Preface

Love Triangle
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/21694765.

Rating:
Mature
Archive Warning:
Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category:
F/F
Fandom:
Arrow (TV 2012)
Relationships:
Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Characters:
Sara Lance, Ava Sharpe, Nyssa al Ghul
Additional Tags:
The League of Assassins (DCU), Love Triangles, Nanda Parbat
Language:
English
Stats:
Published: 2019-12-06 Completed: 2019-12-09 Words: 2,991 Chapters: 5/5

Love Triangle

Summary

After a time jump goes wrong, Sara and Ava end up in Nanda Parbat. Suddenly faced with her ex-lover and current girlfriend in the same room, Sara must make a choice between Nyssa and Ava. And neither one of them is going down without a fight.

Wrong Destination

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Sara and Ava ran through portal Sara had created with Ava's time courier; the latter having thrown it to her in the middle of battle to avoid it being snapped in half. They were fleeing from an army of angry Vikings after yet another Beebo incident. Sara was getting rather annoyed with the toy and was seriously considering going back in time to prevent it ever being invented. Cute or not, that blue ball of fluff was seriously messing with the timeline.

Ava sighed with relief as the portal snapped shut. Home. She opened her eyes as was greeted not with sight of her apartment or the Waverider, but with an ancient temple-like building carved into the side of a rock face.

"Umm...Sara?" Ava said looking down at her girlfriend who was lying on the floor with her eyes closed.

"Yeh?"

"Where are we?" Ava asked warily, "I thought I said set the portal for home."

"I did." Sara said indignantly without opening her eyes. "I thought about home and pressed the button just like you instructed!"

"Well, this doesn't look much like my apartment to me!"

Sara slowly opened her eyes and took in the landscape in front of her.

"Shit."

"So... any ideas about where we actually are?" Ava said sarcastically.

"Nanda Parbat."

"The League of Assassins?!?!" she exclaimed in reply. "You brought us to the League of Assassins! And this is what popped into your head when I said home?"

"Not intentionally." Sara retorted. "Unless you've forgotten, we were being attacked by Vikings at the time. Making sure we ended up in your living room wasn't really the top of my priority list."

"Any idea what time period this is?"

"Not really." Sara muttered. "It looks the same as it did when I joined, but the building has stood for centuries so that doesn't really narrow it down."

"Well, let's just portal out of here before someone sees us." Ava looked nervously at the building. She had heard enough stories about the League and what they do to trespassers to want to stay any longer. Particularly as there was a possibility that the members inside those walls might never have heard of Sara, which made any immunity they had against retribution void. "You do still have my time courier, right?"

"Of course I do."

Sara stood up and pulled the courier out of her back pocket, but her hand was quickly emptied of it as a black arrow pinned it to the ground behind her.

"Surrender now, and you may live. Fight us and you die." The two women were surrounded by 11 League members, all pointing arrows at them.

Sara raised her hands slowly in the air. Ava sighed and did the same allowing Sara to take the lead on this one; she was the one who knew their rules and customs after all.

"Take them to Ra's." The man who had spoken originally commanded.

Sara allowed herself to be led into Nanda Parbat without resistance. She knew she and Ava could probably take the 11 League members, but without a working time courier they had no means of escape. For now, she would bide her time and wait for opportunity to present itself. The immediate question, who was currently holding the title of Ra's al Ghul?

Wrong Destination

Chapter Summary

Sara and Ava comes face-to-face with Ra's al Ghul.

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Sara and Ava were led through the winding passageways. Sara took the time to refamiliarise herself with the scenery. It had been nearly two years since she had been in Nanda Parbat. Despite the many horrors this place had held and the killing machine they had turned her into, Sara had always marveled at the beauty and intricacies of the interior. The walls hung tapestries depicting League history and the columns were carved with swirling patterns. The designs increased in grandeur as the approached the throne room.

