Tidal Wave Chapter 1: City of Heroes, a flash fanfic

"Let's go crazy, crazy, crazy,
'Till we see the sun!"
Taylah grinned as she sung along to 'Live While We're Young' over dramatically, using hand gestures and facial expressions to illustrate the comedic act she was pulling. As she sung the chorus, she stretched her hand out to her partner. Her partner, Lora, laughed, accepting the hand and allowing herself to be pulled into some crazy dance that had no direction.

Taylah lead the girl into a random jig, that, somehow, combined the waltz, jive and samba into one, although the dance really didn't match the song whatsoever. She spun Lora, sending her flying across the garage in a parade of giggles and twirls.
Taylah leaned against the red Cadillac behind her – some of her and Lora's best work so far – smiling softly at her long time girlfriend as the blonde girl danced across their small garage. Taylah admired the way her girlfriend's dusty blonde hair whipped around erratically as she flipped her head around, and the small crinkles that appeared around her mouth as she practically screamed out the lyrics to the famous One Direction song.

"Come on, Tay," Lora finally came to a stop, "we need to get this car finished by Friday, before you have to go to Gotham. Who did you say you had to…" She turned around, only to freeze at the sight of Taylah's loving smile. "What?" She questioned, laughing.

"I love you… So much." Taylah whispered, moving closer to the short girl. Lora blushed.

"I love you too." She replied, gazing lovingly at Taylah.

Taylah exhaled, mentally preparing herself. She'd been planning this single event for over two months now, ever since Dr Harrison Wells called her and requested her help on the particle accelerator. "So… Tonight's the night the particle accelerator starts running, right?" She asked, trying to take her mind off her plans for that night. Lora nodded with a large smile.

Lora was obsessed with the sciencey stuff that Taylah herself had no interest in, despite being one of the main engineers to several 'sciencey stuff' that had lead to a major turn in humanity. Lora had one joked that Taylah should've become the beautician, and Lora the engineer, and at times, Taylah couldn't help but agree. It certainly would've made sense, but Taylah's heart had always resided in mechanics, just as Lora's did with fashion and beauty.

"It's such a shame we can't go," she mused. Taylah nodded, looking down at the floor. She released Lora and walked back to the car, "yeah, a shame…" She murmured to herself.

Taylah and Lora were stood on the roof of their small house, sitting on the small bar table under the veranda, watching the particle accelerator news on Taylah's phone. Well, Lora was watching it. Taylah, on the other hand, was sweating profusely, worrying about her plan, and watching her girlfriends topaz eyes shine with every word that came out of Dr Wells mouth.

"Oh!" Lora cried in excitement, Taylah jumped in surprise. "It's starting up!" She squealed, excitedly jumping slightly. Lora spun around to face Taylah in exhilaration, only to gasp in surprise when she saw her best friend and love on one knee, staring up at her with loving eyes.

"Lora Marie Henry," Taylah started, her voice shaking with nerves, "you and I have been together, not just as a couple, but as friends, for ten years now." Lora brought her hands up to her mouth, her topaz eyes glistening with tears. "I have seen you at your best, and I have loved you in your worst. I want more than anything to see and experience everything again, and again, but this time, with you as my fiancé." Lora sobbed. "Lora Marie, will you marry me?"

"Yes… Yes!" Lora cried, tears streaming down her face. Taylah looked up at her in surprise, "yes?"

"YES!" With the widest grin she could muster, Taylah slid the silver engagement ring onto her girlfriends –no, her fiancés – slim fingers. "It's a bit big…" She murmured to herself, noting that she'd have to fix it. She stood up, only to fall down again when Lora tackled her with a passionate kiss.

"I love you," Lora whispered, pulling away for a second, after having her lips attached to Taylah's for over ten minutes, "so much." Taylah opened her mouth, about to return the sentiment when a distant BANG! caught their attention. They turned their heads in surprise. Taylah's eyes went as wide as a jet engine when she caught sight of the backlash of the explosion heading towards them.

"Lora! Get inside, now!" She shouted, already beginning to pull her lover towards the small hatch leading into their house.

