The Tip of the Iceberg - Legendary - Chapter 16

I own nothing from the world of DC's Legends of Tomorrow (and if I did, I would not have killed CaptainCanary) or The Flash and earn nothing for these stories. Damn the writers; I'm still tearing up from Destiny's episode. Spoilers for Legendary and warning for strong language. Just like this episode, I do some jumping around in time in the narrative. The sequence may seem odd at first but it should make sense by the end.

Mick wanted to punch the idiot he'd recruited to help him rob. He'd lent him Snart's gun and was just beginning to realize what a mistake that had been. He'd been in control of his old rage for weeks now but was startled to feel it rising up inside. He headed towards the getaway car when he heard the familiar whine of Snart's gun being activated and spun around. For a split second, he believed he'd see his partner when he turned but he was disappointed. Instead, that two-bit thief had iced the guard with Snart's gun. In a rage, Mick shouted, "You idiot! We were in the clear!"

"He was going after us."

"On foot." Mick snarled. "You shot him and wasted ammo." The old Mick would not have cared about icing the guard. That had been Snart's rule: You don't shoot cops or guards unless it was the only way to escape. And you don't kill them.

"Cops are coming. You want to yell at me some more or shall we both get out of here?"

"Neither." Giving in to his frustration, Mick used his own gun and then picked up Snart's from where the burning corpse had dropped it. Turning around to his getaway car, he got in to behold a masked Palmer. "What the hell?" he growled under his breath as Palmer said, "Hey Mick. Oh...oh, it's me." Palmer lifted his ski mask. "It's Ray. I thought we should talk."

The scream of police sirens filled the air. "Drive." Mick turned to stare out the windshield.

Once safely in a parking garage, the two former Legends got out of the green getaway car.

"You didn't waste any time getting back to your old habits." Ray had told himself not to lambast Mick; that vow hadn't lasted very long.

"I like stealing stuff. It makes me feel good." Nothing made Mick feel good any more. The Time Masters had forcefully taught him how to think beyond the anger. Now that he could think of other things besides fire, he kept finding his thoughts going to Snart. No matter where he went in Central City, he kept seeing places that reminded him of his dead partner. He'd seen Lisa a few times since he'd given her Snart's message. She was still mourning her brother deeply and the two of them had talked a bit about his adventures on the Waverider. Mick had avoided any mention about his time as Chronos.

"You ever think that maybe you weren't meant to do this any more?

"What do you want, haircut?" Mick crossed his arms to keep from punching the guy.

"To apologize. Sort of. For Snart. I was the one who was supposed to die. And I can't help feeling..."

"It wasn't your fault. It was his. Son of a bitch never did anything without a plan." Mick would always wonder if it had been Palmer holding down the stick and not him, would Snart still have chosen to sacrifice himself.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe he wanted this." Ray wagged his fingers between the two men.

"What are you doing with your hand?"

"Maybe he wanted us to, you know, be partners." Ray mock punched Mick in the shoulder.

"Think I'm gonna be sick." There was no way this..kid could ever replace Snart.

"I think Snart knew. He knew that I'd keep an eye out for you and you'd keep an eye out for me."

"While doing what?"

"What we haven't finished doing."

Mick felt a surge of purpose at Ray's words. He'd sworn on the ship to Snart's memory that he'd finish the mission. He'd claimed another death was needed to balance out Snart's. Mick renewed his vow to kill Vandal Savage then and there. "Where're we going?"

0-0-0-0-0-0

Mr. Rory and Mr. Palmer ended up on the side of the road to confront Savage in 1958. Rip had decided that the two of them would balance each other out. He deeply regretted that Mr. Snart was not there as well. His loss was still affecting both his former partner and Ms. Lance. It was ironic that Mr. Rory was there at the end only because he had been a "package deal" with Mr. Snart.

"When can I kill him?!" Mick needed to see Savage burn.

"We have to wait for the meteorite to go critical." Ray was scanning the rock for energy spikes.

"When's that?"

"When he starts the ritual in all three time periods." Ray prayed that Kendra was still safe. With Carter returned from the dead, he knew that their relationship was over. But if they didn't succeed, the world would be over. But he could be a hero and do his part right here and right now. Snart's sacrifice gave him the chance to use his tech to stop Savage in conjunction with the rest of the team's efforts.

Walking down the road, the two were certain that the time had finally come. The meteor was glowing blue. "Think that's our cue." Ray was going to step forward to fight Savage but instead he had to confront one of the bird monsters that they'd apparently left behind when they had rescued Jax. "Really? These guys again?"

