Note: This chapter will have DEFINITE spoilers for the last episode, 1x06, but it will NOT follow the plot of 1x06 exactly, rather I'm going to take the character of Tony Woodward and basically go more in depth on certain parts (mainly where Barry is beat up, obviously) – hope you enjoy!
The last thing Barry remembered was running down the main route to Star Labs. Next thing he knew he was waking up in a bed with Caitlin fiddling with something on his hand. It only took another couple of seconds for the pain to hit him.
"Uhh," Barry groaned, turning his head.
"Barry?" Caitlin said, "You awake?" Her voice sounded like she was talking through a megaphone.
Barry opened his eyes slowly, "Yeah."
"You want to tell us exactly what you hit?" Wells asked.
"A man."
They all looked at him.
"A really big, bad, man." Barry groaned again.
"You have thirteen fractures in your hand alone," Caitlin said, "I suggest you don't go hitting him anymore."
"What's on my hand?" Barry asked.
"It's just to stabilize the bones while they heal," Caitlin said.
"How's it feel?" Dr. Wells asked.
Barry groaned.
"Well, we have good news for you too!" Cisco said, holding up a test tube of something. "We did a blood test while you were unconscious, so no needles."
"Excellent," Barry said, leaning his head back again. "Hey, what was that all about last time, anyway?"
"Oh, well, we're not really sure yet," Cisco said, ducking behind a counter.
"But what are you even looking for?" Barry pressed.
"We really just have to run some more tests, first," Caitlin said.
Barry looked from her to Dr. Wells. "So you're not going to tell me, because you don't want me to freak out."
"There's no need to worry unnecessarily," Dr. Wells said, "We'll let you know what we think when we have something definite."
Barry was about to argue when there was a cutting pain drove up his hand. "Ow," he yelled, turning his attention back to Caitlin.
"Sorry," she said, "I have to move these bones back in place."
She made another small adjustment and Barry nearly screamed, twisting in his seat. The pain took his breath away.
"We could give you some anesthetic," Cisco said nonchalantly.
"No thanks," Barry ground out.
"I have three fingers left," Caitlin said. Barry caught a glimpse down. At least one of them was skewed off to the side at a sharp angle.
"I thought that stuff didn't work on me anyway," Barry said.
"Let's just say this one is some very strong stuff," Cisco said, bringing a syringe out to Caitlin.
"It would just be one pinch," Caitlin said, "And then you won't feel anything."
"No thank you," Barry said.
"Barry," Dr. Wells said.
"You said no more needles," he pleaded.
Dr. Wells just looked at him and Barry looked down at his hand, then up at Caitlin and back again.
"Just one pinch?" he asked.
"Just one pinch." Caitlin reassured him. Barry's eyes stuck to the needle and Caitlin moved her hand to block his view. "Don't look," she said, "Take a deep breath."
There was a sharp pain, then the burning feeling, and then everything was numb. Barry let out a long breath as Caitlin put the shot down, quickly manipulating the bones back into place.
"You're becoming a natural, Barry," Dr. Wells said, smiling.
Barry felt nauseas but his hand wasn't on fire anymore and he leaned his head back against the chair.
"Yeah, well, I'd be really happy if I never had to get another shot in my life."
"Don't count on it," Cisco said.
"Cisco!" Caitlin said.
"What – I mean – well superhero and everything, just, you know, you get hurt." Caitlin shot him a pointed look. "But, I mean," Cisco floundered, "you're already doing great! It's been a couple weeks and you're already not running out on us anymore!"
"Thanks, Cisco," Barry said sarcastically.
"You know," Caitlin said, fiddling with the contraption on his hand, "We could, you know, try a series of desensitization** –"
"No."
"That way you don't have to wait until you're hurt and in pain to confront –"
"No, Caitlin, I've had enough of shrinks," Barry said.
"But it wouldn't be shrinks," Dr. Wells added, "it would be us."
"I've tried it before, I'm not doing it," Barry said.
"I'm guessing the experience wasn't ideal," Dr. Wells said.
"Let's just say she wasn't my therapist for very long."
"It could be really helpful, Barry –"
"Guys, please," Barry said, "Just, not right now, OK?"
