Hey guys!

Yeah, that's right, fam. I made you all wait (im)patiently for this new chapter.

So, I'm having surgery a week from today, so my life is gonna be a bit crazy. I know I promised at least three updates before the seventeenth, but I'm not 100% sure that's going to happen. I'm sorry.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Chapter thirteen. The Slippery Slope.

Christmas came and ended in a blur, but Barry couldn't care less. While his friends and family partied and exchanged gifts, Barry had spent his every waking moment (which had become his entire day and night, he no longer slept.) trying to locate his daughter.

"Barry? Iris asked, cautiously walking up to where the speedster was speeding from one computer to another.

Barry stopped and looked up for a split second. He didn't reply, or even acknowledge that she was there.

Iris bit back tears. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted her Barry back. Yeah, she knew that he was doing it for Charlie, but he was losing himself in the process. He had stopped going to work, stopped hanging out with family, she wasn't even sure if he was eating.

"Barry?" She asked as she watched the flash of lightning speed from one computer to the other. "Have you eaten today?"

Barry stopped and looked over at her. "Yep." He told her, pointing to where the wrappers for two calorie bars lay, one of them had an unfinished bar in it.

Iris winced. He needed to have eaten ten times that. "Hey," she started, walking up to him and putting her hand on his arm. "Why don't we go get a coffee and some food?" She told him.

Barry looked at her and hesitated. He shook his head, then walked over to the computer. "I have to find her." He said, and Iris wasn't sure if it was aimed towards her or not.

She sighed. This wasn't good for him, and he probably knew it. "Okay, just... promise me you'll actually eat something." She begged.

Barry nodded. "Okay."

···

Barry sighed. He knew that this search was going nowhere. Zoom had gotten away once again, and he probably wasn't even on this world anymore.

But that didn't stop Barry, nothing would. Not even the hunger pains burning in his stomach as it demanded some food, not even the pulsing headache that begged for a few moments in the dark and away from the bright computer screens. Not even his friends could get him to leave his search. Because he would do anything to get his daughter back.

He looked up at the clock and sighed. It had been six hours since Iris had been in here.

Barry walked over to the stale, half uneaten calorie bar. He sighed and threw it away.

He knew he needed to eat, but along with being hungry, he was nauseous with worry. What if he couldn't find Charlie? What if Zoom kills her?

Barry shook those thoughts away and went back to work.

···

Caitlin and Cisco walked into the Cortex. They had been helping Oliver and Felicity look in Starling City. Sadly, there had been no sightings of Zoom, or Charlie.

"Barry?" Caitlin called. All of the lights and computers were on, but it seemed like there was no one there.

Cisco pulled out his phone. "I'll call him." He told her, typing in Barry's number.

"Barry!" Caitlin tried again, a bit louder. "Are you here?"

They both jumped as Barry's ringtone sounded through the Cortex.

They looked at each other. Barry was, or had been here. Something was wrong, Barry would never leave his cellphone anywhere, it had too much sensitive information on it.

Then, Caitlin saw it. "Barry!" She screamed.

In the corner, unconscious and crumpled up, was Barry.

Hahhahahahahahhahaha ha ha ha. *coughs*

So yeah, I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!