It had been a while since I'd been to S.T.A.R Labs.
First, I'd been recovering in the hospital, then Cicada had started murdering metas and Caitlin had said it was too dangerous for me to be associated. After that, it just hadn't come up until the other day when Cara had given me the message for the Flash.
I hopped off the train onto the platform and climbed the stairs to street level without a problem. I glanced at the fading sunlight, hoping that I would get home soon before Aunty or Cara started to worry, though it was probably inevitable. They had become a little protective after the 'you got shot' thing and I normally wouldn't mind, but sometimes it helped to have a little leeway with curfew.
I ducked through the rip in the back fence and when I got to the elevator Cisco buzzed me up without a word. I knew they probably already knew about my involvement this evening because of the comms link in Barry's ear, but I hoped they wouldn't go too hard on me.
"Hey guys." I said but was generally ignored as Cisco spoke emphatically into the mic. Caitlin gave me a small smile though so I stood next to her in the corner.
"So, I did some recon, and this guy's friends are absolute jerks based on the police reports on the incident. Not that that gives him the right to photon blast them into oblivion, obviously." Cisco said, rolling from screen to screen in his swivel chair.
I thought there should be some justice for Johnny's coma but agreed with Cisco on the whole. Blaming their comatose friend for having his drink spiked and agreeing to a car race was totally messed up. Not that anything would be done, of course; the law would see them as the victims now.
"Wait. He's calling himself 'Deathlight' now? How overdramatic can you get?!" Cisco exclaimed, glowering at the monitors in front of him.
"You're just upset because you don't like it when villains name themselves." Iris smirked from beside him, tapping keys as she leaned in to give Barry more advice, "Can you get that bag of lightbulbs off him?"
I moved to the spinning office chair and sat, swinging my legs back and forth. I may as well settle down to wait. You never know how long a fight will take and I'd come all the way from downtown.
Before long Barry dragged the self-named Deathlight back to the Labs and tossed him in the pipeline. Then the hour of my inevitable lecture came.
"What were you thinking?!" He said, hood off, face a mask of worry and confusion, "Do you have any idea how much danger you were in? Why didn't you trust me to handle it?"
I took a breath, then released it. "I don't know. Sorry." The best option right now was probably to keep my head down and ride it out.
Barry looked surprised how fast I backed down. Everyone had trickled out of the room except the two of us and Caitlin, but I didn't look at her.
"I just want to know why. You must have had a good reason?" He asked, the force drained out of his voice.
"I don't know," I repeated, "I guess I was curious, and – I don't know, I thought if something happened maybe I could help or something."
"But you must've known you would be in danger?! Why would you just put yourself in danger unnecessarily?" He exclaimed, beginning to raise his voice again.
In all honesty, I had talked myself into coming. I'd told the truth when I said I was curious, but it was a little more than that; I'd psyched myself up, thinking maybe I didn't want to go because I was scared. I wanted to be brave, but – but wasn't coming the right thing? Without my warning, whatever had happened to that lady in Johnny's mind might've happened to the Flash! So why was I just letting the Flash lecture me? Was I afraid of standing up to someone?
"I ended up helping you!" I said, receiving a burst of adrenaline. I was not scared. I could stand up for myself and defend my actions. "Would you have realised what the lightbulbs did before you got hit without me?"
"Yes, but you could have been seriously hurt! And while I got you to safety, Deathlight could've escaped!"
"But he didn't! And I was fine!" I raised my voice, feeling strangely liberated in my anger.
"It might not - !" Barry stopped. "I can't do this right now. I didn't work with Nora and it won't work with you. Just don't – " He stopped again, looking away. "Just don't get yourself killed, okay?"
He left and I was left standing there, slightly confused.
Who's Nora? And why does he sound so...I don't even know. Leave it and be grateful this didn't drag out.
Caitlin drove me home in silence. It was a good thing I'd had the presence of mind to call Aunty Lin, or I would've been in for another lecture. My stomach tingled almost painfully, but I ignored it.
I was right…wasn't I?
Author's Note:
Hey peeps,
How's it going? Sometimes fights are such a rollercoaster, right? One minute you're just rolling with the punches and the next you're ready to spew fire. Anyway, I hope you guys have a great week, and don't forget to review! It really helps, not only in encouraging me to write, but also to write better.
Trix