Barry is woken up in the middle of the night when Tina rings his doorbell. He opens the door, and Tina says that she needs to talk to him about something. She says that she's been having special feelings for Barry and says that she loves him. Tina kisses Barry, and Barry says that he didn't know she felt the same way that he did. He suggests that they sit down and talk about it, and as they kiss a robber grabs a woman in the street. Barry speeds down as Flash, makes sure the woman is okay, and goes after the robber. The speedster corners the robber in an alleyway, and she removes her hood to reveal that she's Tina. Tina tells Flash that she despises him and everything he stands for, and reminds him that she made him Flash and can let him live or die. She aims a gun at Flash and fires, and...
Barry wakes up from his nightmare, gasping.
The next day at STAR Labs, Barry tells Tina that he's been unable to sleep at night. She suggests that he try bio-feedback therapy with a new machine, and Barry agrees. Tina suggests that Barry's accelerated metabolism is keeping his brain from producing alpha waves, rendering him unable to get a good night's sleep. She has modified the practice by transferring her alpha waves to her since she's already learned how to do it, improving the results for Barry. Once Tina hooks them both up, Barry remembers his dream of "Tina" saying that she loves him, and then saying that she despises him. The machine shorts out and the electricity throws Tina across the room.
Barry takes Tina to the hospital and paces at superspeed while he waits, wearing a trench in the carpet. He then eats candy bars from a machine at superspeed. Doctor Whilhite finally comes in and tells Barry that Tina regained conscious and the best thing is to let her get a good night's rest. Barry thanks him and leaves.
The next morning, a nurse brings Tina food and says that she suffered a bad shock. Tina angrily says that there's nothing wrong with her, and angrily pours the tea on the floor. She shoves her pastry in the nurse's face and throws the tray on the floor. Barry arrives as the nurse leaves, and Tina says that she's feeling fine and claims that the nurse slipped. He gives Tina flowers and she thanks him for bringing her there. The nurse arrives with Tina's doctor and two orderlies, and Tina claims that the nurse slipped and dropped the tray, and she's crabby when she wakes up.
That night at the station, Barry finds Julio working at the lab. Julio has repaired the alpha wave reinforce and determined that a defective part caused it to blow out. He reminds Barry that Barry and one of Sabrina's friend Lisa Marsh are going on a date with Julio and Sabrina, and Barry points out that his record of blind dates with Julio hasn't been good. He finally gives in and gives Julio one last chance, and Julio agrees.
As Barry drives home, he hears a report of a robbery in the fur exchange. The three members of the Black Rose Gang are stealing, and Flash arrives and puts the coats back. He then confronts the gang and the leader, Harley Lydon, prepares to shoot him. Her lieutenant, Janie Jones, warns that Flash is faster than bullets. Flash dodges the bullets and ties up the three women with fur coats. He speeds off, and Bellows and Murphy arrive, free the women, and starting frisking them. The women attack them and escape in their car, shooting out the police car engine to prevent pursuit. Barry hears the officers' call reporting the gang's escape.
The police close in, pursuing the gang, and Harley tells Shauna Duke to shoot to kill. They escape by shooting out a police car's tire, and Flash piles up barrels to create a barricade. Harley tries to run Flash over but he dodges and she slams into a crane. Its wrecking ball drops on the hood and Flash gets Janie and the other gang member, Shauna, out of the car. Janie tells him to get Harley, and Flash says that Harley is dead. Shauna knocks Flash out from behind and leaves with Janie.
The next day, Tina is reading a book and listening to a report by Joe Kline on Harley's death. He says that she died as she lived, violently, and talks to Big Ed, the owner of a tattoo shop that the gang frequented. Big Ed says that he was close to Harley and gave them their black rose tattoos, and says that he hates to see girls like Shauna and Janie go bad. Tina wonders if the gang is open to a new leader.
Later when Barry comes in, Tina says that she needs to get out and doesn't want to wait another day for observation. He notices that she's drinking coffee rather than tea, and Tina says that she changed her mind. Tina asks Barry to bring in Chinese takeout, and he explains about the blind date. He refuses to break it off and Tina tells him that he's making a fool of himself out of Lisa. Tina snaps at him to call off the date if he wants her to have any respect for him, and then dismisses it as a joke.
Shauna and Janie play cards in the basement of the tattoo shop, and Shauna says that Janie wasn't close with Harley like she was. Big Ed comes in with their food and warns that the cops are sniffing around and they have to leave soon. He says that Harley was buried in the pauper's field, and Shauna tells Janie that anyone who gets in their way gets sent to the pauper's field. Janie suggests that they leave town, but Shauna wants to settle the score with Flash, saying that it's personal.
The nurse finds Tina dressing to leave, and Tina punches her unconscious and walks out.
Barry drives Lisa to his apartment and they agree that they both had a good time. He invites her up and they go in while Tina hides around the corner. Upstairs, they kiss and Barry goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth at superspeed. He then cleans up his bedroom and dances with Lisa. They kiss again, but are interrupted when Tina rings the doorbell. Barry answers the door, and Tina comes in and kisses him. She says that her mother needs the invitation list for the wedding, and tells him to enjoy his "fling" with Lisa. Lisa assumes the worse and leaves after slapping him, and Barry asks Tina what she's doing. Tina tells him she can't go on using him and treating her like dirt, and the city is going to hear from her. She snaps at Earl and insists that it's her, and says that she's not going back to the hospital. Tina threatens to reveal Barry's secret identity if he gets in her way.
