Chapter Text
Sara was sat on the armchair, kicking her legs over the arm, reading aloud from The Little Mermaid as Ava lay on the couch, Storm on her lap, making faces at Bow who was rolling around on the carpet. The evenings were longer and a little warmer now, the sea calmer. Sara put the book down.
"I was thinking - I could get someone to mind the light and we could take a trip somewhere. Maybe down to the waterfall at Paradise. You'd like it there."
Ava nodded, smile wide.
The front door was flung across the room, the crash and sudden gust of wind making them both jump. In the doorway was stood what appeared to be a man, dressed in a white wet suit and a helmet, his face obscured by the silver visor, holding a trident with vicious spikes on the end. Ava was in the kitchen in an instant, throwing Sara her bo-staff and pointing her trident at the door.
More came then, barging through, focused entirely on Ava. The first one brought his trident down, but Ava blocked it, face twisted in fury, and Sara understood. There were six of them, skilled fighters, but Sara had never lost the edge the League gave her, and it wasn't long before three were out cold on the living room floor. She looked over, breathing heavily and full of adrenaline, to see Ava standing over two others, but one had her by the throat - Sara worked on instinct, vaulting over the couch and bringing her staff down on the back of his head. He crumpled, and everything was quiet again.
Ava looked up. There was a bruise on her neck, and her face was flushed. There was silence.
Sara watched from the window as Ava dragged the bodies, one by one, down to the sea and threw them in. She made her way back to the house, her shoulders set and heavy.
"They came to take you back, didn't they?" She said quietly but Ava ignored her, climbing the stairs to the bedroom. When she came back down, she had her wetsuit in her hands and tears in her eyes.
Sara's heart dropped.
Ava stepped forward and kissed her, and it felt too much like a goodbye, so when she tried to pull away Sara held onto her shirt.
"You can't, Aves, you can't go." She whispered. Ava made a noise, her face contorted in anguish, and Sara realised then how frustrating it must be, to go unheard.
She just shook her head again.
"You're not going." She whispered, and Ava lifted her arm, thumb stroking over a bruise that was blossoming on Sara's skin. She pried Sara's hand from her shirt to kiss the spot, her eyes wide and sad.
"No - Aves, you're not - you don't need to protect me." Ava nodded her head and Sara clung tighter to the shirt, squeezing her eyes shut. "You can't go. We've only just started this, I can't lose you now. I won't." Her voice broke a little and she tried to hide her tears by kissing Ava again. Ava hesitated for a second before dropping everything and cradling Sara in her arms.
She pulled back, just a little. "Promise me you won't go." Sara whispered. "Please, Ava. Promise me." Ava nodded, but Sara couldn't stop, whispering it over and over again. They spent the night like that, wrapped up in each-other’s arms, Sara never ceasing her mantra, even when it became slurred and slow as sleep took over. The last thing she remembered was a kiss being pressed to her forehand and hands gently pulling open her fists, which were closed around Ava’s pyjama shirt.
///
The bed was cold. Sara kept her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep a little longer, because the world wasn't something she wanted to face today. Eventually, Bow's barking got her to at least sit up, and she noticed that Ava's wet-suit wasn't hanging from the hook on the door.
She went downstairs. The house was empty.
There was no trident leaning casually against the door, no cup of coffee waiting for her. On the fridge was a new piece of paper, and she pulled it off.
Sara knew it was futile, but she ran anyway. Ran down to the rocks, across to the little jetty, cutting her bare feet on the splinters. The sea was just as it always was, gentle lapping against the shore. The summer sunshine was starting to peak over the horizon, sending warm golden rays over Sara's face, but she didn't think she'd ever felt so cold.
On the paper was Atlantean, not Sara's messy attempts, but beautiful swirls and flicks, like cursive. Sara knew what it said. It was what Ava had written, over and over again, traced it on the skin of her back to help her get over a nightmare or during a storm, what she'd meant with her sleepy good morning kisses and the hugs that almost lifted Sara from the ground.
Sara rarely cried, but she cried then, on her knees at the end of the dock, tears running down her cheeks and into the silent water below.
///
"You're not an easy woman to find, Miss Lance."
"I try." Sara muttered, putting the mug down. The man called himself Rip Hunter - Sara would've been very surprised if that's what his mother had named him. He was sat at her kitchen table, politely drinking the coffee she'd offered.
"I've got a job - if you're interested."
"I don't know who told you about me - but I'm done with that, forever. Get the League to ask someone else." She said, scowling.
"Not that kind of job, Miss Lance." The man said, leaning forward slightly, hands clasped on the table. "What do you know about time travel?"
Two days later, she'd sold the lighthouse, given Bow to a young family in the bay and Storm to a fishing-boat that seemed pleased with their new mouser. She didn't have much in the way of personal possessions, only one duffel-bag full. The note from Ava was pressed carefully between the pages of a book on Atlantis she couldn’t bring herself to return to the library.
