#atomichawk

“I have no idea what happened,” she says, looking down at her hands as if they hold the answers. “It just...vanished.”

“Not your fault, bird girl,” Mick informs her, his tone almost gentle. “ ‘Less you knew you had the amazing disapppearin’ weapon and didn’t tell us.”

Len snorts, but Kendra smiles.

“Thanks, Mick,” she says, even as she looks down at her hands again. “I thought…I thought it would be over. That we could…”

Her words trail off, but everyone there knows what she means. That she, and Ray, could go back to their son, waiting for them at the Refuge.

Leonard’s not unsympathetic. Far from it. But he’s a little more preoccupied by his own thoughts. He holds the bottle back down to Sara, who takes it.

“As long as he's on board and breathing, Savage is a threat to everyone on this ship,” he says abruptly. “He wants to be here. Why…”

He can feel Sara nod as she takes a drink, then turn her head to glance up at him, but just as he’s chasing down the thought—why does this keep happening?—Raymond and Jax clatter back onto the bridge. And they, unlike the others, actually look happy about something, or at least excited.

“Sorry we're late,” the scientist says in something that at least approaches his usual upbeat manner, holding something up, “but we found something!”

Jax nods too. “We've been running diagnostics on Ray's suit after his battle with Savage's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot.”

“The telemetry data included a comparative scan of the robot's tech,” Ray picks up, putting said diagnostics on the holotable screen as they watched. Leonard studies them, a trifle annoyed that he doesn’t understand the scientific gobbledygook a little better, then glances at Sara, who’s frowning in that direction too.

“Amazing,” Stein breathes. “This neuromorphic profile is astonishingly futuristic.”

Kendra studies it, looking a little puzzled. “Yeah, it's from 2166,” she says, a questioning tone in her voice.

“Well, that's the thing,” Jax tells them. “It's not.”

“This technology's light years more advanced than anything from 2166,” Ray says excitedly.

“Who cares?” Len snaps, his uneasiness prickling him even more.

But Rip’s eyes have widened now, and he looks like something’s clicked, like Ray and Jax have handed him a gift he didn’t expect. “The Time Masters,” he says, staring at the screen, straightening. Sara gets up too, crossing to the table, taking the bottle with her. “They refused to take action against Savage because he didn't pose a threat to the timeline.”

“But if he comes into possession of future technology...” Stein starts.

“It means he's been engaging in exactly the same manipulation of time that the Time Council was designed to prevent,” Rip finishes, gesturing. His eyes are bright and actually hopeful… and why does this whole conversation unsettle Leonard so? He shrugs uncomfortably, but only Sara notices, turning around to regard him again.

“So now they'll finally sign off on undoing all the damage Savage has done to the world,” she says, looking back around at Rip.

“Last time I checked, the Time Council was at the edge of the timeline,” Mick cuts in gruffly, “and this bucket of bolts can barely hold it together as it is.”

Rip raises his voice, swiping the bottle off the holotable. “Gideon, what's the status of the time drive?”

“Stable, Captain,” the AI says promptly.

The captain beams. That’s really the only word for it. He moves around the room as they watch him. “Plot a course for the Vanishing Point.” He plops down in the captain’s chair, a light in his eyes. “Tonight, Vandal Savage faces justice for his crimes!” And he takes a swig triumphantly.

Somehow, though, Leonard feels more unsettled than ever.

The captain, looking far less disconsolate, leaves the bridge only minutes after that, and Sara guesses that he’s heading to the brig to confront Savage. She briefly considers following him—seems like it might be best to have backup when around Savage, even when he’s captive—but Len gets quickly to his feet too. Sara, twisting around to look at him again, can see the expression on his face, and it’s not happy.

She considers a moment, then follows him, catching up just as he ducks into the room that’s now theirs.

“Hey,” she says quietly as he spins to face her. “What’s eating you?” Then, when there’s no response, “I can tell by the look on your face, Leonard.”

