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Leonard always tried not to dwell on his eventual death. He knew that it would happen one day, hopefully far in the future and preferably in a blaze of glory, but he tried not to think too hard about it.
Well, he never figured ‘far into the future’ would become ‘where time doesn't exist’ and that ‘blaze of glory’ would turn out to be an explosion on a mission to save free will. Life was full of surprises.
Still, he tried not to think too much about it even as he ran toward the Wellspring. He knew from the moment Rip said Mick had stayed behind that he wouldn't be coming out of this one. If he had the time, he'd figure out how to say goodbye, he'd think of something to tell his sister and, most importantly, he'd try to come up with a plan of escape. He wasn't ready to go yet, not when this new chapter of his life had just started, not before he could see what the future held for him. And Sara. And him and Sara... He shook his head, throwing the thoughts aside because, as it turned out, he didn't have the time, so he'd just have to die with all of these regrets.
So Leonard didn't think. He shot at the Time Bastards around the Oculus and didn't dare turn back to where he could hear Sara covering him. Why had she even followed him? Still, he supposed it was a good thing she had because someone would have to drag Mick back to the Waverider.
"My old friend," he said, unsuccessfully trying to keep his tone cold, "forgive me." Before Mick could realize what he was doing, he swung the Cold Gun at him, knocking him out on impact.
Mick dropped like a sack of bricks and Leonard was quick to pull the ring from their first job off his hand, shoved it into his friend's pocket and set the Cold Gun down next to him. He stepped over Mick and put his arm in the device to hold down the failsafe, finally gathering enough courage to look at the blonde assassin before him.
Sara looked down at Mick, and then stared up at him, shock and understanding filling her eyes in equal measure. He was grateful he wouldn't have to explain himself.
"Get him out of here."
"No!" she said, short and firm, blue eyes swimming.
Leonard took a breath, ignoring with all his might the feeling inside of him that screamed for him to run.
There was no running from this.
"Just do it," he said, resigned to his destiny, as it were.
Sara took a moment, her eyes darting from Mick to him and briefly into the Oculus. He saw her shoulders settling in determination. So much power and strength.
"I'm sorry," she said, eyes locked on his. He nodded, letting her know it was okay; giving her permission to leave him, if that's what she needed.
Without another word, she launched herself down and grabbed his Cold Gun before pointing it at him. Or rather, at his arm that disappeared inside the Oculus. Her eyes met his again and it clicked. Suddenly, the resignation that had settled over his shoulders like a heavy cloak lifted, and he stepped as far from the device as he could while still keeping his hold on the fail safe. His arm seemed like a cheap price to pay for his future.
Taking that as permission, Sara stepped closer, ignoring the Time Masters that began filling into the Chamber, and activated the Cold gun.
Leonard gritted his teeth as the familiar pain spread from the tip of his fingers and up until his elbow, flesh and clothing freezing in place and keeping the lever pressed.
He was ready for the pain this time, as ready as anyone could ever be, anyway. Still, it hurt like a bitch. He clenched his jaw while his head swam, his body doing its best to bring him into unconsciousness even as he fought against it.
Mick groaned as somewhere behind them a Time Bastard - Druce, he thought - demanded they stop. Leonard didn’t pay either of them any mind as Sara pulled the gun back. Sparing him a glance to make sure he was still okay, she pulled a half of her baton up and then down, striking quick and clean at the place where flesh met block of ice near his elbow.
He couldn't help it, he howled. Sara winced, even as she reached with one hand to steady him, the baton clattering to the floor. His vision swam and there were dark spots at the edges, but he swallowed the bile and gave her a nod.
"You bastard!" Mick growled, staggering up to his feet and picking up his Heat Gun, turning to shoot cover fire at the guards who still dared try to approach.
Leonard didn't dignify the insult with an answer, too busy fighting to stay conscious to give it much thought. He was just glad Mick was up sooner rather than later; there was no way Sara would be able to drag both of them back to the ship in time.
Speaking of the assassin, she'd turned back to the device, activating the Cold Gun one more time to seal the opening, and then turned towards him, shoving the gun down into the holster on his thigh and picking up the discarded baton.
"We have to go, now!"
They didn't need to be told twice. With Mick covering them, Sara wrapped one arm around Leonard's waist, dragging him along as she ran to the ship. He stumbled and ran at the same measure, glancing back to see blue-white light starting to build behind the ice.
"We're not gonna make it," he hissed through his teeth.
"We'll make it!" Sara stated, full confidence emanating from her tone even as she hurried her steps.
"Shut up and run!" Mick yelled from the back.
The Waverider came into view then, hatch still lowered even as the ship hovered a couple of feet above the ground, ready to take off in a moment's notice.
Jax was by the door, ready to slam the button that'd close the hatch as soon as everyone was on board. He jumped in place when he saw them, a disbelieving smile crossing his face before it turned into a concerned frown.
"Come on, come on!" He motioned them forward, seemingly unable to stay still though he wasn't the one running for his life.
Finally, they threw themselves inside, Leonard landing roughly on his left side. His vision went white with blinding pain for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, the hatch was closed and he could feel the Waverider moving. It lurched forward suddenly, a deafening sound following before it abruptly stopped.
He had slid against the metal floor, too tired and in too much pain to even try and take a hold of something. He also couldn't be bothered to check on the others, still busy trying to keep himself awake.
What felt like an eternity later, all movement stopped, and Leonard spared a brief thought to gather that they were probably in the time stream, safe. He was safe, alive, and armless but that last one could be fixed. He let himself relax, opening blurry eyes to stare at the metal ceiling, intending to just lie there for a few minutes. Except there were blue eyes staring back at him, framed by freckles and blonde hair and- Sara’s eyes were full of tears.
