Sara was deafened by the scream that sounded when Lee got shot and fell to the floor. Then she realized it had come out of her mouth, that the angst and fear and agony she'd heard in that scream was hers. Lee's father wore a stone cold expression as he turned to her, and she did not hesitate to unload her pistol into him. He went down hard, not getting back up, and she stood there shaking and crying until Gil made her shriek by grabbing her arms.

"What's going on?!" he shouted. "Who is that?!" Then he looked at the man properly. "Oh, hang on...!"

"Lee!" Sara cried, falling to her knees next to him and grabbing his coat. He was wheezing and looking ready to pass out. She was sick at the sight of all the blood coming out of him. She pulled off her coat and crammed it into the wound, getting blood on her white tank top in the process. Lee grabbed her arm just above her elbow.

"Sara," he managed to say.

"You're going to be fine," she said strongly, putting her other hand on his face while keeping pressure on the wound with her other. Gil was shouting into his phone for an ambulance. Sara barely heard him. She just heard her own heart pounding in her ears as she held Lee's gaze. She felt a bit surprised to see that he did not look scared, just sad.

"Just hang on," she said to him. "Okay? Hang on. Please." He swallowed and made a sound in his throat. She bent to press her head against his, tears slipping out and down her cheeks. "I love you, Lee. Please don't leave me." She felt his hand squeeze her arm, and then she could hear shouts from Gil at the medics who finally arrived. From what she heard, they had been close to the area. Lucky them.

"Miss, you gotta step back," one said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Sara pressed her lips into the side of Lee's temple before she got pulled away. She stood wringing her hands while the medics set to work. Gil stood beside her looking stressed. He'd explained who he was and advised that Lee was working under MI6 currently on a job. Gil took Lee's gun and holster when it was removed.

"I'm sorry I can't go with you to the hospital," he told Sara now. "I have to stay and handle this..."

"It's fine," she cut him off. The medics were rolling the stretcher to the ambulance now, and she began to follow them. Neither medic said a word when she climbed into the back with Lee and the second medic. She took his hand in hers, barely feeling a pulse and experiencing high anxiety.

"I have to remove this," the medic said, gesturing to Lee's St. Christopher medal.

"I'll take it," she said. She put it around her neck and tucked it under her shirt. She took Lee's cell phone next when it was handed to her. She saw that Barney had been texting Lee like crazy, so she responded and told him what was happening. He advised he was coming as fast as he could.

Sara was ushered to the waiting room once they arrived at the hospital room, and she sank down into a chair, not caring that she was covered in blood and crying. After reassuring staff that she was not hurt, that it wasn't her blood, she was left alone. She sat with her head in her hands and prayed hard that Lee would be spared. She had no idea what she'd do without him, and she didn't want to find out.

...

Barney was half walking, half running a bit ahead of Caesar when he finally got to the hospital where Lee was. Toll and Gunner were going to meet with them as soon as they could, but Barney just wanted to see that his friend was okay.

"Whoa," Caesar said, narrowly missing the person flying through the hospital doors. "This place is crazy."

"Where is he?" Barney asked the first nurse he saw.

"Where is who?"

"Lee Christmas."

"You'll have to ask the front desk."

"I'm asking you..."

"And I'm telling you to ask the front desk," the nurse said grouchily. He growled in his throat and pushed past her, heading for the so called front desk. He got more grief from the lady there about waiting in line and privacy until he lost his shit and someone finally told him where Lee was.

That someone was Sara.

"Barney," she said, getting his attention from the chair against the wall in the hallway. She looked terrible, and he cringed at the sight of how much blood was on her. He knew it was Lee's.

"Where is he?"

"Still in surgery."

"How bad?" he asked despite all the blood giving a pretty good answer.

"Bad enough," she replied.

"Damn," Caesar said, looking a bit upset. "What happened?"

"His father shot him," Sara answered, and Barney stared at her.

"Come again?" he asked.

"His father had the bomb," she stated. "He hid it in the same building Lee's mother died, and he shot Lee, so I shot him."

"Is he...?" Caesar asked, trailing off.

"Dead," she confirmed. Barney didn't have to ask to know that she'd been the one to do it. She still looked shaken up after killing someone, even after all this time. He sat down next to her while Caesar sat on her other side. Neither of them knew what to say.

