Chapter Text
-2025-
Kat sat on the bed, staring at the little stick in her hand. She was in shock she barely heard her daughter, Alice, come into the room.
"Max is sweet. Noah is… I don't know," Alice was saying as she looked around her dresser. "Neither of them are really…" Alice stopped as she looked at her mom. "Mom?"
"Huh?" Kat said looking up from what she had been staring at for hours.
"You didn't hear a word I said," Alice said.
"I did," Kat said. Kat knew her daughter was right; she had barely noticed she walked into the room let alone heard what she was saying.
"Then what was I talking about?" Alice asked, putting a hand on her hip.
"Max and Noah," Kat said fast and was unsure if she was right, but it was a good guess lately.
"Lucky guess," Alice said with a pout, and Kat was relieved she could rely on her daughters' one-track mind. "What is that?" Kat realized she hadn't hidden what she had been holding and before she could, Alice had grabbed it. She looked at it for a moment stunned. "Mom, this is a pregnancy test."
"I know," Kat said.
"It says positive," Alice added.
"I am aware," Kat said, and the two looked at each other for a moment before a smile came over Alice's face. She jumped onto the bed next to her mom and brought her into a hug. "Oh my god, I'm going to be a big sister! And I thought it would be dad and Rachel who gave me a little sibling someday…"
"Urgh, thanks a lot," Kat said, but had to laugh at her daughter's reaction. It was true, Brady was the more likely option being a man dating someone in their 20s. It was far more likely than her getting pregnant at her age.
"I guess you and Elliot taking it slow has to end," Alice mused, and Kat sighed. Of course, her daughter went to Elliot as the father. There was no reason not to, from her perspective. She and Elliot had agreed they needed to go slow; Elliot needed to learn to love her and not the idea he had of her while Kat needed to learn to love him as more than a friend.
"Um…. Yeah," Kat said of her and Elliot, and her hesitation didn't go unnoticed. Kat saw the look her daughter gave her. "Ali… it's possible that Elliot is not the father."
"How possible?" Alice asked, eyes wide.
"I would say it's a 50/50 chance depending on how far along I am," Kat said. "The farther along, the more likely it's Elliot, but…" Kat paused.
"Who's the other guy?" Alice asked.
"Well… it's Thomas," Kat admitted and saw an understanding look in her daughters' eyes.
"You actually slept with Thomas?" Alice asked, Kat raising an eyebrow at this comment. "He lives in the 1800s, mom!"
"I know he does. I spent a lot of time in his time period," Kat defended.
"Hey, I'm not complaining," Alice chuckled, pulling her mom into a one-armed hug. Kat laughed at this.
"Well, I called my doctor. See if she can get me in today. Could you come with me?" Kat felt weird asking her daughter to come and support her, but Alice gave a nod.
"Whoever's baby it is, I am here for you," Alice said and Kat had to smile at her daughter.
-The Way Home-
Kat had been able to book in with her doctor that day, getting the finer details of her pregnancy. At least this time around she hadn't been badly injured to find out she was pregnant.
After, she sat in the car outside the farm with Alice, taking it all in.
"Six weeks along," Alice said, a little cautiously, "and a very healthy baby so far..."
"Yeah," Kat said with a nod; she had been doing the math since the doctor told her how far along she was. Of course, the topic of the father came along and Kat had admitted to her doctor she didn't know – which wasn't too uncommon, thankfully.
"Who's more likely as the father now?" Alice asked, turning to her mom.
"Thomas seems more likely," Kat remarked; it had been approximately six weeks since she and Thomas had hooked up 1816. They were intimate before Kat departed to speak with Susanna, an event that preceded the Landry Farm fire. "Elliot may still be the father, but..."
"I think you need to talk to him, mom," Alice said, and Kat nodded as they got out of the car.
"Which one?" Kat tried to joke.
"Well, Elliot is closer…" Alice stated, noticing the look on her mom's face. "Want me to come?"
"No, I think I need to do this alone," Kat decided, getting out of the car with Alice following. Kat paused, squeezing her daughter's shoulder before steeling herself and heading down the drive, knowing the short walk to Elliot's house would help clear her head.
When she knocked on the door a few minutes later, Elliot gave her his handsome smile as he let her inside his home.
"Kat, I am glad you came," Elliot said as he closed the door behind them. "I have been thinking we should do a date… to get our feet wet again."
