⊱ ──────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ──────── ⊰

𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘

CHAPTER SIX
you can't outrun feelings, and you
certainly can't outrun poisonous gas —
juliet st. james is living proof!

⊱ ──────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ──────── ⊰

JULIET HATED THE way Barry Allen made her feel.

She hated the way her heart raced, the way her mind spun, and the way butterflies swarmed her stomach when she was around him. She also hated the pangs of jealousy she got every time he looked at Iris with so much adoration, wishing that even for a second he would glance at her in that way.

For years, Juliet had tried to run away from her feelings for Barry. It was never going to happen, so why did she even bother? All it did was cause her sadness, and at one point, it made her start to even resent Iris. Juliet soon snapped out of that because it was ridiculous, but her stupid love for Barry Allen was still there. However, there are apparently some things that she couldn't outrun and always managed to catch up with her, and her feelings was exactly that.

"Regular movie scale, that was a seven or an eight," Barry announced. "Zombie movie scale, it was like, a four, tops."

Currently, Juliet, Barry, and Iris were in downtown Central City. They had gone out for the night to get dinner and then watch a movie. The three of them were now walking on the sidewalk outside of the movie theater.

"There's a zombie movie scale?" Iris asked with a laugh, still eating some of the popcorn her and Juliet were sharing.

"Did you know that zombies exist in nature?" Barry continued excitedly. "There's a species of fungi that infects ants, causing the ants to attack plants that can release spores which in turn infect new hosts."

Juliet rolled her eyes playfully. "Barry, I love science too, but you're doing the thing again."

Barry sighed. "I'm going full nerd again, aren't I?"

"I will share the sentiment with you when we're back in our lab, not discussing movie ratings."

"It's okay, though," Iris told him. "You are still the second cutest nerd that I know."

Barry whirled to look at her. "Second? Who's the first."

"Juliet."

The girl in question then smiled triumphantly. "Ha."

Barry glared at her jokingly. "Shut up, J."

"Anyways, I am a lot more interested in the amazing as of late," Iris admitted.

"Because of the streak and materializing figure thing?" Barry questioned.

"They're out there," Iris insisted. "People are talking about them. One person had even claimed to see the materializing figure and said she looked like a girl. Maybe her and the streak are dating."

Juliet's face instantly burned the same scarlet as the energy blasts she could create. "Or maybe the materializing figure and the streak are just a crime-fighting duo, you know?"

Iris gave her a strange look after noticing her flushed face. "You know I am really intuitive about this kind of stuff. Someone even posted a picture after being yanked from a car accident. It's a red blur and a half-shadowed figure leaving the scene. Here, what do you see?"

However, when Iris pulled her phone out, all her screen showed was a picture of Eddie and it saying he was calling her.

Juliet let out a small laugh. "Well, he's got blonde hair, blue eyes, and his name is Eddie."

Iris turned her phone around to look at it. "Oh, I should probably get this. I'm crashing at his place tonight, and he's supposed to leave a key for me somewhere." She then answered the phone and started to walk away from Barry and Juliet. "Hey, babe. What's up? Not much, just hanging out with Jules and Barry. You off yet?"

Barry leaned his head down closer to Juliet. "Iris thinks us as superheroes are dating."

Juliet nudged his ribs with her elbow, her face burning again. "I know. I heard her say it, stupid." Her phone then started to ring, and she saw it was a call from S.T.A.R. Labs, so she answered it. "Hey."

"Code two-thirty-seven on Waid Boulevard," Cisco told her.

Her eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why are you calling me about public indecency?"

"Wait, I think I meant a two-thirty-nine."

"There's a dog leash violation?"

Caitlin then spoke next. "Bad man with a gun in a getaway car. Go! Tell Barry, too!"

Juliet then hung up the phone, glancing back at Iris for a moment before looking back to Barry. "There's a guy in a getaway car with a gun on Waid Boulevard. You'd handle it faster than I could. Go. I'll stay here, and, I don't know, make sure she doesn't hang up. Good luck, stay safe."

