A/N: Since you asked so nicely RedQ; here's the next chapter!
As soon as Caitlin made sure there was nothing in the test tube that could hurt Barry further that he already was, they decided to go ahead and inject him. It was all or nothing. From now on, the speedster was either going to finally get stable or code. The night was going to be long. Both of the young speedster's best friends took turns to stay by his side all night. The good news was that Barry finally made the first sound since they took him back. Bad news; it was moans of pain that came first, uncomfortably shifting on the bed, sweat covering his red forehead as his temperature still kept on rising during the night. Hitting 102, then 102,5.
As light appeared in the windows, it was Cisco who was on bedside duty, waiting for any sign of awakening. He just wanted to hear his voice again, hear him joke around and laugh.
His body was aching with fatigue and pain from sitting so long on the uncomfortable chair, but he wasn't going to quit his post. Not again. Reluctantly at first, when his doctor friend joined him in the room, it took quite some convincing to make the boy agree to go rest a bit after eating. By the time Caitlin came back with something to eat, there was a big, relieve smile on her face, contrasting with her exhausted features.
''What is it?''
''Iris called me on my way back; she talked to Joe's doctor this morning. The swelling is finally showing signs of shrinking, he should be waking soon.''
Definitely good. At the same time, Caitlin remembered her promise to Iris that Joe will have a son to go back to when he wakes up. The young doctor handed breakfast to the engineer before moving to her computer, looking at the tests she started running before leaving for lunch. The day was starting on a high note, as, following the update on Joe's condition, the tests showed that the speedster's abilities were slowly awakening again in the boy's system. Visually she could see the bruises and ecchymosis starting to heal themselves, but Caitlin knew that the still raising temperature wasn't a good sign. Barry never did anything halfway, so why would his body start now and heal the bigger, life-threatening conditions first instead of the bruises?
Turning around, she put the back of her hand on the speedster's forehead, feeling the heat for herself before whispering fondly:
''Hang in there Barry, please, do it for me. You have to keep fighting.''
On the bright side, Caitlin couldn't be more grateful for the fact that Barry was still with them and he hadn't code yet. Was it partly because of what they injected him or it would've happened that way without it? Maybe the speedforce would heal his heart before anything bad happen.
***FLASHFLASHFLASH***
Iris was eating her lunch at the hospital cafeteria when Jay came rushing to her.
''You need to come with me, now!''
Fearing the worst, she dashed to her father's room, heart in her throat. Emotions rose when she arrived at her destination, but not for the reasons she feared. Before she had time to walk in the room, she started hearing voices talking, one voice she could recognized everywhere.
''Where am I? What's happening?''
''Mr. West, you need to stay still. You're at the hospital. Can you tell us the…''
The doctor couldn't finish his sentence that Joe was trying to get up. Iris jumped in the scene, pushing the doctor out of the way to get to her dad.
''Dad, hey, hey, it's me. You're ok.''
Joe looked at his daughter in the eyes, confusion in them, Iris' stomach sinking.
''Iris?'' inquired Joe, recognition finally flashing in his face, making his daughter laugh in relief, nodding. ''Where's Barry? Save him, the singularity.'' He added, incoherently mumbling his words.
Iris gently pushed him back on the bed under the look of the doctor.
''The singularity was 7 months ago dad, Barry's…he's at the labs. Rest, the doctor will take care of you..''
That wasn't exactly a lie. She just couldn't bring herself to go into that territory and tell Barry was fine. Her heart was having a hard time keeping up. From fearing the worst to going to the happiest moment of seeing her dad awake and now this? The doctors warned her about possible memories problem and confusion, but witnessing it was troubling to say the least.
The second time Joe woke up was pretty much the same, confused, asking questions about the singularity. Iris sat through it all and didn't leave his side all afternoon. She only got up ten minutes to go grab something to eat as quickly as she could. By the time she walked back into the room, she got greeted by the clear, opened eyes of her dad, not a single trace of confusion left in his face.
''Hey baby'' he simply stated, smiling at his daughter.
''Dad! How are you?'' She covered the distance between the door and the bed in a second. ''How are you feeling? Want me to call the doctor?''
Joe seemed to consider it for a moment before answering: ''Head hurts, arm. Iris, what happened?''
Iris bit her lips, wishing Jay stayed with her to tell the news instead of going back to the labs to see if he could be of any help.
''What's the last thing you remember?''
Joe turned his head, looking at the ceiling, closing his eyes tightly when the light hurt them. His mind trying to get clear enough to remember exactly how he ended in the hospital with an arm in plaster and bandages around his chest and head.
''I'm not exactly sure. I think I was with Jay and we were searching for something, can't put my finger on it.'' Joe rose his unhurt arm to his forehead, rubbing it as he was trying to remember the details of that night.
''Do you remember what happened before that? At the labs?''
The ambience of the room was getting more and more uncomfortable, Iris was unconsciously playing with her fingers. Her dad wasn't a detective for nothing, even in his state he could feel, see, something wasn't right. His vitals on the monitors slowly alarming themselves.