"Taylah! My ring!" Lora yelped, pulling away to rush towards her treasure.

"Lora! Stop! Let's just get inside!" She howled, interrupted by a creaking sound and the splat of raindrops falling onto her ponytail. Taylah froze, and slowly brought her head up to look at the tittering veranda. It was going to fall… Right onto Lora.

"Lora!" She shrieked, sprinting forward. She sprinted as fast as she could, but, out of nowhere, slipped on a puddle that had formed after the veranda began collapsing. A scream fell from her lips as she tripped, falling over the side of to roof and towards the ground. The backlash reached them in that moment, the heavy wave pushing Taylah into the bricks. Taylah felt a mysterious force rip through her, and inhaled, swallowing a large amount of water as the world turned black.

NINE MONTHS LATER…

Taylah was sat in a wheel chair at STAR Labs, smirking as Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' blasted through the cortex, a white, well lit room directly in the middle of STAR Labs. "What are you doing?" Caitlin Snow, a doctor/scientist that had been working with Taylah, demanded, walking over to Cisco Ramon, an engineering scientist.

As Caitlin passed Taylah, she pushed a large frozen coke into her hands. "Thanks, Cait." Taylah whispered. Caitlin nodded to her, continuing her storm over to Cisco, who was standing over another patient, Barry Allen, if Taylah remembered correctly.

When Taylah had been hospitalised nine months ago, after the particle accelerator exploded, STAR Labs had taken her in due to her common and rather erratic fits that often ended in a member of staff being injured. They had tried strapping her down, but that seemed to only encourage the fits to occur. A month into her hospitalisation, Dr Wells had requested her to be taken into STAR Labs. Considering he had already taken in and stabilised another patient they had been unable to stabilise, the hospital had given her over to STAR Labs, where they were able to restrain her properly.

Nobody was sure what had caused the fits, but once Taylah had awoken just two months ago, Caitlin had theorised that perhaps Taylah's body was reacting in a visible way to the stress and medication her body was under. Both Taylah and Caitlin doubted it, but it seemed the most reliable, and only, theory they had. Caitlin and Taylah had quickly strung up a friendship, as Taylah had with Cisco, and had become a regular around the cortex since.

Once Taylah had awoken, her legs were too shaky to support her body, and she'd been stationed in a wheel chair. Thankfully, it wasn't permanent, and only temporary. She would be stuck in her wheel chair for just another few weeks, or until her body showed capabilities that would allow her to stand, walk and run.

When she had heard about Barry Allen, a patient that had been struck by lightning, she had helped Cisco in designing and producing the right equipment to check his vitals and such. It was certainly something new to her; she'd never tried to develop something medical before.

"He likes this song" Cisco smirked.

"How could you possibly know that?" Caitlin retorted.

"I checked his Facebook page. I mean, he can hear everything, right?" Cisco explained, turning his head a big to glance at Caitlin briefly.

Taylah couldn't help but chuckle at the image in front of her, taking a sip of her frozen coke. Two people bent at the waist looming over a coma patient, staring at his face, one eating while doing so, with Lady Gaga playing in the background.

"Auditory functions are the last sensory faculties to degenerate." Caitlin sighed, knowing that her response would only encourage her co-worker.

Cisco grinned, walking away and singing out of tune and time with the actual song, "Can't read my - no he can't read my poker..." Taylah chuckled at her new friends, but her glee was soon revoked as Barry shot up, gasping. Taylah jumped as Cisco squealed "Oh my god!"

Instantly, Caitlin and Cisco rushed into action, running back towards the patient they had looked after for so long.

"Where am I?" Barry asked in confusion, looking around the room. He quickly spotted Taylah and stared at her for the few seconds he was able before his head was being tugged to face Caitlin, who shined a small torch in his eyes, reporting everything.

"He's up." Caitlin cried, rushing over to Barry with her medical equipment as Cisco called out to Dr Wells through the comm. "Dr. Wells, get down to the cortex, like, right now."

