Barry was dancing like a caged animal set free! But you know by now that it wasn't exactly him, it was me - stuck in Barry's body! I'd booked a room at CCMA and rehearsed my choreography to Bruno Mars "Uptown Funk". My own look-alike, Barry, was staring at me with arms crossed. He still made me wear that ugly office-shirt!

"I never thought I'd see myself dance like that." he stated.

Sweat was dripping from my forehead and I grinned.

"And I never thought I'd see myself stand in the position of a frozen statue!" I replied. "Come here! I'll show you the steps."

"There's no way I'll be able to do it like you!"

I danced up to him.

"Then just pretend!"

He exhaled with an amused smile.

"What?"

I grabbed his… Well, my hand.

"Make believe, Bear!"

We went through it but Barry wasn't eager. The moves were big and cocky and he doesn't really like to stand out. Not even in my body. (Maybe, as The Flash...)

"Let's be honest: I'm not overly comfortable with this, Oz."

"Then why are you smiling?"

He giggled.

"I have no idea!"

"Just do something, it doesn't have to be good! I need to collect the points from this class so I can take another next term."

He understood my argument and agreed to do his best. Cause, what are friends for if not to embarass each other?

An hour later, I saw myself looking nervous up on the stage. And that's not really like me (cause that's an area I know very well - the art of performing). But again, it wasn't me standing there. It was Barry.

Eric walked by the audience seat where I was sitting.

"Hi Eric!" I exclaimed and waved. "How's it going?"

He said hello back, but you could tell that he thought it was strange (seeing that guy he met once act like they're the best of buddies). He smiled lovingly at Barry… me… and the teachers cleared their throats.

"Whenever you're ready, Miss Zoe." choir master Olaf said.

The song started playing but Barry ignored the first 7 steps. Suddenly he asked if he could sing instead.

"Of course, it's your performance."

I wondered if he knew what he was doing, cause improvisation is not easy! Then he started singing and his… my body sort of shone. Apparently, no one noticed it but me. For a moment I saw straight through him... I didn't see myself anymore, I saw Barry!... heard his lean voice. He sang Billy Joel's "Vienna".

Afterwards, Eric walked up to Barry beneath the stage.

"That was beautiful, Olivia! So intimate and honest."

Barry smiled politely.

"Thanks. Who are you?"

I hurried towards them, unaware that I used the super-speed to get there! Luckily, Eric just looked confused. I laughed artificially and hit Barry in the side.

"Hahah, you're so funny! Asking him who he is! That's clearly you're friend Eric Winslow... Cisco introduced us, remember?"

Eric observed me closely, like you watch someone who is a little bit insane. Barry got the message and smiled obligingly.

"Eric! Of course! I haven't forgotten you!"

"You alright since we last spoke?" Eric wondered.

"Why wouldn't I be!"

"I knew you wanted that part real bad, so I figured..."

"Oh! Yeah, I did... And I didn't get it… Too bad when that happens to the best of us... Not that I'm the best or anything! But, you know, I told her… Someone told me how valuable I am and that someone rarely lies..."

Barry sure got a way with words! Eric turned his gaze to me, almost hostile. For a moment I forgot that he thought I was Barry.

"I don't recall your name?"

I took his hand and there was an awkward pause. (I wanted so much to tell him about everything: My powers, Turbulent Bull, the body switch…)

"Barry." I finally said, still holding his hand. "Allen. Barry Allen."

Eric gave away a laugh.

"I think I'll remember it now! So, Barry Allen, will you join us for lunch?"

Typical! We'd planned a date that day, which made the situation even more complicated. I twinced.

"Ah, sorry, but she can't go."

I clocked myself… Barry… with a knowing look. He followed my lead.

"That's right, I can't… Something's come up… Very important that can't wait. It's Lauren, my aunt…"

"Godmother." I corrected.

"Godmother! She's sick and we promised to help her out with some… stuff. And you know me, Eric, I never turn my back to those in need!"

He tried to sound like me but was still just blabber-Barry.

"Okey…" Eric began, confused and suspicious. "I'll talk to you later then, Olivia?"

Barry nodded and froze when Eric suddenly kissed his cheek. I wished Barry would smile or give some other sign that I was just having a bad day. But he didn't. He looked at me.

"Barry, we have to go."

Ten minutes later we left CCMA for CCPD. (Are you with me so far?)

I like the interior feel of Barry's workplace, CCPD short for Central City's Police Department. The many glass walls and shiny floors remind me of S.T.A.R. Labs and I love the large golden sign right next to the elevator. Truth. Liberty. Justice. I took the surroundings in with great admiration.

"What's the matter, Allen? You lost?" a short man observed, quite aggressively. He was wearing black suspenders and had a burger in his hand. "I want that report on my desk ASAP!"

"Working on it." I heard my voice call out in front of me, before quickly adding. "That is, he's working on it, Sir."

The man looked confused at my body… Barry.

"And you are?"

Inside the main office Detective West was having a conversation with Jonathan Kirsch. Barry entered first and put his things on a desk. It looked odd, cause he was still in my shoes. (Literally!)

"Barry, this is Dr. Kirsch." Joe said and I politely shook his hand. "Olivia Zoe asked for permission to be here, too. She says she knows you."

Kirsch looked at Barry… my look-alike... with a crooked smile.

"Yes, it appears so."

I couldn't hold the curiosity in anymore.

"What's with this cup, Jonathan?"

The two men looked surprised at me. Had anyone mentioned his first name?

"It's been in my family for generations. That chalice is an important part of my heritage."

"Then why did you sell it?"

He took a step closer, watching me closely. Even if Barry's tall, this guy is taller! I got a little intimidated by the look he gave me… Like he just figured out it was me talking to him in the appearance of a young, male CSI.

