40

Things Change

Past

Four Years Ago

DeVoe watched the TV screen with a smug smile of satisfaction. He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. He rubbed his palms, that'd suddenly become moistened out of excitement, then reached over for his coffee mug.

All the while he never took his eyes off his colleague, Harrison Wells, as he was reflected on screen. Such a pithy interview, if DeVoe was being honest. The woman who was interviewing him didn't seem that interested in what was going on, let alone what Wells was saying at all. She made such stupid, silly, vapid sounds in response to the sound bites that Harrison was giving her.

And that's what they were, soundbites. Exciting things and keywords that could be plucked from the sound bites to create their own content. That'd blow up over social media and bring more buzz to those that cared. Of course there were the others, who didn't know what was going on, didn't understand or care about the scientific progress being made and just wanted to be able to break the news first.

"Nuclear physics, advanced matter cosmology, even relativity, all these fields will be revolutionized overnight," Harrison was saying with that same satisfied, smug smile that DeVoe wore. But there was a different sort of glint behind the man's blue eyes.

As if he knew something other people didn't. Though, as far as DeVoe knew, no one knew more than he did; even Harrison Wells couldn't touch the machinations of his mind. Still, it was exciting. So very exciting, to see what was going to come out of the science community from his colleagues.

"Clifford…" the word was whispered. So very quiet. Nevertheless, DeVoe heard it. He looked over, his smile widening to a genuine one when he saw Marlize heading his way. He stood up from his chair and rounded it to greet her, pausing in his tracks, eyes lowering to what was grasped in her hands. "We did it."

They certainly had, for standing in her hands was his prototype. The Thinking Cap. What looked like wires and nodules placed together in a rudimentary brain shape to the untrained eye, was something that would quite specifically change the world. With Marlize's expertise in the construction of the device, even glancing at it, DeVoe could see that it was structurally sound and impressive to the feats they were trying to make.

"You've infused my design with life," DeVoe murmured, staring at the Thinking Cap as if it was a newborn child.

Marlize smiled. She gently handed the Thinking Cap to DeVoe and folded her arms, as if she suddenly got the chills. Chills of excitement. She reached up, wiping a tear from her eye. "But we still have a problem," she said. "There's still no power source great enough to power a prototype this sophisticated."

DeVoe merely smiled. "We'll find a solution."

"Expanding the mind to infinite capacities demands an expanding energy source," Marlize continued. She glanced at her husband with a combination of awe and trepidation. Maybe he didn't quite understand the power source they truly needed. Maybe he didn't quite understand…? "Where are we going to find that kind of power?"

DeVoe held up a finger and slowly turned, pointing toward the TV. Marlize followed his gaze towards Harrison on the TV screen. She glanced at him, then at her husband, and back to Harrison, smiling.

"It'll change the way we think about science, about quantum mechanics, about molecular physics. Once my particle accelerator goes online, it'll blow the doors of science off their hinges."

"Ah." Marlize's smile widened genuinely. She understood. "We needed a power source unlike anything imaginable."

"And it seems Harrison Wells just imagined it for us," DeVoe agreed.

Present

Barry frowned.

He stared at the picture sitting in front of him on the computer panel of the Cortex. Of the picture that had to have been taken for DeVoe for the yearbook. The simple, almost serene smile that pressed into DeVoe's face as he looked at the camera. No, simple and serene wasn't the word. There were no words that would explain DeVoe.

He was an enigma, a mystery that not even Ralph could crack as they'd sat in the DeVoe's living room earlier that day. Listening as the two people Barry was sure were responsible for their problems, behind the scenes of something¸ gave explanations for everything they asked about. And not just explanations, but reasonable explanations.

DeVoe was good.

Better than good.

DeVoe was a mastermind.

"I hope it's not too sweet." Marlize apologized. She poured Barry and Ralph glasses of lemonade, offering each a cookie to go along with it, before perching in a seat next to her husband. She reached out and grasped DeVoe's hand, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. DeVoe, on the other hand, hadn't taken his eyes off Barry and Ralph since they'd stepped through the front door of the house.

"Ma'am this is amazing!" Ralph declared, already drinking half of the lemonade he'd been given. He reached over, wiggling his fingers towards Barry's glass, only retreating his hand when Barry glared at him. Ralph smiled sheepishly before folding his arms, putting on an expression of deep concentration.

