EXPEDITE ▇▇▇▇ VOLUME ONE
━━ ❛ 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚 ❜

chapter no. 030!

𝖬𝖠𝖸 𝟤𝟧, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲

     PIPER LITA SNAPPED HER FINGERS TOGETHER, AND A GLOWING ORB OF PURPLE LIGHTNING EMERGED FROM HER HAND. Her eyes were trained on the uneven static crackling off, and she focused on how it felt to hold the ball of energy in the palm of her hand. Closing her eyes, she moved her fingers, teetering it about. The forking ends of the tiny rays of purple lightning sent chills down her spine, and she felt the tips of her fingers buzzing. She squeezed her fist, letting a heavy breath of air out of her mouth, the brilliant hues fading into nothingness.

     Reopening her eyes, Piper licked her lips and blinked back tears. Her promise to the Speed Force haunted her and now everyone else down the hall.

     It'd taken most of the day for her to tell them Aureolin's plan and explain how bad things could end if she succeeded. Then, she told everyone about what happened in the Speed Force and her burdening promise. After she had told them, everyone froze. None of them knew the proper way to respond, their minds failing to comprehend the fact of what it was she had to do.

    Coming to terms that they needed a minute to think to themselves, the redhead had left the Cortex and made her way to the Pipeline. Her legs were crossed, and she sat with her back to the curved wall near the cell doors. The different compartments of her mind failed to work together, distracting the other and causing her thoughts to run wildly.

     The sound of footsteps approaching caused her to turn her head, the voices disappearing as her eyes locked with Barry's. Guilt contorted her heart, and she glanced away, playing with her fingers idly as he sat down in front of her. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

     Reaching over, Barry placed his hand over hers. "Please, look at me," he whispered. Chocolate brown met clover green, and he sighed, interlacing their fingers.

     "I don't want to do this," Piper choked out, her tears on the brink of spilling over. "I don't want to leave." Her voice cracked, and he pulled her into his arms, resting his head on her shoulder. Feeling her tremble in his arms, he ran his hand up and down her back, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

     He didn't want her to leave either. Every part of him wanted to just freeze time and keep her there with him forever. Barry had someone he could call home for the first time in his life. Someone he wanted to go home to every night and cuddle with as they fell asleep. He wanted to have a life with the redhead. He wanted any and everything that came with being with her.

     Now, that couldn't happen.

     They couldn't be together because she was leaving. She had a world to save, and who would Barry be if he begged for her to stay instead of saving billions of people?

     "I don't want you to leave either," Barry whispered, tears of his own pooling in his eyes.

     Piper pulled away and wiped away her tears, sniffing. Looking up, she noticed Barry's and leaned forward, wiping them away with her thumbs. Before she could lower her hand, he raised his, placing it over hers and pressing it to his cheek. She smiled softly, her eyes savoring every detail of his face.

     Yesterday, Piper firmly believed that saying goodbye to Barry would destroy her, but as she sat there with him, she realized that she was wrong. It wasn't saying goodbye that would be the hardest part; it was learning to live without him when she made it back to Earth-Four.

     No more running through the streets, laughing as they raced. No more arguments about stupid things and choices. No more giving advice in a time of need. She would no longer feel her heart race excitedly at the sight of him, nor be able to hold his hand and hug him. There would be no more stupid and embarrassing suggestive comments. When she felt defeated and alone, she wouldn't be able to go to him. She wouldn't be able to go home.

     When she got back, her life was going to be different. Nothing was ever going to be the same, and that's what scared her most about going through with her promise. Her family and friends would be placed on the opposite side of a glass wall, their worlds so close yet so far apart.

     Everything was going to change, and she wasn't ready. She didn't want to be ready because if she was, then that would mean she was okay with this dramatic turn of events. That she was okay with leaving behind the man she had fallen in love with and the family she never knew she needed. Because she wasn't okay with it. None of it. However, it wasn't up to her whether or not she was ready. She had to do this.

     She had to leave. She had to kill Aureolin. She had to save the world.

     Pulling her hands away from Barry, she took in a shaky breath as she ran them through her hair. "Before everything happens tomorrow, I need you to know how much you and your friendship matter to me." Piper finally spoke quietly, choosing her words wisely. Nothing could happen between them regardless of how she felt about the speedster. It would only make things worse. It would only hurt more.