For just a moment, she can see the old sneer, the one she knows he used to put on like a mask when dealing with some of the others, start to cross his face. It’s armor just as much as the chill and the sarcasm are. But it’s Sara here, and Len’s not the man he used to be, and the expression vanishes as soon as it appears. Leonard scrubs a hand over his face, an oddly vulnerable gesture, then looks at her with what almost seems to be pleading in his eyes.

“Sara,” he says after a moment. “Since we got back on the ship. After the 1950s. Has anything seemed…off…to you?”

She stares at him, trying to give the question the due diligence it deserves. But…they’re on a timeship, hunting down an immortal warlord, and off isn’t an easy thing to pin down.

“I…I don’t know,” she tells him cautiously, not wanting to sound skeptical when he’s obviously unsettled about something. “Like, how?” She thinks about it another moment. “You mean, like what you said about Savage wanting to be here? Why do you think that?”

“I followed Hunter when he went down to the brig, right after we got back on the ship in 2166.” Leonard’s frowning at nothing in particular. His eyes flick to hers. “You don’t get the feeling someone’s…pulling our strings? Maybe…maybe even more than one someone?”

“No?” But even as she says it, Sara gets the feeling she’s forgetting something. She doesn’t like it much. “Or…I don’t know? Why…”

Leonard’s turned away, restless. “Why did Mick think I was going to be on the Waverider? Back when it left us in 1958? The Time Masters told him I would be. They were wrong. Because I had…something else urge me out.” He turned back, abruptly. “It’s happened since then, too. Maybe before. I’m not sure.”

Sara tries to puzzle that out. “What’s happened since then? Something…urging you?”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” Leonard’s mouth is a thin line, but his eyes…he’s agitated. Sara takes a step closer and stops, completely at sea over what to do.

The silence hangs over them a few moments more. Then Sara takes a deep breath. “Well, when do you think it happened?”

Another moment, then Len lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “Couple times,” he says quietly. “I dunno.”

“And…you think that’s not the only thing going on?”

He feels a little more comfortable with that inquiry; she can tell by the way he shrugs and actually makes eye contact. “Don’t you?” he asks. “There have been so many things that just don’t make sense. Rip thinking he had to kill Per Degaton, even though Gideon told us all that it wouldn’t make any difference—and fuckin’ ignoring the idea of just dealing with the damned virus.”

Sara frowns as she considers that, but he’s continued. “The Pilgrim and how she just sort of… fucked around. Scariest killer the Time Bastards were supposed to have, but she didn’t do much. She coulda cut a few strings here and there…” He holds up two fingers and makes a snipping motion. “…and there’d be no Legends. Instead it was just one mess after another. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

Sara nods slowly. “You told me later…you thought it was strange they’d want to kill young Mick considering everything Chronos did for them…”

Something sparks in his eyes, as if he’s relieved she’s following some of this. “And the Time Masters trying, supposedly, to kill young Rip—even when older Rip told us point-blank it would fuck with the timeline too much. And Cassandra Savage—I’d swear she was set up to look for us. And…”

Sara puts up a hand, though, stopping him. Her head hurts. “I don’t…”

“Hell, even the mace…”

“Leonard, I asked…”

“No.”

Sara stares at him, stunned, but any irritation she feels is swept away in what she sees. Leonard, cool, collected Leonard, has both hands to his head, turning away in pain or confusion.

“Len,” she says urgently, stepping toward him, “what…”

He looks up then, and back at her, eyes almost desperate. “The light,” he says. “When Kendra’s mace vanished. Didn’t it feel like when Rip collected us all? In the beginning? With that Time Master gadget of his?”

Sara blinks. “I guess it did. So you’re suggesting…what? That the Time Masters took the mace? There wasn’t anyone there.”

Leonard looks like he wants to argue, but instead he just shrugs wearily. “Do you have a better idea?”

