Alex

My phone rang and rang but I kept ignoring it, staring determinedly at the television screen. I didn't know anything about what I was watching but I didn't care. I needed a distraction to keep from the ever present thoughts echoing inside my head.

You're going to hurt everyone you care about. You're going to ruin their lives.

I grabbed the remote and started flicking furiously, flashes of colour spun past as my eyes went out of focus. I rubbed them and found tiny spots still flickering in front of me.

I need to relax, I thought, taking sharp breaths in and out, I'm making myself sick.

My phone stopped ringing from the latest call and I picked it up hesitantly, clearing the nine missed calls all from Justin. I scrolled through my contacts; there weren't many there and of those that were, I didn't recognise any of them. Except one: Harper.

I jumped off the bed and almost started doing a happy dance. Harper! I'd totally forgotten about Harper. Her being in my phone meant we were still friends, it meant she still talked to me. It meant…she could explain everything to me.

I dialled the number as I shrugged on a jacket. Please pick up, please pick up. It rang endlessly until finally I heard a voice.

"Hello?" It was a male voice.

"Hi, is Harper there?" I asked breathlessly.

What sounded like half a cough, half a sob was made on the other end. "She's not available."

"I really need to talk to her, it's urgent."

"You can't, I'm sorry."

There was something so familiar about this voice so I took a shot in the dark. "Zeke?"

"Yes," answered the lifeless voice. "Who is this?"

"It's Alex."

Silence down the other end. I'd thought he hung up before he finally talked.

"Look, she's in hospital and I really can't talk right now."

"Hospital?" Fear flooded me. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"She got hit by a car."

She looked so peaceful, sleeping with the mask strapped onto her face, helping her breathe. Zeke eyed me sceptically when I walked in but said nothing. My guess was he knew what had happened between me and my brothers and wasn't exactly fond of me.

"I'm going to get something to eat," he said quietly, exiting, giving me time alone.

Harper's eyes opened straight away. I almost fell off the chair I was sitting on in shock.

"Is he gone?" she whispered, her voice sounding strange through the oxygen mask.

"Um yes?"

"Thank God, he was driving me nuts." She tried to prop herself up but didn't have the strength. I quickly reached over and helped her sit up, pushing her pillows behind her back.

"I hate this thing," she said croakily, pulling it down. "I'm surprised to see you here Alex. Last time we talked, you didn't want anything to do with me."

"You're my best friend Harper, nothing could ever change that," I said squeezing her hand, feeling even guiltier I'd messed up things with her too.

"How are you feeling?"

"Banged up," she replied, wincing as she tried to move. "But it was my fault, not watching where I was going. Never mind though, I'll be out in a week, just in time for Justin's birthday."

Justin's birthday. It hadn't even crossed my mind but he'd have to have a get together in order to not arouse suspicion. And I guess if he wanted to really make it convincing, I wouldn't be there considering how much everyone seemed to hate me.

I looked her over, taking solace in the fact she'd hardly changed. Her auburn hair was still long and flowed beyond her shoulders; she still had that hint of a grin and gorgeous brown eyes. I hoped nothing else about her become different.

"Look, I need to tell you something and I know it's not a good time but I have to."

She waited patiently as I took a deep breath. "I'm not Alex. I mean I am Alex, but seventeen year old Alex. I fell through a time portal."

I thought she was going to laugh in my face but a look of worry instead creased her skin before she just smiled gently. "What else is new? You have a knack for these things Alex."

She believed me. Just like that. Once upon a time she would have freaked out but it seemed nothing after all these years could surprise her anymore. That would make this all so much easier.

"Justin and Max are here too and we're all in our future bodies except we have no memory of the past ten years. I know that something happened at the competition, something I did that made them hate me and I need you to tell me what it is so I can fix it."

Her face darkened. "I don't think you can fix it Alex."

"What did I do? You have to tell me!"

A nurse came in with Zeke following close behind. "I see you're awake Miss Finkle, and breathing on your own. That's very good. That means the surgery was a success."

"Surgery?" I turned to Harper.

"One of my lungs collapsed and they had to repair it. That's why I have to wear the mask sometimes to help oxygen circulate but I'm getting stronger everyday," she said, holding it up.

"I'm sorry Miss but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the nurse said, moving towards me.

I looked at Harper who just nodded bravely. I hugged her lightly, long enough for her to whisper, "Find Mason, find your answer."