Later, Tina dresses in a sexier outfit and goes to Big Ed's shop. She asks Big Ed for information on the Black Rose Gang, draws a gun on him, and offers him his life if he cooperates.
In the basement, Shauna and Janie listen to Joe's report about the police search for them. Janie says that she can't take hiding anymore, and Tina drags Big Ed in. Tina tells them that the women need her and says that she can deal with Flash, echoing the words she said in Barry's dreams.
The next day at the lab, Barry tries to reach Tina and gets her answering machine. He tells Julio that the accident with the bio-feedback machine may have altered Tina's personality, and Julio says that Tina sent Barry a package. Barry opens it and finds a VHS tape inside. He plays it and Tina says that Whilhite told her to go away for a couple of weeks to rest, and she's staying with her sister. Tina promises to make it up to Barry for what she did. Barry tells Julio that Tina's sister lives upstate with no phone, and isn't convinced that Tina is back to normal. Julio says that there's nothing Barry can do about it, and explains that Sabrina talked to Lisa and said that Barry and Tina aren't involved, and she's agreed to meet with Barry again.
That night at the shop, Tina gives orders to Shauna and Janie. They tell her that she has to pass her "audition" before they take orders from her, and if she doesn't pass then she'll kill them.
Barry meets Lisa at a Mexican sushi place, and she accepts his apology. They start to kiss, and Barry sees Tina and the others pull up to a bank across the street. He tells Lisa to call the police and leaves.
Inside the bank, the masked gang gets everyone on the floor and takes the money. Flash grabs Janie as she tries to run, and Tina shoots him in the neck with a dart. The gang members run, and a boy shoves a barrier rope in front of Tina, tripping her so she drops the dart gun. Flash tries to run after them but discovers that his speed is gone, and the boy proclaims that Flash is a fake. He ducks into a maintenance closet and gets out of his costume. Meanwhile, Tina has the gang grab Lisa as a hostage, and Barry comes out just in time to see them escape.
Tina takes Lisa to the shop basement, removes her mask, and complains when Lisa says that she's crazy. Lisa insists that she despises Barry and suggests that Tina let her go. Tina takes offense that Lisa accuses her of having bad taste in men. Shauna and Janie come in and congratulate Tina with Big Ed, and Shauna says that she wants Flash dead. Tina figures that it'll be easy now that they have Lisa as bait.
That night at the station, Barry discovers that the dart contained a concentrated dose of insulin, causing a brief but rapid slowdown. He tells Julio that the new Black Gang member has figured out a way to slow down Flash. Julio has lifted two prints from the dart gun, and Julio goes to be with Sabrina. Working through the night, Barry finally identifies the prints as Tina's. Tina calls and tells Barry that they've got Lisa and he must come to the old power building if he wants to see Lisa alive.
Flash goes to the power building and Shauna opens fire on him. He dodges the bullets and carries Tina off, and tries to get through to her. He figures that she's living out his nightmares and has to let him help her get back to normal. Tina isn't interested in being "normal" and says that he has a new love in his life. Flash figures that the new Tina is inside of her, and asks if she wants someone to get hurt. Tina apparently reverts to normal and wonders how she could do such dangerous thing, and Flash asks her to take him to Lisa.
Tina takes Flash to a room claiming that Lisa is inside, and locks him in. The speedster unties Lisa and he uses a ripped-out phone cord to hook the phone back up.
Tina takes out a canister of poison pill and prepares to put it in the room's air vent. Shauna and Janie tell her that they have to go to Big Ed's, and Lisa hears them through the door. Tina pumps the poison gas into the room, and Flash has Lisa call 911 while he spins his finger at superspeed to reverse the poison gas. He then spins the fan blade at superspeed to cut through the lock. Flash finds the canister of "poison" but discovers that it's non-lethal.
Flash speeds to the tattoo shop and finds the gang's car outside, and dismantles it. Inside, Big Ed gives Tina a black rose tattoo as Janie and Shauna prepare to leave town. The door's bell rings, and Big Ed goes up to find Flash there. The owner claims that he doesn't know where the gang is, and Flash uses Big Ed's tattoo needle to inscribe a lightning bolt on a wall mural... and threatens to do the same to Big Ed unless he talks.
A minute later, Big Ed uses a buzzer to signal the gang that it's all clear in the shop. Shauna and Janie go up while Tina continues packing, and Flash speeds in and carries her out. When Shauna and Janie try to follow him, their car falls apart. Bellows and Murphy arrive in response to Lisa's 911 call and arrest them. They find Big Ed locked up in the trunk and arrest him as well.
Flash takes Tina to STAR Labs and straps her into a chair, and points out that she never exposed his identity or seriously tried to kill him. He then hooks her up to the repaired bio-feedback machine and recreates the experiment they performed earlier. In the dream, Flash tells Tina that he's her friend and she breaks into tears. The real Tina reverts to normal, crying, and Barry hugs her.
Later, Barry and Lisa have dinner at Barry's place. Lisa says that she'll be back and they start to kiss. Her cab pulls up and Lisa prepares to take it to the airport. Tina arrives at Barry's doorstep and apologizes to Lisa. Once Lisa goes, Tina wonders if she should turn herself into the police. Barry notes that she helped him capture the Black Roses, and figures that he'll keep her secret since she's been keeping hers. He jokingly suggests that she keep the tattoo, and Tina tells him to try a warm glass of milk the next time that he can't sleep.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 11, 2019