Gift of Time

BO…

The sound of the watch striking the corner of the hearth cut the sixth toll in half. The quartz face shattered, and the watch fell blissfully silent. Lying there rattled, with the wind knocked out of her, Lauren waited for the ax to fall. No, No, No, she whispered over and over, too terrified to open her eyes least she find herself back in her dying body thirty years in the future. The room was cool, and her naked body covered itself in goose bumps.

"Laur?" she didn't move.

A rustling sound, then soft footsteps over the wooden floorboards had Lauren looking up tearfully, to see a very sleepy looking Dennis standing over her looking very concerned. He kneeled beside her.

"Hey," he said gently, catching a tear on his thumb. "You okay?"

"I… I fell…"

"So I see, your arms bleeding. Come here." Sitting down and crossing his legs under him, Dennis helped Lauren up and pulled her onto his lap. She sniffled into his shoulder, still very much afraid. Before she'd realized his intentions he had her arm under his scrutiny looking very closely at the watch and the scratches on her arm form the broken glass.

"I'm afraid your watch's broken Laur."

Not even wanting to look at it, afraid that it might still zap her away, she lowered her eyes.

"Here let me get it off for you, in case there's glass wedged under the band somehow." By the time his words registered, he'd already found the clasp and had loosened it.

"NO!" she screamed terrified, yanking back her arm, but she was too late. Dennis sat there, the watch dangling from his fingers, and looking at Lauren worriedly wondering what he had done wrong. She cringed in his arms, screwed her eyes shut and waited to be swept back to her doom. Nothing happened.

Dennis wrapped his arms around her hugging her, wondering if maybe she hadn't hit her head or something in the fall and disorienting herself. After a couple of minutes she opened her eyes again, sat up and carefully untangled herself from his grasp.

Lauren felt stupid; she'd acted like a fool. Dennis still had her watch, holding it carefully by the band. She held out her hand; he looked at her cautiously for a moment before laying it gently in her shaking palm. She turned the face towards her, the 1971 glared out at her.

"I want to stay." She whispered fervently. Warmth emanated from the gold band, and a faint glow, which lasted only a nanosecond, came and went. She tried to drop the watch, but she couldn't, her hand wouldn't budge. Then before her eyes, the numbers began rolling backwards one by one until only four zero's peered up at her. It bonged once, very loud. A feeling of peace came over her, and she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, that her wish had been granted.

Dennis, not seeing the numbers move, just assumed the watch was all right after all. Lauren carefully sat the watch aside and snuggled back into Dennis's very comforting embrace. He really is a very sweet guy she thought, and realized that she liked him very much. Suddenly catching a glimpse of a brief shimmer of light from the corner of her eye she looked down just in time to see the watch completely vanish. One second it was there, and then just as quickly it was gone. A feeling of immense relief swept over her as she realized that it was actually over. Whatever cosmic force had given her this gift was apparently going to allow her to stay. The cabin suddenly felt very quiet, and almost empty, as she looked around for Boyd but didn't see him sleeping anywhere.

"Where's Boyd?" she asked.

"He left."

"What?"

Dennis cleared his throat.

"You missed quite a show last night. After you went to bed, Kristen came in and raised holy hell. She got all pissed off and stormed out, blizzard and all. Boyd went after her; they talked in the car, apparently decided to make up, and then left to go back to the dorms. It was crazy."

"So its just us here." Lauren whispered shyly.

"Yup." He looked at her seriously. "We can go if you're uncomfortable Laur."

They'd rented the cabin for a week, driving up in two cars, Kristen's and Dennis's. So transportation was no problem. They still had five days if she chose to stay. She found she very much wanted to. The more she was around Dennis the more things she found about him that she liked. Curiously enough she was very glad it was Dennis who had stayed, and not Boyd. She shifted in his lap and smiled at him gently.

"I'd like to stay. I really want to get to know you."

His smile lit up his face.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He bent, kissing her softly on the mouth.

They sat cuddling, both of them feeling very content, as if something that was meant to be had fallen into place. Lauren especially felt the ambiance of this special morning all around her. She gave her silent thanks to whatever magical force had allowed her a second chance, vowing not to make the same mistakes she'd made the first time. Never again would she think of this day as just another holiday, for her it would always be a time of miracles, and magic.

"Merry Christmas Dennis".

"Merry Christmas Laur."