Future Ethan's POV

Ethan may have travelled back in time to visit Rachel, his act caught her by surprise, unaware that he would be meeting her on the day of her first job today. Although he knew that she would hold experience of a few jobs in the future, yet, this one was the most important for her for she met Ethan here.

But with a wrong timing, it was all a stumbling block for both. He was worked up to notice that she would be going to office and not at home when he timed his arrival. The part which Ethan loved the most was that she didn't believe it till he vanished. He could do it at will.

Later she met the present Ethan. The guy who saw but didn't value her. Although engaged Ethan was a happy one, he didn't knew what the future held in its womb.

The future one wanted to gain Rachel's confidence for which he visited her apartment. Butter was there, his future baby. Butter's future had him be the father of three pups.

Seeing Rachel and knowing she hasn't fallen for the present Ethan and likewise made him happy as he got to experience all of it from her point of view, all over again. He had a chance to witness her feelings and emotions.

And where it all went wrong.

~~

Rachel stood at the kitchen next to a pot of boiling water, spouting. She kept checking out Ethan who was playing with Butter.

"You like coffee or tea?" she was still trying to figure him out, his likes and dislikes.

"I like coffee. and so do you" Rachel nodded feeling a warm sensation creeping inside of her. He knew her well. She had never imagined someone to know her this well, let alone be married to her. "And you also love the occasional Starbucks that you treat yourself to" he continued.

She giggles knowing her future husband knew her likes quite well to remember mentioning it.

"God you look so beautiful when you laugh" his compliment made her cheeks turn crimson while the warm feeling raising inside of her were replaced with butterflies.

She took a seat next to Ethan yet stayed at a distance to not touch. Handing him his cup of coffee, their fingers touched and she felt the somersaults her stomach did. Clenching her smile, she looked at him, who held her gaze while sipping from his cup.

"So why are you here Ethan?"

Although the question was a repeat, she couldn't take the suspense.

Ethan took a deep breath, bending his head before his eyes trailed back onto her.

"Baby I told you I will let you know the reason when I think you are ready. For now just know that I am required here"

All Rachel could hear in that sentence was that one word which caught her attention. "Baby?"

"I call you that. I mean the future Rachel.."

Although she saw that even Ethan's cheeks resembles a shade of red, she didn't probe him any further. But as curious as she was about all the things Ethan told her about his travel, she wants to know more about him. 

"So the present Ethan knows how to travel?"

"Not yet. It happens on his 29th birthday." he smiled before placing the cup on the table and relieving Butter off his lap. He took her soft hands into his as he continued, "which is in few weeks."

Rachel felt zaps of electricity run through her entire body as she continued holding onto him. Her inside felt fuzzy and warm and she literally has to keep her jaws clenched together from smiling like a kid.

"Ohh.. happy birthday in advance" never even in the remotest of her dreams had she ever imagined a scenario like this to happen to her, "this all feels so surreal."

"I know it might be weird to know me from where I am, while you are still figuring out your day to day." He continued gazing into her deep hazel eyes while running his thumb over her knuckles and intertwining them. "Heck you don't even know you and the present me gets married.. So I am sorry for the spoilers."

She laugh at his joke. He did have a good sense of humor.

"So you won't tell me why you are here and you can't travel currently till 29th birthday"

He nodded.

She slowly took her gaze towards their intertwined fingers, "In that case tell me about Miley."

His head hung low at those words. Composing himself, he took a deep breath. 

"Baby listen. There is a reason for me to be here.. And you have to just trust me on certain things" as best as a man could explain the time space travel to a layman, Ethan tried his best to state his reasons, "because there are timelines which go differently by yours or my decisions. And they all end up in different scenarios"

She nodded again but deep down thousand questions ran in her mind on those said timelines. Has he traveled back before, being the most prominent of them.

"So when I tell you to act on something, please just trust me baby and do it. Can you do that for me?

"Act on what"

He took another deep breath. "Miley cheats on present Ethan"

"WHAT"

"I know right. She is such a bad girl" he tried to lighten up the mood. It worked as they both laugh knowing how her cheating in turn, helped their case.

"So how do you know?"

"There are various timelines which are involved. One where it happens when she confesses. Once where he doesn't come to know till the wedding. And another one where he is married and then gets a divorced when he comes to know. And last is this timeline." he stated further but his tone was softer. "You will walk in on Miley. With another man.."

"Why would you tell me that"

Rachel stood off the couch. As much as fun it was listening to it, being an active participant in her future husbands' currently 'being cheated on' scenario wasn't something which Rachel planned for herself.

