Okay, so, Arrow characters, LOT characters, and Supergirl characters are going to show up. Thing is, I'm not familiar with most of them beyond the crossover episodes and fanfic. So. I'm going to use as few of them as possible and if they're slightly OOC, well. Oops. Hope that's not a dealbreaker. Some of the characters will get more screentime just because I know them better or actually care about them. Sorry. Also, there will be character death, but not of the main Flash cast. Anyone else is up for grabs, though.
Also, character pairings: there's gonna be Len/Barty/Mick in the future, and also Savitar/Len/Barty/Mick, so. Nothing on-screen, really, but definitely implied. Also, some Lisa Snart/Killer Frost & Lisa Snart/Cisco, and a little Killer Frost/Julian Albert.
Keep in mind: there will be quite a few dark moments in this story, but nothing violent will be detailed onscreen. I much prefer implying and letting readers infer.
"We need help," Cisco says as he tears his way through every camera in Central City. "If Savitar has Barry, Caitlin, and Wally—we're in over our heads."
"Find my sons," Joe orders, hands clenched into fists. "You did this, Cisco, so you'd better goddamned fix it."
Cisco flinches. He wants to argue, but, well. Joe's not wrong. "I'm doing everything I can," he says. "But we're down by three, and those three are our heavy hitters."
Joe sighs. HR and Tracy are in front of another monitor, and Julian is fiddling with something in the medbay. Iris has curled up in one of the chairs with silent tears on her face.
"Who can we call?" Joe asks. Cisco glances up at him; he's never seen this expression on Joe's face, and he never wants to again.
"The Arrow," Cisco suggests. "Or Supergirl. Harry and Jesse. There has to be someone who can help because, Joe," he says, "we can't do this on our own."
Joe sags down into the chair besides Cisco. "Call 'em in," he whispers. "Anyone you think might come."
…
Time meets Time at a landing strip at Ferris Air. Time's humans are asleep on the plane; the pilot has already been dealt with.
i'm curious, Time tells Time. perhaps even excited.
Time grins at Time. i've never seen this happen on any Earth. excited is the right word.
Time reaches, slowly, with one hand, to gently caress the scars on Time's face. "It's been a long time since I've seen this skin," Time says with a physical voice.
Time leans into the touch and then catches the hand, gently traces the blue glimmers in Time's flesh. "Sure does take me back," Time replies.
Time leans in closer, until the two skin-shapes are pressed together, the two halves breathing in tandem, bodies warm and firm and real.
"I'm Len," Time tells Time.
Time replies, "Call me Leo."
They laugh, the two halves of Time incarnate, and then because Leo remembers and Len wants, they press closer still, merging and twining, as close as they can be with physical bodies.
missed this, Time murmurs, and Time whispers, me too.
…
His entire life, Mick Rory has been underestimated. He's played into the thug appearance because being underestimated is always helpful, whatever the job. He and Snart had mastered the brain and brawn personas—Snart was loud and eye-catching, and Mick lurked quietly, and when he moved, few ever saw him coming.
His crew on the Waverider believed in the thug with very little work on his part. After Snart—well. He's man enough to admit that he fucked up after the Vanishing Point. All those years as Kronos didn't help, but having Len to focus on, even with hate, it anchored Mick. But Len died, and then a Snart Mick hadn't known for years was grabbed from the timeline, and Mick broke.
He broke and then he had to put Snart back and take away his memories, because Snart had to go to the Oculus. Mick had to put Snart back into the timeline, so that Snart would go to the Oculus. So that Snart would die.
But then. Mick took the time to track Lisa down, to tell her, to hold her while she sobbed and screamed. He said his own goodbye, again. Thought he was maybe piecing himself back together.
And then Len was back again, but this time, he was Len from the Oculus, quieter than Len had ever been, with blue flames on his arms that moved and glowed, and he looked at Mick like he hadn't in years. He told the crew a plausible story, Gideon checked him out more than once, and he barely reacted to the destruction of his gun.
But in the safety of Mick's room, Len draped himself across Mick like a cat and he whispered into Mick's scars a language Mick's never heard before, and Mick felt more like himself than he had since Snart left him behind.
"I'm going home, Mick," Len announced one day. "Gideon, take us back to 2017, early May."
