Present

Hunter was dead; that much I knew for sure. The man that terrorized me for almost my whole life was gone forever...gone from my life, earth two, and from everyone that he ever inflicted pain upon. Knowing that brought me comfort, but there was one thing that I still couldn't shake.

He was still alive in my mind.

Besides the nightmares and the constant worry that he somehow would come back someday, he lived on in my mind in one of the worst ways possible. At first, it started with hallucinations of him that soon went away, but following after that was the realization of something. Hunter might be gone from existence, but what wasn't gone was me. I was almost a spitting image of what he thrived to be, or at least I used to be.

Knowing what he had done to me and what he had left behind made me feel uncomfortable in my own skin. I knew that I wasn't that person anymore, but something told me that deep down, I still was. I still killed people...I still hurt people, and most importantly, I still used to be that type of person.

After hearing Barry's secret, it all came crashing back into me once again. It made me grow sick to my stomach to even think about dying alongside him...to have died a monster, one that he created. I told myself that none of that mattered now; that Barry had reset the timeline and made sure it didn't, but something about the idea dug deep into my brain and wouldn't let go.

So here I was now, thinking long and hard as I sat on the bed I used to sleep on many nights here at S.T.A.R. Labs. It was the one place I knew I could go to if I ever needed to have silence to think or to be by myself, so after hearing Barry's words, I found myself here.

"I thought I'd find you in here," I hear a low voice say, causing me to turn my head and see Barry standing in the doorway. It takes me a moment to realize that he still had tear stains on his face from earlier. "Are you...are you okay?"

I wanted to tell him yes. I wanted to tell him that everything was fine, that I could move forwards, but instead I find more tears filling in my eyes as I shake my head. The next thing I know, Barry is by my side on the bed, wrapping me in his arms as he lets me cry on his shoulder.

Crying was something I wasn't all that used to, since when I had been with Hunter, it was a rare emotion for me. It took a lot for me to cry, and for some reason, I guess this was one of those moments.

"I'm sorry for all of this," Barry breathes into my neck. "It's not fair...none of this is fair."

I pull away from him for a moment as I shake my head, controlling myself. "I'm not crying because of what you did, Barry...I just hate the idea that in that other timeline, he won. I had died a monster."

Barry looks baffled. "A monster? You're not a monster, Raven-"

"I was, Barry. I know you may not think it, but you never saw me before. I've killed countless people...he turned me into a monster, just like what he was." I take a deep breath. "He dragged me to Hell with him."

He grabs my hand. "Raven, we've all made mistakes, okay? In that other timeline, you died a hero. You saved all of us one last time, that much I know. I cannot tell you how hard it was to respect your wish of letting you go..."

I reposition myself on the bed. "What was it like...I mean, to go back in time to live in another reality?"

He shakes his head, thinking about it. "It was like I was living a dream. My parents were alive and happy...it was nice to be able to see them again together. For awhile I was happy too, but then I started to realize how wrong I was for doing that. I didn't have Joe, Iris, Cisco, or any of the others there with me, and that's when I decided to put things back to how they were. I just didn't realize that it wouldn't really be the same as it was before."

I tried to imagine living in another reality where my own parents were alive, but soon I'm stopping myself. "Was I there in that other...life?"

He faintly smiles. "Actually, you were, but you weren't...you. In that other timeline, your doppleganger here on this earth was still alive. I didn't get to see you much, since you didn't recognize me-"

"Still alive?" I question, furrowing my eyebrows. "She's been alive, Barry. Are you telling me that in that other timeline that she was...dead?"

Barry's eyes widen, so I already knew my answer. "She had died of cancer...you're telling me that's just another thing I managed to screw up?"

I faintly smile. "Looks like you managed to save two versions of myself, Barry Allen. I wouldn't call that screwing up."

He sighs as he looks down at the floor. "I just messed up everyone's lives with my stupid mistake. I didn't realize that I would mess up this bad, Raven. I wish I would have been thinking more clearly..."

"You lost your father, Barry," I state sincerely, the words tasting sour on my tongue as I remember how he had died. "You weren't in the right headspace. We all make mistakes, like you said. All you have to do now is move forwards and accept the consequences."

Barry faintly smiles at me before Caitlin's voice sounds over the intercom. "Barry, we have another speedster sighting at the old saw mill...most likely The Rival."

He looks back at me as we share a look of concern. "Duty calls."

He gets up to leave then, but before I let him go, I stop him. "Wait, Barry..."

I try to find the right words in my throat as he turns and looks at me, waiting for me to continue. My mind was racing with different thoughts and opinions on whether or not I should return back to fighting crime with Barry or to focus on myself. It doesn't take me long to decide on what I wanted.

"I'm coming too."

-*+*-

"You said that this guy was from that other timeline?" I ask Barry as we walk towards the saw mill, keeping our eyes peeled for someone or something. "How is that even possible?"

Barry licks his lips slowly. "Yeah, he was the main villain causing problems around Central City. I'm not sure how it's possible, but something tells me that we aren't going to like the answer to that question."

I take a deep breath as I clench and unclench my fists, something I was used to doing every time I got anxious. Something told me that something bad was coming, and I wasn't sure if it was what was happening now or something that had yet to come.

