Len and Barry may be getting closer, but Barry doubts his intentions and worries he's falling too quickly for a dynamic that could still prove fake, only for their new team to hit their next obstacle amid a few small wins and enter the fight against Alexa head-on - Team Flash, Rogues, and Legends together.
Phew, back on track with a weekly update, and feeling awesome about how this one turned out.
Let me know if you're still with me! I know I've completely fallen off with commenting back on reviews, but know that those of you taking the time to comment really make a difference for me. :-)
Len read the strain in Barry's shoulders the moment he exited the bathroom—like he had reason to be relaxed but hadn't yet given in to it. Like maybe he had been relaxing before Len opened his mouth and tried to talk to Barry through the bathroom door when he obviously wanted space.
But then Len shook off the skewed goggles he wore when it came to Barry and picked up on the embarrassment tinging the ease and equal tension hanging on the kid, and suddenly it became very clear to Len what Barry had been doing with his private time.
Part of Len wanted to laugh, to ask Barry why he hadn't asked for company or assistance, but he knew better than to let his mouth run away from him again. He didn't want to push Barry or make him more uncomfortable, so he kept his mouth shut, smiled appeasingly—not like he knew Barry's secret or was intrigued and a little turned on by the thought of him touching himself in Len's bathroom—and kept an appropriate distance until it was time for bed.
There was so much to talk about. The air was charged as though Barry were sparking. But Len saw the fragile balance the kid was clinging to between what he wanted and what he was willing to accept and he didn't want to ruin the progress he'd made. Everything felt clearer the more Barry gave into him.
"You still don't believe me, do you?" he said when they were lying next to each other in the dark.
"Len…" Barry said like a sigh at dredging up the elephant in the room, wedged precariously between them.
"It's okay." Len turned his head, taking in the perfect profile of Barry lying in his bed beside him. "You want to be sure. You're a good man, Barry, and you don't want to take advantage of someone with their head on crooked. I get it. Don't beat yourself up though if you're a little…tempted," he said like a purred whisper. "I am so very tempted every time I look at you, but you, Barry Allen, are worth waiting for."
At last, green eyes turned to look at him instead of at the ceiling, and even in the near pitch darkness of the room, Len would swear he saw those pale cheeks darken. "Why do you have to say things like that?"
Len grinned. "I'd turn the charm off, kid, but I'm afraid it's a permanent fixture."
Barry laughed. If all Len ever had was moments like this, quiet intimacy and shared joy, he could live with that, without ever kissing Barry again or feeling his skin. But now he knew with certainty how much Barry yearned to connect too.
"Goodnight, Barry."
"Goodnight, Len."
It was clockwork. Now all Len needed was to figure out how to make time stand still so this never had to end. Maybe time traveling himself and hanging around someone who could do the same without the fancy ship would show him how some day.
Len wasn't used to waking up to someone futzing about in his kitchen, but he slept so much more soundly ever since Barry started sharing his bed. Maybe it was Bivolo's doing, he didn't care, he just enjoyed the extra forty winks and the smell of coffee already brewing to wake him—that maybe smelled a little burnt if he was being honest.
"Barry…" he said in the voice Lisa had dubbed his chiding older brother tone when he exited into the main room to a much more burnt coffee smell than what had filtered into the bedroom.
Barry was zipping about the kitchen, nose wrinkled in distaste for that awful smell as he glared into the coffee cup he'd been filling. His flustered panic was far too endearing for Len to be upset with him. "I was trying to add espresso. It might still be okay." He sniffed the contents with skepticism but passed it along the kitchen island when Len approached.
Kid had been trying to create a poor man's Flash like what they served at Jitters, which was adorable in its own right, but burnt espresso added to coffee, no matter how much steamed milk or sugar you added, still tasted burnt.
Len tried a sip anyway before shooing Barry away from his coffee machine. "First pancakes and now my morning caffeine fix? How do you take care of yourself, Scarlet? Didn't West teach you the basics?"
"He did. I can make things. I'm not usually this…" He trailed when Len raised an eyebrow his direction. "Okay, so maybe I have some klutzy tendencies, but usually I'm more like 70/30 with screw-ups in the kitchen. I used to be worse. As The Flash—"
"You just screw up faster?"
Barry pouted. Len would have taken a picture if his phone had been anywhere nearby.
"Calm yourself, kid. No harm done. I know how to make exactly what you were going for. So pay attention and maybe I'll let you press my buttons again sometime." Len winked as he dumped the mug and rinsed it in the sink, before starting a fresh batch of single serving Flashes with his admittedly high-end coffee maker that could do espresso, lattes, the works—he took his coffee very seriously.
While not immune to Len's charms, Barry was getting a little more used to the way he casually flirted with him, and he only turned a mild shade of red with a bashful smile. His face when he tasted Len's version of the popular Central City drink, however, was instant bliss like that first night when he tasted Len's cooking.
"I'll man the kitchen from now on," Len said. "You be on standby for manual labor. Got it?"
"I really can make coffee and pancakes," Barry insisted, cradling his mug like it was something to be treasured. "And goulash! My mom had this recipe I spent years figuring out how to replicate. I can make it perfectly now. Even Joe melts over it, and he's a really picky eater when it comes to comfort food. All I need is one chance and I can prove to you I'm not a disaster in the kitchen."
