"What do you want?"

Flynn was standing at the doorway of what had been Lucy and Wyatt's shared room, tucking a letter into his coat pocket as he observed, with a sad smile, the scene spread out before him. Normally a picture of cleanliness…if anything could really be considered clean in that rusted old bunker…Lucy's bedroom now was completely upended. Books had obviously been thrown against the walls, drawers had been emptied – a chair had been broken…and Lucy, herself, sat in the middle of it all, wrapped up in one of Wyatt's shirts – her eyes red and puffed up from crying.

Eyeing the mess with a frown, Flynn observed archly, "I see you've redecorated."

Lucy's eyes burned at Flynn's observation, her thoughts immediately taken back to a morning, not so very long ago, when she had made the same observation to Wyatt after he and Rufus had taken it upon themselves to surprise her. Wrenching her alarm clock from off the floor, she threw it roughly at the door, just missing Flynn's head before pulling her knees back into her chest and muttering angrily, "Just leave me alone."

"I can't do that, Lucy." Flynn sighed, as he stepped over a pile of her clothes, a mix-matched bundle of historical garbs she and Wyatt had stolen and a few modern pieces donated by Agent Christopher. She was in no mood to entertain, that much was clear – but Flynn was determined to talk to her. He had already borne the brunt of her wrath, after all, he was hardly afraid of a few more projectiles lobbed his way. Plopping down on the floor beside her, he frowned and began quietly, "I just wanted to say how very sorry I am." Angry tears sprang to Lucy's eyes, her mouth trembling as if she was ready to tell him to go straight to hell, but Flynn stopped her before she got that chance, "I know, you don't want my apology." he admitted softly, "I know it won't do anything to bring him back…but, I needed to apologize, Lucy…not just for tonight, but for all the pain I've caused you."

Silent tears fell down her face as she wrapped her arms more tightly around her knees and hugged them to her. With a quavering voice she whispered, "It doesn't matter anymore…nothing matters anymore."

"I wouldn't say that." Flynn mused with a frown. Lucy scoffed in disbelief, but said nothing more. Pressing, he continued, "I know it may not seem like that now…"

"I hardly need a lecture from you." Lucy snapped angrily. "You of all people have no business trying to tell me that anyof this matters." She shook her head ruefully, "I should have let you blow all of them to hell in 1954."

"Lucy…"

"You have no idea how it feels to have your own…" she gasped as a fresh wave of tears overwhelmed her, "my entire family…my father, my mother…"

"I may not know what it's like to be betrayed by your own family," he conceded, before adding with a serious nod, "but don't forget, I do know what it's like to lose everything to these bastards."

"I want them to pay." she gritted out angrily. "Not just for what they've done to me…but to you, to Rufus…to Wyatt." she let out a shaky sigh as fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks, "I hate them. I hate them all."

"They will." Flynn said with a quiet determination.

Scoffing, Lucy shook her head despondently, "No, they won't. They've won."

Flynn shook his head at her, "Only if we let them."

Lucy stared back at him incredulously, "We've lost, Flynn." she gritted out, wiping a few stray tears from her face as she maintained, "Nothing we do will ever be enough. They'll just keep taking…and taking…"

"Only," he said quietly, "if we choose to give up hope. You taught me that."

"I don't have any hope anymore." she replied mechanically, turning away from him. "You heard them out there…they won't…they won't fight like Rittenhouse. They won't do what it takes…". She clenched her fists in anger as she gritted out, "How can we expect to win anything if we aren't prepared to hurt them in the same way they hurt us?"

"An eye for an eye." Flynn mused with a smile as Lucy wiped away a few more tears and nodded beside him. "I was led to believe," he said with a thoughtful frown, "that you were opposed to retribution? That killing indiscriminately was…wrong?"

"Not anymore." she muttered angrily, arresting him with a keen eye.

So, you are not of Ghandi's mind then?" Flynn quipped, "That an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind?"

Lucy glared at him. "What, have you grown a conscience now?"

Frowning, Flynn shook his head, "I'm just trying to get some clarification on your um…sudden change of heart." He nodded, "You were the one who told me there was another way." He paused as he eyed her carefully, "If you don't believe that anymore…"

"I don't." she gritted out forcefully.

"Well then," Flynn sighed, "if that's how you feel…I suppose it's up to you and me." Lucy turned to him in surprise as he continued, "You're right, we can't trust Agent Christopher and Mason to be as ruthless as necessary to rid the world of Rittenhouse, can we?" Lucy shook her head, a small smirk of satisfaction forming on her lips. "So," Flynn added, "it's up to you and me to make sure it happens." He nudged her arm, "Quite the team one day, remember?"

An unreadable expression flitted across Lucy's face as she nodded tersely. "I guess you were right." she muttered with a derisive laugh. "I should have listened to you a long time ago."

"Oh Lucy," Flynn grunted as he got to his feet, "I didn't come here for 'I told you so's."

"Then why are you here?" Lucy asked in annoyance.

He considered her a moment, looking down at her with a sad smile before replying quietly, "To be a hero."

Retracing his long steps over the piles of clothing and ruined books that littered her floor, he stopped only when he reached the door, turning as Lucy, confused by his statement, asked in a thick voice, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Shrugging, Flynn sighed, "When you gave me that journal, I had lost everything. My wife, my child, my freedom…I was fugitive from the law, wrongly accused for the murder of my family…and then you…you gave me hope…you made me believe that someday, somehow…I could save the ones that I love."

