Chapter Seventeen: What We Brought With Us

"Well, here we are again." Benedict said brightly.

His words actually set off a light round of applause. Rachel clapped a little louder than most of them. She was looking across the room at the familiar faces, already rehearsing how to recruit them before they all went back to their lives.

Benedict set the protocol for the Second Conference. "Recent events have shaken our people out of the easy comfort of the last twenty years. Even when we were welcoming all those Gold Letters back, we knew what our common ground was. This time around, it's going to be easier, because now the world itself Bears Witness. It will be harder too, because for a lot of people, it will be their last chance; and we'll have little common ground with most of them."

Rachel couldn't help the glance at Augustus. She had nothing in common with him. With Ingaret, there was a sense of camaraderie. They had similar stories in vastly different settings. This guy, she had nothing. In fact, she had been stunned to see him slip into the back of the room and sit near her.

"Brother Beck, if you'd care to brief the others?"

"In the last few weeks, a total of just under fifteen thousand people have come back, globally." Beck reported. "Some of them have connections to people who were part of the First Resurrection, but a lot of them don't. The vast majority of them were Blue Letters, with Special Cases at a ratio of about ten to one. All the Green Letters went to Elders or experienced brothers. As yet, we've found no pattern to it. The times they came from, relative ages and races… There's no pattern to any of it."

Rachel snorted, but hid it as best she could. At Augustus' inquiring look, she leaned over. "In my generation, there were scientists that would spend hours, days… Listening to white noise." She whispered to him. "They figured if they could get enough data, they could find patterns in randomness. ‘No Pattern' meant that their view of God wasn't being helpful that day. Except the Resurrection isn't random. There's a very particular mind setting it up."

"Now, the first Green Letter gave us a model to follow." Benedict told the room. "As of now, nobody approaches a Special Case alone. We know that we're protected from harm, but there's no reason to act recklessly. Also, we don't want the Returnees to feel like they've crossed a line. Remember, everyone being Returned to us now has a journey to take. The easier the start of that journey, the better for everyone."

Nobody noticed as Augustus slipped out. He had nothing to offer on this topic, given that he didn't believe what they had been telling him just yet.

~~/*\~~

There were multiple meetings, in difference conference rooms. Augustus made his way from one meeting to another, listening, observing, reading the numbers written on everything from whiteboards to Screens. He'd never seen either before.

The first classroom he visited was full of children. The teacher was holding a live hawk, who was totally at ease being petted and stroked by over a dozen children. Augustus stood in the doorway a moment, while the teacher explained the principles of flight, using the hawk's wing as an example. "The air moves faster over the top of the wing, compared to the bottom of it; thanks to the curve. The difference creates low air pressure, and thus generates lift."

Unsettled by all the terms he didn't understand (but apparently the children could), Augustus moved on to a second seminar. On the screen was projected an image of the earth, taken from space. The instructor was demonstrating something called a ‘satellite launch' to a team of twenty people who were tapping away at their own screens quickly. Augustus had no idea what those words meant, but he couldn't stop staring at the picture.

It was like that in every classroom. Men, women, older, younger… He had no idea what was happening in any of them. They were all speaking a different language.

After an hour, he retreated back to the Cafeteria. Lost in thought, Augustus barely noticed as Ingaret came past and put a cup of coffee in front of him. She didn't say anything. Neither did he.

"You didn't stop by my room and tell me about this place just to be polite." Augustus said evenly. "Miss… Professor Bridger sent you."

"She had no idea that I came to see you. She's rather surprised you're here." Ingaret told him. "She was about to hand you off to anyone else. You see, she has a history of being scorned and dismissed for being in the right. It is a particular nerve for her. I have a slightly different perspective. I was there when Educated Men in your position were once told to accept the judgements of your betters, or be burned to death on a stake."

Augustus blinked rapidly. "Who… told you this?"

"The Inquisitor who executed me, before I woke up here." Ingaret said, still smiling sweetly. "Fortunately, I was met and offered comfort and more correct teaching by my good friend, Rachel Bridger." Her smile turned icy. "There are no bad students; only bad teachers."

"I said only what was proper." Augustus defended.

Ingaret just looked at him.

Augustus looked down. "I felt like a first day student in those rooms. I was respected, I was given one of the most expensive and comprehensive educations a man can get... and I don't have a clue what those children in the schoolrooms are talking about! Where are we, that flight is something people can learn to do so young, and where the heavens are open to mortal man?"

Ingaret held out a hand. "You won't find out by sitting in here."

~~/*\~~

"Alright, we've been running some numbers. The nearest estimate to the global population since Eden is about twenty billion. Obviously, that's extrapolated from the numbers we have, calculated from the rate of population growth. From that, we know that a majority of those people were... around, on The Day; so that eliminates several billion, on the assumption that they won't be Resurrected. Obviously, nobody knows that number for sure yet. So, lowest estimate will be a total of twelve billion people, plus the inevitable post-A-Day baby boom that's not really stopping." Rachel said this as straight faced as she could, but there was a chuckle going around the audience anyway. "The Second Returning is starting slow in relative numbers. Fifteen thousand so far. But we all expect that rate to increase dramatically, as the population grows. We have millions of people, welcoming back thousands. Back in OS, JW's were only one person in a thousand. Now that ratio seems to have reversed. But the important question isn't how many people, or how long; it's a question of demographics."

"Explain that please."

Kevin explained. "Right at the end, Manhattan had about nine million people stacked on top of each other. If we stacked all twenty billion people together in skyscrapers like that, we'd have a hugely crowded city that still took up as little surface area as say… Germany. Obviously, we're not planning to have megacities back; and if the deserts and the tundras become fertile land…"

Rachel took over. "The real question is what order they'll be coming back in. For most of human history, life expectancy was very low. We're getting people from the Bronze and Iron Ages back now, and we're revising our archaeological finds based on their testimony, but in a lot of ancient lands, the average life expectancy was under thirty years. To say nothing of infant mortality. If we expect unborn children to also get a Resurrection, then the ratio of under ten year olds is far beyond the adult numbers. Life expectancy was tied to wealth, nobility and education. If you made it to ten years old, you'd grow up."

"There have been relatively few children among the Returned." Benedict commented. "We aren't sure how abortions or miscarriages are going to be handled yet, though word from the Writing Committee is that there will be New Scrolls to address this issue with the next release."

"As always, we know what we need to know when we need to know it." Beck smiled.

"But however you slice it, we'll have to figure out how to handle those kids." Rachel said. "If God is bringing adults back first, it's because he's creating Foster homes for whole generations of lost children."

"We handled it before." Benedict said firmly. "After A-Day, the whole world was an orphanage for a while. We can do it again."

Rachel nodded. "Back to the numbers; people in the Industrialized Ages lived in cities, but that time only lasted a few centuries. The majority of human history has lived in rural areas. As late as 1950, only a third of the human race lived in cities."

Beck let out a breath. "Any numbers on how we support so many people? Food and water alone..."

Rachel raised a hand. "This is what I did back in OS, running these figures. The truth is, we're in far better shape for it now than we were. The human race at the End of the Old Days used an area of land about the size of Asia to create food; but that was to support a ridiculous amount of cattle for meat."

