A/N: Hi everyone! Yeah, another sickfic by yours truly because I've been hit by a lethal case of writer's block :( Boohoo because I can't seem to find the motivation to update my other story, Hero either :( Waaah someone please help me get over this writer's block!
Anywayyy, this fic is inspired by s01e18! Meh, not much of a plot in this fic, but expect some Snowbarry fluff!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Flash awwww sux for me
Barry sighed and closed his eyes, allowing the fatigue in his body to wash over him. The past few days had been tough on the team at Star Labs. Not to mention the awkward tension between Barry and Dr. Wells, but things have been off with him and Caitlin too. She was the one with the least doubts of Dr. Wells' good nature, and she had been keeping her distance with Barry ever since Barry had spilled his qualms about Harrison.
Whatever, Barry thought. At least I got that issue off my chest. But there was something else Barry hadn't been telling his friends.
He hadn't had a good night's sleep in days.
Okay, it was a lot worse than it sounded.
Sleep deprivation was ruining him. His mind was always on overdrive every single night since the day he had started to doubt Wells. He would toss and turn every night, his mind never seeming to fall asleep no matter how tired his body was. He had been waking up with deeper and darker circles under his eyes and his concentration off.
If it was really Wells who had killed his mother…
Barry took a deep breath and shook his head. He couldn't start thinking about that now.
He had to stop overthinking. He knew that if he kept up with the act, he'd eventually go crazy. And even if he didn't go crazy, his friends would probably see him as so.
For one thing, he had snapped at Caitlin this morning when she had asked him if he was fine. Thinking back to it, he didn't think it was a pretty wise move. Now, Caitlin had even more reasons to avoid him. No one wanted to be in the company of someone in a bad mood.
But it was difficult not to be in a bad mood, especially when his head was pounding and his vision was swimming. He could barely keep himself steady on his own two feet as he waited for Joe to wrap things up at the Police Station before they both headed out for lunch.
On a second thought, he wasn't even sure he had the appetite for lunch.
"Phew, that was a hell of a long morning," Joe muttered as he appeared in the doorway. He had a smug grin on his face, his eyes weary with exhaustion. Barry guessed that he wasn't the only one feeling tired today. "There have been really weird reports lately."
Barry pushed himself off from the wall he had been leaning on. "Weird reports? What do you mean?"
Joe shrugged and started to walk ahead. "Mostly robberies and petty crimes. But the 'weird' factor is that the people accused of those crimes are the last people we'd suspect. And I actually believe that they're innocent, but I can't find hard proof that they are." Joe stopped in his tracks and turned back to face Barry. His eyebrows were knit together like he was deep in thought. "If you went through those reports, I'd guess that you'd sense something out of the ordinary going on. Something not...human."
Barry tried to ignore the fact that he was seeing two Joe's in his sight. "Not human...Metahuman?" he prompted. He cleared his throat and attempted to stand up straight. Why was he so disoriented anyway?
Joe grinned. "Precisely what I was thinking. Come on, let's get some lunch at your favorite burger bar."
Okay, that was it. Barry's appetite was officially gone. He swallowed hard, his stomach contracting violently. Maybe what he was suffering from was more than sleep deprivation? Was he actually...getting sick?
"Hey, Barry?" Joe said, tilting his head to the side. "You okay? You don't look so good."
Barry forced a smile, but it came out more like a grimace. "I'm fine," he lied, waving off Joe's concern. "Just a bit tired. Had a rough week with Cisco and Caitlin at Star Labs. Caitlin especially, she doesn't seem to believe me on my theory about Dr. Wells."
Joe frowned but beckoned Barry to keep walking. "We'll talk about it after we get ourselves lunch, alright? I'm sure your mood is fixable by a burger or two."
Barry gulped and added under his breath so Joe wouldn't hear, "Or maybe just half a burger."
Caitlin was confused.
No, scratch that.
She was utterly and hopelessly baffled and perplexed by the theory Barry had presented to her and Cisco just a few days ago. Harrison Wells, the Reverse Flash? That was bull! She would never believe that. She'd never want to believe that.
The immediate months following the particle accelerator mishap were probably the worst of her life. She felt lost and alone; her fiancé had just died, her job was in jeopardy, and basically she had no clue as to what step she was going to take next.. But through that all, Dr. Wells had been by her side, constantly reminding her that she was going to make it through alive. They all were. And they were going to do it together.
But if what Barry said were true, then nothing mattered anymore. If what Barry said were true, that would make everything a lie. Her job would be a lie. The friendship she had formed with Dr. Wells would be a lie. Star Labs would be a lie.
But Star Labs couldn't be a lie. It was where she found solace whenever she felt lost. Star Labs was where she had formed amazing friendships. Star Labs was where she had found a purpose to her existence: to use science to help humanity.
But if what Barry said were true, then her entire life would be one big freaking lie.
She wasn't ready to have her entire life's work crumble to a meaningless nothing just yet.
"RIIING RIIINGG RINGGGG!"
