Soothsayer ⚡ Barry Allen

Words of Encouragement

Alfred tended to Barry as I sat just outside the small medbay. I had insisted on helping him myself, I'd dug enough slugs out of my business partners and myself to have the experience to pull three from Barry. However, Bruce and Selina insisted I turn him over to Alfred, what with all the injuries the Batman had sustained over the last twenty years.

I sat near the door with my knees hugged to my chest. From here, I could hear Barry scream, I could hear the heart moniter he was hooked up to going haywire, I could hear him thrashing around. I looked up when a pair of legs crossed my vision, looking up to the face of the Amazonian. Her big brown eyes drew me in as she held my attention. "Hi, Andy. I'm Diana." I lifted my hand a bit in a wave and drifted my eyes over her. Yeah, can't really blame Barry for getting a face full of her chest. Probably wouldn't be that bad... "Barry is strong, he will pull through."

I took a deep breath and ran my hands over my legs. "Doesn't change the fact that if I had listened to him, he wouldn't be hurt," I grumbled, watching her lips and eyebrows turn down.

"You don't know that," Diana tried, her voice soft.

"I was trying to keep Quinn from hurting him and she did anyways. If I had listened to Barry he could've gotten us out of there."

"You don't know that," she inisted. "What I do know is that Barry cares about you too much to want you worrying over yourself out here."

"Then what do you suggest I do instead?" I sighed, my hands sliding down my shins.

"I'm sure Mr. Allen would appreciate some company," Alfred interjected, wiping his hands and instantly snaring my full focus. "He'll be just fine within fourty-eight hours."

I quickly stood, suprising Alfred with a peck to his cheek and a quiet, "Thank you," as I walked past the doors. Barry was passed out, propped mostly upright on a hospital bed, a blanket drawn up to hips and stark white bandages around his chest. In the corner, I could see the bloody sheets and equipment thrown into a trash can. Gah...they're so dark... I pulled up a chair beside Barry's bed and wrapped my had around his, running my thumb over the back of his hand as I felt more tears slide down my cheeks.

I had stopped crying by the time Diana came over, but when Wayne and Cat came to our rescue I was a mess. Bats had tried to lecture me, but Cat came to my aid when I said that then hadn't been the time. I expect any time soon, it would be time for that lecture. I wasn't ready to deal with anything, though. I just wanted to sleep until Barry was recovered, until we would forget the whole encounter happened at all.

There have been enough spots in my memory to call it a dalmation, but there have been certain instances that are so deeply engrained into my mind, I can practically relive them. I had a feeling that I'd be reliving holding Barry's unconcious body as he bled to death for a while. Just as I had trouble erradicating Frankie from my mind.

Taking a deep breath, I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it before laying it on his stomach, carefully positioning myself in the bed beside him. It wasn't the most comfortable spot and my neck was bent at an odd angle as to lay it on top of his shoulder, but after tangling my fingers with his and holding his hand between both ofmine, I was able to fall asleep as if we were back in our own bed.

⚡

I woke up to fingers lightly drifting over the edge of my face, a gentle movement of my hair coming with it. When I opened my eyes the hand flattened on my cheek, Barry's dark eyes being the first thing to greet me. "I'd take twenty more bullets for you if it meant you stayed at my side like this all the time," he breathed, a minor curl to his lips.

"You didn't have to take any," I informed, pressing my forehead to his and curling into him. Barry hissed and I instantly retracted, my fear of hurting him must've been clear because he adjusted himself -- despite his injuries -- to pull me closer and rest his face on mine.

"But I'd do it again in a heart beat. Quicker." A smile cracked on my lips and a soft laugh escaped them.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind." Barry obtained a small smile of his own before pressing his lips softly to mine. Keeping me there, he grabbed one of my hands and held it to his heart, the beat steady and following the heart moniter he was attached to.

"There's no hesitation in here," he mumbled, pulling a small distance away. I opened my eyes and found his already on me. "I'll do anything for you, Andromeda."

"I know," I whispered. God, I know. "I love you so much." Barry's smile grew as he tightened his grip on my hand.

"I've loved you longer," he challenged, pecking my lips and beginning to sit himself up.

"Woah, hey, slow it down, Speedster," I interjected with wide eyes as he struggled to sit properly. Somehow, he managed to sit himself upright and I was able to see three dark red splotches in his bandages. "You were shot like, six hours ago."

"Key word: Speedster," Barry chuckled, throwing me a wink over his shoulder before trying to stand. He didn't get far before grunting and falling back to the bed, my hands coming up to support uninjured portions of his back.

"Take it easy, Allen," I insisted, my tone firm. I slid off of the opposite edge as him so I could stand in front of him. "At the very least, let me help." Holding onto my wrists, Barry used me as a counterweight to pull himself upright, and once he was there he fell into my side. I carefully wrapped my right arm around his lower back as his left hand slid around my neck and into mine. "What now?"

"I'm starving," he softly laughed, the sound cutting short in coughs. "I hope Alfred made sandwiches." With a soft sigh, I slowly walked him out of the medbay. Barry was still good old Barry, despite the three slugs Alfred had pulled out of his back. But I was no longer the new and improved Andy.