Cold to the Touch (Arrowverse Fic)

Chapter Nineteen

Star Labs

Crystal's POV

"Check the math," Cait told Cisco as we emerged from the Star Labs elevator, "Your dispersal models don't correlate.

"Uh, they do if you factor in the seasonal fluctuations in reproductive models." came his rebuttal

"Please give it a rest." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, "You guys have been at this for an hour."

"What exactly are we debating?" Dr. Wells asked as he joined us in our walk/roll to the Cortex

"The average number of bugs Barry swallows in a day of running." Cisco supplied with a shrug like it was the most normal thing in the world

"I look forward to seeing you accept your Nobel," Wells smirked, rolling on ahead

"What the hell?" I asked no one in particular upon reaching the doorway. Just past the main control desk laid a form that we quickly made out, "Barry?!" I ran to my friend, dropping to my knees beside him. Cisco and Cait were close behind. He was still in his suit, unconscious. He had blood running from the corner of his mouth and his right hand was bent in all sorts of wrong angles

"Barry? Are you okay?" Cait asked him. The man in question came to the second Cait laid a hand on him. He wrapped his good arm firmly around his middle and groaned through gritted teeth

"Okay, Barr, we gotta get you up and out of your suit." I said gently, earning another groan in response, "I know, bud, but Cait's gotta check you out."

He squeezed his eyes tight, and grunted, "Yeah, fine."

Cisco and I helped the speedster to his feet. Getting him out of his suit was a pain in the ass, but a quick, low-level cold blast to his ribs helped his soreness there. "Thanks," he breathed as he laid back on the cot

"No problem."

Caitlin got to work taking X-rays and setting bones. She finished it all up by screwing Barry's hand into a brace, "Thirteen fractures." she informed him

"New record." I mused, earning a half-hearted glare from the speedster

"And that's just in his hand. You also have a concussion, three cracked ribs, and a bruised spleen." she listed, "Even with your powers, you'll need a few hours to heal." Barry nodded stiffly. I didn't think he'd be going against doctor's orders if he wanted to.

"What exactly did you hit?" Wells asked the question that was on all our minds but had been pushed back until Barry was stable

"A man. A big, bad man." Barry groaned, "His skin changed when I hit him. Like, it turned to metal."

"Interesting." Wells pondered, "A man of steel."

"So you went after a metahuman alone?" Cisco spoke up, "I thought we talked about this, man. Why didn't you call us?" I huffed a laugh, a little amused to see Cisco miffed on my behalf after everything

"I didn't know what he was." he sat up with much difficulty, dangling his legs over the edge of the cot, "Besides, I was off duty."

A high-pitched, "Hmm." was all Cait had to say

"You're lucky he didn't knock out your teeth." Cisco pointed out, "Those puppies don't grow back."

"The strange thing is I feel like I knew him," Barry told us

"What do you mean?" I plopped myself down next to him

"He said something that was familiar," he glared at a spot on the floor before his eyes swept the room, "but he's gonna hurt someone if we don't stop him. So how do I fight a guy that's made of steel?"