Chapter Text
Eve was laying on the rocky ground on her side, a peace about her. She rolled over, once again feeling no pain. However, when she looked at her hand, her fingers were caked in bright red blood. She just stared at her fingers, her lips quivering. However, whatever happened, she snapped out of it, and remembered where she was.
The team, minus Flynn once again, was in an Egyptian tomb and mostly everyone, beside Cassie somehow, was covered in the clay-like dirt. Jake being the most caked out of all of them. It was Jake’s and Ava’s voices that caused Eve to snap out of it. Cassie and Ezekiel were solving puzzles on the opposite sides of the room, and Jake and Ava were fighting the, what were they? They wore jackal masks and were in robes with spears. Eve had gained control of the spear, sitting up. Jake and Ava were trying to gain control of the spear of the goon they were fighting.
“You lose focus?” Jake was annoyed, as he generally was.
But Ava was concerned. To her, it was like Eve had blanked out.
“I’m fine! Jones, what’s holding you up?” Eve was now standing, regaining control of the spear.
“I’m sorry, I assume you don’t want the ancient death trap to drop a thousand tons of rocks on us! Or I could rush if you like.” Ezekiel was being a little shit.
However, nobody was really having it.
“Just shut up and keep working!” Ava yelled out, using her sword to try and keep the bad guys sword away.
“Okay. The mathematical combination is based on these hieroglyphs. How many base symbols are there?” Cassie asked the linguist.
“There’s 24, Old and New Kingdoms! Where is he?” Jake answered for Cassie as Ava got the goon back a bit.
“Ezekiel, turn the gear twice clockwise, and then by the cycles of the sun, divided by golden ratios, height of the pyramid, then three times counter clockwise.” Cassie did the math as the dust kept falling, caking everyone.
Ezekiel did as Cassie said, and let out a “Ha!” once he got it.
“And the mummies?!” Ava yelled out, backing one into the wall.
“Are you sure that he said…” Jake argued.
“Message said to meet him here, he did not mention the mummies!” Eve yelled out!
“I swear if that bloody moron doesn’t show up…” Ava was getting upset when all of a sudden the mummies turned to dust, and Flynn was standing there, holding two medallions, one in each hand.
“Remove the medallions and the mummies fall.” Flynn was being Flynn.
“He didn’t mention the mummies or the medallions.” Eve pointed out as she stood straighter.
“Librarian, how many times do I gotta tell you to specify what we will be running into and how to kill the bloody thing?” Ava groaned a little, but also couldn’t help but let out a smile at seeing Flynn.
“Stone, Cassandra, Ezekiel, Kline, did I not mention the mummies nor the medallions in my message to meet me at the Monolith of Mut?” Flynn asked them as he went to high five Jake.
“No.” Ava insisted.
“Nope, next time, mummy memo. Hello, Librarian.” Eve walked up to the sarcophagus on a stone stand in the middle of the room.
“Hello, Guardian.” Flynn smiled at Eve a little bit.
“You came back alive.” Eve was smiling too.
“So I did.” Flynn was looking at her and had the tone of “I told you so.”
And he looked in love.
“Not that I don’t enjoy a bit of classic tomb robbing, but why are we here?” Ezekiel asked.
Ava noticed that Jake was caked in dust, so she smiled a little and started brushing some off of him, getting a small, and reluctant smile from him as he did the same. Showers were definitely on the to-do list. However, the details they silently decided would be hashed out later. Specifically who was going first, or if they were gonna go together.
“Because I believe that this sarcophagus holds the key. And I believe that I have found a way to bring back the Library.” Flynn revealed, moving to the foot end of the sarcophagus.
This was a huge step in Flynn’s mission to bring back the Library!
So then the team had to get the sarcophagus back to the Annex so that Jenkins could analyze it. And somehow they managed to do it. So, while Jenkins got to work, with Ava agreeing to assist, as it wasn’t her first time trying to analyze a sarcophagus, as she would do it all the time when she still worked at the museum. Eve and Flynn walked down the hall.
“The theory that the pharaohs used zero point energy to construct the pyramids is not new of course.” Flynn was explaining as he walked side by side with Eve to his desk in the Annex while Jenkins and Ava looked over the sarcophagus.
“Of course.” Eve listened to Flynn, though she didn’t really 100% understand what he was saying.
“Is that sarcasm?” Flynn asked her.
“No.” Eve said sarcastically.
“That was sarcasm.” Flynn pointed at her.
They made their way to Flynn’s desk.
“Not if the first one wasn’t.” Eve was smiling.
“I’ve missed you. Thank you for not changing anything.” Flynn stood at his desk, looking it over.
“Actually, I’d love to but the Annex keeps resetting it to your preferences like I don’t even exist.” Eve finally told Flynn.
“Well, that’s odd, it should adjust to your preferences.” Flynn then found the book he was looking for.
“Ah, here we go. References to the pyramids as passageways to the Afterlife. Not so metaphorical perhaps, Jenkins?” Flynn went over to the table as the trio came in with arms full of various scrolls.
“Perhaps sir.” Jenkins was still examining the sarcophagus.
The trio placed the scrolls on the table.
“Are you thinking there’s an actual doorway to Heaven in the pyramids?” Jake questioned.
“That’s something we should’ve found by now, no?” Ava also questioned.
“Well, sympathetic magic. Not a literal doorway. A doorway like ours, an interdimensional doorway.” Jenkins pointed out.
“Well, that makes sense because the pyramids were designed along precise mathematical lines.” Cassie then started hallucinating the math of the pyramids, then started spiraling.
Jake was concerned when he sensed she was spiraling, but Cassie buckled, and Jake kept her steady. Cassie was wide eyed as everyone was worried about her.
“I saw it all, I saw it all the way down. Ow, I can’t–I can’t do this math, the interdimensional space is too big, even bigger than the labyrinth was.” Cassie was groaning, holding her head.
Everyone was concerned. Especially since Cassie’s nose started to bleed.
“That hasn’t happened in a while.” Cassie tried rubbing off the blood, but hesitated a moment. Ezekiel handed her a napkin to wipe the blood as Cassie cursed her brain tumor, which she called her brain grape. That’s when Eve looked at her fingers, remembering the weird vision she had of her lying on the ground at peace.
“A series of coordinates, the energy equation leading to where–this, this leads to the void.” Jenkins was perplexed, looking back at Flynn, who had another stack of books and a small chest in his arms.
“The space between dimensions.” Jenkins pointed out.
“The exact space where the Library now floats cut off from the real world. If I can open that door, I could find the Library. I can anchor it back to here, back to this Annex.” Flynn thought he had a plan.
As if anchoring a place that exists outside of reality to a place in reality was easy.
“Yeah, well, but sadly, you lack the power generated by millions of tons of finely balanced magical stones placed directly under intersecting Ley Lines. This process couldn’t possibly work without a pyramid to power it.” Jenkins explained.
Flynn however, had an idea. “Unless I can find some sort of reality-altering guide linked to a dimensional shifting device along with, so we don’t melt Cassandra’s brain doing mathematical equations, some kind of software that interfaces with magic. Do you have anything like that lying around?” Flynn moved to the end of the sarcophagus.
Ava just kinda cocked her head, gesturing behind Flynn.
“Actually, here’s something funny.” Jake pointed out.
Turns out, the Librarians had everything they needed to pull this off. Ezekiel was using Morgan Le Fay’s algorithm from the mission where magical mischief happened at a science fair to help with the magic part. Jake and Cassie were tinkering with the gas lamp from the town that had people bodysnatching. Ava was standing by the table with Eve where the Libris Fabula was.
“A reality-altering storybook to power the magic. And the software–Morgan Le Fay, really?” Flynn looked at Eve.
Eve then turned around.
“Ooh. We never did have that conversation.” Eve pointed out.
Jenkins ignored her.
“And from the brilliant mind of Nikola Tesla, a dimensional stabilizer.” Jenkins pointed out, ignoring Eve.
“And the ball of twine of the Minotaurs Labyrinth.” Ava added as Flynn was twirling the ball around his waist.
“The Clippings Book sent you to get these things. Almost as if it was fate.” Flynn pointed out, noticing the odd curiosity of the team just happening to have everything they needed to anchor the Library.
“It was a little more complicated than that.” Eve butted in.
“Listen, I don’t think we’ll need the thread, this should work exactly as it is. We have power, focus, effect. Librarian.” Jenkins was standing by the Back Door.
“Yup.” Flynn put the ball of thread down.
“Coordinates please from the sarcophagus.” Jenkins told Flynn.
He went over to the sarcophagus, excusing himself so Eve moved. Flynn then started reading the coordinates to the Libris Fabula. However, nothing happened.
Then Cassie suggested that because the Libris Fabula is a storybook, it had to be read a story. So Flynn let Eve do it. Flynn was standing very close behind Eve, messing with her as she told the story, with Flynn butting in occasionally. The story was about an annoying and dashing Librarian who wanted to open a door to his home. A lightbulb lit up. Ezekiel then pointed out he was getting some real power.