"The bomb?" Barney finally asked, needing to know.

"Gil and MI6 have it."

"Good."

Sara was both looking and not looking at him. He couldn't explain it. She was in shock, he knew. It was hard to see the ones you cared about get badly hurt.

Or killed.

Barney sank down into the chair next to her and refused to think that they'd lose Lee today. He was a tough S.O.B., and he wouldn't go down without fighting. Caesar remained standing, trying to find something to do with his hands. He ended up shoving them into his pockets and leaned against the wall, watching the bustle of the emergency room across from them.

Barney felt a bit startled when a hand grabbed his, and he saw it was Sara's. She was crying now, and he felt his own throat tighten in response. He moved to pull her into a fatherly type embrace, smoothing his hand up and down on her shoulder.

A while later, the doctor came.

...

Lee felt pain in his chest, but he was alive. He lay there on the hospital bed in recovery and wondered what his mother must be thinking about all that had just happened, if she was watching from wherever she was. He knew his father was dead, that Sara had killed him. He felt nothing about it. The man hadn't been his father for a very long time, and Lee didn't really feel he had been much of one even before that.

Movement to his left made him turn his head and see Sara standing there, wringing her hands and looking scared.

"Hey," he said hoarsely, and she closed the gap, coming to him and grasping his hand in hers before pressing her face against his.

"You scared me," she whispered.

"I'm tougher than I look," he replied, reaching with his other hand to trace his fingers down her cheek lightly. "Give me some credit."

"Do not joke about this. Not now," she insisted, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes.

"What about ten minutes from now?"

"Lee," she warned.

"Alright, no jokes," he agreed. "Did Gil get it?"

"Yes."

Lee nodded, feeling relieved. At least it hadn't been for nothing. He felt Sara kiss his temple before Barney arrived. His friend looked worried but was trying to hide it.

"Close call, huh?" Barney asked, coming to stand by the foot of the hospital bed. His arms were crossed, and he attempted a humorous smile, but it didn't erase the worry from his eyes.

"Yea," Lee answered.

"Sorry about your dad."

"Don't be. He was an asshole."

"We can wait for you to heal up before we leave," Barney offered. Lee shook his head.

"It's alright. I can find my way home."

"You sure? That don't feel right," Barney started, but Lee held up a hand to interrupt.

"I've got some loose ends to tidy up," he advised. "Don't worry about me."

Barney looked like he was worrying, though. Lee looked at Sara when she shifted and cleared her throat. She was waiting to speak, and he gave her a nod when she finally looked at him again.

"I'll stay," she said.

"See? I've got my own personal bodyguard," Lee told Barney, and Sara lightly slugged his arm. He playfully rubbed the spot and gave her a smile. She returned it with a shy one and bowed her head slightly so that her hair draped around her face.

"Alright. Rest up then. You need anything, you call," Barney instructed.

"Understood."

"I gotta go meet with Gil about this job and finish things up," Barney added, getting to his feet now. He looked a little less worried at least. He looked at Sara. "Take care of him, will you?"

"Of course," she promised. Barney reached out his fist, and Lee bumped it with his own.

"See you, brother."

"See you."

Lee watched Barney lope off, already digging for a cigar to light up once he was outside. He looked at Sara once more, and she was tracing his arm lightly with a finger while staring at it.

"You don't have to stay," he told her, and her eyes met his finally.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm just saying," he said with a shrug.

"Maybe you're not used to people caring about you, but that's what a girlfriend does," Sara insisted. "Or so I've been told. I wouldn't really know because I never really was one before."

"Are you giving us a label?" he asked, lifting a brow and teasing her. She blushed.

"No..."

"It's alright," he said, reaching to cup her cheek. "I'm okay with being your man."

She was fighting a big smile, he could tell. She was blushing harder, and he pulled her in so he could kiss her again. He was tired and worn out and feeling some remnants of grief over his mother for some reason. Sara was comforting to him and made him feel like everything was going to be okay.

It had been a long time since he'd felt like that.

"I should let you rest," she murmured once they broke apart. "I think I might go back to the safe house and clean up and change."

"Okay."

