"Turn it…no, not that way…the other way!"
Wyatt cursed as he set the solid wood table down on the threshold of the cabin, wiping his brow with his sleeve and staring daggers at Rufus who was sitting on a newly finished chair directing Wyatt and Tom as they attempted to move the last bit of furniture into place. "You know," he gasped out, "this would be a hell of a lot easier if you weren't just sitting on your ass watching us do all the hard work."
"Wa…I beg your pardon." Rufus spat out, clearly offended. "You asked me to help you build furniture…not to move it. Anyway, you two seem to have it pretty much in hand…all you need to do is tilt it just a little more…"
"Shut up, Rufus." Wyatt gritted out as he nodded at Tom and lifted the table once more, heaving it up on their forearms as they maneuvered their way through the door, until finally setting it down with a large thud in front of the fireplace.
"See, nothing to it." Rufus quipped as he carelessly cracked open a walnut, allowing the shells to tumble from his hand onto the floor.
"Do you mind?" Wyatt snapped at him, pushing Rufus off the stool, "I mean, seriously man, it's not like I didn't just clean this place up or anything."
"What the hell, Wyatt? It's just a couple of shells." Rufus asked incredulously, but seeing Wyatt bending over to pick them up, he stopped him, "Hey…it's okay. I've got it…I'm a big boy, you know…I can clean up after myself." Rufus eyed Wyatt suspiciously as he began straightening up the stools around the newly placed table, looking at it from different angles, "What is with you?"
"What?" Wyatt asked defensively, "I just…I want to make sure everything looks alright."
Rufus bit back a smile as Wyatt took a sanding block and began buffing out a sharp edge on the table, "She's gonna love it, man." he assured him gently."
"Huh?" Wyatt asked, somewhat startled. "That's…I just…this edge was a little rough...that's all." he explained with an indifferent shrug, before smirking smugly and adding, "Last thing we need is for you to get another splinter."
"Yeah, whatever." Rufus grunted as he pushed himself off the stool with a huff, "You're nervous as hell and you just don't want to admit it." Wyatt shook his head in disagreement, but Rufus plowed on, "It's Lucy, Wyatt…you don't think she's going to understand?"
Yeah…it was Lucy…and sure, she would understand, but that wasn't the problem.
Not that he would ever tell Rufus, but Jessica had been the only real girlfriend he had ever had. Meeting, as they did, in high school…he really didn't date around much…and the times he did go out with someone else, it wasn't very serious. Jessica had been it for him. She was the one who had stood by him through all the shit with his father and later, when his Grandpa Sherwin died, it was Jessica who he had turned to in his grief. Marrying her was just the next logical step in their relationship; they had both graduated, he was joining the Army…why wouldn't they leave that dusty West Texas town together?
It made sense. It felt right. It was easy…comfortable.
Life on their own, in a new town, with all the pressures that came with being a newly married couple took their toll…more so when combined with frequent absences, training missions and deployments. Jessica had wandered…and while he sure as hell didn't blame her for her moment of weakness, his hotheadedness had gotten the better of him that stupid night at the bar. When she was murdered, Wyatt had felt like he had failed on so many levels…and so for him, moving on was never an option…particularly since Jessica's killer was never brought to justice. How could he be expected to start over again with someone new? To forget? How could he live a life with someone else after abandoning his wife the way he had? How could he betray her memory? What kind of asshole could get over something like that?
Especially when it was his fault?
Yet here he was, on the brink of proposing to another woman. Granted, it wasn't like this would be a real marriage…but if they were stuck here…if this was their future, his hope of somehow saving Jessica was gone and with it, any chance to bring her killer to justice.
And then there was Lucy.
Suppose Rufus was right and she really had fallen for her newfound fiancé? Yeah, he had never so much as laid eyes on the guy, but from the rock he had given her, Wyatt imagined he was…well, everything he was not. Lucy was a well-educated daughter of a highly respected and world renown historian…she wouldn't just marry anybody. No, this guy had to have been just as well brought up as she had been, rich, and probably just as much of a know it all as she was. They were probably compatible…more so than he would ever be with Lucy…they would have had to have been, otherwise, Wyatt thought, she would have ended it right away.
Instead, she had kept that ring on her finger.
Not that it mattered much…as it was, she may never get back to him…and what's more, if they were stranded here for the rest of their lives, she would never have the chance to save her sister. For Lucy, this wasn't about understanding that they were in a difficult and awkward position, it was about coming to terms with the fact that she might never get what she was fighting for. As devastating as that would be for her, Wyatt figured the consolation prize she might have had with that Noah guy was also gone. Instead, she was being more or less forced into a marriage with him…a reckless, hotheaded sonofabitch who could never, truly be married to her.
It wasn't fair and he knew it.
