Then

He fidgeted through the entrée and talked so fast during dessert she kept asking him to repeat himself. But when he knocked his fork onto the ground for the fifth time she’d had enough. “Okay Carter,” she said. “What is this—are you dumping me?”

Carter’s eyes grew wide and his mouth opened and closed. “N-No, why would you think that?”

“Oh I don’t know, because of that maybe?” Allison pointed to his leg which bounced up and down at an inhuman speed. Carter followed her gaze and laughed.

“Ha—I didn’t even notice that. Weird.”

“Carter!”

“Right, uh—“Carter rubbed his neck and narrowed his eyes into clear blue slits. “This is harder than I thought it was gonna be.”

Allison gasped. “You are dumping me.”

“No! I—“

She rose from the table and threw down her napkin. “You know I’ve been dumped before but this is the first time a guy made sure he didn’t break my heart on an empty stomach.” She pointed at their empty plates. “There were truffles for shit’s sake.”

“Allison,” Carter rose to his feet. “You don’t understand---“

“Oh I understand perfectly,” she said. “We’ve been dating for a year and you’re terrified I’ve got marriage on the brain.” She put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “For your information, I’m too damn busy at Global to give a damn whether you propose or not Jack Carter. Plus I was married once before and it was right up there with shin splints on my list of things I’d rather not go through again. So you can save your sorry ass excuses and rest assured that I have absolutely no interest in ever having a ring shackled to my finger by you or anyone else.” Allison pushed past him and rolled her eyes at his deep sigh.

“Not even this one?” Allison froze. She turned around and gasped at the sight of Carter holding a black velvet box containing the most beautiful sapphire she’d ever seen. She looked at him with wide shocked eyes as he bent down on one knee. “So uh---“He cleared his throat. “I know what you just said about the---ring and the shackling and all---but I’m really hoping you were just really pissed off.”

Allison walked towards him, touching her hand to her throat. “You had that this whole time?”

Carter paused and nodded. “Yeah—that’s why I was so nervous.” Allison reached out and slapped his arm. “Ow!” Carter rubbed his sleeve and frowned. “What’d you do that for.”

“You let me yell at you like a dumbass!”

“Oh, but it was so cute---your nose did this wrinkly thing---“

“Yes,” Allison interrupted.

Carter looked at her. “Uh---yes?”

“Oh I was answering your proposal.”

“I didn’t propose yet,” Carter said.

“You’re down on one knee, holding out an engagement ring. I think that’s the universal sign for will you marry me.”

“God you’re pushy.” Carter rose to his feet and pulled the ring out of the box. Allison moved forward, smiling and bounced on her feet like an overeager child. He reached out and took her left hand, pausing with the ring touching the tip of her finger. “Allison Blake,” he said. “Will you be my wife?”

She smiled. “Absolutely.”

Now


He stopped breathing on the way to Global.

The paramedics pumped air into his lungs until he coughed and sputtered. Allison gasped with relief that soon faded back to panic as she watched him thrash against the gurney. His eyes rolled back into his head and his arms failed and flopped at his sides. He’d been that way ever since he’d collapsed in the kitchen after talking to someone that wasn’t there. She covered her mouth with her hands and said a silent prayer.

They rolled him into Global and she followed close behind. Allison ignored the shocked stares and questions thrown her way and followed them into the medical wing. Dr. Peterson rushed towards them and Allison snapped at a wide eyed nurse hovering nearby. “Get Dr. Stark, now.” The nurse moved towards the door and Allison held out her hand. “And call his daughter---tell her come as soon as she can.”

“Yes Dr. Blake.”

Allison moved towards Carter only to be blocked by two more nurses and a young doctor who looked all of fifteen. “Get out of my way,” she snapped.

”Allison,” Dr. Peterson looked at her over wire rim glasses. “We need room to work if we’re going to help him.”

