MEETING THE FRIENDS

Sara Lance swore under her breath as the earring she had been putting on slipped from her fingers and rolled on the floor.

"Arrgh!" she groaned in frustration.

"Is everything alright, Miss Lance?" Gideon's voice entered the room.

"No! Nothing is alright!" Sara snapped. Having realized that she was being belligerent to a computer, she took a deep breath and apologized.

"There is no need to apologize, Miss Lance," the computer responded. "I do not have any feelings for you to hurt."

A small smile twisted in a corner of Sara's lips.

"Still, I was being cranky," she said. "Could you help me out, though? I seem to have lost my earring. It fell and rolled off somewhere and now I can't find it. Can you use your sensors or something to find it?" She looked around the fabricator room.

"There are no sensors in this room, Miss Lance, but a review of the surveillance video shows that your earring rolled under the bench on the south side of the room," Gideon said helpfully.

"Thank you, Gideon," Sara breathe as she bent to reach for the glittering piece of jewelry. She straightened abruptly when she realized something. "Wait, you have cameras in this room?"

"Yes, Miss Lance."

"I have been changing in this room since I came on board," Sara scowled. "I have been naked in this room, and you're telling me there have been cameras this whole time."

"All areas of the Waverider are vigilantly monitored for security purposes, Miss Lance," the computer explained. "But rest assured that you were afforded the utmost privacy and security footage of a private nature can only be accessed by the highest security clearance."

"And who has the highest security clearance?" Sara already guessed the answer. "Rip Hunter?"

"Of course, Miss Lance," the AI confirmed. "The Captain only reviews the footage when absolutely necessary."

"How often is 'absolutely necessary'?"

"Every night."

"I am going to cut your captain's eyes out," Sara growled.

"Speaking of the Captain, he has requested that you wear this with your dress," Gideon interrupted her vengeful thoughts.

"If you think, I am going to wear anything that perverted Brit wants me to –"

Sara stopped when a drawer opened at her left side to reveal an intricately designed box.

"What is it?" her eyes were still narrowed in annoyance but she could not deny her curiosity.

"The Captain expressed that it is a gift to commemorate your partnership," the AI answered. "He mentioned that he has been meaning to give it to you since you accepted his offer for partnership, however, he could not find an appropriate moment. Until now."

Sara lifted the box lid and gave released a soft breath of surprise.

"Did your fabricator make this?" she asked softly.

"No, Miss Lance," said Gideon. "It was commissioned by the Captain from a French clockmaker during one of our missions in the 1783, however due to the intricacies the Captain stipulated, it was several years after the intended recipient's demise that the timepiece was completed."

"Who was the intended recipient?"

"The Queen of France," Gideon answered.

Sara lifted timepiece from the box and studied it in her hand. It was slightly smaller than Rip's pocket watch. Instead of a fob or strap, the timepiece was attached to a chain that allowed it to be worn around the neck like a necklace.

"The hunter cover pattern is a new addition to the original design. The Captain believed it is more fitting for you," the computer stated.

Sara's finger traced the drawing with her fingertip. "It's a canary," she said tenderly.

"Indeed, Miss Lance," agreed the AI. "However, the Captain wished me to stress that the true value of the timepiece is beneath the cover."

"Yeah, you mean time itself?" Sara had to smile. Leave it to Rip to subtly remind her of the importance of their mission of protecting the timeline.

"Please open the timepiece cover," the computer requested.

Sara pressed the small button and the cover sprang open. Tears burned at the back of her eyes when she saw the picture beneath the cover. Whereas Rip's pocket watch held Miranda and Jonas, his gift to her held a picture of her family on their first visit to Disney World. She and Laurel were in their preteen years and wearing cartoon mouse ears. Her parents were young and in love. Simpler times.

"Where did Rip get this picture?"

"I believe the Captain asked for it from your father during that visit to your mother's house," the computer surmised.

"Thank you, Gideon," Sara smiled. "I guess your captain gets to keep his eyes after all."

88888

"Now, that looks expensive."

Sara looked up to see Leonard Snart cast an admiring gaze on the timepiece she was wearing around her neck.

"From Rip?" he asked. At her nod, he said. "He has good taste. Breguet, right? 18-karat yellow gold. Sapphire caseback. Probably designed between late 1780s to early 1800s."

"When did you become such an expert in watches?" she raised a brow at him.

