Chapter 1: Hello World
It was quiet. Too quiet. The only sounds in the room came from the electricity surging through the room and the frequent taps of a pencil against the desk. With a sigh, a young brunette woman dropped her pencil and tied her hair up in a messy bun before she lazily leaned back in her swivel chair. Well..technically, it wasn't her swivel chair. The chair belonged to the Central City Police Station crime lab, the only quiet place she could find to work.
Abigael, better known as Abbi, was working hard to break into the world of criminal profiling and was working as an independent consultant for the police. She knew that the only reason she was ever utilized in the department was because of her foster father, Joe. Since then, she tried very hard to prove her worth-that she was more than just Joe West's foster daughter or the poor daughter of convicted murderer Henry Allen. No, she was bound and determined to be more than that.
Shuffling through the papers in the case files proved to be worthless. Trying to predict the Mardon brothers next move seemed impossible. It always seemed like every heist they pulled, they managed to do it perfectly. Predicting Leonard Snart's next move wasn't any easier. The fact that they had hired her on these cases told her that the department was desperate for help, but it almost seemed like they were setting her up for failure this time.
Slowly, Abbi rubbed at her eyes in frustration. A knock came at the door. Abbi looked up to find a familiar face leaning against the doorframe. "Knock, knock," Joe West said with a small smile spreading over his face.
"Hey, Joe," Abbi sighed.
Joe took several steps inside the lab, examining his foster daughter as if he would a crime scene. He stopped in front of the desk and cocked his head to one side. "Hey, Abbs. You look like you could use some sleep."
Abbi shook her head and unconvincingly smiled. "Thanks for the deduction, Detective."
Picking up the pencil she had discarded earlier, Joe pushed her papers around on the desk. He then looked over his shoulder at their surroundings. "You could also use your own office."
"That would involve me renting an office. Renting an office would require me to make some money. I can only make money when I solve these hopeless cases. So, to summarize, I'm screwed."
"Nah, you'll find your footing. I know you will."
"How do you know?"
"Because you're Abigael Allen and I have faith in you."
"That makes one of us." Abbi rested her elbows on the table and placed her head in her hands, looking up at Joe like she did countless times as a child. He smiled down softly at her. Despite how great he knew his foster daughter to be, he also knew that she always felt inferior to others. He knew that she never felt like she was as smart as Barry. He knew that she felt like she wasn't as good with people as Iris. He knew that Abbi always felt like she was second best. He knew almost everything there was to know about his foster daughter and this was one of those times where she just needed someone keep her from going to that place.
Joe walked over and grabbed a three-legged stool and pulled it beside the desk. He sat down and folded his arms across his chest as he looked out the window toward S.T.A.R. Labs which beaconed in the distance. "You didn't want to go to the particle accelerator thingy with Barry and Iris?"
Abbi sighed. "Barry told Iris that I already had plans."
"Did he now?" Joe chuckled as he looked at her knowingly. They both knew that Barry had a thing for Iris-he always had. It seemed like the only person who didn't know about Barry's crush, was Iris. But for as naive as Iris was about the situation, Barry was just as naive about Joe and Abbi knowing about his crush. Joe rubbed at his chin. "You know, you could have just said that your plans fell through."
"Yeah, but then I would have been forced to spend the evening with my brother acting like an idiot. I can only handle so much of that." Abbi smiled up softly at Joe. "I love him, but sometimes…"
Joe shook his head. "Yeah, you gotta point there. But you know, he says the same thing about you."
"Must be an Allen trait." Abbi chewed her bottom lip nervously, careful not to look at Joe and betray her inner thoughts.
But Joe knew her better than that. Joe knew her thoughts had drifted to her father...her biological one. He knew the fact that her father had been imprisoned when she was a child had taken a big toll on her...on both Abbi and Barry. What happened to them-their mother murdered, their father convicted-it was something a child should never have to go through. Never. And it was those demons that continued to haunt Abbi.
Joe reached over and placed his arm on Abbi's shoulder. "Why don't you call it a night, Abbs?"
"I need to work these cases."
"Yeah, but maybe a refreshed pair of eyes is all it needs."
"Does that work for you?"
"Would you believe me if I said yes?"
"No."
"Then no. Some of these cases keep me up half the night tossing and turning, but they are a little less taxing on the soul with some sleep. Trust me, I've been around the block a time or two."
"Just a little longer, Joe, and then I'll go home. I promise."
Joe West tussled Abbi's hair. As often as he heard those words from any of his children, he knew better than to actually believe them. He then stood up and walked away from her. Stopping just short of the door, he looked over his shoulder at his daughter, foster or not, she was his daughter. Abbi was chewing on her pencil, a nasty habit she had never broken. "I wouldn't worry too much about the Mardon brothers. Barry gave us a tip this morning. I'm gonna go check out the last possibility now."
Abbi sighed and dramatically collapsed onto the desk. "Really? And no one thought to tell me? Gah! I suck at this!"
"You don't suck, Abbs. You're just green. You know, plants are green…"
Abbi slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead. "Joe, I love you, but please, I beg you, not another metaphor for life." Holding his hands up in defense, Joe walked out of the lab chuckling to himself.