“What do you mean if,” she yelled. “God---look at him, he looks like he’s—“Allison swallowed the word that almost slipped from her lips. Carter shook with erratic starts and spurts, his skin ashen and slick with sweat. He looked like he was dying.

“Allison?” She turned around at Stark’s voice and was surprised to see Henry Deacon at his side. Henry rushed towards Carter and Allison watched him with tear filled eyes.

“I don’t know what happened Henry,” she said. “He was fine and then he fell---“

“It’s his brain,’ Henry said. He reached out, grabbed a nearby machine and pulled out two long cords. “It’s overloading on electrical impulses directed at his frontal lobe.”

Allison frowned. “Electric---“Her eyes grew wide and she turned to face Stark. “You did this didn’t you?” She took a menacing step forward and Stark shook his head.

“Now hold on Allie—“

“Shut up,” Allison yelled. ‘Whatever it is you did is killing him right now.” She shook her head in disgust. “God Nathan I knew you were upset because I turned down your proposal but this? Attacking Carter---wiping away a year of my memory---“

“Whoa,” Henry rose from Carter’s side to look at Allison who spun around to face him. “A year of your memory?”

“Yes,” Allison said. “I’ve lost an entire year---Carter told me---“

“That’s not possible,” Henry interrupted.

Allison frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Henry looked at Dr. Peterson. “Can you get him stable?” The doctor nodded and Henry walked towards Allison, his expression grim. “Nathan told me what’s been happening---the memory loss around town.”

“Right,” Allison said. “It started with me and then---“

“No it didn’t.” Henry glanced at Stark and then looked at Allison. “Look, I’m sorry I had to keep this from you but the DOD insisted—“

“Keep what from me,” Allison demanded.

“Dr. Porter didn’t disappear---he was---moved for security reasons.”

“Moved.”

“Yes,” Henry rubbed the back of his neck. “He threatened to go to you with what we were doing and Stark reported him a few weeks back.”

“So they just took him,” Allison said. “Without telling his family or anyone else that he was okay.”

“I honestly don’t know what happened,” Henry said. “Maybe there was a mix up with contacting the family but the important thing is he’s fine.”

“No,” Allison said. “The important thing is whatever the hell you two were working on behind my back that fucked with my head, plus Carter’s and half the town.”

“Here’s the imager you asked for.” Fargo moved through the door pushing a large computer topped with holographic imager. “I haven’t used this puppy since my date with Tammy Clemmons last summer. “

“Hook it up to Carter,” Henry demanded.

Allison watched Fargo in confusion. “Henry, you need to tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s the EM Field,” Stark announced stepping forwards. “Henry explained it to me earlier---apparently I was involved in some attempt to---tweak the system.”

“What he means is,” Henry said with a pointed look at Stark. “The DOD found out about some work I’d done on the memory neutralizer Jason Anderson stole from me all those years ago.”

“You mean that thing that he used on Kim?”

Henry tensed at the mention of her name. “Yes. I’d modified it so it could pinpoint specific neural pathways associated with specific instances and time periods in the frontal lobe. Dr. Porter found out about it and came up with the idea to reverse the affect---enhancing memory instead of erasing it.”

“It was brilliant,” Stark said, walking to Henry’s right. “And it worked.”

“I was against it,” Henry said. “That thing caused so much damage before---“He swallowed hard. “But Porter went over my head---to Nathan, who told the DOD.”

“But I still don’t understand why all of this was done without my knowledge.”

“They wanted us to incorporate the technology into the EM Field protecting Global Dynamics would be hackers. It would send out an electronic pulse that would target the neural pathways of every citizen of Eureka that pertained to their vocation.” Henry shook his head. “They wanted to increase efficiency by improving the memory capacity of everyone in a hundred mile radius.”

“Oh my God,” Allison gasped. She looked at Stark. “Do you have any idea how unethical that is?”

