His smile quickly fades. "Sydney, we have to talk about something."
I frown. "What is it Barry?"
"Remember the other day when you asked if you could still help out here if you got the job?"
I nod. I do remember. I also remember that strange expression that had crossed Barry's face for a millisecond.
He sighs. "Sydney I... I feel like it's my responsibility to be the voice of reason here - I'm worried about you. What we do here, it isn't safe work. People get hurt, and I'm worried that isn't real to you. You've just been thrown into our world, literally, and every event in our lives, all the pain we've experienced, it's all just a TV show to you."
Barry's speech leaves me speechless. When I finally regain my voice, it's time to make a speech of my own.
"Barry, I'm going to tell you a story. Twenty years ago, a baby with nothing other than a card stating her name and a blanket was left on the doorstep of social services. No explanation, nothing. She was adopted, but her adoptive parents didn't love her, not really. They only saw her as a tool or an achievement, not a living human child. She lived closed off from everyone and always played it safe. Stuck to what she knew, never took any risks. She always wondered, "Who are her parents?", "Why did they abandon her?", and sometimes, on her darkest days, she wondered, "Are they even alive?". Then one day, when she was eighteen, she watched the premiere of a TV show with a tall dark-haired hero. She learnt about his childhood, his suffering and pain, and how it made him stronger. She watched him be a good, kind and quirky guy! She felt inspired by him. That was the day she put in her application letter to M.I.T. and vowed to I do something with her life, just like the hero that gave her hope again." I finish and wait for Barry to say something, but he doesn't.
"You saved me, Barry. Now I want to help you save others. Please, I found my purpose in life, so help me fulfil it."
Still, Barry does not speak. Instead, he takes a few steps forward and embraces me in a huge hug.
"I'm sorry." He whispers.
After hugging him back for a few more seconds, I pull away. "Don't be. Everyone has a sob story, no matter how great or small, don't pity me for mine."
He nods, but looks sympathetic all the same. He sighs.
"What?" I ask.
"I know what it's like to want to help people, even before I became The Flash." He pauses and takes a deep breath. "You can help out here, but you have to promise me you'll be careful!"
I fling myself back at him. "Yes! I promise! Thank you so much."
After a second I release him and blush. "Ah... sorry."
He laughs. "It's ok."
The other members of Team Flash walk into the cortex.
"I just had a thought!" Says Cisco, who seems overly excited about something.
"Yeah, you did, and it better be good because it interrupted our lunch!" Says Harry angrily.
"Hey! When genius strikes you have to pursue it, immediately!" Cisco retorts.
Harry just lets out a frustrated sigh and Iris giggles.
"Sooo, what was this genius idea?" I ask, eager to steer the conversation well away from the petty conflict.
"Well, in a lot of other Earths we've been to, we all have doppelgängers. So I was thinking, what if there's another Sydney Cage here somewhere?"
I nod. "It's possible. But how are we going to check?"
Cisco scoffs. "I'm offended you doubt me that much." He says, and pulls up a chair at the monitors in the centre of the room.
"Felicity gave us the early Christmas gift of Facial Recognition Software, and if we combine that with archive files belonging to every government organisation that uses technology, we get a software that puts a face to any name, and vice versa." Caitlin explains while Cisco works his magic.
"I'm almost sure that you will have a doppelgänger on this Earth, as we are the doppelgängers of the actors who play us on your Earth." Cisco adds. "And... finished!"
A confused expression crosses Cisco's face. "That's weird. I could've sworn you would have one."
Cisco's computer displays the message: No results found.
I hesitate. "Try Meredith Connery."
They all stare at me blankly.
"It's the name my adoptive parents gave me. Legally, it's my real name, but I always go with Sydney... my name is the only thing I have from my real parents." I explain, looking at my shoes, unable to meet my new friends' looks - I know they will be filled with pity. And if there is one thing I absolutely hate, it's to be pitied, especially considering everything they have all lost.
Cisco nods sadly and enters the new name into the system. The same frown as before settles on his face. If anything, it's deeper. "There's still no results."
That statement causes me to frown as well. "So I just... don't exist on Earth 1?"
"Why don't we try your family? What are your parents names?" Caitlin asks.
I visibly flinch.
Her eyes widen with understanding when she remembers my earlier statement. "Sorry! I meant your adoptive parents."
"Nancy and Brian Connery." I answer simply, not bothering to accept Caitlin's apology, she can see I forgive her.
Cisco enters their names into the program. "They're here. Nancy's a hairdresser and Brian's a history teacher, right?"
I nod. "That's them. So everyone else from my Earth exists here, it's just me that doesn't, but why?"
No one can come up with an answer for me. And they don't have to, because just then an all too familiar tall, blonde man walks into the cortex.
"Sorry I've been away for so long, I- Hey, who's this?" Asks a mildly surprised Hunter Zoloman.
***************
Oooh Cliffhanger!!!
Also, THIS BOOK HAS 300 READS!!! *does happy dance in the corner of the room* Thank you!!! If we get if up to 1k by the end of the book, I'll do a special competition or special chapter or something like that!
Anyway, some MORE good news: I finally know where this book is going! Before I was just writing it aimlessly because it's so much fun, but now I actually know how I want it to end! Don't worry, we're still going to have quite a few more chapters though - I'm no where near finished!
I have a REALLY exciting chapter with LOTS of plot twists coming up, and thanks again for 300 reads!
- Miranda ❤️💛💚💙💜💗💝💖
YOU ARE READING
On The Wrong Earth (The Flash)
Fanfiction"Well then, judging from the fact that there isn't a Flash in your world, but instead a TV show, and that you came through a breach, and about a million other things, I'd say that you're on the wrong Earth." Sydney Cage has always had a plan for her...
