A/N: Thanks for reading, reviews, follows, and faves. Hope you enjoy chapter 3. Have a great night!
"NOOOOOO…BARRY…RUNNNNN," Iris said! A distorted murky image stood in the distance working its magic to bind the speed force. She never knew that such a thing could exist, and yet she was rendered powerless, again. She watched as Zoom chased Barry down at human speed. Zoom swung and hit Barry with the pipe he was carrying sending him to the ground. The shady figure began to slowly walk closer and closer. She closed her eyes prepared for what was to come. She felt the oddly familiar hands releasing her shackles. "Open your eyes Iris. You can do this. You're strong. Don't go down without a fight," she said. When her eyes finally opened she was no longer trapped there.
Her body forcefully leapt upright into a sitting position jarring her awake. With the nightmare still fresh in her mind, she got out of bed pacing the floor. What could it all possibly mean? She thought. It felt all too real. Peering over at her digital alarm clock she saw that it was 4 a.m. She had some time to kill before she was to meet up with the team. Knowing she wouldn't get answers from the four walls, she headed for the shower. Barry never left her thoughts as she dressed for the day. A tasty breakfast is what she needed to get her mind off her failures. She had been living off Cisco's meal bars to keep her strength up. Every time she tried to eat for enjoyment she thought of the treatment Barry could be undergoing and decided to abstain.
She cooked a full breakfast complete with 3 types of bacon, 2 types of sausage, eggs, grits, waffles and pancakes, and fruit salad. When she was done her mind immediately went back to stressing over how she would get Barry back. "Barry would love this," she said. She caught movement through the corner of her eye. Her dad walked directly out the front door without as much as a backwards glance. She decided to wake Wally, so that she would have someone to eat with. She sped up the stairs and down the hall to find an empty room. "Guess he didn't come home last night," she complained. Frustrated, she packed up breakfast speeding over to S.T.A.R. Labs to get some practice in.
Dark clouds covered the bright sun casting a gloomy shadow over Central City. The streets were robbed of their neatly manicured landscape in favor of trash, graffiti, and gangs. Losing the flash had robbed people of the hope they once had, and Iris felt it was her responsibility to restore it. With the help of Cisco and Dr. Wells she had been working diligently at increasing her speed, helping that in need, and searching for Zoom. Cisco had been trying to Vibe Zoom or Barry, yet for weeks there was no sign.
They were running through their routine drills when that all changed. Iris ran laps around the huge field on the backside of S.T.A.R. Labs She kicked into high gear catapulting her speed to 515 mph. As the wind whipped around her the speed force protected her from the elements. While everyone saw a blur or streak it was as if everything around her moved in slow motion. It was then she noticed Cisco's distant expression. He was catatonic as his dazed expression held perfectly still in the distance. She slowed her speed stopping face to face with him.
His sharp inhale of breath announced his presence back from his distant world. "I saw him," Cisco said in a panic. Iris grabbed his flailing arms trying to still his flabbergasted state. He was starting to hyperventilate as his eyes spread wide and glossed over.
"What is it Cisco? What did you see?" Dr. Wells asked.
He audibly exhaled before giving his answer, "ZOOOOM! He's coming and he has…" He reluctantly stopped his speech giving Iris a look of apprehension. When she nodded signaling him to continue, he spoke with added confidence. "Barry is badly hurt, Iris. Zoom has gotten word that another speedster is in Central city, and he's coming to collect. We have to be ready," Cisco said. He ran inside preparing an arsenal of weapons to defeat Zoom. "We need more than just speed to defeat him," he offered as explanation.
Iris sped off to collect her dad; he needed to be a part of the plan to get Barry back or he would never forgive himself. By the time she returned, Wells and Cisco had assembled a plethora of weaponry. Her blurry form rushed in toting a surprised and upset Joe into S.T.A.R. Labs. "Unhand me woman," Joe said. He was a little peeved that Iris had powers and even more upset on how she planned to use them. He told her in no uncertain terms that she should leave the saving to him, but she refused to listen.
"Enough, I get that you are upset…I really do, but this isn't about me anymore. Cisco vibed and it wasn't good. Barry is hurt and Zoom is on his way. Regardless of how you feel, we need to act now," she explained. They spent several minutes brain storming before Zoom sped into S.T.A.R. Labs. Armed with a similar version of the cold gun and fire arms Cisco, Joe, and Wells geared up for the attack.
"Who is the new speedster?" Zoom asked.
"Where is Barry?" Iris countered.
He sped off before returning promptly with a battered Barry. His body was limp and marked with dark purple swatches. Iris sped over grabbing Barry and speeding him to safety behind the trapped door. Her return was prompt as she had every intention of making Zoom pay for the abuse done to Barry.
"It's you! This will be simple as taking candy from a baby!" Zoom chided. He sped past disarming Cisco, Joe, and Dr. Wells one by one with little effort. Not one bullet had dared to graze his suit. He gave them a pitying laugh letting them know he was enjoying this. "When I am done with her, I'll watch as you drain the speed from her pathetic body," he said directing his message to Wells.
Iris ran full force throwing a lightning bolt at Zoom. He zigged escaping the blast speeding forward landing a punch in Irises gut. He taunted Iris with laughter as he landed several blows against her inexperienced body. Joe charged Zoom landing punches at his back. Unfazed Zoom turned around pushing him into the control panel. Iris sent another jolt of lightning, and this time it connected with Zoom's chest. The surprise jolt sent him reeling back through the glass divider. He was sprawled unconscious on the floor.
A stumbling Barry came half walking, half crawling back into the thick of things. Iris sped over to him holding him upright. Barry grabbed her around the waist kissing her frantically on the lips. "Uh, you wanna do that when we're not about to die," Cisco said. Just as the words left his lips Zoom sprang to life holstering Iris up by the neck.
"Now, I want your speed," Zoom said.
The team charged at Zoom with Cisco at the head. Zoom landed a punishing blow to Cisco's chest sending him back into the wall. An unexplainable energy surged through him causing his hands to clinch into fists. He focused all his thoughts and rage towards the enemy with a clear message etched in his mind, "STOP ZOOM." His mind honed that message, fueling it with energy, sending it out in the form of vibrations. He watched as Zoom tried to speed away only to stumble. Cisco stalked forward with intentions of assisting Iris, only to realize she didn't need help.
She punched Zoom in the throat sending him falling on his back. He was out, but Iris gave him a few kicks for good measure before throwing a computer monitor onto his legs. She began kicking again. "HOW. DARE. YOU. HURT. THE. MAN. I. LOVE?" She asked to an unconscious Zoom. With every kick she felt her speed returning.
"Iris…IRIS," Barry shouted! "Look at me," he said! I'm alright Iris," he explained wiping the tears from her eyes. He pulled her close into a searing kiss. The feeling of being home after a long sullen journey through the desert overtook them both causing them to lose themselves in the magic. The taste, touch, and feel of each other were like nothing they had experienced before. Electricity shot through every nerve ending connected to one another with a fierce intensity. They didn't want to let each other go. They would never let each other go. They were lost in their own little bubble drowning in a sea of pleasure. The world was lost to them until Joe cleared his throat effectively breaking them apart. They gazed into each other eyes seeking comfort for their embarrassment.
"How are you looking well so quickly?" Iris asked.
"I don't know," Barry offered as explanation. He held her in his arms as they watched Zoom's body being escorted to the pipeline prison. They turned staring into each other's eyes. The moment would be perfect except it was missing one thing. Their perfect confession of love was stolen from them by Zoom, and now was their chance to get it back. "Barry I love-" her words were cut off as she collapsed into his arms.
