Soar

Dan: Through Space and Time

Hello to all you fabulous readers!  I am so sorry that this chapter is so over due, I have been being lazy and put off writing this chapter for a really long time.  I have received a request to give Dan a love interest, so I will be writing fluffy stuff soon.  Hehe, I guess we can see how that works out.... hopefully it will be ok.....  But anyway!  I hope you enjoy this chapter and Happy Holidays!
🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃🎄🌨⛄️☃
Dan's POV
"Dan, are you sure that this is safe?" Amy asks tentatively as we all take our respective spaces in the magic circle that I created
"Yes.... I think" I mumble the last part.  Hey!  At least I'm being honest!  This is unstable magic we're messing around with!
"Wait... you think so?!" Amy shouts as her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates
"Ok, the worst that can happen is we get trapped in a pocket dimension with no way out" I try to reassure her.  Though that sentence did not come out as reassuring as it sounded in my head
"That sounds like fun! Can we float in the pocket dimension thingy?!" Christina asks
"How do you know that's the worst thing that can happen?!" Amy shouts, totally ignoring Christina, "We could be forever frozen in time, or get our bodies blasted to bits, or wind up in some insane colorless dimension, or or" Amy starts to hyperventilate and pull at her hair.
"Slow down there" Piper says while patting her shoulder
"There is too much risk! Wouldn't it be safer if we just look for Rowan via Christina's flying magic?" Amy asks with a desperate look in her eyes
"But how do we even know she is even in this world? She could be hidden in a pocket dimension or something. And searching manually will take too much time, who knows what could happen to her during that time?" Piper tells her, "Right now, this is the best option"
Amy nods her head slowly.  Her eyes quickly dart around, looking at each person in our small group.  We all watch as she closes her eyes and lets out a small sigh before opening them with the smallest ghost of a smile on her lips.  She rejoins hands with Piper and Christina.

"We don't have time for this!" a small part of my brain is shouting at me, "We have to hurry up an find Rowan before it's too late!" it shouts. Those last two words shock me, 'too late'. I'm always too late, aren't I? Just like....
"No, we don't have time for this" I think to myself. I won't be too late this time, I'll make sure that everyone is safe, no matter the cost.

With these thoughts in my head I close my eyes and concentrate on my aura. A warmth suddenly ignites in my center, bursting outwards to envelope my whole body in it's glow.  The warmth grows stronger as I feel a small pressure on my back.  I start to wonder what it could be, but a large burst of light interrupts my thoughts.  All of us are shot back, forcing us to let go of each other, leaving us all on our own.

"ow" is the first thought that runs through my head when I come to my senses. I slowly sit up and rub my head as I start to open my eyes. I am sitting on a gigantic clock with the hands moving backwards. At the rim of the clock there are hundreds of mirrors, each one with it's own unique frame. I slowly get up and walk to each mirror, looking at the images they show me.  Each one shows me an image of what is happening in that world.  But, when I get to a mirror with a blue and green frame, it only reflects my image.
"Hmm...." I tap my chin, "Why is this mirror different?....I wonder..." I start to reach my hand out towards the mirror.  I touch the surface, it's cold and ripples like water at my touch.  My eyes become misty and before I know it, my hand is through the looking glass. I feel a slight tug, it pulls me into the mirror, my arms goes in and the rest of me follows.

~Flashback~

"Come on Dan!  You're such a slow poke" Alifa laughs as I run to catch up with her
"Give me a break!  We've been out in this heat for over an hour!" I pant as I wipe some sweat from my brow
"We're almost there, come on" she giggles as we continue to run to wherever she is taking me
"You could at least tell me where we are running to Ally"
"Don't call me Ally!" She pouts as I laugh at her expression

~Fast Forward 1 Year~
"What?!  What do you mean you're moving?!" I shout as we stand in front of her house with a moving van in front of it
"I mean I'm moving, what else dum dum" she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest.  She lets out a small sigh and her eyes visibly soften.  "I'll really miss you and everyone else.  We leave tomorrow" she says with a sad smile.  "You'll be here to see me off right?"
"Of course" I smirk as I ruffle her hair and run off, "Catch me if you can!"
"Dan!!!!!"

~Fast Forward~
"Shoot!  I'm late!" I shout internally as I sprint towards Alifa's house.  I pray over and over in my head that they haven't left yet.  That I'm not too late.  My legs feel like they are on fire and the heat is making me dizzy, but all I can think of is getting there on time.  I finally get to the house, it appears deserted; my heart sinks.  I walk up to the door; hoping that they are still here. When I get to the door I see a note hanging there.
"We tried to stay for as long as possible. By the time you read this I will probably be on the plane to Missouri. Sorry we couldn't say goodbye :("

~Switch Flashback~

"What the heck Dan?!" My friend Audrey shouts after I glomp her from behind
It has been two years since Alifa has moved away.  We send letters, but things aren't the same.  In that one year I have changed schools and taken on a happy-go-lucky personality.
"GET OFF OF ME!!!!!" she shouts
"NEVER!" I shout back and she hits me on the head.... hard.  I let go and fall to the ground clutching my head.  "ooooww" I say as tears start to roll down my face
"Oh get over it" she says, "I know your just pretending Dan. uuugggh, I'll meet you at the table" she says and walks away.
What she doesn't know is I'm not just crying over being hit in the head. I'm crying over every time I wanted to break down in school but couldn't, when I wanted to cry over being too late. For every time I asked what was wrong with me. What is wrong with me?

~End Flashback~

I come to my senses and immediately draw back my hand. What the heck was that? Why am I remembering all those things that I have long buried? A single tear rolls down my cheek.
"Why am I always too late?" I mumble to myself

"Dan?" A voice from nowhere asks
"Phillipia" I growl u dear my breath
"No silly, it's me!" A girl my age with long, brown hair appears.  She is wearing a red blouse and jeans with purple sneakers.
"Alifa?" I gasp in disbelief
"Who else?  Come on Dan, let's go!"
"Go where?"
She rolls her eyes playfully and grabs me by the wrist, "Home of course!" She starts to drag me towards the green and blue mirror.... But something seems off about it this time.... But I can't put my finger on it.
"Wait" I say as I pull my hand away
"What is it Dan?"
"What about Amy, Piper, Rowan, and Christina.  I can't just leave them here"
"I don't know who those people are but, it doesn't matter right?  We have each other, best friends forever, right?"
"B-But"
"Dan, we can go back and be happy, all that nonsense about me moving would never have happened.  And this awful place will be wiped from your memory.  Just the two of us, like old times."  She starts to drag me back to the portal.  And I don't resist this time.  This deal is pretty good, I will go back home, and all those awful things, those two years of pain will be gone.  Poof, as if they never happened.

"Dan!  Ya weirdo!" I hear a familiar childish voice shout
"Christina?" I accidentally ask out loud as I pull away from Alifa and turn towards the mirror the voice is coming from.
"Dan?" Alifa asks
"Piper?  Amy?  Dan?  Where are you?" Christina asks, but this time it has something I never thought I would hear in her voice.... Sadness.
"I'm sorry Alifa.  I have to go" I tell her as I run towards the mirror
"Dan!" Is the last thing I heard from her as I ran into the portal

I was too late once, but that was then, and nothing can change that.  But, I won't be late this time, I can write my future and save Christina.  My past is a part of who I am, and even if it's not the best past, it's an important part of me.  But what's most important right now, if saving Rowan.  And I will save her, and I refuse to be too late, even if I have to travel through space and time.