totally meta

chapter 24

Henry sat across from Dr. Harris in the lab, the weight of his earlier conversation with the police officer still heavy on his mind. He tapped his fingers on the table, unsure how to start the conversation. Finally, he just went for it.

"So... I talked to a cop today," he said, watching her reaction carefully.

Dr. Harris raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Oh? What about?"

"They know the Flash is connected to Seven Labs somehow," Henry said, his voice low. "But they don't want to catch him—they want to work with him. The guy said they've seen the good the Flash does and that the police could use help dealing with meta-humans. It's like... they want to be allies."

Dr. Harris leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And what do you think about that?"

Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I mean, it sounds good on paper, but I've seen how they treat meta-humans. Like when Soundwave attacked me, they treated her like she was just some dumb criminal because she's a meta-human. They didn't even bother to try to understand her situation."

Dr. Harris nodded, her expression thoughtful. "You've seen the prejudice first-hand. And I get why you're hesitant to trust them. But... people can change, Henry. You should know that better than anyone."

Henry frowned, not entirely convinced. "Do you really think they can change, though? I mean, how many meta-humans are out there who have been treated like monsters just because of what they can do?"

Dr. Harris leaned forward, her gaze steady. "That's the thing, Henry. If people want to change, it's always worth giving them that chance. You, of all people, should know that. You've gone through a lot, and you've changed too. Maybe this is their chance to show they can be better."

Henry stayed silent, thinking about her words. She had a point. People *could* change—he was proof of that. And maybe, just maybe, the police were trying to be different this time. But the idea of working with them still made him uneasy.

"I don't know," he said finally. "It's just... I don't want to put myself in a situation where they turn on me. I won't tell them who I am, but if I work with them as the Flash, I'd have to trust them. And I'm not sure I can do that yet."

Dr. Harris studied him for a moment, then stood up and walked over to him. "Look, Henry. It's your decision. But if you're asking me? I think you should give them a chance. We're not living in a perfect world, and things won't always go the way we want. But change has to start somewhere. And sometimes, that means stepping out of your comfort zone."

Henry nodded, taking in her words. He wasn't sure if he was ready to trust the police, but maybe she was right. Maybe it was worth a shot.

As he stood up to leave, his mind still swirling with thoughts, Dr. Harris gently grabbed his arm, stopping him. He turned to face her, confused.

"This is one of the reasons I love you, Henry," she said softly, her voice almost hesitant. "You have a good heart. You always want to do what's right."

Henry froze, his mind going blank at her words. (Love)? He hadn't expected that. She had admitted to having a crush on him before, but they agreed things wouldn't become awkward between them. And this is awkward. He didn't know how to react, and for a moment, he stood there in stunned silence.

Not wanting to acknowledge what she'd just said, he pulled his arm away gently and gave her a tight-lipped smile. "I, uh... I need to go," he said awkwardly.

Without waiting for her response, he turned and left, pretending he hadn't heard her at all. As he rushed out of the lab and suited up in his Flash suit, Henry felt his heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with his super speed.

He couldn't think about what Dr. Harris had said right now. He had too much to deal with. Too many decisions to make.

But her words lingered in his mind as he sped out into the night, running faster than he had in days—trying to outrun the awkwardness and confusion that had suddenly invaded his world.