Aflame: The Flash (1)

14.3

14.3 reemergence

—REWRITTEN—

Ronnie suddenly screams. We run over to him as he continues screaming. "You're okay, man, we got you," Cisco says.

"What's happening to him?" Barry asks.

"Nothing's happening to him. It's happening to Stein, and Ronnie is feeling his pain," Dad explains. "I was wrong. The connections not temporary. It's only getting stronger."

"Just try and hold on," I tell him.

"Water. Water," He says. He then takes the glass of water we hand him and smashes it on the table next to him. He then grabs a shard of the broken glass. He then starts cutting himself.

"Ronnie! No!" Cait exclaims.

"Wait, Cait, Wa-" Barry starts.

"He's cutting himself," Cait says.

"I know. Let him," Barry tells her. Cait let's go and we all watch Ronnie cut the word where on his forearm.

"Anything?" Cait asks after a while.

"Nothing. Nothing, just... just cold," He says. "Like a metal surface. Pressure on and on and off. Tap, tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap, tap, tap."

"Morse code," I say in realization.

"I got this," Cisco says as he grabs a pen and paper.

"Same thing again. Tap, tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap, tap, tap."

"27," Cisco says.

"What does it mean?" Cait asks.

"Army bases... they sometimes go by numbers, like Area 51," I explain.

"Facility 27, about 300 miles away," Cisco says. "It was shut down in 1961."

"Well, that's where they're keeping Stein," Barry says.

"Bet you that's where they're keeping the aliens too."

"I'm coming with you," Ronnie says getting up.

"No, you're not," Caitlin pleads. "You can't."

"I'm connected to Stein, I have to go," Ronnie says.

"But did you ever stop to think about why your connection to him is growing stronger by the minute?" She asks. "Maybe you're being drawn back together. Maybe your proximity will cause you to re-merge into one."

"And what happens if he gets killed?" Ronnie asks. "Cait, Barry was right. Look, I... I thought we could get away, start a new life, a normal life, together. But there is no normal life for us. You will always risk your life to try and help people, and I will always be the guy that runs into the pipeline for you."

"The quantum splicer," Cisco says. "It was used to separate you once. Maybe it could be used to keep you, you."

"Thanks," Ronnie says, taking the splicer. "Okay, let's go."

"Wait," Caitlin says, and then she kisses Ronnie. "Come back. All four of you."

We nod and then I say, "Let's go."

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Once we reach the facility, Barry says, "Oh. This place definitely doesn't look too shady."

I roll my eyes as Ronnie says, "Steins inside. I can feel our connection growing stronger, like he's pulling me."

"It's as I feared... the Firestorm Matrix is building toward a proximity reemergence," We hear Dad say. "Like all matter, it yearns to be whole. If you do merge... we might not be able to separate you again."

"Eiling has a gun to Stein's head," Ronnie suddenly says. "He's about to pull the trigger."

Barry then quickly runs in and grabs Stein. "Ho! Whoa... I never thought I'd be happy to see you."

"Yeah, likewise," Ronnie says.

"Let's get out of here," Barry says. Suddenly, a car pulls up. A soldier comes out of it and shoots a rocket at us. Barry runs up to it and grabs it, it explodes on him. Barry lands on the ground, burning up. "Run!" He yells to us. Ronnie and Stein then start running. Giving one last look at Barry, I turn around and follow them.

Before I can catch up with them, I am hit with a bullet on my shoulder. "Son of a bitch!" I yell as I turn to look at the shooter. I ignore the sharp pain from the bullet and take my bastons out.

We charge at each other and I hit him in his ribs. He falls back and then I teleport behind him and hit him in between his shoulder blades. He staggers forwards almost falling on the ground but he picks himself up. He then punches me in my jaw, making me stagger backwards. He then punches me a few more times and then shoots me in my knee making me fall to the ground. I pick myself from the ground and jump him. He falls to the ground with me straddling him. I punch him repeatedly until he's unconscious but not dead.

I slowly get up from on top of him and stagger back to Ronnie and Barry. I see them standing next to each other. Ronnie as Firestorm, Barry covered in something, and Eiling on the ground. "Ronnie!" I yell as I slowly limp over to them. I hug him. "Are you still you?" Ronnie nods as I smile. He squeezes my shoulder making me hiss.

"Are you okay?" Barry asks, running over to me.

"I'm fine," I say.

"No, you're not. You're shot." Barry says, harshly. "Here, let's get you home." He then picks me up, bridal style.

"Barry, I can still teleport," I argue. Barry gives me one hard look, that shuts me up. He then turns to Ronnie. We look over to see Ronnie smiling watching our whole exchange.

"Ronnie? Home?"

"Home," He replies. He then takes off as Barry runs us back to S.T.A.R. Labs.