"So let me get this straight." Prince glances from Ronnie to Lani and back. "You," he points at Lani. "Are from 1995 and are engaged to --"

"To you," Lani states bluntly. Her fingers are toying with the strings of the hoodie she's borrowed from Ronnie.

Prince swallows, looking at his wife. "And you have travelled back to 1995 and met --"

"You."

"This is giving me a headache," he confesses.

"You're not the only one." Ronnie looks at Lani, studying her carefully. "Lani, just before it happened, did you feel any different? Did you feel -- anything?" She doesn't want to say it outright, because she doesn't want to lead Lani on - if they're going to get to the bottom of this, whatever this is, they're going to have to think very hard about what's happening to them.

"Dizzy. I felt dizzy. It was like --" Lani blinks. "Like a dizzy spell, you know when you get up too quickly after you've been lying down for a while."

"That's what I felt!" Ronnie almost jumps with excitement. "Just before I left yours, when I walked out and travelled back. It felt like the world --"

"Started spinning out of nowhere," Lani finishes. Her eyes are still fixed on Prince as she watches him closely, as if she can't quite believe what she's seeing. Ronnie knows that's how she must have looked just a few days ago, when she'd seen her Prince.

Only, 1995 is something Ronnie has already lived through. 2020 is something Lani can't even imagine - and here she is. Ronnie can only be thankful that Prince is a bit of a technophobe, because she doesn't know how long they have together and she doesn't want to waste the time explaining what a smartphone is.

Prince shifts slightly closer to Ronnie, as if for reassurance. "But I don't know you," he tells Lani. "I've never met you in my life. How could I have been engaged to you -- did I suffer a sudden bout of amnesia or something?"

This makes Lani huff a laugh, though Ronnie's not quite sure why. "I don't know. I really don't know." Her eyes are fixed on Prince and Ronnie's linked hands.

Ronnie clears her throat. "Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary, happening around these things? Anything like --"

"Items disappearing out of nowhere?"

"Seriously, Lani, get out of my head."

Lani smirks. "The saline you gave me last time. That's disappeared. I couldn't find it."

"And the blood --"

"Blood?" Prince interjects, his head snapping to look at Ronnie. She squeezes his fingers.

"Calm down, it's just blood for tests I drew from Lani's baby. It was gone. I thought I was going nuts."

"And what about the tissue?" Lani interjects. "The tissue I gave you at --"

She stops herself immediately, and Ronnie's brain screeches painfully. Please don't say cancer clinic, please don't say it, please don't --

"-- at the park, where I met you."

Thank God Lani is incredibly perceptive. "Yeah. Yeah, that was gone too."

"Y'all know how crazy this whole thing sounds, right?" Prince looks at Lani. "Like, absolutely crazy. How do we know that you're not someone who just randomly decided to raid my shower?"

"Prince," Ronnie says quietly. "I know her. I've seen it with my own two eyes."

"That's not the point, Ronnie, lots of things could happen, you know how it was like with --"

"It's not the same. That's different. Lani's not --"

"Listen, Prince," the name seems to leave Lani's lips with some difficulty. "I know you don't trust me. It's who you are. My Prince didn't trust Ronnie either. I don't know what's going on. All I know is that --" She sighs and looks at Ronnie. "We seem to be connected. In some way. I don't know how or why, but it keeps happening and it's always us."

"But if it's not time travel, then --"

"Papa?" A little voice interrupts them and their three heads turn to the door almost automatically.

Leah is standing there, holding her stuffed bumblebee, one finger in her mouth. She totters over to Prince, looking at Lani curiously.

"Hi, princess," he greets her with a warm smile, lifting her up on his knee and gently taking her finger out of her mouth. "You okay?"

"Uh-huh." Leah blinks. Ronnie knows that her little tornado isn't just going to leave things like that without asking. "Papa, who is the funny lady?"

--

Prince bounces Leah nervously on his knee as he, Ronnie and Lani look at each other baffled...unsure how to answer the child's innocent question.

