Random note: Yay for the capital 'F'! It's been bugging me since I started reading this fandom!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters; Eoin Colfer does.
I have my doubts about this ficlet...criticism is very much welcomed.
In Another Time
She had told him, In another time, and she had meant it.
It did not matter that she kissed him after saying it, a friendly peck on the cheek. It did not matter that she couldn't bring herself to tell Foaly or anyone else everything that had happened when she went back in time with him. It did not matter that she still sometimes thought about the one impulsive kiss she had given him when she was in her adolescent body.
It did not matter that he still called on the fairy communicator. It did not matter that he had told his mother about her and their shared adventures. It did not matter that she still dropped in occasionally to check on Butler, to give him a shot of healing sparks whenever he needed it. It did not matter that she often stayed to talk with the boy afterwards, for hours on end, about the most inane topics while her LEP duties piled up and Trouble threatened to ban her from going aboveground. It did not matter that he was always available to meet her; no matter how many deals were waiting to be made, or projects to be handled, he would be free to chat with her about anything she liked.
It did not matter that she could do nothing more about her friendship with him. In another time, perhaps things could have been different; perhaps she could have had what she wanted. But she couldn't change them now, so she wasn't going to. There was nothing for her to regret – she still had his friendship after all.
His friendship was the best she could hope for, or the next best thing.
In another time, perhaps, she had not met him at all.