A/N: This has been sitting on my computer for some time now, so I'm finally posting it (*cough*peer pressure*cough*).

This story was actually something I started writing before Things Lost in the Fire, but then that fic took over my life and this one got stuck on the shelf. Now this is more of sideproject. I will focus my energy on TLF, so I can't promise this will be updated quickly, or at all. Hope you enjoy this nevertheless!

Please note that the rating may change in future chapters, but for now it's just PG-13 ;)

Thanks to all the wonderful Lucket fangirls around, you're a constant source of inspiration!

1. Devil

Things had been easy once upon a time. Skye Tate had been a kid amazed by the beauty of fertile land her parents had brought her to, her new home. This seemed like a lifetime ago. Skye no longer remembered what it was like to be cradled in her father's arms or how her mother's voice sounded when she scolded her. She remembered the pain of loss all too vividly though; it had led her to a bargain with the Sixers, and this decision had doomed her for three long years.

But she had played her part well in this play, appearing ever daring and joyful as a teen of her age should've – even when she carried out nefarious orders or supplied critical information to the enemies of her own home. She's buried her burden in work, fun and friendships. On the outside everything looked the same: just Skye Tate, the troublemaker, at work with a smirk on her face. On the inside she'd been longing for it to end, for the lies to dissolve and someone catch her already. Only she was too good to be caught.

And love went south with Josh Shannon, who pined after the girlfriend he'd left behind. At least she'd felt alive near him before she'd been plunged back into darkness, trusting no one but herself. With each message delivered, each trip outside the gates in the cover of the night she felt herself fading away at her core a little more. Until she saw a man sitting behind her, observing her with her mother, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. It had been the beginning of the end, why hadn't she been able to see it?

He'd spoken to her softly, a bad attempt at clouding his intents, so she had cut him off quickly. But she had considered him attractive, albeit somewhat harmless at first. Skye had childishly believed that Lucas wouldn't harm his father when she'd learned his identity. She'd considered him interesting, wondered why she hadn't run into him before if he really worked with the Sixers. But he'd taken all of her assumptions and thrown them away like trash with his tender voice full of threats.

Threatening her mother had been what broke her spirit and resistance. She'd known she had no way of protecting her should he choose to fulfill his threats. Skye had been at his mercy, and she had yielded with little fight, realizing that there were worse things than Mira out there. He was the devil behind the strings of the marionettes, and he'd just acquired hers. She remembered begging in her head that this was only favor he needed from her.

The next time she'd met with him, she'd expected a sinister character, who would watching her wriggling with sadistic pleasure. Yet Lucas wasn't like that when his mind was otherwise occupied. The calculations had diverted his interest, and he'd allowed her to go without as much as a word of warning. Confused, Skye had withdrawn and gone to see her own mother to keep her calm. Seeing Deborah smile and tell her about what a charming young man this Lucas was had brought doubt into her mind. Had the threat been a show to fool a scared girl? She'd decided it was incriminating, whether he'd intended to do as he'd said or not.

And curiosity had lured her into his presence again. She'd wanted to understand why he'd left his father in so much pain and worry. Maybe if she'd understood, she could've reunited them. Alas, she hadn't counted on Lucas paying attention to her this time. Suddenly she'd been in his grip, touching him and hearing his overwhelming words of gratitude. Her heart had been trembling in her chest, his breath making her skin crawl. He'd approached her like a man cut off from civilization for too long would've: abruptly, without warning or concern to her personal space. He'd felt a connection, and he'd gone for it, terrifying her in the process.

For once Skye had been speechless. Although Lucas had spoken to her kindly, his actions had not reflected casual gratitude, but a deeper connection. He'd made her tell him about embarrassing childhood memories, and returned the favor, only affirming her trust in his lunacy. And just when she'd believed she had a way out of this nightmare, he'd told her what a harbinger of death she really was. As if worried over her safety, he had told her not to return to Terra Nova, but stay at the Sixer camp where she would've been safe.

It had been an awakening. The realization that no one else would stop her had finally forced her into action: For Terra Nova, for her friends, for Commander Taylor. Unfortunately the damage had already been done by then. Only days after their initial encounter, Lucas Taylor had returned with some friends. Their guns hadn't been enough to prevent occupation, and here they were now: prisoners in their own home. All thanks to Skye.

This whole mess was the result of a string full of bad decisions, which she'd made whilst thinking (quite immaturely) that she could function in the world of adults as an equal. She recognized this as folly now that the repercussions had preceded even her wildest nightmares. This was occupation, and she was playing chess with a dangerous opponent, whether she wanted to or not.

He hadn't blamed her for her betrayal of course. To him she was a little sister, an ally who rebelled against his father just like he did. The Sixers were their own tight community, but Lucas didn't quite belong, and to the citizens here he was an enemy, unlike to Skye. He saw them as family, and she could forgive him for it. He had a mind starved from proximity and company for the years he'd spent wandering alone. Unlike everyone else she was allowed to glimpse inside his delusions and obsession, and she knew Lucas' pain wasn't entirely his fault.

There were no more calculations to occupy Lucas' brilliant mind, so he occupied it with her. She was a puzzle suddenly, something that piqued his interest. The attention bewildered her; however, it was also a compliment to a young woman, who didn't have anyone right now. Skye wanted to learn more, understand why she was in the middle of this power struggle between father and son. She needed answers only Lucas would give her, and he needed something in return.

The truth was she was stuck in a web she'd spun herself, and the spider was growing hungry. She'd refused to let her mother die and allied herself with the wrong people in order to keep her alive - her first mistake. She'd helped Lucas Taylor complete his nefarious calculations that had led to the occupation of Terra Nova and the deaths of several people – her second mistake. But the worst mistake of all was challenging him, and then refusing his advances in public – her third mistake. The avalanche that had followed because Josh was unable to keep his feelings in check, had led to the capture of both him and his father.

Strike out.

She couldn't quite prove it, but she had inkling that she'd been played; that the spider had wanted this in order to expose the Shannons. Lucas thought of himself as some kind of big brother and protector of hers, so the advances didn't quite fit in the picture, especially since he'd approached her in the public, not in privacy. It was only a matter of time before this act would draw out more alluring prey, like Commander Taylor himself.

So she lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling and kicking herself mentally. She knew she wasn't smart enough to play these games with Lucas, and he knew that as well (it probably only made it more enjoyable to him though). But it also meant that he did not perceive her as a threat, not for real anyway. And this gave her a window of opportunity no one else had at the moment. If Terra Nova was going to survive, she would have to step up, and repay for the sins committed in the past three years.

Skye sighed in defeat, as the mere thought felt unachievable and far away. Lucas had a way of instilling fear in her, be it through words or intimacy. He was a terrifying opponent, but not just because of his intellect - no, he had a way of getting under her skin and confusing her. Yet Skye knew he was dangerous and would eventually be the end of Terra Nova if he wasn't stopped, and that's what gave her courage to make up her mind.

She would be the best little sister ever: the kind he must've always wanted. And she would distract him until everything was ready for the resistance to strike back.

TBC