A/N: Thank you so much, Fritzen, Danielle, and TimelessBadger, for your reviews and comments! I appreciate your continued reading of this story! This update is coming earlier than my usual update for Christmas! Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy!


Present Day

The alarms within the Bloodstone bunker cried out, alerting everyone of the incoming traveler. Watching through the control room window, Agent Christopher, Flynn, and Jiya watched the Death Star Mothership land next to the Lifeboat and the White Mothership.

The three exchanged stunned glances. Jiya stumbled with her words. "Uh...there's… that's… what…."

Movement in the hallway caught Flynn's eye as Rowan walked in. Rowan's eyes darted out of the window to the landing pad. With a smile, he said, "Looks like Quinn's back."

Flynn's eyes narrowed as he glanced out the control room window again. The moment his eyes landed on Quinn, he tensed but a sigh of relief escaped his lips once he spotted Lucy and Tenley emerge from within. He left the control room, heading for the landing pad.

Just as Flynn, Christopher, and Jiya exited the control room to where Rowan stood, Quinn, Tenley, and Lucy walked into the hallway at the same time. Flynn could see how ragged the two women were as they stood slightly hunched over in defeat behind Quinn.

Agent Christopher watched them carefully as her eyes lifted to meet Quinn's. "What happened?"

Quinn turned to glance at the women behind him. Lucy's face was tear-stained, her brown eyes were red and puffy from crying. Tenley seemed nearly checked out as she stared at the tiles of the hallway. He turned back to Agent Christopher. "It's a long story."

"If only I had a dollar for every time I heard that one," Denise muttered. "Let's take it from the top."

Quinn nodded. "I'm sure Rowan explained the basics to ye," he began. Tenley's eyes lifted to meet Rowan's gaze after his name was mentioned. She wasn't sure why he was there but she was too distracted by her own thoughts to dwell on it for long. Quinn continued, "I went back to save Lucy and Tenley from harm."

"What kind of harm?" Denise questioned.

Quinn glanced over to Rowan. "Did ye tell them?"

Rowan's eyes darted over to Flynn. "A little."

Quinn nodded slowly, eyes drifting down the length of Flynn before coming back to Agent Christopher. "Rittenhouse was there, trying to steal yer Lifeboat from ye. While Rufus and Jiya managed to escape from 1980 with yer machine, it left these two exposed to attack...we had to stop that from happening."

Denise nodded. "I appreciate all of your help."

Quinn's eyes locked onto movement at the end of the hall. He blew a small sigh of relief as he turned back to Agent Christopher. "And I am indebted to ye for yer help."

"We can discuss this in length later," Denise stated, "but I know there is at least one person who will be happy to see you...and you'll probably want to get cleaned up and eat."

Quinn nodded his thanks to Agent Christopher and glanced at Lucy and Tenley once more. He offered a small sympathetic smile to them before heading over to Rowan. He smacked the back of his brother's shoulder and the two left the hallway together. Rowan glanced over his shoulder to take in Tenley's blank expression once more.

Flynn's gaze never left Tenley, however. He could see it on her face, even though she was trying her best to keep her emotions null and void on her expression. He saw it in her body language that something horrible happened.

Denise approached the two. "Are you two all right?"

"I'm not sure I'll ever be all right again," Lucy muttered, brushing her hair from her face. She sniffled, fighting the tears once more before walking down the hall.

Tenley glanced at Agent Christopher and shrugged, following Lucy silently. Flynn fell in step with her, knowing now wasn't the time to ask her what happened. He also knew the moment they crossed the threshold of the hallway, she'd have questions.

The two exited the hall to head to their rooms when they stopped in their tracks. Eyes wide and mouths parting, they glanced about the main living area. Several people were walking about the inside of the bunker. Children were running around playing together, some were playing video games on the TV, and there were some playing board games at a large table.

They spotted a few people reading in the cozy nook, others stretched out along the floor reading to younger children who seemed completely captivated by whatever story was being told.

The kitchen bustled with people baking and making food for those coming to the window of the serving bar. The smells of the food filled the air, making their mouths water and stomachs growl with anticipation.

