Red lights flickered, blinking in time with the pounding hearts of the Legend's gathered around the still body in the med-bay. Gideon had Sara heavily sedated while she ran any and all tests, searching for some way to save her Captain. Sara had been through hell, more than once and come back stronger every time. That's what her team kept telling themselves, she'd come back, she'd be alright. But as the blood pooled at their feet, staining the ends of their trousers, that small glimmer of hope was fading by the second and all they could do was wait, and pray.
"Anything yet Gideon?" Amaya broke the heavy silence, causing an involuntary jump from Zari and grunt from Mick.
"I'm doing everything I can Miss Jewel. I've placed Captain Lance in a medically induced coma until I can reverse the damage sustained on the mission." Gideon answered swiftly, her programme running endless diagnostics and scenarios and coming up short every time until finally a breakthrough presented in the worst possible way. "My systems have detected a deadly poison in Captain Lance's blood system."
"But you can fix her, right Gideon?" Ray asked the question that was on the tip of everyone's tongue.
"I'm afraid that I'm not equipped with the software needed to treat Captain Lance."
"Not equipped? What do you mean you're not equipped for this? Rip programmed you to help us, now help her goddammit!" Mick snapped, kicking the nearby metal wall violently.
"Mr. Rory, I assure you that I'm doing everything I can. But I'm afraid that as a training ship without significant upgrades I am unable to do anything more than make Captain Lance comfortable."
"No, this isn't the end for Sara! The Time Bureau, they've got to have what you need to fix her. We just need to hail them!" Zari spoke up, the other Legend's nodding weakly in agreement. "Mick, you're with me." She nodded sharply, deciding that keeping the extremely emotional man busy would be the best course of action.
"This has to work…" Amaya muttered against Nate's chest; a small area of his shirt soaked.
"I hope that Miss Tomaz is right, for Captain Lance's sake…she needs to be right and fast." Gideon's words fell on deaf ears as Sara flatlined once again, and all her team could do is watch as Gideon tried to save her.
As painful as discussing her love-life – or rather her failure of a love-life – with her siblings had been, Ava was truly glad to get everything out in the open. Well, as out in the open as things were going to get. With Daniel and Annie sworn to secrecy, Ava wasn't about to disclose her agreement with her parents any time soon, instead, she'd put on a brave face and talk about how she and Sara simply wanted different things, which in a way is the truth. Ava wanted Sara and Sara didn't. End of story. Roll credits. But there was still something that didn't quite sit right with Ava. What had suddenly caused the change between them? How could they go from wandering hands and stolen kisses to tearful goodbyes in the hallway and radio silence? The kiss. The passion that radiated from them, the way Sara held her close like she never wanted to let go...the look on Sara's face when she muttered those final words. The image wouldn't leave Ava, it plagued every spare moment. She knew that she needed to forget about Sara Lance, that the blonde would never be anything more than the egotistical captain of the Waverider, and Ava needed to live with that...somehow.
"Okay, don't kill me." Daniel's invasion was a welcomed distraction, not that Ava would ever admit that she needed one.
"That's a great way to start." She snapped slightly, turning her attention back to her computer screen and the training reports she was supposed to hand in the day previous. "What do you want Daniel?"
"Cranky much." He muttered under his breath, silently praying that his sister didn't hear him. "I come bearing gifts." He plastered his signature charming smile onto his face as he slid a folded piece of paper towards the still scowling blonde.
"What's this?" Ava didn't even bother to look down at the paper sitting a mere inch away from her fingertips.
"Haven't I taught you anything sis?" Daniel smirked as he took a seat facing his sister, ready to be showered with praise at what he thought was an amazing idea. "Everyone knows that the best way to mend a broken heart is to get under...or on top, of someone else." He winked smugly as he watched the blood begin to drain from Ava's face in embarrassment.
"What did you do?" She hissed through gritted teeth.
"I may have talked you up a bit to our waitress from lunch...she was really keen after you left." Daniel gulped, the look on Ava's face clarifying that this definitely wasn't one of his best idea's. "I didn't make any promises or anything. I just said that I'd pass on your number." He quickly held his hands up in defense, hoping that his sister would take mercy on him and spare his life.
"I don't need your help, Dan!" She huffed out as she let her face fall into her hands.
"I know...but I honestly just thought that I was helping Aves. Someone new and less serious could be a good thing." Daniel quickly jumped to his feet and lifted the small piece of paper, twiddling it between his fingers. "One call isn't going to kill you, and if you don't like the sound of her, then don't meet up. It's simple really." He gently grabbed her hand and placed the paper in her palm.