"Yes.. It will happen in a couple of days.. Your decision can alter everything"

Those words made her walk across the room. "No this is so much pressure.. I mean when we get married we get married right. Why would you tell me that I walk in on her with someone else and then the balance hangs on my head to tell you or not."

As Ethan rightfully understood, anyone in Rachel's place would have flipped out too. She was portraying a normal reaction. 

"Because in every other scenario Ethan gets hurt real bad." He sighed while stating the rest. "Do you want Ethan to suffer really bad, be hurt, brood over it and eventually come to realize of your presence only much later or do you want to save him the hurt."

"I don't know. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Especially if it involved her future husband. Ethan would come to know through various other scenarios but all of those would be a close call with their wedding and some even afterwards. All that meant higher emotional investment and harder heartbreak.

"Fine. If I see something and I tell him, probably it might save him the pain." She had decided in favor of Ethan's happiness. If her decision helped someone be spared of the pain, she would happily oblige.

Because somewhere, she would have also preferred if someone from her future would have told her not to go near the pool as a child, knowing that she would be pushed in and survival struggle would resulting in a lifelong panic induced state of mind.

Ethan was happy with her decision, his smile conveyed it. She recollected the sight in the morning. Ethan had a beautiful smile and a prominent jawline with a chiseled structure. She never cared for it before because he was engaged. But now that she know what the future has in store for her, she didn't shy away from ogling at him.

Distracting herself from being lost in his eyes and smile, Rachel quizzed him further, "How is future Rachel?"

"Breathtaking as always.."

His eyes lingered on her face while the blush she controlled for so long couldn't be contained.

'God he is such a romantic.. I might just fall for him now itself... Who talks like that. Describing your wife who is basically future me..'

"What else happens in future? I mean asides the big reveal.. You can tell me little details, right?"

"Okay.." Ethan ponders over it for a little. "Butter becomes father to three pups."

"WHAT" her reaction was louder than the one before.

"You are more surprised at this that when I said Miley was cheating on Ethan"

She laughs at his comeback. The funny Ethan made her happy.

"Well given that I know future Ethan lands with me; I don't care what Miley does because she is paving the way. But with Butter it's different. He is..."

Ethan interrupted, "Our baby"

She blushed at the word 'Our'.

In a parallel universe some writer might be writing a version of her story where she fell for the man from the future. That was the fantasy Rachel lived in.

"Okay future Ethan"

He laughed louder, "You can just call me Ethan"

"Ohh yes.. So any word of advice for present Rachel?"

Not knowing how to take the conversation ahead, she ended up asking a question which sounded like an interview one. It was only once she blurted it out, that she realized it.

"Yes.. be strong"

"What!! That's what parents say"

She immediately thought about my own parents when she spoke. Her memories of her father abandoning her mother and her leaning onto prescription medicines for help which eventually took a toll on her were the memories which flashed in front of Rachel. It was her uncle who raised her as his own.

"Are you thinking about your parents and uncle?"

She was surprised that Ethan could very well read her. 'How did you know"

"In the future also, you do that when you talk about them.."

Reeling out of her thoughts, she slapped back to reality while Ethan talked.

"Listen Rach.. I must leave now.. But remember what I said"

She laughed, reiterating it, "Be strong.. Yes man from future."

He accompanied her joyous laughter before bending down and kissing her forehead. The feeling of happiness and contentment crossed over as she closed her eyes to receive it. The emotion that made her feel complete.

Realizing what he did, Ethan immediately pulled back, "God.. I am so sorry.. I do that to Rachel but I.."

"It's okay.. It's fine.. Don't fret about it.." she smiled, assuring him that she was okay while her stomach does the weird flip flop again.

"Okay then.."

Rachel called out before Ethan could vanish again. "Hey Ethan... how do I contact you if I need to?"

"Just think of me in your heart and I will appear"

With another blush arousal, she nodded, "Okay"

"No stupid.. It's not a cheesy romantic movie.. You can't contact me.. but I will ensure that I meet you everyday.. Is that okay?"

She giggled even though he called her stupid. But it was the way he called her which made her wanted to do stupid things. She wanted to act stupid around him. She knew he would call her that if she did and somewhere an otherwise offensive word made her day.

"God that smile.." that was all he said before vanishing.

All Rachel could do was blush a little harder till her jaws hurt.

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Author's notes

 Hello all you beautiful people. Did you like this chapter?

 What do you think is the reason future Ethan is here? 

Let me know in the comments below 

Happy reading

Love

S