My Demons

The Flash (TV Show)

Rating: M

Generes: Hurt/Comfort & Romance

Pairing: Barry Allen/The Flash & Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost

Summary: Flashpoint has changed everything. Team Flash is a shell of its former self and at the middle is Caitlin and her developing powers. Realizing that he is the cause of everything that has befallen the team, Barry decides to help Caitlin and train her to master her powers before they consume her completely.

A/N: This story will be slightly AU in terms of the fact that both Caitlin and Barry have feelings for each other, just that neither of them have acted upon them yet.

Chapter 1

Defeating Zoom and Creating Flashpoint

Life was so much simpler back then. Before Thawne, before Zoom. Funny how one's life could finally be at a state of peace before a curve ball is thrown. Or in this case not a curve ball, but a vibrating hand through the chest of your father. These thoughts and more ran through the mind of Barry Allen also known as The Flash as he knelt down in front of his father's headstone. Gathered around him were the others, Joe, Iris, Cisco, Caitlin, Wally, and Harrison Wells and his daughter Jessie from Earth 2. Why did this have to happen? He had FINALLY accepted the death of his mother only to have his father ripped away from him in a similar fashion. Death at the hands of an evil speedster who wanted to use his speed for his own nefarious gains.

Hearing footsteps, Barry glanced over seeing Caitlin kneel beside him, a comforting hand resting on his shoulder. "You will stop him Barry, just like you did with Thawne and we will all be there together."

Slowly, Barry nodded and he allowed himself to be pulled into Caitlin's embrace, his head resting on her shoulder. The other's were quiet as they watched the two of them embrace. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, both Barry and Caitlin turned toward the others, and the group made their way back to S.T.A.R. Labs.

~XXX~

Meanwhile on Earth 2 at his lair, Zoom was putting the finishing touches on his plan. While his adventures on Earth 1 as "Jay Garrick" and helping Barry get faster, he had learned that Mecury Labs was building a magnetar. This machine would be the key to him destroying the multiverse for good. Well all except Earth 1. He did need a place to hang his cowl after all. Smirking to himself, he turned to the cage that housed the man in the metal mask who was frantically knocking against the glass plane.

"Oh give it a rest Garrick, I'm not letting you out of there. Besides, even if your speed wasn't being dampened, you still wouldn't be able to stop me. Now you get to stay there and watch as your world along with this one and all the others besides Earth-1 are destroyed," Hunter sneered before creating a breach and speeding off back to Earth-1.

~XXX~

Team Flash were all gathered in the cortex. All of them trying to figure out what Hunter's end game could potentially be. He had already gotten Barry's speed and was "cured" of the side effects of Velocity-9 so whatever the case was, that was just part of his plan.

Turning to Caitlin who was sitting at her computer monitor next to Cisco, Barry asked, "Cait, did he ever mention anything while you were held captive over on Earth-2?"

Realizing that everyone in the room was now looking at her, Caitlin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her time, no matter how brief it was over on Earth-2 had been excruciating. Her entire being was wrecked with fear and uncertainty. She had been forced to team up with her devious doppleganger to try and escape, only for her doppleganger to turn on her and attempt to kill her. Shaking her head and fighting back the panic attack that had begun to rise, Caitlin looked at everyone. "No, he didn't mention anything. I don't think he had thought that far ahead yet after acquiring your speed in order to heal him."

The silence that befell the group didn't last long as a breach appeared in the center of the room and Zoom appeared, maskless and with a smirk on his face. He didn't even flinch when both Joe and Harry lifted their weapons and aimed them at him. "We all know that you both would be dead on the ground before either of you pulled those triggers, so let's not waste time in you even trying."

As Joe and Harry lowered their respective guns, Hunter turned to Barry who was glaring daggers at the man. Here he thought that this man was his friend and mentor. That this would turn out different than the year before. But he was wrong. Not only did he betray him and the team, but he stole his speed and then murdered his father in cold blood. It took every ounce of will and strength that Barry possessed to not attack Hunter. Obviously noticing this, the smirk on Hunter's lips widened.

"Now that you've had a few days to mourn, it's finally time to end this battle between us, Barry, and once and for all find out which of us is truly the fastest".

Eyes narrowing slightly, Barry crossed his arms and continued to glare. "What the fuck are you talking about, Hunter?" Now that he knew his true name, Barry refused to call him Jay.

"We're going to have a race," Hunter said simply.

"What the hell are you talking about? Why would I even agree to that?" Barry asked, an eyebrow arched.

