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Author's Chapter Notes:

The morning after... and a shopping trip.

The next morning after the party, Julie continued with her normal routine taking note that AJ was still not seen around the Atrium. She didn't see him as part of the group that was cleaning up the banquet room either. She started to worry about him but she had to accompany her Domina to the market that day to purchase some new material for tunics and stolas.

The day was a balmy summer day and the minute Julie walked into the market the heat from the day and the people jammed tightly together started to bother her immediately. She followed behind and was even honored by her Domina by being asked her opinion on a few materials and jewelry. As her Domina decided if she really wanted the gold bands at one stall, Julie scanned the crowd. She needed an answer to her problem and she needed it quickly.

When she looked back up she noticed her Domina had moved on. She quickly scanned the crowd trying to determine where she went. She didn't want to work for this woman the rest of her life, yet she knew that if it was preceived as he attempting to run things could get bad for her.

Julie pushed her way through the crowds, her eyes constatnly searching for her Domina. Before she could find her however, a cloaked figure grabbed her arm and pulled her into one of the alleys. Julie prepared to defend herself with the basket when the cloaked figure removed their hood.

“Julie I don't know if you remember me...” the woman started.

“Erika?” Julie questioned, relief washing over her.

The woman nodded. “It's good to finally find you.” The woman smiled. “Is AJ with you?” Her eyes were darting around searching for AJ, or watching for others to show themselves.

“He is back at the villa, he was locked up for hitting a guest last night.” Julie replied. “How did you find us?” Julie asked excited.

“I don't have time to explain that now.” Erika responded. “There are several of us checking many different times and places. We had no lead when AJ went missing months ago, but with your disappearence we were able to...” she stopped, her head shooting up towards the market. Julie could hear her name being called.

“Will you be able to get to the baths tonight after the household is asleep? We will take you home from there.” Erika squeezed Julie's hand as Julie nodded. The other woman pulled her hood up and turned the opposite direction, quickly moving away.

Julie turned and made her way back to the market, finding her Domina quickly. Her mistress slew several words at her, Julie only comprehending half of them, but she understood that her Domina was more scared bad men got her and not that she'd run off.

“Me miseret,” Julie apologized. Her mistress smiled at her and motioned for her to follow again. Julie continued to play along as they shopped despite the heat and her anticipation making it hard for her to concentrate on the task at hand. Finally, they finished their shopping trip and made their way back to the villa. Julie hoped that AJ would be amongst the slaves when she returned.

After arriving back, Julie had to attend the fullos who had come to gather the linens to be laundered. As she dealt with the men her eyes scanned for AJ finding him scrubbing the banquet hall floor. As soon as the men left she made her way over to him, busying herself with something so it did no appear that she purposely went into the same room to speak.

“A volunteer found me,” Julie whispered.

“What?” he asked.

“She found me in the market, pulled me aside and asked if we could get out of the house tonight and meet her at the baths.” Julie moved closer. “Have you found anything out?”

“I'm still here aren't I?” AJ scowled, he was in obvious pain as he moved the rag back and forth across the floor.

Julie smiled and shook her head. “Tonight then.” She whispered before returning to her other duties.

Waiting the remainder of the day was sheer torture for Julie. She was hardly able to stand still as she served her mistress through dinner. It seemed to Julie that the dinner was lasting far longer than usual and they didn't have any dinner guests that night. Soon after it was over, Julie found herself helping her Domina prepare for bed. The sky was already dark and many in the household were already asleep but the Domina was still chattering exciteldy about something, Julie could only pick out a few words. It sounded like in few short days the household would be moving to a cooler climate to spend the summer.

Julie stifled a yawn as her mistress finally climbed into her bed and released her for the night. She hurried from the room, the household was already asleep so she found her way to AJ's quarters. She rapped on the door, their secret knock for each other but she received no response. She tried again and still no response. Would he have left without her?

She stood outside the door a little longer wondering if she should go and at least explain to Erika that she needed another shot to get AJ. She started to head out of the villa when the thought struck her that maybe he wasn't in his quarters. She slid along the floor quietly reaching the room he was locked in after the party. Knocking quietly she heard a slight muffled reply.

“AJ?” She questioned.

“Go without me,” he muttered. “The door is locked and they have me chained. I think I'm being sold soon. Go before you lose your chance.”

“I can't leave you.” She wanted to scream it through the door but that would wake someone and ruin both of their chances.

“You can't get to me and they won't wait around forever. Go!” he demanded through the door.

“I will come back for you,” she whispered placing her hand on the door as if that would comfort him.

She pulled her shawl over her head and checked over her shoulder as she ran out of the villa and towards the baths. She was thankful she wasn't far, it would be easy to get lost and fall into the hands of men out to cause her harm. She arrived, smiling as she saw the cloaked figure standing near the entrance. When the figure noticed Julie she waved her over and Julie quickly moved towards her.