That was why he was doing his damndest to make everything perfect for her. He didn't want to disappoint her any more than she would be should the worst-case scenario come to pass. Like Rufus said, she deserved to be happy…and while he couldn't offer a marriage in the true sense of the word, he could at least give her a half-way decent proposal and a somewhat comfortable place to live.
That was better than what he had offered Jess when they first started out.
"Hello? Wyatt? You still with me?" Rufus asked, waving his hand in front of his friend's face.
"Huh?" Wyatt startled, looking self-conscious, "Oh yeah, sorry. I was just…um…thinking."
"Well I hope you're thinking about what you're going to be serving up for dinner tonight," Rufus said as he slapped him on the back, "you promised, remember? You said after we finished helping you fix all this up, you'd…"
"Yeah, yeah." Wyatt sighed heavily, "But I thought I'd do that tomorrow, ya know…invite Lucy here and…"
"You are seriously not thinking about asking her to marry you when we're sitting right here?" Rufus interrupted incredulously.
"No!" Wyatt responded in defense, "I just thought….well you know, they won't let her be alone with me…"
"Uh-huh, so Tom and I are your damn chaperones, is that it?" Rufus spat out, "Why don't you just march over to that house and propose to her there?"
"Because," Wyatt gritted out, "they think we're already…you know" he added with a meaningful look towards Tom.
"Engaged?" Rufus asked as he narrowed his eyes in confusion. When Wyatt shot him an incredulous glare, he realized that he was concerned about discussing too much in front of his new friend. Shaking his head dismissively, Rufus assured him, "You don't have to worry about Tom, he won't say anything."
Skeptical, Wyatt raised his eyebrows, but Tom nodded at him reassuringly, "Gospel truth, my lips is sealed." He nodded towards Rufus, "What you and your lady friend do is your business, not mine…nor anybody else's."
Wyatt acknowledged him gratefully with a short nod, before turning to Rufus and explaining, "Engaged or not, they're not about to let me walk off with Lucy alone…and even if they did, you don't think they'd say something about...you know...the wedding?" He shook his head ruefully before adding gruffly, "Besides, that Harvard asshole is still there."
"What difference does that make?" Rufus shrugged, "I would have thought you would've loved a chance to show him up…I mean, if he was fawning all over Lucy like you said he was…"
"I just don't want an audience, okay?" he sighed, throwing his head back in exasperation, not wanting to elaborate for Rufus why that would be a bad thing. As much as Wyatt would've loved the opportunity to show up the "fine, upstanding young man" that had essentially tried to sweep Lucy right off her that first night at dinner, he had no idea what Lucy would say. If she said "no" that brown nosing sonofabitch would be the last person on the face of the Earth he'd want witnessing the rejection.
"You don't want an audience," Rufus mused doubtfully, "but you want me and Tom here?"
"I wouldn't do it in front of you, I'd...you know…ask her after dinner…walking her back up to the house."
"I still don't see why you couldn't do the same thing right now," Rufus huffed, "just go to the house and ask to go for a walk with your would-be fiancé…nothing strange about that."
"Except that Lucy doesn't know she's my would-be fiancé." Wyatt reminded him, still not wanting to risk the embarrassment that would follow if she flat out told him to "go to hell." "C'mon man, it'll be fine. I'll make dinner here, you can bring Lucy with you and then when you finish, you can just head off back to the forge and I'll offer to walk Lucy back to the house and talk to her on the way." Rufus rolled his eyes as Wyatt continued, "It'll be perfect because it will be us, ya know…celebrating the fact that we finished this place….and they won't suspect anything funny is going on and…"
"Fine, fine." Rufus breathed out impatiently, "Keep stalling all you want, but dammit, Wyatt…if you don't talk to Lucy tomorrow…"
"I will." Wyatt promised, but with another stern glare from Rufus, he assured, "I swear."
"Alright, just so long as you understand that if you don't, Lucy may or may not receive an anonymous letter telling her she better come down here and kick your ass." Rufus nodded as he began helping Tom collect the tools from around the cabin.
"Here, let me go grab that box from outside." Wyatt announced, "It'll be easier for you to carry all this stuff back."
Stepping outside, he breathed in the cool evening air, feeling at once relieved that they finally had a decent place to call their own and terrified for what tomorrow would bring. He was standing on a precipice of sorts, staring into an uncertain future either with or without Lucy Preston. He never would have imagined all those months ago that he would ever be in this position with the bossy know-it-all professor ranting about historically inaccurate underwear.
Yet here he was.
Of course, it wouldn't be a marriage in the real sense of the word...this wasn't like how it was with Jessica. This was strictly a marriage for survival. With winter coming on fast and Rufus still struggling to be a blacksmith, they needed a place to live…and well, they couldn't live here unless he did right by Lucy in the eyes of John Fraser.
