AN: I had a LOT of fun writing this! Enjoy!

"Todd, are you entirely sure you should be up and about? Your attack - "

"Jesus, Dirk, I'm fine"

"Well yes, I know but it doesn't hurt to double check!" The trying-to-be-upbeat smile appeared right alongside it.

"Anyone ever tell you that sometimes you act just like a mother hen?"

Dirk's face morphed into something like amusement. Todd had to ask why.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing! Come along then Todd, we have to solve the mystery of those disappearing frogs and their totally cool marching band!"

In hindsight, Dirk had told him touching the machine they'd grabbed off the frog's marching band would be a bad thing to do. Their cymbal crasher had apparently already had it in for them, when they'd first taken his plastic 'good luck' strawberry. The machine would just pile it on. Todd didn't know where to begin with any of those sentences.

"Where are you going with that, pray tell? I don't think it'd be wise to do anything with it Todd! We've already taken it and I'd rather not anger them further" Came the voice from behind him.

Unfortunately the aforementioned assistant had different ideas. He'd had some sort of idea of how it worked and knew they needed to try it. Do something with it. Doing nothing never got them anywhere before.

So of course he'd then spun round and talked Dirk into saying if he wouldn't, he would. The minute he even placed a finger on the machine, he realised maybe it had been a mistake.

Dirk's worried face being the last thing he saw.

Todd woke up on some sort of pavement, glancing up to see houses all built together. This was not America. That was for certain, he'd never seen houses that packed together. Where the hell was he then? Looking down he noted no machine by him, or anything that could get him back. That put things back a little for him. He hoped Dirk and Farah were on the case already.

He cursed the frogs fifty times over again as he tried to get up. Only to be sped past and almost get knocked back down by some guy on a bicycle.

"Oh sorry! Can't stop!"

For some reason that voice had sounded incredibly familiar. The man shoved it away to deal with for later. Right now he had to figure out where this was, and a place to stay since he could be here for God knows how long. Cursing the frogs once more seemed easier to deal with rather than knowing he got himself into the situation.

With that thought, he walked a little ways down the road only to see a 'for rent' sign up. Todd sent a nod up to the sky.

"Thanks even if I'll admit for this bit only that it's my fault I ended up here. God I hope no one's living here already"

Thankfully no one was, and everywhere was furnished. Even food supplies that were in date were stacked in cupboards and the fridge. No owner approached asking him to see inside so he guessed this place was either hidden, abandoned or haunted. Or the universe somehow had predicted that Todd would touch the stupid machine - fine he'd admit it was on him! - and send him wherever he now was.

Sometimes Todd wondered if the universe hated him. Sometimes he thought the universe should.

Today's agenda was to see where exactly he was, and to then figure out the steps to get back home. No matter what, he'd decided he was going to get back. Before he'd gone to sleep, the former musician had told himself so. He was going to make sure he could see Amanda again. Amanda, Farah and Dirk. Maybe even speak to Tina and Hobbs afterwards. He'd made a family for himself and he wasn't letting go of it this time. To just let it go because he felt he didn't deserve all the people in his life, would be a stupid thought and it wasn't one he'd felt for a while now. To think that would set him back years.

So Todd had decided to go out during the afternoon, if only to not be run over by assholes on bicycles who weren't looking where they were going. So of course, instead of that when he ventured out, he instead got a healthy dose of running smack dab into a group of boys in uniform.

Only this time instead of instantly getting back up from the pavement, his pararibultis flared up. Where he'd fallen, he suddenly felt a ton of bricks on his chest making it unable to breathe. As if he'd just gone past a building site and he'd misjudged his timings.

"Is anyone going to comment or shall I do it for all of us? Never mind that God awful clothing"

"Dakin, he clearly needs help! Not unhelpful comments like that!" Again, even through the attack, he couldn't help but feel that voice was familiar.

"Are any of you going to actually help this kid up? He looks like he's convulsing! Is he having a seizure do ya'think? Do you think we need to get him to hospital?"

"I think you're right Adil! Has he got anything on him?!"

"Here lads, what's that sticking out of his pockets? I think it's potentially his tablets?"

"Give it over then Jimmy, let's help him before he actually does some serious damage!" Seriously why was that voice so recognisable?!

"I've got 999 if once we've gotten him to take them, he still doesn't look right" Came one of the much calmer voices of the circle around him.

