Captain Canary Series: Against the Wind (13/13)
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Against The Wind Series
Epilogue
(Set a few years after. Warning: Extreme fluff.)
“I don’t like her, Len,” Sara said, chopping the vegetables she had just washed.
Leonard chuckled and wiped his hands on the kitchen rag. “You haven’t even met her yet. You already agreed to Luke going on a date with this girl, so let him.”
“She’s not good enough for him.”
“Honey, in your eyes, nobody is ever good enough for Luke. He’s 16. He’s bound to go to dates.”
Sara groaned, making Leonard laugh.
“Is Mom still against my date with Steph?” Luke popped into the kitchen, wearing long sleeves, the scent of cologne filling the air.
Leonard looked towards his son and had a head-to-toe sweep of how he prepared for his date. He then turned to face Sara, wiggling his eyebrows to tease her.
“I’m not against it, Lucky. I’m just protective of you,” Sara replied, wiping her hands on her apron and walked close to her son. “Sweetie, you look handsome but why are you drowning in cologne? How long is this date going to last? Three weeks?”
“Too protective,” Leonard immediately supplied and winked at Sara. “You have your things ready, kid?”
Luke laughed, fully knowing that his mother could sometimes be irrationally protective of the three of them. Still very sweet of her. “Yup. Where will Uncle Mick pick me up again?”
“STAR Labs parking lot after your date,” Leonard replied, getting a slice of carrot from the chopping board. “Make sure he doesn’t see you with your date or you’ll never hear the end of it.”
Luke nodded and did the same--got a carrot from behind Sara’s back.
“And your Mom has eyes everywhere,” Leonard replied. “For all we know, Mick’s her spy.”
“Yes, he is,” Sara said from afar.
“Moooooooooooom!”
“No yelling in this house, Lily,” Leonard said from down the staircase. “Come down if you need anything.”
They heard fast footsteps coming down from the second floor of their house and rushing to the kitchen where Sara, Leonard, and Luke are.
“Mom, I think I lost my Judo uniform,” Lily said as she tied her hair into a ponytail. “I looked all over my room but it wasn’t there. I’m already running late for practice.”
“Have you searched for it at Lucy’s room? Maybe I placed it there,” Sara replied, too busy to even look at Lily. “Please hurry up. Your Aunt Lisa texted saying she and your cousin are already on their way to the practice.”
Lily slumped on the stool near the kitchen island. “I don’t know why I still have to go to Judo practice, Mom. You could just teach me and Leona. I’ve seen you do more advanced moves than our instructor.”
“Yes but your Uncle Cisco wants his daughter to have a normal childhood and prefers a mediocre instructor over a real-life ninja,” Sara replied finally facing Lily and tucking in the stray hair that fell on the 14-year old’s angelic face. “And it doesn’t help that his daughter is named after your father. Now go, young lady!”
Lily giggled and hopped off the stool. She then dashed passed them and up to her sister’s room.
Luke stalled to the living room, checking his phone for the time, and left Leonard and Sara in the kitchen.
“So,” Leonard drawled, leaning onto the kitchen island. “Mick is taking Luke to 1975 and Lisa is picking Lily up after Judo. We’re gonna drive Lucy to their house to join the girls’ sleepover and…where does that leave us?”
“We’re going to clean the house,” Sara jokingly replied.
Leonard raised an eyebrow. “In that case, I’m out. Maybe Mick needs help on the ship…”
“I’m kidding, you idiot. It’s our anniversary. We’ll…”
“Mommy?”
The couple looked at the doorway and saw their youngest—nine-year old Lucy. Unlike the curious Luke and the fierce Lily, Lucy grew up shy. Being the youngest, the attention of the family all went to her but it never made her grow up spoiled. She’s the sweetest of them all, always giving hugs and kisses to everyone she meets. She speaks softly, always gracious. Born after a crazy moment in the couple’s life, Lucy never seemed to carry the chaos that led to her birth. She became a ray of sunshine for them—a symbol of hope, even.
“Yes, Lulu?”
