Killer Frost slowly sits up, "You guys okay?"

"Yeah- I'm all good over here." I groaned, lying on my back, my hand on my head due to the pain striking in it, Cisco getting up.

Killer Frost walks over to me, helping me up.

"I don't understand." I sigh deeply and pull off my beanie, tossing it on the desk, "That wasn't Barry."

"Yeah, it was." Killer Frost said, "Ramsey turned him into one of his Blood Brothers."

Cisco ran to where Barry's suit was usually displayed and took out a tile from the wall, pulling down a lever, a feminine robotic voice filling the room, "Babel Protocols initiated."

I looked at him, "What's Babel Protocols?"

"Yeah-" Killer Frost was next to me, "I thought that was just some defense stuff that you added to Barry's suit."

"That was version one." Cisco types, "Version 2.0 puts up a force field around Star Labs."

"Nothing gets in, nothing goes out- not even our comms." Cisco explained, "I built them just in case just in case the Flash ever went dark."

"Barry said that Ramsey gave him a choice." I pinch the bridge of my nose, "Why would he choose this?"

Killer Frost shrugs lightly, "Maybe he decided eternal life was better than dying in Crisis."

"Ramsey's using Barry." Cisco exhales deeply, "And whatever he's having him do, he's got a plan."

-

I looked at Killer Frost, "My police scanner?"

Killer Frost switches the channels and listens to the static, "I'm hoping that since this thing transmits in analog, we can figure out what's going on outside Star Labs."

"I'm still trying to comprehend-" I sat on a desk, "Why didn't Ramsey just have Barry kill us as soon as he woke up? What was holding him back?"

"I don't know, but don't count us out yet- you know that tech I've been working on?" Cisco walked in and held up a device, "Meet the Photon Emitter."

Killer Frost walked over to the console by Cisco and I, "So- what, you built a ray gun?"

"It's not a ray gun, it's a weapon that can deliver megadoses of photon radiation-" He held it up, "The same kind of radiation typically administered to cancer patients."

I fold my hands, "What exactly does it do?"

"My theory is that these photons could be strong enough to destroy Ramsey's sentient infection." Cisco went in depth, "If I get close enough to blast him, he should revert back to his human form- he'd still have HLH, but at least he wouldn't be a gooey zombie overlord anymore."

"What about everyone else that was infected?" I asked, "Would they be cured?"

"Yes." Cisco nods, "They'd lose the goo, they'd go back to normal."

"But- since Ramsey's the only one who can create more Blood Brothers, I say we hit at him first." Cisco suggests, "Then Dark Flash."

I place my hands on my knees, "And have you tested it?"

Cisco inhales sharply, "Well, I haven't even finished building it, so no, no- I haven't tested it."

"And this is the only plan we have." I sigh deeply and cover my face, "What if something happens? If something goes wrong- what if this kills Barry?"

"Anyone there?" A scared woman's voice filled the police scanner, our attention diverting to it, "Please- help me."

"The city's being overrun- I'm using a police officer's radio." The woman cried out, "He's turning into some kind of monster- his eyes are black-"

Then it cut out.

Killer Frost looks up, "Ramsey's spreading his infection."

"That's where he took down communication citywide." Cisco realized, "Caitlin once said Ramsey's infection sample indicate he needs his victims to be afraid before he attacks them."

-

"We've got another 207 downtown." The officer's voice sounded the radio as I sat alone with Cisco in the cortex, "All available units respond!"

I stare at the radio, "207 is an abduction."

"There's been ten of those in the last five minutes." I got up suddenly, "I'm going out there-"

Cisco got up right away, "No, you're not-"

"Cisco, it is my job to keep those people safe." I began walking, "I'm an available unit, Frost and Joe can't handle it out there alone-"

Cisco gets in my way, "And you're Barry's wife- you don't think Ramsey will infect you too? Especially you."

"I need to help keep these people safe-" I raise my voice, holding the radio tightly in my hand, "I can't just- sit around and do nothing!"

"Zee, there is nothing you can do." Cisco shot back at me, remaining calm, "Barry would want you here- safe."

"Where is Barry?" I snipped, "Oh right- I forgot, he's Dark Flash- and he's helping terrorize the city."

Before Cisco could reply, Barry's deeply, breathy voice sounded in the radio, making us both freeze, "Zee, I know you're listening."

