Chapter 14: Malice and Manipulation

"You're back?!"

Groaning, Wyatt opened a pair of bleary eyes, blinking away the last vestiges of sleep, until his vision cleared and focused in on a pajama clad Rufus who was gaping at him like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Hello, Rufus." Wyatt murmured sleepily in acknowledgement before he rolled away from him and nestled himself deeper into the covers.

"What are you doing here?"

"Sleeping, Rufus…I thought that was obvious?"

"I realize that, but…"

"Ugh" Wyatt groaned. He yawned violently and flipped back over to his other side to face a still gaping Rufus. "What time is it, anyway?" he complained.

"Uhhh…six o' clock" Rufus answered before asking in an accusatory tone, "Does Lucy know you're here?"

Wyatt sighed in frustration, "What do you think?"

"I'm thinking you're sleeping in the wrong damn room." Rufus observed matter of factly, "Please do not tell me you are working things out with…" Rufus faltered. There were a lot of words he wanted to use to describe Wyatt's currently undead spouse but, unsure of their present relationship, he thought he better not risk an ass kicking. He cleared his throat and continued, "With your wife and living down here with Lucy…because I can't even begin to tell you how messed up that is."

Wyatt rolled onto his back in exasperation and threw the covers down away from his chest, "You're right, that would be pretty messed up, Rufus…but you know what else is pretty messed up?" Wyatt didn't wait for Rufus' response before spitting out, "Not taking a hint and letting me get some damn sleep."

"Oh, I get," Rufus muttered as he made his way to the door, "you're in the dog house." He nodded as Wyatt let out another sigh of exasperation and dove under the covers once more, "You know, that tends to happen when you don't call your girlfriend for a week."

As much as Wyatt would have loved to correct his friend and team mate, he was far too exhausted to even care. "Rufus…" he growled out in warning.

"Okay, okay…I'm leaving. Rufus muttered as he wrenched open the door to their room. "Seriously though, man…I'm glad you're back. I was really sweating it there for while thinking we were going to have to rely on Flynn for protection."

"RUFUS!" Wyatt spat out in exasperation but he had already made his escape, narrowly missing the pillow Wyatt had chunked his way.

Wyatt collapsed back onto his cot, the sleep deprivation he suffered over the last week had caught up with him, leaving his entire body feeling like it was made of lead. As much as he wanted to close his eyes and melt back into sweet oblivion, however, he could not. Being back in the bunker, back with Lucy, proved to be too much of an enticement to keep him relegated to his own cot for long. So, forming a plan, he rolled out of bed and lumbered his way into the kitchen.

Whipping up a breakfast was one of Wyatt's favorite domestic things to do. Even when he was married to Jessica, breakfast was the one meal he consistently made whenever he was home. After his week-long absence, he figured Rufus was right, he needed to make it up to her…well, to all of them.

"Decided to come crawling back to the bunker, I see?"

Okay…everyone except Garcia Flynn.

Wyatt turned to face his tall nemesis, spatula in hand, "What's it to you?" he asked gruffly. It was too damn early and he was too damn tired to deal with Garcia Flynn's bullshit.

"It's nothing to me." Flynn said with a shrug, "But I suspect it will mean an awful lot to Lucy." Wyatt turned back to his eggs as Flynn observed him with a wary eye, "Does she know?"

'Why the hell does everyone keep asking me that?" Wyatt spat out in exasperation. "Yes, alright? She knows. I talked to her last night." He transferred the eggs from the frying plan onto a large plate and began work on the bacon wishing Flynn would take a hint and leave him the hell alone.

"And…I'm assuming you have done the right thing? Ended things with your wife? Or did she kick you out when she found out you uh…haven't been exactly faithful?"

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Wyatt gritted out angrily. "It's not like I meant to…" he bit his lip and mustered all the self-control he possessed before spitting out, "You know what Flynn, it's none of your damn business."