Soon growing impatient waiting for an answer that's not coming, an inquisitive Leah hops off her papa's knee to walk up and tap Lani on the knee, drawing her attention.

"Hi! I'm Leah Nelson," she says pointing to her chest with a big toothy smile, which Lani can't help notices exactly mirrors Prince's. Awww...she's adorable, and so much like her daddy...and my e ipo.

"..and that's my mama and papa..." she continues pointing, before directing eyes that are a carbon copy of Ronnie's in her direction. "Who're you?"

Lani's face morphs into a sweet smile as she decides to address the little girl from her own vantage point, crouching down until she's eye level with her.

Once the two are finally eye to eye, Lani offers her a short, to the point explanation as she extends her hand out for Leah, who almost shyly reaches out and takes it in a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Leah. My name is Lani, and I'm a friend of your mom here," she offers with a smile before turning her gaze to Ronnie for confirmation.

"That's right, sweetie," Ronnie directs to her daughter with a smile. "I forgot she was planning to pop over for tea, so when Papa saw her she startled him."

Leah's eyes light up with her mother's explanation, her lips puckered in a tiny O of understanding.

She then turns back to Lani with a twinkle in her eye extending her tiny hand for her take as she prepares to make her exit.

In a slightly bossy tone, she encourages Lani to join her. "Come on, Lan Lan. Let's play tea party."

Not wanting to disappoint her, Lani makes quick eye contact with Ronnie and Prince to be sure it's alright when Ronnie interjects in her best mom voice. "Leah sweetie, Lani came to visit mommy. Maybe you two can play later."

"But mama..." Leah replies with a pout so closely matching Prince's that it melts Lani's heart just a little. She's such a little heartbreaker. If Prince and I's kids are anything like her, then we're in big trouble...

"Listen to your mama, Leah," Prince admonishes her gently. "Lani will play later, right...?" he continues, moving his gaze over to Lani who offers an affirmative nod before giving Leah a bright smile.

"You promise?" Leah asks her in a tiny childlike voice, eyes pleading.

"I promise," Lani replies with a reassuring smile which is good enough for Leah, who runs out of the room like a little tornado sporting an ear to ear grin.

---

"She's not going to forget that, you know," Ronnie smiles as Leah runs out. "Memory of an elephant, that girl's got."

"Gets it all from her mother," Prince adds and Ronnie shoves him gently. He looks from his wife back to Lani and Ronnie can see the tension in his shoulders, the slightly guarded line between his eyebrows. He doesn't trust her still, and Ronnie understands - it's a very him thing to do.

Lani can tell too, she clears her throat as she adjusts her legs, still sitting on the floor. "Leah's adorable. She looks a lot like you e -- Prince."

The tension in the room is very counterproductive and Ronnie doesn't want to waste the limited time they have together. She squeezes Prince's arm. "Sweetie, why don't you --"

"Do we have children?" Prince interrupts, looking at Lani. "You and me. You and --" He takes a deep breath through his nose. "You and your Prince."

Lani looks flustered as she looks down at her hands. "Kind of. We're just in the process of adopting a baby girl who was dropped off at our doorstep."

"Adoption," Prince murmurs under his nose and looks at Ronnie. "1995, that would be before Ahmir and Mayte then."

"Who's Ahmir?"

It's a completely innocent and sensible question from Lani but it still makes Prince's face blanch slightly. Ronnie needs to diffuse this situation, immediately - whatever this cosmic joke is, it's her cosmic joke, her and Lani's, and Prince might have just had too much of it for one day.

"Honey," she interjects, adopting her mum voice, which, surprisingly enough, works with her husband, too. "It's almost five. You should go and pick Marie up from school."

"Ronnie --"

"We'll be fine. Come meet us here when you've got her, okay?"

Prince's eyes meet hers, he looks distressed and confused and Ronnie knows she won't hear the end of it tonight. He takes in a deep breath.

"Okay. Okay." With a glance at Lani, he leans in to kiss Ronnie's forehead goodbye. Ever the consummate gentleman, he gives Lani a nod. "It was -- nice meeting you, Lani."

