Lucy Preston was going to kill Mary Fraser.
Wyatt could think of nothing else the rest of the afternoon as he helplessly plodded behind John Fraser in the woods behind the farm. John eagerly attempting to teach Wyatt the best way to trap a mink and Wyatt desperately trying hard not to confess the whole horrible situation to his landlord and friend.
How could she do this? How could she poison the woman who had literally given her the clothes off of her back to make her feel welcome in this God-forsaken century?
It made him sick. To think, she…and Rufus would stoop to this level? How did that make them any better than Flynn?
Flynn, who at this very moment was probably screwing up history beyond all hope of repair.
Flynn, who was the whole damn reason they were stuck here to begin with…but, Wyatt thought suddenly, for some reason hadn't really been on any of their minds. Too worried about keeping themselves alive, they hadn't given Flynn more than just a passing thought….but now? Well, now Wyatt was suddenly reminded of Flynn's taunting words to him in 1972.
What have you told him about us?
Apparently, Lucy and I are going to be quite the team someday.
He wouldn't have believed it of Lucy then…or rather, he didn't want to believe it…but now? He knew Lucy was desperate…knew how much she wanted to save her sister, knew how desperately she wanted to make sure that no one was erased from the timeline again…but no matter how noble her intentions, she was ultimately interfering in people's lives….and apparently going to any and all lengths to see that those "noble intentions" were realized.
Just like that mass-murdering psychopath, Flynn.
Flynn, who saved the Hindenburg only to try to blow it to hell a few hours later. Flynn, who shot Lincoln. Flynn, who had them chased down by Nazis. Flynn, who had nearly killed them all at the Alamo. Flynn, who had tied him to a damn chair and taunted him with that journal. Flynn who stole the damn time machine to….
…save his murdered family.
Huh.
It wasn't the same. Yes, Wyatt understood the pain of…it had taken every last bit of training he had not to sympathize with that crazy bastard…but if what Flynn had said was true…if his family, his wife and daughter…if they had been murdered by this Rittenhouse…was he so crazy to want to try to stop it? After all, he wanted to save Jessica….
No…that was different…saving Jessica didn't mean anybody had to get hurt. Flynn was a mass-murderer who was…
Desperate.
Just like he was.
Just like Lucy was.
Wyatt swallowed hard at the thought of her actually teaming up with Flynn. If really was being led on this quest by that journal of hers…then…that meant that someday she would give it to him…someday she would turn and set Flynn loose on the history she was, right now, so desperate to protect.
But why?
Why would Lucy Preston join forces with Garcia Flynn when he was the whole damn reason her sister was gone?
Because maybe by joining him…she would get Amy back.
"Who is Amy?"
Wyatt startled at John's question, realizing that he must have been musing out loud. Clearing his throat, he replied awkwardly, "Oh, just um…Lucy's sister. I don't know why I…she just…she disappeared one day and um…Lucy has been really desperate to get her back."
"I didn't know she had a sister." John replied in a voice tinged with sympathy. "Did she…run away as your wife did? Or was she…taken?"
"Huh?" Wyatt asked, forgetting at first that as far as John Fraser was concerned, Lucy had run away from her family's ranch to elope with him. Recalling their story after a few moments, Wyatt shook his head, "Oh…no…nothing like that. There was…an accident," he explained carefully, "and…no one really knows what happened to her."
"Shipwreck?" John offered.
"Yeah." Wyatt shrugged, feeling that was close enough. "She um…never came home…and they never found her."
"I had no idea your wife had sustained such a loss…no doubt that is what drew her to you. Shared grief." John sighed thoughtfully. "You know, in a way – you're lucky. You know what happened to your wife." he murmured after a while. "Like your wife's sister…my Jane just…disappeared. I hold out no hope," John added with a derisive laugh, "that she's alive out there somewhere…but I wouldn't be honest if I said there weren't days that I dreamed of her coming home…safe and sound."
Wyatt bit his lip and said nothing.
"Ah, but look at where we are now," John remarked as he slapped Wyatt on the back, "your Lucy has you and I? I have my Mary."
Again, Wyatt bit his lip.
No doubt having his wife return from the grave would be a dream come true for John - Wyatt had enough personal experience to attest to that fact. But he also knew that John had moved on…he might have still loved Jane, hell, he would always love Jane…but he had fallen in love with Mary.
Mary, who wasn't really his wife.
Just like Lucy wasn't really his wife.
Wyatt was not ignorant of the parallels…and while he absolutely denied Rufus' suggestion that there was anything going on between him and Lucy…he couldn't deny that he had feelings for her. He knew he did…he just didn't know how deep those feelings were. She was his friend, he cared about her, he wanted her to be happy…but…how much he wanted that happiness to depend on him, he refused to think about.
He couldn't.
Jane Fraser's reappearance and the subsequent implications aside, he had no damn idea how Lucy felt about him. As far as he knew, this was…as he had promised her when he proposed…just part of the job. He married her so that he could protect her, so that they had someplace to live…so that her reputation wouldn't be completely shredded by the self-righteous busy bodies that existed in this century. For him to suddenly change the deal…to proposition her with the idea of being something more?
Yeah right.
Especially when she made damn sure her name wasn't on that marriage certificate. She had made it clear with that move, hadn't she? It was just a role…just another alias…just part of the mission.
So, it didn't matter anyway.
As for himself, his own feelings were just muddled and confused. Jessica was his wife…she was the woman he loved, but…he couldn't help but feel obligated to Lucy. Which was stupid…because she wasn't his wife. In fact, when she had fired that accusation at him that he would leave if it were Jessica who was coming back from the dead and not Jane…it hurt. It hurt a hell of a lot more than it should have. Lucy was just…Lucy. What he felt for her was just… superficial. They were friends, yes…but beyond that…it was…it was…it was just a result of all of this play acting…messing with his head. Living with her, sleeping next to her had just reminded him of how much he missed Jessica…
That's all.
