This is the best thing to do for her. She has to be safe and this job will only hurt her. I can't risk it. I just can't.
"It's not your choice."
Of course it isn't.
"Hey!" Cisco walks in with a slight skip in his step, a small smile that says he is going to tell me something I might not like to hear.
"What's up?" I ask and his smile turns into a grin.
"I have..." He begins pulling out a small silver box and presents it to me. "A brand new pair of earpieces for our new friend!" He grins like he is seeing beauty for the first time. "I have never used nano tech like this before and I am so proud of it!" He beams and I take the small silver box.
"These little guys are supposed to help R/N?" I raise an eyebrow as I look at the tiniest earbuds I have ever seen.
Just shy of the size of a pea.
"These little guys are so powerful that R/N won't ever experience the pain in her head when the screaming starts." Cisco is always so excited when he creates new tech that it makes me feel guilty of my next words.
"R/N is not a part of the team." I say slowly and his bright smile drops and a scowl takes over.
"Who said?" Cisco raises and eyebrow as he takes the small silver box from my hands. "Captain Barry?" He sneers.
"So, there's no point in me coming here." We both turn to see R/N turn on her high-heeled feet and walk out with her white coat trailing behind her.
"Go fix it." Cisco demands pointing at the door. "You can't choose for her, Barry." Cisco shakes his head in disappointment and suddenly the thought of having him mad at me and the thought of an angry R/N has me speeding to catch up with her.
"R/N!" I cry out and the fiery eyes turn to me with nothing but anger and revulsion.
How much did she hear?
~*~
My hearing has been pretty amazing since these meta human powers have taken over. I can hear from miles away and it compels me to listen but I also feel their pain. Cisco told to me come in to get my new earpieces in and to try them out. That guy is so excited, I thought he would pass out as he was explaining the tech to me. Two minutes later, I am in my car and driving to STAR Labs. How can I say no to such a cute man with so much hope of making my life more comfortable?
And who knows, maybe Barry will be there.
I do like the way the man looks and not to mention the brightness that surrounds him like a shimmer. The warmth, the complete disarray of my person with a simple look from that man!
Okay, I have got to calm down before I head down there and ruin everything. Gosh I can be such a klutz sometimes!
The trial and error of everything I have ever done has shown me that if you don't try, you will never succeed. And that if you don't think about actually trying, you will never get up. My sister is always telling me to try... I'll try.
With Barry.
As I get closer to Star Labs, I feel my heart rate go faster.
Parking lot.
I can hear the walking of shoes on the glossy cement flooring of the large building. They squeak to a halt as I close the door of my new car and begin walking into the large cement building.
Star Labs has been a haven for me, especially after meeting the people who work there. And I am not just talking about the green-eyed man that gives my heart warmth.
Such a sap.
I turn and hear the sound of two voices in an argument.
Oh, I have new earbuds!
I turn one last corner.
"R/N is not a part of the team." The green-eyed Barry Allen states and I feel my heart drop.
"Who said?" Cisco scoffs. "Captain Barry?"
I don't know what 'team' means but I do know that I would like to put my gift to good use. It just sounds like Barry Allen doesn't think so. And that really hurts.
"So, there is no point in me coming here." You say as green eyes hold yours.
No point. Why even try?
You can feel the tears welling in your eyes. Your vision becomes blurry and suddenly the world doesn't look so bad if you can't see it's reality with clarity.
"R/N!" It's his voice.
Each syllable sends a shard of glass through your chest.
Steps follow you but you don't turn and keep walking and run straight into a wall.
"Fuck!" You wipe at your eyes as long hands grab your arms and you begin to pull away, not looking up.
"R/N, I-" You can't hear him anymore.
The screams begin, your heart is pounding with pain. The image of an old woman on her knees clutching her chest on the sidewalk of a dark street. Alone.
You feel her angst and all at once your body freezes and your heart stops.
In one second, your eyes open to see scared green eyes but you no longer feel anything and gentle calm takes over you. Finally at peace. Finally done.
~*~
"Barry?" The voice echos around me and my heart sinks lower. "Barry, you have to eat something."
Why didn't I stop her sooner? I could've saved her! I am the Flash and I didn't react fast enough! This is all my fault. How could it not be?
"I'll come back." The voice echoes.
If I didn't try to make this choice for her she would still be well and in my arms. But no, I had to open my stupid mouth and ruin everything.
The smell of onions and meat...
She has been asleep for days now and if she doesn't survive this, it will be all my fault.
"Hey Bare!" The sound of of another voice echos. "I came to keep you company." The voice echoed. "Damn, man!" The voice makes a digusted snort. "You smell ripe!"
This is all my fault.
Onions, peppers, and meat and cheese?
"Here!" The voice is close and the smell of a Philly cheese steak sandwhich wafts up my nose.
My eyes refocus and land on the foot long sandwhich in front of me.
My mouth waters.
"Eat, Barry." The commanding tone of a new voice makes my eyes pop open.
My head is spinning.
"Your metabolism is incredibly fast and you need nutrients!" Cisco's voice is yelling into my head but I can't move. "Here!" A packaged energy bar made specifically for me. "At least take a bite!"
"Barry," I hear the wheel chair come up close. "You are not going to do any good to anyone, especially RN, in this condition." His voice is warning me.
"Okay." I mumble and take the energy bar slowly and rip the wrapper off.
The smell of honey hits my nose and I take a small bite.
"There you go!" Cisco cheers on.
I can feel warmth in my stomach as I swallow and take another bite.
"After you're done, you can go and see RN." With that, the sound of the wheels go away.
"She is in Med Bay." Cisco taps my shoulder and his footsteps retreat.
