Short on Time

Chapter 35

I sat nervously in Barry's office as I waited for him to walk in. I asked Joe, and he said it would be fine. I didn't want to disrupt Barry's work, but he wanted me to tell him as soon as I heard. 

Even if what I had to tell him wasn't good news. 

"Ginger?" Barry asked confused as he walked in.

I smiled at him as I offered him a cup of coffee, "I thought I would stop in and talk."

"Your fiance saying that they want to 'talk' is never a good thing," Barry joked as he took the coffee. I smiled back at him, but then he saw the medical report on the table. "Is this?" He asked softly. 

"It is," I said quietly. Barry took it apprehensively and opened it slowly, his eyes quickly read over the report and then he froze, when Barry looked at me it almost broke my heart. "They're planning on doing some treatments. They're not sure how aggressive it will be yet, but after that, they're going to try to remove it again. Barry, if this doesn't work..."

Barry didn't let me finish as he wrapped me in a tight hug, "it will work. Everything will be fine, you'll get through this. We'll get through this, Ginger." 

I looked at him smiling sadly as I wiped the tears from his cheeks, "I know. I just thought I had finally beaten this thing. If this doesn't work Barry, I won't get another chance. I don't want you to go through this, I don't want my family to go through this again."

Barry kissed me, "we will help you get through this. Your family and your friends."

As if on cue Iris walked in, she stopped when she saw us, "is everything okay?"

I laughed at how difficult this was going to be, "my life really likes to throw curve balls."

Iris looked at Barry confused, wordlessly, he handed her the medical report, "oh my God. Ginger, I'm so sorry," Iris said pulling me into a hug. 

I smiled at her, "well it could be worse. At least we have a start with the whole Zoom thing."

"Actually, Caitlin and Jay found the Turtle. He's dead," Barry said.

I groaned, "see! Curve balls!"

Iris laughed, and then I joined in. Soon we were all laughing out heads off, it only stopped when Joe walked in. "Hey. What's wrong?" Iris asked.

"Just went to see Francine and, uh she doesn't have much time. I already said my goodbyes, if If you want to do the same," Joe said.

Iris looked at me in fear, I gave her a little nudge, "go. We'll be fine, just call me if you need anything." I gave her a tight hug and then she left with Joe. "So now what?" I asked Barry.

"Now, you go and get some rest. This isn't something you hear every day," Barry told me.

I sighed, "I need to tell the others."

Barry gave me a look and this his phone rang, "what's up Cisco? What?!" Next thing Barry was gone, and I was left very confused. Not dwelling on it, I quickly grabbed the medical report and ran to my car. By the time I got to STAR labs, Barry was not a happy person.

"He's alive?!"

~*~ 

"You okay, Barr?" Joe asked. 

"I'm good, yeah. It's just a lot," Barry said.

"Eddie Thawne died, so Eobard Thawne should have been erased out of existence, right?" Joe asked.

"Not necessarily," I said as Harry took a pen and started to write on the board.

"It's possible Eobard was in the Speed Force, protecting him like a bomb shelter, keeping him alive and his time line intact. It's what's known as a time line remnant."