Title: Out of Time
Chapter 1 – Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Summary: Due to an electrical storm when they are investigating a scientist's warehouse Ed and Spike are sent to an alternate universe with a very different team one and must find a way to get back home before they run out of time.

Disclaimer: If I owned anything to do with FP then I'd send Sophie on a very loooooooooooong holiday and write myself as Ed's wife. *alas* I own only my DVD's that fuel my imaginative muse Alice.

A/N: Okay so this idea literally came to us one night after watching a certain Science Fiction Movie (*cough back to the future II *cough) and had started out as a sort of campy one shot but then we built an outline around it and a story was born. So yes this is very diff for me but hope it works and no there will be no flying cars and the like. Just a mechanism to get our boys into this angsty alternate reality. So I hope you enjoy this action ficlet…it'll have all my fave stuff, peril, danger, angst and well when we get there a happy ending! And yeah normally I write my Ed with his best bud Wordy and I will be back with more stories featuring them but this idea just lent itself to Ed and Spike better so hope you all like this!

Ed comes into locker room early Monday morning, noticing Spike sitting on one of the bench's in the locker room and staring at an empty locker; an empty locker that used to belong to his best friend Lewis Young.

"Spike…" Ed mentions his junior team members name but merely gets a small shrug in return. "Because of today?"

"One year," Spike mumbles as he finally tears his brown eyes away from the cold metal door and looks up his friend and team leader with a small frown.

"I know," Ed replies with a small smile. "You doin' okay?"

"Wasn't going to stay home you know?"

"He wouldn't want you to do that," Ed tells him as he slowly approaches and pats him on the back.

"Do you think he…I mean at the end…"

"Think what? Spike he never would have blamed you."

"I would have given everything to be able to help him."

"And he knew that. And you can be sure that his last thoughts were of what a great friend he was blessed with, not what mistakes either of you made. Come on…let's wear off some of that tension."

"Okay. Miss you buddy," Spike whispers as he gives Lew's locker a nod and then follows the order and heads out of the quiet room and into the workout room, getting onto the treadmill and working off the anxiety that had built up overnight.

"Morning team…so what's the word? Good day or bad day?"

"Gonna be a great day," Ed mentions in haste.

"Someone's happy this morning," Wordy smiles over at his best friend. "Sophie musta been in a good mood last night," he winks, getting an head shake from Jules and a snicker and nod from his best friend.

"That she was."

"Really guys?" Sam questions, making Spike slightly chuckle. "You hafta talk about married sex this early?"

"Married sex? No just sex."

"What's up Samtastic you forgot your notebook?"

"Ah seems the single guys are actually upset at the married guys gettin' any," Wordy retorts just as Greg enters.

"What's this?"

"Ed and Wordy are talking married sex again," Sam teases them.

"And they're naturally jealous," Ed counters with a chuckle of his own.

"Ed, Wordy…stop making the rest of us look bad," Greg looks directly at his team leader with a wag of his brows.

"And who had a date last night Greg?" Ed retorts with a mimical wag of his own brows.

"Come on boss…details?" Spike goads.

"I don't kiss and tell," Greg replies with a cryptic smile, garnering a small series of groans from his team and a low chuckle from himself. "Alright let's wear off the rest of the gossip."

"Seriously why are you in such a good mood this morning?" Wordy asks as he takes Ed aside after their workout.

"Well if you must know, Clark's class came in first in his music tournament and he was given two tickets to the classic rock light show and guess who's he takin'?"

"Ah some father son bonding time over classic rock. Nice," Wordy smiles. "Thought he was a classical music kid?"

"What can I say? Maybe my stubbornness is wearing off?" Ed shrugs a few seconds later both him and Wordy saying 'nah' and then laughing. "I'm guessing his best friend David was busy but I'll take it," Ed explains as they head into the team one meeting room and take their seats.

"So who's up for a quiet day?" Greg asks, instantly a round of hands going up into the air. "Me too. Okay so barring a hot call we have a few things we have to take care of."

"Hopefully inside," Jules nods toward the rainstorm outside.

"Hey it's better than snow," Sam mentions.

