Author's Note: I couldn't leave this universe alone.

Hope you enjoy.

A soft contented sigh in his ear brought Rip into full consciousness and he felt Gideon cuddle closer to him. This was now the third night in the past five he'd had a nightmare so potent Gideon's voice alone hadn't been able to soothe it so, now she could no longer enter his dreams, she'd resorted to Miranda's method for his nightmares. He would unconsciously hold onto her even after his nightmare had been soothed meaning Gideon would just sleep beside him.

Rip would be the first to admit he hadn't reacted well the first morning he'd woken up with Gideon beside him but, thankfully, she'd managed to explain before he hurt her feelings.

Opening his eyes Rip checked the time, there was about twenty minutes before the alarm would sound. Knowing he wouldn't get anymore sleep he slid out from under Gideon's arm smiling at the way she moaned annoyed that his warmth was removed before burying herself in the covers.

Grabbing the sling he left the bedroom to make them both some breakfast, which took so much longer than it should since he currently had one working arm.

Gideon appeared just as he put her tea on the table in the small dining area they had set aside, her brown hair tousled from her sleep, she was wearing a pair of pink pyjamas with red love hearts over them. He wasn't sure where she got them from but suspected one of her new friends.

"Good morning," she said, taking a seat smiling when he placed the bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Morning," Rip replied, taking a seat with his own breakfast, "I'm sorry..."

Gideon frowned stopping him, "There is nothing to apologise for. You have only been here a short time. It shall take some time before you feel safe that your nightmares will subside again."

"And if they don't?"

Gideon reached out and rested her hand on his cheek, "I am always here for you, Captain."

Rip leaned into her touch for a brief moment.

"You will feel safe soon," Gideon reminded him, "And you will no longer need me."

"I always need you," Rip reminded her automatically.

"And I need you," Gideon stole some toast from his plate, "To make me breakfast."

At her cheeky smile Rip laughed, it was something he felt he'd forgotten to do until he'd come here. Gideon's sense of humour had been interesting as an AI now, as a human, she could get a smile or laugh out of him in a way no one else could.

They sat in companionable silence having breakfast, comfortable in each other's presence that they didn't need to talk. Once they'd finished Gideon cleaned up, waving him away to get dressed so they could head to the DEO.

x

Gideon was worried.

It had been almost two weeks since Rip had arrived on this Earth and just under a week since they had moved into the apartment. He was quiet a lot of the time. It reminded her of how he'd been just after he'd learned that the Time Masters were responsible for the death of his family and when he'd been brought back from Thawne's brainwashing. She hated seeing him so lost, so distant, so sad and so unlike the man she had always known.

It was clear he hated that his nightmares were disturbing her but Gideon couldn't leave him to face his demons alone even if it unsettled her sleep.

Gideon knew he also hated being injured and, since he didn't have the Waverider's medical facilities to heal his arm, it was making him irritable especially when the painkillers wore off.

"Are you sure about this?" Rip demanded when Gideon walked into the medical suite in the DEO where he was waiting for her.

"Have I ever been wrong, Captain?" Gideon challenged.

Alex and Winn who'd followed Gideon into the room stood watching them in silence waiting for the outcome. Having learned in the short time Rip had been with them that getting in the middle of a 'discussion' was a bad idea.

"Before you answer," Gideon continued, "I will remind you of Spain 2376."

Rip eyes narrowed, "You promised to never bring that up again."

Gideon smiled, "Take a seat on the bed. Winn, are we ready?"

Winn nodded, "Everything is set up as per your specifications."

"If this works it will be a huge asset for the DEO," Alex noted.

"If?" Rip demanded.

"It will work," Gideon told him, "We both checked everything regarding the technology and it is not the first time you have recreated something from the Waverider."

"But I had much more time than a week and wasn't using alien technology," Rip shot back at her.

Gideon folded her arms and stared at him, "Well your other option is to allow your arm to heal at a normal rate and I then have to put up with your bad moods."

Rip glared at her met by an equally strong glare back, he gave in first, "Let's get this over with."

Gideon frowned in thought before she turned to the others, "Could you give us a moment please?"

x

Once they were alone in the room Gideon turned to her Captain again, "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, Gideon," Rip replied sharply.

"No, you're not," Gideon said softly, "You're punishing yourself."

Rip shook his head.

"You forget how well I know you," she took his hand, "You did everything you could to get them to listen to you about Mallus. What happens because they didn't is not your fault."

Rip sighed, his eyes dropping to his lap, "That's not..."

Gently Gideon touched his cheek making him look up at her, "Then tell me what you are blaming yourself for?"

Rip leaned into her hand confessing, "Her name was Casey," he paused for a moment to focus before continuing, "After I escaped from the Bureau I managed to get a job in the bar Casey owned. She was the only person I had, she was a friend when I needed one and I got her killed. When the Gnarls attacked I should have found somewhere safe for her, I should have..."

