I am so happy to be sharing this with you. This made me both happy and sad to write, but I think it came out well in the end. My co-authors, Brightburn1985 and Bartholomew Henry Allen.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Flash.
Barry Allen is just a normal guy. He wakes up in the morning, gets some coffee in his system, and needs to make it to work on time.
There is absolutely nothing special about him in any way.
But there was once a time when he wasn't ordinary. He used to be extraordinary.
He could travel miles in just a second. Save a person's life in the time it takes to blink an eye.
That was all in the past. He gave it up to save someone's life. And in return he lost a friend. Someone who meant the world to him, even if he didn't know it.
The worst part of it though, is that he has no idea what happened to her. He's spent countless nights trying to find her, but he's never able to. And it's all his fault.
"I think it's time to say it." Cisco said. "Zoom has taken Caitlin to Earth-2. Otherwise, we could have found her by now,"
"I need to find her Cisco. It's my fault that Zoom managed to take Caitlin from us. I can't let her stay with that man any more than I will allow it." Barry said.
"Look, I don't blame you for that or anything. You couldn't have known what would happen if you let Zoom back to our Earth," Cisco was saying, which elicited a groan from Barry. "But wallowing in self pity isn't going to be doing anyone any favours. Especially Caitlin,"
"Then what am I supposed to do, Cisco? My mistake is the reason we're here right now. By letting Zoom back, I've let him endanger all of us, and Caitlin's been taken from us." Barry retorted, sighing as he flopped down on Caitlin's seat.
"If anyone should be blamed, it should be me. I'm the one that opened the breach that let Zoom back. I could have said no, but I agreed, which means it's my fault that Zoom is back," Cisco pointed out.
"I'm the one who told you to do it," Barry shook his head. "I pressured you to do it even when you said you didn't want to use your powers,"
"But I did it in the end. You convinced me that my powers aren't a bad thing and that's not wrong. If you didn't, I would be locking away a part of myself." Cisco said. "If you are going to blame yourself, then you need to blame me as well. We're going to get Caitlin back, I promise,"
"Like what Ramon said, you need to stop yourself from brooding because I think I just found a way to get your Caitlin back." Harry interjected, stepping into the Cortex with the glassboard. "We're going to get your powers back,"
"How? To get my powers, I need to get struck with lightning as well as exposed to dark matter. How are we going to recreate that?"
"A simple answer to a simple question, we're gonna set off the particle accelerator."
"Are you nuts?! The last time the accelerator went active, it made a huge kaboom in the middle of Central City. Not to mention, it will now definitely give every single person within the city super-powers." Cisco exclaimed.
"I've read what happened to Barry that night. I know the circumstances we need to recreate for Barry to gain his speed back. Wells from this Earth, I have his data. I can use it to give Barry his speed back," Harry insisted.
"But do you know how to contain the explosion? I mean, you tried this before on your Earth. It didn't work then, what makes you think it'll work this time?" Barry asked sceptically.
"I've come up with something that should be able to focus the dark matter explosion on yourself instead of the whole city." Harry said. "We can do this. Whatever plan you've cooked up won't last. Not against Zoom,"
Harry walked away to another part of the lab, probably to get the things he'd need to set up in order to perform the experiment, leaving Barry and Cisco to contemplate his offer.
"He's got a point," Barry said.
"Dude!" Cisco exclaimed.
"I mean, Zoom knows I no longer have my speed. I can't exactly fight his army without powers. We need to do something before he strikes. This could be the answer,"
"This is a potential answer with many potential dangers," Cisco said. "You've always said there is another way. You don't need to do this. Think about what you're doing,"
"This could be the best answer we can come up with. Zoom is coming for us, and without my speed, and Caitlin gone, this is the answer we need." Barry said.
"By using the device that created a hole in the city? Killed hundreds of people, injured several more, and changed physics overnight?" Cisco asked.
"We'll know what we're doing this time. It'll be controlled. Harry says he knows how," Barry reminded him.
"Well forgive me for thinking Harry could be wrong. I mean he's stolen your speed, created Zoom, and all of a sudden he's managed to find a way to control a dark matter explosion?" Cisco said.
