In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

31.

chapter thirty-one ; battle between blood

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Barry, much to the reluctance of Joe, explained his plan to involve Caitlin and Cisco in Team Barry to Natalie and his foster dad. As night fell, Joe trudged up to Barry's lab and crossed his arms as he leaned against the window sill. "Want something sweet from Jitters?" Natalie asked as she held up the pastry bag. Joe shook his head. "Come on, Joe. It's the right thing to do," Natalie whined as she plopped down in Barry's chair and took a big bite out of a chocolate éclair.

Joe seemed to grow more and more stressed as each second passed by as the three current members of Team Barry waited for Caitlin and Cisco to walk into the lab. "Once you tell them, Barry, your suspicions of him, there's no going back," Joe warned. Nodding his head to affirm he heard, Barry took one long look at the board.

"Alright, alright, alright," Cisco said as he sauntered into the lab, Caitlin following close behind.

"As much as I love you, Cisco, the only person who can pull that off is Matthew McConaughey," Natalie remarked as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and set the pastry bag down.

Cisco put a hand to his heart in fake offense. "Anyways.. Who's ready for some karaoke?" he sang as he raised a had to his ear. Seeing the glum expressions on the other three in the room, the smiles on Caitlin and Cisco's faces fell. "We are not going to karaoke," Caitlin concluded.

"Nattie, is everything okay?" Caitlin asked as she stepped towards her cousin, concern etched on her face. Natalie simply looked at Barry to answer.

Barry gulped before pushing himself off of his desk and gestured to the board in front of him, "Um.. this is everything we know about my mother's murder and the Reverse Flash. I've been gathering information on him for a long time." Natalie knew he next part at what Barry was going to say and grabbed Caitlin's hand in participation. Barry hesitated slightly before he began to pull down the screen over the board, "This is everything we know about Dr. Wells."

Natalie felt Caitlin's hand tense and her cousin looked over at her, pure confusion on her face, "I don't understand. What do Dr. Wells and the Reverse Flash have to do with each other?"

"They're the same person," Barry breathed out.

"That's impossible," Caitlin said shaking her head.

Barry sighed as he took note of Caitlin's reluctance, "Look, Caitlin. It took me a long time to believe it too, but it's him."

Caitlin glared at Barry before she turned back to her cousin, "And you believe him?"

Wanting to shrink into herself, Natalie thought over how to say things carefully. "Caitlin.. I don't really know Dr. Wells-"

"Exactly, you don't know him," Caitlin snapped, yanking her hand out of Natalie's grasp. "Dr. Wells is a speedster? He's paralyzed."

Joe took this as his chance to step in, "Is he though?"

Caitlin stepped a little away from Natalie and ran a hand through her hair, "Why would he kill Barry's mother? It doesn't make any sense." When no one answered her she looked at Cisco for help, nudging him a bit.

Cisco, unfazed as everyone was focused on Caitlin and her refusal, had been focusing on the board, his eyes scanning over every article and every word. "I've been having these dreams," Cisco mumbled as he stared blankly at the board. Natalie furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him to continue.

Noticing her expression, Cisco nodded, "They're mostly at night, but sometimes during the day. But they don't really feel like dreams.. They feel real."