"Oh, I think it's very much my business." Flynn retorted as he began pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Rittenhouse brought her back for a reason, and until we know what that reason is, I just want to make sure you're not cavorting with the enemy." Flynn took a sip from his mug, "Can't have you compromised by yet another woman."

If a freshly showered Rufus hadn't made his way into the kitchen at that exact moment, Wyatt was positive he would have honored his 2016 objective and killed Garcia Flynn. As far as he was concerned, Flynn didn't belong there anyway…he had only gone along with the plan to bring him into the bunker in the first place because Lucy had suggested it.

Shit.

Flynn was right…he was compromised where Lucy was concerned.

But that didn't mean he was right about Jessica.

"Eggs and bacon?" Rufus asked with wide eyes, "Have I told you how glad I am to have you back?" He snuck a piece of bacon out of the pan and turned to Flynn, "You're out of moisturizer by the way."

Flynn shook his head and growled under his breath, as he stalked back to his room.

Wyatt transferred the bacon onto another platter and began making up a plate, smacking Rufus' hand away as he tried to steal more food. "This is not for you." He motioned to the larger platters, "Make your own damn plate."

Rufus heaved a heavy sigh and pulled a small plate from the cupboard, watching Wyatt as he made a cup of coffee…just the way Lucy liked it. "So…um…was Lucy happy to see you?"

Wyatt grunted his response, as he stirred in the coffee creamer.

"I guess you'll be wanting the room back the way you had it?" Rufus asked, still pressing for information.

"No." Wyatt said nonchalantly as he grabbed some napkins and silverware, "Not yet, anyway."

"Uh-huh…" Rufus nodded as he watched Wyatt carefully balance the plate, the mug, and the silverware and make his way out of the kitchen and down the hall towards Lucy's room. "Oh yeah, he's definitely in the dog house." he muttered to himself.

Wyatt approached Lucy's room tentatively, forgetting with a small jolt of panic, that Jiya was sleeping in there with her. He had just spun around to leave when he saw Jiya emerge from the bathroom, making her way to the common room. Taking that as the all clear, Wyatt gently pushed the door open and made his way inside the room, going as silently as he could possibly manage so as not to wake her.

Lucy, however, was not asleep.

She was changing clothes, her back to the door, but very much in a state of undress….and Wyatt found that he was exercising a hell of a lot of self-control not to just forget about the breakfast and have Lucy instead.

He was just debating whether to announce his presence or slip back out of the room and knock, when Lucy somehow got tangled up in the depths of her sweater, unable to pull it down over her head. "Dammit." he heard her breathe out a curse as she wriggled and writhed in front of him…and well, while he was a master at self-control, if she continued to do that, he was going to have to take another damn cold shower.

Depositing the plate of eggs and her coffee on the table, Wyatt rushed to her aid, but as he gripped at her sweater, Lucy startled and nearly toppled over, "Relax, Lucy…it's just me." Wyatt breathed out as he tried, but failed to stifle a laugh, gripping her around her bare waist so she wouldn't find herself sprawled on the floor.

"Wyatt?! What are you doing in here?" she hissed.

"Right now? I'm keeping you from falling on your ass." he answered as he tugged her sweater down and over her head. She brushed her mussed hair out of her eyes and looked up at him accusingly, but he nodded to the table, "But before, I came to bring you breakfast…ma'am."

"Oh." Lucy muttered as she eyed the plate of eggs, "You didn't have to…." she began, but bit her lip in a happy smirk, "thank you, Wyatt."

"My pleasure…though I should be thanking you." he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing her jaw, "That was quite a show you put on Ms. Preston…I'm wide awake now."

"I'm sure you are." Lucy said as she wriggled away from his wandering lips slightly, "Didn't we talk about this?"

"Talk about what?" Wyatt asked with a shrug, his face dipping dangerously close to hers again.

Lucy, however, arched away and gave him a reproving glare, "This" she said motioning between them, "you and me…the…fact that you are married and that makes things…"

"Just the same as they were before." Wyatt maintained as he nodded meaningfully at her.

