Dark Flash

Worried Looks and Blank Stares

Iris impatiently waited for the elevator to ding and the doors to open. Once they did, she ran into the Cortex.

"Cisco!" she yelled. "I need you to get everyone in the speed lab, now. It's an emergency."

About a minute later, everyone ran down to the speed lab, all thinking the same thing, what was going on?

"It's Barry guys," she said with a few tears in her eyes. "I think something happened to him last night."

"Yeah I think something did happen," Cisco agreed. "I thought more about the vibe I had yesterday, and it was really strange. People have communicated with me, but I have never encountered that kind of contact before."

"So you think it's another meta?" Joe asked. 

"Maybe. I think we should find Barry and see what's going on." Cisco said.

"He ran off earlier," Iris said. I have no idea where he is."

"Does no one pay attention?" Cisco asked. "I put a tracker in his suit so if he has it, we can find him." Cisco walked over to the computer and pulled up the map with the tracker on it. "Huh," he said. He just stared at the screen in silence.

"Well," Harry asked. Still, Cisco said nothing. Harry then slammed his hand on a desk and yelled, "Ramon!"

He didn't even flinch. "Look, guys, I don't know why you're freaking out. It says he's running back here now. Why don't we just ask him what's going on?" 

Once the little dot on the map stopped moving, they all ran up to the Cortex to see their friend. 

---

When I got to the Cortex, it was empty. "Perfect," I thought. "The last thing I need is someone getting in the way."

I wasn't quite sure what to do when I got there. I hadn't really thought it out. I stood there for a minute, and then it came to me. I walked up to the place where I kept my suit, except it was empty. I took the emblem and placed it on the stand. I took a step back and looked at it for a moment. 

"Well, there's no going back now." I thought to myself. I turned to superspeed away but was greeted by team flash before I could. I didn't say anything. I didn't really have to either. I mean, I looked nothing like myself, which kinda explains the look on everyone's face. I was wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt, black boots, and a leather jacket. Not my typical attire, but it seemed to fit my style more now.

Everyone was speechless. No one knew what to say or do. They had worried looks covering their faced and I guess I just looked pissed. After a minute of nothing, I just scoffed and started to walk out.

"Bar- where are you going? Stay a minute and talk about this," Joe said, trying to block my path.

"Get out of my way Joe," I said, trying to push him aside.

"No, you need to talk this through. We can help you."

At that point I was frustrated. "Look, your not my father. You never were. So stop trying to act like one." I looked him straight in the eyes when I said that. He was hurt. I could see it. "Good," I thought. 

"Whoa, that was way out of line," Iris said, but I just glared at her. 

"What?" I began. "It's the truth? Isn't that like one of your mottos or something? Iris, I had a dad. I had a family, but he was ripped away from me by the cops. Your dad." 

I took a few steps back. "Where is all this coming from?" Joe asked.

"Oh, the pain and the hurt has always been there Joe. Ever since that night, I've been broken. Ok? I'm broken. And you all swooped in and tried to fix me. Did you ever think, any of you, that maybe I didn't want to be fixed? Ever since I became the flash, I have lost so much, and I have been hurt so much," I said. 

"Barry, we're your friends," Cisco said.

"Yeah, that's why we're here. To help you and get you through all that pain and suffering." Caitlin added.

"Why would I want the people who cause that pain to help me get through it? Huh? I mean, when I wanted to race Zoom, you all threw me in the pipeline like I was just another meta criminal. When we first found out about Devoe, I knew he was the guy, and we could have stopped him then and there, but you all made me think I was going insane. When we had-"

"Barry, stop! Yes, all those things did happen. And yes we're not proud of them but-" Joe began, but was cut off by Barry.

"But what Joe?" I answered with rage in my voice.

"But there were other factors you're not considering," Joe said, trying to calm me down.

Dropping my head, I let that sink in for a moment. I let them think they were getting through to me. Then I looked at each of them straight in the eyes.

"Like I said before. I'm broken, and there's no way to fix me." Then I super sped out of there. I didn't even wait to see their reaction.

"Cisco, can you track him?" Iris said, running to the monitor.

"Yeah I think I can-" Cisco began, but his voice trailed off. Before even pulling up the map, he saw the emblem on the stand where the suit is kept. Everyone else followed his gaze and knew that there wasn't a way to track him now. Ever since he came out of the speed force, he's been to fast to track, he never leaves a trace. Just like Savitar.

"So what happens now?" Caitlin asked.

"I have no idea," Cisco said. He was just as worried as everyone else.