The Line Between Living and Dying

Truth

Dani leaned over her desk, filling out paperwork when her phone rang. "Hello?" She answered.

"Dani, it's Caitlin."

"Everything okay?" Dani asked, hearing the apprehension in Caitlin's voice.

"Rathaway Industries is under attack," Caitlin informed.

"I'm on my way." Dani quickly and quietly shut her office door, locking it. She pulled a black duffle bag out from under her desk. She zipped it open, taking out her suit and changing.

Then she faded away.

* * *

"Are they gonna hear you die?" Dani heard a male threaten Barry as she appeared at Rathaway Industries. She was behind a man in a black hood-- Hartley Rathaway.

"No. They're going to hear you get your ass kicked." Barry smiled, seeing Dani.

Dani returned the gesture, tapping Hartley on the shoulder and punching him hard across the face when he turned.

Hartley fell to the ground, seething with anger and annoyance. "Okay." He said then he thrusted his arm forward, sending Dani flying with a blast from his glove.

Dani's body hit the windshield of a police car, the glass cracking. "Sorry." She apologized with a groan, rolling off.

Barry sped to her side, looking her up and down. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Dani assured. "Get him." She nodded toward Hartley.

Barry stood up, speeding around the cops that had arrived at the scene. He stole their bats, hurling them at Hartley as a distraction so that he could steal his gloves.

"Looks like you're not as smart as everyone says." Barry held Hartley's sweatshirt tightly in his fist.

"Smart enough to have figured out who Harrison Wells really is." Hartley retorted. "You see, I know his secret."

* * *

Dani and Barry stood on both sides of Hartley, suits and masks still on.

The elevator doors slid open and Hartley decided it was time for chit chat.

"Being scooped up by a guy clad in head-to-toe leather is a long-time fantasy of mine, so thanks." He looked to Barry.

Cisco, Caitlin, and Cheyanne walked up, hateful and annoyed expressions on their faces.

"Well, well, well, the gang's all here. And a new one. You've lasted a lot longer than I would've thought, Cisco." Hartley teased.

"And you didn't last ten seconds against The Flash and Vortex." Cisco retorted.

"I was thinking of calling myself Pied Piper," Hartley said.

"Hey! I assign the nicknames around here." Cisco spoke defensively. "Although that one's not bad."

Hartley glanced over to Caitlin. "Caitlin... never did get that wedding invite."

"Shut the hell up!" Barry shoved Hartley forward.

Cisco took him from there. "Stay in front of me." He growled, pushing him down the hall.

* * *

Cheyanne, Dani, and Barry stood at the main desk in the cortex, watching the security camera feed of Hartley.

Cisco and Caitlin had a brief conversation that ended with Hartley insulting them in Spanish and French.

Then Dr. Wells wheeled into the intake. "Enough Hartley." He scolded. "Give us a minute." He told Caitlin and Cisco, who hesitantly left.

"See you soon, Cisco," Hartley called.

"Doubt it!" Cisco quipped without turning around.

Hartley stared down at Wells. "Your silence speaks volumes." He announced in Latin.

"No man is more deaf than he who will not hear." Dr. Wells replied. Also in Latin.

"God, I wish I'd taken a language in high school," Barry said.

Dani glanced up at him. "I could teach you one."

Barry turned to her, forgetting about Wells and Hartley. "What?"

"I could teach you a language," Dani repeated.

"Wait, how many do you know?" Barry asked her.

"Uh..." Dani trailed off in thought, counting on her fingers. "Eight."

"Eight?" Both Barry and Cheyanne exclaimed.

"Yeah. Italian, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Latin, Bulgarian, and Russian." Dani listed. "Although, I can't read Mandarin to save my life." She looked down at her phone which started to ring, with Eric's name as the caller. "I'll be right back."

Dani hurried into the hallway for some privacy. "Hey." She smiled.

"Hey, where are you?" Eric asked.

"Uh, I'm at work." Dani half-lied. She technically was at work. It just wasn't the work her boyfriend knew about.

"I guess that means you forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"Lunch," Eric answered a little bitterly.

Dani gasped, guilt washing over her. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." 

"It's fine." Eric dismissed. "We can just do a redo. Does tonight sound good?"

"Tonight is perfect." Dani smiled. "Maybe instead of going out, you can come over to my place and we can get some take out, drink wine, and watch a movie."

"I like the sound of that." Eric's voice gave away the smile he now had on his face.

"Okay then. I'll see you at seven?"

"See you at seven." Eric agreed. "Bye."

"Bye." Dani hung up. She walked back into the cortex with a bright smile that fell when she was met with a darkened mood. "What happened?"

"I have not been honest with you." Dr. Wells answered Dani's questioned and addressed the rest of the Team at the same time. "With any of you." He stretched his arms, connecting his hands at the back of his head.

"The accelerator..." He continued. "Hartley warned me that there was indeed a chance that the accelerator could explode." The team had different expressions but the consensus seemed to be that they felt shocked and betrayed. "His data did not show 100 percent certainty, just that there was a risk, but it was a real risk.

"And yet I made the decision that the reward... that... everything we could learn and everything we could achieve, that all of that... simply outweighed that risk. I'm sorry." Dr. Wells apologized.

Caitlin slowly stood up, anger and sadness nearly overwhelming her. "Then next time you choose to put our lives, and the lives of the people that we love, at risk... I expect a heads up." She walked out, not being able to stand being in the same room as Wells.

Cisco shook his head, following Caitlin.

Dani stood with her arms crossed, chewing the inside of her cheek. "My mom had less time because of that explosion." She spoke venomously before storming out like Caitlin.

"I-I'll go check on her." Cheyanne volunteered, jogging after her friend. "Dani!"

"What?" Dani turned to her friend, tears threatening to spill.

"Are you okay?" Cheyanne asked.

Somehow that question made Dani feel like she could let go. She shook her head, not being able to speak as the tears that gathered in her eyes started to fall.

Cheyanne was quick to envelop Dani in a hug. The brunette gladly accepted it, needing the comfort she normally pushed away.

A/N: So this was kind of a weird way to end the chapter but here ya go. Another chapter down. Vote and comment if you enjoyed!