Revelations

[a_time_slip]

She'd fallen asleep on the couch that night, only after insisting to herself she would go to her hotel room after dinner.

This wasn't the first time Janie had done that, and by now it was accepted that she would spend a few days at Vito's, insisting she would leave right after dinner, or lunch, or breakfast.  She would then leave for a day or two and the process would repeat.  Somehow her disappearances coincided with Vito's shifts.

Tonight, however, she was off just a bit.  That morning she'd seen her boyfriend off to work, and stayed around his apartment that day.  The place was cleaned from top to bottom, her clothes packed neatly away, and takeout was stashed in the fridge for him.

When Vito returned to the apartment, Janie would be asleep on the couch, tossing and turning, in the middle of a nightmare.

Comments

[a_time_slip]

Janie just made a little annoyed noise and focused on her now empty glass.

"Nevermind. Just forget anything happened."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm just asking for you to clarify that. How do you travel in time?"

[a_time_slip]

"Why do you believe that more than another explanation for a spontaneous disappearance?

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"I'm just trying to understand what you're telling me."

[a_time_slip]

"I don't want to have to tell you any of this! We were not supposed to have this conversation."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"Why not?"

[a_time_slip]

Janie shrugged. "There's a lot to this world that you don't know about, that most people would never know. I'm not so great at explaining these things. You've had to notice strange happenings? But to answer your question, it's still something I haven't figured out entirely."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"Is it something you're able to control?"

[a_time_slip]

"Usually."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"But not that time, just now."

[a_time_slip]

"It happens occasionally. Any other questions?"

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. This place you're from ... isn't so much a 'where' as a 'when,' is that right?"

[a_time_slip]

"Both..." Janie admitted "But I can't really go back there."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"Because people there want you dead."

[a_time_slip]

"That's part of it... though I'm also part of a military there, and I'm supposed to return to work."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"So, you're avoiding danger and obligation all at once. Does Lynn know about all this? Is Phoenix like you?"

[a_time_slip]

"Lynn knows, yes. Phoenix knows too, but he's not like me. He's always been there, though, that's why I'm so close to him. Why I can run off for years and we can still be friends."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"'Always been here.' What does that mean? I mean, how is he 'always' here?"

[a_time_slip]

"That means he's been my friend through every bit of crap I've ever gone through, which is a lot. He's even helped save my life before."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"Admirable. So ... your life really is pretty complicated, isn't it?"

[a_time_slip]

"Yes. Very much so... And yours seems pretty simple."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't have said so before, but ... yeah, I guess it could look that way to you."

[a_time_slip]

"Why do you think yours isn't simple?" she asked "Has Lynn done anything that concerns you? I'm going to tell her that I told you a few things."

[vito-the-mook.livejournal.com]

"It's not simple because I'm a cop, things get intense and complicated sometimes. Lynn is ... well, she's Lynn."

[a_time_slip]

"That's with anyone, isn't it? Vito, make sure to tell either me or Phoenix if she does anything strange, or that can't be explained. She's at that age and we need to curb any bad behavior before it gets worse."