"It's not the same, Wyatt." Lucy reminded him. "Your wife isn't dead anymore."

"I'm getting divorced, Lucy…I think a peck on the cheek in the morning is perfectly fine between two roommates."

"Oh really? Tell me, did you kiss Rufus this morning?" she asked with a quirked brow.

"Hell no." Wyatt admitted truthfully, "that asshole woke me up…but I will kiss him if it means I can kiss you."

"Wyatt…" Lucy groaned, though she had a smile firmly planted on her face.

"C'mon Lucy." Wyatt groaned right back, "Nothing has changed between us. I love you, you love me…Jessica may be alive, but Lucy, that…that marriage died a long time ago." He wrapped her back up in his arms and touched his forehead to hers, "I'm not asking for much, just a kiss here and there so I don't internally combust." he pleaded.

Lucy sighed, feeling herself very much in danger of just giving in and throwing morality and human decency out of the window, but that was just it…she couldn't. She loved Wyatt too much to allow him to essentially and effectively cheat on his once dead spouse…even if they were headed for divorce. However, she also knew that the upcoming days and nights in the bunker would be very, very long and they wouldn't be the only ones navigating the mine field of their sexual and romantic tension…everybody would be dealing with the side effects that would surely come as a result of their imposed abstinence.

Relenting somewhat, with a sigh, Lucy allowed Wyatt to continue his ministrations to her neck and jaw as she muttered, "I suppose we can set up a few ground rules…"

"So, separate bedrooms?" Wyatt asked again as he trailed after her down the hall, disappointment etched all over his face. "You do realize there are two beds…we don't have to push them together."

Lucy stilled and offered him a reproving stare, "Wyatt...it's for our own good. We don't need to be tempted into..." She shifted uncomfortably, checking to see if anyone was near enough to hear before continuing, 'I mean...what happened this morning could be a regular...problem."

"You'll get no complaints from me." Wyatt as a devilish grin spread across his face.

She rolled her eyes at him and made her back into the common room, where Rufus and Jiya were huddled together talking excitedly…that is…until Wyatt and Lucy approached.

"Hey you two." Rufus said with a grin. "Enjoy your breakfast? I guess you'll be wanting your old room back, huh Lucy?"

Lucy turned and gave Wyatt an "I told you so" glare before turning back to Rufus awkwardly, "No…actually. Wyatt and I were just talking about that." She nodded in determination as she cast a sideways glance at Wyatt, "We think it's best to keep to our separate rooms until everything with his divorce is finalized."

"Pay up." Jiya announced with a triumphant smirk on her face, holding out a hand in expectation to Rufus.

As Rufus begrudgingly slapped a $5.00 bill in her hand, Lucy quirked her brow, "What's…what's going on? What is that about?"

Jiya shrugged, "Just a little bet I had with Rufus. Clearly I know you better than he does."

"That's bull." Rufus spat out loudly. "Do you know I walked in on them in Hedy Lamarr's guest house? These two may not have been happening in your timeline, but they sure as hell were happening in mine."

"Oh, I didn't say they weren't happening." Jiya quipped as she stuffed the $5.00 in the pocket of her jeans. "They just weren't happening."

Lucy scrunched up her face in confusion as she traded glances with Wyatt and then turned to Rufus and Jiya, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you know…" Jiya said with a shrug, "Wyatt was married…and you two are super noble." At their blank expressions she continued, "Look, it was clear that you and Wyatt had feelings for each other…you just never acted on them. Wyatt was trying to work things out with his wife…that is, until the explosion. But even after all of that…even with you two living together…nothing."

As much as Wyatt wanted to believe everything Jiya was saying, Jessica's accusatory words came back to him like a dagger in the heart. How many affairs does this make now, Wyatt? Shifting uncomfortably, Wyatt mumbled, "How…how do you know…we didn't ya know…"

"Because this bunker is not that big, Wyatt." Jiya deadpanned. "Anytime you two got a little too close, you'd both retreat to your respective rooms and play it off like you were just friends. Friends who constantly looked like they were pining for each other, I might add."