"A Vegetarian diet is far easier to support." Kevin put in. "With a workforce of hundreds of millions restoring land and ecosystems, we're well ahead of the curve."

"Truth was, in OS; the Industrialized nations were morbidly obese and throwing food away every night for new stock, while the impoverished nations starved." Rachel told him. "A decent way to ship food around to people without wasting anything will do the job. Especially if we have Divine help; which we've had before. Remember, back in the cities, it was as much about profit as it was about provision. We needed huge power stations to power every home in the city; when we could have had millions of people off-grid; but you can't charge people for that. We could have had people growing and bartering their own food in backyard gardens, but supermarkets were more convenient; as long as you had money."

"Leadership." Benedict summed up. "We've been telling ourselves for a hundred years that the most miraculous changes to the world are the ones that don't require a miracle at all. The only thing the world ever lacked was the right person in charge. Now we have the King of Kings. The rest will attend to itself."

A hand was raised. "A moment, Brother Bagley." Someone called. "What you said about if the Deserts and the Tundras became liveable..."

"Obviously, we're not sure about that either." Kevin put in. "We're recording weather as best we can, but on this matter we defer to the Restoration Committee."

Thorne spoke up as eyes turned to him. "Scripture tells us that the desert will bloom, but there was no shortage of wasteland and dustbowls in the world after A-Day. Even now, we're still sorting them out. Please turn to Isaiah 35:1." He read the verse. "‘The wilderness and the parched land will exult, and the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron'. We've been following the Ecology and Restoration Committee's talks about how desert areas have their own ecosystems and we wonder if they are to be wiped out, and the world to become uniform in it's biomes."

"Have you ever been to the deserts?" Beck asked.

"I have not."

"Well I have, and they're… amazing. They're intimidating and powerful and bright and fierce, and they're full of life of their own. I admit, I would miss them if they vanished. And I have to assume the principle applies to frigid glaciers and deep impassable jungle too."

Thorne shrugged. "If the scripture applies only to areas made wasteland by humans, then there will still be plenty of growing land. Even for billions of people. Do you believe that the Desert and Arctic Ecosystems will continue as they have, or will the world become uniformly temperate?"

Benedict raised a hand. "Scripture has bearing on that issue. After the Flood, God vowed in Genesis 8:22: ‘For all the days the earth continues, seed sowing and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, will never cease'."

"It's also worth noting that whole generations of people have lived in the Arctic Circle, and the Saharan Desert. In a world where we don't have to fear freezing to death or dying of thirst, the Polar Bear and the Sand Cat can still live quite comfortably. There's no place on this earth where people cannot make a life for themselves. Even when there are billions of them."

There was a beat of sentimental silence.

(Author's Note: There's no scripture to directly address the question of what the climate will become globally, beyond what was just included here. Also, there is scriptural evidence that the rainfall cycle was different, pre-Flood; but there's no direct answer on if we'll go back to that either. Jesus showed on several occasions that he could control weather systems, so we can be sure that damaging or dangerous weather will be a thing of the past. Whether or not people will live in those hazardous areas is an open question.)

"Billions of people." Benedict said finally. His tone was thoughtful. "Billions and billions of people."

A soft smile went around the room. Rachel and Augustus made eye contact. She saw that he was ready to talk; even to her.

~~/*\~~

"What did that mean?" Augustus asked that night. "The way they reacted to the numbers?"

"The ‘billions and billions'?" Rachel smiled a bit. "You were an Aristocrat. You had the bible as part of your education."

"I did." Augustus nodded.

"Since the first family out of Eden, those that followed God had always been outnumbered dramatically." Rachel explained. "Abel is the first person to be counted as a faithful, obedient follower; and for that, he was murdered by his own brother." Rachel chuckled. "There was a time when I thought that set the tone for the next six thousand years. Faithful ones; outnumbered and under attack from the first family onward."

Augustus snorted. "Cheerful thought."

"Well, the world we're in now is the promised reward. Everyone, from Abel onward, is finding out the actual result of doing the right thing. But until the General Returning, each and every one of us had to handle one form of outright opposition or another; myself included. You met Ingaret; she was actually burned at the stake for her beliefs."

Hushed silence.

"I owe you an apology, Professor." Augustus said evenly. "I… was not suited to the situation, and behaved inappropriately."

"While we're on the subject, I owe you an apology as well. I was about to give up after two conversations. It's not the act of a Christian, or a teacher. I failed you on both counts."

"I taught, in my time." Augustus nodded. "There's nothing you can teach, when your student has no respect for his lessons; let alone a student who ridicules his teacher." He gave her a self-deprecating smile. "And now those billions upon billions who judged, attacked, ignored and ridiculed your lessons are coming back." Augustus sniffed. "I'm on that list, aren't I?"

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, Augustus." Rachel chuckled. "In secular matters, people are a product of their education; especially teachers. As to the more important thing, people mostly people handled God by trying not to think about him; or at least pretend that they had little responsibility on the matter. But there's never been a time in history where God's people weren't outnumbered by everyone else."

"Until now, as there are only fifteen thousand of us." Augustus said.

"That number is going to grow. Exponentially." Rachel said plainly. "For every person that has come back, there's currently a million more to come. That ratio will start to shift, but…"

"But by then, you're hoping that all the newcomers will stop being ‘other people' and become ‘your people'."

"God's people." Rachel reminded him. "I know you don't know what to make of this world, at least not yet. But you're an Academic. Keep your eyes open. Look for the new fact, instead of the old one."

Augustus didn't answer right away. "I was there, when my esteemed colleagues argued against Copernican Doctrine. I was there when the heliocentrists were thrown out of the Court in disgrace. I was thrilled, because when I saw some of my competitors spat on by their own patrons…"

"It meant more money for you?" Rachel nodded, unsurprised.

"I never told anyone, for fear of… well, getting put on the rack. But I had reviewed their conclusions and I had to admit, it felt like they were on solid ground. It just seemed more likely that earth went around the sun. But I said nothing." Augustus whispered. "Reputation is the commodity that Higher Learning is based on. You either made a reputation shine, or you made it scandalous."

"And then you get here, and I show you pictures of the Solar System, the Galaxies…" Rachel wasn't upset. If anything, she was thrilled for him.

"The new thought, the new idea; was the enemy." He nodded. "Actually, that's a lie. I was the enemy. In those days, it wasn't easy for a scientist who came up with a controversial result."

"‘In those days'." Rachel repeated with biting irony. "Believe me, nothing changed until the whole forsaken System ended. Academics need to eat, Gus. This is the only world where you're guaranteed food and home, no matter what you research."

"Really." Augustus said evenly. "So if, hypothetically, I was to release a paper saying that your interpretation of scripture was wrong, or that your New Scrolls were not inspired divinely; I'm sure you'd have no problem with it?"

"Gus, the modern organization began with a man who didn't accept the doctrine he was being fed. The Early Christians began their work in spite of being flogged by the religious leaders of their day. The whole point of this world is that The Truth finally has its day all over the place. You want to check our math, go right ahead and see what you come up with." She smirked at him. "But if you start with a conclusion before you get to the facts..."