"What's all?"
Dammit, he did it again.
"Oh…nothing I was just…" Wyatt stammered – but John, far from puzzling over Wyatt's second unconscious outburst in less than a few minutes time, merely sighed and looked up at the darkening sky.
"You know, I believe you're right - that's about all we can do for the day. Besides," John groaned as he picked up bag of game they had procured, "you'll be wanted at home…as will I." Nodding towards a small path, John pointed, "No use you trekking back to the farm with me, if you take that trail there, you'll be home afore dark – mind the brambles though – if memory serves they're a bit thick on that rise there."
Wyatt nodded in thanks, feeling sort of empty as John turned in the opposite direction and made his way back to his own home. His home…where Mary was currently at the mercy of Lucy and her baked concoctions of doom. His stomach turned at the thought and he decided that maybe it was better for him to head home after all…he didn't want to know what the hell she had done.
The less he knew, the better
And besides, if Lucy was looking after Mary, she was probably still at the house…and well, he was kind of fine with that. Let her and Rufus plot and scheme and plan together away from him. He was just going to go home, cook up and egg or something and go straight to bed.
Yet, even as that thought crossed his mind, the cabin loomed into view and the sweet aroma of something cooking inside greeted him as he made his way across the small garden towards the house.
And that wasn't all.
Through the open window he could hear the dulcet tones of Lucy's voice…singing…and while he wasn't currently on the best of terms with her, he couldn't help but smile as he listened. Lucy might not have been the greatest cook in the world, but damn, she could sing…though, he noted with disappointment, she never did it in front of him.
He wasn't sure why.
After everything they had been through together, he didn't know why singing would be something she would shy away from, particularly when she was so good at it and when it was obviously something she loved to do. Didn't she say she wanted to be in a band? But for whatever reason, Lucy Preston rarely sang...
Well, not in front of him anyway.
To hear her he would have to catch her, in moments like these, where she hadn't seen or heard him approach the house. He didn't like to admit it...even if it was just to himself…but many times he would purposefully avoid the main road home so she wouldn't see him coming in the hopes that he would catch her at it. And in the times that he did, he would stand for a while, outside, just to listen. Hearing her sing was like…seeing a part of her she always kept hidden. It was Lucy. High-strung, tightly wound Lucy…with her guard down…
And well, it was…
…."the greatest love of all - is easy to achieve…"
Not Lucy.
"What the hell?" Wyatt muttered in confusion as he quickly made his way to the porch. No…no way…Lucy didn't sing in front of people so why would she sing in front of…with…
"Rufus?" Wyatt stood in the doorway of the cabin, completely dumbfounded at the scene in front of him. Rufus was indeed singing and dancing with Lucy in front of their fireplace (or had been until he busted through the door)…but that wasn't what had him almost rooted to the spot in total confusion. Where normally there was a rustic setting on their table for dinner… now there was a table cloth….and candles….and a centerpiece thing….and…"What the hell?"
Lucy gaped at him in shock for half a moment before coloring slightly and stammering, "What….what are you doing here?"
"Um…I live here." Wyatt reminded her, "What…what is all of this? I thought that dinner thing was cancelled? Because Mary is "sick"? he motioned with a scoff, "What the hell did you do?" he asked, somewhat teasingly, "Kill her? Is this supposed to be some kind of peace offering?"
Lucy glared at him, "No. It's just…well, it's just…ugh," she moved slightly to the left so that Wyatt could see the spread behind her. There, on the small table beside the fireplace was a slightly lopsided, but perfectly iced…cake. Lucy shrugged, "Surprise."
Wyatt scoffed, it was hardly a surprise…he knew she was baking cakes, after all. But…but those were for Mary. Wyatt narrowed his eyes in confusion and again, took in the room. On the table itself, a silver candelabra with fine dinner plates that Wyatt immediately recognized as belonging to John and Mary Fraser. A tureen of some kind of roast and gravy was sitting on a serving tray on the nearby cabinet as well as freshly baked dinner rolls and then of course, there was the lopsided cake. Lucy, too…looked different. Her hair was drawn up in pretty ringlets and the dress she was wearing was…new?
"Surprise?" Wyatt asked in complete confusion, "what…what are you…."
Lucy rolled her eyes, "Seriously, Wyatt…"
"What?" Wyatt asked, his eyes narrowing at the two of them, "Will you just tell me what's going on here?"
"You honestly think I've been poisoning Mary Fraser?" she asked looking halfway between annoyed and amused. "I told you I wasn't doing anything to her." But as Wyatt continued to look at her in complete and utter disbelief" Lucy sighed heavily, "Rufus and I have been planning…ugh…we wanted to surprise you, Wyatt…you know…for your birthday?"
Wyatt laughed. He couldn't help it. "My birthday?" he scoffed, "Lucy, it's not…"
But then he paused.
Huh.
Today was his birthday. He hadn't even given it a thought, hadn't even realized…but then again, it had been so long since he had even celebrated it….and it wasn't like he ever told...
"Wait…" he interjected, "how did you know? I never said when…" Lucy nudged her head towards Rufus who was busy opening up a bottle of wine, pretending to mind his own business, "Rufus?" Wyatt stated incredulously, "Yeah, um…I don't remember telling him either."
"That's because you didn't." Rufus admitted with a nod, "but you did tell the HR department at Mason…and seeing as how I had access to all of your files…"
"Isn't that illegal?" Wyatt asked, easing himself down in a chair and folding his arms across his chest, "snooping through our personnel files?"