Mick just went after Savage. After all this time and their sacrifices, he finally had his chance. Neither man gave way as they fought. They pounded on each other numerous times. Savage was certain he would not be defeated but more than rage fueled Mick. Now, for the first time in his life he had a purpose. Snart had taught him to have one. Mick finally succeeded in smashing Savage to the ground.

Looking up at Mick, their nemesis gloated. "You can't kill me! I'm immortal."

Picking up his gun from the ground, Mick grunted. "Guess you haven't heard the news." He poured flame onto their foe. This was for Snart. He rejoiced at the screams coming from the pillar of fire and kept the trigger on his gun depressed. Once he was certain that Savage would not be getting up, he walked over towards the meteorite and Ray. Now, they had to deal with the exploding meteorites. Mick could still smell the greasy stench of burned flesh on his jacket. It did not disgust him, as it was all that was left of Vandal Savage. But the brutal death he'd given their foe didn't dissipate his grief for the loss of his friend like he'd hoped it would. He still felt hollow.

The meteorite began to pulse and throb with an eerie light. "Do something, Robocop!"

"I'm on it. A little trick I've been working on." A red ray emerged from Palmer's hand as he used his technology to reduce their meteorite's size so that the explosion was a small flare rather than an inferno that burned through time.

Gideon picked them up in the Waverider and headed to meet up with the rest of the team.

Dropping down to the roof, Mick was pissed as he saw Savage on the ground. "Damn it! I wanted to be the one to kill him. Again, I mean." He knew that Kendra needed to strike the blow here. Maybe they'd let him burn the body?

Sara focused on the meteorite in the crate. "Umm. I don't think our problems are over yet."

Both Firestorm and Palmer couldn't destroy or transmute it.

"What happens if only one of these goes off?" Was all their pain for nothing? Their losses? Sara wondered.

"Uh. Time will remain intact. The world...not so much." Rip looked around as he tried to find an answer to Ms. Lance's question. While the others stared at the meteorite, he headed to the Waverider and the only possible solution that he could see. He'd take the exploding rock and drop it into the sun along with his ship. He micro jumped back in time so they couldn't stop him. "I guess this is goodbye," he said over their comms as he flew away.

"It's been a pleasure, Captain." Ray was grateful that he'd been given the chance to make a difference and save the world. Now, he was stuck in another time away from everyone he knew back home. Of course, most people thought he was dead. He just wished he could talk to Felicity again.

"Likewise, Dr. Palmer."

"But you brought us into this man." Jax didn't understand why Rip was sacrificing himself. Couldn't the ship do something other than take it all the way into the sun?

"Which is why I'm doing this alone, Mr. Jackson. I'll have no one else die for my choices."

"This isn't going to bring Snart back." Sara's voice shook. She found she couldn't use his given name right now. It still hurt too much and she needed to push that weakness away.

"I don't want to lose another friend." A year ago, if anyone had told Mick he'd claim to have friends, he'd have punched them into submission.

"I appreciate that Mr. Rory." Rip understood how much his team had grown and changed. While his mission to save Miranda and Jonas had failed, the team had truly earned the title of legends. "I must say it's been an honor to serve as your Captain."

Their comms crackled with static as the ship went out of range, and since Gideon had powered them, they died. They realized that Rip had gone beyond their reach as well.

The team was trying to figure out what to do with the meteor. Ray suggested the Waverider when they realized that both Rip and the meteorite were suddenly missing. The appearance of the ship where it had not been a moment before was confusing until Rip brought them on board and up to speed about how he'd destroyed the meteorite by angling the ship and tossing it into the sun and then coming back in time to get them in another micro jump in time.

"You're a moron!" Mick remembered how many times Rip had insulted his intelligence. Nothing he'd ever done, even betraying the team, had been that monumentally stupid.

"Now. Who fancies a return trip to 2016?" Rip claimed with a sigh.

"I can't believe that it's over." Kendra thought of the thousands of years of pain and rebirth that she'd never have to experience ever again.

"Well, for some of you, yes. My journey, it seems, is only just beginning." Rip knew he'd have to find a new mission. Something that would make a change in a world that was no longer under the influence of the Time Masters.

"How does that work? Savage is three times dead!" The victory still felt hollow to Mick.

"The Time Masters are no longer a going concern due to our destruction of the Oculus."

Mick said silently, Snart's the one who destroyed the Oculus. They couldn't forget Snart's sacrifice; he wouldn't let them. He knew he was being unfair, but he couldn't help it.

"Someone needs to be responsible for protecting the timeline. Who better than a former Time Master? And, any of you who would like to join me."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Ray came into the galley to discover Mick rummaging for food. The burly thief had been ignoring everyone while they tried to make repairs on the Waverider after its close call with the sun. He tried to figure out an opening and kept drawing a blank. Finally, he just blurted out his idea. "Hey Mick. Do you think it would help if you went to talk to Snart? Let him know what his sacrifice meant to you?"