Still, it was a marriage…and while he respected and cared for Lucy, marriage was just something he had never intended on doing ever again…especially when he now had the means to possibly go back and save Jessica…well, if Rufus was able to fix the time machine, anyway.
Of course, there would only be a marriage if Lucy agreed to marry him.
The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon as Wyatt made his way down the little hill to where a large rustic box was laying empty under the elm tree where, Wyatt remembered with a smile, Lucy had broken down in tears almost two weeks ago. They had been through so much since they landed in this century, he could hardly blame her for crying. Hell, he had been nearly emotional himself when he thought about how close he had come to losing both members of his team. They might drive him nuts more often than not, but they were…well, they were the only family he had left.
Wyatt sighed as he took in the autumn hues spread out before him, a tapestry of red and gold cascading down the hillside towards the river valley below. The crisp air was sweet and musky and he had to admit, even as a proud West Texan, that given the choice, he'd take this scenery over that of a barren plain dotted with scraggly mesquite trees any day of the week…it really was beautiful.
As he crouched down beneath the elm to pick up the remaining tools scattered here and there, he couldn't help but think of how he had very nearly kissed Lucy…well, he had, didn't he? Sort of…right on the side of her head…like an idiot.
He had never really been good with women…Jess being the one exception. She had befriended him in high school, hadn't given a damn that he was from the wrong side of the tracks…she wasn't exactly high society herself. He had nothing to prove with her, no damn stereotype to overcome…they were cut from the same cloth and so when it had come to asking her out, it was done with little to no awkwardness.
It just sort of happened.
When he asked her to marry him, though…he was nervous as hell. Even though he was 99% sure she would absolutely say yes, his terror at asking her to be his wife nearly ruined the entire proposal. He tried to make it romantic, tried to recreate one of their most poignant moments together…but then he had lost the damn ring and…
"You!"
Wyatt let the saw he was holding tumble out of his hands and bounce against the jumbled knot of roots at his feet as he startled to see a fuming Lucy marching her way towards him looking uncannily like his old Basic Training Drill Sergeant.
He had never been more terrified in his life.
"I thought I'd find you here." came Lucy's sharp and breathless voice as Wyatt scrambled to his feet. Unlike her greeting nearly two weeks ago, this one was filled with unmistakable disdain and anger. Huffing towards him, her eyes flashing with a fury he had never known, she spat out, "What did you do?"
Wyatt stumbled backwards until he was smack up against the trunk of the tree, staring at Lucy in near panic before Rufus' voice drew his attention away from the fuming historian who was now merely a few feet away from him.
"Hey, Wyatt?" Rufus called, unconcernedly, "are you gonna bring in that box or…oh." he stopped short at the sight of Lucy, feeling at once the tension in the air. Chuckling nervously, he nodded towards her, "How…how are you doing Lucy? Come to check out the new digs?"
"Did you know? Did you know about this, Rufus?" Lucy rounded angrily on the time machine pilot, "Huh, did you?"
"Oh shit." Rufus' eyes widened in fear as he leapt behind Tom. "Dammit Wyatt!" he called from over Tom's shoulder, "I told you you needed to tell her about this whole marriage thing!"
"Dammit, Rufus." Wyatt cursed under his breath, raking a frustrated hand over his face.
Turning once more to Wyatt with daggers staring straight into his soul, Lucy gritted out, "So it's true?! This is what you and Rufus were talking about that morning?" she admonished angrily, "How. dare. you."
'Lucy…" Wyatt replied meekly, but she talked right over him.
"I tried to tell him." Rufus called out again, still hiding behind the much larger Tom, "Tell her, Wyatt...tell her how I told you that you needed to say something. Go ahead!, tell her!"
"God dammit, Rufus!" Wyatt spat out, "Will you shut the hell up? You're just making things worse!"
"Oh, it's already worse." Rufus chided to Wyatt as he skirted past Lucy towards the dirt path beyond, urging Tom along with him as he yelled back to Wyatt, "I told you you should have come clean ages ago...it serves you damn right. C'mon Tom" he urged, "we don't be around for this." Waving a frantic hand towards Wyatt and Lucy, Rufus called out, "See you later! Lucy, I give you full permission to kick his ass...then maybe next time, he'll listen to me."
Lucy, however, hardly acknowledged Rufus' departure, she was still staring coldly at Wyatt, who was now pacing nervously under the tree. "How could you?" she hissed, her voice faltering with emotion.
Wyatt swallowed hard as he attempted to stammer out an explanation, "I…I know, Lucy, that's why I…that's why I… "
"Have been avoiding me?" she finished for him as he stared blankly back at her, 'I cannot believe you did this. I cannot believe you, of all people, are treating me like…like some sort of commodity. How could you?" she asked through angry tears.
