It was five in the morning when Caitlin finally arrived at STAR Labs, even though Barry had called her at around half four. He wanted to be checked over, he felt... Weak, just in general. It took him a lot of effort to move his arms and legs and all he wanted to do was lie down. What didn't help was the blinding head ache he had and a small chest pain that had got better in the last hour but still, better to check.
Caitlin dragged behind her a zombie Cisco who mumbled something about it being too early. He was dressed scruffily and his eyes were barely open making it obvious that he was not a morning person, understandable at that hour. Caitlin on the other hand looked as she always did, smartly dressed and neat as a pin in a long skirt and heels, her make-up subtle and perfectly done. Anyone would have thought she was up for hours if it wasn't for the small amount of sleep in the corner of her eyes.
As part of a routine Barry had already rolled up his sleeve and awaited a blood test, they didn't even need to say anything before Caitlin had eased the needle into his arm. But abnormally Caitlin kept looking up at him every now and then. Behind his smile she could see he was tense and shaken and she wasn't sure if she should ask but of course she had to, she didn't even know what symptoms she was looking for if he didn't tell her what had happened.
"So" she began but Cisco beat her too it.
"What happened that means we had to come all the way here at this time." He said, his words were slightly slurred and he yawned halfway through but he was finally beginning to wake up. He pulled out a lollipop from his pocket hoping that the sugar would give him some energy.
Barry paused for a second before answering. "I ran into a metahuman." He sighed as both of them snapped their attention to him, realising that the answer he gave was not enough for them. "She could control the air around her, I was running and this massive gust of wind just threw me into a field."
"That is so cool!" Suddenly Cisco was lively again at the thought of a new metahuman, he was practically jumping about in his seat. "What so can she fly and stuff that would be awesome." He looked excitedly at Caitlin two but she just gave him a disapproving look.
Barry smiled heartily, he had imagined Cisco would react like this. "Yeh she can fly," he pulled his chair closer to Cisco. "And she did this thing where she whispered and then did this," he flicked his wrist just as she had, "and I could hear it around me like it was everywhere."
"That's, that's, wow." Said Cisco trying to find the words. "She must be able to control sound waves as well as the air, she can't do it with her hand though, can she? Oh we need to run tests, where is she? Was she friendly or psycho criminal?" He said all in one long babble.
"Well I thought she was friendly, until she tried to kill me." He looked a bit uncomfortable.
"How?" Caitlin asked, she looked closely at Barry, she couldn't see any cuts or bruises on his face, he didn't seem to be in any pain 'but they could have heeled by now,' she thought silently to herself. She did worry about his near death experiences and the large amount he had.
"She stopped air going into my lungs, I couldn't breathe." He looked at the floor. "I couldn't do anything, if she tries again what am I going to do?" For the first time. Since the night with his mum he felt utterly helpless. He hated that feeling, who doesn't?
"But you must have got away, your hear now." Cried Caitlin putting a hand on his shoulder, she hated seeing him like this. He was normally the one who smiled through everything, kept everyone's spirits up, this wasn't like him.
"That's the thing." He looked Caitlin in the eyes and she could see the frustration they held. "She could have killed me, I thought she was going too but she just left." That's what he couldn't understand, it ate away at him. Why would she just leave, she didn't even say what she wanted. All she did was leave him half dead and walk away, a complete stranger. What was it? Some sort of scare tactic? A warning? He sighed deeply. "Maybe she couldn't be bothered to finish it." He said with a weak smile.
"Hey don't worry." Cisco said calmly, sensing how upset his friend was. "We'll help you beat her, I'm sure I can modify some sort of breathing mask thing, oh maybe if the mask is seeled then she won't be able to control the air in it, if we create like a diving mask with lighter tanks... Oh I can totally do this." He was excited again, it didn't take much.
Barry laughed. "Ok that sounds pretty cool."
"Yeah!" Cried Cisco, as if it was obvious. He left to go to his own lab to start designs already, he was definitely keen, but Cisco always was.
Caitlin turned away from the results and looked at Barry with a worried expression. "Well there is quite a lot of damage to your blood cells but most of them are being repaired. We need to do more tests."
An hour later Dr Harrison Wells rolled into the lab, he was shocked to learn that drama that had happened and a bit disappointed that he wasn't called upon. Though there were still a few things that didn't add up. He sat thinking, his hands pointed into a triangle, it was a while before he finally spoke. "What were you even doing out?" He watched as all eyes turned to Barry, making it obvious that no one had thought to ask that question.
"I... I just needed to clear my head." He stammered. "I've never been attacked on a run before though." He realised he put his foot in it immediately.
"You do this a lot Mr Allen?" He said he always managed to make his tone just the right mix between disappointed parent and strict tutor. It was a tone that made Barry fidget and squirm as if a thousand eyes where on him, but he managed to look calm and relaxed on the outside.
"I haven't been sleeping since... The man in yell-" Cisco raised his eyebrow, "the Reverse Flash visited." He smiled as Cisco nodded in approval at using his nickname.
Harrison's eyebrows furrowed. He needed Barry to push himself, how was he going to do that of he could sleep, couldn't focus? The point of acquainting Barry with the Reverse Flash was so he felt pressured into bettering himself, this would not do. And how was the future going to play right if he kept nearly getting himself killed. 'I have to make him see sense.' He thought. He realised that the room had been silent since Barry spoke and the grins had been well and truly wiped off the boys' faces. "You can't fight people with out a clear head, go home and go to sleep." Harrison said firmly in a voice that forbade an argument.
"I would," said Barry edging out of the door, "but I have work. Catch up later, Bye." Barry zoomed out of the lab and he knew it was unfair on Caitlin and Cisco, who by now were surely getting some frosty looks, but it's not like he couldn't go to work. What Barry couldn't admit to himself is that he just wanted to be around people, he feared being alone.