Author's Notes: I might not update this very quickly but as I had this chapter I wanted to post it.
Enjoy.
Rip eased his sleeping son out the back of Joe's car while Cisco gathered up the boy's things and the gifts he'd got at the zoo that day.
"Daddy," Jonas moaned softly.
"Hush," Rip soothed rubbing Jonas' back in slow circles, "We're home now."
Jonas mumbled something wrapping his arms and legs around his father as he fell asleep again against Rip's shoulder.
"Thank you for taking us today, Joe," Rip said to the man driving the car.
Joe nodded, "Iris and Barry always loved the zoo. I'm glad Jonas enjoyed it too."
"See you later, Joe," Cisco called as the car drove away and they started up to the apartment.
Rip took Jonas into their room and quickly changed his pliant son into his pyjamas settling him under the covers, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead.
This was the end of their second week here, the first full one since the Legends had left him. Rip was still trying to get his head around living in one time period but at least Jonas seemed to have settled in.
Tidying up the room he was currently sharing with his son Rip stopped for a moment and just watched the child sleep. Cisco was ordering dinner and then introducing him to another 'classic' movie. It had become a ritual over the past two weeks that Cisco would pick a movie for Jonas to watch then after the boy went to bed would pick another for Rip.
His reasoning was that he was educating them in pop culture which apparently Rip's knowledge of was 'woeful'.
Despite protesting every so often, Rip actually enjoyed the evenings watching movies especially when Jonas would sit cuddled up against him occasionally asking questions.
Returning to the lounge Rip frowned as he realised Cisco was arguing with Gideon. He'd used the transport discs to allow her access to the apartment. Unfortunately for Cisco this meant she had control over his TV and other media devices.
"Gideon," Cisco stood in the centre of the room, arms folded in annoyance, "Just play the movie."
"I find it offensive," she replied.
"What's wrong?" Rip asked.
Cisco waved his hands in annoyance, "She's refusing to play the movie."
"Gideon?" Rip called.
"The movie that Mr Ramon has chosen is insulting," Gideon replied.
With a long sigh Rip rubbed his hand across his eyes, "Why?"
"It is a film about an Artificial Intelligence who is killing people," Gideon told him sharply.
"Like you couldn't take over the world if you wanted?" Cisco called at her before turning to Rip, "Terminator is a classic movie and one you need to know."
Rip rolled his eyes at his friend, "Gideon, we are guests here. This is Cisco's home so he can watch whatever he wants."
"Captain..."
"When we move you can have a say then," Rip promised.
The silence that answered made him smile slightly.
"Gideon," Cisco spoke up, "Try not to think about the devices used for the storytelling and instead pay attention to the story. You might enjoy it."
Rip dropped onto the couch trying not to smile too much.
Cisco checked his watch, if he was right then the train got in about ten minutes ago so their guest would be here soon. Rip was working on completely integrating Gideon into the Star Labs systems. She was currently running the building's security as everyone agreed that was needed first and, despite the occasional disagreements over his film choices, Cisco was happy to have her there.
Jonas was currently in the small room just off the one Cisco was sitting in they'd set up for him. The boy was playing with the masses of Lego that Joe had given him. Rip protested that they had to stop buying the boy things only to be told it had once been Iris and Barry's Lego so was simply being passed on.
"Mr Ramon," Gideon told him, "There are two visitors at the main entrance."
Checking the screen Cisco smiled, "That's who we're waiting for though one more than I was expecting. Let them in, Gideon and tell Rip they're here."
"Should I add them to the list of accepted individuals?" Gideon asked.
"Definitely," Cisco called as he headed to meet their guests. The elevator opened and he grinned at Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen, "Hi guys, welcome back."
x
"So," Felicity said, "That was different. Have you finally upgraded your security?"
Cisco chuckled, "Oh we have. Just wait, you will be supremely jealous."
"Where is your time traveller?" Oliver asked as he followed on behind them.
"Former time traveller," Cisco corrected, "And he's going to meet us in the lab," he stopped and turned to Oliver, "He's safe, he's not going to hurt any of us and he is trying to raise his son. This is us trying to help him. Okay?"
Oliver held up his hands, "I promise to be nice."
Felicity chuckled following on to the control room.
Cisco took his seat and watched their friends as they looked into the room where Jonas was sitting with his father. If anyone had any doubts about Rip and his intentions they were always dispelled the moment they saw the man with his little boy.
"Gideon," Cisco said softly so the others didn't hear him, "Let him know we're here."
Rip glanced up when Gideon advised him they were waiting, he quickly kissed his son's forehead settling him back down with his toys.
"Mr Queen, Miss Smoak," Rip greeted as he entered the room, "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Cisco looked up at him mischievously, "So you've not met them in their future and your past?"
Rip frowned at him as Oliver then Felicity shook his hand.
"Okay," Felicity grinned, "Ray asked me to set you up with a bank account, but we still have to work on an identity for you before I can give you access. That is what I am here to do."
"I'm here to keep her company on the journey," Oliver added, "Is that Lego?"
Rip smiled, "I'll introduce you."
x
"I could have done this for Captain Hunter," Gideon stated as Felicity and Cisco set up.
