84

"As Francisco threw back his lustrous locks and laughed, I outlined my plan for neutralizing the rampaging creature-" I read off the ipad I held, staring at the chapter that went on for pages and pages, as we all stood in the cortex, "It goes on like this for pages."

My finger swipes up as I scroll through the chapter, pausing, my eyes scanning over the paragraph, as I read out loud, "As young Detective Zee Young offered her skills, wanting to do the best she could to help with the best of her abilities, I quickly denied her offer, not wanting the tiny girl to get hurt out in the crossfire."

My head snaps up, looking at HR, a small snicker coming from Barry, his eyes on me, "? Tiny?"

"You're not even- 5'5", I mean-" HR points at me with his stick, "You're tiny."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you shrunk since I saw you this morning." Barry walks over to me, wrapping a arm around my neck, pulling me into his side.

"Not funny-" I shot him a look, as he simply just smiles.

Cisco takes the ipad away from me, "The point is, he's been broadcasting without our knowledge or permission, all while making himself the hero."

"Yeah, every book needs a central protagonist that the audience can invest in." HR grabs the ipad.

"I would've gone with Barry." Caitlin shoots him a look.

"Barry?" HR repeats, baffled.

I wrap my arms around Barry, nuzzling my face into his chest, Barry keeping his arm around me, as Caitlin spoke, "Cisco, what was that down there? First Golden Glider, and now her?"

"I can't help who I'm attracted to." Cisco scoffs, "Even if it is the sexy, intense, deadly ones."

I roll my eyes at Cisco, looking at HR, "So, she takes you back to Earth 19, and what- you pay a fine?"

"The punishment for an unauthorized breach travel on my Earth-" HR sets his sticks down and grabs his coffee, sighing, "It's death."

"Death?" Barry and I repeat in unison, the anxiety in my chest increasing.

"About 24, 25 years ago, a neighboring Earth invaded our plant through a breach and almost destroyed the place." HR explains, "So to prevent it from happening again, they banned all inter-dimensional travel. And then they put the collectors in place to punish the ones who violated the ban. I didn't think she'd track me down."

"So why would you risk your life by coming here?" Caitlin questions.

"I-I gotta get packing. It's time for HR to face the music." HR avoids the question and leaves the cortex.

"Guys, I know HR can be annoying, but he doesn't deserve to die." Caitlin reasons.

"Different Earth, different morality." Julian spoke.

Barry speaks up, "But, he doesn't go back, I saw him. With me, Iris and Savitar, in the future. He was there. I mean, that must mean we don't let her take him back."

"Maybe we do." Julian reasoned, "Maybe by letting him go, it changes your future, and prevents Iris' death."

I look up at Barry, seeing the look on his face that practically screamed consideration causing me to back away, staring at all of them, "No."

"Zee-" Julian starts, setting his pen down.

I cut him off, "Listen to me. No matter how much I love Iris- we can't trade a life for a life." I shook my head, leaving the cortex right as I said that.

I heard footsteps behind me, causing me to walk faster, feeling annoyance rush through me. "Zee-" Barry calls out my name, catching my forearm, forcing me to stop in my tracks and look at him.

I look at the ceiling, licking the inside of my cheek, tapping my foot on the ground, as he speaks, "Hey- look at me."

I roll my eyes very lightly, my sight landing on him as he speaks up, "We're not going to give HR up, Zee."

"How am I supposed to know that?" I accused, "That look you had on your face was pretty convincing that you would."

"Because you trust me." Barry tells me straight up, "And I'd never lie to you."

I scoff lightly, "That's ironic, isn't it? I don't exactly recall you telling me you were The Flash when you first became him-"

"Zee, please don't be like this." He grabs my hand, his voice soft, ignoring the comments, knowing how the thought of us just giving HR up to death made me upset, "We aren't going to let her take HR, okay? I can't focus on any of this if you're upset with me."

I go quiet for a second, before sighing and looking up at him, making eye contact with him, "Fine, I'll drop it."

"Really, just like that?" A small smile forms on his lips.

A small smile forms on my lips, "Yes, just like that. You know, sometimes I do listen to you."

"That hasn't been my experience." Barry smiles at me, letting out a breathy laugh.

"I think you're exaggerating." I giggle lightly, grabbing onto the collar of his bomber jacket, pulling him closer to me, "I'm a great listener."

"You're great at listening to other people when they talk-" He places his hands on my waist, "Just not at following instructions."

"Just shut up." I lean up, pressing my lips into his.

-

"I'm impressed." Gypsy said as HR, Cisco, Barry and I walked outside of Star Labs. HR had already accepted his fate, and had packed most of his things, ready for Gypsy to take him back to Earth 19, where he can face his punishment for disobeying the ban. "Thought you'd try and flee again. Time to go."

"All right." HR said, clearing his throat, his bag swung onto his shoulder, placing his hands on her forearms, "Gypsy, take me home."

Gypsy gives him a sarcastic smile, pushing his hands off her forearms. My head snaps towards Barry, as I shot him a look, that practically screamed for him to do something. I had a pleading look in my eyes, this look I gave him instantly making Barry speak up, giving in, "Wait. You're not taking him anywhere."

"What?" HR speaks up, turning, looking at us. I give Barry a satisfied smile, that he had decided to step up and stop them.

Gypsy stares at us, as if she didn't care what we had to say, "Why not?"

"Because I challenge you to trial by combat." Cisco stepped up before Barry could say anything, my head now snapping in his direction.

"You what?" I stare at him, "No- you don't."

Barry speaks right after me, questioning Cisco's choice also, "What are you doing?"

Gypsy looks at me, "Awh, don't want your little boyfriend to get hurt?"

"You think Cisco is my-" I cut myself off, pointing at Cisco and then at myself, confusion and embarrassment washing over me, "But- he's been- Barry's my-" I stammer, looking at Barry with wide eyes, shoving my face into his chest.

"Guys, I'm challenging her to trial by combat." Cisco repeated himself.

"No- no he isn't." Barry spoke up, causing me to step away from him, him stepping closer to Gypsy, "Okay, I am. I'm gonna fight you."