Harley sat in the lab next to Leo as he was on his computer. Adam, Bree, and Chase were in their mission suits, preparing for a mission.
"Okay, your mission supplies are packed, the schematics have been uploaded into Chase's chip, and your transport is on the way. Did I forget anything?" Davenport asks.
"No," Bree says. "We'll just guess what the mission is and see how it all plays out." Adam and Chase laugh.
"Alright," Davenport says, rolling his eyes. "A particle collider is a three-mile-long underground facility where scientists –"
"Race subatomic particles at each other at light speed for energy experiments," Chase finishes before him and Davenport starts to giggle. "So cool."
"I know!"
"There is a particle collider in Berkeley that is accelerating out of control, and your mission is to shut it down."
"Oh ho! Awesome!" Adam exclaims. "I hope one of us knows how to do that."
"Okay. We have to act quickly. The scientists that operate the facility –" He moves Leo, "have already evacuated the control center, and if we don't shut it down in time, it will create a massive black hole that will impose the entire planet."
"Today?!" Leo and Harley exclaim, giving each other a look.
"No, it's not gonna work. Today is Shelly Evans' birthday, and her mom makes the best cupcakes!" Leo says and everyone turns to give him a look.
"That woman doesn't skimp on the sprinkles," Harley adds.
"Don't worry, Leo, Harley, you will get your cupcakes," Davenport reassures. "Adam, Bree, and Chase have all the training they need to shut the collider down."
"I don't know, Big D. I think these guys are gonna need some..." Leo raises his hands in the air. "Back-up!" He sang.
"Yeah, and that's why you're gonna be back up!" Davenport sang as Leo had done. "Here in the lab with me and Harley."
"Oh, he said 'backup' and you said 'backup'." Adam says and the others gave him a look. "Saying things twice makes it funny! Oh! Saying things twice makes it fun –"
"Stop it!" Davenport yells.
Suddenly there was a flash and they could hear two voices screaming as some scooter-type thing flew out of thin air and landed on the floor of the lab. Everyone screamed and hid behind each other. Bree and Harley hid together as Adam jumped into Chase's arms.
"Nobody panic!" Davenport yells over the noise. "Probably just the cable guy."
"Too late for that!" Harley yells.
"Come on, Big D!" The guy says. "We just came from seven years in the future. Your time machine actually worked! It's us! Leo and Harley!" He and the girl points at Leo and Harley and they gasped.
"Woah!" Adam exclaims. "The cable guy's got the same name as Leo! And this woman has the same name as Harley!"
"Wait," Leo says, slowly stepping towards his older self, Harley right behind him. "If you're really me, then you'd know the handshake I came up with in case I ever became a spy."
"Requesting authentication Double O-Leo." Older Leo says. The two started to do a handshake and both Harley and Older Harley smiles.
Once they finished, Leo jumped for joy. "It really is me!"
Harley walks up to the older her. "How do I know you're really me?"
"Because only the two of us know about our scar."
Older Harley pulls back hers and Harley's hair, revealing a scar. "Okay, I believe you," Harley says as she pulls back.
"So you're... the future version of Leo and Harley," Davenport says as he walks over to inspect Older Leo and Harley. He turns to the others. "Do you know what this means? I cracked time travel! Hahaha! I cracked time travel. Can you do me a favor? When I see you in seven years, can you remind me to tell me how awesome I am? Lemme high-five. Like that."
"Oh, I'm sure you won't forget." Leo and Older Leo say at the same time as Harley and Older Harley.
"This is creepy," Harley mutters to herself.
Older Leo and Harley turns to the other three and a grin breaks out on their face.
"It's so good to see you guys!" They exclaim, pulling them into a group hug.
"It's good to see you too..." Chase pauses. "Older, yet strangely similar Leo. And the older and definitely similar Harley."
"It's so weird, Harls. You still look the same as past you. You look like you haven't aged!" Older Leo exclaims to Older Harley.
"So, uh... What did time travel feel like?" Davenport asks. "Did your body mad increase exponentially as you accelerated towards light speed?" Older Leo and Harley looked at him weirdly.
"Uh, we pushed the button, felt a lot of wind, there was a big flash – but yeah, mass and speed stuff." Older Harley replies.
"So, if you're Leo and Harley from the future," Adam walks over to them. "Then what color are my eyes?"
"Ignore him." Bree walks over to Older Leo and Harley. "Come on future Leo, Harley. Let's jump to 2025 and see what people are wearing. I want to be a trendsetter."
"Sorry, but it took Big D years just to scrape together enough zeranol fuel for me and Harley to come back here once and go back." Older Leo explains.
"Ugh, fine! But if I end up wearing mom jeans and hair scrunchies, you are gonna get back in that thing and fix it!" Bree orders and Harley and Older Harley laugh. Davenport's phone starts vibrating.
"Oh! The collider mission! You guys have to get ready. Head to the equipment room and gear up!" Davenport says.
"Nice to meet you, Future Leo and Future Harley," Bree exclaims.
"Yeah! And congrats on growing out of your awkward stage!" Adam says. The three bionic teens wave, walking away.
