[Chapter 31]

"We're here," Rip said, actually looking slightly excited.

"Where is here?" Leonard asks Rip.

"Come, I'll show you," Rip replies, hurrying toward the door.

Leonard helps me up and we all walk outside toward a large house. There was a huge garden out in the front and it honestly look really beautiful.

"Again, where is here?" Leonard asks, a little annoyed.

"We need a safe harbor to keep your younger selves," Rip half-explains when a woman with short dirty blond hair and a blue trenchcoat walks out of the house.

"I've been waiting," she said with a smile on her face. "It's good to see you."

The whole team shared confused looks.

"It's good to see you too, Mother." Rip replies.

"What?" I ask, extremely confused.

The woman - Rip's mother - ushered us into the house and in the living room. Leonard helped me sit down on one of the chair while he sat on the desk by the window that was right beside my seat.

We were each offered a cup of tea. Leonard turned down his but I accepted mine and took a sip. I haven't had tea in a long time.

I heard the squeals of children running down the stairs and out the door.

"Don't forget to take your boots off before you come back in!" She tells them as they shut the door behind them.

She scoffs and gave Rip a lemon in his tea. I see a little boy sneak behind Rip's mother and tries to take one of the desserts from the platter on the table beside her.

"Oi!" she yells when she catches the boy. She grabs the dessert from his hand and pushes him out of the room.

"So, this is where Rip plans on keeping our baby selves," Jax says.

"If all goes according to plan, we'll only be here for a few minutes, the presumably never remember," Stein explains to us.

"When's the last time anything went according to plan?" Ray asks and he kinda does have a point.

"I don't think there ever was a last time," Kendra replies.

"I really would sit up if I were you," Rip whispers to Jax, catching all of our attention. "She'll kill you if she catches you slouching."

I giggle into my palm and I could see Kendra trying not to laugh.

"Don't be fooled by appearances. That woman is as tough as nails," Rip tells us.

"Funny how you never mentioned having a mother," Leonard said, picking up a blue vase and inspecting it.

"Adoptive mother," the woman cut in, walking back into the room. "Now, can I interest any of you in some more tea?"

"Thank you," Stein told her as she pours him more.

"So Michael-" she starts to say.

"Michael?" Kendra and I ask simultaneously.

"That's me," Rip says monotone. "My birth name."

"The Time Masters insisted on the adoption of new identities for their protection," Rip's adoptive mother explains to us.

"How do you know so much about the Time Masters?" Jax asks.

"I work for them," she said plainly and I almost choke on my tea. The rest of the team must of had similar reactions because she smiles.

"Oh, don't worry. My true loyalty is to my children," she says, kindof calming our nerves.

"The Time Masters fill their ranks with children, orphans pulled from throughout the course of history," Rip explains.

"When Michael arrived at the Refuge, he had nothing but the clothes on his back," his mother told us. "There's a reason it's called the Refuge, and a reason that it exists in a secret location in history. The Time Masters will never think to look for you here."

"Thank you for your assistance," Stein tells her.

"Look, I know I make a gorgeous baby, but I should warn you. You've got your hands full with me," Leonard says and I can't help but smile.

"I assure you, you're not the first tough case to arrive at my door," she replies, looking pointedly at Rip as she walks out of the room.

***

After Rip had a conversation with his mother and Mick had a intimate conversation with his younger self, we left Rip's childhood home.

I was in my room with Leonard. I was using his chest as a pillow as I read through the passages of my journal. Leonard strokes my hair and annoyingly watches me.

"What?" I ask him.

"Nothing," he replies unconvincingly.

"It's written all over your face that you want to say something so what is it?" I ask him, setting the journal down on my chest.

"Why do you keep rereading your journal?" Leonard asks me.

"I'm... I'm hoping it has some answers. I haven't seen it in about 100 years," I start.

"But you remember it," Leonard half-asks half-says.

"Exactly. I don't understand how. It should've meant nothing to me because I shouldn't of remembered it. But I did. But that not even the wierdest thing. It's been missing for 100 years..."

