Excerpt: Gray

The doctor looks at Irene. "We-ell...I was actually hoping you might...run some errands for us today." He looks her critically in the eye, because he can tell when she's upset. Irene is getting a little uncomfortable. After a pause, the doctor finally speaks. "Do you think you can handle that today, my dear?" Irene knows that by "running errands" he means running around in time, trying to fix the problem that just may befall them all. Irene looks back at him for a bit, thinking. "Uhm...yeah. Yeah, I think I can handle that." She looks down and adds in her head, "God, please help me do this." Dr.Perrona continues to look critically at her. "You know, Irene, if something is bothering you, you can certainly tell me." He waits, searching her face. Irene is fiddling with her lab coat. It's not bothering me that much, right? His voice becomes a little quieter. "You know it bothered me too, dear. It still bothers me. In a way, I think that's good. It wouldn't be right to become desensitized to that horrible time. But remember this, Irene." She looks up into his eyes and he can tell his thought is correct. Her fear and worry is written in her eyes. He continues, smiling gently at her.

"No matter what we may do, and no matter what anyone may do--whether we "fix" this thing or not--whether we live to see it happen, or live to see it defeated--everything, everything, Irene, is always in God's hands. It always has been and it always will be. No matter what happens on earth, and no matter what happens to us, God always has a plan--He always has the best plan--and His children will always find thier home in Heaven. If you don't remember anything else about this...this mission, if you will--if you forget all the research, or if all you can think about is the horror--remember that God is in control. Always remember that, my dear. And never, ever forget it." He looks seriously into Irene's eyes, and she realizes that he believes this sincerely with all his heart. She knows it, but she didn't realize that she hadn't quite believed it. Seeing the surety of truth in his eyes solidifys that belief for her. And she is comforted. Well. Now she knows she can face those "errands" today, and maybe even some "errands" to that future, too. She smiles up at the older man and he smiles reassuringly at her. "Now. Shall we show you where you might be headed today?" She gets up from her chair and nods in firm agreement. "Sounds good, doctor."

Walking over to the big book Dr.Perrona had open, Bjorn looks up from his computer research and smiles at Irene, just in a friendly way. He was sort of acting like he couldn't hear her conversation with the doctor about the fear of that future, but Irene knows that he did hear it, and that smile is just a sort of reminder that it's okay--and he isn't the kind of guy who's going to give her a hard time about something like that, anyway. Irene smiles back at him in a grateful way.