"Wow," Rip murmured as the car drew up in front of the large house they were spending the afternoon at, "I think your description of 'a little Beach House' was underselling this place a little."
"Well my mom has some interesting friends," Ali chuckled.
They all climbed out the car, Ali and Katrina got everything out the trunk while Rip released Jonas from his car-seat. He picked up Gideon's carrier smiling when she barked at him before he took Jonas' hand following the girls into the house.
"You made it," Maggie cried happily hurrying over to them throwing her arms around her daughter.
Ali hugged her mother, "Of course we did, Mom."
"And it's good to see you back on two legs, Katrina," Maggie said hugging her also.
Katrina grinned, "Tell me about it. I am so glad to be back at work finally."
Letting her go Maggie then turned to the Rip and Jonas, "I'm glad you came, Michael. And I am especially happy to see you Jonas."
"Thank you for inviting us," Rip said while Jonas bounced over for a hug.
Maggie squeezed his arm motioning them towards the patio doors, "Everyone is outside by the pool."
x
Rip finished rubbing sun-cream into his son's pale skin while Jonas bounced impatiently wanting to get into the water. The sun was beating down on them and Gideon had found a spot beneath one of the tables in the shade to curl up in.
"And done," Rip smiled.
"Bobby," Jonas yelled at the man in the pool, "I'm ready to swim."
Bobby grinned and held out his arms, "Come on then. Jump in."
"Jonas..." Rip started, wincing at the way his son flung himself at the man in the water, relief filling him that Bobby caught the little boy easily.
"He's fine," the woman sitting beside him said, "My brother won't let anything happen to him."
Rip sighed, "I know, Fran. I'm just..."
She reached out and patted his shoulder, "Overprotective, overbearing, anxious, stop me when I hit the one you think works best for you."
"Why did I let Ali and Katrina introduce me to you people?" Rip demanded trying to stop his amused smile.
Fran held up her glass toasting him, "Because you never have as much fun as you do when with us."
Unable to feign annoyance anymore Rip chuckled, "Very true."
Fran patted his shoulder when she stood to go and refresh her drink, stopping to talk to one of the others sitting around the pool.
Not long after his stint in hospital Katrina decided it was time to introduce him and Jonas to their wider circle of friends. It was something they'd talked about a few times but other than Maggie they'd held off until they were sure Rip would be comfortable meeting their friends.
Jonas loved every single one of them, mostly because there were no other kids within the group, so they all doted on him. Rip liked the group as he didn't feel like the odd one out, something he usually did when amongst other people. He had instantly been accepted to be one of them with no special treatment as the 'new guy'. They joked with and teased him the same as they did everyone else. Rip on the other hand gave as good as he got finding people he could argue and debate with and who he could laugh with.
There were nine in the core group, not including Rip and Jonas with Ali and Katrina the centre. There was Ali's mother Maggie long with Ali's best friend from University, Fran and her husband Miles, Fran's brother Bobby and his boyfriend Hal then Katrina's best friend from school Sam and his wife, Kelly. There were others who joined every so often, but they were the main group.
x
"Daddy, I'm thirsty," Jonas appeared at his side, water dripping off him in big drops.
Rip grabbed the towel poncho that was sitting at his side sliding it onto his son to dry him as best he could before putting the sandals on Jonas.
"Hey, Jonas," Ali appeared beside them, "I'm going to get something to drink myself. Coming?"
She gave Rip a quick smile before taking Jonas hand and leading him towards the kitchen. A groan from his side made Rip turn to find Bobby dropping into the lounger.
"Okay over there?" Rip asked amused.
Bobby shook his head, "How do you do it? How do you keep up with him? I spent twenty minutes in the pool with the kid and I need a sleep."
"A lot of practice," Rip shrugged.
"If we could bottle the energy he's got we could run the city," the other man sighed.
Rip chuckled, "Very true but I wouldn't have him any other way."
Bobby took a long drink of the soda he'd left sitting there, "Hal's been talking about how much he likes kids, that he wants a load of them. Remind me next time we meet up to have him spend ten minutes chasing Jonas and he'll forget about it."
"Where is Hal?" Rip asked, "I thought he was coming."
Bobby grimaced, "He went to visit his mother. I'm not welcome."
"Oh?" Rip frowned.
"His last boyfriend was a doctor," Bobby shook his head, "She had her heart set on him as a son-in-law. A t-shirt maker isn't as good."
Rip shook his head at the way Bobby described his own thriving exclusive clothing company as t-shirt maker, "Well, considering the bright orange thing with parrots you were wearing today I can see that."