"Pulse 120, pupils equally reactive to light." Barry ignored Caitlin, ripping all the cords and patches off his chest, hissing and gasping as he did so. Taylah stayed positioned in her chair, watching the outburst curiously. "Look at me, look at me," Caitlin ordered, trying to get his attention while Cisco tried to reassure the obviously distressed patient.

"Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, relax. Everything's okay, man." At this point, Barry had stood up from the bed, towering over Cisco. "You're at S.T.A.R. Labs." Cisco finished with a small smile.

"S.T.A.R. Labs? Who are you?" Taylah felt a shot of sympathy for Barry, having gone through the exact same conversation two months ago. "I'm Cisco Ramon. Over there's Taylah. And she's Caitlin- Dr. Snow." Cisco introduced, rolling his eyes at Caitlin's introduction. Taylah waved from her position in her chair, her face expressionless. Her façade cracked the moment she heard Caitlin's next, extremely blunt, words.

"I need you to urinate in this."

Taylah snorted. Lora would've died of laughter if she'd heard that. I'll have to tell her when I get home, Taylah distantly thought. All laughter and joy was immediately sucked from her face at that thought. There wouldn't be any telling Lora anything, and she wouldn't be going home. Taylah and Lora's home had been destroyed the night the particle accelerator exploded, all that was left of it was the basement and piles upon piles of rubble, brick and torn furniture, leaving it barely liveable. Not only had Taylah's home been destroyed, so had her love.

Allora Marie Henry had died on December 21st, 2013 at the ripe young age of twenty-five. Her veranda roof had collapsed on her after she'd ran into the fray to find her loose engagement ring after the S.T.A.R Labs particle accelerator exploded. But, for some reason, her fiancé, who had fallen off of the roof, had survived and it was completely destroying Taylah.

Taylah had tried to remain happy, knowing that was all Lora would ever want from her, but it was hard. Taylah and Lora had been friends since they were fourteen and fifteen, and had been dating since Taylah's seventeenth. It had gotten to the point where Taylah didn't even know how to operate without Lora, but she was trying.

Taylah's eyes eyes filled with tears as she snapped herself out of her thoughts, wheeling herself over to the door. She needed to go visit her. She needed to. Rolling out of the room, Taylah nodded respectfully to Dr Wells as she passed him and began the long journey out of S.T.A.R. Labs.

The one thing Taylah hated the most about running your own business, it was the fact that you had to a) do everything yourself and b) wait for someone to request you.

The first thing had never been much of a problem. Lora had always loved helping Taylah in her work. Taylah's girlfriend had had a flair for decorating and could make any seemingly helpless job a successful one simply by adding interior and a good coating. It was thanks to Lora that many of Taylah's jobs actually got through, and Taylah didn't end up penniless.

The second one never used to be a problem, either. Taylah had a job in mechanics, both air and car. She could be hired by anyone, and wouldn't question the buyers motives as long as she and Lora were left out of the buyers business. On more than one occasion, Taylah had found herself working for mobsters and gangs, while simultaneously working for cops and detectives. Her last job before the explosion – and the Cadillac – had been a Cessna plane for the Mardon brothers, while the Cadillac had been for a regular client, Pamela Isley. Taylah had connections all over America, and was often overloaded in work. However, after her accident, the work had slowly stopped filing in.

Ever since she'd woken up two months ago, Taylah had been jobless. Well, until recently, that is. Taylah had very recently gotten a job at S.T.A.R Labs, as their new mechanic. The workload was extremely light compared to what she was used to, and she breezed through all the obstacles. Cisco and Caitlin found it hard to adjust to her new presence, not as a patient, but as a co-worker, but quickly found her services useful.

The good thing about working at S.T.A.R Labs, just as a mechanic, was that she never had specific work times. The schedule was pretty much just 'arrive before noon, and leave before midnight' which meant Taylah had plenty of time to herself. That, however, is when things got bad. Taylah had always struggled when she was left alone for long periods of time. Now, she was almost constantly alone. It left her mind thinking, racing through thought after thought, and the outcome was never good.

Little did she know, that soon all her time alone was going to come to an end.