"Yeah…but I mean, before? We could have…I mean...before we were in the bunker."

Jiya laughed, "Hardly. You two danced around each other, but neither one of you would admit to it. If anything had changed between the two of you, we would have all noticed." She laughed, "You two defined sexual tension."

Wyatt bit his lip in thought. If he had fallen for Lucy while he was married to Jessica was it any wonder she believed he was having an affair? After everything he had already put her through…

"What's wrong, Wyatt?" Lucy asked in concern as Wyatt sat down at the table rubbing a rough hand over his forehead.

Lucy took a seat beside him and rubbed her small hand gently on his back, as Rufus and Jiya took seats across from him, their faces at once reflecting the sudden somberness of Wyatt's demeanor. Wyatt worked his hand over his jaw as if debating whether or not to disclose his concerns, but seeing no one else lurking around the bunker, he leaned forward and tentatively began in a low voice, "Jessica…she said something when I met her at the hotel." He turned his head slightly towards Lucy, nodding at her meaningfully as he swallowed hard, "when she...talked about the Wyatt she knew…" he scoffed, "I thought I had ended up like my old man in this timeline." Lucy, understanding what Wyatt was implying there, dropped her hand from his back and gripped his hand tightly as he continued. "It's just…if what you're saying is true…then…Jessica…she wasn't completely wrong…I as good as cheated on her."

Jiya quirked her brow and muttered softly, "Or she lied." But Wyatt, however, was not amused.

Bristling defensively, Wyatt pushed away from the table, "Look, you have no idea what she went through with our marriage…I…I could have been a better husband…and maybe, maybe she just assumed with the long absences…" he scoffed, "You know what? Just forget about it."

Storming off down the hall, Lucy raced to catch up with him. "Hey," she prompted gently as she reached out and took his hand. "Jiya didn't mean to upset you."

Wyatt begrudgingly turned to face her, looking as if he were fighting a heavy inner battle, But Lucy…" he hesitated, whatever his inner conflict, he seemed to relent with a heavy sigh as he leaned forward and whispered, "Did I ever tell you what happened the night Jessica died? Why we had that fight?"

Lucy shook her head, "No…but Wyatt…it's okay..I don't…"

"She ran into an old boyfriend…uh…" Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck roughly, obviously uneasy talking about a night that had caused him so much pain, "she uh…she wasn't faithful, Lucy. I came home from a deployment…and there he was." Wyatt huffed out a breath, "I don't blame her…I never blamed her…I was gone all the time, she was lonely…I get it...but I was jealous. And that jealousy got her killed."

"Wyatt…"

""But now…I find out in this timeline for the past six years, I've been a drunken asshole like my dad was…coming home drunk every night, jealous and…she said I was unfaithful…"

"Wyatt, that's not who you are." Lucy countered a look of confusion on her face.

"I know…but she doesn't know that…and maybe because of what happened between us before…what if I did…ya know? Before I met you, I mean…what if I am every bit the man I swore I'd never be? Drinking all the time? Womanizing? I don't know…like to get back at her or something?"

"No…Wyatt I don't believe that for one second." As Wyatt began to argue with her, she spoke over him, "No, I mean…even in this timeline." Lucy argued. "Do you honestly think Agent Christopher would have allowed you on these missions if you were…" she gave him a sardonic look, "Do you think I would have put up with your drinking on these missions?"

A hint of a smile flitted across Wyatt's face as he remembered the first time he ever laid eyes on Lucy Preston.

Have you been drinking?

Didn't know I'd be working tonight, ma'am.

"Yeah, but Lucy…"

"I mean it, Wyatt. There is no way you have been kept on these missions if any of that were true. Especially when we were at Mason. We were on call 24/7…you couldn't have been the man she's describing and still be a member of this team."

