My first foray into writing for the Timeless Fandom. I got hooked on this show from the beginning. When I heard about next week's episode, my muse exploded, and I needed to write down my thoughts before they were completed ruined.

This will be a multi-chapter story that will become AU, but for now I'd like to think of it as canon. Because of that, I have taken some dialogue from the promo video for next week. This is a short prologue to establish my story, and updates will come on a weekly to twice weekly basis.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Timeless.

Wyatt hesitated, considering once again if he should even be here. This whole idea was beyond reckless, but if this was his one shot, he wasn't going to blow it. Finally, he knocked gently on the closed door, breathing deeply to prepare himself. Part of him hoped that no one would answer the door, and he could just forget about the whole thing. But a hall light came on and then the door opened.

Lucy was backlit, highlighting the flyaway hairs of her bedhead, and she pulled a sweater tightly around her shoulders to stave off the chill of the outside air. "Wyatt? What are you doing here? Did we get a call? I must have missed it." She didn't wait for a response before she turned towards the stairs.

Wyatt stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "No, no call. Don't worry." He removed his hand, but it took a moment before spoke apologetically. "I'm sorry to come by so late. I hope your mom hasn't been disturbed."

There was a dry chuckle before Lucy responded. "My mother is the one person I suspect could sleep during a trip on the Lifeboat. She'll sleep right through this."

Silence stretched to an uncomfortable point as Wyatt contemplated just how heated this conversation could become. He knew that Lucy wouldn't be pleased with what he had to say, and he had heard her voice reach some pretty high volumes, usually accompanied with his name.

"Do you want to come in?" Lucy finally said.

Wyatt took the invitation to heart immediately and pushed his way into the foyer. "I need to tell you something. I'm going to get my wife back."

Lucy stood still for a moment, and Wyatt wanted to take the words back. Her face mirrored the one she gave after their kiss in 1934 Arkansas. That same innocent wonder and amazement she had then was shining in her eyes now. The memory flooded his mind in the most inconvenient of ways. Her gentle eyes, her soft lips, the feel of her face in his hand; everything he thought he had buried behind professionalism and friendship. All of it served to push Jessica to the back of his mind.

Then everything got pulled back to the front when Lucy's expected anger ignited. "What do you think you are you doing?"

"Rufus and I are taking the Lifeboat to 1981. I figure out a way to stop Jessica's killer before he kills anyone. I'm going to save her."

Wyatt suspected the only reason she didn't full on yell at him was due to the lateness of the hour and her desire to keep her mother asleep. But there was still a distinctly hard edge to her voice. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you are going to get into? That's insane!"

He had no humor in his laugh. "That's an understatement. I know Agent Christopher would never allow this. I'm basically doing exactly what Flynn did in the first place. But it'll be worth it just to have Jessica back. And I'm not planning to destroy America in the process."

Lucy leaned against the door. "Maybe not, but you have no idea what you could be messing with. Wyatt, life as we know it, as you expect it to be, could be completely destroyed. Mason was a fool to create something so reckless. These machines are too dangerous, and we are taking our lives into our hands every time we step into them."

Another memory, another flash to another place reminded him why she was so hesitant. "Everything in life is dangerous. I understand if you still feel like you're drowning stepping into the Lifeboat. But I can't sit back anymore and just wait. Flynn is going after what he wants, and I have to admit I admire him for that. I will do anything to get my wife back."

There was a breath, and Lucy asked, "How do you plan on getting us to 1981 before Agent Christopher or Mason discover what we're up to?"

Wyatt shut down her thinking right then and there. "This is not a 'we' thing. It's not like we need a historian to tell us how to act. I actually plan on imitating Marty McFly the whole time. Feels appropriate." His attempt to infuse some humor into the situation did nothing to change the clenching of Lucy's arms and the biting of her lip.

He returned to seriousness and further explained his actions. "Lucy, I can't bring you along. I wouldn't even bring Rufus if I had any idea how to pilot the Lifeboat. This is my mission, and I don't want to drag anyone else into this."

"Then why are you here Wyatt? Because if it's not to get my help, I don't know why you would tell me this."

His voice raised unnecessarily. "Because I need you to know! Because I don't want to have to involve you, but I can't do this without you. We're a team Lucy, and I don't want our team to be destroyed."

"Unfortunately Wyatt, that is exactly what you're doing. Because if you save Jessica, nothing will be what we think it will be."

Once again there was silence, and Wyatt wished there was some way he could convince her that he was doing the right thing. But the stern look in her eyes was one he had seen all too often when faced with changing history. "Well, if that's how you feel…" He walked past her and put his hand on the doorknob. Her voice stopped him from walking out the door.

"Wyatt, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes," he answered. He turned slightly to see the tears in her eyes.

"Why does this feel like we're saying goodbye?"

Wyatt couldn't help the anger that rose up. "I guess because you don't believe in me."