Author's Note: A little fic from a Universe where they weren't caught.
Enjoy.

Captain Rip Hunter sat in the parlour of the Waverider, sipping his tea as he relaxed. There were several things he'd been sent by his bosses, the Time Masters, waiting for him to go through. But after the day he'd had, which included a stint in his medical bay to fix a broken arm they could wait.

"Captain," Gideon, the AI that controlled the ship and looked after him, called, "We are receiving a distress call from the Phoenix. Their engines have been damaged in an altercation with some Time Pirates."

Rip frowned, "Are they in immediate danger?"

"No, Captain," Gideon replied, "Gary reports that life support is fully functioning, but they are not able to return to the Vanishing Point or reach a repair station without assistance."

Nodding Rip moved onto the bridge and slid into the pilot's chair, "Set a course, contact Gary to let him know we're on our way and let the Vanishing Point know too."

"Yes, Captain."

Setting the course Rip started the engines and headed to rescue one of his own.

His day was looking up.

x

"Phoenix," Rip said as they moved closer to the other ship, "This is the Waverider. Release control and Gideon will initiate docking procedures. Then we can fix your ship."

No answer came over the comms. but Gideon activated the docking procedures, so he knew the Captain of the Phoenix had followed his instructions. Smiling Rip grabbed his coat, mostly because he knew it would annoy the other Captain that he wasn't in a proper uniform.

Reaching the airlock, Rip hit the button as soon as it turned green and smiled at the brunette who walked smartly towards him.

"Captain Hunter," she said crisply with an amused smile.

"Captain Coburn," Rip replied, "How nice to see you."

Rolling her eyes Miranda brushed past him, "Hello, Gideon. Has the Vanishing Point contacted you yet?"

"It has Captain Coburn," Gideon replied, "Time Master Druce is waiting to speak to you both."

The dark eyes that looked at him for a moment filled with amusement before Miranda walked away heading up to the bridge.

"Gideon," Rip called, "Have repairs been initiated on the Phoenix?"

"Yes, Captain," she confirmed, "It will take approximately two hours."

Smiling he nodded before jogging to catch up with his guest.

x

Druce frowned when he saw Miranda and Rip standing side by side, "Oh no."

"Problem, sir?" Rip asked innocently.

"Miranda," Druce ignored him, "You couldn't have lost power in another part of space? Any other part."

"Unfortunately not, sir," Miranda replied sweetly, "I did try. I haven't seen Captain Baxter in a while so I wouldn't have minded spending some time catching up with her."

Rip rolled his eyes but remained silent.

"How long will the repairs take?" Druce asked.

"Gideon estimates two hours," Rip spoke up, "And as she is superior to Gary in every way, her words not mine, I'm going with her estimate." Before Miranda could say anything, he added, "You can argue, I have to live with her."

Druce sighed shaking his head, "Alright, children, let us know when repairs are completed and," he stated before either of them spoke, "I want you to both behave as the adults you are supposed to be. No scratching or biting at whatever ridiculous game you decide to compete in to pass the time."

He disappeared from the screen and Rip turned to Miranda, "So, do you have a ridiculous game to try to win?"

x

Miranda let out long sigh as she moved off Rip and dropped to lie at his side, "I think I won that time."

Rip chuckled, smiling as she cuddled close her fingers sliding up and down his arm.

"Did you break your engines just to see me?" he asked, giving her a sly smile.

Miranda shook her head, "Do you really think I would do something like that?"

Rip gently rested his hand on her cheek, looking deep into her eyes, "I'm hoping."

"Not deliberately," she murmured softly, brushing a kiss to his lips, "But I may have aimed the ship somewhere I knew we had more of a chance of you coming to help us."

Rip kissed her again, unlike the previous playful energetic embrace they'd shared, this was slow and sweet. Miranda's arms slid around his neck pulling him close.

Part of her knew they should stop, that they should end their relationship, but she couldn't. She loved him.

Despite everything she had been told, all the rules against this very thing, Miranda wanted to love and be loved by this man.

They were playing with fire and they both knew it, but they couldn't stop.

Miranda drew back from him before touching a few kisses to his neck.

"Gideon," he called.

"You know," Miranda noted amused, "Calling out your AI's name in this situation isn't a good idea."

Rip chuckled, "I simply want to know how repairs are going and how long we have left."