"Yes, Mr. Snart," Gideon said, but Mick hardly noticed because Len was smiling at him, bright and sincere. Not a smirk, but an actual smile. The blue on his arms streaked up like flames.
"Will you come home with me, Mick?" Len asked.
And, well. It wasn't a choice at all.
So here he is now, on a plane with Lisa, back in Central City. Len isn't in sight and a quick look shows the pilot is gone, too. Lisa's still asleep but there's voices coming from outside the plane so Mick heads for the entrance.
There's Len, pressed up close to someone else, and they turn to look at him at the same time.
"Mick," Len says, sounding all cool and collected while smiling widely, "this is Leo. Leo, Mick."
Leo looks young, early 20s at the most, and Mick notes the scars on his face but focuses mostly on his body language, his eyes. Mick knows from dangerous, and this kid is definitely dangerous. He nods at Mick, still in Len's space, which tells Mick a lot because Len doesn't let people into his space.
"I'll get Lisa," Len says, stepping away from Leo. "Play nice, boys."
Mick takes his time going down the stairs, eyes on Leo all the way. Once he's on the ground, Len brushes past him, trailing the fingers of one hand along Mick's, and it anchors him. Whoever this Leo is, Len trusts him. Wouldn't let him near Lisa otherwise, not with how clingy and possessive Len's been since coming back.
"Mick Rory," Leo says contemplatively. "Heatwave."
Something about his voice—Mick slowly draws his eyes down Leo's body and then back up to meet Leo's eyes. The kid's smirking. Leo says, "You're important, you and his sister. I'd recommend against doing anything that might lessen your importance."
His tone is amused, for all that the words are a threat. Mick's been threatened by some of the best, before, during, and after Kronos, but this kid, he's something else. Mick believes him.
Lisa's voice comes from the plane, grumbling at being woken, and Len's snarking at her, and it's just like every time the three of them have been in the same place at the same time, like coming home more than returning to Central City ever could be.
"Now that we're all awake," Len drawls, "why don't you introduce yourself, Leo?" He looks so damned smug, sauntering over to Leo. Lisa steps beside Mick, close enough that their arms touch.
"Call me Leo," the kid says. "But Team Flash are gonna call me Savitar."
"Savitar?" Lisa asks.
He nods, smirking. The scars on his face make it look a little demonic, which is cool. "I've got Caitlin Snow—she goes by Killer Frost now—and the Flash himself, Barry Allen." That smirk of his widens. "Unfortunately, Team Flash erased Barry's memories, so he's now Barty and also my twin brother."
Mick glances down at Lisa, wondering if she's as confused as he is; he's relieved that she seems to be.
"And, oh, yeah," Leo adds nonchalantly. "I've also captured Kid Flash."
"Okay," Lisa says. "The plan is to take over Central City?"
Leo nods, and so does Len.
"So what happens after that?" Mick asks. "The world? But what's the score from that?"
Len shrugs, nudging his shoulder against Leo. "Leo's got a game going; we're gonna tap in for it. Once it's done, we'll decide from there."
It's what Mick agreed to, and Lisa seems on board, too. "If you want me in, I'm in," he says.
"Excellent." Leo and Len grin at each other, and then Len says, "I'll dispose of the plane. Leo, get Mick and Lisa to HQ, introduce them around."
Slowly, predatorily, Leo moves toward them; Mick puts himself just in front of Lisa. "You're a speedster," Mick says as Leo draws even with him, barely an inch shorter, lean and lithe instead of Mick's considerable bulk.
"Guilty," Leo says, tilting his head. It could almost be inquisitive, except that Mick knows this kid won't go into any situation unless he's got all the cards. "There are some rules," Leo adds, glancing from Mick to Lisa and back. "One, don't call Barty anything but Barty or Allen. Two, don't tell him anything about past interactions. He doesn't know about the Flash. Three, Killer Frost is not Caitlin Snow, don't call her Caitlin or Snow."
"What the hell is going on?" Lisa demands. Len is still lurking behind them, Mick can feel him, but he doesn't step in or say anything.
"You'll get a sit-rep when we're back at the house." There's a tinge of exasperation in his tone. "But for now, I'm tryin' to keep your presence a secret, so let me get you to the house. You and Killer Frost all need to be told some things, so be patient."
Lisa shifts in place, looking over her shoulder. Mick keeps his eyes on Leo. Savitar. God of Motion, Len had called him.
