3.4 The Choice

"Um huh," Caleb stumbled over his words as he looked at his reflection.

"You don't like it," Drew looked at him crestfallen that her hard work was for nothing.

"It's not that I ..." Caleb brushed the hair away from his face "I'm not used to it is all. I've gotten used to being able to see without hair in my face." Blowing at the pink fringe falling into his eyes "do I have to wear it like this?"

"Well no," Drew began biting her lip "it's just you have such a well known face and you still have tons of fans. What if someone recognizes you?"

"I never thought of that," Caleb admitted laughing slightly "I never thought I'd want to hide my face. I liked people recognizing me."

"Do you want to have a music career again?" Drew asked giving him an accessing look.

"I'm good at it and I love singing," Caleb admitted "besides I don't know how to do much else."

"Oh I bet you could," Drew said lifting an eyebrow "I think you just haven't had to try before."

"Maybe," he mumbled "I guess I'll find out."

Smiling Drew turned to leave "If you really don't like it I could try something else. I really only want to help. I don't mean to pressure you into anything. If you really want to get into music again I could hook you up with my brother's band. They could always use a good lead vocalist. Just don't tell Alex you're from the future. He's a firm disbeliever of all things unexplainable. But I love him even if he is a grumpy bear."

Caleb chuckled a bit as she walked out leaving him alone to admire himself in the mirror. He really didn't mind the new hair style. His old manager had been after him to change his signature look for a while. Grinning at himself he had to admit if his manager had been a pretty purple haired girl he might have considered it. Shrugging he decided to leave it for now and see if he got used to his hair flopping in his face. Leaving the room he picked up the magazine article that Drew showed him earlier and reread it. He wondered if it were really possible to resurrect someone and if there were any limitations or draw backs.

Looking up as Drew walked by "where are you going?" he asked.

"I have a dance recital. Would you like to come?" she asked "you don't have to. It's just I'd like the company."

On the drive over Caleb turned the conversation towards the article he read "that science article you showed me didn't mention how long a person had to be dead before they could be resurrected. I'm assuming they're looking for recently deceased spirits since the longer they've been dead it'd be more difficult. It wasn't mentioned but are there any side effects or drawbacks to bringing someone back to life?"

Glancing over at him Drew said softly "thinking about Star? I don't blame you I guess. I would be if I were you." Reaching over she gave his hand a little pat "I thinks it's sweet you still think of her." Sighing she added under her breath "I wish someone thought of me like that."

Giving her a curious look Caleb admitted "most people seem to think I should just move on. You're the first person who has made me feel it's ok for me to be still grieving for her." He blinked a few times before turning to stare out the window.

"I understand how you feel I guess. It's like a piece of your heart has been ripped out. Your left with this gaping hole with nothing to fill it." She slowed the car as she turned into a parking lot "at least that's how I feel everyday since daddy died."

Caleb turned to look at her and caught the glistening tears on her cheeks before she was able to wipe them away. "Do they still need volunteers?" he asked.

Smiling "they could always use more. There are so few people who believe that this scientist can do what he claims. I'm going out tonight. Want to tag along and observe?"

"Sure I'd like that," Caleb agreed thinking he might be willing to do anything to spend more time with this girl who was a delightful mix of innocence and intelligence.

Walking into the dance studio he was reminded of Mya from his days on Sim Star Idol. She had become a backup dancer for him. He wondered what happened to her after he walked away from his career. Would it be possible to pick up the pieces of the life he left? Did he even want to?

As the lights dimmed and the room became silent he felt the crowd's expectation. His thoughts drifted as he tried to focus his attention on the stage as two dancers appeared. The way they moved. They were so in sync with each other. It was breath taking. The way they moved told a story far more powerful then the music did. Briefly he wondered who the young red-haired male was. Was he someone special to Drew? Shaking his head he wondered why it mattered to him if he was? He wanted Star to come back, didn't he?

Joining in the applause Caleb wished he had flowers to toss onto the stage as others were doing. Next time he would be more prepared. Afterwards Drew came skipping up to him with a wide grin. Her dance partner followed close behind. "Caleb I want you to meet my cousin Matt. Matt this is Caleb."

Observing the boy up close Caleb grinned taking in his pink eyes and the red-gold hair he had no doubt he was looking at the son of Gene Bennett and Aimee Vera. Evidently things had worked out for them after Sim Star Idol wrapped and everyone moved on with their lives. He was happy for them and this very talented young man standing before him with his contagious grin. "It's nice to meet you Matt."

Grinning Matt shook his hand "dad is going to flip when I tell him I met you. He talks about you a lot and how you helped him with his career. He uses you as an example to me all the time of how a person is supposed to act under the stress of being famous." Turning to Drew "I'll call dad and have him come down for the weekend. He's really going to enjoy seeing you again."