"El," Kat said, stopping him before he went further. "We can't."
"What?" Elliot frowned at this. "If you're having second thoughts again, I'm sure–"
"I'm pregnant." Kat interrupted the man as Elliot's mouth opened – and then he moved forward and hugged her.
"This is great!" Elliot said. "I always wanted to be a father. Oh, we should get married! You'd need to move in here with Alice…"
"Elliot," Kat stopped him again, more forcefully. "The thing... is I'm not sure the baby is yours…" at these words, the happiness instantly faded from Elliot's face. "It could be Thomas's baby."
"You slept with Thomas?" Elliot said, his voice unreadable, and Kat gave a nod. "You really cheated on me…?"
"Whoa, there. El, we were broken up," Kat said holding out a finger. She would not be accused of something she didn't do. She and Elliot had officially been nothing when she and Thomas had slept together.
"For what like a day? You moved faster than Ross did after Rachel said a break," Elliot said, anger now noticeable in his voice. "But then again, I should have known. There was always something about that guy that had you memorized..."
"Elliot, please," Kat groaned. He was starting to act like a baby, and she wasn't going to have that.
On these words, Elliot took a couple deep breath. "Okay… okay… we'll do a paternity test," Elliot said. "If I am the father, we can figure this out. Co-parenting – or more. Whatever you want."
"And if you're not?" Kat asked, trying to figure out what Elliot was thinking – and also questioning her own feelings. Did she even want him to step in as a father, if he wasn't the biological dad? She wasn't sure. One thing she did know: if Thomas was the baby's father, then the child would always know their unusual parentage. There would be no secrets.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Elliot decided.
"Aren't paternity test before the baby's born dangerous?" Kat asked, frowning.
"Use to be, but nowadays it's just a simple blood test. We can do it at 8 weeks," Elliot explained, to a confused look from Kat. "What? I'm a science teacher! This is right down my alley, so to speak."
"Okay," Kat didn't know how to respond to that.
"How far along are you?" Elliot, however, asked.
"Six weeks," Kat said, and could see Elliot trying to think, trying to figure out how likely it was he was the father. "…I'll call my doctor, again," Kat decided. "Make an appointment for it."
-The Way Home –
Alice sat on the porch of Landry Farm, guitar in hand. She had a notebook and pen with her as she played some notes. "In a town where time leaves a trace," Alice sang with the notes. "A trace? No… that doesn't make sense… no…" Alice paused. "No…" Alice wrote something else on the pad and then started to play and sing. "I crossed the years just to find your face. In a town where time leaves no trace." Alice smiled. "Much better."
"I don't recognize the song," Alice nearly jumped when she heard the voice – she had been so absorbed in writing, she hadn't heard the footsteps or notice the man leaning against the railing, not until he had spoken. A man she had been thinking about as she was writing, in fact: Nick Oates.
"Be weird if you had, since I am not done writing it," Alice said back, giving her first boyfriend a small smile. Even now at times she still saw the boy she knew in '99 over the man he was today.
"You are writing, though," Nick said. "That is awesome. Can I hear more?"
"It's not ready," Alice said, closing the cover of her book. She also didn't want him to recognize the words were about him. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Elliot has been calling me non-stop to complain your mom is pregnant and the baby might not be his. I decided to come and see what this is all about," Nick said. "Besides, I have some other business in town for my eventual move back." Alice gave a soft smile at that; she liked the idea of Nick living here once more. "So, next week is the paternity test. All fingers crossed for Elliot," Alice gave a small groan at this. "Oh? What is going on?" Nick sat next to Alice as he asked.
"I don't think a lot of fingers are crossed for Elliot," Alice said and was happy Nick didn't react negatively. "I think my mom wants it to be Thomas. She wants a part of him. Jacob wants it, too, for it to be Thomas's baby. Grandma is team Elliot completely."
"What about you?" Nick asked.
Alice took a breath. "I want it to be Thomas's baby," Alice said, surprising Nick, "not for the same reasons, but because I don't think mom loves Elliot. Not really – and if the baby is Elliot's, I think mom will feel obligated to marry him. Just like she had to marry dad when she found out she was pregnant with me. I don't want her to get into another marriage just for a kid."