"Okay," Lisa finally says.
Mick steps in front of her again. "Me first."
Leo laughs. "Of course, Mr. Rory."
.
Mick won't ever tell anyone (well, maybe Len), but being transported via speedster is the most fun that can be had without fire or sex.
…
Cisco calls Felicity, though he's pretty sure he isn't making much sense. She tries to slow him down and finally Joe takes over the call. He just sits there, head in his hands, until Joe says, "She'll call the Waverider crew for us." Cisco doesn't look up as Joe moves away. "Queen and Felicity will head out tonight."
"Good," Iris says firmly. "Cisco, we need to get Kara, too."
He nods.
.
Kara is happy to see them, but the exuberance fades quickly. "What's wrong?"
Iris is clutching Cisco's hand so tightly it hurts. "Barry's in trouble," she says. "We need your help."
.
Kara wants to leave immediately but her sister insists that a few things be wrapped up first. No one else can be spared from Kara's Earth, but considering how powerful and badass she is—well, Cisco refuses to tempt fate, but with Kara onboard, he feels a little better about the situation.
She seems to be wrestling with the thought of an evil Barry, but that is a feel Cisco knows very well. Still, Wally and Barry are the only ones who really interacted with Savitar, except through Julian.
"But how?" is the question Kara keeps asking as they get ready. Iris and Cisco share a helpless look. Neither of them know, so they stay silent.
But finally everything is ready, so Cisco vibes them home.
"Any change?" he asks hopefully.
Even though he isn't expecting anything, he still feels disappointed.
.
Oliver won't arrive until around noon, and the Waverider will show up at any moment, so everyone decides to stay at the lab. For the moment, they decide they don't need Harry and Jesse. Even though they just have Kara, Cisco and Iris go over all the data they have, and she's just as horrified as they were. For some reason, watching her sadness is what brings it home to Cisco.
There is a Barry with no memory, who was sweet and confused and open—all the best parts of Barry, that evil!Wells nearly destroyed, and then Zoom. But even with Savitar, even with Barry's desperation to save Iris from the future (but no one else, not even what Flashpoint fucked up), some of that innate goodness was still there, and Barry with no memory, he was just…
And there is an evil Barry. A psychopathic Barry with a god-complex who has a plan that makes no sense at all. Savitar is a monster in a way Thawne and even Zoom weren't. Being betrayed by a trusted companion isn't new (see: evil!Wells and Zoom, possibly Caitlin?) but Savitar—
Cisco shakes the thoughts away. He can't wallow in it tonight. He has to find something else to focus on or he'll just shut down.
So he grabs Julian and Kara and Iris and he sits them all down to have a conversation about differences between Earths.
It's a nice distraction that doesn't fully work, but it settles him enough that he's able to sleep.
…
After everyone finally arrives and introductions are made (and the cortex feels uncomfortably full), Iris' dad steps forward to explain what's happened. While he talks, she looks around, watching the reactions. The ones who actually know Barry seem the most horrified, Oliver and Felicity most of all.
It isn't until her second pass that she realizes someone is missing. "Where's Mick Rory?"
The Waverider crew look at each other. "He and Snart came back to now," Ray says. "A couple weeks ago."
Dad demands, "So Snart and Rory have been back for weeks? But there's been no sign."
"But didn't Snart die?" Iris asks, utterly confused.
They all share looks again. "We found him," Jax says, because that makes total sense. "He was, um, mostly fine."
"We're getting off topic," HR bursts in. "Shouldn't we focus on Savitar?"
It can't be a coincidence, Iris thinks. But how Snart and Savitar could be connected, she doesn't have the energy to deal with right now.
"Wells is right," Oliver says. "Cisco, Felicity, Ray," he continues, "try to create something that can track Killer Frost." They nod and break off. "Sara, does the Waverider have something that can track people?" he asks next.
"Me and Jax will look into that," Sara answers, and they leave the cortex.
"I'll reexamine all the data on Caitlin, Barry, and Wally," Julian says. "See if anything can be of use."
Iris leans against Dad. "HR, can you and Tracy keep working on the trap? Dr. Stein, can you look it over, too?"
"Of course," HR says brightly and bounces off. Stein follows him. HR is grating at her a little, how cheerful he still is. No one should be cheerful in this situation.
