I hope the last chapter wasn't TOO hard to understand. If it was, I apologize, I am a big fan of time travel paradoxes. Also notice the insane amount of cliches in this story! I wasn't planning it like that, I swear.

Disclaimer: I only own Nigel. But as I make no money, I might as well not.

Chapter 5

Back to the Start

Claudia's mouth falls open. "No way."

"Yes, she's gone because the two of them never met." Nigel says gravely.

"Because of me. This is all my fault." Claudia moans. "But..." She thinks for a moment. "Wouldn't I have been deleted too? When I changed things?"

"Oh you were." Nigel says wisely. "The you that actually worked at the Warehouse, she's gone. You've been remembering her life the past three years."

Claudia blinks. "Why?"

"That reality is beginning to bleed through to this one. " he says.

"Once again, I ask why?"Claudia is beginning to get frustrated. "And how do you know this stuff, anyway? You're not even supposed to exist."

"Therefore making me the perfect person to know. I was the only logical choice."

"But who chose you?" Nigel only smiles at her mysteriously. Claudia throws her hand up in the air. "Fine. Don't tell me." She looks at him anxiously. "How do we fix it?" He smiles again. "I think you already know how."

Claudia does know how, but she doesn't want to do it. "We have to get the noose and go back and stop... the other me. From saving my parents."

Nigel nods.

"Which means we have to break into the Warehouse and steal it from MacPherson. Yay, fun. Is he still evil in this reality?" she asks, meaning it as a joke. But Nigel answers.

"No, he didn't have Artie around telling him what to do all the time so he pretty much did things his own way. He never went over the edge."

"Okay. So All we have to do is get past him and run like hell."

…

Two days later they are in Univille, the clueless twenty-five year old hacker and the seemingly omnipotent six year old. They arrive at the B&B, which is run by an elderly Polish couple. Claudia starts to plan their break-in.

"The noose is in isle 4283, next to George Washington's wooden teeth, if I remember correctly." She frowns. "I wonder what those do."

"They attack anyone who looks at them. Washington went a bit crazy towards the end of his life." Nigel says absently.

"How do you know these things?" Claudia asks in amazement.

"I know everything about the Warehouse." Nigel reminds her.

"Great, do you know how we're gonna get past the MacPherson, should we happen to run into him?"

Nigel looks apologetic. "You're on your own for that."

…

Claudia runs towards the Warehouse holding a laptop she stole from the Polish woman. She enters through the Umbilicus, using her computer to hack the door. Nigel follows her as she creeps into the office.

They take two steps inside and then realize MacPherson is asleep at the desk. Fighting a sudden urge to punch the man, Claudia creeps down the stairs and into the Warehouse.

Not bothering to be quiet now, Claudia and Nigel hurry through the rows, Claudia reading the numbers under her breath.

"4279, 4280, 4281, 4282, here it is! And there's the noose!" She picks up the noose and says to Nigel, "Great, now let's get out of here before-"

She turns around and runs straight into Mrs. Frederic.

"Who are you?" Mrs. Frederic asks calmly.

"Uh, look, Mrs. F, it's nothing personal, I actually kinda like you, but..." she hits Mrs. Frederic across the head with a croquet mallet. Mrs. Frederic falls to the ground, unconscious and Claudia bolts for the door, Nigel right behind her. They sneak past MacPherson, who miraculously is still asleep, and return to the B&B.

They return the laptop and go upstairs to their room.

"You ready?" Claudia asks Nigel. He nods bravely and they grab the rope. Claudia and Nigel are transported back in time to the scene of Claudia's parent's accident.

They watch as a younger Claudia appears out of nowhere, clutching another noose in her hands. Claudia approaches her younger self. "You don't wanna do this. Trust me."

Younger Claudia looks majorly freaked. "Who the hell are you? How'd you get here?"

Older Claudia holds out a hand. "I'm you. I'm you if you follow through with this. You can't save them. Let it go."

Younger Claudia jerks back. "Why should I trust you? How do I know you're really me?"

Older Claudia takes her hands, doing what Nigel had told her to do. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her hands. A bright bluish white light radiates from Older Claudia's hands and travels in wave up younger Claudia's arms. Them Older Claudia disappears completely as the two are put together.

Claudia sees in her mind the scenes from this other Claudia's life. Waking up in the yellow room every day, her job at the book store, the pills, the computer pages with her friends names on it, Nigel as he tells her the story of the alternate universe. The lives of Joshua, Leena, and Artie for Mom and Dad's lives.

"It's not worth it." her own voice whispers in her head. And Claudia nods her head in acceptance and waves to Nigel, who is standing a few feet away. "Thanks, kiddo. I'll miss you."

"Don't." Nigel says. "I was put here to help you prevent the destruction of everything you hold dear. I've fulfilled my mission." With that he smiles and walks away, towards a brightly shining light that was emanating from a door hanging in midair. He goes through and is gone.