109



My black heels clicked against the ground as I slowly walked over to the chair I sat in every day from the day Barry got arrested. My eyes scanned over the prison, before sitting in the chair, my playing with my hands. I was dressed in skinny white dress pants, a black satin blouse tucked into it, my hair straight.


My head snaps up at the sound of a buzzing, signaling the door that let prisoners out to speak to their loved ones and lawyers on the other side of the glass had opened. Barry Allen walked through, pulling the beanie off his head, a smile forming on his lips when his eyes landing on me, as he quickly sat in his chair, his hair messy, a small growing beard already beginning on his face.


Barry grabs the phone, pressing it against his ear, as I grabbed the one next to me, holding it to my ear, Barry smiling widely at me, "Hey, I'm so glad to see you."


"Hi-" I whisper, staring at him through the glass that kept us apart, small tears in my eyes, "How's it going?"


"It's not as bad as I thought it would be." Barry told me, the smile not wiping away.


"Barry-" My voice lightly cracks, "Don't lie to me."


"I'm not, honey." Barry remains positive, showing how that he was strong and wanted me to be strong for him.


That's what I did. I took a deep breath, holding back the tears, clearing my throat, "Any thing you look forward to?"


"The only thing I look forward to is seeing you everyday." Barry admits, his fingers tightening around the phone.


I go silent, as he weakly smiles towards me, "I'm serious when I say it isn't as bad as I thought it would be."


I lightly shrug, knowing that he was just telling me this so I wouldn't be even more upset about him being in here.


"And hey, you're talking to the newest member of the Iron Heights janitorial staff." Barry uses this as an opportunity to make an attempt to hear the sound of my laughter, "I'm the fastest mop alive."


I giggle, my elbows resting against the surface, my chin resting on my fist, a soft smile on my lips.


"There it is-" Barry points through the glass and at my lips, "There's the smile that brightens up my day."


"I find it unbelievable that you're this optimistic in prison." I admit, the smile remaining on my lips.


"I know you." Barry tells me, "I know you- and I know the team. I know you guys will prove me innocent and get me out of here."


"We will." I nod, "It's just taking longer than expected. We've been surveilling the Devoes 24/7. I mean, their plan to put you in here must've had at least one mistake that destroys the entire thing all together."


"I have hope that you guys will get me out of there." Barry reassures me, "I know you will."


I nod, as he speaks, "How's the rest of the team? I saw Ralph on TV."


"Oh god- Ralph is getting a little cocky." I admit, "Way more cockier than when you first started. No offense- if you're taking any offense of it- if there is any offense of what I just said-"


"None taken." Barry chuckles lightly, "Yeah, I was when I started too, it happens."


I barely nod, looking down, feeling the emotions that fled over me every time I walked in here wash over me once more, the tears that were once in my eyes, flooding into them again.


"Zee, it's okay." Barry's soothing voice came through the phone.


"The only ever time I've come here was to talk to my father." I say quietly, sniffling, looking up at him, a tear rolling down my cheek, "Now it's to talk to my husband. I don't want this to be our lives."


"You're going to find something." Barry puts a hand on the glass, "I know it."


"Closing time! Wrap them up!" A guard yells, causing me to wipe my tears away and place my hand above his, the glass keeping us apart.


"I had you to drag me out when I came here for my dad. I don't have anyone to drag me out now." I whisper, "I want to be able to hold you again."


"You will, I promise." Barry smiles at me weakly, "I'll see you tomorrow?"


"Always." I told him, giving him a weak smile, before the both of us put the phones down, standing up. I stood there, looking at Barry for a few seconds, before giving him a small smile, turning away, leaving the prison.


-


"Walker and the nurse used tranquilizers on two more guards on the way out." Warden Wolfe told Joe and I as we walked through the gates of the Iron Heights prison later that day.


"And absolutely nothing tipped you off that this nurse might be a criminal?" I ask him, my arms crossed, my heels clicking against the ground as we turned into a hall.


"Her background check was clean." Warden spoke, as we came to a stop, "She said her name was Lindsay Fineheart. She was sent over by our staffing company."


"Well, I'm going to need the hard drive of the surveillance footage from the security cameras in the infirmary." Joe tells him.


"Well, unfortunately, we're still analog here in Gen Pop." Warden said, "It will take a while to dub the tapes. In the meantime, I'm having Fineheart's file brought down for you two."


My eyes trail behind Warden Wolfe, landing on Barry, who was mopping the floors down the hall. Joe caught where my eyes were glued, "How's Barry doing?"


"Model inmate, just like his dad." Warden Wolfe nods.


"Do you mind if we?" Joe asks, looking back at the Warden.


"Let me check on that file." Warden Wolfe nods, walking past us and through the gates.


