Shield

Eleven

"Mom, Dad, I'm back." Izzie dropped the shopping bags on the counter. She looked at her parents as they turned to her happy and smiling. "You know I hope I find a love like yours one day." Izzie smiled.

"You will one day but it won't be like ours. It's going to be special all on its own." Her mother said.

"Yeah," Izzie turned to Nikkie her little brother who was clearly growing more handsome by the moment. "Mommy's always right." She looked at her family seeing it only whole. Until smiles disappeared and suddenly they went stone still, their bodies cracking and leaving nothing behind as they fell to the floor turning to dust.

"NOOO!" Izzie sat up her heart racing as she looked around herself confusion setting in.

"You're okay." Iris and Barry caught her. Izzie removed all the wires she could from herself before standing. "Izzie?"

"This is ridiculous." Izzie just felt it build again. The energy inside her moving all around as her skin burned. Seeing her family. Hearing her mothers voice. It set something off. Light a lit match in a dry forest. One spark can start a forest fire. Burning and killing everything in it's path. "I can't take it anymore!" Her skin tingled the more her mothers face stayed in her mind. She gripped at her head wanting to take the image out herself.

"Take what?" Iris asked.

"Wait!" Caitlin grabbed Iris and Barry pulling them away. The tablet in hand showed her brain lighting up. Her heartbeat moving faster and stronger. Caitlin didn't know what would happen but she knew it'd be similar to what happen in the hall near the elevator.

"Izzie what's wrong?!" Barry yelled.

"I can't do anymore! I can't take it!" Izzie threw her hands down releasing the same energy she had before. Only she continued to stand her ground her anger keeping her there, but everything around her crushing against the wall. The blue light disappeared as it hit the walls. She stood back surprised looking at her hands.

"Izzie," Caitlin ran up into the medical bay. "Izzie you need to stay calm,"

"Calm? I just destroyed the room and I have no idea how!"

"Izzie when you get worked up your powers build up creating a significant amount of energy. It's like your force field but a lot more powerful. So just take a deep breath okay." Izzie followed her instructions. Barry and Iris walked back into the medical bay.

"I didn't hurt anyone did I?"

"We're fine. I heal fast." Barry said. "Izzie what where you talking about before? What can't you do anymore?

"Since I've been back in this crazy city all I keep seeing is everyone I love and care about dying in front of me. My parent,!my baby brother. Ryan. I can't take it anymore." Izzie grabbed her coat from the near chair and ran. This time not even bothering with the elevator just taking the stairs. Barry talked to Iris for a minute before speeding off stopping her in the parking lot.

"Wait," Izzie turned to Barry so quick he stood in his place.

"Why are you so interested in me? Why did you find me? Why did you guys take me in and foster me or even help with my powers? WHY?"

"Izzie I can travel through time. When I do a see a little bit of everything. Past, present, future I can see bits and pieces and I've seen you." Izzie stepped back. "I think Iris and I were meant to take you in just like her dad took me in when my mother died and father was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Izzie I think you're supposed to be here. Please, let us help you. I know what your feeling. I've seen that kind of guilt result in some pretty crazy things." Barry stepped closer. "If you don't deal with it, it will ruin you."

Izzie sat at the table pushing her food around on the plate. After dreaming of her family as if the explosion never happened made her heartache. Her parents were always stupid in love. What she had with Ryan had reminded her of them. Every time she sees Barry and Iris in one of their moments they remind her of her parents as well. "The appointment is for tomorrow after school so I'll pick you up." Iris said before taking a bite of her salad.

"Okay." Izzie felt her phone buzz in her back pocket so she slipped it out reading the text.

Be ready in two hours. -C

Izzie took a deep breath before putting it back in her pocket. "Caitlin wants to take more samples and do more test to find out more about what's happening to your powers. You'll get used to it and at some point it will dye down." Barry smiled.

"I hope. Anyway...I'm beat, I think I'm just going to go to bed." Izzie stood with her plate in hand but was stopped when Barry and Iris did the same.

"Actually we want to show you something first," Izzie followed Iris and Barry up the stairs to the opposite side of the top floor. Down the hall from Barry and Iris room and close to the bathroom they stopped at the room she remembered being Iris office and part storage.

"You're not telling me your pregnant right?" Izzie asked

"Of course not. No," Iris gave a nervous smile before taking a deep breath. "Not ready for that yet. This surprise is for you." Iris opened the door revealing a no longer office/storage space but an actual bedroom. Baby blue comforter covered the double-sized bed. Dark bed frame held it up and matched the furniture around the room even the mirror that hung on the wall above the desk.

"A bedroom. You can style it how ever you like because weather you like it or not, you've got a place Izzie." She turned and wrapped her arms around them before she realized what she had done. She thanked them and they left her alone. She took the time to let it all sink in that she had her own space. Something she hasn't had since her parents house. She had to get down to business and the reason she was up here in the first place. She found her bag of clothes on a near chair. Pulling out her leggings, a plain t-shirt, her Adidas zip up jacket and Nike shoes. She stuffed the bed with pillowes and climbed out the window onto the fire escape. She ran to Carsons beat up truck on the side of the road.

"You know for a nerd...you're not really a nerd."

"Ya boy got to keep up appearances." Carson started the truck and smiled at her. "Truth is my parents are planning on me going to Harvard, become a doctor, and have a couple sons. I want something else. That's why I keep the image up. Having a secret life...it's kind of fun, you should try it sometime."

"You remember what we're doing right?"

"That's right..." Carson smiled then started the truck and drove off.