Chapter 11:

Step by Step

Iris's fingers flew over her keyboard as she typed up another entry on her blog. This time it was about reports of a burning man. This was even better than the supernatural books she pored over when she was younger. Werewolves and vampires and other creatures were one thing, but this was a man on fire. And yet he didn't seem to burn or be in pain, she couldn't make this up.

Every time she opened up the drafts in her blog for another update she couldn't help but see that the visitor count increased each time. What started out as something small now became bigger than she imagined. People were actually listening to her. It filled her with a rush she couldn't help but chase. After all, she was putting the word out there that sometimes the impossible isn't impossible. Now if only Barry could believe in that again…

"…Spotters last place the Burning Man beneath an overpass just on the outskirts of the city. Perhaps he has a local hangout where he could be spotted? Though I don't suggest you go looking for him. It seems to me, like The Streak, we have another savior on our hands," Iris muttered beneath her breath as she typed the closing paragraph to her blog post. Sometimes she felt crazy talking aloud as she typed but it was the only way she could hear how her articles sounded before submitting them, writing blogs were the same for her. At any rate she was glad no one else was sitting near her in the study center. It was bad enough Eddie made fun of her; she didn't need complete strangers doing it too.

"Alright, Dreamers, any new news on The Streak?" she muttered while typing into the chat box on her site. She sat back in her chair and waited for anyone to come up with any sort of information on their masked savior. It was nice to have a little hope in the slowly rebuilding city. While everyone seemed to go back to their own sense of normalcy there was still the low-hanging cloud of loss over the city's head due to the explosion.

Right after the explosion, hardly a day went by without some sort of outrage in the wake of the incident being reported on. Most of them were small instances: posts online, graffiti on alley walls, hollow claims for acts of revenge by those who initially protested the Particle Accelerator and then those who lost family members due to it. Every once in a while something bigger occurred: banks that invested in S.T.A.R. labs were attacked, ex-employees were stalked and threatened, and cars and homes were vandalized. At one point they were all given their own police escort but as time went on the incident became a thing of the past.

But for Iris it shaped her past, present, and future. She couldn't forget how excited Barry was to see it turn on. She couldn't forget the smile that lit up his face, much like a kid on Christmas as they stood in front of the one and only Dr. Harrison Wells. She couldn't forget his laugh of glee and him standing at rapt attention and absorbing every word that came out of the scientist's mouth.

And then…all that was gone in an instant as he was put in a coma and everything changed. She turned her focus onto her school work, her father worked as little days as possible at the precinct to watch over him, and her cousin all but disappeared into the night. On most days she could pretend, lie to herself even, that he was just out of town or on some trip. But it sucked knowing that, sometimes, all she wanted to do was run to Barry and rant or rave about her day but she couldn't. Instead she got to look forward to seeing him with IVs and machines connected to him. And it was all because that thing had to turn on.

It was amazing how one thing could be a blessing and a curse.

"C'mon guys, nothing?" Iris sighed, throwing her arms into the air. More comments popped up in the small chat box but they weren't about anything whether or not The Streak was actually living up to his name in more ways than one. Blowing a breath out of her mouth which caused her lips to vibrate, she leaned back and rubbed at her eyes.

It seemed as if she's the only one taking The Streak seriously. Even her journalism teacher was beginning to turn away from the mock articles she turned in for assignments. But how could something like this be swept under the rug in such an easy fashion when new spotter reports came out every day? He stopped zoo animal attacks, a crazy circus ringleader, saved people from a derailed train, people from burning buildings. Not only was there The Streak now but the Burning Man. And now some people were claiming reports from someone that could shoot beams from their hands. What more proof could they need that he existed? What more proof could they need to see that the impossible was possible? If strange things could happen in Starling, strange things can happen in Central.

Humming, Iris clicked over to a new tab and brought up Google, typing into the blank space: Starling City Incidents 2013. It didn't take her long to find something to briefly whet her insatiable investigative appetite: reports on a Dollmaker and his victims, the Huntress and her vendetta against a crime family, the two Vertigo outbreaks, Dodger, The Savior, Shrapnel, Mirakuru, the Undertaking, and on and on. All stories that Barry had followed once before that she had thought were a bit out there at the time.

