Within Seconds: Sylas & Allen

We Really Need a Montage

On the day of the Almost Proposal was the first time Caitlin and Cisco begged Barry to attempt using his legs. The first step was having him swing his legs slowly back and forth as he sat on the edge of the bed. Once he was okay to do so, Caitlin suggested the idea of walking.

"I can't," Barry said instantly.

Inspirationally, Parker said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." Nobody understood the movie reference within her words.

"Give it a try, at least," Cisco begged, and around a week later, Barry agreed to it.

Every day it was Cisco, Caitlin, and Parker in the Cortex watching his progress. After he collapsed into the wheelchair --Wells' old one that Parker had given up for crutches-- it was Parker's turn to test out her leg.

Because the medical room her and Barry spent their injured weeks in was tiny in length and width, she chose that one to walk across. Such a small room boosted her sense of accomplishment, which in turn, was amping her up for the upcoming big day where she would attempt to walk across the Cortex.

Progress occurred each day for the couple. By the end of their walking session, both would collapse into a chair. Although Parker's feelings were much more internalized than Barry's, the team could see the apparent frustration within their legs.

"We need a montage of us getting our legs back," said Parker to Barry one night. "I hate living through the training. I just want to walk without so much wobbling."

A broken, "I just want to run," came from Barry. That was the end of their conversation.

The day where Barry started to take legitimate steps without falling doubled as the day Parker's heart stopped breaking. She leaned on her crutches, nodding her head encouragingly with every step.

Barry knew he was doing well with his steps. Every step swelled his heart with hope, thinking that maybe that day was the day he could run. He thought that at the first sign of a real step, he'd be running.

Luckily, Joe was walking backwards in front of his foster son. Barry's feet came too close, he tumbled into Joe's arms. "It's all right, I've got you."

"No, I can't do this," Barry refused.

"You can," Parker said. "Baby, you were doing so well. That would have definitely made it in the montage footage."

Barry took wobbly strides to his wheelchair. As he collapsed into the seat, he mumbled, "I can't do it right now."

"You've been making so much progress," Joe said brightly.

"Yup, six whole steps, someone give me a button," Barry answered sarcastically.

"Give yourself some credit," Parker said with an eye roll.

"You did just break your back," Cisco added.

"A normal person would have been paralyzed the rest of his life," Iris reminded.

Barry ignored their encouragements. "How long until I'm fully healed?" he asked Caitlin.

"The initial MRI I took last week showed a complete dislocation of the T12 to L1 interspace of the thoracolumbar junction," Caitlin explained. She sent a picture of Barry's spine to the television screens surrounding the Cortex. "But this is the MRI I took this morning. It's remarkable, but you're almost fully healed."

"I'm still having trouble breathing," Barry told her.

Cisco raised his eyebrows. "From Parker taking your breath away?" he asked, then made an excessive, "Ka-pow!"