39

"Patty's being reckless- she won't listen to me- she wouldn't even listen to the Flash." Barry says stressfully, running a hand through his hair, due to what happened last night. Patty had went in alone and almost would've gotten killed from the explosion that the Trickster and Mardon had set up to kill Barry.

"I could talk to her? I'm really good at talking to people-" I try, my hand going to his forearm.

"I know you're really good at talking to people, you can talk people into or out of doing anything- you're my literal weakness." Barry stops in his tracks.

"I'm your weakness? Is that a bad thing- or good thing?" I ask questionably.

"You're the only one that can actually get to me- so I think it's good- wait- we're not talking about that right now- we're talking about Patty-" Barry starts to pace, as I stop him, grabbing a hold on both of his forearms.

"I'll talk to her, okay?" I squeeze his arms in a comforting manner, "I'll try and talk her out of all her anger, okay?"

A sigh leaves Barry's lips, as he nods slowly, "Okay- okay."

-

"Patty-" I call out as I walk into ccpd, and over to her desk. She looks up at me, as she stands up, "Zee- hey."

"I was wondering- if I could speak with you?" I ask, before she simply nods, leading me into a hallway.

"Before you say anything- I'm sorry for kissing Barry- I was freaking out- and it just sorta- happened." Patty tries to explain but gives me a crappy explanation, but in her state right now, I would give a explanation as simple as that also. Not that, I would kiss anyone's boyfriend right in front of them- but.

"I have pushed aside the fact that you kissed my boyfriend but- I actually came here- meaning to speak to you about what you're feeling right now, uhm-" I say, before crossing my arms and continuing, "I'm sorta- associated with a few people- and I found out about what happened to your dad and-" I start to say but she cuts me off.

"You mean, you're associated with the Flash." Patty states out for me, "I didn't say that, Patty."

"You were definitely implying it- he told you?" Patty asks, her hand going stiff at her side.

"I overheard." I corrected her, "Listen- I understand what kind of anger you have in you. I lost a parent due to homicide also- I know how it feels- I know the guilt- and the blame. You can't let that change into anger- you can't kill him."

"He killed my father- I killed my father." Patty says, tears forming in her eyes.

"You didn't kill your father, Patty. It was a mistake- it wasn't your fault. And I get- you wanting to get revenge but- you can't be like him. What's going to change if you kill him? So what if he's gone- the angers still there." I try to explain but was cut off when her hand came in contact with my cheek.

I step back, as a few tears fall from her eyes, a gasp leaving her mouth after she had realized what she had just done, "I'm so- I didn't mean to-"

I ignore the stinging pain that existed on my cheek and pulled her into my chest, hugging her as she quietly cried in my arms, mumbling out apologies.

-

"Why is there a handprint on your cheek, Zee?" Barry asks me as he walks over to me, as I was seated on his bed, writing an article on my laptop, dressed in a oversized sweater that fell down one of my arms on one side, my legs covered in comfortable shorts, my feet covered in socks.

"I fell somewhere-" I try to lie, but I knew that wasn't going to work.

"How the hell would you get a handprint on your cheek from falling?" Barry asks, sitting down in front of me, not buying a word I was saying.

"Okay- I wouldn't believe me, either." I say in defeat, "But, I thought I'd give it a shot."

"Who hurt you?" Barry says, overprotection threaded on his voice.

"Patty-" I admit, quietly.

"Patty slapped you?" Barry tries to process, his eyes going slightly wide, as I could see the slight anger flash in his eyes.

"No- no. Listen- I'm fine. She did, but only because she was upset, okay?" I try to defend but he cuts me off, "This isn't something you should be understanding about, Zee- she literally hurt you-"

"I'm okay- I'm fine. Just please- let it go for now?" I beg quietly, grabbing both of his hands.

"Fine." Barry listens, as I smile, kissing his cheek, my phone buzzing next to me. I grab it, seeing yet another text message from the same unknown number.

:

I lock my phone immediately, before tossing it onto the ground. Barry gives me a confused look, "Who was that?"

"Work." I lie, before returning back to my article.