This is the list of songs that inspired the chapters in this fic. If you really want to get into the mood of the story, listen to these! :D

'Home Sweet Home' Motley Crue
'Message in A Bottle' The Police
'Jump' Van Halen
'Never Surrender' Corey Hart
'Brass in Pocket' Pretenders
'I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)' Hall and Oates
'You Got It (The Right Stuff)' NKoTB
'Please Let Me Get What I Want' The Smiths
'If You Leave' OCM
'Alone' Heart
'Take My Breath Away' Berlin
'True' Spandau Ballet
'It Must Be Love' Madness
'Circle in The Sand' Belinda Carlisle
'In Your Eyes' Peter Gabriel

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You know I'm a dreamer, but my heart's of gold
I had to run away high, so I wouldn't come home low
Just when things went right, it doesn't mean they were always wrong
Just take this song, and you'll never feel left all alone

Take me to your heart, feel me in your bones
Just one more night and I'm comin' off this
Long and winding road

I'm on my way, I'm on my way
Home sweet home

- Motley Crue 'Home Sweet Home'

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"Why can't I skip this year?"

"Because, Sara, Mom and Dad haven't seen you since Christmas, that's why. It's been three months. For them, that's like three years."

"I told them that school keeps me busy. Isn't that a reasonable explanation for not coming to visit? It's not as if I was never planning to come, and anyway, I can't just drive down here and stay the weekend every month." Sara scowled and crossed her arms. Sometimes, she felt like her parents were a little too clingy with her, especially since she was their youngest child.

A knowing smile spread across Laurel's features. "Sara, you and I both know the real reason you don't visit often. You're afraid that Mom and Dad will try to set you up with someone."

"Bingo! Who needs that kind of headache? Not me. I'm doing just fine on my own as a single woman. If I get a boyfriend, I lose my freedom and I have to put aside time for the two of us. I'm not ready for that. And it sounds so boring and tedious. They already have one daughter who's sold her life away. Why do they want me to do the same? No offence," Sara added quickly, when she realized that she just insulted her older sister.

Laurel just laughed and shook her head. She knew that Sara was merely frustrated by their parents incessant need to set her up on blind dates. Honestly, it was pretty ridiculous. They could never take no for an answer. It was just their way of being parents. They wanted the best for their daughters, even though what they wanted for the girls wasn't neccessarily what Laurel or Sara wanted.

"No offence taken, little sis. Tommy and I actually have a pretty breezy relationship with each other. It's anything but boring and tedious. In fact, our relationship has gotten so much better, now that Dad has finally accepted Tommy as my boyfriend."

Sara nodded and blew on the passenger window, drawing a smiley face on it. "Yeah, I was the last person to think that would happen. Dad has always hated the Merlyn family, even before we were born."

Laurel tapped her fingers on the wheel of her car and turned onto the street where their parents' house was located. "Mmhm. I think, because of how bad Malcolm Meryln is, Dad just figured Tommy would be just as bad, like father, like son. He underestimated Tommy, though. There's not a drop of Malcolm in his blood. The only thing they share are their looks. Tommy's heart is the same as his mother's."

It was the truth too. Malcolm Meryln's wife was a kind, loving soul and when she died, Malcolm Merlyn became an unscrupulous businessman with ruthless tactics who cared for no one but himself. It was a miracle Tommy hadn't turned out to be a horrible person like his father was.

Years later, after he grew up, Tommy cut ties with his father due to Malcolm's heartless nature and was now the manager of a nightclub in the Glades called Verdant. He had done well for himself, considering that he could have stayed with his father's company without having to do any hard work. Tommy chose his conscience over money, and that was one of the things which attracted Laurel to him. A billionaire 'trustafarian' with a heart of gold? You don't witness that every day.

They pulled in the driveway of the Lance house and Dinah and Quentin were already outside, waving at their two daughters. Sara sighed and gave her parents a smile as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. "I just hope they didn't decide to throw this barbecue as a means to get me a boyfriend."