"Lucy…" Wyatt groaned, "It wasn't like that…I didn't mean for it to happen…I mean, at first, I really didn't think it was a big deal, because…you know" he suggested weakly, "we're friends."
Lucy scoffed in astonished disbelief as she turned away from him, clearly offended. "Friends don't do this, Wyatt. I cannot even believe you can say that when you didn't even give me a choice."
Nervous now, Wyatt threw himself in front of her, doing his best to argue his case, "You're right….I should have talked to you…but dammit Lucy, I was…I was so nervous about telling you…I didn't know what you'd say." Lucy stared at him incredulously and Wyatt quickly added, "but…but then I talked to Rufus…and he told me that I should ask you first, because you know…you deserve to be happy."
Lucy turned her head slowly to glare at him, "Really? It took talking to Rufus for you to come to that conclusion?" Wyatt swallowed hard and cast his eyes down to the ground, thoroughly ashamed as she continued hotly, "We're talking about marriage, Wyatt! How could you plan out my life for me like that? And then not even tell me?"
"I was going to tell you…I mean, I was going to ask you…"
"When?" Lucy snapped, turning to offer him an incredulous stare, "On my wedding day?"
"No." Wyatt said defensively, once again stumbling backwards away from her, "I was going to do it tomorrow." he said with a nod towards the house, "I…I just wanted everything to be perfect…I know it's not what you would call ideal…"
"Not ideal?" Lucy scoffed, "Wyatt…you're asking me to marry someone I don't even know…"
"C'mon Lucy," Wyatt replied in a soft voice laden with hurt, "that…that's not true…"
…and for what?" she continued angrily, completely ignoring his weak attempts at a rebuttal, "What's in it for you? What kind of deal did you make in all of this?"
Wyatt gaped at her, "No…nothing." he stammered as Lucy rolled her eyes doubtfully, "Nothing, Lucy…I swear…well, I mean except that we will get to live here." he added as he pointed to the cabin. Lucy let out a disbelieving scoff as she brought her hands to her face, prompting Wyatt to continue desperately, "I'm…I'm just doing this to protect you….and come on, it's not like it's really any different than you being engaged to that guy back in 2016. You don't even know his last name."
It was only took about a fraction of a second for Wyatt to realize that he had gone too far. Lucy slowly lowered her hands and stared at him with cold fury, angry tears staining her cheeks, "This is nothing like that and you know it." Lucy gritted out softly, sending a chill up Wyatt's spine. "It's not my fault some…some other version of me got engaged to Noah…and it's not his fault either. No one arranged that marriage for me…I, at least…well, at least some version of me had a choice in the matter. Some version of me actually loved him. This? What you are asking me to do?" Lucy turned away from him in anguish as more tears pooled in her eyes, "It's impossible. I won't do it."
"Fine." Wyatt spat out, hanging his head down in shame, "If you don't want to marry me, you don't have to…"
"Well, thank you very much, that's just…wait…what?" Lucy hiccupped in surprise as she quickly turned to face him, a few stray tears still glistening on her cheeks.
"You don't have to marry me." Wyatt breathed out as he leaned his head back against the tree in frustration and embarrassment, "Rufus was right, I should've just told them the truth…I just…I screwed up, okay?" He muttered unable to raise his eyes to meet hers. He made to step away from her, but Lucy was there, blocking his escape, looking completely flabbergasted.
"You…you were going to ask me to marry you?" she asked tentatively in a hushed voice.
Wyatt stared back at her in confusion, "Well, yeah…who the hell did you think I was going to ask you to marry? Rufus?"
Lucy let out an incredulous laugh, "Oh my God…I thought…"she breathed out an actual sigh of relief, feeling incredibly silly that she ever would have suspected that Wyatt would have had her married off to some stranger. It wasn't until she began thinking why she wouldn't have automatically assumed Wyatt was the groom to be that she remembered, "Wait a minute" she asked, her eyes narrowed in confusion, "…don't…I mean, aren't we supposed to be brother and sister?"
"Yeah, about that." Wyatt muttered darkly as he raked a hand across his face and sat down, "Um…they know we aren't related." Lucy offered him a questioning glace as he explained uncomfortably, "Something about you speaking French and me not knowing what you know…anyway…that's how this all came about…they um…thought that you and I were...well, that we had, ya know...run off together," Wyatt shifted uncomfortably, his face flushing as he continued rapidly, "I um…tried to tell them that it wasn't like that…but…"
"Oh." Lucy replied self-consciously, as the realization of what their relationship was believed to be suddenly dawned on her. Instead of erupting into a furious tirade about her ruined reputation, as Wyatt believed she would when she found out about all of this, she let out an amused laugh. "Well," Lucy sighed heavily as she sat down beside him in the shade of the tree, "that explains Mrs. Poe." She quirked her eye at him playfully and murmured, "So what, you were going to make an honest woman out of me, is that it?"
