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Martin Stein had spent most of his adult life studying time. Since his early studies at MIT, the notion of time – and time travel – had been obsessions. Yet, even now, at age 67, he knew that he was not close to unlocking most of the truly mysterious aspects of time. Nor would he learn them in his lifetime.There was, however, a funny thing about time that Martin’s two years on the Waverider had taught him. For most people, time is linear. One day flows into the next, until a month, then a year, and then a decade has passed. But the same was not true when you could break that linear chain. When you could travel through time – literally jump from one era to another – the entire notion that time “passes” became a fiction. A time traveler could be younger in 2040 than in 1492. Time itself could be turned on its head.So could expectations about the future. Something you might expect to happen in 25 years, for instance. When time’s movement was non-linear, such an event might not happen until significantly longer. Thirty years. Forty.Then again. Time sometimes had a way of correcting itself.With a resigned sigh, he looked down at the piece of paper resting on the table in the Library. Sometimes what you thought would happen in 25 years might actually happen in 25 years. On time, one might say.“Are you okay, Martin?”Martin nearly jumped in surprise. He spun around and saw Sara standing in the doorway to the Library, her arms crossed. She had changed out of twelfth-century clothing into her regular uniform and seemed to be studying him.“Of course. Gideon reports that our fellow team members in the Stone Age are progressing nicely. As for our mission, the timeline is corrected. The legend of Robin Hood has been restored.”
Sara did not seem convinced, but she said nothing as she walked over to the table and glanced down at the paper. “Barry and Iris’s wedding invitation?” Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you get sentimental about weddings?”Martin knew he had to be careful. Sara was extraordinarily perceptive and his years on the Waverider had taught him there was little that went unnoticed when the Captain was suspicious. “The invitation just served as a reminder that time in Central City is proceeding, linearly if you would, while we jaunt back and forth in the time stream.” He paused, letting that sink in. “I suspect that most of us initially anticipated returning home only moments after we left, but of course that was never truly feasible.”“No,” Sara agreed. “It would have been pretty suspicious if we aged several months overnight. But come on, Professor, that’s not really what going on. You’ve been locked up in your lab almost every minute between missions. Jax says you’ve been distant--”“Jefferson tends to worry too much, but I assure you that everything is perfectly fine.” It also gave Martin the opening he needed. “Except . . . perhaps. . . .”Sara gave him a dubious look like she knew she was being played. “Perhaps?”Martin ignored the look. “Perhaps we could return a few days before the wedding. I’m sure Jefferson would enjoy some time with his mother--”“And I’m sure you’d like to spend some time with your family?”Martin made a point to shrug. “Is it that obvious? Guilty as charged. Thanksgiving is just a few days before. November 23, I believe. . . .”Sara rolled her eyes. “You could have just asked.” She paused and seemed to think for a few minutes. “I know the past few months have been hard. With all these anachronisms we’ve been dealing with, you’ve barely had a chance to see your grandson. We all understand that you want to go home. And that goes for Jax, too. Probably more than the rest of us.”“Jefferson is a far better man than I could have ever hoped to have as the other half of Firestorm,” Martin had to admit. “He is remarkably selfless – far more so than most young men his age. Far more, perhaps, than I have ever been. Yet I have a responsibility to him. . . .”He let his words linger, not elaborating on them. Let Sara think he meant his responsibility to stay on board the Waverider so that Jefferson did not lose his opportunity to remain a Legend.If only that were the responsibility Martin meant.Sara just nodded. “Gideon,” she called out. “Plot a course for 2017. November 23.” She looked at Martin and grinned. “I think we can spare a few extra days. . . . And send a message to Barry Allen that the four of us onboard will be attending the wedding.” She paused, continuing to look at Martin. “Good?”If she only knew, Martin thought, but he kept up the pretense. “Very. Thank you.” He watched Sara turn and head out of the Library. Martin knew he shouldn’t linger, but he could not prevent himself from looking again at the wedding invitation – or more specifically, at the wedding date.November 27, 2017.One day before the date etched in Martin’s mind for 25 years.One day before he was supposed to die.
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Sometimes it really sucked to have a psychic bond, Jax thought, as he pulled himself away from the time drive. Sara wanted it fine-tuned before they jumped to 2017 for when she sent the Waverider to back-up Ray, Nate, Amaya, and Zari in the Stone Age.Sparks flew from a conduit. Jax jerked his hand away to avoid an electrical burn.“Dammit,” he snapped. He looked down at the now-fused metal and grimaced. Replacing the conduit and getting it back online would probably cost him another day of work. “That’s just great,” he muttered. “Why don’t you just blow up the damn ship while you’re at it?” Shaking his head, he told himself that he needed to concentrate. Except the last thing Jax could do right now was concentrate on the ship’s repairs. Instead, he was feeling ridiculously anxious and worried. Like he was about to play in the state championship and his entire offensive line blew out their knees. Only he wasn’t the one who was anxious. Grey was.Tossing aside his soldering iron in frustration, he headed down the hall to Grey’s lab. Jax didn’t even need to ask Gideon where his partner was; the man had spent nearly every waking hour in there since they had returned from Vietnam. Supposedly, he was working on a way to break up Firestorm, but that did not explain the increasing near-desperation anxiety that Jax kept feeling through their bond. Jax knew Grey wanted to return to his family, but it wasn’t like they had a deadline.Approaching the lab, Jax heard voices. He stopped, debated a moment about whether it was right to eavesdrop, and then told himself that if Grey wanted privacy, he wouldn’t have left the door open.“So you have the data?” Grey was saying. “I wasn’t sure if the trans-temporal communicator could handle a transmission of that many exabytes.”Jax recognized the voice that responded. Cisco Ramon. “Looks like it’s all here, Professor,” he said. Another voice joined in. Dr. Wells. “You know, Martin, once this is all over, you should patent that technology. You’d revolutionize the field. Imagine the possibilities of communicating through time.”Cisco scoffed. “Yeah. Great idea. Did you ever see Back to the Future 2? Everyone’s grandkids would be calling to tell them what stocks to buy or how to bet on tonight’s game.”“But what about stopping disasters or wars.” Wells’ voice had risen sharply. “If you knew in advance about an earthquake, you could plan ahead. Terrorism would be pointless, because someone from the future could tell the police where to be to stop an attack.”“I must agree with Cisco,” Grey said. “His abysmally poor taste in movies, notwithstanding. The potential disruption to the time line would be catastrophic. If I’ve learned anything in my adventures with the Legends, it’s that even seemingly innocuous changes to the past can have the most deleterious effects on the future. . . . In any event, gentlemen, can we focus on the matter at hand? How do we stabilize the Firestorm matrix enough so that we can completely separate Jefferson’s biology from mine? And how do we accomplish that by the date of Barry and Iris’ wedding?”What? Jax said to himself. What’s the rush?Cisco must have had the same thought. “I don’t know if we can go through this much data so fast. What’s the rush?”There it was again. That desperation surging through their psychic link. “It is beyond critical that we have a solution by then,” Grey insisted sharply. “By the 27th, we must know how to separate Firestorm.” There was a pause before Grey spoke again, his voice lowered. “I know you want a more complete explanation, but I am not at liberty to explain why. Just. . . please . . . trust me that it must be done by the 27th.”Jax heard a beep and the communication link terminated. Through the link, he could feel Grey’s continued desperation, plus increasing fear and worry. Enough’s enough, Jax told himself. I’m going to find out what’s going on.Entering the lab, he saw Grey leaning heavily over a table, his head bowed. The clear boards were covered with formulas and other notations, but most of their meaning was beyond Jax’s understanding. “So you want to tell me what that was all about?” Jax asked. Grey spun around, obviously caught by surprise. It took a moment for him to recover and compose himself, but when he spoke, his words were calm and measured. “Jefferson, . . . I’m not sure I know what you mean. What was what all about?”Jax crossed his arms. “Even if we didn’t have a psychic link, I’m not deaf. Why do you need them to figure out how to break us up by the 27th?”What was that? Guilt? Jax felt his heart beat faster, only it wasn’t really his own heart. It was Grey’s.“It’s not what you think,” Grey said quickly. “I . . . uh, I told them the 27th to give them proper – uh – motivation. You know how we scientists are. We over-analyze every data point, extrapolate every possible consequence--”“So now you don’t want them to explore the possible consequences? You mean like side effects and stuff?” That did not sound like Grey. “Come on, Grey. You’re like the king of over-analyzing.”Jax studied his partner. Grey had looked away and took a deep breath. A sense of frustration and even some anger surged through their link. Despite those emotions, Grey replied in a low voice. “Please don’t question this, Jefferson.”Now it was Jax’s turn to get frustrated and angry. “No! After three years, I think I’ve got a right to know what’s going on. Or did you forget that breaking up Firestorm affects me too--”“Do you honestly believe I am not fully cognizant of that?” Grey snapped. “Do you truly think I am unaware of precisely how the Firestorm matrix operates? Or how it connects us?”Jax stepped back. When angry, Grey could be harsh, vicious even. His words could hurt as much as one of Sara’s knives. It was a side of the man that Jax had seen a lot in the early days of their partnership, but things had changed. Jax could barely remember the last time they had argued.Not wanting to fuel Grey’s anger, Jax held up his hands as if surrendering. “Of course you know all that. . . . I just don’t understand why you’re pushing so hard. It’s not like we’ve got a deadline. I know you want to get back to your family and all, but they’ll understand if it takes a little time. A few weeks or a month ain’t gonna make a difference.”At that instant, Jax was flooded with so many conflicting emotions that he was nearly overwhelmed. Then Grey seemed to calm.“Perhaps you’re right,” Grey finally said. He looked around the lab. “Of course, there’s no deadline. We have all the time. . . . all the time in the world.” Then he added, “Maybe I should take a break.”Before Jax could respond, Grey stepped past him, into the corridor, and hurried away. As Jax watched his partner leave, he could only scowl. For all his brilliance, there was one skill Grey had never mastered. Lying. Grey had never been able to lie, and Jax knew he was lying now.
And I’ll be damned if I don’t find out why.
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The cab was taking a circuitous route through Central City, but Martin barely noticed. He had left the Waverider as soon as it set down in 2017, having spent most of the previous day finding ways to avoid Jefferson. The last thing he needed was another confrontation. Martin prided himself on being calm and collected, a man of logic, and it galled him that his emotions could so easily betray him.His mind replayed the argument with Jefferson the day before. It was so frustrating. Bad enough that Martin struggled to keep secrets from people who did not have a psychic link with him. With Jefferson, it was damn nigh impossible. And what if he disclosed the truth? He knew where that would lead – prolonged debate about changing the future. That was just Jefferson’s way; he was driven to help the people he cared about, damn the consequences. It struck him as funny when he realized that Jefferson might say the same thing about him, not that it would be accurate. And Jefferson also was brave and selfless, traits Martin envied and would never associate with himself. So, no, he could not reveal the truth. Martin tried to convince himself that Jefferson would understand. He would be protected, and that was all that matter. When it was over, the boy – no, the man, he reminded himself – would understand.Will he really? asked that voice of doubt deep in the back of his mind. Tell him, it urged. Tell him so he’ll understand.Martin shook his head. He couldn’t tell Jefferson. He would insist on changing history – or should Martin be calling it destiny? Under the circumstances, was there any difference?That was the fundamental problem with time paradoxes. When something that happened in the past was influenced by events in the future, changing those events would derail that very future. If revealing what will happen in 2017, changes the outcome, Jefferson would have no impetus to try to change the timeline in 1992. That, in turn, would foreclose any change in 2017, because it depended on the revelations in 1992. But, then, he would die in 2017, again triggering Jefferson 1992 actions. It was an endless circle of inconsistent timelines that fed off one another. That kind of paradox could be catastrophic for both the future and the past. So, no, he could not tell Jefferson. He could never tell Jefferson. The best he could do is protect Jefferson from the consequences of this future.Not for the first time Martin regretted his decision to merge with Jefferson. If I’d only known. . . . He let the thought die. There was no time to dwell on the past, on decisions long since settled. He just needed to make sure that they found a solution to their most pressing problem. At least, Jefferson’s visit to 1992 suggested that a solution had been found. The consequence Martin most feared had been avoided.
Or will be avoided.
He was startled out of his thoughts by the cab coming to a stop. It took a moment to remember where he was, that is, until he saw the house where he and Clarissa had lived for so many years. He was home – probably for the last time – but home nonetheless. Remembering he was in a cab, he pulled out a large bill and handed to the driver. Without waiting for change, he got out and headed up the brick walkway to the front door.His heart began to beat faster and he swallowed hard against the panic rising inside. Stop it, he told himself. This time was a gift. He would get a final few days with Clarissa, Lily, and Ronnie that easily could have been lost to the cosmos. He needed to take advantage of that time. Limited as it was, he could put some things right. With his family. With Jefferson. The least he could do is give them a proper goodbye. Taking another deep breath, Martin took a few more steps toward the door, reaching the steps just in time for the door to swing open and Lily to rush out.“You’re home,” she cried. She barely waited for Martin to reach the porch before she enveloped him in a tight hug.Martin held his daughter close. He tried to say something, but words eluded him.Lily pulled away, but she took his hand. “Come inside. Mom’s in the kitchen with Ronnie.” Lily gave him a sideways glance as they walked through the door. “You know . . . you should have given her a little more notice. She’s stressing about having enough beer for Mick.”“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” he said, smiling at his daughter. It was baffling to think that she had only existed in the timeline for a year, yet he had a lifetime of memories and that immutable love a parent has for a child. “It’s just wonderful to see you. Now let’s find your mom and let me see my grandson.”He didn’t have to wait long. “Martin!”Turning, he saw Clarissa rushing through the living room. Martin felt a fresh wave of emotion as they embraced.A memory flashed. When he returned home for the first time after those long months lost to the Particle Accelerator explosion and his involuntary merge with Ronald. All he had been able to say was that he was sorry. That had been so inadequate, yet it was more than he could manage now.In his arms, Clarissa was shaking. It sounded like she tried to say something, but her voice broke. She was crying. Martin clutched her tightly against his chest. He looked over Clarissa’s shoulder at Lily, who backed away, leaving her parents alone in the foyer.Clarissa continued to cry on his shoulder. For now, time was unimportant. He would hold her as long as she needed.Eventually, her sobs subsided. When she could finally speak, she whispered, “I . . . I was afraid. . . . I was afraid I wouldn’t get to say goodbye.”Her words chilled him. He pulled back and she looked at him through red-rimmed eyes, tears running down her cheeks. Words eluded him as he tried to understand what she was saying. All he could do is stare into his wife’s eyes, seeing the sadness and pain reflected in them. He wanted nothing more than to take away that pain. Reaching out, he brushed away some of her tears with the palm of his hand. “It’s okay. I’m here, my love. There’s nothing to fear.”Clarissa shook her head. “You were never good at lying to me, Martin.”“Cla--”She cut him off with a look. “You told him you’d be 67. You even said the date. November 28th.” She continued, even as his chest constricted. “That’s what you said.” Martin staggered back, gaping at his wife. In her sad smile, the answer to his question was clear, but he asked anyway. “You knew?”She reached up and caressed his cheek. “I’ve always known.”
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“Something’s going on with Grey.”Sara turned to see Jax on the far side of the bridge. “I know.”“Do you really?” Jax walked toward her, scowling. “He told the guys at S.T.A.R. Labs they need to come up with a way to break up Firestorm before the wedding. Then he yelled at me when I asked him what the rush was.”She was puzzled. Martin rarely got angry. Excited and animated, he might raise his voice. “Are you sure he was yelling? You know how he gets when he’s excited.” Jax’s scowl deepened. “He was yelling. And he’s lying to me.” Jax reached the central console. “Gideon, where’s Grey now?” Gideon’s disembodied voice replied, “Professor Stein is currently at his home in Central City in the year 2017.”Jax grimaced. “See? He must have jumped ship the minute we landed. I know he’s anxious to get home, but not even a goodbye or Happy Thanksgiving?”“Come on,” Sara said. “He probably just wanted to get home early for the holiday.”Jax gave her a look. “Right. Like Grey ran out of here to catch the football game. Sara, you’ve gotta trust me on this.”She knew better than to question him. Jax had earned her trust in the years they had been on the ship together. He was her second-in-command for a reason. So if Jax was right, what was wrong with Martin? As the captain, her job was to understand her crew. But she had to admit to being concerned about Martin lately. He had been reluctant to return to the Waverider when they stole the ship from the Time Bureau. But he had returned for Jax and, despite wanting to be with his family, seemed no less committed to their mission.Still, his reluctance to join the latest mission sometimes showed. When they first joined Rip, Martin would react to each new time period with excitement. He had studied time travel, so it made sense that the actual experience of traveling through time was thrilling. But at the same time, he wasn’t as geekily optimistic as Ray. Martin saw the problems in different time periods; he wasn’t blind to them. Over the past two years, Martin and Jax had probably become the most dependable members of the team. Nate and Ray were prone to flights of childish behavior, Amaya could run hot and cold, Mick had trust issues, and Zari was still new. Since Rip had left, it was Jax and Martin to whom she usually turned for advice. Martin had his flaws, no doubt; his arrogant and pompous professor mode still sometimes took over, but not nearly as much as when they had first boarded the Waverider. Instead, Martin had become a trusted friend. As captain, she had come to rely on him to second-guess her decisions. It often was Martin who reminded her of their consequences, the effects she could not – or did not want to – see. In many ways, he was the moral anchor, the voice of doubt and assurance a captain needed. He also would always be the man who had faith in her even when she doubted herself. She looked at Jax carefully. Was he overreacting? The situation had to be tough for him. He was trying to support Martin’s decision to retire, but, for Jax, breaking up Firestorm would change his entire world. If Sara hurt at the thought Martin leaving the team meant, because she would lose a good friend, how much worse was it going to be for Jax? He would lose a friend too, but also his powers, his mentor, and the closest thing he ever had to a father.With a sigh, she said, “Look, we both know Martin wants off the ship. We can’t force him to come with us. We should be supporting--”“Listen to me, aight,” Jax snapped. “If it were just that, he’d say so. There’s more to it, Sara. If he just missed his family and wanted to go home, I’d be feeling that . . . and he’d be feeling guilty about what that means for me and the team. But that’s not what’s going on. Grey’s worried, like something is going to happen and he knows it’s going to be bad. And I think that’s why he’s rushing to figure out Firestorm.”Sara pursed her lips and thought. They could confront Martin, but if he was acting like Jax was saying, she doubted he would tell them the truth. “Gideon,” she called out. “Has Professor Stein had any unusual communications with anyone outside the Waverider?”The AI replied, “Please define ‘unusual,’ Captain.”Sara bit back on what she wanted to say. “Just tell me who Professor Stein has communicated with from the Waverider over the past week.”“Professor Stein has had seven communications with Dr. Wells and Mr. Ramon at S.T.A.R. Labs. He also has had four communications with his wife and six with his daughter and grandson.”None of that struck Sara as unusual. Ever since Martin had devised his trans-temporal communicator to communicate with 2017, he had tried to keep in contact with his family. As for the S.T.A.R. Labs folks, it made sense if they were helping figure out how to separate Firestorm.”Gideon added, “And one communication with the Time Bureau.”That raised eyebrows. Sara and Jax exchanged looks. “The Time Bureau? Who did he talk to at the Time Bureau?”“I believe he spoke with Agent Sharpe. That was before she opened a portal for Professor Stein to the Time Bureau.”“Wait. Are you saying Martin went to the Time Bureau?” Sara couldn’t believe that.“Gideon, did Grey say what he wanted?” Jax asked. The AI replied, “No. He asked to talk to Captain Hunter, but was told that was impossible. He then told Agent Sharpe that he had an urgent matter to discuss.” “What was that?” Sara asked.“He refused to say over the transmission,” Gideon answered. “Agent Sharpe then opened a portal.”Sara was baffled. Martin had to know that the Time Bureau was not their ally. Jax shook his head. “What’s Grey doing with the Time Bureau? Why did he want to talk to Rip?”Sara had no idea. Even talking to Rip made little sense. Since the Legends had broken time, Rip had focused on building the Time Bureau and dealing with this Mallus thing that the rest of the Time Bureau thought was fake. None of that would have anything to do with Martin. Maybe Martin wanted to talk to Rip about something that had happened on the ship, but when he couldn’t do that, why did he talk to Sharpe?“I don’t know,” she said. “But we will find out.”Jax nodded. “Maybe I should go to Grey’s for Thanksgiving, see if I can figure things out.”Martin had invited the team to Thanksgiving at his house – at least, the portion of the team still on board the Waverider. She had begged off and Jax planned on spending the holiday with his mother, something he was really looking forward to. “Go to your mom’s,” she said. “I’ll see what I can get out of Martin.”“Weren’t you going to go to Star City?”She had thought about it briefly, but had decided against it. Her father had plans already and, if she went home, they would probably spend the day thinking about Laurel. She couldn’t do that. Sara loved her father, but she was no longer Quentin Lance’s little girl. She also was not the assassin that returned home from Nanda Parbat. She was now the captain of the Legends, who traveled through time and fixed temporal anachronisms. Much of her life before boarding the Waverider now felt like it happened to a different person.Sara shook her head and answered Jax’s question. “No, I’ll go to Martin’s. I want to get some answers.”
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Martin sat at the kitchen table and bounced Ronnie on his knee. Clarissa and Lily were heating up food and getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner. His eyes met his wife’s and she gave him a soft smile and the message – “Later.” They had so much to discuss. Her revelation that she overheard Jefferson on that day 25 years earlier had left Martin stunned and speechless. But before he could ask questions, Lily had returned with the baby and reminded them that they had Thanksgiving dinner to prepare. Silently, he and Clarissa had agreed not to tell Lily. It was better that she enjoy a happy holiday and these last few days with him without a cloud overhead. So he was trying to act like everything was normal, and he and his wife did not know that he had less than a week to live.Better make them count, Martin, he told himself.He was trying. For starters, he was spending time with his grandson. The baby’s eyes were glued to the rocketship that Martin was waving in front of him. The ship flew across Ronnie’s view with a “whoosh” noise, causing him to clap his hands and laugh. He then reached for the toy, which Martin surrendered to the baby’s small hands. “Starting him a little young, aren’t you?” Lily asked, though he could tell she was joking. She was helping Clarissa heat up the food. Their guests – initially just Mick, but now Sara as well – would be arriving shortly. As pleased as he was that they had accepted his invitation, Martin was enjoying this all-to-brief time alone with his family. As Lily carried a platter to the table, she added, “Ronnie’s only three-months old.”He gave his daughter a knowing look. “And you’re not detailing your work with nanotechnology to him?”“Of course not,” Lily replied. “We’re barely at quantum physics.” All three of them laughed. Lily truly was her father’s daughter. He said a silent prayer, hoping that Ronnie would grow up to be as intelligent and caring as his mother. He looked back down at the baby, whose eyes were fixed on his. As Ronnie raised his hand, still clutching the rocketship, Martin said, “It wouldn’t be the worst thing to have another physicist in the family.”Ronnie promptly put the ship in his mouth.“Or a food critic.” Clarissa set down a serving platter and rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure this house could handle another scientist.”“But Mom,” Lily protested as she carried another plate of food to the table. “I only blew up the garage – and it only happened that one time. Besides, think of all the stuff Dad’s going to teach Ronnie.”Several serving forks fell to the floor, clattering loudly. Clarissa was standing next to an open drawer, the forks at her feet. She was fighting tears as she watched the utensils she had dropped.“Mom? Are you all right?” Lily sounded concerned.Clarissa waved her away. “It’s okay. I’m just clumsy.” She reached down, picked up the forks, and headed to the sink. “I just have to clean these.”Martin could tell that Lily suspected something was amiss, so he tried to cover. “I’m sure your mother’s just emotional. I know my being here was a surprise.”He hated keeping secrets from his daughter. When she was on the Waverider earlier in the year, they had agreed not to keep secrets. But this was different. He had never wanted Clarissa to know; he had wanted to spare her the burden of knowing. If he could save Lily some anguish by keeping the secret, so be it.Time to change the subject, he thought, so he asked Lily if she had talked to her fiancé, who was deployed in Korea, while Lily remained in Central City and continued her research at Hudson. That had been a fortuitous decision. Not only did it mean that Lily would have Clarissa’s support with the baby when she returned to work, it also meant that Clarissa would not be alone over the next few months. Having Lily and Ronnie around would help his wife cope.“Earth to Dad.”Martin looked up and realized that he had completely missed her answer. “I’m sorry.” Thinking fast, he explained, “Momentarily distracted. I was thinking of all the time we spent in that workshop when you were young. You’ll have to do the same for this little guy.”“Me?” Lily said, laughing. “Come on, Dad. Don’t kid yourself. You’ll be leading the way.”Martin heart clinched, but he forced himself to keep a smile on his face. If only, he thought, but he just smiled at his daughter and said, “Of course I will.”
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Sara had to give Martin credit. If something was bothering him, like Jax suspected, Martin was giving nothing away during Thanksgiving dinner.“Anyone for seconds?” Clarissa asked as she stood up from the table.“Or thirds, in Mr. Rory’s case,” Martin said.With a shrug, Mick said, “What can I say? Food’s not half-bad.”Martin chuckled. “Clarissa, you should take that as the compliment it was intended to be.”As Clarissa passed his chair on the way to the kitchen, Martin reached out, took her hand, and kissed it. It was such a simple gesture, but in that moment Sara could see how much love they shared. When Clarissa pulled away, Martin watched her with a look that Sara could best describe as wistful.Sara remembered a time when she had accused Martin of not caring about anyone. She had said it in anger, knowing it wasn’t true, but this was the first chance she had to really see them together. Martin was a very lucky man. If only she could be so lucky to find someone who would still love her after 30 years together. “So tell us about your latest adventures,” Lily asked. Sara realized the question was directed her way. “Dad didn’t really get a chance to tell us.” Where do I start? Then she grinned as she found an answer. “Did your dad tell you about him and Jax swapping bodies?“What?” Lily exclaimed.“Just a small experiment of Raymond’s that went wrong,” Martin said. “It was just a couple of days.”Sara laughed. “Yeah, a couple of days that you spent in Hollywood in Jax’s body hitting on Hedy Lamarr.”“I did not hit on her!” Martin stammered. His face turned red as he realized that Clarissa had just returned to the room. “I swear. I did not hit on her.”Clarissa crossed her arms, but Sara could tell she was just amused.“It was just one kiss – that she initiated because we saved her career.” Lily raised an eyebrow. “Really, Dad?”“I swear,” Martin continued to protest. “She kissed Jefferson too. . . .”“Did she now?” That was Clarissa.Mick took a swig of beer. “Oh, this is gonna be good.”--------------------“Jefferson.”Jax looked up from his plate of turkey, greens, and stuffing. His mom looked back across the table. Her lips were pursed and her eyes were narrowed.“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked.Jax forced a smile to his face. “Nothing’s going on. I’m just glad to be here.”“Right. . . . And that’s why you’ve barely touched your food.” His mom obviously saw right through him. He also knew that she would not give up until he explained. She was as stubborn as Grey on that front. He pushed away his plate and leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”“Is something wrong on the ship?” she asked. “You know you can always come home and go back to school.”“Nah. It’s not like that.” He tried to figure out how to explain what he was feeling. It was hard when he couldn’t really explain it himself. “It’s Grey. Something’s wrong with him and I’m not sure what it is. I mean, I know he wants to be with his family, but there’s more going on. It’s like he’s worried about something.”His mom seemed to think for a minute. “Do you think he’s worried about you? If he leaves, won’t it mean you have to leave too?”“But why would that worry him?” Jax asked.‘Jefferson, do you really think he isn’t thinking about how this will affect you?” She gave him a look that said he was being ridiculous. “I may have only met the man a few times, but I know he cares about you.”Jax looked down. “I know he does. . . .” He ran his hand along the edge of the table as he wondered if he should say what he was thinking. Would it hurt her? He didn’t want that, but he didn’t know how else to explain how things were with Grey.“Maybe it’s you who’s worrying,” his mom said. “You’d be losing a lot.”“I . . . I don’t know. It’s hard to think I won’t be able to fly or do all the other stuff that Firestorm does, but it’s even more than that. I feel like I’m losing. . . .”“Like you’re losing your dad again.”He looked up in surprise. “How--”“Baby, you think I can’t tell what Grey means to you? Or what he’s done for you?” She reached across the table and touched his hand. “Before this all happened, you were lost. I know what losing your chance to play football meant to you, and I knew you’d never be satisfied being a mechanic. Becoming Firestorm changed you.”“I hope in a good way,” Jax said.“In the best ways. You left here confused and angry.” She squeezed his hand. “You’re a man now. You’re strong, smart, and you have a big heart. And I think Grey played a big role in that.”Her words made him think about the arguments he and Grey used to have. Jax hated Grey constantly telling him what to do and sometimes refused to follow orders just for the hell of it. Then he had nearly lost Grey in that Russian gulag, and Jax realized how much he depended on the old man. He also realized that Grey was hard on him because he didn’t want Jax to end up like Ronnie Raymond, Grey’s original partner. Over time, Grey had come to trust Jax a lot more. Their connection became less of a dictatorship and more a partnership. In a way, it’s what Jax imagined it would be like for a father to accept that his son was an adult.“He’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a dad,” Jax admitted. “That’s a lot harder to give up than blasting things and flying.”
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“You had to bring up Heddy Lamar?” Martin asked as they walked to his study.Sara chuckled. She had enjoyed teasing him about that mission, particularly when he became flustered when Clarissa had joined in the mix. She had plainly been amused by Martin’s misadventures; there was no ill-will. Once again, Sara felt a twinge of envy at seeing the love he shared with his wife. Martin closed the door after they entered the study. Under the pretext of trying a 30-year single malt, Sara had managed to get Martin alone so she could see if he would reveal what was going on. He motioned for her to take a seat as he poured two fingers of the scotch and passed a glass to her. “Clarissa frowns on hard alcohol, so I keep a few bottles hidden in here,” he explained. “She pretends not to notice.”Glancing around the room, Sara doubted Clarissa had to pretend very much. Martin’s study was a monument to clutter. The walls were lined with over-filled bookshelves. Several chalkboards were covered with tarps, apparently to protect whatever was written on them. A computer monitor sat on a desk, surrounded by stacks of paper. The keyboard was probably buried beneath them.Martin finished pouring himself a glass and raised it. “A toast.”“What are we toasting?” she asked. “To great adventures and even greater friendships.”Sara had to smile. “I’ll drink to that.” She took a sip, figuring Martin would not appreciate her downing the expensive scotch in a single gulp. “Nice. You’ve got good taste in booze. So how about another toast – To being home for good.”Martin’s hand trembled slightly and his face flushed. Sara suspected that Jax was feeling nervous right now.“It’s okay to want to stay here,” she said. “We all know that’s what you want. Even Jax.”With a quick shake of his head, Martin said, “I can’t take Jefferson away from the Waverider. He’s made it quite clear that he’s not content to live a normal life in Central City.” He let out a curt laugh. “Funny how our desires have been turned on their head.”“What does that mean?Martin took another sip from his glass. “It means that Jefferson was reluctant to join the mission when we first started. . . . I’ll admit that was not one of my finer hours.” He probably did not need Sara to remind him of how he had drugged Jax and brought him, unconscious, to the ship. “Yet now it is I that wish to remain here . . . to enjoy my retirement.”There was something funny about the way he said that, like he didn’t really think it would happen. Sara thought back to her earlier conversation with Jax and how he thought Martin’s issues involved more than wanting to go home.“Martin, what’s really going on?” she asked. “You’re usually so optimistic – not as much as Ray, but still. . . .”He shrugged. “I apologize. I guess I have been a bit melancholy of late. Perhaps it is simply that I am finally feeling my age. Like I told Jefferson, time travel is a young man’s game.”Sara didn’t believe that for a minute. Martin was a terrible liar. She on the other hand was an excellent liar. “I was going over some logs earlier and noticed that you contacted the Time Bureau. What was that about?”“Oh, nothing really,” he stammered. He had not been prepared for that, but to his credit, he recovered quickly. “I wanted to ask Rip a question for my notes on our adventures, but he wasn’t available.”That was almost believable, Sara thought. Almost.She took another sip. It really was great scotch. She drained the glass and set it down on top of a stack of books. Martin immediately began to refill it.As he poured the drink, he said, “I’m meeting with Dr. Wells and Mr. Ramon tomorrow to discuss our research on separating Jefferson and me.” She could tell that was not a lie. “I’m hopeful that we will find a cure before the Waverider leaves this time period.”“And if that happens, you’ll stay here, but Jax will come with us?”Martin nodded. “I wouldn’t dream of depriving the Waverider of its top engineer. Unfortunately, he will no longer be Firestorm. I know that’s hard for Jax to accept. I wish there were another way.”“You won’t be Firestorm either,” she pointed out. “I’m sure that’s also hard for you to take.”He handed her the filled glass. “Surprisingly, it’s not. Perhaps that too is a function of age, but when I look back at my life, it’s not our adventures or my academic achievements that I remember. It’s my wedding day, the day Lily was born, seeing my grandson for the first time, watching Jefferson become a man we can all be proud of. Those are what I think of. And if I have regrets, it’s that I wasn’t a better husband and father.”Sara had no doubt those statements were true and she had to smile, especially at the way he had naturally included Jax. “If tonight is any indication, you haven’t failed at either of those things. You’re very lucky.”Martin held his glass up. “Something else worth toasting.” As he took a sip, his eyes narrowed and Sara suddenly felt like the tables had turned. “And what about you? Other than your sister, you rarely talk about your family or anyone that you love.”“Members of the League of Assassins aren’t really supposed to get attached.”“That’s not you anymore, Sara.” He looked away momentarily and then back at her. “You are so much more than that label. Again, not too sound like a broken record, but this also may be a function of age. One thing I really appreciate about our time on the Waverider is that I was able to witness how much people can change – and for the better. You, Jefferson, Raymond, even Mr. Rory.”“Don’t let Mick hear that,” Sara said.“I suspect he knows. Could you imagine me inviting him into our home two years ago?” Martin chuckled. “As it was, Clarissa asked if we should lock up the good silver.” Then he grew serious, almost sad, as he said, “But getting back to my point. I truly hope you find the happiness and love that you deserve.”Fixed in Martin’s gaze, Sara tried not to act embarrassed. Her relationships were not topics that she discussed with anyone. But she reminded herself of the times that Martin had confided in her about things he may not even have told Jax. During their time on the Waverider, they had developed a trust that she suspected was rare for Martin and even more rare for her. She smiled at him. “You’re a good friend. I’m going to miss you.”“Me too,” he replied. He set down his glass and stood up. “Now I had better get back before Clarissa sends out a search party.” He picked up the bottle, which was half-full, and handed it to her. “A parting gift. For your future adventures.”As she followed Martin out of the study, Sara looked down at the expensive bottle and wondered what had just happened. She had wanted to get some answers, but now had more questions. She understood that this was Martin’s way of saying goodbye, but there was a permanence, a finality to the way he had spoken that triggered alarms in her head. There was more to this than him retiring. Something more was going on. And she needed to find out exactly what that was.
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The guests had left the house a few hours earlier and the house was now silent. In the room Clarissa had fixed up as a nursery, Martin stared into the crib at his now-sleeping grandson. What would the world be like when Ronnie grew up? How much would change during his lifetime? So much of what we take for granted today was beyond imagination when Martin was born, but the few glimpses he had of the future had revealed the worst of humanity. Between Vandal Savage’s 22nd-century corporate-controlled state to the near-future anti-metahuman world that Zari had escaped, it was difficult to hold onto the hope that the scientific advances Martin had spent his life pursuing would make the world more peaceful and humane.And yet, he remained optimistic. The last few years had introduced him to a younger generation that was willing to fight for the world he hoped for. People like Barry Allen and Oliver Queen sought to protect the vulnerable and defeat those whose lust for power endangered others. Even the Legends, which began as a mix of disposable heroes and criminals, aimed to improve the timeline and stop those dystopian futures from coming to pass.Clarissa interrupted his thoughts. “So there you are.”He turned away from the crib and held his index finger to his lips to let her know the baby was sleeping.“I was just thinking that it’s been ages since there’s been an infant in this house,” he said quietly. “Although it appears Ronnie had the good fortune to inherit his ability to fall asleep from his father -- thankfully.”Clarissa chuckled. “I don’t think you minded those late-night walks around the block to get Lily to sleep as much as you tried to make me think you did.” Then, in a near-whisper, she added, “I think we need to talk, don’t we?”Martin nodded. “Yes . . . of course.” The Thanksgiving celebration had been just a brief respite from addressing Clarissa’s revelation. All day, even as he did his best to enjoy being surrounded by his two families, he could not set aside the shock that Clarissa had known what Jefferson said in 1992. Taking his hand, Clarissa led him to the living room and he stopped short. The fire was burning, just as it had been that night 25 years earlier. He could almost hear Jefferson insisting that he was trying to save Martin. He could hear himself, declaring that he would not cheat death, that by 67, he would have lived a full life.Clarissa had stopped too. “I had offered Jefferson some tea. I was just coming back with it when I heard the two of you.” “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”Clarissa shrugged, walked over to the couch, and sat down. “That night, I heard my husband, the man I loved more than life itself, be the bravest, most selfless person he could be. You were being offered a way to change your future. For someone as passionate about knowing how time works as you, the temptation must have been overwhelming. Yet you stood true to what you believed, to your morals.” She gave him a crooked smile that failed to mask the pain in her eyes. He wanted to take away that pain and tell her ‘morals be damned,’ but she would see right through him.“Listening to the two of you made me understand so much,” Clarissa continued. “That night, I realized time travel would be part of your future . . . and it was the first time so many other things actually make sense.”Martin did not understand. “L--Like what?”“Like how my husband had to work through my birthday dinner during our trip to Washington, yet he returned the next morning with a brand new, fully healed scar on his side.” She looked up at him. “Or how Firestorm could save my life at the White House years before you became him. Of course, I didn’t know that at the time, because your accident hadn’t happened yet.” Martin tried to take that in. He knew what she was describing. That all happened when he was in 1987, the same mission that led to Lily’s appearance in the timeline. The Legends had saved his younger self after Damian Darkh stabbed him and then Firestorm had rescued Clarissa from a bomb planted in the White House. It had never dawned on him that she might have connected those events so many years later. He just stood there, dumbfounded, until she motioned him to join her on the couch and waited for him to sit. Then she took his hands in hers.“You were destined to be a hero, Martin.” Clarissa seemed to blink back tears. “I knew that, and I was afraid if I said anything, you would change your life out of an obligation to me and Lily. And if I learned anything from you about time, it’s that one change can affect everything that follows.”Still dumbfounded, he thought back over the last several years. “Y--You pushed me to go back . . . when I wanted to stay, but Jefferson wanted to go--”“You had to go,” she said, answering his unspoken question.“And Ronald? If your foreknowledge told you that Jefferson and I--”Clarissa gave a small nod. “I didn’t know Ronnie would die, but I knew he wouldn’t be your other half forever.”The room fell silent as Martin tried to process everything. His voyages to the past had changed his present in so many ways, but now he was realizing how it also had fixed this course that he now was on. “If you had said something. . . .” He closed his eyes. “I would have changed things to spare you this.”Clarissa squeezed his hand. “That’s not how it works, my love. Nobody lives forever. Remember ‘til death do us part.’ I meant it when I said it 30 years ago -- and it has been a wonderful 30 years. All that love between us, our life with Lily . . . and now the baby--”“Whose grandfather will never see him grow up,” Martin said, trying, but failing to stifle his emotions. “I . . . I so wanted to see that.”“I know,” she said. “And you still could.” She reached up to brush his cheek and he leaned into her touch. The temptation was so strong.“No one will blame you for wanting to live, Martin. No one will think less of you.”If only it were that simple, he thought. He could feel his head warring with his heart. His head kept screaming about time paradoxes and his duty to preserve the time line. His heart kept reminding him of his loved ones. His heart sounded so much louder than it did in 1992, but his head asked a question that his heart couldn’t answer.
If you had never known, how much would have changed?
He didn’t know. How would his life have been different? Would Lily still be part of that timeline? Would he have pursued his F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. research? Would he have told Ronald that they had to separate in the eye of the singularity?And he had his answer. There was too much at stake – for him and for his family and friends. He couldn't risk the timeline.He pulled Clarissa close and held her in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, even as his chest constricted and his voice broke. “I’m so sorry.”
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Jax stumbled into the galley, barely conscious and desperate for some coffee. Sara and Mick were already at a table. Even at this early hour, Mick gripped a bottle of beer.“Rough night?” Mick asked when he spotted Jax.You could say that, Jax thought. He had been unable to sleep. Whatever was going on with Grey had overwhelmed their psychic link. Jax could barely label what he had felt; it had been like when Snart had died, but tenfold. The grief and guilt that filled him left him nearly unable to sense his own emotions. And when those emotions had lessened, Jax had been left to endure the always awkward experience of sensing Grey and Clarissa -- No, he was not going to think about that and tried to shake the image from his head. Normally when that happened, Jax could distract himself and tamp down on the link for awhile, but nothing in Grey’s mind was normal right now. The overwhelming love Grey felt for Clarissa had been more intense than ever before. That intense emotion had surged through the link, adding another layer to the underlying grief, anxiety, and guilt that Jax had been feeling for days.Saying nothing to Mick, Jax ordered some black coffee from the food replicator. Behind him, he heard Sara tell Mick to “lay off,” as Jax waited for replicator to spit out his coffee. He picked up the cup and turned to the table.“So what’s going on, kid?” Mick growled. Jax lied. “Nothing.”“Cut the crap.” He looked at Jax. “You could have stayed at your Mom’s last night, but stayed onboard. And you--” He turned to Sara. “You could have been in Star City, but stayed here and went to the Professor’s. So lemme ask again. What’s going on?”Jax knew Mick wouldn’t take no for an answer, so he finally admitted, “It’s Grey. Something’s wrong and I don’t know what it is.”“He wants off the ship,” Mick said. “Ain’t no secret.”Sara shook her head. “If that’s all it was. . . .”“Grey’s not acting like someone who wants to retire,” Jax explained. “He’s acting like someone died. That’s the only way I can explain it. Like someone died and he’s guilty that he couldn’t stop it.”“Or can’t stop it,” Mick said.Or can’t stop it. Jax froze. Could that be it? Did Grey know something? Jax tried to think. Since the Oculus was destroyed, Gideon’s time records could no longer reveal the distant future, but they certainly covered 2017. Early on, Rip had warned the team against asking for information about their futures and those of their loved ones, but Jax knew he had been tempted to ask and only stopped himself by remembering that changing the future could have massive effect on the timeline. Jax liked to think Grey would have reached the same conclusion, but it was possible that he had given into the temptation.He looked at Sara, whose eyes were wide. She was thinking the same thing.“Gideon,” she said. “Check the available records for Clarissa and Lily Stein over the next few weeks of 2017. Does anything happen to them?”The AI replied quickly. “If you mean is there any record of either of their deaths or injury, Captain Lance, I can find nothing. Their names do appear in some periodicals during that time.”“What periodicals?” Jax asked. “No, don’t answer that. Just show us.”A holographic image of the Central City Picture News appeared. “Oh my god,” Sara said.Jax felt his chest tighten as he realized what he was looking at: a photo of Grey above the headline “Famed Nuclear Physicist Dead at 67.”
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Martin had left the house early to go to S.T.A.R. Labs. It had been a struggle to pull himself away from Clarissa, because each minute he had with her was precious. As was this remaining time with his daughter and grandson.But Martin had another family. For all intents and purpose, Jefferson had become a son to him. Three years of sharing their unique bond left it impossible to describe their relationship as anything else. And Martin owed it to Jefferson to make sure that what was about to happen left the boy – young man, he corrected himself – safe and whole. Jefferson had his entire life ahead of him.“Professor?” Martin looked up at Cisco and realized that his thoughts had strayed from the conversation with Cisco and Harry Wells. It still took Martin aback when dealing with this version of Dr. Wells, because most of his experiences had been with Eobard Thawne masquerading as Wells. But Caitlin, Cisco, and Barry seemed to trust the man, so Martin would do the same. Besides, truth be told, Martin had little choice in the matter. If he was going to find a cure for Firestorm in time, he needed Wells’ help.“I -- I’m sorry,” Martin said. “I guess I was just . . . momentarily distracted. Forgive me. P --Please proceed.”Cisco and Wells exchanged a look before Wells said, “We’ve tested a few theories about how to stabilize the Firestorm matrix. At first, we thought that we could trigger a fission reaction and the resulting radiation if directed at precisely the right moment and in the right amount could reverse the effect of the matrix on your body.”“Like the quantum splicer on steroids,” Cisco said.Martin understood what they were describing; he had considered something similar. However, there were significant drawbacks to that approach. “But how would you compensate for the fact that Jefferson and I are impervious to nu -- nuclear radiation? And even if we could overcome that immunity, the amount of radiation necessary to reverse the Firestorm matrix in my genetic code would likely be fatal to Jefferson as his body does not house the matrix.”“That could be a problem,” Cisco admitted. Wells scowled, leading to Cisco to glare back and say, “Well it could be.”Martin sighed. “If only there were a way to undo the genetic changes in Jefferson’s physiology caused by the dark matter.”“That might be good for Jax,” Wells said. “But wouldn’t that leave you unstable? If I understand how the matrix works, it requires you to have a partner, almost like a parasite needs a host. Without a compatible host--”“I’ll die,” Martin said evenly. Wells shrugged. “I was going to say blow up.”“Fair enough,” Martin said. “But that may be . . . preferable to the alternative.” Cisco raised his hands. “Wait a minute. What happened to kicking back and playing grandpa? Thermonuclear explosion doesn’t exactly scream quiet retirement.”Martin looked away for a minute, debating whether to tell them the whole story. If they knew, Cisco would almost certainly tell Jefferson. But if they knew, they also might consider more options. His mind warred with itself before he finally came to a decision.“I . . . I must implore you not to say anything . . . particularly to Jefferson.” Martin took a deep breath. “I have reason to believe my death is imminent.” Seeing the looks of disbelief on the other scientists’ faces, Martin grew more insistent. “I may not be able to explain the precise basis for my . . . um . . . knowledge, b -- but I assure you that I would not reveal this without strong reasons for doing so. And the reason for this . . . urgency is that I believe the biological connection between Jefferson and me is even stronger than we may think.”Neither Cisco nor Wells responded. They both looked stunned and confused.Martin tried to explain. “About a month ago, Dr. Palmer attempted to separate us using nanotechnology and, in the ensuing reaction, Jefferson’s and my consciousness switched bodies.”“We read your notes,” Wells said. “Though why you wouldn’t want to switch bodies with Jax is beyond me.”Martin ignored the jibe. “What’s important is that the . . . reaction triggered by Dr. Palmer’s experiment could only have been possible if substantial portions of Jefferson’s and my respective biologies were sufficiently synchronized so as to effect the transference and permit it to remain stable.” He paused for a moment to let that sink in. “We have always known that the merge affects the biology of both partners. That’s why, when Ronald and I first came here, our core temperature and brain waves were identical. However, it is my theory that the fusion caused by the merge, has . . . over time, resulted in ever-increasing biological syn . . . synchronization. So much so that survival is dependent on mutualistic symbiosis.”Realization appeared to dawn on Cisco’s face. “So the parasite is not only dependent on the host, but--”“But the host has grown dependent on the parasite,” Wells finished.“Precisely.” Martin nodded, then looked down. “And without the parasite, the host will die. . . . Jefferson will die.”Cisco started to respond, but fell silent. He looked at Wells, who also was silenced by the dawning realization of what Martin was describing.“How long do we have to figure this out?” Cisco asked.“Just a few days.” Martin lifted his head and looked back at Wells and Cisco. “I beseech you. Please . . . help me find a way to save Jefferson.”
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Sara looked across the Library table at Jax. “Anything?”“Nope,” Jax answered, shaking his head. “None of the articles say what happened.”“How is that possible?” Sara asked. “Someone had to investigate Martin’s . . . death.” She hated herself for even saying the word. She was not going to let Martin die on her watch. Thinking a little more, she got an idea. “Maybe there’s a logical explanation for why nobody told the press what happened.”Jax nodded, seeing where she was going. “You’re thinking someone wiped the witnesses’ memories. That makes sense, but why?”There was only one reason she could imagine. “My guess is that they needed to protect someone’s secret identity.”Jax seemed to think. “There will be plenty of folks at the wedding who wouldn’t want their powers to be public. Maybe we should tell Barry and Iris to call it off.” He paused and grimaced. “Okay . . . I know. We’re not supposed to change the timeline. But what about Grey? We’ve gotta save him.” “We can’t tell them to call it off,” she said. “We don’t know if this has anything to do with the wedding. It’s not even the same date. Besides, you know what can happen with the timeline when we change things. Martin would say that our ‘higher calling’ is to let things play out like they should.”Behind her, she heard Mick harrumph. “Tell that to his fake kid.”“Her name’s Lily,” Jax snapped as Sara turned around. “And she ain’t fake. She’s as real and you and me.”Mick rolled his eyes. “If you say so.”“Mick does have a point,” Sara admitted. Before Jax could get angry, she quickly added, “Martin didn’t exactly practice what he’s preached when it came to Lily. Still, if we’re right and he does know about this future. . . .” She wasn’t sure what else to call it. “He obviously doesn’t want any of us to know about it.”Jax shook his head and slammed his hand on the table. “That doesn’t make any sense. Grey’s been talking about retiring for months. Why’d he keep telling me what he plans to do if he knows none of it will happen?”On that front, Sara was just as confused as Jax. They did not even know for certain that Martin knew he was going to die. When they asked Gideon if he had ever looked at any of the articles or other historical records about his life, she told them he never had. So if he did not learn about it from Gideon, how else could he have known?He knows, she said to herself. She was certain of that. It explained the way he had talked to her the night before. Martin had not just been saying goodbye because he was leaving the Legends; he was saying goodbye like he expected he might never get the chance to do so. So how did know? Then it hit her. She looked at Jax who seemed to have the same thought. “What if--” they said simultaneously. She stopped, letting Jax finish the thought.“Grey thinks he’s gotta let it happen, because he only knows about it from something that happens in the future.”“Or someone,” Sara added.Mick chuckled. “So one of us spilled the beans.” He looked at Jax. “My money’s on you, kid.”Jax seemed too focused on his thought to respond. “Grey must think if he stops it from happening, there won’t be any reason for our future selves to warn him, which then means he won’t have the information he needs to prevent it in the first place.”Mick grimaced and took a swig of beer. “I hate time paradoxes.”Jax scowled. “So we’re just supposed to let Grey die now because then we wouldn’t be able to prevent his death in the future, even though we aren’t actually preventing his death anyway?” Jax shook his head vigorously. “This is Grey we’re talking about. I won’t sit by and do nothing. Not when I’m the reason he’s here right now.”Silently, Sara had to agree. The timeline be damned. Martin deserved his happily ever after.“So what’s the plan, Boss?” Mick lowered his beer.She thought for a moment. “All right. Right now, all we know is when Martin’s supposed to die. We need some more information. We need to find out how it happens.”Jax stepped back from the table. His lips were pursed as he thought, then he said, “If one of us told Martin when he dies, we probably told him how.”“But Martin’s not talking,” Sara pointed out. He would be stubborn about revealing the details if he believed in the time paradox.“No,” Jax agreed. “But I think I know how to find out.”
