Rip stood staring at the man who had abducted his former team and hurt Gideon. A former colleague who had abandoned his oath to protect the timeline and instead was associating with pirates trying to damage it instead.

"Alban Tremaine," Rip stated coldly, "I thought you were dead."

Tremaine's eyes narrowed as he sneered, "They told me the same about you."

Rip shrugged, "Rumours etcetera."

"I can arrange for you to die properly," Tremaine told him, "And if you're here so is the Waverider, meaning I get what I want."

"Yes, the Waverider is here but you're getting nowhere near her," Rip said before asking, "What was your end game? You know the reputation of the people you have in this room. Did you really think they would let you get away with this?"

Tremaine laughed again, "Do they look as though they can do anything to me?"

"They have a tendency to surprise you," Rip replied.

"And I suppose you're going to stop me," Tremaine mocked, "On your own."

"Of course not," Rip smiled slightly, "I brought some other friends."

Rip watched Tremaine's surprised face when the Flash zipped past him while Vibe appeared behind him with Jax and Killer Frost.

"No," Tremaine snarled, "No."

Within seconds the Pirates were all unconscious, the Legends were freed and Tremaine was standing alone.

"Cisco, get everyone back to the ship," Rip ordered, "Gideon, recall the Jumpship."

Nodding Cisco opened a breach and herded everyone through it. He turned back to Rip.

"Two minutes," Rip stated.

Cisco nodded and closed the breach leaving Rip alone with his former colleague. Rip pulled a knife from his belt, stopping the man moving by pressing the blade to his neck, "You crossed a line, Tremaine."

"Grabbing the idiots?" the other man asked, swallowing nervously as Rip pushed the blade into his skin a small drop of blood sliding down his neck.

Rip shook his head, "Going after my ship, attacking my AI. Trust me when I say Gideon is not happy about it."

Panic covered the other man's face as he realised exactly what Rip meant, "You wouldn't?"

"I would. I have," Rip replied with a smirk, "And Gideon…oh she is pissed, she is more than happy to leave you stranded here."

Tremaine glared at him.

"Trust me she is kinder than I am," Rip told him, "I would have put you on the ship when it blew."

The light from the breach opening made Rip turn slightly, Tremaine grabbed his arm jerking the knife away before swinging at Rip. The fist striking his face threw Rip against the wall, he ducked from the next blow throwing a punch of his own. Tremaine cried out when Rip's fist struck his kidney before Rip threw his elbow up slamming it into the other man's face. Tremaine staggered back blood streaming from his nose.

Without a glance back, Rip strode through the breach onto the Waverider's bridge the breach closing behind him. Giving a sigh of relief Rip leaned against Gideon's console.

"The pirates' timeship is now destroyed, Captain Hunter," she told him, "I suggest you head to the med-bay so I can check your injuries."

"Much as they are, I will," Rip sighed, acquiescing to her concerns.

Turning to leave the bridge he found himself facing Sara who was glaring waiting for an explanation.

"Later," Rip told her and, before she could say a word, headed off the bridge towards the med-bay.

x

Sara stared after the man she had thought dead until five minutes ago as he left the bridge. She turned in frustration, her eyes falling on the three members of Team Flash, Mick and Jax.

"Do one of you want to tell me what's going on?" she demanded.

Silence met her.

"Gideon?" Sara demanded, "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Once I have confirmed the crew's health," Gideon replied, completely ignoring the question, "We shall return to the present to allow Mr Allen and his team to return to their lives."

Sara folded her arms annoyed, "That wasn't what I asked, Gideon. How is Rip alive? How is he here?"

"Once I have confirmed the crew's health," Gideon repeated, "We shall return to the present to allow Mr Allen and his team to return to their lives."

Mick chuckled, "I need a beer."

Sara frowned as he walked off the bridge.

"Captain Lance," Gideon spoke up, "Please report to the med-bay so I can confirm your health."

Shaking her head annoyed that she was not getting answers Sara headed off the bridge.

Rip sat working on the memory alterations for the crew to ensure they didn't remember his survival or help to save them. Gideon was still healing the injured members of team before they returned to the proper time and he would have to forget about her once more.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mick Rory asked sharply.

Rip sighed looking up at the other man, "Gideon was incapacitated and neither Cisco nor Jax could repair her. They brought me in, tried their best to stop my memories resurfacing but it didn't work. I thought I would help before I let Gideon remove them again."

"Blondie is demanding answers," Mick told him, leaning against the nearby wall as he took a drink from the bottle of beer he had.

"Sara can demand all she wants," Rip replied unconcerned, "Gideon isn't going to give her any and as soon as we're sure everyone is healthy we'll redo the memory wipe."

Mick nodded, taking a drink, "How's the kid?"

"Jonas is doing well," Rip smiled at the thought of his son, "I also have a dog now. Called Gideon."

Mick looked at him for several moments before he began to laugh.

x

"You're alive," Sara noted, her arms folded across her chest, "You can imagine how surprised I am to see you."

Rip shrugged, "I used the Time Courier when the core exploded. It spat me out a few months later."

"Where?"

"I also just saved your life," Rip ignored her question.

Sara grimaced annoyed she was still not being given answers, "How did you get back on board my ship."

"My ship, Sara," Rip reminded her sharply, "Just like Gideon is mine. I let you use the Waverider but trust me if I wanted her back I would take her."

"Why don't you?" Sara challenged.

Rip stood, his hand resting against the wall, "Because I have other responsibilities that I can't ignore."

"So, what you're saying is you abandoned Gideon?" Sara smirked slightly, "Again."