"I'm a thief and I like shiny objects," he drawled. "The Breguet watch no 160 or the Marie Antoinette was designed for the queen with the instructions to replace all possible metals and mechanisms with gold. It was ordered by a mysterious admirer of the queen, and the watch was supposedly lost and then 'found' after a full on quest was contracted for it.

"Knowing our captain, I am willing to bet that your timepiece is the original Marie Antoinette watch that he himself commissioned for the queen," Snart continued. "A replica of the Breguet's Marie Antoinette is worth upwards of ten million dollars. Yes, the reproduction of your watch is worth ten million dollars. So that pretty little thing around your neck is very likely worth at least ten to twenty times as much."

"And that explains how you're suddenly an expert," she mocked.

"An added bonus of your particular timepiece is that it gives me an excuse to look at your chest," Snart said with a caricature leer.

"Eyes up here, Snart," Sara warned.

"Not a chance, Lance," he looked at her through hooded eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"So, from now on it's going to be Rip and Sara. I have to admit your names roll around the tongue easily," Snart drawled. "The dynamic duo, Rip and Sara, like a country-folk duet."

"Don't make fun," she admonished.

"Can't help it. Too good to let pass," he smirked. "I never pegged you for the marrying kind, though. What's the real story?"

"What? You're not convinced Rip and I fell madly in love with each other?" Sara asked sardonically.

"You mean between the mission to change the future for his wife and kid and your fling with the nurse in 1958?" Snart laughed. "Yeah, it must have been a whirlwind romance."

"It's for my parents," Sara answered seriously. "When Rip asked me to join him in working for the Time Masters, I knew I would have to say goodbye to them again. As you know, the job is dangerous. There is a strong possibility I am never coming back to this time again. It would be better for them to think that I was living happily ever after somewhere. Their peace of mind is worth the temporary discomfort of lying to them."

"What does Rip get out of it?"

"I don't know," Sara frowned, absently touching the timepiece. "You'll have to ask him."

"Lying to your family," Snart chortled. "What a great start for the adventures of Rip and Sara, Time Masters." He said the last part dramatically.

Sara looked at him sullenly.

"What have you been up to since you got back?" she asked with mild curiosity. "I was actually surprised Donna even found you. I figured you would have been on your way to prison by now."

"Actually, Felicity Smoak found me. Funny that even she had a bit of a time locating us with her skills," he said. "Interesting fact. It seems that our criminal records have been expunged. Like someone travelled back in time and deleted all records that pertained to our criminal history, leaving me and Mick with an immaculately clean slate."

"You didn't," Sara was surprised.

"Oh, I didn't," Snart laughed at the expression in her face. He nodded to where Rip Hunter stood talking to Professor Stein and Jefferson Jackson. "Our captain has been busy since he brought us back to 2016. Seems you're not the only one who has received rather valuable souvenirs from the captain. I still can't figure out why he did it, though."

"He believed you and Mick could be heroes," Sara told him while she watched Rip mingle with the other guests. "I guess he still does. He's giving you a chance to be legends in your own time."

Leonard Snart was observing Sara's warm gaze at their former captain.

"Hm, yes, I don't think it's going to stick," he said with a slight sneer. "But Mick and I had a little talk and we decided to make the most of this precious gift. I'm running for mayor next year."

"You're what now?" Sara was genuinely surprised.

"Got the idea from your friend, Oliver Queen. And with such an impeccably clean record, I can actually run for public office," Snart grinned. "Do you have any idea how much money politicians have access to?" Sara shook her head. "Lots," he smirked.

"Mick is on board with this?" she asked.

"Oh, he's thrilled," Snart said. "He has always wanted to see the City Hall burn. When, yes when, I win, he can see it burn from the inside," he chuckled.

Sara looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Are you going to try and stop me, Sara?" Snart asked quietly.

"No," she said, as if making up her mind at that moment. "If the people of Central City are dumb enough to vote for you, then they deserve to have you. Besides, I think you're lying. You're not doing this for money or power. You actually want to make a difference. Rip might actually be right about you being a hero in some way."

"Sure, if it helps you sleep at night," Snart smiled. He took a step closer to her. "You know, if you're not yet fully committed to this partnership with Rip, I have a position that I think you would be very well suited for. I would have actually asked you earlier if Rip hadn't asked you first."

"You're looking for a running mate?" Sara asked scornfully.

"Yes," he answered. "But with you, there will be less running and more—"

"Stop right there," she said with disgust.

"Never took you for a prude, Sara," he mocked. "Afraid your uptight fiancé is going to love you less?"