''What aren't you telling me? What …''
All the sudden, like a deficient videotape, Joe paused in mid-sentence, struck by a memory.
''Barry! Oh my god, we were looking for him weren't we? Where is he?'' Joe was already struggling to get out of bed, his vitals rising in panic, his voice tone rising loud enough to alert the hospital staff in the hallway.
''Dad! You need to calm down.'' quickly interrupted Iris, pushing gently but firmly her dad back into the bed. Her heart tightening up from the panic face in front of her. ''Just lie down and I'll tell you everything.''
She turned around to meet hospital staff and the doctor entering the room, ready to sedate the agitated patient if it was needed. Iris faced them, arm risen.
''It's ok, let me handle it. He's just remembering the accident that brought him here. ''
The doctor looked unsure at first, alternating his glance between the young girl and his patient before nodding at his staff to return to their tasks. ''You have five minutes and I'll come back to see my patient.'' Iris nodded gratefully and returned on attention on her wounded father.
Seeing the scene he was creating, Joe sunk back on the pillow, but not without looking closely at his daughter, fearing the worst, waiting for an update. Once they finally were alone again in the room, Iris took back her sitting place in the chair, taking one deep breath.
''He's dead, isn't he?'' whispered Joe, fear paralysing his voice.
''What? No! Dad, Jay and...'' Iris paused before she could say Wells' name. It probably wasn't a good idea at the moment, one revelation at the time. ''Jay was able to take Barry out before the explosion. He's at S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin and Cisco are with him now.''
''You promise?'' Iris nodded, smiling, making Joe sigh in relief. ''I need to see him. Now.''
Before he could try putting on another stunt, Iris was on his case again, bringing back her hand on the uninjured shoulder.
''Calm down before the doctor sedates you. I'm not going to stop him this time. You need to rest, you're not going anywhere.''
''Please baby girl, I have to see him. How bad is he? Let me talk to him. That kid must be worried sick about me. How long since you guys got him out?''
Just when the journalist thought she was out of the wood, here came the next painful question. Yeah he was alive, but last she spoke with Caitlin, he wasn't exactly up and about or ready to go out for a run. Joe picked on the hesitation and frowned. Here goes nothing.
''The rescue took place almost two days ago and Barry hasn't woken up yet.'' She finally said, her eyes looking toward the ground for a moment so she wouldn't have to face the worry exploding in her dad's face.
''What? What do you mean he's hasn't woken up yet? What's wrong? Why hasn't he healed already?! ''
That was gonna be a long night. Iris did her best to describe the injuries and condition of Barry from everything Caitlin told her with all their conversations, watching with guilt her father's face lose more colors with every word she was saying.
''You can't do him any good right now, just rest 'til the morning. I promise we'll go at the labs first thing. '' She firmly concluded.
Joe nodded. It took less convincing than predicted. But, after all, Joe was a wise man. Maybe the reaction would've been different if Iris had told him that Barry's infection and temperature both kept on worse during the whole day. Now that she was relieved Joe was out of the danger's zone, she was getting in a hurry to get to Barry's side.
She stepped out of the room to let the doctor makes his check up and once she was assured Joe will be good to get home tomorrow under conditions, she went to pay a visit to the speedster.
The moment Iris entered the labs, she found Caitlin working none-stop to stabilize her friend. It was getting beyond frustrating that most of the superficial wounds have been almost all healed by now, but his heart and infection were going nowhere. His temperature hitting a new high of 104,3 . A long night awaited everyone.
***FLASHFLASHFLASH***
*I'm alive?* was the first thought that came when consciousness returned to Barry. He was really expecting to die the last time he went under. When was that? Minutes ago? Hours? Days? He couldn't tell, everything was confused and lost in the dark surrounding him, in the pain, in the heat. Heat was the second thing striking him. He could still feel, in his mixed-up memories, the numbing cold, but now it was like his captor had turned on the heat 'til the speedster was roasted. His body felt like it was on fire, he needed to escape that heat. Fighting against the pain, Barry made two surprising discoveries, two big changes since the last time he was in the world of the living.
First of all, the CSI noticed he was lying flat on something, on some sort of table maybe? Even if he had to admit it wasn't something cold and hard, but more like a comfortable, smooth, surface.
Second observation; there was nothing tying his wrists with whatever the hell he was on. His tired and sick mind couldn't figure this out, couldn't connect the point. What was happening? Was that a trap? Or his captor figured he was too weak to try any more escape? Unless she just transported him there and he would be all tied up in a minute or so. Barry gave up on daring to hope for a chance of escaping, but there it was, a chance to do so.
He tried moving his limbs, a paralyzing pain appeared in his right leg, spreading all over, making him let go of an unwanted grunt of pain. The second the sound came out of his mouth, he heard footsteps coming his way. Come on Barry, you can do this he thought to himself. One well-placed hit and he could knock his captor out hard enough to try to get away.
A/N: Don't be shy! Leave a comment