2023 LA

Chris stood outside of his nightclub. It has been about four years since he has seen his family. Billy, the loan shark had been surprised when Chris managed to pay back the horrible loan with a very high interest in only a year.

Now, without needing to worry about any loans, he concentrates on the running of the Club chain. In the past years he didn't even think about turning back, sure he missed his family from his first life and this one. Though, he didn't agree with them for having kept magic away from him.

He had set out to start a huge nightclub chain. And he had succeeded. His clubs, all called Future Consequences, have been coming out all over the world. They are a huge success. In addition to the first 6 clubs he had 5 more opening in other location around the world. That would make it a grand total of eleven, and it made the process of booking bands easier. He got them going on tours to at least two or three of his clubs at a time. It is the new rave, to have mini tours around the world while playing in a hot club. Many wanted to play at all six of the original clubs and the new ones, which were just as successful.

Most people thought that they were fun. Go out to drink and dance. What made his clubs a success was that he added back rooms with pool tables, areas for business men, and he had started offering different types of activities. The paint drums were a real hit.

He still had Grams to thank for the fact that he had stayed hidden for so long. He remembered summoning her shortly after he left home.

Hear these words, hear my Cry,

Spirits from the other side, Come to me,

I summon thee, Cross now the great divide.

Grams then stepped out of the circle. "Hello my darling grandson, now what have you been up to. Why I didn't think that it would be that long until you summoned me. Where is your mother?"

"She isn't here. I have all my memories." Chris stated, one to change the subject of his leaving and two to get the help he needed.

"You have all your memories of what?" Chris gave her a meaningful look, and Patty's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, well that certainly explains a lot of things. I have been watching you know. Though why you didn't tell us who you were at the beginning I don't know. Oh well, what do you need me for? I know you're up to something."

"I want to hide from them. I felt them trying to find me."

"They are your family; of course they will try to find you. Though you look about 23 now, so I don't think that would be a problem..." She cuts off then chanted

"My great grandson hides,

Show me his other side."

Chris then reverts back to being 15 years old. "You didn't. Oh, I can't believe the youths these days. You're only what 12?"

"15!"

She continued while ignoring his reply. "You're not old enough to be on your own. You need to go home. I won't help you."

"You won't help me! I called you here thinking that you would be the one person in this family to understand and help me. I guess I was wrong. I'm 15 physically, but I have the memories of a 15 year old and a 23 year old. I remember leading a resistance against the source of all evil and going back in time to stop him. I don't need you to come over here and say that I'm too young."

"Chris, stop acting like a baby!"

"No, you people stop telling me to act like a baby and treat me how I should. They bound all my powers did you know that?"

"No." Grams stated and a long silence ensued. "I will help you only if you promise to go back someday. Not just now, but someday. Do you agree?"

"Yes"

"Good"

Chris smiled at that memory. It was one of Grams more welcomed visits. She would stop in sometimes to just bug him and offer her thoughts on how he was running his life. She gave comments, such as, "Thank god you didn't stay with that Bianca girl, she was just bad news," and, "Well that business transaction could have gone smother." As it had turned out Bianca didn't have a double memory. She was a loyal Phoenix. It didn't seem that he could have lived with her while knowing more about her than she knew about him. He decided that his Bianca died in the other future and they could never be together. It was a little heartbreaking but then again so was life. Bianca and him broke up and his Great Grandmother's spirit was ecstatic.

His Great Grandmother was both his saint and his annoyance. Some advice was welcomed while others, well lets just say he know a few places she could shove her advice at. While moving around a lot it was difficult to even consider getting close to anybody.

He dedicated his whole life to creating his chain of clubs, and improving them. Most of the time he didn't even think of himself or what would be good for him. He spent most of his time at one of his clubs, working. He didn't think that he could find anyone else that could bring a smile to his face and want to go out and have a good time. 'That was until Elizabeth.' He had met Elizabeth one night at his LA club. He still remembered the night. She had come into one of his clubs with a cute little outfit on.

"Can I have a Coke and Rum?"

"How old are you? You don't seem old enough to actually be in here you know that?"

"I'm old enough! Thank you very much." Chris smiled and went to get her a drink knowing full well that she was underage and that he couldn't get fired for giving alcohol to a minor.