Lucy walked closer to them slowly. Once at arm’s reach, Leonard lifter the little girl up and sat her on the counter.
The little girl is clutching a folded paper on one hand and handed it to Leonard.
“I made a drawing.”
It was a drawing of their house with the five of them outside, holding hands. Each of the five figures is labeled with their names below them. On the upper right is a disc-like image and underneath it was the name “Uncle Mick”—probably the Waverider.
“This is beautiful, baby. Do you want me to stick it on the fridge?” Sara asked, smoothing the creases on the paper.
Instead of speaking, Lucy just shook her head and pointed on the small brown figure she drew beside her figure. “Please, Mama?”
A dog.
Leonard smirked and looked at Sara. They’ve been asked by Luke and Lily if they can have a dog for the longest time but they haven’t gotten to decide about that. There were other things to take care of back then.
But this time, it was Lucy asking them. And Leonard chuckled at the thought of Luke and Lily manipulating their baby sister into asking him and his wife for a dog.
“You want a puppy, sweet-cheeks?”
The kid’s cheeks blushed and she brought her hands to her face. “Yes, Mama.”
“Well, I don’t know about that, sweet. Your dad has allergies…”
“But we’ll make it work,” Leonard finished Sara’s sentence. In return, Sara’s eyes brightened. “As long as my baby’s happy, right?”
Lucy immediately landed a wet kiss on her father’s cheek, and then to her mother. “Thank you, Daddy. Put me down now, please?”
And Leonard did. He ran his hand through Lucy’s chestnut-colored hair and kissed the top of her head, then asked her to go back to what she’s doing.
The moment Lucy went out of the kitchen, Luke and Lily were waiting outside, side-by-side.
“Hey Lue, so what did they say?” Lily crouched down to meet Lucy’s eye.
Luke did the same and laid a hand on the little girl’s shoulder. “We’re getting a dog, right?”
To their surprise, Leonard and Sara were looking at them, laughing to themselves.
Lucy bit her lower lip and looked to the floor, making Lily frown.
“Daddy said yes,” Lucy said softly, grinning now.
Cheers from the two older kids erupted and only stopped when Leonard cleared his throat.
“I knew you two were the masterminds,” Len said, grabbing his car keys from his back pocket.
“Lily started it,” Luke said, pointing at his sister, and then grabbed his travel bag.
“And using your baby sister to get what you want? Classic,” Sara responded, removing her apron and placing it on the door handle. “Go on, you three. Take care and come back home safe, okay?”
“Yes, Mom!” Lily said, walking closer to Sara to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I still think you should convince Uncle Cisco that you’ll train us for free.”
“I’ll try. Kick ass, okay? Well, not literally. Please don’t hurt other kids like you did last week with Helen’s daughter.”
“She deserved it!” Lily shouted back as she ran outside to get in their car.
Luke approached Sara next, fidgeting. “Gotta go, Mom. Wish me luck. Don’t worry, I’ll introduce her to you if I get a second date. Steph’s not that bad.”
“I know, Lucky. You wouldn’t like her if she’s not a great girl,” Sara said, placing a kiss on her son’s forehead. “Just have fun, okay? Make her smile. See you in a few days.”
Luke, too, walked outside after kissing the top of Lucy’s head as a goodbye.
It was then Leonard’s turn to say goodbye to Sara before they go. Knowing that Lucy is near them, Leonard settled with a chaste kiss on her lips. Sara snaked an arm around Len’s waist with her free hand stroking his chin, her palm getting tickled by the beard he’s sporting. “Get home fast, alright?”
“Judo practice in the studio in 6th Street, Luke’s date in Jitters, then home. Promise,” Leonard replied and kissed her once more, then Lucy.
---
“Seatbelts,” Leonard said, starting the car.
“Seatbelts on!” both of the kids replied.
The radio is on, reporting how Kid Flash just stopped a robbery. In the middle of the newscast, Lily spoke up.
“Do you miss it, Dad? Going in on missions and kicking bad guys’ asses?”