"Here's your phone," she said, pulling it out of her pocket. She set it on the table next to him. He wondered if she had read the messages on it, the ones from Lacy asking him to come over two days ago. He knew she'd been drunk and hadn't answered, but he hadn't felt it was worth mentioning because it meant nothing. There wasn't anything in her expression that showed she mistrusted him, though, so he was beginning to think that she hadn't, that she trusted him enough to not snoop through his phone. He felt honored to have that trust. He also wanted to be honest with her.

"Did you see them?" he asked, nodding to his phone.

"See what?"

"The messages from Lacy on there?"

"No. I wasn't looking..."

"I know, and I wouldn't care if you did. I just want you to know that she reached out to me, and I did not respond. I learned how to block her number to prevent it happening again."

"Okay."

"I just want to be honest with you," he said. "That's all." She smiled.

"I appreciate that."

He reached for her hand and squeezed it, and she squeezed it back.

"I also have this," she said, pulling his medal out from under her shirt. If he was honest, seeing his blood on her was making him a bit nauseous.

"Keep it," he advised. "I'll get it later."

"You sure?"

"Yea." He watched her tuck it back under, and he could visualize where it lay on her chest. It felt like it almost suited her better than him.

"I'll be back," she promised, standing up now. He nodded, and she squeezed his hand again before pulling away and leaving him there. Lee was tired, and his eyes were heavy. He fell asleep in no time, and thankfully, he was not re-watching his mother's murder over and over again this time.

A Few Days Later

Sara watched as Lee gingerly pulled up his t-shirt and took it off. She swallowed at the sight of the bandage on him, which he was changing slowly. She helped, their fingers touching and working in sync. She couldn't stop thinking about how close to his heart he'd been shot. Any closer and he'd be dead.

She looked at his other scars as well, wondering how he'd gotten them and who had helped him look after them, if anyone.

"Thanks," he said once it was done. She smoothed her hands over his chest, looking him in the eyes without a word. A moment later, he cupped her face with his hand and kissed her softly. His other arm went around her to pull her into him.

"Lee," she said during a pause, which he was trying to utilize effectively. "No exertion, remember?"

"Then you can do all the work," he replied cheekily, and she made a face and grasped his hand with hers tightly.

"I'd really rather you didn't hurt yourself further," she insisted. "I'm not ready to lose you yet." The words were true and also ironic because she wasn't going to be staying here in this timeline forever. How could she keep forgetting that? Or did she have some fantasy of him coming with her or her bringing Cid here? It wouldn't work. It was crazy to even consider. Then she felt bad all over again for doing this to him, for falling in love with him.

"That really scares you, huh," Lee commented, playing with her fingers in his now.

"It scares me to even admit it," she confessed. "And I've lost everyone that was important to me."

"You'll get Cid back," he reminded her.

"I really hope so."

"You will."

She appreciated his confidence and wished she had it for herself. It was her turn to kiss him.

"I thought...you said...no exertion," he said around her kisses.

"I'll do all the work," she replied, making him laugh, and he let her guide him to the nearest thing to lay him down on.

...

Lee had his back to the wind as he stood in front of his mother's gravestone, his arm around Sara as she tucked into him with her arms around him carefully.

"It's so lonely here," she commented, and the words made him feel a pang inside. She was right. It wasn't a very big cemetery, and no one was next to his mother.

"And yet people are dying to get in," he replied.

"Lee," she said, exasperated.

"Sorry."

"You really don't like facing pain, do you?" she inquired, looking at him.

"Not particularly."

It was true, he didn't. He hated sitting with his pain. It hurt! Who would want to do that?

"We can't heal from the pain if we don't process it," she pointed out. He resisted grumbling. She tucked into him further when the wind picked up. He wondered what would happen to his father's body. He hoped it wouldn't be put here next to her. He made a mental note to tell anyone involved to not do that.

"Tell me about her," Sara said now. He felt a smile start to grow on his face as he thought about his mother. It had been a very long time since he'd talked about her.

"She was tough," he started. "She didn't let anything get her down for long and was always saying that tomorrow was a new day. Her favorite color was yellow. Her favorite holiday was Easter. She loved to dance."

"From the sounds of it, she got you into it?"

"I hated it at the time, but now I regret not telling her how much I enjoyed the time with her."

