Second Chances: Flash

Chapter 22

Caitlin was honestly amazed at how quickly Kayla had fallen asleep after she put her down on a cot in the clinic and ran every test she could think of on her daughter to make sure she wasn't hurt to her relief, she wasn't. Just scared. Not that Caitlin could blame her. She knew she'd need to find a good therapist to help Kayla through this.

However, she was pulled from her thoughts when she heard someone walk up behind her and she stiffened as she turned, only to relax when she saw it was her mother.

"Mom, you came." Caitlin said.

"The fact that Crystal was actually willing to call me and that she told me I had a grandchild you never told me about until now was more than enough." Carla said to her daughter and to Carla's surprise, Caitlin actually hugged her.

"Thank you. Sorry I didn't tell you about Kayla, but she's adopted and we weren't exactly on the best terms." Caitlin said and Carla nodded.

"I understand. But I get the feeling that meeting my granddaughter isn't the only reason I'm here." Carla said and Caitlin took a deep breath.

"It's not." Caitlin said as she managed to produce a small flame to her hand.

"Fire power." Carla said as she realized what that meant.

"I know that I'm half alien. From Tamaran." Caitlin said.

"And you put the pieces together that you didn't inherit that from your father." Carla said.

"I know Crystal's the one who got powers from him." Caitlin said.

"You know." Carla asked.

"About Icicle. Yes, we both do. But that's not important right now." Caitlin said as Carla revealed her own fire power.

"Yes, I am from Tamaren." Carla said.

"So why leave, why come here?" Caitlin asked her mother, since this was the first time she was actually getting answers about her mother's past.

"War." Carla said, since of all the things Caitlin was expecting to hear her mother say, that wasn't one of them, though considering everything Kara had told her about aliens on Earth in the old reality and how most of them were refugees from similar backgrounds.

"Tell me." Caitlin said.

"Tamaran was once a beautiful planet. Peaceful, but just and resilient. Our military was one of the most powerful forces in the galaxy, though we never actively attacked anyone. We always responded in self defense." Carla said.

"What happened?" Caitlin asked.

"Our people were powerful. Fire power is pretty common for Tamaraneans and like I said, our military was very powerful. Some of our people began to think that maybe we shouldn't be content just protecting ourselves anymore. They wanted to rule the whole universe. Led by the rebellious Princess Komand'r. She led a revolt with some of our top military commanders and key politicians and she started a civil war. The planet fell into a civil war. I left to avoid being drafted by either side, since I didn't want to be forced to help build weapons of mass destruction." Carla said and Caitlin nodded.

"Do you ever miss it?" Caitlin asked her.

"Every day. Especially since I had to lock up your father to protect you and your sister from him, especially since Crystal has the same powers as him. That's why I pushed her away. To keep her safe from your father. I never should've let him perform those experiments on her like he did on himself." Carla said.

"Crystal possessed the genetic marker for ALS too?" Caitlin asked and her mother nodded.

"I'd hoped that my alien physiology would've protected her from it like it did you. But it didn't work. And before I could even think about any of my research from Tamaran myself to help her, your father did his own work on her." Carla said.

"Were you ever going to tell us the truth?" Caitlin asked.

"If you showed signs of power, yes. But otherwise, you were better off not knowing. I've spent my whole life wondering if my people will find me and force me to return home and while I miss Tamaran, I can't go back there, not while the war is still raging." Carla said.

"How do you know it is?" Caitlin asked.

"I keep tabs on Tamaran through my old ship." Carla said.

"You have a spaceship?" Caitlin asked and Carla immediately knew what was coming.

"Yes, I'll teach you how to fly it, but not until after I teach you how to control your inherited powers." Carla said and Caitlin nodded.

"And while you're doing that, we can also work on a cure for dad, since I want him to be the one to walk me down the aisle at my wedding, since I think that between the two of us, we should be able to figure something out." Caitlin said and Carla smiled.

"Deal. Now, let me see my granddaughter." Carla said and Caitlin smiled as she showed Carla the sleeping Kayla.

"Please don't wake her up." Caitlin said.

"Wouldn't dream of it. But now I need to establish myself as the cool grandparent. Before your father or your fiance's parents can do that." Carla said and Caitlin chuckled.

"Just show her your spaceship and you'll have that title locked up." Caitlin said, still geeking out internally over the fact that she was going to learn how to fly a spaceship. Cisco was going to be so jealous when he found out.