Stray《The Flash》

Chapter 23

It was like a hammer was set on a loop in her chest, colliding with her ribcage every ticking millisecond. Her clammy hands found their way to the tights she regret wearing. Her mind went through all the possible scenarios of how it could go down. She shied away as soon as she walked into the room. 

"There's someone here to see you." Handing the phone to her, Barry stepped aside so she could sit. She glanced at him before meeting the gaze of her father, Henry Allen. 

"Hi," she said, her voice slightly breaking as a tear slid down her cheek. She was partly scared he would reject her but also overwhelmed at finally meeting him in person. She had seen the photos Barry hid on his board when she was snooping around his lab.

"Katrina?" Disbelief was evident in his eyes but soon pushed away by overwhelming sorrow and happiness. With glossy eyes, he stared at her for a moment, still in shock. "Oh, you're so big. The last time I saw you, you were the size of my palm," he said making her laugh. "You were really tiny for a six month old." He sighed as she had no words for this moment. This moment she would remember for the rest of her life. "You look so much like your mother."

"Yeah... I've heard that before." A faint smile coated her lips before she cleared her throat, repositioning herself in the cold chair she sat on.

"I'm so sorry Katrina," he said, catching her off guard. "I'm sorry I let them take you, I-"

"It's not your fault... dad," she said, testing out the word on her tongue. It was new but it felt right. She tried to keep her mind from Sean, still trying to forget the one time she cried herself to sleep because he said he wasn't her father. "It's not your fault." He nodded even though he struggled to find the truth in her words

"Your mother and I loved you very much." The soft smile resting upon his lips igniting a bubbly feeling of happiness in her stomach.

"I know." A sigh of content left his lips as he took a moment to examine her features. A frown settled there at what he noticed.

"How'd you get those scars?"

"Uh... I got in a lot of fights." He chuckled softly as she wiped away the wetness from her cheeks.

"You're just like your brother."

"There's gotta be a compliment in there somewhere," she smiled as he laughed. She stood, allowing Barry to take her place. "I'll be outside."

"Are you sure you can find your way back on your own?" 

"This isn't Wrong Turn." Receiving a confused stare, she nodded. "Yes, I'll be fine." He smiled at her, watching her leave. After 8 minutes of making every possible wrong turn, she bumped into Barry who was now on his way out. His puffy eyes didn't go unnoticed, but she didn't question it.

"I thought-"

"Yeah, I was just... looking around," she said, awkwardly touching her ear. He raised a brow, nodding with the slightest smile. She followed him out, wanting to ask if he was okay though she knew the answer. She wanted to help him, but hadn't a clue how to. "Barry?" She asked after a moment of hesitation.

"He doesn't think I should do it." He stopped in his tracks causing her to also stop. "I dunno what to do Kat." She stood still, a bit stunned. She wanted to say something. She wanted to tell him everything would be fine, but she didn't know that. She couldn't lie to him, but he had also promised her that it would all be okay.

"I really don't know what to tell you Barry... but, I'll be right by your side." She tried her best to comfort him, satisfied when he gave her a smile. He knew she wasn't good with pep talks or feelings, so he appreciated her efforts. With one swift movement, he swept her off her feet, quite literally, heading back to the lab.

"Woah. You look terrible." Cisco's voice came from where she had left him hours ago. Stein was writing on the board what looked to her like gibberish in letters and symbols while Caitlin and Ronnie got all lovey-dovey.

"Yup. A nice makeover after a zoop with the Flash." She pulled a few strands of hair from her mouth before letting out a sigh and plopping down on her chair. "I met my dad today," she said after a moment.

"That's great. How'd it go?" He smiled, leaning forward in his chair, giving her his full attention. 

"He's pretty cool... I just wish it didn't have to be with him behind that glass." She slumped in her chair. A pout rested on her lips as she picked at the fuzz on her top.

"Maybe one day you will." She only nodded. "What d'you say we do some physiques?" She laughed at his terrible French accent.

"I would, but I don't think I have enough brain cells left." She stood, giving him a salute. "To the kitchen I go. Bye nerd."

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"It's at that time I plan on shouting something along the lines of eureka or excelsior. I'm uncommitted," Professor Stein said. Kat sent him a look of deep confusion to which he shrugged. They were all in the cortex as Stein explained what was to happen when Barry ran inside the accelerator ring. All his words forming a wormhole in her own brain.

"What do you think?" Cisco sighed as Barry looked to him for an answer.

"I mean, on the one hand, it does make a kind of sense. On the other hand... why? Why? Why would you ever consider doing this?" He asked, his voice rising with every word. Leaning against the entrance, nothing was really making any sense to her anymore. She wandered away from the room, ending up by the side of the building. The place where it all began for her. She sat on the dust coated steps, almost seeing her past self standing by the wall.

"Hey kiddo." Ronnie's voice was a little strained as he sat a step below her.

"Hey hothead." He chuckled, observing the small smile he almost didn't notice.

"You okay?" She nodded, looking down at her fiddling fingers. "You sure?"

"It's just- I'm with Barry on whatever he wants to do and I really can't wait for Ew-bard to be gone. But if we send him back to his timeline, won't he be able to come back whenever he feels like he wants to pick another fight?" She took a breath. "I was just thinking... why not get rid of him? For good?"

"What're you saying?"

"We kill him." 

"Kat-"

"I'll even do it myself. Seriously, I want to kill him so bad. He ruined everything. Thought he could get away with it too!"

"Kat..." She hadn't even realized she was standing, her eyes shining a luminescent orange. She sighed, grabbing fistfuls of her hair. Frustration darkened her mind, unable to see why Thawne was still breathing. They already knew how to get Barry back to the past.

"I hate him so much. I.." Her words became muffled as Ronnie pulled her in for a hug. He then held her at arms length.

"I know you hate him. We all do, but this isn't about revenge. It's not even about Thawne. It's about getting back your family-"

"You're right. He's smart but he'll screw himself up on his own." She nodded to her own words, her heart feeling less vengeful as she convinced herself. Though, if she got the chance, she would still make him suffer for all he did.

"That's... that's not what-" Giving her a strange look, he started leading her toward the door. "How about we go inside?"

Entering the cortex, they both went unnoticed by their teammates, except Caitlin who had smile at her lover.

"Let me worry about how fast I have to go. We're gonna need something else too," Barry said, leaning against the desk as he turned to Cisco.

"Really? And what's that? Cause I don't know about you guys, but I'm not at all interested in helping you get yourself killed." His hand rested by his cheek showing his discontent toward the situation.

"I need you to build a time machine." Cisco's eyes narrowed.

"Go on."

Okay, so nothing at all happened in this chapter. Not a thing. Except, she finally met her dad. But... there will be much more in the next chapter. I can promise that. Anyway, stay safe  🥰