How the tables turn…

Iris picked up her discarded phone and pressed a button on the side to illuminate the screen and check the time only to bring up a picture of Eddie and herself. It was taken at one of Central City's fairs atop of the ferris wheel a few months after the explosion. Eddie had convinced the operator for them to stop at the top so they could watch the sunset. It was the first real fun she had in a while, the first time she genuinely smiled in a while. That night sure was fun…

It hit her like a lightning bolt. Fun! That's what everyone needed! Everyone had become so…serious, lately, especially after the recent Snart sighting. A good night of fun was just what the doctor ordered. Swiping the screen with her thumb, she then pressed and held the number 3 until speed dial went through.

"Hey, Iris. Have I ever told you how much I love hearing your voice?" Eddie said as soon as he picked up.

"Not as much as I love hearing yours," Iris replied, grinning. If she were using a corded phone she'd spin her finger in the wired ringlets. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"

"I don't know, spending time with you?"

"Annnd Barry," Iris filled in, biting down on her lip.

"Okay…wasn't expecting that."

"I know. But I haven't hung out with him in a while and you and Barry haven't had a chance to get to know each other. So, I was thinking…darts! Come on, there's an Irish bar I've always wanted to check out. And I've always wanted to kick your butt in darts."

"Iris, I'm a police officer. We're known for our marksmanship. If anyone's going to kick anyone's butt, I'll be kicking yours."

"That sounds like a threat, Mr. Thawne. Are you willing to see this little competition out tonight? Say yes. I'll make it worth your while."

"Iris, every day I get to spend with you is worth my while," Eddie replied, chuckling. "I'm in. So, Barry's coming?"

"I haven't asked him yet but I'm sure he'll say yes. I was going to let him invite his friends too, the one's that saved his life? He's been spending a lot of time with them and I want to know more about them too. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Iris, you don't need to ask my permission."

"I know that, I just didn't want to blindside you. Oh, and I'm inviting Sage too."

"Iris, invite whoever you like. Whoever's important to you are important to me too. I'll just let know Joe what we're up to incase something comes up."

"Great! Let's meet at the bar say around seven?"

"That's perfect. I'm counting down the hours."

Giggling, Iris bid Eddie goodbye and hung up the phone. She then called up her number 4 speed dial and waited for the line to be picked up. Right as she was sure that she would have to leave a message the line was picked up. "Iris! Hey! Sorry, I couldn't find my phone, it's under…so much mess," Barry muttered. She could almost see him rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly as his nose wrinkled like a rabbit's.

"Didn't Captain Singh talk to you about cleaning up your office once before?" Iris teased.

"More than once, yeah. It just kinda…blows all over the place, I move so fast sometimes." Iris laughed along with Barry as she tugged on the ends of her hair. "So…what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's great. I just…I miss you, Bare," she replied. Her eyes swiveled around the room as she listened to Barry's breathing on the other end of the line. He was quiet for so long that she had to check to make sure the call hadn't been dropped.

"I…I miss you too, Iris," he finally replied. "I've just been so busy with work and…and stuff. I'm sorry if you felt like you've been on the backburner. Things just got really busy around here and—"

"Barry, it's alright, I understand," Iris cut in, stopping him in midrant. "I haven't exactly been putting a lot of effort into hanging out with you either. Which is why, tonight, we're going to a bar. An Irish bar, even. Time to try something new and I want my best friend at my side while I do it."

"A bar, huh? Yeah, I could go for a drink. That sounds like a great idea."

"Great! You can invite your friends too. The ones from S.T.A.R. Labs. Eddie's coming along so I thought it was only fair you can bring someone too."

"Oh, Eddie's coming. Great."

Iris's eyebrows furrowed. She pulled her phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment. Barry's ID picture of him sticking out his tongue looked back at her. "Do you not want him to come?"

"No! No, it's not that. No, I uh, it's just…I didn't expect it. He doesn't really seem like…the drinking guy. Straight lace and all that."

Iris laughed. "Eddie likes his alcohol as much as the next person. He's a big wine guy, in fact. I never knew that. I always thought he was a beer guy. But he says he wants to own his own winery one day and—"

"I'll ask Cisco and Caitlin if they want to come," Barry interrupted her.

"You're not going to ask Dr. Wells? I'm sure he could go for a night of debauchery like the rest of us." She tried to hold her laugh in but when she heard Barry cracking up on the line she dissolved into laughter as well.

"Yeah, I don't think 'Wells' and 'debauchery' go together," Barry said, his laughter slowly subsiding. "We'll meet you there."

"At seven. And don't be late!"

"C'mon, Iris, you know me. I'm never late."

