A/N Okay—so as mentioned before, the bulk of this was written before Season 2 premiered….therefore we are set mostly at the very not-blown-up Mason Industries. shrug I had briefly thought of doing a re-write, to get the bunker into this plot—multiple timelines allow for that kind of finagling—but decided that it just made it all too complicated….so just went back to MI as a setting. Just pretend you haven't seen S2 ep1 yet!

From Chapter 1:

The source of the metallic clatter became clear, as she realized that every security officer in the place, and even a few techs, had drawn and readied their weapons...and they were all trained on her.

Gasping, she pulled further back, ducking her head and pressing it against Wyatt's back, but not before she had seen Agent Christopher, service weapon drawn, her face a mix of anger and exasperation.

The look on Christopher's face had filled Lucy with concern, but that concern was nothing compared to the dread that quickly followed—caused by the Agent's next clipped statement.

"What have you two done now?"

Chapter 2:

"Seriously, if you thought I was pissed at your last stunt….what do you think you're doing! Bringing back someone from the past? There better be a good explanation….no, you know what, there is no explanation for this that could possibly be construed as good." Throughout Agent Christopher's diatribe, she had walked closer to the Lifeboat, until was standing only a few feet in front of Wyatt.

Rufus stared at the Agent; trying valiantly to move his lips….but was painfully aware that nothing was coming out. What the hell was going on?

Then Christopher sighed. "But, given what's done is done….get her out of there….and somebody better start talking….now."

Rufus moved toward the Lifeboat, about to help Lucy out, but stopped when he saw Wyatt, still blocking the Lifeboat hatch, and wearing about the most dangerous expression Rufus had ever seen on his friend.

"No," Wyatt said, staring Agent Christopher down.

"That's an order, Sergeant."

"No. Not until every weapon in this place is lowered."

Rufus stepped back, looking quickly between Wyatt's fixed gaze and Christopher's face, set with anger.

Seriously, what the hell was going on? He stepped between them, holding his hands up in placation. "Come on guys, let's just….calm down. I mean….it's just Lucy….Lucy….so let's all just chill for a minute."

"Rufus," he heard Wyatt murmur in a warning tone.

A familiar gasp sounded from his left, and he stepped back in shock, eyes frantically seeking its source—until he saw her. Jiya. She stood on the opposite side of the bank of computers, beside the also familiar whirligig. He took another step back, as he realized her eyes were as wide with fear and shock as everyone else's.

Quickly losing any confidence he had previously possessed in the situation, he heard the shakiness in his voice as he implored, "She's with us….she's time team…." He trailed off, watching the Christopher-Logan standoff continue. He turned back around then, seeking out Jiya's eyes once again. She met his gaze quickly—this time with a clear question in her gaze. He shrugged slightly, and turned back toward the Lifeboat.

"Lower. The. Weapons." Wyatt nearly growled.

Rufus watched as Christopher continued to glare at Wyatt for another moment, and then shook her head. "I don't have time for this. Everybody, at ease." Only about half of the people in the room complied. She spun around, "That means weapons down, people!" This time there was a smattering of mutters as the rest of the weapons were lowered.

She turned back, to face the Lifeboat. "Better, Logan?"

"Better," his stance became less rigid, "But I'm not letting her out of there until all weapons are down," he stared pointedly at Christopher's own sidearm.

Shaking her head again, she holstered her weapon.

"Rufus," Wyatt said, quietly, "Eyes." Then he turned, beginning to help Lucy out of the Lifeboat.

Praying that his interpretation of Wyatt's message was correct—that he was asking him to watch his back—he turned to properly face Christopher and the rest of the MI staff, giving them his best impression of Wyatt's own 'Don't mess with me' glare.

He heard, rather than saw, Lucy's exit of the Lifeboat—between the rustling of her ridiculous skirts and the renewed gasps from the crowd….it was pretty obvious that she was now standing in the docking hangar. He let himself turn back to his team mates, noting that Wyatt hadn't left Lucy's side, and was still standing slightly in front of her, half-shielding her from the others in the room.

