Chapter 2: Cure Me, Cure Me Not

"We could always just wait and see what happens. Who knows – maybe he'll pull-a-Thawne and inexplicably stay alive?"

"So that's your plan? Wait around and see whether or not he disappears from existence?"

"You got a better one?"

"Yes – anything but that."

The current scene was a very familiar one for Team Flash. Everyone was gathered around the desk in the Cortex, brainstorming about how to help Savitar. It had been a long, sleepless night for many of them, as H.R.'s death still stung profoundly in their hearts. But, of course, they could never have just one problem. So, the team decided to push aside their grief for now and focus on the most imminent issue – keeping Barry's reckless time remnant from disappearing.

"Alright, you know what, it's hard being the genius tech wiz with brilliant ideas 24/7. And, may I remind you, Iris, that I was awake on and off all night babysitting Frankenstein's monster. This brain-" Cisco pointed to his forehead, "-won't be working at full capacity until I get some Jitters in my system."

Iris was going to retort but thought better of it. Coffee did sound good right now. Turning to address her fiancé, she said, "Babe, I think that's your queue."

"Alright, fine. But I expect there to be work happening while I'm gone."

Cisco waved him off with a hand. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, man. You do your job; we'll do ours."

With an eyeroll and a gust of wind, Barry was gone.

"If I may," Harry piped up, "Perhaps it would be best to review what we do know and search for a solution in that."

Iris nodded. "That's a good idea, Harry."

"It's what I'm here for."

"Alright, let's give it a try." Cisco grabbed the white marker off the table and made his way to the clear board. He started the way every timeline visualization does – with a line. Cisco then added some dots at various points across the line. "So, here's the deal. This whole chicken-or-the-egg fiasco started when Iris died." He drew an arch from one dot to another. "That Barry becomes distraught and isolated. In the future, when fighting Savitar, he creates time remnants. Savitar lets one of them live. After he's trapped in the Speedforce, the remnant goes crazy, travels through time, creates this myth for himself, and plots to kill Iris. Then the cycle repeats."

Cisco looks back at the group. "Everybody with me so far?" Once he receives affirmation from everyone, he continues, "Good, 'cuz this is where things get complicated. Because we were able to prevent Iris' death yesterday – go team! – the cycle broke. So, now, the events that created Savitar never actually happened. Since the time remnant didn't immediately go off his rocker, the change in timeline hasn't quite caught up to him yet. But time is rewriting itself, and soon, it'll drag Savitar under."

Joe looked like a deer caught in the headlights, before shaking the expression off his face. "That makes no more sense to me than it did the first time. What about the scientists in the room? Anyone have a breakthrough?"

A hand at the back of the room rose up, along with a voice. "I do have one note."

Savitar's arrival caught them all off guard. He had entered so quietly. It was a wonder that someone so hateful and destructive could sneak into a crowded room without notice. Everyone's reaction was different. Joe was suspicious and still quite angry. He hadn't fought Barry about helping Savitar; that's what they did here, after all – helped people. However, that didn't mean all was forgiven. Under 12 hours ago, this man tried to take his daughter away from him. He'd succeeded in killing H.R. Threating his family was the quickest way to make an enemy of Joe West. He wasn't sure what Savitar's future held, but he doubted that he'd ever feel comfortable with him being around.

Iris, oddly enough, looked rather guilty. Savitar had mentioned in passing about being easily ignored in the past (future?), and here they were doing it to him again. Another part of her was skeptical, though. Since arriving, he seemed to mellow out somewhat, but Iris couldn't help the fear she felt in his presence. She'd tried so hard to be strong and brave these past few months. However, when she finally came face-to-face with the ominous figure who wanted to take her life, she was terrified. Perhaps not so much for herself. No, Iris was more afraid of what this meant for Barry. She knew he experienced trauma; she knew he carried pain. But to see what that could do to him, to see how destroyed Savitar was because of all that hate – it broke her heart. Savitar wore the face of the man she loved, and he also had Barry's memories. Yet, he felt like a stranger to her. And perhaps what uneased her the most was that she wasn't sure how Savitar viewed her. Was she a stranger to him, as well? Was she a distant memory? If so, was she a good memory or a bad one? She thought the answer would be obvious, given that he'd tried to kill her. But, as Iris was discovering, nothing about Savitar was obvious.

Cisco, on the other hand, was not confused at all about Savitar. The expression on his face was more irritated than anything. He'd made his feelings clear from the beginning. After all, as fun as it was to be kidnapped and held hostage for his technological expertise (it wasn't), yesterday was one kidnapping too many. He would go along with helping him – for Barry's sake – but that was all. Afterwards, he was content to tell Savitar good riddance and kick him out the door. Well, perhaps they wouldn't be able to do exactly that. Savitar was a very recently reformed – and "reformed" was putting it generously – villain, after all. Cisco doubted they'd be able to help him, then turn around and release him back into the wild. As much as he'd love for Savitar to be someone else's problem, this was their burden to bear.

The one remaining occupant in the room was Harry, who didn't look pleased at all. He hadn't been on this earth long enough to develop a personal hatred for Savitar, but it was obvious he wasn't "on their side", as it were. Then again, Harry didn't like anybody.

Savitar noticed the startled looks on their faces, and he smirked in amusement. "Yeah, I'm still here. And for the record, I did not 'go crazy.'"

"Oh, you're right, my apologies," Cisco feigned remorse, touching his hand to his chest, "Would you prefer 'clinically insane?'"

"Go ahead – make jokes. But you don't know even half the story."

