The Line Between Living and Dying

The Road to Healing

"And I'm mad at myself!" Dani slammed the sledgehammer down so hard that she split it in two in one hit.

Dani panted, dropping the sledgehammer on the ground. She ripped her helmets and goggles off, her wobbly knees giving out on her. She looked around at her destruction, tears filling her eyes.

Victor plopped down beside her, observing the room. "That was a lot of anger."

"Why did you make me do this?" Dani turned her attention to Victor.

"Because you were angry, Dani. On the surface and deep down in your subconscious." Victor explained. "Look around you. This is what your anger is doing to your relationships. If you don't figure out why you're angry and address the problem, then you're gonna lose everybody you care about."

"I always used to talk to my mom about things. I went to her for everything and now that's she's gone I don't have anyone to talk to." Dani admitted.

"Yes, you do," Cheyanne spoke from the doorway. "Dani, you've been there for me since I met you. Let me be there for you." 

"You sure you want to? I'm a mess." Dani sniffled.

"I'm sure." Cheyanne sat next to her friend, wrapping an arm around her. "I'm with you till the end of the line."

Dani chuckled. "All right, Steve."

"No, you're Steve. I'm Bucky. You get yourself into too much trouble to be Bucky." Cheyanne stated.

"Looks like you got a pretty great friend to help you sort through your anger." Victor smiled. "But if you ever feel like you need professional help, give me a call." He handed Dani a business card.

Dani took it, staring at the printed words. "I just might do that."

"I hope you do." Victor patted her on the back before leaving.

"So," Cheyanne sighed. "What are we going to do now?"

"Talk?" Dani asked, a little hope in her voice.

Cheyanne's eyes widened. "Finally!"

Dani playfully shoved her. "Back off, I'm being open."

"Hey." Zander ran in, his breath a little ragged. "You girls might wanna put that talk on hold. Iris was kidnapped."

* * *

After a quick debrief from Zander and Cheyanne, Dani forced them to drive her to S.T.A.R. Labs.

"Okay, what is happening right now?" Dani demanded as she stormed into the cortex.

"Uh, Barry's fighting Girder and the only way to defeat him could either work or kill him," Cisco informed, his tone a dead give away to his nerves.

"Tony is Girder?" Dani raised an eyebrow. Cisco nodded.

"And how is he supposed to defeat Girder?" Dani looked to Cisco for further explanation.

"He needs to punch Girder just right at Mach 1.1." 

"That's faster than the speed of sound!" Cheyanne gawked.

"What happens if he doesn't do it right?" Dani questioned, her voice dangerously low.

"Uh..." Cisco chuckled nervously. "He'll die."

Dani's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it when Barry's pained groans echoed from the speaker. Fear bubbled up inside her. She didn't want her friend to die but she also wasn't ready to be a hero again.