A/N: Just wanna say a HUGE thanks for RedQ, Laughing Thalia (who also happen to be my amazing beta reader), TeddyBear98 and TheEliteLabRatsLover for your awesome comments in the last chapter!

It might not look like it, but both the last chapter and this one took almost a full day off each to write, edit, re-edit, revise and correct, mostly because, like many of you already know, English isn't my first language and I really wanted these 2 chapters to be on their A game. I'm not kidding when I say that each comment means a lot and really boost the motivation to keep on the hard work despite the language barriers I keep facing.

So, THANK YOU! And keep them coming.

There was one and only one thought in Caitlin's mind that kept on repeating itself; she was going to die, no doubt about it. It was the last thought she had before a rush of wind and lighting invaded the room as the speedster grabbed her and took her away. Jumping on his feet when Barry rushed out of the room, Cisco instantly realized what had happened and couldn't stop the scream from leaving his lips.

''CAITLIN! NO!''

Blood rushed to his brain, already picturing the thousands of things Barry already had the time to do to their friend and could still do. Adrenaline flowed to his muscles, giving him the energy to dash to the cortex, desperate to find them while dreading what he might find, not even realizing Wally was closely trailing him. As soon as he entered the cortex, his eyes widened at the sight of Barry tightly holding Caitlin against the left wall with his right arm, pressing his hand against her throat as the girl was desperately trying to get away, vainly struggling as hard as she could while her feet weren't even touching the ground. The doctor's hands were weakly grabbing the speedsters's arm and her feet were kicking the air, unable to even touch her target.

''Ba'…pleas…'' She said weakly using the miniscule amount of air getting in and out of her lungs.

''Barry! Let her go!'' Screamed Cisco, pleaded.

A cruel smile appeared on the boy's lips as his head slowly turned in his direction.

''Good, I was scared you would miss the show. Do you vote for asphyxiation or something a bit more…fun?''

As he was finishing his sentence, he rose his left arm, his hand vibrating. The joy radiating in the speedsters' features for what he was about to do was sickening, the intensity of it only competing with the inhumanity and the emptiness in his eyes. The hate, the malice, the coldness, the heartlessness and even the savagery in the person who used to be a hero seemed to be terms too good to describe what was consuming him right now. That was the end of it, Caitlin just knew it, she felt it as the blood-thirstiness emanating from Barry froze her heart. If he wasn't going to end her with his vibrating hand soon, her heart would stop on its own from her own overwhelming fear. How was it even possible to be this ruthless? Wounded soul or not. Tremors of excitation were appearing under the speedster's skin as he was getting ready to end her life. It was probably a useless and stupid thought considering she was about to die in a couple of seconds, but the only thought repeating itself right now in her head was that never, ever again, would she be able to look in Barry's eyes without feeling the cold hand of the Reaper in her chest. Not that it would really matter anymore.

''BARR! STOP! PLEASE!''

Turning around at the sound of Joe's voice who entered the cortex running with both of his children shadowing him, Cisco actually only noticed now that Wally didn't followed him all the way from the pipeline to the cortex. Neither father nor daughter had any shoes on their feet, barefeet on the cold floor, hairs all messed up, clearly awoken in panic from their nap by Wally. The youngest West was staying behind his dad, subconsciously searching protection while his older sister was by her father's side, hand going to her mouth in shock.

Instead of complying, the speedster wicked smile widened. ''Oh, this is going to be good.''

It was with shaking fingers that Joe went for his gun, holding it as tightly as he could to stabilize it and not let the weapon fall to the floor, despite his mind screaming against harming his son. What the hell was he supposed to do? He knew he could never hurt his son, but how was he ever going to live with himself if he was to let Caitlin die? Tears were threatening to obscure his vision as they were rising in his eyes, his heart's pace quickening immediately and abruptly.

''Please, son, let her go.'' He pleaded, fighting the tears in his voice.

The only answer he got was Barry turning his back on all of them again, pressing a bit harder on his victim's throat.

''Barry, don't do it! You want to leave? You're free, we won't go after you! Please!'' Desperately begged Cisco, frantic to find a solution. Nobody in the room wanted the young man to go freely and hurt even more people, but as long as he was out there, there was a chance to find him and make things right. There would be no making anything right if they were to let the fallen hero commit the irreparable.

Instantly, Barry relieved some pressure around the doctor's neck, turning his head around to look at Cisco with neutrality in his features, prompting to engineer to instinctively reach out his arm, like he did last spring when he was trying to get his friend out of the Speed Force.

''Come over here. We'll help you.''

All it took was a second, a fraction of one, for the expression to turn back to cruelty. Lighting sparkled around the man's body before he suddenly took action, swiftly moving forward and then backward, back to where he started, leaving in his a trail a nauseating cracking sound and a cry of anguish. Before the whole team had time to turn and examine the source of the scream, Barry had already been back to his initial position.