'Taylah, I need your help building something for Barry. Could you get to S.T.A.R Labs within 20 minutes? – Cisco'

Taylah sat inside the S.T.A.R Labs van, helping Barry into the suit she and Cisco had quickly whipped up. Cisco had designed and planned what would need to be included into the suit, while Taylah had built them. The suit wasn't designed so much for fashion, and rather monitoring Barry's vitals and speed.

Taylah was very sceptical when it came to Barry's speed. There was just no way that a human being could run as fast, or faster, than a car. Yes, there had been instances where it had been proven almost plausible, but it hadn't been scientifically proven yet. She knew that Lora would've been all for it, she would've been jumping for joy and hammering Barry with questions even without proof.

Taylah paused in her job of zipping the back of Barry's suit up. Barry glanced over at her. "Taylah… Are you okay?" He asked softly, glancing over her face. She'd gone from smirking at Barry's suit to a steep frown that didn't seem to be fading anytime soon. Taylah looked up at Barry through her lashes, her brown eyes shining with stubbornly unshed tears.

Not even thinking, Barry bent down on his knees and wrapped Taylah up in his arms. Taylah froze, her face turning red in embarrassment. After a few seconds, Taylah hesitantly returned the hug. The tears began falling and she buried her face in Barry's shoulder. Barry knew he should've pulled away by now, but at the same time, he knew that Taylah probably needed the hug.

After she had consoled herself, Taylah pulled away, wiping her tears. "Thank you, Barry," she murmured, "I haven't been hugged in awhile." Barry lent against the table behinds him, looking at Taylah in concern.

"What do you mean, you haven't been hugged in awhile?" He asked, his voice filled with friendly concern.

Taylah took a deep breath. Was she really going to tell him – a stranger she'd just met – about something she hadn't even told Caitlin, who'd gone though something similar?

Yes, she was.

"The night the particle accelerator exploded, my girlfriend and I" Barry's eyebrows rose at the term 'girlfriend and I' but he didn't say anything, "were on the roof, watching the news on my phone. Since she was just in love with science, I-I," Taylah took a deep breath, mentally and physically preparing herself to say it, "I proposed to her."

Taylah looked up at Barry, expecting to see judgement in his eyes, but instead saw a warmth in them. "She said yes." Taylah let out a watery laugh, looking down, and a large smile grew over Barry's face.

"But…" Taylah's expression grew sad again, as did Barry's when he heard that there was an extra part to the tale, "the ring was loose… And she ran after it when it fell off… The veranda… It collapsed on her… I fell off the roof… Why didn't she survive, Barry? Why did I survive, and not her?!"

Taylah glanced back up at Barry again, only to see him gazing down at her, tears in his eyes.

"Taylah… I can't tell you why, or how you lived, but… Your girlfriend-fiancé, I mean... She is looking over you, and she's proud." Taylah stared into Barry's green eyes. Proud? What on earth did Lora have to be proud of when it came to her? As if hearing Taylah's thought, Barry continued, "Because, despite all you've been through, you're still fighting, and you're still smiling… And if that's not something to be proud of… I don't know what is."

Taylah sniffled, and a small smile found its way onto her face. "Barry Allen, I can not thank you enough." Barry smiled back at her.

Taylah quickly spun Barry around and zipped the back of the suit up. "Okay… All you need to do is the shoes, helmet and goggles. I trust you don't need my help with them." Taylah smiled at him, Barry returned it with a laugh.

"No, I don't think so."

Sending Barry a final smile, Taylah exited the van, feeling the most refreshed she had since she woke up.

"You don't really believe he can run that fast, do you?" Caitlin asked Dr Wells as Taylah stepped out of the van.

Dr Wells shrugged, replying, "Well, I believe anything is possible, and in a few minutes, maybe you will too."

Cisco walked up to the van, calling into it, "How does it fit?" Taylah snorts, knowing the answer to the question.

Barry stepped out, looking ridiculous in his temporary suit. "It's a little snug." He reported, incredulously.

Cisco grinned up at Barry, holding in a heavy laugh, "At least you will be moving so fast no one will see you."

