In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

25.

chapter twenty-five ; cleaning up loose ends

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"I should be out there, looking for him," Barry cried as he stared at the computer screen.

Dr. Wells removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, trying to relieve some of the stress, "Mr. Allen, in your emotional state as of now, that is not the best idea. We have to take every precaution that we can to make sure Cisco comes back alive."

"Barry, maybe we should talk," Caitlin said in a gentle voice, taking Barry out of the Cortex and into the lab, shutting the door behind him. "I know you're worried about Cisco, but I feel like there's something more to it. When I called Natalie to see if she knew where he was, it sounded like something was wrong," Caitlin said, treading her words carefully.

Barry leaned against one of the lab tables and laced his fingers together, "Is she okay?"

Caitlin lips formed into a thin line, "I don't know. She just said she didn't want to talk. Do you have anything to do with it?"

"I messed things up. I screwed everything up," Barry said exasperated. Caitlin stepped towards him and rubbed his arm in comfort. Barry cupped his hands over his mouth, "I tried to tell Iris that I didn't have feelings for her, she took it the wrong way, and then I told Natalie I loved her, and she ran away."

Caitlin stepped back and bit her lip, staring intently at Dr. Wells as he worked on finding Cisco safely. "I don't think she's upset about the whole..Iris thing. Telling her you loved her, don't you think it's a little too soon? I get that your fast Barry, but you don't have to be fast at everything."

"Look, things..happened and it made me realize some things. That includes how I feel about her, and I do love her. I'm not gonna take it back, I just don't know how to fix things, to make her come back," Barry murmured. "I've spent my whole life living in fear of saying those words and once I was so sure I could say it to the right person, I get rejected."

"Natalie didn't reject you, Barry. She's just scared," Caitlin explained, but decided to go on further as the look on Barry's face showed her words didn't help. "When Ronnie first told me he loved me, I didn't say it back. After that, I was hesitant around him. Barry, telling someone you love them, it's as if you are giving apart of yourself to them. It took me three weeks before I finally acknowledged to myself that I loved him," she said, laughing a little at the last bit. Barry smiled and Caitlin knew she had helped, "Just give her time, Barry."

The two headed back to the Cortex and worked at the computers, the talk with Caitlin only temporarily lightening Barry's moved.

"You were right. This is all my fault," Barry claimed.

Caitlin trained her eyes on the satellite thermography, "How is this your fault?"

"Braveheart, Barry. We'll get Cisco back," Dr. Wells said, trying to keep Barry from revealing anymore information.

"I'm back."

Barry, Dr. Wells, and Caitlin all turned their heads to see Cisco, standing in the doorway of the Cortex, void of emotion and battered and bruised. Without a second thought, Caitlin ran up to him and gave him a hug, pulling back to check his physical condition.

"How did you escape?" Dr. Wells inquired, staring intently at Cisco.

Cisco stood completely still, staring at the ground as Barry and Dr. Wells moved toward him, "I didn't."

Barry furrowed his brows and tilted his head, "Snart just let you go? Why."

"He um..he torured my brother," Cisco explained, his eyes watering and his face growing splotchy. Licking his lips and not meeting anyone's eyes, Cisco continued, his voice cracking with emotion and pain, "And he said he was gonna kill him if I didn't.. If I didn't tell him.."