A/N: I just wanna say, I'm really keen on finishing and wrapping up this story by the end of my summer vacation (which would be the end of August). With June already over, all the other things I have going on in my life, and how long it takes me to release a new chapter, I don't have nearly as much time as I anticipated. So I apologize if anything from here on out feels rushed. Like I said, I really wanna finish this story through and I'm almost halfway through, so that's progress!

BARRY/MATT

It had been a mere couple weeks since Barry had returned to the Dark Dimension. In the following weeks, he had taken training from under Kaecilius and even Jaina. Without his speed, he would regularly spar with different Zealots as time went on. Defeating them, even without his speed, was the easy part. The difficult part was doing so through the way of magic and not just pure combat and skill. Barry had learned many things through the way of Dark Dimension magic, drawing power from it, forming transparent-like but visible weapons from it. At one point, Kaecilius himself stated that he would learn to manipulate 'the structure of reality within the Mirror Dimension', which Barry hadn't initially understood. It was apparently a sort of skill he would learn when he would learn when the Zealots would arrive back on Earth 14, a time Barry hadn't learnt yet. During his time with the Zealots, he learned as much as he could about Dormammu, the Dark Dimension, its power and more. Fortunately, the information was easy to learn and access within the Dark Dimension's sanctum. Unfortunately, most of it was knowledge that the Ancient One and the sorcerers back at Kamar Taj and the real-world sanctums already had. There was no new information. Barry planned on making a visit to the sanctum's library as soon as possible without alerting or setting off any Zealots. Most trusted him but Lucian, one of the Zealots who was with Jaina when she first discovered him, seemed to keep a close eye on Barry. At the moment, he currently tried to keep his mind off it as he sparred Jaina.

In terms of overall hand-to-hand skill and combat, Barry was relatively above her. However, when it came to using constructs and weapons from Dark Dimension power, Jaina had the clear advantage. Considering that she was more skilled, experienced, and knowledgeable in that particular field. Jaina swung a construct of a knife towards Barry as he grabbed her wrist before knocking the construct out of her hand as it disappeared. The two fought hand in hand as Barry struggled to make his constructs in time to use against Jaina, considering that he was willingly and knowingly fighting without his speed or any of his speed-induced abilities. A few more minutes into the fight, Barry managed to construct a shield to block one of Jaina's strikes. He went from behind her and placed Jaina in a chokehold. His right arm around her neck and his left hand at her waist.

"This over yet?" Barry half-asked.

"It is now," Jaina sassed.

Barry suddenly felt the edge of a sort of blade poking at the side of his neck as his eyes darted to his peripheral vision. He could see Jaina holding a Dark Dimension construct of a knife to his neck. The both of them had each other dead to rights had it been a real fight. No loser…but no winner.

"Not all fights are fair, Barry Allen," Jaina said. "Not necessarily your fault. After all, you're still getting better."

In a flash of orange lightning, Barry disarmed Jaina of the knife, causing it to disappear. At normal speed, he knocked her off her feet as she fell back-first to the ground. Barry kneeled above her as he pinned her to the ground, their eyes catching as they suddenly glanced at one another. One arm above her chest, the other above her waist.

Jaina scoffed as Barry felt her breath on his face. "Using your speed, I see."

Barry scoffed back in response. "What happened to 'not all fights are fair', huh?"

Jaina merely grinned in response. "And he uses my own words against me. It's almost admirable."

"Gee, thanks, Captain Obvious." Barry sassed back.

Suddenly, a powerful and quick silence fell between the two as they looked into each other's eyes. Barry stared deeply into Jaina's hazelnut eyes, so much so that he could even see part of his own reflection in them. He suddenly began to subconsciously take notice of her features: her chocolate brown hair, her soft and cool skin pressed against his. His own skin must've been rather and coarse for her, he suddenly thought. She stared back at him, in the same level of silence that he was in. Only, she had some hint of a smile on her face while Barry was simply still. He suddenly caught Jaina looking down as her hand was on top of his, the same hand that rested above her waist. Barry blinked repeatedly as he instantly moved himself away from her, he could hear Jaina chuckle as she laid on the ground.

"What's the matter?" Jaina grinned as she got onto her knees, eyeing Barry. "Have you never been that close with a woman before?"

Barry's cheeks turned red as he avoided eye contact with her. "Of course I've been close with a woman before.'

Barry didn't even bother to see the smug look on Jaina's face as he heard her smirk.

"Oh really?" Jaina questioned. "How many times then?"

"What?"

"How many times have you come that close with a woman before? Wait - don't tell me…twenty? Thirty? Fifteen?"

