This was a fun chapter to write, I hope that it is easy to follow, at least in the speed force. feel free to let me know what you thought of this chapter in a review.

Central City Cemetery

I walked down the grassy plain covered in gravestones, one hand gripping flowers and the other shoved into my pocket. After a few moments of walking, I finally got to the Graves that read "Simon Cutter" and "Amelia Cutter." This was the first time I've visited my parent's headstones since the funeral and I stood facing both of them. "H-hey Mom, hey dad," I said out loud trying to fight the tears of sadness the threatened to fall from being here. "Sorry it took me so long to come see you guys." I said with a forced smile, "I got you your uh, your favorite flowers Mom," I said to the unresponsive piece of stone. I gripped the flowers with both of my hands, "They are Gardenia, just like the ones I used to buy you on your Birthday and Mother's day." I began to grow uncontrollably sad and a tear started to run down my face as I placed the beautiful white flower in front of her grave. "I uh, I'm trying to stay positive for you guys. Trying to stay strong. It's really hard without you two." More tears began to stream down my face, "I got speed." I laughed. "I'm like the Flash now and I've been keeping the City safe while The Flash is away." I wiped my face before kneeling down. "I never would have thought, after losing you two, I would lose my brother too." I told them, "Isaac...He uh, he betrayed me. He worked with Zoom to try and stop me from stopping him and knew i was the one under the mask whole time too." I said with bitterness while wiping away another tear. "I don't know what to do about him guy's. Not to mention the enormous responsibility I have been given to look after the City. These are hard times and I miss you guys a lot." I continued to allow tears to freely roll down my cheeks, there was no point in trying to stop them. "Okay, I have to go now… I'll come back soon, I promise." I nodded and smiled while wiping away the remaining tears. I began to walk out of the graveyard and through the main gate. My phone began to ring and I answered it, "Hey what's up?" I asked, the voice that came out next was Cisco's. "Hey, we have everything set up, are you ready?" He asked me. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." I responded, getting ready to run back to Star Labs. "Okay, see you soon." He told me. This past day has been the hardest of my life, to feel all the anger in this betrayal was awful, I felt way more anger than sadness.

Star Labs

I got to the elevator in star labs and took it downstairs to the Cortex. I don't run or speed into the Cortex though, I just walk. I wasn't in a very good mood, and I hope that something as cool as going into the very thing that generates my power, would be enough to bring me back to happiness. "There you are Thomas, where've you been?" Cisco asked me curiously. "I had to take care of something before we did this, I'm good to go now." I responded nodding to the Interdimensional Tether. " Okay check it, I retrofitted the Tether to your emblem so you don't have to carry it around all the time while you're in there." Cisco told me with a smile, He picked up the emblem and showed me, "That's actually pretty badass bro." I said with a chuckle before grabbing the emblem and taking a look at it. On the back of the emblem lay a small piece of tech that lit up dark blue glow. "Okay, let me go get into my suit and we can do this." I told them, placing the emblem down and walking out of the room. I speed dressed in the hallway and came back in. "Are we doing this or what?" I asked playfully, "Come on." I motioned with my hand to follow into the pipeline. When we got to the door to the pipeline, Cisco moved Isaac's cell further into the pipeline so that I could get into the giant circular room and open a portal. I turned and faced them all, "Here, put this on." Cisco told me while handing over the emblem, "This will monitor your vitals while you're in there." I put it on and nodded to them all a goodbye for now. As soon as I turned around to run into the offline Particle Accelerator, I heard a voice. "Thank you, Thomas." I turned to see it was Iris and Joe, he had his arm around Iris in a side hug. They came to see me off and got here just before I left. "I'll get your son back, I promise." I told Joe and he nodded. "Be careful Thomas." Caitlin told me, "I will."

