Vera Pyra (The Flash) (Book One)

Chapter 23__Rogue Air

It was the same night.

I was sitting in my loft, playing another song on acoustic guitar, 'Monsters' by Ruelle. "Ah / Ah / Ah / Oh / You've got no place to hide / And I'm feeling like a villain / Got a hunger inside / One look in my eyes / And you're running 'cause I'm coming / Going to eat you alive / Ah / Ah / Ah / Oh / Your heart hits like a drum / Oh / Oh / Oh / The chase has just begun / Oh / Oh / Oh / Monsters stuck in your head / We are / We are / We are / Monsters under your bed / We are / We are / We are monsters / Oh / Oh / We are / We are / We are monsters / Oh / Ah / Ah / Ah / Oh / One misstep / You're mine / And you better stay clever if you wanna survive / Once you cross the line / You'll be wishing you would listen when you meet your demise / Ah / Ah / Ah / Oh / Your heart hits like a drum / Oh / Oh / Oh / The hunt has just begun / Oh / Oh / Oh / Monsters stuck in your head / We are / We are / We are monsters under your bed / We are / We are / We are monsters / Oh / Oh / We are / We are / We are monsters." I didn't bother to finish the song because the next verses were, and because I knew who was here, looking up. "You here to check on my state of mind or state of empire? As in healing, if you didn't get that."

Barry walked closer. "Oh, I got it. And it's getting impossible to sneak up on you."

I put the guitar down, turning toward him. "You didn't come just to hear me play. You never do. You always come when something bad's happening."

Barry stepped closer, shaking his head. "Nothing bad's happening. For the moment." I looked down. Barry sat down in the chair next to mine. "Vera, what you were saying to me... when we were down in the tunnels... you know why I wasn't afraid? Because you were there. Even though I really was scared, having you there, is how I could move fast enough to save you. When I realized that you were hurt, I wasn't scared for me. I was scared that I was gonna lose you. Every time I falter... or make a mistake... the thought of you always going to be there, by my side is what picks me up and keeps me going. And I realized today that you don't just do that for me. I do it for you, too. And I know you don't want to get too involved because of Iris, because you know about our past, our history, and everything that happened... I moved on from Iris and started to have feelings for someone that I didn't have to wear a mask with because you wore one too. You knew everything that has been going on in my life for over a year now, because it was happening to you, too. And you saved me as much as I've saved you. Without you... there wouldn't be the Flash."

"Well, without you, there wouldn't be Pyra," I told him. "I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now if it wasn't for you, Barry. But right now, with everything that is going on..."

"I know," Barry told me. "Wrong place. Wrong time. But after we deal with Wells and find and rescue Eddie? Then?"

"I don't know," I told him. "I just... I don't know."

Barr nodded understandingly. His phone buzzed. He took it out, looking at the text. "It's Cisco. We need to go."

"Okay," I told him. "Yeah, let's go."

~

We got to STAR Labs, with Caitlin, Iris, Joe and Cisco.

Cisco turned Wells' wheelchair toward us. "I kept asking myself, why would Wells pretend to need a wheelchair?"

Iris shrugged. "Sympathy."

"That's what I thought at first," Cisco told us. "But he's the man in yellow, the Reverse-Flash. He's much smarter than that. Sympathy can't be the only reason."

"Yeah, it was a misdirect," Caitlin told us. "Like everything else Wells has done. I mean, the last person we'd suspect to be the man in yellow is someone who lost the use of their legs."