Fear.
Worry.
Anxiety.
Stress.
Panic.
But above all these concern is mostly on her mind. Concern for her daughter's well-being. She is all she has left and there is no way she is going to lose her now.
Instantly everything is moving in slow motion around her. The screams from Nora as she flashes into the living room. Dumping all the contents of her purse onto the coffee table looking for the syringe. She needs the syringe. Iris by her side helping to find it. Nora hyperventilating in front of her. The shakes of the house as the power surge gets stronger by the second. She is running out of time.
"Where is it!" she stressfully mumbles to herself. Her fingers pulling at her hair.
A blue vortex appears as Cisco steps through with the antidote. She races to him, grabbing it, and dashing up the stairs. She feels her colder counterpart taking over as the waves of energy become too strong for her to handle. Each step becoming harder than the next but she needs to reach her destination - Val's life is at stake.
'Val! Can you hear me!' Frost tries to communicate through her mind.
A faint voice rings through her mind. 'I can't... con... control it...'
With all her strength she burst through the bedroom door to see the little girl seizing before her. "Hang on Snowflake, aunt Frosty's got you," she breathes, standing by her side and injecting the antidote into her arm.
The power waves cease. The seizing at bay as Valerie starts to breathe normally again. Frost wipes some hair away from Val's face along with the built-up sweat on her forehead. She feels warm - too warm for Frost's liking. In an instant, Caitlin takes back control and goes into her full doctor mood.
The little girl groans and moans in pain. Her hand clutching her head. Too many voices. Too much knowledge and future visions at once. It's too overwhelming for her - she can't handle it. "Mommy," she cries in pain. "Make it stop! Make it stop please!" she screams.
High alert, Caitlin notices the necklace is no longer around her daughter's neck. Panic. "Where is your necklace Val?" she stresses and starts looking all around.
"It hurts! Mommy! Help!" she cries as tears trail down her cheeks.
"Just hold on baby," Caitlin pleas, searching. A cling sound reveals the fallen pendant. She quickly grabs it and places it back around her daughter's neck.
A wave of relief floods her body but, a strong sting still takes hold of her. "It still hurts mommy," she whines, finally being able to see her mother.
Caitlin wraps her daughter in her arms. Val instantly buries her face into her mother's chest, holding onto her for dear life. Trying to calm her own heartbeat, she focuses on her daughter - her touch, her smell, her voice. She rocks back and forth, soothing the young child.
"Caitlin!" a voice echoes through the room.
She looks over her shoulder and remembers the man that came from the past. The sight of him instantly makes her tighten her grip on her daughter. Before she can say anything her friends barge into the room behind him. Iris tries to push him out of the room, arguing with him, as Cisco comes to her aid.
"We should get Val to the lab," Cisco speaks with concern.
Caitlin is mute and simply nods. Cisco helps her stand, with Val still in her embrace, then starts to open a portal in the middle of the room.
"Cait!" the voice calls again.
Valerie instantly tightens her hold and whimpers into her mother's chest. "Make him go away... He shouldn't be here," she whines but only for Caitlin to hear.
Without a second thought, she walks through with Cisco and lands in her lab. She lays Val on the medical bed and goes to work. Hooking up wires and running tests - it is all non-stop. She becomes frustrated when everything reads 'normal'. Showing there is no issue aside from a high temperature of 98.5 but even that is cooling down by the minutes.
"Why can't I figure that out?" she huffs, practically slamming the tablet on the table. "This is the second episode in less than two weeks. They never would happen this often or this bad," She groans as tears of frustration start to roll down her cheeks. "What is wrong with my baby?" she cries falling into the chair and burying her face into her hands.
Cisco immediately pulls a chair next to his best friend and wraps his arm around her shoulder. He tries to soothe her as she buries her head into his chest. "We will find an answer. I know it. Until then we continue what we are doing."
"I miss him," she sobs. "Everything was fine until he left. She was fine until he left. God, I miss him," she cries.