"Okay, Joe," Oliver says. "Do you have any resources from the CCPD you can use?"
Dad takes a deep breath and slowly exhales, his arm tight around Iris' shoulders. "There's something, yeah," he says.
"Me, too, at work," Iris offers. She's barely thought of it since everything.
Oliver nods. "So, that leaves me, Kara, Amaya, and Nate." He looks at each of them in turn. "Kara, let's search the city."
"I can help," Amaya says. "Just tell me what I seek."
"What about me?" Nate asks, almost petulantly.
Iris pulls away from her dad. "Come with me to the Picture News," she says. "Maybe you'll have some insight."
"Wait," Cisco shouts, so everyone turns to look at him. "Ray, say that again."
"Uh." Ray glances around. "Maybe we could ask Gideon to run a search?"
Cisco snaps his fingers and points. "That!"
"Gideon?" Dad and Oliver ask in unison.
"She's an AI evil!Wells had," Cisco explains. "Barry invented her. Will invent her?"
"Oh." Felicity draws out the sound and Iris feels hope start fluttering up in her.
"Nate, new assignment," Iris bites out. "Go find out if we can have Gideon show up on the STAR labs' system."
"How will that help us?" Dad asks.
"Gideon is from the future," Cisco says. "She knows a future Barry who isn't evil."
"Okay, new question," Felicity interjects. "Are we sure that Savitar is from our timeline?"
"Barry was sure," Iris says softly. She takes a deep breath and holds it; Dad reaches down to squeeze her hand. She meets Oliver's gaze. "Let's get to work."
They get to work.
The fluttering hope takes root.
…
"Barty!" you call once Mick Rory and Lisa Snart have been deposited in the front hall. "Frost! Some friends have come to help." You grin when Frost saunters in but Barty trips in and actually bounces against Mick Rory.
Frost raises an eyebrow, but like Mick Rory and Lisa Snart, she remains silent. All of this is for Barty and none of them will dare ruin it.
"Mick Rory, Lisa Snart," you say. "Like Len told you, this is my brother Barty and our friend Frost."
"Good to meet you," Lisa Snart purrs. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're both just as cute as Lenny said you'd be." She's somehow grinning and smirking at the same time.
Mick Rory grunts pensively.
"Len?" Barty asks, edging his way past Mick Rory to stand at your side.
"I contacted him months ago, when I got loose," you lie, leaning into him. "I realized I wouldn't be able to find you in time, so instead I found a non-bugged, contraband phone and called Len—he'd been one of my usual partners in crime, before we got snatched." You gently tangle your fingers in Barty's. "It was my last chance," you add quietly, for Barty's ears alone. "I couldn't get loose again until the other day, when Frost helped. And now we're both free, Barty." You grip his hand. "We're gonna get justice."
"Yeah," Lisa Snart agrees. "Frost, can you give me a tour of this place?"
"Of course." Frost smiles at her. "It's surprising our paths haven't crossed before."
Lisa Snart laughs and sashays after Frost.
"Whatcha got for food?" Mick Rory asks gruffly. "None of us've had a proper meal in days."
"Oh, I can show you the kitchen!" Barty grins brightly, his wariness obviously melting away. He very nearly grabs Mick Rory's hand and you bite back a laugh. You watch with amusement as Mick Rory trails after Barty, who is already requesting multiple meals.
Len slips into the house, blue flames billowing up his arms. Time tells Time, stop using their full names, Scarlet.
You lean against him, breathing in slowly, breathing out. He presses forward, the heat of his skin warring with the iciness of Time, and you want to pour into him, this man made Time, who was human so much more recently than you. He remembers it with a clarity still tinted with emotions. He's smirking at you, as always following you, and you have to bite that expression off his face, and it isn't until Mick shouts, "Snart! Get in here and eat" that you pull away.
He chuckles against your lips, murmurs, "Let's eat."
.
You can feel Barty's nerves ease in Lisa's presence. Mick has already won him over by somehow making a delicious meal of barbecue chicken with the supplies in the kitchen. Lisa and Frost chat about accessories and the best outfits supervillains can wear. Mick's comments are witty and biting, and you're not surprised that Barty seems to be developing a slight crush on the man.
Len loves him, after all. Even the younger you, so furious with Captain Cold and Heatwave, you felt such a fascination for them both. Len is actively charming Barty but Mick is just being himself.
