3.14 The Arrival of Family

Author's Note: This chapter serves as an introduction for two new characters Ambrose and Tayla Gray. Ambrose was made by Legendofsim  and Tayla was made by me for a bachelor challenge (she won) featuring Ambrose. To know about them be sure to check out Color My World  and to know more about Ambrose be sure to check out A Graying World. They're both great reads.

Caleb held Drew within his arms like he never wanted to let her go. He had come too close to losing her. He still couldn't believe what he had seen but he would be forever thankful. As the car barreled down on Drew he watched helplessly as he imagined he was  going to lose another person he loved. It was then he saw her. Star racing towards Drew knocking her out of the path of the car. He knew then Star had released him. Was giving him a chance to live his life. To have the family he always wanted. Her love for him was strong he had no doubts and a part of him would always love her too.

"Caleb honey," Drew moved to look up at him "she saved me didn't she?"

Nodding Caleb looked into her expressive brown eyes "will you marry me?" he asked.

"Yes," she snuggled into him sighing happily in his embrace. "Caleb I've been thinking I want to give up ghost hunting."

"Is that what you want?" he asked.

"It is," she nodded firmly "it's not what dad wants. It's time to let him go." Reaching a hand up she pulled Caleb's face down to hers "I love you," she said as she pressed her lips to his.

Breaking the kiss Caleb smiled down at her "I love you too." He was about to kiss her again when someone knocked on the front door. Moaning he mumbled "maybe they'll go away."

Laughing as she wriggled out of his arms she said "it may be important." Opening the door she stared at a blue haired older man, a pink haired man that looked an awful lot like Caleb and a female with multicolored hair. "Ambrose is that you?" came an incredulous question from Caleb who had followed her to the door.

"Uncle Caleb?" the pink haired male stared at Caleb "but...but you're so young." Turning to the older man. "What's going on?"

"Can we come inside," Emit asked "I promise I'll explain everything."

After everyone was seated Caleb asked "does this have anything to do with the changes Jennifer was making in the timeline?"

"Yes and no," Emit replied causing Caleb to roll his eyes at him "the time portal as you know was damaged during the fight with the Watchers." Caleb nodded "well I haven't been able to fix it because of trying to minimize the damage that Jennifer was causing. I thought all the portals were off line until these two showed up in Oasis Landing."

"How were we supposed to know what that thing was in our backyard," Ambrose protested squeezing Tayla's hand.

"If you didn't know what it was," Emit replied "what business was it of yours to activate it?"

Tayla's mouth popped open close to tears "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble." She turned her face into Ambrose's shoulder crying softly. "I just want to go home."

"Well you can't," Emit told the girl his voice harsh.

"Why not?" Drew asked "your the Time Keeper obviously you've fixed the time portal otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"I have and that's when I discovered the problem," Emit ran his hands through his unruly blue hair "it's not that I don't want to send them home it's that I can't."

"But you said the portal was fixed," Caleb protested "my brother has lost enough time with Ambrose. You need to send him back."

"As I was trying to explain before. When they entered into the portal it was malfunctioning," Emit fell silent thinking how best to explain what happened in a way they would understand. "The portal made duplicates of them. The duplicates," pointing at Ambrose and Tayla sitting on the couch "went into the future to Oasis Landing while the originals stayed in Sunlit Tides to lead normal lives raising their five children." The room fell silent after that pronouncement each thinking of the implications of what Emit told them. "That's why I can't send them back there," Emit said breaking the silence "the damage to the timeline would be catastrophic. The only universe I could safely put them in was this one where the Grays don't exist."

"I thought that's why you brought me here," Caleb spoke his voice filled with dread "does that mean you don't...."

"Caleb nothing changes. Our deal was made before these two idiots entered the portal," Emit watched as Caleb exhaled in relief pulling Drew to him. "The only thing that changes is that you have actual family here now."

Ambrose scowled at Emit "I don't understand. How do you know we're the duplicates?"

"I don't," he told him "but you're here and you can't go back to where you belong. The other Ambrose and Tayla have a family of five kids. If you were to go back all that would change. Do you really want to wipe them out of existence to go home?"

Tayla looked up at Ambrose shaking her head "we can't do that. It'd be like killing our own kids."

"But everything we know is there," Ambrose protested "I don't know what to do."

Caleb got up and went to his nephew I felt the same way. It's strange but with you here I don't feel so homesick. I've missed you."

"I didn't know you were gone," Ambrose looked over at Drew "where's Aunt Hope?" 

"She's not here," Caleb told him "the deal I made with Emit took place after I grew old and died. Your Aunt couldn't have children and I always wanted children of my own. I practically raised you and Apollo but it wasn't the same. When Emit told me about this alternate universe where I had a chance to start my own legacy I took him up on it. What difference would it make if I was already gone from your world? The first thing I did was look for Star and fell in love with her all over again only to lose her like I did before. I ran away from the pain seeking out Emit. Then the portal was damaged and I was stuck in Oasis Landing and couldn't come back for years. Then I met Drew."

"I have to leave now," Emit told them getting up and moving towards the door sure that no one would notice.

