Kendra Saunders

“You’ve known me for how long, now? You should know I’m about the most oblivious guy who’s ever lived.” Carter noted. Of course he’d had his suspicions about some of their crew and their relationships - Mick and Amaya were the only ones he’d concretely ruled as having something going on, so he gave himself points for that. And Ray had confided that he had an interest in Caitlin.

“Hmm, I knew about Ray’s reasons for going to S.T.A.R Labs - glad to see that’s still the case. They both deserve to be happy.” He noted, before cocking his head. “Nathaniel, though, who’s his mystery woman?”

“True. Maybe I should invest in some billboards to state the obvious to you.” She teased back with a grin, leaning into him with a little nudge of her shoulder. “I agree.” Kendra continued when Carter spoke of Ray, adding a slight pointed look to say she believed Carter deserved to be happy to.

“No idea.” Kendra pulled away and sighed. “In fact, I don’t know the mystery woman is even a woman.” Despite both her and Nate being close to Ray, Kendra’s interactions with him weren’t frequent.

          𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐑 daily training with Bruce, the hyena. He gained a beautiful new sparkling pink leashes with Harley’s name tag on it, and a few things silver and shiny. ❛ It’s not a puppy it’s an hyena. But sure, you can. ❜ Harley gesture to her hyena, and he went close to the stranger woman hoping to receive some love.

“He’s still cute.” Kendra replied, being gentle toward the hyena to show she was no threat and giving him soft pats. Despite being regarded as a somewhat wild animal, the hyena was tamer than one expected. 

“Pet him? You can take him.” Glancing down at the small dog tucked under his arm, Mick stopped in front of Kendra. “Another mutt found his way on board, thanks to Haircut being such a sap.”

“Oh, come on Mick. He’s so cute.” Kendra took the small dog off Mick’s hands, cradling him close. “And how do you know it was Ray? After all, he is allergic to most things furry. Are you sure you didn’t bring him on board?” She teased. Honestly, in Kendra’s opinion, it could have been any one of the Legends that brought the dog on board. 

“Huge softie.” Jason agreed with a small laugh as Alfie eagerly soaked up the attention. “Jason.” He greeted back, managing to get his hand in past Alfie’s excited wiggling to shake. “I think I recognise you - you used to work at Jitters?”

Kendra giggled as Alfie lapped up the attention, but her focus turned to Jason as he introduced himself. Taking his offered hand to shake in greeting, she had to chuckle again at his question. “A lifetime ago, yeah.” Kendra confirmed. “I left about four years ago.”

“I think some on the Waverider are going to kill me for bringing in all the strays. First there was Mini Mick and Ray… and now this little guy,” Amaya chuckled, but nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! It was cold out and I felt like he could use some warmth.”

Kendra laughed along with Amaya, smiling when she was given permission to pat the puppy. Gently she reached out and let the pup get use to her scent before petting him behind the ears. “I doubt they’ll want to kill you. But at the rate you are going, you could open your own animal sanctuary.” 

“I guess not.” He gave a tiny smile, knowing the tone in her voice and also letting go of some of the doubt he was carrying. His fingers twined with hers and his expression turned grateful, he was so lucky to have such good friends surrounding him.

As soon as the nanites started to work, Ray helped Kendra replace the armor plate, holding it in place while she secured it with the screws. “I think it’s too late for pancakes, but-” he glanced at his watch, “hot chocolate laced with my secret ingredient might get me to sleep at a semi-reasonable hour. Would you like one?”

Kendra gave the fingers twined with hers a gentle squeeze in a show of support. There was no doubt that she still loved Ray - it had just evolved beyond what they had in the past. And with that love came support and friendship and sometimes the kick to the backside to get him going again. 

Leaving the scene of the crime with a trinket wasn’t customarily the assassin’s style, carnage with flair was how she preferred to leave a signature. But the bichon puppy whining in the other room while she strangled its owner seemed like the perfect consolation prize. Anya could never commit to owning an animal, her lack of care for most living creatures would naturally inhibit her from caring for it properly. But she figured the instant she lost interest in the doe eyed canine she’d release it into the general populace. 