Wyatt shrugged sheepishly, feeling his tension slowly disappear, "Yeah, something like that." He let out a mirthless chuckle, "I'm…I'm sorry, Lucy. I should have said something earlier. It just…it happened so fast and I…I didn't know what the hell to do."
Frowning, Lucy nodded, "A head's up would've been nice…it would've made things a lot less awkward for me in there." she said with a nod towards the Fraser home. "Do you know Mrs. Poe had me reciting scripture every morning in an attempt to save my soul?"
Wyatt barked out a laugh, "No, she didn't?" he asked incredulously. "Are you serious?"
Pursing her lips together Lucy nodded, "Oh yes, she did. Of course, I didn't know why at the time…I guess that explains why Matthew practically runs away from me any more too."
While Wyatt didn't see the problem with this latest revelation, feeling oddly relieved that in his absence the fine, upstanding young man had been keeping his distance from Lucy, he also couldn't help but be annoyed at the way Lucy had been treated, "Jesus," Wyatt breathed out in annoyance, "don't these stuck-up assholes have anything better to do with their time?"
"Oh sure." Lucy answered with a glib smile, producing her red and swollen fingers, "quilting. But really, Wyatt what do you expect?" she added with a sigh, "It's not like they have much to entertain them out here…we're pretty much their reality TV."
Wyatt rolled his eyes, unable to contain his annoyance and frustration. With shaking hands he reached into his pocket, "Well, all the more reason to…dammit!"
"What?" Lucy asked blankly, scrambling to her feet as Wyatt frantically searched through the leaves surrounding them.
"The ring." Wyatt explained as he frantically swept his hand across the ground, the setting sun making it more difficult to see clearly in the shadow of the tree. "I dropped it …dammit, where did it go?" he spat out, his frustration clearly mounting.
"Wyatt," Lucy breathed out, crouching down beside him as he continued to search, "It's okay…you didn't need to…"
"Yes, I did, Lucy." Wyatt maintained gruffly. "If we're going to be here for the rest of our lives, you at least deserve a half decent proposal…and I can't even do that right…God damn it." He spat out in frustration, "this was not how this was supposed to go."
Lucy reached out and put a gentle hand on his cheek, calling his attention from the ground to her, "I don't care." she said plainly, "I appreciate what you were trying to do, Wyatt…but you don't have to do this…"
"Lucy," Wyatt sighed in exasperation, "this isn't 2016."
"I'm well aware of that, Wyatt." Lucy maintained, "but…"
"Which means, we can't live togeth…I mean, you can't stay here with me unless…I mean, John Fraser made it pretty damn clear that he wouldn't stand for that…even though…you know, we aren't…" Wyatt cleared his throat nervously as he pressed on, "if we want someplace to live, we have to do this…whether we like it or not."
Lucy frowned slightly, hugging her arms around her defensively before stating quietly, "Well…I guess that's settled then, isn't it?"
Wyatt sighed, "That's…that's not what I meant. I just meant that…I can't protect you if you're off someplace else…and I don't even know if they'd even let us stay here if…you know, if I don't marry you after dragging you out here away from your family and fiancé…"
Bewildered, Lucy stared up at Wyatt, "What are you talking about?"
"Well, you know…" Wyatt explained, his face flushing furiously, "they think I dragged you away from your parents to…ya know…elope."
"Okay…" Lucy nodded in understanding, "but what…what's this about a fiancé?"
Wyatt sighed and dismissed her with a wave of his hand, "It's nothing…I just…I might have told them that you were engaged…to you know, try to convince them that there was nothing going on between you and me." he stammered uncomfortably.
"You told them about Noah?" Lucy asked incredulously, her voice filled with annoyance.
"No." Wyatt spat out defensively, "I just…I tried to explain that there was nothing going on between the two of us…and well, they didn't really believe me…I mentioned you had a fiancé…and they just assumed…"
"What? That I left him to run off with you?"
"Something like that, yeah." Wyatt admitted sheepishly as Lucy covered her face with her hands in apparent frustration and embarrassment. "Look, the point is, John Fraser thinks that we were already running off to get married. If I don't marry you after all of this" he cleared his throat before muttering sheepishly, "they're um…going to send you back to your family."
"What?" Lucy asked in confusion, "What family?"
Sighing in exasperation, Wyatt declared, "You know…your family. In New York?"
Lucy stared back up at him blankly, clearly confused. "Wyatt…I don't have any family in New York."