"You too," she supplies and Ronnie doesn't know if they both mean "nice" as in "weird" but she'll take it. They both watch him walk away and Lani seems to take a breath of relief when the door closes behind him.

"Sorry about him," Ronnie shrugs apologetically. "He's just --"

"I know," Lani smiles and of course she does. If anyone would know, it's her. "Did I say something wrong? I didn't know --"

"No, of course you wouldn't have." Maybe by explaining she's going to cause a rift in time and space forever, but Ronnie's willing to risk it. She knows she can trust Lani. "Ahmir is Prince's son, who passed away in 1996. He was only a week old."

"Oh," Lani visibly deflates and leans back, taking a deep breath. Ronnie doesn't have to guess all the horrifying scenarios going through her head, as she toys with the engagement ring on her finger. "Do you think that means --"

"I don't know Lani. I don't know if it means anything, or what it could mean. All I know is that I don't think this is time travel. It doesn't make sense, him not remembering you, it's -- it's something else."

"I think you're right. I think we're in the centre of something, something --" Lani gestures with her hands helplessly, trying to explain the enormity of the thing. "But it's you and me, Ronnie. We're the ones making it happen. Somehow."

"Yeah?" Ronnie gives her a small smile. "Well, could have gotten a worse deal, really. We're both pretty cool."

Lani looks at her and chuckles. "So we are."

"Right. This has been a stressful afternoon. You know what fixes everything? A good cup of tea."

Lani groans with relief. "That sounds wonderful. Can I have honey in mine, please?"

"Sure you can. I'll be back in a few minutes, alright? Don't --" Ronnie breathes in. "Don't go anywhere."

"I'll try."

No such luck. Ten minutes later, just as the kettle's boiled, Leah saunters into the little kitchen, with a grumpy look on her face.

"Mommy lied!"

"What?" Ronnie goes to pick her up and bounce her on her hip. "Baby, what are you talking about?"

Leah's grumpy pout stays on her face. "Mommy promised I can play with Lan Lan, but now Lan Lan has gone!"

"Lani's in the living room, Leah."

"No! Lan Lan has gone Mommy!"

Strengthening her hold on Leah, Ronnie makes her way back to the living room and, sure enough, her hoodie and her trousers lie forgotten on the sofa where Lani was just sitting, with no Lani in sight.

Ronnie blinks as Leah pulls on her hair. "Mommy, why didn't Lan Lan come and say bye? Mommy, when is she back?"

Well, this is going to be an interesting one to explain.

---

:1995:

The expected bout of dizziness couldn't have come at a worse time for Lani. One minute she was seated on Ronnie's couch waiting for her to make tea; the next she was once again naked, woozy, and under a deluge of scalding water in the shower.

To make matters even worse, the bathtub was slippery. Suffice to say, she was upright one minute...but landing squarely on her butt the next. "Damn it!" she mutters, making her way toward the faucet on her hands and knees, turning the water rapidly off.

She quickly feels around for any injuries. Noting the only thing hurt was her pride, she climbs out of the tub to wrap a towel around herself for the second time that afternoon.

"Well if I wasn't clean before, I certainly am now..." she grumbles, taking in a sound asleep Violet with a fond motherly grin. She quietly slips into fresh clothes, her mind running a mile a minute.

This last bout of time travel...or whatever the hell's occurring between her and Ronnie has got her all tied up in knots.

What is happening here? Why us? Why now? Ronnie's right...it can't be time travel. E ip-errr Prince would remember me if it were. I know he would!

While elated by the opportunity to see her new friend once again, she can't help the overwhelming feeling of shock and confusion connected to this latest visit.

Well if I didn't believe Ronnie's story already, I certainly do now. Leah's adorable...the perfect blend of Prince and Ronnie. Such a little cutie. I hope my e ipo and I have children just like her someday.

Speaking of Prince, if Ronnie's is any indication, he's going to age like a fine wine, getting better with each passing year...

