This is a sequel to "Enemy of Mine Enemy." I suggest reading that first.

I don't own LOT.

Thanks to LarielRomeniel for the beta read!

...

Four months later per Waverider time.

Coast City, 2013.

It starts as just another perfectly ordinary mission-where "perfectly ordinary" equals "team of superheroes trying to protect the timeline."

A museum in Coast City has acquired what its curators believe to be an unusual form of gemstone, a three-inch rock of a uniquely shimmering pale blue color. Before they hand it over to geologists at the local university for testing, though, it's on display for a limited time alongside the museum's prized blue diamond, drawing hundreds of people to "oooooh" and "ahhhh" over the so-called "Stars of the Coast."

Of course, it's really not a gemstone at all, Rip tells them, but a fuel source unique to a particularly dire weapon that will be used, briefly, during the wars of the 2200s. Whatever time traveler left it in a jewelry box locked in a trunk in the bottom of an abandoned storage unit, they will probably never know.

They can't let it be studied, not yet, so Mick, Sara, and Ray are there to take it first. Mick, because he's closest thing to a team thief they have now. Ray, because he has the technical know-how to deal with the security system. Sara, because she's bored.

At least, that's what she tells them. It's true enough.

Mick and Ray have the system shut down when an arrow speeds out of the shadows straight for Mick's head. Sara knocks it out of the air first, then heads for Merlyn as a pack of what appear to be hired flunkies head for Mick and Ray.

The fight is brief, but intense; Merlyn escapes like the cockroach he is when Sara turns to give Ray an assist, but the trio of Legends takes the day with minimal damage to the museum-or even the flunkies.

But in doing so, they let themselves be distracted.

"Wait. Where's the riebelite?" Ray peers at the empty case, then looks around like he's expecting the rock to materialize under his nose. "And, uh, where's the diamond?"

Mick makes a noise that's half-admiring and half-annoyed - because, really, they all know where the damned diamond went. "We fell for that. We really friggin' fell for that."

There are three exits in the gallery. Sara's in motion toward one of them instantly, trusting the others to take the remaining ones. Counting on it, actually.

She turns her comm off as she runs, at least the transmitting side of it, figuring the others will be paying too much attention to their own surroundings to notice the dead air...and the empty museum is pretty much silent anyway.

A faint noise up ahead provides a contrast; she puts on an extra burst of speed, then cuts to the left, into a small side gallery...and into his arms.

"Is that a diamond in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she whispers when they both come up for air.

"Both?" Leonard's lips twitch as he studies her. "I can't believe you fell for that."

She growls at him. "In my defense, Merlyn was shooting arrows at my friends."

She sees him frown, knows he dislikes the reminder that Merlyn is shooting at Mick, at her. She may restrain herself from trying to get him to change sides at this point, but she's going to keep reminding him what his cohorts are, whether he likes it or not.

He shakes it off, though, and leans near to kiss her again. And she lets him.

"I have a hotel room," he whispers in her ear. "A bit more comfortable than this. I told them I wanted to plan an outside job while I'm here."

"Oh? Is that what I am?"

She can feel the low rumble of amusement in his chest. "I'd never say that. You have more weapons than I do. Still...the Marriott on Front Street. Under 'Alex McCoy.' Or are you leaving again now?"

"Hmmm. Shouldn't be a problem." She tugs on all his layers, gets her hands up under parka and shirt for a caress. "But it's been two weeks. Come on; you can make it a quickie now."

"Poor Sara. So deprived." But he moves his hands to her waist almost involuntarily, and she closes her eyes with a shiver as his mouth moves to her neck.

"Sara! Sara? Do you need backup?" Ray's plaintive voice comes over her comm, making them jump. "Is your comm down? Mick and I didn't find anything. Where did you go?"

"Damnit!"

Leonard laughs at her tone and takes a step back, that low chuckle sending a ripple down her spine again, then dips his hand into his pocket and tosses the riebelite to her.

She snatches it from the air easily. "And the diamond?"

"Oh, I'm keeping that one." He winks at her. "See you later."

And then he's gone again. She tosses the rock from hand to hand, smiling to herself, then turns to head back to the others.


She hadn't expected, in all honesty, for it to happen again. Neither, she thinks, did he.

But they'd been in 1920s New York City two weeks after the compound incident, tracking down a mob boss of the time who'd gotten his hands on what he thinks is heroin. (And it is, actually. But it's originally from 100 years in the future and very, very potent.)

She had been moving through a speakeasy, trying to look like just another giggly flapper who'd lost her way, when someone had grabbed her arm, pulled her into a side room...and the next thing she knew, she was holding a knife at Leonard's throat again.