“I was just doing my job Allie—“

“It malfunctioned didn’t it?” Henry nodded and Stark looked away. “That’s why all those people can’t remember anything.” Allison gestured towards them with disgust. “Because you assholes were fucking with their heads in the name of productivity.”

“I didn’t know they’d incorporated the thing into the system until I came back Allison,” Henry said. “I put two and two together after I found this in Dr. Porter’s office.”

He held up a small black device the size and shape of a computer mouse. “So that thing,” Allison said. “That’s why I can’t remember?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” Henry said. “The EM Field is sending out pulses that specifically target those memories related to your work---“

“Which is why you kept screwing up these past few weeks,” Stark pointed out.

Henry nodded. “Yes but the types of pulses emitted by the field aren’t strong enough to erase an entire year of long term memory.”

Allison shook her head. “No, but see I don’t remember anything about being with Carter.”

Henry paused. “I’m not following.”

“Jack and I---our relationship. We’ve been together a year and he was about to propose.”

Henry paused. “Allison, I can’t claim to know everything about Jack Carter but I can say with a good amount of certainty when I left for that retreat, the two of you were not romantically involved.”

Then

“Jack and Allison have written their own vows, today.” The minister smiled at Carter who cleared his throat and took Allison’s hand in his own. He stared at the smooth brown skin of her wrist and tried to pull something coherent out of the jumble of thoughts currently racing through his head. Allison gave his hand a soft squeeze and looked up to find her staring at him with warm eyes.

“Jack Carter---you are---one of the craziest people I know.” The wedding guests laughed out loud and Carter rolled his eyes as Allison’s smile broadened. “And you’re also the bravest---and kindest---and most loving man I’ve ever met.” Her smile faded slightly and she took a deep breath. “Sometimes I wonder, through all the craziness and drama, what my life would be like if I hadn’t stopped to take a moment--- and realize what an amazing man was standing right in front of me. A moment Jack---that’s all it took to bring us here. And it scares the hell out of me to think it might have happened any other way. But then I look at you and I just know---there’s no way it could have.” Allison smiled. “I love you so much---and today I vow to be your wife---to love and cherish you the rest of my life and to always remember this moment---this day---and the promises we made together.”

Carter stood silent, visibly stunned. Henry nudged his arm from his post as best man and Carter blinked hard and flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry I---okay, it’s my turn?” He glanced at the minister with the question and received a quick nod in return. “Allison I---“He paused, the words caught in his throat. “You---“Carter looked over at Zoe who cringed with embarrassment. “When we---“

“Good Lord, this painful,” Jo grumbled, crossing her legs and averting her eyes from the spectacle at the altar.

Allison threaded her fingers through Carter’s and he looked down at their hands and smiled. “You always do that when I’m nervous,” he said, looking up at her. “You know just what to do and what to say---you always have. I just---“Carter shifted on his feet and shook his head. “I could never figure out how you do it. Like just now---those things you said---I could never in a million years come up with something like that. Because there are no words---” Carter took a deep breath and lifted her hand to his lips. He kissed her fingers and held it close to his heart. “There are no words to describe what happens to me every time I look at you. How it feels to wake up and see your face---“Carter paused. “It just wouldn’t be enough. Not by a long shot.” Carter looked down at her hands. “And so instead I’ll just make this promise. To show you---everyday for the rest of my life---exactly what you mean to me Allison Blake.”

Jo nodded and looked at Zoe who leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Nice save.”

Now

Allison looked at Henry, her eyes wide with confusion. “You’re wrong,” she said. “No he told me everything---he knew everything about me he---“

“I tried to tell you,” Stark said. Allison looked at him and he shrugged. “I told you he made the whole thing up.”

“No,” Allison snapped. “He knew things I’ve never told anyone---not even you,” she said, pointing at Stark. “How would he have known that if we weren’t together?”

“What’s going on?” Allison looked up as Zoe walked into the room, staring at the group with wide eyes. “Is my Dad okay?”

