Okay, I think I might be running a fever or something because THREE UPDATES IN A ROW?! I honestly can't believe it, I guess I can update fast every now and then XD Thanks to everyone following/favoriting (seriously guys, you are amazing!) and specially to locaxlaficcion, silverwolvesarecool and Idril of the Mountains for your motivating reviews :) I hope everyone likes this chapter as much as the previous ones - to be honest I'm pretty nervous as it is my first time writting both Jay and Wells (although the second one makes just a little cameo, but still).
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
Righting Wrongs
Jay closed his eyes when the water came in contact with his face; he relaxed, letting the transparent liquid take away all the tension, frustration and disappointment from the previous days. No matter what earth he was in, some things never changed: Big Belly Burgers, coffees and the relaxation of a hot shower before going to bed. He stood under the pouring water and, for a moment, he forgot about Zoom, about his missing powers and about Harrison Wells, but also about Cisco, Caitlin and Barry.
He hadn't been lying when he had called Zoom a monster, and he hadn't lied when he had told them no human had enough power to stop Zoom; he remember each one of the many times he had been arrogant enough to believe that, and he still hadn't forgotten how he barely had escaped and hidden under a rock, like a dog licking his wounds after losing against another dog. And yet, they had preferred to trust someone like Wells, someone who had just popped up in front of them as if he were just Jesus Christ, someone hiding more things than he was revealing. He sighed and shook his head, trying not to think about that. It is called a relaxing shower, not a philosophic one, he thought.
When he was finished, he wrapped a towel around his lower abdomen. He got into his room and turned on the TV (he hadn't still gotten used to those flat screens they had in that earth… they just looked fragile, as if the mere wind could make them fall and break).
"…well, John, that' s absolutely terrifying. I mean, it's the first time something like this happens. On the other hand, it makes me wonder: hat if it wasn't real? It may even be just a kid's prank, right? Technologies are incredible nowadays; I think we all remember that man with the iron suit flying above Central City some months ago…"
Jay was looking for some clean clothes, but the mention of the man with the iron suit made him stop. Wow. That was something that hadn't definitely happened in his earth. He would have a lot of anecdotes to tell his grandchildren when he returned home… although he would have to marry someone and have children first.
"Yeah, we all remember that guy… He was seen multiples times in Star City before the name-change. It's curious it's been the same time without hearing from him and without Ray Palmer. What if Mr. Palmer was…?"
Jay took a deep breath. It hadn't taken him too long to find his underwear and a pajama but socks were different. Finding a pair of matching socks in that drawer was harder than finding the Grail. Hell, it was so chaotic that he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up finding that before a single pair of socks…
"I don't think so, John. I mean, Mr. Palmer is dead, but the other guy can just be on vacation in the Bahamas or something… or maybe he discovered being a city's hero was too risky"
"Yeah, well… no pain no gain, right? But let's not change the topic; we have enough conversation granted with the footage received from Central City Picture News some hours ago"
There they were! Jay grabbed the two black socks with relief and closed the drawer before reaching the corner of his bed and leaving the clothes there. Besides, although he hadn't been paying too much attention to the TV before, it was different after hearing about the footage from Picture News. Not only worked one of Barry's friends there, but also the doppelganger of Dr Light. He sat on the corner of the bed and started to dress up without looking at the TV.
"Of course! But, and I mean this in the case this wasn't some prank of a kid who's good with computers and technology, what happens now? I mean, is he dead?"
"I don't really want to think so, Diane… But the images speak for themselves. That guy was holding The Flash with one single hand and shaking him as if he were a puppet!"
Jay had only managed to put on the underwear and the t-shirt, but he had stopped putting on the rest of the clothes when he heard the name of The Flash. He raised his head in less than a second and looked at the screen for the first time since he had turned it on. It was a round table of famous journalists, one of Channel's 52 best informative late night programs. At the bottom of the screen, he could read the sentence: "Central City's hero defeated: is The Flash dead?", whereas at the top right, a small screen showed the footage they had been referring to; Jay froze when his eyes met Zoom's menacing figure, shaking Barry's lifeless body in front of everyone at Picture News.
