Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.
AN1: Here we are, the final chapter. Hope you like, and thank you so much for all the support you have given me.
"Sara." Rip says, his voice full of relief and pain, though Sara recognizes the signs of Rip trying to hide how much pain he is in.
"Hey." Sara says, smiling back at him, "Welcome back." She says, truly not sure what else to say.
"I honestly thought I was done for." Rip admits, feeling surprised about being alive.
"I wasn't going to let that happen." Sara answers, "And neither would Gideon." She reveals, knowing that for a fact.
"It's good that you're awake Captain Hunter." Gideon answers, and as she does Sara gives him a look which says 'see', and for the first time Rip realises that Sara is holding his hand, and he has no intention of changing that, or even acknowledging it.
"Thank you." Rip says, winching slightly as he moves position, though he makes sure not to let go of Sara's hand.
"Hey, be careful." Sara tells him, "You're still hurt."
"I don't deserve your kindness." Rip reveals, believing that, "Not after what I did." He admits, and as he does Sara sits down on the bed, thanks to the way Rip moved she Is able to sit on the edge, and as she moves she lets go of his hand, though they are so close that they are still touching.
"Before you lost consciousness you apologised, do you remember that?" Sara asks.
"Yes." Rip answers.
"Did you mean it?" Sara asks, needing to know.
"Completely." Rip answers, "I never want to hurt you, Sara, and not only did I hurt you, but I betrayed you, allowed the person who hurt you the most to be brought back to life, you have my full, sincere, apology for that." Rip says, and as he does Sara is pretty sure that the medication Gideon gave Rip may be affecting him slightly, because he is never that open.
"I didn't accept your apology before." Sara says, and Rip's heart sinks, "But I accept it now." She admits, "But I need to know, what the hell happened to you in those five years we were apart?" Sara asks, needing to know as the Rip that walked up to take the Waverider was so different than the Rip she thought she knew better than anyone.
"I didn't intend to be gone for that long." Rip admits, feeling relaxed and open, but he knows Sara isn't taking advantage of his vulnerability as this is something he intended to eventually tell Sara, "You were right. I have gone rouge from every organization I've been apart of, because I didn't completely trust them, because I felt like I didn't belong, but here, on the Waverider, with the Legends, was different." Rip explains.
"Then why did you leave, why did you stay gone for so long?" Sara asks, wondering if she is going to actually get some answers from Rip.
"I left because after what happened with the Legion I needed to figure out who I was, I needed to figure out who I could be on the Waverider if I wasn't Captain." Rip admits, and once he does Sara goes to respond to that, but before she can Rip starts speaking again, "I was gone so long because I found out about Mallus, and I wanted to protect you, which is why I took the Waverider from you." He explains.
"What do you mean?" Sara asks, feeling confused, "I heard some of the conversation you had with Wally in the engine room and you said you tried everything to protect me, what don't I know, Rip?" Sara asks, feeling like she is missing a piece of the puzzle and once she has it everything will make sense.
"About a year after I left the Waverider, I had set up the Time Bureau and it was running in such a way where I was getting ready to leave, to come back, when I got a lead on Mallus." Rip explains, "I tracked follows of Mallus, and as I did I discovered that the demon that the Time Masters wouldn't even talk about had become focused, obsessed even, with someone."
"Me." Sara realises, not needing Rip to say anymore as she remembers what Constantine said.
"Yes." Rip confirms, "After that you could say I became focused, some might say obsessed, on finding Mallus and stopping it."
"Why didn't you tell me any of this? Why did you take the Waverider away instead?" Sara asks, and as she does Rip hesitates for a second, "Rip?" Sara asks, prodding him gently.
"Forgive me Ms Lance, but I thought that if you weren't traveling through time then Mallus would have no reason to become obsessed, and so I took away the Waverider to…." Rip starts to say.
"Protect me." Sara finishes, realising exactly what Rip meant, taking note of the fact that Rip has gone back to saying Ms Lance rather than Sara.
"Yes." Rip confirms, "I realise now that that may not have been the best way to achieve that." He admits.
"You think?" Sara asks her voice clearly sarcastic, "Rip, just talk to me next time, tell me what is going on, and we'll figure things out together." Sara requests.
"Next time?" Rip asks, "Ms Lance are you expecting a demon to come after us again?"
