She sensed him watching her as she gazed from the observatory windows. The rolling hills reminded her of Scotland. She wasn’t sure how many hours had passed, but the land remained in a sort of perpetual twilight. The only difference was the slight hue of reddish pink in the morning and the deep, comforting violet in the evenings. The soft bleating outside seemed far off, yet close enough to be heard. Celeste smiled, closing her eyes at the sound of a storm closing in. He was lounged on a lush chair behind her, the same red color she had chosen for her own room. Even though this was the first time they met, they both sat in comfortable silence. Like father, like daughter, she mused. As if the land weren’t beautiful enough, all she had to do was look above. The ceiling was completely see through. If she felt small before, she was dwarfed here. Thousands upon thousands of stars could be seen. More than she had ever seen in her entire life. As a matter of fact, the whole space seemed to be dedicated to just viewing the sky.

Celeste sighed, “Is this what you get to look at all day?” He chuckled, but his face held something else, “It’s what we will be looking at. At least until we are joined by your mother.” He looked out across the fields, his features returning to the smooth marble they were before. “Father,” she gently said, “What is she like?” He started, and looked at her. “I mean, Mother. What is Mother like?” His face first went from soft to hard, his features drawing up in a panged expression, “She is both the most beautiful, yet terrifying being I have ever met.” That did it, he sounded so stoic─ she broke out in a fit of laughter hugging her sides. Apparently men and women in love here were no different.

Her father’s eyes widened and then sparkled as he joined in her laughter. His laugh was rich and warm, and for the first time she heard it for herself. She had heard it before─ somewhere. A vision of grassy fields, soft bleating sheep and cattle painted her thoughts. In her mind, she descended from the heavens, eager to bathe in the warm waters. She has placed her robes on the tree, knowing that he would be there. He always was. She smiled as she sank into warmth and let out a sigh. She sat for quite some time until he worked up the courage to finally come out. That man had been her father. The vision faded and she returned to the room, the stars littering the sky above. That was the first time she saw something from her mother’s perspective. Tears threatened to spill, but she managed to keep them from falling. She really needed to learn how to control these random intrusions─ the visions were no longer controlled here and simply took over her body. There was something that had happened earlier as well. When she first got here.

Her head shot up at the sound of the snap echoing through her mind. Had she actually─ she began shaking all over, drawing her knees into a hug. But, how? Weren’t they in the afterlife? Did she murder that woman? His smile ended abruptly as she looked to him. Her lip trembled and her arms shook visibly. He appeared next to her in an instant, his arms wrapping her body.

“Daijoubu, Kiwako,” he cooed, gently holding her head to his chest. He rocked with her, gently swaying as he stroked her hair. “Watashi wa, dare?” They both sat in silence at her question, her father not wanting to give her the answer she already knew: bakemono, oni, ─ demon.

* * *

“Sorry. I meant─ what was that word you said again?” The woman at the counter smiled across at Daniel, her eyes crinkling slightly as she nodded and pointed at the menu. “Boba,” she repeated softly. Daniel blushed and looked at the floor. This was hard without Celeste next to him asking the girl in Mandarin. It was silly, but in the off-chance that it would help jog his memory, he wanted to go to every place they had been together. The last time they had come here, the place had a real sort of charm to it. He felt an ache in his heart at all the smells in the café─ it was jasmine and green tea with a floral element, just like Celeste’s home. What he loved most about coming here was the quiet atmosphere and all the windows. It was a place that encouraged you to just sit and enjoy your drink. Like a Chinese version of Starbucks, he mused.

“Sorry. Do you know what you would like?” Daniel looked up, realizing that he had been spacing. He heard a shift and looked back, surprised to see the long line of people behind him. “Sorry.” He mumbled, “Uh, can I please try the passionfruit black tea with boba?” he emphasized the last word, confident now that she had given it to him. He paid the cashier and stepped away politely, letting the other patrons check out. After a few minutes, his name was called and he quickly grabbed the tea. He chose a spot near the front door so he could have a clear view. He glanced out at the parking lot and then at his watch─ 12:30, she’s late, he thought. His mind returned to the ring. He hadn’t really had time to take a good look at it before sending it off to forensics. He hoped they had found something, or the owner was dumb enough to leave finger prints on it. It was a weak lead, but someone had given it to him─ someone that didn’t want them knowing who they were. He ground his jaw. Daniel didn’t like mind games, especially where Celeste was concerned.

He stared at the strange orange liquid and what appeared to be mushy black balls at the bottom. In all his days on this planet, he had never seen something that confused him more. How did you drink this stuff? He looked around at the other people’s drinks. Ah, he thought, they have different straws. Daniel walked back up to the register and grabbed one of the wider straws and then turned back. He froze. To his surprise, there she was, sitting as if she had always been there and he was late. She looked different outside of her home, the difference was almost too much to believe, and yet he knew it was her. She had the same spark in her eyes, and the same smile.

