Amy watched her brother-in-law tuck his son into the bed hastily brought into the room where the twins were already sleeping. Jonas was very shy, especially with all the new people surrounding him, but had been so good with the twins. Instantly taking to his cousins, playing, and reading to them the boys loved him. There was a connection between the three of them.

Rip spoke softly to Jonas, stroking his hair as the boy's eyes closed. Amy knew how gentle her brother-in-law was with her two boys but seeing him with his own son showed how good a father he was. It was clear that Jonas was everything to Rip but Amy loved seeing that Rip was Jonas' hero.

Checking her own sons, sleeping side by side in their bed hands just touching, Amy pressed a quick kiss to each of their foreheads.

Assured Jonas was sleeping, Rip quietly left the room with Amy who held up the baby monitor.

"We'll hear if any of them wake up," she told him, "Time for the full story."

Rip nodded, "Exactly what I was thinking, and I think you have the beginning of it."

With a hold on the baby monitor, Amy led him to where Kate, Osgood and Brian were waiting for them.

x

Rip accepted a mug of tea and waited for Kate to tell him what was going on. As the leader of UNIT told the story of what had happened recently that meant the world believed Rory had murdered Amy, Rip felt anger fill him. Kate continued with the information they had found on similar cases from around the world and in different times.

He wanted to comfort Amy, but right now his rage was stopping him. It was a coincidence, just a simple coincidence they had taken Rory.

Because he was a good man.

"Rip," Amy gently touched his arm, "Deep breath."

Turning to her, Rip nodded amazed by how calm she was when he knew she had to be holding on by the skin of her teeth.

"What about the Doctor?" Rip asked.

Amy shook her head, "We can't get a hold of him. I've tried, Brian has tried and so has Kate but so far he's either ignoring our calls or hasn't got them."

Rip mused before wincing, "I may have an idea."

"I'm guessing it has to do with where you yourself has been for the past few weeks," Kate noted.

Rip nodded, "I received a call from Eve Baxter, she was also a Time Master Captain and we have kept in touch. She told me there was something I needed to know but we needed to meet in person. We set up a meeting but as Gideon and I were on our way there, the Waverider was hit by an energy wave. It threw us out of the timestream, and we crashed on an empty planet. I've spent the past few weeks repairing the ship."

"Which explains why we haven't been able to contact you," Amy sighed.

Rip nodded, "It's possible the same thing happened to the Doctor. If I had the Waverider Gideon could possibly find a way to trace him, but I don't at the moment."

"Where is Gideon?" Amy asked.

"The Vanishing Point," Rip grimaced, "The Time Masters have returned under a man called Bartholomew Arden. He was Druce's protégé. I know now that it was the Oculus reconnecting to the Vanishing Point. They stumbled across us on the planet we had crashed on. As we were still repairing everything after the crash, I had no way to get the ship away so had to let them take it, which allowed me onboard where I could steal a time drive and some other components."

"I'm guessing that didn't go the way you hoped," Osgood spoke up.

Rip shook his head, "I ran into the new administration," he took a deep breath and grimaced, "Arden decided to go full supervillain and monologue at me. During which he brought Rory out."

He spotted Amy grab Brian's hand.

"Time Masters have a brainwashing technique they used to create their bounty hunters and on some of their prisoners," Rip stated softly, "It was not a pleasant experience, and it appears they are trying a new technique. Which is why they've chosen people like Rory."

"So, he wasn't chosen because he's your brother?" Kate asked surprised.

Rip shook his head, "I think they found that out at a later stage, but Arden was not above using him. Except they have no idea I knew I had a brother."

"Is he okay?" Amy whispered.

"He is as well as he can be," Rip replied, "He's under their control, mostly."

"Mostly?" they all asked.

Rip nodded, "The Centurion is in there. I don't know how much control that part of Rory has but he told me to get out to make sure Dad and the boys were safe."

"What do we do?" Amy asked, "Because I am not leaving my Rory with those people."

Rip mused for a moment, "I am sure I can get into the Vanishing Point without being detected but the problem becomes how to rescue Rory, then get the Waverider and Gideon out of there without getting caught. Especially as they know I have the ability to access the place with the Time Courier."

Kate started, "Well, I can…"

"No," Rip cut her off, "We can't let UNIT be involved too much. You have a place in history that I can't jeopardise. Besides I want the children to remain here, and it has to be a safe place, so they can't know I'm working with you. I do have another idea which doesn't thrill me."

"Which is?" Kate asked.

Rip grimaced slightly, "The Time Bureau."

"Will they help?" Amy asked.

Rip shrugged, "They owe me, but I'm not sure."

Amy's eyes darkened, "We ask and make sure they don't say no."

Rip was nervous about talking to the Time Bureau. Despite the fact he had worked with them on occasion since they had resolved their differences, it was never comfortable.

What was worse was leaving Jonas. His son was scared after everything that had happened and although Brian was family to Rip now, Jonas barely knew the man.

Heading to the family room he couldn't stop a smile seeing Jonas reading his book, separate from the others in the room, but he was there. His little boy was alive and safe once more.

"Hey, Little Man," Rip said as he sat beside him, "How are you doing?"

Jonas put his book down and leaned into his father, "I'm okay, Daddy."

"I know this is strange," Rip told him, hugging Jonas close, "But I promise you're safe with everyone here. And you now have a grandfather as well as two little cousins."

"You're going away again," Jonas said, sadness and disappointment filling his voice, "Aren't you?"