"I'm going to think about this," Barry said. "But this seems like the answer we should be doing,"
"You just want your speed back, and to be honest I can't blame you. The city needs The Flash, but a lot of people need Barry Allen as well," Cisco said. "Caitlin does,"
"Well Caitlin's not here. And the only way we're going to get her is if I defeat Zoom," Barry said.
Caitlin's cell was kept relatively clean. She didn't have chains on her wrists, mostly because she would break them if Zoom dared to place them on her.
The glass containing her was something that she couldn't break with her powers. She suspected carbon, but she couldn't be sure.
Zoom came and went, leaving her food to sustain her, but she never touched a morsel of it.
"You need to eat," Zoom growled at her from behind the glass.
"Take off your mask," Caitlin demanded.
Zoom sped away and returned in civilian clothes, it was almost more hurtful to see him look so casual. "You happy?"
"I'll never be happy here,"
"Oh relax Caitlin, I just needed you out of the way. I couldn't let you stand against me, not with your powers and your connection to Barry," Hunter snarled out the name of his enemy.
"What are you talking about?" Caitlin asked.
"I'm talking about how you managed to get me to care about something other than myself," Hunter said. "You managed to get me to care about you. That's the only reason I let Barry live that night. I couldn't let you keep convincing me to spare people. That just makes me weak,"
"It makes you human," Caitlin said.
"Humans are weak. I am above that. I am superior to that. I won't be dragged down to be defined as such,"
"Then you're a monster, and I can't wait to see Barry take you down,"
"And there it is, your beloved coming to rescue you. So much faith, so much hope in something that will never be,"
"I don't understand what you're saying," Caitlin said, glare fixed on him but with a hint of confusion.
"I'm saying we could have been happy together. Just the two of us against the world, if it weren't for your infatuation with Barry," Hunter said.
"I'm not infatuated with him," Caitlin stated.
"That's a load of bull. Maybe you haven't noticed Cait, but you are so in love with him it's sickening." Hunter told her. "The little looks you two share. The way you talk about him. The talks you have with him. Your mouth might be saying you hate him, but your eyes. Your eyes tell a different story. They're filled with nothing but a disgusting amount of affection for your Barry,"
"What do you want with me?" Caitlin asked.
"I told you. I can't afford to have a weakness in regards to you. Someone would use you against me, and I can't have that,"
"So you're scared," Caitlin realized. "You're scared of what I could do to you. That I make you weak because you have feelings for me. You've taken me away so that I won't get between you,"
"Think what you want. But just know that as long as I am alive, you will never be released from this cage. You are never going to see Barry Allen ever again,"
"Barry's going to come for me. I know it. He's going to save me and then he's going to defeat you,"
"How do you know he's coming? In case you haven't noticed, the two of you argue so much it's maddening. You may love him, but I'm not too sure about him,"
"Barry cares about me. He's my friend, and we would help each other no matter what. It doesn't matter that we fight. In the end, we're there for each other because we care about each other. And I love him," Caitlin admitted.
Hunter had a surprised look on his face at Caitlin's confession. "So you finally say it?"
"I admit it. I love Barry. Maybe I always have. But I love him, and I know he's going save me, because I believe in him," Caitlin said and it was as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. She didn't know how long she'd been holding that in, but it felt so good to finally admit it to herself.
"It's a shame. I almost hoped I could convince you to join me. I should kill you right now so you can never be used against me, but my sentiment will keep you alive, for now," Hunter glared at her before speeding away.
Caitlin collapsed on the ground of her cell. She couldn't believe it. She'd just admitted to being in love with Barry. After years of arguing and fighting. Countering everything the other said, somehow she'd fallen in love with the speedster. How could this have happened? And why had she just admitted it to Hunter of all people? Why couldn't she have had the realization at STAR Labs? Everything was flipped upside down. These feelings she now recognized as her love for Barry, unfortunately for her, it was nothing new, which meant she'd fallen in love with him a long time ago. She was so screwed.
Caitlin could only hope that she'd survive long enough to return home. That she could get to Barry and tell him how she felt, because she needed to tell him. She had to.
