𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄 ━━ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩

⠀⠀𝟮𝟱. ❛ BARGAINING CHIPS ❜

     "Then we do another snatch-and-grab mission." Cisco reasoned.

     "By the time we scaled those cliffs, Zoom could already—"

     "I need a minute," Joe spoke loudly, looking at Harry and the others. His cheeks were slightly puffy, and his eyes were bloodshot from the stress and tears.

     Everybody quickly shut their mouths and watched as the detective handed Iris his coffee mug before treading upstairs. Erin frowned deeply from her spot next to Cisco on the couch and looked down at her hands. Piper pushed down the lump in her throat as she watched Joe disappear from view. She briefly made eye contact with Barry before looking back down at the table.

     The house was deathly silent as nobody dared to utter a word. The conditions in which Zoom had placed the team were costly and conflicting. On one hand, if the redhead didn't hand herself over, Wally could die. On the other, they would get Wally back safe and alive if she did, but they would also lose her in the process. This was the hardest decision they'd ever faced. If they lost Piper, there was no guarantee that they would ever get her back.

     Squeezing her eyes shut, the purple speedster let go of the chair and breathed in slowly before reopening her eyes. Keeping her head down, Piper made her way toward the staircase. The rest of the team watched as she disappeared up the stairs, her footsteps fading.

     Tucking her hair behind her ears, the redhead knocked softly on Wally's bedroom door before poking her head in. Joe was sitting on the bed, his head resting in his hands.

     He glanced up and sniffed at the sound of her delicate knock, his glassy eyes meeting her own. The detective gave her a weak smile and looked back down at his lap. "Piper, I know that you can't give yourself up to that monster, but I also know that I want my son back, and I don't know what to do," Joe whispered.

     Making her way over to the desk chair, Piper sat down silently. Playing with her hands, she whispered, "I do." Immediately, he shook his head, looking up to meet her eyes. "Joe, Wally's your son. He's a part of your family. He's your kid. I don't know him as well as you and Iris do, but I know I will do anything I can to keep him safe, just as I will do anything to keep any of you safe. I've lost so many people I love to heartless, selfish monsters that don't care about the families they're tearing apart. I'm not going to let you lose someone you love to Zoom. Especially your own son." Piper spoke softly, watching as the detective ran his hands over his face.

     Blinking back tears, he shook his head again. "No, I can't— no, I can't allow you to do that. I won't. You're part of this family, too, just like everyone else. I can't lose you. None of us can." Joe replied stubbornly.

     "I'm not asking for permission to do this. I am doing this." Piper stated, brushing away a fallen tear of her own. "We're going to get Wally back home safe and sound. I promise." Standing up from the chair, she placed her hand on the detective's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze before walking back downstairs.

     As she took her last step off the staircase, everyone's eyes turned to her. Nobody dared to be the first to break the tense silence. Gathering the courage to speak, she gulped. "I'm going to hand myself over to Zoom," she announced, watching as the cup Erin was holding fell to the ground. Glass scattered in every direction, and the coffee seeped through the wooden floors.

     "I think the fuck not. Have you lost your damn mind?" Erin asked, livid.

     Iris glanced at her girlfriend and then back to Piper. "I agree with Erin, are you serious? My father will never allow—"

     "It's not his decision to make." Piper cut her off. Iris closed her mouth, stumped because she knew she was right. This wasn't anyone's decision but her own. She had to make it by herself.