"I'd like to see him too," Caleb said with genuine warmth and anticipation "we really got to know each other well during our time on Sim Star Idol." Looking around the crowd to see if anyone was listening to them he asked "how did you know who I am?"

"I told him," Drew admitted reaching for his hand "I thought you might need someone who knew you from before and there's no one I trust more than Uncle Gene. Uncle Gene will help us come up with a good back story for you. One everyone will believe then we'll be able to let you loose in the world. Besides you might like having someone in your life that you knew from way back when."

"Said like that just makes me feel old," Caleb grinned at her.

"Dad's not old" Matt added coloring a bit as Drew and Caleb burst into laughter at his comment. "Well he's not at least not to me," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry Matty," Drew said contritely "I didn't mean to upset you by implying Uncle Gene was old. You will call him and invite him here for the weekend, right?"

"Yeah. I wasn't lying about dad wanting to see Caleb again. It might take some explaining before he believes you're who you are but in the end he'll help us. He's no stranger to the unbelievable."

Looking at the clock on the wall Drew said "we've got to bounce." Hugging Matt she said "love you cuz." Walking out she stretched looking into the night sky "would you like to grab something to eat before we head over to the cemetery?"

"Come to think of it .... I am hungry," Caleb admitted. It was a shock really he hadn't consciously noticed ever being hungry before. He had gone for days without eating but now he felt famished. Maybe it was the time difference or his body adjusting to the time dilations or maybe it was just the company he was keeping. He didn't know or care he just wanted to enjoy his time with Drew. It had been so long since he felt halfway normal that he hadn't realized he hadn't been living...

They went to a nearby diner. At first Drew was anxious that someone might recognize Caleb. Soon her fears were put to rest, he received a few stares but no one came gushing up to him or made remarks of how much he resembled the late great Caleb Gray. Sitting down and enjoying a leisurely meal instead of the hastily half eaten sandwich she usually had helped her relax despite her desire to be out hunting for spirits.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask but felt they were either rude or heartless. She knew Caleb was still mourning the loss of Star after all she was the reason why he ran away to the future in the first place. No doubt his heartbreak was unbearably painful. She wondered if she would ever find someone who would love her like that? She was almost envious of Star. Speaking of Star she wondered would she'd be able to find her spirit here in Hidden Springs when she died somewhere else? Should she take time out from hunting spirits to look specifically for Star? What if she had moved on already? Would that show Star didn't love Caleb as much as he loved her? Or would she be unable to move on because of the hold Caleb had on her, grieving for her like he has been for almost twenty years? If she could give them closure or a happy ending to their story wouldn't that be the best thing ever? But what if the scientists could only resurrect one person? Who would she choose? Star or her father? What if she never got the chance? There were others just as dedicated as she was out hunting. What if they beat her to it?

Looking up Caleb watched the emotions play across her face. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.

Shaking her head "I'm sorry I guess I was lost in thought," she smiled "I love this diner. It has a 1950's retro feel to it. All it needs is some music playing from the jukebox."

Taking her hand Caleb said "I can fix that. Come on dance with me."

Giggling she let him escort onto the dance floor. He selected a song from the jukebox and swung her around as it started to play. Taking her in his arms Drew marveled at how comfortable she felt around him. She hadn't felt this at ease with someone since that night Jimmy tried to ...."hey is something wrong?" Caleb asked breaking into her thoughts.

"No" she said refusing to let the past mar the present. She wanted to enjoy the evening.

After dancing to a couple of songs Caleb brought her back to their table. "I have to admit I wondered if you could dance as well as you do ballet."

Raising an eyebrow she asked "and can I?"

"You're an excellent dancer Ms Bennett. If I were still in need of dancers I would hire you."

"I'll take that as a complement then," she smiled as his eyes twinkled from the bright light. "I've enjoyed the evening," Drew commented "but I really need to dedicate some time to my volunteer work before it gets too late."

"Maybe we can do this again?" Caleb asked hopefully.

Blushing slightly "I think that could be arranged," she said as she paid the bill.

Walking out to the car Caleb remarked "I think I need a job...."

"What for?" she asked unlocking the doors.

"It's a little weird letting a girl pay for dinner on a date...." he fell silent as he realized what he just said. Why did he just say date? Was this a date? No it couldn't be, they were just friends and what about Star?

"I told you a lot of things have changed while you were gone" she laughed ignoring the date comment. All the while she was trying hard not to freak out. She didn't want to be the rebound girl. She had to find Star. Get the two of them together. Nothing could happen between them. Shaking her head she told herself she was being silly. They were just friends. Friends went out together all the time, no big deal.