"I still can't believe this had really happened. I mean, I've seen The Flash with my own eyes facing other criminals. I was in Central City when he faced Leonard Snart and Mick Rory in the middle of the street. I saw him get hit with their weapons, but the guy didn't even flinch, and he didn't stop until he knocked them out. But this… I just hope he isn't dead, but it's hard not to think that"
"I also hope he's still alive. But even if he is, what happens next? Yesterday, The Flash was Central City's hero. Today…"
Jay turned off the TV with the face full of concern, anger and shame. He was worried about Barry after watching what he had just watched, angry at the journalist for doubting about The Flash and ashamed he hadn't stood by Barry's side to prevent him more insistently from doing what he had ended up doing. He took his phone and called Caitlin; it was one of the moments in which he missed his powers - if he still had them, he would be at S.T.A.R. Labs in two seconds, even in one, and he wouldn't need to make that call.
"Caitlin!" he spoke before she could say a word. His voice was full of impatience and anxiety. "What happened? Where's Barry?"
"Jay" she sounded surprised, exhausted and concerned. "He's here, at S.T.A.R. Labs" According to how she sounded, Jay knew Barry wasn't doing exactly okay. He frowned. "How did you…?"
"It's all over the news" he heard Caitlin steps and then, one second later, a TV being turned on. "Channel 52"
"Oh my… "For the next minute, all Jay heard were the voices of the other people, but then there was silence. "That's really disrespectful" he perceived the anger in her voice, the same one he had felt earlier.
"Caitlin" he needed her to focus on him. "How's Barry?" The fact that Caitlin took some time to give him an answer informed him of the seriousness of the situation.
"He… uh… He's in really bad shape" her voice trembled. "We managed to stabilize his vitals, but he's still unconscious"
"I'm on my way"
As soon as he ended the call, he was on his way to get some jeans, his pajamas already forgotten. Some minutes later, he was already outside his apartment with a plastic bag with thermos full of hot coffee; Caitlin sounded like she needed one, and he was sure she wouldn't be the only one. As he made his way to S.T.A.R. Labs in a painfully slow velocity (that is, as a normal human being without super speed usually walked), he couldn't stop thinking about his ignored warnings about Zoom. He understood why Barry hadn't heard him, although it hurt him - it was the typical mistake he had done too many times since he became The Flash. But still… he didn't like Harrison Wells around. Maybe if he hadn't been there, Barry wouldn't have been so reckless.
He got into the building at a fast pace and punched the bottom of the elevator; it was a good thing he didn't have super strength or he might have broken it - he usually used more strength than needed when he was nervous. In the elevator, he crossed his arms on his chest and tried to keep his mind blank, but he didn't succeed. He wanted to arrive to the cortex as soon as possible, but he wasn't expecting to meet with anyone when the door of the elevator opened.
"Wells" he sounded confused and a little angry. He had never liked that man, but that day he disliked him even more. He turned when the man managed to hit him in the shoulder even when he hadn't even looked at him as he got through the open door of the elevator. "What are you…?"
"I need some air" Jay looked at him with a confused face. Wells hid more than he showed, but he looked lost in his mind, his eyes filled with something that appeared to be guilt and sadness. Jay immediately thought he was feeling like that because of Barry.
"I just hope the next time you call me a coward no one else gets injured" there was pure hate in Jay's words, but not without reason, he thought. Even Wells knew he had caused that situation.
"I just hope the next time you run away no one else gets injured" Jay saw the same hate coming from Wells' eyes, and the glasses made him look even colder. His words had been said with venom, as if Wells was a snake and Jay a fat mouse - Jay did feel like a fat mouse in front of a snake. In a couple of seconds, Wells had highlighted one of his biggest regrets.
The doors of the elevator closed, leaving Jay alone. The blonde man made his way to the cortex, where he met Detective West, his daughter and Cisco; Caitlin was in front of a figure lying on a bed. Barry, he thought. He couldn't see the young man as Caitlin was blocking his view, but he saw too many machines around him and all the screens of the room turned on. In the cortex, he noticed Cisco was in the entrance to the med bay, his body language like that of a guardian dog, whereas Detective West looked angry and desolated - his daughter, as he found out a minute later, had fallen asleep in one of the chairs and had her head on the table, next to the computers, but still her face was filled with concern.