A swooshing sound fills the room. Papers are flying in the cortex and a young man is standing in the doorway watching the scene before him. He looks at her and then over to her daughter who is soundlessly sleeping on the bed. Seeing him, even a younger version, gives her slight relief. As he walks towards her, she can't hold herself back. She gets to her feet and engulfs him in a hug.
"Barry!" she cries into his shoulder and breathing in his scent. All the while her brain tries to yell at her heart to let go. This situation with his younger version being here is risky but, she needs her husband - her comfort.
He tightens his hold around her. His hand instinctually soothing her scalp and he whispers into her ear. "I got you, Cait. I got you," he repeats until her breathing is settled.
A tug on her shirt pulls her away from his embrace. She looks down at Nora standing with tearful eyes. "Is Val going to be okay?" she whimpers.
Caitlin wipes away a few fallen tears and gives a soft smile. "She... she is going to be fine. She just needs to rest. That's all," she pushes to give the little girl some relief.
"Can I... can I sit with her... until she wakes up?" Nora asks with her puppy dog eyes.
"Of course," she smiles back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Nora's ear.
Nora smiles back and runs to her sister's side, pulling up a chair and just waiting. Caitlin watches with a smile as her heartaches by the cuteness of their sister bond. They may argue and fight at times but the love for each other is neverending.
"We should talk in the other room," Cisco says as he appears next to the duo. "About this," he gestures with his head to Barry.
"I'm standing right here, you know?" Barry scoffs as his eyebrows scrunch in confusion.
"Oh, I know Mr. Time Traveler that's why you are coming too," he hooks his arm with Barry to drag the man into the Cortex.
A small giggle escapes Caitlin's lips before she takes a glance at the two girls. "Let me know if she starts to wake up Nora," she softly smiles.
"I will Aunty Cait," she smiles back then starts talking to her sleeping sister.
Walking into the next room, she sees Iris leaning against the front of the console with her arms crossed, watching as Cisco and Barry are bantering it out. She rolls her eyes and goes to stand next to her friend. Iris gives her a small smile as she responds with a soft nod. When her presence is noticed by the two guys all eyes fall on her.
"So what's going on Cisco? Why is he stuck here?" Caitlin cuts to the chase as she crosses her arms.
"Homeboy here appears to have his powers in flux. Whatever the hell he came across while time traveling is slowly eating away his speed," Cisco explains as he walks over to the console and pulls up charts onto the screens.
"Wait- What? You didn't explain that part to me!" Barry snaps, looking over the screens.
"Why do you think I said, you could get off bed rest if you promise not to use your powers," he remarks with a slight eye roll. "Don't you ever listen to me?"
"There is a difference between resting and losing one's powers Cisco!" Barry argues back, pulling his hair in frustration.
"So he's stuck here until we find a way to fix him? How long will that take?" Iris asks and worriedly looks over at Caitlin.
Cisco looks at Caitlin, "I'm not too sure, bioengineering isn't my forte. What do you think Caitlin?"
She looks back into her lab and bites her lip. Her sight focusing on her daughter lying on the bed. Valerie is her priority. She needs to be finding a way to fix her. However, if she doesn't help this Barry then everything she has - her marriage, her daughter - will cease to exist. A heavy sigh leaves her lips and she looks back at the team.
"It's gonna take some time. A week tops if I work non-stop -"
"Caitlin you can't do that," Iris butts in, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Val needs you," she whispers under her breath.
She nods, laying her own hand over her friend's. "I know that's why I have to do this - to protect her," she whispers back with a forced smile for their audience.
"Caitlin I know you are trying to help me but all the work can't be put on you," Barry adds with concern.
Caitlin places her left hand up to silence him. "I'll be fine," she remarks.
"You're married?" Barry stutters with confusion.
Her breath stocks as everyone else freezes in place. Out of instinct, she hides her hand behind her while clearing her throat. "Was. Widow - again," she barely breathes.
She watches as Barry's eyes soften, "Cait... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean... I didn't," he stops himself rubbing the back of his neck to find the right words to say. It is then she sees a light go off in his eyes and a painful sadness fills his eyes. "Wait so... is that little girl your -?"
