Fiona and Alaya have placed their chairs unnaturally close as April's journal lays open in front of them.
Alaya's mothers are across the table prepared to deal with whatever decisions are made tonight.
Fiona takes a deep breath and looks to her wife's mothers shaking the journal, "This is the most painful thing I had to read ... I am frustrated. Please be patient with me as this is most difficult."
Jenny sympathetically responds, "Little one, we have no regrets when you entered our lives. We will not love you less after tonight."
Fiona tears up for a second. She wipes her red swollen eyes with a semi-dry handkerchief "Why is she insistent that I become a physician?"
"Fiona, I ask this with love and respect, why won't you accept the fact you have an exceptional mind? Medicine might be the first step towards something unimaginable. It is the most challenging career for a woman, at least in 'our London'." Alaya points to a section of the inscription, "She has a for you a safe deposit box. I believe we should make a habit of documenting our lives. Mother Jenny, I believe pictures would be most appreciated."
"If April has the other key her intentions is to use it immediately upon returning to her time. Let us make sure there is something for her to read. If it were me, I would get a ticket to ride the next ship back to London."
Vastra slightly irritated the discussion veered away from the most important issue, "Exciting as all this ... April's words concern me greatly. We can potentially live decades more. We need to have plans to assimilate or hide. We have to decide as a family, no one will be alone. Who knows how many of the Flint family there will be in a decade, in four decades … we must plan."
Jenny pulls her wife close, "But we must agree together. Also my love, sometimes to get through the tough stuff a little distraction is good. Be patient." she hands everyone a small piece of paper and pencil. "Write down either hide or adjust."
Vastra looking at her precious daughter and her daughter's wife, "Our lives will be filled adventures either way, there is not wrong answer. To hide means we are isolated and live peaceful lives. To adjust mean, we are alone in a crowd with unexpected challenges. Neither is perfect and either is acceptable to the Flint Family. What say the Flint-Saint Clair Clan?"
All four women write one word on their piece of paper, fold it in half and slide it to the middle of the table.
Jenny gathers them, she reads them out as she unfolds, "Adjust."
Fiona and Alaya hold hands.
"Adjust".
"Adjust."
Jenny unfolds the fourth and the last one placing it in the middle of the coffee table for all to see, "Hide."
"Let me see that." Vastra grabs it out of Jenny's hand. "Alaya? Why? Tell me."
"Vastra! No!" Jenny stands up looking down at her wife. She takes a deep breath and knows that soft words will reach Vastra quicker. "You have so much love for your family. I know you are scared, worried and terrified. We all read this journal. We know the future." She sits back down, takes the piece of paper out of her wife's hand and asks her daughter, "There is no wrong answer."
"The future is full of hate and anger. My Fiona has already tasted such evil, such pain ... No. How can you want to partake of this," tapping the journal with her finger, "future?"
The room was full of mixed emotions. Vastra flicked the air and then stared at her daughter.
"There is no wrong answer," as Jenny touches her wife's arm. Vastra doesn't alter her tense body. Jenny repeats it softer, a whisper into her wife's ear, "There is no wrong answer."
Vastra is woken out of her thoughts by Jenny's gentle words. She evaluates her daughter's posture, eyes, and notices the hand-holding. Fiona is comforting her daughter, Alaya is not the strong one.
"I have faced more than my share of despair, loneliness and loss. I am not immune to facing all those things again and again. Hiding will not keep your wife safe from harm. You know this to be true. Little one, why did you write 'adjust'?"
"Because I trust the people around me ... and my mother. This journal is a wonderful gift, no, like you said before it is a tool. This will allow us to survive not simply exist." looking at Vastra and Jenny while having a tight grip on wife's hand. "I understand why Alaya chose to hide. There is no right or wrong answer, but there are always consequences. Louisa reminded me we live with our reactions longer than the consequence themselves. Alaya reaction comes from a good place." Fiona turns to her wife, "Together we can do anything, go anywhere ... it doesn't matter to me. My heart has no choice. I want to be by your side."
Alaya leaps up and grabs the paper from her Mother Jenny's hand. She writes something, folds it in half and slides it to the middle of the table. She then kisses passionately her wife. "Together."
Fiona nods yes with tears flowing down her face.
Jenny grabs the folded paper, opens it and show Vastra. Alaya has crossed out 'hide' and wrote 'adjust'.
Vastra stands instantly, shocking everyone, and starts to pace.
Jenny looks to her wife, "Vastra! What are you doing?"
"Thinking."
"Why?"
"We need to plan, we need to make decisions."
"Yes, we know. That is why we are here together. To make decisions."
Vastra turns to look at her little family, "Yes, but I have never been so proud."
"Please come back and sit by me."
Vastra comes back to her wife's side, "I can be such an emotional Silurian."
Jenny pulls her wife close.
Fiona is staring at the journal. Alaya pulls back strands of red hair from her face and tucks it behind her ear. "My dear Fiona, what is going through your mind?"