Leaning back against the island counter once he had his own Flash in hand, Len smirked. "Offering to make me dinner now? Shall I supply the wine and candlelight? Soft music. A movie for us to watch curled up on the sofa…" He trailed a little too seriously at the thought, because it wasn't only a tease that he wanted to see that scenario play out.
To his surprise, Barry gave a wistful chuckle. "Make it Sam Cook and Predator and you'd have the perfect date night."
A date. Would the world implode if The Flash and Captain Cold went on a date? "You know, when I said I wanted to get a drink as friends when this was over that didn't mean we couldn't have a few nights like that first. Though I'd be just as amenable to Smokey Robinson and The Thing."
Barry laughed more jovially, open and glowing despite the lingering flush to his cheeks. "That actually sounds amazing."
This kid had no idea what he did to Len or how suited they were for each other regardless of the complications that made it seem impossible. Len felt warm down to his toes, and it wasn't only because of the coffee and rush of caffeine. "I suppose I have West to thank for your good taste in music and movies?"
"And my parents," Barry said, causing his smile to flicker. "They would have been good friends with Joe. For a minute there, Dad almost was."
Maybe Len would have been too, if life had turned out differently and he'd ended up as that detective Barry sometimes envisioned him as. But that reminded Len of the difference in their ages and he didn't want to dwell, especially if Barry hadn't brought it up so far. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry, Barry," in a quiet, sincere voice.
Barry held his mug closer to his chest as if to soak up the heat. "Sometimes I…forget? Spent so many years without him around, I can go a whole day and not remember that if it hadn't been for Zoom, he'd be here now, moving back to Central ready to start the next chapter in his life. Instead I'm starting the next chapter of mine without him."
Someone so young shouldn't have so many demons haunting him, dwelling deep in the darker green of his eyes. At least Len and Mick—and too many others like them—had earned their demons.
"Never doubt you had something special, kid," Len said, taking a moment to consider how rare this was that he was having a barefoot conversation in the wee hours of the morning in his kitchen with someone who knew all his baggage, and he knew all of Barry's now too. "The way you talk about him, I know how proud he'd be of the way you've kept yourself together. A lesser man would have gone a more destructive path after what you've been through." He raised his mug with a twist of a smile and took a drink.
"I almost did," Barry said, soft and somber. "I have a few times. But a better man comes back from that even if he stumbles. Right?" He pulled on a stronger smile for Len—for Len.
Because Barry believed in him, and the connection growing between them meant more than Bivolo's influence or Alexa's schemes. "Let's go be better men then and take care of those fools thinking they can threaten our city." Len held his mug toward Barry and the kid clinked against him before taking another sip himself.
It didn't escape Len's notice that the more Barry drank his coffee, the more he seemed lost in his thoughts and less able to keep that smile. It wasn't only Len he doubted, but himself.
They each took their time in the bathroom but when they were ready to head out, Len paused at the door. "We should keep those goggles Cisco made on our person at all times, just in case."
"I got mine," Barry patted one of the pockets of his jacket. "Where'd you put yours?"
"Top drawer in the bedroom."
"I got it." Barry zipped away with a fizzle of yellow lightning and that rush of air and ozone Len loved.
He expected the kid to be back in seconds, but instead, he heard a yelp.
"Barry?"
Len hurried across the living room to check on him, reaching the bedroom just in time to hear a clatter and the slam of a drawer as he discovered Barry leaning against the nightstand, completely red from neck to hairline and looking like he'd seen a very inappropriate ghost.
Tapping the top of the dresser to his left beside the bedroom door, Len said, "I meant this top drawer."
The nightstand, while it no longer contained Len's sidearm, did house a few more delicate items he preferred to keep close at the bedside.
The sound of faint buzzing coming from the drawer behind Barry's back proved he'd found exactly what Len assumed, which made it difficult not to burst out laughing. Len must have betrayed himself in his expression, because Barry sagged forward and ran both hands through his hair at being caught.
"I didn't realize what it was at first because…I'm an idiot and you are totally laughing at me right now," Barry said in utter misery.
Len allowed a chuckle to escape him. "I'm the one who just had his sex toys fondled."
"Stop." Barry erupted into his own laughter, red as ever, like a damn tomato, but he was smiling anyway, adorably and sweet. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine, Barry." Len crossed the room as Barry relinquished his stiff stance in front of the nightstand.
"I half expected to find a gun in there."
Technically, it wasn't a lie that there wasn't one there now. "Disappointed or…intrigued?" Len leaned toward him as he opened the drawer to attend to the buzzing Barry had left behind in his fumbling. The kid glanced at the floor and Len knew he was pushing it. "Apologies, it's not an easy switch for me to turn off. Unlike this one." He flicked off the vibration without pulling out the impressive dildo he had amongst his toys and wondered if part of Barry's flush had to do with the telling piece of equipment being red.
"I couldn't tell," Barry said, meaning Len's complete lack of censorship, but then, he didn't realize how much Len held back.
"Come on, kid," he said, closing the drawer and returning to the dresser to retrieve his goggles, "let's see if that team of ours has made any progress. We can discuss recreational activities later."
Barry was a walking catastrophe. He knew that. He'd always known that. But between his spectacular failure of getting off to Len's voice in the bathroom last night, ruining their morning coffee before Len salvaged it, and becoming so frozen over finding Len's stash of sex toys that he might as well have been hit with the cold gun before he heard Len approaching and threw that red monstrosity back where it came from—it really would be easier if someone put him out of his misery.