I pulled the cowl resting on my back, over my head. With a flicker of lightning in my eyes, I speeded off into the pipeline. When I got to the ground floor of the accelerator, I pushed as hard as I could and as fast as I could, "Thomas, you have to think hard on what you are trying to achieve before the portal will open." Wells told me over comms "Got it!" I yelled over the sound of my lightning. A loud bang just shot through the building and shook it. "You just passed Mach 2." Cisco told me from comms. Around and around and around I went in the Particle Accelerator, first Mach 1, a few seconds later Mach 2. "Almost there Thomas keep pushing." Wells told me again, and I listened, I increased my speed as fast as I could possibly go. "Mach 5!" Cisco yelled over the comms. I continued to push myself harder and harder. "Almost there, keep going!" Cisco yelled again. I surpassed Mach 6 and 7, when I got to Mach 8, I punched a hole right through reality. The color was a weird soft blue on the outside and a darker blue on the inside and it spun slowly. "That's your ticket into the speed force, run Thomas run!" Wells told me and I ran, I ran and I disappeared, the tunnel collapsing behind me.

The Speed Force

I was stopped by force, but it didn't feel that way. I slowed to a complete stop, without skidding, without falling, I just stopped. I bent over resting my hands on my knees and trying to catch my breath. "Ho- holy, holy crap!" I breathed out, "it worked!" I was now surrounded by darkness, only I was able to see myself, lit up like if I was standing in the sun but enveloped in space. "Hello?" I called out, my voice echoed as if I were in a parking garage. "Hello?" I called out again but louder. "Guess no ones home…" I began to start walking into the endless void that lies ahead. About an hour of walking goes by when I hear a strange creaking noise, I turn around to see a door. Light was bleeding from the cracks of outline on the doorway. "This seems a little sketchy but sure let's open the door." I remarked. I began walking to the door and when I got to it I opened it. Light exploded through the door with an eye blind luminosity. "Oh geez." I complained, pulling my arms up to block the light. I kept walking into the door until the light settled.

On the other side of the door, I found myself in my apartment, "What the-" confusion flooding my mind, I had no idea how I just left the speed force. I touched my earpiece, "Cisco?" There was nothing but an ominous static. "Caitlin? Wells?" nothing but the static. "Joe! Iris!" Still no response, "Anyone?" I asked desperately. There was nothing but static. I walked to my front door to leave but when I walked through it, I found myself in another person's home. "What the hell is going on?" I questioned confusedly, shuffling around in a circle to look around. I closed the front door and started to look around, I saw pictures of Barry, Joe and Iris. "Joe's house?" I questioned loudly, "Why?" I walked up the stairs and into the hallway where there were four doors, which I assumed were the bedrooms. I opened the door all the way at the end of the hall, assuming it's Joe's and when I walked inside I found myself at the cemetery. I turned to look back at the door but the doorway was gone. "Dammit now what." I looked in front of me and laying there, were my parent's headstones with the flowers I left there this morning. "I... Don't understand?" I felt the presence of someone else behind me while I gazed upsettingly at my parent's graves. "Hello, son." A deep voice called out from behind me. I know that voice, I haven't heard it in quite some time but I remember exactly whose voice it was. "Dad?"

I turned around to face the man, "Oh my God, Dad!" He didn't say anything, he just lifted his hand to stop me. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm not your father Thomas, we just thought you'd be more comfortable talking to someone you know and trusted." my eyebrows narrowed, "I don't understand…" "We are the Speed Force Thomas." A tear of disappointment fell down my cheek. "Why are you here?" He asked me. "I- I- I'm here for B- Barry." I told them, my words and thoughts were scrambled when I finally realized I was having a conversation with the Speed Force. "I see." Is all the higher being said. "Can you take me to him?" I asked nervously. "I cannot. You will have to find him on your own I'm afraid." He told me as he began to walk away "Wait!" I called out and he stopped, "How do I find him?" I questioned. "Follow your heart." The being said before he vanished, disappearing immediately. "You've got to be kidding me". I said while sighing and rolling my eyes. I turned around and found myself in the CCPD Precinct. It was empty, just like the Cemetery and Joe's house. I'm beginning to think maybe I have to search in places Barry loves. I make my way slowly up the stairs to our lab, when I turn down the hallway I noticed that the lights were on in the lab. I began walking faster to see if it was Barry. "Barry!", I whispered, "Barry are you in there?" I turned the corner only to find Joe standing there. "Oh, Joe! Am I glad to see you man!" I sighed as I walked to him. "Hello, Thomas." He called, "Not Joe." I said while throwing my arms down to my side. "You won't find Barry Allen here." I started growing agitated now, "Dammit then where?" I raised my voice and the higher being turned around. "You will find him where he is happiest." He stated before vanishing once again. "Thought you weren't going to help." I remark sarcastically before deciding to leave. I walked out of the doors and appeared in an old arena.