"He's dead, haircut. How the hell will I do that?"

"We are on a timeship. I know Rip would help with this."

Mick thought about it. It might help make things better. He went to find Rip to see if he'd do it.

"You do understand that you can't, I repeat, cannot dissuade Mr. Snart from joining this team. His fate was sealed, maybe from the moment of his birth. He must be allowed to sacrifice his life."

"I get it. I heard what you said to Sara about her sister. That we can't go back and change anything."

Wanting to change the subject, Rip asked, "Why the night before the particle accelerator explosion Mr. Rory?"

Mick had thought long and hard about the choice of date to speak to Leonard. He just wanted to talk to his partner before their lives were filled with metahumans and freaky guns. When it was just the two of them being thieves. Being partners.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Leonard listened to the voicemail message. Mick never called him; he was the one who always had a plan and called to see if Mick wanted in. Opening the door to his warehouse home, the harsh December wind made him close it again. His leather jacket wouldn't do tonight. He went to find the blue parka that Lisa had given him last Christmas. He would need it for the long bike ride to Mick's favorite girlie bar.

Mick entered the bar and almost left immediately. He spotted Snart at a table with his back to the door. The bone-deep understanding that his friend was lost to him forever kicked him in the balls and took his breath away. Steeling himself, Mick went to the bar to order a beer. He hadn't realized it would be this hard. When he looked over his shoulder, Snart was watching him with his head propped on his right hand. Snart was easily bored in bars. Picking up his beer, Mick headed towards the table and had to force himself to keep walking. He'd never felt this lost. How could he not warn him? Mick didn't know it, but his face showed how devastated he was. Snart was surprised. Mick never showed anything but anger, confusion, or unholy glee. What caused this look of despair?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" It was the old Snart. The one who was in it only for the goods and to hell with whoever got in his way.

"Wasn't sure you'd make it." Mick tried to smile and failed.

"You left me a message. I came. What of it?"

"I just wanted to talk. You and I...we've done a lot of thieving...a lot of cool stuff...a lot of fun." Looking at Snart's reaction to his words, he realized how much his partner had changed during their time with the team. He'd never lost his cynical tone but in this time, there was something missing in Snart's eyes that Mick had grown accustomed to seeing. Snart had yet to find the team that gave back to him a part of himself he'd never known he'd lost. Mick couldn't leave it like this. "Anyway, I just wanted to make sure I said something important that...wasn't left unsaid." Another reason that Mick had chosen this time was after the fire, his younger self had been too angry and Snart would not have come. Now, he believed that Snart might hear what he needed to say. If he could just say it.

"Mick, I don't do touchy feelie. If you've got something to say...say it." What the hell was Mick trying to get at?

"This wasn't a good idea." Frustrated, Mick got up to leave but stopped before he took a single step. Snart probably wouldn't believe him, but he had finally figured out what it was exactly that he had to say. He turned back. "You're the best guy I ever knew. You may not think you're a hero. But you're a hero to me." Mick gathered his courage to look Snart in the eye one last time. "You got that?" He had never been more sincere.

"Yeah, I got it." Snart was very confused. Mick had just spoken in the past tense about him. And he sure as hell wasn't any sort of hero. Not to Mick. Not to anyone. He was Mick's partner in crime. Hero could never be used to describe him.

"See ya around." Mick knew that his younger self would soon be on a job with Snart where things would go sideways. He remembered that punk kid he'd saved who had taken him places he'd never imagined he could go. The big heists. Joining the team to stop Savage. Their confrontation in the clearing. His capturing Snart and threatening him while being Chronos. Snart's last words to him, "My old friend. Forgive me." Mick left without a backwards glance. He hurt. He understood that the pain would be with him for a very long time.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rip and Ray shivered outside the bar where Mick had asked Snart to meet him. "I believe Mr. Rory will have a very hard time with this. Speaking to someone you know will die and you cannot save, it tears you up inside. I had to deal with it at Calvert."

"But what about your wife and son?"

"When I went back, they were already dead every time. That was different. You all have seen how hard it is to change time. Mr. Rory will have to learn that the Mr. Snart in this time is not the man he became. We all know how much he changed." Rip wondered who Mr. Snart could have become given enough time. They'd never know and that was a great loss to them all.

Ray could only nod, as he still felt guilty about Leonard's death.

"There he is." Ray had never seen Mick with that particular expression on his face. The thief looked lost. Well, maybe they could help somehow. "You okay?"

