Part 13
As soon as she exited the breach Caitlin ran to the med bay where she found Cisco tending to Wally who was unconscious.
"What happened Cisco?" asked Caitlin
"Axel Walker escaped Iron Heights and shot him with this acid that we have no way of countering." Said Cisco
"I really hate that damn crazy ass brat." Mumbled Caitlin
"Yeah well don't we all. Harry is working on figuring out how to counter it."
Caitlin looked over the scans that Cisco had done before she got there.
"I have an idea. It is way out of the box. But we need to get his suit off. I can use my powers to try and heal him. But it might be dangerous."
"Do you really think it can save my son?" asked Joe
"Yeah I do. But I need to know that you trust me."
"I trust you Caitlin. If you can save my son."
"Ok."
Cisco and Joe pulled Wally's suit off exposing the full injury. Caitlin took a deep breath and let a gentle stream of frost go from her hands. The burns from the acid were soon covered with ice. Caitlin smiled as Wally's vitals began to improve.
"It is working." Said Caitlin
"How long will this take?" asked Joe
"At least until the ice melts."
"Thank you Caitlin."
"I promised you that if you needed me I would be here."
"Then there is something we need to talk about."
"Cisco keep an eye on Wally. Let me know if there is any change."
"Got it Elsa." Said Cisco
"Call me that again and I might make part of that future Barry went to happen. You will never vibe again." Said Caitlin with a smirk
"Damn that is cold girl. Glad to have you back." Said Cisco
"You do know I would never actually hurt you. Don't you?"
"Of course I do sis."
Caitlin smiled and followed Joe down to the pipeline.
"So what do we need to talk about?"
"While you were away Jay went into the speed force. He wanted to find out if there is any way we could free Barry. He found there is."
"Then why haven't you?"
"We from what Jay told us seeing you have been the one hurt the most by Barry. You are the only one that can set him free. When you think Barry has suffered enough for what he did to you then he can go free."
"What? There is no way in hell that this can be up to me!"
"Caitlin, I know that you don't want this put on you. But I trust Jay."
"I know he has no reason to lie. I was actually relived when he came out of the speed force during the final battle with Savitar."
"I just don't understand why it has to be me."
"Because Dr. Snow, you are what we refer to as a lightning rod." Said Jay walking in.
"Lightning rod? There has to be some mistake. Barry loves Iris not me." Said Caitlin
"That doesn't matter. A speedster's lighting rod is the one person in the universe that brings out the best in them. You bring out the best in Barry. The speed force showed me everything you have done for him. You believed in him even when he didn't believe in himself. You put your life on the line more then once to protect him. That is the very thing that a lightning rod does for their speedster. Sometime the person is a lover, sometimes it's a family member. But in all cases it's a person that never gives up on them. You give Barry his strength to keep fighting. You were the main reason that Barry did what he had to do to get his speed back. He wanted to save you from Zoom. Caitlin, I know you didn't ask for this. But you got the job anyway." Said Jay
"So Jay do you have a lightning rod?"
"Sure do my wife Joan. She is a brilliant scientist. Maybe one day you will get to meet her."
"Paging the Ice Queen Dr. Caitlin Snow. Wally is waking up." Came Cisco's voice through the intercom.
"I really do have to stop being all talk when threating Cisco. I just might have to give him a mild case of frostbite." Mumbled Caitlin as they headed for the medical bay.
Caitlin walked into the medical bay to see that Iris.
"Caitlin, I know you need to check on Wally. But can we talk later?" asked Iris
"Sure." Said Caitlin
Caitlin walked into the med lab to see Wally awake and smiling at her a lot like Barry would after he did something stupid.
"Hey Caitlin." Said Wally
"Wally West why in the hell would you think that an acid made by a Joker wannabe wouldn't hurt you?" asked Caitlin with her eyes glowing.
"I was just trying to do what I thought Barry would do."
"Wally, you are not Barry. You need to take your own path to being a hero. Just like I have been trying to do."
"That is why you chose to spy on Savitar."
"I decided to change the headline about Killer Frost myself. While changing the past is a big no no. The future is not set. So if you know a possible future you can alter the events that haven't happened that lead to it."
"So you changed your own future."
"Yeah. How are you feeling?"
"Well I am not sure what is worse. The burning of the acid or the ice."
"Don't be a wimp. My ice healing is better than anything I could have done medically."
"So am I going to be ok?"
"Yes. But you are benched for the rest of the day."
"Trickster Jr. Is still out there."
"I will handle him. You rest."
Caitlin walked out into the cortex.
"Wally will be fine. Do we know where Axel is?" said Caitlin
"Outside Jitters. He has a bomb." Said Cisco
"Of course he does. Cisco can you breach me there?"
"Yes but I think you need to change first."
Cisco hit a button on the console and a door opened to reveal a new suit. (Think season 6 Frost suit. But with a mask.) Caitlin grabbed the suit and went to change.