Once he was gone, Abbi looked around to make sure no one was looking before she pushed herself in the chair to the other side of the room. Sure, it wasn't the most mature thing to do, but she really wanted to listen to some music. She pushed the button on the radio and Barry's go-to pop music station blared from the speakers. Abbi quickly reached for the knob and turned the volume down before she began searching for another station. Settling on a classic rock station, she then pushed the chair back to the desk and began to work.
Abbi's eyelids began to grow heavy as she worked. She widened them as far as she could, hoping that by doing so, it would keep her focused. It didn't help. She rubbed at her tired eyes and looked down at the desk. Just for a minute or two, she told herself. No one would know. So, slowly, she rested her arms on the table and cradled her head on them, quickly falling asleep.
More than a few minutes must have passed because next thing she knew, her brother, Barry, was shaking her awake. "Abbi, earth to Abbi."
Abbi's eyes slowly opened and she blinked several times trying to take in her surroundings. She looked around somewhat puzzled. Why was she in her brother's lab? Where was the music she had been listening to? All of a sudden it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her head quickly flew up. "Whattimeisit?" she said as if all the words were on.
Barry cocked an eyebrow at his sister. "What was that?"
"What. Time. Is. It?" She carefully enunciated each word this time.
"Clock. There." Barry responded, mimicking his sister's inflection as he pointed toward the clock on the wall.
The Allen girl looked up at the clock and squinted her eyes, trying to focus. She blinked several times. "It's still night…"
"You probably could have figured that out from the position of the sun outside. It isn't there."
"Well, technically…"
Barry leaned against the front of the desk and looked directly at his sister. "You weren't really thinking of correcting me by telling me that the earth had just rotated on its axis to the point that we are turned away from the sun, were you?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, waiting for her response.
Abbi rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject. "I thought you were supposed to be at S.T.A.R. Labs with Iris for nerd time."
Barry sighed, "We were there. But some guy stole Iris' laptop." Abbi cocked an eyebrow, knowing it wasn't the full story. Knowing the expression well, Barry groaned and continued. "So, we were late and missed a decent spot in line. But Iris really is filing a police report with Detective Thawne."
"You mean, Detective Pretty Boy," Abbi smirked at her brother. She had definitely heard Joe call Eddie Thawne that a time or two-and Abbi had to admit that he was right.
"Does everyone but me know about that?" Barry grunted as he threw his hands up in exasperation before shaking his head and folding his arms across his chest.
"Apparently, but Joe does have a point-Thawne is quite pretty."
The Allen boy quickly covered his ears with his hands. "No. No. No. I don't want to hear that from you."
"Real mature, Barry."
"Shut up, Abbi."
"Why don't you?"
"Because the nameplate says Barry Allen not Abbi Allen, meaning this is my lab-not yours. My rules, not yours."
Abbi pretended to act affronted, but truth be told, it wasn't the first time the Allen siblings had this conversation. Barry shook his head and Abbi smiled at him. She then stood up and began gathering her papers. "I should probably head home. Joe was right, as usual. I'm not accomplishing anything here."
"Why don't you wait a few minutes and then I'll walk you home," Barry offered. "I don't want you walking alone out there."
"I'm a big girl, Barry."
"But you'll always be my little sister."
This time it was Abbi who cocked an eyebrow at her brother. 'You do remember that I am older than you by eleven minutes, right?"
Barry smiled at his sister. "Yeah, I know, but you're shorter than me-making you my little sister." Abbi rolled her eyes at her brother's logic as he laughed at her. But she did relent to him. She sat back down on the chair as Barry walked to the TV and flipped it on. The newscaster on the TV mentioned how the particle accelerator was now up and running.
Abbi looked out the window toward S.T.A.R. Labs. "Doesn't look like much," She said with a shrug.
"It's going to change the future," Barry said in a rather clipped tone because he had already said similar things hundreds of times before. "We will be able to learn so much from this. The untapped knowledge could be infinite."
It was then that Abbi smirked at her brother. She already knew this, but sometimes, it was fun just to mess with him. It seemed that sometimes he took things too seriously. Sometimes, he just needed to lighten up. Then again, there were other times when it seemed like he just needed to grow up.
Barry walked over to the map of Central City he had hanging from his bulletin board. He tugged it down so that it rolled up to reveal everything he had collected on their mother's murder. All the newspaper clippings framing their father. Red string tying things together. Random notes he had scribbled. Seeing it made Abbi choke up a little. She knew it was there, but she didn't like looking at it as often as Barry did. No, it hurt too much knowing that there was practically nothing she could do…just as there had been nothing she could have done that night.
~*~ Flashback~*~
"Abbi, Abbi, wake up," Barry whispered in the dark as he gently shook his sister, who had fallen asleep beside him while he read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone out loud to her as their bedtime story. He had let her stay there, but right now, he needed her to wake up. He pushed her a little more forcefully. "Abbi," he groaned.
"Five more minutes," Abbi grumbled.
