Chapter 01: Coming Back, Part 1

"You either don't know who I am, or you do and you are rather insane trying to sneak up on me" the brunette woman said out loud in a thick accent, not even turning around to address her stalker.

She stopped all movement; the punching bag she was repeatedly hitting only moments ago swinging back and forth on its own "Or perhaps you have a death wish?" she suggested, readjusting the messy bun that was holding her long hair up to keep it away from her face while training.

"You know, after all this time, one would think you'd be more mindful of your surroundings" a woman's voice said from behind, the smirk clearly audible in her tone "I've been creepin' here for over five minutes now"

The brunette froze hearing the sound of the other woman's voice "Do you deem it wise, considering recent events, to use my father's words to criticize me?" she asked before turning around to face the intruder with a soft smile in place.

Her blonde stalker held her hands up in mock surrender, the smirk visible now "Gotta admit, not an opportunity I used to get often back in the day" she lowered her hands and shrugged her shoulders "Hard to resist"

"I distinctly recall telling you to refrain from searching for me"

The blonde took a few steps forward, getting closer to the other woman "No. You basically told me not to free you from that dungeon and move on" she looked around, signaling the space surrounding them "This isn't a dungeon…" then she looked the other woman up and down with appreciation "…and you look free to me. As for the 'moving on' part, yeah… That's not gonna happen; you should've known that"

"I should have"

"I told you, before I left, that if I survived I was coming back. For you. I meant every word I said that night" she sighed and moved a hand to rub the back of her neck before looking at the other woman in the eye "I meant everything that happened that night. I thought you did too"

The brunette gasped at the thought of the other doubting her words or actions. However, she knew it was only because of her current reticence to accept her presence there, right in front of her "Of course I did"

The blonde nodded shortly "You told me not to die" she smiled and stood with her arms open "Well, I didn't"

"How exactly did you find my whereabouts?" the taller woman asked, holding her chin up in defiance.

"Laurel"

"I should have known she would ultimately betray me"

The blonde chuckled wholeheartedly, inciting a soft smile from her counterpart "In her defense, I had to guilt, bribe and then threaten her before she said anything" she counted the 'persuasion list' with her fingers "Even after she did, it took me days to find you. She wouldn't give me any specifics and you are impossible to find when you don't want to be found. I only did because I know you and your MO"

"Good"

"You've trained her well"

"I would like to believe so…" she gestured with her hand to the blonde standing in front of her "…you standing there, however, proves me wrong"

"Aw, aren't you happy to see me?"

"I shall wait to decide how I feel about your presence after I hear the reasons behind it" she took a deep calming breath, shaking her head "Why are you here, Sara?"

"I told you, I'm here to claim what's mine"

Sara carefully closed the distance between them, holding the other woman's face in her hands and tentatively kissing her. After a few seconds she felt the brunette start to kiss her back and wrap her arms around her waist, so she moved her hands to the back of the other woman's neck and deepened the kiss.

"Sara" the brunette pulled away, gasping for air, but kept her forehead pressed to the blonde's with her eyes closed.

"God, I've missed that" the blonde licked her lips and opened her eyes after whispering those words, waiting for the other woman to open hers "I've missed you, Nyssa" she said looking into her eyes.

Nyssa frowned, closed her eyes and took a tentative step back "Sara, I—"

"Oh, God… Please tell me you're not seeing anyone" Sara interrupted "Laurel didn't say anything about you seeing anyone, I swear. I'm gonna kill her!"

"What?" the brunette shook her head confused "No"

"Oh! Good. I don't think your husband would approve"

Nyssa groaned and rolled her eyes "I have no husband"

"What about Ollie?" Sara asked smiling "Yeah, I heard about that; punched him in the throat when I did, by the way"

The brunette couldn't help the snort that escaped her body after hearing that.

"Like he's gonna marry my woman and walk away like nothing ever happened?!" Sara started pacing "Wait!" she stopped and stared at Nyssa, her eyes narrowing "He didn't try to consummate it, did he? 'Cause if he did, I should've punched him way lower than his throat. Actually, I'm gonna as soon as I see him again, just in case"

"Oh, dear God, no…." Nyssa rubbed her forehead "…please, don't create those kinds of nauseating images. They shall give me the most terrible nightmares, beloved" the blonde stared at her smiling softly "Why are you staring at me?"