Everything was working correctly, but when the Back Door started up. Flynn called Jenkins a genius, and Jenkins pointed out he was aware. Eve continued the story with how the Librarian and his friends used the door to open a path to a place they had lost. Everything was still fine.
“Your notes were spot on!” Flynn looked at Jenkins.
Ava had went beside Flynn, and saw Jenkin’s face of confusion.
“Notes?” Jenkins questioned what he meant.
“About the pyramids that you sent me.” Flynn was oblivious.
“I didn’t send any notes.” Jenkins insisted.
Ava was the first to suspect something was wrong. However, before she could give the order to shut everything down, a gas was released from the sarcophagus. Everyone started coughing. Through the smoke, Dulaque walked in, continuing the story. Lamia was right behind, holding a cloth to her mouth and nose.
“But then a hero arrived, to set the world right.” Dulaque continued the story.
By the time Dulauqe reached the floor, and Flynn realized it was Dulaque, everyone but Flynn and Ava were knocked out, the adrenaline being the only thing keeping them both going. Jenkins was also barely awake. Dulauqe kept going as he made his way to the door.
“Thanks to the hard work those Librarians did for him.” Dulaque opened the doors.
The gas started dissipating.
“I didn’t want to use this option. It doesn’t just change this world, it ends it.” Dulaque went into his evil speech.
Ava was crawling her way to Flynn, checking on Eve, who was out, then Cassie, who was also out but alive, and Jake, who she shook to try and wake up. He was out cold. But they were all alive.
“You’ll never get the Library.” Flynn told him.
“And you’re not taking anything from me again.” Ava hissed as she kept coughing still, but gaining her strength.
“I’m not thinking that small.” Dulaque revealed.
Ava knew exactly what Dulaque was after. Cause she knew him the best out of anyone there, well besides Jenkins.
“A bit more power to lock in the destination. I need blood sacrifice.” Dulauqe revealed, turning around.
Ava was trying to use her necklace, but she was still weak from the gas. But she at least could sit up. Lamia took the order and went to get Flynn, who was now on his hands and knees.
“No!” Ava gritted through her teeth, the encouragement she needed to stand up.
Lamia had Flynn by the hair, pulling his head back so his neck was exposed. Before she could get out her knife, and before Ava got her bearings fully, Dulaque stabbed Lamia in the side. Lamia was betrayed. Ava just stood there, in shock. But she didn’t feel too bad about it.
“I loved you.” Lamia stared at Dulauqe.
“That’s what you get for putting your faith in a monster, love.” Ava hissed, still in shock.
Lamia collapsed into Flynn’s arm, who was now on his knees. Ava did go over with Flynn and they both looked over Lamia as Dulaque wiped the blood from his cane sword.
“Unfortunately, that was required.” Dulauqe was cold.
Eve was now awake, and was struggling to stand. Ava had mostly recovered, so she went over to check on Eve, and make sure she didn’t collapse. Ava had her arm around Eve, and Eve immediately used Ava as a crutch.
“And so with blood, passage was open to the Loom of Fate.” Dulaque finished his story and went in the door.
Eve and Ava ran after him. Flynn got up and followed them out. However, Eve and Ava ended up on opposite sides of the river. Flynn ended up in a river. Dulaque was at a loom. Flynn quickly deduced they were in the River of Time and the loom was the Loom of Fate.
However, he saw Dulaque was about to cut the cloth.
“Eve, Ava, don’t let him cut the fabric.” Flynn yelled as he started running through the river.
Eve and Ava ran as fast as they could, but didn't make it in time. Dulaque cut the piece of fabric, saying it was where it all went wrong, when Camelot fell. When he cut the fabric, a bright gold glow emitted from the loom.
The entire area shook, causing everyone to loose their balance. The last thing that was said before everything started going wonky was Dulaque saying
“If history ends there… then I am…” as a bright gold glow emitted from his hand.
Then the cloth started ripping more, and there was a pulse, causing Ava and Eve to drop. However, when they both stood back up, Eve had accidentally clotheslined somebody, and Ava grabbed onto a tree. Eve went over, and recognized the man who was now on the ground, gagging, holding his throat.
“Flynn?” Eve pointed out.
“What the bloody hell is going on here, Flynn?” Ava turned to Flynn as Eve helped him up.
Some goon was ordering them to put their hands on their heads as Eve was asking Flynn where they were, and what had happened to his clothes, as he wasn’t wearing his white suit from earlier, but instead more professor like clothes.
The trio did as asked, playing a little game of “who’s turn is it” when turning around. Then they were forced to walk with a machine gun pointed at them.
“Who is this guy?” Eve asked Flynn.
“Who are you two?” Flynn asked them, not playing around.
Ava and Eve just looked at each other, confused.
“What the bloody hell is going on here?” Ava was confused.
And so was Eve. Not two minutes earlier, he was yelling out to them not to let Dulaque cut the fabric. But now he doesn’t remember them?
The three of them were escorted to a dig site camp and forced in chairs. However, Flynn took the lead, acting like he was the one in charge. Though Ava was more focused on the group being walked on the road, hands to their heads. Flynn was his normal cocky self however. But Eve and Ava just couldn’t put the pieces together in their heads.
The guy started asking for papers. They handed them over and the guy left to check them. Eve just looked at Flynn.
“A professor. Are you kidding me?” Eve was annoyed.
“I’m not even supposed to be here. I never leave the university.” Flynn was scared.
“A professor?” Eve just stared at him.
“They didn’t think I would. It was kind of a bet that…” Flynn kept going, and Eve was bickering with him.
Ava was just sitting there, side-eyeing them. Then the guy came is, really pissed that Eve was with NATO, as for some reason she had given him her NATO badge.
Ava just groaned, knowing it was up to her to save them both. However, the guy just grabbed Eve and took her away, ordering Ava and Flynn to stay put. But Ava all but dragged Flynn’s complaining ass to save Eve.
But since Flynn was impompetent, he got a gun to his chest, sending him down. Ava caught the gun from hitting Flynn again, and punched the guard, but he escaped her wrath for now, and so Ava helped Eve get Flynn up. Eve tried telling Flynn he wasn’t a professor.
But just then, a guy went crashing into a table that was set up, and a man started taking out the goons. Then Ava roadhouse kicked the goon on the ground. The man looked at her, and she just shrugged his shoulders.
As he walked over to Flynn, Ava’s instincts went off, and she immediately covered both Flynn and Eve. But then the man took down his headwrap, revealing it was Jacob Stone. This was when they noticed that he had a shotgun ammo belt over his shoulder, and dressed as an explorer.
“I’m the Librarian.” Jake revealed.
While Ava was happy to see her lapis again, she couldn’t help but feel something was wrong. Cause this man who looked and sounded like him, he wasn’t her Jacob Stone.
This wasn’t the Jacob Stone who would sit for hours analyzing a Dega painting for her, look through a textbook to answer some stupid argument they had about who had the better architecture, or would tell her stories from the books of old about knights and damsels and how it was so cliche, or would be kind when her PTSD fueled nightmares woke them both up at night and cuddle with her until they both fell asleep to their lovers embrace.
This wasn’t the Jacob Stone she had fallen in love with so deeply. This Jacob Stone was much rougher, more harsh, and experienced more pain and loss than he deserved. This Jacob Stone was a lot like Ava Kline.
“Eve.” Jake, but not their Jake was looking at Eve like he saw a lover for the first time in a long while.
He went over, put his hand on the back of her neck, and kissed her hard. Eve just had her hands out when he let go, and Ava was just stood in shock as AU Jake was excited to see her. A multitude of emotions were going through her mind. Eve was also super confused as well, and she just walked away, repeating “Nope!” the whole time.
Ava was just stood there in shock, but also trying hard not to laugh at the awkwardness of this whole situation. The whole time, AU Jake was calling out for Eve, but she just ignored him and cooled off. Flynn introduced himself to AU Jake.
AU Jake then looked at Ava. Ava was just stood there in shock. But she couldn’t help but notice that Jake looked at her like he was in pain thinking about her.
“Lapis.” Ava wanted to test a theory, so she used the nickname she gave him.
“You shouldn’t be here, Ava.” AU Jake was dismissive.
Ava was confused.
“People clearly need help here.” Ava pointed out as AU Jake wouldn’t look her in the eye.
“I asked you for help a long time ago, Ava. And you never came!” AU Jake got loud, causing Ava to jump a little.
This was indeed not her Jake.
“What are you on about?” Ava knew she knew better but a million different emotions were going through her mind.
“You left, Ava! 10 years ago you left. You left me !” AU Jake’s voice was full not of anger or venom, but heartbreak as he shoved Ava to not hurt her, but to get out his pain.
“What?” Ava could feel the heartbreak as her voice went quiet.
She couldn’t believe she’d ever leave him.
“We had gotten close after we met in the Amazon jungle. After we found the Spear of Destiny, I realized I was so madly in love with you. So I told you. And then you ran away, not a single apology or note left behind! And because you left, I was heartbroken. I never trusted anybody before I met you. I trusted you, and you left me!” AU Jake was staring at Ava, all the pain in his eyes breaking Ava’s heart.
