Author's Note: This was difficult to write. Please don't be upset, try and understand. Music: KT Tunstall- Throw Me a Rope (Acoustic version) great song, Frou Frou- Shh, and The Killers- Reasons Unknown, lastly Death Cab for Cutie- I Will Follow You into the Dark.

……

(July 7, 2034 Lily/Oliver: 43 and Beatrix: 8)

LILY: I'm sitting in Cindy's office, listening to her explain to me why it won't work. Outside the heat is blazing. You walk outside and sweat immediately begins pouring from your scalp. It's one of those days I wish I could have spent at the beach catching the perfect wave…

The lights are off in her office and the air conditioner is on full blast. It rattles and makes loud whooshing noises. We are sitting across from each other in the same seats we always have. I want water. I want to scream. I want Cindy to shut up so I can ask her a question. I feel like jumping up and leaving but instead I stay put.

"Lily? Did you hear me?"

"Um no." I sit up in my seat like a schoolchild getting caught daydreaming.

"I asked if you understood why it can't work."

"Oh yeah." I try and fit my thoughts together. "It won't work because my immune system is screwed. And because I'm old. And because there are too many genes involved."

"Right." Cindy sighs rubbing her temples. "I'm sorry."

I think about all the times I've hear that. I think back to that day we learned about alternate universes. We had hope. Had. Cindy tried working with the time traveling mice again but it failed. Everything is falling apart. I think about Oliver.

I clear my throat. "So what about Beatrix? Would it work for her?"

"We'll never know unless you and Oliver bring her in and we try gene therapy."

"But if you had her DNA you could make some mice and work on stuff for her and when she is eighteen she can decide if she wants to try it?" I ask with my hands on my knees and leaning forward.

"Yes."

"So even if I'm screwed at least Bee can benefit from it someday?"

"Yes."

"Ok then." I say leaning back and wiping the cold sweat that formed behind my neck. "That's what we'll do."

OLIVER: I'm in the attic flipping through old photos and journals. The sun is setting through the attic window; it sets a nice orange glow around the room. I see dust particles rising. I rub my hand over my forehead to wipe the sweat away. This weather is killing everyone.

I hear the front door open and close. "Oliver?"

"Attic!" I yell to Lily. I hear her bare feet running up the stairs and down the hall. I see the outline of her shadow on the wall as she comes up the attic steps.

"Hey babe…" She says softly sitting next to me. "What do we have here?"

"Pictures of us." I show her the one from freshmen year. Lily is sticking her tongue out and I'm laughing. Another one is of us three. Miley, Lily, and me, we are in front of Rico's sitting on the bar stools. Our backs are to the camera.

"How was Doctor Brown's office?" I ask her, turning another page. Silence strikes and I look up at her. Her face is a little pained, she can't look at me. Lily looks out the window, the sun lights up her face and her hair catches aflame.

I'm afraid to ask, I'm terrified to even open my mouth. I'm happy when she begins. "There's nothing left to do. We can only hope and wait… together. And I also talked to Cindy about Beatrix." Lily stops.

I shake my head and put the photo album back in its box. "No, Lily no. I can't watch her go threw what you did. I cannot and will no sit back and watch her fall apart. I'm already loosing you! Leave something behind… leave something for me to hold on to."

Lily hangs her head and sucks in a shaky breath. "I just want to leave her a safety net. I want to insure that Beatrix has a choice. I want to know that she can decide between time traveling and a normal life… Will you at lest let me leave her that? A safety net." Lily says softly.

I draw in a breath and nod. Lily gets up and bends over and kisses my forehead. "Thank-you." She says, crying without a sound. I wait until Lily has gone downstairs before I let a few tears run down my cheeks.

I gathered myself together and walk downstairs. Lily and Bee are cooking dinner. I close my eyes and listen to them laugh. I try and picture life as it once was. I was fourteen and carefree. I open my eyes and watch Lily and Bee make macaroni and cheese.

Lily catches my eye, she looks at me sadly. I shake my head and mouth 'I love you.' A small smile runs across her lips. She turns back to Bee and helps her stir the noodles.

(October 19, 2034 Lily/Oliver: 43 and Beatrix: 8)

LILY: I'm sitting up in bed, it's 4:30 a.m., Oliver is passed out. I get out of the bed slowly. I find my old purple mesh shorts on the small chair in the corner. I slip them on and pull a large gray sweatshirt over my head.

My tennis shoes are waiting by the front door. I step outside and breathe in the morning air. I close my eyes and let every sound, feeling, taste fill me. I hear a rabbit rustle in the bushes. A bird flies overhead.

I stretch in the driveway. The sky is a perfect deep purple but the sun will be rising soon. It's nice and cold. I begin with a light jog down Jones Street.

I reach the corner stop sign and break out into a dead set run. My arms are pumping back and forth. My heart is hammering in my chest. My legs burn, but I'm almost there, I've almost reached it.

And then, like a quick flash of the rising sun, I'm flying, I'm soaring. Nothing can stop me! Nothing, nothing, nothing-

OLIVER: I wake up and Lily isn't next to me. I check the clock, green numbers say: 6:30. I get up and look around. The sun's rays are streaming through the small portion of the window that is not closed by curtain.

I stumble down the stairs with droopy eyes. I make coffee and try to wake up. I flip through the paper. I hear the back door open and I spot Lily kicking off her shoes.

"Running?" I ask pouring coffee.

"Yes." Lily says between breaths. She walks over looking sore and tired; she sits in a chair and exhales.

Lily is drenched with sweat. She looks as if she's just come out of a rainstorm. "Water?" I ask.

"Please!" Lily nods fiercely fanning herself. I grab an ice cold water bottle from the fridge and throw it to her. She catches it and gulps it down.