"OK," Dr. Wells said after a moment.
"All done," Caitlin said. Cisco walked over and handed him a juice box.
"Apple juice?" Barry asked.
"Drink it," Cisco said, "You're dehydrated."
"Badly," Caitlin shouted from across the room.
"I don't think one juice box is going to do it," Barry said.
Cisco promptly dropped the twenty-four pack of juice boxes on the table next to him, a hole in the plastic covering where he had taken the first one out of.
"Oh," he said.
"Drink," Cisco ordered.
Barry coughed, then looked up at the contraption in front of him. Cisco stood grinning by the side.
"You made a metal man?"
Ten minutes later Barry was on the bed and Caitlin had his shoulder between her hands.
"I'm not gonna lie, it'll be quick, but it's going to hurt."
"Just do it," Barry said, gritting his teeth.
"Relax first."
"Hard to relax when you're about to push my shoulder back into its socket," Barry said. He sneezed and Caitlin paused, staring.
"Are you sick?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Interesting."
"No more blood tests!"
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to make you do a blood test." She adjusted her grip slightly. "You know, you never told us what happened with that therapist."
Barry sighed. "I don't really want to talk about it, Caitlin."
"You know if we did that it would be different, right?"
Barry didn't say anything.
"We wouldn't do anything you didn't want to."
"There's too much going on already."
"Alright," Caitlin said, "Just think about it, OK?"
"OK," he said.
Caitlin jerked his shoulder into place, then. It caught Barry off guard and the wrenching pain tore through his arm and shoulder. He screamed, but almost instantly it felt better.
"Breathe," Caitlin said, rubbing his shoulder, "Feel better?"
Barry nodded, then sneezed again.
"Barry!"
"It's open."
Iris walked through the door and then froze, starring.
"Barry!"
"Shhh," he said, covering his ears.
He was lying on the couch and shivering, two blankets over him, surrounded by tissues, cough drop wrappers, and several containers that looked like they once held food.
"Barry, this is practically a biohazard," Iris said, walking carefully around mounds of discarded tissues.
"Sorry," he said, head nestled in against a pillow and the couch cushion.
"Oh my God, Barry, is this – you know what, I don't want to know," Iris said. She walked away and came back with a thermometer.
"Open up," she said.
"Ughhh," he groaned, pushing his face farther into the cushion.
"Barry," Iris snapped.
"Whhhaaat," he said. His eyes were red and his face looked gaunt, his face flushed with fever and his nose red and raw.
She stuck the thermometer in his mouth before he could argue anymore. When it beeped she took it back and he resumed his position with his head in the couch cushion.
"You're almost a hundred and three!" she said.
"Oh."
"Oh? Barry you need to go see a doctor."
"Don't wanna see a doctor. 'M just tired."
Iris started rifling through his papers until she came across his phone. Dead. She plugged it in and once it started up went through his contacts until she found Caitlin's and called.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Caitlin, it's Iris."
"Oh, hi Iris."
"Look, Barry's sick, like really sick, and I was just wondering, should I be driving him to a hospital or just bring him –"
"Wait, what do you mean he's sick, like –"
"Like fever of a hundred and three sick."
"Oh, no, um, bring him here, to Star Labs, I'll call Dr. Wells and get everything set."
"OK, and Caitlin, does this have anything to do with that blood test you guys had to take before?"
"I don't know," Caitlin said, "Maybe… just, get him here quick alright, I'll meet you at the elevator."
She hung up, and Iris looked back at Barry, who was still prostrate on the couch.
"This should be interesting," she said.
** Desensitization refers to the therapeutic desensitization of one's fears by repeat exposure to that fear in comfortable, secure environments. (Such as, say, showing a needle-phobic person pictures of shots until they were comfortable with that, then having them look at a real-life syringe until they're comfortable with that, then having them hold that syringe, etc, until the phobia disappears) Just in case you didn't know. If you haven't guessed already I have a bit of a medical phobia too, though not as bad as Barry!
More soon featuring sick Barry and worried everyone else – also was thinking about how he hadn't been to doctors in quite a while – might make it so he was also avoiding say, the dentist? Let me know what you think and review please! I know this one was shorter but hopefully more very soon.