Author's Note: As fans of Snowbert, Allenbert, Ciscobert (not I ship name... I hope), and just Julian in general, you may have joined me in wondering...
WHERE THE HECK WAS JULIAN IN 3x22?!
Let's find out, shall we?
28 Hours Until Iris' Death (8:00), Earth 1, Julian's apartment:
28 hours until Iris' death. Julian couldn't be in the Cortex. He couldn't be at the CCPD, either, so he shut himself in his apartment and sat at his dining room table. His mind was working too hard to focus on much.
So much had happened during the past week. Caitlin had turned evil. Savitar had been revealed as a future Barry Allen. They had invented the Speed Cannon. But still, even with all of that, they weren't much closer to figuring out how to save Iris. Sure- if the Speed Cannon worked, they might be able to trap Savitar. Might. If it worked. If they could find enough power. If Savitar didn't either destroy it or just evade the blasts until he could murder Iris. If, If, If.
There were too many unknowns in this problem. Julian clutched his head, trying to think around it. They needed a plan be, an emergency backup, just in case this didn't work.
The answer came to him with the shock of his phone buzzing against the table. It was a text.
From Caitlin Snow.
With trembling hands, Julian picked it up.
Meet me on 7th street at 9:00. Tell no one. If you're late, I'll know you're not coming.
Julian stared at the message. Then he threw his bag over his shoulder, checking to make sure his gun was inside before leaving the house. He wished he could trust Killer Frost not to kill him, but with her track record... Caitlin might not have as much control as he had previously believed. It was better to be safe then, well, frozen.
8:57, Earth 1, 7th Street:
Julian shifted from foot to foot and glanced around at the nearly empty street. He wasn't used to being in this area of town this late at night. It wasn't particularly safe, even though he had a gun in his bag. But if she wanted to meet here... the fact that she wanted to meet at all forced him not to argue.
Killer Frost arrived with a chilling breeze of air and brought goosebumps to Julian's skin. He squinted into the fog, and there she was.
"Good." Killer Frost nodded. "You're here. You told no one?"
"That's what the text said." Julian told her, trying to keep his hands from shaking. "What did you want?"
Killer Frost's eyes darted downward. She glanced around, looking for spies or cameras that could record their conversation. Satisfied, she still took a step closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I need your help."
"My... help?" Julian raised an eyebrow. "To what? Kill the rest of Team Flash? That's your mission, right? If you think I would ever help you with something so-"
"No." Killer Frost cut him off, looking annoyed. "No, I know your too much of a boy scout to kill your friends. That's not what I'm here for. I need you to help me to stop Savitar."
Julian blinked a few times, shocked at this request. "But I thought- you're working with him- what happened-"
Killer Frost puffed out a breath of air. This a apparently very hard for her to admit. "Savitar- Time Remanent Barry- has cared for me more then Barry has, lately. I was loyal to him... it doesn't matter, now. I'm not about to see my- my- you guys die because of his anger for something you haven't even done yet. She won't- Caitlin won't let me."
"I knew she was in there somewhere." Julian said, satisfied. He was surprise at how much pain and resentment Killer Frost held for the leader of their team, considering that they seemed to be friends. He wasn't about to ask about it though. It was something that the two of them would have to figure out, on their own time.
"Shut up." Killer Frost glowered. "You sound like such a stuck up idiot when you're right. So are you going to help me?"
"Stop Savitar? Of course." Julian said. "What do you need me to do?"
9:23, Earth 1, Cisco's Lab:
Julian hurried around Cisco's lab, trying not to make too much noise. It didn't seem to matter though- Cisco had been gone from STAR Labs when he arrived. It seemed that everyone else was gone, too. Julian had no idea where they were, or what they were up to. All that mattered was what he was doing right now.
They had formed a plan. Julian was no tech wiz like Cisco, but he knew his way around some wires and a screwdriver, and Killer Frost said all they needed was a fuse breaker. She would place it somewhere on Savitar's suit, and they would create a wireless remote. When a button was pressed, Savitar's suit would immediately short circuit.
