"Why are you not asleep, Beth?"
Standing in the middle of the kitchen Beth looked up at Grace with an innocent smile.
"Bed," Grace stated firmly, "Now. Or I will tell Rip that you're not keeping your promise to him and disobeying me."
The little girl gave a long suffering sigh, "Okay."
Smiling at the little girl Grace offered her hand, "How about I tell you a story?"
"Okay," Beth took Grace's hand before asking as they made their way up the stairs, "Do you think Michael will be home soon?"
Grace squeezed her hand, "You know he will be back as soon as he can. Your brother has an important job to do stopping the bad things in the city."
Reaching Beth's room Grace pulled back the covers for the little girl who climbed in and lay down.
"I don't want him to leave again," Beth whispered as Grace pulled the covers up around her.
Stroking Beth's hair Grace soothed, "He always does his best to come back. Now, get some sleep and I will make sure he comes to say goodnight to you."
"Even if I'm asleep?"
Grace nodded firmly, "Even then. I promise."
Beth grinned cuddling her doll while Grace picked up one of Beth's favourite books ready to start reading, frowning when she heard some noise coming from the hallway. Placing the book down Grace gently opened the door and listened for a moment.
"Stay here, Beth," Grace told her, "Do not move. I will be right back."
Stepping into the hall Grace quietly slipped into her room and found her sword, grimly she started towards the study and whoever had invaded their home.
x
Gideon looked around the room that held the core energy.
It was a study, messy but there appeared to be a system and Gideon smiled because it was just like her Captain's study in many ways. Looking around she saw the cabinet sitting in the corner and felt the stream of energy coming from it, Gideon smiled in relief that it was not too hard to find.
Trying the cabinet Gideon frowned to find that it was locked, though also relieved that whoever lived here knew enough to keep it locked away. She knew how to pick a lock in theory because she had watched her Captain to that kind of thing many times. Unfortunately in theory didn't mean she could do it in practice. However she had skills Rip didn't and pressing her hand to the lock she used the gifts he had given her with their link to unlock the cabinet. The door swung open and Gideon smiled as she was bathed in the light of the time energy.
"Don't take another step," a voice came from behind her suddenly.
Turning Gideon studied the woman standing there, young with long blonde hair and green eyes she was holding a sword. Despite the fact she was obviously scared the blade never wavered from Gideon.
"You appear to be very brave and I understand why you are trying to stop me," Gideon noted softly, "But this does not belong here and I am taking it."
"Not a chance," the woman stated coldly.
Shaking her head Gideon used her gift pulling the sword out the woman's hand before Gideon pushed her into the chair nearby. The woman struggled unable to move while Gideon turned back to the core.
"That's not yours," another female voice came, even younger than the woman Gideon had trapped to the chair in the corner.
She was stunned to see a little girl about six year's old standing there in a nightgown holding a small knife in one hand and a doll in the other.
"Beth, get out of here now," the woman cried before turning to Gideon, "Please don't hurt her."
"I would never hurt her. She is a child," Gideon whispered horrified at the suggestion. She turned to the girl, Beth, and held out her hand bringing the knife to her, "You should not be playing with things like this. It is very dangerous."
A stubborn frown covered the girl's face as she pointed to the cupboard, "You can't take that. It's not yours."
Gideon paused at how familiar the expression on the little girl's face was, how she looked a lot like Jonas did when he was being wilful and obstinate.
"Actually, Beth," Gideon said kindly, "It is mine and I am simply retrieving it. This does not belong here and now. People could get hurt by it."
Beth folded her arms, "But he needs it to fight the bad things."
Reaching out Gideon picked up the core before turning to the child once more, "And if he knows how to use this properly then he will be able to find it."
Gently Gideon stroked the child's cheek before she turned, opening a portal back to the Waverider and left the house with her core. Before she closed the portal she saw the woman running to the child who was simply watching Gideon leave fascinated.
x
Gideon placed the core in the engine room relieved to have it back but couldn't get rid of the feeling of disappointment that filled her.
"What's wrong?" Rip asked from his spot leaning against the door, "You found the core and it's back where it belongs."
Shaking her head Gideon gently wiped her eyes, "It is nothing, Captain. I am fine." She walked past him heading up to the bridge stopping when he appeared in front of her.
"There is something wrong," Rip noted with a frown, "Tell me, Gideon. Let me help."
Ducking her head Gideon whispered, "It is nothing, Captain."
"You're lying to me," Rip stated softly, he reached out to stroke beside her cheek, "There is nothing you can say that will upset me."
Shaking her head Gideon sighed softly, "It was the Time Core overloading that took you from me, Captain. I had this hope, and I know how foolish it was, but I hoped that when I brought it back onboard with you then..."
"Then it would return me to you fully," Rip finished for her, "Gideon, I'm sorry. I didn't think of that."
Wiping the tears that were sliding along her cheeks Gideon whispered, "It was just wishful thinking."