"That's very mature thinking of you," Nick said, putting a hand on Alice's knee. "But if the baby is Elliot's, please tell your mom what you just told me. Tell her to only marry someone she truly loves. That it will be better for her and her kid." Alice gave Nick a small smile at this. "Speaking of love… how are things with Noah?" Alice groaned again. "Trouble in paradise?"
"It complicated," Alice said, and saw Nick waiting. "I thought I was seeing signs that I would end up with Max Goodwin; to be exact, I thought I met our future child. So, I broke up with Noah and then did start getting feelings for Max and then found out I was wrong about the child. Now I am sort of dating both. They have started some weird competition to get me to choose which includes going on dates with both of them and I am just….. I don't know about either."
"Well then, take your own advice," Nick said, "and only be with someone you truly love," Nick gave Alice a smile that made Alice's heart race a bit. "I'm going to go see your mom. Talk later," with that, Nick got up and went into the house.
"Good advice," Alice muttered to Nick's retreating form, so only she could hear herself, "except I can't be with who I truly love…"
-The Way Home-
Elliot and Kat quietly entered the Landry Farmhouse; they had just returned with the paternity test result. Inside the farmhouse, Jacob, Kat's mother Del, and Alice turned toward them, their faces etched with anticipation and concern. Kat could feel the unspoken question in the room – the answer everyone had been waiting for.
"Well?" Del finally asked, her voice gentle but anxious. Kat knew her mother had been hoping for Elliot's name to be on the results.
Elliot took a steadying breath before speaking, unable to mask the disappointment in his eyes. "The father of her baby isn't me," he admitted, his voice heavy. Del's shoulders slumped, but when Kat glanced at her; she thought she detected a flicker of relief amidst the sadness.
"Thomas?" Jacob said, his lips curling into a gentle, knowing smile. The news meant the world to him; the child would be his sister's, and Thomas – a man he had always considered a brother since he'd ended up in the past as a child. Kat nodded, and Jacob wrapped her in a warm, supportive hug.
The silence that followed was fragile. Elliot broke it, his question quiet but trembling: "When are you going to… terminate?" All eyes turned to him, the pain behind his question unmistakable.
Kat's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" She asked, her voice shaky. "I'm not! I never said I would end the pregnancy if you weren't the father, Elliot. I'm in my 40s. This is likely my last chance to bring another child into the world, and I want this baby." Her hand came to rest protectively over her stomach, conveying the depth of her resolve and love.
Elliot looked down, obviously struggling to accept the situation. "It's just… the baby has the wrong father," he murmured, sorrow and frustration mixing in his voice.
Kat's patience wavered, but her words were steady. "Thomas was a good man," she said, her voice soft but unwavering, tired of hearing Thomas badmouthed. Jacob protectively placed his arm around his sister, frowning at Elliot. "He was a man I loved. No, a man I still love."
With these words, Elliot's frustration boiled over. "I can't raise that man's child!" He snapped, his voice rising with emotion.
Kat's voice grew firmer. "Who's asking you to?" She replied, meeting his gaze. "I'm not. I will do this alone, if I have to. Without you, or anyone who doesn't want to be a part of this."
"I'll happily be a part of this," Jacob said quietly, giving Kat a reassuring nod.
"And me," Alice added, her eyes shining with loyalty as she smiled at her mother.
Elliot's voice broke, pain clear in his words. "We can't be anything if you have this baby."
Kat met his gaze, sadness and certainty mingling in her eyes. "So be it," she replied softly and in that moment, Elliot realized her decision was final – whatever they once had was in the past. He wondered if, deep down, Kat's heart had never truly belonged to him, not the way it had to Brady, or the way it still did to Thomas.
Del finally spoke, her voice calm but sad. "I think that's all there is to say," she told Elliot, her eyes kind but resolute. Del, who had always stood by Elliot, now found herself standing by her daughter, unwilling to lose Kat or her grandchild. "Elliot, I think you should go."
With one last look at the family, Elliot quietly left the farmhouse, not sure what had just happened.
-The Way Home-
Kat walked into the local café, The Point. She had started to show and made no attempt to hide her baby bump. It was pointless anyway since the entire town had heard she was pregnant already.
"Kat!" This was Brady, giving her a smile. He had turned up to see Alice, and Kat waved at him as she went to take the seat at the table he was sat at. Her mother and Jacob were there too, she having had just walked over from The Herald. "You look beautiful. Brings back fond memories..." Kat had to laugh at her ex. "But um… Elliot is giving you death glares."
