17

Cait and Cade and Barry and Brady


Cadence took in a deep breath as she entered the Saints and Sinner Bar. She ignored all the low wolf whistles and leers that came her way from the male patrons, and the suspicious glares that came from the female ones. The daylight that leaked through the windows faded the further she walked inside, the blackout curtains working its intended purpose. There weren't too many around, though she'd been in the medical field long enough to know there were those that were able to go to bars at any time of the day.

Functioning alcoholics as they were typically referred to. Others that were coming off a long night shift looking for something stiffer than coffee to drink. She'd been on that end of the spectrum once having spent long, long nights of studying and taking tests in coffee shops and iHops with her classmates where they'd reward themselves with a good drink once their studying was done or they received a good grade on a test. It seemed so long ago that all of it seemed to come to a head of nothing…where she'd been kicked out of her residency for all of the times she was late or had missed on a rotation due to the Assassination Bureau and other metahuman things.

She could only imagine what they thought of her now, working with the CCPD in their family services division. Or, rather, if they knew what would happen now that she was walking into a bar in the middle of the day, her muscles a trigger of muscle memory away from burning the place to the ground. Especially if she didn't get the answers she was looking for.

Cadence walked to the back of the bar, slowing when she felt a hand move from her shoulder—a movement that had startled her for a second (she scolded herself for not anticipating someone moving to stop her)—down to her wrist. She quickly whipped around, facing Matthew Norvok, and rolled her eyes as he loomed over her.

"You've got some nerve coming back here," He rumbled, sightless eye moving over her. "Amunet's not going to be happy to see you."

"Amunet's not happy to see you on a general basis," Cadence replied with a sweet smile. "What makes you think I'm worried about me?" She shook her hair back from her face. "Besides, I'm not here about me. I'm here on other business."

"Police business," Norvok replied. Cadence's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, we know all about the job you've got going on right now. Working with the police when we know you've got all the information you need from me, from Amunet, from the Market…" He moved closer to her then winced, taking a step back almost immediately after.

Cadence's lips pulled back into a small smile. "What's the matter, Norvok?" She asked, moving closer to him, once more, he took another step back. "Is it getting a little hot in here for you?" She moved closer, reaching out a hand. Her skin didn't even come close to grazing his and he turned his body away, brushing his long hair away from his forehead. At least, feigned as he did, Cadence saw the bead of sweat that rolled over his forehead, a light sheen coming to his face. "You want to keep from being flambéed, I suggest you let me talk to Amunet."

"Amunet's not going to like that you're here without her knowledge," Norvok insisted.

"And you're going to be the one to stop me?" Cadence replied. "And as I know for her, she'll be interested in what it is I have to ask her. Now, are you going to stay in my way, or are you going to keep trying your poor excuse of being a bodyguard?" She thought for a moment, eyes roving the bar. "There's something she really wants to keep secret?"

Norvok sucked in a deep, rumbling breath. Cadence continued to stare at him, watching as he squirmed under her gaze. He turned at the sound of the door opening and another patron walking in, looked over toward the kitchen as there was a loud clanging sound of pots and pans moving together, watched as he brought up a hand and ran it through his long, string mop of hair that fell over his forehead. He ran the palms of his hands over the sides of his shirt.

"Don't be nervous, Norvok," Cadence teased, turning away from him. "I'm not going to burn you today. Not again."

The side of Norvok's mouth turned up into a snarl. "It's not you I'm worried about. You've gotten away from Amunet once before, because of Breathtaker. But Breathtaker's gone and Amunet knows what she wants." His snarl slowly turned to a smirk. "I hope you understand what that means. She replaces everyone that works for her for someone else. Have you figured out who's replaced you yet?" He moved around her, holding out her arm. "After you."

Cadence hummed and went to the door at the back of the bar, Norvok following closely behind her. She slipped through and went down to the basement of the bar. The sound of skin hitting skin filled her ears as she went, heavy blows that, judging by the sounds of the grunts, were being rained upon someone who wasn't going to last much longer. Turning the corner, Cadence watched as two bloodied men slumped against the ropes of a wrestling ring, working to keep themselves up. Their chests rose and fell, blood slicked over their bodies, dripping form the gashes in their faces, skin on their arms and chests bright pink and scraped. And yet, they still worked to keep themselves upright.

Then she saw Amunet sitting crossed-legged in a chair by the ring, quietly sipping a cup of tee as she watched the spectacle in front of her. She winced every now and then, before giggling with pleasure when a particularly bad blow was dealt. Cadence moved closer, her stomach rolling in dismay despite the stoic expression she kept on her face. She kept herself from reacting to it outwardly, though her stomach rolled, clenching with each hit of one of the men to the other.

"Oh, don't give up yet," Amunet cooed when one of the men slammed to the ground of the ring. "I haven't had my chance to really enjoy it yet." She lifted her cup into the air. "I was too busy trying to swallow this swill that you Americans call tea. Remind me to get some of that English export the next time I meet with my York handler." She then looked over and saw Cadence, her eyes lighting up. "Cadey! So good to see you! Come, come." She stood, waving her hands towards Cadence, all but making kissing noises to draw her nearer. When Cadence was within her grasp, she took the firestarter's hands and pulled her forward. Then let go of her and waved off her palms. "Wow, looks like someone's really getting an idea of what her powers can do." She tapped Cadence on the nose, making her jerk her head away.

