Manny and Dipper secretly followed Frida and her mother to a simple house on top of a hill. The boys hid and watched them in their house through the window.
"Mother why do I always have to wear this stupid dress?" Frida asked.
"Because you go to a school that is taught at a church and when little girls go to church they have to look their best which means you have to wear a dress." Her mother said.
"But I look stupid."
"No you look adorable." A deep voice said. A large, muscular man with black hair, blue eyes, and a mustache entered the house.
"Papa!" Frida cried excitedly running into the man's arms. He scooped her up and hugged her tight.
"How was school?" He asked her.
"It was boring like it always was but after school a weird man came up to me."
"What weird man?"
"He was really skinny and ugly too."
"Hey!" Dipper called insulted.
"Shh!" Manny hushed covering Dipper's mouth.
"He wanted me to go with him somewhere so I kicked him."
"Ha! That's my girl." The man said patting her head.
"Now Frida you know how I feel about you being violent." Her mother said. "You should've just run straight home or called for help."
"Oh Carmela sometimes that doesn't always work." Her husband replied. "Sometimes you have to defend yourself."
"That maybe true Emiliano but I don't want our daughter starting any fights unless it's necessary. After all remember what she did Sophia last week?"
"Oh yeah, we wouldn't want another repeat of that."
"What? I only punched her because of what she said to me." Frida said.
"Now dear you can't just hurt someone because of the words they say."
"But she said that I was a witch that when I grow up everyone in town was going to burn me at the stake."
"Now why on earth would she say I thing like that?" Carmela asked.
"She said it was because my hair was blue."
"Well that was only because your mother ate so many cornflowers when she was carrying you. I told you eating those were a bad idea." Emiliano said.
"Oh and like eating pickles like you suggested would've made a better option?"
"She also said it because of this." Frida held up her wrist where her cross shaped birthmark was.
"Oh Frida." Carmela said sitting her in her lap. "That doesn't mean your a witch. You know Jesus died on the cross don't you?"
"Yes."
"So if you were born with a birthmark in the shape of one then that means God favored you and that he has a special plan for you."
"What's his plan?"
"You'll have to find out for yourself one day."
"When will that be?"
"No one knows except for the almighty himself. You know I bet that's why Sophia said those things. She was jealous because he gave you a clue to what your purpose might be."
"Now she did it because Billy Jensen said she was cute."
Two girls about fourteen or fifteen of age walked into the house. They looked identical in every way except their hair was in different styles. One had her hair into a low pony tail while the other had her hair in a high pony tail. They were very pretty. Manny figured they were Frida's sisters.
"Who's Billy Jensen?" Emiliano asked.
"An older boy from school who Sophia has a crush on." One of the girls said. "Looks like Frida has a boyfriend."
"No I don't Anita." Frida said. "Besides I don't like him."
"Good because you're not supposed to like boys." Emiliano said. "Boys will only take advantage of you so you can't trust them. Be careful when you decide to get married."
"Don't worry Papa boys are just silly and dirty minded so I'm not ever gonna get married."
"That's my girl."
For hours they watched Frida with her family. Manny couldn't help but pay extra attention to how much Frida's parents seem to love her. When her father looked at her he held nothing but pride and love in his eyes, same with her mother. He watched them all laugh, smile, play, and do everything that most happy families did. When it became dark he watched as Frida's parents tucked her into bed.
"Day is dying in the west
angels watching over me My Lord.
Time for me to take my rest
angels watching over me."
Her mother was singing her a lullaby.
"All day, all night
angles watching over me my Lord.
All day, all night
Angles watching over me.
Keep me through the hours of the night
angels watching over me my Lord.
Safe until the morning light
angels watching over me."
Frida began to sing with her mother.
"All day, all night
angels watching over me my Lord.
All night, all day
angels watching over meee."
Her parents kissed her good night and went to get the lights. They softly closed the door and little Frida drifted off to sleep.