***

The next few days were tense and awkward. Drew tried to avoid Caleb as much as possible electing to go jogging when she'd normally stay at home reading or watching TV. After Drew left for her run Grace cornered Caleb "is something wrong?" she asked.

Shaking his head Caleb tried to leave before she could ask anything else. He was stopped by Grace's hand resting on his "Caleb I understand more than most the devastating experience of losing someone you love. I've lost two husbands and a child. I know how hard it is to let others in. It will take time but you will love again..."

"I'm not interested in falling in love again. Star was the only one for me...." he looked down at his clasped hands and sighed.

Smiling sadly Grace said "don't give up on love Caleb and don't shut us out. We care about you. Drew more so if you'll let her. She understands that hole in your heart because she has one too. I can't heal it but you might..."

Looking up as she wiped tears from her eyes Caleb squeezed her hand "I'd like to help but..."

"You're afraid of leading her on," Grace smiled as she stood up to gather the dishes from the table. "Don't worry about that. Drew's a big girl. What she needs is a friend. Someone she can rely on. She spends way too much time in the cemetery talking to ghosts. She's obsessed with that scientist who thinks he can resurrect the dead. What she needs is to be reminded that she's a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. When she's with you I've seen the little girl she used to be before she lost her dad. Be her friend Caleb. Don't worry about anything else."

"I'll try," Caleb assured her.

Coming in from her run Drew looked over at Caleb watching TV. Sitting on the couch she asked "what are you watching?"

"Not much," he shrugged shutting it off. Moving to get up he stopped as she put a hand on his arm.

"Did I do something?" she asked. He shook his head wordlessly unsure what to say. "We're friends aren't' we?"

"I'd like to be friends," he acknowledged unable to meet her gaze.

"What's making you so uncomfortable around me?" she asked needing to know what she did so she could fix it.

"I ... I misread things the other night. I didn't want you to think I was looking for girlfriend or to date..."

"Oh Caleb it that all?" she asked relieved "I'm not ready to date yet. I know I'm 18 but..." she looked away "I haven't wanted anyone to get close to me since Jimmy...." shaking her head smiling a little "I'm ok with just being friends. I don't want anything else. At least not now."

A knock on the door interrupted them. Opening the door squealing "Uncle Gene you came" she exclaimed. Hanging onto his arm she escorted him inside the room. Caleb stood anxious to see how Gene would react to him. He noted the lines, the limp that Gene couldn't disguise, the few gray hairs in the otherwise familiar red-gold hair. "Uncle Gene this is Caleb," Drew said by way of introductions. She stood back while the two men became reacquainted.

Smiling "you haven't changed much. Except the hair," Gene quipped giving him a hug. "It's good to see you."

"You look good for an old guy," Caleb teased.

"Easy for you to say... some of us haven't been stuck in the future for the last twenty years. This is what the passage of time does to a person." Gene stood back accessing his old mentor "I'm told you need a little help re-emerging into the world." Caleb nodded "I agree with the kids, you can't simply resume your past life. It would bring up too many questions. We could turn you into Caleb Gray's son .... how does Junior sound to you? That way you wouldn't need to change your name and worry about not responding to the right name or forgetting who you are."

"I guess that would work," Caleb agreed "but what about going back into the music business?"

"I don't see why not. The industry is filled with sons and daughters following in their famous parents footsteps. We'll just have to make sure your back story is believable. One thing we'll have to make sure we do is come up with why Caleb Gray disappeared. You know being his son inquiring minds will want to know." Gene laughed at the mix of emotions written all over his old friends face. 

"Popular theory being you were abducted by aliens and something went horribly wrong with their experiments and they couldn't bring you back to earth."

"But the alien threat is over now. I mean I helped Peter and Emit..."

Shaking his head Gene said "Drew's right we do need to bring you up to date with everything. Didn't you watch any history documentaries while you were in the future?" Gene asked half joking.

Making a face Caleb shook his head "I hated history when I was in school. Why would I watch it voluntarily on TV?"

They spent the afternoon coming up with a plausible background for Caleb and as Gene got up to go he said "I'll get in touch with my manager and see if he knows anyone who would be interested in giving a young talented kid his first break in the music biz. Just be sure you have some new original songs to show them."

"I will," Caleb laughed as he saw Gene out "it's almost like you and I have switched places. Your the older wiser mentor giving me your advise."

"We'll see how well I listened to you," Gene joked as he shook his hand and left.

Following Caleb upstairs Drew knocked on his bedroom door "do you want someone to talk too?"

Shrugging he let her in. Sitting on the bed in silence for several minutes before Caleb blurted "this is going to be so much harder then I expected. I had no idea..."

"No idea of what?" she asked.

"Any of this," waving a hand around "the first time it was easy. No one new Caleb Gray. Now they do...."

