Adorkable - Barry Allen

Chapter 7

Groaning, Barry sat up from the bed at Star Labs with the help of Caitlin and Cisco.

"I passed out again?"

"Total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia." Caitlin told Barry.

"I'm not eating enough." Barry realized. For the last few days, Barry had been fainting and now he finally knew why. His blood sugar was too low. "So an IV bag and I'm good to go?"

Cisco chuckled and turned Barry to face a stand holding numerous IV bags. 

"Try forty." Dr. Wells corrected. "Guess you were thirsty."

"We're going to need to fashion you a new diet based on your metabolic changes." Caitlin added.

"I've done a few calculations, you need to consume an amount equal to roughly 850 tacos... unless we're talking cheese and guac, which is like, a whole other set of equations." Cisco thought aloud. 

"For mexican, I recommend Tito's. On Bruckner Avenue? Best burrito in the city." Joe said, walking towards the center of the cortex, an accusing tone in his voice. 

"Detective West." Dr. Wells started, "What brings you to Star Labs?"

Joe walked around the console and over to Barry, pointing his finger at him. "When I couldn't find you at your lab, I started doing a little research. Turns out, there's been reports of a..." Joe turned his head to look at Caitlin, who in turn shrugged her shoulders. "...red streak around the city. Stopping muggers. Rescuing people from burning buildings."

"You... didn't tell him we were working together?" Wells asked Barry.

"Joe, I can explain."

"You already have a job in law enforcement Barry. I suggest you get back to it."

Hearing that, Caitlin made a noise of satisfaction at someone finally making sense. When both men turned to look at her, she told Joe, "Don't look at me. I'm on your side."

"Detective, we all want what's best for Barry." Wells spoke up.

"If you wanted what is best for Barry, you'd try to talk him out of this lunacy rather than encouraging him. Going out there, risking his life." Joe said angrily.

"You saw a man, control the weather. What are the police going to do against someone like that?" Barry said staring Joe down, "Since the accelerator explosion, we suspect there may be more like him."

"And you're going to do what?" Joe questioned, crossing his arms, "Catch them. Are you insane? You think that because you can run real fast, that you're invincible? You're not! You're just a kid."

He turned his head to the side to glare at Wells as he stated, "My kid."

"I'm not your kid, Joe. And you're not my father." Barry said watching the tears well up in Joe's eyes.

"My father is sitting in Iron Heights, wrongfully convicted. You were wrong about him and you're wrong about this. Now, I may not be able to help him but, if I can save someone from a burning building or stop some armed theives, I'm gonna do it. And you can't stop me. So, don't try."

Joe slowly glanced around the room and replied, "You think you're so smart? All of you. But, you don't know, what you don't know." He began pointing his finger at Dr. Wells, "And I hope, that you're clever enough to figure it out before someone gets killed."

Joe took one last pleading look at Barry before he walked out of the room and out of the building.

---

After getting beat up, Barry had lost his self-confidence. He gave up and was in the middle of talking to Iris at Jitters when he got a call from Caitlin.