Everything Comes With A Price

9| Falling Further Into Their Grace

Barry's (El Bariq) POV:

I felt the need to train more lately. It was the only thing that kept the two sides of me from fighting. I had tried meditation, which had helped somewhat, but ultimately, I had to pick a side to win soon, or else I'd destroy myself, leaving only an empty shell. Neither side would be good or bad, I'd just be neutral.

I walked out of the training room and then Merlyn called to me, "Go, on your next strike, the team will be waiting for you."

I changed into my suit quickly, and then I ran out of the building, quiet as a mouse. I was ready to have some fun, and I was going to win.

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Third POV:

They were really getting sick of being beaten by Barry, over and over, and it was getting embarrassing.

The team realized after Barry kicked their asses the most recently, that they needed help. Everyone's help.

Sara had to convince Oliver a bit, though. She found him on the balcony of Star Labs, staring at the city. He'd just bitten the Team's heads off because he hated admitting that he needed help.

Sara leaned against the railing. "Ollie," She said, looking at the archer. Oliver didn't move his gaze from the city. "Oliver, look at me." He slowly moved his gaze towards her, not showing any emotion. She put her hand on his neck. "Hey, I know that you hate needing help, but the only way we can save Barry is if we do this together. Okay? "

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, it's just..." He trailed off, looking away from Sara and pulling away as well.

Sara put her hand on his. "Just what, Oliver?" She prompted, trying to be supportive.

"I couldn't save Barry from his darkness, but he pulled me and everyone else out of their own. Tell me, Sara. Why couldn't he have saved enough of himself, to let himself heal?"

"Oliver, yes, we should have tried harder to help him heal, mostly, because he helped save us from it. You helped save him, Oliver. You gave him hope when he required it, during the search for his mother's killer, you inspired him to be a hero. All heroes need somebody to save them, they also need a rock. Be that rock for Barry, be the person he can go to when he feels like he can't go to anyone, including Iris. He trusts you, Ollie, and so does everyone else. You are the one that started it all," Sara said, smiling.

Oliver wrapped her in a hug and whispered, "Thank you,"

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Third POV:

Barry had risen further in Merlyn's good graces. Merlyn had grown close to the speedster. Barry was still fighting with himself, trying to figure out who he really was.

Nyssa hadn't called in a couple of days, but a message came through to Merlyn from Ra's Al Ghul on the final plan.

This was going to go well.

"El Bariq, I'm coming to the educated guess right now, that tomorrow the team will be splitting up to gather back up. It seems that you are too much for them," Merlyn said. The two were sitting in the living room, going over the next several strikes.

Barry nodded. "That's good. Now I can beat all of them, and once we get rid of them, then the League's mission may be completed." He smiled.

"That it will, El Bariq, that it will."

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Third POV:

Everyone had their assignments. It was the next day and people were departing to bring in the backup.

Laurel and Caitlin were going to get Kate Kane, aka Batwoman from Gotham. It would go well because Kate already knew Caitlin and Laurel was pretty good with vigilantes.

Wally and Iris would be heading to Earth-2 to pick up Jesse, aka Jesse Quick. Harry had insisted on staying in the cortex to oversee things with Felicity.

Sara, Thea, and Roy would be working on getting the Legends back from whatever time they were in.

And lastly, Cisco and Oliver were breaching into Earth-38 to get Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl. They knew that Kara would want to help Barry, everyone would. Barry Allen had touched all of their lives in some way. So now, they were going to touch his, by saving him.

Hopefully, nothing would go wrong.

But then it did.

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