"If you ever think of doing something like this again I'l-"
"Make me disappear? Yeah, I got it." He smirked before leaning down to embrace his sister, an act they both made of point of avoiding whilst in the office, but today it was something they both craved. "I only interfere because I love you." He whispered sweetly, before breaking away.
"You should go, Hunter will have you cleaning toilets if you're late again." Ava pushed him away playfully as she wiped a stray tear from her eye.
"No late note?"
"Go." She laughed for the first time since the party, since being with Sara.
With her brother out of the room and the blonde lingering in her thoughts once again, the small piece of paper in her hand burned. She knew it wasn't the worst idea in the world but thinking and doing are two completely different things. Her phone itched in her trouser pocket, begging to be brought to life. A few seconds, that's all it would take. She'd enter the phone number, count the rings, all whilst holding her breath. The numbers on the paper smiled at her as she unfolded it for the first time. Thoughts of Sara and other women invaded her mind. She knew that the blonde was bound to have moved on already, that she was off breaking someone else's heart, probably right at this second. Before Ava could question what, she was doing, her phone was in her hand and slowly the numbers filled the screen. Her thumb hovered over the last digit – 9 – she'd come this far; she didn't want to feel like this anymore. But just as her thumb was about press down on the screen, her computer jumped to life, red lights flash and the painful alarm began to ring throughout the small office.
"Agent Green?!" Ava called out as she quickly shoved her phone and the small piece of paper into her pocket and turned her attention to the alert on her screen.
"Yes, Agent Sharpe?" The nerdy Agent stuttered, Ava's tone and volume scaring him immensely.
"Care to explain why we suddenly have a level eight in 16th century China?" The higher ranked Agent snarled at the clueless man.
"I…umm." Gary pulled out his notepad, his hands shaking in slight fear. It was no secret around the office that Ava had been in an extremely sour mood as of late, and he had been doing his best to avoid her wrath. "The last I heard was that the Legends were taking care of this one." He finally responded, internally flinching as Ava stood.
"Why am I not surprised?" She huffed. "Get my ship ready with a full crew, we've got a mess to clean up." Ava snarled as she strutted out of the office with Gary following closely behind.
The Mothership was in complete silence as the crew worked around Ava. After the orders had been barked and course set for China, Ava took her place at the main controls and snarled at anyone who dared to look at her. She wasn't surprised that the Legends had screwed up, it was second nature for them and if Ava didn't know any better, she'd think that Sara was purposely trying to screw with her.
"Agent Sharpe?" Gary whispered cautiously approaching the brooding Agent.
"What Gary?!" Ava snapped, pulling her attention away from the green sky she was happily getting lost in.
"The Waverider is hailing us…" He regrettably informed her, knowing that it would anger her even more.
"Put her on." She spoke through gritted teeth and quickly turned to face the large screen. "You've really outdone yourself this time, Captain Lance."
"We need an upgrade for Gideon." Zari appeared on screen looking alarmingly disheveled, which worried Ava slightly.
"Zari? Where is Captain Lance?" She asked, making sure not to let her professional demeanor slip.
"Can you get us software 7T5 or not?" Mick pushed past Zari, his growling anger scaring some crew members that watched from a distance and had only heard the horror tales of Mick Rory from training.
"Not until I speak to Captain Lance and find out what the hell is going on!" Ava stood her ground, her features tightening as fear began to creep up her throat.
"You can't…and if you don't help us, you never will."
"Zari...what happened? Is Sara-" She silently begged, letting her walls break down as every possible worst-case scenario played out in her mind.
"She's hurt, really bad. And without that upgrade, she's not going to make it!" Zari's voice cracked and Ava's worse fear was confirmed. "Can you bring it or not." She pressed holding back the flood of tears that threatened to escape.
"We're on our way..." Ava spoke in a defeated monotone, watching as Zari was quickly gone as soon as she got her answer. The blonde woman stood frozen, ignoring the worrisome looks from her crew that had obviously heard the rumors of her and Sara's relationship. Ava felt sick to her stomach, she had spent the entire day wishing that she wouldn't have to see the blonde again, and now she worried that it might be true.
"Agent Sharpe...what are our orders?" Gary approached his hand stretched out stopping short of actually touching his boss.
"Agent Green you take a tactical team and get clean up the Legend's mess." Ava pulled herself together, building up her walls and she walked across the main deck. "I've got a more pressing issue to deal with." She muttered under her breath as she headed towards the main control unit in search of the upgrade that could save Sara before it was too late.