"I like the snow."

"Yeah but you don't have to shovel rain."

"Sam did you just get back from Vancouver?" Spike teases.

"Sadly we will have to do something outside," Greg mocks. "Because it's hard to drive in here. Okay so Wordy I'm taking you with me to see our good friend Lazy Pete."

"Ah boss really? Again?"

"He asked for us. So after that's done we'll join the team on patrol. Ed, Spike, there have been some calls down by the waterfront so you'll take that one and Sam and Jules will take the west side."

After a bit more chit chat, Ed heads for the weapons locker, grabbing a few supplies before he heads back into the main waiting area and up to Spike who was typing on a small tablet PC. "Ready?"

"There have been a lot of calls to the police from one warehouse in particular," Spike tells Ed as they head for the parking garage.

"What about?"

"The caller is a Simon Saze."

"Simon says?" Ed asks in disbelief. "Simon says may I go now Spike?" Ed smirks.

"Well it's spelt S A Z E…says?"

"Okay well what were the nature of Simon's calls?"

"The majority of them mention one name, Donald Atkins. Mentions of death threats, property destruction, sabotage…"

"Sabotage of what?"

"Scientific weather equipment in the use of light refraction and time manipulation."

"Spike?"

"I swear I am not making this up," Spike smirks as he continues reading. "Ed we gotta go see this guy."

"You just wanna see the equipment right?" Ed counters with an expectant expression.

"Wouldn't hurt? What if he's really in trouble?"

"How many calls were placed?"

"A few...but none were followed up."

"Okay so why weren't any of his calls taken seriously?" Ed asks as he directs the SUV toward their fateful destination.

"Okay so the first file says the first few times the police went out, Donald was gone and Simon couldn't prove he was there, only gave his name and the responding officers thought it was just prank calls from a guy with mental issues."

"And you wanna go see this guy?"

"And when they questioned Donald, he was able to account for his whereabouts and said he didn't know Simon," Spike continues.

"So he's making it up?" Ed asks in annoyance. "They should charge Simon for making those kinds of calls."

"Unless Donald is lying?" Spike ponders as he reads further, drawing a small furtive glance from Ed before he turns back to the road, the weather getting more and more inclement by the minute.

"Okay any second the we are gonna have thunder and lighting."

"Ed, where right here."

"What was the nature of his call this morning?"

"Said Donald had made an attempt on his life but wouldn't elaborate and no police were sent. And now...hold on I found a locked file."

"A locked file? By who?" Ed queries with sudden interest.

"Just says classified but that's as far as I can go…I mean with this kind of equipment," Spike looks up at Ed with a small smile. "If I had…"

"Spike, we'll stop by, see what's really up and then head back okay? This weather is getting worse and any second they'll have a travel advisory issued and we'll have to do traffic duty."

"And that would suck. I mean I would mess my…hair," Spike frowns as he looks back down and stifles a small giggle while Ed just shakes his head.

He steers the SUV toward the darkened warehouse, his eyes darting around the unfriendly landscape before them; his mind trying to downplay the growing agitation in the pit of his stomach. Those that usually called the police for seemingly 'non emergency' calls again and again were seeking attention but could also be desperate and dangerous.

"Well…here we are," Ed huffs as he brings the SUV to a slow crawl as they head toward the windowless structure. He looks at the fence before them and the sign that reads 'keep out' but the obviously broken lock suggested that someone tampered with the lock and maybe one of Simon's calls had some merit. Maybe. Ed gently nudges the open fence with the front of the SUV, pushing the gate to the side without damaging it further and then heading toward the small single door.

"Spike?"

"Just reading some of his backstory. This guy has masters in Quantum Physics, Molecular distribution, Physical…"

"Pardon? Spike that's stuff from Star Trek…where's this guy from New York?" Ed asks dryly.

"Somewhere in Europe," Spike answers with a small frown as he closes his tablet and stuffs it into his inner jacket flap.

"Okay so we're gonna go in there, see if he's okay and then leave, got it?"

"No small talk about time travel?" Spike grins.

