44. Lucie
Mr. Williams’ office was tucked away at the back of the Way Station.
He didn’t say a word to her as she followed behind him.
He didn’t even glance back to see if she was still following.
The only sounds came from her unsteady breaths, their footsteps, and the click of his cane along the lit cobblestone pathway.
She’d opened and closed her mouth a dozen times, trying to start a conversation about the weather, the operation, and to convince him to let her stay.
Nothing felt right as he escorted Lucie down what felt like death row.
Each step took her further from the cabins, the orchard, the lake, and Finn.
It was a goodbye to a life she almost got to keep. Almost.
She had picked at the skin on her thumbnail until it bled before Lucie stepped into his office.
Mr. Williams’ office was cluttered, and it smelled of vanilla bean, tobacco, and stale coffee.
Maps covered the walls, marked with pins and lines leading to places she’d never heard of.
His large, battered wooden desk was piled high with papers, and files were stacked in haphazard piles that seemed one bump away from toppling.
Behind it, he sat in a worn leather chair, looking every bit the figure of authority, even in the mess.
He gestured to a chair in front of the desk. “Please, sit.”
Lucie sat slowly, her fingers nervously twiddling under the weight of his gaze.
“Lucie, first, I want to thank you,” Mr. Williams began, folding his hands on the desk. “What you did tonight—saving Isla’s life—was extraordinary. If I had my way, I’d build you a medical bay tomorrow.”
She blinked.
Mr. Williams’s expression shifted, a hint of regret shadowing his face. “That being said, you’re not allowed to be here. Rules exist for a reason, and your presence is . . . a complication.”
Her stomach dropped like she was on a rollercoaster.
“I don’t understand. I thought you just said I helped,” Lucie stammered.
“The Way Station isn’t just any safe house, Ms. Nightingale,” he continued, his tone kind yet firm.
“It’s protected under strict government rules, and only for people directly connected to Legion and their families.
You’re not supposed to know this place exists, and by staying here, you’re breaking the law.
I appreciate what you did for Isla, but I don’t approve of how you and General Vega ignored my orders. ”
Mr. Williams seemed to notice her flinch, and his tone softened.
“You have talent, Ms. Nightingale, and I’m grateful for what you did.
But my hands are tied.” He leaned back, his expression both apologetic and unyielding.
“I’m giving you twenty-four hours to gather your things and leave.
After that, you cannot return, not even to visit.
You must forget this place exists. My hands are tied. ”
Lucie’s face fell.
“During that time, I will help secure a place for you to live. I will take care of all the expenses,” Mr. Williams said, standing up, finishing their conversation. “Think of it as a way to say thank you.”
Before she could respond, the door burst open, and Sabrina and Charlie strode in. Sabrina’s eyes blazed with defiance as she looked directly at her father.
“Dad, you can’t just make Lucie leave,” Sabrina argued, stepping forward. “She saved Isla’s life.”
“Sabrina—”
“No, you listen to me!” Sabrina’s voice rose.
A spark of admiration for her friend’s courage flared in her soul.
“We’ve needed a medical setup here for a while, and what happened to Isla proves it.
DC is too far away. We’re in the middle of a forest with no hospital.
Lucie could be the help we need. We need her, Dad. ”
Mr. Williams’s face tightened, his mouth drawing into a thin line.
“This isn’t open for discussion. Ms. Nightingale is not permitted to stay, and that’s final.
” Sabrina crossed her arms, giving him a hard look, but her father’s expression didn’t waver.
“She has one day, and that’s generous. This is not a permanent home for just anyone who wants to be here. ”
“Only people connected to Legion or the Way Station?” Charlie asked, his voice deceptively casual.
“Family,” Sabrina confirmed, nodding, and peeked over at Charlie.
Mr. Williams nodded, oblivious to his daughter’s conspiring. “Exactly. Nobody else. I know Mr. Vega was a special case, but it will never happen again.”
There was a beat of silence, and Lucie looked over at Charlie and Sabrina, meeting their gazes. In that shared glance, an idea seemed to spark between them, a glimmer of mischief none of them needed to say out loud. Almost at once, they all grew strangely compliant.
“Of course,” Sabrina said, giving him a small, cooperative nod. “We understand.”
With quiet smiles, they turned and left the office, stepping back into the hallway. Once the door shut behind them, Charlie grinned and shot Sabrina a knowing look.
“You thinkin’, what I’m thinkin’?” Charlie asked.
Sabrina nodded, her eyes glinting with excitement. “Definitely.”
Lucie, heart pounding, leaned in close, crossed her arms, and shook her head.
“He wouldn’t be up for it,” she said, her voice soft but sure.
“I don’t want to tie him down to stay here.
That wouldn’t be fair.” She sighed, glancing down the hall as her stomach tightened.
“I’ll leave and say my goodbyes. I’ll figure it out. ”
Charlie rested a hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle.
“Lucie, we want you to stay here too. It’s not just about Finn.
You’re talented and kind, and you saved Isla’s life tonight.
We need someone like you. We know you don’t have to be with Finn to do that.
We’re just saying it’s an option. Do you want to stay here? ”
Lucie nodded.
“What happened to Isla will happen again,” Sabrina said, “and next time, we might not be so lucky if you’re not here.”
Lucie glanced between them, their earnestness making her ache.
She took a deep breath, trying to focus.
If she did leave, would she be giving up only the Way Station?
The thought of returning to the life she’d left behind—the loneliness, the feeling of being trapped—made her stomach twist. Here, she had a purpose, a place where people wanted her around and needed her skills.
“Just to be clear, you’re thinking of . . .” Lucie stammered.
Charlie and Sabrina exchanged another look, then Sabrina took Lucie’s hand. “If you were married to someone who’s part of the Way Station, you’d have every right to be here.”