"Barry- It's fine. I can do it." I insisted, pecking his lips, admiring how extra caring he was being since I got injured. It was nothing, because I could do things on my own.

He lightly shook his head, setting the book I was reading previously down on the coffee table, grabbing the leftover Chinese take out from last night, reheating it for me, sitting back down on the couch next to me, refusing to let me do anything myself, handing me the foam container.

"Barry- the wound already healed." I told him, referring to the bullet wound I had a while ago, that was slightly scarred but healed.

"Honey- warming up take out for you isn't anything." He kisses my cheek, as I roll my eyes playfully.

"I'm going back to work tomorrow. I can do things like this by myself." I complain lightly, propping a piece of chicken in my mouth.

"Mmm-" He wraps his arms around me and leans his head against my shoulder, "Lets not talk about that right now, and let me do everything."

"Barry."

-

My heels clicked as I walked into Barry and Julian's shared lab, dressed in a dark green blouse that was tucked into black jeans that had a rip or two here and there, my badge and holster attached to my belt, my hair straight, as I held a file folder in my hand, bringing this information in to them for Cecile Horton.

Barry's head immediately snapped in my direction at the sound of my footsteps, a smile forming on his lips, "Detective- hey."

"Hi, Barry-" I smile lightly, pressing a peck to his lips, looking at Julian, "Julian." I nod towards him in a small greeting.

"Morning-" He fixes his tie, as Barry got up for his seat, my eyes landing on another husk.

"Another?" I look at the both of them, Barry giving me a small nod, "Yeah- number six. We found it last night."

"Well-" I open the folder, double checking the papers inside of it, my eyes scanning through the words before closing it, handing Barry the folder, "This should come as a welcome surprise. You've been reassigned as meta-human crime scene investigation full time."

"Full time?" Julian questions quick.

"Yeah, full time." I nod, looking at Barry, "We're pouring all the resources we can to figure out this husk problem. Especially- since the last one turned out to be The Rival. Any questions or concerns, you guys can direct that to Judge Hankerson, alright?"

"All right." Julian nods, turning around, returning back to his work.

"Thank you." Barry sets the folder down, kissing my cheek.

I hum in response, walking towards the door, pausing once I heard Joe and Cecile speaking. Barry's eyes furrow in confusion as he comes by me, starting to listen in also, his eyes slightly widening in excitement.

We heard footsteps, causing us to jump away from the door, Barry turning and pretending to look through some chemicals on a shelf, as I clear my throat, starting to leave the room as I was once was doing.

Joe walks in, grabbing my arm, stopping me from leaving, immediately spinning me around, "No- I need you in here."

I lose my balance due to how fast the spin was, a small 'oh' leaving my mouth as I start to fall forward, Barry being quick to catch me before I fall any further.

My face was shoved into his chest, as I took in his scent, a smile forming on my lips as I pull away, standing up straight next to Barry, clearing my throat as my eyes land on Joe, a grin playing at my lips.

The similar grin I wore crossed Barry's lips also, as Joe gave us both a look, "What?"

"Yo- is that what I think it was? You asked her to the movie night with us?" Barry questions instantly. "That's awesome. When did you do that- how did you do it?"

"As much as I'd like to gossip with you two, like a teenager-" Joe starts, his voice hushed as we all kept the conversation at a volume for only us to hear.

"Oh my god- he's actually going on a date-" I look at Barry, my hands on his chest, my smile turning into a small pout, the excitement in me not fading, "The man's still got it in him."

"I know-" Barry imitates my expression, wrapping a arm around me, feeling the same amount of excitement as I was.

"Guys-" Joe caught our attention, "There's something I really need to talk to you two about."

"What is it?" My mood goes serious, my arms crossing, as I leant into Barry's side.

"Wally. He's been having dreams. Saving people, becoming a speedster. He's been calling himself Kid Flash." Joe explained.

"Kid Flash? He said that name- specifically?" Barry clarifies.

"That's-" I look between the two of them, "-not good is it?"

"He's in trouble, isn't he?" Joe asks.

"If Wally's having dreams of being Kid Flash, then he's in trouble, but don't worry. I'll figure it out." Barry reassures Joe.

"I'll see you later." Joe nods slow, before walking back downstairs.