Kat turned to see Elliot at the counter with a beer – and he did have a look on his face. The two hadn't been able to talk for a while.
"You do know the baby isn't his, right?" Kat asked, turning back to her ex.
"I do, Alice told me," Brady said. "But does the town know, because I have heard some weird conversations…?" Kat paused, wondering that as well. She might need to clear some things up. "And what is with Alice's boyfriend and the other guy?"
Kat, Del, and Jacob had all turned around to see Noah and Max were sitting together… sort of. Both were puffing up their chests and had gifts with them.
"Boyfriends," Del corrected Brady. "It's a long and complicated story but they are basically competing for Alice's affection."
"I don't know if I should laugh, be proud of Alice, or go bust their heads open," Brady said blinking.
"How about all three? I'll help with the third one," Jacob said, and Brady gave a laugh as he held out a fist to Jacob. Jacob blinked and paused for a moment but had been back in this time long enough to know Brady wanted a fist bump and did it.
"I think it's starting," Kat said, to cut the two off as Monica went to the microphone. Open mic night had been kind of hard at The Point, with people really only caring when Alice showed up. She was the best of the performers who had come, and when she didn't, the night failed. So, Monica had decided to pay her to sing on nights instead. This was the first official night of Alice's new job.
"The Point welcomes… Alice Dhawan," Monica said into the microphone, and Alice came up with her guitar, taking a seat at the microphone. She starting to play from her set, mainly covers of 90s hits, a couple of 70s in the mix too – all her own take on them, of course. Kat smiled at the songs.
Near the end of the hour, Alice now spoke into the microphone. "Well, this last one will be a bit different," Alice said. "I have been working for a while on my first ever original song..." Kat almost heard a gasp, and she herself was a bit surprised, "and I wanted to share it with you all. Sound good?" There were claps as Alice smiled and started to play an unfamiliar tune to them.
"I crossed the years just to find your face. In a town where time leaves no trace. Every secret written in the stars above. Led me back to the place we fell in love," Alice sang and Kat saw Noah and Max sitting up straight, both of them wondering if the song was about them, but Kat, hearing the words, had a feeling she knew who the song was about. "But the world keeps turning. And the rules keep burning. Still my heart won't learn to let you go."
That was confirmation enough for Kat: the song was about Nick. Kat caught Elliot's eyes and he knew it too – it was the first non-angry look between them in a while. "Back to you, I'm always running. Through the past, pain, and coming dawn. Even if tomorrow fades away. I'll find you where the memories stay. Back to you… back to you."
And, as Alice continued singing, Kat took a breath in, because while she knew the words were about Nick it was suddenly reminding her of her and Thomas. "We're caught between what's lost and found. Whispers of forever in this small town. Every choice feels like a fragile thread. But I'd break the rules for the words we never said."
The words really did hit Kat: breaking the rules of the Pond was a wish she would love to get to Thomas once again. "Through the clock keeps stealing. And the truth keeps healing. Still my soul remembers what we know," Alice sang, and Kat nodded along, a tear coming to her eye she had to wipe away.
"Back to you I'm always running. Through the past, the pain, the coming dawn. Even if tomorrow fades away. I'll find you where the memories stay. Back to you… back to you my love," Alice sang the last line. "If love is timeless let it be. A story written endlessly. No matter where the river flow. You're the home I'll always know." She finished the chords and many people started to clap. Kat and Brady were the most enthusiastic of those clapping.
She remembered what Jasper said about great songs, about how they make you feel something, how they remind those of people loved. If that was the definite of a great song, then Alice had written a great song. Alice gave a smile and went to put her guitar away and headed to her family as Monica came back to the stage to make a few announcements.
As she approached their table, however, Alice was cut off by Noah and Max.
"Which one of us?" Noah asked.
"What?" Alice asked.
"Who the song about?" Max asked. "A song like that. You have to have chosen?"
"The song isn't about either of you," Alice said confusing them. "It's about someone else. The first boy I ever loved."
"Loved? That song sounds like you still love him," Noah said.
"Back to you…" Max bemoaned.
Alice opened her mouth and then paused. "You are right. I'm not over him," Alice admitted. "And it's not fair to either of you; I cannot choose between you two because I don't really want either of you. I'm sorry." Alice put a hand on both of their shoulders. "If it's any consolation, you two would make a great couple as it is…" she smirked to herself as she moved away from them, and the table with her family heading towards the bathroom.
