Liam stood outside Lucy's door, not for the first time, listening to her whimper in her sleep.

They all knew she had nightmares, of course - it was hard not to when she sometimes woke up screaming - but Liam was the one who heard how she struggled even on the quietest nights.

He was the one that knew she'd had a nightmare every night since her arrival.

Rob walked up, his crumpled pajama bottoms making it clear he had just woken up.

"Another rough night?" he asked hoarsely, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.

It wasn't the first time the two of them had convened outside Lucy's room, both light sleepers - plus Rob was used to early morning rises anyway.

"Yeah," Liam confirmed with a sigh, turning and leaning over the railing.

"I read those reports you showed me," Rob said, leaning against the railing beside him, "and... I have a theory. If you want to hear it."

Liam looked up curiously with a raised eyebrow.

This had become a bit of a ritual for the two men - chatting quietly outside her door as she fought against the demons in her dreams. They usually discussed Lucy, of course, so Liam wasn't surprised by the direction the conversation was taking.

"Did you see the little one-liner the doc threw in about how her match laid with her when she napped?" he asked.

Liam furrowed his brow, thinking back and vaguely recalling an off-handed comment about something like that.

"I think so," he said, nodding slowly.

"I don't think she sleeps well by herself," Rob explained, nodding toward the door, "I... think her matches slept beside her."

Liam's eyebrows shot into his hairline, blinking in shock as his eyes darted to the door that stood between him and the woman crying softly into her pillows.

He'd heard her call their names in her sleep, of course... but never once had it occurred to him that they slept with her.

"That... would be strange," Liam finally said, not sure what to think of Rob's theory.

"Add it to the list," he huffed, stretching, "She usually heads to bake after her nightmares. I've taken to sitting at the counter while she works, and she doesn't seem to mind. I'll keep an eye on her if you want to head back to bed."

Liam studied the man, a bit irritated that she was so accepting of him. She didn't treat him any differently than any of the men she'd been forcibly re-matched to, but that was exactly what bothered him... that she treated him the same as her matches.

As if her new unit was akin to nothing more than hired guards.

His irritation melted away as he walked to his room though, because... well, isn't that exactly what they act like?

Sure, they all make a lot of money and are incredibly successful, but she doesn't spend any of it and clearly doesn't care about their titles. They don't even go on missions, so what exactly are they meant to be protecting her from?

The very people they were helping keep her locked up.

He stopped just outside his bedroom door, sighing and running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

He wasn't going to be able to sleep.

Instead he pivoted and decided to head to the basement to swim off some of his frustration. He paused, though, when he heard the clanking of things in the kitchen. As if hypnotized, he found his body following the source of the vibrations racketing around him.

At first he just watched from beyond the doorway, tracking her movements as she danced along the kitchen like she belonged there.

Like it wasn't insane what they were seeing... a primary that cooked...

Rob sat at the counter in complete silence, just watching but never interfering or interacting with her directly.

Liam found himself inching forward until he was leaning against the doorframe, smirking slightly when he noticed she had flour on her nose. He couldn't help his fascination with the woman as she pulled out ingredients and mixed things together with her face forced neutral... but her eyes more alive than any other time he'd seen her.

Like this was the only thing she was allowing herself, even if she didn't eat what she made.

"Stop hovering like a creeper," Lucy finally sighed, not looking toward Liam and thus missing it when his eyes went wide in surprise, "Come sit by Rob. You can have them when they come out fresh."

Seriously, I about jumped right out of my skin when I saw him out of the corner of my eye, she muttered internally, it's hard pretending to be this aloof when they're all sneaky and quiet like that. Is he trying to give me a heart attack?!

Liam walked in sheepishly, rubbing his nose in embarrassment as he sat beside a very amused looking Rob. He wanted to ask her questions, including but not limited to how the hell a primary even learned how to make so many things, but he forced himself to sit quietly and watch her instead.

He'd noticed, of course, that she only wore the most practical things in her closet - and there weren't actually very many things that fit that description that he had seen amongst the General's gifts to her. It was Zachary who had snuck in during one of her visits to the lab to take note of the things she actually seemed to wear, then placed an order and had new things delivered for her.

He'd cleared out the dresser for her and filled it only with the things she seemed to like, relegating the closet for the 'clearly not desired' things she didn't want.

