Chapter 1:

Sara clenched her fist tightly. Her eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the horror that she was witnessing. The screams sent chills into her bones. Every part of her was shaking.

A hand wrapped around the clenched one. "Are you okay?"

"You know I hate horror movies," she murmured as she leaned into Leonard.

He just grunts before wrapping an arm around her, pulling her in close. It was his idea to see this stupid movie. She hated horror movies. She hated the blood and screaming. All of it made her sick. Leonard loved them though. So she sucked it all up to make him happy. He hated cop shows, but watched them for her so this was the least she could do for him.

"It'll be over soon," he whispers.

The credits rolled and there was no happy ending of course. The mass murderer got away vowing to come back. Yet another stupid horror movie to have a sequel. She knew that she'd end up seeing the next one as well. On the bright side, there was the aftermath of the movie that she had to look forward to. Since she hated them but still went with him, he always took her out for ice cream afterwards.

Leonard grabbed her hand, taking her out of the theater. He kissed the side of her head. "Thanks for coming with me."

"If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have done it." She brushed it off, pretending that she had been brave the entire movie.

He chuckles. "For that, I will forever be grateful."

The couple walked hand in hand towards the ice cream parlor down the street. They went to the movies once a week, always getting ice cream afterwards. It was their usual date night. After being together for two years, they'd fallen into the same old pattern. They didn't have the need to go out to fancy dinners. No just a quiet night just the two of them was good enough.

They stepped up to the counter, order already ready. Sara always ordered coffee with a scoop of butter pecan on top. Leonard ordered vanilla. As they were about to step up, the man in front of them turned around. His brown hair matched his eyes.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"It's fine," Sara says. "Wait, do I know you?"

The man shakes his head. "No, no, I just moved to Central City. I'm Ray Palmer by the way."

"Sara Lance and this is my boyfriend, Leonard Snart." She smiled at the man.

Even as he walked away from the couple, Sara couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere. She shook her head. He was a stranger. Just a random man.

"Hey, Mick. The usual." Leonard greeted the man behind the counter.

Mick grunted, nodding his head. "Good to see you. Another movie night?"

"Yeah, stupid horror movie." Sara moaned.

"You're the one who wanted to date the idiot." Mick replied.

Mick was Leonard's best friend. They'd gone to school together and were still close even after all those years. When Sara had first met the two, they were roommates. A year into their relationship, Leonard moved in with Sara.

The two grabbed their ice creams, heading over to their usual spot. Their table in the corner had a nice view of the street outside. It was nice to sit at the table and observe those walking around outside.

"Admit it, the movie wasn't that bad." Leonard said as he ate a spoonful of his ice cream. He loved the feeling of the cold as it went down his throat.

She shook her head, pointing her spoon at him. "It wasn't bad, it was horrible. Why do the girls away go towards the killer? No one would ever do that in real life. Only a dumb ass would run towards certain death."

"You can pick the movie next time."

"Damn straight I am."

They finished their ice creams, said a quick good bye to Mick, then headed home. Their apartment was only a few blocks down the road from the ice cream parlor. It overlooked the city. It wasn't in the best part of town, but it was home to them. The two bedroom apartment was the first purchase they made together as a couple.

Back at their apartment, Leonard turned on the news. It was just an old habit he'd had since he was little. A little reminder that someone always had it worse than him. Though his life right now was pretty good. He had an okay job as a mechanic and he had a beautiful woman that was his. It was a nice life he'd built himself.

"Starling looks like a shit hole." Leonard comments as he watches the chaos ensuing on the screen.

Sara rolled her eyes. "It's always been like that. The destruction of the Glades just made it all worse."

"It's your home," he reminds her.

"No, this is my home. Starling is just the place I grew up." She watched as the latest tragedy in Starling changed onto another Starling disaster. "Oh looks it's the Golden Boy. What latest scandal has Oliver Queen found himself in now?"

"It's his nudes being leaked onto the internet." Leonard says. "Didn't you know him?"

"Yeah, he was in school with my sister. They used to be friends until she figured out what kind of guy he really is."

Oliver had been a regular in the Lance household for a time when she was younger. He appeared nice, even had a few heart to heart chats with her. Then everything changed when his sister had died. He went from being the nice boy to well the Oliver Queen the world knows now. He'd ditched the Lance girls for better, richer friends.

Sara curled into her boyfriend on the couch. She enjoyed the feeling of his cool body next to hers.

"I still haven't met your family," he says, thinking about Starling.

She shrugged. "Not much to meet. Mom ran off years ago. Laurel is off saving the world, being the good daughter that she is. Dad's still working the force."

"They're you're family. They made you who you are, that's worth meeting in my book." Leonard had a shit family. Sara's was better, they just weren't close.

"Maybe one day," she said.

One day would be a long time from now. She only saw her family on the rare holiday. Every once in a while, she'd call them. Other than that, she didn't speak to them. After a few years of being on her own, the distance just became easier.

"Hey, it's the guy from earlier." Leonard broke her out of her thoughts, pointing at the screen.

Sure enough, Ray Palmer was being interviewed by a reporter. He spoke about his idea for relaunching the failed Star Labs, rebranding it Palmer Tech. His plans were about a brighter future for everyone, one where Central City would rise about it all and not end up like Starling City. It was a nice thought, but it would never work. Star Labs would always be linked to the multiple deaths of it's failed attempt at a brighter future.

The only brighter future Sara cared about was her own. Her life was finally on track. She worked a shitty diner job, but it paid the bills. Leonard was one of the best things in her life. He kept her sane, despite driving her insane at times. She'd had no one when she moved to this city. Now she had built herself a little family.

"What time do you have to be up tomorrow?" Sara asks as she got ready for bed.

"Set the alarm for seven. I've got to be at the garage by eight." he says, turning down the covers.

She moaned. "That's too early."

"Not all of us get to work in the evening." He climbs into bed. "Besides no one said you had to wake up when I do."

"Well I've gotten used to sleeping with you." She slid under the covers next to him. "Besides, the stupid alarm wakes me up too."

Leonard pulls her close. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine," she nuzzles her face into his chest. It wasn't too long before they were both fast asleep in each other's arms.