New York, 1995. Joe MacMillan has spent most of his life chasing the next idea, the next possibility, the next version of himself. These days, he teaches humanities. Some nights, he still can't sleep. Rowan Vale knows those nights well. A paramedic by profession and a writer whenever the world gives him enough silence, he has learned that some things are easier to put on paper than to say out loud. At 1:17 a.m., two strangers share a park bench. Then they do it again. And somewhere along the way, it stops being an accident. Neither of them needs to be saved. Maybe they just need someone who keeps coming DISCLAIMER The Hours We Keep is an unofficial, non-commercial fanfiction based on Halt and Catch Fire. Joe MacMillan and all other canonical characters and elements belong to their respective creators and rights holders. Rowan Vale and all original characters and story elements are my own. This story is a transformative work created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. This fanfiction contains spoilers for all four seasons of Halt and Catch Fire, including the series finale.