Cold to the Touch (Arrowverse Fic)

Chapter Four

~Six weeks after the accident~

Crystal's POV

Cisco and I have been sitting at our desks for hours trying to figure out how to fix the last of the broken bits in the building. I sigh, rolling my neck to try and pop my stiff joints. "I'll be right back, Cis." I push myself away from my station, feeling the need to move around.

His dark brown eyes peek over the top of his monitor, a questioning look on his face. "You're going back to check on him aren't you?" I look down, kicking the ground slightly to avoid his gaze, "Cris, he's not gonna be any different than he was an hour ago."

"I know, I just feel bad for the guy, okay?" I run a hand through my short hair. Now that everything is silver, I've given up on trying to hide it, so it's all out in the open.

"You just think he's cute." He smirks

I roll my eyes, "Well, yeah," I chuckle, "but that's not the point. He's more or less alone in a strange place, surrounded by strange people, and....he was struck by lightning for christ sake!"

"Just go. Put your mind at ease," he pauses, a grin stretching across his face, "and see your prince charming." A certain finger is pointed in his direction as I leave the room.

I walk into the cortex, that is now serving as a makeshift hospital room. The center of the large room is now filled with monitors, IVs, as well as a bed right in the center. "Morning, Barry." The patient: twenty-four-year-old Barry Allen, forensic scientist with the CCPD. Relatively healthy guy until six weeks ago. He was struck by lightning the night of the particle accelerator explosion and has been in a coma ever since. Dr.Wells brought him here a week ago without any warning.

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~Flashback~

"Right this way." Dr. Wells directs

Cisco and I make eye contact before running over to the door. There's a hospital bed making its way down the hallway..with a person in it!? "Dr.Wells, what's going on?" Cisco asks

"Meet Barry Allen. The hospital has no idea what is going on with him, so the family has put him in our care to figure that out ourselves." He continues leading the bed into the cortex.

"Um, Dr.Wells, we're not a medical center." I remind

"For the time being, we are. This is not up for debate." He starts rolling away, leaving no room for discussion

I sigh, nodding "Yes, sir." I walk out, leaving Cisco behind as the crew brought in continues to get the man settled in. On my way out, I bump into someone, "Oh, I'm sorry... Iris?"

"Crystal." she smiles a small sad smile

"What're you doing here?"

She looks towards the bed, "Remember that friend I told you about? The one I was going to see the accelerator with?"

My eyes widen in realization, "Jeez, Iris. I am so sorry." I pull her into a light embrace. As we pull away I get an idea. "Listen, it's gonna be a little bit until he's settled. Why don't we take a walk, maybe I could give you a tour? You know, since you'll be spending a lot of time here?"

"A tour sounds great." She smiles again, peeling her eyes away from the unconscious form in the bed.

We start walking around, I point out random places in the building it would help her to know. We've almost done a whole lap around the building when Iris speaks up for the first time since we started, "I like what you've done with your hair. I almost didn't recognize you earlier." She chuckles lightly, "What made you change it?"