"It wasn't snooping." Rufus replied defensively, "It was…what is you call it? Getting briefed? Gathering intel? You think I didn't know all there was to know about you before you set foot in my time machine?" Rufus let out a derisive laugh, "Think again, man…you may think I'm just the pilot, but this pilot likes to know if the people he's piloting are complete psychopaths – I mean, this may come as a surprise to you," he added, "but you know normal people? Don't exactly jump at the opportunity to…ya know…do what we do."
Smiling, Lucy nudged him, "So are you saying we aren't psychopaths…or that we are psychopaths?"
"We're stuck in the 18th century pretending to be people we aren't, Lucy" Rufus observed dryly as the cork popped out of the bottle, "I don't think that exactly works in our favor."
"Okay," Wyatt hummed thoughtfully as he continued to grill his friend, "so you read through my file. How the hell do you remember something as random as the day I was born? I mean, that's the kind of thing I'd expect from Lucy, but not…what?" he asked as she shook her head at him, silently imploring him to stop talking. Confused, Wyatt narrowed his eyes at her, but noticed that she was now glancing with concern to a solemn looking Rufus.
"You're right…" he muttered quietly, slowly nodding, "I don't normally remember dates and stuff, that's…that's Lucy's department. But um…you just happen to share a birthday with my mom…that's why."
"Oh." Wyatt replied, suddenly feeling like a complete ass, "Look, man, I'm…I'm sor…"
Rufus shrugged, attempting to look indifferent, "It's not a big deal – I just always thought it was kind of cool, that's all…and Lucy was saying how her sister's birthday is coming up soon and I thought it might be nice to ya know, celebrate something out here…that's why I told Lucy."
"Really, Wyatt…" Lucy urged anxiously, "If you don't want to celebrate it…we…we don't…we don't have to…we just…I…I know we probably should have said something to you," she interjected apologetically, "but we really did want to surprise you…that's why we were…I mean, did you honestly think we would just treat it like any other day?"
"Well, it is just like any other day." Wyatt replied with a shrug, though a small smirk had formed, "I mean…can it really be your birthday if you haven't even been born yet?"
"I guess not." Lucy replied with a shrug of her own, "But still, Wyatt…to not celebrate it at all…"
"I never celebrate my birthday, Lucy." He replied, before assuring her, "Look, I appreciate what you tried to do here but you didn't have to…I just don't care about this kind of stuff anymore. Hell, the last time I celebrated my birthday was…"
He trailed off as the memory came to him….it was just a few months before Jessica had been killed. A few short weeks before his entire life changed forever. They had gone out for dinner and drinks at some dumpy little place in San Diego. He had just gotten orders for a quick mission to Kandahar…and Jessica had had a bad day at the bar. What she had expected to be a nice evening out had ended up with the news that once again, he was going to be deployed someplace where he wouldn't be able to call…wouldn't be able to tell her where he was…just another "secret" she had said. He went home, angry as hell, in a cab, while she spent the rest of the night out with her friends…
Wyatt cleared his throat, "It was a long time ago."
Lucy frowned and muttered quietly, "I thought so." She shifted awkwardly, "I'm…I'm sorry, Wyatt…I didn't mean to…"
"Like I said," Wyatt replied, his jaw clenching slightly as he tried to fight back his own emotions, "I just…I don't care about this stuff…but, you know, I…I appreciate you thinking of me and,…and everything. This is…this is great."
"Really?" Lucy asked doubtfully, "because you're not looking like this is so great."
Wyatt had, for years, brushed off any attempt at celebrating another year of his miserable life. It was just another reminder that he was, despite his best efforts, still living; living with the overpowering guilt that came with the knowledge that Jessica's murder was still unsolved and that her death was all his fault. But now?
Now he was stranded in a place he didn't belong – with people who needed him, depended on him…and…for the first time in a long time…he….
"I just don't celebrate anything…anymore." Wyatt explained feebly, his voice trembling with emotion. "I….I can't."
Lucy exchanged another look with Rufus, before she eased herself down in the chair next to Wyatt, "You know," she said quietly, "Amy's birthday is in a few weeks…she always hated it…right between Thanksgiving and Christmas," she explained with a watery chuckle. "I've been thinking about her a lot lately…about how I'm glad I'm here and not there so I wouldn't have to face her birthday alone. I mean, according to everyone else in 2016, she was never even born." Turning to Wyatt she nodded meaningfully, "I know it doesn't matter to her because right now she doesn't even exist…but remembering her on her birthday?" Lucy let out a shaky sigh and lifted her eyes to Wyatt's, "that matters...to me."
Wyatt leaned back in his chair and stared at Lucy. That stirring in his chest…that "not so odd anymore" feeling of someone giving a damn tugging at his heartstrings as he considered her. Just like at the Alamo she was telling him in no uncertain terms that he mattered….and damn, if that didn't make him feel good. And he knew, dammit, he knew that he shouldn't feel that way, because this…this wasn't real. Just like John -he had a wife…a real wife…Jessica and she needed to be saved…she needed to be remembered...he could be a better husband, he could make things right. He just needed the chance…
"This matters to me." Lucy restated firmly, "And to Rufus." she added as he cleared his throat meaningfully somewhere behind her. "If you don't want this to be about you…it doesn't have to be." she assured, "we can just consider it a party for Rufus' mother…who also…still hasn't technically been born yet. But," she continued with a pointed nod, "it would mean a lot to both of us, if you would just let us celebrate your birthday, Wyatt. You've done so much for both of us," she urged before adding with a pointed look, "even if you thought we were both poisoning Mary Fraser's food." Wyatt chuckled dryly at her attempt at levity as she continued, her hand pressing against his forearm, "Rufus and I…well, we…we didn't want to forget you, Wyatt. You matter. To us.
