Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Some will say our team formed in Star City. Some will say we formed in Central City. Some will even say we formed in another universe altogether. If I'm being truthful, the people who say we formed in Central City are technically right.

But that's not where we began. Not really. We all began differently.

How would my team be remembered? Once we were known as the team who stopped Vandal Savage from conquering the world in 2166. When the Time Masters were destroyed, my team took up their mantle to protect the timeline and history itself. But to save reality itself, we caused a paradox and broke time itself, tearing history to shreds. It's been up to us to put it back together piece by piece, fixing the anachronisms that we had a hand in making.

But not even my team can face a time demon alone, and that is truly where our story begins. Not in Star City with Oliver Queen, known as the Green Arrow. Not in Central City with Barry Allen, known as the Flash. Not even in National City on Earth-38 with Kara Zor-El, known as Supergirl.

Our story begins in the Old West to fight against Mallus and his army from across time. And it doesn't begin with us as heroes.

My name is Sara Lance. I am the White Canary, and I am the captain of the Legends of Tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Sara Lance

Sara had the most insane team in the multiverse and considering Kara Danvers had Slade Wilson and Malcolm Merlyn for adoptive brothers, that was saying something.

Still, she thought as they were left alone by Jonah Hex, if they were insane enough to release Mallus, they were insane enough to try what Amaya wanted them to do. “All right, Amaya,” she said. “It’s your show. How do we create this magical light being?”

“All right,” Amaya walked towards a concrete platform. “Everyone, over here. Make a circle. Mick, your fire is gonna provide our champion with its spark. Zari, use your air to give it breath. Wally, use water to flow life’s blood through its veins. Nate – ”

“I will use the Earth Totem to give Voltron flesh,” Nate grinned.

Sara took back what she thought as behind them, Jax laughed and hastily coughed, Lily covering her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing, too. What was more insane was letting Nate do this while he was still high off the tea. “You got to stop calling it that,” she glared at him.

“I will never stop calling it that,” Nate shook his head.

“I’m gonna use my spirit to provide it with a soul,” Amaya continued. “But . . . ” She pulled a black stone on a chain out from under her jacket. “Without the final totem, our champion will be incomplete.”

“No,” Sara immediately shook her head, holding her hands. She remembered the last time she wore the Death Totem, and what she had nearly done with it still gave her nightmares. “It’s not happening!”

“Without the Death Totem, the other five totems can only imprison Mallus,” Amaya told her. “We need death to kill him once and for all.”

Sara eyed the Totem in disgust. “Don’t worry,” Mick spoke up. “If you turn into a witch bitch, I’ll kill you.”

Well, that was a little comfort, at least. “Thank you,” Sara sighed.

“You’re welcome,” Mick nodded.

“All right,” Sara took off her hat and bowed her head so Amaya could place the Totem around her neck. “Let’s do it.”

Everyone held their breaths as the Totem dangled from Sara’s neck, and Jax sighed in relief when Sara remained the same. “Atta girl.”

“OK,” Amaya extended her hands. “Hold hands.” She continued, even as Mick tried avoiding Nate’s grasping hand. “Come on, clear your minds, and focus on your breath. Imagine a perfect warrior of justice, mercy, and light.”

“So . . . Supergirl?” Lily whispered to Jax, who buried his face in his hand to avoid cackling.

The Totems all lit up one by one, then Mick’s voice rang in Sara’s head. “Why does Pretty have such girly hands?”

Nate’s voice was next. “Damn, this Lyoga root is strong! Concentrate, Nate, think about ‘Voltron, Defender of the Universe!’”

“I kind of pictured myself wielding something cool,” Wally’s voice chimed in. “Like a Lightning Totem.”

It was Zari’s voice that made Sara want to respond. “Am I crazy, or is Jonah Hex hot?”

“Eh, you could do worse than Hex,” Sara thought.

Zari’s hand tightened around hers. “Wait, you can hear me?”

“We can all hear each other,” Amaya confirmed with a sigh.

“Even what I said about Pretty’s girly hands?” Mick thought.

“Yes!” Sara, Zari, Nate, and Wally responded out loud.

“What did we just miss?” Lily looked at Jax in confusion.

“Totem magic?” he shrugged.

“OK, please!” Amaya shouted. “We need to clear our minds!”

Beams of magical energy shot from each Totem to the center of the platform. “Whoa,” Lily blinked. “It’s working!”

Mick frowned uneasily. “Are we making a baby?” he asked.

“Guys, we have to focus!” Amaya insisted.

“You telling us to focus is making it harder to focus!” Zari countered, earning a nod from Nate.

“All right, look” Sara grimaced, “this is why we’re not worthy of the Totems!”

“Seriously, are we making a baby?” Mick looked around.

“Everyone, just shut up!” Amaya yelled.

In the next second, the haze of magic disappeared, and Lily screamed, finding herself looking at something that looked like some disfigured creature that looked more like a gooey chicken. “What the hell?!” Jax sputtered, pulling Lily away.

“Cronen baby!” Nate yelped.

“Ew!” Zari retched, looking away with a hand over her mouth.

The creature sprayed goo everywhere, making Sara shriek and cover her face. “Is it supposed to be gooey?!”

Mick snarled and unholstered his heat gun, blasting the creature with it and making it disappear. “Mick!” Amaya stared at him.

“What?” Mick asked defensively. “I’m just putting this slop out of its misery!”

“Aw,” Nate pouted. “Voltron!”

Amaya took a deep breath. “Right. We need to try again.”

“You want to make that creature again?” Jax asked in surprise.

“No,” Sara shook her head, stepping out of the circle in frustration. “What we need to do is find some people that are worthy of using these Totems!”

A hissing sound made her turn around, and Sara’s eyes widened as Ava stepped out of the doorway made by a time courier. “If that’s not an entrance line, I don’t know what is,” she smirked, and Sara’s jaw dropped when she saw the people pouring out behind her. “I got your message.”

“We all did,” Barry smiled at Sara.

“Reporting for duty, Captain,” Leo nodded.

“Or just getting everyone out of trouble,” Oliver teased, Kara giggling from his right.

Sara looked around in shock. Barry and Cisco, Leo and Ray, Helen and Kuasa and Martin Stein . . . and even Slade, Malcolm, Laurel, Alex, Mon-El, and Imra with Oliver and Kara. That was more help than she imagined they would get!

Ray Palmer

Far from the Wild West, in Zambesi 1992, Ray poked his head out of the jumpship, then nodded and hopped out. He looked at the hut across the field, then winced when he heard the bangs and crashes from inside. “Whoa,” Damien Darhk remarked as he stepped out of the ship behind Ray. “Sounds like I’m really giving you the business in there!”

“Yeah,” Ray winced. “Still hurts.”

“Sorry,” Damien eyed the shoulder Ray was cradling.

“OK, so here’s the plan,” Ray took a deep breath. “We have to knock Nora out – ” That earned him a protective glare from Damien. “Gently, because I know she’s still your daughter,” Ray amended. “And we probably have to keep her unconscious until we figure out a way to de-demonize her.”

Damien nodded in agreement, then tensed when his dark-haired daughter, black magic creeping through her veins, stumbled out of the hut. “We better move quickly,” he said, running after Nora.

Amaya Jiwe/Cisco Ramon/Jonah Hex/Imra Ardeen/Sara Lance

“I can’t believe you were ever this young, Nana Baa,” Kuasa marveled as she walked side by side with Amaya through the town.

“I can’t believe you came to my aid,” Amaya smiled. “If you only knew the odds against that happening.”

“Odds?” Kuasa blinked. “I’ve been given a chance to fight alongside the woman who saved Zambesi! What was I supposed to say, no?”

“You didn’t have to come, Dad,” Lily told Martin with a smile, walking arm in arm with him, Jax on his other side.

“Well, I will take every opportunity I can get to see my former team again,” Martin smiled at her. “And I will especially take a chance to complete a mission with two people who mean the most to me.”

“Thanks, Grey,” Jax smiled. “It means a lot.”

“Besides,” Martin gestured around them. “It’s the Wild West!”

As Jax and Lily laughed, Nate frowned and wrapped a blanket tighter around himself. “Am I still high?” he asked Wally, Ava, and Cisco. “Or is the water witch a pal, Helen of Troy a warrior princess, and Slade and Alex standing closer than they normally are?”

“What?” Cisco immediately turned around to check.

“We leave you alone for what, three or four days, and not only do you get yourself killed, but you also deal with not one, not two, but three Kryptonians who use dark magic?” Malcolm looked at Slade and Alex incredulously.

“And to think I may have missed you, wizard,” Slade grumbled.

“Magician!”

“Well, at least that will never change,” Cisco shook his head.

“I believe you owe me a greenback,” Jonah informed Zari, looking around. “Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I was hoping for some real soldiers.”

Helen, who had been walking on his other side, quickly drew her sword and leveled it at his neck. As Jonah grunted in surprise, Helen gave him a sweet smile. “I’m Helen. Nice to meet you.”

Jonah smiled nervously, then carefully tipped the blade of the sword down. “Nice to meet you, little lady.”

“There was a Nazi Barry?” Imra blinked as she, Mon-El, Oliver, and Kara walked with Terrill and Leo.

“There was,” Leo nodded. “He’s not very happy about being locked up on Earth-X.”

“Bastard deserves it,” Mon-El rolled his eyes.

“There’s no arguments there, my friend.”

“Amen to that,” Oliver grumbled.

“Barry said you missed him a few times?” Kara grinned.

“He did,” Leo nodded.

“Let’s not mention that again,” Oliver sighed as Mon-El laughed.

“Well, it’s really good seeing you again, Barry,” Sara said as she and the speedster brought up the rear. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Hey, I’m just glad that we got Zari’s beacon in time,” Barry shook his head. “And we’re lucky Ava could pick us up right there and can drop us off barely a second later. DeVoe’s about to start his show. Unfortunately, that means we need to get back to Central City when this is done.”

“Well, fortunately for you, being time travelers means we can drop you off right when you left,” Sara nodded. “Even better, we can give you a hand. I’m gonna owe you after this, anyway.”

Barry frowned. “No, I think this is me paying you back after you were kidnapped.”

Sara snorted. “Nope, we were even after that.”

Barry looked at her. “Are we really having this conversation again?”

Sara laughed, giving him a side hug. “It really is good to have you here, Barry.”

“Glad to be here,” Barry wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Hey, Sara?” Kara turned to walk backwards. “Where’s Ray?”

Sara sighed. “You do not want to know.”

Ray Palmer

Nora was on her knees and thrashing about when Ray and Damien found her. “Come on, do it now, before it’s too late!” Damien urged. “Go!”

Ray threw the sharpest punch he could, but while Nora bent over, she didn’t collapse. “Oh,” Ray winced when Nora looked at him with Mallus’s sneer and red eyes. Damien hit her next, flinging her to the side. “Oh, man!” Ray grimaced. “You really shouldn’t hit your daughter!” Nora straightened back up, her face twisted by Mallus’s features, and she didn’t flinch when Damien drew a gun on her. Ray, however, balked. “You stole my nanite gun?! But that’ll kill her!”

Damien took a deep breath. “Sorry, honey,” he apologized, then shot Nora in the face. She froze, eyes wide as she gasped for breath, eyes clearing of the demon red. “Nora?” Damien stepped forward as she slumped forward onto her knees, then collapsed. “Nora!”

Nora could barely breathe as she looked up at him. “Dad,” she choked. “Why?”

“Because I love you,” Damien smiled down at her. “And I couldn’t watch you become a monster like me.”

Nora smiled faintly, then Ray winced when Mallus’s voice filled his head. “You fool.” Black smoke poured out of Nora’s mouth and nose, and up into Damien’s. “You thought destroying this vessel would thwart my return? I’ll gladly take you instead.”

Damien grimaced. “I was counting on that.” As the black disappeared from Nora’s veins, he lifted her towards Ray. “Go, go,” he ordered through gritted teeth. “Get her out of here! Go!”

“No!” Nora shrieked as Ray lifted her up and ran as fast as he could. “Dad!”

Ray kept running, even as he heard Mallus roar and used Damien’s body to manifest.

Nate Heywood

“Is it weird that I keep expecting your granddaughter to use that thing to try and drown me again?” Nate looked up at Kuasa, who was chatting with Wally on the next level of the saloon.

“This Kuasa never suffered in the war,” Amaya explained. “She never worked for the Darhks. She’s a good person who’s led a good life, and she and Mari share the Totem.” She shook her head in disbelief. “It worked,” she smiled. “I can’t believe it.”

“I can,” Nate said simply. “You told us the universe was guiding us, prepping us for this fight. You listened to your heart, and it drove you to do a really good slash super messy thing.”

He held up his shot glass, and Amaya clinked it with hers.

Laurel Lance

“D.E.O. weaponry was being sold to the public?!” Laurel asked Alex in shock.

“Not actual D.E.O. weapons, but this gun was based on what we use,” Alex nodded, leaning with the metahuman on the bar.

“God,” Laurel shook her head. “Weapons made for the D.E.O. – or the FBI, it sounds like you go under – are not what hunting rifles should be designed based on.”

“Definitely not,” Alex agreed, looking down at shot glass she held. “I might have died on that mission,” she revealed.

Laurel choked on her drink. “Excuse me?!”

“I might have,” Alex nodded. “That’s how powerful the weapons are.” She looked past Laurel. “If Slade hadn’t gotten in the way . . . ”

Laurel turned to see Slade and Malcolm speaking nearby, Slade checking his sidearm while Malcolm leaned against the staircase. “He did?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded. “Bullet went through the front of his suit, didn’t get out the back. He was lucky, he could get back in action immediately. It was just a shoulder shot, too.”

Laurel nodded and turned back, only to blink when she saw Alex’s eyes linger. She looked back and forth between the men and her fellow vigilante in black. “Anything else?” she asked knowingly with a grin.

“Hmm?” Alex blinked and looked back at her, then cleared her throat. “No,” she shook her head, turning her attention back to her drink. “Nothing at all.”

She ignored Laurel’s raised eyebrows as she tossed back the rest of her shot.

Ray Palmer

“OK,” Ray carefully placed Nora in one of the chairs in the medbay, then found the syringe he needed to cure her of the nanites. “Stay with me, Nora.” After he injected the serum, Nora woke up with a gasp and started thrashing about. “OK, you’re safe,” he reached out to steady her. “It’s OK.”

“No, my dad,” Nora shook her head wildly, looking around. “My dad – ”

“He traded places with you as Mallus’s vessel to save you,” Ray told her.

Nora stared at him in shock and anger. “How could you let him do that?” she demanded. “Why didn’t you stop him?!”

She tried to get out of the chair, but Ray shook his head, keeping her down. “It’s OK.”

“No!” Nora cried, the fight leaving her as she slumped against Ray. “No!” Her broken wail of “Dad!” made Ray swallow and hug her tightly. Nora sobbed into his shoulder and clung to him, heartbroken because she had just lost her father . . . again.

Chapter Text

Sara Lance

“Just point and shoot,” Jonah instructed Helen.

She took aim at one of the beer bottles, then fired and hit it dead center. “Damn, girl,” Zari smirked at Jonah’s jump.

Helen grinned, then proceeded to shoot every bottle in the rest of the line. “Whoa,” Jax grinned. “Nice shooting!”

“Where’d you learn to shoot like that?” Jonah demanded.

“I learned to fight on Themyscira,” Helen answered, handing the gun back and giving Sara and Zari appreciative looks. “But the Legends were the ones that inspired me. You gave me the gift of a new life. It is an honor to be here to help you save yours.”

“Thank you,” Sara nodded. “But we need to be teaching you to use the Totems, and I’m pretty sure you didn’t learn that on Themyscira.”

“Sorry, my college courses didn’t include ‘How to Wield a Totem of Zambesi,’” Cisco shook his head.

“Yeah, we’re here for you and the Legends, Sara,” Barry nodded. “We’re not replacing any of you. Consider us the back-up.”

Sara ignored the snort Malcolm made at that. “Look, we’ve already tried twice, and we failed miserably,” she said, walking away.

Ava scowled, walking after her. “You still don’t see it, do you, Sara?” she asked. “You guys made Kuasa and Helen’s lives better. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. We are all here to support the Legends. And what, you’re gonna stand there and tell me that you aren’t the exact people to wield the Totems against Mallus now?”

Sara smirked slightly. “Good speech,” she admitted.

Ava huffed. “Thank you.”

“And, uh,” Sara shuffled. “It’s a good point.”

Ava nodded. “Uh, by the way,” she bit her lip. “I wanted to ask you, just . . . did you mean what you said, the last time we saw each other?”

“When I told you to run?” Sara raised an eyebrow.

“No,” Ava shook her head. “Before that.”

Sara thought back, then froze. “Oh. Oh, you mean when I told you I loved you.”

“Yeah,” Ava winced.

Sara smirked. “What do you think?”

“I, uh . . . ” Ava gulped; Sara heard Laurel snicker quietly into her drink. “Think that . . . ”

Before she could finish, the door to the saloon banged open. “Howdy, partners!” Palmer bounded in with a wide grin. “What did I miss?”

Sara scowled. “Where’s Darhk?” she asked.

“I’d really hoped that was Martin kidding,” Oliver muttered to Kara as they got out of their seats.

“Um,” Ray trailed off.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Nate shouted, drawing the pistol he had, and Oliver’s attention was drawn to the dark-haired woman in a grey coat that closed the door behind her, hands held up. “Wrong Darhk! Wrong Darhk!”

“Wrong Darhk?” Kara asked in confusion, seeing other weapons get drawn.

Malcolm, however, cursed violently, and Oliver’s face drained of color. “Nora?” he asked in shock.

The woman halted in her tracks, eyes wide. “Oliver Queen?”

“No, no, no,” Palmer skidded between her and Oliver, Nora’s eyes quickly narrowing to slits. “Look, look, look, she’s – she’s been de-Mallused! She’s no longer a demon!”

“Yeah, but she looks like she wants to kill Oliver!” Alex frowned.

“He killed my dad!” Nora glared at her.

“To be fair, everyone in the room has wanted to kill your dad at least once,” Cisco held his hands up. “Please don’t magic me to death.”

“Wait,” Mon-El stepped forward. “If she’s not Mallus, does that mean we don’t have to fight him anymore?”

“Uh . . . ” Palmer smiled sheepishly. “Not exactly?”

“And what about Damien Darhk?” Slade frowned.

Palmer winced. “Long story short, um . . . he sacrificed himself for Nora, and now he’s Mallus’s vessel.” Oliver groaned and facepalmed, and Palmer pasted a smile on his face. “So, what’s new in the Old West?”

“Well, Caesar, Blackbeard, and Leif Erikson’s crazy sister are demon pawns,” Amaya answered. “They gave us an ultimatum to hand over the Totems.”

Palmer nodded. “How long do we have?”

Horse neighs and shouts were heard outside, and Terrill and Leo, the closest to the windows, looked outside. “Now,” Terrill said dryly.

Sara hurried out the door and out onto the porch, looking down the road. She heard other footsteps behind her, then Barry whistled. “That is an army.”

“Yeah,” Sara narrowed her eyes, watching Caesar, Blackbeard, and Freydís lead the Romans, pirates, and Vikings into the town. “And we’re gonna kick their asses.”

Barry grinned. “That’s the spirit!”

Sara marched back into the saloon, looking over everyone who had come to help. “All right,” she brought their attention to her, Barry stopping behind her. “We’re facing an army of Romans, Vikings, and pirates. But you know what today is? Today’s the day that we prove that Rip did not sacrifice his life in vain. And today is the day that we prove that we are not losers. And today is the day that we earn the name Legends.”

As her team cheered and whooped, Sara tossed back the shot on the table. She swallowed with a grimace, then looked at Barry. “Last chance to back out, Flash.”

“You kidding me?” Barry snorted. “I stand with my friends, wherever, whenever.”

“You’re in for it now,” Sara clapped him on the shoulder. “Now . . . how do we sneak out the back?”

Sara Lance

Sara sauntered out of the saloon later, stopping right in the middle of the road where the armies were waiting. She raised an eyebrow at them, unimpressed, then spat on the ground. “Nice of you to bring your fan club,” she sneered. “So . . . ” She held up all six Totems. “About that ultimatum.”

“There is honor in surrender, Captain Lance,” Caesar nodded.

“Our new gods may grant you mercy,” Freydís agreed.

“Yes, be a good girl and hand us over your magic baubles,” Blackbeard ordered.

“I changed my mind,” Sara smirked. “New terms: get out of town or get hurt.”

Caesar snarled and drew his sword. “Attack!” he barked.

Sara shoved the Totems under her jacket and ran backwards, then turned when a horse galloped towards them. She grabbed Ava’s hand and swung up behind her, and Ava veered off as green and black arrows zoomed past them from where Oliver and Malcolm had taken up sniper positions. “Can you believe this is my first time on a horse?” Ava asked gleefully.

Sara drew her revolver and fired back at the armies chasing them, and as Ava rounded the corner, she galloped towards the first line of defense: Nate, Amaya, Kuasa, Laurel, Cisco, and Imra.

Leo Snart/Mick Rory

Back in the saloon, gunfire crossed with light and ice as Mick, Leo, and Terrill defended against the Romans that swarmed. “You need some ice for those burns?” Leo grinned, shoving his gun in an offending Roman’s chest, right into where Terrill punched him.

Mick grinned in delight as he looked down at the Romans he fell, then paused when the door slammed open behind him. “Haven’t you ever learned never to turn your back on your enemies?”

“Caesar,” Mick growled, then turned and dodged the sword aimed at him. Terrill and Leo watched as Mick avoided the swings at him, then sucker punched Caesar in the stomach. He then added a sharp punch in the face, and Caesar collapsed on the ground, reaching for his nose in shock. “That’s a Roman nose,” Mick grinned.

Nate Heywood

There was something funny about watching pirates run right into forcefields, Nate thought as he watched Imra alternate between punching them, swinging the sword she gained at them, telekinetically tossing them onto the roofs, and conjuring forcefields. The Saturnian was easily the best off out of all of them. Laurel relied on her knives, but when she was overwhelmed, one sonic scream later and she scored a strike on the enemies charging at her. Nate wasn’t doing too bad, either. It was easy for him to turn his skin into steel to avoid getting hit, and his punches did much more damage that way, too.

“Whoops!” Cisco shouted from nearby, and he turned to see Cisco open multiple breaches in front of him. “Bye bye!”

The pirates then fell down to the ground behind them from several feet up, knocking them out cold. Nate couldn’t help but laugh as Cisco grinned and continued to send disoriented enemies through different breaches.

Amaya had found herself a sword and was facing off with Blackbeard, their swords singing as they clashed over and over. Blackbeard finally drew his sidearm and fired at Amaya, who just barely dodged in time. His next sword swing disarmed her, and he leveled his blade at Amaya’s neck with a sneer. “I should have known it was just a tall tale,” he said. “You’re not the Dread Pirate Jiwe.”

Nate pushed a pirate to the ground and kicked his sword up off the ground and into his hand. “No,” he shook his head. “Her name is Amaya Jiwe of the Great Tribe of Zambesi!”

He tossed the sword, and Amaya grinned, fighting back against Blackbeard with ferocious swings. When she finally disarmed him, she held her sword up to his neck, winking at him with a grin. Blackbeard’s grin was nervous. “Tootles!” he waved, then he turned tail and ran off.