They stopped outside the main hall. Sara glanced over at Ava and gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. She hoped this was going to be okay. She grudgingly admitted to herself that it her fault they were in this dilemma. She hadn't meant to bring them here. Everything depended on that lay beyond the doors in front of her.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the doors opened. They were shoved unceremoniously through the entrance way and into the room ahead. The walk to the other end of the hall had never felt so long in Sara opinion. She could see a figure standing behind a screen by what used to be the Lazarus pit. The pit was covered by a cloth so Sara couldn't tell what state it was in.

"The intruders, Ra's." One of their guards said in a monotone voice.

"How did you discover this place?" A voice asked, still behind the screen.

Sara had snapped up. She knew that voice. She knew it very well. She tore her eyes away from the pit and towards the silhouette nearby. It was an obvious silhouette now she knew the voice that it belonged to.

"Nyssa?"

The figure stepped around the screen to face them.

"Sara." Nyssa smiled. "You should have informed me you were coming. I wouldn't have had you arrested."

"We didn't exactly mean to end up here." she replied bashfully. "Time travel problems and stuff."

"We?" Nyssa looked around, realising for the first time that Sara had not come alone. "And you are?"

"Ava Sharpe. Director of the Time Bureau." Ava replied sharply. She recognised Nyssa's name but couldn't quite place its' origin.

"Your name doesn't mean anything to me. Nor does your title."

"Nyssa," Sara interjected, "What year is it?"

"2018, Beloved."

"Beloved?" Ava questioned.

"Yes." Nyssa replied curtly. "It is, what you might call, a statement of affection. A title of sorts."

"Umm..." Sara said slowly, "We're not together. And if it really is 2018, we haven't been together for nearly three years."

"The title still holds true Beloved, even if not on your part."

"So, what your saying is..." Ava started.

"We used to date." Sara finished for her.

"Perfect." Ava muttered, turning to walk towards the window.

"What do you think you are doing?" Nyssa ordered. "You may have arrived with my Beloved, but you are still trespassing and I have not given you permission to move."

"I don't need your permission to look out a window, Nyssa."

"You will address me as Ra's al Ghul."

"Guys, please don't fight." Sara said, walking to stand between the two of them. "This whole situation is unfortunate enough; we're trapped a year in the past with no means of getting back to 2019 and I haven't seen Nyssa in since we broke up. I really don't need my ex-girlfriend and my current one biting each other's heads off."

"Current girlfriend?" Nyssa said slowly, her hand moving to rest on the hilt of her sword. "You never mentioned you were dating her."

"Oops."

An Unexpected Dilemma

Chapter Summary

Things between the three women get heated as Nyssa and Ava argue over Sara.

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Previously...

"Guys, please don't fight." Sara said, walking to stand between the two of them. "This whole situation is unfortunate enough; we're trapped a year in the past with no means of getting back to 2019 and I haven't seen Nyssa in since we broke up. I really don't need my ex-girlfriend and my current one biting each other's heads off."

"Current girlfriend?" Nyssa said slowly, her hand moving to rest on the hilt of her sword. "You never mentioned you were dating her."

"Oops."

 

"Guards." Nyssa commanded. "Restrain her."

"Nyssa!" Sara exclaimed. "Please. Don't do this. You knew we were over!"

"I let you go so you would no longer feel tied to the League. No longer bound by its oath. I never expected you to move on already."

"Well I did." Sara retorted. "I'm a young, confident woman and you aren't the only lesbian on the planet, Nyssa."

"I am well aware of that, Beloved. I just didn't expect you to choose someone like her."

"Like her?"

"A law official. You've never liked playing by the rules Sara, and I don't imagine that's changed."

"She's different Nyssa." Sara pleaded. "She's respects the law, but knows that sometimes it doesn't always work. She's a lot like you."

"If you wanted me Beloved, all you had to do was ask." Nyssa said softly, her hand leaving her sword to brush Sara's hair behind her ear.

"That's not... I didn't mean..." Sara stuttered.

"You didn't mean what?" Nyssa whispered, closing the already small gap between them. They now stood chest to chest, their lips no more than an inch apart.

"Hey!" Ava shouted. "You do realise that I'm still here, right? And just in case you need a reminder; she's with me, not you."

