Rip stared at the screen in front of him where his own face stared back at him, trying to make sense of everything.
He knew this place.
It had felt familiar from the moment he'd stepped inside, the technology felt like it was something he was comfortable with despite the fact he shouldn't know it.
"Oh no," the voice coming from behind him made Rip turn to where his boss stood staring at the screen.
"Did you know about this?" Rip demanded coldly, trying desperately to hold himself together.
She held up her hands, "Michael…"
"Did you?" Rip yelled.
Tina sighed before she nodded, and he shook his head angrily.
"I quit," he snapped stalking out and headed as fast as he could to his car. He headed straight back to the apartment, despite the fact he desperately wanted to buy several bottles of scotch and drink until he blacked out.
His head was pounding, and he bounced around the apartment unable to sit as the message he saw kept going around his brain.
I chose to leave everything behind, including someone I cared for a great deal, to keep Jonas safe.
Rip wished he could talk to the man who had made the message, to understand why he would remove his own memories. Surely having his memories would be the best way to protect Jonas from whatever placed him in danger?
His phone rang and Rip grimaced seeing who was calling. Shaking his head, he refused to answer. Tina could call as much as she wanted but right now he couldn't talk to her.
Checking the time, Rip was relieved that Ali was picking up Jonas tonight and the girls were taking him swimming then for dinner since Rip was supposed to be working late. It would give him some time alone to sort out his head and decide what to do next.
x
Tina frowned when she knocked for the third time with no answer turning to her companions, "He's not answering."
Cisco sighed, "Can you blame him?"
"We need his help," Joe reminded them, "Without him…"
"I know," Tina replied, "But what are you going to do, break down his door?"
At that Cisco smiled, an idea hitting him.
"You're not…" Joe started with a frown.
Cisco rolled his eyes, "Of course not but I can open a breach inside the apartment."
Tina winced, "Is that a good idea?"
"I doubt it," Cisco shrugged, "If his memories have returned he can possibly kick our asses, but we have no other way to get the Legends back. I tried to pick up where he left off and still can't get Gideon online. He's our only shot right now."
Joe grimaced before nodding, "Alright. Let's scare the hell out of the poor guy even more than we already have."
Cisco took a breath and opened a breach directly into the apartment leading them through.
"What the…" Rip yelled grabbing a knife from the counter when the three of them appeared from nowhere in his kitchen.
"Michael," Tina held her hands up, "I'm sorry about this but we need you to hear us out."
Rip stared at her, his hand gripping the knife tightly anger and fear in his eyes.
"How many times have I seen that message before today?" Rip asked.
Cisco sighed, "Just once. When you collapsed and ended up in hospital it was because your memories were resurfacing. You came to us and I showed you it."
"Then I chose to forget again," Rip demanded, "Didn't I?"
Cisco nodded.
"So why would I do anything now to put my son in danger?" Rip snarled at him.
Joe stepped forward, "I understand, Michael I do but my son is missing. My boy is in danger and we need what you've been working on to be fixed. I am asking for your help to find him."
Rip slowly released his hold on the knife and placed it back on the counter, "No," he said softly, walking out of the kitchen to the front door and opened it, "I'm sorry, Detective West. I truly am but I can't do anything that will put Jonas in danger."
Cisco frowned, "Rip…"
Joe caught Cisco's shoulder before he could say anything else and started him out, "I understand."
x
"What do we do now?" Cisco asked when he breached them back to the lab, "We now have a half-fixed ship and the only person who can actually fully fix it is completely freaked out."
Joe sighed taking seat, "I don't know."
"Michael managed to get a part of the systems working," Tina reminded them, "He was able to see the message after all. Could Mr Jefferson be able to pick it up from here?"
Cisco mused on this, "It's possible. No idea how to explain to him how we got it partly fixed though."
Joe shrugged.
"We don't," Tina replied, "Just tell him you managed it and that you can't tell him how."
"It's the best idea we've got," Cisco conceded, he rubbed his hand across his eyes, "Okay, it's getting late so Joe go home and see your girls. Tina, I will keep you up to date with how things go."
"And I will let you know if Michael comes into work tomorrow," Tina replied, resting her hand on the young man's shoulder, "Get some rest yourself, Cisco."
When she left the lab Cisco turned to Joe, "I'm sorry. I never should have brought him in to fix the ship. It was a bad idea. Letting him see the engines was even worse."
Joe shook his head, "You're trying to save your friends, Cisco. To save Wally for me. No one can blame you for that."
Jonas threw himself at Rip the moment he opened the door.
"Hey," Rip greeted his son hugging him tightly, "Did you have fun?"
The little boy nodded with a huge grin on his face, "I went on the slide a lot."
Rip laughed, "Good," he kissed the boy's head putting him down, "Go put your swimming things in the kitchen then your bag in your room."