"In case you two are confused, you both just got dumped," Del said to the confused boys from the table.
Kat gave a small laugh. "I'm going to go get a drink from Monica," Kat said, getting up and heading to the counter. "Hey Monica, can I get a lemonade?"
"Oh, Kat, I would have come over there," Monica said.
"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," Kat pointed out, and Monica gave a laugh, going to get the drink.
"Like mother, like daughter huh?" Kat heard Elliot's voice and turned to him; Kat tilting her head as she looked at him. "Both obsessed over a man they can't actually have. A man out of time."
"Maybe I'll tell Alice to put those words in her next song," Kat said, as Monica returned with the drink. "Thank you, Monica."
"Yeah, she can write a whole ballad on it," Elliot said and Kat rolled her eyes, but she would let Elliot have his anger.
"What is wrong with you?" Monica asked before Kat could respond to Elliot. "Kat is pregnant. You two are going to be parents and it's like you hate each other now," Kat sighed. It seemed the town had gotten the wrong end of the stick.
"Mon, Elliot is not the father," Kat told her friend, taking the drink and playing with the straw inside. She could see the shocked look on Monica's face.
"Please spread that around Monica," Elliot said. "I don't need this town thinking I am a dead-beat over her affair baby."
"Okay, Elliot… one: we weren't married; two: we were broken up!" Kat said, her voice getting a little higher.
"For less than a day," Elliot countered.
"Two days!" Kat corrected. "And I am sick of having to defend this when you kissed Emma while we were still living together."
"I didn't get her pregnant!" Elliot countered. "I mean, considering the guy you went to. Good luck with that one with that ass as the father."
"Hey!" This was Jacob coming up, putting a hand on Elliot's chest, pushing him back. "Leave it alone, Elliot."
"What? Defending him?" Elliot asked.
"You know he would be here if he could be," Jacob said back to that.
"And you know he's a father in name only, because that bastard–" Elliot never finished his sentence as Jacob's fist connected with his face – hard. Elliot was thrown back, nearly losing his balance, having to grab hold of a chair.
Alice had gotten out of the bathroom at the moment of the punch, and seemed stunned, sharing a look with her mother. Monica seemed in shock, just grabbing a towel to clean the mess as Kat had spilt her lemonade.
"Jacob!" Del said jumping up to her son, who had paused after the punch; Elliot looked up at them, blood coming out of his mouth. Jacob had punched hard. "You shouldn't…"
"If he hadn't, I would have," Brady spoke up. At that, the people in The Point seemed over their shock and there was a bit of noise and people going crazy.
Alice came over and took Kat's arm. "Let's go," Alice said and Kat nodded. They took Alice's guitar and the two left.
-The Way Home-
After the eventful afternoon, Kat, Alice, Del and Brady had settled back at Landry Farm, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air, even with Kat on the phone.
"Elliot refused to press charges," Kat said, hanging up the phone and turning to Alice, both in the living room. "Honestly, it seems like Jacob's punch might have been exactly what he needed. Maybe this is the chance we need to mend our friendship with him."
"That's good," Alice said, sitting next to her mom.
"You know he is right a bit," Kat said, thoughtfully. "I am having a baby with a man who is long dead… It's a mess."
"Well, I wrote a love song about Nick," Alice said giving a laugh. "And I know he's now a little too old for me..." Kat gave a smile and a nod, putting a hand on Alice's leg rubbing it.
"It was a beautiful song," Kat said, and Alice gave a smile. "Look at us both in love with people out of our own time. Elliot was right. Like mother, like daughter," Alice gave a chuckle at that. "Can you sing it again...?"
"Of course," Alice took the guitar and started to play the song; Kat smiling as Alice started to sing thinking of her lost love.
"I crossed the years just to find your face. In a town where time leaves no trace. Every secret written in the stars above. Led me back to the place we fell in love," Alice began the song once more. "But the world keeps turning. And the rules keep burning. Still my heart won't learn to let you go..."
-The Way Home
Kat sat on the bed rubbing her big pregnant belly. She was six months along and was looking at a little photo in her hand.
"Okay, all my stuff is moved a crossed the hall," Alice said, coming into the room.