As the image of Ronnie's more mature version of her fiance fills Lani's mind, she also feels the overwhelming aura of sadness surrounding him as he mentioned his son Ahmir, and his mother Mayte.

Poor Prince...Ronnie says Ahmir was only a week old when he died. I can't even imagine the grief he must feel...losing a child, his child, that young. When did this happen again? 1996...only one short year from now, she thinks with a shudder, contemplating the horrors such a future might hold.

What does all this mean? Could this really be our future or simply a glimpse into what might've been? Does my e ipo even know this woman....this Mayte? And if he does, should I be worried?

Her head spinning with far more questions than answers, she absentmindedly picks up the car seat, careful not to awaken a contently sleeping Violet; dashing off to the only place she knows will drown out the voices swirling inside her mind, at least temporarily...her fiance and his studio rehearsal.

--

:2020:

"Mommy!" Leah's whine persists. "Mommy wanna play with Lan Lan!"

"Sweetie, Lani will be back soon." Will she? Ronnie doesn't really know, but that's the best she can do right now. "Sorry she didn't get to say goodbye, sweetie, can I make it up to you with some chocolate?"

Blessed be the power of cocoa beans, because the moment Leah hears the word "chocolate", her face lights up and the whine disappears. They're going to have a lot of headache with that when she gets into her teens, Ronnie thinks.

Daughter successfully distracted, she gets back to making a cup of tea for herself and starting on dinner. They're staying at Paisley overnight, because her and Prince have work to do and it's just easier in so many ways than having to call Nadine. Besides, the girls don't mind - Ronnie feels as if they've turned Paisley into their second home anyway and that makes her happy.

Just as she gets her casserole in the oven, she hears commotion from the Atrium and Marie buzzes into the kitchen, a big smile on her face.

"Hi, Mommy!"

Ronnie can't help but give her a big grin and kneels down so that Marie can sloppily kiss her cheek. "Hi, sweetie. Have you had a good day?"

"Oh, the best, Mommy." Marie throws her arms around Ronnie's neck. "Miss Keene explained me about the halves and thirds and quarters and how you can use them when you cook to measure your ingredi--ingrediments right and it's fun but Miss Keene said you can quarter any kitchen ingre--ingre--"

"Ingredient."

"Ingrediment and and how can you quarter an egg Mommy?"

"Well, you can't, but --"

"I'm gonna try! Can I have some eggs, Mommy?"

Prince chuckles as he walks into the kitchen, Marie's school bag slung over his shoulder. "You get two eggs."

"Papa!"

"Two eggs."

Marie pouts but still beams when Ronnie gives her the two eggs.

"Marie!" Leah giggles as she hops off the highchair. "Marie play!"

They run out of the kitchen together and Ronnie shakes her head. "Just so you know, I won't be the one getting egg out of the carpets."

"No, guess not." Prince drops Marie's bag and comes around to wrap his arms around his wife. "Hey."

"Hey."

"She still here?"

Ronnie knows exactly who he's talking about.

"No, she, well. She left, shortly after you did."

"Hmm." Prince nuzzles her neck as she tries to maneuver around with him to not burn their dinner. "She's the woman, isn't she? The one you asked me about a few days ago?"

Ronnie closes the oven and turns around in his arms to look at him. "She is, yes. I thought, well. It was one way of trying to find out what was happening."

He looks slightly hurt. "Why didn't you tell me? That you'd -- time-travelled, or whatever?"

"Because I didn't want to get committed?"

"Ronnie --"

"Seriously, I didn't believe it myself, first. I wanted to find out what was going on and I didn't want you to think your wife had finally lost it." She smiles and rubs her nose against his. His confused expression is too adorable for his own good and Ronnie feels relieved, now, that he knows - she hates keeping things from him, because he's been her best friend and strongest support for so many years now, so being able to talk about everything is such a relief.

Then tell him about the cancer, too, a treacherous voice sounds in her head and she clenches her jaw, willing her guilty consciousness to finally shut up. Prince frowns when he sees the change in expression.