"Don't you think we should get him off the pavement first?"

"I think he's got bigger problems right now Peter"

"I were only saying Timms!"

"Will someone get him to take them!"

"Alright, keep your hair on Pos!"

"There! Done! Alright, someone time 5 minutes"

Right after the three minute mark, Todd's body stopped convulsing from the attack, and was able to open his eyes. A step he would have liked to take back once he glanced round the faces staring down at him. One in particular made him stop and breathe out slowly. That was why he recognised the voice. What was Dirk doing here?

"Dirk?"

It couldn't be. Dirk had said he'd gone to college before, but never school. Never in a uniform or with other people. Not with people he seemed to be close with. Was this then an alternate dimension? Was he then back in the past? Oh God, he hoped it wasn't the past. Todd and the past never exactly worked out well.

"Sorry, you must be mistaking me for a different person. Nasty attack you just had. They happen often?"

Todd chuckled a little, feeling a lot better, and able to focus on anything other than the fact his attack had been seen. How did Dirk have such a weird accent here?

"More often than not. I don't really like to talk about it. This might sound a little...weird but what year is this?"

The 80's. Todd had managed to get himself stuck in the 80's. He watched as the eight wondered round the place, checking it out. Alongside that, he had ended up learning all their names about half an hour later as they'd invaded his house and eating half the snacks he'd acquired.

With a sigh, he at least recognised that they weren't destroying his place. Especially when according to the budding writer, they had to make sure he got home safe, and make sure his medication was in full view for the next time. It was like his brain got stuck on an overplayed record.

Stuck in the 80's with a possibly younger Dirk, only here he was called David Posner, and Jewish, and incredibly well read. From what he witnessed, Dirk had friends here! So had they vanished back in the future? Did Blackwing threaten him to separate from them? Had they chosen to leave themselves? Where were they? Dirk seemed pretty avid that Todd was the first person who fully stuck around. Going round made his head hurt a little too much. Stressing would only bring on another attack.

He at least would have tried saying that he was from the future or asking if he knew anything about Blackwing, but to some degree for the past few weeks, the boys were always around each other.

Scripps especially.

After that evening, he couldn't shake them off. They ended up sticking to him like glue.

Todd hadn't exactly known how to feel about that. God, and he thought Dirk was weird. These guys were on a different level. They were always quoting some weird ass things, trying to one up each other or looking at their textbooks and writing some...interesting essays. Always going round each other's houses – specifically Todd's to keep an eye on him, which had him rolling his eyes til sunset – and just enjoying each other's company. He just counted his blessings the universe hadn't made him enrol in school.

As much as Todd loved the joy of having more friends than he knew how to deal with, he missed the office. Missed Amanda. Missed Farah and Dirk. This side of Dirk was nice and fun to discover, but it wasn't his friend.

He just wanted to get back to what he knew.

All of this - being here - just fried his brain a little.

And he still hadn't figured out how to get back home.

"So...care to explain to me what I saw?" Todd started crossing his arms in front of Dakin.

"Don't know what you're on about mate"

"You do know! I saw you. I'm concerned for you. All of you"

Dakin shuffled to the side and back again, avoiding Todd's eyes.

"You...you know you can talk to me, right?"

"Look, I'm not talking about this any further with you Todd. You don't have a clue what you're on about so leave it, yeah?"

"Please talk to me. You can't tell me I didn't see what I have a few days ago. Di-avid told me that it's not just Dakin he goes after. Just tell me. I want to help you guys"

"Help us by not saying anything then" Akthar said as Rudge and Lockwood nodded.

"He's a good teacher. We enjoy his lessons. Don't compromise that"

Todd sighed frustrated.

Todd had never felt the phrase 'mother hen' more aptly applied than to one Donald Scripps. At which point he bumped his head remembering what Dirk had said a month ago now. When the man had asked why he laughed, he now knew why.

"Laughing for any reason now? The person in question asked as he sat down on the sofa flicking through a book.

"Anyone ever tell you that you act like the mom of the group?"

"Have you been talking to Pos again? Or Dakin? Or Akthar? -"

"Case meet point" Todd smirked.

There was a short silence. Don smirked going back to his book and Todd twiddling his thumbs. This was a chance he might not get again.

"Hey um, can I ask you something?"