"Fine." Mick tried to understand what it was that he was feeling. The old Mick, the one from this time, would not have felt an iota of the pain he was feeling right now.

"So, did you tell him?" Ray had to know what transpired. Mick and Leonard had always rebelled against the rules. Had Mick broken another one?

"That he killed himself to save our destinies?" Mick refused to use the word sacrifice at that moment. It made it more bearable, barely.

"If it's any consolation, I can always bring you back to this particular time and place." Rip didn't want to make the offer; he knew the agony of seeing someone you loved when you knew their fate was sealed. Mr. Rory had come out of a deep, dark place and he didn't want to do anything that might toss him back down that hole.

"I'm fine. Just let it be."

Rip nodded in understanding. The pain that Mick was feeling was what had driven him on his own quest to kill Savage for the sake of his wife and child. The loss of Leonard Snart would echo through their team for some time.

Rip turned and led the two men back to the Waverider. He wondered how the others were handling it. Sara had been close to Mr. Snart as well. When her grief and anger about her sister's death subsided, would she want to say farewell also? That would be trickier since she had never met the man before he joined the team. Closure was so important at times like these. A solution sprang to mind. They had buried Carter when Savage had killed him. Leonard Snart deserved no less even though they would never be able to recover his body. He thought that 1958 would be a good time. Questions would be few and, if they laid a stone in the Central City Cemetery, Mr. Snart's sister would have some closure as well. He went to his office to design the marker. He had Gideon search the surrounding area for a proper stone.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Leonard was watching TV when the news report was cut off along with all the power. He stepped outside to see the night sky lit up with flashes of light from the direction of the particle accelerator. What the hell had happened? He'd heard all the commentary about the risks; it seemed that those naysayers had been correct. He turned to go back inside. It had nothing to do with him. He was still bothered by Mick's visit the night before. He'd never seen Mick so...so introspective. And why had he wanted to meet last night? Mick knew they were up for a job in ten days. Leonard turned back to the table and the blueprints. He knew he had the layout memorized but decided to swing by the place one more time to check the area again and see if he could spot any changes to the security system. He didn't want a repeat of Freeport ever again.

A little over a week later, the job was going smoothly. Leonard was on the warehouse's second floor when something exploded below. Damn it! "Mick! What the hell did you do?" He raced over to the stairs and saw that flames were moving quickly across the floor. On the room's far side, his partner was down and not moving. The stack of metal barrels was now scattered. Evidently, they'd held something combustible. Mick had let his desire for flame get away from him again. Time to cut him loose.

Racing down the stairs, Leonard stuffed his pockets with the cash he'd taken out of the safe. He moved towards the door, open air, and safety. And then Leonard stopped. His code meant you never left someone behind. But the fire was raging out of control. Code vs. honor vied for supremacy. He remembered how Mick had acted in the bar two weeks ago and what he'd said. How he'd claimed that Leonard was a hero to him. Mick had been the one who'd saved him all those years ago from a shiv in the stomach. Turning around, Leonard realized he couldn't leave Mick behind.

The flames had climbed the beams and were merrily engulfing the floor above. He'd have to be quick. Subduing his fear, Leonard dashed to Mick's side. The fallen pyro's coat sleeves were on fire. Beating out the flames with his gloved hands, Leonard dragged the unconscious thief out into the cold night air. Spotting a snow bank, Leonard dragged Mick over and dropped him into it. His burned flesh steamed as it contacted the snow. Surveying his partner's wounds, Leonard realized that he was badly hurt. Sirens echoed in the warehouse district; surely the cops would call an ambulance. Torn, Leonard left Mick where he was and ran. He figured pulling him out of a burning building had to count for something. He climbed up the fire escape of a neighboring warehouse and watched as first the cops, then the firemen, and finally an ambulance showed up. When the technicians began to run an IV and placed Mick on a stretcher, Leonard knew that he was still alive. He'd do some time for arson but soon he'd be out and then the two could partner up again. Leonard left the scene and Mick behind.

Toeing down his bike's kickstand, Leonard had to smile. Christmas dinner had been...interesting. He'd met Lisa at Sinners and Saints after she'd called to say she'd burned dinner. Again. The bar opened its doors for its regular clientele who had nowhere else to go. The two siblings had taken over a back booth and spent the evening catching up. Leonard had used the money from the warehouse heist to get her a new leather jacket and boots. She'd squealed like she had as a child when she opened the box. Her gift to him had been a set of mini tools. They fit perfectly into his parka's pocket and could be used for disabling alarms. He walked towards the entrance and frowned because the light above his door was out. He didn't see the figure hidden in shadows until he was within striking range.

"You left me!"