"I see." Manny said. "Frida gets her looks, her spirit, her faith, and her singing from her mother but she gets her headstrong attitude, determination, and temper from her father. She's a perfect combo of them both."
"Well lots of kids are like that." Dipper said. "Now can we get her and go? She's asleep so she won't fight us."
"Alright."
But before they could do anything the scene around them changed. They began watching memory after memory. They saw her go to school, go to church, pull pranks on other kids and adults, get into fights with her sisters, get into fist fights with other kids, sing in church choir, play outside, she seemed to have a normal childhood and she was very different at this age. Sure she was still stubborn and spirited but she was much more free will and somewhat self-centered but then again weren't all children like that?
Then they entered a memory that was quite different from the others. The previous memories were all bright and sunny but this one was really gray and dreary. They were still outside but it was on a very gloomy day and their were three graves in the yard of her house. The tombstones of the graves had the names: EMILIANO SUAREZ, ANITA SUAREZ, and NIKITA SUAREZ engraved on to them. They looked into the window and saw Carmela lying in bed coughing while Frida was at her side crying.
"Please get well Mother." She begged. "You're all I have now."
"Listen to me." She said weakly. "I'm so very sorry but soon I have to join your father and your sisters so I need you to be a good girl okay? I need you to be kind and brave and honest but most of all I need you have hope. It will be hard, especially since the world can be so cruel so you must have faith. Hope and faith are two things that are very frail but hard to kill so you must hold on to both because it's the only way you'll get through the hardships of life. Hold on to them and never let them go no matter what."
"I'll try."
"I know you will and I know you'll succeed because you are very special."
"I'm gonna miss you."
"Don't worry you'll see me again and your father and your sisters, I promise you someday we'll all be together again." She weakly undid the chain of her cross necklace. "Take this and I'll always be with you."
She placed the cross in Frida's hand, she clutched it, and found more tears sliding down her cheeks.
"So she lost one parent and lost another shortly after, leaving her all alone." Manny sighed. "I know what that's like."
"Look I know this is sad but we need to get her out of here." Dipper said.
"Okay."
"But not now, we need to wait til she's alone or we might end changing an event in her past."
It was getting darker now, they were going into another memory but this one's atmosphere was darker than the other one. In fact this might have been the darkest one ever. They were no longer outside but this time inside the hallway of what appeared to be a hospital or something like that.
"Where are we now?" Manny said.
"I have no idea." Dipper said.
"Let me go you ass holes!" They heard someone scream. They followed it to a steel door with a small glass window. Looking through a window they saw a dark windowless room aside from the one on the door, three men wearing white coats, a machine used for shock therapy, and Frida who was kicking and screaming as the men were trying to strap her down. "I already told you! I'm not crazy!"
"My God this is when she was in the asylum." Manny realized.
"Hold her down!" One of the men said.
"Get a straight jacket!" Another thing.
"Get off of me!" Frida screamed fighting. "I don't want you to hook me up to the machine! It hurts!"
"I gotta do something." Manny said.
"No! She's not alone! If you go in there you could change something." Dipper objected.
"So we're just supposed to stand here and watch them torture her?"
"We can't change the past Manny, no matter how horrible it is."
"But this is- I mean-"
She screamed and cried, begging and pleading for them to stop. Manny couldn't take it any longer.
"Screw this!"
"Manny no!"
But he broke down the door gaining the men's attention.
"Who the hell are you?" One asked.
"How did you get in here? You don't have authorization!"
But he just grabbed each of them by their throats and squeezed each them til they fell down dead or unconsciousness. He didn't care if he had killed them or not because he was infuriated that would subject his friend or any other person to this. Once they were all down he looked for Frida.
"Are you okay?" He asked her.
She didn't answer she just backed away from him until she reached a corner. She looked scared out of her mind. He saw the marks and bruises on her arms left by those so called doctors. He walked a little closer to her but not too close then kneeld down.
