Author's Note: This has become the longest story in this series. There will be one more chapter after this.
Until then, enjoy
Gideon lay exhausted on the bed in the infirmary, everyone had been chased by Dr Elgin leaving only her and Rip in the room. She was watching Rip as he held the baby, gently cooing to the fussing little boy. He was such a natural father.
"It's okay," Rip murmured softly, as he placed the child back into the crib, "That's a good boy. You're fine, you're safe."
"Rip?" Gideon asked softly.
"He's sleeping now," Rip assured her before moving to her side, "Just like you should be."
She looked up at him hopefully, "Stay with me until I sleep?"
"Of course," he breathed.
He rested on the bed allowing Gideon to curl up against him, her head tucked against his shoulder as one arm wrapped around his waist. Rip held her tightly, slowly rubbing circles on her back as Gideon clung to him. She knew she was safe in the DEO, she knew that the child was safe here in the DEO but only felt it in her Captain's arms.
Her breathing deepened as she slipped into a restful sleep, only aware of Rip holding her close.
x
Sara stood outside the infirmary watching the couple inside the small room. Before she was spotted Sara slipped away and began to wander the parts of the DEO she was allowed in. She had tried a few times to see where else she could go but the security was extremely tight. After a while she found Ava sitting in the commissary drinking coffee and eating a slice of chocolate cake.
"Something bothering you?" Sara asked at the thoughtful look covering the other woman's face.
Ava nodded, "I've been thinking what to do about Rip."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm deciding if I tell the board he's here or not," Ava explained.
Folding her arms, Sara asked, "And have you made your decision?"
Ava nodded decisively, "I'm going to tell them. They can choose what they want to do about it. I will need you to confirm everything for me."
Sara stared at her for several minutes, thinking back over the past few days she shook her head, "No."
"No?"
"As far as I'm concerned," Sara stated, "Rip Hunter is dead. He died a year ago when the Gnarls attacked. The man we met here may look like him but," she shrugged, "No idea who he is."
"Sara…"
"Ava," she cut her off, "What is the point of telling them he's here? He has no intention of ever returning to our Earth, he doesn't want to, so what is the point of stirring up trouble when there doesn't have to be any? You heard Alex, he's one of her people. This could make any relations with this Earth tense and if we have to do something like this again, they might not be so accommodating."
Frowning Ava noted, "Sara, even if I agree Agent Lowell saw him here. He will make the report himself."
"The order him not to," Sara shrugged, "Or there are ways to make sure he doesn't remember. You've got the pills or memory flashy thing."
Ava grimaced slightly.
"Let's just leave them in peace."
Rip gently eased himself out from beneath Gideon who was now sleeping peacefully. Resting her on the bed, Rip covered her with the blanket ensuring she was warm enough, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Before he left the room, Rip looked down into the crib where the little boy lay sleeping as well. Although the link between him and Gideon was now gone, he could still sense the child and his contentment at that moment.
With a soft smile Rip placed a gentle kiss on the boy's head as well before leaving them both to rest.
Heading down to J'Onn's office, Rip found Eve in there talking with J'Onn and Alex.
"How's Gideon?" Alex asked the instant he entered the room.
Rip smiled slightly, "She's resting but she and the baby are going to be fine."
"We were just thanking Miss Baxter…Captain Baxter?" J'Onn turned to the woman in question.
"Need a ship to be a Captain," Eve gave a small shrug, "And Eve is fine."
J'Onn nodded, "Of course."
Rip moved to her, "I want to add my thanks, Eve. Without you and Gilbert, we wouldn't have been able to rescue Gideon and the baby."
"Of course, Captain Hunter," Gilbert spoke up.
"Once Mr Ramon and Mr Schott have finished talking," J'Onn rolled his eyes, "Then he will take you back to your own Earth along with the others."
Eve tilted her head thoughtfully, looking up at Rip, "What if I don't want to go back?"
"What?" Rip asked.
"I have no family there, other than Gilbert," Eve reminded him, "While in this world is the only other person left who understands my past. Gilbert's sister is also here."
Rip stared at her in amazement, "That would be…" he looked over at J'Onn and Alex, "Eve is an incredible tactician, not to mention a fully competent Time Master with the same training I had. She would be an asset to the DEO."
Eve smiled at him, "He's right."
J'Onn nodded, "I will discuss this with Agent Danvers and get back to you with an answer before the team from the other Earth leaves."
x
Eve sat in the small office/lab that Rip led her to waiting for him to say something.
"Are you sure about this?" he finally asked.
Eve shrugged, "As I said, there is nothing on the other Earth to go back to. I teach languages to students who quite frankly I'm amazed can speak one language never mind trying to learn a second. Gilbert is bored helping me write lesson plans. Here he can fulfil his purpose once more. And I know he wants to be with his sister."
Rip nodded in understanding.
"Not to mention," Eve smiled, "I know how serious the mission was, but I haven't felt that alive in so long. I haven't felt that adrenaline rush for years now. I can understand why you couldn't sit still after the Time Masters were gone. From the looks of things though you don't do it anymore."