It took a second for Leonard to realize who it was. "Mick? I thought you'd..."

"You thought what? That I'd be in jail?"

"No. A hospital. When I left, they were..." Leonard was picked up by his jacket and slammed against the wall.

Mick's fists tightened in the material as he lifted his betrayer. "I woke up in the ambulance. Not here. I jumped out and ran."

"Your burns were too much! I couldn't treat them..." Cut off once again as his head hit the wall, Leonard realized that there was nothing he could say to calm Mick down. Mick must have been on drugs that night at the bar. He sure didn't think Leonard was a hero now.

"We're done!" Mick spat as he dropped Leonard. "I can't count on you."

Angry now, Leonard shook himself to settle his jacket and stepped forward. "Count on me? Who the hell set that place on fire in the first place? You! You have no one to blame for your burns other than yourself. Go! See if you can find someone else to work with you!" He turned his back and entered the warehouse he called home. He was alone. Merry fucking Christmas.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Leonard could barely walk in the chains that bound him. His trial had been very quick as was the sentencing. He'd been surprised that Joe West had spoken up at his trial testifying how Lewis had endangered his sister. His testimony had made sure that the prosecutor could not get the death penalty for Leonard. Still, he was looking at a very long sentence. That is, if he actually stayed in prison. Lisa was still free. His thoughts circled back around to Barry's words just now.

"Today just proved what I've always known. There's good in you, Snart. Yeah, you don't have to admit it to me but there's a part of you that knows you don't have to let your past define you. A part of you that really wants to be more than just a criminal."

"So I should be a hero like you, Barry. What exactly does that pay again?" He kept his gaze on Barry determined to show no weakness. He could see Detective West over Barry's right shoulder. The man radiated disapproval.

"It's just a matter of time. Something you'll have a lot of in here."

Hero. There was that word again. He'd done too much, seen too much in his life to ever be a hero. Mick had called him that a year ago. He'd forgiven Leonard about being abandoned at the warehouse fire when he'd been offered the heat gun. But then he'd left Leonard and Lisa behind when their father had ambushed them. Well, no matter. Lewis was dead, and they were alive. It galled Leonard, but he owed a debt to The Flash and Cisco. He had no idea how he'd repay that debt. But he wasn't kidding; he wouldn't stay in Iron Heights for too long.

0-0-0-0-0-0

A couple of months later, Mark Mardon broke Leonard out of Iron Heights and shared his plan to destroy The Flash with him and James Jesse. At the warehouse, Leonard listened as Mardon shared his grand plan-the reason he'd broken them out of prison. There was no way this would end well. It wasn't just Leonard's promise to The Flash to stop killing. If The Flash was dead, who would he have as a nemesis? Besides, a little voice inside reminded him, he owed the boy. All this ran through his head as he listened to Mardon.

"Tell me your plan." Mardon himself said that he chosen Leonard for his brains. He wanted to see if there was even a chance of it succeeding.

"Tell me you're in." The metahuman refused to give an inch to Snart.

"I'm thinking about it."

"What's the matter? A few months in the clink made you soft. Did it Snart?"

That was it. Forget about his promise to refrain from killing. Leonard drew his gun while Mardon activated his powers.

"You want to dance?" Mardon threatened.

"Boys. Boys. Boys. Play nice. Mellow out, Martin. Don't have a snit, Snart. Here's an idea. We all go out, have a few drinks, kill some carolers; we'll all feel better." James Jesse was determined to settle them down so they could focus on the real enemy.

These two were insane. Leonard deactivated his gun. He was better off on his own.

"All right." Mardon let the cold dissipate into the air. "So what's it gonna be, Snart?"

Leonard lifted his chin and looked up. He didn't have to think at all. He never denied that he had killed even before Lewis, but he was a thief. A brilliant one. He was not interested in murder. At least not whatever it was that these two cooked up. "Thank you for breaking me out but I'm not interested. So I will leave and not overhear anything that you don't want me to." He locked eyes with Mardon and slowly circled around him as he headed towards the door. "I'll leave you two to your mayhem and enjoy watching it on the news." He listened intently but it seemed Mardon was content to let him leave.

He had a debt to pay. He'd done his research on Barry Allen. The porch light was on but no one was home when he rang the bell. The lock was a piece of cake with his new tools. The house reeked of Christmas spirit and family. He throttled down the jealousy that rose up. He turned on the lights around the house and on the tree and wall decorations. It wasn't his home but if he closed his eyes, he could remember his mom holding him up to put the angel on the top of the tree. Shaking off the memories, Leonard prowled around the living room. Soon, he was rummaging in the kitchen cabinets looking for a treat. Prison food left a lot to be desired. He chuckled as he found packets of cocoa. He dug around some more but couldn't find any marshmallows. Damn. There was a stack of cute Christmas mugs on the counter. He chose a Rudolph one and made himself a cup of hot chocolate. Going to the living room, he noticed that a fire had been laid but not lit. Smart, since there was no one home. But now that he was here, he lit the fire. He watched the shadows dance against the far wall as he settled down in an easy chair. He waited and thought about what he would say and do as he drank his cocoa.