"Then nothing has changed. This is true." Augustus admitted. "I think we are being observed."

Rachel looked over her shoulder. Ingaret, Kevin, and Benedict were all peeking around the corner of the building. "They want to know if we are fighting again."

"For your protection, or mine?" Augustus scoffed. "Shall we begin our lessons again, Professor?"

"Bright and early, tomorrow." Rachel agreed. "Or, if you prefer, you could sit in on the general classes. Admittedly, it's mostly kids there now, but the ratio will shift towards adults very quickly as more and more people come back. Remember, until the last hundred years before A-Day, relatively few people had a chance to go to school."

~~/*\~~

"Billions and billions. It's an awesome thought." Kevin said softly as he walked her home.

"The Egyptian Dynasties began thousands of years before Christ, and didn't end until Cleopatra the Seventh, only thirty years before Jesus was born." Rachel said, her tone almost dreamy. "For two thousand years they prayed to their Gods, and for two thousand years after, people prayed to Christ. Jah spans across both eras, and he was the only God that nobody wanted to mention by name."

"His Name was the only one that an evil world had to fear." Kevin offered.

"Thousands of years, and an Empire that spanned the inhabited world for no small part of it. The Old Gods are going to have their day again, KB. How many millions will wake up and look around for the Temples to Bast, or Ra, Zeus or Jupiter?"

"No. Their day is over." He said firmly. "In fact, they never existed. Their day was never real to begin with, any more than Santa Claus."

"Santa Claus didn't have to be real, he had good marketing. Like all the old gods." She rolled her head back. "I know what I'm talking about, here. My family didn't care what God I believed in, barely blinked when I changed my mind. Not coming for Christmas? That was the point that angered them."

Kevin laughed. "My family was the same way. How many people weren't receptive for the simple reason that they just didn't want to go to the effort of thinking about it?"

They said it together. "Billions and billions."

"And it's awe inspiring that we get to be here for it, in such an integral way." Kevin nodded. "That said…"

"You want to talk about the other thing?" Rachel sighed. "You've been very patient with me, KB. Fine. Let's have it out."

"What are you afraid of, when you look at me?" Kevin asked, finally getting the question out. "Because we are closer than friends; but any time it starts to look that way, it's like a brick wall slams down, and I don't understand why."

Rachel took a deep breath, and came clean. "KB, I knew I was going to like you the minute we met." She said plainly. "I knew you were going to be one of the most important people in my life after a day working together. And I knew that if we made it as far as a first date, I'd want to marry you one day."

Kevin was stunned. "Rachel…"

"I know, that's what you've wanted too." Rachel said, face unreadable. "But there's no future for us, KB. Back in OS, I stayed away from tearjerkers. I don't ever start a movie when i know there's a sad ending."

Kevin stared at her, looking sick. "If you felt that way, why the hell didn't you say anything before? For twenty years now, I've thought that you were trying to make sure, or waiting for me to chase you. If there was never any chance…"

"Because you are the most important person in my congregation, in my work… and if there was any other significant portion of my life, you'd be the best part of that too. My day is just better when you're around."

"I feel the same way." Kevin said. "So why not see how far that can go?"

"Because I know exactly how far it can go." Rachel said simply. "And this is the furthest it can get before someone gets burned." She reached out and touched his face. "In fact, it's gone further than I planned. I know I should have put my foot down long before now; but I didn't… I wasn't ready to say goodbye to you yet. I'm sorry, KB." She turned away from him swiftly as they reached her house. "We'll talk more about this later. Thanks for walking me home."

~~/*\~~

Alec woke up to see his wife over at the Terminal, tapping away. "Something new?" He yawned as he sat up.

"Good morning." Beckah said, eyes still on the Screen. "The Conference's latest invention just went online. It's a Database of all the people who have been Returned so far."

"The Family Tree?"

"More… comprehensive than that." Beckah explained. "The Tree was for Believers; but now with the Greater Returning underway, we're filling in names. It's kind of nebulous at the moment, since it's based on old records and who we have now."

"It'll fill up." Alec said, coming over to join her. "Who are you looking up?"

"Everyone I can think of." Beckah told him. "All the people I lost track of, all the people my mom talked about… Then just whatever name I can think of. Old Teachers, the barista at my old coffee shop… Remember when we said that some of the ‘famous faces' might have a hard time with their celebrity? Well, sooner or later that'll widen to include all the secular famous people too. I wonder what Alexander the Great would make of this world?"

"Maybe Elvis will go on tour again." Alec rested a hand on her shoulder as he leaned closer, and realized how rigid she was. She wasn't just nervous, she was dumbstruck. "There's something else."

Beckah nodded. "The Database doesn't give contact details, but you can leave a message for anyone with an entry."

"You have a message?"

Beckah nodded. "Simon Maitland."

Alec thought for a moment. "I don't know who that is."

Beckah was very carefully not looking at him. "Maitland was the guy driving the other car while stoned. He's the miserable waste of oxygen that put me in the damn wheelchair."

Alec leaned down and hugged her instantly. "And he wants to see you?"

Beckah nodded. "He came to see me in the hospital a few times. I was angry in about eight different directions. I told the nurses not to let him in the door. They do whatever helps keep their patients calm and healing; so… After a while he gave up." She sniffed. "I know he talked to my dad, though. Found out what had happened to me." One hand went to her pregnant stomach. "The… full extent of what he took from me that day."

"What happened to him?"

"Last I heard, he missed his court date because he was wasted again, drove his new car into a tree; bled to death in the ambulance. My mom came running, interrupted my physical therapy to tell me that his death was slow and painful." She wiped her eyes furiously and hugged her husband back. "God forgive me for this, but I was glad to hear it." She looked up at Alec. "Babe, why is he here?"

"He died, Beckah. He gets the same chance as-"

"No, I mean… why? I knew he'd come back at some point, but of all the people I'd like to meet; the first message I get comes from that… that-UGH! How does he get priority over my grandma?"

Alec led her away from the Terminal. "The last convention, they had interviews with JW's from the War-Era. With Christians who fled Jerusalem in the first century. With the Hebrews who were Egyptian slaves. Sooner or later, they'll see their guards, their suspicious neighbours, their former masters. Some of our brothers were lynched, or randomly murdered in muggings gone bad. Our war is long over, but sooner or later, every single one of us will have to face our enemies."

"I know." Beckah said into his neck. "Why did it have to be so soon for me? Why does he have to talk to me?"

"Can't say I know why." Alec admitted. "Maybe this guy will have something wonderful to contribute if he cleaned up his act. Maybe God decided you need to face him sooner, rather than later."

Beckah paused and looked up. "Maybe." She said finally. "Because even a hundred years after throwing my wheelchair on a bonfire, I saw his name and I just…" Beckah looked up at him. "Mom was Protestant. When I was disabled, she demanded to know why. They gave the same answer that churches always gave back then. She wouldn't even speak of God again after that. No matter what I said, she thought that the JW's were just another group of hollow bible-thumpers, taking advantage of a desperate girl, and that I was a fool if I ever believed again."

