Jiya begged and pleaded to join in the festivities for VJ day and so it was decided that they would find a hotel that was relatively close to the action, so that if things went south, they could remove themselves from the situation as soon as possible. They found rooms at the Hotel Bristol on 42nd Street and 5th avenue. Room rates for a double room were only $7.00.

"Are you kidding? SEVEN dollars for a hotel room in Manhattan? Near Times Square?" Jiya was completely excited. The hotel clerk smiled as politely as he could muttering something about "weirdos that come in after midnight" as he glanced at the strange attire of more than half of their group.

They opted on getting three double rooms on the same floor, immediately next to each other. While Jiya and Rufus were desirous to have their own room, Wyatt was adamant that Jiya share a room with Lucy. If truth be told, Wyatt would have preferred sharing a room with Lucy so that they could at least talk privately, but he was not about to push for an arrangement that would leave Lucy in an awkward position. If rooming with Rufus and his thunderous snores were the price he had to pay for her comfort, he would gladly take it, which left Conner Mason and Garcia Flynn rounding out the third room. Lucy and Jiya took the middle room while men flanked them on either side, theirs being the only room without a gun, but as Rufus pointed out, "No one will mess with Lucy with Jiya around, she even scares the hell out of me."

It was nearing 2AM and as the adrenaline rush from their mad escape from the bunker began to wane, they realized just how exhausted they all were. Locks were checked and double checked, walls were spoken through to verify that everyone was safe and secure and then one by one they slipped off into a restless sleep – all of them still anxious and tense from the night's activities and the situation they now found themselves in.

The next morning, Wyatt, Lucy and Rufus went shopping for themselves and their pajama clad team mates. After actually buying clothes, instead of stealing them, the trio hopped over to a bakery and brought up a breakfast of muffins, bagels and orange juice. Lucy noted mentally how strange it felt to be doing something so ordinary as buying clothes and going to a bakery when none of them had been able to do something like that since they were taken to the bunker. For one small moment, Lucy felt like any other person in the world and not a time travelling refugee. By the time they got back to the hotel, they found that everyone had congregated in the girls' room, Jiya teaching them all card tricks as they waited for their friends.

Once they had all breakfasted and changed, the boys began a round of poker while Jiya walked over to the window "I thought today was V-J Day? How come it looks like every other day in New York?"

Lucy was hanging their newly bought dresses, but walked over to the window to look with Jiya. "Well, the announcement for the end of the war doesn't happen until after 1PM today, so we've still got another hour and half or so….well, they do. We know it's going to happen."

"Ugh. I can't wait. It's going to be so amazing…and that kiss? We can actually be there to witness the most famous kiss in history." Jiya gushed.

"Actually, the kiss wasn't romantic at all." Lucy said with a shrug. "Just some random sailor running through the streets kissing as many girls as he could lay his hands on. A photographer just happened to snap the picture at the right moment."

Rufus cackled "So you're telling us that this kiss that I was supposed to be all informed about was just some dude assaulting women on the street?"

"Are you serious, Lucy? He didn't even know her?" Jiya looked like the wind had completely gone out of her sails.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders again. "Nope. He was just caught up in the moment."

Mason raised his eyebrows thoughtfully, "And history was made." He put down his cards and looked at Jiya who was frowning, "That photo isn't about romance, Jiya. It's captures the excitement, the relief, the unbridled joy of the end of a war that took a nasty toll on the entire world. You young people look at it and are either offended or enraptured by it. Those of us who have a bit more um…experience, see it as the promise of a new beginning, the hope that the end of the war…or any war for that matter, brings with it."

Lucy let out a small chuckle, "I would love to know what that feels like." Wyatt eyes flickered over to hers. She gave an apologetic smile and looked away, but he continued to watch her. He knew that this war with Rittenhouse had taken its toll on all of them, but for Lucy it was more. It was personal. They had done so much to destroy her and her happiness and he would never forgive himself for the role that he played in hurting her. He had fallen into that damn trap so easily. Now, as he watched her he could see the weariness weighing down on her, he could see what months of isolation and stress had wreaked on her emotionally…and he was determined to do something about it.

