The Tomorrow People are the creation of Roger Price, the great and powerful, and the property of Thames Television (and maybe Pearson Television?). No copyright infringement, on the characters, or the situations and dialogue lifted from "A Man For Emily" is intended.
On the other hand, James and Juliana, as well as the rest of the stuff not directly lifted from the episode, are my creation. Please do not post this story to any other list or any web page other than the Tomorrow People Creative List Archive without my express permission.
This story is purely for entertainment purposes and was concieved last spring during finals and packing and having just rotted my brain on three papers at once....
Anyway, thanks go to Shaun Hately and Maria Sloughter for reading this in its earliest draft form even though I forgot to spell check, and encouraging me to actually finish the darn thing. Especialy to Shaun, as I might not have even had a complete 2nd draft to send to Maria otherwise.
Thanks also go out to Shaun (again:), as well as Michelle Mason, for the beta reads and in jokes. And to Wendy Kelley for the tapes. Finally to Jason Moss and Ben Patterson, neither of whom will probably ever see this, but their critiques did get me through an otherwise horrid creative writing class, so they deserve some acknowledgment.
Also thanks to everyone who's commented on my stories: it's good to know that there are at least three of you reading them. Also, thanks for pointing out where I'm messing up, I won't make those mistakes again (all new mistakes, sure, but not those;).
As always, feedback is appreciated, espeically as finals are coming up.
I'll try to post weekly, but I'm traveling next Wensday and will be still out of town the following week, so parts 2 and 3 may be a day or two late.
Enough babble, on with the story.
Part 1
"Hello, hello," Chris said as he walked into the lab.
"Hello, Chris. We haven't seen you in awhile, how's it going?" John frowned. Chris had been so busy taking classes at business school that they hadn't seen him since he'd helped John clear up the whole Colonel Masters mess.
"Oh, fine, fine. I just got a couple tickets to the theater school's production of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ to try to impress one of my classmates. She ditched me at the last minute for an athlete," Chris sighed. "Anyway, I had no real interest in a night of thee's and thou's on my own, so I was wondering if you or Liz wanted the tickets."
"Are you sure, Chris?" Elizabeth asked from the jaunting pad where she had just arrived. "That's one of Shakespeare's best plays. It's very different than reading them for an English class." She was hoping the younger of the Harding brothers would expand his horizons a bit, so he wouldn't get sucked into the trouble that Ginge had finally succumbed to.
"Go, have a good time," Chris insisted, "I'm really not that keen on it anyway. You could always foist them on Stephen and Tyso if you feel like introducing young people to Shakespeare."
"As you would say, 'not blooming likely'," Elizabeth laughed. "They've been permitted to go camping all on their lonesome, and they wouldn't interrupt it for the Kulthan themselves returning to take over the world again, yet alone a simple play by Shakespeare."
"It's only in Mulberry Wood, about an hour out of town," John reassured Chris when the other's face grew concerned. "It's not like it's Peeri, or somewhere. Nice quiet little town; I'd rather like to get a cottage there when I settle down, start a family."
Chris laughed. "You, a wife and kids? That'll be the day!"
John balled up a piece of paper and threw it at Chris.
* * *
"I really wish that we'd managed to talk Chris into coming to see this," Liz sighed as they stood in line waiting to get in.
"You can't expect Chris to completely change, Elizabeth. He's actually trying to better himself and plan for the future; that's better than we ever convinced Ginge to do."
"It's probably what happened to Ginge that got Chris into school in the first place. And I'd really hate to see that happen to Chris," Elizabeth replied.
John handed the usher their tickets, and the young man led them to their seats.
John sighed, shaking his head. "You can't save the whole world, Elizabeth. You'd do yourself a world of good if you'd stop trying so hard."
"Sounds just like you," a lady sitting next to them elbowed a young man on her other side.
"Thanks Juliana, tell the whole world, why don't you?"
Juliana tossed back her red hair and laughed, her hazel eyes sparkling like crystals. "What, you can't stand a couple of strangers knowing that you can't stand to see anyone hurt and can't leave well enough alone when your help's not wanted?"
'Pretty and a sense of humor!' John was beginning to find Juliana rather... attractive.
"So is your friend the same way?" she asked, leaning in as if she were saying something much more private than a shared ribbing session.
'And she's *talking* to me! I can't believe it.... Don't just sit there thinking, you idiot, say *something*.'
"Oh, that sounds like Liz all right," John laughed. "I have to keep her out of trouble sometimes, but after all, what are *friends* for?"
[Be a little subtle, why don't you, John?]
[This is hard enough without your criticism, Liz.]
"Oh, and I suppose you're one of those types who tends to dominate a relationship? Always wanting to be on top and that sort of thing?"
Something in that statement caused John's cheeks to grow hot. Somehow, he didn't let it get to him. "Maybe, maybe not."
[John, you're flirting!]
[Oh, good, for a moment there I thought I was muddling it.]
* * *
"Ulch, how can you eat them like that?" Tyso's face scrunched up as he watched Stephen blow out a burning marshmallow, and then eat it, charred crust and all.
"I'm hungry," Stephen replied, his voice garbled by the sticky confection.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." It was clear that Tyso was trying to imitate John-- and doing quite a good job of it.
[John, you're flirting!]
The stray telepathic thought caused the two boys to exchange glances. Usually, as a courtesy, the Tomorrow People ignored such oversights. However, Stephen had a bad feeling about this.
[Liz, are you all right?]
[Fine, Stephen, John's just making a spectacle of himself in public, that's all.]
[I am doing nothing of the sort!]
[Anyway, sorry about that, I was only trying to go three feet.] There was a hint of anger in Liz's thoughts as she broke the contact.