Barry was driving in the forest to a little cottage where his dad was currently living. Barry had wanted to see him for some time and with his powers gone, it was the perfect time to visit, and get some insight on what to do.
"So why is the fastest man alive driving to his old man's place?" Henry asked, addressing the elephant in the room after a few moments of silence.
"I don't have my speed anymore." Barry sombrely replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
"What? How?"
"Zoom turns out to be Jay Garrick or rather Hunter Zolomon. He used Wally, Iris' newly found brother as a hostage to get what he wants, my speed. He also kidnapped Caitlin and I don't know what to do anymore. Why does she always get kidnapped to get to me?"
"Because you care about her. And listen, that's not a bad thing. It's wonderful that there are people that care about you so much. You're going to rely on those people in the future to help you. Just don't be blind to the consequences." Henry told him.
Barry sighed. "People keep going after the people close to me, and I can't do anything to stop them. And it's just going to keep getting more difficult from here,"
"Well focus on the problem at hand," Henry reminded his son. "Zoom has Caitlin? How do you plan on getting her back?"
"Harry has a plan to get my speed back. We're going to use the accelerator again to fuse my cells with dark matter once more," Barry mentioned.
"No," Henry immediately said.
"What?" Barry asked.
"No, I won't let you do this," Henry said. "The last time, you spent 9 months in a coma. What's going to happen this time? We could lose you for good this time,"
"Nothing is definite, but I'm seriously considering this. I could be The Flash again. I could stop Zoom and rescue Caitlin,"
"At what cost? You got lucky before Barry. Those doctors had no idea what to do with you. If Wells hadn't interfered, we could've lost you. I can't go through that again," Henry shook his head.
"I have sacrificed so much to keep Central City safe, and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect it. But I can't do that as Barry Allen, I need to be The Flash," Barry insisted.
"Well why does it have to be you? When is it someone else's turn to be the hero? Central City may need The Flash, but I need Barry Allen. I need my son," Henry said, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Dad, I promise you. Everything is going to be alright. I'll be okay," Barry promised him.
"Just promise me you will think this through carefully before doing anything. Don't rush into things because you think it's the best answer. Take a step back and think what this is really about," Henry said.
"I will. Anyway, this has been great. I should come and see you more often," Barry said.
"Well you won't have to, because I'm thinking of moving back to Central City soon," Henry smiled at his son.
"Are you serious?" Barry said, elated at having his father so close again.
Henry just nodded his head and the two men embraced each other in a hug. Maybe not everything had been lost.
Caitlin didn't know how long she'd been stuck here. The cave was always dark. The only constant companion was a man in an iron mask that couldn't talk. He just kept repeatedly tapping on the glass.
The isolation gave her plenty of time to contemplate on her current situation. She didn't have a way to escape until someone came for her. Hunter only came to hand her meals and the time between those were becoming more spaced out.
The only thought that kept her sane was the fact that Barry was out there and she needed to see him. Her newfound love for him was the only thing she could latch onto that gave her hope that she'd get out of here someday.
The thought of seeing him filled her with glee. She wanted to let him know that she did care for him. That he was the most honest person she knew and stood by his morals no matter what. He was the best person she had ever known and she didn't know how she didn't see that before.
Things may change between them now, but she didn't want them to. There was a reason she'd fallen in love with him, and she'd love nothing else than to keep their relationship as it was.
Maybe it was slightly cowardice to expect nothing would be different now that she'd realized how she felt about Barry, but she feared that he wouldn't feel the same and didn't want them to change. For all their faults, she loved him all the more for them. And for every second that passed, she only felt that love expand in her chest.
Caitlin tried to recall everything she could about Barry. The colour of his eyes and the way they almost glowed in the sunlight. The messy style of his hair and how it could never seem to be tamed. The different types of smiles on his face from his mischievous to his loving smiles.
Caitlin loved them all. She loved the way they made her feel. Her heated face, her dry throat. The weakness in her knees when he offered her a rare smile of genuine joy.
Her feelings, she never wanted to forget how he made her feel. The feelings of pure elation whenever they talked, the fast paced beating of her heart that would give Barry's competition. Even all the feelings of aggression and irritation. She wanted to remember all of it, because it was all Barry. It would always be her Fleet Feet.