     Noticing how she hesitated to say friendship, Barry furrowed his brows. He nodded for her to continue, pushing down the lump in his throat as he stared at her silently.

     "There are not enough words in the world to describe how grateful I am to have you in my life. Nothing I ever say will express how incredibly lucky I feel to have known you for this long. Honestly, I never thought that I would have to do this. Leave. How am I supposed to just leave without feeling like I've lost a part of myself?" she asked, her voice cracking. "You, Barry Allen, have greatly changed me and my life. When I forgot how to live, you were the one who showed me how. When I felt like the world was falling apart around me, you made me feel as though it wasn't so bad. When I felt like nothing could make me feel better, you somehow managed to put even the slightest of smiles on my face.

      "If I could go back to when I first came here and saw you, I would do it all over again, and I wouldn't change a single thing. I know that after I leave, I will savor each and every memory so strongly that it will almost live again. I know that how we feel for each other will keep us together even when we are far apart. But right now, it's time for me to go, do what I must, and make sacrifices. Please, please know that if there was any other way I could stay here with you, I wouldn't hesitate to choose it."

     Pressing his forehead against hers, the brown-haired man squeezed his eyes shut. "I know that if there was any other way, you'd stay. I also know that I will hold onto each and every memory of you for the rest of my life." Barry pressed his lips together, using every ounce of willpower he had not to break down. He'd just gotten her back, and now he was losing her all over again. This time permanently.

     Biting down on her lip, Piper held back her sobs as they sat there in silence.

     Neither of them confessed their love, but they didn't need to. They could feel it already there in the room.

────

     IT WAS TIME. They all knew the time would come sooner or later but dreaded it nonetheless.

     The night sky was painted a dark black, with not a single star out in the open. It was as if the heavens above knew what was coming and were hiding away from the inevitable. A series of footsteps echoed behind the purple speedster walking confidently towards their location. Her shoulders were squared back, and a firm expression shadowed her features.

     Piper Lita was more than ready to get everything over with. This game she'd been playing with Aureolin ended tonight, even if the ending wasn't the one she wanted.

     "Hey, Piper," Joe West called, his eyes skimming the blueprint of the Magnetar on Harry's tablet. "Can you go over what this Magnetar does again?"

     Without glancing back, the redhead nodded. "It can act as a pulsar, which is a power amplifier with a highly magnetized, dense rotating core that can be easily weaponized. Aureolin and Zoom have turned it into a weapon that can destroy all the multiverse outside of Earth-One with a trans-dimensional shock wave. They expanded it into a gigantic race lap that will allow it to be powered by the Speed Force energy produced by speedsters." Piper called back.

     "Oh, that's great," the detective mumbled, handing the tablet to Cisco.

     Iris's eyes widened, and she held an anxious look with Erin, holding her hand tighter as they approached the abandoned factory site.

     The sound of the purple speedster's footsteps faded as she stopped, her eyes resting on the group of four that had brought her to her death's door one too many times. Immediately, her eyes locked with Athena's, and a ball of nervous energy blossomed in her chest.

     "I tell you, Jay might be crazy-pants, but he can pick a venue." Cisco marveled, his eyes glued to the large loop lit by yellow lights. Barry rolled his eyes.

     Everyone came to a standstill once they noticed how Piper was standing still, her eyes directed ahead. Following her gaze, they all watched as a group of three strangers and Zoom took a few steps forward.

     "How cute. You brought the whole team with you," Athena remarked, pushing her way in between Zakai and Jeremiah. "Can't say I blame you. This is about to be one hell of a show."

     Caitlin breathed in deeply and stepped back, bumping into Harry and Jesse. Seeing the three of them reminded her of her time on Earth-Two, the small encounter they had, and the guilt she felt for what happened to Piper.

     Joe pulled Wally behind him, shielding him from Zoom's view. After Piper had handed herself over, everyone agreed to tell the West boy Flash and Expedite's identities, especially since all he did for days was beg to know the identity of his savior.

     "Cut the crap. We know you plan to power up the Magnetar so you can destroy the multi-verse." Harry snapped, his bazooka aimed at the group of four.