He cleared his throat "So, what time do these festivities start?"

"Wait a minute, why?" asked Rufus wide-eyed and slightly panicky. "Don't tell me you want to go down there? Last I heard we were supposed to be laying low, as in hide, as in don't go someplace where Emma might turn up."

Wyatt laughed at him, "I thought that's why we got this hotel, so we could go out and actually enjoy life for a little while and then slink back here if we needed to."

Rufus was not phased. "You remember Emma, right? Crazy red-haired Emma who tried to kill me, Emma? You think she's going to let a few million people keep her from shooting us?"

Jiya grabbed Rufus' face with both of her hands, "You are no fun, Rufus."

"Maybe, but I'd prefer to not die in 1945."

Jiya understood, as they all did, that they weren't invincible. The last mission was a stark reminder of that fact. Still, the temptation to enjoy life while they could was irresistible.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why we came to this particular place and time? So we could hide in plain sight?" Mason queried, now far more interested in the conversation than the game.

Lucy bit her lip and considered. It was tempting and she wanted nothing more than to keep her mind off of what had just happened at the bunker. Yet she was worried that by venturing out, they would put themselves in a position of unnecessary risk. She looked up at Wyatt. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a smirk as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. "There are so many people here and we could just blend into the crowd…but I don't know, what if we run into her and someone gets hurt?"

"My thoughts exactly." Rufus said with a satisfied nod of his head. He rubbed his shoulder absent-mindedly remembering his last run in with Emma Whitmore.

Wyatt and Jiya looked slightly disappointed. Then Flynn spoke up, "What if she isn't here at all and we sit around rotting in a hotel room for a week and then go back to a secure bunker and rot in there for a damned eternity? I've been in prison and sometimes I think I had it better in there."

For once, Wyatt was happy to have Flynn's input. "The way I see it, Emma is gonna have a hell of a time trying to find us in a mob. I would rather take a chance so that we can actually enjoy life for once instead of constantly living in a hole like a damn rat. Like Mason said, we hide in plain sight."

Lucy gave an exasperated sigh "Fine. As long as we stick together and we come back at the first sign of trouble. No splitting up, no heroics, we're just going out and try to enjoy ourselves."

Just as Lucy had said, the news announcing the end of the war came just after 1PM. Millions of people poured into Times Square, from 40th to 52nd street, it was one giant block party. As they made their way towards the festivities, any anxiety and fear they had about being discovered by Emma disappeared almost completely. Lucy and Rufus were smiling from ear to ear as they scanned the crowd around them. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to find someone they were looking for in this sea of people. For the first time in what felt like years, they could wander the streets like regular people and for the first time ever, they could experience history instead of fighting to save it.

Everywhere people were dancing, singing, and cheering. Confetti floated down upon them from open windows, like multi-colored snowflakes. It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement. Mason and Rufus took turns dancing with Jiya and Lucy found herself at the mercy of more than one serviceman's lips. While she blushed and giggled, Wyatt worked hard to keep himself from punching the jackasses right in their damn mouths. Fair is fair, however, and Lucy couldn't help but notice the ladies hugging Wyatt and giving him kisses on the cheek as they made their way through the party scene. Flynn rolled his eyes at Wyatt's blushes, but even he was caught grinning as women threw themselves in his arms overcome with excitement.

When they finally made their way back to their hotel, it was late and they were tired, but not one of them could remember when they had had so much fun without having their day spoiled in one way or another by Rittenhouse. It had been so freeing to be out enjoying life, celebrating. The gloom of the bunker wasn't hanging over their heads, the fear of Rittenhouse finding them had been pushed to the fringes of their minds and yes, they were refugees, they had just been driven out of their time and out of their home in a surprise attack, but it seemed like that belonged to another life. Here, they were safe, here they were happy. Here they were just six people celebrating the end of a war they had never experienced. Their war was still raging at home, but here in the past, they were offered a reprieve from it and were happy to pretend, if only for a little while, that they had the same hope for the future as the people in 1945.