Once Caleb had answered all of Ambroses' questions Drew had one of her own. "Tell us how it happened?" she asked coming closed to the displaced couple.

"It was my fault," Tayla told her "I shouldn't have activated it ...."

"Shh it's not your fault stop saying that," Ambrose admonished her kissing the top her head "we're together that's all that matters." Looking at Caleb he went on "we had just gotten home from our honeymoon You remember that bachelor show you talked me into doing?"

"I remember and I'm looking forward to getting to know you Tayla all over again," Caleb told them with genuine warmth and sincerity.

"Thank you," she sniffed "I was looking around the yard drinking in the sights one last time before we moved. That's when I saw it...."

***

"Ambrose, honey can you come here?" Tayla called from the backyard.

Grumbling a little Ambrose put down the box he was getting ready to load into the moving van. 

"What is it?" he asked as he approached his wife. She stood transfixed staring at something "we'll never get done packing if you don't help." He wrapped his arms around her nuzzling her neck.

Giggling she asked "do you know what that is?" she pointed to the object that occupied her interest.

Looking at what she was pointing at he frowned "where did that come from?"

"Then you didn't put it there?" she asked moving closer to inspect it.

"Tayla I don't think you should be doing that. We don't know what it does..."

"If it was dangerous they wouldn't have left it here for just anyone to mess with," Tayla observed. "I wonder what this does" she stepped on a switch. Lights went on as the portal started to rumble.

"Talya please get out of there," Ambrose requested reaching for her hand only to be drawn inside with her.

"The next thing we knew we were waking up in Oasis Landing and Emit was yelling at us for activating the time portal." Tayla told them as she sat up dabbing at her eyes. Turning to Ambrose "I should have listened to you."

"Honey here was no way you could have known that thing would teleport us into the future," Ambrose stated trying to reassure her.

"I know but if it weren't for me we'd be home where we belong," she sniffed.

"How do you know this isn't where you belong?" Drew asked her "everything happens for a reason. Caleb told me all about you," she said turning to Ambrose "he said you were really close. It's been difficult for Caleb not to have any family here. Maybe this was supposed to happen. To bring you two together again."

Smiling Caleb went and put his arms around her "that's what I like about you. You're always looking for the bright side of things even when there isn't one."

"I try it's not always easy," she told him leaning into him.

Ambrose watched them closely "I...I'm stunned." He fell silent for a moment gathering his thoughts "I've never seen you like this before."

"Like what?" Caleb asked grinning "so in love?" he asked winking at Drew.

"Well....yes. You and Aunt Hope were never like this," Ambrose waved at Drew.

"No we weren't," Caleb sighed "don't get me wrong I cared deeply for Hope but I didn't feel for her the way I did for Star. We filled a need we both had but we weren't soul mates." He tightened his arms around Drew "I never believed I'd meet anyone else other than Star I could say that about. Then I met Drew and lost my heart all over again."

"I'm happy for you," Ambrose said getting up and walking towards Caleb. Caleb stood up and they gave each other a hug. "It's going to take me a while to get used to all of this." Smiling at his Uncle "especially seeing you so young and that hair...."

"I like it," Caleb said turning red "and the whole Uncle thing has to go. We're practically the same age here."

Shaking his head Ambrose grinned "we may look the same age but you'll always be my uncle."

"Not to put a damper on this heartwarming family reunion but how are you going to pass us off in this world?" Tayla asked thinking of the more practical things.

"I've been thinking that with the pink hair and obvious family resemblance Ambrose could easily pass as Caleb's brother. We don't have to do much really. When I created Caleb's identity I made allowance for a  brother who lived in Sunlit Tides so it wouldn't seem odd for you to come to town for the wedding" Drew suggested.

Chuckling a little Caleb added "the brother I helped Drew create was based on my favorite nephew so you really shouldn't have any problems fitting the description. I could have described Noah but it hurt too much knowing he was already gone with the passage of time." Looking at Ambrose with fondness he continued "you may as well know I considered you my surrogate son."

Moved to tears Ambrose nodded "I always considered you my dad.  You were always there for me when Noah wasn't. I know you wanted me to bond with him but I just couldn't."

"I never meant to replace him," Caleb told him.

"I know," Ambrose whispered "it is what it is now. I'll never have the opportunity to change it even if I wanted to."

Clearing her throat Drew said to the assembled group "well all of us orphans need to stick together." Turning to Tayla "I know we just met but I could really use some help planning my wedding..."

"Surely your mom..."

Shaking her head as tears started to flow Drew turned to Caleb who had moved to her side. "I'm sorry. I should be used to them being gone but it just hit me that they won't be here to see me get married."

Tayla watched in horror as Drew sobbed upon Caleb's shoulder "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you...."

"It's not you Tayla," Caleb explained "it just hit Drew rather hard that her parents aren't here."

Still confused Tayla asked "don't her parents approve of  her marriage?"

"It's not that," Caleb tightened his arms around her "both of her parents were killed in front her when she was a child. They were trying to protect her and her siblings," Caleb explained stroking her hair "it's still an open wound for her."

"I'm so sorry," Tayla stood going over to Drew "of course I'll help you."

"Thank you," Drew smiled and pulled Tayla into a hug "well be the best sisters ever."