A/N: Wow, thanks so much for the incredible comments, I wish I knew a better, stronger word than 'Thank you' to say how much I appreciate it. I would just come and hug each and eveyrone of you if I could. Thanks a lot!


''Move out of the way.'' Ordered Caitlin, sprinting in the medical bay, pushing Oliver away without a single thought and acquiring all the space she needed to work.

Analyzing the situation by looking at her patient and the monitors, she almost instantly prepared her plan of action; the speedster was breathing again, against all odds, but he was now choking on his breathing tube. The tube and the ventilator needed to get removed, now!

''Cisco, help me!'' She screamed behind her, seeing her friend rushing passed the Green Arrow, brushing the much taller man's side as he ran inside the room, ready to save his friend's life. He wasn't even in the room yet that the doctor had already shifted her attention back to her patient, leaning over him 'til her face was filling the sick speedster's field of vision.

''Barry, can you hear me? Can you understand what I'm saying? You need to calm down.''

Green eyes looked straight at her, rapidly blinking as the heart monitor showed vitals that were quickly approaching the danger zone, the heart attack danger zone. At least, he seemed to acknowledge her presence, but he was still badly struggling to breath with the medical equipment in his throat.

''Barry, listen to me, I'll take the breathing tube out in a moment and you need to cough as hard as you can when I'll do. Do you understand? Squeeze my hand if you can.''

Inserting her fingers in his inert hand, she waited for a couple of anxious seconds…nothing. Nothing happened while the poor speedster looked like he was about to lose consciousness, his struggle getting weaker by the moment. Going into full doctor mode, pushing all emotions aside, she turned at Cisco.

''We'll need to time it with his coughing. You ready?''

Cisco nervously nodded, grabbing his hands together in an attempt to keep them from shaking as the doctor put herself into position, looking up at her friend who positioned himself on the other side of the patient.

''Alright, 3, 2,1…Now!'' Instructed Caitlin the second Barry was preparing for another coughing fit.

In one switch move, Caitlin and Cisco took the tube out under the anxious eyes of Felicity, Oliver and Iris in the cortex, watching every single action being taken, holding their breath. As soon as the medical equipment was out, Barry's head rolled to his side, only to be stabilized by Cisco as Caitlin replaced the tube with an oxygen mask, carefully looking at the monitors.

''How is he?'' Asked Cisco after many tensed seconds.

''Better.'' Answered Caitlin, smiling in relief, hearing the rest of the group letting out the collective breath they had been holding. An hour ago, she was getting ready to prepare a funeral and now, hope was there.

As Caitlin stepped outside the room and straight to the waiting group, it was the moment Joe and Wally chose to come back with the lunch and coffee, stopping in fear at the sight of the gathering just outside the young man's room.

''What's going on?'' Asked Wally. ''Is Barry…?'' He added, trying to take a peek inside the med bay.

''He's still very, very weak and he's not out of the danger zone just yet.'' Started Caitlin, trying to hold up her smile, failing at it ''But he's breathing on his own now and his vitals are slightly up.''

Slightly was a big word, considering his heart was barely beating once every two seconds and his temperature was barely a couple of degrees higher than the hypothermia zone, still it was the first improvement since getting poisoned. It was big. It was a huge step in the right direction.

***FLASHFLASFLASH***

An hour later, when Joe's phone started ringing, he almost didn't pick it up until he realized it was Singh. With everything happening, he almost completely forgot about the other man. He almost completely forgot about his boss who walked out on all of them yesterday night.

''Captain.'' Said Joe, answering the call.

''Joe, hey.'' Said the tired voice of a man who clearly didn't had a single minute of sleep last night, like all of them. There was something else different about his voice…had he been crying? ''I'm sorry about Barry, I'm sorry I walked out like that, I should've been there when-''

''Captain, listen-''interrupted Joe, needing to fill in his boss in on what he missed. When Singh left the lab, they were about to end Barry's suffering, the Captain left before the vote was made final. Despite Joe's best efforts, he got cut again before he had any chance to explain all of this.

''I'm really, really am sorry for leaving like this. Allen was a great employee, one of the smartest men I've ever got the chance to work with in my career…and an amazing hero. Just wish I had the chance to tell him all of-''

''David! Listen!''

Calling the CCPD Captain by his name made the trick, efficiently silencing him. ''Look.'' Continued Joe. ''A lot happened after you left. Come back at the lab and you'll see.''