I pulled away, smiling politely and left the room, passing a hostile Zeke. I was barely out the door when he confronted me.

"What do you think you're playing at Alex?"

"I came to see my best friend Zeke, what's the big deal?"

"The big deal?" he scoffed. "You have no idea how much the fight you guys had hurt her."

I swallowed. I had no idea what fight he spoke of but I had to seem like I knew what he was talking about. "I'm sorry for that but I'm here now."

"She doesn't need you now, she needed you then. She's got me now and I'll be a better friend to her than you ever were."

He left in a huff, slamming her room door shut as people in the hallway started to stare.

Note to self: never get on Zeke's bad side.

I passed the receptionist desk to leave when I heard something that made me stop and listen.

"I hear Dr. Russo's not coming back."

"Hmm, that's a pity, he was kind of cute."

"Well, that's what you get when you make mistakes like that. One wrong move, someone dies and it's all over."

I couldn't listen anymore, running outside where the fresh breath was heaven. Justin had killed someone during surgery, at least that was what it sounded like and now he was fired, or suspended or whatever.

This was probably my fault too.

Justin

"Hey Justin," said Emily, linking her arms around my waist. "I have an hour before I have to get back to work. What do you say we make the most of our free time?"

I gulped and concentrated even harder on the computer screen. "I'm sorry honey, I have to keep researching."

She retracted her arms. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking at some medical journals." Now was the perfect time to find out just what she knew about the case that was keeping me out of work. "You know my case," she nodded and I continued, "Are you going to defend me?"

She frowned. "I told you I wouldn't. It's a conflict of interests but I got the best guy at my law firm and he'll do a good job. You'll be fine."

She walked into the question, pouring herself a glass of water. I followed her, with more on my mind. "I just wish I knew what went wrong, wish I could go back and fix it."

She slammed the bottle down in frustration. "Justin, you have to stop this. It's happened and I know you're sorry but you can't keep doing this. We can't keep doing this, being like this."

I was surprised by her reaction but I hid it. I guessed this was a fight we'd had before. "I'm sorry, I just….I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you always are." She swept out of the apartment, making sure to slam the door on her way out.

Alex

Find Mason, find your answer.

It all seemed simple enough. Except nothing in my life was ever simple. I had no idea how to find him or where to look.

"Hey gorgeous."

I hurled myself off my bed to see a grinning Dean. He buried his fingers in his hair and raked it back, pulling it off his face. But all of this was in vain as it swept down a minute later. There was no denying he'd aged spectacularly, handsome as ever but my heart belonged to someone else. Even if that someone else was back in another lifetime.

"Sorry I didn't get back last night. But I'm here now. And I have lots of free time."

"Pity I don't," I snapped, trying to move but he blocked my escape. He looked me up and down with his dark brown eyes and I couldn't help but feel almost naked.

"What's wrong with you lately?" he queried.

"Nothing."

"I don't believe that," he said and soon his head was down and his mouth was meshed to mine. I thought about slapping him but instead I moved my fingers to his hair, pulling it tight and consequently he shifted forward up against me.

It felt like a dream as he scooped me up and laid me down on the bed. I was in a daze as together, we lifted his shirt over his head. I traced the outline of his muscles with my finger tips, amazed by the sight of it all. His skin was so warm, like mine. I could see blood rushing to his face as his hands rested on my hips. He found my mouth again before deciding to reacquaint himself with my neck. The way his hands and mouth moved, the way my body reacted, I knew we'd done this before and more than once. I didn't know whether or not to be disgusted by this.

Then his phone started beeping and it seemed just like that, the fog in my brain cleared. I just lay there as he got off of me and answered his phone which had been abandoned on the bedside table.

"Crap," he muttered, shaking his head. "I have to go."

I rocketed upright. "Go where?"

"My girlfriend, she's upset about something and she wants to see me."

Girlfriend? Girlfriend? I kept repeating the word in my head, hoping each time I thought it, I would understand the meaning.

"Girlfriend?" I questioned.

"Yeah, I better go. I told her I was working today but I can't take the chance she'll show up there and find out I'm not there. And then she'll start asking questions and I can't have that."

"Girlfriend?" I said again like an idiot.

He leaned across and kissed me on the cheek. "We'll finish this another time when she's not having a meltdown. Later babe."

He traipsed out the door and I fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, my eyes wide in shock.

What the hell just happened?

Bet you didn't expect that, did ya? :P