Leonard looked at the rear-view mirror to see Lily’s bright blue eyes. “Not really,” he answered. “It’s not that much fun since your mom and I had Luke. There’s always the risk of getting hurt or of dying. When you have a family, all that you want is to return home safe and sound. Besides, there’s more thrill in playing Uno with you three and playing cards with your mother than hunting down criminals. The speedsters can take care of them.”
“And Dad seems to enjoy his job at STAR Labs,” Luke added, winking at Lily.
Lily laughed. “Of course he does. He works with his wife and it’s not like a job at all.”
“If your mother hears you two teasing us, you’ll both get grounded. Again.”
It took a few more minutes before they reached the Judo studio. The Snart men dropped Lily off and drove for a couple more minutes to reach Jitters.
“You ready, bud?” Leonard asked Luke when he saw his son checking his phone again.
Luke smirked and ran his hand through his hair. “Kinda nervous, to be honest.”
“You? Nervous? That rarely happens,” Leonard said. They’re almost at Jitters with 20 more minutes before the time of Luke’s date. Of course they have to arrive early. Leonard parked the car at the roadside, giving time to speak to Luke before he goes in.
“I really like her, dad,” Luke finally spoke. “She’s smart and kind and funny and really, really beautiful. I don’t even know what I did for her to say yes to this date.”
“Look at you, Luke. You look exactly like me when I was younger. You’re as handsome as I am. Any girl would say yes to a date with you,” Leonard joked, the two of them laughing.
“But to be honest,” Len said on a serious note, “that’s exactly how I felt the first time I asked your mom out. She’s beautiful and badass and she can have any man or woman she wants, yet she took a chance on me.”
“Mom really loves you, Dad. That’s why she said yes to you.”
“I know, Lucky. But it took me so long to convince myself that we were bound to be together. Or that I deserve what I have with her. I used to wait for the worst things to happen in replacement for all the happiness she brings in my life. But you’re a good kid, Luke. You deserve happiness and if this girl makes you happy, don’t hesitate,” Leonard said, looking at Luke who just exhaled a heavy breath out of his chest.
“I will, Dad,” Luke said with a familiar smirk. “Any more advice?”
Leonard leaned on the headrest of his seat and lifted a finger to count off the things he wants to remind his son.
“Open doors for her. Help her get into her seat. Offer to pay for her order,” Leonard said as-a-matter-of-factly.
Luke scoffed. “I already know that, Dad. You’ve been telling me pretty much ever since my age became two digits.”
“Just don’t do to her what you don’t want your sisters’ dates to do to them,” Leonard replied. “You know what your mother does to men who make women suffer. We raised you right, although our lives are pretty crazy. I trust you’ll do what’s right. Just make her happy, Lucky.“
“I think I can do the last one,” Luke told his father. “I have seen you make Mom happy for sixteen years. I’ve got some tips.”
“Of course you did,” Leonard replied. “Don’t forget, Mick’s picking you up after. Don’t get in too much trouble, you two. I don’t want to form an elite group of heroes and villains to help me save your asses.”
Luke laughed, “I promise, Dad. And I’ll take good care of the Cold Gun. Promise.”
“If you break that, you’re grounded ‘till you’re 30.”
---
“The recipe says carrots first, then onions and garlic, Mommy,” Lucy said as she read from the recipe book while seated on the kitchen island. “Then oregano and salt and pepper.”
“Okay, I got that going, and the meat is in the pressure cooker,” Sara replied, taking off her apron and placing it on the counter. “And now, we wait.”
Lucy’s feet were dangling on the edge, swinging back and forth. “Question, Mommy. Lily looks like you. And Luke looks like Daddy. Who do I look like?”
Sara brought her hands to the girl’s cheek and caressed it. “You look like the both of us, with a hint of Aunt Lisa. Oh, how pretty my little girl is.”
“Another question!”
“What is it?”
“Why do we all start with ‘L’? Why do you start with ‘S’?” the kid asked curiously, a cute little wrinkle forming on her forehead.