"Just like my wife," DeVoe said with pride. He smiled at his wife. "Somehow, she manages to take care of me and continues to ensure we have an immaculate home. And her three-cheese macaroni?" DeVoe closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. Marlize blushed at the praise. "Second to none! Sometimes I think I'm the luckiest man alive." Finally, the expression of bliss slid from his face, and he turned his attention back to the two policemen. "Gentleman, how can I help?"

Barry cleared his throat, leaning back in his seat. "The name DeVo came up in an investigation of ours," he explained patiently. "We'd just like to ask you some questions if that's okay." His eyes shifted over the couple, who blinked at him.

"Well, why him?" The smile never left Marlize's face, but her gaze cooled. "DeVoe's a common name."

Ralph snorted. "Where?" Once again, Barry slowly turned a gaze his way. Ralph cleared his throat. "I mean, it's lovely and unique." He turned his head to the side to mutter, "In books," under his breath. "Not that I even read."

"Yes, I'd wager at least 1100 individuals give or take a few in central city alone," DeVoe agreed.

"The name's been identified in four separate criminal cases," Barry said, trying to move things forward.

Marlize spoke up once more, before her husband could. Though DeVoe seemed not to move to make a mention, anyway. He simply smiled back at Barry as the conversation moved. "So, you think my husband is a witness to these crimes?"

"No, we'd like to eliminate him as a suspect."

"You can't be serious."

Finally, DeVoe spoke up, holding up a hand. "That's all right, Marlize," he said. He didn't tear his gaze away from Barry's. It was starting to become a little unnerving. "Do go ahead."

"What brought you to central city?" Barry asked. Finally, they were getting somewhere. Able to get some answers.

A wistful expression came to DeVoe's face. "I grew up in South Africa. After studying history and econometrics at the university of Johannesburg. I took a job teaching at Oxford." His gaze swept towards Marlize once more, this time turning lovingly. "It's where we met."

"Mhm." Marlize smiled back at him. Looking every bit as a housewife in love with her life and her husband. "He sept me off my feet and we've been together ever since."

"It did take a tenured offer from Central City University to lure me away from the Oxford faculty." He bobbed his head. "That was four years ago."

"Question!" With flair, Ralph reached into the pocket of his dress shirt and pulled out a photograph. He reached across and handed the photo to DeVoe who took the photo with a curious glance. "Do you know Ramsey Deacon?"

DeVoe studied the picture of the bigger man with narrow eyes and a long, scraggly beard. A man who appeared more than annoyed at having had a mugshot being taken. DeVoe's expression never changed as he handed the photo back. "No, should I?"

"What about Becky Sharpe?"

Again, a photo was passed over. Another expression that didn't change.

"No, I'm afraid not."

Barry let out a breath through his nose. They weren't getting anywhere with the photos. DeVoe could be telling the truth, but he could also be lying through his teeth. The hardest part of it was being unsure, completely, as Barry didn't know DeVoe. Didn't have the means of being able to determine if there were any micro expressions that would betray his true feelings.

It was times like that, he wished Cadence was next to him. A human lie detector if there ever were one.

"Mina Chaytan?"

It was a different direction to go in. One he wasn't sure would even work, to make a hit on anything. But he remembered the name, figured DeVoe would've as well. The side of Barry's mouth turned up just slightly, seeing the light spark that moved through DeVoe's eyes.

"That name's familiar," DeVoe muttered, studying the photo.

Marlize leaned over DeVoe's shoulder and studied the photo herself. She reached up and gently tapped the picture with her fingertips then brough her fingers to her lips. Her eyes lit up. "Isn't that the Native American woman who left abruptly? You know, the anthropologist!"

"Yes, I remember her." DeVoe handed the photo back. "I was sad to see her go."

"You were colleagues." Barry pounced on the opening. "Did she ever mention her work?"

"No, no, no." DeVoe shook his head. "Mina was an animated woman." He and Marlize shared a secret smile. "Then again, people like us who see education as a calling often are."

Barry took his gaze away from the DeVoe's in front of him. Worked to find anything else that would give him some sense of an opening. But everything that was thrown at them came back with some sort of an explanation. Barry glanced at Ralph, who stared at the DeVoes with a clenched jaw.

It wasn't like Ralph could just blurt out he felt that he was one of the victims of the DeVoe's as well. That would open themselves to a reversal of the situations and questions coming their way they couldn't answer. How far of a leap would it be from Barry and Ralph to the Flash and Elongated Man.

Rubbing his neck, Barry dropped his head forward. He let out a sigh and looked around the room. All at once, his eyes settled on a painting that sat high in the corner, almost tucked away. But appeared to be put out enough to catch the eye.