Shaking her head, Iris rolled her eyes despite knowing that Barry couldn't see her. "Yeah, whatever Barry. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Iris."

Iris ended with call with a tap of her thumb and then focused on her computer. She minimized her browser window and pulled up her homework for her creative nonfiction class. It wasn't too hard, all she had to do was map out the major events of her life, look for patterns, and then write an essay based on a period of time of her life made an impact on her present and how she presents herself to her friends, family, and acquaintances. There were plenty that she could choose from but the one that she could always find herself coming back to was the one topic she never breeched with her father: her mother.

She had stood in front of the mirror many times trying to see which parts of her mother she inherited: her eyes? Her nose? Her smile? Her laugh? Her personality? Or was she split down the middle and equal parts her father and equal parts her mother? All she wanted to do was sit down and talk with her father about her mother but he dodged the subject almost as badly as he dodged the topic of her starting to date a few years ago.

Maybe if she tried asking again her father would help, being that it was for her essay. But then she pursed her lips at the idea. If her father could give her the cold shoulder just from dating his partner, he could give a worse one about asking about her mother.

"There you are!" Iris looked up to see Sage weaving in between the tables. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Well, here I am. I'm just getting some homework and stuff done," Iris replied, motioning to her computer. "What's up?"

"I just got done talking to my mythology professor and wanted to know if you wanted to go to Jitters. I'm having withdrawals." She held out her hand in front of Iris's face. "D'you see that? It's shaking. I need caffeine now."

Iris lowered the lid of her laptop before replying, "You know you can get coffee from the dining hall, right?"

"I can't use your discount at the dining hall. And their biscottis are always stale."

"Ooh, yeah, nothing can ruin coffee more than stale biscotti." Iris packed her computer and notebook into her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She then looped her arm with her cousin's and the two walked out of the building dedicated to the fine arts at CCU.

They easily meshed in with the slow moving pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. The bright sun bounced off the glass on the buildings around them, sparkling as if glitter had been adorned. Iris missed being able to enjoy the beautiful, warm days but graduate work was much heavier than she expected, especially in the journalism track. Not to mention working at Jitters has taken up the other part of her day and the only free time she had she spent studying or with Eddie.

Her mouth twisted to the side. Yes, this night with Barry and their friends was much needed. She could relax and see her best friend at the same time; it was a win-win. And this way she could talk to him more about The Streak and the information she gathered on the weirdness around Central City. He'd have to see what she was talking about now. And maybe her father and Eddie would believe her too. Her mother would have believed her…

"Hey, Sage, do you remember anything about my mom?" Iris asked.

Sage snorted. "Iris, I was barely alive when she died. The only thing I know about Auntie Ivy is that she has a sister and without her I wouldn't have the best cousin in the world." She knocked her shoulder against Iris's and chuckled. "Just don't mention that to the others. They might get jelly."

"I won't, I promise," Iris said with a little laugh. "But your mom never told you anything about her? Interests? Stories?"

"Nah, not really. Whenever I bring her up my mom gets upset and changes the subject. Same if I try to talk about Ms. Nora." Sage's nose wrinkled. "Why? You have a family tree project you need to do or something?"

"No, I just…started thinking about her a lot lately," Iris replied. "I miss her. I just…want to talk to her again. I wish she were here so I can tell her about my journalism and…and The Streak and Eddie and everything. She would have been…so interested in this stuff, y'know?"

"Now I see where you got your investigating buzz from," Sage commented. "Now I know why people think we're nosy."

"Hey, it's in our blood. Might as well own it," Iris said with a laugh. She licked her lips, briefly glanced up at the sky, and then down at her feet. "You believe me, right?" At Sage's confused hum she continued, "About The Streak and everything? That there's something or…or someone out there helping protect the city?"

Sage was quiet for a moment before replying, "You know how people believe in God and other spiritual beings to make them feel better and give them purpose and give them some sort of hope for themselves and for the world?" Iris nodded. "I think The Streak is the same thing for some other people, giving them hope that everything will be okay in the end. And I don't see the problem with believing in someone that does that for someone. People need something or someone to believe in, it makes us all stay sane. We need a few more sane people around here."

"Thank you," Iris whispered.

"For what?"

"For not making me feel crazy."

"Cuzzo…you do that by yourself. You don't need my help."

