"Flash Day is almost here." The news reporters' voice filled my ears when I entered the precinct, "A special downtown rally to honor the man who saved Central City- it's been six months since the Flash saved Central City from the freak black hole that erupted in the sky."
"Flash Day?" I questioned, walking behind Joe who was watching the screen, "How much did I miss?"
Joe turned at the sound of my voice and broke out into a smile, laughing lightly, putting his arms around, "Well, I'll be- when did you get back?"
"A little while ago-" I smiled and hugged onto him, "How's everything going?"
I left for Starling City a month ago, as Barry had decided that training with Oliver was what was best for me after found out I was a meta human.
Especially after he distanced himself from us all, breaking the team up as we went our separate ways.
The distance causing our feelings to be buried.
"Joe, where are we at with the murder at the nuclear plant?" Captain Singh suddenly joined us and nodded towards me, "Zee."
I waved lightly, as Joe exhales, "Barry's still analyzing the evidence, but- there was definitely something weird."
"Yeah, which is why I let you have that Anti-Meta-Human Task Force." Captain Singh said, "Speaking of which, where's your scientific advisor?"
"Ho, ho, ho!" Cisco suddenly joined us and wrapped an arm around me in greeting, then noticing Captain Singh's beard, "Fear the beard!"
"It's a very distinguished look-" Cisco added in, touching his own chin, "Sir."
Captain Singh looks at what Cisco had wheeled over, "What is all this, Mr. Ramon?"
"Oh, this right here?" Cisco gestured, "This is a little something I'm working on- I'm cooking it up for Joe and the task force to take down meta-humans."
"I think I'm going to call it The Boot." Cisco thought out loud, then handed Captain Singh a pile of papers, "Oh, here are the receipts."
Captain Singh sighs and heads towards his office, as Cisco turner, "Oh, um, Captain, one more thing-"
"You are not getting a badge, Mr. Ramon." Captain Singh already knew what he was going to say, closing the door as he entered his office as Joe and I chuckled.
Cisco faces us, "He's really stingy with those badges, isn't he?"
"Yeah, cops are funny that way." Joe points at the device, "So- you really think you can get this to work? Don't have me caught out on the streets with my pants down."
"Yes, once I finish the Boot, CCPD will totally have what it needs to take down a meta-human." Cisco nodded, "Especially now that Barry has decided to go all Lone Wolf McQuade and fight crime by himself."
"I know, right?" Joe immediately said in agreement, "Have you spoken to him?"
"Not really." Cisco honestly said, "Haven't even heard from Caitlin since she started work at Mercury Labs."
"Hey Cisco- Dad-" Iris' voice filled our ears, "Zee!"
"Yeah, it's me-" I laughed lightly, as she engulfed me into a tight hug, holding onto me for a moment or two.
Iris looks between us all when she pulls away, "Hey, I was wondering if you'd talked to Barry about the rally?"
"We was just saying." Joe gestures between us.
"I'm sorry, but, I can't believe they're gonna give the Flash the key to the city." Cisco chuckles, "Although technically, as members of Team Flash, we should all be getting keys."
"Well, you know Barry." Joe reminded us, "The more we try to convince him to do something, the less he's gonna want to do it."
"Yeah, but he should go." I considered, placing my hands on my hips, "Someone should try and get through to him."
Joe looks at me, "Maybe his best friend."
Cisco puts his hands up in surrender, dramatically speaking, "Joe, believe me, I've tried-"
"I meant her." Joe gestured to me, "The one he hasn't seen in a month?"
This made Iris and I laugh, seeing the look on Cisco's face.
-
I quietly walked into Jitters, using the back door, noticing the familiar streak running around the broken establishment, putting things back together, with the sounds of whooshing, fast hammering and drill whirring.
Barry then stood in front of the counter and dusted his hands off, clouds off dust flying off and appearing in the air, not noticing me yet.
I slowly walked further in, a soft smile at my face, seeing him for the first time in a month, "Miss me?"
Barry turned at the sound of my voice, a smile forming on his lips as he quickly walked over to me and engulfed me into a hug, "You're back-"
"Yeah-" I softly laughed when I no longer could feel like feet on the ground, hugging onto him tightly.
"How was Starling?" Barry set me down, smiling.