A samurai…?

"That painting…" Barry murmured. All eyes turned toward him and he quickly cleared his throat. "Uh, it's beautiful."

"The samurai!" If it were possible for DeVoe to have become any more animated, Barry wouldn't have believed it without having seen it himself. "They were formidable foes. They'd often make unstoppable enemies to their opponents." His gaze slid towards Barry, locking him in an almost challenging stare. Barry's eyes narrowed back. "You wouldn't want to cross one."

"So, you spent time in Japan?" Ralph asked. He eyed DeVoe up and down. "How'd you do that?"

If Barry was able to use Ralph's powers to stretch his hand and slap Ralph across the face he would've. Marlize merely laughed at the question while DeVoe's smile widened into one of appreciation, not offended by the question at all.

"The feudal history of medieval Japan is one of my personal areas of expertise," DeVoe explained.

Of course, an explanation for everything.

"Then you must speak the language?"

"Hai, wtashi wa gakumon kaide shika shiyo shite imasen."

Barry blinked at DeVoe. He made a mental note to brush up on Japanese when he had the chance. There was a little bit of it he still remembered from having been obsessed with Japan and anime when he was a teen. With context clues…DeVoe was saying something about only doing it at academic conferences…but he wasn't quite sure. Still, it couldn't have been a coincidence that he liked Samurais…and they'd been attacked by a Samuroid…

"He also speaks French, Italian, Mandarin, and several other languages," Marlize boasted.

"Here's the thing," DeVoe's expression turned stony once more despite the passion that came to his tone of voice. "I love teaching. It gives me the opportunity to broaden perspectives. But you can't just inspire people to be better. You somehow need to change the way people think." He tapped at his temple.

"Clifford!" Marlize reached out, gently swatting him on the arm. She turned back to Barry and Ralph with a loving smile. "My husband is very passionate, but he also needs his rest." Her eyes turned flinty. "Is there anything else we can do to help?"

"No, thank you," Barry said quickly. He stood, inviting Ralph to get up as well. "If we have any more questions, we'll get in contact." He reached out and shook Marlize's and DeVoe's hands once more, stepping back so Ralph could do the same.

"You know where to find me," DeVoe agreed.

Now he was staring at Team Flash as they took in everything Barry and Ralph explained what'd happened at their questioning.

"I don't know, Barry," Joe said with a sigh. He gestured toward the photo of DeVoe that sat on the computer screen in front of them. "This shy college professor who likes mac and cheese just doesn't seem like a criminal mastermind to me."

Barry did his best not to let out an expelling of breath that showed his frustration. "I mean, come on. It wouldn't be the first time somebody played nice and turned out to be a bad guy." He looked at Cisco and Caitlin, who exchanged glances and looked away, identical expression of embarrassment and guilt that came to their faces.

Harry, who stood behind them simply rolled his eyes with a shake of his head. "Get over it," he muttered. "The rest of us already have."

"It also wouldn't be the first time that you fell for it, especially," Ralph pointed out. He pointed at each member of Team Flash. "I read into the history of your guys' team; I can't believe you fell for it so many times."

Barry ignored him. "He gave us one name out of 1100."

"1122 to be precise," Harry remarked.

Barry threw his hands in the air. "He was off by 22!" He stared to pace the floor of the Cortex. "Isn't that a little suspicious?"

"Not if he googled himself," Cisco pointed out.

"I'm just saying there's something weird." Barry continued to pace. He was starting to wish even further that Cadence was there, to at least have someone on his side and understand his thought process. It already would've been too dangerous if both of them had been with the DeVoes and they'd been recognized in some way. (The connection with the Wells would've been too easy to exploit and turn the tables back on them). She already knew the information Barry was sharing with Team Flash as he'd called her once they left the DeVoe's house. "He likes samurais."

"Who doesn't?" Cisco snorted. "Have you seen Zatoichi: The Blind Sowrdsman? Best Criterion Collection. Ever."

"Okay. Guys!" Barry stopped, pressing his hands to his hair. He took in a deep breath and ran his hands over his face and walked back to the control panel. He pressed his hands to the counter and leaned against it, looking his team in the eye. "Think about this. DeVoe arranged for me to come out of the Speed Force exactly where he wanted." He leveled his gaze to Cisco. "Even you couldn't do that."

Cisco paused, pursing his lips. "You're right."

"Okay, let's cover all our bases," Caitlin agreed. "It wouldn't hurt and if there's actually something there, we may be able to get ahead of it this time." She shrugged and nodded, her waves bouncing. "Whatever you need."

