"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, "Excuse 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."

"Well, that one spoke first." Gypsy pointed to Cisco.

"What? That's like a real rule?" Barry questions, confusion forming on his face.

"By the laws of Earth 19, I hereby challenge you for the possession of H.R. Wells." Cisco stepped closer, his voice loud and clear.

"Do you ever shut up?" I snipped, taking a step closer to Cisco, the look on my face indicating I was actually questioning to myself if Cisco Ramon had went out of his mind. "You're only digging yourself into a deeper hole."

"If you want, we can always solve this another way." Cisco spoke, staring at Gypsy, focusing on her, ignoring my comments of trying to get him out of this hole he was digging himself into so we could find and negotiate another way, but he continued, "There's a great spot for drinks-"

"See- he's practically pinning over you-" I brought up, pointing at Cisco, staring at Gypsy with wide eyes, showing her the proof that I was not with Cisco and I was with Barry due to her little comment that stuck with me, leaving me with a feeling that wouldn't go away until I had cleared that up.

Barry wraps a arm around my shoulders, pulling me away from Cisco and Gypsy and into his side, pressing a kiss to my head, "Okay, shut up, I think she gets the fact that you are mine."

"You realized trial by combat is to the death?" Gypsy looks at Cisco.

"Yeah," Cisco stepped closer, "For the loser."

"Oh my god, she's gonna kill Cisco." I blurt out, my fingers touching my bottom lip.

Cisco's head snaps back towards me briefly, "Gee, thanks for the support."

I give him a crooked smile as he looks back at Gypsy, "Listen, if you want him. You're gonna have to come and claim him."

"I take it you also want the customary 24 hours to prepare?" Gypsy questions.

Cisco points at her, turning back to us, scoffing, "Do I want the customary-"

We all cut him off, Barry, HR, and I saying in unison, "Yes you do."

Cisco sharply turns back towards her, "I would love to take advantage of the customary 24 hours, if you don't mind."

"Very well. One day. Seen you then." Gypsy opens a breach, disappearing into it.

Cisco slowly turns back and faces us, "She's gonna kill me, isn't she?"

-

"Come again?" I question Iris and Wally as we stood in Barry and Julian's shared CSI lab, while they were at Star Labs, "You want me to do what?"

"Distract my dad, so Wally can come in as you know- Kid Flash and swipe his case file on the arms dealer, snap a few pictures of it and put it back." Iris explained to me once more.

Wally speaks up, "And we kinda need your help when we get this guy's location. So, you can arrest him before Dad gets there- so it looks like you were the one leading it."

"Have you two lost your minds?" I stare at them with wide eyes, "And you want me to take the blame for it?"

Iris speaks up, her tone laced with plead, "Look, this article means so much to me. I want my life to mean something, not just as a daughter, or a sister, but as a reporter."

I stay quiet for minute, giving in to the looks on their faces, a sigh leaving my mouth, "Fine."

Iris quickly thanks me, before quickly shooing me downstairs. I walk over to Joe's desk, "Joe, hey- I kinda wanted to talk to you. Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah-" Joe looks down at me, as I made sure to have all his attention.

"So, uhm" I start, "You know, how you're practically my father figure right? So I just wanted to speak to you about Barry and I, and just get some advice."

"Did he do it yet?" Joe slips up, his eyes wide with question.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, "Do what?"

He coughs, clearing his throat, "Never mind, uhm- what did you want to talk about?"

"Well- you know how Barry and I had recently moved into a new loft and all, and are getting used to the idea of it-" I start, putting a strand of my hair behind my ear, "And there is a time in everyone's relationship- and you've probably already experienced this so that's exactly why I came to you- uhm-"

Joe shoots me a look as I continued, noticing Wally had swiped the papers, "There comes a time in every relationship where you realize that there is too much love for just two people to have- and the only solution is to- add another person to share that love with?"

