"Where's the mask?" Sara asks, and despite her reservations it's impossible for her not to smile as she admires her new outfit. Her smile only widens when she feels Laurel's chin on her shoulder and she knows without looking at her that her sister is smiling too.
"You don't need it anymore. You've lived in the shadows long enough." And at this, Sara turns around, hugging Laurel tightly.
"Thank you, pretty-bird."
Laurel hugs her back, smiles with something that looks like pride. "That, and – I mean – you probably won't have to worry about the whole identity concealment thing if you're travelling back in time."
Sara considers. "True."
"Try it on, then."
Minutes later, Sara is pulling on the jacket that completes the outfit and Laurel has pulled out the mirror hidden behind her mannequin.
"Huh," Sara says, nodding in approval at her reflection. "I like it. How did you get it made so fast?"
"I actually wanted for you to have it if you ever decided to go back into the field," Laurel admits. "I… know you said you wanted to deal with your bloodlust in a different way, and I know that the fact that you have to deal with it at all is entirely on me –"
"Laurel," Sara interrupts. "Don't. I told you that you gave me the greatest gift and I meant it. I mean – I've never really lost you, not like you've lost me, not once but twice, but I know that if I ever did – I would go to the ends of the earth to get you back. So don't blame yourself, okay?"
"Just do me a favour, okay?" Laurel says, reaching out and squeezing Sara's arm.
"Anything."
"We've been up against Savage before. He's dangerous. Be careful, okay? And come back."
"Always," Sara whispers, pulling her sister into another hug. It's as they pull away that the elevator pings and Sara peers over Laurel's shoulder to see Oliver walking into the lair. At his heels is Ray Palmer, who Sara remembers from their rooftop meeting a few hours earlier. She nods briefly at him before going to hug Ollie. "Long time no see, Ollie," Sara says softly.
"Not as long as last time," Oliver replies, but he smiles at her nonetheless.
"Hey, how's Felicity doing?" Sara asks. "Sorry I didn't stop by sooner… I've been in Tibet, and I only heard about what happened to her from Laurel."
"She's doing okay," Oliver says, squeezing her arm gratefully. "I'm sure she'll do even better seeing you." He pauses, and then – with less reluctance than Sara expects – adds while looking at Ray, "And you."
"I appreciate that," Ray says quietly, nodding in acknowledgement. Oliver nods back before turning to greet Laurel with a slight smile.
"So did Sara fill you in on the whole time travel mission?"
Laurel nods. "Yeah. And I think she should go for it."
Ollie sighs, but then to Sara's surprise he seems to accept it, because then he gestures to Ray. "I don't think you two have been properly introduced."
"Unless being zapped by a time master and ending up on the same rooftop counts," Ray suggests cheerfully. He holds out his hand and Sara takes it. "Ray Palmer."
"Sara Lance," she replies.
"You're the Canary, right?"
"The White Canary, now," Laurel corrects.
Ray grins. "So would that make you two the – Canary sisters?"
Sara and Laurel both laugh good-naturedly. "Yeah, something like that," Sara says (while eyeing Oliver with a look that clearly asks where did you find this guy?). Oliver just shakes his head, though.
"Felicity talked about you," Ray says slowly. Sara's exasperation fades a little.
"She did?"
"You… died last year, right?" Sara raises her eyebrows but murmurs in assent nevertheless. "Yeah, she talked about you quite a bit. Never mentioned you by name, but she often said how hard it was for her to lose a friend like you."
"She's been through a lot," Sara replies. At this, Laurel reaches out and squeezes her sister's hand.
"She's not the only one," Laurel says. Sara squeezes back before catching Ollie's eye and somehow she manages to smile.
"What?"
"Nice suit," Oliver comments, examining her attire more closely. "Let me guess – courtesy of Cisco Ramon?"
"My good friend who I owe yet another favour, yeah," Laurel says. "But he was happy to do it. Said that Sara should consider it a belated Christmas present."
"I see he made some – adjustments," Ollie says, and Sara notices him eyeing her neckline.
"You mean it's not as low-cut," Sara says, rolling her eyes.
"You always did complain to me about how cold you were when we were out in the field," Ollie reasons, and Sara laughs when a moment later Ray clears his throat as if to remind them that there weren't the only ones in the room. Laurel just shakes her head, though.
"I also got Cisco to line everything with Kevlar. You should be good against anything short of an RPG."
"Thanks, sis." But Sara can tell from the look on Ollie's face at Laurel's words that something's wrong. "I'll be fine, Ollie."
"Travelling through time… and against Vandal Savage… it's dangerous. And are you sure you're even –"
"Ray, let's give them a minute, okay?" Laurel interrupts loudly. Ray's eyes move from side to side between Sara and Oliver like a slightly confused puppy before shrugging and following Laurel out of earshot.
"How are you doing?" Sara asks almost conversationally.
To her surprise, he humours her, at least for a moment. "I'm okay. I've been pretty busy with my mayoral campaign, and with helping Felicity move back home from the hospital…" But then he trails off and Sara realises how much she's suddenly smiling.
"Sorry, I just – never would have thought, Ollie Queen, of all people, going into politics, talking about home, being… happy."
Sometimes she wonders if that could have been them – how if maybe Sara hadn't pushed Ollie away the way she had when he had wanted to be closer to her, things could have been so different. But those thoughts don't stay in her head long, because she's never been one for thinking of what-ifs and maybes.
"It's a strange feeling," Oliver admits. And then his brow creases and Sara knows what's coming next. "Is there any point in me saying –"
"No," Sara cuts across before he can even finish his sentence. "This is something I have to do, Ollie. I get the chance to help save the world."
"I know that," Oliver says. "I just don't want you to go because you think you don't have anything left for you here."
She shakes her head. "That's not what this is about. I have Laurel. My parents. The team here – you, Dig, Thea, Felicity, Sin. God, I even have the honour of Dig naming his daughter after me. You're my family. You always will be. But being alive again has made me realise that I need a purpose. And this – Rip Hunter guy is giving me one."
He smiles. "I guess you can't help being a hero."
"Apparently I'm not just a hero," she says. "I'm supposed to be remembered as a legend."
"Do normal people say that or is this a 2166 thing?" Ollie says, and they both chuckle.
"Maybe it's a British thing. Or – where did he say he was from? East London, I think he said."
Ollie's smile fades a little, though, and his expression becomes more serious as Sara meets his eyes. "I need to know one thing," he says softly.
"What's that?"
For a moment he hesitates, shuffling briefly from foot to foot. "I need to know you're going to come home," Oliver says finally. "To us. I don't want to lose you. Not again."
"Hey, fifth time lucky, right?" Sara tries to say, but Oliver still looks worried. "I'll be okay. I'll make it home again. I promise."
"I'll miss you," he says quietly, and he pulls her into a hug, pressing a kiss on her forehead. Sara smiles back, looks up at him.
"I'll see you again, I'm sure."