Not finished celebrating, they made their way to the hotel bar to have a few drinks before heading to bed. Flynn stayed for one drink, complained of his bruised side and went back to the room. Mason, sensing he was a bit of a fifth wheel, soon followed. Rufus and Jiya stalked off to a small table, giggling leaving Wyatt and Lucy alone at the bar.

For a while neither of them spoke. Silence was preferable to awkward conversations, anyway, but yet there was so much that needed to be said. Lucy finally nudged Wyatt's arm, "Thank you for today. I needed this."

Wyatt gazed at her intently, "We all needed it, Lucy" he dropped his voice down to a hoarse whisper, "but I'd be lying if I said I did it for anyone but you. I wanted to see you happy again."

Her heart fluttered a little in her chest, remembering the last time he talked about her state of joy. It was 1941 and they were stealing a car after one perfect night by a sparkling pool. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks, "You're supposed to be worried about all of our safety, not my happiness."

Wyatt frowned and Lucy was surprised to see the sadness that filled his eyes, "You should never have been unhappy to begin with, Lucy."

She looked down at the bar, knowing full well that if she kept looking into Wyatt Logan's eyes, she would lose all control over the emotions that were currently battling their way to the surface. "Wyatt – "she whispered.

He grabbed her hand, "Lucy, listen, I don't expect anything from you. Not now, not ever, but if I have to work every day to make up for what I did, I will. I would do anything for you, Lucy."

Except choose me over Jessica.

Wyatt dropped her hand and hung his head down and it was a few moments before Lucy realized she had said that out loud. She was suddenly horrified and gasped "Wyatt, I'm – "

"You don't have to apologize, Lucy" his eyes were closed, his voice strained with emotion. "I deserve it. I left you standing there while I ran off to find her. I brought her to the damn bunker." He shook his head with self-reproach. "I messed everything up and now I have to live with it."

He quietly paid for their drinks, gave her a soft smile and then left the bar.

Lucy sat there battling with herself. She couldn't deny how she felt about Wyatt, but he had hurt her and with that hurt came a wall of defense around her heart. Jessica was still out there, alive and she wasn't sure if she could trust him fully with her heart again. Not yet. It hadn't been that long since Jessica betrayed them, since Wyatt shared his bed with her, and yet here, they were 73 years removed from that awful time. It was so easy to pretend that the realities of their situation didn't exist here in 1945, but Lucy couldn't help but fear that the minute they stepped off that time machine and back in the present, she would find herself heartbroken all over again. The fact that they were once again in the 1940s didn't help matters. All day she had been reminded of the last time she had seen him dressed in that sweater, how happy they had been – and the memory of it made her ill, because she also remembered with fresh pain how quickly it had all been snatched away. Maybe that's why she had blurted that out about Jessica – the alcohol had loosened her tongue which betrayed the thought that had plagued her for months. Jessica was always Wyatt's first choice.

But just as soon as she had that thought, her mind recalled her words to Wyatt during that fateful phone call. She's your wife and you love her. "Yeah, but you and me." he had said…and when he apologized what did she say? Don't be. She wondered that if she had fought for him a little more instead of throwing up the defenses, if maybe he wouldn't have been so ready to reconcile with Jessica. She had spent most of that time thinking about what she thought Wyatt wanted and didn't even consider what it was she wanted.

She waved to Rufus and Jiya and pointed towards the lobby, indicating that she was going to go upstairs. They nodded at her, Jiya giving her a concerned look as she noticed the despondency etched across Lucy's face. She was lost in thought as she reached their floor, she ran right into Wyatt as he paced the corridor in front of their rooms.