"They can't use that Speed Cannon with him inside his suit." Killer Frost had said. "It's made of stuff stronger then Dwarf Star Alloy."
"Isn't that the strongest mineral on Earth?" Julian responded incredulously.
"Apparently not."
He reached down for a few wires and got to work on the device. Whether the short circuiting would cause Savitar to get trapped in his suit, or just get him out of it, it didn't matter. His armor needed to be out of the way if any sort of plan was going to work.
11:45, Earth 1, Savitar's Lair:
Killer Frost inspected Julian's device with a satisfied air about her. It was fairly well put together, and, if she knew anything about technology, would work for their purposes. Now, the only thing to do would be to attach it to Savitar's armor, and hope for the best.
Hope.
It wasn't something Killer Frost typically liked to think about. Hope tended to make Caitlin fight a little harder. For that matter, so did Julian and Cisco. They were Caitlin's hope.
So why was Killer Frost searching out Julian? Why was she risking Caitlin breaking free from her bonds? Killer Frost didn't want to leave. She liked being in control of a body, instead of trapped underneath a layer of subconsciousness. She didn't want to continue to be forced down.
But at the same time... Part of her didn't want Caitlin to be forced down the same way she had been.
Shoving those thoughts, and Caitlin, aside, Killer Frost snuck into the hallway of Savitar's Lair. She was the only other living person who knew where it was- she hadn't even told Julian, even though they were working together. It was located on a high mountain far out of the way of the city, and the only entrance was a nearly indistinguishable stone marking. Pressed in a certain way, the marking would cause the stones to slide apart, giving you enough room to make your way in.
"Who enters?!" Savitar bellowed from his 'preparation room', as he called it.
"Killer Frost." She responded, sliding in and shutting the heavy metal door behind her.
Savitar's suit slumped foreword, and the future, time remanent Barry Allen stood up. The normal side of his face was to her, rough scars hidden, and for a second Killer Frost could convince herself that this was Barry. The Flash, Barry, the one Caitlin was friends with. It brought her a mixture of love, pain and anger, and she shoved those feelings down, too.
"Things are going according to plan?" Killer Frost asked, carefully sashaying her way around Savitar's suit, her hand grasping the short circuit machine.
"Of course they are." Savitar said flatly. "Things always go according to the plan if you are the one controlling it."
Trying to calm herself, Killer Frost casually leaned against the armor, trembling fingers hurrying to attach the wires to the inside of the suit. She searched desperately for something to say. "What is it like? Seeing the future. Always knowing what happens next. In my opinion, it just takes the fun out of life. No more surprises." She pouted like a small child. Stay in character.
Savitar gave a cold laugh. "That's because you do not understand what it is like to be a god. To control everything and everyone around you at all times."
Killer Frost gulped. Was he controlling this moment as well? She took another steady breath and finished up with attaching the wires. "I'm sure I'll someday understand... but only if you help me." Playing up the seductiveness, she walked around the suit and stroked his cheek. "You and me... god and goddess of Earth."
Savitar pulled away. "Don't get an inflated sense of your own self importance, Frost."
She swallowed, and turned away, keeping her hips swinging as she walked toward the exit. Four more steps, and she'd be out of there. Three more steps. Two more. One-
"Are you sure that you are ready for the task I have assigned you?"
His voice brought her up short, her blood freezing cold. Icy particles spread out from her feet before she controlled herself and stopped her reaction. "I'm not quite sure what you mean." She wouldn't turn around.
In a second, her back was against a wall and Savitar's hand was at her throat. Barry's green eyes burned into her own. "You're sure that Caitlin has been buried deep enough to kill your friends? To kill... Julian?"
He knew. How did he know?! "Caitlin Snow is dead." Killer Frost hissed, sounding so sure she almost convinced herself.
Savitar dropped her to the ground and Killer Frost rubbed at her sore neck, glaring scared daggers at him. "You are free to go." He growled.