I immediately turned it up, as his voice continued to fill the line, "I need to see you."

"Meet me where our life together began," Barry's raspy voice followed, "Where you said yes."

I snatch the extrapolator from it's velvet holding almost right away, putting the radio down, moving to move past Cisco.

"Zee, that's not him." Cisco stops me, "That might sound like Barry, it might even look like him, but that is Dark Flash."

"Cisco- you don't know that." My voice fell quiet, "What if Barry is still alive in there? What if he's trying to get through to us? What if he needs help?"

"What if it's a trap, all right?" Cisco tried to convince me, "We don't even have comms- it's too risky."

"Please, Cisco- I just need to talk to him, face to face." I ran a hand through my hair, small tears brimming in my eyes, "I can get through to him."

"If the Emitter doesn't work on Ramsey, I get to come back and try something else." Cisco told me, "But- if you go out there and that's not Barry, you could get infected or worse."

Cisco walked past me and grabbed the velvet box the extrapolator was in before and held it out for me to put the extrapolator back in, "Please."

My voice came out as a whisper, "In sickness and in health."

Cisco's eyes widen when I opened the breach, "Zee!"

I went through, my feet hitting the carpet of Barry and I's loft as I came out the other side.

My eyes landed on Barry, standing with his back to me, as I took a step closer, "Barry?"

"Yes, Zee?" Barry's voice filled the room, "It's me."

Then, he turned, Ramsey's voice following from Barry's mouth, his eyes black, his teeth stained black as well, "And so much more."

My heart dropped to the farther pit of my stomach as I slipped the extrapolator in my back pocket, "Ramsey."

"Neat little trick, huh?" Ramsey's words and voice slipped from Barry's mouth, "Don't you see now, Zee?"

"My control over my Blood Brothers and Sisters is absolute." Ramsey seethed through his black teeth, "As more cured souls accept my lifeblood, they become extensions of one collective body- mine."

"Why did you ask me here?" I stood still, my hand over Barry's watch I wore, still in yesterday's clothes, "I'm sure it's not to prove to me that you have control over my husband entirely."

"To offer you a chance." He simply said, "Barry would want you to follow him down this path he chose."

I shook my head lightly, tearing up more, "No."

He then adds in, "The path of life."

"You aren't saving lives, Ramsey." I raise my voice, "You're destroying them- the city is going insane!"

He doesn't reply.

"Barry-" A small tear left me eye as I took a step closer, "I know you can hear me- so, listen to my voice. Please."

"I love you." I dared, taking another step closer, "And after everything that we've been through together- how we've pushed through every villain thinking that they would be one of the worst we've faced, I know we will push through this. Together."

"Barry, this is not how our story ends." A tear fell from my eye, "Please, come home to me."

Suddenly Barry was in front of me and grabbed me aggressively, "Why would Barry come home to you?"

"You accepted his death in Crisis as inevitable." Ramsey's words were like knives through my heart, "What kind of wife is willing to bury her husband?"

Then, his hand was vibrating over my heart.

I suddenly move my hands and grabbed his face gently, tears falling from my eyes, "Barry, it's okay."

"I know you can't control what he does, so if he does kill me- it's okay." My voice came out as a whisper, "It wasn't your fault."

His hand stopped right before he could me.

Like something was holding him back.

"In good time." Ramsey snipped at me, "This is not over- trust me, Zee."

Then, Barry ran out, leaving me alone in our loft, heartbroken and in tears.

-

I dropped the extrapolator onto the dress when I breached back to Star Labs, sitting on the stairs.

Cisco stood in the middle of the cortex, staring at my condition, "Are you okay?"

I don't reply.

"I piggybacked the audio off the extrapolator." Cisco inched closer to me, "I'm sorry."

I wiped my tears and got up, "I have to try again."

"Zee-" Cisco stepped in front of me, "He almost killed you."

I shook my head, standing in the step so I could meet his height, "We can't just give up, Cisco."

"We're not." Cisco places a hand on my arm, holding up the Photon Emitter in his hand, "But- if we're gonna take down Bloodwork and Dark Flash, we need to do it with the Photon Emitter."

I shook my head again, "Cisco- you haven't even tested it-"

"We have no time." Cisco shot back at me, "Maybe you don't remember, but we actually have been preparing for this for weeks."

"No- we haven't." My face twisted in anger, "We've been preparing for Crisis- for the Flash to die trying to save this world- not- not helping to destroy it!"

