"Miss! Please slow down!" Dakota shouted as he ran after the fleeing woman. "I'm not…as fit…as I used to be…!"

Helen smirked as she ran to make her way out of the building she was in. She wasn't sure what she was expecting when she burst out into the street…

…but it wasn't this.

She was immediately flashed by lit-up advertisement signs, honking cars, flashing streetlights, smelly air, and questionable looking puddles of liquid on the sidewalks. Capitalist slogans and propaganda flashed around her, buildings made of metal and brick, barely a shrub in sight. Definitely not her quiet little town.

She covered her mouth with her hands, the loud noises and bright lights overwhelming her.

Dakota caught up with her, but did not attempt to approach her. He watched her reaction, inwardly wincing. This was why past people never came to the future. They were always disappointed.

"It's awful, isn't it?" Dakota asked, stepping to the side as a car sent s spray of dirty water in his direction.

Helen let out a shrill scream as another car came too close to her and almost hit her.

Dakota reached out and pulled her back, away from the road. "No one cares for others anymore. It's all about the fast cars rushing here and there, the worker trying to deed his family, no time to even BE with his family, and the corporate giants fighting it out for the last reserves of oil."

"What IS this?!" she yelped. "Wh-Where am I?! Where did you take me?!"

"You accidentally got caught in out time bubble," Dakota explained. "This is the future."

Helen stared at him. "Wh-What year...?"

"2090," Dakota answered plainly.

Helen froze. Then, slowly, she sank to the ground in a dead faint.

Dakota rushed forward to help her.

Then Cavendish arrived. "She saw it all, didn't she?" he asked with a sigh.

Dakota, who had just lifted Helen up, nodded.

Cavendish swore.

"Whoa, language," Dakota said.

Cavendish glared. "Can we take her back?"

"Um, not with our traveller," Dakota said. "It's outta juice."

Cavendish sighed, taking off his hat to rub his head. "So we're stuck with her."

"Basically, yeah."

"You know we've got nowhere to hide her, right?"

"Yeah."

They were both silent for a moment, until Dakota spoke again. "We could keep her in the pistachio mobile."

Cavendish just groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Come on," Dakota urged. "It won't be so bad. We keep her entertained, keep her occupied, keep her busy; everything goes smoothly."

""Keep her entertained."!" repeated Cavendish in shock. "We don't have time to do that! And even if we did; how long would we have to do it for, HMM?"

Dakota shrugged. "As long as we have to."

"Months?! Years?! We can't keep it up for even a week, let alone THAT long!"

"Well, maybe we can ask for a new time travel device, and be back in her time by noon tomorrow."

Cavendish sighed in defeat. "Fine. Just…do whatever."

"You know, it's not THAT bad," Dakota pressed. "Maybe she can look after Lily."

"Her? Looking after OUR six-month-old? Yeah, right."

"Why not?" Dakota asked. "You're always working, and as for me, well…the couch can't sit by itself." He grinned.

"It's been "sitting" by itself perfectly well thus far."

"Look; maybe she can help us. Lily needs someone with experience."

Cavendish hesitated, his eyes falling on Helen's face. She…She was beautiful, and now that she was not intimidating or attacking him, he could appreciate it.

Dakota elbowed him, raising his eyebrows.

Cavendish blinked. "What?"

Dakota winked at him.

Cavendish scowled. "What?" he repeated, more annoyed this time.

"I think…" He shook his head, grinning. "Never mind."

Cavendish rolled his eyes. "Just get her out of here."

Dakota snickered as he picked her up.

"Shut up," muttered Cavendish, turning away.

Lifting Helen off of the ground, Dakota opened the doors to the back of the van and laid her inside. Helen stirred, her eyes opening and registering on Dakota. "Wh-Where…?"

"In the back of a van." Dakota explained.

Helen hissed softly. "Let me out."

"Can't," Dakota said simply. "You're kind of not supposed to be here."

"LET ME OUT!" Helens screamed in his ear.

Dakota winced. "Not so loud, miss!"

Helen glared at him. "Don't make me kick your privates too!"

Dakota put his hands up quickly. "Whoa. Please don't."

"Then let me out of this van!" Helen aimed a kick between Dakota's legs.

Dakota leapt back, narrowly avoiding her heeled foot. "Whoa! Easy now!"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, THEN!" Helen screamed.

Dakota nodded and ducked aside. "All right, all right."

Helen struggled to her feet and got out of the van. She took in a deep breath.

Dakota looked her up and down, careful not to get in her way. "Hey…I didn't mean to cause any harm…"

"Please just leave me alone," Helen said, breathing rhythmically in and out. "It...It is a lot to take in."

"I understand," Dakota said quickly. "I'd be pretty scared too. But don't worry- Cavendish and I wouldn't hurt anyone."

Helen sighed. "S-So what's your name?"

"My name? I'm Dakota." He held out his hand.

"Dakota...don't you have a first name?"

"Oh yeah," Dakota smiled. "Vinnie. And you?"

Helen hesitated. "Helen Murphy."

"Murphy?!" Dakota froze.

Helen blinked in surprise. "Yes, that is correct."

"Murphy…" Dakota repeated, almost in a daze. "Murphy…"

"What's the matter with you?" demanded Helen.

Dakota sighed, rubbing his face. "Do you have the bad luck too?"

Helen frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You know…'Murphy's Law'…"

"Yes, that is the law my husband created," Helen said, crossing her arms. "So what?"

"Nothing..." Dakota managed to say.

I don't think Cavendish would like me giving TOO much away…

"So you have heard of my husband's law, have you?" Helen made a face. "I can't believe people are still talking about it a hundred years in the future."

"Yes, well…it's kind of something…unavoidable."

"Oh, really?" Helen blinked. "How so?"

"Well…it's a long story…you had children, right?"

Helen nodded, her face melting slightly. "My son Richard and my daughter Nancy."

"Well, Richard's going to have kids, he'll have a son, and so on and so forth."

"Wh-What?!"

"It's a long story, but…oh look! Here comes Cavendish!"

"Ah, perfect." Helen narrowed her eyes. "I need to have a word with Mr Supper Dish."