I was in a mess... things looked wonderful for now, and I only sensed a little time bomb ticking in the back of my mind. I pulled my mind away from these worrying thoughts, then let it travel back, then go on to Sean, until I fell back on the couch and was off to sleep. My feelings varied from terrified to happy.

If I couldn't hear a sound, I knew only seconds later that everyone was simply asleep. I finally left it like that and only found myself sprawled up on the floor the next morning, with Sean standing in front of me. "Hey!' he laughed.

"You're falling asleep like that?" I jumped up.

"Daddy's still gone," Sean said.

"Gone?" I said.

"Yeah...he's in bed, and mum also, too. They just won't wake up. They just say something and then they turn over again."

"They had a long day yesterday." I said. "But what are we doing here... let's give you a good bath."

"Oh.... we have one at home." Sean said. I smiled.

"Yes... and this one is a bit smaller but it's still good."

We walked on into the bathroom and I filled the bath with water. It was indeed small for me but it would be enough for Sean. As soon as he was inside, he splashed around with water. "Hey-hey calm down," I laughed.

I heard some sounds from behind the wall next to me. When I decided to do a little joke. A thing I used to do when my parents woke up. We had the same construction in our new house, my wall was right next to theirs. Our house... my home... for the first time in what seemed like ages I recalled where I'd been two days ago.

"Not yet," I thought. "I don't even know where this will bring me." I knew what "this" meant, but I was glad I'd still managed to keep that away from everyone else. Meanwhile I tapped on the wall, three times. I heard a sound back, probably Yoko.

"What's going on there," I heard John say through the wall.

"It's me... just wanted to greet you," I answered.

"Then these walls are thinner than I thought." John said. I heard Yoko laugh.

"We woke him up," she said. "Thank you." Maybe it was Sean that had done
that already. This time he was trying to swim around in the bath and throw all the foam at me.

"Hey," I said. "What are you doing.. I still want to look in the mirror?" I had to laugh a bit but Sean probably thought i was getting angry.

"Oh.... sorry," he said. "Can I get out now...see mum and dad?"

"Oh yes," I said picking him up. He shivered. my hands where a bit cold. "Here..something to warm you." I said. I picked a towel from the heater and wrapped it around him. Then I walked over to the mirror.

"That's me," Sean said pointing at his reflection. Suddenly I noticed someone behind me. I turned around and saw John staring at me, smiling widely.

"I told you... you're a good mother."

"That's not my mother," Sean said.

"Ok...a nanny, is that better?" he looked at me while he said that. I remembered the one comment he made when I started about guitar lessons.

"Is that a hint?" I said.

"I wanted to ask you...ok yes, it's a very big part of the clue."

"And what 's that last missing bit." I said.

"Oh nothing." he added. Then he called Yoko and we all lent to the living room. For some reason however, Yoko moved Sean outside.

"There's one room here, that's filled with stuffed animals," she said. I felt there was a certain need for them to talk with me alone, and I knew perfectly well what she meant.

"Yes, she's right Sean," I said. "Let's make it your toy room for now...I hope you don't mind," I said walking over.

"Ok!" Sean said. 'I'm gonna count them...are they yours?"

"No...my mother made them, and she got them for her birthday and everyone else bought them...." I rambled on while John smiled at me. We walked away to the little room and I made Sean drop down on a very large soft mattress. "here," I said. "Some music." I turned on a small radio, checking my watch. It was almost half past ten. Then it suddenly hit me. John was still....alive. Part one of the right answer. I thought. I hope I'll soon find out about part two.

"So...what's up with you two." I said.

"Nothing," John said. "I only want you to know...do you actually realize what you did? Not consciously of course but..." it sounded a bit serious so I couldn't make out what he meant.

"No," I said, giving him a funny look. I set down on the couch next to him.

"It 's the first thing we saw in the news this morning. We turned on the tv at the end of our bed and then I saw a clip of myself," Yoko filled in the rest, John suddenly seemed at a loss for words.

"Yes they showed some old life footage, and I turned the volume up, just to see if they had something about us and here this man talked about the police. They arrested someone outside our apartment." Something warm floated inside me. I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"So you wonder what's the link," John said.