"You cooked," Lisa announces once everyone has finished, "so me and Len will straighten up."
Len rolls his eyes but obeys. Barty follows after Mick like a puppy and Frost catches your gaze. "Yes?" you ask softly.
"Have you fed our guest today, Savitar?" she murmurs. "He's still a growing boy."
You scoff. "Did you prepare a plate?"
Of course she has. There's still quite a bit of the healer in Killer Frost.
…
Savitar phases through the wall holding a plate of actual food. Wally can't be sure of when he last ate. He's explored every part of the room three times—there's a thin mattress and a raggedy pillow in one corner, an alcove with a toilet and a sink, and a lamp against one of the walls that's always dimly shining.
He was fed not long after he woke the first time but not since. He has no idea how many days he's been here, but Dad and Iris have to be going of their minds. Savitar has left him alone and the silence is probably the worst part.
"Wallace," Savitar says. "Dinner is served." He kneels down in front of where Wally's sitting, back to the wall, and holds out the plate. No silverware, no napkins, but Wally is ravenous so he grabs a piece of chicken (a breast, maybe?) and almost chokes as he wolfs it down. There's another piece; he eats it just a little slower and then licks the barbecue sauce off his fingers.
He flinches when, after Savitar has set down the plate, he reaches out with a cloth. "Hey, it's alright, Wallace," Savitar says softly, gently. "Have you considered my offer?"
Wally looks at him. He knows what Savitar is doing—his only interaction, his only food, gifted to him by his captor. Kind tone, gentle touches. No pain, not yet, but he's sure it'll come.
"Fuck you, dickwad," Wally says as strongly as he can.
Savitar just smiles. He carefully wipes all the sauce from Wally's face. He sits back on his heels, rests one hand on Wally's wrist. He talks about his favorite book series for what seems like hours, and he listens to Wally's comments with what seems to be sincere interest, the few times Wally can't help but react.
Wally knows exactly what the bastard is doing.
He also knows that if he isn't rescued soon, it's going to work.
"I'll see you soon, Wallace," Savitar tells him with a smile.
Wally refuses to beg him to stay but it's a close thing.
…
Barty wakes up when Leo slides into bed beside him. "We don't have enough bedrooms ready," he mumbles. Leo laughs at him.
"Mick and Len have shared for decades," Leo says fondly. "Frost has business tonight, so Lisa has her room for now. We'll get supplies tomorrow."
"Good," Barty breathes out, sinking back into sleep as he tucks himself against his brother.
.
In the morning, Mick makes cinnamon rolls from scratch. He doesn't mind Barty's questions (about his background, about Len and Lisa, about cooking) or that Barty sneakily samples the food at every step of the recipe (which is only in Mick's head!) or that Barty almost lightnings away with the homemade frosting.
But finally, when the cinnamon rolls are in the oven, Mick says, "Kid."
Barty stops licking the spoon and looks up at him.
"Wanna help me make a comprehensive list of everything in the pantry, fridge, freezer, and cabinets so we know what we need to get?" he asks.
"Sure," Barty says enthusiastically.
"Good," Mick grunts. "Find a pen and paper, kid, and write down everything I say."
Barty knows he could lightning his way through the task (or, at least, once he's had more practice) but Mick has a method that's fascinating to watch, and there's something about his hands as he moves stuff around—anyway, Barty writes down exactly what Mick tells him to and he actually feels useful for the first time he can remember.
They've made it through both sides of the loose-leaf sheet when the cinnamon rolls need to be iced. Leo and Len pop in to grab a platter-full, then leave again; Lisa actually sits down to daintily eat hers before vanishing back upstairs.
Mick, though, tells Barty to slow down and really taste the cinnamon rolls. He quizzes Barty on the ingredients, on the order of steps in the recipe. He tells Barty stories about when he and Len were young, about Lisa as a kid.
And then, he asks, "Still wanna help me?"
"Of course!" Barty says. he grabs more paper and tracks down the pen.
.
Midmorning, Lisa and Mick leave to get supplies. Barty wants to go, but obviously he can't.
He pouts about it, though. At least, he does until Len smirks down at him on the couch and asks, "Your brother gone over your memory yet?"
"No?" Barty replies.