He dropped his eyes, studying the piece of paper sitting on the desk. Rip sat in silence for several minutes before he looked up at Eve again, "I am well aware how lucky we were to be found by the DEO, and I was more than grateful that they had looked after Gideon, that they were giving me a safe place…"
"But?"
Rip sighed, "That responsibility is too much, Eve, I couldn't do it anymore. Hell, I could barely function with people until recently."
Reaching out Eve rested her hand on his, "I understand why you don't want to do it anymore," she told him, "You sacrificed everything to protect time, Rip. You let those idiots take what was most important to you to stop a threat no one would acknowledge, then thinking she was dead for so long, I know what that would do to me."
A slight smile touched his lips, "Don't let me drink it."
"You don't need me for that anymore," Eve smiled back, "You have a family again, you have Gideon."
"But I hope you can stay."
"Me too."
Rip nodded, "Gideon is going to be staying here for a few days, so I need to go get some of her things from the apartment. Feel like a walk?"
"Sure."
Awake once more, Gideon sat in the bed patiently waiting for Elgin to finish her tests.
"Well, your body has returned to it's normal temperature," Elgin told her, "And everything looks good. I'm keeping you here for a few days though just to err on the side of caution. Rip is getting everything you need."
"Of course, Doctor," Gideon nodded, before asking, "What about the baby?"
Elgin smiled, "He is perfect. A completely healthy baby boy. Do you want to hold him?"
Gideon hesitated for a moment, not sure it was a good idea to bond with the child, before she nodded. They were already bonded. Elgin lifted the child and smiled down at him, resting him in Gideon's waiting arms.
"I'll leave you two for the moment," Elgin smiled at her, "I'll be back in a bit with some food for him."
The warm bundle in her arms pulled her attention away from the woman leaving the room and Gideon smiled down at him. He was so tiny and perfect. After a moment she realised that there was someone else in the room and looked up to see the woman standing there.
"Hello, Miss Lance," Gideon greeted her, "Please come in."
Sara moved closer, taking the seat at the side of the bed, "How are you?"
"I'm well," Gideon smiled, "Thank you for helping."
"I wanted to apologise," Sara continued, "I had no right to judge your relationship with Rip."
Gideon nodded, "You're right, you didn't. Rip and I have been connected for a long time, but our relationship only deepened very recently when I decided it should happen. He has lost so much and if anyone tries to take away the place he has made for himself here…"
"I'm not letting anyone do that," Sara assured, "We won't tell anyone that's he's here. I promise."
"Then I accept your apology," Gideon replied before adding, "And I will hold you to that promise."
x
Sara took a quick breath before she knocked on the door. She'd left Gideon to feed the baby and decided talk to Rip.
"What can I do for you, Sara?" he asked without looking up from his screen.
"I thought I would come and see you before we leave," Sara took the seat across from him.
Rip looked up, leaning back he folded his arms across his chest, "You've seen me. You can go."
"I see you still have that stick up your ass," Sara retorted, "Along with the superiority complex. Makes me wonder how you made friends here."
"Well I can be persuasive," Rip threw her own words at her, "But I only ever care about my agenda no matter who I hurt. Isn't that right? They can't trust me."
Sara winced before retorting, "Considering everything that happened, Rip. All your lies and manipulations. You should understand why I don't trust you."
"Because you're such a beacon of all that is good and pure," he stated coldly, "You do nothing but tell the truth and you know everything about time travel."
"We do our best," Sara stated.
Rip shook his head, "If you listened, and actually learned what you were doing, you could do so much better."
"You mean if we let you lead us?"
"Do you think I wanted to lead anyone?" Rip demanded incredulously, "That's not how I was trained, Sara. Time Masters always worked alone. When I recruited you all, I was grieving. If I was thinking straight, I would have done it differently."
"What about the Time Bureau?"
Rip stared at her, "I destroyed the Time Masters. It was my responsibility to find something to fill that gap. Unfortunately, I again trusted the wrong people."
Sara's lips firmed in annoyance, "I was trying to leave here on good terms, Rip but I guess that isn't possible." She stood and started out, stopping Sara turned back and stated, "I have persuaded Ava not to let the board know you're here. Mostly because it's better you're thought of as dead and you can't taint anything else for us."
x
"Wow."
Rip looked up finding Alex standing in his doorway amusement covering her face.
"I thought for a minute I would have to separate you two," Alex noted as she grabbed the spare seat, "Did you ever work together without fighting?"
"Are you here for a reason, Alex?" Rip demanded annoyed.
She shook her head that he avoided the subject before continuing, "Just thought I'd let you know that Winn and Cisco have finally finished talking and are getting ready to head back."
"Good."
Alex chuckled softly before adding, "J'Onn has agreed that Eve Baxter can stay."
Rip smiled genuinely, "That's fantastic."
"Cisco has agreed to take her back so she can get all the things she wants and return in a few days," Alex continued, she stopped and took a breath.
Rip frowned at the change, "What else?"
She sighed sadly, "J'Onn has also contacted the Blazners, they'll be here in a few hours to collect the baby."
Sadness filled his eyes and Rip stood, "Then I'll be with Gideon and child until they get here."