Some disasters arrived smiling.
They brought coffee, charm, and excuses that sounded reasonable until they weren't.
Luke noticed him the first time he leaned against the Gallagher kitchen counter like he belonged there.
Jimmy.
Steve.
Whatever name he was using that week.
A man with too many stories and not enough weight behind any of them.
Recognition
Luke didn't need the System to feel it—but foresight confirmed it.
Fraud markers stacked cleanly:
inconsistent timelines
evasive answers framed as jokes
generosity that avoided traceable commitment
affection delivered in bursts, never sustained
The kind of man who vanished cleanly because he never rooted himself anywhere.
In the original trajectory, Fiona would be left with:
unanswered questions
unpaid debts
emotional whiplash that hardened her for years
Luke wouldn't allow that pit to open.
Not again.
Preparation Without Exposure
Luke didn't confront Jimmy.
That would only accelerate the disappearance.
Instead, he removed leverage.
Quiet steps:
redirected household finances fully into Fiona's control
blocked any co-signing, shared accounts, or informal loans
ensured no utilities or obligations carried Jimmy's name
subtly warned Fiona about identity inconsistencies—without accusation
No panic.
No drama.
Just insulation.
Jimmy could leave.
But he wouldn't take anything with him.
The Conversation
Luke waited until late evening.
The house was quieter then.
Fiona sat at the table, sorting bills—habit more than necessity now.
Luke set two mugs down.
She glanced up. "You're thinking again. I can tell."
Luke sat across from her.
"Fiona," he said, carefully, "if someone disappeared tomorrow—no warning—would it destroy you?"
She frowned. "That's random."
"Answer anyway."
She exhaled slowly.
"Emotionally? Maybe. Financially?" She paused, then shook her head. "Not anymore."
Luke nodded.
"That's on purpose."
Fiona Connects the Dots
She studied him more closely now.
"You're talking about Jimmy."
Luke didn't deny it.
"He's not evil," Luke continued. "But he's temporary. And people like that always leave when their story collapses."
Fiona's jaw tightened.
"You don't know that."
"I do," Luke said softly. "And so do you."
Silence stretched.
Then she asked the real question.
"Does he leave soon?"
Luke met her eyes.
"Yes."
Choosing How It Ends
Fiona leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
She didn't cry.
She didn't yell.
She nodded once.
"Then I want to know before he goes," she said. "Not wake up to nothing."
Luke respected that.
"He'll tell you part of the truth," Luke said. "Enough to make himself feel less guilty."
"And the rest?"
"You already don't need it."
The Exit That Didn't Break Her
When Jimmy finally disappeared, it wasn't a collapse.
It was a closure.
Fiona had already:
separated emotionally
stabilized financially
reframed the relationship as a chapter—not a foundation
She was hurt.
But not ruined.
That mattered.
Aftermath
Weeks later, Fiona said it quietly while washing dishes.
"You didn't stop him from leaving."
Luke shook his head. "That wasn't the goal."
"You stopped him from taking parts of me with him."
Luke didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
The System registered another intervention.
Not loud.
Not heroic.
Just effective.
System Log (Passive)
Emotional Catastrophe Averted: Jimmy/Steve Fallout
Financial Stability Preserved: Fiona Gallagher
Narrative Authenticity: Maintained
Luke looked out the window at the street.
Another pit sealed.
Another quiet save.
And the house—fragile as ever—stood just a little stronger than before.