"It doesn't matter!" Cisco raises his voice at me as I flinched, a tear falling, "We were gonna lose him anyway!"

Cisco looked down in realization, looking up at me and walking into the cortex, "This is the moment he prepared us for."

"We still have four hours- we have time, Cisco!" I followed him, "We can still save him- okay? I won't give up on Barry- he's my husband."

"He was." Cisco corrected me, facing me, "And he was my best friend."

"And no one's giving up on anybody because there is nothing left to give up on." Cisco's words hurt more than Ramsey's, "Zee, he's gone."

"He was always gonna leave us." Cisco's voice went soft when I saw the look on my face, "And whether or not the Emitter works, it's not gonna change that."

I cross my arms and looked down, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"The Emitter's almost ready." Cisco's voice was low, "And when it is I'm gonna use it on Bloodwork, and I'm gonna use it on Dark Flash."

-

"Is that all you've got, Mr. Ramon?" Ramsey's demonic voice filled the cortex from the audio Cisco had connected to the extrapolator, "Too bad."

"Cisco-" I immediately got up and rushed to the monitor, sniffling as I stared at the screen, listening in.

"My lifeblood is a gift." Ramsey questioned, "Are you ready to receive it?"

"No-" Cisco's grunt was heard when Ramsey threw him to the ground, "You have another purpose to serve."

"The reckoning is near." Ramsey said, "My army is almost ready to march on Star Labs."

"What the hell do you want with Star Labs?" Cisco coughed lightly, as Ramsey mimicked the sound of an explosion, "The Particle Accelerator."

"The very tech you helped to create will be the vessel carrying my glorious cure." Ramsey confirmed it, "Soon all of Central City will be granted eternal life, and I choose you, Mr. Ramon, to be my messenger."

"Go, tell your team the great Star Labs Particle Accelerator is ready to fulfill its true purpose." Ramsey snarled, "Salvation is nigh."

"An ass-whipping is nigh, pal, and you're gonna lose, Ramsey." Cisco spat back at him, "You're gonna lose."

"Plucky right up until the end." Ramsey snipped at him, "I knew I picked the right guy."

"Zee!" Ramsey's voice got louder as he shouted, "If you're listening- I'm coming home."

-

"Look at this." Cisco switched between the footage, "Ramsey wasn't lying- Barry hacked the Particle Accelerator."

"He was getting it ready for Bloodwork." I pinch the bridge of my nose, "That's why he was pretending to be Barry."

I sigh, dropping my hand, "But- why would Ramsey want the Particle Accelerator to explode?"

"If Ramsey drops even just a tiny amount of his blood into the core and it explodes, the infectious cells will aerosolize and it would affect all of Central City in seconds." Cisco sighs deeply, "All you'd have to do is take a breath."

Then, a breach opened and in came Killer Frost and Allegra, holding up Joe.

"Joe-" My eyes widen, as within seconds we all brought him to the Med Lab, laying him on the bed.

I looked at Killer Frost, "Frost?"

"I can't- I can't handle this." Killer Frost stepped back, breathing heavily, disappearing as Caitlin overtook her.

"There's a lot of blood loss." Caitlin was across from me, "Looks like a nicked spleen."

Caitlin thought quickly, "Frost, I don't have the equipment I need to close up this complicated of a wound, but you can with your ice powers."

Killer Frost's voice sounded the room, "I can't."

"Yes, you can." Caitlin argued, "Frost, come on."

Killer Frost replies, "After Ralph and Barry?"

"Frost, take control." Caitlin instructs, "Let yourself feel the fear, count to three, and do it anyway, because that's what heroes do- one, two-"

Killer Frost appears, "Three."

With that, she took care of it, because she knew she had to.

-

I hugged my knees as I sat with Cisco in his workshop, "For the record, both our plans failed."

"Yeah." Cisco agrees quietly, resting his chin on his arms, "I just went in one direction while you went in the other, instead of figuring out a plan together."

I inhale, "Yeah, you're right."

"I should've made that happen." Cisco's voice was low, "I should've led the team."

"Hey- it's not too late." I sat up straight and placed a hand on his back, "Barry chose you for a reason- he knew you could do it."

"Don't doubt yourself, Cisco." I rubbed his back, "I've never doubted you."

