A/N: This is an alternative take on things. Sorry about the late update, and thanks for bearing with me!

It's three in the morning when her phone vibrates.

Sara stifles a curse. Adjusting her glasses and running her fingers through her hair, she groans and pushes the paperwork away, groping for that phone that was situated… just out of reach.

She picks up on the third ring.

''Hello?'' she begins wearily, wondering why the hell would they call her at this time, when she was just trying to fix time, goddamnit, before being cut off by Oliver's quick reply.

He's breathless when he speaks, voice hoarse as if he'd taken a punch to the throat, but the urgency in his tone doesn't dwindle. ''Sara? Thank god. I-I need you here. Lian Yu's about to blow… a-and they're trapped inside. I-I can't-''

Sara goes still. She doesn't mention how her senses tinge at the mention of Purgatory, or how the sleep feels to seep away from her by the passing seconds. ''Run that by me again, Oliver.''

''So you're telling me that everyone is trapped on Lian Yu, which, ''by the way, Sara'', is blowing up, right now.'' Sara pushes the hair out of her eyes, and rests her hand on her forehead.

What did Oliver do to get himself into this?

''There's no time left, Sara!'' He's scared, she knows. The concept isn't alien to her, because she knows it when Oliver Queen's scared, but never this. She knows he's never scared for himself, never bothered nor cared for his own self, but others? Always for others. And now, she's sure it's reached its peak, because his sanity has, too.

''Maybe-'' He stops. The line goes quiet for a moment, before resuming with a choke of breath. ''Maybe you can-''

She doesn't beat around the bush. ''That is out of the question, Oliver.'' She states, as softly as she could. ''I already broke time once. I can't do it again.''

She hears silent muffles from the other end, but she can't discern if it's anger or despair. A moment later, the sound ceases, and her line resumes. ''Everyone's on that island, Sara. Felicity, Dig, Thea…'' He pauses. ''Quentin. Nyssa. Sara, you can't possibly not…''

Her breath hitches at the mention of her father, and two at Nyssa. Oliver doesn't deter at her silence, instead interpreting it as a sign to continue. ''It doesn't matter what happens to a vase that's shattered already. Too many pieces that can't be picked up, no matter how hard you try. There's no fixing what you're trying to fix, Sara. Help me.''

It's a cry. His cry.

''It matters, Oliver,'' she starts, trying to mask the sob that built in her throat. ''I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, but it matters. You… you can't just go back in time and change things, just because,'' and that just doesn't feel right, because she wants to, but she can't and she knows it. ''… There are rules, Oliver,'' she says, but the words feel empty. ''And I can't,'' and she knows she can't, but then, why couldn't she?

''What's more important, Sara? Playing by the rules, or family?'' His tone tightens and she can tell that he's anguished now, and she knows that this's his last-ditch effort. It's a valid question. Before, when she was Black Canary, she would've chosen family in a heartbeat. After all, family was something that she hadn't had since she was marooned on Lian Yu, something she'd once took for granted and now treasured, and then, after the island and the League and when she came back to Starling, she became herself, but not herself. And rules… well, she broke rules.

But now… now, she was the White Canary, renounced assassin and part-time time-traveler (the other half was the usual recreation and flirting and, y'know, timeline-fixing duties.) She'd learned to let go of Laurel, after years of denial and hurt and wanting to go back and rewind time and resisting the urge to murder Darhk once and for all. She'd accepted that.

(And maybe they should, too.)

''Both, Oliver,'' she says, but it's barely above a whisper. ''Both.''

Oliver doesn't respond. She could hear the tranquil whistling of the winds coming from his side, and she knows he's thinking. As her line goes increasingly silent, she thinks that maybe Oliver's disconnected, before she hears a shaky, husked gasp from the other end, and she fears the worst, before—

''They've reached the A.R.G.U.S. bunker.'' His previous agitated and feverish tone's elevated, as if the burdens of the world were lifted from his shoulders, even for a moment. Beside him, she hears a soft squeal of elate — William's, she thinks — and he sighs in quiet relief. ''They're safe. They're alive.'' She could practically feel Oliver's grin behind the phone, and she couldn't help but smile a little herself.

She could hear his breathing from the other end, and it's relaxed and calmer than she'd ever even seen him in. ''Can- can you…?''

Her smile widens. ''I'm on it.''

She lands quite clumsily.

The Waverider crashes into the charred ground that once was Lian Yu, startling the few members on the island and prompting a stream of curses from the members of her team.

It goes relatively alright, considering the fact she didn't inform her team about their next destination, and, y'know, judging by the fact time didn't collapse onto itself by the time they landed.

It's a good sign.

When the ramp unfolds, she's greeted with the sight of Oliver. His stance is alert and his bow's gripped tightly in his hand, but she could tell that he was barely holding back a grin. ''I thought you'd never come.''

She chuckles. ''Can you blame me for being late to the party?'' Then, she waves at the crowd. ''Hi. Want a ride home?''

John's stony mask halts. Felicity releases a subtle squeak. Thea seems to be stuck between hugging her or shooting her. Quentin is blinking in disbelief. Two others edge at the corners of the burnt forest, seemingly unsure of what to make of her. Slade stays still. Samantha's stunned. William waves back. And Nyssa-

Nyssa's walking towards her, no hesitation in her step and royalty protruding from all ends, but her face is a deadly mask.

Then, she stops, and Sara feels sweat trickle down her brow as warmth rises on her cheeks and she barely holds back another hitch — however, she doesn't back down.

Finally, ever so slightly, a ghost of a smirk lingers the end of Nyssa's impassive face.

And when she envelops her in a kiss, the world felt complete.