"I wouldn't have thought that. Crazier things have happened in this world. You okay, mama? You looks -- preoccupied."

"Yes, yes. I was just --" Ronnie takes a deep breath. "Wondering why she didn't know who Mayte was. Or Ahmir."

Prince sighs. "I suppose that matches up with me never having seen her before in my life." He studies Ronnie's face. "You-- did you see her fiance?"

"Yes. He's you. You in 1995. Mushroom hair, badly sculpted sideburns and all." She gives him a small smile. "Can't mistake that, really."

Prince rolls his eyes. "Don't start."

"No, but seriously, it's -- it's odd, and I don't think it's as simple as time travel. It wouldn't make sense." Ronnie purses her lips, thinking. "I'm going to look into it a bit more. I have theories but -- need to do the research behind them, too, and the local library is --"

Before she can say another word, Prince grins and pulls her in for a long, deep kiss, cupping the back of her head. His tongue invades her mouth and Ronnie almost loses her footing, as she scrambles to hold onto his forearms.

After what feels like an eternity, he pulls back and Ronnie's so very glad he's still holding her because she doesn't really trust her legs. "What was that for?"

"You're very hot when you're being clever."

She snickers. "Yeah? Well, if I talk a bit more about time travel when we go to bed, maybe I'll get lucky."

"Maybe you will. Who knows."

"We just have to make sure no naked women emerge from your shower again."

"Dunno, mama, if you're feeling adventurous --"

Ronnie slaps his arm in response and Prince chuckles, letting her go with one last peck to her lips.

--

:1995:

Prince and Lani are exhausted. Between rehearsals, the struggle to get Violet to sleep and Lani's mind wandering, the two find themselves in bed early.

Prince is silently reading with his glasses on, reclined back against the headboard with a look of intense concentration on his face. Lani's head is resting comfortably on his shoulder, a direct contrast to the troubling thoughts racing through her mind.

Ultimately she's not sure whether she should ask him about Mayte or not. She's spent hours now grappling with how his knowledge of this woman might impact their relationship...and that's not even taking their child, Ahmir into consideration. What do I do?

She turns her head up to gaze into his intense amber eyes, gently raking her fingers through his chest hair with a heavy sigh.

"Penny for your thoughts, mama?" he murmurs softly, inserting a bookmark into the book and placing it off to the side.

"Hmm...?" Lani replies distractedly, drawing patterns across his chest and belly with her fingertips. Now's your chance, Lani...ask him!

"You've seemed out of sorts all afternoon. Is there anything you wanna tell me, honey?" he asks gently, burying his nose in her hair as he wraps his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her close.

"I saw Ronnie this afternoon," she begins tentatively. "while you were rehearsing..." Well here goes nothing...

"She's okay, isn't she?" he asks, peering into her eyes with concern. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Uhhhh..." Lani replies, eyes unsure.

"You know you can tell me anything don't you, mama?" he asks softly, nuzzling her neck with his nose reassuringly until he feels the subtle nod of her head.

"Well...?" he asks, pulling away far enough to peer into her blue eyes questioningly.

"Does the name Mayte mean anything to you?" she asks so quietly he's sure his ears must be playing tricks on him.

He hadn't heard that name in over a year, not since the day he'd left her along with that part of his past behind him...presumably for good.

"Where did you hear that name?" he asks suspiciously, his arms loosening just enough to pull away and catch Lani's gaze with a wary expression.. So he does know her!

"Nuh uh...don't do that," Lani replies, blue eyes flashing a warning.

"Do what?" he snaps, pulling away and clamming up.

"Distract me with questions so you don't have to answer," she retorts firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just answer the damn question! " she whisper shouts, tears filling her eyes in panic as realization sets in. Damn you!

She moves to get out of bed, planning to spend the night alone in the nursery with Violet. Before her feet can even hit the floor, his hand encircles her upper arm pulling her back down into his arms.

"All right mama, you win," his husky baritone mumbles into her ear haltingly. "I do know her," he admits, eyes boring into hers, pleading for understanding.