"Considering the life we live it wouldn't surprise me." Sara admits.
"We? My life has been very quiet in recent years." Rip points out, realising just how easy it is to talk to Sara, and how much he's missed their conversations.
"I know, that's exactly why you should stay on the Waverider after we defeat Mallus." Sara says, "You belong here, Rip, and things are better when we're together." Sara admits.
"I think our history proves otherwise." Rip admits.
"That might be true." Sara admits, with a slight laugh, "but even if it is I know for sure I'm better when we're together." Sara admits, "So I want you to stay."
"I'm not sure the Time Bureau will like that." Rip admits, trying his best not to think about how much he wants to stay to stay with Sara, and the team too.
"Well tough, you're one of us. If you want to stay I'm not going to let anyone take you." Sara reveals, and as she does she realises something, "Which is why I have an apology of my own to make." Sara admits.
"What ever for?" Rip asks, having no idea what Sara could be apologising for, and Sara is a little surprised by that.
"Rip, you went to prison because of me." Sara reminds him, "When I made that deal with the Time Bureau, when I handed you over, I never thought you'd be sent to jail, and I didn't even know you were in jail until recently." She admits, "I thought would be taken off field work, or disciplined, I never thought you'd be put in jail, and I'm sorry you were."
"It's okay, Sara, I accept your apology." Rip says, completely meaning that, and once he does the two of them exchange looks, and slight smiles, and drift into silence.
For a few minutes Sara and Rip sit in their comfortable silence, neither really wanting to say more, but before long they have no choice as the door to the medical area opens, and Mick walks in, clearly not paying attention to what is going on,
"So, Blondie I drew the short straw to come in here as the rest of the idiots are worried about you, Haircut especially, because you haven't left the Englishman's side since the two of you came back onto the ship and have been acting strange, and in a worryingly way, at least they think so." Mick says, "So, what do you want me to tell them?" he asks, looking at Sara and Rip, and he does, "Englishman, you're awake, good."
"Yes, it is good, though I am surprised to hear you say that, Mr Rory." Rip admits.
"It's only good because Blondie will stop worrying about you now and everyone else will stop worrying about Blondie." Mick admits, and as he does Rip glances at Sara.
"Mick, go tell everyone else that Rip is awake." Sara requests, really wanting to stop Mick before he can say more.
"Of course." Mick says, before leaving, and once he does Sara turns back to Rip.
"Why Captain Lance, you were worried about me?" Rip asks, there being a slight teasing undertone to his voice, and the second he asks he realises how much of a mistake it was, "Sara…." He says, his voice quickly becoming serious.
"How could you ask that?" Sara asks, anger in her voice, "After everything we've been through, how can you even think that I wouldn't be worried?" Sara says, and as she does Rip can hear the hurt in her voice and Sara goes to move away.
"Sara." Rip says, reaching out and grabbing her hand, preventing her from moving, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't make light of this, I know that if you were in my shoes, something which I sincerely hope never happens, I would be beyond worried about you." Rip admits, knowing he would be in in a bad, bad way if anything happened to Sara, hearing Rip's voice Sara nods, and sits back down, not letting go of Rip's hand.
"How are you feeling, really?" Sara asks, knowing she is changing the subject slightly.
"Better." Rip answers.
"You pushed me out of the way, you saved me." Sara tells Rip, "Thank you." She says, not sure that thank you covers it.
"Isn't that what we do, Ms Lance? Save each other." Rip comments, not being able to help but remember what Sara told him when he was Phil.
"Yeah, I guess so." Sara says, with a slight smile, "But let's not do this again anytime soon, I can't go through almost losing you again." She admits, Rip knowing how big of a deal it is for Sara to admit something like that.
"And I can't lose you either, Ms Lance." Rip admits, "I know I wouldn't survive if I did." Rip reveals, doing so because Sara, in her own way, was open with him so it's the least he could do.
"Yes, you would." Sara says, believing that as she knows what Rip has lost.
"No, I wouldn't." Rip says, clearly telling the truth, and once he speaks Sara just stares at him, trying to figure out if Rip is lying, and after a few second, she realises he isn't and so, knowing that actions can speak louder than words Sara just leans forward and kisses Rip.
To say Rip is surprised by the kiss would be an understatement, but that doesn't mean that it is unwanted, and after a couple of seconds of shock Rip gladly returns the kiss.
