As if last week wasn't already a handful.

"You're telling me-" I began, "Barry's trapped in an false reality- in his mind?"

Caitlin nods, as I stared at her, "Is this something like Music Mister?"

Cisco was the one to speak next, "So far- all I've picked up on what Peter's abilities are- is that he can trap people in their own minds- in a alternate reality."

"So- Barry's stuck?" I ask, looking at him.

"Stuck-" Cisco began, "That would be a very strong word for this situation-"

I ignore the rest, marching down to the pipeline, staring right at Peter through his cell, "What the hell did you do to him?"

"I told you that you were in for one hell of a ride, Sweetheart." Peter smirks, completely relaxed.

"I asked you a question." I raise my voice, staring right at him.

"He's going to die, Zee." Peter stares at me, dead in the eye, his tone and expression changing, "You can't save him."

"You need to start talking now before I-" I began to threaten.

He cuts me off, "Alright, alright. Save the threatening for the husband."

I go completely silent, staring at him, awaiting an answer.

"My powers- I can basically trap someone in their own mind. I create the base of the reality of a perfect life for them- they have to imagine it- well- of course- with a few of my own details." Peter began, just opening up, knowing that this would kill Barry, "The more he falls into that reality- the faster he dies. Eventually- he's gonna die. And if you go in after him- you'll die right with him."

I stare at him, tears welling in my eyes, "Tell me how to save my husband."

"You can't." He shrugs.

"Haven't you had enough?" I ask, "Not even- a few days ago- you tried to kill everyone I cared for. And now you're after my husband. When are you gonna stop?"

"Now." Peter shrugs, "Because- Barry's death is guaranteed."

-

"Cisco-" I walk into the room the other were in, hours later, where Barry laid on a medical bed, wires connected to him, still knocked out, "Vibe me in there."

"You want me to vibe you where?" Cisco questions.

"Into Barry's mind." I told him, "Like- you did with Music Mister."

Cisco simply nods, not asking any further questions, grabbing his goggles and my hand, standing next to Barry, putting on his goggles, pressing his hand against Barry's shoulder.

And within a blink, I was standing in Barry's old home, where he once lived when he was younger, with Nora and Henry Allen.

I was stood by the doorway, as I hesitantly made my way further into the home.

"Barry?" My voice is quiet as I called into the house, my footsteps halting at the sound of someone's voice behind me.

"Who are you?" Henry Allen's voice fills my ears, my heart shattering at the sound, my body spinning as I turn to face him, my eyes landing on his figure.

"Henry?" Nora Allen walks over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Is everything okay?"

My eyes land on Joe West, as he was seated on the couch, holding a cup of coffee, Barry Allen right next to him, a smile on his lips.

Once Joe's eyes land on me, he had gotten up and stood by Henry.

"Dad-" Barry's voice calls out, getting up, standing next to his parents, his voice softening once he lays eyes on me, "What's going on?"

"Barry, did you let anyone in?" Nora turns to Barry in question.

"No-" Barry shakes his head lightly, "Did you break in?"

"I-" I stare at him, speechless, "Uh- no, of course not-"

"Then how the hell did you get in here?" Joe gaped at me, "Without any of our consent- you are breaking and entering."

"The door-" I trail off, "The door was open."

"What do you want with my son?" Henry asks, referring to when I was calling out for Barry when I first arrived, turning towards Barry, "Do you know her?"

"No-" Barry shook his head, staring at me, confusion behind my eyes.

"You do-" I blurt out, "You know me- Barry."

"From- where?" Barry questions, stepping in front of his parents, looking at me.

"It's going to sound insane-" I exhale, "But- I'm your wife and-"

"Okay Miss," Joe steps up, grabbing my arm, "Time to go."

"No- wait- Barry, you need to listen to me." I try to pull my arm from Barry's grip, Joe already on the phone, requesting a team to pull me out, my head snapping towards him, "Damn, I've barely spoken for two minutes-"

"I'm sorry-" Barry apologizes politely, "I don't know you-"

"Yes you do-" Stressed tears well in my eyes, "You do know me. Please- just give me two minutes of your time- that's all I'm asking."

Barry stares at me for a second, his eyes connected with mine, noticing the tears glistening in my eyes, he nods, "Okay."

