Slowly, imperceptibly, the fire dies back as Lucy sits up long into the night. But if the fire could think, it would have known that its light and warmth went unheeded by the woman in the chair. Lucy had long since shed her outer dress and front lacing corset for the comfort of curling up in her shift and Garcia's coat. She had put it back on for warmth and wrapped its larger size around her small frame for comfort. She felt small and childlike in it and for a time she felt remote from the revelations of the day.

As she stared into the flames her brain slowly started to work its way through all that she learned that day. Lucy sniffed and wiped at a few lingering tears. After she had gotten Garcia into bed Lucy had broken down crying. Crying over her loss of Amy. Crying over the loss of a innocent child she never carried or knew. Crying over how out of control her life really was. Crying over the potential betrayal of her mother. It was all too much. Times like this made her miss Amy more than ever. Amy had always been there for Lucy. Amy had been so real, so warm, that Lucy had always been close to her growing up. Lucy pulled the coat tighter around herself and jammed her hands into the pockets. Hiccupping, she smiled as she drew out the handkerchief Garcia had offered her earlier. It was crumpled and a little damp in spots but she smoothed it out as her mind turned her jumbled thoughts over and over trying to make sense of it all.

Only glowing embers were left when Lucy came to the hard realization that she was truly alone in the world now. She did not want to accept that her mother, her ever present rock and personal cheering section, was a member of Rittenhouse. Yet at the same time she knew that it had to be true. As Lucy looked back on her life too many seemingly random things that had never made any sense, now did. They made sense if you added Rittenhouse to the mix. Her mother had been the best of agents. She raised Lucy in a warm, loving home. She had married a wonderful man, her step-father, and kept him in ignorance of her true nature for many years. She had conceived and raised Amy and loved her equally despite the fact that she was only half Rittenhouse. Her mother was a pro. Her mother was perfect. And that perfect pro had subtly and sometimes not so subtly groomed and guided Lucy for the 'glorious future' that she always said was awaiting her. Lucy had never understood that until now. That grooming for a nebulous glorious future was what convinced Lucy that her mother must be Rittenhouse.

Thinking back to her childhood all the decisions that Lucy had 'made' had been, in fact, engineered by her mother. Very subtly, but engineered by her none the less. Lucy loved history but hadn't really wanted to teach at the college level. Lucy had enjoyed doing the research, and had thought about writing a book or two, but she had really wanted to do something hands-on. Perhaps work for the Smithsonian, or another museum, perhaps teach younger children to love history, or even work at some sort of historical site. Those were never good enough, in her mother's opinion, and she had been vocal in her opinions about Lucy's life and decisions.

Lucy thought back to the elementary schooling she had received at the very exclusive, very private, school she had gone to. She realized now that her step-father could have never had afforded some place like that. It must have been Rittenhouse funding that, and perhaps the rest of her education. She thought back to the childhood birthday parties and play-dates with children she didn't really know or get on with. Her mother was always there in the background urging her to 'make friends' with those children. Lucy would lay money on the fact that all those times had been for her to forge ties with other Rittenhouse offspring.

Through all the big and small turning points in her life her mother had been right there for her, with her, guiding her. Lucy had always thought that her mother had been wonderful. Lucy loved her. And now she realized that her mother had been perfect. A perfect member of Rittenhouse. And even though she loved Lucy, Rittenhouse had tainted that too.

If Lucy were returning to HER original timeline then the issue of her mother would be moot. Rittenhouse or not, her mother had been dying of cancer. There was nothing Rittenhouse could use Carol Preston for and Lucy would have Amy. They would have each other and move on. Lucy felt like she could deal with Rittenhouse if she had her sister by her side. But Lucy knew that the timeline she was returning to was irrevocably changed and Lucy would have to cope with those changes. No Amy. And a mother who was alive, well, and an active member of Rittenhouse.

Her father being a member of Rittenhouse did not bother her nearly as much as her mother's potential betrayal. She had never known him till recently and the fact that he was evil made him seem almost as if he were the villain in some novel. The fact that he was ruthless enough to kill his own child, his own grandchild, didn't surprise her. Not when taken in context of how evil Rittenhouse was. She shivered as she pondered being a direct descendant of the cockroach David Rittenhouse. As she wiped the last tears away her mind turned to John Rittenhouse. Surely he was not the only child of such a man. Who was her ancestor? Another son, perhaps a daughter?