Lucy let out a mirthless chuckle, "I'm sorry about that…obviously I was wro…"

"No, Lucy" Flynn interrupted, "you weren't wrong. I was." He stroked his jaw as he frowned thoughtfully. "I didn't understand then, what you meant…when you said that with it, I could save the people I loved - I thought you meant my wife and daughter." He shook his head as tears sprang to his eyes, "I know now, that the people, the family I'm meant to save…well, they're here." he said as he spread his hands wide and motioned to the bunker. Lucy narrowed her eyes at him in confusion as he explained with a self-deprecating laugh, "I know, I'm not exactly a favorite around here…more like a creepy uncle…"

"What…what are you…"

"It doesn't matter." Flynn replied with a shake of his head, "I just want you to know that you're going to be hearing an alarm soon…and when you hear that alarm, I want you to make a break for the bunker door."

Lucy arched her eyebrow at him as he threw her Agent Christopher's car keys, "Why?"

Casting her a wicked smile, Flynn replied, "Because if we're going to destroy Rittenhouse, I'm going to need you to be a distraction."


"I need eyes on Carol Preston's car." Agent Christopher growled with her phone pressed to her ear as Jiya furiously typed into her laptop. "I don't care if the chopper lost its feed, Mitchell," she barked, "get me a dash cam." She was tossing folders to and fro, lifting up papers and cursing under her breath, "What the hell? No, no not you." she amended to her aide on the phone, "I just…I can't seem to find my damn keys. Look," she snapped, "Carol Preston may have our pilot in that car, I don't want you to engage don't do anything until I get there, you got that? No, no…we cannot risk losing him, you understand? Rufus Carlin's safety is our top priority." Pressing her phone back to her chest, she snapped her fingers at Mason, "Will you check over by the armory? I need those damn keys – those idiots are going to cause a wreck"

Mason had only just scuttled off when blaring alarm rang throughout the bunker causing Agent Christopher to curse even louder than before.

"Dammit, what now?" Tossing her phone to Jiya, she ran down the hall to the bunker door where she was met by Garcia Flynn, casually leaning against the wall. "Want to tell me what the hell is going on?" she barked.

At her question Flynn straightened up and looked around in mock surprise, "This?" he asked, shrugging, "Well, I'm not sure, but it appears you have a security breach."

"Uh-huh...and I'm sure you know nothing about it, do you?" she snapped back in annoyance as she made to move past him, but Flynn wouldn't let her.

"You know, I never thanked you for breaking me out of prison…"

"Don't make me regret that now." she quipped, eyeing him annoyance, trying to move past him

"And," Flynn continued, ignoring her, "giving me a um…closet to live in, supplying me with second-hand clothes, introducing me to wonderful world of processed foods." He smirked at her as he quipped, "I don't know how I could have ever survived this long without Spaghetti-O's and those…what do you call them?"

"Ramen noodles." Agent Christopher gritted out as he nodded in acknowldgement, "Seriously, Flynn," she growled attempting to move past him once more, "this isn't the time for games."

"Oh I agree," he nodded seriously, "With Wyatt dead, Rufus missing and Lucy gone, you're going to need all the help you can get."

"What do you mean Lucy is gone?" she asked dangerously, her voice betraying her mounting panic.

Flynn shrugged as he pointed to the flashing siren behind him, "I thought it was obvious. Clearly Jiya and Mason haven't escaped…and as you see, I'm still here…".

"Shit." She breathed out, elbowing past him to the open bunker door. "What the hell have you done?"

"Me?" Flynn replied, feigning offense. "I don't know what you mean…I'm merely an observer."

"Sure you are." Agent Christopher spat out as she raced up the stairs, yelling into her coms, "I need an APB, stat."

Smirking, Flynn casually made his way towards the frantic scene in the bunker, watching with amusement as Jiya and Mason both typed furiously on their various computers. "No," Jiya called through the phone, "No, Agent Christopher is dealing with…something else…you're going to have to talk with me. Just get me access to the grid, I can try to hack into the cameras that way…"

Shaking his head, Flynn began to nonchalantly wheel the staircase towards the Lifeboat, only to have Mason stop mid-type and shout at him, "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he exclaimed as he skirted around the desk, watching in bewilderment as Flynn made his way up the stairs to the time machine.

"You know, Mason," Flynn sighed as he turned to face him, "you really should improve the security on these things – or anybody could just…take them." With one deft move he pulled his gun from his holster and pointed it at Mason who was now desperately trying to push the staircase away from the Lifeboat hatch. "Please, don't make me shoot you…it would really put a damper on our relationship."

"Get Denise." Mason called to Jiya, who nodded at him and sprinted up the hall, but no sooner had she gotten beyond the kitchen then Agent Christopher herself, came racing towards them with her gun drawn.

"Flynn!" she barked angrily, "Dammit! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Pausing momentarily at the threshold of the LifeBoat, Flynn shrugged, "Stealing one of Mason's time machines…again."