"Oh, please," Sara rolled her eyes. "You know it's nothing like that. Rip and I have a professional relationship disguised as a romantic one to keep my parents sane."

"You sure you don't have that the other way around?" Snart asked. "Why do you think Rip was so keen about having you as a partner?"

"Because, by default, I am the only one available," she deduced. "You and Mick have an established partnership, Jax and Stein share the same body, and Ray, Kendra and Carter are just a pile of complications. Not even Rip is so masochistic to get into that."

"So you say," Snart was unmoved.

"Are you trying to suggest that our former captain likes me, Snart?"

"No, I'm trying to suggest that you like him back," he countered.

"I do not—"

"Fine, fine," Snart relented. "Just don't let the kid hear you say that." He motioned to the group were Jax and the geeks from STAR Labs were standing around laughing. "He's the only one who actually believes that all of this is real. He's been saying that he got you and Rip pegged since you went off together in 1975. Tells me he's been secretly rooting for the two of you to hook up since then."

"Now, why would he do that?" Sara said sadly.

"Don't worry," Snart grabbed her shoulder sympathetically. "I won't tell him of your secret indifference towards your future husband." He noticed a movement at their side. "And speak of the devil, here he comes now."

Rip nodded to Sara then turned to acknowledge Leonard Snart.

"You came," Rip said unenthusiastically.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world,"Snart mocked.

"Yes, thank you," Rip said sarcastically. "Your presence here means so very little to me."

"We can stop pretending, Captain. I already know how much you love me,"Snart smirked. "I actually came here to support you, whereas others, to quote Mick, are just here for the booze."

As if on cue, they heard the boisterous laughter of Mick Rory. He was standing beside Detective Joe West and Captain Lance. It appeared as if the rather drunk arsonist was taunting the police officers.

"Speaking of my partner, I better make sure he doesn't get himself thrown into jail tonight," Snart moved to walk away.

Rip stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"I'll be taking that back now, Mr. Snart," Rip held up an open palm.

Snart smiled at him through hooded eyes. "Nothing gets past you," he said as he placed the object in Rip's hand.

"After you picked the jump ship's access key from my pocket, I have always made certain to check on my valuables whenever you're around," Rip retorted.

"Yes, you should keep a close eye on your valuables," Snart gave a meaningful sidewise glance at Sara. "I might just be interested enough to steal them away."

Snart gave a mocking salute and walked away.

"What did he take?" Sara asked curiously.

Rip turned to her and held up her timepiece necklace. Sara gasped as her hand instinctively reached for her bare throat.

"That son of a bitch," Sara swore. "When did he even—"

"He's a very clever, talented son of a bitch," Rip murmured with reluctant admiration. "May I?"

Rip gestured with the timepiece. Sara turned around to allow him to fasten the necklace around her neck.

"Have I thanked you for this yet?" Sara touched the cover of the timepiece with her fingertips.

"You may have," Rip whispered in her ear while he stood behind her. "But it's possible I didn't quite hear you because my brain was muddled with processing how lovely you look tonight."

Sara turned to face him slowly.

"Captain Hunter, are you flirting with me?" she teased.

"Well, I have been informed that in 21st century America, it is customary to flirt with one's fiancée," he smiled at her.

She opened her mouth to respond when a very familiar voice spoke up from behind them.

"Interesting group of friends you have here, Sara."

"Ollie!" Sara rushed to embrace the good looking man. She held his face in her hand and gazed at him with such tenderness. "It's so good to see you so young. And so intact." She grabbed his upper arms.

Oliver Queen eyed her strangely. Rip gently pulled Sara back to his side and kept a hand firmly on her waist, rather possessively.

"She means, it's good to see you well and healthy," Rip amended. Sara raised a brow at him. "I'm Captain Rip Hunter." Rip extended his hand.

"You're the time-traveler from the future. The one with a spaceship," Oliver stated as he shook Rip's hand.

"The one and only," Rip verified. "And you're Oliver Queen, former billionaire playboy, now masked archer and the savior of Star City?"

"I am not sure I agree with that description," Oliver smiled. "You're Sara's fiancé?" Oliver asked.

"So it seems," Rip agreed.

If Oliver thought that was a peculiar answer, he didn't say a word but regarded them with interest.

"And where is your better half?" Sara asked cheerfully.

