Author's note: Not going to lie I struggled a bit through this chapter, I knew how I wanted it to end but I couldn't figure out how to get there. Why my brain can't write a story in order I have no idea.
After a headache inducing discussion, and a few more freak outs from both Lucys, the team came up with a way to keep the timelines the same and not create duplicates of themselves. The team would take Rufus back with them before Emma has a chance to take a shot, that way he'll be labeled as missing instead of dead to the original team. When the team flies back they'll still be upset over Rufus being gone which still allows for Lucy and Wyatt to swoop in from the future and take them all back in time to save him. All Logan and Wyatt had to do was make sure Emma's shots didn't hit any other members of the team.
"It's starting to get dark we gotta move. Logan and I will go hunt down Emma while you guys find Rufus, convince him to come with you", Wyatt said, his eyes never leaving Lucy's. As they turned to leave she mouthed 'be careful' and he responded with his signature smirk and a wink.
The girls strategized on how they would get Rufus to come with them, they couldn't grab him too early because then he wouldn't have yet convinced Jiya to come home and they couldn't be too late or he'd already be dead. They made their way to the infamous saloon, trying to avoid their past selves and Emma.
"I've got it! He was one of the last ones to walk outside right, so why don't we just stop him before he does. Emma will still probably shoot and they'll just assumed he got lost during the crossfire" Jiya said excited by her plan.
"Yeah we'll just sneak in the doors after Emma and Jessica leave" Preston added. She noticed Lucy's face scrunch up at the mention of Jessica, "What happens with her… in the future I mean, does Wyatt ever get over her?"
Lucy's heart ached at the broken expression Preston wore as she asked about Jessica, "I really wish I could tell you, I would have given anything to know that answer when I was in your place but I can't tell you guys about your future, it's dangerous to know too much too soon. You just have to trust that everything works out the way it's meant to." Lucy subconsciously played with the finger on her left hand as she spoke, which didn't go unnoticed by Preston. Is that a nervous habit I pick up in the future? Is she trying to signal me that things get better with Wyatt? Or worse… that they don't. Jiya picked up on the action too and discreetly put her hand over Lucy's and tilted her head to where Preston's was going a mile a minute. Lucy has always been a fidgeter, first with her hair as a young girl, then with the locket and as of a few years ago, with her wedding ring. Dammit, she scolded herself, well at least that isn't as obvious as running my hand over my stomach, she did that when she was nervous too.
Logan and Wyatt were almost to the alley when they saw the girls sneak into the saloon. Please be careful Lucy, Wyatt begged. They got there in time to see Emma hiding behind a stack of crates as the past versions of them exited the saloon, no Rufus! You did it Baby-doll! Turns out Emma is a pretty terrible shot in the dark, maybe hitting Rufus the first time was just dumb luck. She fired off a few shots and took off down the alleyway. From what they could see Emma had still managed to hit Flynn, it happened the first time but this one seemed slightly worse. Unlike last time Flynn had now taken a shot to the side as well as his shoulder. The boys could see the past team trying to stop the bleeding as Jiya frantically called out for Rufus.
"Rufus knows what to do, if we get separated we meet back at the lifeboat", past Wyatt said trying to calm Jiya down.
"Jiya I'm sorry I really am but he's lost a lot of blood we have to get him back to the present… we will come back for Rufus I promise. Wyatt help me get him up." The past team helped Flynn to his feet, which was not an easy task given that he towers over everyone, and they slowly made their way towards where the lifeboat was parked.
The three girls made their way inside the saloon and huddle close together, hoping to shield their faces from their past selves. Before Rufus got even a step past them Lucy had him expertly pinned against the wall with a hand over his mouth to stop his surprised scream, all those combat lessons with Wyatt are paying off, she mused. He was confused to see Lucy in a different dress but his eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw Preston and Jiya step up behind her.
"What the hell!" he screamed as soon as Lucy removed her hand, causing her to put it back.
"Shh Rufus its ok we're here to save you!" Lucy soothed. He looked between the three girls and nodded as Lucy slowly began to lower her hand. They briefly explained how he had died at Emma's hand and how the future team found a way to come back and save him. Rufus was practically jumping up and down at all the questions he wanted to ask, Jiya placed her hands on both his shoulders to keep him still and promised they would answer all of them when they got home. They heard gunshots and past Jiya desperately calling out to Rufus from behind the door and Rufus lunged to get to her. It took all three women had to hold him back long enough to explain that she needed to think he was missing in order to keep the timelines relatively the same. They heard past Lucy and Wyatt say something about Flynn losing a lot of blood and that they would come back for Rufus as soon as they got Flynn to a modern doctor. The four waited inside for an extra five minutes just to make sure the team was really gone. They walked out onto the porch and saw Wyatt and Logan walking towards them.
Rufus was beside himself with laughter, "Wyatt's got a beard! Wyatt's got a beard!"
Wyatt watched as the team made their way down the five or so steps of the porch. He mentally prepared himself for the shit Rufus was going to give him about his beard but he didn't care he was so excited to see his best friend again after all these years that he almost missed Lucy's movements out of the corner of his eye. Whether it be his Delta Force training or his hyperawareness of Lucy but he saw what was about to happen before it even happened. Lucy was trying to bunch up all her skirts so she wouldn't step on them going down the stairs but one layer in the back got caught on a lose board and she didn't even make it one step down the stairs before disaster. His world was suddenly operating in slow motion, Wyatt bolted towards his wife but he didn't reach her in time, she fell head first down the stairs and tried to put her arms out to brace her fall.
"Wyatt!" she called out in a panic but she landed with an unmistakable snap.
Wyatt dropped to his knees and pulled Lucy flush against him, not caring about their stupid 'don't let them know anything rule', and started checking her all over looking for what he knows is broken. Her whole body shook with sobs as she lifted her arm to him and by the way it was angled it was clear it was broken. He whispered soothing things into her ear and placed a kiss to her temple as he helped her to her feet. The rest of the group rushed over to help the couple.
"Jiya there's no way she's going to be able to fly and I still haven't finished my training yet you're going to have to fly our ship. I'll hitch a ride back with these guys. Luce can talk you through the controls, it's not that different from the current lifeboat" Wyatt's voice dripped with worry.
Preston's heart skipped a beat when Wyatt called his Lucy 'Luce', no one had ever shortened her name before, given that Lucy was already short enough. Hearing Wyatt's rough voice say it ignited feelings she hadn't felt since he first called her ma'am. Something as simple as dropping the last syllable of her name was enough to drive her crazy.
She made eye contact with Logan before biting her lip and quickly looking away, a faint blush dancing across her cheeks. 'Luce' huh, good to know, Logan filled away for later.
"We have to get back home now" Wyatt tried to hide the shake in his voice. No one besides Wyatt, Lucy and Jiya knew the urgency behind the fall, all they saw was a non-life threatening broken arm.
This time he didn't need Flynn's snarky reminder to say goodbye to his wife because he was already buckling her into his usual seat while she guided Jiya through the unfamiliar controls.
"You got this Jiya, bring them home", he encouraged as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
He bent down and gave Lucy a drawn-out kiss, her lips salty from her tears. They rested their foreheads together and exchanged 'I love you's' before Wyatt climbed out of the lifeboat. He held his breath as he watched it spin and blink out of existence, his wife and child going with it.