"D'you think he was flirting with Liz or someone else?" Tyso inquired.
"Probably someone else, but if it was Liz, and something comes of it, they'll tell us. Why? Are you worried?"
Tyso shrugged.
"Well, don't be, the worst that could happen is that they end up being a little kissy-faced around us."
Tyso tried to picture John exhibiting such behavior and failed miserably.
* * *
"...and we left the statue in the concert hall!" Juliana laughed heartily as the four sat talking over coffee after the show.
Elizabeth laughed as well. "You two certainly have had your share of exploits."
"I've never heard of anything like it!" John sat in amazement.
Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder if he was amazed by their practical jokes, or simply at Juliana. "That's because you never went to University."
"Then what do you do?" Juliana asked.
"I'm an inventor. I've invented a switch for a type of computer that will probably revolutionize information availability, and... well, a few other things that are, well, rather technical..."
Mercifully, James interrupted John before the Tomorrow Person had to find a way to circumnavigate talking about jaunting belts and AE suits. "So have you two known each other long?"
"Yes, well, no, not really," John laughed. "It seems like much longer, but it's really only been about a year."
"How on earth did you meet if you didn't study together?"
John's mind raced. That one was a little tricky. The truth was probably not to be divulged, even if it would be believed.
"Well, I was on teaching practice..." Liz began.
"And my little brother was in her class. We're quite close, and he talked about me so much that Elizabeth was thoroughly convinced he had an imaginary brother."
"Would you believe a fourteen year old boy who told you that his eighteen year old brother took him swimming after school most days?"
"You should have *seen* the look on her face when Stephen introduced us."
"It was a very *mind opening* experience," Liz added.
[Must you make horrid puns like that?]
[Sorry, I couldn't help it.]
Elizabeth yawned sleepily. "I think I'd better call it a night."
"I've got an early marketing meeting tomorrow," John added. "I'll take you home."
"I could walk you..." James offered.
"Thanks, but I live halfway across town, and someone should walk Juliana back, as John's going in the opposite direction anyway."
John glared at Elizabeth but didn't say anything on the subject, merely suggested that, "We should do this again sometime."
"Sure," Juliana scribbled a phone number on a napkin. "Call me."
"You may as well call me at her room," James grinned at Elizabeth. "I'm bad at remembering to call and I'm always around Juliana's place more than my own."
[You've fixed me up with a womanizer, I hope you're pleased with yourself,] Liz teased.
It was all John could do to keep from rolling his eyes as he took the napkin from Juliana. "Thanks. See you soon." * * *
A week later, the four were set to take in a film. Liz had practically insisted on a double date when she talked to James-- seemingly more to humor John than for her own reasons. Not that John really blamed her, James had been a little... much, but Liz could've at least been on time.
[Come on, Elizabeth, we don't want to be late,] John 'pathed nervously.
[Keep your pants on, John, I'm not quite ready yet,] Liz snapped on a little bit too broad of a telepathic band.
* * *
[Keep your pants on, John, I'm not quite ready yet,] Liz's "voice" floated across Stephen and Tyso's shakes at the chippy.
Stephen and Tyso exchanged glances.
"Think it's worth 'pathing back?" Tyso whispered.
[John?] Stephen responded with action rather than words.
[What, Stephen?] John replied, irritably. 'We're going to be late!'
[What on Earth are you and Elizabeth up to?]
[Nothing that concerns you,] was the clipped reply.
Stephen and Tyso stirred their drinks, fretting. While John and Elizabeth were entitled to privacy, it seemed rather insulting that they wouldn't even tell the younger Tomorrow People that they were seeing each other.
"They might tell us tomorrow," Tyso said quietly.
Part 2
Elizabeth jaunted into the alley where John had been waiting for ten minutes. They were meeting Juliana and James at the theater because Elizabeth was uncomfortable with James knowing the location of her flat.
"Has Stephen been acting strangely around you, Elizabeth?"
"No, John, why?"
"He doesn't usually ask about our plans when he and Tyso are off doing... whatever the heck it is they do. Yet tonight, Stephen telepathed to me and asked. He seemed rather upset, as well, but I was so impatient with you... well, I'm starting to feel a bit rotten because I snapped at him."
"Maybe you should check up on him."
[Stephen, is everything all right?]
[What? Fine, just fine. Why?]
[Are you sure? Look I was sort of distracted earlier, are you sure everything's OK?]
[Is there something that you want to tell me?]
[Well, if you're going to be cryptic, I guess you don't really want my help if you are in trouble,] John was exasperated.
* * *
Stephen and Tyso walked down to the disco a few blocks down from the chippy, mulling over why John had suddenly 'pathed back, and why he didn't mention anything about what might have been going on.
"It might be nothing," Stephen tried to be positive.
"I doubt it."
"Hey, watch it!" Stephen's voice cracked.
A small boy, 11, maybe 12, had been literally thrown against him.
The boy batted a lock of brownish black hair out of his eyes. "Sorry, that idiot just threw me out."
"Aren't you a little young to be in?" Tyso laughed.
"Well, yeah, but I was tryin' to get him to let me band play here. I'm gonna play the drums here someday."
"Sure, kid," Stephen laughed as he and Tyso pushed past the small boy.
"Come on, Mike," a young man wearing a military uniform called to the boy.
Mike left Stephen and Tyso and approached the man.
The soldier looked at the boy's face, and ascertained what the club owner's answer had been. "There's plenty of time, li'l bro, plenty of time."
"I want you to see me play before you leave for the army," Mike replied.
"I'll see you play someday, bro."
Across the street, Stephen watched from the line to get into the disco.
"Why are you staring at him, Stephen?"
"Didn't you notice the look in his eyes, Tyso? He might be one of us someday."