"Yeah," Rufus nodded in agreement, "I mean…what kind of family would we be if we let this day slide?"
"Yeah," Lucy nodded, though she refused to look at Wyatt, "Because that's what we are, right? Family?"
"Yeah." Wyatt breathed out, his jaw still clenched as he struggled with his own emotions.
Dammit.
He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve them. The fact that Rufus put aside his own pain at missing his mother's birthday to try to do something nice for him… and how did he react? Like an ass. And yet even after his ingratitude, they still thought enough of him to consider him…family?
Clearing his throat as he got to his feet, Wyatt ducked his head, making as if he were scratching the back of his neck instead of trying to compose himself, "Um…yeah…I'm gonna go um…get some more firewood for the um…" He gestured absently towards the fireplace as he stumbled to the door, blindly searching for the handle as he desperately sought his escape, "I um…th…thanks…really, for…yeah." He pulled open the door eagerly, anxious to get the hell out of Dodge before he made a complete fool of himself and did something really embarrassing - like cry in front of the two of them, "I'll…um…I'll be back."
Letting out a shuddering breath as he let the door swing closed behind him, Wyatt stepped out into the dark night and quickly made his way towards the wood pile. Picking up the axe, he mindlessly went through the motions, hacking through log after log as his thoughts remained fixed on everything Lucy and Rufus had done for him…and everything they had said to him.
He was for the first time in a long time, grateful…not only to be alive…but to be remembered. He wasn't just being modest back there, he really didn't give a damn about holidays or birthdays…it was just another day…another reminder that he was alone. Being stranded wasn't ideal, he knew, but damn it all it had really done a number on him.
Here? His life meant something…not just to him…but to someone else.
And while he was sure that Rufus cared, Rufus wasn't that someone else Wyatt was thinking of….
It was Lucy.
Whatever Rufus' reason for spilling the beans about his birthday, it was obvious to him that Lucy was the one who had taken the initiative and had done something about it. Rufus may have helped, but Lucy was the one, Wyatt remembered with a smile, that had gotten him out of that kitchen this morning…baking cakes, not for Mary Fraser, he now realized…but for him. Lucy was the one who had obviously gone to the trouble of turning their rustic little cabin into something special. Hell, she had even gotten a new dress…that must have been what he signed for earlier. Gathering up the firewood in his arms, Wyatt slowly made his way back to the cabin, considering how, when they first landed in this century, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with her, but now he felt…well, he felt…..
"…how do you feel about her?"
Wyatt stopped short, terrified that he had been thinking out loud again. Lucy, however, wasn't looking at him…she was looking at Rufus, who was already seated at the table nursing a glass of wine.
"I like her." he admitted with a sheepish smile. "We went on a date once. Super awkward." He chuckled in remembrance as he leaned back in his chair, "I haven't had the guts to talk to her about it since."
"Who?" Wyatt asked wincing slightly as both Lucy and Rufus turned their attention to him. "Sorry, I…I didn't mean to…I just…"
"Jiya." Lucy answered for him with a slight smile before turning her attention back to Rufus.
Wyatt nodded in acknowledgement, bending down to tend the dying fire as Rufus continued, "I don't know why that, of all things, was so scary to me – just talking to someone." He let out a derisive laugh, "And now…now all I want to do is talk to her…tell her…tell her how I feel. It's funny, right?" he said with a rueful look to Lucy and Wyatt, "My biggest fear is now my biggest regret. I always thought I had time."
Wyatt swallowed hard as his own regrets came hurtling towards him. Jessica had been his greatest regret for years…but now he was finding himself regretting other things…missed opportunities, for things that could never be. The 18th century might not have had a lot to offer Lucy and Rufus, but for him…with a life filled with a whole lot of nothing in 2016….
Wyatt looked at Lucy, seeing her brow furrowed in thought, and he wondered if she was thinking about Amy…or Noah….and then he was suddenly thinking about her…them…and what kind of life they could live together if they could just….
"When I was little," Lucy began, startling him to attention, "my mother used to read me these biographies for children. Einstein for Kids, Churchill for Kids" she chuckled at Rufus' raised eyebrows, "They were actually really good. I always thought that when I had kids…" she swallowed hard, looking suddenly embarrassed, "I guess…I just always thought there would be time too."
Wyatt stared, almost dumbstruck with awe, at Lucy, and before he could stop himself, he was stammering out his surprise, "You wanted kids?" At her puzzled and (shit, was she offended?) expression, he attempted a jumbled explanation, "I…I just…I thought that maybe because of your career…"
Shit.
"Um…that's not what I…." Wyatt rubbed a rough hand across the back of his neck and continued awkwardly, "Jessica always wanted a boy." He nodded, remembering, "Relax, I told her, We have all the time in the world…but…" he cleared his throat self-consciously as he caught Lucy's eye and quickly turned away, "as it turned out…we…um…we didn't."
An awkward and painfully uncomfortable silence descended among them as Wyatt went back to tending the fire, instantly regretting he had said anything at all. Why the hell did he have to bring that up? Maybe, he figured miserably, he should have just stayed the hell outside.
"Well," Rufus began tentatively, breaking the tension, "I guess there's a lot of things we all wish we could have done differently…and as much as I'd love to sit here and talk about regrets with you people, this is supposed to be a party…and well, I don't know about you two, " he added with a smack of his lips, "but I'm starving. Let's eat."
"It's not good, is it?"
Lucy frowned as she watched Wyatt pick at his meal, her brow lined with concern and disappointment as her own meal sat mostly untouched.
