skinny love | barry allen

45

"Guys, Zoom's still out there." Barry came to the table as we were all surrounding it, dealing with the loss of Henry Allen, all dressed in black after his funeral, "We need to come up with a plan."

"The man can crack open breaches to Earth-2." Cisco was seated next to me, huffing, "I mean, if he can do that, what else can he do that we don't know about?"

Barry mentions, "After he killed his time remnant, he told me I was almost ready-"

"Almost ready for what?" I looked up at him.

Barry sighs, "I don't know."

"Yep- classic psychopath." Cisco folds his hands together, "Why can't they ever just say what they want to do?"

Cisco then adds in, "We also have to figure out why I keep vibing Earth-2 being ripped to shreds."

"Seriously-" Joe agrees with him.

"It's like I'm watching Transformers in 4-D, but, like, ten times more realistic and with much better acting." Cisco explained, putting his head in his hands.

Joe replies, "Look, if you can vibe the future, we need to stop Zoom before that happens."

"I'm gonna get some air, all right?" Barry suddenly cut in, causing us to all fall silent, before he leaves the room and heads outside.

"I got it-" I quietly told everyone, getting up and grabbing a poncho scarf from the couch and heading outside, closing the door behind me, seeing him seated on the porch step, "Hi, honey-"

Barry looks up at me, as I could see the tears in his eyes, my heart aching at the sight as I slowly sat down next to him, wrapping my arms around him so that the scarf was around him as well, keeping him warm from the cool air.

Barry broke the silence that was brewing between us, his voice low, "When I was in the Speed Force, I felt like I'd finally come to grips with her death, with not saving her when I went back."

"And then the moment- where I'm finally at the place I can move on, my father's taken from me." Barry looks at me, "How am I ever supposed to find peace with that?"

"I don't know, Barry." I was honest with him, leaning my head into the crook of his neck as he leaned his head against mine, "But, I know you will."

Barry quietly asks, "How?"

"Because you're strong- stronger than anyone I've ever known, and I know that you'll be okay." My voice was quiet, "And I'll be here helping you every step of the way- like you did with me when I lost my brother."

I felt a tear fall onto me, his voice heavy, "I just miss him so much already-"

Then, a streak of blue lightning ran down the street, making Barry slowly sit up, "Zoom-"

"Barry, no!-" I began, but he was already running after him, leaving me alone on the porch.

-

"So- Zoom wants to race you?" Jesse asked when Barry had explained to us what his chat with Zoom was about last night when he ran off.

"He's obsessed with being the best." Barry leaned back into the railing, his arms crossed.

Iris asks, "Why would we trust him?"

"He just wants to race." Cisco thought out loud, "You know, it actually makes sense in a completely-off-your-rocker sort of way."

"Come on- that can't be everything he wants." I cross my arms, "All he's done for just- one race?"

"It isn't." Harry's voice caught our attention, "This Magnetar that's being developed by Mercury Labs- turns out, it can act as a pulsar."