Chapter 11 – Reassurance

"You have to tell me if she's going to be alright."

Celeste sighed monotonously. "I'm so sorry, Leon, bit I really don't know if I can do that. It could put us all in danger."

"But Celeste, you know as well as I do that mine and Emmeline's mere presence here is part of a larger plan. I can feel it in my bones. I know a conspiracy when I see one. I was meant to be here and I was meant to know what is going to happen. Now, you will answer my questions. Will Emmeline ever recover from this?"

Celeste hesitated. "Er... kind of."

Leon raised his eyebrows.

"You know her better than I do. You know that she'll put on an act to fool everyone else into thinking that she's alright, but deep down she's still suffering. She will fully recover from this eventually, but some things are going to happen that will more or less bring her back to square one. Aleksander."

"But she will get over it again? She has to!" Leon cried.

"Why? Because everything that she has been through is down to you and your revenge on her father? Yes, you will eventually tell me about that, Leon. I know everything that you have done, Leon, and I know that you feel guilty or ruining that poor child's life in the first pace. But, even now in the present, she's still not quite right after it. I can tell that she's still very stressed from it all."

"But what can I do to help her? There has to be something I can do to make her feel better," Leon said, agitated. "There has to be some way that I can atone for what I've done to her."

"You already are," a voice came from the doorway.

Celeste and Leon turned around to find Emmy at the doorway.

"I—" Leon began, but Emmy cut in.

"Don't worry, Little Emmy is in the waiting room," Emmy reassured him. "As I was saying, you already have atoned."

"How?" Leon asked.

"You've been there for her every day since you rescued her from that abuse. You held her and comforted her in her time of need. You were there for her, healing every bruise she had, holding her and cradling her through every nightmare, bathing her and dressing her and feeding her until she was strong enough to be able to do it herself." Emmy walked over and took Leon's hand. "Emmy will find out when the time is right, and she will forgive you. If you understand that, then the whole situation will be much easier in the long run; believe me." She sighed.

Leon squeezed her fingers. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Don't tell her," Emmy said. "Just be there for her, and that's all she needs."

"And... are you alright?" Leon asked, taking her shoulder.

"Yes," Emmy smiled. "Everything is getting better and better for me now. Your Emmeline will be fine. I know it. She's already made so much progress. Apparently the kids had a nasty run in earlier, and she was more than able to defend herself against three fully grown men. That's all down to you. Your guidance, your support, you teaching her. Given more time, she'll be absolutely fine. I promise."

Leon smiled at her.

"Go out there and see her. Tell her that you're proud of her. She'll love that, I know I did."

"I will. Thank you." Leon kissed her on the cheek and left.

Celeste smiled at her. "You'll give me a run for my money one of these days, you know."

"Mmm."

"Is something the matter?" Celeste asked. "With Hershel?"

"No. We had a big heart-to-heart earlier, and things are better between us now... can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"What does it mean if a pink or blue pregnancy test turns purple?"

Celeste's eyes widened. "... You're not, are you?"

Emmy nodded. "Our older selves are from fifteen years in the future, and Alfendi is fourteen and a half, so..."

"Congratulations! Leon never said when I bumped into him earlier!"

"Well, I think he's a bit... dubious of the whole thing, what with our future selves turning up out of the blue and everything... there's something else too."

"Hmm?"

"Earlier, when Little Emmy fought those guys... they were thugs of Andrea's."

"What... Andrea McIntyre?"

"Yeah. Apparently she's after the time machine. They were outside your house hassling Markus when Luke and the others arrived."

"But what could Andrea possibly want with the machine?" Celeste asked. "As if she hasn't put you and Hershel through enough."

"I don't know," Emmy replied, "but I think she has something to do with Little Emmy and Leon being here. And Hershel knows that there's something wrong too, I could see it on his face when Luke told us."

"And when is Dimitri getting out so he can fix the machine?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"Well, we have until then to suss out what the little bitch is up to and put a stop to it. Hershel will think of something, he always does."

"Yeah... but I'm worried about what she might be up to. She wants Hershel... and I'm scared that this time she might get him."

"Never. Hershel is deeply in love with you, Emmy, and he wouldn't give you or this baby up for anything. I know him.

Emmy nodded, still unsure.

"Don't worry dear. Everything will be fine. I promise." Celeste wrapped an arm around Emmy's shoulders. Emmy smiled and hugged her back.

"We'll figure out what she's up to. She won't hurt you, or Hershel, or the baby. I won't allow it, and neither will Hershel, or Leon, or anyone."

Emmy held Celeste tighter and nodded. "Especially not me."