CHAPTER THREE:

The Present?

Consciousness slowly returned to Michael and he slowly opened eyes. He found himself sprawled face down on the ground. As he slowly moved his head, it took him a moment to realize that he was outside and it was nighttime.

Michael moved the rest of his body slowly seeing if it would respond—it ached but nothing felt broken. As he became more aware of his surroundings, he checked his helmet display for any system warnings or problems with his armor—everything looked good.

Rolling over on to his back, Michael could see the stars clearly in the night sky. He was still feeling disoriented and confused and was trying to remember what had happened. He felt and was bombarded with a jumble and mix of images and emotions. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He remembered that he was fighting demons and Faith and Buffy were there as well and then there was a painful bright light and…

"JESUS!" Michael shouted sitting up quickly as everything came back to him. He shut his eyes trying to squeeze back the horrifying and painful memory of what had happened.

"GOD NO!" he screamed as the look on Faith's face replayed over and over again in his mind as she seemed to dissolve right before his eyes.

Michael held his helmeted head in his hands shaking in disbelief as he fought back the horrible memories. He could feel himself trying to hold back tears. It was hard to think and concentrate as his mind was overwhelmed with images, thoughts and emotions. He fought to get himself under control.

What do I do now?

Adriana… I have to find her… I have to make sure she's safe.

Oh god! How do I tell her that her mother is gone?

Michael fought to regain his control and composure. He needed to focus on the immediate mission—get to Adriana and ensure her security. It seemed easier just placing everything in the context of a mission.

Your wife, the love of your life and mother of your child just dissolved in front of your eyes and now you must get to your daughter… It looks so much cleaner and easier… It doesn't matter if you feel like your heart and soul have just been ripped out.

"Focus on the immediate mission and then find out what the hell happened." he muttered to get himself under control.

Michael got up wearily, trying to orient himself and his location. He called up the new AI, "Junior… Perform a system check and see if you can access any GPS satellites to determine our location?"

It took what seemed like a long time, but it was only about a minute before a cheerful sounding voice replied back, "All suit systems are nominal. Your shields absorbed the energy field you encountered. I have also determined that your location is 14.5 kilometers from your previous location."

"Junior… Any idea on what that energy field was?" Michael asked while again trying to push the images of Faith dissolving from his mind.

"Insufficient data at this time… All readings have been logged for reference to provide to primary AI construct for further analysis."

Maybe Virgil can give me some answers, but right now I have to get to Adriana.

Michael could see the glow of lights of Sunnydale off to the west. He needed to get to Xander and Anya's home, they were watching Adriana.

He only moved a few steps, when it hit him. Everything started spinning and the image of what happened to Faith came rushing back and he couldn't stop it. He bent over holding his head. He fell to his knees pulling his helmet off as fast as he could—he threw up. He heaved and heaved as tears flowed down his face.

He didn't know how long he was like that, but he finally managed to regain some control.

"I have to focus… I have to concentrate on something else… Just focus on the mission right now… Get to Adriana." he muttered to himself while breathing heavily.

He finally felt stable enough to stand up again, putting his helmet back on. He started moving at a fast jogging pace to go get his daughter.

oOoOo

Michael was now puzzled and confused. He should have been standing in front of Xander and Anya's home, but instead he was in standing in an empty field. He looked around the whole area—there should have been houses, but there was only empty fields and trees. As Michael had Junior confirm the GPS co-ordinates of his location and that he was at the right spot, he felt the beginnings of panic—there should have been houses all through this area. The subdivision that Xander and his family lived in had been built when Sunnydale rebuilt after the Battle of the Hellmouth. Something was definitely wrong and out of place.

Michael fought to keep his rising panic and fear in check. First Faith gone and now he couldn't find Adriana.

"Junior… Confirm again that we are in Sunnydale, California."

"As per previous check, I have confirmed GPS co-ordinates and you are currently in Sunnydale, California."

Michael felt a thought scratching at the back of his mind. He tried to process it, but he was such a mess of emotions that he couldn't think straight.

I need to get back to Virgil, but I need to check something first…

Michael started running to his next stop.

oOoOo

Michael stood once again in shock and confusion, but this time he found himself speechless as well. He stood rooted to his spot as he didn't have any words or explanations. He was at the Hellmouth and there should have been nothing but parkland—nothing had been rebuilt there since that final battle. He instead found himself looking at a building where there should have been none—Sunnydale high school.

He blinked trying to believe what he was seeing. It was not only the high school, it was the first high school building—the one that Buffy had destroyed when they fought Mayor Wilkins to stop his ascension.

Michael stood there feeling dazed and confused. He was at a loss and didn't know what to do next. The earlier scratching feeling came back and Michael took deep breaths to try and calm himself. He had a thought and he needed to check, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"Junior… Can you access any local systems and tell me what the date is today?"

"Of course…"

It didn't take long for the AI to reply back, "According to multiple information sources today's date is May 3, 1999…"

The words slapped and mocked Michael as he tried to comprehend what the AI was saying and the implications. It was hard to believe—impossible to believe—but somehow he had gone back in time.

He still didn't believe it, but he had the evidence slapping him in the face. He had somehow gone back in time—to a point before when he'd first arrived in Sunnydale.

For a brief moment his mind refused to accept the premise and he figured that he had just lost it from his grief and this was his mind trying to deal and cope with it or it was something else.