"But you know that's not true." Alec probed gently. He wasn't sure which of those ‘eight directions' was the one she was heading in now, and resolved to let her talk.

"It took eight weeks to get out of the hospital. We were flat broke by week three. Week seven, my dad came by and said with all the stress of the accident, things were pretty bad at home, and maybe it would be best if he moved out for a while, just till things calmed down. Week eight, mom came by and told me our house wasn't rated for wheelchair access, and I'd have to stay in a shelter for a while until we found somewhere we could afford…" She wiped her eyes. "It destroyed my family, Alec."

They were talking about events that were over more than a hundred and fifty years before, but Alec still didn't know what to say. "I'm so sorry, love."

"Mom was one of the most heartful people I'd ever met, until she saw her only child broken in half." She wiped her eyes again. "Mom wouldn't listen. She hated God and all things connected to him over my accident. When the Final Revelation Act was passed, she was the happiest I'd seen her in a long time. When the others in the Cong came to get me, she nearly attacked them." She pulled away from her husband. "She's not here, and the guy who caused the accident is. I don't know how to handle that; but I know that forgiving him is a whole lot harder than saying ‘don't worry, I can walk again'."

He hugged her tightly. "I know."

"I can't face him."

"A hundred years into Paradise. You can do a lot of things you never thought you could."

"What do I say?" Beckah asked helplessly. "I know he can't have been here long. If the first thing he does is look me up; then I have a very real chance at blowing his hopes for Eternal Life… And part of me would be fine with that."

"Simon Maitland has a mother too."

Her face crumpled. The first time he had ever seen her looking sad. "What do I say?" She flat out begged him to tell her.

"Maybe… Maybe it's not about saying something. Maybe you just need to listen." Alec said finally. "Elders back in OS, they took on the difficult doors. Ones that had been abusive, ones that had been threatening. But even though they warned their Pioneers and Publishers away, the Elders still made an effort to reach those ones; because things change, and because…"

"Because loving God is the only thing that obligates us to love each other." Beckah finished for him. "It's not always easy."

"No it isn't. In fact, it's the one ‘right thing' that hasn't become easier to do in this world." Alec admitted. "But you told me once that if I ever doubted myself, I should come to you, and you would remind me of all the reasons why you loved me so much." He brushed her hair back. "I think a woman like you, who has a heart big enough to carry me through my darker moments and not lose an inch of her own light and love; can handle the rough spots." He held her close. "And when you can't, you come to me. You've been doing it for me every time I have a talk; I think it's time I returned the favor."

~~/*\~~

The training in the Education Work continued, and by now, the majority of the human race was ready to welcome people back. The standard procedure had changed. Those that received Blue Letters were still the first point of contact for someone who had been Returned, but no longer were they responsible for the Returnee.

"It takes a village to raise a child." The Brothers had reasoned. "So too, it takes a community to welcome a new member. Fairly often, we are met with skepticism, and even suspicion that what we tell newcomers is a trick of some kind. Letting them go to make their own way will allow newcomers to meet many people. The more people they meet, the clearer it will be that the world is exactly as it seems now."

It was a call to arms that required every baptized member of the world to be ready to demonstrate to a Returnee that the world was finally as it should be. The new program worked well; and the responsibility of preaching to new arrivals was now placed on everyone in the world.

~~/*\~~

Rachel woke up at the knock on her door. She had fallen asleep in her chair, with a notepad balanced on one knee, and her Device on the other. As she jerked awake, both fell to the floor. Yawning, she called for whoever it was to come in as she gathered her things.

It was Kevin. He looked at her, coming no closer than the door. He looked pretty shaken up, eyes red with dark circles under them. And in his hand was a Blue Letter.

Rachel rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked at him. The minute she realized what she was seeing, she drew back into her chair. "Oh."

Kevin nodded slowly. "I know why you turned me down when I suggested we start dating." He said softly. "At the time, I thought you were hedging, wondering if we'd still be together as years turned into centuries. You're always trying to think two centuries ahead, Rachel. But that wasn't it, was it?"

"No." Rachel nodded, and gestured at the letter in his hand. "It was because of that letter."

Kevin looked down at the letter in his hand, though he had it committed to memory. "I never did tell you how Elizabeth died, did I?"

Rachel shook her head. "You only mentioned it once. I figured you didn't want to talk about it."

"It was three days before our fifth anniversary." Kevin said softly. "Brain aneurysm. Nobody knew it was a possibility at her age. I said goodnight to her, and the next morning I woke up… and she didn't." Kevin rubbed his eyes. "Funny thing is, when I came into the Truth a hundred and fifty years ago… I was so excited by the idea of seeing her again."

"And now?" She was afraid to ask.

"Now… I don't know how to face her. How do I tell her that our twins thought their old man was crazy for thinking she'd ever come back to life? How do I tell her that we can live forever, but without them? How do I tell her that it's been almost two centuries since I said goodnight to her? And that in that time, I've lived through the End of the World, helped build the new one, and..." He finally looked at her. "...And come to care very much for another woman?"

Rachel felt tears gathering. "I didn't want to force you." She whispered. "My parents only stayed together as long as they did because of me. I didn't want you to wish you could change your mind."

"It's not like I didn't know she would be coming back." Kevin whispered. "And the thing is… The Wider Returning is still in its first few weeks. The fact that she's coming back now can't be coincidence…"

"You think it's because of you? A Reunion for the Tribulation Witness?" Rachel guessed. "Yeah. Wouldn't surprise me. Obviously, it would be the best-"

"Okay. Don't do that!" Kevin told her seriously. "I can see you distancing yourself from this already." He came closer and took both her hands in his. "Rachel, I lo-"

Rachel twitched and put a finger over his lips before he could finish. It was the first time either of them was to say it out loud; or even addressed the connection between them openly. "Don't say it, because I just might say it back and I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to hurt you either. And you were right. We'd be married by now if…"

Rachel didn't meet his eyes. "I know we would. But you wanted to marry her, too. And you did. For all the time we've spent together, we've never been anything official. I can't… I've never met Elizabeth. I'm not going to say anything about that, but I don't know what's going to happen next. I would never let us be more than friends because I knew she'd be back, and I didn't want to be the reason you lost her for a second time."

"I'm not the same person she knew, Rachel." Kevin pointed out. "Back when I was with her, I was barely twenty five, not a Christian, not even an Academic yet. I had five years with her, as a married couple. With you, less… intimate, but for over a century now. I haven't been with her for a long time."

"Yes, but she hasn't changed." Rachel countered. "She has no idea that time has passed, or that she isn't in her own bed, saying goodnight to you just a few hours ago. She has no idea who's ruling the world now, or who Jehovah is. The only thing in the world that she'll know, is you."

"Are you… Are you telling me to leave you for her?"

"Kevin, we never started. We aren't together."

"Rachel, we've been together for a long time." He scorned. "We both know that you could have lived happily ever after with someone long before this. We've never admitted to it, but don't pretend the feelings aren't there."

