Fic: Changing The Plan, Epilogue 2
Title: Changing The Plan, Epilogue 2
Author: Wyndewalker
Xover Fandom: The Adjustment Bureau
Series: Changing The Plan Part 1 Part 2
Summary: Two couples who changed their Fate are introduced. Takes place Fall 2011
Challenge: Twistedshorts 2013 August-Fic-A-Day - Day 1, Trope Bingo Round 2 - Futurefic
Authors note: It's been a little while since I last watched The Adjustment Bureau so I'm messing around a little with the mythology of the movie. Some of it is intentional, some of it not so much. Hopefully it all works.
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Mention of death of major character
Word Count: 1,102 according to Word
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Adjustment Bureau or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All rights belong to their owners and I merely borrow the characters for your amusement.
Epilogue 2
David and Elise were enjoying a late lunch at an outside cafe when a smiling Henry approached them; another couple trailing behind him.
"Harry," David greeted him, having spotted the approaching man first. "How are you? Is everything good?"
"Everything is fine, David," Harry assured him, shaking his hand and Elise's. "Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thank you," Elise smiled warmly at the Agent of Fate. Despite the events of six months ago she didn't have the same level of distrust that David did. Most likely because she'd only had the one direct interaction with them compared to David's multiple times. "What can we do for you?"
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to introduce you to someone." He gestured to the couple waiting a discrete distance away closer. They looked to be in their mid to late twenties, neatly dressed for comfort rather than fashion in jeans and lightweight sweaters. The young woman used a cane to walk with the man easily staying at her pace.
"David, Elise, I'd like you to meet Alexander and Dawn Harris. Alexander, Dawn, this is David Norris and Elise Sellas. The couple I was telling you about." He turned back to David and Elise. "Like you they changed their Fate and the Fate of the world. Since they were in New York visiting I thought you might like to meet."
"Please join us," David gestured after a quick glance to Elise. Harry slipped quietly away while they were getting themselves sorted out.
"Thanks and, please, just call me Xander," said Alexander as he pulled out a chair for Dawn before sitting down next to her. Both had a world-weariness to them that they covered with bright smiles but something in their eyes reminded David of military vets he'd met while campaigning. It was a surprise to see it in people so young with no obvious military affiliation. Though Harry did say they'd changed the Fate of the world.
They'd barely sat down before a waiter was at the table asking if they'd like anything. They both just ordered water.
"Are you visiting friends in New York?" Elise asked once the waiter had left.
"Not exactly," Dawn answered. "We're here picking up some older manuscripts from a friend of our mentor. They're not the kind of thing that can just be Fedexed across the country."
"We haven't really had a vacation in a while and the musty old books..."
"Manuscripts," Dawn corrected.
"aren't on a time table," Xander continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "so we decided to add a couple of days to the trip. Harry said that despite Management's best efforts you wouldn't give up on your relationship?"
"No, I wouldn't," David said smiling at Elise, who smiled back. "We'd met a couple of times by accident and I'd never felt more alive than when I was with her. The first time I met her she was the inspiration for the concession speech that put me back on the political map. Even if it meant losing my shot at the Presidency I felt she was something worth fighting for and I did."
"That's so romantic," Dawn sighed.
"It was," Elise agreed though she smiled ruefully. "A bit terrifying when it was happening but definitely romantic. What about you two? How did you prove to Management you belonged together?"
"Oh, it was nothing like that. Our getting together was a byproduct rather than the goal. Xander died for me."
"Non-existent future me died for you," Xander corrected. "And it wasn't so much for you as with you. I just spent a lot of time moping over my breakup in your hospital room while you were recovering."
"I don't understand," Elise said looking between the two of them while David frowned. "Non-existent future you?"
"You've seen the abilities Management and the Agents of Fate have, right?"
"You mean the fedoras, doorways and the library," David clarified.
"That's the bulk of what they can do," Xander agreed fiddling with his glass of water. "I don't know the whole story because I wasn't the one it actually happened to but apparently, if the circumstances are right and the situation dire enough, they can play a wild card that allows a non-Agent to change past events."
"You... Are you talking about time travel?" David gaped.
"Considering what you went through you're freaked about time travel?"
"Xander," Dawn chided. "Not everyone deals with what we do on a regular basis. But to answer your question, David, yes, he's talking about time travel. It's not something that's done lightly and in our case it literally involved the fate of the world. Both then and two years down the road from that point."
"Not to be rude but how can one person's death be that important?"
Dawn shrugged. "In any other circumstances it wouldn't have been. In the original timeline my sister died in my place which set off a chain of events that allowed a great evil to rise to power. If it wasn't stopped it would have turned the world to ash." She paused tangling her fingers in Xander's who then covered both their hands with his other one. "I //had// to die at that point in time. There was no other way."
“Non-existent future me knew she didn't want to die, who does? But rather than just shove her off the ledge he jumped with her sacrificing himself as well."
"His sacrifice, the way he tried to shield me with his body actually kept me from dying on impact. My injuries mean I'll always need this cane but at least I'm alive to need it."
"That's just... wow," Elise breathed. "How long ago did it happen because you look wonderful?"
"Thank you. Ten years ago this past May."
"But that... You would have been so... so..."
"Young? I was 14. Like I said," Dawn shrugged, "we were facing a great evil."
Before anything else could be said Xander glanced down at his watch. "We need to get going, honey, if we're going to make that appointment. I really don't feel like dealing with a pissy Brit on my vacation. They get all... British."
Everyone chuckled lightening the mood. Xander helped Dawn to her feet as David and Elise stood also. Handshakes were exchanged all around.
"It was interesting meeting you," David said.
"Likewise," Xander replied. "Congratulations on your engagement and good luck on the whole Presidency thing."
"Thank you and good luck on whatever it is you do as well."
Both couples exchanged smiles and handshakes again before they went their separate ways.
The End.