Wyatt paused. Lucy was right. If he had been separated from Jess since just before that explosion at Mason then there was no way he would have been able to retain his place on the team by behaving that irresponsibly. Hell, even in the military it would have garnered him an Article 15. His eyes, filled with a mixture of hurt and astonishment, sought out Lucy's as he asked incredulously, "Why would she lie about that?"

"Good morning people!" Agent Christopher barked as she made her way down the hall causing Wyatt and Lucy to jump apart in surprise. She startled slightly at the sight of Wyatt, but in the next moment had composed herself, addressing him stoically, "I see you finally came to a decision."

"Yes ma'am." Wyatt said with a nod. Inching away from Lucy, he made his way back over to the kitchen where he had discarded his belongings the night before. Finding the manila envelope, he handed it over to her resolutely. "I think everything is in order here…if you uh…can help speed things along, I'd really appreciate it." he muttered in a low voice as he cast a quick glance back towards Lucy.

"I'll see what I can do, Master Sergeant," Agent Christopher sighed as she began perusing the paperwork, "but…well, since you're supposed to be dead, that sort of complicates matters. I will obviously have to have Homeland notify the Army of your protected status…and then there's the…"

Agent Christopher's abrupt stop drew concern from Wyatt, "What's wrong? Did I miss something?" he asked as he attempted to retrieve the papers from her hand.

She pursed her lips thoughtfully as she walked over to the place at the table Wyatt had vacated. "Wyatt," she began, "Jessica signed these divorce papers two weeks ago." She looked up from the signature line and saw the sudden understanding in Wyatt's eyes, "according to her and the rest of the world…you were supposed to be dead."

"So…wait a minute…" Rufus began in confusion, "why would she need to file for divorce if she thought Wyatt was dead?"

"A very good question, Mr. Carlin." Agent Christopher said with a nod of her head.

Shocked and horrified, Wyatt leaned against the kitchen counter for support, staring at the papers in Agent Christopher's hand. "No." he shook his head adamantly, "no…she's not…I know her…there's no way."

"No way, what?" Rufus asked in complete bewilderment.

"No way his wife is a Rittenhouse agent." Flynn called out, his voice thick with sarcasm as he sidled his way into the kitchen. Wyatt's eyes flashed in anger as approached the huddled group, but Flynn was not deterred in the slightest, "Why else would she carry around divorce papers for a man everyone presumed to be dead?" Flynn frowned, "Unless the Wyatt of this timeline let her in on our little secret here."

"And why the hell would I do that?" Wyatt spat out, "You said yourself," he said as he pointed to Jiya, "we were separated…and even Jessica…said…" Wyatt trailed off as he paced the kitchen, rubbing his neck roughly.

"She said, what?" Agent Christopher asked curiously

"That she didn't want to be married to a state secret." Wyatt admitted roughly. "So obviously, I hadn't told her a damn thing. Hell, her biggest complaint to me that night was that she was tired of all the half-truths and whispered conversations."

"Did she say anything else to you?" Agent Christopher asked.

Wyatt stilled for a moment and glanced at Lucy who was looking back at him with nothing but sympathy. Heaving a sigh, he hung his head and admitted quietly, "Yeah…she…she wanted me to tell her where I had been for the past five months. But…c'mon that's a valid question."

"And you didn't tell her, did you?" Flynn asked accusingly.

"What the hell do you think?" Wyatt spat out. "Of course not." He shook his head and resumed his pacing, "Look, I know things look suspicious, but I don't believe for one second…I mean, we went to high school together…"

"Do we know anything about what 1980 San Diego has to do with changing the timeline?" Lucy offered up to Mason and Agent Christopher. "Maybe that would give us some idea of what happened…what they did to bring her back."

"I haven't been able to come up with anything concrete." Agent Christopher said with a sigh, "Only that her brother received treatment at Rady's Children Hospital for a few months that year."

"Yeah…that was right before he died." Wyatt muttered dejectedly.

"Died? No, he's a mechanic in Hayward." Agent Christopher corrected. "We did a background check on him…he's clean."