Maybe if he asked nicely once they captured Bivolo, the meta would agree to wipe everyone's memories of the embarrassing bits of the past few days, though that might amount to all of it.
Plus, what the hell was Barry doing planning dates with Len anyway? Just because they had a surprising amount in common, worked well together, and had truly electric chemistry…
Shit, he'd lost his point. He needed to stop thinking about this. He just had to keep from making an ass of himself long enough for Len to be fixed. Whatever happened after that…he was open to far more possibilities than he'd been a week ago, and that terrified him as much as he felt a thrill rush through him.
But now wasn't the time for Barry to lose himself in someone. He hadn't earned the happiness he craved when all the suffering everyone in his life was facing right now was because of him—one way or another it was all his fault, even Len.
Cisco was alone when they arrived at the Labs, but Sara had taken the initiative to connect the entire team, so he was already watching comms for the ex-assassin while she did recon at every fancy hotel in Central City. Meanwhile, Mick and Ray were hitting the neighborhoods most likely to lead them to Shawna Baez, and Lisa was meeting Joe for coffee at Jitters—which was definitely an episode of The Twilight Zone.
"You don't think she has a crush on him, do you?" Cisco flicked the comms off for a moment, but then looked cornered when he turned and remembered that Barry and Len were a package deal right now.
"Please never say that again," Len said.
"Ever," Barry agreed. He seriously hoped Iris wasn't getting her morning coffee any time soon.
Iris… He had to push thoughts of her from his mind. When things settled down, then he'd figure out how to make this up to her.
Joe and Lisa's powwow led them to several neighborhoods they could scour for Bivolo's whereabouts, and Joe also shared a few tidbits from Julian, though Caitlin was the one at the precinct currently, meeting with the new meta human expert to get his thoughts on Logue and Bivolo's DNA sample. Finally, Barry would have someone to commiserate with about the man's completely unnecessary existence in his lab.
"I don't know why you dislike him, Barry," Caitlin said when she returned. "Julian seems perfectly fine to me."
"For real? You like him too?" The universe was so out to get him.
"Never said I liked him, Scarlet," Len defended when Barry indicated he was the beginning of that 'too', "Just don't see why you're so huffy about his presence other than having to share your toys."
Barry flushed at the mention of toys, regardless of the context.
"But he's fine?" Cisco ignored them, focusing on Caitlin as he waggled an eyebrow. "How fine exactly?"
She shot him her 'not amused, Cisco' expression that had been perfected over years. "As in very knowledgeable, honestly concerned about the meta human problem in Central City, and…well, maybe a little lacking in the tact department, but I don't think the people in this room would win any awards."
"Hey," Barry spread his arms like he'd been physically wounded by that comment.
"Excuse me, sister, we have all the tact," Cisco said, before sucking a lollipop into his mouth that maybe soured his argument somewhat.
Len snorted while Caitlin rolled her eyes.
"His research into Bivolo's recent DNA sample," she said, "combined with everything we learned during our last encounter with him, and what we know of Logue so far, has led to some very important discoveries that might solve Len's problem."
That shut everybody up, Barry perking instantly while Len looked...disappointed? But Barry couldn't focus on that now.
"Julian agrees with me that regular sessions to weaken Bivolo's hold and strengthen suggestibility could work…over a number of weeks," she said a little more hurriedly, making all of them groan at what they already knew, "But! If everyone Bivolo has done this to has specific triggers, it stands to reason they also have specific directives."
"Meaning…?" Barry asked.
"Meaning they've likely each been implanted with a goal, and once that goal is achieved, they'll wake up."
"Wait, so…" Barry blinked in his excitement mixed with trepidation that an end was closer at hand than he'd thought, "if we can figure out what Len's directive is and accomplish it, he'll snap out of this? How?" He moved closer to Caitlin. "How do we figure it out? Do you know Logue's?"
"Not yet," Caitlin admitted, which brought the momentum to a halt once more, "but let's see what we can figure out today. The more we learn of Mistress Mastermind's plan, the closer we get to figuring out what she's planning with Len's hypnosis."
As reluctant as Len was to allow Caitlin to continue jolting his brain and niggling him for details like an interrogator, he conceded, and the day started over again, like each day before it since Len had been whammed, but at least with new direction for once.
Barry felt caged as well while Len was at the mercy of Caitlin's experiments, because he couldn't risk dashing out to check with Sara or Ray in person, he had to sit back with Cisco and hear updates over the comms.
"Now you know what us normal humans feel like," Cisco said.
"Cisco, you're a meta too, remember?" Barry leaned over the desk beside him. "And eventually your ability to teleport will way beat out how fast I can run somewhere."
"I don't know about that…" Cisco looked away, hiding himself in watching and listening in on what the others were up to, still concerned at the edge of his potential power that it could turn him into something he wasn't.
Barry knew better. Evil was a choice, not something brought on by powers. The real Jay proved that, Barry proved it too—or at least he tried—over Thawne and Zolomon and what they'd wanted to make of him.
"We could always practice," Barry sat on the desk to distract Cisco from burying himself in work. "It's not like either of us is going anywhere. Practicing your abilities regularly is the only way you'll master them, you know," he said with an air of authority that channeled Cisco himself—maybe even Wells.
Cisco glared at him. "That desperate to put me through the ringer like we did with you, huh?"