Wyatt looked up and cast a concerned glance at Rufus who was gnawing at a big cut of meat he had speared on his fork…having little success, "Um…no…it's good. It's…um...seasoned really well."
He wasn't lying. Lucy may not have been an ace in the kitchen…but she was getting better and this meal was proof. The rolls were obviously homemade, the vegetables were cooked to perfection, whatever sauce she had made was delicious it was just…
Lucy threw her napkin down in frustration, "I knew it…ugh, I knew it. I told Mrs. Poe I wasn't going to be able to do something this…this…"
"Tough." Rufus offered…though he might have been talking about the meat….
"I was going to say French" Lucy gritted out through her teeth.
"Lucy, it's fine." Wyatt assured her, but he had to agree with Rufus…the meat was tough. Clearing his throat, he offered gently, "What…what did you…how did you cook it?"
Sighing Lucy produced a cookbook and shoved it at Wyatt, "I did everything it said in there…"
Wyatt looked down at the book, written in script he could barely read, "I don't know what the hell I'm looking at here." he admitted, "Look, Lucy, it's not that bad." Wyatt assured again, "But, " he admitted after a disbelieving scowl from Lucy, "um…you probably want to tenderize the meat a bit next time."
"I did!" she moaned through her hands, "I hammered it with that…that thing…." she motioned widely towards the door, "I knew I spent too much time on the cakes," she gritted out, "but they kept coming out wrong and then you had to come in there and…and…". Wyatt stared back at her incredulously, "You threw me off…you accused me of poisoning Mary Fraser and it…it messed with my head."
"Lucy, I'm sorry about…"
"Ugh…I just wanted to make a good dinner for once."
"You have." Wyatt stated earnestly, "You've made porridge…and…and stew….and…."
"Ow!" Rufus jolted as Wyatt kicked him underneath the table, "What the…? Oh…yup…" he nodded in earnest agreement at Wyatt's meaningful glare, "you make the best pea…mush thing I ever had."
Lucy groaned again, grabbing a roll out of the basket and tearing off a piece to eat, "Gee thanks, Rufus."
"Lucy, "Wyatt moaned, "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself…this…this wasn't…I mean, at least you didn't burn it."
"Yeah, at least I didn't do that." She muttered as she poured herself a large glass of wine.
"That's not…" Wyatt began, before sighing heavily, "Lucy, look, this was…you just need to practice, that's all."
"I did practice." Lucy complained again, "I just…I'm just not ever going to be able to do this right." She sighed, "I'm really sorry, Wyatt. I wanted this to be…well, better than this."
Wyatt rubbed a rough hand across his face. He hated seeing Lucy sell herself short - she was always doing it too…saying that she was "just a teacher" or "not cut out" for this or that. Lucy may not have been the best cook in the world…but hell, she used to have a mini panic attack every time she set foot in the Lifeboat…now, she was practically a pro…or rather, had been before they got stuck here. All she needed was time and practice. Taking her hand, he pressed, "Lucy, I don't care about dinner, okay? I appreciate what you did and you did a good job."
"Really?" Lucy asked despondently.
"Yes, really." Wyatt assured. "Like I said, there's nothing wrong…so what if the meat is a little tough…throw some wine on it next time and it'll be perfect."
"Wine? Really?"
"Oh yeah," Wyatt acknowledged with a frown, "throw a little wine or beer on a tough cut of meat, tenderizes it right up.
"But then we wouldn't have had as much to drink." Rufus reminded him with a raise of his glass. "And just between us, I think I'm going to overindulge rather than under indulge tonight," he added taking a sip, "somedays it just really sucks being stuck here like this – no offense man."
Wyatt frowned, not at all offended by Rufus's despondency. Hell, if he had any family he cared about and he was here, missing their birthday – not sure if he would ever see them again, well, he'd probably want to drink the night away too. He didn't know whether to apologize for sharing a birthday with his mom or join him in an all-night binge. Lucy, however, seemed to come up with the perfect solution to that particular dilemma.
"Who wants to play a game?" she offered holding up two bottles of wine and a pack of cards.
"Um…what kind of game?" Rufus asked nervously, casting an awkward glance between Wyatt and Lucy. "No offense, but I'm not about to play spin the bottle with either one of you."
"No," Lucy said as she rolled her eyes, "but we could play a drinking game…since you know…" she cleared her throat, "it'll just make this night not quite so….um…"
"Depressing?" Wyatt offered as Lucy bit her lip in shame. He snorted. "Sure, why not…and I'll drink the two of you under the table."
"Not so fast there, Delta Force," Rufus protested, "I'll have you know that MIT had quite the party scene." Wyatt rolled his eyes in disbelief as Rufus continued meaningfully, "Yeah, laugh all you want, but you never knew what the hell you were getting into when you'd go to a party at the Alpha Chi Sigma House. Those chemistry majors weren't playing around."
Not fully convinced, Wyatt nodded, "Alright, fine…but I'm betting Stanford over here doesn't last an hour."
Offended, Lucy scoffed, "I wasn't always in the library, you know. I went to my fair share of parties…"
"Okay, then." Wyatt challenged, "Let's see what you've got…ma'am." Lucy flushed as she set the bottles down on the table, her face set with a grim determination that Wyatt knew all too well. Lucy Preston was apparently ready for battle...and he was all too willing to oblige her. Turning to Rufus, he nodded, "Okay then, what are we playing?"