"How's Barry?" he asked to no one in particular.
"Still no change" answered Cisco. He realized he had seen him looking at Barry and Caitlin when he kept talking. "She's doing some tests on him". There was something about the guy's face he didn't like, but he didn't want to ask more questions about Barry's condition in front of Barry's foster-father.
"I'm sorry I didn't stick around" he couldn't keep quiet any longer; the detective's angry look had been making it more and more difficult. "I should have stayed". He said the last words looking at Joe.
"And he should have listened to you instead of doing what… Wells said" the detective looked at the exit of the cortex and got more serious. Jay felt confused; he was starting to think the detective's anger wasn't entirely because of him, and that Wells' expression wasn't entirely because of Barry. "Don't worry, we're even". The older man sighed. At that moment, Caitlin stepped out of the med bay and Joe looked at her with urgency. "Can I…?"
"Of course" she answered. Jay saw no smile on Caitlin's face, her wet eyes filled with something different from their usual bright and happiness.
Taking one look full of love at his daughter, he got inside the med bay as Caitlin met Cisco and him in the cortex. Everyone stared at Joe while he made his way to his son's bed and took a seat on the chair next to it. Joe's eyes never left his son's side… and Jay, once he saw Barry, found it difficult to take his eyes of him. There were too many wires attached to his body, he had a neck brace and even a nasal cannula supplying oxygen to his body; he saw a big purple bruise on his ribs, meaning some of them were broken, and a white patch on his abdomen - it was a shocking view, as shocking as watching Zoom showing Barry's battered body to the media.
"Believe me, he looks better. Some of the bruises had almost faded" said Caitlin, and Cisco nodded behind her.
"How bad is it?"
"He has three broken ribs on his left side and two on right. Zoom stabbed him in the abdomen, but fortunately nothing vital was affected. He also had a split lip, but that is already healed."
Caitlin whispered quickly, but there something about her face that was telling him she was missing something, and Jay knew instantly what: she hadn't said anything about the brace.
"What else?" as he asked it, he knew it must have been the worst part, as she had omitted it not only to Joe but also to him. He got his confirmation when she bit her lip and exchanged a doubtful look with Cisco.
"Zoom broke his spine, which caused him respiratory issues. But even with his accelerated healing, we won't exactly know how bad it is until he wakes up"
"Then we wait" Jay said with determination. He wasn't going to run again.
"It's going to be a loooong night" Cisco sighed. Jay showed the Latino the plastic bag. "What's in there?"
"Something that might help"
As soon as he took the first thermos, he smiled when Cisco's face was illuminated when he saw what it was. Jay extended his arm and offered the thermos to Cisco, who took it with his two hands and an anxious look.
"¡Ven con papá!" In other situation, he would have even laughed at the guy's face, but that day he just looked at him with a smiled that faded quickly when he saw Barry again. "You are the most kindest human being on this earth, Jay" he said as he drank eagerly.
"'Most kindest'?" he asked confused, but Cisco didn't reply to him as he was completely lost in the coffee.
"That's a really good compliment considering you're from another earth" said Caitlin.
"I guess this one would have to do for the rest of us"
Caitlin shrugged her shoulders and took three glasses (Iris didn't need coffee as she was already asleep) to pour the content in them. Caitlin drank hers as eagerly as Cisco, and Jay thought they must have been through a real ordeal to stabilize Barry; at least he had found a way to help too, even though if it had been with thermos of coffee instead of with his recently-unutilized Flash suit and missing super speed.
Before taking a sip at his glass, still with it in one of his hands, he looked at Joe. The detective looked as if he needed the coffee too, but didn't appear to be leaving his son's side any time soon. Decided to make things right that time, Jay took Joe's glass with his free hand and approached him from behind, stepping quietly inside the med bay not to disturb the silence of it (only interrupted by the beeping machines around Barry's bed).
Jay extended the arm with Joe's coffee to the detective and he looked at him with confusion.
"You look like you could use one of this too"
The detective said nothing, but Jay saw the gratitude in his eyes and that was enough for him. He stood behind the detective, next to Barry's bed, keeping vigil over the fallen hero in complete silence. Each one was lost in their thoughts, but they shared a common one: the impatience to see Barry's green eyes once again.