"I hate taking you out of this room," Kat said, looking around her old bedroom from when she was a teenager. She had given it to Alice when she and Alice had moved back into the farmhouse – but when Jacob had returned, the two had been sharing it. Now though, there was a baby crib in one corner and a changing table. It had developed into half a nursery and half a bedroom, officially not big enough for both of them.
"You and the baby need the bigger room. Thankfully, Jacob is more than happy to take the cellar," Alice said. "He's already upgrading things. You know this house needs a fourth room... maybe an extension…" Kat gave a laugh at that but nodded her agreement; she wondered how much it would cost to add a few more rooms to the building. Maybe Brady would be willing to help if this was for Alice? She'd have to ask. "Ooh, what is that?" Alice pointed at the photo in Kat's hand as she sat next to her mother.
"The ultrasound photo," Kat said. "Look," Kat turned the photo to Alice. "See? There's the baby. Head, arms, legs," Kat traced the outline of the baby, "and there – right there – is his little thing between the legs." Kat pointed out everything to her daughter as she spoke.
"You knew it was a boy," Alice said after taking in the photo. "You were told months ago."
"I know, but seeing it on the ultrasound is different," Kat said.
"Any thoughts on names? I always like Caleb," Alice said, and Kat gave a smile. Of course, the topic of names would come up. She had heard Jacob once or twice mention about naming him Elijah. She hadn't really commented on names yet to her brother or mother but she kind of wanted to talk about it with Alice.
"Save it for your future son," Kat said putting an arm around Alice. She smiling at the image of Alice with a little boy named Caleb by her side. For some reason, she pictured him with light brown hair, but her thoughts turned back to her coming son. She placing a hand on her stomach. "You know, if Brady and I had another baby after you and it had been a boy I would have named him after my father. A little Colton. It was always the plan but just didn't happen for us," Kat knew part of the reason it didn't happen for them was getting their respective careers being up and running and then their marriage starting to break apart. A new baby never seemed like a good idea back then.
"And now? I think grandma would love a little Colton Landry Junior running around," Alice said, and Kat had to admit she could picture her mother very happy with the idea of a grandson named after her husband.
"I am sure she would, but now I am thinking of naming him after his father," Kat said. "Thomas Colton Landry," Alice gave a small smile to her mother as Kat wiped a tear from her eye.
"What's wrong, mom?" Alice asked, seeing how upset her mom was getting. Talking about baby names shouldn't be upsetting. "We have a healthy baby boy on the way. Little Tommy."
"But Thomas will never know," Kat said tears coming to her eyes again. "I left him and he will never know we made a beautiful baby together," Kat still smiled through the tears, and rubbed her stomach.
"Big Tommy and Little Tommy… yeah, Big Tommy won't, but his legacy will continue," Alice stated, hoping her words would give her mom some comfort.
"Oh, he's kicking… and I'm hungry," Kat stated, getting up the head downstairs, leaving Alice alone.
In the silence, Alice looked at the ultrasound photo for a moment. She knew how her mother felt in a way; being in love with someone you can't have, being in love with someone from another time… She was still in love with Nick, after all, she knew it. Ever since she'd officially ended things with Noah and Max she'd not even thought of dating anyone else. Honestly, she didn't know how she would feel if she was pregnant with Nick's baby and Nick could never know. He could never claim the baby. Actually, she knew how she would feel – it would be devastating.
Alice put the ultrasound photo down.
"Don't worry, little brother. I'll make sure your dad knows you exist…" she whispered to the photo.
Without another word, Alice headed down the stairs, but didn't join her mom in the kitchen. She quietly left the house and went through the fields into the nearby woods and to the clearing with the familiar pond in it. The water was calm, the weather was warmer so it had unfroze not long ago, however Alice knew it would still be cold.
Alice stood on the rock on the edge of the water, taking in a breath.
"Okay, Pond, so you have never brought me to the 1800s before, but this time I need to go there. So, please, no 1974, 1999, early 2000s. Take me to when I can talk to Thomas Coyle," Alice said, and then, without another word, jumped into the pond.
-The Way Home-
1817
Elijah Landry and Susanna Agustine stood in front of the recently-rebuilt Landry Farmhouse with Elijah smiling at the home. There were a couple of Cyrus Goodwin's men nearby taking care of Susanna horses.
"You did a good job," Susanna said, smiling herself. "The fire was terrible, but Landry Farm looks wonderful."
