Disclaimer: All characters are from the cw show 'the flash' and the rights belong to the show and not me, the writer of this post. 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.
Okay... This episode focuses on how broken and hurt Caitlin is after the whole incident. Can't tell you more, but this means that a certain snowbarry scene will have so much more gravitas when it finally comes. Can't have two strangers hug each other and think it's normal, yknow? Anyways, I'm cruising now. Screw writer's block!
Act 4
Doctor Caitlin Snow sighed, looking over at the patient who had taken up most of her life for the past 9 months. After the particle accelerator explosion, after her brother Ronnie had… when her brother had passed, she had directed all of her emotions and doubts and pain into a spear of determination- to help people. Although Cisco would never allow her to feel that way, she felt responsible- for the amount of hurt that everyone in Central City had endured, for people whose lives had been irrevocably changed. And so she had managed to avoid thinking about the fact that the guy who she had wanted to go have coffee with was her patient- up until now. My patient's name doesn't matter. All of his motor reflexes and cardiovascular, respiratory, and urinary functions seem to be intact, although a bit over energetic in all of them. Caitlin had been repeating this mantra over and over in her head, struggling to stay professional despite the conflicting emotions in her mind. She wanted to whack him on the head- for being so reckless, for leaving so early without letting them run any more tests on him. But a small part of her felt sorry for him. She felt responsible for him too, somehow. Caitlin hated feeling attached to people. So, naturally, she hoped that the feeling would pass once she nursed him back to full health.
"Is he… Is Barry…?"
Caitlin jumped slightly.
Joe West, the police captain who had become a regular visitor lately, was standing by the hallway, features drawn tight in concern.
She shook her head, happy to not be the bearer of bad news for once. But regardless of the fact, she still wished Cisco was here with her right now- she wasn't good with people.
"No. He's unconscious and has low oxygen and blood sugar levels, but otherwise he should be perfectly fine."
Joe breathed a sigh of relief.
The sound of a quiet groan and rustling by her side alerted her.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Allen seems to be awake."
Wells spoke, rolling into the cortex from the lab where he had been searching for medical theories on hypometabolism.
Barry's eyelashes fluttered, and a pair of sea glass green eyes appeared. Caitlin couldn't help but think about running her hand through his hair- it looked so soft, and she was curious if he used conditioner on it.
But regaining her composure within a second, Caitlin was by his side, doing a series of medical checkups, which he thankfully didn't try to walk away from.
"What happened? I started getting light-headed and then I puked everywhere."
Barry managed to ask in a raspy voice.
Wells clasped his hands thoughtfully.
"Severe hypometabolism, most likely. One of the main symptoms is nausea and low oxygen levels, and considering your massive energy drain due to your accelerated cellular regeneration, it could be entirely plausible that your body just can't sustain itself under normal conditions."
Barry frowned.
"Wh-what does that mean? Does that mean I'm gonna be bedridden for the rest of my life?"
Caitlin and Wells looked at each other, and after a moment Wells gave her a nod.
Caitlin stepped tentatively towards Barry.
"There is a way, but you might not like it."
Barry stared at her, thinking of a number of possible solutions that she might propose. He knew what hypometabolism meant from his time earning a medical degree. If what they were saying was true, then that meant that he would never be able to live a normal life. He would need calorie supplements, and would probably struggle with even the simplest of tasks-even running. Barry didn't want to live like that.
"Okay, I'll do whatever you need. But how, exactly, will you help me? Hypometabolism is incurable, right?"
Caitlin looked at Professor Wells, who nodded.
"But there is a way, Mr. Allen. Even if it might take a while, theoretically, we think that we might be able to rewire your energy production chemicals. Tell me, right before you passed out, did you sprint or lift something heavy?"
Barry frowned, not understanding.
"Yeah, it was like my legs were supercharged or something. I had the worst muscle cramps I've ever had after that too. Does that help?"
Caitlin's eyebrows shot up- a rare sign of emotion.
"Your fast twitch muscles- excessive use means that your body relies on glycolysis to produce energy, which is-"
"Highly inefficient." Wells nodded, a sense of pride in his voice.
"That's right. Which means that your body was essentially abandoning your mitochondria as its power source and burned through all of your excess energy in a matter of seconds."