What I did know was that I felt odd putting my suit back on. It's been weeks since I last had it on, and I was surprised to find that it was strange slipping it back on and going back out with Barry. I knew that it was because of what had supposedly happened when I had it on last, that being dying like Barry had told me. It felt odd to know that I was wearing the very thing I had died in.

"Flash," I hear a voice call out suddenly, causing me to look up and find the same man that had been at the boardwalk. "Good to see you again."

"You as well," Barry calls back out in a sarcastic tone. "Nice to find you here of all places...very poetic."

The man gives Barry a sour look. "Thought it was, since this was the place I died. Remember, Flash? I thought it would suit just fine for tonight, but I won't be the one dying this time around. I won't waste this second chance."

I give Barry a look in that moment of self doubt, and it really did make me worry that maybe things wouldn't go our way this time around. However, before either Barry and I could comment on what he said, he's speaking once again.

"I see you brought a side kick again," he taunts, raising his eyebrow. "Not the same one as before, but that's alright. I like the silver more than the yellow."

It was my turn to fire back a remark. "I'm not a side kick."

"Sure," he answers me while leaning up against the railing from up above. "I thought that this time, I could use a little help myself. You're not the only one who brought an accomplice."

Before Barry and I can really understand what he was saying, we both were taken off guard as a wave of something hits us, knocking us both off of our feet. I go flying back into a pile of barrels, which reminded me a whole lot of the ones I had used to train Laurel with back on my earth. I lie there for a moment before I look up, brushing my hair from my face to see someone else standing there in a black coat with a hood, along with some odd type of mask that reminded me of a gas mask.

"And who are you?" Barry calls out as he flips onto his back, looking up at the two of them.

The figure speaks out, but it sounded monstrous. "I am alchemy."

"Okay, and what do you want?" Barry asks once again, narrowing his eyes as I start to get back on my feet, preparing myself to move when I needed to.

"To help people achieve their true potential," he states as he points upwards at the Rival.

I decide to pipe in this time. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I am preparing this world," he says simply, causing me to furrow my eyebrows, utterly confused as to what was going on and who he was. However, the next thing I know, Edward is flashing forwards and grabbing Barry, pinning him up against the wall.

I start to race towards the two of them, but Barry's voice causes me to halt. "Don't worry about me, don't let him get away!"

It was then I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Alchemy was making his escape, and I knew that Barry could take care of himself...at least, I hoped he could. I make up my mind fast as I turn and race towards the man in the hood, reaching out for him, but before I could get my hands on him, he's turning around and holding a stone out towards me, which is throwing me back ten feet like it had the first time.

When I get back up again, I quickly race forwards and tackle Alchemy to the ground, taking him by surprise. I expected him to try and get away, but instead, he stares up at me as I get up onto my feet, watching him closely to make sure he didn't try to go anywhere.

"You have potential, Raven," he says to me as I narrow my eyes, chills running down my spine.

I shake my head. "How do you know my name?"

"I know more than just your name," he says in that same creepy voice. "I can give you what you want..."

Before I can ask anymore questions, I hear Barry cry out from behind me, causing me to look back for a brief moment, which Alchemy uses to his advantage. He uses that same stone to throw me backwards, which causes me to hit a column this time around.

After sitting there for a moment, I am finally able to get back on my feet. However, when I go to race towards Alchemy again, I find that he was gone without leaving a trace. I use my speed to scope out the area quickly, not being able to find him anywhere. I wondered to myself how he got away so fast and what he had meant by me having potential, but I don't get to think about it long before I'm racing back towards Barry.

When I come back, I find Barry inside of the old saw mill. I watch the Rival throw Barry on top of a table before grabbing a pipe, holding it up as if it was some sort of trophy. I start to race forwards to help Barry, but before I can, I freeze when suddenly Edward turned into Hunter.

He turns and looks at me, still holding the pipe. "Come on, Raven. I thought you were stronger than this...but look at you, standing frozen as you watch the man that tore us apart die."

I shake my head as I close my eyes, biting my tongue. This isn't real, I state over and over again in my mind...he isn't real.

Finally, when I open my eyes again, I find Hunter gone. A burst of courage and rage shoots through me once again as I race forwards towards Edward, stopping him from impaling Barry with the pipe. He falls to the floor as I slam my body into him, the pipe clinking against the concrete floor as it rolls to the side.

I quickly get to my feet as Edward looks up at me. "I guess your side kick couldn't stick around to help...what a shame."

He starts to get back up onto his feet, but before he can, I'm using my speed to deck him across the face, knocking him out cold. His head falls back in that moment and hits the ground hard, eyes closed. A faint smile appears on my face as I look back over at Barry, finding him now sitting up with blood on his mouth. He gives me a nod as I take a deep breath, feeling my heart racing in my chest.

It was good to be back.

-*+*-

Another timeline error, cute Baven moment, Silver Trickster being back, and Alchemy being sketchy as usual?? Sounds like a decent chapter to me!

I'd like to thank you guys for reading again...it really does mean a whole lot to me and I feel like I don't say it enough. I LOVE YOU ALL, YOU MAKE MY DAY!

Don't forget to comment and vote! xx