"The hell you are." she snapped, aiming her gun at him, "step away from it, Flynn. Or I swear to God…"

"I'm afraid I can't do that – believe me," he added with a smirk as he crouched down and stepped inside the Lifeboat, "you'll thank me later." Agent Christopher was about to refute his claim when another alarm sounded, sending a wave of panic and dread among the remaining inhabitants of the bunker. That is, everyone except Garcia Flynn. "How serendipitous." He muttered as he waved to them from the hatch.

Pressing his hands against his ears, Mason cursed loudly, momentarily abandoning his pursuit of a smiling Flynn and raced towards the monitor. "Bloody hell…California 1848." Gesticulating to Jiya who was now standing beside him, Mason, shouted, "Don't just stand there - Stop him!"

Jiya and Agent Christopher both made to run up the stairs, but the moment they reached the first step, the hatch door slid closed, blocking Flynn from their view. Undeterred, Agent Christopher fired two shots at the Lifeboat, only to have Mason ducking his head and cursing at her for her effort. As the rings began to spin and pick up speed, they had no choice but to back away, flinching as stray pieces of paper flew in circles around them. Jiya, Connor Mason, and Agent Christopher stood and watched with horror as the Lifeboat shuddered and disappeared before their very eyes.

For a full beat, not one of them made a sound…too stunned by everything that had happened in just the past few hours to do anything more than just stand there and gape at the empty space before them. It was Mason who finally broke the silence, spitting out in total indignation, "That's the second time I've had to watch that man take off with one of my bloody machines."

Agent Christopher, however, was less concerned about Mason's loss and more concerned with the why. Turning to Jiya with a bewildered shrug she asked, "Where the hell did he go?


My Dear Lucy,

If you're reading this, it means I didn't make it back but believe me when I say, it's better this way. I caused you a lot of pain and have done unspeakable things to the team and others, when my only wish, my only hope was to get justice for my family and be reunited with them.

I hope that now, I will be.

We both wanted to stop Rittenhouse, Lucy – but I let it destroy me. I couldn't let it destroy you too. I know I told you that the Lucy of the journal was "impressive", but it's really you who are the impressive one. I realized that tonight when I saw how broken she was…and in her, I saw myself. The same pain, anger and heartache that have been my constant companions these many years.

I don't recommend it.

Forgive me for ever making you think that you were expendable. It was you, and no one else, who looked past the man I had become and saw my humanity and I will always be grateful to you for that. It gave me the resolve to do what I had to save you from the same hellish existence I have lived since my wife and child were murdered.

Consider this my absolution. Wyatt can thank me later.

You deserve happiness, Lucy…and Wyatt, as much as it pains me to say it, deserves it too. The way he fought to protect you until the bitter end showed me how very much he does love you and while a part of you, while reading this, might resent the fact that he sacrificed himself to save you and so many others, I think you know that he was just trying to do the right thing…as am I.

I hope you will find peace and happiness. I hope you will know the joy of having a family. I hope that someday you will be able to restore your sister and I hope, Lucy, that someday you can forgive me for taking her from you.

You were the best thing that happened to me since losing my wife and child, Lucy. The one thing that gave me hope, the one thing I couldn't hate, even if at times you hated me. Don't ever give up your fight to save the world from Rittenhouse – I meant what I said that day in front of the Hindenburg…you are more important than you know.

I'll see you on December 24, 2014…you'll know the place. Until then, please know, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

All of my love,

Flynn.

P.S. If he isn't back in the bunker after this arrives, please save Rufus. Believe it or not, I actually liked the guy. As it stands right now, he's been kidnapped by Rittenhouse. The Mothership jumped to California 1848 before I left, maybe you can find him there. Further details of the last mission and Jessica's return are outlined as well as I can remember them on the next page.

Cheers.

For not the first time that morning, Lucy read over Flynn's words, so familiar now they were almost committed to memory. Her hands shook as she pressed the letter closed once more, unable to quite grasp the full reality that Garcia Flynn was gone.

It had been a terrifying moment, to be awoken suddenly by the roar of the Lifeboat in the wee hours of the morning, but even more terrifying to stand there, waiting with bated breath as the hatch remained stubbornly closed. More concerning too, was realizing that both Rufus and Flynn were missing…and now, now they all knew why.

"You okay?"

Wyatt's voice rumbled in Lucy's ear as she lay with her head on his chest, wetting his thin t-shirt with her tears.

"No." she admitted shakily, nestling closer to him as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her tightly as they lay together in their shared room.

He sighed heavily as he turned his eyes back to the second page of Flynn's letter, detailing the particulars of the last mission. If Lucy had read that first page and committed it to memory, Wyatt had most certainly done the same with this. He hadn't wanted to believe…any of it…but with both Rufus and Flynn missing, the details provided…and the sudden and strange appearance of the unmanned Lifeboat this morning it was becoming increasingly difficult to deny that Garcia Flynn, the man who had tried to murder them countless times, the man he couldn't trust as far as he could throw him, the man who he pretty much despised…had saved his damn life. Feeling Lucy's sobs against him, Wyatt hugged her again, "Lucy, it's okay…"

"No, it's not okay, Wyatt." she gasped out, sitting up to look at him, "If…if this is true," she explained in a voice choked with emotion, nodding to Flynn's report, "that means that...I lost you." Several tears raced down her cheek as she nodded at him desperately, "I lost you."