“But that’s what you always do, isn’t it?” Jake’s words were of venom as he walked away.
Ava couldn’t deny he was wrong. She had to keep sane by reminding herself this wasn’t her Jake.
As she watched AU Jake walk away to help the other guys that had been taken, she put her hand to her chest and gripped the locket hard. Was she doomed to repeat fate?
Flynn was about to open his mouth but Ava quickly shut him up with a finger to his lips and a scary face.
A moment later, AU Jake was helping people in the red jeep and arguing with Flynn about having researchers there. Flynn just was spiraling around these ancient goth markings on the stones. AU Jake got excited, realizing they were under Ley Lines.
Of course Flynn didn’t think magic was real, and AU Jake wanted him to show him. Eve then grabbed Flynn by the tie as they walked, Ava joining them, as Flynn argued. Eve basically told him to shut up.
“You’re the Librarian?” Eve asked AU Jake, trying to paint the full picture.
“Yeah, going on 10 years. How are you here?” AU Jake was mostly looking at Eve, which broke Ava’s heart a little more.
“I’m the Guardian. So is she.” Eve pointed to Ava.
AU Jake just looked at Eve still.
“Ava ran away 10 years ago. Eve, you’re dead. I watched you die.” AU Jake revealed.
Eve just went silent, remembering her vision. Ava tried to ignore the continuing heartache and focused on Eve.
“Being a student of learning one of things that I…” Flynn would not shut up.
“Flynn, please shut your bloody trap before I find some duct tape to tape your mouth shut!” Ava snapped for a moment.
She quickly composed herself, taking a few breaths.
“I tend to be very methodical. Maybe I can help establish your hypothesis. Who exactly do you think he is?” Flynn was actually making a valid point.
“Jacob Stone, recent Librarian.” Eve told AU Jake.
“Jacob Stone, art historian, Librarian, and the man I love.” Ava’s voice caught in her throat so she swallowed hard as Jake just looked at her, confused.
“No, I’m the Librarian for over 10 years. Okay? The other guy died, well, he faked his death but I took the job.” AU Jake was giving his origin story.
“At the Metropolitan Library?” Eve questioned.
She needed some link between the two realities.
“Yes.” AU Jake confirmed.
“Metropolitan Library? Ahh, well, I was offered a job there once but I never showed up.” Flynn revealed.
Ava and Eve looked at each other, realizing what the link was.
“Yes.” Eve and Ava said at the same time.
“Jeez louise, that was weird.” Flynn kinda mumbled.
“Where I’m from–when I’m from, whatever. He’s you. I mean–You’re you, but he’s the Librarian and I’m his Guardian.” Eve explained.
“And I’m your Guardian.” Ava added.
AU Jake paused a moment.
“You were my Guardian, almost 10 years ago, right after your Military Intelligence Training and Ava ran away.” AU Jake explained, looking at Ava, still hurt.
Before anyone could say anything, a gunshot rang out, causing them to run, and Jake decided to head to the stones. So they all ran, with Flynn losing his breath rather quickly, placing his coat on a knob in the tree as he was complaining of the running, which Eve quipped that you get used to it.
“How did I die?” Eve asked AU Jake, standing in front of him.
“I’ve seen these stones before. I’ve seen them in South America, I saw them in Egypt.” AU Jake was ignoring her.
Ava realized that without her, AU Jake was able to travel the world and he did find love again. Cause nobody kisses anyone like that unless they thought they lost the one they love. She cursed her AU self for running away.
“Stone. Jacob, please.” Eve wasn’t dropping it.
AU Jake started breathing heavily, pausing.
“You stopped Dulaque from stealing the Library, okay? Charlene and Judson, they threw the Library into another dimension and you were stabbed. You bled out in my arms.” AU Jake revealed, pain in his voice from the memory.
“That’s my version too except for the part where I died. Excalibur, Buckingham Palace…” Eve told him.
“Same here, except for I was there.” Ava also added again.
“No, but I stopped them though. Okay, it may have been too late but I stopped them.” AU Jake was pointing to his chest.
“You’re too late? There’s magic in the world.” Eve observed.
“No such thing as magic.” Flynn was in the woods.
“Flynn, I swear to god please shut up!” Ava yelled at him.
“Without the Serpent Brotherhood’s control, it’s wild magic. All right? Technology’s failing, the monsters are rising, wars are breaking out. The best I can do is hunt down magical items, like these stones, and keep them safe out of the wrong hands.” AU Jake was almost agitated, then looked at Ava.
“You showed me that I could do it, Ava. Though I wish it was with you.” AU Jake still was heartbroken, looking at Ava and being quiet.
“I do too. I’m so sorry, Jacob.” Ava was nearly in tears.
“I’m sorry too. I wish my Ava and Eve got to meet. You’re a lot alike. Like you’re cut from the same cloth.” AU Jake had forgiveness on his face.
Something in the words triggered Ava. But Flynn was oblivious to the whole thing.
“These are not the right kind of trees.” Flynn blurted out.
“What?” Jake just looked at Flynn.
“I’m just saying that the actual native specie of tree on this side of the Ukraine would be the oak or the hornbeam but these pine trees are totally out of place.” Flynn observed and walked over.
“I wouldn’t have spotted that. Yeah, I’m art and history and stuff, I mean, you know. Anyway that you being here you spotting that, that’s like…” Jake was saying.
“Fate.” Eve and Ava said at the same time.
“That’s like fate.” Eve repeated.
Eve remembered where she was standing, making a marker with her body.
“Here. I came in right here.” Eve pointed out.
Ava marked where she was.
“I was here.” Ava added.
Flynn then noticed a pattern.
“These pine trees actually form kind of a pattern around the stones and there’s an ancient metal spike in each one.” Flynn observed, walking away to look at the trees.
“Resonance. That’s to activate the teleportation stones.” AU Jake was all excited.
Ava couldn’t help but smile a little. She was glad that even in an alternate universe, there were still parts of Jacob Stone that remained the same. Like how he turned into a little boy when he got excited.
“There’s no such thing as teleportation.” Flynn pointed out.
But then more gunfire rang out, causing Flynn to yell and everyone to duck. AU Jake hit the metal spike that was covered by Flynn’s jacket, sending a pulse of energy around.
“Oh, self-reinforcing harmonic resonance? Whoa.” Flynn was also acting like a kid.
“I told you I knew what these stones were. Get in there, now.” AU Jake went around, hitting each spike, and giving Ava a shove inside.
“You guys must have come from a different timeline. For some reason, you guys keep getting dragged into the weak spots in reality.” AU Jake was explaining as he went around, using a rock to hit each spike.
“Ah, teleportation stones under Ley Lines, that counts.” AU Jake explained as he ran over.
“Come with us!” Eve argued.
“Us? What do you mean us? No way, no, where are we going?” Flynn was confused.
“Lapis!” Ava yelled.
“I can’t. I got to stay here. I got to power these things up. If I get these right, I can send you guys back.” AU Jake hit the last one and ran and stopped in front of Eve and Ava.
Ava was frozen.
“Hey, in your world, we didn’t have our 10 years.” AU Jake looked at Eve.
“We just met a few months ago. We’re friends, though. Despite ourselves, sometimes.” Eve explained.
AU Jake was a little hurt.
“We both met you at the same time. You were always a pain in my arse, but you opened my heart to love again. We fight like cats and dogs.” Ava so desperately wanted to say the full thing but couldn’t.
“Then the alternate me is an ass, because I missed you Eve. I still miss you, Ava.” AU Jake then ran off before they could react and hit another one of the stones.
Soldiers started moving in.
“Stone they’ll kill you.” Eve yelled.
AU Jake hit the last stone and ran back over.
“Let them try.” AU Jake then put his hands up.
“I’m the Librarian.” AU Jake had his hands out, a smile on his face, satisfied knowing he saved the two people he loved.
Ava and Eve just stood there, not caring about the soldiers surrounding the place. But the high stakes, the adrenaline, and the pain had Ava thinking of one last thing to say.
“I–” Ava managed to get out before she was popped into another reality.
This time, they were in a science facility, with white tubing everywhere for ductwork.
“--love you.” Ava realized AU Jake never heard her say it and she never said it properly to her Jake.
She closed her eyes and tried everything to stay calm.
“Whoa, we just teleported.” Flynn was freaking out, patting his body.
“We just–using extra physical means, we somehow–we accessed the concept of quantum tunneling on a macro-scale!” Flynn was freaking out.
If Ava wasn’t still in her head about seeing AU Jake, and Eve wasn’t trying to figure out how to solve this, then both might’ve been more amused.
“You mean magic, mate.” Eve and Ava heard an Australian accent they knew well.
They looked up, and saw Ezekiel Jones. Except this definitely wasn’t their Ezekiel Jones. Well, for one, he was in a lab coat and had his hair slicked and parted instead of messy. And he was confident but not full of himself. Eve gasped.
“We’re on an adventure or I’ve lost my mind. Or both. Who are you?” Flynn asked AU Ezekiel.
