Paralyzer || Barry Allen (The Flash) Fanfiction

Chapter 44: ...Here They Come

** So, I probably shouldn't be posting this because I wrote this with finals brain (a.k.a. I can't think straight and I can hardly function) and it's not as long as I would like it to be, BUT I couldn't resist. If it's really that bad, I'll redo it, but if I feel good enough about it by the end of tomorrow then I'll keep it up. If not, well then you guys get a sneak peak into one of my many deleted scenes O.o **

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The dark night still shadowed the sky, but I could feel that dawn was fast approaching. Strangely, the closer we got to the time where night and day merged together, the more powerful and full of vigor my powers seemed to get. I'd almost forgotten that dawn and dusk were the twilight hours of the day, the times that mirrored what my energy was composed of. It reminded me of when I'd first really begun to understand my powers back when I'd first woken up from my 9-month coma and could pull more energy from the day when I fought.

Maybe the Phantom's and Zoom's awkward timing would actually give me the upper hand in the battle. I guess we'd just have to wait and see.

Honestly, I had been hoping we could get help from the re-configured Firestorm — we'd found Professor Stein a suitable replacement half for Ronnie with another boy, Jefferson Jackson — the Green Arrow, or even the possibility of Batman or Robin. Unfortunately, now seemed to be the worst time possible for the Earth-2 metahuman team to attack considering none of our friends would be able to make it to Central City in time. Even if they hadn't been busy.

So, with no allies to aide us, I wasn't feeling too confident about what would happen in less than an hour. Sure, we had a few more power-dampening darts that Caitlin had whipped up, but I had a feeling getting those darts into our targets was easier said than done.

It also didn't help in any way that I hadn't been able to fall asleep last night which meant that I was a little more worn out than the others. But how was I supposed to get any rest in the first place knowing that I might die today? Knowing that there was little possibility of us beating our opponents? Now I could see that Jay had been right. Barry and I really weren't ready for this.

I only wished I'd realized it sooner.

Still, the realization didn't really change anything, and there wasn't any reason why I should dwell on the matter. The best thing I could do for the team right now was focus on how I might go about taking down the Phantom while Joe and Harry finished securing Caitlin, Cisco, and Artemis up in the Cortex.

"Here," Barry offered as he walked over to me. I was putting on my gloves when he extended his hand and revealed two of the darts, and I cautiously accepted the small containers. "Put them in your boots, but be careful that the tip doesn't poke through the suit. Not sure you want to try and fight Phantom at half your strength."

"Yeah, doesn't really seem appealing," I attempted to joke, but I was too nervous for my tone to be light. I couldn't even managed to maintain the weak half smile that I tried to put on for everyone's sake. If I was showing signs of uncertainty and anxiety, then how could I expect the others to go through with this?

"Hey, stop that," Barry chastised as he lifted my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his. "No frowning, alright? It's going to be okay."

"You and I both know you're just trying to make me feel better," I said as I rolled my eyes, but his effort did ignite a small spark of hope.

For some reason, whether his words were completely unrealistic or not, my heart always wanted to believe whatever Barry said. He was, in a way, my home. Whenever I was scared and he was there, I felt safe. Even now when I knew there was no way out of our fate, his reassurance gave me a sense of calmness.