"...and it mysteriously shows up on Rip's timeship," Leonard finishes for me.

"Exactly. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe there could be a hint, a clue, something that could help me figure out what the hell is going on with my memory because..." I drift off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

"It's soon isn't it?" Leonard asks me and I nod glumly. "How long?"

"Not long. Maybe a month or two. It's hard to tell with all the time traveling," I reply quietly.

Leonard pulls me into his arms and embraces me. I breathe him in, hoping, maybe even praying to whatever or whoever the hell is up there, that somehow I'll remember him.

"Everyone, please report to the main deck immediately," I hear Rip's voice over the P.A.

I leave Leonard's hug but he grabs my hand and we walk to the bridge together.

***

"What's going on?" Sara asks as she walks in.

"Gideon has intercepted a trans-chronal beacon," Rip says. "Gideon, show them."

On all the screens pops up the Pilgrim's face.

"This message is for Rip Hunter. I'm going to make this very quick and simple." The Prilgrim says. Up pops a picture of Leonard's sister Lisa. I feel him tense up and I squeeze his hand.

Then another picture pops up and this time it was of Sara's dad. The next one was of Steins wife and next was of Ray's dead wife Anna. Then... my brother!

The Pilgrim pops back on the screen but she wasn't alone. She had Jax's dad at gunpoint.

"All of them will suffer and die because of you. Your family, your friends, anyone you've ever cared about. Unless you surrender your younger selves to me. And Isabelle Light."

"So she can erase you all from history," Rip mumbles.

"If it's of any comfort, you won't feel a thing. As for your loved ones, I cannot promise the same thing." The Pilgrim concludes.

Rip hits the console with frustration as Sara starts pacing nervously. I fidget with my brother's ring. Wasn't it dangerous to remove an Elemental from the past? Unless she removed him before he died.

"Gideon, I take it that the Pilgrim's transmission included a carrier frequency through which she could be contacted?"

"Yes, Captain," Gideon replies.

"Hail her, please," Rip said, exasperated.

"What are you planning to do?" Stein asks.

"Captain Hunter." The Pilgrim said, popping up on the console.

"Look, I'm gonna make this easy-" Rip starts but the Pilgrim cut him off.

"I already have. The lives of your team's nearest and dearest for their younger selves and Isabelle Light," The Pilgrim said firmly.

"And I'm gonna counter that demand with an offer of my own," Rip said. "I will surrender myselfif you spare the lives of my crew and their loved ones." We all stare at him with surprise.

"A noble gesture. But worthless. My directive is to eliminate your entire team, not just you," The Pilgrim replies.

"Yes, well, I'm not talking about me now. I'm offering you me in the past." Rip replies, cause us all to look at him again in surprise and confusion.

"Rip Hunter before he became a Time Master. Eliminate him, and this team will never have been." Rip says.

No. He can't do that. I can't go back. I don't want to go back to all of that pain and anger and loneliness.

"If this is some kind of trick-" The Pilgrim starts but Rip cut her off.

"It's no trick. Enough people have died at my expense. Gideon will send you the location," Rip tells the Pligrim and ends the call.

"And Mr. Snart," he says. "You're wish is about to come true. You're going to mee my younger self."

***

"What is this place?" I ask. Yeah we have a plan. Not a super great one, but a plan. No one wanted me to come and fight but I was healed enough and nothing was going to stop me from saving my brother. I can't keep losing him.

"Neutral ground," Rip says. "It's a defunct Time Masters outpost."

"I though we were supposed to be picking up your younger self," Jax said.

"He's being brought to us, actually," Rip replies, looking at two figures walking toward us. It was Rip's mother and the boy that tried stealing the dessert at the Refuge.

"That little boy was at the Refuge," Stein said, voicing my thoughts. "He's you."

"You got my message?" Rip asks his mother.

