Phil wandered slowly through the ship lost in thought.
He couldn't get the image of the man he was meant to be sitting unconscious in the seat on the bridge. Gideon was currently being silent, leaving him to his thoughts.
The rest of the crew were off the ship, doing whatever they did here which made the fact there was a woman sitting on the stairs leading from the bridge to the parlour all the more confusing.
"Hi?" he said softly, seeing her jump and hastily wipe her eyes.
"Hi," she gave him a weak smile, "I didn't know anyone else was here."
Phil gave a shrug, "I'm kind of the stowaway."
She laughed, "Lily Stein."
"Phil Gasmer," he reciprocated before noting, "You're who we came here to see."
Lily gave a slight shrug, "Apparently."
A little confused, Phil noted, "Did you help?"
"I gave them what they needed," she sighed getting a faraway look in her eyes, "Then I was told I'm not real."
Feeling a kinship with the woman, Phil dropped to sit beside her on the steps.
"Neither am I."
Lily looked at him thoughtfully, "What do you mean?"
He titled his head, "You tell me, I'll tell you."
She smiled at him briefly before nodding, "I just found out that I didn't exist until recently. That I'm here only because my father changed something accidentally in the past."
"At least you are who you think you are," Phil told her, "Something changed but you are you."
Lily looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"
Letting out a long sigh Phil told her, "I'm not me. Or I didn't used to be me."
"That doesn't make sense," she said.
Phil let out a humourless chuckle, "Tell me about it."
"So, who are…were you?"
Sighing Phil said, "Captain Rip Hunter."
"The guy who recruited my dad?" Lily asked incredulously.
"That's what they tell me," Phil sighed.
Lily tilted her head sympathetically, "And you have no memory of being him?"
Phil shook his head, "They all want me to remember. Only Gideon seems to think being Phil is enough."
Resting her hand on his arm, Lily smiled at him, "I don't know Rip Hunter, but I know that despite your own problems, you sat to help me with mine. Personally, I like Phil Gasmer."
A small smile touched his lips before he shrugged, "Thanks."
Lily squeezed his arm.
"Now, you should talk to your dad," Phil told her, "Find out about you because I like Lily Stein and I'm really glad you were here to talk to."
x
"Gideon?"
"Yes, Mr Gasmer."
Phil stood outside the doors of the engine room, "I was wondering…"
"Yes?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"Teach me about the ship," he said softly.
"Are you sure?"
Phil smiled slightly, "You say it's mine so I should know about it. I want to know."
"Then I will teach you everything," Gideon promised him.
Entering the room, he looked around wondering where to start.
"May I ask what caused this sudden change of heart?" Gideon asked softly.
He smiled softly, "Because I don't want to leave you. And if Rip Hunter is somewhere in my mind then I should use that."
Silence filled the room for several moments before Gideon spoke up.
"If you direct your attention to the screen," she said, "Then we will begin."