.:30:.

Barry and Cadence glanced at each other for a second before launching themselves towards the Reverse-Flash, reaching him at the same time. Cadence flung a ball of fire towards him as Barry moved around the back to send a series of punches to him. But as was true to the Reverse-Flash, he turned and sped out of the gym seconds before they could reach him. Cadence's attack barely missed Barry, singing his arm as he came to a stop and bent out of the way to keep himself from receiving the attack directly to the face.

Cadence was stunned.

The Reverse-Flash had moved much quicker than she had remembered. And he certainly was moving much faster than Barry had ever been able to move before. She exchanged another glance with Barry and the two were immediately out of the gym, racing after the red lightning that streaked around a nearby corner. Barry ran as fast as he could, sticking right behind the Reverse-Flash, pumping his arms and legs as fast as they could go with Cadence running beside him, teleporting a few steps ahead every now and then to keep up.

Anticipating Reverse-Flash's next turn, she teleported ahead of him and slammed her foot to the ground. The ground started to crack open, allowing an orange glow to rise up from underneath. Then a flaming rock shot out of the ground and rocketed through the air. At the same time a car nearby burst into flames, sending a wave of heat through the street. She lifted her right hand and split the flaming rock into two even pieces. As the Reverse-Flash blew around the corner, she hurled the flaming balls towards him. One hit him in the chest, knocking him backwards into Barry, the other flew overhead.

Watching as it hurtled towards an office building, Cadence curled her fingers into her hand and the fireball imploded, sending dust raining down to the ground. Barry grabbed the Reverse-Flash by the shoulder and with the force of speed the Reverse-Flash was going; it spun the two of them around. Lightning flashes burst back and forth across the street as Barry and the Reverse-Flash attacked each other. They were flung into the fronts of buildings and into cars, sending glass flying amongst the force of their crashes. And still they moved in a whirlwind of red and yellow, locked in an intense battle. At one point she saw Barry trying to move away but the Reverse-Flash grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and spun him around to the ground. Once landing on his back, Barry lifted his feet as the Reverse-Flash flung towards him and placed them on the speedster's chest. Lifting his feet over his head, Barry flung the Reverse-Flash with his momentum before he rolled back to his feet.

Cadence then teleported over and got into the fight as well, sending another fiery blast the Reverse-Flash's way. This time she followed it up with creating a mallet out of her flames that she swung into the Reverse-Flash, knocking him into a building wall. She and Barry traded off on the attacks to the Reverse-Flash, working in unison and seeming to read each other's mind as they took turns to land attacks on the speedster. At one point when Barry shot forward to attack him, the Reverse-Flash grabbed him around the neck and held him up, bringing him close to his face.

Barry struggled to wiggle out of the Reverse-Flash's grasp and when Cadence leapt forward to help she was strong-armed out of the way, landing on the ground and skidding into a roll. It happened once more as she came to attack him, almost as if she was a pesky fly he couldn't be bothered with. This time, landing on the ground was a strong blow that took her longer to recover from.

"By now I would hope that you would have learned that you can't beat me," Reverse-Flash growled. He looked up as a shadow suddenly shot by and there was a gust of wind that followed it. Barry's eyes shifted to the side and Cadence followed his gaze to see a black shadow dart by before it stopped by Barry's side.

From where she was, she could see Barry's eyes widen in fear and shift over to the black figure that was by her side. She got to her feet and stared at what looked like to be a Black Flash; its body was a mixture of gray and green and appeared to be zombified as it hovered by Barry's side. "What is that?"

"I see the Black Flash has been around for a while," Reverse-Flash drawled. "I can see it from the fear in your eyes. I assume that you know what he stands for; your death is coming sooner than you think, Flash." Barry reached up his hand and grabbed onto Reverse-Flash's, trying to pry it from around his neck. But froze when the evil speedster continued with, "Or maybe the death of someone else that's close to you? You don't have much family left, what else can be taken away from you."

He lifted his right hand and it vibrated over his head. "Or else maybe I should end you now, do what it is I've always wanted to do." Something clicked with Barry and his eyes flashed with something Cadence couldn't place. "But I can't do that yet, you're the key for me to get what I want. And I have no problems doing what I have to get my way."