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Martin lifted his glasses and leaned forward so he could examine the specimen through the microscope with his naked eye. Organic biology was hardly his field, but he could hardly sit idle while Cisco and Wells were seeking a solution to stabilizing the matrix. To test out some possible theories about his and Jefferson’s biological structure, Martin had taken up residence in a small lab off the Cortex. “Professor?”Martin turned in his chair so fast, his glasses nearly went flying. He caught them and returned them to their proper place, which allowed him to see Caitlin entering the lab.Over the years, he had grown close to the young doctor. What started with gratitude for helping separate him and Ronald had grown into genuine affection. Some of that was due to their shared loss when Ronald died, but there was more to it. Caitlin had not just helped save him that first time, but had also played an instrumental role in bringing Jefferson into his life and in helping him accept Lily as his daughter, not a time aberration that needed correcting. With a smile, he stood up to give her a hug. “Hello, my dear,” he said, but stopped as he stepped closer. Her eyes were red and tears were running down her cheeks. In a more somber tone, he said, “I gather Cisco and Dr. Wells have told you about my rather bleak prospects.”She nodded and wiped away some tears. “We will find a cure.”Martin felt a surge of gratitude. “Thank you,” he said. “It will be a comfort to know that Jefferson will be safe. He deserves that, at least.”Caitlin’s voice broke as she said, “You deserve that too, Professor. It’s not fair.”“No . . . it’s not.” He could concur with that. “But fairness is a moral concept; I think you, more than most, should understand that, to the cosmos, fairness is an afterthought. Or so to speak, life is rarely fair.” The room fell silent as they both ruminated on that thought.Martin leaned against a computer desk. “I have thought a lot about Ronald of late.”“Me too,” Caitlin said. “It’s been hard not to when thinking about Barry and Iris’s wedding.”Martin understood. “Of course. . . . The last wedding we both attended--”“Was mine.” Caitlin sounded wistful as Martin thought back to how he had officiated at that wedding, which took place only hours before Ronald died. “I keep going back to that day and wondering why it had to happen like that. Wasn’t there a way to change things?”“I’ve asked myself that same question a thousand times,” Martin said, feeling the familiar guilt that always accompanied his thoughts about Ronald. “More recently, perhaps due to my own circumstances, I have questioned whether Ronald would have taken that same course of action had he known what the outcome would be.”Caitlin seemed confused. “He knew it was dangerous; he knew he had to try.”Martin nodded, but he meant something different. “I know he knew the risks. However, I’m wondering if he would have made the choice to fly into the singularity if he had known with absolute mathematical certainty that he would not return. As I face my own mortality, my own doubts, I find myself admiring Ronald’s decision even more.”“You made the same decision,” Caitlin said. “It’s not like you knew what would happen.”Did I? Martin grimaced a little. “I wish I could say that.” “What do you mean?” Caitlin’s confusion was even more evident.Martin motioned for her to take a seat and waited until she did. “We’ve discussed time aberrations before. When I explained what happened with Lily and, of course, the effects of Barry’s manipulation of time. . . .” He waited until Caitlin nodded. “That day . . . when I told Ronald we had to fly into the singularity and separate, I do not believe we were identically situated. I at least believed I would survive, because I knew that was not supposed to be the day of my death. That’s because I had already been told when I was supposed to die.” Caitlin’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t understand.” Martin turned away. He gazed part the myriad formulae and calculations as he tried to figure out how best to explain. How about the truth? he asked himself, even as he wondered if she would hate him when he told her the truth. “It was in 1992,” he said. “Somehow, I was transported to the year 1000 and found myself a prisoner of Leif Erikson.” At her raised eyebrow, he nodded. “I – I assure you that actually did occur, but thanks to the fortuitous arrival of the Legends, I was rescued and returned to the proper timeline.” That was a very abbreviated version of events. Martin decided not to attempt to explain how his intended Chanukah gift for Lily -- that blue, animatronic monstrosity called Beebo -- had been worshipped by the Vikings as a god and would have prompted them to conquer North America had the Legends not fixed the timeline.“So how does that mean you knew the date you would die?” Caitlin asked.Focusing back on the relevant subject, Martin explained, “One of the things I noticed when I was taken to the Waverider was the absence of my--” He hesitated, asking himself if he was his older self interacting with his younger self or vice versa. Shaking his head, he simply said, “myself. I should mention that I had crossed paths with the Legends twice before, and in each encounter, I interacted with myself. But this time, I wasn’t there and, to be frank, the other members of the team were incapable of hiding the fact that I had died at some point in, what was to them, their past.”Caitlin gasped, and her hand rose to cover her mouth.“And then there was Jefferson.”“Jax?”Martin nodded. “He returned me to 1992 and tried to give me a letter. ‘Don’t open until November 28, 2017,’ the envelope read. He called it a ‘loophole’ and said he was trying to save me.”Caitlin’s eyes widened. “And it told you what happens?”“I assume it did. I don’t know.” Martin looked away. “I never read it. I told myself that I would be cheating time if I did. After all, I would be an old man by that time and would have lived a long life. It’s funny how old 67 can seem when you’re young. . . .” He trailed off, unsure of what he was feeling. Regret? Guilt? They both sat in silence until Martin continued. “I burned the letter, but I could not erase that date from my memory. That’s why I didn’t believe I would die when we flew into the singularity. Maybe if I didn’t know . . . maybe if I had thought I might die, I would have found another way. Maybe Ronald would have survived.”He felt Caitlin’s hand reach for his. He let her take it as he looked back at her.“You are not to blame for what happened to Ronnie,” she said. “And I don’t believe things are so fixed that we cannot change them with our decisions. What if your decision to fly into the singularity wasn’t what was supposed to happen? Maybe that was the change, not something predestined to happen.” She squeezed his hand. “I can’t believe Ronnie had no say, no choice in what happened. If we believe that, we’re just puppets acting out some kind of sick script. I don’t believe that – and I don’t think you do either.”Her words hit home. But as much as he might wish he could change the future, the risk of the time paradox was too great.“And if by changing what happens, Jefferson never furnishes me with his warning in 1992?” he asked. She was far too intelligent not to understand the ramifications. “What if, by not knowing my supposed destiny, I hesitate and do not merge with Ronald that day?”Caitlin stood up and shook her head. “I have no doubt that you would do exactly what you did, Professor. It’s who you are. You would never let other people be hurt when there was something you could do to protect them.” She looked him in the eye. “Isn’t that the reason why you don’t want to change your future now?”Martin had to concede the point. “I guess you know me well.”“Thanks to Ronnie,” Caitlin said, smiling softly. She let go of his hand and stood up. “I’d better get back to reviewing the biometric readings we received from the Waverider, because we will find a cure. And in the meantime, please think about what I said. You don’t have to be a puppet. Just like Ronnie wasn’t.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As he rapped on the glass of the front door to Grey’s house, Jax began to sweat. He swallowed nervously as Lily opened the door.“Jax!” she said excitedly as she pulled him into a hug. “It’s so great to see you.” Then she paused. “If you’re looking for Dad, he’s not here. He went to S.T.A.R. Labs.”“I know,” Jax said. He had waited until he was sure Grey would not be at home to come here. “I actually wanted to talk with your mom. Is she here?”If Lily seemed surprised by that, she did not show it. She grasped Jax’s arm and pulled him inside. “Mom’s with Ronnie.” With a big grin, she added, “You have to see him. He’s grown so much since you were here the last time.”That had been on the day Ronnie was born. With a touch of shame, Jax remembered how he and Mick had suspected Grey of snitching on the Legends to the Time Bureau, only to learn that he had been secretly communicating with his family. To make up for damaging the jump ship, Mick had taken the Waverider to 2017 so Grey could be with them when Lily had the baby.As he followed Lily to the kitchen, Jax remembered that also was the day he realized how much Grey needed to be with his family. That was when Jax decided he needed to find a way to break up Firestorm. “Who was at--” Clarissa started to ask, but then she saw Jax. With the same excitement as her daughter, she called out, “Jefferson, it’s wonderful to see you.” She was holding the baby, so she had to reach out and give him an awkward one-arm hug.Jax smiled back. One of the fringe benefits of being half of a nuclear-powered superhero with Grey was becoming something of an adopted family member. Clarissa had never failed to make him welcome in her home.Lily took the baby. “Ronnie, this is your Uncle Jax--”“Jefferson,” Clarissa corrected.“Jax is fine,” Jax said, as he looked at Ronnie. He had grown a lot since Jax had seen him at the hospital and now had a full head of light brown hair. Ronnie seemed to study Jax and then began to gurgle and laugh.Lily chuckled. “Aww, he likes you. Which is good, because you’re going to be the one who teaches him how to fix cars and do actual engineering. Between Dad and Jordan,” she said, referring to her fiancé, “we’re lucky to get a lightbulb changed.”“I’ll do my best,” Jax promised. “But you’ve got things covered. Or did you think I forgot about those Dominator devices you made or the ionic transmographer you used on that amulet last year.”“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” Lily said.Jax laughed, but then remembered why he was at the house. He hesitated and then glanced at Clarissa.Both women seemed to understand. “And I think that means it’s time for my little guy’s feeding,” Lily said. She took Ronnie from her mom and left the kitchen, leaving Jax and Clarissa alone. After Jax turned down Clarissa’s offer of coffee or tea, she led him to the living room.“I think I know why you’re here,” she said as she took a seat on the couch.Jax studied her and saw that whatever happiness she had at seeing him or being with the baby had disappeared. “What has Grey told you?”“Isn’t that a question you should be asking Martin?” Clarissa gave him a knowing look. “But I suspect he doesn’t want you to know. He thinks he’s sparing you this burden.”Jax scowled. “I’m not some snot-nosed kid who can’t face the truth. Look . . . we know what’s going to happen. The ship has time records. We read the articles, the obituaries--”Clarissa winced, and Jax kicked himself for being so tactless.“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.”She shook her head. “It’s okay. . . . It’s just hard to hear. You mean well. Martin always says that about you, that you have a good heart.” She smiled softly. “But I knew that the first time I met you. You didn’t have to become Firestorm, but you did it to save a man you didn’t even know. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”“It wasn’t,” Jax admitted. “But I trusted Grey. Now I need him to trust me. You too. Please trust me. We can change things so Grey doesn’t have to die. Isn’t that what you want?”Clarissa closed her eyes and Jax could see how much she was struggling. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with tears.Oh, great, I made her cry, Jax realized. “I’m sorry,” he apologized again. Seeing her begin to sob, Jax sat down beside her. Tentatively, he put an arm around her shoulder and held her as she buried her head against his shoulder. He let her cry until her sobs subsided.“I don’t want to lose him,” she said, her voice breaking. “But I also respect his decisions. He won’t change the future because it could change the past.”That pretty much confirmed what he had discussed on the Waverider with Sara and Mick. Taking a deep breath, he asked, “So it was one of us coming back to tell him?”“It wasn’t one of you,” Clarissa said. She pulled away and looked him in the eye. “It was you, Jefferson. In 1992. . . . But I guess that hasn’t happened for you yet.”“So I do try to change things?” Jax asked. After Clarissa confirmed that with a nod, he understood. “And Grey probably refused to even hear me out.” Really, what should Jax have expected? After years of hearing Grey insist on maintaining the timeline, it was hardly surprising.Clarissa sighed. “The two of you argued, but he wouldn’t change his mind. You know how Martin gets. The man could teach mules a thing or two about being stubborn. He told me you gave him a letter, but he burned it without reading.” She gave Jax a little smile. “Only he couldn’t forget the date, because it was on the envelope. I suspect that was part of your plan; you made sure he saw the date.”That did sound like something he would do. Grey could never have forgotten the date if he saw it. But that did not answer the question that needed answering. “So we know when, but not how it happens.” Damn it, Grey, he screamed silently, hoping his other half heard him through the link. Why do you have to be so such a stubborn old man? Thinking about their psychic link reminded him of the strong emotions he had been feeling from Grey over the past weeks. If Martin was determined to let the future go unchanged, Jax could understand a lot of what his partner had been feeling. Grief made sense when Jax thought about what Grey would be leaving behind. So did his worry; Grey was probably freaking out about what would happen with Clarissa, Lily, and Ronnie.But that did not explain everything. There was another emotion Jax kept feeling through the link, which seemed to be about something else entirely. Plus the conversation with Cisco and Wells. As Jax began putting together, he felt a chill along his spine. “Clarissa. . . .” He hesitated, suddenly uncertain if he really wanted an answer. “Has Grey said why he needs to cure Firestorm and why it needs to happen so soon?”She looked up at him and her eyes widened. “He didn’t tell you?” When Jefferson shook his head, she said, “It’s for you. It’s the only way to save you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As always when she started a transmission with the Time Bureau, Sara took a deep breath, counted backwards from 10, and silently thanked the universe that it was impossible to throw a knife or throwing star through a temporal communicator.The screen flickered and Agent Sharpe appeared. As always, she wore the bureaucratic blue suit and had her hair pulled back in what Sara assumed was a regulation hairstyle. In the back of her mind, she had to admit that Sharpe might be kind of hot if she lost the buttoned-down look.“Captain Lance, what a pleasure.” Sharpe’s tone indicated she thought this conversation would be about as pleasurable as eating glass shards. “Let me guess. Your crew has botched another anachronism.” She turned her head, apparently in the direction of some subordinate. “What’s the level of that Stone Age anachronism?”“Don’t bother,” Sara said. “It’s still a Level 4 and Gideon tells me everything is going well. I’m calling you about something else. I want to know what you talked about with Martin Stein when he contacted you the other day.”Sharpe’s face froze and she looked like she would have preferred to be anywhere but on this transmission with Sara. Not exactly a poker face. It actually was kind of cute.“Agent Sharpe? I need to know.”Sharpe sighed and the transmission went dark. Sara was about to yell at Gideon to get the transmission back, when a portal opened behind her and Sharpe stepped into the Library. She held up a hand – a signal to wait for the portal to close before either of them said another word.Once the portal closed, Sara crossed her arms and demanded an answer. “What did Martin discuss with the Time Bureau?”“Officially. . . .” Sharpe paused. “Officially, he never spoke to the Time Bureau.”“And unofficially?”Sharpe seemed to chew her lip, which in other circumstances, Sara might have found endearing. Right now, it was exasperating.“I’m the Captain of this ship and I need to know,” Sara insisted. “I have a crew member in crisis and--” She cringed as she heard her words. They sounded so uncaring. “Look . . . Martin’s like family. I know he can come across as pompous and arrogant to a lot of people, but he’s someone I trust and always has my back. If he told you anything, please tell me so I can have his.”Silence filled the room as Sharpe seemed to be mulling over her answer. Finally, she motioned to one of the chairs. “Do you mind if I sit?” Seeing no objection, she walked over to one of the chairs, took a seat, and looked back at Sara. “How much do you know already?”Sara thought back to the articles she had reviewed. “That in this timeline, he’s supposed to die on November 28, 2017, just a few days from now.”“And about his family?”Sara blanched. “What about his family?”Sharpe’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Do you really expect me to believe he told me that his daughter and grandson are time aberrations, but he never told you?”Oh, Martin, why? Sara hurt for him. Just thinking of what the Time Bureau might do to Lily and Ronnie caused her stomach to flip. Why did he tell the Time Bureau? Martin had to know that would be like putting a bullseye on his family.Sharpe must have seen the stricken look on Sara’s face, because she looked away and seemed almost embarrassed. Slowly, she said, “He wanted to talk to Captain Hunter, but he’s being held incommunicado until his hearing before the Tribunal.”“So Martin talked to you?”Sharpe nodded. “He told me about the aber--”“Lily,” Sara corrected. Lily was a real person. If the Time Bureau was going to try to eliminate her from the timeline, they were going to be reminded that she was real to the people who knew her.“--About Lily, and how it occurred.” She let out an exasperated breath. “Your team really does like to make a mess of timelines, doesn’t it?”“This wasn’t intentional,” Sara pointed out.Sharpe seemed to agree with that. “True. Anyway, when he couldn’t talk to Captain Hunter, he asked for my help.”“Your help? As in you personally? Not the Time Bureau’s?”“Yes. Me. Don’t be so shocked.” Sharpe seemed to think for a moment, before she continued. “He told me about the . . . about Lily, and the baby. He . . . um . . . asked me to help them, to keep the Bureau from removing them from the timeline after his death.”“And let me guess.” Sara crossed her arms defiantly. “You went straight to your boss to report them.”“No,” Sharpe said quickly, her voice rising. “I didn’t say anything. Whatever you think of me, I’m not some unfeeling monster. Stein . . . he trusted me. . . .”Sara could barely suppress her skepticism. Sharpe might seem torn, but she had shown no love for the Legends in the past. “So that means what exactly?” “I . . . I’m not going to turn down a request from a dying man,” Sharpe said. “I’m doing what I can. Checking to see how cemented the changed timelines seem to be. Covering up things that might attract the attention of other agents. There’s a good argument that his daughter is too integral to the timeline already to remove. If not for her, the Dominators probably wouldn’t have been stopped in 2016 and your team probably wouldn’t have tracked the pieces of the Spear of Destiny. Undoing her contributions to those events could be cataclysmic.”“But?” Sara could hear it coming.“But Stein’s grandson is another matter.” Sharpe took a deep breath. “Let’s just say Stein isn’t going to be the only physics genius/metahuman superhero in the family.”Sara had to chuckle. “Firestorm Jr.”Sharpe shook her head and stood up. “Firestorm’s like a candle compared to what Stein’s grandson can – I mean will – do. And right now, that future seems to be in flux for some reason. There are a lot of conflicting records in our archives.” She stood up. “I can’t promise anything but I’m doing my best. Stein seems like a good man . . . to want to protect his family like that, even if it means trusting a stranger. . . .”“He is a good man,” Sara insisted. There was probably a lot more she could say, but wasn’t that enough? Well, there was one more thing. She looked at Sharpe. “Thank you.”Sharpe stopped and seemed to study Sara. Their eyes met and Sara thought the other woman blushed slightly.“I’ll see what I can do.” Then Sharpe opened a portal back to the Time Bureau and disappeared.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jax had to admit to being uncomfortable when he walked through the Cortex of S.T.A.R. Labs. It was here that his entire life had been turned upside down. He remembered his first visit; he thought the doctors were going to fix his knee and put him back on track for a full ride to college.
Not exactly what happened, was it?
Nope. Jax instead had wound up making the most important decision of his life. To save some old dude he barely knew, he had agreed to merge together to become Firestorm. It was the best decision he ever made. Being Firestorm had given him a purpose, and adventures, and a family. It had given him the Legends, and more importantly, it had given him Grey. But at the same time, nobody could piss you off like family. And right now, Jax was pissed off.There was a crowd in the main lab when he reached it. Grey was there, arguing with Wells, Cisco, and Caitlin. They seemed very focused on something, but Jax could not have cared less as he stormed into the room.“When were you gonna tell me?” Jax yelled. The scientists all stopped and looked at him. Focusing on Grey, Jax repeated, “When were you gonna tell me?”Despite the nervous energy Jax could feel coming through the link, Grey replied calmly. “I don’t know what you mean.”Jax stormed toward his partner. “How ‘bout you stop lying to me and start telling me the truth? Tell me what will happen to me if you die? And then you can tell me when that’s supposed to happen?”Grey paled, but said nothing. Cisco and Caitlin exchanged looks. Wells just watched them, a look of amusement on his face.“Um. . . .” Cisco seemed to think. “I think we probably should check out my workshop. I’ve got a few things I’m testing there.” Caitlin stood up from her chair, obviously hoping to escape.“No,” Jax growled. “I want you here to help convince this stubborn old fool that he’s not dying next week.”Grey started to protest. “Jefferson--”Jax cut him off. “No, Grey. I know what you’re doing. I warned you – back in 1992 – but what did you do? Nothing. You’re just gonna let yourself die. Well I won’t let you. We’re both part of Firestorm and that takes both of us. So I’m not just letting you go like that.”Grey did not immediately respond. He just stared back through those thick glasses. Through the bond, Jax felt Grey’s frustration and even some anger.“Are you done?” Grey asked. His jaw clenched tight, as if he was fighting not to yell back. “It’s not your decision, Jefferson. It’s mine – and I’m resigned to the decision I’ve made.”Jax scowled and crossed his arms defensively. “That’s bull. I know you. Psychic connection, remember?”Grey sighed. “I’ve already had a long life--”Cisco interrupted. “Actually, the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.74 years, so ‘long’ may not be completely--”“Shut up.” Jax and Grey said simultaneously. Grey turned back to Jax and his voice rose. “As I was saying, Jefferson, this is my decision. Thanks to you, I’ve had 25 years to deliberate over it. And I won’t risk undoing those years just to prolong my life. That’s what I told you in 1992, and that’s what I still believe. Changing the future places too much of my past in question. I won’t take that risk.”“So you made that decision without even discussing it with me?” Jax shouted. “Like your decision doesn’t affect me? Like I won’t die when you do? Don’t I have a damn say in that?”Now Grey’s anger dominated the link, but he took a deep breath before speaking. “You do have a say,” he insisted. “You agreed we would find a way to stabilize the matrix, eliminating the need to merge.”“Yeah, I did. But I did that so you could go off and have a happy retirement with your family. You lied to me, Grey! Something this important – and you lied to me!” Grey did not respond, but the anger in the link dissipated, so Jax lowered his voice. “I’m not some kid that’s gotta be kept in the dark. You should be telling me what’s going to happen, not Clarissa. At least, I deserve the truth, not lies.”The room fell silent. Neither of them spoke, and Jax caught Cisco and Caitlin exchanging nervous glances. Through the link, Jax sensed something new. Guilt. Shame. He felt like his chest was being turned inside out. Seeing how Grey had looked away told Jefferson where those emotions were coming from. But the old man still said nothing. “And what about you?” Jax said softly. “We’ve been partners for three years. We’ve been through too much for you to deal with this on your own.” After another long silence, Grey finally said, “Perhaps you’re right.” He continued to look down at the floor. “I . . . I’m sorry. I didn’t want to burden you with my problems.”“They’re our problems.”Grey did not argue. “Be that as it may, it doesn’t change the fact that we must find a way to separate you permanently from the Firestorm matrix--”“Or we can stop you from dying.” Jax was not going to allow Grey to give up without a fight. “We’re Legends. We change history all the time.”Across the room, Wells muttered, “That’s a scary thought.” He fell silent under Jax’s glare.“Jefferson . . . I – I’ve already explained--”“I heard you,” Jax said. He did not want to get angry again, but he was not going to just allow Grey lay down and die. Maybe it was time for a different approach. Maybe he needed to appeal to Professor Stein.“Look, you’re all science types here. Isn’t there some rule about experiments that says you need to consider all your options?” He looked at the others. “One way to stop me from dying is to stop Grey from dying.”“Jefferson--”“No,” Jax snapped. “We need to evaluate that option.” He looked around the room. “Right, Cisco?”Cisco nodded. “Of course.”Caitlin quickly echoed that. “Yes. It’s always better to investigate everything.”Jax looked at Wells, who hesitated. “I don’t. . . .”“Harry!” Cisco said, his eyes narrowing.“Okay, okay,” Harry grumbled. “Yes, it would help if we knew more.”Jax turned to Grey. “So? Am I right, Professor?”Grey sighed. “I – I can’t dispute that accounting for variables is part of the scientific method.”Caitlin spoke up. “But even if we do, we don’t even know how it happens. How can we evaluate that option without knowing what we’re supposed to change?”Jax had to admit she had a point. He shook his head in frustration and looked at Grey. “You just had to burn the letter.”Grey shrugged. “Apparently, my former self was rather opposed to the idea of changing the future. Ridding himself of the letter was a means to avoid the temptation.”“And keeps us from knowing what we need to know now.” Jax thought the situation totally sucked. Just when he got Grey open to the idea of changing history, they hit a dead end. Maybe he could go back to 1992 and try to intercept the letter, only that ran the risk of crossing paths with the Jax who wrote the letter in the first place. He had seen the damage that could do to the time stream.They also could try to take the Waverider a few days into the future, but that carried the same risk. Not to mention, he had no real idea how they would locate the future Grey if they did that.“Excuse me.”Jax turned to see Cisco waving his hands in the air. “You need to check out the future. Hellooo. Talk to your boy over here. Vibes. You know that little metahuman trick I do.”Jax looked at Grey, who did not seem surprised. To Cisco, Jax asked, “You can do that?”“Uh, yeah.” Cisco turned to Wells. “You know, we’ve got to get some kind of superhero app that tells you who to call when you need a power. Under ‘Cisco Ramon,’ it would absolutely list ‘sees the future’ – or, even better, ‘leads guided tours of the future.’”That sounded good to Jax. “So how does it work?”Cisco broke into a grin. “Gentlemen, follow me.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As Jax and Wells followed Cisco out of the main lab, Martin hesitated. A voice in the back of his head was telling him this was a mistake. “Professor?”He turned, realizing that Caitlin had not left with the others.“Are you okay?” she asked. She sounded worried.Martin leaned heavily against one of the consoles. Was he okay? That was a matter of perspective, subject to different opinions. “I . . . I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I’ve had 25 years to come to terms with this. . . .” He searched for the right word. Fate? Destiny? Those sounded so preordained, so he lamely settled for, “this event. It has always been some nebulous concept with little detail. Now. . . .”“Now, if Cisco’s vibe works, you’ll know exactly how it happens.” Caitlin smiled softly. She understood.“From a scientific perspective, Jefferson is right,” he said. “We should gather every bit of information we can. Yet I can’t help thinking this is wrong, that we are disturbing the proper order of things.”She gave him a knowing look. “If it were me. . . I’d be scared to know how I’ll die.”Was that the issue? Martin wondered. Was it as simple as fear – that he was afraid to know?Silently, he cursed Jefferson for giving him that envelope in 1992. He closed his eyes and could hear Jefferson telling him that the letter could save his life. And he heard himself – equally insistent and obstinate – refuse to take it.“Professor.” Caitlin sounded hesitant. “We all just want to help,” she said. “We’re not ready to lose you.”He had to chuckle a little. “And you think I’m ready?” He was far from ready. Was anyone ever truly ready to die? “If anything, knowing the date of my. . . .” He forced himself to say it. “Of my death has only made me more aware of how unready I am. I had so hoped to have more time with Clarissa, though I dare say I would probably have driven her to distraction inside of a week. And Lily had a project we were going to do together. And Ronnie. . . . I’ll have spent barely a week with him, virtually no time at all.”“Then let us at least try to find a way to give you that time,” Caitlin said. “Maybe there’s a way around the time paradox. We’ll never know unless we try.”--------------------Jax followed Harry and Cisco to a part of the lab he had never seen before. The room had two seats nearly back-to-back with a whole mess of cables and wires dangling from them. Jax studied the equipment and realized that the chairs worked as an amplifier that allowed Cisco to connect his powers to the person in the second chair.A few minutes later, Grey and Caitlin entered. As Grey scanned the room, Jax’s heart-rate jumped.Cisco explained the process, then looked carefully at Jax and Stein. “Do you understand what this means?”“Yes. We . . . we’ll find out what’s going to happen to--” Grey said.“--to Grey and we can fix it.” Jax finished Grey’s sentence, hoping he sounded confident. The idea of being like a ghost, watching Grey die, and being unable to do anything. . . . It terrified him, but then he realized that a lot of that fear was coming through his link. Grey was putting up a good act, but Jax knew his other half too well. It was bad enough that he believed his time was up; watching it play out would be too much for the man.Jax reached and put a hand on his partner’s shoulder. “I’m doing this.”Grey obviously understood. The link was flooded with relief and what might be gratitude.“Thank you,” he said, but they both knew it was unnecessary. After a pause, he looked at Cisco. “While you’re in this . . . vibe, you’ll describe what you see--”“--and we’ll be able to hear you?” Jax asked.“Do you always finish each other’s sentences?” Cisco asked. When he got no response, he answered the question. “Yes, Jax and I will be seeing the future, but we’ll also still be here physically, so we can describe what we’re seeing. At least, that’s how it’s worked before.” He turned to Jax and motioned to one of the seats on the machine. “Ready?Jax nodded and walked over to the chair. He reminded himself that this wasn’t the first time Cisco had taken someone to see the future. He sat down and pulled on the headpiece. It took some effort, but he forced his nerves down. He didn’t want to add to Grey’s worries; what was coming through the link was strong enough. Grey had taken a spot next to Caitlin, who was looking down at a control panel. Wells was observing a different set of controls.“Okay,” Cisco said. “What you need to do now is concentrate on the date you want to go to. I mean really focus on that date.”That sounded easy enough to Jax. “Aight. November 28, 2017. Come on future, let’s see what you got.” He closed his eyes and concentrated. Four days from now. November 28.Across the room, Caitlin was counting down. “3 . . . 2 . . . 1.” Jax heard a rushing sound as the machine hummed to life. Lights flashed and Jax felt his body shake, like he was being propelled forward. But at the same time, he knew he had not moved and was still in the chair. Then gunshots. The rata-tat-tat of machine guns echoed all around him, but he couldn’t see who was shooting.“What’s going on?” Jax shouted.“Try opening your eyes,” Cisco said.Jax felt like an idiot when he realized his eyes were closed. Opening them, he saw that the two of them were standing in the middle of a pitched battle. Masked soldiers were firing from one side of a large room. A warehouse, it seemed. A rush of flame surged past Jax and he spun around to see – me? – Firestorm fly overhead. He was blasting away at the enemy soldiers. “Where is this place?” Jax heard Cisco ask from his right. Jax shook his head in response, then remembered that Grey, Caitlin, and Wells were still at S.T.A.R. Labs and needed to be told what they were seeing. “We seem to be in a warehouse. There’s a battle – soldiers firing at Firestorm. . . .” Jax realized there were others fighting the soldiers, so he tried to get his bearings and a better sense of what was happening. Ducking behind some stacked boxes, Green Arrow was taking down enemy soldiers right and left. Next to him. . . . No way, that can’t be. But it was. “Snart?”In his ear, he heard Caitlin. “Isn’t Snart dead?”“Yes, but I’m telling you Snart is here. So is Oliver Queen.” Jax took a closer look at the others in the room. “And Sara. She’s here too. And another woman, I don’t know who.” He heard Grey’s voice, filled with wonder, the way he often sounded when the Legends arrived some place new or they discovered some new scientific anomaly. Jax was not surprised to hear Grey utter his favorite word. “Fascinating.” “Yeah?” Jax shot back. “It’s not so fascinating when these guys are shooting all around you.”That was a fair description. There must have been 100 soldiers fighting the five heroes. But the heroes were holding their own. Oliver was a blur, sliding and twisting to avoid enemy bullets, but firing arrows faster than Jax thought possible. Sara and the other woman had machine guns and mowed down the enemy. From above, Firestorm continued to rain down flames, burning equipment and soldiers alike. But still more enemy soldiers joined the fight. “They’re outnumbered,” Cisco said. He had moved to a vantage point near some equipment behind the enemy line. While Jax watched himself, he heard Cisco’s running narrative in his ear. “There’s some kind of platform here. Lots of controls, but I’ve never seen anything like this. And – what the hell?”“What is it?” Caitlin asked.Cisco seemed to let out a breath. “The banners. They’ve got banners on the walls. These dudes are Nazis.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin listened to Cisco and Jax describe what they were seeing. Any fascination with Cisco’s powers had passed. Now he listened with trepidation and confusion, because what they were describing made no sense. A battle with Nazi soldiers? Wasn’t this supposed to be 2017, not 1944? Had he and Jax traveled to the past? Would time travel make Cisco think he was seeing the future when he actually was observing a time jump to the past?Wells interrupted that thought. “They must be on Earth-X.”“What’s that?” Cisco and Martin asked simultaneously.“It’s a parallel Earth where the Nazis won World War II, and conquered the entire planet,” Wells explained. “It’s not even counted among the 52 Earths, because everyone wants to forget it exists.That made sense. It was possible that the multiverse housed an Earth where the Axis were triumphant in World War II. The Legends had once stopped that exact scenario from occurring. And yet, Martin wanted to deny the possibility. Because somehow that’s where I’ll end up dying, Martin thought. Fighting Nazis. The idea was almost incomprehensible.“They’re too many of them,” Cisco said, returning Martin’s mind to what Cisco and Jax were witnessing. “They’ve got a mounted gun that’s circling. Pinning us down.”Grey could not stop himself. He needed to know. “What’s Firestorm doing?”Jax answered. “Still providing aerial attack.”“Boom,” Cisco yelled. “Looks like you just took out one of their vehicles. There’s still another circling.”“Wait. . . .” Jax sounded concerned. “What are we doing?” Caitlin called out, “Tell us what’s happening,”“We’re flying away from the others, over the platform, to the control panels,” Jax said. “We must be looking for something, because the others can’t fly.”“Of course,” Martin said. “We’re the only ones that don’t have to fight through them to get to the controls. So what are we trying to do with the controls? What do they control?” Nobody responded. Agonizing silence filled the room.Then Jax’s voice rose sharply. “What are you doing?” he shouted. Fear and panic flooded the link. “No! Don’t do that!”“What-”Before Caitlin could finish the question, Cisco answered. “You just split up.”That made no sense. Martin looked at Caitlin, who had a horrified expression on her face. “Jax is wiring something,” Cisco yelled. “Where did the Professor go?” That seemed to be directed at Jax.“There,” Jax said, though Martin had no idea where ‘there’ was. “Grey’s trying to get to those controls over there.” There was a long pause. Then terror. The fear ripped so strongly through the link that Martin cried out. It was like a sharp knife to the inside of his skull. The pain was so strong that he barely heard Jax shout.“Grey! No!”--------------------Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Jax watched his counterpart in the warehouse. Whatever he had been trying to hotwire suddenly came to life, but enemy gunfire forced him to duck behind a bank of equipment. He was pinned down. Bullets ricocheted just over his head.
We split for a reason.
Jax spun around to where Grey had crouched behind some aircraft parts. The Nazis didn’t seem to have spotted him, but the consoles he was staring at were 50 feet away, with no cover. To get to them, Grey would be completely exposed. Don’t do it, old man, Jax thought.The other Jax shouted that he was pinned down. That spurred Grey to action. He rose and began running toward the console.Watching, stuck as an observer, Jax felt his heart hammering against his constricted chest. He ran towards Grey. He had to stop him. But he couldn’t. In this state, he was just a ghost, an observer forced to watch this carnage. He tried to yell a warning, but his throat was too tight. His heart filled with pain beyond anything he had ever felt before. He tried to shout again, this time managing to yell. “Grey! No!”He saw the shooter emerge from behind Grey at the same time he heard the shot. Grey never saw the man. The bullet struck him in the back. He stopped suddenly, his back arched, arms outstretched, a look of shock on his face. He seemed to freeze momentarily, even as the battle raged on. Then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor.“No!” Jax shouted. So did the other Jax, who was forced back by a hail of bullets.Jax heard Cisco, who must have remembered to tell the others at S.T.A.R. Labs what was happening. “The Professor’s been shot. He was trying to cross the room to the controls.”Instinct took over. Jax ran past the masked Nazi that had fired the shot and reached Grey. He was on his back, staring up, an expression of shock and disbelief on his face. Like he didn’t know what had happened – or couldn’t believe that it had. Blood was pooling beneath him.“You’re gonna be okay.” Jax crouched beside his partner, forgetting the injured man could not hear or see him. “We’re gonna get you home, Grey.” He reached out, wanting to pull Grey to safety, but his hands passed right through the man’s shoulders. You can’t help him, he reminded himself. You’re not really here.Jax looked at Cisco, who had joined him and was standing on the other side of Grey. Cisco’s face was ashen, his body still.“We’ve got to do something,” Jax yelled, even though he was powerless. He just couldn’t stand there, helpless, while Grey bled to death.But even as he said that, the old man stirred. He started to inch himself on his back in the direction of the controls. Then, despite being in obvious agony, Grey rolled over and began crawling on his elbows and knees. Jax could only watch. He heard the other Jax shouting for Grey to stay down.You goddamn, crazy son of a bitch, Jax thought.
“Oh my god.” That was Cisco.
“What’s happening?” Grey’s voice caused Jax to jump. How was he hearing Grey, who was at his feet, crawling across the floor? But then Jax remembered that his Grey was safe at S.T.A.R. Labs.
The injured Grey had reached the console. How he managed to pull himself to his feet, Jax had no idea. He could barely breathe as he watched the man extend his hand toward a lever.
You can do it, Jax thought, willing Grey forward.
Arm outstretched, Grey jerked sharply. Another bullet. This time, it hit his chest.
“No!” Jax screamed.
The force threw Grey backwards. He began to fall, but he pressed forward. His legs were giving way, but he managed to grab the lever. With strength he should not have possessed, he pulled the lever down.
Thunder filled the warehouse and Jax spun around toward the noise. Orange flame flooded the platform. The flames exploded, forming a black vortex that vaporized the remaining Nazis.
Jax turned back to the console. Grey had sunk to the ground and was barely moving. The other Jax had reached him. So had Sara and the woman she was fighting alongside. Grey’s head lolled to the side and Jax knew it was bad. The woman said Grey’s condition was critical.
“Gideon can fix him,” Sara told her, but the woman said Grey could not be moved.
Not if we merge, Jax thought, just as Sara said the same thing. We can get Grey back to Gideon like that. As Firestorm, I’ll protect him. And Gideon will fix him. It saved Sara when Rip broke her neck. It will save Grey.
It has to save him.
Grey was barely conscious and struggled even to raise his hand to complete the merge. The other Jax reached out. The connection formed, the familiar rush of flame surrounded them and they disappeared into Firestorm – a Firestorm that looked completely normal, showing no sign that one of its halves was clinging to life.
Something touched Jax’s shoulder. With a start, he realized it was Cisco.
“We need to move forward,” Cisco said. Jax must have looked confused, because Cisco explained, “That’s a breach, a passage between different Earths. I’ve never vibed through a breach. Don’t want to risk it.”
“So what do we do?” Jax asked. As much as he hated the idea, he said, “We need to know what happens next.”
Cisco nodded. “Concentrate. Tell yourself you want to go one hour forward.”
Jax closed his eyes and focused. I need to see this through. The warehouse disappeared in a flash of light.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Martin felt dizzy. This whole experience was remarkably surreal. Hearing someone describe what was happening to you; that was highly disconcerting.It obviously wasn’t easy for Jefferson to witness. His panic and pain filled their link. He was shouting, “Grey? Grey, what’s going on? Gideon, tell me you can save him.” “It can’t hear you,” Cisco reminded Jefferson. To the rest of them, Cisco described what they were seeing. “We’re on the Waverider, in the medbay.” Cisco sounded remarkably calm, like everything was fine, but that was probably a byproduct of his experience observing the future. Jax’s emotions were telling Martin that everything is not fine. “Why am I here?” Jefferson sounded panicked.Caitlin asked. “Where is here, Jax?”“I’m in a medbay chair. Just like Grey.”Cisco frowned. “I don’t like this. Caitlin, Jax’s blood pressure is low. Not as bad as the Professor’s, but still low. Gideon has them stable, but these readings. . . . It’s like he was shot too.”Martin exchanged a glance with Caitlin. “Can’t Gideon cure them?” Caitlin asked.“She’s got them both sedated, but I don’t think so. The Professor’s vitals--” Cisco did not have to finish the sentence to paint the picture. “And Jax. . . . Professor, it’s like you told us.”
Mutualistic symbiosis.
Martin closed his eyes. This was one time he did not want his hypothesis proven correct. He cursed the day they recruited Jefferson to become part of Firestorm. In return for that selfless act, Jefferson had received a death sentence. How could I have been so blind? Martin asked himself. How could I have been so selfish and cruel? Jefferson’s distress surged through their link, a wall of pain and terror. Martin tried to send reassurance through the link, but his own nerves were jangled, his emotions jumbled.This was wrong. They thought going to the future would tell them how to change it, but all Martin could hear was that Jefferson was dying. He couldn’t stay here, couldn’t listen any more. He couldn’t hear how he was killing Jefferson.Caitlin called his name as Martin left the lab, but he did not stop. They were wasting time trying to change his fate; the only thing that mattered was saving Jefferson.--------------------Cisco reminded himself that he was an observer and was supposed to be reporting what was happening to the team at S.T.A.R. Labs. But even after multiple trips to the future and having visions of his friends’ deaths, he still could not numb himself entirely from what he saw.Focus, he muttered, forcing himself to examine Gideon’s biological readouts. Admittedly, Caitlin would understand the data better, but even to him, the numbers looked grim. Martin’s blood pressure and oxygen levels were critically low and Cisco suspected they were only at those levels because of the biological link between the two men. And with each passing minute, Jax’s numbers dropped.For the moment, Jax and Martin were both unconscious in the medbay chairs. Meanwhile, future Caitlin was questioning Gideon about why it couldn’t cure them. The response confirmed Cisco’s suspicions: Gideon had insufficient experience with conjoined metahumans to know how to save them and Martin’s injuries were so severe that he should already have died. It was just the extraordinary connection with Jax that was keeping him alive.Near tears, the future Caitlin left the medbay, leaving Cisco and Jax, in their ghostly forms, alone with the injured men. Jax – Cisco’s Jax – was shaking his head in disbelief. “We shouldn’t have split up,” he said. “Why did we split up?”Cisco had no answer. He debated leaving to follow Caitlin, but Martin began to stir.“No, Grey.” The uninjured Jax walked toward Martin’s chair. “You need to stay under, let Gideon work.”Cisco knew Jax’s efforts were futile, but chose not to say that aloud. Martin could not hear them. He was unaware of the two observers from the past. Martin’s eyes opened and he took a shuddering breath. “Gideon,” he said, struggling to say each word. “You need . . . access S.T.A.R. Labs’ . . . system . . . find the formula for the fission . . . de. . . decelerating serum.”“Very well, Professor,” the computer replied. Martin grimaced. His breathing was shallow, his eyes barely open, and he gritted his teeth. Cisco knew the man was in agony, barely able to speak through the pain. Gideon detected that too. “Professor, allow me to increase the sedative.”“No,” Martin insisted. “You . . . can’t. I need . . . do this; can’t be . . . impaired.” He groaned painfully, then seemed to gather himself. “Please, Gideon. S.T.A.R. Labs. The serum.”Apparently unwilling to argue, Gideon said, “Very well. I have located the formula.”“Good. Now I need you to . . . synthesize the . . . formula.” Martin’s words were slowing again, with long pauses between them. “Factor my . . . mass and calculate dosage for me.”“Synthesizing,” Gideon said. A vial of blue liquid appeared on a small table a few feet from Martin.“What’s that?” asked the uninjured Jax.Martin’s eyes started to close, but he forced them open. “Gideon,” he called out. “Can you . . . run a diagnostic? Compare . . . my and Jefferson’s mol . . . molecular structure, the ex-- exothermic reaction. Will the qua . . . quark spheres . . . stop that reaction?”Cisco’s mouth dropped open. Quark spheres, of course. They would bind with the atoms in Stein’s body and stabilize the matrix. It would react as if it were merging with Jax’s atoms, which would stop the exothermic reactions entirely. Because they would merge permanently, it would block the real Jax’s other atoms from merging even if he tried to become Firestorm. “That’s the cure,” Cisco said aloud. Jax asked, “What cure?”“The cure for the Firestorm matrix,” Cisco explained. “The cure that will separate you.”Gideon finished its calculations. “According to my analysis, the serum has a 99.6% chance of success.”Stein did not respond for a few minutes. It wasn’t clear that he had processed what Gideon said until he asked another question. “So it will . . . sever the link between . . . Jefferson and me?”And kill you, Cisco added silently.“Yes, Professor.”“Thank you, Gideon. Ple . . . please stop Jef . . . Jefferson’s sedative . . . restore him to consciousness.” Gideon protested. “Dr. Snow instructed me to keep Mr. Jackson and you sedated.”“Yes, but . . . but I’m . . . counter . . . manding that instruction.” He hesitated. “Please wake Jefferson. It’s the only way to save him.”Gideon accepted the new command. “Very well, Professor.”The uninjured Jax appeared to finally realize what was happening. “You can’t, Grey!” he shouted. He ran to Martin’s chair. “Don’t do this,” he begged. “There has to be another way.”Completely unaware of the ghostly figure looming over him, Martin closed his eyes again. He said something, but he was too far away for Cisco to hear. Then he took a few deeper breaths and spoke to himself.“Don’t be afraid.” He swallowed hard. “You . . . you can do this.” Opening his eyes, he turned his head weakly toward the injured Jax, who, as instructed, was no longer sedated and was regaining consciousness. “Je-Jefferson. . . I ne . . . I need to tell you something.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jax opened his eyes and took in a deep breath as he saw that he was back in S.T.A.R. Labs. Beside him, in the other chair. Cisco was stirring.“Are you okay?” Caitlin approached him.Jax nodded. Silently he thought, Not even close.He could still hear Grey begging the other Jax for the vial with Cisco’s drug.
“As long as we’re connected, I’m nothing more than an anchor around your neck.”
Caitlin asked. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m asking you to let me die, so that you may live.”
When he did not respond to Caitlin tried again. “Jax?”
“Unless I do this, we’ll both die.”
No, Jax did not want to talk about it. He shook his head
“You have your whole life ahead of you. . . . Now it’s time to let me go.”
Jax should have said no. He should have refused to let go. It was Grey, Jax’s other half. The closest thing he ever had to a father; Grey had even said so. Said Jax was his son.
“How could a father do anything less?”
The whole scene kept replaying in his mind. He saw himself hand the small vial to Grey, who never hesitated. Even as Jax begged him not to, Grey opened the vial and drank the serum. He clasped Jax’s hand tightly and begged him to stay so he would not die alone.
“Please . . . tell Clarissa and Li-Lily that I love them.”
Jax was shaking. He wanted it to stop.
“Thank you, Jefferson, . . . for the adventure of a lifetime. . . . I hope your life is long . . . and full of love . . . just . . . just as mine has . . . has been.”
Those last words echoed in Jax’s head as he watched again as Grey’s eyes closed, his head fell back, and his grip on Jax’s hand went slack. He heard the high-pitched alarm and clatter of the small vial as it fell from Grey’s hand and struck the floor.There should have been another way, he screamed silently. There had to be another way. It didn’t matter that Grey was dying or that Jax might die. He should have held out longer, given Gideon more time to save them both, not forced Grey to sacrifice himself. To save me. He could not suppress that traitorous thought. “It should have been me,” Jax said. “I’m Firestorm’s body; it should’ve been me.”He looked at Cisco, who was looking back, his face a mask of pain and grief.“You did the only thing you could,” Cisco said.“No.” Jax shook his head. He couldn’t believe that. “No, I didn’t.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cisco found Martin in the small lab he had appropriated to work on the Firestorm cure. He was sitting in front of a computer, but did not appear to be working. In fact, Martin seemed more focused on the wall directly in front of him than anything else, so distracted that he nearly jumped when he heard Cisco’s footsteps. “I – I’m sorry.” A flustered Martin straightened his glasses, which had nearly flown off when he spun toward Cisco. “I didn’t hear you enter. It’s a bit hard to focus given what Jefferson is feeling.”That was not something that Cisco had thought about. When he took Jax to the future, the link between him and Martin remained intact. It never dawned on Cisco that Martin would feel everything Jax went through. Between that and the way the two men finished each other’s sentences, that link really was Twilight Zone-level weirdness. “It was pretty tough on him.” Cisco did not know what else to say. Martin gave a curt nod. “So I presume you’re here to provide more details of what you saw in the future? You don’t need to tell me. From what you and Jefferson described, I see that my unchecked arrogance and ego was on full display.” He grimaced. “It’s as if I’ve learned nothing.”Cisco was confused. “What the hell are you talking about?”“The matrix, of course.” Martin stood and began to pace. “I never imagined it would create that type of symbiosis. In my zeal to create a matter transmutation device, I never contemplated how it would affect human physiology, and then, after Ronald died, I never analyzed what the long-term effects would be on Jefferson.”Cisco was stunned. That’s what Martin was worried about. “Professor, you’ve totally lost the plot. In the future I just saw, you sacrificed yourself to get everyone home from another Earth. And then I watched you save Jax’s life by severing the Firestorm link. That’s as far from ego as you can get. I mean, come on, that was like Terminator 2-level sacrifice.” Martin stiffened and then turned, his face unreadable. Cisco replayed what he had just said. He cringed, thinking that may not have been the best thing to say. “Um, yeah, . . . that didn’t come out right. I mean . . . um. . . .”“I know what you mean,” Martin said evenly. “But however noble I am supposed to be at the end, it doesn’t change the past – that I needlessly endangered Jefferson due to my hubris. What I need to do is ensure Jefferson does not die with me. We need to find that cure. Otherwise, I won’t be able to make that ‘sacrifice.’”“Oh, I forgot that part,” Cisco said. “When I was in the future and you – well not you you, the other you--” Cisco hesitated. The glare Martin gave him was unnerving, so Cisco quickly apologized for his ramblings. “I’m sorry. . . . Anyway, what I was trying to say is you got Gideon to synthesize a serum that severs the link. You said it had quark spheres.”Martin’s glare disappeared and he bobbed his head, apparently understanding the implications. “Quark spheres. . . . Of course.” As he often did when he got excited, he began to gesticulate wildly. “They . . . They would attach to our molecular structure, stabilizing the matrix, and make our bodies think we were merged even if we weren’t. That’s genius!” He paused briefly, almost as if to catch his breath. “How soon can we have the serum ready?”Cisco thought about the timing. Today was Friday and Barry and Iris’ wedding was Monday. He also had Barry’s bachelor party on Saturday and Joe would kill him if he missed the rehearsal dinner on Sunday. “Let’s touch base on Sunday,” Cisco said. “I’ll get Harry down here and we’ll see what we can come up with by then.”Martin nodded. “Yes. That’s good.” “We’ll take care of it.” Cisco hoped that sounded reassuring. “Jax will be fine.”The mention of Jax seemed to suck the excitement from Martin. Deflated, his lips formed a very thin line, before he said, “I . . . I’d better get back to . . . to what I was doing.” He turned and walked back to the computer.Or go back to staring at the wall, Cisco thought. After all, he was going to prepare the serum with Harry and Caitlin. They did not need Martin’s help. And watching the man’s slumped shoulders and slow gait, Cisco suspected that puttering around in the lab was a distraction, a way to avoid dwelling on the future, a way to avoid dealing with the inevitable.Unable to stop himself, Cisco blurted out, “It’s okay to be afraid.” Martin seemed to freeze. “I . . . I’m sorry?”“That’s what you said to me,” Cisco said. “When I told you about my vibes. . . .”He remembered clearly how Martin had called him out over his ‘hunches.’ Cisco had confessed about his powers, but was so terrified of what they revealed that he had insisted they not tell anyone else. Martin had tried to convince him to embrace and learn about his powers, but Cisco had refused. That was when he had told Cisco it was okay to be afraid. At the time, Cisco was unable to understand what that meant, but now he did.“You said, ‘It’s okay to be afraid.’” He paused, but Martin did not speak, so Cisco added, “And you were right.”Martin turned back around to face Cisco. He seemed to think about his response before speaking. “Am I afraid? I . . . I guess I would be lying if I said no. Yet at the same time, I’ve had 25 years to accept this. I would like to think that, in all those years, I’ve overcome something as base as a fear of dying.” He paused momentarily and grew pensive. “To be clear, I would never lay claim to being immune to fear; I’ve been quite terrified on numerous occasions. I’ve been tortured, trapped in other people’s bodies, even chased by a zombie Mick Rory. Those were times to truly be afraid.” He took a deep breath. “So, yes, I am afraid, but it’s as simplistic as a fear of dying. I’m undoubtedly frustrated, and anxious, maybe even angry. . . .” “Why?”“Be -- because there’s so much I have left to do,” Martin said. “There’s so . . . so much unfinished.”The lab fell silent. Cisco thought he understood. He had seen Martin in full professor mode; the man could fill a half-dozen white boards with calculations in a matter of minutes. He had written hundreds of influential papers, had important patents, and, just in the last few years, had created the Firestorm matrix, the breach detection system, and the trans-temporal communicator. Who knows what else he might have done with more time? Somehow, Cisco suspected he would feel the same if he knew when he would die. On the other hand, given what Martin had already accomplished, wasn’t he satisfied. “Professor, most scientists would give everything to have your career. I don’t know why--”“You think I was talking about research?” Martin chuckled a little and then took a deep breath. “I . . . I guess I can see why, and perhaps there are some projects that I would have liked to do, but their importance pales against what truly is important.” He turned away, walked to his computer, and sat down, facing away from Cisco.After another long silence and without turning, he spoke. “If I haven’t said it already, thank you for helping with the Firestorm cure. If there’s one thing I truly fear right now, it’s not being able to save Jefferson.”