She ran.
24 Hours until Iris' death (12:00), Earth 1, the Cortex:
Julian couldn't sleep, eyes glued to the blurry screen of his phone. His friends were busy in STAR Labs, fighting to keep Iris' alive, and he was putting all of his time, all of his cards, on a plan he had made with a murdering criminal.
No.
On a plan he had made with Caitlin. Blond hair and blue eyes or not, she was still Caitlin deep down, and that hadn't shown forth more then it had this past evening. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing, even if she didn't look or sound like his Caitlin.
She had promised to text him when their plan was in motion, but it was 12:00, and there was still nothing. The unspoken knowledge that had hung in the air before she left in a blast of frost scared him. If she didn't text him, it most likely meant that she had been discovered by Savitar and was... was dead.
It chilled him even worse then her touch did, the fact that she was putting her life on the line for the people she believed had abandoned her. She just kept saving them, again and again, and that one moment when she had needed saving- whether it was the moment she discovered her powers, the first time she had given into Killer Frost, or when she flatlined- they had let her down.
His phone buzzed.
Plan in action.
His heart lifted up and Julian passed his hand over his face in relief.
Tell no one.
Why? Julian texted back.
If Barry finds out, Savitar finds out, and then we're all dead. And we both know that Cisco and HR can't keep a secret.
I won't tell. Be careful
Good boy
Julian took a shaky breath, and put his phone away. It was time to get some sleep.
11:48, Earth 2, the Bunker:
Savitar knew it was time. He knew because he remembered every second. He remembered, down to the last minute, when Iris was taken from Earth 2 and brought to Infantino Street for her epic death that would break Barry Allen beyond repair. Break Barry Allen...
And create him.
He had known for years that he was to be the one to kill Iris. It barely made him pause now, so ingrained in his history that it was like there wasn't a choice. He had to kill Iris, because that was how history had to happen. It wasn't a choice. It was a face.
It didn't make it any easier to see the woman he used to love in his clawed talons, piercing her loving, wholesome heart with a spear from the suit he had created out of pain and hurt.
In a burst of breach-light, Savitar appeared in front of three scared people. Joe, gun raised, standing protectively in front of his daughter; Iris, face deathly pale and hands trembling as she squeezed them into fists, overcome with rage; and Harry, eyebrows raised in true Harry-fashion as he took Savitar for the first time.
"Take me. Do what you want." Iris said, pushing in front of her father. "Just- just don't hurt them. Please."
"No!" Joe yelled, hands shaking around his gun. "No, don't you touch her."
Harry slowly reached around for his own gun, hoping to surprise the fastest speedster that had ever existed and incapacitate him. Savitar just stared back. "Haven't you leaned by now?" He growled. "I know everything. Everything about every one of you. About what is going to happen. Nothing can surprise me."
All at once, his suit slouched foreword. The three stared at it in shock. Then Savitar flashed out of his armor, growling in rage. He grabbed Iris, and she let out a piercing scream as she was sucked into the breach, Harry's bullets hitting far too late.
11:48, Earth 1, the Bunker:
Julian was sitting down in the pipeline, lost in thought. He was avoiding the rest of his team, unable to look at anyone without worrying about telling about his plan. Their reckless hopelessness would drag his mouth open to reassure them- especially Barry- that there was a plan B if it all went south.
If he told them that, Killer Frost would be dead. And he would never even know.
Julian rested his elbows on his knees and his head slouched downward. He wasn't sure what he felt about working with Killer Frost. She wasn't quite Caitlin- not yet, anyway, and that made it almost harder being with her then if she was completely the Earth 2 ice queen she had used to fear.
He stared down at the button clenched in his hand. One press, and Savitar's suit would be completely shut down. They had to wait for just the right moment. If it was too far away from Iris' death, he could just fix his suit, and their trial wouldn't make a difference. Too close, and he might discover the tech.
His phone vibrated against his leg. Julian pulled it out, no longer surprised to see Caitlin's name coming up before the text.