"I didn't come here for a round of gossip, Amunet," Cadence said. "I've got a question to ask you and once I get my answer, I'm out of here."

Amunet forced her lips into a pout. "Spoilsport. I was hoping to have another round of entertainment for the day." She waved her hand towards the two in the ring who were now being dragged away by two tall bodyguards, leaving long smears of blood behind them as they were pulled. She turned back to Cadence, eyes flashing with amusement. "How long has it been since you were in a fight? I mean…" her eyes roved over Cadence's body. "I'm sure there had to have been some sort of catfight throughout your history. In high school at least. Did you steal anyone's boyfriends?"

Cadence rolled her eyes.

"Well, you might not have stolen the boyfriends, but I'm sure your presence was enough. You do have a son."

Immediately, Cadence bristled. She could handle anything being said about her, but the moment anything had to do with Brady, that's where she drew the line. Especially since she knew there was the chance that Amunet could use him as leverage against her, just as Breathtaker had. And, come to find out that Breathtaker had managed to traumatize Brady with the revelation of his identity. She still didn't quite know what Breathtaker and the rest of the Assassination Bureau had done to him while they'd kidnaped him three years before, but it was enough that he still refused to talk about it.

"I have one question for you and then I'm out of your hair, Amunet," Cadence said. She eyed Amunet's long blonde hair pulled behind her in a braided ponytail. "What'll be left of it, anyway." Her eyes flashed.

Amunet's smile widened. "You've got a little bit of a fire in you." She pointed toward Cadence, wiggling her finger. "'I made a little pun. Isn't it funny?" She reached out, patting Cadence's cheek as she moved to stand by the boxing ring, making tsking sounds under her breath as she watched the blood dry along the canvas, creating a rust colored smear. "You're not as funny as I remember, so what is it? What do you want from me?"

"I want to know if you're selling metal," Cadence said. Amunet cast Cadence a glance over her shoulder, stepping into the middle of the ring. Her eyebrows twitched upwards. Cadence sighed and followed Amunet into the boxing ring. She leaned back against the ropes, stretching her arms out as if she were trying to put her arm around a date's shoulders. "If there's anyone who would be doing it, it would be you. I know you have the biggest black market in the city, and I know you corner the market in that area." She lifted an eyebrow. "No pun intended."

"Ah, Cadey, puns should always be intended," Amunet chided her. She folded her arms, starting to pace. "Now, there's always something I'm working on to make the city a better place. I do singlehandedly keep up the city's economy considering how much Flash and Flare keep destroying it."

Cadence hummed quietly.

"Now, what sort of metal are we talking about?" Amunet continued. She waved a hand in the air, then tapped her fingertip against her chin. "Aluminum, Copper, stainless steel, lead brass, titanium, zinc, iron, bronze, nickel—"

"—I don't need you to give me your entire life's story, Amunet. There's a specific metal I'm looking for and its indestructible." She watched for any glimmer of interest in Amunet's eyes to prove what she already knew. "Nothing can get through. No bullets, no swords, nothing can break it down."

"Hmm."

"You ever heard of anything that can do that?"

"Well, there has been this metal called chromium that people have discovered," Amunet said. She reached down by the side of the boxing ring and picked up a bucket. She swung it around, alerting Cadence to the sound of pieces of metal shifting around inside. "The hardest mineral in the universe is the diamond. But the hardest metal is the chromium."

Cadence watched Amunet, only moving her eyes. She kept her hands tightened along the ropes of the ring, gently pushing herself back and forth, using the ropes to bounce her weight off. Very reminiscent to the way she and her cheerleading squad used to use resistance bands in more creative, fun, and painful ways than they were supposed to be used. (She still remembered the way Chelsea Saltzman dislocated her shoulder because they'd used one in increasing strange ways as the days went on). Amunet continued to glide across the boxing ring, moving back and forth in a systematic way that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Cadence could see Norvok out the corner of her eye, watching Amunet closely, eyes bouncing around as if unsure of what she was doing.

"There's a Samuroid that's been attacking the Flash," Cadence continued.

Amunet wiggled her finger once more. "Yes, I've heard about that." She stopped pacing and stood in front of Cadence, pressing the tip of her finger to the tip of the Firestarter's nose. "But what does that have to do with me? Or you, perchance? It's not like I have anything to do with wanting to take down the Flash. I mean, those six months with him gone, making it so that I've been able to spread my presence among the city has been the best gift I could've ever been given. And, the last I've checked, you do more to keep the scum off the streets with the CCPD than the things that they bring to the streets."

Cadence took in a deep breath. "Do you know who's buying the metal or not?"

"Not." Amunet twisted her mouth to the side. "I like to deal with money and power but the person who's wanted that metal, who's used my resources didn't give me much in response of what I could want."

"And what did they give you in return? Along with the money."

"Knowledge."

Cadence's face screwed up in confusion. There was much to be said of the idea that knowledge was power. It'd been touted to her since she was in elementary school and had proven to be right when it came to the information she received while working with Breathtaker. Not just information on others, but information on herself as well. And Amunet and the Black Network were the ones who managed to get all the information STAR Labs had created about metahumans they'd come across.