     Hunter stepped forward, standing solidly next to Athena. "I don't want to destroy all of it. This Earth is at the center of the multi-verse. It's the access point to every other Earth in existence. One trans-dimensional shock-wave and... poof."

     Piper rolled her eyes as Cisco made his way to her side; his eyes narrowed. "Leaving just our Earth. How generous of you both," he replied sarcastically. The woman on his right pressed her lips together as Athena glanced at her.

     "You might want to say your goodbyes, Pipa Colada."

     Turning around, the redhead looked at everyone. "Lita, tell me you have a plan for this," Harry pleaded.

     She raised her brows. "I didn't tell any of you how I'm getting Aureolin back to Earth-Four for a reason. I promise you, I have a plan."

     Barry looked at her and gulped, pushing down the lump in his throat that had been there temporarily since yesterday. "Barry," Piper began, making eye contact with the fellow speedster, "don't interfere. Don't try and help if you think I'm in trouble or need it. None of you can interfere, or else this won't work. Got it?"

     Everyone shared ambivalent stares, nodding apprehensively at her demand. Barry slowly nodded before reaching out and grabbing her hand. She squeezed it tightly before letting go.

     "We believe in you," Erin breathed, giving her best friend a watery but affirmative smile. Piper forced one in return, backing away from the group.

     In less than a millisecond, she was standing beside the blonde man. "One lap around the inside of this loop will produce about one gigawatt of energy, and I need five-hundred-plus to power the Magnetar enough to do the job. Once it's full, I win because there is no stopping it. Also, if, at any point, you decide you don't want to race anymore, your precious boyfriend is a dead man, as well as everyone else." Hunter warned, smirking.

     Rolling her eyes, the purple speedster positioned herself, her hands pressed firmly to the ground. "Not tonight, Satan."

     Hunter lowered himself to the ground, getting in position. Glancing over to the redhead, he smirked. "Come and catch me." Zoom growled.

     Come and catch me.

     The four words always sparked a fury that lay beneath the surface. A fury that only appeared when her thoughts traveled to the past. The fury that landed her on Earth-One.

     A blur of purple and blue blinded Zakai and Jeremiah as the two set off.

     Running up the side of the Magnetar, Piper jumped inside, Zoom barely on her heels. Her long scarlet hair whipped back as she raced around, passing by the black-and-blue speedster every time. There was no chance of him being able to match her current speed, but that didn't mean that he didn't try.

     "She's powering up the Magnetar," Harry noted, nodding to where the core of it was being struck by white lightning. Jesse gulped.

     The core became a bubble of white light as the bolts multiplied and Athena smirked, looking to her partners. It was working.

     Noticing the small, thin beam of lightning growing upward from the core, Piper narrowed her eyes. That was her cue. Her body glowed bright purple, lightning engulfed her, and two other versions of Expedite soon appeared.

     Three purple speedsters traced the inside of the Magnetar, and Zoom desperately tried to keep up. His blue lightning was barely visible in the storm of purple as the race continued.

     "Which one's Piper?" Jesse asked, furrowing her brows.

     "All of them. She made a—"

     "—time remnant." Looking over, Harry shared a quick glance with Cisco.

     Looking at both Expedites', the redhead nodded. Jumping off the Magnetar, Piper raced towards Zakai and Jeremiah, both of whom were frozen as time slowed down. She grabbed the two and attached them to a pipe, meta-human dampening handcuffs clasped around their wrists.

     One of the time remnants followed in step with her but headed to the powerhouse that was stabilizing the pulsar. Running around it swiftly, she began to produce her own pulse. The other remnant slowed down in the loop and tackled Zoom when he traveled towards her. The two fell to the ground, and Expedite stood up, racing off and around the factory site, the latter chasing after.

     "What're the time remnants doing?" Caitlin yelled over the sound of the pulsar bursting as the beam of white light created a red, static, whirling bubble in the sky.

     "That one's creating her own pulse while the other is keeping Zoom distracted," Cisco answered, his hair blowing back.

     "Why would she do that?" Jesse asked.

     "Because..." Harry shouted, pointing to the Magnetar, "if that one's out of phase, it'll counteract that one."

     Caitlin's eyes grew wide, and she looked at the scientist, shaking her head. "Her body can't handle that," she shouted.

     The brunette's words caused Erin to look at her, eyes wide. "Then what's going to happen?" she asked, already having a faint idea of what the answer was going to be.

