Tag to 1x02 - A poorly treated gunshot wound in 1865 would, of course, become infected.

"This would take fifteen minutes to patch back home. Here I'm gonna die of sepsis."

He'd meant the comment to be sarcastic, but now the awful truth was painfully apparent.

Once they had started the trek back to the Lifeboat, the strain of Wyatt's wound had begun to show. At first, he had brushed off their concerns, mumbling that he was fine. Then he began stumbling clumsily and wavering from side to side. Without a word, Lucy and Rufus had ducked under his arms. To their surprise and dismay, Wyatt didn't protest. With each step, his breathing became more shallow and ragged.

"Come on, we're close. Just a little farther, okay?" Lucy urged, her voice trembling a little. Wyatt nodded jerkily. He was shivering so hard that it was difficult to control his movements. He was barely on his feet as it was. Rufus and Lucy each had one of his arms slung over their shoulders.

"One more mile, man. Then we'll get you back home and get you pumped full of the good stuff, alright?" Rufus said, panting a little. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty at the intense heat radiating off Wyatt. If he'd done a better job patching him up…

Rufus's thoughts were interrupted as Wyatt's knees suddenly buckled and his full weight crashed down on them. Wyatt was no lightweight and they nearly fell to the ground.

"Wyatt!" Lucy's voice was filled with fear. She had read about the infected wounds that had killed thousands during the Civil War, but seeing it up close was terrifying. In a matter of hours, the confident, decisive soldier had deteriorated into the weak and feverish man she now struggled to hold up. Wyatt coughed harshly.

"J-jus'…just gimme a minute." He panted. "Lemme sit down." He sagged even further in their grip, his eyes fluttering shut. A sheen of sweat coated his ashen face.

"Don't think that's a good idea, man."

"Wyatt, stay with us. Stay awake." Lucy tried to sound as calm as possible, but she knew she was failing miserably. When he didn't respond, she gave him a little shake. "Wyatt! Open your eyes." After a moment, his glassy blue eyes opened again and struggled to focus on her.

"Lucy…"

"Listen to me. We're almost there. I need you to stay with me a little longer. Can you do that?"

"Y-yes ma'am." He murmured, his eyes closed, but a small half smile playing across his lips. Lucy nodded to Rufus and together they started forward once more. To his credit, Wyatt did his best carry his own weight. However, by the time they made it to the Lifeboat, he was struggling just to put one foot in front of the other. He leaned against the machine as Rufus climbed in first, gasping for breath and shaking harder than ever. He was so out of it that he barely noticed when Rufus grabbed him under the arms and hauled him into the machine. Between him and Lucy, they managed to maneuver Wyatt into his seat. When he made no move to fasten his own seatbelt, Lucy leaned forward and grabbed the straps. After a minute of fumbling with the buckle, she managed to secure it.

"Wyatt?" She asked tentatively, placing a hand on his flushed cheeks. "Can you hear me?" He groaned softly, leaning into her touch.

"Jess?" Lucy froze.

"No, it's Lucy, remember?" He said nothing, and Lucy guessed that he had passed out. Rufus glanced back at them over his shoulder.

"Ready?" She nodded and within seconds the awful, sickening motion the machine started.

TIMELESS – TIMELESS – TIMELESS

The Lifeboat crashed back into the present, jolting them hard. As soon as the dizziness faded, Lucy and Rufus were undoing the straps of Wyatt's seatbelt and lifting him from the chair.

"Wyatt needs a doctor!"

A moment later, he slid from their grip and crashed to the tile floor. Immediately he was swarmed by men in uniform and they quickly carried him off. Lucy tried to follow, but Agent Christopher stopped her. She threw one last desperate look at the limp form supported between two medics.