Amunet had never come out and said she knew Cadence was Flare, but she hadn't needed to. The realization of that information hanging over her head so long was just a matter of when Amunet would prosper from it. It was no wonder she'd kept Cadence in her back pocket for as long as she'd worked with Breathtaker.

She always did say you were her favorite henchmen, Cadence reminded herself. She continued to watch Amunet as the seconds passed, knowing it was only a matter of time until something was going to happen. Either Amunet spilled everything or…Cadence's eyes roved over Amunet's face, suddenly noticing the woman's eyes shift to just over Cadence's shoulders before bringing it back.

She steeled herself.

"Do you know who made the Samuroid?" Cadence asked slowly, enunciated carefully. "Who's been targeting the Flash?"

"Sorry." Amunet drew her pinched together fingers over her lips, zipping them. "But my lips are sealed. I can't reveal that information. But what I can tell you is that I've got a lot of money for it and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth." She pressed her fingers to her lips and giggled quietly to herself. "It's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. But if you really want a hint as to what's to come, Cadey. Well, then I'd always be sure to keep looking over your shoulder."

Cadence's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to respond, to ask what it was Amunet was going in circles to not quite say, then stopped. All at once, everything screamed at her. The way Amunet was pacing, the way Amunet was watching her so closely, the way Norvok was so eager to let her into the basement to even see Amunet, the way he was watching them closely, the way all of it was transpiring.

It sent warning messages into her head. Almost too late for her to save herself. Almost.

Cadence ducked down, dropping all her weight so that she landed in a split. A cool jet of air flew overhead, at the same time. Knocking her loose hair back from her face. Cadence dropped cleanly into the split then brought herself back up, using the spring of the rope to jettison herself upwards, crouching low and balancing easily on the top rope of the ring.

She glared as Killer Frost turned back toward her, brushing her hair over her shoulders. Her blue lips pulled back into the tiniest of smirks, her eyes meeting Cadence's. "You can't do anything without a show can you?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Cadence replied. She tightened her grasp on the rope. It started to smoke beneath her hands. "How long have you wanted to say you were Killer Frost again?"

"Again?" Killer Frost's eyebrows rose. She scoffed, pouted, tilted her head in pity. "You really don't get it, do you? Well, it took a while for Caitlin to get it as well but, she's always had a soft spot for you guys."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Killer Frost sighed. "You'd think by now all of you would be able to come up with some new lines. It's not like it's going to keep you from your defeat." Killer Frost lifted her hand and rested it on the top rope, tapping her fingertips against it. A sheen of ice slowly started to stretch along the rope, moving closer to towards Cadence, who continued to crouch like a bat, but right-side up. "Is it wrong to say I missed you? And that's coming from me, not Caitlin."

Cadence sank even further on the rope and sprang upwards, leaping through the air toward Killer Frost. As she arched through the air, she saw Killer Frost bringing her hand up, curling her hand toward Cadence's chest as she flew overhead, to strike her in the chest with a spear of ice that started to form. Cadence's lips curled, watching it all play out in slow motion. teleported to just below Killer Frost, knocking her feet from beneath her, then teleporting once more to kick her in the back. Surprised, Killer Frost landed hard on the mat face first, arms stretched out above her head. Cadence landed in a crouch on the floor of the boxing ring behind her, watching Killer Frost carefully.

Lifting her chin, Killer Frost whipped her head around and glared at Cadence. She pressed her hands flat to the floor of the ring and pressed hard. To push herself up and…to drive an ice spike through Cadence's foot. The sensation burned; from the pain of the spike and from the cold that immediately swept through and numbed her foot. Cadence screamed out in surprise more than it actually hurt her foot, more than the surprise of watching the spike drive up through her skin, pushing bone, muscle, and cartilage out of the way, to allow a fountain of blood to spurt out of her like a fountain, immediately freezing against the ground.

Killer Frost smoothly glided back to her feet and turned to Cadence. "I don't want to fight you, I just want you to listen." She watched as Cadence struggled to take her foot off the spike, the muscle beside her mouth twitching when she did so, the firestarter's wound making a sucking sound as she did so. "That had to hurt."

"I'm used to it," Cadence wheezed. She leaned against the ropes, tightly holding onto it as she watched her foot slowly heel. There was saving her skin, but there wasn't saving her shoes. "You've learned some new tricks, coming back from the dead." She lifted her chin, eyes igniting with a flame from within.

"Whoever said I died."

Cadence ignored her. "But I learned some new stuff, too." Once more, she pressed her weight against the ropes and used it to spring herself forward. As she flew across the room, she fire from her feet jet propelled her toward Killer Frost, who's eyes widened into surprise horror. Especially when the fire then moved to completely encompass Cadence's body, wrapping her from head to foot, before slamming straight into her chest, sending Killer Frost back into the ropes. The force of the hit was hard enough that Killer Frost was ping-ponged back across from the other side.

Cadence lifted her foot and roundhouse kicked Killer Frost in the face. Killer Frost was knocked to the side and knocked off another set of ropes to where Cadence teleported into the middle of her path, a solid strike of her arm knocking her flat back to the ground. Steam rose around them, thickening the air as the ice below them melted.

Killer Frost rolled to her side, her face a bloody mess, glaring up at Cadence. She spat blood to the ground, ran a hand along her mouth. "You tried to kill me once," she said. "Forcing Caitlin to take that cure. Why are you holding back now?"