"I don't approve of what you're planning," She replies in a stern, motherly tone. "Not that it ever stopped you before. You're younger selves are all still safe and sound."

"Thank you," Jax tells her.

Then, Rip's mother turns her head to Mick.

"You're a naughty one." She says.

"That's right," Mick replies, nodding his head.

Then, the Pilgrim walks in and I take a step forward, wanting to kill the bitch.

Jax whips his hand in from of me to stop me and I let him hold me back. I glaring daggers at her though, making her smile a little.

"I think it's probably about time that you left," Rip tells his mother.

She leans forward a whispers into his ear. "Give her hell." She said, making me smile. Then she turns and gives a fist bump to mini-Rip, and then walks away.

"Where's my dad?" Jax asks, kind-of calmly.

"Where's my brother?!" I shout at her, taking another step forward.

"On board my ship, along with the rest," The Pilgrim replies calmly. "All in perfect condition."

She looks at me.

"Well almost perfect condition... as long as your captain honors his end of our bargin," She says. I feel the anger rising up inside of me, my grey eyes regaining some of its purple charm.

"You'd murder a child?" Stein asks her in disbelief.

"I'd murder as many children as is necessary to accomplish my mission," The Pilgrim said.

"Do you know what this will do to the timeline, killing a Time Master?" Stein replies.

"In case you've forgotten, I am sanctioned by the Time Masters to do what my former colleague Chronos here failed to do," The Pilgrim said, looking at Mick.

"Enough of that," Rip said. "Let's get down to business."

"Where's the rest of your group?" The Pilgrim asks, looking calmly around.

"They're around," Rip replies vaguely.

"I'll be taking the boy," The Pilgrim said.

"Before you do that," Mick says. "We don't believe for a second their loved ones are on your ship."

"A show of good faith then. A prisoner exchange," The Pilgrim offers. "Send the boy and I'll send the father. Once I have the future Captain Hinter in my possession, then I'll release the rest."

The Pilgrim held up this box remote thing. She pushed a button and Jax's father appeared right next to her. He look around confused.

"What the hell's going on?" He asks.

"You don't need to understand," The Pilgrim inturrpts him and grabs his arm, pushing him forward. "Only walk."

Rip crouches down to be eye level with mini-him.

"You are going to be absolutely fine, I promise." Rip says.

Then younger Rip slowly starts to walk toward the Pilgrim and Jax's dad starts walking toward us.

"As soon as my dad's in the clear, let's light this up," Jax tells Stein and me.

I watch the little blue light that was Ray follow mini-Rip and land on his shoulder.

"I'm in position," Ray says over the comms.

"You wanted to see me? Have I done something wrong, miss?" Mini-Rip asks.

"Not yet," The Pilgrim tells the boy.

"Now!" Ray yells. He tries to blast the Pilgrim but she froze him in time. Firestorm merged and the rest of the team launched forward to attack. Leonard and Mick try to shoot the Pilgrim with their guns but she froze them in time as well. Then she throws them back, leaving herself untouched.

She freezes each person on the team as they try to attack her. I started to throw out my hands to hit her with whatever I got when she throws her hand out to freeze me in time.

"I was willing to proceed in good faith. Now you'll watch those closest to you die," The Pilgrim tells us.

I focus, my mind shaking in fury when a blast erupted from me. At the same time, mini-Rip stabs the Pilgrim.

"Thought you could snuff me out? You don't know at all miss," mini-Rip said. Then he stabs her again. She punches him, which caused her to let the rest of the team unfreeze. I throw my hands forward again and shoot her with a purple ray of light and energy. I could feel all the Elements in that ray and some additional powers that I didn't even know I had.

The combined power of Mick, Leonard, Ray, Firestorm, Rip, and I had reduced the Pilgrim.

"What a bitch," I say, catching my breath.

I walk over to Sara and Kendra, who was with mini-Rip.

"Nice job kid," I tell him and he gives me a high-five.

Rip's mother rushes over the mini-Rip.