"Oh, of course they are!" She said, angry at herself. "But a lot of people lost family on A-Day; including me. Feelings aren't enough. I'm asking you to make the right choice." Rachel pushed him. "Not the choice you want to make, or the one you think you should make. When you see her, when you tell her everything… When she says your name, and throws her arms around you and you suddenly remember what her hair smelled like…"

Kevin had tears forming again.

Rachel let out a hard sigh and leaned back from here. "And there it is." She said in a small voice. "Just thinking about what you had still gets you. I care about you too, KB. More than I have ever admitted. But it's not like we can take these things back. It's not like the Old Days when you can just make the best of it; or even admit you made a mistake and split up." She put her hand over his heart. "I know you love me. I know you wouldn't cheat, or treat me as disposable. But forever means that no matter how sick it makes you now, you have centuries and centuries of happy to look forward to once you've made your choice."

Kevin actually looked angry. "Great speech. But I know it's not that simple. I know you, Rach. You distance yourself from the things that could hurt you. I can see you doing it right now, telling yourself that you don't mind; psyching yourself up to be ‘fine with it'. But..."

And just for a second, a look of true anguish crossed Rachel's face. "But." She agreed. "Look… I don't know what's going to happen. For me, not knowing something important is hell on earth. But I trust you, and I know that...Well, let's face it. We're not the only ones who will have to deal with this issue. Plenty of people have this story."

"They have." Kevin agreed. "Doesn't make it easier though." He looked up at her. "You know, this is all speculation. Because you're right: We're not the only ones with this issue right now. What if I said that Elizabeth was the past, and we were the future, and…"

Rachel was very carefully making sure she didn't react. "You still need to talk to her first. Because… You're offering me something I've wanted for a long time, and I want to say yes. But I've spent almost a hundred years trying to be the bigger person." She tapped the letter. "When you know what you want, let me know. Because I've known what I wanted for a long time." She headed for the kitchen to get coffee. "And above all, I want to do this right; for all three of us."

~~/*\~~

"The thing is, I want Elizabeth to be happy here." Rachel told Beckah over the phone. "I haven't so much as seen a picture, but I'm still a Witness. I want Elizabeth to see this world, come to Jehovah, be part of our family, and live forever happily." She bit her lip. "But I also want her to go away and never talk to Kevin at all. Does that make me a bad person?"

"Makes you a perfectly typical person, Rachel." Beckah said easily. "You're in love, and you don't want him to be with anyone else. That's rather the point of a happily ever after."

"I know…"

"It was something I avoided with Alec. He was barely out of High School when A-Day hit. It raised a few eyebrows then, but it's not like I was worldly and experienced…"

"Nobody cares about May-December romances when we have December-Ancient Greek romances to deal with." Rachel chuckled, despite herself. "Ahh, it wasn't meant to be like this. It was meant to be easier…"

"Rachel, don't get hung up on the tricky part; you're going to live forever." Beckah told her. "If I can face Maitland…"

"I know." Rachel sighed. "How are you holding up?"

"I think I can handle it, once I get past saying hello." Beckah said. "But you're right. When I thought about Paradise, I never planned for this either."

"You ask Alec?"

"The nice thing about being married to an Elder." Beckah chuckled. "But yes, I asked. He says that scripture promises that ‘the former things will not be called to mind'. But there's nothing that says how long that would take. Remember, we're still cleaning up the mess of the last world. That includes facing up to the parts we left behind."

Rachel let out a breath. "I know. And however long it takes; we'll still have eternity ahead. I just wish..."

"Yeah. I wish there was an easier way too. You know the strongest couple I knew back in OS?" Beckah asked. "They weren't even JW's. My... mentor and her husband. When I got stuck in a wheelchair, there was someone who taught me how to handle my new life. Same story to the one I had. She got clobbered by a drunk driver one night, and spent the rest of her life on wheels. Her husband had to carry her up and down stairs, lift her in and out of the tub... I asked her once, why he never just moved to a place without stairs, or with a proper shower... She told me that they were actually talking about splitting up before the accident. I was stunned, because I never knew that. But after the accident, they flat out clung to each other." She shook her head, laughing a little. "This terrible thing had happened, and they saw it as a way to just... carry each other through. Literally, in his case." She glanced over. "And it wasn't guilt, or responsibility... The way he looked at her when he had to carry her upstairs and tuck her into bed... Like she was the reason his whole world existed."

"Nobody's ever looked at me that way. Not even Kevin. Because, after all, there was never any need to carry me anywhere." Rachel admitted. "I told myself I wouldn't settle for anything less. But, sticking with each other through the bad times is what made their marriage strong." She shivered quietly. "Back in OS, you could tell the relationships that had staying power because of how they handled the bad days. But that couple you admired for being strong together? How would they do in this world, where they don't have to carry each other through so much as a common cold?"

Beckah hesitated. "I don't know."

"I'm an engineer, and I can tell you that the only way to measure the strength of anything is to put it under a stress test." Rachel agreed. "How can you be sure of something that never feels the pressure?"

Beckah was silent a moment. "Three days ago, I may have agreed with you, but trust me. There are still some rough patches to come. Alec has come through for me in the most amazing way this week. It's not quite the same thing, I know. You and Elizabeth don't have a grudge to resolve. She's not the enemy here."

"I know." Rachel sighed. "It'd almost be easier if I could see her as an enemy."

"You know, it's not just marriages that have to deal with the question of ‘bad days'. My friends in the cong found a depressed and crippled girl, and got her all the way through Tribulation, and everything that came before it. All of them have their own lives now. We're not neglecting each other. People move on."

Rachel sighed. "That's true, I guess. But friendships can fade away. Marriages can't. Not for people like us. Not any more. I told KB that it's not a unique problem."

"It's not." Beckah agreed. "In fact, it wasn't a new problem before A-Day came. Every possible combination of family, single parent, step parents, different backgrounds, different races, different religions… Family was a very flexible thing, even before a whole generation declared the world an Orphanage."

"The abstract doesn't help me right now."

"Nothing will, except time." Beckah told her. "And that's not fair for me to say, because I met my Soulmate within six months."

"If Alec had turned you down, or had never actually made a move… What would you have done?"

"Same thing you will do." Beckah promised. "Some people don't do well on their own. You aren't one of them." She paused a moment. "And I know that for a fact, because some of the people who do badly on their own? They're all talking to Alec lately."

"Mm. Perils of being an Elder, I guess."

"Alec never wanted that, you know?" Beckah said softly. "He's a great Elder, and we're always supposed to be reaching for ways to do more in the Service, even in this world; but Alec never really sought the job. He's fielding questions from the ‘Late Wives Club', and he's getting Green Letters… I can tell it's wearing on him."

Rachel smiled a bit. "Does it occur to you that you found him within six months, and nobody was sure about you two? You've had decades to build him up; and I honestly think that if he hadn't met you; he'd be the same timid, heartbroken kid who kept his head down all through A-Day."

"Maybe." Beckah said quietly. "But I don't think so. Hope and Joy run thick and fast these days. Or at least they did until the Letters started again. As much as I like to take credit for my husband, I wonder how much I did."

"You made his heart better." Rachel said simply. "That's the most important thing you can do for someone these days; or else what is the point of those Letters at all?"

~~/*\~~

"Alec?"