"Because, when you die…when you actually die…I want to make it hurt," Cadence replied. Fire blazed around her fingertips. Killer Frost pulled herself to her knees, icicles crystalizing around her hands in turn. They stepped back and headed toward each other, only stopping when a wall of metal formed between them. Baring her teeth, Cadence whipped her head to the side, watching as Amunet, with a metal gauntlet around her arm, held her fist out, watching the two with glee.

"Ladies, ladies, don't get too lost in your catfight yet," Amunet said, lowering her hands to her sides. "Truth is, I'm going to need you both." She rubbed her hands together gleefully. "And there's a lot of money in it for the both of you."

"Blood money," Cadence spat.

"Well, all the money I use I consider blood money, darling," Amunet's voice held a tiny bit of indignation. "Not that it bothers me too much. But like I said, I need the both of you and I can make it worth your while. I've said knowledge is power, and the one who I sold the metal to…well, they're a pretty powerful person." She looked at Amunet. "I can tell you what they know and how it'll help you and Flash."

Even Killer Frost made a face of surprise at Amunet's knowledge of Cadence working with Flash. Within the same second, Cadence's mind whirled, trying to remember if, the last few times she'd met up with Amunet, if there was any reason for her to know about her involvement with the Flash. Let alone if she actually knew their identity.

"What do they know?" Cadence asked.

"Ah ah ah, first you have to do something for me," Amunet said. "I mean, you did just spill some blood all over my floor because of whatever conflict you two have."

"Where'd you get the metal?" Cadence demanded.

"I found it." Amunet brought up a hand to her mouth and yawned. She exited the boxing ring and walked back to the chair she'd been sitting in before. "I thought it would be something I could use to my own means." She curled her fingers, the metal around her gauntlet making a clanking sound as she did so. "Turns out I was right. But then I had a gentleman caller come to me and say he could use that metal himself, to test the Flash. And who am I turn down a big sale?" She rested her cheek in her upraised palm. "And what do I care what they use my items for, it's a Black Market for goodness sake."

"What about Killer Frost?"

"She came to me." Amunet blinked at Cadence. "But it was my understanding that, at the time, she wasn't Killer Frost. If you ask me, Caitlin is a lot more plateable. But I had something she wanted and I gave it to her for her to work for me. And, may I say, Killer Frost? Not so Killer. There may be some people here who are afraid of her, but I haven't seen her kill anyone yet. Must be the Caitlin part of her keeping her back."

Cadence's mouth twitched. She looked to Killer Frost, then Amunet, then dropped her arms, making sure both Amunet and Killer Frost saw so. Knowledge is power…her mind was already moving a mile a minute. A tiny smirk came to her face, so tiny it was almost unnoticeable.

"Anyway, I needed her at the time, I gave her something in return, and now I need you. That icy one tried to get away from me, but I have too much on her before she can do that. And she's too desperate not to become what she hates the most."

"What do you want from me?" Cadence asked.

"I'll let you know when I need you again." Amunet waved her hand. "You already got what you needed from me, I'll let you know what I need from you." She jerked her thumb towards Killer Frost, who suddenly stumbled, bringing her hand to her stomach, creeping toward her chest. "But you might want to take her with you. She's been looking a little pathetic lately, if you know what I mean." Amunet's eyes shifted toward Norvok and her almost permanent smile faded into an annoyed one. "Don't you have something better to do?"

Cadence ignored Amunet and Norvok, turning to Killer Frost instead. She watched, warily, as Killer Frost slowly sank to her knees, bringing her hands to her chest. She lifted her head to glare at Cadence, making Cadence's eyebrows come together when she noticed the chance. Killer Frost's eyes were no longer an icy blue, but a chocolate brown. A worried chocolate brown, the same look she'd seen Caitlin give her many times before.

Seeing Cadence notice, Killer Frost got to her feet and, stumbling, hurried out of the basement. Cadence followed after her, watching as she continued to stumble, grasping onto anything and everything she could use to keep herself up. Finally, Caitlin collapsed onto a chainlink fence, holding onto it for dear life.

"Not yet," Killer Frost moaned. She closed her eyes as she turned back, white hair shifting brown in an unsightly ombre until it returned to its original color. She opened her eyes, shoulders slumping with regret. Eyes turning downcast when she realized where she was. "Not again."

Cadence moved to Caitlin's side, watching her closely. There was a brief moment of silence between them before Caitlin chuckled humorlessly. "I guess we both can't do what we wanted," She said. "You couldn't kill Killer Frost and…I still can't stay away from you guys. No matter how hard I try."

"You had a hand in bringing Barry back," Cadence reminded her.

"And you still didn't want me in STAR Labs, as part of the team."

"Did you want to come back to the team? Working with Amunet…" Cadence trailed off, not needing to finish. Working with Amunet was a piece of cake compared to working with Breathtaker. But when it came to Breathtaker, that was harder to get away from. Breathtaker was the devil and she sold her soul to him.

"Amunet had something I needed…just like you did." Caitlin slowly pulled herself up.

"Are you okay?"

Caitlin looked up to see Cadence standing beside her, holding out hand. Nodding, Caitlin took it and allowed herself to be pulled forward. She slung her arm around Cadence's shoulders while Cadence put hers around Caitlin's waist, keeping herself when her knees buckled beneath her.