When Barry and Iris entered, he couldn't believe how clueless they both were. Neither noticed that the lights were on and that the fire was burning merrily in the fireplace. Leonard took another sip certain it would be the last one he'd get once Barry saw him and set it down on the table to his left. He was right. He was yanked out of his seat and slammed against the mantle. He grasped his gun. Threatening Iris was his only option to get Barry to listen to him. When Barry released him, Leonard ignored the speedster and spoke to Iris complimenting her on her published prose. She really was a good writer; he had read many of her pieces this past year. How else was he going to keep up with the doings of The Flash? However, he was not a homicidal maniac. That title was reserved for others like Mardon and Jesse. He filled the two in on why he'd been freed and declared, "I got the noel spirit, wanted to give you a gift. Mardon broke Jesse and me out to kill you. Jesse's on board of course. He's shaking with excitement. Me, I'm gonna pass." He looked away from the two do-gooders.

"Why? You grow a conscience?" Iris obviously hated him. The way she'd brushed off his allusion to a childhood of abuse pissed him off but this was between him and Barry.

"Mardon wants revenge. Jesse wants chaos. I'm just not invested like they are."

"You mean there's no money in it for you." Barry wished Iris would stop baiting Snart.

"Was never much for non-profit work."

"If you're not in with them, then tell me where they are." Barry hoped they could get the other two locked up before anyone got hurt.

"Nahhh. Consider me more of a Secret Santa. Besides. You and your friends love to solve a good mystery." Leonard headed towards the front door.

Barry snorted with anger. Snart refused to see or accept the man he was becoming. "You are full of it, Snart. I think my friends and I saved your sister's life and you just can't stand to owe me a marker. I hate to break it to you but that, that right there is called honor."

Leonard stopped. He was frustrated that Barry was right. Not about the honor but that he owed Barry and his friends. Barry was a hero unlike him. Leonard was grateful that they'd not held his crimes against Lisa. "Go on, make your pitch. I can see you're dying to."

"Help me stop them."

"Sorry. I'm not interested in being a hero." Why did that word keep cropping up? He'd never really thought about it most of his life. Not in context with himself anyways. Funny, it was just over a year ago that Mick had claimed that Leonard was a hero to him.

"You're doing a pretty lousy job of being a villain this week."

"Merry Christmas, Barry." Leonard gave Barry the only gift he could. He couldn't turn on Mardon because he did have honor. Yes, Mardon had broken him out of jail to erase his own debt but it would ruin Leonard to turn on him. Taking himself out of the mix was the only way he was willing to help The Flash and pay off both debts.

Leonard headed towards his warehouse. He'd bought it years ago under another name and had set up an account to pay all taxes and utilities. No matter if he was away in Star City, Chicago, or prison, the bills would still be paid and he'd have a place to lie low. He couldn't go see Lisa; they'd surely have her place staked out. But his prison break would be on the news soon and she'd know where he'd go. It might not be a great Christmas this year, but at least they wouldn't have bars between them.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Hero ain't on my resume." Leonard wanted to get away from this time traveler and what he offered. He was a thief. And a murderer. Nothing he could do would ever make up for his crimes. He heard Mick following as he headed towards the stairs. Mick was the only person who'd ever called Leonard a hero. And all Mick wanted was to see the world burn. Stealing kept Mick's desires under control. As he continued to walk, Leonard thought about all the ways he could use a time ship to steal. Maybe Rip's offer had some merit. He'd have to think about it and then convince Mick to go along. With all of time before them, surely Mick could find enough to steal instead of light things on fire.

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Leonard waited as Gideon created the Russian uniforms for him and Mick. Rip's move was a dumbass one. Giving Sara the order to kill Stein would destroy her. He'd watched her these past weeks as she fought what she called a bloodlust. She was determined to change. To be someone who did good. If she killed Stein, all her hard work would be sacrificed. She would be back at ground zero. He just couldn't let that happen. As he headed towards the storage bay where they'd agreed to meet, he figured out what he'd say to her. He didn't think she'd listen to him, though. After all, who was he? Just a thief. Not her friend. Not anyone's friend...except for Mick. He had to get Mick out of the gulag. He'd get Raymond too if he could, but Mick was his priority. He tried to convince her but Sara had her mind made up. For now. Leonard wasn't going to give up on convincing her.

