Remember the cliffhanger from the previous chapter? Well, you're about to get some answers in this chapter. Enjoy.
Leave a review after reading, please.
Special thanks to Steve993, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, Master Skywalker 121, CurlyGirl27, godspeed 251, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.
Barry storms back to his house with Crystal following him. She tried to stop him so they can talk, but the anger Barry is feeling right now was keeping him from letting her get close.
"Look, Barry, I can explain," said Crystal.
"That you've been playing me this whole time?" asked Barry.
"I'm not playing you," said Crystal.
Barry turns around and looks at Crystal. "Really? Because it all seems to be coming together. You moving next door to me. Your love for the color blue. Not to mention your expertise in not just psychology but biochemistry. And the ice powers... All this time, I thought that you were helping me move past what Caitlin did to me, only to find out that she's been in front of me this whole time."
"You think that I am Caitlin Snow?" asked Crystal.
"Tell me. Are you?" replied Barry.
"I'm not," said Crystal.
"Stop lying to me," said Barry.
"I'm not lying to you," said Crystal.
"Then how do you explain what just happened back there?" asked Barry, referring to what occurred recently at Crystal's house.
"Okay, yes, I have ice powers, but I had a good reason not to tell you," said Crystal. "When I read about Caitlin Snow, I thought that telling you about my powers would make you feel worse."
"If you're not Caitlin Snow, then tell me. Where did you get these powers?" asked Barry.
"I... I... I don't know," said Crystal, trying to remember but couldn't.
"You don't know or you don't want to tell me?" accused Barry.
"Barry, I swear, I don't know why I have these powers," said Crystal.
"Do you seriously think I'm going to keep buying this act?" questioned Barry, raising his voice.
"Are you seriously not going to give me the benefit of the doubt?" replied Crystal.
"Then start telling the truth," said Barry.
"And how am I sure you'll take any word I say seriously?" questioned Crystal.
"Just stick to the truth," said Barry.
Crystal stares at the floor as she thinks about what she should say first.
"I need a question first," said Crystal.
"Where did you get the name 'Crystal Frost'?" asked Barry.
Crystal looks away from Barry for a few seconds before opening her mouth. "It's a false identity."
"So, who are you really?" asked Barry.
"I don't know," said Crystal again.
"Try again," said Barry.
Crystal pauses for a long time. She slowly paces across the room and continues. "Last month, I woke up in some abandoned warehouse. My head hurts. I couldn't remember anything. I found a bunch of files on a large table. School records. Medical records. A PhD in Psychology. All of them written with the name, 'Crystal Frost'. I did some digging. They were falsified data."
"What does this have to do with you not remembering anything?" asked Barry. "Are you saying you have... amnesia?"
"Yeah, I am," said Crystal.
"So, what, you hit your head or something?" asked Barry.
"That's what Savitar asked me," said Crystal. "And the answer is no. I did some checkups on myself. No sign of head trauma or damaged brain parts."
"Then why do you have amnesia?" asked Barry.
"I'm not sure, but... the fake files weren't the only things I found," said Crystal.
Crystal takes Barry back to her house and into her secret room in her walk-in closet. She takes out a little case and opens it. Barry sees a little device that appears to come from a sci-fi movie, given its design and technological components.
"What is it?" asked Barry.
"I don't know," said Crystal. "I never turned it on because I was scared. I just woke up without any memory of who I am or where I am. However, I did scan this thing and I found my fingerprints on it. They were recent, at least, from the time I scanned them."
"So, you're saying this thing is responsible for your amnesia?" asked Barry.
"Possibly," said Crystal.
"Well, maybe now is the time to turn it on," said Barry.
Barry picks up the device.
"How do I turn this thing on?" asked Barry.
"The big blue button in the middle. What else?" said Crystal snidely.
Barry pushes the button in the center of the device. The device lights up and projects a holographic screen in front of Barry's eyes.
"Fascinating," Crystal reacted.
Barry steps out of the closet to get some light. He reads the data on the screen. Crystal can see that he was both fascinated and bothered by what he is reading.
"So, what is it?" asked Crystal.
"These are... the events of Caitlin's life," said Barry, reading the data. "The day of the first time she met Ronnie. The day she and I went to a bar together. The day Iris died. I think these are her memories."
"So, this device can store memories?" asked Crystal.
"It appears so," said Barry. "How else wouldn't you be able to remember anything?"
"So, I am... Caitlin Snow?" asked Crystal.
Barry turns off the device and looks at Crystal. "Well, you weren't lying when you said you didn't remember anything, but that doesn't change the fact your are, indeed, Caitlin."
"I don't understand," said Crystal.
"You want to know what I think?" replied Barry. "I think Caitlin purposely erased her own memories so she can start fresh. A new name. A new life. Why else would she do all this?"
"Barry, even if I am Caitlin, I never meant you any harm," said Crystal. "All I wanted was to help you."
"This doesn't change anything," said Barry.
Barry returns the device to Crystal before walking out the room. Crystal follows him again.
"Barry, please," she pleaded. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not," said Barry, stopping and turning around.
Once again, Barry looks at Crystal with a mixture of animosity and confusion on his face.
