Robin welcomed sleep at the end of her day but it came earlier than she’d plan. A meal for one had been eaten and she’d settled in to an evening’s TV watching. She’d barely made it an hour when a wave of tiredness hit her and she fell asleep where she sat. It was a sleep that was almost instantly deep, born out of a wearisome day (as one involving crossing dimensions always was).
Robin dreamt as she slept. It was not a dream she wanted. It was a dream that took her back to the alternate world she’d been so glad to leave. She was not herself in the dream. She was a predator. She wanted the alternate Robin that she’d met that day and she was determined to have him. She was pulling his lips to hers and clothes were being torn. She was whispering obscenities to him and he was loving every minute. Just as she felt him enter her, he was suddenly gone and she was lying alone on the desk, half-clothed. The dream dissolved around her and she awoke, once more on her sofa, with the TV before her, now reduced to static images and incidental music as the graveyard shift was in full swing.
She didn’t want to go back to sleep. She decided instead to throw herself into some work she had brought home. With sleepy eyes, she scanned printed pages of text, only half reading any of it as she tried to ignore the ache she felt between her legs.
Robin was counting down the days. He didn’t know exactly how long it would be, but there was projections and averages for these things and they were usually pretty accurate. I’d be a week at the most and then he’d see her again. It made things easier if he didn’t think of her as a version of himself. She was a separate person. She wasn’t him. They were as unlike as any two people could be. He was a man and she was a woman. But then, they were as close as twins. Robin frowned. He pushed the thought to one side and got on with his work.
Robin was dreading each day’s passing. Did he really want her like that? Surely no one would ever consider such a thing seriously? But for a single chromosome, they were the same person! As alike as brother and sister. More alike, even. But then, so much separated them. They were literally worlds apart. She began to wonder if it wasn’t him wanting her that was so frightful. She began to wonder if the dream would come true. Would she become the predator and him the willing prey? She was unsure whether the answer would be gratefully received by anyone. She pushed onwards into her work, trying to make it as slow-going as possible.
Katherine sat on the pavement. She was thankful it hadn’t rained that day so she was at least dry even though the wind was doing its level best to make sure she made no approaches to the sensation of warmth. She pulled the sleeves of her jumper down over her hands and its hood up to wrap around her ears. She wished she had a hat. A proper woolly one. The hood knocked her hair across her face and she vainly tried to flick it out of her eyes. She gave up and huddled deeper into her world of insufficient protection.
She sat and watched people pass her by. She didn’t say a word as they passed. She’d only been kicked out two days ago, she didn’t need money yet. Yet. That was the operative word. She had nowhere to go. All her friends were back home. Her father had insisted they move down here so once he’d married her, they could live in her house. She hadn’t liked having Katherine in her house, so it was inevitable that Katherine would have to go. Katherine’s father had stood helplessly by as she’d been accused of things she hadn’t done. Katherine was happy to leave if it meant getting away from her. She just wished that her father had done more.
So here she was. Sat on the pavement with nowhere to go. She had nowhere near enough money to get herself back home and what was to say her friends would even have her if she could get back there? Did she honestly think any of them cared that much? No, she was on her own now.
Robin was practically skipping into work the day he’d been told she was coming back. He’d gotten up especially early to make sure he’d make it into work on time and he did just that. He was there for the pre-arrivals briefing and sat through it with a barely concealed smile. He waited with the rest of his team in front of the arrivals elevator and his heart almost stopped when he heard the familiar “bing”.
The doors opened and the alternate versions of Team 5 shuffled out. They were greeted like old friends as usual each member was promptly escorted off to their office. The numbers were thinning and Robin still had yet to find her. Suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder and Robin span round in swift anticipation.
“Hello there, old chap.” Robin’s face fell as he recognised the alternate version of Jerry Hawkins, the leader of Team 5. “I expect you’re looking for your alternate.”
“Um, yes sir.” Robin replied.
“Not with us today, I’m afraid. Hadn’t quite finished up with everything so she said she’d come along tomorrow.”
“Oh, I see.” said Robin, downhearted. “Tomorrow, then.”
“I’m sure you’ve got things to be getting on with in the meantime, eh, lad?” Jerry said. “And you never know, she could be done quicker than she thought and be along this afternoon.”
“Here’s hoping.” Robin gave a smile and let himself be buoyed back to the office on a wave of geniality.
The morning dragged as Robin tried to stretch out some work that didn’t really need doing. He found himself reorganising files that were already in perfect order and checking references on data that had long been deemed good. This was broken up by sighing and taking longing looks at where she should be sitting and out of the window at the view she’d seemed so interested in.
He decided to head out for lunch, as he had no one to spend it with, Team 2 Robin Ver being long gone. He grabbed a poor imitation of a sandwich and a luridly coloured juice drink from a nearby newsagents, almost tripping over a young girl sat on the pavement on his way out. He saw her face as she briefly mumbled a sorry at him and there was a flash of familiarity. He dismissed it and headed back to the office. It was too cold to sit outside and eat today. He’d eat at his desk.
He arrived back and was unsurprised to find an empty cubicle. He had to admit there’s been a small glimmer of hope there, but it was very unlikely. It was still lunch time, and most of the cubicles were empty of employees, from this reality and others.
Lunchtime ended and people filed back into the office. Time passed and Robin let his hopes die. He returned to his work, vainly trying to keep his mind off her. Trying to ignore the fact that his memories of her were entwined with flashes of the dream that had seemed so real.
“Hi.”
Robin’s mind didn’t register the voice at first, instead folding it into the daydreams it had been marching across the front of his mind for the past fifteen minutes. A split second later, his ears sent a back-up message that, yes, that had been a real sound and he should pay attention. Robin looked up and there she was.
“Oh!” He tried to stop what he was doing and stand up and go to meet her all at once and things go out of hand. Instead he succeeded in partially standing, knocking the lurid drink over and sitting back down again. He stared ineffectually at nothing as his mind tried to decide whether he should try again or get on with sorting out the mess he’d made.
“Need a tissue?” She was smiling and possibly holding back a slight laugh.
“I think that might be best.” Said Robin. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I finished up quicker than I thought. Or at least I decided to. Nothing that can’t wait, anyway.”
Robin smiled at her, absent-mindedly dabbing at the pool of juice with the tissue she’d handed him. “Well, I’m glad you did. I’ve been rather at a loss as to what to do all morning.”
“Nothing else for you to do?”
“Not while the whole team is focused on working with you guys.”
“Ah, I know that situation. Sorry to have kept you then!” She gave him an apologetic look.
“It’s ok. Was quite relaxing, I suppose.”
“You’re not exactly doing well there.” She indicated his mopping.
“Hm? Oh!” Robin looked down at the pool that had barely been cleared at all. “I think I may need some more tissue. And possibly a new keyboard.”
“I’ll grab you some from the bathroom. Tissue that is.” She gave him a wink and headed off to supply him with further tissue. Robin tossed the soggy bit he’d been using in the bin and took a seat.
As Robin walked to the bathroom, she thought about what she was doing. She was flirting with him. Was this really a plan? She’d decided to give him enough rope to hang himself with, as the saying goes. She wanted him to go as far as he could with wanting her and realise what he was doing. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to realise. He’d stood up as she’d entered the cubicle and she’d seen what was happening down there. Her dream had come back to her and it had made her ache. She’d dismissed it as soon as she’d thought it, but it was still there. It was gnawing at her.
“Shut up.” Robin thought to herself. You’ve just got to work together. Just get on with what you have to do and stop thinking about this. “Stop thinking about what?” her mind asked in a mocking tone. She glared inwardly.
