Hero of Central City

We're Screwed

"Oh, snap. My bad. That's just me. An alarm to remind me I have a date." Cisco quickly shut off the alarm on his phone.

"With who?" Dakota stood in the doorway of the Cortex with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed at Barry.

"Kendra Saunders. The barista from Jitters." Cisco grabbed his coat and quickly left the room followed by Caitlyn and Harry.

"What? No 'Hi, how are you doing?'." Dakota snapped glaring at Barry.

Barry sighed and didn't say anything.

"Seriously? Nothing? You haven't come home. Are you gonna come home? It's been a week. I've slept alone every night. No, I haven't gotten any sleep because you're not there when I wake up in the middle of the night calming me down. I was THROWN off a roof, Barry." Dakota was furious, that Barry didn't want to see her or that he never came home.

"I know...." Barry replied weakly, unsure of what to say.

"No you don't! You don't know anything because you didn't wanna see me! Because Zoom was killing you!" Dakota shouted at him.

"I was just trying to protect you." Barry said.

"You can't push me away. Not now. ESPECIALLY not now. We're supposed to get married and you're pushing me away." Dakota stared at him, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"Well maybe we shouldn't." Barry suggested coldly. Dakota froze on the spot. "Maybe we shouldn't get married, not until we defeat Zoom."

"Maybe you're right. But if and when you come home, don't expect me to be there." Dakota snapped and left the Cortex.

Matty called her from the FBI Canine Training Center, "Hey, you busy?"

"No. Why?" Dakota climbed into her truck and pulled out onto the road.

"I got a surprise for ya. Meet me outside the Canine Center." Matty hung up the phone.

FBI K-9 Center

Dakota saw Matty in front of the building by the statue of a dog in memory of all dogs that served in the FBI.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here?" Dakota grumbled standing next to him in front of the statue.

Matty pointed to beneath the statue where all the names were engraved.

Dakota looked down at the names and saw a new plaque.

In honor of Cooper
2013-2015

Dakota turned and jumped into Matty's arms, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Matty slowly set her down and put his hand on her cheek, "You okay?"

"I think...Barry and I aren't gonna make it." Dakota whispered.

Matty frowned and started pulling her towards the front doors, "Come on." He led her inside where there cages upon cages of puppies or young dogs. "Think of it as an early Christmas present. Thought it might make you feel better."

Dakota looked at him and smiled, "I could....so kiss you right now."

Matty chuckled, "You can. But whether you should or not is totally up to you."

Dakota blushed awkwardly, "One day." She slowly started to walk amongst the dogs trying to find the perfect one. "None of them are....him."

"I know. But look at them. Aren't they adorable?" Matty said excitedly. "Besides you can train him to be just as awesome."

Matty's phone rang and he frowned, "What's up Derek?"

"I need Dakota in for a psych eval and you have a case. I texted you the address." Derek replied.

Matty sighed, "Fine. I'll talk to her."

He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. He glanced up to talk to Dakota but she wasn't in front of him anymore, she was sitting on the ground in front of an open cage where a puppy lied in her lap. The dog was all back and had big pointy ears.

"Hey you have to go into Derek. And I have a case." Matty squatted next to her.

Kota frowned and rubbed the pup's head, "This one."

Matty smiled and rested his hand on her shoulder, "You have a name?"

"Legend."

Author's note: So in case you haven't figured it out I'm not doing the traditional style that evolves around Barry for this part. I'm showing Dakota's side of things and how she's coping.