"She's answering a phone call," he smiled. "But we actually aren't –"

"Sara!" Felicity Smoak almost squealed when she caught sight of her friend. Sara and Felicity hurried to each other's side and held each other warmly.

"I am so sorry about this, I wanted to put a stop to it but I had no way of knowing what you wanted," Felicity stammered.

"What are you talking about?" Sara smiled. She had missed hearing Felicity's flight of thoughts.

"Your engagement party," she clarified. "I know my mother. She probably pushed you into this, didn't she? I tell you, she can find any excuse to throw a party. It doesn't take much. She will find a reason to throw a party for dog droppings if you let her."

"Actually, in this case, it was my father who suggested the party," Sara said.

"Oh no, she got to him!" Felicity was genuinely distressed.

Sara laughed as she pulled her towards the gentlemen.

"This is Rip Hunter," she introduced them. "Rip, Felicity Smoak."

"You're the time-traveling spaceman from the future?" Felicity smiled.

"Not quite a spaceman," Rip grinned as he clasped Felicity's hand with both of his. "I must say that I am quite honored to finally meet you. I have been an admirer of your work since I discovered my propensity for invention. Your creations with Smoak Technologies, I am not afraid to tell you, has been fundamental in shaping the future. You cannot believe how many times your technology has saved my life. In fact, I invented the Time Sphere solely on the basis of the technology that you and your company built. You are an inspiration, a truly remarkable woman, Miss Smoak."

"Wow, thank you. Please call me Felicity," she blushed. "I love your accent."

Oliver cleared his throat and smoothly pulled Felicity's entrapped hand from Rip's grasp.

"I think they're playing our song," he said as he motioned to the playing band. He turned to Rip, "it was a pleasure meeting you," he said dismissively as he lead Felicity to the dance floor.

"We have a song?" Felicity asked as she walked with him.

Rip and Sara watched as Oliver Queen took Felicity Smoak in his arms and the couple swayed to the music.

"Now that's a side of you I've never seen before," Sara remarked to Rip. "You're a Felicity Smoak fanboy."

"Don't be ridiculous," Rip snorted. "What's a fanboy?"

"A really, really enthusiastic admirer," Sara laughed.

"I was merely expressing my appreciation for her superb work. Her contribution to the field of science and technology are simply—"

"Remarkable," Sara finished for him. "Yes, I heard. Have you been taking lessons from Stein?"

Rip looked at her sourly.

"How could you not tell me?!"

Rip and Sara turned together to find themselves in the receiving end of Dinah's stormy glare.

"Sara, I am your mother," Dinah was in the verge of tears. "How could you not tell me?"

"Mom, I don't—" Sara started. "You're going to have to be more specific."

Dinah was enraged.

"Grandchildren!" she fairly screamed. "I heard Donna and Quentin talking about grandchildren. They did not mean for me to hear it, I am sure. They were whispering and giggling and looking at you with meaningful glances. How could you not tell me you're pregnant!?"

There was absolute silence in the ballroom. The last sentence was uttered in time with the end of the musical number. All eyes were turned to them. Awkward silence.

"Maybe we should talk about this more privately," Rip suggested.

He ushered the women to a private balcony at the side of the ballroom. He closed the door behind them.

"Mom, I am not pregnant," Sara was exasperated. "Rip and I haven't – We have been – er…"

She looked at Rip for help.

"Careful," he ventured. "We have been careful. Yes, very careful. One could say monastically careful."

Sara glowered at him.

"Mom, I swear to you, I am not pregnant," Sara repeated. "Donna must have meant something else."

The balcony door opened and Donna peaked inside.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" she guessed correctly. She stepped into the balcony to join them.

"Donna, tell me why you and Quentin were talking about grandchildren," Dinah demanded.

"I'm so sorry," Donna included Rip and Sara in her apology. "It was just so nice to see Oliver and Felicity on the dance floor. My fantasies just went wild and I started imagining how many of the eight grandchildren would be Felicity's and how many of them would be Sara's."

"Why do you think there'd be eight?" Dinah asked.

"Because eight is such a nice whole number?" Donna stammered.

"So, you're not pregnant," Dinah turned to Sara.

"No, Mom, I'm not," she said.

"Alright," Dinah sighed. "I'm sorry I accused you of keeping things from me. I should know by now that you wouldn't lie to me about something as important as that."

Sara smiled uneasily.

"On one hand, I'm glad to know you didn't keep that from me," Dinah continued. "But on the other hand, I can't believe how deeply disappointed I feel right now that I know you're not having a baby."