“I’m the Librarian.” AU Ezekiel announced.
After the initial shock went away, the trio explained what was happening. They all met in this lab area.
“Sideways, actually… I think you’re moving sideways between different timelines, each one with a minor difference.” AU Ezekiel explained.
“Not so minor.” Eve corrected.
“2,000 years old and still everyday I’m experiencing something new.” Ava couldn’t help but comment.
“Wait, are you saying that we’re–I’m in a parallel universe? Wait, is there a me here?” Flynn asked.
“Theoretically.” AU Ezekiel answered.
“If I–If I met myself, would I explode?” Flynn was now borderline panicking.
“Do you have a pen?” Flynn then just went over to a whiteboard and started drawing on it.
“And us? Please don’t tell me we’re involved.” Eve questioned.
“What? No, no, no, no.” AU Ezekiel gladly cleared that up.
“Oh, thank god.” Eve was relieved.
“Well, I’ll take the win. So who were we to you then?” Ava asked AU Ezekiel.
“You were like a mother to me. And Kline was like a sister to me.” AU Ezekiel looked at the two women.
“Wait, what? No, that’s mathematically improbable.” Eve pointed out, before realizing Flynn heard her.
“Actually, that’s not true.” Flynn was about to explain.
“Not helpful, Flynn.” Ava pointed at Flynn.
Then her and Eve looked back at AU Ezekiel.
“‘Were’, why past tense?” Eve asked him.
“Tore me up. You became my Guardian when I was a teenager. When you were stabbed, the day Dulaque tried to grab the Library, it was the day you died. Worse day of my life.” AU Ezekiel looked shaken up, shocking Ava and Eve.
“And after that, Ava became my Guardian. You were consulting for the Library before. But after we went after the Crown of King Arthur, you just ran away. No note or anything. Not even a goodbye.” AU Ezekiel was hurt.
Ava was too. She was just silent, unable to say anything out loud. This was the second time she’s run away from people she was supposed to help. And she couldn’t stop Dulaque. She couldn’t help thinking that maybe these AU worlds were a result of her running away.
”You reminded me of her, you know?” AU Ezekiel looked at Ava.
Ava got the deja vu feeling again. Cause this is the second time she’s heard something like that.
“Not to look a gift Guardian in the mouth, but maybe you can help us with our ghost problem.” AU Ezekiel went over to the window.
“Ghosts aren’t really the Librarian’s job.” Eve pointed out.
“Well, they are now.” AU Ezekiel opened the blinds to the window.
Outside was pitch black, the only light was lighting up a hoard of people, hundreds, maybe even thousands, almost in a zombie like state with noticeable black around the eyes.
“Welcome to ghost world.” AU Ezekiel still had that cockiness to him.
“What the hell?” Ava muttered again, trying to not have her brain break down.
“There was a house, it granted wishes…” AU Ezekiel started, but Eve and Ava knew the ending.
“Oh right that bloody place.” Ava cursed.
“Oh, killer from the past.” Eve remembered.
“Didn’t put her down quite right. Her last wish opened a hole in the world, and let in all the…” AU Ezekiel was explaining as Flynn came over and looked out the window.
“Ghosts? You’re saying those are ghosts?” Flynn was so confused.
“Real people, possessed. Most of the world now. Just my team left.” AU Ezekiel explained.
Flynn then just started running out the door.
“He’s not taking this very well. Who is he?” AU Ezekiel asked as Eve and Ava walked away with a glance to one another.
“The Librarian.” Eve revealed.
As they left, AU Ezekiel made a crack about letting Flynn have the job. Eve and Ava found Flynn pacing in a break room of some kind, pacing. He was close to a breakdown, which was the last thing they needed. Flynn saw them walk in.
“No, no, no, no, no. This is not happening.” Flynn was panicking as Eve circled him, getting him backed against a desk and calmed him down slightly as she told him her and Ava were calm cause they’d dealt with this before.
“What is a Librarian?” Flynn finally blurted out.
Eve took a breath, and Ava nodded at Eve.
“They’re the ones who protect the rest of us from the magic and the weird and the things that go bump in the night.” Eve explained.
“What’s a Guardian?” Flynn asked.
“We protect the Librarian. And I leave apparently.” Ava explained.
“And die?” Flynn made that connection.
“Apparently.” Eve commented.
“And that doesn’t freak you out? I’m totally freaked out.” Flynn got closer to Eve, but she had him back against the desk.
“Why didn’t you answer the letter about the job in the Library? Did somebody interfere?” Eve asked as Flynn was thinking.
“No, no, I just–I know myself. I was comfortable in the university so I didn’t go. It was just a–it was a twist of a thread on a random Loom of Fate.” Flynn nonchalantly said.
But Eve and Ava both perked up.
“Loom of Fate.” Ava repeated as Eve blanked out.
Eve remembered the vision she had of herself dying, but this time saw Ava’s hand grasp hers.
“Why did you say Loom of Fate?” Eve picked up on it too once she snapped out of it.
“Because it’s a Greek myth, not just a Greek myth, it’s also a Baltic myth, it’s also a Finnish myth if you want to be technical…” Flynn was spiraling.
“Skip, skip, skip.” Eve reminded him.
“All of our lives, all of our possibilities. All of our choices are all woven together in the fabric of history on the Loom of Fate.” Flynn explained.
“He cut it. He cut the fabric.” Eve glanced at Ava, who caught on.
“When he cut the fabric, he cut history.” Ava realized.
Before Ava could process the information, they heard glass shattering, and possibly a scream.
“I guess we should see what that is.” Flynn mentioned.
“You’re the Librarian, even if you don’t know it. You’re the Librarian.” Eve was hyping Flynn up as the trio walked out.
They went back onto the balcony with AU Ezekiel. A couple of his scientists also ran up to join them, revealing the ghosts came through.
“I will take any ideas.” AU Ezekiel turned to the trio.
“Any ideas? The odic force.” Flynn suggested.
Nobody knew what it was.
“The odic force? Ah, modulate your power output to 53 percent and at the same time, see if you can raise it into the Clevenger field effector range.” Flynn told the scientists who got on it.
“He’s not making any sense.” AU Ezekiel went over to the table as Ava smiled and Eve started laughing.
“It’s a good thing.” Eve kinda yelled.
“Clevenger Field is where researchers think telepathy occurs.” AU Ezekiel pointed out.
“Right. Yes. Can you see what he’s thinking?” Flynn was amused as he was grabbing parts.
“That’s a little bit of a telepathy joke. Anyway, assuming that magic is real, and I’m not assuming that magic is real. But it might be real in this reality. What you have is a spirit energy overlay. The Odic Force is sort of a discarded theory from the 1800s having to do with supernatural energy. And I did a paper on it once. I got a B plus on it. That was also not a very good day.” Flynn was explaining as he was grabbing a jumper cable and another part.
“Wouldn’t know about that, mate. Tech and security is more my thing, not…” AU Ezekiel went to explain.
“Right. Not history. You have a blind spot that he filled.” Eve told him.
Ava couldn’t help the deja vu feeling she was experiencing. The last alternate reality with Jake as the Librarian, it was Flynn who helped with the tree identification cause Jake wasn’t familiar. And this time, Ezekiel didn’t know science so Flynn filled it in. It wasn’t a coincidence that Flynn was the Librarian now, cause while Flynn has his blindspots, he knew enough to manage.
AU Ezekiel went over to a young lady and a guy on the computers, ordering them to do as Flynn said.
He then ran down, and Ava and Eve ran after, kinda shocked. They held the white board, putting all their weight to try and buy some time so the ghosts didn’t get up. And through arguing, they found out that Ezekiel basically made a profit from being a Librarian. They got cornered at the steps so they ran up and Flynn blasted them with electricity, shocking himself but causing the crowd of people to be saved. Ava helped Flynn up.
“Gotta admit, you’re not too bad there Carsen.” Ava teased a little bit.
“Well, done, Librarian. You just saved the world with magic.” AU Ezekiel complimented Flynn, which threw Ava off a little bit.
“I don’t know about that. More of a misunderstood mathematics, I think.” Flynn shook it off as he joined Eve.
“It’s magic, mate. You’re a Librarian. It will grow on you.” AU Ezekiel told him.
He then ordered his team to set up a portable containment system. But then the trio noticed themselves phasing.
“What in the hell?” Eve was confused.
“We just disrupted the local supernatural energy field.” Flynn tried thinking logically as they phased a little more frequently.
“No, no. We’re hopping timelines magically.” Eve argued with him.
“I’m not convinced that that’s what happening.” Flynn argued.
Ava rolled her eyes. Even in an alternate reality, Flynn and Eve still bicker.
“Okay, but if we were…” Eve argued.
“Which we are not.” Flynn argued.
“We’re unstable.” Eve ignored him.
“See that doens’t change.” Ava muttered as they kept arguing.
They phased more frequently, almost twice a second, signaling that they were gonna be teleporting.
