Hello readers! Thank you for all the story follows and favorites and reviews. I really do want to apologize for "Four Hours" which I mistakenly said was a multichapter fic. I have changed it to 'complete' and I've decided to leave it as it is. However, this is the multichapter fic that I was talking about in that other author's note. AU in which I explore Aelita's/the gang's future, to put it bluntly. Aelita is about 22 throughout the story. Yes, this fic will include OCs, but don't fret, they won't be so important. They're there for development. As chapters go on, we'll have the gang come into the story one by one, so don't worry, this won't be just focused on Aelita and William. So hold on to your bobby socks, guys. This is gonna be one fic that I'll dearly enjoy and hope that you do too!

FRIENDLY NOTE: I recommend listening to any and/or all of Bastille's and Mumford and Sons' songs/albums while reading! c:

"Miss Stones?"

Eyes glued to the blaring computer screen and mouth slightly agape, the woman the man addressed did not even flinch. He reached out and shook her shoulder lightly, which most likely seemed like an avalanche to her, with what the way she jumped in reaction to the touch.

"H-huh... what?" she looked around feeling slightly woozy.

"Goodness, Stones. You've been working like crazy these past few weeks. You certainly need to get some rest."

"But, sir, I-" she frantically gestured at her computer as she was cut off.

"No buts. You've worked hard enough," the man sat in the chair opposite her desk. "Aelita... is anything the matter? As a boss, I care for my workers and I want them to work stress-free."

"No," glancing down at her fingers which were fiddling with themselves, she sighed. "Just my past catching up with me, that's all. I have lost contact with almost all of my past friends, my old bakery is being taken down next week, my neighbours are a complete nightmare – oh I could go on. I thought that I could spend my free time here so I could take my mind off things."

"That's understandable, but overworking yourself is bad for your health. Everybody's pasts eventually reach a point where they start disappearing from your life and it's... I guess it's something we just have to go through."

"I guess so," she looked at him sullenly.

"But it all starts with a bit of rest and doing the things you enjoy – which is exactly what you will be doing during the next two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

"I'll let you off a week earlier. I understand it must be hard with the bakery and whatnot. Besides, you've worked mountain piles these past few weeks - it'll pay off, don't worry."

"I'm very grateful for your offer, sir, thank you so much!" she managed a smile with what energy she had left in her as she reached out to shake her boss' hand.

He nodded at her in return for appreciation and left her booth so she could gather her things in peace. Aelita was thankful for having a boss like Arnaud Becotte.

Being an orphan, it was hard earning and fending for herself. She only had her friends to help her through high school and get applications for college. Then college suddenly came. All her friends were slowly but surely getting sucked in by the 'magic' of college and the contact she used to have with them was disappearing too.

With no one to help her get a job, Aelita was left with the only guardian she had left: Google. And so she managed to get a small job as a technician for Becotte's business company. After seeing what she was capable of doing with computers, he fired her – only to hire her again, but this time as a small city business woman. Money was no problem for Aelita now. She left the apartment she shared with Monique – a girl who only took Aelita in so she'd have less rent to pay – and began renting out her own apartment.

Seeing as she had much more free time to herself, she began to find hobbies she could do. Aelita still continued her music, but was only able to use the college's mixing tables and recording equipment. So she decided to take on something she felt was always simple: cooking. Specifically baking. She would bake something new every day after work for herself, from cakes to tarts to pastries, she would bake them all. Living close to a suburban street with a lot of empty stores available for sale, with the help of her boss, she was able to open up her bakery after she finished college – La Dent Sucrée. She had young volunteers help out at the bakery in baking and selling while she went to work at Becotte's office, and when she was free she would go and help out, maybe even bake some delicacies in thanks to the workers.

But the fun all ended when others would do Aelita's same action. The other empty stores soon became better bakeries than Aelita's and that caused her to lose all her wonderful customers. The volunteers left to work for the other bakeries that gave them higher pay and La Dent Sucrée officially became 'old'. It was closed down as another man got rights to the place for a high price – it was a done deal anyway, with the bakery losing all its money. But nothing was ever done with the place. It was just sealed off and left to rot; Aelita's passion was sealed off and left to rot.

The bakery was then subject to demolition, and Aelita still got notified even though she lost the rights to the place. It was as if everything was suddenly against her and trying to make her feel bad on purpose. But it hurt. It hurt a lot that the small homely attraction was to be destroyed completely and who-knows-what placed upon its area. That is what she would have to face in only a couple of days. She brought this bakery to life and she would be there with its downfall.

That is, not after a couple of drinks to release her pent up stress.

Luckily the night wasn't as cold as she thought since she only brought a thin sweater with her. Sliding into it and picking up two folders which she held against her chest, Aelita set off out of her booth and out of the building, waving at Becotte as she passed. She'd already decided as she was packing that she would go to the bar near her apartment for a night out. She hadn't been there before and it looked small but friendly – not too much and not too little, it was just right.

But her muse was disrupted at the sudden sight of men setting up cones and fences around her bakery – her sealed off bakery. Anger bubbling in her chest, she clutched onto her folders under her right arm and ran towards the scene.

"What's going on here?!" she called out. "I thought the demolition wasn't scheduled until next week!"

"Change of plans, madam," the nearest builder stated, a small smirk playing on his face, almost enjoying how upset Aelita was.

"No... no! This can't happen. Not yet... I was promised next week, not tomorrow!"

"Nothing I can do about it, miss."

Aelita watched helplessly as the fences separated her further away from the small building she founded. Loud beeping noises were coming from her left as trucks were parking near the area. Her heart was pounding, her blood boiling. She was powerless over the situation. She couldn't change anything, she couldn't save anything, and she couldn't go back into the past any longer either. She felt everything suddenly test her patience: the builders laughing, more trucks pulling in, the air getting colder. Aelita turned away and ran. Ran as far away from the area as she possibly could.

She ran straight for the bar, not bothering to leave her folders behind. They didn't matter anymore to her anyway. Right now she was set on forgetting about everything, and alcohol was one way that Monique had taught her would do just the trick. Aelita wasn't an avid drinker, and she wasn't planning on being one, but there were rare times were she would give in and set herself free.

Opening the door, she felt the warm air hug her as she heard a rock song playing silently under muffled laughter of other men and women in the bar. She started walking slowly towards the serving bar, noticing how much people were enjoying themselves in this small place. Some were watching a football match that was projected on a screen on the far wall, some were having dinner, and some where just talking and drinking. She sat on one of the stools at the serving bar and slammed her folders down to her side, then crossed her arms on the counter-top.

At the sound of the sharp noise, the barman glanced behind his shoulder and saw Aelita slumped against the counter. Continuing to dry the beer glass he had been drying, he walked backwards towards her. Seeing her slouched that way, he wondered if anything had happened or if it was just tiredness catching up to her. As a barman he was told to ensure the comfort of all customers, and of course, in a bar, it starts with a drink.

"Anything I can get you, miss?"

Aelita looked up at the barman, noticing his young face immediately. She'd always assumed these places were filled with older men, both working and consuming. He was about her age, maybe older, she wasn't sure. Intrigued by the man's familiarity and why he was working here as a barman, she completely blanked at his question. He didn't repeat the question either. He was staring at Aelita this time. Sure, Paris was filled with many young people being adventurous nowadays with their looks, but he hadn't expected her look. A look so familiar to him.