"Training with Oliver-" I inhaled deeply, placing my hands on my hips, "I never understood your pain until now."
This caused Barry to softly laugh, as I looked around, "You know, if you ever decided that you didn't want to be the Flash, you have a good future being a contractor."
"Thanks." Barry softly chuckles, "Yeah, I'm just trying to put it all back exactly how it was before the- you know."
"Seems like a lot of local businesses are being rebuilt at night- in secret." I followed him when he grabbed his water bottle and sipped some, "I was thinking about writing an article about it for the paper."
"Don't." Barry put the bottle down, "Please."
"Barry." I cross my arms, "Look, people have heard the stories, they've read the articles, and they've maybe even seen the red streak racing past them, but- they've never seen the Flash, Barry."
"So- that's why you're here? You came to talk me into going to the rally?" asked Barry, "'Cause I'm- I'm not gonna go."
"Come on-" I urged him, "People just want to thank the man who saved Central City."
"Well, they can't, 'cause that's not me." Barry protested, making me sigh, "You should know that, better than anyone."
"They want to thank the man that's still standing and will continue protecting their city with his dying breath." I grabbed his hand softly, my voice quieting down, "Central City believes in the Flash and so do I."
-
"Are we expecting trouble?" Cisco asked Joe, as they were leaned against the front of Joe's car at the rally the next day, as I sat on the hood of his car, between them.
I was dressed in high waisted medium washed jeans, ones that were ripped, a white cropped tank top that ended right above my belly button, a deep red button up that was unbuttoned and tied, and white sneakers.
My hair was longer, and ended mid way down my back, as I put my wavy hair behind my ears.
"Cops always expect trouble." Joe looks at him, "In this city, I expect super evil flying monsters."
I pointed at him, "That's a solid expectation."
"Well, I'll be." Cisco's words made us look in the direction he was looking in, to see Caitlin Snow.
"Good morning, Central City!" Mayor Bellows said into the mic, "A year ago, our world changed."
"Our city became ground zero for some pretty weird stuff." Mayor Bellows continued, "We got a new breed of criminal: Men and women who defied not only our laws, but physics and reason."
"But- we got something else, too." He began to smile, "We got the Flash!"
"Our wounds run deep, and I know many of you are afraid of what threats tomorrow may bring." He continued, "But- the Flash doesn't just protect us, he restores hope where it was lost."
Mayor Bellows held up the key, "That's why I'm honored to present the key to the man who saved Central City: The Flash!"
The crowd let out cheers and whistles, but when no Flash appears, everyone goes silent, looking around.
This made my heart ache.
He didn't come.
Then, a flash of lightning suddenly ran past me and was on stage, Barry standing on the stage next to Mayor Bellows, looking out at the people.
At me.
I was the first to jump up and cheer, the crowd erupting in shouts of joy and chants of his name.
"The doors to Central City will forever be open for you, Flash." Mayor Bellows held the key for Barry to take when the chanting died down, as he nodded and lightly reaches for it.
There was many screams, a large object coming Barry's way, Joe yelling, "Look out!"
Barry grabbed Mayor Bellows and ran him to where we were, assuring that he was okay, as I hopped off the car, my eyes glued to who had caused this and was inching closer.
"The man who saved Central City, hate to rain on your parade." said the unknown man, as Barry ran towards him, only to be flung back and hit the police car, groaning in pain.
Many of the cops started firing their guns towards his heavy armor, but he kept inching closer, unharmed.
"Cisco!" Joe snapped a tranced Cisco out of it, "Cisco, the Boot!"
"Right!" Cisco ran to the car and pulled out the Boot, rushing over and handing it to me, "Locked and loaded."
My eyes go wide, "You want me to shoot this thing?-"
"Zee, hurry up!" Joe was running out of bullets.
Under pressure, I quickly aimed and shot the man we were desperately trying to keep back in the leg as it clamped around him, a buzzing noise following.
Except, the boot broke open as he grew ten feet larger than us, catching us all off guard.
I swallowed, "What the hell?-"
"Cisco, you said this thing would take him down." Joe was also horrified, "He's not going down."
Cisco breathes, "He went up."
