The Line Between Living and Dying

Leveling Up

Dani paced back in forth in front of Cheyanne. Caitlin was late and she was getting nervous.

"Can you stop pacing? You're making me tired just watching you." Cheyanne asked.

"If I don't walk to keep my mind off of what we might find out today, then my emotions will control my powers and I could seriously hurt you." Dani snapped.

"Jeez. Sorry, I asked." Cheyanne pushed herself up into the hood of her car, keeping lookout for a S.T.A.R. Labs van. She noticed the vehicle before Dani. But when a strange man stepped out along with Caitlin, Cheyanne's heart stopped. "Uh, Dani?"

"What?" Dani spun around, starting to pace the other way when she caught sight of Caitlin and Cisco coming her way. "What the hell? You told him?" Dani directed her question to Caitlin.

"He figured it out." Caitlin corrected. "Besides, we could actually use his help. He's a mechanical engineer."

"So, what can you do?" Cisco could barely contain his excitement.

Dani looked to Caitlin, silently asking if she could trust Cisco. Caitlin nodded and Dani sighed.

"Where are the dummies?"

Cisco's smile only grew. This was gonna be the first time he saw action up close since Barry's power was speed and he was running away from the S.T.A.R. Labs crew.

Once the dummies were set up, Dani stood herself ten feet from one of them. She cracked her neck and knuckles. A habit she developed from watching her dad prepare for training.

Dani held her hand out, palm facing the sky. She willed the energy flowing throughout her body to manifest in her hand and shape into a ball. Then she aimed at the dummy like a baseball player getting ready to pitch. She threw it, the ball of energy leaving a scorch mark on the dummy's abdomen.

"Whoa!" Cisco stared in awe. "That is so cool!"

"You haven't even seen the half of it," Cheyanne whispered to Cisco.

Dani turned around. "Can we get back on track now?" 

"Yes," Caitlin replied digging through the van equipment for the belt they used with Barry.

Cisco walked up to Dani, his newly made device in hand. "So, Caitlin filled me in a little bit over the past couple of days. You really think the astral plane exists."

"Are you gonna mock me if I say yes?" Dani crossed her arms.

"No. Of course not. Okay, maybe a little. But only in my head." Cisco admitted.  Dani rolled her eyes.

"Why exactly are you here?" She questioned.

"Because I make the toys," Cisco informed. He showed off his circular device. "This is a miniaturized heart monitor that will pick up even the faintest beep. When you go jumping to a different place, we'll know exactly what your heart is doing."

"Thanks." Dani took the device. "Where does it go?"

"Oh, you just press it on your clothes, over your heart," Cisco instructed. Dani nodded, doing as she was told.

Caitlin came up, securing the belt around Dani's mid-section. "You okay to do this? I know this all feels familiar."

"I'm fine," Dani said. She only wanted to focus on her powers and nothing else. That was the only way she could get through this without breaking down.

Caitlin stepped back. "Ready when you are."

Dani nodded, steadying her breathing. She thought about how she wanted to reach the scorched dummy. Darkness clouded her vision and a split second later, Dani stood in front of the dummy she pictured.