"Cisco," Iris, who had been quiet through Barry's explanation, turned in her seat to face him. "See what digital footprint you can get about the DeVoes. I doubt they'd be doing anything with social media, but in the academic world you might be able to find something." Cisco nodded and left the Cortex with Harry following shortly behind him. Then she turned to Caitlin. "Caitlin, you've got friends at CCU. See what kind of person we're dealing with."

"And maybe loop in Cade as well, Harrison and Tess probably can give us some more information on them as they've all worked in similar academic fields," Barry agreed. Caitlin nodded.

"Dad?" Iris turned to her father. "CCPD, background check?"

Joe nodded, already on his way out of the Cortex. "On it, sweet one."

"What about me?" Ralph asked, eager to get an assignment as well.

Barry and Iris exchanged a glance. "Ralph…why don't you go brush up on some of your detective files. Maybe you've got something in there that'll help us out. Something we might've missed." Ralph shot off some finger guns before leaving the room as well. "And…that will keep me from wanting to kill you for a minute," he muttered under his breath, letting out a long sigh.

"You all right?" Iris asked.

"Yeah," Barry replied. He ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks for asking." He gestured towards her. "And, hey, thanks for running point with all of this, too," he added with a sweep of his hand. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything."

"You're welcome," Iris said pleasantly. Then the smile lowered from her face and she sighed a little. "I hope I wasn't too bossy or anything."

Barry's eyebrows twitched together. "Bossy?" He repeated. "What do you mean?" Iris lifted a hand, waved it in the air, brushing off the question. Barry walked around the Cortex to lean against the control panel next to her. "What's going on, Iris?"

Sighing, Iris brought a hand through her hair. "It's nothing, really," she said. "But…when you were in the Speed Force…Brady accused me of, like, wanting to take over or something."

At that, Barry's eyebrows came together so fast it caused wrinkles in his forehead. "That doesn't sound like him." He bobbed his head. "I mean, he's been getting really sarcastic lately, but I figured he was just…you know growing up and everything…"

"You never had a phase like that," Iris pointed out.

"I think I remember a few times being rude to Joe…"

"Bare, you couldn't be rude to dad no matter how hard you tried," Iris pointed out, giving him a 'duh' look. "You fold like a napkin anytime he even looked at you sideways."

"Well…I wouldn't say that…" Barry tried to defend himself…knowing it was true. He never wanted to do anything that would put his place in the West home in jeopardy. Not including all the times he ran away or did some…potentially dangerous projects for school. Taking apart and putting together a clock certainly was interesting to the teachers who thought he may have had some issues stemming from what happened to his parents.

"I would," Iris declared.

Barry smiled a little. "Seriously, what did he say? If it's anything rude, I'll talk to him."

"I just…" Iris stood, rubbing her palms on her thighs. "I don't think he's taking my presence here in the Cortex, as part of Team Flash very well." She crossed her arms, rounding her shoulders forward. "He all but said as much." Barry lifted an eyebrow. "You were in the Speed Force and we weren't really being a team at the time. Some of us wanted to get you out, but the rest of us were focusing more on the Samuroid and its destruction over the city."

"Okay…" Barry said slowly. "I can't imagine it was an easy decision for you guys to make before I was able to come back."

"It wasn't," Iris agreed. "And…not having you around…not having the Flash…it made it clear how much you hold us together."

Barry reached out and grasped Iris's shoulders. He gave them a squeeze, looking her in the eye. "I know you, Iris. And I know you would've made the decision that you think was the right decision for the team. Because you have a big heart and you care about a lot of people. And because you love this city as much as I do." He gave her a small smile. "But I also know when you're not telling me something. Whatever it is, I can handle it."

Iris smiled. She pulled herself out of Barry's grasp and took a few steps away from him. "Bare, have you realized that we're not as close as we used to be?" She asked. Barry watched her as she moved away from him. "We were best friends. We used to do everything together. Movie nights, bowling nights, dinner at dad's…it seems like everything's changed over the last four years. We haven't been as close as we used to be."

"That's not true," Barry said with a frown. "We're still good friends, Iris."

"But not best friends. We used to be best friends." Iris glanced at him. "Now we have Caitlin and Cisco and Cadence and Brady…" her smile widened. "And Wally and Jesse and Oliver and Felicity…we have so many new friends now. So many things have happened to us." She gestured toward him. "And you're The Flash. You have the responsibility of the entire city on your shoulders."