Alex Danvers

One Viking screamed as Alex drove her claws into his throat, and she tossed him over the railing to fire at the Roman behind him. As the pirate furiously raised his sword to hit him, a blur of blue and red hit him head on and grabbed Alex, flying her outside.

As Alex recovered her footing, she watched Kara heat vision the group outside, Mon-El diving down to help her punch the rest out.

Zari Tomaz/Alex Danvers

“Hey, Firestorm?” Zari called. “We’re about ready for you!”

“Just let us know when!” Firestorm responded, a fireball flying past her and Jonah.

“Dynamite?” Jonah asked with a raised eyebrow. “You sure about this?”

“No,” Zari shook her head, watching Slade and Helen defend their position down the road. “But it’s too late for second-guessing.”

With Barry and Wally keeping the army from closing in on three sides, Slade and Helen cut through the other attackers with ease. Helen had grabbed another pistol from a fallen pirate and used it to shoot the Romans coming too close for comfort.

“Ready!” Zari shouted, just in time for Alex to come running around the corner.

Slade and Helen made it just in time, as Firestorm flew down and tossed a fireball on top of the dynamite they had gathered. The resulting blast killed the Mallus reinforcements and knocked the others back. Zari found herself on top of Jonah, and Helen and Alex had landed in a tangle of limbs. “Whoa,” Alex shook her head, then blinked at Helen. “Oh. Hi.”

“Hello,” Helen smiled back at her.

“You all right, Alex?” Slade got to his feet first, holding out a hand.

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, grasping his hand gratefully and letting him tug her up. “Always a good day when there’s an explosion and I don’t die in it.”

“Well, that’s cheerful,” Firestorm snorted as he landed.

“That’s just the D.E.O.,” Alex shook her head.

Malcolm jumped down from his post, whistling as he looked around at the carnage. “Heroes one, Mallus zero,” he grinned.

“Great,” Sara grinned, holstering her pistol. “Next round’s on me!”

“Guys?” Barry zipped back into view. “Something’s wrong.”

The group looked around, and Alex gulped. “Uh oh.”

Every enemy on the ground was opening their eyes again, the orbs now glowing demon red. “It’s Mallus,” Nora warned.

Helen turned to Sara. “Go,” she ordered. “Make good your preparations. The rest of us shall buy you time.”

Sara nodded. “All right,” she looked around and found Zari, Nate, Wally, Mick, and Amaya. “You heard the lady.”

The six ran towards the saloon, passing Leo and Terrill as they came out. “Round two?” Leo grinned.

“Yeah, I think the trouble follows us, not Oliver and Kara,” Alex looked at Slade.

He smirked. “What, are you complaining?”

Alex rolled out her neck, standing back to back with the man as more demon puppets rose to their feet and their allies swooped in to assist. “Not one bit.”

Sara Lance

“What’s happening?” Martin asked when the Legends entered the saloon.

“Magic,” Amaya said simply.

“Right,” Martin nodded.

“Well, hopefully this goes better than last time,” Zari griped as they formed a circle.

“All right,” Amaya looked around. “We have to believe in the Totems, that they’ve chosen each of us.”

“Well, if this really is the end of the world, then I choose to surround myself with you guys,” Sara declared, holding out her hands.

The other Legends nodded, completing the circle.

Jefferson Jackson/Oliver Queen

“Let’s do it!” Lily encouraged in Firestorm’s head.

“You sure, Lils?” Jax asked, looking around as the army closed in. “There’s a lot of allies we could hit.”

“Do we, or do we not, have a Saturnian who can make a forcefield?”

Jax grinned. “You sound so much like Grey.”

“I wonder why that is? Come on, let’s show them!”

“Forcefield!” was all Firestorm said as he launched into the air.

Imra responded immediately, conjuring a shield around her teammates. Firestorm unleashed fire blasts from both hands, rotating around the top of the dome and taking out the first wave of attackers surrounding them. When he finished, Imra made the shield disappear, and Oliver, Malcolm, Slade, and Leo burst into action. Ava grabbed the sword from one of the pirates and started slashing away, Kuasa nimbly avoiding swords and punching with all her might. Every time one of the humans fell, Mon-El was there to block the next hit, as Cisco opened a breach, Barry delivered a knockout punch that launched the offending enemy through with his superspeed.

Jonah ducked as Kara flew overhead and used her freeze breath to knock a few Romans down, and he came back up with two firearms, firing both constantly. Helen was a whirlwind in the other direction, cutting down every pirate that Laurel didn’t scream down. Terrill and Firestorm flew back to back, Lily constantly warning Jax every time a bullet was heading their way.

Oliver found himself backed up to the saloon, one Viking bellowing in anger and swinging so violently, he was nearly hit. Abruptly, the Viking started choking on nothing, then he flew into the air, crashed into the wall, then fell to the ground in a heap. Oliver stared in surprise, then looked to find Imra. He couldn’t see her in the chaos, but when he turned again, he found Nora telekinetically throwing another pirate away from Palmer. In the process, she missed the Roman coming up behind her. He acted on instinct, drawing an arrow and shooting. Nora looked behind her as the Roman went down with an arrow in his eye, and she looked to see Oliver looking back at her. They both nodded to each other, and Nora turned to continue using her magic as Oliver headed back into the fray.

Kuasa flipped one pirate end over end, and Helen dispatched the last of the Vikings when all of the forces suddenly stopped. “Uh,” Barry frowned uneasily. “I don’t think that’s a surrender.”

A loud screech made Kara and Mon-El turn, and Kara’s eyes widened. “That’s the cavalry!”

The rest turned to see a massive, winged, horned being fly to the field and land, roaring loudly. “Mallus?” Alex asked weakly.

“Mallus,” Nora confirmed.

Sara Lance

Inside the saloon, the Totems started glowing in unison. “Whoa,” Sara whispered. “You feel that?”

“It’s working,” Amaya grinned.

“All right,” Sara took a deep breath. “Now, imagine a powerful light of pure goodness.”

Their Totems unleashed their magic in the center of the circle, and Wally smiled. “Something’s forming!”

“Can I peek?” Zari asked. “I’m gonna peek.” She opened one eye, then balked and opened the other. “Oh, God.”

“‘Oh, God?’” Amaya parroted worriedly. “What ‘oh, God?’”

“Everyone focus!” Sara barked.

Amaya opened her eyes to look, and her jaw dropped. “Wait . . . is someone thinking of – ?”

“I’m sorry,” Nate let out in a rush, and Sara opened one eye to peek, too. “You said think of something pure, and I thought – ”

“No, you didn’t,” Sara groaned.

“Again, I said I’m sorry!”

“Wait,” Martin’s eyes widened as he peered into the circle. “Is that – ?”

“Yeah, I can’t stop thinking about him, either,” Zari winced.

“Guys!” Cisco backed up into the saloon. “Whatever you got – ” He looked behind him, then blanched in shock. “Holy frack!”

Oliver Queen

The ground started rumbling, and Nora stumbled, falling back onto Palmer. “What the Sam Hill is going on?” Jonah asked.

“I think this is part of Sara’s plan,” Palmer answered hopefully.

Cisco ran back out of the saloon, eyes wide, Martin behind him with a matching expression. “You will not believe – !”

The roof of the saloon burst open from the inside, and everyone looked out as a massive blue blur launched out. It finally landed, and Barry’s jaw dropped as a giant Beebo doll landed with a thud and a giggle. “I lo-lo-love you!” it announced.

Freydís’s eyes widened in wonder. “The Blue God . . . he has returned!”

“What the hell?!” Alex sputtered.

“That is your captain’s plan?” Helen asked incredulously.

“Where in the hell are Sara and the others?” Oliver asked Cisco.

He just gulped and pointed at Beebo. “That is Sara and the others!”

Oliver nearly got whiplash when he turned to look back up at Beebo. “What?!”

“Beebo hungry!” Beebo declared, then started off towards the field with a rush of giggles.

“I’m sorry, what the hell is this?” Malcolm looked around.

Firestorm abruptly separated into Jax and Lily, and Lily burst out laughing as Jax grinned. “Welcome to what it’s like to be a Legend, Merlyn!”

Chapter Text

Kara Danvers/Barry Allen/Oliver Queen

Kara once thought the weirdest, most absolutely ridiculous thing she would ever see or do in a battle was drive into a White Martian base in J’onn’s car while blasting Britney Spears.

The six Legends forming to combine a massive Beebo won by a long shot. “Please tell me I’m imagining this,” Alex said faintly.

“Can the imagination be shared?” Cisco asked faintly.

“Oh, if Brainy could see this,” Mon-El grinned.

“I think Diggle is glad he can’t,” Slade blinked.

“Come on!” Lily grabbed Jax’s hand and dragged him after Beebo.

Jax stumbled, but quickly caught up with his surrogate sister, the two of them arriving yards away, watching Beebo and Mallus charge each other head-on. Barry sped with Martin to catch up with them, the four of them gawking as Beebo swung with a paw and threw Mallus across the field. “I can’t believe I’m watching this,” Barry stammered, eyes wide.

“I can’t believe I’d forgotten how insane these adventures were,” Martin grinned widely.

Beebo bounded towards Mallus again, and the time demon summoned a fireball, throwing it and hitting Beebo in the stomach. “Ooo,” Barry winced, watching Beebo’s fur get singed.

“Like the gods of Olympus made manifest!” Helen grinned as the others caught up.

“If that’s a god, then I really need to reevaluate my life,” Cisco shook his head.

“You mean like the Vikings?” Leo snorted.

Mallus flew into the air, avoiding Beebo’s next rush, then landed behind the doll and grabbed it by the scruff. Beebo squealed as Mallus threw it over his shoulder, landing in a massive dirt cloud. “Ooo!” Terrill cringed.

“Hey!” Jax shouted. “I know you’re not gonna take that, Beebo!”

“Nana baa,” Kuasa swallowed anxiously.

“Come on, guys!” Palmer called. “You got this!”

“Let’s go!” Kara shouted. “Don’t let him win!”

“Angel, you know you’re encouraging a doll to win against a time demon?” Oliver looked at her.

“It’s Sara and the others!” Kara protested. “Come on, show a little support!”

Mallus jumped into the air and landed on Beebo’s stomach, and the doll’s eyes almost popped out of its head. “Beebo . . . can’t breathe!”

“Come on, Sara!” Barry yelled.

“Don’t you dare give up on me, Lance!” Ava barked.

“If you don’t get up, Sara, I’m gonna kill you!”

“You?” Laurel couldn’t help but snort.

“Sara’s an assassin, no way in hell she’s getting killed while she’s a doll!”

Sure enough, before Mallus could slam a fireball in Beebo’s face, the doll flung Mallus off of it, and when it got to its feet, it did a massive belly flop with a war cry of “Beebo!”, flattening Mallus under it. “Whoa!” Malcolm did a double take, blinking rapidly.

“Yeah!” Jax whooped. “Come on, that’s it! Kick his ass!”

Beebo flung Mallus in the air, then did a backflip and kicked and punched Mallus in midair, making the demon tumble end over end in the dirt. When Beebo landed on its feet with a flourish (Barry would have bet a hundred bucks that was Sara) and Mallus looked up at the doll with a snarl, Beebo extended a paw and beckoned tauntingly, eyes narrowed. “Not even the six can stop me now!” Mallus bellowed furiously, propelling into the air and flying towards the doll.

“Come on, finish him!” Alex yelled.

Beebo leapt high into the air in response, and as Mallus flew towards it, it declared “Beebo want cuddle!” with its arms wide. It engulfed Mallus in a hug, and as the doll giggled maniacally, Mallus roared in fury as they catapulted to the ground.

They landed in an explosion of blue fluff, and Laurel and Lily stumbled back into Malcolm and Jax. “Oh, my God,” Alex’s eyes widened.

Oliver and Barry sprinted towards the crater that formed, and Kara and Cisco were right on their heels. Palmer was the next to catch up, squinting to look through the dust. “Guys?” he called.

“Sara?” Oliver shouted.

Wally was the first to stumble to his feet, blue fuzz and fluff covering him. Sara blinked wearily up at them, her hat undisturbed. “Oh, thank God,” Kara sighed in relief, seeing everyone else unharmed.

“Are you all right?” Ava asked worriedly.

“Guys, we did it!” Zari grinned dopily. “Our totems united to create a single . . . ” She brushed fluff off her coat. “Furry love child.”

“Worst orgy ever,” Mick complained.

Kara giggled, and Barry whooped. “That’s my new favorite battle ever!”

“That is?!” Cisco gawked at him in shock.

“That I didn’t take part in!”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Malcolm shook his head. “I prefer the Worldkiller.”

“Seriously?” Slade stared at him in shock.

“I am not becoming a doll that kills enemies with kindness!”

Oliver shook his head, content to let the two men bicker, when a broken voice sounded next to him. “Dad . . . ”

He turned to see Nora look down into the crater, tears in her eyes. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. He did not feel sympathy for Damien Darhk in the slightest . . . but he could feel it for his daughter. “I’m sorry, Nora,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry you lost him again.”

Nora looked up at him with wide eyes, as if unable to believe those words had come out of his mouth, when Jonah whistled. “Damnation. Now I just have seen about everything.”

“Don’t come to our Earth, then,” Mon-El smirked.

Ava spat fluff out of her mouth. “So wait . . . that’s it?” she asked. “You destroyed the demon?”

Amaya nodded happily. “I’m just glad the ancestors aren’t here to see this,” she looked around the Beebo remnants.

“Yeah,” Sara smiled fondly. “But Rip would be proud.”

“Damn straight!” Jax fist pumped.

“Yes!” Lily cheered, hugging Martin tightly.

Jax joined their little group hug, with Palmer joining with a whoop of delight. “Ding dong, the demon’s dead!” Kara cheered, hugging Imra, whose laughter rang out like bells.

“Victory hug!” Cisco announced, pouncing on Barry, who almost doubled over in laughter.

“We did it, Mick!” Nate laughed, hugging the man from behind.

Oliver shook his head, looking at Mon-El with a grin. “Please tell me the future is more sane than this.”

“I’m really hoping it stays that way,” Mon-El grinned.

When they looked back down, the other totem bearers piled onto the hug with Mick, the poor pyromaniac shouting “Get off of me!” as he ended up at the bottom of a cuddle pile.

Amaya Jiwe

“OK, if you’re a pirate, go that way,” Cisco helped Ava direct traffic. “If you’re a Beebo-worshipping Viking, you go that way. If you were stupid enough to follow Caesar, head that way.”

“The totems came together when the world needed them most,” Amaya smiled, handing the Death Totem to Kuasa. “Now it’s time for them to find new bearers. I trust you’ll keep them safe until they do, Nana.”

Kuasa smiled, pleased at the trust as she turned to Nate. “Are you sure you don’t want the power to move earth? Call on the dead?”

“No,” Nate smiled, passing the Earth Totem over. “I’m good with just steel.”

“And I prefer being a speedster over a water wizard,” Wally agreed, passing his totem to Kuasa.

Mick just snorted, dropping his totem on top of the others. “Too old for jewelry.”

Kuasa smiled and accepted Amaya’s hug when she offered it. “Nana baa.”

Laurel Lance/Barry Allen/Mon-El

“Unhand me, you fiend!” Caesar snarled, trying to yank himself out of Laurel’s grasp. “You shall pay dearly for this!”

He was rewarded with a smack on the back of his head from Malcolm’s bow, and Caesar pitched forward, the only thing stopping him from faceplanting Laurel’s grip on his arm. “You should have let him fall,” Slade snickered.

“Tempting,” Laurel smirked. “He’s already got a Roman nose, though.”

Malcolm burst out laughing, partly at Laurel’s words, and partly at the nonsense Freydís was stammering behind them. “He saved us. Beebo is our one true god.”

Cisco shook his head. “Lady, you high as hell.”

Barry snorted, shaking his head fondly. “Not as high as I was.”

“Dude, I’ve apologized for that hundreds of times!”

Blackbeard shook his head, looking at Mon-El. “The bonny ones always be the craziest.”

Mon-El smirked. “Buddy, never say that if you ever get married.”

“Thank you, dear,” Imra smiled sweetly.

“Thanks, everyone,” Ava nodded as she surveyed the group in front of her.

“Oh, no problem,” Barry nodded. “So, you’re mindwiping them?”

“Yep.”

Jax snickered. “Adios, Mallus’s three amigos.”

“I can’t believe there’s something crazier than fighting Reichsmen,” Terrill shook his head.

“Oh, try Worldkillers,” Kara snorted.

“I’m counting on it,” Leo grinned.

Ava turned to Sara, smiling fondly. “I’ll be seeing you, Miss Lance.”

Sara smirked flirtatiously. “Oh, you can count on it, Miss Sharpe.”

Ava nodded, and Luarel and Cisco handed Caesar and Freydís over. Blackbeard tried to scramble away, but Mon-El and Imra shoved him towards the Time Agents walking over. “Uh uh,” Mon-El shook his head. “That way, buddy.”

Zari Tomaz

Zari watched with Sara as the three were shepherded through the portal, then turned when Jonah cleared his throat. “Well, seeing as though this is the last time we’ll see one another,” he trailed off, then handed his hat over. “Something to remember me by.”

“Oh,” Zari blinked, taking it. “Your dirty hat. That’s . . . that’s weird.” She smiled. “But sweet.” As Jonah nodded and walked off, she heard muffled giggles behind her, and rolling her eyes, she turned around. Sure enough, Kara and Alex were giggling maniacally. “Oh, shut up!” she barked.

That only made them laugh harder.

Oliver Queen

Oliver watched Mallus’s allies get marched through different portals, then saw two Time Agents lead Nora by the arms towards one of them. He frowned, then headed their way. “Hey!” he called, making them stop. “I need to talk to her.”

The agents looked between themselves, but stepped away, leaving Nora to face Oliver with a bewildered look. “What could you have to say to me?” she frowned.

He sighed, looking down. “As someone who absolutely hated your father, I’m not sorry about what happened to him,” he admitted. “As a parent, there is something in me that admires him for sacrificing himself the way he did for his daughter.” Nora looked down, biting her lip. “I don’t know all of what you did to the Legends, and I don’t think I want to know,” he said. “But if Slade and Malcolm can get second chances and turn out the way they have, I think you can have one, too. Just don’t waste it.”

Nora snorted. “You mean as I spend the rest of my life rotting in a Time Bureau prison?”

Oliver frowned, then turned around. “Ray!” he called. When two people turned to look at him, he sighed. “Palmer!” he added.

The billionaire perked up and jogged over. “Yeah?” he asked.

Oliver tilted his head in Nora’s direction. “Would you vouch for her?” he asked.

“Of course!” Ray did a double take.

“Awesome,” Oliver turned back around. “Ava!” he barked.

Nora balked, but the Time Bureau Director walked over, a curious look on her face. “Yes?”

Oliver cleared his throat. “I understand you want Nora to be imprisoned at the Bureau, correct?”

“Considering everything she’s done to time, absolutely,” Ava nodded.

Nora ducked her head, and Oliver folded his arms. “The way I’ve heard, a lot of what she’s done has been against the Legends,” he said. “I think it would only be fair that they decide what happens to her.”

Ava’s eyebrows shot up. “You think she should be imprisoned on the Waverider?”

“I know people who have done a lot of unforgiveable things,” Oliver shrugged. “Sometimes the only way they learn is if they’re made to work with the people they did those things to.” He smirked. “Besides, something tells me Nora might go insane quicker on the Waverider than in a prison.”

Nora snorted loudly. “What’s this about Nora going insane on the Waverider?” Sara sauntered up.

“Oliver was suggesting that Nora serve her sentence on your ship,” Ava frowned.

“Really?” Sara blinked, looking at Oliver incredulously.

“Come on, Sara,” Palmer pleaded. “She helped us against Mallus when she was free of him. She’s not under his control anymore.”

“Besides,” Oliver smirked. “Not all of you have rosy perfect records.”

Sara pursed her lips, then turned to Nora. “You even think about killing any of us, I’m shoving a knife in your heart.”

Nora blinked rapidly, as if barely believing this was happening. “Got it,” she quickly cleared her throat. “Crystal clear.”

Ava nodded, stepping forward and unlocking her cuffs. “You better be thankful,” she warned. “You could have ended up with a much worse deal.”

“I know,” Nora looked at Oliver, taking a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he nodded. “I made a mistake not looking out for you a few years ago. It’s the least I could do this time around.”

Amaya Jiwe/Sara Lance

Amaya watched Palmer chat with Nora as they walked through the town, a faint smile on the younger girl’s face as she listened. “So,” Sara walked up to her with a grin. “Are you glad I picked you up in Zambesi six months ago?”

Amaya playfully thought. “I think the words you used were, ‘just one more mission.’”

On her other side, Zari snorted loudly. “It’s better than the line they used on me.”

“What was it?” Lily grinned. “It’ll be fun?”

“Nope,” Zari shook her head. “‘Come with us if you want to live.’” Lily burst out laughing, and Zari rolled her eyes. “I almost die every week on the ship.”

Sara snickered, and Amaya smiled at Zari. “But you found a home.”

“I did,” Zari agreed.

Amaya sighed. “And as much fun as this has been, it’s almost time for me to go home.”

Sara frowned. “Almost?” she parroted.

Amaya smiled. “I’d like to see one superhero wedding go right,” she nodded to where Oliver and Kara were talking with their group. “And I think we owe our friends for helping us out.”

“I agree,” Sara nodded.

“Yeah,” Zari nodded. “I guess we can help them out.”

Lily started to nod, then did a double take when she saw what hung at Zari’s side. “Wait,” she pointed. “Is that Jonah Hex’s hat?”

Zari closed her eyes. “Shut up.”

“Is there?” Sara’s eyes brightened.

“I can’t,” Zari shook her head, lifting the hat to cover her face.

“Did they?”

“Stop, please!”

Amaya and Lily continued to tease Zari, who kept blushing behind Jonah’s hat. Sara shook her head fondly, then saw Barry and Cisco huddled together, the two of them exchanging hushed words. She frowned and walked over, seeing the anxious looks on their faces. “What is it?”  she asked.

Barry sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and turning to her. “Before we came here, I tried to find a way with Cisco and Caitlin to stop DeVoe from starting the Enlightenment,” he said. “It involved taking down one of his satellites, but when I confronted DeVoe about it, he didn’t seem to care.”

Sara frowned. “So he might have another idea.”

“He’s the Thinker, he has ideas for his ideas for his ideas,” Cisco snorted.

“So the Enlightenment is still on.”

“I hope not,” Barry sighed. “But honestly . . . probably.”

“We agreed to come because we knew you could likely get us back to, like, a second after we left,” Cisco said. “But we really need to get back to Central City.”

“Absolutely,” Sara nodded. “You got it.” She turned around and took a deep breath. “Hey, Legends!” she yelled, making Cisco flinch and cover his ears.

“Yeah, Cap?” Nate poked his head out of the saloon nearby.

“Let’s load up the Waverider!” she clapped her hands. “We got work to do in Central City!”

Wally’s eyes brightened. “DeVoe?”

“Yep,” Sara nodded. “Let’s kick a super genius’s ass.”

Chapter Text

I'll give it to Sara that the beginning of our journey did begin in the Wild West, but that is in the past where no one remembers us aside from each other.

