Dark Meets Light // Flarrow

8~

Barry was restless, turning and mumbling to himself occasionally. He couldn't bear to sleep when the thought of Patty being locked up in Zoom's little lair place. God, the things Zoom could do to torture Patty. Maybe he would even kill her...

Barry then flipped to be on his back, gaze turned to the ceiling, staring straight at it as if he were mesmerized by it somehow. He sighed heavily, rubbing at his eyes a bit and then running one hand through his brown locks of hair, fiddling with it and tugging at it gently---a sign of his nervousness.

Why her? he thought, Why is Zoom like this? Who is he and why does he want me dead?

The reason Zoom was doing all this in the first place was because he wanted Barry dead, wanted him to give up. There can only be one speedster, he was probably thinking. But what about Jay? Jay is The Flash from Earth-2... Why doesn't he want him dead? Why me? But Zoom's plan was bound to fail. Barry wasn't going down without a fight. He isn't giving up, no matter how hard he tried. Then again, losing your loved ones can make you feel weak, lonely. He might give up at that time. Might.

Barry climbed out of his warm, cozy bed. He was hesitant, but he really did have to get out. Glancing to the alarm clock on his bedside table, he sees that it's only the early morning hours, 2:43 AM, to be exact. He paced over to his bureau, which was adorned with a few picture frames, as well as a few other unnecessary items. Spotting his notepad, he grabs it, flipping open to a new page. Grabbing a writing utensil shortly after, he then walks over to his door. The hinges quietly squeaked when it's opened, and he winces, tensing up a bit. Please don't wake up anyone else, he mentally pleads.

Once he finally gets past the obstacle of the creaky, squeaky door, he manages to sneakily make it down the stairs. Man, all those games pretending to be a ninja can honestly pay off, he thinks to himself. But once he gets downstairs, he's busted.

Joe hears the soft sounds of Barry's feet padding against the floor quietly. "Bear, is that you?"

Barry stiffens in his spot, stopping within his tracks.

Joe looks over to the stairs, where Barry indeed was standing. "What are you doing up so early? I thought you were going to sleep?"

Barry sighs, sitting down next to the older male on the couch. "I can't sleep, Joe," he says, rubbing a hand up and down his face a few times. "I can't, with the thought of Zoom having captured Patty." His eyes trail over to Joe, fear held in them. "What if Patty's hurt? Or maybe even dead?" A nervous knot ties in his stomach at just the thought of Patty being hurt or dead.

"Barry, relax. She isn't dead, I have a feeling she isn't. Hurt? Maybe a little bit. Sorry, I know I'm not helping, but I'm just telling the truth." Noticing the notepad and pencil in his hands, he gestures to the pad with curiosity. "What's this for?"

Barry's confused until his eyes followed his hands to what he had just gestured at. "Oh! This is for writing down any possible plans or ideas I have for getting Patty back, and maybe trying to defeat Zoom. Just maybe, but probably not. I just want to know that Patty, and anyone else that Zoom has taken, is safe and back home."

Joe nods slowly, still a bit confused. "Okay, but how do you even know where Zoom's little hideout would be? Even Wells may not know that, though he thinks he might. I don't know, I think it's a bit risky..."

"I've done riskier," Barry mumbles under his breath. "I mean, risky is sort of my thing when it comes to what I do, Joe, admit it. I'm going to be okay. Sure, I got a beating from Zoom today, but I wasn't prepared for it and Ollie had my back anyways. I'm going to be ready for him this time, I'm sure of it."

Once more, Joe nods, deciding to not say anything more. "Just remember one thing for me, okay? Don't do anything that could put your life in serious danger at all." He stands up from his spot on the couch, stretching a bit and letting out a long, drawn-out yawn. "Well, I'm gonna hit the sack. I hope you manage to work everything out. Don't forget that you have everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs, too, as well as Iris and I."

"Of course," Barry said, nodding with a small smile upon his face. "Sleep well, Joe."

After Joe had went to bed, Barry immediately began the plan. He used his speed to quickly draw out a map-type thing. Within seconds, his pen is set down after managing to sketch out a plan. When he's done, he examines it. It was a pretty good looking plan, actually.

~~~

Papers fly about in S.T.A.R. Labs as soon as Barry arrives, the wind from his speed sending them flying.

Before anyone could say anything, Barry began to talk. "Guys, I couldn't sleep last night, so I made a plan. It's how we could get Patty back. Maybe how we defeat Zoom, as well."

"Woah, wait," Cisco says, standing up and walking over to him. He grabbed the notebook from his hands, looking over the plan. "Yo, how in the... How? You don't even know what his lair looks like, none of us do."

"I dunno! Can you vibe it or something?" Barry didn't think he could, so he quickly added, "Never mind that. It's just some plan I made. It doesn't have to be in the exact layout of the lair for this to work, Cisco."

Cisco sighed quietly, nodding. "I suppose so. Well, we'll just wait and see then, alright? Let's see if we can find out more about Zoom and his lair to get a more accurate plan."

•••

Sorry it's been so long! I ended it in a weird spot, I know. I just couldn't think!