Sara couldn’t help but laugh. Leonard insisted that they don’t need to give their kids names that start with ‘L’, but Sara was too pushy.
“Well, sweet, it started with your daddy and Aunt Lisa. I just thought it would be a start of a tradition to name you three with names starting in that letter. Even Leona starts with ‘L’,” Sara said, wrapping her arms around the little girl. “It is to remind your daddy that he is a very important part of all three of you and that you will always carry something in you that are of Leonard.”
“Is the dinner for Daddy?”
“Mhm. For our anniversary celebration,” Sara replied, finally standing to check on the meal being cooked. “That is why when Daddy gets home, he’ll drive you to Aunt Lisa’s. You’ll spend the night and have sleepover with your sister and cousin.”
Silently, Lucy asked, “Why can’t we join the celebration?”
Sara just wanted to have a night alone with Leonard. She’s wanted to have that for a long time, but of course she doesn’t have the heart to tell her daughter. Instead, she leaned over, kissed the little girl on the forehead and carried on with her cooking.
---
Leonard arrived home with the sight of little Lucy carrying her yellow backpack, all smiles and ready to leave. The kid kissed Sara goodbye and took Leonard’s hand, dragging him to the car.
“20 minutes,” Len mouthed to Sara as he opens the car door. Sara nodded in response.
Ninja skills being put to good use, she swiftly took a bath, put on a Persian blue dress she bought especially for this occasion, put on light make up, set the table, and put on old-school music.
Sara heard the door open and when she welcomed the person entering, she saw Leonard with the playful smirk on his face, holding calla lilies on a bouquet.
“How dashing,” Sara said, taking the flowers from him. “Come on, dinner’s ready.”
“First…” Leonard pulled her in for a kiss that lasted so long that they needed to break away from each other to breathe. “Dinner?”
---
The couple spent time talking about many different things over dinner:
“No, you said ‘I love you’ first!”
“You said it first. We were in Germany 1984 and you were drunk. That’s counted.”
“You wanted to name our kid ‘Jar Jar’ just to annoy me.”
“Maybe we could name our dog that.”
“I totally forgot we agreed to get a dog.”
“How do you think Luke’s date went?”
“Amazing, for sure. Anyone would be lucky to go on a date with my son.”
“You remember when Luke was 3 and he saw you use the Cold Gun for the first time ever to make ice and then we just decided to tell him our other job?”
“I didn’t know if he was appalled or impressed.”
“Definitely impressed. He wouldn’t stop asking to borrow your gun for over a month.”
“I bet you can still drink me under the table.”
“No, we’re not going to a pub this late.”
“Why the hell not?”
“We’re too damn old for hard liquors, Len.”
“Too old? Come on, you still look like thirty.”
“Wanna dance, Leonard?”
“You go right ahead. I’ll clean the table.”
“Suit yourself.”
--
Dinner was over and music continued to play. Len brought their plates to the kitchen while Sara swayed to the soft ballad filling their living room.
I met you in the dark, you lit me up You made me feel as though I was enough We danced the night away, we drank too much I held your hair back when You were throwing up
She closed her eyes as she felt his hands sliding on her hips. “Classic James Arthur, 2016. Nice choice,” the deep voice whispered on her ear.
“Am I getting my dance now?” Sara asked, turning around and placing her hands on his shoulders.
“Not letting this pass.”
Then you smiled over your shoulder For a minute, I was stone-cold sober I pulled you closer to my chest And you asked me to stay over I said, I already told ya I think that you should get some rest
Leonard pulled her closer by the waist and so did she with her arms around his neck. Sara could feel both the tickle his beard is giving, as well as his deep breaths.
“You’re not crying, are you?” Sara softly mocked.
I knew I loved you then But you'd never know 'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go
“I’m Captain Cold. I don’t cry,” Leonard replied, chuckling behind her ear.
“Oh really? Let’s see…” Sara stepped away slightly to look at his face. “There’s when you first saw me after we got you from the Legion. When you proposed. When we exchanged vows. When we found out I was pregnant the first time. And the second time. And the third time. During Luke’s first school recognition. Lily’s first injury. Lucy’s singing contest. I could go on forever, you know?”
