Hey folks, new story here for you. As has become my thing, this is my take on the Flash season 1, but with my OC Cas in the mix. I'm not sure as yet if and how I might carry this on, but I'll wait for the feedback before I do, so messages and reviews are welcome!
It was a Wednesday afternoon. Barry was doing the same thing he did every Wednesday at this time, after finishing up at work. Drinking coffee. He didn't particularly like coffee, never had, but when he was sat in this little coffee shop, sipping whatever latte or mocha type thing he had ordered that day, it didn't seem to matter. Iris was humming as she wiped down empty tables, a small smile on her face and a faraway look in her eyes.
Barry had two guesses what she was thinking about, and neither filled him with any joy. The first possibility, and the simplest, was her boyfriend, Eddie. Mr Pretty Boy, one of the top detectives at CCPD, and (annoyingly) a really cool, nice guy.
The other option was a little more complicated. She had developed something of a hero crush on a certain red streak that had shown up in Central City, saving people, catching bad guys, and generally being a bit awesome. The fact that the hero in question was none other than Barry himself should have been good, but since she had no idea it was him under the mask, and he couldn't tell her, and on top of that her proximity to him likely put her in danger, it kind of all put a downer on the whole hero worship thing.
Bummer.
Today was about to become slightly different though, because something happened that hadn't happened on any of the other quiet Wednesday afternoons since he had awoken from his coma.
A man walked in.
This wasn't a big deal in itself; people walked in and out of the coffee shop all the time, but this was a man Barry recognised. He was just over 6ft tall, with a slim build similar to Barry's own, jet black hair that he kept swept back and short. He wore a perfectly tailored grey suit, and his features, while undoubtedly very attractive (at least according to Felicity), were slightly sharp.
The man approached the desk and smiled politely at Iris, who had moved onto making coffee. She looked up at him, and Barry could have sworn he saw her gape momentarily. He winced, 'Okay, maybe it's not just Felicity that thinks he's good looking. Weird though, he looks a little different to when I last saw him…'
Barry quickly shook himself, realising he should probably say something. He stood up, walking slowly across the room to where the man was waiting for his order, and spoke.
"Cas?" He began hesitantly, causing the man to turn.
"Barry?" The other man replied, looking mildly surprised, "What a coincidence."
"You know each other?" Iris cut in, passing a takeaway cup across the counter, a silly grin plastered on her face, "That's so weird, small world huh?"
Her gaze passed from one to the other, clearly waiting for an explanation.
Barry hesitated, then haltingly said, "Sorry, Iris this is Castiel. We met in Starling City before the accident. We haven't spoken in a while though."
At this, Barry turned quizzically to Cas. Sensing his question, the older man answered, "I've been travelling quite a bit with work. That is in fact what brings me here, I was at the Kord Industries office round the corner consulting. That I happened to walk into this particular coffee shop was simply a wonderful coincidence."
"I love your accent by the way," Iris piped up as Cas fell silent, "You're British right? Whereabouts are you from?"
"Cambridge," Cas replied quickly, "Among other places. I'm sorry to be abrupt, but I have another meeting to get to across town. I'll be here for a few days, so if you feel like catching up Barry, let me know." He smiled, pulling a business card from his jacket and leaving it on the counter, before turning and strolling casually out the door.
Iris breathed out heavily, before looking at her best friend in mock indignation. Barry had already turned and was attempting to quietly make his way back to his table.
"Hey, don't you scurry away mister!" She called out playfully. "How come you didn't tell me you met a gorgeous, charming British businessman while you were in Starling?"
"Gorgeous? Come on Iris, why would I notice that?" Barry replied awkwardly, "A lot happened that weekend, and I only met Cas briefly. He's a good guy though, very smart and really supportive, and he actually listened to all my theories about the impossible stuff I've been researching."
"Wow, sounds like he really made an impression during your brief encounter," Iris pointed out, slightly mockingly. "You gonna take him up on his offer to catch up?"
Before Barry could reply, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing Caitlin's face on the screen. He motioned to Iris and stepped away before answering.
"What's up?"
"Hey Barry, Cisco and I might have a lead on a new metahuman. Can you swing by Star Labs asap?"
"On my way."
He quickly said goodbye to Iris and walked out, switching to super speed when he was out of sight.
He blistered to a stop after breezing through the doors into Star Labs' main control room, smirking as both Cisco and Caitlin looked up in surprise, despite having seen him do this numerous times already.
Before he could even say hello, the door to the side opened and Doctor Wells wheeled in. He wasn't alone. Barry's heart sped up as he recognised the man walking beside him.
Cas's eyes widened slightly upon noticing Barry. 'Clearly he's as surprised as I am.' Barry thought numbly.
"You two know each other?" Harrison Wells questioned, as astute as ever, glancing back and forth.
Cas recovered first. "We met in Starling City roughly 10 months ago," he started, as smooth and well-spoken as Barry remembered. "Before the particle accelerator here malfunctioned."
"Cas was helping out with the case I went to investigate." Barry added quickly.
"Which means he knows the Arrow, right?" Cisco said slowly, a grin spreading across his face. "That's so cool."
"An interesting leap of logic," Cas replied softly, "But if Barry has been open with you about it, who am I to argue. I have indeed met the Arrow, as has Barry, and I helped him and his team a few times."
"Oh that reminds me, how's Felicity doing?" Barry asked, changing the subject quickly.
"Wonderfully, as far as I am aware," Cas responded, "I haven't seen her in almost 3 weeks though, work seems to keep getting in the way."
"The more pressing question, for myself at least, is what your involvement is here at Star Labs." He raised an eyebrow questioningly, and Barry stammered while trying to think of a cover.