"Hey I'm not gonna hurt you alright?" He said softly. "I know you're scared and you probably don't trust many people now but I promise I won't hurt you."
She still didn't move, he figured as much. Then without warning she ran out of the room.
"Well smooth move Manny." Dipper scolded. "Now you've probably prevented Frida from ever being found by Father Gardner."
"Shut up! I'll fix it, come on let's go get her."
They followed her as she ran down the hallway. No one was around to see or stop them so they didn't have to worry about being incognito. Frida kept running until she tripped over her feet and fell over.
"Frida stop." Dipper said. "Look I know you don't know me but I'm here to help you."
"I know you!" She said. "You're that creepy stranger!"
"No! I-"
But she just got up and kicked him in the shin.
"Ow! Why you little-"
She tried to run off again but this time she was stopped by bumping into Manny. She froze and started shaking.
"Take it easy." He said gently. "Tell you what, would you like me to take you out of here?"
It took awhile but she nodded.
"Okay." He stood up and went to get to touch her, she tensed at his touch. "It's okay I'm just gonna take you out of here, I swear."
She eased up a bit and let him pick her up.
"What about him?" Frida asked pointing to Dipper.
"Don't worry the stranger won't follow us." Manny reassured her.
"Hey!" Dipper scoffed.
Manny carried her out of the asylum, the whole time he carried her she clutched him nervously. He could feel that she was debating on weather to trust him or not.
"You're not taking me back to the orphanage are you?" She asked him. "Everyone there thinks I'm crazy."
"No I'm not taking you back there." He assured her.
"Then where are we going?"
"Don't worry the people at this place won't think your crazy...At least not until your sixteen."
"Do you think I'm crazy?"
"No...Well...I don't know it depends. What kind of crazy are you talking about?"
"I talk to people who no one else can see."
"Oh then you're not crazy you're just gifted."
"You believe me? You actually think they're there?"
"Yes."
"You're not just saying that because I'm a kid are you?"
"No."
"Good because I hate it when adults do that. So do I know you? I'm pretty sure I don't but you seem to know me."
"Well no you don't know me, not yet that is."
"What do you mean?"
"Well I'm someone you're gonna meet in the future."
"Oh no! Are you my future boyfriend or something?"
"No! Nononono." Manny denied while blushing.
"That's good because I don't want a boyfriend and I don't want to get married."
"And why is that?"
"Because if you get married you have to have sex and sex hurts so I'm not getting married ever."
"Whoa who taught you about the birds and the bees?"
"My father."
"Oh well that explains a lot."
"Also men are selfish, dirty, and dishonest and they'll only take advantage of me."
"Well not all men are like that."
"My father said they are."
"Well then he's calling himself all those things because he's a man too."
"Yeah but it's different."
"I think he only told you that so you wouldn't be so quick to trust the first man who shows an interest in you and while not all men are trustworthy some are. Take me for example okay I may have a dirty mind and can be selfish from time to time but I would never take advantage or hurt you for anything in the world."
"Really? You wouldn't hurt me or take advantage of me ever?"
"I would rather die."
"No you wouldn't."
"I swear to you I would and I would protect you, take care of you, and make sure that you're always happy. In retrospect I think I would make a good husband."
"Are you saying that you wanna marry me? Because if you are I think that's illegal because I'm a kid and you're an adult."
"No! Not now! I'm not a creep you know. But maybe when you're older."
"So when I grow up and meet you in the future you'll marry me? What if I don't love you? And what if you don't love me?"
"Tell you what in the future when you're older, if you love me then I'll ask you to marry me?"
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Okay."
She smiled, he smiled back and continued carrying her. By the time they reached Holy Order she had fallen asleep. He gently laid her down at the doors of the church, knocked on them, and hid. The doors were opened by a nun.
"Oh my goodness! Father Gardner! Come quick!" She called.