Pyramid was the first game of choice and while Wyatt was doing fairly well at getting both Lucy and Rufus to take a few shots, Lucy was beating him handily. For every bluff he called on her, she called on him and then some. While he was equally challenging both Lucy and Rufus, Lucy was spending every turn calling on him as if determined to get him drunk….no doubt in retaliation for his challenge to her earlier. He was doing a pretty damn good job keeping his head clear, but after a few rounds, he was starting to worry that she might actually be successful. Wyatt had to up his game, Lucy knew him too damn well, it seemed, so after the third round, he changed up his strategy and pretended to bluff…forcing Lucy to repeatedly take the double number of shots for falsely calling him out.
Rufus, who was more or less an on-looker through most of this game, finally put an end to it by suggesting they play Loose Tongues, something Lucy agreed to with such enthusiasm that she nearly fell off her chair in excitement. For all of her enthusiasm, however, Lucy was clearly struggling; almost always the last to shout out a word starting with either an S, C, H, or D…or if she had managed to come up with something it was either the wrong letter or some nonsense word that set her giggling uncontrollably and nearly falling onto the floor again.
Though he was highly amused, Wyatt signaled to Rufus that they had better stop, given that Lucy was, by now, pretty much wasted. She continued to giggle off and on throughout the evening as he and Rufus played a few games of Speed, followed by a round of Crazy Eights…until finally she laid her head on the table and began to snore.
"And she's out." Rufus announced with a snort, taking a drink from his own glass. "I gotta say, I'm impressed she lasted this long. I thought she was done for about two hours ago…."
Wyatt shook his head and smirked at her limp figure as he lifted a glass to his lips.
Rufus considered him thoughtfully, before leaning forward with the deck of cards in his hand, shuffling them mindlessly. "Thanks for humoring me, Wyatt." He said quietly, "I know you don't like celebrating your birthday…hell, I even warned Lucy that you probably wouldn't like it….but, I needed to have a good time tonight, ya know?"
Wyatt nodded tersely but said nothing…at least not right away. His mind and heart were both filled with confusing and conflicting thoughts, but one thing weighed heavily on both of them. "We need to get the hell out of here, Rufus." he mumbled, almost to himself. Rufus stopped shuffling the cards and looked at him intently, "You need to get home to your family."
"That would be nice." Rufus acknowledged, "But what about…you know…all of this?"
"All of what?"
"You know." Rufus said with a shrug, "The French, the British…John, Mary…don't you think Lucy will want to make sure all of that is taken care of before we go back to a future that may or may not exist? I don't mean to be the Debbie downer here, but there's a very good possibility that if we don't fix this, we won't even recognize the future we come home to….and that's IF we can even make it home."
"So you're saying we shouldn't even try?"
"No." Rufus replied quietly. "I'm just saying we have a job to do…and we should probably do that first."
"Every time we try to fix something, it just gets worse." Wyatt spat out in frustration, "If we stay here any longer…" he swallowed hard as he looked over at Lucy, his heart aching slightly at the sight of her. "You both have your lives to get back to – being stuck here…it's not fair, to either of you."
"And it is for you?" Rufus asked, his eyebrows raised. "Last time I checked you were stranded here too, Wyatt. It's not just Lucy and me…"
"Yeah, but…" Wyatt stopped himself, feeling that to admit that he had nothing to go home for would border too much on the pathetic. Shaking his head, he deflected, "You know what I mean…"
"Yeah, I think I do." Rufus replied sadly. "You know, Wyatt….if we get back to 2016….this…this doesn't change, you know?" he said motioning between the three of them, "We're still…a family."
Grateful for Rufus' words, Wyatt nodded, but a part of him knew that it would change. Neither Rufus nor Lucy were alone as he was and while he didn't begrudge them their families, he also couldn't deny that he wasn't a part of either of their lives outside of work.
"I promise." Rufus sighed with a yawn, "I'll work double time on getting the LifeBoat patched up….but Wyatt, I can't guarantee it will work…this might be it…and if it is, we'll have to deal with the reality that all of those regrets we have? Well, they just might stay regrets…but then again," he added with a meaningful nod and a glance towards Lucy, "sometimes regrets have a way of working themselves out."
Taking another drink, Wyatt gave an imperceptible nod but said nothing more. Yawning, Rufus stretched and slowly got up from the table, "Well, I'm headed to bed…you need anything? Want me to help you take care of that?" he added pointing to Lucy.
Shaking his head, Wyatt sighed as he looked down at Lucy's figure, sprawled across the table. "Nah, I'll get her."
Rufus nodded, "Alright then, Happy Birthday, man."
"Thanks, Rufus." Wyatt murmured as his friend clambered up the ladder to the loft above. Pushing himself away from the table, Wyatt cleaned up the rest of the mess from dinner, taking care not to disturb Lucy as he straightened up the cabin around her. Once everything was quietly stowed away, he made his way back to the fire, stoking it back to life as he added a few more logs to the fire.
Somewhere in 2016, he thought, a mother was missing her son today.
Understanding loss all too well, Wyatt felt for her…and everything she must surely have gone through these past few months. He hadn't really thought on it before now, focused more on Lucy and Rufus than on the people they had left behind…but obviously they would be worried…concerned…heartbroken, even. At least, in Rufus' case, he thought, some of his close friends knew some of what had happened to him. But what about Lucy? No one knew what had happened to her…and for the first time, Wyatt actually felt sorry for Noah. Even though he knew the guy wasn't really her fiancé, the guy obviously loved some version of Lucy enough to want to marry her...and he knew that he was probably going out of his mind with worry…wondering what the hell had happened to her.
Wyatt understood that, better than anyone. Losing Jessica the way he did...
Of course, he had also gone out of his mind when the French took off with Lucy...and he wasn't even married to her then...or...ever. And, well, that was all the more reason to make sure they got home, right? So that all of these mothers, brothers...and fiancé's….could rest easy again.
