Half Mine

Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28: Dads and Darts

Caitlin and Barry are overjoyed at the thought of bringing their babies into world. Kara and Mon-El hurry back to their Earth to help with the latest villain. Felicity arrives at STAR labs and drags Caitlin off so she can buy her some maternity clothes. They invite Laurel to join them and the girls go shopping in Star City.

Cisco and Ralph go on patrol while Harry runs STAR labs. Barry decides to finish up more work at the CCPD but he flashes in so he can avoid running into Joe. Unfortunately for him, Joe is in his lab dropping off a new sample for testing.

"Barry," Joe says in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"It's my office," Barry replies raising his eyebrow. 

"I thought you would be home dealing with the break-up and figuring out how to fix it. I'm sure she'll take you back if you apologise for whatever it is you did."

"I don't want to get back together with Iris."

"What?" Joe says shocked, "But she's the love of your life. Your wife according to that newspaper from the future."

"The newspaper is wrong. I don't belong with Iris," Barry says before pausing, "I belong with Caitlin. I choose to be with Caitlin... Because it's my choice, she's my choice."

Joe's face stiffens in anger, "When she told me that you cheated on her with Caitlin, I didn't want to believe it. In fact, I refused to believe it. But now I see she was telling the truth. How could you do this to my baby girl?"

"I didn't cheat on her," Barry defends himself, "Not physically anyway."

Joe looks at him confused. "I think I have been cheating on her... emotionally speaking anyways, for a long time now. I'm sorry I led her on, I really am. But I love Caitlin, I'm in love with Caitlin. I've had feelings for her for a while, I tried to push them down for Iris's sake but it didn't work. I tried to pretend it was all okay between us but it hasn't been for a long time, maybe ever. The moment I realised I was in love with Caitlin, it was over between me and Iris. I'm sorry I hurt her, I really am but if I had continued pretending I would have just ended hurting her more further down the line."

Joe's face softens. "You really are in love with her, aren't you?"

"I am," Barry says firmly.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I hope you understand that I was just protecting my baby girl... But that doesn't mean I don't want you to be happy. If Caitlin makes you happy then go be happy with her, son. I have to be there for my daughter, she's hurting right now but don't let that stop you from being happy. I just want the best for you. I thought that was Iris, but you can't help who you fall in love with."

"Thanks Dad," Barry says, blinking back tears and pulling Joe into a tight hug.

Barry gets a notification on his phone from STAR labs with a location. He taps on it immediately and waves 'bye' to Joe before changing and heading to the location.

When he arrives, Cisco and Ralph are already there.

"Caitlin broke down the metahuman's genes and we were able to find a weakness. All we have to do is hit him with these red darts and then it will induce a fainting spell so we can get the cuffs on," Cisco explains, "The only problem is that there are only six darts which means we get two each and at least three full dosages will be needed to take him down."

"Got it," Ralph says as he grabs his two darts and Barry nods and grabs his two darts.

"Let's get this son of a..." Ralph says before Cisco and Barry interrupt him in unison, "RALPH!"

"What?" He rolls his eyes, "I was going to say nice lady." 

"Sure you were," Caitlin giggles and Barry can just imagine how she's rolling her eyes right now. He knows she looks beautiful.

Cisco opens a breach which him and Ralph both jump through. Barry races ahead and cases the area for any booby traps while making sure to get possible victims out of the vicinity. Ralph and Cisco land in front of the building. 

"What is up with villains and abandoned buildings?" Cisco grumbles. 

"I know right!" Ralph agrees, "It's either abandoned buildings or creepy warehouses!"

"Well if they could afford penthouses then they probably wouldn't be robbing people," Barry points out. 

"True," Ralph replies. 

"Makes sense," Cisco agrees. 

"Uhh guys," Caitlin says impatiently. 

"Yeah honey, is something wrong? Do you need something?" Barry replies immediately. 

Harry answers for her, "How about you guys stop arguing about where villains live and maybe just maybe deal with the villain that's been staring at you guys for the past few minutes?"

They look up to see a small man with blond hair with frosted tips. "When did you get here?" Barry says furrowing his eyebrows. 

"Are you serious?" The small man replies, "I've literally been here the entire time! You're just like everybody else! You don't see me! None of you see me! Now all of you will pay!" He laughs evilly.

"Dude chill," Ralph says, trying to calm him down. 

"Chill?" The man says angrily, "I'll give you a chill." Then he bends his head down and the frost tips become small spears which all aim at Ralph. The spears move towards Ralph. Cisco shoots a vibe at them but that only causes them to change direction towards him. He opens breaches trying to get away from them. Barry runs over and tries to get rid of them, but all that happens is he becomes their new target.

"It's not working! They just keep changing targets based on whoever attacks them," Barry says into the comms. 

"Then make him attack them instead," Caitlin suggests. 

"Babe, you're brilliant," Barry says thinking of an idea. Caitlin smiles proudly.

Ralph allows himself to be the small man's target. As the man shoots a new set of icicles, Cisco opens a breach through which Barry and the old set of icicles travel. The two sets of icicles crash into each other and fall to the floor.

Barry sticks the dart into the small man's shoulder. Ralph stretches over and sticks another one into his other arm. Barry tries to get him with the third dart but the small man catches on and hits the dart out of his hand. The glass cracks and the liquid spills to the floor.

"Damn I'm out!" 

"Don't worry I got this," Ralph replies confidently. He stretches over but this time the villain sees him coming and kicks Ralph's hand away. The dart falls to the floor and the glass cracks.

"I guess it's all up to me," Cisco gulps. 

He shoots vibe blasts at the metahuman which forces him to go further and further back until his back hits the wall. Cisco takes both darts and aims them for the metahuman's chest but the metahuman is too quick and slaps them away, which causes Cisco to drop the darts. One hits the floor and cracks. 

Barry sees the other one falling and races towards it. He dives to the floor and puts both hands out to catch it. It lands safely in his hands and then he throws it to Cisco who sticks it in the metahuman's arm. The metahuman immediately falls to the floor. 

"And that's the end of you," Ralph smirks.

The metahuman stirs. Ralph lets out a girlish scream and jumps away. Barry and Cisco chuckle while Barry slaps the cuffs onto him and they head back to STAR Labs.