Sara looked around at the crew. "Alright, so Mick will be acting as the bouncer. Ray and Nate, you'll be monitoring for our escaped felon. Jax and the Professor will be our eyes and ears outside of the ballroom. Amaya, you're in charge of comms here on the ship. Everyone got it?"
After they all nodded their approval (or at least tolerance), Sara sent them to the replicator room.
Leonard fell behind and grabbed Sara's hand. "I notice a lack of assignment for us."
"Ah, picked up on that?"
"Yes, which makes me wonder just what you have in store for me… and you."
"And me and you?" she asked with a wink. "Well, just go dust off your tux and find out."
He put his hands on her waist and pulled her close. "Please tell me we aren't leaving the ship."
Sara patted his cheek. "Oh we are. But as soon as we get our little time bandit back to where he belongs, we'll get right back here asap."
Leonard sighed, but relented. "Fine, let's get this over with. But you'd better be wearing something worth my while."
Her smirk was her only reply.
"That wasn't what I had in mind," Leonard said as Sara entered the room in her fancy gown… her fancy gown from the '80s.
"What?" she asked, mock-innocently.
"That's just…" He paused, still trying to assess the situation of her poofy shoulders and the gigantic slanted ruffle at the base of her gown. "So very '80s."
"Well, the part does call for it. We are in 1985 after all."
Leonard nodded. "I have to admit, assassin, I'm confused by my feelings. On one hand, that dress is pretty out there. On the other hand, damn, you still look amazing. Even with… that hair!"
"Are you just noticing the hair?"
"Honestly, the ruffled shoulders and hem took precedence, so I'm just getting to the hair. Wow. That's big. We need to keep you away from open flames."
"Well, I think Gideon did great work!"
"Thank you, Captain Lance. I think it looks… totally awesome."
Sara smiled. "Gideon! Picking up on some lingo! I like it!"
Leonard sighed. "Well, Krystle Carrington, are you ready to go?" he asked, offering his arm.
"Absolutely."
After handing over their forged invitation, Leonard put a gentle hand on Sara's back and guided her into the huge ballroom.
"Well, might as well start looking," he sighed. "Wanna dance, Sara?"
"Wouldn't do to just say 'I'll watch,' would it?"
"Not if you want to case the joint faster," he replied with a smirk.
She returned the look and put a hand on his shoulder. "Then let's go."
He put a hand on her waist and joined their other hands, leading her into a well-rehearsed dance.
"I have a real love-hate relationship with these kinds of missions," she sighed.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I really love dancing with you, but I hate the distraction of finding anachronisms, or time bandits, or missing artifacts."
"I'll take any chance I can get to hold you close."
"Charmer."
He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Just then, the opening notes of Bad English's "When I See You Smile" rang through the ballroom.
"I always liked this song," he admitted as he turned her under his arm.
"Really?!"
"Yeah. It's sweet."
"Since when are you the sweet type?"
"When I want to be." He pulled her a little closer.
Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you
I just wouldn't have a clue
"And besides, that's how I feel about you. I kinda need you around, assassin. Couldn't do this without you."
Sara fought back the tears. Since when did he get sappy like this?
"You're my favorite, you know that, crook?"
"I've gotten the impression."
For the rest of the song, Leonard not only whispered the words to Sara, but demonstrated some fancy footwork as well.
"Someone's been practicing," she said, her smile stretching her face.
"I'll admit to nothing. But, I do think I see our fugitive over by the punch bowl."
Leonard turned her so that her back was against his front.
"That's him. So glad we have 2 different teams monitoring this situation and none of them saw him," she grumbled.
Leonard tapped the comm in his ear. "Mick, feel like roughing up a time runaway?"
"Anything to liven this party up!" Mick replied.
"There's someone by the punch who needs removed from this shindig. Dark blue bowtie," Leonard explained.
"On it, boss."
"Kind of a shame our evening is ending so quickly," Sara sighed.
"Oh, Sara. Our evening is just beginning," Leonard drawled.
"I like getting dressed up and dancing with you, though. Whoa… those words just actually left my mouth."
"I'm just as surprised. But come on, the night doesn't have to be over. We just won't be surrounded by the cast of Dynasty all evening."
Sara allowed herself to be led away as Mick played the perfect bouncer removing an uninvited guest. They tossed the fugitive into the brig and plotted a course back to his actual time and actual prison.
Leonard and Sara got back to their room and before she could remove her shoes, she found herself tight within his arms.
"Len?"
"Dance with me, Sara. Gideon, how about a little more Bad English?"
"Yes, Mr. Snart. Coming right up."
"When I See You Smile" began to play.
"And while you're at it, Gideon, why don't you set up a playlist of sappy '80s love ballads?"
"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Snart."
"You and Gideon are big '80s fans, I see?" Sara teased.
"I'm not ashamed of it. These are classics. These are emotional songs. These men loved their ladies and wanted the world to know it."
"And you?"
"Well, I'm no power ballad writer, and I clearly don't have the hair for it, but I certainly love my lady."
"Shall I start belting out some Celine Dion?"
"Um, that song is from the '90s and would obviously get in the way of my '80s vibe, so no."
"Well, far be it from me to kill the vibe," Sara said with a very un-Sara giggle.
For 4 songs, Leonard and Sara spun around their room. He softly sang each song to her and each one made her fall more and more in love with him. It was the most uncharacteristic each had been in years, and if Gideon knew what was good for her, she would never make mention of it to anyone.
"You know, Captain," Sara said with a dramatic sigh. "These shoes are just getting to be too much for me. Think you could carry me to bed?"
"Well, I'm nothing if not a perfect gentleman." (This earned him a snort from Sara.) "So, I'll ignore that sound and, of course I'll help you over to the bed."
He scooped her up and tenderly put her on the bed. "Better?"
Sara kicked off her shoes and grabbed his tie, pulling him very close. "Almost."
End note: (Remove the spaces)
Let me know if you'd like to see Sara's dress.
I'm fudging the timeline here as this song came after 1985. ;-)