Leonard crouched down in the cold air outside the prison. He could see Mick and Raymond headed out across the yard from the loading bay as he'd directed them. Now for Sara. He dropped all pretenses and spoke to her soul. "That's how a killer thinks and that's not you any more." He knew she wanted to be a hero. She could become one, unlike him. She had to see that there was another option. Together, they could take on Valentina and her guards now that the rest of the team was joining the fight. And she listened and responded. She did not kill Stein.

They rescued Stein and escaped as Valentina turned into a nuclear bomb. The jump ship was rocked by the blast. As they stepped onto the deck of the Waverider, Sara touched him on the arm to make him pause. When he turned around enough so she could look him in the eye, she spoke. "What you said out there. To me. You helped. You..." She had to stop because she really wasn't sure what she wanted to say exactly. She wished she could get Leonard to see that he'd changed too. But the moment passed as he turned away. They both still had a lot of changing to do.

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Leonard had only seconds to make his choice. Go with Mick and abandon the team. Or fight Mick alongside the others. Do the right thing or stand by his only friend. Sara had just pointed out that they weren't friends, but they were all his teammates.

In the end, he chose to do what was right and fired over Mick's shoulder at one of the invaders. He hoped that he could separate Mick from the pirates and convince him to rejoin the team. But Mick returned fire and they had to dodge for cover. When Gideon told them that Mick was headed towards time drive, Leonard knew that Mick couldn't be reasoned with any more. The best he could hope for was to knock his partner out and try, once again, to get him calmed down. That was Leonard's last thought as a stun bolt threw him against the corridor wall and into unconsciousness.

When he opened his eyes, Leonard heard the battle still going on further down the passageway. "Gideon! Where is Mick?"

"He is in the drive room fighting Ms. Lance."

"Damn it!" Using the wall to help him climb to his feet, Leonard avoided Raymond and Kendra as he went to stop Mick. Faced with limited options when he arrived at the drive room, he shot Mick to get him away from Sara. It had been a glancing blow rather than a killing shot since Leonard still had hope he could talk Mick into seeing some sense. When they'd been younger, Mick had always trusted Leonard's decisions. 2046 had been the beginning of the end and now Leonard was backed into a corner. But Mick was his responsibility. The only thing he could do was put him down like one did a mad dog. He tried to think of any other action he could take.

The clearing was cold and wet as the two men faced off. "You think you're some kind of hero. But deep down you're still that punk kid I saved in juvie. You haven't got the guts. You want to kill me, kill me. Only one of us is walking out of here alive."

"You're right." Leonard fired over Mick's shoulder to distract him. It worked. Leonard swung his gun as hard as he could and knocked Mick out cold. Staring down at his only friend, Leonard wondered what had caused the deep rift between the two. It had only been a couple of years ago that Mick had claimed that Leonard was a hero to him. Not for the first time did Leonard curse his eidetic memory. Mick had been so serious back then. Had seemed to truly believe what he was saying. Hero. How Leonard hated that word. No real hero would drag his best friend along on such a mission before abandoning him to save others who didn't care about either of them. Clenching both his fists to control his frustration, Leonard headed back to the ship. He'd do everything he could to kill Savage so he could return to bring Mick home.

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Mick hadn't needed Leonard. The Time Masters had collected him instead. Leonard struggled to stay on his feet. The stump of his right arm was cradled in his left hand. He'd only looked at it the one time; that had been enough to make him sick. He reeled against the walls of the tunnel towards the sounds of battle. He had to stop them from killing his former partner. Mick was Chronos because of him. Because he hadn't put his partner down. So, once again, Mick was his responsibility. He owed him another chance to change.

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"Considering I'm about to trade my life for nothing, I think I came out ahead." But he was trading it for his friends, not for nothing. That had count for something.

With crystalline clarity, Leonard finally understood Mick's words, "You're the best guy I ever knew. You may not think you're a hero. But you're a hero to me." It had bugged him every time he remembered that night when Mick had poured out his feelings and used the word knew. Mick must have gone back in time to give Leonard that message. To thank him for saving his life. After all, they had a time ship. Leonard smiled a little. His friends survived this war.

Time Master Druce came up with his guards. "No! Shut it down!" he demanded. "Shut it down!"

Leonard guessed they hadn't seen this. He wondered why? They were far enough away. "There are no strings on me." Leonard was done with being a pawn.

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"Professor Stein. A moment please." Rip stood in the doorway of the smaller bay. They'd left Savage's body on the rooftop and come to 1958 to begin to heal. The others didn't know what year he'd chosen. He'd said he'd take them to 2016 but he wanted an out of the way place to repair his ship first.