"They think you do!" Wyatt practically yelled, startling her. "And if I don't marry you now after all of this…look," he pressed, "we have no idea how long we could be here…Rufus may never be able to fix the Life Boat…we could be here for the rest of our lives…"
"But marriage, Wyatt." Lucy replied in a small voice, "That's…"
"I know." Wyatt agreed grimly. "But Lucy…what else can we do? I know I've seen enough of how things work in this century to know that you…well, that you need…" he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he tried to explain, "I mean, this isn't 2016…you…well, women don't really have…"
"I know." Lucy replied glumly. "But Wyatt…"
"I…I don't expect anything from you Lucy…I mean, this wouldn't be like a real marriage…it's just…you know…something to keep you close enough so that I can do my job and keep you safe." Lucy frowned slightly as Wyatt let out a derisive laugh, "Well, as safe as we can expect to be in the middle of a damn war with small pox and whatever else this century can throw at us." He fidgeted nervously beside her, growing uneasy at her silence. "But…you know…if you don't want to do it…I...I understand," he stammered, "I mean, we could be here for the rest of our lives…and I can't…I mean, I wouldn't…if someone else came along who you would rather…."
Lucy stared back at him blankly, "What?"
"Well, you know" Wyatt shrugged uneasily, "you deserve a chance to be happy, Lucy." He explained, recalling his conversation with Rufus, "And...if you marry me…you wouldn't...I mean, I could never…"
He trailed off not sure what to say…or rather, how to say it. For him, Jessica was his one and only…even if they never made it back to the present, he could never betray his dead wife's memory like that. This marriage was strictly one of convenience and security…but he figured saying that mid-proposal would be probably be in bad taste.
Lucy, however, seemed to be completely aware of his internal dilemma. With more compassion than he felt he deserved, Lucy tilted her head sympathetically and replied, "It's not just about my happiness, Wyatt. I mean, what about you? Isn't this going to be difficult for you?"
Wyatt looked up at Lucy thoughtfully, hardly believing that in all of his worry over this whole situation, he had never really considered his own happiness. He had been so worked up over what Lucy would say and the thought of possibly betraying Jessica's memory…he hadn't really spent much time on how being married to Lucy would make him feel…and now faced with that question, he felt that it was hardly one that needed asking. He had made up his mind a long time ago that he would never find happiness with someone again…so that was already a moot point. Yet, even as that thought crossed his mind, he recalled how relieved he had been to find Lucy alive, how grateful he had felt to her for saving him at the Alamo…for needing him…for making him feel more than just the hired grunt he believed he was…and suddenly he couldn't imagine how being married to Lucy would ever make him unhappy.
Not wanting to dwell on that thought…nor the small little stirring in his chest that had accompanied it, Wyatt shrugged indifferently, "It's just part of the job…ma'am."
Part of the job.
Lucy swallowed hard as she considered the choice before her. Marrying Wyatt would certainly fall into the category of things she thought she'd never do…but then again, so had time travel…not that that had worked out in her favor at all. Since stepping into that time machine she had lost her sister, discovered her father wasn't her father at all, and now found herself stranded in the 18th century looking at the very real possibility that this would be it. As a woman, 1754 wasn't exactly the most progressive of years and Wyatt was right…since they had landed here she had been reminded of that fact at almost every turn. Being married, therefore, would offer her a different level of protection and well, status than being unmarried afforded…but this was Wyatt.
She hardly needed to remind herself that she was already more or less in love with him…and that was a problem, because she knew that he would never feel the same way about her. He said it himself…this was just part of the job…he could never…and while he hadn't finished that sentence, it didn't take a Ph.D to know what the general direction of his thoughts were in regards to this whole messy situation. Still, what were her options? Stay single? Could she rely on the hospitality and good will of John Fraser and his wife to allow her to continue living there, under their roof…indefinitely? Would she even want to? Just the thought of spending every waking moment with Mrs. Poe….
"O…okay." Lucy stammered out quietly, hardly believing the words that were coming out of her mouth as she stood up on quaking knees, "Let's…let's do it."
"Really?" Wyatt asked, immense relief readily apparent on his face. "You…you don't mind?"
Lucy shrugged, trying to seem completely at ease…even though she so wasn't. "It's just part of the job, right?" she asked more to her feet than to Wyatt, "It doesn't mean anything."
Flinching slightly, Wyatt let out a small scoff, "Well, I wouldn't say it doesn't mean anything. I mean, I do care about you, Lucy." he offered, not daring to look at her, "If I didn't, I wouldn't have even…I mean…don't let it get to your head, but I wouldn't have done the same thing for Rufus."
Lucy couldn't help but smile at that, feeling that maybe this wouldn't be such an awkward arrangement after all. Nothing, really, would change between them. They were still friends…and they both cared about each other. Living together in their current circumstances just made sense…and it's what they would have done anyway if they had been able to go with the story that they were brother and sister. No, this wouldn't be any different than any other mission they had gone on where they had pretended to be something they weren't.
