The next morning, Mackenzie was left with her collateral damage, and as always, she was terrible at handling it. What was she suppose to say to Barry? That she was a crazy liar? That she was truly just a rampaged murderer with little self-control? She decided on calling in sick.
What was different about last night were her eyes. The last time this had happened to Barry, Mack's eyes had been electric blue and she had shown no mercy to him. This time, however, she seemed to have caught herself, been frustrated, and then disappeared. He worried about her. As silly as it sounds after she had threatened him a second time since they'd known each other, he was incredibly worried. He hadn't seen it long, but the facial expression that she had worn before she had zapped herself out of the cortex was one of confusion and terror, like she didn't have control over her own body. She called in sick.
"Mack called in sick" Cisco said accusingly as he entered the room, seemingly annoyed.
"Why are you mad?" Barry asked
"You messed it up that bad?!" Cisco exclaimed. Barry raised an eyebrow. Cisco rolled his eyes, sighed, and slammed his head against his desk. Barry jumped.
"He meant asking Mack out last night. She didn't text me, not that I really expected her to or anything though" Caitlin added
"Oh. That. Yeah. About that, it didn't happen" Barry sighed
"She said no?" Caitlin frowned
"Well I never got a chance to ask her" Barry replied
"Why?! It's a pretty short question! Pretty straight to the point!" Cisco exclaimed
"Why do you care?" Barry chuckled
"BECAUSEEEE!! Watching you two stare at each other from across the lab for the past two months has been painful. Plus you're perfect for each other! It's cute" Cisco replied, moving his hands around for emphasis.
"What's cute?" Mack asked as she walked into the cortex. Everyone had surprised expressions on their faces.
"What?" Asked Mack, getting slightly uncomfortable with the wide-eyed stares.
They were for many reasons.
Firstly because Barry always stared at her like that. Secondly because they had been talking about her moments before and hadn't expected her to show up at all, after all, she was suppose to be 'sick'. And thirdly, was because she was in suede black, slightly-platformed heels and an incredible sparkling dress. Her normally-wavy hair was curled and pulled back into a messy bun, besides the few tendrils that had fallen out and framed her face. She had bronzer on but besides that she wore very minimal makeup. She looked incredible.
"Aren't you sick?" Caitlin cleared her throat
"You guys didn't honestly believe that, did you?"
"Where are you going looking like that?" Barry asked
"Like what?" She turned to him
He raised an eyebrow. She looked down at herself.
"Oh, I'm going to a gala with Oliver. Nothing important. But I wanted to talk to you before I leave" Mack said to Barry
"Oh... Okay, uh, give us a minute?" Barry asked Caitlin and Cisco. They both quickly nodded and exited the cortex.
"Short question!" Cisco whispered as he passed Barry, to which Barry rolled his eyes.
"What's up?" Barry put his hands in his pockets
"I'm sorry" Mack said quickly
Barry wasn't sure how to respond. His gut reaction was to say that it was okay and to ask her what was going on and how he could help her. But he didn't. He succumbed to the other emotion he felt bubbling up inside of him: anger.
"Are you?" He asked quizzically. He didn't--couldn't--know if he could believe her.
"Barry, come on. We don't need to do this" Mackenzie sighed, "I am sorry"
"About which part?" He scoffed, his worry and stress morphing into cruelty.
"All of it I suppose. I'm by no means a perfect human being Barry" Mackenzie replied. Barry wanted to yell at her, but she was being so calm.
"Are you a human being at all Mack?!" Barry narrowed his eyes at her. Whatever she became when she was angry or upset, it wasn't human. Not even close. And uncertainty breeds fear.
"Technically no. But neither are you?" Mack crossed her arms in front of her, trying to keep her composure as she protected her core from the cold temperature of the cortex. It was suddenly freezing to her. Barry couldn't stand to be grouped in the same group as Mackenzie right now. After all, she was a murder, and a monster as far as most definitions of the word went.
