"Hear that? I'm your<i>fair lady,</i>" Jenny nudged her husband with a grin.  The grin dropped quickly, though, and she folded her arms over her chest.  "But seriously, what do you want? Nearly lost my head last time."  The Puck extended an invitation to attend a midwinter festival, and by the time they had an opportunity to protest it was made clear that they had no choice.  "Oh bloody hell!"<br/><br/>Aurelia and Kaydia wondered aloud where they were and Jenny turned in a circle.  "Berlin, I'd say," she speculated, "some time shortly after the war, I imagine.  Between 1918 and 19...mmm...22?"  She looked to John for confirmation.  "Unsure of the timeline though.  Don't suppose we'll know for certain until we ask someone."<br/><br/>~*~<br/><br/>"Paris has some of the best shops in the world," Anne Marie agreed with a smile.  "Not that I happen to be biased in any way, of course."  Her smile dropped, however, and she put her hand over her mouth when the mentioned that they were from Chicago.  "Oh mon dieu," she murmured, and her hand instinctively sought Algie's.<br/><br/>"I ain't heard nothin' about Chicago either," Jackie put in, looking at Sam for confirmation.  "The hell are Martians, anyway?"<br/><br/>"The hell are--? Jackie, Kermit was<i>leveled.</i>"  Kieran looked at her with disbelief.  "Texas was devastated.  You and your mum had to stay with us for a month.  Half your village was wiped out fighting the tripods."<br/><br/>Jackie frowned and shook her head.  "Kieran I ain't seen your brothers and sisters since your ma died."<br/><br/>"I think," Anne Marie said slowly, "perhaps Monsieur Stone and Madamoiselle Malone may be from the same timeline as Sam and Jacqueline."<br/><br/>"Sounds like, but don't call me Jacqueline."<br/><br/>"Yeah, she much prefers Birdie," the pirate added with a smirk.  He shied away when his cousin got to her feet but accepted the punch on the shoulder with grace.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry...a different timeline?" Hareth frowned in confusion.  "What do you mean?"<br/><br/>~*~<br/><br/>Erik frowned.  "Es tut mir leid," he said slowly.  "Dass ich sie nicht gesehen habe.  Aber--"<br/><br/>"In welchem System sind wir?"<br/><br/>"System?" His frown deepened.<br/><br/>"Wie weit sind wir jenseits des Outer Rim?"<br/><br/>He began to grow concerned about the health of the redhead on his stoop.  "Komm bitte herein," he said slowly, standing aside.  "Es ist kalt, und es ist Weihnachten.   Es gibt viel Platz, und vielleicht konnen wir sie helfen.  Mein Name ist Erik Heinz-Schmidt.  Und Sie?"