“Where's AJ?” Erika's voice asked.

“I couldn't get him out,” Julie whispered. “He's been locked up.”

Erika looked in the direction that Julie had come from with hopeful eyes. Saddness filled her eyes as she turned to Julie. “Well I have my orders to evacuate you and if AJ isn't here then I will just have to take you.”

Erika held onto Julie's wrist and pushed the button her device. Warmth filled her as they traveled through time. Julie turned to her travel companion when they arrived safe back in The Library and hugged her tightly. “Thank you,” She murmured. “I will save him.” It was Julie's turn to squeeze the other woman's arm.

Erika nodded and walked away. Julie swore she saw tears in the woman's eyes.

“It's only natural that volunteers begin to feel a special connection to each other and seek out each other. They understand what they go through, they understand the risks and part of their lives don't have to be kept secret,” a welcome voice from behind her came.

“Kevin,” Julie breathed his name out and turned to face the man she thought she'd never see again. “How did you find us?”

“Nick is still using his original device, the one he altered to bend the rules. Since we aleady have his frequency on file we started researching data his device still sent back to headquarters. Kevin told us that you jumped using your device so we started researching Nick's jumps that showed he jumped from somewhere but no evidence he jumped to the time using his own device. It took awhile but we managed to find this time period and it lined up with a jump made by Nick around the time AJ was taken.” He walked towards her and lifted his hand to remove the shawl from her head. She sensed hesitation from him as her head was revealed. He looked as if he wanted to push her hair back but dropped his hand without touching her head.

“We had several volunteers set up throughout the city maybe a week after you went missing. When Erika told us she found you,” Kevin paused and looked away almost as if he didn't want Julie to see his face. “AJ?” He asked.

“He assaulted a guest the other night. He was locked in a room and chained. I couldn't get him out. He thinks he might be sold, will possibly be sent to the Colosseum.” Julie could feel her eyes welling with tears now that she was safe, now that she was away from the situation. “I told him I would save him.”

“If you can track Nick through his device then why don't you just track him and show up where he is?” Julie asked. It would end all of this so much faster and easier

“Let me show you the computer that displays the data of each device we can track.” Kevin steered her to a screen that looked like the screen from The Matrix, numbers streaming across the screen. “That is what we have to work with. It takes our next best analyzer a couple days to interpret the data and by that time Nick is likely gone.”

“How fast can your best analyzer to it?” Julie wondered why they just didn't use him.

“It took him only a few hours. Nick was a genius with that code.” Kevin added looking away.

Julie stood awakwardly wondering what she could possibly say now. Her thoughts soon came back to AJ and him stranded in Rome. “I told AJ I would save him.”

Kevin nodded. “We could send you back with a device and a way to free him.” He gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

Julie nodded. “I am ready.”

“Right, we need to get Howie and Charles to approve it.” He smiled and directed her towards the stairs to the basement levels.

They arrived in the offices, a part of The Library Julie hadn't seen yet. Five desks filled the room, two men sat working diligently. She recognized Howie immediately. She squinted her eyes at the other man, but Charles still had the same messy hair and unkept clothing as he did in twenty-twelve.

“Julie,” Howie nodded in her direction.

“It's you?” Charles asked when he turned to face her. “I remember meeting you that day at the coffee shop.” He smiled and held out his hand. “Good to actually meet you.” Seeing the confused look on Julie's face Charles offered more information, tapping his head. “Photogenic.”

Julie nodded in response.

“She says she is willing to go back and help retrieve AJ.” Kevin interjected.

“I can't do that in clear conscience.” Charles held up her hand.

“Why?” Julie pleaded.

“You are not a volunteer, it is not your duty to rescue our own.”

“Then make me one.” Julie demanded of the older man. “I want to help, I promised I would help.” She paused for a few minutes before another thought flew in her head. “Nick was there, after he dropped us off. He came back and had dinner with the couple that owned AJ and myself. I want to help, I need to help.”

Julie could feel Kevin standing behind her, his placed gently on her back. “Sir, I believe it is meant to happen. Don't forget I found her in The Library, getting in when no one was there to let her in.”

Charles sighed and nodded. “I see your point Kevin. Let's get started then.” He stuck out his hand again. “Thank you for volunteering for Chronos Project.” He shook her hand and then wiped his own off on his pants. “Howie and Kevin will get you set up.” He turned away from her and back to his desk as the other three headed back down the hall towards the lab Julie visited in twenty forty-five.

Kevin's words rang in her ears. “meant to happen.” Deep down she knew this was always her path, that she was always meant to be in Kevin's world. She looked up at the man and quietly slipped her hand into his as they walked. He didn't pull away, the continued down the hall together hand in hand.