PROLOGUE : FAMOUS LAST WORDS

SIX MONTHS AFTER EL RENO

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

KATE WANTS A REAL ENGINEER.

T-DARC is functioning perfectly fine without a real engineer—or so Willow insists the moment Kate brings it up. Javi watches Kate sigh in response, the kind of sigh that screams I'm so done with you.

The day drags along, the weather calm—not quite the kind of chaos they're itching to chase. With no storms on the radar, emails and data analysis take over, droning on like background noise. Lunch in the lab becomes a welcome reprieve, thanks to Willow, who corrals everyone to share the casserole Tyler packed. Because somehow, between being a reckless tornado chaser and a former rodeo star, Tyler Owens is also an amazing cook.

Javi can't help being impressed. Jeb really did find the perfect cowboy for her.

Work talk continues even over lunch, though, because for Kate and Willow, it doesn't feel like work when they love it so much.

"And we have been doing fine," Kate concedes, leaning back in her chair. T-DARC is running smoothly, well enough that they can finally afford to hire someone else. "But I still think it would help to have someone who can solder without burning half their hand off."

"I take real offense to that, Kate," Willow says, pulling a mock pout as she picks at her lunch.

"If you would just start wearing the protective gloves—"

Javi cuts in before they can spiral into bickering. "No, I think Kate has a point," he says, leaning forward slightly. "Especially if we're trying to get the PAR drones off the ground. Getting someone in here with some real weight in that field might help us work out the kinks we've got right now."

And Willow can't argue with that. The drones have been a headache lately—issues with ensuring that when they lose visual in the sky, the data collection still works when stationary on the ground, not to mention making them more resistant to damage during flight.

"I could always call up some of the folks from StormPAR," Javi suggests, testing the waters. "See if they'd want in."

Kate raises a brow sharply. "I hope you aren't talking about recruiting Scott."

Before Javi can respond, the lab door swings open, and Tyler strides in, hat in hand. He makes a beeline for Willow like always. "Hard pass," he says flatly, voice dripping with distaste. "No ex-StormPAR scum allowed. No offense, Javi."

Tyler doesn't wait for a response. He drops his hat onto the table and leans down to greet Willow with a kiss so soft and sweet it's almost cinematic. His hand slides down her shoulders as though she's the most precious thing in the world, and Willow melts into it, her smile so radiant it feels like their first kiss all over again—never mind that it's probably the millionth one today.

Javi groans and points to the far wall. "This is exactly why we made the sign."

And by we, he means himself and Dani. It took all of two minutes to slap together the now-infamous NO CANOODLING IN THE LAB poster, complete with Dani's crude stick-figure artwork of a couple making out.

"Oh, come on," Tyler says as he pulls back, smirking. "I'm just building team morale."

Willow giggles, leaning into him, while Kate finally rolls her eyes at the pair, though the fond smile on her face gives her away.

"I have to eat here, dude!" Javi protests, gesturing to the food in front of them.

Unbothered, Tyler shrugs and plops down in the seat, casually stealing a bite off Willow's plate.

"And Scott did apologize," Javi grumbles, as though trying to reclaim some ground. Somewhere between deciding not to follow through on a civil suit and dropping the restraining order against Willow after that not first, but second punch, Scott had begrudgingly made peace with T-DARC. "He'd be a solid choice if he wasn't already lined up with the NWS anyway."

"Still wouldn't want him," Tyler mutters around a bite of casserole. "You don't just let someone like that back in."

Javi doesn't argue. Something about Tyler's comment—about letting someone back in—hangs heavier in the air than it should.

It hurts more than it should, a sharp pang he feels in his chest. Because once, they could have said the same about him. They should have said the same about him. Instead of letting him back into the fold, Willow and Kate could have ousted him, left him to the world he had chosen over them, the world that had chewed him up and spit him out. He knows he made his mistakes—big ones—and that he's lucky. Lucky they came around quicker than even they thought they would.

But Tyler? Tyler had been the toughest to convince. He held the grudge that Javi thinks Willow should have carried, the kind of anger that seeped into every interaction and left Javi groveling in a way he hadn't even done for the two women. He swears he apologized to that man more times than he can count, desperate to prove that he wasn't the bad guy StormPAR helped paint him to be. Sometimes, though, he still wonders if Tyler's actually forgiven him like he swears he has—or if he ever will.

"Then what about I post a listing?" he suggests, forcing a casual tone. "We can set up interviews. Take our pick of them." He tries to steer the conversation back to work, to shake off the heaviness Tyler's words have left behind. He did plenty of recruiting for StormPAR—there's always someone looking to get their foot in the door. And with reporters buzzing around T-DARC lately, trying to get a peek at the team that stormed quite literally into international headlines, Javi figures they'll have applicants lining up.

"I don't know." Kate frowns. "I don't really like the idea of someone new coming in here and messing with all our stuff."

Tyler snorts, loud and incredulous. "How the hell do you expect to hire a new engineer then, Sapulpa?"

Kate's nose scrunches slightly at the comment but doesn't snap back. Instead, her gaze shifts to Willow, who's mid-bite of casserole. The silent exchange between them is instant and unmistakable.

Javi groans. "I don't like when you two do your telepath thing while the rest of us are sitting right here."

"We know an engineer," Kate says, her lips twitching into the faintest of smiles.

"A good one," Willow adds, her enthusiasm growing as the idea takes shape in her head.

