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000

Jason and Barry made their way back to the city. Jason had managed to get Barry some new clothes so that he wouldn't stand out and Barry was carrying his suit in a satchel.

"You've been here a year?" Barry was shocked. "Don't you miss your home?"

"Atlantis is my home."

"Are you saying that I'm stuck here for good as well?" Barry replied. "Because I must tell you, I don't know how I ended up here but Atlantis is not my home."

"I'll do everything I can to help you get back home," Jason assured him.

Barry really wanted to get back to Central City, back to Iris and Joe but he was always up for an adventure and since he still hadn't figured out a way back home, he was going to enjoy being in Atlantis. He had tried to run away from Atlantis when Jason had explained to him where he was but he had found that he lost his super speed.

He was stuck in Atlantis.

"So, Hercules and Pythagoras? Are they like we read about in the legends?" Barry couldn't wait to meet Jason's housemates.

"Not exactly."

"What? Is Pythagoras not a mathematician, Hercules, not strong?"

"Well," Jason smiled, "I'll let you decide for yourself."

"I still can't believe that you know them," Barry was excited, "I mean, now I'll really be able to see and understand what made Pythagoras come up with his theories."

000

Pythagoras, Hercules and Jason stood in a corner of the room looking at Barry who was walking around the room touching things.

"Who is he again?" Pythagoras whispered.

"Barry. I met him, uhm, in town," Jason told them, "he needed a place to stay."

"And you thought, I know just the place," Hercules complained. "Need I remind you that we barely have enough food to feed us as it is?"

"We have enough food," Pythagoras said. "The real question is can we trust him?"

"Of course we can."

"He seemed so…excitable," Pythagoras told them, "like he has a lot of energy." Barry was practically bouncing about the room.

"He's never been to Atlantis before," Jason said.

"Where is he from?"

"He's…er, lost," Jason replied, "he's looking for his home."

"I see," Hercules looked at Barry, "so he has a home therefore this is temporary, that's good."

"I thought I would get him some food before I took him to the Oracle to get some answers."

"I guess I better talk to him before he thinks we're very unfriendly," Pythagoras told them as he walked towards Barry.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to meet you," Barry shook Pythagoras's hand. "How did you come up the triangle theories?"

"What did Jason tell you about me?"

"Nothing," Barry denied, "I just – don't you like triangles?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Pythagoras said, "but how did you know?"

Barry saw Jason shake his head slightly. "I - I don't know."

"Can't you see the man's tired?" Hercules came to his rescue unwittingly. "And hungry, serve the food."

The four of them sat down to eat.

000

The Oracle stared at Barry. Jason had left him in the temple alone with her. She walked around him trying to understand how this man, his metahuman had left his home and ended up in Atlantis.

"Barry Allen," she told him, "welcome to Atlantis."

"I was hoping for a more profound statement from you," Barry told her. He didn't ask her how she knew his name and that he had been expecting her to tell him how to return to Central City but they both heard the unsaid words.

"You found a temporal rift," the Oracle said. "One that I had not detected myself."

"And?"

She smiled at him. "That's it."

"That can't be it." Barry told her.

"I know what you want Barry Allen."

"Then tell me how to get back home."

"I cannot help you," the Oracle said. "You have to do this on your own."

"I have tried."

"You are using the wrong tools," she told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Barry Allen in order to leave Atlantis you have to use your greatest strength."

"I have already tried to use my speed but I seem to have lost my abilities," Barry was dejected.

"Then maybe it isn't your greatest strength."

Barry stared at the strange woman and waited for her to tell him what his greatest strength was but she smiled instead and touched his shoulders. "Find your strength, Flash, and you'll find your way back home."

000

"Jason?"

Jason had wandered into the gardens while waiting for Barry to come out of the temple.

"Ariadne," Jason looked up and forced a smile at the Queen.

"I saw you walking in the gardens and I decided to join you." At his silence she added quietly, "Unless you don't want me to."

"How could I say no to you?"

"So you're only agreeing to my presence because I am your Queen?" Ariadne was hurt.

"Does Telemon know that you are here?" Jason couldn't help asking her.

"He doesn't dictate my movements," Ariadne replied, "besides we are only betrothed not married."

"I know."

"I know you don't understand," Ariadne told him. "But I have to do what's best for my people."

"And you think marrying Telemon is what's best?" Jason asked him. "What about you? What's best for you?"

"Jason, please."

"Please what, Ariadne?"

"Can't you understand?"

Jason was confused. He hoped that she didn't want him to say that he understood her decision to marry Telemon for the good of Atlantis. He sincerely hoped she didn't expect him to understand that.

"I love you Jason."

000