Just as Manny had hoped Father Gardner took her in almost immediately meaning everything was back on track the only difference was she had come sooner than expected, he brought her there, and he promised to marry her in the future if she loved him by then. That's when reality hit him hard. He had promised to marry Frida when she grew up and if she loved him. She did love him as an adult which meant...
"Oh God what in the world am I going to do?" Manny asked himself nervously. "How could I promise her that? What will she say when I get her back to her present state? No doubt she will press the issue?"
"There you are!" Dipper said angrily. "Thanks for waiting up for me! I hope you didn't cause too much damage to the present."
"No...No everything is back to the way it was. I left her at the church and she was adopted by the old man."
"Good and look, she's sleeping alone. Let's grab her."
They carefully and quietly opened the window to her bedroom. Manny then picked her up out of her bed and carried her as they walked back to the exit of her memories and moments in time. Once they were out the sleeping child in Manny's arms changed back into a teenager. He dreaded the moment when she would wake up and press him about his interference.
"Uh...What...Hey where am I?" She yawned as she started waking up. "Manny what's going on?"
"You kind of went back in time for awhile."
"Really?"
"Yes and listen there are somethings you may have misunderstood during that state and-"
"Actually I don't remember anything."
"You don't?"
"No."
"Oh really? You mean you don't remember kicking me?! Twice?!" Dipper snarled.
"I kicked you?"
"Twice! Second time in the shin and first time in the forbidden zone."
"Forbidden zone?"
"His manhood." Manny said.
"Huh, I don't remember any of that. Right now everything's all foggy."
"But you're okay?" Manny asked.
"Yeah I'm fine so can you put me down?"
"Oh yeah right, sorry."
He put her down and they began searching for Steven and Connie. Frida noticed that Manny was being very quiet not to mention he looked nervous. Like he had a secret and he was desperately hoping to God that no one would find out where it was. She wondered why he was like that? She searched her mind and tried to figure out what exactly had happened after she blacked out but all her memories were the same. The same that they had always been for sixteen years, no. No something was different, there was a new memory but it was very foggy and she had a hard time seeing what it was. It happened right around the month she spent at the asylum. Wait a minute she had stayed there for a year didn't she? But then why did she remember only staying for a month?
"You okay Frida?" Manny asked her.
"I'm fine except..."
"What?"
"Nothing I'm just confused."
"About what?"
"Nothing that's important to you. So where are we going?"
"To find Steven and Connie." Dipper said. "Connie fell back into time too and Steven went to go get her."
...
When Steven found the door labeled Connie Maheswaran he went inside to search for her. He found himself outside in a school yard. He saw several children going into the building. They were all wearing some type of school uniform, one of which was a girl about ten years old wearing glasses. Steven recognized her as Connie but she was now a child so if she was to revert back he needed to get her out these memories but Dipper had warned him only to grab her when she was alone other wise he could mess up her past so he waited until there were no other witnesses around her. He turned himself into a bat and with great stealth followed her around the school all day.
As he watched her he noticed that she kept to herself a lot and that she never played with any of the other children. She was always doing school work , kept quiet, and if the other children asked her to play with them she would just politely refuse. It made him wonder if she was lonely as a child? Did she have no friends? Did she even want friends?
When school ended Connie was greeted by a man in his forties. She smiled and ran into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around while she laughed.
"Uncle Eaton!" She giggled.
"Hi there squirt, ready to go on our camping trip?"
"Uh-huh. You're gonna teach me how to fish this time right?"
"You bet. Now let's get going."
The memory than changed to a new one. This one took place in the forest at night. Connie and her uncle were sitting by a tent and a campfire by a nearby stream. They were cooking fish over the fire.
"I love going camping with you Uncle Eaton, I wish Mother and Father would let me do it more often."
"Me too but your parents are scared you might get hurt."
"Yeah I know." She sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"I love Mother and Father very much but they won't let me have any fun. All they do is keep me at home and school, they tell me not to make friends because I need to focus on my school work."
