Disclaimer: I do not own Timeless.

The Ox: Part 1

A few days after the engagement, Flynn was going out of his mind.

"What's the rush?" Jiya was saying. "We have all the time in the world."

"Uh, exactly the opposite," Rufus replied. "If anything, these missions have shown that we could die at any moment- literally any moment in history. Ergo, the sooner the better."

"Don't you 'ergo' me!" said Jiya. "Flynn, don't you think it's completely pointless for us to rush this wedding?"

They were in the kitchen. Why they were in the kitchen was a mystery to Flynn. He was there to scrounge up fixings for a sandwich. Rufus and Jiya were there apparently to torment him.

"I really have no opinion," he said, emptying a jar of sour kraut on his plate.

"Opinion on what?" came a voice, and Flynn saw Wyatt move into the area.

"Ouch!"

Flynn had been in the middle of slicing his sandwich into halves when Wyatt walked in, causing him to cut his thumb. Grimacing, Flynn walked to the sink and washed the cut under hot water.

"Here," said Wyatt, catching Flynn's eye and tossing him the first aid kit mounted on the wall. Flynn grunted his thanks.

Flynn had been distinctly cold to Wyatt, despite the latter's attempts at being amicable. It wasn't hard to see why- Prime Wyatt had left one hidden message to his past self. Who's to say there weren't others? And wasn't it fortunate that Wyatt was teaching Flynn how to defuse a bomb? And their very next mission brought Flynn face to face with one? Flynn tried to imagine for a second what he and Lucy might have done. Lucy had been about to run after Wyatt- Wyatt who at that same moment was chasing after Rittenhouse agents. Had Prime Wyatt let the agents escape in his time stream so he could run back to the house to save Lucy?

Flynn still had the message he'd recovered- Don't let Jiya meet Tesla.

Flynn now looked at the young bride-to-be, arguing over something simple with her fiancé. Why was that so important? Did Tesla have something to do with the Hermione modification?

.

.

Rittenhouse funerals were brief affairs. David Rittenhouse believed that death was irrelevant- a weakness, and something best reserved for those more deserving of it. Once you'd died, your contributions to Rittenhouse were over and you were of no more use to anyone. Best honor your accomplishments in life quickly and move on.

The girl's name was Rachel Masters. Emma chose Masters to accompany her and Bennet on the mission. The girl wasn't a particularly gifted operative. Not smart. Not strong. No, she was special because she happened to look like Jessica. Emma wanted to see what Wyatt would do.

And apparently Wyatt was willing to shoot his own wife.

After the funeral Emma went to Jessica's quarters and knocked on the door. Jessica opened, still changing out of her funeral blacks.

"Hey," she said.

"Sorry to intrude," said Emma, looking at Jessica's state of half dress.

Jessica shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I feel so damn sexy all the time. I swear if Wyatt was here, I'd jump his bones in a heartbeat."

Increased libido was to be expected around this time, Emma supposed. "Wyatt's what I'm here to talk to you about," she said, shutting the door.

Jessica's face fell. "I read the report," said Jessica. "I know he was the one who shot Rachel."

"I think he thought she was you," said Emma. "And honey, you're too valuable to risk on these missions. You're president now. You should be here, running the organization, and watching out for number one." She gestured to Jessica's baby bump.

Jessica sighed and nodded. Emma thought she looked relieved. "The missions are exciting and they're important," Jessica argued back, instinctively.

That's old Rittenhouse talking for her, thought Emma. "There's no way of knowing what time travel will do to the baby," she said.

Jessica nodded. "You're right." She heaved a sigh of relief. "You should probably get to planning the next mission."

Emma nodded. "I'm way ahead of you. I think I need to hit her while she's at school in New York."

Jessica blanched. "So young? Why?"

"Several reasons. She was famous young. There are people we can influence. And I think we can trap Flynn and the princess into an untimely death." She smirked.

"What does that mean?" asked Jessica.

"Just you wait," was all Emma said.