Today she was bustling around in one of the outfits he had gotten her, and Liam couldn't help feeling a bit of pride that their unit had managed to get her things she was willing to wear.

He made a mental note to tell Zachary about it later.

It wasn't long before she placed muffins and some form of fruit-filled pastry in the center of the counter on the cake-plates she'd been using recently - still steaming and making both men's mouths water.

It was when Liam's tongue darted out instinctively that she paused in her movements though, staring - not for the first time - at his lips.

He smirked slightly, amused by how intrigued she appeared to be by it, and tasted the air again despite not really needing to. He watched her eyes go wide, and the corner of her lips twitch up as she clearly fought her own curiosity.

It was one of the rare moments when her real emotions bled through the mask she always wore.

"Lizard," he explained, watching her jump slightly then blush at being called out.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, turning around and stirring the batter behind her with a bit too much vigor.

"Why?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"For staring," she said softly, not turning around.

"Does it bother you?" he asked, wondering if he had misread the earlier interest in her eyes.

"No!" she exclaimed, turning around and looking mortified, "Of course not!"

I'll never be like stupid Rachel, she swore to herself, I'll never make a hybrid think I dislike them because of their species or DNA or whatever.

She remembered how Rachel had treated Marco and Evan, in particular, and shivered at the idea of making Liam feel the same way.

"I believe you," he said gently, startled but also moved by how worried she was.

It was hard not to find her absolutely adorable with her hair a mess, flour on her face, and blushing with a mixing bowl and spoon in her hand - all while she sported a look of horror at the idea that she had offended him.

She continued to work busily, clearly trying to pretend she wasn't as embarrassed as she was, but neither of the men said anything about it. Instead they watched her whip up scones and a little tart-like thing with various fruit fillings over the next several hours before finally pulling the last tray out. She moved straight into cleaning up as they cooled.

The moment she was finished she nodded at both of the men before moving to return to her room.

"Wait," Liam said, standing suddenly then freezing when he realized he didn't know what to say next.

She paused and looked at him expectantly, and he racked his brain for any excuse to keep her from going back to her room.

"Books," he blurted finally, grimacing slightly at himself before clearing his throat and trying again, "If... if you're going to your room... would you like some books to read?"

Lucy blinked at him, tilting her head as she studied him for a long moment.

"We have a library," he explained hurriedly, "I just... you don't have anything else so..."

"Okay," she said quietly, struggling not to giggle at his awkwardness, "Show me."

He nodded and quickly led the way down the hallway, trying to compose himself so he'd stop acting like a fool.

She wasn't the first primary he'd interacted with, and he truly couldn't figure out why he was stumbling around the woman all of a sudden.

When he opened the library door he ushered her inside, watching her face brighten as she looked around. He didn't say anything - he knew he didn't need to - and instead stayed silent as she moved slowly into the space. Her gaze swept from side to side over the tall shelves lined up in rows filled to the brim with books that gave off that smell one couldn't mistake for anything but the familiar scent of knowledge and stories waiting to be discovered.

It was Liam's favorite place in the house.

Lucy saw a table to the right as soon as she walked in and recognized the cataloging system there, so she immediately sought out where the fantasy books she knew she'd be most interested were.

Back left corner, she noted, nodding absentmindedly before turning and letting her eyes wander that way.

She paused then, turning back and looking for technology, space, and biology sections - noting each of them with the pencil and pad stored nearby.

I still have time to get to her, she told herself, I... I don't know how and I don't have a plan but... I haven't heard back from the system so it's time to take matters into my own hands. I need to figure out a way to get a message to her letting her know I'm okay and that she needs to run. If I can, I'll try and help her disappear - maybe I can give her money or something... whatever it takes. Time is running out, but maybe, just maybe, I can find an answer here.

Liam stood nearby, raising an eyebrow at the sections that caught her eye but just watching her. He followed behind at a distance, unable to help himself as she traveled through the shelves. He had expected her to grab pleasure reading, like the fantasy books she'd first looked for, but when she ended up in the academic sections he'd been intrigued by her choices.

She looked like she was on a mission, and he couldn't help being curious about her intentions. In the end, though, he hadn't asked and had only watched as she filled her arms with so many books he worried she wouldn't be able to carry them all before she started heading back to her room.

He'd let her go then, though he truly didn't want her to - simply thankful he'd managed to engage her.

If only a little. 

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