"You didn't lose me." Wyatt replied with a slight frown, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tucking her close to him again, "Flynn made sure of that." He let out a mirthless laugh as he held up the other page of the letter, "I guess I can't hate the guy anymore. Maybe I should've been nicer to him…"

"Maybe you should have." Lucy replied thickly, wiping away fresh tears, before she sighed heavily, "I can't believe he's gone."

Rubbing a comforting hand up and down Lucy's back, Wyatt sighed. He had never liked nor trusted Garcia Flynn. Hell, the first time he had ever set eyes on the man, he was using Lucy as a damn human shield. He may not have loved her then, but Wyatt could never forgive him for nearly killing her and them countless times in the year before he joined them in their bunker. He never wanted to admit it…and never would, if asked…but when Flynn had told him about his wife and daughter, how they were murdered…he felt for the guy.

He really did.

But even so, Flynn was the man who had lodged a bullet in his gut, Flynn was the man who had sent them into H.H. Holmes' house of horror, Flynn was the man who had had Al Capone shoot Rufus…and Flynn was the man who had left them stranded in 1754. He had every good reason for never wanting him near the team…and especially Lucy ever again - but in the face of all of this, he couldn't deny that despite his own reasonable objections to Garcia Flynn, Lucy had been right to trust him. Hugging her tighter, Wyatt murmured, "Well, I hope he's found peace…wherever he is."

Lucy unfolded the letter again, her eyes drifting through his carefully scripted lines, marveling at how calmly he wrote in the face of what he was about to do. There was no indication that there had even been so much as a waver in his hand as he penned his goodbye, each word, each stroke revealing a steady, composed and determined man. Flynn may have been reckless and passionate and if one asked Rufus or Wyatt…maybe a little insane, but in this letter, Lucy saw the man she always believed Flynn to be - A hurting man who was desperately looking for peace. Running her fingers across the quote at the end, she couldn't help but smile softly as she murmured in acknowledgement, "I think he has." Suddenly overwhelmed by a fresh barrage of tears, Lucy gritted out, "Ugh…to think Rittenhouse would stoop so low as to bring Jes…." she trailed off as her voice wavered with emotion. Shushing her, Wyatt tucked Lucy under his chin as she once again, watered his t-shirt with her tears. "Wyatt?" she asked, sniffing, after a short pause, "what about you? Are you okay? I…I mean with Jessica and everything?"

Pressing another kiss to the top of her head, Wyatt sat back up and got out of bed, slipping his shoes back on his feet as he scoffed, "It's a hell of shock, I'll tell you that."

"Yes, but Wyatt." Lucy urged swinging her feet onto the floor and perching herself at the end of the bed, "She was your wife. To know that…that mymother brought her back and that…"

"She killed me?" Wyatt finished for her, offering up a sardonic smirk. "I'm not really feeling all that sentimental about her after reading that, Lucy…I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

"You know what I mean." Lucy breathed out huffily, as she swiftly wiped the tears from her eyes, "Wyatt, aren't you…mad?"

"Mad at who? At you?" Wyatt asked incredulously, "Why the hell would I be mad at you? You had nothing to do with it. Mad at Rittenhouse?" He shrugged, "This is what they do, Lucy…we know this…they're assholes." As Lucy made to argue her point further, Wyatt cut her off by adding for extra measure, "…and Jessica joined right up with them, Lucy. She had a choice and she chose that."

"Maybe she couldn't help it." Lucy murmured, biting her lip in thought, "Maybe…maybe she was desperate. I mean, you saw what Flynn said about me after you…"

"Is that what you're worried about?" Wyatt asked her seriously, taking a seat beside her on the bed. "That somehow you are like Jessica because you finally had enough of Rittenhouse interfering with your life?" Wyatt scoffed, "Lucy…she killed me."

"I know." she replied, blinking back her tears, "But Wyatt, I just keep thinking about what Flynn told me back when we first met…that..that I made him look like a Boy Scout." She turned to him with pleading eyes, "I was almost that…again."

"But you weren't." Wyatt answered simply, adding with a heavy sigh, "I know I used to give you crap about that damn journal, but Lucy…why the hell do you think you wrote it and gave it to Flynn in the first place? Flynn," Wyatt added with more emphasis, "of all people?"

She shrugged, "I…I don't…"but then she paused, remembering with a pang of sadness that she and Flynn had discussed this very thing, over a bottle of vodka not so very long ago. She had been concerned then, that she had given it to Flynn to change her future - that in so doing she was no better than her mother or anyone else in Rittenhouse for that matter. Flynn, however, had disagreed. With a gasp of recollection, Lucy began again, "Flynn told me…that night when…when we talked," she offered Wyatt a sheepish smile as she remembered how angry he had been to find her in Flynn's room, "he told me, that he thought I gave him my journal to stop Rittenhouse from…" she swallowed hard as the full realization of Flynn's words hit her full force in relation to the letter, "ruining my future." As tears pooled in her eyes, she nodded, "He was right, wasn't he?"

Wyatt looked at her intently, watching as she swiftly wiped her tears away, "Yeah." he breathed out, "he was right." Taking her hand in his, he pressed a kiss to the back of it and gritted out, "You gave him that journal to save yourself from becoming the cold-blooded murderer that Flynn became...and" he added with a meaningful nod, "to save me. From where I'm sitting, Lucy," Wyatt added with a scoff, "that makes you nothing like Jessica."

