point' of this?'

'That's a little more difficult. I think it probably has to do with the manner in which our parents actually died. There was a lot of pain, and this is their chance to make it better.'

'How exactly did your parents die?' The Professor asked inspite of his disbelief.

It wasn't something any of them liked to talk about. It had been hard on all of them. Ashil was the eldest and probably remembered better than Niccola or Sarah, it was up to her to explain.

'Well, mum was on a trading trip, she would occasionally go on trips like this. But from this one she didn't return. Naturally when she didn't return, dad went looking for her. He was gone for nearly a year. In this time, Kathy, who is the eldest, looked after the rest of us. When dad returned he wasn't the same person. He had found out what had happened to mum. We didn't find out exactly what had happened for quite awhile after that. Dad was able to protect us from that.'

'But you did find out?' Remmy asked.

Ashil nodded slowly. 'We found out.' She didn't go on straight away, but eventually she continued. 'What you have to understand is that when mum went on this trip, she was younger than what Sarah is now and she was still as beautiful as ever.' She paused again, trying to find the words.

'Dad went looking for her when she didn't return, but instead of finding her, he found instead that on the road her caravan had been attacked by bandits. Those bandits killed all the men in the caravan, but the women…'

The Professor and Remmy knew where this was headed and knew it wasn't pleasant.

'The women, they kidnap and enslave. Rape, torture and eventually murder follow. Dad had gotten help from others the bandits had hurt and together they were able to track the bandits down, but not soon enough to get mum back. When they found the bandits, she had already been killed.'

'What happened to the bandits?' Remmy asked.

'Do you really want to know?'

Remmy thought about it and shook his head.

'They got what they deserved,' put in Niccola.

'Anyway, when dad got back, he wasn't the same. Mum's death had devested him and within a year of returning, he died. It was like he couldn't live without her. That's what I remember thinking at the time anyway. And I still think that now. They were everything to each other and even having the five of us wasn't enough to keep dad here. It would be extremely easy to blame him for leaving us alone, but none of us could.'

* * * *

Even as Ashil was explaining to Rembrandt and the Professor how Kathleen and Logan had died, Arden and I were actually experiencing it. And believe me when I say that if that had been me, I would never have lasted as long as my double did. She had Logan and five beautiful children to hold onto. Nonetheless she was relieved when the end finally came.

With this experience fresh in mind, I woke up. To my surprise the room was full of people. Remmy and the Professor were there as well as three women, who were obviously Kathleen and Logan's daughters. I would have liked to say and get to know them, but I felt an overwhelming urge to get out of there. I needed time to think. I glanced over at Arden and saw that he was still asleep, he must be experiencing his double's life just as I had.

I managed to get out of there, although not easily. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, but I needed to go over my thoughts first. Just as I made it out the door, I saw Arden was waking up. He could usually better deal with people than I could, but I somehow knew it wouldn't be long before he got out of there himself, to think.

I got out of the inn using the old servants passage that Kathleen had used to avoid everyone. I used it for the same reason. Leaving the inn, I headed into the woods and realised I was heading to my double's special place. It's where she would go whenever she needed to think or be alone.

The weather was incredibly hot, so upon reaching the clearing, I dropped into the stream that ran through the little clearing, clothes and all. Instead of thinking about what had happened to my double, that I had experienced like I was her, I thought of nothing but the cool water. That was why I loved swimming; you didn't have to think about anything. Just enjoying the sensation of moving through the water.

Coming up for air, I was startled to see Arden sitting on the bank.

'Arden, you surprised me. What are you doing here?'

'Sorry,' he said, although he didn't look at all sorry. 'I knew you would come here.'

I got out of the water and sat down near him in the sun to dry off. It wouldn't take long for my clothes to dry in this weather. It reminded me of Brisbane. For what seemed like an age, neither of us spoke, lost in our own thoughts.

'My double was right, this is a good place to think,' I said into the silence.

'You dreamed of your double's life?'

'Yeah, but it felt like so much more than dreams. It was so real.'

'I know what you mean. There was no way we could have known so much about their lives. It was like I was actually Logan.'

'What do you reckon happened?'

'I asked the Professor that same question and he had no idea. But Sarah our, I mean their, youngest daughter, who by the way is much older than we are, had an idea.'

I couldn't help notice that he had said our daughter, that's how real it felt.

'So what's her idea?' I asked trying not to think about anything else.

'I'm not entirely sure I understood. You'd probably understand it better than I could,'

My eyebrows shot up, but Arden didn't notice or at least he pretended he didn't.

'It seemed to me to be almost the typical ghost thing. Unresolved issues and all that. Something about the manner in which they died and this was a chance to make it better or something like that.'

'I think I get what you're saying.'

'Oh good, would you care to explain it to me then?'

I laughed and was about to explain, but I never got the chance. Suddenly it was like I was Kathleen again. Like this was another part of her life that I was experiencing.

Her eyes, my eyes, whatever, were glued to Arden/Logan.

'Kathleen, I'm so sorry.'

'Logan, it wasn't your fault. There wasn't anything you could have done. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that pain. I never stopped thinking about you and the girls. They turned out wonderful.'