Our true origins in the present begin in Central City during an event known as the Enlightenment.

My name is Barry Allen, and I am the fastest man alive. To the outside world, I am an ordinary forensic scientist. But secretly, with the help of my friends at S.T.A.R. Labs, I fight crime and find other metahumans like me. But almost a year to the day, I became lost in time, and it took everything in my friends' power to bring me back. In doing so, our world was opened up to new threats.

I was fast enough to stop them once. But Clifford DeVoe, also known as the Thinker, is a foe unlike any I have faced before. He took my friend, Ralph Dibny, and used him to further his plans. We lost a critical member of our team, and now we have to stop DeVoe from executing the Enlightenment.

But we won't be alone. Because by fighting alongside Sara Lance, known as the White Canary, and her team, the Legends of Tomorrow, we have gained their aid in our fight, as well as the aid of Team Arrow, led by Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, and Team Supergirl, led by Kara Zor-El, Supergirl. Together, we will end the threat of DeVoe and his Enlightenment once and for all.

I am the Flash. I stand with the Green Arrow, Supergirl, and the White Canary. And we will ensure justice will be dealt to those who deserve it.

Chapter Text

Sara Lance/Barry Allen

“I feel like I’ve been saying this a lot lately,” Barry said as he leaned over Sara’s shoulder, watching her smoothly pilot the Waverider. “But thank you for this.”

“We’re a team, Barry,” Sara smiled up at him. “We’ve got your six. Besides, after what happened with Fallout and the Nazis, I want to punch this son of a bitch in the face.”

Barry smirked. “Only if I can watch.”

“He’s your bad guy. You’ll get the front row seat.”

“Deal.”

Something on the console blinked, and Sara nodded. “Gideon, let everyone know we’re coming up on Central City.”

“On it, Captain Lance.”

“This is exciting,” Barry bounced in place as he sat in one of the chairs directly behind Sara. “I’ve never actually time jumped before in this ship.”

“Let’s hope you hold onto your dinner or lunch or whatever you had to eat before you joined us in the Wild West,” Sara said, hearing the rest of her team come to the bridge. “It can be a bit of a shock.” She pulled the lever to take them out of the temporal zone –

And she quickly swerved the Waverider to the side so she didn’t run into a purple beam pulsing into the sky. “What the – ?!” Zari screeched as she went flying through the air, crashing into Wally and Nate, the trio ending up in a pile of limbs.

Barry clung to his harness for dear life as Cisco yelped and crashed into another seat. “What was that for?” he protested.

“I think your Thinker is still a few steps ahead of you,” Sara gritted her teeth, settling the Waverider on the roof of S.T.A.R. Labs.

“Oh, no,” Kara blanched, seeing the purple beam shooting into the sky.

Barry flashed off of the bridge and out of the Waverider, Cisco barreling after him. Sara settled the Waverider and flung her harness off, then charged after them. “Let’s go, everyone!” she shouted.

Barry Allen

When Barry arrived in the cortex, all of the power except the emergency lights were off. When Cisco and Sara breached in behind him, Barry pointed at his friend. “Cisco, we need power!”

“Working on it!” he rushed off.

He ran past Caitlin, whose face was drained of color. “There you are,” she panted. “I’ve looked around, nothing is working, not even cell phones.”

Barry closed his eyes in defeat. “That’s what I was worried about.”

“So is this it?” Oliver asked as he and Kara arrived next, the rest of the teams spilling in after them. “DeVoe’s . . . Enlightenment?”

“Cait?” Barry looked at the doctor.

“I checked everything while you were gone,” she said as Wally helped Joe with Cecille. “DeVoe replaced the satellite you destroyed with the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to set off the Enlightenment.”

“We just checked outside,” Ray jogged in. “There’s no power anywhere.”

“Our car just stopped working,” Joe nodded.

“Thank God we were close by,” Cecille sighed. “I mean, the hospital is another three miles away.”

“The hospital?” Alex blinked.

Cecille abruptly cringed and doubled over, groaning in pain. “Joe?”

“The sky turned purple, and she started having contractions,” Joe explained.

Barry blanched. “Cisco! Hurry!”

“Well, if a car can’t take her to the hospital, maybe we can – ?” Mon-El began.

“No,” Caitlin shook her head. “No flying or running. It’s not safe for Cecille or the baby.”

“What about the Waverider?” Jax suggested.

“If DeVoe’s draining the power from everything, I don’t want to risk the Waverider shorting out,” Sara shook her head.

“Then what are we gonna do?” Joe huffed in annoyance.

Caitlin shrugged. “I have everything here I’d need to deliver a baby.”

Mick looked at her, impressed. “You can do that?”

Joe and Cecille looked just as stunned, and the lights suddenly flipped back on. “Thank God,” Barry sighed in relief.

“Great,” Caitlin grinned nervously. “Uh, let’s go see how dilated you are!”

“OK,” Cecille swallowed hard.

“Breathe, baby,” Joe helped her after Caitlin. “Breathe.”

“I can help,” Alex volunteered.

“Thanks,” Caitlin nodded in agreement.

“OK, power’s on,” Malcolm looked around. “What now?”

“Well, if we’re fighting a super genius, I might as well go call our own,” Kara held up her extrapolator.

“Do it,” Oliver nodded.

Kara nodded back and headed to the corner to see if it still worked, then Cisco poked his head around the corner, looking concerned. “You’re gonna want to see this.”

Kara didn’t look up from what she was doing, but Barry, Oliver, and Sara followed the other metahuman into the time vault. “This is pretty neat,” Sara looked around in interest.

“DeVoe must have predicted Harry would build his own thinking cap and power it with the dark matter from this tube,” Cisco led them over to the podium and ejected a thick tube from it.

Barry sighed. “Dark matter that he could then siphon off from S.T.A.R. Labs to use to infect the world.”

“So Harry was essentially his test subject?” Oliver asked.

Barry nodded furiously. “He knew if he could reboot Harry’s brain, he could reboot everyone’s.”

Sara snorted. “Ignore us. Let’s just unleash Lena on this bastard.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Barry rubbed a hand over his face. “What about Gideon? Could she hack into the satellites?”

“No,” Cisco shook his head. “Purple haze took her out, too.”

“You have Gideon here?” Sara asked in surprise.

Barry grimaced. “Long story.”

“And since everyone’s brains are about to rebooted, we don’t have time for one,” Oliver nodded. “OK. We need a game plan. Where do we start?”

Barry chewed his lip, closing his eyes. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“It’s OK, Barry.” The quartet turned as Iris walked into the time vault, a reassuring smile on her face. “I think I do.”

Barry and Cisco blinked in surprise as Marlize DeVoe stepped inside after Iris, a determined look on her face.

Kara Danvers/Barry Allen

“So it’s like when Brainy sent us into the Dark Valley to find Sam?” Kara asked.

“It is similar,” Brainy paced the lab, fingers steepled. “Except we are working with a weaker mind.” He paused. “Is this where I say no offense?”

“None taken, man,” Barry couldn’t help but grin.

“Look, I love Inception as much as the next guy, and yeah, this worked for Supergirl, but sending Barry into DeVoe’s mind?” Cisco scowled.

“His mind is the only one fast enough to survive the linking process without any harm,” Marlize nodded.

“What about Wally?” Zari frowned.

“I’m staying with my dad and Cecille,” the other speedster immediately shook his head.

“How would this help us to stop him?” Sara asked.

“If we can find the good left in Clifford and help it retake control of his mind, that good could overpower the bad,” Marlize answered.

Barry raised an eyebrow. “You think there actually is good left inside him?”

Marlize sighed. “I know that this is hard to imagine, but there was a time when Clifford was nothing but good, when he truly wanted to help the world. It’s the dark matter he infused in his brain that changed him. So yes, I do believe that there is some good in him some way, we just need to find it.”

Felicity, who was manning the computers nearby, looked at Barry and nodded. “We’ve seen what dark matter can do to crazy metas.”

“I’m still volunteering to punch him,” Sara raised her hand.

“I’ll back you up,” Kara muttered.

Marlize shook her head. “There are many of you here, yes, but you pose no challenge. Clifford created the bus metas and the combination of the abilities to ensure that he could defeat anyone whose assistance might be enlisted.”

Brainy hummed, rocking on his heels. “Clever man,” he mused. “But not as clever as me.”

Winn, who was helping Iris at the console, snorted. “Let me guess, he’s a 3.583 level intellect?”

“Close,” Brainy nodded, completely serious. “I place him at 4.162.”

Marlize frowned in confusion, and Mon-El cleared his throat. “Sometimes nodding when he stops usually works just fine.”

“How long do we have until our minds get wiped?” Amaya asked.

Marlize pointed to the screen displaying the satellites. “We have until the permeation grid hits 100%.”

Leo eyed the screen warily, watching it tick to 24%. “That’s comforting.”

“How would we get me inside his mind?” Barry asked.

“Well, it would be relatively simple if we had the Legion cruiser,” Brainy huffed. “We need to find a way to transfer your consciousness into his.”

“No,” Cisco immediately raised his hands in surrender. “You know what happens every time I try to vibe him. I can’t do it.”

“I do,” Marlize nodded. “But I don’t think it’s your power we need, Mr. Ramon.” She turned and pointed to the medical bay, where Caitlin and Alex were fussing over Cecille. “I believe it’s hers.”

Lena Luthor/Barry Allen

“Ah, yes,” Brainy examined the device Marlize was working on. “Yes, this will amplify Ms. Horton’s telepathic ability to link the Flash’s consciousness to DeVoe’s, wherever he may be.”

“It could also provide a one-way link so that he doesn’t realize that someone is inside his mind,” Cecille added.

Lena tilted her head, nodding thoughtfully. “So it’s kind of like a one-way brain radio.”

Marlize blinked, considering. “I suppose so, yes.”

Lena grinned, squeezing Harry’s hand and making him blink at her. “That cerebral inhibitor of yours is going to be put to good use.”

Harry smiled, but it was obvious he didn’t completely understand what Lena was saying. The smile slid from Lena’s face, and Marlize cautiously approached. “I’m sorry about your friend,” she whispered. “His mind could – ”

“Your apologies aren’t going to make him better,” Lena said coldly.

Marlize bowed her head, then blinked when Brainy plucked the inhibitor out of her hand. “Excuse me, Mr. Dox,” she began.

“I will take approximately 11.26 seconds,” he waved her off, taking something from his suit and mumbling incoherently.

“All right,” Malcolm walked into the room, a scowl on his face. “We’re just going to be sitting ducks while Barry tries to find the good part of a madman. What a party.”

“Sound familiar, wizard?” Slade snorted.

“Magician.”

“If you please, gentlemen?” Marlize huffed.

“Yeah, that won’t get you anywhere with them,” Laurel sighed.

Marlize looked exasperated, but she took a deep breath and turned around. “Mr. Allen, the chair,” she gestured to the large hoverchair in the lab. “Ms. Horton, the gurney.”

“Hang on,” Jax frowned. “Barry’s getting in that thing?”

“It is the only way to establish a transcranial link between Ms. Horton and Mr. Allen,” Marlize nodded.

“I’ll be all right,” Barry promised, climbing into the chair.

“Excellent!” Brainy popped up from whatever he was doing. “Recall what I said about your mind being weaker?”

“Vaguely,” the speedster said dryly, making Joe snort.

“You are still quite strong, especially with how fast your mind works, as it is connected to this Speed Force,” Brainy explained. “I modified the inhibitor and was able to connect it to two of the crowns like we used on Supergirl, Black Wolf, and Ms. Luthor. You should be able to take one other person with you as long as it is not an alien or a metahuman.”

Kara grumbled in annoyance. “That knocks a lot of us out.”

“And as much of a geek moment as that would be, I’m of no use if I’m not by a computer,” Winn added.

Barry looked around to see who that left: Oliver, Malcolm, Slade, Sara, Amaya, Zari, Mick, Palmer, and Leo. “Don’t volunteer all at once,” he made to joke.

Sara’s lips quirked up in a smirk. “If you’d waited a second longer, you’d have heard me do it.”

“You sure, boss?” Mick frowned.

Sara nodded. “It’d be either me or Oliver, and I think we all know who works better with that team.” Oliver conceded with a nod, and Sara grinned at Barry. “Now I have another way to pay you back for helping in the Wild West.”

Barry sighed. “I thought we weren’t doing this anymore.”

“Sorry, Barry,” she smirked, sauntering over to where another chair had been placed. “You’re stuck with me.”

“What a shame.”

“Very well,” Brainy walked over. “If you will just ease back, Sara.” She tilted her head back, and Brainy placed one of the crowns in the center of her forehead. “And you, Barry.” He relaxed as Brainy did the same to him. “And now the inhibitor.”

Marlize took it from him and fastened it to Cecille’s forehead. “Mr. Allen, put the cap on your head.”

Barry nodded, picking up DeVoe’s cap and placing it on his head. “Once Cecille has locked onto DeVoe’s brain waves, we’ll transfer your consciousness to his amygdala,” Caitlin explained. “That’s the part of the brain that connects emotional significance to memories.”

“Where the good memories are, we will find the good part of Clifford,” Marlize nodded.

“Glad one of us is confident,” Sara muttered under her breath.

Barry, one of the two closest to her, snickered when he heard it. Brainy, on the other hand, gave her a confused look, but didn’t say a word. “Good luck, you two,” Slade wished.

“Thanks,” Barry nodded.

“Here we go, Ms. Horton,” Marlize said, tapping the center of her tablet.

Cecille’s eyes fluttered shut, and Barry and Sara exchanged quick glances. “See you on the other side,” Sara told him.

Barry smiled in response, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he found himself falling through the air, bouncing off a bus, and landing flat on the ground. He groaned in pain, then heard a similar thud nearby. “Oh, God,” Sara groaned. “What was that?”

Barry climbed to his feet and brushed his suit off, then turned to see Sara do the same. “You good?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m OK,” she nodded, rolling her wrists and looking around. “Where are we?”

Barry looked down the street, recognizing Central City. When he turned back around, his eyes widened. “This is where I came out of the Speed Force.”

Sara turned to see the blue bus behind them, and she pointed to it. “The bus in bus metas?”

“This is it,” he nodded.

Sara frowned, hearing a buzzing noise nearby, and she pointed. “And that’s DeVoe?”

Barry balked when he saw the hoverchair emerge from the treeline, and he quickly grabbed Sara, running them onto the bus. Sara stumbled a bit when she got her feet back under her, then when Barry grabbed her and pulled her down, she went with him. Barry finally peeked out the window, watching the hoverchair float by.

Seated inside was DeVoe. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he groaned.

Chapter Text

Sara Lance

“Guys,” Sara said quietly, Barry keeping a constant eye on DeVoe. “We’re in.”

“Paint the picture,” Cisco told her. “What do you see? What’s around you?”

“For starters, the Thinker,” Barry said darkly, shifting to watch DeVoe float past the windows. “We’re in the 405 bus, in the middle of the street. We just came out of that same portal from before.”

“This is where it all began,” Marlize told them. “It is the nexus of Clifford’s brain. Once you find him, get him through it, and he can regain control of his mind.”

“What do they need to look for?” Lena asked.

“Our house.”

“All right,” Barry murmured, turning to Sara. “Hang on.” Sara had just enough time to fling her arms around Barry’s neck as he picked her up, then everything blurred around her. When everything returned to normal, they were standing in front of a perfectly ordinary home. Sara spat hair out of her mouth, and Barry smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she waved his apology off as he set her on the ground. “So this is where the DeVoes live?”

“Yeah, I’ve been here before,” Barry nodded, walking up to the front door.

“Good,” Sara followed him, looking over her shoulder. “At least one of us knows what we’re doing.”

Barry looked at her incredulously. “Says the one who jumped at the chance to follow me in here!”

“I captain the Legends,” Sara reminded him. “We basically make stuff up as we go.”

Barry huffed. “Well, at this point, we’re being guided by our friends outside. You’re basically following a blind man.”

Sara shrugged. “At least it’s a good-looking blind man.” Barry, who had just reached for the doorknob, looked like he’d been slapped in the face as he gawked at her. “What?” she gestured him up and down. “I just call it like I see it.” Barry’s face was suspiciously red as he opened the door and led her inside. Sara just grinned, waltzing in behind him. “We’re inside!” she announced.

“Great!” Winn cheered. “What do you see?”

Sara ran smack into Barry’s back. “Hey!”

“Nothing,” Barry answered, and Sara poked her head over his shoulder, looking around to see a completely spotless house.

“That’s a little vague,” Oliver said. “What do you mean, ‘nothing?’”

“It’s empty, Oliver,” Sara answered, walking into the living room to investigate. She found a picture frame face down on the mantle; when she picked it up, she didn’t see any image inside, just cracked glass. “Completely empty,” she corrected.

Alex Danvers/Caitlin Snow/Cisco Ramon

“So that’s a bust?” Malcolm asked.

“Sounds like,” Mon-El sighed.

“All right,” Barry said. “Well, where should we go – ”

The feed crackled, and Felicity leaned forward, watching the screens flicker. “Barry?” she asked. “Barry, can you hear me?”

Cecille gasped from the center of the room, and Alex squeezed her shoulder, Joe rubbing her back. “Babe, breathe,” he said in concern, watching Cecille’s face twist in pain.

“Cecille’s powers are connected to her pregnancy,” Lena said. “Her contractions must be putting a strain on her transcranial link.”

“No, no, no,” Marlize shook her head, scowling. “We need to do something about that.”

“Like what?” Palmer raised an eyebrow. “Stop her from having a baby?”

Marlize’s face showed that was exactly what she was thinking. “No, no, no, we can’t stop her from having a baby,” Alex shook her head.

“We have to, Agent Danvers, or this will never work,” Marlize glared. “She is the only way to get Barry and Sara in and out of Clifford’s mind.”

“OK, everyone, calm down,” Kara held up her hands. “It’s not like Cecille’s going to lose her powers if she has this baby.”

Leo pointed at Marlize, who gave Kara a deadpan look. “I don’t like that face.”

“No, me, neither,” Wally balked. “Cecille is going to lose her powers if she has the baby?!”

“But she’s the one connecting to Barry and Sara,” Felicity looked around wildly. “Won’t that leave them stranded in DeVoe’s mind?”

Brainy sighed. “I’m afraid so.”

“Then why didn’t you share that information before now?” Nate asked sharply, eyes narrowed.

Caitlin perked up suddenly. “Joe, do you still have that inhaler I gave you?”

“Yeah, it’s in our hospital bag,” Joe nodded in confusion.

Alex snapped her fingers, pointing at Caitlin. “Most inhalers contain the drug terbutaline, which can be used to slow down contractions.”

“Exactly,” Caitlin nodded, straightening to go to the bag.

She stopped when Cecille grasped her arm in a tight grip and looked at her long and hard, her voice reverberating when she spoke. “I found Thomas. He’s been this way all the time.”

Everyone stared at Cecille, then Martin gulped. “What was that about, Caitlin?”

“I . . . I don’t know,” she whispered, then carefully removed Cecille’s hand from her arm. “I’m going to get the inhaler.”

“Guys, time is running out,” Winn looked between the monitors and the percentage. “Where do they go next?”

“Harry figured out where Marlize was,” Cisco offered. “Maybe he can – ”

“He’s not here,” Laurel pointed out.

“What?” Lena’s head flew up from where she was monitoring Sara’s stats, and she ran out of the room.

“OK, someone cover us!” Cisco barreled after her.

Lena Luthor/Cisco Ramon

Lena ran into the storage room, seeing it was completely dark inside. “Harry?” she called, hurrying inside. She found him sitting by one of the tables, staring blankly at a spot on the floor. “Hey,” she approached quietly. “What are you doing?”

“Help,” Harry answered simply, raising his gaze.

Lena tracked where he was looking, and she blanched, seeing him look at the cap he had made. “No,” she shook her head desperately as Cisco ran in after her. “No, you are not frying away what’s left of you!”

“Help!” Harry shouted in frustration, making Lena flinch as he stood up and slammed his hands on the table. “Help,” he repeated quietly. “Please.”

Lena looked at him with wide eyes, seeing the frustration in his eyes at being unable to help more, his desperation to do something. “Cisco, give it to me,” she whispered.

“Lena?” Cisco gulped.

“Just do it before I have second thoughts,” Lena ordered, voice cracking.

Cisco quickly, carefully handed the cap to her, and Lena checked its mechanics, making sure it was on. She took a deep breath, then reached up, placing the cap on Harry’s head. A few more tweaks, and it powered to life. There were a few tense moments, then Cisco shook his head. “Nothing.”

Harry’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he put a hand on Lena’s shoulder. “Lena,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “Where DeVoe first fell in love with Marlize. Tell them to go there. You’ll find him there. OK?”

Lena nodded. “OK.”

Harry took a deep breath. “And one more thing.” Lena frowned, then he engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. She froze, then carefully hugged him back, closing her eyes and burying her face in his neck. One of his arms left her, then she felt Cisco be inserted into the hug, the metahuman trembling next to her. Harry finally let them both go, backing up to sit in his chair. Cisco looked at Lena hesitantly, but she shook her head, biting her lip and turning away, tears in her eyes. Cisco reached up to power the cap off, then removed it from Harry’s head. “Stars, so little,” the man mumbled nonsense. “Nora shouldn’t be here.” Lena frowned at his words; who was Nora?

Cisco steeled himself, then put a hand on his friend’s head. “I won’t lose anyone else today,” he promised. “I won’t.”

Barry Allen/Sara Lance

“Anything at all?” Sara asked, leaning against the railing of the staircase, peering up to the next level.

“Zilch,” Barry shook his head, walking down the steps.

“Harry had an idea,” Lena’s voice told them. “Go to Oxford.”

“Oxford?” Sara parroted.

“The hamlet of Boars Hill,” Marlize elaborated. “The place where we fell in love.”

Barry looked at Sara in confusion, but the blonde shrugged. “All right, we’re on our way,” he said, scooping her up and running out the door.

He deposited her in the middle of a clearing, and Sara pushed her hair behind her ears, looking around. “All right,” she rubbed her hands together, looking around. “We’re here. There’s a blanket, some wine . . . ”

“There’s a song playing on a car radio,” Barry added, looking at the car with both the driver and passenger doors open.

“Our first dance,” Marlize said.

“And DeVoe?” Oliver asked.

Sara sighed, shaking her head. “He’s not here.”

Barry folded his arms, leaning against the hood of the car. “All right, guys . . . where to next?” Silence was their only answer, and Barry raised an eyebrow at Sara. She made a helpless gesture, just as lost as him.

“Rookie?”

Barry fell sideways off the hood, just barely managing to catch his balance. “Barry?” Sara ran forward to help straighten him.

Barry looked around wildly, then saw the man in a dripping wet suit appear from the tree line. “Allen?” Ralph squinted, hesitantly stepping out. “What are you doing here?”

“Ralph?” Barry staggered forward. “Is that really you?” Sara’s eyes widened, and when Ralph nodded, Barry lurched forward, hugging him tightly as he laughed gleefully. “I thought I lost you! I’m so sorry, man!”

Ralph quickly squeezed him back, a smile growing on his face. “I missed you, too, Barry.”

“Barry, did you just say Ralph?!” Iris asked in shock.

“Yeah,” Sara smiled warmly, talking so Barry didn’t have to. “Ralph’s alive.”

