Note: Just a missing scene I thought should've been there for the latest episode of the flash. Disclaimer: I own nothing. I plan to have another chapter or two so please read and review. Thanks!
He concentrates on the violin case, feels it's smooth cover, focusing on Izzy, on her long brown hair, her cowboy hat, her voice. And then he's there, the warehouse district, of course, and so is DeVoe.
"Nobody likes a peeping tom, goodbye Mr. Ramon"
Just like that he's thrown out of the vibe with such force he hasn't felt since he was first learning to control his power. It feels like a visible push, a burning against his chest, and an explosion in his head. His vibe painfully disconnects and for a minute he doesn't know where he is until he feels himself crashing into the table, hitting the wall. He can hear Caitlin calling his name and oh goodness he wishes he could just lie there but they can't lose someone else to DeVoe. He squints his eyes open and grunts out the location.
"I have to stay and help Cisco,"
He wants to tell her to go, go and help the team but Cisco is feeling selfish, and he's sure Barry and Ralph and Izzy can handle him, at least enough to get away. Plus he's not sure he can stand up, let alone walk on his own. He squeezes his eyes shut, it's too bright. His hand is clutching his head, willing the pain to go away but it's pulsating and spreading. He can feel her soft hands pushing his torso against the wall so he's sitting up. She presses a cold pack to his head and he breathes a sigh of relief.
"Do you think you can stand? I want to get some scans,"
With much difficulty and leaning he manages to get to his feet. He cracks his eyes open and attempts his first step, and nearly falls, thank God Caitlin is there and catches him before he face plants, although the thought of being unconscious is more and more appealing with each passing second. She lowers him to the floor.
"Hang on, I'm going to get the stretcher,"
He's lying on the floor, he turns his head against the cold tile floor and breathes. What he wouldn't do for some Tylenol, or aspirin or anything to get his head to stop. The sound of the rolling wheels are getting closer, he still doesn't open his eyes. The stretcher brakes click on.
"Let's try this again.
He feels bile coming up the back of his throat. But he wobbles to his feet and then he's lying back in the bed, his friendly ice pack forgotten on the ground.
"We're doing the full stroke work up, okay?"
He nods, and his vision swims again. She has him go through a bunch of neurological exams, and lab tests. His eyes keep drifting close because all he really wants to do is sleep. His hand rubs small circles by his temple.
"Cisco, you've had another mini stroke"
Her voice sounds soft and far away.
"So take two aspirin and go to bed yeah?" He eyes are still closed although she's dimmed the med bay lights. She touches his shoulder, her hands cold and he instinctively leans in.
"I'm worried about the stress your vibes are causing on your neurological system. The next time something like this happens there might be more permanent effects,"
He remains silent. he doesn't know what to say. Not vibing is out of the question, but his headaches have gotten worse and down right murderous sometimes. Her hand moves to grab his, stopping the circles.
"Can we talk later Cait. I'm tired,"
"Ah, of course"
He gives her hand a little squeeze before she walks away, her heels clicking on the tiles. And he's asleep before she walks even a foot away.
She bites the bottom of her lip as she sits down at the cortex computers. She's tired of seeing her friends hurt. Especially Cisco. A guilty feeling nagged at the base of her spine, making her sit up straighter. She was sick of being the one to hurt her friends. Especially Cisco, who rarely fought back against Killer Frost.
She remembers when they had to stop Savitar from killing Barry that first time. When she was afraid to use her powers. Cisco had breached them to a new location and almost fallen over with pain. He had been crouching and gasping for breath.
"Oh boy, I'm going to feel that tomorrow,"
Blood had started dripping from his nose and he just wiped it off with sleeve of his jacket before walking over to Barry. And when she told Cisco later he had a mini stroke, she brushed him off, more concerned with controlling her own powers at the time.
The sound of squeaky shoes breaks her out of her reverie.
Harry walks into the cortex, sees the upturned table, watches Caitlin engaged in something on her computer, chewing her lower lip, a new habit she's formed since she returned to the team. The med bay blinds are drawn but the lights are on, someone must be in there.
"What's going on here?"
His coffee is churning in the put of his stomach.
"DeVoe forced Cisco out of vibe. He's pretty out of it,"
He points to the computer, "those his latest brain scans?"
She bites deeper on her lip.
"Yeah,"
He nods; peers closer over her shoulder. He can see why she's worried. Ever since Ramon got his powers there's been a toll on his brain. A man Ramon's age shouldn't have this much damage there, and yet, here they were. He walks over to the med bay. He sees Cisco lying on the gurney, the head of the bed angled up at thirty degrees. He's still strapped in, straps clicked under his armpit, around his waist and his legs. There are wires coming out from under his shirt, a blood pressure cuff hugging his bicep. His vitals flash on the screen above him.
"I offered to move him to the bed but he said the gurney was fine,"
"The straps?"
Her eyes float to the black ties.
"I don't think he'll start seizing but just in case…"
"You don't want him falling off the cot,"
She gives him a sheepish grin. The blood pressure cuff inflates, Cisco groans in response, and turns his head to the side, a thin layer of drool coming from the corner of his mouth. Harry's surprised at the concern he feels watching Cisco. He's genuinely concerned for the other man. But then again, Cisco is one of his closest friends, and to see him like this, so weak is disconcerting to say the least. Maybe it's because he's only a few years older than his daughter, and God damn why do these kids have to be so reckless. Harry walks closer but doesn't dare make a sound. He wants to throw something, he wants to grab DeVoe and wring him around the neck for doing this to Ramon, for imprisoning Barry, for all their most recent problems, but he takes another sip of the coffee in his hand instead. He sits on the stool next to the cot. The young man whimpers and his forehead creases as if in pain. Harry brushes his finger through Cisco's black hair.
"Shhh, you're okay Ramon"
He repeats that a few times until he quiets down and his face smooths out. Harry removes his hand, now damp with Vibe's sweat.
"I don't think anyone realizes how much strain he puts on his system when he vibes, or opens portals."
Caitlin stands behind Harry.
"He's definitely gotten stronger but…"
"You're worried?"
"Barry and Iris, the rest of the team, they don't get to see Cisco the way we do."
The way we do.
She means like this, strapped in, weak, on seizure precautions, probably out of it for the next day or so, and with a migraine that puts all other migraines to shame. Caitlin's confiding in him, she knows he understands the ramifications of Ramon's powers better than anyone else on the team, excluding herself. He thinks back to when they first caught the reverse flash. He can still see the jerking of the young man's limbs and the blood, so much blood pouring out of his nose, down his t shirt with some movie reference, and then the near disappearance of Cisco's body all together.
Barry and Ralph come back quiet and withdrawn. Caitlin knows what happened, they don't have to say it. But Harry does.
"What happened?"
"Your cerebral inhibitor didn't work," Ralph throws the tiny gadget against the room, a resounding ting echoing as it bounces off the wall. His voice rises, barely hiding the muffled sobs. Harry bows his head and looks away. Barry puts a hand on Ralph's shoulder,
"Go take a shower, get changed, we'll debrief after everyone's had some food and is cleaned up"
Ralph storms away, his mood anything but light.