The sound of Rufus' snored pulled Wyatt out of his reverie. Setting down the poker, he got to his feet and made his way towards a still sleeping Lucy. He let out a small chuckle as he noticed a playing card stuck to her cheek. Peeling it off her face, he leaned down and scooped her up in his arms, grunting, "Come on, ma'am…let's get you in bed."
"Hmmm?" Lucy hummed as he head lolled back against his shoulder, "No, you don't have to do that, I'm not tired." she protested. "I've got this next round...you'll see."
"Lucy, you can't even hold your head up straight." Wyatt smirked as he shifted her weight slightly and pulled back the covers. Lying her down, Wyatt couldn't help but notice that she was still fully dressed….but he wasn't about to go poking around in places where he wasn't authorized to go…so instead, he settled on just removing her shoes and tucking her into the covers.
Lucy, however, had other ideas.
Before he had even managed to remove one of her heels, she was sitting up in bed, clumsily pulling at the strings on her bodice, her fingers twisted in a tangled mess. "What's…what happened?" she asked in confusion as she attempted and failed to pull her hand free from her bodice laces, yanking her hand so roughly that he thought she might rip something.
"Lucy…" Wyatt warned as he stilled her hand, "Just….just…let me do it, okay? Before you hurt yourself." Immediately stilling, Lucy nodded as Wyatt took a deep breath and worked her hand free of the knotted mess she had created, easily untangling her fingers and finally loosening her bodice enough that she could easily slip out of it.
In hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.
No sooner had he extricated himself away from her bodice than she began doing the same to her corset beneath…and once again, Wyatt was called upon to assist her…something he had never done from the front before. Immediately noting how thin the fabric was on her chemise , Wyatt knew once the corset was off, there would be very little in the way of coverage for her. "Um…." he stammered as he paused his work, "I...um...I think that maybe we should…um…Lucy, where's your nightgown?"
"Hmmm?" she hummed, her eyes halfway closed, "Oh….it's…"
But where it was, she never said. Instead, she yanked on the rest of her corset strings and immediately flung it…and the chemise she was wearing underneath it, off to the side.
"Shit! Lucy!" Wyatt exclaimed as he immediately slammed his eyes shut and faced the wall.
"What?" she hiccupped innocently. "It's nothing…you haven't seen before." Wyatt was about to protest when Lucy hissed behind him, "Wyatt Logan…I know you saw me naked." And then she was giggling again…and he was mortified. Wyatt side-eyed her trunk, regrettably positioned at the foot of the bed…and he knew, there was no damn use digging through there…not unless he wanted a full-fledged view of Lucy's naked torso…
and he most certainly did not.
Still, he couldn't stand in the corner all damn night.
Shucking off his jacket, Wyatt pulled his shirt out from his trousers and pulled it off….more concerned with getting her covered than thinking about where that shirt had been. With a shaking arm he held it out behind him and shook it at her, "Um…Lucy? Here….just….just put this on…please."
Giggling again, Lucy took the shirt from his outstretched hand, but not before she ran a hand down his once-injured side driving him nearly out of his damn mind. "Your side looks better." she hiccuped.
This was it...this was how he was going to die.
"Lucy," Wyatt gritted out, "please..."
Letting out an annoyed huff, Lucy mercifully backed away...and while Wyatt was relieved that she was no longer hovering just inches away from him and assaulting his side with her lithe fingers, he could hear her struggling with his shirt. "Dammit" he breathed out, regretting he had ever agreed to the drinking games.
The sound of ripping fabric and a subsequent "oops" from Lucy sent Wyatt even further into despair, but he was not about to look…so instead he offered feebly, "Lucy…just put your arms through the sleeves."
"I'm trying..." she moaned before huffing out an exasperated breath, "I'm stuck"...and with that pronouncement, Wyatt, once again, cursed his lack of foresight.
With a sigh he glanced cautiously behind him, seeing to his great relief that she was mostly covered, though she was desperately trying to fit her head through the sleeve of his shirt. "Here," he offered, approaching her cautiously, "Let me….just…no…no…Lucy you already have an arm in there….yup…that's right your other arm goes here and….your head…."
With a satisfied sigh, Lucy's face emerged from neck of Wyatt's shirt, her hair rumpled as she carelessly pushed it back away from her face.
And damn it all, if Wyatt wasn't completely smitten.
Drunk Lucy was…adorable. There was no other word for it.
"Thank you, Wyatt." she simpered lazily with a smile, "You take such good care of me."
"Don't mention it…ma'am" Wyatt breathed out as he pulled the now rumpled covers straight and once again, attempted to get her situated between them. He was just easing her back down on the bed, when, before he could even register what was happening, Lucy's lips were crashing against his in a desperate and frenzied kiss.
At first, Wyatt froze…completely and totally shocked by the turn of events…which, given everything that had happened in these past few minutes really shouldn't have been all that shocking. But as Lucy's hands drifted to his face to pull him closer and her mouth continued to move against his own, his brain began to short circuit.
God, he had wanted to kiss her for so long….and now that he was - holy hell, his entire body was on fire. His hands flew to her hair and buried themselves within the depths of her silky tresses while her own stopped caressing his face and gripped at his bare shoulders, not only pulling him all that much closer to her, but causing him to topple right over on top of her.
He was doing his best to keep up, but Lucy was...everywhere, leaving bruising, searing kisses all along his neck and jaw, while her nails dug into his back. This couldn't be real. This had to be some kind of bizarre dream, some crazy alcohol-laden fantasy….but he wasn't drunk.
Lucy was.
Shit.