“No, but…” She reaches out to him. “Let’s get you to the medbay.”

Leonard evades her hand. “I’m not sick.”

“Well, something’s wrong!” Sara snaps back.

“There is, but not with me.” He sounds calmer again. “Sara. Can’t you see it?”

She’s trying, she really is, but it’s like the pieces of the puzzle keep slipping away. Which is sort of an answer in itself, really. She takes a deep breath, then another, and sighs.

“You’re right,” she admits. “But I’m having trouble focusing on it.”

Leonard’s not-quite-a-smile seems almost grateful. “Yeah,” he says, leaning, almost sagging, against the wall. “That seems to be a thing.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Sara sighs, folding her arms and moving a little closer. “I’ll try some meditation techniques I know, see if they help me think a little more clearly about it.” She fixes him with a look. “Later. OK?”

Leonard’s eye roll doesn’t really succeed in being as long-suffering as it’s probably meant to be, because he also looks so damned relieved. “If you think that might help,” he drawls, folding his own arms and lifting his chin. “But I meant what I said earlier, too. Savage wants to be here. And I think we need to know why.” He pauses. “And why does Rip think this will make the Time Bastards act, after everything? He’s just as convinced as he was with that brat Degaton, and for as little reason.”

Sara regards him thoughtfully. He has a point. “Why?”

“No fuckin’ idea.” He shrugs restlessly again, then turns toward the door. “I wanna talk to Mick. See what he remembers of the Time Masters.”

Oh, because that’s going to go well. But Sara doesn’t say it. She just sighs.

“Good luck,” she says quietly to his back. But Leonard’s already stalking down the hallway, taking his discontent with him.

Barely 20 minutes later, Sara’s mostly forgotten what Leonard had been so agitated about, but she has remembered his words about Savage. And she’s followed up on them too, asking Gideon a few semi-pointed questions that the AI is only too pleased to answer.

In fact, she’d almost say that Gideon is unhappy, if that’s even possible, relating that Rip had taken the ship to maximum on the time drive despite her warnings. Sara bites her lip as she heads into the captain’s office, the notion of something she should remember prickling at her as she sees Rip bent over his maps and charts.

“Not to sound like a six-year-old,” she asks, approaching, “but are we there yet?”

The captain doesn’t even look up. “No, the Waverider was severely damaged in Savage's last attack,” he says distractedly—as if she hadn’t been there when it happened.

Sara looks at the screens in the office. She’s no expert, but that amount of red can’t be good. “Yeah, I can tell by the way she's flying.” She turns back. “You sure you're not pushing her too hard?”

Rip regards her with a touch of asperity. “The longer Savage is on board the ship,” he says, “the greater the danger to all of us.”

That, she’s not going to argue with. But… “To us, or your family?” Sara asks calmly, getting the briefest of glances. “I checked with Gideon. Bringing Savage onboard didn't change the timeline, and your family still dies.”

She almost feels bad even saying the words, but Rip won’t look at her. It’s as clear a tell on him as it is on Leonard, and wouldn’t they both hate that idea? “The timeline is always in flux,” he says, looking downward at his charts. “Once we get to the Vanishing Point, all will be well.”

He’s just as convinced as he was with that brat Degaton, and for as little reason. “Is that why you're pushing the ship beyond its limits?”

Now the captain looks up, and there’s a little more irritation in his gaze. “This has been my ship for the last 13 years,” he informs her. “No one knows its limits better than I do. Not even Gideon.” The ship shakes, although he doesn’t seem to realize it. “The Waverider will hold together. I promise you.”

And because fate has a sense of drama, that’s when the ship jolts even harder, circuits exploding, sparks flying. Sara tumbles to the ground, but immediately clambers back to her feet, following Rip as he stumbles out of his office.

“Bollocks,” the captain cries. “Gideon!”

“Time Drive failure, Captain,” the AI tells him. (And she manages not to suggest “I told you so.”) “The mains are offline.”

