Only Because I Need You Too

Chapter 2: Double Trouble

After Nora had been sent to the medical wing, the cortex erupted into a frenzy. Ethan watched as Cisco sped from computer to computer. Iris had disappeared with Caitlin, leaving the rest of team Flash to try and track down the time breach. "Okay I have a location," Cisco called from his computer, but Barry's eyes were trained on the door that Nora had been dragged behind.

Ethan clicked his jaw, "I'll go, you stay with Nora, Barry,"

The Scarlet speedster turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

"Of course, if your worrying about Nora then your more likely to mess up," he sent his double a sly smile. Barry nodded, instantly turning and heading for the medical wing. Ethan watched his back, he wondered if he too would become so highly strung about the health of his daughter. A smile tickled his face.

"Wear Barry's suit," Cisco instructed, "and head to the south side of the docks. A large breath was opened there recently,"

Ethan nodded. Despite often donning the Scarlet suit to cover for Barry, Ethan himself also had one. Ethan liked his better, it was black with electric blue lining and a blue symbol. Much more his style. The central city citizens had taken to calling him the Ebony Ghost. Partly because he was rarely seen and partly because of his colour scheme. Ethan leapt into the Scarlet suit and began his journey to the docks. Everything around him merged into one colour. His heart beat synchronised with his feet, brining him an all consuming sense of peace. Ethan always wore Barry's suit when he was covering for the Scarlet speeder, simply because the Flash was well respected. It was easier to fight crime when criminals already feared you. Not to mention that the Flash was central city's symbol of hope. People trusted the Flash, and he had appearances to make. Everything was easier when there was two people who could act as the Scarlet Speedster. When Barry had Nora he had been overwhelmed with his hero duties, family duties and work duties. Ethan had offered to take some of that weight. So for the past few years they had been taking shifts as the Flash. Ethan took most of the duties at night and Barry during the day.

Ethan skidded to halt on the docks. It was deadly silent, not even the sea was letting out a whimper. Ethan ran around the perimeter, scanning for any signs of life. "There is nothing here," he spoke gently into the coms.

"We must have missed them," Cisco huffed down the line. Ethan could practically hear his exasperation.

*

Caitlin moved about the medical wing, sorting through her stuff. The soft whirring of medical machinery brought a sense of calm to Caitlin's heart. Nora was placed on one of the beds, a heart beat monitor pulsing steadily by her bedside. The doctor was fairly certain that the speedster was fine and had simply collapsed of exhaustion, but she was also fairly certain is always paid to be cautious. Iris was sitting on the bed adjacent to Nora's, her lips tugged down at the corners and her eyes full of painful love. It was as though seeing her daughter is such a way brought her real pain. Caitlin placed a hand gently on her stomach, was that the kind of love she would feel for her own daughter?

Just as Caitlin was making her way to Iris to comfort her, Nora's eyes blinked open. "Nora?" Iris asked timidly, gently leaning over her daughter's face.

"Hey mom," Nora greeted her with a smile, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Iris wasted no time, she wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "Can't breathe," the speedster wheezed. Iris removed her iron grip from her daughter, stood up straight and composed herself, sending an apologetic smile to the speedster.

"How are you feeling Nora?" Caitlin asked, a soft smile on her lips.

Nora rubbed her eyes and yawned, "Well you know, just a litt-" she froze, her eyes widened as they landed on Caitlin's stomach. "You're pregnant?" She squeaked.

Caitlin nodded, a smile possessed her face. Nora's mouth hung open, her face paled. The doctor and the reporter shared a nervous look, "what's wrong? Is that a bad thing?" Iris asked, placing a hand gently on her daughter's shoulder.

"N-no, it's great, your daughter and I are good friends," Nora replied, her eyes glassed over and her smile tugged down. Caitlin felt worry yank at her stomach. The only peace of mind she has was that her daughter would at least make it to becoming close to Nora. "But you could be a target now to," Nora replied, clearing her throat as her eyes fell to the bed she was seated on.

"I figured as much," Caitlin hummed. "Can I ask, what is she like?"

Nora pursed her lips, "she is very calm. Always calm. Brilliant moral compass too,"

Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief. At least her daughter wouldn't follow the wrong path. Nora still looked pale, her mind possessed by some form of thought. The doctor could tell Nora hadn't told the women what was really bothering her, but she also trusted the speedster enough to know that if the information was important, then she would tell. "Do you think you would be able to brief the team on future Medusa and why she went through all that effort to build a time machine in a few hours?" Caitlin asked gently, removing the sensors she had stuck to Nora's chest. Caitlin wondered how Medusa had even learned that time travel was possible. Perhaps it was a common thing in the future?

The speedster nodded her head. "There is more than one reason for her to travel back in time,"

"More than just killing you as an infant?" Caitlin raised her brows. There she was just thinking that Medusa was trying to be poetic.

Nora let out a deep sigh, "there always is."