Cisco began leading Barry over to the runner starting blocks, explaining as they walked, "see, you thought the world was slowing down. It wasn't. You were moving so fast it only looked like everyone else was standing still."

Cisco came to a stop, gesturing behind him at Dr Wells and Caitlin, "Dr. Wells will be monitoring your energy output, and Caitlin, your vitals."

Taylah grabbed a measuring tape from the table and rolled over to Barry, in time to head him ask, "what do you and Taylah do?"

Cisco stepped around in front of Barry, saying smugly "I make the toys, my man." Taylah came up behind him and coughed. Cisco froze. "I mean… I design the toys… Taylah made them." He looked behind him to see Taylah smirking in amusement.

Sighing in relief, Cisco's smile returned as he began explaining.

"Check it. This is a two-way headset with a camera I modified." Barry looked at him in sligh disbelief as Taylah began measuring his waist, calves, legs, feet, arms and anything else she could reach and writing them down. "Yes, me this time. Typically designed to combat battlefield impulse noise, or in your case, potential sonic booms, which would be awesome." Cisco took Barry's helmet off, and pushed Taylah back to the set up they had.

"What was with the measuring?" Cisco asked Taylah curiously.

Taylah looked at Cisco slyly. "I figured, we could make Speedy Gonzales over there another suit, one that actually fits this time." Cisco matched her expression. Dr Wells chuckled from where he was seated.

"Mr. Allen, while I am extremely eager to determine your full range of abilities, I do caution restraint." Dr Wells advised. Barry nodded, seemingly agreeing, "Yeah."

Cisco went up behind Barry, holding a speed tracker in his hand. Dr Wells put his sunglasses on. Taylah held the blue prints for the technology of the current suit in her hands, and quickly began readjusting it according to certain aspects that had come into light with Barry's speed.

Of course, she was only redesigning the mechanical aspect, Taylah never could design interior or exterior very well, that was always Lora's job. Taylah slowly put the papers down as she remembered something Lora had designed, something in their basement that could be useful.

Tears began the fill Taylah's eyes for a second time that day. Lora… she thought, looking down. She was torn out of her thoughts as her wheel chair was forced forwards. Frantically pushing herself to turn around, Taylah stared in shock at the speeding red streak that was Barry Allen.

"He just passed 200 Miles per hour." Cisco informed everyone.

Taylah stared ahead in shock and disbelief. You were right Lora… You always were… Taylah thought, regret filling her as she thought of all the times she'd laughed at Lora's crazy theory's, never once even thinking they were true. And they were…

"It's not possible." Caitlin whispered behind Taylah in shock.

"Apparently it is…" Taylah murmured. Taylah screamed as Barry ran into a large group of barrels at the end of the runway, a large spray of liquids shooting high into the air. Caitlin began running towards Barry, despite her heels. Cisco and Taylah shared a desperate glance, the brunette boy quickly lifting Taylah and Dr Wells into the van and driving towards the injured Barry.

While Caitlin helped Barry with his fractured wrist, Cisco and Taylah were in Cisco's lab, facing each other with a small range between them. "Are you sure you're ready?" Cisco asked worriedly. Taylah exhaled nervously, nodding slowly.

Taking a deep breath, Taylah pushed herself up, off her wheelchair, her legs shaking, and took a tentative step forward. Cisco immediately stood up and rushed forward, staring in amazement at Taylah's hobbling steps. Taylah managed to get five steps forward before she fell forward, right into Cisco's arms.

Cisco was staring at her in awe. "That was awesome, Tay."

Taylah raised an eyebrow, "Tay?" She asked, panting.

Cisco grimaced apologetically, "sorry, I just like giving people nicknames." Taylah gave a small smile.

"It's okay, Cisco," was all she said, but a small weight yanked at her heart.

Tay.

She hadn't heard that name in awhile, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it again too soon. It was Lora's nickname for her. Should she tell Cisco not to call her that? Looking over at Cisco, she knew she wouldn't have to. The intelligent man could tell that the nickname caused Taylah pain, and wouldn't call her that again.