"Run!" Barry was suddenly by us, holding two gallons of what I didn't have time to make out, looking at Cisco, then his eyes gluing to me, "Run!"
"No- no!" I began to protest, but Cisco had a firm grip on my wrist and was already pulling me away.
-
"According to the coroner's office, Al Rothstein's body was in the morgue all night, so we can scratch off- zombie attack." Cisco stares at the information he had pulled as we sat at Joe's desk in the precinct.
Joe questions, "Rothstein have a twin brother?"
"Nope, only child." Cisco denied, "And get this, the night the accelerator exploded, Rothstein was on his honeymoon, in Hawaii."
"So- you're telling me, we're looking for a guy who's really strong, can grow twice his size, and just happens to look exactly like the guy he murdered?" I put it all together in my head, "Wow- Central City really never gets dull."
Cisco shrugs lightly and crosses his arms, "I would think this meta was really cool if everything about him didn't just terrify me to my core."
"Is that what happened to you?" asked Joe, "You looked really spooked there for a minute."
I pulled my phone out when it buzzed as Cisco started stammering, looking up at him, saving him from explaining, "Iris just texted me- the hospital next to the Flash Day rally, the x-ray and CT machines all failed at once, was that because of you?"
"I did not do anything that would cause that." Cisco began, "I'm 92% sure."
I stare at him, "92%?"
"I'm going to go make that 100." Cisco got up immediately and walks away, "Excuse me."
"Joe-" I broke the small silence when Cisco left, "We need to talk."
Joe nods once, "Okay."
I cross my arms and sat on his desk, "Barry can't do this alone anymore."
"That's his plan and I don't know how to talk him out of it." Joe reasoned, "At this point, I'm just trying not to push him farther away.0
"Well, maybe Barry has been so successful at pushing you, me and everyone else away because we keep letting him." I thought out loud, "So- let's not let him."
Joe squints his eyes, "What do you suggest?"
"Well, if you keep getting 'no' for an answer, stop asking questions." I quoted him, my mouth turning up deviously.
"I say that." Joe points from me to himself, "You quoting me to me?"
"What can I say?" I got up and pat his shoulder, "You are a very smart man."
-
"What are you guys doing here?" A not happy Barry Allen ran into the cortex after getting an alert about an unauthorized entry; his team before going solo.
Iris blankly answered him, "Working."
Cisco looks at Professor Stein, "So, Caitlin was right."
"Yes, all humans contain small amounts of radiation due to contact with cell phones, microwaves, televisions, et cetera." Professor Stein nods, "Our bodies are natural conductors."
Cisco looks between us, "I think our meta's been sucking up all the radiation around him and using it to power himself."
I nod, continuing to think out loud with them as I sat on the desk, "Which is why the x-ray machines at the hospital failed the day of the rally."
Iris began, "So- if we want to find him,"
"We gotta look for places without radiation." Cisco finished and quickly began typing.
Barry clears his throat, "All right, guys, I don't want any of you here right now."
"Tough." Joe cuts in, "You need your partners, and you need your friends."
"Barry, everyone in this room cares about you, but we also care about this city." Iris shot at him, "We all want to make a difference, and that means fighting meta-humans, and that means working with the Flash- you can't deny us that."
Barry opens his mouth to protest but I speak before he could, "Barry, there was going to be a time that we were all going to be in this room together again."
"I know you went solo- but, there was gonna be a time you need our help, and after the year all had- this is what we do together, and you can't just push us away like you have for the last few months." I argued, putting my hair behind my ear, "Deal with it."
"Got him." Cisco stood straight, "There's a three block dead zone near a hazardous waste reclamation plant, it should be blooming with rads, and right now it's at zero."
"That's where you'll find your- atom smasher." Professor Stein nicknamed, looking between us.
Professor Stein added in when we were all staring at him, "Because he absorbs atomic power, and he, well, smashes."
"Come here- that's a great name." Cisco hugs him for a moment, earning a laugh from Iris and I, "Welcome to the team."
Professor Stein smiles when Cisco pulls away, "Thank you."
"Great, guys, thank you." Barry cuts in once more, "You can go now, all right?"
Joe looked at him, "Barry, you need to let Cisco and Stein figure out a way to stop this guy."
"No, I don't." Barry shot back at him, grabbing his suit and running out.
