.:12:.

Caitlin looked up as there was a gust of wind that blew a low line of smoke across the floor of the Cortex. "Nothing?" She asked.

Barry shook his head while Cadence pulled off her goggles. "No. There wasn't anything around and it was the same story as all of the others."

"One minute they're minding their own business and the next they're destroying something around them with their powers," Cadence added. She dropped her goggles around her neck and shook her head. "This is getting really messy, the CCPD is starting to get really into these cases and Joe can only push their attention away from it while we work it enough. Captain Singh is starting to get suspicious—"

"—what else is new?" Cisco interrupted.

"Please tell me you're not still mad that Captain Singh still won't give you a police badge," Caitlin said. Cisco pursed his lips but didn't say anything else. "Anyway, we haven't been getting any signs of what's going on here, either." She shook her head. "Even after all of the witnesses who came forward when we got back from Metropolis."

Barry sighed and ran his hands through his hair. It wasn't that he didn't trust his friends to tell them the truth, but that he was, truthfully, completely torn. Becky begged him not to tell anyone she was a meta because of her fear. If he told everyone else at STAR Labs that she was the one behind the sudden onslaught of metahumans that were coming around, she would disappear faster than he could move and she'd be stuck with her powers for the rest of her life, living in constant fear.

But if he told the others, they'd at least be able to think of something that would help her to control her powers and keep them at bay. At the moment, Barry wasn't sure much of what he could do to help her. Whenever something went on, he made sure Becky was out of the area with a quick preliminary sweep—he knew Oliver would smile smugly at him if he saw Barry was practicing what Oliver preached—before going in to stop the newly revealed metahuman.

Then he would feel a massive amount of guilt that nearly debilitated him each time he heard there was something going on. Thankfully, that wasn't every meta issue they had to deal with. Captain Cold and Heatwave were issues from time to time as well as the regular robbery and carjacking. That kept his mind clear. But this was worse as he was stuck between staying loyal to two different friends. One he had known for most of his life but had lost touch with over the years and others he hadn't known nearly as long but had become his family since then.

Not to mention the betrayal of either that was a possibility.

Still, being around Becky sometimes was great. Sometimes he forgot what it was like to have his powers and just show them off to have fun. Since learning about his powers, Becky wanted to see everything he could do, from running fast, to reading fast, to cleaning fast, to phasing, to the generation of electricity he could do from time to time as well as to the healing he could do. And she watched with fascination and a slight sense of fear as Barry continued to show her, most times without thinking about it. That was her powers at play, but it was also a big part of him.

There was nowhere in his life that he could be 100% a metahuman, he couldn't do it at his house because there was any chance that Iris or Eddie could walk in and have his secret revealed. But then at STAR Labs he could never do it for fun as there was always some sort of a test or an experiment that needed to be done if he wasn't running off to take down metahumans. Even when he was racing throughout the city and other nearby areas just to stretch his legs he found it to be a bit boring.

"It appears to me we should focus more on questioning the metahumans rather than the other witnesses," Harrison commented as he rolled into the Cortex. Coming to a stop among the group, he rested his hands on his stomach. "But as we all know metahumans generally tend to be guilty until proven innocent around here."

"Can you blame them?" Cisco asked. "More often than not they're causing problems with their new powers because they think no one can stop them."

"Thanks for generalizing, Cisco," Cadence said. She placed her hands on her hips. "But Harrison's right. It's probably a good idea if we,"—she motioned between herself and Barry—"started talking to them. Maybe they've noticed something no one else has."

"Or maybe we're thinking too literally about this," Caitlin pointed out. "It could be Rainbow Raider."

"As far as I remember, he's in the Pipeline," Barry pointed out.

Caitlin briefly closed her eyes, bringing a finger to her forehead. Clearly they weren't getting what she was trying to hint at. "I meant what if it's someone who has the same capabilities. Or maybe there's someone out there who has super remarkable memory powers or can tell the future or gets visions, something that'll help us out here!"

"That really could've come in handy when we were working on Bloodsport and the Atomic Skull," Cadence remarked.

"Yeah, it looks like there's not much we can do now," Barry agreed. "We'll have to wait for the next time something like this happens and start by asking the metahumans ourselves." He started to pull off his the gloves to his suit.

"Um, I don't mean to sound like a smartass, Barry, but you're part of the CCPD aren't you?" Cisco asked. He drummed his fingers along the metal frame to his computer desk. "Why don't you just go visit them in Iron Heights and flash your badge or something?"

