Previously: "I'm fine." She would be. Her baby might not exist at the moment, but he or she would soon enough, and Celine vowed that when she became pregnant again, she would never think of the baby so offhandedly again, it wasn't their fault if she ended up alone, and they did not deserve her indifference.
A Flaw in the Plan
Chapter 4
The first case that Jude gave her to research left Celine in some turmoil. It was Frankie, although at this point she was still known as 'Giraffe girl'. She compiled the same research as she had done previously, omitting some of the files that Jude had not wanted in the original timeline although she did keep the information about Frankie probably experiencing Lazarus Syndrome, aware that it would become useful in the event of Jude having to deal with the angry mob again.
The conflict she felt involved whether or not she should try to inform him about his relationship with the little girl. Theoretically it would be easy enough to do as she could just include some background family information in her research file, and she had already compiled a document where she named 'Jamie Conroy' as Frankie's father, based on a claim that she had seen the little girl's birth certificate. She had also added Jamie's current address, under the pretence that they could contact him about Frankie's supposed divinity. She was certain that the last name 'Conroy' in combination with the word 'Slough' would be enough to at least cause Jude to become suspicious. Celine was idling toying with the additional file when he sneaked up behind her and plucked it from her hand as well as the rest of the research file she had on her recently cleared desk.
"Is this the research for our first case?" He asked, giving it a quick glance.
"Yes, but I wasn't finished with it." She tried to grab the extra sheet of paper from his hands, but he raised it higher than she could reach, giving her an amused look.
"I'm sure it is fine, besides we don't have time for you to fuck around with grammar or whatever it is you are so worried about. We have a month to work in and we need to go through cases as quickly as possible. Is all the basic information here?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then it is fine." He said conclusively, placing the document into the rest of the file. "Come on, I'll read it over on the plane." Seeing that the situation was now completely out of her hands, she resigned herself to the bed she had made, hoping the consequences of her change would be for the best.
During their flight to Warsaw, Celine had anxiously stared at Jude while he read over her work until he reassured her that her research was excellent and that a picture would last longer. She had flushed deeply as the teasing remark, and done her best to ignore him and his obvious enjoyment at her embarrassed state. He spoke up again when he reached her inclusion of Frankie's suspected Lazarus Syndrome to remind her that the information was not helpful as rationality was only to be used for rational people, and not the crowd that had assembled outside the hospital. She played along, following the conversation she had with Jude originally, intent on sowing some very particular seeds by changing some of her answers.
"… with the devout, 99% of the time it's to do with sex. It's a fact. You put a lid on something like that and it can come out in spectacular and disastrous ways."
"Surely that can apply to all members of the clergy, we all have had to put a lid on it from the moment we make our vows."
"That is true, but in my opinion it particularly applies to those who have never had sex before, it can easily become a hang-up."
"Does that not include you?" She asked, already knowing the answer. He shook his head.
"I had time before I made my vows, I got it out of my system."
"Do you really think that is enough to completely overcome the urge?" She asked sweetly. "Surely it is just as much of a hang-up, especially when you factor in the apocalypse. Everyone is finding themselves free of inhibitions in the face of death, everyone is craving comfort, and the temptation to have physical intimacy with someone else is surely as strong in someone who has experienced it before as someone who hasn't. It is after all a biological urge, as you pointed out, and that does not go away just because you've done it before." She was slightly pleased to see him go on the defensive, happy to have the upper hand in this argument.
"It removes the fascination and curiosity about sex." He managed eventually. "That forms a large part of the temptation."
"So even with the end of the world, you would not be tempted to break your vows?"
"I wouldn't say that I wouldn't be tempted, I don't think anyone can truthfully admit to not being tempted under the right circumstances. But there is a difference between temptation and actually going through with it." He looked slightly uncomfortable with the pointed direction the conversation had turned to, and Celine could not help but take a final dig.
"There's no need to look so worried Jude, I'm not planning on jumping you to test the strength of your conviction."