Barry nodded before speeding up. Juliet stood there on the sidewalk awkwardly, rocking back and forth on her heels as she listened to Iris suggest to Eddie where he could put the key. Finally, after about a minute, Barry ran back just in time for Iris to turn back around after hanging up the phone.

"Eddie says hi," Iris voiced to the two of them.

"Nice of him," Barry responded. "You wanna grab a bite? I'm feeling a little famished."

"After the Mongolian barbecue we had before the movie and the extra large popcorn you had at the movie? How are you not fat?"

"I know, right?" Juliet agreed with a scoff. "So unfair."

Barry shrugged. "I've been jogging."

Juliet squinted her eyes at him with a nod. "Uh huh, okay."

Just because Juliet said she hated the way Barry made her feel didn't mean she was going to stop hanging around him — because as much as she didn't like how he drove her mind wild, she also couldn't separate himself from him. It was like he was intoxicating.

ϟ ···················· ϟ ···················· ϟ

A COFFEE FROM Jitters in hand, Juliet walked into the precinct with Barry. The two of them had gone there together for their morning ritual of one, visiting Iris at work, and two, just getting a coffee. Juliet happily sipped on her caramel latte as her and Barry passed officers all crowding around one specific person, and that person was Paulson, the cop Barry had helped last night in getting the man in the getaway car.

"Where'd you cut him off?" an officer inquired.

"So, we cut him off at Eighth," Paulson answered. "I mean, the perp was in the backseat of the cruiser before he even knew what happened."

"Congratulations, Paulson, on that arrest last night," Joe announced, shaking hands with him. "Hell of a job."

Paulson pointed to him. "You come by later, Joe. I'll give you a driving lesson, okay?"

Juliet scoffed while shaking her head. "Show off."

"Wasn't even him last night, it was me," Barry told Joe.

"I figured," Joe responded. "I just didn't realize you and Jules were helping people for the glory."

"It's not so glorious as you think it might be," Juliet explained as the three of them started to walk up the stairs. "Sure, having a museum built in our names would be wicked cool, but keeping this huge secret from everyone, especially Iris, is extremely hard."

"I know, but it is safer that way. Besides, me and you two got work to do."

"We do?" Juliet asked. "Is there a new case?"

"Try an old one," Joe replied. "The murder of Barry's mother. Now that we know the impossible can happen . . ."

Juliet, her eyebrows knit in thought, walked into the lab. A familiar box was sitting by the doors. While Barry lifted up the map on the bulletin board to display the crime scene board he had made about his mother's murder, Joe then placed a box down on the table. Juliet crossed her arms and leaned against the table.

"The evidence from my mom's case," Barry realized.

"I had it brought up from storage," Joe voiced.

"I've been through this box a thousand times. J has helped me too."

"Before, your story about what really happened that night — the lightning storm, the man in the middle of it — I thought that was a kid trying to protect his father from prison. But now that I know it's true, we're gonna go through every scrap of evidence until we find something that helps us."

"It took the jury fifty-two minutes to come back with a verdict of guilty," Barry responded.

"They moved too fast, which is why we got to take our time," Joe stated.

Eddie walked in before they could start. "Juliet, Barry, Joe, we got multiple homicides. Do you know the Darbinyan Crime family?"

One quick trip to a restaurant in downtown Central City led to Juliet looking at dead bodies on the floor. All of the tables and bodies were covered with tarps, and Juliet was in the middle of covering the last body with a tarp.

"Juliet?" Joe called. "Barry?"

"Over here," she voiced.

Joe then stood in front of her and Barry. "Ah, anything?"

She shrugged. "There's signs of histotoxic hypoxia, which basically means that the cells in their bodies were unable to use oxygen. It's usually seen when people have been exposed to poison gas."

"What kind of poison?"

"Not sure. We'd have to take a lung sample and see if we can narrow it down."

Eddie walked back into the restaurant. "The only other exit was bolted from the inside. They were trapped. I was thinking someone pumped gas in from the outside, but witnesses say the street was empty."