His hands moved to rest at her waist, "Do you want to link again? Will that make you feel better?"
Gideon nodded, "Yes."
"Okay," he smiled, "We'll link and then we will round up your army to get rid of the Time Bureau forever."
Letting out a soft sigh Gideon smiled back.
Ava looked up from the report she was reading when Sara walked into the infirmary room she was currently trapped in.
"How are you feeling?" Sara asked with a smile glancing down at Ava's leg which was covered in blue gel she had been told was helping her heal.
Shrugging Ava replied, "Much better. I get the final treatment tonight and I'll be back to work properly tomorrow. I heard you found everyone. Are they all okay?"
Sara sighed, "As well as they can be considering our former AI tried to kill us."
"I'm sorry," Ava told her, "I know you wanted there to be some way to bring her back."
"Gideon crossed the line," Sara stated, "There is no way back for her now. I don't know if there would be even if Rip was alive. We have to stop her now before she does something to the rest of the Bureau."
"And you have a plan?"
"More of an idea," Sara replied with an innocent smile, at Ava's frown she continued, "The aberrations we kept seeing, I'm still convinced they're Gideon baiting us. I take my team and we...we stop her."
Ava stared at her for several moments in silence before asking, "Are you sure you can?"
"Gideon was my responsibility," Sara stated, "I should have done more for her. And I have to be the one to stop her."
Ava nodded sadly, "Then you can have whatever resources you need."
x
"Are you sure about this?" Nate demanded as the Legends sat in the small office Sara had taken over within the Bureau, "Because there are still a few people she might go after."
"Like who?" Ray asked confused.
Nate frowned at him, "Wally for one. He was part of the team when Rip died."
"But Rip brought Wally onboard," Sara replied, "Not to mention he's no longer working with us. I don't see Wally being on the hit-list."
Wally waved his hand, "And I'm sitting right here."
"Then what about Amaya?" Nate said, "Gideon blames her for what happened to Rip."
Mick shook his head, "Doubt it."
"Why?" Nate demanded, "Gideon said that we murdered Rip because we let Amaya break history."
"But Amaya has a place in history," Sara reminded him, "She has a destiny to fulfil. Gideon wouldn't do anything to her because that would damage the timeline and it's the one thing Gideon won't do."
Annoyance covered Nate's face, "Are you sure about that?"
"Yes," Sara stated, "I am completely sure she won't go after Amaya. We also have an actual lead to where she has gone."
Constantine pushed off from the wall he was leaning against, "Which is?"
"London 1885," Sara told them, "For the past few weeks there have been several aberrations appear and then disappear which have been tracked down to there. I'm sure that this is Gideon making as much noise as she can to get the Bureaus attention."
Nate stared at her, "It's a trap?"
"Obviously," Zari added speaking up from her spot in the corner, "But if Sara's right then it's not for us. Gideon thinks that Sara and Ava are dead while the rest of us are trapped so if we appear in her trap it should be enough to throw her."
"So we can kill her," Ray said sadly.
Sara sighed, "So we can stop her."
"Yeah," Ray shrugged.
Shaking her head Sara took a deep breath, "Okay, I want everyone back here suited up and ready to go in twenty minutes." As they all stood to leave Sara added, "I don't want to hurt Gideon. I know something has taken over her and if I could I would bring her back. You know that."
They nodded before trooping out to get ready for their mission.
x
It was dark when they walked through the portal and into a park. Sara turned to Zari who was studying the information on her tablet.
"Well?"
"There is a ton of energy coming from nearby. From what I can see it's beneath us," Zari told her, "Ray, can you scan and see if there are caves or something?"
Constantine shook his head, "There are no caves beneath this part of London, love."
"Actually," Ray spoke up, "You're wrong. There is a large network beneath our feet. I think there might be two entrances, or there are nearby. One is near the trees while the other is further away, appears to be up a hill."
Sara mused on this, "Okay. Mick, Constantine, you two stay here and keep an eye on things. Nate and Wally head for the entrance near the trees. I'm going to head to the one up the hill. Zari and Ray keep scanning to see if you can find any sign of the Waverider or Gideon. Keep in touch."
They all nodded and split heading for their assignments. Sara started for the entrance to the cave she had assigned herself and was about five minutes into her walk before she realised that was not the best idea.
Gideon had already tried to kill her once and, if she ran into her again, Sara knew she would have to take the other woman by surprise otherwise this time Gideon would succeed. Starting up the hill towards the entrance to the caves Sara saw a shadowy figure running towards her. The figure glanced back and, before Sara could get out of the way, the figure collided with her.
They tumbled down the hill and, the moment they hit the ground, Sara pulled away rolling to a stand. The man who had hit her did the same and Sara stared in amazement at who was standing across from her.
"Rip?"
Something exploded nearby and he grabbed her pulling her to the ground as debris flew around them. Letting her go Rip stood again offering his hand to help her up.
"Well," he said, "It's about bloody time you got here."