He's on E2. Press it
Julian nearly dropped his phone and fumbled with his device. It clattered to the floor, his fingers slippery and clumsy, but he scooped it back up and jammed a thumb at the button.
Nothing visible happened, but that was normal. It still would have been nice to have some sort of reassurance that it Savitar's suit was short circuited, but if Killer Frost believed it to be good enough to do it's job, then he did, too.
11: 59, Earth 1, Infantino Street
Julian and Killer Frost met up at a halfway point. Their eyes were wild with nerves and excitement as they ran towards Infantino Street, the place of Iris' death. Killer Frost's breaths were shaky beside him as they ran, her thoughts on what would happen if he had somehow discovered the tech before they could use it.
Or after.
She would think that she would probably be dead right now, if either of those was the case, but their was always the possibility that he was biding his time. Maybe Infantino Street would become the site of two murders, instead of just one.
Julian reached out instinctively, feeling her worry, and wrapped his hand around her own. She restrained her immediate instinct to freeze him, Caitlin, for the first time in awhile, going silent. If it kept her happy... She might just be able to survive like that, trading off choosing what the two of them would or wouldn't do. As long as she got to live, at least some of the time... it was better then being smushed down forever, or fighting someone inside of her then felt so natural to let in.
They arrived at Infantino Street, and Julian yanked her behind a tree as he caught sight of Joe and Harry. Killer Frost took a shaky breath. "Did they see us?"
"No." Julian breathed back, lips practically touching her icy ear. "We have to stay out of sight, or they'll tell Barry."
"He can't know." Killer Frost said unnecessarily. "If he knows, Savitar knows, and there's no point."
"Let's just hoped it worked." Julian muttered. "Because if it didn't..."
Killer Frost didn't finished his sentence, and they huddled behind the tree together, waiting for Savitar's arrival.
They didn't have to wait long.
12: 02, Earth 1, Infantino Street:
Barry stood face to face with the god of Speed. He had Iris by the neck and, strangely enough, was missing his suit. Joe's voice rang in his head. He left it in Earth 2. Why would he just leave it there?
Barry held back a shudder, mind racing as he tried to figure out what Savitar was planning. He had to have something up his sleeve, or else the future was wrong. And if the future was wrong... they might still have a chance to save Iris.
Heart hammering, somehow, up in his ears, Barry flashed to the van and grabbed the Speed Cannon. Savitar didn't move, Iris pressed close to him.
"Come on!" Barry taunted. If Iris was in front of him, they wouldn't have a chance. "Come and fight me, Savitar! Iris has nothing to do with this."
"Iris has everything to do with this." Savitar hissed back, his evil scars glinting along the side of his face. Barry wondered with a shiver how he received those scars. He decided he didn't want to know. Still, the god of Speed cast the love of Barry's life aside, and Barry took the half second allowed to him as an opportunity.
The gun blazed to life in his hands, firing a colorful stream of power at Savitar. He dodged, then dodged again, Barry aiming the gun after him. His eyes caught two figures, crouched behind a tree, but he couldn't concentrate on which members of his team were being rash, now.
Finally, the beam struck home, and Time-Remanent Barry howled with pain and rage. He was trapped in the beam...
But he wasn't going anywhere.
Barry gritted his teeth and kept the impossibly heavy gun steady. He thought of why he was doing this. Of Wally, stuck in the Cortex with a possibly shattered leg, one that may never heal. Of Joe, hidden on a balcony, depending on him to save his daughter. And of Iris, beautiful Iris, the love of his life and the light of his world.
The beam cut out, and Savitar leaned foreword, panting. He held up a glowing stone in his fist. "You think that I wouldn't have prepared for this? I know everything that you know, Barry Allen. Nothing can surprise me."
Out of nowhere, a jet of icy frost shot out from behind a tree and hit Savitar with full force.
Killer Frost stood in the clearing, Julian behind her. "Oh I don't know." She smiled, her cold blue face looking vengeful and satisfied to in control of the situation. "How's this for a surprise?"