Smirking, Hunter flashed over behind Joe, wrapping one arm around his neck while using his other hand to knock the detective's gun out of his hand, which fell to the floor and scattered away. "Because if you don't agree, than dear old Dad number 2 is a dead man." Hunter replied before speeding back through the breach which closed after him.

Barry's whole body started to vibrate. This time though it wasn't from his speed. It was from anger. He just lost his father and the monster that took him away from him just took his adoptive one to use as leverage to get what he wanted. He felt his blood begin to boil. He hadn't felt this angry since he was whammied by Rainbow Raider. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned and saw Caitlin standing beside him, feeling her hand give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze brought him back to his senses and his body slowed back to normal. Closing his eyes, he placed a hand atop hers, using this simple, yet effective gesture to thank her for calming him down.

"Thank you, Caitlin," Barry muttered as Caitlin intertwined their fingers together for a few moments before she pulled away and went back to her console.

Turning his attention to Iris and Wally, Barry nodded, "We will get him back we just have to wait and see where exactly Zoom wants to do this race".

~XXX~

"You're going to lose against Barry," Joe said as Hunter handcuffed him to a pair of pipes not to far away from the Magnetar.

"What makes you say that, Detective?" Hunter asked.

"It's in your nature."

"The team's morale is lower than it has been in months. Barry is filled with rage, which will cloud his judgement. Where exactly is my disadvantage?" Hunter asked.

"You lack conviction," Joe replied.

Hunter rolled his eyes before he left to go make the final preperations. Soon his plan would be complete and the whole multiverse would be nothing but ash. Once everything was place, it was time to send the message that it was time. Pulling on his cowl, Hunter zoomed through the city, blue lightning arching off his body as he ran. Reaching the tallest building in Central City, he began racing up and down the building until the words MECURY LABS were etched in the building like flames. With the location now revealed, Hunter raced back, where now all he had to do was wait.

~XXX~

Barry was outside of S.T.A.R. Labs running when he first saw the message. He originally went out to run to help vent some of the anger and frustration that he was feeling. It was helping, but only so much. Upon seeing the flaming words of Mecury Labs, he skidded to a halt. As he did the earpiece in his cowl buzzed and he heard Cisco's voice "Barr?"

"Yeah I see it, Cisco, grab the van and we'll head there now," Barry replied.

Within 15 minutes the group arrived outside Mecury Labs, and not far off they saw Joe chained to a pair of pipes with Hunter standing a few feet away in front of a massive giant ring that held some sort of weird orb in the center.

"See you got my message...and that you brought your little fan club who will see you lose tonight, Barry."

Ignoring his comment, Barry approached him. "What is this?"

Before Hunter could reply, Harry said from behind Barry, "It's a Magnetar. My god, that's your plan? All this time it wasn't just about getting Barry's speed to cure yourself. You want to destroy the multiverse." A shock went through the group as finally Zoom's plan was laid out before them. Both Jessie and Harry looked at each other, both of them knowing that if Zoom was successful, their home, their earth, would cease to exist.

"Bravo Wells, you've figured out my plan. Well, only partly. I don't want to destroy all of it. This Earth is the literal center of the multiverse. It's the access point to every single other Earth in existence. Just one trans-dimensional shock-wave, and well...poof."

"That would just leave our Earth. How kind of you," Cisco said sarcastically.

"What are the rules?" Barry asked as he stood a few feet away from Hunter.

"One lap around the inside of this loop will produce about 1 gigawatt of energy. I need 500 plus to power the Magnetar up to do the job. Once it's full, I win because there will be no stopping it".

"So all I have to do is stop you before that happens".

"Correct. It's that simple - however, if any point you decide that you don't want to race anymore both Joe and your little fan club are dead."

"They're not my fan-club. They're the reason why I'm running, why I'm going to beat you."

Smirking Hunter and Barry got into position. "Let's see what you're made of then, Flash".

"Just say when, Zoom," Barry replied as both speedster's pulled on their cowls. Yellow and blue lightning arching off of both of them.

"Run, Barry ... Run," Zoom said before the pair took off, beginning the race of both their lives.

~XXX~

Yellow and Blue lightning danced around their respective speedsters as they ran along the inside of the magnetar. Zoom was always one step away from Barry as they ran. Not long after the race began, the magnetar began to power up. The small orb turning as power filled it.

"He's powering up the Magnetar!" Harry said as a red beam of light began taking shape.

"Come on, Barry, catch up," Cisco muttered, the group watching with bated breath.

As he ran, doing his best to not only keep up with Zoom, but overtake him, Barry realized there was only one potential way for him to end this. There was a flash of yellow, and suddenly there were two streaks of yellow lightning and one streak of blue.

