It was so long, my dear.

The short ride to the club was spent in silence. Of a comfortable kind this time. My date, still latched onto my arm, chatted animatedly with someone on her phone. Not really my business. As for me… I spent this time either looking through the window, or taking in the sights of the currently smiling girl on my side. No heavy thoughts, no contemplation. Just a hazy sense of contentment. A true rarity in my life.

We reached our destination all too soon, if you ask me. I paid the driver, leaving the change as his tip. It was a bit too much, but I was in a great mood right now and wanted to share the happiness. Or something like that.

I left the car and, still playing the role of a gentleman escorting his lady, went to open the door for my partner. She took it in stride, having her own fun in this little play, and extended her hand for me to help her out. As I obliged, she hugged my arm instead of just taking it, leaning her full weight onto my side. Hardly an unwelcome feeling, if someone asked my opinion. Even more so when it was coupled with a mischievous smile and dancing sparks in her captivating eyes.

With a twinge of regret, I broke myself out of the moment and paid attention to my surroundings. A big signboard 'Afterlife' shone brightly with neon light. The long line towards the entrance was stretching somewhere to the side and out of sight, affirming the notion of this place being popular enough. Two bouncers stood at the doors, doing their best to look imposing, filtering who can and cannot go inside.

I took a look at the time, still inside the designated schedule, and made a beeline right towards a vaguely familiar bouncer. It was really annoying, not being able to clearly remember the things that were going on in my life. Whoever or whatever sent me here, couldn't it give me a refresher or something? Except for a few outliers, I had no idea what to expect from people around me. Who knows me? Who should I know? Relations, small promises, deals. Short-term stuff that can very well bite me in the ass if left alone.

"Fuck no. Not on my shift. It's you again." The bouncer clearly knew me well enough. Still, rude.

"I am expected," I said, refusing to pay more attention to him than necessary.

He reached to his ear-piece, most likely receiving further instructions.

"Boss lady is waiting for you in her office," he said. "Welcome to our fine establishment. Have a good evening."

I nodded to him and went inside. As soon as the doors closed behind us, I turned my head towards the girl, who noticeably stiffened as soon as conversation with the bouncer started, and smiled.

"I said it won't be an issue," I winked at her.

She looked at me with a mix of mock exasperation and blame visible on her pretty face, and lightly slapped my shoulder with her free hand. My smile widened a little at her antics.

As all of the above was taking place, we arrived into the lobby. Nothing special. An attractive hostess was sitting there, waiting to direct new customers to free tables inside. There were two passages leading out of here. The one on the right led straight to a common area, normal VIP area and, judging from the muted sound of music, a dance floor as well. The left one led straight to the VVIP lounges, as well as the staff only zone. Just before the door stood a bored security guy, who got a bit nervous after noticing me looking at him. Eh, am I a problem here?

The door on the left opened, and an attractive woman dressed in the uniform walked in.

"Hello and welcome to the 'Afterlife', dear customers. I am your personal hostess for the evening, my name is Amanda." Her professional smile faltered momentarily after she registered me in her vision. Fan-fucking-tastic. Was I really that bad? Well, to be honest, I never paid all that much attention to reactions of people I deemed as unimportant. What a bother. "Please, follow me."

Amanda showed us the way in through the left door and toward the staircase, which also was connected to a side entrance for those who wanted to avoid the attention. We went up the stairs to a second floor, where our paths were going to separate for a short period of time.

"I will go and meet with Bella. You can take my date to the usual lounge," I gave instructions to the hostess. Since she knew me, she should know the rest. Then I turned to my escort. "I need to take care of some business. Relax for now and order us something to eat, I'm starving."

I made a motion to take my hand off, and she readily released it. It's always good when people can read the mood. I smiled towards her again and, as to not waste more time, went to the third floor.

The route didn't change all that much through the years. The same familiar steps led me to Bella's office. Ah Bella, Bella. How many memories, both good and bad, attached to this magnificent woman. I felt my lips stretching into a wry smile. She was one of the few constants in my life through the years. Never quite a lover, never quite the family member. Client? A bit too distant. Friend? Not exactly. Enemy? Never. Complicated. I shook my head, now was not the time.

I finally reached the door and knocked. The fact she was expecting me wasn't an excuse to ignore the basic rules of decorum. Well, I never followed it much anyway, so, without waiting for a response, I went in. The assistant from the photos, with entirely way-too-smug for her own good smile on her face, was on the way out. The fuck is her problem?