Caitlin couldn't place when she'd started feeling these things, and she couldn't figure out how she'd never noticed them before. She didn't care though. All she knows is that she does have these feelings. She does love Barry. She could only hope that he would feel the same as well. Until then, she'd keep this close to her heart.
The days in the cell started to blend together. The days turned to weeks, maybe even a month. She could've been here for years and she wouldn't have noticed. All that mattered to her was that Barry Allen had stolen what was left of her heart, and the hope that he would give her his.
Caitlin didn't know how long she'd been like this, but a man, obviously a meta approached her cage.
"Zoom asked me to round up all the metas. We're heading to the other Earth. Who are you?" the man asked.
As a response, Caitlin activated her powers. She let her hair bleach and her skin turned pale. Her eyes glowed with power that threatened to freeze the blood of anyone who crossed her.
"Glacier!" the meta shouted with recognition. He must have known her doppelgänger back when she was a servant of Zoom. Barry had informed her of his adventure on Earth-2.
"Didn't think I'd see you again. Zoom found you, did he? Put you in here to teach you a lesson? Well I'm sure you've finished your sentence. Zoom will want you through the breach. I'll let you out of here,"
Caitlin couldn't believe her luck. This man was just letting her out and giving her a ticket back home. All she would have to do is avoid being seen by Zoom and she'd be home free.
The man unlocked the cell and set her free. "Come on now. Don't want to keep Zoom waiting. Got a tight schedule to keep,"
"What about him?" Caitlin gestured to the man in the iron mask.
"Zoom told me about him, girlie. I don't think he's ever getting out of here," the man laughed at the caged person before walking out. Caitlin had no choice but to follow.
The meta who freed her led her, along with many other metas to the breach that would take them to the other world. She'd managed to avoid Zoom from noticing her, keeping up her transformation so that he wouldn't recognize her. Caitlin put on a cloak to hide her silver hair, saying she was cold, and let her glowing eyes grant her acceptance among these fellow metas. She couldn't risk having these people recognize her as her doppelgänger, or Zoom would realize who she really was.
It was her turn to enter the breach and she took a step without hesitation. The longer she waited, the more of a chance she would get caught, and she couldn't have that.
The feeling of the breach was disorienting. When Zoom pulled her through the breach, it was so quick, she barely noticed it. Now that she was going it alone, everything seemed to be put into focus. Images flew before her eyes and were gone in an instant. And before she knew it, Caitlin was through.
She'd made it back to Earth-1. Now she just had to give these people the slip and get to STAR Labs. Caitlin looked up to the sky to see it was night. She felt like she hadn't slept in days. Caitlin just needed to sleep on an actual bed, and then she'd be ready to face the team again.
Caitlin just needed to wait for the perfect opportunity to escape unnoticed before they realized she wasn't supposed to be here.
"Hey." Joe greeted, standing over Barry with pizza in hand.
"Hey, did my Dad convince you to talk to me?" Barry asked even though knowing fully well the answer.
"He just cares about you, we both do. We just want to keep you safe. You gotta understand that, Barr."
"I know, Joe, believe me, I know. But this is currently the only plan we have to save Caitlin and defeat Zoom and we all know that we stand no chance without my speed. This is the only way."
"I'm so sorry that you think that Barry," Joe shook his head.
"What do you mean?" Barry asked, confused.
"I'm sorry that we've made you think that The Flash is more important to us than Barry Allen,"
"I don't think being The Flash is more important than being Barry Allen," Barry denied. "But The Flash is a part of me, and without it, I feel lost. The Flash is bigger than me, or you. He's meant to be a symbol that people can trust in, and right now he's gone,"
"But Barry Allen can be a symbol of hope too, it's all about perspective, Barr. Our badges, your emblem, they're symbols of the strength that we're charged with to get back out there but that can also be said about us. But it's your choice, just know that we'll be there whatever you choose."
"Then know that my choice is final. I need my speed back. That's the only way I can fight Zoom. I need to do this," Barry said.
Barry was being strapped into a container that was positioned at the mouth of the accelerator. That way he would bear the brunt of the explosion and no one else, hopefully.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Henry asked his son one last time. There was still time to get out of this.