"Wait, which one is Barry?" Jessie asked in confusion as the group saw the two yellow streaks of lightning.

"Both of them, he made a time remnant!" Harry and Cisco said at the same time, both of them amazed and shocked.

The group watched as one of the Barry's left the magnetar and sped over to where Joe was handcuffed.

"Just go Joe! I'll explain later," Barry exclaimed as he vibrated his hand through the cuffs, freeing Joe.

Zoom growled as he realized he had been had and he raced around tackling the other Barry off the magnetar. "Stole my trick, Flash, but it's too late. Bye Bye, Multiverse".

As he said that a beam of white energy began climbing towards the sky where a portal began to open up. Soon the multi-verse would be nothingness. Shoving him off, Barry and Zoom began to fight, racing all around. As they did, the time remnant of Barry looked at the group before he began to race around the base of the magnetar. He was going faster than he ever ran before.

"What's the time remnant doing?" Caitlin asked looking between Harry and Cisco.

"He's creating his own pulse" Harry said in amazement.

"Why?" Iris asked biting her bottom lip.

"Because, if that's out of phase, it will counter-act that one," Harry explained.

Caitlin's eyes widened as she realized what that meant. "Wait his body can't handle that!"

"What's going to happen to him?" Wally asked.

"He'll die," Harry replied

The time remnant could feel his body weakening the faster he ran. He knew he could do this. He didn't care what happened to him. As long as Zoom's plan failed and the multiverse was safe. This was all he could hope for as he pushed himself to run faster. As he did, a red beam of energy began to over take the white one. This was it he thought to himself, as he felt the speed force crackle in his body, giving him that final push as his pulse was created. His body fell away crumbling to dust as the red pulse of energy knocked out Zoom's, the portal above the magnetar closing. He had done it. The multiverse was safe.

"NO!" Zoom growled in anger and frustration as he narrowly ducked a punch thrown at him by Barry before the pair raced off through the construction site, each one trying to get the upper hand on the other. Their respective lightning trails a dance of yellow and blue. All the others could do was watch on and hope and pray that Barry would be able to the one to come out on top.

Grunting in pain, Zoom found himself slammed into an electrical box by Barry who followed it up by a flurry of punches to his abdomen and sides. He tried to escape, to get some ground away from the scarlet speedster but it wasn't enough as Barry tripped him up and elbowed him back onto the hard pavement below. Wincing in pain, Hunter looked up as Barry knelt above him and tore off the lower half of his cowl, his hand vibrating and anger flashing in his eyes.

"You're a ... you're a hero, Barry. You couldn't kill me before. You won't kill me now."

"I don't have to" Barry said as high above them in the air, a portal to the speed force opened up and two time wraiths appeared screeching in anger. Quickly, Barry moved away from Hunter as the Wraiths hauled him up into the air; as they did Hunter screamed in pain and agony. His suit changing, becoming more of a matte black, the lightning emblem on his chest and ear pieces becoming crimson red, as his exposed face decayed. He was then carried up and into the speed force, still screeching and writhing in pain from the time wraiths. Finally, after all this time. It was over.

~XXX~

With Zoom finally defeated, the group returned to S.T.A.R. Labs. Upon arrival, Cisco created a breach to Earth 2 and he and Harry left to go rescue the man in the iron mask from his cage. While the others waited in the cortex for them to return, Caitlin took Barry into the med lab so that she could examine and do any necessary patching up following the fight with Hunter. She was still his personal physician and her doctor instincts were kicking in. Once he was situatued on one of the beds, she undid his costume and pushed it open revealing a very bruised and battered chest.

Ever so gently, she slowly traced his chest, checking for any sort of internal injuries. Upon not finding any, she nodded at him. "I dont feel any cortusions (contusions? contusions are bruises, they're seen, not felt), or broken or bruised ribs. Other than the bruises you have now, I think you'll be fine. You just need some rest."

Nodding, Barry reached down and took her hands into his gloved ones, and gently brought her into an embrace, their foreheads resting against each others. "Thank you, Caitlin," he whispered before looking up, his forest green eyes locking with her chocolate brown ones.

"Any time, Barry," Caitlin replied before gladly accepting the spot next to him as he had scooted over to make room for her to curl up beside him. Not long after joining him, the pair fell asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. It had, after all, been a very long day.

~XXX~

The pair had been awoken a few hours later to the sounds of arguing coming from one of Cisco's extra labs that sat off the cortex. Carefully they both got out of the bed and made their way to the cortex where in extra lab, they could see both Cisco and Harry arguing, a man sitting in front of them, while the others just rolled their eyes as the pair bickered.