"Mother Vastra is correct, we must plan. My mother writes of wars, politics, criminals and other events that make the Titanic sinking insignificant. How can we go through life knowing that millions die ... I will die, my children will die. I know these are facts of life. There is no cheating death, but how can we outlive many without feeling some obligation to humanity?"
Vastra sitting back she pulls her wife close, "My dear there are burdens to those who outlive their loved ones and walk through multiples histories. You have to live in the moment, and hold tight to the ones that matter. There is no obligation except let life go on, without interfering. If we reproduced my blood and gave it every man, woman and child to maintain long life ... what would happen?"
"People will live longer."
"Is that better?"
"Yes."
"What of population? What of the poor? Longer life doesn't stimulate quality or riches. Some always outlive another." Pulling her Jenny close, "The burden is mine. I chose to live my life with someone I love. She will not live a long Silurian life. I can't change the fact or even fix it biologically. You must see the moment in front of you. Living life is hard enough to start worrying about death."
Fiona puts down the journal, grabs her wife's face and kisses hard. "How is that for a moment?"
"That was wonderful. Thank you." Alaya simply smiles at the attention, "My mother is right. We must plan and think of our future life. I am concerned about sustainability." Alaya turns to her mothers, "Being a detective can't be sustained beyond two generations. We need to expand our investigation and research family business. We only need a figurehead to run a business, out devices can assist in maintaining the illusion."
"Yes, we need a global presence, no matter our location our clients will hire our services. What do you think Alaya? How do you suggest we go about this?"
"The future seems dangerous enough and I rather not have to fight criminals when we are vulnerable. Research, especially corporate, is profitable." She holds up April's journal, "Although, I would rather like to hunt these Nazi monsters."
Jenny looks to her daughter with sad eyes, "We do not hunt, we investigate."
Vastra gently grabs Jenny's hand, "Yes, we investigate. Let ourselves focused on being safe. We do not leave 'our London' until Fiona has the requirements and experience completed."
Alaya humbly, "As far as developing a global presence I will go through my university notes and create a business plan."
Vastra nods smiling, "I look forward to your presentation."
"When do we leave for 14 Savile Row? The Tailor shop is profitable but for how long?" Fiona asks with a little apprehension, going home and not seeing her mother will be difficult.
"After your spring term has ended, I would suggest that you and Alaya start organizing and construction for our living quarters. Your mother and I will get this home ready for rent. I do not feel comfortable selling since we know the result. We will submit our residential requirements to you before the end of the week."
"The most important thing is keeping our family safe and live as cheaply as possible."
Fiona looking into Alaya's eyes, "Yes, I agree."
Fiona takes the journal from Alaya and begins to read it again. Tears swell with tears as she reminds herself that this is the last communication from her mother. Alaya just hold Fiona's hands as the Flint Family and Flint-Saint Clair clan continue the discussion. Fiona smiles nods her head. "Yes, we have a future to plan."
Alaya pulling Fiona close, "Remember we can plan, organize and research yet still fail. Adjustments will be essential." Looking to her mothers, "I know our commitment to not hide, but there might be a time when it is the best solution. I am headstrong and determined therefore I have to trust your judgements when we escape to solitude or stay strong."
Vastra nodding in agreement, "We should always have a sanctuary. I am not sure of that place ... a different time-line or not here on earth." She pulls Jenny closer, "We need determination to keep up our safety, it shall be our number one priority." Turning to the sad-eyed Fiona, "Your mother just saved us all and we owe a debt to your Mother. We will do our best to repay her any way possible."
"Which reminds me," Jenny jumps as she writes it down on the list she has been keeping and looks to Vastra, "I need a darkroom and my supplies."
"Yes dear, it is also a good time for our Alaya to master photography."
"That would be wonderful. May Fiona join us?"
"I believe that Fiona would be better in front of the camera." Jenny laughs shaking her head, "My dear you are too clumsy to handle the chemicals."
"Yes I would have to agree. I will keep a journal for my mother, in my own hand," looking at April's journal, "Yes, I believe she would love to know more details of our lives."
"We will miss her friendship. If you do not mind, from time to time, We would like to offer an addendum." Jenny offers knowing there are things a mother needs to know.
"Thank you. I would appreciate any assistance. I know that our schedules won't sustain a daily, weekly or monthly journal. I was planning on just notes with a year-in-review. If you and I compile that together it would mean the world to me."
Jenny laughs loudly, "Since the first day you delivered Alaya's first correspondence your touch of dramatics has not faltered." Fiona blushes as Jenny adds, "I would love to help to write about our lives, it will be a new year tradition."
Fiona nods.
"Now on to sober topics ... what do we bring with us to Savile Row? This house is larger than the residential space of the tailor shop. Not everything will come with us to Savile Row."
Silence.
No one ever wants to give up personal property let alone the four women of 13 Paternoster Row.