Stein was barely curious. They'd been working on the Waverider's necessary repairs for the better part of the day and he was tired and wanted nothing more than a shower. "Yes?"

Rip gestured for Stein to join him next to a storage box. It was draped with a dark cloth. Rip whipped it away to show a flat block of polished white marble. "I need your help. I want to place this for Mr. Snart, and I wondered if you would help with some type of service. I know that you studied as a rabbi before going to college."

Stein read the words carved deep into the stone and brushed his fingers over the snowflake engraved at the top. "It's...it's perfect." He was surprised to find that his voice caught. He'd never been close to Mr. Snart but the man's sacrifice needed to be acknowledged. They all needed this to help them find a way to heal. "I'll come up with something. When?"

"Tomorrow at dusk. Central City Cemetery."

"When will you tell the others?"

"Not until tomorrow."

The setting sun set the trees on fire with autumnal colors. Mick squatted to place the stone on the hill so that it looked out over the city. Snart had loved...would love this city. He read the words inscribed once again: Leonard Snart...Brother...Friend...Hero. An intricate snowflake was carved at the top. No dates were carved. He stood up and stepped back.

The team stood looking down at the marker. Professor Stein cleared his voice and took a step closer to the stone. "Most of us knew Mr. Snart for less than a year. And in that time, he became a different man. A friend once told me that there was more to Mr. Snart than most people would ever see. That even Mr. Snart couldn't see what he was truly capable of. But we saw him learn and change and grow into the man who became our teammate. He always stayed true to himself, and he allowed his honor to finally shine through." He paused to take a breath and looked around at the others. Mr. Hall and Ms. Saunders stood at one end of the half circle. Jefferson, Captain Hunter and Mr. Palmer filled in the middle. At the other end, stood Ms. Lance and Mr. Rory. It was these last two that he wanted to reach the most. They had been Mr. Snart's closest friends. "Leonard Snart saved not only our lives, but the lives of countess others. He once said, 'Hero ain't on my resume.' Well, he was wrong. It is how we will always remember him. Our friend who was a hero." Stein stepped back into the circle next to Jax.

Silence was interspersed with each person saying his or her goodbyes. As they finished, they peeled away and headed back to the ship. Ray was thinking that he'd find the time tomorrow to mention to Rory that maybe Rip could help him say goodbye to Snart by going back in time. Rip made a mental note as he walked away to tell The Flash about this marker so he could show it to Mr. Snart's sister. Soon, only Mick and Sara were left.

Mick stoically stared down the hill and watched the shadows lengthen. He felt like a part of him had been amputated. That he was no longer whole. He remembered conversations that the two men had had over the years. Neither had felt that they owed anything to anyone. They were out to take everyone for everything that they had. The world had shown them that it was cruel and cold. That coldness now filled Mick's spirit as he realized he faced a lifetime alone. No one could ever understand him like Snart had. He just wished he could have let Snart know what he'd come to mean to him. His own self-realization was too little, too late. He touched the ring that was stuck deep in his jeans pocket. Consequences. Snart gave his life so that his partner could live. But what kind of life could he live without his only friend. In his recorded message, Snart had pointed out that they belonged to this team. That Mick could have new friends. He supposed that was so but right now, that knowledge wasn't helping. He looked down at Sara who was kneeling in front of the marker. She had to be hurting too.

Sara laid a deck of cards on the stone, kissed her fingertips, and caressed the snowflake. "Goodbye, Leonard. I wish we'd had our chance." Standing, she swiped at the tears running down her cheeks. Turning, she looked up at Mick. She cried the tears he was unable to shed. Together, the two left Leonard Snart's memorial behind as they walked into the darkness that had fallen.

I hope you enjoyed this story and this season of DC's Legends of Tomorrow. I used scenes from The Flash's Season 2 episodes "Family of Rogues" and "Running to Stand Still" to fill in some gaps. The question for me is which came first? Leonard's change of heart or Mick's words that led to that change of heart.

For those of you who have stayed the course and especially, those kind people who have taken the extra time to write a review, I thank you for reading this story.

If there is any further inspiration for telling Leonard's story in the Berlanti universe, it will be in another story separate from this one. Having read the Comic-Con 2016 announcement regarding Captain Cold, I shall wait to see what inspires me in the canon world. I don't know if he will still be the Leonard Snart that Sara grew to love. We shall see.

I am going to continue my AU story about Leonard and the Legend team. The first story is "Cut Strings". The second will be "To Spin a New Thread". And yes, there will be CaptainCanary.