"So it was from the inside," Joe replied. "That means there should be a canister or a container left behind. The gas just didn't come in by itself."

Barry then stood up, his face morphing into an expression of realization. "Unless it had a mind of its own."

Joe glanced at him for a moment before looking back at Eddie. "Eddie, would you mind canvassing again? Somebody had to have seen something suspicious." While Eddie walked away, Juliet stood up and Joe turned back to the two. "Okay, explain."

"The boss collapsed by the table." He pointed to another dead body. "This guy made it ten feet away. That guy had a chance to move off and fire three shots into the window trying to break the glass. But they all started in the same spot, which means they should have all been affected by the gas at the same time, but instead, it's as if—"

"They were attacked one by one," Joe finished. "My gut feeling, if we're gonna solve this one, both of you and me are gonna need . . . backup."

Juliet nodded. "On it."

Once the evaluation of the crime scene was complete, Juliet teleported and Barry ran with Joe to S.T.A.R. Labs. There, they told Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells about their theory.

"Fascinating, a Metahuman that can manipulate poison gas," Dr. Wells commented as he rolled up to a computer.

"Is it just poisonous gas, or can he control all aerated substances?" Cisco questioned.

"And how is he able to formulate the connection?" Caitlin added. "Is it physiological, or psychological?"

"This individual can create a mental nexus using gaseous substances," Dr. Wells voiced.

"You mean connect with gases on a molecular level?" Cisco inquired excitedly.

"Yes."

"That is ridiculously cool."

Barry looked at Joe. "They get really excited about this stuff."

"The only think I'm excited about is putting criminals behind bars," Joe admitted. "Except Iron Heights isn't exactly equipped to handle Metahumans."

"Then I guess it's fortunate the ones you've encountered so far are no longer with us," Dr. Wells responded.

"Well, unless we're planning on executing every super criminal we stop, you geniuses are gonna have to come up with someplace else to hold them."

"A Metahuman prison," Cisco stated. "Sweet."

"Until we figure a way to remove their powers," Dr. Wells said.

"There is one place here that might hold them."

Everyone went silent for a moment.

Caitlin looked at Cisco. "You can't be serious. I mean, we haven't been down there since — it's cordoned off."

"Cisco is right," Dr. Wells revealed. "It could be modified to act as a makeshift prison."

Juliet slightly raised her hand. "I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?"

Dr. Wells looked up at her. "The Particle Accelerator."

Juliet sent a worried glance to Caitlin. Considering her fiancé had died because of the explosion, it was obvious that she was extremely wary of going down there. The girl continued to focus her gaze on the desk and seemingly wasn't listening to how Dr. Wells wanted to go down to the Accelerator.

"Caitlin," Dr. Wells repeated. "Caitlin." She finally snapped out of her trance and looked at him. "Did you hear me? We're going down to the Accelerator ring."

Going down there would cause Caitlin to remember too many painful memories. That's why Juliet was quick to jump in.

"Actually, Barry and I could really use Caitlin's help in identifying the poison gas, Dr. Wells," Juliet interjected.

Dr. Wells nodded, and Caitlin exhaled in relief. "Okay."

Juliet glanced over at Caitlin, offering her a small smile. "Is that all right with you?"

"Let's go," Caitlin confirmed.

Caitlin stood up and pulled on her jacket. Juliet and Barry brought her back to the CCPD so she could come to their lab. The trip was silent, but Juliet knew why. Just the words Particle Accelerator was making Caitlin's heart sink to her stomach. Neither Juliet or Barry pushed her to talk. Finally, they exited the elevator and walked into the precinct.

"Welcome to the CCPD," Barry told her.

"So this is both of your day jobs," Caitlin voiced.

"Mm-hmm."

A criminal in handcuffs then passed in between them, being held back by a cop. "I'm gonna rip out your hearts and eat 'em for lunch."

"Delightful," Caitlin commented.