"You know what? They say in battle choose your weapon wisely, right? Some people choose a gun. I choose a Phillips head screwdriver," Harry said.

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry. You're so damn particular," Cisco replied rolling his eyes.

"For god's sake, Ramon, can you just please...Have you ever worked with a tool before?"

"I'm working with one now, aren't I?" Cisco muttered under his breath as Harry finally managed to get the mask open and off of the man that sat before him.

"Urg. I don't know what is more annoying. Being in that thing, or listening to you two argue about it like an old married couple," the mystery man said.

Together the three of them exited the lab and upon seeing who the man in the iron mask was, Barry felt himself tense up as he heard the man say, "I'm Jay Garrick ... the real Jay Garrick." There was no mistaking it, even for all that facial hair that Jay was sporting. This man was his father's doppleganger. It floored him.

A few hours later, Jay returned, having taken a hot shower and shaven till he was clean and smooth. Once everyone was back in the cortex, Cisco held up the mask to Jay and explained that it had a power dampener inside which was why he couldn't use his speed when Zoom held him prisoner. Taking it from Cisco, Jay's hand began to vibrate and he quickly dispatched the mask.

"I never want to see that thing again," Jay said as the now destroyed hunk of metal sat on the floor of the cortex.

"I see Hunter stole your color scheme while he was pretending to be you," Joe remarked, gesturing to the colors of Jay's suit which eerily matched Hunter's when he was pretending to be Jay.

"Oh he did, he took my colors, my name, everything ... well except that, that was all his," Jay said pointing at the winged helmet that was on one of the desks.

Grabbing it, Cisco handed it to him. "He said it was his fathers, from the War of the Americas and that it was a symbol that would give people hope."

Tilting his head to the side, Jay looked down at it in his hands. "Well, maybe it's my turn to take something from him and give new meaning to it." As he said he slid the helmet on where it shined in the light.

"It suits you well," Harry said.

Together everyone headed to the breach room where Cisco opened one and together Jay, Harry, and Jessie returned to Earth 2, as the pair of Wells had promised Jay to help get him back to Earth 3, his native home. Not long after that everyone went home, and by home they all went back to Joe's place. Everyone was inside except for Barry. He sat on the stoop, deep in thought. Hearing the door open behind him, he glanced over seeing that it was Caitlin who came out and sat next to him.

"I can't stop thinking about my dad's doppleganger. Seeing him, and knowing that he's out there. That should've made it easier. It doesn't, it just makes me miss him even more."

"I can't even begin to imagine how hard that must've been on you, Barry."

"We just won. We just beat Zoom. So why? Why does it feel like I just lost?"

"Because you've lost a lot in your life Barry. Way more than most ever should. But ... maybe you and me, seeing where this thing goes? Maybe that can give you something positive for once".

A small yet sad smile crossed Barry's lips. "I've wanted to hear you say that for a while, Caitlin. I think I've been past my boyhood crush on Iris for a while now ... however, I wish that I was in a place where we could try. But right now I feel so hollowed out right now. I feel more broken than I've ever felt in my life. If I'm ever going to be worth anything to you, I need to fix what's wrong with me. I need to find some peace."

Reaching over, Caitlin placed one of her hands atop Barry's and gently squeezed it.

"Barry, listen to me. You've been nothing but patient with me. You let me get to a place following Ronnie's second death where this was possible. So I'm telling you now that I'm going to do the same for you. Wherever you go, whatever you need to do, do it and I'll be waiting for you when you get back. I promise."

"Okay."

"I love you, Barry."

Together the pair of them leaned forward, their lips meeting for the first time, in a soft, gentle kiss. After a few moments, Barry broke the kiss. "I love you, too. And I always will."

Giving him a small smile, Caitlin stood up and headed back inside. As soon as she did, Barry whispered to himself, "That's why I have to do this." As soon as the words left his lips, he stood up and raced from the house. As he ran, he could feel the speed force building up within his body and soon, a wormhole opened up in front of him and he ran inside, his eyes closing as he focused on where he needed to go.

Getting to that night, all those years ago, he stood outside his childhood home and waited. Flashes of red and yellow lightning danced in the living room window. He knew it wouldn't be much longer. He was right, not even five minutes later, the yellow lightning disappeared and all that remained was the red. With the speed force crackling in his system, Barry rushed inside and tackled the Reverse Flash away from his mother who was sitting in the center of the room, crying.

"You're not going to hurt her. You're not going to hurt her ever again"

A/N: End of Chapter 1. This is my first Flash story so please Read and Review. This pairing I've been getting into alot lately and thought I'd try my hand.