Author's Note: So, originally, I wasn't even going to write this story down. It was an idea I had gotten as something to write in my head while trying to fall asleep. Then the idea just kinda... spun into this, and I thought that maybe I should get it on paper (AKA pages) and post it. :D
Caitlin's head was aching, her legs were shaking, and her skin was so sensitive that it hurt when it rubbed against her shirt.
She was most definitely coming down with something, and it was the worst possible time for her to do so. There had been a new meta attack, and they were at square one of fighting it.
Barry flashed into the Cortex. He was in human clothes, and holding a crime scene photo most likely taken from his lab.
"Alright," Barry said, as Cisco got up and moved to Caitlin's side so that they could both have a look at the photo. "Johny Ramden was found dead on the sidewalk this afternoon. I've never seen a body like this before. I mean... just look at him."
Caitlin swallowed and looked at the photo. One half of poor Johny was completely drained, like a sun-dried tomato. The other half was balloted to ridiculous proportions. Caitlin looked away hurriedly to avoid being sick and gripped the arms of her chair.
Cisco whistled softly. "Man, what happened to him?"
"I don't know," Barry said, shaking his head. "The only evidence was that there was a puddle of water. The autopsy report said that his cause of death was drowning."
"Drowning?" Caitlin murmured, risking another glance at the photo.
"Yeah, water had broken down the walls of his lungs and they had completely filled up," Barry reported. "Why? Do you have an idea?"
Caitlin had, but now she couldn't seem to remember what it was. She blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "I... no... no."
"I might," Cisco hummed, frowning at the picture. "Okay, this is a little bit crazy, but what if this meta can control water?"
"Control water?" Barry asked, forehead creasing. "And he killed a guy like that?"
"Okay, so he's a little creative," Cisco shrugged. "But if you think about it, our bodies are made up of... Caitlin how much water?"
Caitlin froze up, her mind going blank. Water... in the human body... she knew that. "Um... I- I don't-"
Barry gave her an odd look. "It's 55-65%, 57-60% for an average adult. Caitlin... are you feeling okay? You look kind of pale."
More then anything, Caitlin wanted to admit that she wasn't, actually, feeling okay. But Cisco and Barry would immediately force her to go home, and they needed help fighting this metahuman. She couldn't leave them just because she felt bad. "Uh... I'm... I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
Cisco shrugged, "Hey, we all have mind farts. Anyway, what if the metahuman just took all the water from one side of Ramden's body and brought it to the other? The force of the moment could have easily broken down the walls of his lungs, and even if it didn't that would kill a person."
Barry nodded slowly. "It makes sense..." he murmured. "Maybe the water surrounding him was, like, leakage? Maybe from ears or eyes or mouth or nose?"
"Could be," Cisco said. "Or maybe our meta isn't good at controlling his powers and accidentally controlled more water then just in Ramden's body."
"Alright." Barry folded up the paper and tucked it inside of his pocket. "Cisco, do you want to start trying to track him? And Caitlin, maybe look into a way to neutralize a water power?"
Caitlin could have sobbed. All she wanted to do was go home. But she just nodded and opened up her computer. "On it."
An hour passed, bringing them to nearly 9:30. Caitlin's bleary eyes were making the screen blur in front of her, and she was still trying to remember exactly how she normally went about neutralizing a metahuman's powers. Maybe there could be something in the waters properties that could counter magnetism and stop the meta from being able to control it...? That was about as far as she got before her mind wandered and her eyes drooped.
Barry flashed back into the Cortex. "You got anything?" he asked, seemingly full of energy and readiness to fight this new metahuman.
Cisco let out a quick sigh. "Man, I'm trying, but it's nearly impossible to track someone with a power as unspecific as controlling water."
Barry nodded, striding over to Caitlin's desk. "What about you? Have you figured out a way to neutralize him yet?"
Caitlin was frustrated. She was tired, she didn't feel well, she had a headache, and she really didn't feel like fighting a metahuman at 9:30 at night when all she wanted to do was curl up in bed with a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Caitlin stood up. "No, okay?! I don't have anything. I'm not feeling well and I have a headache and I can't even remember the properties of water! How are we supposed to fight this metahuman if I can't even get my act together enough-"
Her voice cracked as she sat back down with a thump, hugging herself tightly. Barry and Cisco exchanged glances above her head, before Barry came over and crouched down in front of her.
"Caitlin...?" he asked softly, peeking up at her. One of his hands came to rest of her forehead. "You've got a fever," Barry told her gently. "I'm going to take you home, okay?"