“Wait,” Barry pulled back in confusion. “How are you even here?”

“How are you here?” Ralph countered, looking between him and Sara with wide eyes. “Did DeVoe – did he get you?”

“No,” Barry quickly reassured him. “No, he didn’t. It’s Cecille. Cecille’s using her telepathy to get our consciousnesses inside DeVoe’s mind.”

Ralph blinked. “That’s trippy. Why?”

Sara walked forward to join Barry, still unable to believe she was about to say what she was going to. “We need to find the good part of him so we can stop the bad from starting the Enlightenment. Any chance you’ve seen him?”

“A good DeVoe?” Ralph scoffed. “No. Just the evil, floating chair variety. He visits me all the time.”

Sara sighed in annoyance. “Great.”

“He knows you’re here?” Barry asked. When Ralph nodded, Barry frowned in confusion. “Why would he need to – ?”

“In this place, I do as I please, Mr. Allen.” Sara spun around, reaching for her batons when she saw the Thinker’s chair float out of the trees. “I must say, the fact that you thought I wouldn’t have calculated you and your team making this feeble attempt is somewhat insulting.”

“You can be insulted?” Sara raised an eyebrow.

She heard a snicker behind her from one of the two men. “There will be no defeating the big bad this year, Mr. Allen,” the Thinker said. “See . . . you are in my mind now, and there’s no escape.”

“Barry!” Sara scurried backwards as the Thinker aimed his chair towards them.

Barry grabbed her around the waist and did the same thing to Ralph, whisking them away. “Run, Mr. Allen!” the Thinker growled after them. “Run!”

Winn Schott

“Barry?” Winn banged on the keyboards when the monitors froze again. “Sara?”

Cecille shot up with a gasp, looking around wildly. “He’s – he’s coming for us!” she panicked. “He’s coming for us! I heard his thoughts! He’s coming! He’s coming here!”

“Finally, something to shoot at,” Slade nodded.

“You’re not shooting anyone,” Marlize shook her head, picking up her tablet. “We need to leave.”

“And go where?” Joe demanded.

Barry Allen

Ralph looked around when Barry stopped. “OK, what are we doing?”

“We’re getting you out of here,” Barry answered.

“We can do that, but we still need to find the good DeVoe,” Sara told him.

“How?” Ralph asked.

Barry shrugged. “He’s gonna be someplace that means something to him, before he became who he is now.”

Ralph nodded, looking deep in thought, then he smirked. “You mean like when he was a simple history professor?”

Cisco Ramon/Oliver Queen

“Stars are raining,” Harry was rambling when Cisco breached into the lab.

Cisco didn’t give his drawings a second look. “Gotta go!” he grabbed the man, tugging him through the breach. “Come on!”

The second they were through, they heard a warping sound from the entrance to the room. “Good!” DeVoe’s voice boomed. Oliver and Malcolm had their bows up in an instant, Slade and Leo their guns. The others fanned out in front of Cecille as DeVoe strode into the room. “We are gathered here today to worship in song. I suggest ‘Kumbaya!’”

He walked smack into a flickering orange field, and Laurel blinked. “A forcefield?” she asked in disgust.

“Oh, don’t be disappointed!” Zari glared at her.

“I wanted to scream at him!”

“Forcefield, sucker!” Cisco grinned.

DeVoe ignored them, choosing to sneer at Marlize. “I should never have let you build this chair without my oversight. It was my first miscalculation.”

“You’ve made many miscalculations,” Iris narrowed her eyes.

“Really?” DeVoe raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever pondered why I never pursued the Flash? Never needed his speed or his mind?” He looked around. “Anyone?”

“His connection to the Speed Force,” Brainy muttered, snapping his fingers and nodding. “He has access to all of time, be it the past, the present, or the future.”

“True knowledge,” DeVoe said smugly. “And now that you have placed him inside my mind, I’ll have it all.”

Marlize shook her head. “You’ll have to find us first.”

She tapped her tablet, and the room around them warped. In the next second, Oliver looked around, finding them in a room lit blue. “Where is this?” he demanded.

“DeVoe’s lair?” Cisco stared at Marlize. “Are you crazy?!”

“Can he find us in this pocket dimension?” Joe asked.

“I’ve bought us some time,” Marlize sighed, hurrying to the monitors.

“Time,” Harry mumbled, walking off to the side of the room. “Rhyme, fly, side . . . ”

“Cecille,” Felicity looked at her. “Can you try and link up with Barry and Sara again?”

“I’ll try,” Cecille nodded, taking a deep breath.

Sara Lance/Barry Allen

Sara looked around when Barry stopped running. “Where are we?” she asked, looking around the darkened hallway.

“This is where he taught,” Ralph answered as Barry pushed open the doors to a lecture hall. “When he was just a simple history professor.”

Barry walked towards the stage, seeing a figure slumped over at the desk. Sara frowned uneasily, seeing the figure not moving. “DeVoe?” she asked.

“Professor DeVoe?” Ralph added, climbing the steps with her.

Sara froze, eyes widening when she saw the bloody mess on DeVoe’s shirt. “Barry?” Felicity’s voice rang out. “Sara? Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” Barry sighed, crouching in front of DeVoe’s body. “Yeah, Felicity, I hear you.”

“What’s wrong?” Kara asked.

“Good DeVoe, we found him,” Barry answered. “He’s dead.”

Ralph took a shaky breath. “I don’t suppose you have another plan, do you?”

“No,” Sara shook her head in frustration, holding her hand to her forehead. “This was it.”

Ralph gulped. “Now the world belongs to the Thinker.” Barry stood up, and Ralph shook his head. “Allen, listen to me. I’m stuck here, but you’re not. You should go. Be with your families for whatever time is left.”

“No,” Barry denied. “No. OK, first of all, it’s our family, and I’m not leaving you behind. There’s gotta be another way.”

“Allen, you and Lance said the only way to save the world is by finding the good that’s left in DeVoe,” Ralph said. “It’s right here, with a hole in its chest.”

Sara paused. “Or what if it’s even more literal than that?” she wondered, turning around.

Barry perked up, catching her train of thought. “It’s not just him.”

Sara nodded eagerly, then yelped when the world around her dissolved into golden lightning. Then she was deposited onto the street, wobbling and finding her balance. She glared at Barry when he stopped, his cowl pulled up. “A little warning next time?”

“Sorry,” he said through his smile.

“Why the brakes?” Ralph looked around. “Are we there?”

“Almost,” Barry shook his head, pointing down the street.

Ralph squinted, seeing the crackling portal at the end. “So that’s the Hellmouth?”

“That’s the nexus of DeVoe’s mind,” Barry explained. “Marlize said we can take control of him if the good in DeVoe passes through it.”

Ralph sighed. “Allen, we know that’s not possible anymore.”

“Why not?” Sara grinned.

“Why do you think he’s keeping you alive?” Barry questioned. “I couldn’t figure it out, but think about it. If you get out, you take back control of this body, because it’s yours. That’s why he won’t let you leave! Once you get out, DeVoe will cease to exist. All you have to do is make it through that portal, and you’ll regain control.” He clapped a hand on Ralph’s shoulder. “Remember who you are, man. A hero.”

Ralph licked his lips, closed his eyes, then took a deep breath. He wrung his neck out, then his clothes shifted before their eyes. He was back in a suit of black and white, a black domino mask on his face. “Let’s go get control,” he said determinedly.

“Or how about I kill you?” a jovial voice asked, and the three turned around to see DeVoe walk down the sidewalk, a maniacal look in his eyes. “A second time, if necessary?”

The three heroes exchanged looks, then Ralph inflated his hand into a large fist. Sara pulled two throwing knives from her belt, launching them at DeVoe as Ralph ran forward, Barry disappearing from her side in a crackle of lightning.

Chapter Text

Oliver Queen

The percentage had passed 82 when an alarm started blaring throughout the lair. “What’s that?” Terrill looked around in concern.

“My husband,” Marlize said grimly, moving around the percentage projection to check on another screen. “He’s getting close.”

She tapped something on her tablet, and Oliver saw the air warp before the ground seemed to shift under his feet. He grunted in annoyance, holding out an arm to steady himself. He could see everyone else in the room attempt to do the same thing. “OK,” Leo winced. “Tell me I’m not the only one who felt that.”

“Nope,” Wally shook out his head, wincing and tapping the side of his head.

“Don’t worry,” Brainy shook it off casually, looking unperturbed, compared to Mon-El and Imra, who appeared a little nauseous. “It was just another shift to another pocket dimension. Slightly unnerving, nothing too harmful.”

“Slightly unnerving, he says,” Malcolm griped, his hand tighter around his bow. “Nothing too harmful, he says.”

“Nerving, serving, swerving, curving,” Harry mumbled, eyes flitting about.

“Hey,” Lena held out a hand to steady him. “It’s OK, Harry. It’s OK.”

Cecille suddenly shrieked in pain, shooting upright, eyes wide. “What’s wrong?” Joe asked in concern.

Caitlin gulped, checking the bag Cecille’s line ran to. “No more labor suppression,” she answered.

Alex sighed, putting a hand on Cecille’s arm. “How are you feeling, Cecille?” shea sked.

“Like I don’t know if I can do this,” she gasped, breathing heavily.

“You shouldn’t have to,” Joe shook his head bitterly. “You should be able to have our baby just like any other parent, in a hospital, in a regular bed, not with all this.” He whirled on Marlize, who took a step back at the anger in his eyes. “Hey, look at what you’ve done! To our friend, my son, my daughter, the love of my life . . . everybody in this damn city!”

“Joe!” Kara ran up to him, putting a hand on his arm.

“How could you ever think that this would be better for humanity?” Joe roared.

“Dad,” Iris joined Kara, narrowing her eyes. “What did you say to me when Barry came out of the Speed Force?” Joe narrowed his eyes, and Iris continued. “You said ‘strength without faith means nothing.’ We need to have faith that we can get through this together.”

“El mayarah,” Kara nodded in agreement.

Joe silently seethed, but he walked back to Cecille, Alex, and Caitlin. Oliver sighed, turning to Marlize. “How long until he finds us?” he asked.

“Minutes,” Marlize answered. “Maybe less.”

Oliver turned back around. “Weapons at the ready.”

Jax and Lily bumped fists, merging into Firestorm as Leo powered up his gun.

Sara Lance/Barry Allen

Sara watched in stunned amazement as one of the DeVoes not only avoided Ralph’s punches, but also as the other blocked the ones Barry attempted while utilizing his super speed. She twirled one of her batons and rushed a third DeVoe as quickly as she could, using every feint and trick she could think of to try and gain the upper hand. DeVoe gracefully weaved between her attacks, even blocking her batons with his forearm when he could. He finally grabbed one of her batons, then her wrist with his other hand, and flung her over his shoulder, right into the wall Barry and Ralph were already collapsed by.

She landed on top of them in a heap, wincing when her head struck the wall. “Oh, my God.”

“Crap in a hat,” Ralph groaned. “I can’t hit him.”

Barry groaned, closing his eyes when he realized what was happening. “They can read our minds.”

“That would have been helpful to know,” Sara huffed.

“I’m sorry!”

“Then we do this Dibny-style,” Ralph decided.

“Dibny-style?” Sara asked dubiously.

“We don’t think,” Ralph nodded. “Just fill your mind with something else. Something you love.” He ran out from behind cover, ballooning his hand into a fist, and with a cry of “Shrimp buffet!” he hit one of the DeVoes with a hard right hook.

Sara’s jaw dropped in disbelief, and Barry let out a small laugh of relief. “It’s you and me, Iris!” he declared, then ran at another DeVoe and threw him into the air, head over heels.

Sara took a deep breath, focusing on who she loved. Her father. Laurel. Ava. Her team. Gritting her teeth, she launched off the ground and ran for another DeVoe, spinning her batons into her staff. DeVoe’s eyes widened as she whipped into action, her figure blurred as she moved the fastest she had thus far. She delivered blow after blow to DeVoe, watching him buckle under the smacks of her staff. She twirled her staff and rammed one end into the back of his head, and she watched in satisfaction as DeVoe crumbled to the ground.

“Shrimp platter!” Ralph continued to pummel his DeVoe. “Shrimp cocktail! Um . . . beignets de crevettes!”

He finally hit DeVoe hard enough that he collapsed on the ground unconscious, and Barry skidded over to join them. “OK, that works,” Sara nodded, looking around.

“Not quite, Ms. Lance.” DeVoe’s voice echoed, and they looked around to see many more DeVoes walk out of alleyways towards them. “Once again, Mr. Allen, your best will not be good enough.”

Ralph gulped. “What’s the plan, Rookie? I’m running out of shrimp entrées.”

“I could try and remember the ones I know around the world,” Sara offered.

“Really?” Ralph looked intrigued.

“Well,” Barry looked down the road, past where the DeVoes lined up. “You’re only gonna need one.”

Cisco Ramon

Joe winced as Cecille squeezed his hand tightly, and Alex checked her watch. “They’re coming every five minutes,” she reported.

“The stars are raining,” Harry mumbled nearby.

“Cecille, please just focus on not having a baby,” Caitlin rubbed her back.

“Stars are raining, draining, painting,” Harry paced back and forth.

Cisco frowned suddenly, looking at Harry curiously. “He sounds just like Barry when he came out of the Speed Force.”

“Does he?” Lena looked at Harry in surprise.

“Yeah, Barry spoke nonsense before he snapped out of it,” Iris nodded.

“Well, yeah, but that’s not what I meant,” Cisco said. “He’s saying the exact same words.”

“We’re getting closer,” Martin warned, looking at the percentage reading 94%.

Brainy suddenly looked up. “Imra!”

She spun around just as the air appeared to splinter, an alarm simultaneously blasting in the room. She flung her hands up and summoned a forcefield around Cecille, Joe, Wally, Alex, and Caitlin as DeVoe stepped out of the splinters and threw out his hands, a wave of energy slamming everyone else into the walls. Nate turned to steel just before he hit the wall, and he, Kara, and Mon-El hit with enough impact to dent the metal. They were on their feet the quickest, but DeVoe held up his hand, teal energy shimmering over his skin and everyone else. Imra gasped as she felt herself forced to the ground, her concentration wavering and shorting out as she landed with a thud, trying to make herself move. Nothing worked, and Mon-El groaned. “Gravity manipulation? Really?”

“A list of his powers would have been nice!” Oliver ground out.

“Noted,” Cisco said weakly.

DeVoe batted Alex, Caitlin, Wally, and Joe away as if they were nothing, and he sauntered up to where Barry and Sara were still in his mind, Sara leaning against the chair. A gun cocking stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to where Joe had managed to get to his feet, gun pointed at him. “You should mind where you point your weapon, Detective West,” he said coldly, narrowing his eyes.

Cecille gasped, eyes widening as with shaking hands, Joe started to point his gun towards his head. “Dad!” Wally called hoarsely.

Joe blinked, then sneered, resisting DeVoe’s mind control and pointing back at him. “Stay away from my family!”

DeVoe’s face twisted in an ugly sneer, and with a wave of his hand, he pushed Joe up against the wall. “Joe!” Cecille screamed.

“Gravitokinesis,” a voice behind him suddenly said, and DeVoe looked behind him sharply to see Brainy walking around the room, peering at his struggling comrades. “That is an unusual one. Let’s see . . . there was the dimensional manipulation. That explains how you jumped into this pocket dimension. Clever.” DeVoe slowly walked away from Joe, looking at Brainy in something resembling confusion. Mon-El decided he liked that look on the bastard’s face. “Technopathy,” Brainy continued to list as if he was discussing the weather. “DNA manipulation. Effigy animation. Probability manipulation – or should I say jinxing? Size alteration, rather similar to Dr. Palmer’s suit. The psychoactive fluid production, which kept your wife under your control. Sound manipulation, telepathy . . . and from Ralph Dibny, shapeshifting, superhuman durability, and elasticity.” He stopped in his tracks. “Oh. And your superhuman intellect, but that was not one you stole.” He put his hands together in their classic triangle steeple, turning to face DeVoe. “Did I miss any of your powers?”

Team Flash was treated to the exceedingly rare sight of a speechless DeVoe as he stared at the one person in the room . . . who was completely unaffected by his powers.

Sara Lance

The march of the DeVoes was halted when Ralph’s head poked out from behind a pillar. “Hey, attack of the clones!” he called tauntingly. “Come and get me!”

As the DeVoes marched towards them, his arm extended to grab Barry’s, the speedster peeking out on the other side. Sara looked out from behind a potted plant, narrowing her eyes. When the DeVoes were close enough, she hissed, “Now!”

Barry sped out into the center of the clones, whipping Ralph around like he was preparing to throw a ball and chain. Ralph’s scream would have been comical if Sara hadn’t been focused on watching the team bowl the clones over with every spin. When no clone was left standing, Barry set Ralph down on his feet, and the metahuman grinned. “That was awesome!”

Sara ran out to join them, watching for more clones, and she groaned in annoyance. “Seriously?”

They turned to see more DeVoes walk down the stairs towards them, and Barry gritted his teeth. “Come on,” he said, grabbing Ralph and Sara, then he plowed through all of the DeVoes as he ran for the nexus.

Querl Dox

“You,” DeVoe looked Brainy up and down, turning his back on Cecille as he tried to use his gravity powers on Brainy again, only for the energy to warp over the Coluan. “How are you – ?”

“I am a twelfth-level intellect, Mr. DeVoe,” Brainy answered primly. “For every calculation you make, I am thirteen ahead of you.”

“There is no human smarter than me,” DeVoe growled.

Brainy snorted. “You are a 4.162 level intellect. Impressive, yes, but you are not a Brainiac. Being more intelligent than every other race in the multiverse is in our DNA. Additionally, I am an alien. I am absolutely smarter than you. As for this?” he gestured to where he stood among his collapsed comrades. “Well, it was quite easy to determine what powers you absorbed. In addition to being extremely intelligent, I am quite proficient at multitasking. So, while I was helping your wife, I was creating a program on the spot that would shield me from your powers.”

“And you couldn’t tell us what those powers were?” Oliver growled.

Brainy paused. “Apologies. I wasn’t aware I was meant to.”

Oliver groaned and let his head drop back to the floor. DeVoe sneered and narrowed his eyes at Brainy, but the Coluan tilted his head. DeVoe stumbled back as if physically hit, rubbing his temples as if he had a migraine. “And the benefit of basically being a computer,” Brainy said cheerfully. “I can run meaningless codes you will get lost in, and you will have no idea what I’m truly thinking.”

“I will not lose!” DeVoe screamed.

Brainy grinned. “Oh, I know you will.”

Barry Allen

With Ralph wrapped around Barry and Sara, keeping all of them huddled together, Barry charged through the line of DeVoes, one fist punching while Sara’s batons hit the DeVoes he couldn’t hit. With the two of them working in tandem, Barry leapt onto the bus and into the nexus.

Querl Dox/Barry Allen/Sara Lance/Kara Danvers

As DeVoe started to thrash, Brainy saw Sara twitch where she was slumped. He smirked victoriously. “I believe the words I’m looking for are . . . wakey wakey!”

Barry’s eyes snapped open, eyes crackling with gold electricity. As Sara blinked her eyes open, Barry removed the cap from his head and stood from the chair. DeVoe whipped around to see Barry step down from the chair and hold out his hand for Sara, the woman accepting his aid up as she removed the crown from her forehead. Together, the two walked towards DeVoe, determined glints in their eyes.

The closer they got, the more DeVoe appeared to spasm and gurgle. “No!” he roared, collapsing on the ground. His control over his powers were lost, and Oliver, Malcolm, and Slade instantly got to their feet, weapons aimed at DeVoe. Sara held up her hand to stop them, letting Barry smugly walk after DeVoe as the man scrambled up against the chair. Something whirred, and as Barry rounded the chair, DeVoe fell back against the wall. “How did you beat me?” he demanded.

“I didn’t,” Barry winked at Sara. “We did.”

“Their emotional attachment to Mr. Dibny has made them stronger than you will ever be, Clifford,” Marlize glowered. “But then . . . you wouldn’t understand.”

“Some decisions cannot be made with a math equation,” Brainy agreed, nodding to Mon-El.

The leader of the Legion grinned, remembering their conversation about Pestilence. “No!” DeVoe screamed. “This is not my will!”

His face suddenly relaxed into a cocky one. “Not anymore,” Ralph’s voice came from his mouth. “It’s mine.”

Before their eyes, DeVoe’s head shook back and forth rapidly until it was a blur. When the motion stopped, it was Ralph’s face again, the man blinking rapidly. “Whoa.”

“Took the word right out of my mouth,” Zari said faintly.

Barry laughed in delight, helping Ralph up from the ground. “Uh, guys?” Winn squeaked. “Marlize? 99 percent!”

Marlize ran for the computers. “Clifford’s meta-abilities are no longer controlling each satellite,” she said, typing quickly. “If I can just override their last command . . . come on . . . ”

When the percentage hit 99.8, it froze, then rapidly declined. In seconds, it hit 0%, ending the Enlightenment. “Oh, thank God,” Felicity sighed in relief.

“That’s it?” Palmer looked around, wobbling slightly as Marlize teleported them out of the pocket dimension and back into S.T.A.R. Labs. “No more DeVoe?”

“No more DeVoe,” Barry smiled happily at Ralph, giving him a hug.

“If I wasn’t happy you held off DeVoe, I would punch you so hard right now,” Kara pointed threateningly at Brainy.

“Do it anyway,” Slade growled. “That way, I won’t.”

“Please do,” Alex gestured to Cecille. “I’m busy here.”

“There’s no more dark energy anywhere in the city,” Iris reported, checking one of the computers with a smile. “We did it!”

Sara smiled, watching Cisco hug Ralph next, then a wildly grinning speedster in red was hugging her and lifting her off her feet. “Whoa!” she clung tightly to Barry, though she laughed as he spun her around. “Easy, Barry! Easy!”

“Sorry,” he set her down again, his smile reaching from ear to ear. “But Sara . . . thank you.”

“Of course,” she beamed at him. “Anything for my friends.”

“Uh . . . guys?” Everyone looked around when Cecille spoke, and the woman looked up at them with wide eyes. “My water just broke.”

“Oh, dear,” Brainy blinked.

“OK, we’re going to the med lab,” Alex grabbed Caitlin’s equipment.

“Quickly,” Caitlin agreed, helping Cecille off the bed.

“Baby’s coming,” Cecille gulped. “Oh, boy, baby’s coming!”

“Careful,” Alex warned as Joe and Wally helped Cecille walk towards the exit, Terrill, Leo, Nate, and Winn running to clear the way. “Carefully.”

“Come on, Harry,” Lena took the confused man’s arm.

“Is it just me, or did you feel useless during that?” Kara asked Oliver as the rest of them followed.

“More like powerless,” Oliver corrected.

“I don’t know what I was expecting, but I don’t think it was for that fight to be so . . . ” Malcolm trailed off.

“Anti-climactic?” Laurel suggested.

“Exactly.”

Slade sighed. “Don’t jinx it, wizard.”

“Magician!”

Imra shook her head, giggling as the bickering started once more. “To think, I sort of missed that while I was in the future.” Mon-El snorted as they walked out of the lab.

Kara was the only one who looked back when she heard the whine of electronics behind them.

Joe West

“Please, tell me you’ve done this before,” Joe begged Caitlin as she and Alex finished getting ready.