Lucy nodded, as silent tears streamed down her face, "But Wyatt," she gasped out, "Flynn…"

Wyatt frowned, "He made the choice, Lucy. He didn't have to do this." He took the letter from Lucy's hand and opened it up, "He didn't have to jump in that time machine…he says right here, he wanted to do it – he wanted to do it to make up for everything he did – not just to us, but to all those people he killed."

She nodded and swallowed hard before sobbing, "But Wyatt…Jessica was one of tho…"

"Lucy" Wyatt breathed out as he pulled away from her slightly and hung his head, "I…I don't know if I ever told you this, but…Flynn warned me about this very thing."

Confused, Lucy narrowed her eyes and shook her head at him. "What do you mean? About what?"

Letting out a scoff, Wyatt rubbed a hand across his face before perching his elbows on his knees, musing in remembrance, "It was that Watergate mission," he began, "Remember? When Flynn had us all tied to those damn chairs?" Lucy nodded and offered him a watery smile as he continued, "When you and Rufus left…God, he would not shut up…kept talking to me about Rittenhouse, what they had done, what they were going to do…I thought he was full of crap." Wyatt let out a derisive laugh, "But then, he started to read to me out of that journal…"

"My journal?"

"Yeah." Wyatt nodded, his voice growing quieter, "You had written in detail…all about Jessica's murder. You knew she had had an affair…" he shook his head, "I had never told you that." Lucy shook her head as he continued, "You knew where she had been killed, the name of the damn bar where we had our fight…you knew everything." Wyatt let out a derisive laugh as he admitted, "That scared the hell out of me. I mean, how did you know any of that when I never…? He trailed off and rubbed a hand across is face before her continued with a scoff, "And then, at the end of it all, you wrote that I needed to get over her and move on with my life." He let out a scoff as he offered her a sardonic smile, "I hated you for that."

Lucy offered him a small smile in return as she quietly began, "Is that why…"

"I was so pissed?" Wyatt asked, his eyebrows raised in amusement, "Yeah, partly." He admitted with a shrug, "But mostly I was pissed because the idea of you and Flynn being…what was it he said?"

"Quite the team someday?" Lucy reminded him with a smile.

"Yeah, that" Wyatt replied with a roll of his eyes, "I didn't like that at all." he admitted with another chuckle. "But Lucy, you writing that journal? You writing about that in your journal? I may have been pissed at the time, but hell, it's so obvious now." He nodded at her gratefully as he continued, "You were trying to warn me…warn Flynn…warn somebody that Jessica was going to be a problem."

"So…you don't hate me for that anymore?" Lucy teased, elbowing him slightly.

"No." Wyatt replied with a smirk, "Hell, I didn't really hate you for it then either. I may not have wanted to admit it at the time, but It was just the ass kicking I needed…probably could have used a few more of those" he mused before adding with a flirtatious smirk, "Maybe then I would've done more than just kiss you in front of Bonnie and Clyde."

Lucy smiled and shook her head, dismissing his comment with a roll of her eyes, "I don't think it would have made any difference then…"

Wyatt couldn't help but chuckle as he replied, "You'd be surprised, ma'am."

"Oh Wyatt," Lucy scoffed, getting to her feet, "don't be ridic…" but at his serious expression, she stopped in confusion, "What are you…you mean…that kiss?" As Wyatt nodded to her, she shook her head and laughed, "No you said…that kiss…."

"I lied." Wyatt admitted with a shrug, getting to his own feet and pulling her close and pressing a quick kiss to her nose.

Lucy, however, wasn't convinced. Wriggling herself out of his embrace, she exclaimed, "Wyatt Logan, are you telling me that….no, no, that's impossible," she dismissed, "because I distinctly remember asking you about possibilities and you…you were going on about you and Jessica and how she was your lightning bolt from the heavens."

"What?" Wyatt spat out before turning and plopping down on the bed again, "I never said that."

"Yes, you did." Lucy maintained with a nod, "I remember because I felt so stupid that night. Here I was, reeling from that kiss…and you," she motioned to Wyatt who had lifted his eyebrows suggestively making her go a little weak in the knees, "you were telling me that Jessica was your one and only…your lightning bolt…

"No," Wyatt refuted with a shake of his head, "Lucy…I…"

"I mean, I was so sure that you would never…" she bit her lip and shrugged, "and I just…I needed to try to get you out of my head …so later," she admitted as she colored, "I um…I called Noah and asked him to come over…"

Wyatt stared back at her, his mouth gaping open in horror, "You didn't."

"No." she admitted, coloring an even deeper shade of embarrassed, "I didn't…but I did kiss him." Wyatt let out a curse as she explained, "I thoughtthat maybe if I kissed him, I would…I don't know…stop feeling something for you…and maybe feel for him what you felt for…what?" she looked at Wyatt who was still staring at her open-mouthed.

"I was talking about you, Lucy," Wyatt admitted, nodding at her meaningfully.

"Very funny, Wyatt." Lucy replied, rolling her eyes and turning away from him.

"I'm serious." he said, gaping at her incredulously as he got to his feet, "Lucy, when I kissed you that night…I…I know I played it off like it was no big deal, but...I never felt like that before."