Len's smirk widens. "So c'mon, kid. Let's get to work."
Barty follows him to the office on the first floor, sinks into the comfy chair Len nods to, and answers the barrage of questions Len rains down on him.
It's exhausting but he doesn't want to disappoint any of these people, so he does his best.
Finally, Lisa and Mick return with groceries and furniture and weapons. Barty scarfs down a dozen cinnamon rolls and when he heads for the door, Leo grabs his hand. "I'll race you in unpacking," he challenges, and Barty takes off.
…
"Guys!" Cisco shouts as one of the computers chimes. "Guys!" He flails his way to that monitor and sends the info to the big screen.
Mick Rory and Lisa Snart are blithely loading stuff into the back of a van, no license plate in view (of course) at Ikea (!?), and the facial recognition software keeps chiming as everyone in the lab hurries into the cortex. Cisco yells the address into the coms because if Kara can just get there—
"I'm here," she says after not even a minute. "But I don't see either of them, Cisco."
"That's impossible," Tracy says. "We're looking at them on the screen right now."
"It's gotta be looped, then," Felicity says, sitting down at the monitor. "Or time delayed."
Cisco sighs. Of course. Why would they start winning now?
.
Because Felicity is magic, she's able to backtrack some of Lisa and Heatwave's route. Before Ikea, they stopped at an electronics store Joe is fairly sure doubles as a weapons' smuggling ring; after, they went to Whole Foods (!?); whenever they weren't in a parking lot, no camera caught them.
"This is impossible," Felicity groans as the footage, which totals no more than five measly minutes, plays on a loop. "We're actively looking for them with every camera and satellite in this city. Not even Oliver could disappear like this!"
"Barry knows every trick we have." Iris collapses into the chair beside Cisco. "If both Snarts and Caitlin are helping Savitar…" She shrugs.
"And there's whatever Savitar learned while trapped in the very stream of time," HR adds.
Cisco isn't alone in turning to look at him but Julian is the first to ask, "What?"
HR frowns at their confusion. "Isn't that what happened? In the future, BA traps Savitar in the Speedforce. Based on everything I've learned about it—lots of reading," he laughs, "—it isn't just a windowless, doorless cage. It's a living thing, so it must be something like a, a time well."
"A time well?" Dr. Stein echoes. "Oh, dear." He exchanges a concerned glance with Ray. "Cisco, call everyone back."
Cisco hasn't seen Dr. Stein look this worried since before they found Jax, so he gets to it, trying to not think about how things can go even more wrong.
…
Everyone reconvenes; Jax, Ray, and Felicity manage to download Gideon into the STAR labs system, so Sara has her search for Barry Allen. There's no evidence that Mick, Snart, or Lisa are helping Savitar but it seems like too much of a coincidence that Savitar's appearance happened at the same time they dropped Len and Mick back in Central City. Part of the reason they suspect it now is just because Cisco apparently never turned off the alert he had for the three of them.
As Stein talks about the timeline and the Speedforce and how a speedster trapped in it could perhaps learn to control it—
"He called himself the God of Motion," Albert says suddenly, voice shaking. "Myths throughout the ages, all agree that he is faster than lightning. Even on other Earths, they have the legend—Jay Garrick told us that."
"Julian!" Iris grabs his arm and he seems to catch his breath. Calms down.
"Okay, so is this guy more than a speedster?" Nate asks. "Like Savage or Darhk?"
"Wally, Barry, and Julian are the only ones who interacted with him," West says, what's almost a laugh in his tone. "Julian can barely remember it and, and—so if he is, we just don't know."
"Okay," Oliver snaps out. "Let's get a list of everything we can expect from Savitar, Killer Frost, Barry, and whatever Snart and Rory might add to that."
"Gideon," Sara asks. "Anything yet?"
"No, Captain Lance," Gideon replies.
Sara sighs. Is it ever that easy?
So they all get into groups and list what they know, what they've personally witnessed and experienced, and what they speculate could be possible.
Finally, because no one else has, Sara takes a deep breath and asks, "Gideon? Reexamine the physical scans for Leonard Snart. Compare the newest ones to the ones from his first boarding." She catches Ray's eye, then Jax, then Stein. She really doesn't want to believe her one-time teammates could have anything to do with this Savitar, but her gut…
"I have completed the comparison, Captain Lance," Gideon announces cheerfully. Both scans are identical."