“How are you─”

“Young?” she cut him off before he could put it more nicely. “Boy, haven’t you figured out that not everything is as it seems?” He stared at her face in wonder, it was as if she were 40 years younger. If he didn’t know her before, she would have been the kind of woman that he asked out. Daniel couldn’t get over her rich, dark hair and her skin was like something out of a beauty magazine. She smiled and looked at him knowingly, “well, it’s not hard to tell what that look is. I’ve seen it in many men.” She sighed and got up, strolling to the counter to order. She came back with what looked like a steaming coffee, but smelled like oranges. “Kumquat tea,” she said as she sat down. “You can’t find that much here.” Matilda sipped quietly, looking outside and smiling. “You know, no matter how much Celeste knew there were other places that had better tea, she always came here.” Daniel sat in silence, knowing Matilda enough that she would open up when she damn well felt like it. He plunged the straw into the tea and sipped, surprised by how pleasant the little spongy tapioca pearls actually felt. It was interesting, having a drink and a snack at the same time.

Matilda chuckled at his surprised expression. “First time, eh?” He laughed, sheepish, and nodded. “She was the expert at this stuff.” He sobered up, remembering how much her eyes had danced, how they had looked seconds before her lips touched his. There was a real sense of belonging, an electric charge between the two of them. Matilda was beautiful, but she didn’t hold a candle to what Celeste did to him. It felt─ real. He frowned, looking down at his pathetic attempts to still feel her near him somehow. It was if she had passed on and he was a grieving widow.

What the hell was with him lately? He was a detective, not some college kid that fell hard for the first time. He didn’t even believe in fate─ until he had shared that dream with Celeste. To see how she had suffered, knowing that somehow it was her in a time she had forgotten─ it was unimaginable. Daniel felt like his eyes had actually been opened and he was born into a world he knew nothing about. It was like police academy all over again.

“You’ve probably been spacing out a lot lately, huh kid?” Daniel looked from the parking lot back to her. Ignoring her, he spoke up, “Listen, Matilda. I know that there’s a lot that I still don’t understand. But I really need to know what we’re doing here. How is this going to help?” She glanced around the room and then back to Daniel. For the first time since they had spoken, he got the impression that Matilda was nervous. She actually did that?

“Hand.” Daniel blinked at her as she reached her hand out to him. He looked skeptically at her hand and then her face. Was this some kind of trick? Matilda let out a loud huff and rolled her eyes. “Hells bells, son. You act like I’m going to murder you in front of all these people. Just give me your gull-dern hand and be done with it.” She impatiently snatched at his fingers. He felt the snap as soon as they made contact. It was unlike anything he could have imagined, not a shock like static, not electrical like that one time he felt all that current go through his body when his hand had found the wire beneath a house─ it wasn’t even human. What was she?

His eyes were met by deep, pools of black. He felt himself face-to-face with a god─ ancient, wise, and powerful. This wasn’t the normal, bubbly Matilda. Where was her gleam, and her mischievous smile? The more he tried to look away, the more the black perfection drew him in. Her skin, her hair, her eyes─ Where were her eyes? The sensation of falling quickly overwhelmed his senses and he found himself surrounded in a world of stars. There were so many that he struggled to realize that he was actually still on Earth. In front of him were vast mountains that flooded the background as far as the eye could see. Trees lined the long stretch of river in front of him. It was breathtaking, like something right out of a painting. He could stare at it for hours and be content. Gentle bleating startled him and he turned to his right.

He stared across the field at all of the sheep. Further back, there was another animal sound, it was deep and rich─ and then he realized it instantly─ cows. He couldn’t make out all of them, but could see several silhouettes and hear hooves beating against the dirt. There were many, almost as far back as the eye could see. The man’s land much have reached at least twenty acres, if not more. Daniel couldn’t even make out the fence that must have lined the perimeter. The animals kept mostly quiet, save for the sporadic bleats by the young lambs and calves. They grazed quietly, hastily nibbling at the grass. He was so close that he reached for one out of sheer curiosity, but his fingers only touched air.

“Not too bright, are ya darling.” Matilda drawled. Daniel glared at her and was about to say something extremely un-gentlemanly when he caught the look on her face as she stared off across the field. It was sad. Something that he had never seen on her before. He was shocked at how vulnerable she appeared. He went to ask her something, but her finger found his mouth and she shushed him. She pointed to the water. Daniel watched as the sheep huddled together next to a man. He was lithe, yet obviously muscular. There was something in the way he held himself─ a sort of pride that spoke of hidden talents and charm. He bent and whispered softly as he passed the sheep, careful to not startle the timid creatures. His steps were full of purpose and it was obvious that he was used to this kind of duty.

