Fresh Start

Chapter 16

The rest of the day was as bad as how it had started. Caitlin was trying to come up with an idea to destroy the weapon the aliens were building, while Iris and you were looking for any kind of threat as you waited for everyone to arrive. Even though you were mad at Oliver, you were so worried about him and needed to check if he really was okay.

"I need Cisco" Caitlin said coming out of the lab.

Cisco and Felicity were already on his way back to Central but it would still take them around 45 minutes to get here.

"Can we help you?" You suggested.

"I'm sorry but no..." she sighed sitting down on her chair. "He's the engineer, no offense" she added.

"Not taken" you chuckled. "They'll be here soon"

"We don't even know what kind of weapon they're building so we don't know what we need to defend ourselves" she told you. Iris bite her lip and looked at you.

"Maybe a... universal weapon?" You said unsure. Caitlin looked at you frowning. "You know, like those remote that you can use on every TV on the planet? Maybe you can come up with a weapon that can defeat any kind of weapon?"

It didn't sound like it was possible since there were hundreds of weapons out there but it was the only thing you could come up with, even if it made no sense. Caitlin looked at you narrowing her eyes, her brain obviously working at full speed. Suddenly she gasped and got up.

"You're a genius!" She said running back into the lab. Iris looked at you with an eyebrow raised.

"I always knew I was" you shrugged, "I wish I knew why I am one though". Iris laughed and turned her attention back to the screen.

***

You observed every single camera in the city, trying to find any threat on the streets related to the Dominators, but obviously they were too focused on their own weapon to care about you. It felt like a day off. Kind of. Fifteen minutes later, when Iris and you were just talking, not paying attention to the screens anymore, you heard voices coming down the aisle. You two opened your eyes widely and got up, running towards the elevator.

Barry, Oliver, Thea, Kara and Digg were coming over you.

"Oliver!" You screamed running towards your brother.

He looked at you, surprised to see you happy to see him and opened his arms to receive you. You wrapped your arms around his torso and he wrapped his around you, in a tight hug. It wasn't until that moment when you realized the tension you had been holding. Everything was released as you started crying on his chest.

"Shh... I'm okay, we're okay" he whispered, stroking your hair slowly.

"I thought I lost you" you mumbled, opening your eyes for a moment to look at Thea who immediately joined the hug. "Don't do this ever again, please" you begged them.

"We won't" Thea whispered rubbing your back.

After a few minutes, when you managed to calm down, you pulled away and turned to look at Barry who was talking to Iris. He looked at you and smiled a little while you walked over him and hugged him tight.

"Are you okay?" He asked. You nodded against his suit as he kissed your head.

"Thank you for saving them" you whispered. He chuckled and squeezed you a little.

"It's kind of my job" he said. You looked up at him. He took some hair out of your forehead with a sigh. "I love you" he whispered.

"I love you too" you said back before kissing him.

When you pulled away you had been left alone in the aisle so he grabbed your hand and you both walked towards the cortex. Thea and Iris were seated on the stairs; Kara, Oliver and Digg were standing in the middle of the cortex and Caitlin was in front of them, explaining her idea. It was full of technical words you didn't understand but, by the end of the explanation, you knew that if they managed to build that weapon, you could be saved.

"I just need Cisco and Felicity" she said.

"What for?" Cisco said just behind you.

"You're back!" You exclaimed happily as you hugged both of them, relieved to see them safe and sound.

They quickly hugged everyone and immediately Caitlin explained the idea for the weapon. At the beginning Cisco hesitated a bit but as soon as Caitlin made the full explanation he went with Caitlin and Felicity to the Labs, saying they didn't want to be disturbed until they finished the weapon.

"Well...what do we do meanwhile?" Kara asked looking at everyone.

"I'm starving" Thea replied raising her hand.

"We're under an alien attack and you're thinking about food?" Oliver asked raising an eyebrow.

"So what? Are they going to think 'oh poor girl, she's hungry, let's go home so she can eat'?" You laughed and shook your head, leaning against Barry. "We're going to be under attack whether we eat or not" she added.

"She's right actually, I could use some food as well" Kara shrugged.

"Me too" Barry said. "Digg?"

"Sure, they'll be here a while so let's go" he said uncrossing his arms. "Oliver?"

"I'll catch up in a minute, I want to talk to my sister" he said looking at you.

Everybody nodded and left the cortex, heading to the elevator. Barry looked at you, worry in his eyes but you signaled him to leave. Oliver and you really had to talk and you weren't going to do it in front of Barry. He kissed your forehead and left the cortex as well, following the rest.

"How are you?" Oliver asked, not moving from his spot.

"Now I'm fine" you shrugged, crossing your arms. "I was worried" you admitted. "What happened?"

"They put us in some sort of induced dream? But it felt so real..." he shook his head with a frown. "Mum and dad were there" you gasped when he said that. "I'm okay, don't worry. Thea on the other side...she didn't want to wake up" he told you.

"What?" You frowned walking over him.

"Don't worry, she accepted that it wasn't real" he shrugged. You nodded with a sigh and closed your eyes.

"Oli, I'm sorry for-" you tried to speak but he interrupted you.

"No. I'm the one who's sorry" he said. "I was a jerk and selfish. Especially the last. And you were completely right" he told you.

"You only wanted to protect me" you shrugged.

"Like I've always done and I'll always do, and that also involves respecting you decisions" he smiled a little. "Even if that includes dating Barry" he sighed.

"Wow, you should spend time with aliens more often" you teased. He laughed shaking your head.

"I just want you to be happy, okay? And if Barry, Central City, STAR Labs...is what make you happy then I won't be in the way" he shrugged. You smiled widely and were about to hug him, but he stopped you. "On one condition" he smiled.

"What?" You asked narrowing your eyes.

"Christmas at home" he said. You laughed loudly and hugged him tight.

"Deal" you agreed. "So...what about that food?" You smiled.

"I think I saw some pizza boxes there, did you eat those?" he smirked. You laughed and grabbed his arm, leading him to the exit.

"Not knowing is sometimes better, darling" you told him.