Love Across Time

~2009~
“Frank!” Gerard called from backdoor. Frank didn’t reply, mainly because he didn’t want to be found. He needed to get his head cleared, and staying away from everyone and giving himself time to think was just the way to do it.

He heard the door shut and glanced around the tree serving as his hiding spot. Gerard had went back inside, probably to look for him someplace else. There was one place Frank could think of to go, and that was in the meadow he and Gerard looked at earlier in the day.
He waited until he knew he was out of sight of the mansion before pulling out a flashlight from his pocket and turning it on.

He thought about his life for the past few years, all the people he’s met, all the friends he’s made. He thought about Jamia, the love of his life, and of his father and grandfather.

Frank thought of his mother, she would just be settling into her grave right now. He sighed, looking toward the night sky as if she would suddenly appear. He always went to her for advice and for help, but since she died, he didn’t really have anyone anymore. He knew he could open up to his friends, but he also knew that at least one of them would say the wrong thing, something that would end up making things much worse than before. His father wasn’t hardly around, and his grandfather was too old and under enough stress to handle his problems.

He didn’t even feel like he could trust Jamia with anything, especially not the fact that he can’t get a woman who lived a hundred years ago out of his mind. She was always the sensitive type, and it would break her heart if she knew the truth.

With a sigh, he realized he was at the little building he had found before. He climbed over the low wall and sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall and he continued to stare into the starry sky.

“Mom, I really need your help,” he whispered, a crack in his voice from unshed tears. “I miss you Mom, I want you back. I need you back, I need your advice. Tell me what to do, Mom. I need you to help me get over this.”

A breeze rippled through the still night as if encasing Frank into a warm hug. He felt the love from his mother surround him as if it was her hugging him close to her. He let the feeling overtake him for a long moment before he realized what he needed to do. He needed closure, needed to know that the woman really was okay in the end. He had his grandfather’s take on what happened, but the older man was a mere child, his memories from that time could perfectly well be faded right now.

Grabbing the flashlight, he quickly went back to the mansion, up the stairs and into the library. Going up the stairs to the room the clipping was from, he searched through all the articles he could find.

The clock behind him struck midnight, announcing the New Year to him.

“Happy 2010 everyone,” Frank muttered as he felt his eyes grow heavy. The last thing he pictured before the darkness over took him was the picture of the woman who haunted his thoughts.

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~1909~
“Nicholas, darling, it’s nearly midnight and the guests are quite anxious to speak with you before the new year arrives.” Victoria said, walking into the library and up to her husband.

“I am coming dear, I just wanted to finish a few things before the new year. I wanted us to start out fresh with a clean slate. It is a new decade too after all.” Veronica smiled as Nicholas stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist, taking in the sight and smell of her before leading her back to the ballroom. Many people sent shouts toward Nick while Nicky went to talk with a few women on the other side of the room.

“Did you find him in the study again?” Mally asked as Nicky walked up to her.

“Yes, unfortunately I did.” Nicky replied, turning to watch her husband. Many people would see him as being in a carefree mood, getting ready to celebrate the coming New Year with their many friends and acquaintances. Nicky, however, knew the subtle signs of him putting on a mask. His smile never reached his eyes and looked forced. His conversations was blunt and clipped, and his handshakes weren’t firm, but limp and lifeless.

She sighed as she turned to look at her dearest friend again. Mally smiled gently at Nicky before running a hand down her arm. Mally left, most likely heading toward the powder room. If she felt one thing wrong with her looks, she goes and spends nearly an hour trying to fix what didn’t need fixing.

Nicky walked into the hallway to look at the clock, seeing there was only a few minutes until the new decade. She decided to start getting everyone onto the balcony, where they would share toasts and kisses and well wishes for the new year.

“Everyone, there is approximately two minutes until midnight, please start making your way to the balcony.” Nicky called, noting that she didn’t see Nicholas in the room. She decided to go track him down, knowing he slipped back to the library. She walked past the powder room when she heard a moan of pleasure. Curiosity getting the better of her, she peeked her head into the room, and her stomach and heart dropped at the same time, making her
feel sick.