Donna patted her arm sympathetically.

"Imagining a new baby in the family gives such a warm feeling," Donna commiserated. "And just think of what we would do in the baby shower."

Dinah perked up. "Oh, a baby shower," she gushed. "If Felicity gets pregnant first, you have to let me help you throw that party. I have so many ideas for a future tech genius."

"Oh, yes, I can see it now," Donna linked her arm to Dinah's and both mothers left the balcony in cheerful spirits.

They barely saw Felicity who was standing behind the balcony door. She watched them walk away in wonder.

"Hey," she greeted Rip and Sara. "I saw my mother follow you in here and thought I'd come rescue you."

"Actually, she's been doing most of the rescuing for the past couple of days," Sara said. "She claims she's not very smart but her sharp mind has been saving us from very awkward moments. Though, admittedly, some of those awkward moments were her own making. She just doesn't seem to be very good at keeping quiet."

"Yes," Felicity agreed. "That's something she passed on to me. Why couldn't she pass on her naturally blond hair?" Felicity touched her own hair. "I hope I don't pass that on to my kids."

Sara smiled. "Speaking of kids, are you planning on having eight kids?"

"Eight?" Felicity balked. "As an only child, I've always dreamed of having a houseful of kids. But eight is too much."

She looked at Rip with interest. "You're from the future. Do you know how many kids I have in the future?"

"Yes, I do," Rip said simply.

"Well?" Felicity said expectantly.

"A houseful," Rip smiled. "All of them with genius level IQs. None of them have to dye their hair blond."

Felicity gave a delighted laugh and practically bounced merrily back to the ballroom. Rip watched her leave with a fond smile.

Sara punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Ouch!" he cried in pain. "What was that for?"

"I have asked you, even begged you, to tell me about my future and you wouldn't even give me one clue," she said hotly. "Felicity doesn't even ask you a direct question and you tell her everything she wants to know!"

"I didn't tell her anything that would disrupt the timeline," he barked. "And if you noticed, I did not give her anything specific."

"You told her she is going to have a houseful of blond geniuses!" she growled back. "Why won't you let me find out if I'm going to have kids?"

"I can't," he said grimly. "Just leave it be, Sara."

"No," she said firmly. "If we're going to do this, if we're going to be partners, I need to know."

They stared at each other for a long intense minute. Finally, Rip sighed and handed her an earpiece he took out from his pocket. Rip touched the communicator in his ear as Sara placed hers in.

"Gideon," he said. "Miss Lance has a question for you."

"Yes, Captain," the computer's voice resounded in Sara's ear.

"I'll leave you to talk," Rip said softly.

Sara watched him leave with her heart beating strangely in her chest. She was about to know her future. But she wasn't sure she wanted to find out about it on her own. She wanted to call out to him, ask him to stay, and hear about her future together.

"Gideon," her voice was shaky at first. She cleared her throat. "You told me that my father and Donna Smoak are going to have eight grandchildren," she started. Her heart was beating wildly. "How many of those children are going to be mine?"

"Two, Miss Lance," Gideon answered. Sara's breath was caught in her throat. "Twins. One boy, one girl."

"But there are no history of twins in my family," Sara interrupted nervously.

"It is a trait passed on from their father's side, Miss Lance," the computer explained.

"Their father's side," Sara repeated vaguely. Her children's father. "They got it from their father."

"Yes, Miss Lance," Gideon affirmed. "From you, they will inherit their blonde hair and from their father, they will inherit his eye color."

His eyes. "…He has your eyes…"

Sara closed her eyes and saw his eyes vividly. She suddenly knew whose eyes her children were going to inherit.

"Miss Lance, if you are interested," Gideon interrupted her thoughts, "your children's names are going to be—"

"Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel," Sara finished.

"Indeed, Miss Lance."

"Thank you, Gideon," she whispered. "That's all I need to know."

She exited the balcony and found Rip standing alone under a dimly lit alcove.

"You heard?" she gestured to the communicator. He nodded self-consciously. "How long have you known?"

"I didn't, not really. Like I told you before, the future is always in flux and the decisions that we make, the words that we say can change the future at any given time," he answered. "Gideon alerted me to a change in your future timeline when I recruited you but I didn't take much notice of it because it was an expected consequence for some form of alteration to occur when you decided to come with me. It wasn't until recently that I realized Gideon was warning me about the alteration in your timeline because is coincided with a significant change in mine. When you accepted my invitation for partnership, I thought that was the change. But then you started asking about your father's grandchildren, curiosity got the better of me, so I asked Gideon about it."

