When the Flash doesn't come to get his coffee, Tracey the barista knows something is wrong.
She's been working here at Jitters for two years now, and it was just after she began her job that she began to see unusual things pop up in her life- those thunderstorms that began with a start when it had been a sunny day just minutes ago, the flicker of fire in the air at night- she thought it was a man, but then it was gone- and the occasional gorilla roars she'd hear from the sewers. (She'd thought she was hallucinating.)
She remembers the first time the Flash decided to use his speed to get his coffee- she'd been working the shift with Iris, trying desperately to keep the line moving quickly, at the expense of well-done coffee. Morning rush hour was always a hassle.
Then there had been a flash of light, and suddenly everyone on line had a coffee, there was a receipt for seventeen coffees on the counter, and Tracey's apron was stuffed with cash.
Well, that was unusual- especially as there were only fourteen people on line. Where had the other three coffees gone?
Most of the people in line, as surprised as she was, simply grinned and turned around, leaving the store- evidently pleased with this new turn of events. Tracey turned to Iris, only to see her grinning wildly, excited. Tracey crosses her arms, suppressing a smile herself. "What are you so happy about?"
Iris shakes her head, still grinning- "That was the Streak! The Blur! Whatever- that superhero who's been saving people from burning buildings!" Her grin suddenly turns to a look of intense confusion. "He likes coffee?"
Tracey laughs. "You're spending too much time worrying about the weird and wacky- isn't it your shadow that's always interested in that?"
"Barry?" Iris frowns. "Yeah. But recently he's been really distant. I'm not sure what's going on with him."
"Well, don't worry about it right now," Tracey remarks, turning her back to Iris- there was a new line of cranky coffee-deprived morning rush customers, and somehow she doubted "The Streak" would come by twice. A superhero probably had more important things to do.
Time goes on, and so does Tracey, watching as the world spins around her- Iris starts a blog about the Flash, a new girl named Kendra Saunders starts working at Jitters, the Flash takes down more criminals every day. But every morning without fail, Central City's patron superhero flashes in and gives everyone their coffees- always keeping three for himself.
Iris goes to work at Central City Picture News, and now it's just Kendra and Tracey as the main staff. One day Iris comes in looking glum to buy her coffee and Tracey asks where her shadow is. She responds with a minimal reply- they're not exactly on the best terms anymore. Tracey simply nods, realizing that Barry had finally told Iris about his feelings for her, and gets Iris some extra whipped cream on her coffee- "Just take it," she insists.
Iris writes big articles about the Flash- Tracey finds herself happy seeing her friend's name on the by-line of the newspapers Jitters sells. To think that the girl who'd once blogged about this superhero and had clandestine meetings with him on the Jitters rooftop was now his go-to reporter. Tracey's happy for her- Iris is already out there, in the world, while Tracey's still in college.
Then the singularity opens, and the Flash rushes up to stop it.
For the next week, the Flash doesn't get his coffee. Tracey's worried- and so are all the usual patrons, too. They're not only used to the Flash speeding things up, they're worried about him- is he alright? Did he fall into the black hole, too?
A tense, worried mood falls over Jitters. The light laughter that once pervaded the place dims, and everything grows darker.
Then one day, a red blur trailing yellow lightning gets a coffee, and even though he only gets one, leading Tracey to wonder what happened to his teammates, she's still relieved.
And a few weeks later, when he flashes by- this time, taking three coffees- Tracey smiles.
Maybe there's still hope for the superhero after all.
Tracey feels bad when the Flash rally is interrupted. She'd been in the crowd, cheering this man on, silently thanking him for making her life easier, when out of nowhere a car comes flying at the mayor and Flash has to do his job. She doesn't try to run away, faithful that the Flash will protect her- but she's buffeted by the rest of the screaming crowd, and then the police push them away so the Flash can fight this new threat without worry about civilians. So she heads back to Jitters to work on a paper for class while doing her job.
Some time later, the Flash shows up on the news- but this time, it's not a story of another one of his triumphs. A battered and bloody Flash is held up to the camera by a terrifying black-clad speed demon crackling with pale blue lightning.
The Flash doesn't come to get his coffee at Jitters that day- or for the next week. The same dark mood that had fallen over Jitters after the black hole returns, and this time it's worse. Tracey is certain that she's not the only one who keeps replaying the news footage of the broken Flash over and over in her head, quietly praying that he is okay.
Iris abandoned her blog long ago, but Tracey logs on anyway- and there's a new message. Two simple words, posted this morning.
He's okay.
Tracey sighs in relief.
Over time, Kendra leaves, too- though her story is much more exciting than Iris's story had been. Being attacked by some crazy foreign madman, then meeting superheroes- not only the Flash, but the Green Arrow- and finding out she's one herself. She'd returned to Central City with a new man on her arm- Carter- though Cisco seemed surprisingly okay with that. She shows Tracey her wings, telling her she's leaving to go help others somewhere else, and Tracey can't help but grin and be happy for her.
CC Jitters has founded a lot of superheroes, Tracey realizes, and her smile grows wider.
When the Flash is framed for being a thief, Tracey doesn't lose her faith. She's seen the Flash. She knows he wouldn't steal- after all, he always paid for his coffees.
The number of coffees the Flash bought, Tracey noticed, was steadily rising- from three last year, to one after the singularity, back to three and then up to four. Five. Six. At this point, the Flash is making two trips, and Tracey finds herself with an extra few dollars in the tip jar.
Then the black-clad speed demon deemed "Zoom" returns, and he announces the Flash is dead.
Tracey knew. She'd known it for a while. She'd seen the Flash supposedly racing through the streets- but he was slower than usual, and he never went under bridges, indoors, or actually landed a punch.
And he never picked up his coffee.
She brews a fresh pot and tries to stifle the despair creeping into her heart.
There's a lightning storm over STAR Labs. Zoom extends his reign of terror, recruiting two new powerful metahuman criminals.
Then two new streaks of lightning find their way into the streets. But they're not the Flash Tracey knows- one is a blur of red and silver, the other crimson and white. Whoever they are, they do some good, and Tracey is still thankful.
But they don't buy coffee.
Tracey's sitting in her apartment, watching a blur of light and color out her window- there's a battle raging atop STAR Labs.
The Flash she knew is back. She's not sure how, but he's alive and faster than ever, and the two new speedsters are helping him take down Zoom.
It ends abruptly. Zoom is defeated.
The next morning, there's a flash of yellow lightning inside CC Jitters, and the Flash has bought his coffees.