"This isn't about me Mackenzie! It's about you! You're a liar!" Barry yelled, snapping at her.
"Please don't yell" Mack tensed, frowning. His voice had suddenly become so loud in her head, like it was echoed and amplified. Besides, the last thing she wanted was for Barry, of all people, to be angry with her.
"You can't be trusted Mack! You're dangerous!" Barry didn't stop yelling. He wanted Mack to get mad at him. He wanted her to play the part of evil villain, to validate his current wave of hatred and anger. But Mack didn't waver, she never did.
"You don't think I know that Barry? It's why I didn't want to be a hero in the first place" Mack replied softly. She was too weak and tired to fight him, so she was an open book mood-wise, something that didn't happen very often. The hurt that was so apparent in her voice was initially a bit shocking to him, but he quickly got over it.
"Twice you've threatened me! You scared me Mack! I was scared for my life. Who's to say you won't do it again?!" Barry felt his fear and panic rise, and as it did, his filter fell.
"You know he's right" Another voice chimed in. Mack ignored it.
"Barry please..." Mack said but Barry went on. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"What if you went after Cisco or Caitlin or me again?!" Barry questioned
"Always hurting the people you love. Since you were just eight years old!" The voice chuckled
"What if you seriously hurt someone Mackenzie?" Barry felt the threatening weight of a million things he didn't mean on his tongue. They were seconds away.
"I was trying to protect people. I never wanted to hurt anyone Barry" Mack protested, trying to ignore the other voice.
"But you did! You lost control!" Barry raised his voice even more, accusing her.
"You lost control Mack. You hurt the only person who truly cared about you. You're dangerous. I might even go a step further and say..." The voice continued. Mack bit her lip and shut her eyes tighter, willing it into silence.
"I didn't mean to" She whispered
"Still your fault"
"It's not your fault, it's not your fault" Mack murmured to herself, covering her ears, trying to block out all the voices.
"You think I don't see you! The way your eyes glow and you turn into some sort of monster! You're reckless! You don't feel! Like a.... Like a..."
"You knew it was coming" The voice chuckled
"Shut up shut up shut up!" She told the voice in a hushed yell
"Murderer" Barry said
"Psychopath. Sociopath. Monster. Evil. Villain. Murderer. It's written on the wall Mackenzie dear" The voice giggled
"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!!! Even wasn't my fault! I didn't know what to do! I had no clue what I was doing! I was only a kid! I didn't... I didn't..."
Mack collapsed onto the floor.
Barry finally woke up out of his daze of anger and looked at the girl, the most powerful and strong and independent woman he had ever known, in a crying mess on the ground. What he said finally hit him.
That's also when he started processing the rest of the conversation.
Mack had her eyes closed, covering her ears to quieting a voice that wasn't his, that wasn't anyone's. It was from her.
"Mack?" Barry said softly
No response.
"Kenzie?" Came a voice from the hallway. Barry turned. There was only one person who called Mackenzie 'Kenzie'.
Oliver Queen appeared at the doorway of the cortex. An out of breathe Caitlin and Cisco behind him.
"We tried to stop him, sorry dude" Cisco said
"Barry..." The fear in Caitlin's voice made them all turn to her. They followed the path of her eyes to see the figure they were locked on.
Mack.
"Barry Allen" Oliver said in a voice that held danger he had never dared to face, "What the HELL DID YOU DO TO HER?!" He yelled, rushing over to her.
He knelt down next to her and spoke softly.
"Mack what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked.
She stuck her palm out and sent Oliver flying to the other side of the room. When they all looked back, Mack was gone.
"Did... Did... What just..." Cisco trailed off.
A familiar electrical buzzing became louder as it neared.
"Wells" Caitlin breathed
"Where the hell have you been dude?" Cisco asked. He hadn't seen the older man in days.
"Studying what you just witnessed in our dearest Mackenzie. And I think you'll all want a closer look. Even you Oliver" Wells said before wheeling back out of the cortex.
They all followed hesitantly.