"Could both of you calm down please." Sara asked. This day wasn't going at all how she had planned it.

"Of course, Beloved." Nyssa acquiesced, "Just as soon as you tell me why you chose her over me. What makes her better than me?"

"I never said she was better than you!" Sara clamped her mouth shut at the realisation of what she had just said. She hadn't meant to imply that Ava wasn't as good as Nyssa. She was different. Not bad different. But different. She turned towards her girlfriend, "Ava..."

"No. It's fine. She's better than me. Message received. Loud and clear."

"That's not what I meant."

"But it's what you said." Ava replied. "Are we free to leave or are we your prisoners?"

"Escort Miss Sharpe to one of our guest rooms." Nyssa said in Arabic to a member of the League. She continued talking in Arabic. "I would like to continue this conversation further, Ta-er al-Sahfer."

"Sara!" Ava shouted as a guard started to lead her from the room. Realising that Ava didn't speak Arabic and didn't have a clue what was going on, Sara held up her hand to halt the guard. Relived he recognised her seniority in the League, she crossed the room to stand in front of Ava.

"It's fine." Sara reassured her. "He's going to take you to one of the guest rooms to have a shower and rest. Nyssa has some things she wants to discuss with me. I'll be there soon, promise."

"And are guest rooms code for a dungeon? Because she doesn't seem to like me that much."

"I may not like you Ava Sharpe, but you arrived here with Ta-er al-Sahfer and as such you are under her protection. No physical harm will befall you whilst you are here. That much I promise you."

Sara smiled softly at Ava before watching her head back out the door they had entered through.

"So..." She said, turning back to face Nyssa. "What was it that you wanted to discuss?"

"This." And with that, Nyssa wrapped her arms around Sara, pressing her lips firmly against hers. "You're mine Ta-er al-Sahfer. My Beloved. And Ra's al Ghul does not share what is hers."

Persuasion

Chapter Summary

Nyssa attempts to convince Sara to choose her over Ava.

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Sara melted into the kiss. It was heaven. Or as close to heaven as Sara was ever going to get. Her hand tangled in her lover's hair, pulling her closer.

"I love you." Nyssa whispered softly in her ear in Arabic. The foreign language jolted Sara back into the present. She shouldn't be kissing Nyssa. She was with Ava. She loved Ava. At least she thought she did. Urgh, that kiss was messing with her head.

"Nyssa, stop." Sara said firmly, as the dark-haired woman moved in for another kiss. "We can't."

"Why not?" Nyssa questioned. "You enjoyed it."

"I'm with Ava."

"Laurel was with Oliver and yet you still got on the Gambit with him." Nyssa replied.

"Harsh."

"I'm not trying to judge past actions, Beloved. Just explain my confusion at your hesitance to kiss me."

"That's not me anymore." Sara protested. "I've never cheated on anyone in my own relationships. And I don't intend to start now."

"Then leave her. You left me once before, why not her?"

"I left because you asked me to." Sara retorted. "Don't blame me for moving on. You don't get to waltz into my relationship and demand I return your affection."

"Then tell me you feel nothing for me and I will let you leave. Tell me that the flame that burnt in your heart for me burns only for another. Tell me you feel nothing when you look at me and I will not pursue you any longer."

"I feel no..." Sara started, and yet somehow, she couldn't finish the sentence. Nyssa's eyes were fixed on hers, her hand preventing Sara from looking away. "I..."

A tear ran down Sara's face. She had never expected to find such a simple sentence so hard to say. It had been over a year since she had last thought about Nyssa. She genuinely thought she was over her. She was wrong.

"Go see your girlfriend." Nyssa said softly. "Remember, I meant what I said. I will not share you Ta-er al-Sahfer. So choose. And choose wisely."

Sara turned and exited the hall. Leaning against the pillar just outside the door, she closed her eyes and sighed. This was not meant to be happening. She was supposed to be curled up on Ava's couch watching movies with her and laughing over the funniest time aberrations they had dealt with. She wasn't supposed to be stuck in a year in the past having her feelings for Ava called into question. But, at the same time, she couldn't just ignore the fact that Nyssa was here. A woman she had loved for so many years. A woman she had been reluctant to leave.

