In Hot Water

Earlier that day

“Damn it focus Seth” a young man with tan skin, aqua blue hair, and matching eyes cursed as he paced back and forth in the clearing in a panic.

“Dad's going to be pissed and then the moms are going to find out. You just had to explore the multiverse on your own.”

Taking a breath he smoothed out his hair and fixed his jacket.

“Alright one more time then I'll look for help” he sighed closing his eyes and focusing his mind as his body vibrated. After several minutes he stopped.

“Fuck” he shouted.

There was a cold laughter from the forest all around…

Seth jumped at the noise, his hand reaching into his jacket.

The laugh erupted again. “That won’t protect you from us, kid.”

Seth glared his hand tightening on the knife.

Ami crouched on the ground nearby. The teen was dressed in jeans and a Pirates of the Carribean t-shirt. She clutched a birch handled knife in her hand in a way that showed she knew how to use it.

Seth heard something shift before turning to have and being shocked “Ami?’” he asked in a confused “why are you here and so young? Oh God please don't tell me I time traveled dad specifically stressed never to do that.”

Ami was startled that the guy knew her name. “Who are you?” She asked.

Seth paused for a moment” oh yeah you probably don't recognize me now that we're about the same age” he replied pulling out a photo album from his jacket and opening it to a page showing him as an infant with Dante being held by Loreen and Riley. “I'm Seth, one of Riley's sons,” he replied, showing her the photo.

“Oh.” Ami looked from the photo, back at Seth, then outwards again, wary of what was out there with them. “You were still a baby the last time I saw you…” She had heard about Riley’s travels. “You got Riley’s powers?”

Seth nods rubbing the back of his head “yeah I mean we all kinda got his healing factor but I'm the only speedster. Do you happen to know where we are?”

“No.” Ami shook her head slightly. She was worried about what might happen to her if she used her power trying to figure out where she was. “But I think this is where Klaire went when she disappeared.”

Seth nods and holds out his hand to help her up “we should try to find someone hopefully this place has a version of my dad or Uncle. They might be to help us get home my powers aren't letting me leave.”

“Tzeitel is going to be pissed.” Ami said, sliding the knife back in its sheath as she let Seth help her up. “She must be so worried about me.”

“Yeah my dad and uncle aren't going to be happy” he replied before shuddering “my moms might literally kill me.”

“Tzeitel is really struggling already…” Ami could see what a toll losing her best friend had done to her sister, after her friendship with Colt had been so damaged by what the clone had done to her. Tzeitel had not touched a drop of alcohol, besides Ami she was still godmother to Klaire’s twins too and needed to take care of them. But Tzeitel had not been eating enough and Ami worried what losing her too would do to Tzeitel… it might set her over the edge. Ami knew Tzeitel still really wanted to drink and had a hard time resisting the temptation.

“Yeah it hasn't been easy on Lotus and Leon either” Seth sighed “Dad still blames himself even if he doesn't show it” Taking a deep breath he tried to calm himself down. “If your sister is here let's go find her. Then we can figure things out.”

“Tzeitel was taking a nap, she got me that movie even though she hates them. I was gonna make sure she was asleep before I- ow-” Ami’s head suddenly ached.

“Are you ok” Seth asked in a concerned tone.

“I’m trying to remember how I got here.” Ami said.

“I'm guessing it gave you a killer headache too?” He asked.

“Like a hangover.” Ami was familiar with what that was like from Tzeitel. She rubbed her temples.

“I thought it was a side effect of overusing my powers” he replied “if it's affecting you as well maybe it has something to do with the place. Either way try not to think about it. Now let's get going I keep feeling like we're being watched.

Ami nodded, her large dark eyes taking in their surroundings. “Do you really think Tzeitel is here?”

