*Sigh* Here I go again, biting off more than I can chew, and posting yet another story that is unfinished. Saying that, I would like it to be noted that this story is NOT a priority, it's just been nagging at me to write it lately. But, I hope you enjoy it, either way.

Presently Past

Chapter 1:

Wren POV-

"Come on, let's go," my mom ordered in hushed tones shuffling my brothers and I through the dark streets and alleys in the pre-dawn darkness. My heart was beating loudly, and with the four of us rushing through the streets, I felt vaguely like the main characters in a WWII movie I had seen with my parents when I was little. Before the war had started and we began to live our lives in fear.

Well, mostly my brothers and I lived in fear. My parents never seemed to be afraid, unless they were concerned for us. And even though I knew little of my dad's job. I knew that he was very important and powerful on the front lines of the battlefield.

"Mom, where are we going?" my six year old brother, Eli, asked, slightly louder than we had wanted. My older brother Jackson clamped a hand over his mouth as my mom looked around anxiously, hoping that no one had heard his outburst. However, the eerily dark streets remained silent as my mom tugged us along.

"I told you," my mom whispered, "We're going where they can't find you."

"Where's daddy?" Eli whimpered, quieter this time.

"He'll meet us there," my mom replied, biting her lip like there was something she wasn't telling us. However, I was too afraid to ask, probably because I was too afraid to actually know the answer.

Finally, the alleyway opened up to a dimly lit intersection, and we were not alone.

There were at least forty other people in the street. Parents and kids that I recognized from school, all with the same anxious looks on their faces that we had. I saw some of my family members too. On the other side of the street, I saw my aunt, uncle and cousin, holding tight to each other. My other aunt, who was younger but held the same important position as my dad, held close to her young twins, glancing anxiously at the open space in the center of the street, waiting for something to happen. My grandparents drifted among the crowd, assuring various parents and giving candy to the much more frightened younger kids. My large grandfather looked over at us, giving us sad smile or reassurance, but his eyes held fear.

And we all knew why.

It was dangerous for us to be out on the street at this time of night, especially in a group this large. Suddenly a swirling green portal appeared, and my dad stepped out.

"Okay," he told everyone, "This won't last for very long. I've made sure that everyone will be well taken care of, but we have to get them in quickly." His ice blue eyes roamed the crowd until they landed on us, a small look of relief crossing his worried features and he jogged over to us.

His eyes locked with my mom's before he bent down to give us all a hug.

"You three have got to go now," he said, quietly, and gently.

"Wait, you're not coming with us!" I exclaimed in a low voice looking between my parents.

"I'm sorry, but all the adults have to stay here, your mom and I included," my dad replied, brushing a black strand of hair out of my face and tucking it behind my ear.

"But dad—" Jackson tried to argue, but my dad held up a hand to stop him.

"No buts. Now I need you to be strong, all of you," he turned towards Eli, who's blue eyes had already begun to overflow with tears. "And take these," he said, handing us little cards, "You'll need them where you're going."

"But where are we going," I demanded.

"The past," he said, "Which makes it all the more important that you never disclose who you are or where you're from other than what is on that card or you could change the future."

I nodded, confused. We were going to the past?

In our time, time travel was not completely uncommon, but it left me to wonder what time we would be going to.

My mom crouched down to be eye level with Eli who was still crying. She dried his cheeks with the end of the scarf around her neck, and flattened down the stubborn piece of hair on his bright orange head, that refused to lay flat like the others. Then she turned her violet colored gaze to me and Jackson.

"Take care of each other," she insisted, grasping our shoulders.

"We love you guys," they told us, pulling us into a group hug, we muttered our 'I love you too''s to them, I cast a glance to Jackson, who, was trying desperately not to breakdown and cry, but his violet eyes watered as he quickly blinked the tears away. I understood. I too, had to fight the waves of tears right below the surface. One slipped out, trailing its way down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away before either of my parents could see. We couldn't cry, not now. We had to be strong for ourselves, our parents, and for Eli.

When we finally broke apart, dad looked over to the crowd and the portal who were still standing hesitantly around, not wanting to go in yet.

"You really need to go now," my dad turned back to us, ushering us to the portal, "And don't worry. The next time we will be together, the war will be over, and we will be free."

I recognized the double edge to that comment. We would either be free here, when we are next together, or, we will be free in heaven when we are together. That was the first time that I realized that my dad's confidence about winning the war was not as high as it usually appeared.

"Bye Daddy," I waved, as I stepped through the portal, praying that this would not be the last time I'd be able to see him as a green vortex surrounded me.

I heard the voices behind me, of my brothers and all the other kids who had received their information cards and stepped into the portal, but the voices barely registered because I was too focused on the light at the end of the vortex, taking us away from our parents and the only lives we had ever known.

Taking us into the past.