"Lucy, I'm sorry –"

"No, no Wyatt, I'm sorry. I - I wasn't looking."

They stood there staring at each other, both filled with too much emotion and maybe a little too much alcohol. Lucy cleared her throat. "Wyatt, listen, I really didn't mean –"

"It's okay, Lucy. Really. I don't want you beating yourself up over this. You have every right in the world to hate me." Lucy protested. "No, let me finish – you should hate me, you shouldn't even want to be in the same room with me, let alone talk with me – but you do…and dammit Lucy, it just makes me love you even more than I already do. I don't deserve you or any of it"

Lucy blinked away tears that were forming and slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. She was afraid to ask the question, but she needed the answer. Her disparaging thoughts would plague her until the end of time if she didn't find out. "Wyatt, when did you know you loved me?"

He sighed and then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I fell in love with you slowly and then all at once, Lucy. I might have tried to convince myself otherwise, but that night in Arkansas in 1934 meant everything. When I kissed you, I knew then I had already been in love with you for a long time." He tentatively stroked her cheek with his thumb, searching her eyes for a hint of understanding.

To say Lucy was surprised by this revelation was an understatement. She gasped and scrunched up her face as if trying it make sense of it all. "But – but…you stole the time machine. You broke the law to try to get her back, Wyatt."

He dropped his hand from her face, closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, "I know. I know I did." his voice quiet and racked with regret.

Lucy watched him in silence, her emotions at war within her. She wanted to trust him. He supposedly loved her, but he had left to save his wife. Hell, he ran after Jessica again after 1941. How could she trust him? He had never given any indication to her before that he was conflicted, that he was struggling with his feelings for her. And then suddenly, she was hit with a memory, a conversation she had had with Jiya after Wyatt had stolen the time machine with Rufus. "But you came to me, first - to tell me" she murmured softly, almost to herself, not looking at him. "Why?" She raised her eyes to look at him once more. His eyes were swimming with tears, it was clear he was wrestling with his own emotions. "Why?" she asked again, louder as she stepped towards him.

"Because I had to try, Lucy. No matter what I felt for you, I couldn't move forward – not when I had that damn name, not when I had a damn time machine. I lived for six years with guilt and pain and - hell, Lucy…I was such a screw up, I couldn't believe that any one like you could feel anything for someone like me. Someone who had left their wife to die on the side of the road."

Lucy stepped even closer to him, her hands stroking his face – he didn't answer the question. "Why did you come to me that night, Wyatt?"

He looked almost ashamed of himself as he spoke, "I wanted to see you one last time before – "

She didn't let him finish, she pressed her lips to his, completely taking him by surprise. He wrapped his arms around her as the elevator door dinged open. They just as quickly pulled away from each other, as Rufus and Jiya came waltzing into the corridor, arm and arm still laughing and smiling at one another.

"Oh hey, guys!" Jiya exclaimed. Her eyes darted to Lucy, then to Wyatt and back to Lucy, both of their faces flush, both of them breathing heavily. "Did we interrupt something?"

Lucy shook herself and cast a sheepish look at Wyatt, "No, I was just saying good-night to Wyatt."

Wyatt cleared his throat and looked at the carpet, "Mmhmm…night Lucy." He chanced a glance back up towards her as she opened the door to her room. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. That smile sent Wyatt's heart soaring. He looked up at the ceiling, spun on his heel and quickly entered his own room with a "Night Jiya, see ya Rufus" as he shut the door behind him.

Rufus and Jiya were left standing in the hallway, opened mouth with a look of total confusion on their faces. "That was weird, right?" Rufus asked.

"Definitely weird." Jiya answered.

Rufus leaned towards Jiya's ear and whispered "Do you think we interrupted something?

"I think we totally interrupted something."

They gave each other a high five and separated into their respective rooms, silently determined to figure out what the hell had just happened between Lucy and Wyatt.