"You don't remember being friends with me. You don't remember the times we spent together. You don't remember all the bad things you've done as Killer Frost. You don't remember killing Iris," said Barry, his voice sounding angrier within each passing second. "You don't remember how you feel about everything you did. I don't know if Caitlin would be relishing those memories or feeling guilty about them, but saying I'm sorry... it's an empty apology, sympathy or no sympathy."
"But the fact that I don't remember what I did to you and the fact that I wanted to help you heal, shouldn't that mean something?" asked Crystal.
"You think I can just forget about everything you did to me because you don't remember them?" questioned Barry. "The person who's been trying to help me cope with my grief is the same person who just happens to be the very reason for my grief. I understand she wanted to help, but she was never real. She was just a mask, covering the face of someone who wanted to escape her old life. I don't know if Caitlin... you... wanted a fresh start or not, but erasing your memories, it's not gonna fix what's broken between us."
"Barry, I get that you feel betrayed," said Crystal. "But, please, just let me..."
"I don't just feel betrayed," said Barry. "I feel like an idiot. I thought Crystal Frost was just a lookalike, and I let her into my life because the fact that she looked like Caitlin Snow made me believe that she can help me move on. As it turns out, Crystal Frost and Caitlin Snow are one and the same, and after my history with friends who pretend to be someone they're not, I feel stupid for not seeing it before now."
Barry hangs his head as tears begin to fill up his eyes.
"And to think, I was just beginning to realize that I'm falling in love with you," said Barry. "Now, I realize that I'm falling in love with someone who doesn't even exist."
"Barry, please, don't leave," begged Crystal. "I can make this right. I'll do anything you want. Just tell me what you want me to do."
Barry was silent for a while. He then spoke. "Get out of my life."
Barry turns around and exits the house, leaving Crystal on the verge of breaking into tears.
Barry returns to his house and sits on the stairs. He couldn't believe what he had just discovered tonight. Crystal Frost was Caitlin Snow all along and he didn't see it. Thinking about it, he realizes that he didn't want to see because of his grief. He couldn't accept the possibility the Caitlin could be alive and allowed himself to believe that Crystal Frost is just a lookalike. He let himself get closer to her, befriend her, fall in love with her. He thought he was finally moving on, but right now, all the pain that he's been trying to heal is returning. The memory of losing Iris and the fact that her killer still lives and breathes, it was all too much for him. He chose not to fight the tears as they streamed down his face.
Crystal was lying down on her bed with the memory-storing device in her hands. She couldn't understand what had just happened. She didn't want to believe the she was the person who caused Barry's pain, but the evidence was too clear to ignore. She is Caitlin Snow. She is the person who was responsible for the 967 deaths in the Star City earthquake. She is the person who destroyed almost all of Central City and caused the deaths of 2004 people. She is the person who killed the woman Barry loves. She begins to question why she would purposely allow herself to believe that erasing her own memories would help her escape the pain. The little device in her hand contains all the answers she needs. All she can do now is turn it on.
Meanwhile, at the Rogues' warehouse, Lisa was tuning her Gold Gun, until she felt a gust of wind behind her. She knew it came from a speedster and her first guess was the one wearing a suit of armor.
"I just had a chat with your friend, Caitlin Snow," said Savitar.
"You knew?" asked Lisa.
"You think I didn't know about your little frostbite during your first encounter with the so-called Crystal Frost?" replied Savitar.
"What did you do to her?" asked Lisa.
"She is still alive," said Savitar.
"Sounds to me like you want to kill her," said Lisa.
"In the event my plans fail, I need Barry Allen to suffer, and for that to happen, Caitlin needs to die," said Savitar.
"Then I can't work with you," said Lisa. "Caitlin was more than just a partner in crime. She was my friend. If you want to kill her, you're gonna have to kill me first."
Savitar zooms towards Lisa and grabs her by the throat, lifting her off her feet.
"You think you can stand in my way?" questioned Savitar. "I am the God of Speed. I can kill you before you even know it."
"Then why are you still talking?" asked Lisa.
"Because you are still vital to my plans," said Savitar. "And you are going to cooperate, or else."
"Or else what? You'll kill Snow?" guessed Lisa.
"No," said Savitar. "Cisco Ramon."
Lisa grinds her teeth in anger in response.
"You stay away from him," growled Lisa.
"Then do yourself a favor. Don't stand in my way," said Savitar.
Savitar releases Lisa. Lisa coughs as she tries to recover from the choking.
"If you so much as talk to anyone among Barry Allen's circle, then the man you love dies," threatened Savitar. "Do we have an understanding?"
Lisa glares at the God of Speed. "You son of a..."
Savitar interrupted Lisa by holding his blade against her neck.
"I won't kill you but I can make you suffer until you choose to cooperate," said Savitar. "A word of this to any of your Rogues gallery and you will pay a price."
Savitar leaves the warehouse in super speed. Lisa remains sitting on the floor as she ponders over her situation. If she tries to defy Savitar in any way, Cisco will die. Criminal or not, she cares about him almost as much as she cares about her brother. She has no choice but to cooperate. She only prays that someone will find out about her dilemma and help her.
Well, what do you think? There are still more questions to be answered, but now, you know the truth about Crystal Frost (unless, of course, you already knew from the start).
BTW the memory-storing device is not a random thought. If you've been following the Arrowverse very carefully, you'll know exactly what it is.
Leave a review and let me know what you think. I'd appreciate it very much.