Surrender: The Flash (2)

19.2

19.2 blueberry intake

"Yo!" Cisco says as we walk back into the Cortex.

"In here," Barry says, as we walk over to him.

"We got your text. What's up?" I ask.

"All right, facial recognition just picked up Grey breaking into Ace Chemical down on Newbury Road," Barry says.

"Is my dad with him?" Jesse asks.

"I don't know yet. But we have to go," Barry says.

"Uh, you sure about that?" Cisco asks as we watch Barry put on his jacket.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Look... we can't just sit here," Barry says, grabbing a gun.

"And we're not going to," I say, taking the gun out of his hands. "I'm going... alone."

"Look, regardless of whether I have my speed or not, I have to try to help," Barry says.

"I get that, but you can't go out there," I say.

"But-"

"Look, whenever you have told me to stay back, I've listened to you, cause I know- that you want what's best for me," I tell him. "And now I'm asking you to listen to me too. Please, Barry. I am more than capable of handling myself out there. Please..."

"Okay," He sighs.

"Okay," Cisco nods as I head over to my suit. "Let's do this."

🔥⚡️

I slowly find my way into the warehouse, sneaking around in the shadows.

"Griffin Grey," I say as I walk towards him, fire burning off of my hands to warn him.

"Stay right there," Griffin says as I stop.

"The man that you kidnapped, Harrison Wells, you need to let him go," I say.

"I can't do that. Not yet," He says.

"Then we'll have to do this the hard way," I say, my fire burning harder.

"I guess so," He says, throwing a barrel at me. I burn it in the air and then run back to hide.

"Okay, He-Man's got some power..." I say to myself. "And accuracy."

"I can do this all night," He says, throwing another barrel which I dodge.

"We just want Wells. Just let him go," I say.

"Not until I'm done with him!" He says, throwing another barrel, one that hit me, making me drop to the ground.

I groan, my arm going to my abdomen. I look to see him get slightly older, gasping as he runs away.

"Oh, I think I need some medical attention," I say into the comms.

🔥⚡️

Barry, wraps a brace around my chest as I groan in pain. "Hey, are you-"

"I'm fine," I cut him off, "I've handled much worse." I grab my short from his hands and slip it on as we walk back into the Cortex.

"So his genes have actually mutated," Jesse says. "I ran the DNA from the blood sample Barry found, and the functional myostatin in his cells is essentially gone. I mean, giving him super-strength."

"Guys, there's something else," I say. "Um, I saw him age. Right in front of me."

"He's suffering from oxidated stress. It means the protein in the DNA in his body are being ravaged by oxidants," Jesse explains.

"So, what, he needs to up his blueberry intake?" Joe asks as we chuckle.

"No, it means, uh, the more he exerts himself, the faster he ages," Jesse says.

"So if we can get him to exert too much energy..." Barry trails off.

"Then he'll become old and weak," I finish.

"And how do you think we're gonna do that?" Joe asks.

"We can't watch you be a human punching bag until he turns into Grandpa Simpson," Joe says.

"I think we can fix that. Jesse, I'm gonna need some of that quick thinking of yours," Cisco says as they wall out.

"Liv," Joe says to me pointing at Barry. I nod at him and he says, "I got to get back to the station." Joe leaves as I walk over to Barry, who was looking at his suit.

"You okay?" I ask him.

"No, not really," He says. "You know, you were the first person to think I could be a hero?"

He laughs softly as I look at him. He was still looking at his suit as he remembers the memory. "We were dancing at Oliver's party- after he made us switch partners."

I chuckle, remembering what he was talking about. "You got him super jealous every time you were with Felicity," I say as he smiles with a nod.

"Well, once you started dancing with me... you apologized and, I couldn't help but stare at you. You- this hard headed girl who made Oliver Queen nervous- was apologizing to me," He says, glancing at me. "I thought I was dreaming but I didn't show it. I played it cool and then... Then you told me that one day, I would find out who killed my mother. I would be a hero, a hero to my dad and to Joe and Iris. And I couldn't play it cool- I was so surprised."

I glance at him, locking eyes with the man I loved. "I tried to say something but I stuttered the whole time and just ended up saying thank you. The whole time, I was just thinking the whole time, that- I may not have been a hero- not like the Hood was- but maybe I could do it- because I had someone- I had just one person- even though she was a complete stranger- believing that I could."

"Then, I got these powers and we went to fight Mardon. And you were there too. To help me and to guide me. To believe in me," He says, his eyes looking at me with love. "And in that moment, it was like the world froze. Like... you and I were the only two people in the world. I didn't understand it at first but I think I had feelings for you since that night we danced. I- I didn't even know what I could do yet, but I knew that I wanted to do it... with you. And I did. And now, I don't know. I don't... I just don't even know who I am anymore or who I'm supposed to be."

I sigh, biting my lip as I look away from him. "Barry, you didn't change. Your powers never defined you. What you chose to do with them did. You could've used your powers like all the metas we fight but you didn't.. Because you're a good person. You're still the same guy you've always been," I tell him as we both stare at his suit. Barry glances at me before wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I rest my head on his shoulder as I wrap my arms around his waist. "Suit or no suit..." I whisper, "That guy is a hero."