The boy slept, his knit Viking hat cocked on his head. Jenny drove, looking over at him every few seconds. She reached over and shook him.

He woke, blearily "Are we home yet?"

Jenny answered, "Not yet."

"Why did you wake me?"

"I was expecting someone else. Just go back to sleep."

The boy shook his head, "You're so weird." He laid his head back and dozed off again.

Jenny looked over again, started to reach over but stopped. She looked back at the road and drove on.

He woke again and said drowsily, "Hey sis."

She didn't look over. "I said we're not home yet. Go back to sleep."

He reached up and took off the hat. He smiled at it sadly and continued, "It's me, the less booger-ee one." He put the hat on the dashboard.

"Finally!" Jenny exclaimed. She pulled into the first available place to park, a convenience store, and pull him into a hug. "It's been three movies! Where have you been?"

"Mom and Dad's house," he said, and they got out of the car together.

"What happened?" she said as they found a bench to sit on.

"Eileen died. Repeatedly. That eighth time was the last time." He looked toward a beer ad in the store window, and something in his stillness told Jenny everything before he said it.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I really wanted you to save her."

"I know." He paused a moment, "It hurt, Jenny. I couldn't change anything."

"What did you do?"

"I grieved. Or tried. Started drinking. Lost my job, lost the house."

"You moved back in with Mom and Dad?"

"Eventually. I was homeless on the street, but after a few months of no contact they came looking for me."

"You didn't time travel?" Jenny asked.

"I tried. Couldn't."

"How long has it been?"

"Twenty years," he said. "Mom passed last night in her sleep. Dad passed a few years ago."

Jenny burst into tears. "Don't tell me that! They're still at home!"

"I know." He said. "Sorry."

"Why did you say that? Are you mad at me?"

"No...just thought you'd want to know."

"Let's talk about something else." Jenny said as she dried her tears.

"I married again. Lasted 2 years. No kids."

Jenny rested a hand on his shoulder. "Do you have anyone now?"

"No. Dated some, had a few semi regular girlfriends."

"Did things get better?"

"Sometimes." He brightened a little. "Good times, bad times. Same old story. Still live at home."

"You never left?"

"I was going to, after I found work again. That was right before ...Well...Dad." He stopped for a moment. "Mom didn't want to be alone so I stayed."

"I see." Jenny checked her watch. "We'd better go."

They both got up and walked back to the car and got in.

As Jenny started the car and pulled out, he said "I can't control my traveling like I used to. I don't know if I'll be able to do it again after tonight. I don't know if I even want to."

"You know I'm always here for you," Jenny said.

"I know," he said, and smiled at her. He yawned.

"Are you waking up?" Jenny asked.

"Yes." He said.

"Rest your head here in my lap."

He let himself rest his head in her lap one last time, and slept.

She drove them home and parked in the driveway, and didn't wake him. Let him rest.

When he stirred again, it was an old man's voice that came out of him.

"I'm back again," he said. "Forty years."

"So long?" Jenny's voice cracked.

"This will be the last time." He found the hat on the dashboard, picked it up, held it to himself with the same sad tenderness.

"I thought you weren't going to time travel anymore," she said.

"I didn't have the heart to. But now it doesn't matter."

"Why not?"

He looked at her, and his eyes told the story. "You know why not."

"Don't do that!" she cried.

"Sorry, sweetie."

"You can travel again! Fix it!"

"I learned my lesson," he said. "And this time, I'm just old." She held him, stroked his hair. He continued. "I can still hear that hospital machine beeping away. I don't expect to wake again."

"I want my Booger Machine," Jenny wept.

"I always was your Booger Machine," he said, and set the hat back down on the dashboard.

She asked him, "You never told me why you visit me here?! Why here? Why not later?"

He reached up and stroked her face. "I'm just so happy I could see you again."

And then his arm went limp, and fell.

Jenny carefully, so as to not wake him, moved his head and climbed out of the Beetle. She stood by the front of the car and let herself go, sobbed openly, her body wracked with the tears.

The boy woke up to hear her. He climbed out, looked over at her and asked with concern, "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing," she said, wiping her face. "We're home."

He turned to go in, but stopped and walked over to Jenny. Without saying anything he took her in his arms and held her.

She held him back that last time, then released. "Go on inside, I need to call someone."

He turned and went inside. Jenny reached back in the Beetle for her purse and phone. She saw the Viking hat still sitting on the dashboard. She picked it up and held it against her chest and cried a little more.Then she took out her phone and dialed.

"Hey, it's me... yeah, it's nothing though... that trip to New York in September? Yeah..a Tour on the 11th?.... Totally wanna go see the Twin Towers with you..."