A few days after the huge win, after all the other teams had gone home, the Legends were all gathered on the bridge. They celebrated the defeat of the Nazis, the return of Leonard, and the retirement of Professor Stein.
"Speech, speech!" Sara called, lifting her glass.
Martin awkwardly adjusted his glasses. "Well, you know I'm a man of few words—"
"Gray, you've been in my head, I know that's not true!" Jax interrupted.
"Yeah, and you may use few words, but the ones you use no one knows!" Nate added.
The professor chuckled. "Yes, well, be that as it may, I'm humbled at my time on this ship. I wanted a grand adventure, and I was certainly granted it. I have grown to love you all as my family and I will deeply miss our time together. But, time travel is a young man's game, I suppose. And now I will begin my golden years with Clarissa by my side and little Ronnie at my feet, Lily at our desk. I couldn't have asked for a better team to usher me into this stage of my life. I thank you all, from the very bottom of my heart. And I love you all as well." There was a notable hitch to his voice as he finished.
"To Professor Stein!" Leonard said, lifting his glass again.
"To Professor Stein!" they all repeated.
They all gathered around to shake hands with or hug the professor as Sara said, "Gideon, please set a course for the Professor's home."
"My other home," Martin clarified. "The Waverider is surely my home as well."
Sara smiled. "Well then, Gideon, set a course for Clarissa."
Martin nodded as Gideon announced, "Very well then. Setting a course for Clarissa Stein in December, the year 2017."
"We'll get you home for Ronnie's first Hanukkah," Leonard said, putting a hand out for Martin to shake.
The professor carefully eyed the offered hand and then looked at Leonard. "I will not shake that hand, Mr. Snart." At Leonard's fallen expression, Stein added, "But I will give a hug to the man who has grown exponentially on this journey."
He opened his arms wide and Leonard (much to the surprise of all those around them) gratefully accepted the embrace.
"Thank you, Professor. For everything," he said softly.
"No thanks are necessary. But I will require you to keep an eye on our Captain now. Though, I feel like I don't even need to ask."
Leonard pulled back, his hands staying on the professor's shoulders. "No worries there."
Martin shook a threatening finger at Leonard. "And no more valiant acts of heroism. At least, none that leads to your suspected – or actual – death."
"You have my word," Leonard said, lowering his hands.
"To be blunt, there was a time where your word wouldn't have meant much to me, Mr. Snart. But now? It means a great deal."
Martin thumped Leonard on the shoulder and turned to Nate who was calling him.
Sara put a hand on Leonard's arm. "High praise coming for the man who originally thought you were nothing but a common criminal."
"I was never a common criminal," Leonard joked. "But I do appreciate the sentiment. I look up to him now. He's an impressive man."
Sara could only nod before Mick called, "Hey, Boss!"
"Yeah, Mick?" both Sara and Leonard replied. "Oh, sorry," they both said right after.
"Actually, I meant both of ya'. I just wanted to see what you'd do. That was pretty good. Anyway, Haircut got out some good booze if you want it."
"Maybe in a minute, Mick," Sara replied. "I'm going to go talk to Stein for a moment, ok?" she told Leonard.
"Take your time," he replied, kissing the top of her head.
Leonard took that opportunity to sneak away to his (Sara's? their?) room.
"Gideon?" he said as the door closed.
"Yes, Mr. Snart?"
"Can you fill me in on the past 2 years? As quickly but as thoroughly as possible."
"Certainly. After your departure, the rest of the crew succeeded in defeating Vandal Savage by traveling to 3 different points in history and killing him those 3 times."
"Resourceful," he muttered.
"After that, Captain Hunter scattered the rest of the Legends throughout time and crashed the Waverider into the ocean with Mr. Rory in hypersleep still within. Soon enough, Mr. Heywood enlisted the help of Mr. Queen to find the crashed ship and the scattered crew members. Once they were found, they fought the Nazis and met members of the JSA."
"Holy shit. They did all that?"
"I'm just getting started, Mr. Snart. And it's rude to interrupt."
"Sorry…"
"They have also fought Damien Dhark on several occasions, and zombies, Dominators, an evil Captain Hunter, and an alternate time-line in which the Legion of Doom (including yourself) ruled the world, all while trying to find and fix aberrations. Captain Lance was killed by Captain Hunter at one point and the team also saved the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises."
"Whoa, Gideon! Back up a little. Rip killed Sara?!"
"Affirmative. He shot her in the stomach and then broke her neck."
"You're as delicate as usual, I see."
"I've been accused of it before."
"She's certainly good at coming back from the dead… Anything else?"
"Captain Lance's sister has passed away."