Iris tried to be offended but she couldn't help but join along with her cousin's laughter. The talk switched to memories of running around and catching fireflies during the summer and trying to get Barry to play house with them and trying to eat ice cream before the hot sun made it melt all over them. By the time they reached Jitters they were skipping down the sidewalk and singing their favorite songs at the top of their lungs.

"Caramel Macchiato, I was wondering when I'd see you again," the barista behind the counter commented as soon as Sage stepped up to it. Hearing this, the other barista began to make her drink. "How long has it been…a day?"

"Ha ha," Sage replied over the noise of the whirring machine. "It's been two. That's a record."

"I've noticed."

"It's on Iris," she added once she accepted the cup from the barista whose nametag read Averey. Ignoring the amused look Iris was shooting her way, she hunched over her cup, breathing in the steam and walked off to get a table.

"How are you not broke yet?" Averey asked.

"It's a trade off. I feed her coffee addiction, she feeds my brownie addiction," Iris replied. "I'll take a biscotti, too." She dug into her purse and pulled out her wallet, putting the money she counted out down on the shiny wooden top and a few extra in the tip jar. "I'll see you later, alright?"

"Later, mate."

Iris took her coffee and snack and sat down in the high seat across from her cousin. She carefully blew across the top of her hot drink and risked a sip, flinching as the scorching drink burnt her tongue. She always did that. She knew it was hot but she always had to take the chance. She wasn't patient enough for it to cool down.

"Ice?" Iris looked up to see an ice cube sitting in the middle of Sage's palm. "It'll help your tongue."

"How did you…?" Iris let her unfinished question die as she took the ice cube and held it on her tongue. The instant relief made her shoulders sag in appreciation. "Are you buys tonight?" She asked around the cube.

"I mean, I have dance practice. Ooh! Lemme tell you, we're holding this formal of sorts to raise money for our showcase. It'll be like Dancing with the Stars. The showcase, not the formal. We get paired up and perform foxtrots and sambas and waltzes and everything. It was one of the teachers' ideas; I think her name is Cadence. I got extra tickets. It's only $5 each. You and Eddie can come."

"What about Barry?" Iris ventured. All at once the light in Sage's eyes went out. "Come on, S, it's been a week and you're still angry at him over…what did he do? You never even told me."

"For one, Bartholomew can't dance so he doesn't need to come. And for another, I'm not telling you because you'll only take his side. And after careful consideration I've decided he's wrong, I'm right and he's a jerk." She then grabbed her coffee and took a long swig of it.

"How did you not burn your tongue? That stuff must be piping," Iris commented, her eyes shifting from the drink to her cousin's face. "Unless you burnt all feeling out of your tongue, which wouldn't surprise me at this point."

"Why'd you ask if I was busy?" Sage asked, her tone clipped which signaled that she wanted the subject changed and kept that way.

"We're going to a bar," Iris replied. Sage's eyebrow quirked. "Me and Eddie. Wanted to see if you wanted to come."

"As long as Bartholomew's not going, I'm in. Can Lennox come? I promised her a night out; she's chomping at the bit to have a good drink."

"Sure, the more the merrier."

Iris bit her lip. How bad could things get if she just kept quiet about Barry going as well? They were all friends, even if one of them was angry with the other. It'd all blow over soon. No one could stay mad at Barry for long, anyhow.

No matter how many times he was late to their functions she could always find a way to forgive him. Plus, it was hard to stand strong against his puppy dog pout. They'd get over their little tiff sooner or later, and so what if she needed to push a little bit to make it sooner rather than later?

"So, anyway, about The Streak, I was thinking…the next time something happens to go to the crime scene and see if I can spot him," Iris continued, leaning forward so she wouldn't be overheard.

"Don't you already do that?"

"Well, yes, but this time I'm going to get closer. Before all the police tape and stuff goes up. Maybe I can get a glimpse of his face. Figure out why he's saving the city instead of, I don't know, breaking world records. And this Burning Man, imagine if I could run into him. Figure out how he can handle the heat. And there's this new girl—"

Sage shifted in her seat and said, interrupting, "Your hunger is insatiable, isn't it?"

Iris smiled and took another sip of her coffee. It was that and it was the one connection she had to her mother and she wasn't going to give that up anytime soon.