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It was not particularly hard for Sara to figure out where Jax and Martin were. A call to Clarissa told her that Martin had been at S.T.A.R. Labs all day and that Jax had stormed out of the Steins’ house earlier to track him down. It only took her a few minutes to circumvent the security system. Once that was done, she entered the building and headed for the Cortex.She saw Jax as she rounded a corner. He was in the corridor, crouched and leaning against the wall, head buried in his hands, and shaking. She stopped short. Was Jax crying? Sara’s mind ran through everything they had been through as Legends and could not remember a time when Jax came even close to tears. Hesitantly, she called his name. His head shot up and he quickly brushed the back of his forearm across his eyes.“Sara,” he said, his voice not fully controlled.She approached him slowly and crouched beside him. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”Jax closed his eyes. “He’s gonna die to save me. That old son-of-a-bitch. . . .” He said that with a touch of admiration.What was Jax talking about? Martin? How could he know? Sara was confused. “Are you saying you know what’s going to happen?”Opening his eyes, Jax looked at her and nodded. “Cisco. . . . His power lets him show you the future. He took me. . . . We saw Grey get shot. Damn fool, too, thinking he could clear that space without cover. Trying to be a hero.” He looked away. “Gotta go out a damn hero. . . .”Sara wanted to pepper Jax with questions, but thought better of it. Let him get it out. “It’s okay,” she said. “Tell me what you saw.”“We got him to the ship, but Gideon couldn’t save him. Our bodies were linked and we would’ve both died. I don’t know why, but we would’ve both died.” He sounded so distraught. Sara had no idea what to do, so she put a hand on his shoulder. “Nobody’s died, Jax.”Jax seemed to acknowledge that with a quick nod, but when he looked up, the pain was clearly etched on his face. He dropped his head into his hands. “He begged me for the cure. I didn’t want to. It was gonna kill him. I fought him, but he just kept begging me.”“What cure?” Sara asked. She had no idea what Jax was talking about.“The cure to us. To separate us.” Sara felt her chest constrict as realization dawned. They had found a way to split up Firestorm.“He said it was the only way to save me.” Jax’s entire body shook. “I didn’t. . . . How could I do that? I was the only thing keeping him alive and I killed him.”Sara tried to console him. She spoke softly and rubbed Jax’s shoulder in a way she hoped was calming. “You didn’t kill him.” She still didn’t fully understand what happened, but she could piece enough together to form a picture. Martin knew he was dying and cut the Firestorm link so Jax would not die too. “Jax . . . if Martin asked you to do it, it was because it was the only way. He’d do anything for you. You know that better than any of us. He looks at you like his own son.”“He said that. . . . Said I was his son and ‘how could a father do anything less?’ That’s what he said.” Jax was shaking again. A sob wrenched from him and, with that, the dam burst. She pulled him close and he buried his head into her shoulder. “I should’ve stopped him,” he said between sobs. “I should’ve found another way.”Sara just held him as he cried. “I’m sure you did everything you could.” She tried to think. She had never seen Jax this broken, this vulnerable, and she wanted to help him. Silently, she cursed the universe. Martin for dying. Jax for being linked to him. Rip for creating the Legends. Time or fate or whatever it was. Herself for caring.Why couldn’t she have stayed the detached assassin? If she had, this would not hurt. She would not have had to feel. But it was too late to change things. Even if she wished she could go back, she couldn’t. She could not wall off this flood of emotions. It was too late to stop caring . . . to stop loving Martin, her confidant and support, and Jax, the closest thing she had to a brother.She fought back against the tears that were threatening to flow. She needed to be strong for Jax. She needed to find a way to stop what he had witnesses from happening.She took a shuddering breath and managed to speak, though she could hear her voice break. “It was just a vision, Jax,” she told him. “Just a possible future. We can stop it from happening.” As she spoke, her churning emotions solidified into stern resolve.The sobs eventually slowed and Jax looked at her. “We have to. We can’t let that future happen.” Sara could hear Jax’s determination as she began to think of a plan. “All right. I know it’s hard, but I need you to tell me exactly what you saw. Start from the beginning and tell me everything.”
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Wiping his face to eliminate any sign of tears, Jax followed Sara to the Cortex. Wells, Cisco, and Caitlin were poring over some numbers. “Where’s Martin?” Sara asked. “We need him here.” Caitlin volunteered to get him and left the room.Meanwhile, Jax walked over to the other scientists. “How’s it coming?”Simultaneously, they both answered. “Good.”Cisco explained that listening to Grey question Gideon in the future had given him the information needed to make the cure. Jax did not know much about quark spheres or whatever it was that Cisco was describing, but the others seemed excited enough and he had no reason to doubt them. They were still talking when Caitlin returned with Grey, who looked pretty worn out. His eyes seemed unfocused, his shoulders were slumped, and his hair looked like he had run his hands through it repeatedly. Normally, fastidious about his clothes, his shirt tails peaked out from under the blue sweater he was wearing. Jax figured that was the result of lack of sleep and stress, not to mention the overload of emotions that had been flowing through their psychic link for the past few weeks.Now that they were all in the main lab, Sara took the lead. “Look . . . we all want the same thing, to make sure the timeline is different on November 28th.” She paused and looked at Grey, cutting him off before he could protest. “Don’t argue, Martin. With the information we have, we should be able to come up with a plan. So let’s go over what we know.”“We can surmise the fight will take place on Earth X, but we don’t know where exactly or when it starts.” That was Wells.Sara nodded. “But we know on November 28th, a bunch of us will be fighting Nazis.”“It’s not just Legends either,” Jax pointed out. “Oliver Queen was there.”“Which suggests this has something to do with the wedding.” Caitlin looked at Sara. “We should tell Barry and Iris. Maybe they’ll cancel the wedding.”“We . . . we can’t do that,” Grey insisted. “We would be acting on pure supposition – a reasonable hypothesis, perhaps, but still supposition that--”Jax finished the sentence. “--something will happen at the wedding.”Caitlin protested. “But if there’s a chance?”“It’s better that it unfolds as intended,” Grey said. “The wedding will be full of metahumans and skilled fighters. If anyone is injudicious enough to attack there--”“--we’ll have all of our firepower in one place.” Jax finished Grey’s thought again.“Am I the only one who is weirded out when they do that?” Cisco asked. “Anyone?”Jax scowled. The last thing they needed was Cisco cracking jokes about their psychic link, which, right now, was filled with Martin’s anxiety. Jax tried to focus on the important stuff, insisting, “It’s gotta be better to have everyone together than being scattered all over.” That made sense. Also, if they were going to change the timeline to save Grey, they should do what they could to leave the rest unchanged.Grey was thinking along the same wavelength. “That also minimizes disruptions to the timeline.”“Okay,” Sara said. “So we know that we wind up fighting Nazis in a warehouse? Right? It was a warehouse?”Cisco and Jax both nodded. “That’s what it looked like,” Cisco said. “Maybe an aircraft hangar. . . . I’m sure we were on another Earth because of the breach we saw. I guess it’s probably this Earth X.” He paused. “It wasn’t just Firestorm there. We saw you and Snart--”“Snart?” Sara interrupted. “How could Snart be there?”“Probably Snart from the other Earth,” Wells said.Sara looked incredulous. “Wait . . . you’re saying there is another Snart out there? Leonard Snart?”Grey responded before anyone else. “Yes. Most likely there are dozens of Snarts throughout the multiverse. In fact, there are probably dopplegangers of many of us on the different Earths.” Jax could tell that Sara was a bit confused about the whole multiverse thing. Grey seemed to realize it as well, so he tried to explain the concept.“In the multiverse, there are different Earths. You know from our experiences with Kara Danvers last year that she’s from another Earth.”Sara nodded.“She’s not from the only alternative Earth. What happens is that all of those other Earths are extremely similar to our Earth, but they have differences. Whether due to certain events occurring differently or things never happening at all, their histories diverge from ours. It’s a lot like time aberrations, only these changes are cemented as physical universes, parallel dimensions if you would.”“And Earth X has Nazis?” “Exactly,” Grey said. Jax had to grin at seeing Grey turn into his normal, excited professor mode as he explained. “Earth X is different because the Axis won World War II. That will create profound differences in the timeline, which may filter down to the individual level. So there may be a Sara Lance on Earth X, but due to differences in the timeline, she may never have become a member of the League of Assassins. And the Legend may have never existed, because the history prevented Vandal Savage from coming to power in the future.”Sara seemed to understand now. “So on this Earth X, we may have to fight our way through Earth X versions of ourselves?”“I didn’t see any of us.” Jax looked at Cisco. “Did you?” Cisco shook his head.Grey said, “It is highly unlikely that many of us would be there.” Jax could feel that the thought distressed his partner and started to ask what Grey meant, but Sara spoke first.“Okay, so we have this other version of Snart in the fight,” she said. “Did we see anyone else there?”Cisco seemed to think. “Oh . . . Oliver was there. And some lady I didn’t recognize.” He looked at Jax, who shook his head. “I don’t know who she was either.”“Barry may have been there,” Cisco added. “I think I heard you – I mean that Sara – use comms with Barry.”Jax thought that over. Maybe Barry was dealing with enemies outside the warehouse. He never saw the Flash, but he had been pretty focused on Grey. Then he remembered he was supposed to be describing what he had seen in the future and tried to recall the battle. “The breach controls were behind the platform where the Nazis were shooting. Firestorm was the only one who could get past the them.”“Flying behind the enemy line?” Sara asked.Jax nodded. “Yeah.” He remembered how Firestorm had landed behind some large equipment, but after that, it was confusing. “But here’s what I don’t understand. We split. Why’d we do that?”Cisco answered that question. “You – I mean the other Jax – had to get power to the controls. Those were across the room. You probably figured you’d go for the power and the Professor would activate the controls to open the breach.”“Okay. That makes sense,” Jax said, remembering the way his counterpart hotwired the electrical box and then had to duck behind equipment. “I got pinned down.”“And that’s when Martin decided to go for the controls?” Sara asked. Jax could only nod. His mind replayed Grey running to the lever and he had to close his eyes when he saw that look of shock when the bullet struck. Damn you, Jax thought. He felt guilty just for remembering the vision. He doubted he would ever forget it.
Cisco raised a hand. “Wait. . . . I’m remembering something. The shooter . . . He shot the Professor in the back, from behind.”
“Right.” Jax started breathing fast as he remembered how the shooter had appeared out of nowhere. Again, the mental image of Grey’s shocked face flashed in Jax's head. “Grey was running to the controls; he never saw the shooter. That guy must have come from another part of the warehouse.”
“It probably looked clear to the Professor,” Cisco added.
A jumble of emotions surged through the link. Pain. Fear. Anger. Jax glanced at Grey, who looked away when he realized he was being watched.
Sara took a moment, probably to factor the shooter’s location, and then said, “All right. I know enough. Here’s the plan. It’s actually pretty simple. Jax, Martin, when you get behind the enemy, don’t split up. Stay as Firestorm.”
“And hotwire the box first and then fly to the controls,” Jax said. “I’m cool with that.”
Grey, on the other hand. . . .
“What about the time paradox? We’re basing this entire discussion on information Jefferson disclosed to me after I died. If that doesn’t happen, he won’t give me that warning.”
The room fell silent. Jax had to admit that Grey had a point.
If I don’t warn Grey, we'll never use Cisco, never have this meeting, never come up with this plan . . . Wait.
“No.” Jax shook his head. “It doesn’t have to be a paradox, because we can fix it. Since we know I warned you in 1992 and we know what’s supposed to happen, I’ll just go ahead and write you the letter whenever we come across your younger self in 1992. And I’ll make sure to put the date on the envelope.”
Sara grinned. “Problem solved.”
“So no matter what, the Professor will learn the date,” Cisco said. He paused and Jax could see the wheels turning in Cisco’s head. “You know . . . That might actually work.”
Jax grinned. “It will work.”
Everyone seemed to think the same. But through the link, he felt uncertainty, like Grey did not believe it.
Jax looked at his partner. “It’s gonna work, Grey. I promise you it will.”
Grey stared back at Jax, then nodded. The nervousness and uncertainty ebbed. For the first time in weeks, the emotions flowing through the psychic link almost seemed to disappear.
Sara obviously also felt optimistic. “Of course, it will. It’s a good plan.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin returned home late in the afternoon and, over a cup of tea, tried to process everything that had happened at S.T.A.R. Labs. His hand trembled as he raised the cup, but he managed not to spill on himself or the sofa. Her own cup in hand, Clarissa watched from the chair opposite him. She looked tired and worried – and did not miss the way he rapidly lowered the cup and set it on the coffee table.“Are you okay?” she asked.He was not sure how to answer that. “Sara and Jefferson proposed a plan that may change things.”Clarissa immediately understood. “You mean so it won’t happen.”It struck him as funny that nobody actually seemed to be able to voice what “it” was. Death. Dying. Admittedly, he struggled to say it as well, and that was after 25 years waiting for it to happen. He had tried to convince himself that his foreknowledge had allowed him to reconcile his fears. In a way he had. He had come to accept that his life would end in 2017, that becoming Firestorm would likely cause him to die well before it otherwise would have happened, and that the trade-off of the good he could do was worth the sacrifice. He had even convinced himself that death was an inescapable part of life. It had taken years to reach this point.And, now, just like that, he was supposed to accept that it wouldn’t happen.“You don’t seem convinced.” After 30 years of marriage, Clarissa was an expert at reading him.Was he convinced? Martin knew the plan made sense. It also addressed his concern about creating a time paradox. Jefferson’s idea seemed to solve the problem of what happened in 1992 being eliminated from the timeline, causing further changes to his past. But he still could not stop that niggling doubt. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It . . . it sounds like it will work, but I keep thinking of something Captain Hunter used to say – ‘time wants to happen.’”“Time wants to happen?” Clarissa sounded confused.“Yes, like certain things are so preordained that changes in the timeline would correct themselves.” Seeing that she still was baffled, he explained. “It’s actually quite fascinating. What it means is that, if something important was supposed to happen on a specified day, but didn’t due to changes in the timeline, the altered timeline would have something else occur to restore the timeline to its proper path.”“So, in other words, if you manage not to blow yourself up on Tuesday, you’ll get hit by a bus on Wednesday?” Clarissa followed that with a weak smile.Martin had to laugh at the gallows humor. “That was quite a morbid illustration, my dear, but . . . yes, I guess it would be something like that.” Clarissa set down her teacup. “Can you tell me what happened? Something happened at that lab that has you all shaken.”As he had learned the day before, he could never keep secrets from Clarissa. Why even bother?“Cisco. . . . He has these powers that let him see the future, and he can take people with him. He and Jefferson – I don’t know whether it is more appropriately described as visiting or peering – but they were able to see what will happen to me if the timeline is unaltered.” He tried to make light of it. “Apparently, my demise is rather . . . heroic.”Clarissa was not amused. “Could you feel Jefferson when that was happening?”“Yes,” he admitted. “It was staggering. I’ve never felt such pain and terror. And then . . . it was grief, overwhelming grief. Jefferson seemed so despondent, so bereft. . . .”“Of course, he would.” Clarissa leaned forward. “You’re not just his partner, Martin. Don’t you know he looks to you as a father?”Martin shook his head. “I don’t know about that.” He would admit that he had come to look at the young man as a son, but he was not sure that the feeling was reciprocated. Jefferson sometimes seemed like he could barely tolerate Martin and had been fairly emphatic about splitting Firestorm. On the other hand, he had been upset earlier when he found out Martin had not told him about what would happen without a cure.“Oh, please.” Clarissa rolled her eyes. “How can you be so good at observing scientific experiments, yet be so blind when it comes to people? Jefferson loves you.” She shook her head in exasperation. “And even if I’m wrong – which I’m not – how could he not be upset that he’s losing his other half? Don’t you remember what it was like when Ronnie died? You barely ate; you spent a week sitting at your desk, staring at nothing.”Martin felt guilty again. “I should have considered what being Firestorm would do to Jefferson. After Ronald. . . . I should have thought more. Maybe it would have been better if we had never merged.”“Stop it.” Clarissa’s voice was firm. “You’re wallowing. You’re wallowing, and it doesn’t suit you. What’s done is done. Jefferson made his choice; you didn’t force him, and he would be the first one to say it was the right thing to do.”He had to chuckle. “That is one of the things I love about you,” he said. “You don’t take shit from anyone.”“Martin, did you just swear?”“Must be Jefferson rubbing off on me.” He shrugged. “There are worse things.” On the other side of the coffee table, Clarissa had crossed her arms and shook her head like a school teacher scolding a naughty child. “What am I going to do with you?”He was about to laugh, but then he looked into her eyes. They were not laughing. He could only see the tears forming and her fear, and he hated that he could cause her such pain. He started to look away. “Please,” she said. “Please look at me.” She waited until he turned his head back toward her. A few tears had started to slide down her cheeks. “With this plan . . . I will get you back, won’t I?” He nodded. “That . . . That is the idea.”“Not just that you’ll live, but that you’ll be home?” Clarissa’s hands clasped together, something she only did when she was nervous. “I mean, you won’t be going back on the ship?”Martin remembered how she had encouraged him to return to the Waverider after they had defeated Vandal Savage. He had protested, telling her that his life was here in Central City, but she had told him that his life would be waiting when he got back.He no longer wanted it to wait.“My time-traveling days are over, my love,” he said. “I won’t be returning to the ship. . . . So, yes, I’ll be home – assuming, of course, that I avoid your bus.” As he said that, he felt relieved. For the first time in 25 years, he could look past November 28, 2017. He could hope. He would have a future with his family.With a soft smile, he added, “I guess you’re stuck with me.”
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Jax had spent most of his Saturday morning figuring out why the time drive still was not fully online. It didn’t help that Gideon wanted to be helpful and kept telling him the status of other ship functions.As if mocking him, Gideon announced, “Life support systems appear to be fully operational, Mr. Jefferson.”“Thank you, Gideon,” he said for probably the 100th time. “I don’t care about life support right now; all I want to focus on is the time drive.”There was a pause and he thought he might finally be free of the AI’s help, but that hope was short-lived.“Rear bulkhead doors are closed. Emergency lighting systems are fully operational.”Jax gritted his teeth and instructed Gideon to take a break from “assisting” his repairs. In fact, Jax thought he also could use a break. He set down his tools and headed for the mess hall. It wasn’t like finishing the repairs an hour or two later would make a difference to Ray and the others. The ship would go to the same time either way.Not surprisingly, Jax spotted Mick sitting at a table littered with empty beer bottles. He said nothing as Jax asked the replicator to give him a sandwich and was about to get a soda when Mick held out a beer.“Here, kid.”Jax debated saying no. He still had work to do, but, hey, what was one beer. He took the bottle and his sandwich, then took a seat at Mick’s table.“How are things going with the Professor?” Mick asked.Although Jax had not seen Grey since the day before, their psychic link was calm for the first time in weeks. It was like most of the time since they had merged. Jax could feel Martin through their link, but it was like a niggling thought at the back of his head, nothing like the recent flood of emotions that had threatened to overwhelm him. “Better,” Jax said, taking a bite of his sandwich. He had the strange sensation that he was being studied as Mick took a long swig from his bottle. “You’re planning on changing things? Keeping him alive?”It was a reminder that Mick was more perceptive than most people thought.Jax nodded. “Yeah, we are.”“We?” Mick gave him a knowing look. “You and the Boss have a plan? Let’s hear it.”Jax hesitated, but figured there was no harm in telling Mick what would happen. He was a Legend, and changing history was part of the job description. Jax explained how he had seen the future and how Grey was shot after the two halves of Firestorm separated. “So the plan is not to separate.” Mick pursed his lips and seemed to think. “Sounds good. What about the paradox?”“We got that figured out,” Jax replied. “See, since we know Grey found out from me telling him when we go back to 1992, I’ll just act like he really did die. 1992 Grey won’t know that we saved him, so he’ll do the same stuff our Grey has done for the past 25 years.”Mick seemed to think a bit more, then nodded. “Makes sense. Professor’s on board?”“Of course. Why wouldn’t he be?”Mick seemed to shrug. “Dunno. Professor can be kinda funny when it comes to messin’ with the timeline.”Mick had a point, but Jax did not think that was an issue. “Nah. He seemed pretty relieved. Now he’ll really get to retire. It’s gonna be weird being on the ship without him.”Mick snorted. “Yeah, won’t have to listen to him actin’ all superior.”“Don’t lie. You’re gonna miss him.” Jax chuckled. One of Mick’s favorite pastimes was knocking Grey down a peg or two. Jax remembered the mission to Camelot and how it was Mick, not Grey, who was able to use the mind-control device. The look on Grey’s face when he had to follow Mick’s commands was priceless. “You will, dude.”Mick gruntled a noncommittal “maybe” and took another swig. They sat silently as Jax ate his sandwich under the uncomfortable stare of the other man. “What?” Jax asked. “If you’ve got something to say, say it.”Mick polished off his bottle and reached for another. “If the Professor doesn’t come back, what happens to you? Can’t be Firestorm without him.”“Tell me something I don’t know.”“And you’re cool with that?”Jax shrugged. “It’s not my call. Grey wants to stay here.”“So?” Mick sort of grinned – as much as he ever grinned. “Time for you to return the favor. He roofied you to get you on the ship. . . .”Jax couldn’t tell if Mick was serious. “I’m not roofie-ing Grey.”“’kay. Your call.” Mick set down his bottle. “So whatcha gonna do on the ship with no powers.”That was the million-dollar question, Jax thought. Without Firestorm, what would be his role on the ship? He could hold his own in a fight, but he wasn’t close to Sara’s or Amaya’s level. That kind of left him ship-bound as its engineer. Would that be enough?Jax lifted his beer and downed half of it in a single gulp. “I don’t know, Mick. I don’t really know.”
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Sara turned to the AI’s holographic head. “Is everything set, Gideon?”“Yes, Captain Lance. I have Dr. Palmer’s location fixed and the time drive is fully operational – as are all other essential systems.”“Good,” Sara said. “Make sure the team takes care of the anachronism and then bring them back here. I want you to get back by the start of November 28.” “Very well, Captain.”Mick entered the bridge. “Hey, Boss, we ready to go?” When Sara nodded, he asked, “What’s the deal with the 28th?”Sara described what Jax and Cisco had seen in the future. “On the 28th, some of us will be on that other Earth fighting Nazis, but we were fighting to get back to this Earth and we did. That means something will be happening here on Tuesday and we may need the rest of the team and the Waverider.” “Sounds like a plan,” Mick said. She certainly hoped so. At the moment, she was not happy that she had agreed with Nate to divide the team. Neither anachronism had seemed particularly difficult and the Time Bureau had said they both were rapidly cementing, so dividing the team had made some sense. On the other hand, given Jax’s and Cisco’s report, she hoped she would not regret having less than the full team of Legends.She hoped the repaired time drive operated better than it had in the past. The time drive was never that exact, particularly when jumping from large temporal distances. She remembered how the Waverider failed to return to 1958 when she, Ray, and Kendra were stranded. It did not return until 1960, costing her two years of her life.Jax had assured her that his repairs would improve the Waverider’s accuracy, but she doubted it could pinpoint the exact hour. By sending the Waverider to the Stone Age now, she was providing a two-day cushion for it to return by the time she suspected it would be needed. Looking at Mick, she asked if he had everything he needed. He motioned to a small pack by the entrance to the bridge. He also raised his heat gun. “Ready.”“Good.” She picked up her own bag, which contained clothes for the next few days and for the wedding, plus her bo sticks, a couple of knives, and a half-dozen throwing stars. “So what do you have in mind for killing an afternoon in Central City?”Mick paused momentarily before answering. “Gotta be a bank we can knock over.”“Not really my speed these days,” she said. “Plus we’d never hear the end of it from the Professor if we missed the wedding because we were waiting to post bail.”“Weddings are the worst,” Mick muttered.Sara sort of agreed. Even before joining the League of Assassins, weddings had not really been her thing. Her own relationships had only left her cynical about the notion of true love and soulmates. In her life, love usually ended in pain and loss. She had lost Nyssa, with whom she thought she would spend her life. Then she started having feelings for Leonard Snart, only to have him die destroying the Oculus.And she wasn’t alone. Most of her friends and family also had found only pain and death when they professed to fall in love. Sara’s parents had divorced. Laurel had been betrayed by Oliver and had then lost Tommy. On the Waverider, Rip and Ray had suffered heartaches. Frankly, the only person she knew who seemed to have a long and stable marriage was Martin, who plainly loved his wife deeply. But Sara could not set aside the fact that he had chosen to leave his wife behind to spend the last few years on the Waverider. In any event, Sara’s own experiences of being kicked in the teeth when she thought she was in love had pretty much killed any desire to find “the one” and settle down. She could do just fine with a series of “good times.” She just needed to find her next one.Meanwhile, spending the next few days celebrating the world’s most perfect couple was not a particularly exciting prospect.It almost made her wish the Nazis would show up before the wedding.With that cheery thought, she had an idea. She had fabricated plenty of money and thought it would be well-spent on a crawl through Central City’s bars. Maybe they would get lucky and a local would throw the first punch. “Let’s go,” she said, leading Mick toward the cargo bay door. As she left, she called back to Gideon, “Have fun in the Stone Age.”
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Martin leaned back in his desk chair and took a deep breath. The cloud of melancholia that had enveloped him for so many days had dissipated; the ever-present tension and anxiety was gone. With a smile, he thought about the night before. Clarissa and he had taken a long walk to the river. As they walked, they made plans for the holidays, discussed places they wanted to see, and shared their hopes for the future. It was not until they were walking along the riverbank that he had realized that they had never done that before. They had never discussed how they would spend their retirement. He could not even remember dodging Clarissa’s questions on the subject. That was when he realized how the knowledge Jefferson had imparted in 1992 had cast a shadow over the entire lives. Martin had always assumed he was the one choosing to avoid the subject because of what he had learned in 1992; now he knew that Clarissa had done the same. It had been as if they had both known – but refused to say – that there was little point to planning for anything after November 28, 2017. But now that barrier to the future was destroyed. Now they could imagine the future; they could even plan for it.Later, when they were alone in bed, he had held Clarissa tightly as she admitted how scared she had been, how she feared being left alone without even the hope he would return. In his arms, she had cried, releasing that pain and fear, until she fell asleep in his arms. He had held her close until he too had given in to the sheer exhaustion caused by the stress and anxiety of the preceding weeks.Waking that morning, he felt like a changed man. He suspected he had acted much the way he did when he first boarded the Waverider, full of excitement and a near-childish glee. Clarissa’s smiles were bright, not cover for the pain she had so effectively hidden. From the way their daughter looked at them, it was obvious that Lily detected something was different. She wisely did not pry, but seemed to enjoy the lightened mood in the house.After spending the morning with his family, Martin had returned to S.T.A.R. Labs. Cisco and Wells were already in the main lab, working on the Firestorm cure. Cisco assured him that they were progressing with the modified quark spheres and would soon have a serum. Seeing little that he could contribute to their work. Martin decided to focus on another project. Although Jefferson said all the right things when the subject of Martin’s retirement came up, it was hard not to see his partner was struggling with losing his powers. That was hardly surprising. Recalling the months between Ronald’s death and partnering with Jefferson, Martin understood what Jefferson faced – that feeling of being less than yourself, like you should be capable of more, but something had been lost. Martin suspected it was similar to what a person might feel after losing a limb. Being grounded after being able to soar, no longer able to control the immense power that Firestorm wielded had made him feel incomplete. For someone as young as Jefferson, not to mention as driven, that loss would probably be even more acute.Martin was not about to let that happen. The only question was how to give Jefferson new powers. Unfortunately, the answer so far was eluding him.His initial thought had been to draw on the animal kingdom to find powers that would translate to a human. Regrettably, biology was not his forte, making it unlikely that he could emulate the attributes of more highly developed species. That ruled out adopting the powers of big cats or primates. Although, Martin had to admit that may have been for the best; any molecular resequencing smart virus extrapolated from a primate would likely cause Jefferson to grow a prehensile tail. Martin leaned back in his chair and sighed. Back to the drawing board.He stood up and walked over to one of the clear whiteboards, erased his last set of calculations, and began to brainstorm. Perhaps it would be better if he focused on his specialty. Nuclear physics was the foundation for Firestorm and–
Wait a minute.
If I could manufacture a thermacore.
“Of course,” he said aloud. If the Waverider was still in 2017, he could contact Gideon from the main lab.As he turned to the door, pain seared through his head. The room spun as what felt like a dagger tried to force its way out through his skull. His hands clutched his head. He slammed his eyes shut in a futile attempt to ward of the agony. As the assault continued, be begged silently for it to stop. Gasping, he fell against a console and waited praying for the pain to subside. Mercifully, after an untold amount of time, it began to pass. He had to blink several times before his sight returned and took shuddering breaths until he regained his composure. The pain gone, he took stock and concluded he was okay. Just a little headache, he told himself, probably lack of sleep, the cumulative effects of the past few weeks, and the pressure of finding a solution for Jefferson. With that reminder of his plan, he headed out of the lab to contact Gideon.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cisco was sitting on the edge of a console as he and Caitlin reviewed her calculations for the Firestorm cure. While he was the expert in mechanical engineering and had figured out how the Firestorm cure could use quark spheres, he needed a Caitlin’s expertise as a bio-engineer to ensure that when the quark-spheres attached to Martin’s atoms, they would stop the Firestorm matrix’s exothermic reaction. Speak of the devil, he thought, as Martin entered the lab. Cisco looked up in surprise. After everything that had happened the previous day, he expected the older man would have preferred to be anywhere but here. After their brief talk earlier with Wells, Cisco had expected Martin to take off.“Professor.” Caitlin stood up from her chair. “I . . . I didn’t realize you were here.”Martin smiled and gave her a hug. “Hello, my dear. I’m sorry that you have to give up your Saturday to assist with this project.”Cisco almost snorted. What about me and Dr. Wells? he thought. They were giving up their too, Saturday, not that Wells had much to do that day except go on the food run he was now doing. “I was just here for a bit, toying with a few theories,” Martin continued. “The lab on the Waverider lacks some of the resources that S.T.A.R. Labs possesses. Though, right now, I was hoping to contact Gideon.”He headed over to the communications console and punched a few buttons. And waited. After a minute, he tried again. Nothing. Then he grimaced. “It appears the Waverider has already left 2017 and is on its way to the Mesolithic Period, which unfortunately is too large a temporal distance for this communicator.”“What did you need?” Cisco asked. “It’s not like we aren’t one of the best stocked scientific research facilities in the world.”Martin said, “Undoubtedly. However, I require the Waverider’s fabrication capabilities, which relies on future technology.” Then he paused. “Still, even if we must for the Waverider’s return, we could make some progress. To that end, assuming you have a few minutes, I would like to take advantage of your considerable intellects.”“Shoot,” Cisco said. “We’re making progress on the cure and should have it ready tomorrow – though I guess we don’t have the same timeline now that we know what’s going to happen and can change it.” As he spoke, Cisco could not stop himself from seeing a dying man dragging himself across the floor in a desperate attempt to open the breach. He forced himself to take a deep breath. “So . . . um . . . go ahead.” Neither Caitlin nor Martin missed Cisco’s sudden change of tone. For a moment the entire room fell silent, but it was clear they knew what he was seeing.Martin sounded sympathetic. “I was remiss in not thanking you for what you did yesterday,” he told Cisco. “You . . . you didn’t have to show Jax the future or witness it yourself – I can’t imagine how hard that must have been – but. . . .” He paused and a grateful smile crossed his face. “What you did . . . it means that I’ll get to live. I’ll have more time with Clarissa, get to see Lily marry, watch my grandson grow up. . . . You have no idea what a gift you’ve given me or how grateful I am.”“Hey . . . no need.” Cisco tried not to feel embarrassed by what he could tell was Martin’s genuine appreciation. “It’s just what I do.”Martin nodded. “I know, but I also remember what it was like when you were first discovering your abilities.” He did not seem to detect Cisco’s discomfort. “It’s okay, Cisco. I appreciate that . . . not all aspects of being a metahuman are . . . positive.”Cisco nodded. He could tell that Martin was thinking about the year he lost after the particle accelerator accident, a year in which he had been trapped in Ronnie Raymond’s body, unable to control their powers, and so mentally unstable that he did not understand who he was or what had happened to them. Not to mention the whole unstable Firestorm matrix that threatened to turn Martin into a walking nuclear bomb if he was unable to merge with Jax. So maybe seeing scary things in the future was not the worst thing that could happen.“I think we all understand that, Professor,” said Caitlin, who had her own problems with a nasty side effect of being metahuman – her sociopathic Killer Frost alter ego. “Anyway, what can we do to help you?”Martin’s demeanor changed completely. “Actually, what I – I wanted to discuss with you concerns Jefferson. When we use the Firestorm cure, in its currently planned iteration, it will leave him without powers.” Martin raised both hands and began waving them around. “However, I was contemplating our physiological differences and how we have distinct contributions to our merged Firestorm entity.” He paused momentarily.“Go on,” Cisco said, but he doubted Martin needed any urging.“You see,” Martin continued his excited explanation. “While my body was exposed to both the dark matter and the thermacore on the night of the explosion, Jefferson’s body only experienced the genetic changes from the dark matter.”Cisco did not see where Martin was going with this, even as Caitlin responded. “That’s right.”“So the result of the thermacore exposure – the Firestorm matrix – only exists in my body.” Martin said. “That’s why I must periodically merge with a host, namely Jefferson, to stabilize the matrix, but he has no such requirement.”“Well we’re not sure about that,” Caitlin said. “After all, with what Cisco and Jax saw in the future – and the symbiosis you described – that may no longer be true.”“Yes . . . that symbiosis hypothesis does seem to have been borne out by Cisco’s vision,” Martin conceded. “I . . . I do understand what you’re saying, but I maintain that, whatever may be causing that increased connection, it is not the result of Jefferson’s body physically housing the matrix. . . . Just look at the fact that, if we go more than a few days without merging, I start to feel the ill-effects. The same is not true of Jefferson.”“So what are you getting at?” Cisco asked.“The quark spheres.” Martin walked over to a whiteboard. “What if . . . before we ingest this cure, we irradiate the quark spheres with a thermacore?” He diagrammed what he was describing on the board. “If the quark spheres hold the power of the thermacore, they should trigger the same exothermic reaction that my molecules do. They would become the functional equivalent of the molecules my body produces during a merge.”Now Cisco could see the point. He stood up and began to pace as he brainstormed. “So the irradiated quark spheres would bind with Jax’s already genetically altered molecules and produce the Firestorm effects in a single individual.” He looked at Caitlin. “That would work, wouldn’t it?”Caitlin pursed her lips and her face scrunched as it often did when she was deep in thought. “It might,” she said. “But there are a lot of things to consider. I mean how would Jax control being Firestorm? Would it be like he was permanently merged? If so, how would it affect his body? For instance, would the physiological changes he has as Firestorm become permanent?”Good point, Cisco thought. “Having no pupils is kind of freaky.”“I’m sure we can figure that out.” Martin sounded insistent. “But we know the long-term effect of the exothermic reaction; my molecules don’t stop generating that energy when we are split. They just need to merge with Jefferson’s more stable molecules periodically. If both types of molecules are in Jefferson’s body, that should create an entirely stable physiology.”“Or permanently binding those molecules could cause all of Jax’s molecules to destabilize.” Caitlin shrugged. “I hate to sound like a downer.”Martin gave her a soft smile. “That’s okay. I . . . sometimes have a tendency in my zeal to overlook those possible adverse effects.”“Maybe so, Professor,” Cisco said, but his mind was running through the possible side-effects. “Still, given what we know about how the Firestorm matrix has affected your body, we should be able to run simulations and predict the possible side effects.” He glanced at Caitlin who seemed to agree. “It would just take a little time.”Martin broke into a grin as he looked at Cisco. “Which we now have – thanks to you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
One of Jax’s traditions when he returned home was to get together with some of his high school buddies. So after finishing his work on the Waverider, he met up with two of his former football teammates, AJ and Mike, and hit a dive bar near the college. The first hour was spent catching up. Jax sold a story that he had spent the past few months working on a fishing boat in Alaska; his friends updated him on local events and what they were up to in school.It all sounded good, but Jax wished he could tell the truth. The Waverider was a hell of lot cooler than a fishing boat.AJ was in the middle of talking about some girl he met at a frat party, when Mike grinned. “Forget the frat house, look who just showed up here.” He was practically drooling.Jax turned and grimaced. Sara had just entered the bar. She was wearing tight jeans and a low-cut blouse.“Wow!” AJ seemed to need a minute to get jaw to close properly. “But who’s the big ugly with her?” That’s when Jax spotted Mick. He looked normal – jeans, green camo jacket over a plain shirt, scowl. Before Jax could answer the question, Sara spotted him and crossed the room to their table. She eyed Jax’s friends before saying, “We thought we’d join the party.” She was obviously already drunk.Jax thought fast. “Um, guys,” he said to his friends. “This is Sara and Mick. They work with me.”Mike’s eyes were threatening to bulge out of his head. “They work on a fishing boat?”“Um, no,” Jax stammered. He quickly explained, “Um, just Mick. Sara, um--”“I’m a friend . . . from Star City,” she said with a grin. She ran a hand along Jax’s arm. “A very good friend.”Jax thought the temperature in the bar had jumped – a lot.“So. . . .” Sara glance his way. “Jax was telling you all about his adventures on the . . . fishing boat.”Jax started to respond. “Yeah--”Mick cut him off, telling Sara, “I’m getting some beers. Sucks to have to pay for them.”“Ain’t that the truth,” AJ said. “We should demand free beer for all.”“Don’t you get that at frat parties?” Jax asked.His friend laughed. “Yeah, but the view is so much better here.” He said that as he looked Sara up and down, causing Jax to debate warning AJ that he was playing with fire. Apparently, even drunk, Sara’s scowl was pretty persuasive. AJ quickly changed the subject. “Uh yeah . . . so what did you do on the boat?”“Um, lots of stuff. The actual fishing, um, with nets and all. And I got a lot of experience fixing things. Like the engine and the time -- I mean the transmission.” Jax wondered if boats had transmissions.“Jax is great with transmissions,” Sara said. She followed that by making a “vroom vroom” sound.Okay, that was enough. Jax looked at his friends as he grabbed Sara’s arm. “Excuse us for a minute.” He pulled her out of earshot and asked, “How much have you had to drink already?”“I don’t know,” she said. “Three, maybe four shots of tequila. Then there were some beers. Oh, and a martini that some guy bought me – a dirty martini, very dirty.” She was kind of giggling when she said that.“How much of that was before you left the ship?”It seemed like Sara had to think about that before answering. “After, definitely after. The ship’s in the Stone Age or wherever Ray is. Has been since you left.”That surprised Jax. He thought they would keep the Waverider until the following morning. “Where are you and Mick staying tonight?”“Oh, we’ll crash at Martin’s. He invited everyone.”“Um . . . No.” Jax made a point of emphasizing that last word. “He invited everyone for the night before the wedding – tomorrow night. And you are not showing up at his doorstep in the middle of the night hammered.”Sara shrugged. “Yes, Dad. Shall we go back and tell your friends all about your time on the fishing boat.” Ignoring Jax’s eye-roll, she started to pull him back to the table. Then she groaned, shook her head, and let go of his arm. “Damn. Guess a Captain’s work is never done.”Jax turned and saw what Sara had seen. Mick was standing at the bar, surrounded by several large men. Jax counted at least eight. They did not look happy.Sighing, Jax stood up and told his friends, “Sorry, give me a few minutes.” He then caught up with Sara and muttered, “Can’t we ever go to a bar without getting into a fight?”She gave him another drunken grin. “What’s the fun of that?”“Seriously--” Jax’s response was cut off as he ducked a flying bottle. Sara was already in the middle of the melee. A roundhouse kick took out one guy. A spinning backfist took out another. “How’s it going over there?” she asked Mick.“Doin’ just fine, Boss.” Mick slugged a man, who crashed to the floor. Jax sidestepped a punch, then returned the favor with a fist to the solar plexus. He heard the man’s air leave his body. A short left followed, and the man was down.“Not bad,” Sara yelled at him. She was taking on two opponents. She swept one’s legs, then spun and elbowed the other in the face. Broke his nose, too – at least, that’s what it looked like from all the blood. The man started to rise, but Jax grabbed him by the collar and sent him headfirst into the bar. “Stay down,” Jax ordered. The man complied.It looked like his friends got the same message. They were all on the floor, either moaning or trying to staunch the bleeding from their wounds. “Damn,” Mick said. “I was just getting warmed up.”Jax shook his head and turned back to see AJ and Mike crouched under their table. They clambered back to their feet, but their look – open mouths and wide eyes – did not change.AJ finally managed words. “Dude . . . what the hell?” As Sara reached the table, he took a step back raised his hands and whimpered, “Please don’t kill me.”Dumbfounded, Mike looked at Jax. “What kind of boat were you on?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The wailing baby forced Martin awake. Opening his eyes to the brilliant sunlight streaming through his window, he saw that it was just after 8 a.m. Next to him, Clarissa continued to sleep soundly. She was probably more accustomed to Ronnie’s crying and had developed an immunity to the noise.Martin was not so fortunate. He could still hear the baby crying, so he pulled himself out of bed, put on a robe, and went to the bedroom they had converted to a nursery. He stopped just outside the doorway and watched as Lily tried to calm Ronnie, rather unsuccessfully.“Shush, you don’t want to wake your grandpa,” she said.Martin chuckled. “Too late for that.”Lily turned to face him even as she continued to hush her son. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’ve tried everything. He’s fed, he doesn’t need a change, he doesn’t seem sick.” “Sweetheart, don’t get frustrated,” he said, entering the room. Reaching Lily, he looked down at his grandson. “I remember when you were this age and your mother and I couldn’t get you to stop crying. At 2 or 3 in the morning, I’d have to take you for a drive or put you in a stroller and walk around the neighborhood.” He smiled at the memory, then held out his hands. “Can I help?”Lily gratefully passed Ronnie to him. “Knock yourself out,” The baby was still crying, but began to calm as Martin started to hum a lullaby. Since Ronnie’s birth, he had often done the same thing through his trans-temporal communicator. It was different, though, to hold his grandson in his arms and see the effect in person. He continued to rock the baby, softly humming. After a few minutes, Ronnie’s eyes closed and he fell asleep.“Grandpa comes through again,” Lily said as he passed Ronnie back to her. From her tone, he detected that something was bothering her.Martin immediately replayed the conversation, wondering how he had upset her. Finding nothing, he asked, “Did I do something wrong? I certainly don’t mean to usurp your role with Ronnie.”“Oh, Dad, that’s not it,” Lily replied. “I love that all it takes is a few notes from you to calm him down.” Her tone did not match her words. Something was definitely amiss.“Then what’s wrong?”She sighed. “When you were describing when I was a baby . . . did that really happen? Or is it just a false memory?” His heart clinched at the question. Lily knew that she was not originally part of this timeline, but a time aberration caused when Martin interacted with his former self in 1987. When she first learned the truth from Mr. Rory on the Waverider, it had caused her a lot of distress. Evidently, it still did.Martin looked her in the eye as he reached out to brush her cheek. “I guess it’s a matter of perspective. Who’s to say which timeline is ‘real.’ All I can say is that those memories are as real to me as any other.” He hated that she still harbored doubt about how she came to be. How could he persuade her that those doubts were unfounded, that she was not a mistake, that she was loved? “Sweetheart, please don’t ever question my love for you. The most important memories I have are of my family. Nothing else is comparable. . . . That’s why I’m retiring – so I’ll be able to spend the rest of my life with your mother, you, and my grandson.”In the back of his mind, he considered the irony that, a day earlier, he had believed that future – any future – was closed to him. Now he was looking forward to that future.Lily had tears in her eyes, but she smiled. Then she grew pensive and asked, “Will you be happy, leaving behind time-traveling adventures?”Martin returned her smile. “Trust me, I’m not leaving them behind. You and this little guy” – he motioned toward Ronnie – “are going to hear those adventures ad nauseum.”“I can’t wait,” Lily said. She stepped close and kissed his cheek. “Now you’d better get ready. Don’t you have things to do before the rehearsal dinner tonight?”Martin nodded. “As much as I’d like to spend this entire day with you, my dear, I should not shirk my obligations.” He left the nursery and headed for the bedroom, but just as he stepped through the door, the pain struck again. A searing knife seemed to stab his skull from the inside and he stumbled forward. He tried to fight through the pain, but this headache was even worse than the last one. Then he saw them. Flashes in his mind. Images that seemed hazy, like out-of-focus video, appeared. Clarissa. Lily. Ronald. Jefferson.Martin fell against the bed, waiting for the pain to disperse. Clarissa stirred, but remained asleep. Good. He did not want to have to explain what was happening. He knew. The same thing had occurred when the timeline had changed to include Lily. Temporal dissonance. Those flashes were new memories supplanting the old ones.“Oh my god,” he said to himself. It had to be the temporal paradox. But why? Nothing should have changed; Jefferson was still planning to deliver his letter in 1992.
Unless. . . .
He grabbed his phone, returned to the hallway so he wouldn’t wake his wife, and dialed Cisco’s number.“Cisco, it’s Martin. I need you and Caitlin to meet me at S.T.A.R. Labs right now! It’s an emergency.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin was impatiently pacing back and forth outside the main entrance of S.T.A.R. Labs when Cisco arrived “So what’s so important, Professor?” Cisco asked. “Didn’t we get things straight yesterday? The quark-”“This isn’t about the cure,” Martin snapped. Then he seemed to realize how he sounded. “I’m sorry, Cisco. I’m just on edge. Did you reach Caitlin?” When Cisco nodded, Martin said, “I’ll explain when she gets here.”Cisco was puzzled, but said nothing. He could not recall seeing Martin like this – and he could not recall the professor ever being angry. Something definitely was up, he thought, as he unlocked the doors and they went to the main lab. For the next five minutes, Martin alternated between pacing back and forth across the lab and fidgeting while standing in one place. Cisco was about to complain when Caitlin arrived.“What’s going on?” she asked. “Cisco said it was an emergency.”“It is,” Martin said. “The decision we made the other day, about changing the future. It’s causing temporal dissonance. It’s rewriting my memories.”It took a minute for the others to understand. Cisco’s jaw dropped as he realized what Martin meant. “So--”“So whatever we do on Tuesday that’s different from the original timeline will change the past – my past. And the only way that should happen is if I don’t receive that letter.”Caitlin gasped. “Which means--”“Which means. . . .” Martin nodded at Caitlin and then turned to Cisco. “You need to take me to the future. We must ascertain what will happen in this new timeline.” --------------------Sara’s head was pounding as she opened her eyes. It took her a few minutes to recognize the unfamiliar motel room. Silently she kicked herself for not keeping the Waverider in 2017 for one more night. She could have been sleeping in her own quarters, with Gideon’s surefire hangover cure awaiting her this morning.“Morning, Boss.” Very slowly, she turned her head to see Mick. He was still wearing his green jacket from the night before as he sat on the lone chair in the room. He also was munching on a doughnut. How was he not hungover, she wondered, even as she tried to remember what happened the night before. She could sort of recall a bar brawl with Mick and Jax, but everything after that got a bit fuzzy.“What time is it?” she asked.“About 9, maybe 9:30.”Grimacing, she managed to find her way to her feet. She swayed slightly, but stayed upright. A shower and some Advil. That was all she needed. She would be fine after that.Ten minutes later, she had at least completed the shower part. She was just pulling a towel around her when the space between the sink and the shower was filled with a bright white portal. This is not what I need right now, Sara thought.That did not stop Agent Sharpe from stepping into the bathroom. She looked Sara up and down, smirking at what Sara was not wearing.“Could you at least have waited until I got dressed?” Sara asked. “Or do you think you’re gonna get lucky?” Sara debated dropping her towel, but the comment caused Sharpe’s face to turn a brilliant shade of scarlet and she looked away. “Guess not,” Sara said, maintaining a sly grin. But even as she said that, a tiny voice in the back of her head whispered, “too bad.” Sharpe took a deep breath and lifted her head. Keeping her eyes above Sara’s shoulders, Sharpe scowled. “This couldn’t wait,” she said. “I need to know what the hell you did?”With no clue what Sharpe was talking about, Sara snorted. “You’ll have to be more specific.” “The timeline, damn it. What the hell did you do to the timeline?”Of course. There was probably a new anachronism, which, of course, the Time Bureau blamed on the Legends. Sara raised her hands. “Hold on. We didn’t do anything.”“I seriously doubt that. Our historical archives are going crazy. History is rewriting all over the place.” She paused, frowned, and listened for a minute, probably through some kind of comms system. She confirmed that when she said, “Gary, are you serious? How fast is that cementing?” She returned to glaring at Sara. “In about two days, America as you know it will no longer exist. It will be cemented as New Valhalla.”“New Valhalla?” Sara wanted to laugh at the name.“This is not a joke,” Sharpe snapped. “Whatever you’ve done, the Vikings will now conquer America. And that’s not the only change. There will be no Islam, because Mohammed died in a nuclear explosion. Shakespeare opened a pub instead of writing plays, because Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows filled all the London theaters. Archduke Ferdinand was never shot--”“Okay, I get it.” Sara cut off the rant. “Anachronisms all over. Something’s changed the timeline, but it wasn’t us. All we’ve done is celebrated Thanksgiving, had some drinks, and get ready for a wedding.”Sharpe obviously did not believe that. “I doubt that’s all you’ve done.” She looked at Sara and said, evenly, “I’ve looked at the archives and we don’t have any record of the Legends after November 28, 2017.”“What?” Sara stepped forward. “What does that mean?”“Your team, Captain Lance.” Sharpe sounded extremely serious. “In two days, as far as history is concerned, the Legends will have disappeared entirely.”Sara shook her head. How could that be? How could the Legends just disappear? She thought for a moment and tried to silence the thought that popped into her head. Looking back at Sharpe, Sara asked, “Are you telling me we’re going to die?”Sharpe shook her head. “I didn’t say that. I said there’s no record of the Legends after that date, I mean, as a team. We did find some records of some of you. Ray Palmer, for instance. Zari Tomaz, too. And there may be more after history finishes rewriting itself, but I’ve looked at your histories and I know they’re different from what was there before.”“Awww, so you’ve been checking up on us, haven’t you?” Sara could not stop herself from saying that. She knew teasing Sharpe was a way to avoid dealing with what the other woman was saying. She was rewarded by Sharpe’s cheeks again turning pink. It was really kind of cute. Flustered, the other woman stammered, “That’s not the point. Something’s changed that affects the timeline. And if recent history proves anything, that’s usually because of something you did.” She hesitated, then added, “Besides . . . it may not just be the Legends. There are other disappearances from the timeline.”“Like who?” Sara demanded to know.Sharpe shook her head. “It doesn’t matter because we’re going to fix what you did and get history back on track.” She crossed her arms and shot a glare that told Sara not to push for more information.In the silence that descended, Sara remembered that she was standing in a motel bathroom, clad only in a towel. “I’m getting dressed,” she said. “If you want to continue this conversation, at least let me have some clothes on.” She pushed past Sharpe, left the bathroom, and called out to Mick. “Hey, we’ve got company.” She walked over to her bag and pulled out some clothes.“Figured as much,” Mick said. “Way too loud for you to be arguing with yourself.” When he saw Sharpe follow Sara into the room, he scowled. “What do the time pigs want?”Sharpe stiffened and again crossed her arms defensively. “We’re trying to fix your screw-ups.”“Oh? What did we do now?” Mick reached into a bag and pulled out another doughnut. He leaned back in chair, took a bite, and waited for an answer.Sara gave it to him as she tried to simultaneously pull on a pair of pants and keep her towel in place. “She doesn’t know. Apparently, it’s our fault, even though we haven’t changed anything.” She did not fail to notice how Sharpe was studiously avoiding watching Sara get dressed.“Except the Professor,” Mick pointed out.The glare returned as Sharpe looked directly at Sara. “What about the Professor?” Sara was going to strangle Mick. She deliberately took her time in pulling a shirt over her head. “We haven’t done anything.” Shirt now in place, she dropped the towel on the floor and returned Sharpe’s glare. Neither said a word; they were too intent on winning their impromptu staring contest. After a minute, Sharpe grimaced, blinked, and looked away.“What did you change about the Professor?” Sharpe asked again.This was exasperating. Sara fumed. They had not done anything but talk about saving Martin. Nothing had changed yet. How could talking about something alter the timeline? “We haven’t done anything.”“But you’re planning something, aren’t you?” Then, realization dawning, she slapped her hand to her forehead. “You’re planning on changing Stein’s future. You’re going to stop him from dying.”“Maybe.” Sara tried to sound as noncommittal as possible. “Tell me what you’re doing?” Sharpe demanded.Now Sara was annoyed. She did not take orders from the Time Bureau. “We haven’t changed anything; we’ve just made a plan.”Sharpe looked incredulous. “Making a plan to change things is sometimes enough to change them. You have to change it back. Whatever plan you have, drop it.”“I won’t do that.” Sara stepped forward until she was nose-to-nose with Sharpe. “Martin’s family. We’re not just gonna sit back and do nothing. So get the hell back through your portal, sit tight, and we’ll deal with anything that happens because we save him.”Sharpe proved it was possible to scowl even more deeply than before. “This isn’t the end of the discussion,” she warned, then slashed at the air so a portal opened. “I will be back.”Mick growled at the retreating woman, “Next time, bring some beer.”