Ed's lips offer a small groan as he checks his sidearm and then looks ahead just as the sky darkens and the first clap of thunder is heard overhead. "Let's go."

The sky brightens for a few seconds as a crack of lighting opens the darkness above them, delivers its bolt and then closes back up, bathing the two lone SRU officers in eerie light and mercilessly pelting them with biting beads of rain. Ed gestures to Spike who tries the door handle and then pushes his way inside.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Saze? SRU!" Ed calls out, both of them listening to silence in return. "Take the right," Ed tells Spike in a hushed tone as the storm continues to pelt against the lone building, the dimly lit surroundings casting long eerie shadows on the two men as they slowly head toward the middle of the building with their guns drawn.

"Police! SRU! Anyone here?"

"Simon Saze!" Spike calls out, Ed's ears picking up Spike's voice, his eyes darting around to every shadow that dared to move before the team leader without first asking permission.

"Spike anything?" Ed asks on his headset.

"I hear moveme…hey hold it right there."

Ed hears Spike confronting Simon and hurries in his direction, rounding the side of a large metal silo and raising his gun on the other side of man with his hands already raised to Spike.

"Simon Saze?" Ed asks getting a nod from the middle aged man as his eyes shift from Spike to Ed.

"Am I under arrest?" He asks sheepishly.

"No," Ed mentions as he lowers his weapon, Spike following suit. "There was a call to the police this morning."

"And they send the SRU two hours later?" Simon counters in disbelief, garnering an unimpressed expression from Ed.

"Maybe you can tell us what's going on?"

"I tried once and you guys laughed in my face," Simon answers as he fixes the silver rimmed glasses on his face. "I don't need to be humiliated again."

"Then why do you keep calling?" Ed asks with some annoyance.

"I actually want to live."

"Alright I don't know what the other guys said to you but I would like to know. I saw your lock was cut and…"

"What? When…how did you get in here?" Simon asks in haste.

"Like I was saying, the lock was cut and the door…"

"He's here," Simon hisses as he looks from Ed to Spike with rising panic.

"Who's here? What's going on?"

"Donald Atkins, my sworn enemy."

"Sworn enemy?" Spike asks in wonder.

"Yes don't you have any of those? That lock was intact about an hour ago. I was working and…damn I didn't hear anything because of the storm. If it was cut when you arrived he's here. I have to leave."

"What does he want with you?"

"He wants to kill me and then…"

"And then what?" Ed asks in haste as the sky outside rattles the building with another powerful thunderclap, the power flickering. "Look the storm is getting worse and soon this place will be black and I doubt it has a real heat source. Is there somewhere we can drop you? At home maybe?"

"I live here," Simon looks at Ed and shrugs. "But you must leave, I have work to do."

"Why does Donald want to kill you?"

"I know his secret," Simon answers as he looks directly at Spike. "And if he kills me…well it will be bad."

"And so why are you out here in the open?" Spike wonders. "If he is going to kill you why not come and seek help or go into hiding?"

"I um…" Simon turns his back to Spike.

"He asked you a question," Ed demands.

"I'm here because if I can fix the…well the moment it happened…"

"Pardon? Fix the situation? In what way? What is all this stuff for?"

"Time travel."

"What?" Ed asks with a small smirk of disbelief. "You're kidding right?"

"Okay look I have to…"

"So that's why the police won't take your calls seriously." You told them that?

"Time travel?" Spike asks in amusement as he looks at Ed with a shrug.

"There is no such thing," Ed replies with a heavy frown. "This guy is telling us some wild story so that we'll think he's nuts like the last cops that called here and just leave, or get him professional help because he has no money to pay for it himself. This isn't a science fiction movie. Who is the owner of this building?"

"I am."

"Well I am curious as to why there is a classified file on you?" Spike mentions.

"I know things the government doesn't want me to know. Now please you two have to go…you can't be here."

"What are you really doing here?" Spike nods to the glowing console behind Ed. "What things do you know that they don't want you to? Have you found a way to…"

"Spike, don't feed his delusions," Ed warns.

"I'm curious," Spike shrugs as he looks back at Simon.