Allison looked at Carter who still shook and mumbled on the bed, but seemed to have calmed in the last few minutes. “We don’t know sweetheart,” she said. Zoe moved towards him and Stark grabbed her arm.

“Hey,” he said. “Why did you lie earlier today?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, pulling away from him.

”When you said Allison and Carter were involved.”

“I never said that,” Zoe said, moving towards Carter. She knelt next to his bed and covered her mouth with trembling fingers. “Oh my God---“

“But you did say it,” Stark said. “You said the whole town knew something was going on between Allison and Carter.”

“I never said they were dating,” Zoe snapped. “But everyone knows my Dad is in love with Dr. Blake.” Zoe fixed her eyes on Allison. “He always has been.”

“Is she here?” Jo walked into the room, with her radio in hand. “Zoe, where’s the kid?”

Zoe looked at Jo in confusion. “What kid?”

“You’re talking about Faith aren’t you?” Allison turned to Zoe. “Carter told me he left her with you.”

“Yeah,” Jo said, nodding. “I was supposed to pick up her---he left a message on my phone and then I heard about his collapse—“

“Wait,” Zoe rose to her feet and held out her arms. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on here? Why is my Dad like this---why do you think I lied about him and Dr. Blake and who the hell is Faith?”

“The little girl,” Jo said, frowning. “She showed up on his doorstep this morning and wouldn’t leave. He said he left her home with you.”

Zoe shook her head. “Okay, I don’t know what you’ve been smoking but I would have known if there was a little girl in my house. It was just me---all night---alone.”

Carter

Carter’s eyes flew open and he stared at the beige sheetrock that covered his living room ceiling. He sat up and looked around, frowning at the familiar furnishings of his home.

How did he end up here?

He slid off the couch and stood, rubbing the back of his neck. The headache was gone but he still felt off somehow. He stared at the room and frowned, taking in the immaculate kitchen, the shining coffee table and sink completely empty of dirty dishes. “This isn’t my house,” he mumbled.

“Yes it is.” Carter turned around at Faith’s voice. She skipped towards him twirling a jump rope, her eyes bright. “This is really fun,” she yelled. “Why don’t grownups use these anymore?”

Carter stared at the rope, taking in the familiar blue handles and frayed red and white fibers. “That’s my jump rope.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yes---it is,” he said, reaching out to take from her hands. Faith paused as he stared at end of handle, his eyes fixed on the initials JC scrawled in black marker. “See—“he said, I wrote this myself when I was---“Carter paused.

“Ten,” Faith finished. “Okay so you’re right---my bad.”

Carter looked at the jump rope and then back at her. “This isn’t real is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“This place,” Carter said. “It’s all too---neat. And I haven’t seen this rope since I was twelve. This is—“He swallowed. “This is in my head isn’t it?”

“If it is then why are you asking me,” Faith said. “It’s your head.”

“So—if this is some kind of dream,” Carter squinted at Faith and shook his head. “Why am I dreaming about you?”

“Because I’m adorably precocious.”

“Faith.”

“Because you want to,” Faith said. “You need me to help you remember.”

Carter paused. “I’m not the one who forgot everything.”

Faith paused. “Are you sure about that?”

****

Allison looked away, remembering Carter’s confused expression when he’d told her Faith was standing beside him. “So let me get this straight---you’re telling me that Carter has been going on all day about this girl that showed up on his doorstep and no one in this room has ever seen her?” Zoe and Jo looked at on another and shook their heads. Stark shrugged and Fargo turned to adjust the imager linked to Carter’s neck.

“Earlier today,” Allison said, looking at Henry. “He told me she was in the room when there was no one there.”

Henry took a deep breath. “Allison, I think Jack’s having a bad reaction to the electronic pulses being emitted from the EM field. Judging from the effect on you, Stark and the rest of the town, it’s probably been happening for the past two days at least.”

“But he was fine,” Allison said. “He—“

“Made up some fantasy romance between the two of you,” Stark offered. “Oh yeah---he’s fine alright.”