Minutes passed as Daniel and Matilda watched this man walk the perimeter, making sure that the gate was secure and the littlest lambs were safe inside the barn. It must have been tedious, doing this every day. He finished his chore and strolled to the edge of the water where he laid his staff. He sat for some time, just gazing at the brilliant shine of the night’s sky. Daniel was growing tired of all this waiting. What on earth were they supposed to be doing? Watching a sheep-herder? Matilda squeezed his arm, as if reading his thoughts and telling him to hold out a bit longer. Soon, he knew why. He watched as the man jerked and then jumped to his feet. Curious, Daniel scanned the area. Just off to the left in the woods, he spotted it. There was a glimmer poking through the trees. He stood and raced with the guy as the man sprinted into the dense forest. They ran in stride, Daniel just barely behind him. Finally, some action. The man suddenly froze at the clearing and dropped to the ground, hiding behind a very large tree. He didn’t need to, but found himself doing the same.

Daniel peered from behind the tree and looked out to the little pool of water. There, walking along the shore, was a woman. It was a woman so pale, her skin looked like porcelain. But that wasn’t what was dazzling. It was her robes. The cloth seemed to be spun from the very stars in the sky. The only bit of skin you could see peeking out was her face, neck, and feet. Her hair was blacker than the night, but appeared as soft as spun silk. Both men were awestruck, their eyes glued to the petite figure. The maiden slowly removed her robes, and carefully placed them between two branches so it would not touch the ground.

Daniel felt like a peeping tom and averted his gaze to look at the man instead. He watched as the guy stared longingly at the beautiful girl. There was more there than simple lust, he appeared to truly care for the girl. It was a combination of attraction and nurturing. The same feeling that he had felt for Celeste. Daniel had the feeling that this man had been here before. What was different about this night, he wasn’t sure, but he watched as the man built up the courage and finally stood. He took several breaths and then walked out to the clearing. Daniel winced, expecting to hear a scream. When none came, he looked out to the water. The woman was beneath the steaming water, her face a sea of calm. He had only seen water do that once before when he had visited Arkansas a few years back. The pockets of steam rising in combination with the water bubbling meant it was a hot spring. The man bowed and dropped down to the ground.

She kept her gaze level, before finally smiling at him. This was no woman─ this was a goddess. Her eyes were all a solid color, no whites visible, and yet they were the most beautiful eyes in the universe. Such strength, knowledge, sadness─ the loneliness she projected broke him. Tears openly flowed from his eyes as he sensed her life sentence─ creator, and mother of the stars. Forever alone. The scene disintegrated and seconds later, Daniel and Matilda stood in the center of a lavish home. There were cups and bowls made of gold and paintings that lined the walls. At least, he believed them to be paintings, until he took a step forward. His mouth gaped as he realized what it was. But, it couldn’t of been─

He knew he couldn’t touch them, but he reached anyway. It was the universe, here in these people’s home, lining the walls. Each tapestry was separated by a deep, sea of black. There was no light between them, only void that seemed to slightly push the scenes from each other, and yet keep them together at the same time. What was this place?

The woven fabric hummed as he hedged closer. Even in this pocket of time travel Daniel and Matilda were in, it seemed as if the very essence of life knew of their existence. Was this it? Was he staring at the very beginning of their planets─ their universe? His body felt lighter, as if it tugged to be one with the stars. He eagerly moved from window to window, staring at each new scene. There were hundreds that covered the huge space. Finally, he stopped on the familiar yellow sun and several planets. Yet, it was still different─ he counted many more than they had ever known existed. He absorbed everything, his training kicking in. So many particles, and dust, it was violent and yet equally beautiful. He, a simple detective, could solve some of the greatest issues with theories by simply staying here to watch─ by watching the world literally unfold before his eyes, watching how man came to be─

“Hun.” Her soft hand broke him of the spell and he whipped around angrily toward her, cranky at the interruption of his great discovery. Beauty and kindness greeted his anger, and his hate melted instantly. She held his face level with hers, and her voice sounded gently, “Greater men have lost themselves to her beauty, and remained so forever. Best you not look back, child, I won’t be able to save you a second time.” Daniel whimpered, it felt like he was on the brink of something big. He wanted to disprove this woman, show her and others his great discovery. Don’t all men want to know of their origins? Of what exists beyond the great barrier between our minds and bodies? How would she know if he took just one more peek, just long enough to see? Just a bit longer─

A hard slap shook the thoughts right out of him. “Jesus, you’re as stubborn as they come. Ain’t the first time this gal had to roll up her sleeves and beat the tar outta someone.” Her cheeks were flushed, but the old spark was visible again. Daniel burst out laughing. Matilda bristled and pointed her finger, “you listen here, boy, you look at that damn painting again and I’ll make you wish you weren’t born.” He let out a few last chuckles, rubbing on his face. With a right hook like that, she wasn’t messing around. “I didn’t know you cared,” he said slyly. She huffed and walked past. “Well, can I trust you not to be a dolt or do I need to put some blinders on you like a horse?” He nodded, and she straightened her dress. “We’ve wasted enough time, come on, there’s something you need to see before we can go.”