He turned to see a face he'd been expected hurrying up to meet him. "Catherine. Something wrong?"

"I… I got the Blue Letter." She held it up. "My late husband is coming back tomorrow."

"Congratulations." Alec said, knowing what was coming.

"Yeah, but…" Catherine glanced around at the others who were working about twenty feet away. "Alec, I can tell you things, right? Privately?"

"I'm an Elder. If you need to tell me something in confidence, then of course…"

"I…" She glanced upwards quickly. "God Forgive Me for this… I don't think that I want to get back together with him. At least, I'm not sure..."

"Can you tell me why?"

"I…" She struggled. "I think about my life with him, and my first thought was that he always looked after the family. He provided for us. Back in the 1920's, that was no small thing, Alec. It was work, or breadlines, and we had two kids. He worked like a dog, came home exhausted, and he never once let on to the kids how hard it was. He was good to us. But…"

"But it bothers you that the first thing that came to mind when you thought of him was ‘good provider'." Alec said gently.

"And I don't need a good provider any more, Alec. I've been alive for forty years without him, and I've never seen anyone, in the world, go without anything for a day." Catherine rubbed her face. "I try to remember my life with him and ask myself what we would have been if we had money. Not rich, just… sure about where our next meal was coming from. And I can't see it. Alec, there wasn't a day that went by when we weren't scrimping and counting pennies. So much so that he had a problem with how much time I spent pioneering. Leisure time didn't exist for us. Times were hard; we made the best of it. And… it was easier to face the day, knowing my man could be counted on."

"Is that why you married him?"

"I… I was dating him for a few weeks, and we got on well. I loved dancing with him… He met my parents, they asked about his ‘prospects' and when they realized he could support a family… Mom all but flung me at him." She spread her hands wide. "A woman just couldn't have a job on her own back then. It wasn't done."

Alec sighed. "Look, when he gets here, he's going to need some time himself. He won't have any idea what century he's in. You remember what that's like, I'm sure."

"I do." Catherine sighed. "He won't take to it well. He'll take one look at the smart devices and run screaming." She rubbed her eyes. "What do I do?"

"You know, Catherine; the same is true of him." Alec pointed out. "You said that a day didn't go by when you two weren't against the wall. What will he want when he realizes his kids won't ever starve? You said yourself that he never left you in the lurch, never let any of it show in front of the kids. A man like that; clearly his family is his priority. What will he want when he realizes ‘leisure time' is something he can have at last?"

Catherine gave the question some thought. "I honestly don't know."

"Well then. Seems like you know what to talk about when he gets back." Alec said gently. He turned. "Do you hear that?"

"Reinforcements." Catherine nodded. "Some Restoration Teams are bringing in some heavy equipment to clear the shale wall."

"Ah good." Alec smiled. "We can divert that stream to the forest by night...fall…" He trailed off as he saw the newly arrived crew jump down from their trucks.

"Brother Ducard? Is something wrong?" Catherine asked.

~~/*\~~

Roland looked up as Alec reached the Elder's Meeting, and took note of his expression. "Is something wrong, Alec?"

"Have you noticed that question creeping back into the conversation lately?" Alec commented absently. "I saw a guy a few hours ago. He was wearing Captain's Bars. Like a military rank. No uniform, but...."

Roland nodded. "Yeah, I've seen something similar."

Alec gave him a look. "Do I need to elaborate?"

"Alec, we've got people coming back fast. Hundreds of millions of them are soldiers. You heard what they said at the convention about providing ‘soft landings' for Returnees? You heard the numbers. If every soldier in the world put down a gun and picked up a hammer, or planted a tree…"

"So why the uniforms?"

"They aren't uniforms, they're insignia. No flags, no colors. But there is a hierarchy. Millions of people performing millions of urgent tasks, and each and every one of them can tell at a glance who's giving them instructions, and who's counting on them to pass the instructions along."

Alec was silent a moment. "My father was killed in a war." He said quietly. "I barely remember him."

Roland nodded. "That's why there's no uniforms. A lot of people are going to have trouble seeing that. But if we're going to turn the sword into a plowshare… Why not the swordsman too?"

"Turn the army into… what? Peace Corps?"

"Not just the army. Turn the Army into an engineer corp, Air Force into a global airline, turn the Navy into shipping… All the people who need discipline, who need to serve… There's plenty for them to do. Time was, the world would serve its own, and we had to serve God. Now they're the same thing." Roland smiled. "There's precedent. Several countries that had National Service provided a Civilian Service. No small number of places in the world, even in the States; there were thousands of people who had to choose between joining the military and starving to death. It was the only industry that never stopped taking people in."

"I can see that." Alec admitted. "I just have a bad history with uniforms. My first memory of them is someone telling my mom she was a widow."

"Has there been any word on that, yet?" Roland asked sympathetically.

"Dad wasn't a believer." Alec excused. "No word yet on the Database."

"That will change eventually." Roland promised. "And when it happens, you'll have quite a story to tell him."

Alec laughed. "Almost eighty years since we've done that kind of work. I wonder if I'll remember how."

"We're not that far off." Roland chuckled, and then suddenly remembered something. "Oh! This is for you!" He pulled out a book and handed it to Alec. "Someone's binding the two volumes we have together. The Third Testament, parts one and two, combined."

Alec took it. "Oh. Goody. Now I always have the Regulations handy." He said dryly.

Roland chuckled. "They can't all be page-turners, Alec. When I was first approached by Witnesses, I started reading the bible. Got six chapters into Leviticus and gave up." He tapped the book. "You're surprised we got another such infodump?"

"Not really, but I remember during the International, it felt like a miracle we stayed awake the whole five days. Going back over it, I'm doubly sure." Alec said dryly.

~~/*\~~

"Rachel and Elizabeth; Catherine and her husband, me and the Uniforms..." Alec listed the newcomers on his fingers. "There is Change afoot in Paradise, Beckah." His tone was blatantly melodramatic.

"Don't forget me and Simon Maitland. Two days and counting. There was an argument at the market today. One of the newcomers had a little trouble grasping the idea of how money works now. Almost a dozen people were trying not to stare at the guy who wouldn't stop cussin' out the lady with the apples." Beckah confided. "To quote Rachel, it's almost like we let the riffraff back in."

"But… We can't think that way!" Alec said helplessly. "We can't… resent people who aren't like us."

"Did you hear? Last week, Sister Gordon came home and found their houseguest teaching her kids how to play Three Card Monte." Beckah reported.

Alec tried to stop from smiling. He failed.

"It's not funny." Beckah insisted… before breaking into giggles herself. "No, this is serious!"

"Very." Alec agreed. "The Gordon kids are going to run their kindergarten's Black Market inside a week." He broke down laughing. Beckah joined in, and the two of them laughed for a few minutes.

"Oh, mercy." Alec got himself under control. "You're right though. This isn't all that funny. Right now, it's teaching five year olds how to play cards. But at some point…"

"I know." Beckah sighed. "Back in OS, when someone deliberately tried to upset the applecart, the solution was to avoid them. But we can't do that now, because… We're the only people in the world, Alec. We can't avoid the malcontents and troublemakers because we have to reach them now." She looked down. "I've been here before." She admitted. "Not just Maitland. When I found out Mara made it through A-Day and I couldn't believe it."