“I mean yeah there's nothing on earth that could keep her away from you especially at your age” Seth replied leading them away from the clearing. “I mean I'd probably put her in the same category of protective parent as my moms”

“What do you mean at my age?” Ami asked. She knew when she got around the same as Tzeitel when she was sent to MegaCorp, and again when she was the same age as Tzeitel when those guards tried going into her cell only to be sent to Aunt Klaire, that things got harder for Tzeitel. But Tzeitel didn’t have any kind of traveling powers to help her follow Ami. Tzeitel could still be sleeping in the cheap motel room…

“Well I mean you're a lot younger than Ami from my time” Seth replied “not saying she still isn't a good sister during my time I'm just a bit confused on what to say. Dad that always warned me about time travel Said it caused him a lot of trouble. He doesn't like to talk about it. But you Nine, and Cody have always been nice to me so has Tzeitel she was there for me when I found out about my egg donor”

“Oh.” Ami knew where Seth and Dante came from after absorbing Tzeitel. Seth was still a baby when she saw him last so she could not imagine not being nice to a baby. She was thinking about asking Seth about future stuff, since he was a time traveler.

“I know what you're thinking and no I can't tell you too much about the future” he replied “I mean I can tell you some stuff just nothing too big I'm not sure how the whole time travel thing works when it comes to giving you future knowledge. so if you have some questions I'll let you know if I can answer them.”

“Oh.” Ami thought for a moment. “If you’re from the future do you know anything about me coming here? If- how I got back?”

“Honestly no I don't remember I'm not sure if you disappeared in my timeline or if you did none of us remember it. It's possible wherever we are exists both in and out of time essentially in all existence at every moment and at none at all.”

“Oh.” Well this was disappointing. This might not even be her Seth. Ami thought for another moment. “Is Tzeitel ever… okay?”

“I mean she's doesn't drink and goes to therapy plus she was there for me when I found out the truth. Dad never treated me differently but I still felt guilty over what my egg donor did to him. Tzeitel helped me through it.” He said showing a photo of Tzeitel and him.

Ami looked at the photo. Tzeitel looked healthy and not much older. “Is she eating enough?” Ami sounded almost like a parent.

Seth nodded “she's a lot better especially with her little sister looking after her.”

“She needs Klaire.” Ami fretted. “She knows Colt never hurt her but couldn't get over being scared every time she saw him.”

“Her and James' disappearance affected a lot of them,” he replied, pushing some brush out of the way.

Ami was still processing James’s death and getting used to the idea of there being a clone of James when he and Klaire disappeared. Both losses had a huge effect on her. “Is the new James clone good? Tzeitel was afraid he was an evil clone like the Colt clone.”

“I don't know they're still missing in the future” he replied “Dad seems to think so and I have always trusted him when it comes to people.”

“If we can get them back to my time will that change your future to them coming back sooner?” Ami wondered.

“I mean possibly I'm not exactly sure on this whole time travel thing” Seth replied “ Dad doesn't like to talk about it much. The few times he does he always looks towards Mom River with a sad look on his face. From what I gathered, this could theoretically change the future or potentially create a new timeline entirely.”

“Everyone would be happier if they were back.” Ami said. This time traveling was a tangled concept.

“Well let's take it one step at a time and find your sister” Seth replied in a cheerful tone as he led them through the woods.

Ami hoped that Tzeitel was here somewhere. She hated to think about her sister frantically searching for her back there.

The duo continued to travel as the sun started to set.

The darker it became, the more the shadows seemed to get closer and closer toward both Ami and Seth.

“Hey is it just me or are you getting horror movie vibes?” Seth asked.

“I don't like it.” Ami pulled a tiny flashlight from her pocket.

“Something tells me that's not going to cut it and we need to get out of here quickly” he said looking at the shadows “You don't get motion sickness do you?”

“Never.” Ami lied.

Seth nodded before scooping her up into his arms “well if you do end up getting sick just try to hold it in until I stop” he replied using his speed to run away from the shadows. Time slowed for him as he continued to run desperate to find shelter. Spotting what looked like campfires he started to run towards them.