DC's Dawnstar

.4.

She looked up at the sky through the hole she'd created. Clouds were covering the pale blue quickly; the rains were coming. Looking at the sky, she remembered her home on Starhaven, and the arc from the galaxy centre that shone brightly from the dusk hours and throughout the night. She remembered the bright orange skies from the starrise, her favourite time of the day. And she remembered...

"There you are, love," the woman who helped her the night before interrupted her thoughts, "we thought you'd gone back to 'eaven."

"No, I've come for this." Dawnstar showed Mabel the ring on her right hand.

"Ooh, I can tell what yer saying!" Mabel smiled.

"Yes... it's this ring. It has a translator and local transmitter, enabling us to understand each other."

"That's handy." Mabel said, noticing Dawnstar's expression. "What's up, love? Oh, where's me manners? I'm Mabel. Mabel Green. And George Green is me 'usband. My sister, Sheila, who you just met, has just gone to work. I was about to do the dishes when I saw the patio open and the shed door open, so thought I'd come out."

"I'm Dawnstar."

"'Ow lovely. Come in again and 'ave a nice cuppa. Now we can understand each other, we can 'ave a nice chat."

"A cuppa?"

"Yes, a cup of tea. A drink." Mabel mimed sipping a hot drink.

"Ah. I see. Tea. Yes, I am a little thirsty. Thank you."

Dawnstar followed Mabel back into the house. Mabel motioned for Dawnstar to return to the living room. "I'll just put the kettle on. Won't be two ticks."

George was bent forward in his chair tying his shoelaces as she walked in. She noticed the drapes over the window had been opened, filling the room with starlight. He sat back with a heavy sigh. "This job gets harder every day!" he moaned, looking over at his winged visitor who'd sat on the edge of the sofa.

"You need to raise your foot, rather than bending to it." Dawnstar suggested, causing George to splutter.

"Flippin' 'eck! I weren't expectin' an answer, pet!"

"Mabel tells me you are George. I am Dawnstar. I would like to thank you for helping me last night."

"It was all Mabel's doing really, Dawnstar." George stood. "But you're welcome. We don't get many Angels falling through our shed very often!"

"I am not an Angel!" Dawnstar smiled. "I'm merely a person, a human, as are you and Mabel."

"But you've got them wings!" George said, flapping his arms.

"A lot of my tribe have, but not all. Not all the people of my planet have wings."

"Your planet? You're an alien?" George spluttered once more.

"Here we are!" Mabel walked into the living room carrying a tray with a teapot, three cups and saucers, a small plate of biscuits and a small jug of milk. "Where are you going?" she asked George.

"I'm going to get the paper, May, before they sell out. I've normally got it by now." He looked at Dawnstar.

"Don't you go blamin' 'er for you being late, George Green."

"I'm not blaming her, Mabel. I'm just saying, that's all." He looked back at Dawnstar. "I'll not be too long, pet. The shop's just two streets away an' we can carry on chatting when I get back." Dawnstar watched as George walked out of the room, gently taking Mabel with him. "I'm going to next door's first," she heard him whisper when they were both outside the door, "to use their phone to phone the police. She says she's an alien."

"You will do no such thing, George Green!" Mabel said loudly and sternly. "She's a guest in our 'ouse regardless of where she's from." Dawnstar smiled as Mabel brought her voice down to a whisper. Dawnstar heard another door open and close, and Mabel re-entered the room shortly afterwards. She stood. "No, no, love, don't get up. You sit back down and I'll bring your tea over to you. Would you like milk?"

"Milk?" Dawnstar asked. "In tea?"

"Ooh, yes!" Mabel smiled, as she poured the steaming liquid from the teapot into two cups. "You've got to have milk in yer tea. Mind, if you don't like it, you don't 'ave to 'ave it. So, George tells me you're an alien?"

"I suppose I am." Dawnstar took the cup off the saucer Mabel was offering her, and then took the saucer and placed it onto the sofa beside her. She sipped the hot liquid, failing to hide the look of disgust on her face.

"What's up, love? Is it too strong?"

"No. It's fine." Dawnstar lied. She took another sip, strangely enjoying it this time.

"What planet are you from, Dawn?" Mabel gently asked.

"Dawnstar. My name is Dawnstar, Mabel. My people do not shorten names, although I have been called Dawny by some friends from other planets. I think Dawn will be fine here. I apologise. I am from Starhaven, a wonderful planet close to the centre of this galaxy."

"Don't worry about it, love. I shorten everyone's name, apart from George's. I lengthen his. So, what brings you to us then? To Earth? You're not invadin' us are you? You seem too nice to be doing that."

Dawnstar laughed. "No, I'm not invading. Earth has changed since last I was here. The air seems different. There's a taste to it I do not recognise, that the wind carries."

"You've been 'ere before then, love? When was that?"

"I have spent quite a lot of time on Earth, Mabel, as well as other planets, although for the past couple of your Earth years I have been away. I was last here in 3177."

"Thirty..!" Mabel choked as she spat her tea back into her cup. Coughing, she spluttered "Thirty one seventy seven?!" Dawnstar watched Mabel retrieve a cloth tucked up inside her arm covering and dab her nose and mouth. "Sorry love. "You're not only an alien, you're from the future!"