“A few times,” she nodded. “In med school.”

“Med – ” Joe balked.

“Med school?” Cecille squeaked.

“Let’s just focus here, OK?” Alex cleared her throat.

“OK,” Cecille gulped. “OK . . . med school. OK.”

“Now, just relax,” Alex said as Caitlin shifted to the end of the bed. “Let’s just relax.”

“Right,” Cecille swallowed. “We got this. Right?”

“Exactly,” Caitlin nodded. “Just breathe out. Just breathe out.”

Joe nodded awkwardly, pinching the bridge of his nose as Cecille winced.

Kara Danvers

“Power’s back on everywhere,” Cisco grinned happily as he checked all the monitors in the cortex.

“Now the world can finally get back to normal,” Iris sighed in relief.

“I don’t think the world’s been normal for a while,” Felicity quipped.

“Standing, tossing, turning, falling, falling,” Harry rattled off, absently drawing with a marker on one of the boards.

Ralph frowned, pointing at the man. “What happened to him?”

A warping sound came from the front of the cortex, then DeVoe’s voice answered, “He is Enlightened.” Felicity yelped in shock, and before anyone could react, Mick fired his heat gun, Palmer shot a blast from his suit, Firestorm let loose a fireball, Malcolm and Oliver shot arrows, and Slade fired a bullet at the chair that materialized in the center of the cortex. Everything went through the flickering purple hologram projected. “Another use of Mr. Deacon’s powers,” the hologram said, and Winn backed away from the monitors as the screens fizzled purple. “Technological reincarnation.”

“Brainy?” Kara asked.

“He’s taking over,” Brainy checked everything over.

Marlize walked towards the chair, scowling. “I told you that The Enlightenment will come for you, Marlize,” the hologram said as she approached. “And it will. Remember . . . I thought of everything. Even this moment.”

Marlize shivered, then set her jaw. “Goodbye . . . my love,” she spat, storming around the back of the chair.

She gripped something, then yanked out what appeared to be a power core. The hologram sizzled out of existence, and Brainy nodded as the screens returned to normal. “We’re back online.”

Felicity squeaked. “Guys? The satellite’s in a decaying orbit!”

“What does that mean?” Nora frowned.

“We have a satellite plummeting to Earth,” Winn answered.

“So Marlize deactivating him triggered a literal dead man’s switch?” Laurel asked.

Amaya frowned, looking at the image. “It’s falling fast.”

“Clifford must’ve increased its mass by a thousand-fold,” Marlize gulped.

“The impact of something that heavy and that fast,” Sara’s eyes widened. “How much time does that give us?”

“Three minutes, if we’re lucky,” Lena checked.

“OK, how do we stop something that’s going to send us back into the Stone Age?” Ralph asked.

“Together,” Oliver answered. “Everyone with powers, work on clearing the impact zone. Those of you without, get word out that we need downtown evacuated. Barry, Wally, destroy that satellite.”

The speedsters were gone immediately. “See what happens, wizard?” Slade scowled as Cisco opened a breach.

“Magician!” the man ground out as he jumped through, the rest of the heroes pouring through the breach.

“Will you guys – ?” Kara turned around to check on Winn, Felicity, Lena, and Brainy.

“We’ve got this,” Winn nodded.

“Go!” Lena waved her through.

Kara nodded, and she was the last through the breach to downtown before it closed.

Chapter Text

Alex Danvers

“OK, now it’s time for you to push,” Caitlin told Cecille, bending by the foot of the bed. “On three. One, two, three!”

Cecille gritted her teeth and pushed hard, whimpering through her teeth, Joe’s hands on her shoulders, her hands clenching the sheets. “You’re doing great,” Alex promised, squeezing her arm comfortingly.

Oliver Queen/Sara Lance/Barry Allen

Cisco’s breach opened in the middle of the street, and as Singh looked around desperately, Malcolm was the first out. He looked up, assessing the falling pieces of the satellite as the others followed. “Arrow?” he called.

“If you can stop the debris, do it,” Oliver ordered. “The rest of us, clear the civilians out of the streets!”

Kara took off immediately, Mon-El following her. Imra sprinted towards a group of teenagers who were screaming in terror, and she threw up a forcefield around them just as one of the flaming pieces of the satellite crashed. Cisco threw out a hand and summoned a breach below another chunk of the satellite, opening up another breach several feet away and letting the satellite piece explode.

Palmer, Terrill, and Firestorm joined Kara and Mon-El in the air, the five of them swooping back and forth to catch the larger pieces of debris before they approached the streets. Oliver, Slade, Sara, Mick, and Malcolm herded civilians out of the way as quickly as they could. Zari climbed one of the statues, tapped her totem, and blasted one of the approaching pieces of the satellite, her gusts of wind keeping it in the air. Below her, Laurel screamed as hard as she could, shattering the satellite into tiny pieces that Leo froze with a stream from his gun. On the other side across from them, Amaya used her totem to summon the spirits of animals, allowing her to climb impossible surfaces and leap into the air, breaking several pieces of the satellites into smaller pieces. Nate ran from sidewalk to sidewalk in steel form, shielding the civilians who hadn’t run to cover. He passed Ralph, who extended one of his arms around three gawking civilians and pulled them behind him. Nora was just past them, using her magic to slow the descent of larger pieces of the satellite, she and Kara working together as if they hadn’t just started teaming up.

“Canary!” Oliver suddenly yelled.

Singh turned at the same time to see Sara stop in her tracks and look up. One of the larger pieces of the satellite hurtled towards her, and Sara took off running as quickly as she could. Dark gold lightning passed through the gap between Oliver and Singh, and Sara disappeared seconds before Mon-El swooped down, scooped the piece of the satellite out of the air, and tossed it away from civilians. Barry carefully deposited Sara by Mick, then looked around at the fires on the ground. “Cold! Supergirl!” he called. “Fires on the ground!”

“Got it!” Leo nodded.

“On my way!” Kara responded.

“Whoa,” Sara’s eyes widened as she looked up in the sky. “That’s . . . a bigger satellite than I thought.”

Barry set his jaw, looking up at the large chunk of metal falling towards them. “Excuse me while I go make sure it doesn’t hit us.”

“Yeah, go do that,” Sara patted his shoulder, watching as Barry took off, a second, lighter streak of lightning signaling Wally was right on his tail.

She turned her back and ran to corral more citizens, missing the other metallic streak of lightning that raced by, following Barry and Wally.

Winn Schott

“Whoa,” Winn’s eyes widened as he watched Barry and Wally run. “This is faster than we’ve clocked Kara!”

“Well, Kara isn’t just speed,” Felicity pointed out.

“Oh,” Brainy blinked, sitting up straight. “Slight problem.”

“Slight?” Lena repeated, turning to look at him. “What do you mean, slight?”

“They are building up speed, yes?”

“Yeah,” Iris nodded. “I think they’re gonna use a sonic punch to destroy it.”

Brainy cringed. “That is . . . not advised.”

“Why not?” Lena narrowed her eyes.

“Given the satellite’s mass and its escalating descent, what prevents it from destroying them?” Marlize scowled.

Winn gulped. “Uh oh.”

Alex Danvers

“Now, I need one big push, OK?” Caitlin looked up at Cecille. “One, two, three!”

Cecille screamed in pain, reaching up to clutch Joe’s hands as she strained as hard as she could. Alex nodded, wishing she could do more as she watched. “Here she comes!”

Mon-El

Mon-El finished getting the other satellite pieces out of the air, and he joined Palmer, Terrill, and Firestorm in watching the satellite rush towards them. “Think we should be ready just in case?” Palmer asked nervously.

“Worse comes to worst, you can shrink it down, right?” Firestorm asked.

Palmer fiddled with one of his gauntlets. “Unless DeVoe was somehow smart enough to make that satellite shrink-proof.”

“What are the chances he thought of it and did it?” Terrill asked curiously.

Mon-El sighed. “At this point, I don’t know what DeVoe couldn’t have thought up.”

Barry Allen/Oliver Queen

Barry took a deep breath. “Ready?” he called.

“Do we have a choice?” Wally pointed out.

Barry didn’t reply as he ran for the tallest building he could see. Wally sped up to match his pace on his right, and together, they leapt from the rooftop, fists extended.

Barry swore he saw a glint of white out of the corner of his left eye before their fists hit steel, and the satellite blasted apart.

It exploded in the sky, and Barry and Wally went into freefall, tumbling through the air. Blue and red obscured his vision, and Kara’s joyful laughter rang in Barry’s ear. “You did it!”

A gleeful whoop from Mon-El told Barry who caught Wally, and the two aliens landed atop cars in the middle of Central City, and Barry was engulfed in a hug from Kara. He laughed shakily, hugging her back, wincing when he caught sight of his ripped suit. Then Sara and Oliver were climbing on top of the car as well, Kara tugging Oliver into the hug, Sara joining without hesitation. Zari, Nate, and Firestorm were already piling onto Wally nearby.

The cheers from the crowd were overwhelming as the other heroes circled around them, Palmer and Terrill hovering above them. “It’s over!” Sara grinned, clapping Barry on the shoulder.

“Yeah,” Barry grinned dopily, arms around the two blondes. “Yeah, it’s over.”

“Flash!” The four team leaders broke away from their hug to see Singh walk from the front of the crowd, smiling at him. “Nice work!”

“It was a team effort, Captain,” Barry grinned.

Singh snorted. “More like a league.”

Sara frowned. “Leagues don’t really have a good rep here.”

Kara laughed. “That’s one league!”

“We’re not exactly a legion!”

Oliver frowned at Sara’s words. Why did that sound familiar? “And what do I tell the reporters who will want answers?” Singh asked, gesturing towards the vans already driving their way.

Barry thought, looking around at the charred landscape around them. “We got justice for the metahumans we couldn’t save this year,” he finally decided.

Oliver looked around at the heroes surrounding them, and it finally clicked in his head. “That’s it,” he realized, eyes widening.

“What is?” Kara looked at him.

“That’s our name,” Oliver gestured around. “All of us, when we team together. The Justice League.”

“The Justice League,” Sara repeated, then beamed. “I like it!”

“Hey, congrats on the name!” Winn’s voice came over the comms. “And if you like that, come back to base!”

“There’s someone you guys should meet!” Felicity added with a squeal.

The meaning sank in a few seconds later, and Kara’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God!”

Barry grabbed Sara and sped off as Kara took the sky with Oliver, and the four arrived in the cortex at the same time. “Barry!” Iris gasped, running from the medbay when she saw him. “Oh, my gosh!”

Barry looked down at his wrecked suit, but shook his head as Wally skidded to a stop next, looking around wildly. “I’m fine,” the red-suited speedster gasped out. “Where’s – ?”

The soft cry of a newborn came from the medbay as Cisco breached everyone back, and Lily gasped, hands covering her mouth. Jax wrapped an arm around her, his eyes wide, and Palmer swallowed hard. “Is Cecille – ?” Cisco began tentatively.

Iris’s face broke into a wide grin, and Alex stepped out of the medbay, looking exhausted yet radiant. “Team Flash has a very tiny, very new member,” she announced with a smile.

The entire cortex burst into cheers even louder than the ones they had encountered on the streets, and as Wally rushed to see his new baby sister, Barry hugged his wife tighter.

Lena Luthor

“Ms. Luthor?”

Lena looked up, schooling her face into a neutral expression as Marlize walked up to her. “Yes?” she asked.

Marlize sighed. “I deserve the cold shoulder,” she said defeatedly, then held out a small black, rectangular device. “This will restore Dr. Wells’ mind.”

Lena’s eyes widened, and she hesitantly reached out and took the device. “You’re sure?” she whispered, her heart in her throat.

“I am,” she nodded. “I have a lot to make amends for. I hope this is a start.”

Lena took a deep breath. “Thank you. For this, and for helping the team.”

Marlize nodded, and Lena headed out of the cortex, trying not to run. A throat clearing behind her made her shriek, and she turned to come face to face with a very startled Brainy. “God, would you warn a girl when you sneak up on her?” she snapped, covering her racing heart.

“Apologies,” Brainy winced. “I did not know you were unaware of me following you.” He peered at the device she held, then held out his hand. “May I inspect what Marlize gave you?”

Lena warily looked at the device, then back at Brainy. Considering this was the alien who had managed to get someone else to accompany Barry into DeVoe’s mind and was the only one who had the time to counter all of DeVoe’s powers . . . “Knock yourself out,” she handed the device over.

“I don’t believe that is the purpose of this device,” Brainy hummed absently, looking the device over. “Yes, Marlize had an excellent start on this.”

“A start?” Lena repeated, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, she said it would restore his mind,” Brainy explained. “However, based on the calculations I have run thus far, I believe this would restore . . . ” He mulled it over. “Actually, I am unsure if I can run a correct calculation. Mon-El has informed me multiple times not everything can be solved with an equation.”

“He’s right,” Lena admitted.

“But I am certain this would not restore Dr. Wells’ entire brain,” Brainy continued. “At least, not with Marlize’s work alone.”

Lena stared at Brainy, eyes wide. “You think you can do more?”

Brainy smirked. “I don’t think.”

Barry Allen

“You know, Marlize,” Iris smiled at the woman, “there are still a lot of metas out there. I mean, we . . . ”

“We could use your help,” Barry finished.

Marlize smiled sadly. “You have all the support you need,” she said, gesturing around the room full of civilian-dressed heroes, several fawning over the baby girl cradled in Cecille’s arms. “There are those, however, that do need my help. Before I joined my late husband’s crusade, I used technology to better the lives of those who had nothing. Back then, my mechanical creations healed the world, not harmed it. I’ll just pick up where I left off.”

Barry smiled at the woman’s sincerity. “Well, good luck,” he extended his hand.

Marlize shook his hand with a smile. “Thank you.”

“Good luck,” Iris gave her a quick hug.

“Bye,” Marlize waved, walking out of the cortex.

Kara sighed. “Her heart’s in the right place.”

“Her husband just took advantage of it,” Oliver agreed.

“What a bastard,” Sara concluded.

“Amen, sister,” Iris snorted.

“But she risked everything to try and save him,” Kara pointed out. “I think she really loved him. No matter what happened to him in the end, part of her always will.”

Oliver paused. “I don’t need to worry about – ?”

“No, you idiot,” Kara giggled, kissing his cheek. “Mon-El is all Imra’s. I wouldn’t trade you and William for anyone.”

Oliver grinned smugly, and Sara rolled her eyes. “Interdimensional lovebirds.”

Barry snickered. “Match made in heaven.”

Iris laughed in agreement, walking over to join Wally in watching their baby sister. “By the way,” Sara turned to Barry, “I had Jax run your suit to the Waverider. I think our fabricator machine will be able to repair it just fine.”

“That’s a relief,” Barry sighed. “I don’t think crime is going to wait for Cisco to make me a new one.”

“Don’t tempt fate, Barry,” Oliver smirked.

“I’m not!” he protested.

“Reality never waits,” Kara agreed.

“That’s why I have a time machine,” Sara said smugly.

As Kara dissolved into laughter, Barry’s smile faded. What he had seen out of the corner of his eye . . . “Barry?” Oliver frowned. “You OK?”

He took a deep breath. “The last satellite,” he said. “It wasn’t just me and Wally who took it down. There was someone else.”

“We didn’t see anyone,” Kara looked at Oliver in confusion.

“No, I didn’t,” Oliver agreed. “When I looked, I just saw you two.”

“So who was it?” Sara wondered.

Barry was able to answer that. “Another speedster.”

The wide eyes he got from all three heroes would have been comical on any other occasion.

Lena Luthor/Kara Danvers

“And . . . done,” Brainy finished with the cap on the table.

“All right,” Cisco pressed a few buttons on the keyboard. “Hang on, Harry. We’re almost there.”

“Put this on him,” Brainy handed the cap to Lena.

“OK,” Lena nodded, placing it over Harry’s head.

“Oh, I hope this works,” Kara crossed her fingers.

Caitlin nodded silently, she, Barry, Oliver, and Iris standing slightly apart from the group working on Harry. “Here we go,” Cisco took a deep breath, tapping a final key.

The cap hummed to life, and Harry’s eyes stared at the scrolling letters that appeared on the shield in front of him. Electricity jolted a few times, making him wince, then he doubled over in pain, clutching the cap. “Harry!” Lena rushed forward, grabbing his shoulders.

“Get it off him!” Cisco joined her, grabbing the cap.

“Is he OK?” Iris asked worriedly.

“His vitals are stable,” Caitlin checked the computer.

“The program completed,” Brainy checked another monitor as Cisco removed the cap. “It should have worked.”

“Harry?” Cisco bent down, shaking him lightly. “Hey, Harry? Harry?”

The man blinked slowly, looking up and around. He finally focused on Cisco, and a small smile formed on his face. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “You have . . . and will always be . . . my friend.”

“Khan,” Cisco grinned.

Harry winked in response, and Lena let out a sigh of relief, staggering backwards. Kara leapt forward to hug her friend as Cisco tackled Harry in one. “Oh, my God!” the metahuman cheered.

Iris grinned at Barry. “Star Wars.”

Barry blinked, and Oliver snorted, then coughed into his arm. “I can’t believe it,” Cisco rambled, eyes alight as he pulled back, looking Harry up and down. “Oh, I can’t believe it! It’s not every day you translate symbols into binary programming polynomials.”

“Well, someone did it,” Harry shrugged, looking himself up and down. “I’m back, and better than ever.”

“You are welcome,” Brainy nodded.

Harry nodded, then looked past Cisco to where two wide-eyed best friends were staring at him. “Lena.”

She let out a sob and catapulted at him, and Harry clutched her tightly as her arms wound around his neck. “Oh, my God,” she cried into his neck. “I thought – ”

“I’m back,” he whispered, kissing her temple and squeezing her tighter. “I’m back, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“You better not, you stupid, idiotic . . . ” She trailed off with a sniff. “If you do something like that again, I will kill you myself, you hear me?”

Harry chuckled. “Copy that.”

“That’s the entire team back,” Iris beamed.

“Not the team,” Barry shook his head. “The entire family.”

Harry smiled. “Heck yeah, you are.”

“Group hug!” Kara announced, pouncing on Lena and Harry.

Cisco took up the call, slamming into them less than a second later. Soon, all of them were piled on top of Harry, the man laughing in delight. “Love you guys,” he declared.

“Love you, too,” Barry chuckled.

A rapid beeping rang out, and they sprang apart, looking for whatever monitor decided to make itself known. “Wait,” Cisco spun around. “Your extrapolator!”

Kara’s eyes widened, and she searched her pockets before she found what she was looking for. She pressed the button Cisco said used the communication function, and she hurried back through the cortex. Whatever was happening, her entire team needed to hear. “Yeah?” she asked, everyone looking towards her as she burst into the cortex.

“Kara?” Thea’s voice said worriedly. “Are you there?”

“Is everyone there?” Dig cut in.

“We’re here, John,” Oliver responded, the joyful mood in the room fading. “What’s going on?”

“Kara?” Alura’s voice came next. “I really hope you can come home.”

“We took a look at the forecast,” Curtis chimed in. “And unfortunately – ”

There was a sound similar to crashing infrastructure on the other side of the line, making Sara blanch. “Guys!” Kara shouted.

“We need you back here, now!” Dinah shouted.

“We have a hundred percent chance of Reign!” Rene yelled.

Kara swallowed hard, turning around with eyes wide. “I’m sorry,” she began.

“What are you sorry for?” Sara shook her head. “We’re coming with you.”

“Hell yeah, we are,” Barry nodded in agreement. “You just helped us, and you think we’re not helping you?”

“Not without a suit, you’re not!” Jax’s voice called, and he and Lily ran into the cortex, Jax tossing Barry a mass of red fabric. “Courtesy of Gideon.”

“Oh, thanks!”

“More Kryptonians,” Leo grinned. “Wonderful!”

“Come on, girl,” Cisco grinned. “The Justice League sticks together!”

“Oh, finally, the name comes up,” Mon-El sighed in relief.

“You left that hanging?” Cisco’s jaw dropped. “Dude!”

“If we’re a League, then we don’t let half of it fight a threat like this alone,” Sara folded her arms. “So are we going to National City or what?”

Kara grinned. “Let’s get to work!”

Chapter Text

Our fight in the past has been forgotten in history. Not all of us were in the field to save Central City from the Enlightenment.

Our first appearance as a league of our own began in my city, my universe.

My name is Kara Zor-El. I'm from Krypton. I'm a refugee on this planet. I was sent to protect my cousin, but my pod got knocked off course, and by the time I got here, my cousin had already grown up and become Superman. I hid who I really was until one day when an accident forced me to reveal myself to the world.

On the Earth known as Earth-1, by day I am the fiancée of Oliver Queen and support him and protect his son as I know his mother would have wanted me to do. But by night, whenever he needs my help, I work with him and his team, my surrogate family, to save his city and ensure no poison ruins the work he has done.

To most people on this Earth, known in the multiverse as Earth-38, I'm a reporter at CatCo Worldwide Media. But in secret, I work with my adoptive sister at the D.E.O. and my own team of heroes to protect this planet I call my home from alien life and anyone else that mean to cause it harm.

It is in National City where our story truly develops. It is where our first fight as a team of teams took place. It is where the Children of Juru learned that if you fight one of us, you declare war on us all. It is where Earth-38 first saw there are heroes that cannot be matched.

It is on Earth-38 where the man I love and our friends, Barry Allen and Sara Lance, made our first stand as the leaders of a league with a legacy to last for centuries.

I am Supergirl. Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow. Barry Allen is the Flash. Sara Lance is the White Canary.

And we are the Justice League.

Chapter Text

Kara Danvers/Oliver Queen/J'onn J'onzz

“Oh, thank God!” Curtis gasped in relief when several uniformed superheroes sprinted through the breach into the D.E.O.

“Whoa!” Barry almost tumbled over, feeling the building shake under his feet. “OK, I wasn’t expecting that!”

“Oh, my God,” Nora’s eyes widened as she looked out past the balcony.

Kara ran over to look, Oliver, Barry, and Sara with her. “What the hell?” Sara’s jaw dropped as she watched giant cracks run through pavement and buildings shudder.

Kara swallowed hard. “It’s starting.”

“Then we need to move,” Oliver turned around, hurrying down the steps. “Where are the kids?”

“Ruby didn’t want to leave Sam once Brainy and Max put her under, and William didn’t want to leave Ruby,” Thea answered. “Evelyn’s staying with them.”

“Good,” Oliver sighed in relief.

“I’ll go help Max,” Lena said, running for the stairs. “I helped Sam once, I’m doing it again!”

“I’m helping, too!” Caitlin dashed after her.

“Good luck!” Alex shouted after them.

“What’s actually happening out there?” Mon-El asked.

“8.0 earthquake, tornadoes, super storms over Madagascar, tsunami warning, and that’s just the start of it,” Lucy reported grimly.

“OK, that’s not what I expected from Kryptonians,” Terrill frowned uneasily.

“It’s the terraforming,” Kara pinched the bridge of her nose.

“On Zune, they terraformed her planet’s natural resources, so they’d go right through the planet’s core to crate a genesis event,” Mon-El said.

“Destroy all life in order to be reborn,” Harry frowned.

“Exactly.”

“And if you go through Earth’s core, you get pretty close to Madagascar,” Felicity checked a map.