"Approximately one hour," Gideon replied, "You have time for a shower before you will need to return to the Phoenix."

Miranda laughed, "It doesn't take an hour to shower."

"It does the way you two do it," Gideon replied making Miranda's cheeks redden slightly.

"Gideon," Rip said warningly before asking, "Is Gary occupied with the repairs?"

"Of course, Captain," she assured, "I would not let him access to my systems even if he was not. I do not need him making a mess of my matrix."

Miranda laughed, "I feel I should stand up for my AI."

"Have fun with that," Rip smiled leaning back on the pillow.

x

Rip sighed as he felt Miranda's warmth against him, she always seemed to fit perfectly against him.

But they never had enough time together.

"I wish we could be together all the time," Rip whispered before he could stop himself.

Miranda squeezed his hand, "I know. But they would never allow it and we have a duty to protect the timeline. That has to come above our own needs."

"I know," Rip sighed, "I just miss you."

Shifting slightly Miranda looked into his eyes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, "I miss you too. And maybe one day we'll be able to be able to be together properly."

He nodded.

"At some point both of us are going to be too old to run around," Miranda murmured in his ear, "We'll have then to be together when we train new Time Masters."

Rip pulled her close for another kiss, holding her tightly knowing all too soon he'd have to let her go once more.

Miranda slipped out his embrace and bed, she gave him a sly smile before disappearing into the shower room calling back, "Come and help me wash my hair."

With a grin, Rip bounced after her.

x

"The repairs on the Phoenix have been completed," Gideon assured as Rip slid his jacket on, "Captain Coburn is finishing her tea in the galley."

"Thank you, Gideon," Rip smiled at her, "Is Gary aware…"

"Gary is aware of nothing," Gideon told him, "Including which part of time and space he is in."

Rip chuckled to himself, "Play nice, Gideon. Let's not insult another ship's AI."

"Especially as you wish to remain on good terms with the Captain," she threw back at him.

He tried to frown but couldn't quite manage because Gideon was more to him than an AI, she was his family and the only one he knew he could trust with the knowledge of his relationship with Miranda.

"Time Master Druce has contacted me wanting an update on the current situation," Gideon told him, "I advised him that you and Captain Coburn decided to test each other in the shooting range. He rolled his eyes and muttered something about how you were competitive idiots." Gideon paused before adding, "He is not aware of your actual relationship with Captain Coburn."

"Thank you, Gideon," Rip smiled before he headed along to the galley to have a final few moments with Miranda.

x

Miranda was sitting serenely in the galley finishing a cup of tea, looking perfect in her uniform not a hair out of place. No sign at all that barely twenty minutes before she had looked a lot more mussed.

"Druce thinks we were having a shooting competition," Rip told her, letting Miranda know he was there.

Miranda looked up at him from beneath lowered lashes, "Who won?"

Rip rolled his eyes, "I say me."

"Now that is never going to be believed," Miranda replied, standing to wash her cup.

Folding his arms, Rip raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Chuckling Miranda closed the space between them and pressed a kiss to him, "Unfortunately we've no time to prove either of us right."

Sighing Rip nodded, "Then I'll escort you to your ship."

x

They walked slowly to the airlock, hand in hand soaking in the last moments together. Finally they were standing in front of the door that separated the Waverider from the Phoenix.

"Gideon," Miranda said, "As always, thank you for the help and hospitality."

"You are welcome, Captain Coburn," Gideon replied, "And I shall carry out your request."

Rip didn't have to ask as he knew Miranda always requested that Gideon keep him safe for her.

"I miss you already," Rip said as Miranda looked up at him, "Hopefully you'll need my help again soon."

Miranda smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him down for a kiss.

"I'm due back at the Vanishing Point next month," she whispered, "Maybe you can find a reason to stop off at home then."

"I'll try," Rip promised softly, kissing her one last time.

Taking a breath Miranda stepped away from him and tugged on her jacket straightening herself. Rip hit the button opening the walkway between their ships.

"Goodbye, Captain Hunter."

"Goodbye, Captain Coburn."

Rip watched her walk away, letting out a sigh as the doors closed separating them once more.

"We have received a mission," Gideon's voice broke into his thoughts.

With a sad smile Rip nodded, "Alright, back to work."