“What happened?” And there are Jax and Stein. Sara wonders briefly where Len and Mick are, but…they can take care of themselves. She has a feeling there’s something else she needs to be checking on.

“It appears the Time Drive is in need of some repair,” Rip tells him before turning to Sara. “Uh, Miss Lance, if you wouldn't mind going, checking on our guest?”

“On it.”

Gideon’s forthcoming enough with the news of what’s happening with the ship, but she’s also clear that there’s really nothing Leonard can do right now to help. Rip and Jax are working on the time drive, she says, and Savage is accounted for. She doesn’t mention Sara, but Leonard isn’t the sort to worry without reason, and he accepts that she’s fine and probably being more useful than he is.

Mick, as he should have predicted, is rather non-forthcoming about the Time Masters. Leonard tails him to the galley in hopes that he’ll change his mind, but he’s also remembering how Mick had mentioned once that his memories of his time as Chronos are fading quickly. Better, perhaps, not to reinvoke them.

Although distinctly unhelpful.

The replicator’s down, but Mick raids the snacks on hand, grumbling as he does so. Leonard slumps in a chair, still thinking furiously.

Well, even if he can’t pinpoint what’s going on, there’s one thing he’s nearly sure of. Going to the Vanishing Point is a bad idea.

He’s examining that surety, however, when Mick interrupts his thoughts.

“Why are all the snacks in the future sugar-free?” he mumbles around a mouthful of some manner of pastry. Leonard winces at the mess and the crumbs, but it’s not his hill to die on right now.

“So much for progress,” he retorts, drumming his fingers against the counter, then pauses, a thought occurring to him.

“You remember Alexa?” he asks casually.

Maybe too casually. Mick, who knows perfectly well that he never brings up that name without good reason, eyes him.

“Yeah,” he says. “From the security deposit job.” A pause. “What about it?”

Mick may be tone deaf sometimes, but he’s more perceptive than many people give him credit for. Like now, offering Leonard an out by focusing on the job instead of the person. And Len takes it.

“Just had a feeling about that one,” he says slowly, “a sixth sense things would end badly.”

Mick grunts, spraying crumbs and making Leonard sigh. “And they would have, if you hadn't pulled us out of there.” His eyes narrow. “So what?”

“I'm getting the same feeling now.”

Mick’s quiet a long moment, then grunts again. “So…what?” he asks. “You sayin’ we should leave? How we gonna do that?”

Once…maybe. But there’s no way he’ll leave without Sara, and if he’s utterly honest with himself, he doesn’t want to abandon the others, either. Not now.

“No,” he finds himself saying. “But maybe we can convince Rip that’s he making a mistake.”

His friend snorts. “Yeah, well, good luck with that. You got no proof and it’s the only hope he’s got.”

Again, perceptive. Leonard makes an irritated noise, thinking. About Rip’s unreasonable conviction that he’s doing the right thing. About his own similar conviction that…

He stops.

“Mick,” he says slowly, “I know you don’t want to think about it, but…were there ever any stories that the Time Masters had something that could…change time?”

Mick eyes him. Then he grunts again. “Same way anyone can.” He shrugs. “Send a bounty hunter to off someone, time changes. Burn a library down, time changes.”

Leonard decides he doesn’t want to know, but then Mick speaks again.

“Knock one asshole outta power. Time changes. Or...”

“Or put one in power?”

In a strange way, it’s like those words didn’t come out of Leonard's own mouth. He barely thought before he said them, and it’s an odd feeling. But that’s all knocked aside as he realizes what he’d said, and what it could mean.

Mick just grunts and shrugs. “Sure?” He returns to poking at the sugar-free snacks, scowling.

Leonard stares at him. “Like Savage?”

“I guess.”

Mick’s not stupid. And the very fact that he’s not thinking about this more says something, just as much as how the captain keeps insisting that they have to take Savage to the Vanishing Point.