Laurel chuckled and patted Sara's hand and whispered, "If they did, I'll scare him off. Sisters have to look out for each other, right?"

Both girls shared a mutual wink before getting out of Laurel's car and hugging their parents. Dinah Lance gave Sara a warm hug and Sara couldn't help but sigh happily as she and her mother embraced. "I've missed you so much, sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm good, Mom. I've missed you too~" As much as her parents drove her crazy, Sara still felt like their little girl whenever they hugged her. Quentin gave her a kiss on the forehead and wrapped his arms around her once her mother released her.

"How's school going? You're not wasting our money by partying all night instead of studying, are you?" Quentin said playfully.

"No, Dad. Come on. You know I'm not about that life anymore." Sara gave him a grin and went to get her duffle bag out of the car. Since she was only staying for the weekend, Sara kept her packing light. Although, she still had some clothes inside her old dresser in the house if she ran out of the ones she'd brought with her.

All four of the Lance family walked inside the house, chatting as they went. Sara inquired as to who else was coming to the barbecue.

"You remember my partner, Curtis Hilton and his wife, Jeannie? They're coming over in an hour or so and a few of your aunts and uncles. Oh, a few of your friends will be here, too. They all basically invited themselves over when they heard you were visiting."

"Forced to visit you mean, Dad," Sara responded, a smirk on her face as she put her duffel bag on her old bed.

Quentin laughed and waved his hand. "Ah, tomato, tamahto. I'm just glad you're here, that's all. You know you can hole up in your room if you don't want to speak to anyone, but your mother wants you to stick around the backyard for at least an hour. You can't be inhospitable. After all, this barbecue is for you."

Point well made. Sara nodded at her parents and smiled. "Don't worry. I promise to be on my best behaviour. I'll eat and mingle around, but I hope you didn't invite any of those creepy guys from the precinct to chat me up..."

Dinah cleared her throat and twisted her wedding ring awkwardly. "No. I had a long talk with your father about that and we won't be setting you up with any blind dates. The last one was a disaster."

Quentin balked at that admission and crossed his arms. "Okay, hold on a minute. Lieutenant Breyton was not that bad. Sure he may have been a little rough around the edges, but-"

A snort came from Laurel and she shook her head. "Dad, 'little' does not describe Lieutenant Breyton. He wanted to have Sara fingerprinted before their date. That's extreme and disturbing. Seriously, who would do something like that on their first date or on a date at all?"

Quentin narrowed his eyes. "I would, actually. You have to be careful with the crazy lunatics that are out there these days. It's different than when your mother and I were dating."

Dinah tittered and patted her husband's arm. He just didn't get it. Sometimes men really were clueless, especially when it came to the weirdness level of their own sex. "Well, thank God you didn't try fingerprinting me when we first started dating, or I would have given you the boot!" She turned to Sara and gave her another hug. "You've had a long trip, honey. Take a shower and relax for an hour. We'll start the barbecue at four."

"Okay," Sara replied, smirking as her dad followed her mom downstairs, asking her why she thought that fingerprinting was so weird for a first date. It was good to be home.

Laurel sat on the edge of Sara's bed and gave her a secretive smile. Sara knew that mischievous look. She'd seen it many times as a child, as she grew up with Laurel. The way her lips curved, she looked like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

Sara eyed Laurel suspiciously and crossed her arms. "What are you up to...?"

"Guess what special guest is coming to the barbecue later?"

"Well, I don't think it would be the Pope...or is it?" Sara made a mocking expression of glee and Laurel pushed her face away, laughing at her silliness. She really had missed their times together. It wasn't the same when they skyped each other or texted. They needed personal time, like they were having at the moment.