     "She'll die," Harry stated grimly.

     Barry's eyes teared up as he watched purple light cover the white, raising towards the sky as the time remnant kept running. The last remaining remnant returned and used meta-dampening to cuff Zoom to the pipe from which Zakai and Jeremiah were attempting to break free. Then, she joined the other clone, strengthening the pulse. A burst of purple flames engulfed the Magnetar and shot into the sky, closing the portal. Both remnants were gone, and Erin gulped.

     Piper turned around and missed Aureolin's punch by an inch.

     Breathing in through her nose, she projected streaks of purple lightning from her fingertips and used them to slam Aureolin's body into an electrical box. The metal caved in, and the speedster collapsed to the ground. Not wasting any time, Piper sped over and slammed her fist into the side of the latter's head, knocking her out cold. Grabbing onto her body, Piper sped the latter over to a pipe, handcuffing her to it.

     "She's going to kill everyone you love, you know that, right?" Jeremiah questioned, raising a sly brow.

     Marching over, Piper kneed him in the groin. "Not if I kill her first," she snapped, stepping back as the Speed Force opened up beside her.

     "Expedite doesn't kill." Zoom growled.

     The purple speedster turned her head towards him, her eyes narrowing. "It was great getting to kick your ass, Zoloman. I hope Hell treats you well."

     Two time wraiths emerged from the dark grey portal, heading straight towards the three. Zakai's eyes widened, and he looked at her. "Piper, don't," he pleaded, but the woman shook her head.

     "You were the one who decided to play Father Time with Jeremiah. All of you deserve this." Piper stated, crossing her arms.

     The team watched as the wraiths circled around the three, lightning siphoning off of Zoom as his mask decayed and his face became distorted. He screamed in agony, hunching over as his skin peeled back on his cheeks. Jeremiah let out a cry as the wraiths sucked the life out of both him and Zakai.

     Piper watched disdainfully as the three were collected and raised into the air. Flying their way back to the portal, the wraiths appeared to give the woman a knowing look. Before she had time to do or say something, they were gone. All that remained were three cuffs lying on the ground next to pipes.

     Letting a breath of relief out, she walked over to Athena. Crouching down, she felt around the speedster's body until she found what she was looking for— the extrapulator.

     Turning around, she came face-to-face with the blonde. "You should've used meta-dampening cuffs, BFF," she sneered, her fist colliding with Piper's chest.

     The redhead stumbled back some before she snapped her fingers. Rushing forward, she pressed her hands to the yellow speedster's chest, watching as the orb electrocuted her body. Aureolin shook violently before she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Letting out a sigh of relief, Piper lowered her hands.

     She was done. All she had to do now was go back to Earth-Four and kill the woman who used to be her best friend. Piece of cake.

     "Piper," Barry gasped, speeding to her side. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her close. Pressing a kiss to the side of her head, he smiled. "You did it. I'm so proud of you."

     She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing a gentle kiss to his neck. Stepping back, a small smile crossed her lips. "Thank you." He nodded, caressing her cheek softly.

     The rest of the team ran up, breathless. Barry lowered his hand and stepped back, knowing that he wasn't the only person the redhead was saying goodbye to.

     Looking at all of them, Piper teared up. Each of them meant something different, but when added all together, created her perfect vision of a family. They made her a happier and better person. They taught her things that she wouldn't have learned anywhere else, and she would always be grateful. Reaching up, she took off her eyepiece.

     This was it. This was the end of the line for her. It was time to leave Earth-One.

     "Thank you, all of you, for everything you've done for me. There are not enough words to describe how thankful I am to have known you all and be a part of your lives. Thank you for giving some weird stalker speedster a chance. All of you have changed me and my life; I will always be grateful for that. I love you guys. More than I can ever express, but I hope you know that I do." Piper stated, her vision blurred by the overwhelming amount of tears in her eyes.

     Stepping forward, Erin wiped away a stray tear before embracing her in a bone-crushing hug. "I'm going to miss you so much. I don't know how life will be now without you," she admitted.

     "Your life will be wonderfully happy and gay. I'm so happy for you and Iris, E. The two of you deserve nothing but happiness, and I hope you marry her. She's a keeper." Piper whispered, pressing a kiss to her best friend's forehead.