“Stop it Nathan,” Allison snapped.

Henry looked at Stark and, his expression tense. “No, he’s right Allison,” Henry said. “This thing could have manifested in all kinds of ways---motor dysfunction---hallucinations----“

“Hallucinations,” Allison gasped. She clutched her stomach as the truth rolled over her in waves. “Oh God, there is no little girl was there,” she whispered. She looked up at Henry and shook her head. “Our past together----Henry, he was hallucinating the entire time wasn’t he?”

Henry looked at Carter and then at Fargo, who nodded and gestured towards the imaging machine. “I can’t be sure but it’s likely yes.”

“But why,” Allison said, as Henry moved towards the machine. “Why would it affect him like this when no one else in town had anything other than memory loss?”

Henry switched on the power and paused, staring down at Carter’s face. He mumbled under his breath and Henry leaned down to listen to his soft words. “Because it’s not the first time the memory neutralizer has been used on him,” Henry said.

Allison frowned and moved closer. “What do you mean it’s not the first time?”

Henry rose, his expression resigned. “I used it on Jack before, Allison,” Henry said, looking away. “I wiped his long term memory----over four years worth. And he has no idea.”

Then

“You look first.”

“No you look.”

“This was your idea.”

“It’s your body Allie---“

“Oh Carter, please, just look and tell me---I can’t.”

“Okay, but you owe me---this thing is covered in your pee—“

“Just pick it up Jack!”

“Blue line---what’s that mean?”

“It means---you done good.”

Now

“Why, Henry?” Allison stared at him in disbelief. “Why in God’s name would do that?”

“Because I did something---“Henry shook his head. “I did something very wrong----that would have hurt a lot of people if it hadn’t been for Jack.”

“Something’s wrong!’ Zoe stood up and Carter’s body began to jerk on the table, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He was immediately surrounded by Doctors and nurses who cut off Allison’s view of his body. She ran towards Zoe and pulled her into her arms. Allison looked at Henry, with disgust.

“What the hell did you do?”

“He’s stable,” Dr. Peterson announced with a glance at Henry. “But I’m not sure for how much longer.”

“I know,” Henry said, walking over to the imager. “This thing is hooked up to his neuro-pathways---if I can see what’s going on in his head---figure out what’s happening to the paths I targeted before---then we should be able to figure out exactly what’s wrong.”

“What did you do Henry,” Stark asked, walking towards him, arms folded. Henry looked at him and then looked back down at the machine. “You obviously had something to hide---what was so important you had to fry Carter’s brain—“

“Nathan, please,” Allison said, stroking Zoe’s hair. “Not now—“

“No,” Henry said. “If I’m right you’ll all know the truth soon anyway.” Henry paused and took a deep breath. “After Kim died I used Walter Perkins’s temporal machine to create a rift in time---“

“Oh my God,” Allison gasped. “Henry that thing was—“

“Dangerous, I know. I knew then and I didn’t care----I saved Kim Allison---I went back in time and I saved her from dying,” Henry said.

Stark frowned. “But---Henry she’s still dead.”

“I know,” Henry snapped. He looked down at Carter. “Four years went by----four years I had her back. And you—“he looked at Allison, “You and Carter----you were married and expecting your first child.”

Allison looked at Stark and stepped out of Zoe’s embrace. “I don’t understand----I thought you said---“

“It was different timeline Allison,” Henry said. He grunted with frustration. “A different life---you and Carter had a life together---just like Kim and I until---“Henry looked down Carter. “Things started to fall apart---there was an anomaly, just like when Walter used the machine before. Time started to unravel---we all would have died if Jack hadn’t---“Henry looked at Allison.

“What,” Allison said. “What did he do?”

“He went back Allison,” Henry said. “He went back and stopped me from saving Kim---everything was back the way it was except---we both remembered.” Henry swallowed hard. “He remembered everything about that other life---and it was killing him because you didn’t.”