Together, they walked out of the alley and back onto the streets of Central City. When they were far enough away, Cadence said, "You turned back into Killer Frost…I thought I killed her."

"I thought you did too," Caitlin agreed. "It's why I stayed away." She looked Cadence in the eye. "I don't blame you for what you did. I asked you to kill Killer Frost if you got the chance, and you did. You did what I asked. You don't need to feel guilty about it."

"Who's guilty?"

"I'm your best friend, Cade." Caitlin paused. "Or, was…" she added hesitantly. "I can tell whatever you're feeling. I know you wanted to keep me from STAR Labs because of how guilty you felt over injecting me with the cure."

Cadence winced. She still remembered the way her heart rammed against her chest when she mad her decision to take down Killer Frost, no matter what. Barry and Cisco had been for allowing Caitlin/Killer Frost to figure out what it was that they wanted out of life. But Cadence couldn't take that lying down, she'd made a promise to her best friend and if she were able to save her and take down Killer Frost, she was going to take it. And did.

Knowing it had taken Team Flash and fractured them even further…that was the part she wasn't quite sure she could get over. Barry had gone into the Speed Force and as much as they worked to keep going without him, it was an obvious chance when it was him and Caitlin who were gone. Both of which fell upon her shoulders; she told Barry to leave, made Caitlin take the cure…

Caitlin looked Cadence in the eye as they continued to move along the sidewalk. "You didn't tell the others what you did." As in, she kept the secret from Cisco and Barry about what she'd done.

"I told Barry," Cadence said after a minute. She chuckled lightly. "One of the few things we could talk about. Didn't keep a secret from each other." Caitlin nodded. She stood up straight, removing her arm from around Cadence's shoulder, silently nodding to Cadence's unasked question. Are you sure? "What does Amunet have over you?"

"Once Killer Frost came back, and the cure wore off, I found out she had something, a piece of technology that'd keep me from turning back into her." She motioned to her neck. "A sort of collar. But it didn't always work…and you know Amunet, once you're in…"

"I know."

Silence stretched between them once more. The tension wasn't as great as it had been. Guilt still resided in Cadence's stomach, but if Caitlin said she had no hard feelings about it…then there were no hard feelings. They may not get back to the place they'd been before, best friends who truly trusted each other, but…

"You know…you've really gotten stronger in the time I've been gone," Caitlin remarked. "All that fire power you put out…" she shook her head. "It's almost like you were a different person."

Caitlin words slammed into Cadence's head.

Cadence slowly fell through the swirling darkness around her. An empty pit that seemed to have no end. But the further she fell, the lighter the darkness seemed to become until she was able to recognize some sort of pattern below her. Something she would only recognize from picture of some of the more beautiful churches in the world. What looked like a stained glass coming toward her.

Twisting her body around, pointing her head towards the ground, straining to see through the darkness, Cadence found her movements were slow and sluggish, almost as if she were moving through water. She took in a deep breath, remembering the last time she'd been in that scenario, when Breathtaker had attacked her in her mind. The same as when he'd, personally, take over her mind to move his plan forward in killing the Flash, in trying to get to Harrison in…in wanting to get to Brady.

She should've seen it coming. She'd seen people come and go within the Assassination Bureau, had been the reason for some of their deaths; Breathtaker had no qualms about replacing her with White Hot—Hailey—the moment Cadence decided to break her hold over the group, had known that he was thinking of working with other people—had met with some of the new recruits once, she briefly remembered them going by the name the 2000 Committee, Incognito sacrificed himself and his ability to blend in. She should've known the closest thing he had to replace it, to use it with his own powers, was Brady.

Part of her even wondered if he'd been the one to ensure she had powers so that Brady would and then…but that was preposterous. About as preposterous as it was that she realized, upon closer inspection of the bright thing she drifted toward, was a platform made of stained glass.

Swirling around, Cadence dropped her feet toward the ground, wincing as she waited for the glass to crack between her feet. But it didn't move. Didn't shatter. Didn't even crack as she suddenly came to a stop on it. The stop was so sudden that Cadence nearly fell as she hit the ground. She gasped, staring at the stained glass in surprise.

Each panel of the stained glass was a single color, coming together to create a rainbow of flames that encircled the platform she stood upon. Each way she turned, the colors would change though continue to hold what appeared to be a fire within each piece of glass itself. A fire that burned alive beneath it. As if the stained glass was alive itself.

"Do you remember this place?"

The voice made Cadence whip her head around, moving her arms out to her sides to create flames, her power pose. Then stopped, looking down at her hands when she realized no flames were coming. She felt…ordinary. Powerless. But not afraid.

"It's been a long time since you've been here," the voice continued.

Cadence lifted her chin when she saw a bright light seem to stretch upwards into the distance of the darkness. She paused for a moment, eyes shifting around for any trap she may be walking herself into and followed the steps of light up a winding staircase to another platform.

This time, the shards within the stained glass created a picture of herself, when she was young. Like the last platform, each piece was its own color, with an alive flame within that created the picture. Cadence stared at the picture, recognizing her eight-year-old self.

"Do you remember now?"

Mutely, she nodded.