"Captain Lance…" Gideon started.

"It's alright, Gideon," Rip soothed before he turned back to Sara, "I never abandoned Gideon."

Sara rolled her eyes, "After we stopped Thawne you left the ship, made your Bureau and when you got her back made the Waverider a training simulator. She was off when we took her."

"I left because I knew I wasn't in the right frame of mind to be doing any kind of missions after what Thawne did to me," Rip threw back at her, "You and the team were stuck by the anachronisms you made so I created the Bureau to ensure there was a way to fix them. And wasn't it lucky the Waverider was sitting somewhere that you could easily access with a pass that worked even after being stolen? With Gideon sitting ready to leave."

Sara frowned.

"The Waverider and Gideon will always belong to me, Sara," Rip told her softly, "I allow you to remain onboard."

x

Rip stepped into the room where Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, Mick and Wally were waiting for him.

"It's good to see you, Rip," Wally greeted him, hugging him quickly, "Especially with you knowing who I am now."

Rip chuckled, "It's good to see you too, Wally and unfortunately it won't be for long," he paused taking a quick breath, "Gideon, are you ready?"

"Yes, Captain Hunter," she replied, "The remaining members of the Legends are all currently together on the bridge discussing your return."

Rip nodded, "That's helpful. Hit them with the gas and ready the brig."

"Done," Gideon told him.

Rip turned to the others, "I have programmed the information the team will remember. Gideon, please give access to all those within the room so they know the story. Barry, Wally, if you could assist Mick to put the others in the brig so that Gideon can keep them unconscious until I'm gone"

Both nodded and zipped away, Mick rolled his eyes and followed on.

Rip let out a soft sigh, it was time to leave again.

"Are you going to talk to me?"

Rip looked at the woman sitting on the chair staring at the picture of Miranda and Jonas on the desk waiting for her to say something. When no answer came Rip sat at her side.

"Gideon…"

Without a word, she turned and wrapped her arms around him holding onto him tightly, "I thought I could do this again, Rip. I thought it wouldn't hurt so much the second time."

Rip sighed, "I know."

Gideon's arms tightened, "But Jonas is more important. You have to protect him, and I have to protect you."

Pulling back slightly, Rip rested his forehead against hers, "You always protect me. From the moment I stepped onboard the Waverider I knew you were there for me no matter what."

"You are my favourite Captain," she smiled at him, "The only one who ever saw me as more than just an AI, more than a source of information."

Stroking her cheek Rip sighed, "Because you are."

"I have enjoyed the past few days so much," Gideon whispered, "Being with you once more."

Rip nodded, "So have I. But I have to go, Gideon. I have to return to Jonas. I wish things were different, I wish…I wish so many things."

"Shh," Gideon soothed, "I know. If I were human I would come with you."

Rip stroked her hair, "If you were human I wouldn't let you be anywhere else."

Gideon hugged him again, "My wonderful Captain, it's time. The Legends memories have been rewritten. I need to remove yours now."

Taking a deep breath Rip nodded.

"Close your eyes," Gideon told him, "When you waken you will be back with Jonas in the life you have made with him."

Hugging her one last time Rip gently brushed his lips to hers before he closed his eyes. He felt Gideon's hands pull him down to her and a gentle kiss on his forehead.

x

"Daddy," Jonas grinned when Katrina opened the door to him, "You're here."

Rip caught his son and gave him a big hug, "And I have finished my project."

"You did?" Jonas cried in amazement.

"Which means everything will now go back to normal," Rip promised him.

Jonas hugged him again.

"Well you're actually here in perfect time," Katrina said, "We're heading to Bobby and Hal's for dinner."

Rip grimaced slightly, "Whose cooking?"

"Sam and Kelly are bringing the food from Clover," Katrina assured him, "No chance of food poisoning."

Hugging Jonas to him Rip nodded, "That sounds just what I need. It's been a long week and I have missed everyone."

A bark from his feet made Rip look down and he crouched down scooping the puppy up, she yapped enthusiastically licking Rip's face.

"Oh, I have missed you too, Gideon," Rip smiled, pausing when a smile filled with affection floated through his mind.

Katrina pulled his attention back to her when she closed the door, "Ali is meeting us there and I'm driving. Let's go."

With his son and puppy in his arms Rip followed Katrina, looking at Jonas he smiled, "This means we'll be going to the zoo on Saturday," Rip told him, "And I have a surprise treat for you."

"What is it, Daddy?" Jonas asked, his eyes alight with excitement.

Rip chuckled as he continued down the stairs behind Katrina before teasing his son, "Now that would be telling."

x

Cisco piloted the small drone that had been watching over Rip for the past few hours back to Star Labs.

"He's back with Jonas. His memories of the Waverider, the Legends and you are gone once more," Cisco reported to Gideon, "What about the team?"

"They believe that you and Mr Jackson were able to fix my systems," Gideon replied, "And that Mr Allen led the rescue mission. Captain Hunter's survival is once again a secret."

Cisco nodded, "That's good. I promise I will watch over them for you."

There was a moment of silence before Gideon came back, "Thank you, Mr Ramon I am grateful to you for that."

"It's no problem," Cisco assured her, "I've met both versions of Rip Hunter, Gideon. He deserves to have a good life with his son."

"He does," Gideon replied, a smile clear in her voice, "Take care of yourself also, Mr Ramon. I shall contact you in a few weeks to check on him."

With that she cut communication.

Cisco smiled slightly rewatching Rip reunite with his son again before he headed to join the 'Welcome Back Wally' party.