I'll Be There In a Flash ⚡ Barry Allen

Chapter 7 - Well life escalated quickly

"It looks like you had a distal radius fracture," Caitlin tells Barry.

"Had?" Barry asks and I raise an eyebrow from my seat behind the computers.

"It's healed. In three hours."

"How is that even possible?" Barry asks.

"We don't  know. Yet."

Cisco walks by, carrying Barry's helmet and smiles. "You really need to learn how to stop."

I'm about to joke along when Dr. Wells comes rolling over. "What happened out there today?" He asks. "You were moving pretty well, and then something caused you to lose focus."

"I started remembering something," Barry admits. "When I was 11, my mother was murdered." He says and my heart aches for him since I know very well how it is to lose a parent. "It was late, a sound woke me up. I came downstairs, and I saw what looked like a ball of lightning. Inside the lightning, there was a man. He killed my mom. They arrested my dad. He's still sitting in Iron Heights for her murder. Everyone, the cops, the shrink, they...they all told me what I saw was impossible. But what if the man who killed my mom was like me?"

Dr. Wells gains a thoughtful look but seems to shake it off. "Well, I think I can say unequivocally you are one of a kind."

Barry deflates, and I suddenly feel the need to comfort him. So I  get up from my seat and hug him. And at first, I panic, because I don't want it to come off as a pity hug. I've had my fair share of kicked-puppy looks to know that I hate them.

But when Barry wraps his arms around me, I know I made the right decision. 

"Thanks," Barry says. "Didn't realize I needed that."

"I know how it feels to lose a mother," I say. "Anyway, I need to head back to work. God knows how long I've been gone. Want to stop by Jitters with me?" I ask.

He nods before a smirk appears on his face. He speeds off before coming back, fully dressed in regular clothes.

"That's going to make the mornings so much easier," Barry says and I laugh, walking out with him. 

"Well then I expect you to be on time then," I reply and he shrugs. 

"I make no promises," Barry laughs. "Being late is kinda my signature move."

That leaves us in a comfortable silence as we walk down the streets until he speaks up. "You mentioned your mom just now, how did she die?"

"Leukemia," I answer. "I was ten. I never knew how much my dad depended on her until she was gone. After she died, it seemed like all rational thought went out the window with him. He started to drink a lot, and all I knew that if he came home late, it was time to hide. Because if he found me..." I trail off, showing him an ugly scar on my wrist. "Let's just say it was bad."

"I'm sorry," He says, giving me an understanding look.

"Don't be," I say, smiling a little. "That experience is just what made me who I am. And there's no one I'd rather be than me."

Barry shakes his head and I smile. "What?!"

He shrugs. "I guess it's just admirable. You went through all of that, and ended up okay."

A smirk grows on my face and I hold in a laugh. "My story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make me who I am. It is the rest of my story, who I choose to be."

Barry finally laughs and facepalms at my silliness. "Kung Fu Panda 2? For real?"

"It's a good movie!" I say. "Plus I've been spending too much time with Cisco."