"I couldn't have done it without you," Elijah said, putting an arm around the woman; since the fire, Susanna had been leading the town in Cyrus's name – he having been irreparably damaged since the fire – and the town was doing good.
Before either could say anything else on the job well done, they paused as they saw an unfamiliar girl walked past the fence – she was soaking wet.
"Hello there!" Elijah called over to her. "You looked like you weathered a storm and the storm won…"
"Something like that," Alice chuckled at the wording. "Are you Elijah Landry?"
"That I am," Elijah said.
"And you… you're Susanna Augustine!" Alice knew this had to be the same woman.
"Yes, I am," Susanna smiled. "I'm sorry, but do we know you?"
"No, but my mom considers you basically like a sister," Alice said, smiling and Susanna raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, I'm Alice. Katherine's my mom."
"You are Katherine's daughter," Susanna said, a wide smile coming to her face. "It explains why you are wet."
"Well, that makes you family," Elijah said, going over and putting a hand on Alice's shoulder. "Welcome, welcome, come on in and get warm…" Elijah went and opened the door to the newly rebuilt home, letting the three enter the place.
"Oh wow!" Alice said, taking in the place but her eyes had noticed the fireplace: it was exactly the same as it was in her home in 2025. Alice moving over to it, her hands tracing the stones.
"So, what brings you here? Is your mother about? What about my son?" Elijah asked; having taken in Jacob when the boy had ended up in this time.
"I am alone. Jacob is good. Well, we had some drama, but we managed to stop it," Alice said deciding not to tell Elijah about when Jacob almost set Goodwin Goodwines' on fire and nearly got charged. Lewis had taken back the charges before they could even use the newly discovered will work around it. "And my mom… well… is Thomas Coyle about? He didn't really leave for New York, right?"
"He did not," Susanna said. "He was going to, but he didn't have the heart to really leave. He is at the lighthouse. Should I summon him here?"
"Yes please," Alice said.
"Some of Cyrus's men are outside. I will send them to get him," Susanna said, heading out. She returned quickly, and the three gathered at the table. Elijah had moved off and returned with a towel, handed it to Alice along with some hot soup.
Alice pulled the towel around her, savoring the soup as she took everything in. Elijah and Susanna wanted to know more about Kat, about where she was and why Alice was here in her stead, but Alice didn't say too much – not knowing what to tell them.
After some time, however, there was a knock which Susanna answered, letting a man in.
"Thomas Coyle," Susanna said as the man paused at seeing the new girl in the room. "This is Alice, Katherine's daughter."
"Her daughter?" Thomas moved over to Alice. "It is a pleasure," Thomas gave a small bow.
"The pleasure is mine," Alice said, giving him a smile. "I came here to see you..."
"Why?" Thomas asked, taking a seat.
"Well, for my mom… she doesn't know I came," Alice said and could see the confusion on the others' faces. "My mom is pregnant."
"That's wonderful!" Elijah said.
"Truly, I can give you some of my potions to help her," Susanna added, a small frown on her face, however.
"I am sure she and that Elliot fellow will be fine parents," Thomas said, having met, and learned a lot about Elliot. Alice could see the look and hurt on his face though; he hadn't understood why Alice had come to tell him this. "But why come here to tell me that?"
"Because Elliot is not the father," Alice said surprising Thomas. "You are…" There was a stunned silence at this.
"You… you are sure?" Thomas asked.
"The paternity test came back negative. Elliot is not the father and you are the only other man my mom has… you know…" Alice said, and saw the looks.
"You speak in tongues," Elijah stated. "What test…?" Alice had to remember this was long before DNA and paternity tests were a thing.
"Oh, a paternity test is a thing we have in our world that can tell if the someone is the father or not," Alice explained. "You are the only other possible father. Mom… she was so upset you would never know about your son. I had to come. I had to tell you."
"Son?" Thomas asked, his voice cracking at this. "But how could you know it's a son if he is not born?"
"Oh, um, another test we have in our time," Alice stated. "She's planning on naming him Thomas after you. Thomas Colton Landy."
"Congratulations Thomas," Elijah now said, and then paused, turning to Alice. "Wait… Landry?"
"Did he not know?" Alice asked shocked as she looked to Susanna now. She had assumed Elijah knew the full truth about them, about the pond and time travel, but the look in his face was that of confusion. He was shocked Alice had said Landry.