"I…I can't tell you. Now please I'm okay as you can see."

"So first you call the police and now when we show up you want us to leave? I get that the last ones probably thought of you as some nut case and left. But you called us. So I ask again why are you in such a hurry to get rid of us now?" Ed asks in exasperation as he stows his sidearm. But upon getting only silence in return his anxiety takes over.

"It was a mistake."

Ed looks at Spike and frowns; his agitation gaining momentum like the storm outside. "I'm willing to be that your file will show that you have escaped from some special hospital and are now switching between two different mental realities right?"

"You can leave now please."

"Okay that's it. I'm going to give you about five minutes to turn that off and come with us now. If you don't want to go to a shelter then you can ride out the storm in a holding cell. Now let's go," Ed dictates gruffly.

"Why can't I stay here?"

"Because the power is about to go out and this place…what is all this anyways? It doesn't even look safe."

"You have cooling tanks, massive electrical consoles and what is that chamber for?" Spike inquires.

"Its all um…weather collection data stuff…don't touch that."

"Really?" Spike asks as he starts to walk past Simon and examine the blinking console behind him.

"Did you steal it?" Ed wonders.

"No. I bought all the parts and made this," Simon glares at Ed in anger.

"And this…"

"Don't touch that I said," Simon warns as Spike quickly steps back. "Look when I called the police I told them to go and check on Donald Atkins why can't you do that?"

"They did that…" Ed pauses as the power flickers once more, a loud thud heard on the outside of the building. "And he had an alibi; said he didn't know you. It would be a waste of our time."

"He's lying."

"Look I think you should come down to SRU…"

"I'm not going…" Simon stops just as the three of them hear a small clattering noise near the front entrance. "He's here," Simon hisses, prompting both Spike and Ed to pulls their guns and cock them ready for action. But just as Ed is about to gesture to Spike on where to go his headset springs to life.

"Eddie? Where are you guys?"

"Boss, Spike and I…"

"Eddie, buddy you gotta speak up. Where are you?"

"I can't I…" Ed whispers as his hand covers his earpiece as the footsteps near.

"Ed," Spike gets his attention as they hear footsteps nearing them.

Ed gestures with his gun for Spike and Simon to hide on the other side of one of the large silos to the left and he'd take the right. But just as they get into position, Donald Atkins rounds the corner, sees Ed just as the power goes out. He fires off a shot and then ducks behind another bulkhead.

"Donald Atkins!" Ed growls as the power slowly flickers back to life. "Police! Drop your weapon!"

"Ed! Simon's gone," Spike huffs as he hears footsteps and then hurries after them. Ed hears shuffling on the other side of the bulkhead he's on and then turns only to be tackled from behind by Donald. While Ed tries to wrestle himself free, Spike hurries toward a darkened part of the building, hoping to find Simon Saze before he escapes.

"Simon! Stop I won't hurt you," Spike calls out in a low tone, the roof overheard almost sounding as if it could cave in at any moment. Spike rounds another silo and stops, raising his gun just as Simon steps before the console and starts to push some buttons. "Okay stop right there," Spike warns as he cocks his gun.

"Please…you don't understand," Simon's voice pleads as the storm rages on outside, Ed and Donald locked in a bitter tussle a few meters away. "I can fix this."

"Fix what?"

"I can make him not want to come after me. I can fix what I saw."

"How? You can't really believe that you can go back in time. You need to come with us now. You need help."

"I am bending time. I can fix this…please let me try," Simon tries again as he pushes two more buttons and a loud siren starts to scream.

"What the…okay I'm going to count to…" Spike's tone rises, fighting to be heard over the loud siren now competing with the raging storm. "Three and then I'm gonna shoot you in the leg. Step back!"

"Go and help your partner…please just let me do this," Simon pleads. "Everything will be okay."

"What happens when you push that button?" Spike asks as he hears Ed calling for help once more.

"I…I don't know."

"One…" Spike starts counting.

"Please…just a few seconds."

"Two, I am warning you," Spike huffs in agitation.

