Running Over Water

[36 - Run, Barry. Run]

Percy

"You lied to us!" Barry said to Thawne. I feel like if Barry was talking to him face-to-face and not through the security cameras, he no doubt would've beat Thawne to the pulp. Who knows? When Barry's angry, he's angry.

"Does refraining from telling one the truth count as lying?" Thawne asks us, and Caitlin sighs.

"Yes, it does."

"Well, then yes. I did. And, okay, sure, there's a bit of a risk," Thawne says, pacing back and forth in his cell.

"I would hardly refer to causing an extinction-level event as 'a bit of a risk'," Joe says. We called him as well as Iris and Eddie once we heard about the singularity. Everyone thought that it'd be best if they were there to see us confront Thawne. "Your accelerator is as reliable as the beater I drove around in high school."

Thawne chuckles. "Let me- let me ask you a question here. How many meta-humans and dangers have we faced this year together? Or did you forget that it was me fighting alongside each and every one of you. I've been planning this for almost two decades. It will work."

"How do we know you won't open a black hole in the middle of Central City?" Cisco asks, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He seems so done with him right now. I'm sure everyone else was too, but at this point, we had no choice but to listen to his words.

"Once the wormhole stabilizes, Barry will have one minute and fifty two seconds to alter the past and return to this time." At that, Barry laughs, but it's anything but filled with joy. He's worried, we can all tell. "If and when he does that, we can close the wormhole. We can then live happily ever after. It's two minutes. More than enough time to save Nora Allen."

"But not enough time to stop you from going back to the future," Barry shakes his head towards the floor. Thawne simply shrugs.

"Everything's a choice."

"But what if he's late?" Iris asks Thawne. It's first time I've heard her speak all day.

He steps closer to the camera in his cell. "He won't be. I believe in him. Always have. I guess the real question is do your own friends and family believe in you as much as I do, Barry?"

We don't let Barry answer that question because Caitlin shuts off the screen and the image of Thawne is gone.

Barry walks out of the room before we can say another word.

——

Joe and I immediately run and follow Barry. When we walk in, he begins to laugh maniacally. "Isn't it funny?" He runs his fingers through his hair and paces back and forth. "That if I don't run fast enough to collide with the particle, I'm dust, right? But if I'm not back in time, then a black hole will form, swallow the city, and possibly the world. Are you guys sure you still want to look me in the eyes and tell me it's for the best?" With his hands on his hips, Barry looks at the the two of us with a pained expression in his eyes.

I was unsure of what to say, but Joe manages to stammer something out before I could. "I'd be lying if I told you I did."

"Truth is," Barry sits down on the couch, "I don't know what to think. I thought you guys were the sure ones."

"Look, Barry, I'm scared. We all are. But I don't want you to not save your mom because you were worried about all of us. If my mom died, I'd do anything to save her," I said.

"But do you believe I can do it? Actually? Do you think I'm fast enough?"

Now it was me who was laughing. "Of course, gods, I mean, I've seen you in action. We both have, and we have complete faith in you."