A grin stretched across Barry's face. "My intentions are only mildly based in vengeance."
The bitch-face that sprang to full force caused Barry to laugh. He meant the initial sentiment though; he didn't worry for one moment that Cisco would become Reverb, but the only way for Cisco to prove that was to embrace his powers and use them. Barry didn't care if he was being a hypocrite by having so many doubts in himself.
"Maybe later," Cisco said, which was at least better than flat-out refusal, "but dude, did you see what White Canary is wearing?" he turned the attention away from him. Barry would have protested, but Cisco pulled up security footage from one of the hotels, showing Sara Lance sitting in the lobby decked out like a socialite, and his jaw dropped. "She does high class like Grade-A femme fatale."
She really did. She wore a cocktail dress in her signature color, sleeveless with cutouts along the sides to show off her toned waistline, a sparkling choker high on her neck, with her golden hair curled all around her shoulders, dangerous heels, and smoky, elegant makeup. The way she crossed her legs and watched the crowd to scrutinize everyone who passed fit the persona of a spoiler rich kid just as well as a trained spy.
Barry shrugged away a renewed spike of jealousy, reminding himself that he was being ridiculous no matter how things turned out in the end. "Switching Canary allegiances?" he kept the topic on Cisco.
"Black Canary will always have a special place in my heart," Cisco brought two fingers to his lips like a kiss to Laurel's memory, "but I got plenty of love for other badass super women. We definitely need more ladies on the team."
"Lisa Snart is working with Joe right now," Barry reminded him, tearing his eyes from Sara's image on the screen. "I think we're adding to the ranks just fine."
The twitch of a real and smitten smile proved Cisco agreed with that more than his observations of White Canary.
For a short moment Barry imagined that date with Len playing out, no Bivolo involved, just them, with Cisco and Lisa along too, even Ray and Mick, if something beyond strange friends was possible for them, and he bit back a laugh at the joke he'd made to Lisa—converting the Rogues by dating them, by loving them. Love was a powerful thing. It even twisted someone into something they weren't occasionally.
That pleasant dream came back down to earth with a thunderous crash. What was Barry thinking? Talking date nights were bad enough, but he was letting himself get sucked into this. What happened if they were wrong, if Len and everybody else were wrong, and Snart wanted nothing to do with him when he snapped out of his stupor? It would hurt that much more if Barry set himself up for something deeper that didn't exist. It would be Iris all over again. And his feelings weren't even the issue. What about Snart? How awful would it be for him remembering all the soft, sweet, intimate moments if his feelings for Barry didn't go beyond respect and appreciation for how he looked in his suit?
Len would still be a good guy if he only desired Barry physically. Barry was just assuming otherwise because the evidence seemed to point that way and the idea was so…nice. How different this would all be if he knew Len meant it.
Shaking his head to clear away the growing cobwebs, Barry reminded himself that there was work to be done. He could worry about his disaster of a love life later.
Eventually, they ordered in lunch, more progress was made with Len though not enough to save him from Bivolo's thrall, and good intel came in from all sides of their team—but there was no sign of Alexa or Bivolo. Mick and Ray weren't able to track down Shawna Baez either but they knew a few new streets she'd been seen around lately, and Lisa and Joe found a safe house that was lived in not too long ago, even though Bivolo wasn't currently residing there.
Another day rolled into evening and before Barry knew it he was hungry again, antsy and agitated to be out of the Labs, even if Len had to be his shadow. Maybe they could go out for dinner—not a date, just another gathering of their forces to touch base beyond recaps over comms. Barry was about ready to suggest as much when Caitlin released Len from her care and pulled Barry aside into the med room.
"Everything okay? Is Len okay?" Barry fell to concern when he saw the seriousness in her eyes.
"Len's fine, Barry. It's nothing like that, I just…I feel it's important to tell you this." She paused, glanced over Barry's shoulder as if seeking out Len in the other room, and finally said, "I showed Julian Len's brain scan."
"You what?" Barry exclaimed before thinking better of raising his voice. He fell to a hush. "Won't he ask questions about who the other victim is?"
"I talked with Joe first before he left the precinct to meet Lisa. We played it off that the scan is from a known criminal looking to make a deal for helping us bring Bivolo in, so his identity has to be kept anonymous."
"And Julian went for that?"
"He did," Caitlin shrugged, forcing Barry to envision narrowed blue eyes and that sharp accent plying Caitlin with questions before he caved. "The reason some of Logue's programming didn't take the way it was supposed to is because Bivolo must have tried to get him to do something against his nature. Maybe to…hurt someone else or hurt himself, something that contradicts too much with his mind's desires. Len's scan," she held Barry's gaze steadily, "doesn't show that same conflict. His programming is based on something more in line with his true feelings."
The wall at Barry's back hit his shoulder blades as he instinctively tried to get away from what she was saying. "Don't tell me this."
"It doesn't mean he's in love with you, Barry," she reached out to grip his arm, "but Len wasn't wrong that first night when he said he likely has some feelings for you."
"I know that," Barry choked out, thinking of Charles at Saints and Sinners, and Lisa, and Mick, "but maybe he just wants to get me into bed and have his way with the Scarlet Speedster, and once he's back to normal and doesn't think he has to be my perfect idea of a partner anymore, he'll remember he doesn't play well with others and go back to stealing and blowing up buildings for the fun of it instead of wasting his time with someone who doesn't fit his lifestyle."