Joe and I slowly walk over to Barry, my eyes glued to him, "When you said you were the fastest mop alive, you weren't lying."


Barry's head snaps up at the sound of my voice, catching my eye, his gaze trailing to Joe also, "Joe, Zee- hey. What are you doing here?"


"Axel Walker escaped." I sigh, placing my hands on my hips, "Some new nurse helped him get out."


Barry scoffs, holding onto the mop that sat in water, in it's mop wringer, "He was in here because of the pudding."


"How do you know that?" Joe questions.


"He was complaining about the taste." Barry rolls his eyes lightly, "Hey, let me help with this, all right?"


"Barry- No." Joe shook his head.


"Has Cisco having any luck figuring out how to bypass the system? Because once he does that, I could phase out of here." Barry tries, "I can help to track them."


"Barry, you need to stay put for now." I told him.


"Trickster is just a messed-up kid." Joe exclaims, "We can handle him."


"No, I know, of course." Barry nods, "I just- I'm already tired of feeling useless, you know?"


"If you're tired of feeling useless-" I took a step closer to him, "Then you should do that thing you did at the court- where you grabbed onto me and moved super fast so everyone around us was completely still so I can hug you. Because I'm pretty sure cops can't hug inmates."


Barry shot me a look, as I shot him a weak innocent smile right back. Barry eyed the camera, and once if faced the other way, he let go of the mop and ran to me, grabbing onto me, moving so quickly that everyone and everything around us was completely frozen.


"Oh my god-" I gasp, hugging him as tight as I could, not ever wanting to let go.


"I missed holding you." Barry nuzzled his hair into my hair, holding onto me equally as tight, rubbing my back.


"I don't want to let go." I mutter, taking in his scent.


"Then don't." Barry closes his eyes, savoring the embrace we were sharing, knowing that this could be the only time for a while.


"I haven't been able to sleep in our bed again-" I admit, "I've couched every since they took you away and our loft wasn't a crime scene anymore."


"But our bed is comfortable." Barry mumbles into my hair.


"I don't have you with me." I sigh, "I've tried to be strong for you. I have. But- this is the strongest I can be, Barry. If I go too far- I'll become who I was when you were in the Speed Force all those months."


"What does you being this strong include?" Barry hesitantly asks.


"Crying. More crying. Eating ramen every night, occasionally Big Belly Burger-" I listed.


"Zee." His cheek was pressed against my head, "I don't want you to be upset that I'm in here."


"I am. I always will be." I told him, "But- I'm the best I can be right now."


"I know." Barry kisses my head, "I know."


"I just realized something." I randomly mumble, looking up at him.


Barry questions, "What?"


"We could literally hook up right now and nobody would know." I scoff at what I had thought.


"Zee- oh my god." Barry's eyes are wide, chuckling, pressing his lips into mine, mumbling into the kiss, "You are literally the most random woman I know."


"You want Cisco to come up with a name for the quick sex we'd have because of their new found ability of yours?" I joke into the kiss, "I'll talk to him."


"Oh- please don't." Barry holds my face, ending the conversation right there, savoring the kiss right there, a smile of the both of our lips, before he pulls away, giving me a small smile, and returning to where he was before, grabbing the mop, everything returning back to its normal speed.


"The only thing you should focus on in here is watching your back." Joe told him, "Pretty sure cops can't touch inmates. Otherwise, I'd give you a hug."


Barry shot me a look, as I simply smile, looking down at my hands.


"Stay strong, Bare." Joe tells him.


"I love you." I look up at him.


"I love you." Barry smiles lightly, before returning back to mopping the ground.


"Detective Allen? Detective West?" Warden Wolfe comes through the gates, holding up the file.


Barry glanced at me, the corner of my mouth turning up at the sound of what Warden had called me by. I smile weakly, before Joe and I turn, walking over to Warden.


"Well, this is her." Warden opened up the file, showing us the picture of the woman.


"Her name isn't Lindsay Fineheart." I shook my head, my eyes on the picture.


-


"Her name is Zoey Clark." I cross my arms, looking at the screen.


"James Jesse had a girlfriend?" Iris West questions, looking at the picture in confusion.


"Yeah, she called herself Prank." Joe nods, "Back in the day, she was Bonnie to Jesse's Clyde. No matter what, whether it was attempted murder, arson, robbery, she was always by his side."


The computer beeps as I pulled up a few articles about them, Cisco speaking up, "Man, what were people wearing back then?"


"Zoe Clark was the beneficiary to Clark Toys empire." Iris read.


"Not much of an empire." Joe spoke, "All those stores closed 20 years ago."


"Looks like she has Bachelor's degrees in arts and applied sciences, as well as a Master's in chemistry." Caitlin's eyes scanned her background.


