Chapter Six

Team Flash POV:

The joy of having Barry be in the same room as they was short lived, quickly replaced by the blaring alarms and flashing red lights that filled their room. The women would be coming quickly, they had to act fast.

Their scarlet speedster was obviously in excruciating pain. The injuries that littered his frail body were even harder to look at now that Iris could see them closer up. His bare chest was moving with no rhyme or rhythm, and Barry was making quiet whining sounds each time he inhaled breath. His face was contorted in pain, but it was his eyes that broke her heart. The disbelief she found there wasn't one of shock and joy; no, what Iris saw in his eyes was a look of distrust, fear, and pain. A small smile graced her face in an attempt to reassure him that yes, she was real, she was here, and he was out of the speed force and out of that concrete room.

Cisco's voice broke their staring contest, causing Barry's gaze to shift to him. "Barry. Man, I am glad to see you. Could you please get these chains off of us so we can get the hell out of here before that insanely attractive red-headed women comes back to kill us."

In response, Barry groaned in pain. He tried to push himself up off the ground but the collar around his neck had done more damaged than he would have liked, and Barry flopped back down on the ground. His breathing became more labored, and tears began pooling in his eyes.

"Bar, hey Bar—it's okay", said Joe soothingly. His worry for Barry was overwhelming and it took every ounce of strength for the detective to push it down. Now was not the time to be consumed by worry. "Tell me what's wrong Bar—tell me what hurts."

"Joe, we don't have the time for this," warned Jullian quietly. Even he thought he sounded insensitive, but with the alarms blaring he knew time was against them and this was their best chance to get out.

"Everything," admitted the injured hero quietly, as if speaking was taking all of his strength away from him.

"You'll heal soon," Cisco piped in, his tone hopeful and relaxed.

Barry just shook his head, at the same time the door burst open and four armed men swarmed into the room. Chaos erupted, every member of team flashed began fighting their chains, desperately trying to free themselves so they could protect Barry. The armed men, dressed in all black and caring strange looking guns that glowed a light blue on the sides, positioned themselves in the four corners of the room; their guns trained on Barry.

"Please," cried Iris, begging the situation to stop so she could just take Barry home and help him heal.

Jullian muttered a quiet "come on Allen", like a mantra that would save them all.

In that moment Cisco swore to himself that whenever they got out of this place he would begin more intensive training for his powers; so that he could use them without wearing his glasses.

Silently, Joe simply starred at Barry. His adoptive son had experiences trauma before in his life, but never had Joe seen Barry this beat up, this injured, this weak. From the death of his parents, the bullies at school, the particle accelerator, to Zoom, to Savitar, and to all of his other run ins as the Flash—Joe knew that Barry had never been forced to recover from something like this before. Fear for what was to come petrified Joe; fear for Barry in the moment, his recover if they were to survive this, and his mental state afterwards. Instead of praying like his daughter, Joe simple accepted the moment for what it was and appreciated that, even for a horrific moment, Barry was out of the speed force and alive. That was all the comfort the detective needed after the past six months.

Barry opened his eyes once again and directed his attention to Wally, who was staring intently at his mentor. Once they locked eyes he was no longer Barry Allen, the injured forensic scientist he felt like. No, in an instant he was the Flash trying to bring comfort to his younger mentee. With his eyes, Wally was silently begging Barry to understand him. Understand that he had used his speed to rattle the window. Understand that Wally had his speed, and if these chains weren't on him then he could fight. Understand how much he hated himself for the fact that he hadn't learnt how to phase yet. Understand how proud of he was of the Flash, his mentor, for the strength he had already shown him. Understand that he understood the pain the speed force could inflict, and that it'll be okay. In that quick moment, Kid Flash was begging the Flash to not give into the pain.

The red headed women entered the room with an excited smile on her face. "Flash, I told you to be a good boy now, didn't I." She clicked her tongue as she stood over Barry and leaned forward to look closer at the hero's face. "I told you that I would destroy Barry Allen and everything he was." Her laugh that followed was harsh, cruel, and cold to those whose ears it landed upon.

She pushed Barry so that he was laying on his back once again. Gently, slowly, she wiped one of his tears away as it began to fall. His breathing was harsh and loud, which only seemed to encourage the stranger. Barry knew that the Flash should fight. Fight for his friends and family that were depending on him. But for the first time since he was struck by that lightning bolt, a realization hit the speedster. The Flash wasn't a person, he was merely a symbol; and symbols can be broken, destroyed, and ruined. After all, Barry Allen was only human.

The leather collar around his neck was suffocating. The heat that was created with his heroic display of breaking the glass was still emitting, moments after his speed had receded. The agony left behind from the collars effects was consuming, and Barry couldn't focus on anything else. He wasn't like Oliver, he hadn't had to learn how to fight through torture. Her gentle hands were cold against his neck as she slid her fingers under the black leather. Roughly, she yanked against the material, pulling his upper body up off the cold ground so that her mouth was against her ear. Barry's head was turned by her grip, allowing his eyes to seek out Wally's.

The words that she whispered in his ear created an automatic response to his lightning. The lighting activated his collar which caused a hurricane of pain to once again assault him. It was too much too soon; his body hadn't been given a proper chance to recover from the last time his collar was activated. The look of shear fear in Wally's eyes was the last thing Barry saw before darkness blissfully swallowed his consciousness.

I feel like these chapters are getting shorter and I'm sorry; I just really felt like this was were I needed to end this one. I am trying to stay with this story-but I do it for fun, when I can. I am also trying to make more time for this one (because though it's not my favorite one I've written, I still enjoy the plot line I somehow magically created).

Thanks for staying with me, and I'm sorry I'm actual trash.

XOXO-until chapter seven!