"Barry left his comm system behind- we can't talk to him." Cisco picked up the small bud, "He's on his own."
-
"Is there really no way of knowing what's going on in there?" asked Iris when we were all crowded around the console.
"I'm looking for the security cameras." Cisco pulled up the footage, as we saw Barry stood across from Al Rothstein, "Booyah."
Barry had moved to arms in wind funnels, but even with that the Atom Smasher didn't budge.
"My turn." smirked Al as he morphed twice his size and grabbed Barry by the neck, choking him.
I gasped, putting my hand over my mouth, as Iris staring at the screen, "Dad."
"Maybe I can make it there." suggested Joe.
"No, you won't, and what are you gonna do when you get there?" Cisco questioned, looking from Joe to me."
"Cisco's right-" I agreed, looking at him, "The Boot didn't work on him."
"Alarm!" Professor Stein blurted out.
Cisco looked at him with wide eyes, "Believe me, we're all alarmed."
"No, the alarm system." Professor Stein corrected him, "You've tapped into the surveillance cameras, correct?"
"Correct!" Cisco realized what he meant, his fingers quickly typing on his keyboard, "Come on, feel the noise."
"He said you were some kind of big hero, but you don't seem worthy of him, or this city." Al bashed Barry into the wall repeated, until Cisco had triggered the alarms, giving Barry enough time to run out, a sigh of relief leaving all of our lips.
Cisco exhales at Professor Stein while I gave him a high five, "Professor Stein, you are a genius."
Professor Stein smiles giddily while he met my hand, "I believe that's already been well established."
-
I sat across from Joe, while Barry laid between us in the medical bed in the Med Lab, as we had found him passed out in the hall.
Barry suddenly sits up, catching both Joe and I off guard as Joe quickly calms him, "You're good- we got you."
Barry slowly laid back, looking around, "Where is everyone?"
"We figured you wouldn't want an audience when you woke up." I lightly shrugged, "Especially since you were stupid enough to go alone."
Barry scoffs a little, "Yeah, thanks."
"Zee is right." Joe sides with me, "You're not gonna do this anymore."
"For the last six months we've given you your space to work all this out, come back to us." Joe continued, "But- today proved that you'd rather just get yourself killed."
Barry looks at the ceiling, sighing, "It's better than getting my friends killed."
"You want me to tell you that it wasn't your fault?" Joe questioned, "I can't- it was."
I looked at Joe with wide eyes, "Joe-"
"Guess what?" Joe continued, signaling for me to keep listening, "You weren't the only person making decisions that day."
"All of the rest of us were there too." said Joe, "Eddie and Ronnie, they chose to help you stop Wells, and stop that-"
Barry exhales, "Singularity."
"Singularity thing." Joe gestured, "It's on all of us, Barry- so, stop with this hogging all the blame and regret- we gotta live with it, move on."
By now, tears were streaming down Barry's face, as I rested my elbows on the bed he laid in and reached over shyly, wiping his tears, "You're not getting rid of us this time."
Barry sniffles, "What do I do now?"
"Well, Zee filled me in about how you've been rebuilding Central City at night." Joe's words make Barry chuckle lightly, "It's just bricks and paint."
I continued Joe's sentence, knowing where he was getting at with it, "Maybe you should start trying to rebuild things that really matter."
-
"Hey, what're you doing?" asked Barry Allen when he had changed into his clothes and spotted me in the middle of the hall, seated on the ground with my laptop on my lap.
"Writing." I looked up from my laptop screen, looking at him, "About how the city has been mysteriously more and more rebuilt with every night."
Barry lightly groaned and sat next to me on the ground, "I told you not to write about that-"
"And since when do I listen to you?" I asked, continuing to write on the document I had.
"You're right-" Barry pulled out his phone from his pocket, a flash drive falling to the ground between us.
My eyes spot it, "What's that?"
"Ah, it's uh-" Barry stammered and picked it up, "Apparently, in case of his death, Wells had some kind of a living will."
I looked at him, "And you haven't watched it yet?"
"No." Barry looked down, "No, I've been too afraid."
"Well, if you haven't noticed already- I have my laptop on me." I spoke quite literally, "What if we watched it together?"
Barry nodded a little and handed me the flash drive, "All right."