I forcefully pull my arm away from Joe, Barry guiding me outside and to his front porch, closing the door behind him.

"Barry-" I began, "It's me, Zee. You have to remember- this version of what you think is the perfect life- it's getting to your head. It's already gotten you fully convinced- and you're going to die and I-"

"I'm perfectly fine." He stares at me.

"You need to come home." I stare at him, blinking the tears away, "I'm trying to bring you home- I just need you to at least consider that- what I'm saying might be true."

"I am home." Barry says sharply, "Listen, I don't know who you are, but-"

"Look at this ring-" I snap my hand up, pointing at it, "Does this look familiar to you?"

"That's-" Barry stares at it, "That's the ring my great grandfather proposed to my great grandmother with after World War II. Where the hell did you get that?"

"From you." I exhale, "You put this ring on my finger. The night you proposed to me. Or well- both nights-"

Something flickers in Barry's eyes as he looks away, causing me to speak up, "Yes- try to remember."

Before we could say anything else, there were three cops cars pulling up, the red and blue lights flashing as a few CCPD cops got out, rushing over to me, hand cuffing me.

"No-" I try to pull away, Joe coming out, tears glistening in my eyes, "I'm getting through to him-"

"You're under arrest for-" I start to hear, but I completely tune it out, looking at Barry, seeing him in silence, just watching us, as I could see the flicker in his eyes that gave me some sort of hope.

"Barry, why do you think they're trying to silence me?" I let out a shout, his attention glued on me, "It's messing with your brain. Peter- has made every perk of this reality to make sure I don't get through to you. You need to let me remind you of the truth- the truth being that life isn't perfect."

I went on, noticing as he was now full on listening to me, wanting to hear what I had to say, "Life is hard- and lonely- especially for you. You have suffered so much lost- and I wish so much that I could take away all the pain you had to go through, and give you the life you deserve. But- I can't. I can only give you my best- and lately- I haven't been- and I'm so sorry."

"I wish you could've had a life with your mother- and a longer one your father." I let out a sob, as I tried my best to pull away from the cops that held me away from him, "I wish your mother didn't die- I wish your father didn't go to prison for a crime he didn't commit- I wish Zoom didn't murder him- but no matter how many times I wish for that pain to never occur- it doesn't change that it happened. It doesn't change- the pain- or how hurt you were. How devastated you were. But- the pain sculpted you into the man you are."

Barry's eyes flash with recalling, as I tried my hardest, the grip of the cops getting stronger, as I let out a grunt, pulling hard, "You told me that pain was a part of you. You told me that- both pain and darkness were apart of you and you need it to fuel you. To push you into being a better person- a better hero. You told me that it keeps you from forgetting who you are. The man- that I love. The man that- Nora, Henry, Joe, Cisco, Caitlin, Harry, Iris- hell, even HR- and- Ralph. The man they love. The man- we all rely on. You're The Flash, Barry. The city relies on you to keep them safe."

Barry's eyes widen at the sound of what I was saying, a weak mutter leaving his lips which showed me I was getting through to him, "The Flash-"

"Yes," A nod towards him, sniffling, breathing heavy, "Remember that life. With- Joe- Caitlin- Iris- and Cisco. And- Ralph. Ralph- you helped him. You changed him for the better and he was one of your best friends."

"I can't promise you a life without pain and loss." I continued, a cry leaving my lips, tears streaming down my cheeks, "But- even if everything that's happened to you that's made you walk through absolute hell disappeared and you had a perfect life with your family- it wouldn't be this. This isn't real. And you know it, Barry. Deep down- you know what I'm saying is true."

I was cut off when a cop forcefully pulls me back, a shriek leaving my lips, as I jump up, using both legs to kick the officer to my left when the cop to my right held both of my arms, landing back on my feet, my leg kicking forward, then back, hitting him right between his legs, his grip loosening, as I turned, kicking him off the porch, turning towards Barry.

I ran towards him, now Joe West being in the way, as he grabbed me before I could reach him, the rest of the cops remaining in their cars, awaiting for Joe to bring me to the car, as I fought back, trying to pull out of his hold.