“OK, so we know what the witches are doing,” Sara nodded. “How long did the genesis event take to be completed?”

“Hours,” Mon-El answered.

“I’m not gonna let that happen!”

Kara and Alex quickly turned around to see J’onn walk towards them, M’yrnn with him in traditional robes, the staff in his hands. “The memories?” Alex asked hopefully.

“This was too important,” M’yrnn shook his head.

“OK,” Oliver looked over the map of National City displayed on the central console. “Let’s do the same thing we did with Central City. Supergirl, Flash, Valor, you three lead damage control. Canary, we lead evacuation on the ground. Felicity, Winn, Harry, I want you monitoring everything. If you see something we need to take care of, let us know.”

“Copy that, boss,” Winn ran for his computer.

Kara frowned, looking around. “Where did Brainy go?”

“He went to get more . . . ” Mon-El tilted his head side to side. “Muscle.”

“We have a Kryptonian,” Leo deadpanned.

“Two, actually,” Kara pointed to Alura.

Mon-El chuckled. “Not alien support.”

“Well, if it helps, he can knock himself out,” Oliver turned to J’onn. “Anything I’m missing?”

“Yes,” J’onn nodded, looking up with a scowl as the building shuddered. “I’m gonna find out where this is coming from and stop it.”

“Thank you,” Felicity squeaked.

“Wait!” M’yrnn hurried to J’onn as the other heroes ran past them, Cisco opening a breach as Kara, Mon-El, Imra, Alura, Firestorm, Palmer, and Terrill took off into the sky. “Take me to the nexus point. If I shapeshift into the Earth, bond with it, I can stop this.”

J’onn stopped and stared at his father, eyes wide. “It’d rip you apart!”

“This planet is my son’s home,” M’yrnn declared. “I intend to save it with him."

Oliver Queen

Oliver jumped out of Cisco’s breach into the thick of panicking civilians, then an ominous cracking made him look under his feet. “Move!” Amaya jumped out behind him, pushing him off the crack forming between his feet.

Oliver jumped to the right as Amaya jumped left, the two of them directing everyone out of the breach. Kara and Alura soared over their heads, Kara firing her heat vision at chunks of buildings falling to the ground. Two pieces were about to land on Roy when Alura fired her heat vision and disintegrated the chunks of stone. “Nice one, Mom!” Kara grinned, flying higher into the sky.

“I don’t see Guardian!” Dinah called, running through civilians.

“Check CatCo!” Oliver shouted to Wally.

“On it!” he nodded, zipping off.

Barry zoomed in the other direction, snatching a family from their car before Nate jumped onto it, barely catching the statue that fell down. The other heroes dispersed, running around the city to make sure the damage was limited as possible.

Maxwell Lord

In the upper levels of the D.E.O., Max ducked flying sparks as he jogged to where Ruby was clinging to Sam’s hand, William hovering next to her. “It’s hurting her!” Ruby gasped.

“No, it’s OK,” Lena rushed in, and she barely stumbled when she had three kids jumping on her, Caitlin moving to check the monitors. “It’s OK. She’s gonna get through this and stop it.”

Wally West

When Wally skidded into CatCo, sure enough, he found James suited up as Guardian and ushering people out of the offices. “Everyone down, as quick as you can!” the man yelled.

Wally did a quick check of the building, grabbing the few people remaining and speeding them down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. “Get everyone away from the building!” he called. People ran away, taking his word, and Wally rushed back inside. “Is that everyone?” he asked.

“I think so,” James nodded.

Wally sighed in relief, then a news report coming from James’s office made him turn. “Superman saves Madagascar, more from our reporter on the ground,” the anchor was saying, and Wally grinned. “Gotta love supers.”

“Kick some ass, Clark,” James nodded in agreement, and Wally whisked him away.

Sara Lance/Slade Wilson

Nora had positioned herself on the top of a mostly intact fountain, catching what debris she could. Palmer swooped above her, his blasts destroying the rubble into tiny rocks that bounced harmlessly onto the ground. Mon-El rocketed past him and into a large chunk of rubble falling from the top of one of the skyscrapers, a cloud of dust left in his wake.

On the ground, Sara peered inside a car halfway in one of the large cracks. “Watch your eyes!” she called, then rammed the butt of one of her batons into the window. It shattered under the impact, and Rene, Mick, and Leo rushed over to help her pull the family out.

Malcolm and Laurel had positioned themselves together, Laurel keeping an eye out for debris and using her sonic scream to break the pieces up, Malcolm herding civilians off the streets. Slade found a family boxed into their vehicle, and he peered inside. “Is anyone hurt?” he asked.

He got scared denials, then something hit the hood of the vehicle. He looked up in time to see Alex climb onto the roof of the car and plant one hand on the metal. A shimmering field of blue electricity formed around the entire car, and Alex ducked, covering her head with her other hand as two large pieces of stone hurtled towards them. Slade instinctively ducked when he heard the crashes, but nothing fell on him as the stones shattered on impact with the forcefield. “Guys!” Thea’s startled shout came from nearby.

“We’re good!” Slade called back.

“Yeah, we’re good!” Alex chimed in, hopping down to help Slade get the car open.

J'onn J'onzz

J’onn and M’yrnn landed where flames were erupting from chasms, and M’yrnn nodded. “Our time is short, it seems.”

“Give them all to me,” J’onn begged. “Every memory. I can take it.”

“We haven’t the time,” M’yrnn shook his head. “But there is one more I must give you.” He placed his hands on J’onn’s shoulders, and he gasped, images playing in his mind of a female Green Martian. “This is the dawn of our kind. She was the first keeper of the sacred scrolls. This is the moment she received them.”

Sara Lance

Sara found herself weaving through civilians and whirling her staff in constant motion, knocking falling debris aside and grabbing people to get them to safety. The occasional whiz of lightning rushed past her, then a woman’s scream caught her attention. “Ma’am!” she ran to the dark-haired woman running towards a burning building.

“My son!” she sobbed. “My son is in there! My son’s on the second floor!”

“Ma’am, you can’t go in there,” Sara shook her head, holding onto her tightly.

“Please, I’ve gotta get him!”

“If you go in there, you’ll get hurt, and you won’t help him,” Sara told her firmly.

“He’s my son!” the woman shouted angrily.

Sara scowled, putting her hand up to her comms unit. “Flash?” she called. “I need some help!”

The woman’s hair blew out of her face, and Sara turned to see the red-suited speedster behind her. “What?” he immediately looked her up and down. “What happened?”

“Search the second floor,” Sara pointed to the building behind her. “There’s a boy somewhere trapped inside.”

“Second floor,” Barry repeated, looking up at the burning structure. “Got it. I’ll be right back.”

He vanished in a crackle of lightning, and Sara caught the woman as she collapsed in relief. “He’ll find him,” Sara promised.

Lucy Lane

Felicity screeched and skidded away from her desk when sparks flew and ignited. Lucy directed her fire extinguisher towards the flame, grimacing when it took several seconds to end the fire. “Come on, guys!” she grumbled.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could save the world with a snap of your fingers?” Harry remarked from where he was putting out the fire at Winn’s desk.

“God, I wish I could!”

Winn yelped. “Supergirl! The waterfront!”

Kara Danvers

Kara twisted in midair, and her eyes widened when she saw the water towering over the city. “We’re on our way!” she took off, Alura hot on her heels.

“And it looks like Mon-El was right about Brainy!”

Before the waves crashed onto the city, Imra stopped and held out her hands, narrowing her eyes in concentration. The water thrashed and fought against Imra’s telekinesis, but it stayed in one place as Kara and Alura zoomed past Imra, using their freeze breath to make one giant ice statue out of the tsunami.

Sara Lance

Sara counted two minutes and thirteen seconds, then Barry appeared in front of them, a young boy clutched in his arms. “Here we are,” he panted, carefully setting the boy down and letting him run to his mother. “Safe and sound.”

The woman sobbed in relief, engulfing her son in a hug. “Thank you,” she gasped, looking up at Barry and Sara. “Thank you so much!”

Barry smiled. “You’re welcome.”

“Get to safety,” Sara pointed to where Nyssa and Curtis were herding civilians. The woman nodded and led her son away. “Thank you,” Sara added to Barry.

“My pleasure,” he grinned. “It’s what we do, right?”

Sara nodded in agreement, running off as Barry sped away to check the city again.

Kara Danvers

Kara backed away from the frozen tsunami wave and looked over her and Alura’s work. Satisfied, she nodded and rotated to face the Legion cruiser now hovering in the sky. “You’re all clear, kid!” she called. “Now let’s blow this thing and go home!”

Felicity’s, Palmer’s, and Cisco’s delighted laughter rang out over the comms, but Brainy sounded confused. “I assume that’s some sort of film reference?”

Felicity’s laughter turned into an aghast squawk. “You never showed him Star Wars?” Cisco demanded. “Not a single Star War?”

“We’ve been a little busy!” Oliver barked.

That made Malcolm laugh as the Legion cruiser fired onto the frozen wave, and shards of ice crashed into the water, sinking into the depths.

J'onn J'onzz

J’onn jolted out of the memories, looking at his father with wide eyes as he stood. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the rest,” M’yrnn said mournfully.

“Don’t apologize,” J’onn shook his head, standing with him. “Don’t.”

M’yrnn smiled. “I had a good life.”

J’onn took a deep breath, swallowing through his tears. “I’m not ready,” he whispered, voice breaking.

“You are,” M’yrnn assured him. “You looked into the flames, and you had no fear.”

“That’s because you were with me,” J’onn said.

M’yrnn nodded, putting his hand on his shoulder. “That will never change, J’onn,” he said. “Never.” J’onn gulped, nodding his understanding. “Live as H’ronmeer taught, among the people. Promote peace. And . . . be happy, my son.”

J’onn could only numbly shake his head, tears clouding his vision as his father squeezed his shoulder tightly. M’yrnn smiled proudly, then grasped his staff and stepped away. With a shimmer of red energy, he disappeared into the earth, and J’onn fell to his knees, weeping as all around him, the chasms sealed, and the fires died.

Roy Harper/Oliver Queen

Roy looked under his feet when the miniscule cracks that had started forming suddenly sealed, and the civilians around him slowed their panicking. “Whoa,” his eyes widened.

“Wait,” Ralph looked around. “That’s it?”

Oliver looked up as Kara, Imra, and Alura landed, and the nearest civilians started cheering. He sighed, walking up the steps to join them. “M’yrnn?” he guessed.

“He stopped it,” Kara nodded, tears in her eyes.

Oliver squeezed her shoulder comfortingly as the other heroes joined them, Brainy hovering the cruiser above them.

Kara Danvers/Oliver Queen

Kara landed with Oliver on the balcony at the D.E.O., then two blurs ran down the stairs. One slammed into Oliver, who grunted and stumbled back, and the other leapt for Kara. “Dad!” William shouted.

“You’re back!” Evelyn whooped.

Oliver laughed, hugging William as Kara embraced Evelyn. “Yeah, we’re back,” he ruffled William’s hair. “We got the message about the terraforming and came as quickly as we could.”

“And we brought back-up,” Kara grinned, gesturing as the fliers dove for the balcony.

“Is everyone here?” Evelyn asked, moving to hug Oliver as William hugged Kara.

“Basically,” Oliver nodded as a breach opened in the center of the room, the other heroes piling through. “Let’s just say it’s gonna get really crowded in here.”

“And it usually isn’t?” Lucy grinned dryly.

“Shush,” Kara pointed at her.

“Well, at least the ground isn’t going to break open any time soon,” Cisco ran a hand through his hair, taking his goggles off and walking towards the console.

“Yeah, but that just stopped the terraforming,” Lily shook her head. “That still leaves these Kryptonians.”

“Then let’s hope they don’t try that again,” Dinah grimaced.

A whoosh of air from the balcony made everyone turn, and Alex’s face fell. “J’onn,” she ran over to the Martian descending the stairs. “I’m so sorry.”

“He saved us,” J’onn smiled weakly, hugging Alex, then Kara when she joined them.

Oliver walked over, giving J’onn a sad smile and gripping his shoulder. “If you need anything, we’re here.”

“I know,” J’onn nodded. “Thank you, Oliver.” He nodded and stepped back, and J’onn looked over all the heroes standing in the D.E.O. “And thank you, everyone,” he added. “Thank you for coming back when you did.”

“Yeah, a lot more people would have been injured, or even killed, if we hadn’t,” Felicity checked the program running on her tablet.

“Let’s avoid that, too,” Thea winced.

“We’re going to try,” Barry nodded.

“Any luck tracking down the source of the terraforming?” Sara asked.

“Or Reign’s location?” Laurel chimed in.

“Still working on it,” Winn sighed.

“What about Sam?” Oliver looked at William. “Has she woken up?”

William’s fallen face said all they needed to know.

Maxwell Lord

Ruby had nestled herself onto the bed next to Sam, both of them resting calmly. “So this gets her into this Dark Valley, to find a way to fight Reign?” Caitlin asked so she understood.

“She’s there,” Max nodded. “I’ve checked all the readings. It matches what Lena’s told me.”

Lena swallowed. “She’s gonna come through this, right?” she asked quietly. “She’s gonna be able to fight Reign?”

Max smirked. “If she’s half as determined as her best friend, I don’t have a doubt in my mind.”

Samantha Arias

Sam’s head lolled as she forced her eyes open, then a gentle, trembling touch on her shoulder made her jump several feet away. “No,” her eyes widened, seeing the white-haired woman standing above her. “No, no, get away from me!”

“Shh!” the woman put a finger to her lips. “I’m trying to help you! It’s not safe here!”

“No,” Sam whimpered, staring at her. “You’re dead. This is a mirage. I’ve been here before.”

“I’m not a mirage,” the woman shook her head. “I’m your mother, and I love you.”

“Get out of my head!” Sam spat, scrambling away and running through the valley, away from Patricia.

Kara Danvers/Oliver Queen

“ . . . what?” William stared blankly at Barry.

“Yeah,” the speedster nodded. “Sara, Mick, Wally, Zari, Amaya, and Nate turned into a giant Beebo doll to defeat a time demon with a cuddle.”

“No,” Evelyn immediately shook her head. “You are kidding.”

“You did that?” Thea gawked at Sara.

“It’s Pretty’s fault,” Mick glared at Nate.

“Sara said pure goodness!” the historian defended himself.

“Yeah, and then I couldn’t stop thinking about him, either,” Zari agreed.

Sara sighed, putting her face in her hands. “It worked. Let’s focus on that.”

“Man, am I glad I wasn’t there for that,” Dig grimaced.

Slade snickered. “I don’t think you would have been standing for long.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so, either.”

“Hey, Mallus is gone, and so’s DeVoe,” Kara held up her hands. “Let’s focus on that.”

“Yeah, not the giant doll we became,” Wally agreed.

Amaya sighed, rolling her eyes, but a sharp crack from outside made everyone turn. “What was that?” Nyssa asked warily, Alex reaching for her gun.

But Kara squealed, recognizing the blur of blue, red, and black soaring for the balcony. “Yes!” she cheered, running for the stairs. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Oliver grinned, recognizing one of the two who landed on the balcony, one in civilian clothes, the other in a very familiar suit. “I wondered!”

“You made it!” Kara barreled into her cousin.

Clark laughed, having to spin Kara around so he wouldn’t topple onto his back. “I figured you could use a hand.”

Oliver shook his head fondly, looking at the dark-haired woman Clark had brought with him. “Lois Lane, I take it?” he guessed.

“Nice to finally meet the guy Kara never stops talking about,” she grinned, extending her hand.

He chuckled, shaking her hand. “Nice to finally meet you, too.”

“We thought you were in Madagascar,” Kara told Clark, quickly hugging Lois, too.

“I was,” he nodded, the four of them walking down the steps, the rest of the Earth-38ers crowding around. “But after I made sure everything was settled there and I checked around the world, I went to Metropolis, grabbed Lois, and flew here as quickly as I could. I couldn’t help before, but I wasn’t going to miss this, especially considering what they just tried to do to the planet.”

“Every hand helps,” J’onn nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Clark nodded, then stopped in his tracks when he saw the dark-haired woman with the House of El crest staring at him with wide eyes. “Uh . . . Kara?”

Kara’s grin split her face from ear to ear. “Mom, meet Kal,” she introduced. “Kal, meet my mom . . . your aunt Alura.”

“Kal?” Alura breathed in shock, stepping around the console like she was in a trance.

Lois’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “I thought – !”

“Everyone did,” Lucy whispered, stopping by her sister. Lois gave her a shocked look, and Lucy shrugged sheepishly. “It’s . . . a long story.”

“Oh, my God,” was all Clark managed to say.

That seemed to be enough for Alura, though, and she rushed the rest of the distance to hug her nephew tightly. Clark shook out of his stupor and hugged her back, closing his eyes. “You look just like your parents,” Alura whispered.

Clark only hugged her tighter, then blindly reached out. Kara slipped into the hug, and Oliver and Alex shepherded the others away, giving the three a moment of privacy. “Did anyone else?” Clark began, a hint of hope in his voice.

“Just me,” Alura shook her head, wiping her eyes. “Zor-El finished building the shield to save Argo, but I was the only one inside when the planet exploded.”

“It’s just us,” Kara lowered her gaze.

Clark took a deep breath. “Then it’s a good thing we’re all together now.”

Alura nodded. “And I’m not leaving until Reign and Selena are dealt with, and until Kara finally marries Oliver.”

Kara sighed. “You and a million other people, it feels like.”

“Aunt Alura’s right, though,” Clark grinned, and Alura looked ridiculously pleased to hear that title. “I’m staying, too. We’re fighting this together.”

Kara grinned. “Stronger together.”

“El mayarah,” Alura agreed, a hand on each cousin’s shoulder.

They echoed the gesture. “El mayarah,” they chorused in promise.

Chapter Text

Mon-El

“I’m happy for Kara.”

Mon-El turned as Imra joined him on the balcony of the D.E.O., where the Daxamite had retreated to watch the three Kryptonians reunite. “Me, too,” he agreed, turning away from the reunion and gesturing for his wife to follow. “When Kara and Alura realized exactly who the other was . . . ” His smile grew. “It was almost enough to make me forget why we were there in the first place.”

“I understand the feeling,” Imra smiled. “When I saw Preya for the first time since her death . . . ”

She trailed off, and Mon-El frowned in concern when he saw Imra’s tears. “But she’s OK?” he asked gently, moving closer.

“She’s perfect,” Imra admitted with a watery chuckle, and Mon-El wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Imra leaned into his comfort gratefully, closing her eyes. “I have my sister back, and Kara has Argo,” she said quietly. “That is a far greater outcome than I could have ever hoped for.”

“And hopefully it’ll get even better,” Mon-El nodded. At Imra’s confused look, he grinned. “I have orders from Kara to make sure you and Brainy attend the wedding of the millennium.”

Imra’s eyes widened in excitement. “They have a date?!”

“When we get Sam back,” Mon-El confirmed. “She and Oliver have made it very clear they expect all their superhero friends to attend.”

Imra squealed in delight. “Oh, Brainy is going to be happy to have a break!”

“We all will,” Mon-El sighed, then paused, Imra’s words catching up with him. “Wait . . . why Brainy in particular?” he asked.

Imra froze, then licked her lips. “You need to talk to him,” she answered. “With the Blight no longer in existence, I have been extremely lucky in what I now have.” She lowered her gaze. “Brainy . . . he is not so fortunate.”

Samantha Arias

Sam hated the Dark Forest. She hated knowing nothing of where she was, she hated that she was alone, she hated that she was the only one who could do this, and she hated that it was . . . well, dark.

So when she turned the corner and found a spring in front of her, she almost collapsed in relief. “The Fountain of Lilith,” she whispered, stumbling to the spring and crouching.

She cupped her hands and dipped them into the water, then bent down to drink. “No!” Patricia’s voice called sharply, and Sam jolted, looking up to find her adoptive mother rushing to her. “It’s the wrong well!” the woman shook her head, pointing to the other spring. “This is the fountain that gives strength.” She used a trembling finger to point at the water still cupped in Sam’s hands. “That water will kill you.”

“You’re lying to me!” Sam shook her head, refusing to look at the ghost of her mother. “Just, please stop!”

Patricia shook her head, sitting at the edge of the fountains. “This . . . this is the water that gave Reign the strength,” she said, gesturing to the other well. “Samantha, I failed you as a mother, and I lost you, and I’ve lived with such regret ever since. But here, I have another chance, and . . . ” Patricia swallowed hard, looking upon Sam with the same love that Sam used to look upon Ruby. “All that remains of me is my love for you. Please . . . you have to believe me.”

Sam whimpered, looking down and letting the lethal water dribble out of her hands. “I can’t make a mistake,” she sobbed.

Patricia nodded in understanding, taking a bowl at the edge of the fountain and dipping it into the other spring. When she lifted the bowl, it was filled to the brim with water. “Drink this,” she whispered, holding the bowl to Sam. “Now. Trust me, Sam.”

Sam bit her lip to the point it nearly bled, then nodded, shuffling closer and taking the bowl. Patricia smiled through her tears, proudly watching as Sam lifted the bowl to her lips and drank every drop.

Lucy Lane

“Major Lane!”

Lucy looked up from coordinating with the D.E.O. agents when Brainy suddenly appeared from nowhere. “Yes, Brainy?” she asked, seeing Lois step forward out of the corner of her eye.

“Have you seen Mon-El recently?” the Coluan asked, peering around. “I seem to have . . . misplaced him.”

Lucy contained a snicker; she could hear that Cisco and Felicity hadn’t been so lucky. “I think he went that way,” she pointed up the stairs to one of the conference rooms. “He was talking to Imra a few minutes ago.”

“Thank you,” Brainy nodded, heading for the stairs.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this comfortable,” Lois remarked quietly as she joined her sister.

“We haven’t exactly seen eye to eye for years, Lois,” Lucy pointed out.

“True,” Lois agreed with a sigh, folding her arms and watching the trio of Kryptonians with their heads together. “Oh, I love being able to see this.”

“Yeah,” Lucy agreed with a fond smile. “Everyone here could hardly believe it when Kara said part of Krypton still existed.”

Lois opened her mouth, then clicked it shut and sighed. “Of course you know.”

“I’ve known Kara is Supergirl for two years, Lois,” Lucy rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t too difficult to put two and two together and get four. Supergirl is cousins with Superman. Kara Danvers is cousins with Clark Kent. Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl, is cousins with Clark Kent, aka Superman. Is my math wrong?”

“No, you were always good at math,” Lois said with a grin. “Good addition.”

“Thanks,” Lucy snorted. “Max is better at it, but he’s currently keeping an eye on Sam.”

“That’s the Jekyll to Reign’s Hyde, right?”

“That’s the analogy we’ve been using,” Lucy nodded.

Lois leaned on the table, looking intently at Lucy. “What can you tell me?”

Lucy couldn’t help but smile as she recognized her sister’s “reporter” face. That was just like her.

Mon-El

Mon-El nearly jumped out of her skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder, then he realized it was Brainy in front of him. He sighed in relief, laughing as he returned to spinning his Legion ring on the table. “You’re smiling,” Brainy realized, then he scowled. “That is not good.”

Mon-El snorted. “No, actually, Brainy . . . it’s a good thing.”