But Leonard, at that moment, thinks it’s all too clear.

Isn’t it?

After a silent moment, he gets up from his seat, weighing options, then heads for the door.

“Where you goin’?” Mick calls after him.

Leonard doesn’t answer. He’s still not sure.

He puts more pieces together as he walks, and the corner of his mind that’s seemed to be lobbying for him to make connections all along is altogether too helpful. But even if he’s right, if he’s anywhere close at all, he’s not sure how those connections will be received.

He’s been weighing a few options, but his footsteps wind up taking him toward the bridge and Rip’s office, and as he draws closer, he hears Sara’s voice there too. It’s both relief and encouragement, and Leonard takes a deep breath as he approaches.

"...that you would sell us out to save your family,” he hears Sara say.

“He's not wrong,” Rip returns, and Leonard could do more with that, he really would, if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s on a different mission entirely. “Mr. Jackson...”

But they both look up as Leonard stalks into the office, throws a quick, unhappy smile at Sara, and spins to face the captain.

“The Time Masters are pulling our strings,” he tells the other man. “Aren’t they?”

Rip gapes at him a moment before closing his eyes and sighing. “Mr. Snart,” he says with irritation, “this is really not the time for...”

But Leonard brings both hands down on his desk, a little more forcibly than he’d planned, all the frustration and restlessness of his conflicted thoughts affecting his actions.

“Listen to me, Rip,” he hisses. “We’ve been doing what they want, all along, at least for the most part. We’ve even given Savage the information and the tech he needs...”

“Len...” Sara says warningly, but Rip’s eyes narrow and there’s anger in them, too.

“They tried to kill us all!” he snaps back. “Or have you forgotten that so soon? Have you forgotten about your sister?”

Leonard doesn’t take that bait. “Did they?” he asks in return, leaning forward, willing the other man to listen to him. “Did they really? Or did they just...herd us? Made us keep going? Made us, made you, more desperate? Desperate enough to go to 2166?”

“We captured Savage in 2166!” The captain moves out from behind his desk, facing Leonard, his mouth a thin line and rage and desperation in his eyes. Leonard can see Sara moving carefully around, keeping her distance, although he tries not to wonder whose side she’ll take if it comes to that.

“But we wanted to kill him,” he tells Rip, “and we would have if not for someone, something, taking Kendra’s mace. With, I might add, a Time-Master device like the one you once used to kidnap all of us.”

Sara makes a thoughtful noise then, but Leonard keeps his eyes on Rip. The other man blinks, a furrow appearing between his brows, and for a moment, Leonard thinks he’s gotten through.

But then the moment’s gone.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Rip spits back. “Tell me, then, why they simply would have let us all walk away?”

“I dunno, maybe there’s more they want from us,” Leonard fires at him. “Savage got the Atom suit tech, he got information on the Firestorm matrix. Maybe...” He stops. “Of course, that’s what he wants. Kendra.”

He can see Sara nodding. “And he’s trying to provoke someone, maybe into letting him out,” she says quietly. “Rip...”

But Leonard doesn’t get a chance to figure out how Sara knows that. The captain glances at her with dismay in his eyes, but then it’s gone again as he looks back at Leonard.

“Oh, of course,” he mocks. “And why is it that you...” He waves a disparaging hand at Leonard. “...are the one to figure all this out? With the genius-level intellects on this ship? I am trying to do the best I can to save my family and the world, and I’ve been doing that for years.”

Leonard doesn’t take the bait. Again. If they all survive this, he thinks with asperity, he deserves a medal.

In some ways, though, it's a good question, and he hesitates, trying to figure out how best to answer it.

“Something’s different,” he says slowly, as Sara moves to his side, “something’s not what they want, maybe because of what happened back in Harmony Falls...”

But before he can feel the words out, Rip rolls his eyes.

