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Sara Lance had spent five long years travelling through time and saving the world over and over, without anyone ever knowing it was ever at risk. This life had consequences that had finally taken its toll on her. Too many had died along the way. The final straw for Sara was witnessing the lasting effects of time travel on her close friend Rip Hunter. He gradually became confused and forgetful due to loss of sense of time itself. His death had been a shock to everyone, taken his own life leaving only a note saying he lost his sense of gravity, lost his home and had nowhere to go back or forward to. The remaining team carried on in his stead but when time travel went wrong, they were all sent plummeting into 2022 with no means of travelling again. For Sara this had been the call she needed to hang up her White Canary costume and truly settle into a quieter life. The legends all went their separate ways torn apart by loss.
Returning to her father’s home in Star City had to be her first stop. After Laurel’s death Sara never found herself unable to visit home very often because it reminded her of all the things she had lost, of all the dark memories and even worse the good memories that Star City held of her past life.
While it had only been 5 years for her, it would have been 7 years for her friends and family. So much could happen in 7 years and if she thought about it hard enough she would come to find she was terrified at the prospect of seeing her family once more. Especially, as the remaining daughter her parents had.
Having no choice in what year the legends landed, she had no idea how to contact anyone and caught a cab to her father’s old address. She pulled up to her father’s home to see it had completely changed, from a house to a block of apartments. Checking the names at reception left her confused as there was no one by the name Lance. As she was leaving the apartments she heard her name called out from behind.
"Sara?" A familiar voice called out. She stood still in her tracks. The voice she recognised would belong to none other than Oliver Queen. She turned around stunned, with shock registering on both their faces. As the shock passed they embraced as old friends.
"Sara, it's been years… You haven't changed a bit." He said studying her, happiness emanating from his usual brooding looks.
"Time travel tends to keep you young you see," she responded.
"How long are you back for or are you coming from the past, my past or is it your past or..?" He said obviously confused.
"What?” She managed as they both laughed at his attempt to figures out time travel.
"No, I'm back for good, I'm done with it." She explained.
"I've been through a lot, I just want to slow it all down and be with my friends and family."
Oliver just shook his head and bought her in for another embrace.
"There's so much I have to tell you, we need to catch up," he began ushering her out the door.
"Yeah, last time I saw everyone was years ago. I want to see everyone but where’s my dad moved to, I never thought he would move-" she explained.
Oliver's expression changed at the mention of her father. "Listen, I'll explain everything, I'm on my way to meet with Thea." He explained as a car came around for them.
The driver pulled up and quickly opened the door for them. Catching his eyes, he sent a knowing smile. Sara thought there was something familiar about him but had no time to question it.
"Oli what's going on?" She asked sternly before they could enter the car.
"Nothing, it's just you've missed a lot and I can't tell it all to you right this second. So, can we get in now," he said pushing her playfully. She rolled her eyes and proceeded to get in.
During the drive Oli informed Sara all the things she had missed. She hadn't realised exactly what she had given up by joining the legends. While she had been able to save the world several times over and met many amazing figures past, present and future, she couldn't deny her guilt at having missed so much in the lives of the people she cared about most. She had missed Oliver and Felicity's wedding, Thea's move from mayor office to Senate official, Oliver's son William and team arrow training the next generation of vigilantes.
As they walked through the office building to Thea's office on the top floor they discussed Sara's father.
"So, he was Commissioner of Star City and was going to run for senator but dropped out last minute to get back together with my mom and move away without so much as a goodbye?" Sara asked completely baffled by her father’s actions.
"I'll admit it was strange, but seeing them back together again was great, they seemed so in love. In all honesty, being commissioner took a lot out from him, only dealing with the dark side of humanity takes its toll." Oliver admitted.
"I can understand that but why leave everyone behind?" She asked before walking into a huge office, where a sophisticated Thea sat facing the view of the city.
"Surprise!" Sara exclaimed. Thea bound over to her old friend before embracing her tightly.
"What are you doing here?" Thea asked bringing her over to the sofa.
"I'm back for good. Time travel got...complicated." She explained.
"Well you can uncomplicate it over dinner, we should get the whole gang together," Thea urged excitedly.
"I would love to but I'm desperate to see my mom and dad, I mean after Laurel I pretty much tapped out of their lives," Sara's voice wavered with regret.
"What happened to Laurel wasn't your fault," Oliver comforted her.
"May not have been my fault but I couldn't save her, when she struggled through and bought me back from the dead." Sara pain over Laurel was clear in the break of her voice.
"And you made her proud by doing something good with your life." Thea said hopefully.
"Well, do you know where Quentin and Dinah moved to?" Oliver prompted Thea.
"No, but I can find out. They upped and left suddenly and really haven't been in touch except from the occasional call." Thea explained.
"You go travelling for a few years and the worlds shifts completely. I mean who would have thought my folks would get back together, Oli would finally not fuck up enough to marry Felicity and my party girl protégé would be working in the senate office." Sara said playfully.
"Who says I'm not still a party girl, office Christmas parties get pretty wild," Thea joked as she got up to go to her computer.
"You've heard all about us, what's up with you?" Oliver asked.
"Oh you know, stopped Savage a couple years back, we carried on saving the world from near catastrophes...we lost a lot of good people. I left because I wanted to good for the world, and I did, but it didn't feel real by the end, I guess I missed my family and team arrow." Sara explained sadness washing over her.
"You've always had a home with us Sara." Oliver said with a kind smile.
While everyone and everything had seemed to change, it seemed that the people she loved most in this world had managed to stay the same.
"Got it!" Thea exclaimed from her computer as she scribbled down something.
"I didn't realise your folks moved to Canada," she said handing the note to Sara.
"Canada? I guess they really had enough of this place huh?" Oliver said looking at the address.
Sara laughed as she read the address.
"It's not quite Canada, it's a little town up on the coast and border that they wanted to move to when we were little. We visited it once and they always planned to go there when they retired." Sara reminisced the memories of the quiet town that didn't quite seem like America or Canada. One of the best memories she shared with her sister was in the small town of Sudbury. Whilst they had argued constantly growing up, especially their teenage years, this was one vacation where they truly acted like sisters.
"You never mentioned it before?" Oliver said.
"We only vacationed there once and I was only about 7. It rained the whole time we were there but Laurel found ways to entertain us the whole week." She explained.
As they had been talking Thea had been tapping around on her computer.
"I've booked you our driver, he comes in 2 hours." Thea said with a wicked smile on her face.
"You didn't have to do that-" Sara began before being interrupted.
"You helped me a million times over, you've just been catapulted into 2022, things have changed a lot since you’ve been gone. I won't take no for an answer, you need to see your family." Thea said matter-of-factly. Oliver smiled mischievously at his sister.
"Thank you," Sara responded smiling proudly at the young woman standing before her.
"I came to bring you the new software Felicity has been working on but we can go through that tomorrow," Oliver stated bring out a small box from his briefcase.
"Don't let me interrupt, we can catch up properly when I get back." Sara said packing up her things.
"It's fine Sara, I'll look this over and Oli can come back later." Thea began plugging in cables from the box to the computer.
"Let’s go for lunch and then you'll be free to go, I promise," Oliver added. Sara rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled back at him.
"Fine, Oli if you insist." Sara joked.
"Thea it was good to see you again, I'll be back for full details on the past few years." Sara said hugging Thea goodbye.
"Yes, you better be, I can't tell you how many times I've had to save Oliver from ruining his life."
"Shut up speedy" Oliver replied pinching her cheek.
"Say ‘hey’ to your folks too!" she called out to the pair.