Crook And Assassian

24 | 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

24| Somewhere On Yᴏᴜʀ Road Tonight
[Chapter Twenty-Four]
Sequel to Chances Are

[Excerpt]

Raymond Palmer marries Kendra Saunders on the bridge of the timeship Waverider. He slides his grandmother's ring onto her finger and stares at her so long and so raptly that Martin Stein, who's officiating, gently reminds him to breathe. Kendra Saunders, wearing a white lace dress created by Gideon and nearly eight months pregnant, marries Raymond Palmer, repeating her vows in a calm, happy voice.

They kiss as Stein pronounces them man and wife, in front of a tiny audience consisting of an amused crook, a smiling assassin, a harried-looking former Time Master, and one wistful young mechanic. Jax snaps a photo of them, though, as they turn toward the audience, and hugs them both before heading back to the work he's doing converting a few rooms. Hunter vanishes, too, after a murmured congratulations, leaving a bemused Leonard Snart and Sara Lance to sign the witness portions of the marriage license along with Stein. (Gideon had created the license to look duly "official," telling them they could drop it off back in Star or Central when they return.)

Leonard tolerates a hug from Raymond and actually returns a hug from Kendra, a smile lurking around the corners of his mouth. Sara, watching, can't help but smile in return. At least he's looking more lifelike then he had before they went back to Orange City...and then Nickel.

She wonders what Rebecca had said to him.

She considers pointing out that, by signing the license, he's effectively Ray's best man. But given the general role of the best man-that of the best friend-and the fact that Leonard's own oldest friend is now barely himself, cooling his heels in the brig...well, it doesn't seem like the best idea.

Stein, to whom she's barely spoken since they'd returned after nearly a year in the 1950s, joins her then, smiling a little wistfully himself. Sara wonders if he's thinking about his wife, back in 2017. No, 2016. It had only been a matter of minutes for the Waverider, after all. Time travel can still make her head hurt, especially now.

"Mr. Snart has changed," he says quietly, glancing at her. "As have you, to an extent. Was it truly..."

"Nearly a year?" Sara sighs. "Yes. As evidenced by..." She motions toward Kendra, who's speaking quietly and earnestly to Leonard, and her advanced pregnancy. "It was..." She pauses, then decides she respects Stein enough to give him the truth. "Good, in many ways. Very good. Which sounds a little odd, I guess, given what I said to you back in Harmony Falls..."

"But you and Mr. Snart. You had...time." Stein gives her a tiny, lurking smile, not so much unlike Leonard's, actually. "I do understand. It was there before, really, you know. The signs."

Sara eyes him. "Oh?"

"Oh, yes." Stein winks at her. "And, yes, I suspect neither of you completely meet those...parameters...you mentioned back in that diner. Didn't matter. You found a place for yourselves. I'm almost sorry we pulled you out of it."

"Don't be." Sara sighs. "You're right. But this is where we belong." She watches Leonard as he says something to Ray and Kendra laughs.

"Hmm." The professor gives her another sidelong look. "And how is Mr. Snart dealing with...well..."

It's the elephant in the room...or the bounty hunter in the brig. "Better than he might have, actually. At least he's confronted...Mick. Spoken to him." She will never call him Chronos. Mick's still in there. He has to be. "Although he hasn't really gotten through much yet."

Stein frowns. "He...Mr. Rory...seemed convinced Mr. Snart was on the Waverider when he took it. It was his distraction when he realized otherwise that allowed Firestorm to overpower him." He shakes his head. "His distraction...and his rage."

Sara knows that, although she's been giving Leonard space to deal with his friend on his own. Still, an answering anger sparks in her at Stein's words. "What the hell choice does he think Leonard had? To kill him? That was never going to happen. And he meant to go back..."

Her voice trails off, though. Stein considers her. "You knew all along," he says. "That Mr. Snart didn't... kill him."

There's no judgment there, and it's far more a comment than a question, but Sara nods. Then they both quiet as Leonard saunters over toward them.

"Professor," he drawls, nodding to Stein. "Nice ceremony."

"Yes, well, it served the purpose." Stein studies him. "Dr. Palmer and Ms....ah, Mrs. Palmer, I suppose it is now...told me a little about your stay in 1958. A security business, was it? And a women's shelter?"

It's a story, to Stein, bare information with some amusement value, given Leonard's past-but to Sara, the words still evoke a swirl of emotions. The headlong flight from Harmony Falls. Gotham. Rebecca and Ginny and the others. The blue house with her studio and their big king bed. She glances at Leonard and sees the same emotion, just a flicker, in his eyes.

But he merely clears his throat. "Ah, professor, if you could...neglect to mention that when you see Barry Allen and his crew again, I would greatly appreciate it."

Stein smiles, just a little. "Well. Given that that seems to be...valuable information...perhaps I can see fit to withhold it. Given adequate...motivation."

Sara is startled into a laugh, while Leonard coughs in surprise.

"Professor, are you blackmailing me?" he manages.

"That depends, Mr. Snart. Is it working?"

By: Jael
Length: Nineteen Chapters
Status: Completed
Website: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851721?view_full_work=true