“Ah, for what it’s worth, it was good to see you again, Colonel Baird. You too Kline. And thanks for bringing him along too. You three arriving just in time. Just like it was fate.” AU Ezekiel said before Eve and Ava looked back while walking.
Again, there was that word. But before they could react, they teleported.
This time, the trio ended up outside a factory of some kind. Everything was rusted, it was hot, and everything had a red haze to it. There was a tube like structure in front of them, and staircases all the way up. And there was a smell.
“What is that smell?” Eve asked.
“God it smells like eggs.” Ava was disgusted a little.
“Ooh, that is sulfer. Mixed with some kind of ash.” Flynn coughed as they climbed the stairs.
“It’s not chemical though. That’s some…” Flynn was explaining before they heard screeching combined with a roar.
They looked up and they saw a very large fiery red dragon.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ava muttered under her breath.
But quickly she felt something off with her body. Like all of a sudden she felt tired. Like something was draining her.
“That’s a dragon.” Flynn pointed out, just staring to the sky.
“No shit.” Eve muttered as Flynn turned into a schoolboy.
“I officially believe in magic now.” Flynn told them.
But Eve and Ava both told him they had gotten rid of dragons. But Flynn got stuck in the neck by a dart. Flynn pulled it out and passed out. Then as Eve and Ava registered what was happening, Eve felt a shock of electricity down her spine as she blacked out. Before Ava could react, she too felt the shock of electricity down her spine, causing her to black out.
When they woke up, they were each on a chair, hands tied together, and Flynn had a bandana wrapped around his mouth as a gag. Flynn was panicked, calling out for Eve and Ava. Eve was confused, trying to process her surroundings. But Ava felt her instincts coming through.
Cause in front of them was Lamia, who Eve and Ava both swore had gotten stabbed in the back by Dulaque. But Ava felt something different about this world that she didn’t feel in the other ones as much. While outside she felt weaker, inside she felt stronger. Not physically, but all her senses her heightened, and her mind went into soldier mode.
“Who are you? You are not Eve Baird. I saw her die.” Lamia hissed at them.
“And I saw you run.” Lamia looked over at Ava.
“Yeah, well, I just saw you die. So we’re even.” Eve told her.
“Stabbed in the back by a man you claimed to love.” Ava fed the fire.
Lamia had her knife pointed at them.
“I don’t know what sort of trick this is, but when my liege comes…” Lamia threatened them.
“Dulaque?” Eve gritted her teeth and used her legs to kick Lamia back.
Ava immediately got in on the action, standing up and kicking the chair behind her. They were in handcuffs. So Ava stood side by side with Eve as the trio of women circled, facing off.
“Pro-tip, always handcuff people to the chair not just in the chair.” Eve taunted her.
“And don’t handcuff someone who’s been trained by Houdini.” Ava revealed she had gotten out of her cuffs as Lamia swung.
Ava and Eve both dodged, but since Ava had a hand free, she used it to land a punch on Lamia’s gut. A young female then walked in, using magic to separate them and that they had enough. Eve and Ava thought the voice sounded familiar.
Lamia was looking at the ground, apologizing. The woman then lowered the hood on her cloak, and revealed herself to be Cassandra Cillian. She had a bright red cloak with a gold border, and a red dress that suggested royalty.
While it was obvious this was an AU Cassie, as their Cassie didn’t use magic like that, Ava got a sense there was more to just regular magic. A similar magic she felt when confronting Morgan Le Fey, and the magic that had been drained out of her from that fight. While there was still a little light in AU Cassie, it seemed dimmer than their Cassie’s. But yet she seemed lighter. She walked over to Flynn.
“Aren’t you interesting? And not from around here.” Cassie lowered the red bandana from Flynn’s mouth as he was now standing.
“Or rather, around now. Or rather, maybe now there but not now here.” AU Cassie was stroking Flynn’s cheek.
Then she turned to Eve and Ava.
“And Eve, but not my Eve. Or Ava, but not my Ava.” AU Cassie saw right through them.
“Please don’t say I’m like your mother.” Eve commented.
AU Cassie smiled a little and let out a small chuckle.
“No. Nothing like that. With either of you.” AU Cassie assured them.
Ava and Eve were still processing everything.
“Walk with me.” AU Cassie asked them as she walked, snapping her fingers.
Lamia went over and took off Flynn’s handcuffs.
They walked through the building, coming across a group of people who looked worse for wear who all lowered their heads before AU Cassie as they walked through. Though even Ava could read AU Cassie’s body language, and she was uncomfortable.
“I wish they wouldn’t do that.” AU Cassie commented, uncomfortable.
Ava let out a smile, cause at least her Cassie was still in there.
“You saved them from the dragons. They owe you that fealty.” Lamia told her.
Ava once again got that deja vu feeling, like she’s seen something like this before.
“Okay, what is this?” Eve asked.
Ava kept silent.
“I am her Guardian. I took over after you died, and she ran away.” Lamia revealed.
“So I die in every timeline.” Eve realized.
“And I run away in every timeline.” Ava had the same realization.
“Timeline. Of course. You’re skipping through alternate timelines, aren’t you? Morgan Le Fay warned me something was coming, something to do with…” AU Cassie revealed.
Ava once again for deja vu, remembering being back at that school and confronting Morgan and her telling them that something was coming about the Loom of Fate. AU Cassie used her magic to open the doors and showed them the Loom of Fate drawing, hidden safely in a room with other artifacts.
“The Loom of Fate.” Eve and Ava both said, going up to it.
“I saw Dulaque cut the threads.” Eve told them.
“Dulaque’s dead. I killed him after he killed you and Ava beat him bloody.” Lamia revealed, shaking Ava to her core.
Had she really fallen that low that she’d beat a man senseless?
“Taking the Library was one thing. But Casssandra… when Excalibur healed her, I knew that she was the chosen one.” Lamia explained.
Eve once again had the vision of her dying, finger tips caked in dark red blood, Ava’s hand on hers.
“In Ava’s and my timeline, when Dulaque cut the fabric from the Loom, he wanted to go back to when Camelot was around. How would that even work?” Eve questioned.
“Well, the Loom of Fate just spits out history so if you cut it– well you know if you cut the loom, then you end history at a certain point.” Flynn explained as he went over to the drawing of the Loom of Fate on a whiteboard with equations around it.
“And then history would start again from wherever you cut them. What I don’t understand is why Camelot? Oh, wait I do understand. His name is Dulaque, King Arthur.” Flynn put the connection together, and Ava was praying that was the only connection he made.
“Dulaque wanted history to start fresh at Camelot. At the height of his power and the power of magic. He’s a fool. He cut the thread of fate, but didn’t reweave it. Now the fabric of history is frayed, so it’s unwinding. You’re skipping from thread to thread, each one another possible path history could have taken.” AU Cassie explained.
She used her magic to bring a book to her, causing Flynn to jump.
“What’s with all the magic?” Eve asked.
Ava kept silent, knowing anything she said could reveal parts of her past. “We learned how to use it in order to hunt it. When my brain tumor grew, I used magic to save my life, but it altered my brain permanently. You never did approve.” AU Cassie looked at Eve and read the book.
“And you didn’t either, Ava, cause you saw what it did to you. You didn’t want me making the mistake you did. You reminded me of my Eve, Ava.” AU Cassie looked at Ava.
Ava just kinda lowered her head in shame.
“This is horrible. History will continue to unravel until all of time is undone.” AU Cassie revealed the stakes.
“How do we fix it?” Ava asked, not liking how it sounded.
“We don’t. Gather the others.” AU Cassie ordered Lamia.
She took the order and left.
“We lost, Eve. We had 10 good years and in the end, we just lost.” AU Cassie looked at Ava.
“We had some good years Kline. But you ran after we lost. Looking at Morgan, reminding you of everything you lost, the training, it became too much for you. So you left.” AU Cassie revealed.
Ava cursed herself again. All these timelines, and every single one she runs.
“I’m going to evacuate this world. Morgan Le Fay taught me how to open doors. I’ll take as many through as I can.” AU Cassie called it quits.
“No!” Ava turned to face her, finally doing the one thing she hadn’t been able to do in all these timelines.
“If we were as close as I think, then you know damn well the one thing I learned is to never give up!” Ava told her.
“You’re a Librarian, right? I mean like Stone was a Librarian, Ezekiel was a Librarian?” Flynn told her.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” AU Cassie told him.
“I mean, I’m just saying I didn’t see the other ones give up and you seem to be holding out longer than they did, so why would you give up?” Flynn asked her, giving a pretty good pep talk.
“He’s your Librarian. And you’re a Guardian?” AU Cassie pointed out about Flynn and Ava.
“No. No I’m not. I mean, I could have been but I quit. And now I know what I could have had.” Flynn told them.
“I was a Guardian, but I gave up. Things got too hard and I ran. In every timeline I’ve been to, I abandoned the people I cared about most. In my timeline recently, I wondered if running away was the best option. Cause I made mistake after mistake, and hurt the man I love. So I wanted to leave thinking that’s how I could protect them. But if these timelines have taught me anything, is I’ve been running all my life.”
Ava had to take a breath.