With that final thought Lucy finally faded into sleep, her head against the upright back of the wing chair, her feet tucked up under the coat, the sky just starting to lighten and Garcia's coat tucked around her tightly.

The emotions of the day and the alcohol had formed a heady combination that kept Garcia Flynn peacefully asleep for far longer than he normally would have slept. Of course, since his family's death, he got very little sleep, no more than a few hours a night and those were always strewn with nightmares. In the early morning light he came back to consciousness. Before he opened his eyes he took stock of where he was and what was going on. He groaned quietly, his head felt heavy, and he realized that he was laying in the bed on his side. For a moment he panicked, where was Lucy? Was she in bed with him? He slid a hand behind him and came up against nothing but more bed until he hit the far edge. His eyes snapped opened, he winced, slamming them shut again. As he slowly opened his eyes he saw Lucy in the chair by the fire. She was curled up asleep, her face tight, her hand clenched around his handkerchief. As he took in the scene he saw the journal pages on the floor in front of her. As his thoughts caught up he realized that she must have finally learned the truth about both her parents. Learning about the calculated callousness of her father probably wouldn't have upset her nearly as much as learning the terrible truth about her mother.

His eyes moved to the window and he saw the dawn just starting to illuminate the sky, tingeing the lace curtains gold. He looked once more at Lucy, dark smudges under her eyes visible from where he lay. Knowing that no-one but Anthony knew where they were, Flynn felt safe. They could stay where they were for a while longer. He sighed and allowed his body to relax again into the embrace of sleep they both desperately needed.

The next time Flynn's eyes opened the ceiling was bright with mid-morning sun. He slowly turned his head, it was less sore than before, and his eyes traveled to the chair. His body jerked upright in shock. Lucy was gone. Groaning at the sudden movement, he stood and went to the door. It was unlocked. Frantically he looked around the room. As his mind caught up with his eyes he noted that Lucy's clothing and cloak were gone. His gun was laying on the table next to the wallet and a small piece of burnt wood. Walking over to the table he picked up his gun and reholstered it. Under it was a copy of one of Lucy's diplomas. On the back, in crude letters written in charcoal, was a note.

"Stay here. B back soon. L."

Growling, he paced to the door again and then back to the table. Lucy had placed all the papers and photos back into the wallet. Knowing that it would be pointless to run after Lucy, Flynn cleaned himself up at the basin, his clipped movements showing his frustration. He splashed water over his face and neck. He knew that she was most likely safe. What could happen to her here? Rittenhouse didn't know where or when she was. But her actions frustrated him none the less. Now that she knew the truth he could stop pretending he didn't care about her well being. One of his jobs was to protect her if he could. He snatched up the towel angrily. Not that he cared about her more than to fulfill the desires of his organization. They needed her as an ally, nothing more. At least that's what he had been telling himself since Lucy Three turned into Lucy Four - the present Lucy. Briskly drying his face, he hung the towel and stalked back to the wing chair to wait. He moved his jacket off the seat and shrugged into it. He tried for patience, for calm, but his coat held Lucy's scent and his brain stubbornly refused to fix on anything but her.

The door opened and Lucy's voice preceded her into the room. Flynn jumped to his feet.

"Ah, merci encore." she said as she backed into the room, her arms laded with a tray covered in steaming food and drink.

As she turned into the room and bumped the door closed he came over and took the tray, hissing at her so as not to be heard by the servant still in the hall, "Where were you?"

Lucy looked up at him and smiled, "Out."

Flynn set the tray down on the table and turned back to her, "Something could have happened to you!"

Lucy considered this for a moment, "Something could have… but it didn't." She shrugged. "Besides, I took your knife." she said drawing a thin blade out from inside her corset.

It said something about Flynn's state of mind that he hadn't noticed that it had been missing off his person. "How'd you find that?" he said trying not to look shocked at the fact Lucy had armed herself.

"Who do you think took off your boots?" She busied herself at the basin washing her hands. "That's a clever place to put a knife sheath, on the inside of your boot." she commented as she came back to the table where Flynn stood fuming.

"Oh, and I have your hold-out gun." she said fishing under her skirt and fumbling with something.

"My what? Wait…" he quickly patted himself down. "How did you…"

Lucy sighed, "You gave me your coat last night. It was in one of the inside pockets." she said as she handed him a palm sized pistol containing only one shot.