"He did not," Susanna said after a moment. Katherine had told her and then Thomas had been told as well, but they hadn't told Elijah the full truth about Jacob and Katherine. He just knew the pond was a portal to their 'world'.
"I do not know what?" Elijah asked looking between them
"Elijah," Susanna said, turning to him, reaching over to put a hand on Elijah's own hand. "The pond is a portal through time. Jacob, Katherine, and Alice are Landry's from the future. Your linage, 200 years from now…" Elijah seemed stunned for a moment before standing up and going to hug Alice.
"So, Jacob is really mine? Katherine, you, and Thomas…" Elijah said, moving over to him. "You have fathered the next generation of Landrys. You are family!" Elijah brought Thomas into a hug. Thomas seemed a little uncomfortable at this, but didn't resist.
"But… I cannot see him. I cannot be with him and Katherine," Thomas said, frowning. "That blasted pond!" Thomas hit the table, making a loud noise. "I would marry her and take care of my boy, but I can't."
Alice bit her lip at this. She had come here to give her mom peace of mind to know Thomas knew, but now she had upset Thomas and made everything so much worse.
"Let's go to the pond," Alice said, suddenly determined. "All of us. We're going to get Thomas to my time."
"Katherine said it was impossible," Thomas said.
"We'll see about that," Alice said getting up. "Are you coming?"
Thomas quickly got up by himself, and together with Alice, they headed for the door and began walking across the land toward the pond. Susanna and Elijah followed behind them.
"What are you planning?" Thomas asked as they reached the clearing with the pond. It was the same now as it was 200 years in the future, when Alice had asked for it to send her to this time.
"I want to have a word with the Pond!" Alice said, determined, standing on the rocks. Elijah and Susanna watched on. "Okay Pond, I know the rule is you can only travel back in time, not forward, but you got to give some leeway here," Alice stated. "You brought Thomas and mom together! You are the reason there is a baby being born in my time! It would be better for him to have both his parents together. Let Thomas come back with me. I plead with you."
Alice braced herself, expecting nothing more than to grasp Thomas's hand and leap into the water, but the pond suddenly erupted with an eerie glow that bathed the clearing in unnatural light. Bubbles churned furiously from its depths as the water suddenly swelled, twisting upward in a torrent. Before their eyes, a figure began to materialize from the water – shaped from shimmering liquid and tangled weeds, unmistakably bearing the outline of a woman.
A gasp escaped Alice, and she stumbled backward off the rocks, her heart hammering in her chest. Elijah instinctively wrapped his arm around her, shielding her from the spectacle, while Thomas's hand darted to his gun, eyes wide with panic. Susanna quickly grabbed his wrist, her grip firm – an act that may have saved them all as they stood frozen, confronted by the impossible.
"You ask a lot, Alice Landry," the figure that appeared spoke, it's voice female and reminding Alice a little of her mother.
"Um… technically my last name is Dhawan," Alice breathed, not sure what else to say to that.
"You are a Landry," the watery figure said back. "I have served the Landrys for a long time."
"Served us?" Elijah asked, keeping his arms around Alice.
"Ever since a woman came to my rocks and cried over the loss of her baby boy. She asked for a miracle. She asked for a son. Her request was pure. I answered. I bought her a boy. I brought her a son," the pond said.
"Someone elses son," Alice said, giving a frown at that, thinking about the hurt her grandparents had to go through to get Jacob to Elijah.
"I brought him back to save the Landry line. I have connected to the Landrys, bringing them where they need to go, to ensure the future – including the child growing inside your mother in your time," the pond said.
"You take us where we need to go," Alice said, stepping out of Elijah arms. "But you make sure I am there to kill my grandfather?"
"You were also there to save him as a teenager," the figure countered back. "If he had died or had gone with the girl he loved before your grandmother, then your mother and uncle, you… none of you are never born. No one to comes back. You needed to save him, and he needed to go to your grandmother. Then you needed to take what was given back. His time was up."
"You owe us," Alice countered, not liking the answer at all. It seemed the Pond had also made it so Colton had been with Del. She remembered how quickly Colton had fallen for Del, how his childhood friend, Evelyn, had been pining after him for years.
"You ask for more," the pond figure said, seeming annoyed.
"I ask you to reunite true love. A true love you brought together," Alice said, her mind going to her and Nick as well. A love she could never have – but she could get it for her mother. "You did this, so make it right. Bring Thomas to my mom. To his son."