“Running away once Camelot fell out of shame of my mistakes, running away cause I couldn’t bare the pain of losing my husband and watching my daughter wither away, running so my heart wouldn’t feel the pain of love again. But running away only made the pain worse cause then you’re constantly escaping it. And I realized that I’m missing out on life because of fear. So I’m done running. This is my life. I’m choosing to live. I choose a life of mystery and misery. Of loneliness and adventure. I’m choosing to make a difference. And save the world every week, twice before Friday.” Ava had her speech.
“It’s not a great life, Flynn, Ava.” Eve told him.
“Well, it’s a life. It’s a life of choice. It’s not a life of safety. If I could go back and–if I could– If I could have it now, I would choose–I want that now. I choose to save the world.” Flynn hyped himself up.
Eve just looked at him.
“Just one more time.” Eve added.
“Just one more time.” Ava added.
“And how do we do that, not-a-Librarian or Guardian?” AU Cassie asked him, admiring the confidence boost he got.
“Well, the Loom that that guy, Dulaque, cut, you could rethread it and you could reweave the threads of history back into shape.“ Flynn laid out a plan.
“Magically possible. But we will need a very specific thread. Something ancient. Something charged with dimensional power and tied as closely as possible to the original Greek myth. I don’t suppose you have one of those lying around.” AU Cassie pointed out.
Flynn was shaking his head no, but Eve and Ava looked at each other, knowing the perfect thing to use. And where it was.
“Here’s something funny.” Eve revealed.
“I know exactly what we need. And at least where I think we could find it.” Ava also revealed.
They found the Annex and walked in, flashlights in hand, the lights dim and yellow. Flynn was like a kid in a candy store.
“It looks exactly like the Library’s card catalog.” AU Cassie pointed out.
“You’ve never been here before to the Annex?” Eve questioned her.
“No.” AU Cassie revealed.
But however, both Ava and Eve quickly discovered that the thread from the Minotaurs Labyrinth. But Ava and Eve also knew that Jenkins kept everything in the back, so they left to track down the lab where the thread would be. AU Cassie watched Flynn’s expression change to longing as Eve left.
“You care for her.” AU Cassie pointed out.
“Ah, no. Well, I don’t really know her.” Flynn blew off the dust off a paper.
“Although I feel like I do. The other one too.” Flynn added.
“She will die for you no matter how much you don’t want her to. Never forget that.” AU Cassie warned Flynn.
Eve and Ava came back in the Annex.
“Jenkins, he’s our Judson. He’s not here.” Eve went to the desk.
“The thread of the Labyrinth was on this desk, I know it.” Ava insisted.
“But this isn’t your timeline. This is her timeline. Whatever you did to get that ball of twine here never happened.” Flynn pointed out. Eve and Ava knew what had to be asked next.
“So how do we get back to our timeline?” Eve asked.
“You can’t. History is fraying. It’s pulling apart. The threads are getting further and further apart. You can’t go back.” AU Cassie explained.
“We failed.” Eve was upset.
“No! Eve Baird, we did not!” Ava got a little loud, refusing to give up now.
“I refuse to give up now. Not when I finally have hope. Dulaque took my life away once. I refuse to let him take my life again! Not when I finally have something worth fighting for again. And I refuse to let him kill you, Eve.” Ava insistence spoke to Eve, and Flynn as well.
“No. No, no, no. There is always another chance. There’s always another trick. There’s always something left to learn. History’s unraveling. Unraveling like a–like a–like a–like a rope, like a sailor’s rope, like a sailor’s rope. And what does a sailer do with his rope? He throws the rope and he hauls the rope, and he cuts the rope, and he ties the rope and he splices–Ah!” Flynn was sing-songy until his lightbulb moment.
“Splices a rope. Why don’t we do that? We can splice the threads of history together just for a minute.” Flynn made a plan.
“Take one thread, weave it against the next, which brings in a thread next to that and then the next one. It can work.” AU Cassie did the numbers in her head.
Flynn snapped his fingers.
“But I will need a focus. Something common across all of the timelines that you’ve traveled.” AU Cassie explained. The trio had the same idea.
“The Librarians.” They all said.
Cassie got ready, having the trio stand by the table as she held a bag of sand, warning them to hold on. She spoke a Latin incantation as the sand poured out of the bag like an hourglass, forming a symbol. AU Cassie did magic, and weird noises were head. She told them to be quiet, as she was doing math.
AU Cassie did her thing, holding out her hands, and grabbed AU Ezekiel and AU Jake. They were confused and gripped each others hands.
“Concentrate Librarians, your lives, your histories, and your friends.” AU Cassie told them.
“Wait, you’re Librarians?” AU Jake was confused.
“We are Librarians, of course.” AU Ezekiel went along with it.
The lights went out. Then when they came back on, they were in the Annex.
“Whose world is this?” AU Jake asked.
“Hers. And hers.” AU Cassie explained as Eve grabbed the thread.
AU Cassie then opened the Back Door using magic.
“The doors to the Loom are open. It is beyond space and time. Concentrate on the moment you left and you’ll return to that exact point.” AU Cassie told them.
Eve and Ava turned to them.
“Thank you.” Eve thanked her with a nod.
Ava did too, getting out her sword necklace as Eve grabbed one. But Flynn stopped them from leaving.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, if we go back to our timeline, they’ll cease to exist. You understand, if we go back, you’ll–you’ve–you’ll just be gone.” Flynn explained.
“It’s been an interesting life.” AU Jake had a smile on his face and a hand to his chest.
That was the Jake Ava was missing.
“A life of mystery and misery.” AU Ezekiel stepped forward.
“With loneliness, but adventure. A chance to make a difference.” AU Cassie continued.
“A chance to save the world every week, twice before Friday. Go kick some ass, Librarian.” AU Jake finished.
Ava looked at each of them.
“I’m sorry that your Ava’s ran away. But I learned my lesson.” Ava told them.
She looked to AU Jake.
“Since your Ava didn’t, let me do what she couldn’t. I love you, Jacob Stone.” Ava went over and kissed AU Jake hard.
He gladly accepted the kiss with a starving hunger, knowing he would never get this chance again. And he waited 10 years for this. So neither of them were gonna blow it, and they were gonna make it the best damn kiss either of them had. They let go, their breaths heavy, stares from the others. But they didn’t care.
“I love you too, madam. Now, tell that to your lapis. Give him the years we didn’t get.” AU Jake made her promise.
Ava gripped his hand.
“I promise.” Ava smiled a little.
“Go kick some ass.” AU Jake signaled her to go.
Ava smirked.
“I always do.” Ava chuckled lightly.
They all nodded and the trio went through the door. They were back at the River of Life and saw the Loom of Fate.
“I’ll assume you have a degree in ancient weaving?” Eve asked Flynn.
“Well, it’s folded into a doctorate on medieval agricultural…” Flynn was going on.
“Just shut up and weave.” Ava told Flynn as Eve handed him the ball of rope.
Flynn got to work as Ava got her sword out.
“Who are you looking for?” Flynn noticed Ava and Eve on guard.
“Dulaque may still be here.” Eve told him.
“Should I be worried?” Flynn asked.
“Well, no, I mean, he’s a pretty frail old guy and…” Eve was saying before Ava was about to cut her off.
But before she could curse her out, a younger looking Dulaque rammed into Eve, sending her to the ground. Ava went after him, but Dulaque was stronger and knocked Flynn down. Ava recognized the face well.
“You call that frail?” Flynn was annoyed.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you look like that.” Ava immediately got up and was on guard, easily composing herself.
“Rewind history to Camelot and this was me, at Camelot. Lovely side effect really.” Dulauqe revealed.
“What is with you and Camelot?” Eve asked, confused as Ava stood guard to protect them.
“It was perfect. A just king, knights of honor, magic to control the world, it was a perfect world.” Dulaque explained.
“It was a perfect world for men like you. For me it was Hell!” Ava let her anger get the better of her, but reeled it in.
“Until you ruined it. Lancelot. Lancelot du Lac.” Flynn revealed the identity of Dulaque, hiding behind the Loom as how Eve was standing.
“Yes. Well, I’m fixing that now. Your world is gone. Welcome to mine.” Dulaque went to perry the Loom, but before Ava could move his sword, Eve stood in the way and got stabbed in the chest right above her collar bone.
Eve let out a gasp. Ava quickly grabbed her.
“No! Baird! Do not do this to me. Eve!” Ava was fuming, scared, angry, mad, all at once.
Flynn also yelled out “No!” But Dulaque threw Eve down the bank and left her there. Ava immediately got into her fighting pose.
“You do not get to get everything from me again, Lancelot!” Ava went first, but Dulaque countered every move, and got her back, allowing Flynn to go in, but he was swinging wildly.
“Eve!” Ava ran over to her.
Flynn kept going, but Dulaque got him back. Dulaque then kicked Flynn back while Ava was distracted. She heard Flynn fall, and she got back up.
“She was fated to die saving her Librarian. It’s just a matter of time before that day caught up with her.” Dulaque taunted as Flynn got up and attacked as Ava ran over.