"Well, that's one more of us for John and Liz to worry about."
"I wouldn't go that far."
Tyso shot his eyebrows up at his elder friend.
"At least not yet," Stephen qualified.
* * *
[You could at least *try* to get on with him,] John 'pathed when the four were walking out of the theater.
[The man's crude, John. Besides, it's not like we have to be along for you to date Juliana; that's what you want, isn't it?]
[You don't get out enough, Liz.]
[I think you have me confused with yourself, John. If nothing else, I could spend time with Stephen and Tyso; I don't get on their cases over every little thing.]
[Neither do I! Besides, Liz, you probably had much more fun tonight than if you'd gone with Stephen and Tyso to that loud disco and watched those idiots drooling over the opposite sex all night! You'd die from hyper-glycemia with all the sickeningly sweet lines Stephen is always talking about. I just don't see how you could possibly stand to be around such juvenile behavior.]
[You may have a point, but that's an awful thing to say, John. It's a good thing they didn't hear you.]
[I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but with you here, I feel I'm less likely to make an idiot of myself.]
[Oh, all right. I'll go to this party with you lot next weekend, but that's it.]
[Thank you, Elizabeth.]
* * *
Unfortunately, Liz was wrong, and Stephen and Tyso had accidentally picked up bits of their conversation.
The wrong bits.
[....I could spend time with Stephen and Tyso...]
[....Liz, you probably had much more fun tonight than if you'd gone with Stephen and Tyso to that loud disco and watched those idiots drooling over the opposite sex all night!]
Stephen and Tyso simultaneously touched their chins.
[You'd die from hyper-glycemia with all the sickeningly sweet lines Stephen is always talking about. I just don't see how you can possibly stand to be around such juvenile behavior.]
[You may have a point....]
The band, which by no means contained a 12 year-old drummer, started a slow, depressing ballad. It seemed appropriate.
"Let's get out of here," Stephen practically whispered. "I feel sick."
They got up, left the disco, and walked to a back alley.
"Where to, Stephen?"
"How about my place? I don't think I could stomach the lab right now."
"TIM might be able to..."
"I don't want to talk about it, all right!" Stephen snapped.
The two jaunted a little ways from Stephen's house and walked in the front door; Stephen's parents liked to know about his comings and goings, even if they didn't know where he was off to.
"Hello, Stephen, Tyso," Stephen's dad called from the upstairs study.
"Hi," they chorused miserably as they went by, going straight to Stephen's room and closing the door behind them.
Mr. Jameson stood, left the study, and knocked on Stephen's door.
"Come in."
"Is everything all right, boys?"
"We're fine, Dad, really."
"Did something happen? Are Elizabeth and John all right?"
"Um, they're fine," Tyso replied, hoping he sounded like he meant it.
"Whatever you say, boys." Mr. Jameson sighed and closed the door.
"He didn't believe me, did he?"
"I don't think so."
"What do you think he'll do?"
"He'll keep calling 'round 'til he gets a-hold of John or Elizabeth."
"Great. What are we going to do, Stephen?"
"I don't know."
"Have they ever acted this way before?"
"No, not at all. If I'd heard it from a tape recorder rather than telepathically, I'd have been convinced that it was a fake; I mean, John can be a tease sometimes but..." Stephen paused a moment, searching for words, "...it's usually crystal clear he's joking because his thoughts don't match the words. This time they did-- and Liz didn't even stick up for us."
"And saying we drool over girls!"
"Implying it, really," Stephen corrected. "Still, just because he's such a loner doesn't mean we have to be."
"I think 'es dating Liz."
Stephen sighed miserably.
"You have a crush on her, don't you?" Tyso teased.
Stephen held up a hand with his thumb and index finger a couple of centimeters apart. "She'd never go for me, though I'm way too young for her."
"You jealous?"
"I wouldn't mind so much if I didn't know they were tearing us down behind our backs-- not to mention if they'd just *tell* us about it. You know I asked John casually what he was doing tonight and he evaded the question. Not just after what we overheard in the chippy, earlier this afternoon."
Tyso suddenly had an awful thought. "Stephen, you don't think he'd send us into danger unnecessarily? You know, try and get us bumped off by someone else."
"I doubt he could, even if he wanted to."
Tyso looked at him, fear in his eyes. "Not even subconsciously?"
"No. At least, I don't think so. Probably not.... Well, maybe, but I doubt it."
Part 3
They mulled through the problem over and over-- not sure whether or not they needed to worry, and unsure how, or even if they should confront John and Elizabeth with what they had heard. Protocol said to ignore it, but this was nearly impossible to ignore.
After a couple of hours of this, they were ready to give up.
"Milkshakes?" Stephen suggested.
"Sure. But isn't the chippy closed?"
"We'll just have to go to the lab; we've got to face TIM sometime."
Tyso nodded. "What do we do if Liz and John are there?"
"Play it by ear. Try and pick up on the general mood."
The two placed their hands on their belts and jaunted.
* * *
"'ello, TIM," Tyso vainly attempted to sound enthusiastic.
"Hi, TIM," Stephen added.
"Stephen, Tyso. What brings you to the lab at this hour?"
Why was it that TIM always seemed to get the most parental at the most inconvenient times?
"We just thought we'd pop in for a milkshake," Tyso replied. "Unless there's some reason that we shouldn't. Could I have chocolate please, TIM?"
"I'd like chocolate mint, please."
The drinks appeared.
"What's bothering you two? I seriously doubt you would come in only for drinks at this time of night."
"Nothing," the boys chorused.
"The last time you had a chocolate mint milkshake, Stephen, was shortly after Carol and Kenny left Earth. You only seem to drink them when you're upset."
"I'm fine, TIM, really," Stephen replied.