"You know you just served an alcoholic beverage to a minor?" She asked with a tilt of her head. Chris thought that he had just fell into love with an angel.

"I know, but I won't tell if you won't." Chris replied with a smile.

"That is a surprise. Most bartenders are very neurotic." Chris then busted out laughing.

The rest of the night flew by and had ended with her in his bed. She had thought and still thinks that he is just a bartender there. 'Won't she be surprised when she finds out the truth?' Shaking his head he goes to a nearby café to surprise her.

--0---0---0---0---0—

Buffy was at the same moment busy working the tables in the dinner. Surprisingly it was the same diner she escaped Sunnydale to work at all those years ago. Her plan to escape had worked too perfectly. Anne was the name she had used but now that she was stuck in the future she decided to use Elizabeth, and she was not what you would call normal. She is, or at least was the slayer, the one girl chosen to fight the baddies, the vampires of the night. Yet after the other slayer died she decided to leave Sunnydale, and her whole life behind.

But then again she had lost everything. She killed Angel, and after Drusilla killed Kendra a new slayer was called, her duty done, and the police thought her a murderer. It was for the best that she had disappeared into the night.

What she hadn't expected was that when she was in LA, she came across this cult of demons who lived on a whole different plane, and kidnapped people to enslave them. Then the demons would just dump them on the street to die old and decrepit instead of being young. She went after the demons as was her duty, only to be punished, which she was put into a time out in a room for 10 minutes. What she didn't realize was that in the ten minutes about 20 years had passed.

There wasn't anyway to fix the mistake because she had killed off all of the demons and their portal world was destroyed. Now here she was Elizabeth (Buffy) Summers, now going by Elizabeth, was working the 5-11 every day in the future. She also managed a cheap apartment in the slums of LA.

She didn't think she could ever contact anybody ever again, not that she wanted to. Though she had look them up to how they were doing. She could only find general information. Xander was a construction worker with a wife, Anya. She thought that looked happy. In her search she had come across Spike. What a joy it was to beat the information from the last 20 or so years from his bleached ass. She found out that there were now 2 slayers. Her trip to the other dimension and the death of Kendra called another 2 slayers. So the chances improved from one girl set against the under world to two girls set against evil. What a wonderful world.

Apparently she had to beat Spike up to give her the more personal information that she was looking for. Though she doubted that he could ever find her again she made sure that she covered up her trail. She didn't think she could face all of her friends all grown up without her. She also didn't think that she could face them period.

Though, in retrospect, the information was worth the vampire knowing she was alive and only 16 years old, now 19; it was very interesting. Apparently Willow put the same spell on Spike that had been used on Angel, but made it permanent. She found out that three months after she had 'disappeared' Angel was released from the hell dimension and Willow also gave him back a permanent soul. That was all and good but she tried to avoid him and his wife, Cordealia. Who would have thought? Spike agreed to keep her secret, for now, and he wasn't too happy about doing it. Though she was debating if that was because he liked her or just wanted to have information over Angel. Giles was back in London on the watcher's council, and Willow and her family had joined the council and were currently in London.

And here she was yet again thinking of what fate brought her to, a crappy job in a dinner. Then a voice cut through her self pity to make her smile.

"Hi sweetheart, change your mind about that date?" A voice interrupted her daze to the past. Turning she saw the tall form of Chris. Chris had been regular customers, who always came to flirt with her and asking out on dates for the last 6 months. She would guess he was in his early 20's. He was always stopping by to flirt with her, and to take her out to one of his clubs. It had only taken his 4 months to get her to agree to go out with him, and they have been dating regularly for the past 2 months.

Chris was very successful for only being 19 years old. He owned 10 different night clubs and one of them was in LA. His story was somewhat an intriguing one for her, or basically the lack of a background story. He had no family, at least of what he willingly mentioned. He appeared to be in his mid 20's but she knew he was only 19. She had first met him when he had invited her to his club, but she had only thought he was the bartender.