“Or, so now you’re saying you’re the difference?” he asks with asperity. “I hate to disabuse you of the notion of your own importance, Mr. Snart, but that's not the case. I simply needed a thief, one who was...insignificant to the timeline. I could have picked someone else.”

“Now, wait one second,” Sara snaps at him. But Leonard, while grateful for the defense, dives right back in.

“But you didn’t,” he tells the captain. “And, honestly, I’m not sure you could have...but that’s another issue. Thing is, I’m here now, for better or for worse, and I think we’re taking Savage right where he wants to be, with the person he’s been trying to get his hands on for years.” He takes a deep breath, trying to project sincerity. It comes, perhaps, easily than it might have, once. “Please. Rip. Think.”

“He’s right, Rip,” Sara adds. “Just...let’s slow down and try to figure this out. OK?”

For a moment, Leonard thinks Rip’s going to listen. The captain sighs and runs a hand through his hair, learning heavily on his desk. “I...” he starts.

But then there’s the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, and Rip pauses. Mick, with the excellent (not) timing Leonard’s always known him for, thunders into the room, glaring at the captain in a way that promises mayhem.

“What the hell did you do to the kid?” he barks. “Just talked to Stein. Jax’s gettin’ old, fast, and he’s gonna die if you don’t figure something the fuck out.”

“Wait...what?” Leonard stares at the captain too, as does Sara. Rip looks, if anything, more resigned as he stares at his desk.

“Intra-something degenerate-something.” Mick restrains himself in a way that shows how he’s changed too, folding his arms instead of reaching out to wrap his hands around Rip’s throat in the way Leonard’s pretty sure he’d like to. “ ‘Cause dickless here sent him into fix the time drive alone.”

“Is that right?” Sara asks the captain, her own tone cold in a way that shows more anger than white-hot fury. “Did you know that would happen?”

Rip gives her a look that’s almost pleading. “He should have been able to finish before the radiation had any adverse effect,” he says, as if to himself, looking back down at the desk. “It was the surge when it came back online. I couldn’t have predicted...”

“Like fuck you couldn’t...” Mick starts.

Sara’s eyes have narrowed. “Savage was right...”

“Stop.”

The other three look at Leonard, but he knows it’s already too late. Just like other times, things are moving on, and the chances of dragging them back to the matter at hand are just about nil. Indeed, Rip’s already shaking his head again, a determined look in his eyes.

“We’re going to the Vanishing Point, Mr. Snart, Ms. Lance, Mr. Rory,” he says, scanning them. “The time drive is rebooting. We will soon be on our way.” He takes a deep breath. “I’m asking for a little faith.”

Leonard lets out a long breath. “Sorry,” he mutters, “fresh out.”

The captain’s already turned away. “Well, if that's how you all feel, none of you is obliged to continue on this voyage with me,” he tosses back over his shoulder. “As I told Martin, the jump ship can make a one-time voyage back to 2016. This mission has always been a voluntary enterprise.”

“Has it, Rip?” Leonard asks before he can stop himself. “Has it really? Starting to think it never was. Not for any of us, including you.”

And with that, he turns and walks away. Sara and Mick go with him.

They’re not far down the hallway, however, when Leonard stops. He turns on his heel and looks at them, and Sara relaxes a little at his expression. This isn’t a man who’s giving up and running. Far from it.

Mick stares at him, then looks at Sara, then looks back at Leonard.

“We’re not actually leaving,” he says. “Right?”

“Right.” Leonard looks back and forth between them too. “You’re both listening to me now. Why?”

Sara gives him a rueful smile. “Guess it just clicked,” she says. “Listening to you try to get through to Rip. I don’t get what’s going on either, but something’s off.”

Mick grunts in agreement. “Something’s weird,” he says. “You’re not completely making sense, but I’d rather listen to you. Rip’s losing it.”

Leonard smiles a little at that, even as he glances back toward the bridge. “The Time Masters know what his strings are, and they’re pulling them hard,” he says. “In fact, I bet they probably tied them there. They let him have...hostages to fortune, despite all their rules, and they’re using that. To make him not think clearly.”