"Trickster and Prank were responsible for a series of terrorist attacks across Central City, including the destruction of the Gadzooka Bubblegum company." Harry's arms are crossed as he read.


"Huh, I always wondered why my favorite gum suddenly disappeared in the 90's." Cisco thought out loud.


"We have it on my Earth." Harry looks at him.


"You do not." Cisco denied.


"I just said we did." Harry rolls his eyes.


"You do not." Cisco spoke in disbelief.


"We do." Harry shot back.


"Anyway, after Jesse was arrested, she disappeared. She's been a fugitive ever since." Joe cuts off their conversation, going back to what we were originally talking about.


"Looks like Axel was born nine months after Zoey was last seen. I bet she left to help to take care of her son." Caitlin looks up.


"And she came back to bust him out of prison, and pick up where she left off." I roll my eyes, "Joe, can you dig into some CCPD files to find out if she has any known associates? Harry, Cisco, set the satellite to do a search grid- hey, Ralph, do you want to go to your usual spots, see if any of your contacts have seen her?"


"Sure, I need a chaperone." Ralph nods, as everyone else was already gone, pointing at Caitlin, "Caitlin, you're up. It's happy hour, you're buying."


Caitlin groans as Ralph walks with her, "Come on, use Killer Frost's credit card."


"No way, Jose." Caitlin shakes her head.


"You think Ralphie's made of money?" Ralph spoke, walking out with Caitlin.


-


Tears remained present in my eyes, staring at the picture of Barry and I on my phone. I let out a shaky exhale, tossing my phone onto the ground, rolling my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that wouldn't stop from forming.


"Allen." Harry's voice comes from behind me, my head turning, my gaze landing on Cisco and Harry.


"Yeah-" I quietly muster out, turning off my phone, sitting up, turning in my chair, looking back at them.


"We- set the search grid on-" Cisco starts.


I nod, cutting him off, "Yeah- I know- good- just- notify me as soon as you get a ping."


Harry shot Cisco a look, before leaving the room, Cisco slowly walking over to me, "You know- we're gonna get him out right?"


"Cisco- we're not doing this right now-" I sigh, getting up.


"Zee- you're hurting." Cisco stops me, "Barry would kill me if I just let you hurt without trying to help."


I huff, staring at him, "I'm fine."


"No you're not." Cisco doesn't buy it, "You're broken without him, Zee. Your husband is in prison for a crime he didn't commit- my best friend. But we need to have hope he's gonna get out."


"When, Cisco?" I snip, "He's going to be in there for the rest of his life and we don't have anything yet to get him out."


"Yet." Cisco caught, "Exactly. Yet. Meaning, we will. Soon. We will get him out, Zee."


The tears that I used everything to hold back slipped my eyes, as I stared at Cisco, "I don't know what to do without him."


"Well- soon. You won't have to think about that as much." Cisco pulls me into a hug, a sob leaving my lips.


-


We had defeated Prank and Trickster, no matter how discouraged Ralph had gotten. Apparently, Barry had spoken to him, and convinced him to go back out there.


And now here I was, sitting in my usual chair, playing my hands, waiting for Barry to come out of the gates.


My head snapped up at the buzzing, landing on Barry, as a smile forms on his lips at the sight of me, sitting in his chair, both of us grabbing the phones in unison, him to speak up first, "You didn't show up yesterday."


"I didn't-" I sigh, "I got caught up with Trickster business. I'm sorry-"


"It's okay." Barry gave me a soft smile, "Don't apologize for being one of the reasons Central City is safe."


"As selfish as it sounds-" I began, "I kind of hope another guy escapes so Joe and I could be put on this case. I wanna hug you again."


"Well-" Barry looks at the camera that turns, before phasing his hand through the glass, grabbing my hand, "This is the best I can do right now."


"Barry- what if someone sees-" I mumble, as he held my hand tight.


"It's okay." Barry smiles at me, "It'll be fine. I'm too fast anyway."


"Yeah- you're the fastest mop alive." I mock, as we both laugh quietly.


"Hey, whatever you said to Ralph really paid off. He risked his life to save Caitlin and Cisco, thanks to you." I told him, kissing his hand.


"I just brought out what was already inside of him." Barry reveals his teeth as he smiled again.


"You seem to have that effect on a lot of people." I told him, "That's one of the things I love about you."


Barry scoffs, biting down on his bottom lip to hold back a wider smile, "What? Just turns out being in here isn't so different from being out there."


"Except we're separated by a glass." I look at him.


"We don't seem so separated right now." Barry squeezes my hand, causing my heart to practically melt at his embrace.


"Hopefully-" I began, "Soon, we won't be as separated as we are right now."

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