She remembered it, remembered how she'd grown sick one day, didn't understand what was happening while her parents were white as ghosts, rushing her off to the hospital. Didn't understand why the kind nurse was being so gentle to her and continuously saying, "I know this isn't comfortable, sweetie, but we've got to get your temperature down," while helping her put on the hospital gown that left her feeling exposed. Didn't understand why doctors were running back and forth as she slowly became sleepy, lying in the big bed, with white sheets bundled up by pillows around her. Didn't understand why her parents were crying as they patted her hand before leaving her alone for the doctors to handle.

Then she remembered nothing but darkness, a warm darkness that swirled around her in a comforting embrace. Much more comforting than the itchy sheets of the hospital bed. It was so warm and inviting, she didn't want to leave. She didn't remember hearing any voice or seeing any platforms while she was there.

Wherever 'there' is, Cadence thought.

"This is the Fire Fall," the voice said, answering her question. "The Fire Fall is where it is determined whether or not the person that retrieves their fire powers has the true heart to wield the power and not fall into temptation."

"Temptation?" Cadence repeated.

"Just as there is light, there is darkness. Just as there are brighter flames, there are darker flames. Light and dark, one cannot live without the other. Just as it is within people." A rush of flames appeared in front of Cadence, revealing her eight-year-old self in front of her.

Cadence's eyebrows twitched together. Eight-year-old-Cadence's eyebrows twitched together as well. When Cadence lifted her hand, her younger self lifted her hand. Every move, every facial expression was mimicked between old and young. Finally, young Cadence dropped her hand, eyes appearing sad as she dropped it to her chest. She lifted her chin and looked up at Cadence, her eyes brimming with sadness and fear.

"There will be times you have to fight. Keep your light burning strong."

Young Cadence nodded, and the light came back to her eyes, a determined expression coming to her face. She clenched her hand into a fist with flames appearing around it. Young Cadence looked at the flames in awe. Cadence did the same motions, finding, all at once, her powers come back to her. A power boost she could feel from the tip of her toes to her head.

"What are you afraid of?" The voice continued.

Cadence pressed her lips together. She walked towards young Cadence, who shook her hair out of her eyes and looked up at her. Cadence knelt to her and smoothed her hair back from her younger self's face. Young Cadence smiled widely, closing her eyes against the touch. Cadence smiled back, feeling the familiar warmth, almost like a rolling wave, of her powers moving through her.

"I died," she said. "When I was in the hospital. When I had my fever. I died. I was supposed to die."

Young Cadence nodded.

"But it was the meta powers that kept me alive."

Young Cadence nodded again.

"What's most important to you?"

Young Cadence tilted her head and looked at Cadence earnestly. A smile came to her face, dimples appearing her cheeks, her lips pulled back to show her winning smile that was plastered all over her parents' house with the photos they put up. She excitedly reached out and grasped Cadence's hands, practically bouncing on her feet with that unbridled energy she'd channeled into cheerleading and gymnastics at a young age.

"Making sure people I love are safe," Cadence said. Young Cadence nodded and continued bouncing. "I'd do anything to make sure they're safe. Even without my powers."

"And it's because of that, that you've been entrusted within the Fire Fall. Those that can't be trusted…Hell Fire. There have been many moments where you could've gone that way, but your brightness continues to shine, your passion continues to burn. The Fire Fall embraces you."

Young Cadence giggled as she stopped bouncing. She squeezed Cadence's hand once more and backed away, clasping her hands behind her. She twisted back and forth before waving to Cadence, disappearing in a rush of flame.

"You're on the verge of good things, Firestarter. Don't let the power sway you."

Craa-ack!

The stained glass beneath Cadence's feet shattered and she fell through the darkness once more. This time, instead of being confused, concerned, she felt more powerful than ever. The darkness continued to swirl around her, until she couldn't tell which way was up. Her lids fell heavier and heavier until her eyes were closed.

Cadence was sure, if she were to go to the Fire Fall again, she'd either see Burnout there, standing along her younger self, if not finding that Burnout had gone to Hell Fire. Nevertheless, it gave her a solution to the biggest question she'd been asking herself for months. She stopped walking, almost yanking Caitlin to the ground as she did so.

"What?" Caitlin asked. She eyed Cadence nervously, noticing the sudden and serious expression that came to the firestarter's face. "What's wrong?"

"I need a test," Cadence murmured. Before Caitlin could protest, she teleported the two to STAR Labs. Cadence moved into the Medical Bay and started to pull at the machines that lined the sides of the examining table inside. Moved them close, started to pull at the electrodes. "We have to a run a test."

"What kind of test?" Caitlin asked. Her eyes widened, continually watching Cadence when she pulled off her blouse and started to apply electrodes to her shoulders, back, and her temples. "Cade, what's wrong?"

"Any test," Cadence replied. "I need a full scan."

"To find what?"

"Anything to prove…" Cadence took a breath. Spoke her worries out loud for the first time since the night she was supposed to have been murdered. "Anything to prove that Burnout is inside me."

"Burnout died," Caitlin reminded her.

Cadence shook her head, continued moving, almost on auto-pilot. "I mind-melded with her right before she died. Something happened. I think, sort of, she's inside of me. Or she's become me…"

"And that's what caused your burst of power," Caitlin agreed, suddenly catching on. "That's what made you reach the Fire Fall." She stepped up to Cadence's side and firmly pressed on her shoulder, pushing her back to the examining table, putting all the electrodes in their correct places to accurately get a reading from their equipment. She swept a tablet off the table and brought it up into her hands, fingers flying over the face of it. "We'll have to check this out, see what the prolonged effects of the mind-meld have done to your powers."

