Author's Note: Not hugely happy with this but I wanted to stop playing with it.
Second part will be up soon.
The music stopped making Eve look up from planning her next lesson. A few years ago she never would have believed that she would have settled in one time period and would be teaching history and languages to college students. However she enjoyed her new calling and found she was actually good at it.
"Director Hunter is at the door," Gilbert, her AI, told her.
Eve let out a long sigh, any time he appeared at her door something bad had happened, it was the only reason he came here. Opening the door she frowned seeing him standing there in the blue suit she really hated, holding a bottle of scotch. He looked exhausted and there was a smattering of stubble across his chin. Eve really wished he'd re-grow his beard but he had this insane idea being clean shaven was more professional, she personally thought it showed how worryingly pale and thin he was.
"Rip," she greeted him, "Come on in."
He handed her the bottle, "Don't let me drink it."
Eve took the scotch ushering Rip inside, "I'll add it to the collection."
Taking his usual seat on the couch Rip rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands.
"What happened?" Eve asked placing a mug of tea on the table.
This was why he was here. They weren't friends. She'd agreed to consult with his new Time Bureau at the beginning but didn't join wanting a different life now she had the choice. What she was now was the only person who truly understood how hard things were for him since he didn't have Gideon because she was stuck with the idiots on the Waverider.
No one other than a Time Master understood the dependence they both had on their AI. Everyone thought that it was odd that Eve wouldn't let Gilbert become part of the Bureau, even more so that Rip had backed her against the other Directors. In some ways it was one of the Time Masters nastiest ideas linking the Captains to the AIs, making them dependant on them, ensuring the AI was the only one the Captain had to keep them sane during the months of isolation on their ship.
Rip looked up and took a long drink of tea, "I got people killed."
Eve winced, she knew it was only a matter of time before it happened but it wouldn't make it any easier on the man sitting before her. Without Gideon it was going to be a long night as Eve and Gilbert held him together so he could go back to trying to protect time once more.
This was what she had become, Rip Hunter's substitute AI.
"Don't let me drink it," Rip said handing Eve the bottle of scotch he was carrying.
She nodded to him, "I'll add it to the collection."
Rip found his usual seat and leaned back with a long sigh, "Sorry for intruding."
She let out an amused snort, "And yet you're here. Dare I ask what happened?"
"Bad, bad day," he replied, grimacing at her questioning look, "We had a Roman Legion in 1920's Paris and several agents were injured. Agent Donaldson might never walk again."
Eve placed a mug of tea in front of him as she always would when he showed up on her doorstep.
"I'm sorry," Eve told him.
Rip sighed, "I can't do this, Eve. I can't. I don't know what I was thinking. This is insane. I'm insane."
Eve shook her head, "Take a breath."
He rubbed his face taking several shaky breaths as ordered, "I need Gideon. I can't do this without her."
"Rip," she soothed, "I know how hard it is without her. That's why I'm here."
"I need Gideon," Rip whispered, "I can't...I can't..."
"Stop," Eve caught his arms, "Rip, I know you miss Gideon. I understand but you can do this. You know you can."
Rip looked at her, "It's been four years since I left the Waverider. I only meant to be away from her for a few weeks, maybe a month. They're trapped and they don't even know it." He paused and rubbed his hand across his face, "Eve, I'm tired. I feel like I spend my days fighting with the others. It's like they've forgotten I know exactly what I'm doing and they're not the ones who spent their entire life training..."
"Stop," Eve cut him off again, "Remember they've only been doing this for a few years. It's new to them and our experiences are still in the realms of science fiction to them."
Shaking his head Rip grimaced, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have barged in. You have things to do."
"When has that ever stopped you?" Eve noted amused, stopping him from answering, "Gilbert will call us something to eat and you can help me with my lecture for next week."
"Are you kidding me?"
Rip looked up from the paperwork covering his desk to see Eve standing in the doorway to his office, "What?"
Eve walked to the desk closing the door behind her, leaning on the desk she glared at him.
"For five years," she stated annoyed, "Five years I have had you appearing on my doorstep to keep you together because Gideon wasn't here. You finally got her back and six months later you let her go?"
Rip sighed, "The Legends need her."
"You need her," Eve snapped, "You are one bad day away from drinking the entire contents of my 'Rip' cupboard. Why did you let those idiots take the Waverider? Why did you allow Gideon to go with them?"
"Because there is something coming," Rip replied softly, "Something where we need the Legends out there to be the last line of defence. Bennett and the others don't understand."
Eve pulled over the other chair and sat, "Please tell me you can contact her?"
"She will send me reports," Rip replied, wincing when Eve banged the desk, "It's the only choice I had."
Standing she frowned, "You're banned from my house."
Eve sat reading one of her favourite books enjoying a cup of tea.