“So you made him forget,” Allison said.

“Yes.” Henry nodded and gestured towards the neutralizer. “With that thing----or one just like it. I had no idea the DOD would do this with the EM Field----“

“He’s saying something,” Zoe cried. Allison looked at Carter and rushed to his side. She leaned down, placing her ear near his lips as he whispered, his voice strained and weak.

“Faith.”

Carter


“Okay,” Carter nodded and waved his finger at Faith. “I’m on to you----you decided it’d be fun to screw with my head so you---“

“How can I screw with your head if I’m in your head?”

Carter’s mouth closed abruptly and he frowned. “Well---I don’t know but---“Carter waved his hands and shook his head. “Whatever---you said you’re here help me remember something, well what is it?”

“What’s my name?”

“Is this a trick question?”

“Your head---you tell me.”

“Well if you’re in my head, then why are you still being a smart ass?”

“Why do you keep asking me questions Jack?” Faith moved closer and he took a step back. “When you know the answer already.”

“God this is like that part in Amazing Stories where the guy dreams up the cartoon airplane wheel---“

“What’s my name Jack?”

Carter stared at her and frowned. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Why do you keep asking me things you already know?” She paused. “What’s my name?”

Carter stared at her, pain blossoming from his neck and spreading over his forehead. His eyes were blinded by light and he reached out to touch her, finding nothing but air.

“Faith.”

Then

Allison stared at the whirling lights of the temporal machine what would send Carter back to change what Henry had done four years ago. She felt a hard kick inside her stomach and swallowed the panicked sob that tightened her throat.

She felt like her entire life was being ripped away---her husband, her child. What if he changed the past and they never shared this future? What if she said no instead of yes when he asked out that day---what if he never did? Allison ran her hand over her swollen stomach as her eyes glazed with tears.

Carter approached her and she tried to listen as he explained what he was about to do. It was like something out of a bad science fiction movie except this was her life. Everything that mattered was about to disappear right in front of her.

“Aren’t you just a little worried,” she asked looking up at him. “About losing me, us---our life together?”

He smiled---that soft one that still made her knees weak, and cupped her face in his hands. “Listen to me. There is no time, no space, no way that we don’t end up together. You just gotta have some faith.”

Now

“Okay,” Henry said. “The imager is ready—“He gestured towards the machine and looked at Allison. “Now—this thing reads brain waves and converts them into light particles which creates images—‘

“We can see what he’s thinking,” Stark said. “Yeah---just turn the thing on Henry.”

Henry pressed a large button and a beam of light flowed into the air and spread into a holographic screen. Allison moved forward as her own face appeared in front of her eyes. “Is there sound,” she asked.

“Yes,” Fargo said. “The light waves are connected to his auditory nerve---“

“Fargo,” Henry, said, placing a hand on his arm. Fargo grew silent and pressed another button. Allison watched the images in front of her with wide eyes.

Her profile as she looked up into the night sky. “Do you see it?”

Carter’s voice. “I see---pollution.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop it. There’s no pollution in Eureka.”

The image shifted without warning and her face appeared again. The room was dark with flickering light and Allison realized it was likely in a movie theater. “Weren’t you in the middle of counting our dates?”

Carter’s voice. “Oh right. So like I was saying, this is our fourth date right?”

Her own voice, laughing and flirtatious. “Right.”

Carter spoke again. “So I was thinking. Fourth dates a big deal. I mean I ate spaghetti in front of you and you didn’t even flinch when that meatball landed in my lap. That means something Allison.”

“What is this,” Jo whispered, walking forward to stand beside Zoe.

“It’s what he’s seeing,” Henry said, looking down at Carter. “Right now.”

Allison stared at the screen, her eyes wide and her mouth opened in amazement. The image changed again and she was standing on her front porch staring at Carter while he looked up at her from a short distance. “I promised I’d be here,” Carter said.