Flynn got punched and went down again.
“There are other versions of you that might have had a chance. But there’s only one swordsman my equal, and you are not him.” Dulaque went over.
“Have you forgotten who I am, Lancelot? Have you forgotten who trained me?” Ava got this burst of focus and protected Flynn from Dulaques attack.
Then Jenkins appeared with his own sword, blocking the attack as well.
“Lancelot.” Jenkins almost scolded him.
“Galahad.” Dulaque was frightened, recognizing Jenkins.
Jenkins and Ava backed Dulaque onto the bridge.
“Why are you doing this? I’m bringing back the shiny city.” Dulaque was almost begging, which joyed Ava.
After begging Dulaque not to murder her brothers and forced to watch as he destroyed her life, it was cathartic for Ava to finally get Dulaque begging for his life.
“Camelot fell, that was it’s fate. Mr. Carsen, would you please restring the Loom?” Jenkins called down to him.
Flynn did that, causing blue waves to appear on the fabric.
“I have something I’ve been wanting to do for 200 years.” Ava was focused as her and Jenkins were like a machine, blocking Dulaques attacks as Dulaque was surprised.
Jenkins went first, sending Dulaque further down the bridge.
“Mind if I take this round, Galahad?” Ava smirked a little at Jenkins.
“Be my guest, Gawain.” Jenkins let Ava take the next round.
“But we had magic then. The world was a better place.” Dulaque argued.
“You’re really gonna tell someone who had her name taken, her brothers slain by your hand and sword, who lost her husband, lost her daughter, doomed to a cruel fate of eternity she didn’t ask for, and lost her life, that the world she lived in was better?” Ava used the fire that was lit inside to expertly dodge Dulaque’s attacks, flashing back periodically to the hours of training sessions Jenkins would give her back in Camelot when she would train to be a knight.
“Really? Wild magic, cruel kings, mad wizards, yes it was a pip.” Jenkins went at Dulaque while Ava stepped back, waiting for her turn.
“The people need to be ruled by wisdom. And the stupid little humans need to be ruled by kings.” Dulaque went after Jenkins, who expertly dodged and blocked his blows.
The Loom restored itself, and Ava could feel the power surge she got.
“They have earned the right to rule themselves. The time of kings has passed.” Jenkins told Dulaque.
The area started to shake as Jenkins pushed Dulaque back.
“You don’t get to take anything else from me again.” Ava hissed, knowing the battle was over.
Mostly. She went to strike Dulaque, but before she could, Dulaque aged back up, then was gone. Ava wanted her revenge. She wanted to watch Dulaque’s face as she took what he had taken from her all those years ago, then take his life. But Fate robbed her of that chance. And it didn’t sit well with her.
“Librarian!” Jenkins and Ava both yelled at Flynn, who transformed back into the white suit from earlier.
“Jenkins, Kline, the fates have come back online.” Flynn then collapsed by Eve’s side.
“Why isn’t she better?” Flynn asked as he held her up, Ava helping.
“This is her fate. I’m sorry.” Jenkins apologized.
“Screw fate, Jenkins! I’m not letting Dulaque anymore of my family. HE DOESN’T GET TO WIN!” Ava lashed out in anger.
Eve weakly chuckled.
“I do die in every timeline.” Eve had a small smile.
“No. No, no, no, there’s always another trick. There’s always another chance.” Flynn was insistent as he was thinking.
“I’m not letting Dulaque win by taking her away from me.” Ava realized a part of her was dying.
And the last time she remembered feeling this way was when she lost her daughter.
Then she realized something.
“I have an idea. Will you help me with her?” Flynn announced before Ava could dwell further.
Jenkins went over and helped Flynn get Eve up.
“Alright. Get ready to jump.” Flynn announced.
“Jump where?” Ava asked.
“Everywhere.” Flynn told them.
And that’s what they did.
Traveling through until they got back to the Annex, where everyone was awake now, and Jake used a blanket to cover Lamia. They all got on their cases about where they’d been, but Flynn quickly shut that down.
“Nevermind that. Come take her! I have to finish the storybook.” Jake replaced Flynn’s spot, putting Eve’s arm around his neck as Jenkins and Ava held her up.
“I’m not losing another child, Eve Baird.” Ava muttered quietly, realizing something had been connecting her and Eve.
And that was a likelihood. But now was not the time to test the theory.
“With this blood the passage opens the Library.” Flynn read the book, using the blood on his hands.
The doors went to the Library, and Jenkins ordered then through. They all went through, down the elevator and saw the Library again. Jake and Ava lowered Eve against Ava on the top step as Jake was heside her, holding pressure on her wound. Flynn then ran off, glad the Library was back.
“Librarian!” Ava yelled.
“She’s dying and all you care about is the Library?” Cassie was upset.
“She brought the Library back, she gave her blood.” Ezekiel yelled.
“Don’t you get it? The Library and everything that’s in it is back.” Flynn yelled out.
Ava realized what he was getting.
“The healing oil he used on himself. This is a normal wound, it’ll heal her. Hurry your arse, Librarian or I’m gonna kick your arse!” Ava yelled, having the realization.
Flynn searched for the oil.
“She’s fading. I can barely feel her pulse.” Jake informed them.
“Don’t you leave me, Eve Baird. I need you!” Ava held Eve close.
“Flynn, whatever is it, now.” Cassie was crying and yelled out.
Flynn found the oil in the book. He ran back to the elevator. Jake just stared at Ava.
“I feel nothing.” Jake was hurt as Ava broke down.
Eve was in his arms, and Ava was right behind her, cradling her body in her chest. It was the worst sobbing anyone had seen from Ava. Cause it hurt her worse than watching her child fade and die. But the same part of her broke. Jake held Eve’s head to his face, and Ava on the other side as Cassie held Ava’s hand. Ezekiel did too.
“No. No, no, no, no.” Ezekiel was muttering too, not believing Eve was dead.
“Why didn’t you let me take the sword, Baird? I would have lived.” Ava was trying to compose herself to stay strong.
Flynn then ran over, and dumped the oil in Eve’s mouth.
“What is that–you drank that when you got stabbed.” Jake realized.
“C’mon.” Ava helped Flynn get Eve’s mouth open so he could put the liquid in it.
“Please god. Please let this work.” Ava was praying.
For the first time in a long time, she prayed Eve would live. Then the blood was gone off Eve’s chest and her wound healed and she gasped loudly as Ava let out the biggest sigh of relief.
“I could bloody kiss you right now, Librarian.” Ava couldn’t control herself and hugged Eve.
“I was supposed to die.” Eve looked at Flynn.
“I don’t believe in Fate.” Flynn told her.
“I’ve never been one to listen to Fate, Colonel Baird.” Ava smiled and they helped Eve up.
“And the Library is back.” Cassie announced.
“How does it feel?” Eve asked Flynn.
“Like home.” Flynn told them.
Ava wiped her eyes, calming down from the emotions she felt.
So everyone met back at the Annex. And Flynn changed his clothes since he had Eve’s blood on them. Ava stood by Flynn and Eve at the desk.
“Colonel Baird, I believe the graduation gifts are on your desk.” Flynn told her.
“So what, you’re kicking us out?” Jake asked.
“No, I’m pushing you out of the nest. It’s time to fly. I’m graduating you.” Flynn announced.
Eve went to her desk and saw it was clean and to her specifications. She grabbed three notebooks and went back over.
“We had Jenkins make up small versions of the Clipping Book. Every day a new mystery.” Eve told them. Flynn started handing them out.
“Different ones?” Jake questioned.
“Yes. And isn’t that wonderful? Team up on some, split up on others, come back and get us if you need any help. But don’t need too much help, that would be disappointing.” Flynn gave Cassie and Ezekiel their books.
“Are you sure we’re ready for this?” Cassie asked.
“I think that if we learned anything it’s that whatever fate has in store for us, we should meet it head on.” Flynn told them.
“And if we don’t like what fate has to say, we can always tells it to piss off.” Ava had to crack a joke, causing the others to chuckle.
“Trust me, you’ll be fine. I’ve seen it.” Eve told them.
“I have too. Sometimes we all just need a little nudge to realize our full potential.” Ava told them with a smile.
Jenkins walked in with a letter for Flynn from Charlene.
“Goodbye. Librarians. And Guardian. Come back alive. ” Flynn handed the last notebook to Ava.
“Um, before we all go.” Ava stopped them all and got in a position to direct the room.
“I’ve realized recently that I need to stop running. I need to stop living in fear of what will happen.” Ava looked up at Jake.
“You’ve been asking me all this time who I really am, Lapis. So here it is.” Ava was about to speak.
“Ava. You don’t have to.” Jake went into protective mode with her, knowing it was a vulnerability.
“I do. So here it is. My real name…” Ava took a breath.
“Is Gawain.” Ava revealed.
Ezekiel was confused, but Jake understood what it meant.
“You mean, the Knight of the Round Table who was heir to King Arthur’s throne?” Jake questioned.