Barry looked at her curiously. She always seemed distant, but the only time she ever seemed lively was when she was making scientific discoveries.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"So, can you cure me? And- you said I wasn't gonna like the solution. What am I gonna have to do?"
Professor Wells took off his glasses, twiddling with the temples.
"You're going to have to come here everyday."
Barry frowned, not quite comprehending what he had just said.
"What do you mean?"
Caitlin gave him a careful look.
"It means that we're going to have to run more tests on you. Only- the tests might be far more… drastic than conventional medical practice."
Barry looked at Professor Wells, who nodded encouragingly.
"If what we've already discovered about your body is any indicator, I believe that you, mister Allen, might have a host of medical discoveries, just waiting to be uncovered." As he said it, a hint of longing and something imperceptible entered his voice.
Barry hesitated- his life was already busy enough working as a CSI, and he wasn't sure if he could afford such a huge chunk of his time gone.
"If you're wondering about the validity of our proposition, you're in the best possible hands, Allen. I can personally assure you- that Dr. Snow and Cisco are amongst the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered as a scientist."
Wells narrowed his eyes, a hint of a smile playing out on his face as he waited for Barry's answer.
"I will. All right? What time do you need me to check in? Cause I've got a 9 to 5 job."
Caitlin gave Professor Wells a glance.
"Any time is fine by us...Barry."
As Barry nodded his thanks and let Joe escort him to his car, he realized something- that was the first time Caitlin had called him by his name. He pondered upon this fact as the busy streets of Central City passed by in a flash of an eye.
Cisco was in a particularly good mood today. He had just met up with a fellow engineer friend who had been his roommate for the better part of four years in uni. Wally had a knack for cars and was currently working on a way to make hydrogen fuel more efficient. They had bonded over their several similarities- Cisco having neglectful parents and Wally missing his dad, but also their affection for star wars. Cisco grinned and whistled a little tune as he walked into the cortex. He frowned a little as he saw medical equipment littered everywhere- and not organized neatly like Caitlin would always do.
"Uh…. What happened here?"
Caitlin had been staring at a computer monitor, and jumped in surprise at his voice.
"Oh, uh, Barry was here not long ago."
Cisco frowned.
"Okaaayyy… But was he…?"
"No, he wasn't."
"Oh, okay."
Cisco didn't exactly know what to say to Caitlin. It had become the norm ever since Ronnie had died. The delicate, humorous side of Caitlin got locked away. Now all he got was the professional, cold version of her.
"You know, you can talk to me about it if you want."
Caitlin tensed.
"About what?"
Cisco knew the time wasn't right- he could tell from the way her shoulders hunched over, the way she drew her arms ever closer to herself. So he changed the subject.
"About Barry. You don't need to go through with this if you're not ready, you know."
Caitlin stared at him as if he had turned into an Ewok.
"Are you suggesting that I shouldn't help Barry because of my personal emotions?"
Cisco winced.
"Well, if you put it like that, no… But I just thought that you might be uncomfortable having to take care of the guy that was supposed to be your date."
Caitlin stared at him, and for a moment, Cisco could see the old Caitlin in her, struggling, hurting, feeling.
"You remembered that?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Cisco snorted softly.
"Yeah, as if I could forget. The Caitlin Snow? Going out on a date? Never."
Caitlin cracked the tiniest smile.
Cisco could feel a small spark of hope igniting in him. The first few months after the explosion, Caitlin had locked herself in her apartment. It had taken a fake medical emergency when Cisco got drunk, and then a real one with Barry that finally managed to get her to come out. But she had still remained distant, cold to him, even though he was like a brother to her.
Cisco sat down on his chair and stared at the ceiling.
"But seriously, I remember everything about….that day."
Cisco said, painful memories still fresh on his mind.
An echo of a siren…. Ronnie telling him that the accelerator needed to be stopped manually….him standing out that door, waiting, praying for anything, a word- a curse, anything….
Caitlin sighed.
"I know."
They sat there for a while, each wallowing in their sorrows.
It was only after a few seconds that Caitlin managed to speak again.
"You know, I think you were right."
Cisco swivelled around lazily so that he was facing her.
"About what?"
Caitlin looked down at her wrist, where a simple silver chain pressed against her skin. Taking it off, she managed a smile.
"Making myself busy. I think I needed some time away from all of…all of… This."
She left Cisco there to process what she had just said. She felt like she needed that too. Processing.