The words rushed out of Barry so swiftly, Caitlin reeled back. "You really think that's true?"
No. And he felt awful for assuming so when Len—when Snart long before all this—had done so much to prove he wanted to be more than a thief. "I don't know anymore. Everything's pointing at him actually liking me, but it just feels so cheap right now. Sometimes he's 100% the Snart we know, and I still enjoy his company. I really enjoy his company." He let his gaze go distant and his cheeks fill with heat, not trying to hide what he meant, but Caitlin's supportive stance didn't waiver. "Other times I don't know if he'd say or do or share with me the things he has if it wasn't for Bivolo, and that spoils everything. I feel sick about it. Like I'm using him."
A smile crinkled the edges of Caitlin's eyes, "That's because you're a good man, Barry. People shouldn't be used or twisted to fit how someone else wants them to be," but the smile quickly transformed into something sad, like Barry remembered from when he first met her.
"Hey," he moved closer into her body and held her arms like she'd steadied his—like she always steadied him, "I don't know how good of a man I am, because with everything that happened with my dad, and now all this, I haven't once asked how you're doing."
"Oh." Surprise and uncertainty filled her wide, brown eyes, before her brow furrowed and she shook her head. "You're the one Zoom hurt the most."
"I don't know about that." Barry hurt. Oh how he hurt. But Zoom had targeted Caitlin in his own terrible way that was just as unforgivable.
Words seemed to catch in her throat so Barry switched to contact instead. Even without Len's need for touch and comfort the past few days, he would have been quick with a hug for his friend. He pulled her in tight and heard her breath hitch as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "I know he got into your head too. And more than your head."
A sharp breath puffed against his neck. "It took so long for me to imagine opening up to anyone after…Ronnie," she spoke into his shoulder. "When I thought he died the first time, I never planned on being available for anyone ever again. Then I got him back. Then because of you and Cisco and this family, I felt like I could be me again. Even when I lost Ronnie a second time, it felt easier because of you. I know running away like I did didn't make that very obvious," she chuckled shakily and he laughed with her, squeezing her tighter, "but once I came home, there was no doubt in my mind that this was home."
Barry felt familiar hatred boil up in him for Hunter Zolomon. "And he twisted that."
"The worst part is," Caitlin sniffled, "I don't think he meant to. I think some part of him honestly believed he was doing right by me trying to tap into my 'true self'."
"He wanted Killer Frost?"
"I don't think so. He could have had her. Sure, she'd had her own Ronnie and blamed Zoom for killing him, but he could have done to her what he did to me. He wanted this me but a version who could be enough like her that I wouldn't care if he destroyed everything around us." Finally, she lifted her head and looked at Barry with damp but surprisingly clear eyes. "He wasn't wrong either that there are times when part of me wouldn't mind watching the world burn. Or freeze, I guess," she smiled—sad again, so sad.
"Me too," Barry said, and with his powers, he could do so much damage. Zoom and Reverse Flash had shown him that, and the last thing he wanted was to echo them, even if in some ways he already had.
You'll never be happy, Barry.
At last, he and Caitlin parted, but Barry hoped the added height in her posture had something to do with him remembering to be a friend instead of just a patient and coworker.
"I wish he had been the man I started to care for instead of…" she closed her eyes with a cringe. "Instead of something else. But he wasn't. More than anything, I hate that it makes it so hard to want to trust anybody else, but I don't want to close myself off again. We have this family and there are good people out there."
They shared a small smile. "You know, this may sound silly right now," Barry said, "but the reason I didn't trust Jay initially was because of Wells, right? I gave in and trusted him anyway, and being proven wrong again…it would be so easy to never want to trust someone like that, to never give anyone the benefit of the doubt. But then there's Len," he nodded toward the Cortex. "And for every part of me that worries this won't be the same when he's back to normal, I know the good he's done, I know the changes he's made, how much he's tried to be the person his father buried. If he can be the exception, then other people can be too." Maybe even Barry. "I guess what I mean is…no matter how much I hurt, and sometimes I hurt a lot, I never want to give up on people. I'd rather make another mistake than never try again or refuse to give someone a second chance."
"That's what I want too," Caitlin said. "To prove Hunter was wrong about me and be better and happier someday than I ever felt with Jay Garrick."
Barry had to laugh as he said, "No better revenge than living well, right?"
Another smile, one only people who had lived and breathed trauma could truly share and keep on smiling.
"Also, just to be sure we're on the same page…" Caitlin leaned in with a secretiveness to her whisper, "you're sure the second chance you're trying for now is the one you want?"
"Huh?" For a moment, Barry didn't understand, but then he realized she meant Len and his cheeks flushed, the absolute worst side effect of the Speed Force—it had to be a side effect. "I…I don't know."
"Not Iris?"
There went all the good feelings Barry had been building back up. "Caitlin…I screwed up with Iris. Like really screwed up."
He hadn't told anyone about Sunday morning in Jitters. Only Len knew since he had overheard, but now the story poured out of him about all the things he'd told Iris and how they'd parted tense and angry. Part of Barry wished he could take it all back.
"But I wasn't lying. That's how I feel. She deserves better. We both deserve better."