"How?" Lani asks softly, shaking with nervousness and anxiety in his arms as tears silently roll down her cheeks.
Wanting nothing more than to leave his history with Mayte in the past where it belongs, he decides to be honest...but as quick and to the point as possible.

His voice gruff in response to the look of pain in Lani's eyes, he reaches forward; gently wiping the tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "She's a belly dancer...great one," he begins haltingly.

"Her mother introduced us a few years ago, and once I saw how talented she was I knew I needed her..." he continues, meeting her broken gaze with great reluctance.

"At the time, she fit into my band...and my life perfectly," he admits softly. He looks down to the comforter as his fingers start to play with a loose string for a few moments before his earnest eyes rise to meet hers in a plea.

"But then I met you, and everything changed. Suddenly old life didn't fit who I was anymore...who I wanted to be, so I ended things with her, both personally and professionally, and I never looked back. It's you, Lani...it's always been you," he finishes softly, his voice cracking with his admission.

He pulls her into a tight hug, enveloping her in his comforting scent for several beats before pulling away to peer at her intently. "Now it's your turn, mama."

"For what?" she asks with a sniffle, wiping her remaining tears away with her sleeve.

"I'm sorry for never mentioning my past with Mayte to you, but it just didn't seem important," he replies cautiously, peering at her with suspicion. "But if I never told you about her, then who did?"

"You," she whispers almost inaudibly, and he can't help wondering if he's heard her correctly. His baffled look compels her to clarify, so she chokes out, "A much older you. 25 years older to be exact..."

Confusion makes way for clarity on Prince's face as he muses over the implications of what she's just revealed. "Ronnie's husband?" he asks gruffly, looking to Lani for confirmation.

"We met for the first time today," she reveals with a nod and a gleam in her eye. "I dropped in on them during your rehearsal," she finishes with a chuckle.

"What was he like?"

"So much like you it was eerie..." she admits, suddenly bashful. "It was a little like staring our future right in the face. I met their daughter too...Leah."

"Oh really?" he asks inquisitively, reclining back to get comfortable and pulling her down to rest her head on his belly as she idly plays with his chest hair.

"I wish you could've seen her, e ipo. She was adorable...the perfect blend of y...err Prince and Ronnie," she continues softly, raising shining eyes to meet his in a wistful expression.

"Just by looking at her you can tell she's trouble...but the very best kind. I'm sure she's got her papa wrapped around her tiny finger..." she muses with a smile, her hand now idly resting against his beating heart.

"He deserves that kind of happiness too...especially after..." Her voice trailing off, her eyes turn sad as she lifts herself to meet Prince's lips in a comforting, tender kiss.

He pulls back just a fraction of an inch, but still close enough that she can feel his whispered question ghost along her lips. "After what, sugar?"

"After Ahmir died..." Lani chokes out in a whisper, eyes tearing up.

Prince reaches over gently, bringing her gaze back to his with a confused expression. "Honey...who's Ahmir?"

As her quiet sniffles fill the air, he brushes her tears away with his thumbs; offering her a reassuring smile. "You can tell..." he begins quietly, only to be interrupted by Lani's rushed voice. "He's your...no, Prince's son...with Mayte..."

"What?!" Prince blurts out stunned, causing Lani to jump up, ready to make a run for it...only for her fiance's husky question to stop her in her tracks. "I...he really had a child...with her?"

"That's what he, what they told me," Lani admits sadly, her lip starting to quiver. "They only had him a week when he..." But why? Why did he die?

"He died," Prince finishes in a daze, trying to process everything she's just told him until...

"Wow...I guess I really dodged a bullet didn't I?" he blurts out suddenly, an awkward giggle passing from his lips confusing Lani.

"It's not funny!" she exclaims with a serious expression, hands on her hips as his husky chuckle continues to fill the air...eventually settling into an uncomfortable silence. It really isn't funny! Could this happen to us...to our baby?

