Cold to the Touch (Arrowverse Fic)

Chapter Three

Crystal's POV

It's been three weeks since the particle accelerator blew. Three weeks! You would think everything would be back to some semblance of normal by now, but no, that would be too much to ask from the universe. On the outside, everything looks all fine and dandy, but inside I'm freaking out! I'm going gray over here, literally!

That first strand of silver was far from the last.  As the days go on, more and more of my naturally dark hair is fading into white. I'm twenty-two for christ sake and I look ninety! So far, it's up to about half my head and, needless to say, my assortment of beanies have become my best friends. Thank god for Central City winters explaining away the accessory without me having to lie to anyone.

Speaking of Central City winters, I have seemingly become numb to the usual biting, frosty climate I know and love. I found myself going out in ten-degree weather, or lower, with nothing but a t-shirt and jeans like it was nothing. It's not until I notice the weird stares that I end up getting from passersby that I realize I'm not wearing anything. There is probably a decent number of people out there that think I'm actually crazy or have a death wish.

The 'crazy' bit may not be too far off, though. It does feel like I'm losing it. Whatever the hell is going on, is causing nothing but trouble in my life, and I have no way to explain anything. That's enough to make a person want to pull their hair out.

This isn't everything, however. Oh no, I haven't even gotten to the most glaring and annoying issue facing me. Just about every time I come into contact with liquids, they turn to ice without warning: drinks, puddles, test tubes, and don't even get me started on trying to do the dishes! I can't even take a damn shower without incident!

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~Flashback~

I step into the shower after starting my favorite playlist, letting the warm water flow down my back before beginning to wash up. It isn't long before I'm singing along, loudly, to the song playing. "Sometimes I wish I could save you, and there's so many things that I want you to know. I won't give up 'til it's over. If it takes you forever, I want you to know. If you fall, stumble dow-AHH!" (1)

The next thing I know, I'm on the floor of the tub. I try getting back up only to slide right back down.  Steadying myself, I look down to I realize a sheet of ice has formed under my feet. "The fuck?" I breathe, gasping as a cloud of mist appears in front of my mouth. "What the hell is happening to me?"

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The past month hasn't been all bad, I guess. Even with all my complaining, and freaking out, there have been a few highlights, and very few things have come back to normal.

For instance, my side has completely healed, possibly a bit too fast. If accelerated healing is a part of all this crazy, I'm okay with it. Then there's the fact that Caitlin finally went back to her own apartment after two weeks of crashing with me. It took some coaxing and support from Cisco and me, but she eventually took that step forward. To top it all off, Cisco, Caitlin, and I are finally back at work after three weeks of doing nothing productive.

When we had visited Dr.Wells in the hospital, he gave us an out, encouraging us to go leave with everyone else so our names wouldn't be dragged through the mud along with his. That didn't sit well with any of us. Dr.Wells has done so much for the three of us, we couldn't just leave him high and dry like that. We decided to stay, no matter what it could mean for our careers in the long run.