To stunned to speak, she backed out of the room, her hand over her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. She ran to the only place she could think of to run to, the library. There was a room that not even Nicholas knew about. A room that held the family archives. Birth records, newspapers any family member was in, everything. It even held the stock information from her parents, securing her financial status. She never used the money from it. She didn’t want Nicholas to know about it, especially after he exhausted their previous funds.

She slipped into the room and locked the door, curling her arms around her legs and letting her sobs escape as she thought of what had just happened.

She couldn’t get the vision of Mally, sitting on the counter, her dress well up past her knees, with Nicholas in between her legs, kissing her neck and stroking Mally’s breasts with his hand.

Nicky wept silently, vaguely aware of the clock in the main part of the library striking midnight. Her eyes grew heavy from her tears, and soon, her brain couldn’t function anymore. She let herself drift off, thinking of how terrible the new year was starting.

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~1910~
Nicky groaned as she lifted her head, looking around at the room she was in. The events from last night rushed back into her head, and she knew she had to confront her husband and friend sometime today, but she didn’t know how.

A groan from beside her made Nicky freeze. She locked the door, and only she knew about the room anyway.

“Jamia? What are you doing here?” the voice asked, thick with sleep.

“Excuse me, I am not the person you are referring to. I am Veronica Mason, mistress of this estate, and I would very much appreciate it if you tell me how you came to enter this room.” Veronica turned around, and her eyes grew wide at the state of the man beside her. He was wearing clothing she had never seen in her life. Trousers made from a rough blue material, a coat of sorts with a type of hat attached to it. What really surprised her, however, was the numerous gadgets attached to his face, along with the markings on his arms and neck.

Frank’s heart jolted as he heard the voice. It wasn’t Jamia’s voice, he knew that instantly.

His eyes flew open and he looked around, his mouth hanging open when he saw the room looked newer than it had when he fell asleep. He looked over and gasped, standing up in a rush while staring at the woman beside him.

“Y-you,” he said, pulling out something from his pocket. He looked at the picture, then back to the woman in front of him. It really was her, but this was impossible.

“Very fucking funny guys!” Frank shouted at the door.

“Excuse me,” Nicky said, “but may I acquire as to whom you are talking to?”

“Okay, you can cut the act lady. You’re not Veronica Mason. She lived a hundred years ago,” Frank said.

“I beg your pardon?” Nicky asked, standing up. “I am not ‘acting’ as you put it. I am Veronica Mason and this is my home. How did you get past the guard at the gate anyway?” Frank stared at her with wide eyes. She couldn’t help but notice how nice his eyes were. The color of honey in summertime. She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts from her head.

“I’m sorry, we got off on the wrong foot,” Nicky sighed. “I’m Veronica Mason, Nicky for short.”

“F-Frank Iero,” Frank replied, shaking her offered hand.

“Iero? Your family is well known, but I don’t remember hearing your name before, Frank.”

“Uhm, you won’t believe me, but it’s because I’m not supposed to be here.” Frank muttered, finally realizing that this wasn’t a dream. He was somehow talking to the woman from the picture, the woman his family took the house from.

“Where are you from then?” Nicky asked.

“You really wouldn’t believe that one,” Frank laughed, rubbing his face with his hand.

“By the state of your attire, I’d say nothing could surprise me anymore.”

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Frank asked, looking down at what he was wearing. He looked her over, and realized she didn’t know what jeans and a hoodie was. They weren’t even invented yet. “Oh, right,” he muttered with a sigh. “Okay then. I somehow was transported back a hundred years. I’m supposed to be celebrating the arrival of 2010, not…what year is it anyway?”

“1910,” Nicky replied.

“Hm, a hundred years on the dot.” The clock started chiming in the library, announcing that it was now nine in the morning.

“I have to go get dressed so I can get on with my day, if you want, I can see about getting you a change of clothing.” Veronica said to Frank, looking up at him.

“Is there a place I can take a shower, bath, anything?” Frank asked. She nodded and led the way to the door, opening it a crack. Her heart jumped and she quickly shut it back and backed away from the door. She tripped over the hem of her dress and started falling, but a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her tumble to the floor. She looked up and into the golden eyes of Frank, and she was instantly lost in their depths.