Lucy turned back to him with a sardonic glare, "Yeah right, Wyatt…"

"I'm serious!" He nodded at her earnestly, "Lucy, I had been fighting my feelings for you long before that little charade we played in front of Bonnie and Clyde." She gaped up at him in surprise as he continued, "When I kissed you? It might not have been supposed to happen," he scoffed, "but I thank God everyday it did. Because I knew then…"

"You knew what?" Lucy asked breathlessly.

"I knew then that I was head over heels in love with you, ma'am."

Lucy offered him a watery smile, before furrowing her brow in confusion, asking, "Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Are you kidding?" Wyatt countered defensively, "You had just gotten back off your date with Dr. Whatshisface…"

"Noah." Lucy supplied with a sardonic smirk.

"…and you were going on and on about not believing in meant to be's and lightning bolts and…"

"I thought you didn't believe in those things either…"

Wyatt scoffed, flushing as he bowed his head down in embarrassment, "Well, I hadn't…until that night. Until I kissed you."

Lucy gaped at him, hardly believing what he was saying, "You're just teasing me…"

"I'm not teasing you, Lucy…I'm being totally serious." Wyatt admitted, rolling his eyes as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her close, "You rocked my whole damn world, Lucy Preston…but," he added with a teasing roll of his eyes, "if I would've known you were gonna go off and kiss somebody else right after…"

"My fiancé, you mean?" she teased back, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You didn't even know his last name." Wyatt reminded her.

"True." she conceded with a grin. "But honestly Wyatt, kissing Noah?" he rolled his eyes in annoyance as she continued, "It just made me realize it would never work between us. I didn't love him. I didn't feel anything. All I could think about was how I felt" she nodded seriously "after kissing you…"

"Uh-huh, so you lied too." Wyatt teased as he ghosted his lips over her own.

"I didn't lie." she countered with a grin, "I just didn't…admit anything."

"Same thing." Wyatt argued impishly, pressing a kiss to her lips, before leaning his forehead against hers and sighing, "Well, I guess I can't hate thatguy anymore either…hell, I should thank him for being such a bad kisser."

Giggling, Lucy shook her head, "You never had to worry about Noah, Wyatt." Turning serious she nodded, "I knew at the Alamo that I loved you," he opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off, "I know we barely knew each other then, but Wyatt…I meant what I said that day," she stated seriously, "I needed you. I just, I never thought you would ever feel the same way…"

"Like I said," Wyatt offered, after pressing a kiss to Lucy's lips and pulling her closer, "I could have used a few more of those ass-kickings."

"Well, maybe Flynn and I should've teamed up a little sooner." she sighed before shrugging and adding, "Because I guess in a way, we kinda were…a team, I mean. None of this would have been possible without him…without," she swallowed hard as she added quietly, "my journal." She pulled away from Wyatt and sat on the bed, gesturing to the room around her, "Everything is tied to that…how we met, how we saved each other…and now…"

"Yeah." Wyatt sighed as he sat down next to her on the bed, musing. Neither said anything for a while before Wyatt let out a chuckle and observed, "You're right…we really do owe him everything, because if you think about it…it was always him, right? Who killed Jessica?" He turned to Lucy and nodded thoughtfully, "I spent all this time trying to find the person that ruined my life. I never even considered the fact that they were actually trying to save it."

"Literally." Lucy added with a smile as she pressed another kiss to his lips.

"I have you to thank for that too, ma'am." Wyatt stated seriously as he caressed her cheek with his hand, "You saved me again, Lucy Preston. You're the one who wrote that journal…". he looked at her intently, "you're the one who gave it to Flynn. You're the one who made all of this possible…"

"It could have gone differently." Lucy dismissed with a shake of her head, "Whatever I did…for whatever reason…it was never a guarantee that it would work, right? I mean, you said yourself…that journal? History? It's all about choices…"

"Maybe I was wrong about that." Wyatt admitted, pressing another kiss to her lips.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that…maybe things didn't go the exact same way they were supposed to, maybe in some other timeline, some other universe…we made different choices…but I can't think of any version of me in any time or in any place that wouldn't be in love with you, Lucy Preston."

She arched an eyebrow at him and smirked, "I hate to tell you this Wyatt, but that sounds a lot like fate…"

"It sure does." he admitted with a smirk before pressing a desperate kiss to her lips, caressing her cheek before tilting his forehead to hers, "What about the other thing?" He asked, eyeing a manila envelope sitting next to her on the bed, "You okay with that? I mean…I know she wasn't exactly…"

"Mother of the year?" Lucy suggested with a sniff as she pulled away from him slightly and toyed with the edge of the folder.

Concerned, Wyatt nudged her arm, "Lucy, she was your mom…it's okay to…"

"I lost my mom a long time ago." she replied flatly, offering him a wan smile, "And after everything she did to me…to you…" Lucy gasped as a stray tear streaked its way down her cheek, "I loved my mother," she said with a nod, "but I…I can't" she scoffed, "I guess, it's kind of how you feel now," she offered to him with a gulp, "about…about Jessica?"

Wyatt quirked his lip as he slowly got to his feet, "I'm not sorry she's gone." he admitted, "Not anymore."

Nodding, Lucy frowned, "Well, I guess it's good that we know, right?" she asked tentatively as Wyatt turned to look at her, "I mean, before…we were…I mean, you were…".