Lucy's eyes were wide and red-rimmed, and he saw a slight shake in her hand that grasped tightly onto Wyatt's shoulder from behind.

Christopher, he noted, as he turned back to keep Jiya in his field of view, still held Lucy in her steady gaze, slowly circling around her, like a predator stalking prey.

"Where are you from?" she asked. "Are you from the past?"

"No," said Lucy, "I mean, that's where I….we….literally just came from….but I'm not fro…." she trailed off.

"Did these….gentlemen," she nodded between Rufus and Wyatt, then turned much kinder eyes toward Lucy, "Bring you here to save you from something, or from someone?"

"No!" she said, "Well, I mean we were being chased….but it's not like that."

Rufus saw Christopher's eyes widen in surprise. "Did they bring you here against your will?"

"What? No!"

"I think," Christopher said, taking a step toward the staircase, "I think it's best if the two of us go have a chat, up in my office."

Lucy moved as though to follow her, until Wyatt placed his hand on her upper arm.

"Luce—you don't need to answer any questions you don't want to," he gazed back at Agent Christopher, who appeared as though she were about to argue that point, "And you are most definitely not going anywhere without me."

That was it—this was getting out of control. Rufus stepped forward, so that Lucy was now completely hidden from Christopher again, behind both of her team mates. "Look, this is getting ridiculous," Rufus craned his neck back toward Wyatt, "I mean jeez man, what's with all the Dirty Harry crap?" even though he knew his analogy wasn't quite right, to describe Wyatt's unusual behavior. "And you guys," he turned back to look at Christopher and the rest of MI, "This is Lucy, Loo-ssee," he added for emphasis. "She's with us, she's Time Team….I mean…." He looked quickly between Christopher and Jiya, "Don't any of you recognize her?"

The queasy feeling that had been developing ever since they first exited the Lifeboat settled firmly in his gut, as he saw yet again the blank stares in their eyes. Dropping his hands by his sides he stepped back, looking behind him for answers in the eyes of his team mates, yet finding none.

Agent Christopher circled back again, away from the stairs, and toward the team. "Lucy, is it?"

Lucy nodded slowly.

"Who are you?"

Rufus looked back toward Lucy, noting that she had gone suddenly pale.

"I…." she said nothing more, as Wyatt wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Rufus turned back to find Jiya, staring at him in wonderment from the other side of the computers. There was no doubt in his mind that Lucy's reluctance to respond had nothing to do with not wanting to….but rather having no idea on where to begin, in answer to that question. He was also certain that, given similar circumstance he couldn't have done any better.

Christopher looked again between Rufus and Wyatt, then stepped back toward the stairs again, ducking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose. "You know what? All three of you then—up to the conference room, right now. I'll be there shortly….I've gotta make a call."

Before Rufus had a chance to move, three security guards moved toward the Time Team, drawing their weapons again, and obviously focusing in on Lucy.

"Whoa." said Wyatt, moving to stand between Lucy and the guards. "Not. Necessary. We can get the conference room on our own, thanks; we don't need the Praetorian Guard here—"

Christopher sighed. "Fine, then get going. But the Praetorian Guard is going to follow you, and stand watch outside those doors." She glanced up toward the visible conference room door, "Just so I know you're not going to disappear on me."

A/N pt. 2: This story owes a debt of gratitude to internet search engines—who knows where the hours go while you search things like "time travel paradoxes" and "great riots of American history", and also owes a nod to the tv show Fringe—particularly S4 E5, from which I borrowed both inspiration and some paraphrased lines. I also need to give big thanks to angelwings, for her help—even though she isn't aware of it—as a comment she made in a review for a totally different topic on a totally different fic helped provide me with the key to the plot element that allowed me to bring this whole thing together! I know much of this may all seem somewhat familiar, as I use a couple of themes and ideas here that have appeared in several other fics—but I hope I have successfully combined them in a way that is still original!