Grabbing his backpack Jonas headed to do as he was told while Rip turned to Ali and Katrina, "Thank you for taking him tonight."
"No problem," Katrina said, "You know that."
"How is the top-secret project going?" Ali asked, frowning worriedly at his grimace, "What's wrong?"
Rip shook his head, "It's nothing. Just a bad day today."
"Well if you need anything just let us know," Ali squeezed his arm.
"Thanks," he breathed.
Katrina smiled patting his other arm before turning to leave.
"Hey," Rip stopped them, "You know I appreciate all you do to help me, don't you?"
The two women nodded.
"Of course we do," Katrina told him worriedly, "Are you sure you're alright?"
Rip nodded, "I have a slight headache after work today. I just need some sleep."
Ali stepped forward wrapping an arm around him in a tight hug, Katrina following suit a few seconds later. Rip felt his throat tighten and eyes burn as the two women he had come to love as sisters held him close.
"If you need us," Katrina said softly when they let him go.
Rip nodded, "I will call."
x
He wanted to sleep. Rip felt exhausted deep in his bones, but he couldn't drop off because his mind would not stop. Every word from the video he had watched earlier was burned into his brain and it repeated on a loop every time Rip closed his eyes.
The man on the message wasn't him, Rip reminded himself, it wasn't him except he had been at one point and Rip had no idea how to process that.
Throwing back the covers Rip got out of bed, there was no way he was getting any sleep tonight and it wasn't like he had a job to go to in the morning since he'd quit. Heading into the kitchen to make some tea Rip stared at his reflection in the window.
"Who are you?" he breathed, "What would make you change your memories?"
Closing his eyes Rip thought back to the message and the words that were haunting him.
I chose to leave everything behind, including someone I cared for a great deal, to keep Jonas safe.
Heading to his little boy's bedroom Rip knelt beside Jonas, watching his little boy sleep with his favourite teddy bear held tightly against him as he dreamed good dreams. Resting his hand on his son's head Rip gently stroked his hair.
Tears pricked at his eyes, how could he do something that could put Jonas in danger? But by not helping he could be dooming Detective West to lose his own son. A part of him, somewhere deep inside knew that pain, knew the ice-cold emptiness that came from having your child die.
Shakily Rip pressed a kiss to his son's forehead, "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm sorry because I don't know what to do and I should. I should know what to do."
"Daddy?" Jonas mumbled.
"Go back to sleep," Rip whispered.
Jonas frowned slightly, "Why are you crying? Are you hurt, Daddy?"
Wiping his cheeks Rip shook his head, "I just have something in my eye."
"Do you need a hug?" Jonas asked.
Rip smiled with a soft sigh, "I would love one."
Opening his arms Jonas gave Rip a tight hug before kissing his cheek, "There you go, Daddy. Do you feel better?"
"Your hugs always make me feel better," Rip told him, "Now, go back to sleep."
With a smile Jonas snuggled down again and went back to sleep with a sigh. Rip tucked the little boy in before leaving the room feeling slightly surer of what he had to do.
Jax frowned at the systems before him, "How did you do this?"
Cisco stood with his arms crossed looking as innocent as possible, "Just kept plugging at it."
"Really?" suspicion filled Jax's voice, "And you've got the power back, as well as part of the back-up systems."
"I don't know what to tell you," Cisco told him, "I've just been working on it since you were here and…I got it up and running."
Jax continued to stare at him doubtfully but turned back to the systems, "Let me see if I can pickup where you…" he frowned at Cisco before finishing, "Left off."
Cisco gave a smile and nod before he stepped back letting Jax work while he tapped away on his tablet. He'd managed to remove Rip's message to himself so Jax wouldn't stumble across that as well. It had already caused enough problems that they didn't need anymore.
He felt guilty that they'd brought Rip into fix the Waverider, Cisco also knew that Gideon would probably find some way to flay him for doing so once they got her up and running again.
Hearing a clang, a fizzle then a cry of pain Cisco looked up finding Jax with his hand held under his arm swearing softly.
"Problem?" Cisco asked.
"Yeah," Jax forced out painfully, "I don't think I should have done that."
"You didn't disconnect the power relays," a familiar voice came from behind them and Cisco saw Jax's eyes widen.
"Rip?"
Cisco winced at the astonished look in Jax's eyes but he didn't get a chance to say anything as Jax moved towards the other man.
"Rip?" Jax gasped again.
The man in question frowned slightly, "I'm guessing I'm supposed to know who you are but I don't. And I don't care. Mr Ramon, I am here to finish what I started so that Detective West can try to save his son and then I am done."
Jax opened his mouth to speak again but Cisco stopped him.
"Thank you, Michael," Cisco told him sincerely, "We'll get out of your way."
Before Jax could say another word Cisco yanked him out of the room, he looked back at Rip who was gently sliding his hands across the console.
They had a chance to save the others again.