"You do not seem fine. You both seem to be projecting an air of... fret and worry."
"Oh, we just got embarrassed by a couple of girls down at the disco," Tyso started.
"Yeah," Stephen picked up on it. "All we did was ask them to dance and they poured their milkshakes over our heads! It was really embarrassing."
"I see," TIM wasn't really convinced, but decided that if the boys were going to go as far as to lie to him, it was probably best to leave things alone, at least until John and Elizabeth were able to deal with it.
"How long did you have to put up with John all by yourself before Elizabeth broke out?" Tyso hoped the change of subject would throw TIM off the scent.
"A month or so."
"Must've been awful."
"It wasn't so bad-- other than when he kept jaunting off to some hot spot of the universe while I was stuck in Old Tripe 'n' Ale's art class in school. It was actually harder right after Liz broke out."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Well, I'd been her pupil for awhile, but I'd been a Tomorrow Person longer than she had, so suddenly I was the teacher and she was the student in some ways. Once she got the hang of things, we settled into the way things are now-- well, except I was the bottom of the pecking order," Stephen grinned.
"But seriously, it's been much more fun since you've broken out because I finally have someone around my own age to hang around with."
"Thanks."
There was a long pause.
"Stephen, did John really go jaunting off to all the tropical hot spots of the galaxy?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Some people do have jam on it, as you would say," Tyso almost grinned, in spite of his foul mood.
"And so he did, all too frequently for my liking," John said from the jaunting pad.
Liz stood next to him.
The comforting flavor of Stephen's milkshake had suddenly turned to mud. He checked his watch. "Oh, comet tails, look at the time. I'd better be getting home before I get grounded again." He rose and headed for the jaunting pad.
Tyso followed suit. "Me mum'll 'ave fits."
"Thanks for the drinks, TIM," the boys chorused, and jaunted.
John and Elizabeth exchanged puzzled glances.
"What on Earth was all that about, TIM?"
"I am not sure, John. Something is clearly bothering them, but when I confronted them about it, they were so afraid to tell me that..." TIM trailed off, unsure if he should continue.
"Go on, TIM," Elizabeth said, concern in her eyes.
"They lied to me. They told me that they'd had two girls pour milkshakes over their heads at the disco, but they were both wearing the same clothing that they had on earlier today, and it was perfectly clean."
John frowned. "What on Earth has gotten into those two?"
Elizabeth lifted Stephen's milkshake in confusion and sniffed it. "Since when did Stephen drink chocolate mint milkshakes?"
"What?" John grabbed the glass from her hands and sniffed. "This is a bad sign. He only drinks these when he's upset."
* * *
The next morning Stephen was just finishing his breakfast when he heard, [Stephen, Tyso, come to the lab at once.]
"Mum, I've got to go, there's an emergency on."
Mrs. Jameson frowned. "All right, Stephen, but be careful."
He kissed her on the cheek. "I will."
* * *
Stephen and Tyso jaunted into the lab.
"What's going on?" Stephen took a seat on the edge of the raised platform surrounding the tables.
Tyso sat down at a table.
John pointed at the viewscreen.
Stephen looked at the ship on the screen and took a wild guess. "Maybe it's the Kulthan and they've come back for their supper."
"They'd get indigetion if you were on the menu," John teased.
"The spaceship entered our solar system an hour ago. Its cruising speed is faster than light, but it has stopped in Earth orbit 100,000 miles out."
"Well, where's it from, TIM?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm afraid that the vessel's information and registration on the Galactic Trig has no information on that particular type."
"In other words, you don't know, TIM," Stephen was in a contrary mood.
Elizabeth gave him a light thwack on the arm.
"Yes, but the Federation can hardly be expected to have information on every spaceship in the galaxy. Those species that need to use spaceships don't belong to the Federation in any case."
"Well, do you know what it wants?"
"No, Tyso," TIM replied gently.
"Do you think it's going to take over the world or what?" Tyso asked John.
The question was partly a plea for reassurance-- Tyso had never encountered anything like this before-- and partly a test. If John cracked a joke, or made light of Tyso's concern, then it would confirm his hypothesis that John was becoming more callous towards them. If not, well, it was probably safe to trust him, at least for the duration of the mission.
John passed with flying colors.
"Well, we have no way of knowing," John replied gently, "but until we find out otherwise, we can assume its intentions are peaceful." John patted Tyso on the arm reassuringly.
"Well they can hardly be expected to follow rules they don't know about, can they?" TIM reasoned.
"What if one of us went up to take a closer look?" Liz asked.
"That would be in order according to the Galactic Code."
"Can I go? Please can I go?" Tyso begged. He was dying to get into space; sans spaceship. They'd brought an AE suit for him back from the Peeri mission, and he was dying to try it out.
"Next time, Tyso. I think John and I had better take a look first."
John and Elizabeth headed upstairs to change into their AE suits.
Tyso hauled Stephen into the dark room where they could talk in private.
"Well, what do you think?" Tyso inquired.
"We don't need to worry about being sent into unnecessary danger for awhile. I'm almost ready to believe it was all a dream."
"Our guilty consciences for staring at those girls, maybe?" Tyso joked.
"A little too frightening-- I mean a conscience that sounds like John!"
Tyso laughed. Then sobered, "It wouldn't explain their odd behavior, though, would it?"
"Maybe they just don't like putting up with us all the time. Or maybe they're just plain stressed. I don't know: we'll have to wait and see."
"Maybe they're just dating, and want to keep it a secret."
* * *
John and Liz talked over the barrier in the AE suit room.
"Do you think it's working?" Liz worried.
"They're more relaxed than when they first showed up, at least. Do you think we'll get what's wrong out of them?"