"To everything else," Cadence agreed. Her eyebrows furrowed as she laid back, wincing the second her back pressed against the cold material beneath her. There was always an abundance of blankets to be used in the Medical Bay, they always had to keep the instruments cool. Either that, or she'd become so used to not having Caitlin around that the frosty metahumans' presence chilled her to the bone. "I think Burnout's personality has become part of mine."

Caitlin nodded. "Like withy our intense training schedules and how ruthless you've been."

Cadence shot her a questioning glance. How could she have possible known that? Especially when it was her first time back in STAR Labs in however long? Then she saw the quick glance Caitlin shot her way and nodded silently, immediately understanding with the meaningful message behind it. Unspoken. Cisco had been keeping in touch with Caitlin longer than any of them had known.

"Well, whatever it is, we'll figure things out," Caitlin said. "Now, I just need you to sit back and relax or else I'm not going to get a good reading on this."

Cadence allowed a grin. "Don't want me to get too excited?" Caitlin laughed quietly. Cadence watched her friend. The part of her, the real part of her, that had waited a long time to get past her guilty of having potentially harmed her best friend when forcing her to take the cure. "It's good to have you back, Dr. Snow."

"It's good to be back, Dr. Nash," Caitlin replied.


Barry shook his head, holding onto the case file that was Ralph Dibny's. His upper lip curled at the mere sight of the man's name, unable to keep the burning tension that continued to sit through him that he thought he'd buried. That he thought he'd been able to release once Dibny had been kicked off the force, let alone of what he held for Eobard Thawne and Zoom. Coming back from the Speed Force, seeing everything that'd happened in his life—or was supposed to happen—had left him brimming with peace.

And, once again, DIbny had managed to ruin that. Now he had to go see a man he thought he'd never see again, never wanted to see again, and figure out whether or not he was a metahuman. Let alone someone who was trying to target him. The people exposed to the dark matter on the bus and whomever had created the Samuroids, were connected. It was just worth figuring out how.

But can you face him without letting it get to you? Barry thought. He leaned back on the couch, tossing the file away. Turned it so that he didn't have to see the name. Didn't have to torture himself. He brought his hand up to cover his mouth, knee bouncing in a rhythmic tapping as he worked to figure out how to move forward. Barry took a deep breath, closing his eyes, trying to calm himself.

"Or, you can roll over and take it," Savitar commented, voice wafting through his head.

"Shut up," Barry muttered.

"I didn't say anything." Barry opened his eyes to find Brady looking at him like he were crazy as he moved to the kitchen. Cadence dropped onto the couch next to him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "What are you doing here, anyway? Don't you have a job to do?"

Barry sighed, not quite in the mood to take any jabs from Brady that day. "I'm working," he replied. He shifted his gaze to Cadence. "I found someone who might be able to help us figure out who's been sending the Samuroid after me." Cadence's eyebrows rose. "Does Ralph Dibny sound familiar to you?"

"No." Cadence shook her head. "Should it?"

So that was something that wasn't changed from Flashpoint. Ralph Dibny was still an asshole and was still someone that rightfully deserved to be taken down from the pedestal he liked to think he should've been on the top of. "I'll explain later, but if he has something to do with the bus metas, then it's not going to be good."

"So…" Brady reached into the fridge and pulled out a water bottle. He pointed it to Barry. "We get benched and now there's someone you don't like that you want to work with?" His face screwed up in an expression of offense. "What's up with that?"

"Brady, it wasn't just his decision to bench you guys," Cadence said.

"He was the one who brought it up," Brady reminded her, frowning. "You would've said it anyway, because you're my mom and you care about me. But you're my mom, you kind of have to." Barry felt himself bristle, understanding the implication.

"Brady, we need you to stay out of the field so that we don't put you and Leah in any unnecessary danger," Barry explained. "Especially when we don't know what it is that's coming after us."

"Coming after you, you mean. No one ever targets me or mom, it's always you that's the problem."

"We're a team. It's going to be our problem. And we're going to bench you." Barry looked to Cadence, who lifted a hand and shrugged slightly. Right. He was supposed to be handling the discipline himself. If things were going to get any better between them… "If something happens—"

"Whatever." Brady sapped his water bottle in his hand and started to leave the kitchen. "I'm going to my room."

Barry pressed his lips firmly together. "I'm not done talking. I just want you to understand—"

"I'm done listening."

"Brady," Cadence started, unfurling her legs to get up from the couch. Barry held up a hand, signaling to her that he wasn't going to back down. She leaned back into the couch, watching closely. Barry waved a hand, letting Brady go. Not that it mattered too much, Brady didn't even pause in his stride at Barry's words.

Barry thought for a moment, then superspeeded out of the room, passing Brady as he went, returning seconds later. Cadence's eyebrows furrowed together when he returned to the couch, wind blowing her hair around her. Barry calmly sat back on the couch, stretching his arm across the back of it to rest over her shoulders.

"What'd you do?" She asked.