Wyatt gaped at her. "Are you telling me her brother didn't die of leukemia?" Agent Christopher nodded in contemplation. "Why the hell would that change what happened to Jessica?" Wyatt muttered almost to himself.

"Well, whatever the reason, it's clear that whatever was done was enough to make a significant change to the timeline…and I think it's clear we can't trust Jessica Logan." Agent Christopher observed.

"We don't that for sure." Wyatt said defensively. "This could all be some big misunderstanding."

"Oh, come on!" Flynn spat out in exasperation. "It's clear she was trying to manipulate you…and she's doing a damn good job of it too."

Wyatt, already fed up with Flynn and his antics, lunged from the counter angrily and shoved Flynn roughly in the chest, "Shut the hell up, Flynn" he gritted out as Flynn shoved him right back. Hardly diffusing the situation, that shove only served to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. All of the frustration of having Garcia Flynn in the bunker came spilling out in one devastating blow to Flynn's jaw.

"Wyatt!" Lucy yelled out as Flynn his own blow towards Wyatt's face. "Flynn! Stop it!" she cried as the two men grappled with one another, the rest of the bunker stood by helplessly, until Agent Christopher barked out "Stand down….BOTH OF YOU!"

Pushing away from Flynn angrily, Wyatt stormed off down the hall towards his bedroom, muttering to him before he left, "Keep the hell away from me."

"Obviously hit a nerve." Flynn mumbled as he wiped the blood from his split lip.

Lucy rounded on him angrily, "And what would you have done?" Lucy snapped. "If Rittenhouse had brought your family back from the dead? Would you be so grateful they were back in your arms and in your life or would suspect them…would you be looking for the hidden catch?" Flynn bowed his head in apparent shame as she continued her remonstrance, "There's nothing wrong with Wyatt trying to believe the best about Jessica. You of all people should understand that."

"I don't give a damn about Wyatt." Flynn spat out angrily. "But his short-sightedness is going to get us all killed. Rittenhouse is playing on his weakness."

"Well then it's a good thing you're here, isn't it?" Lucy said angrily. "You have no weakness for them to exploit, right? You're so much better than Wyatt, is that it?"

"I didn't say that." Flynn said quietly.

"Well, I need to make a few phone calls." Agent Christopher announced as she gathered up Wyatt's divorce papers. "This latest development is definitely going to need some attention. I'm going to put a detail on Jessica Logan, see if we can't find some proof that she actually is working for Rittenhouse. Until then, we assume she is…" Agent Christopher nodded at Lucy, "tell Wyatt if she tries to communicate with him any further not to respond, send it directly to me. Understood?" Lucy nodded in solemn agreement as the Homeland Security Agent made her way to the door. "I'll be back shortly…I'm going to try to sort out this mess."

Casting an annoyed look towards Flynn, Lucy made her way back to Wyatt's bedroom where he was sitting on the edge of his cot, head in his hands. "You okay?" she asked softly as she leaned against the doorframe.

"I just don't understand…why would she lie about something like that? I mean, she knows how I feel about my dad…"

"Wyatt," Lucy pleaded sympathetically. "It's what they do. Do you think I wanted to believe that my mother was capable of all the terrible things she has done?" Lucy sighed as she stepped into the room, "It's Rittenhouse. It's how they get what they want…they play on your emotions and your trust…until…" she scoffed, "let's just be grateful it's not too late."

"Too late?"

"I encouraged you to go to her, Wyatt." Lucy said with a sigh, "You could have been completely taken in…and it would have been partly my fault."

"No, Lucy." Wyatt maintained firmly. "I would have gone to see Jessica with or without your blessing. It was something I had to do." He gave her a small smile, "Not that it didn't just about kill me to do it."

Lucy let out a small laugh as Wyatt stood and wrapped his arms around her. Laying her head on his shoulder, Lucy sighed, "I'm so sorry, Wyatt."

He tightened his arms around her as he leaned his head next to hers, "I guess if anyone knows what this feels like, you do."

"Well…" Lucy muttered, "it's like what you told me in that trunk in Darlington…now you know."