"Barry," Caitlin said with gauging in her expression but confidence, unlike the sorrow that had lingered there until now, "I didn't want to say anything before, but not too long ago when Iris admitted to me she was thinking of trying to make things work with you, it didn't sound like she'd realized she was in love with you, but that she felt like it was an inevitability she shouldn't fight."
There was something truly comforting and yet also sickening deep in your gut realizing you'd been right about something awful all along.
"When you love someone, Barry, really love them, you don't have any doubts that they're the one."
He knew Caitlin spoke from experience having loved and lost in such terrible ways. Barry had been so certain about Iris for so long, but he'd never had her. Now he felt conflicted finally being handed that chance. He was just as plagued with doubts about Len, but those doubts weren't either of their faults. Barry didn't love Len anyway, he just…wondered. He wondered how he'd feel if after all of this was over, Len turned to him and said those same words again—I love you, Barry—and meant them.
"Barry!"
Cisco's cry pierced through Barry's thoughts, and as he whipped his head to the door, he realized he and Caitlin were hidden, out of view, and they'd been talking for minutes and—
Zipping to Len's side, Barry found the man furiously typing on his cell phone, not clutching at his chest in any pain like Barry had expected, yet proximity had to play a role because as soon as Len glanced up at his arrival, his fingers stopped moving.
"All of a sudden he told me to shut up," Cisco explained from beside them, "took out his cell, and started muttering about mob families and Alexa's grand plan."
Barry focused on the brilliant blue of Len's eyes that seemed lost in looking at him. "Len. What did you write?"
Blinking through the control of the hypnosis, Len gazed back down at his phone, and even though he'd likely forgotten everything he'd just jotted down, he could still read it. He paused for some time staring at the words and then smiled with that edge of a smirk at finally having one over on somebody else. "I remember. I know exactly what Alexa is planning and no tricks can knock it outta my head again."
Caitlin's heels clicked on the Cortex floor as she joined them from the med room, and with all of them gathered, Len finally explained the missing pieces they'd been waiting to hear.
"She needs you mopping up her mess but not in full form," he said to Barry. "When heads start to roll, she knows you'll take care of most of her competition for her. I'm only a bonus. I keep you distracted just enough to prevent you from stopping the real plan, and if I die, good riddance. But now we know her plot and she is not getting away with it."
"She wants to start a mob war and take over the city after everyone's dead or weakened," Barry repeated the crux of the matter, the remaining dominos having fallen into place because of Len's notes.
"Not to distract away from this good news or anything," Cisco said, flicking a finger from Barry to Len, "but we also know something that should have been obvious. Barry being away from you hurts you, but it's having him out of eyesight that triggered you to remember things."
"You're right," Len nodded, as if hearing that made him remember too, and he focused back on Barry. "And I could never tell you, coz as soon as you'd walk in, I'd forget, and most of the time I was too distracted to realize."
"Then if we refocus our efforts," Caitlin said with fresh excitement, "we can learn everything you know, maybe even your directive and how to beat the hypnosis completely."
"Whoa, wait a minute," Barry balked. "By putting Len at risk keeping us apart? I don't know if I like that idea."
Len didn't look thrilled with the suggestion either, but when Caitlin insisted, "We have to try," the thief gave a conceding nod.
Barry really hated how wrong the right answer felt sometimes. "Okay, then let's—"
Alarms erupted throughout the Cortex, snapping Cisco to attention as he flew back to his monitors and checked the various feeds. "Dude," he looked over his shoulder, "reports of some serious gunfire at the East docks. CCPD's been called in but they're being told to hang back."
"It's Alexa," Len turned to Barry. "The Dunkirks own those docks. They're the most likely to make a fuss, so the other families would be expecting they're behind all this, but if they're being attacked now…"
"Chaos," Barry agreed, then rushed forward with Len at his side to address Cisco. "Where are the others?"
"Hey, guys," Cisco spoke into his microphone, "what's you're twenty?"
"Hungry," Mick grumbled.
"We're headed to STAR Labs now, Cisco," Ray elaborated, "what's up?"
"Still at the Ritz but I can be on the road in thirty seconds," Sara said.
"West just headed for the precinct," Lisa added, "I'm downtown."
Barry nudged Cisco aside to take the mic. "Does everyone have their gear?"
A slew of affirmatives replied.
"Good. Then head to the East docks. Cisco can give the details, just know that there's gunfire between Alexa's men and the Irish with CCPD en route. Ray, if you can fly others there faster, do it, otherwise I can grab some of you on my way."
Len leaned over Barry's shoulder to add, "We need to create a perimeter and prevent as many people as possible from getting killed. Alexa needs bloodshed for her plan to work. Let's keep her from the satisfaction."
"You got it, boss," Mick said with a pleased growl, like he couldn't wait to face this old ghost and set her ablaze, even if it was doubtful Alexa would be on site.
Barry turned from the mic to let Cisco take over and was about to flash into his suit when Caitlin grabbed his arm.
"Barry, knowing this is literally Alexa's plan to keep you distracted so we can't catch her, that this chaos is exactly what she wants, you still want to go down there? Maybe the others—"
"I can't ask Ray and Sara and the Rogues to fight my battles for me."
"My battle too," Len shot him a judging look.
"I get that, but if Bivolo shows up, we're the only ones with protection against his powers," Barry gestured between them to remind Len of their goggles. "It's possible she'd send him out again if she worries we're getting close to figuring out her plans, right?"