Rip winced guiltily, "I don't want to. But my brother is in danger, and I need to get Gideon back. Once that's done, then I will never leave you again."

Jonas held onto him tighter.

"Jonas," Rip moved his son back slightly, "Can I trust you to help look after your little cousins?"

Slowly Jonas nodded, still looking unsure.

Rip stroked his son's cheek, "Talk to me, Little Man."

"What if the bad men come back?" Jonas whispered.

"You're safe here in UNIT," Rip assured him before knowing Jonas would need something more to make him feel secure. Thinking quickly Rip moved Jonas to the small table in the room and fished a few things out of his pocket.

"Okay," Rip pulled out his tool kit and quickly pulled together what he hoped would help, "I am going to give you this. It's a shield. If someone bad comes then you get in a safe place with BJ and Michael. Press the button here and it will not only protect you and your cousins but also hide you from sight. Okay? Just in case."

Jonas threw himself at Rip and hugged him tightly.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Rip promised, "You will meet your uncle and Gideon will be so happy to see you."

Jonas nodded against his shoulder.

"I love you, Little Man," Rip held his son tightly gently rubbing his son's back comfortingly.

"Love you too, Daddy," Jonas murmured.

After several minutes Jonas pulled away and went over to sit with his cousins, who instantly began to crawl over to play with him. Jonas smiled and started bouncing toys making them laugh.

"He'll be fine," Brian spoke up making Rip turn to his own father.

Rip nodded.

"I know how you feel right now," Brian reminded him, "That joy, amazement, worry and guilt," he rested his hand on Rip's cheek, "I felt it all when I found you again."

Rip closed his eyes for a moment before allowing his father to hug him.

"I will look after him," Brian promised, "You don't have to worry, Michael."

x

Kate turned as Rip walked into her office, "We have a problem."

"Another one?" Rip sighed.

"There is no answer from the Time Bureau," Kate told him, "I have tried Director Bennett several times."

Rip frowned in thought, "I know Bennett has been out for the past month after surgery on his knee, but Agent Sharpe was supposed to be taking most of the workload. Someone at the office should be there."

"I have tried every contact we have," Kate told him, "There is no answer."

Concern filled Rip and he hoped he was wrong but after everything else he doubted he was.

"I'm going to head there and check out what's going on," Rip told her, "Can you have a team ready in case they're not just having communication problems?"

Kate nodded, "Already standing by. Do you think the Time Masters have something to do with this?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense," Rip grimaced, "I just hope I'm wrong."

"As do I," Kate murmured, she tapped her tablet a few times, "The shields are down, and you can use your portal."

Rip set the co-ordinates on the Courier and opened the portal to a spot in the gardens just outside the offices. He found this was the best place to arrive as it was out of the way, and he didn't just appear on people. Walking towards the Time Bureau offices, Rip felt a prickle go along his spine and pulled his pistol out. Reaching the doors, he was about to scan in when he noticed the door was sitting open.

Horror filled him as he stepped inside, and he saw bodies dressed in the blue suit of the Bureau lying in the corridor.

"Oh no," he breathed.

Reaching the first body, Rip checked for a pulse finding none. Despite how quiet it was there was no guarantee whoever had attacked was gone, so Rip continued towards the Director's office. He couldn't call in UNIT until he was sure it was safe to do so, and he wished he could get Gideon to connect with the main computer system, so he knew what he was walking into.

One good thing was that he knew the layout of the Time Bureau just as well as he knew the Waverider and the Vanishing Point, he'd designed it after all. He took the stairs, hating that he kept finding bodies but knew he couldn't stop until he was able to check the building from the Director's Office.

When he reached the Director's level, Rip eased out the stairwell almost tripping over a familiar blonde who was lying unconscious trapped under a bookcase.

"Sara," he dropped down beside her, pushing her hair back from her neck to check for a pulse. Relief filled him when he found one and he moved the bookcase off her, "Sara, wake up."

A soft moan came from her as she stirred.

"That's it," Rip encouraged, "Open your eyes."

"Rip?"

Nodding he helped her up, "What happened here?"

"It was a blitz attack," she breathed, "The ship landed after a training mission and the moment the cargo bay doors opened, they came out shooting. We tried to fight…" she sighed, and Rip had to catch her to make sure she didn't fall over, "Why are you here?"

"I was here for some assistance," Rip grimaced, "But that can wait. We need to get to Bennett's office so I can check the building is clear before we get help."

Sara nodded and gripped his arm to keep herself moving as they eased carefully through the corridors. Reaching the Director's Office, Rip quickly accessed it then helped Sara inside and to the couch.

"How did you know the code?" Sara asked as Rip took a seat at the desk.

"I have an override code," Rip replied with a shrug before reminding her, "This was my agency, Sara."

Not waiting for a reply, he accessed the system and checked the perimeter as well as all the security cameras.

Pulling out his phone, he dialled quickly, "Kate, they've been attacked. Please send medics and a team to secure the building."

"They're waiting for you to open the portal," Kate told him.

Rip connected his courier to the system and opened a large portal in the reception area, on the screen he saw the UNIT team move in.

Turning he saw Sara watching him, her eyes were a little unfocussed, but she was alive.

"You know who did this," Sara said, "Don't you?"

Rip nodded.

"Who did this?" Sara demanded.

"A few things have happened recently," Rip told her, "And I'll explain but first we need to clean up here and find the rest of the Legends."

Sara frowned that he hadn't answered her yet, "Rip…"

"The Time Masters are back," Rip said, "And this time we have to end them for good."