"Honestly?" he finally said. "I sold it so I could afford the funding of my exhibition Asterion."

His eyes didn't lie.

"And you can't think of any reason why somebody might want to get their hands on it?" Joe asked.

Kirsch shook his head.

"Nothing other than its historical value."

Now he was lying! Or at least I noticed a change in his eyes...

Barry and I shared a late lunch on the way to S.T.A.R. Labs. I carried him from the subway, cause it went faster that way. (Besides, I should use The Flash's powers as much as possible, right?) We walked into the lab, only to find Cisco standing in front of a whiteboard. He had just drawn a tree.

"I see Olivia-influences are all the rage." Barry pointed out.

Cisco greeted us with an unbelievably cute smile.

"We've looked up Kirsch, like you wanted Olivia." he answered, looking at my look-alike. Who sighed.

"I'm Barry."

Cisco grinned.

"Yeah you are! It's difficult to remember, though."

"What's all this?" I wondered.

Caitlin and Ronnie joined us.

"This is the family tree of Jonathan Kirsch." Caitlin explained and pointed at the names on the board. "Interestingly enough, we can track his bloodline back to the Middle Ages, but what you see here are his ancestors from the 17th century and forward."

I watched the names closely. There were only men.

"Why is there only men?"

"It's strange, but that's all we could find." Ronnie answered. "The archives has a lot on them but nothing on the women. Not even Kirsch's own mom."

"That is strange."

We all agreed on that. Dr. Kirsch became blurrier the more I learned about him...

"It's scary, too." I pointed out.

Cisco nodded.

"What would the world be without ladies?"

Next, Barry's heart began shining through his chest… my chest. He put a hand on it and looked a little pale.

"Bear, what's wrong?"

"I… I'm scared."

That was only a heads-up, I should know. He felt an uninvited presence. Suddenly, the lights in the building went out! Just like that! In the dark, we heard a loud boom. It caused the floor to shake under our feet.

"What was that?" Ronnie exclaimed.

"Turbulent Bull." I confirmed. "Barry, a little light please!"

Barry conjured a flame in his hand. The fire danced on everybody's faces and left a warmth on our skin. Cisco hit a few buttons on the computer, even slammed it.

"Great, it knocked out the tech system. No Wifi or nothing!" Cisco confirmed.

Another boom was heard. "It sounds like he's having a ball in the bottom laboratory…"

"That's were I put the chalice!" Caitlin realized. "Perhaps the monsters are working together and really were after it all along?"

"I think you're right." In a flash, I was wearing Barry's red superhero suit. "I'll go down first."

Barry took a firm hold of my arm. It made me uncomfortable, to be honest, cause I never got used to staring into my own face.

"No, Oz! It's too dangerous. You don't know the powers well enough."

"I have to. We have to do something."

The metal door had a large hole in it. Inside, Turbulent Bull was standing with its tall, hairy back turned. The heavy breaths echoed and gave away cool clouds of air.

"Hey!" I shouted. Somehow, being The Flash boosted my courage. "We didn't hear you knock?" (The security system here truly sucks.)

The broad-shouldered minotaur moved around and penetrated its bright red eyes into mine.

"Little Heart."

The deep, dark voice made my back shiver.

"You've changed. Red suits you."

My eyes widened.

"You know?"

"I've been around a long time. My eyes see the truth."

I speeded to the other side of the room and saw a golden sparkle in its pants pocket. The cup!

"Why did you abduct Walker?" I cried. "You hurt him, destroyed his home and threatened his family!"

"SURVIVAL!" it roared back and took a swing at me. I was faster and jumped away. "Pure and simple! I hate people who deceive… And Walker is a liar! I wanted him to feel the sting of his own words!"

The others showed up and Barry didn't hesitate to walk up to the beast. He threw a fireball at it, but Turbulent Bull just waved it away and laughed mockingly.

"I see someone was not as quick as you to learn their new powers."

Cisco gasped.

"This would be so cool if he didn't want to kill us!"

The sentence seemed to trigger the minotaur, cause it screamed. Their faces got covered with saliva as it prepared to attack. Quickly, I placed myself in the way.

"Why don't you tell me the real story? I'd like to know the true version."

I looked into those red eyes and wasn't afraid. I was calm and wanted to understand.

"Please."

An evil smile showed in Turbulent Bull's face. A smile that was almost familiar…

"You will have to catch me first, Little Heart."

"I'm The Flash now, so that won't be a problem!"

The beast ran straight through the wall (just like our last meeting). I was about to run after it when I heard my female voice cry out from behind me. Barry fell to the ground. He was groaning intensely, pressing on his stomach.

"It hurts…." he stuttered. "Like… I've been cut…"

Caitlin, rational and gifted as she is, ordered me to take him back to the main lab.

Cisco and Ronnie played chess as we were waiting for Caitlin's diagnosis.

"I don't even feel like asking what's going on." Barry said. He was resting on one of the beds, still looking exactly like me.

Caitlin bit her lower lip. She usually does that when something's wrong.

"Cait?" Ronnie wondered.

But this time she was holding back a grin.

"Barry has become a woman!" she said.

"Yeah, but what else is new?" Cisco continued.

She looked at Barry.

"That pain you felt was primary dysmenorrhea, also known as period pain."

Sincere laughter filled the room and Barry blushed.

"For real? No wonder you ladies are so tough!"

I tried to be cheerful but while we're on the subject of truth, seeing Barry suffer had done something to me... An intense feeling had shouted to me that I was about to lose something I didn't want to be without. Something I've never noticed before. At least not like this.

Olivia Zoe

1st of June 2015