"No. Now." Abby opened her eyes to see Barry looking at her frantically. "Look!" he said pointing at the fish tank in his room. The water and fish were beginning to rise out of the tank and float there-something scientifically impossible, according to the laws of gravity.
"Barry, what are you doing?"
"It's not me," he insisted. Abbi's eyes widened in horror when a blood-curdling scream came from downstairs. The twins looked at each other, both thinking the same thing: Mom.
Barry was the first one out of bed. Abbi jumped out of the bed and ran to her brother. She tightly took hold of his arm before he led her out of the bedroom and toward the stairs. Terrible whirring and whooshing noises joined the screams as they inched further downstairs. The closer they got to the bottom of the stairs, the tighter Abbi's grip became on Barry's arm.
When they came to the final landing of the staircase, red and yellow lights flashed in the living room, circling their mother who was on her knees screaming. "Mom!" Barry shouted as he took off in a sprint toward the living room. Abbi, still holding onto her brother was dragged right along with him. They twins came to a sudden stop just outside the living room as their mother pleaded with them to stay away.
The bright flashes of light hurt Abbi's eyes. She didn't know what was going on and if this was enough to terrify her mother...it was enough to terrify her. Abbi pressed her face to Barry's shoulder, not wanting to look, but not wanting to be alone. Seconds later, their father ran onto the scene. He forced himself between Barry and the lights, shielding the twins. Little Abbi tripped over Barry's leg and fell to the plush carpet as Henry Allen shouted for his wife.
Henry then turned toward Barry. "Run, Barry, run." Barry turned to go and then suddenly, he was gone. Abbi lay there on the floor, her eyes wide. What had just happened? "Abbi!"
In the blink of an eye, Abbi no longer found herself in her house. No, she was in the middle of the street staring up at a masked man in a red suit. Was he going to kill her? Where was Barry? Where were her parents? Abbi opened her mouth to scream when the masked man put his hands up, "Don't scream. Please don't scream. I hate it when you scream-I mean when you...people scream. I hate it when you people scream." His gloved hand covered her mouth. "I'm only doing this because I was-uh-told to do this. You know what, forget everything I just said, but remember this: you are stronger than you know Abbi Allen."
In another flash, she was moving again and this time she found herself in the middle of a different street, lying at her brother's feet. The man in the mask and the lightning were gone. Barry helped Abbi to her feet and together, they ran back home to find out just how much their lives were going to change.
~*~End Flashback~*~
Abbi stood up and walked over to where Barry stood. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. "Sometimes, it seems like only yesterday."
"And others like a million years ago," Barry responded. "I just want to solve this. Dad didn't do it."
"You don't have to tell me. I was there that night too."
"Sorry, I'm just so used to no one believing me. Sometimes I forget that you're the only one who does."
The sound of horns blaring came from the television. Both Barry and Abbi turned to see what was happening. The news reporter was now reporting that something had gone terribly wrong at S.T.A.R. Labs. That the weather had caused something to malfunction and people were being asked to evacuate.
"Maybe it's a good thing you didn't get in after all," Abbi commented as she and Barry moved directly in front of the TV. The Allen girl stood there with her arms crossed when suddenly the TV went black. "What, the hell," she commented. Abbi slapped at the screen before pressing the power button. Nothing happened.
Then, in the distance, a bright light shot straight up into the dark sky as boom ricocheted through the air, causing beakers in the lab to rattle. Abbi couldn't take her eyes away from what was happening. It all seemed to be happening so fast. The beam of light seemed to explode and then move outward, while the tall pillar from S.T.A.R. Labs remained. "Ho-ly shit," Abbi said aloud, blinking slowly.
Barry quickly turned and ran for the open skylight, which was allowing the rain to come into the lab. He pulled on the chains, but it wouldn't budge. "Abbi! I need your help," he grunted.
"Maybe you shoulda paid a little more attention in gym class," Abbi quipped as she walked over to her brother. Barry didn't find her joke funny, so he didn't respond. Abbi rolled her eyes and pulled on the chain with Barry. One of the open windows managed to close, but that was when everything went to hell.
"Abbi," Barry whispered as he looked around his lab, the liquid in every open beaker and bottle seemed to defy gravity...just like it had when they were children.
Abbi's heart stopped beating for a moment, "Not again," she whispered as she looked at her brother. Then, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Abby placed one of her hands on her brother's arms, while still holding onto the chain with the other hand. Barry looked up. Abbi followed suit. A bolt of lightning shot toward them, but there was nothing they could possibly do to move. The thing to do was watch their imminent deaths approach. The lightning broke through the glass, causing it to shatter over the Allen twins. There was a blinding flash and then everything went dark.
Author's Note: Another plot bunny? Yup. Gotta go where your muse takes you sometimes. Why is the story called "Ruby?" There's a spoiler on missjanuarylily's tumblr blog. Who will Abbi be paired with? No idea at this time. When will I update again? Also, no idea. Abbi's face claim? Elizabeth Olsen.
Thanks for those of you who have supported this little endeavor, especially my friends on tumblr. I dedicate this story to my tumblr friends who coerced me into it. ;)
