Episode 25 - Flash Fanfiction - Wells the World Walker

Chapter 1

Barry arrived at the cortex where he could hear the song "Heroes" from David Bowie, playing at a high volume. His friends were singing loudly, while gathered at Cisco's computer.

Even Harry seemed to be enjoying the music, though he wasn't singing, just working on a tablet and standing nearby.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Cisco said as he waited for the chorus in the song and then began belting out the words at the top of his lungs. Astrid and Caitlin were sitting on the desk by the computer as they sang along and giggled. Which made Cisco show off all the more, taking Astrid by the hand as if to serenade her with an over-dramatization. Barry waited for Cisco to finish his part before he intruded.

When the song was finished, he started clapping and wooing, he even added in a whistle, startling them all. Astrid turned off the music and Caitlin went to greet him with a kiss on the cheek. "So, this is what you guys do when I'm not around..." Barry laughed, "That was really good, Cisco."

Cisco took a bow and Astrid cleared her throat. "We should get back to work, you guys." She said as she took her leave and headed to her office.

"Man, you guys seriously need to put your anger for one another a side." Cisco said to Barry. "How can we be a team when the two of you aren't even talking."

"Hey, we talk..." Barry said.

"Yeah... but only when it's work related and even then it's kinda strained." Cisco replied.

"Barry, I don't think that 'Mind Marvel, do your mind scan,' really counts as making progress." Harry said.

"Well, at least I said her name this time," Barry replied.

"He's right... that's a little progress." Caitlin said taking his side, but then she added, "Though Barry... there's always room for improvement."

"She betrayed me. She told Captain Singh my secret, when I asked her not to." Barry said.

"...and how's that working out for you?" Cisco asked him, knowing the answer.

Barry hesitated before speaking and nodded. "...pretty good, I guess. He's cutting me some slack when I come in late."

"There ya' go... our fearless leaderette was right again... now go apologize! Go! Now!" Cisco said, pointing him in the direction of Astrid's office.

"Cisco, you know that 'leaderette' isn't actually a word, right?" Caitlin asked him.

"Shh... it will catch on... just watch!" he said with a smug grin.

"I don't mean to break up this team bonding activity. But we do have work to get back to." Harry said.

"Pfft... always the party pooper, Harry." Cisco said as he turned back to his computer and got to work. Harry shook his head at the man, and smiled at Caitlin, as she got back to work, also.

The five of them were really bonding as of late, despite the exception of Astrid and Barry's feud. There was a part of Harry that wanted to tell them his secret, he felt as if he owed it to them. But he knew that it would ruin things. They would never forgive him, nor would they trust him again. Which meant that he couldn't continue on with his current mission.

He knew that eventually he would need to leave them. But he was a World Walker, that was part of his job. To travel to different worlds, carry out his missions and leave again. Sure, he didn't have powers, but he had the technology and he had the resources to carry out what he needed to do. But the more he bonded with this group, the more they became like a family to him. The family that he had been searching for, for a very long time. The tablet in his hands began beeping, Harrison was about to call. So Dr Wells rushed into his office to take the call, closing the door behind him. So he wouldn't be overheard.

Barry stood in Astrid's office, trying to find the right words to use to apologize, as she sat and waited for him to speak. "Barry... why are you here?" she asked him.

"To apologize?"

"To apologize?" she repeated, "did Cisco put you up to this? It's not a real apology if it's forced. That guy needs to learn that."

"I think he just wants us all to get along," he replied.

"Okay, let's do this." Astrid said in defeat, "I'm sorry that I betrayed your trust... but, I still believe that telling Captain Singh was the right thing to do."

"Astrid, that's a pretty half-assed apology." Barry replied.

"I'm still waiting on yours." She shrugged.

"Seriously? What did I do?" he asked her, getting frustrated.

"You said some pretty horrible things, don't you remember? All I was trying to do was help you."

Barry groaned, "I begged you not to tell him. If I wanted to tell Captain Singh, I would have done it myself."

Astrid stood up from her desk and walked over to him, just as Cisco and Caitlin walked in and watched.

"Barry, that's the problem. You wouldn't have told him. You would have been trialed for a murder that you didn't commit and you would be stuck in prison for god-knows how many years, and Central City would have been down a hero." She was raising her voice at that point. She was angry.

"You just don't get it, Do you!" Barry snapped.

"Woah, woah, woah! You guys..." Cisco said as he cut into the middle of them, with his arms outstretched holding them back. "Time out! Time Out! That is not an apology. Barry, say 'thank you' to Astrid for getting you out of jail, the honest way."

Barry shook his head slowly, but did so anyway. "Thank you Astrid, for getting me out of prison... the honest way!"

Astrid smiled. "You're welcome." She went to walk away but Cisco grabbed her and held her in place, giving her a look that meant business.

"Okay fine, Barry. I apologize for betraying your trust, but..." she said.

"No buts..." Cisco cut her off. "We're supposed to look out for each other, but we should also be able to compromise, too..." Caitlin, Astrid and Barry stared at him. He wasn't sounding much like the Cisco that they knew.

"Cisco, I'm impressed, that's very grown up of you..." Caitlin said.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for the..." Barry began.

"...We're a team! Just like the Power Rangers!" Cisco said, with a grin.

"...There it is..." Astrid added, she smiled and kissed him. "At least when the rest of us can't see eye to eye, we have you, to show us the way, Cis!"

"That's what I'm here for! You guys would be lost without my puns, wit and kickass pop culture references. How would you ever survive, without me?"

"At least you have your uses, Ramon," DR Wells said as he walked into the office.

"...Can I add kicking Well's ass to my list of talents?" Cisco asked looking at his friends.

"No, Cisco." Caitlin said, "You said yourself that we need to get along... Is there something wrong, Harry?" she asked noting the look of concern on DR Wells' face.

The call that Harry had just received was about to change the dynamics of the group. The council of Wells needed the team's help with a dire matter, and this meant that Harry had to give up his secret to the four of them.

"You guys. I need to be honest with the lot of you, you especially... Astrid."

Barry stared at Harry, hoping that he wasn't about to give up the secret that he was also in on. Nonetheless, the team listened as Harry told them everything, excluding what he and Barry knew about DR Fate.