Time Being

Celia lay dying. The cold stole through her bones despite the warm pool of blood spreading beneath her body. Her eyes were fixed on the pale sky. Her heart stuttered and tripped trying to sustain a body that was beyond saving.Celia's mind still worked though, and despite the adage that at death your life flashes before your eyes, Celia's thoughts were centered on him.

Jon's appearance had been sudden and significant. He was a traveler, whose course took him, not to other continents, but through time and space. His path had led him to her. His eyes had been grave when he had taken her hands in his, and simply told her, " I'm here to help you." She had believed him and had allowed him to become part of her life. Celia had acknowledged within herself that she hoped his presence would become permanent. Jon was unlike any man she had ever known, he listened intently to everything she said, and he was always interested in her plans. His eyes followed her whenever they were together, which was often, as he sought to spend as much time her as was possible. Occasionally a prickle of unease would wash through her when she glanced at him and his face would be tightened by some indefinable emotion. When he caught her watching him, the expression would be wiped clean and she had convinced herself she had imagined it.

The cold pavement she was sprawled on was wet with rain, and the puddles mingled with her blood. As if conjured from her thoughts, he was suddenly there, beside her. "You came." Her voice was feeble, but he heard her. "Yes." Even struggling to remain conscious, Celia thought there was something strange about his expression or rather, lack of expression. There was no urgency in his face, no horror in his eyes. On the contrary he seemed calm and the set of his mouth was almost...satisfied? That familiar unease returned and he seemed to know her thoughts. His grave eyes looked into hers and he took her hands in his, just like that first day, and simply said, "No one is coming." Before the protest could bubble to her lips, he continued, "I told you I was here to help you." Relief flooded her system before his next words caused the blood she had left in her body to run cold. "I'm here to help you die. You see in my time, the justice system doesn't allow war criminals who are dying to receive organ transplants. I have a very rare blood type and I had to find somebody no one would miss who was a match. I need your heart Celia, I have work to do. My future is a world choking on the ashes of chaos and I must bring order to that chaos. You were always meant to die here, now. Jon's calm statement, sank into to Celia's consciousness even as her body went numb.