Chapter 33 – Painful Love

"'ello love."

Andrea ignored the cheery cab driver and slid into the back seat of the taxi. The cabbie shrugged and started the engine.

"So what's the story, ma'am? Where're you headed off to from Pembroke without any luggage?"

"That's none of your concern," Andrea replied coldly.

"Man trouble is it?" the driver said slyly, his coy smile evident to Andrea through the rear-view mirror.

Andrea raised her eyebrows.

"Ay ay, I know that look on a woman's face when I see it," he smiled knowingly. "So wha' 'appened? 'E chuck you out, or did you leave?"

A scowl appeared on Andrea's face as she flushed furiously. "It's none of your business."

The cabbie cast his eyes to the heavens, a smirk on his chubby face. "Wha'ever you say, lovie. But I'm just sayin' it's a long drive over to Pembroke, and they say I'm a good listener..." he fell silent as they came to a roundabout.

Andrea sighed heavily. She felt tears starting in her eyes, but she blinked them back. "It's..." she sighed again. "It's complicated..."

It was silent once again in the car as the professor, Emmy, Luke, Claire and Bronev made their way to their next destination. Each one of them was as deep in thought as the other, constantly wondering about the situation at hand. Celeste, Markus, Leon and Little Emmy were following along in a cab behind them, in a similar state of mind. The same old unanswered questions drifted around each mind in turn; would everything go back to normal after Little Emmy and Leon went back to their own time? Would Claire find out about her untimely demise? How would she react to this? What would they do after they dropped Little Emmy and Leon off? Were they doing the right thing? The situation as a whole was so confusing to each of them; none of them knew the reasons behind any of what had happened thus far. Each was in a state of mixed feelings of shock and confusion and, for the first time since Bronev, Layton, Emmeline and Alfendi had knocked on their door on day one, they all had a chance to actually think.

The professor, while doing his seventh best to keep most of his focus on the road, was whiling away the long hours of the journey by indulging in one of his favourite pastimes; deducting. His mind had studied every curious aspect of their current situation, and he had placed answers on many of the puzzling questions he had about their situation. He had theories on the memory eraser that currently laid in the trunk of the car, how Andrea was able to jump into the past when not scientifically being able to do so and why he, Emmy and Bronev had no recollection of travelling back in time. Everything had seemed so jumbled up before; what with all the twists and turns his journey had taken him, what with seeing Claire again and seeing both older and younger versions of himself and Emmy... and his son... his brain was crammed with worry and anxiety and excitement and dread and guilt that he could hardly think straight. All he needed was quiet time, for everyone to stay quiet and for everyone to stay in their own time for a mere couple of hours while had sat down and had a good old think.

But there was one question left that he simply couldn't find an answer to;

Why?

Why was Andrea doing all of this? Sure, he knew that the woman had some sort of crush on him, but to do all of this damage to himself and Emmy, to drive a wedge of unimaginable proportions between them, and to gain what? If he were to be killed or erased from history because of her messing around with space time, then how would she have even the slimmest chance of being with him? If she wanted Emmy out of the way, then why not choose a quicker method of disposing of her (not that he was complaining – the safety of his girlfriend and unborn child was, and so remained, to be his number-one priority) and not mess with things she didn't understand? Merely thinking about it made the professor's head hurt even more.

And, to cap it all, there was one situation he didn't even know if he dared approach.

Emmy and Claire.

What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? Going by the uneasy glances that had been shared by the two, there was obviously some friction between them which, of course, was only natural given the circumstances. But both women were completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Claire's death was nothing short of a cruel twist of fate and Emmy... the professor glanced at the rear view mirror to see Emmy struggling to keep her eyes open, her head rested on the window pane. The professor felt a stab of guilt. Everything Emmy had been through... was still going through... and he and the situation between them and Claire was only adding to her rapidly growing list of burdens and worries. She didn't deserve this. All she ever did was fall in love. She was only an innocent girl caught up in a nightmare-ish situation. The professor suppressed a sigh. Not knowing what to do was the worst part of the situation. The two women he cared about the most were getting hurt, and he couldn't help but think that it was all his fault...

Thoughts of this nature circled around the professor's mind for hours on end as he drove on for Pembroke harbour, growing ever closer to Andrea and her scheming mind and the answers he sought to confirm his theories, and to taking the first step towards getting things back to normal.

Though, if the professor's very worst fears were to be confirmed then, for him and Emmy, things would never return to normal again.

"That'll be £281 love," the cabbie said.

Andrea reached into her bag, grabbing her purse, and retrieving four hundred pounds. He handed it to the driver.

"Keep the change, sweetheart," she smiled.

The cabbie raised his eyebrows and returned her smile. "Thanks a million love."

As Andrea turned to walk away, the cabbie called her back.

"Oh, and don't let that pillock get you down," he called. "You can do way better."

Andrea nodded to him and turned on her heel to walk away. "It's not Hershel that I won't be letting get to me. It's also Hershel who will be doing better – better than Miss Altava – whether he likes it or not."

They had paid their cab fair and, after haggling for a few tickets, were all on board the ferry, the economy class 'Epsilon', and quickly took any vacant seats. The journey was estimated to take four hours, depending on wind and tide, and the group prepared to endure yet another extended period of travelling.