"You have fought every day, from it being different meta humans- to evil speedsters- to the Thinker- to keep people from struggling with the pain of loss like you have." I was out of breath, "You need to remember. I know you can remember, please. You just have to try. Please try Barry. Please-"

Barry stares at me, as I continued, "Our city needs The Flash. The team- needs you to hold them together- I need my husband."

"You're my best friend- you're the man I'm in love with. Every day- you give me another reason to love you more- and if I lose you- I don't know what I'd do." I admit, Joe starting to forcefully pull me away, Barry's taking a step closer to stop him, but stops himself from doing anything else.

"Barry, I can't choose this for you-" I let out a sob, trying my best to pull away from Joe, but he continued to pull me back and towards the cop car, "You have to choose it for yourself. Please. Please come back to all of us."

A weak sob leaves my lips in defeat, more tears streaming down my cheeks, not knowing what else to say, completely defeated.

Barry looks around, Henry and Nora Allen now standing by him, looking at him, as Barry looks at them, "I wish this was real. To stay here with you- and be happier than I could ever imagine. But- this isn't real."

Barry turns towards me, staring to make his way towards me, Nora grabbing his arm, "Barry, honey-"

"Mom, please." Tears well in his eyes, as he grabbed her forearms softly, looking at her and his father, "You two- taught me so much. You taught me to be strong- and that what's meant to be will always find it's way back. And that's why I need to go."

He slowly pulls away from her, "Zee is right- my wife is right. My friends need me. My family needs me. My wife needs me."

Barry steps away from her, starting to make his way over to me, but is stopped when two cops pulled him back.

"Barry-" I call out his name, Barry pushing over the two cops, running over to me, his hands grabbing his face immediately.

He wipes away my tears with his thumbs, "It's okay-"

Suddenly, Barry disappeared, my entire vision going back as Cisco and I were flung back in opposite directions, hitting the wall and landing onto tables, my eyes snapping opening, seeing myself back where I was before I went in after Barry.

Pain rushed through my body as I sat up quickly, looking around, anger filling within me once I laid eyes on Barry, nothing changing.

I got up, looking at everyone, "You pulled me out?"

Cisco stumbles up, looking at me, ripping off his goggles.

"You- pulled me out?" I repeat, my tone raising, "I got through to him. He remembered- he was about to come home-"

"Zee-" Cisco began, but I didn't listen, grabbing him by his collar.

"Why did you pull me out?" I shout, "Send me back in- he was about to come home-"

"Zee!" Iris pulls me back, "He didn't pull you out."

"Then why isn't he waking up?" I shout, Iris holding me back and away from Cisco.

As if on cue, Barry gasps, sitting up quickly, his eyes wide, my name slipping out of his mouth instantly, "Zee-"

"Oh my god-" I exhale in relief, slipping away from Iris and melting into his embrace, "Thank god you're home."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Barry asks, once everyone leaves the room, holding onto me still, "You're my home."

"I'm not following-" I stare at him confused, sniffling quietly, my grip staying tight.

"Even in that false reality- that perfect life I made up-" I look at him, "Once you went in after me, I was home. Home isn't a place for me anymore, it's a person. You're that person- and you always will be. Whether I was trapped in my mind- or here with you right now- I was home."

-

That night, Barry and I talked about what had happened, and worked everything out, as I kept him from going to the pipeline and practically killing Peter.

We had went to bed, but eventually, I had woken up sooner than I thought, and headed to the living room, having Iris come over.

And that's where Iris and I sat that night, Iris dressed in sweatpants and a tank top, while I was dressed in an oversized sweater that fit me like a dress.

We were on the ground by the dining table, Iris typing away on her laptop, cardboard boxes surround us, many papers and sticky notes on the dining table, Iris accidentally tipping over a box, a bunch of papers falling on top of me resulting in me losing the paper I was just looking at.

"Iris!" I call out, standing up, grabbing the empty cardboard box, starting to place the papers back.

"Sorry- Sorry-" Iris continued to type away the article she was writing for her blog.

I froze at the sound of Barry's voice, due to Iris and I trying our best to not wake up this early, as he called my name from our bedroom "Zee?"

"Awh man, sorry, babe!" I go back to placing papers into the box, "Go back to sleep."