I pushed the flash drive into the side of my laptop as the video came up onto the screen over my writing, Harrison Wells' face appearing.
I glanced at Barry, before full screening the video, setting the laptop in front of us and playing it.
"Hello, Barry." Dr. Wells took off his glasses, "If you're watching this, that means something has gone horribly wrong."
"I'm dead and the last 15 years have been for nothing." Dr. Wells inhales, "Bummer."
"15 years." He thought out loud, "You know, when I realize that in all those years helping raise you, we were never truly enemies, Barry- I'm not the thing you hate."
I slowly reached over, grabbing Barry's hand and intertwined my fingers with his when I notice the look on his face.
"And so, I want to give you the thing that you want most." Dr. Wells exhales deeply, "It won't matter."
"You'll never be truly happy, Barry Allen, trust me." Dr. Wells' words made me squeeze Barry's hand, "I know you."
"Now, erase everything I said up to this point." Dr. Wells cleared his throat and put his glasses back on, "Give the following message to the police."
My eyebrows furrowed, "Barry-"
"My name is Harrison Wells." Dr. Wells began, "Being of sound mind and body, I freely confess to the murder of Nora Allen."
Due to his words, Barry and I both sit up.
"In her home, on the night of March 18th, in the year 2000, I attacked Nora Allen in her dining room." Dr. Wells was giving him the confession he wanted, even in his death, "I stabbed her in the chest, with a large butcher knife, from the drawer to the left of the sink in the kitchen-"
"Oh my God-" I looked at Barry, my eyes wide, "Barry, he confessed-"
"This is it." Barry looked at me, matching my expression, "This is what I need to free my dad."
I threw my arms around Barry in happiness as he squeezed into me tightly, smiles on both our faces.
-
"Is it good news?" Caitlin asked Barry when he walked into the cortex after speaking with Joe, as we were gathered there, waiting to hear from one of them.
"I think so." Barry was smiling like an idiot.
"Really?" I couldn't contain my excitement for my best friend, "Henry's coming home?"
When Barry nods, I threw my arms around him again, as he picked me up and spun me, laughing lightly, smiles and cheers coming from the group as well.
Barry speaks when he put me down, "Okay, well that still leaves Atom Smasher to deal with."
"Last time you faced him, it did not go well." Professor Stein pointed out.
"No, it did not." Barry agreed, "I clearly can't stop him by myself, so- how are we gonna beat him?"
This made me smile wider.
I covered my mouth and purse my lips to hide it.
The team was back together.
"Well, ever since I was shown a drained radiation tag, which I haven't been able to stop thinking about." Caitlin looked at Cisco, "Thank you, Cisco."
Cisco points at her, "You're welcome, Caitlin."
Caitlin shrugs lightly, "If this guy likes radiation so much, I say we give it to him."
-
"That light was perfect bait." Caitlin said to Cisco as we all crowded around the console, "What made you think of that?"
Cisco shrugs, "I don't know, I think I saw it in a comic book somewhere."
"Batman?" I guessed.
"You want me?" Barry's voice came through the comms, "You're gonna have to catch me."
"It's working, dude." Cisco speaks when the two dots start moving quickly down the map, "Rothstein's following you."
My eyes were glued to Rothstein's dot, confused, "How is he so fast?"
Professor Stein was in agreement, "I must say, he's quite agile for a man his size."
"Run, Barry, run." Joe quietly muttered.
"Didn't think I could catch you, huh?" Rothstein asked Barry when we had him right where we wanted him.
"No, I knew you could." Barry replies, "Now, Cisco!"
Cisco activates the reactor core, as Barry ran out of where he had lead Rothstein, locking him in as Caitlin inhales, "The amount of radiation about to flood that room-"
Professor Stein finished her sentence, "Atom Smasher won't be able to absorb it all."
"The radiation's been cleared." Cisco exhales when the computer beeped, "It's safe for you to go in."
Barry stepped in, his voice coming through the comms, "I'm sorry- I couldn't let you hurt anyone else."
He then asks, "Why? Why did you want to kill me?"
Rothstein was gasping for the last few seconds he left of life, "He promised he'd take me home if I killed you."
"Who?" asked Barry, "Who promised you that?"
