One of these days I won't wake up in complete, blinding pain.
Today... is not that day.
A strangled moan of pain pierces the previously peaceful air. Immediately a light, curious pressure is placed on my side. No matter how light it is, a shot of stabbing needles shoots through my side. Another moan causes the pressure to release.
"I don't get it," a woman says, "the frost bite is gone. What's happening?"
I force my eyes open, taking in the laboratory/hospital room. Each wall is lined with bottles and beakers, different colored liquids in each with a few bubbles. My eyes fall to the two Daleks standing across the room, where Snow and Oswin appear to be sleeping. The Daleks don't have any sound to show they're alive or any vital signs, so I have to assume they're fine.
Next, my eyes land on a woman with her hair pulled back, studying something on a clipboard before looking up at me. Her white lab coat hangs loosely around her, hiding the tight leather outfit that the frosty woman wore when we first arrived.
The man behind her has a large blue sweatshirt and sweatpants. Currently he is biting his thumb, I notice. A nervous habit? A hangnail, maybe?
The two look at each other. The man nods his head as he takes a seat beside me.
"My name," he begins, "is Barry Allen. I'm-"
"The Flash." I finish dryly.
Barry raises his eyebrows in surprise. "How did you-?"
I scoff as I turn my head towards the ceiling. "Please, honey, a body like that and your skin-tight suit... You have no secrets." Using my arms, I attempt to raise myself up.
A breeze pushes my hair around my face as Barry rushes to help me. If he wasn't so flustered at my previous comment, I'd almost laugh at his flushed face.
After I adjust, I grab his hand before he moves away. "I wasn't checking you out, or anything, I just noticed is all." I gently pull him closer. Glancing behind him to the other woman. I tell him. "And I'm not the only one."
Now I laugh. My laugh is loud and full. It also makes me lightly touch my side. Barry blushes lightly before he moves away from me. His chocolate brown eyes study me before he turns.
"How is the frost gone?" I ask.
Barry runs his hand through his hair. "I, um, I phased the frost off you. Phasing is when I vibrate at a certain frequency, so it was like moving to warm you up. Phasing your side managed to shake Killer Frost's blast from you."
I take a deep breath. "Right, and now I'm just dealing with soreness. Fair enough."
My face twists as I turn my side, working the soreness. Instead of screaming in plain, like I really want to, I control my breathing.
Slowly, the Dalek blood in my veins works to help me. In the past year that I've been with the Daleks I've noticed that their DNA and mine have merged to help advance my health. Somehow, not fully sure how, it's also helped keep me from aging. Red says that it's because Daleks are hundreds of years old, so being the Empress I have to last that long.
But I don't know. I think- I hope- that Red wants to be with me forever.
That would be cute.
Pushing the covers off of my lower body, I swing my feet around to the cool ground. The shock of the cool concrete floor sends a refreshing shock to my body. It's enough for me to wake up fully... and realize I'm not wearing pants.
Glancing up, I watch in smug surprise as Barry moves away from me as if I burned him the same time the door bursts open to reveal another lady with light brown skin and a very ticked off posé.
Her entire demeanor is surprisingly calm. Her hair falls around her shoulders as her business suit from before is replaced by a Star Labs shirt and jeans. She must be trying to match Barry. How cute.
A man with long black hair in a "Big Bang Theory" shirt goes straight to Snowball's exterior. Lightly, he taps her, as if seeing if a wall is hallow. He quickly withdraws his hand when Snow's exterior burns him.
"Hi, uh, excuse me, Miss Metal Thing?" The man looked slightly agitated, but mainly nervous. "The information you gave me doesn't exist."
Snowball springs to life as she raises her eyes talk, her eye zeroing in on the man. "EX-PLAIN!"
The entire group takes one step back.
Pushing off of the bed, my feet try desperately to support me. Barry rushes over, his arms wrapping around to catch me.
For a moment, we lock eyes. I know he is with one of these ladies. He's too cute not to be. Still...
"Cisco," Barry says over his shoulder, "what's going on?"
My feet finally lay flat on the ground, allowing me to stand fully. "Skaro is maybe lightyears away. I know that to you it may not exist, but I don't need you to reach Skaro."
The man, Cisco, blinks at me as he glances to Barry and the others nervously. "You- You don't?"
I shake my head. "No, I need you to reach my husband. He should be tracking where our ship exploded. I believe that should be somewhere along the outer solar system."
Testing my footing again, I realize that I'm still clinging to Barry. I clear my throat as I unwrap my arms from around his neck. If Red finds out that Barry has been this close to me, even to help... Barry will be exterminated, to say the least.
Cisco looks to another man, who is sipping a small cup of coffee. "Come help."
The man with the coffee glanced up before shrugging. As the two leave, another girl comes in the room.
I groan as I lift one foot at a time to rotate my ankles, a loud pop coming from each of them. I slowly walk to Oswin. Tapping her exterior, she springs to life.
"Ossie," I wince as my feet begin to remember the aching that standing brings, "did you figure out the watches? Do they work now?"
If Oswin was in her human form, she would probably stare at me wide eyed. Now she just lowered her eye stalk in nervousness.
I tap her shell again, nodding. "Cisco," I call as I turn around. The two from before pop their heads back in the room. "Or somebody who is techy. We have watches that help us change form. Oswin and Snowball have-"
Cisco starts laughing. His entire face lights up as he clutches the door frame as he laughs. Through tears he asks, "Snowball? One of your names is Snowball?"
I glare at him. As if sensing that I'm becoming agitated, Snowball moves towards Cisco threateningly. I continue to let her move to Cisco until she is directly in his face.
Should I pull her back? Probably.
Will I? Nope.
"As I was saying," I continue," Oswin and Snowball have a watch that turns them human. I have one that turn my surroundings into a Dalek."
Barry looks around as he sheepishly raises his hand. His baggy sweatshirt reminds me of all the ones I used to wear on lazy days back at my first home. Sweatshirts, shorts, and a large comforter blanket with a book would always make me feel better. Barry reminds me of those days.
"Uh," he asks, "What's a Dalek?"
A smirk forms on my lips as I lean against Oswin. "They are. The Daleks are a very large race from Skaro. What you see now is one of their forms."
"And you're their... Queen?"
I consider that for a moment. I've never been able to tell the difference between an Empress and a Queen, so I tilt my head to the side and nod. "Yeah, I guess."
"Is this one of your forms?" Asks the doctor from before.
I shake my head. "Nope, I'm human. I have Dalek DNA, though, which is the reason for the purple skin."
Barry looks to the others again the same time an alarm blares from overhead. The group looks at each other once more before they each rush off to change. I notice streaks of red and purple that bring a large gust of wind.
Barry comes back in his red suit.
Thinking of Red makes my heart clench. I don't even know if he can find me. How am I supposed to find him to tell him I'm ok? No doubt that he has probably destroyed the other group we were facing by now. The war was going well until my ship exploded, that probably sent Red into a painic.
I rub my eyes as I hobble along to where everyone is gathering.
"Iris?" Barry asks expectantly.
Barry isn't the only one that changed. The greeting party that met us the night before is back now. I don't know where they have to go, but the angry woman from before- Iris, apparently- rattles off the name "Cicada" along with some street names.
Suddenly, the blue void from hours earlier appears. Before I can ask what is happening, the group jumps into the void.