"Hey, Cisco… I'll see you again in a couple hours, I just need to pick something up." Cisco nodded and gently placed Taylah back into her seat. Cisco grabbed Barry's helmet off the table, glancing over it and muttering under his breath. The two headed towards the cortex together, a comfortable silence between them. As they drifted past the cortex, Cisco entering, Taylah could hear Barry's voice and she stopped just past the door to listen in.

"When I was 11, my mother was murdered." Taylah held a hand to her mouth in shock. "It was late. A sound woke me up. I came downstairs and... I saw what looked like a ball of lightning. Inside the lightning, there was a man. He killed my mom." Barry said in such conviction, Taylah immediately believed him. "They arrested my dad. He's still sitting in Iron Heights for her murder. Everyone, the cops, the shrinks, they all told me what I saw was impossible. But what if the man who killed my mom was like me?"

Taylah sighed sadly and wheeled herself out of S.T.A.R Labs, intent on heading to the only place she would ever properly call home and knowing that Dr Wells would make sure Barry was okay, mentally and physically.

Taylah rolled off the bus, calling a thanks to the driver as she did so. Thankfully, the walk wasn't too far and Taylah was able to push herself the whole way without too much trouble. Soon the road turned to rocky gravel and Taylah struggled to push herself any further. Sighing, she paused, resting her tired arms.

Exhaling, she pushed herself up, and scrambled to the back of the wheelchair. Huffing erratically, she took a few steps forward, pushing the wheelchair simultaneously. She managed, somehow, to do this long enough to reach the driveway. As soon as the gravel returned to the smooth road, she fell forward into her wheelchair, face planting. She stood back up and climbed over to sit in the chair in relief.

'I'll have to get Cisco to make me some crutches', Taylah thought off handedly, knowing she was ready for the tool. Wheeling herself closer to her home, a few tears made its way into her eyes. She'd been living in her basement for the past two months, but had, more often than not, stayed with Cisco and Caitlin in their homes, and at one point in S.T.A.R Labs itself.

Pulling heavily on the basement doors, Taylah quickly wheeled back when they flew open. Thankfully, Lora was never a fan of stairs, and had insisted on a ramp leading into their basement rather than stairs. Taylah slowly rolled down the ramp, turning the light on as she went.

The rather large basement was illuminated. The basement used to be Lora's office, rather than a storage place. There were nail polishes lined up on the wall, a large make up cabinet beside the bookshelf of nail polishes, and hair equipment such as hair dryers, blow dryers, straighteners, curlers and brushes in the large tray beside it.

Going over to Lora's mahogany desk, Taylah brushed her fingers over it, reminiscing of the time when she was used as a test dummy for Taylah's experiments with make up. As the tears dripped down her face onto the desk, a strangled smile appeared onto Taylah's face. She remembered grimacing as she stared into the mirror at the red hair that Lora had forced her into when she was in university for hairdressing. She remembered feeling her face in awe as she mulled over the massive transformation Lora had achieve in a single make over. She remembered laughing with Lora as they were seated at that very desk, eating after Chinese food a long day at university, just after they'd moved in.

Opening the top drawer, Taylah reached in and brought out the sheets of paper illustrating the perfect gift for Barry, and the newest project for she and Cisco.

She didn't go to S.T.A.R Labs that night, instead sending the designs to Cisco via fax while they emailed back and forth over ideas. By ten o'clock that night, Cisco and Taylah had planned everything to precision, and Taylah had began working on creating the equipment needed to watch over Barry's vitals, using the finished blue prints Cisco had faxed.

As she rolled into S.T.A.R Labs the following day, she wasn't surprised to see Cisco hopping excitedly from foot to foot near the entrance. Upon seeing his blonde friend, Cisco's eyes lit up.

''Do you have it?'' He asked, sprinting over to Taylah. Taylah nodded with a small smile and held up the bag containing all the equipment she had managed to create the previous night. Cisco squealed, and ran forward to grab it excitedly, before freezing in place.

''Wait - how did you get this done in a night?''

Taylah shrugged.

''Taylah Rosa, you did not stay up all night making these did you?'' Taylah didn't answer, and made her way past Cisco towards the boys lab, where she knew the almost completed suit would reside.