"I'm dead and I'm in hell…" Michael muttered to himself.

His mind raced with thoughts as he stood there as he didn't know what to do. He slowly realized that he needed to open a portal back to Virgil. Michael needed his help to try and figure out what was going on and what he should do next. He was about to activate his portal device when something hit him hard from behind…

oOoOo

Michael had been in such a confused, dazed and shocked state that he forgot his training and hadn't been watching or paying attention to his motion sensors. As the blow hit him—his training and instincts kicked in. He went with the fall and rolled and came up turning to face the threat quickly. At the same time in one quick smooth motion, he had reached and pulled his MA5 off his back. He had his assault rifle up and pointing at the target that hit him.

He thought he couldn't be shocked or surprised by anything else right now, but he quickly found out he was wrong as he found himself training his MA5 on one Buffy Summers.

Michael found himself speechless as he tried to find the words, but Buffy spoke first, "My… You are quick for being a robot."

Michael stood there staring and his confusion was obvious as he muttered out, "Buffy… You're alive?"

"The last time I checked… A robot… that's something you don't see every day around the Hellmouth… The Mayor must be getting desperate." Buffy said with anger obvious in her tone.

That's when Michael noticed that Buffy looked different—she was different from the Buffy he knew. She was wearing different clothes, her hair style was different and she looked younger. He felt so stupid as he should have considered this possibility—this was a younger version of the Buffy he knew.

Taking a deep breath, Michael lowered his MA5 and raised one hand, "Whoa there! Mayor? I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm one of the good guys…" he said trying to explain as Buffy circled around him.

"Sure you are… That's why you're here in the middle of the night in front of the school carrying guns!" Buffy replied giving him an angry glare.

Michael saw the movement and look in Buffy's eyes. He had done enough sparring and training with her over the years that he knew her tells and movements—she was about to strike.

He anticipated her move as she struck fast trying to catch him in the mid-section with a kick. Michael quickly reacted using his left arm to block the kick. She countered the block by trying to strike his chest with her right fist. He let the punch come through…

"Owww! Damn it!" Buffy said as she felt the pain as her fist hit his armor.

Michael didn't hesitate as he took advantage and moved fast—grabbing Buffy and picking her up. She didn't give up as she struggled against his grip and kept hitting him, but her blows were useless against his armor.

"Will you just stop and listen for a minute!" Michael pleaded trying to get her to stop struggling.

Buffy continued struggling and pounded on his arms and helmet. Michael continued trying to get through to her, "If I wanted to… I could have easily killed you, so just stop and give me a minute to explain!"

It was obvious that she wasn't in any mood to listen or calm down. Michael let go of her, pushing her away at the same time. Buffy hit the ground not too gently, but she was back up in a flash and circling him trying to find a weak point.

Michael was trying to think of a way to extract himself from this situation without having to hurt Buffy when another voice called out—a very familiar voice.

"Can anyone join this party B? I've always had a thing for group scenes."

Michael turned in a flash and found himself looking at a younger smiling version of Faith standing there.

He froze as he stared at Faith. Images and emotions erupted inside him as he looked at her. She looked younger just like Buffy. He saw her eyes and they had a different look in them—they were wilder and darker than he remembered. A small voice in the back of his head was telling him this wasn't his Faith, but at that moment he didn't care.

"Faith?" was all he could manage to say as he looked at the younger version of his wife and it fought with the image in his mind—the look of horror on her face as she disappeared.

"Well look at that… Someone has heard of me… I guess that makes me famous or is that infamous?" Faith said smiling with a slight laugh of contempt in her voice.

For a moment, Michael was tempted to take off his helmet and try to talk to her, but his instincts and training were screaming warnings because Faith stood there holding on to a very mean looking sword. He caught the slight change in her body language and he moved before he even registered her attacking, slashing at him with the sword.

Michael now found himself facing off against two Slayers. He knew that he could take them both, but that wasn't the point. He needed to talk to them, but it was obvious that they weren't in the conversational mood. He realized that if he stayed and fought, someone was going to get hurt or killed. He couldn't do that to Buffy and more importantly he couldn't hurt Faith. He only had one option and he took it—he turned and ran. He could hear them trying to catch up, but neither one of them could keep up with his speed. To be on the safe side, he changed directions several times to throw off any pursuit and made his way to the warehouse. Going there would give him an opportunity to rest and regroup to plan for his next move—if he had any. It had been an abandoned building when he arrived here the first time and it should be again if indeed he was in the past.

oOoOo

Michael stood outside looking at the abandoned warehouse. His memory didn't fail him as it looked as it did when he'd first arrived in Sunnydale. His gaze drifted towards the roof and memories flooded back and he felt a pain in his heart and soul—the memories of the times that Faith and him had spent together up there when they had first met taunted him. Now it was all gone—like it never existed.

Michael went over all the information he had and took stock of his situation. He didn't have a lot of information, just circumstantial evidence and supposition. He did an ammo and weapons check as it kept him from thinking about what had happened and was happening. He knew that he needed to activate the portal and get back to Virgil.

"He can find out what happened and then we'll fix it…" Michael desperately told himself to try and keep himself focused and not dwell on how his world had been torn apart.

He activated his portal device and pushed the thoughts and memories from his mind as the portal formed around him. As his view of Sunnydale and this dimension faded, he hoped that he would find the answers he needed.