Leon and Celeste had decided to take Luke and Little Emmy to the centre of the ship, where the rocking would have the least effect on them, while the rest decided to stay near the edge of the ship and watch the waves. Markus was on the other side of the ship, while Bronev and Emmy stood together, away from Layton and Claire, and. This made Emmy feel awkward. "I'm being stupid," she told herself sternly. "just because he's standing next to her, doesn't mean that anything is going to happen! It doesn't mean anything!" she stared out into the distance, tears starting in her eyes. "what am I going to do?"

She suddenly felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. She turned her head slightly to get a look at this person and felt a whiskery kiss being planted on the side of her head. She smiled and leant her head on his chin.

They stood like this for several moments before he asked, "how are you feeling, Emmeline?"

Emmy exhaled deeply though her nose as she tried to compose herself in front of her uncle.

Bronev held her tighter and leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "It's okay, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. I promise."

"How, Uncle Leon?" Emmy whispered. "How can you say that it's okay when he's over there with her right now?" She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

Bronev tightened his grip on his niece while he turned his head to look over at the professor. There was a fair gap between himself and Claire and they were both staring out at the ocean, neither one making contact with the other. Bronev turned back to Emmy. "I don't think they look very happy over there, do you?"

Emmy sniffled again.

"Listen to me, Emmeline," Bronev told her sternly. "There is no possible way that he and the girl can be together. He knows that as well as you do."

"But I don't," she breathed.

Bronev frowned.

"You know the effects of time travel. You know what the machine is capable of. Hershel could travel through time and find a way to save Claire if he wanted to, I bet he could. He still loves her, and wants to find a way to save her, I know it."

Bronev shook his head. "No, Emmeline, he couldn't, Dimitri Allen found her body in the lab, she died, Emmeline, and nothing Layton does will ever change that—"

"But what if he decides to change everything?" Emmy whispered. "What if decides to change everyone's destinies to save Claire? A whole new reality would be created... one where the professor would be with the woman he loves and Celeste still has her daughter..."

"... and everyone wins but you," Bronev finished. He shook his head again. "That's what this is really about, isn't it? Andrea... she brought us here to try and ensure that you and Hershel wouldn't stand a chance... even if she couldn't have him, she was determined not to let you have happiness either..." he trailed off.

Emmy nodded. "That's what I think, anyway." She wiped more tears away. "Even if he never felt anything for Andrea, if Claire was in the picture, it would change everything..."

"But Emmeline... you and the baby..." Bronev brushed a hand over Emmy's stomach.

Emmy closed her eyes. "If Hershel saves Claire, we would never have gotten together and Alfendi would never be born."

The professor stared out at the horizon, studying the colour of the sky, how it began to turn pink as the sun began to set. Any other day, he would have smiled contentedly at this, glancing over to his side to see Emmy with her camera in hand, snapping a few photographs to preserve the beautiful memory in her album. But when he glanced to his side this time, he saw the one women he could never have imagined seeing and was launched back into thought about the situation all over again.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The professor turned to Claire. "Hmm?"

"The sunset."

"Ah. Er, yes, it is."

Claire rolled her eyes and smiled. "Hershel, whatever happens in the future happens, but that doesn't have to come between us now, right? I mean, we can still be friends, can't we?"

The professor said nothing. Claire obviously thought that they had suffered a bad break up. How he wished that it were so, that she were still alive in his reality, that she didn't have to endure such a fate...

"Hershel...?"

He willed himself not to cry in her presence, not to let on about her future. Even if she was meant to know about it, he felt that he had no right to tell her...

"We are friends in the future... aren't we, Hershel? Hershel?" Claire looked upset.

"Er... yes, of course..." the professor muttered, not looking her in the eye.

"Hershel... I –"

"Claire."

They both turned around to see Markus stood before them with his hands behind his back.

"Yes?"

"Are... are you alright?" he looked nervous.

The professor tipped his hat to him. "I'll leave you both to it." He headed back towards the centre of the ship.

Claire turned to her brother. "Yes... I'm okay, I suppose..."

Markus smiled.

"I... I just wish I was able to know more... about the future..." Claire trailed off.

Markus began to look very uncomfortable.

"... because this is hurting Hershel... and Emmy... something terrible has happened, hasn't it?" she asked suddenly.

Markus bit his lip. "Claire... I... you know I can't tell you that, Claire..."

Claire shook her head. "I know you can't, but... the way Hershel has been... I asked if we were still acquainted in the future and he just spaced out on me..."

Markus took a deep breath. "I know it's all so confusing for you, Claire, and I know it must have been hard seeing him with another woman, and I know it is highly unfair that we all know what is to come and we can't tell you... I'm sorry Claire..."

Claire placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too, Markus. I'm sorry that you're in this position... but I think I already know..." she placed her arm around him. "I know that I won't make it to see the next ten years."

"Sorry, Claire... I-I can't..." he choked, and he turned on his heel and ran.

Claire watched as her little brother fled from her, a look of misery on her face. "It's okay, Markus... Hershel... but I already know..."