“Yes, I know what smiling indicates,” Brainy huffed as if insulted. “But in your case, I ran a simulation, and there is a zero-percent chance that you would be smiling after what Imra . . . . ” He narrowed his eyes. “ . . . was supposed to have told you.”

“She told me I needed to talk to you myself,” Mon-El frowned. “What’s – ?”

He trailed off when Winn poked his head into the room. “Hey, Brainy,” he waved. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“Hey, sorry, Winn,” Mon-El sighed. “Just, uh . . . could you give us a moment? We’re just talking about some Legion – ”

“Oh, no,” Brainy interrupted, gesturing for Winn to enter. “This involves Winn as well.”

Winn did a double take. “Involves me?”

“Involves him?” Mon-El asked at the same time.

“Oh, yes,” Brainy nodded seriously, rounding the table. “The Legion needs the both of you.” Winn frowned in concern, dropping into the chair across from Mon-El as Brainy leaned on the back of one of the chairs. “Killing Pestilence saved the future from the Blight,” he explained. “Millions of people were spared . . . including my extremely distant relative.”

Mon-El froze. Imra had said she was lucky . . . and Brainy had not been. “The evil one?” he asked hesitantly.

Brainy nodded. “He has created a plague to wipe out all AIs other than himself,” he shared. “In short, all AIs are in danger . . . and I can no longer stay there.” He looked between the two men. “The future needs heroes,” he declared. “The future needs leaders.”

Mon-El closed his eyes, chewing his lip as he stood and looked out over the D.E.O. That had been something he had been wrestling with . . . his duty to the future, to the Legion, and the chance to remain in the past with the friends he had made. “The future has leaders,” he murmured.

Brainy shook his head. “The future needs you, Mon-El,” he insisted. “To fight.” He turned, nodding at Winn. “And it needs Winn to take my place in the Legion and save the AIs.”

Winn’s jaw dropped. “Uh . . . what?” He shook his head, laughing nervously. “No, OK, rewind! First of all, you’ve told me hundreds – literally, hundreds – of times that I am far below a 12^th-level intellect. So how could I possibly be your replacement?” Brainy simply placed something encased in glass on the table, and the blood drained from Winn’s face. “How’d you get this?” he demanded. “What is this?”

Mon-El walked over to the table, recognizing the drawing. “That’s from the National Archives,” he answered.

“You’re right,” Brainy nodded. “And it’s Winn’s design.”

“The National . . . ?” Winn trailed off, looking at Mon-El in disbelief. The Legionnaire nodded in confirmation, and Winn sputtered in shock. “No,” he shook his head rapidly. “How could it – I don’t even know if it could’ve saved Demos if Imra hadn’t shown up!”

“Regardless of what might have happened with your friend, this design is the foundation of some of the future’s most groundbreaking technology,” Brainy explained. “It has saved countless lives. And this . . . this dirty piece of paper . . . is an artifact, treasured centuries from now.” He pushed the artifact over to Winn, then sat back in his chair. “The future needs you,” he said, looking at Mon-El. “Both of you.”

Alex Danvers

There was something rather amusing about the thought that Alex was relieved to see Maxwell Lord taking charge of the scientists in Sam’s room, directing Caitlin and Harry in their work to supervise Sam’s status. Lena was gnawing on her lip as she looked from Sam to the computers to Ruby, her hand trembling as it stroked Ruby’s hair. Alex closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. If this didn’t work . . .

She heard familiar footsteps behind her, and she turned, laughing feebly when she saw the water bottle outstretched for her. “Thank you,” she said with a weak laugh, taking the bottle and taking a long drink.

“I honestly think you’ve been working harder than any of us,” Slade chuckled, standing by her side to watch the proceedings in the room. “Fighting a time demon’s army is one thing . . . then you helped Caitlin with Cecille and her baby. I’m surprised you’re still standing.”

“Says the one who has been constantly fighting since we started jumping universes,” Alex pointed out.

“Touché,” Slade conceded, then looked into the room. “How is she?”

“No changes,” Alex replied. “Her vitals are weak, but they’re steady.”

“Steady’s the important thing,” Slade nodded. “We just need to make sure she’s strong enough to make it to the Fountain.”

“She will be,” Alex nodded, turning and walking to the neighboring lab to find a seat. “I know she will be. She’s a warrior for Ruby.”

Slade smiled fondly at the girl with her ends dyed blue, then followed Alex into the lab. “She’s not the only one.” Alex gave him a quizzical look, and Slade snorted. “Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t walk through fire for her. You’ve been wonderful with her.” Alex ducked her head, hiding her blush behind another drink of water. If he said one more flattering thing about her . . . “You’re going to make a natural mother.”

Damn it, Slade. “Yeah, and yet I haven’t made any steps to make that a reality,” Alex grumbled, swiveling on her stool so she kept spinning, keeping her eyes off the man. “It took me forever to find Maggie, so what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to hope that I fall in love again with somebody who wants to have kids? Or do I try and do this on my own? And if so, how?” She stopped her swiveling and found herself face to face with the man, who was giving her an amused look. She flushed in embarrassment and dissolved into rambling. “I mean, it’s not like my job is conducive to being a single parent!” She paused. “Then again, if we don’t stop Reign . . . I guess this is all just a moot point.”

“It’s not like you to be the more pessimistic of us,” Slade snickered.

She slumped, glowering at him. “You are not helping,” she huffed.

“My apologies.” If anything, Slade still sounded amused. “Look, Alex . . . do you know this is what you want?”

“Yes!” she blurted, able to answer immediately.

Slade spread his hands in a “there you go” gesture. “That’s half the battle,” he told her. “I know you, Alex. You do whatever it takes to get what you want. So . . . when, not if, we defeat Reign, you’ll figure out that path.” He put a finger under her chin and tilted her head to look at him. “You’re good at that, after all,” he grinned.

Alex smiled shyly. “You’re good at pep talks.”

Slade smirked. “Well, someone’s got to be your personal cheerleader, and if no one else is available, I guess that duty falls to me.”

Winn Schott

“Going to the future?!” Cisco’s eyes were wider than saucers as Winn all but shoved him, Barry, and James into one of the labs. “That’s so cool!”

“It’s not just going to the future!” Winn seethed.

“Yeah, he wants you to move?” James clarified.

“Yes!” Winn nodded rapidly. “It’s insane, right? I mean, I don’t know where to begin to solve a problem like that! Like, I don’t know what Brainy was thinking, but he is malfunctioning.”

“And considering he’s a computer, that is an option,” Barry nodded.

“Or he’s thinking you’re the smartest dude he knows,” James pointed out, then paused. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Barry snorted.

“He’s probably keeping his options to this universe,” Cisco nodded, then yelped when Barry smacked him in the arm. “What?!”

“Be a little more respectful, man!”

“Oh,” Winn pulled something from his jeans pocket. “And then there’s this.”

He tossed something on the table, and James peered down at the paper encased in glass. “And what is ‘then there’s this?’” he asked.

“Oh, you know, just my design,” Winn gave a grin that said he was seconds from freaking out. “Brainy brought it back . . . from the future.”

“Whoa!” Barry’s eyes widened, and he joined James in examining the paper. “Really?”

“Really,” Winn nodded. “Apparently, it’s an artifact, and my apparatus saved countless lives, or something.”

“Dude, that’s awesome!” Barry grinned. “That’s incredible!”

Winn grimaced, and James sighed. “Winn, you are a genius,” he told his friend. “The only person who doubts that is you. Question is . . . what do you wanna do?”

Winn gestured helplessly, running his hands through his hair. “I made a shrine to, like, a cup of dirt from the future!”

Cisco made a face. “That’s weird.”

“Shut up!” Winn groaned. “You know, and actually going to the future? Yeah, that’s, like, beyond my wildest dreams. But . . . no. This is my home. Why . . . ” He shook his head. “I have you and Kara, and Alex and J’onn, and Oliver and William and . . . I mean, countless others! You guys . . . you guys are my family. I can’t, that’s . . . that’s too hard.”

Barry rested his chin on his folded hands, watching Winn pace. “The Speed Force is a prison,” he said.

Winn paused in his pacing, turning to blink at Barry in surprise. “What?”

“The Speed Force prison is hell,” Barry elaborated, making Cisco lower his head. “Wally and Jay . . . they never speak of what they saw while they were there. But when the Speed Force needed a prisoner, I volunteered. I created Flashpoint, I had to serve my time for it. I was told it wouldn’t be a prison . . . but I had no idea how long I would be in there. I had no idea what would happen to Central City, to all my friends, my family. Even if it wasn’t a prison, I had no idea what I would be going through, what I might face . . . but I could save my family. That was what made the decision for me, even though it felt like the hardest decision ever.” Winn swallowed, ducking his head, and Barry smiled sadly. “It’s ultimately your choice, Winn. Whatever one you make . . . you’ll make the one you know is right.”

Winn swallowed hard. Somehow, Barry’s words had been so encouraging . . . and so not helpful at the same time. “Thanks, Barry,” he finally said.

Barry gave a weak smile in return, then all four looked up when alarms suddenly started blaring. “Justice League!” Felicity’s voice sounded over the speakers. “Get over here, now!”

Oliver Queen/Kara Danvers

“What is that?” Oliver demanded as he and Sara ran down the steps to where Felicity and Lucy were huddled at the main table.

“J’onn’s ship,” Felicity answered, tapping on her tablet and displaying a beacon. “It just sent out a distress signal.”

“You’re kidding,” Sara stared at the screen.

“Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Seriously?” Zari scoffed, glaring as the rest of the team arrived. “Clearly, this cult isn’t in distress. So what’s with the signal?”

“Oh, gee,” Laurel rolled her eyes. “Option one . . . trap.”

“Yeah, I’m with Laurel on that,” Rene pointed.

“Regardless, I’ve been able to access the ship’s sensor,” J’onn said. “My craft is sitting near a great power source. I believe it might be the site of the terraforming.”

“So we’ve got our target?” Palmer grinned. “Great! Let’s go!”

“Kind of great,” Kara shook her head. “Sam is still unconscious. We need her around if we’re to stand a chance against Reign.”

Oliver sighed. “Do we have any other options?”

Everyone around the table exchanged looks, then Max coughed. “Actually . . . call it a ‘we’re all dying or going to hell’ scenario.”

“Oh, great,” Alex closed her eyes. “Max, what did you do?”

“It’s what Lena and I did,” Max corrected. “Supergirl, before you came back from Argo . . . she figured out that she could end Reign with a lethal dose of Kryptonite. She refused to do that while Sam and Reign were still connected. But now, with Sam and Reign separated . . . ”

He trailed off, letting someone else finish for him. “With the two of them separated, there’s nothing stopping us from using it on Reign,” Roy concluded.

“That could work,” Sara nodded slowly.

Kara looked sick to her stomach at the very thought. Clark didn’t look much better. “How long can we wait for Sam?” the other super asked. “Do we really have no other choice?”

“What other choice do we have?” Alura asked, looking between her daughter and nephew. “You can’t contain her. You said she’s grown invincible to everything that would normally hurt a Kryptonian.” Everyone who had fought Reign nodded in confirmation. “Sometimes, the thing we thought we’d never do, the thing that goes against our very core, is the one thing that we must do.”

Kara bit her lip. “You’ve got several of us who would be willing to make that kill so you don’t have to, almas,” Malcolm reminded her. “You wouldn’t have to be the one to kill her.”

Kara closed her eyes, looking down. “Kara,” Oliver raised his hand, cupping her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “I am not going to see anything like I did when she beat you into the ground. That is never happening again. If Sam doesn’t succeed . . . we have to do this.”

Kara slowly nodded. “OK,” she agreed. “Whatever it takes.”

Clark sighed, nodding as well. “Whatever it takes,” he agreed.

Kara looked around the table. “Those of you with powers, you’re coming,” she said. “Palmer, that includes you. We’ll probably need your suit.”

“You got it,” he nodded.

Oliver snorted loudly. “They’re in line behind me, angel.”

“And me,” Slade raised his hand.

“And me,” Malcolm held up his, too.

Kara sighed. “You three would sneak aboard, anyway.”

“Look at that,” Malcolm grinned smugly at Slade. “Our sister knows us so well!”

“No, she just knows she needs us to keep Oliver in line,” Slade rolled his eye.

“Hey!” Oliver protested. “I’m right here!”

“We know!” the older vigilantes chorused.

Barry snickered. “Yep. They’re brothers.”

“Firestorm, you call the shots for the Legends,” Sara ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jax nodded.

“I’m surprised you’re not coming,” Nate frowned, folding his arms.

“I’m not a super,” Sara reminded him. “If this was just one Kryptonian we were talking about, it’d be a different story. A bo staff and knives that break on skin of steel wouldn’t do any of you any good.”

“Well,” Thea grinned. “You did try to choke Reign with your staff once.”

Lucy choked on air. “You what?” Nora gawked.

“Girl!” Lois grinned widely.

Sara sighed. “Oh, go save the world,” she huffed, swatting at everyone.

“Burn the bitch,” was Mick’s helpful advice.

“You got it,” Lily giggled.

“Send Mon-El and the Legion the coordinates to my ship,” J’onn ordered. “We’ll meet them there.”

Samantha Arias

Sam’s lungs burned, and she couldn’t stop coughing as she curled into Patricia’s legs. “I can’t,” she rasped.

“No,” Patricia turned, dipping the bowl back into the fountain. “You need to drink a little more.”

Sam weakly shook her head. “I can’t drink anymore,” she denied, still hacking.

Patricia pressed the bowl into her hands. “Yes, you can,” she encouraged. “Sam, do you remember? Do you remember when you were little? And you were terrified to go to sleep at night, so I would sing you a little lullaby?” Her hand started stroking Sam’s hair, and she started to sing. “Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry. Go to sleep, you little baby. When you wake, you shall have all the pretty little horses.” Sam swallowed, then dipped her head, drinking from the bowl. “Blacks and bays, dappled grays,” Patricia continued, smiling as she held the bowl for Sam. “Coach and six-a little horses.”

Whispers trickled through Sam’s ears, and she gasped, sitting up straight. “It’s working,” she realized, then turned to Patricia, who gave her a proud smile. “It’s you,” she realized, and Patricia nodded. Sam choked out a sob. “I’m so sorry I doubted you!”

“Sam,” Patricia shook her head, cupping Sam’s face. “I’m so sorry for everything, for all the pain that I caused you.”

Sam smiled through her tears, leaning into her mother’s touch. “It’s OK,” she whispered. “It’s OK.”

Alex Danvers

A startled gasp made Harry look up from his work, and Caitlin dropped her tablet in shock. “Sam!” she backed up.

“What?” Alex burst into the lab, Lena behind her. “What – ?”

All of them stared as Ruby backed away from Sam, staring at her mother . . . who was floating several inches off the bed. “It worked!” Lena’s eyes brightened.

“Whoa!” William’s eyes widened. “That’s so cool!”

“Mom!” Ruby’s grin split her face. “You’re super!”

Sam grinned, carefully lowering herself back onto the bed, starting to remove the instruments attached to her. “Where are they?” she asked.

“They went after Reign and the witches,” Alex answered.

Sam’s gaze hardened, and she stood from the bed, putting a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she grinned. “I’ve got this.”

She disappeared in a blur of grey, and Sara yelped, stumbling away from the door. “Whoa!” Leo swiveled, staring after Sam. “What was that?”

Ruby grinned smugly. “That was my mom!”

Kara Danvers

“Comms check,” Felicity’s voice rang in everyone’s ears.

“Team Flash, connected,” Cisco answered.

“Legends, connected,” Nate confirmed when Firestorm gave him a thumbs-up.

“Team Arrow, connected,” Laurel answered as Dinah fixed the device in her ear.

Kara took a deep breath, her eyes closed. “Superfriends, connected.”

“We’re connected to the Legion Cruiser,” Harry informed them. “We’ll be watching from National City.”

“Kick their asses, guys,” Sara said.

Barry chuckled. “We’ll do our best.”

“We’re en route to the Fortress,” Brainy reported as he navigated the cruiser. “ETA, sixty seconds.”

Kara could only nod, forcing herself to stay calm. With no update on Sam, they were going in against a ridiculously powerful Worldkiller and three high priestesses who could use dark Kryptonian magic. Even with the massive group they had as they approached the Fortress, there was still a part of her that remembered every time Reign had managed to slip through their fingers. This couldn’t be like each of those times. This had to end.

“Hey.” Oliver’s hand slipped into hers, and Kara looked up into piercing green eyes. “We’re ending this,” he promised. “Today.”

Kara took a deep breath, nodding in agreement. “Today.”

“Ready?” Mon-El asked, turning away from the viewport.

“No,” Ralph sighed. “But as the only one who’s never tried punching a Kryptonian . . . I don’t think I get any say.”

“Word of advice, Ralph,” Amaya said dryly. “Don’t even touch that one.”

Laurel barked in laughter. “He learned that pretty quickly.”

“Approaching the Fortress,” Brainy suddenly announced, and Kara, Clark, and Alura moved to the drop area of the cruiser, the rest of the team forming around them. “Ready to drop in ten, nine, eight – ”

“Watch each other’s sixes,” Oliver murmured.

“Copy that, kid,” Slade responded.

“Six, five . . . ”

“We got this,” Zari took a deep breath, trying to convince herself.

“Damn right, we do,” Cisco agreed, Barry and Wally sharing a glance as lightning danced in their eyes.

“Three, two – ”

“I love you,” Oliver whispered.

Kara steeled herself, squeezing his hand. “I love you, too.”

“One!” Brainy finished the countdown.

“Go get them!” Sara shouted.

The cruiser opened underneath them, and Kara led the ground crew to the Fortress. When they landed, they found Reign with the Sword of Juru in her hand, the three priestesses whirling from their place around a massive cauldron made from the earth, Imra’s forcefield shimmering over it. Kara held her chin high as she stared into Reign’s demonic red eyes, bolstered by the mass of heroes forming behind her.

This was ending, and it was going to happen now.

Chapter Text

Oliver Queen/Malcolm Merlyn/Kara Danvers

Reign screamed and charged forward, raising the Sword of Juru high. Oliver raised his bow and fired, his arrow and Malcolm’s hitting the sword at the same time as one of Slade’s bullets. The three combined was enough to knock the sword from Reign’s hand, but the Worldkiller merely snarled and threw a punch at Kara. Kara narrowly ducked the punch, and Reign’s fist met one of pure steel. “This is for last Christmas,” Nate scowled, aiming a punch in return at Reign’s head.

Gold lightning whizzed by them, and Ayala grunted when she was tossed end over end into the wall. Ralph was there at once, elongating his arms and winding them around Ayala. Ayala struggled, her hands pinned behind her back, and Cisco grinned wildly. “Take that!” he whooped gleefully as Barry and Wally started running in circles around the Fortress then lunged in unison to deliver the knockout blow.

“Now!” Mon-El yelled.

Oliver turned in time to see Firestorm, Palmer, and Nora fire at the same time, knocking Vita off her feet. Amaya lunged, the spirits of an elephant and a dinosaur appearing behind her, and pinned the Kryptonian to the ground, a sneer on her face. J’onn joined them and snapped a pair of glowing green cuffs onto Vita’s wrists, and the woman groaned. “What is this devilry?” she demanded.

J’onn smirked. “A little piece of home.”

Malcolm nocked a Kryptonite arrow in his bow, surveying the scene around him. Barry was standing over Ayala and nursing his knuckles, and Zari had one foot planted on Vita’s back. Both priestesses were in Kryptonite cuffs, so Malcolm turned his attention to the leader of the priestesses. Alura had flown straight for Selena, and there was no finesse in the way the two women fought. It was an ugly fight, each one working to get the upper hand, the zealous priestess snarling at the enraged mother.

When one of Selena’s punches aimed for Alura’s throat, however, a blur of blue and red intercepted her. Selena faltered in shock and stared into blue eyes that burned with anger. “I don’t think so,” Clark growled.

“Kal-El?” Selena sputtered.

Clark shoved Selena’s fist away from him with a sneer. “You are never hurting my family again!” he declared.

Selena shrieked in fury, her eyes wild as she swung for Clark’s head. This time, it was Alura who intercepted the priestess, and with a snarl of her own, she grabbed Selena’s arm and threw her as hard as she could into the wall. Selena collapsed to the ground amid falling rock, and Terrill quickly landed, snapping Kryptonite cuffs onto her. Clark panted and looked at Alura with a grin. “Nice job.”

“Watch your head!” Slade shouted.

Clark and Alura turned in time to see Kara duck and avoid the sword Reign had recovered. Before Reign could swing again, Kara grabbed her and propelled herself into the air, the two Kryptonians rocketing through the roof of the fortress. “Damn it,” Malcolm gritted his teeth.

“Firestorm!” Oliver shouted. “Atom! Terrill!”

The trio immediately soared after the Kryptonians, and Palmer yelped and rolled through the air to avoid being hit. “Found them!” he called unnecessarily.

Firestorm hovered in the air, white eyes watching Kara struggle to get the upper hand on Reign. “How do we help without hurting Kara?” Jax asked, biting his lip worriedly.

“I don’t know,” Lily admitted.

Terrill flew around the cruiser, and his eyes widened when he saw the state of Kara. “Guys, Reign has her in a chokehold!”

“Can you get her out of it?” Thea demanded.

“We can try,” Palmer replied, taking a deep breath and aiming for the Kryptonians.

Terrill abruptly flew out of the way as the pair slammed into the cruiser, and Imra yelped over the comms. “I can’t hold the forcefield!”

“Jax, look out!” Lily cried.

Jax responded immediately to his partner’s warning, and he dove back into the fortress as Reign flung Kara away from her. “Get clear!” he yelled. “Get clear!”

The warning came just in time, and Oliver and Slade sprinted away from the cauldron just before Kara hit the ground. Reign landed behind her and snarled, reaching out to resume her chokehold on the blonde. Laurel and Dinah screamed in unison, aiming for Reign’s head, but the Worldkiller countered with a scream of her own. Hers was powerful enough to fling Laurel and Dinah away from her, and Oliver groaned in pain, reaching up to cover his ears as he was forced to his knees. He could dimly hear the cries of the others around him, even Clark, Alura, and Mon-El unable to stand because of Reign’s power.

“You cannot win,” Reign growled, and Kara weakly gasped for breath, clawing at the arm around her neck. “There is no prison you can build that can contain me. There is no one on this planet of equal power that can kill me!”

“That’s what you think.”

Kara’s eyes bugged open at the coldness that lacked Reign’s reverberating speech, then Reign’s gasp echoed in her ear. The grip around her neck loosened, and Kara collapsed to the ground, greedily inhaling oxygen. Reign growled animalistically behind her, and Kara turned in time to see her punch Sam, throwing the woman across the room, the Sword of Juru clattering to the ground. Sam didn’t move, but her chest still rose. She was still alive.

Reign sneered and rose to her feet, her eyes dangerously glowing as she turned to Sam. Kara rose to her knees, gritting her teeth and looking from Reign to her friends and family. Clark was still hunched over on the ground, a pained look on his face as he shook his head in an attempt to clear the ringing. Amaya and Nate were feebly stirring, Barry and Zari hovering over them protectively. Malcolm and Slade had backed up to Laurel and Dinah, the two metahumans curled in on themselves, Dinah looking ready to faint, Slade’s grip on her arm all that kept her grounded. Alura crouched by Clark, hovering by her nephew’s side, and Mon-El had reached Oliver, the archer still curled into a crouch, his grip on his bow so tight, Kara could hear the leather of his gauntlets creaking.