She looked at him for a moment, gauging his mood, and then realized she didn't care about being nice. She was hungry and she knew he had to be too. The emotions of yesterday had left her famished.

"Sit, eat. We've got a lot to talk about and I have some questions." she said matter of factly, sitting and taking the cover off of a plate of eggs.

Flynn sat opposite and looked at her. "Are we going to talk about how you disappeared without waking me?"

"Nope. You were exhausted. You needed to sleep. And I needed to think. To plan." she said, biting into a piece of buttered toast. "Here," she said as she slid the plate of toast towards him, "eat before this gets cold. I had to charm the monsieur to get us a late breakfast up here."

His eyes snapped up off the toast he was considering, "What'd you do?" he said apprehensively.

She smirked and took another bite of her breakfast, chewed slowly, and swallowed before answering. "I just flirted a little." At Flynn's blank look she continued, "You know… smiled and batted my eyelashes… made sure my cloak wasn't covering my decollete?"

Flynn's eyes involuntarily jumped to the place in question before snapping back to his plate. He stabbed at the eggs in front of him. "I don't recall saying that you could wander off on your own like that." he said in a surly voice.

"I don't recall needing your permission." she retorted and then went back to her meal.

He could stew for all she cared, but she was eating while the food was hot. With what she had in mind it was hard telling when her next hot meal would be. If her plan worked. If the mother-ship was as capable as she thought it must be. If Anthony was agreeable. If Garcia could stop being the walking time-bomb he was. Ha. That was amusing. Time… Bomb… She smiled at her pun, trying not to think about all the 'ifs'. She must be more keyed up than she thought to be making juvenile jokes in her head.

"What?" Flynn snapped, seeing her smile to herself. He was still annoyed with Lucy for scaring him.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing." she replied. Lucy was determined to stay in a positive mood. After yesterday's revelations she had a choice; laugh or cry. That's what her Gramma Preston, her dad's mom, always said. She was done crying. She was done with others manipulating and controlling her life. Everyone wanted something from her. The government wanted her expertise as a historian and to be the team leader for their merry little band. Her mother wanted her to live life the way that she wanted, giving up her own dreams and aspirations. She thought that Wyatt, despite pining after his deceased wife, wanted something more from her. She was very fond of him, but not like that. Noah, a complete stranger to her, wanted her as his fiancée, with all the implied benefits. Flynn… Garcia, wanted her on his side of this warped time equation.

She was through with doing what everyone wanted. Since she had to deal with all of this one way or another, she was going to do it her way.

She paused in the middle of sipping her coffee and snuck a peek at the man across the table. His hair fell down over his forehead as his head bent to his meal. Did he want anything more from her? Now that she knew about Lorena, about the connection that she and all the "Lucys" shared, she wondered what Garcia Flynn saw every time he looked at her. She desperately hoped that he wanted nothing from her save help in bringing down Rittenhouse. Despite his good looks and charm, at this point she couldn't handle anything more.

Flynn mechanically ate the food in front of him, not tasting a bite. He was angry with Lucy for leaving the room and putting herself in jeopardy. If he was honest with himself though, she probably hadn't been in any danger, except from maybe the wandering eye of the monsieur downstairs. No, if he was truly honest with himself he was angry because now that she knew the full truth he felt responsible for her somehow… almost proprietary… but he knew that was foolish. She was no more his Lucy than any of the others had been. He stabbed at an egg in irritation.

He was also puzzled at how Lucy was behaving. He had thought that after learning all about Rittenhouse, her parents, losing Amy for good, and their own connection, that she might have needed some time to sort through it all. He thought that she might be a bit "at sea". The Lucy he saw before him was not what he expected this morning. This Lucy looked collected… she had mentioned a plan. When had she come up with a plan? And what was it for?

Lucy set her cup down and regarded Garcia across the small table. "Are you going to pout all day?"

He glanced up at her through his bangs, "I'm not pouting. But I am annoyed with you."

"Well, get over it. I've thought about it all night and you've been right from the beginning."

He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, conceding that Flynn had been correct on some point had never been a Lucy trait. He had rarely won an argument with Lorena. "Right about what?"

"Right about how I'm supposed to help you and your nameless organization."

