“How long did you know?” Julie asked Nick as they stood with Charles, Kevin and Steph trying to figure out the next step.  

Nick looked around sheepishly.  “I’ve known since a little after my break with the project.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to inform us that you already knew who was behind it?” Kevin asked.

“Would you have believed me,” He snapped at the older man.

Kevin shook his head.  Julie wouldn’t have believed him either; this was the only way to discover the truth for themselves.

“Is that why you captured him?” Julie asked.

Nick shrugged.  “Changing history if one thing.  When I approached him about joining me he told me he was already working on the same team.  He told me what he was doing and I listened.  I couldn’t believe that he’d been working under everyone’s noses like that for so long. I felt so betrayed.”

Kevin’s throaty laugh interrupted Nick and when everyone looked in his direction he shrugged. “How ironic.”

Nick sighed and continued.  “I know, I had not right to feel that way but I did.  I told him no and he warned me that if I said anything he’d turn me in.” 

“Is that why you took him hostage?” Julie asked.

“We co-existed for quite some time until I found out his side project was interfering with my attempts to change history for the good of everyone.  I decided he needed to be stopped so I captured him and held him prisoner.”

“You were so cruel, were you really going to let the Romans kill him?” Julie demanded to know.

“Yes, I would have if he wasn’t better bait for you.” Nick looked apologetically at Julie and she rolled her eyes. 

Everyone grew silent, there wasn’t much to add and nobody wanted to bring up Nick’s past with everyone in the room.  Julie could see that Kevin was holding something back.

“So what do we do now?” Julie asked everyone but was looking at Charles.

“We question Erika again.” He stated flatly and walked towards the room they were holding her in.  The rest of the group trailed after her, mostly at a loss for anything else to do.

“I tried to get information out of her when you and Nick were chasing AJ, but she hasn’t been giving anything up.” Kevin said quietly to her as they walked towards the room.  “Unless we have something to offer I’m afraid we are not going to be able to find AJ.”

Julie stopped just outside the door.  She couldn’t bring herself to enter the room and see her former friend tied up and who know what had been going on to get information out of her.   Charles, Steph and Kevin entered the room but Nick stayed behind his hand placed on Julie’s shoulder.

“She’ll be fine,” He assured her though Julie wasn’t sure how he would know. 

Julie could hear Kevin and Charles talking in the room trying to coax Erika to giving up AJ.  She knew the other woman wouldn’t give up anything.  If it was her in there and they wanted her to give up Kevin she wouldn’t speak either.  Only if she could be assured that they would be able to be together would she possibly consider giving up any information. 

Suddenly a thought hit her.  “Nick, tell me about what happened to you when you got fixed?”

Nick explained to her again how when he was shot he was taken to the hospital where they repaired the injury and while they were repairing him they had found the faulty DNA and corrected it as well. 

“Nick would you be willing to tell me what time that was?” She could see the apprehension in his eyes. “We can’t stop you now, you are here, and you are alive.  It is not likely that anyone will hold it against you for going into the future, I’m assuming Charles already knows.”

Nick nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets.  He told her the year he’d jumped to and she let out a squeal of excitement.

“That’s it. Thank you,” She smiled and kissed Nick on the cheek before finally entering the room to face Erika.

She entered the room and looked at Kevin and then at Erika.  The woman had tears in her eyes but was avoiding making eye contact with anyone in the room.  “Can I speak with her alone?” She asked the others.

Steph was already leaving the room, Charles simply looked at her sadly before leaving, but Kevin stuck around.  “Are you sure you?”

Julie nodded, her eyes focused on Erika.  She pulled up a chair and sat across from the other woman.  Her arms were bound so there was no chance of her lashing out at Julie.   “I’m fine.” She reassured Kevin and she listened for the door to close behind him after he exited.

“Erika, I know that you won’t give him up.  I get that.”

“Do you?” Julie could see the look of despise in Erika’s eyes as they fell on her.

“I would never give Kevin up.” She shrugged. 

“Really?  I’ve seen how Nick was looking at you just now, I’m sure if Kevin were gone you wouldn’t have long until another man was in your bed.”  Erika’s lips curled as she spoke.

Julie took a deep breath and ignored her comment.  “What if I told you there was a way you and AJ could be together.”

“And in prison at the Project, no thank you.” She turned her eyes away from Julie again.

“No, there is a time in the future that Nick has been too that can fix the DNA within you.  They can take your ability to jump.  We could take you there, you wouldn’t be able to jump anymore but you’d be together.  And since the Project won’t go into the future, you’d be safe.” 

“You just said Nick was there, we’d not be safe.” Erika’s voice was harsh.

“If you work with us, tell us where AJ is hiding, then you will be left alone in that time.”  Julie spoke and sat back in her chair watching Erika mull over the decision.

While Erika thought it over, Julie let her mind wander.  If she was offered the same scenario, would she accept it?  If she was promised that she would get to be with Kevin, to live with him even in the future would be all she’d want.  As long as she trusted the person offering it to her. 

“Erika, trust me.  I will make sure this happens.  I will make sure you two are left alone to live together.  You may have betrayed me and tired to kill me, but, I’ve forgiven those actions in the past and I can’t forget about the months of friendship we shared.”   Julie leaned forward and placed her hand on Erika’s knee.

“I don’t trust Nick.” Erika whispered.

“Who does?” Julie winked and smiled at Erika, a grin breaking out on her face.

“So tell me, before I answer you.  Did anything go on between you and Carter?” She winked back at Julie.  Julie could feel her cheeks burn and knew that Erika had her answer without saying anything.  “Thought so,” Erika looked smugly at her.   “How did Kevin take it?”

“Kevin doesn’t know all the details but I love Kevin and want to be with him.” Julie stated.

Erika nodded.  “I know.”  She sighed and looked at the door behind Julie.  “Tell them I agree to the terms and will let them know where AJ is likely hiding out.  Though he won’t show unless he knows I’ll be there, you’ll have to send him a message.”

Julie listened as Erika detailed how to get a message to AJ and what the message should say so that he knew it was coming from her.  Julie wrote down exactly what Erika said and hoped that it wasn’t a secret message for AJ to run or to come find her and rescue her.  

Julie emerged from the room and held out the note to Charles.  “She is willing to work with us, she’s told me where to find AJ.”

Kevin pulled her close into a tight hug.  “Congratulations.” 

Julie pulled away and looked at him.  “Before you congratulate me.” She explained to everyone what she had promised Erika.  She told them all what the cost of ensuring AJ and Erika could no longer change history.

“I’ll agree to it.” Charles spoke up.

“They need to be punished.” Kevin spoke up.

“Kevin, they will be in a time unfamiliar to them alone, stripped of their power to leave that time, I think that is punishment enough.” Charles looked at Julie with compassionate eyes.  “You did good Julie.  I hate to think of any of my volunteers doing anything wrong and this solution works best.”  Charles put his hand on Nick’s shoulder and smiled at Steph.

“So where is he?” Kevin asked and Julie knew he agreed with the idea.

“He will be meeting who he thinks is Erika in twenty sixteen. 

“Let’s go.” Nick grabbed hold of one of Julie’s hands and Kevin grabbed the other squeezing it quickly before releasing it so they could jump.