"Where am I now?" I questioned to myself. It was hot and humid. The arenas floor was made out of sandstone and sand, the walls were also made from sandstone and the seats were made from wood. If I didn't know any better I'd say I'm in a jungle. The floor began to shake, and I turned around to see what was coming. "What the hell is that?!" I exclaimed out loud. It was a ten-foot ape, and he talked in my mind. "Hello, Thomas." It was just the speed force again, I could tell because so far every time I've been greeted by them they've said "hello Thomas" I looked up at the Gorilla, "That's an interesting look." I stated, crossing my arms. "You have not yet met Grodd, but you will. He will challenge you someday." The Speed Force revealed. "How does this help me?" I asked angrily. "You will not find Barry here, turn back." The Gorilla said before disappearing again. "This is getting annoying," I told myself before walking to a big door to the inside of the stands. When I opened the door and walked through it, I was still at the arena. There was a seat and an old projector with a note on top that said play me. I sat in the chair and hit the play button, the screen lit up and I saw Isaac and Zoom. "You've got to be kidding me!" I said bitterly.

"I need your help." Zoom asked Isaac in his devilish voice. "Why the hell would I help you, you're nothing but a monster!" He responded angrily. "If you do not help me I will kill Thomas." He said to him. "Okay, what do you need?" Isaac asked reluctantly in shame as he lowered his head. "I need Thomas to feel betrayed, so he can get faster." Zoom explained. "Faster? What do you mean faster?" He asked. Zoom tilted his head, "Thomas is a speedster now, and I want his speed." Isaac's eyebrows narrowed in pain. "You want me to betray my brother?" He asked him. "Its that or I will torture him to the brink of death and do it again the next day and the next." He demanded, and Isaac nodded.

The tape stopped playing and a whole new battle of emotions sputtered through my body. I began to understand fully why Isaac was doing what he did. But he did break the law, he did kill innocent people and there was no way I will let him get away with that. I got up and walked back to the door I came in from, as I walked through the doorway I found myself in Star Labs. I was in the hallway to the Cortex. I started walking to the Cortex and noticed Cisco sitting at the center console, "Let me guess, here to teach me another lesson?" I remarked as I walked up behind him. "Welcome Thomas." He said, "You're getting closer Thomas." I rubbed my eyes with my fingers and sighed. "Think harder Thomas. Remember that you will find him in a place where he is happiest." I turned around and walked back into the hallway. "When will this end?" I asked myself, I got into the elevator and pushed the button to go up. When the elevator reached the main floor it opened a loft. "This place is nice!" I said looking around the place. The kitchen was on the right and there was a wall of windows on the left there was even a turtle on the side table I stood next to. "Hey there little guy." I laughed. I looked to the right to see a picture standing there. "Huh." I whispered and picked it up. It was a photo of Barry and Iris. "What is this?" I asked out loud. "This is a possibility of the future ." A man said from the kitchen. "Not your future but Barry's." I nodded, "Yeah I could tell." I Scoffed. "You're even warmer Mr. Cutter, almost there." The man turned around and it was . He took a bite of a hamburger and then disappeared. I shook my head in disbelief that this quest would ever end. I began walking to the back of the loft and entered a room. It led me to the middle of a neighborhood.

"Never been here before." I stated out loud. There was a house right in front of me, there were stairs leading up to a front porch. It was a small house, not too big but my gut told me to go in it. I began walking down the street when memories that weren't mine flooded the street almost like movie screens. One memory was of a young boy visiting his father in prison, one was of the Flash punching a Gorilla at Mach 1.1, and the last one was of a kiss with Iris on a shoreline right before a tsunami hit the city. "These all must be Barry's memories." I stated as I continued to walk down the street. I reached the house and began walking up the stairs to the porch. I heard talking on the inside of the house and saw Barry talking to a woman, I opened the door and slowly crept inside. I couldn't quite make out what they were talking about but when I came inside the woman stopped talked and turned around. "Thomas?!" Barry yelled, "Is that really you?" He asked surprised and excited. A smile lit up on my face, "Yeah it's me, buddy." Barry came over and hugged me and I hugged back. "How did you get in here?" He asked curiously. "I'm a uh- I'm a speedster like you." I told him with a smile. "Barry I came to get you out of here, we need you back home." I explained to him. "Central City needs the Flash." Barry's eyebrows narrowed and he looked down. "How long has it been?" He asked, his words were fractured. "A few months now." Barry's eyes shifted to the woman, "You're ready Barry." She said with a smile. Barry turned to look at me again and then down at his hand to see it was vibrating really fast. "Let's go home Thomas." With a flicker of lightning in our eyes, we sped out of the house and down the street, down the highway, and into the city until we had enough speed between the two of us to open a portal out of the speed force and back into the real world. We flew through the portal and into the Cortex spiraling Into the ground rolling over top of one another until we stopped.