He took a sip of his coffee, savoring it. It had been just as good when he had been here with Lorena. He ruthlessly shut down that line of thought. She was dead, in the past, and thinking about Lorena was only going to complicate his relationship with Lucy. They were different people for all them being the same.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you. Not till you meet with the head. It doesn't matter if I trust you. He needs to trust you."

"And do you trust me?"

He paused, meeting her eyes, holding her gaze intently. Lucy shifted, a little uncomfortable with the weight of his scrutiny. Finally he said, "I do… mostly… but not completely. I don't know you well enough. You're not all exactly carbon copies."

"Fair enough." she replied, looking out the window.

"And do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Trust me?" It felt vitally important to him that she did.

She continued to study the sunlight coming though the window. After a long moment, that felt like an eternity to him, she replied, "I don't know."

Hearing him scoff she elaborated, "I don't. I mean, I trust that the information you gave me is true. It's too crazy to not be!" She turned to look at him, her eyes pleading, "Do I trust you not to hurt me? Yes. You've proved that a number of times." She fell silent and fiddled with her cup.

"But?"

"But you have a temper, you're angry-"

"I have a right to be." he spat, cutting her off.

She glared at him, "I know that." She paused, her hands now pleating her napkin, "But that anger makes you… erratic." she finished quietly not meeting his eyes. "I trust you to listen to reason… most of the time."

"And I am reasonable…. Most of the time." At her raised eyebrow he continued, "Except when I tried to kill a child." he said, finally admitting that move hadn't been the best one. She gave him a look, "And when I decided to kidnap you." he finished almost meekly.

Their lips quirked, neither one could completely hold back a smile.

He cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the intimacy of their current conversation. "So where did you go?" he asked. At her blank look he elaborated, "This morning?"

"Ah, well about that. I have a plan. And it should work. If it does, it'll take a leg out from under Rittenhouse."

"OK," he paused for a sip of his coffee, "What is it?"

"I'd like to know more first about the mother-ship. What are the differences between it and the prototype. The lifeboat is great. It gets us from A to B and back again, but it's very low on the amenities. When we jumped in the mother-ship I didn't feel nauseous. Well, I did. But you had just kidnapped me. Not like when I'm in the lifeboat…." she trailed off.

"There are differences. You'd have to ask Anthony if you want specifics. He's the pilot, engineer, and mechanic. I'm just along for the ride."

"I will." she said and refilled her coffee cup from the urn. "When do you want to head back?"

"Are you going to tell me where you went and how it ties into this plan of yours?" he answered.

"Nope. Not until we're all together. It'll keep until then." she replied and took another bite of toast.

Flynn scowled and went back to the remains of his meal. This Lucy was definitely stubborn… just like the others.

After finishing their meal and leaving the inn they walked back through the bustling market place. Flynn had been trying to pry Lucy's plan out of her without success.

"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" he asked, pushing his hair back in frustration.

"I'm not going to say anything until we're with Anthony. I want to talk to both of you at once because I don't want to go over this twice. Both of you have to agree to this plan." Lucy huffed, exasperated that she was having to answer this question yet again.

"And if we don't? If one of us doesn't agree?" Flynn sniped.

"Well, I'll simply disappear." she replied calmly.

"What?" Flynn stopped dead in the road and looked at her, not sure he heard her correctly. Foot traffic flowed around him as if he were an island. People looked at him curiously as he stood there with his mouth hanging open.

Lucy sighed, "Between what you told me and what history has shown…. if I don't join Rittenhouse soon, I'll end up dead." she said quietly, holding his gaze, her eyes steely. "I don't want to end up dead. And I'm tired of being used. The government has used me, Rittenhouse wants to use me, your organization wants to use me." She stepped closer to him, "This plan really isn't an option. This is a condition for me working for your side."

Flynn studied Lucy for a moment, as if seeing her for the first time. All the women who had been Lucy up to now had shared all the same characteristics. Quite frankly some of it was genetics. But what personality traits came to the forefront, that was all due to circumstance, to experience. The double agent, Lucy Two, had had a very dominant personality. She had been subtle, she had to be being a double agent, but she had had the drive of an Army general and the will to use it. He was seeing that now in the Lucy before him. She was ready to stand up to Rittenhouse, Flynn's organization, and Flynn himself.

He heaved a sigh, he knew that he'd get no further with her. Taking her arm he turned her towards the edge of town. "Why don't we head out then. By the time we get back to the clearing Anthony should be ready to open the door. Then you can unveil this secret plan of yours all at once to both of us and we'll see what's going to be done."