The dog trotted all too willing out the door and down the street alongside the woman he’d never met. Anya wondered if the pooch comprehended it wasn’t going to see its guardian again. She stifled a giggle. Anya didn’t process she – or rather the pup – was being addressed until she was bending down to caress it. Anya blinked slowly at the woman, her expression blank as she studied her reaction. Hastily adjusting to the occasion her lips split into the imitation of a smile. The lack of emotion hidden behind the cordial facade. “Why of course” she conceded, dropping the Russian accent and using an American impression. “His name is Julian”. This was a lie of course, Anya didn’t know what the dog’s name was and didn’t think to ask while she tightened her grip around the owner’s windpipe. “Do you like him? Take him” she thrust the leash forward, still maintaining her eerily wide simper. 

Kendra smiled in thanks, reaching out to the dog so it could sense that she was friendly before giving it a gentle pat. “Hi Julian, nice to meet you.” She addressed the dog. “Quite the friendly one, aren’t you?”

She looked back to the woman as she spoke up again, the smile swapping out for sudden confusion. Standing back to her full height, Kendra regarded the way woman held out the lead and shook her head. “Why are you trying to give your dog away? Has Julian been naughty?”

“Yeah, according to some, I should probably already be getting married though,” he knew society would be far harder on him if he was a woman though.

They thought that they should get married before they were thirty, and Conner already was almost there. He was twenty nine, and would soon be the big old thirty. He was a man, so people weren’t so hard on him, but he heard a few times that he shouldn’t wait too long to get married though.

“Wouldn’t you? Aren’t you used to hearing something like that?” he would be surprised if she said she wasn’t.

“Who said?” Kendra gave him an amused look of disbelief. “There are no rules of when or if you get married.” She should know. She had lived 206 lifetimes and only married 8 of them. 

“It’s that easy?” Nyssa questioned with a small chuckle at Kendra’s quick assertion that they were now friends - though she certainly didn’t mind the thought. “Ah yes, Dr Palmer. I only know him by reputation, I’m afraid, not yet had the privilege to meet him in person.”

She couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips when Kendra spoke of Sara, nodding a little in approval. “I’m glad to see she has a crew that respects her so much.” She commented, before raising an eyebrow at Kendra’s comment. “So you’re not entirely above insubordination?” She questioned jokingly.

“That easy,” Kendra confirmed. She had no reason to not think of Nyssa as a friend. “You’re in for a treat. Ray’s a sweetheart. You thought I was easy to win over, he’s even easier. Just be prepared for a lot of chatter, Ray’s a talker.”

Kendra wasn’t oblivious to the small smile that crept across Nyssa’s lips. The other woman was subtle but Kendra had learned to be perceptive and read minute ticks of body language. Came in handy when she was a barista, reading a person to know whether to approach with a kind offer of a refill or back off when they had their walls up like a big do not disturb sign on their forehead.

“I’ll try not to take that long.” Carter muttered with a small smile as she repeated his words from so long ago, leaning into her touch with a soft sigh.

“We’re not?” His curiosity piqued immediately at Kendra’s comment, raising an eyebrow at her. “What gossip am I missing out on, exactly?”

Kendra smiled back, believing that Carter would be true to his word. She wouldn’t press the matter either. Carter had waited for her, now it was her turn to remain patient.

“Nope,” A more playful look came over her features at the pleasant change of topic. “Well, I am pretty sure Amaya and Mick are old news. Unless you’ve had you’re head stuck in the sand.” Kendra began, reaching up and toying with a necklace she was wearing. “Ray has been talking of visiting S.T.A.R Labs a lot... just to, you know, visit. And I am pretty sure I saw Nate sneaking off the ship the other night.”

“Do you want to say hi to the nice lady, Alfie?” Jason turned to his dog with a laugh, knowing the question was pointless when he heard the word ‘pet’ and his tail had started wagging so hard his entire body was practically vibrating with it. “Yeah, ‘course you can. Just be careful, he’s a kisser and he’s not so much a puppy anymore, can pack quite the punch without realising when he jumps up on you.”

Kendra giggled in delight at the way Alfie wiggled excitedly for a pat, casting a quick thankful glance to his human before leaning down and scratching Alfie gently behind the ears. “Hi Alfie. You’re just a big softie, aren’t you?” The question earned her hand a head bump to get more pets and scratches.