Fury roared to life in her heart, and she growled, surging to her feet and spinning to face Reign. These were her friends, her family. They had all suffered enough at the Worldkiller’s hands, and by her life or her death, they were not going to suffer again. This was going to end, and if it was to be by her hand, then so be it.

Her fist connected with Reign’s chest, putting all of her rage into the hit. It was enough to send Reign flying, and she landed in the cauldron that would lead to the center of the Earth. Reign screamed in pain, thrashing as she tried to escape, but she sunk further into the cauldron. Kara panted heavily, hearing Palmer and Terrill return to the fortress, but her eyes were on Reign, intent on watching her nemesis succumb.

She never expected Reign to let out a primal scream, her heat vision shooting uncontrollably from her eyes. Kara flung herself back to the ground, heat vision narrowly missing her, and she could only watch in horror when Sam’s chest was pierced by the heat vision. She had to duck to avoid being hit again, and this time, all she could hear were the horrified and panicked cries from the rest of the heroes behind her. She could hear frantic calls in her ear from those still in National City, everyone trying to speak over each other and make their voices heard, and Kara closed her eyes, the sounds threatening to deafen her. Reign’s screams abruptly silenced, and for a moment, all Kara heard was her own heartbeat thudding in her ears.

Jax screamed.

It was pure fear, pure pain, pure agony, and it made Kara claw her way to the cauldron, using it for support as she got to her feet. When she turned, she gasped, shock almost dropping her to her knees again. Jax was the closest to her, and it was Jax, not Firestorm, for the young man was on his knees, cradling Lily to his chest, and he sobbed uncontrollably, begs and pleas spilling from his lips, but it was all for naught. Lily was limp in his arms, her eyes shut, and she wasn’t breathing.

Neither, Kara realized with mounting horror as she looked around the fortress, were Amaya, Nora, and Terrill. Neither, she realized, were Sam and Mon-El, J’onn standing among them with a dazed expression.

And neither, Kara realized with her heart in her throat, were Oliver, Barry, Clark, Alura, Slade, and Laurel. Cisco’s tortured cry of realization made her flinch, and as Cisco scrambled to reach Barry, Wally frozen where he had landed by Mon-El, Kara flung herself to Oliver, scrambling to remove his hood. “No,” she stammered, trembling fingers seeking where she knew Oliver’s pulse had to be located. “No, no, no!”

“Supergirl?” Felicity’s voice was deathly hushed.

“Someone answer us!” Harry demanded.

“Oh, my God,” Dinah collapsed on the ground, both hands covering her mouth as she looked around at the devastation.

Kara wailed and buried her face in her hands, barely able to hear Malcolm’s own scream of anguish as he clutched Laurel’s body to him. “Supergirl!” Sara shouted in panic. “Someone, tell us what’s going on!”

Blue flames licked Jax’s skin, but still he clung to Lily, his words jumbled as he called for her to wake up. “No, no, no,” Palmer shook his head, looking around with wild eyes, one hand reaching for a frozen Nate for some kind of support. “How – how did this happen?”

“What happened?” Thea asked.

“Guys, come on!” Winn urged. “We need some help here! What happened?”

“We lost,” J’onn whispered, the only one seemingly able to answer their teams as he bowed his head, one hand resting on Clark’s still chest, the other settling on Mon-El’s. “We won . . . then we lost.”

The comms went utterly silent, then Lucy asked the question no one else dared. “Who?”

Zari swallowed hard, looking down at Nora, who looked up at the ceiling with unseeing eyes. “Who didn’t we lose?”

Pandemonium erupted over the comms, and Kara shook her head, her fingers clutching the Kevlar of Oliver’s suit so much that she thought it would tear. They had come all this way, gone through so much, to end the monster that had haunted her for months. Everyone had come from Earth-1, even from Earth-X, to help her end this threat . . . and while Reign had fallen, the Worldkiller had scored one final victory against them. Friends lay dead around her, family lay dead around her, and now she slumped in defeat over the cooling body of her fiancé. Her gaze roamed to where her mother lay utterly still, to where Clark, her strong, beloved cousin, lay with unseeing eyes aimed at the sky . . . to where Mon-El lay at J’onn’s feet, his Legion ring winking at her. She shot up from where she rested on Oliver’s chest, and she frantically looked around. “The Harun-El,” she gasped. “Where’s the Harun-El?”

“Here!” Cisco pounced, finding the rock by Barry’s side.

Kara snatched it from him, cradling it to her chest like it was the most precious thing in existence, and she yanked Mon-El’s ring from his finger. “Alex!” she shouted. “I need you to find me a disruption!”

“A disruption?” Alex repeated.

Kara nodded, barely able to get Mon-El’s ring on her finger because of how her hands shook. “I need to go back in time,” she explained. “Like the Legion.”

“You can’t breathe in space!” Winn protested.

“I’m wearing Mon-El’s ring, I can breathe with it on,” Kara said breathlessly, pacing back and forth anxiously. “If I can turn back time, I could use the electricity in the Harun-El to take us to the Fountain of Lilith.”

“OK,” Winn stammered. “But it disrupts . . . the pressure alone is gonna crush you!”

“Kara, time travel – ” Sara began.

“Oliver is dead!” Kara yelled, making J’onn flinch. “My mom, my cousin, my brother, and my sister are dead at my feet, Sara, so don’t you dare lecture me about time travel right now! All of you risked everything to come and help me, and you paid with your lives! Do you want me to tell you which members of your team are dead, Sara? Huh? Do you want to be the one to go back to Central City and tell Iris she’s now a widow? That Leo is a widower? That Ruby and William are orphans? Go on, Sara. Tell me.”

Stunned silence fell over the comms, and all Kara could hear was her own panting. “Barry?” Harry whispered in horror.

“Kara,” Thea whimpered. “Your brother . . . does that mean – ?”

“Slade,” Kara said hoarsely. “Malcolm is alive. Slade and Laurel aren’t.”

“Oh, my God,” Alex’s voice broke.

“If this is the price for killing Reign, it’s one I don’t want to pay,” Kara said fiercely, her hand curling into a fist around Mon-El’s ring. “Find me a disruption, now.”

“Do it, guys.” Jax’s voice was devoid of emotion, and Kara turned to see the lone survivor of Firestorm look at her, his face twisted in pain and fury as blue flames filled his eyes. “Find her a disruption. I don’t care what it takes. I want Lily back.”

“Go, Kara.” Malcolm’s voice was unrecognizable, and when she looked at her brother, the man’s lips were curled into a murderous sneer, Laurel lying limp in his arms. For the first time, she was looking at the man who was willing to bathe in the blood of hundreds if it meant vengeance for his wife. “I won’t survive losing the woman I love. Not again.”

“Kara.” Sara’s voice was quiet. “We have a disruption. Save our team.”

Kara let out her breath in a rush. “Thank you, Sara.”

“Thank me by getting everyone back.”

Kara nodded and carefully knelt by Oliver’s side again, tears filling her eyes as she looked at her beloved. Oliver was not supposed to look so pale, so still, yet here he was, dead because of a choice she had made. She had agreed to do whatever it took to stop Reign, even if it meant killing her . . . but in what world was killing Reign worth the death of the man she loved, who had been the one to end the pain that had entangled her heart for so long, who showed her that her human heart was a good thing?

No. Killing Reign was not worth the death of any of her family.

She gently kissed Oliver’s forehead and took a deep breath. “I’ll see you soon,” she promised, then she bent her knees and propelled herself up and into the sky, soaring into space.

“It should be right above you.” Felicity’s voice wavered, the techie still trying to sound strong even as Kara felt seconds from her heart breaking into two. “Kara . . . please make this work.”

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

Oliver’s words before the Earth-X invasion rang in Kara’s head, and she closed her eyes as she flew through the breach. “I’ll make it work,” she vowed, gritting her teeth as she forced her way through the pressure of the disruption.

Then familiar pressure around her neck made her eyes open, and she gasped, her hand clenching Reign’s arm. “You cannot win,” the Worldkiller growled, and Kara’s eyes widened, hardly daring to believe it had worked until she saw Slade and Laurel watching in horror and Oliver with his bow raised, arrow aimed at Reign. “There is no prison you can build that can contain me. There is no one on this planet of equal power that can kill me!”

“That’s what you think!” Sam snapped, storming forward and raising the Sword of Juru high.

“No!” Kara yelled, holding up her hand. Sam stopped in her tracks, looking at Kara in confusion, and Kara quickly grabbed Reign’s arm, putting all of her desperation into flipping the Worldkiller over her shoulder. Reign landed with a thud, and Kara forced her to open her fist, using her other hand to pin Reign to the ground. “Give me the Harun-El!” she ordered.

Barry – oh, thank God, Barry was alive – zoomed past a stunned Mon-El to grab the rock. “Here!”

Kara grimaced when it was placed in her hand. “Shock us again in five minutes,” she ordered, forcing Reign to curl her fingers around the Harun-El. “Sam, now!”

Sam lurched forward, grabbing the Harun-El as well. Reality flickered around them, then all three women crashed to the ground. Kara recognized where they were at once, and a vicious grin split Sam’s face as she got to her feet. “Welcome home,” she sneered at Reign, storming towards the Worldkiller. “This one’s for Ruby!” Her punch catapulted Reign through the air, and as much as Kara wanted to throw her own punch, she was content to watch Sam prowl after her evil doppelgänger. “This one’s for Patricia!” Reign’s breath left her in a rush when she was slammed onto the ground, and Sam growled, grabbing her by the throat. “This one . . . this one’s for me.”

She threw Reign to the foot of the fountains, and she dipped a stone bowl into the waters of one. She dribbled it over Reign’s mouth, forcing her to drink, and Reign screamed, smoke and sparks billowing off her. Sam stumbled back to reach Kara, her hand fumbling for the blonde’s. Kara gripped her hand in return, satisfaction rippling through her as Reign looked at her hands in horror. “What have you done to me?” she demanded.

Kara merely smiled, watching the Kryptonian demons swirl around Reign, their whispers hissing in the air. “How does it feel to be pathetic, you evil bitch?” she taunted.

Reign attempted her sonic scream, but she was completely powerless as the demons swarmed. Kara watched with a pleased smirk as Reign was surrounded, and Sam exhaled as the Worldkiller vanished. “It’s over?” she asked hopefully.

The Dark Valley vanished around them, and Kara jolted upright from where she had fallen on the ground. “Supergirl?” Barry asked worriedly, pulling the Harun-El away from her.

Kara frantically looked around, searching for Firestorm, and she found concerned white eyes staring back at her. Then she found the pair of eyes she desperately wanted to see, and she choked on a sob, flying into Oliver’s chest. The archer grunted in discomfort, but he quickly dropped his bow so he could wrap his arms around her. “She’s gone,” Kara gasped, burying her nose in Oliver’s neck. “It’s over?”

“Yeah, angel,” Oliver nodded, exchanging concerned looks with J’onn and Clark as he held Kara tightly. “It’s over.”

Kara sobbed in relief, unable to do anything other than hold Oliver tight. The archer winced in pain, but as he ran a gloved hand over Kara’s hair, he felt how much she trembled. “Supergirl?” Alex asked. “Green Arrow? Did Sam get there?”

“Yeah,” Oliver nodded, glancing at Sam as she was helped to her feet by Laurel and Dinah. “She got here.” He exhaled and pressed his lips to the top of Kara’s head, frowning when he felt her shudder. “Reign is gone. It’s over.”

Cheers erupted over the comms, and Kara giggled wetly. “So, wait,” Palmer looked around in confusion. “Are we doing a group hug? Because I could use a group hug after all that.”

Kara’s giggles increased. “I could use a group hug.”

“Alright, if Supergirl says she needs a group hug, we’re doing a group hug,” Cisco declared. “C’mon, everyone.”

Despite the loud protests of some members of the team, Oliver couldn’t help but laugh as their team surrounded them. “This is where Thea would say ‘ding dong, the witch is dead.’”

“I can still say it, if you’d like,” Thea chirped happily over the comms.

“Don’t you dare,” Mick growled.

It just made Kara laugh harder, and Oliver smiled, cupping Kara’s face with both hands. “Three down,” he told her.

Kara smiled brilliantly, reaching up to kiss him. “One more to go.”

Oliver Queen

Ruby’s delighted squeal upon their return made Kara, Clark, and Alura wince, but those winces turned into smiles when the teenager leapt into her mother’s arms. Sam’s laughter rang like bells as she spun her daughter around, then two more teenagers sprinted up the stairs. Oliver and Kara, who still hadn’t let go of each other despite Oliver insisting to Kara that he was fine, braced themselves and let William and Evelyn crash into them. “You did it!” William cheered. “Reign is gone!”

“And Sam is still here!” Evelyn whooped.

“Who has champagne?” Cisco held out his arms, looking around expectantly. “We earned it!”

“Oh, I will gladly find some,” Winn grinned. “We’re three for three on the Worldkillers!”

The chorus of excited cheers began again, and Sara grinned as she hurried up to Oliver, Kara, and Barry. “I just wish I had been there to see it,” she declared.

“We still don’t know how Sam did it,” Barry admitted. “Kara did something with the Harun-El, and next thing we knew, Reign had vanished.”

“The Fountain of Lilith,” Kara explained. “Sam drank from one well to gain the strength to face Reign. She forced Reign to drink water from the well that took her powers away. Reign was done for the moment the water hit her lips.”

“Good,” Sara smirked in satisfaction. “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer Worldkiller.”

Barry hummed, tilting his head side to side. “I think that may be an oxymoron.”

“A nice Worldkiller?”

“I guess it depends on the world.”

Oliver chuckled, watching Barry and Sara debate as they walked to join the rest of the teams. Someone had indeed pulled a champagne bottle from somewhere, and Curtis and Leo were distributing glasses. “All I care about is knowing those Worldkillers will never hurt a soul again.”

“Yeah,” Kara forced a smile on her face. “Never again.”

Oliver frowned, noting the tenseness. “You OK?”

“I will be,” Kara nodded. “Just . . . give me a minute?”

“Sure,” Oliver nodded, rubbing her back.

Kara gave him a quick smile then abruptly turned and walked out onto the balcony. Oliver watched her with a concerned frown, then footsteps approached from behind him. “Hey,” Clark greeted, stopping by Oliver’s side. “Everything good?”

Oliver sighed, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted. He knew his fiancée well enough by now that he recognized she was upset even when she faced away from him. “I thought that with Reign gone, she would be feeling better.”

Clark hummed thoughtfully. “Mind if I have a go?”

“Please,” Oliver nodded, stepping towards the gathering of heroes on the main floor. “Thanks.”

Clark nodded, and as he walked up the steps towards the balcony, Oliver continued to join the rest of the team.

Kara Danvers

The sounds of National City, from conversations to vehicles to sirens, swirled through the air, and Kara inaudibly sighed, closing her eyes and tilting her head to let the sounds wash over her. She would take this noise every day over the week over the deathly silence that had hung over the Worldkillers’ fortress after Reign had killed –

She flinched and lowered her head, taking a deep breath. No, she was not going to think that. That event was gone, erased from time because of her actions.

“You did it, Kara.” Kara’s eyes flew open as she turned, and she watched Clark walk up to her with a smile on his face. “You ended Reign’s . . . well, reign.”

“That was all Sam,” Kara shook her head. “All I did was help get her to the Fountain of Lilith.”

“You went head to head with the same Kryptonian that almost killed you last Christmas,” Clark reminded her, stopping by her side to lean against the railing with her. “You didn’t falter once. That takes an enormous amount of strength. You didn’t lose a step, Kara. You won, and you did it flawlessly. I don’t know what you could’ve done differently.” Kara averted her gaze from her cousin, though she was able to feel his eyes on her. “So why do you look like you lost?” Clark asked quietly.

“We won . . . then we lost.”

Kara violently flinched at the memory of J’onn’s words, and she let out her breath in a rush. “We did lose, Clark,” she whispered. “We lost the first time we faced Reign.”

Clark blinked. “The first?” he repeated. “Kara, what do you mean?”

“I took Mon-El’s ring and had the team here find a disruption for me to fly through,” Kara replied, staring down at her clasped hands. “Because the first time we faced Reign . . . ” She whimpered and buried her face in her hands. “It was horrible, Clark,” she choked out, mentally cursing when her voice broke. “Sam stabbed Reign and I threw her into the cauldron, but before she died . . . her last action . . . ”

She didn’t see Clark move, but she felt him press against her side, one arm wrapping around her shoulders. “Talk to me, Kara,” he urged. “What happened?”

“Her heat vision,” Kara whimpered. “It was out of control. I had to duck to avoid being hit, and when I came back, I heard nothing . . . then Jax . . . ” She swallowed hard. “Lily forced the separation. That’s all I can think of that happened, because Jax was unharmed, and Lily was . . . she was . . . ” A knot formed in her throat, and she closed her eyes. “And it wasn’t just Lily. Clark, the number of you who were dead on the ground . . . ”

“Was I one of them?”

“Yes.” Kara’s voice was so quiet, she had no doubt only Clark’s super hearing let him hear her voice. “You. Mom. Barry. Slade. Laurel. Oliver.”

“God, Kara,” Clark breathed, tugging Kara to his chest so he could hug her tightly. “I’m so sorry.”

“I saw the price of killing Reign, and I didn’t want to pay it,” Kara cried, leaning into Clark’s strength. “I couldn’t, Kal. How could I when it meant losing everyone I love? I know what changing a moment like that could do, Barry and Sara dealt with the consequences of their actions for months . . . but Rao, I can still hear Jax and Malcolm if my mind drifts for too long. When I started listing everyone who was dead, no one cared about the consequences.”

“Because they just wanted their friends and family back.” There was no question in Clark’s tone, just fact. “That’s exactly what I would have said.” Kara sagged into his arms, realizing those were the words she needed to hear. “You saved us, Kara, even if the event technically didn’t happen. You did the right thing, and we all walked out of that fortress alive and well. Focus on that, cousin.”

Kara forced herself to even out her breaths, leaning against Clark. Her cousin, such a pillar of strength and love, merely tightened his arms around her, holding her as long as she needed. Her head rested against his chest, and his pulse pounded in her ear, a steady drum that settled her with every beat of his heart. She closed her eyes and exhaled, winding her arms around Clark’s waist. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed to hear that.”

Clark lowered his head and kissed her temple, running a hand through her blonde tresses. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you,” he promised. “And if someone tries to argue with what you did, I will gladly throw them into the Phantom Zone for you.”

Kara snorted and giggled. “You don’t need to do that, but thank you for offering.”

“What else is family for?” Clark smiled, rubbing her back. “You ready for some champagne?”

“Yeah,” Kara nodded, wiping her eyes. “I’m ready to celebrate.”

Oliver Queen/Kara Danvers

“There they are!” Lois perked up with a smile.

Oliver immediately turned, his eyes locking on Kara as she arrived with her cousin. Her eyes were alarmingly red-rimmed, and he abandoned his champagne on one of the desks in favor of quickly walking to her side. “Are you OK?” he asked, gently cupping her face in his hands.

Kara smiled at him, a genuine one, and nodded. “I am now,” she assured him. “I just needed Clark’s ear. I’m sorry I worried you.”

“I’m your fiancé,” Oliver reminded her. “That’s part of my job.”

“And you do an excellent job of it,” Kara said, patting his shoulder. Oliver gave her a pleased smile, and Kara giggled, walking past him. “Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment?” she called. Silence quickly fell in the D.E.O., and Kara took a deep breath, looking over everyone who had played a part in the fight against the Worldkillers. “This has been a long time coming,” she said. “For those of you who weren’t part of the team back then, Reign has been a thorn in my side since Christmas. I can’t remember another enemy who so thoroughly beat me like she did, and it almost cost me my life.” Alex flinched at the reminder, looking down into her champagne, and J’onn growled quietly under his breath. “And more of them kept showing up,” Kara continued. “But more of you kept showing up, too. And you kept showing up, too, even when these battles were difficult as hell. We won some, we lost some . . . but today? We won the whole damn war.”

“Score one for the Justice League!” Cisco whooped.

Sara sighed and rolled her eyes to the sky at the cheers that came from that, and Barry chuckled. “You gotta admit, it is a cool name.”

“Yeah,” Sara conceded with a nod. “It’s pretty awesome.”

“So to everyone who either started this war with me last Christmas or just joined today, I mean this from the bottom of my heart,” Kara smiled, raising the glass of champagne handed to her by Winn. “Thank you.” She caught the eye of a brunette woman smiling happily at her, and she winked and tilted her glass in her direction. “And hey, to the woman of the hour who got the better of her evil half! Welcome back, Sam!”

“Yeah!” Lena grinned as Sam balked. “To Sam!”

The toast continued, and Sam blushed deep red, attempting to hide her face in Ruby’s hair. Her daughter was no help at all with how much she was giggling, and she eventually escaped with William and Evelyn’s help. “My mom is awesome!” she gloated.

“Oh, my God,” Sam bit her lip, but she couldn’t contain a smile as Alex, Lena, and Lucy piled onto her. “Thank you, everyone!”

Kara smiled at the sight, then Oliver tugged her close to his side, and she curled into him with a content purr. Oliver chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “How about you try not to get another Kryptonian as your supervillain for a while?” he suggested. “I’ve had enough heart attacks this year.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Dig smirked. “We all have.”

“I know,” Kara smiled apologetically. “But hey, no more Worldkillers. No more Kryptonians.”

“For now, at least,” Clark amended.

“Selena and her cult will be handled with haste,” Alura promised. “When I return to Argo, they will return with me.”

“Why does it seem this family just keeps growing with every week that goes by?” Thea sighed.

“Are you complaining?” Roy grinned.

Thea swatted him, and Clark chuckled. “I’m just glad part of Krypton survived.”

“And I’m glad part of my family survived, too,” Alura smiled. “And that it’s rather simple to travel to and from Argo.”

“It’s so cool,” William gushed to Evelyn. “Seriously, if you ever get the chance, see it.”

“Family of Kara and Kal’s is always welcome,” Alura assured him.

“Oh, man,” Curtis sighed happily. “A vacation to what remains of Krypton. That sounds nice.”

“One day,” Rene patted his shoulder. “I think the Earth-38ers get first dibs.”

“Yeah, remember,” Alex pointed to herself. “Kara’s adopted sister.”

Malcolm tilted his head. “So where do we fit in that line?”

Slade snorted. “Let me know when you find out, wizard.”

“Magician!”

“So,” Barry bounded up to join them, looking far too energized for someone who had just faced off against a handful of Kryptonians. “What do we do now?”

“Now?” Kara echoed, and she looked up at Oliver. “Now . . . we take back Star City from Ricardo Diaz.”

“Yes,” Laurel grinned viciously.

“What do you think?” Oliver smiled at Barry. “Up for one more war?”

“After all this?” Barry grinned. “Piece of cake, man.”

“Let’s do it,” Sara agreed. “And then seriously . . . you two are getting married.”

“That would be a great wedding present,” Kara smirked, a faraway look in her eyes. “The end of Ricardo Diaz’s reign of terror.”

Oliver grinned, tilting Kara’s face up so he could kiss her. “Your wish is my command.”