Time Travel - Fixing the Future

[Gifted]

Forty years after the gifteds gained equal rights to normal people, lives really haven't improved much. Many lives were broken and wrecked beyond repair, and those who hadn't died were heavily scarred by the experience. On top of that, the threat of a repeat to the carnage loomed over the horizon.

But what if it didn't have to be this way?
What if a few people could go back in time and fix the damage before it even happened? Would you do it? What if there was more than one catalyst? What if you had to fix every aspect to fix the entire future?

What if you had to give up your very existence in the process?

[Gifted]

Stephanie was a lot more relaxed than she used to be over those few weeks. Since finding out Kailen was family she seemed to have lost a lot of the apprehension she'd had before. Though she sometimes slipped up and occasionally strayed back into her old habits, it was never for long and she truly had changed. Her phone remained off. Even compared to when she'd first arrived in town, it was clear she had less stress and less on her mind. She was genuinely a lot happier than she had been for a very long time.
She was waiting by the door for Kailen to get out of class, having long since dropped all the classes she'd already aced online, including this one. That'd been one of the aformented "times she'd slipped back into her old habits", skilfully avoiding explaining to Mr. Belacqua why she'd bothered taking his class if she'd already aced it, and furthermore why she'd done so poorly. She didn't really want Kailens parents to know any more about her family than they had too, especially after the uproar over her grandfathers name.
"Hey, Kailen!" Stephanie greeted. "How was class?"

[Raven]

Kailen grinned. "Hey, Steph. It was surprisingly enjoyable, for math." It was obvious to everyone from Stephanie to Adam and Isobel to even a few of Kailen's teachers and classmates that Kailen had not only gotten better about his classes, but he was also a lot happier than he had been in about two years. He was definitely happier than he had been since he quit smoking and stopped associating with his old friends, and even though his relationship with Adam and Isobel hadn't been bad since he'd quit, it definitely got better. Stephanie was still his only friend, and though he was friendly with other people, he seemed hesitant to get close to them. He drew away every time he seemed close to making a new friend. "How was yours?"

[Gifted]

"Eh. It was okay. I'm rather sick of being the one everyone goes to for help with their English work, though." Stephanie admitted. "Once it got out that was my best subject... well let's just say I don't have to do my work at home because the teacher gives no time in class." She laughed.

[Raven]

Kailen chuckled. "Well, at least you have time, I guess?"

Austin watched her from the indoor library window. He'd gotten himself hired on as the assistant director for the school's theater, since he wouldn't have to go to any classes with Stephanie if he wasn't a student, but he would still be allowed in the school if he worked there. He claimed to be a theater major at a local college, and so he couldn't come in all the time. It was an arrangement that worked well for him.

[Gifted]

Stphanie didn't notice her cousin watching her. In fact, she didn't know Austin was even in town. "Yeah, almost more than I know what to do with." She laughed. "We heading up to your place again today?"

[Raven]

"Sure," Kailen agreed. "Mom made peanut butter bars last night."

Austin shook his head, texting his aunt, 'She's not getting any better.'

[Gifted]

"Mmmmm, that sounds yummy!" Stephanie laughed. "Let's go!"

Jade frowned at the text. Rebellious Stephanie... what was she going to do about this girl? They'd gven her plenty of time to have her little fun, but She wasn't coming back. Jade sighed. They'd just have to teach her a lesson. She texted back "Is she alone?"

[Raven]

Kailen grinned and led her outside.

'No.'

[Gifted]

'She's with that boy?'

Stephanie followed Kailen out and started walking to his house.

((don't have them show up i just want to finish the text conversation first))

[Raven]

'Yes. They left the school together.'

[Gifted]

Jade sighed. That boy was a bad influence on her daughter. If they ever wanted to fix her, they would have to remove him from the picture. Otherwise she'd just go running back to him. A plan was forming in her mind. She texted back her nephew. 'Wait until she's alone.. Then bring her home.'

As Kailen and Stephanie headed through town, a gunshot split the air. Stephanie stopped dead eyes wide.

[Raven]

Kailen pressed closer to her and glanced around. "Where was that from?"

'Your home?' Austin was surprised by that, and wanted to make sure she didn't mean the hotel.

[Gifted]

"This way." Stephanie grabbed his arm and raced after the sound. They turned down an alley and heard another shot from up ahead and around a corner. Stephanie bit her lip. "If it's a cop they won't give any answers to teenagers." She said with a frown. "If it's a crminal if we don't look imposing we'll be shot." Quick as lightning she'd dropped her schoolbag and withdrew a hair-tie and a hat that was a dark blue colour and somewhere else could conceivably be a cop hat. "Give me your jacket." She requested as she tied up her hair as quickly as her hands allowed her too.

'Yes'

[Raven]

Kailen did as she asked, stashing their bags nearby. "What are you going to do?"

'Will do.' Austin put all his stuff away and started following the pair. They were well ahead of him, but he knew the route.