"Spike don't let him…whatever…" Ed's voice is heard over Spike's headset just as all hell breaks loose. A large lightning bolt cracks the sky overhead, lighting up the small patch of night coming in through the open door, the lights flicker, the sky then unleashes another hellish clap of thunder and Ed's voice calls for Spike to watch out as Donald was heading for them.

At the same time the storm decides to take a turn for the worst, Spike hears a noise behind him and turns to see Donald running toward him with a gun poised and about to fire at the man before him, Simon – him caught in the crossfire. He hears Simon shouting something behind him, his finger easing back on the trigger.

Ed rounds the corner and watches as Donald was about to fire on Spike and Simon. Ed fires once, the bullet flying through the air and piercing the outer shell of the electrical chamber behind Simon. But at the exact same moment Simon had pushed a button and the area around them instantly brightened, forcing Ed, Spike and Donald to halt in their tracks and instantly shield their eyes. A second siren is heard at the same time the roof sounds like it was about to give way.

"Spike!" Is all Ed manages, his voice muffled by the sounds of the storm crashing down upon him and the sirens wailing around them all, a strong blast of cold air slamming into him before darkness wraps its thick arms around his frame and everything is suddenly still.

XXXXXXXX

"Ahhh…" Ed's lips offer as his eyes slowly open, his head throbbing and chest slightly heaving. He coughs up some dust still lingering in the air as he slowly sits up and squints into the area around him. The small emergency flood lighting had finally come on, bathing the distorted landscape around him in ugly yellow light. "Sp…" he tries and stops to cough up a bit more dust. "Spike!" Ed finally calls out as he pushes himself to his knees and then does a quick spot check of himself to see if anything was bleeding – nothing so far.

"Spike? Talk to me!"

"Ed…" comes a soft reply, forcing Ed to follow the sound of his teammate's voice. He spikes Spike's legs under some debris and hurries to him.

"Spike…you okay?"

"Yeah…fine," Spike grumbles as he helps Ed push some pieces of drywall and wood off him. He gets to his feet and then looks around as well. "Any sign of Simon or Donald?"

"None. They split," Ed huffs as he looks toward the small door. "I think this was all an eloborate prank by these two clowns. But I don't hear the storm so that's one good thing. Come on…let's get this place closed off for safety reasons and then put out a missing persons bulletin for Simon and Donald and let whoever picks them up to deal with."

"Sounds good to me," Spike coughs, garnering a wondering glance from Ed. "I'm okay…really. Nothing a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee won't fix."

"I hear ya on that. Okay let's go."

The two of them slowly meander through some of the debris, looking at the two large silo's that for the most part was in tact and then at the electrical console which for the most part wasn't. Cleanup would be an arduous task to say the least. Ed steps through the door and then looks outside, it was dark, the sky was still heavily overcast but the driving rain had stopped and the thunder and lightning all but subsided.

"Dark already?" Spike asks in confusion. "How long were we out?"

"I didn't think that long," Ed answers with a small shrug as he readjusts his headset. "Boss you there?" Ed asks over his headset as he adjusts it on his ear. After a few seconds of static he looks at Spike and then tries again. "Boss? Sam? Anyone? Maybe something is messing with the headsets. Come on let's get back, fill out the paperwork and then get home," Ed suggests as he heads for the SUV.

"What if something happened to them?"

"I'm sure it's just a technical glitch after that storm."

"Ed…"

Ed notices Spike pausing before he gets in and casts his gaze in the same direction as Spike's. "What?"

"When has the CN Tower been that dark?"

"Maybe a power outage…come on let's go," Ed states as they both get into the SUV. "I'm sure everything else is normal back at home base," he utters fatefully.

A/N: Okay so good start? Or lame? This is different than I normally write (with a bit of sci-fi or not?) haha mixed in but I do hope you'll give it a chance. What do you think they are in for when they get back to SRU home base? Or has anything changed at all? Where is Simon? And Donald? Who's in danger? I hope you all want to see exactly what kind of world they've now found themselves in, what kind of team one awaits them, what danger and peril is lurking and how on earth they'll get back. Please review before you go and let me know b/c I am nervous you won't like this and thanks for reading!