"Maybe they'll tell us when this mess is sorted out. I wonder if we should have let Tyso come."
"No, Liz, they're too distracted for much. I don't think it would've been safe."
"Well whatever you do, don't go off on them, that's the worst thing you could do right now."
"I won't!" John was defensive. "If I was going to do that sort of thing, I never would've let Stephen speak to TIM that way!"
"Are you implying I did?"
"No, Elizabeth, only that he'd have heard about it under... more ideal circumstances."
Part 4
"What do you think we should do?" Tyso scuffed his shoes on the floor.
"Try and make ourselves useful, I guess, and stay out of trouble. Maybe the responsibility's just getting to them."
"Yeah, I bet that's it. Think they're still mad at us about the mud and Timus?"
"Maybe. Let's just watch it, OK? It'll be fine as long as we don't panic or mess up for awhile."
Tyso nodded. "Look, d'you..."
Stephen interrupted him, "All personal feelings aside, Tyso, all four of us are still Tomorrow People, and right now, the Tomorrow People have a job to do. Just try to act natural."
Tyso nodded, but he was still frightened. And when Liz disappeared while she and John were checking out the alien spaceship, his fears grew stronger. He and Stephen were close to accusing John of ditching her when he came back, but she telepathed that she was fine at just the right moment. Tyso wanted to join Liz up there, so he could do *something*; make himself useful, but Liz wouldn't allow it.
Then they had to try and find the spaceman, Elmer, who was down on Earth. Unfortunately, TIM did most of the looking, leaving the three young men to sit and wait.
[Have you found Elmer yet?]
[No, Liz, we haven't even started looking. TIM still hasn't found out where he is yet,] John replied.
[I wish you'd hurry. They've gotten their ideas of what the Earth is like by watching old cowboy movies on television.]
[You're having me on!]
Coupled with Liz's revelation, John's surprise set Tyso laughing.
"No, I'm not. And Elmer's dressed like a cowboy with a *loaded pistol*."
"Oh, boy." John was not thrilled.
"TIM, have you any idea where he might be?"
"I can answer that now, John, I have just intercepted a police radio call, Elmer has shot a grocer."
"Can you jaunt Stephen there, TIM?"
"Yes."
"Stephen, go make sure everyone's OK- and take a stun gun. Tyso and I will stay here and help TIM calculate Elmer's next move."
Tyso wasn't very thrilled with staying in the lab alone with John-- well, almost, TIM was still there, but he didn't really have much of a choice in the matter.
* * *
It was hopeless, they had to contact Liz. She seemed to have picked up a slight American west accent-- one that John echoed. Tyso wondered if the two were more finely tuned to each other telepathically than they were to the others or if John was trying to be cute.
When Stephen got back, the three took a miserable lunch of hamburgers-- standing up. Elmer surfaced again, this time at a Teddington Pub, forcing John and Tyso to abandon their burgers (and Stephen to quickly scarf all three). Unfortunately, they couldn't matter transport Elmer, so they couldn't get him away from the pub. He ended up in police custody.
Elmer's companions, his mother and his sister, Emily, didn't take the news very well. They threatened the Earth, and must've made Elizabeth rather frightened, as was clear when she telepathed to them.
[John!]
Stephen and Tyso exchanged glances. Could that mean what they thought it did?
There was no time for worrying about it then, they had to get Elmer out of jail. Two car chases, and some acting that Stephen described as "brilliant" on Elizabeth's part, and they managed to get Elmer to the doozslum pin (his matter transporter unit). Unfortunately, Stephen stepped on it and ended up in the spaceship, jaunting back in front of a line of police cars. Elmer got back to the ship safely, allowing Stephen and Liz to go back to the lab. John wanted someone to check on Elmer, just to be sure he was safe.
"Well, count me out, I've had all I can of the Momma and Emily," Liz replied, and walked away.
"That goes for me too!" Stephen exclaimed. "She'll probably start kicking me again, and boy can she kick!" Stephen joined Liz on the other side of the room.
"Tyso," John tried, reaching.
"Hey, Stephen!" Tyso took off after his friend, assuming that if Stephen felt it was safe to duck that duty, he could as well (after all, Liz had). Besides, he got the impression from Liz and Stephen that the Momma and Emily were bad news, and he didn't trust John's judgment in the matter. Not at all!
* * *
It was just as well. John came back raving mad.
"They would've ate me alive! That Emily wanted me to be her man-boy."
"Oh?" Liz said.
"Husband, I suppose she means," John muttered.
"Well, it's time you settled down, John," Stephen tried to fathom why John was so upset, leaning in close, his chin nearly on John's shoulder.
"Not with those two!"
Stephen's suspicions were confirmed. The telepathic thoughts he subconsciously gave off (they all did it when experiencing strong emotions) made it clear that John had someone else in mind.
John continued, "They expect you to wait on them hand and foot!"
"That sounds a bit like here, only the other way 'round," Elizabeth teased, leaning in closer.
Stephen wondered just what she and John weren't telling him. Still he was trying to act like everything was normal, so he had to say, "Here we go, women's lib again," because he knew that Liz would be surprised, not to mention possibly worried, if he didn't.
John pulled them apart physically (mostly because he was stuck in the middle). "All right, you two. What puzzles me is how they came to be on that ship in the first place."
No one could come up with an answer. They all relaxed for a bit.
"Let's let them calm down before we start in on what's bothering them," John whispered to Liz.
Stephen caught them from across the room, and looked at them strangely. John smiled. If it was an attempt to reassure Stephen (as it probably was), then it failed miserably. He was sure John was talking about him. It was a bad sign. Part 5
Stephen asked TIM for a snack, and had just started munching when....
