You might get a sense of deja vu in this chapter, but that is my intent. Anyways, enjoy.
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Thanks to Steve993, Darkness032, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, romario. hume, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.
At Team Flash's HQ in Mercury Labs, the team was standing with confused looks on their faces as they lay eyes upon Barry's guest, who bears a striking resemblance to the late Caitlin Snow. Barry looks back and forth between Crystal and his friends awkwardly, while Crystal reads a biochemistry paper from college written by Caitlin Snow
"Caitlin Snow is truly an intelligent individual. She dug deep into every single detail on this research," said Crystal, sounding impressed.
Barry decided to end the awkwardness by introducing his guest.
"Cisco Ramon, Wally West, Jesse Wells, H.R., meet Dr. Crystal Frost," said Barry.
"Hey," greeted Cisco.
"Hey," greeted Crystal with an awkward smile.
Cisco looks at Barry and says, "So, let me get this straight, she's not really a Caitlin from another Earth. She's just a lookalike, as in she's the Isla Fisher to Caitlin's Amy Adams?"
"Pretty much, yeah," replied Barry.
"Another Earth?" asked a confused Crystal.
"It's a long story," said Barry.
"So, Barry, anything you're not telling us?" asked Jesse.
"You guys know I have to get my mind straight to face Savitar, and I can't do that without some help, so... I asked Crystal here to help me," said Barry. "She's a psychologist."
"Are you sure she is who she says she is?" asked Wally.
"C'mon, guys, we don't need this kind of paranoia," said H.R. "If she wants to help the Flash, then let her help."
"H.R., can you take a good look at her," said Jesse, pointing at Crystal.
"Okay, so she looks like our once dear Caitlin, but lookalikes are common pretty much anywhere," said H.R.
Crystal whispers to Barry, "That guy looks like Harrison Wells. I thought he was dead."
"He is Harrison Wells, just not the Harrison Wells of this Earth," said Barry. "Again, long story."
"Ahem!" coughed Cisco.
Barry and Crystal look back at the rest of Team Flash.
"Are you sure we can trust her with all this?" asked Cisco.
"I won't tell anyone. I promise," said Crystal. "Doctor-patient confidentiality."
"Hundreds of psychologists in this city and you run to the one who looks like the one who killed Iris," said Wally to Barry.
"I understand that seeing me is difficult for all of you, considering what 'she' did," said Crystal. "But I mean you no harm. I only want to help Barry, plain and simple."
"Last time we trusted someone with your face, a lot of bad things happened," said Jesse.
"We lost people we love," said Wally.
"Tragedy is a part of life, Mr. West," said Crystal. "Take it from someone who's experienced loss herself. If you can't move on, you're only gonna hurt yourself."
With everyone focused on Crystal, no one notices Joe entering the lab. At first sight of Crystal, he takes out his gun and started shooting at her. Three bullets were making their way towards Crystal. Barry uses his super speed to catch all the bullets before they hit Crystal.
"Joe, put the gun down," asked Barry.
Joe was angrily walking towards Crystal, and Barry tried to keep him back.
"How is she still alive?" asked Joe. He then asks Crystal, "How are you still alive?"
"Obviously, you missed," said Crystal with sarcasm.
Barry tells Crystal, "Hey, I'm trying to keep him from shooting you. You're not helping." Suddenly, he realizes the familiarity of this situation. "Is anyone else getting a feeling of deja vu?"
"I am," said Cisco.
Barry takes Joe out of the lab so they can talk in peace.
Cisco, Wally, and Jesse continue to glare at Crystal, who was currently sight-seeing.
"Is this vulcanized teflon?" asked Crystal, staring at Barry's suit with awe.
"This isn't happening," said Cisco, refusing to believe what he is seeing and hearing.
Outside the lab...
"I know this is a lot to take in, but the person in that room, it's not Caitlin," said Barry.
"Dr. McGee swore she saw Caitlin Snow. She broke in here a few days ago," said Joe.