I know I needed you But I never showed But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go
“Point taken,” Leonard replied, kissing the crook of her neck. “Happy anniversary.”
“Eighteen years,” Sara said. “Who would’ve thought?”
I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head
Leonard ran his left hand on Sara’s back, his right massaging the back of her neck.
“Now this is something my father could never take away from me,” he said, chin leaning on her shoulder as she ran circles on his back.
“You’ve lived a life different from the one he lived, Len. I’m proud of you for that. You should take pride in it too. Not everyone gets to be this happy.”
And I'll take the kids to school Wave them goodbye And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night
“You know, Lucky and Lil made a jab on us earlier,” Leonard said, suddenly reminded of the car ride earlier. “Kinda implied that I’m enjoying my job just because I have someone to flirt with at work.”
“It’s true though. You flirt with me so much that even Caitlyn threatened to kick us out of STAR Labs.”
“What’s new? I’ve been flirting with you for two decades now.”
When you looked over your shoulder For a minute, I forget that I'm older I wanna dance with you right now
Sara chuckled. “God, we’ve been together for two decades? I really am growing old with you, aren’t I?”
“Wasn’t that the plan from the very beginning?”
“You got a point there.”
“Of course I do.”
Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever And I swear that everyday you'll get better You make me feel this way somehow
“So now what’s the plan?” Sara asked, swaying with the music and taking him with her.
“Stay married longer. Beat other married couples. Establish dominance. Make other couples feel ashamed that they’re not as in love as we are,” Leonard said flatly, acting serious while Sara struggled to stand straight due to how much laughter she’s doing.
Leonard had to step back and pick her up from her crouching position. Sara then went to swat his arm. “Shut up, old man!”
He chuckled and placed their hands to where they were before Sara had to break away and go hysterical again.
I'm so in love with you And I hope you know Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold We've come so far my dear
“I’ve always loved your laugh,” Leonard said, lightly pinching Sara’s side.
“I’ve always loved your dark humor,” Sara replied.
Look how we've grown And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go
Sara pushed Len slightly, pressing her forehead to his. “I don’t have to tell you, right? You already know?”
“Of course. Just like how I don’t need to tell you that I feel the same. It’s never stopped,” Leonard softly said, his hand tracing Sara’s jaw. “I don’t think what I feel will ever stop. I could drop dead right now and my love for you will just go on.”
I wanna live with you Even when we're ghosts 'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most
Sara closed the space between their lips. As someone who has been kissing the same man for the last twenty years of her life and for some reason, his lips still feel like how they’ve been the first time. She knows in her heart that every kiss she gives him, she’s treating it like it’s their last. It’s been that way since the Oculus and through the years, it’s never changed amidst Leonard convincing her that he’s not going to vanish and leave her—not again.
Leonard stopped her hips from swaying. He removed his hands from her hips and brought both of them to frame her face as they move so perfectly throughout the kiss
I'm gonna love you till My lungs give out I promise till death we part like in our vows
He’s an old man and he knows this. But if this is how he’s going to live the rest of his life—with the woman he loved showing him what love is, his children that are loved and taken care of, and with so much good memories that could replace every single bad one he has throughout his life—then he can say he’s lived a good life.
So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows 'Cause now it's just you and me till we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go Oh, just say you won't let go
“Just for the record,” Leonard said when the two broke away from their sweet kiss, “I loved you first even before you did.”
“You just admitted it first.”
“Hey, I hit on you first.”
“I checked your butt out the moment you walked away from the rooftop the first night Rip recruited us. When you said, ‘Hero ain’t on my resumé’.”
“Okay, you win.”
“Don’t I always?”
--end--
I just want to thank everybody who went with PandART and I on this journey. This story was my first multi-chapter fic and I couldn't have a better partner than her. We're both really happy for those who've read and patiently waited and supported this story.
It took us six months to finish this but from PandART and I--and from the Snarts--thank you so, so much.