Barry thought for a moment, wondering if there was any sort of good excuse that could be used to get him out of this jam. There was a reason he didn't lie so much, he was terrible at it. Even his parents could immediately figure out when something was going on by even a slight hesitation.

"Captain Singh says that because I work with forensics specifically that we should keep it to the metahuman task force to deal with," Barry finally said. He glanced at Cadence, hoping that there wasn't' anything she heard around the CCPD that would refute his claims. "But Joe will keep us informed if there's anything that comes up."

"Looks like we've come to an endpass." Harrison's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at Barry. He removed one hand from his stomach and rested it on the joystick that maneuvered his wheelchair around. "Please let us know if there's anything that comes up and we'll move in on it as soon as possible."

Barry nodded.

Then Harrison turned his attention to Caitlin and Cisco. "We'll need to be more diligent to determine where the next viable hit for a metahuman attack to be," he added. "Not just with the sensors we have for robberies, but for a full scale attack, much like what happened while you all were in Metropolis. I've been continuously studying the news over there and while Superman has been holding an impressive record against the metahumans and other beings that have appeared over there. Kent's party was the perfect place for someone to attack, and Central City isn't exactly low on showcasing their extravagance when the time comes."

"You mean like the warehouse that Captain Cold and HeatWave targeted that held all of those priceless cars?" Cisco made a chuckling sound. "Believe me, if I were a criminal those would be the first places I'd hit, too."

"We'll just do more patrols around the city, no big deal," Cadence said. "Better safe than sorry, right?" She ran a hand through her hair then let out a long breath. "The only thing that confuses me is that I don't understand why it's happening so much? It's been nearly every day now."

"Well, we won't know until we can pinpoint a culprit," Caitlin pointed out. She looked at her watch. "Wow, it's getting late. We should all probably get going." She motioned to Cisco. "You still wanted to get some takeout before getting the movies together, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Cisco agreed. He reached out and clapped his hand onto Harrisons' shoulder. "Do you want to come over for Cisco Cinema? We're watching Jaws tonight."

Harrison smiled. "Ah, one of my favorites. Sadly, I'll have to pass. There's a lot of maintenance and inventory that needs to be done on the equipment here that I've been putting off."

"Are you sure?" Barry asked. "I can help; it'd only take a few minutes." He tried not to let his eagerness to help show. Anything that would keep the conversation from being about Becky. As it to prove his point, Barry speed changed out of his suit, a sports bag dangling from his shoulder.

"Believe it or not, this is something I find a lot of entertainment in," Harrison said. "Other than watching you two continue to improve in your skills and show Central City that there's nothing to be afraid of. Go have fun with your movie night."

"Sorry, I can't make it tonight," Cadence said. "Not only do I have to help Brady with the science project that he's seemed to have remembered is due in a couple of days, but I need to go over some new things I'm going to bring into my Zumba classes."

"That sounds like fun," Cisco said.

"It is until you realize that you can't do some more of your gymnastic stuff because 'the health center isn't liable for injuries'," Cadence said, mocking a high-pitched voice as she waved her hands back and forth. "You have someone pull a groin muscle once and you're branded for life."

"In their defense it was an older woman that did it," Barry reminded her.

"She shouldn't be trying to do a split anyway."

Caitlin laughed, hoisting her purse up over her shoulder. "C'mon, we'll walk you out. I'm riding along with Cisco as long as he promises that he cleaned out his car."

"That really depends on what your definition of clean is," Cisco pointed out.

Barry smiled and watched his friends leave before turning to Harrison, who had turned on the TV that hung over the floor of the Cortex. He moved it through a few channels, hardly looking at what came up onscreen before changing to another one.

"Is there any reason why you've wanted to stay here?" Harrison asked after a moment of silence between the two. "I can't imagine it's because of my company. Being a social pariah isn't what it's cracked up to be, I haven't been as entertaining as I may have been in the past."

"No, yeah, I, uh, I wanted to talk to you about something." Barry rubbed the back of his neck as he walked towards Harrison. Then when reaching his side he cleared his throat. "Um, has Mr. Nash called you at all? Just to talk or…something?"

"He has," Harrison said.