"No, you goofball. Lisa Snart said she wanted drop by and say hello~"

Now there was a good piece of news that Sara was happy to hear. Lisa Snart and she were as thick as thieves in high school. They had been best friends years ago and spent nearly every day of the week at each other's house. Sara and Lisa had stayed in contact up until eight months ago, when Lisa took a trip to Spain. It had something to do with her job. Lisa was a self-made entrepreneur who had opened her new operating headquarters in Madrid.

"So she's finally back from Spain? Good. I've missed seeing her face."

"Yeah. Lisa has been back for a couple of weeks. I think she's got herself a penthouse in the city. Oh, and she said she has a gift to bring you. Something about a mutual promise the two of you made in high school?"

A promise? Sara's brow furrowed as she searched her memory for any promises made between she and Lisa when they were teens. Oh, yeah. Now she remembered. It was the last day of high school, actually, at their graduation. Sara and Lisa had both sworn that if either of them traveled to a country in Europe, they would buy the first thing they saw that reminded them of each other. It was a silly promise, but apparently, Lisa still considered it a serious thing.

"We made a promise that, whichever one of us traveled to a country in Europe, would buy the other something. I think we were both kind of drunk when we agreed to do that, too...it was at Felicity's end of high school party. Remember?"

Laurel widened her eyes and nodded her head slowly. "It would be hard not to remember that party. It got completely out of control and Dad was one of the cops who responded to the neighbour's call about the noise level. Your face was so red whn Dad brought you home. I'm not sure I'd ever seen you so embarrassed before. It was kind of a nice change."

A grimace spread across Sara's face and she began taking out a change of clothes from her duffel bag. Any kid whose cop dad had to bust a party that they were attending while drunk out of their mind would always be embarrassing to them, no matter how old they got. Talk about a moment of shame. Sara could still recall her dad's angry face as he told her how disappointed he was in her. It didn't help that Sara ended up puking in the car as he was taking her home either. It was months before Laurel let her live that down.

Laurel clapped to get Sara's attention and the blonde looked up from her reverie. "Oh, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I said I'll leave so you can take a shower. We'll catch up more later, okay?"

"Sure."

Once Laurel closed Sara's door, Sara picked up the clothes she'd chosen to wear and went to her bathroom. Before she changed out of her clothing, her phone began to vibrate in her back pocket. Sara took the phone out and smiled when she realised who was texting her.

Lisa: Hey. How are you?

Sara: Good. I'm glad to hear that you're back in the city! Laurel said you were coming to the barbecue and that you have a present for me?

Lisa: Yup. I bet you forgot allll about that.

Sara: Well, duh. We were pretty drunk at that party. I'm surprised you remembered everything we said.

Lisa: Haha. I have an eidetic memory, babe. It runs in the family. Anyway, yes, I have a surprise for you and I think you will like it.

Sara: I can't hardly wait to see it, but seeing you will be even better.

Lisa: Oh, I don't know. This is a really, really good surprise.

Sara: Dang it. Now you're making me anxious. Care to give me a guess?

Lisa: Lol, nope. You'll just have to wait and see when it comes.

Sara: Oh, well. I can be patient.

Lisa: I know you can. And in this case, I think you'll be happy with what I bring you. Tata for now~

Sara turned off her phone and set it on the little shelf rack over the toilet. She grinned to herself as she removed her clothing and stepped into the warm water. When Lisa Snart came bearing gifts, people were never disappointed. Sara wondered what it was her old friend would be bringing...

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Lisa Snart pressed the off button on her iPhone and smirked to herself. She indeed had a surprise for Sara, but it wasn't a single surprise. This specific surprise came in two parts. One was the gorgeous dress Lisa had bought Sara while she was in Spain, the other was...well, a bit more of a flesh and blood type of surprise. Lisa turned her head and called out, "Lenny! I have an enormous favour to ask you..."

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I know there was zero interaction between Sara and Len in this chapter, but I had to create the setting for the story first! Don't worry, though! The next chapter will have plenty of Captain Canary content!