Allison took a deep breath, tears clogging her throat at the sight of her own face, soft and filled with affection. “And that’s why I love you.”

The images came faster. Moments of her sleeping and Carter’s hand brushing hair from her face----her own lips before a stolen kiss---a panicked embrace followed by a flash of her leaned back against a bed, her eyes glazed with what was obviously lust. The others in the room looked away but Allison stood entranced---her eyes shining bright with tears.

“I’m pretty sure he knows how much I love you.”

“I love you Allison. I always have—“

“Allison Blake---will you be my wife?”

“So these are more hallucinations right?” Stark looked at Henry who looked at Allison. She shook her head, and swallowed hard, tears flowing freely down her face.

“No,” she said. “They’re memories.” She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her sob. “It’s everything he forgot.”

“There are no words to describe what happens to me every time I look at you. How it -feels to wake up and see your face--It just wouldn’t be enough.

“And so instead I’ll just make this promise. To show you---everyday for the rest of my life---exactly what you mean to me Allison Blake.”

“It’s going faster,” Allison said, blinking at the rapid pace of the images in front of her. She looked at Henry who frowned. “What does that mean?”

“His brain’s overloading,” Henry said. “It’s all coming too fast and not the way it’s supposed to---that’s why he didn’t remember all of it before---just the day he proposed.”

“Your neutralizer targeted specific pathways,” Nathan offered, walking towards the machine. “The EM field didn’t. His brain wasn’t meant to take that kind of heat.”

“What are you saying,” Allison said. “Is he---is this thing—“

“It’s killing him,” Henry said. “He won’t be able to take much more.”

“No,” Zoe yelled---running to Carter’s side. His mumbling grew even more rapid, his eyes fluttering in time to the images on the screen. “Do something---there’s got to be something---“

“We extract the memory neutralizer technology,” Fargo said. “I can---“

“That could take hours,” Henry said. “Hours we don’t have.”

“And any attempt to alter the makeup of the field could crash the entire thing,’ Stark said. “Global and everything it would be completely exposed---we’d be hacked and shut down within minutes.”

Allison stared at the rapid images silent. Her own face flashed in front of her, pale and drawn with worry. “Aren’t you just a little worried---about losing me, us---our life together?”

“Listen to me. There is no time, no space, no way that we don’t end up together. You just gotta have some faith.”

Allison turned to look at Carter, who spoke rapidly as he thrashed on the table. “Allison,” he said, her name bursting from his lips in a pain filled groan. I thought I lost you.

Allison took off running, swiping Jo’s shoulder as she burst out of the room. She heard someone yell her name---maybe Nathan but she didn’t slow. The sneakers she’d thrown on her feet before they’d rushed Carter to Global squeaked across the slick floors as she ran down the hallway, her arms pumping furiously, and made a sharp right turn into the stairwell. She took them two at a time, her hand grazing the rail as she reached the bottom floor, and opened the door to the basement of the building.

Allison paused a brief moment, disoriented by the large computers surrounding her. A technician looked up in surprise. “Ms. Blake---uh—“He wiped his hands on his jacket and smiled. “This is a surprise---“

“Key,” Allison said.

He frowned. “I’m sorry?”

“I need your key.”

The technician hesitated. “I’m not supposed to give that to anyone—“

Allison ran forward, grabbed his lapel and delivered a hard knee to his groin. The technician groaned and doubled over in pain, allowing her to unsnap his key ring from his jacket. She whirled around and scanned the room, her eyes falling on a pair of glass doors, fastened by a small lock. She moved towards it, sliding the stolen key inside and pushed through, her eyes on a black keyboard labeled with a bright red warning sticker. Allison didn’t read it---barely glanced at the bold letters before she began to type a series of codes she knew by heart ever since she’d taken over as head of at Global Dynamics. She pause over the enter button and took a deep breath and then struck the key with a decisive click.