"Why didn't you want me to know?" she asked.

"I suppose I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my partner anymore if you knew," Rip admitted. He fidgeted with the end of his coat. "I have become very accustomed to having you around. I didn't want to risk losing you."

"You thought that if I found out that I am meant to have your kids, I wouldn't be your partner anymore?" she asked incredulously. "I made a commitment to you, Rip. If I didn't leave the team after facing certain death and even when you all but admitted that you would sell us out, do you really think I would back out of my promise because of what might happen. For all we know, that future timeline won't even happen now that we both know it's a possibility."

"That's true," Rip said in realization. He activated the earpiece inside this ear. "Gideon, please check the future timeline for children borne of Miss Lance."

"I believe I already did that for Miss Lance," Gideon answered.

"Please check again," Rip insisted.

"Miss Lance shall have two children. Twins, one boy and one girl," Gideon recited. "They shall be named Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel."

"By the way, how did you know their names?" Rip turned to Sara.

"I guess I just knew I was going to name my son after his father and my daughter after my sister," Sara said with a small shrug. "When Gideon described them, I thought of you."

"Maybe, I'm not the Michael that they're named after," Rip suggested. "Gideon? Is there another Michael who might become romantically linked with Miss Lance?"

"No, Sir," Gideon responded. "Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel are the children of Miss Sara Lance and Captain Rip Hunter."

"Perhaps in another Earth or alternate universe?" Rip started. "They have discovered 52 other—"

"No, Captain!" Gideon interrupted. "You and Miss Lance are going to have two children in the future, Michael and Michelle, in this universe. You and Miss Lance are going to have a lovely family, and live happily ever after, with your family traveling through time and space!"

Rip and Sara cringed as Gideon's last word was punctuated with shrill beep followed by absolute silence from the computer's end.

"Gideon?" Rip called out.

No response.

"I think you hurt her feelings when you second guessed her assessment of the future timeline," Sara said.

Rip snorted. "And how many times has she second guessed my assessments?" he said with annoyance. "If anyone should be upset about second guessing, it should be me."

"Rip," Sara said calmly. "She's a computer."

"She started it," Rip muttered under his breath.

Sara shook her head in mild exasperation.

"Anyway, this future of ours doesn't really make sense," said Sara. "How can we have children if we have never even hugged?"

"I honestly don't know," answered Rip. "But I suppose we can test it out a bit."

"What are you suggesting?" Sara eyed him suspiciously. Her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nothing lascivious," Rip said immediately. "I merely meant that, as you stated, we should at least… hug."

"OK," Sara allowed after a few seconds of silence.

Each took a small step towards each other. Rip opened his arms and Sara walked into them.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her body fit perfectly into his, like puzzle pieces.

Rip closed his eyes, buried his face in her hair and pulled her closer. It felt like coming home.

Sara nuzzled his neck and experienced a feeling of warmth and contentment that she had not felt for a very long time.

She also felt something else. Something strangely solid.

"Rip?" she said softly close to his ear.

"Hm?" Rip continued to hold her close.

"Is that the stun gun in your pocket or are you thinking about the surveillance video from the fabricator room?" Sara's gentle tone was laced with ferocity.

Rip's eyes flew open.

"Actually, that is the stun gun," he admitted. "But now that you mentioned the security footage…"

Sara pushed against him to look at his face. He was teasing her. She thumped his chest in mild annoyance. She kept her hands on his chest.

Rip chuckled but kept his arms around her waist.

"I don't think the future will make sense any time soon," Rip gazed into her eyes intimately. "But I think the best part about knowing the future is discovering how they come to be."

"I agree," Sara smiled up at him. She looked meaningfully at his arms that were still around her. "Now that that's settled, should we stop hugging now?"

"Let's give it a few more minutes, just to be absolutely sure," Rip tugged her willing body close to his again.

Sara gave a small smile and rested her head on his shoulder. "Just a few more minutes," she agreed.

The End

P.S. Yes, I know, I just ruined the DC universe. Michael Jon Carter and Michelle (I added Laurel) Carter are supposed to be Rip's father (Booster Gold) and aunt (Goldstar), respectively. But their names and their roles in Rip Hunter's adventures fit the story I wanted to tell. Sorry, not really sorry.

Oh, and, the story about the Breguet's Marie Antoinette is based on the story released by Breguet company website.