"What is all of this?" Lucy asked, motioning to all of the people. "Who are all of these people? Where did they come from?" She glanced over to the others for answers.

"There's more," Denise told them. "Some are using the gym and some are probably in their rooms resting."

"But who are they?" Lucy asked, turning to face her. "What happened after we left?"

"I'll explain it all after you get some rest," Agent Christopher said. "You look like you need it."

Tenley's brows drew together as she glanced up at Flynn. He nodded, silently telling her that he would tell her everything once they were alone. She blinked her confusion away as she headed for her room.

Tenley and Lucy walked across the large main room, eyes darting about the newcomers, who didn't pay them any attention as they walked by.

Lucy broke away from Tenley and Flynn as she entered her room where she expected Wyatt to be waiting. She hesitated at the doorknob but eventually closed the door behind her once she crossed the threshold.

Tenley didn't envy Lucy at that moment. She knew Lucy had a difficult conversation ahead of her. She had no idea what Lucy would say to Wyatt but she feared his reaction more than Lucy's tale.

With a shaky breath, Tenley continued toward her room. She could hear Flynn walking behind her, feeling his presence as they walked down the hall in silence. She reached her door, opening it wide, allowing Flynn to follow her inside. She closed the door behind him, locking it secured.

She turned to face him. She could see the questions on his expression as he stared at her. She licked her lips and closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder, fighting the tears.

Flynn wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him, cradling the back of her head. He rested his head on the top of hers. "Nine?" he whispered. "What happened?"

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his heart beating behind his chest. She focused on the steady and reliable sound, memorizing the beats, and fearing it might be the last time she would hear it. The tears started building behind her closed eyes. She held her breath, trying to maintain her composure.

"Nine?" he whispered again. His fingers gently massaged her scalp. "What's wrong?"

She sniffled. Her voice cracked as she tried to say, "I'm just tired…"

He pulled away from her, holding her shoulders as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Nine? Talk to me...what happened?"

Her lips quivered as she twisted them in thought. Her brows furrowed as she tried to think of what to say. Her words were choking her as the lump formed in her throat. "I'm scared…"

"Of what?" he asked, worry washing over him. His heart was racing now.

"I want you to know," her voice cracked, a hitched breath escaping from her lips, "I love you…"

He was now terrified by her behavior. He kept his hold on her shoulders, bending his knees to be more on her level. "What's going on, Tenley?"

The tears fell from her eyes in quick succession as the sob burst from behind her lips. "I...I need you to stay with me," she cried, "while I'm…" another hard sob escaped her lips and she ran a hand down her face, "while I'm still here…"

His lips parted as his heart stopped in his chest. He wrapped her in his embrace again, cradling her against him as she sobbed into his chest, tears soaking his maroon turtleneck. Her hands reached up behind him, grasping his shoulders tightly, her fingers clutching onto him like her life depended on it.

"I'm not going anywhere," he cooed. "I'm staying right here…"

With every sentence he spoke to reassure her, her sobs grew harder. It frightened him.

That evening when most of the people had gone off to bed, Agent Christopher gathered the others to discuss what happened in 1980. They were still waiting on Tenley and Flynn. Wyatt paced behind Lucy, who sat at the table.

"What's taking them so long?" Wyatt complained, arms crossing over his chest.

Quinn eyed Wyatt. "Perhaps we should continue without them, yeah?"

Agent Christopher nodded. "I think that's wise. We can fill them in later."

Lucy licked her lips, her body language turning rigid as she cleared her throat, brushing her hair from her face. "Who are all of these new people? Where did they come from?"

Agent Christopher's eyes darted over to Rowan. She answered, carefully choosing her words, "Shortly after Rufus and Jiya returned from 1980, Rowan came to us. He needed our help."

"With what?" Lucy asked, glancing over to Rowan. "Help with what? I don't understand-"

Rowan and Quinn exchanged glances. "These people were at risk of being slaughtered," Rowan stated, turning his gaze back to Lucy. "We couldn't let that happen."

