Sitting in the conference room Gideon listened to the two women outside the door as she waited for them to come and give her the news she'd known for years.
"Why am I here?" Sara Lance's voice came through clearly.
"You were there with Rip before he died," Ava replied, "I haven't told his…" she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "There is a marriage certificate on file, but they always insisted they were partners not married so I'm not actually sure what they were. Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea for you to tell her why he did what he did. Give her some comfort."
There was a pause before Sara demanded, "Rip's what? You're telling me Rip was in a relationship? Rip? Really?"
"I can tell you what I know later," disapproval filled Ava's voice, "But Gigi is in there and we need to tell her what happened to Rip."
There was a pause before Sara's voice came again, "Why don't you want to do this yourself?"
"Honestly," Ava replied, "The woman scares me. There's something in the way she looks at me like she can read my mind."
Gideon looked up when the door opened standing when the two women entered the room.
"Captain Lance," Ava started, "This is…"
"Gideon?" Sara gasped staring at her.
Ava cried, "What?"
"Hello, Miss Lance," Gideon said softly.
Sara continued to stare at her while Ava looked confused.
"What do you mean, Gideon?" Ava asked finally before demanding, "You're telling me you're the AI from the Waverider? How is that possible?"
Taking a breath, she absently played with her ring explaining, "I am Gideon. Many years from now something will happen to the Waverider and I will be sent back in time in this form."
"Hold on," Ava demanded, "That means you've lived these events already."
Gideon nodded.
"You've known all these years exactly what was going to happen?" Ava continued horrified, "You could have stopped so much."
Sara nodded anger filling her voice, "You could have saved Martin. You could have saved all the agents who died when Damian Darhk was resurrected."
Rage flared in Gideon, "You are still just children playing with a toy, pretending you know what you're doing, but your ignorance is stunning. I have spent five years dreading this day. I knew it was coming from the moment I saw him again. And I knew I couldn't stop it."
The two women stared at her in stunned silence.
"I have just lost the man I love for the second time," Gideon reminded them harshly, "And you are asking why I didn't stop anything else from happening?"
"Gideon…" Sara started.
Holding up her hand Gideon stopped the other woman speaking, "You are going to listen to me and for once you are not going to ignore the advice you are being given. It is time for you to grow up, Miss Lance. Your arrogant claim that you know what you were doing because you have been lucky once or twice stops now. You call yourself Captain but that is a title you give yourself. It is still not one you have earned. It is time for you to start earning it because you and your arrogance are responsible for the deaths you just asked why I didn't stop."
Sara flinched at the harsh words but remained silent.
Taking a breath Gideon sighed softly, "Remember that although my past self is simply an AI to you, I am grieving there as well. Treat me as such." Finished she turned to leave.
"Gideon," Sara caught her arm, "I am sorry about Rip. If you need anything…" she trailed off sadly.
Without another word Gideon walked out of the Time Bureau for the final time.
x
The apartment looked strange but that was because it had been emptied of everything that had made it their home.
Gideon had started packing the morning Rip had left on his final mission. Knowing that once he was gone she wouldn't be able to live here. She was going to stay with Eve for a while, until she could even contemplate what to do now.
To her surprise they had somehow accumulated a lot of knick-knacks, little pieces of memorabilia Rip loved to collect so they would remember their days together whenever they were away from work. All of which she had packed away hoping one day in the future she could bring them out once more.
Everything, with the exception of one small bag, had already been sent on ahead to Eve's home while the boxes filled with Rip's clothes were sitting waiting to be collected for donation. She'd only kept the t-shirt he had given her to sleep in that first night, the same t-shirt she had slept in after he had escaped the Bureau's custody.
Taking a final look around the few rooms she entered the bathroom to make sure it was clear pausing when she spotted the pregnancy test, with the small pink plus sign, sitting there.
She'd waited until he left before taking the test, despite suspecting her condition for several days, knowing if she had taken it before she wouldn't have let him go.
Gideon took a shuddering breath and binned it.
It was time to leave.
"So," Eve said softly as she sat by the bed in the private room Gideon had been given, "What are you calling her? Because Baby Girl Hunter will probably get her teased."
Gideon looked down at the child in her arms, born exactly on time to the amusement of the other woman, her face serene as she slept barely a few hours old.
"Miranda Mary," Gideon replied softly, "After the other two women Rip loved. Two strong women for her to admire."
Eve smiled, "That makes sense. But it is a long name for someone so small," gently she stroked the soft cheek, "Isn't that right Mimi."
"Mimi Hunter," Gideon mused softly before looking down at her beautiful baby girl, "I like that."
Eve squeezed her arm, "I'll be back soon. The midwife said she'd be in soon to help you feed Mimi. You should rest for a bit."
Gideon nodded.
"Do you want me to put her back in her cot?" Eve offered.
"I just want to hold her," Gideon whispered.
Eve gave her an understanding smile. She'd been there for Gideon for the past seven months giving her a friend, a shoulder to cry on and being the support Gideon needed.
With a quick smile at mother and daughter, Eve left Gideon alone with her little girl.
x
"Mimi," Gideon said, trying out the name for child she held in her arms, "There is very little in which I can say I do not know what I am doing but raising you is something I have no idea how to do. I wasn't always human, my darling girl so I never experienced the things you will. I will make mistakes, a lot of them I'm sure, but I promise you that I will always do my best."
Looking down at the warm bundle she held in her arms Gideon could clearly see the man she loved in her daughter's features.
"Your father was the best man I have ever known," Gideon continued, "He was such a wonderful father to Jonas, he was your older brother, and I know if Rip were here he would do everything for you. I wish he could have known about you and I wish you could get to know him, but I will tell you everything about him. Even the things he would not want you to know because it would make him embarrassed."
Mimi snuffled in her sleep making Gideon smile once more. Shifting slightly Gideon felt the ring that she wore on a chain around her neck, and had done so for the past few months, unable to wear it on her finger while pregnant. The imprint of his love for her had been what gave her strength for the past few months and would continue to each day that passed as she raised their daughter.
"I can't promise much," Gideon sighed, closing her eyes, "But I promise Rip, she will know you. Mimi will know the wonderful man that I loved and what you did to protect everyone."
Gently rocking the baby who was beginning to fuss, Gideon whispered, "Thank you for giving her to me."