"Kind of," I said. "I think I'm having a dreadful suspicion."

"Nothing to be afraid of, it didn't happen." John said "At least not any more. This guy even confessed it Mary. He said he planned to ...kill me."

"And not me," Yoko said. "Can you imagine? Of all people...him for Christsake!"

"Worst of all is," John said. "It's the one with our new album, I even signed
his copy." It was now easy for me to stare at them in amazement, though it felt different from what they'd probably think.

The tears streamed down my face. we did it, we'd finally made it. Relief, finally released from the nerve wracking tension I'd felt for the last twenty-four hours. John's arms fell around me.

"Sorry," he said. "it doesn't matter, forget it ok?" I knew I wouldn't. I'd never forget this moment in my life. "Please, don't be afraid...he's behind bars." I nodded while I felt a cup of tea slide into my right hand.

"Sounds odd doesn't it?" John said while I took a sip. "If we'd simply gone home when we where so tired.... I'd just walk home and meet up with that fool and..." I felt myself getting sick, knowing so well how the story would end.

"John shut up!" I called out

"Jesus... stop it... what's the fucking use of saying what might have happened if it just ....didn't happen?" With the last words it suddenly hit me, the way John had said it earlier. *It* didn't happen. It simply *hadn't* taken place.

John had been away, never to be seen near his front door and this creep was eventually caught. My call last night was taken serious. A feeling of happiness took over. Again the tears formed in my eyes, while I noticed a wide smile cross my face.

"What's up...why are you smiling like that," John said.

"Nothing John," I said softly.

"I'm just...glad that you're still here." I checked the clock for a change, then checked my watch. Last time I did, it had been hours behind. It had in
fact stopped at eleven, and only now I noticed it going on well in the same pace as our old little clock.

"It's half past twelve isn't it?" I said.

"Yeah...why?" Yoko said. "Oh you want some food, right, let's see what i can do." She said getting up. They surely felt home here. "just like our first home." John muttered while the door closed.

Then suddenly I got up, I couldn't push away this feeling, some strong impulses made me feel the need to simply hug him, wrap my arms around him and really *feel* him. For as long as I'd be here, before I'd suddenly switch back to where I used to be.... I wondered if that was still possible with this huge change of history.

"Mary," John said. "Calm down, what is it?"

"You're here. You're alive that's all... I'm just relieved."

"Why, you knew that already." John said.

I couldn't answer, couldn't share the little part I'd played in this whole story. Finally things were over, everything was safe now, and finally I'd made it.

"I had to thank you for that," John said. Returning my hugs. "Don't you get it silly... you saved my life."

"Oh not a problem," I said. "It wasn't a big deal... I didn't even... know it," I said, my voice fading with the last few words. Something inside me changed. For a moment I felt odd, as if a soft wind blew through my had. I looked up while John still held me.

"There, you almost passed out," he said. "You nearly dropped on the floor."

I found enough time to get myself together again. Searched around in my back pocket while John walked off to the kitchen. There I found it, my purse. My passport was still in my bag but I found the ticket, and a train ticket. I opened them up, not knowing exactly why I did that.

"December 8 1980." they said, I stared at the date, I was convinced they'd looked different the last time I'd seen them. The letters where no longer pressed on them, they were more coming from a typewriter.

I went around looking for more proof, searching my whole wallet for this one little photo I carried, the picture I always had with me. I'd simply cut and copied it from a book, but I couldn't find it. This still wasn't enough. I knew the magazines in my bag, the Q special I'd taken along. It now reminded me of something... terms that were simply vanished now, "the three surviving beatles"...."the late John Lennon"... Nothing of that from now on.

Most importantly, Paul... I remembered his last album. The one I'd listened to when I was still in my own time. Now there was more chance that my wish would come true. I was almost looking forward to a similar album of him and John, together. While entertaining myself with those and more thoughts about the new future.

I walked my way to the hall and stuffed around in my handbag. All I could find was a photo of a younger me, and my passport. I looked inside and saw my own name. "Mary, van Dijk, born October 13 1959." counting back from the year I lived in now, I found it was right. I was still 21 like I used to be in 1999. Sure enough, there was no way I could go back to my"old" time again.

However, I didn't mind.