"Agent Sharpe is at the door," Gilbert interrupted suddenly.
Eve frowned confused at the odd visitor, "Let her in," closing her book Eve headed to the door to the woman standing awkwardly waiting for her, "Agent Sharpe, what can I do for you?"
"It's..." the other woman hesitated for a moment, "Director Hunter went on an off-book mission which resulted in the death of several agents."
Eve winced.
"Director Hunter is now under arrest," Sharpe continued not looking Eve in the eye.
"What?"
Sharpe took a breath, "Director Bennett has asked that you come to try and get him..."
"To get him to what?" Eve snapped when the other woman trailed off, "Apologise?"
"Please, Eve come and talk to him," Ava whispered, "He is not acting like himself, he put the people he trained in a situation where they were killed and he doesn't even seem to care."
"I'll come and speak to him but not for Bennett. And Agent Sharpe," Eve threw back at her, "He cares."
x
Rip was sitting on the bed in the small cell he'd been thrown in when he was dragged off the Waverider. He was still trying to understand how this had happened, how Sara had turned round and turned him over to the Bureau acting like she had the moral high ground. He thought they would understand but he was obviously wrong.
The door opened and he waited to see who was going to appear this time to discuss his 'recent behaviour'.
"You have a visitor," the guard stated before stepping back revealing the woman standing there.
Eve walked in and turned to the guard, "Go away."
At her order the man's eyes widened a little in fear before he followed it leaving them alone.
Rip stood to face her, "Don't let me drink it."
Eve nodded, "I'll add it to the collection."
They stood in silence for several minutes before Eve checked her watch.
"We have two minutes," she said, "Are you okay?"
Rip sighed, "I didn't get a chance to talk to Gideon after it happened."
"Why did she let them take you?" Eve demanded.
"Gideon's following my request to remain with the team no matter what happened to me," Rip told her, "She understands why they need to be out there."
Eve shook her head, "What were you thinking going off on your own?"
"That someone had to do something," Rip told her, "They won't listen. I needed to act."
Shaking her head Eve folded her arms in thought, "I'm sorry, Rip. Bennett doesn't know how to handle this type of situation. Remember you wanted people different from the Time Masters."
Rip sighed in annoyance.
"I can get Gilbert to contact the Waverider," Eve reminded him, "Kick those idiots off and you can work on this the way you used to. With Gideon."
Rip shook his head, "I can't. They need to be out there, they need to be ready if I can't get the Bureau to listen to me now they've seen what is going on."
Eve frowned.
"You're my Power of Attorney, Eve," Rip reminded her, "Please follow my wishes."
She checked her watch and sighed, "I'll be there for the trial. Let me know if you need anything."
Rip nodded and sat again while Eve let the guard know she was ready to leave. Looking back at him before the door closed Eve caught the small tap of his finger against his thumb and was very grateful there was no way he could get a hold of alcohol.
The knocking on her door became insistent as she walked across the room.
"What?" she demanded at the two people standing there.
Agent Sharpe stood looking uncomfortable beside Director Bennett who motioned her to speak.
"We were called to the Waverider today after it was fired on," Ava explained, "The ship took heavy damage and they called us for assistance."
"And I care about this why?" Eve asked sharply.
"Mr Hunter was sent to assist as he knows the ship better than anyone," Ava continued, "He managed to save the ship but Gideon was destroyed."
"What?" Eve stared at them, "Gideon is dead?"
Ava nodded, "Mr Hunter was quite saddened by this turn of events and he left."
"What do you mean he left?" Eve asked a little bemused.
"He stole the Jumpship and disappeared," Ava explained.
Eve let out a harsh laugh, "You mean he escaped."
"Yes," Bennett snapped suddenly, "We are here to get Gilbert to track him for us."
Eve folded her arms across her chest, "Firstly, Gilbert is mine. I will not agree to let you take him for any reason. Secondly, the only person who could possibly re-programme him to allow you to do so is Rip Hunter. Finally, if I did for some reason agree to allow you to let him do this, you have just told Gilbert that his sister is dead. He won't do anything for the people who couldn't save her."
"Miss Baxter..." Barrett started.
"Director," she cut him off, "I am assuming you also want to know if he has contacted me."
Bennett nodded.
"No, he hasn't," Eve replied, "And he won't. We weren't friends."
Bennett frowned, "Yet he spent a great deal of time here."
"Get out. You do not want to continue this discussion with me right now. Leave, Director Bennett," Eve snapped before he could say another word.
Slamming the door Eve let out an annoyed breath before calling worriedly, "Gilbert?" Silence answered her and she nodded, "Its okay. You take your time. I'll be here when you're ready."
x
Three weeks later Eve received a text message through Gilbert, all it stated was 'I'm safe.'