"What?" asked Barry, shocked. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't believe her. I didn't even want to consider Caitlin was alive," said Joe. He then realizes the familiarity of this conversation. "Okay, now I'm getting a sense of deja vu."
"Paulson destroyed Caitlin's body. The person in there, she's someone else," said Barry. "She's a psychologist. She can help me."
"How can you even look at her?" asked Joe.
"You think this is easy for me? The girl in there looks, moves, sounds exactly like the girl who drove a shard of ice through Iris' heart. I have to resist the urge to kill her," replied Barry. "I'm trying my best to get past that. You shooting her, that's not helping."
"She still has some explaining to do," said Joe. "I'll go get Dr. McGee. Make sure she doesn't leave."
Back in the lab, Crystal was admiring all the equipment in the medical bay. The rest of Team Flash, minus H.R., continue to glare at her. Crystal, however, ignored them.
"Enjoying yourself?" asked H.R.
"All this technology is amazing," said Crystal.
"You should've seen S.T.A.R. Labs. The tech in that place was sweet," said H.R. "Too bad it's gone now."
"I'm sorry," apologized Crystal.
"Hey, it's okay. I know it's not you who blew it up," said H.R.
"When I was doing my research on Barry, I read that Harrison Wells is the man who murdered his mother," said Crystal. "How did he take seeing you?"
"Actually, I'm only the third Harrison Wells they knew," said H.R. "The paranoia was already exhausted on the second Harrison Wells. We called him 'Harry'. May his soul rest in peace."
Joe returns to the lab with Tina McGee. When she saw the woman identical to Caitlin Snow, McGee was certainly shocked.
"Dr. McGee, it's an honor to meet you," said Crystal enthusiastically, holding out her hand.
"Um, thank you," said a confused McGee, shaking the young woman's hand.
"Oh, excuse me. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Crystal Frost," said Crystal. "I'm a psychologist working at the Keystone Lincoln Hospital."
"Let's cut to the chase," interrupted Joe. "You broke in here and stole a power source for a generator. Why?"
Crystal looked shocked when Joe asked.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" asked Crystal, trying to act innocent.
"I saw you that night," said McGee.
Crystal avoids eye contact as she sits down on a chair.
"If you want to walk out of this lab, you have to tell us," said Joe. "And don't lie."
"Joe, please, take it easy," pleaded Barry.
Barry walks towards Crystal and tells her, "Look, whatever it is you're hiding, you can tell us."
"Aren't you supposed to be mad that I'm a thief?" asked Crystal.
"Just tell me the truth. That's all I'm asking," said Barry.
Crystal looks at the rest and begins. "I'm not just a psychologist. Before I came here to Keystone, I lived in Hub City. During the day, I work as a psychiatrist. During the night, I..."
"Fight crime?" asked Cisco.
"You could say that," said Crystal. "Hub City is a rough town. There's crime in the streets. Crime within the legal system. I thought I'd do something about it. I spend my nights looking up on the worst of Hub City. I sell any piece of information
"What does this have to do with the tech you stole?" asked McGee.
"To do this job, I had to get my hands dirty," continued Crystal. "To survive on the field, I had to learn a lot of things. Engineering. Computer science. Weaponry."
"You stole the power source to build a weapon?" guessed Joe.
"A device that can neutralize... speedsters," confessed Crystal.
The speedsters in the room were the most shocked by this revelation.
"I didn't even know Barry was the Flash yet," said Crystal. "Now that you know what I do, you can tell why I had to take precautions. I didn't think Flash or his sidekicks would approve of my methods."
"Did you just call us sidekicks?" asked Wally.
"Sorry. I meant... partners," said Crystal.
"If you learned to tinker, why didn't you just build a power source of your own?" asked Cisco.
The three speedsters glared at Cisco.
"I wasn't saying she should've built an anti-speedster weapon. I'm just asking," said Cisco.
"It's not that simple, Mr. Ramon. My specialty is the human brain and human emotion. I'm not that skilled in inventing, so I, uh... hacked... into Mercury Labs' system and learned about their new and advanced power source," said Crystal. "It has an insane amount of power, which is what I needed to power the device."