"I remember."

"I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't handle it. I avoided her. I can't do that with Maitland, because he knows I'm here. I have to face this one; and I don't know how I'll do."

"Forgiveness doesn't mean you're okay with things. It means you don't want to be angry anymore." Alec told her.

"In my head, I know that. But the thing is… I want to be angry at him. It's easier than thinking that my mom wouldn't soften her position at all, even for her own disabled daughter. It's easier to say it's all his fault."

"I know." Alec sighed. "I feel like a coward. I took a lot of abuse from people my own age, but… None of them made it through A-Day. This is a matter I won't have to face up to myself; and now here I am trying to counsel people on how to approach long dead questions and hurt feelings."

"Maybe it makes it easier, but that's not a bad thing." Beckah offered. "I know what I should do, but it's hard for me because I'm still hurting over my family. Having someone who can stick to ‘the right answer' isn't necessarily a bad thing right now."

Alec switched off the light, and the two of them settled in for sleep.

"By the way." Alec said in the dark. "We didn't let the riffraff back in. We didn't do any of this. God raised them. Every single person is here because he wanted them here."

"I know." Beckah said softly.

"That should be the last word."

"It is."

Silence.

"But…" Beckah started to say, before she changed her mind and they went to sleep.

~~/*\~~

It eventually became apparent that ‘the way things were' was not a small problem. Most of the people who were being Returned were confused, even disbelieving. They were welcomed back warmly and patiently. Some looked to continue the lives they remembered. This had varying degrees of apprehension. Nobody could hurt each other, but there were other, subtler forms of dissent.

The broadcasts had been restored, and ran updates day and night around the world; telling people what had been happening internationally. Rachel took lunch in her Laboratory, and watched an interview that was recommended by special request in all congregations while she ate. She was tickled to see that the host was Benedict, who had taken the job on full time.

"The ‘way things were' is a problem in most communities now, but in very different ways." Benedict reported. "Here with us is brother Tanaka to explain the situation in Asia. Brother Tanaka?"

"The Western cultures changed with each generation, in fact the western empires rose and fell relatively often." His guest explained. "Japan and China have cultures that have lasted for whole dynasties. In Feudal Times, a Japanese warrior would end his life when he had disgraced himself. Not because life was cheap, but because to their way of thinking, Life and Death were of equal value. Things like sex were treated very casually, and marriage was by arrangement for many, at request of one's superior. The idea of God was very different. The Emperor was their god, to a degree not seen since the time of the Pharaohs. In fact, some of the returned ones have mentioned that they met early Church Missionaries, and the stumbling block was the idea that the Lord of Lords would humble himself to die a slave's death. Jesus was humiliated after his arrest. To a Samurai, that's proof that Jesus was a nobody."

Rachel let out a bark of laughter before she could stop herself. She had learned never to be judgemental about other cultures; even ancient ones. Her own was not one to brag about by The End.

~~/*\~~

A world away, Beckah was watching the video on her own Screen.

"Brothers, I'm sure you've heard stories of disruption by the newcomers. Remember, it's not like it was. We're living in times of miracles, and while some of the more extreme cases may be giving us flashbacks, remember who remains in control."

There was a round of applause where he was, as the screen darkened, and then came back with a prepared video. The image on screen was familiar, but in a way that Beckah couldn't place. It looked like any other convention. But then she saw it. Some of the brothers were wearing glasses; some of them were bent over from age. In the background of the image was a wheelchair, which made Beckah twitch. This was an image of before A-Day.

"Back then, we didn't have New Scrolls, didn't have perfect health." Benedict's voice reminded them.

The video changed to show those same brothers and sisters in the ‘new normal' super healthy, young and fit, clean cut and smiling at each other.

"For a hundred years we have been asking: What Does Paradise Mean To You? Well, with the first stage of our work done, it's time we started to live those dreams more than ever before. Never, ever, lose sight of what this place means, and why we rejoice!"

The image on the screen changed to show the same people, now busy with different tasks. Some were playing a sport at a level that Olympians would be hard pressed to match. Some were painting with unbelievable skill, or playing an instrument, or being handed a diploma…

"One of the things we told you was to never lose ‘the love you had at first'. In the case of the New System, it's a far more interesting prospect, because we loved and wanted this place long before we ever got here."

The video ended, to the polite applause of the audience.

"We can't measure time in the service anymore." Benedict smiled out at them. "Because now, every day we live is an example of our love for Jehovah. Every task we perform under instruction from the Society contributes to God's Paradise Earth. Consider that success. The world has stockpiled enough material to build homes for hundreds of millions. The world has prepared enough cultivated land and public orchards to feed the whole world. Friends, how well you have done!"

There was a stronger round of applause this time. The stockpiling work had been a major part of the last two centuries, and it had been building towards this moment.

"The first part of Paradise is assured. The Righteous have been rewarded for their loyal love. The ruins of the old world and the remnants of the Wicked Ones have been cleaned away. Now the next phase begins: The Education and Welcoming of the Unrighteous masses. A second chance for everyone who lived in ignorance and bondage!"

~~/*\~~

Rachel smiled a bit. She'd met the people who had worked on that video.

"So with that in mind, we'd like to invite you to turn to each other." Benedict said. "In OS, we delighted in Conventions, because we knew that every man and woman who came to convention with us was like us, with a similar story. Now, we can say the same about everyone in the world; and those yet to come. We invite you to turn to your brothers and sisters and ask them: Where Were You?"

Rachel watched the talk on her Screen, sent a glance to the empty chair on her left. Kevin would have been sitting right there. The absence gnawed at her subtly.

Her Device buzzed, and she checked it. It was from Kevin. It wasn't a call; just a message.

You were right. The second I heard her voice again, I knew. -- KB

Rachel winced, and sent a response. I figured. Good luck. No hard feelings. -- RB

His answer came less than ten seconds later. No, plenty of hard feelings. And you don't get to brush it off that easily. But I'm grateful to you for keeping your eye on this part of the future. You were right… But it could easily have gone the other way. It has, for many people. -- KB

Rachel wasn't sure how to respond to that. You don't have to say that. It would have been worse if you'd actually strung me along while you sorted your heart out. -- RB

Yes it would, but I still mean it. I guess I'm lucky you knew my heart better than I did. You have been one of the best parts of my life, Rachel. A life that's still getting started, in a lot of ways. I hope you find someone that makes you feel that way forever. -- KB

I hope so too. Rachel thought to herself as she put her device down. It was a goodbye, and she knew it.

A moment later, it buzzed again, with a final word from Kevin. You never answered The Big Question yourself, Rachel. I wasn't game to ask you, because we never really talked about the future. But What Does Paradise Mean To You? --KB

Rachel hesitated… and put the Device down. Deep down, she knew she'd probably never see him again. At least, not without Elizabeth.