With that, he flung Barry hard to the ground and turned to the Black Flash. "I haven't seen you around in a long time, I'm glad to know you've set your sights on this Flash. It means I'm doing exactly what I should be doing." He turned back to Barry. "You've caused me a lot of pain and now you're going to know exactly how that pain feels."

Cadence gritted her teeth and focused on the power inside her. Her eyes blazed with an inner fire that ignited throughout her body. Her hands burst into flames and the flames continued to lick up her arms until it wrapped around her entire body. Concentrating hard, she spun her arms in a wide arc and the flames continued to swirl around her until she became encircled in a massive fireball which she then sent flying outwards with a quick flick of her hands, followed up by a wave of hot air.

The blast caught the Reverse-Flash off guard and sent him and the Black Flash flying headfirst into the office building nearby. She turned to the side and jumped onto the hood of a car and used it as a spring board to launch herself up to the area the Reverse-Flash had gone. She brought her hands together, wrapping her fingers around as if holding onto a gun. The veins along her arms started to glow until the glow focused at her fingertips where a blast of fire shot out as if she had fired a gun. It struck the Reverse-Flash once more.

Barry appeared at her side, watching the Reverse-Flash as he lay prone on the ground.

"How'd you…?" Barry started.

"I don't know," Cadence replied, slightly out of breath. Her last two attacks had taken more out of her than she thought. Having been able to push past her plateau and have more abilities made her feel weaker than when she had first started to learn how to control her powers. "I've never been able to do that before."

Barry turned back to the Reverse-Flash, taking a step towards him. His eyes stayed locked on the Reverse-Flash and he continued to take small, almost timid steps towards him, hesitating once he got to his side. Cadence held her breath as she watched Barry mover closer and closer to the Reverse-Flash. They finally had him; she had managed to do what the Assassination Bureau had tasked her to do without things going so wrong. And yet she couldn't say anything yet, she needed for them to know they had him and to see him for himself before…

All of a sudden the Reverse-Flash got back to his feet and rush by the two so fast there was a gust of wind that ripped at their clothes. Cadence immediately knew what was going to happen. She had studied and observed different weather patterns and how it affected her powers and wind was something that severely worked against her—along with water and ice. Though there were also times wind could help her, in the instance that a sudden increase of oxygen would allow the flames she produced to increase in size and power. This time, however, the back draft would be stronger due to the amount of speed the Reverse-Flash exhibited as well as the large opening in the window behind them.

Cadence reached to the side and grabbed onto Barry just as the wind increased in strength and knocked them backwards out the window. They only fell for a few seconds, long enough for Cadence to gather her bearings before she teleported to cut down the height of their fall. When they re-appeared it was a few feet of the ground and they crashed into it with accompanying grunts.

Barry nodded his thanks to Cadence then rolled to his knees and pulled out his cell phone, quickly calling Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison on a group phone call. "Guys, we've got a problem," he said into the phone. "The Reverse-Flash has come back around again. Can you get a lock on him?"

"I'm not at STAR Labs," Caitlin replied. "Ronnie and I are out."

"Yeah, I'm still sort of tied up, too. I'm still here with Brady," Cisco replied. He then paused. "Actually, I'm quite literally tied up."

"Don't worry, I can get to STAR Labs in a few minutes," Caitlin said, sounding extremely concerned and under pressure. Cadence was sure she was pacing back and forth and chewing her lower lip as she always did when she was worried or brooding about something. "We can track him to see where he's going."

"There's no need Dr. Snow," Harrison said calmly. "Our security measures pinged in on him as soon as he popped up again and judging by the markers we have. He seems to be headed towards a specific target. Considering he stopped where you were and had stated a game of cat and mouse, he wants you to follow him there."

"Well where is it? Where's he going?" Barry demanded.

There was a moment of silence before Harrison said, "He's at Iron Heights."

"Iron Heights?" Cadence repeated. "What's at Iron Heights?"

Barry paled. "My Dad," he replied. He took off running as far as he could with Cadence following him, the two making it to the prison within a few seconds. Barry skidded to a stop, chest heaving with the effort of his running, and found the Reverse-Flash standing in his father's cell, holding the man up by the collar of his shirt. Barry swallowed hard, staying back in the shadows.

Cadence looked at him, knowing he was trying to figure out whether or not to risk working his way into the cell and revealing his identity to his father or stay back and watch as his father got hurt. It was then Cadence's eyebrows furrowed together. She took a step closer to Barry's side and grasped his wrist. "How'd they get in there?" She murmured. "The gate is closed."

