"All he does anymore is drink and get high- he's always hurting me whenever I do something he doesn't like- I'm sick of all the bruises- and being treated like this. He makes me feel like nothing- he makes me feel unwanted- he makes me feel unloved- he makes me feel like I shouldn't exist." I cry into my hands, stepping back from Barry, sobbing quietly, officially breaking down in front of Barry Allen for the first time in a while.

"Wait- he's hurt you before?" Barry stops me, staring at me, as the signs of overprotection and concern took over his features.

I nod weakly, tears falling uncontrollably, "I'm afraid of what he's going to do once he finds out we kissed."

He goes dead silent, realizing the kiss he initiated could put me in a lot of physical pain.

It stays silent between us, before a voice breaks through the silence, "You guys kissed?"

I froze at the voice.

Peter.

My eyes land on Peter, who was standing behind Barry, a few inches shorter than him. He starts to walk towards me, causing me to back away slightly, Barry immediately standing in front of me, putting a arm out to make sure I didn't try any moves to move past him and towards Peter. "Stay away from her."

"You can't tell me to stay away from my girlfriend- or well. ex girlfriend. I don't need to be dating a whore." Peter begins, as he stands straight up in front of Barry, fixing his posture, "I knew it. I knew she was in love with you the minute she said your name when we first started dating. It's so clear. You two are irrevocably in love with each other." Peter spats.

Barry looks slightly taken back, causing myself to tear up quick yet again.

This was it. This was where my entire friendship with Barry would end. Peter was busting me for being in love with Barry.

"Did she kiss you? Or you kiss her? It wouldn't matter anyway- you two are selfish. The both of you- don't care what you'll ruin- don't care what you will destroy- just want what you want that's all that matters. Isn't that right, Zee?" Peter says with gritted teeth, his fists clenching at his sides.

I slowly back away from both of them in fear, slowly shaking my head. "Peter, it's not like that."

"I kissed her." Barry spoke sternly, recovering from where he was taken back, crossing his arms, clearing his throat, keeping his ground, towering over Peter.

"So are you going to stand here and tell me that you kissed her, and she kissed back for absolutely no reason? You're going to tell me that you didn't kiss her because you-" Peter pushes his hand against Barry's chest, shoving him back lightly, causing fear to pick up in my chest, "Have some sort of feelings towards her, that you don't want to admit? You gonna tell me that, she doesn't have feelings for you- that isn't why she kissed back?" Peter's voice gets louder.

"Peter- calm down." I mumble, sniffling.

He turns and hits his palm across my face with force, causing my head to snap to the side. I shut up immediately, tears pooling in my eyes.

I looked so weak.

Before I knew it, Barry had Peter against the wall, punching him repeatedly. Peter lands a few solids on Barry's face, but Barry was giving everything he got at Peter.

I call out Barry's name, as I pull his arm back, pulling him away from Peter, tears falling down my cheeks.

Peter stares at us both, with a death glare, stumbling to his feet, breathing heavily, blood dripping, "You're both- gonna pay for this." With that, he leaves star labs.

My hand immediately goes to the bruise on Barry's face, ignoring the handprint on my face. "Oh my god- Barry-" I sniffle, my ginger lightly glazing the bruise, "I'm so sorry-"

"It wasn't your fault." He says, looking down at me with nothing but hurt and concern because of the state I was in.

I was broken. It's been a while since I've been actually broken.

"It is- he hurt you-" I sob quietly into my hand, sniffling, thoughts of how this was the end of our friendship due to what Peter said, and how I've never been so stressed and upset in a while swarmed my head.

"I'm okay-" He moves my face slightly, staring at the handprint. "I would've killed him, if you didn't pull me off."

I stay quiet, stepping back, running a hand through my hair.

"Was what he said true?" Barry quietly speaks, looking up at him, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"About?" I whisper, barely being able to speak in a normal tone anymore.

"You being in love with me." He rocks back and forth on his feet.

"It wasn't true. I'm not- in love with you. We're best friends- and that's all we'll ever be. I mean- you're in love with Iris anyway- and now Patty's in the picture-" I try to explain.

"I don't like Patty- like that." He lets out a breath.

"I- okay. But still, we're best friends and that's all we'll ever be." I repeat.

"Yeah." He barely whispers, before nodding his head slightly and leaving me alone in the room.

Why did he seem upset?