Bella's office didn't change all that much as well. Same type of desk, same type of chair. A few different paintings on the walls. Different flooring. The panoramic window instead of the back wall. She changed it to a projector after that one assassination attempt. We both knew who was the one behind it, but they were up too high for us to reach.

"Hi, Bella. It's good to see you again." I said in an overly cheerful tone and waved my hand. Partly to get a reaction out of her, partly to hide my own reaction to her younger looks. She will notice anyway. I never could quite hide anything from her eyes. She won't ask, though, unless I tell her myself.

"What wind brought you tonight to this poor old woman's place?" A bait for a compliment, genuine inquiry and a subtle reminder that this time it was me who cheated first.

"You wound my weak heart, my dear. No kiss? No warm embrace? Not even a proper greeting for a little kid, lost on the road of life?" I answered in kind. The surprise in her eyes. Strange. Ah. Oops. This wasn't Bella from twenty years in the future. And this wasn't me from the same time. The current version of myself was supposed to be all about sharp corners and barely held aggression. He wouldn't play along. Too young, prideful and edgy. Fuck, I felt embarrassed just remembering it.

"You seem… different." Bella immediately noticed. As expected.

"Let's say, things have happened since the last time I've seen you." And wasn't it an understatement? "A whole lot of them, in fact."

The look in her eyes changed a bit. She seemed sharper, more dangerous even. The work-mode of the one and only Isabella Alvarez. I smiled, shifting into the same mode. Gone were the fake smiles, even boredom stepped into the background. Even the fucking animal inside whimpered and hurriedly hid into its cage. The forty-three-year-old me, one of the best mercenaries you can find for money in this lawless city, took his rightful place on the throne of my consciousness. Eh, I was still the same as always on the inside, of course, it all was me anyway. I saw how Bella went stiff from such change. Yes, this wasn't MY Bella. Not yet.

"What are you here for?" was her question.

I weighed it in my head. How much should I tell her? She already noticed the change in me and going forward it will be even more apparent. Can I tell her the truth? To be frank, if I ever could, it's her. And also, If anything, wouldn't this be the most interesting way forward? At least, if she decides to use it against me at some point, it will make my life so much more fun!

"To apologize. To offer you three pieces of information. One you might find interesting. One that you need. And one that you want." I smiled, it all was the truth indeed. "I will also give you advice you don't want to hear. But most importantly, I'm here to see you again, my dear. It was so fucking long."

Last time we met was… five years ago? Twenty years in the future? Haha, what a mess to even think about. I never had a chance to say goodbye either. As usual, we fought just before, only this time there was no chance to make up. A clichéd story as it was, still hurt like hell.

"So long? It was a month," she noted in a dull tone.

"For you. For me, it was five years, give or take, without being able to see you. And twenty more before that," I said to the woman in front of me. "Forgive me, I wasn't there when you needed me the most."

Bella looked at me in utter astonishment. I looked at her as the expressions of disbelief, astonishment, anger, and sorrow were switching each other in a quick succession. Then, as if she finally came to a decision, her face landed onto a calculating expression. Ever the businesswoman, this one.

"If, and that's a big if, I buy your nonsense, what exactly does it mean?" And right to the important questions. That's my girl, we can always discuss lesser details at a later date, there is a profit to be made now.

"Eh. Nothing much really. You know me, I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the unimportant stuff. I know a few important things, of course. But all of it is so far into the future, that it won't be of any relevance by then. I'm not naive enough to think that history will play the same way again. Even if it did, I plan to change it quite a bit anyway." How boring would it be if everything went the same way? I don't want to even think about such a possibility. Oof, what a nightmarish thought.

"But you still have three things you wanted to offer me," my conversation partner, once again, went for important stuff.

"Don't forget advice you don't want to hear," I winked at her. "But I digress. Which one would you like to hear first? Personally, I recommend the one you might be interested in, but the choice is up to you."

As she was thinking about the possibilities, I idly studied the gorgeous woman before my eyes. Ah, how much I missed her. She was ten years older than me, yes. But not only she managed to keep her looks, she actually aged like a fine wine, becoming even more beautiful with years gone by. Strangest thing, really. I also knew for a fact she didn't do any plastic surgeries. Just how did she pull it all off? Don't know and don't really care either. Hm, wasn't that woman from Three Families supposed to be like in her seventies as well? Go guess. Life is a strange thing.

"I think I will take the one I need instead." Bella's voice took me out of my ramblings.

"The one you need, huh? Okay, why not," I waved my hand. "Miguel Alvarez, does this name ring any bells?"