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

Happy Memories and Bitter Truths

Flynn-

Flynn was speechlessly dumbfounded. He knew Lucy was an amazing woman, had known before these trips through time began. Now, though, Flynn was practically knocked off of his feet, which didn't happen very often with someone of his skill, with how utterly magnificent she was. He didn't think he'd ever understand how she could be so forgiving, so compassionate, and so...loving. The next several years are going to take their toll on her and she eventually becomes the hardened woman in the latter part of her journal, but it was only to protect herself. Flynn could understand that only all too well.

How could she not think I'm a monster?!? I shot Abraham Lincoln no less than ten-feet away from her. He was her idol, the man she admired most from history. How is that right there, excluding everything else I've done, not enough to condemn me in her eyes forever? Lucy was truly an anomaly amongst the human race. He'd never met, and he expected he'd never meet anyone in the future, as good or forgiving as Lucy Preston. She shined with the brilliance of the sun in his dark world.

Flynn realized that he'd been quiet a long time and that Lucy was waiting for him to speak, if he was going to speak. He decided she deserved something real from him.

Clearing his throat, Flynn was trying to think of what to tell her. He suddenly felt like he was back in school in front of the classroom for a presentation. He'd never liked doing that sort of thing and that hadn't changed, but this was for Lucy. He racked his brain for a happy memory, but not just any happy memory, it needed to be special. Finally his mind reminded him of the prefect time to tell her about.

"I was around four or five years old, I believe," Flynn began, his brow furrowed as he delved into his mind for the details of that particular day. "It was summertime and she took me to the park one day after work. We did that often, I think because it reminded her of Gabriel." Sadness filled his tone, sadness for his mother's loss, and the sadness of knowing he would never have the memories of growing up with him or how different his mother would've been without his death always hanging over her.

"I was trying to impress everyone at the park with my skill of the monkey bars when I fell and broke my left arm. Now, being a man as I was at that age," he smiled at Lucy when she interrupted by laughing, he couldn't help it, her joy was infectious. "I tried to pretend that I wasn't bothered, but I wasn't able to hide the few tears that fell down my cheeks. Before my mother could get to me, a man and his dog came running up to where I was sitting. He was there with his son, and he also happened to be a doctor."

"That sounds lucky," Lucy said, the amusement evident in her voice. Flynn chuckled. It definitely had been his lucky day, but that was later in the story.

"Yes, it certainly was. He splinted my arm at the park and took us straight away to the hospital where he worked. I was in a cast and thankfully medicated before we knew it. My mother was grateful it was done so quickly, and I was grateful for the painkillers, my masculine facade had been fading fast in the wake of the pain. It was a level of pain I'd never experienced up to that point in my life."

"Well, I should hope so, being as young as you were!" Lucy's outrage at the fact children should not experience great pain, pain that was not of a natural occurrence at least, endeared her to Flynn all the more. He smiled at her, loving how so utterly good hearted she was. "So your day at the park ended in a broken arm and your first high from prescription drugs, forgive me, but I'm not sure how I understand that's exactly one of your happiest memories with your mother."

"It was what happened after I was fixed up that made it happy, Lucy. Sometimes the happy part doesn't come until after a little pain...or a lot of pain," Flynn reworded quickly at the raised eyebrow of Lucy. "It wasn't just my lucky day because I broke my arm at the same time a doctor was at the park, but the fact that his wife had a hobby of dog breeding." Flynn waited to see if she would fill in the blank. He wasn't disappointed.

"So...you're saying you went home with a cast and a dog?" Lucy asked.

Flynn grinned at her. "Precisely. The doctor was taking us back to our car at the park and I got to sit in the backseat with his dog, Boris. I'd never had a dog and he was very loving. We had a great time together. By the time we were at the park I was begging my mother for a dog just like Boris. I don't know if she meant it or not but she said we would start looking soon for a dog. And right on cue the doctor mentioned his wife bred dogs, just like Boris, they'd just had a litter born some weeks prior, and they were now ready for new homes."

