Lili sat sipping at her vita-coffee. She and Freyja were in another conversation about Nick. Since watching the programs on him two months ago, Freyja had fallen for him badly.

"It's not fair," she said to her great-grandmother. "I'm in love with him yet he's dead. Do you think his spirit is with us now?".

Lili smiled. "Yes. I can feel his presence. I have been able to since the day he died,".

"Really?" Freyja exclaimed, amazed.

Lili nodded. "People may think I'm going crazy in my old age, but I swear, I can feel his spirit. I still love him, he's always been in my heart,".

"How many times did you see him, grandmother?" Freyja asked.

"Three times," Lili said with a smile. "July 1998, December 1999 and February 2000. The best concerts I ever went to,".

"I've watched that concert program at least ten times, it looked amazing. I wish I could have been there,".

"That concert was in Miami. I remember the days when Miami was a city, with beautiful beaches and great shops. Unfortunately now all of Florida is under water. It's such a shame. At least they saved much of the city to put on the artificial island. But they couldn't save the beaches...".

"I'd love to go to a beach," Freyja said. "I had a dream once that I was in a clean, safe world and I was lying on a beach by the ocean. It was wonderful but it's not possible now,".

"Nick loved the ocean," Lili informed her. "He lived on the water and always talked about his love for the ocean in interviews. He had a shark tattoo,".

"I know," Freyja said. "I wish I could have met him. He seems so special. It's not his looks I'm in love with, although he was gorgeous. It's his kind personally, his good heart, his angelic voice,".

"Yes, he was a wonderful person," Lili agreed. "he deserved to live longer,".

"At least he never lived to see this awful world where the oceans are polluted, he would have hated that," Freyja pointed out.

"True," Lili agreed.

Just then, Joe walked into the room with a triumphant smile. "Success!" he cried.

"Where've you been?" Lili asked. "Your shirt is damp,".

"I was on Miami beach," he stated.

"Impossible, they flooded over fifty years ago!".

"I know. I was in the year 2009,".

Lili and Freyja exchanged glances. "What?!" they both asked at the same time.

"My project that I've kept secret for the past few years had been...". he led them into his work room. "...A time machine,".

Freyja gasped. "Gosh! This is amazing! Does it work?". She looked at the shiny metal capsule, inside being a seat and a computer, wires everywhere.

"Yes, I tested it out," Joe said with a grin. "I can't get it to go forwards into the future but it can go back into the past for up to two hundred years,".

"How does it work?" Lili asked.

"Worm holes," he laughed. "In my days of being a scientist, I learnt about how in space there could be holes that were shortcuts to the past and future. It took a long time but I finally got it working,".

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!" Lila said, still shocked.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Joe told her. "Now, both of you. Keep this quiet. If the world find out, they'd all come and try steal my idea. Think of the chaos it would cause!".

Freyja nodded. "I won't tell a soul," she promised. "So what do we do with it now?".

"Put it to good use," her great-grandfather said. "This world is in a terrible state and I'd love to go back a hundred years or so to try improve it, stop some wars and campaign for the environment,".

"Can I come and help?" Freyja asked excitedly. She couldn't believe this was happening! "You know it's my dream to go back to the year 2000,".

"You can do better than just help," Joe said slowly. "You're young and ambitious. You could go a great job with improving the world. I can trust you. An old dying man like me would be no good trying to change history,".

"What are you saying?" Freyja asked nervously.

"I'm saying that, if you think you're up to it and want to, you can go alone into the past. Try your hardest to stop the Earth getting to this awful state,".

Her eyes lit up. "Seriously..?".

Joe nodded. "Yes. What do you say?".

"Yes," Freyja said determinedly. "I'll try. I'll try and go back to change the world. I'll give it my best shot. I would want that more than anything. Well, except for...". She stopped, her eyes widening.

"What is it love?" Lili asked.

"Nick," she breathed. "Oh Gosh, I've just realized. If I go back a hundred years I could stop him dying!".

Lili smiled. "Yes, dear. You could try,".

"Don't you want to come too, grandmother?" she asked. "I know you'd love to see him again,".

"No. I'd like to but I'm too old. My doctor offered me new treatments that could keep me alive until I'm a hundred and fifty but I declined the offer. I'd rather die naturally with old age then have artificial organs put in me, have scientists practically turn me into a robot! I don't agree with it,".

"I'd tell you all about it when I get back," Freyja promised with an encouraging smile.

"You might not get back," Joe said with a frown. "If you change history, we might not exist when you return,".

"Oh," Freyja said, not knowing how to respond.

"But what's there here for you?" Lili asked. "You'd be happier in the past, I know you would be. You don't need to return,".

"But I'd miss you two! You're like mother and father to me,".

"We aren't going to live much longer," Lili pointed out. "We'll be OK without you!".

Freyja thought about it then decided to go. "You're right, everything I want is in the past. I could help the world, stop it getting into this state. And I could save Nick's life,".

Lili laughed. "You're more excited about seeing Nick and saving him than seeing the old world!".

"I can't wait to see the old world," Freyja said. "But yeah, Nick is what I'm really looking forwards to,".

"We'll have to discuss this, tell you more about how life was a hundred years ago," Joe explained. "And give you the clothes and money from the time. Then you can go,".

Freyja couldn't sleep much that night. She said goodnight to a picture she'd printed of Nick.

"Nick, I'm on my way to save your life," she said to it, before drifting off to dream of him.

>>>>>

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