"Well you do need to focus on school but I don't see any harm in you having friends. I mean all kids need friends and all kids need to have fun at least once and awhile."
"I'm glad you understand me Uncle Eaton. Sometimes I wish I was your daughter."
"Now don't you say that. I know your parents may not make the best choices but they love you more than anything in the world and they sacrificed a lot for you."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, you're young so you don't understand. Most children don't understand how much they mean to their parents until they become adults."
"Uncle Eaton what were your parents like?"
"Well Connie it's a rough subject. You see your mother and I didn't have the best relationship with our parents."
"What do you mean?"
"Well Connie your mother was a very smart woman. Some say she was gifted, she got good grades, was the top of her class. She was one smart kid."
"Wow Grandmother and Grandfather must've been very proud of her."
"They were but maybe a little too proud. They were always pressuring her to get perfect grades, be the perfect student, go to the perfect college. Basically they wanted her to be perfect as for me well I wasn't as she was so they didn't really pay as much attention to me as they did to her."
"Why? You're just as special as she is."
"But I wasn't special in the way they wanted me to be. When I was younger I used to be really jealous of all the attention your mother got until I found out how much pressure she felt how she made it I'll never know. You know you have your mother's intelligence. You'll probably do great things, you might even become a doctor like her."
"What if I don't want to be a doctor?"
"In my opinion you should be what makes you happy okay?"
"Okay."
The memory was changing again. This time he was in the yard of a house, a vehicle pulled up, Eaton and Connie got out. Her entire body had red rashes on them.
"It itches." She complained.
"I know, I know but don't scratch okay? It'll only work. Let's see if your mother has any ointment."
As they approached the door a man and a woman came out. The man looked a lot like Connie in the face and the eyes but the woman had Connie's body type. When the woman saw Connie instant horror crossed her face.
"What happened?!" She cried.
"Now don't panic big sis, she just got into some poison ivy. She's alright."
"Alright?! Look at her! She's covered in rashes!"
"Piriyanka please, remember your blood pressure." Her husband said.
"I'm fine Mother really." Connie said.
"Doug take her inside and get the ointment, I'll be up later to start her bath right now I need a word with my little brother."
The man called Doug picked up Connie and took her inside.
"I let my daughter go off into the wild with you and what happens?"
"You're overreacting just like you always do." Eaton said. "It was poison ivy, a few rashes, nothing some ointment and a bath can't fix."
"But what if it hadn't of been poison ivy? What if it had been a poisonous insect, spider, or snake? Would ointment and a bath fix those?"
"Piriyanka you really need to cool it. My God you've been protecting this kid way too much. You know she told me that she doesn't have any friends. That you tell her she doesn't need them."
"She doesn't."
"Every kid needs friends Piriyanka. You wanted friends more than anything in the world when you were her age."
"Mother and Father forbade me from having them."
"And they were right to do that?"
"If it weren't for them I wouldn't be where I am today."
"I highly doubt that considering they forbade to marry Doug since he was a delivery man. Were they right to do that too?"
"Don't bring that up please."
"I'm sorry but you're doing to her what Mother and Father did to you. Please don't."
"Eaton she is my daughter not yours so I will raise her in the best way I see fit and I don't think you should see her anymore at least for awhile."
"But she's my niece, I love her."
"I know but you're irresponsible and you could put her in danger so I don't want you around her for some time."
"Your her mother so I can't argue with you but just so you know Piriyanka you better be careful with how you shelter because if you're not then you're gonna lose her."
"Leave."
"Fine."
"No!" Connie ran out of the house.
"Connie come back here!" Doug said.
"Uncle Eaton don't go!" She begged hugging him.
"I'm sorry sweetie but your mother's right and besides I need to get some work done. But don't worry I'll write you and call you whenever I can okay?"
"No. No don't go."
"I love you sweetie."
"No! Don't go please!"
She wanted to run after him but her mother held her back. She didn't stop crying til he was gone.