"Niece," she quickly spits out.
Barry looks at her with confusion. Just as he is about to question Cisco butts in.
"What did I tell you, dude? There are some things you don't need to know about," he huffs. "Our personal lives are one of them."
"You expect me to just sit here, twiddling my thumbs, and avoiding noticing things?" Barry snaps back. "I care about you guys, your well-being, and what the future has given you. You don't think I won't put two and two together?" he gestures with his hands. "I'm not that oblivious guys," he adds.
Iris scoffs with a chuckle, "Yeah okay Barry."
"What's that suppose to mean," he turns to look at her.
Iris arches her eyebrow, "you want me to elaborate for you? Cause I'm pretty sure there are some things you have noticed and yet to put those pieces together. And there is no way I am helping you to find it out. You being here jeopardizes everything so yes we expect you to stop asking questions that will only reveal too much for you to know about and ruin everything this family has build on," she huffs in frustration.
Everyone is quiet, not sure what to say while Iris and Barry have a glare off.
"Mommy?" Nora softly speaks. "Is everything okay?" she asks from the entrance of Caitlin's lab.
Barry and Iris turn to her and soften their eyes. Each giving out a respectful heavy sigh. Iris motions for her daughter to come to her and Nora obliges. She is slow in her steps afraid of what is to come. Iris bends down to her eye level giving her a soft smile as she fixes her hair. She looks up at Barry then back to Nora.
"As you already guessed, this is your daughter Nora," Iris says standing up and turning her daughter to face an emotionally torn Barry.
"Nora? After my?" Barry stutters.
Iris simply nods, a hand on Nora's shoulder as the little girl looks up at the younger version of her father. "Yes and mine as well. Her full name is Nora Francine West-Allen."
"I sometimes like being called NF cause it sounds super-like," Nora smiles up at her mom then looks over to Cisco. "But Uncle Cisco says he has the final say for my superhero name," she playfully rolls her eyes.
"You bet I do!" Cisco proclaims, standing with pride.
The gang laughs, enjoying the simple moment. Barry squats down, opening his arms then slowly retracts them looking at Iris. "Can I? Um.. can I hug her?" he questions, his hands shaking with nerves.
Iris looks down at her daughter and she simply nods. Nora slowly walks over - nervous. When Barry opens his arms again, she smiles and attacks him into a bear hug. Barry chuckles wrapping his arms around her to pick her up in his embrace.
Truly an emotional scene for both - for different reasons. Caitlin weakly smiles at the exchange then looks back to her still sleeping daughter. How she wishes Val was awake but then again, this Barry cannot know the truth of Val being his daughter too. A small tear falls down her cheek and instantly she feels someone wrap their arms around her.
"Hey, let's go check on Val, yeah?" Cisco comforts, leading her back into her lab.
She sits by the bedside - numb. "It's hard knowing that Val can't have an exchange like that, you know? Because he can't know," she coughs, wiping away the stray tears. "Why did he have to get stuck here, in this time of all places," she sighs then starts to play with some strands of Val's hair. "It's just not fair," she breathes under her breath.
"Hey, Cait," Barry's voice rings. The friends look over at him, holding Nora's hand. "Nora asks if I can help maybe wake up her little friend," he sheepily explains, swinging their joined hands.
Caitlin looks at the little girl with a small smile, mouthing a soft 'thank you.' She looks over at Barry and softly nods her head. As Caitlin's hand remains soothing Val's right arm, Barry reaches for Val's left hand.
Instantly the little girl springs up gasping for air. Her heart beating so fast and her lungs pumping in overdrive as if she had been holding her breath all this time. Tears well up in her eyes as if waking up from a nightmare so finally escaped. With her eyes shut tight and clutching the sheets in her small hand she lets out a hard cry.
Caitlin wraps her in her arms, pulling her into her chest. 'Val, can you hear me, sweet girl? It's mommy' She tries to communicate but it doesn't seem to work. Before she can try again, her daughters pull away slightly, eyes red and whimpers outs,
"I saw daddy... I saw him, mommy..."