"You'll see," Barry replied. He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly, taking in the heat that burned beneath his hand. He frowned, thinking of what she'd told him earlier that day. After she and Caitlin had finished running their tests. Of how, she wasn't the same person he'd fallen in love with. Not really. But all the same, he wasn't the same person she'd fallen in love with either. There was apart of him that was Barry Allen from Earth-1, Barry Allen from Earth-2, and a part of him that had turned to the darkness once Eobard Thawne and Zoom had managed to destroy him emotionally for so long.

A real match made in heaven, if it were. Who else would be able to handle their lives and move forward, continuing to grow stronger as the days went on?. Sure…there was the tiny problem of their communication, both being headstrong and acting on emotion before all rational thought. But there were always the notion of somehow, someway, coming back to each other, all of them, as a team, that kept them going.

Hopefully, this would be something they could work through now that they knew everything. No more secrets stretched between them. They could start over, on a clean slate, as the team they were always meant to be. As partners.

Barry could handle metahumans with every reason in the world to try and kill him, but working to deal with his own personal problems were difficult for him. As it was, he steeled himself, waiting for the explosion that was bound to come.

It finally came when, only seconds later, there was a loud slamming sound—of which was probably Brady slamming open the door to his room.

Then, a beat of silence, abruptly followed by Brady's scream of, "Mom!" at the top of his lungs. It took only a few seconds for his rapid footsteps to reach the living room where he stood over the couch, pressing his hands to the arm of the couch by his mother's head and glared toward Brady. Cadence's head jerked to the side as her son continued to yell, mouth inches from his ear. "Mom, there's nothing in my room!"

She brought up a hand to protect her eardrum from the onslaught of his yelling. "What are you talking about? What do you mean there's nothing in your room?" Then she clocked on and looked to Barry, who continued to sit quietly. "You took everything out of his room?"

"Yes," Barry replied.

"Put it back!" Brady demanded.

"No." Brady's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in abject indignation. He parted his lips, ready to screech out another protest, only stopping when Barry leaned forward, clasping his hands together between his knees and said, "I'm not putting anything back in your room because I worked hard for what you have." He pointed just above Brady's shoulders then to Cadence. "Everything you have in your room is something that your mom has worked hard to give you, or that I've worked hard to give you. Not just with the CCPD, but as the Flash and Flare. If you think I don't, if you really don't see it…" Barry shrugged. He worked to keep his voice steady, staved off the shaking that threatened to come to his voice, filling his entire body, starting with his hands. "You say I don't do anything for you, so I took back everything I gave you."

Brady spluttered, working to find the words he could sew back to him. But Barry continued to sit back and watch as Brady's anger slowly but surely faded from him, though the fire stayed ignited in his eyes. Barry's heart ran at a mile a minute. He'd faced metahumans, people who had him look in the face of death, had his sanity questioned and teased and played with. But nothing hurt him more than seeing the anger and frustration in Brady's face with his actions of the past few minutes.

"Brady," Barry continued. "I get you're mad at me-"

"No, you don't," Brady interrupted. "You don't get it!" He paused once before throwing his hands into the air, letting it out. "You left! You just left me and my mom standing there, not knowing what was going to happen!"

"I had to," Barry insisted.

"You broke your promise!"

"I know!" Barry's voice cracked. Tears pricked at his eyes, an overwhelming amount of emotion filling him that he didn't think was still possible. "I know I broke my promise. But I was thinking about it, about you, when I saw what was happening with the Speed Force. And you don't think it hurt to have to leave like that? Everything was finally going right, and, suddenly, I have to leave again? Right after promising you that I was always going to be there for you and your mom?" He took in another deep breath, tried to steady himself. "I had to go to make protect you. All of you. That was me keeping my promise."

Brady shook his head. "I was there for everything! I had to stand in for everything that had to do with your wedding. I helped mom call everyone who was invited to say the wedding was postponed. I watched her cry night after night when people would say to my mom's face that they knew she wasn't going to amount to much. That they didn't think the wedding was going to happen anyway." Cadence hummed quietly, turning her head away to rub at her temples. "I went to help her choose colors and decorations and what knives to use to cut a cake! Who cares about stupid knives?! It's a cake! We're all going to eat it anyway!" He violently gestured toward Barry. "You should care about knives, not me! But you weren't there! You promised me, you told me you weren't going to hurt us. And then you left and I had to pick up mom's pieces for the six months you were gone! I had to be the man of the house! I'm not a man, I'm eleven!"

Barry stood, wrapping his arms around Brady as tightly as he would've hugged Joe when he was younger. As tightly s he would've hugged Joe then, begrudgingly telling the older man that he was right, that kids were harder than they looked to handle. But grateful for the experience all the same. As tightly as he would've hugged his mother and father had he had the chance to see them again. Brady didn't hesitate, didn't fight back, simply threw up his arms and wrapped them around Barry, pressing his face into Barry's chest, trying to stifle his sobs.

Barry sighed, continuing to rub his back.

Finally, finally, he did something right.


A/N: So, first Cade is going after people that hurt Frankie and now…she's working for the Network? No, she's not working for the Network, but, boy oh boy I can't wait to reveal this plot point to you all. Like, you have no idea. I'm literally shaking with excitement. But I think this was a nice chapter for Cadence and Caitlin and it gives an idea as to why Caitlin hadn't gone back to STAR Labs for so long.

Super sorry for the wait on an update, but I'm glad you guys are still sticking with me!

Cheers,

-Riles