Barry sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Feel free to stop at any point. Really."

"Ten?" Jaina continued.

"Dammit, Jaina." Barry muttered.

"Am I getting closer or further?" Jaina jokingly taunted.

"Why do you care so much about how many women I've had close contact with?" Barry stressfully sighed as he finally managed to look at her, his cheeks filled with red, embarrassment sprayed all over his face.

Jaina chuckled joyfully. "Oh, look at that. I'm Barry Allen, I'm the fastest man alive, I can make a second last days but I'm afraid of a woman's touch! I mean, honestly!"

Barry let his head fall as he muttered to himself, surprised he could even manage to hear his own words over Jaina's seemingly never-ending laughter. Her laughter was soft but intoxicating as it seemed to be the only thing he could hear for several moments. Jaina finally sighed as her laughter died down, her hands on the ground as she leaned against her arms before finally getting up. The two stood as Barry pulled his black glove over the prosthetic, Uru-metal, left hand of his. Jaina suddenly moved close to him, her face mere inches from his own as he looked at her.

"Really, though," Jaina said. "How many women have you been close with?"

Barry sighed as he briefly looked away before glancing back at her. "Three."

"Still new to it, I see," Jaina briefly chuckled before she moved away from him, walking. "My father will want to see us."

Barry frowned. "New to what?"

Jaina didn't respond, Barry could perfectly visualize the smug look on her face.

"Yeah, and how many men have you been with?"

"None so far, really," Jaina responded, not bothering to look back.

Barry caught up with her as he walked side-by-side with her, rolling his eyes. "Can't imagine why."

The two finally arrived at the end of the grand staircase in the Dark Dimension's sanctum as they stood before Kaecilius, multiple Zealots surrounding them. Much to Barry's displeasure, Lucian happened to be standing next to Kaecilius and somewhat behind him as well. Even if Barry was going to deliver truthful information to Kaecilius, Lucian would've accused him of lying. Even as a Zealot, supposedly, he was a dislikable person. Barry and Jaina stood side-by-side as he eyed Kaecilius.

"Soon enough…" Kaecilius began. "...we will begin our march to the real world. There, in order to contend with our mission, we must apprehend the Eye of Agamotto."

"The device that contains the Time Stone," Barry replied. "One of the six infinity stones."

"Indeed," Kaecilius nodded.

"The Eye of Agamotto is being held at one of the three main sanctums in the real world," Lucian stated. "Or it can be at Kamar Taj, we don't know."

"Send me," Barry said instantly. "I can get it in an instant."

"We will have to go all together," Kaecilius said. "We can't afford…risks."

Barry paused for a silent moment before he nodded. "What do you need?"

Lucian stepped forward as he and Barry looked at each other. "We aren't sure of how guarded Kamar Taj and the sanctums are. But…one of our advisors claimed he spotted the Avengers working with the Ancient One. Another confirmed it."

Barry remained silent as he and Lucian glared at one another, he felt Jaina moving closer to him, her shoulder against his. The silence lasted longer and longer until Lucian finally spoke.

"We'll need whatever information you have on them," Lucian said. "Regarding their power…their strengths, their weaknesses, the strongest ones. Let's start with that…who're the strongest of them all? The ones who'll pose a challenge?"

Barry sighed. "The Hulk. He's the largest…strongest even."

"Aye, Banner," Lucian said ignorantly. "Who else? There has to be more…"

Barry glanced at Kaecilius, who observed him closely, as he turned back to Lucian. "Thor Odinson…he has-"

"We know who he is," Lucian grunted dismissively as he stood tall. "Who else?"

"There's Stark…the Ironman," Barry said. "Captain America…other lower tier ones."

"We're only concerned whose power may threaten us…" Lucian stated. "Odinson and Banner…anyone else?"

Barry instantly thought of Wanda as the image of her face was present in his mind. He kept his own face as stoic as he could, resisting any urge to flicker or even blink at the sound of the words 'anyone else'. Barry prepared a mental breath to himself before he finally spoke once more.

"That's all I know about them…" Barry finished.

"Anything about the sanctums?" Kaecilius inquired.

Barry pursed his lips as he shook his head. "No, nothing I know about that."

"Liar." Lucian sneered.

Barry ignored him as best we could as he looked at Kaecilius. "That's all I know..about the Avengers and the sanctums."

"More lies." Lucian spat.

Barry finally found himself being fed up with Lucian as he walked up to the Zealot and continued walking, taunting him, causing Lucian to walk backwards. The closer Barry got to him, the further Lucian kept backing away.