They don't have to say the name. Javi knows exactly who they mean. It's written all over Willow's face, that unmistakable, gleaming smile that used to light up the barn whenever she joined them. It's the same smile Willow wore back then—buzzing with excitement, her hands already eager to tinker with something new. It had been her who had made their modded-out DOROTHY function for the first time, her ingenuity so sharp that Willow, in awe, had called her an absolute genius.

Javi doesn't even need to hear the name to know that she is exactly who they're talking about. He's been thinking about her for years—since the day he left her behind, without a word, just a letter of goodbye. It's been four years, five months if he wants to be precise. Her absence has lingered in the background of his life, unshakable, and the thought of her still haunts him.

He can't help it—the memories flood him, uninvited, but unavoidable. He sees her auburn hair in his mind, the strands that used to tumble over her shoulders in the kitchen as he helps her touch up the box dye, washing it out at the sink in a soft, domestic rhythm. He remembers how that hair smelled, that lavender shampoo she always used, and how she'd always joke about it being too much of a hassle to maintain. But she never complained when it was time to fix something, always working hard with a smile.

The last memory of her still haunts him, a quiet moment from the final night they shared. He can still see it as clearly as the day it happened—her curled up in their bed, the sheets she picked out from a HomeGoods trip around her. White with patterned blue flowers, the color she'd always known he loved. He remembers how peaceful she looked, like she was finally at ease, while he could barely sleep through the nights anymore. And as she slept, he tucked that letter beneath her water bottle, the one he knew she'd find when she woke up.

A goodbye, one framed by a need to figure out his grief, to become a better man, and a promise to come back for her when he rights all his wrongs.

So much for all that.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Javi says quickly, his voice cutting through their rising enthusiasm.

"Now I'm starting to feel left out," Tyler interjects, raising a brow as he looks between the three of them.

"Bea," Willow says simply, turning to him. "Javi's Bea."

Tyler perks up, intrigued. "Javi has a Bea?"

Javi groans again, louder this time, dragging his hands down his face. "Javi had a Bea," he clarifies, his tone heavy with exasperation. "And that's exactly why it isn't a good idea to call her up."

"But she would be perfect, Javi," Willow insists, leaning forward like the idea is already a done deal. "And the last time we talked, she kept saying how much she'd love to get her hands on some real equipment again. It's just perfect!"

"You still talk to her?" Javi asks, bewildered, trying to mask the unease creeping up on him.

"Occasionally," Willow replies with a casual shrug. "She still lives near Tulsa. We'd get dinner sometimes whenever she was downtown near the station."

Javi twitches at the mention of it. The thought of Willow knowing the whole story, the dream he had of doing better in everyone's eyes crumbling because of what happened, gnaws at him. He feels exposed, as though she could see straight through him.

"I don't get why you're so against calling her," Willow presses, oblivious to the storm brewing inside him. "I mean, I know you two broke up, but she told me it wasn't a bad one—that you two were good in the end."

Javi's breath catches in his throat. Good in the end? They never even had that conversation. "That's what she told you?" he asks, his voice tight, the words coming out hoarse.

Willow's eyes narrow slightly, her voice slowing as she watches him. "Yeah..." she trails off, suspicion creeping in. "Why? Are you two not good?"

"I mean, yeah," Javi spits out quickly, but it's a blatant lie, one he blurts before he can stop himself. He's already seen that look of betrayal in Willow's eyes once this year, and that's more than enough to keep the truth buried. "But that doesn't mean it wasn't complicated."

"What does that mean?" Willow presses, her brows knitting together.

"It doesn't matter," Javi cuts in sharply, his hand waving dismissively. "What matters is that Bea's not coming anywhere near this lab."

Willow exchanges a glance with Kate, who sighs softly. "You don't know that for certain," Kate says, her tone level but insistent. "Besides, Javi, don't you think she'd be perfect for the job? We already trust her, and we know she knows the equipment."

"Yes, she'd be perfect for it, but—" Javi starts, but his words are already losing ground.

Willow is already pulling out her phone, ignoring his protests as she scrolls through her contacts. "Then I'm just saying, if we all agree Bea really is perfect for the job..." she continues, her fingers moving quickly across the screen.

"Willow," Javi warns, his voice edging with desperation. He can feel the walls closing in on him.

"...then we should at least ask her," she finishes, her tone resolute as she looks at him. "For the sake of the drones."

"It's just Bea, Javi," Kate adds with a casual shrug as if that makes it any better. "We're all adults. What's the worst that could happen?"

Famous last words.

—AUTHOR'S NOTE

SORRY I LIED IM FOCUSING ON THIS FIRST INSTEAD OF LADY MAY

it's officially an falls like thunder sequel au, with continuity issues be damned because I want to still write willow and tyler in ever form of life possible

I WANT TO THROW OUT THERE THAT BEA WAS NEVER A PART OF THE TEAM. she is javi's gf, but she never had much to do with storm chasing, just went to Muskogee, and they had a little house together (important!) and javi brought her around all the time and everyone loved her. will def tried to still talk to her when they ran into each other but she never knew the full details of the javi situation because bea is too good for javi and he knows this

JAVI ALSO NEVER HAD A CRUSH ON KATE HE WAS ALWAYS ALL IN FOR BEA IN THIS AU.

okay enough from me pls enjoy

lots of love,

kari