''Cisco!'' Worriedly screamed Iris as she witnessed Cisco dropped on his knees, pressing his right arm against his chest, breathing in agony. It was unmistakably broken, the opposite hand holding the right elbow was the only thing keeping the whole arm from hanging uselessly by his side.

''Nobody move!'' Ordered Barry when he saw Iris makes a step toward the engineer's direction, efficiently freezing everyone in their tracks.

Joe tightened his grip on his weapon, aiming for his son, blinking rapidly against the rising tears. No, he couldn't do it, there just was no way he was going to shoot Barry. What kind of father would harm their own son? Just the thought of it was making him nauseous, disgusted with himself for even daring to think about that possibility.

''Please, don't make me hurt you. Don't force me to do it. '' He half-sobbed, half-commanded it.

Barry chuckled, clearly not buying the threat. ''Even if I kill her and I kill the rest of them, and I will, you're never going to be able to pull the trigger and you'll give me the antidote. We both know it''

Every single muscle of the detective was shaking badly, what was he supposed to do? While he was deeply thinking about it, every second used to think was one less second they had to save their friend as the fallen hero pressed harder against her throat, cutting all the air, sending Caitlin choking, vainly fighting and kicking, her struggle growing weaker by the second. The pleasure he took in his actions was irradiating, grinning from ear to ear, his second hand raising again, shaking with the overwhelming joy of being free and able to carry out his vengeance, unsure if he was going to strangle her all the way or crush her heart instead.

''Please son, I'm begging you.'' Joe tried again, uselessly.

There was no use, Barry was deaf to all of his pleading. If the detective didn't wanted Caitlin's death on his conscious, he needed to act and he needed to act now. The blood pumping in his ears made him unable to hear anything that was happening all around, even forgetting about Cisco's wound, needing to be 100% focus. He couldn't miss this shot, Barry had the ability to kill his foster dad before Joe could even blink. Aiming for the arms or legs could save the lives of everyone involved, but not without a higher chance of missing or Barry dodging. But, on the other side, aiming the chest meant a shoot to kill.

Witnessing Iris frowned while looking down at the speeder's legs, Joe directed his attention toward them and he noticed it too; they were definitely shaking, and it wasn't out of joy, the poison was starting to affect his muscles...but he wasn't going to collapse soon enough to save Caitlin's life.

'Please Barry, forgive me.' He tearfully thought before lowering his weapon and pressing the trigger, unconsciously closing his eyes the second he let the bullet go.

Barry definitely heard the detonation and turned his head around, but when he tried moving, his shaking legs betrayed him, standing still for the fraction of a second it took for the bullet to hit his target, behind his left tibia. Screaming in pain and anger, he let go of his victim who fell on the ground, gasping for air, fighting to stay conscious. Electricity sparkled in the Flash's eyes, full of animosity, he wasn't done fighting. Joe knew what he needed to do; he needed to do something, anything, except stand there, but that was the only thing he could do at that moment, frozen in shock. The realization of what he'd just done hit him like a runaway train and if it wasn't enough, terror was spreading inside him at the sight of his foster son shaking with hate, ready to kill him on the spot.

At the exact moment the detective was sure he was about to die too, a shock wave passed in front of him and charged right through Barry, hitting him at full power and sending him crashing into the wall. Seizing the opportunity, no question asked, Joe rushed into action while Barry was still recovering from the initial shock. The young man was struggling to get on all four, slowly putting his palms on the ground to push himself up, grinding his teeth together. Swinging his weapon as hard as he could, Joe connected the gun handle to his foster son's head.

''I'm sorry Barr.'' He whispered as the hero's body abruptly collapsed on the ground. ''Wally! Go grab a towel and press it against Barry's wound.'' He screamed to his son before swiftly going at Caitlin's side, who ended losing her fight for consciousness and was now completely inert next to the wall, turning her on her back. The sense of emergency kicked in his detective's instincts, pushing aside for a second all the guilt that would no doubt come crashing down in a moment.

The thump as Barry hit the ground and Joe calling for his son awoke Iris from her torpor, glancing around her, her brain slowly catching up on what just happened. Everything happened way too fast; she didn't even see Cisco struggling to get up despite the pain and go get on the desk his glasses he's been playing with earlier, trying to localize Hyde. No doubt that the shock wave came from Cisco and his powers. Coming back to the present, the first thing that came into Iris' view was Cisco's still form on the ground, or more like mostly still as he was whimpering in agony, moving his head from side to the other, eyes closed tightly, holding his broken arm against his chest while his breath was now short and quick.

''Cisco!'' She screamed for the second time, kneeling next to him, stabilizing her friend by holding his shoulders in place. ''Can you hear me?'' She couldn't imagine the suffering he must be feeling right now, after using his shock wage powers with a broken arm.

His good arm started waving around to try and get the journalist off him.