Almost three hours later, Taylah was in the cortex with Caitlin, Cisco and Barry. Apparently, while Taylah was visiting her fiancé's empty grave, Barry had found and fought another meta-human, as Cisco had been calling them over their emails the previous night. It had not gone well. The meta successfully murdered a bystander when he sent the man's car flying, and was using his powers over weather to rob banks. Barry had been distraught and came to S.T.A.R Labs, trying to get Dr Wells to take responsibility for his mistakes, only to be told;

''You're not a hero. You are just a young man who was struck by lightning.'' by the man.

''I've been going over unsolved cases from the past nine months, and there's been a sharp increase in unexplained deaths and missing people. Your meta-humans have been busy.'' Barry explained, the evidence spread out on the table in front of them.

''Now, I'm not blaming you. I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. I know you all lost something.'' He glanced over at Caitlin, then Taylah, who put her head down, biting her lip as she tried to hold back tears. ''But I need your help to catch Mardon and anyone else out there like him. But I can't do it without you.''

The room was silent for a moment, before Cisco spoke up. ''If we're gonna do this, I have something that might help.'' Taylah's head shot up, her eyes widened to their ridiculous size. He wasn't?... ''Something Taylah and I recently created.'' Apparently, he was. Caitlin turned to look over at Taylah with wide eyes. She didn't know Taylah and Cisco were working on something.

''Designed to replace the turnouts firefighters traditionally wear. I thought if S.T.A.R. Labs could do something nice for the community, maybe people wouldn't be so angry at Dr. Wells anymore. I admit though, we modified it according to your speed.'' Barry shot Cisco a questioning look, tearing his eyes from the suit in front of him.

''Taylah got your measurements and I adjusted the suit. She sent some designs over that I used to change the suit from a firefighter's suit, to a hero's. Taylah spent all night last night,'' Barry whipped his head around towards Taylah, who sent a struggling smile, ''creating the same mechanisms we used in your other suit, but small, subtler. Less for testing, more for… action, I guess.'' Cisco explained.

Barry looked between the two of them, inquiring, ''How is it going to help me?''

A grin took over Cisco's face and a small smile spread across Taylah's as Cisco explained, ''It's made of a reinforced tri-polymer. It's heat and abrasive resistant, so it should withstand your moving at high-velocity speeds, if not, Taylah sent me some back up materials, I haven't applied them yet, but I will if I need to.

''And the aerodynamic design should help you maintain control – '' Taylah abruptly interrupted, ''The aerodynamic part of the suit is curtesy of Lora.'' Cisco and Caitlin sent her a look of confusion, but Barry nodded, a gentle smile crossing his face. Cisco shook his head, ''plus, it has built-in sensors – curtesy of Taylah – so we can track your vitals and stay in contact with you from here.''

''Thanks.'' Barry sent the two a huge smile. Cisco returned it, but Taylah merely nodded in return, a stoic expression on her face. ''Now how do we find Mardon?''

Caitlin quickly took control, reporting ''I re-tasked S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to track meteorological abnormalities over Central City. We just got a ping. Atmospheric pressure dropped 20 millibars in a matter of seconds. I've tracked it to a farm just west of the city.''

Barry nodded and sprinted over to the suit. ''Oi, Allen,'' Barry paused and faced Taylah. Taylah looked at him emotionlessly, before a small smirk overcame her face, ''I hope you don't need my help getting into that suit.'' Barry laughed loudly, a huge grin on his face before he pulled the suit on and vanished out of the cortex.

''Barry! Barry! This thing's getting closer. Wind speeds are 200 Miles-per-hour and increasing. Barry, can you hear me?'' Cisco interrogated. Caitlin was watching over Barry's vitals while Taylah was sat in front of one of the side computers that was rarely used, quickly bringing up as much security footage and as many maps as she could.

''Yeah. Loud and clear.'' Barry's voice rang from the speakers, along with the sound of fierce winds. Taylah reached over and took a sip from the large glass of icy water she'd gotten just after Barry left. Instantly feeling refreshed and energised, she got back into work.