After he left the Medical Bay Mick returned to the bridge where Nate, Ray, Wally, Zari, and Amaya are, all of them waiting for him, so that they can find out how Sara is.
"How's Sara?" Nate asks, seeing Mick.
"Good, The Englishman's awake." Mick answers.
"That's good." Wally says, looking relieved, as he was worried about his friend, "How is he?"
"No idea." Mick answers.
"We should go see, check on how both Sara and Rip are doing." Ray suggests.
"It might be good to give them some time to talk." Amaya says, knowing that both Sara and Rip need to talk.
"Probably." Zari realises, "So we'll give them some time." She says, and the others, not including Mick who doesn't care, nod in agreement.
In the medical bay, Sara and Rip, both of whom need to get some air, have broken apart, and as they break apart the two of them just look at each other,
"You mean so much to me." Rip says, reaching out and pushing Sara's hair back, and as he does he decides that now, now is the right time to say what he really feels, "I'm in love with you, Sara, I love you." Rip says, saying the words to another person for the first time since Miranda, and he realises that saying them to Sara feels just as right as they did when he said them to Miranda, "I wanted to come back to the Waverider as a better person, but I'm not." He admits, wanting to start something with Sara, but at the same time he is pretty sure he isn't the person she deserves.
"I don't care." Sara admits, "Rip, I love you too." Sara admits, admitting what she has been denying for so long and feeling brave enough to do so because Rip's already admitted his feelings, "You're my best friend, and so much more, I don't want you to change." Sara tells him, "Stay on the Waverider, with the team, with me, we'll be co-captains."
"Co-Captains?" Rip asks, being surprised by the offer.
"It would be best, the Waverider is your ship, always has been, always will be." Sara says, knowing that, "There are parts of this job I'm not good at, but there are parts you're not, and like I said things are better when we're together." Sara tells Rip, it being clear that he means that, "We'll be better Captains if we're working together.
"Okay, I'll stay." Rip says, with a slight smile, and once he does he leans forward and kisses Sara.
For about a minute Sara and Rip kiss, both feeling amazed, and like this is the start of something amazing, as long as neither of them screw things up, until finally they break apart, though once they break apart neither moves away from the other,
"You look tired." Sara notes, also suspecting that he is in pain.
"I feel tired, which is surprising considering I just woke up." Rip admits.
"Being unconscious is different to sleep, you can trust me on that one." Sara reveals.
"I do trust you." Rip reveals, his words having a whole weight to them, which Sara knows.
"You should get some rest." Sara says, and once she does she goes to move so that Rip can get comfortable, but before she can move Rip once more takes her hand.
"Stay… Please." Rip requests, giving Sara a look.
"Okay." Sara says, with a nod, and Rip moves slightly so that Sara can comfortably lay next to him, which she does, "Get some rest, Rip, I'll be right here." She promises.
"Okay." Rip says, before closing his eyes, feeling comfortable in the knowledge that Sara is right next to him.
As Rip closes his eyes Sara makes herself comfortable lying next to him, knowing that she is going to keep her promise and be right by Rip's side when he wakes up.
A few hours have passed since Rip fell asleep and in that time most of the members of the Waverider have gone to bed and fallen asleep.
As she can no longer help her curiosity Zari has snuck into the medical bay of the Waverider and as she does she sees Sara and Rip both asleep, Sara lying on Rip's chest, and Rip has his arm around her, both looking more peaceful than Zari has seen in all the short time she has known them.
Not wanting to disturb them Zari sneaks back out of the Medical bay,
"Gideon." Zari says, once the door to the medical bay is closed, "You'll make sure they're not disturbed?" she asks curious.
"Of course." Gideon responds, as she considers both Sara and Rip to be 'Her Captains' and so they are both important to her, and she wants them to be happy.
"Good." Zari says, sounding glad as she heads back to her room, being pretty comfortable in her opinion that whatever it is that is going on between Sara and Rip is a good thing, a really good thing, and something that she can't wait to see flourish into something even more amazing than it already is.
The END
AN2: So, this is the end of the story. Once the rest of season 3 has aired I might write a story addressing how Sara and Rip being in a relationship will change whatever happens, but I need to see how the rest of the season plays out to decide if I'm going to do that.