They'd stared at each other a heartbeat or two before lunging at each other. She shoved the door shut behind her; he pressed her up against it. The intense make-out session that followed was probably more appropriate to a pair of hormonal teenagers than two adults of their respective ages, and it's very hard to keep from laughing as they catch the looks on each other's faces at the sound of their respective teammates passing outside…at separate times, of course.

He leaves her, she thinks, with new regret in his eyes … and a whispered tip about where to find the heroin in question. He doesn't like drugs, she recalls, never has, even barred those he's worked with back in Central City from dealing in them. Back at the ship, Mick had blown up and stalked away when they'd found out the Legion had apparently been after the drugs, saying that Leonard would never, ever deal in such things, not in any time. Turns out he was right.

She wishes she could tell him. But she won't.

It might jeopardize this...whatever it is

Because they just can't seem to quit. 1969. 1891. 1944. 2001. Closets and offices and once a car he'd stolen. It's not always sex (although it often is—they've gotten verycreative). Sometimes it's just a stolen kiss or a brief touch, even a quiet conversation.

It's almost become a game. Her team doesn't know. Neither does his. He actively doesn't want her to tell him anything about the Legends, but he's started dropping tiny bits of information about the Legion's activities. ("I'm here to steal things. I don't give a shit about any of their other goals. Anything that pisses them off is fine by me.")

He doesn't bring up her final words of their first encounter. She wonders if he's as cautious of damaging this fragile thing as she is.

Because as the time goes by, she starts seeing more and more of the man she knew in the man who isn't quite yet.


When they get back to the Waverider, Amaya is waiting at the hatch. Sara watches the other woman's eyes flick to Mick's face, then away, and smiles a little to herself. We can't always help where we give our….

She's not sure how to finish the sentence, even in her own head.

"What happened?" Amaya asks, carefully directing the question to the two of them as Ray, carrying the item they'd been after, vanishes into the ship, muttering happily to himself about science. "The captain said that…the Legion…showed up.".

The Justice Society member dislikes mentioning Mick's former partner, especially in his presence. Sara has her own theories about why. Mick himself has little patience with it.

"It was Snart," he tells her, just a little brusquely. "And Merlyn and some goons. But, yeah, we got it."

Sara shrugs. "I don't think he expected me to catch him," she says.Yeah, like hell he didn't. "He threw it at me and got away when I kept it from going into the museum ductwork. He kept the diamond, though."

"Snart always did have his priorities straight," Mick observes, then laughs at Amaya's expression. "What? We got the power source. That's what mattered, right, Pussycat?"

"Hmmm." Still, she gives him a little smile. "Ultimately, yes. I'm glad no one was hurt."

"Blondie chased off Evil Robin Hood; Haircut and I just had some rent-a-thugs. Piece of cake." He sighs as he starts into the ship. "Didn't even see Snart; just saw his results."

"Oh? Sara, how did you catch up with him?"

She couldn't suspect anything...could she? "Luck. I guess. I ran in the right direction; they didn't." Sara falls into step besides her teammates. "So, are we sticking around here for a bit?"

"The captain says so. He has some calculations to run and said you all might as well have some free time." Amaya, Sara thinks, does not really approve of "free time." "I have never seen the ocean. I thought it might be pleasant to visit the beach."

Or maybe not! Hmm. "Mick, you know Coast City a bit, right? You should show her around." She nearly laughs as Mick makes a thoughtful noise and Amaya blinks at her.

"Maybe," he allows. "Later. Need a word with the captain and a hot shower first." He offers them both a brief smile as he departs. Sara turns and walks backward toward her room, grinning at Amaya.

The other woman looks briefly flustered but rebounds, lifting an eyebrow at her. "You have something on your neck."

"Mmm? Oh. Dirt probably. I really need a shower too." She gives Amaya a sunny smile before heading for her room, resisting the urge to run her fingers over the mark she's perfectly aware is probably peeking out from under her jacket. Leonard just can't seem to resist her neck...

She wonders if he's had to explain any similar marks to his so-called teammates. The thought amuses her.

"Fuck off, Thawne..."

She knows she's changed again, and she knows the team sees it. She's happier, more relaxed, and far, far less likely to go looking for "entertainment" of another sort - actually, she hasn't picked up a single one-night stand since this started.

She's also a trifle less likely to fling herself into danger, though she's still trying to figure out a way around the rules, a way to take Darhk down. Leonard, who doesn't even know what she's lost to the man, has taken an extreme dislike to him as well, and she suspects they're rarely sent out on the same missions because of that. In fact, he seems more and more discontented with his "employer" every time she sees him...

But she doesn't want to think about that right now. There are much better things to think about.