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Martin put the headset in place. He tried to tamp down his nerves, reminding himself that he had to keep his emotions in check. The last thing he needed was for Jefferson to start feeling those emotions through the link and begin asking questions.“Okay. You ready?” Cisco asked. “I believe so.”“So you know the drill,” Cisco said. “Focus. Really concentrate on the day you want us to see.”Martin nodded then began silently reciting a mantra. November 28, 2017. November 28, 2017. Over and over.Across the room, Caitlin started the countdown. “3 . . . 2 . . . 1.” The machine came online. Martin’s chair shook and lights flashed. An invisible force pressed against his back, propelling him forward. Yet, at the same time, he remained immobile in the chair.A few more flashes and Martin was in a large building. Guns were blazing. Bullets ricocheted around him. Instinct kicked in and he ducked.“It’s okay, Professor,” Cisco said. “They can’t hurt you.”Remembering that Cisco had described their presence as being similar to ghosts, Martin stood up. He fought the urge to seek cover in the face of the barrage of machine gun fire, but he forced himself to stand. Once he accepted that he would not be injured by the flying bullets, he felt comfortable enough to survey the room.It was just like Jax and Cisco had described. A group of masked Nazi soldiers fired from a platform while others circled the room firing mounted weapons. Martin took stock of their targets – Sara, a Snart who wasn’t dead, Oliver Queen, and a woman Martin did not recognize. Above them all, Firestorm swooped in and out, showering the Nazis with flaming bursts. He did not realize that Cisco was beside him until the younger man pointed across the room at some equipment behind the platform filled with Nazis. “The controls for the breach are over there.”Unmolested by an enemy that could not see him, Martin followed Cisco across the room. It was surreal, he thought, yet fascinating that he could walk right past men shooting guns and not be noticed.“Firestorm should break for the controls soon,” Cisco said, reminding Martin why they were there. Forcing his attention to his future counterpart, he looked up to see Firestorm cross overhead and land behind some equipment. Martin followed Cisco’s lead and hurried over to them. He could hear Jefferson’s voice giving instructions.“Okay, Grey. This time we’re not splitting. We’ll hotwire the power and then hit the breach control.” Firestorm turned and made a beeline for the power box, passing directly through Martin’s ghostly form.“That was disconcerting,” Grey muttered at the sensation of having another being just fly through his body. Then he remembered he was supposed to be relaying what he was seeing. He called out to Cisco and Caitlin, “They’re not splitting.”Firestorm flew across the room, landing next to a junction box. He pulled it open and quickly began rewiring it. Martin watched, impressed, at how fast Jefferson did the job. The equipment came to life and Jefferson shouted “Got it!” into his communicator. “Power’s on,” Cisco announced. “Now for the breach controls.”Firestorm roared back into action. Flames – fission energy to be more precise – burst from his hands and head. “Fascinating,” Martin had to say. This was the first time he could actually see Firestorm wielding his powers the same way that everyone else did. The perspective was quite different from what Martin usually saw from inside Jefferson’s head. Rising again, Firestorm fired some fission blasts at the Nazis on the platform and flew toward a bank of controls containing a lever.“Nearly there,” Cisco yelled. He pointed at the lever. “That opens the breach.”Like a flaming streak across the sky, Firestorm crossed the room. Realizing he was behind their line, several Nazis turned their guns on the streak. Bullets flew toward him. Most were transmuted into air. But not all. A bullet struck Firestorm’s chest, then a second. The force propelled him off course, then he twisted in midair. Martin heard a cry, but it was not Firestorm he heard. It was Jefferson’s voice. It was Jefferson’s face contorted in pain and shock as he crashed to the ground. Martin’s spine went cold. He raced forward. This can’t be happening.Jefferson was still alive. He struggled to his knees, flames extinguished, and fought to get his bearings. His gaze settled on the lever. Now it was just Jefferson – his body, his spirit, his strength – as he dragged himself toward his goal. Ignoring the guns trained on him, he pushed forward. “Please!” Martin heard himself shouting as he raced toward his partner. More shots rained down. More bullets struck him. One. Then another. And another. His body jerked painfully with each strike, but Jefferson did not stop until he reached the lever.“Jefferson!” Martin yelled. He had to do something. He couldn’t just stand by, completely helpless. But there was nothing he could do. He just stood and stared – a silent witness – as Jefferson reached for the lever. His body failing, he fell, but not before he dragged the lever down with him. In his peripheral vision, Martin saw orange flames erupt followed by a thunderous noise, but he ignored them. Jefferson was Martin’s sole concern and he managed to force his legs to move until he reached his wounded partner.
My dying partner.
Jefferson was on the ground, gasping for air. The yellow of his uniform was stained red as blood flowed from multiple wounds. The wheezing sound of his breath indicated a bullet had damaged a lung. Martin reached down, hoping to do something to staunch the bleeding, but his hands passed through Jefferson’s body. Martin was helpless, an observer, a ghost.
He can’t die. Don’t let him die.
On the ground, Jefferson coughed, spitting up more blood. He was trying to say something, but his voice was too weak. Martin leaned over, as close as possible, to hear him.“Grey. . . get out.”Flames burst from Jefferson’s body and the other Martin appeared. He fell to the ground, in obvious agony. His voice filled with pain, he screamed incoherently at Jefferson. He crawled toward his fallen partner and collapsed against Jefferson’s chest. That’s me, Martin realized witnessing his counterpart’s utter despair. In two days, that will be me. He staggered back, not wanting to watch this horror, but unable to tear his eyes away. Sara and the other woman reached them. He barely registered that the Nazis must have been defeated as Sara pulled the other Martin to his feet and away from Jefferson. The other woman checked Jefferson’s pulse. She looked up and shook her head.
Dead. He’s dead.
Martin tried to process that. Jefferson could not be dead. Jefferson was too full of life to die. He had too much life still to live.The other Martin fell back to his knees. He fought Sara, struggling to reach Jefferson. Shouting his name over and over.“Martin!” Sara yelled. “You can’t help him.”Now the Flash and a man in a costume Martin did not recognize appeared beside them. Barry stopped short. “Oh my god,” he said, catching sight of Jefferson’s body. “The breach is open,” Oliver yelled. “We’ve got to get back.”Sara tried to pull Martin toward the breach, but he struggled against her grip. His eyes turned white. Orange flames shot out from his hands and engulfed his head. Sara let go and fell back to escape the fire.“What’s happening to him?” shouted the woman with Sara. Sara could only shake her head.The flames turned blue. The other Martin’s eyes turned black.This can’t be happening, Martin thought as he realized what was happening. He had seen it in Russia just before Valentina Vostok exploded.Barry had seen it too. “He’s melting down!”Martin watched, transfixed as the blue flames engulfed his counterpart. The matrix was losing stability. Without a partner, that was always a danger, but it was happening too fast. The other Martin should have been able to go for days, even weeks, without merging. Unless Unless the shock of Jefferson’s death accelerated the exothermic reactions in the other Martin’s body. Accelerating at an exponential rate would destabilize the matrix in a matter of minutes.The other Martin must have realized what was happening. “Sara.” He sounded like he was begging. “Take Jefferson. . . . Leave me.”Sara shook her head. “I won’t.”The woman Martin did not recognize grabbed Sara’s arm as Barry lifted Jefferson’s body, preparing to take him through the breach. Oliver directed Snart through the portal, but hesitated. He turned back toward Sara. So did Barry.“Leave me!” the other Martin shouted. “I can’t contain it! Go!”“Get out of there,” Martin yelled, forgetting nobody in this nightmare could hear him. He knew time was running out.Sara began to back away, but hesitated, not wanting to leave him behind. She shook her arm free of the woman’s grip. “Martin. . . you can control it. I know you can.”Oliver ran back from the breach toward Sara. He tried to grab her, but she evaded him.“Please, Martin,” she begged.“We’ve got to go!” Oliver shouted. This time, he caught hold of her arm. He tried to pull her toward the breach, but she fought against him.Behind them both, Barry yelled, “Sara, Oliver . . . . Run!”Lifeless black eyes looked back at her through the blue inferno.Watching it play out, helpless to intervene, Martin knew.
It’s too late.
“Martin!” Sara screamed.Barry leaped forward. Yellow lightning sped toward Sara and Oliver, but even his extraordinary speed was not fast enough.The world exploded in flash of blinding light.
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Jax was clearing the table after breakfast with his mom. It was nice to spend the time with her, since he doubted he would see her much over the next few days. He was heading over to S.T.A.R. Labs a little later and then dinner at Jitters before the wedding. Then he was going to crash at Grey’s overnight and go to the wedding with the Steins.Then, of course, at some point in the next few days, he was going to be going to war with a bunch of Nazis from another Earth.He dropped the plates in the sink and looked out the kitchen window. It was a typical midwestern fall day – bright sky, some leaves that had turned, a chill that hinted at the cold winter ahead. A nice, boring, fall day.With a sigh, he replayed his conversation with Mick the day before. What would it be like for him on the Waverider if he wasn’t Firestorm? Firestorm had changed him. His mom had been right when she talked about how he was after the particle accelerator explosion. He had been depressed and angry. And bitter that his big chance in life had been taken from him.Then he was asked to merge with a dying old man and became a flying nuclear reactor. And that bitterness went away.“Jefferson, are you okay?”He turned to see that his mom had entered the kitchen.“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said. Her look told him that she didn’t believe him for a second, so he admitted, “I’m just kinda confused right now.”His mom studied him for a minute. “This is still about Grey, isn’t it?” His silence gave her the answer. “Why don’t you go talk to him? Tell him how you feel.”Jax silently played that conversation in his head. He would tell Grey that he was upset about him leaving and about losing his powers. Grey would feel guilty and would go back to the ship because that was what Jax wanted. Jax would then spend the next few months sensing how much Grey was missing his family and it would be Jax’s turn to feel guilty. So, no, that wasn’t really an option. Even thinking about it made him anxious and nervous.“Jefferson. . . .” Her concern was obvious. He shook his head and lied. “It’s okay, Mom. I’ll talk to him later when we meet with the people from S.T.A.R. Labs.” Jax knew the next thing she said would be an offer to skip Sunday services to spend more time with him, so he quickly added, “You should go or you’ll be late for church. . . . It’s fine. Go ahead. You don’t need to stay home for me.”She smiled, walked over to him, and hugged him tightly. “I’m so proud of you. Whatever happens, that won’t ever change.”Jax hugged her back. “Thank you.” Then he grinned. “Aight, get going. I’ll handle the dishes.”She gave him a kiss on the cheek, grabbed her purse, and left the house. Now alone, Jax’s thoughts returned to the Waverider and his role on the ship. He could still be the engineer – and god knows, that ship needed constant repairs – but what was he supposed to do when the Legends were on a mission? For the past year, he had been Sara’s second-in-command, but how could he lead the Legends if he was powerless? He got a knot in the pit of his stomach. His heart was beginning to race too.
Wait a minute. That’s not me.
What was Grey doing? The link, which had been calm, surged with emotion. Pain. Terror. Jax clutched his head. “No!” he shouted without knowing why. He was hit with more pain and utter despair. If anything, these emotions were stronger than what Grey was sending out before.It was overwhelming. Jax was gasping for breath, trying to fight the intense horror flooding the link. But he didn’t know how to fight what he didn’t understand. Was Grey hurt? Was it someone close to him? “Stop!” he shouted. “Make it stop!”Another wave of pain and grief hit him. Unable to stop the onslaught, Jax cried out and collapsed to the floor.
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Martin opened his eyes, but the light was so bright he had to shut them again. His chest was heaving and he was gasping for breath.“Professor?” The woman’s voice sounded concerned, also nervous. She spoke again. “Professor, are you okay?”That sounds like Caitlin, he thought. He held a hand up to block the light and opened his eyes once more. That’s when he realized he was on the floor and looking up into Caitlin’s and Cisco’s worried faces.“What happened?” Martin asked. His head ached. He also could feel Jefferson through the link, in pain, struggling. Martin fought his own emotions and tried to send reassuring thoughts, even as his mind filled with images of Jefferson being struck by bullets and lying lifeless on ground. Caitlin said, “You collapsed when Cisco brought you back. Do you remember what you saw?”Did he remember? How could he forget? Martin just nodded; he did not have words to describe the vision. Cisco, his face pale and still reflecting the shock of what he had seen. He seemed exhausted and Martin wondered if they had pushed the limits – physically and emotionally – of Cisco’s ability to vibe to the future. He held out a shaky hand. “Can you get up, Professor?”Martin felt a surge of gratitude toward his young friend as he accepted the help and rose unsteadily to his feet. He took a tentative step toward the chair and leaned against it for support. Through his psychic connection, he could feel Jefferson. He was reflecting pain and fear, probably his response to Martin, but also confusion. I have to stop that, he thought. He needed to prevent Jefferson from sensing this or his partner would begin asking questions – questions that Martin doubted he would be able to evade. He forced himself to take some deep breaths and tried to project calm through the link. It took a few minutes, but he gradually was able to bring his heart-rate and breathing under control.Once he felt back in control, Martin looked at Cisco. “That. . . . That cannot happen.”“What did you see?” Caitlin asked, reminding Martin that she had not witnessed that nightmare.He glanced at Cisco, who still looked shell-shocked. Martin suddenly flashed back to the day Cisco had first revealed that he was a metahuman. “I’m seeing things I don’t want to see,” he had said. He had then made Martin promise not to say anything to Barry or Caitlin. At the time, Martin had urged Cisco to accept and study those powers, insisting they were a gift, not a curse. Now, he was not so sure. Giving what he hoped was a reassuring nod, Martin said, “You’ve done enough. Let me tell her.” As Cisco let out a grateful breath, Martin described what they had witnessed. In a way, it was cathartic. Describing what happened distanced himself from the scene. He managed to tell her about Jefferson being shot and, with his dying breath, forcing the other Martin to separate. “Jefferson thought he was saving me by splitting,” Martin said. “He didn’t understand what the shock of his death would do to the matrix. It accelerated the exothermic reaction, increasing the rate of fission exponentially. I was too unstable. And I . . . I. . . .” “That’s okay, Professor. I understand. I remember when the matrix was too unstable, when you and Ronnie--”Martin shook his head. “You don’t understand.” His voice rose, but he could hear how brittle it sounded. “When I . . . exploded, it . . . I wasn’t the only one who died. . . .” He could hear Sara insisting he could control his powers, even as he begged her to run. The sound of Barry and Oliver yelling also echoed in his ears. “They all died. Jefferson . . . Sara and Barry . . . Oliver.” Realization hit him. “That’s why my memories are changing. . . .” He throat tightened and his breath again began to come fast. Even as he tried to stem the panic rising within him, he explained, “Altering the timeline by not splitting will lead to their deaths. The time paradox is unavoidable. I’ll never get the message in 1992, because there won’t be anyone to deliver it.”Caitlin recoiled in horror. “We can change that. We’ll tell them--”“No!” Martin was adamant. “We can’t.” He forced himself to take another deep breath and reminded himself that he had to stay calm to avoid alerting Jefferson. In a calmer tone, he looked at Caitlin and then at Cisco. “Th–that timeline w-won’t happen, because I won’t let them die.”There was no other way. Sara’s and Jefferson’s plan had not contemplated the future Martin had just seen, and there was no way he was going to choose a future that led to so many additional deaths. The world needed the Flash and Green Arrow; the Legends needed Sara and Jefferson. And even if he could somehow tell the others about what he had just seen and convince them to leave him behind and escape back to their Earth, it would not save Jefferson. He would still die. Jefferson would die even if Martin could somehow prevent the matrix from destabilizing. That alone made the decision easy. Martin loved Jefferson like a son. If that meant sacrificing himself to save Jefferson, he would not hesitate. Better that Jefferson live with guilt than not live at all. No father would choose differently.“That . . . that future will n–never happen,” Martin said.Martin’s emotions threatened to drown him. His chest tightened and his stomach churned.Stop it, he ordered. Jefferson would be sensing this. Everything is fine, he told himself. Everything is under control. But even as he tried to force calm and happy thoughts through the link, he stared down at the floor, Martin silently replayed his conversation with Clarissa from just two days earlier. He remembered how relieved he had been, how hopeful he had felt about the future for the first time in 25 years.Today, however, relief was transient. Hope was fleeting. Cisco understood. “You’re going to split, aren’t you?”Without looking up, Martin nodded. “It’s the only way to ensure that future won’t happen.”
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The pain subsided enough for Jax to pull himself off the floor. He took a few deep breaths and wondered what the hell was going on. He could tell from the link that Grey was not hurt and must have regained control over his emotions, but he could not recall ever sensing such intense feelings through the link. Even when Grey had been tortured, it did not feel as strong as what Jax had just experienced. Now, he could sense some residual anxiety. Wait, now it was not anxiety, but calm . . . and happy? This was weird. Also, there was something funny about what Jax was sensing. It was hard to describe, but the best comparison was that the emotions seemed to be like sound coming through a bad stereo – distorted and muted.“This ain’t right,” Jax said. He needed to find Grey, but then remembered that the Waverider had left 2017. Without Gideon, he was going to have to track the man down the old-fashioned way. Jax pulled out his phone to call Clarissa, but before he could dial her, his comms came to life. “Jax?” The voice was Sara’s.“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked.“We may have a problem.” Sara proceeded to detail her visit from the Time Bureau and what Sharpe had said about the timeline. Jax was skeptical. “So you’re saying that just our thinking about saving Grey is screwing everything up? And if we save him, we might be destroying our team?”“Yeah, more or less.”“How can that be?” Jax tried to think about all the things the Legends had done that had changed history. Weren’t those changes always caused by them doing stuff? He could not remember any changes simply because they thought about doing something. Except, now that he thought about it, they usually changed history by screwing something up without thinking or doing something they never planned. Did that make this time different? Because they had a plan? They had actually seen the future, so they knew precisely how they would change it. Was that really enough to change the timeline?And at the end of the day, who gave a damn?Sara had been silent and he wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Finally, she said, “Look . . . even if what we’re planning changes the timeline, I don’t give a damn. We’re talking about Martin. I’m not letting him die because it’s good for the timeline. I say we save him and then we deal with what comes next.”Jax had to grin. That was the no-bullshit captain he knew. “Count me in,” he said. Then he realized something. “Sara, we can’t tell Grey about this. . . . You know how he is; if he thinks saving him will mess up the timeline, he’ll fight us.”She had to know he was right. Grey had been pretty reluctant to go along with their plan because of the possibility of a time paradox; if he heard what Sharpe was saying, there’s no way he would agree.Realizing Sara had not responded, Jax repeated, “We can’t tell him, okay?”Sara sounded hesitant, but she finally agreed. “Okay. . . .”He understood her reluctance. Jax hated keeping secrets from anyone. And that was a lot harder with Grey because of their psychic connection. But he also understood that telling the truth would mean Grey’s death. They were going to prevent that at all costs.“Trust me,” he said. “This is the right thing to do.”When she replied, she sounded less hesitant. “All right. Do you know where Martin is?”“Not right now.” He did not mention the terror and pain he had felt through the link. He would deal with that when he saw Grey later. He would find out what was going on. “I’m supposed to meet him at S.T.A.R. Labs at noon to talk about breaking up Firestorm. Then we have the dinner tonight.”Sara did not sound enthused. “Oh, right, that should be fun.” Jax could almost picture her scowl. “God, I hope they have booze.”
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Having seen that future, Cisco understood Martin’s decision. Cisco was going to have nightmares of Barry, Oliver, and Sara being swallowed by the nuclear blast. They had to prevent all those deaths.That still did not mean he wanted to accept that Martin had to die in the original timeline.Neither did Caitlin. Her eyes were filled with tears and she shook her head. Her voice breaking, she said, “There has to be another way. You don’t have to just give up.”Martin reached out and took Caitlin’s hand. “This isn’t giving up. It is a conscious, deliberate decision – and, I must say, it’s not a remotely difficult one to make. One life instead of how many others? One old man instead of so many young heroes who will save the world over and over.”Cisco wanted to shout that this was real life, not some damn movie trope. Martin wasn’t Obi Wan Kenobi dying so Luke could escape the Death Star. Or Baymax dying for Hiro in Big Hero 6. And so many others. This was real.Caitlin buried her head against Martin’s shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you, Professor. . . . Not . . . not like Ronnie.”Hearing the pain in her voice, Cisco closed his eyes and fought back his own emotions. He knew that Caitlin’s feelings about Martin were tied up with her love for Ronnie and her pain over his death. Losing Martin would remove one of her last ties to Ronnie, and it made Cisco hurt for his close friend.“I wish there were another way,” Martin said. “There is,” Caitlin insisted, her voice suddenly full of determination. Cisco opened his eyes and saw that she was looking at him.“The cure will be ready tomorrow, right?” she asked.“Yeah.” Cisco had no idea where she was going with this.Caitlin looked back at Martin. “Then use the serum as soon as it’s ready. You and Jax will be safe. You may not be Firestorm any more, but you’ll be alive.”Cisco already knew how Martin would respond. “I can’t,” Martin said apologetically. “For whatever reason and however we get there, Firestorm is supposed to be on that Earth. Just in what we’ve seen, our being able to fly over the enemy will be critical to opening the breach. What if, without Firestorm, the others are unable to fight their way through? And that says nothing about how we might be needed even before we reach that warehouse.” The old man was stubborn and determined. Cisco had to give him credit for that – and for being right. None of them would let their friends die to save themselves. So maybe it was not really that different from the movies.“Caitlin.” Cisco paused as he tried to figure out how to say what he was thinking without upsetting her too much. “Think about it. That’s not how it works. Ronnie ran into the particle accelerator to save us. He flew into the singularity for the same reason. He didn’t hide to save himself when the rest of us could be hurt or even die. Barry wouldn’t do that. You wouldn’t do that. So you can’t expect the Professor to do that. You can’t ask him to sit this out.”Martin nodded. “Cisco’s right, my dear.”“Then what about trying out some other ideas, some other plans?” Caitlin looked at Cisco. “We could do that. We can come up with an idea and test it in a vibe.” “No,” Martin said. “We can’t put Cisco through that trauma over and over. And we don’t even know if his powers could do what we need. This future changed because we devised a specific plan and agreed to implement it. What you’re asking is for him to view mere possibilities.”Cisco had to give Martin credit for that too. He had no idea if his vibes would show possible outcomes. And he also doubted that he had the strength to make multiple trips to the future. The last two vibes left him pretty drained and, he forced himself to admit, pretty shook. Seeing that battle, particularly with all the deaths in the most recent vibe . . . . Cisco did not know if he could take much more of the emotional toll his powers had on him. Of course, that would not stop him from trying if Martin asked. Which he didn't.Nobody spoke until Martin said, “I . . . I need you to promise something.” Cisco already knew he was going to hate this. He glanced at Caitlin, who was brushing away some tears.Martin hesitated, and it sounded like he was struggling to speak. “I’m sorry . . . and I know this will be difficult for you, but . . . but I need you to pr-promise me that you won’t tell anyone about what we just saw. Especially not Jefferson. He’ll fight me on this. . . . He might even try to force us to remain together, which will get himself killed.” When neither of them responded, Martin repeated his plea. “Promise me. . . . Please, promise me that you won’t say anything.”Cisco wanted to break something. He hated keeping secrets, even though he understood why Martin was asking. But seeing the raw fear and worry on Martin’s face, Cisco could not refuse. “Okay. All right. I promise.”He knew it would be harder for Caitlin, who was still fighting tears. “I . . . I’m sorry.” Martin’s voice broke and he looked away. It obviously was hard for him to see Caitlin in so much pain. “I recognize that this is painful hard for you and I . . . I wish I could have spared you, but . . . please . . . I need for this to remain between us.Cisco realized that Caitlin was looking at him, so he gave what he hoped was a reassuring nod. After a long silence, she finally acquiesced. “I promise.”
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Martin took a glass of water that Cisco handed him. “Thank you.” His hand trembled slightly, still the effect of seeing that nightmare future, but he managed to take a sip without spilling. It was nearly noon and Jefferson would be arriving soon. Martin needed to be fully under control before his partner showed up and the best way of doing that was to focus on something else, namely, the Firestorm cure.“So let me get this straight,” said Harry Wells, who had only recently entered the lab. “Yesterday, the plan was to irradiate the quark spheres using a thermacore – which is what caused you to absorb the Firestorm matrix – so that Jax would keep his powers, but now we’re just using regular quark spheres.”“Pretty much,” Cisco said.Martin understood their frustration, but it was the only way. “It’s a matter of time. I require the Waverider to create a thermacore and it’s just not feasible to manufacture a new thermacore in the available time frame. The first one took me a decade to create.Even if the Waverider were accessible right now, in a best-case scenario, it would take a few days for Gideon to process my F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. and fabricate a new thermacore. Not to mention running simulations and conducting testing to ensure the process is safe for Jefferson. We just don’t have the requisite time to manufacture the thermacore before--”“Before you die, I know,” Wells said abruptly. “And when that happens, Jax has to be separated so he doesn’t die too.”Cisco glared at Wells. “Seriously? Did your parents lock you in a room and deprive you of all human contact as a child?”“It’s okay,” Martin said. “I appreciate Dr. Well’s forthrightness. Unpleasant, perhaps, but frank. It’s somewhat refreshing.”Caitlin shook her head and seemed to be fighting back tears. “How can you just act like this is no big deal, Professor? It’s your life we’re talking about.”He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but was not sure if he managed to do so. For two days, he had felt relieved and hopeful. The weight of knowing about his death had been lifted. Now it had returned. Silently, he told himself to control his emotions; he could not give Jefferson any more reason to question what he was feeling through their link. Feeling back in control, he responded to Caitlin’s question. “I’ve had the opportunity to come to terms with my fate, and, as we have seen, the alternative is far worse. Not unlike the day Ronald and I flew into the singularity. Had we not done so, everyone in this city – and possibly this world – would have perished.” He started to feel that familiar guilt over Ronald’s death, but forced it away. Turning back to Cisco and Wells, he attempted to return the conversation to the Firestorm cure. “Is there any way to use the thermacore on Jefferson after he has taken the serum to separate us?”Cisco shook his head. “Once the quark spheres bind with the molecules, they will stop the exothermic reaction from processing, but Jax will still be impervious to external radiation.”That made sense. Irradiating the quark spheres before they merged with Jefferson’s molecules would create an internal reaction that circumvented their immunity to radiation. Much like the way the matrix worked in Martin’s body, the irradiated quark spheres could fuel a new Firestorm matrix in Jefferson’s body that reacted with the molecules genetically modified by the dark matter. In contrast, exposing Jefferson’s entire body to the thermacore after ordinary quark spheres were introduced to his body would just flood his entire biology to radiation. That would not target the necessary parts of his body – the quark spheres – and almost certainly would trigger his innate immunity to radiation.Cisco sighed. “There’s no way, Professor. With this timetable, we don’t have any options.”“It’s all right. It may not be my preferred remedy, but it accomplishes the most important aim. Jefferson--” “-- is right here, Grey.” Jefferson was scowling a little as he entered the lab. “I thought we were starting at noon. So what did I miss?”How much had he heard, Martin wondered. He took a quick glance at the others, but saw nothing amiss. He tried to cover. “Nothing, Jefferson. . . . We just were bandying some ideas around for some future research.”“Yeah,” Wells said. “The Professor here is going to have a lot of time free once he’s no longer bursting into flame and blowing things up.”“Gotta keep that beautiful mind from atrophying,” Cisco added.Now they were laying it on a bit thick. Martin shot Cisco a look, causing the younger man to shrug. Jefferson’s eyes had narrowed, suggesting he was suspicious. Martin responded by telling himself that he was happy. He was going to retire and spend time with his family. Good, positive thoughts to send through the link. As he did, Jefferson seemed to relax.“So what’s the deal with the Firestorm cure?”Good, Martin thought. Change the subject so you don’t have to think about-- He suppressed the thought, not wanting to send any traitorous emotions through the link. Think happy retirement.Cisco jumped up from his chair in response to Jax’s question. “That’s ready.” He crossed over to a centrifuge and punched the controls. The machine came to life and a small flask rose out of one of the slots. Inside was a blue liquid. Lifting it, Cisco said, “I call it the ‘Calm after the Firestorm.’” “And it uses the quark spheres like we discussed?” Grey asked.Wells grinned. “Genius, isn’t it?”Through the link, Martin could sense some hesitation, some anxiety, from Jefferson. To anyone else, however, the young man seemed perfectly calm as he asked, “So those quark sphere things stop our merging?”“Well, yes, in a way,” Wells said. “The Professor’s body hosts the matrix which causes exothermic reactions in my molecules. But to keep those reactions stable, those molecules need to bond with those of a host.”“Yeah, I know all that.” Jefferson rolled his eyes. “Grey only drilled that into my head about a thousand times.”Wells scowled, so Martin stepped in. Jefferson hardly needed a remedial science lesson and surely did not appreciate being talked to like a child. Martin tried to cut to the chase. “Instead of requiring us to merge, the quark spheres will serve, in my case, as a substitute for the host molecules, and in your case, they will mimic the matrix ones. They won’t be exactly the same in that they won’t give you Firestorm’s powers, but will trick your body to think they are the same. The quark spheres in my body should suffice to stabilize the matrix, thereby making it unnecessary to merge. Indeed, it most likely would be impossible to do so. There would be no danger if you return to the Waverider and I remain here, enjoying my retirement.”Martin tried to make that sound as upbeat as possible, even as he wondered what to make of the emotions coming through the link. Disappointment, perhaps. Maybe a little fear. Doubt?“And that means no powers for either of us?” Jefferson asked.Cisco nodded. “Guaranteed to put out the fire in Firestorm.”Martin made a point to act excited, spouting off how thrilled Clarissa and Lily would be when he told them he was coming home. Everyone in the room but Jefferson knew it was a lie, but they played along to maintain the fiction. Silently he reminded himself – happy thoughts, convincing happy thoughts.Strong emotions surged again through the link. Fear, frustration, maybe some anger. Martin looked at his partner, but Jefferson’s outward appearance suggested he was fine. He was even smiling and said it was fantastic that they could separate. Beneath that calm exterior, however, there was turmoil. Was Jefferson upset about the cure? He had supported their efforts to separate, but Martin sensed his partner was increasingly reluctant to do so. And the fear and doubt? Did they signal that Jefferson was worried about living without his Firestorm powers? If they just had a little more time, Martin thought bitterly, they could have solved that problem. Martin debated pulling Jefferson aside and confronting him about those feelings. Yet at the same time, any confrontation carried the risk of revealing what Martin was desperately trying to hide. Perhaps keeping his distance was the wisest course.But the wisest course was not always the right one. In two days, he would be dead. Did he really want Jefferson’s last memories to be a host of lies and fake emotions? Was that the legacy he would leave to the young man he thought of as a son? Now that the others had turned back to their own projects, Jefferson’s façade was fading. He looked uncertain, even a bit upset. Those same emotions were winding their way through the link.Talk to him. That inner voice urged him to find out what was bothering the young man. “Jefferson, are you okay?” “I’m cool,” Jefferson replied, but the link said otherwise. He started to say something, hesitated momentarily, and then spoke again. “But you can tell me what was up earlier. And don’t tell me it’s nothing.” He pointed at his own head. “Psychic link, remember.” Martin kicked himself for not staying silent, but he was resolved not to tell Jefferson about the most recent vision of the future. “I – I’m sorry, but there’s nothing to say.” Before Jefferson could ask another question, he added, “I have some things I need to deal with in the other lab.” He hurried out before Jefferson could say another word.
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Jax knew something was up and debated following Grey to the other lab, but he hesitated. Grey’s emotions had been totally schizophrenic during the meeting with Cisco and Wells. It was like he had been nervous, then ecstatic, afraid, then calm and happy. None of it made sense. Jax also believed that, when he got to the lab, he had walked in on a discussion of something important. He suspected it had something to do with that earlier surge of terror and pain Jax had felt through the psychic link.On the other hand, with the way Grey had rushed out of the lab, it seemed pretty clear that he didn’t want to talk. Jax also worried that pushing his partner on the issue could backfire. Grey was not the only one keeping a secret. If he detected Jax was hiding something, he might fish for information. It would be easy slip up and reveal what the Time Bureau had told Sara.The problem was that the feelings Jax had felt that morning said something was really wrong. How could he just let that go without getting any explanation?Damn, this was frustrating. As he walked aimlessly down the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs, Jax spotted Caitlin. He called out to her to wait up and jogged to catch her. She gave him a side-eye and then looked quickly away. She obviously knew something.“Can you tell me what’s going on?” he asked. She swallowed hard and looked down at her feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“You’re almost as bad a liar as Grey is,” Jax grumbled. “You didn’t say a word during that meeting. What’s up with that?”She shrugged. “They didn’t need me to explain the cure. Cisco and Harry had it covered.” She stopped walking and faced him. “Look, if you want to find out what’s going on with the Professor, talk to him yourself. If he wants to tell you anything, he will.”“So there is something going on with Grey?” Jax asked.Realizing her slip, Caitlin shook her head. “I just meant--”“I know what you meant. So what’s Grey not telling me?” Jax studied her closely. “Does it have something to do with why he was terrified earlier.”The way Caitlin flinched told Jax he was on the right path. Something had happened that morning, but what was it? What could have terrified Grey so much that his fear and pain had caused Jax to collapse?Jax knew it was bad as he watched Caitlin fight back tears. “Talk to the Professor,” she begged.“Except he’s not talking,” Jax said. “Maybe there’s a reason for that.” She looked at him with a mix of pity and sadness. Then, she pushed past him and headed back to the main lab. As she reached the curve and disappeared out of sight, she repeated, “Talk to him.”Jax’s frustration boiled over and he slammed his palm against the wall. He turned back to the main lab, thinking he might be able to get some information out of Cisco or Wells. Down the corridor, Cisco was visible for an instant, but quickly ducked out of view. That told Jax that Cisco also would not willingly volunteer the details of what was going on. No, Jax was going to have to confront Grey. Seeing Caitlin’s and Cisco’s reactions, Jax was even more determined to find out what happened earlier. No matter what it took, he would learn the truth. If necessary, he would force it out of his partner.He started walking again to the main lab. As he got close, he heard raised voices. Then Cisco said, “You’ve got this, Barry. Just like last time.”Barry Allen’s voice came over a speaker just as Jax entered. “Yeah, but I don’t think he’s going to chase me into the water again.”“How did King Shark escape from A.R.G.U.S?” Wells asked. Over the speaker, Barry growled, “Let’s not worry about that – Whoa! That was too close for comfort.”“What’s goin’ on?” Jax asked.Cisco looked up from his console. He seemed surprised, but then his face lit up like he had a great idea. “We need you . . . I mean you and Professor Stein. Firestorm.” He punched something on his console and said, “Professor, we could really use you out here.” Then to Barry, he said, “Hang tight. Back-up’s on its way.”With a sigh, Jax realized that his confrontation with Grey would have to wait.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin had settled back in the small lab and was trying again to synthesize a biological agent to give Jefferson powers. It was a welcome distraction from dwelling on the future – or lack thereof – and from evading further interrogation about what he had seen that morning. If only he had some decent options for this virus. Right now, the only DNA samples he could access were of a spruce-fir moss spider or a sea wasp box jellyfish. Extrapolating from the spider’s abilities, it appeared the most likely power the virus would trigger was the spider’s adhesion ability, something he doubted Jefferson would find to be a useful power. On the other hand, that remained a more viable option than the jellyfish, which would cause Jefferson’s body to be coated with darts capable of shooting highly toxic venom at anyone who touched him. Unless Jefferson wanted to corner the market on lethal hugs, that power was out of the question.Martin grimaced. With just a few more days, this would have been completely unnecessary. He would not have to speculate about what they could do. Instead, Jefferson would have been able to retain the ability to fly, fire energy blasts, and transmute matter. Not for the first time, Martin regretted that they had not had the opportunity to fully explore Firestorm’s transmutation power. That had been the goal of his F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. research and Firestorm’s powers had proven it achievable. It was just a shame that the project in which he had invested so many years would probably die with him. “Focus, Martin,” he told himself. He needed to stop digressing and concentrate on the one problem he might be able to solve. Find a way to give Jefferson superpowers. He lifted his glasses so he could peer through a microscope at the virus sample.Over a speaker, he heard Cisco’s voice, who sounded anxious. “Professor, we could really use you out here.”“Damn,” Martin said to himself. He would prefer to work without interruption, but he knew Cisco would not have interrupted without a reason. Fixing his glasses in place, Martin hurried to the main lab. As he entered, he asked, “What’s the problem?” Jefferson was already jogging toward him, hand raised. “Barry needs a hand with a shark-man.”“That’s ‘King Shark,” Cisco growled. “Doesn’t anyone--” Martin did not hear the rest of the sentence, because it was drowned out by the rush of flames and heat as he and Jefferson merged into Firestorm.As always, it took Martin a moment to adjust to the sudden change of perspective that always occurred with a merge. “Hey, Grey, don’t think this gets you off the hook. When this is done, you’re gonna tell me what happened this morning.” Turning to the task at hand, Jefferson asked, “So where to? It shouldn’t take us long to get there.”Cisco chuckled. “Oh, it definitely won’t.” He raised his hand to open a shimmering portal in the air and said, “Right this way, gentlemen.”Jax laughed. “You hear that, Grey? We’re ‘gentlemen.’ Nah, there’s nothing gentle ‘bout what we’re gonna do to this sharkman.”Martin heard Cisco yelling “That’s King Shark” as Firestorm dove through the breach and took flight.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sharkman – okay, King Shark – was a hell of a lot bigger than Jax had expected. The thing had to be 20 feet tall and it had ungodly speed. Maybe not as fast as Barry, who was zipping around, leaving lightning trails, but damn fast. Jax decided he had better focus on defeating this beast and would wait until that was done before he tried to get info out of Grey. “Hey, Jax, Professor,” the blur that was Barry called out. “Welcome to the party.”Jax laughed. “Is this part of the wedding prep?”Barry skirted around King Shark. “Not exactly. I don’t think Iris would approve. She doesn’t want me to be black-and-blue in the wedding photos.”Grey’s voice echoed in Jax’s head, “Given Mr. Allen’s remarkable speed at healing, I doubt he needs to worry about that.” As Jax dodged a strike from King Shark, Grey added, “Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for us.”“For us?” Jax growled. “Try ‘for me.’ I’m the one who gets the bruises and broken bones. You don’t – Woah!” In mid-air, Jax jumped backwards to evade another swing from King Shark. “Aight, now, I’m getting pissed.” He flew higher and began blasting the beast from above. Defeating it was going to be a lot harder than expected. Firestorm’s first few fission blasts seemed to bounce harmlessly off the shark’s skin.“Dive, Jefferson!” Without hesitating, Jax obeyed Grey’s command. Just in time as a bus bench flew through the air, right where his head had been. “Thanks for the warning,” he said, then swooped toward the monster and veered to the right to dodge one of its massive hands. “Since when do sharks have hands, Grey? Come on, that’s not fair.” “Let’s not dwell on shark anatomy right now,” Grey replied. “Let’s figure out how to stop this thing.”Below them, Barry raced in circles and fired a lightning bolt. King Shark roared in pain.Over the comms system, Jax heard Barry’s voice. “Electricity hurts him, but I’m not sure my bolts can do enough.” As he said that, he ran headlong into one of King Shark’s hands, which sent him flying over a parked car.Barry stood up, a little dazed, as King Shark advanced toward him.Jax flew forward, passing over King Shark’s right shoulder, and grabbed Barry. He lifted him into the air, just in time to evade another punishing blow.“I am not letting you become shark food the day before your wedding. Iris would never forgive me.” Jax kept a grip on Barry until he seemed to regain his senses. “You ready to go?”Barry nodded. “I’ll consider that save a wedding gift.”Inside Jax’s head, Grey said, “But Clarissa and Lily already purchased their place-settings.”“I don’t think he’ll mind two gifts.” Jax shook his head. The stuff Grey thinks about. As he dropped Barry off on the ground, he asked, “How did you beat him before?”Cisco answered. “We got him into the river and Barry electrified the water. But he’s not going to fall for that again.”In the back of his head, Jax heard Grey. “I’ve got it. We must use our transmutation powers to cover him in water.”Jax was about to ask how they were going to do that, but flew directly into the path of another swipe. King Shark’s hand struck Jax’s chest, knocking the air out of him. The force sent him sailing backward.“Up,” yelled Grey.Disoriented from the hit, Jax struggled to fire his downward blasts, but managed just before he slammed into the side of a building. By flying up, he only barely skimmed the roof. “That was close,” Jax said. He shook his head, still trying to shake the cobwebs. “So what do we turn to water? We can’t transmute air, can we?”“Not given our current understanding of our power,” Grey admitted. “Something I regret. . . . But if we can coat him with something. . . .”Grey’s suggestion gave Jax an idea. Over the comms system, he told Barry and Cisco the plan. Below him, Barry broke away from King Shark and fled the fight.Now to keep this big ugly busy, Jax thought. He stayed high and peppered the beast with energy blasts. They barely affected him and he continued to try to strike them with his hands. To keep him occupied, Jax swooped down just within range of a strike, but pulled up before he could be hit. “Careful, Jefferson,” Grey said after one near-miss.“Gee, thanks for the warning,” Jax shot back. “Like I want to get my head taken off by this thing.”Several streaks of yellow lightning signaled Barry’s return, departure, and return again. A stack of large bags were piled next to him as he called out, “All set here. You ready?”“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Jax answered. “Go!”A cloud of white erupted over King Shark. Barry circled, unloading more white powder over him. The ground was soon littered with industrial-sized bags of flour.“Now, Jefferson,” Grey urged.As the white cloud blocked King Shark’s vision, Jax flew downward, swooped under one of the monster’s arms, and latched onto the fin on its back. King Shark twisted, trying to free itself from Jax’s grip, but he held firm, even as his vision was blocked by the white dust.
“Concentrate.”
“Like I’m not concentrating,” Jax growled at his partner. He shook his head. Some things would never change.He focused on the white flour that coated King Shark’s body. Change, he though as he mentally pictured water surrounding the beast. His body strained with the effort, his back stiffened, and his arms burned. Out the corner of his eyes, he saw yellow streaks circling them. The sizzle and crackle of the electricity grew louder.Then it happened. The white cloud disappeared. In its place, water soaked Jax’s face and Firestorm suit. The flour coating King Shark’s body also transmuted, drenching the beast.Grey shouted, “Let go,” but it was unnecessary. Jax was already flying away. Below them, Barry threw another lightning bolt. This time, the water conducted the electricity, enveloping King Shark. His entire body shuddered and twisted as the electricity coursed through his body. He cried out in pain from the shock, then fell back and crashed to the ground, motionless. Barry came to a stop and Jax brought Firestorm to a landing right beside him.“Well that was fun,” Barry quipped.In Jax’s head, Grey said, “You would think Barry had more important things to do today.”“Yeah,” Jax echoed, forgetting momentarily that only he could hear Grey. “Um, dude, don’t you have some place you’re supposed to be? Like your wedding rehearsal?”Barry shook his head. “I’m good. Still have a few hours before that. You’re coming to the dinner tonight, right?”Jax nodded.“And you, Professor?” Barry asked.
“Tell him certainly. Clarissa would never forgive me if we missed it.”
Jax chuckled and told Barry, “Yeah, he’ll be there.”Barry grinned. “I’ll hang around until the A.R.G.U.S. folks show up to take this guy” – he pointed to King Shark – “to wherever they’re keeping them.”“You sure it’s safe?” Jax was skeptical. “Didn’t he just escape from that place?”With a shrug, Barry replied, “We don’t exactly have a lot of places to hold guys like that. Unless you want to take him onboard your ship and drop him off in the Cretaceous Period.”“Tell him that definitely falls into the category of tampering with the timeline,” Grey suggested.“Oh, really, Grey? I would never have guessed that.” Jax did not hold back on the sarcasm, then looked back at Barry. “Grey thinks it’s a great idea. . . .” He ignored the old man’s protests in his head. “But I don’t think our holding cell’s big enough.” Not to mention that Sara would kill us for bringing a half-man, half-shark onto the ship.“C’est la vie. Guess we’ll have to go with A.R.G.U.S.,” Barry said. Taking that as the end of the conversation, Grey spoke again. “So . . . shall we return to S.T.A.R. Labs?”Jax shook his head. “Not yet. Not until you tell me what happened earlier.”
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“Not until you tell me what happened earlier,” Jefferson said. From inside Jefferson’s head, Martin had no view of his partner’s face, but he suspected it currently had narrowed, suspicious eyes and a firmly clenched jaw. Martin had to think fast. He could not disclose the truth. They needed to let the original timeline proceed, so the future he had seen that morning would never occur. But Jefferson and Sara were stubborn and would fight the inevitable. That left Martin with limited options right now. Option 1 was to feign ignorance; Option 2 was to refuse to answer; and Option 3 was to lie. And lying was not truly an option, but a last resort. He had been told numerous times that he was a lousy liar.
Let’s start with Option 1.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jefferson.” Silently, Martin tried to project confusion and surprise through the link.That didn’t work. Jefferson’s voice rose. “Damn it, Grey, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You were so freaked out this morning that it nearly knocked me out. And then I talked to Caitlin--”Martin cut him off. “What did Caitlin say?” He tried to suppress the panic he was feeling. Think calm, he told himself.“Nothing. She told me absolutely nothing; said I should talk to you. So I know there’s something up. Tell me what it is.”“Um, guys. . . . What’s going on?” That came from Barry, who was still standing guard over King Shark and watching Jefferson appear to argue with himself.“That’s what I want to know,” Jefferson said, not hiding the sarcasm. “What’s going on? You know, maybe Grey could tell me what’s going on?”Martin’s frustration grew as he saw Barry’s confusion. “Could we please have this discussion back at S.T.A.R. Labs? Barry must have far better things to do on the eve of his wedding day than listen to your side of an argument.”“So you want to split so he can hear both sides?” Jefferson countered.“No!” Without corporeal form, Martin did his best to project frustration and make that sound like a shout. “What I want is for you to drop this line of inquiry.” Realizing that he was pretty much at Option 2, Martin added, “Jefferson . . . would you please let this go? Just trust me when I tell you it’s nothing to worry about.”He wished he could see his partner’s face, thinking it would reveal if this approach was working. But Jefferson’s words provided the answer.“That’s bullshit,” Jefferson said angrily. “Don’t tell me it’s ‘nothing.’”At super-speed, Barry slid in front of Jefferson. “Come on, Jax. . . . I don’t know what’s going on, but standing here, looking like you’re arguing with yourself. . . . It’s not a good look, especially with A.R.G.U.S. coming. Okay? I’ll wait for them. You go where you need to go.”Jefferson sounded like he was talking through gritted teeth when, after a long silence, he said, “Fine. S.T.A.R. Labs. And then you spill, Grey. I’m not kidding.”Energy blasts propelled them into the afternoon sky. The exhilaration that always came with the speed and freedom of flight provided a momentary distraction from the argument. Looking down as Central City sped by, Martin admitted, “I will miss this.”Jefferson did not respond, choosing instead to fly silently until they reached their destination. But Martin could sense Jax’s growing anger and frustration. It felt like the early days of their partnership, perhaps even stronger.As they landed, Martin focused on separating. But unlike their usual smooth process of returning to their own bodies, Martin struck a barrier – almost like an invisible wall that sought to block him from splitting. He redoubled his effort and the wall gave way. But even as it did, something latched onto him and was trying to pull him back.An image flashed in Martin’s head. He was in his house, confused, staring at a piece of paper with his photo. Then he looked in a mirror and saw a face that was not his own. It was young, dirty, hidden behind stringy, unkempt dark hair. He could hear Clarissa calling the police and he fled, not sure who he was or why he was trapped in a waking nightmare.“Let me out!” he screamed, the panic increasing. He had no body, but he still flailed against the force restraining him. With all of his psychic energy, he surged forward, finally breaking free and into his own body.Gasping, he now fought against the panic. His breath came fast, his heart raced, and his entire body trembled. But his mind was his focus. He could not stop himself from reliving that memory – and the year of his life lost when he was trapped inside Firestorm without any way to escape.Still shaking, he turned to Jefferson. “What . . . what did you do?” Jefferson stared back, his mouth open and his eyes wide. He shook his head rapidly. “Grey. . . .” Martin was equally stunned. “Y--You tried to block me, didn’t you? You . . . you tried to stop me from separating?”“For a minute, Grey,” Jefferson protested. “Just for a minute. I didn’t mean it. I just wanted to make you tell me what happened earlier.”“S-So you thought you’d hold me hostage, keep me locked up in your head?” Jefferson winced visibly at the accusation and looked away, unwilling to meet Martin’s glare. “If you’d just talk to me, I wouldn’t have even thought about it.”Martin could feel his shock turning to anger. There were elements of their bond that they had never explored or discussed, but never once did he imagine that Jefferson would try to prevent them from separating. It was unsaid, but their bond, the trust they had to have. . . . How could Jefferson have betrayed that trust?Something settled on his shoulder – Jefferson’s hand. Martin jerked away. He wanted to lash out. His anger increased, now approaching a white-hot rage. He was unable to stop himself from lashing out and snarled, “I trusted you.”“Grey . . . I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.” The emotions coming through the link told Martin that the apology was sincere, but that did nothing to quell his shock and fury. He closed his eyes momentarily, then, seething, said the only thing he could.“Get out of my sight, Jefferson. . . . Just get the hell away from me.”