Caitlin jumped up in her seat at the sudden alarm. The computer monitor she was facing was suddenly flashing, a red dot dancing on the map.
"Bank robbery," she murmured, reaching for her cellphone instinctively. She wasn't exactly on good terms with Barry at the moment, but that wasn't an excuse not to notify him. He still was the Flash. Central City needed him.
"Barry, robbery down at Sixth Avenue!" she yelled into the phone as soon as Barry picked up.
"You not gonna eat that?" Joe asked Barry, pointing to the untouched half of the burger that Barry had left atop the table.
Barry shook his head, suddenly finding himself too tired to speak up in reply.
Joe reached for the burger without hesitation, and stuffed it in his mouth. "Hold up, aren't you supposed to be eating like, three of these?" he said in-between chews. "Doesn't your super-fast metabolism make you hungry like, 24/7 or something?"
"Not today," Barry groaned, feeling his stomach jump at the mention of food.
Joe set the burger down on his plate and eyed Barry suspiciously. "Okay, something's definitely wrong with you today, Barry."
"I'm just stressed out, no biggie," Barry lied. "The atmosphere at Star Labs is really tense. I - " he trailed off, the energy to continue talking suddenly sapped from him.
"Are you sure that's the only thing bothering you right now?" Joe asked. He squinted at Barry. "Because you look like you haven't slept in days."
Barry gulped. Damn, did he really look as bad as he felt?
"Are you sure you aren't sick or something?" Joe reached out across the table, probably to check if Barry was running a fever or something, but Barry dodged his hand with super speed.
"The Flash doesn't get sick," Barry murmured, ignoring the dizziness that using his super speed caused. Hey, he really couldn't get sick, right? His new Metahuman abilities had to include a super strong immune system, right?
"Say that again without looking like you're about to pass-out and I might just believe you," Joe told him.
Barry was about to argue when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, almost not believing the name that appeared on the screen.
Incoming call from Caitlin Snow.
"Excuse me," he told Joe before answering Caitlin's call. "Caitlin? What's up?" his heart was hammering against his chest. He hadn't had a proper conversation with Caitlin in a while. Why was she suddenly calling him up now?
"Barry! Robbery down at sixth avenue!" she yelled, her voice strained. "I can't tell yet if it's just some regular criminal or a Metahuman. I guess you'll just have to figure it out when you get there."
Barry could feel his stomach protesting at the thought of using his super speed again. He stifled a groan, going for a fake enthusiastic, "Be there in a flash!"
He shoved his phone back in his pocket and nodded at Joe from across the table, ignoring the look of worry that his adopted father faced him with. "Need to stop a robbery happening downtown. I'll catch up with you later?"
"Maybe you should let the Central City Police take this one, Barry. I really think you should get some rest," Joe said.
"'Rest' doesn't exist in The Flash's vocabulary," Barry chuckled. He waved goodbye to Joe before dashing off.
The minute his surroundings started to blur around him as he sped by, Barry instantly regretted his decision. Okay, maybe Joe was right and he should have let the CCP take this criminal down. Disoriented, Barry nearly bumped into a bus that was crossing the intersection. He tried to shake his weariness off but the task proved hard, especially with his churning stomach and dizziness.
He was still quite some distance from Sixth Avenue, but he knew his body was too exhausted to continue the rest of the way.
Star Labs, he thought. It was nearer where he was now compared to Sixth Avenue. Maybe he could crash there, and maybe Caitlin would even help him figure out what was wrong with him. She'd help him, right? Even if they had been on not so good terms the past few days?
He stumbled into the main room of Star Labs, tripping over his feet as he came to a staggering halt. Caitlin was at her usual desk, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she peered into the computer screen.
"Caitlin..." Barry croaked weakly as he stumbled to his knees. She was a mere blob in his vision; dizziness overpowering his sense of sight.
"Barry? What are you doing here? Oh God, are you hurt?" She jumped up from her seat and came to his side, taking hold of his arm. Her fingers were soothingly cool against his skin. "Oh my God, you're burning up. What happened to you?"
Barry groaned, doubling over. His stomach did not sure enjoy the super speed trip down Central City. "Not sure," he moaned, wrapping his arms around his abdomen.
"You're running a pretty high fever," Caitlin murmured, raising the back of her hand up to his forehead. "Metahumans can get sick?"
"I don't know," Barry replied. "Aren't you supposed to know? I mean, you are the doctor."
Caitlin frowned, brushing back a strand of Barry's hair. "You look terrible. You should probably lie down on the couch or something. What hurts?"
She sounded so much like a mother that Barry would have laughed if he wasn't feeling so terrible, but his gut cramped and the next thing he knew, he was retching on the tiles of the floor.
"Barry!" Caitlin gasped, jumping out of the way.
His vision dimmed and then everything went black.
A/N: Okay, I have no idea what the heck I just wrote up there. Leave me a review and tell me what you think will happen in the next chapter?
Can't wait for tomorrow's episode! Wahhh I really, really, really, hope we get our fair share of LEGITIMATE Snowbarry this time!