"You just have no taste," Bobby shot back at him, "I would move to another seat in protest…"
"But you're too tired?"
Bobby nodded dropping his head back with a groan making Rip laugh again.
"No, I don't want it."
Rip frowned when he walked into the kitchen and heard his son shouting at Maggie.
"Jonas…" Maggie started.
"You're mean," he cried at the woman standing there.
"Jonas, that's enough," Rip stated sharply walking over to them.
"I don't want it," Jonas pouted, arms folded stubbornly across his chest.
"It's alright, Maggie," Rip said, "I'll deal with this."
The older woman smiled and patted his shoulder before leaving them alone. Crouching down Rip motioned his son towards him, slowly dragging his feet Jonas walked towards him the pout even more pronounced.
"What have I told you about being rude?" Rip asked his son sternly.
"I don't like it," Jonas replied.
Rip looked at the plate with the apple Maggie had been offering the boy to eat, "Since when? You've always liked apples." Silence answered him, but Rip caught the look Jonas made towards the table, "And you're not getting chocolate before we've had dinner."
"Don't want it," Jonas mumbled petulantly.
The scowl that touched his son's face made Rip frown back at him, "Alright, you are tired. Time for a nap."
"No!"
Scooping up Jonas before he could escape Rip carried him out to the pool again and sat on the couch, tucking the little boy against him tightly. Jonas squirmed trying to get away fighting his fatigue but, as Rip rocked him, the little boy became heavy falling asleep quickly cuddled up to his father.
x
Ali looked over to where Michael sat with Jonas resting against him fast asleep. She glanced to her side when Katrina joined her to study their friend as he talked with Kelly and Sam looking completely relaxed.
"I told you letting him meet the others would be good for Michael," Ali told her girlfriend.
Katrina rolled her eyes, "I know, I know. You're always right."
They sat in silence for a moment before Ali said, "You're still worried about him, aren't you?"
"It's been less than a month since he was in hospital," Katrina reminded her, "I keep worrying he'll relapse. He didn't tell us how bad he was feeling last time."
"Which is why we brought him into the group," Ali replied, "To make sure he doesn't end up in that state again. Besides he has let us take Jonas a lot more than he did."
Katrina shrugged, "I know but it has only been a few weeks. I just want to make sure we never get called to the hospital again."
Ali rested her head against her girlfriend's shoulder, "If we look out for him then he won't."
x
Jonas was still sleeping when Bobby and Sam decided to start the barbecue giving Rip the excuse to watch them.
And join in the mocking.
"You know you could put Jonas in one of the bedrooms," Kelly reminded him.
Rip shook his head, "It's okay. I like holding him when he sleeps. I won't get to do it for much longer he's growing so fast. Besides I wouldn't want him to wake up in a strange room and not know where I am."
"That makes sense," Kelly smiled.
Suddenly a loud bang above them made everyone stop. Looking up into the sky Rip stared along with the others as what appeared to be a spaceship careered through the few clouds leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake.
Hugging his son closer Rip felt a shiver run down his spine as he followed the vessel until it disappeared from view.
Cisco breathed a sigh of relief that the ship had somehow landed in the carpark without destroying anything. They'd never used their powers quite in that way before, but it was the only plan they were able to come up with in the seconds they had.
Now he was staring at the Waverider, trying to get someone to answer him but so far there had been only silence.
"Anything?" Joe asked, appearing at his side worry radiating from him.
Cisco sighed shaking his head, "There's no reply to any radio call and Gideon isn't responding on any of the frequencies we have for her. Not even the emergency one."
"That is not good," Joe grimaced, "Can you get into the ship?"
Cisco frowned slightly, "Yes and no. I can't get it open from out here, but I could open a breach," he sighed, "Joe, we have no idea what is in there."
Joe took a breath, "Wally was with them, Cisco."
A grimace covered the younger man's face which changed quickly to resolve. Taking a breath, he turned back to the ship and started working again.
x
Smoke filled the room Cisco opened the breach into, he let out a breath thankful he had thought to wear the gasmask. Moving slowly through the ship he found a control panel and managed to access the command to start the fans to clear the smoke.
He stared at the mess before him. The ship looked as though it was barely holding together as panels were hanging off with exposed wiring everywhere. Cisco started up to the bridge, wincing finding that it was almost completely destroyed.
Picking his way through the debris to the console that housed Gideon's systems Cisco closed his eyes in despair, there was no way he could fix this.
He was smart, but this was way beyond his knowledge and skills.
Without Gideon they had no way to find out what had happened to the Legends. They needed help.
They needed someone who knew the ship and Gideon's systems.