12: 02, Earth 1, Infantino Street (behind the tree):
Savitar showed up in a burst of blue speed, his suit gone. Julian grabbed Killer Frost's armed, ignored her affronted look at being touched, and grinned. "It worked." He whispered. "It bloody worked!"
"I've noticed." Killer Frost muttered sarcastically, turning her gaze and attention away from Julian and back towards the fight.
It seemed the Speed Cannon was doing it's job, but the problem would be actually catching Savitar with it. The fight was in too of a fast motion pace to follow with human eyes, so it came as a surprise when Savitar suddenly appeared at the top of the steps, surrounded by a colored beam.
But he wasn't being sucked into the Speed Force, so either Tracy's design hadn't worked, or there was something going on that none of them knew about. That seemed to be the case more and more, lately.
As the beam faded, Barry fell back, a crushed look on his once-hopeful face. "No..." Julian murmured beside her, practically on top of her as he watched the unfolding events.
Savitar glared down at his prey, Iris tossed beside him. Why wouldn't that stupid girl run? Julian nudged her. "You have to go. You have to stop him. You're the only one who can save Iris now."
Killer Frost sent him an incredulous look. "Me?! Why should I help Iris? She's the reason this is all such a mess, anyway."
Julian's face fell, and she bit back a growl at the way it hurt her that she had broken his hope. He glanced away, eyes on Savitar, holding up the Philosopher's Stone. It had saved him because, of course, he had an ace up his sleeve.
"Frost." Julian's large blue eyes shot to hers, and she took pause. He hadn't called her Caitlin. "Frost, I'm talking to you. I know that Caitlin's still inside of you, but right now, it's you I want. I need you to save my friends, because I know that you can. Just like you do, every single time we are in trouble. Please, Frost. Help us. You're our last hope."
"Good move, handsome." Killer Frost murmured. How was it that Julian always knew exactly what to say, no matter what form she was in?
She turned her attention back to the fight, in time to hear Savitar say, "You think that I wouldn't have prepared for this? I know everything that you know, Barry Allen. Nothing can surprise me."
Killer Frost stepped into the clearing and extended her hands. Ice flowed through her veins, stronger and colder then ever. She had a new purpose, one that was beyond killing and hurting and stealing peoples warmth.
Ice surrounded Savitar's unarmored hand, and he dropped the stone with a howl. It seemed even gods felt pain, once and awhile.
"Oh I don't know." Frost called, everyones eyes now on her. "How's this for a surprise?"
Barry was gaping at her. Julian was standing beside her, grinning with pride and something akin to love in his eyes. He might not completely except this icy form yet, but Killer Frost believed that he would get there eventually. She would, too.
"Shoot him, Barry!" Iris screamed, and seeing his chance, Barry dove into movement.
Killer Frost kept her beam of ice on Barry Allen's time remanent form, a long forgotten person that she might have once loved. With one more blast of the Speed Cannon, Savitar was sucked into a breach and disappeared.
And this time, it would hopefully be forever.
1:12, Earth 1, the Cortex:
Killer Frost had her head on Julian's shoulder, but he didn't seem to mind all that much. Cisco kept sending them furtive looks, watching Julian's fingers playing with the ends of her long white hair. They were all exhausted.
Except Barry. He was on a just-saved-the-day high, whizzing around the Cortex, a huge grin on his face. She hadn't seen him that happy in a year, and it gave her a strange mix of emotions. Happiness, because it was hard not to be happy when Barry was; nostalgia, for remembering all those moments in their first year of crime fighting together; hurt, for his happiness to be directed at something other then her being back from the "dark side".
Julian wrapped his arm around her tighter, pressing his lips to the top of her head. While that may have gone a bit far, she let it slide, too tired to move at the moment.
Barry flashed back into the room, grabbed Iris around the waist and spun her around. She groaned in pain but kissed him, and Barry slowly lowered her to the ground.
He pulled her into his arms once her broke the kiss, rings sparkling on both of their fingers. They walked together into Caitlin's lab, where the rest of them were seated.
