THROUGH THE TEST OF TIME
By ear16

Disclaimer: No profit is being made from this story.

Spoiler: Some parts taken from Unholy Alliances and Our Man In Washington

Author's Notes: This is my 2nd venture into ff writing. It has been enjoyable but definitely a little daunting so I salute all the great ff writers we have in the group for churning out excellent stories every week. This story is a twist of what might have been after the season finale. Some parts I deleted for artistic purposes. This story does not have much dialogue between Stiles and Terri but it explores more of their thoughts and feelings told in the 3rd person. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy thinking and writing about it.

Setting: Andros Island, Friday at sunset Date: 5 years into the future, year 2008

Stiles just checked in the Boracay Beach Club. He had fond memories of this resort since this is where he and Terri went before their trip to Israel when the car Director Gage, Haisley and Reese were riding was bombed. They spent the weekend there basking in the sun, drinking cocktails with little umbrellas, enjoying each other's company and taking the time to know one another much better.

He went down to the bar to unwind. This is going to be one long and boring month. Carl Reese, his boss and current DCI, ordered him to take a 4-weeks vacation. Yup, he did not file for a leave, he was ordered. For the past 5 years he hasn't taken even one day-off. He became a workaholic. He immersed himself in work, volunteering for one dangerous assignment after another. He didn't care where, how long or how perilous the mission was. He didn't want to have too much vacant time in between mission because that gave him too much time to think about the past, to think about all the things he could have done differently, to think about what could have been.

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Across the other side of the bar, a gorgeous lady wearing an ankle-length yellow & blue sundress that accentuated all her curves entered the room. Her hair was long and wavy, it was neither blond nor brunette, and it was like the color of honey with a splash of cinnamon to highlight it. She chose the table outside on the patio since it has the best view of the orange sun setting into the blue ocean. The view during this time of year was breathtaking. After 5 years of living here on the island, she never gets tired of looking at the awesome sight. But also even though 5 years have passed, she still cannot forget the memories that this place has given her, memories that happened during the happiest time in her life. A time, though brief, when she felt she was on top of the world - she had a wonderful job, her family was well, she was at the prime of her life and best of all, she was with the love of her life. She exhaled a deep sigh of regret and longing because they are now just distant and bittersweet memories.

She was snapped out of her reverie when the waitress asked her what she wanted to drink. Since she was waiting for her business partner she told the waitress she would just order later. Even on a beautiful Friday night she chose to work rather than face her other option - bumming around in her house, thinking about the past, thinking about all the things she could have done differently and thinking about what could have been.