It registered as odd and alarming. Why was she crying? Had one of them not made it? Had Mick… He turned his head languidly, looking around the boarding bay, searching for his partner. He was there, sitting on the floor, head tilted back against the wall and eyes glaring in his direction. Jax was by the door, just now letting go of his grip on it, one finger at a time. They were fine, they were all fine.
He turned his eyes back to Sara. Her eyes were red rimmed and the tears threatened to spill down her cheeks at any moment. She was frowning down at him, her mouth turned down, making her normal pout even more prominent.
"You jerk!" She breathed, gathering his jacket in a fist as if to make sure he was really there.
Ah. It dawned on him. She was almost crying for him, because he'd been an idiot and given up, because he tried to be heroic and almost got himself killed. Because he offered her a future just to turn around and tell her to leave him behind. Yeah, he deserved the insult, and more.
"Guilty." He admitted, trying to push himself up but falling back when the blinding pain of his missing arm made itself known again. He groaned, loudly and pained, gritting his teeth and trying to slow down his breathing. He heard Jax swear and leave the room, muttering something about going to prepare the medbay.
Next to him, Sara winced again, the softest of whimpers escaping her mouth as she held on tighter to his jacket, her other hand traveling down his right arm to find his hand and gripping it tight too.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she mumbled, eyes glazed over as she looked at the stump on his left arm. "I'm sorry. I couldn't just leave you, and I-"
He took a breath, then used his legs to help him surge upwards into a sitting position. He leaned forward and closed the distance between them, pausing slightly once his lips were only a breath away from hers so she could move or turn away if she wanted to.
She didn't, and Leonard closed his lips over Sara's, soft but insistent. He didn't deepen the kiss, it didn't feel like the place nor time for it, but he couldn't help the pure feeling of finally singing through his head.
Sara had caught his attention from the moment they joined the team. She was just… different. In a good way. The way she moved, and thought, and spoke, it all made him drawn to her in a way he hadn't felt in a long, long time.
Leonard hadn't meant to fall for anyone when he accepted Rip's offer. He figured he and Mick would be out for themselves, helping the heroes whenever it worked for them and stealing throughout time to their non-existent-hearts' content. But he sure as hell didn't plan on Sara Lance.
He didn't plan on caring, he didn't plan on changing, and he didn't plan on being a hero.
She inspired him though. And once the words were out of his mouth ("... what the future may hold for me, and you... and me and you,"), they were not going back.
He never thought he'd actually want that kind of future with anyone. But Sara… Well.
Leonard kept their lips pressed for a long moment, hoping she could feel everything he meant with it, before pulling away.
Slowly, he blinked his eyes open, only to find her already staring at him, blue eyes shining with something more than just tears. Finally, Sara smiled, a hand coming up to frame his cheek as the corner of her lips turned up teasingly.
"Guess you are a hell of a thief, after all, huh?"
"And don't you forget it," he muttered, smirking slightly and huffing out a soft laugh that soon turned into a pained groan when he jarred his left arm.
Before Sara could offer to help him up or to the medbay, footsteps thundered towards them, and soon the whole team was crowding in on them.
"Snart! Mick! You're alive!" Ray cheered, then winced as he caught sight of Leonard's missing arm. "Ouch."
"Yes, I'm very glad the three of you managed the impossible," Rip sighed, half exasperated and half relieved. "Now, Ms. Lance, if you could accompany Mr. Snart to the medbay so Gideon can reconstruct his arm. Again. And Mr. Rory, maybe you should join them."
Mick grunted and pushed himself up, stalking past everyone without sparing them a glance. "I need a beer," he muttered.
Rip sighed, then moved to help Sara get Leonard on his feet.
"Come on, Crook, I'll give you a hand," Sara said, wrapping an arm around his waist and sending him a teasing smile.
"Ha. Very funny, Assassin."
"Guess you can add 'hero' to your resume now," Sara said. She was still in the medbay with Leonard, watching as Gideon slowly reconstructed his arm.
"Perish the thought," he drawled in response, glancing at her from under his lashes, intense blue eyes focused only on her. "Besides, if anyone deserves the title, it's you."
"I'm not the one who was ready to sacrifice myself."
"Maybe not, but you would have. And you saved my life, so thank you."
Sara tilted her head slightly towards him. He wasn't wrong. If she had realized what Leonard was going to do, or if there was someone to carry both him and Mick back to the ship, she would've stayed behind. She was just glad neither of them had to.
"Well, if you died, there would be no one for me to play cards with, so I was being purely selfish," she said, throwing him a teasing smile when he chuckled. "But you're welcome." Her voice softened then, as she met his eyes. "So… what now?"
"Well, mission's not over yet. Got some Hawks to save, a psychopath to kill, the usual." He shrugged, the deadpan tone of his voice contrasting with the smirk on his lips.
Sara smiled too, shaking her head slightly and turning her eyes away from his for a moment. She took a breath, then glanced up again. "I meant us."
Leonard's expression shuttered and he didn't answer, just continued to look at her with the same intensity as always.
"I mean," she glanced down at her hands, laughing softly, "you still want to see what destiny has in store for us?"
"I don't believe in destiny," Leonard said, his voice dry and curt. Sara's eyes snapped up to his. "But," he added, his tone softening, "I say we make our own future from now on, whatever that may be."
She smiled, her eyes brightening as she walked closer to his chair. Coming to a stop next to him, Sara leaned down and pressed her lips to his, quick and soft. She pulled away and smirked down at him. "For better or for worse."