Soothsayer ⚡ Barry Allen

Maternal Instinct

It didn't take long to find Snart, but I had a different confidence in my step now that I had Barry in my ear, not needing to rely on blind texting. I expected to be closed in on soon after entering Lenny's current set up, I just didn't expect it as soon as the door closed. I instantly stilled when I heard the powering up of the cold gun, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge. "I thought we came to an agreement, Andy," Lenny tsked.

"It still stands, as long as you let my cousin go," I growled, slowly turning around to face him. "Where's Magenta?" I looked past the gun he held in my face, right into the blue eyes hidden behind his goggles. Tilting his head a bit, he slowly lowered his gun. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could feel that they weren't on me, so I turned again, finding the bright pink gaze of my younger cousin.

"Andy," she recognized, narrowing her eyes. When she was younger, her irises never changed color, though I couldn't say I hadn't seen the color in them before. Little flecks mostly, I'd blink and they'd go back to her normal blue. But that wasn't the same now. "Where have you been?"

"More trouble than the story's worth, Frankie," I tried, stepping forward.

"Frankie's gone!" she insisted, taking a step back. There was a fear in her eyes that told me otherwise. I could see past this personality and pick out the little girl who'd only wanted to be friendly with me. Frankie.

"If she's gone, why are you still here? You could be long gone without anyone knowing." Her face pulled in anger and something flew off the desk barely inches away from my chest. "I don't want to hurt her, Magenta. I only want to help. I understand now. Really, I do."

"Why should I believe you?" she retorted, no longer retreating when I stepped closer.

"It's metal, Andy. She's always manipulated metal." I took a deep breath and held out my open palms for her.

"I know I was an asshole when you needed someone to look up to, but I'm not that same kid you knew." I stepped closer and held my palms out to her. "I just want to help." As I had came closer, the brightness of the pink in her eyes slowly dwindled. Once I was within her reach, I stopped, still extending my offer but letting her take the final step to take it, holding her eyes all the while. It was a risky move, since it gave Magenta the chance to attack still, but the blue in her eyes was clear when she put her hands in mine.

It took a moment, but she slowly looked me over once more, eventually bringing her eyes back to mine. "Andy?" she cautiously asked.

"Hey, kiddo," I breathed with a soft smile. "Long time, no see." I closed my eyes when she wrapped her arms around me, opening them again a short moment later. I'd been so caught up in Frankie, I hadn't realized Snart walking around us, gun in a holster and goggles around his neck. Curling my arms protectively around her back, I gave him a hard look, recieving and equally hard one. "We're leaving," I informed, my tone clear that I wasn't negotiating.

"I didn't know you were so sweet, Candy Kane," Lenny taunted, causing me to narrow my eyes.

"Too much peppermint'll burn you." I wrapped my hand around Frankie's and led her the way I came, leading her to the hotwired car I had left running outside. It's a miracle no one boosted this boosted car from me.

"What just happened?" she asked cautiously, watching me over the roof of the car as I came around to the driver's side.

"Magenta never fails to get you outta trouble, does she?" I laughed, giving her a relieved smile before we climbed in the car. "I don't know what happened to the James', and frankly, I don't wanna." I watched Frankie relax a bit as I drove. "I know they weren't good to you, I know I wasn't, but I wanna make that up. Crash with me for a while?" I could feel a smile tugging on my cheeks in response to the one on her face.

"Thank you, Andy," she mumbled, watching out the window.

"Of course," I nodded, resting my elbow on the door.

"I don't know what you did or didn't do for her in the past, but you're doing right by her now," Barry acknowledged in my ear. With a breathy laugh, I felt a light heat in my face and didn't respond, driving the rest of the way home listening to Frankie's soft humming.

⚡

I ditched the car around the corner from Barry's place. For now, we had put a majority of my stuff in what would be Frankie's room, at least for a little bit. We were letting her get settled as Barry filled me in. "I got all the metal I can, my suit, and anything else Flash related out of here," he explained quietly. "How is she?"

"Tired," I chuckled softly. "She was dozing off when we got here." I put my hand over his folded arms and gave him a soft smile. "How are you?"

"Hungry," Barry shrugged. My smile grew and I kissed his cheek.

"Go get dinner, then. Chinese food?" Barry nodded excitedly and was gone, making me laugh. I slowly walked back to Frankie's room, sitting on her bed as she laid there sleepily. "If you want to stay up a little longer, Barry's getting dinner," I softly prompted, running my hand through her pink and brown hair. Frankie just shrugged and closed her eyes, relaxing a bit. I watched her curiously, wondering what could've made her snap. Her birthday was in a couple months, she was almost out of the foster system, why go and screw everything up?

"Thanks for saving me, Andy," she softly mumbled, curling further into her blanket.

"Whatever you need, kiddo. You can count on me now." I was smiling by the time I left her room, feeling a bit better about myself. I blinked when I saw the wide array of Chinese food that had been set out, feeling Barry's arms slide around my stomach and relaxing into his touch.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered, pressing his face into the left side of my hair. I sighed when he tightened his hold on me, for once completely content.

"I am too," I softly agreed, sinking further into him.

"Let's eat," Barry chuckled, pressing his lips to the corner of my eye.