"I was just wondering. With his illness and everything—"

"—Barry, I've known you long enough to understand when you're trying your hardest to sound casual that you're not very good at it." Harrison managed a smile. "That's the entertaining part. But all the same your heart is there and while you're not one for confrontation sometimes you need to get to the point." He turned his chair to the side, eyes glinting behind his glasses when he trained his gaze on Barry. "Kent Nash and I haven't spoken to each other much since the car accident and even before then things had been strained due to our own issues with having grown apart." He paused for a moment then cleared his throat. "But that never meant I hated the man."

"So…he called?"

"He did. And we spoke to each other for a few minutes. Of course not to the extent that any of us would want, but it was a good conversation to have. I was very displeased to hear about his illness but was also very impressed to find he was working towards being at peace with his decision to live out the rest of his life despite the technological advances we have to potentially perform a successful surgery."

Barry nodded. They had been back from Metropolis for about a week and Harrison hadn't said anything about it, despite it seeming like they had spoken long before. He was about to ask why then decided not to, knowing how private Harrison could be.

"I believe you're asking me this for a certain reason, Mr. Allen. Care to ask?" He didn't give Barry a chance to respond. "Though if I know you as well as I think I've come to know you over the years you're wondering why I haven't said anything. Because, Barry, there are certain parts of everyone's life that isn't for everyone. There are many parts of my life that I keep to myself as it is something I'm dealing with in a relationship you're not quite well versed in just as everyone has. Caitlin with her mother, Cadence with her parents and Ryder, Cisco with his family…and there are people in your own life, a life before having become the Flash that the rest of us wouldn't know that you may not want to share."

Barry took in a sharp breath, but continued to watch Harrison.

"The thing that continuously surprises us about people is that you could know everything about them on the surface, but there are plenty of other parts that you don't. Which begs the question, can you ever truly know someone? With all of the sides of yourself you can hide, and they would never know."

"I think that's really horrifying, actually," Barry said slowly. There had been enough people in his life that had accused his father of killing his mother that he had a lot of time to think about it. When he was young there was a tiny thought in the back of his head that the doctors and psychologists were right, that he had seen his father murder his mother and was so traumatized his brain came up with the next best thing to cope. That he never truly knew his father as much as he thought he did.

He knew it wasn't the truth but there were many nights he wondered about it before finally steeling himself and determining that his father did not, in fact, kill her and that he knew his father better than anyone else. Once everything in his father's life was stripped away to nothing but a prison jumpsuit and sporadic visits from the world outside, he became very open and honest about a lot of things.

If only Barry could be the same.

Harrison gave a small smile. "You and me both, Mr. Allen." Then his eyebrows rose and he turned the channel to a station that was reporting news from Metropolis. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"No. I'll see you later."

Barry turned and raced from the Cortex with a burst of speed.

"Okay, now pick a number between one and ten."

Confused, Cadence did as she was told and said, '7' then watched as Brady counted out seven playing cards in front of him. "What does this have anything to do with a magic trick?"

"You'll see," Brady replied.

"Or else that you're trying to stall from working on your science project." Even with a handful of cards in front of his face, Cadence could see Brady's face scrunch up the same way it did when he was displeased with something—mostly being forced to eat eggs for breakfast—and knew she was right.

With a smile, she pushed away from the kitchen table and went to the stove, watching as the pasta inside continued to cook. Not much longer until it was done. She then turned around at the same time there was a gust of wind and jumped, noticing Barry suddenly appearing behind her.

"You really have to stop doing that," she said, bringing a hand up to her chest.

"I knocked," Barry defended himself, referring to the quick taps that sounded before he appeared.

"Not that, I mean, moving around like a ninja," she said. Cadence then looked over at Brady, who was now picking up all 52 cards from the floor. "And distracting him from his homework."

"I was doing a magic trick and you ruined it," Brady said, kneeling on the floor of the kitchen. He picked up a handful of cards and eyed Barry for a moment. "Pick a number between one and ten."

"Nine," Barry said automatically.

"Why nine?"

"It's my lucky number," he explained.

"Oh. Is that how many times you asked mom out before she said 'yes'?"

"More like how many times he tried to ask me out before he finally did it," Cadence replied, giving Barry a teasing smile when he rolled his eyes. "Quit stalling, get started."

Brady sighed, sitting back on his heels. "But I don't know what to do. Other people are already doing volcanoes, others are doing magnets, and someone's doing something with electricity and keys." He pouted. "There's nothing left to do."

"Is this a science fair kind of thing?" Barry asked. When Cadence nodded he grinned. "Then you're in luck, I'm the master of science fairs."

"Really? What'd you do for yours?" Brady asked.