"I'm afraid that I have just taken a call on your secret telephone number, from no less a person than the Prime Minster himself."
"Really, TIM, what does he want us to do for him?" John inquired, puzzled.
"It is more in the nature of what he doesn't want you to do. He said he doesn't want any more hijinx like today's. It seems that the policemen reported seeing Stephen appear in front of their cars. He realized you lot were behind it. He's managed to pull strings and prevent a full-scale police investigation that would have led right to you. He wants to know, quote, What the blazes do you think you're playing at?"
As TIM spoke, Stephen sank lower and lower into his chair, a knot forming in his stomach; this was just what he didn't want. The other TP's moved in closer, glaring. Stephen could sense John and Liz's fury at his carelessness, and, more poignent, Tyso's fear that Stephen's actions would incur John and Elizabeth's wrath on not only Stephen, but himself as well. The knot in Stephen's stomach grew tighter; he'd let them all down. And himself. He had to find a release.
"Did you tell him 'cowboys and Indians', TIM?"
John cracked a brief smile.
"I did not. He was in no mood for joking. I told him, on behalf of The Tomorrow People, that nothing like it would ever happen again."
"It won't," Stephen said, looking John square in the eye.
John and Liz moved off, projecting haughty satisfaction and sat down at a table.
"Do you think it was enough?" John whispered.
"They're so skittish right now that a dirty look was plenty. Look at Tyso; and he wasn't even the one in trouble!"
Tyso had lingered by Stephen's side a moment, his eyes filled with terror.
"It'll be all right," Stephen mouthed.
Tyso shook his head.
Stephen glanced at John and Liz. John just gave him a disapproving look.
"Go easy," Liz whispered.
"Best to make sure it's driven home."
Tyso glanced at Stephen. The older boy frowned. It became clear to Tyso that Stephen didn't like all the whispering either. Still, this time, it *was* Stephen's fault.
Tyso walked away from Stephen and curled up in a corner to mope.
"Poor Tyso, you'd think we had shouted at him," Liz whispered.
"You're right," John whispered back.
"You can join us, you know, Tyso," John said gently. Almost as if he were stating that the sky were blue or TIM was above them.
Tyso got up and joined John and Liz at the table.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked softly.
Tyso shook his head.
"We're here if you need us," John tried.
Tyso looked from one to the other, then to Stephen, who was now roaming about the lab. He had no idea what to make of that.
John and Elizabeth started emanating frustration. Tyso's stomach twitched. The window of opportunity, if it had been there, was now gone.
"You're not going to believe this, but I have just picked up another police radio message," TIM exclaimed.
Everyone turned to face a grinning Stephen.
"Ste-phen," John scolded lightly.
Stephen's face fell, his voice cracking, "It's not my fault!"
Elmer was arrested again for holding up the same pub. John didn't want to interfere again, but the Momma threatened to destroy the world if they didn't.
John was livid and gesturing wildly. Tyso, the knot still in his stomach, started mimicking his actions.
"She can threaten us all she wants," John fumed. "This isn't our problem. I've had it with the Momma up to here!" John held a hand to his forehead. So did Tyso, but his gesture was more of a salute.
John turned and walked off towards the jaunting pad. Stephen allowed himself an amused smile.
TIM spoke, "You know as well as I do, John, that the Galactic Federation would take months to decide what to do, and then weeks more to take any action. I think the Momma has in mind something more immediate."
John looked defeated. "OK, so what do you suggest?"
"Something," Elizabeth replied.
"Oh, brilliant suggestion that," Stephen teased.
"It just goes agai-" John turned towards Tyso, but Tyso leaped to John's other side. "Goes against the..." John's words were slowed as the turn and jump process was repeated, "grain to have to rescue him again."
'What is upsetting Tyso so much? He's clearly doing it to gain some sense of power over me.'
"I would also advise that it goes against the categorical promise that I made to the Prime Minister," TIM reminded. "He was pretty upset last time. If you go through the same hijinx all over again, he will be deeply offended."
"If we rescue Elmer this time, how many more times are we going to have to do it?"
"But John, they're dangerous idiots," Liz pointed out. "I don't see how we can afford to take the risk of not returning Elmer to them again and again *and* again."
"OK," John put his hands in his pockets and leaned to his right- so did Tyso. "Since the Prime Minister seems to have got involved, I'll go see him, see what he can do."
John turned and discovered Tyso in the same position he had just left. 'If I chew him out for this, it'll just frighten him more. If I let it slide, maybe Liz and I will be able to get him to talk to us when it's all over.'
John glanced at Stephen, then headed upstairs to change out of his cowboy outfit.
They had a rough time of it-- Elmer forced John to go to the ship in his place. When John didn't come back, the three remaining TP's went to the field where Elmer had left the doozslum pin, and discovered Elmer there instead of John. Since they weren't quiet sure how best to help John, they decided to find out as much about what was going on as possible, and brought Elmer back to the lab.
"Elmer, I'm going to ask you questions, and you're going to answer them, understand?"
"Yes, ma'am, Elizabeth, lady."
"Yes, well I think, in view of the facts..."
"Shut up, Stephen and fetch us some food!" Elizabeth snapped.
Stephen was worried. Were he and Tyso now slaves as well as drooling children?
"Has this women being boss business gone to your head or something?"
[In Elmer's world women are the bosses, so let's keep it that way.]
[OK, just so long as it's only to fool Elmer.] Stephen did *not* want to end up John and Elizabeth's slave-- "man-boy"-- or whatever.
"Now Elme..." Elizabeth began again, but Elmer wasn't in his chair.
Tyso pointed at him.
"Elmer, why aren't you in the spaceship with the Momma and Emily?"