# # #

The infamous opening beats of Vanilla Ice's Ice, Ice Baby bounced around the cluttered room. Amongst the dust and newspapers, parts and pieces were strewn about the floor in rows. Screws, nuts, bolts, wires, LEDs, plastic casings, and many more pieces that Snart knew nothing about how they helped power the gun a mere hour before. He studied every piece carefully, knowing how they fit together and how they worked together to power the gun. It took some time to get it apart but now, as he let his steel blue eyes sweep over the pieces before him he was sure it wouldn't be too hard to put it back together. That is, without having Mick Rory huffing and puffing down his neck.

"Mick…stop it," Snart ordered, straightening his posture in the chair. "I shouldn't have to know that you ate Hot Fries sometime today."

Behind him, Mick grunted and crossed his arms. "When are we going to get out? When are we going to get out there and do something? You promised me, Snart. You promised I'd get to burn something."

Slapping his hands upon the table, Snart stood with such ferocity that the chair he had been sitting in toppled over backwards and clattered against the floor. He turned around and directed his hard gaze on his partner, pressing his lips together. "Like I told you…all in due time. We can't just rush into this. We need to plan."

"Plans take too long!" Mick protested. "Why don't we just go in, set a few fires, and steal the stuff we want? Torch anyone that comes in our way." A manic smile slowly appeared on his face. "Hear the hair sizzle as flames eat it up like straw…watch the skin bubble and pop as the fire licks across the skin…watch as the flames wrap around and coil up the body like a snake…"

Snart rolled his eyes, picked up the abandoned gun on the table and then pressed the muzzle of the gun against the bottom of Mick's chin. "Take it apart…and put it back together," he ordered. His voice as hard and cold as his eyes. "Unless you would like this used against you…on the other 50% of your skin that was left untouched."

"Do it," Mick all but hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes lighting up. "Do it. Burn me." He salivated at the idea. Snart's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly at the sight of a drop of drool on his lip. "Pull the trigger, Snart. Do it."

"And let you run around burning this place down and ruin the entire plan? Like last time?" Snart blew a breath out of his nose and replaced the heat gun beneath his chin with a real one that he pulled from his waistband. "Now do you really think I'm going to take that chance?"

The fire in Mick's eyes died as his locked with Snart's. He pressed his lips together and swallowed when Snart jabbed the gun upwards. Mick could feel it beneath his tongue. Snart removed the gun and slapped the heat gun back into his palm. "Now take it apart and put it back together. Your weapon is only good if you know how to use it."

He picked up the fallen chair righted it. Setting the gun on the table, he then got to work reassembling the cold gun. His mind worked in reverse after having taken the gun apart to put it back together. It helped that he had an eidetic memory. It was a blessing and a curse.

He could recall little bits of information that he read just once, years ago even. He remembered where he was, what time it was, what he was wearing at any event in his life, such as the birth of his younger sister. He remembered everything anyone has ever said to him, good or bad. It echoed in his head and played again and again like a broken record if he recalled it. Especially the scathing remarks from his father.

Those words could never be forgotten. They left scars on his brain and had battered his now cold heart. 'Freak', 'weirdo', 'useless', 'psycho', 'bitch', 'creep', 'loser', and 'motherfucker' were the most common offenses. He could still hear his father's gravelly voice shouting at him, echoing around in the dark recesses of his mind, not leaving any corner unscathed. He could still feel the spit landing on his face as his father towered over him. He could still feel the way his shirt collar rubbed against his neck as his father grabbed at him. He could still hear the loud slap of the back of his father's hand connecting with his cheek. He could still hear his father clamber up the stairs after one of his long nights as he and Lisa hid in the back of his closet.

Snart pushed a breath out of his nose and studied his half built gun. His eyes flickered up to rest on Mick who was sitting on the floor tinkering with his gun much like a little kid. Snart half expected for the gun to blow up in his face. In fact, he couldn't wait for that to happen. Maybe then he'd actually listen and do as he was told instead of being so impatient. He'd ruin all his plans. It was a risk taking Mick on but he needed him for his plans to work. But that didn't mean he wasn't expendable.

Snart twisted his wrist, glancing at the watch that was attached to it and then clasped his hands together. "Three…two…one," he counted off. As soon as he finished a door behind him opened and, for a brief moment, a smile appeared on his face but it disappeared a moment later as the man entering moved around the table until he was in Snart's line of sight.

"Well?" Snart asked. It was a simple word but it carried a lot of weight. It even made Mick look up from what he was doing.

"I did what you asked, Snart. You were right; I got her routine down in a matter of days," the man reported. "Classes from eight until noon, dance classes from one to three, IT work Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She is always at Jitters by 12:25 for a cup of coffee on weekdays. She is at the Irish bar tonight. Things are winding down from what I can tell."

