Hi.

So I know I said I'd update on Friday, but this next chapter has some weird pacing issues. Instead of posting a short piece on Friday (that will almost certainly result in unhappiness from you all), I thought I'd post two shorter pieces this week. You'll get one today and one on Friday. Hope that's okay. A bit more satisfying for all of us, I think.

Also, if you want a sneak peek at Friday's piece, I'm on Tumblr as captaincaitastrophe and I'll be posting short pieces of upcoming chapters or stories. More immediate feedback and I get to share more with people who maybe aren't familiar with me on here.

As always, thanks so much for the support and the comments. It really means a lot to me and keeps me motivated to work on this. I hope you enjoy! :)

The fundraiser was a little lax when it came to security. All it took was a flash of Sara's leg and he was able to slip through the metal detector without being caught. All of her blades, she explained, were ceramic and therefore didn't register.

The dress left little to the imagination, so he was curious as to where she was hiding them.

Taking place in a hotel ballroom, the south wall had been left open to the elements, all glass windows and open pathways leading out to the garden outside. It made it perfectly acceptable for Leonard to wear his coat inside, which made hiding his weapon that much easier.

They did a survey of the room, grabbing drinks and chatting with passersby before heading to a small bar table lit by candles over in a corner of the room. Sara leaned against the top, her chin in her hand. Leonard sipped his drink, half his attention on the crowd and the other half on her.

"No sign of him yet," he murmured against his glass, allowing his eyes to land on her after confirming that Savage wasn't here.

Sara shook her head. "He'll show."

"And when he does…?"

She glanced up at him with a faint grin, "Another test, Leonard?"

He shrugged, placing the glass down. He wasn't sure what he'd meant.

"When he does show, you call asking for him and the concierge gets him out into the hallway, where I'm waiting. I'll get him away from the door, kill him, and get out." She sounded so calm, compared to how she had been when they were planning this.

His notice of her change of mood didn't escape hers and she shrugged. "It'll be over tonight, one way or another. Makes it easier."

"How long have you been waiting for this?" he asked, turning his eyes to the dancers outside.

"Feels like a lifetime." She picked up her drink and downed it, the sound of the music drifting through the glass and keeping their silence from becoming too heavy.

Leonard found it darkly humorous that the woman he thought of as vulnerable or small could also talk about killing someone as calm as could be, and he accepted both sides as easily as the other. She was both the sad, vulnerable woman and the deadly killer. Just like he was the broken man of morals and the corrupt thief. Two sides, but the same dirty coins. After tonight, he would just be left penniless.

Finishing his drink, he placed the tumbler down and cast another glance around the fundraiser. Still no sign of Savage. He turned to Sara, about to suggest they take another turn around the room, but stopped.

Sara stared at the orchestra, swaying slightly in place. Her attention on the music, he allowed himself a moment to look. The gentle lights would flatter anyone, but Sara seemed to glow, her eyes sparkling. Then she looked at him, a gentle smile on her face.

"Wanna dance, Leonard?" It didn't sound so much like a question as it did a soft statement.

How could he turn that down?

Without a word, he walked around the table and held out his hand to her. Sara took it, her fingers slipping into his easily.

He turned her onto the dance floor, his hand sitting low on the small of her back. Unlike last time, there was no glancing over shoulders, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

Leonard stared directly at Sara, who smirked and looked up at him. Her hand was light in his palm, burning a hole through his skin and into his very bones. No matter what, he would never forget the feel of Sara under his fingers. They moved easily through the pattern, his gun heavy against his leg, but not impeding his movement. Both of them were weighted down with weapons and blood, with history and sorrow, but here they were, spinning on the dance floor like the purest of souls.

Perhaps having a darkened soul meant less when there was someone who accepted it.

Sara stared up at him, her eyes dark. "Regardless of how this turns out, I wanted to thank you."

"For nearly turning you down? Or for getting you shot? And then nearly shooting you myself," he quipped.