"What do you mean the first time?" Drew reached over and held his hand "maybe you should start from the beginning."

"Well it's kind of complicated..." Caleb began. He felt Drew squeeze his hand encouraging him to trust her. Taking a deep breath Caleb told her about the night he met Emit Relevart for the first time when he was a dying old man.....

***

Moaning he stretched out on the unfamiliar bed. He opened his eyes blinking from the bright sunlight pouring through the window. He leaned back closing his eyes. "Ah good your awake," an unfamiliar voice said above him.

"Where am I?" Caleb asked groaning again as he struggled to his feet. It sucked getting old, nothing worked right and everything took more effort then he remembered it should. Looking around him again he sighed "I've been hear before. Years ago when Noah was missing..."

"That's right Oasis Landing," the man said stepping into the light "I'm Emit Relevart."

"Why am I here?" Caleb asked taking in the appearance of the man standing in front of him. Wild blue hair and the futuristic outfit. Glancing down at his dry wrinkled hands. His drab old man clothes. He never felt so old before as he did at that moment.

"I need your help Mr Gray," Emit told him.

Snorting Caleb asked "what kind of help do you need from an old man?"

"I'm here to offer you a choice. Whatever your decision is, it will impact the future lives of billions of people."

"I still don't understand," Caleb looked at Emit confused "I'm just an old man at the end of his life. What decision could I possibly make that could have that big of an effect on so many people? I could understand if I was the heir to the Gray Legacy but I'm not..."

"No you're not but that doesn't make you any less important. Many years into your future a tragic accident happened. An explosion occurred that fractured the time line into pocket universes. Each time line ends in Oasis Landing because that's where the explosion occurred. My counterparts in all the other pocket universes are responsible to keep the time line on track. This is where you can help. This universe has not Grays in it. I've looked everywhere but the family does not exist. This universe is unbalanced. Unless we can balance this reality in harmony with the others we have no chance of merging all the existing pocket universes into a single timeline again. I'm offering you the chance to balance this universe by starting you own legacy here."

"I'm too old," Caleb protested "what good is an old man to you?"

"That's where I come in. I can reset your biological clock. You can start over."

Considering it he rubbed his chin deep in thought Caleb asked "will Star be here in this universe?"

"She might be. I can't guarantee it will work out any differently here then it did there," Emit told him.

Shuffling his feet Caleb moved over to the window. Gazing outside he said "what your asking me to do is give up everything and everyone I know to help you balance these pocket universes." Emit nodded in agreement "A legacy of my own in a world where I'll know no one." Shaking his head "I don't know...."

"I know it's a lot to take in and it's a difficult choice. The Gray family is notorious for being a close knit family in every pocket universe we have access too. That is why we waited until now when you are close to finishing your life course. What difference does it make if you die or come here and start over? Your family would move on without you regardless of where you are. This way if you come here you'll be helping save countless lives."

"If your the time keeper" Caleb asked "why can't you simply prevent the explosion from happening?"

"Because balancing time is never that easy. Too many lives would be altered or vanish completely."

Accepting what Emit told him Caleb sat on the edge of the bed " why can't I start over in my own universe?"

"The Grays already have a legacy there," Emit told him "you're needed here in this universe. You'll be helping not only this universe but also the one your family is in."

"In these other pocket universes. Do I, Caleb Gray exist in them? Do they have families and children?" he asked needing to know.

"In some yes in others no," Emit told him honestly. "But in all of the others the Grays exist all except this one. We need you to balance this universe with the others."

"What will happen if I decide not to do this?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing. Maybe the end of everything. There's no way of knowing all possibilities."

"When do I need to decide?"

"You have until your natural life ebbs away," Emit explained handing him a small vial "if you haven't drank this mixture before then you will die. If you do you will awaken renewed here ready to start your legacy. The choice is yours."

***

Looking up at Drew "I wanted the second chance. I wanted children a family of my own. I raised my brothers children when he was in prison. When I decided to come here I thought I'd find Star and I'd start over with her. Then I lost her again and it was so much worse than the first time. At least there I had family I could turn to here I had no one."

"Oh Caleb I'm so sorry," she drew him close letting him cry on her shoulder "it must have been horrible to not have any family. But I thought ..."

"I made them up because I did have brothers and a sister once. They may not have been living in this universe but they still exist in my mind and their children in the universe I'm from." Caleb sighed "I couldn't just forget about them. I loved them too much. It wasn't so bad until I lost Star then everything fell apart. I ran away to the only person who knew exactly who I was and where I came from. I just never expected to be stuck in the future for so long."

Reaching up Drew wiped his tears away saying "you have family now. Your part of the Bennett family now. You'll never be alone again."