"You poor boy," she says, grabbing his hands and checking if he was okay. She took him out of the warehouse type place we were in.

"That's you," Mick says.

"Yeah," Rip replies as Kendra, Sara, and I walk over to the rest of the team. "I was a cutpurse from the age of five. Starved more than I ate. I knew what I'd do if she tried to harm me."

"Lucky for us, you didn't forget your roots," Leonard says to Rip.

"Believe me, Mr. Snart, I've tried," Rip replies, walking away.

***

"Jayden!" I gasp and race into my older brother's arms.

"Hey little floare. You mind telling my what in the hell just happened?" Jayden asks me.

"It's a little complicated..." I start but he gives me a look. "Okay it's a lot complicated. It's kind of hard to explain."

I tell him about the time masters and about how my life has been since they were murdered.

"I'm really sorry. I'm such a horrible person," I tell my brother, feeling guilt and remorse for all the people I've killed in the past 150 years.

"What you did was bad floare, but you're not a horrible person. You were lost," Jayden said, looking at me with compassion with his violet eyes.

"Thank doesn't make it right. I don't know how to make it right. Jay Jay, I've been so lost and alone. I've lost you and Emmy too many times," I cry in his arms.

"We are always in your heart Isa."

"It's coming again Jayden. I'm going to forget again. The only thing I ever remember is..."

"Our deaths," Jayden finishes my sentence for me. "I need to tell you something floare. I don't know why, but it's only you who loses your memory. Me and Emmy always remembered. We just didn't tell you because you were already closed off and defensive."

"You pretended to forget?"

"I'm sorry for having to do it Isa, but you were always so hurt, I didn't want to make you feel more alone."

I couldn't be mad at my brother. I understand why he did it. I was always the one out of the three of us that couldn't control myself. I was always the one who was mean and angry.

"I was the reason you died," I said, my voice breaking.

"No floare. Whatever happened, it was not your fault. You need to believe that. Nothing you did cause our deaths." Jayden said. "Can you promise me one thing?"

"Anything." I tell my brother.

"Try. Try your hardest to not forget. Remember this conversation. Remember your love. That is your redemption. Saving people across the timeline," Jayden tells me.

"But I can never save you," I say.

"We don't need saving if we live on in your heart," Jayden replies. "Promise me."

"I promise."

***

"How's your sister?" Sara asks Leonard as they walk in together. I was sitting on one of the chairs. It was too hard to say goodbye. I didn't want to say goodbye.

"She's a tough kid. How's you dad?" Leonard asks Sara.

"Sleeping off that amnesia pill from Rip," Sara replies.

They come over to me.

"Are you okay?" Sara asks me softly. I feel a little anger rise up in me because she's talking to me as if I might break.

"I'm fine," I say roughly and stand up.

I could tell they both want to say something but I walk away from them to the other side of the console.

"Ugh. Just pulled younger me's head from out of his ass," Mick said, walking in.

"I'm not sure it's stuck," Ray said.

"Me either," Mick replies. "Then I saw younger Rip change, and I thought, why not give it a shot?"

"Surprised you didn't advise your teenage self to not get on a certain boat," Stein said.

"Yeah, me too," Sara replies.

"Yak, yak, yak, I thought we were on a clock here," Leonard interrupts them.

"Indeed we are," Rip said. "Time, the history from which your younger selves were removed, is beginning to set... as is evidenced by the change in Clarissa's memory."

"Okay, so how long do we have until these changes stick?" Jax asks.

"No one knows," Mick replies.

"Which is why we need to move swiftly to locate Vandal Savage if any of your lives are to be restored to normal," Rip tells us.

"So how long will it take to determine a new location for Savage?" Kendra asks.

"Longer than we have. Fortunately, there is one place in time that we know Savage to be," Rip said.

"You said he conquered the world in 2166," Mick says.

"You also said it was too dangerous to strike at Savage while he was at the height of his powers," Stein counters.

"That it is. But with your younger selves removed from history, we have quite literally run out of time."