Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Luc Sarkisian reviewed the drone data associated with the building in the Atmore Preserve. The response to his drone message didn't prove it was Rhys, but definitely supported it. Unless Rhys learned Morse Code since he left Wales, there was at least one person with him. Gwen's update on the missing persons search indicated they connected multiple people to Rhys's disappearance for reasons that hadn't been explained.

Jack provided information from an unknown source connecting the quantum entanglement device in Southeast Asia to the universe breach as he already suspected. The explosion disrupted devices on either side of the barrier between universes. Without more information, Luc suspected a connection to the device in the Red Dragon Centre car park.

A note about Nigeria made him wonder. How did Deselle get the device from Nigeria to the Arctic Observatory? After the Refuge raided the Fellowship of Inner Peace made the most sense. Except Deselle's skill set didn't involve burglary, nevertheless a secured Torchwood facility. Aman's contact in Nigeria needed to review inventory. If he didn't have access, Jack would need to go down there. They needed to know what was missing. Reviewing the Observatory was also necessary. He hadn't thought to ask if Jack secured it after Southeast Asia.

Reviewing data specific to the building made him wonder. Having worked with Torchwood in Cardiff, he had a lot of experience looking at Rift energy. It was different, and out of range of Cardiff, supporting the idea of a second Rift. General Williams' comments about Rift abilities in the area suggested the second Rift was active in his time line and not connected the quantum entanglement device and future Aman's death. His original thought was inconsistent exposure to the Rift. Except the readings shifted consistently. Something was happening. The important question was what.

He needed Eryn. She pushed him to think in ways he normally wouldn't. Which came with other problems he had no idea how to approach. He thought about her constantly. He'd barely socialized before he briefly moved to Cardiff. Reading magazines didn't begin to explain what to say or do or expect. Dating local girls with normal backgrounds was complicated. Eryn came from another continent and had a family as screwed up as his.

His mother had said more than once he was just like his father: old world manners and socially clueless. The door to his lab open, distracting him from his thoughts. "Up for discussing insane theories?"

"I don't know."

Socially inept or not, he knew something was wrong. Luc turned. Eryn looked uneasy. Not the same uneasy as she had when money came up originally.

"What happened?" The way she hugged herself and stayed back really made him wonder.

"I found out why Kailen and Luc stopped being asses about us… dating or whatever."

He'd wondered that himself. "Why?"

"Kailen accessed future records Torchwood Three got from somewhere. It's why Kailen thinks he should have died in De Waal."

"I saw mine." Luc had seen something about Torchwood Global's space station or fleet.

"All of it?"

"No. Why?"

"Kailen found something on your file. Uh, it listed you as married."

"That's a problem?"

"To me."

Yeah, that was a problem. It was information they shouldn't have. If it was truly the future, the knowledge would affect what was suppose to happen. "I didn't see anything about being married." Luc shook his head. "Why did Kailen tell you?"

"He's talking about getting married again. Aman's probably going to give in." She leaned back against the wall. "Since we're twins, he wants to have a double wedding. I don't understand why he's demanding a wedding. Saying we get married made even less sense."

Luc wondered what he was expected to say to that.

"I'm eighteen. My one attempt at a relationship before… ended badly." Eryn shook her head.

"I had nothing to do with Kailen's wedding plans."

Eryn laughed. It wasn't the healthiest sounding. "I need to tell you something."

"Why don't we head up to the TV room? We can sit on the sofa."

Eryn nodded.

Luc couldn't help but wonder as they walked. There had to be a lot more to the situation. She looked really upset. It made him wish again that his mother was there. He would need to call Jack and ask who Eryn could talk to. The Rhys situation meant Gwen wasn't up for it. The psychiatric might be helpful. From what he'd heard of General Williams girlfriend, she was likely a better option. Jack would know.

Eryn settled on the opposite end of the sofa from him and stared at her hands. It reminded him of when they first met. She had concerns about money and being obligated to him, if he spent money on her. Once the money was resolved, and she got to know him better, the uneasiness or outright fear went away.

She rubbed her upper arms. "When I was sixteen, I was dating this guy. The whole teenage girl bullshit. I loved him. I thought he was the one." She emphasized the last word. "What I didn't see were the warning signs: possessiveness, jealousy, and temper." She hesitated. "I had a strange childhood. I can shoot a gun, identify the best brands of rope for things I don't want to think about, and know that bleach is great for destroying evidence." Eryn shook her head. "Being Chenzira Sylla's daughter came with a kind of prestige. He worked for a very powerful man. There was expectations I would marry. For awhile, I thought I would marry my boyfriend." Tears welled in her eyes. "I was the pampered daughter of one of Bashiri Oliveira's lieutenants. No one would risk their wrath."

Luc reached out slowly and set his hand palm up between them.

"I was wrong. Very wrong." Eryn nodded. "I had no idea about controlling behavior or manipulation. I was the princess. If I said no, it meant no." She wiped at the tears. "We'd had sex without a problem. But one night, Prince Charming wanted me to do some things he saw in a video. The kind guys hide from their mothers. I said no. He hit me." She hesitated. "Dad made sure I could take care of myself, and made it clear that no one had a right to hit me. I surprised the asshole by fighting back and escaped."

"You're safe here."

"Yeah." She reached out and took his hand without meeting his eyes. "I was scared. I went home and I told my brother. I told Kailen everything back then. He told dad. I don't know what normal fathers do in those circumstances. Maybe they call the police. Not mine. I realized my brother told my father while reading a news article a couple days later online. Prince Charming was found shot to death in a ditch."

That was the first time Luc understood her father.

"When we went for coffee, I hadn't been on a real date since than. I pretended to be Aman's girlfriend. I was scared. My princess illusion had been shattered. I was surrounded by dangerous men and their sons. Thinking back, I bet my father made it clear that I was off-limits."

Luc had been upfront about his anger issues and family history. They hadn't talked about it much. "Do I scare you?"

"No." Eryn shook her head. "The idea of being obligated into a relationship and married…"

He lightly squeezed her hand. "You're not obligated to me. My father always told me I should let the girl make the first move. That way they're no misunderstandings."

"I've been trying to get you to make a move."

"Not happening. If Aman hadn't pointed it out…"

Eryn laughed, the amusement reaching her eyes despite the tears. "I had to tell Aman my brother was interested in him."

"When you feel up to it, we need to talk. I've dated some, but I've never had a girlfriend." Luc shook his head.