"I'm gonna need a minute-" Joe puts a hand on his forehead, looking at the ground, my eyes falling onto the desk, seeing the file back where it was, and Wally and Iris giving me a thumbs up from behind.

"Is Barry a dog or a cat person?" I stammer out, "I mean- I was kinda thinking about getting a pet- and I don't really remember him having a preference- and I wouldn't want to just surprise him with a pet he doesn't want and you probably know him better than anyone so- what kind of animal does- Barry like?"

"Oh man, you had me there for a second." Joe sighs in relief, "Just get him any animal you want- as long as it has four legs."

"Thank you- for the advice. It helps a lot-" I mutter, running a hand through my hair, giving him a smile before walking past him.

-

"Hell no, I ain't cool with this." Joe raises his voice as him, Barry, Wally, Iris and I stood in the cortex, listening to Joe shout at Iris, Wally and I. Once we had caught the arms dealer, when Joe arrived, he was absolutely pissed at us. "You three almost compromised a major CCPD sting operation that took the DA's office months to assemble."

"I mean- we still caught the guy. I arrested him." I try.

"Zee, you could've lost your job if Singh found out." Joe raises his voice at me.

My voice goes quiet, "Well, he isn't going to find out."

"Okay this isn't the point, the point is that Iris had you and Wally out there in danger, for what? A story?" Joe shouts, snapping his head towards Barry, "And where the hell were you?"

Barry's jaw slightly drops, not knowing what to say as Iris speaks up, "Dad, this is more than just a story for me."

"Yeah, which you almost got shot for." Wally spoke up, his hands folded, outing Iris.

"Wally-" My gaze snaps to him.

"Zee, I know you were with her but still." Wally stares at Iris, "She was being reckless when she did what she did."

"Iris-" Joe trails, shock overwhelming him, "What's going on with you?"

She sighs, leaving the room, knowing that she couldn't tell him the real reason why she was being so reckless. I nod towards Barry lightly, signaling for him to go after her and talk to her, that being exactly what he did.

-

Cisco had beaten Gypsy at the combat, claiming HR for us, saving him from his punishment. Gypsy was ready to accept her fate, but Cisco didn't kill her, because that wasn't how things ran around here. We had come to conclusion that Gypsy would go back to Earth 19 and tell them that she had killed HR, due to her never losing at a combat, and her not wanting them to know she failed. This meant HR could never go back to Earth 19. Gypsy even took an absurd amount of coffee back to Earth 19 because of the Blight and how she loved the coffee here. Iris had gotten to write her big article and sold the hell out of Kid Flash.

Barry and I were now dancing around the loft like idiots, music playing through the speakers. Barry was dressed in a t shirt and jeans, while me on the other hand, my hair was in a very messy bun, and I was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a cropped t shirt. We had nothing else to do that night, so I decided to just turn on some music, and dance around until Barry joined me.

And he did. We were both holding drinks, this being our only ones, me mostly not wanting to have a hangover in the morning before I went to work. Barry could drink as much as he wanted and he wouldn't get drunk. A ability of his that I sometimes envied.

Barry had now set his phone on the kitchen island, leaning up against something, as he started recording us through the front camera, before returning back over to me.

I shrugged it off, and simply giggled lightly, sipping some of my drink, lightly swaying to the music.

"Baby you're like lightning in a bottle, I can't let you go now that I got it," The music blared through the speakers, as I spun, my back facing Barry.

"And all I need is to be struck, by your electric love-" I smiled at the sound of the song, this being one of the songs I most admired.

I spun back around, my eyes landing onto Barry, my eyes widening at the sight in front of me; not expecting it whatsoever.

Barry was on one knee, holding a small black velvet box, that was opened, revealing a very expensive looking diamond ring.

"Holy crap." I exhale and stare at the ring, my eyes wide.

ok so if the spacing seems weird, it's cause I wrote the rest of this chapter on my laptop and the spaces are doubled. it's annoying the everything out of meeee.