"Honey I'm not laughing at you, I promise," he offers solemnly, catching her hands in his with an earnest expression. "I'm laughing at the absurdity of this situation. Trust me when I tell you that whatever happened to Ronnie's husband isn't going to happen to us. I love you. I want you, and no one else." he reassures her, capturing her lips in a tender kiss before pulling away to gaze into her shining sapphire eyes. Awwww...

"You're it for me, mama...you and Violet. You're my family. You know that right?" he asks, hazel orbs searching her own blue ones for some reassurance of his own. You're my family too, e ipo...

She places her hands on his cheeks to pull him into a sweet kiss...until he slowly pulls away to rest his forehead against hers.

"Well it seems that in this universe at least," he sighs deeply, before letting out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. "Everything is just right."

--

:2020:

"Mommy?"

Prince and Ronnie scramble in bed when they hear the little voice outside their door, as he grumpily retracts his hand from between her legs. "If anyone ever told me parenthood meant never getting any ever ..."

"Hush you. Yes, sweetie?"

The door pushes open and it's Marie with Jordan the rabbit, shuffling on her feet and looking admonished. "Mommy, can you sleep with us?"

Leah and Marie always sleep together at Paisley, and it's by choice, too - of course Prince has had two rooms redone especially for them, but Ronnie feels like that's the one part where they don't feel as safe here as they do at home. Tonight, it seems that they need more reassurance. She looks at Prince and he nods, placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder just before she gets out of bed. "Of course. Of course, sweetpea. Is everything okay?"

Marie nods and sniffles. "Leah had a ni-- a nightmare and then she woke up and she told me about it and now we're both too scared to sleep."

"Oh, poor darlings." Ronnie picks Marie up and bounces her on her hip gently. "I'll come and give you both a good cuddle to chase the bad dreams away, hm?"

Marie nods and lays her head on Ronnie's shoulder. Just before they head out, she squirms. "Mommy, wait!"

"What is it, baby?"

Ronnie puts her down and Marie climbs up on their bed, throwing her arms around Prince. "Don't be sad that Mommy's not here, Papa, please!"

Something squeezes in Ronnie's heart as she sees them and Prince chuckles, kissing Marie's head. "I won't princess, I promise. I'll see you in the morning."

"Love you, Papa!" Marie places a big kiss on his cheek and he nuzzles her cheek back.

"Love you too, sweetie."

Clearly happy with herself, Marie jumps off the bed and catches Ronnie's hand again. "Mommy, let's go!"

"Good night, Papa," she winks at him on her way out.

"Night, Mommy. You kick those bad dreams in the butt."

Marie snickers. "Papa said butt."

She shakes her head at him and they walk out of Paisley, heading out for the guest bedroom, where Leah's already snuggled on the king-sized bed, almost hidden under the covers. Ronnie climbs in next to her, with Marie close by, and pulls her daughter in for a hug. "I hear someone had a bad dream?"

Leah nods, but it's shaky and unsure and when she shifts close to her mother, Ronnie understands that it won't be that easy. She turns on her back so that she can wrap an arm around both her girls, kissing their heads. "Bad dreams are just dreams, sweethearts. They can't hurt you. Papa and I will protect you from anything bad, always."

"Mommy, can I have story?" Leah asks, snuggled in her shoulder.

"Of course sweetie. What would you like to hear?"

"How you met Papa."

Ronnie shakes her head. "Again? Marie heard that story the other day."

"Again, Mommy!" Marie demands as well and Ronnie rolls her eyes playfully.

"I do have other stories, you know."

"No, Mommy! Again!"

"Okay, okay. Well, it was a very cold and very rainy evening in October, when I got on my bike to ride to Paisley Park ..."

As she keeps talking, she can feel the girls' breathing evening out. That story always works like a charm, in putting them both to sleep after a nightmare. Then again, Ronnie guesses, all fairytales with a happy ending do. When the girls are warm and sleepy against her, Ronnie knows she should get back into her own bed, but she's comfortable and she doesn't feel like moving - she's sure Prince would forgive her. Without realising, she drifts off into an easy sleep herself.