"He was affected by the explosion here," Dr Wells replied evenly, without looking directly at either man, "As were a number of others across the city. Barry has gained a unique and remarkable ability. Would you care to demonstrate?"
Barry blinked, confused that Dr Wells would reveal his identity so easily, and was about to say so when Cas cut over him.
"Dr Wells and I go back a fair while Barry, he trusts me. And after everything that happened in Starling, I assumed you did too."
Barry thought about this for a second then nodded.
A couple of minutes later, he was suited up in his Flash outfit, running on the treadmill at 250 mph, while Cas looked on in amazement.
"Fascinating," Cas said, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "In all my years I have never seen the like."
Caitlin scoffed, "In all your years? Don't you think that's a bit pompous for a guy in his 20s?" She clamped her mouth shut, a look for mortification on her face and mumbled, "Sorry."
Luckily, Cas just laughed, "I've never been called pompous before. Stuffy, old fashioned maybe, but never pompous. That's a new one."
He turned to Dr Wells, "Is this why you called me? Because of Barry's new abilities?"
The Doctor nodded slightly, "I remember reading your thesis from your time at Cambridge about the expanding potential of the human mind and I thought that this would be right up your street."
"You have no idea how much so." Cas replied softly. Barry was walking out of the testing room, not even out of breath, with a goofy grin on his face.
Cas's features had taken on a serious expression, as if he was struggling with a decision. He nodded to himself, then turned back to Dr Wells.
"In the interest of full disclosure, I feel there is something I should perhaps share with you all, if you don't mind." He stated politely, addressing the room.
Without leaving time for any of them to reply, he waved a hand over each shoulder, hearing a gasp of shock from Caitlin and a drawn out "Woooooow" from Cisco, as an empty table and chair levitated 10ft into the air. They slowly settled back down again, and before anyone could speak, a voice, silky and whispery, sounded in their heads.
'I am a telepath.' The voice told them calmly, 'And yes Cisco, I am communicating my thoughts directly into your head right now.' He grinned to himself, his mouth still not moving, and the voice added, 'Yes Caitlin, it works both ways. If I so wish, I can hear the thoughts in your head as well.'
"The particle accelerator?" Dr Wells asked quietly, slowly removing his glasses.
Cas shook his head, and spoke aloud. "No, I received my gifts in a thoroughly different way."
"How can you be so sure?" Caitlin asked sternly, stepping towards him. He didn't move, just looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
"Because the explosion occurred 10 months ago, and I have had my powers for longer than that."
"How much longer?" Cisco chimed in, sounding curious and amazed.
Cas paused, as if he was trying to work something out. Finally he looked from Cisco to Caitlin meaningfully and said, "73 years."
The two young scientists looked from him to one another and back again, both with expressions of bewilderment on their faces.
"Suddenly the 'in all my years' comment makes more sense," Caitlin muttered, then winced, "Sorry for calling you pompous."
He smiled at her, "Worry not, I have become very difficult to offend over the years. Surprisingly I have found it easier and easier to see the funny side of things in my old age."
She laughed at that, just a small laugh, but it lit up her face, surprising Cisco, Barry and Dr Wells. Caitlin almost never even cracked a smile, laughing with a virtual stranger was almost unheard of.
"So how old are you? If you don't mind me asking…" Cisco jumped in, as curious as always. "I'm thinking you weren't young when you got your powers, so maybe 110?"
Cas shook his head, "Feel free to keep guessing, I will inform you if you are getting warmer.
"Um, 150?" Cas shook his head and said, "Warmer." "Okay, 180?" Cas shook his head again and repeated that he was warmer. "Okay I give up, 200?"
"Closer to 2000." Cas said casually, seeming not to notice the looks of alarm on Barry and Dr Wells faces. "I only tell you this because I see no need to hide it from you. I feel the need to warn you all, however, that if you are in a position to betray my secret, I will use my gift to erase every memory of myself from your heads, all of you, and then I will leave and not return. Do you understand?"
Cisco swallowed nervously and they all nodded. Cas's serious expression softened immediately.
"You can really do that?" Dr Wells asked quietly, his voice slightly hoarse. "Affect another person's mind so deeply, so completely?"
Cas nodded. "You are an intelligent man Dr Wells, I'm not surprised you spotted the potential moral ramifications of my abilities. Just know that I have been using them responsibly since they were given to me. Providing none of you openly attack or betray me, you are in no danger."
A few moments of silence followed, then Caitlin shook herself and said, "I just remembered, we discovered a possible metahuman attack. We need to investigate."
Everyone jumped into action, with Cisco and Caitlin taking their places at the central desk, Dr Wells wheeling in behind them to monitor both of their screens and offer advice. Barry sped into the next room and reappeared in his red suit. Cas did not move, instead opting to wait for instructions.
As nobody gave him any, he piped up. "Can I help at all?" They all looked at him in confusion, almost as if they had forgotten he was there. He chuckled, hearing Caitlin's embarrassment at this very fact, and Cisco's mental leap to the ways his telekinetic abilities could be used in a fight.
"Are you sure?" Barry asked surreptitiously, "I get there pretty fast."
"I think I can keep up," Cas replied with a smirk, before holding his hands out to the sides and levitating off the ground.
Their eyes widened all at once. Even Dr Wells looked mildly taken aback.
"I may be old, but I can fly at least as fast as you can run...in a straight line that is, my cornering is not particularly refined. Shall we?" At this he gestured to the high window, which opened as if by itself. "I will see you at the shopping centre."
And with that he was gone. Barry sped out the door and followed, leaving Caitlin and Cisco to let out a breath neither had realised they were holding.
"I hope they come back okay." Was all Cisco said.