"You called me 'beloved' again" Sara said, still smiling.

"You previously referred to me as 'your woman'" the brunette said using air quotes.

"Well, you are…" the blonde paused and bit her lip nervously "…aren't you?"

Nyssa folder her arms, holding her chin up again "That remains to be decided. Are your time-travelling days behind you? Because that was our agreement. I cannot do this anymore or be with you without knowing if you are ever coming back"

"Yes ma'am"

"Did you accomplish your mission?"

"Always do. Wouldn't be here if we didn't"

"And are you done dying on me?"

"God, I hope so!"

Nyssa nodded just once, then rushed her, strongly grabbing the lapels of her old looking white leather jacket and shoving her against the nearest wall, only to kiss her again; deeper and roughly this time.

Sara woke up to a ray of sunshine sneaking through the breeze moving curtains, partially blinding her when she tried to open her eyes. She rolled on her side to shield them from the unwanted intrusion and extended her arm, finding the other side of the bed cold and empty.

She frowned and opened her eyes, asking in a low, raspy voice "Nyssa?"

She heard some noise coming from what she assumed to be the kitchen, and once she focused on that, she realized she could hear music playing, too.

Smiling to herself, she got up and started rummaging through a duffel bag that was lying on the floor next to the dresser. Deciding a pair of panties and a t-shirt should be enough for the occasion, she put them on and moved to the bedroom door.

She was hit with the smell of food as soon as she opened the door and her stomach immediately reacted to it, grumbling loudly. She walked down the corridor; the Latin music coming from the radio, she assumed, getting louder the closer she got to the end of it.

She kept walking silently down the stairs and spotted Nyssa right away, in her panties and tank top standing at the stove, and smiled happily.

"Good morning, beloved" the brunette said without turning around.

Sara laughed and walked behind her "And here I was, thinking I was being all assassin sneaky" she wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder "Morning babe"

Nyssa finished fixing two plates full of very different food types and turned around in Sara's arms, kissing her softly "Did you get some decent rest, habibti?"

The blonde grinned cheekily and nodded, kissing the other woman one more time "For the first time in ten years" she let go of the woman in her arms and grabbed both plates, placing them on the island behind her.

The brunette frowned in confusion and poured a cup of coffee for Sara, before she grabbed her cup of tea "Is that some kind of figurative speech I am not familiar with?"

"Huh? What is?" Sara asked, her mouth full of food already "I missed your cooking, this is amazing, Nyssa"

"Thank you. I am glad you are enjoying it so much you are not willing to wait and swallow your food before speaking" the other woman said with a smile, sitting next to her "I meant when you said 'ten years'; Is that a dramatic way of meaning a long period of time?"

"Oh. Um… No" the blonde took a sip of her coffee before looking at Nyssa and taking her hand in hers "I've been gone for over ten years"

The other woman frowned again, even more confused than before "Did you suffer from severe head trauma? You have been gone for roughly six months, Sara"

"Yes, for you and everyone here. For me and everyone with me, it was ten years. Literally"

A few long minutes passed without any of them saying anything, until Nyssa broke the silence "Ten years…" she whispered softly and squeezed Sara's hand "...and you still came back to me?"

The blonde shrugged and took another sip of coffee "What can I say? You are that hot"

"Sara, I'm serious"

"So am I"

Her answer made Nyssa chuckle. She shook her head and then pointed out "You don't look a day older from the last time I laid eyes on you"

"Ah, you see, time masters have their tricks" she took a bite of her toast "Kinda like the effects of a Lazarus Pit, but not really"

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well, they spend a lot of time moving through time and space, so in the future they came up with some thingy they inject you with that slows down your aging process while you are... well, moving through time and space; away from your own, I mean. I'm aging normally now that I'm back. Oh, and it doesn't have the 'losing bits of your soul' awesome feature of the Lazarus Pit, of course" she frowned after hearing herself "Is that the right way to say it? They 'came up' with it, if it happens in the future?" she took a bite of her eggs, still thinking "They will come up with… Better, right? Or—"

"Sara, I get it" the brunette interrupted her "It is the future for me, but it was the past for you at some point"

"Yes! Exactly!"