Len paused to consider that before curling his fingers into flourishing fists. "Throwing a meta at us again now makes sense. How much we've figured out by this point would be too difficult for her to predict. She'll need to shake things up."
"So we're going," Barry turned back to Caitlin. "Once we put an end to the firefight, maybe we can talk to the other mob families and get them to see reason before Alexa pushes this any further."
"Easier said than done, Scarlet," Len huffed.
"I know. But right now we have to move."
More prepared this time, Len's gear was already at the Labs, and in minutes they were both dressed, new goggles in place, ready to head for the docks. Cisco handed Len his own set of comms before they left to match the others he'd created for the new team.
Running himself and Len to a safe location passed the line of CCPD that had already arrived but near the gunfire where Mick and Ray were waiting, Barry took off again to grab Lisa and Sara and bring them the rest of the way from where they'd been moving on foot.
Lisa hobbled somewhat when Barry set her down. "My, my, Red, that's more fun than I thought it'd be. No wonder Lenny enjoys you giving him a ride."
For once, Barry had protection to hide how much he flushed, since the skin beneath probably matched his cowl for a moment.
"Focus, Lise," Len peered around the large crate they were hidden behind—three Rogues, two Legends, and The Flash. Almost sounded like a bad joke about walking into a bar. "I count at least six men on the Dunkirk side near a freighter at the end of the docks, and another six dressed in that common black Alexa's so fond of. No bodies on the ground—yet."
"I see a sniper in black on the bridge," Sara added, looking from the other side of the crate. "Must be Alexa's side or he'd be firing."
"Probably waiting for us, right?" Ray said, bouncing on his boot-clad feet. "Or you," he nodded at Len and Barry.
"Stow the pep talk, Ray," Mick barked, holding his heat gun close like he was itching to let loose with it. "Ya suck at it."
Barry spread his arms for their attention. "A plan? Please? Without anyone dying," he added for Mick's benefit, who immediately rolled his eyes.
There was a brief pause before Sara and Len turned from their points of lookout at the same time and said, "Here's what we'll—" only to cut off when they realized each of them was trying to play boss.
"By all means," Len nodded at her.
"I don't know, Leonard. Isn't this your city? Why don't you go ahead?"
Len grinned, which Barry shouldn't be focusing on right now or getting a sour feeling in his stomach over.
"Here's what we'll do," Len finished what he'd started, then pointed at each of them in turn. "Lise, you distract, hit a few barrels out there close to the gunmen to get them nervous. Mick, follow their coattails with some flames when they duck and cover from the new players joining the party. Barry, hang back, wait til they scatter, then you can hit some of the stragglers when they tuck and run, while Sara and I go in low around the sides to flank. And Ray, you head up," he pointed skyward, "take out the sniper, then get a look around and let us know if you see any sign of Bivolo or one of the masked men hanging back like he's up to something."
"You got us here too," Cisco said over the comms.
"You keep the CCPD from getting trigger-happy," Len said. "Now go."
One by one, the others followed Len's lead—Lisa and Mick used to working in tandem and good at knowing where to find small places to hide when gunfire turned toward them, and Ray hitting the skies to play reconnaissance.
Barry felt a rush of adrenaline flow through him, the same thrill he always felt when he was on the streets, protecting his city, but with a whole team supporting him like this it felt…different. He bounced like Ray had, sparks kicking up from his heels.
"Don't you get annoyed with Leonard ordering you around like that?" Sara said while they waited for their time to move.
"Nah," Len answered for Barry, smirking with a glowing blue tint to his features from holding the cold gun up and at the ready, "I think he likes it."
Barry was not dignifying that with a response.
"Bad guys. Danger," Cisco droned like he was seriously done with overhearing this sort of thing, "Other people listening."
"We should make you pay for the free show sometime, Ramon," Len snarked back, peeking once more around the crate before he whipped his head to Barry. "Now, Scarlet—Dunkirk goons on the far left, two with their guns down and at your mercy. Go!"
Barry took off without pause, trusting Len's assessment, and was able to disarm both men without their fellows even noticing. Finding another crate to hide behind as he dropped the guns at his feet, he looked back toward where he'd come from and saw Len and Sara dive into action. Barry knew firsthand how effectively the Rogues worked together, but he'd never seen the Legends.
They spun and moved and dove over obstacles ever aware of each other's position and how to handle their opponents without putting each other in the line of fire. When they caught up to where Mick was blasting the heels of one of Alexa's men, he spun to be back to back with Len like it was old hat, and Lisa fell right in line to keep up with Sara.
It dawned on Barry that White Canary as a Rogue would have been a serious problem if things had gone differently.
"Uhh, guys? I'm seeing something a little weird from up here," Ray said.
"Don't fire, Raymond," Len spat back as if talking to a disobedient child. "These aren't Savage's grunts with future tech, they're mafia."
"I know, I know. I don't mean them. Something's moving really erratic and…fast."
"Like The Flash?" Sara stated the obvious.
"Not Barry, I see Barry, just…movement. Maybe your friend, Mick," he said with realization, "who they said had been around Bleaker?"
"You mean Bivolo?" Lisa spoke up.
"No, he means Peek-A-Boo," Mick said. "Last known street for her was Bleaker."
"Shit," Lisa cursed.
"What is it?" Len asked as if his sixth sense was tingling.
"That safe house of Bivolo's West and I found was on Bleaker. Damn it, Mick, why didn't you say which street you ended on?"
