Only Because I Need You Too

Chapter 29: I Can Laugh At The Old Times

Dawn sat on the damp grass, crossing her legs into a basket. Ethan and Caitlin followed in suit, sitting down across the grave from her. The little girl sheepishly stared at the gravestone and toyed with the ends of her braids. "Proud." She huffed. Her small shoulders curved inwards and the feint traces of a frown disrupted her features. "I don't think so." She murmured. Ethan and Caitlin shared a wary glance before training their sights back on their daughter. "He only says that to make me feel better." Her tone was sharp. "The whole team does it. They say it wasn't my fault... but..." Dawn trailed off, her hazel eyes clouded over. "I didn't tell them this but... I felt it. I felt it all. I myself draining those poor people of their life." She tugged hard on her braids, the white of her eyes tinged red. "I tried so hard to stop it..." her bottom lip began to wobble. "I promise I did."

Ethan took Caitlin's hand into his own. "I saw it all too." Dawn continued, plucking a strand of grass from the ground and tearing it in two. Her head fell forwards and her frame began to shake. "I can't unsee it... the looks on their faces..." her voice broke as she cast watery eyes up to the heavens. The blade of grass between her fingers was ripped into tiny little pieces. "They were so desperate. So scared. I haven't see a look like that before." A tiny little tear dripped from her eyes. "All I could do was watch as they got slower and slower. As their terror got worse and worse. As the life drained from their eyes." A lump formed in Caitlin's throat. Glancing up at Ethan, she noticed that he too had tear tickled features. The little girl sniffed. "I didn't know how to stop it. The cold moved me. It felt so relieved with every person it consumed... I almost felt bad for it." Caitlin took in a shaky breath. A child so small shouldn't have to think about such things. She only looked or be ten or eleven. Dawn violently pulled a handful of grass from the ground, twisting it between her hands. "How could you be proud of a murderer Mum?"

Caitlin's heart stopped. She couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't listen to a child abusing herself, "Dawn." Her voice was surprisingly firm. Ethan stared down at her with red tinged cheeks. A crack of lightening flashed across the sky, nearly scaring the life out of her. Dawn's small features crinkled up together, she stared down at her small hands with an intense frown.

Ethan caught Caitlin's gaze before turning his attention to the child. "Dawn? Can you hear us?" He asked, leaning forwards over the grass. The child stared up at them with rounded eyes. Another flash of blue lightening struck and standing in the place the child had been moments earlier was the Observer. Caitlin nearly curled her lip up at the sight. Dawn moved, flicking back her hood and pulling off her mask in one fluid movement. Chocolaty hazel eyes met theirs, caramel brown hair framed her delicate features.

"Caitlin?" Dawn asked, cocking her head to the side. The doctor sent her daughter a tearful smile. With a nod from Ethan, the pair rose to their feet, shortly followed by Dawn. She was taller than Caitlin, but still had a while to go before she caught up to Ethan. Jutting her jaw to one side, she glanced around. "Where are we?" Her voice was heavy and soft.

"Inside your mind." Ethan replied, shoving his hands into her pockets. "Frigid had control of your body right now."

Dawn nodded and stroked her chin. "I see," was all she uttered. The corners of her lips unmistakably twitched downwards and her eyes glazed over. Patting the gravestone she sent them an infuriatingly cocky smile. The kind her father wore so well. "Looks like you got one of the best memories," she snorted.

"We came to bring you back to consciousness." Caitlin informed her, "follow us and we can bring you back control of your body."

Dawn nodded, her intense stare bore into a Caitlin for only a moment. "Then by all means, lead the way." She gestured with an open palm. Caitlin turned on her heel, dragging Ethan along beside her as she strode away from the grave. Only occasionally could she hear the gentle pitter-patter of Dawn's feet. Even then, she sensed that was because Dawn was allowing her too. The light dusting of rain ceased and a blue sky cracked on the horizon. A neural nexus portal flickered into being just in front of her. With no second though, she delved in.

Caitlin woke with a jolt. Intense light flickered in her eyes and the murmuring of voices filtered through her brain. After taking in several deep breaths and pulling herself into a s sitting position, she finally realised where she was. The cortex, she was in the cortex. Ethan arose beside, her pressing the heel of his palm into his eye and rubbing it. Cisco bounced over to them with a wide grin. If he looked happy then it must have worked. Glancing over at the gurney beside her, Caitlin saw that Dawn's hair hair had reverted back to its original caramel colour and even her skin bore a more lively hue instead of the blue tinge the doctor was used to seeing. Dawn looked just the way she did when they were in her mind. There was not a trace of Frigid left behind.

"You did it!" Cisco cheered, throwing his hands up into the air. Barry and Iris were observing them from the far end of the room. The couple traded a wary glance. When Caitlin simply stared at her lap and gave no reply, Cisco's arms gently fell to their sides. His previously victorious smile fell from his face.

"I take it, it wasn't a happy memory then?" Iris asked, sending them a sympathetic smile. Caitlin shook her head and pinched the bridge if her nose. Feeling the warmth of Ethan's hand on her leg, she placed her own atop it.

"I suppose you could say that." Was all she uttered in return.