Sara stood out on the rocks, eyes always searching, but she could only see the foaming waves, stretching on and on to the horizon. "I'll come back." She whispered. "Promise." The sea was silent, and Sara couldn't help but smile a little. It didn't scare her so much anymore. How could she hate the water, when the water brought her Ava?
She turned, and made the journey up the rocks, along the winding path and up, over the bay. She didn't turn around.
///
"That's it?" Sara was a little surprised at Nate's reaction. He seemed annoyed.
"What?”
"That was the most romantic story I've ever heard - two people from different worlds, who don't speak the same language, falling in love despite everything being against you! And you just - left!"
Sara just shrugged. "She left."
"To protect you!" Zari suddenly appeared in the doorway, hands on hips.
"How long have you been there?" Sara said, eyes widening as the rest of the team appeared and shuffled into the library.
"I wasn't eavesdropping - I just wanted to do my laundry, but it was such a good story -" Ray said, a little sheepishly.
"I was eavesdropping." Mick said bluntly.
"It doesn't matter what we were doing." Charlie cut him off. "He’s right, you can't end it like this." They all nodded, even Mick.
"I am not taking advice from any of you about my love life." Sara said, standing suddenly. She pointed a finger at her team. "You all have better things to do, so just drop this."
"We will absolutely not." Nate said confidently, but he cowered a little when Sara's glare was focused on him.
"Doesn't Ava deserved to be rescued? What if she's been forced to marry a man she doesn't love? Shouldn't we help her?" Ray said, and Sara cursed his big heart.
"In case you haven't noticed, none of us can visit Atlantis, because none of us can breathe underwater. We also don't know where it is, or how to get there, or if she'd even want to
leave." Sara said calmly. "We're not going."
That night, Sara was sat in her office, trying to drown her re-awakened sorrows in her second-best whiskey. She'd already had half a bottle and it was making her maudlin.
"Gideon?" She asked, looking up into the semi-darkness.
"Yes, Captain?"
"Is she okay?"
"Who?”
Sara sighed. "Ava."
There was silence. "I can't know that, Captain. I have no way to find out."
She let out a little laugh, a sad sound, and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I know. Of course I know. Thanks for looking." She jumped a little when she saw a shape in the doorway.
"Alright, pet?"
Sara scowled. "Fuck off, John.”
"No - Sara -" He sighed and stepped inside the threshold. "Look, I may be a jaded old bastard, but I've done a lot of stupid shit for love, and I think it's my turn to help you do some too."
"What do you mean?" Sara sighed, slightly on edge.
"There may be some magic - look, I can't make any promises. But I think I can help."
///
John had left her a small pile of bones.
Apparently, they were enchanted to lead her to her love, which Sara would've said was crazy, but she'd seen enough crazy shit in her last four years on the ship to believe anything.
She left it for a week, but whenever she reached for her scotch (which was more and more frequently in that week), she saw them there, vibrating slightly. By the end, she couldn't bear it anymore - she told Gideon not to let anyone move the ship until she got back, she took a shot of the burning alcohol and opened a portal, using a time courier she'd stolen from Rip. Sara threw the bones through and the image shifted, shifting like streams of light.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped through.
Everything hit her all at once - the roaring sea, the vicious wind, the ink black sky - the surface she was on tipped violently, and Sara realised, too late, that she was on a boat. It tipped again, and her boots couldn't find purchase on the slippery deck - she fell, slipped backwards and flipped right over, landing back first into the icy waters below.
Sara knew she should swim, move, do anything, but the icy tendrils had wrapped around her chest and she couldn't tell which way was up anymore. Everything was cold and dark and her lungs felt as if they were burning - and she was alone, John's stupid magic hadn't done anything, unless she was sinking towards Atlantis. Maybe she'd find Ava when she was dead, and that thought was strangely comforting as black spots appeared in her vision. Maybe she wouldn't be alone this time.
But then it was different, dark and cold and painful in a new way, like the water was inside her and not all around. Sara threw up, water mixing with vomit as a strong hand came up to smack her back. An arm held her upright, which she was grateful for as she sucked in a breath and coughed violently. The hand was rubbing her back now, pulling her closer and putting some warmth back into her frozen skin. She could breathe more clearly now, and her ears had stopped ringing. All she could hear was the sound of the sea and the funny noises her saviour was making, little squeaky sounds like crying, but not quite -
Sara used her gathered strength to move backwards, and there, lit by the bright moon, was Ava. She was just as beautiful she remembered, sopping wet and smiling down at her hesitantly.
"Aves." She breathed, like a prayer, and Ava smiled, a hand coming up to brush the salty water away from her cheeks. "You saved me."
Ava just nodded, moving to hold Sara more tightly put the warmth back in her bones.
