Disclaimer: I own nothing. All belongs to Timeless and ABC.

An Awkward Request

Lucy-

Lucy and Flynn quietly sat sipping their drinks, both seemingly lost in their thoughts. Lucy was worried that while it didn't seem to be much, she'd revealed too much with her little story about her past. With a brilliant, yet frighteningly devious, mind like his, who knows what Flynn could do with the information. She wanted to believe that he wouldn't find a way to use it against her, but she couldn't be sure, and that scared her more than she'd like to admit. Anything was possible when it came to Flynn.

Finding the glass empty, Lucy decided to take what would be considered a walk on this wild side in this situation and have another drink. The casual conversation following the first had had the added benefit of calming her desire. There's nothing like talking about your mother's obsessive expectations that you follow her footsteps and almost drowning to cool the blood! She thought in a small amount of amusement. Flynn was also right about the whiskey, it was helping relax her. And he was right about about another thing as well, she desperately needed sleep. Whatever happened tomorrow, it was sure to be stressful so rest was required. She walked to the cart with the supplies and made herself another drink the way she'd watched Flynn. She saw from the corner of her eye that Flynn gave her a satisfied, all-knowing smirk. Sexy bastard, she thought.

There I go again with calling him sexy. Lucy internally sighed. She couldn't deny it any longer, not even with herself. She found Flynn handsome, sexy, and was drawn to him like no man she'd met before. Even the attraction she felt for Wyatt was wholly different than the pull she felt toward Flynn. It was unexplainable. Maybe it's like the pull of the Dark Side of the Force, like in Star Wars. Lucy almost laughed aloud at that thought. So if Flynn is the Dark Side, does that make Wyatt the Light, and me Anakin?

This is so absurd! She mentally chastised herself. While it was still a matter between good and bad, right and wrong, it didn't involve aliens, light speed, or intergalactic domination. This was about protecting history, the good and the not-so-good sometimes, and saving their way of life as they knew it. If I'm starting to compare my life to that of the Chosen One to bring balance to the Force, then I definitely need sleep. Lucy quickly downed her drink and decided to get ready for bed. She'd been too preoccupied with her thoughts that she'd never noticed how quiet it was. Flynn hadn't said a word in the last several minutes. Neither did she realize that he'd been studying her, quite intently the whole time. Nor that he'd gotten up and made another drink for himself as well, before sitting back down to continue his watchful gaze.

It was when she stopped in front of the bed that Lucy became cognizant of a problem she felt she should've caught on to much, much sooner. While most of the time that her, Wyatt, and Rufus had a plethora of clothes to choose from at Mason Industries and Jiya to help her dress, that wasn't the case this time. Flynn had taken her to a dress shop when they first landed in Chicago and actually bought a dress for her. Which meant Lucy had every single period appropriate garment. This ensemble, of course, included a dress that buttoned up the back and a corset which also laced in the back.

The woman at the dress shop had helped with the clothes, but there was no woman now. Lucy knew she'd never be able to sleep, even with the liquor, comfortably with the high collared dress and tightly laced corset. As there was no woman on Flynn's "team," and it would seem very unorthodox to ask for the innkeeper's wife or staff member for help, there probably wouldn't be one here at this hour anyway. Since her and Flynn were obviously sharing a room, it would be assumed he was her husband and therefore he would be the one to help undress his wife.

There was no nightgown so Lucy figured she'd just have to sleep in her chemise and drawers. It wouldn't be much, but she would be covered and that's all that mattered. Well, there's no help for it. I need sleep and these clothes need to come off to accomplish that. Heaving a sigh, Lucy turned back to face Flynn in his chair and gathered her courage to ask for his assistance. Never in a million years did Lucy think she would be asking Flynn, of all people, to help undress her.

In the grand scheme of things, it really wasn't a big deal, but in this instance, to Lucy, it was. It just seemed so...intimate. It made her nervous to think of Flynn helping her to take clothes off, and not just because he was the man keeping her hostage. It was the butterflies you felt the first time you undressed in front of someone and were worried how they saw you. And more alarming, how you felt before you slept with someone for the first time. Oh, my god! Lucy thought. I am not having Flynn undress me so we can have sex! Besides, we wouldn't necessarily need to undress to have sex. Just a few adjustments of clothing and...

Lucy wanted to slap herself, blushing crimson. Stop it! This isn't a big deal. It's not like he'll care! Feeling much better after telling herself it wouldn't make a difference one way or the other to him, she took a breath and said, "Uh, Flynn...I need your help."

Flynn, who had still been watching her, only raised his eyebrows in question.

"The dress."

Confusion marred his brow. "What about the dress?"

"It buttons up the back."

"And...?"

How could he be so obtuse? Lucy huffed. "The buttons are in the back, and unless I've grown arms and hands that could reach back there, which I assure you I haven't, I'll not be able to take it off on my own." Flynn took a drink of whiskey as she stated her predicament.

Surprise, an emotion Lucy couldn't place, and finally amusement all crossed Flynn's features. "Well, now, that is a problem, isn't it?" He grinned at her.

Lucy closed her eyes. "Please, Flynn, don't be a jackass about this. It's already an awkward request enough. Please don't make it more uncomfortable." She opened her eyes to look at him, expecting more sarcasm.

Flynn sobered immediately, however, much to Lucy's relief. "You're right, Lucy. I'm sorry." His apology felt sincere to Lucy. He got up and slowly walked to her. Stopping before her, Lucy couldn't bring herself to look up at him. She only silently turned around so he could work on her dress. She could feel his fingers fumble on the tiny buttons, making her smile a little. Neither spoke, and after what felt like forever, Flynn finally had all the buttons undone. She stepped out of it and laid it across the bed. Then she stood still for him again so he could untie the corset.

He pulled on the laces hesitantly, almost as if he were nervous himself. Lucy dismissed that notion, though. Why would he be nervous? It's not him who's the one flirting with the Dark Side. Lucy rolled her eyes. There it is again, the Star Wars reference. The corset was then loose enough that Flynn pulled it over her head and laid it next to her dress. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, and said, "Is that all you need?"

Lucy kept her back to him, said yes, and thanked him. She didn't move until she heard him move away from her. She sat on the bed and took her Victorian time-period boots off, wishing that they weren't still in style as they made her feet hurt. Next came unclasping her garters so she could take her stockings off. Lucy walked to the small vanity, took her earrings off and started pulling pins from her hair, letting the wavy locks loose.

She had no idea how alluring she looked to Flynn while going about this, or how seductive it was to him and how much he was fighting the urge to go to her and crush her to him, to kiss the life out her. She hummed as she removed the pins, completely unaware that Flynn was willing his body to ignore his rapidly swelling desire, or the excitement from seeing so much of her skin, as little as it actually was. Every pin taken out, Lucy turned to see Flynn staring at her, an indecipherable expression on his face.

"Is there something the matter?" Lucy asked, wondering if Flynn would answer honestly as she waited for his answer.