"For making me feel alive for the first time in a long time. For helping me remember."

Leonard wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. But he nodded, all the same. "Sure, birdy."

She leaned her head against his chest, right above his heart, and it took everything he had to keep the tempo of the dance. Her arm tightened around his shoulder, a sort of one-handed hug, but she didn't seem inclined to let go. He didn't realize that his hand dug tighter into her back, needy fingers pulling her nearer as easily as breathing.

Sara's breath danced across his suit front, her fingers tangled with the hand that still led her. "I'm going to miss you," she murmured, quiet enough to pretend he wasn't meant to hear it, but loud enough that he did anyway.

Then don't go.

Leonard kept the words locked behind his lips, refusing to admit that truth. If he said it, it would be too real. If he said it, it would hurt too much. And even if he said it, this would still end.

For the moment, he held her as close as he wanted. He thought and he pretended, he lied to himself because it would still hurt in the long run and at least this way he'd have something to hold onto.

The rest of the dancers could have long since vanished for all he knew. All that mattered was the beautiful pain of Sara in his arms and against his heart, knowing that he'd have to let go. Whatever she was thinking, she didn't pull away, she didn't try to distance herself from him as she had before, she didn't mention her lost love. For the moment, he could pretend that this was truly where she wanted to be. Not somewhere else, not with someone else, but here, with him.

He'd never be able to recall the name of the song that played behind them, but he'd always remember how it sat on his shoulders.

As it ended and another song began, she pulled away and he let her, though they didn't leave the floor. Her cheeks glistened, but her smile was steady. He didn't risk a smirk, unsure if it would come across as detached as he wanted it to be.

His eyes drifted over her shoulder, unable to stare into those dark sapphires any longer without making a mistake. Glancing at the door, he was almost relieved to see a swarthy man enter.

Leonard leaned down, his cheek brushing against hers as he spoke into her ear. "Savage just came in." Had he imagined the way she'd leaned up to him? As if it was something else she'd been hoping for?

As his words registered, he felt her tense up beneath his fingers, the smooth movements of the dance fading as she prepared for a fight.

"Chill, birdy," he murmured, still leaning down, as if he were whispering sweet things into the ear of his date. "Follow the plan."

With a concentrated effort, she relaxed. Only when she was calmer did he release her, letting her head into the hallway before he made his move. Sara's dress swayed and vanished behind a door, her chin held high and her eyes flat. He watched her go, his hands clenching at his sides. This was the beginning of the end.

Returning to the table they'd abandoned, he grabbed a glass of champagne off a tray and took out his phone, turning away from the party. Dialing with one hand, he took a sip of the beverage, swishing it in his mouth before swallowing.

"Thank you for calling the Princess Hotel, how may I direct your call?"

"I'm trying to reach a Mr. Savage," Leonard said, not bothering to disguise his voice. "He's attending the Warner Benefit Fundraiser."

"We don't usually accept calls for those who aren't guests at the hotel…"

"It's rather sensitive information, regarding his bank account." Leonard cast his eyes around the dance floor again, seeing Savage chatting with a younger woman.

"Ah, just a moment."

They put him on hold, the music faint and crackling. Leonard listened as a quiet page went up for a Mr. Savage to call the front desk. Luckily, as Sara had informed him, Savage was a narcissist, and the sound of his own name would always draw his attention. He stepped away from his companion and headed towards the hallway Sara had vanished into. Unfortunately, one of Savage's bodyguards followed him.

Leonard moved in, his phone in his pocket and his champagne in his hand. Cutting behind Savage, he slammed into the bodyguard, spilling alcohol all down the man's front.

"Damn," Leonard swore, affecting the slur of alcohol to accompany his laden breath. "So sorry, my good man. What a waste of good champagne!" He made sure to keep his face hidden from Savage behind him.

The bodyguard seemed torn between decking him and ignoring him, but Leonard heard Savage say, "It's fine, Charles. I'll just be a minute."