"Identical?" Stein practically yelps. "That is utterly preposterous."
Sara agrees; they've all been through some shit, and even if Gideon could heal most of it, after Snart came back—no. Physically, he couldn't be the same as the Snart who first stepped onto the Waverider. Especially with the Oculus-blue scars on his arms.
"So, is Snart helping Savitar?" Ray demands. "How do they even know each other?"
"Maybe Savitar recruited them?" Cisco says. "He's from the future, so he'd know Snart was back somehow."
"What the hell is even goin' on?" Jax bursts out. "Mick wouldn't help this Savitar guy. None of this makes sense!"
"If Snart wanted to?" Sara asks quietly.
Ray, Jax, and Stein can't disagree.
"So let's assume that Snart and Rory are with Savitar for some reason," West says. "We have to be ready for anything."
"I have to echo this fine young gentleman," Wells says, nodding towards Jax. "Savitar's goal has always been opaque but what could three thieves offer him?"
"Really, HR?" Cisco scoffs. "What could three supervillain thieves offer a psychotic speedster from the future?"
"Okay, guys," Oliver says, striding to the middle of the room and whistling sharply. "We need to take a breather." He looks at Felicity then Sara. "Let's break for 15 minutes and then meet back here."
.
Sara goes to what had been Mick's room on the Waverider. "I didn't want to have to clean up your mess, Snart," she mutters. "What the fuck are you doing?"
She remembers Barry, hadn't been that impressed with him. Oliver utterly adored him, which definitely did not endear the kid to her. But after Thawne, she had to admit that she'd developed a healthy respect for speedsters. The various footage Team Flash had shown them of Savitar—
She looks around at the room that's only been empty for a few weeks, that Mick had slept in alone for months and months after Snart died. She'd never been sure if they were romantic partners, if they had been and stopped at some point, if they were platonic. Snart had been flirty and charming, and his past self joining up with Thawne, Darhk, and Merlyn had been a shock. That man was barely similar to the Snart she first knew.
Sighing, Sara slowly walks out of the room. She needs to meditate for the ten minutes she has left, try and work through all this shit. She's tempted to pack up her team and leave Central City because this really isn't their problem. But.
If Snart and Mick and Snart's sister are involved in this, in whatever Savitar's game is (and what is it, even? Team Flash haven't been able to explain anything beyond Savitar wanting to kill Iris, but if that is really his goal, he could've done it at literally any point and none of them could stop him), then it is Sara's duty to protect the timeline. Protect Earth. Because that's what heroes do. Because Snart, Oculus-blue flames on his arms, is just slightly wrong now, and she knew it, and she still let him leave the ship, with Mick following behind him.
"Gideon," she murmurs, breathing slowly out. "Has the timeline changed at all?"
"No, Captain Lance," Gideon replies.
So that means that they're able to stop whatever Savitar is doing, right? So Sara and her team stay, and together they all win.
She breathes in, out. Then she rolls to her feet and heads back to the cortex.
…
Taking over Central City, Lisa is sure, shouldn't be that difficult. Len had begun laying the groundwork for a crew before he and Mick left; she'd continued working on it, building connections and alliances, earning favors, while they were gone.
She dropped it all when Mick arrived out of the blue to tell her Lenny had died. She'd caught the first flight to Vegas, intent on pulling off the heist Lenny used to entertain her with when she was little, back when he thought that telling her a detailed-enough story would distract her from the bruises on his arms, the careful way he moved.
"What's the plan, Leo?" she asks the second night in the safehouse. All of the furniture has been assembled; she and Frost (and who knew the uptight Caitlin Snow had such a badass hiding inside her? such a tantalizing woman, Killer Frost) have their own rooms while Len and Mick share, and so do Leo and Barty. Mick and Leo collaborated on delicious hamburgers for dinner and then cheesecake muffins for dessert—if this supervillain taking-over-the-world scheme fails, she'll definitely hire Leo as a personal chef (because Mick, of course, has long been claimed by Len.) Because Barty is still being sheltered (Leo's term) from the reality of the situation, Lisa waits to ask 'til he's showering upstairs.