"You see, that's the thing about being as strong and fast as I am," Reverse-Flash commented. "I've learned to adapt to all of my abilities. You'll never catch me, Flash. It's too bad that you had to continue to be beaten before you figured that out yourself." He lifted his hand again, and it vibrated rapidly as he did so. "Now I'll have you feel the pain that you've ever made me feel."

"What have I ever done to you?" Barry demanded, practically screaming at the top of his lungs. His voice echoed up and down the hallway and it was then Cadence realized how empty it was. The Reverse-Flash must've done something to them, hauled them off and locked them into one area, before having gone after Barry's father.

"It isn't something that you've done yet, but what you're going to do. And I can't have that happen. Say goodbye to everything you love…" With that, the Reverse-Flash started to lower his hand down towards Barry's father's chest.

Everything that happened next seemed to happen within only a few seconds, but was actually a couple of minutes. There was a sudden blinding flash—a flash of light as bright as the sun on a snow day—that made the darkness of the cells brighten up as if the sun had just risen. The Reverse-Flash cried out and covered his eyes, stumbling backwards into the corner of the room. Barry disappeared from the cell, leaving small bolts of yellow behind him as he turned down the hall. Then he was suddenly back at her side, rocketing forward with a strong punch to the bars of his cell.

The bars that held the Reverse-Flash and Henry inside the cell broke inwards and Barry stopped his forward momentum by slamming into the Reverse-Flash as she did so. With that, Cadence leapt into the cell and grabbed onto Henry Allen in a bear hug and teleported out of Iron Heights. They arrived at the park, coming to a stop so sudden that Henry stumbled a little bit.

"Wow, if only I could do. It'd certainly save a lot of time when it comes to traveling," Henry remarked with a light chuckle. He looked over as Barry came to a stop at their side, staring at his father. Henry's eyebrow rose and a small smile slid onto his face at the arrival. "So I believe I have The Flash to thank."

Barry took a deep breath and stepped into the light of the streetlamp beside them. "Actually, you can just thank me."

Henry smiled and reached out, grasping the sides of Barry's face. "I always knew you were a hero, Barry. You just needed to know it yourself." Barry grinned and wrapped his arms around his father. His hug started off as a gentle squeeze then turned into a desperate hug as father and son held onto each other. He pulled back and placed his hands on Barry's face once more. "You always did look good in red." He then pulled back and turned in Cadence's direction. "So this must be…"

"Flare," Cadence explained as she took a step into the light as well. "Previously known as Flash Fire. But you can call me Cadence." She held out her hand towards him. "It's nice to finally meet you, Dr. Allen."

"Please, call me Henry." He grabbed her hand and shook it firmly before allowing Cadence to hug him as well. "And thank you, too. I'm sure Central City couldn't be what it is if it wasn't for you, and you Barry, helping keep us safe."

"We're not going to be safe much longer if the Reverse-Flash continues to stick around," Barry said, suddenly serious. "Let's get you to STAR Labs."

Cadence sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as she thought for a minute. Then a horrific thought struck her. If the Reverse-Flash had gone after Henry then there was a chance he was going to go after everyone that was close to the. He had done it before when they were all trying to deal with the Assassination Bureau and Suicide Squad; capturing everyone while they had been together. What was going to stop him from doing it now? And if he had gone after Henry, then that meant he had been watching them for a while.

So he's probably going to go after Ryder, too, Cadence though. The realization sank into her stomach with a sickening thud. He certainly wouldn't go after her parents back in Metropolis, not if the Reverse-Flash knew them enough to know her strained relationship with them. "Barry," She said with as much tension as she could muster into her voice. "I've got to go get Ryder. If Reverse-Flash figures out—"

"—I understand," Barry interrupted her. "Go. We'll see you at STAR Labs."

With that, he grabbed his father by the arm and shot off to the laboratories while Cadence went in the opposite direction, teleporting to the townhouse Ryder was renting. Once there she frantically rang the doorbell and knocked on the door as she waited for him to answer. Then her gaze shifted over to the garden out front and saw that a shovel was lying on the ground. She picked it up and dragged it back over to the front door and knocked with her free hand once more.

Finally she heard footsteps coming to the front door and Ryder answered, looking at her in surprise. "What are you doing here, Cadey?" He asked.