She figured she wouldn't press him for information as long as he held the same respect for her. She couldn't just tell him "Hi Chris, sweetheart. I was caught in some demon's trap and I'm now 20 some odd years in the future. If that hadn't happened I could have been the same age as your mother." He would laugh his ass off. Then come back with some smart-alecky reply that he liked older women. That thought had made her laugh. She could have been the age of his mother. However circumstances are different and she was only a 19 year old in the future. And, most importantly, the same age as him.

She still remembered how they met and still smiled at the conversation. She had visited his club and it ended up as a one night stand. Then he had started to peruse her. He was infatuated, and not that she would admit it at the time but so was she. She resisted because she didn't want to get hurt. But then she just finally gave in to see if it might just work out. Maybe they could be happy.

Turning around she tilted her head and asked, "Only if you can somehow change my shift time. Otherwise you have to wait for tomorrow." She turned and swayed her hips a bit, knowing that he liked it when she did that. She continued to pick up the dirty plates.

"I think I can manage that. So how about dinner tonight? Anywhere you want to go." He replied while moving closer to her to kiss her neck. "Or," his voice dropped seductively low, "You can let me surprise you?"

He had taken her breath away. "I think I will take your surprise. Will I need anything fancy?" She asked while wrinkling her nose.

"Good, and yes, but that is taken care of. The dress is at your apartment and I'm sure that you will love it. And I'm sure that you will like tonight just the same." He kisses her neck then leaves to talk to her boss.

Later that night Buffy fallowed Chris into a secluded part of some fancy restaurant. It was some expensive place that she knew she couldn't afford if it weren't for Chris paying the bill. Though, even if it wasn't somewhere nice she would have enjoyed herself all the same. There was something about this man that captivated her. He could make her laugh at nothing or everything.

Noticing his smirk she sends him a questioning glance. Seeing the wheels turning in his head she wondered what he was up to. The last time he had that look they ended up on a camping trip. Though she wasn't complaining the nights in the forest could be very passionate. "So, do you like it here?"

"It's interesting; I don't think that I have ever had a private room in any restaurant." Buffy said.

"I'm glad you are enjoying this. So I would offer alcohol, but apparently we're too young. Old enough to own a large string of night clubs but not enough to drink what I serve, doesn't that suck?"

Buffy tilted her head and laughs at his lame joke. "Like that has ever stopped you before. How about the time you drank that case of beer with me? You certainly didn't hold your liquor well that night."

"Lies you tell my dear…" he replied teasingly. The bantering continued until the final course was served. Chris suddenly became quiet, which was usually her hint that he was up to something. Buffy was surprised to look down at her food to find an expensive diamond ring sitting inside her dessert.

She looked up to find Chris beside her on one knee. He took her hand and said "Elizabeth, I know we have only known each other for 6 months and only dated for two, but I know that you're the only woman for me. You make me happy, and you will make me even happier if you become my wife."

Without thinking she through her arms around him, and replied, "Yes, yes."

--0---0---0---0---0—

Later that night they laid in bed both creating a silent promise to close off their other lives from each other. Chris would never tell her about his past and magic, while Buffy would never tell him about being the Slayer. 'He/she would never accept that part in my life,' was the same thought that filters through their heads as they drifted off to sleep.

--0---0---0---0---0—

It was the next day when Elizabeth decided to return to her apartment. They had a small argument about which apartment they were going to live in.

"I want you to move in here." The statement was simple but it chilled her to the bone. The look on Chris' face showed he was adamant. When he saw the look of apprehension on her face he added, "Oh, come on! Your apartment is very dangerous. You don't know what types of maniacs are out there. One could be sitting in your apartment right now! I know this place is safe and you won't have to worry. It is close to the dinner and the club."

"I don't care if it is close. I'm independent! I want to have my own apartment for at least a little while longer and if you don't like that then that's your problem. I'm not moving!" Now I got to go.

"I just want to keep you safe." Chris tells her. She didn't want to hear about it, and got up and gives him a passionate kiss that wipes his head of any rational thought. "Later."

She smiles as the memory came up. Then a voice cut across the room that chilled her to the bone. "Hi darling, you miss me? I hope you don't mind the landlord let me in. She didn't want a dear old friend sitting on the steps all night for you."

Then she turns and saw Spike sitting on her couch watching an episode of Passions. "Yep Chris you were right, there is some weird maniac sitting in my apartment sitting in my apartment right now."