“Warning---Electromagnetic Field Failure---Warning---Electromagnetic Field Failure.”

The room was filled with flashing red lights and Allison rose to her feet, staring at the computers blankly. She turned around, burst through the doors, and glanced at the wounded tech she’d left on the ground. He was crouched on his knees and looked at her in shock. “Why,” he croaked. “Why did you shut down the EM Field?”

Allison didn’t respond. She started to run again---past the flow of employees running to the room in panic. They’d try to bring it up again but would fail----the codes she’d entered were fatal---the entire field would have to be rebuilt. She had a vague thought of the enormity of what she’d done, but it faded under her desire to get back to the medical wing----back to that room----and back to him.

She’d almost made it when someone grabbed her arm. Allison looked up and saw Jo’s stern face, her grip iron clad and unyielding. “What the hell were you thinking Allison?”

“Let me go,” Allison said, pulling at Jo’s grip. “I have to see him---I have to make sure he’s okay---“

“Let her go Jo,” Stark said. Jo at him and shook her head.

“Stark, do you have any idea what she just did?”

“She saved his life,” Stark said. “Let her go.”

Jo hesitated, looked into Allison’s panicked eyes and loosened her grip. Allison broke way and ran inside the room, her eyes falling on Zoe who crouched over Carter’s bed.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Zoe whispered. Allison walked towards them slowly, her eyes on his fingers, resting on the white sheet of his gurney. They were still pale but had stopped twitching like before.

“Allison?” She closed her eyes briefly, her body practically collapsing with relief at the sound of his voice. Zoe moved to the right and Carter blinked up at her, his face a frightening shade of white but his eyes clear and alert. She reached out and touched his face as tears slid unchecked down her cheeks.

“You’re okay,” she said, smiling.

“Yeah,” he said. “Little tired but I’ll live---“he glanced at Zoe and then back to her. “Thanks to you.”

Allison lowered herself to her knees, leaned forward and pressed her ear against his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat. “You were right.”

Carter reached up to brush a stray hair back from her forehead. “About what?”

Allison lifted her arms and slid them cross his body, pressing her tear stained face into his shirt. “Everything.”

Epilogue

“Have you seen her yet?” Fargo clutched a large bouquet of tulips close to his chest as Jo rolled her eyes two steps in front of him.

“No Fargo----they just started to allow visitors in.”

“Oh there’s Zoe!” Fargo waved at Zoe who stood in the hallway, Henry at her side. They stared into a room with large grins across both of their faces.

“Is that Stark?” Jo frowned at the tall dark figured who approached Zoe and Henry.

“Hey,” Zoe said, waving them over. “You’re just in time---the nurse brought her down from the nursery a few minutes ago.”

“They named her already right,” Fargo said, angling for a better view of the room. Henry nodded and smiled.

“Oh yeah----Jack picked it out the minute he knew it was a girl. I don’t’ think they considered anything other than---“

“Faith,” Stark said, shaking his head. “Completely cheesy and obvious---just like Carter.” He squinted at the room. “Looks like she’s got his ears---poor kid.”

They stood huddled outside the room as Allison cradled her daughter close to her chest. Carter stood over her shoulder, a video camera trained on them both and a broad smile across his lips. He looked up and saw the group hovering at the door. “Well don’t just stand there---come in and meet the newest Carter.” They filed into the room, all smiles and Carter caught Stark’s eye. “Except you Stark,” he said. “You can wait in the hall.”

“Stop it Jack,’ Allison laughed. Stark strolled inside, winking at Allison and glaring at Carter.

“She’s beautiful Dad,” Zoe said, touching her sister’s finger.

Carter smiled and nodded. “Yeah she is.”

“What do you think she’ll be like when she grows up?”

Faith’s brown eyes, warm like Allison’s with her soft brown skin and his crooked smile and nose flashed before his eyes. “Oh,” he said, sitting down beside Allison and touching his daughter’s cheek. “I think I might have an idea.”

The End