"To apologize," she replied.

"For what?"

With that, Cadence lifted the shovel that was in her hands and hit him across the face with it. Ryder's head turned to the side, eyes falling shut and blood starting to pour don from his nose. He slumped forward and Cadence grabbed onto him before he fell to the ground. Then she shifted him up over her shoulders with ease, and pulled the door to his townhouse shut before going to STAR Labs.

...

..

.

Cadence teleported into STAR Labs where all eyes turned to her.

"Don't ask," She said, gently placing him into an empty chair before turning to greet Brady. "Trust me when I say it's a lot easier to deal with him this way than it is to deal with a bunch of questions." She didn't add that it felt good to be able to let go of some of the aggression she still had towards him for how he had left so long ago. That might've gone without saying; she tried not to think about it too much.

Tried not to dwell.

But sometimes things became too difficult to ignore.

Reaching out, she pressed her hand against Ryder's face to start healing him before turning her attention to the others. "Do you still have a lock on the Reverse-Flash?" she asked.

Harrison, who sat at a computer, shook his head. "Since you got Dr. Allen out of Iron Heights I haven't seen any sign of him. None of the security programs we have in place has been able to place a lock on him. Seems like he's left Central City for now." He turned his wheelchair around. "But I applaud your decision, Cadence, to bring Ryder here. It appears that the Reverse-Flash is stepping up his tactics in terms of, quite literally, hitting us where it hurts."

"But is it wise for more people to know about our secret?" Caitlin pointed out. "I mean, the more people that know the harder it's going to be for us to keep everyone safe." She ran a hand through her hair and motioned over towards the room that Ronnie and Professor Stein stayed in. "They can't even go home because of what's going on. And I don't want the same things to happen with Dr. Allen or Ryder."

"It's not like its any big problem," Cisco said without thinking. "I mean, it's not like Barry's dad is going to…" he trailed off, realizing his mistake when Barry and Henry both turned to him with raised eyebrows. "I mean…I didn't…well…" He crossed his arms, sticking his hands into his armpits. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it, Cisco, he knew what you meant," Barry reassured him. He stood across the floor of the cortex, looking into the holding area that had his suit. "And right now we don't have a choice for who does and doesn't know at the moment. The Reverse-Flash went into Iron Heights to get to dad and I don't even know how he did that."

Henry cleared his throat, placing his hands on his hips. "He sort of…walked through the wall," he explained. "Not the wall exactly, but the iron bars. One minute I'm lying on my bed reading the newspaper and the next thing I know a man completely dressed in yellow came waltzing through the bars almost as if he—"

"—almost as if he phased?" Harrison broke in. He turned towards Brady and folded his hands in his lap, nodding his head over towards Henry. "Could you show Dr. Allen your power, Brady?"

"Okay." Brady pressed his finger to his chin as he looked around the cortex, then he walked over to Cisco. "Hold out your hands please."Cisco did as he was told and Brady frowned in concentration as he stood at Cisco's side. Then he extended his arm as if to rest it on Cisco's hands and lowered it down. Brady's arm moved through Cisco's hands over and over as he waved it up and down, and then went as far as to move it through Cisco's shoulder.

Cisco flinched and backed away from Brady as soon as he did so, bringing a hand up to his chest. Caitlin was immediately at his side. He looked up at her and gave a reassuring smile. "It's kind of creepy," he explained. "Thinking that he could put his hand through me whenever he wanted…" He trailed off and turned to his computer as Caitlin watched him.

Across the floor of the cortex, Barry looked up as Henry walked over to him. Barry smiled at his father, trying to look at him as long as he could before needing to blink. It was real. His father was really there this time. Henry smiled back at him for a long moment then finally asked. "So tell me what does it feel like to be able to run down the street like a bat out of hell?"

Barry laughed. From the look on his face he seemed to have expected another question or tell him again that he had to be careful and that he was very proud of him. But he hadn't expected to be asked point blank about his abilities as if he had been asked about his science experiments and homework. "There's no feeling like it."

"I bet. Being able to move that fast…that would certainly be something I don't think I'd take for granted," Henry remarked. "Then again, with how slowly time passes in prison I think I'd be one of the few people that wouldn't mind sitting in the DMV for a line that only holds two people if I have to."

"Yeah, well, with my powers you can get in and out of the DMV in about two seconds," Barry replied. He shrugged. "I don't even need a car either."