"Hey, why didn't you bring Future Adam, Bree, and Chase with you?" Leo asks. "Let me guess, you just hopped in the time machine and took off without them? That is so future us."
"Actually, that's why we're here. Adam, Bree, and Chase don't make it to the future." Older Leo says, glancing at Older Harley as Leo glances at Harley, who stood there in shock.
"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" Adam yells, running back to the lab. "Forgot to pack my pudding." He says before walking away again.
***
The five in the lab went upstairs where they continued to talk.
"What do you mean Adam, Bree, and Chase don't make it back to the future?" Davenport asks.
"You sent us back here with a video that will explain everything." Older Leo says, placing a small device on the kitchen island. He presses a button and a screen popped up.
"What is that?" Harley asks.
"It's a holophone." Older Harley answers.
"I invented the holophone?" Davenport asks.
"No. But you did wait in line six days to get one." Older Harley says.
They looked at the holophone screen and a fat old guy appeared on the screen. He was bald and had a long beard.
"That's you!" Harley exclaims, a giggle leaving her lips.
"That is not me!"
"Greetings past Donald," Future Davenport greets. Davenport gasps.
"I knew it." Harley says and Older Harley chuckles.
"That's me? Please tell me the holophone adds a hundred pounds?" Davenport asks the older version of the best friends.
"Even if it did, what about the other hundred?" Leo asks.
"The next seven years are pretty hard on you, Big D." Older Leo says.
"Or should I say Bigger D?" Leo asks, nudging Older Leo in the ribs. The two teens and future them busted out laughing except for Davenport, who looked like he was about to cry.
They turned back to the holophone. "If you're watching this, we cracked time travel! Ha, ha! Inter-dimensional high-five!" Older Davenport says, happily. Davenport high-fives the screen, causing Harley to raise her eyebrow.
"I just high-fived my future self!" Davenport exclaims, and the four gave him a weird look. "What? Look at me! Let me have some joy!"
"I sent Leo and Harley in time to stop you from sending Adam, Bree, and Chase on the particle collider mission." Older Davenport explains.
"What? Why?" Davenport asks.
"Now, I'm sure you're asking, 'What? Why?'" Older Davenport mimics, causing Davenport to chuckle. "As a scientist, I am loath to change the past. But in this case, I have to make an exception. Adam, Bree, and Chase didn't return from the mission."
No one said a word. Harley felt like she could cry at any moment.
"Send an automated rover in their place, it's the only chance we have to save them," Older Davenport says. "Oh, and by the way, every time you say, 'Hey, I think this calls for a cookie!' think about this!" Older Davenport pulls up his shirt and Older Harley slaps a hand over Harley's eyes.
"Harley," Older Leo says and both Older and present Harley looks at him. "I think you should have a talk with the mini you."
Older Harley nods as she grabs Harley by the wrist, leading her upstairs to her room.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Harley asks her future self.
"The reason we came back was that Adam, Bree, and Chase don't return from their mission. But I came to tell you... you should tell them about us."
Harley's eyes widen. "Are you crazy?"
"I mean, yeah, but that's not the point. Harley, when Chase died, it took a big toll on us. It's hard not having him around for the next seven years. You start to blame yourself because you never told him the truth. You start to not take care of yourself to the point where we got sent for help. If Leo gets there in time, you need to tell Chase."
Tears start to fall down her cheeks. "You know I can't tell him or anybody. I will be hated and they'll never want to see me again."
"But, look at me! I'm still here and Leo and Davenport know all about it!"
"Really? And they didn't hate you for it?"
Older Harley shakes her head. "Of course not. They understood once I told them everything. Now it's your turn. If not about you, then about how you feel about Chase. Don't ruin your chance of happiness. Chase means the world to us. We love him, no matter how much we don't want it to happen because of the situation, but deep down, we know we can't stop how we feel. So tell him, because trust me, I never had the chance and to this day, I haven't forgiven myself."
Both Older and present Harley was crying. Tears ran down their cheeks. Both of their eyes are red and puffy.
Harley pulls her future self in a hug. Older Harley wraps her arms around her past self and smiles.
"Is it just me or is it weird that I'm hugging myself?" Harley asks her future self.
Older Harley laughs. "I was thinking the same thing."
***
Harley and her future self walk downstairs in time to see Adam, Bree, and Chase walk out of the elevator.
"Good to go, Mr. Davenport. We'll check in once we reached delta point." Chase says.
"No!" Davenport yells. "I mean the mission's off."
"But you said it was urgent?" Adam says, confused.
"Did I say urgent? I meant urging. Like I was urging you not to go on the mission." Davenport says.
Chase tries to convince him to let them go on the mission. He refused and told him he was going to build a rover and the three of them weren't too happy about it. He made them go change and the three walked off.
"Thank you," Older Leo says. "Future you would thank you too, Big D."
"Or should we say Bald D?" Leo jokes.
Both boys start laughing as Harley and her future self look at the two, thinking about how they were friends with such idiots. Harley's thought trailed off, now thinking about what Older Harley said. She was right. She was in love with Chase. No matter what, she will make sure she'll tell him at one point.