Shield

Twenty Two

"I'm going to see you in like a minute Iris, and you have your present me back." Izzie said as she pulled back from Iris's tight hug. Iris smiled making Izzie feel a warmth in her chest. They made it a long way from the day she held a gun at her when she walked in the door.

"I know but...I wish I'd get to see all the new things. Once you go back we'll be...another timeline. We won't be apart of your future anymore." Izzie gave her one last hug. Older Izzie stood by with a smile and arms crossed and Cisco next to her.

"We've got to go," Finn said. Iris kissed Izzie's forehead before letting her go.

"I'm going to keep my promise." Izzie said as her and Iris's hands fell apart.

"I know you will." Izzie turned to Finn. She watched as he put his hand out creating a breach. They stepped through a moment later appearing right back where Finn had taken her in the first place.

"Good luck Izzie. I hope you get the future you deserve." Izzie watched as he looked from the ground to her. Grabbing his jacket she pulled him close putting her lips to his. He didn't pull away, or hesitate. A moment later he deepened it making her smile before pulling away her forehead on his even as she stood on her top toes.

"You kiss me, when you get back." She said. "I kiss you here."

"Don't know how but...that's hot." She let out a laugh before he kissed her once more. After creating another breach Finn stepped through. Izzie turned back to see Barry and Iris talking to their friends. She watched as Iris turned looking for something until her gaze landed on Izzie making her smile and wave her over. Izzie ran to them putting her arms around Barry and Iris who only looked at her with surprise.

"What's gotten into you?" Barry asked.

"I'll tell you about it later, can we go home?"

"Yeah," Iris smiled at Izzie seeing something different. Something brighter. Like she has weight removed from her shoulders as she stood a bit taller. Odd as she was completely different thirty minutes ago when they last saw her.

As said they returned home to face their issues from before even if a part of Izzie didn't feel like dealing with the man that killed Metas after going through several reality shifts and a an evil future version of herself. Izzie felt they could have at least the rest of the day to themselves.

"Let's see if I have this right," Cisco stood. "A guy called Mimic came and picked up up, took you to the future where you're evil and had destroyed the city. Where you then fought and cured yourself with a Meta cure that Caitlin and I make? All that before returning right when you where picked up." Izzie nodded. "I've had it with today." Cisco dropped back on the couch. Caitlin sat back next to him helping him keep calm.

"You nearly died," Iris stood. "You fought yourself, cured yourself, and won even when she was more dangerous."

"Well...yes and no. I think I died for a little bit-" Barry stood next to his wife.

"What!" They both said together. "You died, like your heart stopped, like dead-dead?" Barry said.

"For maybe a minute or two." Izzie said before motioning for them to sit back down. "When I was dead, I saw Ryan." Looking at the group she recognized their remorse. They knew loss just like her. "He showed me what really happened the night he died. I had used my powers. My shield." Everyone now had looks of surprise instead of sorrow. "I just didn't put up fast enough because I didn't know what I could do." Izzie took a seat on the near chair. "That future taught me a lot. Like...leaving this team...leaving the family I've gained. It doesn't end well. I'm going to call Greyson, tell him that I'm not emancipating." Izzie loved that they didn't name it a big deal. Iris and Barry hugged her and stood by her. Once Cisco, Caitlin, Cecile, and Joe all left she helped them clean up.

She felt like the world had straightened out. Like since the night her parents died she's been walking on a tilted world. She was struggling to keep walking or even get back up because when she did before she'd slide only to fall all over again. As they made their way upstairs Izzie stopped and turned to Iris and Barry.

"I'm sorry it took me going to the future and nearly dying to understand what I have here." They looked at the girl in front of her. Seeing the growth in her since the day her saw her in the abandoned neighbourhood.

"If there's anyone who understands, it's us." Barry said. Izzie nodded before walking into her room. Seeing it she realized how much she kept herself from making it home. She didn't have much to make it home but she knew what she could do to make it home.

Though the lingering cloud above kept following as she sat on her bed. She had to make a call and tell the old family friend what she needed to. She opened her phone as she pulled the business card backpack. She dialled the number and waited a moment before putting the phone to her ear hearing it ring.

"Hey Greyson," she said sitting back down. "Look I've thought about it..,I wanna stay here. These people they're different. They care. They're family."

"Good to hear your with people you deserve. More than anything your parents wanted you happy." She head something in his voice. Something she was used to detecting.

"But?" She asked.

"But...When your eighteen, everything is yours. The company. The shares. Everything. You become a CEO at eighteen. Can they handle that? Can you?"

"I remember everything they taught me. I'm acing every class even hardly paying attention and being there physically. That doesn't mean I want to take over the company after I'm out of the system."

"You don't really have a choice. You have choose who takes over or you do. Even if your going to collage and being a CEO. The company is yours. Your parents are the ones who had faith that you could do it. Take the time. Think about it. Because no matter what, it's yours. I'll see you on your birthday." With that Greyson ended the line. She wondered what this would mean for herself later but what it would mean for Iris and Barry. She doesn't want to disappoint them. She also wasn't ready to leave them not even on her eighteenth birthday.

Deciding to join the team. Be a hero meant a lot. She had too much to learn from them. Cisco had already given her a name. All she needed was a suit. Knowing Cisco he probably already made one for her. She wanted to help people the way she helped them in the future. Using her powers felt good even if was against an older version of herself that had her powers turned evil. She liked standing by Finn's side and protecting him when she saw him hurt.

She knew she would face the same future already but she knew she had to make sure. That Zion Inc clearly wanted or needed her. They wouldn't have tested her or tortured her only to end up one of her victims. Staying with the team assured her that future could and never would happen.