"It's not just on me," Barry insisted. "I couldn't be the Flash without all of you guys to help me out."

"Maybe that's the problem," Iris murmured.

Barry pressed his lips together. He always knew there were things about his time being gone that he hadn't been told, things he was still figuring out, things that had probably hurt them more than he could know. Let alone the things he'd experienced in the Speed Force he was still trying to work out. Savitar didn't pop into his head as much he had before, but he knew he was still there, waiting for the time to come back and plague Barry again.

"Iris…what did he say?" Barry insisted.

Iris let out a quiet sigh. "He yelled at me. And…accused me of not wanting to bring you back." She lifted her gaze and looked Barry in the eye. "I thought it was better that we dealt with the threat first before we brought you back, if we could." Barry nodded, listening. "But I was mad at the time, because Caitlin hadn't been there and she was coming back to the team as if nothing had happened and we'd just jeopardized everything to get you back. And he said I was mad because we're not family anymore…because you're about to become his family. Like I lost you twice."

Barry blinked rapidly, trying to take in everything she was saying. He knew there was some tension with the team bring him back, knew there was some sort of underlying tension between Iris and Cadence since they'd first met, but it wasn't anything he'd ever truly thought about before. It wasn't anything he hadn't noticed before; he'd just hoped that Iris hadn't.

It was hard enough that Barry had lied to her about being the Flash for so long, keeping her in the dark despite her and Joe knowing about all the metas and the strange things going on in Central City. Then he'd lied about Cisco's and Caitlin's backgrounds and how they'd become friends before she knew. But Iris had integrated into the team well, he'd thought, when he brought the two parts of his life together…her journalism background and fresh perspective on metas had helped them many times. Still, Cadence had flat out said she wasn't going to be a West when they got married, she'd be an Allen, a Nash, and in some points a Wells.

Just like he was an Allen and a West…

But about to start his own family…

"Iris…" Barry trailed off. He pressed his lips together. "I guess I never realized how much we'd grown apart."

"Me neither," Iris agreed. She scratched behind her ear, dropped her hand back to her waist. "So…where do we go from here? I think we learned things get messed up if we try to change the past or the timeline in any way."

"Iris we're always going to be friends," Barry said. "That's not going to change. No matter if you're helping behind the desk or if you're out in the field, we're friends."

"Are we? Because it feels like we're heading in different directions. You're getting married and I'm working on my newspaper…" She chuckled. "We're trying not to die every week." Barry laughed as well. "Maybe that's the point," she mused. "That things are supposed to change."

"I got used to change a long time ago," Barry said. Then his voice turned flat. "And apparently I keep making that mistake whenever I try to fix things." Iris laughed. "I'll talk to Brady and get him to apologize."

"You don't have to do that," Iris said. "He's a kid, he just really wanted you back. He didn't want me taking over as team lead."

"Taking over as…" Barry glanced at the computers that lined the control panel. His eyebrows rose. "Oh, that's what you…Iris, you're as big a part of this team as much of the rest of us are. Yeah, Cade leads us but…you're still part of it. You've helped us more than I can remember, and you've got better connections to some of the people we're trying to get than anyone else. You have a place on this team, and in my life, as much as everyone else does, okay?"

Iris smiled and nodded back. "Okay," she replied. She pointed over her shoulder, backing towards the exit. "I've got some work I've got to get done but keep me updated with the DeVoe stuff."

"Yeah, no problem," Barry agreed.

He watched her leave, noticing she'd never elaborated on what she meant by losing him twice. Barry walked to the nearest chair and dropped heavily into it. He glanced at the computer screen and stared at the picture of DeVoe that still sat upon it.

He was sure, somehow, DeVoe was behind everything in his life falling apart, and the only way it'd get back to normal would be to stop him.

And he was going to do everything he could to take him down, before the rest of his life was ruined.

A/N: It took a lot longer than I thought it would to get bak to this fic, but I've also had a lot of big life stuff happening with my family, good and bad, that I've been working through for the last year. My biggest thing was changing jobs to a new full time job that I'm happier with, but still also takes a good amount of time that I'm working to figure out how to write at, lol.

Otherwise, thank you all for still being here. I primarily write this for myself and for Cadence and Brady, but I'm glad there are those out there that are still enjoying and anxiously/patiently wait for an update no matter how long it may take!

Love y'all

Cheers,

-Riles

PS - The conversation with Barry, Ralph, DeVoe, and Marlize you probably recognize from earlier in the fic, it was done twice on purpose. The pay off is coming soon.