"I planned on it when we got the call to come here!"
"Stop," Barry spoke over the building argument, straining his eyes around the sparse area from his hiding spot to get a lay of the land. All he could see now was Sara and Len and the occasional goon trying to outdo them. "Hang on, guys. Ray, you see Peek-A-Boo? Where?"
"Well…uhhh…"
"Here," Len's voice answered before Ray could, just as Barry caught sight of the brief flicker of another person before she and Len vanished.
Barry's speed was exhilarating. Suddenly finding himself in an entirely different location without the buzz of lightning, however, made Len feel like he was about to lose his dinner.
It was as if his lungs took a moment to realize he was breathing different air. He gasped—and found himself looking ahead at Shawna Baez, whose eyes glimmered with a tell-tale flicker of red before she punched him across the face—definitely Rage instead of Love this time.
"You free us from The Flash and now you're working with him?" she cried, having caught Len off guard enough that his head spun. "I hope you have fun, Cold, coz your time is already ticking down."
She vanished again—pop, gone—and Len got a look at where she'd taken him. It was residential. Street lamps and rows and rows of houses Len didn't know, but most importantly—nowhere near the East docks.
"Len!" Barry called over the comms. "Where are you?!"
Len scanned his surrounding as best he could. Cross streets but no signs, just little turns like the people around here should just know where they were, and countless cul-de-sacs in view through the space between houses. Len knew his city, but the parts that were more suburbia weren't his specialty.
"I don't know," he said, picking a direction and kicking into a sprint. "As soon as I have a landmark, I'll give you one. Just focus on the docks and keep an eye out for Peek-A-Boo. She's under Bivolo's control and she is not feeling friendly."
"Shit…shit," came Barry's harried reply.
No matter where Len was in the city, Barry could reach him fairly quickly, but that still meant time. Ten minutes to get his bearings enough to point the speedster in the right direction would be pushing it.
Chatter over the comms kept Len focused.
"Lenny, how bad is this?" Lisa asked through panting breaths.
"Head in the game, sis. I'll be fine."
"Hey, Glider," Sara called, and Len thanked his usually unlucky stars that she'd ever sauntered into his life, "how good's your control with that gun?"
"Flawless, honey."
"Then gold a few of the machine guns up to their wrists. We can worry about saving their hands later."
Cold but merciful. She really was a peach.
Occasionally blasts from Raymond no doubt hitting non-living targets with his photon gun got mixed in with Mick's flames, as Len passed house after house, all picture perfect upper middle-class. He just needed one landmark, one street sign, something, but he had a good idea that Alexa had picked this spot to make sure it was just the right amount of time away from any of those things.
It wasn't so late that there was no one on the streets either, so Len offered the few frightened civilians he passed a casual wave and twist of his lips. That outta make the papers tomorrow—Captain Cold making house calls with the Joneses. Beautiful.
A grunt from Mick distracted Len, and he heard the faint voice of Shawna not quite carrying over the comms.
"Mick, don't fry her. Try to get her to tire herself out," he said, rather than admit that grunt concerned him, "and watch your six, damn it."
"I got him!" Raymond called.
"Maybe if we can figure out her directive, we can wake her up!" Barry said.
Len didn't want to mention that her directive was probably to make sure Len ended up dead while everyone else was far away.
"Good luck with that!" Lisa shouted, then softened her voice over the comms. "Lenny, Dunkirk's men are running, but Alexa's boys are backing up Boo like they had this whole thing choreographed. They're snagging a shipment of guns. Where are you?"
Every direction Len looked seemed the same, a maze of cookie-cutter living. He was at a four-way stop with still no indication of any street names. Was there some sort of association conspiracy that street signs sullied the look of their perfectly rounded flower patterns at each corner?
"It's just houses. Not even townhomes or apartment names, just…" Len huffed and took in a slower breath. He picked a new direction and kept at a quick pace. "Gimme two minutes, I'll find something."
"It's already been…" Barry trailed, returning with a ring of panic in his voice, "Cisco, how long has it been?"
"Relax, dude, it's only been five minutes."
As if on cue, absurd as it seemed, Len felt a twinge of pain squeeze his heart like a clawed grip, the way he felt more at nine minutes, not five. Maybe he was imagining things.
There! He could see a sign in the distance, just a few blocks down. He could make it.
Another twinge, tight and sharp and… "Barry," Len gasped before he'd meant to, but his mind swam with the need to see the kid.
"Len?! Are you okay?!"
"Goons are gettin' away, Ray!"
"I'm a little more occupied with the popcorn girl over here," Ray said.
"It's Peek-A-Boo," Lisa said testily, as if she really cared right now about the integrity of their names when her voice betrayed how worried she was.
"Len!" Barry called again.
"I…" but he couldn't keep moving, the pain was already intensifying, and it caused his feet to stutter and trip over themselves until he nearly stumbled. "Something's wrong," he said, hating that he had to admit it, but he needed Barry—he needed Barry.
"What is it?!" Barry cried more shrilly.
"It hurts. I…can't…"
"It hasn't been ten minutes!"
But Bivolo's control wasn't fair, had too many safeguards, and Len had figured out so much of Alexa's plan. Maybe enough to doom himself.
Len laughed as another spike of pain tore through him. "I think my clock…got shortened, kid," he said as his breath choked in his throat and he dropped dead-weight to his knees.
TBC...