Resisting the urge to smirk, Leonard instead shoved a few bills into Charles's hand by way of apology, "Again, my fault. Send the bill for drycleaning up to Suite 418. I'll take care of it."

At the sight of cash and the lie of repayment, Charles relaxed and nodded, allowing Leonard to take his leave. He made sure Charles had turned away before following Savage and Sara.

Just behind the hallway doors was empty, but Leonard didn't take chances, pulling his gun and sealing the portal to the party. No one would be able to come in or out for some time now. He kept his weapon drawn, stalking down the hallway and looking for any sign of his partner.

A low chuckle sounded from in front of him and he knew it wasn't Sara.

"Clever, I have to admit. I didn't think anyone would pull something so simple." Savage's voice wasn't the cultured tone Leonard'd heard just moments ago, but a darker, more sinister snarl. He tightened his grip on his cold gun and sped up.

Sara didn't respond, but Leonard heard the sounds of a fight, low thuds and a muffled groan as a punch found it's mark. But he couldn't tell who was winning.

Rounding the corner, Leonard stilled on the spot.

Sara was fighting as he'd hadn't seen her move since the night of the Diamond Center. Every step she took was lethal, every blow a killing strike. If just one landed where it should, Savage would be dead. But the man moved like someone who was used to fighting for his life, dancing back and striking out with bare hands, rarely landing a hit, but still holding his own.

Savage laughed as Sara finally managed to score a line down his ribs, not deep enough to do much more than draw blood. She refused to fall back and Savage grabbed her wrist, hauling her in close.

"Oh, assassin," Savage hissed. "Trying again, are you?"

She twisted free and stepped back, trying to gain distance, but he followed. Sara lunged forward, her blade slicing through the air where he had been, close, but not close enough. Leonard aimed his gun, but couldn't fire, not when they were so entwined.

His movement drew Savage's attention, "And the criminal. Are you back to try to kill me again, Mr. Snart?"

Leonard frowned; what the hell did that mean? And how did he know his name?

Savage's smile grew wickedly pleased at Leonard's confusion, "Oh...don't tell me, assassin. He doesn't know yet? You went back that far?" He dodged another of Sara's movements, still grinning. "Why not bring your Mr. Snart from the future, unless…" Savage's glee was anything but humorous. "Oh, did you lose him? How tragic."

Sara snarled, "Shut up!" She went after him, but even Leonard could see that she was too angry now - caution and reason abandoned, she attacked without thought and Savage reached for his belt, out of her sight.

Leonard saw a blade and reacted. Running in, he grabbed Sara's arm and hauled her back, out of Savage's reach, firing his gun. Savage dodged, but Leonard's move forced him back. He and Sara stumbled back and Savage took the opportunity to run, heading towards the stairwell.

"No!" Sara screamed, fighting against Leonard's grip. "He's getting away!"

"He'll kill you!" He didn't step back as she turned on him, her eyes wild.

"I don't care!" She shoved him off and tried to run towards the stairs.

Leonard grabbed her hand, the momentum spinning her towards him, "I do!"

He held her eyes with his, seeing her realize the depth of his words. Silently, Leonard begged her to let go of the man she had lost and see him, instead.

Her eyes filled and she pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry." She moved past him, her hands gripping her knives.

"Is he really worth your life?" Leonard snapped after her, not talking about Savage.

"Yes." She didn't even think about it. She didn't hesitate at all. Didn't even consider him, not for one second. Her eyes were glimmering, pleading with him to understand.

He did. Of course he did. How could he compete with the man who'd given everything for her? How could he even begin to compare?

How could he be the man someone like Sara could fall in love with?

Leonard should have walked away. Left her to handle it on her own. That's what he would have done, weeks ago.

Instead, he tightened his grip on his gun and stalked past her. "Let's go."

She didn't love him, that was fine. But he wasn't going to let her die, either. Whether or not that made him an idiot, he wasn't sure he even cared anymore.