"So even if your mother was only appeasing the little boy with the broken arm with a vague promise, she now had the means to provide the dog and no reason to really say no, did she?" Lucy said, grinning. Flynn grinned back.

"No, she didn't. It was quite convenient. She might not have been serious, but she couldn't deny how happy the dog had made me. We went to pick up one immediately. I picked a male. He licked my chin and happily wagged his tail all the way home. She laughed at my joy and I remember that I'd never seen her smile so much or for so long in my entire life. So that's why it was my lucky day and one of the happiest memories with her."

"Yes, I can see that." Lucy's voice was soft, her smile beautiful. "What kind of dog was he and what did you name him?" She asked. He loved her curiosity.

"He was a Croatian Sheepdog. He was black with a white patch on his chest and very lively. He was my faithful companion for many years." Flynn said, his fondness for the dog obvious.

"And the name?" Lucy asked.

"A good Croatian name; Bojan. The j sounds like a y so it was pronounced Bo-yawn."

"What does it mean?"

"It meant "battle"." Flynn replied.

"Hmmm," Lucy began, giving him a thoughtful look. "I like it. I suppose it's somewhat fitting for an animal that would be your 'faithful companion'."

"Yes, I suppose it would be. I've been through my fair share of battles, and that was before Rittenhouse. It feels magnified since then, however." Flynn left it at that as he wasn't sure what else to say. No matter how much they might not want it to be so, it always seemed to come back to Rittenhouse with them. They were always in the background, and if the journal was right, as it usually was, they would be for some years to come. The thought saddened him, but there was nothing to be done. They were now on the course set in motion by the journal and there was no altering it.

Silence, but not uncomfortable this time, came over the room. Flynn wondered where Lucy's thoughts had gone to, but he didn't want to interrupt the companionable quiet between them. Not just yet anyway. The hustle and bustle would begin soon enough. Judging by the brightness of the sunlight in the room, he guessed there wasn't much more time until Carl came. He assumed Lucy would feel better if she were already dressed before he did.

"Lucy," she looked at him when he said her name.

"Yes?"

"I think we should probably get up, get dressed. Carl should be here anytime, and I think we both want to be presentable before he is." Flynn forced himself to say this in a neutral tone, suppressing the desire to kiss her again. Or to betray how much he didn't want to get up and face what the day would bring. Lucy's face fell, and Flynn hated he was the cause of that and of whatever bad things were going to happen today. But as he'd thought earlier, there was no backing out, not now.

"You're right. We don't want him to suspect anything. I doubt that would go over very well, for either of us," Lucy said woodenly. Flynn's heart clenched at her stiff tone, but it was for the best. They both needed to steel themselves. No matter what had happened last night, today was still going to be unpleasant. Flynn figured unpleasant wasn't really the correct term for it because multiple people were going to lose their lives. He felt terrible that some were going to be by his hand. And while what he had in mind for Lucy's team, it was of no consequence it wouldn't personally be him, it was still of his doing.

They survived, of course, according to the journal, but there was always the smallest chance they wouldn't. Any number of things could happen differently today that would cause them to die like he planned. The guilt actually stabbed at him. While he was certainly no fan of Logan, for many reasons, Rufus was just caught in a bad spot, being their only pilot, and Flynn did feel bad about that. It wasn't fair...but life isn't fair, Flynn reminded himself of the bitter truth. Sometimes good people were lost only because of unfortunate circumstances. He just hated Lucy was going to be hurt if they didn't survive.

Lucy's voice, like it always would, pulled Flynn from his dark thoughts. "Well," she said as she rolled away from him. "We'd better start getting ready." There was a false cheerfulness in her tone, but Flynn couldn't begrudge her for her facade and actually approved, although she didn't need it, of her choosing to face their situation with dignity and the bravery most people would never have. She fit the description of the Amazonian Warrior women of myth and legend in every way.

Flynn rose from the bed and they dressed in silence.

...

I hope everyone had a great Fourth! :)