''If it keeps up, this could become an F-5 tornado.'' Cisco warned.

''But it's headed towards the city. How do I stop it? Guys?'' The room was completely silent as all three tried to think of an answer. ''What if I unravel it?'' Barry suddenly inquired.

''How the hell are you going to do that?'' Caitlin asked, worry shining through her voice. Taylah bit her lip, worriedly scanning through tornado research. In the moment, she felt as fast a Barry, speeding through fact after fact to help the two-no, three geniuses in finding a solution.

''I'll run around it in the opposite direction, cut off its legs.''

''It'd work,'' Taylah spoke up, drawing Caitlin ad Cisco's attention towards her, ''but an F-5 tornado is estimated, at the most, 360 miles per hour. I may not know about weather, or wind patterns or whatever else,'' she turned and looked at the two of them, ''he'd have to go faster than that.''

Cisco nodded, ''700 miles per hour, probably.'' Caitlin looked worried.

''Your body may not be able to handle those speeds. You'll die.''

Barry ignored her words, ''I have to try.''

''The suit's holding up.'' Cisco chuckled, high fiving Taylah.

''But he's not.'' Caitlin retorted.

''He can do it. I know he can do it.'' Cisco replied confidently.

''It's too strong!'' Barry shouted through the speakers. Taylah bit her lip again, and turner her head to face Dr Wells, who'd snuck into the room. ''Dr Wells. I'm going to go do damage control, make sure there's no evidence of Barry Allen being there at all.'' Dr Wells nodded and drifted up to the microphone next to the computer as Taylah left the building, her glass of water still clutched in her hand.

''You can do this, Barry. You were right. I am responsible for all of this. So many people have been hurt because of me, and when I looked at you, all I saw was another potential victim of my hubris. And yes, I created this madness, but you, Barry, you can stop it. You can do this. Now run, Barry, run!'' Taylah heard Dr Wells voice echo down the halls and felt a small smile flitter across her face.

Taylah rolled onto the crime scene, knowing she had but minutes before authorities came. Gazing around the scene, her eyes were immediately drawn to the dead body lying on the floor. Reaching down, she pressed her fingers into his neck, feeling for a pulse. Her heart shattered in her chest when she realised there wasn't one.

She strolled up to Barry, who was kneeling in the dirt with a cop, and called, ''Allen! We have to get you back to S.T.A.R Labs and get you changed, you know, so you can come back here for work.'' Barry nodded, said goodbye to the cop and jogged over to Taylah.

The two made their way back to the cab. ''Why'd you come here?'' Barry asked curiously, helping Taylah into the taxi.

Taylah sent him a small smirk. ''Damage control.'' Barry laughed. ''That wasn't all. The meta-human… he was shot, right?'' Barry nodded, a sad expression on his face.

''He may have been a killer and a thief, but…'' Barry looked over at Taylah, conviction in his eyes, ''he didn't deserve to die.'' Taylah nodded, feeling happy over Barry's revelation. He was heavily tainted by death, and still recognised the potential of life.

''What was the other thing you were here for?'' Barry inquired. Taylah looked down.

''My house is just next door.'' She gestured with her head towards the sight of a long gravel driveway that disappeared behind some trees. '' I wanted to make sure it was okay.'' Barry nodded in understanding sending Taylah a smile.

''Let's get you home then!'' Barry smiled, and began pushing Taylah. Taylah gave a small shriek as she was pushed unexpectedly towards their house.

Taylah stopped Barry just before he could get past the trees and sent him a smile. ''Here's good, thanks Barry.'' Barry gave her a final smile before speeding off to his home to get changed. Taylah kept the smile on until Barry was long gone, before the expression dropped and a look of deep sadness coated her face.

Sighing, Taylah began pushing herself towards her rubble of a home. She knew it wasn't exactly liveable, and if Barry knew, he would've convinced her to go somewhere else, by Taylah stayed. The whole area reminded her of Lora. At first, it had been awful, and Taylah wanted nothing more than to move houses, but now… she knew she could never leave it behind.