:1995:

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Alright, alright, I'm up." Ronnie can swear that she only went to sleep about twenty minutes ago - that's definitely what it feels like, anyway. Marie, ever the bed bug, is still snoozing quietly next to her, but Leah is an early riser. Lord knows where she got that from, considering both her parents like a good lie-in.

"Mommy, let's have faffles for breakfast!"

"Sure, baby." She's not quite sure what she's agreeing to, but it can't be too bad, considering. "Why don't you go and see if your Papa's up?"

Leah nods and shuffles out of the bed, her fear and worry completely dissolved now the sunlight is coming through the windows. Maybe it's because it was dark, but Ronnie doesn't remember this room being so green as it was before. She blinks, trying to get her bearings.

When Leah goes out, she hears her excited squeal which means only one thing - Papa's up.

"Papa!"

Ronnie expects many things in answer to that. Prince loves being called Papa, he revels in it - and he normally lets out this adorable belly laugh every time it happens. She also expects Leah's happy squeals which she always lets out when he cuddles her.

What she does not expect is: "Uh -- I don't think so."

That voice is familiar. It's Prince's, but it's also not. Suddenly, Ronnie's very, very awake and she comes to realise just what's happened. What she hears next only confirms her suspicions.

"E-ipo, what --"

She gets out of bed so quickly it makes her dizzy but Leah's no-less excited squeal is loud enough to startle Marie awake, too.

"Lan-Lan! You're back! Why is Papa's hair so funny?"

"Leah?" Lani sounds extremely startled, rightly so. Scrambling for the door, Ronnie opens it, just to come face-to-face with Prince - the 1995 version of him, anyway - with a slightly pallid face and Lani, who's unable to hold her big grin.

"Wow," is all Ronnie manages, blinking herself awake still.

"So --" Lani clears her throat. "Someone decided we've got unfinished business or something?"

Ronnie's as dignified as she can be in her silk nightie. "I guess. But --"

Marie interrupts her, poking out from behind Ronnie. "Mommy, who --"

"Marie, this is Lan Lan, she is Mommy's friend!" Leah explains excitedly, eager to catch Marie up on her knowledge. "And Papa cut his hair while we were sleeping! And painted everywhere!"

Every time Leah says "Papa" and looks at Prince, he seems to be closer and closer to leaving this Earth prematurely. Ronnie can't help but laugh at the look on his face, he looks like he's been slapped.

"This isn't your Papa, sweetie."

"Oh?" Leah pouts in confusion. "But --"

"Mommy, are you sure?" Marie pipes up, quiet, hiding behind Ronnie still.

"Yes, pretty sure."

"I think," Lani announces. "We can all talk about this over breakfast."

Nothing has sounded like a better idea to Ronnie in a long, long time. She meets Lani's eyes and the absurdity of the situation hits her so hard that she bursts out into chuckles, growing into a full-blown laughter. Lani is quick to follow, and she can tell that they're both thinking about their encounter yesterday, while the girls and Prince look at them with identical confused expressions, which makes them laugh even more.

"Honey, it's not funny!"

"Mommy! What's the joke!"

"Mommy!"

"Okay, okay," Ronnie catches her breath. "Breakfast. Come on, girls."

Thankfully, her daughters are wonderfully single-minded as they race each other down the steps to the kitchen. Still chuckling, Ronnie looks at Lani and Prince again and before she can react, Lani has her wrapped in a strong hug.

"Sorry I left so suddenly yesterday."

"It's not your fault. Sorry we burst in on you. I guess -- we don't travel alone? That's a thing?"

"That it is," Lani laughs and looks at Prince. "Let's get some breakfast and tea and coffee and all that and we can see what we'll make out of this, hm?"

"Sure. And remember, you owe Leah a tea party."

"Oh, yeah." Lani and Ronnie burst into laughter again and Prince, completely confused at their behaviour, announces: "Y'all are fucking nuts."

"Swear jar," Ronnie shoots back.

"What?"

"Oh God, this is going to take some explaining ..."