HR was nowhere to be seen. Cisco had searched for him as soon as they got back to STAR Labs, calling and texting nonstop for about 10 minutes straight until Killer Frost told him she would freeze his phone. "Word of advice. When someone wants to be gone, they won't respond to you until they are ready not to be gone."
Barry stood in front of them, and Killer Frost resisted the urge to make a snarky comment about it being "speech time".
"I'd like to thank you all being here right now." Barry started, a happy smile on his face as he gazed down on the top of Iris brown hair. "I know it's been a... less then fun past few weeks, but it's all been worth it, in the end. Savitar is gone, and-" He broke off, his eyes flicked to Killer Frost.
She straightened, Julian's arm falling from her shoulders. Barry stared deep into her bright blue eyes. "And, Cai-"
"Frost." Julian interrupted.
"Frost." Barry corrected quickly. "That Frost is here with us once again. I know we all missed you."
Killer Frost stared back at him. "More like you can't run this team without me."
Leaning against the table, Cisco snorted. Killer Frost sent him a tired, halfhearted glare. Cisco just beamed back. "Hey, I'm not disagreeing."
"Anyway." Barry cut them off, a small smile on his face. "I'm sure you guys all want to go home and sleep, so I'll shut up. But I just want to thank you, because I couldn't have done this without you." He looked again towards Frost, and this time, Julian. "Especially not you two."
"Hey!" Tracy walked into the room, looking affronted. "I heard that."
"And you, too." Barry beamed at her. "You and your genius speed cannon. Thank you guys so much-"
"Oh my gosh." Killer Frost rolled her eyes, standing up and yanking Julian to his feet. He came willingly. "He's starting to get choked up. Let's get out of here."
Before the two of them could escape, Barry and pulled them both into hugs. "I'm sorry." He whispered in Killer Frost's ear. "I'm sorry."
She pulled away and walked out of the room, Julian trailing behind her. She might be starting to heal...
But she wasn't there quite yet.
2:03, Earth 1, Julian's Apartment:
"I should go." Killer Frost murmured, standing outside of Julian's apartment.
He nodded slowly, eyes locked on hers. "Yeah, yeah, of course."
She started to pull away, but he grasped onto her hand. "Can I- do you mind if I-" He stopped himself, swallowing. "As much as I like getting to know you, Frost... would it be possible for me to talk to Caitlin?"
Killer Frost froze, her mind working to find a suitable response. Part of her felt, that if she gave up control, she would never get it back. But Caitlin was begging her, and she probably wouldn't stop.
When she looked up again, just before her eyes turned brown, Julian saw so much vulnerability in them that it made him ache. "Just... make sure she doesn't stay forever. Please, Julian. I can't go back to how it was."
"I promise." Julian breathed, watching as her eyes transformed from blue to brown.
Caitlin staggered foreword, Julian grasping her shoulders as he gazed at her face. "Caitlin...?"
"Hi." She whispered, face going soft. "Thank you."
"I didn't do anything." He protested, rubbing her shoulders.
"You did everything." Caitlin disagreed, lips trembling. "You made Frost feel again. You helped her feel accepted. And, you know, stopped Savitar. There's that."
He chuckled quietly, lips leaning foreword to brush hers. Caitlin smiled sadly at him, and he stroked her cheek. "I'm going to get you back someday." He promised. "Both of you, at the same time. We're going to find a way."
Caitlin nodded, and then her eyes melted back to blue. Killer Frost leaned away from him, giving him a nod. "I'll see you again, someday."
"I'll count on it."
Julian watched as she turned as and walked down the driveway. She looked back only once, and her eyes flickered, turning from blue to brown. Then both of the woman, somehow together, blew him a kiss...
And vanished into a cloud of icy fog.
Author's Note: PHEW! I didn't think I'd have this finished by Tuesday, but I did it! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
Sorry for any typos- just wanted to get this on paper! Or... pages. Whatever. :P