"Well, the Momma said I had to stay behind seeing as how there weren't room for me no more. But I didn't mind. I like this planet," Elmer advanced on Elizabeth. She backed away. "Can I be your man-boy Miss Elizabeth?"
"We'll have to see about that," Liz was uncomfortable.
Stephen wondered if Liz was so distressed because Elmer was being pushy or if it was because she was wondering what John might think.
"Well, Emily's got herself a man-boy!"
"Emily? A man-boy? And that's John?" Elizabeth's tone was more amused than jealous.
'Well, if they *are* dating, she certainly trusts him,' Stephen thought.
"Yes'm. And I was sent to fetch John-boy to be A Man for Emily."
'Good, maybe he'll have to stay there,' Stephen thought, regretting it almost immediately.
He doubted John had any doubts when he and Liz went to rescue him from the giant woman who put him in an Alice in Wonderland dress, even if he had gotten into that scrape by not listening to John in the first place.
"But now, Elmer, you want to be Elizabeth's man-boy?"
"Yes ma'am, Elizabeth lady. And you won't fit me with no tickling boots, will you?"
"No, but you must answer all my questions honestly."
"Oh, I will, ma'am Elizabeth lady." Elmer pushed Tyso out of the way and pulled out a chair for Elizabeth. "Elmer will."
"Good. We'll start with where do you come from?"
It took forever for them to get Elmer to tell them that he'd always lived his life on the ship-- he was terrified of being tickled. The most astonishing revelation, however, was when they found out what happened to Elmer's father.
"Well, after he helped make Emily and me, the Momma et him."
"Et him?" Liz, Stephen and Tyso echoed in shock.
"You don't eat your man-boys?"
Stephen flinched. And for awhile there, he'd been wishing John would have to stay with those awful women!
Part 6
John had an interesting time of it, but he managed to discover that Elmer and his family were actually being held prisoner by the ship. He managed to end all that, but it meant that Elmer, the Momma, and Emily would have to live on Earth.
John managed to convince Stephen and Tyso to serve as waiters for the welcome dinner that they had for the Earth's three newest residents, but it required Liz volunteering as well; the two boys were not about to participate in something that implied they weren't equal to the other two.
The Tomorrow People's next task was to find the new arrivals jobs. The Momma and Emily were easy, and able to start right away. Elmer took a little more work, but was soon gainfully employed as a traffic warden, set to start at the beginning of the next week.
It was Saturday evening, and Stephen, out for a stroll, found himself automatically passing by Elizabeth's flat. She was wearing a dress that was of a slightly... different... cut than Stephen was accustomed to seeing her in.
"Hello, Liz. Where are you off to looking drop-dead gorgeous like that?"
Liz blushed. "Thanks."
"You going on a big date or something?" Stephen asked when she didn't respond to his first question.
"Just out, Stephen," Elizabeth replied mysteriously, then walked off.
* * *
Tyso was at the lab, doing some last minute homework before he met Stephen for dinner and general goofing off later. John walked from upstairs wearing black slacks and a blazer.
Tyso gave a low whistle, "You look really sharp, John, where are you headed?"
"Out," John replied, and jaunted.
Tyso sighed and returned to his math, shaking his head.
"Do not take it personally, Tyso, John is entitled to some privacy."
'Yeah, but to what end?'
* * *
Stephen and Tyso brooded over dinner at the chip shop. The combination of their respective experiences put them in a foul mood. They chose to go see "Eskimo Nell" with the hopes that the comedic film would raise their spirits.
Meanwhile, John and Liz had a pleasant dinner with Juliana and James (who had rather endeared himself to Elizabeth by behaving like a perfect gentleman for a change). They then went to a party at their college -- which shortly disintegrated into a bitter fest -- complete with athletes chugging beer for sport and the women cheering them on. When James had started on his fourth pint, Liz decided that she'd had enough.
"I'm leaving," she told James in a huff.
Elizabeth joined John. "I'm getting out of here, care to join me?"
John was not particularly enjoying watching Juliana watching overly-muscled athletes. "All right, Elizabeth, just give me a moment."
John tapped Juliana on the shoulder. "Are you ready to leave, perchance?"
"Well, no, not really, but feel free to leave if you like," Juliana replied. 'Guess James was right, they are a couple of pricks.'
"You sure you're all right?" John was reluctant to leave her alone at such a place, but he didn't *really* want to *stay* either.
"Fine. I go to these things all the time. Go on, if you like."
"Bye."
* * *
John and Elizabeth returned to the lab to find Tyso and Stephen playing cards over milk shakes.
Stephen glanced at his watch, "Whoa, look at the time."
Tyso checked his, "I'd best be gettin' home."
The two boys grabbed the cards and ran to the jaunting pad.
"Hold on you two, what's..."
The two boys jaunted away.
"... wrong?" John collapsed into a chair at the table. "Why are they suddenly so afraid of us? I know we agreed to back off, but this is getting ridiculous."
Elizabeth sat opposite of him. "I agree. I wish I could figure out what's wrong; when they do speak to us, they're always so... prying. Almost like they're looking for us to tell them something."
"Tell me about it, I've resorted to crypticness. Sometimes I feel like I'm fourteen again and trying not to tell my folks I'm jaunting out to wherever. I'm almost tempted to tell them what happened, but I don't think the grief factor's worth it."
"They won't tease you."
"After the ribbings I've given them? Of course they will."
"Maybe you shouldn't dish it if you can't take it."
John gave Liz an annoyed grimace. "Have they said anything to you at all, TIM?"
"Nothing, John. All I can tell you is that Tyso seemed rather insulted when you refused to tell him where you were going, and that Stephen asked for another chocolate mint milkshake today."
John frowned. "I'm not so sure this can be put down to teenage angst anymore."