"I'll have to charge you" Scripps grinned himself.

"Funny. No, I just...I've seen it happen a few times and everyone's wanted to just let it go but I can't. You know what's being done to you? It's abuse"

Scripps looked up from his book then, meeting his eyes steadily.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but ye can't do anything. And we'll become a laughing stock. I've heard you asking around the boys lately. Just because you think you can change something, doesn't always mean you can. Who'd believe us? You know almost everyone says that it doesn't happen to lads so what'd happen? Anyways we've only got a year or so left and we're coming up to results day, so I appreciate your concern but we'll power on through. Enough of this now. Doesn't all this worrying bring on your attacks?"

That was the last time Todd brought the issue up with anyone.

A noise came through the wall. For a moment he thought it was someone messing with him. Or an oncoming attack. Right up until he saw Farah's face looking relieved.

Seeing her, he could have cried on sight.

Then Amanda popped into sight, and he refused to admit that his eyes were watering.

"You do not know how long it took us to find you. You had us worried" Farah started.

"Trust me, I really can"

"Okay, do you want to get stuck here forever? Without all the awesomeness of where we are? Cos if not, then you need to come through now! We can only keep this open for so long"

Todd noted that the boys might think he was an asshole for just leaving them but he did want to get back. Back to his job, his friends, his sister and the internet. This wasn't home. Never had been.

Todd - with a mental apology up to the boy's he should have been meeting later - stepped through.

"And no-one's seen him? Disgustingly for us, he does tend to give us fair warning if he'd be late for anything" Dakin inquired to the group.

"Not since yesterday, no" Scripps answered.

"Unbelievable! You don't think he's gone to the police do you? He's always seemed pretty insistent that someone would acknowledge us" Crowther awkwardly asked.

"I don't think he'd do that to us. He seemed to trust what we said even if he disagreed with it" Posner spoke up feeling a little dejected. Todd had been a lot of fun, and seeming to just understand them individually.

"Maybe he had an attack? Went to hospital? We all know he's living with some weird things in that head of his. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens" Lockwood finished the conversation.

"Well, if he hasn't and he's just missed meeting us up for whatever reason, when we've all agreed to, then he's a right dick" Dakin ended the conversation.

Only their friend never did turn up again and they never found out why.

Back in the present, the first thing that happened was being Todd being hugged by Farah and Amanda.

"I am so glad to see you. You had us worried there, for a while. Is everything alright? Tell me you're alright, so I know you're alright. Any injuries?"

"No, no injuries. I got away fairly easily. I'm so happy to see you Farah. You too sis. Really happy. Is...Dirk here? I think I owe him an apology"

Dirk as if by magic appeared at that last sentence. Todd not knowing how to react. Did Dirk remember him being back there? Or had something happened that made him forget it all?

"I should think so Todd. Honestly I tell you not to touch the magic time machine and you still do it! We weren't sure if we could ever get you back. Trust me 2 months almost felt like forever!"

Clearly Dirk didn't remember. That shouldn't have stung as much as it did. Left with the question of wondering what happened to those boys or why they weren't ever mentioned. If they had ever been able to forgive Todd for leaving them. Still, at least he was back with his family.

In the agency a few days later, Todd was filing away singing under his breath. Trip to the past almost forgotten. Dirk pretending to file as well so as not to get into Farah's bad books by simply playing Candy Crush. Then five minutes later, he felt Dirk's eyes on him.

"Something on my face?"

"No, no. I was just wondering, well thinking, well both... about everything. I had missed you quite a bit and I was...worried. For a while there, I thought we wouldn't be able to get back to you but then we did! Amanda and Farah said you looked fine. As fine as you were here. I don't even know where you went! I...just... don't want to lose a best friend. Please don't do that again?" Dirk's voice petered out.

Todd stood and crossed over to where Dirk was sitting, kneeling down in front of him. If it had been the other way round, reassurance would have been what he wanted to.

"I'm sorry I scared you"

"I wasn't scared. Not at all! Maybe for a bit, but I knew we'd get you back. I wasn't going to just let you go. You're important to me. Answer this one question for me though?"

"Of course"

"Where did you go?"

"Some place I never thought I would have" Was the only answer Todd willingly gave. Dirk's response looking all sorts of confusion.

Maybe he'd tell Dirk someday. When he was ready to.

Some day.