"Zee-" Barry calls out my name again, walking down the stairs, one eye squinting at the light Iris and I had one, exhaustion all over his features, dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, clearly just putting them on, his hair a mess, "Zee, it's 5am, what're you- why's Iris here?"

I stammer, "Let me just put the rest of these papers back and find the one I was reading, I had a lead- just one second-"

"Just one second." Iris types, "Let me just get this last sentence down, okay?"

"Why- why are you still awake? What is all this?" Barry shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, walking over to the dining table, staring at what I had put out.

"This is every file, every report, every footnote that I could find on Devoe." I left what I was doing, walking over to him, "By the way, the printer-" I point at it, "It's out of ink because of all the articles I printed out-"

"Okay-" Barry shook his head, "What're you doing?"

"I dug it all up when I woke up in the middle of the night, I just I couldn't stop thinking about Devoe and his machine- and then I was wide awake and I called Iris- etcetera-" I put my hands on his shoulders once he sat down, "And now that he has all of the satellites, I mean, he could turn on the machine at any point."

"And not knowing is maddening, but at least we know what he's planned, right?" Iris places down her laptop, "But everyone else in the city, they are oblivious. Which is why I decided that I need to write a piece about it."

"An article?" Barry looks between us.

"Exposing every single detail of his maniacal plan." I press my palms together, "Barry, I think this is exactly what we need to change the tide against Devoe. If the city knew- about Devoe- and what he's planning- maybe they could drop to where he's been- or what he's doing- or anything that could lead us to beating him."

"Oh-" Barry trials off, his eyes on the articles in front of him.

"If people in this city knew what he was up to, then maybe they could protect themselves." Iris reasons, looking at me.

"So-" I point at Barry and Iris, "I'm gonna go upstairs, I'm gonna take a shower, and when I come back, I'm hoping that you'll tell me everything about Devoe's flying chair thingy? Yup? Okay? Love you-" I clap my hands together, running up the stairs.

-

"Hey-" Barry's voice stops me while I was walking in the hall of Star Labs towards the cortex, my footsteps halting, my head turning and facing him, as he caught up to me.

He hands me a coffee, knowing I had been up all night, looking down at me, "I wanna talk to you about something."

"About Iris writing the article on Devoe." I sip my coffee, leaning back against the wall, already knowing he would speak about this.

"Yeah-" Barry quietly says, "I mean, maybe she shouldn't- publish it."

"Does it bother you?" I question, "I mean- I was just digging up things on Devoe and to minimize everything I was just jotting everything down, and it was her idea all together- I'm just supporting her in it."

Barry stammers, "Whenever we do things here, we always keep it low-key. Showing the entire city what we're working on- it wouldn't be the best idea."

"Tell her that, babe." I lightly hit my coffee his chest, then taking a sip of it again.

"Could you- maybe talk to her it?" Barry asks me.

"Or you could talk to her yourself?" I suggest, my eyebrows furrowing.

"Please don't make me." Barry exhales.

"I'll see what I can do. And if it doesn't work. I'm making you." I kiss his cheek, before walking into the cortex, Barry following me.

"So last night, Harry, Cisco, and I were up all night writing all the different algorithms we could think of involving the satellite tech that Devoe stole." Caitlin began once we walked in.

"We think Devoe plans to position each of his five satellites at specifically calculated- points around the globe." Cisco continued.

Caitlin went on, "And when the quantum computers in each satellite link up-"

"He'll use that network to basically emit a series of dark matter bursts." Cisco finishes her sentence.

"That will reboot the pre-frontal cortex of every man, woman, and child on this Earth." Caitlin exhales.

"Well, we need to nip this in the bud." Joe says, "We can't let him launch those satellites."

I cross my arms, "Well yeah obviously, but how are we gonna find the guy to begin with? I mean, we haven't been able to register Devoe's pocket dimension energy for days."

"And with Null's gravitational powers, he can launch these satellites from any place at any time." Caitlin holds her marker.

"Yeah, he can." Barry's voice is quiet.

"What are you thinking, Bar?" Joe asks for all of us.

"I think we shoot 'em down." Barry admits.

"One very- minor problem." I say sarcastically, my hand demonstrating how small it was, "Devoe has Kilgore's powers. He can manipulate any tech-based weapon we fire at him."