I look up at Barry, "Can you figure something out? I mean, it's not like you can stop the dreams- or stop Alchemy from getting to him. I mean- the man's almost invisible. Remember when he killed Clariss?"

"I'll figure it out, honey." He grabs my wrists, planting a short kiss on my lips, reassuring me also, no matter my doubts.

-

Wally was upset with all of us. He argued back quick when Barry tried to explain what happened in Flashpoint and how getting excited over this wasn't a good idea, how Wally was actually in trouble. Wally had called Joe out about not trusting him, everything just going downhill.

I walked through the streets in the dark, playing with the hair tie on my wrist as I was making my way to my apartment. I had decided to walk today, without realizing I would end up staying later than I usually would.

I halt slowly, the sound of footsteps following me in the empty street. The footsteps stop as I do causing me to lightly shake my head, thinking that I was just hearing things. I start to walk once more, before I felt a pinch in my neck, my hand touching where I felt the pain, my eyes landing on a tranq dart.

A small breath leaves my mouth as I fell, completely passing out.

-

A small sigh left my mouth, due to the pain of being thrown on a hard floor completely passed out, my eyes slowly opening, meeting a bright light above me. I slowly sat up, running a hand through my slightly messy hair, looking around, seeing that I was in a glass cage. Something like what Barry and I were trapped in on Earth Two.

I was somewhere completely pitch black, the only light coming from the one above my cage. I stood up quick, trying to use my meta abilities to get out of the cage, but they wouldn't work. Which showed me there was a dampening in this cage, and whoever had taken me, knew I was a meta.

I let out a loud huff, kicking the glass, "Well- whoever you are. Just come out already. I have a few guesses."

Footsteps sounded, as they came closer to me, revealing the one and only Peter Youree, in the faint lighting that went through my cage.

"And you weren't one of them." I pointed at him, "How in the hell did you get out of Iron Heights?"

He shrugs, a smirk on his lips, "I have my ways."

I roll my eyes, "You really love to show up at the worst times, don't you? Like come on, of course you had to abduct me at a time like this." I huff, "Why go through all this trouble to just kidnap me?"

"Because I want you dead." He spits at me, "I want to hurt the one thing Barry Allen cares most about."

"Okay-" I put my hands up in surrender, "You have officially gone insane, Peter."

"Shut up!" He shouts, turning and walking back into the dark, the sounds of keyboard keys clicked, before one slam of a key, before my head snaps down to my shoes that felt soaked, noticing water being let into the cage.

The water was rising up slow, the freezing cold water causing me to shiver lightly; hitting the glass.

-

[ barry's pov ]

My footsteps slowed once I walked downstairs from Julian and I's lab at ccpd, Julian right behind me, noticing that everyone was staring at the tv screen that hung on the wall. I couldn't see what they were looking at, so I made my way by Joe, "Hey, Joe- what's going on?"

My voice fades as my eyes land on the screen, my eyes widening slow. Zee was in some sort of cage. She was trapped. There was water filling slowly in it.

That's why she didn't come home last night.

She pulled out her gun, and shot at the glass, a scream leaving her mouth when it bounces off the glass, not even making a scratch, the bullet bouncing right back towards her as she moves out the way, the bullet scratching her arm, before landing into the water.

Her hand goes to where it cut her, her blood all over her hands.

"Allen." Captain Singh spoke, my head snapping in his direction. "We'll find her."

My phone buzzed in my pocket, as I'm quick to pull it out, answering it, staying silent, my eyes glued to the screen.

"You're seeing this too- right?" Cisco's voice sounded the line. I was already leaving ccpd.

I hung up, running to star labs, into the cortex, "We need to find her."

"We're trying to track where the video is coming from- but it's going to take a few minutes-" Cisco spoke, typing away on his computer.

"Do we have any idea on who could've taken her?" Iris questions.

Caitlin shakes her head, "There isn't any new meta's- and even if there were- why would they want anything to do with Zee?"

Cisco stops, staring at his screen, "Guys-"

Everyone goes silent, our eyes landing on Cisco. "Peter Youree escaped from Iron Heights last night."

"What?" I snipped, walking behind him, my eyes gluing themselves to the screen, watching the footage.

"And it looks like he had some help." Cisco spoke, Reign coming on screen, using her abilities to push away the security guards and knock them out the way, to make Peter's escape easier.

"We need to find her, now." I ordered.