"What exactly happens if I kill you?" Barry demanded. "You think you'll be honored with some funeral and that you'll be dearly missed?" Barry then approached him even closer as Lucian stood still. "Or does Dormammu just forget you and throw you into another pile of his useless, failed science experiments?"

Lucian remained silent as Kaecilius stood in front of Barry, Jaina standing next to him.

"He's not one of them," Jaina gritted, her right hand finding its way to Barry's arm, the left one clinging to a knife.

"Why?" Lucian demanded. "Because you don't want him to be."

Kaecilius immediately intervened. "Enough, from all of you." He then glanced at Barry with a stoic but serious face. "I like you, boy. Truly, I do…but if you are lying to us, if you think to deceive us in any way…I see that you endure an eternity of pain longer than the concept of natural life."

Barry stood tall, with his chin up, eyes at Kaecilius. "That's all I know…"

Kaecilius nodded as he stepped back, Lucian walked off with an angry growl. Barry and Jaina turned around and left the sanctum as they journeyed elsewhere in the Dark Dimension, Barry didn't even know where he was going, he simply needed to burn off some steam without running, taking a walk hopefully could've helped him. In some way.

"I didn't need you to save me back there." Barry deadpanned after several moments of silence between the two.

Jaina jogged briefly before walking backwards as she looked at Barry, somewhat grinning. "Of course you did. Like I saved you before. That's twice now. See, Barry? It's you and me now. You're mine and I'm yours."

Barry frowned in confusion. "What?"

Jaina rolled her eyes before she spotted the edge of a cliff a few feet away.

Her face lit-up in recognition. "I recognize this place."

Barry glanced to the cliff and then to her. "What do you mean?"

Jaina walked closer to the edge as she kneeled in front of it. Barry stood close to her as he saw the cheered expression on her face, it was one he was used to seeing from her. However, seeing it now had some different feelings. As if she were planning something. Jaina rose to her feet as she turned and looked at Barry.

"You know you owe me two favors, right?" Jaina sassed. "I think I can remedy that now."

"What're you doing?" Barry inquired.

"Catch me."

That was all she said before she stepped over the ledge and let herself fall into the depths of the canyon beyond the cliff. Barry had managed not to flinch as he instantly slowed time to a halt, orange lightning coursing on and through his body. At super speed, he rushed down the cliff as he carefully carried Jaina in his arms. He slowed down to the ground before halting as time resumed to normal. Jaina exhaled deeply as she looked up at Barry, being carried in his arms. Barry eyed her with a level of disbelief.

"You're crazy," Barry sighed half-jokingly, half-shocked.

"Only with you." Jaina shot back.

Barry felt the side of his lip desperately trying to curl into a smile. He felt some level of joy building up inside him. A kind that he hadn't known or experienced in the three months that he had been on Earth 14. He rose to his feet as he helped Jaina up to her own.

"Follow me," Jaina said as she walked through the depths of the canyon. "I know a place."

"What place?" Barry asked.

"You're suspiciously good at always asking questions." Jaina chuckled.

"You're suspiciously good at never answering them," Barry retorted.

Jaina smiled smugly. "You'll see."

The two went through the natural, rock-made entrance of a cave as they explored its depths. For a few feet, they seemed to walk through darkness. And then…there was light. There was some soft ground with a large ocean of clear, blue, crystallized water surrounding it. The water was completely transparent as even Barry and Jaina's shadows could be seen at the ground. The body of water looked to be at least fifty feet deep. Barry looked up as the cave seemed to have its own sky inside, the entirety of the inside of the cave being lit up by it. The cave's own 'sky' seemed to have countless bright stars, even multiple nebulae, lighting the entire cave with colors of blue, red, orange, pink, and purple. It was a beautiful spectrum of colorful auras, one that had Barry in complete shock in silence.

"It's so…" Barry tried to say.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jaina smirked.

"Ethereal." Barry added.

He finally looked at her as the two stood close.

"Jaina…why'd you bring me here?" Barry asked.

She took off her coat as she threw onto the ground before turning and looking at Barry. "For a long time, you've closed yourself off to everything. Open yourself up. Open up to me."

She moved closer and closer to Barry until their bodies were pressed up against each other, her face close to his. Once again, they could feel their breath against each other's faces. Barry looked solemnly to Jaina as he thought of his mission. He cared for her…he knew he did. She helped him when he was broken and alone, opened herself to him, even drove him crazy in a way that loved ones always would. But could he love her? Barry knew that he did but…could he still love her in spite of his mission? In spite of the fact that as much as she loved him, he would eventually turn on her? What would he do? Let her fall in love with him as she already had only to break her heart later and betray her? Or leave her and spare her from the pain of heartbreak and betrayal no matter how much emotional pain it would cause? Regardless of the outcome, the pain would be the same. It was a matter of when it would come for him, for her, for the both of them.