"Being The Flash, that's the best version of me. That's the version people depend on the most, the one they look up to." Barry shook his head. "I can't accept that I can't be The Flash or Barry Allen. I know I can be both,"
Henry nodded his head in acceptance. He may not be happy about his son's decision, but he could see how he made it. The city desperately needed The Flash, and that's who Barry would always put first above everything else.
"So how are we going to do this?" Joe asked.
"We just need to recreate the conditions that caused Barry to connect with the Speed Force that night," Harry answered.
"How? Barry is no longer connected to the Speed Force?" Iris asked.
"Don't ask stupid questions. Barry wasn't connected to the Speed Force that night either yet…" Harry rolled his eyes at her.
"Okay, but there was a thunderstorm that night. Barry was hit by lightning. There's barely even a cloud in the sky tonight," Cisco pointed out.
"And an easy fix. Ramon do you have the wand?" Harry asked.
"The one I made for Mardon?" Cisco asked to clarify.
"No, the one you made for the Harry Potter convention. Of course the one you made for Mardon!" Harry shouted at him.
"How do you know about that convention?" Cisco asked.
"Ramon, get the wand. Get on the roof," Harry demanded.
"Why the roof?" Joe asked.
"Because he's going to call down a lightning bolt. Where else would you have him do it?" Harry asked sarcastically.
Cisco rushed off to grab the wand and climb to the roof of STAR Labs. "Okay I'm here. Wow, I don't think I've ever been up here. I think I can see my apartment from here,"
"Ramon, you should see a satellite disk. You need to have the lightning strike it. It's connected to the chamber where Barry is being held. Think you got that?" Harry told him.
"Waiting on you," Cisco said.
"I'm activating the accelerator. Hydrogen atoms have been released." Harry commented. "Call up the storm,"
Even though they couldn't see it, they could hear the thunder from outside to know Cisco had called forth the storm they needed for the lightning.
Harry meanwhile was injecting various chemicals into Barry's system. Henry saw what he was doing. "What are you doing?"
"The night Barry was struck by lightning, he was doing fingerprint analysis." Harry told him.
"You're killing him!" Henry shouted.
"We need to recreate everything that happened that night," Harry insisted. If they got anything wrong, they ran the risk of something worse than Barry not regaining his powers.
"I'm okay guys!" Barry grunted from his chamber.
"Initiating collision," Harry said as the atoms smashed into each other. "Now Ramon!"
"Expecto patronum!" Cisco shouted and the chamber was immediately flooded with electricity from the lightning that Cisco had redirected to strike the satellite dish. "Great Scott, it's working!" Cisco excitedly shouted.
The dark matter from the collision seeped out of the accelerator and flooded the chamber Barry was within, in addition to being struck by lightning again.
The dark matter mixed with the lightning and combined within Barry once again. Barry opened his eyes and let the lightning crackle beneath them, but something was different this time. Slowly, he dissolved before their eyes.
An explosion occurred, destroying the chamber Barry once dwelled within. The excess dark matter escaped down the corridor, but everyone's gaze remained fixed upon the destroyed chamber where their hero had disappeared.
"No, what have you done with my son?!" Henry wailed at his apparent loss of his son. The only family he had remaining.
"I didn't think…" Harry was struggling for words. "I'm so sorry,"
"Guys! Did it work?" Cisco shouted as he rushed into the room to see the destruction and the absence of the ex-speedster.
"He's gone," Iris whispered in despair.
All that was left behind was the charred remains of The Flash suit he was wearing.
I am screaming internally! Caitlin has admitted she is in love with Barry! Honestly I thought I'd written a little more than I actually did. Caitlin has already broken out of her prison. And it was entirely by mistake! Hahaha. It's too bad Barry will be gone when she arrives. Next week, it's into the Speed Force. I'm going to write that a little differently than what actually happened in canon, but it's going to be very similar.
XWF1000: Don't worry, I'm not going to gone for over a year. Just a month or two. It all depends on my writing process. I'll be sure to give you a heads up the week before I return like I did before. But we still have a few chapters to go before then.