"That explains a lot."
"Mr. Rory became friends with George Washington and earned a statue of himself in Washington DC."
"Oh, we'll be visiting that soon!"
"And Captain Lance was amorous with the Queen of France and Queen Guinevere of Camelot."
"And we'll be visiting that soon as well!" Leonard said with a laugh.
"The team defeated the Legion of Doom by visiting a time they had already been and had essentially broken time. However, they did it to save the Spear of Destiny. Captain Hunter started a new group of monitors known as the Time Bureau to clean up the anachronisms that came from the break. However, Captain Lance is fighting for the chance for the Legends to fix the mistakes as well. The crew is currently waiting for the next fight with Damien Dhark."
Leonard sighed. "Geez, anything else, Gideon?"
"You asked for the abbreviated version. I could give you a week by week summary."
He rolled his eyes. "I think perhaps I'll pass on that."
"It doesn't matter anyway. Captain Lance is asking for you to join the crew on the bridge."
Leonard wanted to say something sarcastic to the AI, but decided against it, considering Sara beckoned. Plus, he was pretty sure that Gideon was a little sassier than he remembered and she probably would have put up more of a fight. He'd save that fun for later.
As he approached the bridge, he saw the crew getting into the jump seats.
"Time to go," Sara told Leonard, walking to the captain's chair.
Leonard strapped himself in and wondered if it had been too long for him since his last time jump. What ailment would fall upon him this time?
A good vomit as they landed behind Stein's house was the answer he got.
Martin smiled. "Clarissa wants to see all of you before you go. Could you spare some time to see her? Perhaps eat with us? I believe she has drinks as well."
Mick's face lit up. "What kind?"
"There will be beer, Mr. Rory. I believe Clarissa bought your favorite kind: cheap." He scrunched up his face.
Sara grinned. "For you, Professor, we could spare the time"
Martin looked to Gideon. "Gideon, it has been a pleasure and a delight to spend so much time with a being such as yourself. You're invaluable to the team."
"Thank you, Professor Stein. I shall miss our talks and deliberating. I wish you much happiness now that you are here."
"An artificial intelligence wishes me happiness. Astonishing!" he murmured as he turned to leave.
The Legends departed the ship and met with Clarissa. Lily and Ronnie were also there. Leonard felt an unexplainable tug at his heart as he watched Sara hug and snuggle the baby. He'd have to consider what that meant later. Right now was all about Stein and his happy retirement. The old man deserved that much.
Soon enough, it was time to go. Clarissa thanked the whole crew for being Martin's family while he was away, especially Jax.
"It was my honor," Jax replied. "Usually." The crew laughed and a tear was visible in Martin's eye. "But seriously, it won't be the same without you. Gonna be strange to be Firestorm without you in my head."
"I have all the confidence in the world that you will continue on with greatness!"
After another round of hugs and handshakes (and Mick taking a case of beer with him), the Legends returned to the ship.
As Sara and Leonard climbed into bed that night, he sighed.
"What's on your mind?" Sara asked.
"A lot happened while I was gone."
"Yeah, we've dealt with a lot."
Leonard decided not to bring Laurel up just yet. "Gideon was filling me in on some of it."
"Yeah?"
"Mmm-hmm. Died again, eh?"
"Well, you know, it's kind of my shtick."
"Is there a reason Hunter is still alive after pulling that shit?"
"I actually saved him."
"Come again?"
"Jax wanted to shoot him. Almost did. But I talked him out of it. I couldn't let Jax become a killer because of me."
"It wouldn't have been because of you. It would have been because of the bastard that killed you!"
"Maybe. But Rip wasn't of his right mind. He had been brainwashed. I couldn't let Jax kill someone that was kind of innocent."
"Innocent?!"
Sara cringed at Leonard's tone. He had every right to be upset, but it was in the past and nothing to be done about it now.
"It doesn't matter now. I'm fine. Professor Stein and Gideon brought me back. Rip got his mind straight and was very sorry. And now he's in prison for being a jerk with the Time Bureau and another crazy vendetta he has. So, don't worry about it. Please?"
He sighed. She was here and alive and she was in his arms. He'd have to let it go for now. But if he ever saw Hunter again, there would certainly be words… and fists… and possibly a frozen foot.
"Fine. So now what?" Leonard asked.
"Now, we keep doing what we do. We fix time, especially what we broke," Sara said with a bit of a laugh. "We keep kicking ass. Especially you and me."
"Seeing what the future holds?"
"Pfft! I already know that one." She pulled him into a heated kiss.
As he pulled back for air, he smiled. "Yeah, I think I know that one too."