"I can't say I'm too excited to have missed being able to teach you how to drive. Though from what Joe said, it might've been good that I did miss it." Barry's eyes widened in surprise then lowered in embarrassed worry as Henry chuckled. "I'm sorry, Barry, but sometimes you have to learn to relax. I think Old Lady Newman would agree considering you took out her bushes of roses."

"That was an accident," Barry defended himself. "And if she has some rose bushes that she was so protective over, why put it so close to the street when anyone can drive in after trying to avoid running over a squirrel."

"Tell that to your mother."

"You've got a point."

Cadence smiled as she watched Henry and Barry interact with each other. Being able to see his father outside of jail was something Barry clearly wanted and strived for; devoting his work with the CCPD and his work as The Flash to figuring out the true killer of his mother. It was great to see the two of them being able to reunite. And at the same time she felt very envious of him. Here he was with a loving relationship with his father and she was still getting to know her birth father and couldn't stand her birth parents with the father of her son suddenly coming back into her life.

It was enough to drive her crazy sometimes. She turned her attention back to Ryder and removed her hand from his face as his eyes started to flutter. Finally, they opened and his eyes turned in her direction before darting around STAR Labs. He sat up and continued to look around as Cadence brought her hands up.

"Don't panic," she said to him. "You're safe. You're here in STAR Labs with me and my friends." He looked back at her, blue eyes narrowing slightly, searching hers with them. "You're going to be safe here."

"Safe from what?" He asked. "A metahuman?"

"Yes. Sort of." She continued to hold her hands up as she looked at her friends. Her eyes landed on Harrison and he gave her a nod. "The Reverse-Flash. It's a bit of a long story." He started to open his mouth to ask how he had gotten there but Cadence beat him to it. "I'm sorry I hit you in the face with a shovel," she said."But it was the easiest way to get you here, to stay calm, so you didn't freak out." Her eyes shifted. "And while I'm at it, I'm sorry I almost burnt down your room."

Now Ryder's eyes narrowed even further. But this time his nose wrinkled as it always did when he was confused. "Almost burnt my room down?" He repeated. "When did you almost burn my room down?

Cadence gave him a pointed look, and then looked away as Cisco coughed something that sounded like 'awkward' into his fist.

Then he understood. "Oh. Oh! Wait…that was you? How…?" he trailed off as Cadence held up a hand with a fireball floating above it. His eyes slowly started to widen. "You…you're a metahuman? But, how-?"

"I'll explain later, I promise. But right now we need you to promise that you're not going to tell anyone else."

"We?" Ryder repeated.

Brady took a breath as he walked over to his father and made a show of moving his hand through his mother's arm. Then he looked over at Barry, who watched the three. "We," he agreed. "I'm a metahuman, too. And so is, Barry. He's The Flash."

"The Fla…" Ryder trailed off, bringing his hands up to his forehead. "The Flash. So that makes you Flash Fire."

"Flare, actually," Cadence corrected him. She tried not to look over at Cisco, who undoubtedly was giving her a pointed smile after all of the grief she gave him to have her metahuman name changed. "But yes, I am."

"I don't get it—"

"I'm sure there are a lot of things about this that are confusing to you Ryder," Harrison said, moving his wheelchair over to him. He stared directly at Ryder. "What's important right now is that you agree to keep this secret for us and for you to understand that, for now, you're here for your own safety. The Reverse-Flash, as we have mentioned before, we have reason to believe that because of your relationship with Cadence—Flare—that he would soon go after you."

"And I'll be safe here?" Ryder asked.

A smile came to Harrison's lips. "I promise you that you'll be safe here and that you can go back in the morning when we're sure the Reverse-Flash isn't still moving around Central City." He cleared his throat. "As unfortunate as it was when he showed up, The Flash and Flare are here to make sure that everyone is safe."

"Because they're heroes," Brady piped up.

"Actually, you're all heroes in my book," Henry broke in. He walked over to Harrison with an outstretched hand, a sincere expression on his face. "Especially you Dr. Wells. Thank you for everything that you've done for my son."

Harrison eyed Henry's hand for a long moment before reaching out and pressing his firmly into Henry's. Then he said, "Your son is an extraordinary man, Dr. Allen." He tightened his grip on Henry's hand. "And I will do everything in my power to ensure Barry's future."