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Cisco listened through the comms system as Barry turned over King Shark to the A.R.G.U.S. agents. Mission accomplished, he thought.“Looks like we’re done here,” Barry said. “Guess I’d better go get Iris. Wouldn’t want to be late for my own wedding rehearsal.”“You think?” Cisco made no attempt to hide the sarcasm.Over the comms, Barry laughed. “I’ll see you later. And don’t be late. Joe’s pretty intent on getting the rehearsal done on time so we can get over to Jitters.”“Go,” Cisco ordered. “I’m just going to finish up some stuff here and then I’ll catch a ride with Caitlin. See you later.”Deactivating the comms, Cisco took a seat. It had been a crazy day, beginning with Martin’s anxious call, followed by the vibe that Cisco could not unsee. Plenty of his vibes had scared him and even showed him the deaths of people he loved. But it would be hard to beat seeing a bunch of friends going out in a nuclear cataclysm for the top spot on nightmare-inducing visions. He heard a noise and looked up to see Caitlin entering the main lab. Her eyes were red and she appeared to be struggling to stay composed.“Where did everyone go?” she asked.“Harry went to do some errands, a last-minute wedding gift, I think. Professor Stein and Jax took off to help Barry take down King Shark.” Caitlin’s eyes widened. “King Shark? Wasn’t he--”“In custody, yes, but he escaped,” Cisco said. “But don’t worry. He’s already on his way back. The Flash and Firestorm took him out.”At the mention of Firestorm, she seemed to flinch. She blinked back what obviously were not her first tears of the day. Cisco wanted to say something, but he had no idea how to comfort her.Perhaps she could tell that from his expression, because she gave him a sad smile before looking away. Then she began to speak, her voice quiet, but full of emotion and sometimes even breaking.“I’m. . . . Cisco, I’m tired of losing people I care about,” she said. “And I know it sounds strange, but this feels like. . . . I know the Professor’s not Ronnie, but--”“But you feel he’s your last real link to Ronnie.” Cisco did understand. “It’s not strange. After what happened with Professor Stein and Ronnie, you’re of course going to connect them.”Caitlin walked over to a console and perched on its edge. “You know. . . .” She stared off into space. “After Ronnie died, I didn’t want to have anything to do with anyone.”Cisco remembered. Caitlin had left S.T.A.R. Labs, taken a job at Mercury, and pretty much cut off contact with him. Barry, feeling guilty over Ronnie’s and Eddie’s deaths, had done the same. It was not a good time for any of them, really.“A few weeks . . . after it happened,” Caitlin continued, “Clarissa called. She wanted to know how I was doing, and we talked. She said the Professor wasn’t handling it well and hoped I’d talk with him.” She paused. “It helped us both. Sometimes I think he felt Ronnie’s loss even more than I did. . . . Maybe he did, given their connection.”“You both lost Ronnie,” Cisco said. “We all did.”“Of course, we all did,” Caitlin said. “I know. But it wasn’t the same. I couldn’t talk to you or Barry. You were all too tied up with everything that happened – with Dr. Wells betraying us and all. If I tried to talk to you, I’d just get angry.”“But it was different with Stein?”Caitlin nodded. “We could just talk about Ronnie. I told him about things from before the accident, and he was able to tell me how they’d spent the last few months. It was . . . I don’t know. . . .”“Comforting?” Cisco asked.She fought back some tears and said, almost inaudibly, “Yes.” Then she looked at him and he knew what she was going to ask before she spoke.“We can’t change things,” he said. “You and me . . . we’re not there on Earth X.” “I know,” Caitlin said. “But maybe if we go in just to see how things go, we can figure something out. There has to be something we can do.”Cisco’s heart began to pound. “You don’t know what it’s like,” he said. “Watching people die. You don’t forget that.”“I know,” Caitlin said, her face a mask of grim determination. “I watched Ronnie die.”
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As he walked slowly from S.T.A.R. Labs toward Jitters to kill the time until the party, Jax cursed his own stupidity. What had he been thinking? Not much, he admitted. He had been so frustrated with Grey that he had just wanted to make him talk. He never planned to block Grey from separating. Jax could not even call it instinct. Instinct was dodging an angry defensive end and taking off running. This just happened. Jax didn’t even know he could do that.He also knew that none of that really mattered. It had happened, and it was Jax’s fault. When you’re a conjoined metahuman, stopping your partner from walking away meant stopping him from leaving your head. And that was probably the worst thing he could have done to Grey.Jax knew he had screwed up. He had known the instant he felt Grey’s panic surge through the link and then turn to rage.He did not even need an explanation for those emotions. Caitlin had told him enough about the year after the S.T.A.R. Labs explosion to know that Grey had gone through hell when he was trapped inside Firestorm. When Jax had asked about it, Grey had gone silent, unwilling to discuss it, but words were mostly unnecessary. Jax could feel Grey’s pain through their link.With a sigh, Jax stopped walking and looked out over the river. He had never really thought about what Grey had gone through when he and Ronnie Raymond had been unable to separate. Caitlin had said Martin controlled Firestorm’s mind, but it was messed up, almost schizophrenic. Confused and unable to control their power, he had lived on the streets afraid and unwilling to endanger Clarissa by returning home.But until he had felt Grey’s panic and rage, Jax had never really thought about the scars those experiences had left. He had never considered that Grey would be terrified of anything like that happening again. Jax wondered why it had never occurred to him. He had known Ronnie’s death pushed Grey to be hard on Jax when they first merged. But that seemed different, because it was about losing someone else. Grey’s panic and anger at being trapped was a reaction to something only Grey had gone through. That was not something he discussed. Nor was it something Jax wanted to ask about.It dawned on Jax that neither of them had ever asked about their pasts. Grey knew about Jax’s father’s death and his football injury, but he had never really pressed for other details about Jax’s life. And Jax knew Grey loved Clarissa and had been a brilliant professor, but that was about the extent of what he knew. He had never really asked about Grey’s past, and his partner had never really volunteered much. The only time Jax could recall that happening was when Grey had briefly talked about his father and why he and Clarissa had decided against having children.Now Jax wondered why? How could they have spent three years psychically linked without learning more about each other? Was it because they already were in each other’s heads? In a way, not knowing every aspect of Grey’s life created some distance between them. Perhaps that distance was something they both thought necessary. It was just weird that Jax had never thought about it before.Jax also had not really thought about what Grey went through when they merged. With one exception, Jax had always been the body of Firestorm, and his consciousness controlled their movements. He never felt trapped or dependent on Grey. The one time he had been in the passenger’s seat, just a few weeks earlier when they fought the Darkhs, the merge had been extremely brief. It never registered that he had virtually no control at the time. For the first time, Jax realized what Grey had to give up each time they merged. Sure he could say things and make suggestions, but he couldn’t do anything if Jax ignored the advice. Even more, Grey had no real choice about whether he would merge. Being Firestorm was a matter of life and death for him. Unless they merged regularly, he would die. So how could Jax have been so stupid? Trying to stop Grey from separating was one of the worst things he could have possibly done. And the thing that really sucked was that it wasn’t even something Jax did intentionally. It just . . . happened. All he wanted to do was find out what had caused Grey to be so terrified earlier.Like that’s gonna happen now, Jax thought. He had blown any chance to get Grey to talk. The best he could do is apologize and hope Grey would forgive him.Another reason to be frustrated. As if there wasn’t enough reasons already. Jax felt like he had no control over his life right now. In a day or two, he was going to lose his powers. He had no idea what his life on the Waverider would be after that. He couldn’t even find out what Grey was hiding. And now he wasn’t even sure if Grey would forgive his stupidity.Shaking his head, he cursed himself again for screwing things up. He started walking again, figuring he could rehearse his apology before the rehearsal dinner. Maybe he could find Mick and get a head start on the open bar. Apologizing would probably be easier after a couple of beers.
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Cisco gasped for breath and sweat poured down his face. He was shaking as he looked over at Caitlin. All color was gone from her face and she trembled as she took a breath.I warned you, he silently reproached. His vibes were not causal jaunts to the future. But you insisted.“You okay?” she asked.Cisco managed to nod. “I don’t know if I can do that again.” That had been their second vibe – Cisco’s third of the day – and he was exhausted. It did not help that they had been unable to test other scenarios. Both vibes had replayed exactly like the first one Cisco had seen. Firestorm had separated, Martin had been cut down from behind while trying to reach the breach controls, and then had been shot again after crawling to the controls.Damn. Just the way he was thinking about it made him sick. It sounded so clinical in his mind, like he was watching a damn movie, not seeing a good friend die.What was the point of having the power to see the future if you just had to let it happen anyway? Why have powers if you can’t save people you care about? Caitlin stood up from her seat and walked to a whiteboard. Because they had been unable to test possible changes in the vibe, they had decided to reduce as much of the warehouse to memory. She began adding to the floorplan they had begun after the first vibe. It showed the location of the platform, the breach controls, and each hero at the time Martin was shot. Now Caitlin added to the map of large boxes and equipment. Cisco doubted any of this would help. He and Caitlin would not be in that warehouse when the time came, but she had insisted. He went along with it, so she could feel like she was trying to do something.
Even if it won’t help.
She pointed at a spot behind the platform. “That’s where Jax and the Professor separated.” She drew a “J” and a line of red dashes. “That’s where Jax ran to hotwire the equipment and got pinned down.” A line of blue dashes went the opposite direction from a “P.” “And the Professor.” “And the guy that shot him?” Cisco pointed to a spot a few inches behind Martin’s path as Caitlin nodded and drew a black “x.” “Right,” she said. “And nobody has a clear line of sight on him.” Cisco surprised himself by feeling disappointed. Maybe he had subconsciously hoped this would give them a strategy. Caitlin shook her head and wrote an “O” and “Sn.” “Oliver and Snart are pinned down over here by the soldiers in the truck.” She pointed at another spot and added a “Sa.” “Sara is behind this equipment and that other woman is here, behind some boxes. That’s everyone.” Between them and the Professor’s shooter were a bunch of small “x” marks to reflect the Nazis massing at the breach platform.Cisco shook his head. He could not see any options.“What about Barry?” Caitlin asked. “We know he’s around. So what if he--”“What if I what?”Cisco nearly jumped out of his seat. Barry was standing in the doorway to the area they used for Cisco vibes.“What are you doing?” Caitlin looked quickly at Cisco and then back at Barry. “You’re supposed to be at the church.”“Yes, I am,” Barry replied. “But so are the two of you. We can’t exactly have the rehearsal without the Best Man and Maid of Honor.”“Is it that time already?” Cisco forced himself to his feet and managed not to stagger too noticeably.Barry eyed him. “Are you okay?” Then he glanced suspiciously at the whiteboard. “What’s this?”“Nothing,” Cisco said quickly, remembering how he and Caitlin had promised Martin not to say anything. “Just something we were testing. Sorry that we lost track of time.”Barry studied the board for a minute. He did not seem convinced, but thankfully did not ask questions. “Look, Iris and Joe are going to kill you if you don’t get your butts in gear. At this point, running you over makes the most sense.”Cisco would have said anything to get Barry away from the whiteboard, so he nodded. “Why don’t you take Caitlin and come back for me.”For a second, he feared Caitlin would protest, but she just nodded. “Okay,” she said and walked toward Barry. “Let’s go.”As they disappeared in a flash of yellow lightning, Cisco ran to the whiteboard. He pulled out his camera, rapidly took several photos, and then grabbed a rag and erased most of the diagram before Barry skidded to a stop beside him.“Let’s go,” Cisco said as he dropped the rag. He ignored the curious look Barry was giving him and the now mostly blank whiteboard. “We wouldn’t want to keep your blushing bride and her gun-toting dad waiting, would we?”
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Sara grimaced when she saw the crowd of people filling Jitters. She was not in the mood for a crowd. After spending most of the day trying to figure out the likely consequences of saving Martin, she did not feel like celebrating. It was not like she considered her decision a difficult one. The Legends were family, and Martin meant a lot to her. Ever since their mission in Chicago the year before, she had chosen to put family first. What had she told him at the time? That she had begun to believe that some things were more important than history. Maybe Agent Sharpe would call that selfish and short-sighted; Sara didn’t care.Steeling herself, she thought she would just stay for a little while and make a hasty exit. Entering the party, she scanned the room. Barry and Iris were in the center of a crowd. Both were beaming. Beer in hand, Mick was planted next to the buffet, hardly a surprise. She hoped Joe West had ordered plenty of extra food.Looking further, she saw no sign of Martin, but spotted Jax in a distant corner. He was hunched over a bar table and scowling. Silently, she groaned. Just from his expression, she knew there was a problem. Not what she needed tonight.Better get this over with, she thought as she made her way across the room, briefly pausing to say hello to people she recognized. She promised to catch up with Oliver and Felicity when she had a chance, but excused herself to deal with “a minor issue.” “Out with it,” she said when she finally reached Jax. “What’s going on?”Jax looked down as if he were carefully studying the label on his beer bottle, which only confirmed what Sara suspected. They had a problem.“You didn’t tell Martin, did you?” she asked. “I mean about what the Time Bureau told us.” It was hard to believe he would have. Jax had been the one who insisted on keeping that information secret.Shaking his head, Jax said, “No. It’s not that.” He looked up, guilt written all over his face. “I . . . I did something to Grey that I’ve never done before. I didn’t mean to. . . .”“What did you do?” She could hear herself groan as she said that.Jax hesitated, obviously reluctant to answer. “Jax, what did you do?”He took a deep breath, but did not look up. “We helped Barry – as Firestorm. When it was over, I wanted Grey to tell me what happened this morning. He wouldn’t talk, so I tried to stop us from separating. I didn’t mean to; I just wanted to stop him from walking away.”Sara did not really understand. “How’s that screwing up?”“How much do you know about Grey’s past? I mean as Firestorm.”Sara knew a little. “I know he had another partner before you. Robby--”“Ronnie,” Jax corrected.“Right . . . Ronnie. And he died in that thing that appeared over Central City a few years back.”Jax nodded. “And before that? Did Grey ever tell you what happened when he and Ronnie became Firestorm?” When Sara shook her head, Jax explained, “When the Particle Accelerator blew up, Grey and Ronnie merged together, but they couldn’t separate. From what Cisco and Caitlin told me, it left them really messed up mentally. Like Grey didn’t know who he was or what happened. He couldn’t go home or anything. He spent a year trapped inside Firestorm.”Sara tried to process that. What must that have done to him? Not being able to contact Clarissa and Lily. Losing his mind. For someone like Martin, those things would have been the worst torture imaginable. Far worse than the physical torture she had seen him withstand. Maybe that was why he had never discussed it. Martin had told her about his partner before Jax and how he had died to save Central City, but he had never said anything about being trapped and unable to control his mind. Although, now that she thought about it, she did recall Martin saying he regretted how much time the accident had caused him to lose with Clarissa. Perhaps she should have asked more questions. She looked up and realized that Jax was watching her, waiting for a response. “I didn’t know. That must have been brutal.” “And why what I did was probably the worst thing I could have done to him,” Jax said, confirming Sara’s thoughts. “When we become Firestorm, he’s gotta trust me. He has to believe he’ll come back.”“And let me guess . . . Martin’s furious?” She really did not need to ask. She knew the answer.Head still down, Jax responded with a guilty nod.“He’ll get over it,” Sara said. “You know how he gets. He’ll be mad for a little while and then you’ll talk and make up. You’re both under a lot of stress right now.” Seeing that did not get a response, Sara tried to make a joke. “You two are worse than a married couple sometimes.”Jax snorted, but did not say anything. Then Sara remembered something he had said.“What was it you wanted him to talk about?” she asked. “You said something happened this morning.”“Yeah, through our link.” Jax finally looked up. “He was terrified and hurting. It was worse than anything I’ve felt from him, even worse than when he was being tortured.”That made Sara nervous. “And he wouldn’t tell you what it was?” Jax just shook his head.“Give it time,” she advised. “We may not have time,” Jax shot back. “The 28th is only two days away. If something happens--”Sara reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him some reassurance. Sometimes she forgot how young Jax was. She had come to depend on him as her second-in-command and he was cool under pressure, but he also was barely out of his teens.“It’ll be okay,” she said. “Nothing’s going to happen to him. We’re going to make sure of it.”Jax responded with a grateful smile. Then his eyes widened. “Sara. . . .”“What?” She spun around, thinking Martin must have come in, but she didn’t see him. “Jax, what’s wrong?”“Over there, by the bar.” Sara followed his gaze. At the bar was a woman with a reddish-brown bob and a bottle of scotch. She was wearing a sleeveless top, which showed her muscular arms to great effect. At least, it was an effect Sara appreciated. “Nice.” She turned back to Jax. “You interested? Go for it.”“No, that’s not it,” Jax said, whispering conspiratorially. “In the future . . . in what Cisco showed me, she was there. On the other Earth. She was fighting with us. Against the. . . .” His voice lowered even further as he added, “the Nazis. She was right next to you, blowing them away with a machine gun.”Now that was interesting, Sara thought, as she gave the woman another appraisal. Hot and deadly. My kind of woman.“Oh no,” Jax said, obviously realizing what was running through Sara’s mind. “Don’t get any ideas.”Sara chuckled. “Me? What could I possibly be thinking?” She glanced back at Jax who responded with a dubious look. “Hey, I’m just going to get to know our future . . . comrade in arms. And you . . . you’re going to relax and let this thing with Martin blow over.”Giving Jax another quick pat on the shoulder, Sara left him and crossed the room. She reached the bar just in time for the woman to pour and down a shot.“Somebody who drinks like that is looking to make something go away.” As the other woman tried to stammer out a response, Sara took the bottle, filled a glass, and quickly tossed it back. Not as good as the scotch Martin had given her, but it would do.“What are you looking to make go away?” the woman asked.Thinking about the past few days, Sara could have given a long list – starting with trying to keep Martin from dying – but mentioning that would only lead to a lot of questions Sara did not care to answer. Instead, she said, “Nothing. I just like the taste of scotch.”She was rewarded with a slight chuckle. Then the woman started to explain that she had recently broken off her engagement. “So what. . . did you catch him cheating?” In Sara’s experience, that explained most broken engagements.The woman shook her head and downed another shot. “Uh uh. Her.”Sara forced herself not to grin. Maybe this night won't be such a waste. Things are certainly looking up.
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“You’re late . . . as usual,” Clarissa said as Martin reached the table where she was sitting with Lily.He apologized as he gave her a kiss and a lame excuse about needing to change for the party. In truth, Martin had taken a walk to the river and had spent most of the afternoon ruminating on what he had seen in the nightmare version of the future and then what had happened with Jefferson. Every so often, he would reexperience the almost-physical sensation of hitting a wall and struggling to escape Jefferson’s body.“Don’t you have a time machine?” Lily asked, interrupting his thoughts.“Very droll,” Martin replied. He looked around the room. “Is Jefferson here?”Clarissa nodded and motioned to the far side of the restaurant. “He’s off in that corner. Not being very sociable.” Her eyes narrowed and she looked back at Martin. “What did you do to him?”“Me?” Martin protested. “I didn’t do anything.”“But something did happen between you, didn’t it?” she asked. She waited for his silence to serve as her answer. “Oh, Martin . . . go talk to him and straighten out whatever’s going on.”“Yeah, Dad,” Lily echoed. “Don’t be so damn stubborn.”Martin blanched. This wasn’t about being stubborn, but he did not want to argue with them. “I . . . I’ll talk with him later, at the house. This isn’t the time or place.” He was assuming Jefferson still planned to stay with them overnight, but maybe that was assuming too much.Lily rolled her eyes. “Fine, then I’m going to talk to Jax. Seems like one of us should act like an adult.” She was up on her feet and out of earshot before Martin could stop her.Meanwhile, Clarissa had him in her crosshairs. “So you want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked quietly.As he watched Lily cross the room, he tried to figure out how to answer. He wanted to tell her everything, beginning with what he had seen in the future. She deserved to know that he had rejected Sara’s plan and the original timeline would proceed unchanged. And yet, he wanted to spare her the pain of knowing.“Martin?” He could detect a note of concern in Clarissa’s voice.He turned back to her. The glow from a candle on the table illuminated her face, giving it an ethereal quality. He reached out, brushed her cheek, and smiled softly. “Have I told you how lovely you look tonight?”She responded with a smile, but it faltered as she studied him. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it? And I don’t just mean what happened with Jefferson.” She clasped his hand. “Please tell me.”Her face was filled with so much fear, that he had to look away. He could not look her in the eyes. “This isn’t the place. . . .” Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, Clarissa said, “Look at me, Martin.” He did not want to comply, did not want to see her fear and pain, but he could not refuse when she begged, “Please.” “The plan. . . .” He lifted his head, knowing what he said next was going to break her heart. “It won’t work.”Their eyes met and, as hers filled with tears, he knew she understood. Once again, he was reminded how easily she saw through him and, once again, he hated himself for causing her so much pain. Softly, almost too quietly for him to hear, she said, “Like you said . . . time wants to happen.”
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“You look like you need this,” Lily said as she set a bottle of beer in front of Jax.He shrugged. “Thanks, but I may not be the best company right now.”She ignored him, took a seat, and looked him straight in the eyes. “I’ll risk it. So why don’t you come clean and tell me what’s going on between you and my dad?”“It may take a few more beers before I can do that,” Jax said. “Let’s just leave it with I did something crazy stupid and Grey has every right to be pissed off.”“I doubt it’s that bad.” Lily chuckled. “Did Dad ever tell you about the time I blew up the garage? Now that was a reason for him to be pissed off. Not only did the insurance refuse to cover nitrogen triiodide damage to the car, but he almost got fired when Hudson found out that I swiped the chemicals from his lab.”Jax could totally picture the scene. “So he was mad at you?”“For a day or two. He got over it pretty fast.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “That’s what will happen with you. Give it a little time and he’ll forgive whatever you did. That’s just how he is.”He knew what she was saying was true, but it did not answer the question of whether this mistake was different. That made him wonder about something. “Lily . . . I didn’t know your dad when he first became Firestorm, I mean, after the accident at S.T.A.R. Labs. I was just wondering. . . . Did he ever tell you what it was like?”“Are you sure I even knew him then?” she asked, a sly grin on her face and a glint in her eyes.Jax had to laugh. Not many people would make a joke about being a time aberration. “Your dad would say it’s a ‘matter of perspective,’ but, seriously, I’d like to know.”The grin disappeared and Lily shook her head. “You know, I wasn’t here at the time.” Quickly, she added, “I mean I was here in the sense I existed or at least have memories from then.”“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Jax said.“Okay . . . but I wasn’t here when the particle accelerator exploded,” Lily explained. “I was doing a post-doc at Cal Tech. I came back for a few months when Dad first disappeared, to help Mom and with the search, but I’d gone back to California before he came back.”Jax nodded. “But didn’t you see him when he came back?”Lily shook his head. “Not until a few months later. You know that the army kidnapped and tried to kill him? That was like the same day or the day after we found out he was alive.”“Oh . . . right.” Jax remembered Grey telling him about how Barry and Ronnie had rescued him and how Ronnie had cut his own arm to communicate with Grey. That was where Jax got the idea to cut himself when Grey was in that Russian gulag. Jax just didn’t realize it had happened so soon after Grey and Ronnie had separated.“Anyway, they hid out in Pittsburgh, and Dad was afraid to make contact with me. I didn’t see him until I went to New York for a conference a few months later; he snuck into a panel and we managed to talk for all of 10 minutes before he said he had to go. . . . He was still afraid of the army and didn’t want them hurting Mom or me to get to him.” She looked down. “He didn’t even tell me about Firestorm back then. I only got the story after you guys took me to the Waverider.”Jax wondered at why Grey had kept that a secret. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t he tell you?”“Probably he thought he was protecting me.” They both fell silent and Jax took a swig of his beer before Lily gave him a questioning look. “Why do you want to know about what happened to Dad after the explosion? I doubt it’s something he wants to remember.”Ain’t that the truth, Jax thought. Unfortunately, his fuck-up had pretty much forced Grey to remember those early days as Firestorm. Without answering, Jax picked up his beer and took a sip.Taking advantage of his silence, Lily leaned forward. “Now it’s my turn to ask the questions.”Although Jax did not like the sound of that, he nodded. “Go ahead. Shoot.”“What’s the deal with my dad?” she asked. “Ever since you came back, something’s been off. He’s acting funny, like there’s something he wants to say but won’t. And my mom, when she thinks he isn’t around, keeps crying.” Jax felt his heart beat a little faster. He could not answer her. Grey obviously did not want her to know about the future and Jax did not want to discuss what he had done earlier in the day. Glancing across the room, Jax spotted Grey with Clarissa. Neither seemed to be having a good time and Jax could tell from the psychic link that Grey was still upset. Jax swallowed hard as he tried to figure out how to get out of this conversation.Lily’s eyes narrowed. “Is he sick and trying to hide it?”Thanking God for the momentary save, Jax shook his head. “No. Your dad’s in perfect health, except for a little arthritis – as I learned during our body swap.”“A body swap? I’ve got to hear about this.” Jax looked over his shoulder and realized that Oliver Queen had stepped into earshot. He looked fairly amused as he stretched a hand out to Jax.“Long time, no see,” Oliver said. “Turned any bombs into water recently?”Jax shook Oliver’s hand. “Nah. Sara complains I get her boots wet when I do that.” They both laughed at the reminder of what he and Grey had done during the Dominator invasion. Grateful for the interruption and change of topic, Jax introduced Lily, making a point to let Oliver know how important she had been to their victory.In the back of his mind, however, Jax kept seeing Oliver, in his Green Arrow costume, firing arrow after arrow at a bunch of Nazis.“Jax?”He looked up. Lily was staring back at him, obviously concerned.“You seemed pretty far away just now,” she said.That was one way of putting it. On a different earth a few days in the future. “Sorry,” he replied. “Just thinking of something.”“Everything okay?” Oliver asked. It would be, wouldn’t it? The future Jax had seen was never going to happen. “Yeah,” he said. “Everything’s fine.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“I did kidnap you, didn’t I?” Mick asked Caitlin. He had joined her and Cisco at their table, where he dropped a loaded plate full of crab legs.Caitlin rolled her eyes. “I already told you that.” Mick responded by raising an eyebrow and waving a crab leg in her general direction. He bit the leg, chewed for a second, and then spit out pieces of shell onto his plate.“I think I just lost my appetite,” Cisco muttered.“Good,” Mick said. “One less person to share them with.” He turned his attention back to Caitlin. “Why’d I let you go?”“You crossed the streams.” Cisco could not stop himself from smirking as he said that.Mick scowled. “Don’t have to worry ‘bout that now.”“Yeah, but you also don’t want to try kidnapping me now, either,” Caitlin said. Cisco had to agree. “Believe her. She has a pretty nasty friend – who doesn’t like the heat.”Instead of dissuading Mick, that seemed to make him even more interested. “It might be worth it, just so I can I meet her.” He took another bite of the crab leg, seeming to use the crunch for emphasis.Caitlin stood up. “I think I’ll get some air. Or talk to someone . . . sane.”“Maybe find Sara,” Cisco suggested. “She might have a leash. Or a muzzle.”Surprising Cisco, Mick did not react to that by pulling out his heat gun or threatening some form of bodily harm. Instead, he watched Caitlin until she was out of earshot and then turned to Cisco.“Okay, Braniac,” he growled. “Tell me everything you know about what’s supposed to happen to the Professor.”--------------------Joe West was giving a toast inside the restaurant, but Sara was otherwise engaged. Alex was one hell of a kisser and had a body to die for. Sara was not going to pass up the opportunity to enjoy that. They took turns pressed against the wall, lips and tongues meeting, hands roaming. God, it had been a long time. Not since Guinevere, really, and that had just been a kiss.This was going to be a hell of a lot more.She broke off another kiss and gasped for air. Alex’s face was flushed and so much heat radiated off her that neither of them felt the cool November air. They came together for another bruising kiss and Sara’s hand slid under the other woman’s shirt, feeling the soft skin underneath.Alex pulled away. She was drunk, but the need was still plain in her eyes.“Let’s get out of here,” Sara said. “The world’s most perfect couple is doing just fine without us.”She knew she didn’t need to ask. Alex’s breaths were coming so fast she seemed incapable of speech. Instead, she nodded.“Where are you staying?” Sara asked. “My place is out. It’s several thousand years in the past.” She had been planning to stay overnight at the Steins’ house overnight, but she doubted Martin would appreciate her bringing home a one-night stand. That prompted Alex to laugh. “Guess we need a hotel room. I’m with my sister at Joe’s house, so unless you want to give Supergirl nightmares. . . .”Sara wrapped Alex in her arms and gave her another deep, hard kiss. When they finally broke away, she held Alex’s arm and pulled to the street to find a cab. With a Cheshire Cat grin, she said, “I’m sure Central City has a hotel or two.”--------------------Martin and Clarissa left the party shortly after Joe’s speech. They drove in silence, an unstated understanding that any discussion would wait until they were in the privacy of their home. Once there, Martin paid the babysitter while Clarissa checked on Ronnie. Looking at the clock, Martin figured they had an hour or so before Lily arrived with Jefferson and Mick.Coming upstairs, he took a moment to check on his grandson. Ronnie was fast asleep, but his blanket had fallen off. He must have pushed it away after Clarissa left. Martin reached into the crib and, as carefully as he could, put the blanket back in place. The baby started to squirm, his face scrunching as if he was about to cry. Then his entire body seemed to tighten as he stretched his arms, but just momentarily before he fell back into a motionless slumber. Realizing he no longer had an excuse to avoid talking with his wife, Martin turned and headed for the bedroom. Clarissa was perched on the edge of their bed. She watched him closely as he entered.“Do you want to tell me about it?”The truthful answer was “no,” but her question was mostly rhetorical. He removed his jacket, dropped it over the back of a chair, and began to pace.She watched him and did not say anything for a couple of minutes. “When you said the plan won’t work, you meant the plan Sara and Jefferson have?”“To save me,” Martin said. “I . . . I could tell something was wrong, so I enlisted Cisco to show me what would happen if we followed the plan. . . .” The image of his friends being swallowed by his explosion flashed in his head. “If we do what they propose, . . . not only will. . . .” He hesitated as he tried to find a way to explain without sounding blunt and cavalier. “Martin?” Clarissa prodded him to continue.He took a deep breath and just came out with the truth. “Not only will I die, but so will Jefferson, Sara, and Barry. And countless others.”Clarissa said nothing, but her characteristic stoicism gave him leeway to provide more details of what he had seen. When he told her how Jefferson’s last words were intended to save him, her tears returned. They gave way to a look of horror as he described how the Firestorm matrix rapidly destabilized. “I’ve heard enough, Martin.” She did not need him to spell out the rest of what he had seen.“I can’t let that future happen,” he said. “As much as I wish there was another way.”He could see the pain etched on her face. Their eyes met momentarily and then she looked down. “At least we won’t have to worry about you getting hit by a bus.” She raised her head and her fragile smile caused his chest to feel like it would split in two.Desperate to take away her pain, yet knowing it would be impossible, he sat down beside her and took her in his arms. Silently, he cursed himself for letting her overhear him and Jefferson on that day 25 years earlier and even more for telling her about Sara’s plan. That brief respite – those all too few hours of hope – made it infinitely more painful to resign themselves to the original outcome.After a long silence, Clarissa asked, “Are you afraid?”“Cisco asked me that question the other day.” In his mind, he heard Cisco telling him it was okay to be afraid. “I’ve struggled to formulate an answer, but I am reminded of Einstein’s quote that ‘the fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears, for there's no risk of accident for someone who's dead.’”“I guess Einstein was thinking about that bus, too,” Clarissa muttered.Martin had to chuckle. “He was a brilliant man, but also was – how was it that Jefferson put it – ‘a bit of a dick.’”“Is this when you mention that you knocked him out in 1942?”He glanced at her. “I guess I’ve told you about that.”Clarissa rolled her eyes. “You may have mentioned that once or twice – or maybe a dozen times. But I wasn’t asking for a quote or ruminations on time travel. I want to know what you feel. Are you afraid?”“Yes. . . . Yes, I’m afraid.” He stood up abruptly, almost embarrassed by his admission. As he began to pace again, he said, “At first, I was terrified to learn how it was going to happen, but I don’t think that’s really it – though I must say the idea of being killed by Nazis opens a veritable Pandora’s box of issues. But this . . . this fear is different. I’m scared to leave you; I’m scared that I won’t be here for Lily and Ronnie; I’m scared of abandoning Jefferson. . . .”“Oh, Martin,” she breathed. He stopped pacing as she stood and blocked his path. She reached up and cupped his face with her hands. “Look at me,” she said as he tried to turn his head. “We’ll be fine. I won’t lie and say it won’t hurt, that we won’t grieve for you, but we’re a strong family. And you helped make us that way. I’ll manage. Lily will have a good life with her husband and family. Jefferson is a capable, driven man. You can’t feel guilty about leaving us.”Martin was awed by the strength and resolve of his wife. “I feel . . . humbled.” He then dryly added, “And here I thought I might be missed.”“Stop it,” Clarissa snapped. “You’re wallowing again. There’s a difference between loving and missing you and being unable to function.” She brushed his cheek. “There won’t be a day that goes by when I won’t miss you terribly, but I don’t want you worrying about us.”He was about to respond but the sound of a car pulling into the driveway distracted him. That would be Lily with Jax and Mick. With a sigh, Martin just gave Clarissa a soft kiss. Before he pulled away, he took a moment to study her face, wanting to memorize everything about her. “I don’t know by what combination of fate and luck led to you being in my life, but, whatever happens, know that it is not possible for anyone to love another person as much as I love you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The house was dark when Jax, Mick, and Lily arrived from the party. As the car had gotten closer, Jax felt his buzz disappear and his anxiety increase. He could tell that Grey was still awake and, from what was coming through the link, still upset.There was no point prolonging the inevitable, he thought, as he followed Lily into the house. Grey was just coming down the stairs, carrying some pillows and a blanket. He suggested that Lily show Mick to the guest room. As they disappeared down the hall, Jax followed Grey into the living room, knowing he was about to get an earful.“Jefferson--”Jax waved him away. “It’s late, Grey, and we have the wedding tomorrow, so can we skip the lecture for tonight?”“I . . . wasn’t planning on lecturing you,” Grey said. He spoke slowly, as if he was searching for what to say. “I . . . just thought we . . . should discuss what happened earlier.” He fell silent and looked down. “I panicked and . . . the result was I lashed out at you. . . . I should have explained . . . explained why I reacted like I did. That was wrong. And I’m sorry.”“Wait . . . wait. . . .” Jax wondered if he looked as surprised as he felt. “You’re apologizing to me?” he asked, dumbfounded. “I’m the one who screwed up. I shouldn’t have tried to stop you from separating.”“No . . . no, you shouldn’t have.” Grey agreed, but he said it in a completely calm, matter-of-fact way. He looked up again. “But the reason I reacted like that; it had nothing to do with you. When I thought I couldn’t separate, it made me think of--” “Of when you first merged with Ronnie, I know.” Now it was Jax who felt compelled to look away. “I get it.”“You do?” Grey sounded surprised. “I mean . . . why would you have associated what happened today with those events? That was before--”Jax cut him off. “Before I became the other half of Firestorm, I know. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know what you went through,” Jax said. “I know what happened after the accident. Did you think I never asked anyone about how you and Ronnie became Firestorm?”Grey seemed to shrug. “I guess I thought you wouldn’t consider it particularly relevant to our partnership.”Jax wanted to roll his eyes. Sometimes Grey was clueless. “Dude, you didn’t think I wanted to know about Ronnie? I needed to find out so I could get where you were coming from with me?” Grey did not respond. He seemed deep in thought, so Jax continued.“I know what I did earlier was one of the worst things I could have done to you, and I’ve been beating myself up for it all day. I’m sorry. I wish it hadn’t happened.”Grey nodded slightly. “Thank you. . . . I realized that it was not intentional and I . . . I overreacted.”“You didn’t overreact,” Jax said. “What you went through. . . . I know you don’t talk about it, but damn, Grey, I can’t even imagine it. Of course, it would affect you and, of course, you’d react to me doing something that reminded you of what happened.”Grey said nothing, but through the link, Jax could feel his partner’s anxiety and the pain of remembering that year.“You don’t need to talk about it,” Jax added, sensing relief flow through their link. “I probably would just want to forget all about it if I were you.”Again, Grey said nothing, but the link signaled his relief.Jax walked over to the couch and took a seat. “You know . . . until today, I didn’t really think of what it’s like for you when we merge. I know I sometimes complain that it’s my body that takes the shots, but at least I’ve got control over what happens to me. You don’t. You’ve got to give up that control. I’m not sure I could do that.”“I trust you,” Grey said. “And I would hope if our roles were reversed, you would do the same.”Jax was embarrassed by the idea that he did not trust his partner. “Of course, I would. Man, you know I trust you.”Grey nodded. “I . . . I appreciate that.” He paused for a moment then looked Jax in the eye. Something in his expression made Jax nervous. Through the link, he felt something that he could not identify, but he did not dwell on that. He focused on what Grey was saying. “There’s something I need you to promise.”“Go ahead.” What was Jax feeling through the link. He would have said fear or anxiety, but it seemed different from what Jax had sensed from Grey the last few weeks. A touch of guilt, also. Or was that Grey reflecting Jax’s guilt. “I need you to promise that you won’t ever do that again.” Whatever he was feeling, Grey spoke evenly. “I need you to promise that you’ll never try to stop me from separating.”Jax’s face grew warm as that sensation of guilt increased. This time, it was mostly Jax’s. “Yeah, Grey, I promise.”Through their psychic link, Jax felt a surprising surge of emotions. Grey was relieved again and . . . happy – at least that was the closest name he could give what he was feeling. But it was more than just happiness; it was almost like how Jax felt when he won a big game. “Good,” Grey said as he started to turn toward the stairs.Jax remembered something. “Wait.” He stayed silent until Grey had turned back. “You still didn’t tell me what happened earlier. You were scared, man; I could tell it was real bad. Please just tell me. I want to help.”“Don’t worry about it.” Whatever positive emotions Grey had been feeling disappeared. “Come on, Grey.” Jax knew something was off.“I said it’s nothing,” Grey said sharply as he walked away. “Have a good night, Jefferson. I’ll see you in the morning.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin was surrounded. Jefferson looked at him in horror. Sara backed away. Barry shifted, getting ready to run.Raising his hands, Martin saw the orange fire turn blue. “No!” he cried, realizing he was losing control.“Grey, you can fight this,” Jefferson yelled. “Merge with me.” He extended his hand, but stumbled. His t-shirt turned red and he collapsed to the ground. His lifeless eyes looked up, silently accusing. You did this. Martin berated himself. If you hadn’t tried to change the future.He turned to Sara. “Run,” Martin ordered, but she shook her head. Next to her, Barry stood still.“Martin!”His blood chilled at the sound of Clarissa’s voice. He looked up to see her staring back at him in horror.“Dad!”
Oh, god, no, he begged as Lily came into view. In her arms, she held Ronnie, who began to cry at the sight of the blue flames.
“Go!” he shouted, finding his voice again. “Please,” he begged.
But they never moved, even as the blue flames expanded, enveloping him just before he was blinded by a flash of brilliant light.
“No!” he shouted as he sat up and gasped for air. It took a minute before he realized he was in his bedroom, not a warehouse on another Earth, not about to destroy his family and friends.
“Martin?”
He turned to see Clarissa, afraid but unharmed. Relief surged through him, though it took a few deep breaths before he stopped trembling and was able to talk.
“Just . . . just a nightmare,” he said, struggling to keep his voice even. “Nothing to be concerned about.” He was failing utterly at sounding convincing.
She sat up and propped herself against the headboard of the bed. “Come here,” she said softly. She held her arm out and he leaned against her, then sunk down until his head rested in her lap.
A memory flashed. Of a much younger couple, sitting under a tree in an Ivy Town park. Martin lying on the ground, his head in Clarissa’s lap, as she read from a book.
The memory was almost as soothing as her hands, which softly massaged his temples. Martin closed his eyes and tried to relax.
“Have I told you that I love you?” he asked, still hearing his voice tremble.
“Not today, but it’s only four in the morning.” She was trying to make a joke, but failed as her voice broke.
His eyes still closed, he reached up with his right hand and took one of her hands in his. “I wish--”
“Shhh.” She squeezed his hand and let it go. “‘For better and for worse,’ remember? Why don’t you tell me about your nightmare?”
“I can barely remember,” he lied. He told himself he did not need to burden Clarissa with what he had seen in Cisco’s vibe. Those events would never happen. They would separate and the original timeline would remain intact. Extracting Jefferson’s promise not to block their separation made Martin even more sure that his nightmare would never come to fruition.
Clarissa sighed, so he opened his eyes and looked up at her. It hurt to see the fear and pain on her face. If only he could take it away.
“Why don’t we talk about something more pleasant,” he suggested.
“Such as?”
He thought for a moment and smiled. “The first time we met. . . .” In his mind, he pictured himself attending that faculty mixer. “Professor White had mentioned that he would be bringing his niece, but he failed to disclose that she would be the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, that she was brilliant, and that she had a wondrous, caring heart.”
Clarissa chuckled. “My uncle was quite the matchmaker. You should have heard him describe you. ‘The most brilliant grad student I’ve ever had.’ That’s what he said – honest.” She was stroking his hair, something else she had done often during their years together. “Of course, being a staid physics professor, he didn’t tell me how devilishly handsome you were.”
“Or what an arrogant ass I was.”
“Mar--”
“Please,” Martin said to stop her from protesting. “D-don’t try to defend me. I’ve had two opportunities to interact with my younger self, so I am speaking from considerable observation and experience.”
“Perhaps so,” she conceded. She brushed his cheek and he again seemed to melt in response to her touch. “But I also knew that, beneath that façade, you were kind, and compassionate, and had an enormous capacity for love.”
“You detected all that at the faculty mixer?” he asked dubiously.
Clarissa laughed. “No. That night, I don’t think I got past devilishly handsome.”
He joined her laughter and silently thanked his good fortune that his wife was in his life – that she had been in his life. And once again, he regretted all time with her that he had missed.
“I should never gone back to the ship,” he said. “We could have had these months together.”
She shook her head. “No, we couldn’t. You owed it to Jefferson to go back, and you would have spent all those months feeling guilty about staying.”
Martin had to admit she probably was right. “Sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself.”
“Maybe I do,” she said. “What I do know is that you have no reason to regret that decision. Or any others you’ve made. You have nothing to regret.”
She was trying to make this easier for him and he loved her for it, even as he hated that she felt compelled to lie to do so.
“I suspect there are very few men, if any, who can look back on their lives with no regrets.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t a better husband.” She started to protest again, but he stopped her. “Please -- please, let me finish.” He tried to find the words. “I let my work take me away from you for so many years and then all the time that we lost because of Firestorm. And now. . . . You deserved better, Clarissa.”
She shook her head as he let go of her hand. “I disagree and could spend the next hour arguing with you, but I’m not going to waste that time. So you listen to me. Whatever you think I deserved, I got exactly what I wanted. And that was you, Martin Stein. I’ve never wanted anyone else or any other life, so I have no regrets.” She brushed his cheek again as she whispered, “Now go back to sleep, my love.”
He knew that would not happen. If he reached REM sleep, the nightmare would return. He wanted her safe, in his dreams and in the real world. Which brought him to another thought.
“Clarissa. . . .” He hesitated momentarily, but pressed on. “I think you and Lily should stay home. Don’t go to the wedding. I . . . I think it would be safer for you.”
She studied him. “So you think whatever’s going to happen will happen at the wedding?”
“It’s a reasonable hypothesis.” He explained, “In the future, it wasn’t just the Legends; Barry and Oliver were there too. I have to think whatever happens starts today. Otherwise, Barry would be on his honeymoon and Oliver would be back in Star City.”
Clarissa nodded. “I see. But you’re going to go, right? Jefferson too?”
“Of course. We need to be there in case something happens.”
“Then I’ll be right beside you,” she said.
“But--”
“No buts,” Clarissa said firmly. “If you’re there, I’ll be there. If for no reason that I won’t willingly give up any time I can still have with you.”
He tried to argue, even though he knew he was doomed to fail. “I just want you safe. If anything were to happen to you or Lily--”
“Nothing will happen,” she said, smiling softly. “After all, we’ll have Firestorm there to protect us.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sara woke to a thumping sound and a shaking bed. She slowly stretched her arms and tried to lift her head from the pillow. More sleep would be good. She had expended a lot of energy the night before and was still feeling the delicious exhaustion that came from great sex. That made her reconsider her thought. More sleep would be good. More sex would be better.The sound of someone hastily gathering her clothes and a curse as the person bumped into the bed told Sara that her partner from the night before was not nearly as willing to enjoy a languid morning.
Damn.
They still had a few hours before they had to go to the wedding. Sara had plenty of ideas for how she and Alex could have killed that time.“Ow,” muttered Alex, as she pulled herself off the floor and stumbled into the bathroom. Sara stifled a laugh as the door closed.She was still chuckling when a light slashed a line through air at the base of the bed and then expanded into a full-size portal.“Oh, come on,” Sara growled. “Seriously?”“Good morning,” Sharpe said as she stepped through the portal into the hotel room. Sara noticed that the Time Bureau agent’s hair was down and swept to the side. It was a good look for her; it just seemed, for lack of a better word, unnatural.With a grimace, Sara sat up in the bed and leaned against the headboard. She started to grab the sheets to cover her, but in a pique of annoyance decided not to bother. “I was sleeping, you know.”“Oh? Were you?” Sharpe was scanning the room seemingly taking note of how Sara’s clothes were scatted on the floor. She turned back to Sara and froze. Her eyes widened and her jaw went slightly slack. “Um . . . uh . . . .” Finally, she stammered, “Our . . . sensors, um, indicated you were, um, awake.”“They obviously missed the fact that I’m in the buff.” Then Sara realized the implications of what Sharpe had said. Her eyes narrowed. “You have sensors monitoring when I sleep?”“Not, um, really.” Sharpe’s face was flush, but she seemed unable to tear her eyes away from Sara’s breasts. “They, um . . . detect your location when I, um, need to find you. . . . And then they, um, check your waking status.” “So, in other words, you monitored when I was asleep.”“Okay. . . yeah.” Sharpe conceded the point. “Perhaps we--”She stopped abruptly when the bathroom door opened to reveal Alex, now wearing her clothes from the night before. Alex’s eyes flew open and she almost shrieked at the sight of a stranger in the room.Sharpe looked at Alex and then at Sara. “Um . . . Oh . . . Awkward.” “Ya think?” Sara mocked. Shaking her head in a combination of annoyance and amusement, she motioned to Sharpe. “Agent Sharpe, meet Alex Danvers. Alex . . . Agent Sharpe.”“Ava,” Sharpe corrected, a sly little smile playing on her lips as she held out her hand.“She’s from the Time Bureau,” Sara added.Alex stared at Sharpe’s hand like it was going to explode. She just nodded. “Yeah . . . um . . . I think I’ll be going.” To Sara, she stammered, “I . . . I’ll see you, I, uh, think.”“At the wedding,” Sara said, trying not to laugh at Alex’s discomfort. “Save me a dance.”“Uh . . . yeah. . . .” Alex sidled past Sharpe to reach the door. “A dance . . . sure.” Then she pulled the door open and slipped outside faster than Sara would have thought possible.The interruption seemed to have allowed Sharpe to regain her composure. She watched Alex flee with a rather bemused look on her face. Once she and Sara were alone, she asked in her most innocent-sounding voice, “Did I interrupt anything?”Sara rolled her eyes. “No, I think we were done. So can you tell me why you’re bothering me at--” She looked at the clock by the bed. “--7:53 a.m.?”“I wanted to thank you,” Sharpe said.“Thank me? For what?”“For correcting whatever it was that you did regarding Professor Stein.” Sharpe reached up and brushed her hair back. “The archives are rewriting. History is being restored to its proper place, and the Time Bureau is appreciative.”That made no sense to Sara. “We didn’t change anything.”“Well somebody did,” Sharpe replied. “And since we thought you caused the aberration in the first place, we figured you must have corrected it.”Sara pursed her lips and tried to think. She and Jax had talked the day before and had decided they would stick to their plan. They were going to save Martin, so what could possibly have changed? Still baffled, Sara repeated, “We didn’t change anything. I don’t know what’s up, but that’s the honest truth.”Sharpe took a moment before responding. She looked down at the floor and then back at Sara. “Well . . . I guess this means that whatever you’re planning isn’t going to work.”“I don’t believe that.” Sara spoke a touch more harshly than intended. “We’re not just going to sit back and let Martin die. I don’t give a damn about what history wants.”“I’m shocked.” Sharpe used a tone that indicated she was not surprised at all. “Considering the damage your team has done to the timeline, after all.”Sara glared and started to get out of the bed. Somewhere in the room were her batons. There, in the corner. Let me just get in a few sharp thwacks.Seeing the murderous look on Sara’s face, Sharpe raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay.” She brushed some hair out of her face. “I get it. You want to save Professor Stein. To you, he’s more important than all those people you don’t know.”“That’s right,” Sara snapped. “It’s called loyalty.”A subdued Sharpe nodded, then said, “You do realize this means that whatever you do isn’t going to work. He’s still going to die.”Sara winced at Sharpe’s blunt words, but she detected sadness in her tone.“I’m sorry, Sara. . . .” Sharpe’s voice trailed off and neither woman spoke. Sara was trying to process the fact that Sharpe had used her first name. Meanwhile, from Sharpe’s dejected expression, Sara realized that the other woman’s apology was sincere.“I wish there was more I could do,” Sharpe continued. “If it’s any consolation, please tell Professor Stein that I fixed his daughter’s and grandson’s records. With the disruption and all the changes and rewrites of the archives, nobody will be able to tell that they’re aberrations. So please let him know his family is safe from the Time Bureau.”“Thank you.” Sara was grateful to hear that Lily and Ronnie would be safe, but that was not going to dissuade her from fighting to save Martin. Looking Sharpe in the eye, Sara said, “We’re still going to try to change things.”“I know.” Sharpe’s voice lowered. “I shouldn’t have expected anything else. You would do just about anything for your crew.”“My family,” Sara corrected.“Your family,” Sharpe conceded. “Officially, I’m supposed to tell you that saving Professor Stein violates Time Bureau regulations. Unofficially. . . . Good luck.”Surprised did not even begin to describe Sara’s reaction. Good luck? Did Sharpe really say that?Sharpe gave Sara a thin smile. “I hope you do it. I hope you save him.” Without waiting for a response, Sharpe opened a portal and disappeared.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jax heard movement on the stairs. He did not have to lift his head and turn around to know it was Grey. After a brief debate, he decided to pretend he was sleeping.It had been a few hours since Jax had woken -- sweaty, shaking, and terrified -- with no idea why. Instinct had sent him rushing upstairs, thinking Grey might be in trouble, but the fear subsided. On the landing, Jax had realized that what he had sensed was a nightmare. Through the link, he could tell that Grey was uneasy and shaken, but otherwise okay. His and Clarissa’s muffled voices could be heard through the bedroom door, but Jax felt guilty about eavesdropping. So he had returned to the living room couch, where he spent the next few hours staring at the smoldering ashes in the fireplace. He remembered Clarissa telling him that this was where his 1992 self would try to convince Grey to change the future. It had been weird to think that Grey and Clarissa remembered something from their past that was still to come in Jax’s future. Why hadn’t three years of time traveling made him used to such things? Or maybe it was just weird because of the reason his 1992 self had interacted with the Steins.His mind went back to the day before. It had been a colossal failure. He never got an explanation for what had sent Grey into a panic and then Jax had betrayed Grey’s trust. Now, despite their conversation and Jax’s promise never to refuse to separate, he still felt uncertain, like there was something he should have figured out, but just couldn’t get a grasp on.Or maybe Jax was confused because Grey’s mind was so screwed up right now. A few days ago, he thought he was going to die. Then he found out he was not going to die, but that just meant he would now retire and stop being Firestorm. Meanwhile, there was this whole upcoming battle with the Earth X Nazis that they were keeping secret from their friends. Not to mention that he was living with a psychic connection to Jax’s own messed up thoughts.So maybe it wasn’t surprising that Grey was having nightmares.As Jax thought about it, a nightmare could explain what Jax had felt the day before. Maybe that panic and pain was Grey’s mind trying to cope with everything he was going through.Damn, it felt like Jax’s entire life was filled with maybes.Grey was still nearby. Jax could sense it through their link. Was it obvious that he was awake and just pretending to sleep? “Ahh, Professor.”