Wyatt raised his eyebrows at her again and shrugged, "What?"

Sighing in exasperation as she pulled her feet back onto the bed, Lucy observed, "You weren't sure if you could…you know…move on…without wondering what would have happened if…I mean, you stole the LifeBoat so that you could…" her voice got quieter as she continued, "to see if you could have a second chance with…with her."

"You really think I wasn't ready to move on after 1941?" Wyatt asked her, with a sad smile.

'Well, obviously…" she began, flushing in embarrassment, "we had happened… and…and you had done this," she said pointing to the room, "but neither of us really knew what we would…I mean, what would happen if she…what…what is this?" Lucy asked as Wyatt held out a box he had pulled out from behind one of the rusty pipes in their room. She took it in her hands, confused, "What is this? An old ice cream container?"

"Just open it." he sighed as he crouched down in front of her.

Eyeing him warily, Lucy began working the lid off, noting with frustration that he had sealed it shut with several rubber bands. "Remember when we were in Hollywood?" he asked as she paused an offered him a sardonic glare. Smiling, he continued, "and that...that next morning you went to get another dress? I um…I sort of stopped back by the costume department…"

The lid fell open and Lucy narrowed her eyes, "And you…stole yourself another…tie?" She looked up at him in confusion, "You never wear ties…"

"Oh, no…wait a minute…" he chuckled as he reached into the box and yanked out the silk tie he had apparently stuffed inside. "Alright," Wyatt nodded, motioning for her to look again as he fumbled the tie into his pocket. Lucy peered into the box once more and there, sitting neatly on top of yet another tie was…

"Oh Wyatt." Lucy gasped as she pressed her hand to her mouth.

Anxious, Wyatt began stammering, "I…I know we had just…ya know…and…and…I…know that we hadn't really been together that long…I mean, it was just a day, right?" He chuckled nervously, before adding quickly, "but…but I saw it sitting there and I thought…why not? I mean, living in this damn bunker," he explained nervously, "I didn't know when I'd ever get another chance to…"

"You stole…"

"I know. I know." Wyatt dismissed anxiously, "But, Lucy…" he swallowed hard as he looked up at her tear-filled eyes, "Lucy, I…spent five years hoping for a second chance…and then, then I met you," he nodded, "and I realized…hell, I knew a long time ago that you were that second chance I had been hoping for…and when I saw that ring…I wanted to have it…just…just in case…,"

Happy tears streamed down Lucy's face as she offered Wyatt a watery smile, "You…you really believe I'm your second chance?"

"I told you by that pool" he reminded her, "you saved my life, Lucy Preston." He nodded at her as he bit back his own tears, "I think that's truer now more than ever…ma'am."

Lucy looked down at the beautiful art deco ring now sitting in the palm of her hand, sparkling in the sunlight streaming in from the one grime covered skylight they had in their room. She shook her head in disbelief, "I…I can't believe you…why didn't you say something…"

Wyatt pressed a desperate, but gentle kiss to her lips before pressing his forehead against hers and admitting, "I…God, Lucy…I should have given this to you right after '41…but you wanted to make sure I was sure about us…and then that stupid alarm rang and well, Lucy," he offered with a nervous gulp, "I'm as sure as I'll ever be, ma'am. I never want to lose you again. Ever."

"Wyatt…"

His eyes sought out hers as he nodded seriously, "Marry me? I know it's crazy. I know we haven't been together that long, but dammit Lucy, I love… "

Silencing him with a kiss, Lucy cupped his jaw with her hand, running her fingers along his cheek as her mouth moved against his. Wyatt's hands threaded through her hair, transporting her to that moment in 1941, when the only thing in the world that mattered was them. Dragging her lips from his, even as his wanton look had her ready to dive in for another kiss, Lucy pressed her forehead against his and murmured, "I love you, too."

"So how about it, babydoll?" Wyatt asked again, "Make an honest man out of me?"

Unable to articulate a sound, Lucy nodded as tears of joy streamed down her face. Hugging Wyatt to her as he pressed kisses to her temple Lucy sobbed into his neck, completely overwhelmed by…well…everything.

Wyatt worked the ring out of her hand, determined to do it the right way as he pulled slightly away from her, "I know it's a stolen ring…and that…that's probably not the best way to…"

"It's perfect, Wyatt." Lucy promised. "Really," she assured him with a watery smile and a nod of her head, "I mean…it's us."

Wyatt grinned at her as he slid the ring onto her finger, kissing her hand as he pulled her up to stand with him, "We are seasoned car thieves…"

"And shoplifters." she added with a sigh, admiring her hand before she wrapped her arms around Wyatt's neck and kissed him once again. "I love you, Wyatt Logan."

"And I love you, Lucy Preston." he replied, nuzzling her cheek with his nose before sighing and taking her hands in his, "Thank you for saving me, ma'am."

Lucy chuckled, wiping away her tears as she reminded him, "How many times is that now? I'm starting to lose count…"

Wyatt eyed her playfully as he pressed another kiss to her bejeweled hand. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day wrapped up in her arms, but he knew they had already stolen too much time from their next mission. Sighing heavily he began, "Speaking of saving, I think we had better see if we can track down old Rufus, don't you?"