It had been four years, give or take a few lifetimes, but in all that time, Sara hadn't thought about what she would say if she ever saw Ava again, so she stayed quiet. She tipped her head back slightly, so she could look up at Ava's soft expression and the night sky, clear and bright, and filled with more stars than she'd ever thought possible.
///
They portalled back to the ship when Sara had stopped shivering and had briefly explained what the hell was going on. Ava gasped when she saw the bridge, and the team turned towards them both.
"Uh - team, this is Ava." Sara said, a little self-consciously, mainly because she was dripping wet and Ava's arm around her waist was the only reason she was standing upright.
They all looked at her. Ray gave them both a small wave.
“I can explain – but first I need the med-bay.” She said, groaning slightly, and Zari just pointed down the corridor, so Ava could pull her towards it.
After Gideon had sorted her out, given her a shot of the good stuff and they were settled around the dining table, Sara introduced Ava to the assembled team members. She was clearly hesitant- each of the team was looking at her with wide eyes, and Ray was eyeing her up like a science project - but she relaxed a little when Sara launched into the story of how this all came to be, helped by each of the Legends. Ava stayed close, even when she went to the food fabricator to make them dinner.
Everything felt awkward and stilted, and they kept bumping into each-other. It wasn’t like Sara had imagined some rom-com style reunion, but she hadn’t imagined anything like this, so when it got late she led Ava to a spare bunk rather than taking her to her own. Ava didn’t object, just squeezed her hand in a silent good-night.
///
"We've got it!" Ray said loudly, bounding into the room, Zari on his heels. Sara just raised her eyebrows. "Why Ava - you - why you can't talk. We think we've solved it."
They were sat in the med-bay – Ava in the chair, Sara on a little stool next to her, because she’d been trying to solve that same problem.
Zari stepped in, Ray clearly too excited to speak properly, and she turned to face the woman in the chair. "Ava, your voice can be heard under water, but not above ground, right? Because your vocal chords were designed to vibrate with the frequency of water, not air."
Ava nodded, and Sara nodded too. She was pretty sure she understood.
"Then we thought -"
Ray interrupted, clearly too excited to stay quiet. "We thought we could alter the translator pills, and I think it'll work. I finished the last few connections myself." He said proudly, holding put the tiny pill. Ava moved to take it, but Sara stopped her.
"And you're sure this is safe?"
"100%!" Ray said brightly, but his expression fell a little when Zari raised an eyebrow. "Okay, a solid 95. 90. 87-6. I'm 86% sure this is fine and it will work as intended."
Under Sara's stare, he wilted. "84% sure this will work. Either that, or she'll never be able to eat citrus fruits again."
Ava shrugged, and Sara nodded. "We'll take that chance."
It was strangely tense as Ava took the pill, looked it over, then swallowed it. They all waited with baited breath as she opened her mouth a few times.
Zari started. "I told you we should've included that matrix -"
"Hello." She was interrupted by a soft voice, and Sara felt her heart drop. Ava's eyes were wide and she touched her lips, then grinned. "Hello. Hello!"
"It worked." Ray said, beaming, and Ava beamed right back.
"Thank you - thank you!"
Sara couldn't speak, ironically. Ava's voice wasn't anything like she'd imagined, but it was soft and warm and sure. She was beaming, and everything Sara hadn't let herself feel for four years was suddenly at the forefront of her mind. She didn't even notice when Zari turned and pulled Ray from the room.
"Sara." Ava said quietly. "Sara, thank you."
She could only nod. "Thanks for saving my life, princess."
Ava ducked her head a little. "Not - not anymore."
"What?"
"I abdicated." She said with a small smile. "I left, again. They let me go this time."
"Oh that's -" Sara wanted to be pleased, but there was something there - "You didn't come back."
"I did. You'd gone. I was too late."
Sara laughed. It wasn't a real laugh, more of a relived sound, but Ava smiled too, and some of the tension in her shoulders disappeared.
“But you did come back.” Ava said, almost reverently, and Sara realised then how much she’d missed those eyes. “How did you find me?”
“Would you believe me if I said magic?”
"I love you." Her voice was quiet and unsure, and Sara's breath caught in her throat.
"Aves -"
"You don't need to say it back." Ava said quickly, looking up, and their eyes finally met. "I wanted you to know."
"I always knew." It was quiet then, quieter than she'd ever known the Waverider. Even the normal clicks and whirs had faded into the background as she took one step closer to the figure on the chair. Ava wasn’t listening, clearly spiralling a little, clasping her hands together in front of her.
“I mean, it’s been so long- if there was anyone else -”
“There’s no-one else, Aves. No one but you.” Sara took the final step and brought her hand up to thread her fingers into Ava’s salt mussed hair. She brought their lips together. When she pulled back, Ava’s eyes were shining with tears and her mouth was cocked in a hesitant little half smile, forming a sight so beautiful Sara wondered how she’d ever lived without it.