The Flash - Wounds Caused By Guilt [Slow Updates]

Pain That Only I Saw...

Caitlin Snow's Personal Observation:

I would like to tell you that everything was okay, that there was nothing wrong, and that everything was just rosy in the world right now. It would be an almost perfect place if that were the case...but even if I did say that, it would be a lie...

My name is Dr. Caitlin Snow. A scientist who works at S.T.A.R. Labs working alongside Central City Police Department, occasionally, but who mostly works as a scientist with my friends to help a man known in Central City as The Flash...but I know him as so, SO much more than that.

His name is Bartholomew 'Barry' Allen, but everybody calls him Barry because it's what he prefers being called, and he works at C.C.P.D. as a forensic scientist. He's one of the kindest men alive, no matter what anybody says about him, and he tries to help people without a moments hesitation. In 2014, he got struck by a lightning bolt created by the Particle Accelerator Explosion here at S.T.A.R. Labs and was given incredible abilities!

When that happened, instead of using his newly acquired speed powers to cause chaos and use it for ill, like so many over meta-humans did: he used his new-found powers as a force of good to help the people of Central City instead. And, despite everything that has happened and even the hard times that we've given him at times: I can say that, without a doubt, it wouldn't be the same without Barry.

He's Central Cities savior, and he's the reason a lot of good has happened...but lately, something has felt...well, off with Barry for lack of better words. Granted, ever since we all learned about a Speedster called Savitar, "The God of Speed" as said person dubbed himself, Barry has been different anyway and yet still doing good in the city whilst trying to figure out how to save Iris...but ever since Savitar had gotten free from the Speed Force a couple of weeks ago: he's been different, and not in a good way.

Savitar managed to get out by manipulating Wally's mind and tricking him into believing he was going mad, or that he needed to throw what was left of the Philosophers Stone into the Speed Force...and by "what was left", I mean what I had kept around to study for a way to cure me of my darker side, Killer Frost...

Wally did throw it into the Speed Force, and Savitar was let free instead of remaining sealed away, and poor Wally got trapped in the Speed Force Prison that Savitar had been trapped in for god knows how long! Barry had arrived on the scene too late to save Wally from being pulled in, but he tried to fight off Savitar and, well...it didn't go well...

Savitar completely outwitted Barry and beat him with ease, and gave him a serious injury by stabbing one of his suits daggers into Barry's right shoulder! I was able to remove it, but ever since then Barry has been in a lot of pain!

His shoulder has never fully healed from the wound he gained, and he doesn't have full strength back in his shoulder either, even despite his speed healing, which is really concerning; he also has been a lot less cheery and more broodier than what we're used to, and has a look of guilt and pain on his face every time one of us tries to talk to him, and his smiles are all but forced now, nothing like the Barry we all love!

This only got worse when he returned from within the Speed Force to rescue Wally: he did succeed with Jay's help after Cisco contacted him about the situation...but whilst Barry and Wally got out of the Speed Force, Jay didn't: he had stayed behind to take Wally's place, as according to Barry the prison required a Speedster to remain within it to maintain the balance. Wally seems to have recovered rather quickly physically, but psychologically it's a slow process.

I've also noticed that there has been a rift caused being Iris and Barry: before Wally got trapped by Savitar, the two seemed to have an argument of sorts, and when Barry was recovering I noticed that the engagement ring she had worn earlier in the day was now gone.