His alarm beeped, jolting him from his peaceful slumber. He had felt like he was floating, soaring above the sky. His heart ached. Rubbing his temples his eyes adjusted to his room as memories of the night flooded back to him. 

Pippa. The beautiful, blonde haired goddess from a time of dreams. His dreams. Quickly looking down his heart sank as he realised he was still in his pyjama bottoms. No sign of the trousers and top he had changed into. It had been a dream. None of it had been real. 

Sighing he laid his head back down onto the pillow to savour the now lingering feelings that had come with visiting that place. Trust his subconscious to take him to a magical place and put in it a magical girl. 

Her face flashed through his mind. She was beautiful. Perfect for him in every way. He let his mind wander, trying to remember every second of the dream. Seeing her for the first time, speaking to her, hearing her laugh and seeing her smile. Eating the amazing food on the sofa, her body so close to his he could barely concentrate on the film. 

But it had been a dream. 

There was no other possibility. Even though it had felt so real and Pippa had tried to convince him it were, it was a physical impossibility. No two minds can connect in a dream consciousness in the same time, let alone across time- he ran a hand through his hair, pulling on the ends, relishing in the distraction of the small amount of pain the motion generated.

His ‘G.i.l.e.s’ system flickered into life. ‘Good morning Bellamy, are you feeling ok? My data records show you have only stayed in bed this late on the 7th of September last year when you were taken ill. Should I call for medical assistance?’ The autonomic voice filled the room. 

“No thank you Giles, I am getting up now.” Seeing the time was fast approaching 8:50 he panicked. Jumping out of bed and slinging his Pyjama bottoms down the laundry chute before sliding into his jumpsuit and ordering a slice of toast and jam from the kitchen. 

“Giles, please call my car for me” he ordered as the ping of the kitchen announced the arrival of his grab and go breakfast. Lacing up his boots, toast stuffed in his mouth he raced down the hall as his car pulled up to its docking station. 

He scanned his Iris, and his profile flickered to life on the in car system. “Take me to work” he asked and after strapping himself in the car shot down the building and through the city until it reached his office. Stepping out of the car he saw the clock above Sadie’s desk- 9:02. Her head snapped up at the sound of the door closing behind him. 

“Oh thank you heavens. There you are, did you want to give me a heart attack? You have never been this late before. Ever! I was seriously considering calling for a search party!” Her curly hair normally pinned up to perfection had curls hanging loose and wild around her face. Her eyes wide, alternating with worry, anger and suspicion. 

“Sorry. I got out of bed late. It won’t happen again and I’m sorry for worrying you. If I’m ever going to be a minute late to work again, I promise I will call and let you know.” He smiled softly, her worry a nice surprise. No one had ever been worried about him before. 

At his smile the anger and suspicion melted from her eyes and a smile formed on her lips. “I've left you out your data stick as usual, what would you like for lunch?” Her voice returning to its business tone. 

Still feeling bad about scaring her, he came up with the perfect idea. “I think a table for two at IVI will do nicely.” He chuckled as her gentle smile fell into open shock. 

“Certainly, who are you wanting to take?” She asked picking up the phone and pressing the dial button for IVI.

“You of course, I feel really bad for scaring you. Plus our one year anniversary of working together is coming up soon, you deserve a treat.” He openly laughed as she became stuck for words. 

“Mr. Jezebel, thank you. It’s been a pleasure working for you- I'll reserve a table straight away.” 

“Great. I'll be ready to leave at twelve.” He opened the door to his office “One more thing. Sadie, please call me Bellamy, Mr. Jezebel is my father.” 

“Of course Sir, sorry.” She smiled again, Turing her attention to the other person on the end of the phone. “Yes, hello I would like to reserve a table for two at ten past twelve. Yes, I'm aware reservations need to be made months in advance. No I'm not crazy. Yes, your system not recognising this number is correct, I've never called before. No, I know exactly who I am thank you.

I can get my boss to come on the line if you like, but he wouldn't be too pleased. Of course you know who he is everyone knows. Name is Jezebel. Yes, you heard right. No not senior, junior.” 

He heard her sigh, irritated. “Yes, Bellamy Jezebel- thee Bellamy Jezebel. Is the reservation complete? Wonderful, we will see you at ten past twelve. Yes, we. Goodbye.” The phone clicked back into its holder. 

Bellamy held his head in his hands as he sat down behind his desk. This would be the first time he had been out into high society. Though a part of him was looking forward to the nice meal and spending time with Sadie without work it would have consequences. He was basically telling people- young women mostly- that he was ready to mingle. And he was, just not with anyone in this time. 

