It has been three days since the booming voice in the sky heeded its warning. In Central City, Team Flash is in shambles, with everyone yelling at each other, and the team leader, Barry, is nowhere to be found. In the Cortex of STAR Labs, everything is a mess. Chester and Cisco type furiously at their computers, Caitlyn and Frost work feverishly in the medical lab, Iris stands in the corner of the room inspecting her fingernails, and Alexandria paces the floor, racking her brain before finally stopping and looking at everyone.
"Maybe we should all just take a break and start fresh in the morning. None of us has gotten any sleep in the last couple of days, and I feel a good night's sleep could be beneficial to everyone." She says, and everyone turns to look at her, and Iris simply scoffs.
"A break? Did you not hear the warning the other night? In three years, there will be a Crisis, and it won't just be affecting our world; it will be affecting the multiverse as a whole." Iris states, pushing herself off the wall she was leaning against and taking a couple of steps towards Alexandria.
"Yes, I heard the warning, but it has been three days since then, and we have gotten absolutely nowhere. We're not going to get anywhere if we are constantly at each other's throats. That's going to result in the team imploding. One good night of sleep would do us good." Alexandria says, looking around at everyone.
"I think it's funny that the newbie on the team is trying to advise how to solve villainous problems when she can't even tell the guy she's in love with how she feels about him." Iris scoffs, clearly striking a nerve inside of Alexandria.
Alexandria cocks her head to the side and gives Iris a stern look before replying. "What does my love life have to do with the issue at hand? If anything, it just shows that you're jealous of what could potentially happen if I did confess my feelings."
"I just don't see how you could see yourself as an appropriate advice-giver when you can't be honest with yourself," Iris says and smirks devilishly.
Alexandria scoffs and rolls her eyes before replying, "Whatever. I am not doing this with you. Especially you. If you cared that badly about who I like, maybe you shouldn't have cheated on him for a year. Maybe, just maybe, you should've stayed loyal, and he'd still want to be with you. Maybe-"
There's a loud clack that rings through the Cortex, causing the entire room to fall silent. Everyone turns their attention to the two girls standing in the middle of the room. Alexandrria felt the sting in her left cheek and brought her hand up to her face. She looks back at everyone in the room before turning her gaze back to Iris.
"Wha... W-what was that for?" She stutters, rubbing her cheek.
"I might have cheated on Barry for a year, but I had good reason," Iris states, getting in Alexandria's face. "I had good reason. Being a hero was more important to him than our relationship. Everything came before me, and if you two get together, the same thing is going to happen to you, too. Nothing will ever come between Barry and his idea of being a perfect hero, so before you judge me for my actions, why not ask me why I made the choices that I made? I'm going to tell you from experience that you won't be enough for Barry, because I wasn't enough for him either. It's best for you both if you just let go of those feelings." Iris whispers, her breath grazing Alexandria's cheek.
Alexandria's eyes start to well up with tears, and she tries to blink them away with no avail. She opens her mouth to speak, hand still resting on her stinging cheek, before shaking her head and pushing past Iris and leaving the room.
Shortly after Alexandria leaves the room, Joe and Barry walk into the Cortex. They both take a look around. Iris is standing behind Chester and Cisco, talking with them. Caitlyn is in the medical room typing away on her own computer, and Alexandria is still nowhere to be found.
"Hey, where did Alexandria go?" Barry asks, and everyone turns their heads to look at Iris.
Iris smirks before responding. "I gave her some advice that she didn't like, and she left. My guess is she went home."
"What did you say to her?" Joe says, raising his eyebrow at his daughter.
"I told her that she was never going to be enough for Barry because nothing would come between him and his hero duties," Iris says and shrugs. "I spoke from experience."
"Where did she go? Cisco, will you check the security cameras? Maybe she never left the building." Barry says, pushing his fingers through his hair before continuing, "Never mind what you said to her, but why would you say that to her?"
"She's in the staff lounge, and dude, you are blind," Cisco says, popping a sucker into his mouth. "That girl has been in love with you since she first started working with us."
Barry nods slowly before he turns to look at Iris. "I tried to be there for you and never make you feel as if you were overlooked. That doesn't excuse your actions. You cheated on me for a year, and honestly, we were over before that even started. I'm sorry that you are miserable, Iris, I really am, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt others. We're supposed to be a team. I suggest you start acting like you are a part of this team." Barry states, and with a flash of lightning, he leaves the room.