Cisco softly laughs, as my eyebrows furrow, "What?"

"Something Ramsey said- I knew I picked the right guy- Barry said those words, remember?" Cisco reminds me, then realization hit both of us, "Barry said those exact words to me when he made me team leader."

My eyes widen, "Cisco."

"Ramsey could've infected me- he could've killed me." Cisco got up, taking a few steps, "But- he didn't Instead he just did a complete 180 for no reason."

"When Ramsey said, I'm coming home." I slowly got up, "I begged Barry to come home at the loft but- when he almost killed me- I didn't think I got through to him."

"Zee- what if that was Barry?" Cisco took a step closer to me, "What if you were right and he's still alive inside Dark Flash?"

I realize where he was getting at, "Then he could be trying to tell us what to do."

Cisco said exactly what I was thinking, "Like how to take down Bloodwork."

Then there was a beeping at the computer, as we both went to it, Cisco speaking, "Someone's at the barrier."

"I have arrived to fulfill my destiny." Ramsey stood next to Barry, "And yes, my army is coming."

"Zee, Cisco-" Barry then said, "Let the light in."

Cisco looked at me in realization, "I think I just figured out Barry's plan- and he just told us the next step."

"We need to lower the defenses." I looked back at him, realizing this as well, "Let them in."

-

"You want me to do what?" asked Allegra as Cisco spoke through the comms, him and I in his workshop as Ramsey and his army stormed Star Labs.

I plan my hands on my hips as I watched Cisco jot down equations on the board, "Barry's plan is to let the light in."

Cisco follows, "It isn't for Ramsey to spread his infection to the city, it's for you to spread the antidote with one hell of a UV blast."

"But- I can't do that." Allegra stammers.

"Don't worry, I've done all the calculations, we'll walk you through the whole thing." Cisco assures her, "Just get to the pipeline now."

As we turned to run for the pipeline, the intercoms came on with Ramsey's voice filling them, "Good evening, Team Flash."

"I have tried repeatedly to bestow upon you eternal life, yet you've refused." His voice makes us stop, "So now, instead of continuing to offer you the gift of life, I've ordered my Blood Brothers to take it from you."

"Now as you run for your worthless lives, do keep in mind that your leader, Flash, belongs to me now. I have his access codes, his handprint, his knowledge." He continued, "My objective will be achieved."

Moments later, Cisco and I were grabbed by Barry and ran to the pipeline, where Cisco fell to the ground and Barry had me against the wall frame, his hand around my neck.

I gasp for air, my hands on his wrists, choking out, "Barry-"

"I want you to know the scope of your failure." Ramsey stood across from us, "My lifeblood is circling the accelerator. And when it gathers enough speed, it'll collide with the energy inside and the resulting collision will cure this city and you."

"Barry-" I barely muster out when his grip was too tight on my neck, "Barry- I trust you, with my life."

Suddenly, his grip loosened slightly, allowing me to inhale deeply, gasping for the air my lungs had been crying for.

Barry growls lightly, looking down, his eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" Ramsey stared at Barry when he notices him not doing what he wants, "Kill her."

Barry resists.

Ramsey grew frustrated, pulling Barry towards him without even moving, "We are one, you and I."

"It's pointless to fight it." Ramsey crouched as Barry fell to his knees, "I know you want to execute my will."

"I can feel it inside you, Flash." Ramsey said, as Barry began to smile wickedly, "Much better."

There was a burning flame in my pupils as my fists erupted in flames as well, blasting Ramsey.

Ramsey began launching himself towards me, but I was quickly, blasting him with a stronger force of flame, as he let out a pained scream, falling to the ground, knocked out cold, as Barry was on the ground as well, trembling.

I stood over Barry, my fists cooling, guarding him as Cisco's fingers glided over the screen.

"Barry?" I watched my husband scream and tremble.

Cisco exhales deeply, "We only have about five rotations left before collision."

I looked at him, "How long is each rotation?"

"A few seconds if we're lucky." Cisco huffs, muttering, "Allegra, where the hell are you?"

"Right here!" Allegra suddenly ran in with Killer Frost, our heads snapping toward her.

"When I open this door, you need to hit these particles with all the UV rays you've got." Cisco instructs as he opened the door of the Particle Accelerator.

"You got this." Killer Frost assures Allegra when she comes closed, "Don't hold back."

"One rotation left!" Cisco began, "Now!"