Except that this time…they might not get to go home. And if they didn't make it home…they would have to go on pretending.
For months.
Maybe years.
"Aha!" Wyatt announced, scrambling to his feet, "Found it." He tentatively stepped towards Lucy, awkwardly holding out the ring Tom had made her. Sighing, Lucy reached out to take the ring with some hesitation, given her latest revelation, when Wyatt pulled it away. "Um…" he began nervously, "should I…I mean, do you want me to…"
"No." Lucy replied uncomfortably as she quickly shook her head, "it's okay, Wyatt…you don't have to…" But Wyatt was already half-way to kneeling and the sight made Lucy even more sure she had made a horrible mistake in agreeing to this. If she was thinking that being married to Wyatt wouldn't somehow fundamentally alter their current relationship, she was definitely having second thoughts about that now…at least in regards to her feelings. She was already struggling, trying to keep her feelings at bay, how much harder was that going to be now?
She didn't really have much time to think about that, though, because Wyatt was taking her hand in his…which, Lucy noted with some surprise, was shaking just as much as her own.
"No, Lucy…it's fine." Wyatt maintained as he settled onto his knee. "You deserve an actual proposal…not some jackass just handing you a ring." He smirked slightly as he added, "Otherwise I'm no different than that other guy you're engaged to…" Lucy offered him a sardonic glare, but Wyatt wasn't moved by her annoyance. Instead, he pressed the issue further by teasing, "...except, of course…you know my last name." Lucy was about to jerk her hand away with an annoyed huff when Wyatt's expression changed. The mischievous gleam in his eye, the devilish smirk were both gone, replaced by a look of pure what could only be described as pure terror as he stammered, "Will you…um…I mean would you…"
In that moment, Lucy's heart nearly broke in two. She knew that by marrying her, he was putting himself through a considerable amount of emotional pain and while she felt immensely guilty for being, essentially, the "other woman", she was beyond grateful that he was willing to go against his own heart and marry her to keep her safe.
"…would you…no, that's not what I wanted to say…I mean,"
"Wyatt," Lucy sighed, interrupting him "it's okay…I'll…I'll marry you."
"Oh...okay" he muttered, his brow furrowed with emotion as he slid the rustic ring on her slim finger. "Um…thanks."
For as small as it was, the ring was surprisingly heavy, and though it was fairly plain, the metal twisted and spiraled around the band, giving it a simple beauty that was unlike anything Lucy had ever seen before. "Wyatt…" she gasped in surprise, "you shouldn't have."
Still not looking at her, Wyatt shrugged, "You needed a ring. Sorry, it's not…ya know…fancy or anything…"
"No, it's perfect." Lucy assured him…and it was that simple assurance that drew his gaze from his worried knuckles to her face. Though her attention was currently drawn to the rustic ring now gracing her finger, he found himself almost dumbfounded by the hint of a soft smile pulling at her lips as she regarded it. He had been almost too embarrassed to give it to her, knowing as he did, that it in no way measured up to her other engagement ring…but yet here she was…admiring it.
He hadn't expected that.
"You made this?" Lucy asked, pulling her eyes away from the ring to find Wyatt gaping at her slightly.
"Yeah…um…well, I mean, I didn't." Wyatt admitted, as he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "Rufus' friend…in the forge…Tom? He…um…he made it…it's just a bit of scrap metal." Wyatt dismissed as he continued with a shrug, "Like I said, nothing fancy."
Scrap metal or not, Lucy appreciated the gesture more than words could say. It was clear to her that Wyatt was not comfortable with this arrangement, and while that caused her an understandable amount of hurt and pain, the fact that he had considered her enough to have a ring made touched her deeply. "Thank you, Wyatt…it's…it's beautiful." she murmured quietly.
He quirked his lip in a lazy half-smirk before responding with a hefty dose of boyish charm, "No problem…ma'am."
They stood awkwardly side by side for a short while before Wyatt snapped to his senses and offered to show her the finished cabin. Lucy, still admiring her ring, followed in his wake as he nervously pointed out the changes he made, the sturdy shutters that would help block out the harsh wind, the repaired fireplace, the new table and chairs…"
'What's this?" Lucy asked moving past the table towards a far window in the corner, well…what had been a window anyway. Instead of a flush window like the others, this one was a bay window, jutting out of the wall, surrounded by two other glass windows encircling a planter box.