Caitlin nodded mutely, letting him lead her out of the Cortex with an arm around her shoulders. He flashed her back to her apartment and waited as she unlocked her door and went inside.
"Do you need anything?" Barry asked, still looking at her with that tentative expression, as if he thought that she was going to break into a million little pieces.
Caitlin shook her head, exhausted. "Thank you," she murmured, closing the door and going to get herself some water.
Barry ran back to STAR Labs, and about an hour later, Cisco got a location on the metahuman.
"Barry, I-" Abruptly, he went pale and dropped his tablet. Barry flashed forward and caught it just before it hit the ground.
He glanced at the screen and the blood drained from his face, too. The blip showing the metahuman hovered over a very familiar part of the city.
Cisco looked at him, eyes wide. "Barry- he's Caitlin's apartment!"
Barry flashed off, but when he arrived at Caitlin's place, all was quiet. The only thing seemingly out of place was a spilled cup of water, liquid soaking into the coffee table and dripping to the floor.
Caitlin was gone.
linebreaker
When Caitlin woke up, she was inside what seemed to be a large storage container. There was a faint amount of light coming from around the door, and she was strapped to a chair that, upon further investigation, was nailed to the floor.
The whole contained was rocking and bouncing. Caitlin wondered if she was moving, but her whole brain was hazy. What had even happened? The last thing she remembered was Barry bringing her home and curling up on the couch to get some sleep. That was it.
Caitlin wiggled her arms a little bit. They seemed to be firmly tied behind her, and Caitlin sighed.
It was time to bring out the other guy.
Caitlin shut her eyes and concentrated, and soon Frost had taken over her.
"Ugh," Frost mumbled, slouching sideways. "What is wrong with you, Caity? Why are you so... warm?"
I've got a fever, Caitlin responded mentally. I don't know what happened, but I'm trapped here. Think you can freeze my bonds so we can get out?
Frost didn't respond for a long moment. "I'm not... I'm not feeling... very well..."
A second later, Caitlin was forcefully pushed to the front of her mind again. "Frost?" she asked worriedly.
But for the first time in months, there was no response.
Caitlin sat back in the chair, unsure of what to do. It seemed that having a fever basically put Frost out of commission. So she was stuck with her hands tied, burning up, and no idea where she was or even who had taken her.
The movement of her container came to a stop, and Caitlin looked up. A couple of moments later, a creaking, clattering sound started up, and the whole wall in front of her opened up.
It was then that Caitlin realized that she was in the back of a truck.
It was still dark outside of the truck, the only light coming from some faint, flickering street lamps. Caitlin squinted, trying to get a clear look at the shadowy figure that had come to stand in the center of the opening.
"Hello, there," the figure greeted. It was a masculine voice, low and a little watery.
"Who are you?" Caitlin mumbled.
"Well, that wouldn't be fair, would it?" the man asked. "I don't know your name, so why should you know mine?"
Caitlin's eyes finally adjusted enough to catch a glimpse of the man's face. She gasped. It was saggy, waterlogged, and his skin seemed to be dripping down his cheeks.
"You're- you're that meta," Caitlin guessed. "The one who killed Johny Ramden."
"That was his name?" the metahuman shrugged. "I honestly didn't know; I was just testing out my new abilities and he seemed an easy enough target."
Caitlin stomach turned. There was no motive to that kill, just plain insanity.
"I suppose, however, that I do have the upper hand here," the meta continued. "I know one more thing about you then you know about me. I know that you know the Flash."
Caitlin's flushed cheeks drained of color. "I don't-"
"Oh, don't try that." The metahuman rolled his eyes. "I know all about STAR Labs, and what you do there. My theory of your involvement was only solidified when I saw a speedster bring you home tonight."
Caitlin looked away. It seemed that he wasn't going to be convinced that she didn't, in fact, know the Flash, so there was nothing else for her to say.
Her captor pulled out his phone from his pocket. "Now, I'm going to do a quick video, just letting ol' flashy know where you are and what exactly my terms are. If you want to keep this as painless as possible, I recommend not saying a word."
Caitlin glared up at him, not looking at the phone as he started a video.
"Good evening, Central City!" the meta cried, keeping his film on Caitlin. "And good evening, Flash. As you can tell, I have someone that you might like to come and save. The process is simple: You arrive at the North-Side Wharf in exactly 15 minutes. But I can't have you pulling any tricks on me, so no suit, understand? Just you, and me, and our powers. A fight for the girl."