Sometimes she wished she was incapable of falling in love. Her first love Oliver, was her sister's boyfriend. Her second love Nyssa, had been the heir to organisation of murderers. Her third love Ava, was in charge of a bureau designed to replace her and her team. Clearly, she was not meant for easy relationships.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed away from the wall.

"Take me to Ava Sharpe." She commanded the guard at the end of the hall. She followed him down the corridors to one of the guest quarters. Pushing open the door, she stepped into the room. Suddenly, a large vase slammed into the side of her head, knocking her to the ground and causing her to lose her focus.

Final Choice

Chapter Summary

Sara makes her choice between Ava and Nyssa.

Chapter Notes

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"Ow!" Sara exclaimed, gently rubbing her head.

"Oh my gosh! Sara! I'm so sorry, I didn't realise it was you." Ava said dropping to the ground beside her girlfriend and helping her sit up. "I thought it was going to be a League member trying to take me somewhere."

"It's okay." Sara muttered. "I'd say you hit like a girl, but you really don't."

Ava chuckled and pulled Sara to her feet. Then silence fell. Sara stared down at the ground feeling slightly awkward.

"Ava..." She started, at the same time Ava said,

"Sara..."

"You go first." Sara said, hoping that Ava's speech might give her an idea of where they stood with each other.

"Okay...." Ava said slowly, "I like you Sara. I like you a lot. I thought you felt the same. But every interaction you have had with Nyssa since we arrived tells me the opposite."

"I haven't thought about Nyssa in years. I just wasn't expecting to see her here."

"But you still like her, don't you?"

"Yeah, maybe, yeah." Sara couldn't bring herself to look at Ava. "I still care about you though. That hasn't changed."

"I know, but it isn't the same. You love her. I can see it in your eyes."

"Ava," Sara started, "I never meant to hurt you. I think I would have fallen in love with you eventually."

"I agree." Ava said. "I think it's best if I go."

"I should probably come too. Time lines and all."

"So, you're choosing her." Nyssa said appearing in the doorway.

"I'm choosing the timeline. If I stay here with you, there will be two version of me in 2018. It could create a paradox. It's too dangerous."

"So, what happens now?" Ava questioned.

"We find a way back to 2019. After that, no idea."

"Goodbye then, Beloved." Nyssa said softly. "I will see to it that any materials you need for your return are brought to you."

"Nyssa," Sara whispered, crossing the room. "Maybe this doesn't have to be goodbye. I just found you again."

"Then I shall wait a year, Ta-er al-Sahfer. If I see you again, I will know your answer to my question." Nyssa kissed Sara gently before leaving the two other women alone.

"So...."

"We should work on contacting the Waverider." Ava said sharply. "Unless you know how to fix a time courier with an arrow through it."

"Waverider. Got it."

The two worked in silence as they gathered all the necessary items needed for a transmitter to contact their friends. It wasn't long before the Waverider had been hailed and the two were on their way home.

Neither one spoke to the other until they were landed in 2019, parked outside Ava's apartment.

"Goodbye, Sara." Ava said.

"I'm sorry."

"I just need time." Ava replied. "Maybe soon we can talk about this, but for now I need space. Goodbye, Miss Lance."

"Goodbye, Director."

Sara headed to her room on the time ship and lay down on the bed. She had a choice to make. She could carry on here like she had been and hope things better her and Ava would sort themselves out, or she could pack a bag and head to 2019 Nanda Parbat. She laid there for several more minutes before pulling her rucksack out from under her bed.

Nyssa was her past, but she was also the most real thing Sara had ever felt. It was time to see if Nyssa could be her future as well.

* * *

She met Nyssa on the steps of Nanda Parbat, their lips crushing together in a passionate kiss.

"Welcome home, Ta-er al-Sahfer."

Chapter End Notes

So that's it! Sorry if you're an Avalance fan. I like Ava, but I have always been on team Nyssa.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it. All feedback and comments welcome.

Afterword

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