His Future: A Captain Canary Fanfic

Making the Choice

Leonard couldn't believe what he was hearing. What the hell? "So, you basically represent my past?" Lewis nodded. "And you're telling me that I have to decide if I want to move on or stay a criminal? What? Ugh I'm so confused. This isn't making any sense!"

"I know it's hard to understand, but it'll come to you," Lewis said. "Why did you decide to sacrifice yourself to save the others? I'm curious."

Leonard took a deep breath. "Because I wanted to prove something, I guess."

"What was there to prove? Your partner in crime was there to sacrifice himself...softy...but what was it that made you want to take his place?" Lewis asked.

"I didn't want Mick to die!" Leonard yelled. "And I wanted to prove that I wasn't a bad person. I wanted someone to know that redemption was possible for me. That I was willing to be the one to save the others."

"A woman." Lewis knew right off the bat. It was plain as day. Written all over his face. "That's what this was about? A woman?" Leonard sighed as Lewis laughed. "Was she worth it?" No response. "Ahhh, now we are getting somewhere. Well, maybe sometime, I should try to find out what makes that girl tick."

Leonard snapped back and pointed a finger at Lewis. "Watch your mouth! You leave Sara out of this!"

"Ahhh, okay. Sara. Pretty name. Is she pretty?" Lewis asked, giving an evil smile.

"SHUT UP!" Leonard yelled, pacing back and forth in front of Lewis.

Lewis put his hands in the air, surrendering. "Okay. Touchy subject. I get it." Lewis laughed. "But you know you'll never be good enough for her, right?"

Leonard stopped in his tracks. "That's none of your damn business." Then he got in Lewis's face. "What gives you the right to make a statement like that, huh? You're not even my father! Why am I even listening to you?"

"Because, Snart, I am you," Lewis retorted. "I am the devil on your shoulder, in a manner. We all have those times when we listen to the devil on the shoulder even when we don't intend to. But seriously, you have to realize, that you'll never be worthy of her. So why even try to be something that you're not?" He asked. Leonard didn't reply. "Why be a hero? You don't know how to be a hero. You said so yourself. 'Hero ain't on my resume.' That's not who you are. Go back to your old roots. Be the criminal. Be Captain Cold! If you embrace who you truly are, no one will stand a chance."

"Why are you saying this?" Leonard asked. "Do I have chance to go back to reality?"

"You have a choice to make," Lewis replied. "My job is to make sure that you choose correctly and it will sure as hell be you staying a criminal!"

"You sure about that?" 

Leonard knew that voice anywhere. He turned around, and he saw Sara. "Oh my God, Sara." He embraced her. When he felt her arms go around him, he felt like he had just come home. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. His brow furrowed. Something was wrong. He could see it in her eyes. This wasn't his Sara. "Who are you?"

"I was summoned to appear at your side. I represent your future. Your hero side," Sara replied.

Leonard turned to Lewis, who was looking up and down at Sara. "Did you know she existed?"

"Of course, I knew," Lewis replied. "But I certainly was not going to tell you about it."

Leonard turned back to Sara. "I know you're not her, but I thought I'd never see you again."

"With my help, you can go back to her," Sara replied. "That is, if you decide that's what you want."

"How are you here? Who summoned you?" Leonard asked.

"When you were being tempted by your criminal side, it sparked life into me and I took form of the woman you love," Sara said. "I thought it would be a good push, to be able to talk some sense into you."

"How do you exist in the first place?" Leonard asked. "I am not a hero."

"When you stayed behind to ensure the destruction of the Oculus so that the team could get to safety, that is what made a hero grow inside you."

"It was the mission," Leonard said. "We had to destroy it or else we couldn't claim our own destinies. And if I didn't do it, Mick was going to die."

"Exactly," Sara said. "You saved his life, and the others. That is what heroes do."

"He's not worthy of being a hero!" Lewis yelled. "That is not who he is. He's a thief! How can being a hero outweigh all of the horrible things he's done? It can't. He'll still have that urgency to steal something, or to at least think about it. That is not what heroes do. Answer me that, cupcake."

"Don't call her cupcake. Leave her alone, or so help me, I will..." Leonard was stopped by Lewis pointing a finger at him.

"There he is," Lewis said. 

"He's right, Leonard," Sara said. "You will have those temptations to steal something. You will have those feelings of fighting back like you just did. The thing is that you will not be alone. If you choose to be a better person, there will be people in your life that will ensure that you stay that way."

"Sara."

"Yes, Sara could be one of those people," she replied.

Leonard turned back to face Lewis. He hated to admit it, but he did have a point. He turned to face Sara again. "What if he's right? What if I'm not worthy? What if I've done so much bad that it's just pointless to even try to start again?"

"That's my boy," Lewis said, folding his arms and smiling in triumph.

"I'm not your boy," Leonard retorted.

"But, Leonard, don't you see?" Sara asked. "Everyone deserves a second chance at being who they're meant to be. If we didn't have second chances, or third or fourth, this world would have been destroyed so long ago."

"How can you guarantee that this is who I am supposed to be?" Leonard asked.

"Are you serious right now?" Lewis asked. "Snart, you have chance to be a ruthless vill-"

"Shut up," Leonard interrupted, holding his hand out in front of Lewis. "Just, stop it." Leonard turned back to Sara for an answer. 

"Why did you tell Sara not to kill Stein? Why have you stayed on board with the team? Why have you wanted to be friends with the people on this team? Why did you send Mick away after he betrayed you? Why did you sacrifice yourself to save the team and the world?" Sara asked in record time. "It has been all a part of you since day one on this ship. Look around you. There are memories of you and Sara. Your dealings with Mick. Getting along with Ray. Your patience with Rip. A criminal, a villain would not have worked for those things if he didn't want to become a better person. It has always been possible." Sara pressed her hand to his face. "You just need to open your eyes enough to see that." Leonard closed his eyes and sighed as if he was concentrating on something. The room, then, suddenly became so much warmer and comfortable. Sara smiled. "Look," she said.

Leonard turned around and Lewis was gone. "Where did he go?"

"You have made your decision," Sara said, smiling in triumph. "A hero, you shall become."