''I don't under…I can't come, Joe, I can't face everyone else after abandoning you, Allen and everyone else at that moment. I'm sorry.''

''Where are you? Stop apologizing like a Canadian and come back at the Lab. I'll meet you at the elevator's door. David, trust me. Can you do that?''

Trust him? David could do that. He'd known the Detective for many, many years and West never gave him a reason to break that trust.

''Alright, you win. I'm on my way.'' Finally said Singh.

When the Captain stepped outside the elevator, the face that was waiting for him didn't look anything like what he expected; David was ready to face a destroyed man who lost everything. Sure, Joe looked mentally and physically exhausted, but he almost looked peaceful and, was that a smile at the corner of his mouth?

''That was quick.'' Observed Joe.

''To be honest, I've been parked just outside the lab for 20 minutes before I called.'' Admitted David. 'Tell me what's really going on, you're keeping something important from me. I wouldn't be much of a detective if I hadn't catch on that.''

''When you stormed out of the room, we decided to take your vote into account and it ended 3 against 2, in favor of giving Barry a fighting chance.'' Vaguely explained the detective, who started to move back a few steps, inviting the captain to join him in the cortex.

''I don't get it, you let him live?'' Joe smiled tiredly, nodding. ''Is he….?'' No, no way, Allen was dead by now. No offense to the kid, but nobody survived this long. It's been over half a day now since that hostage situation, no way Allen was still alive. Unless…

''Come on.'' Said the Detective, leading the way to a hesitant Singh who decided to follow, carefully stepping inside the cortex, not even noticing the young blonde woman working with Cisco at the computer, nor did he saw Oliver Queen standing next to the pair, impatiently waiting for a location. Singh breathed in to gather the courage to sneak inside the medical room as Joe stepped to the side to clear the view.

There he was, his young CSI was on the bed with an oxygen mask on his face, his legs covered by sheets and a lot of medical equipments connected to his shirtless upper body, the purpose of half of these sensors and the machines around lost on the captain. The only thing that mattered was the regular beeping of the monitors, indicating that Barry was indeed still alive and fighting, despite the whiteness of his sick and his motionless state.

''How's...how's that even pos...how?'' Stuttered David, not daring to approach his employee's bed, not wanting to disturb the work of the doctor walking around and double checking who knows what on her patient. The doctor was already moving around Iris who was sitting next to the hero, holding his hand none-stop.

''We're not sure if it's because of his stubbornness, or because of his accelerated healing that comes with being a speedster.'' The second it came out of Joe's mouth, it felt weird. It was just bizarre to discuss Barry's ability with their boss. Guess it was their new normal now.

''Is he going to be ok?'' Inquired Singh. ''Is he going to wake up?''

''He's not out of the wood just yet.'' Said Caitlin, walking a couple of feet away from Barry to come and greet the CCPD Captain. ''His vitals fluctuated again not so long ago, but he's better than he was right before dawn and he has chances of waking up now. The next 12 to 24 hours will be crucial.''

Nodding, David took a quick look at his CSI and winced, he shouldn't be here, he should leave after what happened last time.

''I'm sorry about the things I said. I know you were only trying to do what was the best for him.'' He apologized.

''It's ok, we all said and thought a lot of things yesterday.'' Assured Caitlin, smiling, before failing at repressing a big yawn. ''You can go sit with him. I'll be back in an hour or so. ''

'Thank you.' Mouthed Joe as Caitlin walked passed right next to him, heading to the closest room with a bed for a quick nap.

''Hey Joe.'' Added Singh, turning to his detective. ''When-'' When, not if, when, because the captain had faith now. ''-Allen will wake up, just promise me you'll never repeat what I said about him being one of the smartest people I've worked with. We don't want him to take more liberties at work that he already does, don't we?'' Cracked Singh.

''No, no we don't'' Chuckled Joe. ''Come on now.'' Added Barry's foster dad, getting serious again. ''Go sit by his side now.''

David nodded in agreement and complied, ready to stay there 'til the Central City hero's fate was sealed.


A/N: How's that? Leave a comment and let me know, always deeply appreciate it.

Fun fact: Patrick Sabongui who plays Captain Singh is really Canadian, born in Montreal actually. Found that out while writing that Canadian joke, I wanted to check out if he really was

One more chapter to go, it's always making me sad to finish a story. When Fear Strikes is going to be the next to be updated.