"I'm sure she knew," Sara insisted. "Mothers tend to know these things."

"You've never talked about your mother either," he pointed out, realizing this. She twisted her lips slightly and sucked her teeth a little.

"You're right. I haven't."

"You said she died, but that's all."

"Yea. I was about seventeen," Sara explained. "Brain aneurism of all things. I mean, one minute you're walking around fine and the next..." She trailed off, and he squeezed her against him comfortingly. "Anyway, it was just my sister and me, and then she died."

"How?" He was curious.

"Um, an accident," Sara answered, and he felt like she wasn't being entirely truthful with him. He debated on pressing her for more information but decided to let it go.

"Your father?"

"I never met him. He died before I was born."

"You're just full of tragedies aren't you?" Lee asked. She gave him a nudge.

"So are you."

"What were the odds of two tragic people finding each other?"

She just gave him a look, and he smiled. He didn't want to fall into the pit of misery right now, so he was making light of things. He knew it wasn't always well received, but she wasn't saying anything. When they finally left, she asked where they were going next.

And he knew just the place.

...

Barney was finally home and exhausted. The others were groaning and grumbling as well while they disembarked from the plane. He stretched and cracked his back and neck, making his way to the exit. He found Tool waiting for him.

"Where's Christmas?" he asked, looking worried.

"Taking some down time with Sara in England."

"He's alright?"

"Yea."

"Thank God."

Barney had called Tool to let him know what had happened the same time he'd explained how the job ended. He was incredibly relieved that Lee was okay. He couldn't imagine his team without him.

"Hey, so uh...how long do you think til there are mini Lees running around?" Tool asked now as they walked to the office of the hangar. Barney burst out laughing.

"Ready to lose more money, are you?"

"I have a good feeling about this one!"

"Sure you do."

They bantered back and forth a bit more, which Barney enjoyed. He was just glad that things were normal again.

And he was really looking forward to a bit of a break himself.

...

Sara followed Lee as he went inside the house. She could tell he was reminiscing as they walked around. She reached to take his hand, which he held firmly.

"So, this is where you grew up," she commented, looking around.

"Yea."

"What made you want to come back here?" she asked. She felt a bit nauseous at the memory of being held at gunpoint in here. She would have been glad to never return, if she was honest.

"Closure I guess," he answered, reaching to touch the wallpaper that had come loose and was curling a bit. "I never really got it the first time."

Sara let him wander and reflect. She saw a framed photo of a boy on the wall in the hallway, and she smiled as she recognized him. Even then he had that impish smirk. It made her think about Cid, and she swallowed down the pain of missing him. Had he somehow returned to the farmhouse? Had he walked around remembering what happened there? Did he miss her? Was he still alive?

She yelped when Lee came sliding down the banister at full speed and landed on his feet right beside her. He was grinning.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed.

"Just had to see if I could still do it," he answered.

"I'm going to guess you can."

"Have you ever ridden a banister?" he asked now.

"No..."

"Come on then." He caught her hand and pulled her up the stairs.

"You really shouldn't be doing this with your injury," she started, but he waved a hand dismissively. At the top, he stopped, and she stared at it. She had no idea what to do.

"It's not hard," Lee said encouragingly.

"I don't feel like breaking my neck..."

"You won't."

"I'm gonna pass," she tried, but he shook his head.

"When is the last time you had fun?" he asked. "Real, pure fun?"

Sara couldn't even remember. Sure, there had been fun when she was high and living wildly, but sober fun? She had no idea. There had been fun moments, but she didn't think they were on the same level that he was describing here.

"Oh my God, I must be insane," she said with a heavy sigh. Lee grinned again as she got into position. She had no idea what she was doing or why, but she suddenly wanted to feel this type of fun he'd just talked about. She slid down it fast, shooting off the end and landing in a heap on the floor, but she was laughing.

"Shit, you okay?" he asked, landing on his feet expertly behind her. He knelt down next to her, and she was still laughing.

"My ass hurts," she complained when she could finally breathe. He snorted.

"Wanna go again?"

"Yes," she answered honestly. "I do."

When they were both a laughing, tangled heap on the floor after a few more runs, Sara had never felt so good after all this time.

And it made her feel hopeful that perhaps one day, Cid would be there laughing with them.