Chapter Five

Barry's POV:

The majority consensus of his peers assume that Barry's attention to detail was trained during his time training to be a forensic analyst. Iris and Joe knew that it wasn't his job that made Barry good at finding and noticing any and all details—it was his ability to find even the smallest details that helped drive him onto the path of becoming a CSI. The truth was that both his co-workers and his family failed to assume the real reason why attention to detail was so important to Barry Allen; the answer was simple. He started seeking out details in everything he saw ever since he saw a man surrounded by lightning kill his mother and frame his father for a crime he did not commit. It was his tragic past that compelled Barry to train his eyes to automatically seek out any and all pieces of evidence, no matter how small or insignificant it may be. Iris and Joe knew he had a talent for it before his CSI training, and his forensic training helped him master his ability; but that was before the lightning bolt decided to put him in a nine-month long coma. That lightning bolt gave him abs, super speed, and an even better ability to notice the details.

Everything slows down and allows Barry a moment to take in all of the information around him. Even now, with a collar on his neck that stole his speed with every attempt to use it, injuries covering every limb on his weak and exhausted body, and his mind desperately trying to cling to his sanity, Barry was still able to notice the details of the room he found himself laying in. There wasn't much: concrete walls surrounding him, mold was beginning to emerge in the corners. The ceiling was covered in bright, ugly lights that were usually found in most classrooms. The ground was cold, and if he was being honest his body was far too exhausted to twist and turn so he could get a better look at what lay beneath him. The glass that covered the wall on his right though, that was the detail that caught his attention.

Barry turned his head to look at it, even though the sight that reflected back at him repulsed him. It took every ounce of strength he had left to ignore the image of himself that stared back at him. But that wasn't the part that interested Barry. A tremor had shaken the glass. Barry's mind was telling him that his mental state could have easily been playing tricks on him, but his instincts was silently whispering that it happened; he didn't imagine it. Even though it was quiet, his instinct was still there, and Barry forced himself to trust his gut. What else did he have to lose?

Barry had a few options in his current situation. He could simply lay there and stare at the glass until the women decided to come back into the room. He could call upon his speed in an attempt to slow down his surroundings so that he could get a better look at the smaller details. He could try to get up and go and investigate the glass; but that option was immediately thrown away once Barry tried to raise his hand—his body was merely just to injured. Why wasn't he healing? What did the speed force do to him? Was it the collar? Or, dare he hope, maybe he was healing, and in a few hours, he could fight his way out of this. But, that train of thought lead to another thought that scared Barry more than the beautiful red headed women; does he even want to fight anymore?

He took a deep breath and decided to stare at the mold on the left wall. Barry knew what the Flash would do—but that wasn't the issue here. It wasn't a debate of what the Flash would do. The only question Barry Allen had to answer was if he still had the will to be the Flash. It seemed the speed force regretted their decision to choose him, and Barry didn't blame them. After all, he is Savitar and Savitar is him. Two sides of the same coin.

Barry, staring at the glass, hearing a faint whisper of his name. Deciding to call upon his speed and with lightning in his eyes he sees Wally's speed force aroma. The speed dampening collar sends excruciating pain through his body which forces his body to tense and flinch, which just radiates more pain that feels hollow in his bones. After a moment of feeling the pain wash over him, Barry calms down and looks back at the glass. He smiles, a tear rolls down his cheek. It hurts, everything hurts, but Barry forces himself to move despite the pain. He's lightheaded, he's nauseous, and he's beginning to see black spots in his vision. He manages to roll over onto his stomach, and he's out of breath and more tears are falling now. Slowly but surely, he finds the strength to push himself up in a push-up motion, just enough to pull a leg up underneath him—his knee hits his chest as his right foot rests on the ground. He breaths for another moment, looking over at the glass. He watches at the collar heats up and lightning fills his eyes before he runs—through the pain, through the glass, through his mind begging him to stop. But he can't stop. It doesn't matter what the Flash would do—all that matters is what Barry Allen would do. And Barry Allen is a fighter—no matter what the world is telling him, what the consequences are; Barry Allen fights for what he believes is right. And right now, he knew that Wally was on the other side of the glass. The Flash was fighting to find Kid Flash, his brother, his friend, his family.

Time stood still as Barry forced himself to phase through the wall. The collar, which felt as if it was scorching his vulnerable neck, was draining the speed out of his very being but in that moment, for just a split second, the Flash was free. Phasing wasn't entirely possibly, due to the speed dampening collar being created to absorb his speed; but that didn't matter. Barry had enough momentum to shatter the glass. In an instant, he was once again laying on the cold, unforgiving ground in nothing more than a helpless heap of black and blue bruises. But this time, when he opened his eyes, he was looking in the beautiful eyes of Iris.

MY MOST HUMBLEST OF APOLOGIES TO ANYBODY STILL READING THIS STORY

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS, AND I HAVE NOT ABANDONED YOU GUYS!

So here's the thing; writers block, college, sorority life, work, and everything else just kind of consumed me all at once and I couldn't produce anything new for this story. BUT HERE'S THE THING: I HAVE SCHEDULED THIS INTO MY PLANNER AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO CONTINUE AS SOON AS I POSSIBLY CAN!

Again, I am so sorry for the LONG TIME I made you all wait for Chapter 5. But here it is; and I am not quiet sure where this story will lead me but I am honored to take this journey with you.

SEE YOU SOON