The Line Between Living and Dying

Team Flashtex

Dani's ragged breaths came out slower and slower as time passed. She didn't have much time left and she was terrified that Barry or Ronnie wouldn't find her in time.

Of course, Dani should've known better than to count Astra out.

A bright purple light illuminated the night. Dani knew what it was right away. It was Astra, entering the Earthly plane through a vortex.

But instead of a copy of herself like she expected, Dani was met with her mother standing over her.

"M-mom?" Dani wheezed out.

Astra gently shushed her, kneeling down and placing both hands on Dani's wound.

"Everything is going to be okay, Dani." Marianne's voice soothed Dani.

It felt like calm waves were washing over Dani as Astra replenished her energy. But when she was finished, Astra vanished before Dani could even fully process what had happened.

Once it all clicked, Dani shot up, scanning her surroundings. "Mom?"

For a minute, only silence answered Dani. Then a loud, male voice tore through the night.

"Dani!" Barry shouted. "Dani!"

"Barry?" Dani asked, mainly to herself. After almost dying, for real, the brunette had forgotten where she was and what she was doing. 

"Dani!" Another voice called. This time it was Ronnie.

"Over here!" Dani shouted.

Hearing a response so loud and clear from Dani flooded Barry with relief. He raced towards Dani's voice, his relief somehow growing when he saw her standing in the clearing with no sign of an injury.

Barry instantly pulled Dani into a tight embrace.

"Jeez, Barr. I still need to breathe." Dani joked.

"Sorry." Barry stepped back. "Sorry. I just-- Eiling said he killed you. Like, permanently this time."

"He almost did," Dani said. "But Astra came and saved me. I think."

"You think?" Barry furrowed his eyebrows.

"She didn't look like me like she normally does. She looked like my mom. And she called me Dani."

"That's your name."

Dani rolled her eyes playfully. "That's not what I mean. Astra normally calls me Danika. In fact, she pretty much refuses to use a nickname for anybody. Even you."

"Yikes."

"Yeah. But tonight, she called me Dani." Dani shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe I just hallucinated it."

"Maybe Caitlin should take a look at you," Barry suggested.

"I won't object to that." Dani chuckled.

Barry touched his earpiece. "Ronnie, I found Dani. She's okay. We'll meet you back at S.T.A.R. Labs." He turned to Dani. "You feel up to teleporting or do you need a ride."

"I think a ride might be safer," Dani said.

"Hop on, then." Barry bent down slightly, allowing Dani to jump onto his back then he was off in a blur of lightning.

* * *

After looking over Dani and determining that she was perfectly fine, Caitlin moved on to check on Barry's injuries. The speedster pulled up his shirt, revealing the nasty burn on his side.

"I think it looks worse than it is," Barry said. Caitlin only responded with a sympathetic yet annoyed look.

However, her attention was soon drawn away when Firestorm entered the cortex.

"Ronnie or Stein?" Caitlin asked as she approached them.

"It's me Cait," Ronnie answered.

Martin to clear his throat. "Excuse me."

"It's both of us. Somehow." Ronnie corrected.

"She's quite lovely." Martin complimented.

"Acceptance is a powerful thing." Dr. Wells said.

"Powerful enough to reverse it?" Cheyanne questioned.

"I'm game if you are, Mr. Raymond," Martin told Ronnie.

"We could try." Ronnie walked toward the middle of the room while everyone else stepped back. He sighed, closing his eyes as he and Martin willed themselves apart.

Fire consumed Ronnie. He instinctively stepped forward and another flaming figure seemed to step out of him.

Then the light and flames died down and Ronnie and Martin were separated once again.

"I think we're getting the hang of this quite nicely," Martin remarked.

A look of relief fell over Caitlin's face. She wasted no time to embrace Ronnie in a hug. But as they pulled apart, Ronnie had a sorrowful expression.

"It's okay," Caitlin assured. "I understand. You have to go."

"How'd you know?" Ronnie asked.

"I'm connected to you too," Caitlin said.

* * *

The next morning, most of the team went to the Steins' house to say goodbye to Ronnie and Martin.

"Where will you go?" Caitlin asked as she pulled apart from Ronnie.

"Pittsburgh, maybe." Ronnie said. "Professor Stein has a college he thinks can help us learn more about our abilities."

"We can help you here, too."

"Eiling has already breached S.T.A.R. Labs. We need to stay one step ahead of him, for all of us." Ronnie referred to the injuries Barry and Dani sustained from Eiling. "I'm coming back."

"We'll have pizza," Caitlin promised.

Ronnie smiled at her. He leaned in for a kiss, both he and Caitlin soaking it in.

"Godspeed, Mr. Allen." Martin bid Barry goodbye after doing so with his wife.

"You too," Barry said.

"As to our earlier conversation, I believe in second chances. You'll get yours." Martin assured. "Give it time."

Barry nodded in response as Martin stepped away. "Ready, Ronald?"

"Please stop calling me that," Ronnie begged. Martin ignored him and kept walking.

"I'll see you soon." Clarissa stopped her husband before he made it outside.

Ronnie followed Martin out, putting the Splicer on his chest. Everyone watched as they merged.

"We love you." Ronnie turned to Caitlin and Clarissa before launching into the sky and flying away.

Clarissa and Caitlin shared empathetic looks. It was a bittersweet day for both of the women.

"You know, it's kind of a sad ending but, overall, we got another win for Team Flashtex," Cisco said. Everybody turned to him with confused looks. 

"Flashtex?" Barry raised a brow.

"Yeah. It's Flash and Vortex put together." Cisco waited for a response. "Come on, it's not like we could keep calling ourselves Team Flash forever. I'm pretty sure that would piss off Dani at some point."

"Good point." Barry agreed. "I like it. And I think Dani will too."

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is a bit shorter than normal but I originally had a bit of a different ending in mind that I sort of changed at the last minute.

Also, I want to give a quick thanks/shout-out to Williams360 for the idea of renaming Team Flash to Team Flashtex a few chapters back.

Thanks for reading and please vote and/or comment if you enjoyed this chapter!