"Thank you." Henry placed his hand atop Harrison's and shook it again.

"It's my pleasure."

Brady looked over at Cadence and then walked over to Henry, gently tapped him on the side. Henry chuckled and turned towards the nine-year-old boy, waiting patiently. "Mr. Allen—"

"Dr." Cadence corrected.

"Can I—"

"May I,"

Brady huffed and rolled his eyes at being corrected so many times. "May I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything you want, Brady."

Cadence exchanged a glance with Barry and smiled nervously at Henry. "Oh, I wouldn't have said that. Brady can get very inquisitive and next thing you know you're in an interrogation." She winced at her own choice of words. "Sorry."

"Again, you don't need to apologize. I've been in long enough to find some humor in the situation when the time comes." He then grabbed onto Brady's shoulders and kneeled down in front of him. "And don't ever apologize for being inquisitive. It's one of the best qualities anyone can have. You learn when you ask questions. All of us here, us scientists and doctors, we wouldn't be where we are if we weren't asking questions."

Brady nodded then pursed his lips for a minute. "Were you really in jail?"

Cadence pressed her hand to her forehead as a wave of embarrassment went through her. She peeked through her fingers to find Henry was smiling just as much as he was before and didn't seem offended by the question.

"Yes, I really was in jail," he replied. Then he frowned, eyebrows coming together. "As a matter of fact, I might be in some trouble considering I left. I'm sure now that the—you call him the Reverse-Flash?"

"Exactly. He's got Barry's speed but he's just plain evil," Cisco agreed. He snapped his fingers. "Kind of like Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort but as far as we can tell the Reverse-Flash actually has a nose and Barry doesn't have a scar or any cool powers."

Caitlin raised an eyebrow.

"I mean any cool magic powers. You have to keep up with my pop culture references, Caitlin."

"And you're a doctor?" Brady continued.

Now Henry hesitated for a minute. "I was a doctor. When I was put in jail they took away my license and now I can't practice anymore."

"But when you're found innocent you can get back into your work again," Barry insisted. Cadence watched Henry's face as he nodded. There was nothing but pride in his eyes, he really was proud of everything Barry was doing for him, and yet was still a parent; was still worried.

"My Mom used to be a doctor, too," Brady explained, tossing his head back to motion to the fire metahuman. "But then she got kicked out of residency because she was doing this." Cadence closed her eyes, knowing Ryder was looking at her now that he knew she had been fired. She had planned to tell him but wasn't sure how or when. "But now she works for the CCPD with Barry. She's Barry's girlfriend."

Barry smiled as Cadence wondered what were the chances of the ground swallowing her up. "When did that happen?"

"That's exactly what I want to know," Cisco added. "I'm the one that's here for the comic relief, for the entertainment, to bring you guys some happiness after you're out there risking your lives on the field and no one tells me when there's been a relationship upgrade? Don't you know you have to run it by me before you make it Facebook official? Mm-mm, I don't play that!"

"I didn't say that," Cadence said quickly.

Now Brady frowned as he turned around and blinked up at his mother. "Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't." She grabbed his arm and pushed him over towards Ryder. "Why don't you go ask him a bunch of questions now?" A light burst of laughter worked through the room, releasing the tension that had previously filled it due to the fear of the Reverse-Flash coming to STAR Labs for them. But Harrison, Caitlin, and Cisco turned back to their computer monitors as Henry continued to look around the cortex in awe.

"I'll be there in a minute, dad," Barry called to him before walking over to Cadence. "My girlfriend, huh?"

"I never said that," Cadence defended herself. "Like I said, Brady's really excited about this." She motioned back and forth between the two of them. "I'm sorry for all of the questions he asked, too. That was a little awkward."

"Not as awkward as having our date interrupted by a speedster who is hell bent on killing me and a Black Flash that apparently is the sign of my death," Barry pointed out. He took Cadence's hand and the two started to walk out of the cortex. "Other than that I had fun."

"At least we can find the sense of humor in it," Cadence agreed. "I mean, watching you flail about as you continued to fall off each and every contraption is probably the highlight of my life. So far, anyway. You bring a great source of entertainment for me, Tholly."

"I'm glad I can do that for you."

"And it's cool that you're able to see you dad again, even if it's only for a little while," Cadence added. "You must be excited."