"You know, John, it's possible that it was just that and we've gone and made it worse by constantly pushing them not to keep this secret while refusing to tell ours. Maybe we should ease up for awhile, see what happens."
"All right, Elizabeth, but if it escalates anymore, we sit them down in the lab and don't let them leave until it's worked out."
"Agreed."
* * *
The next day, the four Tomorrow People attended a flat- warming party for the alien immigrants. Elizabeth had been dreading it, with good reason.
"Elizabeth, lady, ma'am," Elmer began just before the TP's were about to make their good-byes, "won't you please let me be your man-boy?"
He kept moving closer to her, with Liz constantly backing away.
"Elmer, I can't," Elizabeth tried.
"Why not? I have a job now and..."
"I've promised someone else."
"He can't be as good to you as Elmer will be."
John decided to put a stop to this nonsense, and put an arm round Elizabeth's shoulders, kissing her gently on the cheek. "She's promised *me*, and if you don't back off, I will make your life *very* unpleasant."
Stephen's heart sank. 'In all this time, why couldn't they tell me.'
"They could've at least told us," Tyso whispered in Stephen's ear.
"*Tell* me about it," Stephen replied in the same manner.
"Now, if you'll excuse us," John shuttled the other TP's out the door.
"Gotta go," Stephen and Tyso started to bolt away.
"Where do you think you're going?" John snapped, grabbing the younger boys each by an arm.
"What do you care?" Stephen snapped in return, jerking away. "What do either of you care? Push off!"
Tyso jerked away as well.
"We're your friends, Stephen," John replied gently.
"If you were our friends, you'd have told us you were engaged long before that.. that... idiot savant alien invader!" Tyso added, nearly screeching.
"You don't understand," John said, trying hard to keep his tone level, gentle, to try to calm them down so they'd listen. After all, he'd only been trying to keep Elmer away from Liz. Far, far away.
"Why? because we're a couple of babies who drool over pretty girls at discos?" Stephen snapped.
John and Elizabeth's mouths dropped open in shock, horror, and realization. Stephen and Tyso must have accidentally picked up on their conversation last week!
Stephen and Tyso took their silence for agreement and jaunted to the Boswell family caravan.
Part 7
"Too easy for TIM to track us here, let's take short hops to the underground, take a ride, then go for a stroll on the Thames," Stephen suggested. He didn't want to be around John or Elizabeth for awhile, if at all possible.
Tyso nodded in agreement.
They left their jaunting belts in the caravan and jaunted.
* * *
An hour later, they were at Cleopatra's Needle, staring out as the water of the Thames gushed at their feet. Neither had said a word since they'd left the caravan other than to pay for the underground ride. They were both lost in thought; their misery transcended verbal communication. They watched the swirls of the river, hearing its guzzling in the fading light.
"Should've brought bread," Stephen muttered.
"Huh?" Tyso was confused.
"Some cultures use bread on flowing water as a symbol for purging your troubles," Stephen replied.
"Oh."
They stared at the water. Tyso turned round and looked at the needle. "There's something... sinister about that thing, evil."
"Probably just got to do with the Kulthan-- for transmitting psi dampening energy maybe? No, couldn't be, it wasn't moved here until the industrial age," Stephen mused.
They stared up at the sacred obelisk of Queen Cleopatra, wondering.
* * *
John was pacing the lab. Elizabeth sat at one of the tables, her face in her hands, eyes watery.
"They're all right, Liz," John said, suddenly noticing her tears and placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Then why did only their jaunting belts come back?"
"They must've taken them off so we couldn't jaunt them in. Wherever they are, they're all right. Let's link, see if we can contact them again."
"All right," Elizabeth sniffled.
[Stephen, Tyso,] they called.
The two boys were still blocking, but suddenly, they got a flash of something.
"They're at..." TIM began.
"Cleopatra's needle," John finished. "Glad you could finally trace them, TIM, even if it was the same time we managed to."
John and Liz leapt to the jaunting pad.
"Jaunt Liz and I there, please, TIM."
"Might I advise that a highly emotional response might be counterproductive."
"I know better than to yell at them if that's what you mean, TIM. Jaunt us there please."
* * *
John and Elizabeth materialized behind one of the Sphinxes. The boys were facing the water again, and didn't notice.
Elizabeth ran down the steps and gathered them in her arms before they had a chance to notice her or even think about running away. "I'm sorry."
John was nearly on her heels. He put a hand on each of their shoulders. "I didn't mean it. Any of it. I'm sorry. Elizabeth and I aren't engaged; we're not even dating, I just said that to protect her from Elmer. If we were ever to start, it wouldn't be fair to you not to know; not when you have to take instructions from both of us, and because you are our *friends*. We may not always get along so well, because of the age difference, but you are our friends.
"As to all the sneaking around lately-- Elizabeth and I went to a production of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ a couple weeks back and met two university students-- James and Juliana. I rather took to Juliana, and we've been double dating-- me and Juliana, Elizabeth and James. I was, well, I don't have experience and..."
"He was afraid of making a fool of himself," Liz finished.
John's glare shot daggers at her. "...and when I said that horrid bit about juvenile behavior, I was trying to keep Liz from ditching us. I didn't really mean it, and I never meant to hurt you; I guess you missed Liz bawling me out over that remark, but she did. I...."
The contact allowed them to pick up the meaning of John's last remark, even if he couldn't finish it.
John drew them away from Liz, put an arm round each of their shoulders, and squeezed. "You are my friends and..." again, John had to allow telepathy to convey what words could not. "Let's go back to the lab, get some tea, and work out some new ground rules for stray private telepathy; clearly, the old ones aren't working."
Stephen and Tyso nodded, allowing their friends to draw them back to their home-from-home.
The End