"So how was the run?"

"Long, I'm not young anymore. I can't run like I used to, but for a split second it was beautiful."

I smile, she looks beat but happy. If she's satisfied then I' am. "I'll go wake up Bee." Lily smirks walking out and skipping up the stairs. I finish drinking my coffee and a minute later I hear Bee squeal and come bounding down the stairs.

"EW! MOMMY YOU ARE DISGUSTING!" She cries running to me. I hear Lily howling with laughter. I look over at Bee, she is wet.

"What happened?" I chuckle.

"She hugged me and she was all sweaty!" Bee says sticking out her tongue. That's Lily for you.

(October 23, 2034 Lily/Oliver: 43 and Beatrix: 8)

LILY: … I'm scared. I haven't told Oliver and I know that was a mistake, but I just couldn't. Something happens today. I have marked the date down in my memory. If I recall correctly I'm sitting in Miley's kitchen right now at 42 sipping tea.

Beatrix is at Miley's house now too. I'm alone. Oliver is out at the store buying things to make the salad for tonight. I'm sitting in the living in the red chair, just waiting. My hands are clasped tightly together. My knuckles are white.

Just let it be quick. Whatever it is, just let it be quick. I shut my eyes when the pain begins and then…

Slam!

I'm on a hard black road! Pain! Pain!

Headlights burning my eyes. I'm screaming! I'm screaming! There's a loud crash. And pain, all I feel shooting up and down my body is burning pain. People are whispering and shouting. I hear a man cry out: "Call an ambulance!"

I can't see. My eyes have failed. Everything is a white blur. And then… darkness.

OLIVER: It's a dull job, shopping. I'm pushing my cart down to the check-out. A teenage girl swipes my food across, I pay and flee. There's nothing good on the radio so I keep it off. I pull up in the driveway.

I'm carrying the food inside. I open the door, while juggling the two brown bags. I close it and put my keys in my pocket. I walk into the kitchen and there she is.

"Lily!" I hear myself yell, voice hoarse and raw. She's not moving and her legs are tied up in an unnatural position. I drop the bags and run to her. I check her pulse- faint, very, very faint.

Later:

The Emergency Room: a scene of fluorescent limbo: Worried mother's with feverish children. Teenagers whose friends are having bullets removed from various limbs. Elderly people sitting looking drained and sickly.

"Help please, please help me!"

I'm carrying Lily; she is limp and lifeless in my arms. Tears are streaming down my face and I don't care who sees me. A doctor and a nurse run over. They pry her away from me and place her on a gurney.

They begin to roll her away. I run to catch up but a nurse stops me. "I'm sorry sir but you'll have to wait." She says pushing me back.

"NO! That's my wife! Let me go! Let me be with her!" I'm hysterical and everyone is staring at me. She shakes her head and walks away. She goes through the swinging doors and disappears. I sink into a chair and cover my face.

"Don't you dare take her from me." I hiss under my breath. I don't know who I'm talking too, maybe God maybe the devil.

Later:

"Oliver?"

I don't move. I'm so tired.

"Oliver it's me Miley."

I feel her hand on my shoulder. She sits down next to me and rubs my back slowly. "Miley?" I ask quietly in a child voice.

"I'm here. I'm right here." She reassures me kindly.

I shake and feel tears roll down my cheeks. "They took her away from me. I- I wasn't allowed to go. They took her."

We sit in silence. I look up after a minute and face her. Miley's face is white and her eyes are dark. We wait.

"Mr. Oken?"

My head snaps up and I stand up even faster. The nurse that pushed me away is staring at me now. Her nametag says Sue. Sue frowns at me.

"Come with me." She says. I glance back to Miley she waves me off. I follow Sue through the swinging doors. The hall is quiet and dim. I pass different rooms. I see other patients.

"Where is she? Where's my wife? What's happened?" I shout grabbing Sue. The red haired woman looks at me with unhappy eyes.

"Mr. Oken, I'm very sorry but your wife has been in a terrible accident which has left her paralyzed from the waist down."

I back away. I fall back onto the white wall. "W-What?" I gasp.

Sue hangs her head. "When you are ready she is in room 304. She's still not awake yet." Sue walks away, her hands in her pockets.

I take deep long breaths. What is to become of us now? I look around waiting for anything. A slap to wake me from this nightmare. I get up and walk to her room. My Lily is lying in bed. She almost looks unrecognizable, her skin blends in so perfectly with the white sheets.

Her eyes are closed but her mouth is moving. Her head moves from side to side. She is whispering my name. I take a chair and pull it up to the side of her bed. I pick up Lily's hand and wince when I feel how dry and cold it is.

My eyes slowly make their way to her legs. They lay very still. They don't look any different. Still the same legs I've touched and kissed. But they are not the same, they are broken. What about Lily? Is she broken too?

It is late at night. The moon is hidden, there are no stars. I bend over and kiss her forehead. Her head is hot and sweaty. I sit back down and stare at her. Where are you Lily?

She slowly stirs. Lily opens one eye and then another. "Where am I?"

"October 23 2034." I reply not missing a beat. Lily tries to sit up. Her face goes from tired and drugged to panicked and frightened in a matter of seconds. Lily pushes her hands down hard on the bed and pulls her weight up but she fails.

Oh God. Oh God.

Her eyes dart around the room. She looks down at her legs and frantically begins to thrash around in the bed. "What's wrong what- what's happened?!" Her legs don't move. Her upper body moves and jerks around.

Lily throws the sheets off the bed and touches her legs. I wait. I turn away. I close my eyes. I can't watch, I can't see.

Lily begins to scream.

….

Author's Note: Hate me if you will… Leave your thoughts…