I guess Mick is up.
“Your, uh, daughter insisted I not walk around your house naked, so I, uh, found one of your dresses. . . .” Mick paused, then added, “You’re out of milk.”Jax forced himself not to laugh. Despite being unable to see Mick from the couch, Jax could feel Grey’s emotions. They were broadcasting a strong sense of ‘what the fuck?’ After a long silence, Jax heard footsteps nearby and Grey tentatively said, “Jefferson.”It probably was stupid and childish, but Jax did not answer.“I know you’re awake,” Grey said. “Psychic connection, remember.”With an exaggerated groan, Jax rolled over on the couch and opened his eyes. Grey was hovering over the couch, just on the other side of Jax’s feet. “The wedding’s not til noon,” Jax grumbled. “And I didn’t get much sleep.”Grey nodded. “Yes. . . . I suppose that was my fault. I’m . . . I’m sorry.”“You had a nightmare, dude. Ain’t nothing to be sorry about.”“Still. . . .” He seemed to study Jax for a moment. “I know this whole . . . situation has been difficult for you.”“For you too,” Jax pointed out.“True, but you were right to decry my lies and omissions.” Grey paused briefly before continuing. “I just would like you to know that any decision I’ve made to withhold information from you has been to . . . spare you.”Jax sat up. “I’ve told you before. I’m not a kid who needs to be protected from the real world. I know shit happens -- bad things happen. You don’t need to protect me. I’m old enough to deal with it.”He was surprised when Grey responded with an amused smirk. “What?” Jax asked.Grey continued to look amused as he explained, “It has nothing to do with age, Jefferson. When you have children, you’ll understand. You won’t stop trying to protect them once they reach adulthood. Protecting them – sparing them pain – is a lifelong commitment.”Jax did not know how to respond. Inside his head, he heard a dying Grey say Jax was his son and he knew that was what Grey was trying to say now.“I know you’re a grown man,” Grey said. “It’s just instinct, I suppose.”Jax swallowed hard. “I guess that’s how my dad would have been. . . .” His voice trailed off as he thought of how his father had died in Mogadishu just a few weeks after Jax was born. “I never really knew him. I only met him that time at the hospital and on the ship.” Grey grew somber. “He would have been proud of you, Jefferson. . . . Just like I am.”Through the link, Jax could feel that pride, but also sadness and regret. Curious, he looked closely at Grey and, once again, thought he was holding something back.“What aren’t you telling me?” Jax asked.“Nothing,” Grey insisted. “Well, other than our being out of milk – as Mr. Rory just pointed out.”For a second, Jax thought his partner might be lying, but the link did not flood with the guilt, doubt, and fear that normally accompanied one of Grey’s lies. “Okay,” Jax said, despite feeling uncertain. “I guess I’d better get ready for this wedding.”“Actually . . . about the wedding. . . .” Grey was stumbling for words, a telling sign that he was nervous.Jax waited. “I’m listening.”“I tried to convince Clarissa to stay home and not attend the wedding. I know we decided against telling everyone or suggesting Barry and Iris cancel, so this is rather hypocritical of me--”“But you don’t want your family in danger, right?” Jax got his answer from Martin’s guilty expression, which also revealed how Clarissa had responded. “Let me guess. Clarissa told you ‘no fucking way.’”“Perhaps not with such colorful language, but . . . more or less.” Grey sighed. “She insisted that Firestorm would protect her. . . . So . . . so I was hoping. . . .” Grey was struggling for words even though Jax could tell what Grey was trying to say. “It’s okay,” Jax said. “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure nothing happens to them.”
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Cisco caught Caitlin as she stopped outside of the room where she was helping Iris prepare for the wedding. “How’s she doing?” he asked.“She’s fine.” Caitlin’s flat tone made her words ring hollow. “She’s fine, but you’re not,” Cisco said. He took her by the hand and pulled her away from the room so they could not be overheard. “It’s Professor Stein, isn’t it?”Caitlin looked up and he could hear her frustration when she spoke. “I don’t understand how we can sit here and act like nothing’s going to happen. And it’s not just the Professor; we don’t know who might be hurt or killed before the stuff we saw in your vibe. You and me – we weren’t there in that future. Does that mean something is going to happen to us? “You can’t freak out about it,” Cisco said. “I know we’re not going to be there, but we don’t know why. For all we know, we’re going to be perfectly safe at home, not even knowing the others are gone.”“And if you’re wrong?” Caitlin glared at him. “If they attack during the wedding? It’s not just us that will be there. The church will be filled with innocent people. What will they be? Collateral damage?”She had a point. He actually felt pretty stupid that all of his vibes the day before had been to Earth X when he could have checked out the wedding to see what would happen. At the same time, though, he also understood the decision they had made a few days earlier to keep the timeline as close to unaffected as possible. But can you live with people dying when you could have saved them?
No.
Yes.
Maybe.
How the hell should he know?
Damn, he hated this. If they didn’t say anything and something happened, he would feel guilty. If they did tell everyone, Barry and Iris cancelled the wedding, and nothing happened, he would kick himself too.“It’s Barry’s wedding,” Caitlin said. “At least we should tell him.”And then it can be Barry’s decision. Cisco heard a tiny voice in his head call him a coward for passing the buck, but he ignored it. Barry was the real hero after all. With a nod, he led Caitlin to the room Barry was using as his prep space.“Wait,” Caitlin said.Cisco turned to her. “What? I thought you wanted to tell him.”“I do,” she said. “I just. . . . We need to decide how much to tell. I mean about the Professor and the different timelines.”She had a good point, Cisco thought. Martin had made them promise not to reveal what they had seen in the alternate timeline. And even with the original timeline, he had been reluctant to tell anyone. Martin had not even told Jax about what was supposed to happen; he had only told Cisco and the others at S.T.A.R. Labs so they would understand why they needed to complete the Firestorm cure so quickly. “Nothing about Professor Stein,” Cisco said. “Just that we saw a battle with Nazis in the vibe. Leave it at that.” When Caitlin nodded, he rapped on the door and called out, “Everyone decent?” Almost immediately, Oliver opened the door.“Except you, of course,” Cisco joked. “That goes without saying.”Caitlin was not amused. “This isn’t the time for jokes.”Sighing, Cisco gave Oliver a look that told him Caitlin was right. “We need to talk with you and Barry.” It seemed like telling Oliver was the right thing to do. He was in the vibe too. Again, the image of his friends disappearing in a blinding flash filled Cisco’s head and he had to take a steadying breath.“You okay?” Oliver asked. Behind him, Barry came into view, a look of concern on his face.Caitlin pushed past them both into the room. “No, we’re not. There’s something we should have told you, and you may hate us for telling you or not telling you before now, but it’s important.”Barry and Oliver shared a glance, obviously confused.
Trust me, guys, this is just the beginning, Cisco thought. If you’re confused now, just wait.
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Martin left the bedroom as Clarissa was putting the finishing touches on her makeup and selecting some jewelry to wear. He thought momentarily about heading downstairs to see if Jefferson and Mick were ready, but stopped short when he heard a shriek emanate from downstairs followed almost immediately by Lily shouting at Mick to put on some pants.To avoid getting involved in that brouhaha, Martin stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around. He started to return to his bedroom, but heard sounds coming from the nursery. Ducking his head inside, he spotted Ronnie in his crib, beginning to fuss. Before that turned into a full-blown wail and drew an already stressed Lily upstairs, Martin crossed the room and lifted the baby into his arms. Ronnie immediately calmed and began to studiously watch Martin with his large blue eyes.“Ah, I see what you were doing,” Martin said. “Very sneaky, young man. Tricking me into coming here and then giving me that look. . . . It took your mom at least six months before she had that one under her belt.”Ronnie reached up with one of his tiny hands and tried to grasp the frame of Martin’s glasses.“I highly advise against doing that.” He imagined himself trying to navigate the room while barely able to make out a few fuzzy shapes. “You’re far too young to be putting yourself in that kind of danger.”Ronnie responded with a wide yawn.“Oh . . . so that’s how it will go. The type that scoffs at danger.” Carrying Ronnie, Martin crossed the room, sat down in a rocking chair, and took a few minutes to study his grandson’s face. Ronnie definitely had his mother’s eyes, though his hair was the light brown of Martin’s youth. With a tinge of sympathy, Martin also noted that the boy had inherited the Stein-family ears.“I’m sorry I won’t be able to see what else we gave you,” he said softly. “I can hope though. Your grandmother’s endless compassion and remarkable insight. Your mother’s intellect, her drive, her ability to push boundaries and see things nobody else has even thought of.” He paused for a minute as the baby stared up at him. His eyes reminded Martin so much of his daughter as an infant. “Truth is, there isn’t anything that I would consider admirable about myself that your mother didn’t inherit. And she certainly missed out on a lot of my worst traits. Let’s hope those didn’t just skip a generation.”Ronnie stretched out his arms and yawned again. “Whoever you grow up to be. . . .” He could feel the emotion rising. “I’ll be proud of you. I won’t be there to see it or g-guide you.” His vision blurred as tears pricked his eyes. “You . . . you’ll never know how much I w-wanted to be here . . . to watch you grow.” He blinked a few times, then forced himself to calm his emotions. He tried to send happy thoughts through the link. The last thing he needed was for Jefferson to grow suspicious again.“You know . . . I never expected to be a grandfather. After all, it was only a year ago that I, for lack of a better way to phrase it, became a father.” His mind protested that statement. It was true in the sense that he had only created Lily as a time aberration one year earlier, but that could not be squared with the nearly 30 years of memories that filled his head. “But the minute your mom came into my life, it was like time had corrected itself. It was just . . . right, the way it always should have been. I hope I’ve done enough so that won’t ever change.”Silently, he added another prayer – that Agent Sharpe would do what she had said she would do. Martin knew he had taken a calculated risk in confiding in her, but with Rip unavailable, he felt there was little alternative. And if he had read Sharpe correctly, she had a very good reason to help. At least, that was what he had concluded from her numerous questions about Sara; he doubted it was standard operating procedure at the Time Bureau to inquire about favorite cocktails, hobbies, and relationship status. He told himself that he had read Sharpe correctly. She would take care of the Time Bureau’s archives. Between her efforts and the Legends, Lily and Ronnie would be safe. He had done everything he could to protect them.Some words came into his head, almost-forgotten vestiges of his father’s insistence that Martin become a rabbi before attending college. But the words seemed apt. “Yevharekha Adonai vesishmerekha,” he whispered. Ya-air Adonai panaw elekha vihunnekka. Yissa Adonai panaw elekha viyasem lekha shalom.” It was a simple prayer that asked for God’s blessing, protection, and peace. A prayer his ancestors had said for generations.With Sharpe, Martin had protected his daughter’s and grandson’s future. Now it was time to protect them from the immediate threat he had seen in Cisco’s vibe, an evil that history had shown would target his family and many of the people he had come to call his friends.If protecting them from that evil required his death, so be it. One life in exchange for many. And an old life at that. Even if the exchange were not so unbalanced, the solution would still be clear. Martin looked down at his grandson for what he realized might be the last time. He kissed Ronnie’s forehead and laid him down in the crib. Martin tried to think of some profound last words, some words of wisdom to leave for his grandson, but nothing came. With a deep breath, he steeled himself, turned, and walked awayThe solution was clear. That decision was easy. It just wasn’t easy to say goodbye.
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“So, wait . . . you think these Nazis will attack the wedding?” Oliver glowered as he paced back and forth across the groom’s room. Cisco marveled at the fact that, even in a white dress shirt and tuxedo pants, Oliver Queen was extremely intimidating. Cisco protested. “They may attack the wedding. We don’t know anything for sure.”“And that’s why you weren’t going to tell us?” Oliver did not seem appeased.Caitlin came to Cisco’s defense. “We’re just guessing.”“Based on this future you saw on the other Earth?” Oliver asked. Cisco and Caitlin both nodded. Oliver scowled. “How did you even see that?”Cisco explained that he could project himself to points in the future. “So we looked at tomorrow and that’s when we saw this fight.”Oliver paused as if he were thinking, then looked at Barry, who did not seem agitated. He was perched against a credenza and seemed remarkably calm for a man who was just told his wedding might turn into a bloodbath. Barry’s brow furrowed as if he was trying to figure something out. Silently, Cisco begged him not to ask why he vibed to that future. That would put him too close to letting slip about what happened to Martin in the vibe. Thankfully, Barry remained silent.“So you really don’t know if anything will happen during the wedding?” Oliver asked. Cisco and Caitlin nodded again.Barry piped up. “What I don’t get is why you didn’t look at today? If you vibed to the wedding, we’d know.” Because I was an idiot, Cisco thought silently. “I just didn’t think to do it.”Oliver stomped his feet angrily. “If you’d told us before--”“Hey, hey,” Barry chimed in, playing peacemaker. “Lay off,” he told Oliver. Then he turned to Cisco, “Can’t you do a vibe now? Just check an hour or two ahead.”Cisco thought for a minute. “I could try.”He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated. Just an hour ahead, he thought. He tried. Nothing. He opened his eyes. “I don’t get it. I should be able to project where I am in an hour, but all I’m getting is darkness. That doesn’t make sense. Let me try again.” Once again, Cisco steadied himself. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes. Let’s try two hours, he thought, and he concentrated again. Harder, he told himself. Two hours.Nothing.He opened his eyes once more and look at Barry and Oliver. “There’s nothing. I’m sorry.”“It’s okay, Cisco,” Caitlin said. “You probably overdid it yesterday when we--” She broke off sharply when she saw the look Cisco gave her.“When you what?” Oliver asked.Cisco shook his head. “Just what we told you. When we looked at tomorrow.”Looking away from Oliver’s suspicious glare, Cisco focused on Barry. He pursed his lips as he thought.“So you think something will happen at the wedding, because you know that Oliver and I will both be on this other Earth sometime tomorrow,” he said, summarizing what Cisco and Caitlin had told them. “That seems logical.”“Right,” Caitlin said. “Which is why you need to cancel the wedding.”Cisco raised a hand. “Hold on. Professor Stein thought, if the wedding goes ahead, we may be in a better position to defend ourselves than if everyone goes their separate ways.”“He has a point,” Oliver replied. “Just having Kara here improves our odds.”“But what about everybody else?” Caitlin asked, appealing to Barry. “Iris and Joe. . . .”That seemed to stir something in Barry. He grimaced, which told Cisco that his friend did not like the thought of placing his fiancée and foster father at risk. But at the same time, Cisco also knew that Barry understood why proceeding with the wedding might be their best option.Barry turned to Oliver. “How fast can you get to your equipment?”Oliver laughed. “Don’t worry about me. My bow fits under a tux.”“Must make for a great date night,” Cisco quipped, then looked down as Oliver glared at him.“Enough,” Barry said. “We’re going ahead, not cancelling. But we need to tell Kara. Everyone needs to be alert and. . . .” He paused to think before adding, “Can someone find Wally? I have a little job for him.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Wishing she had some more aspirin, Sara jogged across the street in front of the church. She spotted Alex standing in front of the large stairs talking with Kara. She was wearing a hot little black and silver number and a pair of ginormous sunglasses that obscured most of her face. Sara suspected that they were helping ward off the pain the sunlight was adding to Alex’s hangover. Alex stiffened at the sight of Sara crossing the street.Sara did not delude herself. This was going to be hellishly awkward. Still, she had enjoyed the night before and did not appreciate how Agent Sharpe’s appearance had prevented a proper goodbye. She also wanted to thank Alex for the distraction. The night before had let her forget about Martin for a time. As soon as she saw him and Jax in the church, she would have to face that reality once more, and Sara wanted to put that off as long as possible. Unfortunately, Sharpe’s words echoed in her head.
“Whatever you do isn’t going to work.”
Sara refused to believe that. They were not slaves to the timeline. They had destroyed the Oculus and defeated the Time Masters precisely so they could control their own lives.
“He’s still going to die.”
“No,” she growled under her breath. “That’s not going to happen.”She realized Kara was staring at her. So was Alex, though she was doing it side-eye behind her giant glasses. Sara focused on them, hoping to distract herself for a little while longer.Besides, this could be amusing. “Hey,” Kara said with a little wave. “Hey Kara.” Sara grinned as she turned to Alex and made both words sound a lot longer than they were. “Anddddd Aaaalex.”Alex tried to play coy and pretend she did not remember Sara’s name. That was definitely a lie. No woman could have used Sara’s name as much the night before without knowing – and remembering – it. Sara tried to stop herself from laughing, a task made even harder because the giant sunglasses reminded her of bugs’ eyes.“How . . . how are you?” Alex stammered. “Lovely, lovely day, isn’t it? It’s such a perfect day for a wedding.” Kara watched her sister ramble with a look that was a cross between “wtf?” and “I don’t know this woman.”“How are you doing?” Alex repeated.Sara debated playing nice, but she couldn’t resist stirring the pot. “I’m good. A little hungover but I’ll survive. How are you?” She gave Alex a knowing look. “I’m sure that was rather awkward this morning. I mean having a total stranger appear in your room – or I guess I should say, our room.”Alex turned bright red and the look on Kara’s face was even more priceless.“I’m glad you were mostly dressed when Sharpe showed up,” Sara added. “And just so you know . . . I’m sorry you left so fast. We had plenty of time to--”“Okay,” Kara interrupted, coming to her mortified sister’s rescue. “Sara, would you mind if I talk to Alex for a bit?”Struggling to keep a straight face, Sara smiled. “Of course. I’ll catch you guys inside. . . . or later.” She lightly touched Alex’s arm as she walked by and said in a low voice, “Save me a dance or two.”As she took the stairs two at a time, she heard Kara’s shocked, “You didn’t?”Oh, yes, she did, Sara thought, unable to stop a wicked grin from crossing her face. Then she remembered that she was entering a church and decided that such unchaste thoughts might get her struck by lightning or something. Not to mention there might be some serious shit happening soon. The thought instantly sobered her.Ignoring the woman who asked “bride’s side or groom’s,” Sara headed down the aisle and took stock of the church. Just in case something happened, she wanted to make sure she knew its layout, the exits, and any areas that might pose particular hazards. Focused on those preparations, she did not notice someone approaching from behind. Before she could respond, a hand latched onto her forearm. She tried to spin away, but he held firm. Her eyes traveled up his dark-suited arm and over his shoulder until she found herself staring into the grim gaze of Oliver Queen.“There’s something we need to discuss,” Oliver growled. “Right now.”
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Jax spent the entire drive to the church trying to figure out what was going on with Grey. Once again, the old man’s emotions seemed all over the place. Earlier, Jax had suspected something was up, but Grey had not shown his typical signs of lying. But before they left the Steins’ house, Jax had again felt that strong grief that he had been feeling before he saw the future and they had made their plan to change Grey’s fate. Now, as they pulled into the church’s parking lot, Grey seemed mostly to be projecting fear.Okay, Jax admitted. Maybe that was not too difficult to figure out. At some point in the next two days, they would be fighting Nazis and it was possible Clarissa and Lily might wind up in the middle of that battle.“Do you understand what I said?” Grey said, sounding a lot like he had when he and Jax had first formed Firestorm. “Sit near the exits and, at the first sign of trouble, run.”In the back seat next to Jax, Lily rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dad, we heard you. . . .” She turned to Jax and, in a low voice, said, “Sometimes, I think he still believes I’m six.”Jax could not stop himself from laughing. “Yeah, I get that sometimes too.”As the car pulled into the church parking lot, Jax could not blame Grey for being protective of his wife and daughter. If the Nazis attacked the wedding, they could easily be caught in the crossfire. His visit to the future had left him with no illusions about the other side’s firepower or the chaos that would ensue if an attack occurred.On the other side of Lily, Mick responded with his customary growl. “Don’t worry, Professor. Anyone steps out of line, we’re ready for them.” He ran a hand along the barrel of his heat gun as if to emphasize the point.“I can’t believe you’re bringing that . . . thing to a wedding,” Lily said. Mick grinned at her. “What? Too big for you?”Lily glared back. “Hardly,” she snapped. “It reeks of overcompensation.”Jax burst out laughing. Mick, on the other hand, snarled as he opened the door and exited the car. Jax was still laughing when he and Lily got out on the other side.Meanwhile, Grey just shook his head as Mick stomped toward the church. “Please, could you two not antagonize Mr. Rory?”Jax could sense his partner’s anxiety and worry. Was it just that he was anticipating an attack or was there more to it? Some of what Jax was feeling was similar to how he had felt when they were about to enter a fight, but it felt stronger. Of course, they had never entered a fight with Grey’s family around, which was definitely contributing to his emotions. The way Grey wrapped an arm protectively around Clarissa’s shoulders confirmed that.Still, Jax felt like something more was going on. He still wanted answers about the day before, so he turned to Grey. “We need to talk.”“Jefferson--”“I just need a couple of minutes, Grey.” Clarissa said she and Lily would go ahead and get seats. Then she leaned toward Grey and whispered something in his ear. His entire body seemed to go rigid, but he said nothing. Clarissa gave him a light kiss on the cheek and headed to the church. As she passed Jax, she whispered, “Don’t beat him up too much.”Once the ladies were out of earshot, Jax studied Grey carefully. Outwardly, he appeared no different than normal. But the link was giving him away. Looking at Jax was making Grey more nervous – and guilty.“You’re hiding something,” Jax said. “I want to know what’s up.”Grey grimaced. “Would you please stop these repetitive interrogations? Everything you need to know, I’ve already told you.”“I think you and I’ve got different definitions of ‘need to know.’” Jax stepped close, so his face was only a few inches from his partner’s. “So don’t lie to me. I know it’s got something to do with what’s gonna happen and you’re gonna tell me what it is.”“Or what?” Grey glared into Jax’s eyes. “If I don’t tell you, you’ll do what? Try to trap me inside your head again.”That’s not fair, Jax thought. “I apologized for that already, so don’t use that to avoid me.” Grey started to push forward to get to the church, but Jax grabbed Grey’s wrist and stopped him just before he could get by.“Damn it, Grey, just listen to me!” Jax could not keep the emotion out of his voice. “I know you’re afraid, but I just don’t know why. We have a plan for tomorrow and you were good with it. But this morning, it was like before – what I felt through our psychic connection, I mean. So why do I think you’re holding out on me?”Grey scowled. “What do you want me to say?” he asked. “Have you ever c-considered that maybe your plan will do more harm than good? That - that maybe the outcome will be far worse if we change the timeline?”Jax did not like where this was going. How could the outcome be worse than Grey dying? Looking in Grey’s eyes, Jax could tell that his partner knew something. The guilt flowing through their link confirmed it. “What . . . what did you do? Why do you feel guilty?” His grip tightened on Grey’s forearm. “Let go!” Grey jerked his arm free. For an instant, Jax thought he was going to rush to the church, but he only took a few steps to the side, creating more distance between them. From the sharp look in his eyes, that distance was not just physical.How can I get through to him? Jax asked as he began to plead for answers. “You know something, don’t you? About what’s gonna happen?”There was no response. Grey stood silent.“Goddammit, Grey, I want to help,” Jax pleaded. “You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father. I lost my dad once already; I don’t want to lose you.”Jax waited for a response, but none came. Grey had stepped back, almost as if he had taken a blow. Shock registered through the link. So did fear. And something Jax could only describe as . . . love.Meanwhile, silently, Grey’s shoulders slumped, his head lowered, and he turned away. The emotions he was sending turned to grief. Grief and pain. Grey blinked a few times before he finally spoke.“I . . . I wish it could be different.”“It can,” Jax insisted. “We can change things, so please let me help you.”Grey still had not looked at Jax, but his voice was shaky. It cracked as he said, “There’s nothing you can do.”
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Oliver pulled Sara out a side door of the church and began to rant. “I can’t believe you. You, of all people, keeping secrets that could hurt our friends and families.”Sara tended to get annoyed when Oliver began ordering her around and this was no exception. As he berated her, she felt her anger rising. She had enough on her plate that she could not be bothered with worrying about Oliver’s bruised ego. Coupled with the way the day had started with Ava’s interference and then the awkward exchange with Alex, Sara knew she was close to losing it. She also wanted to kick the ass of whoever revealed what Cisco and Jax had seen in the future. She was placing odds on Cisco.“What I don’t get is why you thought you could just not tell us,” Oliver said. “Nazis, Sara. Seriously? Nazis? And you were just going to let us be ambushed?”That was more than enough. “No, I wasn’t going to let you be ambushed.” She wanted to smack that condescending look off his face, but she held back. “My team’s ready in case anything happens and so are the others who know. If we told everyone, it risked changing the timeline too much.”“Yeah, I heard that already,” Oliver snapped. God, he could be such a pain in the ass, Sara thought. “Then it obviously didn’t get through that thick skull of yours.” Sara glared at him. “I made a call. I am, after all, the one who knows the most about how changing things can screw up the future.”“But it’s Barry’s wedding! You should have let him make the decision. At the very least, you should have discussed it with us.”“Well you obviously know now,” she said. “And I assume you’ve taken additional precautions.”Oliver seemed to snarl his response. “Damn right. Barry has Wally scouting the perimeter during the ceremony. And we’ll have Kara to use her x-ray vision through the ceremony.”“In other words, we’re all set. No harm, no foul,” Sara said. “Maybe you should go find Kara. As for me, if you don’t mind, I’m going to find a seat.”“Wait.” Oliver seemed to relax and his anger seemed to dissipate. “There’s something Cisco and Caitlin didn’t say.So now Sara knew the culprits. She was going to have to have a word with them. Regardless of their loyalty to Barry and S.T.A.R. Labs, they had agreed not to say anything.Meanwhile, Oliver continued. “Now I don’t believe a group of you just randomly decided to check out the future. There had to be a reason and, since it didn’t seem to involve Barry, my guess it has something to do with your team – our friendly neighborhood time travelers.”Sara just gave him a placid smile. “Don’t ask me. I wasn’t at that party. I only learned about it after the fact.”“Who told you?”“I can’t tell you that,” she said. The last thing she wanted was Oliver harassing Jax about what he had seen in Cisco’s vibe. Not to mention Martin. He had kept his secret for 25 years; she doubted he would want it public knowledge to everyone on Team Arrow and Team Flash.“Okay, so you won’t tell me.” He continued to scowl. “Then tell me what it was all about. You must know that.”Sometimes, Oliver’s all-knowing attitude was even more annoying than his junior-dictator act. But rather than start a massive argument, Sara simply explained, “I can’t tell you that either.Oliver grabbed her arm and snarled, “Tell me.”Before he knew it, she reversed the hold, yanked his arm behind his back, and forced him to his knees.“You know everything you need to know,” she growled. “I’m not here to fight with you. We all need to work together, not argue over who knows what or who’s told what to whom. I have reasons for not telling you anything else.” She let go of his arm and jumped back as he spun around angrily. “Right now, it’s better that you don’t know.” Ignoring his angry glare, Sara turned and walked back through the door of the church. As she did, she muttered, “I wish I didn’t.”
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“There’s nothing you can do,” Martin repeated. He was still reeling from Jefferson’s admission.
You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father.
Clarissa had told Martin how Jefferson saw him, but hearing it directly from the young man, Martin was overwhelmed. At the same time, his chest seemed to swell with pride, but beneath that, his heart ached for what it meant. In many ways, Jefferson would have been better served to be at odds with Martin. That would make Martin’s death easier to take.But Jefferson was not letting anything be easy. “What the hell does that mean? ‘There’s nothing I can do?’” Martin did not respond, but when he looked up, he could tell Jefferson was thinking hard. His lips were pursed and his jaw set tightly. Then his eyes suddenly widened.“You said there might be a worse outcome.”Martin shook his head, silently decrying Jefferson’s perceptiveness. To deter the line of inquiry, Martin tried to downplay what he had said. “I just asked if you had considered the possibility--”“No. No way, Grey,” Jefferson said. “Uh huh. I know how your mind works. You wouldn’t have asked that question if you didn’t know the answer. . . . What did you do?”Martin knew he could argue with Jefferson and refuse to answer, but the young man would remain persistent. And angry. As much as Martin wanted to spare Jefferson the pain of knowing there was nothing he could do, Martin did not want their relationship to end with recriminations and rancor.With a sigh, he confessed. “The day after you and Cisco viewed the future, I . . . I began experiencing headaches – headaches very similar to what I . . . to what I experienced after my, um, encounter with my younger self in 1987.”“When you caused him to pay more attention to Clarissa--”“Yes,” Martin said sharply, cutting Jefferson off. “You don’t need to say it.” When Lily’s existence was first disclosed, Jefferson had made repeated comments about Martin’s younger self’s actions, usually employing extremely crude terminology. “In any event, it was like what happened with Lily. New memories.”“What was it you called it?” Jefferson asked. “There was a name – when your memories began changing.”“Temporal dissonance,” Martin replied. He glanced at the church doors to make sure the wedding had not started. There were still people milling about outside, so they had time. Thankfully, none of those people were within earshot if he and Jax kept their voices low. “I realized that my memories could only be changing if we failed,” Martin explained. “That would only happen if the time paradox occurred.”Jefferson looked skeptical. “But the plan accounted for that. I’m still going to warn your 1992 you.”Martin’s eyes fixed on Jefferson’s. “You can’t do that if you die tomorrow. Nor can Sara. Nor any of the others.”Jefferson’s mouth fell open as the pieces fell into place. “You did another vibe, didn’t you? You realized something was wrong and you checked out what would happen in the future if we saved you.”“Only you didn’t save me,” Martin said curtly. “This time you were shot. . . .” Martin tried to shake off the image of Jefferson’s body, jerking and twisting as the bullets struck him. “And . . . and when we split, I co-- could not control the Firestorm matrix. You do know what that means?”“I’m not an idiot,” Jefferson snapped. “I was in that prison yard. I saw the mushroom cloud.”Jefferson was referring to the Soviet gulag. But while he may have witnessed Valentina Vostok explode, he did not fully understand. Separate, Jax’s physiology was stable; he never had to fear that a loss of control could bring death and destruction to millions. Treading carefully, Martin calmly explained. “Except unlike at the gulag, our . . . friends were not a safe distance when it happened. In-- in the process, I killed Sara, Barry, Oliver and god knows how many others.” At that moment, even if Martin had not felt Jefferson’s horror through their psychic link, he would have seen it etched on his partner’s face. “Dude. . . .” Jefferson turned and ran his hands over his hair. “Why didn’t you say anything? We’re partners. I felt it when you saw all that. but you should’ve told me.”“For what purpose?” Martin asked. “I know you, Jefferson. It wouldn’t have changed your mind. You’d still insist that we could change the timeline by not splitting. You’d tell me that we could do things different, but we can’t know if a new plan will turn out better – and we know it could turn out far worse. We can’t take that chance.” Jefferson shook his head. “I’m not giving up on you, Grey.”Just as Martin predicted. “Look--”“No, you look,” Jefferson growled, his voice rising. “I’m not giving up.” Martin took a deep breath. Why couldn’t Jefferson let it go? Why can’t he let me go?
You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father.
That was the answer, wasn’t it? Suddenly, Martin felt exhausted . . . and old. He did not want to have this argument. There was enough to deal with, including protecting his wife and daughter, who were inside the church. He glanced at the doors, only to see the milling crowds moving toward the doors.“They’re going to start,” was all he said. He walked past Jefferson toward the church.“Grey. . . .” Jefferson followed and quickly caught up to him. In a low voice, almost a hiss, he said. “I’m not giving up.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Still annoyed after her run-in with Oliver, Sara had found a seat in the pew directly in front of Martin’s family. She said hello to Clarissa, who responded in kind, but Sara detected the brittle edge to in the older woman’s tone and could tell that her smile did not reach her eyes. In front of her sat Alex, who briefly glanced up, flushed red, and looked away. So much for using her as a distraction.Instead, Sara stewed for a bit. She and Oliver had a long history, and she understood why he thought he could lecture her. But she was not the same person she was when Rip Hunter recruited her. The last three years on the Waverider had changed her. She was the Legends’ captain now, and sometimes that meant she had to make hard decisions. Keeping the timeline as close to original as possible was one of those; it was part of her job.That tiny voice in her head asked if she was clowning. You heard Ava. Saving Martin will massively change the future.Only, according to Ava, the future was no longer changed. But what did that mean? She and Jax had not changed their plan. So if they were intent on saving Martin, how had the timeline repaired itself?She glanced up to see Martin and Jax enter the church. They took seats on opposite sides of the aisle. Seeing Sara watching him, Martin responded with a stiff nod, no smile, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He only looked away when Clarissa latched tightly to his arm. For her, he smiled, but it looked as forced to Sara as Clarissa’s had been.It could have just been nerves. Martin might have told his wife about the possible attack. It would not have surprised her if he had told her to stay home. Although he had been the strongest advocate of having the wedding proceed as if they did not know of the possible attack, Martin was extremely protective of his family. Some might call that hypocritical, but Sara suspected she had enough of a read on Clarissa to know Martin’s request would have been futile.Or there’s more to it. The growing hole in the bottom of her stomach told her this was not just about fear of an attack.Turning her attention to the other side of the aisle, she caught Jax’s eye. His face was fixed with a harsh glare, not typical for him. She could tell something was up. Before she could puzzle it out, some music began to play. Sara looked to the front of the church just as Kara took her place at a microphone and began singing some cheesy song that Sara was sure had some sentimental value for Barry and Iris.
So the alien with x-ray vision, super-strength, and the ability to fly also had a beautiful singing voice.
She tried not to gag. Maybe that made her a cynic, but the whole scene was so sickly sweet, it should have had a dentist’s warning. At that moment, she wished she had led the team to the Stone Age. Unlike her, Ray would have loved this shit.The people around her rose to their feet. Except for Mick, who was directly across from Sara and sprawled unconscious on the bench. Must be the music, she thought.Sara plastered a smile on her face as Iris and her father came down the aisle. She could admit that Iris looked great. Only, right now, she was not in the mood to celebrate the world’s most perfect couple. She was almost hoping the Nazis would attack.And soon, she thought as the priest began to ramble about how Barry and Iris were a good match, about the joy on everyone’s faces. She glanced over at scowling Jax and sleeping Mick; it was a struggle not to laugh.
Such joy.
“Does anyone have just cause why these two should not be married?” the priest said. “Speak now or forever--”His words were cut off by a flash of yellow lightning. The priest disappeared just before a blue beam slid between Barry and Iris and struck the dais right where the priest had been standing.The yellow lightning stopped. Depositing the priest safely near an exit, Wally West announced, “They’re here!”Sara jumped up and spun around. The rear of the church was filling with black-suited armed invaders. Each wore a red armband with a swastika.With a grim smile, Sara reached down and tore a seam along the side of her dress. Perfect timing, she thought. Time to kick some Nazi ass.
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The moment Wally sped across the dais, Jax leaped to his feet and spun around to where the enemy soldiers were filling the church. As Barry raced forward to cut off the first enemy bullets, Jax looked to his left where Grey was already raising his right hand.In a burst of flame, they merged. Rising, he fired a fission blast that took out the last rows of pews and the first rows of Nazis. The blast sent the enemy scrambling, giving the wedding guests cover to scramble for the exits.“That’s right,” Grey yelled inside Jefferson’s head. “Run, you cowards. Take out the right flank, Jefferson.”Jax snorted. “You don’t have to give me orders.”“Fine,” Grey snapped. “Just make these bastards sorry they ever came to our Earth.”Silently, Jax wondered what had gotten into Grey. He was usually the one preaching caution and calm, but he sounded angry. “Watch out!” Whoops. Jax had nearly hovered too long. He dodged some bullets as the enemy tried to regroup. Some more fission blasts blew the soldiers apart. Below him, Sara and Kara’s sister had joined forces to block one aisle. Mick and a white-haired woman – wait, was that Caitlin? – were firing ice and flame down the center aisle. Meanwhile, Wally and others were ushering people through the doors.“By the way, Grey. When this is over, we’re coming up with another plan and then we’ll have Cisco vibe it for us.”“Talk later!” Grey sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth. “Focus. We have an army of Nazis to destroy.” “I’m not letting up.” Jax felt a bullet whip past his head and decided to take Grey’s advice -- focus on the task at hand. He swept right and then shot to the left, constant motion designed to make him a near-impossible target. He dove towards the soldiers, his blasts forcing the Nazis back, then zoomed away.Above him, the ceiling exploded as Kara and the Nazi’s flying woman flew out of the church. Jax dodged some of the falling debris.“Outside!” Grey’s voice, a harsh edge to it, echoed in Jax’s head. “Now!”Feeling almost compelled by Grey’s command, Jax dove, grabbed one of the Nazi soldiers and took a shortcut through a stained glass window. The soldier took the brunt of the impact, the glass shattering just before Jax let the man drop the 20 feet to the ground below.“There,” Grey said. He was unable to point, but Jax could follow his thoughts and see what his partner was seeing. The wedding guests had fled the church through the side exits, but a group of Nazis had circled around from the front and were forming rank. Dozens of wedding guests were taking cover behind the stone buttresses. “Lily!” Jax saw what Grey had. In the group of wedding guests closest to the soldiers, Lily and a man were each holding onto an elderly woman who was struggling to reach the safety of the stone barriers. He turned back to the soldiers and readied a blast, but there was no time. They were already taking aim.His flames burst towards the soldiers, but it was too late. The gun muzzles flashed. The air shook from the sound of the gunshots. And above it all, Jax’s head filled with the sound of Grey’s scream.
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“Lily!” Jax shouted as the soldiers opened fire. The man helping Lily move the old woman staggered and fell. Lily kept going, her arm around the other woman’s waist, but they were still exposed. More gunshots rang out and Lily lurched sideways, stumbled, and fell. Both women crashed to the ground. Terror and Grey’s silent scream filled Jax’s head. That turned into an intense rage unlike anything Jax had ever felt before. The intensity of that fury propelled Firestorm forward. He rushed toward Lily and the woman, grabbed them both, and carried them behind the stone. As he let go, Jax saw blood on Lily’s dress.“Someone call 911,” he shouted. Grey was silent, but he could feel Grey’s thoughts – fear for his daughter, fury at the enemy, doubt about whether to stay until Lily could get help. Jax wanted to stop, but he knew they had to move. Bullets were hammering the stone buttress next to him. Soon, the Nazis would move to new positions where no space outside the church would be safe. Rising again, he sped toward the fallen man. Jax lifted the man off the ground and swept around the church, dropping him to a momentarily safe spot. Then he flew back, sailing clear of the stone.
“Time to get these bastards.”
Jax could feel the shift in Martin’s thoughts. The fear remained, but the intense fury returned as well. It almost overwhelmed Jax, who let loose another barrage of flames that engulfed the Nazis in the front and sent others scurrying. “Don’t let them escape!” Grey seethed as Firestorm continued blasting the soldiers. Jax tried to shut out the sight of burning soldiers and the scent of burning flesh. They are evil, he thought – or did he? They deserve to die. Were those his own thoughts? This evil must be eliminated.Firestorm continued to attack. Jax doubted he could stop his attack even if he wanted to – not that he did. His mind continued to repeat, as if a mantra: They deserve to die.Under the fiery onslaught, the Nazis turned and ran. Firestorm rocketed after them, firing blast after blast at the backs of the fleeing men, leaving charred remains and scorched asphalt for blocks.
They deserve to die.
Overhead, Kara and the other woman were dueling. They each emitted blue beams from their eyes, which locked together as they circled hundreds of feet off the ground.
They deserve. . . .
The mantra stopped replaying in his mind, as Jax felt Grey hesitate. “She needs our help,” Grey said, but Jax detected a note of uncertainty as still-strong anger flowing through their link. He suspected Grey was debating between chasing the Nazis and helping Kara. “She’ll be fine,” Jax said, making their decision. Kara was super-strong, could fly, and had all sorts of other powers. She could take anyone one-on-one. “We’ve got to make sure those people are safe.” Jax flew down the street and circled the church, looking for any signs of the soldiers outside. He saw none, though he did see Clarissa and other wedding guests crowding around where Lily had fallen. They blocked any view of Lily.Through the link, Jax could sense Grey’s intense anger dissipate. Now it was just fear.“She’ll be okay, too.” Jax tried to sound reassuring. Through the broken church windows, he could still hear the sounds of battle. “We can’t stay here,” he said, even as he felt Grey’s reluctance followed by resigned acceptance. Taking that as agreement, Jax soared through a broken window and began raining flames down on the few soldiers remaining.Inside, Oliver was fighting a man in the balcony, but they were too close together for Jax to get a clear shot. Sara and Kara’s sister seemed to have defeated the Nazis they were fighting, but Mick, Cisco, and Caitlin were blasting away at some soldiers who were firing from the cover of some pillars near the front of the church. Jax fired a few blasts in that direction, trying to flush the Nazis into the open.Behind him, glass shattered as Kara sailed through another window and crashed to the ground. “How?” Jax asked himself, stunned, as Kara lay motionless amidst a pile of stone and wood. Looking back through the window, he saw the other flying woman approaching the church. She was hovering and did not seem to be in a hurry.“We’ve must stop her,” Grey said.Jax had no idea how, but as the only ones besides Kara who were capable of flight, they had to try as Firestorm. Or slow her down long enough for Kara to recover, Jax told himself. That thought was not particularly comforting.He flew through the same window that Kara had just shattered, sending his most powerful blasts in the woman’s direction. The flames just seemed to fizzle around her as she continued to approach the church.“So much for that approach,” Jax muttered. “Only one thing left to try.”“Jefferson, what are you doing?” Grey sounded worried. He should be, Jax thought. Aloud, he growled, “Let’s take out this Nazi bitch,” as he surged forward while shooting a wide stream of fiery energy in front of him. As he got closer, he saw she was masked and her eyes glowed red. On her chest was a red symbol that he did not recognize.“Jefferson.” Grey sounded nervous. What Jax felt through their link confirmed that.“Don’t worry, Grey,” Jax said as he built up speed. “What’s the worst that can happen?”They bore down on the masked woman. With a casual swipe of her wrist, she flicked them away like a gnat. Firestorm sailed through the air, his flames extinguishing due to his velocity. He tumbled backwards, over and over, as Jax desperately tried to regain control.“Jefferson!” Grey shouted.Jax looked frantically over his shoulder as he completed another cartwheel through the air. They were careening directly toward a skyscraper. Jax could even see himself in the reflection off the glass walls.
“Fire. We must use our powers to shift our momentum.”
Flailing wildly, Jax tried to get his hands to ignite. Just a little flame could change their course.Nothing happened.Jax watched the building speed toward them and did the only thing he could think of. He braced for impact and shouted, “Hang on!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Firestorm crashed through the glass side of a building, skidding along the floor of an office, and slammed against a desk. Papers, computer equipment, and furniture flew into the air, and people screamed. The force sent Martin sprawling as Firestorm involuntarily separated. He landed on his hands and knees, then turned back to Jefferson, who had taken the brunt of the impact.“Man, she packs a punch.” Jefferson sounded dazed.“Are you okay?” Martin asked as he scrambled toward his partner.With what appeared to be some effort, Jefferson nodded. But his eyes were unfocused.“We need to get back.” Martin knew he sounded desperate, but his family was still in danger. Martin tried to fight against the images that flashed in his head. Lily trying to pull a woman to safety then falling as the Nazis opened fire. Then Lily, her face contorted in pain, blood soaking her dress as Firestorm flew her to safety. He had no idea how badly she was wounded.Grey felt his anger rising again. All he wanted to do was return to the fray and make sure his friends and family were safe. He wanted nothing more than to reduce those soldiers to ashes. They deserve to die, he thought, reminding himself of the refrain he had repeated in his mind as they fought the Nazis.As he reached for Jefferson, a man in a dark suit came charging toward them.“Who are you?” he yelled. “What the hell did you do to my office?” He shouted for someone to call the police.“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Jefferson said, rising unsteadily to his feet.Martin nodded. “I concur.” He reached again toward Jefferson and felt the wave of flame sweep over them as their hands met. The flames sent the angry office owner falling backward. As he shouted something about suing, Firestorm ignited and let the energy blasts propel him back through the shattered wall and into the open air.Firestorm flew forward toward the church. Martin glanced at the parking lot, but could not see his daughter and wife. Sighing silently, Martin said nothing as they continued toward the church.BOOM!The church windows exploded outward. Shards of glass sailed toward Firestorm. Before they hit him, a wave of sound slammed him backwards and he once again tumbled through the air. Disoriented, Firestorm’s flames went out. He fell, crashing into a row of hedges that lined the church parking lot.Next thing, Martin found himself pushing through the sharp brambles that scratched at his hands and face. He spotted Jefferson, who moaned as he stumbled through a bush. Before Martin could even ask, Jefferson spoke in a not terribly convincing tone of voice. “I’m okay, Grey.” He took a couple of unsteady steps before Martin grabbed his arm and helped him stay upright.It appeared the battle was over. The shooting had stopped, and the only sign of enemy soldiers were the charred remains from Firestorm’s assault. Martin felt his stomach flip as he realized what they – what he – had done to them. Stunned wedding guests milled around the parking lot. The uninjured were tending the wounded as the increasingly loud sound of sirens signaled the arrival of medical help.Martin desperately scanned the guests, looking for Lily and Clarissa. Through the link, he sensed Jefferson’s worry increase as he regained lucidity, and knew his partner was also looking for his family.“There.” Jefferson pointed to the corner of the church. Clarissa was crouched beside someone on the ground. She was holding a piece of cloth that Martin, even from the distance, could tell was soaked with blood. Martin’s stomach knotted. She has to be alive, he said to himself.Jefferson knew what Martin was thinking. “Go,” he urged. “I can manage.”Needing no further encouragement, Martin sprinted across the lot. As he reached them, Clarissa looked up and he saw the fear in her face. Martin crouched down next to Lily, even as his own terror grew.The blood was flowing freely from a wound in her shoulder. Lily’s eyes were tightly closed and her teeth gritted against the pain.But she’s alive, he told himself.Seeing that Clarissa was applying pressure to the wound, Martin had nothing to do. Martin spun his head around, searching for a paramedic. Where are they?He felt so helpless. And angry. When he had seen Lily fall under the enemy fire, he had felt a rage unlike anything he had felt before. He could barely remember his reaction, but he could recall the overwhelming desire to turn all of Firestorm’s powers on the Nazis, to rid this Earth of their scourge. And he had, he thought. “They deserve to die” echoed in his head. Dimly, he saw the flames enveloping the soldiers who were defenseless against his powers.“Dad?”Lily’s tentative voice brought him out of the memory. She had opened her eyes, which were hooded and pained.He grasped her good hand, taking care not to jar her. “Sweetheart . . . I’m here. You’re going to be okay.” Silently, he cursed the fact that Gideon was in the distant past. If they had the Waverider, it would have been simple to fix Lily’s wound.“I’ll . . . I’ll be okay,” Lily said. “Of course . . . of course you will.” Martin wanted to believe it. He glanced up at Clarissa, but she was not a doctor and could provide no assurance.Lily smiled weakly. “I saw you. . . . You and Jax. Firestorm.”“Shhh.” Martin squeezed his daughter’s hand. “Don’t talk.” Conserve your strength, he said silently. Out loud, he demanded to know, “Where are the paramedics?”“Let me see what I can do.” Looking up, Martin saw Caitlin standing over them. Remembering her medical expertise treating him and Ronnie, Martin stepped back and let her take his spot beside Lily. Caitlin immediately began examining the wound and checking Lily’s vitals. A few minutes later, he heard the sound of running feet, turned, and spotted two paramedics being led by Jefferson. They jumped into action, quickly taking positions beside Lily, and began assisting Caitlin. As Martin stepped further back to give the paramedics room to work, he looked at Jefferson. His partner had said nothing, but his eyes were wide as he watched.Lily must have spotted him, because she said, “It’s okay, Jax. . . .” Then she tried to joke – “Tis but a scratch” – but nobody laughed. “And I even got to see Firestorm . . . finally.” She coughed, her face contorting into a pained grimace, even as she weakly added, “That was . . . cool.”Martin’s heart clinched at the sight of his daughter’s pain and he tried to reassure her. “You’ll be fine.” But even as he said that, he feared he was lying. A hand touched his arm and he turned to see Clarissa, the same fear visible on her face. Her eyes were filled with tears. Unable to do anything for Lily, he wrapped an arm around Clarissa and held her close while they waited for some word from Caitlin and the paramedics.“I should have made you stay home,” he whispered. Silently, he cursed himself, remembering how strongly he had insisted at S.T.A.R. Labs that they had to let the wedding proceed as scheduled. To keep the timeline intact.Lily might die. He glanced around and saw the other injured. How many others might die? And how many others could have been hurt?“Hey, don’t beat yourself up over this.” Jefferson had moved closer and obviously sensed what Martin was feeling. “We agreed to let things go ahead. We had everyone here, so we were able to beat them.”Martin knew that was the logic they had employed to rationalize letting the wedding go forward. But it was hard to be logical when surrounded by the wounded.“It’s not your fault, Grey,” Jefferson said.Maybe it was true, but as Martin watched Caitlin and the paramedics work on his daughter, Jefferson’s words were little comfort. Instead, Martin said a silent prayer and prayed that Lily would be all right.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Best wedding ever,” Mick roared as they watched the last of the Nazis flee the church. At least the singing stopped, Sara thought. She looked up as Oliver jumped from balcony where he had been fighting.“Everyone okay?” he asked.Sara glanced around at Barry, Kara, and Alex. They nodded. “Yeah,” Sara said.Mick motioned to a few of the dead Nazis. “Don’t think these scumbags would agree, Boss.”“Or Cisco,” Kara said. Sara looked to where Kara was crouched. “He’s breathing, but it looks like he took a hit to the head.”“I’m okay too.” That came from Wally, who was pulling himself to his feet using a pew as a support. “That archer’s arrow gave me a jolt.”Like Oliver’s arrows, Sara thought. She thought for a moment and began to focus on their next steps. Then she remembered they had a prisoner. “We’ve got one of the archers over there. He’s alive, just knocked out.”Mick scrambled over to the fallen man. “Nice job.” Sara looked at Kara and Oliver, who were talking quietly. “Can you take charge of getting this guy to S.T.A.R. Labs? I want to check on Martin and Jax. Mick can begin wiping the memories of the wedding guests.”Taking their silence as agreement, she headed outside, followed closely by Mick. He pulled out the Legends’ memory-wipe device just as she stepped through the door.Holy shit, she thought. The grass outside the church was littered with bodies of dead soldiers. Some of the bodies were still smoldering. Scorch marks marred the grass and the adjacent sidewalk. Since only one of them besides Mick had fire powers, Sara immediately knew what – and who – had caused that.Mick knew too. He sounded awed as he said, “Damn. . . . Never thought the Professor and the kid had it in them.”She turned to the parking lot and saw several ambulances. Paramedics had fanned out and were treating injured wedding guests. Sara spotted Jax standing beside Caitlin and Martin, who was holding a crying Clarissa. Oh no, Sara thought as she realized they were watching paramedics lift a gurney holding Lily. Beside her, Mick called out, “Hey, Professor, if all weddings were like this, I’d be in church every week.”Sara slapped Mick’s arm and he suddenly stiffened. He must have just realized what was happening. “Shit,” he muttered.Thankfully, Martin and Jax did not appear to have heard Mick. However, Sara was not going to take a chance on him saying anything else that might piss off her team. “Start taking care of the guests,” she ordered. “None of them should remember this.” Reaching the others, she tried to assess the situation. The paramedics seemed to have stabilized Lily and were focused on a shoulder wound. As they lifted the gurney to take her to an ambulance, Caitlin looked at Martin and Clarissa. “It doesn’t look like the bullet hit any vitals. She should be fine.” Caitlin sounded pretty certain, and Sara had no reason to question her assessment. Sara had suffered enough shoulder injuries to know this injury was not life-threatening, though she doubted Martin would appreciate her saying that. She listened as Caitlin added, “She’s suffered a fair amount of blood loss, but they’re giving her blood now.”“So she’ll be okay?” Clarissa asked. Next to her, Martin’s fear gave way to relief. When Caitlin nodded, Clarissa burst into loud sobs and buried her head in Martin’s shoulder.“See, Grey, what did I tell you?” Jax said. “It’s okay.”Martin held Clarissa tightly as he glanced at Jax. In a grim voice, he replied, “None of this is okay.”His anger was palpable, though Sara knew if she were in his shoes, she would probably be even more furious. He was holding a sobbing Clarissa and Sara suspected he was torn between comforting his wife and seeking a way to kill the men who hurt his daughter. For the moment, comforting Clarissa seemed to win out.Unwilling to interrupt them, Sara pulled Jax aside and asked if he was okay.Jax nodded. “Took a few knocks, but I’m fine. That flying Nazi lady. She packs a mean punch.” He glanced over Sara’s shoulder at the church, “What about inside?”“Cisco’s down. Took a hit to the head and is unconscious, but they’re running him over to S.T.A.R. Labs.”“Yeah,” Caitlin replied. “I’d better get over there, so I can run some tests.” Before anyone could respond, she was heading to her car.Meanwhile, Jax was still absorbing what Sara had said. “Cisco?” he asked. “Are you serious?” When she nodded, he scowled. “Damn. We needed him to check out the future again.”Good luck on that, Sara mused.“It’s more important that Cisco be okay.” Martin had not moved away from his wife, but he obviously had overheard them. He frowned slightly then looked at Jax. “Jefferson, it’s okay.”“No, it’s not,” Jax snapped. “We still have to figure out--” Martin glared and Jax stopped talking. That told Sara there was more going on. They had a plan, but Martin did not want discuss it in front of his wife. Sara could understand. She wondered how much Clarissa knew already. The pained look in her eyes gave Sara an answer. Most of it, probably.Almost apologetically, Sara told Jax and Martin, “You two should get over to S.T.A.R. Labs too. Some of them got away, including their leaders, and we need to track them down and take them out.” Martin looked hesitant and she knew he was once again torn. Did he leave his family, especially when Lily was injured, or did he seek out the Nazis? As Sara wondered what he would choose, Martin closed his eyes.“Grey,” Jax said. Sara wondered what he was feeling through the psychic connection the two men had. Could he sense Martin’s emotions warring with themselves?After a long silence, Martin opened his eyes. He took a deep breath and pulled away from Clarissa. She just watched him, the tears streaming down her face. Sara wanted to walk away. It felt like she was intruding on something she had no business watching. Her life had been full of pain and death and she had come to believe that little could hurt her. But her heart ached at the sight of the older woman in tears.Meanwhile, Martin gave his wife a sad smile. “I must go,” he said. “I have to do this.”Even as Clarissa responded with a small nod to tell him that she understood, Sara realized what she had to do. She had to offer Martin a lifeline. Sara walked over. In a low voice, she whispered, “If you want to bow out--”Martin cut her off. “Not a chance.”The vehemence of his response startled her. She backed away, hands raised. “Okay. I’m just saying that none of us would blame you if you did. Not with your family . . . Lily.”“I know,” he replied. “But Firestorm has a role to play in this fight. And I will not let Nazis attack my family and just step aside. I have to do this.”Sara understood. If it had been Laurel or her father who had been hurt, she would want revenge. But that was her. Martin had never struck her as particularly vengeful, but then, out the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the charred corpses of the enemy.“All right,” she said. “Then let’s go.”She looked past Martin to Clarissa. The older woman’s voice shook and tears ran down her cheeks. “Martin. . . .”Sara watched as Martin reached for his wife’s arm and then turned to her and Jax. “Can you give me a few minutes?” he asked. “I . . . I just want to. . . say goodbye.”