"Well, we'd like it back, thank you," said Cisco.
"Actually, I think we should let her keep it," said Barry.
"What?" asked everyone in the room, minus Crystal.
"You heard her. The device neutralizes speedsters," reminded Barry. "And Savitar is a speedster."
Cisco looks at Dr. McGee, asking if she would allow it.
"Well, if it's that important, I don't see why not," said McGee. "I suppose another six months in the lab can't hurt."
"Great," complained Cisco.
"So, am I still getting arrested?" asked Crystal.
Joe sighs before saying, "If this device can help us, then I suppose we can let you off the hook."
"But what are we gonna tell the rest of the staff?" asked McGee.
"I'm sure we can come up with something," said Cisco.
"So, that's it?" asked Jesse. "We're just gonna welcome her to the team just like that?"
"Well, Barry did reveal his secret identity to her, so keeping her here is how we can keep an eye on her," said Cisco.
"We're not just gonna force her to join us. She has to make that choice," said Barry. "So, Crystal, what do you say? Do you wanna be a part of Team Flash?"
"I'll think about it," said Crystal. "Right now, I just want to help you."
"By the way, where's the device?" asked Wally.
"Can't tell you that," said Crystal. "I'd rather keep it with me until further notice."
"Okay, Ms. Frost, before you go, we're gonna need to run a few tests on you, just to be sure," said Cisco.
"Be my guest," said Crystal.
Crystal follows Cisco and Jesse to the medical bay for a checkup.
"I can't believe this is happening," said Joe.
"Well, it is," said Barry. "I know seeing someone who looks like Caitlin is hard, but I need her."
"It's Harrison Wells all over again," commented Joe.
"Except she's not a doppelganger from another Earth," added Barry.
Joe gets a call from his phone. When he answered and listened, he had a worried look on his face.
"Is something wrong?" asked Barry.
"The Rogues escaped," said Joe. "Probably heading back to Central City right now."
"One problem at a time," said Barry.
"I'm gonna go fill in Cecile," said Joe.
"By the way, how was your little chat yesterday?" asked Barry.
"Nothing happened," answered Joe.
"You're still not talking to her?" asked Barry, surprised.
"Barry, I'm not ready yet," said Joe.
"But you love her," said Barry.
"I... I never even told her that yet," said Joe.
"Look, Joe, when Crystal and I were having our therapy session, I told her about what's happened between you and me since Iris died," said Barry. "She thinks I'm the reason you pushed Cecile away, because I wasn't there for you. Well, I'm here for you now. Don't just tell her about Crystal. Talk to her, and I mean really talk to her. I know that losing Iris is the worst thing that ever happened in your life. Believe me, I know how you feel. But Crystal said that if we can't move on, we're only gonna hurt ourselves. Haven't you ever wondered about how Cecile feels after you pushed her away?"
"Yeah, listen to B.A., Joe. You can't just throw away love. Iris wouldn't want you to," said H.R.
Joe walks away and leaves Mercury Labs, but he couldn't get Barry and H.R.'s words out of his head.
At the Rogues' warehouse in Central City...
Savitar grabs Bivolo by the neck and holds him against a wall.
"A simple kidnapping and you fail!" yelled Savitar.
"Hey, they messed up, not me," said Bivolo, pointing at his fellow Rogues.
Savitar throws Bivolo towards a pile of oil drums.
"Are you gonna kill us?" asked Rosa, hiding behind her lover.
"Your failure has shown your incompetence, but fortunately for you, I may still have use for you," said Savitar. "Pray you don't disappoint me again."
Savitar leaves the warehouse.
"Well, at least we're still breathing," said Scudder.
"And we're still in business with him. Goody. He's quite a fellow," said James. "And that suit of armor. Sick."
Lisa, meanwhile, was in her quarters. She was looking at her bandaged-up wrist. She couldn't stop thinking about the person who injured it.
"How is it possible?" she wondered.
I admit. It's not my best work, but I hope you're satisfied with learning more about Crystal Frost.