"Now I know what?" Wyatt asked as he pulled away from her.

"That you can move on." she smiled as she shrugged, "Nothing ahead but the open road, right?"

Wyatt brushed Lucy's cheek with the tips of his fingers, "Right." he murmured as an impish expression stole across his face, "You know," he said with a sigh, his eyes darting to her lips, "you make it awfully hard to stick to those ground rules, ma'am."

Lucy grinned as she leaned forward and ghosted her lips over his, "I think I can make an exception" she murmured, "under the circumstances."

Smiling, Wyatt closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with a gentle kiss. The sound of the alarm, however, had them both pulling away sooner than they both would have liked. "What are the odds that's just Flynn leaving the bunker?"

Lucy let out a derisive laugh as Rufus came skidding into the doorway, out of breath, "The mothership jumped…March 30, 1981, Washington, DC."

"That's the day Reagan was shot." Lucy responded as she made her way out of the bedroom and followed Rufus down the hall. "Reagan survived," she explained, "Maybe Rittenhouse wants to change that?"

"Where's Agent Christopher?" Wyatt asked as he slipped into his shoulder holster.

"She left to sort things out with Jessica." Lucy explained. "Did anyone try to call her?"

"I did." Mason responded promptly, "no answer."

"I guess we just go then." Wyatt said with a shrug, before pausing suddenly and nodding at Flynn, "You coming?"

Flynn frowned, "AS much as I enjoy our trips together, I think I'll sit this one out."

"Look," Wyatt said apologetically, "I'm really sorry about earlier…I shouldn't have…"

Flynn smirked, "It's alright…for the record, I'm sorry too." He cast a glance at Lucy before adding, "If I could have just a few minutes left with my wife and child, I would take it…no matter the circumstances." He sighed heavily, "But…um…it doesn't change my decision. I was in first grade in 1981." he explained.

"I may have missed this by a month or two, as well." admitted Mason.

"I'll go!" chirped Jiya excitedly.

"No." Rufus said adamantly, "You've already had problems with time travel."

"And I've been checked out…I'm fine." Jiya argued. "Besides, I want to see if the upgrades we made actually work."

"Two pilots are going on a mission and we're going to be trying out the new auto-pilot feature?" Rufus said incredulously, "Seems kind of unnecessary."

"Or very necessary when it doesn't work." Jiya reminded him. "Relax, Rufus…I've got this. Besides," she said with a shrug as she made her way up the stairs, "I love the 80s."

"You know for your first-time stealing clothes, you did a scary good job." Rufus noted as they ducked out of an alley.

"What can I say? I never met a security tag I couldn't deactivate." Jiya responded as she fiddled with her purse, prompting Wyatt to investigate.

"Yeah? What else did you take?" he asked as he nabbed her purse and began nosing through it. "Leg warmers? Ray-Bans…."

…and some amazing vintage blue eye shadow." Jiya added as she snatched her purse away from a smirking Wyatt.

"Guys, focus." Lucy admonished as she pulled her hair out of from under the khaki trench coat Jiya had provided her.

"Nice glasses." Wyatt said with a smirk, "Are they supposed to act as a deterrent?"

"That was the general idea, yes." Lucy admitted as they made their way to the Washington Hilton.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, ma'am…it's not working." Wyatt said as placed his hand at the small of her back and led her across the street.

"Reagan is just finishing a luncheon address. At 2:27 PM Hinckley will attempt to assassinate him on his way out of the hotel." Lucy pressed on, ignoring Wyatt's attempt at flirtation.

"He was some nut job obsessed with Jodie Foster, right?" Rufus asked

"John Hinckley was the son of a well-connected Texas family, but yes…a nut job all the same." Lucy answered with a sigh. "He was going to stalk Jodie Foster at Yale, until he heard that Reagan was speaking and he thought killing him would impress her."

"Oh sure…that'll do it." Rufus quipped.

"Nobody died?" Jiya asked.