“No, I agree. It was very… stuffy. Hardly anyone acts sincere at them.” Nyssa shrugged. And it didn’t help that she wasn’t fond of the host of the last disaster. “I… don’t exactly have too many friends in this city.” She muttered. “Or in general.” She admitted with a wry chuckle. “I would be happy with whoever you decide. Your crew, at least, would be a good start. I get along well with Nate and Sara, but I think I ought to know the others better.”

Kendra smiled with understanding in her eyes, remembering when she was new to Central City and didn’t know too many people. Working as a barista and through that meeting Cisco changed all that. Now she was a winged bird goddess who lived on a time ship.

“I’m sure that’ll change soon enough. Starting with us, I like to think we’re friends now.” Her friendly smile continuing, knowing that the others aboard the Waverider would in turn call Nyssa their friend too. “The crew is a very good place to start. If you know Nate, I’m surprised you haven’t met Ray. The pair of them are practically joint at the hip.”

“Maybe, but it’s just complicated…” he wasn’t sure if a child would be a good idea, not when he had so many enemies, so many people that would want to hurt them, “I don’t even have a girlfriend right now,” he pointed out, he wasn’t that luck when it came to love.

At the mention of the club, that he spent a lot of time in before he went away, he raised his eyebrows, clearly interested on this themed party they may throw, “Interesting, I will definitely check it out, as it’s an amazing club,” no wonder he spent so any nights in it.

“Beautiful and smart, you really are the whole package, huh?”

“Right now is your party years, I get it.” Kendra replied with a friendly grin. “Enjoy the now and the rest can come later, right?”

Kendra’s smile continued to light up her face when he said he’d check out the club. Verdant was definitely the number one spot on Kendra’s list. But sometimes she was in the mood for something a little more laid back. That’s why her pub crawl idea seemed to suit her better.

“We are.” Ray nodded, a tiny smile on his face as he watched her work. Despite it being her first time working on the suit, she seemed sure of her actions which was always a good sign. Mind you, a real life Rosie the Riveter would be right at home getting her hands dirty with mechanics. His expression crumpled slightly at the following words and a memory flashed through his mind of the battle in which he’d taken the damage.

“Yeah… they wanted me defenseless, then moved in for the kill. I could still fly, but a wall of concrete coming down on top of me took care of that.” Shaking off the reminder, he passed Kendra the new length of wire. “The Nanites in the suit should knit the two together, just a tiny bit of solder to hold it in place while they work should do.”

Kendra looked up from her work as Ray fell silent after her assessment, noting the way his face crumpled slightly. A look of sympathy crossed her own features, taking a pretty good guess as to what was going through Ray’s mind.

“None of that is your fault, Ray.” She spoke softly yet firm in her belief. She took the offered wire length in one hand, the other taking hold of Ray’s in a show of support. Her gaze locked with his, silently telling him that she was there for him. 

“I know I’m allowed, it’s just… difficult to reconcile that with being a product of my past. Our past.” Carter clarified with a soft sigh. “But thank you, for supporting… whoever it is I am.” He murmured, leaning across the slim space between them to press a kiss to her temple.

“Yeah, okay.” He agreed with a small chuckle. “Buying our first bed together, the crew’s definitely going to talk.”

Kendra believed she understood, she had gone through the doubt and disbelief herself. But Carter seemed to struggle with it and Kendra had to wonder if it had anything to do with his time spent under Savage’s influence. That part was so conflicting with everything else in the past.

“Take as long as you need to sort who you are out.” Kendra turned to face him after he kissed her temple, bringing a hand up and holding his face gently to meet his gaze. “I’ll wait for you for an eternity.”

“I… enjoy it, yes.” He gave her a VERY guarded look. Ed wasn’t used to being “seen” like this, even his fellow classmates tended to ignore him, given his “low” background. 

“Something I haven’t done before, I suppose,” he finally said, pushing back the urge to blurt out his desire to know the most powerful spells a boy could know at his age, and beyond. “I guess… something you could Transfigure… on yourself or someone else?”

“That’s good. Always easier to learn things that you enjoy.” Kendra seemed pleased with his response. She always had time for other students who were willing to learn and helping them progress in their studies. But she also know a key factor in learning was enjoying something.