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Martin held Clarissa as she sobbed against his shoulder. He waited until Jefferson and Sara had walked out of earshot, but when he tried to speak, he could find no words. What do you say after loving someone for the better part of 40 years?“I’ll always love you,” she said, her voice little more than a tremulous whisper. He tried to respond, to tell her that he knew, that he was the most fortunate man to have loved her, that he was sorry – no, that he was despondent at the thought of leaving her. That he cursed himself for not believing in an afterlife. Perhaps if he did, he could have consoled himself with the notion that they would meet again in another place.She had pulled back so he could see her face. And he knew that what he could not describe in words, his wife could see in his eyes. He pulled her close again. There was nothing he could say that she did not already know. Nothing he could say that would make this any easier. Nothing that could lessen any of her pain.Against his chest, he felt Clarissa take a deep breath and tense. He knew her so well that he did not have to look into her eyes to know that he would have seen them filled with determination and resolve. “You listen to me, Martin Stein.” The edge in her voice was like steel. “You’ve made your decision and I respect it and I love you for it. So you do what you have to do and, no matter what, your family will always love you.”He could almost hear the “but” coming. “Clarissa, I thought you--”“I do understand,” she said sharply, raising her head so he had to look her in the eye. “And if what you’ve seen has to happen, I’ll know you did what you did because you’re brave and selfless and it was necessary to save your friends. Because that’s who you are, Martin.” She paused.
Here it comes, Martin thought. He broke eye contact and looked up.
“Look at me,” Clarissa commanded, and he could do nothing but comply. “You need to hear this. I need you to hear this, Martin. . . . I’ll understand all those things, but if . . . just if . . . time decides it doesn’t have to happen, I want you to seize that opportunity and do everything you can to come home. Because that’s also who you are. You didn’t go through everything you did after that accident and then on your adventures just to give up. You’re a survivor, Martin, and don’t you ever forget that.”
He fought back tears of his own. Her determination and faith threatened his own resolve. He wanted to fight to come back to her; he wanted to live. He did not want to take away the hope that he heard in her voice and saw in her eyes.
Maybe it was better to let her cling to that hope. If it was dashed, at least she would have another day without grief.
“Tell me you won’t forget,” Clarissa repeated.
He nodded and, though he could barely speak, he managed to say, “I won’t . . . I won’t forget.”
Then he kissed her and held her close, not wanting to let go, not wanting time to force him to leave her. But, as he had learned, sometimes time actually did march forward. Events actually happened on time.
And now it was time. As much as he wanted to stay, he had to leave. Reluctantly, he stepped back and let go of her. But before he turned and walked away for the final time, he brushed her cheek and said the one thing he prayed she would never forget.
“I love you.”
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“It’s just not right,” Jax muttered. His words confirmed what Sara had figured out. She did not have to hear what Martin and Clarissa were saying. From their body language, it was clear. They did not think Martin would be coming home. Sara kicked herself. She should have realized it from what Agent Sharpe had said. The timeline was fixed.Of course it was, she thought. Because Martin Stein is a stubborn old man.“He’s going to split, isn’t he?” she asked, her voice low enough that only Jax could hear.Jax did not answer the question. Instead, he said, “We’re not giving up.”“Look at them.” Sara was only whispering, but it sounded harsh to her ears. “That’s not ‘see you later or in a few days’; that’s ‘goodbye.’”“I know what it looks like,” Jax hissed. “But we were going to try to find a way out. We were gonna get Cisco to take us back to the future.”Sara sighed. “And now Cisco’s unconscious, probably concussed. . . .” So that’s not an option. “What we need to do is go back to the plan. You don’t split.” She remembered what Jax had told her the night before. “You just have to stay as Firestorm like we agreed.”Jax looked down at the ground, then shook his head. “I . . . I can’t.”“Why not?” Sara could not understand. Jax wanted to save Martin’s life and her plan was a way to do that.Jax grimaced. “Cisco took Grey to the future – to see what would happen if we don’t split. It won’t work. All of us will die. You, me, Grey, the others. . . .”“I don’t believe that,” Sara said, even as she felt slightly nauseated. All of them? No, that couldn’t happen, she silently insisted. “Nothing is fixed like that, Jax. If he saw something in the future, we just have to do it a little different. So in that version when you don’t split, something bad happened. Okay. So we change things around a bit.”Jax spun toward her. “He won’t go for it!” She could hear Jax’s frustration. “If he thinks it can turn out worse, he won’t agree. He’ll insist on separating.”“So what?” she snapped. “Let him insist on it. You can just stop him – make him stay part of Firestorm. You said you did that yesterday.” “I prom--” He stopped short and looked at Martin. Jax’s mouth fell open and his eyes widened. To Sara, it seemed like Jax had just figured something out. Then his face contorted in anger. “Son of a bitch,” he spat. “That goddamn son of a bitch!”Sara had no idea why Jax was suddenly so angry. “What’s going on?”Jax continued to shake his head. “He played me,” he growled. “Grey played me.”He started to move toward Martin, but Sara jumped in front of Jax and pressed both her hands against his chest to stop him. As much as she wanted to know what Jax was mad about, this was not the time to confront Martin, not while he was saying what he thought was a final goodbye to Clarissa. Not to mention that an argument in front of the remaining wedding guests, cops, and paramedics was not what they needed.“Not here,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t do anything now. Not in front of his wife.” She looked over her shoulder to see that Clarissa had pulled away from Martin, gave him a stern look, and was saying something that Sara strongly suspected was a lecture. Sara had not even realized Mick had walked up to them, but he obviously was watching the same thing she was.“What’s goin’ on?” Mick scowled at her and Jax. “Don’t we got enough going on without you fighting.”As if Mick was Mr. Peacemaker, Sara thought, but she held her tongue. Instead, she said simply, “Just leave it alone, Mick. We’re not fighting.” They would sort things out at S.T.A.R. Labs.Mick shot her a look that told her he didn’t believe her for a second. “Whatever,” he muttered. He handed her the memory-wipe device. “Crowd’s taken care of, and Red and Skirt want everyone at their place . . . you know where . . . I mean. . . .” He punched his forehead a couple of times to prompt the right name. “S.T.A.R. Labs?” Jax asked.“Yeah,” Mick answered. “Their place.”Sara just rolled her eyes, but she knew they had to leave. Reluctantly, she turned around, hating the idea that she would have to pull Martin away from his wife. But he was already walking toward her, not looking back at Clarissa. He pulled his glasses off and swiped the back of his hand across his eyes. Sara could tell he was struggling to hold himself together.Jax stepped forward, his prior anger forgotten – at least for the moment. “Grey,” he said quietly.Martin shook his head and said nothing. He silently held out his hand and waited for Jax to take a hold. The two of them merged in a rush of fire and heat, leaving only Firestorm in their place. He hesitated momentarily. His white eyes met Sara’s and then he turned toward Clarissa. The older woman took a halting breath and, despite the tears running down her face, motioned to the sky, silently mouthed “Go,” and then watched Firestorm blast off and disappear into the distance.
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Martin was grateful for the silence as Firestorm flew to S.T.A.R. Labs. Once they arrived, they would have to focus on the Earth X invaders, but, for now, Martin’s mind was on his family. In his head, he replayed his farewell to Clarissa. Had he said enough? Did she really understand? Would he regret not saying anything more?He also worried about Lily. Caitlin had sounded convincing when she said Lily would be okay, but what if she wasn’t? He wanted to be with Clarissa at the hospital, but he knew he had to stay with Jefferson and the others. They had no idea how they were supposed to wind up on Earth X, but Martin had to be with Jefferson when it happened.Still, he hated not being with Lily. He had not said goodbye to her. He had not even told her that he loved her. Silently, he berated himself. I should have said something, he thought, even as he tried to ignore the gnawing doubt about his decision to keep the truth from her. When she learned that he had known he would die, would she hate him? Would she be furious that he had said nothing? Would she look back and think that her last memories of her father were of him lying to – or at least concealing the truth from her?“Maybe she’ll understand,” he muttered.“Understand what?”Jefferson’s voice took Martin by surprise. He had been so focused on his own thoughts that he had not realize he had said anything out loud – or at least what passed for out loud when he was inside Jefferson’s head.Martin quickly said, “Nothing. Just talking to myself.”Jefferson did not push for an answer and Martin wondered what the younger man was thinking. He could detect a lot of emotions, but could not identify their source. Jefferson was hurting – or was that just a reflection of what Martin was feeling? Beyond that, there was frustration and anger. A lot of anger. Was that about the invaders or about the setback to Jefferson’s plan?Neither of them said a word as they entered the building and flew through its circular hallways until they spotted Cisco lying in a hospital bed. Separating, they entered the smaller lab and saw that Caitlin had beaten them to S.T.A.R. Labs. She was already hard at work, monitoring Cisco’s vital signs.Now back in his own body, Martin looked down at their unconscious friend and asked, “Will he be all right?” Caitlin replied that it was just a minor concussion. Relief – both his own and Jefferson’s – flooded him.“I didn’t get a chance to thank you,” Martin said. “For helping Lily.”Caitlin gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m sure she’ll be okay.”“Not that it will stop Grey from worrying,” Jax said. He motioned to Cisco, “How long will he be out?”“I have no idea,” Caitlin said, shaking her head. “It could be 10 minutes. It could be 10 hours.”“Oh, that’s just great,” Jefferson groaned. “Our only way to test the future and he’s down for the count.”Martin tried to calm his partner. “I am quite sure that Cisco, if he could, would not have hesitated to help us, but we must accept that the matter is not under his control.”“For fuck’s sake, Grey, I know that.” Jefferson’s harsh tone took Martin by surprise. It apparently did the same to Caitlin, who dropped a tablet she had been examining. “Jax?”Jefferson waved a hand at her. “I know,” he said. “I know. . . . And don’t!” The sharp words stopped Martin, who had been moving toward his partner. “Don’t act like you’re concerned about me,” Jefferson snarled. “I may be an idiot, but I know what you did last night--”“Jefferson--”“Stop!” he shouted angrily. “You played me, Grey! That goddamn promise. . . . You knew all along that you were making me promise not to stop you so you could go off and kill yourself. I should have known.”Martin sighed. He actually was surprised it had taken Jefferson this long to figure it out. He had expected Jefferson to realize immediately why Martin was demanding that he never stop them from splitting. Perhaps it had been due to Martin taking considerable effort to stop the feelings of guilt and anxiety that normally accompanied his attempts at deception. But then again, this was one time when Martin had not felt guilty about misleading Jefferson. It was the right thing to do. Still, he had expected his effort to fail and had been surprisingly pleased when, ham-handed as it was, Martin had extracted Jefferson’s promise. Taking Martin’s silence as confirmation, Jefferson scowled and ran his hands over his hair. He glared at Martin and started to say something, but bit back his words. He shook his head angrily, then spun around and stormed out of the lab.From behind him, Martin heard Caitlin. “Should I ask?”Martin just and shook his head. “I’m sorry. . . . He’s not taking this particularly very well.”As Caitlin picked up her tablet and took note of Cisco’s vital signs, he muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “Join the crowd.” To Martin, she said, “He’s doing what all of us are doing – trying to find a way to fix this.”Martin decided against musing aloud about “youth” and their rather naïve belief that it is possible to fix everything. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that such belief was not uniquely held by the young. Martin had maintained that belief long after his hair had greyed. Indeed, at its core, his entire scientific career was predicated on the belief that, once he found a problem, he could also find a solution.Finishing her examination of Cisco, Caitlin set down the tablet and leaned against a computer console. Without looking at Martin, she said, “I saw what’s going to happen.” Martin must have appeared confused, so she motioned to Cisco and explained, “I convinced him to take me . . . to the future, I mean, so we could see what we could change. I figured if we know what happens and could really see everything that was going on, we could come up with a new plan.”“And?”She shook her head. “Nothing. You and Jax were – or will be the only ones behind the soldiers. Everyone else is on the other side of the room.” She paused and her eyes widened. “Unless. . . .” Martin suspected she was thinking of something he had considered already, but he waited for her to finish.“What if you – I mean Firestorm – carried another member of the team with you. They could--”“Watch our backs?” Martin gave her a knowing look. Exactly as he had predicted. “And what would that mean for the others? I’ll admit I wasn’t paying the closest attention to them, but from what I recall, they seemed to be paired up. Sara and Kara’s sister; Oliver and Snart. Who should we leave alone? And what would happen to the person watching my back? He or she will be just as exposed as Jefferson and I will be.”Caitlin sighed and nodded, acknowledging the truth of what he was saying.“What about your suit?” she asked. “Firestorm can transmute matter. You could make it bullet-proof?”It was an intriguing idea, but not realistic. “Unfortunately, my dear, that is probably far beyond Jefferson’s and my abilities. We have been able to transmute some complex objects into simple ones, but not the converse. We’ve never created anything as complex as Kevlar, unless, that is, you consider jelly beans ‘complex.’” And that was only one of the problems with the idea, Martin realized. “Also, the amount of Kevlar and plating that would likely be required to protect against automatic, military-grade weapons would be quite heavy. Adding that amount of weight would affect Firestorm’s flight and maneuverability. We would need time to train and adjust--”Martin stopped, realizing that he and Caitlin were no longer alone. Mick stood in the doorway, his typical scowl prominent. “Did I interrupt something?” “Um . . . no,” Martin said. “Is there something you need?”Mick just shook his head. “Nope. Just hanging.” He leaned against the doorframe, holding his heat gun loosely in front of him. Then he stood up straight. “Oh, wait, . . . . Boss wants you in the main lab. There’s some big pow-wow going on.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
His frustration nearly hitting its limit, Jax stomped down the hallway to the main lab. Grey was going to die and, without Cisco, there was no way to test a different plan to save the old fool.Meanwhile, Jax was kicking himself over his own stupidity. He should have known that he was being played when Grey made him promise not to block their separation. He should have known immediately what that sensation he felt from Grey was all about. It was triumph. Grey’s happiness was due to tricking Jax into promising to do the one thing that might have stopped the original timeline.And I fell for it, Jax thought. All those times he had told Grey he was a lousy liar, but when it really counted, he had fallen for a lie. Jax had blown it.He stopped suddenly, realizing that he had just stormed into a room filled with other people. Several looked at him momentarily then turned their focus back to the discussion.“I flew over the entire city,” Kara said. “There’s no sign of them.”Nobody else could say what had happened to the retreating soldiers, but everyone listened as Harry Wells explained about Earth X and how the Nazis had prevailed in that Earth’s World War II. Having already heard the story, Jax just paced in the background.There were more questions. How could their archer match Oliver? And why was their flying woman as strong as Kara?“The most likely hypothesis is we’re facing dopplegangers from Earth X.” Grey had entered the lab, followed by Mick and Caitlin. Grey glanced quickly at Jax, who glared back. Jax made a point to send some extra-angry thoughts through their link. “Dopplegangers?” Oliver quirked an eyebrow.It took Grey a minute to respond. He seemed distracted, probably the result of feeling Jax’s anger. Then Grey managed to nod. “Yes. Dopplegangers of you and Ms. Danvers. Basically, your Earth X counterparts. They are just like you, except for the effects of minor or – in Earth X’s case – major divergences from our history.”In a tone much sharper than the question demanded, Jax asked, “How do we know it’s Oliver and Kara?”Wells responded. “We don’t know for certain, but given the similarities, it seems like a good guess.”“Right,” Grey said. “And we know at least one Earth X doppleganger exists.” He gave Jax a sharp, knowing look.Of course, Jax thought, his anger dissipating momentarily, and he looked at Sara. “Snart.”That got Barry’s attention. “What about Snart?”Jax hesitated, not sure what, if anything, he should say about Cisco’s vibe. Did the others actually know about the future? If they didn’t, would they be pissed to find out about it? Jax glanced at Grey, wondering if he was having similar thoughts.Through the link, he sensed that Grey was nervous. Sara solved the dilemma of whether they should talk. She stepped into the center of the room. “Many of you already know that some of us learned a bit about the future – about this battle with the Earth X Nazis. In that future, we were fighting alongside Leonard Snart.”“Which would be impossible for this Earth’s Snart,” Grey added, “because he died when we defeated the Time Masters. So the Snart we saw had to be a Snart from another Earth.”Iris stepped forward. She was still wearing her wedding dress – and she sounded pissed. “Hold on. Let’s go back to how you all saw a future fighting these Nazis. You knew that and didn’t say anything?” She scowled at Grey and Sara. “Did you know they were going to attack the wedding? All those people who got hurt--”Jax felt a surge of guilt through the link. A quick glance in Grey’s direction revealed the source.“I take full responsibility for that,” Grey said. “It was my belief that we should let the timeline proceed unchanged, that we would be better prepared to withstand an attack if we were all gathered at the wedding.”“It wasn’t just you, Martin.” Sara looked at Iris. “We agreed as a group. We didn’t know for sure anyone would attack the wedding, and we agreed with Martin’s thinking.”Iris turned to Barry. “Did you know?” From the furtive glance he shot at Oliver, Iris got her answer. “And you knew too?” she growled at Oliver. Without another word, she stalked out of the lab.Barry gave everyone an apologetic look and then hurried after her.“Honeymoon must be over,” Mick muttered, then looked askance as everyone glared at him. “What?”“Enough.” Oliver stepped forward. “What’s done is done. Those of us who knew about the future made a decision and we stand by it. And even if we didn’t, there’s nothing we can do to change it now. Our focus has to be on finding out what we can about these Earth X Nazis and how to stop them.”“They must have a staging area,” Kara’s sister said.Jax tried to remember her name. Alex, that’s it. Jax knew nothing about her, but she spoke with authority. Jax wondered if she might be in the military.Alex continued. “If they are coming to this Earth from Earth X, they probably are coming through a breach.” “We can use our satellites to search for them,” Caitlin said. “Like we did when we shut down the Earth 2 breaches.”Oliver nodded. “Okay, do that.” Then he turned to Sara and Grey, his expression grim. “And now, you’re going to tell me everything you saw in the future – and I mean everything.”
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“And now, you’re going to tell me everything you saw in the future – and I mean everything.”Sara gritted her teeth and stopped herself from telling Oliver to go to hell. She had already told him to let this go. She was not going to put up with his arrogance when so much was at stake. “Hey,” she snapped. “You’re not in charge, and you don’t get to order me and my team around. I already told you that I have my reasons for not saying more.”Oliver stepped toward her, approaching her in a fashion that she could tell was intended to be menacing. “That’s not okay,” he said. “We’re at war here. People could die if you keep secrets.”“And people could die if I don’t.” Sara looked him straight in the eye. “Now if you want to keep testing me, why don’t we find an empty room and I’ll teach you to respect the decisions I make about my team?” For emphasis, she drew out her bo sticks and twirled them in her hands.Oliver snarled and slammed a computer console in frustration. “Goddammit, Sara! What the hell are you hiding?”She started to respond – to tell him to go to hell because she didn’t answer to him – but stopped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned and saw that Martin had stepped beside her. They shared a look and he gave her a curt nod.It’s his future, she told herself, feeling nauseated at what he was about to do. But as someone talking about being respected, she owed him the same respect. It should be his decision.“You don’t have to,” she whispered, quietly enough so that only he could hear.He shrugged. “It’s more important that we are united to stave off this threat. My . . . discomfort is trivial by comparison.” She stepped back as Martin took a deep breath. His eyes fixed on Oliver’s. “Captain Lance was not hiding anything,” Martin said. “She was acting consistent with our raison d’être – to ensure the integrity of the timeline.”“And how was she doing that?” Oliver growled.Sara wanted to tell him to shut up, that it was none of his business, but Martin spoke first.“By revealing nothing but the barest details of what will happen tomorrow.” Martin’s voice trembled slightly, but he kept his eyes locked on Oliver’s. “So that . . . so that you and the others would not learn about my death.”Someone – or maybe more than one person – gasped. Then silence. Sara thought the air had been sucked out of the room. Nobody spoke. Even Oliver seemed to have no response. He gaped at Martin then looked away. It was as close to embarrassed as Sara had ever seen Oliver.He should be embarrassed, she thought.“Wait. . . .” Felicity seemed to recover first. She shook her head. “Hold on a sec. You know from the future--”“That I will die tomorrow? Yes, I . . . I’ve known for some time.” Martin said it in such a matter-of-fact way that Sara suspected only she and Jax could detect his frustration at being forced to tell the entire group. Martin confirmed that, adding mildly, “It . . . it was not my intention for this to become common knowledge. The effects of seeking to change my fate . . . well, let us just say that they would be . . . catastrophic.”Sara waited for someone else to speak, but nobody did. Instead, she watched Martin. He looked uncomfortable with everyone staring at him in silence.“If . . . if you’ll excuse me,” Martin muttered. “I have to . . . I’m going to see if there’s any word on my daughter.” He quickly exited the way he had come in, returning to the smaller labs.A few seconds later, Mick followed him.As for the rest of them, nobody spoke. Jax stood stone-faced, his arms crossed. From their exchange earlier, she knew he was already angry about something, but she could tell he was even more furious now. Sara sighed and then caught Alex’s eye momentarily, but the other woman looked away. She too seemed embarrassed.Even Oliver was quiet, apparently having been knocked down a peg. He walked across the room to the video screen that showed the imprisoned archer. Finally, he broke the silence and said something about “getting answers.” Oliver turned and began to walk past her on the way out of the lab, but stopped and put a hand on Sara’s arm. “You should come too.” From the tone of his voice, it was more a request than an order. She nodded and followed him out the door. So did Felicity and Kara.Once they were down the hall and on their way to the pipeline, Felicity asked, “Are we just going to pretend that didn’t happen? Ignore the 800-lb gorilla in the room?”“Don’t you think you and Oliver said enough,” Sara snapped. She did not know why she was annoyed. Oliver probably could help them figure out how to save Martin, but right now, she was angry that her decisions had been questioned and that Martin had been put on the spot like that.Oliver spun around and glared. “Don’t blame us. Look, we didn’t know about Stein. How could we--”“You could have trusted my decision.” Sara did not hide her anger. She stepped toward him until their faces were only inches apart. “Martin’s a member of my crew, and he’s going through hell right now. He didn’t want anyone to know, because he thinks the safest outcome for the rest of us is if he lets himself die. So right now, I couldn’t give two fucks about you being upset that we didn’t tell you.” Once again chastened, Oliver looked down and shuffled his feet. “Okay . . . you’re right,” he finally said. Then he looked back at her. “But I know you well enough to know that you aren’t going to just sit back and let him die. So tell me what’s your plan to save Stein?”“Save Stein from what?”Sara turned to see a confused-looking Barry and Iris. She had no idea how much they had heard. “Alex said you were going to the pipeline to interrogate the archer,” Barry explained.“We are,” Oliver said. “We should get going.”Barry’s eyes narrowed. “In a minute. But first, why don’t you tell me what you meant about saving the Professor?”At this point, Sara knew there was no point keeping anything secret from Barry. Enough people knew that he was going to find out. With a sigh, she said, “There’s something you should know,” and then she began to explain.
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“I understand you can’t just give out information to anyone, but I’m her father,” Martin said, his tone growing increasingly sharper as his frustration grew. “Lily Stein, yes. . . . What do you mean you have no information? She was taken there -- Hello? Hello?”Unable to control himself, Martin slammed the phone against the console. Its screen shattered, but he barely noticed. It was not as if he would need the phone much longer.“Damn!”Mick’s voice came from behind him. “Somethin’ eatin’ at you, Professor?”Angry and frustrated, Martin spun toward Mick. “The damn hospital can’t find Clarissa, who evidently turned off her phone, and they won’t tell me anything about Lily’s condition.”Mick stepped back. He seemed surprised by Martin’s anger. “Whoa!” he said, raising his hands defensively.Martin forced himself to take a deep breath. “I’m sorry. None of this is your fault.” He hated that he felt so out of control. He was too discomfited by everything that was happening. “You don’t have to apologize,” Mick said. “I get it. Having all those do-gooders know you’re gonna croak. Damned if I’d want that.” Croak? Martin repeated silently. Drily, he noted, “Your turn of phrase, as always, Mr. Rory, is almost . . . poetic.” Still, Mick was right that Martin was uncomfortable with what had happened with Oliver Queen and the others. It had not been his desire to reveal his future to everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs, but circumstances had demanded it. They could not afford a rift between Sara and Oliver at this time.Mick leaned back against a console. “Sucks there’s no beer around this place.”Martin shook his head. Trust Mr. Rory to focus on the important things. “I suspect we won’t have the enemy tracked in the next 30 minutes so there is probably sufficient time for what my university classmates would have termed a ‘beer run.’”“Nah,” Mick said, muttering something Martin could not fully hear. He thought he caught the phrase “stick around,” but that was it. “Very well,” Martin said as he turned to the console. He had designed the program to detect breaches from Earth 2, so he might as well use this time to see if the software would pick up similar signatures of the Earth X invaders. A few minutes after he began programming, he felt Mick looking over his shoulder. Martin glanced up and was about to ask Mick to step back, but the other man spoke first. “Smart,” Mick said. “Transdimensional energy detector. If the Nazis used a portal from their Earth, some of that’s gotta have come through.”Martin nodded. “Right. We just need to--” He stopped abruptly and looked at Mick. “How?”“How’d I know about exotic matter?” Mick asked. “Chronos didn’t just hunt down time pirates; sometimes, the targets were cross-dimensional invaders. Scanning for transdimensional energy was the easiest way to track them.”“Of . . . of course.” Martin always felt awkward when reminded about Mick’s time as the Time Master’s bounty hunter. That had not been one of the Legends’ finest hours. Saying nothing further, Martin went back to programming the software. Mick took a seat at another console.Even as Martin tried to work, he was conscious of Mick watching him. After a few minutes of feeling like a goldfish in a fishbowl, Martin turned. “I’m certain there must be more interesting things to do than watching me typing on a keyboard.”Mick shrugged. “Nah. Just a bunch of other eggheads running around. I’m fine right here.” He pulled out his heat gun and began inspecting it.At least, he’s no longer watching me, Martin thought as he returned to his work. But his mind was still unfocused. He kept thinking of Lily. Was she really okay? Now he didn’t even have a phone to use to reach Clarissa. That had been stupid. Losing control of himself like that.And he was realizing that it was not just his own anger fueling his emotions. He was being assaulted by angry thoughts through the psychic link. Jefferson must still be furious about making that promise.“You know . . . when Len died. . . .”At Mick’s words, Martin turned around. This was curious. Mick rarely seemed to say much, and Martin was probably the last person he would talk to about Snart.Seeing Martin’s interest, Mick shook his head. “Forget it.”“No. Please, go ahead,” Martin said quickly. “What were you going to say? When Mr. Snart died, you what?”“I was pissed at him.” Mick looked down. “The damn fool. If he hadn’t been dead, I would’ve killed him myself. As much as he denied it, he wanted to go out a hero.”“He was a hero,” Martin said. “Whether you like the title or not, he deserved it. Even you have to admit that he sacrificed himself to save the rest of us.”Mick gave Martin a pointed stare. “That why you’re doing this? Better to die a hero than live like some average joe?” “No, of course not.” Martin’s voice rose sharply and he forced himself to take a few deep breaths before continuing. “What I’m doing is letting the timeline occur as it is intended to. That . . . that I even know about my death is due to Jefferson’s attempts to change the timeline. I never should have known.”Mick stood up. “But you know now, and that’s what matters. Do you think Len would’ve done nothing to change things if he’d known? No way. He’d have come up with a plan.”Martin was beginning to get annoyed. “And what would he have done if he found out his plan would have killed you . . . and Sara and the rest of us? Do you . . . do you think he’d still have followed his plan?”“No, goddamn it. He’d have come up with a different plan. And another one if that one didn’t work.” Mick was glaring now. “He wouldn’t have left his partner behind unless he had no other choice. He knew what his dying would do to--” Mick broke off suddenly.“‘To you,’ right? That’s what you were going to say?” Martin knew where this was going. “And now you’re going to tell me that it’s wrong to put Jefferson through this?”Mick nodded. “I know the kid. It’s gonna eat away at him. He’s gonna blame himself. For the rest of his life probably. You know that’s why he told you what would happen.”“That may be true, but . . . but what am I supposed to do about it?” Martin’s anger was rising again. He stood up and began to pace. “Damn it. Do you actually believe I – I want to leave Jefferson with guilt . . . and anger? Of course not. But the only . . . alternative I know of will leave him dead. Do you think he would be better off then? So tell me, Mr. Rory, what am I supposed to do?”“Stay here,” Mick said. “Sit this one out, Professor.”Martin stopped pacing and gaped at the other man. “Stay here? Just go home and pretend nothing’s happening? That’s your solution? You -- you can’t be serious.”“Oh, I’m deadly serious,” Mick replied. “You should stay here. You and Jax both.”
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Jax stormed into the small lab where Cisco was lying and slammed his palm down on a console. He did not need to ask Caitlin; he could tell there was no change in Cisco’s condition.Damn!And his anger wasn’t just about Cisco’s condition. He was still angry at Grey for tricking him. But he also was angry for Grey. What the hell kind of ass was Oliver Queen? It should have been Grey’s decision about who and what he wanted to tell. Jax knew Grey well enough to know that he had told everyone what was going to happen to prevent an outright war between Oliver and Sara. But Oliver had no right to push Sara to talk. She was the Legends’ captain. She gave orders; she didn’t take them.“Jax, are you okay?”He turned around to see that Caitlin had just entered the lab. He immediately took a few deep breaths and forced himself under control. “I’m fine,” he finally muttered.“You don’t need to pretend around me,” Caitlin said. “This whole situation has got to be hard for you.”Jax shrugged. “It could be worse. I could be the one dying tomorrow.”Something in Caitlin’s eyes flashed and Jax immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know how to deal with this. . . . I just . . . just feel so damn--”“Helpless?”Jax nodded. “Ever since I became Firestorm, when something’s wrong, I’ve always been able to do something to fix it. Maybe it doesn’t work all the time, but I’m still doing something. This. . . .”Caitlin finished the thought. “You just feel like you’re stuck. That you have to go along with something you know is wrong, because someone else think it’s right.”“Yeah,” Jax said, looking down at the floor. “You know, I just can’t even imagine what it would be like without Grey. . . . I mean, he’s been in my head for the last three years. Even when I just thought he was retiring, it was hard to imagine not always knowing what he was feeling. But at least I knew I’d be able to talk to him using the communicator and could see him when we came home. . . .”“Nothing’s set in stone.” Caitlin walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “We can still change things.”“I wish that were true.” Jax sighed. “But without Cisco, we can’t test what might happen, and Grey’s not gonna risk more people dying.” He looked at her. “You know how he gets.”Caitlin turned away, obviously frustrated. “We could have done something. Why did we waste our time yesterday?” she asked, nearly shouting. “We should’ve told everyone and tried to find a new plan.” Yesterday? Jax wondered. “What do you mean?”“After Professor Stein made us promise not to tell anyone about the new vibe, Cisco and I went back a few times. We thought if we could get all the details of what happens in the original timeline, we could find a solution.”“Did you?” Jax asked.She shook her head. “No. We mapped out the room pretty thoroughly. You know . . . who was where, how you and the Professor got to the back, things like that, but we couldn’t come up with any new ideas, at least, not ones that the Professor would consider.”Jax got an idea. “Where’s the map? It’s gotta be here, right?”With a rueful look, Caitlin shook her head. “Cisco erased it all when Barry came to get us to go to the rehearsal dinner.” She sounded frustrated. “Why would he do that?”That didn’t make much sense to Jax. Cisco was a scientist; he wouldn’t just dump that type of information. Jax tried to think it through. Caitlin had said it was when Barry came to S.T.A.R. Labs. Was Cisco worried that Barry would raise questions? Or. . . .“Unless. . . .” Caitlin looked at Jax and he could tell she had a similar thought.“Where’s Barry?” Jax asked. They needed to find him right away.
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Martin continued to stare at Mick. Just stay home and let the others fight this war. That’s his solution.“What?” Mick asked. “You don’t want to be a coward? A live coward’s always better than a dead hero.”Shaking his head, Martin finally found a response. “This has nothing to do with cowardice, Mr. Rory. This is about . . . doing what’s right and what’s necessary. Do you – do you think Jefferson and I could live with ourselves if we stayed home and you . . . or Sara never came back?”“We’re not the same,” Mick protested. “We’re not your partners.”Perhaps not, but that did not matter. Even for Mick. “Is . . . is that what you thought when you took Dr. Palmer’s place at the Oculus? Do you think th – that’s what Leonard Snart would have chosen? To st--stay on the Waverider that day and let the rest of us fight the Time Masters? We are, for better or for worse, a team . . . and I . . . I do not believe any of us would abandon that team.”That seemed to silence Mick. Nevertheless, Martin felt he had to explain a bit more.“The Time Masters were an evil that had to be stopped,” Martin said. “That’s why Mr. Snart and the rest of us fought that day, regardless of what mi-might happen to us. I . . . I think it’s fair to say that Nazis invading our Earth is a . . . similar evil.”Mick said nothing, but Martin felt like he was being studied. Mick’s eyes narrowed. “This is personal for you.”“You don’t grow up Jewish right after the Holocaust without it being personal,” Martin said, succinctly. He could have said more, but he left it at that.Mick did not press. He just nodded. He understood.Martin turned back to the computer then put his palms down on the console and took a few more deep breaths. He thought about Clarissa and Lily. They, like everyone else in Central City, were still in danger. And he still did not have confirmation about Lily’s condition. With regret, Martin looked at the shattered pieces of his phone.“I . . . I guess I’ll have to go in search of working phone to call the hospital,” he said. “Maybe this time, I’ll find someone who is a little less strict about HIPAA.”“I’ve got a better idea,” Mick replied. He had turned to the doorway and shouted, “Hey!” Martin followed Mick’s gaze and realized that he was flagging down Iris’ brother. “Yeah, you,” Mick said to Wally. “Come here.”Wally approached the lab warily. “What’s going on?”“You’re a. . . .” As Mick was wont to do, he searched for the word. “Run – no, that’s not it. Spree – no.”Martin figured he could help. “I think the word you’re looking for, Mr. Rory, is ‘speedster.”“Right,” Mick said. Turning back to Wally, he said, “I’ve got a job for you. Actually, two jobs.”“Assuming, Mr. West is not currently occupied,” Martin added.Wally shook his head. “Nope. I’ve been benched,” he said, sounding disappointed. Martin tried to hide a slight smile at Wally’s tone. Joe West had probably decided to keep the boy out of the fight. That made sense. Wally was young, seemingly younger even than Jefferson, and there was an eagerness in the young that could be dangerous. Martin’s experiences with Firestorm certainly bore that out. For a moment, he wondered when and how that dissipated over time. Did age bring caution? Or was eagerness countered by knowledge and wisdom? Then, of course, Martin admittedly had done plenty to disprove either hypothesis. He could be as reckless as Jefferson at times. He let the thought go as he heard Mick begin giving Wally instructions.“Well good,” Mick said. “So here’s what you need to do. First, you’re gonna check on the Professor’s fake kid--”Martin cut him off. “It’s Lily.” To Wally, he explained, “My daughter, Lily Stein. She’s at Central City Memorial.”Wally looked at Martin like he was kidding. “You seriously think I don’t know Lily? She’s here like every other day. You’d think she works here with the way she and Cisco argue.” That was news to Martin, thought perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Living on the Waverider, he had not exactly had a front-row seat to his daughter’s life since she had been added to the timeline. He also remembered that it was Caitlin who had called Lily to help against the Dominators. That meant his daughter had some relationship with Team Flash.Meanwhile, Wally looked back at Mick. “Check Lily, okay. And job number two?”“Pick up some beer.”Mr. Rory and his one-track mind, Martin thought, then asked, “Mr. West, are you even old enough to purchase alcohol?”“Don’t matter. Nobody’s gonna card him.” Mick pulled out a $20 bill. “He runs in, grabs a case, leaves this at the register, and runs out.” He handed the money to Wally and motioned for him to leave. Wally disappeared in a flash of lightning, leaving the two Legends behind.“He won’t be long,” Mick said.One of the advantages of knowing speedsters. “No, he won’t,” Martin replied. “I would normally ask you again to refrain from calling Lily ‘fake,’ but . . . but I appreciate you thinking of her. Caitlin made it sound like she’ll be fine, but I . . . I would prefer to have some confirmation of her prognosis.”“Just thinking of the team,” Mick grunted. “Since you won’t stay here, we can’t have you obsessing over her. We need your head in the game against the Nazis.” He paused. “Though . . . that wasn’t a problem earlier. Gotta hand it to you – I mean, you and the kid . . . What you did to those guys . . . that was damn good work.”“What we did?” Martin asked, confused. “I’m not sure what you mean.”Mick looked skeptical. “Barbecued Nazis,” he said. “Never seen anything like that. Some of those dudes were just ash.”Martin tried to push away the images of the burning soldiers, but he could not forget the sight of Firestorm’s blasts engulfing the Nazis. Nor could he forget his searing hatred for them.“So tell me, Professor, was that you or the kid doing the shooting?”Yet again, Mick provided a reminder that he was a lot more perceptive than he appeared. Martin just stared at him. “Not gonna answer,” Mick said. “Suit yourself. It was still awesome.”Awesome? It was not awesome. He had lost control, enraged by Nazis – Nazis – attacking his friends and hurting his daughter. His anger had caused Firestorm to kill those men, something that Jefferson would now have to live with. That was hardly awesome.Yet, at the same time, he struggled with the idea that he should feel guilty. They were fighting evil, weren’t they? Distant memories tugged at him. He could almost hear his father’s lecture from more than a half-century earlier.
“This is evil! That’s what it looks like, Martin. Not a demon or devil. Ordinary men did that. Don’t you dare look away. Look and never forget.”
Martin shunted the memory aside and started to speak, but a yellow blur swept into the room and stopped, leaving Wally West standing proudly before Mick. He set down a case of beer before turning to Martin.“Lily’s fine,” Wally said. “Just a little doped up at the moment.” Martin felt a wave of relief sweep over him. She’s going to be fine. She’ll be okay – even if she hates you for not saying goodbye.“Oh, I also have this,” Wally said. He removed a backpack and handed it to Martin. “Your wife sent me to pick up some clothes for the two of you and Jax. Oh, she also told me to tell you, ‘Don’t forget.’” Before Martin could thank him for the report, Wally sped away.“Don’t forget?” Mick raised an eyebrow with his question.Martin ignored his teammate, thinking instead of his last conversation with Clarissa.
“Tell me you won’t forget.”
As if he ever could.
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Sara walked slowly through the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs. She had been thrown when the Nazi archer revealed himself to be Tommy Merlyn. The Tommy of her Earth was dead. Seeing his Nazi doppleganger just added another bizarre layer to this entire nightmare.She knew she needed to get her head straight. It was such a jumble right now. The Nazis and her spat with Oliver had distracted her from what she should be focused on – saving Martin. It was just she had virtually no clue what to do. When Oliver asked her for her plan, she had explained their first idea and how it would end with even more deaths. He had nothing to add, so they had split up without accomplishing a thing.From what Jax had said, Martin was determined to separate. She could see how torn Jax was. On the one hand, he wanted to do everything he could to save Martin; on the other, from what she could tell, Jax believed what Martin had said – more people would die if they tried to save him.Which meant Sara needed to get more information from Martin about what he had seen in the alternate future. She did not relish the thought of making him relive that vision, but it was necessary. Just ahead was an elevator that would take her to the level where she thought Martin had retreated. She was just about to punch the button when the elevator bell chimed and the doors opened to reveal Alex.“Hey,” Sara said. Alex’s head had been down as she exited, so she looked up, slightly surprised. “Hey.”That gave Sara no sense of Alex’s mood or thoughts, so she asked, “How are you?”“Um . . . well . . . punching Nazis. That was . . . definitely as satisfying as I’d always imagined it would be.” She heaved a loud sigh.“You okay?” Sara studied the other woman and could detect her discomfort even as she stammered a weak claim that she was okay. God, this is awkward, Sara thought, realizing they needed to overcome it. Alex was supposed to be in the battle on Earth X; they needed her to be focused.“I’m . . . uh . . . okay,” Alex repeated.Sara crossed her arms. “Look, we really should talk. This morning, with Agent Sharpe, I’m sorry that happened.”“Agent Sharpe?” Alex asked. “That’s a pretty odd way to refer to your girlfriend.”“What?” Now it was Sara’s turn to stammer. “You thought Sharpe . . . you thought . . . oh, no, not at all. Anything but. She’s been after my team for months . . . and a total pain in the ass – on a purely professional basis. We never--”“I get it,” Alex said, cutting her off. She quirked an eyebrow. “That was quite the denial.”Sara felt her face burning and could see that Alex was amused by the reaction she had provoked. Unused to being flustered, it took Sara a moment to recover. Finally, she managed to say, “There’s nothing between me and Sharpe. I’m just sorry that she created that . . . scene this morning. You deserved more than feeling like you had to run.”Now Alex’s face reddened. “I . . . uh. . . .”“Hey,” Sara said, realizing that she may have been coming on too strong. She also realized that she had missed the elevator, as the doors closed. “I didn’t mean to suggest--”“Oh no, I wasn’t suggesting--” Alex interjected.Sara quickly finished her thought. “I mean I had a good time last night and that was what I think we both needed.”Alex leaned against the wall and nodded. “I guess you weren’t just drinking because you like the taste of scotch.” She took Sara’s silence as agreement. “I realize I’m kind of new to this whole multiple Earth stuff and wasn’t here when you fought those aliens, but Kara told me about what Firestorm did. . . . This whole situation has to be hard for you.”“It is,” Sara said.Alex looked at Sara carefully. “I know if it were a member of my team, I’d be trying everything possible to change his fate. I assume that was part of the reason your team tried to see the future.”“Yeah.” Sara was surprised that she did not hesitate to answer. “When Jax and Cisco saw what happened, we came up with a plan to change the future. Only Martin realized that the plan would be even more disastrous, so he’s even more committed to sticking to the original timeline.”Alex’s eyes narrowed. “By ‘more disastrous,’ you mean more of your team will die?”“My team -- me and Jax. But Barry and Oliver too.” Sara hesitated, debating whether to tell Alex that she was also on Earth X. Sara could not recall Jax saying if anything happening to Alex, so she decided against mentioning it.Alex fell silent as she realized what Sara was saying. Neither spoke for a few minutes until Sara broke the silence.“It’s funny that I can tell you this,” Sara said. She realized how much she trusted Alex, despite barely knowing the woman. “I want to order Martin to go home and stay there, but that would be pointless. He wouldn’t listen.”“Aren’t you the Captain?” Alex asked.Sara laughed. “That only goes so far with the Legends. Besides Martin’s as stubborn as they come.”With a rueful shake of her head, Alex said, “So you have an old man with a death wish.”“No! You’re wrong.” Sara realized how harsh that sounded, so she took a breath before explaining. “To you, it may seem like that, but the last thing Martin wants is to die. He’d give almost anything to live and be with his family; he just won’t let anyone else die in his place.”She hoped Alex could understand the difference. Sara certainly did, and it was one of the problems she was having. She couldn’t blame Martin for that choice. She would almost certainly make the same one if she were in his shoes. The problem was that Martin was not open to other options – options that might save him without killing anyone else.Alex nodded slowly. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s not the same thing. I . . . I don’t know what I’d do if he was on my team. There doesn’t seem to be an easy answer.”“I know,” Sara said. “I just wish I had some options. I can’t even think of one, other than the one that will get us all killed.”Alex reached out and put a hand on Sara’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll find a way. If you want to bounce any ideas of someone, I’m here.”“That won’t be weird?” Sara asked. “I mean you and me?” The offer took her by surprise given Alex’s reactions earlier in the day.“No, it’ll be okay.” Alex gave Sara a small smile. “On my Earth, I’m supposedly good with tactics, so if I can help you save Martin, don’t hesitate to ask.”Sara smiled back. “Thanks.”“Besides--” Alex started to add, but the elevator chimed, causing Sara and Alex both to jump. The doors opened and Jax and Caitlin rushed forward.“Oh, man, are we glad to see you,” Jax said. “We need to find Barry. Do you know where he is?”
