Mick came up behind Len and wound his arms around the other's waist. Len put his hands on Mick's and leaned back slightly. They were in their room on the Waverider after having, successfully, destroyed the Oculus Wellspring. That mission could have ended tragically, but, fortunately for them, Ray had come up with a last minute device that kept the contact the Oculus required to override the fail-safe. They had saved Kendra and Carter and the others were trying to come up with a way to defeat Savage once and for all. Len, however, had been preoccupied and promptly left for his quarters as soon as they got back on the ship. Sensing that something was wrong, Mick had followed. Mick looked at Len in the mirror that he was standing in front of and was studying his face. He looked pensive. Mick had to look away after a moment, though. It hurt him to look at his lover's face after what he had done to him. The bruises were fading, mostly gone actually, but he could see the black and blue, beaten face every time he looked at Len. Len smiled slightly then looked down at the tablet in his hands.

"Gideon, pull up news reports regarding the Flash for twenty-sixteen." Len commanded. Mick, curious as to what Len was thinking, looked over his shoulder while Len flicked through the multitude of stories. After a moment, Len's breath caught and he went rigid. He was looking at a news story about a new speedster attacking the Flash. There was a video attached and Len pressed play.

"A new speedster is on the scene in Central City, wreaking havoc. The Flash has been fighting to the best of his abilities, but it seems this meta-human was too much for the hero."

At that point, the video cut from the news anchor to two different videos. One shot in Picture News and the other in the police department. Both made Len and Mick sick to their stomachs. In both videos, the Flash, Barry, was hanging, lifelessly, from the grasp of, what could only be called, a monster. He was obviously severely injured and unable to do anything as the speedster in black spoke.

"Look at your hero. This man is no god. He is nothing."

Barry was pulled along as the other speedster left Picture News. The footage then turned to the video captured at the police station.

"The days of the Flash protecting this city are over. Now, what will you do without your precious hero?"

As soon as Barry was lowered out of range, gunfire could be heard ringing out through the station after Captain Singh's command. The black speedster effortlessly caught all of the bullets, dropping them onto the floor.

"Nice try."

After that, Barry and the mysterious meta disappeared. The news anchor came back on the screen and didn't put either of their minds at ease.

"The Flash hasn't been seen since that confrontation with the speedster that calls himself Zoom. Nothing more about the situation is currently known. Is this the end of the Flash?"

Len set down the tablet as soon as the video was over. He spun in Mick's arms and looked the man in the face.

"We have to go help." he said seriously. Mick tended to agree, but there was one thing bugging him.

"We're more useful here if the kid's already dead." Len's blue eyes flashed and hardened. He broke free from Mick's grasp and very firmly responded.

"He's not." Mick sighed.

"Look, I know you're fond of the kid. Hell, I am too, but we have to be real. He may already be dead." Len looked devastated. His eyes watered and Mick's resolve crumbled. "Gideon!" Mick called, maintaining eye contact with Len.

"Yes, Mr. Rory?"

"Is Barry Allen still alive?" It took a moment, a moment where they were both holding their breath, until Gideon finally spoke up again.

"Barry Allen is still alive, in my time and in yours." Len huffed out a breath, but wasn't able to keep the tears at bay. He could still see Barry dangling from that...demon's claw in his mind. He finally broke down and Mick immediately moved to him, enveloping him in a hug as he sobbed in both relief and heartbreak.

"We'll help him. C'mon, stop crying and we'll go tell the others." Mick murmured, stroking Len's back.

~x~x~x~

Everybody looked up from planning as Mick and Len walked back into the room. They were both wearing severe expressions and Len's eyes were slightly red-rimmed.

"What is it?" Rip asked. Mick looked to Len before looking back at the others.

"We're leaving. Take us back to twenty-sixteen." Everybody looked shocked at that. Sara scowled at the two of them.

"You can't just leave! What the hell, man?!"

"Sara's right." Rip said. "We have to defeat Savage. It is of the utmost importance."

"Not to us, it ain't." Mick growled. "One of our...friends is in trouble. He needs us."

"You two have friends?" Sara scoffed. "What, do they need help knocking over a bank?" Kendra giggled at Sara's joke and it only served to upset Len. He narrowed his eyes at Sara and spoke, deadly calm.

"It's the Flash, and we have to help him against another speedster. His life is at stake. Good enough for you?"

"Since when have you and the Flash been on the same side?" Ray muttered. Len shot him a withering look that had him snapping his mouth shut.

"The Flash can handle himself. We need to defeat Savage."

"Well, then, you'll have to do it without us. Why is it you get to try to save your family and fight the guy that took them from you, but the rest of us are barred from doing the same?" Rip looked incredulous.

"You have tried to kill the Flash on multiple occasions! It is not the same thing!" That made Len's blood boil. In the heat of the moment, he said something he knew he would regret.

"It is if I love him!" he yelled.