Felicity stared at her friend, "Who? What?"
"You remember Gideon from the Waverider," Cisco grinned, "She decided to stay here with Rip and Jonas so she's taking over Star Labs systems. And we know, Gideon but this allows us to set up something we can connect with us as well."
"That is so cool," Felicity said, glancing over she watched Rip introduce Oliver to Jonas.
Oliver sat down beside the boy and started building with the bricks assuring Rip they'd be fine.
"Let's get this over with," Rip sighed dropping into a seat where he could keep an eye on Jonas.
Cisco clapped his friend's arm, "You need an identity to get a house as well as a car and get Jonas a proper education."
"Mr Ramon is correct, Captain," Gideon noted.
Rip rolled his eyes, "Thank you, Gideon."
Felicity took a deep breath and opened the file she had prepared, "Alright. Let's start with the easy questions. Name? I'm assuming you will be using the surname Hunter as that is the one your son is used to."
Rip nodded.
"What about your first name?" Felicity asked as she typed, "Because I don't know many people called Rip, is it short for something?"
"It's not actually my name," Rip replied wincing at the looks he was being given, he sighed, "Time Masters chose a name to hide their identities so that someone can't target their ancestors."
"I do need a name for your identity," Felicity told him.
"Captain," Gideon's voice came before Rip tilted his head in the way Cisco had learned meant she was speaking to him privately through the communicator Rip kept in his ear at all times.
"Are you sure that won't be detrimental to the timeline, Gideon?" Rip asked softly before nodding, "Michael," he told them quietly, "The name I was raised with is Michael."
Felicity and Cisco shared a quick look realising how personal a piece of information the man had just given them even if he phrased in a rather bizarre way.
"Michael Hunter," Felicity smiled, "I like it."
Cisco suddenly leaned over and added a detail.
"Michael Ripley Hunter?" Felicity asked, "Really?"
Cisco rolled his eyes, "Well if someone wants to know why we call him Rip then we need to have a reason."
"And that is a reason?" Rip asked confused.
"When you were at school there were so many Michaels in the class that you all got a nickname," Cisco explained, "You were called Rip from your middle name and it stuck. Does that make sense?"
Rip frowned, "Strangely, yes."
x
It took them about an hour to go through details for Rip's background which once they were in the system would allow him to finally start looking properly for a home for them. Rip glanced over to his son's playroom watching the legendary Green Arrow building a Lego tower with Jonas. Glancing to the side he saw Felicity was watching as well with a smile on her face.
"Okay," Cisco said bringing their attention back to work, "I think this is finished. What's the next step?"
Felicity started to type quickly, "I am connecting with the ARGUS system now and Lyla has promised this will be as if it was a real identity."
"Thank you, Miss Smoak," Rip told her.
Cisco rolled his eyes, "Come on man, we have gone over this."
"I have just met her," Rip retorted, "And she hasn't given me permission to use her name."
Felicity looked at them completely confused, "What are you talking about?"
"We're trying to teach Rip that family use first names," Cisco explained while the man in question rolled his eyes, "Can you just give him permission to call you Felicity so we can move on?"
Still a little bemused she nodded, "Of course."
Cisco smiled smugly at Rip who simply sighed.
"Okay," Felicity said, "Now we've sorted that, we need to go over the accounts Ray set up for you. Cisco, go away."
"What?"
"This is for Rip only," Felicity waved him away, "Out now."
At her order Cisco muttered under his breath heading to his lab to check some things.
"Okay, Rip," Felicity brought up the accounts Ray had asked her to set up for him, "Here they are. This one is for Jonas, by the time he's ready for college this should have at least doubled if the investments go as Ray predicts. I'm currently the other trustee on the account but if you want to change that let me know."
"You obviously know what you're doing, Felicity," Rip told her, "I'm happy for you to remain the trustee."
"Okay," Felicity smiled at him, "Your other account."
Rip eyes widened when Felicity brought up the second bank account Ray had set up. Despite the others teasing that he wasn't well-versed in normality Rip was well aware how much money Ray had given him.
"Is that right?" Rip asked softly.
Felicity nodded, "He wanted to make sure you had enough to get a good place to live."
"I could buy three houses with this," Rip whispered.
She smiled, "Then you should start looking."
x
Rip smiled at the tower Jonas and Oliver had built, watching Oliver lift the boy to finish it.
"Wow," Rip made them both turn, "That's amazing."
"It's bigger than me," Jonas grinned running to Rip when Oliver put him down.
Rip chuckled, "I can see that. It's very impressive."
Jonas beamed.
"How about we go and get some lunch?" Rip asked glancing at the other man, "With our new friends?"
Oliver nodded, "Sure."
"Yeah," Jonas grinned.
Rip knew his son liked how many people were in his life these days. It was one thing both he and Miranda always felt guilty about was how much they had to keep their son secreted away. At the time they thought that keeping him hidden would keep him safe from the Time Masters.
How wrong they were.
Now however Jonas had plenty of people who were willing to play with him and Rip was grateful for how they all took the little boy as part of their family.
"Come on," he held his hand out to Jonas, "Let's go get lunch."