Disclaimer: All characters are from the cw show 'the flash'. This post is meant for entertainment uses only and isn't for monetary purposes. Copying/reposting without the author's permission will be seen as intellectual property theft and will justify legal action against the offender. All rights reserved.

Allrighty! The first few chapters will be a different look at the pilot episode, because it's one of the best-paced episodes in the show, along with Reverse Flash's reveal. Just so you know, the reason this episode is the focus is that I'm going to try and eliminate most of the cringy pep talks that the show loves to throw at you. I know, I know, snowbarry will come soon, but the slow buildup of romantic tension is always interesting, is it not? Anyways, on with the show.

Act 3

Iris West was handing her customer a double milk latte when the door to the coffee shop opened, jingling the bell she had heard a thousand times over.

"Hello, this is Jitters and my name is Iris. How may I help y-"

Iris was cut short as she caught sight of a familiar face. Her face paled.

"Oh my god."

Barry grinned.

Iris took off her barista apron and hugged Barry tightly.

"You're awake."

Pulling away, Iris frowned.

"Why didn't s.T.A.R. Labs call us?"

Barry felt his cheeks pull as another goofy grin overtook his features. It was good to see his sister.

"I just woke up."

She looked him over, checking for any injuries.

"Should you even be on your feet?"

Iris looked concerned.

Barry laughed lightly.

"Iris, I-I'm okay. Honestly."

Iris's earlier happiness was soon replaced by confusion and grief.

"I-I watched you die, Barry. You kept dying. Your heart kept stopping."

Barry placed her hand over his chest and grinned.

"It's still beating."

Iris gave him a funny look and smiled.

"Yeah… It feels really fast."

Just then, a barista behind them tripped and dropped her tray of mugs. Suddenly, Barry felt as if time had slowed. His entire body felt jittery and tingly, as if hundreds of thousands worth of electricity was flowing under his skin. He almost thought that he could see the mugs slow down before they shattered into pieces.

"Oops."

The barista muttered and then began to clean up the mess.

Iris looked over her shoulder, concerned.

"Are you okay, Tracy?"

The barista looked up and smiled at her and Barry.

"Yeah, I got it. Nice to see you, Barry."

Barry smiled in return, but his thoughts were still racing in his mind as he wondered about the weird moment he had just experienced.

Iris turned and gave Barry another hug.

"My dad is gonna be so happy to see you. Let me get my stuff, okay? Be right back."

Barry laughed as Joe, his adoptive father enveloped him in a bear hug.

Pulling away, Joe regarded him with a grin.

"Oh, you scared the hell out of us, kid."

Barry grinned back- he couldn't wait for things to finally get back to normal.

"Yeah, that was quite the nap you took there, baby face. And you still look 12."

Officer Vukuvich good-naturedly joked.

Joe placed a hand on Barry's shoulder.

"You look okay. Are you really?"

Barry hesitated for only a second.

"Yeah."

Just then, a cop interrupted their conversation,

"Detective West- we've got a 515 in progress at gold city bank, two dead. Storm's really picking up on the south side. I'll grab your rain gear"

Joe gave Barry an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry, Barry. I got to run."

Barry uncrossed his arms and let them hang awkwardly at his side.

"Do you need my help?"

Barry half hoped Joe would say yes, because he wanted to spend more time with him.

Joe frowned.

"No, you take it easy. There'll be plenty for you to do once you settle in."

Turning, Joe motioned for Eddie Thawne to come with him.

"Let's go, partner."

Eddie smiled at Barry, who looked slightly perplexed by the fact that Joe had just called Eddie his partner.

Wasn't Detective Chyre Joe's partner?

"Hey, Allen. Glad to see you."

Barry grinned back, although a bit hesitantly.

"Thanks, Eddie."

Just then, a familiar set of boots appeared in Barry's peripheral vision.

Barry rolled his eyes, amused. Iris had been appearing at the precinct often lately- too often. He suspected it had something to do with her getting to steal a few bites of his food whenever he ate at work-which was going to be most of the month judging by the stack of files at his desk.

"Hey, Iris."

Eddie grinned at her.

Iris ignored his expression and instead said curtly, "Detective, you should go."

She glanced at her father's desk, noting a thick manilla file that had the words 'Classified' on it.

"My dad doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Eddie gave Barry a look that he understood too well- Iris's former boyfriends had all had that look when she made them work for her attention.

"Glad you're back."

Eddie murmured and followed Joe to his cop car.

Still smiling, Barry looked over to the general office's glass cases where the precinct honored fallen officers. His heart sank as he saw Detective Chyre's name and badge lying there. He had almost been an uncle figure in Barry's life- after meeting for the first time when Barry had still been an intern. They had quickly bonded over a lunch break when Barry got him his coffee.

Iris saw where his gaze had wandered.

"The night of the explosion Clyde Mardon shot and killed Chyre."

Barry shook his head in grief.

"Mardon and his brother died trying to escape. Their plane crashed."

Iris gave him a sympathetic look.

"Iris, got a minute?"

An officer called out from the office space.

"Hey, Barry. Good to see you up and running." A SWAT officer Barry had worked with called out to him.

Barry smiled at him and was about to head to his lab when he saw that the criminal the officer was holding onto was reaching for the gun.

Before he realized what he was doing, Barry dove for the criminal's arm and stopped him.

"Screw you!" The criminal shouted.

"You might want to put your gun away." Barry said, patting the officer's holster.

The officer, who had been perplexed at his behavior until then, widened his eyes and nodded his thanks, firmly placing a hand on the criminal's cuffs.

Iris came over to Barry and gave him a concerned look.

"You okay?"

Barry stared at his hands- his reflexes had been extremely fast, especially for him. Barry had always lagged behind others in athleticism, but somehow he had reacted in the blink of an eye. He could feel a strange tingling, piercing sense in the sides of his head- almost like he was having a migraine, but instead of feeling sluggish he felt jerky and out of breath.

"I-I'm fine. I just need some air."

Barry backed away slowly, ignoring the amused but impressed looks and praise that the officers offered him.

"But I'll call you tonight, all right?" Barry gave Iris a quick little wave and headed out the precinct. But as soon as he left the building and into the alley, he ran over to the nearest trash can and puked. He could see black spots floating in his eyes.

"What's happening to me?"

As he got up, deciding to call Joe to drop him off at STAR Labs, his legs propelled him far more than he had intended, and he promptly landed on his back. What happened next was the worst case of muscle cramps he had experienced in his entire life.

"Eerrrggghmmmmm!"

Barry rolled up his trouser leg, trying to massage it while groping at his phone to call Joe.

When he looked at his leg, however, he almost dropped his phone. Barry's leg had somehow gained a massive amount of muscle, and had the look and texture of a professional marathon runner. Before he could comprehend all of this, however, another set of muscle cramps and nausea assaulted him, and it was all he could do to croak out his location and a cry for help to Joe before passing out.