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Martin finished programming the satellite and returned to the main lab to find Dr. Wells . He found the scientist with Felicity. A minute after Martin entered, Mick followed. He walked over to a corner of the room, set down the case of beer, and opened a new bottle.“The new software is uploaded,” Martin said.“Good,” Felicity replied. “I’ll re-task them to scan Central City.” She gave Martin a furtive glance before she began inputting commands to the satellite controls.Martin glanced around the room, wondering where everyone was. The lab had been full when he left. “So what did we miss?” Mick asked in typical straightforward fashion.Wells stopped whatever he was examining and said, “Well . . . we found out our prisoner is a doppleganger of Oliver’s former best friend, but we don’t have to worry about any fractured loyalties. He committed suicide by cyanide pill.”Martin did a doubletake. “What?”“You heard me,” Wells said. “These Nazis are playing for keeps and they’re committed to the cause.”Martin felt his stomach churn. A distant memory – his father lecturing him – flashed in his mind. It was replaced by a more recent one – his daughter stumbling and falling as she was shot.Grimly, he said, “I never doubted that.”He caught Felicity give him another quick glance, then look away as his eyes fixed on hers. Meanwhile, Wells continued his update. “So, anyway, Barry, Oliver, and Kara took off to investigate something.”“Which means Barry’s not here when we need him.” Jefferson sounded angry as he entered the lab with Caitlin, Sara, and Alex.“What do we need Red for?” Mick asked.Sara answered. “Just something we wanted to check with him.” From the way she and Jefferson both refused to look at him, Martin developed a good sense that their reason for seeking out Barry had to do with another attempt to change the future.“You just won’t let it go,” Martin muttered to Sara.Jefferson answered for her. “Nope, Grey, we won’t.” His voice had a hard edge to it and Martin knew his partner was still angry at being deceived. With a sigh, Martin turned away. There was no point getting into an argument now.Something on a console pinged and Felicity announced it was Oliver. Wells crossed over to her console and they exchanged words over the communicator. Martin only caught bits and pieces of the exchange, so he had no idea what they were discussing until Wells shook his head and asked, “What on Earth do they need a sub-light generator for? It’s basically a spectral emitter that uses quantum entanglement.” “They also could use it to create a stable fusion reactor,” Caitlin said.“Okay, which all means what?” That came from Iris who Martin had not noticed entering. “No, guys, really, I would like to know what you’re talking about.”Silently, Martin thought Iris really did not want to know, but Wells filled her in.“Basically, the device they stole can be converted into a neutron bomb.”“I take it back,” Iris said quietly.Martin agreed, adding, “I think we all would agree with you.”Iris turned toward him, and she appeared to have just realized he was in the room. Her expression changed from fear to sorrow and her bottom lip trembled. “Professor. . . .”It was precisely what Martin did not want, why he had kept his secret for so many years. “Please, Ms. West, I’m not dead yet.” He knew he sounded like a cantankerous old man, but he no longer cared. “I would . . . appreciate that you not spend the next 24 hours acting like I need to be pitied or coddled.” Turning to the others, he said, “That . . . that goes for everyone else. You may now know my . . . future, but I . . . I expect to be treated as if this were any other mission.”Jefferson interceded. “Grey, Iris just--”Martin cut him off. “I understand Ms. West’s intent,” he said. Then, forcing himself to lower his voice, he looked at Iris and said, “I . . . I understand and appreciate that you’re concerned. . . . However, this is not the time to dwell on sympathy and pity. What matters is that we find the Earth X invaders and defeat them.”“Okay,” Sara said. “So how do we do that?”As that moment, Barry entered the lab. He held up an arrow with a translucent green tip and some dark liquid – blood. He looked around the room and said, “This might help.”
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Alex took the arrow from Barry and headed to some lab equipment. Meanwhile, Barry dropped a bombshell.“The Thawne from our Earth is working with them.”“Woah,” Sara said. “Just wait a minute. Thawne’s dead.” She had watched him be destroyed by the Black Flash.“At least twice,” Martin pointed out, a reminder that he had witnessed the first time Thawne had supposedly died. “Though I will admit that I was only barely conscious the second time.”Barry shrugged. “I’m telling you, we saw Thawne, and he’s the one from this Earth.”That’s just great, Sara thought. Eobard Thawne had made the Legends’ lives hell the previous year when he teamed up with Damien Darkh and Malcolm Merlyn.“So we don’t actually have an Earth X Flash?” Martin asked. When Barry nodded, Martin added, “Intriguing. Curious that Barry has no doppleganger.”“Who knows,” Sara said. “Why don’t you have a doppleganger? Why haven’t we seen Earth X Firestorm?” She stopped short when she saw Martin’s look. “What?”“I would think the answer to that question is readily apparent.”Sara immediately understood. She felt like an idiot.Jax, on the other hand, did not. He shook his head. “Not to me, it isn’t?”Sara could see Martin stare incredulously at Jax, and hoped he remembered how young his partner was. Martin sighed and was about to respond when Wells stepped in.“Didn’t they teach you anything in history class?” Wells sniped. “There’s no Firestorm because there’s no Professor Stein. If he was ever born, he’d probably be long dead by now and, even if he somehow managed to reach adulthood, the Nazis would never have let him go to college, let alone develop the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. matrix.” Wells paused and gave Jax another look. “There probably isn’t a you either. It wasn’t just Jews the Nazis thought inferior. They also--”“Enough,” Sara said, making no attempt to hide her annoyance, particularly when she saw how embarrassed Jax looked. “We get it, Dr. Wells. Thank you for the history lesson. Now let’s get back to figuring out how to find our enemies.”Felicity mentioned the arrow having Earth X’s Kara’s blood and Wells suggested tracking it using quantum analysis, whatever that was. Sara decided to stay quiet and let the science nerds figure it out. “Hey, guys,” Alex called out from the lab next door. “I think I may have a quicker way.”Sara followed the crowd that gathered around Alex, who was explaining that the blood cells on the arrow had massive amounts of solar radiation. Barry asked Felicity if she could track the radiation and she replied that she could.Turning to Martin, Sara asked in a low voice, “Can they do that?”“It should be possible, provided the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite is properly aligned.” He pursed his lips. “It might take a little while.”She looked at him, wondering what was going through his head. He had to be a mess, and the day’s events had only added to the burden was carrying. “I’m sorry you had to--”“Don’t apologize,” Martin said. “What’s done is done.”Sara thought about how he had turned down her offer to stay with his family. “You could reconsider, you know. I said it before, but nobody would blame you--”Martin shook his head. “I appreciate that, Captain, but Jefferson and I need to open that breach. If we’re not there, the outcome could be much worse.”She knew better than to argue. With a resigned sigh, she asked, “Was what you saw, I mean, in Cisco’s vibe, was it really that bad?”Martin nodded. He started to speak, but stopped, as if he barely wanted to tell her. Finally, he said, “Seeing Je-- Jefferson die. . . . It was too much of a shock. I lost control and you . . . you wouldn’t leave me there.”Sara tried to imagine it. She remembered when they were in Russia; the woman who tried to become Firestorm had blown up the prison. But that didn’t have to happen, Sara thought. They could find a different way for Jax and Martin to open the breach without anyone dying.“Martin--”He shook his head as if he knew what she was going to say. “Please . . . just let it go.” Before he could say anything, he started for the door, but he only managed a few steps before Mick caught up to him.“Come on, Professor,” Mick said, putting an arm around Martin’s shoulder. Sara almost laughed at the shocked expression on Martin’s face, but then Mick glanced at her with a knowing look. “Let’s see what kind of food we can scrounge up. Don’t know about you, but I could really go for a hot dog.”
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Mick was searching the Star Labs refrigerator. “We’ve got the hot dogs, peanut butter – no jelly – and something brown, beans or some kind of vegetables maybe. Too bad the speedo is gone; could’ve had him do a grocery run.”“I think you mean ‘speedster,’” Martin said. “I am certain young Mr. West has more important things to do than run errands.” Besides, only Mick would be thinking of food at a time like this. “So what do you want?”“I’ll pass,” Martin replied. “I don’t think I could eat right now, even if the options weren’t so dire.” As Mick pulled out the dish that was neither peanut butter or hot dogs, Martin added, “I’d leave that. That may be a culture.”“‘Culture?’ Like a painting or a play?” “No. A culture as in bacterial or cellular growth. A biological experiment.”Martin doubted Mick could have dropped the plate any faster than he did. “Hot dogs then.”Neither of them spoke as Mick puttered around the kitchen. Martin probably was wasting time that could be put to some better use, but he could not think of what that was right now. Returning to the main lab would mean more stares, more pitying looks.“You were pretty harsh on Red’s girl,” Mick said, as if he could read Martin’s mind.Mick was right. That had been positively boorish on Martin’s part. Iris had just wanted to provide support to a friend. It just wasn’t the time and place, not in front of their entire group. Still, he probably should apologize. “Yes. I . . . that was a bit inappropriate.”“Hey, you don’t gotta apologize to me,” Mick said. “I get it. If I were you, I’d hate dealing with all that touchy-feely crap.”Martin had to laugh. A simplistic assessment, but nonetheless apt.“You know.” Mick stopped fussing with his food and looked straight at Martin. “We’re not that different, the two of us. When push comes to shove, we just do what we’ve got to do to get the job done – and neither of us gives a damn about being called a hero.”“That’s quite the pragmatic assessment, Mr. Rory.” Martin thought for a moment. Were they really that similar? In some ways, he guessed. He did approach problems with reason and logic. Mick also was right that, for the most part, he was unconcerned about garnering praise for what he and Jefferson did as Firestorm. On the other hand, Martin could hardly deny that he sometimes let his ego get out of hand. Until the Particle Accelerator accident, he placed far too much stock in professional accolades, not that he would count those as heroic. That lost year had forced him to reconsider his priorities, but even after that, he had let his ego and narcissism drag Jefferson onto the Waverider against his will. That ego was a clear difference between him and Mick, who barely cared what other people thought of him. Not to mention that Martin had never resorted to outright theft.And yet, just as he had changed over their time as Legends, he could hardly say that Mick was the same man that boarded the Waverider three years earlier. He might still project a hostile and gruff exterior, but he was hardly the self-centered thug that Martin had labeled Mick. After three years together, Martin did not believe Mick would turn on the Legends as he had in the past.“I . . . I must confess that . . . at times, I’ve judged you quite harshly,” Martin admitted. “Perhaps in error. I’ve questioned your . . . loyalty to the team and, to be honest, failed to treat you as an equal. For that, I . . . I owe you an apology.”Mick did not respond immediately, before he said, “You had your reasons. Can’t say they were all wrong.” “Still, I . . . I would have you know that I do not doubt you will, um, have my back in the battle to come.” Martin chuckled. “Even if it is under the Captain’s orders.”Mick grimaced and looked down at the food he was preparing. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”There was no need to push the issue, even though Mick’s inability to meet Martin’s gaze confirmed that Sara was behind Mick’s sudden decision to shadow Martin. “Very well,” Martin’s said. “But . . . I . . . I would like to ask something of you. I’m worried . . . about Jefferson. He’s planning something --”“Heroic?”“Unwise or short-sighted was actually what I was thinking.”Mick looked up. “So you want me to watch out for the kid doing something stupid that might get himself killed?”“Precisely.” “You know he’s gonna be pissed at you,” Mick said. “He’s your partner, and you want to stop him from saving you. That really how you want to end things?”Martin turned to look Mick directly in the eye. “He’ll be alive. That’s all that matters.”Mick grimaced again and looked down. “Maybe I pegged you wrong. You do want to die a hero.”“No.” This had nothing to do with labels. Martin was just being pragmatic. Jefferson had his entire life ahead of him. Martin had lived his. “Perhaps . . . one day, you’ll have a wife or a child, and then you’ll understand. There’s nothing heroic about putting their lives ahead of yours. It’s . . . it’s just how it is.”Shaking his head, Mick turned away. He began to root through the cabinets for something, but stopped and looked back at Martin.“He'll still hate you.”
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Jax leaned against the door to the small lab where Alex, Barry, Felicity, and Wells were testing ways to track the solar radiation they had detected in the Earth X Kara’s blood, but Jax was barely listening. Instead, he kept thinking about what Wells had said earlier.It wasn’t like Jax knew nothing about World War II or the Nazis. He had studied the war in school, and the Legends had fought Nazis several times, but Jax had never really thought about what defeating them had actually meant. He had never really considered how things would have changed if the Nazis had won World War II. How different would his life have been if that had happened? Would Jax even have had a life?Jax was no stranger to racism. As a black man in America, he had experienced racism as part of his everyday life. Then he had joined the Legends, whose visits to other time periods had shown him how little had changed, though there certainly were times when things were even worse. The Mississippi plantation in 1863 still gave him nightmares – and they had nothing to do with zombies.Yet even when the Legends had fought Nazis, Jax had never really thought about how that a similar type of hate might have been directed at his partner. Grey was a straight, white man – what Jax always thought of when he heard people mention “privilege.” That made it easy to forget that Grey was a member of a group that had faced similar evils in its history.Jax wondered what Grey was thinking right now. Hearing Wells so casually describe how the Nazis had probably murdered his Earth X counterpart had to hit close to home.Or maybe Jax already knew the answer. His mind echoed with the thoughts he had heard over and over while fighting the Nazis. It had been Grey’s mind insisting the Nazis should die. In all of the years they had shared thoughts and emotions, Jax had never felt anything like that from his partner. Sure, some of Grey’s rage was probably due to what happened to Lily, but Jax remembered feeling that fury even before Lily was shot. “Hey.”Jax started. Torn from his musings, he saw that Barry had walked over. “There’s nothing I can really do with the search,” Barry explained with a shrug. “How are you holding up? Sara told us about the Professor. I wish there was something I could do.”“Oh, there is.” Jax looked across the room. Caitlin was leaning against a console watching Felicity and Wells run some scans. Jax motioned to her and told Barry, “Let’s go to the other room.” “I really should find Iris,” Barry said, hesitating. “She’s holding it together, but she’s furious we didn’t tell her about the possible attack.”“And Grey probably didn’t make it much better by nearly taking off her head,” Jax pointed out. “I don’t know if you were here for that--”“I caught the tail end of it.”“You know he didn’t mean it,” Caitlin said, coming within earshot. “The Professor’s just. . . .”Barry raised a hand to cut her off. “You don’t have to explain. I get it. . . . You know, Iris probably does too. She probably understands what the Professor’s going through more than anyone. It’s not that different than when she thought she’d be killed by Savitar”Jax sighed. Perhaps that was true, but he doubted Grey was looking for someone to talk to. “You may be right, but it’s not the right time. What’s more important right now is that you help us. I mean it.”“What do I need to do?” Barry replied.He motioned to the door and this time Barry nodded. Jax led them out of the lab into a smaller room so they could talk in private. Then he looked at Caitlin. She got right to the point. “Yesterday, when you came to the lab to get me and Cisco, do you remember what we were doing?”Barry looked confused. “Why would I remember that? You never told me anything.”“But do you remember anything?” Jax asked. He knew he sounded anxious, but they needed to know what Barry could tell them.Barry shrugged. “I don’t know. There was a white board. It had some kind of. . . . I don’t know what it was, but Cisco erased it.”“Right,” Caitlin said. “Do you remember it at all?”Barry started to shake his head, but stopped. “Actually, you know, I thought it was kinda weird that Cisco erased it.”“So you made yourself remember it, didn’t you?” Caitlin grinned at Jax as Barry gave a slight nod. “We were right.”“About what?” Barry asked.Jax was grinning too. “Cisco erased the board because he knew it would make you want to remember what was on it.”“Kind of reverse psychology,” Caitlin added.“Yeah,” Jax said. “He knew you’d be on Earth X, not him.”Barry still seemed confused. “So what was the board? What was it? Some kind of map, maybe.”“A diagram, actually,” said Caitlin. “It’s the Earth X warehouse where. . . .”Barry cut her off, suddenly understanding. “Where we’ll fight the Nazis and where the Professor. . . .” His voice trailed off and they all fell silent, before Barry spoke again. “Sara told us what you saw, but I don’t really believe it.” He looked at Jax. “You didn’t answer me before, but are you doing okay?”Jax shrugged. “About as good as expected. But I’ll be better once we figure out how to stop that future from happening. So we need to know if you can remember what was on that board.”“Yeah . . . I guess. I mean, I saw what was on it. I think . . . yeah, I could probably reproduce it, but I don’t know what it all means.”“You don’t have to know.” Jax motioned to Caitlin. “Because we do. Caitlin and I both did a vibe, so we can handle that part.” He found his heart rate increasing. This could be just the break they needed. With the map of the warehouse, they could devise a new plan.Barry nodded. “Okay. We just need a white board.”“Not right now,” came a voice from behind them. They turned to see Oliver. Felicity was next to him. “We got a line on the Earth Xers,” Felicity said. “They’re at a shipping depot outside of Danville.”Barry looked at them. “Okay. Are we leaving right now?” “You are,” Oliver said. “We need intel – fast. Everyone else will meet up in the main lab.” As Barry disappeared into a streak of lightning, Jax shook his head. Damn. That momentary surge of adrenalin slipped away, leaving him frustrated and uneasy. Caitlin was grimacing too, but she caught his eye and shrugged.Guess it will have to wait, Jax thought. With a sigh, he said, “Let me find Grey.”
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“Where we going?” Mick grunted between bites of his hot dog as he followed Martin and Sara to the main lab. Martin wanted to know the answer too. Sara had barged into the kitchen and had ordered them to “get moving” without any further explanation. So when Sara did not answer Mick, Martin piped up. “Captain?” “They tracked the other Kara’s blood to someplace by Danville. Oliver’s sending Barry to scope it out, but he wants everyone else in the main lab and ready to go.”As they approached the main lab, Jefferson rushed over. “Grey, there you are. Barry just got back.” He stopped and hesitantly raised then lowered his right hand.Sara and Mick had both stopped as well. Martin caught her look and knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth.“Don’t,” he said. He did not want to tell her again that he would not be left behind. Sara grimaced, but said nothing.Jefferson looked him in the eye. “I’m still pissed at you, you know.”Martin knew. That was clear from the emotions he was feeling through their link. Nodding, he said, “You have every right to be angry, Jefferson . . . but if it means you come home from Earth X alive, it . . . it will be a price I’ll gladly pay.” Through the link, he felt some of Jefferson’s anger dissipate. He seemed to study Martin before he asked, “You sure about this?” When he saw Martin’s glare, he sighed and raised his right hand again.Martin reached out. The familiar rush of sound and heat surrounded him. His body surged forward and disappeared as his mind took its place inside Jefferson’s head.They reached the main lab as Barry returned from his scouting mission. He quickly filled them in on the location – “wall-to-wall Nazis” – and Oliver sketched out a plan. Firestorm and Supergirl would take out the soldiers guarding the perimeter. The others would use the chaos to enter the warehouse and search for the sub-light generator. Firestorm would join them once he and Supergirl took out the outside guards.“Sounds simple enough,” Martin said as Firestorm took off. “Don’t get overconfident,” Jefferson cautioned. It almost made Martin laugh to hear the words he typically said coming from Jefferson. But, no, Martin was not overconfident. To the contrary, he had very real sense of where this fight might lead them. It was nearing midnight – almost November 28 – and at some point in the next 24 hours, they would be on Earth X.Ahead of them, Kara was carrying Mick and Alex. Sara was catching a ride with Barry. Martin told himself that they had plenty of firepower, but he silently questioned how they would take out the Earth X version of Kara and their own Eobard Thawne. Thawne alone had nearly beaten the Legends the year before.“You feeling uneasy about this, Grey?” If he were honest, he would say yes, but that was not what they needed right now. “Of course not. I . . . I have every confidence that we will prevail.” He tried to force some positive thoughts through their psychic link.“Good,” Jefferson said. “We’re nearly there.” He swooped up, then dove, picking up speed as he growled, “Let’s kick some Nazi ass.”As they dove, Martin could see that the enemy had erected barricades around the doors. That won’t stop us, he thought. A wall of flame engulfed the barricade and soldiers alike. Burning men twisted and screamed in agony under Firestorm’s onslaught.If it were anyone else, Martin might have felt pity. But he reminded himself who their enemy was.“Are you enjoying this?” Jefferson asked. From his tone and the emotions coming through the link, Martin detected a note of unease.“Should I feel shame for destroying them?” Martin replied. “They would kill us without a second thought. And not just us; our families too, just for the crime of being born.”Jefferson continued firing, aiming at the muzzle flashes that gave away their users. As he sailed over one group of dying men, he said, “I thought we’re supposed to be better than them.”“We can debate morality after we have eliminated this scourge,” Martin snapped, ignoring the confusion that he felt flowing back through their link. They had more important things to worry about. “Focus, Jefferson.” That seemed to do the trick. Whatever caused Jefferson’s brief hesitation disappeared and he resumed Firestorm’s attack. They flew toward the bright flashes of a heavy gun. Jefferson kept Firestorm moving – spinning, twisting, rising, and diving to avoid being a target. He swooped down, raining fire on a machine gun crew. The men screamed, but the guns went silent.Martin heard a “whoosh” as Kara sped by. “The others are already inside,” she called out.“Okay,” Jefferson replied. He hovered momentarily, allowing Martin to get a good look at the smoldering carnage below. Dead and dying soldiers littered the grown, most burned beyond recognition. “Damn. . . .” Jefferson’s words trailed off.Through the link, Martin felt Jefferson’s . . . what was that? Not fear so much. Awe perhaps? Some regret. Ever the pragmatist, Martin refused to indulge in such thoughts. They had done what they had to do – and there was more to do. “This isn’t over, Jefferson.”Martin thought he detected Jefferson nodding, but he was never able to tell for certain from his vantage inside their conjoined form. “I know,” Jefferson said. He took a deep breath and Martin felt their link fill with resolve, before Jefferson said, “Okay. Let’s take the rest of them out.” He took another deep breath and then sent Firestorm rocketing through the doors.
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Sara ducked under a soldier’s punch and swept his feet with her bo sticks. A few feet away, Alex fired at three advancing soldiers. Two fell as she said, “I see. . .” She stopped speaking long enough to slice the third soldier with a knife, ducking low enough that the Earth X Kara flew right over her. “. . . their Flash, their Supergirl.” For good measure, Alex took out a fourth soldier who tried to surprise her. He landed atop a table, bleeding profusely from another knife strike.Damn. Sara was impressed. The girl can fight. Whoops. She ducked an attacker and decided to stop playing the admiring bystander. She had to focus on her own targets. One down with a strike to the legs. Another fell as his femur snapped under the force of Sara’s blow.Oliver took down the last of the Nazis he was fighting. “Yeah, I see them,” he said as Barry and Thawne swept through the room, visible as little more than streaking lightning. The other Kara seemed to have disappeared.Which just leaves one missing, Sara thought. “Where’s their Arrow?”Nobody had time to respond, because more Nazis raced toward them. Kara – their Kara – flew over the enemy, taking out several with a heat blast. So did Firestorm, who hovered directly behind Sara as he sent several blasts at the surrounding Nazis. Several fell back under the fiery onslaught and Sara’s bo sticks took out the others. Firestorm surged forward, leaving a trail of flame that Sara had to dodge to avoid being singed.“Am I late for the party?”Sara heard Mick before she saw him. He came up behind her and began strafing the enemy with his own fiery blasts. “You’re right on time,” Sara said, grinning as she finished off the last of the nearby soldiers. She did a twisting flip off the ledge, dodged enemy fire, and struck down the closest Nazi. More were attacking from the far side of the room, so Sara sprinted full-speed toward them. To her right, an entire side of the building seemed filled with flames – Firestorm and Mick hard at work.Sara sped by Alex and Oliver, who each seemed in control despite being outnumbered. One swing of her batons sent a soldier sailing. Another dropped a masked enemy to the ground. She turned just as something whipped by her and found herself face to face with the Earth X Kara.“How sweet,” Kara-X said from behind her mask. “You play with sticks.”She swung. Sara ducked. Sara struck black – a stinging blow to the ribs, but it did not faze Kara-X. Neither did a slicing strike to her legs. This could be a problem, Sara thought, but she did not let up her attack.A sudden increase in temperature told her help was near.“On your left, Captain,” Jax shouted. Sara dove to her right as Firestorm blasted Kara-X and flew past. Sara rolled and came back to her feet. Kara-X laughed. “You think a little fire will scare me.”“How ‘bout a lot of fire?” said Mick aiming his heat gun. Another wave of flame blew past Sara and struck Kara-X directly in the chest.Kara-X shook her head. “Nope. Still not scared. But let’s see how that toy copes with a little cold.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. A freezing wind blasted past Sara. Mick’s gun iced over. He shouted in pain and surprise as he dropped the frozen weapon. It fell, shattering as it struck the ground.Sara nearly froze in shock as she saw the scattered pieces. Then she realized Mick was defenseless and shouted, “Mick, run!” He glared at her. “Not a chance.” He charged toward Kara-X, but just as he got close, she seized his arm and swung him across her body. Mick sailed over some boxes and crashed to the floor about 20 feet way.“Now it’s your turn,” Kara-X said to Sara. She ducked under one of Sara’s sticks and blocked the other. The mask blocked Kara-X’s face, but Sara could tell the other woman was scowling even as Kara-X snarled, “You grow tiresome.” She slammed Sara against a cement column. Pain radiated through Sara’s back and shoulders, but it barely registered as Kara-X’s gloved hand latched onto Sara’s throat. Gasping, fighting for air, Sara fought with all her strength to rip the hand away. But it only tightened.Sara’s vision began to cloud. Her strength was fading.I’m dying, she thought. But she couldn’t die. She was supposed to be on Earth X.Kara-X’s grip grew even tighter. Black dots spun before Sara’s eyes.Then she was falling, gasping, but breathing. She rolled across the floor, uncertain of how she got free, but she was. It took a moment for her to rise to her hands and knees. She looked back at where she had been just in time to see Kara-X go flying backward – struck by their own Kara.Sara rose to her feet and dodged a Nazi soldier. Glad to fight an enemy that was not invulnerable, Sara lashed out with her bo, each stick cracking bones. The soldier fell, writhing in pain.He was one of the last soldiers to go down. The rest appeared to be dead or too injured to continue the fight. Ignoring the pain she was still feeling in her throat, Sara took a deep breath. The lull in the battle allowed her to clear her head. Everyone seemed to use it to regroup. Barry zipped by and came to a stop. Sara moved toward him. So did Kara, Alex, and Oliver. Sara looked across the large room to where Mick had landed, but boxes and equipment blocked her view. She prayed he was okay.“Where’s Fire--” Barry asked, but his words cut off as the room echoed with a loud sound that reminded Sara of the noise Vandal Savage’s giant robot had made as it bore down on the Waverider.She looked in the direction of the noise. Something silver flashed from the shadows. Then she saw a green glow.“What the hell is that?” she asked. It looked like the robot from Terminator.Kara stepped forward. “Metallo,” she breathed. She sounded nervous. Worried almost.What could scare Kara? Sara wondered.The green glow grew into a green bolt of light. It tore into Kara, sending her flying backwards. She landed, unmoving.There was nothing Sara could do to help. Kara-X and Thawne reappeared. Sara told herself that the numbers favored her side now, but she was hardly reassured.Across the room, she heard a roar. Trailing a column of flame behind him, Firestorm rocketed toward the robot. Get him, guys, she urged silently.They reached Metallo, but the robot swung an arm. Firestorm veered off-course and crashed headlong into a column. The force caused Firestorm to separate. Jax and Martin hurtled through the air before slamming into the ground.Sara started toward them, but something red moved first. It slammed into her and she was in the air. Tumbling. Falling. Crashing. And nothing.
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The first thing Jax noticed as he regained consciousness was that his left shoulder was on fire. Partly, that was because he had smashed his shoulder into the pillar and then landed on it. Partly, that was because his arms were bound tightly behind him and chained to the side of a platform. To his right, he could see Alex, Sara, and Oliver. He couldn’t see Grey, but Jax could sense his partner through the link. What he sensed was a jumble – fear, anger, pain, confusion – but at least he knew Grey was alive. “Yo, Grey, you good?” Jax called out, still wanting something more than their link for confirmation.From almost behind him, Jax heard his partner. He sounded bitter. “It seems our opponents have seen the wisdom of separating us.”Jax rose to his feet as he realized that the platform was only as high as his waist. Although his arms were still bound behind him, he could twist enough to see Grey on the other side. A seriously pissed off Mick Rory was standing beside Grey.Someone began clapping slowly. Jax looked up to see the enemy speedster emerge from around some crates. “Well, here we are,” he said. Jax was confused. Barry had said the enemy speedster was Thawne, but he didn’t look like the guy the Legends had fought. He looked like Dr. Wells.“This is fun . . . for me. Not so much for you.”“Unlock these cuffs and I’ll show you some fun,” Mick snarled.Thawne ignored that and leaned toward Barry. “All the times you’ve killed me. . . . And, now, here, all I have to do is kill you once.”“Enough, Eobard. Enough.” That was from Earth X’s Kara. Jax watched her approach them.Alex faced Thawne. “You might want to listen to her. We know that if you wanted to kill us, you wouldn’t have put these dog collars on us first.”For the first time, Jax noticed the band around her neck. It was metal with blue lights. He looked quickly at Sara and across at Grey and Mick. They all had the same collars. Meanwhile, their Kara was muttering something Jax couldn’t hear. Before he could focus on her, the Earth X Oliver approached them. He said “Well done” to Kara-X, but before she could respond, she stumbled, fell to her knees, and began gasping about pain.“Let me loose and I’ll show you some pain,” Mick growled.“You’re not helping, Mr. Rory,” Grey snapped. “There’s no point to provoking them.”Jax had to agree. He suspected the collars dampened their powers, leaving them at the mercy of a psychopath like Thawne, who could kill them all in a matter of seconds.Across the room, Oliver-X was saying something about how they had “found her.” He whispered a few more things then they both rose. Oliver-X told Thawne, “S.T.A.R. Labs is secure.”Jax’s breath caught in his throat. Caitlin and Cisco were still at S.T.A.R. Labs. Caitlin had stayed behind so she could be there if Cisco woke up, but if the enemy had invaded--“If you hurt my friends--” Barry said. Jax also suddenly remembered that they also had left Iris at S.T.A.R. Labs.Oliver-X cut him off. “I did hurt your friends. I really enjoyed hurting your friends.”“Are they alive?” Oliver asked.“Yes,” Oliver-X replied. “Yes, for now.” He looked at Kara. “We need your Kara’s cooperation.” He then said her cooperation would be “preferable.”“What do you want my sister for?” Alex demanded.Kara-X answered first. “To save my life.” She looked at Kara – a look that seemed a combination of glare and sneer. “That’s your little mission statement, isn’t it? Help people, save lives.”“Sounds pretty lame to me,” Mick said. “I prefer my motto. ‘Burn them all.’”Kara-X sneered at him – this time a complete sneer. “That will be pretty difficult with your little gun shattered into a hundred pieces.” She turned back to Kara. “Back to your pledge. Now’s your chance.”“The General is dying,” Thawne said.That prompted Alex. “Her blood. . . . She’s been exposed to too much solar radiation.”“Yes, like Icarus, I flew too close to the sun,” Kara-X said.Oliver-X added, “But we can save her.”Jax did not like the sound of that.“We’re going to save her,” the archer said. “All we need is a new heart and, luckily, on this planet, we found the perfect donor.”Oh, hell no, Jax thought.“You stay the hell away from my sister,” Alex snarled. Kara-X chuckled. “Mmm, such loyalty. . . . My sister tried to kill me.”“What a shame -- that she failed her act of sororicide.” Grey had apparently gotten over his concern about provoking their captors.Before she could respond, Barry spoke up. “That’s why you stole the prism.”It sounded to Jax like he had figured out the Earth-Xers plan. Through the link, Jax felt a sudden surge of fear and anger. Grey must have figured it out too.Barry continued. “So you could duplicate a red sun, weaken Kara, and cut into her?”“Can’t make an omelet with invulnerable eggs,” Kara-X replied.Are they serious? They were going to cut Kara open and take her heart. Jax could feel Grey’s anger surge through the link, though it was matched by Jax’s own rising fury. No way we let this happen. He jerked at the chains holding his arms.Oliver-X was saying something. “. . . high road. You’re heroes,” he said, mocking them before he turned and walked away. Kara-X followed him.Now what? Jax wondered, but he got his answer soon enough. The room began to echo with the sound of heavy steps. The robot, Jax realized. Then the dim light in the building turned a brilliant green and everything went black.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Don’t panic. Just don’t panic. That was Martin’s first thought as he opened his eyes and found himself lying in the dirt. He sensed a lot of movement, but it took a moment for his brain to register what he was seeing and hearing.
Don’t panic.
He tried to force himself to be calm by taking a deep breath, but he only breathed in the dust and dirt that surrounded him. Coughing to clear his airways, he finally regained control of his breathing. Then he rose slowly from the ground, a task made more awkward by the fact that his hands were bound in front of him by a set of metal cuffs.His mind reached immediately for Jefferson and he felt immense relief when he felt his partner’s thoughts, even though they were primarily sending out signs of fear and confusion. At least he’s alive. A moment later, he confirmed that when he caught sight of Jefferson a short distance away. He was next to Sara and Barry. Mick, Oliver, and Alex stood a few feet away.Relieved at least that they had not been separated, Martin decided to study their surroundings. It was like something out of a horror story – just one based on history, Martin added ruefully. They were swathed in yellowish light from large spotlights placed on the platforms overlooking the pen they were in. People milled around in their striped camp uniforms, each marked by a symbol. The fences were ringed by Nazi soldiers and their guard dogs.His survey of their prison was interrupted by Alex’s voice. She sounded panicked as she spoke about Kara. That’s when Martin realized he had not seen Kara; she was the only one missing from the group that attacked the Nazis in Danville. Given what the Earth X dopplegangers had said before Metallo knocked their group unconscious, Alex’s fear was justified. Kara was in mortal danger. But as Martin’s pragmatic side pointed out, there was little they could do at the moment. They had more immediate problems.“We need to figure out where we are first,” Oliver said.Is he really asking that? Martin asked himself. “Yeah . . . about that.” Jefferson replied, looking around the pen.Martin followed Jefferson’s gaze, then froze. His breathing sped up. His heart raced. Remain calm, he ordered, but this was a battle his instinct was winning. You must stay calm. His head asserted control, but he could not tear his eyes away from the wrought-iron lettering over the gate.“Arbeit Macht Frei” – those same infamous words had adorned the gates of Auschwitz.“This is somewhat disconcerting,” he muttered. Quite the understatement, he acknowledged, but he needed to show he was under control. Even if I don’t feel it.Jefferson’s fear surged. “I don’t think this is our Earth,” he said.Martin tried to send calming thoughts. They would get out of here. He reminded himself that they must manage to escape this camp if they were to attack the breach. He would remind Jefferson of that fact, hoping it would allay his partner’s immediate fears.Those thoughts distracted Martin briefly. He missed what the others had said, but caught Alex’s statement, “It’s hard to believe a place like this actually exists . . . on any Earth.”“I wish I shared your sentiment.” Martin could not stop himself from reacting to such naivete. “But in all my travels to distant times, one thing which sadly remains constant is man’s ability to feel hatred for other men.” He could feel Jefferson’s agreement through their link. He would know, having seen first-hand how slaves were treated during the Civil War. And that was hardly the Legends’ only experience with such hatred. Vandal Savage had released a deadly pathogen to eliminate most of the Earth’s population and had then savagely murdered anyone who opposed his rule.“Stars and triangles. . .” Jefferson sounded uncertain.“Badges used to identify purported crimes these people have ‘committed’ to land in here,” Martin explained. His tone was bitter, but what he really felt was the return of the now-familiar rage. In his mind, he pictured grainy black-and-white photos from another time. But the same uniforms. And stars that stood out against the grey-and-white stripes.Jefferson’s eyes narrowed. He started to say something to Martin, but hesitated. Then Jefferson turned toward a nearby man and asked, “What’s the pink triangle for? What did you do?”The question surprised Martin, but then he should have hardly been surprised by the omissions in the version of history taught in Central City’s public schools. He started to answer Jefferson’s question, but the man responded first. “I loved the wrong person,” he said.Martin couldn’t help seeing the stricken look on Sara’s face, or the way she and Alex exchanged glances. Sara took a deep breath. “We got to get out of these things. Transmute us out.”Now there’s a good idea. “With pleasure,” Martin said. He turned to Jax and they grasped hands, but nothing happened.
The collars.
“I can’t vibrate through them either,” Barry said.Martin sighed. “Power dampening collars.” He turned and shook his head. We will get out of here, he reminded himself. He refused to feel helpless. He just wished he had an idea of how they would escape.He studied the other prisoners who were milling around the pen. It was hard not to notice that there were very few yellow stars, but after 75 years of judenrein, Martin should not have been surprised.Next to him, Jefferson was pointing out that they did not know how they had reached Earth X. Martin could feel the younger man’s anxiety through the link. Anxiety, at least, was better than abject fear.It struck Martin as odd that their link was functioning even though the collars prevented them from becoming Firestorm. Why would that be? he wondered. Was their link not wholly connected to their metahuman genes? Martin had always assumed being able to feel his partner’s emotions was part of their powers, but, if that were true, the collars should block the link. His mind raced, theorizing that the link might be an independent side effect of repeated merges. It might possibly be a physiological change that increased their connection over time.
Which would explain. . . .
“Grey?”Martin’s thoughts were interrupted by Jefferson. He started and looked around, once again focused on the camp and their predicament. Mick was saying that they did not even know where on Earth X they were.“No, we don’t,” Oliver said, his voice rising slightly. “We’re gonna figure it out. Then we’re gonna find a way to get out of this place, and we’re gonna get back to the people we love.”A nice speech, Martin thought. In his mind’s eye, he pictured Clarissa and Lily, Ronnie gleefully bouncing on his daughter’s knee. Oliver had sounded so convincing, but Martin took no succor from it. Given how much time had probably passed since they had been captured on Earth 1, it undoubtedly was past midnight. It was now November 28, 2017 – the date Jefferson had written on that envelope so many years earlier. Oliver’s words echoed in Martin’s mind. “We’re gonna get back to the people we love.”Martin sighed and turned away from the other heroes. “Not all of us, Oliver,” he muttered. “Not all of us will be going back.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jax could feel Grey’s warring emotions and was beginning to worry that the old man was starting to lose it. Jax couldn’t even put words to what he was sensing through the link. Fear that he was trying to suppress. A low, simmering anger that would not go away and kept flashing into a searing rage. Regret, but that did not come close to describing it. And above all, a resigned determination. Grey was still insistent on letting the timeline play out, but he also was unable to completely set aside what that meant.Glancing at Sara, Jax motioned toward Grey. She nodded and gave Mick a look. To Jax’s surprise, Mick made a beeline in Grey’s direction. Jax grew suspicious. He walked close to Sara and whispered, “What’s the deal?”She gave him a blank look.“Come on, Sara. What’s going on? Suddenly, Mick’s following Grey around like a puppy.”She shrugged. “He won’t admit it, but Mick actually likes the Professor.” At Jax’s dubious look, she insisted, “He does. I swear.”“Right. . . .”“Okay,” Sara admitted, She kept her voice low, obviously concerned about being overheard. “I told Mick to keep tabs on Martin. Figured it might shift the odds somehow. I don’t know.” Her lip curled and she looked away in frustration. “I had to do something.”Jax understood. How many times in the past few days had he wanted to break something just because he could do nothing else? Then something dawned on him. “You know . . . when Cisco showed me the future . . . Mick . . . he wasn’t there. It was you, Oliver, Alex, and Snart . . . and Barry was involved, but not in the warehouse.”Sara’s eyes narrowed. “So Mick. . . .” Her face drained of color.Realizing what she was thinking, Jax quickly insisted, “We don’t know that. We don’t know anything for sure. Maybe Mick wasn’t supposed to be with us in the first place. I mean Caitlin stayed back at S.T.A.R. Labs. Maybe Mick was supposed to, too.”“Or he’s going to die here,” Sara said bluntly.Jax snapped. “Stop it.” His tone caused Sara to stiffen. “We can’t let the possibility of bad things happening in the future keep us from doing what we need to do. If you think having Mick watch Grey’s back is a good idea, then it’s a good idea.”Sara did not respond immediately, but eventually, she gave a tight nod. “Thanks, I think I needed to hear that.”Before he could respond, Barry walked over to them. “Hey. . . . You two okay?”Jax nodded and glanced at her. They needed Sara at the top of her game. With Grey’s emotions all over the place, they couldn’t also have Sara off-balance. Her eyes met his. “Fine,” she said. “Just trying to figure out how we’re getting out of this cage.”“We will,” Jax insisted. “We know we will.”It took Barry a second, but then his eyes widened slightly. “Because of what you saw . . . I mean when you--”“It wasn’t here,” Jax said. “We were in some kind of warehouse.”“So we will get out of here.” Sara said that with a certainty that suggested her moment of doubt had passed. That was good. The Legends needed their Captain focused. Jax was just about to say something when a siren blared. Guards began to yell. “Move!”“Get back!”Through the gate, dozens of armed Nazis surged into the pen. Jax spotted Mick dragging Grey by his arm back toward their group.“I don’t like the look of this,” Grey said.Alex asked what was going on, but nobody had any clue. “Keep moving,” yelled a guard.Barry looked at the prisoner Jax had earlier asked about the triangle symbol. “What are they doing?”“It’s roundup time,” the man replied.“Roundup for what?” Sara asked.A line of black-clad, masked guards approached them. One shouted again for them to move and then ordered, “In line, now.”Jax glanced around. The other prisoners were cowering, heads down. They obviously were trying to avoid attracting attention.It’s a bit too late for us to do that, Jax realized. Whatever was about to happen, he and the others would be front-and-center.Jax steeled himself, then realized that not all of his resolve was his own. He peeked at Grey, who was staring stone-faced at the Nazis approaching them. From the emotions flowing through the link. Jax thought the Nazis were lucky he and Grey were collared. If not, they would probably already be ash. The Nazis came to a stop, guns at the ready. But they obviously were just waiting. For something. Or someone.And he’s coming right through the gate, Jax realized. He watched as a Nazi officer passed through the gate.In a slow, mocking drawl, the officer said, “So these are the heroes.”“Yes, Sturmbannfuehrer,” said one of the guards.The officer moved closer, stepping from shadows into light that exposed his face. To Jax’s right, he heard Sara gasp.Almost silently, she whispered, “That’s my dad.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sara could not move. Standing in front of them was a man who, except for the Nazi uniform, looked exactly like her father. Everything else about them was identical.“Don’t be fooled,” Oliver whispered. “That’s not him.”Sara tried to tell herself that Oliver was right. He’s Earth-X. A doppleganger. He’s not Dad.The officer strode toward them, but stopped short. His eyes locked on Sara’s. The same eyes that she had grown up looking at –sometimes trying to avoid being looked at. Those eyes flashed momentarily with recognition, but that was quickly obscured by a cold, hard gaze.“Blond hair . . . blue eyes.” His voice was as hard as his eyes. He stepped forward, looming over her. “This is Nordic perfection. Why would you align yourself with the unpure?”He’s not my dad, she repeated silently. He did not sound like her father. And though he might have her father’s face, Quentin Lance would never have used those words. She took a tight breath and locked her eyes on his before she answered. Her anger was clear as she bit back her words. “Because I like men . . . and I like women.”The officer’s jaw dropped slightly and his eyes looked back at her more with disappointment than anything else. He let out a loud breath. “You know I had a daughter who looked just like you, with similar compulsions.”Sara forced herself to remain impassive. She would not let this man get to her. He was not her father. Inside, she felt a burning in her stomach. It was familiar, almost comfortable fury that began to rise within her.
That man is the enemy.
As if to confirm that, he reached out and touched her cheek. When she refused to pull away and continued to glare at him, he said, “And I expunged that. . . .” His voice rose sharply. “. . . filth from my family line forever.” Sara wanted to give in to the rage. Your father would never reject you, she told herself. This man was not her father. He was a monster in her dad’s body. A monster that deserved to die. The bloodlust was rising ever faster. All she had to do was submit to it. She would die, but she would take this monster and a bunch of Nazis with her. In her head, she could hear the words. Under her breath, she began to mutter in Arabic.“That’s not your dad,” Oliver whispered sharply. She looked up, the spell momentarily broken. Then she looked back at the man with her father’s face. The rage roared back. She flexed her writs against her bonds. They may have my hands shackled, she thought, but a member of the League of Assassins doesn’t need her hands to kill. “Sawf 'aqtul.” She would kill this insult to her father. “No, he’s not. . . . He’s a sick son-of-a-bitch.”The sharp words cut through Sara’s rage. Was that? Had that really been? She jerked her head away from the officer toward Martin.In front of her, the officer bristled, He stepped toward Martin. Their eyes locked as the officer smirked. “You have something to say, old man?”Sara could see the defiance in Martin’s eyes and knew he was not going to back down. Her rage turned to fear.Don’t do this, Martin, she pleaded silently.“Yes, in fact, I do,” Martin told the officer. “It . . . it may take time, but your family will look at you with shame. A man who would sacrifice his own daughter to some perverted, inhuman ideology is not a man, . . . and certainly not a father.”“Grey. . . .” Jax sounded worried. “What are you doing?” Sara silently asked the same question. He was going to get himself killed. “You wouldn’t understand, Jefferson.” Martin shook his head as he spoke, but he focused his attention back at the officer. “You think what you did makes you strong? No . . . no true father would do what you did. And . . . for what? So - some bankrupt notion of superiority. Only a . . . weak man would do that. If your daughter was half the woman as our Captain, then she was a hundred times stronger than you.”“Silence!” The officer lashed out, striking Martin across the face with the back of his hand. Martin staggered back, but remained on his feet. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.Sara felt the bloodlust rising once again. The officer might look like her father, but she was not going to let him kill one of her team. Especially not Martin, even if he was acting like an idiot. She still had no idea what possessed him to provoke the officer.She started toward them, but stopped as Martin looked at her. Their eyes met and he gave her a curt, almost imperceptible shake of his head. She stopped, understanding his silent message. “I know about you, old man,” the officer said, his smirk returning. “A frail, old Jew who is nothing without his negro.” He pulled a Luger from under his coat. “Perhaps we shall see how strong you are with him dead.” He raised his arm and pointed the gun at Jax.Jax stepped back, swallowing nervously. “Um . . . Grey”Martin never hesitated. He stepped between Jax and the gun, his eyes fixing on the officer.“You might be willing to give up your child, you . . . you spineless buffoon, but I won’t.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ll kill you before you hurt my son.”
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Jax had no idea what was going on or why he was suddenly staring into the barrel of a pistol. Didn’t Grey know it wasn’t a good idea to pick fights with armed Nazis? Especially when their hands were cuffed and they had no powers?Focused almost entirely on the gun, Jax barely heard what Grey was saying.“. . . before you hurt my son.”Jax froze. Did he hear that right? Did Grey just say that? Grey was blocking his view of the Nazi’s face. But Jax could definitely see the raised gun visible over Grey’s shoulder. Jax waited for someone to speak. Or for the gun to fire. Actually, he gave better odds for the gun. But there was nothing. It seemed like the entire camp had fallen silent.Then Jax heard a harsh laugh as the Nazi spoke. “A Jew with a spine. Now I’ve seen everything. No matter. In a few minutes, you . . . and your son . . . will be dealt with.” The gun disappeared from view. Jax slid to his left and saw the man turn sharply and stomp toward the gate.He stopped short of the gate and turned back. “Bring them all,” he snarled. He pointed past their group. “And him!” Jax looked in that direction and saw he was pointing at a man in a prisoner uniform with a pink triangle. It was the man Jax had questioned earlier. Why were they taking him? The rest of them were from Earth 1. They didn’t know the other man.There was no time to think further, because the guards rushed toward them, guns ready, and herded them toward and through the gate. The harsh yellow light from the prison spotlights illuminated a haze – whether low-lying fog or smoke, Jax could not tell – which gave the entire area an almost dreamlike quality.More like a nightmare, he thought.The yellow lights extended over an unkempt grassy plain. The ground was uneven, making for slow going as they trudged out of the gate and through the grass and weeds. The soldiers followed.“Not to be an alarmist. . . .” Martin whispered just loud enough for their team to hear. “While I recognize that we must somehow escape from this if Cisco’s vision is accurate, we should probably figure out our escape plan. And if we don’t have one, I suggest we get one immediately.”Jax grimaced. “Oh, now you’re worried about escaping? What the hell were you doing back there? He could’ve shot you, Grey. He could’ve shot me!”“Yeah, Professor,” Mick said. “That was a special kind of crazy.”Grey replied, “I had my reasons.” He glanced quickly at Sara, then added, “So about that escape plan?”Jax had to admit figuring a way out of this would be a good idea. He glanced furtively around, trying to locate the guards. He saw Sara trying to slip her hands through the cuffs that bound her wrists. Taking her cue, Jax tried to do the same, even as he caught sight of Oliver, who was signaling with his hands. On four. Jax echoed the motion to let Mick and Martin know when to move.
Three.
Jax felt the cuff cut into his wrist. It would not come free in time.
Two.
No matter. Jax had taken down plenty of football players with shoulder tackles and cut blocks. He did not need his hands,
One.
With the others, Jax spun. He spotted the Nazi leader only a few feet away. But before they could rush forward, the officer raised a small device in his hand. Whatever it was, it emitted a whine.The sound was lost beneath the crackle of electrical sparks that filled Jax’s ears. Pain ripped through his body. His skin burned from the inside, as if a fire had been set beneath it. His heart skipped beats. Sight and sound stopped, disrupted by the electric jolts that surged through him.As he fell to the ground, all he could do was pray that he died silently. He didn’t want Grey to hear him scream.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sprawled on ground, Martin gasped for breath. His body still crackled with electricity, even though the jolts from the collars had stopped. “Up,” yelled the SS officer. The pain had not even subsided, but Martin forced himself to his feet. He stumbled and nearly fell again, but managed to stand on shaky legs.“Professor, you all right?” Mick whispered.Martin nodded though he silently wondered how any of them could be all right. He glanced at Sara, who was on her feet and glaring at her father’s doppleganger. But at least she did not seem like she was about to give in to the bloodlust as she had earlier. “Go,” the officer ordered.Looking to his right, he saw Jefferson start forward, his shoulders slumped and his head down. Through their link, Martin could sense Jefferson’s fear.Oddly, that seemed to lessen Martin’s own fear. He tried to send thoughts of reassurance through the link, adding in a low voice, “Hang on. We’ll get through this.”Even as he spoke, Martin had doubts. Is this really happening? But he reminded himself of what they had seen in Cisco’s vibe. They were not going to die in some weed-filled field. They were going to get free and open the breach. Unless we inadvertently changed the timeline, Martin thought. But he shunted the thought aside. What could they have done to alter it? It was pure supposition.No, the timeline was proceeding as intended. Which meant their escape was coming. And that this was not right. This was not how he – or any of the others – were supposed to die.“We will escape,” he whispered.Jefferson’s jaw tightened and he nodded. Through the link, Martin felt his partner’s strength and trust. That’s what they needed right now. That and a rescue. They were ordered to stop at the edge of a pit, for which Martin needed no explanation. He had seen enough photos to know why they were here.We will escape. He repeated that several times, but his heart began to beat faster. His temperature, already elevated by the Firestorm matrix, was rising. Martin’s breath started to speed up. He closed his eyes, then forced them open. He would not give in to despair.
We will escape.
The officer ordered them to turn around. As they complied, the man walked slowly toward Oliver. “I know you are not . . . him, but I cannot stomach the sight regardless.” Then he placed a hood over Oliver’s head and turned back to the soldiers who were readying their rifles.“Ready.”Martin’s breath hitched in his throat. They would escape.“Aim.”Next to Martin, Jefferson squeezed his eyes tight. The link again flooded with fear. This time, Martin could not find the strength to fight it.
Were we wrong? Did we change the timeline? How can this be happening?
“Grey. . . .” Jefferson’s panicked whisper died on his lips.
I’m sorry, Jefferson. I’m sorry I can’t get you home.
As the guns cocked, fleeting thoughts of Clarissa and Lily flashed in Marin’s head. He swallowed tightly once more. At least, he had said goodbye to his wife.He watched the soldiers raise their rifles. There was no looking away.Blue light flashed across the enemy line. Guns flew from the soldiers’ hands. Even from the distance, Martin felt the air turn to ice. Then he heard a voice he both should have and should not have expected to hear. “I hate ‘fire.’”