"Don't do it!" Caitlin suddenly blurted. Her eyes locked on the phone, and little did she know, halfway across the city Barry was looking right back at her. "Don't come for me; I'll be fi-"
Suddenly, the sharpest, worst pain Caitlin had ever felt shot through her head. She felt a warm liquid began to trickle out of her ear and choked on her scream. Was it blood?
But no... that wouldn't make any sense. Instead, it seemed that the metahuman was using his powers and controlling the water in her body just like he had Johny Ramden's.
Spitting pain reverberated around in her skull. Tears pooled in Caitlin's eyes as she strained at her bindings, trying to get her hands to her ears.
Then the pain abruptly stopped. Caitlin fell back against her chair, gasping for breath, vision swimming.
"As you can see, Flash," the meta said, addressing the video. "This woman will most certainly not be okay if you do not come for her. So, 15 minutes, no suit, North-Side Wharf. You had better be there."
He stopped the video and tucked his phone back in his pocket. "I'll be back," he informed Caitlin, before turning and striding out of the back of the truck.
Caitlin leaned back against her chair, closing her eyes. This was by far the worst kidnapping she had ever experienced- and that was including her time spent with Zoom. She was sick, Frost was out of commission because of her fever, she had no hope for escaping, and both her and Barry's life were on the line if he showed up. No suit meant no coms, no backup, no nothing. No suit meant that if the metahuman wasn't taken out, he would know Barry's identity.
Not that it mattered. He already seemed to know everyone the Flash was in contact with, even if he didn't know their names.
So it was hopeless.
Caitlin shut her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. She must have fallen asleep, because it only seemed like a couple seconds later when the door burst open again. The metahuman glared down at her. "Okay, let's go."
He undid Caitlin's hands with a threat about what would happen if she tried to escape, and then forced her to her feet. The entire world tilted and Caitlin stumbled back into her chair, overcome by vertigo.
"What are you doing?!" her captor yelled. "Up! Now!"
Caitlin struggled to stand but before she could, intense pain shot back into her head. Caitlin screamed and clapped her hands over her ears, liquid squirting through her fingertips. "Stop!" she pleaded, crumpling out of the chair and to her knees. "Please, stop!"
"GET UP!" the metahuman raged, grabbing her by her bicep and throwing her out the door. Somehow, Caitlin managed to stay on her feet, and the pain in her ears dimmed back down to an ache. Her captor led her roughly down the steps of the trailer and toward the wharf, making sure she wasn't going to attempt an escape.
They stood and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Caitlin raised her eyebrow and sent a glance at her captor. "Um... I hate to ask, but... shouldn't he be here by now?"
The meta glared at her, and roughly pushed her again the truck. "You tell me, princess. You told him, didn't you? You told him not to come?"
"Of course I did; you heard me," Caitlin sighed. "It's not as if he would listen to me, anyway."
The meta glared harder, but there wasn't a flaw in Caitlin's logic that he could see. Grumbling under his breath, he pulled her back away from the truck. "Well, I guess your hero isn't coming to save you," he hissed. "Better... speed things along, huh?"
A slow feeling of dread spread over Caitlin as the meta tugged her back to the truck. He didn't put her back inside, however, just lugged two cement blocks and a stretch of rope out of a storage compartment.
"W-what are you doing?" Caitlin stuttered as the meta wrapped her ankles in the rope and tied it securely in a knot. Then he connected the rope to the cement blocks, and threw her over his shoulder.
"Put me down!" Caitlin screamed, trying to get a good kick on him.
"Do you want me to kill you?" the meta asked, annoyed. "Or maybe just slowly suck the body fluids out of one side of you and transfer it to another? I'm told that it hurts quite a bit."
Caitlin went still, swallowing down the last of her screams. The meta carried her down the rocky embankment and dumped her on the ground. Sharp rocks hit her body in at least three different points and Caitlin cried out softly in pain.
"Shut up, I'm concentrating," the meta muttered in annoyance. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and fiddled with it. "Alright, look alive. You're on camera."
Caitlin struggled to sit up, propping herself up against a rock with one hand. She shivered violently as the icy river breeze hit her in the face, matched with the spray as the water hit the rocks and splashed upward. She just wanted to go home.
"Alright, Flash," the meta said, aiming the camera at Caitlin. "Since you didn't show up, guess what's gonna happen?"
He set up the camera on a rock above them and hauled Caitlin to her feet. "Looks pretty cold, huh? How about you take a dive and test the waters."