He knew this wasn't right…even as her teeth nipped at his bottom lip, he knew…this had to stop. She had no damn idea what she was doing…and… oh hell, he groaned as Lucy's leg ran slowly up the side of his own. Every unholy thought he had ever had of her came hurtling into his mind's eye as he fought against his carnal self and Lucy in what he was sure to be a losing battle….and one that he sure as hell wouldn't mind losing.
But no – as much as he wanted to finish what she started…this couldn't…this couldn't…
Gasping, Wyatt pushed himself away, desperately hauling himself as far from Lucy as he could possibly get without crashing right through the cabin walls.
Lucy, hardly offended, giggled at the sight of Wyatt, braced against the cabin wall, looking very much like a trapped animal. Sighing contentedly, she stretched out her arms and yawned before smirking at him shyly and muttering with a shrug, "Happy Birthday, Wyatt."
Wyatt let out an incredulous laugh and gaped at her, hardly knowing how to respond….to any of this….so he didn't. Instead, he rubbed a rough hand across his face, desperately trying to compose himself as Lucy tossled her hair lazily and pouted at him.
Oh shit.
He tried to look at anything and everything other than her, but Lucy, it seemed, did not like to be ignored. With narrowed eyes, she tossed off the covers...and made to get out of bed, but given that she was still wearing her skirt and petticoat her legs got tangled up in the excess fabric and before Wyatt could do more than hiss out a warning, Lucy toppled out of bed, slamming into the dry sink, knocking both the basin and ewer to the ground with her in a spectacular crash.
Rufus snorted somewhere above him, but Wyatt was less concerned about him than he was about Lucy, who was holding her head and moaning. Rushing to her side, he quickly examined her but saw no reason to be alarmed…not in medical sense anyway, and he promptly assisted her up and helped her get back into bed – something that Lucy seemed all too happy about.
Giggling again, she made several more attempt to maul Wyatt as he tucked her into bed, but this time he was ready for her. Every time she reached up for him, he grabbed her hands and set them back down at her side, pulling up the covers so that there was more between them than just his shirt. "Now stay there" he scolded her warningly, "You're gonna wind up killing yourself if you keep getting out of bed."
"Yes, sir." she growled playfully as she flung out her hand in a sloppy salute, very nearly whacking Wyatt in the face as she did so. As Wyatt dodged her hand, she giggled again, only to let out a heavy sigh as she lazily gazed up at him, her hair dark fanning behind her on the pillow.
God, she was beautiful.
Wyatt cleared his throat awkwardly, realizing that he was staring at her too long, but Lucy didn't seem to mind. "You're a really good kisser." she snickered with an emphatic nod.
Wyatt rolled his eyes, shifting uncomfortably, "You're not so bad yourself." he finally admitted with a tense chuckle, before adding with a bit more levity, "Guess you really didn't spend all your time in the library..."
That earned him a hearty laugh from Lucy who quickly shook her head and emphatically exclaimed, "Nope!"
"And here I thought you were just a teacher..." Wyatt quipped, recalling the first time he ever laid eyes on her.
That, too, earned him an appreciative laugh as Lucy smiled at him adoringly. "Wyatt?" she murmured after a while, her dark eyes blinking at him slowly, "I'm sorry about the dinner."
He chuckled, "Lucy, it's okay…it was fine…I promise."
"Really?" she asked, a delighted smile spreading across her face, "I'm so glad…I just wanted you to have a good day."
"I um…think you managed that…ma'am." Wyatt admitted with another chuckle only to find himself once again fighting off Lucy's advances as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Lucy, what the…? Stop…stop."
Obediently, Lucy withdrew her arms and settled back down into bed, admitting with a heavy sigh, "I love it when you call me that."
Wyatt's eyebrows skyrocketed, hardly believing…really, any of this as he replied with a gulp, "I'll um…I'll keep that in mind." Lucy smiled at him deliriously and nodded and Wyatt couldn't help but offer a goofy smile of his own. Another grunt from Rufus above him, however had him back to the important business of keeping himself and Lucy Preston under some semblance of restraint. Clearing his throat, he nodded to her seriously, "Now…um…get some sleep."
Exercising every ounce of self-control he had, Wyatt sat with her, gently holding her arms down by her sides until her breathing deepened and slowed. Not wanting to risk her clambering out of bed and falling again, Wyatt waited a few moments before whispering nervously, "Lucy?" He withdrew his hands from her arms and leaned forward, watching her anxiously, ready to make a run for it if she so much as fluttered her eyelids. "Lucy?' he whispered again, this time a little louder - but once again, she gave no answer. Satisfied that she was, in fact, officially passed out, Wyatt tentatively leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Good Night" he whispered, before adding with a wicked smile, "ma'am."
Then...as quietly and swiftly as he could manage, Wyatt stepped away from Lucy's sleeping form, crossed the cabin and made his way out the door to the cold night beyond. As the door latched softly behind hi,m he breathed out a sigh of relief and stepped off the porch hoping to hell there was a water barrel somewhere full enough that he could drown himself in.
Notes:
A Stranded Update for your Valentines Day weekend!
And yes, I was desperately working to get this done so I could get it out to you for this weekend...especially considering that Lucy and Wyatt finally locked lips...even though Lucy's not going to remember much of anything come the next day - she will, however, be completely mortified and extremely suspicious when she wakes up to find herself wearing Wyatt's shirt. Wyatt, will just be pretty much mortified because it's Wyatt...though it definitely will have an effect on him. The next chapter will see some big shakeups occur...and I hope to goodness I can get the rest of this fic and my other one pounded out soon.
You'll notice a bit of the familiar coming back to play again...and you'll start seeing more of that as we work our way to the end of this monster. Yes, I know, that conversation takes place elsewhere in the episode...but, you'll see...there's a method to all of this madness, I promise.
I thank you so much for reading...have a great weekend!