Mirroring Wyatt's own bittersweet sentiment with a nod, Lucy agreed, "Yes, definitely." As they made their way out of their shared room, Lucy held out her hand, admiring her ring, "Won't he be surprised?" she asked, smiling.

"Who, Rufus?" Wyatt offered, "No, I don't think he'll be surprised at all. I think whenever he sees this," he acknowledged with a nod towards her ring, "he'll think it's about damn time." Wyatt nodded before explaining, "Rufus knew I was crazy about you before I could even admit it myself. Hell, he read me like a damn book." Stopping, he turned to her seriously and nodded, "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

Lucy offered Wyatt a sad smile before stepping forward and kissing him softly and nodding meaningfully, "I'm just glad you're here."

"Me too, babydoll…me too." With one last kiss, Wyatt pulled back and grinned at Lucy, before stepping forward and offering her his hand with a wink.

Smiling, Lucy threaded her fingers through his, delighting in the feel of his steady, strong presence beside her as they made their way through the bunker together. Her heart ached for Flynn's sacrifice, but she couldn't help to be eternally grateful that he had saved her…saved him…saved them and in so doing had given her and Wyatt both a second chance at finding happiness. As Wyatt pulled her into his side and pressed a kiss to her temple, she nodded and looked into his smiling face, "Come on," she grinned as she jerked her head towards the LifeBoat, "let's go save Rufus."

Notes:

And there it is - FINALLY finished.

Okay, so let's get into the problems I tried to solve. The big glaring one is Flynn/Rufus...and it really almost made me forego writing this fic altogether, because there is just no way around this issue that makes sense. The writers SHOULD have had Rufus appear in the bunker instead of in the Old West. Why? Because Jiya went with them. There were already 4 on that trip..Flynn's sacrifice should have had Rufus appear back in the bunker...but he didn't...so because of that, I had to figure out a way to have Rufus in the past WITH the memories from the LYATT timeline.

Rufus' memories of his timeline don't change (but the other people in this timeline are replaced by the S2 timeline folks) so because of that, I knew I had to have THIS Flynn go back while Rufus was in the past so that Rufus' memories were retained. Rufus saw Lucy get hit by Nicholas, so seeing a new version of Lucy bloodied and bruised isn't a shock for him (because he never says anything about it when he sees her...and you think Rufus would). Rufus also has no idea that Wyatt died (in this timeline)

As I said in last time's notes, Flynn dies in both timelines...and in both timelines he goes back to kill Jessica. That's why I had to bring her back. We know this because of the autopsy photos that still exist when they come back to the present. I couldn't have him leave from the same point as he does in Season 2...because Jiya, Wyatt, and Lucy are WITH him...and even if I hadn't killed Wyatt in this story...their memories wouldn't have changed. They would have had the same memories as Rufus because they were in the past.

I'm giving myself a headache just writing this explanation. LOL.

So anyway, I had a problem...a big one...and I tried to solve it the best that I could...but Rufus showing up in the past was a big big issue I couldn't fully get around. So, we're just going to have to not think about Flynn leaving from two different points to do the same thing.

Before I even started writing the first chapter of this fic, I made a list of KNOWNS and formed the story around those.

1) We know from the S2 movie that according to Rufus, Lucy and Wyatt were together.
2) We know that Flynn killed Jessica both times - because the autopsy report.
3) We know that Rufus was in the past and that four of them had already gone (Jiya, Flynn, Wyatt and Lucy) and since his memories didn't change and everybody else is in a different reality - he was in the past when they weren't.
4) Carol Preston is killed in a car accident in the new timeline (after dying before in Chinatown).

I absolutely hated that I couldn't fix the two different jumps for Flynn...but I saw absolutely no way to fix it that would give Rufus different memories than Lucy, Wyatt, and Jiya since Flynn left from the past in the movie. So, because I knew that there were going to have to be two different jump points for Flynn, I also knew that there was going to have to be a reason for this version of him to kill Jessica. Having him kill Jessica for the hell of it seemed heartless...so I had her kill Wyatt, had Lucy become absolutely devastated...and Flynn come to his realization that oh yeah, THIS is why she gave me the journal.

I repeated the convo about the kiss b/c that happened AFTER Jessica returned & would have therefore been done away with when Flynn reset things & I didn't want that to be erased.

I know this is a complicated spiderweb of timelines...but I hope that you appreciate the mental gymnastics it took to make this somewhat feasible. I didn't even begin writing the first chapter until I felt fairly confident that I had worked out the bugs presented with trying to figure out how Rufus got where he did and how his memories were different from everybody else's. It's why I don't have Lucy and Wyatt leaving yet in the end of this fic...because at some point they're going to be replaced by S2 Lucy and Wyatt (don't ask me how) with different memories because Flynn jumps and changes reality. I will maintain forever that it was a BIG glaring mistake of the writers to bring Rufus back in the past without explaining why his memories are different. It would have made SO much more sense for them to have had him reappear back in the bunker...and when Lucy, Jiya and Wyatt came back to the present...they'd see him there then and have their reunion and compare timelines...and it would have made my effort in trying to write out his timeline SO MUCH EASIER.

Anyway. I hope you all enjoyed this story. Try not to think too hard about the different timelines...believe me, it's a great way to get a migraine.

Thank you so much for reading.