"N-No!" Caitlin cried as he grabbed her around the waist as if she weighed about as much as a toothpick and flung her in to the churning river.
She sank like a stone... or a cement block, and after a fleeting moment of struggle Caitlin knew that this was it. Even if she had the strength, there was no way she was going to be able to swim to the embankment with cement blocks tied to her ankles.
And what was the point? Barry wasn't coming.
Caitlin's lungs burned, and she had to physically clap a hand over her mouth to keep herself from taking in a breath of pure water. Dots began to confetti in front of her gaze, and Caitlin stopped straining against the rope, slowly sinking to the river floor.
Just as her gaze was growing dark and her head was slowly falling back to the sandy floor, everything went cold.
An explosion of frost shot the water backward, freezing as it got far enough back, creating a watertight dome around Caitlin. She let out a loud gasp, inhaling the weak oxygen in the space and feeling blood rush to her head. The room spun and she collapsed back against the ice-wall behind her.
"Frost...?" Caitlin murmured, but the cold inside had already left.
Realizing that the minimal amount of oxygen in her ice-sphere would be running out soon, Caitlin scrambled for the rope around her ankles. Her shaking, numb fingers fumbled the knot, and it took a few tries to get it to loosen.
Feeling rushed back into Caitlin's feet as the rope finally peeled off, crumpling to the ocean floor. She quickly rubbed the red, raw marks on her skin and then turned to the ice wall.
A sharp splintering sound filled Caitlin's ears, and she stared around the ice, finding a spiderweb of cracks in the otherwise smooth surface as the pressure of the water pressed down on it. Taking the deepest breath she could, Caitlin slammed the heel of her hand unto the breaking point.
It shattered easily, and Caitlin pushed off against the sandy ground beneath her feet. She shot through the water, and her head broke through in no time.
Caitlin gasped in a deep breath of cool, sweet air. It made her chest ache and she immediately broke into a coughing fit, nearly sinking back down into the water as she did so. Struggling to get ahold of her breathing, Caitlin paddled to the rocky embankment.
The first thing she noticed when she collapsed against the rocks was that there was no way she was going to be able to get up them. Her head was pounding, her legs were shaking, and if she stood she thought she might pass out.
The second thing she noticed was that she wasn't dead. No metahuman had thrown himself at her in a fit of rage when her head had broken the surface, and there wasn't even any sound coming from above the water.
Then, suddenly, "CAITLIN!"
Caitlin's head jolted up and she tried to scramble to her knees, scraping her hands across the rough rocks as she did so. "Barry? Barry!" she croaked, her voice not coming out nearly loud enough.
Somehow, Barry heard her anyway, and he came running towards the rocks. He was down the embankment and hauling her out of the water before she even knew what was happening.
"Oh my God, Caitlin," Barry breathed, hands shaking as he pushed her wet hair away from her face. "How are you still alive?"
"I- I-" Caitlin broke off, shaking her head. "It's a long story."
He hugged her tightly, and Caitlin finally broke down and began to sob. "It's alright," Barry whispered into her ear, rubbing his hands up and down her back and arms to try and create friction and warm her up. "I've got you; you're okay,"
Once her tears had turned into hiccups and limb-heavy exhaustion, Caitlin rested her cheek on Barry's shoulder so that she could look at him a little better. "How did you fight the meta?"
Barry wrinkled his nose, pushing his hair out of his face. Caitlin realized that he was in human clothes, suit nowhere to be seen. "Well, see," Barry started. "The reason I didn't come for you right away was that Cisco thought that the metahuman wouldn't do anything to you. He knew -or thought, anyway- you'd be safe if you were a bargaining chip, more safe then the both of us if I tried to fight him without my suit or if I tested his patience with breaking his deal. But then he went and threw you in the water... Well, I might have super-sonic punched him. I think I could have broken his nose but it was kinda hard to tell... his face was really squishy."
Caitlin shook her head slowly, then paused. "What am I going to do?" she asked.
"You're going to be okay, Caitlin, I promise-"
"I know," Caitlin nodded, and the faintest glimmer of a smile spread across her tearstained face. "But they say to starve a fever and feed a cold, and I think I've got both. Medically, should I be eating or not? "
Barry snorted with laughter, dropping his forehead to hers. "I think we'll figure something out," he murmured. "Let's get you home."
Author's Note: Whoa, I didn't know I was ending it there until I started typing "Authors note". Craaaazzzzyyyyy...
Well, tell me what you thought! I have been meaning to finish writing and post this thing for, like, a month, so here it finally is XD