Sadly his thoughts flickered back to Pippa, her smile and her laugh. If he was lucky enough to return to Howden during tonight's dream he would not waste a second of being in her company. If only there was a way to prove she was real, that she had actually existed.

The realisation that if she was real, she would have grown up, gone into her dream job, met someone and fallen in love, got married, had children and grown old and died over a thousand years ago, hit him hard, straight in the gut.

The thought of her in the arms of another man, carrying his children made him angry. He felt pathetic, grasping onto the idea that somehow she could be real. The clock in his office chimed 10:00. He had again lost himself in daydreams, scolding himself he snatched the new data stick off of the incoming tray and headed into the hologram room, setting an alarm for 11:45 so he didn't miss lunch. That would just be embarrassing. 

For a 1 hour and 45 minutes he reprogrammed a war game. War and violence games and literature were among content banned in the city, not that he could blame the government for doing so.

Submersed and surrounded by death was not something the people of this city needed to fill their minds with. He finished transferring the data knowing that the chip he was about to send to the government would be consigned to the vaults not to be seen until they needed to be updated again. Why he was not allowed to delete the file and consign it to history did not escape him.

The alarm sounded and he gladly shut the programme down, taking the chip and sending it to the government to do with it what they pleased. 

“Ready for lunch Sadie?” He asked walking over to the car station, calling the car. 

“Yep, give me a moment.” She shut down the computers and put her mobile in her pocket, Getting into the car next to him, the door shutting behind her. 

“Take me to IVI” he said, loud and clear so the car would understand his voice command.

The car hummed into life and sped down the building and through the streets, heading east into the wealthy government building filled area of the city. 

“You ok? You know I’d be just as happy with a burrito from Smithy’s.” Sadie smiled sympathetically as they neared the service building that housed the restaurants, clothing and house supply stores.

“I just hope the women who lunch here on the hunt for eligible men aren't too mean to you. Being in my company and all.” He said softly as the car slowed to a halt outside the IVI entrance. 

“Don't worry about me, let's enjoy this lunch and you can celebrate having me in your life for a whole year.” They laughed together as the door of the car opened and they stepped into the waiting area of the restaurant. 

“Yes, that is definitely something to celebrate” he said, steering her to the host’s station. He waited patiently as the hostess sidled her way past the tables, full of the wealthy patrons of the city. 

She looked Sadie up and down her brow twitching while her mouth formed a small smirk. Her eyes then landed on him and with an audible gasp she turned beet root red. 

“Mr Jezebel, what an honour. Please follow me to your table. Will your companion be joining us soon?” She announced his arrival overly loud, purposefully drawing the attention of the nearest diners, who upon looking up from their meals began to whisper about his presence.

“Would you like a drink while you wait?” Her voice sickly sweet while her lashes fluttered in a way she obviously thought would be flattering. It wasn't. 

“My companion is right in front of you. Come Sadie, let me escort you to the table.” He said in an overly pronounced manner, smiling smugly as he held out his arm to a now bemused Sadie. 

“Oh that would be just wonderful Bellamy, so kind and thoughtful, isn't he?” Sadie played along, taking the crook of his elbow. The hostess shooting daggers at his PA as he walked with them both to the table. 

“Drink?” He asked as they sat down. 

“I'll stick with water thank you.” Said Sadie eyeing the wine list longingly. “I have to get back to work remember.”

“Then we will have two large glasses of the house white.” He ordered, not looking up at the hostess, hoping that she would get the message that he wasn't interested. 

She nodded and scurried off to the bar. 

Sadie raised an eyebrow “wine and work? You know the rules.” 

“I'm giving you the afternoon off. I think you deserve at least that much, I finished all the work I have to do for today, so there should be no need for you to be in the office either.”

“Really! That's great, thank you.” She smiled “what will you do with your afternoon?”

“You have to ask?” He laughed. There was only ever one thing he did in a free afternoon.

“I only ask because one day I hope the answer will be- ‘why Sadie, I will be going to a community room or perhaps the park’ really Bellamy? The library again? Surely you must have read every document in history by now!”

Every document in history? His heart started pounding as his brain registered the fact that there might be a digital copy of a document from Pippa’s time and if that where the case then that might mean he could find out if she were actually real or not. The server came over with their wine, setting them down silently before leaving, covering the moments silence as his brain processed this new possibility. 

“Can you recommend anything? I don't know what half this menu tastes like.” Sadie asked peering down at her menu. 

After taking a long sip of his wine he opened up his own menu and began to scan the page. The restaurant was a French- American- Indian blend. No one country had its own food outlet- the past 1000 years had seen to it that the merger of cultures and tradition meant that no one longer ordered the ancient dishes that belonged to just one country. 

One of the dishes caught his eye. “Yes I highly recommend the French Indian casserole.”