"Lab rats," an officer than announced, handing Juliet an evidence bag with a gun. "I need prints off this gun pronto."

"You got it," Juliet told her.

"Allen!" Captain Singh then shouted. "St. James! Where the hell is the fiber analysis on the Orloff case?"

"Upstairs," Barry responded. "It's all finished. I can just run up and bring it down."

"With you, that could be three days from now. I'll go with you." He then looked over at Caitlin, who was walking besides Juliet as they all went upstairs, Barry using his super speed. "Who are you?"

"Dr. Caitlin Snow, Barry and Juliet's personal physician," Caitlin answered.

Barry was waiting for them in the doorway, holding a folder. "The fiber analysis for the Orloff case, like you asked for, sir."

Juliet then glanced around. Papers were strewn all over the floor. It was evident that Barry had just sped around trying to finish up the analysis.

"Clean up your lab," Captain Singh instructed. "It's a mess."

Juliet sent a pointed look to Barry as Captain Singh left. "You really forgot to finish it, huh?"

"You didn't finish it either," Barry argued.

"Because you told me you would do it." Juliet bent down and started to pick up the papers off the floor. "You're lucky you have super speed, or else we both would've gotten in trouble." She walked back over to her desk to place the papers and evidence bag down, only for her phone to ring. Juliet pulled it out and saw that it was Iris, so she answered it. "Hey, 'Ris."

"I'm sad," Iris immediately announced.

"Is it because Jitters ran out of cronuts again?"

"No, Jules, I'm serious. It's about Eddie."

"What happened?" Juliet asked, glancing over to see that Barry had put the tissue sample from the restaurant crime scene in the tester.

"He came over to surprise me at the house, but my dad was there, and now he's upset that he can't spend time with me and had to make up an excuse to go back to the crime scene so it wouldn't be suspicious," Iris explained. "And when I told him that if we told my dad about us, he would kill us, but then Eddie responded that I was killing us."

Juliet frowned. "That's not true, Iris, and you know it. You're just trying to protect your relationship. But you do have to tell Joe soon, you know."

"Do you want me to die?"

"No, I would miss you very much. But sneaking around forever isn't healthy. Both of you are in the right. You just have to talk about it, okay?"

Iris sighed. "You're the best, Jules."

Juliet smiled. "Don't have to tell me twice. I've gotta get back to work, but I'll call you later, all right? Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

She then hung up the phone and walked back to Barry and Caitlin, who were still waiting on the test that was eighty-four percent done. "Hey. Sorry, just had to have some girl talk."

Barry then placed down the molecule diagram he was playing with and looked at Caitlin. "Can I ask you something that you don't have to answer?"

"My least favorite kind of question," Caitlin admitted. "Shoot."

"Ronnie. What was he like? You just never talk about him that much."

"We met when we were working on the Particle Accelerator. He was the structural engineer. He liked to joke that he was basically a very high-priced plumber. We were very different. You might have noticed I can be a bit . . . guarded. Ronnie knew how to make me laugh. He used to say we were like fire and ice." She let out a deep breath. "He wasn't supposed to be there that night. He was just there for me. If he hadn't—" She was cut off by the printer beeping. Caitlin quickly stopped and picked up the paper. "This says that there was no residue of gas in the tissue, poisonous or otherwise."

Barry sat up straighter. "It must have evaporated. We'll need to get a fresh sample."

"Wait, this can't be right," Caitlin stated. She walked around the desk to show Juliet and Barry the paper. "This says that there are two distinct strands of DNA inside the tissues."

Juliet tilted her head in confusion. "But . . . how would someone else's DNA get inside the victim's lungs?"

Barry quickly ran the DNA to see if it had a match, but there was nothing. "There's no DNA match in the database."

"I don't understand," Caitlin replied. "Why would a chemical attack leave behind another person's DNA inside the victim?"

Juliet's eyes then widened. "Guys . . . I have a bad thought."

Barry looked up at her from his chair. "What is it?"

"I think the Metahuman we're looking for can actually become gas instead of controlling it."