He rolled his eyes in response and resumed looking at the file. They were silent for a while before she saw all the colour drain from his face. She did not interrupt him as he repeatedly scanned the document she had tried to retrieve earlier that day. He closed the file abruptly and turned to look outside the window.
"Is something the matter?" She asked, worried that the abrupt delivery of the information had upset him.
"Not with the research." He replied absently. "I recognise one of the names. I'm sure it is just a coincidence."
Arriving at the hospital, they had to push their way through the crowd to actually enter the building. Jude had not said much since the plane had landed, clearly deep in his own thoughts, and even when they were in the side room that held Frankie he still seemed at a loss for words. He was looking at Frankie as though she was an alien, which Celine should have been expecting when she printed out the family background document. While she sat there looking awkwardly between them she frantically tried to think of something to break the silence, but luckily Frankie herself did.
"Are all those crazy people still outside?" She asked.
"Yes." Celine answered. "They think you are the messiah."
"But I'm not, I just want to go home."
"Where are your parents?" Jude suddenly interrupted, Frankie eyed him suspiciously before replying.
"My mum was in the car with me, I don't know what's happened to her since no one will tell me."
"What about your father? Was he not with you?" Jude pressed.
"I've never met him, Mum says he works in a bank."
A flash of some unidentified emotion crossed Jude's face, although whether it was disappointment or relief, Celine was not sure. He looked like he was going to ask another question when they were interrupted by the arrival of Layla. After an initial dispute, she and Jude left to argue out of sight of Frankie, leaving the young girl alone with Celine.
"Your friend Sofia has a message for you." Frankie told her once they were alone.
"What is it?" Celine asked, wondering if it was the same cryptic remark about looking out for four different coloured horses.
"She says you need to keep most things the same, but the thing that you want most to change you can." Frankie's nose wrinkled in confusion. "I hope that makes sense to you because it didn't to me."
"It does, thank you for passing it on."
So that was her purpose in this timeline, she felt a huge amount of relief that she would be allowed to prevent Jude's death, but she did feel a sudden amount of worry. Her presence had already resulted in a change, Jude appeared to have guessed his connection to Frankie and Layla, but the message clearly indicated that she was only mainly allowed to change one thing. She hoped that God would not be too displeased with her.
"Do you have a drawing for me?" Celine asked.
"No, apparently it won't be needed this time." She wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to interpret this statement, it seemed to suggest that Layla and Jaime would be reunited without the latter being given Layla and Frankie's address.
It was with some concern that Celine noticed that she and Frankie had been left alone for quite some time, from what she remembered Jude and Layla had only spoken for about ten minutes before the decision had been reached that they would help them leave the hospital. But it was now reaching closer to an hour. She and Frankie had amused themselves after their discussion with several games of noughts and crosses, after Celine had expressed no small amount of reluctance at Frankie's original suggestion of hangman. She could tell that the little girl was becoming bored and restless by the time her mother and Jude finally returned.
"Frankie, your-" Layla abruptly stopped mid-sentence to correct herself, "Father Jude has kindly offered to fly us home."
"I will distract the mob outside while the rest of you sneak out." Jude added.
Celine could guess from the subtext that Jude had told Layla about being Jamie's father, no doubt after clarifying that Jamie's mother was the same woman he had left. With the plan established, they all prepared to play their parts, Celine dressing up in a nurse's uniform in order to hide her nun uniform. She caught Jude just before he left to deal with the crowd outside.
"Be careful, I want you back in one piece." He looked surprised at her concern so she quickly jokingly added "I would rather not deal with the rest of the messiah claims by myself." He did not look in the slightest bit convinced by her claim of having a selfish investment in his wellbeing.
"I'm sure I will be fine. I'll meet you at the plane." She nodded, and they separated: Jude heading for the exit and Celine returning to Layla's side to push the wheelchair she was sitting in.
"You seem close." Layla noted.
"We work together." Celine answered simply, not wanting to suggest anything more to the other woman.