Nyssa chuckled again and ran her fingers through Sara's hair "I have missed you and your strange ways greatly, beloved"

Having cleaned her plate already, she snatched some fruit from Nyssa's before leaning closer to kiss her softly "I've missed you too"

The brunette finished her tea and pushed her plate closer to Sara, who grinned in appreciation while snatching some more fruit "How long have you been living here?" the blonde asked out of the blue, making Nyssa smile.

"I moved shortly after disbanding the League. I realized I grew tired of the darkness and the long restless nights"

"You had a long restless night last night" the other woman snorted and grinned.

"Indeed, but for all the right reasons" she smiled and kissed Sara's forehead, then got up to clean the dishes.

"No, let me, you cooked" the blonde got up and took the now empty plates from her hands. She started washing them, along with their mugs "So you were just like 'fuck it, I'm moving to the Caribbean'?"

Nyssa laughed and shrugged "In a way, yes. Without the swearing"

"Do you like it here?"

"It took me some time to get used to it, being so different from what I used to call home, but I do. People are friendly, most days are bright and sunny, and even when they are not, it still is beautiful and peaceful"

"And yet you train every day like you used to, instead of chillin' all the time like I would"

"Old habits, beloved" the brunette smiled and leaned back against the counter "I do get to enjoy it even more now"

Sara nodded in understanding "You're doing it 'cause you want to and not 'cause you have to"

"Yes"

"I get that" the blonde put the dishes away after drying them and folded her arms, leaning back on the counter herself in front of Nyssa "Did you… Um, you know, date anyone?" She asked nervously changing the subject.

Raising one eyebrow, Nyssa stared at her curiously and decided to tease her "Sara Lance, I am a married woman! How could you suggest such things?"

Sara narrowed her eyes and glared at her "Not funny, Nyssa. I'm still punching Oliver again as soon as I see him"

The brunette laughed and shook her head "So, is it only 'funny' when you do it? Mr. Queen and I were only married in the eyes of the League. The League is no more, hence, thankfully, he is not my husband. I can barely tolerate him as an acquaintance as it is" she laughed softly "And to answer your question: no. Have you?"

Sara was taken by surprise and it showed; still, she tried to play dumb "Huh?"

"That face might fool Captain Lance when he wants to believe you, but I know you better than that, beloved. Do not forget about it. Have you? It is alright if you have; I would not expect you to be alone for ten years"

Sara shook her head "Honestly? No. I mean, well… I kissed this woman Lindsey once in 1958, and then the one kiss with Len, but—"

"I shall kill them both as soon as I locate them" Nyssa interrupted her.

"What? You told me it was okay if I had!"

"I lied"

"You don't lie"

"I do when necessary" she then growled "Where can I find them? And don't you dare lie to me, Sara Lance"

Sara sighed defeated "Good luck with that, she should be like eighty-something, if she's still alive; and he's definitely not still alive"

The brunette could see the sadness in Sara's eyes at the last part of that sentence and she sighed too "I am deeply sorry, beloved"

"Because you wouldn't kill an old lady and didn't get to kill him?" the blonde asked, half smirk in place.

"No, I truly am sorry. I can see in your eyes how hard it must have been. I'm sorry you had to experience that"

"Well, the idiot died saving all of us and probably the world, which is the reason why I kissed him, actually. As a goodbye. He was a good friend and about to die for us" she sighed, remembering it.

"He died a hero, then, protecting all of you. The most honorable way to go, if you ask me" she moved closer to the other woman and wrapped her arms around her, instantly feeling Sara relax in the comforting embrace.

Several minutes passed while they kept like that "Nyssa?"

"Yes?"

Sara pulled back just enough to look into the other woman's eyes "Are we together?"

"If I am not mistaken, I believe I am holding you. That task by itself require us to be together"

The shorter woman smiled "That's not what I meant"

"Then what do you mean, beloved?"

"Are you my girlfriend again?" she asked blushing.

Nyssa smiled warmly and moved a strand of blonde hair away from Sara's face "Do you want me to be, habibti?"

The blonde nodded vigorously "Always. Do you want to be?"

"Desperately"