''Catl…'' He whispered to Iris. ''Go.''

It was with a knot in her stomach that she turned her attention toward the doctor and her father.

''She's out, but she's still breathing. She's alive. '' Joe announced, hearing a collective sigh of relief.

Part of the detective was unwilling to leave Caitlin all alone in her condition, but at this moment, Barry was the priority, from both a security and medical point of view. Seeing Iris was getting back on her feet and striding in his direction, whispering a ''Stay still.'' to Cisco, it eased his mind enough to get up and help his son instead.

Wally was already back, pressing a towel on the bullet's entry wound that was now gushing blood.

''Shouldn't we be putting him back in his cell?'' Nervously asked Wally, still pressing hard.

''We need to stop the bleeding first, keep pressure.'' Answered back Joe, getting up and back in the medical bay, searching for something to bandage the wound, fighting to keep his body from shaking at the sight of Barry's blood. So much blood, all because of what he did.

'Oh god, what have I done?'

''Is the bullet still in there?'' Asked Iris, surprised to see her dad already searching and collecting bandages without taking time to carefully examine and diagnose the wound. As she was talking, she was listening to Caitlin's rasp breathing, it was slowing down and getting more and more regular which was definitely a good sign, but they'll still need to get her in bed till she wakes up.

''With Caitlin out, we can't do much right now, we need to get him stabilized and back downstairs.'' The detective joined his son again, kneeling next to Barry and making sure he was really out before going back to take care of the wound, forcing his mind to concentrate on the task and push aside the nausea.

Not liking the prospect, but understanding the situation, Iris nodded, looking around, thinking about what she could do to help.

''There's no exit wound.'' Informed Joe to the rest, as he inspected the damage. ''But I think the bleeding is slowing down, we'll need to get him down soon. I'll need your help, Wally.''

Getting up once more, the detective decided to take a moment to help his daughter by gathering Caitlin's unconscious form in his arm, lifting her from the cold ground and gently laying her down on a bed in the medical bay. It gave Iris the chance to go back to the wounded engineer just as Cisco was slowly getting a grip on himself, sitting on the ground and struggling to get back on his feet without using his broken arm. Iris gently but firmly helped him get back up, trying to shut her ears to the grunts of pain.

''You ok?'' She said once he was stable enough on his feet for her to let go.

''Need...check on them.'' He answered back between his teeth.

Every single member of Team Flash was without a doubt deeply stubborn, especially when it was about protecting each other. Sighing, Iris walked behind Cisco as he went to the medical bay, only stopping to make sure her dad had finished the tight bandage on Barry's leg. Once the wound was stable enough for now, Joe put one of his son's arm around his shoulders with Wally doing the same on the other side, getting ready to get Barry back from where he just escaped.

It was just as they left the room that Joe's daughter felt spasms in her muscles, as her body was trying to deal with the overdose of adrenaline that overflowed her body moments ago. Talk about stressful moments, it could've gone from bad to worse in a fraction of a second, almost did. There's no doubt that the speedster had more than enough time to kill his friend, all of his friends for that matter, why did he hesitated? Her mind wanted to believe it was because part of the real Barry was fighting back, but it was probably simply because he needed a show. Her heart wasn't going to be able to take another dose of high stress like the one they just got; hopefully the rest of the day will go smoothly...well, for the rest of them since things were about to go from bad to worse for Barry.

She got taken out of her thoughts by Cisco's groans of pain. Oh right, she probably should do something about that too. Jumping back up and off the chair she just sat on, she went to the medical supply, searching for a splint to immobilize the broken limb.

''You should go to the hospital to get that checked out.''

''I can't, not while they're both hurt, they need me.''

''I'm serious, you should get that checked, Caitlin's isn't going to help you right now.'' She told him, coming back with what she was searching for.

The young engineer didn't answer, staring at his unconscious friend, his mind undoubtedly going over the event that just happened, determined to keep his vigil post, working on pushing back the pain as Iris started her work to immobilize his broken limb.

''Cisco, they're not going to wake up soon, there's nothing you can do for them right now.'' As she was talking, she delicately put the splint in place. ''You won't be able to do anything when they will need help tomorrow in that state, not to mention we both know you won't be able to get any rest if you're in too much pain.''

The engineer sighed, she was right but…

''I just had my nap, don't worry, I will stay with Caitlin till she wakes up again.''

Iris paused for a moment, carefully studying Cisco's features as he was thinking about it, before adding: "Cisco, they'll be fine. My dad and Wally will look after them and Caitlin will be fine. If she was awake I'm sure she'd be telling you to get this checked immediately."

Finally admitting defeat, Cisco nodded weakly, his jaw tensing up in discomfort as moving his head somehow managed to disturb his arm that felt like it was on fire at that moment. Victorious, Iris smiled.

''Join me in the garage, I'll go get my stuff and I'll take you to the ER.''

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