"Good." Snart looked at his watch again. It would take exactly ten minutes and twenty-seven seconds with traffic for them to get into the city and into position. There was the slight hitch with the bar but that didn't ruin his plan completely. He had to alter it a little bit but it could all still work out. It wasn't the immediate plan one was to look at but the long-term goal. It was why he waited a week to set this plan in motion. Most of his setups were easy but this one took the cake. With just a name he just managed to overhear was able to figure out everything he needed to know about his target.

It was child's play.

"Mick, I imagine I don't need to tell you to stay here," Snart said as he stood. He picked his gun off the table, checked to see if there were any bullets in the magazine, and then pumped the top. He then shoved the gun between his side and the waistband of his pants. "But considering who I'm speaking to…"

Mick grumbled while extending his arms, holding up his middle fingers on both hands. The corner of Snart's mouth twitched but then his normal stoic expression returned to his face. He nodded to the man and followed him out of the building. The cold gun could wait for now.

He followed the man outside and jumped onto the motorcycle waiting as the other man got into a car. He fastened his helmet and waited for the car to take off in front of him. The ride was exactly as he expected, smooth and with a little traffic. He got there exactly ten minutes and twenty-seven seconds as he had calculated. The traffic patterns were easy to predict.

Snart parked his bike off in an alleyway and stepped out. His eyes scanned the storefronts as people milled in and out. The man by his side nudged him and Snart nodded once in return. He watched carefully as a blonde girl walked along the sidewalk with her arm looped with a red haired girl. They were speaking about something amidst their giggles.

"Go," Snart ordered.

The man moved fast in their direction. In a matter of seconds he was behind them and then they were scuffling and shouting as he tried to get their bag. The red haired girl managed to get her bag back and started to run off but the man grabbed at them both. Their arms flailed as he tried to hold onto them. The red haired girl managed to squirm away and hesitated before the blond yelled at her to run. Snart watched as the blond still tried to fight back. He could see her begin to reach for her gloves and that's when he stepped in.

With confident strides, Snart stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway and, once close enough, withdrew his gun and shot at the man. The crack made the girl scream and move away from the man who fell to the ground with a heavy thud, a bullet wound sitting on his chest. As she looked down at the fallen man, Snart took his time to approach, making a show of putting his gun back into his waistband.

"I'm going to cut to the chase," he stated, almost smirking when he saw her eyes widen in recognition not just from the theatre but from the precinct as well. "I know who you are and I know what you can do. It would be wise for you to cooperate."

"Stay the fuck away from me," she ordered, taking a step back.

"Aww. Is that language to use to someone who just saved your life?" he asked, his head inclined and his tone dry. "You owe me."

"My uncle's a police officer! He'll get you."

That actually made Snart snort. "He hasn't every other time I've been here. He won't start now. "

"Then what do you want from me?"

Now a large smile formed on Snart's face. That was the million dollar question, wasn't it? "I want you to help me."

"Fuck that!"

Snart paused and watched her. She took more steps back, her eyes darting from the man on the ground—blood continued to seep form his wound—up to him and back. He looked from her to the shops around him, noting the shadowy figures on the other side of the glass. "I'm sure you'll see things my way soon enough," he vowed, backing away and into the alleyway that he came from before.

Step one: complete.

a/n - More Snart and a big part for Iris. Honestly, her part ended up bigger than I had planned but now I have an idea of how her story is intertwined in this whole thing that I can't wait for you to see. Iris's mother has barely been mentioned in the show and I assumed she has passed away. I don't know how the show is going to handle it but I can't wait to see how they do it, if they do. And we get some background on Snart. He's fine to write, I find. With Wentworth's portrayal he can tiptoe on the line being serious or hammy. Mick, on the other-hand, he is way over the top and I enjoy that about his character in the show, he comes to life like the flames he likes. What did you think? Please read and review!

Review replies

babyj - I knew writing that scene that I would be on the line over whether or not Barry would be OOC and it seems I have fallen the wrong way. Originally I was going to have that line go to Caitlin but then I thought Barry would be better to pack a punch considering Sage is closer to Barry than she is to Caitlin. I'm glad you saw the emotion and I do see where it came off forced. Thank you for pointing that out, I appreciate that you take the time to say what works for you and what doesn't so I can fix things in the future. I look forward to your reviews because of that. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thank you for your time!