It rubbed her the wrong way, at first, the manipulation of earnest, adorable Barry Allen, the Flash. But honestly, if it's himself doing it (and what a story that was), and if his team wasn't good enough to keep him from being stolen…
Leo smiles at her. It's nothing like Barty's grins. She keeps herself from shuddering because she's had utter control over her body language since she was nine years old. "We still have a few pieces left to collect," he drawls. "And a few pieces to discard." He's slouched on the couch, nonchalant, without a care in the world. Frost is sitting primly at the other end of the couch.
Mick's in the armchair to the right of the couch—out of Leo's reach but close enough to move if something happens. Lisa perched herself on the armrest, taking comfort in Mick's familiar bulk.
And Len, Lisa's jerk of a big brother, is draped on the back of the couch like some gigantic cat. Just as nonchalant. Like this is any other job they've pulled together over the years.
Lisa really hates being left in the dark, and she hates being part of a crew when she's not the boss unless Len is. But it's obvious—fuck, Len said it himself—that this is Leo's game, whatever the hell they're doing here, in this city Lisa almost hates sometimes but that Len has always loved.
"Pieces meanin' people," Mick rumbles.
Leo's smile becomes toothier. "You each get one veto," he announces grandly, like it's a gift from a god. "Someone from the Flash's crew, or Arrow's, or the Waverider." He pauses, looking from Lisa to Mick to Frost. "Tell me right now," he commands, leaning back against the cushion, splaying himself wide open. It should be a sign of weakness but Lisa knows, viscerally, that Leo is the most dangerous thing she's ever been near.
"Cisco," she says immediately.
Leo regally inclines his head.
"Will the people we don't choose be killed?" Mick asks.
"No," Len says. "Well, some of 'em, yeah. But not everyone."
"And you're not gonna tell us the whole plan, yeah?" Mick continues, eyes on Leo even though Lisa can tell it's directed at Len.
"'fraid not," Len says, fake apologetically. Lisa pouts but she's long been used to Len keeping his whole plan to himself. "You trust me, Mick?" he asks now. "Lisa?"
"Lenny," Lisa says as sincerely as she can because it's been true for as long as she can remember, "I've always trusted you."
"You're the boss, Lenny," Mick says. "You want me in, I'm in."
Len nods, trying to hide how happy he is. Since Mick brought him home, there've been more sappy declarations between them than in the whole decade prior, but Lisa barely finds it annoying. Len is alive.
"When the time is right," Len tells them, "you'll know the plan."
"The kid," Mick decides. "Jax."
Leo nods again. "Frost?" he asks.
Frost brings a hand to her lips, rubs at her face. "Julian," she says softly. "I…" She shakes her head.
"I don't need explanations," Leo says, and it sounds like he's trying to be gentle but hasn't quite mastered it yet. "Or reasons. But the three you've named are safe from me." He tilts his head to catch Len's eye and they smirk at each other.
It's actually really fucking eerie, because their smirks are identical, which shouldn't be possible.
"I'll go," Len practically purrs, leaning down to kiss Leo briefly before he swings himself off the couch. "Lisa, I missed your birthday this year due to unforeseen events, so I'll be back soon with your present." And then he just saunters out, not giving her or Mick time to say anything.
She shares a dumbfounded, annoyed glance with Mick, and Frost just looks serene yet homicidal like she always does, and Leo is still smirking like the dramatic supervillain-god he is, and then Barty bounces in and begs, with puppy eyes and everything, "Mick, can you show me how to make those cheesecake muffins? They're the best thing I can ever remember eating."
Mick laughs, pats Lisa's thigh comfortingly, and then lumbers to his feet. "Sure, kid," he says fondly and Barty trails him into the kitchen.
Lisa lets herself tumble into the armchair. Then Leo says, "You have connections with local metahumans, Ms. Snart."
"I do," Lisa agrees, rearranging herself into a comfortable yet commanding position.
"Frost has a list of all the metahumans I've already tapped and those I'm going to in the next few days. I'm sure together you'll work out something." He smirks at her, and she honestly cannot see any of Barty in him. Not even any of Barry Allen.
"I'm sure we can," Frost murmurs. "Lisa, would you prefer to go over my data tonight or tomorrow morning?"
"Tomorrow, I think," Lisa says. "For now, how about we get to know each other better, Frost?"
Frost smiles and tilts her head. "Join me upstairs?"
"Right behind you," Lisa purrs.
Leo's laughter follows them up the stairs.