     "I would say the same for you know, pretty boy over there," the short-haired girl muttered, nodding slightly towards Barry, "but you know."

     Piper cracked a smile, chuckling softly. "Yeah, I know. Maybe in another life, it will work out." Erin nodded, pulling her in for one last hug.

     Cisco was the next person to come forward. He stopped in front of her, his eyes glassy as they held eye contact. "You were the best girlfriend I've ever had," he finally spoke. Piper giggled as she hugged him, rocking the two of them back and forth. Slowly, her smile faded. She buried her head into the crook of his neck as silent tears ran down her face.

     "I love you." Piper choked out, feeling the grip of his arms around her tighten.

     Cisco smiled, nodding as tears fell down his cheeks. "I love you too," he whispered.

     The next person up was Caitlin. She covered her mouth as she walked toward the redhead, holding back sobs. Noticing this, Piper rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her.

     "There are so many things I want to say, but I don't know where to begin," Caitlin murmured.

     "You don't have to say them. Save them for the next time we meet. This isn't goodbye forever. One day we'll see each other again, even if that's fifty years from now, and we're old and wrinkly." Piper joked, causing her to laugh.

     Wally West was the first member of the West family to approach her, his eyes somber. Standing awkwardly in front of his savior, he gulped. "Thank you for believing that I was worth saving," he stated, nodding slightly as he spoke.

     Her face fell, and she frowned, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Wally, you are worth saving. You are worth dying for. Please, don't forget that. You have just as much value as everyone here." Piper reassured, rubbing his shoulder softly. He nodded, giving her a small smile.

     Joe and Iris walked up simultaneously, bringing her into a group hug. The three stood silently, arms wrapped around the other firmly. "We'll miss you so much, babe," Iris muttered as they all pulled away.

      Piper wiped away a tear. "I'll miss you guys more."

     Joe sniffed, giving her a watery smile. "All of us are better people now because of you, Piper. I'm a better father and cop. Thank you for everything you've done and sacrificed to keep us safe."

     "You guys are family; there's nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe," she spoke softly.

     Iris and Joe gave her one last smile before Jesse gave her a quick hug, smiling sadly. Lastly, Harry held his hand out to her. Looking down at it, she raised her brows. "Seriously? A handshake? What are we, five? Give me a hug, headass," she retorted, placing her hands on her hips.

     The scientist chuckled, a rare smile spreading across his face. Stepping forward, he pulled her into a hug. "I'll miss you too, Piper," he responded, patting her back.

     "Ah-hah! So, you do know my name." Piper cheered triumphantly, pulling away.

     Harry rolled his eyes, the smile still present. "Yeah, yeah. Go save the world."

     Playing with the extrapulator, Piper looked to Barry. He was already staring at her with silent tears in his eyes. Neither of them wanted to do this. They weren't ready to let go and didn't know if they would ever be, but everyone knows the saying, "if you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they're yours."

     Biting down on her lip, Piper sighed heavily. "Thank you, Barry," she murmured, feeling hot tears of her own spilling. "For everything."

     He walked forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. Pressing their foreheads together, they stood still. Piper gulped, her bottom lip trembling as the fact that this would be the last time she would touch him set in.

     This would be the last time.

     Kiss him, you coward.

     Bringing her hand up, she cupped his cheek and pulled back slightly to see his face. Her eyes darted between his watery ones before she moved closer, diminishing the space between them. Tilting her head, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

     For a moment, Barry was frozen, shocked at what was happening. Relaxing, his eyes fluttered shut, and he pulled her closer. Electricity was running down their backs and to their feet, igniting a flame.

     Slowly, she pulled away and leaned her forehead back against his, her eyes shut. "I-I just needed to do that before I left. To know what it would feel like to finally kiss you," she admitted quietly. "I've wanted to kiss you for months. I'm sorry it took so long for it to finally happen."

     "It was worth the wait. Every second of it." Barry whispered, pressing one more kiss to her lips. "Now, go save the world. Be the hero I know you to be."

     Piper nodded, stepping back reluctantly. She gave everyone a final look before she picked up Aureolin and clicked on the extrapulator. A breach appeared, and she glanced back, "See you around, Flash."

     Barry smiled through his tears, nodding. "See you around, Expedite."