In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

42.

chapter forty-two ; a delicate balance

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Natalie watched the live video, Dr. Wells' confident stance making her blood boil. The smug smile on his face grew once her boyfriend slid to a speedy spot. "Well I heard your prison transfer didn't go so well," Wells smirked, a bounce in his step as he walked towards Barry, "I'm so sorry."

"Like hell you are," Natalie muttered at the same time Barry shouted something back at him. The brunette hadn't even noticed she had started to make her way towards the exit of the Cortex until Joe grabbed her arm, snapping her out of her angered haze. Joe shook his head, a stern yet worried look on his face as he watched his foster son on the live feed. "You can't go out there, Natalie. There's nothing you or any of us can do. It would just distract Barry and then he'd be dead for sure." Natalie nodded her head in understanding, her palms beginning to clam as a heavy flood of possible outcomes flashed across her mind.

"Ever the hero, huh Barry?" Natalie heard Wells say, finishing up what she guessed was a mini speech she had missed, his smug smile shrinking and forming into a thin line of anger. Natalie shared a glance with Cisco as Caitlin grabbed her cousin's hand. The video showed Barry's hands clenching at his side as his stance stiffened, "You've hurt enough people."

Wells nodded his head. "I know. You see me as the villain. But Barry, if you were to look back carefully at everything I've done, every wheel I've set in motion.. you would realize that I've only done what I had to do."

"So he just had to kill all of those people? Kill Barry's mom?" Natalie thought out loud, only to be shushed by Joe when he had grown more tense with every step Wells had taken closer to Barry.

"And yet, I've shown you time and time again..you can't beat me, Barry," Wells had said just as a loud noise drew the attention of the two men outside. Caitlin, Cisco, and Natalie smiled gratefully as they saw a blast of fire fall down from the corner of the screen.

"Ronnie," Caitlin breathed.

Cisco nodded his head and locked Wes with Natalie, "Firestorm."

Wells' jaw clenched as he spoke sarcastically, "Wow, you brought yourself a friend." The four in the Cortex continued to watch as something whizzed through the air and another person dressed in black dropped down, joining Barry and Ronnie as they stood facing Wells. Natalie couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed look on Wells' face when he saw Barry had reinforcements. "Welcome Mr. Queen."

"Wait, what? That's Oliver? I thought he was supposed to be green.." Natalie said in disbelief, squinting her eyes as she tried to get a better look at the screen. The others simply shrugged, ignoring the vigilante's change in attire.

"I don't care how fast you are," Natalie heard Barry shout at Wells as the said man stepped forward, seeming to like the challenge in front of him. "You can't fight all three of us at the same time."

Joe, Natalie, Caitlin, and Cisco all seemed to take in a breath in unison as the group leaned closer to the screen. Wells cocked his head and looked at his hand, "Trust me. This? This is gonna be fun."

"What the hell is he doing?" Joe asked as he pointed at Wells' figure on the screen, who was holding out a fist which seemed to be emitting a light from his ring. The group watched as the Reverse Flash suit sprung out and Wells' sped forward to catch up with it, Barry running towards him as he did.

"That was so cool."

Natalie whipped her head towards Cisco, "Seriously?"

Her long-haired friend's excitement at the technology died down as he noticed the other's glares, "Sorry. But it was pretty freakin' cool.."