[[A gift for SamCyberCat, in return for the lovely Layton&Emmy picture she did for me. I believe Claire/Dimitri is one of her favourite pairings... I just hope this story isn't too heavy-hearted for the season.

Spoilers: For Unwound Future.

Set: 30 years or so after UF.]]

A Single Moment

So many years of toil and research had come down to a single moment. This single, most significant moment.

Dimitri Allen beheld the completed time machine with tired old eyes. The final model did not appear the way he had initially envisioned it, but then, how does one define what such an implausible contraption should look like? It vaguely resembled the apparatus that he, Bill Hawks and Claire had unleashed upon the world long ago; the apparatus that had landed Bill in riches, and cost Claire her life.

What would she say now, if she could see their former dream had become reality? Would she be proud of him? Or ashamed?

Forgive me, Claire, Dimitri thought. He hadn't been able to keep his promise to close the book on the time travel project. How could he? His entire existence was dedicated to building the device. Everything had been taken from him except his drive to finish this task, without which he would be nothing.

However, during his prolonged prison sentence he had fully acknowledged the error of his actions. Now he understood Claire's concern about the fatal choices he'd made, the chaos he'd created in his deranged mission to change the past...

But Dimitri didn't intend to change the past, not anymore. In this moment he would make one inconsequential trip and that would be the end of it. The machine would self-destruct when he departed, destroying any traces of his life's work. Hopefully, future generations would never be tempted to tamper with time again, lest history repeat itself.

Taking a steadying breath, the scientist stepped inside the machine, the door hissing shut behind him. He removed a controller from his worn lab coat pocket and pressed the activate button with quivering fingers. The machine began to whir, growing louder and louder. Dimitri closed his eyes.

Claire...

Dimitri was met with a blinding light. Every molecule in his body was ripped apart as he was shot through the time stream. This was what Claire went through... The sensation was agonising and alarming and alien, but it was over as quickly as it began.

When the pain receded, Dimitri checked his surroundings. He was no longer inside the time machine. The sun was shining; he was currently standing on the pavement opposite the Institute of Polydimensional Physics, four decades before his present. Dimitri released a gasp of relief. He'd made it! Thankfully, his frail form had survived the transition. Surely, he didn't have long here, though. (Blasted molecular instability— he'd never been able to get to grips with the problem...)

That didn't matter. If he had timed everything correctly, she should be arriving this very moment... Dimitri looked up and down the road. There were several pedestrians about– including a couple and a small boy— but no sign of her yet.

Where was she? Perhaps he'd arrived too late... or too early? Had he really missed his one opportunity...?

But then a ginger-haired woman dashed around the corner, on her way to the institute laboratory where two colleges awaited to start the day's experiments. Dimitri's face lit up at the sight of her. She was so content, carefree and full of energy. Alive. Here was the Claire he'd fallen in love with as a demure young man. All he'd wanted was to see her a final time— to know his work had been worth something.

It would be easy to approach Claire now and forewarn her about her fate. Although, doing so would probably create a paradox with unthinkable effects. Besides that, Dimitri doubted he would have enough time left. (His hands were already beginning to glow...)

Suddenly, Claire's head turned in his direction, and their gazes locked. Dimitri blinked. She'd caught him staring at her across the street. She wore a confounded yet amused expression. At this distance she couldn't possibly recognise the pale elderly man as her co-worker. She must have mistaken him for a curious passerby. Smiling, Claire lifted her arm and gave him a cheery wave. In that moment, Dimitri had never felt more overjoyed.

He waved back at her with a murmur that faded into obscurity. "Farewell, Claire..."

And as Claire entered the institute, Dimitri disappeared.