The smile slowly started to wane from Barry's face. He cleared his throat, made a coughing sound, and rubbed his neck. "I made a molecular structure of chocolate and nougat…made out of every day household items at human sized."

Cadence laughed. "Wow, you really are a science nerd!"

"It's my favorite candy and was the best excuse to be able to eat as much of it as I wanted," Barry defended himself.

"I could do the rock candy thing again," Brady mused.

"Not after all of those ants we finally got rid of, I don't think so," Cadence said. She reached out and started to stir the pot of noodles, watching as they spun through the water. "Oh, you could do the Walking Water Experiment."

"We saw that at camp last summer, I don't think I can do that one," Brady said glumly. "Too bad I can't do something with my powers, that'd be cool." He twisted his mouth. "Or that I can't take you guys with me to be my projects, that'd be fun."

Barry then snapped his fingers. "You can do something with batteries and gum wrappers or aluminum foil to make fire. Either that or you can make mini rockets out of it, if you have some matches."

"Mini rockets?" Brady asked. He tilted his head. "All with a battery?"

"Well, usually you'd have to use a lighter but I don't think your school would let you carry a lighter around everywhere and I don't think your mom would be able to explain being your personal lighter either," Barry said.

"I have some batteries in my room for my electronics," Brady said slowly.

"The bigger the better."

"I'll be right back."

Cadence sat down in a nearby chair. She nodded to where Brady had just been. "Thanks for that," she said. "Now I don't have to listen to him whining and complaining about it all night long." She looked at him curiously. "Though, something tells me you didn't come by to help a third grader's science project…or to have some of my pasta."

"I don't know, coming all the way over here made me a little hungry," Barry said. He sat down in the seat next to her.

"Well, you're welcome to stay for dinner but you didn't answer my question." She tilted her head and looked at him curiously. "Is something on your mind?" Barry was silent for a long moment as he brought his hands up to cover his mouth. His eyes shifted back and forth for a moment. Cadence leaned towards him. "Is it that case?"

"What case?" Barry asked, suddenly appearing startled.

"The one that made you go running back to Central City when we were ice skating," Cadence reminded him. She paused, waiting for a sign of recognition from him then softly smiled. "The one that made you look like you were about to punch someone in the face over."

Barry smiled.

Cadence smiled back and got up from her seat to moved to the counter at her side. Reaching up, she pulled two wine glasses out of the cabinet and set them on the counter before grabbing a wine bottle. "Do you like red wine or white wine?"

"White," Barry said. Cadence nodded and filled both glasses halfway before walking them back to the table, handing one to him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I think you need it a lot more than I do," Cadence said. She sat back down, tossing her hair behind her shoulders. "After running around the city like this so much without even an idea of what's going on."

"Well, considering I can't get drunk it's not going to help so much." Barry spun the liquid in his glass for a second before taking a sip. "Otherwise I'd say you were trying to seduce me."

"Mm, if I were I wouldn't need wine to do it. It seems to me that dressing up and soft jazz music will do the trick."

"I'm more of a jeans and sneakers guy," Barry said.

Cadence laughed. "You and I have that in common." She stretched out her legs and rested her bare feet atop his shoes. "And being metahumans, working at the CCPD, being at Jitters a little more than we probably should be, oh and seemingly being unable to keep our secret identities a secret for too long."

Barry laughed. He gently pushed his glass aside and leaned in, giving her a gentle kiss. Cadence smiled and kissed him back. Then she pulled back and her eyes narrowed as she said, "You don't have to watch," before turning her head to see Brady standing quietly in the doorway.

"My hands are full, I couldn't knock," he apologized. He walked into the kitchen and set a box of supplies down onto the table. "And I didn't want to interrupt." He turned to Barry. "Is all of this okay?"

Barry quickly glanced through it. "Yeah, that should be everything we need other than the aluminum foil."

Nodding, Brady went over t a cabinet and pulled out a box of aluminum foil. Then he tossed it onto the table and rested his chin in his hands. "Are you staying for dinner?" He turned to his mom. "Is Barry staying for dinner."

"He can if he wants," Cadence replied.

"That'd be great," Barry said. He shifted his feet, gently rubbing hers with his. "I kind of need to be around family right now."

A/N: Wow, it's taken me a lot longer to update than I originally thought and it wasn't as action packed as the last ones had been. I apologize. But it was fluffly! Lol Hope you liked it.

Cheers,

-Riles