"Press Secretary James Brady was paralyzed and ultimately died from his injuries in 2014…but today? No…nobody's supposed to die today. I'm guessing Rittenhouse wants to change that." Lucy's eyes scanned the gathering crowd as the time grew ever closer for Reagan's departure. "There!" Lucy whispered to Wyatt who was hovering protectively over her, "There's Hinckley."

"I'm not worried about Hinckley." Wyatt muttered as he narrowed his eyes towards the would-be assassin. "There's a sleeper here…and you're still a target."

"Stay behind the line!" came the bellowed orders of the police detail as Reagan made his way out of the hotel. Wyatt kept his hand protectively on Lucy's back as he eyed the clamoring crowd like a hawk, looking for anyone besides Hinckley who might pose a threat.

Seeing a sudden movement to his left, Wyatt reacted immediately, "Get down!" he yelled out as he pushed Lucy to the ground but the sleeper, gun drawn, wasn't deterred. As if in slow motion, Wyatt followed the shooters aim to a female police officer standing off to the side, trying to maintain crowd control. Lunging for her, Wyatt knocked her onto the ground as the shooter's gun went off.

Grunting from the impact of the fall, Wyatt scrambled off of her, noticing with horror that her arm was bloodied, "We need an ambulance over here!" he cried out, before crouching down in front of her and asking in concern, "Ma'am are you alright?"

"Just a graze…thanks to you."

"Just doing my duty," Wyatt eyed her badge and read off the name, "Officer…Christopher." Wyatt's eyes widened, "Denise Christopher?"

The young police officer's eyes darted to his in confusion, "Yes…have we met before?"

"Um…no…not yet…Wyatt Logan, US Army, Special Forces." he said awkwardly as he reached out his hand to shake hers.

"Thank you, sir. I owe you one." she said with a grimace as the EMTs rushed over to assess her injury.

Wyatt nodded stoically and made his way back over to Lucy, "You okay?" he asked her as she straightened her long red skirt.

"I'm fine." Lucy nodded in assurance.

"Guys! Guys!" Rufus called out as he made his way towards them through the bustling crowd. "Hinckley got away." he hissed.

"Okay…I'm not fine." Lucy breathed out in a slight panic. "That's not supposed to happen, he's supposed to be caught."

"So…Rittenhouse came here to save Hinckley…is that it?" Rufus asked. "They hate Jodie Foster or something?"

"Not quite." Wyatt said seriously as he looked towards the ambulance now housing Denise Christopher. "This isn't about Hinckley or Reagan. They're here to kill Agent Christopher before she becomes Agent Christopher." he said with a meaningful nod towards the open ambulance.

"That's her?" Lucy asked as she turned around in astonishment.

"The sleeper is disguised as a Sleeper Service Agent." Wyatt said tersely. "He's going to want to finish the job."

"Finish the job?" Rufus asked, "You mean…?"

"Without Agent Christopher, we never would have met." Lucy said with sudden understanding as she looked up at Wyatt.

Wyatt met her eyes with grim determination as he nodded tersely, "We've got to get to that hospital."

Notes:

I apologize for being so long updating this. We have had some beautiful Spring days here and so I have been out playing instead of writing. This was a difficult chapter in that I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to end it...I'm trying to set us up for what is coming, so I needed a jumping off point.

I really wanted to address the problems with Jessica's return that weren't really addressed in the show...NAMELY that Wyatt was presumed dead in that Mason Industries explosion. If Rufus' family believed he was still dead, then how did Jessica know Wyatt was still alive? Then there was the accusation that she made that he was "drunk five nights a week"...um...not if he was on call 24/7 like they were...wouldn't fly! SO this chapter was focused on tearing apart Jessica's attempt at manipulation.

I am still writing the last part of the Torrent epilogue, it has just taken a bit of a back seat to beautiful weather too.

I hope you enjoyed this update. I promise I'm trying to get this fic wrapped up ASAP. I SO want to jump into my Stranded AU...I'm so excited to share that one.

Thanks for reading, as always.