Aflame: The Flash (1)

20.1

20.1 the start

—REWRITTEN—

"Joe? Joe, are you listening?" I ask.

"Yeah," He responds, snapping out of his daze.

"We- we have to access Cisco's memories somehow," Barry says. "Somewhere in his subconscious is the key."

"The key to what now?" Joe asks.

"Getting my dad out of prison," Barry responds.

"And how are we going to do that?" Caitlin asks.

"We're gonna get Wells to confess to killing my mom."

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"So, this will allow Cisco to see into his dream?" Barry asks.

"I got the idea from a journal article on lucid dream therapy," Caitlin says. "They think it can be used to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder."

Cisco chuckles, humorlessly. "Traumatized, stressed? Check and check."

"The theory is that it will allow people to objectively enter their dreams and face their fears," I explain.

"Still working on the talking part," Caitlin says.

"And you're sure this thing isn't gonna, you know, mess with my brain?" Cisco asks.

"Oh, the amount of electricity required to trigger lucid dreaming is harmless," Caitlin says, and then pauses. "Probably."

"Who's going to be lucid dreaming?" Dad says making us turn around, quickly.

"Uh- With all of the meta-humans in Central City, people have been seeing some strange things. Things that they don't understand," I start.

"And it's really just a matter of time before psychological issues develop," Caitlin continues, catching my train of thought.

"And lucid dreaming will help the doctors better understand their fears. Intriguing," Dad says. "Of course, you still need to guide the patient from the outside, right? Direct them to specific aspects of the dream."

"We're still working on a communications interface," Cisco says.

"When we dream, the middle brain lights up with electrical activity, whereas the higher brain remains dormant," Dad says. "Once we find a way to make both parts of the brain active, then it's just a matter of finding the frequency that will stimulate the language center."

"Then the dreamer could speak," Caitlin says. "He could describe his dream."

"Exactly."

"Or her dream," Cait quickly says. "It could be used for anyone."

"Right, it's not gender specific. I would try a frequency of 45 hertz to start," Dad says. Ugh, he's the most likable villain I've ever met.

"Thank you, Dr.Wells."

"Well, you never cease to impress me, Caitlin," Dad says before wheeling away. For someone so smart, he really didn't figure anything out?

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"Hey Eddie, you wanted to talk to me?" I ask, walking up to him and Barry.

"Yeah," He says and moves both Me and Barry to a secluded area. He then pulls out a small box and opens it. What I see inside makes my eyes widen as I let out a gasp.

"Oh," Barry says. "O-okay. W-what did she say? Or, wait, you still have it, so, duh, you haven't asked her yet. Or you did ask her, and she said-"

"I was gonna propose tonight," He says, and looks at me. "Please talk."

I finally let out a squeal. "Oh my god! This is amazing," I say and hug him.

He smiles. "What do you think?" He asks, referring to the ring.

I grab the box in my hand to look at it closely. "It's beautiful," I say, with a grin.

"But I went to Joe to ask for his blessing," Eddie says. "He said no."

"He did?" Me and Barry ask.

"Repeatedly."

"Uh, weird," Barry says.

"I need you to talk to him, find out why. I know me asking you like this, it's a little awkward," Eddie tells Barry. "But you know how heartbroken she's gonna be if she finds out that Joe's not on board."

"Yeah. Yeah, all right. Yeah, I'll talk to him, man," Barry says.

"Oh, thanks," Eddie says. "I appreciate it so much. And so will the future Mrs.Thawne. Iris Thawne. Sounds pretty good, huh?"

"I have a feeling she's gonna want to hyphenate," Barry says, before Eddie walks away. Barry turns to me. "Well that was interesting."

"Yeah, it was. It's worrying," I say, looking at the spot Eddie was standing.

"Why?" Barry asks.

"If Eddie proposes, Iris, she- she's gonna say yes. That's a no brainer," I say as Barry nods. "But, if Iris says yes, then why are the two of you married in the future?"

Barry's eyes widen as he realizes what I'm saying. I look at him and say, "Something happens to break that up, or maybe it isn't- broken up.

"Maybe the future is planning something big for us, and Eddie Thawne is stuck at the start of it."