"All available units, we have a report of a toxic gas attack in the Central City shopping mall," the intercom system then reported.

"Barry, Juliet, don't," Caitlin pleaded as Barry walked over to the locker and Juliet walked over to her desk. "We don't know enough about what we're facing yet. It's not safe."

"Caitlin, we have to go," Barry replied.

In a flash of yellow lightning, Barry sped off, sending a gust of wind through the lab.

Juliet teleported into her suit and gave Caitlin a tight smile. "We'll be safe. Promise."

"I patched into the mall's security system," Cisco announced over the comms as Juliet teleported outside the mall. "According to witnesses, the gas attack was in the main elevator in the north wing."

"Which one is the north wing?" Barry questioned.

"The one with the Big Belly Burger," Dr. Wells answered.

Juliet teleported inside the mall behind a pillar. She peeked around, only to see a dead woman by the elevator. Juliet let out a sigh. They were too late.

However, when she turned back around, she saw a cloud of green glass floating through a door. She quickly teleported there and found herself standing in a hallway. Barry then ran in behind her. The two of them watched as the cloud of gas solidified into a man.

"Why'd you kill her?" Juliet ordered.

The man turned around to look at her, wheezing a little. "She deserved to die. Now go run and teleport away. I still have one more name on my list. Don't make me add you two to it."

Barry ran forwards and tried to punch the man, but he merely formed into gas. The man then solidified again and punched Barry in the face and the stomach, making him stumble back and fall to his knees momentarily. Juliet then teleported herself in front of the man and went to punch him, but he turned into a full cloud of green gas.

Her eyes widened as she watched the gas grow until it touched the ceiling. She placed herself in front of Barry and allowed a fist from the gas to punch her across the face. Juliet held up her hands, red energy traveling up and down her arms, but she wasn't quick enough to focus on the gas. Before she knew it, two small streams of gas flew into her nose. Juliet gasped for air, not being able to breath at all. She stumbled backwards into Barry, who caught her.

"No!" Barry shouted.

He picked her up in his arms and ran away. Juliet coughed and wheezed as Barry carried her into the cortex of S.T.A.R. Labs.

"She can't breathe," Barry told them. He looked down at the girl in his arms. "Come on, stay with me, J."

"Help," Juliet pleaded.

"She needs oxygen," Dr. Wells announced. "Get the crash cart!"

Cisco quickly ran to the med lab. Barry then walked over to the bed in the cortex and placed Juliet down in it. She continued to try and breath but she couldn't. Her suit was tight against her skin, but she knew that whatever was inside of her, they could use. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined the top of her suit off of her. Juliet kept the jacket on so she wasn't fully exposed but so there was easy access to her lungs.

"Juliet!" Caitlin exclaimed as she ran into the cortex.

"Cut me open," she gasped. "Fast. There's poison still in me."

"She brought us a sample," Dr. Wells voiced. "Caitlin, we need to do a pulmonary biopsy. Extract an active portion of that gas."

"If I give you any anesthetic, it won't work fast enough," Caitlin told Juliet. "The poison might be out of your body by then."

Juliet coughed again, squeezing Barry's hand who had gripped onto her the second he laid her down. "I can heal myself, it's all right." Through her hazy gaze, she looked up at Caitlin. "I trust you."

"Do it," Dr. Wells instructed.

"Cisco, give me the syringe," Caitlin ordered. "This is gonna hurt a lot."

"Okay," Juliet wheezed.

Cisco held up the syringe. "It's a small needle. You probably won't even feel it."

"You're definitely going to feel it," Caitlin corrected.

Juliet squeezed her eyes shut. "Just do it!"

Caitlin then jammed the needle into her chest. Juliet cried out in pain and gripped onto Barry's hand tightly. That pain, plus the ability of not being able to breathe, caused her mind to become way too dizzy. And with the ceiling lights blurring into one around her, Juliet passed out.

〖 ϟ 〗

hey what's up besties what's goin on