Star Labs

"Barry!" They all screamed, Cisco, Caitlin, Joe and Iris. Iris went to hug him and Joe followed. I stood up and walked over to Cisco and Caitlin, "How long was I gone?" I asked. "Dude that was like 10 minutes!" Cisco laughed as he patted me on the shoulder, Caitlin hugged me as well. "Thank you, Thomas, we couldn't have done this without you." She smiled as she pulled away. They both went to go see Barry after the long time that he has been gone. I couldn't help but smile, I just did the world a favor by bringing the Flash back and I didn't want anything in return. "Thomas." Barry called out, "Thanks for getting me out of there." He told me with a smile while he was hugging all of his friends. I nodded, "My pleasure buddy." I began walking out of the Cortex. "Where are you going Thomas?" Joe asked before I left. "I need to talk to someone really fast, I will be back soon." I told them and I went to the pipeline.

When I got to the entrance I called for the cell that Isaac was being held in and had it transported to my location. "Isaac we need to talk." I told him calmly. And he nodded, "Let's talk then." "I know why you did it…" I told him, "Did what? I've done a lot of things in the past few weeks." He responded defensively. "You betrayed me to save me." I stated and his eyes widened, "How did you know that?" he asked confused. "Look that doesn't matter okay. Are you still my brother?" I asked him. I saw a tear run down Isaac's cheek as he nodded. "Good now its Zooms turn to be betrayed." I winked at him as I backed up and let him out if his cell. "Thomas I'm so sorry, I really really am…" He cried as he walked over and hugged me. "Easy man I forgive you." I told him and he hugged tighter. "I didn't think you would." He said after he pulled away. "Look Isaac, my team probably won't trust you, but be patient, they will eventually." He nodded. "Come on let's go." I told him and we walked together to the Cortex.

"Thomas! Are you out of your damn mind?" Joe yelled as he pulled his gun from his holster and aimed it at Isaac. "Woah! woah! Woah!" I yelled, "Put the gun down Joe." Isaac seemed frightened now. "Look the Speed Force revealed to me why Isaac betrayed me and it wasn't for his own good it was for mine. He did it for me. Zoom threatened to kill me if Isaac didn't do what he wanted him to." I explained. "Who's Isaac? And what's going on?" Barry asked confused. "Barry we'll explain it to you later okay?" Caitlin told him and he nodded. "Isaac wants to help us stop Zoom." I explained into more depth. "We could really use his help and now that there are two speedsters and another metahuman who are more than willing to stop Zoom's reign, we have an unstoppable chance." I pointed out. "Thomas, how much do you know about your powers?" Barry asked. I looked at him, "Not as much as you I'm afraid." "Tomorrow we should train, maybe I can teach you a few new tricks." He smiled, "I can't wait." I laughed I looked back at Isaac, "Hey why don't you go on home and we will meet up again tomorrow for training and a plan." Isaac nodded, "I won't let any of you down, I promise you that." he said with a wave to all of them. "Good night everyone." and he left. Joe walked over to me and whispered, "Thomas are you really going to let him go? Do you have any idea how many people he's killed?" I sighed, "Of course I do Joe, but we need him right now. After we settle this Zoom problem we can talk about Isaac." Joe nodded. "Trust me, we can trust him."

Central City Cemetery

Once again I found myself walking down the grassy plain covered in headstones, making my way to my parent's markers. It was dark and cold outside, you could hear the sounds of crickets on the ground and Bats in the sky. It was a beautiful night, it was a little bit ominous too but that's just because of the cemetery. "Hey Mom, Dad, it's me again. I did it, I saved the Flash. I worked things out with Isaac as well. I uh… I hope you're proud of me." I told the unresponsive headstones, more tears began to run down my cheeks. "Wherever you are, I hope you're proud." I straightened the flowers I had left there earlier today and walked out of the cemetery.