The notion that the Time Masters may have allowed Rip to marry and have a child just to have that hold over him makes Sara’s blood run cold. Not even the League had been quite so...mercenary.

“If I follow what you said before, you’re implying that it’s not just that the Time Masters are protecting Savage’s role in the timeline,” she says, ripping her thoughts away from Rip’s family. “You’re saying they proactively want Savage in power. Why?”

That gets a one-shouldered shrug. “Not sure. Beyond the fact that he would owe them for it. Which might be enough.”

“Who cares about why? How’re we gonna fix it?” Mick wants to know, direct as always. “I don’t want those bastards ever pullin’ my strings again.”

That causes an odd, still look on Leonard’s face, but it’s gone before Sara can comment on it or further analyze it.

“Go keep an eye on Stein and Jax,” he tells Mick after a moment. “I don’t know if anything you learned at the Vanishing Point could help, but if something happens, at least they’d have someone between them and Savage.”

Mick makes an approving noise. “Bet if I fried him, it’d at least fuck up the bastard’s plans a little.”

“Likely,” Leonard tells him drily, but the other man is already headed toward the brig. Len shrugs and turns to Sara.

“Sorry I wasn’t getting it, before,” she says with a sigh, moving closer. “I don’t think I still really do.” She looks up at him, reaching out to lay a hand against his chest, knowing that her smile is a little rueful. “But I trust you.”

She’s sure it’s not her imagination that Leonard relaxes a little more at her words. Then he reaches out and puts a hand over hers, a gesture that’s almost sentimental, by their standards.

“Blame the Time Bastards,” he says. “I am.”

“Oh, I do.” Sara’s expression hardens a moment, then she shakes her head. “I’m going to go see Kendra, tell her what we suspect. She should know. Maybe...maybe she’s picked up something during her time at the Refuge? About the Time Masters.” She studies him. “And you?”

Leonard hesitates for just long enough that she guesses what’s coming. “If you stick with Kendra, would you…ask Raymond to come find me?” he asks finally, and if that’s not already a sign of something off, Sara doesn’t know what is. “I’m going to the brig. Could use back up.”

Sara gives him a look, but then just sighs.

“I was in there before,” she says, moving her hand down to one of the lapels of his jacket and wrapping her fingers around it. “Pretty sure Savage was trying to talk me into a mutiny.”

“Peachy.” Leonard’s smile is wry. “Well, I can’t say I haven’t considered that in the past, but if Savage wants it, it’s probably not a good idea. Still, if I play his games, maybe I can get something out of him.”

“Good idea.” Sara hesitates now, eyes on his. “Be careful. He’s dangerous. And you know I don’t say that casually.”

“Got it.” Leonard gives her one of his lopsided smiles, the ones that make her breath catch so. “You too.”

And then he ducks his head and catches her lips with his, warm and real and insistent, and Sara tightens her grip on his jacket and pulls herself up to deepen the kiss for a long, perfect moment. When they part, they’re breathing heavily, but both smiling, and they move away from each other reluctantly, turning away slowly.

Sara thinks, though, of something before she turns away to go find Kendra. She turns back. “Leonard?”

He turns too, walking backward and watching her.

“If you think the Time Masters want Savage in power,” she asks carefully, “then why do you think they want us to go to the Vanishing Point?”

Leonard studies her a moment. Then he gives her a smile that’s not amused at all.

“I guess I’m wondering,” he said. “Are we delivering Savage to the Time Masters?

“Welcome to Jitters. What can I get for you today?” asksKendra as she greets the not-really-a-stranger stranger.

“I’ll have a medium red eye to go.” He replies.

Kendra grabs the right sized coffee cup and a maker.

“The name’s Ray.”

He grins brightly at her as she writes his name on the cupthen hands it over to the barista making the drinks.

