Author's Note and Disclaimer:

Honestly, I hated 4x16 of The Flash because Iris seriously annoyed me in that episode in how she treated Ralph and how quickly she got a grip on Barry's powers. That only shows how big of a Mary Sue she is, even bigger than Felicity, since how the hell out of the sudden is she able to do tech skills that are up to Felicity's or Cisco's level or how is she able to fight toe-to-toe with Marlize DeVoe and Cicada?

I won't lie, in Season 5, she is more or less tolerable, so I think I will go easy on her but in Seasons 3-4, she was really getting on my nerves.

I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

"How many more metas have to die before we finally stop DeVoe?" Harry called out as he explained to them his plan.

"Uh… not… not me." Ralph said. "I mean… I say we go for it. Right? Right, guys?" He turned to Caitlin, Barry, Iris and Cisco.

"What do you guys think?" Barry asked.

"I say we explore it." Iris said.

"Yeah, I agree." Caitlin nodded.

"Ramon." Harry turned to Cisco.

"No, this is way too risky." Cisco protested.

"Of course it's risky but if we succeed, we will save the lives of the four remaining bus metas, including a member of our team." Harry pointed out.

"You're talking about intense amounts of dark energy going right into your brain, right into that cap, that turned a mac-and-cheese loving pacifist into a homicidal maniac." Cisco argued. "You put that cap on, what's it gonna do to you?"

"I've run the numbers dozens of times, the math and chemistry check out, I can do this." Harry assured him.

"I don't think you can." Cisco protested.

"I can, with your help." Harry replied.

"Not this time." Cisco shook his head. "Alright, let's keep coming up with more ways to solve this." He left as Ralph scoffed.

"Just so I'm clear on this, someone finally came up with a way to stop this Laz-Z-Boy riding lunatic and we just might not do it?" Ralph demanded as he looked around and no one replied. "That's really cool, guys."

Ralph left as Iris followed him. "Hey, Ralph. Look, don't worry, OK? We're gonna figure this out."

"Yeah, everybody keeps saying that and each time we almost get DeVoe, he gets away. Every time he gets away, he's one step closer to getting me." Ralph scoffed.

"Hey, that is not going to happen." Iris assured him.

"Well, I can't take that chance anymore, Iris." Ralph snapped. "So, if anyone needs me, I will be downstairs in my tiny guest quarters until this is over."

"There are still three bus metas out there and we're gonna need your help to find them and protect them." Iris snapped back.

"Iris, the only person I need to protect from now on is good old Ralphie boy." Ralph shot back before he pressed the elevator button.

"You are a part of this team." Iris pointed out.

"Yeah, and I'm the only one with the body that DeVoe is trying to snatch." Ralph replied. "You don't have any concept of how dangerous it is for me out there."

"Yes, I do." Iris protested.

"How could you?" Ralph scoffed.

"Because I'm the leader of this team." Iris said.

"And who made you a leader?" Ralph snapped. "Who voted you as the leader of this Team Flash? Because from what I hear, Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, Joe and Wells went along just fine long before you joined the gang.

But then, after Barry had to go to Speed Force, you all decided to protect this city without Barry, with you calling all the shots. You, who had no prior experience with the vigilante thing, nor do you have to every day go out there and put your life at risk to save innocent people like Barry, Cisco or me or any cops I had met when I was still in the force.

I don't know what the hell was everyone thinking, making you a leader, when you have no idea, what it's like out there for people like me to protect others. Except, oh, wait a minute, how exactly have you guys decided to "wake up" Barry five months ago, when he returned?" Ralph asked sarcastically. "You put yourself recklessly and unnecessarily at risk by having Samuroid kidnap you. What if that thing killed you? What if your plan didn't work? Just because you put yourself one time at the gunsight of a killing machine, you know how dangerous it might be for me. Yeah, that's rich. Most of the time you sit on your ass behind the computer, safe and sound, while the rest of us are out in the field, putting our lives at risk." Ralph scoffed as Iris felt hurt. "So, I don't see why you of all people should call all the shots around here." He entered the elevator as Iris stood there, reflecting on his thoughts.

Iris was in the Speed Lab, running on treadmil, with boxes filled with cotton behind her as an airbag as Barry was testing her speed after Matthew Kim accidentally shifted it to her.

"She can move." Barry said, amazed at Iris's speed before he noticed the charts, realizing Iris was endangering herself with how she was pushing herself. "Uh-oh. Hey, Iris, you might just wanna…"

"I can't slow down!" Iris panicked.

"That's OK. Alright, just gradually ramp your speed down, otherwise you're gonna…"

Suddenly, Iris flew back towards the boxes as there was a loud 'crash', with glass breaking and cotton falling everywhere as she groaned in pain. "…do that?"

"You OK?"

"Yeah. I'm straight. Thank God for speed healing, huh…" Suddenly, her shirt started to burn. "My shirt's on fire!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot to…"

Iris quickly smothered the flames on her shirt and put it down before Barry handed her his jacket. "I should have warned you, you might want to wear fireproof clothes." He turned around, and suddenly his thoughts returned to how he accidentally burned Felicity's shirt, when she and Team Arrow visited Central City three years ago as he felt uncomfortable.

Having been forced to call Wally and Jesse in to help stop to stop Jaco Birch, Team Flash caught Matthew Kim, who shifted the speed back from Iris to Barry, since Iris was unable to get a hold of Barry's speed.

"Look, Ralph, I owe you an apology. I went too far. The thing is, I get that you're scared. Last year, I was scared too. Savitar was supposed to kill me." Iris told Ralph as they were talking in private. "But… a friend of ours… he helped save my life. So, if I went out of line, I'm sorry but I get what you're going through."

"Thanks." Ralph nodded. "But seriously, you really shouldn't go into the field, with how inexperienced you are."

"Yeah, I get that now. Barry's speed… it almost killed me." Iris said, learning a big lesson today.

Author's Note:

OK, Iris's struggle with Barry's powers was well done and Barry comforting her wasn't that bad but I hate WestAllen in the show because of how it has been executed from the beginning. And I couldn't resist re-enacting what Barry did with Felicity accidentally in 1x08 * chuckles *

So, what do you guys think? Is it good? Is it bad?

Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this one-shot.

And save me these complaints that I hate Iris or WestAllen. I won't lie, I do but I'm being a realist and I'll be honest, Iris and WestAllen has been more or less tolerable in Season 5. Unless you can support your complaints with reasonable arguments without harsh language, I will pretend I've not received your complaints.

With regards

Bl4ckHunter