Barry sighed, turning his gaze to the ground for a second. "Yeah, but…I can't believe that we lost the Reverse-Flash. He was just there and we could've had him and turned him into the police for real. And dad would be free right now."

"We're going to get him, Barry, don't worry." We have to, Cadence mentally added. "This guy may be faster than you right now, but he's not better than you. If he wanted to kill you he would've done it by now. And that gives us time to figure out a plan to capture him. An improved plan over the one we had last time."

Barry didn't look convinced. "If it works."

"Well that's how we're different, Barry," Cadence pointed out with a half smile. "I have a lot of confidence in what you and me and the others can do. But I don't have a lot of faith in myself…and you have a lot of faith in yourself but not a lot of confidence."

"I guess we're just two peas in a pod then." Barry managed a small smile.

"I guess so. I don't know anyone else I'd want to be in a pod with."

Barry squeezed her hand and leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. They continued walking a few steps further and Barry's smile slowly faded until he was practically glaring. Cadence noticed and tugged on his hand, pulling him around so that his back rested on the wall behind them and stood in front of him. She searched his eyes with hers.

"What's going on? You should be bouncing off the walls with what's going on, but you look like you've just lost your best friend."

"I'm just so tired of always being so close to everything and then having it ripped away from me. I was close to solving my Mom's murder but then—"Barry swiftly cut himself off as he looked into Cadence's eyes. "And then this happens," he finally explained. "It's just frustrating."

"I get that, believe me my life is anything but frustrating at the moment," Cadence said with a light roll of her eyes. She then noticed the way Barry's jaw tightened and he looked away from her. He dropped his hand from hers and crossed his arms. "What?"

"Nothing," Barry replied quickly. He brought his hands through his hair before resting them on his head. "It's just…you can be really selfish sometimes, Cade." The force behind his words made Cadence take a step back from him. "No, not selfish…self-involved. Self-centered. It's like you can't ever think about anyone else if it has nothing to do with you. You're throwing away your friendship with Caitlin because you were hurt when you can't understand that she was hurting too. You're hurting your parents because they hurt you first. You hurt Brady because Ryder hurt you first." His eyes flashed and he lowered his voice, realizing it had risen with each word. "Not everything is about you. If I had the chance to see my parents again, to see them together, I'd give everything for that. But I can't. You have that option every day and you just…piss on it and bitch and moan about it. You're willing to take Harrison back into your life so why can't you do it with them? Why does everything have to be about you?"

Cadence's jaw dropped for a second then she lowered her head. A thick, warm feeling rose into her chest and settled somewhere between there and her throat. Swallowing hard, she tried to push the lump away but found it increase in size before feeling warm. She was going to cry, she knew it. That was what always happened and if she let her emotion get the best of her then she would allow her powers to go out of control. The last thing she wanted was to lose control and accidentally burn him…or burn down STAR Labs.

Maybe it was time to finally explain everything to him, everything she had tried to keep a secret because she simply didn't know how to deal with it. Everything she thought had been the truth from such a young age had been twisted around. Then she had been told something that twisted it once more and she just wanted it to end.

It's not going to end if you don't say anything; she reminded herself, squeezing her eyes shut. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked up at Barry once more. "Look, Barry, you're right. I am self-centered. And I know it's because of what happened with my parents and living on my own for a while. Having to be so independent for a so long and taking care of Brady…" she tucked her hair behind her ears. "I know that's a bad excuse but I'm not telling you that as an excuse but as an explanation. I can be self-centered and I don't mean to be. It just…I don't react well when things don't go my way. I'm sorry that I made you angry because I haven't been very open."

Cadence's breath caught in her throat.

"And…this isn't an excuse either, but maybe it'd make sense for what's been going on." She readied herself before saying, "My dad's dying, Barry."

A/N: Ronnie and Professor Stein's parts get bigger within the next chapter as well as some other plots of the show coming in along with my deviations. There are a few I'm really excited to work on and for you all to see including Tricksters, Rogues, and Grodd. Now that the Reverse-Flash has given a hint to what he wants with Barry, that can't help ease Barry's suspicions much of what is really going on. Nor Joe's for that matter.

Thanks for checking out the chapter and for being patient with me. Let me know what you think? What you liked, didn't like, were confused by. What did you think about Barry's telling Cade off and how do you think they'll move on from there? And now that Ryder and Henry know about their identities…what do you think about that?

I'll update again soon.

-Riles