Rothstein choked out his last word, "Zoom."
-
"Welcome home!" We all cheered the next day as Henry Allen walked into the West Household with Barry.
We had set a Welcome Home Party for Henry as he had gotten released from prison.
I was dressed in black jeans, a forest green ribbed trumpet sleeve sweater tucked into it, a black belt tightened within the looks and black boots.
We all shared hugs and greetings with Henry, before pouring ourselves champagne and cutting the cake.
Conversations were striking between everyone, as we were all throwing out different jokes and laughing the most.
By now, I had stepped away from everyone and sat down on the steps alone, sipping my champagne, a small smile forming on my lips watching my family.
This was my family.
And we were all reunited.
My eyes then trailed to a giddy Barry Allen.
I had never seen Barry happier than he was now.
He got what he wanted, he got the confession he needed, he got rid of his mother's killer and he had gotten his father back.
Everything was okay for the first time in a while.
I was pulled from my thoughts when Barry was heading over to me, holding a plate with a huge slice of cake, sitting next to me on the step.
I looked at my best friend, who had set down his champagne on the ground, holding two forks, jerking one towards me, "I hate cake."
"I know, because of the frosting." Barry handed me the fork anyway, "That's why I brought two forks."
My eyes squint in confusion, "I'm not following-"
"I'll eat the frosting so you don't have to-" Barry considered how I thought frosting was too sweet, "You can eat the cake."
This made me smile wider, as I gave in, the both of us cutting into the slice of cake, sharing it until there was no longer any.
Then, Professor Stein calls for all of us, "Gather round, everyone, please-"
Barry and I got up, setting the plate to the side, holding our drinks as we all gathered around in a circle.
"Looking at all of you, thinking how far we've all come, and remembering those who are no longer with us, I'm reminded of a Hebrew word used during times of graduation." Professor Stein began.
"Kadima." Professor Stein said, "It means, forward."
Professor Stein held up his glass, "Forward."
One by one, small smiles stretched on all of our lips as we repeated the word in cheers, lightly hitting our glasses together.
-
"Hey, guess what?" Cisco said to Barry when he walked into the cortex with Joe, "I added a little upgrade to your suit."
Cisco shone light on the suit, revealing how he had switched the back color of the emblem to white.
"It's just like the one from the future newspaper Gideon showed us." Cisco pointed out when we all walked towards it, "I was thinking, you know, you shouldn't fear the future anymore, right?"
Barry slips his hands into his pockets, "No, and it'll be here faster than we think."
"Well, see, I like it." Professor Stein's words made us all smile, "The lightning definitely pops more against the white."
"And Star Labs is now safer than ever." added in Caitlin, "Increased security and surveillance."
"Re-coded, double firewalled, electronic lock sets." Cisco followed, "Nothing is getting through here without us knowing."
"Yeah- now people can't just waltz in and out of here." I place my hands on my hips.
Cisco nodded, "Exactly."
Then, Iris and Caitlin both gasp at the hall, as we all turned to see what they were gasping at, a dark silhouette in the hall but close enough for us to see.
"Really?" I blurted out in shock, "I said that two seconds ago, two-"
Cisco was surprised as well, "For real?"
"Stay where you are." Joe had his gun aimed.
Barry confronted, now next to me, "Who are you?"
"You don't know me, but- I know you Barry Allen." The voice made my heart accelerate because of how familiar they sounded, as the silhouette came closer.
"Take one more step, it'll be the last step you take." Joe held his gun right, "The man asked you a question, who the hell are you?"
Then he stepped into the light.
My expression dropped, my voice coming out as a faint whisper, "Hunter?"
"No-" The man glanced at me, looking just as shocked as I was, but confused as well, "My name is Jay Garrick, and your world is in danger."
authors note:
i am so excited to write this season.
i have so many ideas.
SO MANY.
god, so much is going to unravel in this season, you guys are gonna be so shook.
this is honestly my favorite season to write about because of how well I've thought this season out already.
literally I'm so shook, I'm so excited omgsksksksksk
also, I'm sorry for not updating last week, I was completely swamped with homework, which I still am, but I'm going to try my best to remain on updating schedule, I'm not tryna disappoint you guys with no updates
also, thank you for 9k !
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