'Yes, they did, didn't they. Despite the fact they lost both parents within a short time.'

It seemed everything they needed to say had been said in those few moments and very little of it was in words. They embraced and spent a life time in each other's arms. As they stood there I slowly came back to myself and was left with a feeling of thanks from my double. I didn't quite understand what the point of that had been, but somehow it had made things better for my double so I suppose it wasn't too bad. I was left with her experiences, some of which I would never be able to forget, no matter how much I may want to. But also a lot of good things had happened in her life and the trick would be to think of them rather than the bad. The problem, well not so much a problem, was that all the good things in her life involved Logan, Arden's double. She had been in love with him her whole life and knew that Logan had loved her for as long. They'd grown up together, helped each other through the hardships, gotten married, had children and were still together where ever they were now. Intense feelings all around. I didn't know quite how to deal with feelings like that. But it made me realise my own feelings for Arden had the potential to be just as strong and in some small way that scared me, but in many ways it was enlightening. It occurred to me that this feeling was maybe just from my double, that was something I would need to sort out. I couldn't help but wonder if Arden felt the same way. After all he had experienced Logan's life the way I had Kathleen's. Turning my thoughts to that I realised that Arden and I were still in each other's arms. He must have realised the same thing because at that moment we pulled apart. I had liked the feeling of his strong arms around me.

'That was definitely unusual. Did you feel their pain just seem to dissipate?' Arden asked.

'Yeah. Where ever they are now, they're together.'

An awarkward silence fell. I shuffled my feet nervously, noticing for the first time I hadn't put my shoes on before leaving the room. I knew that if I was to say anything it wouldn't come out right. Besides I really had no idea what to say. I wasn't sure what my feelings were right now and I would need time to sort them out.

'Um Alison,' Arden started. I looked over at him, straight into his bright blue eyes, which was a mistake. You could lose yourself in those eyes.

'It was really strange experiencing our doubles' lives like that. I'm not quite sure what to make of it.'

I felt I had to say something, anything. 'I know exactly what you mean. I wonder how it's possible that we were actually able to.' I frowned slightly thinking it over.

That wasn't what Arden had meant, not exactly anyway. He glanced over to where Alison stood, with what he had come to know as her thinking face on. He had noticed that whenever Alison thought something over, like she was now, a slight frown would fix upon her face. As he watched, she carelessly pushed a strand of hair behind an ear. He realised, just as his double had been in love with Kathleen, he was in love with the woman in front of him. It felt like he had already spent a lifetime with her and was soon to start another. He suspected he would have to wait a little while for Alison to sort her own thoughts out. She was the type who needed to fully think some things through and this would be one of them, but he didn't mind. After all Logan had waited nearly twenty years to tell Kathleen how he felt. Arden knew he wouldn't have to wait anywhere near that long, but he first had to get her to think about it.

'Alison,' Arden said, once again startling me out of my thoughts.

'Yes?'

He smiled then said, 'we really need to talk about what happened.'

I nodded, knowing what I was about to say wasn't what Arden had in mind. 'Okay. My best guess would be that, they were maybe some kind of spirits. Like on Gillian's world. She said she could see people on other planes and she was able to see you. Maybe somehow Kathleen and Logan were able to,' I paused not quite sure what I meant and I saw from Arden's face that wasn't what he had wanted to talk about. Trying hard, I repressed a smile and continued. 'To force their experiences on us, take us over or something. Probably because we're basically the same people. What do you reckon?'

Arden took his time answering. 'I think you know that isn't what I meant. And although it is interesting and I would agree with your assumption, it isn't what we really need to talk about.'

As he said that I couldn't help but smile, after all he was right.

When Arden saw Alison smile, he knew he had been right. 'Okay, put aside for the moment how it was done.'

'Alright,' I nodded.

'Experiencing everything of our doubles lives made me realise how I feel. And it's no surprise that I feel the same way he did, as you said we're basically the same people.'

I could see this was rather hard for him. He was used to dealing with the facts and figures of science. This wasn't exactly easy for me either, I wasn't exactly big on sharing.

'It's true we are basically the same people as our doubles and I hadn't realised just how similar we really were until this. But it also made me realise how different we can be. In some ways Kathleen was exactly the same as me, but in other ways she was completely different. Although her love for Logan isn't one of those differences.' I paused, giving Arden a chance to take in what I had said. His eyes seemed to light up as he realised in my way I was telling him I felt the same way he did.

'But before anything I really need to think about this. I don't want any relationship we have to be based on what they had. I need to know where they end and we start. No one could have exactly the relationship they did. It just wouldn't be possible and I don't want exactly what they had. For starters there is no way I would ever have five kids.'

'You're right of course. And although experiencing life as my double made me realise how I feel, as you said, we're not them nor will any relationship we have be what theirs was. We both need some time to think this all over.'

That sorted out, we were surprised to realise the sun was setting and we were hungry. So hand in hand we headed back to the inn. The Professor and Rembrandt were glad to see us back. They had been worried and about to go out looking for us.

We slid later that night and unfortunately the events that occurred allowed Arden and I no time to think about what had happened for a long time to come.