Barry stopped Jaina as he held her waist with both of his hands. "Jaina…we can't."

"Why?" Jaina pondered as she cupped the side of his face with her hand. "Do you really think it would be better for you to leave yourself in isolation? To let your heart just…sink to a depth of ice-cold darkness? You don't have to be alone, Barry."

At that moment, Barry had made his choice. His lips pursed with Jaina's as he wrapped his arms around her body. Jaina cupped the sides of his face with her hands as they kissed. Without breaking off the kiss, Barry carried Jaina in his arms as if she were a bride on a wedding day as they kissed.

Barry and Jaina swam together, slowly, as they traversed to the center of the ocean that filled the cave. The cave's sky lit up a spectrum of blue, red, orange, pink, and purple colors. Barry and Jaina held onto each other, drenched in the sweet-tasting ocean water as they kissed. He held her close to him as the two looked up at the stars and the sky.

"Does anything like this exist in the real world?" Jaina asked. "I'm curious."

Barry was still in amazement as a smile rose on his face when he shook his head. "No…there's nothing this beautiful. Not to what I know."

Jaina leaned her head on Barry's shoulder as he hugged her. "We should stay in this cave, Barry…grow old, get married…live a life."

"We can always come back here," he said as he kissed her forehead. "We'll come back."

Jaina lifted her head off his shoulder as she looked at him, a solemn and lust look within her eyes. Barry smiled as he held her close to him while Jaina clung on to him.

"I told you," Jaina whispered as they leaned their foreheads together. "You're not alone…not with me."

"It's like you said," Barry replied, the inner pain of knowing that all of this would be for nothing when he had to turn against her, against Kaecilius, against the Zealots and Dormammu. "You're mine…and I'm yours."

"You're mine and I'm yours." Jaina repeated as she quickly kissed him. "We should go. My father was planning on taking us to the real world."

"Now?" Barry asked, trying to process a plan to maintain his cover but still help his friends if it had to come down to it.

"Yeah," Jaina replied. "We should go."

Barry nodded. "Okay."

She smiled softly at him. "We could always stay for five more minutes."

"Five minutes is five eternities for a speedster," Barry replied with a grin.

"Well, lucky you," Jaina replied smugly. "You get to spend five eternities with me before we go."

Barry smiled back before he gently pulled Jaina close to him as they kissed, swimming in the water under the cave's star, nebulae-filled sky, holding on to each other.

"What's going on?" Matt asked as he and Natasha instantly entered one of the main rooms in the London sanctum.

"One of the sanctum's shields is faltering," a bruised and injured Wong said as he, Strange, the Ancient One and the rest of the Avengers stood in the room where all the sanctums were connected. "We have moments. Minutes at best."

"Minutes?" Clint pondered as he and Laura tried to comfort their scared children, while Tony carried a crying Morgan. "Minutes until what, dammit?!"

"Until the shield falls," the Ancient One declared as she, Strange, Wong, and Mordo formed orange, energy-produced mandalas with their hands. "The army of runners surrounding them will break through. All the sanctums are interconnected, and no form of barricading will hold them off long enough for us to get to safety."

"We have minutes," Natasha sighed. "We have minutes until an army of runners breaks through and comes after us."

"And Barry's not here to help us," Matt said grimly as with his senses, he could hear the growling and screaming from a horde of runners outside the shield of the China sanctum.

A/N: Just wanna clear up any potential confusion for this chapter, so I strongly suggest y'all read the following.

If it wasn't (indirectly) shown well enough, the reason Barry lied to Lucian, Kaecilius, and Jaina about Wanda being with the Avengers is because he knows how powerful she is and how much of a danger she could be to them if they weren't prepared for her like they wanted to be for the rest. Remember, he's undercover in the Zealots for the Avengers and the Ancient One. He can't just restrain and imprison them as there's still the threat of Dormammu and the Dark Dimension potentially bleeding into the multiverse. Both obstacles are beyond Barry's capability (at the moment).

Also, the reason Matt was able to hear the runners outside the China sanctum's shield is because all the sanctums are interconnected (as I said in this chapter and as shown in MCU canon with the first Doctor Strange movie. Remember, everything in Earth 14 is canon up until the end of Age of Ultron with Strange already being under the Ancient One's teachings and the runner virus occurring a few weeks after the end of AOU). So, with that in mind, hearing the runners outside the China sanctum is the equivalent of hearing something a few city blocks away. Something that Matt is more than capable of considering his heightened senses.