"Oh that." Wyatt smiled to himself, as he expounded, "That was Rufus' idea." Making his way towards the window, he explained, "This is a greenhouse of sorts. We um…moved the windows that still had glass over here so as to make this little nook for this little garden here. Took some time to build this out like this, but between Rufus and Tom…" Wyatt gingerly touched the sprig of green sprouting out from the soil, "Thought it would be nice to grow mint and a couple of other herbs in here…ya know…with winter coming on and everything."
Lucy shook her head in astonishment, her eyes glistening with happy tears as she smiled at Wyatt gratefully, "This…this is all so…so…"
"Hello? Any one at home?" John Fraser's voice called through the open door of the cabin causing Wyatt to stumble about five steps away from Lucy, lest he be accused of doing "anything funny." Stepping over the threshold, John Fraser gave a low whistle, "I see all your hard work has paid off?"
"Thank you." Wyatt said with a nod, rubbing his hands together uneasily as he explained, "I…um…Lucy was just…she came by, so I was just showing her the house." He was kicking himself for inviting her in, wishing he had just walked her back to the John Fraser's house and been done with it. If they had, indeed, been harassing Lucy for her "behavior" what the hell would they think now? He cast an anxious glance towards her waiting for the admonishment that was sure to come for for being together…alone…in the evening.
The admonishment, however, did not come. Instead, John Fraser walked about the cabin, inspecting all of Wyatt's handiwork with admiration before turning to Lucy with a friendly bow, "The wife sent me off to fetch you…terrified you'd lost your way and would catch your death of cold, but I see you have found a way to keep yourself warm." he added with a smile.
Lucy's mouth hung open in shock, feeling the awkwardness all the more as Wyatt cleared his throat and moved further away from her, "Well…I was just…I mean, he didn't…I mean…we didn't…he was just showing me the house."
"No need to explain, my dear. It wasn't that long ago when I was a courting my lass, you know. And seeing as we haven't seen this young man in a while…" he smiled at Wyatt as he looked around the cabin, "you've done a fine job in here, lad…must be quite anxious." he added with a wink. "But who wouldn't be? She's quite the treasure."
"Thank you." Lucy muttered quietly, her face flushing in embarrassment as Wyatt fiddled with a latch on one of the shutters. Clearing her throat, she stepped away from the little greenhouse and made her way to John Fraser, "I guess I should be heading back now. Dinner must be almost ready…"
"Aye, that it is." he nodded at her pleasantly, before turning to Wyatt with a frown, "And…uh… will you be joining us tonight, now that you don't have all of this keeping you knocking away at all hours?"
Wyatt gaped at him, "Well…I…I mean, sure…I just…I need to take these tools back to the forge first. Rufus and Tom will be expecting them…I mean, they'll be expecting me."
Truth be told, Wyatt doubted Rufus gave one single damn about whether or not he showed up with the tools that evening or not. After leaving him to face Lucy's wrath alone, he figured the time machine pilot would be too busy congratulating himself on his own escape to care much about what had become of his not so fortunate friend. He, however, did not have any desire to walk back to the house in the moonlight with Lucy and a nosy John Fraser. Hell, he didn't really have a desire to go to dinner either, but after hearing a bit of what Lucy had gone through over the past several days, he figured he'd be the biggest jackass on the planet if he made her suffer through all of that alone...especially now that they were "engaged."
"Fine…just fine." John Fraser declared with a happy nod, "I think I may speak for the young lady here when I say your presence has been sorely missed." He tipped his hat genially as he led a flushing Lucy out of the door, "I'll be sure to tell the misses to set another place at the table for you. Come along, my dear."
Lucy stepped out into the night behind John Fraser, still reeling from everything that had happened since she stormed away from his home earlier that evening…the weight of the ring on her finger serving as a gentle but firm reminder that she hadn't dreamed up the whole thing. Looking over her shoulder she could see Wyatt standing under the elm tree, a large box in his hand, staring after them as they made their way down the moonlit strewn path. Stopping suddenly, Lucy quickly turned and jogged back to a bewildered looking Wyatt.
He was just about to ask her if she had forgotten something when, without a word, she leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. A warmth spread through him, such as he hadn't known for many years, but before he could even process what she had done and what it could mean, the kiss was over. Just as quickly as she had arrived, Lucy spun around on her heel and rushed back to a smiling John Fraser, leaving Wyatt staring after, completely transfixed.
Notes:
Happy Timeless Movie Anniversary!
This, as you might very well remember, used to be part of the last chapter...but as you see, it is fairly long and really can stand on its own quite nicely. I debated for months (I have been at this fic for a LONG TIME now) how I wanted/needed this proposal to happen...it was one of the very first things I worked through before even writing the first chapter, so FINALLY having it out in narrative form is such a relief.
I really hope that you all enjoyed this update...I don't anticipate being able to update again until after Christmas sometime, so Seasons Greetings to all of you! May your holidays be filled with love, laughter and happy memories.