A/N: I like Guardians of Time but, honestly, the writing is shit and the ending is shit so here's what I wish had happened. Like any writer, I like reviews and feedback and all that good stuff - so please review and let me know what you like/don't like! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from anything related to the Guardians of Time series of books. This story is just for fun!

I'm thinking it's a sign
that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images
And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes
like puzzle pieces from the clay
And true, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch
my troubled head when you're away

When I am missing you to death
I hope this song will guide you home.

Matt

I am inside the ruins of Viridian finishing up a retrieval mission when I hear the enormously loud crash in the west end of the city. Realizing that I am not the only visitor to the ruins makes my heart race. My fingers tighten around the pieces of the broken prophecy in my hands. It's my job to collect every last piece of the prophecy wall but this crash in the city tells me I'm too late; someone could be escaping with a piece of it!

I don't want to do anything that could put the Guard back on edge and into training mode – it's been too long of a fight for most of us – but I can't allow someone to leave with a piece of that wall!

Shaking off my dread, I pocket the pieces of the broken prophecy and morph into a shark. I dive into the flooded city and flex my new muscles, pushing the water out of the way.

At first there's no sign of any motion at all in the west end, but, turning in a circle, I notice bubbles spouting somewhere to my left and my hopes crash. I am definitely not alone in Viridian. I squint through the bubbles and can only just make out the shape of a sinking shadow somewhere below me. Right away I see that it is a man falling to the bottom of the ruins, so I shift back into human form and kick down to him. He gives no fight when I reach him and grasp his arms, but when I pull him above the water and onto a floating chunk of rubble he coughs and sputters uncontrollably. When he seems completely unable to breathe I put my palm to his chest and send an electric shock coursing through his body to re-energize his cells.

He writhes wildly on the ground and gulps in too much air and has another bout of coughing until, finally, the air hits his lungs. He lies tiredly for a minute and shakily draws his breaths and only because his breathing seems too labored, even for a near drowning, do I realize that he must be injured in some way. When I glance around at his splayed out body I see deep cuts covering his arms and legs and, though I can't see it because of his heavy clothing, I can tell that his torso is in the same condition. Even his face has gash marks all over and his body is stained with bruises. The water around him is turning red too quickly.

He's in a much worse condition than I first thought and I realize that I will have to take him to the infirmary in Arkarian's chambers before I do anything else. So much for my final mission in Viridian – I will eventually have to come back to collect all of the pieces of the prophecy but, clearly, not anytime soon.

With a frustrated sigh, I place my hand on the man's chest and send a second wave of electricity into his body to prepare him for movement but, after I do this, he opens his eyes for the first time since I dragged him out of the water. Once his eyes connect with my charged, glowing hand he jumps out of my reach with agility that I wouldn't have guessed possible. He stares at me warily. I realize that I should assure him that he will be ok but when I move to stand and say something he glares at me in warning and, to my surprise, both of his hands flare up with cool blue energy. What the hell!

I move forward to step off the floating rock and onto solid ground and he puts his hands up with another flash of blue. Just then I realize this energy in his hands is familiar; I've definitely seen it before.

"I won't hurt you. I can help you!" I yell, "but you have to tell me where you learned to protect yourself from immortals."

He stares at me like I've sprouted three heads and then takes another step backward. "Do not come near me," he says. Without so much as a glance back he stops moving; he is entirely aware of the giant stones piled behind him, blocking his way. "What have you done to this city?"

I feel his chest constrict painfully but he remains standing and I can't help thinking his composure isn't normal. He's injured and in unfamiliar surroundings yet completely focused and alert. That takes years of training.

I look at him for a moment longer and decide to take my chances. I don't think he can hurt me or even run away, no matter what I tell him, so I stick to the truth.

"I won't hurt you," I say again. "I haven't done anything! The city was like this when I came here. I'm on a cleanup mission. Now, your turn. How'd you get in? What happened to you?"

He appraises me coolly. "Are you a Guardian?"

I almost laugh in surprise. Even if he's from the Order, I think I could take him and, right now, he is definitely in no shape to fight me. I nod. "Yeah. Yes. I'm leader of the Guard." His eyes shoot to mine in alarm but I continue, "You need healing and I can arrange that for you, but I need your name. Who are you?"

For a minute he says nothing and his eyes unsettle me – I feel like I'm being X-rayed – but, then, "I am a Guardian."

Again, I almost sigh in relief.

"But you say you are leader." His eyes narrow. "What has come of Lorian? He would not consent to someone so young taking that position."

At the immortal's name I flinch slightly. How can he not know that the immortals are gone? Something's very wrong.

"You say you're one of us yet I've never seen you in our ranks. You ask about the immortals yet you must know they're dead. Any Guardian would know that." His eyes widen but I continue, "I can help you, but you have to prove to me that you mean no harm. I can't bring you to our headquarters without an explanation."

Suddenly, the man's face pales . His eyes are downcast and his jaw is clenched but the most striking thing is the sorrow on his face. I'm taken aback by his open grief and realize that there is nothing more honest than this; he must have known Lorian personally.

"Then all is lost. I cannot prove to you that I mean no harm. He is the only one who would know me," he says.

I'm surprised by his composure and don't know what to make of it. Something is off. "Tell me your name," I say.

He must have realized that he can't fight me; he answers without hesitation. "I am Arkarian. I was in Lorian's Guard."

I can't help flinching. I knew it. I feel the familiar weight of unease settling on my shoulders but, in a way, I'm relieved that something's finally happened. We were getting too comfortable in our peace. But now I have to worry about my healer.

Isabel's going to kill me. Or him.