WHO: Sara Lance and Martin Stein WHAT: Martin arrives and finds his Captain WHEN: Today WARNINGS: Talk about character deaths; spoilers for Legends of Tomorrow season 3, episodes 8 and 9 STATUS: Closed and Complete
Martin was annoyed. Here, he had been perfectly fine with giving his all, almost relieved, really, for not having to make the choice between staying with his teammates and staying with his family, and he had died with a peace in his heart, saving, one last time, his friends and his not!son, Jax. He was sad not to get to say goodbye to his wife and daughter, but they knew the story, and they would know why. But he had died, and he remembered dying, and then… he had woken up outside a large official looking building.
Entering it had proven annoying but enlightening. Apparently, he was somehow in an alternate universe, which had made him groan and ask a puzzled and confused official who had won World War 2. The man had harrumphed and told him the Allies, and Martin had relaxed., then taken the rest of the information and left hurriedly. He had to find a way to contact the Waverider, or even, in desperation, Rip’s former idiot bureau.
He did not belong here, and he needed to leave before he messed something up. Making his way toward the electronics store and a hardware store for which he had gotten instructions, he shook his head. Building a transdimensional communicator was going to be a pain in the ass… but fascinating! Martin rubbed his hands as he went.
***
Sara wasn’t honestly sure what was more traumatic - the fact that she was now thirty or the fact that she’d woken up with more than a year’s worth of memories on her birthday. It was weird sorting through the memories of experiences she hadn’t actually lived through, especially since a few of them were less than pleasant. She was also hesitant to share too much with most of the people from home who hadn’t lived through those experiences yet.
Maybe she should warn Barry about what happened to Stein though. Maybe there was some way he could prevent it if he knew. She knew they weren’t supposed to mess with time like that, but god damn it, he deserved the opportunity to retire and spend time with his family.
She was on her way to pick up a few supplies for New Year’s Eve at the club when she got a glimpse out of the corner of her eye that made her stop dead in her tracks. There was no way that was actually him. This had to be yet another face twin situation. She’d seen it with her dad and her sister along with numerous other people during her time here and wasn’t going to get her hopes up.
Still, she had to check, so she crossed the street to put herself in his path, not really expecting any sort of reaction.
***
Martin stumbled as he saw her, jaw falling open. No, it couldn’t be. Could it? “Sara? Captain?” A million emotions exploded over him and through him. He felt warm, and hot, cold and shivering, and full of fire and excitement. How could this be? Was this place somehow even stranger than he knew?
And then he was moving forward, stumbles or no, to hug her, all mien and composure forgotten. “Captain!” There was emotion there, stronger than anything he had known in some time. To see her, to feel her in his hug, if she did not move away, was like a glacial blast removing all restraint.
He drew back, and looked her over, eyes looking for any harm, any difference.
“Ah… you do know me, yes?”
***
Being recognized was unexpected because Sara wasn’t letting herself get her hopes up that this actually was Martin, so it took her a moment to react, though she was more than happy to return his hug once she realized this was happening.
“Yes, Marty, I know you,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as choked up as she felt. She had no idea where in the timeline he was from and she didn’t want to give anything away about his future. “I was just surprised to see you. You must have arrived very recently.”
There was no way she would have missed his arrival, even with everything else she had going on.
***
He felt a shot of relief as she reacted in the affirmative. He had been worried she might be younger than he knew her. That would have been problematical.
Martin chuckled and smiled warmly. His eyes were serious as he looked her over and nodded. “You don’t look much different from when I saw you last. ” he nodded as he answered her. “Just an hour ago, really. I woke up outside City Hall.” he harrumphed. “Those people are highly unhelpful. Where is the waverider, Captain?”
He paused, looking at her, a feeling of uncertainty in his heart and eyes. Would he even be welcome there, now? Having gone beyond, after all. “Ah, that is, if I may come aboard.” His voice was soft, and humble.
***
“If the Waverider was here, you would most definitely be welcome aboard,” Sara said. “Unfortunately, we’re stuck here without the ship.” Maybe Gideon could figure out how the dome worked if she was here. They likely would never know though.
She was reluctant to let go, but she needed to give him a once over. He looked relatively healthy, so that was something at least. “Snart’s here. And Zari. But that’s it from the crew.” If he knew who Zari was, that would give her a little better idea of when he was from. “Barry Allen is here though and some other people from our world.”
***
He smiled at her assurance, then shook his head. “You mean that story they fed me in city hall was real? An invisible dome, alternate universes, and people from all over time and space? I was hoping, for once, that the odd thing was a lie.” He sighed.
“At least four of us... “ He paused. “Snart? Is here, too?” Huhn. That was odd. He would have to ask the man how it felt to him to come back from the dead. Yes, that would be quite the philosophical exchange. Or Snart would just hit him. Or both. The hits kept coming in her words. “Allen is here, too? I don’t suppose Ronnie Raymond has shown up?”