Why the hell would RN want to see me? I am pretty sure she will want nothing to do with me at this point. And every time I get close, somehow, she ends up hurt.
~*~
"Oh, shit...." I groan feeling my headache and open my eyes slowly so that I don't feel the pain of the bright lights above.
"Hello again!" Dr.Snow greets softly.
Here we go again.
"I know," Dr.Snow sounds amused but you can't open your eyes fully just yet. "It's getting pretty boring meeting like this..."
"This is no time for jokes, doc." I mumble and hear a small giggle as she turns the lights off.
"Sorry!" She apologizes and I can finally open my eyes.
"What the hell happened?" Your voice is low and groggy.
Your head is pounding with pain.
"You came back from a comatose state after an incident-"
"There she is!" Cisco runs into the room with a big grin and a tiny box in his hand. "These will help you!" He sets the box next to me on the bed.
It's the size of a large red grape.
"Go ahead!" Cisco urges and clasps his hands together with an illuminating excitement in his eyes.
You take the small box and lift the lid off. Inside, two small silver, pea-sized earbuds?
"Yes!" Cisco takes the box from me and puts the earbuds in my palm. "Just place them in your ear and they will morph perfectly for your ears!"
It looks like they could get lost in your ear but you smile slowly and place one in each ear and find that they do in fact mold to the inside of your ear.
"They also remove earwax!" Cisco grins looking into my right ear. "All you have to do is tap twice and they will push themselves out!" He informs.
They feel like you don't have anything in your ear!
Dr.Snow grins at me and I feel my headache begin to ebb but not the pain in my chest.
"How do you feel now?" Dr.Snow asks.
"I feel better but-" I look around and find no one else around. "If I don't have these buds in, I'll collapse again?"
"It sounds like your gift is more based on what the victims experience and the pains are trigged all over your body by simply listening and seeing to what is happening firsthand."
Dr.Snow explained. "The earbuds will help with the sounds and-"
"In theory." Cisco interjects.
"If the earbuds get rid of one," Dr.Snow glares at Cisco. "In theory, it should help with what you see as well, therefore you don't experience the pain."
Well that makes some sense to you.
"You're awake!" Barry Allen is at the entrance of the door with his head poking in, eyes intent on you but you look away.
"I am going to get you something for the residual headache." Dr.Snow is up and out dragging Cisco along with her as Barry enters the room.
You look around and find your phone on the table next to the bed and grab it like it is the your key to freedom from the awkward moment likely to come.
A minute of silence passes by and you hear him sigh as he takes the chair Dr.Snow once sat in.
"I am sorry for what I said," Barry begins but you keep your eyes on your phone. "It is not my place to make that choice for you."
"Damn right." You mutter but you don't look up from your phone. "Anything else?" You shrug and hear his sharp intake of air at your tone.
"I really truly am sorry." His hand hovers over the side of the bed, about to reach for your hand but he stops himself and pulls back.
"Copy that." You reply coldly and you feel his eyes burning on the side of your face.
"I hope you can forgive me." He says softly and you glance at him, your heart pounding with hurt.
His green eyes have guilt swimming in them and his hands are clasped together closely in anticipation.
"I forgive you." You reply but glance back at your phone.
"Just like that?" He scoffs and sends you a small smile which you glare at.
"I forgive but never forget, Mr.Allen." You reply lowly and his expression changes from hopeful to a grim expression with his eyes downcast.
"I understand," he stands from the chair. "Thank you for forgiving me"
He glances at you one more time before he leaves the room.
~*~
"I prefer not to work with the Flash." You state boldly to Dr.Wells who nods in understanding and wheels over to the large Oculi machine.
"You don't have to." He smiles at me and you see a defense go down in his eyes.
Cisco claps from the door of the large room.
"Freak yes!" He comes to you and raises his hand in a high-five and you slap it with a small smile.
"You shouldn't have done that." Dr.Wells smirks as I take a seat on the large machine. "Now, he will expect you to high-five him every time he raises his hand."
"Oh, right." I smack my forehead and look over at Cisco who winks back at me.
"I have made several adjustments so that you can just sit there and look like your gorgeous self!" He winks again as he tightens the new clear helmet with a braid of purple cords attached to it.
I turn to look at the large screens behind me and they all turn on.
"Just remember," Cisco takes your shoulders and turns you back around.
"You can't feel what you can't see."
"Not the case with everyone but definitely with you." Dr.Wells frowns and points to you. "Are your buds in?"
"Yes." You reply and you begin to feel nervous.
"I promise you won't feel anything." Cisco squeezes your shoulder and stands in front of you. "Breathe." He instructs and you do so, slowly.
In an instant a dull pain is at the base of your neck but it goes away soon and then you don't feel any pain. Relief washes over you and you nod at Cisco who grins and goes to his computer and with one click of a button...
Nothing happens.
"What's happening?" You ask but Dr.Wells and Cisco's faces are illuminated by the screens behind me.
"Don't look back, R/N!" Cisco warns and takes my hand. "Just give it a moment to upload locations and sent off to Barry."
"What you don't see," Dr.Wells comes closer with a gentle smile. "You won't feel." He reminds me and you nod suddenly not wanting to look back at the screens at all.
"It's so freaking cool!" Cisco grins to himself.
"Has this-" You feel your head begin to spin and the energy is going quickly.
"Stop it!" I hear the command of Dr.Wells. "Stop it now!"
One, two, three...
Air rushes back into your lungs and you begin to open your eyes.
"There you go..." Dr.Snow whispers and you blink several times as you try to sit up. "It's going to be okay, R/N." She soothes and gently pushes me back down on the bed.
My head hurts again.
"Trial and error are what help us reach ultimate productivity." You hear Dr.Wells.
"What happened?"