Star Labs The Next Morning

I came in early today to meet with Barry for a training session before everyone got here. It was about six o'clock in the morning. I walked into the Cortex, "Barry you here?" I called out, all of the lights were on so someone was definitely here. I didn't get a response so I kept going throughout the facility. "Barry?" I called out again in the hallways. "Mr. Cutter, are you aware that it is six O'clock in the morning?" A sleepy and grouchy Wells asked as he came out of a room with two beds in it. "Harry? You live at Star Labs?" I asked dumbfoundedly. I always thought that Harry lived in a cheap apartment of some sorts, guess I was wrong. "Yes, and you're being very loud. Can you take it down a notch?" He responded annoyed. I nodded, "Sorry." and Harry turned around back to his bed, I guess Jesse still isn't back yet. I continued to roam the halls through the facility during my search for Barry when I suddenly stumbled upon one very large warehouse type of room, I mean it was huge. I found Barry in here setting up a large wooden wall, "Ah, there you are." Barry stated as he came over to me. "What's all this for?" I asked confused as to why we needed a large wooden wall. "So, Caitlin told me that during one of your encounters with Zoom he phased through a wall and got away." Barry explained, "Well today I'm going to teach you how to phase so that next time he can't escape you." Excitement sprang through my body, "Hell yeah! Let's do it bro." I said in excitement as we dapped.

A few hours have gone by and so far, all that has happened is me running really hard into a large wooden surface. "Barry, man this isn't working." I stated in disbelief and annoyance. "You'll get it, I know you will." He told me as he leaned against the wooden wall. I look at with disbelief and he stood up straight, "Here watch," He held his hand up and started to vibrate it. "When you vibrate at the natural frequency of air, your body, your cells, will be in an excited state that'll allow you to phase." He told me with a demonstration as he passed his hand through the wall. "That literally looks impossible to me." I stated as I stepped back to start again. "Try again but this time, before you run through the wall, jump up so that you only have to focus on phasing." He explained to me and I nodded. The electricity flickered in my eyes, it reached and touched every nerve in my body and the lightning flickered quickly on the outside of my body before I sped off into a race around the large room. One, two, three laps around the room until I built up enough speed, I ran so fast that time slowed in the room. As I reached the front of the wall of reinforced wooden wall, I ran in a straight line and about five feet away, I jumped from running and flew through the air until I collided with the wall. It didn't work again, I hit the ground harder this time and slid on my back until I hit the metal wall behind, forcing me to a stop. I lay on the floor in agonizing pain from the impact. Barry sped over to me, "Ouch…. Are you alright?" He asked me while lending me his hand to help me up. "That's… That's enough for now." I groaned out as I accepted his hand. "That was close, you sure you don't want to try again?" He asked me trying to push this. "No no, I'm alright," I told him hunched a bit from the pain cycling through my body. One thing was for sure, I wasn't ready to phase yet.

We walked into the Cortex to find Caitlin and Cisco getting prepared for their day today. "Hey, guys." Barry greeted them and I waved to them as well. "What happened to him?" Cisco asked concerned pointing to me. "He uh… He ran into a wall off balanced at Mach 2." He explained to them while still helping me stand. Caitlin walked over to me, "Here, let me take him." She told Barry and they exchanged places. "What hurts?" She asked me as we walked to the medical room. "Everything." I groaned, "But mainly my back." As we reached the medical room, she helped me to the bed and had me sit on the edge of it until I was able to lay back on it fully. "Sounds like you need a chiropractor." She chuckled, "I can help you out with that." I nodded and let her work her magic to fix me up.

I've been resting for about an hour now and I'm finally ready to get moving again. I walked back into the Cortex to greet Cisco, Harry, Caitlin, and Barry, "Hey, I have to get back to the lab guys I'll catch up with you all later." I told them as I grabbed my coat from a nearby chair. "Barry now that you're back, your spot in the lab is still available." I explained to him, "That's awesome." He said with a smile, "I'll go speak to Singh today." I nodded and proceeded into the hallway and to the elevator to get to work. Phasing will just have to wait.