Flicker ? Barry Allen [1]

thirty-four.

"A lot more than just a planet, if it has the right power source." Caitlin says, cringing.

"Like what?" Iris asks.

"Like me." Barry said, determinedly.

"Like one of us." I corrected.

Barry ignores my correction. "That's why he wants to race. He wants to siphon the energy I create when I run."

"Then that settles it. One of us has to race him. And win." I nodded.

"Me. I'm racing him. You are not." Barry said, firmly.

"Barr." Joe said, catching his attention. "Don't race him. Either one of you."

"It's not that easy." Barry argues.

"Yes it is," Cisco interjected. "You just say no."

"We find another way to stop him, together, like we always do." Joe agrees.

"And do what, Joe? Just sit around and wait for him to kill somebody else? Wally? Rory? You?" Barry argues, his voice getting louder.

"He needs you, Barr." Joe said, persistent. "He needs your speed again to get what he wants."

"We have the advantage here." Cisco agrees.

"All I have to do is beat him, Joe." Barry argues. "That saves the multiverse, this whole city, all of you."

He sighs. "I won't let another person I love die when I can prevent it."

I finally realized. "This isn't just about racing Zoom, is it, Barr? You want to kill this guy." 

 He turns to me. "Of course I want to kill him. I want to do a hell of a lot more than just kill him. I want him to suffer for everything that he's done."

"And he's going to." I agreed.

"Come on, Barr." Joe says. "Think about what you're saying."

"I have to be willing to do whatever it takes." Barry says.

"Including killing someone?" I questioned.

 "I'm sorry, Aurora, but I'm racing him, whether you want me to or not." Barry says, turning to look at his Flash costume, which was sitting on display next to mine.

"And I can't talk you out of it?" I sighed.

"Not this time. I'm sorry." Barry says.

"Then I'm sorry too." I sigh, plunging the syringe into his back.

~

I'm closing the door when Barry regains consciousness.

"Aurora.. what are you doing?" He jumps to his feet once he sees me in costume. Not in my costume, but his. It was a bit big, and my hair was rather uncomfortable in the mask, but it was necessary.

"You're too angry right now." I explained. He then noticed the rest of the team around us.

"Keeping me in here is going to get you all killed." Barry says, desperation in his voice.

"We made this decision. All of us. Without a plan, you'll get killed. We have a plan. We'll let you out when this is all over." I announced.

"Iris." Barry pleads, as she looked the most distraught, and was avoiding eye contact.

She looks up at him. "Please don't let her run in my place. Don't let her go out there. Put her in her with me."

"I'm sorry, Barr. This is the best course of action." Iris says, leaving quickly before she cracked.

"Guys, can I have a minute?" I ask them. They nod, and each leave the room gradually.

"Barry. I just need to tell you something..." I sighed.

"Rory.." He said, with pain in his voice.

"How the hell do you wear this all day?? It's so uncomfortable!" I said, laughing for a second before resuming my serious demeanor.

"Barry, if our plan doesn't work.. if I'm hurt, or worse, I want you to take mine and Emberlynn's bodies to Gotham, and bury them. Richard and Barbara can help you." I said, calmly.

"Aurora, don't say things like that. Let me out. I can help." Barry pleads, sounding as if he is going to cry.

"I'm sorry, Barr." I said, turning.

"Aurora. Come on. Don't.. Don't do this. Let me out." I quickly left, but I was unable to shake the feeling as if I had made a very wrong choice.

 ~

Sorry for such a long chapter! I didn't know how to break it up into another chapter! Next chapter should be the last one, and a long one at that! This was a journey, and I won't give my feels until the end, but thank you guys for sticking through all thirty-four chapters to this point!