Later, as the bright noon sun sunk into afternoon's honeyed glow they reach the clearing. Anthony was sitting outside of the mother ship finishing the last pages of his book. Hearing them approach he looked up, a hopeful smile on his face. "Well?" he asked, "How'd it go?"

Flynn grunted in reply and made a grand sweeping gesture showing Lucy that she had the floor. Lucy shook her head at Flynn's behavior and sat down on the grass next to Anthony.

"As fine as it could go, all things considered. Some of what I learned was… disturbing. The rest… that was downright earth shattering." she replied, subdued. "I'm glad to finally know everything. It's made things so much clearer."

Anthony nodded in sympathy.

After a moment she cleared her throat, "Anthony, am I correct in assuming that the mother ship can take a fourth person?"

Anthony blinked in surprise, "That's why we have a fourth jumpseat." He looked at her in puzzlement.

"Is it also correct to assume that the mother ship is more sophisticated than the Lifeboat?" she asked.

"Yes." he said, looking at her as if for the first time.

"How closely can you time the jumps?" she fired off quickly.

"Wait. What does any of this have to do with anything?" Anthony asked bewildered at her line of questioning.

"What this all has to do with is my plan to destabilize Rittenhouse." she stated calmly.

"You have a plan?" he squeaked.

"She has a plan." Flynn shrugged.

Lucy scoffed, "Of course I have a plan. You couldn't insist Garcia tell me everything and then think that I wouldn't come up with one." At Anthony's dazed look she continued in a rush, "Isn't that why Rittenhouse AND your organization, the one that Garcia won't tell me the name of, are both interested in having me work for them precisely for that very skill? The ability to analyze history, see the patterns, and figure out another way? Perhaps a better way?"

Anthony shook his head as if trying to make sense of it all. "First, when did you start calling him Garcia?" As Lucy opened her mouth he held up a hand to stop her, "Second, yes… and third, only once the boss approves you can you be let in on our name and inner workings."

Lucy nodded and her gaze unfocused as she mentally went through the list of questions she had for Anthony. When he didn't speak, she asked, a little bit more calmly, "I am assuming we can go back to a time when we already existed because you were in both Las Vegas and Dallas. I wouldn't presume to ask you how old you are but I know you were old enough to be in both of those times."

Anthony sighed, took off his glasses and polished them. "If you told me your plan then…" He put his glasses back on and caught the look Lucy was giving him. "Ok, fine. Don't tell me the plan. Yes, we can. I'm assuming that the government told you we couldn't jump back to a time we already existed for their own purposes, whatever those may be, but it is possible to jump back in time to a time you already exist."

"I'm assuming we don't want to see ourselves?"

"Yup. Think of what would happen. You'd probably go nuts."

After thinking things through quickly Lucy nodded to herself. "Well, this should work then."

"Are you finally going to tell us what your grand plan is?" asked Flynn.

"Yes, and no. Yes, I'll tell you the broad generalities. This plan is going to involve some sacrifice on all our parts. But if everything happens the way I'd like it to," she shrugs, "Then Rittenhouse will be considerably weakened and we'll have a much easier time of taking down the rest of their organization. And no, if one or both of you don't agree to this you can just drop me off at a convenient deserted island and leave me." Seeing the shock on Anthony's face she added, "I'm done being a pawn. I have a solid plan. Agree or don't agree. If you agree, I'll tell you what I have in mind. If you don't… I'm done playing the game and I will make sure I'm not found."

The men exchanged looks with each other. Flynn turned away with a shake of his head, Anthony sighed, "I've already sacrificed everything for this. I've got nothing to lose. I'm in if he is." he said, gesturing to Flynn.

Flynn studied his boots for a long moment. "And if I don't?"

"What? You'll kidnap me again? This is the only way I'll ever work for your side." At his continued silence she said quietly, "Garcia, do you trust me?" she asked, echoing the question she had asked over breakfast.

He met her gaze and held it. He did trust her, at least, he trusted Lucy Two and there was nothing he wouldn't have done for his wife, for Lorena. This Lucy before him was still somewhat of an unknown. But, like Anthony, he had nothing left to lose. He had already lost it all. Finally he nodded, "Yes, I'm in."

A smile of relief blossomed on Lucy's face. "Good. Let's go then."

End of Volume One