Distractedly, he paced for a moment. “Captain, I must ask, when was the last time you saw me?”
***
Sara looked visibly uncomfortable with his question. “We were fighting Nazis on Earth X,” she said. “Ronnie isn’t here, but Caitlin is. Snart’s little sister just showed up. And Barry’s friend Kara is here along with her sister, cousin, and some other chick from their world.” She was pretty sure that was everyone he might have met on their Earth.
“And there are some people here from universes similar to ours,” she added. “So don’t be too surprised if people recognize you that you don’t know.”
***
Martin’s shoulders slumped a little as he listened to the rest, but his mind had focused on the first line she spoke. He took a moment to gather himself then looked her in the eyes. “I’m sure I will get a chance to meet them, again. But… I think there is a matter we must address, yes?”
He looked around them, and his words failed him. “I should be dead. I did die. I felt myself die, Captain… Sara.” He looked to her, eyes holding something like vulnerability. “How and why did this place bring me back?”
***
Her face fell when he confirmed her worst fear - that he knew he’d sacrificed himself at home for the rest of them. What a failure she was as a captain to have lost two of her crew members in as many years under similar circumstances. And both of them were here. If she didn’t have a good life here, she’d almost be convinced this was some kind of purgatory.
“It’s something no one can explain,” Sara said quietly. “There are a number of people who were brought here from the moments around their death and given a second chance at life.
***
Martin nodded, then, and reached out for her, one hand on her shoulder, having the smallest inkling what was going on in her head. “You know this is not your fault, right? I chose it. Both to save the whole team, and to save Jax. I chose this.” He poked her shoulder lightly.
“You are always, and always will be, my captain. And I hope, maybe here, we can become better friends.”
He nodded to her, even as he still worried why he was there. She was his captain and she came first.
***
“I would very much like that,” Sara said, giving him a weak smile, appreciating his encouragement. As captain, she would always take on the responsibility for what happened to her crew, but she did understand that he’d made a choice, same as Leonard. “I own a club here. Verdant, modeled after the one in Star City. I hope you’ll stop by.”
There was a lot that she needed to catch him up on about her life here in town, but that could come later. She knew that just being here was a lot, especially when he was certain he was about to die.
***
He saw that smile and nodded. He would work on her. It fell to him to do so. He was her crew. He would gladly take on the task. Saving humanity meant saving all of them, including her.
“If that’s where you’ll be, and I’m welcome, then I will be there as often as I can and may.” he chuckled. From Time traveler and superhero to barstool resident. He could deal with that. “I may co-opt a table, I warn you. Once I get one of those new laptops…” He never stopped working, after all, not completely.
He rubbed his hands together and looked upward. “I can’t wait to get to work on figuring the dome out.” There was a small element of glee in his voice.
***
Sara couldn’t help but laugh at his excitement. Of course, he would find all this fascinating, even if it wasn’t a reprieve from the afterlife. “There are a number of people here who have been investigating for some time. I’m sure they will be willing to share their files with you. For now, how about I help you find your apartment so you can get settled?”
Maybe 2018 wasn’t going to be so bad.
***
“Sounds good to me. If you can direct me to them, I will get started. Later, after you tell me more about this place.” He smiled at her, letting himself concentrate on her despite the fascinating place they were in and the astonishing mystery he wanted to wrap himself around.
“And, please. Lead on. It’ll be odd, getting used to being here again.”
***
“You’ve arrived just in time to ring in the new year,” Sara said. “It’s almost 2018 here. So I guess it’ll be a real fresh start.”
She was glad to see him and would need to give Zari a heads up before she was startled by his appearance.
***
“Truly?” He looked and felt startled for a moment. Then he nodded. “I look forward to the idea.” As they walked, he thought, then he broached another question he had. “Ah, about Snart? Does he know... ?”
How did one ask that?
***
Sara shook her head. “No, the only ones who know are me and Zari,” she said. “I would suggest that you use caution when you’re talking to Barry and Caitlin.” She figured it didn’t really need to be said because he was used to time travel, but it was probably still a fair reminder.
If he wanted to tell Snart, it probably wouldn’t matter quite as much since he wouldn’t really be able to change anything if he remembered his time here.
***
He nodded to her words. “Of course. I am learning discretion about time travel, especially after Jefferson’s attempt to warn me when i was younger.” he shook his head. “Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret for forty-some years?” He chuckled and tapped her shoulder.
“Thank you, Sara, for answering questions, and being here and… for once again, being my captain. With or without a ship, I am a Legend.”
***
“You don’t owe me any thanks, Martin,” Sara assured him. “I’m just happy you’re here.” Of all the people she knew, he was one who absolutely deserved this second chance.