"I'll tell you what I know! I know that you're on very thin ice here," Joe jumped in, face hard, "And if you so much as think about jumping out of line, we can all just sit back and let time do its work. You deserve a lot worse for what you put my family through."

Iris put a gentle hand on her dad's shoulder. "Dad, it's alright. Nothing will be solved through fighting. That's already been done. If everyone stays peaceable, we can get through this."

"I don't know, Iris. Pops here seems a little trigger-happy to me."

Joe was about to lunge at Savitar when Barry returned, speeding to a stop right between them. "Woah, woah, hey! What's going on?"

"Nothing, Babe. Dad and I were just gonna take a walk outside, get some fresh air." Iris turned to her father, giving him a knowing look. "Right, Dad?"

He gave Savitar a long, threatening look before responding. "That's probably for the best, before I scar the other side of his face."

Iris gave her dad a pat on the arm before leading him out of the Cortex.

Once they were out of earshot, Barry turned to Savitar for an explanation. He didn't even try to hide his exasperation. "What did you do?"

"I merely made an observation. Seems that this team of yours doesn't take too kindly to the truth."

"Well, I wasn't here, but I've known Joe my whole life. He doesn't just develop that hostility out of nowhere. So, whatever you said or did to piss him off, it needs to stop."

"Ah yes, of course – everything is always my fault. Heaven forbid that anything disrupts this perfect little image that you've all developed!"

"Well maybe we'd be able to give you the benefit of the doubt if you weren't, you know, you," Cisco interjected.

"Savitar, this is exactly what I was talking about last night. You can't go around provoking people like that. If it continues, I will make good on my promise to throw you in the Pipeline."

"Let me know when you do; I'd love to watch that."

The attention in the room once again turned to the doorway. Cisco sighed. "Seriously, Frost? Do any of you metahuman criminals knock?"

Frost gave a wry smile. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Barry gave Savitar a pointed look, daring him to act out again. Savitar's demeanor remained defiant, but his next words were compliant. "No. In fact, I was just leaving."

Savitar made his way out of the Cortex. He slowly to a stop beside Frost, who gave him cocky glare. The two remained in this silent standoff for a few tense moments before Savitar brushed past her.

With Savitar gone, the ice in her veins started to melt again. Frost turned her attention back to Team Flash. "I'll take the cure."

She was met with stunned silence. The shock came from more than just her consent, which in and of itself seems uncharacteristic and hasty. It was also the fact that Frost just… announced it, without any preamble. Caitlin was never that blunt. She was generally very tactful, and if there was something difficult to be said, she would preface it with gentle words. Frost had no time to tickle anyone's ears. When she had something to say, she said it. Even now, when this was to be considered good news, the abruptness of it was startling.

Cisco was the first to snap out of the shock. "I'm sorry; come again? You'll take it?"

"That's what I said."

"It hasn't even been a full day. With the way we left things, I just thought you'd take more time to think."

Frost shrugged. "Thinking was Caitlin's thing. I'm more impulsive, if you hadn't noticed."

"We noticed," Barry said. He gave her a small smile. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you decided this."

The sentiment was echoed by the rest of the team. Frost cleared her throat. "Yeah, well, let's get this over with before anyone gets too sappy."

No one tried to argue with her, lest she change her mind. Harry was the one to go fetch Julian. It was a few quiet minutes before the CSI's rushed footsteps could be heard. He ran into the Cortex slightly flushed and out of breath.

"Caitlin!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"Right – my apologies. I'm just so happy to here you'll take the cure! Your mother and I worked on it together, so I can assure you it's completely safe."

"So I've heard. What's the holdup, then?"

Julian was a bit flustered by her brusqueness, but he recovered quickly. "Yes, of course." He pulled the vial out of his pocket and handed it to Frost. "Now just let me get-"

Before Julian could finish, Frost popped out the cork and swallowed the serum in one huge gulp. She cringed as the liquid's surprisingly metallic taste ran down her throat. Team Flash cringed in unison with her.

"-the syringe," Julian finished anxiously. "That was meant to be injected – not ingested."

"Caitlin had the patience to follow procedure; I don't. So, what happens now? I don't feel any different."

Julian swallowed nervously. "Yes, well, that's the one thing we weren't able to determine – how long until it takes effect."

"What am I supposed to do, then?" Frost questioned angrily. "You expect me to just sit around and wait for Caitlin to reappear?"

Everyone turned to Cisco. He was the one to convince Frost to take the cure; plus, he and Caitlin had the longest relationship of anyone here. Because of that, the team assumed Cisco would have the ultimate say-so on Killer-Frost-related things. Too bad no one decided to clue him in on this before now.

Cisco looked around the room, realizing that everyone expected him to take the lead here. He shrunk sheepishly under their gazes. "Honestly, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I was doubtful that she'd even take the cure; I didn't plan out what would happen next." Cisco noticed the irritated look on Frost's face. If he didn't come up with something to appease her, he feared that she'd turn around and walk out of their lives again. "However, now that I'm thinking about it, I believe it would be best for her to return regularly for check-ups. We should monitor her frequently, especially since we don't know when or how the cure will even work."

Barry nodded. "I agree. In fact, you could just stay at STAR Labs, if you want."

"Cisco offered the same thing, but the answer's still 'no'. I don't think it's best for Savitar and I to inhabit the same space right now."

"You'll at least come a few days a week, though, right? Cisco made a good point; we really should keep a close eye on you for a while," Julian said.

Frost rolled her eyes. "Yes. I'll let you guys play doctor. Just don't read more into this than what it is. I'm coming in for check-ups – and check-ups only."

"Deal," Barry agreed.