{ August 3rd, 1994 || River of Thames; London || 7:15am }
Just as the sun had come up, a woman fled from her house late at night and followed along the banks of the river. In her arms he held a small bundle of cloth. She scurried along the muddy path constantly checking over her shoulder to see if someone was following her. She looked scared. Across the bank, Finley stood and watched. His hands were dug deep in his pockets and his heart sank down deep into his gut. The morning was brisk, the wind beat against Finn's arms but he didn't move from his spot. The cold air almost instantly dried the tears that made its own stream down his cheek. Finley stood and watched as his birth mother hurried to a ditch close of the bank. She would soon do the unthinkable. And just a moment later there it was, the final moment of a mothers care. The ending of a relationship that never was. The woman bent down after double checking her surroundings and plopped the bundle into the shallow burrow in the ground. She soon was gone faster than she arrived.
Finley stood for a moment in shock. He'd seen this moment several dozen times but it still stuns him that the woman who carried him for nine months and birthed him can so quickly and emotionless drop her child in a burrow on a cold morning as this without looking back. He waited for her to be out od sight and fiddled with his ring, teleporting to the child's side. Finn had a great urge to pick up the child and drop him off at the nearest shelter or house but he knew that he'd alter the present if he did. It hurt him deeply to stare at his infant self wailing from the hole in the ground. But he did. He just looked down at the child until it hurt too much and then turned away. He wiped the tears from his eyes and took a deep breath. "You'll be okay little one," Finn whispered over his shoulder before turning his ring on his finger.
{Present || The Temple Bar || Eight O'clock }
A tug on the door and a jingle of the bell let the bar keep, Harold, know someone was here. Finley walked in with his head down and sat at the bar, Harold turned to tend to Finn just as the boy was sitting down. Harold knew of the travelers, just as every bar keep before him had. Finley felt as though this man was the only who truly listened to him and often disclosed to him the recent news and his personal matter. "What's the word, kid?" Harold said in his raspy but cheerful voice. "Just the regular Harry, please." Finley gloomfully cried.
"It's a tad early to be drink, isn't it boyo?"
Finley looked up at Harold and shrugged. He was depressed, and visiting the scene he did today only makes matters worse for him but Finley never knew how to walk away. Instead he always dug himself deeper into holes. "Doesn't really matter Harry, might as well start early. It'll all hurt the same later."
Harold chuckled his hardy chuckle and put a whiskey glass down on the counter. "I know it's rough kiddo but you made it. Just remember that. You can only get better." Harold picked up a canister from under the counter and poured a cranberry juice for Finley. "It's too early for whiskey. Even I know that," Harold smiled when Finley gave him a confused look. Finley gave Harold a corner smile and picked up the glass. He shot back the bit of juice and set the glass on the counter upside down before walking around the corner behind the bar into the storage closet. On the lowest shelf, Finn tugged on a red book that opened up to the Stretchers lair. He walked into solidarity. He plopped himself down on the couch and stared at the ceiling until his eyes shut and his mind wandered.
{ Present || The Warren || 11:35 }
When Finley woke up, he was lying in his dorm in The Warren. Finn stared at his surroundings like he had never seen this place before. He rubbed on his eyes until he saw stars and then opened them, blinking a few times. Finn though he must have rolled over on his ring and it teleported him to his room while he slept. He stretched out his arms and yawned loudly before getting up and make his way down the halls to the living room where the other Breakers were muttering to each other about some big news. "What's going on?" Finley asked loudly hoping someone would notice him and fill him in.