"Slaughtered?" she repeated, voice stunned. "By who?" Lucy watched as Quinn and Rowan glanced at Wyatt. She nodded slowly, fully aware of their silent answer. "I see…"

"See what?" Wyatt asked, his voice strained. "They haven't said anything since they showed up here!"

Quinn and Rowan shifted in place, looking back to Lucy. She inhaled deeply as she admitted, "That might be because of what happened in 1980."

"Why don't you start from the beginning," Agent Christopher encouraged. "We'd appreciate all of the information you could give us."

Lucy bit her lip, glancing over to Quinn. Quinn nodded reassuringly to her, encouraging her to tell them. "Well… when we arrived, we wandered the streets hoping to find some kind of understanding as to why we were there."

"Did you find any?" Denise asked.

Lucy shook her head. "Not at first," she explained. "We spotted Future Wyatt across the street."

"Guess it's a good thing I was benched after all," Wyatt muttered, sitting down at the table.

Lucy's eyes darted to Rufus and Jiya, knowing what was coming next. "We saw you talking to Emma…"

"Emma?" Wyatt repeated. "By talking you mean taking her down, right?"

Lucy shook her head. "You were talking to her," she repeated. "And when you guys separated, we realized something wasn't right." She sighed, brushing her hair out of her face again. "We separated...Rufus and Jiya went back to the Lifeboat and Tenley and I followed Wyatt."

Wyatt scoffed. "I think that was a stupid decision-"

"Wyatt," Denise warned, shooting him a look to be quiet.

"They shouldn't have separated!" he hissed. "They could have gotten themselves killed!" He saw the frustrations from the others and sighed. "Sorry...you were saying?"

Lucy cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. "We followed Wyatt to the Met...he lured us there…"

"Lured?" he repeated. "Why did you saying it like that?"

"Because," she started, hesitating to continue. "You wanted to kill us - or at least, kill me…" her voice drifted off quietly.

Wyatt looked taken aback. "You can't be serious! I'd never do that… you know that, right?" His eyes pleaded with her, hoping she knew he'd never do such a thing.

Quinn took a step forward. "It's true-"

"I'm not talking to you," Wyatt stated, his hand held out to silence Quinn. He refused to look at Quinn.

Lucy glanced between them, worried Wyatt would snap. She licked her lips, carefully continuing her story, "You came after us-"

"Us?" Wyatt repeated.

She nodded. "Tenley and me…" she swallowed, pushing on, "Quinn saved us...and when we tried to leave, Future Wyatt and Emma cornered us. You said you wanted our time machine...that you had joined Rittenhouse… and …" she choked on her words, fighting the sobs.

"Why would I join Rittenhouse?" Wyatt questioned. "I have no reason to-"

Lucy interrupted him, her voice cracking as she tried to regain composure, "You blamed me for betraying you...you...you hated me…" The room fell deathly quiet and still as they watched her cry into her hands. She wiped the tears from her face as she lifted her head again, adding, "You were reunited with Jessica-"

"Jessica?" Rufus repeated, stunned. "Did - did you say Jessica? Like 'back from the dead' Jessica? That Jessica?"

Wyatt's mouth fell open as he stared at her in disbelief. Lucy added, "She was pregnant…" she cried, sniffling, "Emma … she… "

"What happened to Jessica?" Wyatt asked, cutting her off. His voice was strained. His body language went rigid as he waited for her answer. His eyes were wide, beginning to fill with tears and worry.

Lucy took a deep shaky breath in. "She's dead…"

"What?" he barely managed to say. His brows drew together, anger rising on his expression as his eyes darkened and the tears vanished. His body looked ready to collapse from grief.

She nodded. "Emma threatened you. You countered and you pulled the trigger but...she… she used Jessica to block your attack-"

Wyatt stood up from the table, slamming his fists into the tabletop, angry and frustrated that his wife died again. He walked a few feet from the table and ran a hand through his hair. "She...she did what?"

Lucy's tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn't contain them. "Jessica died-"

"And the baby?" he asked, his voice showing his desperation. "Did you guys try to save them?"

Lucy's face contorted as the words hit her. "What?"