Dear God, Rachel prayed quietly. I'm still looking for my place, I know. I just realized it, but I've never felt like myself when I didn't have a team. I had to find my footing after losing my MIT buddies. I was barely figuring out how I fit with the Witnesses when A-Day hit. The Conference took the place of my old Team and I went into a spiral when I saw it breaking up. Beckah and Kevin did their best, and Ingaret was a blessing; but I think I do better with a team of like-minded people than a normal social life. I want them all to be happy. I barely know what that looks like when I'm not busy.

Her device buzzed again. She winced and checked it. It wasn't Kevin; and she answered. "Alec?"

"Hi." He said kindly. "I should have called sooner. My wife seems to think that I know what to say in these situations, because I've gotten the question a few times now. She doesn't quite seem to understand that the way people respond to bittersweet reunions are as varied as people are."

"I know. I hate that." Rachel admitted ruefully. "I'm a Scientist; I like to see uniform results when you recreate the same experiment over and over."

"I'm also told you decided to do something heartfelt and noble; though it hurt you. I'm wondering whether to congratulate you or not."

She sat at her worktable. "I appreciate the sentiment, Alec. But there's no great trick to what I did. Hearts get broken every day."

Alec just waited.

Rachel confessed. "I know, deep down, KB and I could have worked. But not like this. Not with that hanging over our heads. It's just... when you've been close with someone for a hundred years..." She shook her head. "His wife can't even conceive of that much time. It's hard not to think that I've been dumped for a younger woman." She sniffed back a laugh. "So to speak."

Alec spoke kindly. "You know, this isn't an unusual adjustment. She can't conceive of a lifetime, under the current rules. But the thing is, when you and Kevin became friends, neither could you. None of us could. He was still waiting for the reunion. Two hundred years is a long time to carry a torch."

"I know. Which is why I didn't put up a fight. I mean, we haven't even been on an official date." Rachel admitted. "I just don't see... She's less than a quarter of his age, appearances aside. I know they have a history, but is it wise to just... well, assume like that?"

"You spent a hundred years telling yourself to bow out and let him decide without you being a factor, and now you have buyer's remorse?"

"I tend to dwell on the road not taken, Alec. Even with eternal life, there are some doors you just can't open again." There was a knock at the door. Rachel stood up. "Alec, I've got someone at the door. Kiss Beckah for me, and thank her for making a fuss. Then tell her not to worry about it."

"I will, though that last part may not be an option with Beckah."

Rachel made her goodbyes and answered the door. "Ingaret?"

Her friend was smiling, and not alone. There were a few people waiting a few feet back. In the dark, she couldn't see who they were. "Are you busy?" Ingaret asked. "I have some people here I'd like you to meet."

Rachel really didn't want company, but it was the first time Ingaret had brought along someone to introduce. "Come on in." She stepped aside for her friend, and her guests. One of them was Augustus, the two others she didn't know, though their clothing said they were Returnees. "What's on your mind?"

"We'll tell you in a minute; once we're all here." Ingaret promised. "I asked Kevin to come join us too. I expected him to be here, actually. He's been all but living in your lab for as long as I've been here."

~~/*\~~

Beckah had Alec's hand in a deathgrip as they came towards the little house. The Returning was new enough that the large dormitories weren't needed yet. "I can't do this."

"Could be that's true." Alec said, matter of factly.

Beckah looked over. "Aren't you supposed to talk me into it?"

"I have faith you will do the right thing at some point." Her husband told her. "I don't know what you're afraid is going to happen, but I know that you'll never be okay with having him in the world until you face him. If that doesn't happen today, it will eventually. And you're the kind of person who likes to get the bad stuff over with." He kept his face neutral. "Besides, if this guy can make the right choice, then you've got eternity ahead to have this conversation. Your call on when it comes."

"Don't ‘handle' me, Alec." Beckah told him firmly; and squared her shoulders. "Fine. Let's do this."

Alec knocked on the door. A man answered it a few moments later. Beckah had never seen his face, but it was clear he recognized her. His gaze went straight to her fully functional legs, then up to her pregnant belly… And he burst into tears. "Oh thank god. Thank you, God!"

~~/*\~~

Ingaret noticed that Kevin sat at the opposite end of the workbench to Rachel but didn't remark on it as the Returnees introduced themselves. "My name is Henry Cole. I was a member of the ‘Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce'."

"That's quite a mouthful by modern standards." Kevin observed.

"So I've learned." Cole nodded. "I lobbied His Royal Highness, Prince Albert to patron an event to showcase Industrial Technology. Two years later, Her Highness Queen Victoria chartered me to organize ‘The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations'."

"The Great Exhibition. He's talking about the World's Fair." Rachel breathed, starting to get an idea. "I thought that started in Paris."

"It did, in a manner of speaking." Cole put in. "But it was not open to international guests. I organized the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, in 1851."

Rachel looked over at the other newcomer. "Which would make you…"

He stuck a hand out and introduced himself as Rachel said the name with him. "Robert Moses." He smiled. "How'd you know?"

"The World's Fair that you organized in 1964 was one of the most famous events ever thrown; at least for people like us." Kevin smiled. "What was it you said? ‘Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe'?"

"And ‘Peace Through Understanding'." Robert nodded. "I woke up a week ago and discovered that the dream came true in spite of what I did. I had thought we could innovate our world out of calamity. Turns out we innovated our way into disaster."

Ingaret filled in the blanks. "I met these men this morning. They were Brought Back recently, and apparently people thought they should come here." She smiled at Rachel. "The moment I had figured out what the ‘World's Fair' was, I knew they had to talk to you."

"It was a showcase." Cole said grandly. "A way to show the world their culture, their genius, their…" His face changed. "Their hubris, in a way. But the dream still has merit; especially now."

Rachel almost smiled at that. "So, you want to restart the Fair?"

"We want to change the mandate." Augustus explained. "The reason this Conference ended was because it was only meant to transition from one century to the next. There are representatives of five different centuries at this table alone. The Conference is a good idea, but it's not nearly wide enough."

"You've been taking me through so much of the timeline, sister. Things that every child of your era knows, but that the most learned men of my time found heretical enough to kill for." Ingaret put in. "If we're going to build a place where the smartest minds gather, so that they can all dream together; then we need to learn more than just the future."

"I know asking you to look back instead of forward is like asking you to swim against the current." Beck smiled. "But remember, your shining contribution to our budding Golden Age, along with everything else technological, is dependant on electronics. But the electron wasn't discovered until 1897. That's less than three hundred years. You want to put together every brilliant mind from the last six thousand and see what they come up with… We have schools for people who have never had an education, adult and child alike. We need a place for the prodigies. For the people who were brilliant. Thousands of years of catch up learning."

Rachel was caught off guard by that one. Instinctively, she looked to Kevin.

"They're right, Rachel." Kevin said simply.

Rachel deflated a bit. "Well… As much as I'd like to charge towards the future; I've got three people at this table who have a harder time with a woman scientist than the End Times." All of them smiled a bit at that. "What gets to me is this: What basic fact of the universe do I take as gospel, which is actually totally wrong?" Despite herself, Rachel chuckled. "Starting over with a clean slate may not be a bad idea; since we know we're going forward." She tried not to look directly at Kevin when she said it. "So, where do we start?"