"Captain," she whispered when he trailed off, "Her death was not your fault."

"If I had been paying attention properly I would have seen the Gnarl before it hit me," he shook his head, "And I would have been able to stop..."

Gideon wrapped her arms around him when he trailed off, "It was not your fault. You and I both know you did everything you could."

"I feel broken, Gideon," he whispered, "I feel like there's nothing left of who I was. Miranda would be so disappointed in me."

"No," she soothed, "She would be proud that you're telling me, that you are not trying to keep this to yourself anymore. And your friend would not want you to punish yourself for something you had no way to stop."

He stayed in her embrace for several minutes surrendering to the feel of her fingers running through his hair comfortingly.

"Will you allow me to fix your arm?" Gideon moved back to look into his eyes.

Rip took a breath before nodding.

"You've had a frown on your face since we got here," Alex noted to her friend, "I know it's not the nicest bar we could come to but I kind of like it here."

"That is not why I'm frowning," Gideon replied, her eyes trained on the barman.

Alex chuckled following her friend's gaze, "You do know he's an adult and, considering how I met him, Rip can take care of himself."

Turning to her friend Gideon grimaced slightly, "He has a tendency to drink to forget his problems."

"Who doesn't?" Alex tossed back her shot, "Besides," she stopped Gideon making any comment, "He's serving the drinks not drinking them. And I always thought I was overprotective when it came to Kara."

"My primary objective as an AI was his wellbeing," Gideon reminded her friend, "Even now I am human I worry."

Alex laughed, "I noticed. Look, we came here to have a night out and enjoy ourselves so why don't we go somewhere else and leave Rip to his job."

Gideon nodded and finished her drink, "Of course. I'm sorry. I just feel he is wasting his talents doing this. Just because he does not want to work for the DEO doesn't mean he couldn't be doing something a little more...productive."

"Okay," Alex stated, "New rule for our night out you can't talk, or worry, about Rip and I can't talk about Maggie. Deal?"

Reluctantly Gideon agreed.

x

Rip gave Alex a quick nod of appreciation when she managed to get Gideon out of the bar. He knew Gideon wasn't happy that he was working here but at the moment this was what he wanted to do. He liked the simplicity of serving drinks. There were no life or death decisions to make and nothing dangerous, unless you counted some of the food on the menu.

The past month since he'd started the job in the bar, thanks to a little help from J'onn setting him up an identity, he'd settled into a routine. The days he worked the night shift, once he woke up, Rip would watch the Netflix recommendations Winn had given Gideon to help her learn about the world. He was quite enjoying them actually, his time as a film student had left an appreciation for the art he would never admit to anyone. Or he would go to the gym which he'd discovered he also enjoyed.

His nightmares had thankfully abated and only happened about once a week now which meant it was rare he woke up to find Gideon sleeping beside him. He found he missed her comfort but never told her that. Their relationship was unusual as it was and he didn't want it to get stranger.

x

Entering the apartment he shared with Gideon later that night Rip smiled finding her curled up on the couch asleep.

Crouching down beside her Rip gently stroked her hair, "Hey," he said as she opened her eyes, "What are you doing here? You have a bedroom remember?"

At his teasing she sighed slightly, "I was only sitting down for a minute."

"Did you enjoy yourself with Alex?" Rip asked helping her off the couch, catching her when she staggered slightly.

Gideon nodded her head dropping against his shoulder, "It was nice to spend time with her. She was my first friend here."

"Come on," Rip drew her through the apartment towards her room, "Let's get you to bed."

She sighed slightly, "Alex gave me a cocktail to try. I feel a little strange."

Rip chuckled softly, "Tomorrow morning you might feel worse. I'll get you some water to drink."

"I'm happy you're here, Captain," Gideon told him with a smile.

"You are definitely a light-weight when it comes to alcohol, Gideon," he told her, pulling back the covers of her bed, "One drink and you're like this. What cocktail did Alex give you?"

"Some kind of tea," Gideon murmured as Rip guided her into the bed.

He quickly got her a glass of water before returning to the room to make sure Gideon drank it.

"I wish you would do something worthy of your talents," Gideon sighed as she cuddled into her pillow.

Crouched by her side Rip sighed, "I know. But right now this is what I need to do. You promised you'd let me be Michael."

"But Michael could do something productive that isn't life or death," she replied sleepily.

Kissing her forehead Rip whispered, "We'll talk about this in the morning. Get some rest."

"She's never alone," the man sitting in the non-descript car reported to his boss, "She's always with Agent Danvers, one of the idiots who work with Supergirl or a man who looks to be a boyfriend."

"Find a way to separate her from them," the mechanical voice told him, "I want her within the month. My plan depends on it."

The man frowned, "I'll get it done."

Hanging up he went back to watching the woman called Gideon getting coffee with one of the DEO agents.

All he needed was to get her alone for two minutes.