Wyatt saw the confusion on everyone's faces as he turned his glare back to Lucy. "Did you guys try to save Jessica and the baby or did you just leave her to die?"

Quinn stepped forward. "That's an unfair request," he told him, "considering ye had just threatened their lives-"

Wyatt's heated gaze landed on Quinn. "I told you, I'm not talking to you."

Quinn pointed toward Lucy. "Ye should speak to her with more respect-"

Wyatt took a step forward, his hands balled into fists. Agent Christopher shouted, "Stand down, Wyatt!"

Wyatt halted in mid-step. He never took his heated eyes off of Quinn, giving me a warning glare.

Agent Christopher glanced about the group. She could feel the rising tensions amongst them. "You need to calm down," she told him. "I know it is hard news to hear, but this is what happened - as we've already established several times already, the future isn't written in stone." She turned her gaze over to Mason who had been captivated the whole time by the story. "Isn't that what you said?"

Mason nodded, eyes wide. "That's true," he agreed, "nothing is set in stone. Our actions today can change the outcome of tomorrow-"

"So, you're saying Wyatt won't join Rittenhouse?" Rufus asked.

Mason shrugged. "That's for Wyatt to determine," he said. "This is the unfortunate side effect of time travel - too many variables and outcomes for decisions made in the now that makes our future unpredictable."

Wyatt ran his hand through his hair. "So…" he sighed, "if all of this is true, why is Tenley hiding-"

"Because she's terrified of what might be coming," Flynn's voice replied from behind them. They turned to look at him as he neared the table.

"What does that even mean?" Wyatt questioned.

Flynn crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowing on Wyatt. "She was afraid to tell me. It took a lot of convincing her to open up," he explained. "But she's afraid she's going to disappear again...this time for good."

Wyatt's brows drew together. "For good?"

Rowan spoke up. "She barely came back the first time," he pointed out. "But ye managed to rekindle yer relationship with Lucy…" he motioned over to Mason, "as Mr. Mason stated just a moment ago, yer choices repaired the damage that caused her to disappear, to begin with."

Wyatt pinched the bridge to his nose. "My head is spinning."

Denise nodded. "For now," she began. "Let's take a moment to rest. We can figure out what to do next tomorrow." She turned her gaze over to Flynn. "Is she okay?"

He shrugged. "How would you feel if you thought you'd disappear at a moment's notice?"

She nodded slowly. She offered a sympathetic smile. "Get some rest."

Lucy stood up and approached Flynn. With a shaky voice, she asked, "How is she really?"

He eyed Wyatt for a moment before looking down at her. "She's holding it together as best as she can," he told her. He gave her a sad glance before walking away from the group.

Flynn returned to Tenley's room, quietly opening the door. His eyes drifted over to the bed, seeing her still asleep - the gentle rise and fall of her chest confirmed that. He closed the door just as quietly as he had opened it.

He turned back to her, padding across the room to kneel beside her. He studied her for a moment, noticing that for the first time since she came back from 1980, she was calm and at peace. He knew when she woke, it would be a different story.

He went to stand up when he noticed the leather journal sticking out from under the mattress - the one she tried to show him before they traveled to 1877. His eyes flitted up to watch her sleeping as he pulled the journal from its hiding place, careful not to disturb her.

When she didn't react, he stood up, glancing down at the worn black leather journal. His brows drew together at the silver monogram on the cover. CRQRT. He flipped the front cover open to see Tenley's handwriting. He read the message scribbled on the front page, detailing the need for her to read it.

He thumbed to the next page. It was in Tenley's handwriting. His brow furrowed as he realized it was a detailed account of everything Tenley had forgotten. His eyes drifted back to the sleeping doctor. It clicked in his mind that she read the journal and it jump-started her memory. He questioned if he should continue reading the journal or not.

Despite his curiosity, Flynn closed the journal but couldn't stop looking at the embossed silver monogram. He wondered what it stood for. He shook his head, setting the journal on the nightstand beside her. He padded around the bed and crawled in, cuddling up next to her. As he wrapped his arm around her, he felt her hand grab him, holding onto him tightly.