Kendra rings him up and Ray hands over the correct amount.

With his wallet still out, he grabs a twenty-dollar billand places it in the tip jar.

Then Ray smiles brightly at Kendra.

“See you around, Kendra.”

She’s too flabbergasted to do anything but smile at himbefore helping the next customer though her eyes follow Ray’s progress to thepick-up area.

In that moment, from where she stands, Iris decides nexttime she’s going to do something to help the two of them out because that waspainful to watch and her girl, Kendra deserves better than that.

Like clock-work, Ray arrives for his daily cup of coffeethe following morning.

Kendra took the morning off for a dentist appointment soIris is working the cash register when he comes in.

Iris smirks to herself as she sees him frown indisappointment.

“You know, I didn’t think that our coffee is good enoughfor repeat purchases every day but I guess some people just need their dailycaffeine fix.”

Ray rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Is it that obvious?” he asks.

“Not everyone tips more than several cups of coffee in onego.”

Iris smiles then shakes her head.

“Kendra hasn’t put two and two together if that’s whatyou’re really asking about.”

Ray chuckles.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.”

“Maybe, you could give her a little hint tomorrow.” Iriscomments as she takes his order.

He pays for his coffee then places a ten in the tip jar.

Iris looks at him.

“What? Just because one barista has caught my attentiondoesn’t mean I can’t show my appreciation for all of the other wonderfulbaristas who work here.”

Iris laughs then shoes him off to the pick-up area.

He seems like a good guy and her bestie definitely deservedsomeone who would appreciate her.

 Iris decides she’d see what Barry could find out about him;after all, her boyfriend couldn’t resist her charms.

The next morning passes without an appearance from Ray andKendra can’t help feeling concerned because he’s been predictable in appearingsometime in the morning.

“Relax girl, I’m sure your guy is fine.”

Kendra’s eyes widen as she opens and closes her mouth,trying to respond to Iris’ comment.

“He’s not my guy!”

Iris smirks at her best friend.

“But you want him to be.”

Kendra pauses for a moment.

“I’d like to get to know him, I think.” States Kendra.

“Fair enough. I still don’t think you should panic yetabout him not showing up. It was bound to happen eventually,” comments Iris.

“You’re right. It’s not like he’s Superman or anything.”

Lunch rolls around and with it, comes the usual rush andKendra isn’t focusing on a single person when Iris nudges her in the side.

“Outside. Front door.”

Kendra’s eyes wander over there and she smiles when shesees Ray standing there.

He enters Jitters then gets in line while looking forsomething in his wallet.

Returning to the customer in front of her, Kendra forcesherself to concentrate.

Fifteen minutes later, Ray stands before her with a grin onhis face.

“Hey Kendra. How’s it going?”

“Things are great, now. I was surprised when I didn’t seeyou this morning.”

“My car is in the shop so a friend drove me to work andalready bought our morning coffee.”

Kendra’s smile widens as she feels relief that nothingserious happened to him.

“I’ll have my usual, thanks.”

“Of course.”

As he hands over the money for his coffee, she notices thatthere’s something else with it but before she can say anything to him, he’salready put his usual tip into the jar and walked off.

Separating the cash out, Kendra’s surprised to see a cardmixed in.

She turns it over and reads his name along with his phonenumber on it.

Looking up, she catches Ray’s eye and smiles while hopingshe’s not blushing.

“What do you have there?”

Iris’ sudden appearance causes Kendra to jump slightly.

Kendra tries to move the card away before Iris can get herhands on it but her best friend is faster.

“Ooh! Are you going to call him?”

Ray catches the ladies’ eyes and waves with his free handas he leaves Jitters and they wave in response.

A warm feeling blossoms in Kendra’s chest as she takes thecard back.

“Yes, I definitely will give him a call later.”

As she wanders into the backroom to secure the card in herbag, Iris smirks.

“It’s about damn time.”