(DC Multiverse Adventures)
"-even with his parties and his playboy act-"
Zoya starts chuckling out of nowhere then proceeds to laugh quietly.
Dick looks at her. "What?"
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
"No, what?" He presses.
She pressed her lips tog...
Summary: Zoya lost not one, but two sisters outside of her blood.
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"Caitlin is dead, Barry."
The words hadn't even settled when Zoya moved. No hesitation, no warning—she lunged at Mark, her grief and rage igniting like a storm. Her hands reached for him, raw emotion fueling her strength, but Barry was faster. He caught her mid-motion, pulling her back before she could reach her target. Chester, reacting just as quickly, shouted, "Whoa, whoa!" while trying to help hold her back.
"Zoya, stop!" Barry's voice was firm but strained as he gripped her tightly.
Zoya's eyes were wild with anger, her chest heaving. "She is defiling her body!" She spat, her voice breaking with grief and fury. Her entire being trembled with the weight of her emotions.
The room was thick with tension, the only sound the sharp breaths escaping her lips. Her face was a mask of fury, but she didn't speak again. She didn't need to. The way her eyes bored into Mark was enough—full of unspoken accusations, a torrent of hurt and rage, pleading for answers.
The entity within Caitlin stepped forward cautiously, her expression remorseful, though it did little to soothe the storm that was Zoya. "I never wanted—"
Zoya's eyes snapped to her, and she hissed, "NO! Just . . . don't." She looked at Barry, her voice low but venomous. "You caused this, fix it."
With one last bitter glance at them all, Zoya pulled herself out of their grasp and stormed out of the room. Her departure left a void, one that no apology, no explanation could ever fill.
***
Zoya stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the straps of a sleek black dress. She tilted her head slightly, studying her reflection with a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. The dress was simple but elegant. Still, something didn't feel right. She turned toward Caitlin, who was busy flipping through a rack of dresses nearby.
Since the email she got the email of her Graduation date of the ceremony, Caitlin and Frost came with her to find a dress for the occasion.
"What do you think?" Zoya asked, a faint frown tugging at her lips as she glanced at the older women.
Caitlin's expression softening when she saw Zoya in the dress. She quickly scanned the outfit, her gaze shifting back to Zoya with a thoughtful look. "It's nice," she said gently, "but I think it's a little too... formal for you. You deserve something more... you."
Zoya raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into her voice. "More me?" she repeated.
Frost, who had been lounging nearby, glanced over, smirking. "She's right, you know. You've earned a little flair. Go for something that screams 'I'm here and I'm winning.'"
Zoya rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips. Caitlin shot Frost a playful glare, but Zoya could see the pride in her expression. Caitlin stepped closer to Zoya, her eyes studying her as she spoke, her tone warm and encouraging. "This isn't just about the ceremony. It's about everything you've fought for—how far you've come. You need something that matches that strength, that victory."
Zoya's brow furrowed slightly. She turned back to the mirror, her fingers brushing the fabric of the dress again. "Why do I get the feeling there's more to those words than just describing a dress?" Zoya teased, raising an eyebrow.
They both giggled softly, and Caitlin's smile grew, almost secretive, as if she had unlocked something deeper in Zoya.
Zoya's gaze softened, her voice quieter. "You really think I've come that far?" She asked, the vulnerability in her voice betraying her uncertainty.
Caitlin's expression softened, and she nodded with genuine pride. "I do. You've worked hard, Zoya. This isn't just about graduating... it's about all the things you've conquered. It's your victory."
Zoya stood still for a moment, absorbing Caitlin's words. She glanced back at her reflection, her fingers running over the fabric of the black dress, as if seeing it through a new lens. For the first time, she felt the weight of those words sink in. This wasn't just a graduation—it was a symbol of everything she'd overcome, everything she'd earned.
She turned to Caitlin, a soft smile curling at her lips. "I guess I do need something that feels... more like me."
Caitlin's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across her face.
Zoya walked over to the rack, her fingers grazing the satin fabric of a cream-colored dress. "What about this?" she asked, her voice light but confident.
Caitlin comes up next to her and smiled. "Definitely more you."
Frost looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "Pretty and daring, very much you." she said, her usual sarcasm softened by something more sincere as she went to place herself on Zoya's other side.
Zoya's grin widened.
With a final glance at her reflection, she could finally see it: the woman she'd grown into, strong, confident, and ready for whatever came next while both Snow sisters stood on each side of her, smiling her through the mirror.
***
Barry's footsteps echoed down the hallway of STAR Labs as he approached the door to one of the quiet labs. Zoya was there, her back was to him, and she hadn't noticed his approach yet.
"Zoya?" Barry's voice was soft but carried a note of concern.
She didn't turn around immediately, but when she did, her eyes were distant, her expression tight.
With Khione wanting to live with them under Caitlin's choices and her own. And Mark having only the interest of just getting one sister back. . . she just can't.
"Are you..." He began but stop.
Finally noticing the suitcase beside her.
"You're leaving?" Barry asked, the words almost too difficult to say, as if admitting it made it more real.
Zoya's gaze flickered to the suitcase before meeting his eyes. She sighed, her lips pulling into a thin line. "I'm going to stay with Cisco for a while," she explained, her voice steady but layered with unspoken pain. "I can't stay here, not with her." Her tone brittle. "Every time I'm in the same room as her, I feel like I'm losing myself, Barry. I can't control it. The grief... the rage—it's too much."
Barry tried to step closer, his hands reaching out in an attempt to comfort her, but Zoya pulled away, her voice sharp with raw emotion. "The more I stay here, the less control I have over myself. I won't be the person who kills them, Barry. But if I stay... I will. I will kill her, and I can't live with that. Not after everything. Not after Caitlin. . .or Frost."
There was a long silence between them before Barry finally nodded, stepping forward. "I understand. But please, Zoya... don't shut us out completely. You're not alone in this."
Zoya met his gaze again, her expression softening for just a moment. "I just need time. I need to figure out how to live with this... without hurting anyone."
With that, she took her suitcase, her steps heavy as she walked, leaving Barry standing alone in the quiet lab.