“Wait, the crown of Kind Arthur, that was yours?” Ezekiel questioned.
“By birthright yes. And yes, Jacob.” Ava took another breath to steady herself.
“I made the original Crown of King Arthur painting. I couldn’t tell you where the original was. I knew the crown was hidden, but I don’t know who made the puzzle we solved.” Ava revealed.
“You were the heir to Camelot?” Flynn came over.
“I was. But after Camelot fell, Dulaque soiled my name, killed my brothers, and had be written out of history books. I became the ordinary knight, the one with no honor.” Ava got a little choked up.
“The story about how you became immortal.” Jake piped up.
Ava looked at him.
“It was the Green Knight story.” Jake realized.
“Yes.” Ava confirmed.
“What story?” Ezekiel asked.
“According to the story, on New Year's Eve, during a party, a Green Knight interrupted, giving a challenge that anyone could strike him, but in a years time, he would deliver the same blow. Gawain was the only knight to accept the challenge. He did, and then a year later, he traveled to fulfill the deal, but he got a sash along the way, which gave him protection. The Green Knight struck him three times and only got the skin.” Jake told the story before Ava jumped in.
“But the Green Knight turned out to be Morgan Le Fey, who was not happy that I tried to cheat. So she marched me back to Camelot and shamed me for not having honor.” Ava finished the story.
“And that’s when you became immortal.” Cassie realized.
“It was, though I didn’t know it until I had gotten severely wounded in a battle. I had lost my husband and had a young daughter to care about. I took the challenge hoping to win some favor with my uncle, but the King shamed me after that. It was my mentor, Galahad, who defended me. But that’s not in the history books.” Ava looked down again.
“Cause Dulaque wanted your name ruined. And nobody wanted the world to know there had been a female knight.” Eve realized.
“Exactly. So the story was changed to make me the scapegoat, and changed me to a man.” Ava told her.
Jake then realized something.
“Wait. According to legend, Gawain was the nephew of King Arthur.” Jake realized.
“It makes sense now, why the Library chose you. The crown was yours, and the Library knew it. It chose you to finish what you started. King Arthur’s niece.” Flynn realized.
“I suspect so, Librarian.” Ava confirmed.
“So that also makes Morgan Le Fey your aunt.” Jake realized.
“It does, Jacob. I blamed myself for a lot mistakes cause everyone around me blamed me, so I ran. But I’m done running. It’s been my purpose all along, hunting magic, helping people. It’s the oath I took when I became a knight.” Ava kept going.
“I know I kept a lot from you guys, and I know it’s a lot I’ve just said. I’ll give you time to process it all. You probably hate me, and that’s fine.” Ava was about to say.
“Not telling us this sooner doesn’t exactly win you any favors, Kline.” Jake was upset.
“I know. It’s a part of my life I wanted to forget. But I don’t want my past defining me anymore. My future, my fate, it’s mine and mine alone. I’m done letting other people take that from me.” Ava wasn’t backing down either.
“I’m gonna go away for a while, sort some things out. But you’ll see me again.” Ava revealed.
She took a step back, signaling she was done.
“That’s a lot, Ava.” Flynn was processing it all.
“I know.” Ava nodded.
Eve and Flynn walked back. The LITs all looked at their notebooks.
“No offense, but I could use a bit of a break. I mean, despite my many awesome heroics, it’s still a bit judge-y in here.” Ezekiel told them.
“Well, I’ve been spinning a tale to my family that I was down on the oil refinery in Texas. I guess I could swing by and say hi to the folks.” Jake told them his plans.
“My family and I aren’t really… you know, um… I think I’ll try a case.” Cassie said her plans.
She opened up her notebook, seeing a bright gold glow from the pages. Jake looked over to see what had popped up. She then shut the book.
“It’s a tricky one. Deep breaths.” Cassie was a little shaky, not a fan of them spliting up.
But we started walking out the door.
“Where are you–where are you going?” Jake asked her.
“Lima, Peru.” Cassie revealed, turning around and stopping.
“Good luck.” Ezekiel said to her.
Things got awkward a moment but then Cassie walked out. Jake, Ezekiel and Ava all looked at each other, knowing what they were gonna do.
“Go. I’ll join you in a moment.” Ava let out a smile.
The others went after Cassie. Ava walked over to Eve.
“Eve.” Ava called her over.
Eve excused herself from Flynn and went over to Ava.
“I know you remember everything, Eve.” Ava got to it.
“How–” Eve was confused.
“I do too. My immortality, it allowed me to survive. But there was something I wanted to talk to you about.” Ava calmed herself.
“What is it Ava?” Eve asked her.
“When we were traveling through the alternate realities, Jacob, Cassie, and Ezekiel all brought up the fact that we were similar. And when you died, or at least when Jake said he couldn’t feel your pulse, it was like a part of me broke. And the last time I felt that feeling was when my daughter died. I don’t know if it was coincidence or–” Ava explained.
Eve got the message.
“Are you suggesting that I’m related to you?” Eve questioned.
“I guess. I mean, Flora had kids of her own and after she died, I stopped keeping track cause it was too hard to remember her. But I see a little bit of my old self in you, Colonel Baird. Your stubbornness, your protectiveness, your sense of duty and honor. It really that hard to put together?” Ava answered.
Eve was stunned.
“I guess but–” Eve was in shock.
“Why don’t we test it? I’m gonna make sure this lot doesn’t get themselves killed in Lima, and I’ll be back. That alright?” Ava asked.
“Y–yeah, that’s alright. Sorry, I’m still processing it all.” Eve was almost short circuiting.
“I understand. You watch for him, all right?” Ava motioned over to Flynn, who was on the balcony.
“I got him.” Eve assured her.
Ava and Eve then both straightened out.
“See you later, Colonel Baird.” Ava teased a little.
“See you later, Lady Ava Kline.” Eve teased back.
They losesned up a little and Ava walked away. She joined Jake, Ezekiel, and Cassie in the hallway, and they started bickering as they left. Cassie and Ava both chuckled at the boys arguing over Machu Pichu. Before Jake and Ava left out the door, he told the other two to go ahead a moment. He hid with Ava behind the door.
“Jacob–” Ava started.
“Before you start, please let me say piece.” Jake held her shoulders.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” Ava butted in.
“I get it, Ava. I really do. I’m just glad you trusted us enough to tell us.” Jake then held Ava’s face.
“It wasn’t all about trust. I do trust you, but it was more about facing my past. I’m done running from myself. It’s time I faced my fears, and open myself to new things.” Ava looked at Jake’s blue eyes, and held his hand on her face.
They leaned in and kissed softly, Ava placing her hands on his waist. They let go and looked at one another.
“What do you say we travel the world? After Lima, we go anywhere we want. We could visit the Taj Mahal.” Jake was a little giddy, imagining all the fun he was gonna have.
“We could go to Rome, see the Vatican and then Venice and the Sistine Chapel.” Ava added, smiling.
“Then go to Mexico, see the Mayan pyramids.” Jake kept smiling.
“I’d like that.” Ava kissed him again.
Jake then offered his arm.
“ Vous êtes prête à partir, madame? ” Jake asked her in French.
“ Plus que tout au monde, la pierre. ” Ava smirked a little, grabbing his arm.
They walked out, all the world ahead of them and a limitless imagination. While neither of them wanted to take the leap just yet, well this was a pretty good step. And Ava remembered the promise she made. Just then, traveling the world. Just like they had dreamed.
Back inside the Annex, Eve and Jenkins met at a desk, going over what had happened. Cause while nobody claimed to remember, Eve did remember, and as Jenkins suspected, it was cause she traveled through time before with Santa. And Eve realized all the artifacts they needed the Library sent them to find.
But it was Jenkins who had them go after Santa. Which of course Jenkins said was coincidence. But Flynn came down, and Jenkins went to do his thing.
Flynn did end up asking Eve on a date as the Clippings Book glowed. Eve accepted and realized that the date was hunting monsters. And because Flynn didn’t look at where the Back Door had been set, he had no idea where they were going, which was what made it great. So they walked through hand in hand, no idea what adventure was ahead. But they were together, and that’s all that mattered.
Fate is an interesting thing. Some people embrace Fate with open arms, accepting what is to happen with a warmth. But some people fight Fate with a tenacity and a strength that comes from deep within.
Cause some people don’t wanna accept what Fate has in store for them, as they don’t wanna lose what they’ve built, or give up control over their lives. Cause what is life if our paths are chosen for us? What’s the point in fighting if our actions don’t count? Shouldn’t we as human beings get to chose the paths we take? But is that free will or destiny?
Cause Fate is the path others have chosen for you. Destiny is the place we end up in the end. But free will, that is what makes the journey.
Cause while it was fated that Eve Baird was gonna die, Flynn Carsen’s pure devotion to Eve allowed him to save her, cause there was always a trick. Ava Kline was fated to always run, but she had made the choice to stop running.
But the thing that Ava had yet to realize was that sometimes when you become obsessed with cheating Fate, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You become so fixated on changing Fate that you end up becoming the thing you hate. And you end up hurting the ones you love.