-

[ zee's pov ]

I kicked the glass once more in defeat, droplets of water flying off my shoe as I brought the most force I could without hurting my foot.

"There's no way you can get out of that." Peter stares, his arms crossed.

I shrug, "I know."

"Why aren't you affected by any of this?" Peter snipped at me.

I shrug once more, "It's not like I haven't gotten kidnapped by you before."

"Yes- but I'm going to kill you. That doesn't scare you?" Peter asks me.

"I stare death in the face every day, Peter." I roll my eyes lightly. "With being a detective, and being a meta. Plus, I know there's someone coming for me."

He scoffs, "Who?"

"My team." I simply answer.

He lets out a stiff laugh, "If they don't find you in the next few hours- all their going to have left is your lifeless body."

"I'm not going to let you freak me out." I let out a breath, "I have faith in them."

He rolls his eyes at me, walking away and back into the dark, the sound of keys clicking catching my attention as the water starts to come out through the pipes faster, causing me to gasp from the splash of cold water that hit me.

I mentally scream at myself to dropping my phone when I got darted, because I could've texted everyone my location by now. Regardless, Peter would've confiscated my phone anyway.

"So," I trail off, running a hand through my wet hair, "How'd you manage to pull this off, Peter? I mean, come on. I know damn well that you- could never single handedly get this cage- find a actual hideout to keep me- figure out how to work a tranq dart- and more importantly- escape prison by yourself."

"I had a little help." Peter replies from the dark, slowly stepping back into the light.

"I figured, but from who? You never work alone." I questioned, crossing my arms, seating myself on the ground of the cage, getting tired of standing, the water causing me to shiver.

"Well since you're going to die in less than a few hours-" Peter begins.

I cut him off, scoffing, "Don't remind me."

He rolls his eyes once more, "Reign. She broke me out, and helped me capture you. She's such a better version of you- ya know? If I knew doppelgangers existed- I would've dated her instead of you. She's more my type." He winks.

I blink long and hard, "You're unbelievable."

"No use to knowing about her now-" He shrugs, "She's already back on Earth Two."

"I don't understand how she even got here." I shook my head.

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out." He replied to me simply.

-

[ barry's pov ]

I pace, staring at Zee's phone that I had found when we tried to track down where she was using her phone, which was no use.

Everything with Wally, and now Zee. Peter kidnapping Zee at a time like this, just put more stress on our plates, especially for me.

There have been so many times, that I have come so close to losing her. And it hasn't stopped. I can't lose her now.

"Barry-" Cisco calls out my name, as I snap out of my thoughts, immediately making my way over to him.

"We've narrowed it down to three warehouses Peter must be keeping her- I'm gonna give you the-" Cisco starts, but I was already in my suit, heading out.

"Barry! You don't even have a plan." Iris called out, wanting me to stop and figure out what we were gonna do first.

"I'm gonna have to power through it." I say, before speeding out quickly.

-

[ zee's pov ]

"Wait- where are you going?" I ask Peter, seeing that he was packing up everything up into a backpack. I was now trying my best to keep afloat, due to the water rising quickly, and becoming too deep for me to stand or swim halfway.

My hands touched the ceiling of the cage as Peter spoke, "I'm leaving."

"You're just going to leave?" I stare down at him, my eyes wide, as my hand curls up into a fist, hitting the ceiling, as I held back a cry of pain.

"Don't need to end up in Iron Heights again." He simply says, winking, then disappearing into the darkness, his footsteps disappearing a moment later.

"Crap-" I mutter in defeat, trying to buy myself a few more seconds, not letting this destroy the hope I had for Barry to come and save me.

But when the water rose more within those few seconds, my mouth behind the only thing above the water to try and get some sort of oxygen for the last second or two, my hope was crushed.

Peter had won. I had accepted that as I took my last deep breath, before going underwater, my eyes burning but I forced them open.

I start to feel my entire chest close up. I had run out of oxygen. I let out the breath I held in, gasping slightly, my eyes going wide when the water pours into my mouth, causing me to lose all form of air.

My breathing had stopped once I shut my mouth, trying to keep the water out, my throat and chest reacting to the water that was pouring right into my body, as my entire body stops functioning.

My eyes slowly close, my entire body giving away, starting to slowly sink downwards.

authors note:

bro. this book hit 9k.

also this chapter was reallyyyy bad. like I apologize.